The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-12
Highways 10 The Most High

BY Stephen ]. Constant


Somewhere between 24OO and
25OO years ago one Of the greatest
souls ever to walk the face of the
earth came into che world. Like
Jesus, He who is called the Christ,
this man was also . Light and a
Refuge. Many hundreds Of years
passed before his work and teach
ings became known to the Occi-
dental world. but in the Orient his
effect upon the race of man was
profound and enduring.
- was called Gaufama the
Buddha, meaning the Enlightened
One. "A study of this mans life,
work and teaching Is highly re-
commended to all those who would
step forth resolutely upon some
one of the highways to the Most
High. Here we have space for no
more than q brief but all import
ant glance at the heart Of his
teaching, in which all the stress
b upon personal effort, as shown
IN the following well known pass
are.
Aerefore, Anada, be ye lamps
unto yourselves. be We q refuge to
yourselves. Betake yourselves to
no external refuge. Hold fast to
the Truth as q lamp; hold fast to
The Truth as q refuge. Look mol
Or ! refuge in anyone beside your.
selves. And those, AMANDA, who
either now or after am dead shall
be 9 lamp unto themselves, shall
betakc themselves 10 no external
refuge, but holding fast ia
the Truth as their refuge, shall not
look for refuge to anyone beside
Themselves Ii is they who shall
reach the very t0pmost Height. "
ne discerning student Of the
Gospels will be quick to note that
here too was a forerunner, one
who spoke with the eternal voice
e Wisdom hundreds of years be-
fore the Truth was made flesh.
The Buddha's teaching is sum-
married in his immortal Eightf0id
Path, as valid and practical today
as II was then and as it always
shall be so long as man walks the
face Of the earth. Salvation, deliv-
crance and enlightenment are con-
ditiOnal upon 1. Right Belief. 2.
Right VIII. 8. Right Speech. 4.
Right Action. 5. Right means Of
Livelihood. s. Right Effort towards
Sclf-contrd. Z. Right Attention and
3. Right Contemplation.
In part ! Of this series we said
that every sage, every great soul,
every seer, has always made the
same report. that Wisdom comes
only from within. for that which
is transcendent Is likewise imfuarl-
ent or indwelling. We said also
that man can, u he wills. with
courage and vision on the one
hand, or In desperation ON the
other, learn to plunge into that
vast. unplumbed lake Of unknown
depth we call the mind. and
there tap It's Source.
II we would attempt this plunge
we need assists TO help Us and
show US the way. Prayer, mcdi-
tation and concentration are the
universal tools. We can present
our indwelling mind with each
one Of the principles Of the Eight
fold Path, for example. and there
tand there only) obtain the right
answer. What, for instance, did
Buddha mean by Right Belief
Wisdom, dwelling In the heights
within yourself. has the answer and
all other answers.
We are lamps, the light ii that
lamp Is indwelling. Our bodies are
temples Of the Most High : il we
hold fast to The Truth II shall abide
IN that temple and become our
Refuge. This u the report. II has
never varied. In the very Nature
q Things Il could not be otherwise.