Роздуми

           Itwillkeepyoufromdoinganythinguseful.You’llbetoopreoccupiedwithwhatso-and-soisdoing,andwhy,andwhatthey’resaying,andwhatthey’rethinking,andwhatthey’reupto,andalltheotherthingsthatthrowyouoffandkeepyoufromfocusingonyourownmind.

           Youneedtoavoidcertainthingsinyourtrainofthought:everythingrandom,everythingirrelevant.Andcertainlyeverythingself-importantormalicious.Youneedtogetusedtowinnowingyourthoughts,sothatifsomeonesays,"Whatareyouthinkingabout?"youcanrespondatonce(andtruthfully)thatyouarethinkingthisorthinkingthat.Anditwouldbeobviousatoncefromyouranswerthatyourthoughtswerestraightforwardandconsiderateones—thethoughtsofanunselfishperson,oneunconcernedwithpleasureandwithsensualindulgencegenerally,withsquabbling,withslanderandenvy,oranythingelseyou’dbeashamedtobecaughtthinking.

           Someonelikethat—someonewhorefusestoputoffjoiningtheelect—isakindofpriest,aservantofthegods,intouchwithwhatiswithinhimandwhatkeepsapersonundefiledbypleasures,invulnerabletoanypain,untouchedbyarrogance,unaffectedbymeanness,anathleteinthegreatestofallcontests—thestrugglenottobeoverwhelmedbyanythingthathappens.Withwhatleavesusdyedindeliblybyjustice,welcomingwholeheartedlywhatevercomes—whateverwe’reassigned—notworryingtoooften,orwithanyselfishmotive,aboutwhatotherpeoplesay.Ordo,orthink.