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[This version: 20 July 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA - BY PAUL CARUS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The following information was supplied on 25 Jun 94 to the
Coombspapers Social Sciences Data Archive by Cris A. Fugate
<fugate@plains.nodak.edu>
Book details
============
"The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records"
Author - Paul Carus
Publisher - The Open Court Publishing Company, Chicago and London, 1915
Copyright by The Open Court Publishing Co.,
1894 in United States, 1915 in Great Britain
These copyrights have since expired
Transcriber details
===================
Cris A. Fugate currently residing at 115C
University Village, Fargo, North Dakota 50102 USA. email:
fugate@plains.nodak.edu at North Dakota State University
Date of transcription: May 1994
No copyright for transcription has been claimed by Cris A.Fugate at the time
of lodgement of this electronic text with the Coombspapers Archive.
Changes made in transcription
=============================
The transcription does not include a pronunciation chart
The transcription does not include table of reference
The transcription does not include "Remarks on the
Illustrations of the Gospel of Buddha"
Page numbers in glossary and index are converted to chapter numbers.
Transcription should otherwise be very close to the original
since the text has been proofread several times.
----------------------------------------------------------------------- PREFACE
This book is published here in form of 13 files:
gospel-buddha-01-preface.txt, gospel-buddha-02-contents.txt,
gospel-buddha-03-introdu.txt, gospel-buddha-04-enlight.txt,
gospel-buddha-05-foundat.txt, gospel-buddha-06-consolid.txt,
gospel-buddha-07-teacher.txt, gospel-buddha-08-stories.txt,
gospel-buddha-09-lastdays.txt, gospel-buddha-10-conclus.txt,
gospel-buddha-11-bibliog.txt, gospel-buddha-12-glossary.txt,
gospel-buddha-13-index.txt
----------------------------------------------------------------------- PREFACE
XXX. JIVAKA, THE PHYSICIAN
Long before the Blessed One had attained enlightenment, self-
mortification had been the custom among those who earnestly sought for
salvation. Deliverance of the soul from all the necessities of life
and finally from the body itself, they regarded as the aim of
religion. Thus, they avoided everything that might be a luxury in
food, shelter, and clothing, and lived like the beasts in the wood.
Some went naked, while others wore the rags cast away upon cemeteries
or dung-heaps. 1
When the Blessed One retired from the world, he recognized at once
the error of the naked ascets, and, considering the indecency of their
habit, clad himself in cast-off rags. 2
Having attained enlightenment and rejected all unnecessary self-
mortifications, the Blessed One and his bhikkhus continued for a long
time to wear the cast-off rags of cemeteries and dung-heaps. 3
Then it happened that the bhikkhus were visited with diseases of
all kinds, and the Blessed One permitted and explicitly ordered the
use of medicines, and among them he even enjoined, whenever needed,
the use of unguents. 4
One of the brethren suffered from a sore on his foot, and the
Blessed One enjoined the bhikkhus to wear foot-coverings. 5
Now it happened that a disease befell the body of the Blessed One
himself, and Ananda went to Jivaka, physician to Bimbisara, the
king. 6
And Jivaka, a faithful believer in the Holy One, ministered unto
the Blessed One with medicines and baths until the body of the Blessed
One was completely restored. 7
At that time, Pajjota, king of Ujjeni, was suffering from jaundice,
and Jivaka, the physician to king Bimbisara, was consulted. When king
Pajjota had been restored to health, he sent to Jivaka a suit of the
most excellent cloth. And Jivaka said to himself: "This suit is made
of the best cloth, and nobody is worthy to receive it but the Blessed
One, the perfect and holy Buddha, or the Magadha king, Senija
Bimbisara." 8
Then Jivaka took that suit and went to the place where the Blessed
One was; having approached him, and having respectfully saluted the
Blessed One, he sat down near him and said: "Lord, I have a boon to
ask of the Blessed One." 9
The Buddha replied: "The Tathagatas, Jivaka, do not grant boons
before they know what they are." 10
Jivaka said: "Lord, it is a proper and unobjectionable request." 11
"Speak, Jivaka," said the Blessed One. 12
"Lord of the world, the Blessed One wears only robes made of rags
taken from a dung-heap or a cemetery, and so also does the brotherhood
of bhikkhus. Now, Lord, this suit has been sent to me King Pajjota,
wich is the best and most excellent, and the finest and the most
precious, and the noblest that can be found. Lord of the world, may
the Blessed One accept from me this suit, and may he allow the
brotherhood of bhikkhus to wear lay robes." 13
The Blessed One accepted the suit, and after having delivered a
religious discourse, he addressed the bhikkhus thus: 14
"Henceforth ye shall be at liberty to wear either cast-off rags or
lay robes. Whether ye are pleased with the one or with the other, I
will approve of it." 15
When the people at Rajagaha heard, "The Blessed One has allowed the
bhikkhus to wear lay robes," those who were willing to bestow gifts
became glad. And in one day many thousands of robes were presented at
Rajagaha to the bhikkhus. 16
XXXI. THE BUDDHA'S PARENTS ATTAIN NIRVANA
When Suddhodana had grown old, he fell sick and sent for his son to
come and see him once more before he died; and the Blessed One came
and stayed at the sick-bed, and Suddhodana, having attained perfect
enlightenment, died in the arms of the Blessed One. 1
And it is said that the Blessed One, for the sake of preaching to
his mother Maya-devi, ascended to heaven and dwelt with the devas.
