Chapter (অধ্যায়): SAYINGS AND UTTERANCES PAGE-273Page: 273 of 540
firm. Therefore ye may rain, if ye will, O clouds, tonight!'
"Again the cowherd: 'The fields are reaped, and the hay is fast in the barn. The stream is full, and the roads are firm. Therefore ye may rain, if ye will, O clouds, tonight.'
"And so it goes on, till at last the cowherd rises, in contrition and wonder, and becomes a disciple.
"Or what would be more beautiful than the barber's story?
"The Blessed One passed by my house,
my house-the Barber's!
"I ran, but He turned and awaited me,
Awaited me-the Barber!
"I said, 'May I speak, O Lord, with Thee?'
"And He said 'Yes!'
'Yes!' to me-the Barber!
"And I said, 'Is Nirvana for such as I?'
"And He said 'Yes!'
Even for me-the Barber!
"And I said, 'May I follow after Thee?'
"And He said, 'Oh yes!'
Even I -the Barber!
"And I said, 'May I stay, O Lord, near Thee?'
"And He said, 'Thou mayest!'
Even to me-the poor Barber!"
34. "The great point of contrast between Buddhism and Hinduism lies in the fact that Buddhism said, 'Realise all this as illusion', while Hinduism said, 'Realise that within the illusion is the Real.' Of how this was to be done, Hinduism never presumed to enunciate any rigid law. The Buddhist command could only be carried out through monasticism; the Hindu might be fulfilled through any state of life. All alike were roads to the One Real. One of the highest and greatest expressions of the Faith is put into the mouth of a butcher, preaching