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.BUDDHIST SUTTAS,

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.BUDDHIST SUTTAS,

TRANSLATED FROM PALI BY

T. W. RHYS DAVIDS

THE

mahA-parinibbAna suttanta

THE

DHAMMA-A'AKKA-PPAVATTANA SUTTA

THE

TEVIGGA SUTTANTA

THE

AKANKHEYYA SUTTA

05.

THE

£ETOKHILA SUTTA

e6.

THE

MAHA-SUDASSANA SUTTANTA

fe7.

THE

jSABBASAVA SUTTA

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

: L

HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY

THE

SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST

TRANSLATED

BY VARIOUS ORIENTAL SCHOLARS

AND EDITED BY

F. MAX MOLLER VOL. XI

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1900

-r, ! fi «

;

JUN 7 1904

Oxford

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

BY HORACE HART, M.A. PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

THE

SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST

[»]

HENRY FROWDE, M.A.

PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

THE

SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST

TRANSLATED

BY VARIOUS ORIENTAL SCHOLARS

AND EDITED BY

F. MAX MOLLER

VOL. XI

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 1 900

X BUDDHIST SUTTAS

TRANSLATED FROM PALI BY

T. W. RHYS DAVIDS

O 1. THE mahA-parinibbAna suttanta

o ',! THE DHAMMA-A'AKKA-PPAVATTANA SUTTA

THE TEVIGGA SUTTANTA

& i. THE AKANKHEYYA SUTTA

ofj. THE £ETOKHILA SUTTA

C«. THE MAHA-SUDASSANA SUTTANTA

5,7. THE SABBASAVA SUTTA

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

CONTENTS

PAGE

General Introduction to the Buddhist Suttas . . ix

1. The Book of the Great Decease (Maha-parinibbana

Suttanta) . xxix

Introduction xxxi

Translation i

2. The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness

(DHAMMA-ZirAKKA-PPAVATTANA SuTTa) . . . 1 37

Introduction 139

Translation 146

3. On Knowledge of the Vedas (Tevigga Suttanta) . 157

Introduction 1 59

Translation 167

(The Silas, pp. 189-200.)

4. If he should desire (Akankheyya Sutta) . . 205

Introduction 207

238-241.) Translation .247

7. All the Asavas (Sabbasava Sutta) . . . .291

Introduction 293

Translation ........ 296

Index 309

Transliteration of Oriental Alphabets adopted for the

Translations of the Sacred Books of the East . -317

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

TO THE

BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

On being asked to contribute a volume of translations from the P&li Suttas to the important series of which this work forms a part, the contributor has to face the difficulty of choosing from the stores of a nearly unknown literature — a difficulty arising from the embarrassment, not of poverty, but of wealth. I have endeavoured to make such a choice as would enable me to bring together into one volume a collection of texts which should be as complete a sample as one volume could afford of what the Buddhist scriptures, on the whole, contain. With this object in view I have re- frained from confining myself to the most interesting books — those, namely, which deal with the Noble Eightfold Path, the most essential, the most original, and the most attractive part of Gotama's teaching ; and I have chosen accordingly, besides the Sutta of the Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness (the Dh amma - £akka - ppavattana- Sutta), which treats of the Noble Path, six others which treat of other sides of the Buddhist system ; less interesting perhaps in their subject matter, but of no less historical value.

These are —

1. The Book of the Great Decease (the Mah£- parinibbdna-Suttanta), which is the Buddhist repre- sentative of what, among the Christians, is called a Gospel.

2. The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righte- ousness (the Dhamma-^akka-ppavattana- Sutta), containing the Four Noble Truths, and the Noble Eight- fold Path which ends in Arahatship.

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

3. The Discussion on Knowledge of the Three Vedas (the Tevi^a - Suttanta), which is a controversial dialogue on the right method of attaining to a state of union with Brahmd.

4. The Sutta entitled 4 If he should desire— '(Akah- kheyya-Sutta), which shows in the course of a very beautiful argument some curious sides of early Buddhist mysticism and of curiously unjustified belief.

5. The Treatise on Barrenness and Bondage (the ATetokhila-Sutta), which treats of the Buddhist Order of Mendicants, from the moral, as distinguished from the disciplinary, point of view.

6. The Legend of the Great King of Glory (the Mahd-sudassana-Suttanta), which is an example of the way in which previously existing legends were dealt with by the early Buddhists.

7. The Sutta entitled « All the Asavas' (the Sabbd- sava -Sutta), which explains the signification of a con- stantly recurring technical term, and lays down the essen- tial principles of Buddhist Agnosticism.

The Discipline of the Buddhist Mendicants, the Rules of their Order — probably the most influential, as it is the oldest, in the world — will be fully described, down to its minutest details, in the translation of the Vinaya Pifoka, which will appropriately form a subsequent part of this Series of Translations of the Sacred Books of the East. There was therefore no need to include any Sutta on this subject in the present volume : but of the rest of the matters discussed in the Buddhist Sacred Books — of Buddhist le- gend, gospel, controversial theology, and ethics — the works selected will I trust give a correct and adequate, if necessa- rily a somewhat fragmentary, idea.

The age of these writings can be fixed, without much uncertainty, at about the latter end of the fourth or the beginning of the third century before the commencement of the Christian era. This is the only hypothesis which seems, at present, to account for the facts known about them. It should not however be looked upon as anything

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

more than a good working hypothesis to be accepted until all the texts of the Buddhist P&li Suttas shall have been properly edited. For it depends only on the fact that one of the texts now translated contains several statements, and one very significant silence, which afford ground for chronological argument. That argument amounts only to probability, not to certainty ; and it might scarcely be worth while to put it forward were it not that the course of the enquiry will be found to raise several questions of very considerable interest.

The significant silence to which I refer occurs in the account of the death of Gotama at the end of the MahcL- parinibbina-Sutta 1 ; and I cannot do better than quote Dr. Oldenberg's remarks upon it at p. xxvi of the able Introduction to his edition of the text of the Mah&-vagga.

* The Tradition regarding the Councils takes up the thread of the story where the accounts of the life and work of Buddha, given in the Sutta Pi/aka, end. After the death of the Master — so it is related in the A'ulla-vagga — Su- bhadda, the last disciple converted by Buddha shortly before his death 2 , proclaimed views which threatened the dissolution of the community.

4 " Do not grieve, do not lament," he is said to have said to the believers. " It is well that we have been relieved of the Great Master's presence. We were oppressed by him when he said, 'This is permitted to you, this is not per- mitted.' In future we can do as we like, and not do as we do not like."

" It is well that we have been relieved of the Great Master's presence. We were oppressed by him when he said, 'This is permitted to you, this is not per- mitted.' In future we can do as we like, and not do as we do not like."

4 In opposition to Subhadda, — the tradition goes on to relate, — there came forward one of the most distinguished and oldest of Buddha's disciples, the great Kassapa, who proposed that five hundred of the most eminent members of the community should assemble at Rdg-agaha, the royal residence of the ruler of Magadha, in order to collect the Masters precepts in an authentic form. It has already been said above, how, during the seven months' sitting of

1 Translated below, pp. 112-135.

* This is a mistake. The Subhadda referred to is quite a different person from the last convert. See my note below, p. 127.

xii

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

the assembly, Kassapa as president fixed the Vinaya with the assistance of Updli, and the Dhamma with the assist- ance of Ananda.

* This is the story as it has come down to us. What we have here before us is not history, but pure invention ; and, moreover, an invention of no very recent date. Apart from internal reasons that might be adduced to support this, we are able to prove it by comparing another text which is older than this story, and the author of which cannot yet have known it. I allude to the highly important Sutta, which gives an account of the death of Buddha, and the Pdli text of which has recently been printed by Professor Childers. This Sutta gives 1 the story — in long passages word for word the same, as in the jfifulla-vagga — of the irreverent conduct of Subhadda, which Kassapa opposes by briefly pointing to the true con- solation that should support the disciples in their separation from the Master. Then follows the account of the burning of Buddha's corpse, of the distribution of his relics among the various princes and cities, and of the festivals which were instituted in honour of these relics. Everything that the legend of the First Council alleges as a motive for, and as the background to, the story about Kassapa's proposal for holding the Council, is found here altogether, except that there is no allusion to the proposal itself, or to the Council. We hear of those speeches of Subhadda, which, according to the later tradition, led Kassapa to make his proposal, but we do not hear anything of the proposal itself. We hear of the great assembly that meets for the distribution of Buddha's relics, in which — according to the later tradition — Kassapa's proposal was agreed to, but we do not hear anything of these transactions. It may be added that we hear in this same Sutta 2 of the precepts which Buddha delivered to his followers shortly before his death, concerning doubts and differences of opinion that might arise, among the members of the community, with

regard to the Dhamma and the Vinaya, and with regard to

— . — , 3 —

— , 3 —

1 Pages 67, 68 in the edition of Childers. 8 Pages 39, 60, 61, ibid.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

XUl

the treatment of such cases when he should no longer be with them. If anywhere, we should certainly have ex- pected to find here some allusion to the great authentic depositions of Dhamma and Vinaya after Buddha's death, which, according to the general belief of Buddhists, esta- blished a firm standard according to which differences could be judged and have been judged through many centuries. There is not the slightest trace of any such allusion to the Council. This silence is as valuable as the most direct testimony. It shows that the author of the Mah&- parinibb&na-Sutta did not know anything of the First Council.'

The only objection which it seems to me possible to raise against this argument is that the conclusion is worded somewhat too absolutely ; and that it is rather a begging of the question to state, in the very first words referring to the Mahd-parinibbdna-Sutta, that it is older than the story in the ATulla-vagga, and that its author could not have known that work. But no one will venture to dispute the accuracy of Dr. Oldenberg's representation of the facts on which he bases his conclusion ; and the conclusion that he draws is, at least, the easiest and readiest way of explaining the very real discrepancy that he has pointed out. We shall be quite safe if we only say that we have certain facts which lend strong probability to the hypothesis that the author of the Mahd-parinibbana-Sutta did not know that account of the First Council which we find in the ATulla- vagga.

We do not know for certain the time at which that part of the A\illa-vagga, in which that account occurs, was com- posed. I think it quite possible that it was as late as the Council of Patna (b. C. 250), though Dr. Oldenberg places it somewhat earlier 1 . But even if we put the conclusion of the ATulla-vagga as late as the year I have mentioned, it is still in the highest degree improbable that the Mah&- parinibbclna-Sutta, supposing it to be an older work, can have been composed very much later than the fourth century B.C. — a provisional date sufficient at present for practical purposes.

1 Maha- vagga, p. xxxviii.

xiv

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

This conclusion, however, is only almost, and not quite certain. It is just possible that the author of the Book of the Great Decease omitted all mention of the First Council at R&^agaha, not because he did not know of it, but because he considered it unnecessary to mention an event which had no bearing on the subject of his work. He was de- scribing the death of the Buddha, and not the history of the Canon or of the Order.

He was de- scribing the death of the Buddha, and not the history of the Canon or of the Order.

I must confess however that I only mention this as a possibility from a desire rather to understate than to over- state my case. For, firstly, it should be remembered that the writer does not merely omit to mention an occurrence subsequent to and unconnected with the Great Decease. He does more : he gives an account of the Subhadda in- cident which is inconsistent and irreconcilable with the legend or narrative of the R^agaha Council as related in the ATulla-vagga. Had that narrative, as we now have it, been received in his time among the Brethren, he would scarcely have done this.

And, secondly, he does not, after all, close his book, as he might well have done, with the Great Decease itself. It will be seen from the translation below 1 that there was a point in his narrative, the exclamations of sorrow at the death of the Buddha, which would have formed, had he desired to omit all unnecessary details, a very fitting con- clusion to his narrative. The Book of the Great King of Glory, the Mahd-sudassana-Sutta K closes with the very ex- clamation our author puts, at this point, into the mouth of Sakka. The Mahd-parinibbana was then over, and the Mahci-parinibbcina-Sutta might have then been closed. But he goes on and describes in detail the cremation, the distribution of the relics, and the feasts celebrated in their honour. It is not necessary for my point to show that it was in the least degree unnatural to do so. It is sufficient to be able to point out that the author having done so, — having gone on to the arrival of Kassapa, who was after- wards (in the A^ulla-vagga) said to have held the Council ; having mentioned the very incident which, according to the

1 See below, Chap. VI, § 21.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

other narrative, gave rise to the holding of the Council ; and having referred to events which took place after the Council, — it is scarcely a tenable argument to say that he, knowing of it, did not refer, even incidentally and in half a sentence, to so important an event, simply because it did not come, necessarily, within the subject of his work. And when we find that in other works on the death of the Buddha, referred to below 1 , the account of the Council of Rd^agaha has, in fact, been included in the story, it is difficult to withhold our assent to the very great probability of the hypothesis, that it would have been included also in the P&li Book of the Great Decease had the belief in the tradi- tion of the Council been commonly held at the time when that book was put into its present shape. At the same time we must hold ourselves quite prepared to learn that some other explanation may turn out to be possible. The argument, if it applied to writers of the nineteenth century, would be conclusive. But we know too little about the mode in which the Pali Pi/akas were composed to presume at present to be quite certain.

The argument, if it applied to writers of the nineteenth century, would be conclusive. But we know too little about the mode in which the Pali Pi/akas were composed to presume at present to be quite certain.

The Mah£-parinibb£na-Sutta was then probably com- posed before the account of the First Council of Rd^a- gaha in the concluding part of the ATulla-vagga. It was also almost certainly composed after Pd/aliputta, the modern Patna, had become the capital city of the king- dom of Magadha ; after the worship of relics had become common in the Buddhist church ; and after the rise of a general belief in the Afakkavatti theory, in the ideal of a sacred king, a supreme overlord in India.

The first of these last three arguments depends on the prophecy placed in Gotama's mouth as to the future great- ness of Pa/aliputta — a prophecy found in the Mahd-vagga as well as in the Mahci-parinibb&na-Sutta. It is true that the guess may actually have been made, and that it re- quired no great boldness to hazard a conjecture so vaguely expressed. The words simply are —

'And among famous places of residence and haunts of

See p. xxxviii.

xvi

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

busy men, this will become the chief, the city of Pd/aliputta, a centre for interchange of all kinds of wares. But there will happen three disasters to Pd/aliputta, one of fire, and one of water, and one of dissension V

But it is, to say the least, improbable that the conjecture would have been recorded until after the event had proved it to be accurate : and it would scarcely be too hazardous to maintain that the tradition of the guess having been made would not have arisen at all until after the event had occurred.

What was the event referred to may also be questioned, as the words quoted do not, in terms, declare that the city would become the actual capital. But we know, not only from Buddhist, but from Greek historians, that it did, and this is most probably the origin of the prophecy.

Now the Mctlcilank&ravatthu, a Pdli work of modern, date, but following very closely the more ancient books, has been translated, through the Burmese, by Bishop Bigandet; and it says,

'That monarch [Susuniga], not unmindful of his mother's origin, re-established the city of Vesdll, and fixed in it the royal residence. From that time R^gagaha lost her rank of royal city, which she never afterwards recovered. He died in 8i' [that is, of the Buddhist era reckoned from the Great Decease] 2 . . . .

Relying on similar authority Bishop Bigandet afterwards himself says :

* King Kd/dsoka left Ra^agaha, and removed the seat of his empire to Palibothra [the Greek name for Pi/aliputta], near the place where the modern city of Patna stands 2 .'

. . .

Relying on similar authority Bishop Bigandet afterwards himself says :

* King Kd/dsoka left Ra^agaha, and removed the seat of his empire to Palibothra [the Greek name for Pi/aliputta], near the place where the modern city of Patna stands 2 .'

1 See below, Chap. I, § 28. I have translated Pu/abhedana/w, 'a centre for the interchange of all kinds of wares,' in accordance with the commentary, which is clearly based on a derivation from pu/a, ' a bag or bundle.* But I see that Trenckner in his P&li Miscellany renders n&n&pu/abhedana/w by 'siuy rounded by a number of dependent towns.'

At the end the text has ' from fire or from water or from dissension;' on which Buddhaghosa says that or stands here for and; and the comment is correct enough, not of course philologically, but exegetically. But in either case the last clause is of very little importance for the present argument.

■ Bigandet's * Legend of the Burmese Budha,' third edition, vol. ii. pp. 115, 183. I have altered the spelling only of the proper names.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

xvii

It would seem therefore that, according to the tradition followed by this writer, Susunaga first removed the capital to Vesdli, and his successor Kd/dsoka, who died, in the opinion of the writer in question, in 118 after the Great Decease, finally fixed it at Pd/ialiputta.

If we therefore apply this date to the prophecy we must come to the conclusion that the Book of the Great Decease was put into its present form at least 100 years after the Buddha's death, and probably a little more. But the authority followed by Bishop Bigandet is very late ; and no mention of these occurrences is found either in the Dipava^sa or in the Mahdva^sa. I think indeed that the whole account of these two kings, as at present accepted in Ceylon and Birma, is open to grave doubt 1 (in which connection it should be noticed that the oldest account of the Council of Ves&li, in the Abulia- vagga, Book XII, makes no mention of K4/ctsoka).

We have next to consider the reference to the relics in the concluding sections of Chapter VI as a possible basis for chronological argument These sections are almost certainly older than the time when especial sanctity was claimed for Buddhist d&gabas on the ground that they contained par- ticular relics of the Blessed One (such as a tooth, or the bowl, or the neck bone) ; for if such special relics were accepted as objects of worship when the Book of the Great Decease was put together, they would naturally have been mentioned in the course of Chapter VI.

It is even almost certain that when the sections were put into their present form no Buddhist d&gaba was in exist- ence except at the eight places mentioned in them ; and the words are quite consistent with the belief that those eight had themselves then ceased to have any very wide- spread and acknowledged sanctity. So in Chapter V, § 13, where four places are spoken of * which the believing man should visit with feelings of reverence and of awe,' there is no mention of d&gabas at all ; and in Chapter V, § 16, it is

1 See my * Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon/ p. 50.

[»] . b

xviii

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

clearly implied that only one d&gaba, or memorial burial mound, should be erected in honour of a Tath&gata, just as one memorial mound should be erected in honour of a king of kings.

When we recollect that in the first and second, and perhaps in the third century before Christ, d&gabas had already been erected in honour of the Buddha in distant parts of the continent of India, and had rapidly become famous as places of pilgrimage, the reasonable conclusion to be drawn from these passages is that the Book of the Great Decease is older than them all; or, at the least, that it was written before any of them had become famous.

On the other hand, there is evidently an exaggerated belief as to the respect in which the Buddha was held by his contemporaries underlying the concluding and other sections of the book. It is probable enough that Gotama was held in deep respect by the simple people among whom he lived and moved about as a religious teacher and reformer. It may well be that the inhabitants of the village where he died gave him a sort of public funeral. But that the neighbouring clans should have vied one with the other for the possession of his remains is quite inconsistent with the position that he can reasonably be supposed to have held among them. It must have taken some time for this belief to spring up, and be received without question.

In a similar way a considerable interval must have elapsed before the beautiful parable in the last section of Chapter I could have given rise to the belief in the miracle (the soli- tary miracle ascribed to the Buddha, so far as I know, in the Sutta Pi/aka) recorded in the previous section.

So also the comparison drawn between the Buddha and a ATakkavatti R^a or King of Kings in Chapter V, § 37, and Chapter VI, § 33, can scarcely have arisen till the rise of a lord paramount in the valley of the Ganges had fami- liarised the people with the idea of a Universal Monarch. Now it was either just before or just after the well-known Councils at Vesdli, of which mention has been made above, that that important revolution took place which raised a

GENERAL INTRODUCTION. xix

Now it was either just before or just after the well-known Councils at Vesdli, of which mention has been made above, that that important revolution took place which raised a

GENERAL INTRODUCTION. xix

low-caste adventurer to be the first -Sfakkavatti R&ga. *. To the people of that time -STandragupta seemed to be lord of the world, for to them India was the world — just as European writers even now talk complacently of ' the world ' while ignoring three-fourths of the human race.

' Is it surprising,' as I have asked elsewhere, ' that this unity of power in one man made a deep impression upon them? Is it surprising that, like Romans worshipping Augustus, or like Greeks adding the glow of the sun-myth to the glory of Alexander, the Indians should have formed an ideal of their -Sfakkavatti, and have transferred to this new ideal many of the dimly sacred and half-understood traits of the Vedic heroes ? Is it surprising that the Bud- dhists should have found it edifying to recognise in their hero "the ATakkavatti of Righteousness;" and that the story of the Buddha should have become tinged with the colouring of these Afakkavatti myths ? '

In point of fact we know that in later works the attraction of this poetic ideal led to the almost complete disregard of the simpler narrative which seemed so poor and meagre in comparison ; and M. Senart has shown how large a pro- portion of the later poem called the Lalita Vistara is inspired by it. When, in isolated passages of the Book of the Great Decease, we find the earliest germs of this fruitful train of thought, we are I think safe in concluding that it assumed its present form after the notorious career of ATandragupta had made him supreme in the valley of the Ganges.

All the above arguments tend in one direction ; namely, that the final redaction of the Book of the Great Decease must be assigned to the latter part of the fourth century before Christ, or to the earlier part of the following century. And so much alike are it and all the other Suttas translated in this volume in their form, in their views of life, and in

1 I have ventured in my 'Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon,* p. 51, to point out that the Councils of Vesali were very possibly held just at the time when Nanda was defeated by ATandragupta. Taranatha, the Tibetan histo- rian, while placing the Councils, like all the later authorities, under an As ok a (probably Aandragupta), says (p. 41 of Wassiliefs German translation) that the assembled brethren were fed by Nanda.

b 2

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

Taranatha, the Tibetan histo- rian, while placing the Councils, like all the later authorities, under an As ok a (probably Aandragupta), says (p. 41 of Wassiliefs German translation) that the assembled brethren were fed by Nanda.

b 2

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

the religious doctrines they lay down, that, though it may be possible hereafter to show that some are a little older or a little younger than the others, every one will I think admit that they must all be assigned to about the same period of time. There is not the least reason to believe that either of them is older than the Book of the Great Decease; and the argument has only been confined to it because it alone deals with the kind of subject which can give foundation to chronological conclusions. When the whole of the literature of the PAli Pi/akas has been fully explored, we may perhaps be able to reach a more definite conclusion.

We are in absolute ignorance as to the actual author of any of the texts I have translated. It is quite evident that they are not the work of Gotama himself; and it is difficult to believe that even his immediate disciples could have spoken of him in the exaggerated terms in which occasionally he is here described. On the other hand, the history of similar religious movements teaches us how quickly such notions spring up concerning the omniscience and sinlessness of the founder of the movement ; and it would be better to reserve our judgment as to the impos- sibility, on this account alone, of those Suttas having been composed even by the very earliest disciples.

It would be of less importance who composed the Suttas if we could be sure that they gave an accurate account of the teachings of the great thinker and reformer whose words they purport to preserve. But though, like all other writings of a similar character, they are doubtless based upon tradi- tions older than the time of their authors or final redactors, they cannot unfortunately be depended upon as entirely authentic. And it will be always difficult, even when the whole of the Suttas have been published, to attempt to discriminate between the original doctrine of Gotama, and the later accretions to, or modifications of it.

But we can already make some steps towards such a discrimination, without much fear of being contradicted.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

xxi

But we can already make some steps towards such a discrimination, without much fear of being contradicted.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

xxi

There can be little doubt but that the doctrines of the Four Noble Truths and of the Noble Eightfold Path, the 'Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness/ were not only the teaching of Gotama himself but were the central and most essential part of it. I am aware that no method can be more misleading, or more uncritical, than first to form a theory regarding the personal character of the author of a new religious movement — as some later critics of the Gospel History have done — and then to adopt those pas- sages in the sacred books which fit in with that character, and to reject those which oppose it. We cannot begin by postulating that Gotama was a man of high moral earnest- ness, and of great intellectual acuteness ; and then disregard all the passages in which erroneous, and even puerile, opinions or sayings are placed in his mouth. But it does not follow that we are obliged either altogether to reject the evidence of the Buddhist Scriptures as to what Gotama did actually teach, or altogether to accept it.

