THE SEVEN PORTALS
jection to any one claiming to be one of Themselves. If he
does so, let him abide by it.
25. Hast thou attuned thy being to Humanity’s great
pain, O candidate for light?
Thou hast? . . . Thou mayest enter.
Vet, ere thou settest foot upon the dreary Path of Sorrow,
*tis well thou should’
st first learn the pitfalls on thy way.
It appears as if the condition of entering the Path was the
Vision of Sorrow, and of course the present Commentator
might be inclined to support this theory, since, in his own ex-
perience, it was this Vision of Sorrow which caused him to
take the First Great Oath. He had suddenly presented to
him the perception of the Three Characteristics. This is
fully narrated in Book 4, Part IV. It is also evident that
aspiration implies dissatisfaction of some sort. But at the
same time I do not think that in all cases it is necessary that
this dissatisfaction should be so conscious and so universal
as appears to be implied in the text. :
26. Armed with the key of Charity, of love and tender
mercy, thou art secure before the gate of Dana, the gate that
standeth at the entrance of the Path.
27. Behold, O happy Pilgrim! The Portal that faceth
thee is high and wide, seems easy of access. The road that
leads there-through is straight and smooth and green. ’Tis
like a sunny glade in the dark forest depths, a spot on earth
mirrored from Amitabha’s paradise. There nightingales
of hope and birds of radiant plumage sing, perched in green
bowers, chanting success to fearless Pilgrims. They sing
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