by Unknown
Every time I’ve tried to talk about the need for a minimum wage, tried to talk about the need for day care centers, embracing ideas on both sides of the aisle, the media have not been interested in that. They wanted to ask about petty personal finances.
You need—you need somebody else, someone to give you that back. We’ll have the caucus on Tuesday. And then I will offer to resign from the House sometime before the end of June. Let that be a total payment for the anger and hostility we feel toward each other. Let’s not try to get even with each other. Republicans, please don’t get it in your heads you need to get somebody else because of John Tower. Democrats, please don’t feel that you need to get somebody on the other side because of me. We ought to be more mature than that.
Let’s restore to this institution the rightful priorities of what’s good for this country, and let’s all work together to try to achieve them. The nation has important business, and it can’t afford these distractions, and that’s why I offer to resign.
I’ve enjoyed these years in Congress. I am grateful for all of you who have taught me things and been patient with me. Horace Greeley had a quote that Harry Truman used to like—and fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow, only one thing endures: character.
I’m not a bitter man—I’m not going to be. I’m a lucky man. God has given me the privilege of serving in this, the greatest institution on earth, for a great many years. And I’m grateful to the people of my district in Texas, I’m grateful to you, my colleagues, all of you.
God bless this institution. God bless the United States.
VII
SERMONS
The Buddha Urges a Turning Away from Craving in His “Fire Sermon”
“And with what are these on fire? With the fire of passion, say I, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of infatuation…”
The Buddha is a title—The Enlightened One, or The Awakened One—given a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, born about the year 563 B.C. in a kingdom on the border of what today is Nepal and India. At twenty-nine he became an ascetic, then searched for a “middle way” between the hedonist’s self-indulgence and the ascetic’s self-mortification. Seated cross-legged under a banyan tree, he achieved what Buddhists call the great Enlightenment: the central truths are that mankind’s life is filled with suffering; it is caused by craving; and there is freedom from such craving that is called the state of Nirvana, a cool and liberating detachment.
To a gathering of one thousand ascetics in the region of Uruvela, the Buddha delivered a sutra, or discourse, known as the “Fire Sermon.” It is one of the basic scriptures of one of the world’s great religions, driven by a drumbeat of repetition of key words and the evocation of all the senses.
Modern Westerners became more familiar with this particular sermon of the Buddha’s when its title was used to head Section III of T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land,” one of the seminal poems of the twentieth century, its metaphor a landscape of moral bleakness and its final word burning. The Buddha’s message in this 2,500-year-old speech is both more positive and intellectually accessible.
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ALL THINGS, O priests, are on fire. And what, O priests, are all these things which are on fire?
The eye, O priests, is on fire; forms are on fire; eye-consciousness is on fire; impressions received by the eye are on fire; and whatever sensation, pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent, originates in dependence on impressions received by the eye, that also is on fire.
And with what are these on fire?
With the fire of passion, say I, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of infatuation; with birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, misery, grief, and despair are they on fire.
The ear is on fire; sounds are on fire;… the nose is on fire; odors are on fire;… the tongue is on fire; tastes are on fire;… the body is on fire; things tangible are on fire;… the mind is on fire; ideas are on fire;… mind-consciousness is on fire; impressions received by the mind are on fire; and whatever sensation, pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent, originates in dependence on impressions received by the mind, that also is on fire.
And with what are these on fire?
With the fire of passion, say I, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of infatuation; with birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, misery, grief, and despair are they on fire.
Perceiving this, O priests, the learned and noble disciple conceives an aversion for the eye, conceives an aversion for forms, conceives an aversion for eye-consciousness, conceives an aversion for the impressions received by the eye; and whatever sensation, pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent, originates in dependence on impressions received by the eye, for that also he conceives an aversion. Conceives an aversion for the ear, conceives an aversion for sounds,… conceives an aversion for the nose, conceives an aversion for odors,… conceives an aversion for the tongue, conceives an aversion for tastes,… conceives an aversion for the body, conceives an aversion for things tangible,… conceives an aversion for the mind, conceives an aversion for ideas, conceives an aversion for mind-consciousness, conceives an aversion for the impressions received by the mind; and whatever sensation, pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent, originates in dependence on impressions received by the mind, for this also he conceives an aversion. And in conceiving this aversion, he becomes divested of passion, and by the absence of passion he becomes free, and when he is free he becomes aware that he is free; and he knows that rebirth is exhausted, that he has lived the holy life, that he has done what it behooved him to do, and that he is no more for this world….
Jesus of Nazareth Delivers the Sermon on the Mount
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.”
Preached in the third decade of the first century A.D., the Sermon on the Mount remains the single most important discourse on Christian law and living. It was delivered by Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish teacher whom Christians recognize as Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of God. The Greek Christos literally means “anointed,” and Christ was originally a title, not a proper name.
Recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount was delivered to Jesus’ disciples and the multitude. The sermon reinterprets the laws of the Old Testament in light of Christian doctrine and contains two of the central statements of Christian ethics. First, the Beatitudes express a promise of blessings to come; these sayings take the rhetorical form of anaphora, repeating the opening words “Blessed are….” Also invoked in the sermon is the Lord’s Prayer, an apostrophe directed to “Our Father, which art in heaven.”
Among the many figures of speech used in the Sermon on the Mount, foremost is metaphor. Listeners are identified as “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” the latter image introducing what has become the frequently revived image of “a city that is set on a hill.” The elegant and slightly archaic English of the King James Version supports the sermon’s extended use of parallel structure (“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”) and of antithesis (“Judge not, that ye be not judged”).
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BLESSED ARE THE poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is you
r reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say unto you, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, “Thou shalt not kill”; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.
But I say unto you, “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, ‘Thou fool,’ shall be in danger of hellfire.”
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, “Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou has paid the uttermost farthing.”
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” But I say unto you, “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
It hath been said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.” But I say unto you, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, “Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.”
But I say unto you, “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, ‘Yea, yea’; ‘Nay, nay’: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
Ye have heard that it hath been said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say unto you, “Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
Ye have heard that it hath been said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” But I say unto you, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, “They have their reward.” But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, “They have their reward.” But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, “They have their reward.” But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast. but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
Therefore I say unto you, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.” Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed l
ike one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, “What shall we eat?” or, “What shall we drink?” or, “Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek): for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, “Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye”; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