It will be acknowledged that the Suttas have preserved for us at least the belief of the earliest Buddhists — the Buddhists in India — as to what the original doctrines, taught by the Buddha himself, had been. We have in the Vinaya Pi/aka an invaluable and indisputable record of the mental characteristics and capabilities of these earliest followers of the Buddhist faith. Sanskrit scholars are engaged in elucidating the history of the beliefs in which Gotama was brought up, and which though often modified and frequently denied, still underlie, throughout, all that he is represented to have taught. We have therefore reliable evidence of the system out of which, and we know the system into which, Gotama's teaching was developed. This being so, it will be impossible to refrain, in despair, from the attempt to solve one of the most interesting problems which die history of the Aryan race presents to us. Scholars will never be unanimously agreed on all points ; but they will agree in ascribing some parts of the early Buddhist Dharma or doctrine only to the early disciples ; and after allowing for all reasonable doubts, they will agree in ascribing other parts to the great Teacher himself. I venture to think

xxii

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

that not only the Four Noble Truths, but the whole of the Seven Jewels of the Law, may already be placed, with certainty, in the latter category 1 *

I venture to think

xxii

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

that not only the Four Noble Truths, but the whole of the Seven Jewels of the Law, may already be placed, with certainty, in the latter category 1 *

The form, in which these Suttas have been preserved, deserves careful attention. Every reader will be struck at once with the constant repetitions. These repetitions are not essential, and are merely designed to facilitate the learning of the Suttas by heart. Writing was unknown in the age of the Buddha, and probably for long after his time. In all probability indeed, just as the Indians learnt from the Greeks, not the art of coinage, but the custom of issuing a legally authorised coinage 2 ; so it was from the Greeks that they acquired, if not their earliest alphabet, at least the knowledge of the utility of writing. But even for some time after writing was generally known, it was considered a desecration to make use of it for the preservation of the sacred books. This feeling naturally passed away much sooner among the adherents of the popular religious faith of Buddhism, than it did among their conservative opponents. With the latter it is by no means ex- tinct even now, and the first record we have of the Buddhist Scriptures being reduced into writing is the well-known passage in the Dipavawsa, which speaks of their being recorded in books in Ceylon towards the beginning of the first century before the commencement of our era. And as all our copies of the Buddhist Pi/akas are, at present, derived from those then in use in Ceylon, we are practically concerned only with those thus referred to in the Dipa- vawsa 3 .

The date of the Dipava^sa may be placed approxi- mately in the fourth century of our era ; but its author reproduces the continued tradition of the monasteries in

1 They will be found enumerated, and shortly described, in a note below (pp. 62, 63). I am glad to learn that my friend Dr. Morris is preparing a rail account of them, drawn from various parts of the Sutta Pi/aka, for his forth- coming work to be accordingly entitled ' The Seven Jewels of the Law.'

2 See my ' Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon ' (Part VI of Numismata Orientalia), p. 13.

8 Dlpava/ttsa XX, w. 20, 21, quoted in the Mahavawsa, p. 207.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

xxiii

which he dwelt, and he is more probably correct, than not, in the assertion I have quoted. It would follow that the Buddhist Scriptures were, till then, handed down by word of mouth only and no one who is acquainted with the wonderful powers of memory possessed by Indian priests, who can devote their whole lives to the task of acquiring and repeating their sacred books by heart, will doubt for a moment the possibility of this having been the case.

Two methods were adopted in India to aid this power of memory. One, adopted chiefly by the grammarians, was to clothe the rules to be remembered in very short enigmatical phrases (called sutras or threads), which taxed the memory but little, while they required elaborate com- mentaries to render them intelligible. The other, the method adopted in the Buddhist writings (both Sutta and V in ay a), was, firstly, the use of stock phrases, of which the commencement once given, the remainder followed as a matter of course ; and secondly, the habit of repeating whole sentences, or even paragraphs, which in our modern books would be understood or inferred, instead of being expressed.

The stock phrases, which must be distinguished from the repetitions, belong certainly to a very early period of Buddhism, and many of them recur in Sanskrit as well as in P&li texts l . One result of these numerous repetitions of phrases and paragraphs is that the preservation of the text, when once established, was rendered very easy ; and that mistakes in the MSS. can now be easily rectified when they occur in such repeated passages. To edit the text of such portions of a P&li Sutta is therefore a comparatively easy task ; and it may be said of all the Suttas here translated, that they have thus acquired a valuable protection against that danger of corruption from various readings which often renders uncertain the text of important passages of works written on the very different and simpler system

1 Several examples of such passages occur in the present volume in the Akankheyya- and Maha-sudassana-Suttas, where they are pointed out in the notes.

xxiv

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

to which we are accustomed. On the other hand, however, the catchwords may sometimes have given rise to serious interpolations.

It is open to much doubt whether, in the numerous passages where such stock phrases and repetitions occur, the best mode of translation is to follow word for word the expressions found in the original (but only inserted there to perform a service no longer necessary), or to make use of contractions, the fact of their being so being duly pointed out, either in notes, or by some typographical expedient. Where, for instance, a long paragraph is devoted to what an elder of the Buddhist Order of Mendicants should do, or be, under certain given circumstances, and the whole paragraph is then repeated word for word, of an ordinary member, and of a nun, and of a lay-disciple (up&saka), or of a religious woman (upasikd) 1 , it would be possible to convey the whole sense intended, by translating that an elder of the Order, and an ordinary member, and a nun, and a lay-disciple of either sex, should do, or be, such and such things.

But every case of repetition is not so simple as this ; such curtailing destroys at least the form and the em- phasis of the originals ; and it seemed more in accordance with the rules laid down in the prospectus to the Series of Translations from the Sacred Books of the East, of which this volume forms a part, to adhere in all cases strictly to the text. With the exception of the earlier chapters in the Book of the Great Decease, in which a few such contractions will be found mentioned in the notes, I have therefore reproduced almost all the repeti- tions. The result will not, I trust, be embarrassing to the reader who keeps constantly in mind the aim and origin of these stock phrases and repetitions, and does not allow the wearisome form in which they are presented to shut out from his view the logical sequence of the sometimes very striking ideas which these Suttas contain. I venture to go further and to maintain that it is not necessary or

1 See below, Book of the Great Decease, Chap. Ill, §§ 7, 8.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

XXV

even correct to read through the whole of passages which were never intended to be read. We shall do wisely when coming to a phrase which we already know, to make use of a little judicious skipping, and, noting the course of the argument, to pass on, with even mind, to the next paragraph.

XXV

I send forth the following translations with very great diffidence. It is not too much to say that the discovery of early Buddhism has placed all previous knowledge of the subject in an entirely new light; and has turned the flank, so to speak, of most of the existing literature on Buddhism. I use the term ' discovery ' advisedly, for though the PSli texts have existed for many years in our public libraries, they are only now beginning to be under- stood ; and the Buddhism of the P&li Pi/akas is not only a quite different thing from Buddhism as hitherto com- monly received, but is antagonistic to it. I cannot hope that the renderings of the many technical terms, now for the first time submitted to the judgment of students of early Buddhism, will all stand the test of time. So per- fectly dovetailed is the old Buddhist system, so utterly different from European Christianity are the ideas involved, so pregnant are the expressions used with deep and earnest religious feelings resting on a foundation completely apart from our own, that the translation of each term becomes a problem of great difficulty and delicacy. Where Gogerly or Burnouf has dealt with any word, the process has been easier: but there are many words they have not touched, and while Gogerly had no sympathy with these ancient beliefs, Burnouf has confined himself chiefly to later phases of Buddhism. There are several paragraphs — such as the one at Chapter I, § 12 of the Book of the Great Decease — which have cost me more time and trouble than the reader of the few words they contain will easily believe ; and it would be impossible to add a note to every word justifying the rendering which was finally adopted to convey the Buddhist idea, without in- volving at the same time some misleading implication.

xxvi

THE BUDDHIST SUTTAS.

In order to call attention to the fact, when a word in the original Pali is one of these technical terms of the Buddhist system of self-training, and when therefore the English expression must be taken in that technical sense, I have throughout written the technical terms with capital letters ; and I would invite the special notice of the reader to the words thus distinguished l .

Apart, too, from the necessity of great care in the rendering of single words, I have felt bound to make some attempt, however inadequate, to reproduce the style and tone of the Buddhist author, or authors. A mere word-for-word translation, though much easier to make, and perhaps more useful to those engaged in the study of the language would not only fail to do justice to the original, but would even convey a wrong impression to those who are interested in these wofks from the point of view of the comparative history of religious belief. There is a very real, though peculiar, eloquence in a considerable number of the prose passages, and more especially in the closing sections of each chapter; not the mere rhetorical eloquence of a clever word-painter, but the unconscious eloquence which springs from deep religious emotion. So also in the verses scattered through the Book of the Great Decease, while there is occasional doggrel, there are also one or two passages (such as I, 34 ; IV, 56 ; VI, 15-18, and 63) where the rhythm of the Pali verses is exceedingly beautiful, and the thoughts expressed not devoid of fancy. The translation of such passages has been beset with difficulty; and I am only too con- scious how small has been the success attained. But I must ask the reader constantly to bear in mind that words, dull and bare to us, are full of meaning to the Buddhist. * The Blessed Master came to the Mango-grove ' is a very plain statement of supposed fact: but to the earnest Buddhist the mention of ' the Master ' calls up to his mind

1 I regret to say that the printer has very frequently omitted to reproduce these capitals ; but they still remain in some places, and the paragraph which explains them is therefore retained.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

XXV11

his highest ideal of what is wise and great and kind ; and the Mango-grove is surrounded to him with all the poetry, and is associated with all the tender memories which to the devout and earnest Christian are wrapped up in such names as Bethany or the Mount of Olives. While impressed therefore with the knowledge of having come far short of my ideal, I feel there is for these reasons some justification in asking a kindly consideration for this first volume of English translations from the prose portions of the Path" Pi/akas.

T. W. RHYS DAVIDS.

Brick Court, Temple, August, 1880.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA- SUTTANTA.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

T. W. RHYS DAVIDS.

Brick Court, Temple, August, 1880.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA- SUTTANTA.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

In translating this Sutta I have followed the text pub- lished by my friend the late Mr. Childers, first in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, and afterwards sepa- rately. In the former the text appeared in two instalments, the first two sheets, with many various readings in the foot- notes, in the volume for 1874; and the remainder, with much fewer various readings, in the volume for 1876. The reprinted text omits most of the various readings in the first two sheets, and differs therefore slightly in the paging. The letters D, S, Y, and Z, mentioned in the notes, refer to MSS. sent to Mr. Childers from Ceylon by myself, Subhtiti Unndnse, Y&tramulle Unn&nse, and Mud liar de Zoysa re- spectively. The MS. mentioned as P (in the first two sheets quoted only in the separate edition) is, no doubt, the Dtgha Nik&ya MS. of the Phayre collection in the India Office Library. The other four are now I believe in the British Museum.

The Hon. George Tumour of the Ceylon Civil Service published an analysis of this work in the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic Society for 1 839 ; but as he unfortunately skips, or only summarises, most of the difficult passages, his work, though a most valuable contribution for the time, now more than half a century ago, has not been of much service for the present purpose. Of much greater value was Buddhaghosa's commentary contained in the Su- mangala Vil&sini 1 ; but the great fifth-century commen-

1 I have used the copy made for Tumour, and now in the India Office Collection.

XXxii THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

tator wrote of course for Buddhists, and not for foreign scholars ; and his edifying notes and long exegetical ex- pansions of the text (quite in the style of Matthew Henry) often fail to throw light on the very points which are most interesting, and most doubtful, to European readers.

The Mdl&lank&ra-vatthu, a late P&li work by a Bur- mese author of the eighteenth century \ is based, in that part of it relating to the last days of the Buddha, almost exclusively on the Book of the Great Decease, and on Buddhaghosa's commentary upon it. Bishop Bigandet's translation into English of a Burmese translation of this work, well known under the title of 1 The Life or Legend of Gaudama the Budha of the Burmese,' affords evidence therefore of the traditional explanations of the text. In the course either of the original author's recasting, or of the double translation, so many changes have taken place, that its evidence is frequently ambiguous and not always quite trustworthy : but with due caution, it may be used as a second commentary.

In the course either of the original author's recasting, or of the double translation, so many changes have taken place, that its evidence is frequently ambiguous and not always quite trustworthy : but with due caution, it may be used as a second commentary.

The exact meaning which was originally intended by the title of the book is open to doubt. ' Great-Decease-Book ' may as well mean * the Great Book of the Decease,' as ' the Book of the Great Decease.' This book is in fact longer than any other in the collection, and the epithet ' Great ' is often opposed in titles to a ' Short ' Sutta of (otherwise) the same name 2 . But the epithet is also frequently intended, without doubt, to qualify the immediately succeeding word in the title 3 ; and, though the phrase 1 Great Decease,' as applied to the death of the Buddha, has not been found elsewhere, it is, I think, meant to do so here 4 .

1 See * The Life or Legend,' &c, third edition, vol. ii. p. 149. The date there given (11 34 of the Burmese era = 1773 a.d.) is evidently the date of the original work, and not of the translation. Nothing is said in the book itself or in Bishop Bigandet's notes of the name of the author, or of the name or date of the Burmese translator.

2 There are several such pairs in the Ma^Aima Nik and the Mah&- Satippa/M&na-Sutta in the Digha is the same as the Satipa/M&na- Sutta in the Ma^Aima.

8 E. g. in the Maha-padhana-Sutta and Maha-sudassana-Sutta. .

* Childers seems to have been of the same opinion, vide Diet. I, 268.

INTRODUCTION.

xxxiii

The division of the Book into chapters, or rather Portions for Recitation, is found in the MSS. ; the division of these chapters into sections has been made by myself. It will be noticed that a very large number of the sections have already been traced, chiefly by Dr. Morris and myself, in various other parts of the Pclli Pi/akas : whole paragraphs or episodes, quite independent of the repetitions and stock phrases above referred to, recurring in two or more places. The question then arises whether (i) the Book of the Great Decease is the borrower, whether (2) it is the original source, or whether (3) these passages were taken over, both into it, and into the other places where they recur, from earlier sources. It will readily be understood that, in the present state of our knowledge, or rather ignorance, of the P&li Pi/akas, this question cannot as yet be answered with any certainty. But a few observations may even now be made.

Generally speaking the third of the above possible ex- planations is not only more probable in itself, but is confirmed by parallel instances in literatures developed under similar conditions, both in the valley of the Ganges and in the basin of the Mediterranean.

It is quite possible that while some books — such as the Mahd-vagga, the iTulla-vagga, and the Dlgha Nikiya — usually owe their resemblances to older sources now lost or absorbed ; others — such as the Sawyutta and the Anguttara — are always in such cases simply borrowers from sources still existing.

At the time when our Book of the Great Decease was put into its present shape, and still more so when a Book of the Great Decease was first drawn up, there may well have been some reliable tradition as to the events that took place, and as to the subjects of his various discourses, on the Buddha's last journey. He had then been a public Teacher for forty-five years ; and his system of doctrine, which is really, on the whole, a very simple one, had already been long ago elaborated, and applied in numerous dis- courses to almost every conceivable variety of circumstances. What he then said would most naturally be, as it is repre- sented to have been, a final recapitulation of the most [11] c

XXxiv THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

important and characteristic tenets of his religion. But these are, of course, precisely those subjects which are most fully and most frequently dealt with in other parts of the P&li Pi/iakas* No record of his actual words could have been preserved. It is quite evident that the speeches placed in the Teacher's mouth, though formulated in the first person, in direct narrative, are only intended to be sum- maries, and very short summaries, of what was said on these occasions. Now if corresponding summaries of his previous teaching had been handed down in the Order, and were in constant use among them, at the time when the Book of the Great Decease was put together, it would be a safe and easy method to insert such previously existing summaries in the historical account as having been spoken at the places where the Teacher was traditionally believed to have spoken on the corresponding doctrines. In the historical book the simple summaries would sufficiently answer every purpose ; but when each particular matter became the subject of a separate book or division of a book, the same summaries would be included, but would be amplified and elucidated. And this is in fact the relation in which several of the recurring passages, as found in the Book of the Great Decease, stand to the same passages when found elsewhere.

And this is in fact the relation in which several of the recurring passages, as found in the Book of the Great Decease, stand to the same passages when found elsewhere.

On the other hand, some of the recurring passages do not consist of such summaries, but are actual episodes in the history. As an instance of these we may take the long extract at the end of the first, and the beginning of the second chapter (I, 20-II, 3, and again II, 16-II, 24), which is found also in the Mah&-vagga. The words are (nearly 1 ) identical in both places, but in the Book of the Great Decease the account occurs in its proper place in the middle of a connected narrative, whereas in the Mahft- vagga, a treatise on the Rules and Regulations of the Order, it seems strangely out of place. So the passage, also a long one, with which the Book of the Great

1 On the difference see the note at II, 16. It affects only a few localising phrases in a narrative occupying (in the translation) thirteen pages.

INTRODUCTION.

XXXV

Decease commences (on the Seven Conditions of Welfare), seems to have been actually borrowed by the Anguttara Nik4ya from our work.

The question of these summaries and parallel passages cannot be adequately treated by a discussion of the in- stances found in any one particular book. It must be considered as a whole, and quite apart from the allied question of the 1 stock phrases ' above alluded to, in a discussion of all the instances that can be found in the P&li Pi/akas. For this purpose tabulated statements are essential, and as a mere beginning such a statement is here annexed (including the passages, marked with an asterisk, which have every appearance of belonging to the same category).

BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

Chap. I (34 sections) §§ 1-10 J"

§§20-34 §§1,2,3 •

Chap. II (35 sections) §§ 1 3, 1 4, 1 5 «

§§16-24 §§27-35

Chap. Ill (66 sections) §§ 1-10

§§ 11-20 §§21-23* §§ 24-32 §§ 33-42 Chap. IV (58 sections) §§ 2, 3

§§7-n*

OTHER BOOKS.

Anguttara (Sutta-nip&ta).

„ (J5T>4a-nip£ta). Dfgha (Sampasddaniya) and Saawyutta (Satippa//Mna-

vagga). Mah&-vagga VI, 28. Mahi-vagga VI, 29. Dfgha (Satippa//Mna). M &^ima „ Saawyutta „ Vibhahga „ Mahi-vagga VI, 30. Samyutta (Satippa//Adna-

vagga).

( Sa^yutta(Iddhip^da-vagga). \ Anguttara (A/Ma-nip£ta).

Anguttara (A//y&a-nipata).

? Eight Assemblies.

Anguttara (A/Ma-nip&ta).

Anguttara (A/Ma-nipdta).

Anguttara (^atuka-nipdta).

1 Omitted in Pofa-tsu. See below, p. xxxviii. C 2

XXXvi THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

BOOK OF THE

GREAT DECEASE.

OTHER BOOKS.

Chap.V (69 sections) §10

. Anguttara (Duka-nipata).

» i>

§§16-22 | r

„ (Aatuka-nipata).

99 99

§§41-44

Digha (Mah& - sudassana -

Sutta).

99 19

§60

. -ffulla-vagga V, 8, 1.

99 99

§63

. Mahd-vagga I, 38, 1.

99 99

§68

. -£ulla- vagga XI, 1, 15.

Chap. VI (62 sections) §16

. Dfgha (Maha-sudassana-

Sutta).

99 99

§§36-41

. isTulla-vagga XI, 1, 1.

No Sanskrit work has yet been discovered giving an account of the last days of Gotama ; but there are several Chinese works which seem to be related to ours. Of one especially, named the Fo Pan-ni-pan King (apparently Buddha-Parinibb&na-Sutta, but such an expression is un- known in Pali), Mr. Beal says 2 :

'This appears to be the same as the SAtra known in the South. ... It was translated into Chinese by a Shaman called Fa-tsu, of the Western Tsin dynasty, circa aoo A.D.*

I do not understand this date. The Western Tsin dynasty is placed by Mr. Beal himself on the fly-leaf of the Catalogue at 265-313 a.d. And whether the book referred to is really the same work as the Book of the Great Decease seems to me to be very doubtful. At p. 160 of his 'Catena of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese ' Mr. Beal says, that another Chinese work ' known as the Mah& Parinirv&«a Stitra' 'is evidently the same as the Mah4 Parinibbana Sutta of Ceylon/ but it is quite evident from the extracts which he gives that it is an entirely different and much later work.

On this book there would seem further to be a trans- lated commentary, Ta Pan-ni-pan King Lo, mentioned

1 Omitted by Po-fa-tsu. See below, p. xxxviii.

2 Catalogue of Buddhist Chinese Books in the India Office Library, p. 95.

INTRODUCTION.

xxxvii

at p. ioo of the same Catalogue, and there assigned to Chang-an of the Tsin dynasty (589-619 A.D.).

At pp. 12-13 of the same Catalogue we find no less than seven other works, and an eighth on p. 77, not indeed identified with the Book of the Great Decease, but bearing titles which Mr. Beal represents in Sanskrit as Mah&pari- nirvdtf a Stitra. They purport to be translated respectively —

A. D.

1. By Dharmaraksha of the Northern Liang dynasty . 502-555

2. By Dharmaraksha „ „

3. By Fa Hian and Buddhabhadra of the Eastern Tsin

dynasty 317-419

4. By Cr»staabhadra and others of the Eastern Tang

dynasty 620-904

5. By Dharmagupta and others of the Western Tsin

dynasty 265-313

6. By Fa Hian of the Eastern Tsin dynasty . . 317-419

7. Unknown,

8. By Dharmabodhi of the Former Wei dynasty . . circa 200

Indian author, Vasubandhu.

By Cr»staabhadra and others of the Eastern Tang

dynasty 620-904

5. By Dharmagupta and others of the Western Tsin

dynasty 265-313

6. By Fa Hian of the Eastern Tsin dynasty . . 317-419

7. Unknown,

8. By Dharmabodhi of the Former Wei dynasty . . circa 200

Indian author, Vasubandhu.

Whether Nos. 1 and 2, and again 3 and 6 are the same is not stated; and in the Indian Antiquary for 1875 Mr. Beal gives an account of another undated work, as existing in the India Office Collection, bearing a different title from any of the above, but which he also translates as Mah&parinibb&na Sutta. It purports to be the very oldest of the Vaipulya Stitras, whereas the book quoted in the Catena is there said to be 'one of the latest of the expanded Stitras/ * The general outline/ says Mr. Beal \ ' is this. Buddha, on a certain occasion, proceeded to Kinsinagara (sic), and entering a grove of Sdla trees, there reposed. He received a gift of food from Chanda, an artisan of the neighbouring town. After partaking of the food he was seized with illness. He discoursed through the night with his disciples, and disputed with certain heretical teachers. At early dawn he turned on his right side with his head to the north, and died. The S&la trees bent down to form a canopy over his head. The account then proceeds to relate

Indian Antiquary, vol. iv. p. 90.

XXXVlii THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

the circumstances of his cremation, and the subsequent disputes, between the Mallas . and others, for his ashes.'

There is a curious echo here of some of the sections translated below ; though each particular item of the summary is really in contradiction with the corresponding part of the P&li book. There is perhaps another Chinese work on the death of Buddha, of the existence of which I have been informed, through the kind intervention of Pro- fessor Max Miiller, by Mr. Kasawara. It was translated by Po-fa-tsu between 290 and 306 a.D. It sefcms to be the same as the first mentioned above, but it contains a good deal of matter not found in the Mah&-parinibbAna-Sutta (notably an account of the Rl^agaha Council, the mention of which is so conspicuously absent from the Pili work) ; and it omits many of the sections found in the P&li. Mr. Kasawara has been kind enough to send me the following details regarding those omissions, and they are of peculiar interest as compared with the table given above 1 :

Chapters in the Pali. Sections wanting in Chinese.

Mr. Kasawara has been kind enough to send me the following details regarding those omissions, and they are of peculiar interest as compared with the table given above 1 :

Chapters in the Pali. Sections wanting in Chinese.

There is no evidence to show that any of the above works are translations of our Sutta, or in any sense the same work. No reliance, in fact, can be placed upon the mere similarity of title in order to show that a Chinese work and an Indian one are really the same : and I regret that attempts should have been made to fix the date of Indian works by the fact that Chinese translations bearing similar titles are said to have been made in a certain period. But the above-mentioned works on the Great Decease will, when published, throw valuable light on the traditions of different, though no doubt later, schools of Buddhist thought ; and a detailed comparison would pro- bably throw a very interesting light on the way in which

1 st Chapter 3rd Chapter 4th Chapter 5th Chapter 6th Chapter

53-56.

4-6; 16-23; 27-31; 27; 48-50.

15-18- 21-42.

48-51.

1 On p. xxxvi.

INTRODUCTION.

xxxix

religious legends of this kind vary and grow ; and the existence of these Chinese translations affords ground for the hope that we may some day discover an earlier Sanskrit work on the same subject 1 .