Having concluded his pious mission, he returned to the earth and went
about again, converting those who listened to his teachings. 2
XXXII. WOMEN ADMITTED TO THE SANGHA
Yasodhara had three times requested of the Buddha that she might be
admitted to the Sangha, but her wish had not been granted. Now
Pajapati, the foster-mother of the Blessed One, in the company of
Yasodhara, and many other women, went to the Tathagata entreating him
earnestly to let them take the vows and be ordained as disciples. 1
And the Blessed One, foreseeing the danger that lurked in admitting
women to the Sangha, protested that while the good religion ought
surely to last a thousand years it would, when women joined it, likely
decay after five hundred years; but observing the zeal of Pajapati and
Yasodhara for leading a religious life he could no longer resist and
assented to have them admitted as his disciples. 2
Then the venerable Ananda addressed the Blessed One thus: 3
"Are women conpetent, Venerable Lord, if they retire from household
life to the homeless state, under the doctrine and discipline
announced by the Tathagata, to attain to the fruit of conversion, to
attain to a release from a wearisome repetition of rebirths, to attain
to saintship?" 4
And the Blessed One declared: "Women are competent, Ananda, if they
retire from household life to the homeless state, under the doctrine
and discipline announced by the Tathagata, to attain to the fruit of
conversion, to attain to a release from a wearisome repetition of
rebirths, to attain to saintship. 5
"Condider, Ananda, how great a benefactress Pajapati has been. She
is the sister of the mother of the Blessed One, and as foster-mother
and nurse, reared the Blessed One after the death of his mother. So,
Ananda, women may retire from household life to the homeless state,
under the doctrine and discipline announced by the Tathagata." 6
Pajapati was the first woman to become a disciple of the Buddha and
to receive the ordination as a bhikkhuni. 7
XXXIII. THE BHIKKHU'S CONDUCT TOWARD WOMEN
The bhikkhus came to the Blessed One and asked him: 1
"O Tathagata, our Lord and Master, what conduct toward women dost
thou prescribe to the samanas who have left the world?" 2
And the Blessed One said: 3
"Guard against looking on a woman. 4
"If ye see a woman, let it be as though ye saw her not, and have no
conversation with her. 5
"If, after all, ye must speak with her, let it be with a pure
heart, and think to yourself, 'I as a samana will live in this sinful
world as the spotless leaf of the lotus, unsoiled by the mud in which
it grows.' 6
"If the woman be old, regard her as your mother, if young, as your
sister, if very young, as your child. 7
"The samana who looks on a woman as a woman, or touches her as a
woman, has broken his vow and is no longer a disciple of the
Tathagata. 8
"The power of lust is great with men, and is to be feared withal;
take then the bow of earnest perseverance, and the sharp arrow-points
of wisdom. 9
"Cover your heads with the helmet of right thought, and fight wih
fixed resolve against the five desires. 10
"Lust beclouds a man's heart, when it is confused with woman's
beauty, and the mind is dazed. 11
"Better far with red-hot irons bore out both your eyes, than
encourage in yourself sensual thoughts, or look upon a woman's form
with lustful desires. 12
"Better fall into the fierce tiger's mouth, or under the sharp
knife of the executioner, than dwell with a woman and excite in
yourself lustful thoughts. 13
"A woman of the world is anxious to exhibit her form and shape,
whether walking, standing, sitting, or sleeping. Even when
represented as a picture, she desires to captivate with the charms of
her beauty, and thus to rob men of their steadfast heart. 14
"How then ought ye to guard yourselves? 15
"By reguarding her tears and her smiles as enemies, her stooping
form, her hanging arms, and her disentangled hair as toils desighned
to entrap man's heart. 16
"Therefore, I say, restrain the heart, give it no unbridled
license." 17
XXXIV. VISAKHA
Visakha, a wealthy woman in Savatthi who had many children and
grandchildren, had given to the order the Pubbarama or Eastern Garden,
and was the first in Northern Kosala to become a matron of the lay
sisters. 1
When the Blessed One stayed at Savatthi, Visakha went up to the
place where the blessed One was, and tendered him an invitation to
take his meal at her house, which the Blessed One accepted. 2
And a heavy rain fell during the night and the next morning; and
the bhikkhus doffed their robes to keep them dry and let the rain fall
upon their bodies. 3
When on the next day the Blessed One had finished his meal, she
took her seat at his side and spoke thus: "Eight are the boons, Lord
which I beg of the Blessed One." 4
Said the blessed One: "The Tathagatas, O Visakha, grant no boons
until they know what they are." 5
Visakha replied: "Befitting, Lord, and unobjectionable are the
boons I ask." 6
Having received permission to make known her requests, Visakha
said: "I desire, Lord, through all my life long to bestow robes for
the rainy season on the Sangha, and food for incoming bikkhus, and
food for outgoing bhikkhus, and food for the sick, and food for those
who wait upon the sick, and medicine for the sick, and a constant
supply of rice-milk for the Sangha, and bathing robes for the
bhikkhunis, the sisters." 7
Said the Buddha: "But what circumstance is it, O Visakha, that thou
hast in view in asking these eight boons of the Tathagata?" 8
And Visakha replied: 9
"I gave command, Lord, to my maid-servant, saying, 'Go, and
announce to the brotherhood that the meal is ready.' And the maid
went, but when she came to the vihara, she observed that the bhikkhus
had doffed their robes while it was raining, and she thought: 'These
are not bhikkhus, but naked ascetics letting the rain fall on them.'
So she returned to me and reported accordingly, and I had to send her
a second time. Impure, Lord, is nakedness, and revolting. It was
this circumstance, Lord, that I had in view in desiring to provide the
Sangha my life long with special garments for use in the rainy
season. 10
"As to my second wish, Lord, an incoming bhikkhu, not being able to
take the direct roads, and not knowing the places where food can be
procured, comes on his way tired out by seeking for alms. It was this
circumstance, Lord, that I had in view in desiring to provide the
Sangha my life long with food for incoming bhikkhus. 11
"Thirdly, Lord, an outgoing bhikkhu, while seeking about for alms,
may be left behind, or may arrive too late at the place whither he
desires to go, and will set out on the road in weariness. 12
Fourthly, Lord, if a sick bhikkhu does not obtain suitable food,
his sickness may increase upon him, and he may die. 13
Fifthly, Lord, a bhikkhu who is waiting upon the sick will lose his
opportunity of going out to seek food for himself. 14
"Sixthly, Lord, if a sick bhikkhu does not obtain suitable
medicines, his sickness may increase upon him, and he may die. 15
"Seventhly, Lord, I have heard that the Blessed One has praised
rice-milk, because it gives readiness of mind, dispels hunger and
thirst; it is wholesome for the healthy as nourishment, and for the
sick as a medicine. Therefore I desire to provide the Sangha my life
long with a constant supply of rice-milk. 16
"Finally, Lord, the bhikkhunis are in the habit of bathing in the
river Achiravati with the courtesans, at the same landing place, and
naked. And the courtesans, Lord, ridicule the bhikkhunis, saying,
'What is the good, ladies, of your maintaining chastity when you are
young? When you are old, maintain chastity then; thus will you obtain
both worldly pleasure and religious consolation.' Impure, Lord, is
nakedness for a woman, disgusting, and revolting. 17
"These are the circumstances, Lord, that I had in view." 18
The Blessed One said: "But what was the advantage you had in view
for yourself, O Visakha, in asking the eight boons of the
Tathagata?" 19
Visakha replied: 20
"Bhikkhus who have spent the rainy seasons in various places will
come, Lord, to Savatthi to visit the Blessed One. And on coming to
the Blessed One they will ask, saying: 'Such and such a bhikkhu, Lord,
has died. What, now, is his destiny?' Then will the Blessed One
explain that he has attained the fruits of conversion; that he has
attained arahatship or has entered Nirvana, as the case may be. 21
"And I, going up to them, will ask, 'Was that brother, Sirs, one of
those who had formerly been at Savatthi?' If they reply to me, 'He
has formerly been at Savatthi,' then shall I arrive at the conclusion,
'For a certainty did that brother enjoy either the robes for the rainy
season, or the food for the incoming bhikkhus, or the food for the
outgoing bhikkhus, or the food for the sick, or the food for those
that wait upon the sick, or the medicine for the sick, or the constant
supply of rice-milk.' 22
"Then will gladness spring up within me; thus gladdened, joy wil
come to me; and so rejoicing all my mind will be at peace. Being thus
at peace I shall experience a blissful feeling of content; and in that
bliss my heart will be at rest. That will be to me an exercise of my
moral sense, an exercise of my moral powers, an exercise of the seven
kinds of wisdom! This, Lord, was the advantage I had in view for
