THE SERMON ON ABUSE

  THE Blessed One observed the ways of society and noticed how much

misery came from malignity and foolish offenses done only to gratify

vanity and self-seeking pride. And the Buddha said: "If a man

foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my

ungrudging love; the more evil comes from him, the more good shall

go from me; the fragrance of goodness always comes to me, and the

harmful air of evil goes to him."

  A foolish man learning that the Buddha observed the principle of

great love which commends the return of good for evil, came and abused

him. The Buddha was silent, pitying his folly. When the man had

finished his abuse, the Buddha asked him, saying: "Son, if a man

declined to accept a present made to him, to whom would it belong?"

And he answered: "In that case it would belong to the man who

offered it."

  "My son," said the Buddha thou hast railed at me, but I decline to

accept thy abuse, and request thee to keep it thyself. Will it not

be a source of misery to thee? As the echo belongs to the sound, and

the shadow to the substance, so misery will overtake the evil-doer

without fail."

  The abuser made no reply, and Buddha continued: "A wicked man who

reproaches a virtuous one is like one who looks up and spits at

heaven; the spittle soils not the heaven, but comes back and defiles

his own person. The slanderer is like one who flings dust at another

when the wind is contrary; the dust does but return on him who threw

it. The virtuous man cannot be hurt and the misery that the other

would inflict comes back on himself." The abuser went away ashamed,

but he came again and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the

Sangha.