The cremation ceremonies described in the sixth chapter are not without interest. It would be natural enough that Gotama should have been buried without any of those ritual- istic forms the usefulness of which he denied, and without any appeal to gods whose power over men he ignored. But the tone of the narrative makes it at least possible that there was not really anything unusual in the method of his cremation ; and that the elaborate rites prescribed in the Brihmanical books for use at a funeral 8 were not, in practice, observed in the case of the death of any person other than a wealthy Br&hman, or some layman of rank who was a devoted adherent of the BrAhmans.

In the same way we find that in those countries where the more ancient form of Buddhism still prevails, there are a few simple forms to be used in the case of the cremation of a distinguished Bhikkhu or Up but in ordinary cases bodies are buried without any ceremony.

So in Ceylon, Robert Knox — whose rare and curious work, one of the most trustworthy books of travels extant, deserves more notice than it has received, and who was a captive there for many years before the natives were influ- enced by any contact with Europeans — says s ,

c It may not be unacceptable to relate how they burn their dead. As for persons of inferior quality, they are interred in some convenient places in the woods (there being no set places for burial), carried thither by two or three of their friends, and buried without any more ado. They lay them on their backs, with their heads to the West, and their feet to the East, as we do. Then these people go and wash : for they are unclean by handling the dead.

They lay them on their backs, with their heads to the West, and their feet to the East, as we do. Then these people go and wash : for they are unclean by handling the dead.

1 I have not been able to trace any reference to either of these Chinese works in Mr. Edkins's ' Chinese Buddhism.' 8 See Max MuUer in Z. D. M. G., vol. ix. ' Knoxs 'Historical Relation of Ceylon,' Part III, Chap. xi.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

' But persons of greater quality are burned, and that with ceremony. When they are dead they lay them out, and put a cloth over their privy parts ; and then wash the body, by taking half a dozen pitchers of water and pouring upon it. Then they cover him with a linen cloth, and so carry him forth to burning. This is when they burn the body speedily. But otherwise they cut down a tree that may be proper for their purpose, and hollow it like a hog-trough, and put the body, being disembowelled and embalmed, into it, filling up all about with pepper, and so let it lie in the house until it be the king's command to carry it out to the burning. For that they dare not do without the king's order if the person deceased be a courtier. Sometimes the king gives no order in a great while ; it may be not at all : therefore, in such cases, that the body may not take up house-room or annoy them, they dig a hole in the floor of their house, and put hollowed tree and all in, and cover it. If afterwards the king commands to burn the body, they take it up again, in obedience to the king — otherwise there it lies.

* Their order for burning is this : if the body be not thus put into a trough or hollow tree, it is laid upon one of his bedsteads, which is a great honour among them. This bedstead with the body on it, or hollowed tree with the body in it, is fastened with poles, and carried upon men's shoulders unto the place of burning, which is some eminent place in the fields, or highways, or where else they please. There they lay it upon a pile of wood some two or three feet high ; — then they pile up more wood upon the corpse, lying thus on the bedstead or in the trough. Over all they have a kind of canopy built (if he be a person of very high quality), covered at top, hung about with painted cloth, and bunches of cocoa-nuts, and green boughs ; and so fire is put to it. After all is burnt to ashes, they sweep to- gether the ashes into the manner of a sugar-loaf, and hedge the place round from wild beasts breaking in, and they will sow herbs there. Thus I saw the king's uncle, the chief tirinanx 1 (who was, as it were, the chief primate of all the

1 Knox's way of spelling Temnnanse, that is, Thera.

INTRODUCTION.

xli

nation), burned upon a high place, that the blaze might be seen a great way V

Thus I saw the king's uncle, the chief tirinanx 1 (who was, as it were, the chief primate of all the

1 Knox's way of spelling Temnnanse, that is, Thera.

INTRODUCTION.

xli

nation), burned upon a high place, that the blaze might be seen a great way V

I myself saw an Unn&ns6 burned very much in this way near the Weyangoda Court-house ; and there is a long account in the native newspaper, the Lak-riwi-kirana (Ceylon Sunbeam), of the 12th March, 1870, of the crema- tion of a Weda-r&la, or native doctor. Bishop Bigandet relates in a note in his ' Life or Legend of Gautama ' the corresponding ceremonies still in use in Burma, of which he has been a witness 2 ; but cremation is apparently as seldom resorted to in Burma as it is in Ceylon.

The unceremonious mode of burying the dead referred to by Knox is not adopted in the more settled districts on the sea coast. When at Galle I enquired into the funeral customs there prevalent, with the following result 3 :

A few hours after a man has died, the relations wash the corpse, shave it ; and, having clothed it with a strip of clean white cloth, place it on a bedstead covered with white cloth, and under a canopy (wiyana) also of white cloth. They then place two lamps, one to burn at the head, and the other at the foot of the corpse, and use perfumes.

A coffin is then prepared, covered with black cloth ; and the body is placed on the coffin, and is then sprinkled over with lavender or rose-water. The women meanwhile bow backwards and forwards with their hands behind their heads, uttering loud wailings over the deceased.

Then the male relatives carry the coffin to the grave, which is dug in one of their own cocoa-nut topes near by, and over which is raised a more or less elaborate canopy or arch of cloths and evergreens (gerfi-ge), adorned with the tender leaves and flowers of the cocoa-nut. Along the path also from the house to the grave young cocoa-nut leaves and flowers are sometimes hung, and the pathway itself is often spread with clean white cloths.

The tom-tom beaters go first ; and the dull monotonous

1 In the older editions of Knox there is a curious engraving of a body being thus burnt.

* Third edition, vol. ii. pp. 78, 79.

' See the Ceylon Friend for 1870, pp. 109 and following.

xlii

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

sound of their instruments of music is appropriate enough. Then follow some Buddhist mendicants, in number accord- ing to the wealth or influence of the deceased, and walking under a portable canopy of white cloth. Then the coffin is carried by the nearest male relatives, and followed by other male relatives and relations — no females, even the widowed mother of an only son, taking part in this last sad pro- cession.

Then the coffin is carried by the nearest male relatives, and followed by other male relatives and relations — no females, even the widowed mother of an only son, taking part in this last sad pro- cession.

Three times the coffin is carried round the grave : then it is placed on two sticks placed across the mouth of the pit ; and one end of a roll of white cloth is placed on the coffin, the other end being held by all the UnnAnsSs (Bhikkhus) whilst the people repeat three times in P&li the well-known formula of the Refuges (the simple Nicene Creed of the Buddhists) :

'I take my refuge in the Buddha, I take my refuge in the Dhamma, I take my refuge in the Order 1 .'

Then the priests respond, thrice repeating in P&li the well-known verse discussed below 2 :

'How transient are all component things 1 Their nature's to be born and die ; Coming, they go ; and then is best, When each has ceased, and all is rest!'

Then the Unn&nsfis let go the roll of white cloth, and whilst water is poured from a goblet into a cup placed on a plate until the cup is full to the brim 3 , they again chaunt three times in Pali the following verses : —

c As rivers, when they fill, must flow, And reach, and fill the distant main ;

1 Buddha** sara.na.rn gaJkkksLad

Dhamma** sarawaw g&kkk&mi Sa.mgha.rn saianam ga£££&mi. 3 Anikki vata sawkhara uppadavaya-dhammino

Uppa£gitv& nirqggvianti tes&m vfipasamo sukho. See ' Book of the Great Decease,* VI, 16, and the * Legend of the Great King of Glory,' II, 42. 3 This ceremony is called Fxm wadanawa.

INTRODUCTION.

xliii

So surely what is given here

Will reach and bless the spirits there!

If you on earth will gladly give Departed ghosts will gladly live!

As water poured on mountain tops Must soon descend, and reach the plain ; So surely what is given here Will reach and bless the spirits there 1 !'

The relations then place the coffin in the grave, and each throws in a handful of earth. The Unn&ns&s then go away, taking the roll or rolls of cloth, one end of which was placed upon the coffin. The grave is filled in. Two lights, one at the head of it, and one at the foot, are left burning. And then the friends and relations return to the house.

The funeral now being over, is followed by a feast; for though nothing may be cooked in a house or hut in which there is a corpse, yet plenty of food has been brought in from neighbouring tenements by the relations of the deceased.

And then the friends and relations return to the house.

There is, however, yet another very curious ceremony to be gone through. Three or seven days — whichever, according to the rules of astrology, is a lucky day — after the deceased person died, an Unn&ns6 is duly invited to the house in which the deceased died. He arrives in the evening ; reads bana (that is, the Word, passages from the sacred books) throughout the night ; and in the morning is presented with a roll of white cloth, and is asked to Partake of food, chiefly of course curries, of those different kinds of which the deceased had been most particularly fond.

Yatha varivaha punt paripGrenti sagaraw Evam eva ito dinnaw petanam upakappati.

Ito dinnena yapenti peta kalakata tahia*.

Unname udakaw vsJfam yatha ninnaw pavattati Evam eva ito dinna?,? petanaw upakappati.

These verses occur in the Tiroku 39, 4i.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

Wages, and then alighting and proceeding on foot to the place where the Blessed One was. On arriving there he exchanged with the Blessed One the greetings and compliments of friendship and civility, sat down respectfully by his side [and then delivered to him the message even as the king had commanded

4. Now at that time the venerable Ananda was standing behind the Blessed One, and fanning him. And the Blessed One said to him : ' Have you heard, Ananda, that the Varans hold full and frequent public assemblies ? '

' Lord, so I have heard/ replied he. ' So long, Ananda/ rejoined the Blessed One, ' as the Va^ians hold these full and frequent public assemblies ; so long may they be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

[And in like manner questioning Ananda, and receiving a similar reply, the Blessed One declared as follows the other conditions which would ensure the welfare of the Va^ian confederacy 2 .]

' So long, Ananda, as the Vagfians meet together in concord, and rise in concord, and carry out their undertakings in concord — so long as they enact nothing not already established, abrogate nothing that has been already enacted, and act in accordance with the ancient institutions of the Vaggians as established in former days — so long as they honour and esteem and revere and support the Vaggian elders, and hold it a point of duty to hearken to their words — so long as no women or girls

1 § 2 repeated.

8 In the text there is a question, answer, and reply with each clause.

B 2

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

8 In the text there is a question, answer, and reply with each clause.

B 2

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

belonging to their clans are detained among them by force or abduction — so long as they honour and esteem and revere and support the Vaggian shrines 1 in town or country, and allow not the proper offerings and rites, as formerly given and performed, to fall into desuetude — so long as the rightful protection, defence, and support shall be fully provided for the Arahats among them, so that Arahats from a distance may enter the realm, and the Arahats therein may live at ease — so long may the Va^^ians be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

5. Then the Blessed One addressed VassakHra the Brahman, and said :

' When I was once staying, O Brahman, at Vesdli at the Sfirandada Temple 2 , I taught the Va^ians these conditions of welfare ; and so long as those conditions shall continue to exist among the Va^*- ^ians, so long as the Va^fians shall be well instructed in those conditions, so long may we expect them not to decline, but to prosper/

* We may expect then/ answered the Brdhman, 'the welfare and not the decline of the V avians when they are possessed of any one of these conditions of welfare, how much more so when they are possessed of all the $even. So, Gotama, the Vaggians cannot be overcome by the king of Magadha ; that is, not in battle, without diplomacy or breaking up their alliance 3 . And now, Gotama, we must go ; we are busy, and have much to do/

1 jffetiyani, which Sum. Vil. explains as Yakkha-^etiyani.

2 The commentator adds that this was a vihdra erected on the site of a former temple of the Yakkha Sarandada.

3 'Overcome' is literally 'done' (akarawiyd), but the word evidently has a similar sense to that which ' done ' occasionally has

maha-parinibbAna sutta.

'Whatever you think most fitting, O Brahman,' was the reply. And the Brdhman Vassaldira, de- lighted and pleased with the words of the Blessed One, rose from his seat, and went his way.

6. Now soon after he had gone the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the Service Hall such of the Brethren 1 as live in the neighbourhood of RS^agaha/

in colloquial English. The Sum. Vil. (fol. /i) says akarawryji, akatabba agahetabbd: yadidah, nip&ta-mattan : yudd'has- sati, karawatthe sami-va£anan, abhimukhena yuddhena gahetuh na sakka* ti attho. Upalapana, which I have only met with here, must mean ' humbug, cajolery, diplomacy ; ' see the use of the verb upa-l&peti, at Mah& VaggaV, 2, 21 ; Gat. II, 266, 267 ; Pdt. in the 70th P&£. Sum. Vil. explains it, at some length, as making an alliance, by gifts, with hostile intent, which comes to much the same thing. The root I think is li.

II, 266, 267 ; Pdt. in the 70th P&£. Sum. Vil. explains it, at some length, as making an alliance, by gifts, with hostile intent, which comes to much the same thing. The root I think is li.

1 The word translated ' brethren ' throughout is in the original bhikkhu, a word most difficult to render adequately by any word which would not, to Christians and in Europe, connote something different from the Buddhist idea. A bhikkhu, literally 'beggar,' was a disciple who had joined Gotama's order ; but the word refers to their renunciation of worldly things, rather than to their conse- quent mendicancy; and they did not really beg in our modem sense of the word. Hardy has 'priests;' I have elsewhere used 4 monks ' and sometimes ' beggars ' and ' members of the order/ This last is, I think, the best rendering ; but it is too long for con- stant repetition, as in this passage, and too complex to be a really good version of bhikkhu. The members of the order were not priests, for they had no priestly powers. They were not monks, for they took no vow of obedience, and could, leave the order (and constantly did so and do so still) whenever they chose. They were not beggars, for they had none of the mental and moral qualities associated with that word. ' Brethren ' connotes very much the position in which they stood to one another ; but I wish there were a better word to use in rendering bhikkhu.

6 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

And he did so ; and returned to the Blessed One, and informed him, saying :

'The company of the Brethren, Lord, is assem- bled, let the Blessed One do as seemeth to him fit/

And the Blessed One arose, and went to the Service Hall ; and when he was seated, he addressed the Brethren, and said :

' 1 will teach you, O mendicants, seven conditions of the welfare of a community. Listen well and attend, and I will speak/

' Even so, Lord/ said the Brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One ; and he spake as follows :

'So long, O mendicants, as the brethren meet together in full and frequent assemblies — so long as they meet together in concord, and rise in con- cord, and carry out in concord the duties of the order — so long as the brethren shall establish nothing that has not been already prescribed, and abrogate nothing that has been already established, and act in accordance with the rules of the order as now laid down — so long as the brethren honour and esteem and revere and support the elders of expe- rience and long standing, the fathers and leaders of the order, and hold it a point of duty to hearken to their words — so long as the brethren fall not under the influence of that craving which, springing" up within them, would give rise to renewed exist- ence 1 — so long as the brethren delight in a life of solitude — so long as the brethren so train their minds 2 that good and holy men shall come to them, and those who have come shall dwell at ease

1 ' Ponobhavika' punabbhava-d&yika. (S. V. fol. /ti.)

(S. V. fol. /ti.)

2 'Pa££attaw yeva satiw upa/Mapessanti ' ti attano ab- bhantare satiw upa/Mapessanti. (S. V. fol. /ft.)

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

— so long may the brethren be expected, not to decline, but to prosper. So long as these seven con- ditions shall continue to exist among the brethren, so long as they are well-instructed in these conditions, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

7. * Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach

you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I

will speak/

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows :

'So long as the brethren shall not engage in, or be fond of, or be connected with business — so iong- as the brethren shall not be in the habit °t or be fond of, or be partakers in idle talk — so Jongr- as the brethren shall not be addicted to, or fond of, or indulge in slothfulness — so long as tlie brethren shall not frequent, or be fond of, or indulge in society — so long as the brethren sha.ll neither have, nor fall under the influence of, sia-ful desires — so long as the brethren shall not become the friends, companions, or intimates of sUYriers — so long as the brethren shall not come to a stop on their way [to Nirv&^a 1 ] because they

^Oramattakend' tiavaramattakena appamattakena. 'An-

tara' ti arahattaw appatva'va etth* antare. 'Vos&nan' ti

osakkanam ida/» vuttaw hotL Y&va sila-parisuddhi-mat- tena va vipassana-mattena vd sotapanna-bhava-mattena va sakadagdmi-bh&va-mattena va anag&mi-bh&va-mattena va 'vosanara' na 'apa^issanti' nama 1 vuddhi yeva bhikkhft- naw paVikawkha no parih&ni.' S. V. (fol. trt). This is an inter- esting analogue to Philippians iii. 13 : ' I count not myself to have apprehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark/ &c. See also below, Chap. V, § 68.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

have attained to any lesser thing — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper 'So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren, so long as they are in- structed in these conditions, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

8. 4 Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you,. O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak/

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows :

' So long as the brethren shall be full of faith, modest in heart, afraid of sin x , full of learning, strong in energy, active in mind, and full of wisdom, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

' So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren, so long as they are in- structed in these conditions, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

9. ' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak/

' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak/

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows :

1 The exact distinction between hiri and ottappa is here ex- plained by Buddhaghosa as follows :

'Hirimana' ti papa-^igu^^ana-lakkhatfaya hiriyd yut- ta£itt&. 'Ottapi'ti papato bhaya-lakkhawena ottappena sa- manndgatd: that is, loathing sin as contrasted with fear of sin. But this is rather a gloss than an exact and exclusive definition. Ahirikd is shamelessness, anotappazra frowardness. At Gat. I, 207 we find hiri described as subjective, and ottappa as objec- tive, modesty of heart as contrasted with decency in outward behaviour.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

' So long as the brethren shall exercise themselves in the sevenfold higher wisdom, that is to say, in mental activity, search after truth, energy, joy, peace, earnest contemplation, and equanimity of mind, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

'So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren, so long as they are in- structed in these conditions, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.'

10. ' Other seven conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak/

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows :

* So long as the brethren shall exercise themselves in the sevenfold perception due to- earnest thought, that is to say, the perception of impermanency, of non-individuality 1 , of corruption, of the danger of sin, of sanetification,. of purity of heart, of Nirvd^a, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

* So long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the brethren, so long as they are instructed in these conditions,, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper/

11. 4 Six conditions of welfare will I teach you, O brethren. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak/

And on their expressing their assent, he spake as follows :

1 For a further explanation of the meaning of anattaw see Gotama's second discourse in the Mahd Vagga I, 6 : 38-47. Buddhaghosa makes no special comment here on either of the seven perceptions.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

Buddhaghosa makes no special comment here on either of the seven perceptions.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

4 So long as the brethren shall persevere in kind- ness of action, speech, and thought amongst the saints, both in public and in private— so long as they shall divide without partiality, and share in common with the upright and the holy, all such things as they receive in accordance with the just provisions of the order, down even to the mere contents of a begging bowl — so long as the brethren shall live among the saints in the practice, both in public and in private, of those virtues which (un- broken, intact, unspotted, unblemished) are produc- tive of freedom x , and praised by the wise ; which are untarnished by the desire of future life, or by the belief in the efficacy of outward acts 2 ; and which are conducive to high and holy thoughts — so long as the brethren shall live among the saints, cherishing, both in public and in private, that noble and saving faith which leads to the complete destruction of the sorrow of him who acts according to it — so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.

' So long as these six conditions shall continue to

1 Buddhaghosa takes this in a spiritual sense, 't&ni pan' et&ni (silani) tawha-dasavyato mo£etv& bhu^issa-bhdva-kara- «ato bhu^iss&ni : ' that is, ' These virtues are bhu^is's&ni be- cause they bring one to the state of a free man by delivering him from the slavery of craving/

2 Ta»ha-di/Mihi apar&ma/Matt&, idam nama tvaw apan- napubbo ti kena^i parama/Mutfz asakku# eyyattd £a, 'apa- rama/Mani' (S. V. fol. //u), that is, 'These virtues are called aparama/Mani ' because they are untarnished by craving or de- lusion, and because no one can say of him who practises them, " you have been already guilty of such and such a sin:'' ' Craving is here the hope of a future life in heaven, and delusion the belief in the efficacy of rites and ceremonies (the two nissayas) which are condemned as unworthy inducements to virtue.

MA H A-P ARINTBB AN A-SUTTA .

exist among the brethren, so long as they are in- structed in these six conditions, so long may the brethren be expected not to decline, but to prosper.'

12. And whilst the Blessed One stayed there at Ra£agaha on the Vultures Peak he held that com- prehensive religious talk with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contem- plation, and of intelligence. * Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance 1 /

Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance 1 /

1 This paragraph is spoken of as if it were a well-known sum- mary, and it is constantly repeated below. The word I have rendered 1 earnest contemplation' is samadhi, which occupies in the Pali Pi/akas very much the same position as faith does in the New Testament ; and this section shows that the relative import- ance of sam&dhi, pa«»a, and sila played a part in early Bud- * dhism just as the distinction between faith, reason, and works did afterwards in Western theology. It would be difficult to find a passage in which the Buddhist view of the relation of these conflicting ideas is stated with greater beauty of thought, or equal succinctness of form.

The expression 'set round with' is in Pdli paribhavita, which Dr. Morris holds to be etymologically exactly parallel to our phrase 'perfected by/ on the ground that facio is a causal of the Latin representative of the Sanskrit root bhfi. In the A^etokhila Sutta of the Ma^g^ima Nikaya eggs are said tobeparibhivitani by a brooding hen. Buddhaghosa says simply sila-paribhavito ti adesu yamhi sile Matva magga-sam&dhizrc nibbattenti so tena stlena paribhivito. 'The samddhi belonging to the (Noble Eightfold) Path is said to be paribh&vito by that virtue, in which they (that is, the converted) are steadfast whilst they practise the samadhi/

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

13. Now when the Blessed One had sojourned at RS^agaha as long as he pleased, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go to Ambala#/nk&/

' So be it, Lord ! ' said Ananda in assent, and the Blessed One, with a large company of the brethren, proceeded to Ambala/Mikd.

14. There the Blessed One stayed in the king's house and held that comprehensive religious talk with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence. ' Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance/

15. Now when the Blessed One had stayed as long as was convenient at Ambala#^ik&, he ad- dressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to NdlandA/

' So be it, Lord ! ' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Nilandi ; and there, at Ndlandd, the Blessed One stayed in the P&v&rika mango grove.

16. 1 Now the venerable S&riputta came to the

' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Nilandi ; and there, at Ndlandd, the Blessed One stayed in the P&v&rika mango grove.

16. 1 Now the venerable S&riputta came to the

1 This conversation is given at length in the Sampasidaniya Sutta of the Digha Nik£ya, and also in the Satipa//Mna Vagga of the Sawyutta Nikaya. I have compressed mere repetitions at the places marked with [ ] where the preceding clauses are, in the text, repeated in full.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

place where the Blessed One was, and having saluted him, took his seat respectfully at his side, and said : ' Lord ! such faith have I in the Blessed One, that methinks there never has been, nor will there be, nor is there now any other, whether Samara or Brahman, who is greater and wiser than the Blessed One, that is to say, as regards the higher wisdom/

* Grand and bold are the words of thy mouth, S&riputta : verily, thou hast burst forth into a song of ecstasy ! of course then thou hast known all the Blessed Ones who in the long ages of the past have been Arahat Buddhas, comprehending their minds with yours, and aware what their conduct was, what their doctrine, what their wisdom, what their mode of life, and what salvation they attained to ?'

' Not so, O Lord ! '

'Of course then thou hast perceived all the Blessed Ones who in the long ages of the future shall be Arahat Buddhas comprehending [in the same manner their whole minds with yours] ?' c Not so, O Lord!'