myself in asking those eight boons of the Blessed One." 23
The Blessed One said: "It is well, it is well, Visakha. Thou hast
done will in asking these eight boons of the Tathagata with such
advantages in view. Charity bestowed upon those who are worthy of it
is like food seed sown on a good soil that yields an abundance of
fruits. But alms given to those who are yet under the tyrannical yoke
of the passions are like seed deposited in a bad soil. The passions
of the receiver of the alms choke, as it were, the growth of
merits." 24
And the Blessed One gave thanks to Visakha in these verses: 25
"O noble woman of an upright life,
Disciple of the Blessed One, thou givest
Unstintedly in purity of heart. 26
"Thou spreadest joy, assuagest pain,
And verily thy gift will be a blessing
As well to many others as to thee." 27
XXXV. THE UPOSATHA AND PATIMOKKHA
When Seniya Bimbisara, the king of Magadha, was advanced in years,
he retired from the world and led a religious life. He observed that
there were Brahmanical sects in Rajagaha keeping sacred certain days,
and the people went to their meeting houses and listened to their
sermons. 1
Concerning the need of keeping regular days for retirement form
worldly labours and religious instruction, the king went to the
Blessed One and said: "The Parivrajaka, who belong to the Titthiya
school, prosper and gain adherents because they keep the eighth day
and also the fourteenth or fifteenth day of each half-month. Would it
not be advisable for the reverend brethren of the Sangha also to
assemble on days duly appointed for that purpose?" 2
And the Blessed One commanded the bhikkhu to assemble on the eighth
day and also on the fourteenth or fifteenth day of each half-month,
and to devote these days to religious exercises. 3
A bhikkhu duly appointed should address the congregation and
espound the Dharma. He should exhort the people to walk in the
eightfold path of righteousness; he should comfort them in the
vicissitudes of life and gladden them with the bliss of the fruit of
good deeds. Thus the brethren should keep the Uposatha. 4
Now the bhikkhus, in obedience to the rule laid down by the Blessed
One, assembled in the vihara on the day appointed, and the people went
to hear the Dharma, but they were greatly disappointed, for the
bhikkhus remained silent and delivered no discourse. 5
When the Blessed One heard of it, he ordered the bhikkhus to recite
the Patimokkha, which is a ceremony of disburdening the conscience;
and he commanded them to make confession of their trespasses so as to
receive the absolution of the order. 6
A fault, if there be one, should be confessed by the bhikkhu who
remembers it and desires to be cleansed. For a fault, when confessed,
shall be light on him. 7
And the Blessed One said: "The Patimokkha must be recited in this
way: 8
"Let a competent and venerable bhikkhu make the following
proclamation to the Sangha: 'May the Sangha hear me! To-day is
Uposatha, the eighth, or the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the half-
month. If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha hold the Uposatha
service and recite the Patimokkha. I will recite the Patimokkha.' 9
"And the bhikkhus shall reply: 'We hear it well and we concentrate
well our minds on it, all of us.' 10
"Then the officiating bhikkhu shall continue: 'Let him who has
committed an offence, confess it; if there be no offence, let all
remain silent; from your being silent I shall understand that the
reverend brethren are free from offences. 11
"'As a single person who has been asked a question answers it, so
also, if before an assenbly like this a question is solemnly
proclaimed three times, an answer is expected: if a bhikkhu, after a
threefold proclamation, does not confess an existing offence which he
remembers, he commits an intentional falsehood. 12
"'Now, reverend brethren, an intentional falsehood has been
declared an impeditment by the Blessed One. Therefore, if an offence
has been committed by a bhikkhu who remembers it and desires to become
pure, the offence should be confessed by the bhikkhu; and when it has
been confessed, it is treated duly.'" 13
XXXVI. THE SCHISM
While the Blessed One dwelt at Kosambi, a certain bhikkhu was
accused of having committed an offence, and, as he refused to
acknowledge it, the brotherhood pronounced against him the sentence of
expulsion. 1
Now, that bhikkhu was erudite. He knew the Dharma, had studied the
rules of the order, and was wise, learned, intelligent, modest,
conscientious, and ready to submit himself to discipline. And he went
to his companions and friends among the bhikkhus, saying: "This is no
offence, friends; this is no reason for a sentence of expulsion. I am
not guilty. The verdict is unconstitutional and invalid. Therefore I
consider myself still as a member of the order. May the venerable
brethren assist me in maintaining my right." 2
Those who sided with the expelled brother went to the bhikkhus who
had pronounced the sentence, saying: "This is no offence"; while the
bhikkhus who had pronounced the sentence replied: "This is an
offence." 3
Thus altercations and quarrels arose, and the Sangha was divided
into two parties, reviling and slandering each other. 4
And all these happenings were reported to the Blessed One. 5
Then the Blessed One went to the place where the bhikkhus were who
had pronounced the sentence of expulsion, and said to them: "Do not
think, O bhikkhus, that you are to pronounce expulsion against a
bhikkhu, whatever be the facts of the case, simply by saying: 'It
occurs to us that it is so, and therefore we are pleased to proceed
thus against our brother.' Let those bhikkhus who frivolously
pronounce a sentence against a brother who knows the Dharma and the
rules of the order, who is learned, wise, intelligent, modest,
conscientious, and ready to submit himself to discipline, stand in awe
of causing divisions. They must not pronounce a sentence of expulsion
against a brother merely because he refuses to see his
offence." 6
Then the Blessed One rose and went to the brethren who sided with
the expelled brother and said to them: "Do not think, O bhikkhus, that
if you have given offence you need not atone for it, thinking: 'We are
without offence.' When a bhikkhu has committed an offence, which he
considers no offence while the brotherhood consider him guilty, he
should think: 'These brethren know the Dharma and the rules of the
order; they are learned, wise, intelligent, modest, conscientious, and
ready to submit themselves to discipline; it is impossible that they
should on my account act with selfishness or in malice or in delusion
or in fear.' Let him stand in awe of causing divisions, and rather
acknowledge his offence on the authority of his brethren." 7
Both parties continued to keep Uposatha and perform official acts
independently of one another; and when their doings were related to
the blessed One, he ruled that the keeping of Uposatha and the
performance of official acts were lawful, unobjectionable, and valid
for both parties. For he said: "The bhikkhus who side with the
expelled brother form a different communion from those who pronounced
the sentence. There are venerable brethren in both parties. As they
do not agree, let them keep Uposatha and perform official acts
separately." 8
And the Blessed One reprimanded the quarrelsome bhikkhus saying to
them: 9
"Loud is the voice which worldlings make; but how can they be
blamed when divisions arise also in the Sangha? Hatred is not
appeased in those who think: 'He has reviled me, he has wronged me, he
has injured me.' 10
"For not by hatred is hatred appeased. Hatred is appeased by not-
hatred. This is an eternal law. 11
"There are some who do not know the need of self-restraint; if they
are quarrelsome we may excuse their behaviour. But those who know
better, should learn to live in conccord. 12
"If a man finds a wise friend who lives righteously and is constant
in his character, he may live with him, overcoming all dangers, happy
and mindful. 13
"But if he finds not a friend who lives righteously and is constant
in his character, let him rather walk alone, like a king who leaves
his empire and the cares of government behind him to lead a life of
retirement like a lonely elephant in the forest. 14
"With fools there is no companionship. Rather than to live with
men who are selfish, vain, quarrelsome, and obstinate let a man walk
alone." 15
And the Blessed One thought to himself: "It is no easy task to
instruct these headstrong and infatuate fools." And he rose from his
seat and went away. 16
XXXVII. THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF CONCORD
Whilst the dispute between the parties was not yet settled, the
Blessed One left Kosambi, and wandering from place to place he came at
last to Savatthi. 1
And in the absence of the Blessed One the quarrels grew worse, so
that the lay devotees of Kosambi became annoyed and they said: "These
quarrelsome monks are a great nuisance and will bring upon us
misfortunes. Worried by their altercations the Blessed One is gone,
and has selected another abode for his residence. Let us, therefore,
neither salute the bhikkhus nor support them. They are not worthy of
wearing yellow robes, and must either propitiate the Blessed One, or
return to the world." 2
And the bhikkhus of Kosambi, when no longer honoured and no longer
