Sometimesthesoulfeelsthatithasfoundasecurepeaceandhappinessinadoptingacertainreligion, inembracinganintellectualphilosophy, orinbuildingupanintellectualorartisticideal; butsomeoverpoweringtemptationprovesthereligiontobeinadequateorinsufficient; thetheoreticalphilosophyisfoundtobeauselessprop; orinamoment, theidealisticstatueuponwhichthedevoteehasforyearsbeenlaboring, isshatteredintofragmentsathisfeet.
Isthere, then, nowayofescapefrompainandsorrow? Ispermanenthappiness, secureprosperity, andabidingpeaceafoolishdream?
No, thereisaway, andIspeakitwithgladness, bywhichevilcanbeslainforever; thereisaprocessbywhichdisease, poverty, oranyadverseconditionorcircumstancecanbeputononesidenevertoreturn; thereisamethodbywhichapermanentprosperitycanbesecured, freefromallfearoftherectumofadversity, andthereisapracticebywhichunbrokenandunendingpeaceandblisscanbepartakenofandrealized.
Andthebeginningofthewaywhichleadstothisgloriousrealizationistheacquirementofarightunderstandingofthenatureofevil.
Itisnotsufficienttodenyorignoreevil; ; youmustfindoutwhyitisthere, andwhatlessonithasforyou.
Itisofnoavailtofretandfumeandchafeatthechainswhichbindyou; , reader, youmustbegintoexamineandunderstandyourself.
Evilisnotanabstractsomethingoutsideyourself; itisanexperienceinyourownheart, andbypatientlyexaminingandrectifyingyourheartyouwillbegraduallyledintothediscoveryoftheoriginandnatureofevil, whichwillnecessarilybefollowedbyitscompleteeradication.