* But at least then, O Sdriputta, thou knowest me a s the Arahat Buddha now alive, and hast pene- trated my mind [in the manner I have mentioned]! '

' Not even that, O Lord ! '

c You see then, S&riputta, that you know not the hearts of the Arahat Buddhas of the past and of the future. Why therefore are your words so grand and bold ? Why do you burst forth into such a song of ecstasy ? '

17. 'O Lord! I have not the knowledge of the hearts of the Arahat Buddhas that have been, and are to come, and now are. I only know the lineage

14 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

Why therefore are your words so grand and bold ? Why do you burst forth into such a song of ecstasy ? '

17. 'O Lord! I have not the knowledge of the hearts of the Arahat Buddhas that have been, and are to come, and now are. I only know the lineage

14 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

of the faith. Just, Lord, as a king might have a border city, strong in its foundations, strong in its ramparts and tora^as, and with one gate alone ; and the king might have a watchman there, clever, ex- pert, and wise, to stop all strangers and admit only friends. And he, on going over the approaches all round the city, might not so observe all the joints and crevices in the ramparts of that city as to know where even a cat could get out. That might well be. Yet all living things of larger size that entered or left the city, would have to do so by that gate. Thus only is it, Lord, that I know the lineage of the faith. I know that the Arahat Buddhas of the past, putting away all lust, ill-will, sloth, pride, and doubt ; knowing all those mental faults which make men weak ; training their minds in the four kinds of mental activity; thoroughly exercising themselves in the sevenfold higher wisdom, received the full fruition of Enlightenment. And I know that the Arahat Buddhas of the times to come will [do the same]. And I know that the Blessed One, the Arahat Buddha of to-day, has [done so] now V

1 8. There in the Pavarika mango grove the Blessed One held that comprehensive religious talk

1 The tertium quid of the comparison is the completeness of the knowledge. Sariputta acknowledges that he was wrong in jumping to the wide conclusion that his own lord and master was the wisest of all the teachers of the different religious systems that were known to him. So far — after the cross-examination by the Buddha — he admits that his knowledge does not reach. But he maintains that he does know that which is, to him, after all the main thing, namely, that all the Buddhas must have passed through the process here laid down as leading up to Buddhahood. The Pali of 'the full fruition of Enlightenment ' is anuttara/0 sammd- sambodhi/rc, which might be rendered ' Supreme Buddhahood/

MAHA-PARINIBBAN A-SUTTA .

with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence. * Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance/

19. Now when the Blessed One had stayed as long as was convenient at Nilandd, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to P&/alig&ma/

1 So be it, Lord ! ' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Now when the Blessed One had stayed as long as was convenient at Nilandd, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to P&/alig&ma/

1 So be it, Lord ! ' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Pd/aligima.

20. 1 Now the disciples at Pd/alig&ma heard of his arrival there, and they went to the place where he was, took their seats respectfully beside him, and invited him to their village rest house. And the Blessed One signified, by silence, his consent.

21. Then the Pd/alig&ma disciples seeing that he had accepted the invitation, rose from their seats, and went away to the rest house, bowing to the Blessed One and keeping him on their right as they past him 2 . On arriving there they made the rest

1 From this sentence down to -«nd of the verses at Chap. II, § 3, is, with a few unimportant variations, word for word the same as Mah& Vagga VI, 28, 1, to VI, 29, 2.

* It would be very rude to have left him otherwise. So in Europe a similar custom is carried still further, persons leaving the royal presence being expected to go out backwards.

1 6 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

house fit in every way for occupation \ placed seats in it, set up a water-pot, and fixed an oil lamp. Then they returned to the Blessed One, and bowing, stood beside him, and y said : ' All things are ready, Lord! It is time for you to do what you deem most fit/

22. And the Blessed One robed himself, took his bowl and other things, went with the brethren to the rest house, washed his feet, entered the hall, and took his seat against the centre pillar, with his face towards the east. And the brethren also, after washing their feet, entered the hall, and took their seats round the Blessed One, against the western wall, and facing the east. And the Pi/alig&ma disci- ples too, after washing their feet, entered the hall, and took their seats opposite the Blessed One, against the eastern wall, and facing towards the west.

23. 2 Then the Blessed One addressed the Pa/ali- g£ma disciples, and said : ' Fivefold, O householders, is the loss of the wrong-doer through his want of rectitude. In the first place the wrong-doer, devoid of rectitude, falls into great poverty through sloth ; in the next place his evil repute gets noised abroad ; thirdly, whatever society he enters — whether of Br&hmans, nobles, heads of houses, or Samaras —

1 With reference to Oldenberg's note at Mah& Vagga, p. 384, it may be mentioned that Buddhaghosa says here, 'sabba-santha- rin' ti yathd sabbazra santhata/ra yeva. (S. V. fol. /e.)

384, it may be mentioned that Buddhaghosa says here, 'sabba-santha- rin' ti yathd sabbazra santhata/ra yeva. (S. V. fol. /e.)

2 The following sentences contain a synopsis of what was merely the elementary righteousness, the Adi-brahma-^ariyaw, quite distinct from, and not for a moment to be compared in glory with the Magga-brahma-£ariya/rc, the system developed in the Noble Eightfold Path. It will have been seen above, § 11, that the latter, to be perfect, must be untarnished by the attraction of the hope of heaven or the fear of hell.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

he enters shyly and confused ; fourthly, he is full of anxiety when he dies ; and lastly, on the dis- solution of the body, after death, he is reborn into some unhappy state of suffering or woe 1 . This, O householders, is the fivefold loss of the evil-doer ! '

24. ' Eivefold, O householders, is the gain of the well-doer through his practice of rectitude. In the first place the well-doer, strong in rectitude, acquires great wealth through his industry ; in the next place, good reports of him are spread abroad ; thirdly, whatever society he enters — whether of nobles, BrAh- mans, heads of houses, or members of the order — he enters confident and self-possessed ; fourthly, he dies without anxiety ; and lastly, on the dissolution of the body, after death, he is reborn into some happy state in heaven. This, O householders, is the fivefold gain of the well-doer.'

25. When the Blessed One had thus taught the disciples, and incited them, and roused them, and gladdened them, far into the night with religious discourse, he dismissed them, saying, ' The night is forspent, O householders. It is time for you to do w hatyou deem most fit/ ' Even so, Lord ! ' answered the disciples of Pi/aligama, and they rose from their ^ats, and bowing to the Blessed One, and keeping him on their right hand as they passed him, they departed thence.

And the Blessed One, not long after the disciples

1 Four such states are mentioned, apdya, duggati, vinip&to, nirayo, all of which are temporary states. The first three ^em to be synonyms. The last is one of the four divisions into w hichthe first is usually divided, and is often translated hell; but n °t being an eternal state, and not being dependent or consequent u pon any judgment, it cannot accurately be so rendered.

["] C

1 8 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

of Pi/aligdma had departed thence, entered into his private chamber.

26. At that time Sunidha and Vassakira, the chief ministers of Magadha, were building a fortress at Pd/alig£ma to repel the Vaggians, and there were a number of fairies who haunted in thousands the plots of ground there. Now, wherever ground is so occupied by powerful fairies, they bend the hearts of the most powerful kings and ministers to build dwelling-places there, and fairies of middling and inferior power bend in a similar way the hearts of middling or inferior kings and ministers.

Now, wherever ground is so occupied by powerful fairies, they bend the hearts of the most powerful kings and ministers to build dwelling-places there, and fairies of middling and inferior power bend in a similar way the hearts of middling or inferior kings and ministers.

27. And the Blessed One, with his great and clear vision, surpassing that of ordinary men, saw thousands of those fairies haunting Pd/aligima. And he rose up very early in the morning, and said to Ananda : 1 Who is it then, Ananda, who is build- ing a fortress at Pi/alig&ma ? '

'Sunidha and VassakAra, Lord, the chief minis- ters of Magadha, are building a fortress there to keep back the Va^ians.'

28. They act, Ananda, as if they had consulted with the Tivatiwsa angels. [And telling him of what he had seen, and of the influence such fairies had, he added] : ' And among famous places of residence and haunts of busy men, this will become the chief, the city of PS/ali-putta, a centre for the interchange of all kinds of wares. But three dangers will hang over Pd/ali-putta, that of fire, that of water, and that of dissension V

1 This paragraph is of importance to the orthodox Buddhist as proving the Buddha's power of prophecy and the authority of the

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

29. Now Sunldha and Vassakara, the chief ministers of Magadha, proceeded to the place where the Blessed One was. And when they had come there they exchanged with the Blessed One the greetings and compliments of friendship and civility, and stood there respectfully on one side. And, so standing, Sunldha and Vassak&ra, the chief ministers of Magadha, spake thus to the Blessed One :

'May the venerable Gotama do us the honour of taking his meal, together with the company of the brethren, at our house to-day/ And the Blessed One signified, by silence, his consent.

30. Then when Sunldha and Vassakara, the chief ministers of Magadha, perceived that he had given his consent, they returned to the place where they dwelt. And on arriving there, they prepared sweet dishes of boiled rice, and cakes ; and informed the Blessed One, saying :

Buddhist scriptures. To those who conclude that such a passage must have been written after the event that is prophesied, it is valuable evidence of the age both of the Mah& Vagga and of the Mah&parinibb&na Sutta; — evidence, however, that cannot as yet be applied to its full extent, as the time at which Pa/ali-gama had grown into the great and important city of Pa/ali-putta is not as yet known with sufficient certainty. The late Burmese tradition on this point given in Bigandet's Legend of the Burmese Buddha, vol. ii, p. 183, can scarcely be depended upon, though it doubt- less rests on older documents, and is mentioned also by Hiouen Thsang.

The late Burmese tradition on this point given in Bigandet's Legend of the Burmese Buddha, vol. ii, p. 183, can scarcely be depended upon, though it doubt- less rests on older documents, and is mentioned also by Hiouen Thsang.

The curious popular belief as to good and bad fairies haunting the sites of houses gave rise to a quack science, akin to astrology, called vatthu-vi^a, which Buddhaghosa explains here at some length, and which is frequently condemned elsewhere in the Pali Pi/akas. See, for instance, § 1 of the Maha-sila/w, translated below in the Tevi^a Sutta. The belief is turned to ridicule in the edifying legend, No. 40, in my 'Buddhist Birth Stories/ pp. 326-334.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

'The hour of food has come, O Gotama, and all is ready/

And the Blessed One robed himself early, took his bowl with him, and repaired with the brethren to the dwelling-place of Sunldha and Vassak&ra, and sat down on the seat prepared for him. And with their own hands they set the sweet rice and the cakes before the brethren with the Buddha at their head, and waited on them till they had had enough. And when the Blessed One had finished eating his meal, the ministers brought a low seat, and sat down respectfully at his side.

31. And when they were thus seated the Blessed One gave thanks in these verses : —

4 Wheresoe'er the prudent man shall take up his abode

Let him support there good and upright men of self-control.

Let him give gifts to all such deities as may be there.

Revered, they will revere him : honoured, they

honour him again ; Are gracious to him as a mother to her own, her

only son.

And the man who has the grace of the gods, good fortune he beholds V

1 This passage gives Buddhaghosa a good deal of difficulty, as it apparently inculcates offerings to the gods, which is contrary not only to both the letter and spirit of Buddhism, but also to the practice of Buddhists. He explains away the gifts to the deities by saying they are gifts of merit only (patti) — the giver giving the four necessaries to Bhikkhus, and then expressing a wish that the Devatas should share in his pu##a. I am inclined to think, on the authority of the Deva-dhamma Gataka (No. 9 in ' Buddhist

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

32. And when he had thanked the ministers in these verses he rose from his seat and departed thence. And they followed him as he went, saying, ' The gate the Samara Gotama goes out by to-day shall be called Gotamas gate, and the ferry at which he crosses the river shall be called Gotama's ferry/ And the gate he went out at was called Gotamas gate.

And they followed him as he went, saying, ' The gate the Samara Gotama goes out by to-day shall be called Gotamas gate, and the ferry at which he crosses the river shall be called Gotama's ferry/ And the gate he went out at was called Gotamas gate.

33. But the Blessed One went on to the river. * And at that time the river Ganges was brimful and overflowing 1 ; and wishing to cross to the opposite bank, some began to seek for boats, some for rafts of wood, while some made rafts of basket-work 2 . Then the Blessed One as instantaneously as a strong man would stretch forth his arm, or draw it back again when he had stretched it forth, vanished from this side of the river, and stood on the further bank with the company of the brethren.

34. And the Blessed One beheld the people looking for boats and rafts, and as he beheld them he brake forth at that time into this song : —

' They who cross the ocean drear Making a solid path across the pools —

Birth Stories '), that by the deities are here meant the * good and upright men of self-control/ mentioned in the previous clause. The verses were perhaps originally non-Buddhistic.

1 Samatittika kakapeyyd. See the note on Tevi^a Sutta I, 19, translated below, where the same expression occurs.

2 Ulumpan ti p&ra/rc gamanatthaya awiyo ko//etva ka- tam; kullan ti valli-ddihi bandhitva katabbaw, says Buddhaghosa. The spelling u/umpaw would correspond better to the Sanskrit form u £a, Ananda, by the destruction of the great evils has by himself, and in this world, known and realised and attained to Ara- hatship, and to emancipation of heart and to emanci- pation of mind. The sister named Nandi, Ananda, has, by the complete destruction of the five bonds that bind people to this world, become an inheritor of the highest heavens, there to pass entirely away, thence never to return. The devout Sudatta, Ananda, by the complete destruction of the three tonds, and by the reduction to a minimum of lust, hatred, and delusion has become a Sakaddgimin, Tvho on his first return to this world will make an end of sorrow. The devout woman Su^&ti, Ananda, by the complete destruction of the three bonds, has become converted, is no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and is assured of final salva-

explains this by saying that there were two villages of the same name on the shore of the same piece of water. On the public resting-place for travellers, which in this instance bore the proud title of Brick Hall, see ' Buddhist Birth Stories/ pp. 280-285.

26 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

On the public resting-place for travellers, which in this instance bore the proud title of Brick Hall, see ' Buddhist Birth Stories/ pp. 280-285.

26 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

tion \ The devout Kakudha, Ananda, by the com- plete destruction of the five bonds that bind people to these lower worlds of lust, has become an inheritor of the highest heavens, there to pass entirely away, thence never to return. So also is the case with K&linga, Nika/a, Ka/issabha, Tu#/6a, Santu/Ma, Bhadda, and Subhadda, and with more than fifty devout men of N&dika. More than ninety devout men of N&dika, who have died, Ananda, have by the complete destruction of the three bonds, and by the reduction of lust, hatred, and delusion, be- come Sakadagamins, who on their first return to this w T orld will make an end of sorrow. More than five hundred devout men of N&dika who have died, Ananda, have by the complete destruction of the three bonds become converted, are no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and are assured of final salvation.

8. * Now there is nothing strange in this, Ananda, that a human being should die, but that as each one does so you should come to the Buddha, and en- quire about them in this manner, that is wearisome to the Buddha. I will, therefore, teach you a way of truth, called the Mirror of Truth, which if an elect disciple possess he may himself predict of him- self, " Hell is destroyed for me, and rebirth as an animal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am converted, I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and am assured of final salvation."

9. * What then, Ananda, is this mirror of truth ? It is the consciousness that the elect disciple is in this world possessed of faith in the Buddha —

1 See 1 Buddhism/ pp. 108-110, and below, VI, 9.

II.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

* What then, Ananda, is this mirror of truth ? It is the consciousness that the elect disciple is in this world possessed of faith in the Buddha —

1 See 1 Buddhism/ pp. 108-110, and below, VI, 9.

II.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

believing the Blessed One to be the Holy One, the Fully-enlightened One, Wise, Upright, Happy, World-knowing, Supreme, the Bridler of mens way- ward hearts, the Teacher of gods and men, the Blessed Buddha. And that he (the disciple) is possessed of faith in the Truth — believing the truth to have been proclaimed by the Blessed One, of advantage in this world, passing not away, wel- coming all, leading to salvation, and to be attained to by the wise, each one for himself. And that he (the disciple) is possessed of faith in the Order — believing the multitude of the disciples of the Blessed One who are walking in the four stages of the noble eightfold path, the righteous, the upright, the just, the law-abiding — believing this church of the Buddha to be worthy of honour, of hospitality, of gifts, and of reverence; to be the supreme sowing ground of merit for the world; to be possessed of the virtues beloved by the good, virtues unbroken, intact, unspotted, unblemished, virtues which make men truly free, virtues which are praised by the wise, are untarnished by the desire of future life or by the belief in the efficacy of outward acts, and are conducive to high and holy thought V

10. * This, Ananda, is the way, the mirror of truth, which if an elect disciple possess he may himself predict of himself : " Hell is destroyed for me ; and rebirth as an animal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am converted ; I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and am assured of final salvation/' '

11. There, too, at the Brick Hall at Nddika the

1 See above, § I, 11.

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CH.

Blessed One addressed to the brethren that com- prehensive religious discourse on the nature of up- right conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence.

'Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance/

12. Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Nddika, he addressed Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to Ves&li/

'So be it, Lord!' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Ves&li ; and there at Vesdli the Blessed One stayed at Ambap&li's grove-

13. Now there the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said : ' Let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful ; this is our instruction to you/

Now there the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said : ' Let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful ; this is our instruction to you/

14. ' And how does a brother become mindful ?'

' Herein, O mendicants, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from bodily craving — while subject to sensations, let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief arising from the craving which follows our sensation — and so also

II.

M AH A-PARINIBB AN A-S U TTA .

as he thinks or reasons or feels let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or reasoning, or feeling/

15. 1 And how does a brother become thoughtful ?'

4 He acts, O mendicants, in full presence of mind whatever he may do, in going out and coming in, in looking and watching, in bending in his arm or stretching it forth, in wearing his robes or carrying his bowl, in eating and drinking, in consuming or tasting, in walking or standing or sitting, in sleeping or waking, in talking and in being silent.

* Thus let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful ; this is our instruction to you V

1 This doctri ne of being ' mindful and thoughtful ' — s a t o s a m p a- gzno — is one of the lessons most frequently inculcated in the Pali Pi/akas, and is one of the ' Seven Jewels of the Law.' It is fully treated of in each of the Nikayas, forming the subject of the Maha Satippa//Mna Sutta in the Digha Nikdya, and the Satipa//Mna Sutta of the Ma^g^ima Nikaya, and the Satippa/Mana Vaggo of the Sazrayutta Nikaya, as well as of various passages in the Anguttara Nikaya and of the work called Vibhahga in the Abhi- dhamma Pi/aka. I am glad to learn that Dr. Morris intends to collect and compare all these passages in his forthcoming work on the ' Seven Jewels of the Law.' These sections of the Maha- parinibbina Sutta and the treatment in the Vibhahga have pre- served, in Dr. Morris's opinion, the oldest form of the doctrine. Compare Chap. II, § 34.

Buddhaghosa has no comment here on the subject itself, re- serving what he has to say for the comment on the Suttas devoted entirely to it ; but he observes in passing that the reason why the Blessed One laid stress, at this particular time and place, on the necessity of being 'mindful and thoughtful/ was because of the imminent approach of the beautiful courtezan in whose grove they were staying. The use of the phrase sati upa/Mapetabba Wow, Chap. V, § 13 (text. p. 51), in reference to the way in which women should be treated, is quite in accordance with this explanation. But see the next note.

30 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

The use of the phrase sati upa/Mapetabba Wow, Chap. V, § 13 (text. p. 51), in reference to the way in which women should be treated, is quite in accordance with this explanation. But see the next note.

30 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

1 6. 1 Now the courtezan Ambap&li heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ves&li, and was staying at her mango grove. And ordering a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, she mounted one of them, and proceeded with her train towards her garden. She went in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages ; there she alighted ; and she proceeded on foot to the place where the Blessed One was, and took her seat respectfully on one side. And when she was thus seated the Blessed One instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened her with religious discourse.

17. Then she — instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened with his words — addressed the Blessed One, and said :

'May the Blessed One do me the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at my house to-morrow/

And the Blessed One gave, by silence, his consent. Then when Ambapdli the courtezan saw that the Blessed One had consented, she rose from her seat and bowed down before him, and keeping him on her right hand as she past him, she departed thence.

1 From this point down to the words ' he rose from his seat/ in §11, 24, is, with a few unimportant variations, word for word the same as Mahi Vagga VI, 30, 1, to VI, 30, 6. But the passage there follows immediately after the verses translated above, § I, 34, so that the events here (in §§ 16-22) localised at Vesali, are there localised at Ko/igama. Our section II, 5 is then inserted between our sections II, 22 and II, 23; and our section II, 12 does not occur at all, the Blessed One only reaching Ambapali's grove when he goes there (as in our section II, 23) to partake of the meal to which he had been invited. Buddhaghosa passes over this discrepancy in silence.

II.

M AH A-PARINIBBANA-SU TTA.

18. Now the Li^^avis of Ves&li heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Vesali, and was staying at Ambap&li's grove. And ordering a number of magnificent carriages to be made ready, they mounted one of them and proceeded with their train to Vesdli. Some of them were dark, dark in colour, and wearing dark clothes and ornaments : some of them were fair, fair in colour, and wearing light clothes and ornaments : some of them were red, ruddy in colour, and wearing red clothes and ornaments: some of them were white, pale in colour, and wearing white clothes and ornaments.

19. And Ambapali drove up against the young Li^^avis, axle to axle, wheel to wheel, and yoke to yoke, and the \Akkha.v\s said to Ambapali the courtezan, ' How is it, Ambap&li, that thou drivest up against us thus ? '

' My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One and his brethren for their morrow's meal,' said she.

' Ambap&li ! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand/ said they.

' My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One and his brethren for their morrow's meal,' said she.

' Ambap&li ! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand/ said they.

• My Lords, were you to offer all Ves&li with its subject territory 1 , I would not give up so honourable a feast !'

Then the Li^Mavis cast up their hands * exclaim- ing, 'We are outdone by this mango girl! we are out-reached by this mango girl 3 ! ' and they went on to Ambap&li's grove.

20. When the Blessed One saw the Li^£//avis

1 Siharan ti sa-^anapadan. (S. V. /au.)

2 Ahguli poMesu/w. Childers translates this phrase 'to snap the fingers as a token of pleasure;' but Buddhaghosa says, angul! poMesun ti ahguli Mlesu/w. (S. V. /au.)

* Ambapali means mango grower, one who looks after mangoes.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

approaching in the distance, he addressed the brethren, and said :

* O brethren, let those of the brethren who have never seen the Tavatiwsa gods, gaze upon this company of the Li£££avis, behold this company of the LL&£^avis, compare this company of the Li^Aa- vis — even as a company of Tivatiwsa gods 1 .'

21. And when they had ridden as far as the ground was passable for carriages, the \Akkkaxis alighted there, and then went on on foot to the place where the Blessed One was, and took their seats respectfully by his side. And when they were thus seated the Blessed One instructed and roused and incited and gladdened them with reli- gious discourse 2 .

22. Then they instructed and roused and incited and gladdened with his words, addressed the Blessed One, and said, ' May the Blessed One do us the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at our house to-morrow ? '

' O Li^^avis, I have promised to dine to-morrow with Ambap&li the courtezan/ was the reply.

1 The Tavatitfzsa-deva are the gods in the heaven of the Great Thirty-Three, the principal deities of the Vedic Pantheon. Buddhaghosa says, 'Ima/rc Li^avi-parisaaz tumhakara £ittena Tavatitfzsa-parisaztf upasa/wharatha upanetha alliy&petha : Yath' eva hi Tavatirasa abhirupa pasadika nil£di-nana-va«»a evaw U ime Li^Mavi-ra^ano ptti. Tavati/rcsehi samake katvd passathd ti attho.'

2 The Malalahkara-vatthu gives the substance of the discourse on this occasion. * The princes had come in their finest and richest dress ; in their appearance they vied in beauty with the nats (or angels). But foreseeing the ruin and misery that was soon to come upon them all, the Buddha exhorted his disciples to entertain a thorough contempt for things that are dazzling to the eyes, but essentially perishable and unreal in their nature/ — Bigandet, 2nd ed. p. 260.

II.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

But foreseeing the ruin and misery that was soon to come upon them all, the Buddha exhorted his disciples to entertain a thorough contempt for things that are dazzling to the eyes, but essentially perishable and unreal in their nature/ — Bigandet, 2nd ed. p. 260.

II.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

Then the LL&6^avis cast up their hands, exclaiming, ' We are outdone by this mango girl ! we are out- reached by this mango girl ! ' And expressing their thanks and approval of the words of the Blessed One, they rose from their seats and bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on their right hand as they past him, they departed thence.

23. And at the end of the night Ambap&li the courtezan made ready in her mansion sweet rice and cakes, and announced the time to the Blessed One, saying, ' The hour, Lord, has come, and the meal is ready!'

And the Blessed One robed himself early in the morning, and took his bowl, and went with the brethren to the place where Ambapili's dwelling- house was : and when he had come there he seated himself on the seat prepared for him. And Ambap&li the courtezan set the sweet rice and cakes before the order, with the Buddha at their head, and waited upon them till they refused any more.

24. And when the Blessed One had quite finished his meal, the courtezan had a low stool brought, and sat down at his side, and addressed the Blessed One, and said : ' Lord, I present this mansion to the order of mendicants, of which the Buddha is the chief.' And the Blessed One accepted the gift; and after instructing, and rousing, and inciting, and gladden- ing her with religious discourse, he rose from his seat and departed thence 1 .

1 Bishop Bigandet says: 'In recording the conversion of a courtezan named Apapalika, her liberality and gifts to Budha and his disciples, and the preference designedly given to her over princes and nobles, who, humanely speaking, seemed in every respect better entitled to attentions — one is almost reminded of [Ilj D

34 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

25. While at Ambapilis mango grove the Blessed One held that comprehensivfe religious discourse with the disciples on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence.

* Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.'

26. Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Ambapili's grove, he addressed Ananda, and said : * Come, Ananda, let us go on to Beluva 1 .'

' So be it, Lord/ said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Beluva, and there the Blessed One stayed in the village itself.

27. Now the Blessed One there addressed the brethren, and said : * O mendicants, do you take up your abode round about Ves&li, each according to the place where his friends, intimates, and close companions may live, for the rainy season of vassa. I shall enter upon the rainy season here at Beluva/

the conversion of " a woman that was a sinner," mentioned in the Gospels' (Legend of the Burmese Budha, 2nd ed. p. 258).

1 Beluva-g&mako ti Vesali-samtpe p&da-g&mako, 'avil- lage on a slope at the foot of a hill near Vesali/ says Buddhaghosa, (S. V. /au.)

II.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

* So be it, Lord ! ' said those brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One. And they entered upon the rainy season round about Vesili, each according to the place where his friends or intimates or close companions lived : whilst the Blessed One stayed even there at Beluva.

28. Now when the Blessed One had thus entered upon the rainy season, there fell upon him a dire sickness, and sharp pains came upon him, even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and self- possessed, bore them without complaint.

29. Then this thought occurred to the Blessed One, i It would not be right for me to pass away from existence without addressing the disciples, without taking leave of the order. Let me now, by a strong effort of the will, bend this sickness down again, and keep my hold on life till the allotted time be come 1 /

30. And the Blessed One, by a strong effort of the will, bent that sickness down again, and kept his hold on life till the time he fixed upon should come. And the sickness abated upon him.

31. Now very soon after the Blessed One began to recover ; when he had quite got rid of the sick- ness, he went out from the monastery, and sat down behind the monastery on a seat spread out there. And the venerable Ananda went to the place where the Blessed One was, and saluted him, and took a seat respectfully on one side, and addressed the

1 The commentary on ^fvita-sankh&ra/w adhitthsiya viha- reyyan is not quite clear, but the general meaning of the words cannot be very different from the version given in the text.

D 2

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. Ctt.

Blessed One, and said : ' I have beheld, Lord, how the Blessed One was in health, and I have beheld how the Blessed One had to suffer. And though at the sight of the sickness of the Blessed One my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me, and my faculties were no longer clear yet notwithstanding I took some little comfort from the thought that the Blessed One would not pass away from existence until at least he had left instructions as touching the order/

32. 'What, then, Ananda? Does the order ex- pect that of me ? I have preached the truth without making any distinction between exoteric and esote- ric doctrine : for in respect of the truths, Ananda, the Tath&gata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps some things back 2 . Surely, Ananda, should there be any one who harbours the thought, "It is I who will lead the brotherhood," or, " The order is dependent upon me," it is he who

1 Madhuraka-^ato viyd ti saw^ata-garubhdvo sa^i- ta/Mabh&vo (sic) sule utt&sita-sadiso : na pakkh&yantl ti na pakdsenti nanakarawa na upa/Mahanti: Dhammi pi ma/rc na ppa/ibhanti ti sati-ppa//Mna dhamma may- ha.m paka/a na honti. (S. V. fol. /am.) As the first clause is corrupt, I have translated madhuraka-^&to independently of it. Childers's reading na/rc na ppa/ibhanti is clearly incorrect. My own MS. of the Dtgha Nildya and the Tumour MS. of the Sam- yutta Nikaya agree with Buddhaghosa.

2 Na tatth' Ananda Tath&gatassa dhammesu a£ariya- mu/Mi; on which Buddhaghosa say s, A k a r i y a - m u tth \ (M S . vuMl) ti yath& bdhirak&naw &£ariya-mu/Mi nama hoti: dahara- kdle kassa^i akathetvd pa££^ima-k&le mara»a-ma^e nipanni piya-manapassa antevasikassa kathenti: evam Ta- thagatassa idaw mahallaka-kale pa^ima-ZMane kathes- sami ti mu/Mitf* (MS. vuilhim) katvd pariharitvd Mapitaw ki«£i n'atthi ti. (S. V. /am.) Comp. Gataka II, 221, 250.

II.

MA H A-PARINIBB AN A-S U TTA.

should lay down instructions in any matter concern- ing the order. Now the Tathdgata, Ananda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon him. Why then should he leave instructions in any matter concern- ing the order ? I too, O Ananda, am now grown old, and full of years, my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached my sum of days, I am turning eighty years of age ; and just as a worn-out cart, Ananda, can only with much additional care be made to move along, so, methinks, the body of the Tath&gata can only be kept going with much additional care 1 . It is only, Ananda, when

It is only, Ananda, when

1 Vegha-missakena, the meaning of which is not clear. The Malalank&ra-vatthu, as rendered by Bigandet, has ' repairs/ The Sumangala Vilasint says, Veghamissakend ti baha-bandhana- £akka-bandhanadin£ pa/isankhara«ena veghamissakena ; thus giving the same meaning, but in such a way as to throw no light on the derivation of the word. The whole episode from § II, 27 to the end of the chapter occurs also word for word in the Satipa//Mna Vagga of the Saazyutta Nikaya, and the Burmese Phayre MS. there reads vekhamissakena, as the Burmese MS. does here. My Digha Nikaya confirms Childers's reading, which no doubt correctly represents the uniform tradition of the Ceylon MSS. The Sumangala Vil&sini goes on, maHe ti ^ara-saka/aw viya meghamissakena ma##e yapeti arahatta-phala- veghanena ^atu-iriya patha-kappanaaz Tathigatassa hoti nidasseti. Here the reading megha of the Tumour MS- must be a copyist's slip of the pen for vegha, and veghanena is no clearer than veghamissakena. On the use of the word missaka at the end of a compound see G&taka II, 8, 420, 433. I have translated on what seems to me the only solu- tion at present possible, namely, that an initial a has been dropt, and that vegha or vekhd=aveksha, 'attention, foresight, care.' In the same way though avala/z^eti does occur (Gataka I, 111), the more usual form in Pali, and the only one given by Childers, is vala^eti.

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CH.

the Tathigata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing, or to experience any sensation, becomes plunged in that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with no material object — it is only then that the body of the Tath&gata is at ease.

33. ' Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto your- selves. Be ye a refuge to yourselves. Betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast as a refuge to the truth. Look not for refuge to any one besides yourselves. And how, Ananda, is a brother to be a lamp unto himself, a refuge to himself, betaking himself to no external refuge, holding fast to the truth as a lamp, holding fast as a refuge to the truth, looking not for refuge to any one besides himself?

34. ' Herein, O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from, bodily craving — while subject to sensations let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being" strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst ia the world, overcome the grief which arises from the sensations — and so, also, as he thinks, or reasons, or feels, let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling.

35. * And whosoever, Ananda, either now or after I am dead, shall be a lamp unto themselves, and a refuge unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the truth as their lamp, and holding fast as their refuge to the truth, shall look not for refuge to any one besides themselves — it is they, Ananda, among my

II.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

bhikkhus, who shall reach the very topmost Height ! — but they must be anxious to learn V

End of the Second Portion for Recitation.

1 Tamatagge me te Ananda bhikkhu bhavissanti ye keki sikkh&kdma\ The Burmese MSS. for me te read p'ete, which is a little easier. Buddhaghosa says, Tamatagge ti tamagge. Maggfte takdro padasandhivasena vutto. Idaw vuttazra hoti ime aggatama ime aggama ti : evaza sabbaoz taraa- yog&m i^inditva 4 ativiya agge uttama-bh&ve te Ananda mamam bhikkhu bhavissanti. Kesaw ati-agge bhavis- santi? Ye ke£i sikkhak&md sabbesa^ te £atu-sati-ppa/- /Mna-go£ar& kz. bhikkhu agge bhavissanti ti. Arahatta- tiku/ena desawam gawhati, * Tamatagge is for tamagge. The t in the middle is used for euphony. This word means, "these are the most pre-eminent, the very chief." Having, as above stated, broken every bond of darkness (tama) those bhikkhus of mine, Ananda, will be at the very top, in the highest condition. They will be at the very top of whom ? Those bhikkhus who are willing to learn, and those who exercise themselves in the four ways of being mindful and thoughtful, they shall be at the top of all (the rest). Thus does he make Arahatship the three-peaked height of his discourse' (compare on this last phrase Nibb&nena desanaku/a^ gawhati, Gataka I, 275, 393, 401 ; and see also I, 114). Uttama, the highest (scil. bhava, condition), is used abso- lutely of Arahatship or Nirvawa at G&taka I, 96; Aggaphala occurs in the same sense at Gataka I, 114; and even Phalagga at Mah. 102. The last words, 'but they must be anxious to learn,' seem to me to be an after thought. It is only those who are thoroughly determined to work out their own salvation, without looking for safety to any one else, even to the Buddha himself, who will, whilst in the world, enter into and experience Nirvdwa. But, of course, let there be no mistake, merely to reject the vain baubles of the current superstitious beliefs is not enough. There is plenty to learn and to acquire, of which enough discourse is elsewhere. For a gg am & in the comment we must read aggatamd. If one could read amatagge in the text, all difficulty would vanish ; but this would be too bold, and neither do I see how the use of anamatagge can help us.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH,

Chapter III.

For a gg am & in the comment we must read aggatamd. If one could read amatagge in the text, all difficulty would vanish ; but this would be too bold, and neither do I see how the use of anamatagge can help us.

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CH,

Chapter III.

i \ Now the Blessed One robed himself early in the morning, and taking his bowl in the robe, went into Vesdli for alms, and when he returned he sat down on the seat prepared for him, and after he had finished eating the rice he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Take up the mat, Ananda ; I will go to spend the day at the A£p&la Tsfetiya.'

* So be it, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. And taking up the mat he followed step for step behind the Blessed One.

2. So the Blessed One proceeded to the AT&pila A!etiya, and when he had come there he sat down on the mat spread out for him, and the venerable Ananda took his seat respectfully beside him. Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : * How delightful a spot, Ananda, is Ves&li, and the Udena Ajetiya, and the Gotamaka A!etiya, and the Sattambaka Ajetiya, and the Bahuputta Aetiya, and the Sdrandada Ajetiya, and the ATipila ATetiya.

3. 'Ananda! whosoever has thought out, deve- loped, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to Iddhi 2 , and so

1 The whole of this passage down to the end of § 10 recurs in the Iddhip&da Vagga of the Sa/wyutta Nikaya.

2 Idjdhi. The four paths are, 1. will, 2. effort, 3. thought, and 4. investigation, each united to earnest thought and the struggle against sin. The Iddhi reached by them is supposed in works on Buddhism to be a bodily condition (power of flying, &c), by which the body rose superior to all the ordinary limitations of

III.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advancement, and as a basis for edification, he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of the kalpa which had yet to run. Now the Tathcigata has thought them out, and thoroughly practised and developed them [in all respects as just more fully described], and he could, therefore, should he desire it, live on yet for a kalpa, or for that portion of the kalpa which has yet to run/

4. But even though a suggestion so evident and a hint so clear were thus given by the Blessed One, the venerable Ananda was incapable of comprehend- ing them ; and he besought not the Blessed One, saying, * Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain during the kalpa ! Live on through the kalpa, O Blessed One ! for the good and the happiness of the great multi- tudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men ! ' So far was his heart possessed by the Evil One \

Live on through the kalpa, O Blessed One ! for the good and the happiness of the great multi- tudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men ! ' So far was his heart possessed by the Evil One \

matter — a bodily condition corresponding to the mental condition of exaltation and power by which it was reached. On this curiously perverted exaggeration of the real influence of the mind over the body see, further, the translator's 'Buddhism/ pp. 174-177. Two of the string of participles — ydnikata, which may possibly mean ' made use of as a vehicle/ and susam&raddha, * most thoroughly ascended up to' — might seem to allude to Iddhi as a power of flying bodily through the air. But the whole set of participles is used elsewhere of conditions of mind highly esteemed among the Buddhists, and incapable of giving support to any such allusion. So, for instance, of universal love (metta) at Gataka II, 61.

1 Yathd taw Marena pariyu/Mita^itto. Here taw is the indeclinable particle, yathd ta/rc introducing an explanation. My MS. of the Digha Nikaya and the Tumour MS. of the Sumangala Vilasini read pariz/u/Mita, and either spelling is correct. The

42 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

5. A second and a third time did the Blessed One [say the same thing, and a second and a third time was Ananda's heart thus hardened}

6. Now the Blessed One addressed the venera- ble Ananda, and said : ' You may leave me, Ananda, awhile, and do whatever seemeth to thee fit/

' So be it, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed, and rising from his seat he saluted the Blessed One, and passing him on the right, sat down at the foot of a certain tree not far off thence.

7. Now not long after the venerable Ananda had been gone, M&ra, the Evil One, approafched the Blessed One, and stood beside him. And so stand- ing there, he addressed the Blessed One in these words :

' Pass away now, Lord, from existence ; let the Blessed One now die. Now is the time for the Blessed One to pass away — even according to the

And so stand- ing there, he addressed the Blessed One in these words :

' Pass away now, Lord, from existence ; let the Blessed One now die. Now is the time for the Blessed One to pass away — even according to the

fact is that the y or v in such cases is even less than euphonic ; it is an assistance not to the speaker, but merely to the writer. Thus in the Sinhalese duwanaw&, 'to run/ the spoken word is du- # anawd, and the w is written only to avoid the awkward use in the middle of a word of the initial sign for the sound a. That the speakers of Pali found no difficulty in pronouncing two vowels together is abundantly proved by numerous instances. The writers of Pali, in those cases in which the second vowel begins a word, use without hesitation the initial sign ; but in the middle of the word this would be so ungainly that they naturally prefer to insert a consonantal sign to carry the vowel sign. The varying readings I have pointed out are a strong confirmation of the cor- rectness of the pronunciation of modern native scholars ; and we may the more readily adopt it as the question is not really one concerning the pronunciation of Pali, but concerning the use which modern native copyists make of their own alphabet. I would pro- nounce therefore pari-u/Mita-^itto.

III.

M AH A-P ARINIBBAN A-SU TTA.

word which the Blessed One spoke when he said 1 : " I shall not die, O Evil One ! until the brethren and sisters of the order, and until the lay-disciples of either sex 2 shall have become true hearers, wise and well-trained, ready and learned, versed in the Scriptures, fulfilling all the greater and the lesser duties, correct in life, walking according to the pre- cepts — until they, having thus themselves learned the doctrine, shall be able to tell others of it, preach it, make it known, establish it, open it, minutely ex- plain it and make it clear — until they, when others start vain doctrine, shall be able by the truth to vanquish and refute it, and so to spread the wonder- working truth abroad ! " '

8. * And now, Lord, the brethren and sisters of the order and the lay-disciples of either sex have be- come [all this], are able to do [all this]. Pass away now therefore, Lord, from existence ; let the Blessed One now die ! The time has come for the Blessed One to pass away — even according to the word which he spake when he said, " I shall not die, O Evil One ! until this pure religion of mine shall have become successful, prosperous, widespread, and popular in all its full extent — until, in a word, it shall have been well proclaimed to men." And now, Lord, this pure religion of thine has become [all this]. Pass away now therefore, Lord, from

1 The words here quoted were spoken by the Buddha, after he had been enjoying the first bliss of Nirvawa, under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree (see my * Buddhist Birth Stories/ pp. 109-1 1 1). The Evil One then also tempted him to die (see below, paragraph III, 43), and this was his reply.

109-1 1 1). The Evil One then also tempted him to die (see below, paragraph III, 43), and this was his reply.

2 The whole paragraph is repeated, here and below, for each of these classes of persons.

44 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

existence; let the Blessed One now die! The time has come for the Blessed One to pass away ! '

9. And when he had thus spoken, the Blessed One addressed M4ra, the Evil One, and said: 'O Evil One ! make thyself happy, the final extinction of the Tathdgata shall take place before long. At the end of three months from this time the TatM- gata will die ! '

10. Thus the Blessed One while at the A^pila A'etiya deliberately and consciously rejected the rest of his allotted sum of life. And on his so rejecting it there arose a mighty earthquake, awful and terrible, and the thunders of heaven burst forth. And when the Blessed One beheld this, he broke out at that time into this hymn of exultation :

' His sum of life the sage renounced, The cause of life immeasurable or small ; With inward joy and calm, he broke, Like coat of mail, his life's own cause ! '

11. Now the following thought occurred to the venerable Ananda : ' Wonderful indeed and marvel- lous is it that this mighty earthquake should arise, awful and terrible, and that the thunders of heaven should burst forth ! What may be the proximate, what the remote cause of the appearance of this earthquake ? '

12. Then the venerable Ananda went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and did obeisance to the Blessed One, and seated himself respectfully at one side, and said : * Wonderful indeed and mar- vellous is it that this mighty earthquake should arise, awful and terrible, and that the thunders of

III.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

heaven should burst forth! What may be the proximate, what the remote cause of the appearance of this earthquake ? '

13. * Eight are the proximate, eight the remote causes, Ananda, for the appearance of a mighty earthquake. What are the eight? This great earth, Ananda, is established on water, the water on wind, and the wind rests upon space. And at such a time, Ananda, as the mighty winds blow, the waters are shaken by the mighty winds as they blow, and by the moving water the earth is shaken. These are the first causes, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

14. 'Again, Ananda, a Samawa or a Brihman of great (intellectual) power, and who has the feelings of his heart well under his control ; or a god or fairy (devati *) of great might and power, — when such a

These are the first causes, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

1 Devatd is a fairy, god, genius, or angel. I am at a loss how to render this word without conveying an erroneous impression to those not familiar with ancient ideas, and specially with ancient Buddhist ideas, of the spirit world. It includes gods of all sorts ; tree and river nymphs ; the kindly fairies or ghosts who haunt houses (see my * Buddhist Birth Stories/ Tale No. 40) ; spirits in the ground (see above, § I, 26); the angels who minister at the great renunciation, the temptation, and the death of the Buddha; the guardian angels who watch over men, and towns, and countries ; and many other similar beings. ' Celestial being ' would be wholly inapplicable, for instance, to the creatures referred to in the curious passage above (§ I, 26). * Superhuman being ' would be an inaccu- rate rendering ; for all these light and airy shapes come below, and after, man in the Buddhist order of precedence. 'Spirit' being used of the soul inside the human body, and of the human soul after it has left the body, and figuratively of mental faculties — none of which are included under devatd — would suggest ideas incon- sistent with that of the Pali word. As there is therefore no appro- priate general word I have chosen, for each passage where the expression occurs, the word used in English of the special class

46 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH,

one by intense meditation of the finite idea of earth or the infinite idea of water (has succeeded in realising the comparative value of things 1 ) he can make this earth move and tremble and be shaken violently. These are the second causes, proximate or remote, of the appearance of a mighty earth- quake.

1 5. 'Again, Ananda, when a Bodhisatta consciously and deliberately leaves his temporary form in the heaven of delight and descends into his mothers womb, then is this earth made to quake and tremble and is shaken violently. These are the third causes, proximate or remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake 2 .

more particularly referred to in the passage of the text. Here all kinds of devatas being referred to, and there being no word in English for them all, I have ventured to put the word devata* into my version, and to trouble the reader with this note.

1 Yassa paritt& paMavi-sawwd bhavit& hoti appam£»£ &posa#M, on which Buddhaghosa says simply, Paritta* ti dub- bald: appama^d ti balav&, and then goes on, as a note to kampeti, to tell a long story how Sangharakkhita S&ma«era, the nephew of Naga Thera, attained Arahatship on the day of his admission to the order; and at once proceeded to heaven, and standing on the pinnacle of the palace of the king of the gods, shook the whole place with his big toe ; to the great consternation and annoyance of the exalted dwellers therein! There is no doubt a real truth in the idea that deep thought can shake the universe, and make the palaces of the gods to tremble, just as faith is said in Matthew xxi. 21 to be able to remove mountains, and cause them to be cast into the sea. But these figurative expressions have, in Buddhism, become a fruitful soil for the outgrowth of superstitions and misunderstandings ; and the train of early Bud- dhist speculation in this field has yet to be elucidated. There is much about it in the Maha* Padh&na Sutta of the Digha Nik£ya, where Chap. Ill, §§ 1 1-20 recur.

2 The Bodhisatta's voluntary incarnation is looked upon by the Buddhists as a great act of renunciation, and curious legends have

III.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

1 6. * Again, Ananda, when a Bodhisatta deliberately and consciously quits his mother s womb, then the earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently. This is the fourth cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

1 7. ' Again, Ananda, when a Tathdgata arrives at the supreme and perfect enlightenment, then this earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently.

This is the fourth cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

1 7. ' Again, Ananda, when a Tathdgata arrives at the supreme and perfect enlightenment, then this earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently.

gathered about it. One is that on the night when she conceived his mother dreamt that a white elephant entered her side. The account will be found at length in my ' Buddhist Birth Stories ' (pp. 62-64), an d the earthquake is there mentioned in terms identical with those in the text. The sacred event is also one of those represented on the ancient bas-reliefs round the Bharhut Thupa, a full description of which will be found in General Cunningham's most interesting work, ' The Stupa of Bharhut.' General Cunning- ham says of the description placed above this sculpture : * Above it in large characters is inscribed Bhagavatorukdanta, which may perhaps be translated, " Buddha as the sounding elephant," from ru, to sound, to make a particular sort of sound.' Now the first word of the inscription is in the genitive case, so that if the second word could mean an elephant, the whole would signify, ' The Buddha's elephant.' But the characters which General Cunningham reads rukdanta are, I venture to suggest, okkanti (? ukkanti) ; and the inscription simply says, ' The descent of the blessed One.' As I have pointed out in 'Buddhism' (p. 184), the white elephant legend is one of those hallowed sun stories by which half-con- verted Hindus have striven to embellish the life story of the Teacher whose followers they had become. In the Lalita Vistara (Calc. ed. p. 63) the entrance of the elephant into Maya* precedes the dream ; but though the ignorant may have therefore accepted it as a fact, it is of course only a figure of speech — and I venture to think from the Hindu standpoint, a beautiful figure of speech — to express the incarnation of divine mildness and majesty in a human form. The use of such a figure is not confined to India. In the earliest of the Apocryphal Gospels, the Gospel according to the Hebrews, the incarnation of the divine gentleness and love is expressed by saying that a dove from heaven 'entered into' the human form.

48 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

This is the fifth cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

1 8. * Again, Ananda, when a Tath&gata founds the sublime kingdom of righteousness, then this earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently. This is the sixth cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

19. * Again, Ananda, when a Tath&gata consciously and deliberately rejects the remainder of his life, then this earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently. This is the seventh cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

20. * Again, Ananda, when a Tath&gata passes entirely away with that utter passing away in which nothing whatever is left behind, then this earth quakes and trembles and is shaken violently. This is the eighth cause, proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earthquake.

21. ' Now of eight kinds, Ananda, are these as- semblies. Which are the eight 1 ? Assemblies of nobles, Brahma/zas, householders, and Samaras, and the angel hosts of the Guardian Angels, the Great Thirty-Three, Mara, and Brahma.

22. ' Now I call to mind, Ananda, how when I used to enter into an assembly of many hundred nobles, before I had seated myself there or talked to them or started a conversation with them, I used to become in colour like unto their colour, and in voice like unto their voice. Then with religious discourse

1 The connection, or rather want of connection, between this and the last paragraph seems to me to be very suggestive as to the way in which the Sutta was composed. The narrative is resumed at paragraph 111, 43. On vanishing away, comp. I, 33.

III.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

I used to instruct, incite, and quicken them, and fill them with gladness. 1 But they knew me not when I spoke, and would say, " Who may this be who thus speaks ? a man or a god ? " Then having instructed, incited, quickened, and gladdened them with reli- gious discourse, I would vanish away. But they knew me not even when I vanished away; and would say, " Who may this be who has thus vanished away ? a man or a god ? " '

23. [And in the same words the Blessed One spake of how he had been used to enter into assem- blies of each of the other of the eight kinds, and of how he had not been made known to them either in speaking or in vanishing away.] ' Now these, Ananda, are the eight assemblies/

24. * Now these, Ananda, are the eight positions of mastery [over the delusion arising from the apparent permanence of external things *]. What are the eight?

1 Abhibh&yatant ti abhibhavanakdra«&ni. Kim abhi- bhavanti? Pa££anika-dharame pi &rammaw£ni pi: tani hi pa/ipakkha-bhdvena pa££antka-dhamme abhibhavanti puggalassa «anuttaritaya aramma«£ni, says Buddhaghosa. (Sum. Vil. th\.)