supported by the lay devotees, began to repent and said: "Let us go to
the Blessed One and let him settle the question of our
disagreement." 3
And both parties went to Savatthi to the Blessed One. And the
venerable Sariputta, having heard of their arrival, addressed the
Blessed One and said: "These contentious, disputatious, and
quarrelsome bhikkhus of Kosambi, the authors of dissensions, have come
to Savatthi. How am I to behave, O Lord, toward those bhikkhus." 4
"Do not reprove them, Sariputta," said the Blessed One, "for harsh
words do not serve as a remedy and are pleasant to no one. Assign
separate dwelling-places to each party and treat them with impartial
justice. Listen with patience to both parties. He alone who weighs
both sides is called muni. When both parties have presented their
case, let the Sangha come to an agreement and declare the re-
establishment of concord." 5
And Pajapati, the matron, asked the Blessed One for advice, and the
Blessed One said: "Let both parties enjoy the gifts of lay members, be
they robes or food, as they may need, and let no one receive any
noticeable preference over any other." 6
And the venerable Upali, having approached the Blessed One, asked
concerning the re-establishment of peace in the Sangha: "Would it be
right, O Lord," said he, "that the Sangha, to avoid further
disputations, should declare the restoration of concord without
inquiring into the matter of the quarrel?" 7
And the Blessed One said: 8
"If the Sangha declares the re-establishment of concord without
having inquired into the matter, the declaration is neither right nor
lawful. 9
"There is two ways of re-establishing concord: one is in the
letter, and the other is in the spirit and in the letter. 10
"If the Sangha declares the re-establishment of concord without
having inquired into the matter, the peace is concluded in the letter
only. But if the Sangha, having inquired into the matter and having
gone to the bottom of it, decides to declare the re-establilshment of
concord, the peace is concluded in the spirit and in the letter. 11
"The concord re-establishment in the spirit and in the letter is
alone right and lawful." 12
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus and told them the story
of Prince Dighavu, the long-lived. He said: 13
"In former times, there lived at Benares a powerful king whose name
was Brahmadatta of Kasi; and he went to war against Dighiti, the Long-
suffering, a king of Kosala, for he thought, 'The kingdom of Kosali is
small and Dighiti will not be able to resist my armies.' 14
"And Dighiti, seeing that resistance was impossible against the
great host of the king of Kasi, fled, leaving his little kingdom in
the hands of Brahmadatta; and having wandered from place to place, he
came at last to Benares, and lived there with his consort in a
potter's dwelling outside the town. 15
"And the queen bore him a son and they called him Dighavu. 16
"When Dighavu had grown up, the king thought to himself: 'King
Brahmadatta has done us great harm, and he is fearing our revenge; he
will seek to kill us. Should he find us he will slay all three of
us.' And he sent his son away, and Dighavu having received a good
education from his father, applied himself diligently to learn all
arts, becoming very skilful and wise. 17
"At that time the barber of king Dighiti dwelt at Benares, and he
saw the king, his former master, and, being of an avaricious nature,
betrayed him to King Brahmadatta. 18
"When Brahmadatta, the king of Kasi, heard that the fugitive king
of Kosala and his queen, unknown and in disguise, were living a quiet
life in a potter's dwelling, he ordered them to be bound and executed;
and the sheriff to whom the order was given seized king Dighiti and
led him to the place of execution. 19
"While the captive king was being led through the streets of
Benares he saw his son who had returned to visit his parents, and,
careful not to betray the presence of his son, yet anxious to
communicate to him his last advice, he cried: 'O Dighavu, my son! Be
not far-sighted, be not near-sighted, for not by hatred is hatred
appeased; hatred is appeased by not-hatred only.' 20
"The king and queen of Kosala were executed, but Dighavu their son
bought strong wine and made the guards drunk. When the night arrived
he laid the bodies of his parents upon a funeral pyre and burned them
with all honours and religious rites. 21
"When king Brahmadatta heard of it, he became afraid, for he
thought, 'Dighavu, the son of king Dighiti, is a wise youth and he
will take revenge for the death of his parents. If he espies a
favourable opportunity, he will assassinate me.' 22
"Young Dighavu went to the forest and wept to his heart's content.
Then he wiped his tears and returned to Benares. Hearing that
assistants were wanted in the royal elephants' stable, he offered his
services and was engaged by the master of the elephants. 23
"And it happened that the king heard a sweet voice ringing through
and night and singing to the lute a beautiful song that gladdened his
heart. And having inquired among his attendants who the singer might
be, was told that the master of the elephants had in his service a
young man of great accomplishments, and beloved by all his comrades.
They said, 'He is wont to sing to the lute, and he must have been the
singer that gladdened the heart of the king.' 24
"And the king summoned the young man before him and, being much
pleased with Dighavu, gave him employment in the royal castle.
Observing how wisely the youth acted, how modest he was and yet
punctilious in the performance of his work, the king very soon gave
him a position of trust. 25
"Now it came to pass that the king went hunting and became
separated from his retinue, young Dighavu alone remaining with him.
And the king worn out from the hunt laid his head in the lap of young
Dighavu and slept. 26
"And Dighavu thought: 'People will forgive great wrongs which they
have sufferd, but they will never be at ease about the wrongs which
they themselves have done. They will persecute their victims to the
bitter end. This king Brahmadatta has done us great injury; he robbed
us of our kingdom and slew my father and my mother. He is now in my
power.' Thinking thus he unsheathed his sword. 27
"Then Dighavu thought of the last words of his father, 'Be not far-
sighted, be not near-sighted. For not by hatred is hatred appeased.
Hatred is appeased by not-hatred alone.' Thinking thus, he put his
sword back into the sheath. 28
"The king became restless in his sleep and he awoke, and when the
youth asked, 'Why art thou frightened, O king?' He replied: 'My sleep
is always restless because I often dream that young Dighavu is coming
upon me with his sword. While I lay here with my head in thy lap I
dreamed the dreadful dream again; and I awoke full of terror and
alarm.' 29
"Then the youth, laying his left hand upon the defenceless king's
head and with his right hand drawing his sword, said: 'I am Dighavu,
the son of king Dighiti, whom thou hast robbed of his kingdom and
slain together with his queen, my mother. I know that men overcome
the hatred entertained for wrongs which they have suffered much more
easily than for the wrongs which they have done, and so I cannot
expect that thou wilt take pity on me; but now a chance for revenge
has come to me.' 30
"The king seeing that he was at the mercy of young Dighavu raised
his hands and said: 'Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu, grant me my
life. I shall be forever grateful to thee.' 31
"And Dighavu said without bitterness or ill-will: 'How can I grant
thee thy life, O king, since my life is endangered by thee. I do not
mean to take they life. It is thou, O king, who must grant me my
life.' 32
"And the king said: 'Well, my dear Dighavu, then grant me my life,
and I will grant thee thine.' 33
"Thus, king Brahmadatta of Kasi and young Dighavu granted each
other's life and took each other's hand and swore an oath not to do
any harm to each other. 34
"And king Brahmadatta of Kasi said to young Dighavu: 'Why did thy
father say to thee in the hour of his death: "Be not far-sighted, be
not near-sighted, for hatred is not appeased by hatred. Hatred is
appeased by not-hatred alone," - what did thy father mean by
that?' 35
"The youth replied: 'When my father, O king, in the hour of his
death said: "Be not far-sighted," he meant, Let not thy hatred go far.
And when my father said, "Be not near-sighted," he meant, Be not hasty
to fall out with thy friends. And when he said, "For not by hatred is
hatred appeased; hatred is appeased by not-hatred," he meant this:
Thou hast killed my father and mother, O king, and if I should deprive
thee of thy life, then thy partisans in turn would take away my life;
my partisans again would deprive thine of their lives. Thus by
hatred, hatred would not be appeased. But now, O king, thou hast
granted me my life, and I have granted thee thine; thus by not-hatred
hatred has been appeased.' 36
"Then king Brahmadatta of Kasi thought: 'How wise is young Dighavu
that he understands in its full extent the meaning of what his father
spoke concisely.' And the king gave him back his father's kingdom and
gave him his daughter in marriage." 37
Having finished the story, the Blessed One said: "Brethren, ye are
my lawful sons int the faith, begotten by the words of my mouth.
