The difference between the modern Brâhmaism and Hinduism is like the difference between the single note of music and the whole music.  The modern Brâhmas are content with the single note of Brahman, while the Hindu religion is made up of several notes producing a sweet and melodious harmony.  ..read more

M. Where, then, are they who say that anger has its use? Can madness be of any use?    “But still it is natural.”    Can anything be natural that is against reason? Or how is it, if anger is natural, that one person is more inclined to anger than another? Or that the lust of revenge should cease before it has revenged itself? Or that anyone should repent of what he had done in a passion? As we see that Alexander the king did, who could scarcely keep his hands from himself, when he had killed his favorite Cleitus, so great was his compunction.    Now who that is a ..read more

Philips Gijsels, Memento Mori with a Skull and Crossbones (c. 1650)    ..read more

Peeter Sion, Vanitas Still Life with Skull (c. 1660)  ..read more

How unsound and insincere is he who says, "I have determined to deal with you in a fair way!"—What are you doing, man? There is no occasion to give this notice. It will soon show itself by acts.  The voice ought to be plainly written on the forehead. Such as a man's character is, he immediately shows it in his eyes, just as he who is beloved forthwith reads everything in the eyes of lovers.  The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell, whether he choose or not.  But the affecta ..read more

M. Anger, too, when it disturbs the mind any time, leaves no room to doubt its being madness: by the instigation of which we see such contention as this between brothers:  “Where was there ever impudence like thine?Who on thy malice ever could refine?”  You know what follows: for abuses are thrown out by these brothers with great bitterness in every other verse; so that you may easily know them for the sons of Atreus, of that Atreus who invented a new punishment for his brother:  “I who his cruel heart to gall am bent, Some new, unheard-of torment must inven ..read more

M. Now, the cure for one who is affected in this manner is to show how light, how contemptible, how very trifling he is in what he desires; how he may turn his affections to another object, or accomplish his desires by some other means; or else to persuade him that he may entirely disregard it: sometimes he is to be led away to objects of another kind, to study, business, or other different engagements and concerns: very often the cure is effected by change of place, as sick people, that have not recovered their strength, are benefited by change of air.  Some people think an old lov ..read more

The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior is bright in his armor, the Brahmana is bright in his meditation; but Buddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendor day and night.  ..read more

M. Now we see that the loves of all these writers were entirely libidinous. There have arisen also some among us philosophers (and Plato is at the head of them, whom Dicaearchus blames not without reason) who have countenanced love.  The Stoics, in truth, say, not only that their wise man may be a lover, but they even define love itself as an endeavor to originate friendship out of the appearance of beauty.  Now, provided there is any one in the nature of things without desire, without care, without a sigh, such a one may be a lover; for he is free from all lust: but I hav ..read more

..read more