This and the next paragraph are based upon the Buddhist belief as to the long- vexed question between the Indian schools who represented more or less closely the European Idealists and Realists. When cleared of the many repetitions inserted for r the benefit of the repeaters or reciters, the fundamental idea seems to be that the great necessity is to get rid of the delusion that what one sees and feels is real and permanent. Nothing is real and permanent but character.

When cleared of the many repetitions inserted for r the benefit of the repeaters or reciters, the fundamental idea seems to be that the great necessity is to get rid of the delusion that what one sees and feels is real and permanent. Nothing is real and permanent but character.

The so-called eight Positions of Mastery are merely an expan- sion of the first two of the following eight Stages of Deliverance, and the whole argument is also expressed in another form in the

[II] E

50 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

25. 4 When a man having subjectively the idea of form sees externally forms which are finite, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mas- tered them, is conscious that he knows and sees — this is the first position of mastery.

26. ' When a man having subjectively the idea of form sees externally forms which are boundless, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mas- tered them, is conscious that he knows and sees — this is the second position of mastery.

27. 'When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which are finite, and plea- sant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees — this .is the third position of mastery.

28. 'When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which are boundless, and pleasant or unpleasant to the sight, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees — this is the fourth position of mastery.

29. 'When a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms that are blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue, — just, for

passage on the nine successive ' Cessations/ of which an abstract will be found in Childers, sub voce nirodha.

The two lists have been translated and commented upon by Burnouf (Lotus de la Bonne Loi, pp. 543, 824-832), who took the texts from the Mah£nid&na Sutta and the Sanglti Sutta respectively. The former has been reprinted in Grimblot's Sept Suttas Palis, where the passage will be found at pp. 261, 262. I regret that in my interpretation I have been compelled to differ so greatly from Burnouf. Though I have devoted much care and time to the subject, I do not suppose that I have understood it better than he did. We cannot hope to get to the bottom of what these old Buddhists thought about matter and mind from such curt lists as these.

III.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

instance, as the Umm& flower is blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue ; or, again, as that fine muslin of Benares which, on whichever side you look at it, is blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue, — when a man without the subjective idea of form sees externally forms which, just in that way, are blue, blue in colour, blue in appearance, and reflecting blue, and having mastered them, is conscious that he knows and sees — that is the fifth position of mastery/

30-32. [The sixth, seventh, and eighth positions of mastery are explained in words identical with those used to explain the fifth ; save that yellow, red, and white are respectively substituted throughout for blue ; and the Ka/zik&ra flower, the Bandhu-^lvaka flower, and the morning star are respectively substi- tuted for the Umm& flower, as the first of the two objects given as examples.]

33. 'Now these stages of deliverance, Ananda [from the hindrance to thought arising from the sensations and ideas due to external forms 1 ], are eight in number. Which are the eight ?

34. ' A man possessed with the idea of form sees forms — this is the first stage of deliverance.

35. 'Without the subjective idea of form, he sees forms externally — this is the second stage of deli- verance.

1 These are the A/Ma Vimokkhd. Buddhaghosa has no com- ment upon them ; merely saying, * The passage on the Vimokkhas is easy to understand' — which is tantalizing. The last five Vi- mokkhas occur again below, in Chap. VI, §§11-13, where it is clear that they are used to express the progress through deep meditation, into absent-mindedness, abstraction, and being sunk in thought, until finally the thinker falls into actual trance.

E 2

52 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

36. ' With the thought " it is well," he becomes intent (upon what he sees) — this is the third stage of deliverance.

37. * By passing quite beyond all idea of form, by putting an end to all idea of resistance, by paying no attention to the idea of distinction, he, thinking " it is all infinite space," reaches (mentally) and re- mains in the state of mind in which the idea of the infinity of space is the only idea that is present — this is the fourth stage of deliverance.

38. * By passing quite beyond all idea of space being the infinite basis, he, thinking " it is all infinite reason," reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which the infinity of reason is alone present — this is the fifth stage of deliverance.

39. ' By passing quite beyond the mere conscious- ness of the infinity of reason, he, thinking " nothing at all exists," reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which nothing at all is specially present — this is the sixth stage of deliverance.

40. * By passing quite beyond all idea of nothing- ness he reaches (mentally) and remains in the state of mind to which neither ideas nor the absence of ideas are specially present — this is the seventh stage of deliverance.

41. 'By passing quite beyond the state of " neither ideas nor the absence of ideas" he reaches (men- tally) and remains in the state of mind in which both sensations and ideas have ceased to be — this is the eighth stage of deliverance.

42. ' Now these, Ananda, are the eight stages of deliverance.

43. ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was resting under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree on the bank of the

III.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

42. ' Now these, Ananda, are the eight stages of deliverance.

43. ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was resting under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree on the bank of the

III.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

river Nera%ar£ immediately after having reached the great enlightenment. Then M£ra, the Evil One, came, Ananda, to the place where I was, and standing beside me he addressed me in the words : *' Pass away now, Lord, from existence ! Let the Blessed One now die! Now is the time for the Blessed One to pass away ! "

44. 'And when he had thus spoken, Ananda, I addressed M4ra, the Evil One, and said : " I shall not die, O Evil One! until not only the brethren and sisters of the order, but also the lay-disciples of either sex shall have become true hearers, wise and well-trained, ready and learned, versed in the Scriptures, fulfilling all the greater and the lesser duties, correct in life, walking according to the pre- cepts — until they, having thus themselves learned the doctrine, shall be able to tell others of it, preach it, make it known, establish it, open it, minutely ex- plain it and make it clear— until they, when others start vain doctrine, shall be able by the truth to vanquish and refute it, and so to spread the wonder- working truth abroad !

45. * " I shall not die until this pure religion of mine shall have become successful, prosperous, wide-spread, and popular in all its full extent — until, in a word, it shall have been well proclaimed among men ! "

46. ' And now again to-day, Ananda, at the -ATdpdla A^etiya, M&ra, the Evil One, came to the place where I was, and standing beside me addressed me [in the same words].

47. ' And when he had thus spoken, Ananda, I answered him and said : " Make thyself happy, the final extinction of the Tathigata shall take place

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

before long. At the end of three months from this time the Tath&gata will die ! "

48. ' Thus, Ananda, the Tath&gata has now to-day at the AT&p&la A^etiya consciously and deli- berately rejected the rest of his allotted term of life. 1

49. And when he had thus spoken the venera- ble Ananda addressed the Blessed One, and said : ' Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain during the kalpa ! live on through the kalpa, O Blessed One ! for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men ! '

50. ' Enough now, Ananda, beseech not the Ta- th&gata!' was the reply. 'The time for making such request is past/

51. And again, the second time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One [in the same words. And he received from the Blessed One the same reply].

52. And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One [in the same words].

53. ' Hast thou faith, Ananda, in the wisdom of the Tathigata ? '

' Even so, Lord ! '

' Now why, then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the Tathagata even until the third time ? 7

52. And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One [in the same words].

53. ' Hast thou faith, Ananda, in the wisdom of the Tathigata ? '

' Even so, Lord ! '

' Now why, then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the Tathagata even until the third time ? 7

54. * From his own mouth have I heard from the Blessed One, from his own mouth have I received this saying, "Whosoever has thought out, Ananda, and developed, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as

III.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

a means of (mental) advancement, and as a basis for edification — he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run/' Now the Tath&gata has thought out and thoroughly practised them [in all respects as just now fully described], and might, should he desire it, remain alive for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run/

55. ' Hast thou faith, Ananda ? ' * Even so, Lord ! '

' Then, O Ananda, thine is the fault, thine is the offence — in that when a suggestion so evident and a hint so clear were thus given thee by the Tathagata, thou wast yet incapable of comprehending them, and thou besoughtest not the TathSgata, saying, " Vouch- safe, Lord, to remain during the kalpa. Live on, O Blessed One ! through the kalpa for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men." If thou shouldst then have so besought the Tath&gata, the Tath&gata might have rejected the appeal even to the second time, but the third time he would have granted it. Thine, there- fore, O Ananda, is the fault, thine is the offence ! '

56. ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling at Ri^agaha, on the hill called the Vulture's Peak. Now there, Ananda, I spoke to thee, and said: " How pleasant a spot, Ananda, is Ri^iagaha ; how pleasant is this Vulture's Peak. Whosoever has thought out, Ananda, and developed, practised, accu- mulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advance- ment, and as a basis for edification — he, should he

56 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

CH.

desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run. But even when a suggestion so evident and a hint so clear were thus given thee by the Tathi- gata, thou wast yet incapable of comprehending them, and thou besoughtest not the Tathigata, saying, ' Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain during the kalpa. Live on, O Blessed One ! through the kalpa for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men/ If thou shouldst then have so besought the Tathfigata, the Tathigata might have rejected the appeal even to the second time, but the third time he would have granted it. Thine, therefore, O Ananda, is the fault, thine is the offence !"

57. 'On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling at that same Ra^agaha in the Banyan Grove — on one occasion at that same RcL^agaha at the Robbers' Cliff — on one occasion at that same RS^agaha in the Satta- panni cave on the slope of Mount Vebhira — on one occasion at that same Rfi^agaha at the Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili — on one occasion at that same Ri^agaha in the Sltavana Grove in the mountain cave Sappaso^ika — on one occasion at that same Rd^agaha in the Tapoda Grove — on one occasion at that same Rd^agaha in the Bambu Grove in the Squirrels' Feeding Ground— on one occasion at that same Rd^agaha in ^ivakas Mango Grove — on one occasion at that same Ri^agaha in the Deer Forest at Maddakui^i.'

58. 4 Now there too, Ananda, I spoke to thee, and said: " How pleasant, Ananda, is R&^agaha; how pleasant the Vultures Peak ; how pleasant the

HI.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

Banyan tree of Gotama ; how pleasant the Robbers' Cliff ; how pleasant the Sattapa»/zi cave on the slope of Mount Vebhira ; how pleasant the Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili ; how pleasant the mountain cave Sappasotfdfika in" the Sitavana Grove ; how pleasant the Tapoda Grove ; how plea- sant the Squirrels' Feeding Ground in the Bambu Grove ; how pleasant (^ivaka's Mango Grove ; how pleasant the Deer Forest at Maddaku^i^i !

59. ' " Whosoever, Ananda, has thought out and developed, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advancement and as a basis for edification — he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run." Now the Tathigata has thought out and thoroughly practised them [in all respects as just now fully described], and might, should he desire it, remain alive for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run.'

60. * On one occasion, Ananda, I was residing here at Vesili at the Udena A^etiya. And there too, Ananda, I spoke to thee, and said : "How pleasant, Ananda, is Vesfili ; how pleasant the Udena ATetiya. Whosoever, Ananda, has thought out and developed, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advancement and as a basis for edification — he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run." Now the Tathdgata has thought out and thoroughly practised

58 THE BOOK OF THE GttEAT DECEASE. CH.

them [in all respects as just now fully described], and might, should he desire it, remain alive for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run/

61. ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling here at Ves&li at the Gotamaka A^etiya — on one occa- sion here at Ves&li at the Sattamba Ajetiya — on one occasion here at Ves&li at the Bahuputta Afetiya — on one occasion here at Ves&li at the Sirandada A'ietiya [and on each occasion I spoke to thee, Ananda, in the same words].

62. 4 And now to-day, Ananda, at the Afipila Aetiya, I spoke to thee, and said : " How pleasant, Ananda, is Ves&li ; how pleasant the Udena Afetiya ; how pleasant the Gotamaka Ajetiya ; how pleasant the Sattamba Aetiya ; how pleasant the Bahuputta A'etiya ; how pleasant the Sarandada A'etiya. Who- soever, Ananda, has thought out and developed, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mas- tered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advancement, and as a basis for edification — he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run. Now the Tathigata has thought and thoroughly practised them [in all respects as just now fully described], and might, should he desire it, remain alive for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run."

63. * But now, Ananda, have I not formerly 1 de-

1 That pa/iga££' eva means 'formerly, already' is clear from Maha Vagga I, 7, 1 ; X, 2, 3, though its derivation would seem to render the meaning ' frequently, recurringly ' more natural. The

III.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

* But now, Ananda, have I not formerly 1 de-

1 That pa/iga££' eva means 'formerly, already' is clear from Maha Vagga I, 7, 1 ; X, 2, 3, though its derivation would seem to render the meaning ' frequently, recurringly ' more natural. The

III.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

clared to you that it is in the very nature of all things, near and dear unto us, that we must divide ourselves from them, leave them, sever ourselves from them ? How then, Ananda, can this be pos- sible — whereas anything whatever born, brought into being, and organised, contains within itself the inherent necessity of dissolution — how then can this be possible that such a being should not be dis- solved ? No such condition can exist ! And this mortal being, Ananda, has been relinquished, cast away, renounced, rejected, and abandoned by the Tath&gata. The remaining sum of life has been surrendered by him. Verily, the word has gone forth from the Tath£gata, saying, " The final extinc- tion of the Tathigata shall take place before long. At the end of three months from this time the Tath&gata will die!" That the Tathigata for the^ sake of living should repent him again of that saying — this can no wise be 1 ! '

64. ' Come, Ananda, let us go to the Ku^tg&ra Hall, to the Mah&vana.'

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded, with Ananda

phrase occurs pretty often. Trenckner (milinda-pawhaw, p. 422) proposes a correction into pa/ika££' eva. Palu^tti just below is noteworthy as an unusual contraction of palu^e iti.

1 I do not understand the connection of ideas between this paragraph and the idea repeated with such tedious iteration in the preceding paragraphs. The two seem to be in marked contrast, if not in absolute contradiction. Perhaps we have here the older tradition ; and certainly the latter utterance of the two is more in accordance with the general impression of the character, and with the other sayings, of Gotama as handed down in the Pali Pi/akas.

6o THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

with him, to the Mahivana to the KM&g£ra Hall : and when he had arrived there he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said :

' Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the Service Hall such of the brethren as reside in the neigh- bourhood of Ves&li/

6 Even so, Lord/ said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. And when he had as- sembled in the Service Hall such of the brethren as resided in the neighbourhood of Ves&li, he went to the Blessed One and saluted him and stood beside him. And standing beside him, he addressed the Blessed One, and said :

' Lord ! the assembly of the brethren has met together. Let the Blessed One do even as seemeth to him fit/

65. Then the Blessed One proceeded to the Service Hall, and sat down there on the mat spread out for him. And when he was seated the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said :

the assembly of the brethren has met together. Let the Blessed One do even as seemeth to him fit/

65. Then the Blessed One proceeded to the Service Hall, and sat down there on the mat spread out for him. And when he was seated the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said :

' Therefore, O brethren — ye to whom the truths I have perceived have been made known by me — having thoroughly made yourselves masters of them, practise them, meditate upon them, and spread them abroad ; in order that pure religion may last long and be perpetuated, in order that it may con- tinue to be for the good and happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, to the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men !

' Which then, O brethren, are the truths which, when I had perceived, I made known to you, which, when you have mastered it behoves you to practise, meditate upon, and spread abroad, in order that pure religion may last long and be perpetuated, in order

III.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

that it may continue to be for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, to the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men ? ' They are these :

The four earnest meditations.

The fourfold great struggle against sin.

The four roads to saintship.

The five moral powers.

The five organs of spiritual sense.

The seven kinds of wisdom, and

The noble eightfold path. These, O brethren, are the truths which, when I had perceived, I made known to you, which, when you have mastered it behoves you to practise, meditate upon, and spread abroad, in order that pure religion may last long and be perpetuated, in order that it may continue to be for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, to the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men !

66. And the Blessed One exhorted the brethren, and said :

* Behold now, O brethren, I exhort you, saying, " All component things must grow old. Work out your salvation with diligence. The final extinction of the Tath&gata will take place before long. At the end of three months from this time the Tatha- gata will die ! " 4 My age is now full ripe, my life draws to its close :

I leave you, I depart, relying on myself alone !

Be earnest then, O brethren ! holy, full of thought !

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

Be steadfast in resolve ! Keep watch o'er your own hearts !

Who wearies not, but holds fast to this truth and law \

Shall cross this sea of life, shall make an end of grief/

End of the Third Portion for Recitation 2 .

1 Dhamma and vinaya. The Buddhist religion, as just summarised, and the regulations of the order.

Keep watch o'er your own hearts !

Who wearies not, but holds fast to this truth and law \

Shall cross this sea of life, shall make an end of grief/

End of the Third Portion for Recitation 2 .

1 Dhamma and vinaya. The Buddhist religion, as just summarised, and the regulations of the order.

2 It is of great interest to notice what are the points upon which Gotama, in this last address to his disciples, and at the solemn time when death was so near at hand, is reported to have lain such emphatic stress. Unfortunately we have only a fragment of the address, and, as it would seem from its commencement, only the closing fragment. This, however; is in the form of a summary, consisting of an enumeration of certain aggregates, the details of which must have been as familiar to the early Buddhists as the details of similar numerical terms — such as the ten command- ments, the twelve tribes, the seven deadly sins, the four gospels, and so on — afterwards were to the Christians. This summary of the Buddha's last address may fairly be taken as a summary of Buddhism, which thus appears to be simply a system of earnest self-culture and self-control.

The following are the details of the aggregate technical terms used in the above summary, but it will be understood that the English equivalents used give rather a general than an exact representation of the ideas expressed by the Pali ones. To attempt more would demand a treatise rather than a note, and it has given me peculiar pleasure to learn, as these sheets are passing through the press, that my friend Dr. Morris intends to devote a book to the treatment of these seven ' Jewels of the Law,' as the JTulIa Vagga calls them (IX, i, 4), which form, when united, the bright diadem of Nirvana.

The four Earnest Meditations (£att£ro Satipa//Mn£) are —

1. Meditation on the body.

2. Meditation on the sensations.

3. Meditation on the ideas.

4. Meditation on reason and character.

III.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

The fourfold Great Struggle against sin is divided into £att£ro Samappadhana, which are —

1. The struggle to prevent sinfulness arising.

2. The struggle to put away sinful states which have arisen.

3. The struggle to produce goodness not previously existing.

4. The struggle to increase goodness when it does exist. The four Roads to Saintship are four means by which Iddhl (see

above, § 3, note) is to be acquired. They are the ^attiro Iddhipadd:

1. The will to acquire it united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

2. The necessary exertion united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

3. The necessary preparation of the heart united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

4. Investigation united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

2. The necessary exertion united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

3. The necessary preparation of the heart united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

4. Investigation united to earnest meditation and the struggle against sin.

The five moral powers (pa#£a Balani) are said to be the same as the next class, called organs (Indriyani). It is no doubt most remarkable that, in a summary like this, two classes out of seven should be absolutely identical except in name. The differ- ence of name is altogether too unimportant to account, by itself, for the distinction made. Either the currently accepted explanation of one of the two aggregate terms must be incorrect, or we must look for some explanation of the repetition other than the mere desire to record the double title. Is it impossible that the one class 'Was split into two to bring the number of the classes up to the sacred number seven, corresponding to the seven Ratanas of a -X'akkavatti?

The details of both classes are —

1. Faith. 2. Energy. 3. Thought. 4. Contemplation. 5. Wisdom.

The seven kinds of Wisdom (satta Bo^^anga) are —

1. Energy. 2. Thought. 3. Contemplation. , 4. Investiga- tion (of scripture). 5. Joy. 6. Repose. 7. Serenity.

The Noble Eightfold Path (ariyo a/Man giko Maggo) forms the subject of the Dhamma-^akka-ppavattana-sutta, translated in this volume, and consists of —

1. Right views. 2. High aims. 3. Right speech. 4. Upright conduct. 5. A harmless livelihood. 6. Perseverance in well-doing. 7. Intellectual activity. 8. Earnest thought.

6 4

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

Chapter IV.

1. Now the Blessed One early in the morning robed himself, and taking his bowl, entered VesAli for alms : and when he had passed through Vesili, and had eaten his meal and was returning from his alms-seeking he gazed at Ves&li with an elephant look 1 and addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' This will be the last time, Ananda, that the Tathigata will behold Ves&li. Come, Ananda, let us go on to Bha/^a-gima.'

' Even so, Lord!' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

And the Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to Bha«^a-gima ; and there the Blessed One stayed in the village itself.

2. There the Blessed One addressed the bre- thren, and said : ' It is through not understanding and grasping four truths 2 , O brethren, that we have had to run so long, to wander so long in this weary path of transmigration — both you and 1/

' And what are these four ? The noble conduct of life, the noble earnestness in meditation, the noble kind of wisdom, and the noble salvation of freedom. But when noble conduct is realised and known, when noble meditation is realised and known, when noble wisdom is realised and known, when noble

The noble conduct of life, the noble earnestness in meditation, the noble kind of wisdom, and the noble salvation of freedom. But when noble conduct is realised and known, when noble meditation is realised and known, when noble wisdom is realised and known, when noble

1 Nigapalokitaw Ves^liyaw apaloketva\ The Buddhas were accustomed, says Buddhaghosa, on looking backwards to turn the whole body round as an elephant does ; because the bones in their neck were firmly fixed, more so than those of ordinary men !

2 Or Conditions (Dhammd). They must, of course, be care- fully distinguished from the better known Four Noble Truths (Sa^dni) above, Chap. II, § 2.

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

freedom is realised and known — then is the craving for existence rooted out, that which leads to re- newed existence is destroyed, and there is no more birth/

3. Thus spake the Blessed One ; and when the Happy One had thus spoken, then again the teacher said 1 :

' Righteousness, earnest thought, wisdom, and

freedom sublime — These are the truths realised by Gotama, far- renowned.

Knowing. them, he, the knower, proclaimed the

truth to the brethren. The master with eye divine, the quencher of

griefs, must die!'

4. There too, while staying at Bha#a?a-gfima, the Blessed One held that comprehensive religious dis- course with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intel- ligence. ' Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation.

1 This is merely a stock phrase for introducing verses which repeat the idea of the preceding phrase (see above, paragraph 32). It is an instructive sign of the state of mind in which such records are put together, that these verses could be ascribed to Gotama himself without any feeling of the incongruity involved. The last word means, completely gone out; and here refers to the ex- tinction of kilesa and ta»h£, which will bring about, inevitably, the extinction of being. Compare the passage quoted by Burnouf in Lotus de la Bonne Loi, p. 376. Probably the whole stanza formerly stood in some other connection, where the word parinibbuto had its more usual sense. See Buddhaghosa's note on IV, 23.

[11] F

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils — that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance/

5. Now when the Blessed One had remained at Bha#a?a-gama as long as he desired, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to Hatthi-gama/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to Hatthi-gfima.

' said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to Hatthi-gfima.

6. [And in similar words it is then related how the Blessed One went on to Amba-gima, to Gambu- gima, and to Bhoga-nagara.]

7. Now there at Bhoga-nagara the Blessed One stayed at the Ananda Aetiya.

There the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said : ' 1 will teach you, O brethren, these four Great References \ Listen thereto, and give good heed, and I will speak.'

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the brethren, in assent 2 , to

1 The meaning of mahapadesa is not quite clear. Perhaps it should be rendered true authorities. I have followed Buddha- ghosa in taking apadesa as the last part of the compound. He says, mahdpadesd ti mahi-okise mahd-apadese vL Bud- dh&dayo mahante mahante apadisitva* vutt&ni mah&- k&ra«£ni ti attho, 'the causes (authorities) alleged when referring to Buddha and other great men/

2 I ought perhaps to have explained why I have ventured to differ from Childers in the rendering of the common word pa/i- suwati. The root sru seems to have meant 'to sound' before it meant 'to hear;' and, whether this be so or not, pa/i-su*&ti means not simply 'to consent/ but 'to answer (assentingly).' It

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

the Blessed One, and the Blessed One spoke as follows :

8. 'In the first place, brethren, a brother may say thus : " From the mouth of the Blessed One himself have I heard, from his own mouth have I received it. This is the truth, this the law, this the teaching of the Master." The word spoken, bre- thren, by that brother should neither be received with praise nor treated with scorn. Without praise and without scorn every word and syllable should be carefully understood, and then put beside the scripture and compared with the rules of the order 1 . If when so compared they do not har- monise with the scripture, and do not fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the con- clusion, " Verily, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly grasped by that brother?" Therefore, brethren, you should reject it. But if they harmonise with the scripture and fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, " Verily, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well grasped by that brother." This, brethren, you should receive as the first Great Reference.

9. * Again, brethren, a brother may say thus : "In such and such a dwelling-place there is a com- pany of the brethren with their elders and leaders. From the mouth of that company have I heard,

has been pointed out to me that answer was formerly 'and- swerian/ where swerian is probably not unrelated to the root svar, * to sound/

1 Sutte otaretabbani vinaye sandassetabba'ni, where one would expect to find the word Pi/aka if it had been in use when this passage was first written or composed.

F 2

68 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

F 2

68 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

face to face have I received it. This is the truth, this the law, this the teaching of the Master." The word spoken, brethren, by that brother should neither be received with praise nor treated with scorn. Without praise and without scorn every word and syllable should be carefully understood, and then put beside the scripture and compared with the rules of the order. If when so compared they do not harmonise with the scripture, and do not fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly grasped by that company of the brethren." There- fore, brethren, you should reject it. But if they harmonise with the scripture and fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the con- clusion, "Verily, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well grasped by that company of the brethren." This, brethren, you should receive as the second Great Reference.

jo. 'Again, brethren, a brother may say thus: "In such and such a dwelling-place there are dwelling many elders of the order, deeply read, holding the faith as handed down by tradition, versed in the truths, versed in the regulations of the order, versed in the summaries of the doctrines and the law. From the mouth of those elders have I heard, from their mouth have I received it This is the truth, this the law, this the teaching of the Master." The word spoken, brethren, by that brother should neither be received with praise nor treated with scorn. Without praise and without scorn every word and syllable should be carefully understood, and then put beside the scripture and

IV.

MAHA-PARINIBBANA-SUTTA.

compared with the rules of the order. If when so compared they do not harmonise with the scripture, and do not fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly grasped by those elders." Therefore, bre- thren, you should reject it. But if they harmonise with the scripture and fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well grasped by those elders." This, brethren, you should receive as the third Great Reference.

But if they harmonise with the scripture and fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well grasped by those elders." This, brethren, you should receive as the third Great Reference.

ii. 'Again, brethren, a brother may say, "In such and such a dwelling-place there is there living a brother, deeply read, holding the faith as handed down by tradition, versed in the truths, versed in the regulations of the order, versed in the sum- maries of the doctrines and the law. From the mouth of that elder have I heard, from his mouth have I received it. This is the truth, this the law, this the teaching of the Master." The word spoken, brethren, by that brother should neither be received with praise nor treated with scorn. Without praise and without scorn every word and syllable should be carefully understood, and then put beside the scripture and compared with the rules of the order. If when so compared they do not har- monise with the scripture, and do not fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly grasped by that brother." Therefore, brethren, you should reject it. But if they harmonise with the scripture

70 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

and fit in with the rules of the order, then you may come to the conclusion, "Verily, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well grasped by that brother." This, brethren, you should receive as the fourth Great Reference/

' These, brethren, are the Four Great References.'

12. There, too, the Blessed One held that com- prehensive religious talk with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contem- plation, and of intelligence. 'Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils — that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance/

13. Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as he desired at Bhoga-gama, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : * Come, Ananda, let us go on to Pfivi/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. And the Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to Pdvd.

And there at P&va the Blessed One stayed at the Mango Grove of Aunda, who was by family a smith.

14. Now Aunda, the worker in metals, heard that the Blessed One had come to P£v&, and was staying there in his Mango Grove.

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

And Aunda, the worker in metals, went to the place where the Blessed One was, and saluting him took his seat respectfully on one side. And when he was thus seated, the Blessed One instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened him with religious discourse.

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

15. Then he, instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened by the religious discourse, addressed the Blessed One, and said : ' May the Blessed One do me the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at my house to-morrow/

And the Blessed One signified, by silence, his consent.

16. Then seeing that the Blessed One had con- sented, Aunda, the worker in metals, rose from his seat and bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on his right hand as he past him, departed thence.

17. Now at the end of the night, .A'unda, the worker in metals, made ready in his dwelling-place sweet rice and cakes, and a quantity of dried boars flesh. And he announced the hour to the Blessed One, saying, ' The hour, Lord, has come, and the meal is ready.'

18. And the Blessed One robed himself early in the morning, and taking his bowl, went with the bre- thren to the dwelling-place of jfifunda, the worker in metals. When he had come thither he seated him- self on the seat prepared for him. And when he was seated he addressed Aunda, the worker in metals, and said : ' As to the dried boars flesh you have made ready, serve me with it, jfifunda ; and as to the other food, the sweet rice and cakes, serve the brethren with it/

72 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. Ctf.

4 Even so, Lord ! ' said -ATunda, the worker in metals, in assent, to the Blessed One. And the dried boars flesh he had made ready he served to the Blessed One ; whilst the other food, the sweet rice and cakes, he served to the members of the order.

19. Now the Blessed One addressed -ATunda, the worker in metals, and said : ' Whatever dried boars flesh, -ATunda, is left over to thee, that bury in a hole. I see no one, .A'unda, on earth nor in M&ras heaven, nor in Brahma's heaven, no one among Samaras and Brfihma^as, among gods and men, by whom, when he has eaten it, that food can be assimilated, save by the Tath&gata/

* Even so, Lord ! ' said iSfunda, the worker in metals, in assent, to the Blessed One. And what- ever dried boars flesh remained over, that he buried in a hole.

20. And he went to the place where the Blessed One was; and when he had come there, took his seat respectfully on one side. And when he was seated, the Blessed One instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened iSfunda, the worker in metals, with religious discourse. And the Blessed One then rose from his seat and departed thence.

21. Now when the Blessed One had eaten the food prepared by iSfunda, the worker in metal, there fell upon him a dire sickness, the disease of dysen- tery, and sharp pain came upon him, even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and self- possessed, bore it without complaint.

22. And the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to Kusin&riL'

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

23. When he had eaten ATunda's food,

The copper-smiths — thus have I heard — He bore with fortitude the pain, The sharp pain even unto death !

And from the dried flesh of the boar, as soon as he had eaten it, There fell upon the teacher sickness dire, Then after nature was relieved the Blessed One announced and said : 4 I now am going on to Kusinari V

24. Now the Blessed One went aside from the path to the foot of a certain tree; and when he had come there he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Fold, I pray you, Ananda, the robe ; and spread it out for me. I am weary, Ananda, and must rest awhile ! '

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One, and spread out the robe folded fourfold.

25. And the Blessed One seated himself on the seat prepared for him ; and when he was seated, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ' Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink/

26. When he had thus spoken, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One : * But just now,

1 ' It should be understood,' says Buddhaghosa, ' that these are verses by the Theras who held the council/ And he repeats this at §§ 52, 56.

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

Lord, about five hundred carts have gone over. That water stirred up by the wheels has become shallow and flows fouled and turbid. This river KakuttM, Lord, not far off, is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, easy to get down into, and delightful. There the Blessed One may both drink the water, and cool his limbs V

27. Again the second time the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : 4 Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink/

28. And again the second time the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One : ' But just now, Lord, about five hundred carts have gone over. That water stirred up by the wheels has become shallow and flows fouled and turbid. This river KakutthcL, Lord, not far off, is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, easy to get down into, and delightful. There the Blessed One may both drink the water, and cool his limbs/

29. Again the third time the Blessed One ad- dressed the venerable Ananda, and said: ' Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink/

There the Blessed One may both drink the water, and cool his limbs/

29. Again the third time the Blessed One ad- dressed the venerable Ananda, and said: ' Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink/

30. ' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One ; and taking a bowl he went down to the streamlet. And lo ! the streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow, and was flowing fouled and turbid, had begun, when the venerable Ananda came up to it, to flow clear and bright and free from all turbidity.

1 A^^odika" tipasannodikd: satodikd ti madhurodhikd: sitodika ti tanu-sitala-salila : setaka ti nikkaddamd: supatitthd ti sundara-titthl (S.V. thru) Comp. IV, 56.

IV,

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

31. Then Ananda thought: 1 How wonderful, how marvellous is the great might and power of the Tathigata ! For this streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow and flowing foul and turbid, now, as I come up to it, is flowing clear and bright and free from all turbidity/

32. And taking water in the bowl he returned towards the Blessed One ; and when he had come where the Blessed One was he said to him : 4 How wonderful, how- marvellous is the great might and power of the Tathigata ! For this streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow and flowing foul and turbid, now, as I come up to it, is flowing clear and bright and free from all turbidity. Let the Blessed One drink the water ! Let the Happy One drink the water ! '

Then the Blessed One drank of the water.

33. Now at that time a man named Pukkusa 1 , a, young Mallian, a disciple of A/dra K&l&ma's, was passing along the high road from Kusin&ri to Pdvd.

34. And Pukkusa, the young Mallian, saw the Blessed One seated at the foot of a tree. On seeing him, he went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and when he had come there he saluted the Blessed One, and took his rest respect- fully on one side. And when he was seated

1 The Pukkusa caste was one of the lower castes of Sudras. Compare Assalayana Sutta (Pischel), pp. 13, 35; Burnoufs 'In- troduction/ &c, pp. 144, 208 ; Lalita Vistara XXI, 17. But Bud- dhaghosa says Pukkusa must here be simply a name, as the Mallas were of the Khattiya caste. He adds that this Pukkusa was the owner of the five hundred carts that had just passed by ; and that A/ara Kalama was called A/ara because he was Dfgha-pingalo, Kalama being his family name.

7 6

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

Pukkusa, the young Mallian, said to the Blessed One : 4 How wonderful a thing is it, Lord ! and how marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm ! '

7 6

THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

35. 4 Formerly, Lord, A/dra K&l&ma was once walking along the high road ; and leaving the road he sat himself down under a certain tree to rest during the heat of the day. Now, Lord, five hun- dred carts passed by one after the other, each close to A/ara Kal&ma. And a certain man, who was fol- lowing close behind that caravan of carts, went up to the place where A/ara Kalima was, and when he was come there he spake as follows to A/ira Kilima :

4 44 But, Lord, did you see those five hundred carts go by ? "

* 44 No, indeed, sir, I saw them not."

* 44 But, Lord, did you hear the sound of them ? " * " No, indeed, sir, I heard not their sound."

* " But, Lord, were you then asleep ? " 4 " No, sir, I was not asleep."

4 44 But, Lord, were you then conscious ? "

* 44 Yes, I was conscious, sir."

4 " So that you, Lord, though you were both con- scious and awake, neither saw, nor heard the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, and each close to you. Why, Lord, even your robe was sprinkled over with the dust of them ! "

4 44 It is even so, sir."

36. 4 Then thought that man: 44 How wonderful a thing is it, and how marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm ! So much so that a man though being both conscious and awake,

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

neither sees, nor hears the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, and each close to him."

'And after giving utterance to his deep faith in A/dra K&lima, he departed thence/

37. ' Now what think you, Pukkusa, which is the more difficult thing either to do or to meet with — that a man being conscious and awake should neither see, nor hear the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, close to him, — or that a man, being conscious and awake, should neither see, nor hear the sound thereof when the falling rain goes on beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing ? 9

38. 'What in comparison, Lord, can these five hundred carts do, or six or seven or eight or nine or ten hundred, yea, even hundreds and thousands of carts. That certainly is more difficult, both to do and to meet with, that a man being conscious and awake should neither see, nor hear the sound thereof when the falling rain goes on beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing/

That certainly is more difficult, both to do and to meet with, that a man being conscious and awake should neither see, nor hear the sound thereof when the falling rain goes on beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing/

39. 4 Now on one occasion, Pukkusa, I was dwelling at Atumi, and was at the Threshing-floor 1 . And at that time the falling rain begun to beat and to splash, and the lightnings to flash forth, and the thunderbolts to crash ; and two peasants, brothers, and four oxen were killed. Then, Pukkusa, a great multitude of people went forth from Atumi, and went up to the place where the two peasants, brothers, and the four oxen, lay killed.

1 Bhusagare ti kha/u-sal&ya/ra. (S. V. thrt)

78 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

40. * Now at that time, Pukkusa, I had gone forth from the Threshing-floor, and was walking up and down thinking at the entrance to the Threshing- floor. And a certain man came, Pukkusa, out of that great multitude of people, up to the place where I was ; and when he came up he saluted me, and took his place respectfully on one side.

41. 'And as he stood there, Pukkusa, I said to the man :

* " Why then, sir, is this great multitude of people assembled together ? "

4 " But just now, the falling rain began to beat and to splash, and the lightnings to flash forth, and the thunderbolts to crash ; and two peasants, bro- thers, were killed, and four oxen. Therefore is this great multitude of people gathered together. But where, Lord, were you ? "

4 " I, sir, have been here all the while."

4 " But, Lord, did you see it ? "

' " I, sir, saw nothing."

4 " But, Lord, did you hear it ? "

' 44 1, sir, heard nothing."

4 " Were you then, Lord, asleep ? "

4 " I, sir, was not asleep."

4 " Were you then conscious, Lord ? "

4 " Even so, sir."

4 " So that you, Lord, being conscious and awake, neither saw, nor heard the sound thereof when the falling rain went on beating and splashing, and the lightnings were flashing forth, and the thunderbolts were crashing."

' " That is so, sir."

42. * Then, Pukkusa, the thought occurred to that man :

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

4 " How wonderful a thing is it, and marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm ! — so that a man being conscious and awake neither sees nor hears the sound thereof when the falling rain is beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing." And after giving utterance to his deep faith in me, he departed from me with the customary demonstra- tions of respect/

43. And when he had thus spoken Pukkusa, the young Mallian, addressed the Blessed One in these words : 4 Now I, Lord, as to the faith that I had in A/ira K&l&ma, that I winnow away as in a mighty wind, and wash it away as in a swiftly running stream. Most excellent, Lord, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent! Just as if a man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness, so that those who have eyes can see external forms — just even so, Lord, has the truth been made known to me, in many a figure, by the Blessed One. And I, even I, betake myself, Lord, to the Blessed One as my refuge, to the Truth, and to the Brotherhood. May the Blessed One accept me as a disciple, as a true believer, from this day forth, as long as life endures 1 ! '

1 This is a stock phrase constituting the final answer of a hitherto unconverted man at the end of one of those argumentative dialogues by which Gotama overcame opposition or expounded the truth. After a discussion of exalted themes it fits in very appropriately ; here and elsewhere it is incongruous and strained. See below, V, 50.

8o THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

44. Now Pukkusa, the young Mallian, addressed a certain man, and said: ' Fetch me, I pray you, my good man, a pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear/

'So be it, sir!' said that man, in assent, to Pukkusa, the young Mallian ; and he brought a pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear.

45. And the Mallian Pukkusa presented the pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear, to the Blessed One, saying, ' Lord, this pair of robes of burnished cloth of gold is ready for wear. May the Blessed One show me favour and accept it at my hands ! '

4 In that case, Pukkusa, robe me in one, and Ananda in one/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said Pukkusa, in assent, to the Blessed One ; and in one he robed the Blessed One, and in one, Ananda.

46. Then the Blessed One instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened Pukkusa, the young Mal- lian, with religious discourse. And Pukkusa, the young Mallian, when he had been instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened by the Blessed One with religious discourse, arose from his seat, and bowed down before the Blessed One ; and keep- ing him on his right hand as he past him, departed thence.

47. Now not long after the Mallian Pukkusa had gone, the venerable Ananda placed that pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and reidy for wear, on the body of the Blessed One, and when it was so

IV,

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

placed on the body of the Blessed One it appeared to have lost its splendour 1 !

48. And the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One : 4 How wonderful a thing is it, Lord, and how marvellous, that the colour of the skin of the Blessed One should be so clear, so exceeding bright ! For when I placed even this pair of robes of burnished cloth of gold and ready for wear on the body of the Blessed One, lo! it seemed as if it had lost its splendour ! '

49. 4 It is even so, Ananda. Ananda, there are two occasions on which the colour of the skin of a Tathi- gata becomes clear and exceeding bright. What are the two ? '

50. 'On the night, Ananda, on which a Tathd- gata attains to the supreme and perfect insight, and on the night in which he passes finally away in that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever to remain — on these two occasions the colour of the skin of the Tath&gata becomes clear and exceeding bright.

51. * And now this day, Ananda, at the third watch of the night, in the Upavattana of Kusin&r£, in the Sila Grove of the Mallians, between the twin Sala

1 The commentator says, Bhagavato kSyam upan&mitan ti nivasana-p drupana-vasena alliyapita/rc : Bhagavd pi tato ekajw nivasesi eka/rc pdrupi. Vita££ika/8 (MS. kkh) viya* ti yatha (MS. tatha) vita££iko angaro antanten eva ^ottti bahi pan' assa pabhd n' atthi, evam bahi pa££^inna- (MS. pa^iwwa-) pabha hutv& kh&yati ti. My MS. of the text reads vitasika/8 (as did Yatr&mulle's MS. here, and one MS. of FausbolFs at Gataka I, 153, 154). There the word is used of embers in which food is cooked, 'without flame,' = 'glowing, smoldering/ Vita£££ik&, 'an eruption on the skin/ belongs to the root £ar£.

[11] G

82 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

trees, the utter passing away of the Tath&gata will take place. Come, Ananda! let us go on to the river Kakutthl'

1 Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

52. The pair of robes of cloth of gold, All burnished, Pukkusa had brought, Clad on with them the Master then Shone forth in colour like to gold 1 !

53. Now the Blessed One with a great company of the brethren went on to the river KakutthA ; and when he had come there, he went down into the water, and bathed, and drank. And coming up out again on the other side he went on to the Mango Grove.

54. And when he was come there he addressed the venerable -ffundaka, and said : ' Fold, I pray you, ./sfundaka, a robe in four and spread it out. I am weary, A'undaka, and would lie down/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable A^undaka, in assent, to the Blessed One. And he folded a robe in four, and spread it out.

I am weary, A'undaka, and would lie down/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable A^undaka, in assent, to the Blessed One. And he folded a robe in four, and spread it out.

1 We have here the commencement of the legend which after- wards grew into an account of an actual ' transfiguration ' of the Buddha. It is very curious that it should have taken place soon after the Buddha had announced to Ananda his approaching death, and that in the Buddhist Sutta it should be connected so closely with that event; for a similar remark applies also to the Trans- figuration mentioned in the Gospels. The M&lilankdra-vatthu, for instance, says, ' His body appeared shining like a flame. Ananda was exceedingly surprised. Nothing of this kind had, as yet, happened. " Your exterior appearance/' said he to Budha, " is all at once white, shining, and beautiful above all expression." " What you say, O Ananda, is perfectly true. There are two occasions [Ac, much as above]. The shining light emanating from my body is a certain forerunner of this great event [his Parinibb&na]." '

IV.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

55. And the Blessed One laid himself down on his right side, with one foot resting on the other ; and calm and self-possessed, he meditated on the idea of rising up again in due time. And the venerable ^undaka seated himself there in front of the Blessed One.

56. The Buddha to Kakuttha s river came, Whose clear and pleasant waters limpid flow, He plunged beneath the stream wearied and

worn,

The Buddha without equal in the world ! When he had bathed and drunk, the teacher then

Crossed o'er, the brethren thronging round his steps ;

The Blessed Master, preaching the while the truth,

The Mighty Sage came to the Mango Grove. There spake he to the brother -ATundaka : * Spread me the fourfold robe out as a couch/ Cheered by the Holy One, he quickly spread The fourfold robe in order on the ground. The Master laid him down, wearied and worn; And there, before him, A\inda took his seat.

57. And the Blessed One addressed the vener- able Ananda, and said : * Now it may happen, Ananda, that some one should stir up remorse in -ffunda the smith, by saying, " This is evil to thee, -ffunda, and loss to thee in that when the Tathagata had eaten his last meal from thy provision, then he died." Any such remorse, Ananda, in Aunda the smith should be checked by saying, " This is good to thee, A^unda, and gain to thee, in that when

G 2

84 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

the Tathfigata had eaten his last meal from thy^w provision, then he died. From the very mouth ot z*rf the Blessed One, isfunda, have I heard, from his ss own mouth have I received this saying, 1 These two «=3 offerings of food are of equal fruit, and of equal JC J profit, and of much greater fruit and much greater — twt profit than any other — and which are the two?*T? The offering of food which, when a Tathigata has^s eaten, he attains to supreme and perfect insight

The offering of food which, when a Tathigata has^s eaten, he attains to supreme and perfect insight

and the offering of food which, when a TatMgata .

has eaten, he passes away by that utter passing —

away in which nothing whatever remains behind

these two offerings of food are of equal fruit and oF~ equal profit, and of much greater fruit and much greater profit than any others. There has been laid up by isfunda the smith a karma redounding to length of life, redounding to good birth, redounding to good fortune, redounding to good fame, redound- ing to the inheritance of heaven, and of sovereign power/" In this way, Ananda, should be checked any remorse in A\inda the smith/

58. Then the Blessed One perceiving how the matter stood, uttered, even at that time, this hymn of exultation :

' To him who gives shall virtue be increased ; In him who curbs himself, no anger can arise ; The righteous man casts off all sinfulness, And by the rooting out of lust, and bitterness, And all delusion, doth to Nirv£#a reach ! '

End of the Fourth Portion for Recitation, containing" the Episode of A/dra.

maha-parinibbAna-sutta.

Chapter V.

1. Now the Blessed One addressed the vener- able Ananda, and said : * Come, Ananda, let us go on to the Sfila Grove of the M alias, the Upavattana of Kusin&rd, on the further side of the river Hira- nyavati/

1 Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One.

2. And the Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to the S£la Grove of the Mallas, the Upavattana of Kusin&r&, on the further side of the river Hiranyavatl : and when he had come there he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said :

3. ' Spread over for me, I pray you, Ananda, the couch with its head to the north, between the twin Sila trees 1 . I am weary, Ananda, and would lie down/

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. And he spread a

1 According to the commentator ' tradition says that there was a row of S&la trees at the head (sis a) of that couch (ma»h), and another at its foot, one young S&la tree being close to its head, and another close to its foot. The twin Sala trees were so called because the two trees were equally grown in respect of the roots, trunks, branches, and leaves. There was a couch there in the park for the special use of the (periodically elected) ra^a^of the Mallas, and it was this couch which the Blessed One asked Ananda to make ready.' There is no further explanation of the term uttara-stsakaw, which may have been the name for a slab of wood or stone reserved on great occasions for the use of the leaders of the neighbouring republic, but available at other times for passers by.

86 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

covering over the couch with its head to the north, between the twin Sella trees. And the Blessed One laid himself down on his right side, with one leg resting on the other ; and he was mindful and self- possessed.

86 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. CH.

4. Now at that time the twin Sala trees were all one mass of bloom with flowers out of season 1 ; and all over the body of the Tath&gata these dropped and sprinkled and scattered themselves, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And heavenly Mandirava flowers, too, and hea- venly sandal -wood powder came falling from the sky, and all over the body of the Tathcigata they descended and sprinkled and scattered them- selves, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And heavenly music was sounded in the sky, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And heavenly songs came wafted from the skies, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old !

5. Then the Blessed One addressed the vener- able Ananda, and said : ' The twin Sella trees are all one mass of bloom with flowers out of season ; all over the body of the Tathcigata these drop and sprinkle and scatter themselves, out of rever- ence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And heavenly Mand&rava flowers, too, and heavenly sandal-wood powder come falling from the sky, and all over the body of the Tathcigata they descend and sprinkle and scatter themselves, out of rever-

1 Sabbaphaliphulld ti sabbe samantato pupphita" m&lato pa//Mya yiva agga eka££^annd ahesu/w. (S.V. thlu.) Com- pare ekaphdliphullaw vanaw at (r&taka I, 52.

mahA-parinibbana-sutta.

ence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And heavenly music sounds in the sky, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old. And hea- venly songs come wafted from the skies, out of rever- ence for the successor of the Buddhas of old ! '

6. ' Now it is not thus, Ananda, that the Tathd- gata is rightly honoured, reverenced, venerated, held sacred or revered. But the brother or the sister, the devout man or the devout woman, who continually fulfils all the greater and the lesser duties, who is correct in life, walking according to the precepts — it is he who rightly honours, reverences, venerates, holds sacred, and reveres the Tath&gata with the worthiest homage. Therefore, O Ananda, be ye constant in the fulfilment of the greater and of the lesser duties, and be ye correct in life, walking according to the precepts ; and thus, Ananda, should it be taught/

7. Now at that time the venerable Up&va^a was standing in front of the Blessed One, fanning him. And the Blessed One was not pleased with Up&varca, and he said to him : ' Stand aside, O brother, stand not in front of me ! 9

Now at that time the venerable Up&va^a was standing in front of the Blessed One, fanning him. And the Blessed One was not pleased with Up&varca, and he said to him : ' Stand aside, O brother, stand not in front of me ! 9

8. Then this thought sprung up in the mind of the venerable Ananda : * The venerable Up£va#a has long been in close personal attendance and ser- vice on the Blessed One. And now, at the last moment, the Blessed One is not pleased with Up£- vazza, and has said to him, " Stand aside, O brother, stand not in front of me ! " What may be the cause and what the reason that the Blessed One is not pleased with Up&va^a, and speaks thus with him ?'