Children ought not to trample under foot the counsel given them by
their father; do ye henceforth follow my admonitions." 38
Then the bhikkhus met in conference; they discussed their
differences in mutual good will, and the concord of the Sangha was re-
established. 39
XXXVIII. THE BHIKKHUS REBUKED
And it happened that the Blessed One walked up and down in the open
air unshod. 1
When the elders saw that the Blessed One walked unshod, they put
away their shoes and did likewise. But the novices did not heed the
example of their elders and kept their feet covered. 2
Some of the brethren noticed the irreverent behaviour of the
novices and told the Blessed One; and the Blessed One rebuked the
novices and said: "If the brethren, even now, while I am yet living,
show so little repect and courtesy to one another, what will they do
when I have passed away?" 3
And the Blessed One was filled with anxiety for the welfare of the
truth; and he continued: 4
"Even the laymen, O bhikkhus, who move in the world, pursuing some
handicraft that they may procure them a living, will be respectful,
affectionate, and hospitable to their teachers. Do ye, therefore, O
bhikkhus, so let your light shine forth, that ye, having left the
world and devoted your entire life to religion and to religious
discipline, may observe the rules of decency, be respectful,
affectionate, and hospitable to your teachers amd superiors, or those
who rank as your teachers and superiors. Your demeanour, O bhikkhus,
does not conduce to the conversion of the unconverted and to the
increase of the number of the faithful. It serves, O bhikkhus, to
repel the unconverted and to estrange them. I exhort you to be more
considerate in the future, more thoughtful and more respectful." 5
XXXIX. DEVADATTA
When Devadatta, the son of Suprabuddha and a brother of Yasodhara,
became a disciple, he cherished the hope of attaining the same
distinctions and honours as Gotama Siddhattha. Being disappointed in
his ambitions, he conceived in his heart a jealous hatred, and,
attempting to excel the Perfect One in virtue, he found fault with his
regulations and reproved them as too lenient. 1
Devadatta went to Rajagaha and gained the ear of Ajatasattu, the
son of King Bimbisara. And Ajatasattu built a new vihara for
Devadatta, and founded a sect whose disciples were pledged to severe
rules and self-mortification. 2
Soon afterwards the Blessed One himself came to Rajagaha and stayed
at the Veluvana vihara. 3
Devadatta called on the Blessed One, requesting him to sanction his
rules of greater stringency, by which a greater holiness might be
procured. "The body," he said, "consists of its thirty-two parts and
has no divine attributes. It is conceived in sin and born in
corruption. Its attributes are liability to pain and dissolution, for
it is impermanent. It is the receptacle of karma which is the curse
of our former existences; it is the dwelling-place of sin and deseases
and its organs constantly discharge disgusting secretions. Its end is
death and its goal the charnel house. Such being the condition of the
body it behooves us to treat it as a carcass full of abomination and
to clothe it in such rags only as have been gatherd in cemeteries or
upon dung-hills." 4
The Blessed One said: "Truly, the body is full of impurity and its
end is the charnel house, for it is impermanent and destined to be
dissolved into its elements. But being the receptacle of karma, it
lies in our power to make it a vessel of truth and not of evil. It is
not good to indulge in the pleasures of the body, but neither is it
good to neglect our bodily needs and to heap filth upon impurities.
The lamp that is not cleansed and not filled with oil will be
extinguished, and a body that is unkept, unwashed, and weakened by
penance will not be a fit receptacle for the light of truth. Attend
to your body and its needs as you would treat a wound which you care
for without loving it. Severe rules will not lead the disciples on
the middle path which I have taught. Certainly, no one can be
prevented from keeping more stringent rules, if he sees fit to do so,
but they should not be imposed upon any one, for they are
unnecessary." 5
Thus the Tathagata refused Devadatta's proposal; and Devadatta left
the Buddha and went into the vihara speaking evil of the Lord's path
of salvation as too lenient and altogether insufficient. 6
When the Blessed One heard of Devadatta's intrigues, he said:
"Among men there is no one who is not blamed. People blame him who
sits silent and him who speaks, they also blame the man who preaches
the middle path." 7
Devadatta instigated Ajatasattu to plot against his father
Bimbisara, the king, so that the prince would no longer be subject to
him; Bimbisara was imprisoned by his son in a tower where he died
leaving the kingdom of Magadha to his son Ajatasattu. 8
The new king listened to the evil advice of Devadatta, and he gave
orders to take the life of the Tathagata. However, the murderers sent
out to kill the Lord could not perform their wicked deed, and became
converted as soon as they saw him and listened to his preaching. The
rock hurled down from a precipice upon the great Master split in
twain, and the two pieces passed by on either side without doing any
harm. Nalagiri, the wild elephant let loose to destroy the Lord,
became gentle in his presence; and Ajatasattu, suffering greatly from
the pangs of his conscience, went to the Blessed One and sought peace
in his distress. 9
The Blessed One received Ajatasattu kindly and taught him the way
of salvation; but Devadatta still tried to become the founder of a
religious school of his own. 10
Devadatta did not succeed in his plans and having been abandoned by
many of his disciples, he fell sick, and then repented. He entreated
those who had remained with him to carry his litter to the Buddha,
saying: "Take me, children, take me to him; though I have done evil
to him, I am his brother-in-law. For the sake of our relationship the
Buddha will save me." And they obeyed, although reluctantly. 11
And Devadatta in his impatience to see the Blessed One rose from
his litter while his carriers were washing their hands. But his feet
burned uner him; he sank to the ground; and, having chanted a hymn on
the Buddha, died. 12
XL. NAME AND FORM
On one occasion the Blessed One entered the assembly hall and the
brethren hushed their conversation. 1
When they had greeted him with clasped hands, they sat down and
became composed. Then the Blessed One said: "Your minds are inflamed
with intense interest; what was the topic of your discussion?" 2
And Sariputta rose and spake: "World-honoured master, we were
discussing the nature of man's own existence. We were trying to grasp
the mixture of our own being which is called Name and Form. Every
human being consists of conformations, and there are three groups
which are not corporeal. They are sensation, perception, and the
dispositions, all three constitute consciousness and mind, being
comprised under the term Name. And there are four elements, the
earthly element, the watery element, the fiery element, and the
gaseous elememt, and these four elements constitute man's bodily form,
being held together so that this machine moves like a puppet. How
does this name and form endure and how can it live?" 3
Said the Blessed One: "Life is instantaneous and living is dying.
Just as a chariot-wheel in rolling rolls only at one point of the
tire, and in resting rests only at one point; in exactly the same way,
the life of a living being lasts only for the period of one thought.
As soon as that thought has ceased the being is said to have
ceased. 4
"As it has been said: 'The being of a past momemt of thought has
lived, but does not live, nor will it live. The being of a future
moment of thought will live, but has not lived, nor does it live. The
being of the present moment of thought does live, but has not lived,
nor will it live.'" 5
"As to Name and Form we must understand how they interact. Name
has no power of its own, nor can it go on of its own impulse, either
to eat, or to drink, or to utter sounds, or to make a movement. Form
also is without power and cannot go on of its own impulse. It has no
desire to eat, or to dirnk, or to utter sounds, or to make a movement.
But Form goes on when supported by Name, and Name when supported by
Form. When Name has a desire to eat, or to drink, or to utter sounds,
or to make a movement, then Form eats, drinks, utters sounds, makes a
movement. 6
"It is as if two men, the one blind from birth nad the other a
cripple, were desirous of going travelling, and the man blind from
birth were to say to the cripple as follows: 'See here! I am able to
use my legs, but I have no eyes with which to see the rough and the
smooth places in the road.' 7
"And the cripple were to say to the man blind from birth as
follows: 'See here! I am able to use my eyes, but I have no legs with
which to go forward and back.' 8
"And the man blind from birth, pleased and delighted, were to mount
the cripple on his shoulders. And the cripple sitting on the
shoulders of the man blind from birth were to direct him, saying:
'Leave the left and go to the right; leave the right and go the
left.' 9
"Here the man blind from birth is without power of his own, and
weak, and cannot go of his own impulse or might. The cripple also is
without power of his own, and weak, and cannot go of his own impulse
or might. Yet when they mutually support one another it is not
impossible for them to go. 10
"In exactly the same way Name is without power of its own, and
cannot spring up of its own might, nor perform this or that action.
Form also is without power of its own, and cannot spring up of its own
might, nor perform this or that action. Yet when they mutually
support one another it is not impossible for them to spring up and go
on. 11
"There is no material that exists for the production of Name and
Form; and when Name and Form cease, they do no go anywhither in space.
After Name and Form have ceased, they do not exist anywhere in the
shape of heaped-up music material. Thus when a lute is played upon,
there is no previous store of sound; and when the music ceases it does
not go anywhither in space. When it has ceased, it exists nowhere in
a stored-up state. Having previously been non-existent, it came into
existence on account of the structure and stem of the lute and the
exertions of the performer; and as it came into existence so it passes
away. In exactly the same way, all the elements of being, both
corporeal and non-corporeal come into existence after having
previously been non-existent; and having come into existence pass
away. 12
"There is not a self residing in Name and Form, but the co-
operation of the conformations produce what people call a man. 13
"Just as the word 'chariot' is but a mode of expression for axle,
wheels, the chariot-body and other constituents in their proper
combinations, so a living being is the appearance of the groups with
the four elements as they are joined in a unit. There is no self in
the carriage and there is no self in man. 14
"O bhikkhus, this doctrine is sure and an eternal truth, that there
is no self outside of its parts. This self of ours which constitutes
Name and Form is a combination of the groups with the four elements,
but there is no ego entity, no self in itself. 15
"Paradoxical though it may sound: There is a path to walk on, there
is walking being done, but there is no traveller. There are deeds
being done, but there is no doer. There is a blowing of the air, but
there is no wind that does the blowing. The thought of self is an
error and all existences are hollow as the plantain tree and as empty
as twirling water bubbles. 16
"Therefore, O bhikkhus, as there is no self, there is no
transmigration of a self; but there are deeds and the continued effect
of deeds. There is rebirth of karma; there is reincarnation. This
rebirth, this reincarnation, this reappearance of the conformations is
continuous and depends ont he law of cause and effect. Just as a seal
is impressed upon the wax reproducing the configurations of its
device, so the thoughts of men, their characters, their aspirations
are impressed upon others in continuous transference and continue
their karma, and good deeds will continue in blessings while bad deeds
will continue in curses. 17
"There is no entity here that migrates, no self is transfered from
one place to another; but here is a voice uttered here and the echo of
it comes back. The teacher pronounces a stanza and the disciple who
attentively listens to his teacher's instruction, repeats the stanza.
Thus the stanza is reborn in the mind of the disciple. 18
"The body is a compound of perishable organs. It is subject to
decay; and we should take care of it as of a wound or a sore; we
should attend to its needs without being attached to it, or loving
it. 19
"The body is like a machine, and there is no self in it that makes
it walk or act, but the thoughts of it, as the windy elements, cause
the machine to work. 20
"The body moves about like a cart. Therefore 'tis said: 21
"As ships are by the wind impelled,
As arrows from their bowstrings speed,
So likewise when the body moves
The windy element must lead. 22
"Machines are geared to work by ropes;
so too this body is, in fact,
Directed by a mental pull
Whene'er it stand or sit or act. 23
"No independent self is here
That could intrinsic forces prove
To make man act without a cause,
To make him stand or walk or move. 24
"He only who utterly abandons all thought of the ego escapes the
snares of the Evil One; he is out of the reach of Mara. 25
"Thus says the pleasure-promising tempter: 26
"So long as to the things
Called 'mine' and 'I' and 'me'
Thine anxious heart still clings,
My snares thou canst not flee." 27
"The faithful disciple replies: 28
"Naught's mine and naught of me,
The self I do not mind!
Thus Mara, I tell thee
My path thou canst not find." 29
"Dismiss the error of the self and do not cling to possessions
which are transient but perform deeds that are good, for deeds are
enduring and in deeds your karma continues. 30
"Since then, O bhikkhus, there is no self, there cannot be any
after life of a self. Therefore abandon all thought of self. But
since there are deeds and since deeds continue, be careful with your
deeds. 31
"All beings have karma as their portion: they are heirs of their
karma; they are sprung from their karma; their karma is their kinsman;
their karma is their refuge; karma allots beings to meanness or to
greatness. 32
"Assailed by death in life's last throes
On quitting all thy joys and woes
What is thine own, thy recompense?
What stays with thee when passing hence?
What like a shadow follows thee
And will Beyond thine heirloom be? 33
"T'is deeds, thy deeds, both good and bad;
Naught else can after death be had.
Thy deeds are thine, thy recompense;
They are thine own when going hence;
They like a shadow follow thee
And will Beyond thine heirloom be. 34
"Let all then here perform good deeds,
For future weal a treasure store;
There to reap crops from noble seeds,
A bliss increasing evermore." 35
XLI. THE GOAL
And the Blessed One thus addressed the bhikkhus: 1
"It is through not understanding the four noble truths, O bhikkhus,
that we had to wander so long in the weary path of samsara, both you
and I. 2
"Through contact thought is born from sensation, and is reborn by a
reproduction fo its form. Starting from the simplest forms, the mind
rises and falls according to deeds, but the aspirations of a
Bodhisatta pursue the straight path of wisdom and righteousness, until
they reach perfect enlightenment in the Buddha. 3
"All creatures are what they are through the karma of their deeds
done in former and in present existences. 4
"The rational nature of man is a spark of the true light; it is the
first step on the upward road. But new births are required to insure
an ascent to the summit of existence, the enlightenment of mind and
heart, where the immeasurable light of moral comprehension is gained
which is the source of all righteousness. 5
"Having attained this higher birth, I have found the truth and have
taught you the noble path that leads to the city of peace. 6
"I have shown you the way to the lake of Ambrosia, which washes
away all evil desire. 7
"I have given you the refreshing drink called the perception of
truth, and he who drinks of it becomes free from excitement, passion,
and wrong-doing. 8
"The very gods envy the bliss of him who has escaped from the
floods of passion and has climbed the shores of Nirvana. His heart is
cleansed from all defilement and free from all illusion. 9
"He is like unto the lotus which grows in the water, yet not a drop
of water adheres to its petals. 10
"The man who walks in the noble path lives in the world, and yet
his heart is not defiled by worldly desires. 11
"He who does not see the four noble truths, he who does not
understand the three characteristecs and has not grounded himself in
the uncreate, has still a long path to traverse by repeated births
through the desert of ignorance with its mirages of illusion and
through the morass of wrong. 12
"But now that you have gained comprehension, the cause of further
migrations and aberrations is removed. The goal is reached. The
craving of selfishness is destroyed, and the truth is attained. 13
"This is true deliverance; this is salvation; this is heaven and
the bliss of a life immortal." 14
XLII. MIRACLES FORBIDDEN
Jotikkha, the son of Subhadda, was a householder living in
Rajagaha. Having received a precious bowl of sandalwood decorated
with jewels, he erected a long pole before his house and put the bowl
on its top with this legend: "Should a samana take this bowl down
without using a ladder or a stick with a hook, or without climbing the
pole, but by magic power, he shall receive as reward whatever he
desires." 1
And the people came to the Blessed One, full of wonder and their
mouths overflowing with praise, saying: "Great is the Tathagata. His
disciples perform miracles. Kassapa, the disciple of the Buddha, saw
the bowl on Jotikkha's pole, and, stretching out his hand, he took it
down, carrying it away in triumph to the vihara." 2
When the Blessed One heard what had happened, he went to Kassapa,
and, breaking the bowl to pieces, forbade his disciples to perform
miracles of any kind. 3
Soon after this it happened that in one of the rainy seasons many
bhikkhus were staying in the Vajji territory during a famine. And one
of the bhikkhus proposed to his brethren that they should praise one
another to the householders of the village, saying: "This bhikkhu is a
saint; he has seen celestial visions; and that bhikkhu possesses
supernatural gifts; he can work miracles." And the villagers said:
"It is lucky, very lucky for us, that such saints are spending the
rainy season with us." And they gave willingly and abundantly, and
the bhikkhus prospered and did not suffer from the famine. 4
When the Blessed One heard it, he told Ananda to call the bhikkhus
together, and he asked them: "Tell me, O bhikkhus, when does a bhikkhu
cease to be a bhikkhu?" 5
And Sariputta replied: 6
"An ordained disciple must not commit any unchaste act. The
disciple who commits an unchaste act is no longer a disciple of the
Sakyamuni. 7
"Again, an ordained disciple must not take except what has been
given him. The disciple who takes, be it so little as a penny's
worth, is no longer a disciple of the Sakyamuni. 8
"And lastly, an ordained disciple must not knowingly and
malignantly deprive any harmless creature of life, not even an
earthworm or an ant. The disciple who knowingly and malignantly
deprives any harmless creature of its life is no longer a disciple of
the Sakyamuni. 9
"These are the three great prohibitions." 10
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus and said: 11
"There is another great prohibition which I declare to you: 12
"An ordained disciple must not boast of any superhuman perfection.
