54
The only reason for choosing
a Guru who has himself
attained
is that
he will aid the vigilance
of the
sleepy Chela,
and, while
tempering
the
Wind
to that
shorn
lamb, will carefully
harden
him, and
at
the
same
time gladden
his ears with holy discourse.
But if such
a person is in-
accessible,
let him
choose
any one
with
whom
he has constant
inter-
course, explain
the circumstances,
and ask him to act.
The
person
should
if possible
be
trustworthy;
and
let
the
Chela
remember
that if he
should
be ordered
to jump over
a cliff it is very
much better to do it than to give up the practice.
And it is of the very greatest importance
not to limit the vow in any
way.
You must buy the egg without
haggling.
In a certain
Society
the
members
were bound to do certain
things,
being
assured
that
there
was "nothing
in
the
vow
contrary
to their
civil,
moral,
or religious
obligations."
So when any one wanted to break
his vow he had
no
difficulty
in
discovering
a very good
reason
for
it.
The vow lost all its force.
When
Buddha took
his
seat under
the blessed Bo-Tree, he took
an
oath
that
none
of the
inhabitants
of the
10,000
worlds
should
cause
him to rise until
he had
attained;
so
that
when
even Mara the
great
Arch-Devil,
with his
three
daughters
the arch-temptresses
appeared,
he
remained
still.
Now it is useless
for the
beginner
to
take
so
formidable
a vow;
he