![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
From an ongoing translation of Weisheit der Orients [Wisdom of the East] by J. B. Krebs (aka J. B. Kerning):
Control yourself! This is the first rule of the human who wants to become a disciple of wisdom. The external world has given and chained to us such a powerful pseudo-ego that we no longer experience the inner, true ego at all. This inner ego, however, is our actual life. If we want to find this lost ego again, then we must subjugate and control the external pseudo-ego. Through that the inner-being receives the freedom to move, to show itself to us, and to reveal its sublime characteristics.
The common human lives for the outward appearance, for the shell, and does not worry about the content. The exterior is often splendidly dressed up, but the interior empty. Will the human never learn to recognise his own worth?
Self-control is only difficult in appearance. How often the human forces himself for the sake of small aims to obtain honour or gold, to deceive others or to satisfy a passion. How much the human is capable of overcoming himself when it gets serious for him! Only we lack the seriousness when we are not what we should be. We not virtuous and are not enlightened only because it has not gotten serious for us to be so. We are still wandering in the darkness only because we could not yet bring ourselves to desire and to seek the light in earnest. Should we wait yet longer in childish indecisiveness, or seek the good in earnest?
The determined criminal has more worth than such a half-creature who does not have the courage to be something whole, be it good or bad; for he is like a leaf which is driven by the wind here and there. Grasp the gravity, then you have won. Anyone who just shows himself the seriousness is certain of the goal.
We probably cannot immediately obtain everything we seek, but we can strike out on the correct path and remain on it. The human should decide with definiteness and carry out his decision; but it does not happen. If he plans today to enter the proper path tomorrow, then he still has this or that to worry about beforehand; the day passes and also the next, and thus he never reaches the goal. Even if he decides to set off, he walks for a stretch; then something occurs to him which is still to be looked after. The neighbour is getting married, there it is a jolly day; or another has sent an invitation; what would they say if he did not appear at it. The pleasure is innocent. If I properly pull myself together the next day, then I am again at work in good time.
In thousands of ways the human seeks thus to gloss over his backward step, and then sees himself constantly in the same place. Indeed, usually he goes six steps forwards and twelve backwards, and falls in the end into the abyss.
Oh poor, blind, weak human! You boast of your freedom, and do not have so much power over yourself even to decide to take the path you desire. You would like to walk the proper path, but the other is beautiful and planted with roses, provided with places to rest and houses of pleasure. The other path is rough and uncleared, and anyone who wanders it runs the danger of offering himself to people’s gossip, and being considered a fantasist. Thus you wander the wide path in the day and believe yourself able to recover the neglected part on the other at night and in the mist.
Two paths lie before us. We cannot wander on both. We cannot travel to the west and to the east at the same time. We must decide. Indecisiveness is the greatest evil of the human. He looks at the street and describes it so far as his eyes reach, and thinks to have done enough if he praises the proper path with full cheeks, and belittles the other path whilst he remains himself in the old place.
We know the order of nature which shows us its light. The west must penetrate through the night to the east. Backwards or forwards; the choice is easy, the decision free, and the finishers deserve the prize. For those for whom it has not gotten serious to obtain a possession, they are not worthy of the possession.
Determination and Self-Control
Control yourself! This is the first rule of the human who wants to become a disciple of wisdom. The external world has given and chained to us such a powerful pseudo-ego that we no longer experience the inner, true ego at all. This inner ego, however, is our actual life. If we want to find this lost ego again, then we must subjugate and control the external pseudo-ego. Through that the inner-being receives the freedom to move, to show itself to us, and to reveal its sublime characteristics.
The common human lives for the outward appearance, for the shell, and does not worry about the content. The exterior is often splendidly dressed up, but the interior empty. Will the human never learn to recognise his own worth?
Self-control is only difficult in appearance. How often the human forces himself for the sake of small aims to obtain honour or gold, to deceive others or to satisfy a passion. How much the human is capable of overcoming himself when it gets serious for him! Only we lack the seriousness when we are not what we should be. We not virtuous and are not enlightened only because it has not gotten serious for us to be so. We are still wandering in the darkness only because we could not yet bring ourselves to desire and to seek the light in earnest. Should we wait yet longer in childish indecisiveness, or seek the good in earnest?
The determined criminal has more worth than such a half-creature who does not have the courage to be something whole, be it good or bad; for he is like a leaf which is driven by the wind here and there. Grasp the gravity, then you have won. Anyone who just shows himself the seriousness is certain of the goal.
We probably cannot immediately obtain everything we seek, but we can strike out on the correct path and remain on it. The human should decide with definiteness and carry out his decision; but it does not happen. If he plans today to enter the proper path tomorrow, then he still has this or that to worry about beforehand; the day passes and also the next, and thus he never reaches the goal. Even if he decides to set off, he walks for a stretch; then something occurs to him which is still to be looked after. The neighbour is getting married, there it is a jolly day; or another has sent an invitation; what would they say if he did not appear at it. The pleasure is innocent. If I properly pull myself together the next day, then I am again at work in good time.
In thousands of ways the human seeks thus to gloss over his backward step, and then sees himself constantly in the same place. Indeed, usually he goes six steps forwards and twelve backwards, and falls in the end into the abyss.
Oh poor, blind, weak human! You boast of your freedom, and do not have so much power over yourself even to decide to take the path you desire. You would like to walk the proper path, but the other is beautiful and planted with roses, provided with places to rest and houses of pleasure. The other path is rough and uncleared, and anyone who wanders it runs the danger of offering himself to people’s gossip, and being considered a fantasist. Thus you wander the wide path in the day and believe yourself able to recover the neglected part on the other at night and in the mist.
Two paths lie before us. We cannot wander on both. We cannot travel to the west and to the east at the same time. We must decide. Indecisiveness is the greatest evil of the human. He looks at the street and describes it so far as his eyes reach, and thinks to have done enough if he praises the proper path with full cheeks, and belittles the other path whilst he remains himself in the old place.
We know the order of nature which shows us its light. The west must penetrate through the night to the east. Backwards or forwards; the choice is easy, the decision free, and the finishers deserve the prize. For those for whom it has not gotten serious to obtain a possession, they are not worthy of the possession.
Tags: