VI: Sumedha’s Reflection on the Perfections – 78 

 

He continued to admonish himself (Bv 144-145): 

“This great earth shows no signs of love or hate towards all of the things 
that are dumped upon it but forbears them whether they are clean and 
good or unclean and foul. Likewise, Sumedha, you should put up with all 
that is done to you, be it in honour or in contempt. When you are 
accomplished in fulfilling the perfection of forbearance, you will attain 
the knowledge of the paths, fruitions and omniscience.” 

7. The Perfection of Truthfulness 

After discovering and reflecting on the perfection of forbearance, he discovered 
truthfulness as the seventh perfection which former Bodhisattas had always 
followed and practised. Then he admonished himself thus (Bv 147-148): 

“Sumedha, if you are desirous of attaining the knowledge of the paths, 
fruitions and omniscience, you should constantly establish the perfection 
of truthfulness, which is speaking only the truth and not being duplicitous, 
such as being truthful sometimes and not at other times; speaking 
truthfully to some people and not to others. If you fulfil the perfection of 
truthfulness by speaking only the truth, you will attain the knowledge of 
the paths, fruitions and omniscience.” 

He continued to admonish himself (Bv 149-150): 

“The morning star, which serves as a guiding light, keeps steady on its 
course, never deviating from it, irrespective of the season, whether it is 
rainy, cold or hot. Likewise, Sumedha, you should not deviate from the 
path of truth, the path that consists of eight sectors: what you see, what 
you hear, what you feel, what you know; what you do not see, what you 
do not hear, what you do not feel and what you do not know. When you 
are accomplished in fulfilling the perfection of truthfulness, you will 
attain the knowledge of the paths, fruitions and omniscience.” 

You stand on the path of truth only when you say that you see what you do 
see with your eyes in the case of seeing. Only when you say you hear what 
you hear with your ears in the case of hearing. Only when you say you feel 
with your nose, tongue or body in the case of feeling. Only when you say 
you know what you know with your mind in the case of knowing. The 
same holds good in the case of not seeing, not hearing, not feeling and not