THE TRUE GOAL

NIRVANA

And his heart becomes free from sensual passion, free from the
passion for existence, free from the passion of ignorance. "Freed am
I!": this knowledge arises in the liberated one; and he knows:
"Exhausted is rebirth, fulfilled the Holy Life; what was to be done,
has been done; naught remains more for this world to do."

Forever am I liberated,
This is the last time that I'm born,
No new existence waits for me.

This, verily, is the highest, holiest wisdom: to know that all
suffering has passed away.
This, verily, is the highest, holiest peace: appeasement of greed,
hatred and delusion.

THE SILENT THINKER

"I am" is a vain thought; "I am not" a vain thought; "I shall be" is
a vain thought; "I shall not be" is a vain thought. Vain thoughts
are a sickness, an ulcer, a thorn. But after overcoming all vain
thoughts, one is called silent thinker." And the thinker, the Silent
One, does no more arise, no more pass away, no more tremble, no more
desire. For there is nothing in him that he should arise again. And as
he arises no more, how should he grow old again? And as he grows no
more old, how should he die again? And as he dies no more, how
should he tremble? And as he trembles no more, how should he have
desire?



Hence, the purpose of the Holy Life does not consist in acquiring
alms, honor, or fame, nor in gaining morality, concentration, or the
eye of knowledge. That unshakable deliverance of the heart: that,
verily, is the object of the Holy Life, that is its essence, that is
its goal.
And those, who formerly, in the past, were Holy and Enlightened
Ones, those Blessed Ones also have pointed out to their disciples this
self-same goal, as has been pointed out by me to my disciples. And
those, who afterwards, in the future, will be Holy and Enlightened
Ones, those Blessed Ones also will point out to their disciples this
self-same goal, as has been pointed out by me to my disciples.
However, Disciples, it may be that (after my passing away) you
might think: "Gone is the doctrine of our Master. We have no Master
more." But you should not think; for the Law and the Discipline, which
I have taught you, Will, after my death, be your master.

The Law be your light,
The Law be your refuge!
Do not look for any other refuge!

Disciples, the doctrines, which I advised you to penetrate, you
should well preserve, well guard, so that this Holy Life may take
its course and continue for ages, for the weal and welfare of the
many, as a consolation to the world, for the happiness, weal and
welfare of heavenly beings and men.