It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit.
For which of you desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore, not by book, nor from tongue. If knowledge of mysteries comes after emptiness of mind, that is illumination of heart.
You may control a mad elephant; You may shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger; Ride the lion and play with the cobra; By alchemy you may earn your livelihood; You may wander through the universe incognito; Make vassals of the gods; be ever youthful; You may walk on water and live in fire; But control of the mind is better and more difficult.
