Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Commentary on Meditations: B6:57-59

Appearances: to the jaundiced honey seems bitter, to those bitten by rabid dogs water is a terror, to little boys a ball is joy. Why then am I angry? Or do you think that false representation has less effect than bile in the jaundiced or poison in the hydrophobic?

No one will prevent you living in accordance with the principle of your own nature: nothing will happen to you contrary to the principle of universal nature.

What sort of people they wish to please! And what kind of actions are the means of their success! How quickly time will cover everything - and how much is covered already.

To one, honey is sweet, to another it is bitter.  Which impression is false?  Hard to tell.  Does it matter?  You must accept that honey is bitter if you are jaundiced and you must accept that honey is sweet if you are not jaundiced.  No need to be angry; just accepting.

You in your inner citadel, have ultimate power over your opinion of things.  No one or no thing can force you to have an opinion.  Your soul - the truly unique part of you - is the only thing that can form your opinion.

Fame - here today, gone tomorrow.  Time will cover everything, as it already has.  You have fame, wealth, health today?  Tomorrow you may not.  For sure, in 1000 years you will have none of it.  And supposing you did have any of those things, anyone who knew you had it, they too will be long forgotten and turned to dust.  It is all so fleeting and fragile.

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