Retiring from the world and betaking himself to a life in the woods, that learned person having a complete control over the senses who treads in that path, in quiet expectation of his decease, is sure to attain to the state of Brahma. He who has no fear of any creature and of whom no creature is afraid, has, after the dissolution of his body, no fear to encounter.[460] He who exhausts his merits (by actual enjoyment) without seeking to store them up, who casts an equal eye upon all creatures and practises a course of universal friendliness, attains to Brahma. As the track of birds along the sky or of fowl over the surface of water cannot be discerned, even so the track of such a person (on earth) does not attract notice. For him, O king, who abandoning home adopts the religion of emancipation, many bright worlds wait to be enjoyed for eternity. If, abandoning all acts, abandoning penances in due course, abandoning the diverse branches of study, in fact, abandoning all things (upon which worldly men set their hearts), one becomes pure in his desires, liberated from all restraints,[461] of cheerful soul, conversant with self, and of pure heart, one then wins esteem in this world and at last attains to heaven. That eternal region of the Grandsire which springs from Vedic penances, and which is concealed in a cave, can be won by only self-restraint.[462] He who takes pleasure in true knowledge, who has become enlightened, and who never injures any creature, has no fear of coming back to this world, far less, any fear in respect of the others.[463] There is only one fault in self-control. No second fault is noticeable in it. A person who has self-control is regarded by men as weak and imbecile. O thou of great wisdom, this attribute has only one fault. Its merits are many. By forgiveness (which is only another form of self-control), the man of self-control may easily acquire innumerable worlds. What need has a man of self-control for a forest?Mbh 12.160.2c · Mahabharata · SANTI PARVA
Mbh 12.160.2c
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
Self-ControlFearNatureThe DivineLiberationWisdomDesireForgiveness
Self-Control in other traditions
The same theme, as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.
In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain.Dhp 25.361 · Dhammapada · The Bhikshu (Mendicant)
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;2 Peter 1:6 · Bible · 2 Peter
But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust,Quran 79:40 · Quran
“Your noble vigour, O my friends, restrain; Nor weary out your generous strength in vain. Ye both have won: let others who excel, Now prove that prowess you have proved so well.”Iliad 23.54 · Iliad · 23
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