210 The SpiritualLife.
eliminated? Only by discovering that the
pleasure theyyield is verytransitory, that if itisfollov/ed too far it bringsabout disgust and
sufferingand pain,and that thereforethe free-
domandthewisdomof man lie in gettingrid
ofthedesire forsense-pleasures,if havingbeen
attracted bythe sensation oftastebecause itis
pleasant,wefindthattogratifyittotheutmost
bringsdisgust,thenwebegin to see thatitwill
bewisertochooseanobjectwhichhasmoreper-
manencethan the gratification of taste. Then
the root of desire is pulled up and can send
outtheselower shoots no more. Butyoucan
never convince men that thisissounless they
have tried the following of the objectsof the
lowerdesiresand have found theresultswhich
flow from them. Argument would not doit,
reasoningwouldnotdoit; butwhenmenhave
had the experience, when men have gratified
their tasteto the full, whentheyhave become
gluttonous, presently they will find that they
have made their bodies miserable, their lives
onelongsuffering,that diseases result fromthe
gratification they have experienced, that the
gratification brings pain asaresult; then they