The disciple who with evil intent and from covetousness boasts of a
superhuman perfection, be it celestial visions or miracles, is no
longer a disciple of the Sakyamuni. 13
"I forbid you, O bhikkhus, to employ any spells or supplications,
for they are useless, since the law of karma governs all things. He
who attempts to perform miracles has not understood the doctrine of
the Tathagata." 14
XLIII. THE VANITY OF WORLDLINESS
There was a poet who had acquired the spotless eye of truth, and he
believed in the Buddha, whose doctrine gave him peace of mind and
comfort in the hour of affliction. 1
And it happened that an epidemic swept over the country in which he
lived, so that many died, and the people were terrified. Some of them
trembled with fright, and in anticipation of their fate were smitten
with all the horrors of death before they died, while others began to
be merry, shouting loudly, "Let us enjoy ourselves to-day, for we know
not whether to-morrow we shall live"; yet was their laughter no
genuine gladness, but a mere pretence and affectation. 2
Among all these worldly men and women trembling with anxiety, the
Buddhist poet lived in the time of the pestilence, as usual, calm and
undisturbed, helping wherever he could and ministering unto the sick,
soothing their pains by medicine and religious consolation. 3
And a man came to him and said: "My heart is nervous and excited,
for I see people die. I am not anxious about others, but I tremble
because of myself. Help me; cure me of my fear." 4
The poet replied: "There is help for him who has compassion on
others, but there is no help for thee so long as thou clingest to
thine own self alone. Hard times try the souls of men and teach them
righteousness and charity. Canst thou witness these sad sights around
thee and still be filled with selfishness? Canst thou see thy
brothers, sisters, and friends suffer, yet not forget the petty
cravings and lust of thine own heart?" 5
Noticing the desolation in the mind of the pleasure-seeking man,
the Buddhist poet composed this song and taught it to the brethren in
the vihara: 6
"Unless refuge you take in the Buddha and find in Nirvana rest
Your life is but vanity - empty and desolate vanity.
To see the world is idle, and to enjoy life is empty.
The world, including man, is but like a phantom, and the hope of
heaven is as a mirage. 7
"The worldling seeks pleasures fattening himself like a caged fowl.
But the Buddhist saint flies up to the sun like the wild crane.
The fowl in the coop has food but will soon be boiled in the pot.
No provisions are given to the wild crane, but the heavens and the
earth are his." 8
The poet said: "The times are hard and teach the people a lesson;
yet do they not heed it." And he composed another poem on the vanity
of worldliness: 9
"It is good to reform, and it is good to exhort people to reform.
The things of the world will all be swept away.
Let others be busy and buried with care.
My mind all unvexed shall be pure. 10
"After pleasures they hanker and find no satisfaction;
Riches they covet and can never have enough.
They are like unto puppets held up by a string.
When the string breaks they come dowm with a shock. 11
"In the domain of death there are neither great nor small;
Neither gold nor silver is used, nor precious jewels.
No distinction is made between the high and the low.
And daily the dead are buried beneath the fragrant sod. 12
"Look at the sun setting behind the western hills.
You lie down to rest, but soon the cock will announce morn.
Reform to-day and do not wait until it be too late.
Do not say it is early, for the time quickly passes by. 13
"It is good to reform and it is good to exhort people to reform.
It is good to lead a righteous life and take refuge in the Buddha's
name.
Your talents may reach to the skies, your wealth may be untold-But all
is in vain unless you attain the peace of Nirvana." 14
XLIV. SECRECY AND PUBLICITY
The Buddha said: "Three things, O disciples, are characterized by
secrecy: love affairs, priestly wisdom, and all aberrations from the
path of truth. 1
"Women who are in love, O disciples, seek secrecy and shun
publicity; priests who claim to be in possession of special
revelations, O disciples, seek secrecy and shun publicity; all those
who stray from the path of truth, O disciples, seek secrecy and shun
publicity. 2
"Three things, O disciples, shine before the world and cannot be
hidden. What are the three? 3
"The moon, O disciples, illumines the world and cannot be hidden;
the sun, O disciples, illumines the world and cannot be hidden; and
the truth proclaimed by the Tathagata illumines the world and cannot
be hidden. These three things, O disciples, illunines the world and
cannot be hidden. There is no secrecy about them." 4
XLV. THE ANNIHILATION OF SUFFERING
And the Buddha said: "What my friends, is evil? 1
"Killing is evil; stealing is evil; yielding to sexual passion is
evil; lying is evil; slandering is evil; abuse is evil; gossip is
evil; envy is evil; hatred is evil; to cling to false doctrine is
evil; all these things, my friends are evil. 2
"And what, my friends, is the root of evil? 3
"Desire is the root of evil; hatred is the root of evil; illusion
is the root of evil; these things are the root of evil. 4
"What, however, is good? 5
"Abstaining from killing is good; abstaining from theft is good;
abstaining from sensuality is good; abstaining from falsehood is good;
abstaining from slander is good; suppression of unkindness is good;
abandoning gossip is good; letting go all envy is good; dismissing
hatred is good; obedience to the truth is good; all these things are
good. 6
"And what, my friends, is the root of the good? 7
"Freedom from desire is the root of the good; freedom from hatred
and freedom from illusion; these things, my friends, are the root of
the good. 8
"What, however, O brethren, is suffering? What is the origin of
suffering? What is the annihilation of suffering? 9
"Birth is suffering; old age is suffering; disease is suffering;
death is suffering; sorrow and misery are suffering; affliction and
despair are suffering; to be united with loathsome things is
suffering; the loss of that which we love and the failure in attaining
that which is longed for are suffering; all these things, O brethren,
are suffering. 10
"And what, O brethren, is the origin of suffering? 11
"It is lust, passion, and the thirst for existence that yearns for
pleasure everywhere, leading to a continual rebirth! It is
sensuality, desire, selfishness; all these things, O brethren, are the
origin of suffering. 12
"And what is the annihilation of suffering? 13
"The radical and total annihilation of this thirst and the
abandonment, the liberation, the deliverance from passion, that, O
brethren, is the annihilation of suffering. 14
"And what, O brethren, is the path that leads to the annihilation
of suffering? 15
"It is the holy eightfold path that leads to the annihilation of
suffering, which consists of, right views, right decision, right
speech, right action, right living, right struggling, right thoughts,
and right meditation. 16
"In so far, O friends, as a noble youth thus recognizes suffering
and the origin of suffering, as he recognizes the annihilation of
suffering, and walks on the path that leads to the annihilation of
suffering, radically forsaking passion, subduing wrath, annihilating
the vain conceit of the "I-am," leaving ignorance, and attaining to
enlightenment, he will make an end of all suffering even in this
life." 17
XLVI. AVOIDING THE TEN EVILS
The Buddha said: "All acts of living creatures become bad by ten
things, and by avoiding the ten things they become good. There are
three evils of the body, four evils of the tongue, and three evils of
the mind. 1
"The evils of the body are, murder, theft, and adultery; of the
tongue, lying, slander, abuse, and idle talk; of the mind,
covetousness, hatred, and error. 2
"I exhort you to avoid the ten evils: 3
"I. Kill not, but have regard for life. 4
"II. Steal not, neither do ye rob; but help everybody to be master
of the fruits of his labour. 5
"III. Abstain from impurity, and lead a life of chastity. 6
"IV. Lie not, but be truthful. Speak the truth with discretion,
fearlessly and in a loving heart. 7
"V. Invent not evil reports, neither do ye repeat them. Carp not,
but look for the good sides of your fellowbeings, so that ye may with
sincerity defend them against their enemies. 8
"VI. Swear not, but speak decently and with dignity. 9
"VII. Waste not the time with gossip, but speak to the purpose or
keep silence. 10
"VIII. Covet not, nor envy, but rejoice at the fortunes of other
people. 11
"IX. Clease your heart of malice and cherish no hatred, not even
against your enemies; but embrace all living beings with kindness. 12
"X. Free your mind of ignorance and be anxious to learn the truth,
especially in the one thing that is needful, lest you fall a prey
either to scepticism or to errors. Scepticism will make you
indifferent and errors will lead you astray, so that you shall not
find the noble path that leads to life eternal." 13
XLVII. THE PREACHER'S MISSION
And the Blessed One said to his disciples: 1
"When I have passed away and can no longer address you and edify
your minds with religious discourse, select from among you men of good
family and education to preach the truth in my stead. And let those
men be invested with the robes of the Tathagata, let them enter into
the abode of the Tathagata, and occupy the pulpit of the
Tathagata. 2
"The robe of the Tathagata is sublime forbearance and patience.
The abode of the Tathagata is charity and love of all beings. The
pulpit of the Tathagata is the comprehension of the good law in its
abstract meaning as well as in its particular application. 3
"The preacher must propound the truth with unshrinking mind. He
must have the power of persuasion rooted in virtue and in strict
fidelity to his vows. 4
"The preacher must keep in his proper sphere and be steady in his
course. He must not flatter his vanity by seeking the company of the
great, nor must he keep company with persons who are frivolous and
immoral. When in temptation, he should constantly think of the Buddha
and he will conquer. 5
"All who come to hear the doctrine, the preacher must receive with
benevolence, and his sermon must be without invidiousness. 6
"The preacher must not be prone to carp at others, or to blame
other preachers; nor speak scandal, nor propagate bitter words. He
must not mention by name other disciples to vituperate them and
reproach their demeanour. 7
"Clad in a clean robe, dyed with good colour. with appropriate
undergarments, he must ascend the pulpit with a mind free from blame
and at peace with the whole world. 8
"He must not take delight in querulous desputations or engage in
controversies so as to show the superiority of his talents, but be
calm and composed. 9
"No hostile feelings shall reside in his heart, and he must never
abandon the disposition of charity toward all beings. His sole aim
must be that all beings become Buddhas. 10
"Let the preacher apply himself with zeal to his work, and the
Tathagata will show to him the body of the holy law in its
transcendent glory. He shall be honoured as one whom the Tathagata has
blessed. The Tathagata blesses the preacher and also those who
reverently listen to him and joyfully accept the doctrine. 11
"All those who receive the truth will find perfect enlightenment.
And, verily, such is the power of the doctrine that even by the
reading of a single stanza, or by reciting, copying, and keeping in
mind a single sentence of the good law, persons may be converted to
the truth and enter the path of righteousness which leads to
deliverance from evil. 12
"Creatures that are swayed by impure passions, when they listen to
the voice, will be purified. The ignorant who are infatuated with the
follies of the world will, when pondering on the profundity of the
doctrine, acquire wisdom. Those who act under the impulse of hatred
will, when taking refuge in the Buddha, be filled with good-will and
love. 13
"A preacher must be full of energy and cheerful hope, never tiring
and never despairing of final success. 14
"A preacher must be like a man in quest of water who digs a well in
an arid tract of land. So long as he sees that the sand is dry and
white, he knows that the water is still far off. But let him not be
troubled or give up the task as hopeless. The work of removing the
dry sand must be done so that he can dig down deeper into the ground.
And often the deeper he has to dig, the cooler and purer and more
refreshing will the water be. 15
"When after some time of digging he sees that the sand becomes
moist, he accepts it as a token that the water is near. 16
"So long as the people do not listen to the words of truth, the
preacher knows that he has to dig deeper into their hearts; but when
they begin to heed his words he apprehends that they will soon attain
enlightenment. 17
"Into your hands, O ye men of good family and education who take
the vow of preaching the words of the Tathagata, the Blessed One
transfers, intrusts, and commends the good law of truth. 18
"Receive the good law of truth, keep it, read and re-read it,
fathom it, promulgate it, and preach it to all beings in all the
quarters of the universe. 19
"The Tathagata is not avaricious, nor narrow-minded, and he is
willing to impart the perfect Buddha-knowledge unto all who are ready
and willing to receive it. Be ye like unto him. Imitate him and
follow his example in bounteously giving, showing, and bestowing the
truth. 20
"Gather round you hearers who love to listen to the benign and
comforting words of the law; rouse the unbelievers to accept the truth
and fill them with delight and joy. Quicken them, edify them, and
lift them higher and higher until they see the truth face to face in
all its splendour and infinite glory." 21
When the Blessed One had thus spoken, the disciples said: 22
"O thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source in compassion,
thou great cloud of good qualities and of benevolent mind, thou
quenchest the fire that vexeth living beings, thou pourest out nectar,
the rain of the law! 23
"We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathagata commands. We shall
fulfill his behest; the Lord shall find us obedient to his words." 24
And this vow of the disciples resounded through the universe, and
like an echo it came back from all the Bodhisattas who are to be and
will come to preach the good law of Truth to future generations. 25
And the Blessed One said: "The Tathagata is like unto a powerful
king who rules his kingdom with righteousness, but being attacked by
envious enemies goes out to wage war against his foes. When the king
sees his soldiers fight he is delighted with their gallantry and will
bestow upon them donations of all kinds. Ye are the soldiers of the
Tathagata, while Mara, the Evil One, is the enemy who must be
conquered. And the Tathagata will give to his soldiers the city of
Nirvana, the great capital of the good law. And when the enemy is
overcome, the Dharma-raja, the great king of truth, will bestow upon
all his disciples the most precious crown which jewel brings perfect
enlightenment, supreme wisdom, and undisturbed peace." 26
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