Buddha: His Life, his Doctrine, his Order c7.s1.t2.9

c7.s1.t2.9

"As when the drum is beaten, a man cannot prevent its sound going forth, but if he seize the drum or the drummer, the sound is stayed;—as when the lute is played, a man cannot prevent its sound going forth, but if he seize the lute or the lute-player, the sound is stayed;—as when the trumpet is blown, a man cannot prevent its sound going forth, but if he seize the trumpet or the trumpeter, the sound is stayed;—as from a fire, in which a man places damp wood, clouds of smoke issue here and there, so truly is the exhalation of this great being; he is Rig Veda, he is Yajur Veda, he is Sâma Veda, the Atharvan and Angiras songs, tale and legend, knowledge and sacred doctrine, verses, rules, he is the explanation and the second explanation; all this is his exhalation.—As a lump of salt, which is thrown into the water, dissolves and cannot be gathered up again, but wherever water is drawn, it is salty, so truly it is with this great being, the endless, the unlimited, the fulness of knowledge: from these (earthly) beings it came into view and with them it vanishes. There is no consciousness after death; hearken, thus I declare unto thee." Thus spoke Yâjnavalkya. Then Maitreyî said, "This speech