(1)
Ellery
said: "Seeing his friend in pain and moved to
desperation, the devil's despair spoke the following
words:
(2) The
great soul said: 'This is really not the time to give
it up Aylen. This doesn't befit you at all. This is
the way of losers who never make for a better world,
it's a disgrace really! Aylen, get yourself together!
(3) Do not give in to such a weakness of heart, it
leads nowhere but to the asylum, so stand and address
the audience, get over your stage fright!'
(4) Aylen
retorted: 'How can I launch an attack on Jeremiah and
professor Cooper, they are honorable gentlemen of
great standing! What would I then be, o devil's
despair? (5) Wouldn't it be better to live for the
rest of my life on social security than to bring those
high and respectable gentlemen down, even though they,
as leaders and teachers, want the kingdom of heaven on
earth? I'm not going to get my hands dirty on matters
like these, that's way beyond anything honorable! (6)
And what if - their defeating us is as good as our
defeating them. I wouldn't want to live to the victory
of either of us, no way, in whatever position we would
end up in in relation to uncle Edward. (7) With my
fear and fright, I ask you, confused within on what to
do, what would be the ideal compromise to all of us?
Confide it to me, instruct me on this and accept me as
your pupil so to say. (8) I'm at a loss in figuring
out what to do, on how to proceed from here; how can I
not be desperate and lame, wishing for an undisputed
position on earth or even the supreme of a set of
angel wings?' "
(9) Secretary
Ellery said: "Thus addressing the sensemaster, he who
had proven himself stronger than sleep and used to be
the terror of his opponents said: 'I give up, I won't
step forward', and next fell silent. (10) O descendant
of Many, then, right there between the mob outside and
the family gathered for the debate inside, the sense
master with a smile spoke the following words.
(11) The
master of happiness said: 'Don't be sad over that what
doesn't deserve such an emotional commitment; with all
your words so educated you should, whether you win or
lose in the upcoming debate, being a wise man, not be
moved in any such way. (12) Listen, yesterday I
existed and so I will tomorrow, and so it is with you,
and with all these important people here. (13) In your
lifetime you change from a child into a youngster and
from a youngster into a grown man; but, honestly, did
that make you a different person? (14) What the senses
tell you, o son of aunt Alice, in the sense of pain
and happiness, comes and goes like summer and winter.
Such things don't last, just take it like a man, o man
out of Many. (15) He who's not upset in this, o best
of them all, he who is equal and steady in distress
and happiness, is the man fit for the job.
(16) So
don't expect anything durable from outer appearances,
nor think that the person you stay within will ever
come to an end; and this is what the greatest scholars
confirm in their studies on the subject. (17) Just
keep in mind that what there is in all states of your
physical existence as a constant factor, that that
self, cannot perish or be defeated by anybody. (18)
All these material bodies are perishable, while the
indestructible and immeasurable one that is embodied
is called eternal; and therefore fight, o son of the
noble line. (19) Anyone who says that that self of
yours can put an end to any essential self of someone
else, or himself can be put to an end, is in either
position out of his wits; you really cannot put anyone
to an end nor can you be put to an end. (20) So, to be
clear: actually you never began living nor will you
ever stop living; you never took birth, nor will you
ever really die. Just the same you don't reincarnate
either in that sense; the soul as it is, is never
born, is eternal and constant. It's in existence from
the first day of creation and it never ends when the
body ends. (21) Once you realize that that soul we
talk about is indestructible and everlasting, without
any change or birth, how then, o son of Alice, could
you be the cause of anyone's end or be put to an end
yourself? (22) Wearing your body and the ego along
with it like a garment, you can change them just as
easily, and thus you can end a life and pick up a new
one as you like. (23) That what you really are cannot
drop apart, fry, drown or wither away. (24) You are
unbreakable, you can't burn up or dissolve; you're
everlasting, you reach wherever you want, you'll stay
your same self always, nobody can touch you as such
and you've always been that way, and that's that.
(25) Considering
this real self of yours that can't be seen really,
that can't even be conceived really, nor undergo any
change really, you should know that it thus is nothing
for you to worry or despair about. (26) And even if
you'd reincarnate and die again, o man of power, never
worry about it. (27) He who dies will certainly be
born again, just as the one born will die again of
course; such irrevocable facts do not deserve any
worry, that you should know. (28) Each and everyone
is, o son of the Many dynasty, to begin with a nobody,
then he or she is known and then he or she is
forgotten again, so why worry when it's all like this?
(29) This soul is by some seen as amazing, some speak
about it as amazing, and some know it as amazing,
while still others never come to understand what this
real self all means. (30) This soul, this owner of
each his body, never perishes, o son of the dynasty,
and thus you shouldn't be troubled about anybody.
(31) And, concerning your duties in the debate,
I must say that you must always stand your ground to
serve God, your actual quality, virtue and
righteousness, in the first place, that is the very
best thing a politician can do. (32) O son of aunt
Alice, praise yourself happy as a politician to find
opposition in the debate, for that offers you the
opportunity to excel and express yourself. (33) So
defend your case as if it concerned God Himself, for
if you fail to serve your own nature with Him you'll
be nothing but a profiteer without any self-respect.
(34) Not speaking up you'll lose your reputation and
to an honorable man that is something far worse than
death. (35) Your colleagues in the field, all thinking
highly of you, will write you off as a looser, if you
back-off now out of fear. (36) They'll gossip and
deride your ability, and you know how painful that is.
(37) Consider it this way; you either lose with honor,
or you win the debate adding to your repute; so, stand
and be sure in this choice, o son of Alice! (38)
Whether the outcome is to be happy or unhappy, whether
it is to your advantage or disadvantage, whether you
win or lose, you'll never be making a wrong move if
you engage in the debate being equanimous with this in
mind!'
