18. The low-minded do wicked actions in consequence of their cruelty. Average men, though pitiful, will do so, when come into distress. But the virtuous, even when in danger of life, are as little capable of transgressing their proper line of conduct as the Ocean its boundary. * * * * * [In this way the Lord did long ago protect animal life even at the risk of his own and of the loss of the Celestial sway. Keeping then in mind that it does not at all befit a wise man to offend living beings, much less to sin against them, a pious man must be intent on practising compassion towards the creatures. And the saying that Dharma in truth watches him who walks in righteousness (dharma)[107], is to be propounded here too. Likewise this (story) may be adduced when discoursing on the Tathâgata, and when treating of listening with attention to the preaching of the Law.] [107] We have here a remarkable quotation from the Holy Writ of Northern Buddhism. The wording of this sentence in the original: dharmo ha vai rakshati dharma_k_âri_n_am, is the exact Sanskrit counterpart of the first pâda of a well-known Pâli stanza uttered by the Lord (see Fausböll, _G_âtaka I, p. 31; IV, p. 54, and the other passages quoted there): Dhammo have rakkhati dhamma_k_âri_m_ Dhammo su_k_i_nn_o sukham âvahâti Esânisa_m_so dhamme su_k_i_nn_e Na duggati_m_ ga_kkh_ati dhamma_k_âri. XII. THE STORY OF THE BRÂHMAN. What forbids the virtuous to transgress the boundary of good behaviour is the very shame of the Self within their hearts. This will be taught by the following. Once the Bodhisattva, it is told, came to life in an illustrious family of Brâhmans, well-reputed both on account of their ancestry and their conduct. They were highly esteemed and renowned, observing their traditional customs and setting a high value on good education and good manners. Having received in due order the different sacraments: garbhâdhâna, pu_m_savana, sîmantonnayana, _g_âtakarma, and the rest, he dwelt at his teacher's, who was a Brâhman distinguished by the superiority of his learning, by his birth, and by his practice of the customary conduct, with the object of studying the Veda. 1. His quickness in mastering and retaining the texts he was taught, his devoted obedience for which his family had always been reputed--a virtue his correctness of conduct embellished by tranquillity, a rare ornament in a youth, made him obtain the love and affection of his teacher. 2. For virtues practised without interruption are magic charms to win the affection even of such as are burnt by the fire of hatred, how much more of the sound-hearted. Now his teacher, in the intervals of rest from sacred study, with the object of trying the morals of all his disciples, was used to tell them frequently of his own sufferings, the effect of his poverty.