A. It is not in the nature of every man to become a Buddha; for a
Buddha is developed only at long intervals of time, and seemingly, when
the state of humanity absolutely requires such a teacher to show it the
forgotten Path to Nirvana. But every being may equally reach
Nirvana, by conquering Ignorance and gaining Wisdom.

143. Q. _Does Buddhism teach that man is reborn only upon our earth?_

A. As a general rule that would be the case, until he had evolved
beyond its level; but the inhabited worlds are numberless. The world
upon which a person is to have his next birth, as well as the nature of
the rebirth itself, is decided by the preponderance of the individual's
merit or demerit. In other words, it will be controlled by his
attractions, as science would describe it; or by his Karma, as we,
Buddhists, would say.

144. Q. _Are there worlds more perfectly developed, and others less
so than our Earth?_

A. Buddhism teaches that there are whole _Sakwalas_, or systems of
worlds, of various kinds, higher and lower, and also that the
inhabitants of each world correspond in development with itself.

145. Q. _Has not the Buddha summed up his whole doctrine in one
gatha, or verse?_

A. Yes.

146. Q. _Repeat it?_

A. _Sabba papassa akaranm,
Kusalassa upasampada
Sachitta pariyo dapanam--
Etam Buddhanusasanam._

"To cease from all evil actions,
To generate all that is good,
To cleanse one's mind:
This is the constant advice of the Buddhas."

147. Q. _Have the first three of these lines any very striking
characteristics?_

A. Yes: the first line embodies the whole spirit of the _Vinaya
Pitaka_, the second that of the _Sutta_, the third that of the
_Abhidhamma_. They comprise only eight Pali words, yet, as the
dew-drop reflects the stars, they sparkle with the spirit of all the
Buddha Dharma.

148. Q. _Do these precepts show that Buddhism is an active or a
passive religion?_

A. To "cease from sin" may be called passive, but to "get virtue" and
"to cleanse one's own heart," or mind, are altogether _active_
qualities. Buddha taught that we should not merely not be evil, but
that we should be _positively_ good.

149. Q. _Who or what are the "Three Guides"[2] that a Buddhist Is
supposed to follow?_

A. They are disclosed in the formula called the Tisarana: "I follow
Buddha as my Guide: I follow the Law as my Guide: I follow the Order as
my Guide." These