9. And the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One : * The venerable Up&va^a has long

88 THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.

CH.

been in close personal attendance and service on the Blessed One. And now, at the last moment, the Blessed One is not pleased with Upava^a, and has said to him, " Stand aside, O brother, stand not in front of me ! " What may be the cause and what the reason that the Blessed One is not pleased with Up&va/za, and speaks thus with him ?'

10. ' In great numbers, Ananda, are the gods of the ten world-systems assembled together to be- hold the Tath&gata. For twelve leagues, Ananda, around the Sala Grove of the Mallas, the Upavattana of Kusin£ra, there is no spot in size even as the pricking of the point of the tip of a hair which is not pervaded by powerful spirits \ And the spirits, Ananda, are murmuring, and say, " From afar have we come to behold the Tath&gata. Few and far between are the Tathdgatas, the Arahat Buddhas who appear in the world : and now to-day, in the last watch of the night, the death of a Tathigata will take place ; and this eminent brother stands in

1 Buddhaghosa explains that even twenty to sixty angels or gods (devat&yo) could stand £ragga-ko/i-nittudana- (MS. nittad- dana-) matte pi, 'on a point pricked by the extreme point of a gimlet,' without inconveniencing one another (Am dSffidjn avyab&dhenti). It is most curious to find this exact analogy to the notorious discussion as to how many angels could stand on the point of a needle in a commentary written at just that period of Buddhist history which corresponds to the Middle Ages of Christen- dom. The passage in the text does not really imply or suggest any such doctrine, though the whole episode is so absurd that the author of the text could not have hesitated to say so, had such an idea been the common belief of the early Buddhists. With these sections should be compared the similar sections in Chapter VI, of which these are perhaps merely an echo.

There is no comment on nittudana, but there can be little doubt that Childers's conjectural reading is correct.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

front of the Tathigata, concealing him, and in his last hour we are prevented from beholding the Tathagata ; " thus, Ananda, do the spirits murmur/

There is no comment on nittudana, but there can be little doubt that Childers's conjectural reading is correct.

mahA-parinibbAna-sutta.

front of the Tathigata, concealing him, and in his last hour we are prevented from beholding the Tathagata ; " thus, Ananda, do the spirits murmur/

11. ' But of what kind of spirits is the Blessed One thinking ? '

12. 'There are spirits, Ananda, in the sky, but of worldly mind, who dishevel their hair and weep, who stretch forth their arms and weep, who fall prostrate on the ground, and roll to and fro in anguish at the thought : " Too soon will the Blessed One die ! Too soon will the Happy One pass away! Full soon will the Light of the world vanish away 1 ! " '

13. ' There are spirits, too, Ananda, on the earth, and of worldly mind, who tear their hair and weep, who stretch forth their arms and weep, who fall pros- trate on the ground, and roll to and fro in anguish at the thought : " Too soon will the Blessed One die ! Too soon will the Happy One pass away! Full soon will the Eye of the world disappear from sight !"

14. 'But the spirits who are free from passion bear it, calm and self-possessed, mindful of the saying which begins, 4

TEVIGGA-SUTTANTA.

INTRODUCTION

THE TEVIGGA SUTTA.

THIS is the twelfth and last Sutta in the first division of the Digha Nikiya, which is called the Silakkhandha Vaggo, because the whole of its twelve Dialogues deal, from one point of view or another, with Si la, or Right Conduct.

There is another Sutta sometimes called by the same name, No. 21 in the Middle Fifty of the Ma^^ima Nikiya : but it has nothing, except the name, in common with the present It is called Tevi^a Sutta merely because Gotama is there described by the complimentary title of Tevi^a, 'Wise in the Vedas;' and its full name is the Tevigga-va&fc^agotta-sutta 1 .

I have made the present translation from a text con- stituted from three MSS., — my own MS. of the Digha Nikdya, referred to as D ; the Turnour MS. of the same in the Indian Office, referred to as T ; both in Sinhalese characters: and the Phayre MS. in the same place, in Burmese characters, referred to as P.

In this book we have Right Conduct used as a sort of argumentum ad hominem for the conversion of two earnest young Brihmans.

They ask which is the true path to a state of union (in the next birth) with God. After arguing, in a kind of Socratic dialogue, that on their own showing, on the

1 It may be noted, in passing, that the substance of it recurs as the Va£Ma- gotta Sa#?yutta in the Sa#?yutta Nikaya.

i6o

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

After arguing, in a kind of Socratic dialogue, that on their own showing, on the

1 It may be noted, in passing, that the substance of it recurs as the Va£Ma- gotta Sa#?yutta in the Sa#?yutta Nikaya.

i6o

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

basis of facts they themselves admitted, the Br&hmans could have no real knowledge of their God, Gotama maintains that union with a God whom they admitted to be pure and holy must be unattainable by men impure and sinful and self-righteous, however great their know- ledge of the Vedas. And he then lays down, not without occasional beauty of language, that system of Right Conduct, which must be the only direct way to a real union with God.

One would think perhaps that such a Sutta might be adapted, without very great difficulty, for use as a mis- sionary tract, so closely does it remind us of the argument of many a sermon on the text, ' Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven ! ' And it is true that the Tevi^gd, — the men of special knowledge in the three Vedas — correspond exactly in most essential particulars with the Scribes and Pharisees of the New Testament. They were the official preservers by repeating, as the Scribes were by copying, the sacred books ; and they were the recognised interpreters, and the sole cus- todians of the traditional interpretation — which too often explained away the real meaning — of those books. It follows that as the law in both cases was included in the sacred books, it was they who, in both cases, were the real lawgivers, and practically the only lawyers. And as almost all learning was confined to, or in close con- nection with the sacred books, the Teviggk were the chief Pandits, as the Scribes were the ' Doctors of the Law.' Like the Pharisees, too, the Brdhmans laid claim to peculiar sanctity ; and many of them in the pride of their education, their birth, and their wealth, looked down with self-righteous scorn on the masses of the people. And while, on the other hand, the Brdhmans further resem- bled the Scribes and Pharisees in that many of them were justly deserving of the respect in which they were held ; it is only the undeserving who, in both cases, arc intended to be condemned.

But whatever interpretation of the ' kingdom of heaven 9

INTRODUCTION.

161

But whatever interpretation of the ' kingdom of heaven 9

INTRODUCTION.

161

the reader may adopt, it must be very different from any- thing the Sutta can mean by 'a state of union with BrahmA.' It is not easy to say what opinion is really imputed to the young Brihmans before their conversion. It is probably meant that they were seeking a way by which their Self should become identified, after death, with Brahman ; a way by which they could escape from the immortality of transmigration, from existence alto- gether as separate individuals 1 . And in holding out a hope of union with BrahmS as a result of the practice of universal love 2 , the Buddha is most probably intended to mean * a union with Brahmi ' in the Buddhist sense — that is to say, a temporary companionship as a separate being with the Buddhist Brahm&, to be enjoyed by a new individual not consciously identical with its pre- decessor. It is just possible that the argumentum ad hominem should be extended to this part of the Sutta; and that the statement in III, 1 should be taken to mean, ' This (universal love) is the only way to that kind of union with your own Brahmi which you desire.' But such a yielding to heretical opinion at the close of his own exposition of the truth would scarcely be imputed to a Buddha.

Just as during the time of the early Christians, in the way which Archbishop Trench has so instructively pointed out, it was not men only who received a new birth and a new baptism, but old words and terms of common use were also infused with a new spirit; so the Indian reformer, while clothing his new system in the current phraseology, infused a different and in many cases a higher meaning into the old expressions.

Thus, for instance, Tevi^a (Sanskrit Traividya) meant either knowledge of the Three Vedas, or as an adjective, a Brihman possessed of that knowledge; and then, as a noun of multitude, such an assembly of those Br&hmans

1 Compare Professor Max Miiller's Preface to the Sacred Books of the East, vol. i. p. xxx.

* See Chapter III, §§ i, 2.

[II] M

l62

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

as is described in the first sections of our Sutta. As there were many Br&hmans who had not that knowledge, the word naturally came to imply a person worthy of the respect due to special learning, and was used as a compli- mentary title, not very different from our Doctor. It is preserved as an epithet of Arahats in the Buddhist writings, but as meaning one possessed of the knowledge of a funda- mental threefold doctrine of Buddhism, the doctrine of the impermanency, the inherent pain, and the absence of any abiding principle (any Self) in the confections or compo- nent things \ That is to say, the knowledge of the Vedas was replaced by a knowledge of the real character of the deceptive and evanescent phenomena by which we are encircled, and of which we form a part.

So also with regard to Brahm4. The name was retained, but the idea was entirely changed. The course of religious belief had passed among the Indian section of the Aryan tribes through the usual stages of animism and polytheism to a kind of pantheism peculiar to India, in which Brahman was held to be a first cause, the highest self, emotion- less, infinite, absolute. As the Buddhist system was constructed without any use of the previous idea of a separate soul, or self, or ghost, or spirit, supposed to exist inside the human body, this woven chain of previous speculation had as little importance for it as theological discussions have for positivism. But Buddhism fell into what to the positivist would be the unpardonable sin — perhaps inevitable at the time and place of its youth— of continuing to express a belief in the external spirits, big and little, of the then Hindu pantheon.

They were preserved very much in the previous order of precedence, and were all — except M&ra, the Evil One, and his personal following, and a few others — supposed to be passably good Buddhists. They were not feared any more; they were patronized as a kind of fairies, usually beneficent,

1 See J£u\\a. Vagga VI, 6, a.^GStaka, vol. i. p. 217; Mahivaaisa, p. 79; Dipavawsa XV, 80 (where the Arahats are women) ; and on 'confections' below, in the Introduction to the ' Book of the Great King of Glory.'

INTRODUCTION.

163

though always more or less foolish and ignorant. They were of course not worshipped any more, for they were much less worthy of reverence than any wise and good man. And they were not eternal, — all of them, even the very best or highest, being liable, like all things and all other creatures, to dissolution. If they had behaved well they were then reborn under happy outward conditions, and might even look forward to being some day born as men, so that they could attain to the supreme goal of the Buddhist faith, to that bliss which passeth not away, — the Nirvana of a perfect life in Arahatship.

The duty of a Buddhist who had entered the Noble Path towards these light and airy shapes — for to such vain things had the great gods fallen — was the same as his duty towards every fellow creature ; pity for his ignorance, sympathy with his weakness, equanimity (the absence of fear or malice, or the sense of any differing or opposing interest), and the constant feeling of a deep and lasting love, all pervading, grown great, and beyond measure.

No exception was made in the case of Brahmi. He, like every other creature that had life, was evanescent, was bound by the chain of existence, the result of ignor- ance, and could only find salvation by walking along the Noble Eightfold Path. It must be remembered that the Brahmd of modern times, the God of the ardent theism of some of the best of the later Hindus, had not then come into existence : that conception was one effect of the in- fluence of Mohammadan and Christian thought upon Hindu minds. And it would be useless to conjecture how the Buddhist theory might have been modified by contact with that ideal.

While regarded however as essentially of the same class as all other external spirits, Brahma was still regarded as a superior spirit, as a very devout Buddhist, and as a kind of king among the angels. The Brahmd of this world system, who was living in Gotama's time, and who is living now, acquired his present exalted position from his virtue in a previous birth as a Bhikkhu named Sahaka

M 2

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

in the time when Kassapa Buddha's religion flourished upon earth 1 . According to the author of the G&taka com- mentary, he assisted at the future Buddha's birth 2 ; and twice afterwards he rendered service to the Bodisat just before the great conflict with M&ra 8 . And when after the victory the Blessed One hesitated whether it would be of any use to tell to others the truth he had found, it was Brahmd who appeared and besought him to proclaim the truth 4 . BrahmA Sahampati was the first to give utterance to the universal sorrow which followed on the death of the Buddha 5 ; and at a critical period in the later history of the Buddhist church he is represented to have descended from heaven, and to have appeared to the Thera Si/^a, to confirm his wavering faith 6 .

These instances will show the high character ascribed to the BrahmA of the world system in which we live; and in each of the infinite world systems which are scat- tered through space there is supposed to be a like finite, temporary, virtuous Brahmi sitting as king over the most exalted of the angel hosts.

It must be evident that it follows, without the possi- bility of question, that the early Buddhists cannot with any accuracy be described as ' monotheists,' and it is much to be regretted that even cultured and scholarly writers still speak of them as such, and can suggest that the in- dependent monotheism of the later Jews can be paralleled by a supposed monotheism among the Buddhists 7 .

And even if the idea of BrahmA were at all the same as the idea of God, a union with this Brahmi would mean a merely temporary life as an angel in the Brahm& heaven — such a life as is represented below to have been the result

1 Teste a comment quoted by Childers, Diet. p. 227.

a « Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 66. 3 Ibid. pp. 92, 97.

4 Ibid. p. nr. Related already in the Maha Vagga I, 2 ; 6, 7.

5 Book of the Great Decease, Chapter VI, § 14.

6 Mah&vamsa, p. 17.

p. 227.

a « Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 66. 3 Ibid. pp. 92, 97.

4 Ibid. p. nr. Related already in the Maha Vagga I, 2 ; 6, 7.

5 Book of the Great Decease, Chapter VI, § 14.

6 Mah&vamsa, p. 17.

7 'Their (the Jews') monotheism was perhaps independently evolved; but the Buddhists at least showed a contemporary monotheism.' Mr. Huth, in * life &c. of Buckle/ p. 238.

INTRODUCTION.

165

of the noble life and noble thoughts of the Great King of Glory. But this was not the supreme goal of the Buddhist faith ; and the angel, though the same person as the king, from the Buddhist point of view (as resulting from, and carrying on, the same Karma), would be a dif- ferent person from the king, according to the Christian point of view ; for there is no mention of the passage of a soul from the earth to heaven, no conscious identity, no continuing memory.

We may draw, from the above, two conclusions. Firstly, that the use of a word in Sanskrit authors is but very little guide to the meaning of the corresponding word in the P£li Buddhist scriptures whenever the word has reference to an idea of a religious character.

And, secondly, that very little reliance can be placed, without careful investigation, on a resemblance — however close at first sight — between a passage in the Pdli Pi/akas and a passage in the New Testament.

It is true that many passages in these two litera- tures can be easily shown to have a similar tendency. But when some writers on the basis of such similarities proceed to argue that there must have been some historical connection between the two, and that the New Testament, as the later, must be the borrower, I venture to think that they are wrong. There does not seem to me to be the slightest evidence of any historical connection between them ; and whenever the resemblance is a real one — and it often turns out to be really least when it first seems to be greatest, and really greatest when it first seems least — it is due, not to any borrowing on the one side or on the other, but solely to the similarity of the conditions under which the two movements grew.

This does not of course apply to the later literature of the two religions ; and it ought not to detract from the very great value and interest of the parallels which may be adduced from the earlier books. If we wish to understand what it was that gave such life and force to the stupendous movement which is called Buddhism, we

TEVIGGA SUTTA,

If we wish to understand what it was that gave such life and force to the stupendous movement which is called Buddhism, we

TEVIGGA SUTTA,

cannot refrain from comparing it — not only in the points in which it agrees with it, but also in the points in which it differs from it — with our own faith. I trust I have not been wrong in making use occasionally of this method, though the absence of any historical connection between the New Testament and the Pili Pi/akas has always seemed to me so clear, that it would be unnecessary to mention it. But when a reviewer who has been kind enough to appreciate, I am afraid too highly, what he calls my ' service in giving, for the first time, a thoroughly human, acceptable, and coherent' account of the 'life of Buddha/ and of the ' simple groundwork of his religion ' has gone on to conclude that the parallels I had thus adduced are ' an unanswerable indication of the obligations of the New Testament to Buddhism,' I must ask to be allowed to enter a protest against an inference which seems to me to be against the rules of sound historical criticism.

ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

TEVIGGA-STJTTA.

Chapter I.

1. This have I heard. At one time when the Blessed One was journeying through Kosala with a great company of the brethren, with about five hundred brethren, he came to the Brihman vil- lage in Kosala which is called Mana$cLka/a. And there at Manasaka/a the Blessed One stayed in the mango grove, on the bank of the river A^iravati, to the south of Manas&ka/a \

2. Now at that time many very distinguished and wealthy Br&hmans were staying at Manasika/a — to wit, A^ankl the Brahman, Tirukkha the Brihman, Pokkharasati the Br&hman, 6&/msso#i the Brah- man, Todeyya the Brihman, and other very distin- guished and wealthy Br&hmans 2 .

1 Burnouf, in a long note at 'Lotus/ &c, p. 491, already attempted to show that the river Akir avati is the same as the modern Rapti, which he supposed to be a corruption of the latter part of the longer name. Hiouen Thsang mentions a river A-chi- lo-fa-ti, which is doubtless the same. It is evidently the river on which stood the town of S&vatthi, and near to which lay the Geta- vana monastery (see ' Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 331); and it must therefore, in accordance with Burnouf s conjecture, be the Rapti, which is the Sanskrit Iravati. The Phayre Burmese MS. has almost always A^iravati.

2 Buddhaghosa says that

^Tahki lived at Opasdda, Tarukkha lived at Ii^agala,

i68

ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

3. Now a conversation sprung up between se//yfca and Bh&radv&^a, when they were taking exercise (after their bath) and walking up and down in thoughtful mood, as to which was the true path, and which the false \

4. The young Br&hman V&se/Ma spake thus :

' This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmi 2 — I mean that which has been announced by the Br&hman Pokkarasdti.'

The young Br&hman V&se/Ma spake thus :

' This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmi 2 — I mean that which has been announced by the Br&hman Pokkarasdti.'

5. The young Brihman Bh&radvS^a spake thus :

Pokkharasadi (sic MS.) lived at Ukka//£a,

G&nussoni lived at Sdvatthi, and

Todeyya lived at Tudigdma. There is some difference in the MSS. as to the spelling of these names : T. reads ATanki ; P. T. and D. Pokkharasdti (Sanskrit Paushkarasadi) ; P. Ganuyoni, T. G&nusoni, D. G&nusoni ; P. To- reyya, and Burnouf Nodeyya (which is possibly merely a misread- ing). Ganusoni was converted by the Bhaya-bherava Sutta ; and I think it very probable that the other names are also those of subsequent converts.

Buddhaghosa adds that because Manasdka/a was a pleasant place the Brahmans had built huts there on the bank of the river and fenced them in, and used to go and stay there from time to time to repeat their mantras.

1 £rahgh£vihara#; anu^ahkamantanaw anuvi^arantanaw. On the first word see Gataka II, 272 (and comp. II, 240). ^Tan- kamati is to walk up and down thinking. I have added ' after their bath ' from Buddhaghosa, who says that this must be understood to have taken place when, after learning by heart and repeating all day, they went down in the evening to the river-side to bathe, and then walked up and down on the sand.

2 Brahma-sahavyatdya. The first part of the compound is masculine (see below, § 12), but the Buddhists probably included under the name, when put into the mouth of Brsmmans, all that the Brahmans included under both Brahmd and Brahman. The Buddhist archangel or god Brahmi is different from both, being part of an entirely different system of thought.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

'This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmi — I mean that which has been announced by the Br&hman T&rukkha/

6. But neither was the young Brihman V£se#/fca able to convince the young Br&hman Bhllradv&^a, nor was the young Br&hman Bh&radv&^a able to convince the young Br&hman V&se#/£a.

7. Then the young Br4hman V&se#^a said to the young Brihman BhAradvS^a :

But neither was the young Brihman V£se#/fca able to convince the young Br&hman Bhllradv&^a, nor was the young Br&hman Bh&radv&^a able to convince the young Br&hman V&se#/£a.

7. Then the young Br4hman V&se#^a said to the young Brihman BhAradvS^a :

* That Samara Gotama, Bhiradv^a, of the Sakya clan, who left the Sakya tribe to adopt the religious life, is now staying at Manas&ka/a, in the mango grove, on the bank of the river A/§iravati, to the south of Manas&ka/a. Now regarding that vener- able Gotama, such is the high reputation that has been noised abroad, that he is said to be " a fully enlightened one, blessed and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the world, unsurpassed as a guide to erring mortals, a teacher of gods and men, a blessed Buddha 1 ." Come, then, Bhdradvfi^a, let us go to the place where the Samara Gotama is ; and when we have come there, let us ask the Samara Gotama touch- ing this matter. What the Samara Gotama shall declare unto us, that let us bear in mind/

* Very well, my friend ! ' said the young Br&hman Bh&radv&^a, in assent, to the young Br&hman Vdse#/*a.

8. Then the young Br&hman Vdse/Ma and the young Br&hman BhcLradv&^a went on to the place where the Blessed One was.

1 See below, § 46.

170 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH-

And when they had come there, they exchanged with the Blessed One the greetings and compli- ments of friendship and civility, and sat down beside him.

And while they were thus seated the young Br&hman V&seM6a said to the Blessed One :

'As we, Gotama, were taking exercise and walking up and down, there sprung up a con- versation between us on which was the true path and which the false. I said thus :

* " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with BrahmS — I mean that which has been announced by the Brahman Pokkaras&ti."

' Bhiradva^a said thus :

' " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmi — I mean that which has been announced by the Brahman T&rukkha."

* Regarding this matter, Gotama, there is a strife, a dispute, a difference of opinion between us/

9. * So you say, Vise/Ma, that you said thus :

' " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with BrahmA — I mean that which has been announced by the Brihrnan PokkarasAti."

* While Bh&radv&^a said thus :

* " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmfi — I mean that which has been announced by the Br&hman T&rukkha."

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

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' Wherein, then, O Vise/Ma, is there a strife, a dispute, a difference of opinion between you 1 ?'

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

171

' Wherein, then, O Vise/Ma, is there a strife, a dispute, a difference of opinion between you 1 ?'

10. 'Concerning the true path and the false, Go- tama. Various Brahmans, Gotama, teach various paths — the Addhariya Brahmans, the Tittiriya Br&hmans, the A^andoka Brihmans, the A^andava Br&hmans, the Brahma^ariya Brahmans 2 . Are all those saving paths ? Are they all paths which will lead him, who acts according to them, into a state of union with Brahmd ?

'Just, Gotama, as near a village or a town there are many and various paths 3 , yet they all meet together in the village — just in that way are all the various paths taught by various Br&hmans — the Addhariya Brdhmans, the Tittiriya Br&hmans, the Af^andoka Br&hmans, the A^andava Br&hmans, the Brahmaiariya Br&hmans. Are all these saving paths ? Are they all paths which will lead him, who acts according to them, into a state of union with Brahm& ?'

11. ' Do you say that they all lead aright, Vise/Ma ?' ' I say so, Gotama/

' Do you really say that they all lead aright, V&se///fca ? '

' So I say, Gotama/

1 This is either mildly sarcastic — as much as to say, ' that is six to one, and half a dozen to the other ' — or is intended to lead on Vase/Ma to confess still more directly the fact that the different theologians held inconsistent opinions.

2 P. here Atthariyd, but below Addhariyd (Sans. Adhvaryu); D. Titittiriyd, T. Tattiriy&, P. apparently Titthiriyd (Sans. Taitti- riya) ; D. ^anddva, T. P. omit (? Sans. -Oandasa) ; all three MSS. Af^andoka (Sans, .Oandoga) ; P. Bavhadi^d here and below ^av- hadi^d for Brahma^ariyi (? Sans. BrahmaHri). See ' Lotus/ p. 493-

s Maggani, which is noteworthy as a curious change of gender.

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12. 'But then, V&se#Aa, is there a single one of the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas who has ever seen BrahmS, face to face ? '

* No, indeed, Gotama ! '

' But is there then, V&se/A4a, a single one of the teachers of the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas who has seen Brahmd face to face ?'

' No, indeed, Gotama ! '

* But is there then, Vise/Z^a, a single one of the pupils of the teachers of the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas who has seen Brahm& face to face ?'

' No, indeed, Gotama ! '

' But is there then, V&se/Ma, a single one of the Br&hmans up to the seventh generation who has seen Brahm& face to face ?'

'No, indeed, Gotama V

13. 'Well then, V£se//^a, those ancient Tfoshis of the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas, the authors of the verses, the utterers of the verses, whose ancient form of words so chaunted, uttered, or composed, the Br&hmans of to-day chaunt over again or repeat ; intoning or reciting exactly as has been intoned or recited — to wit, A/Maka, V&maka, Vimadeva, Vess&mitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bhfi- radvi^a, V&se/Ma, Kassapa, and Bhagu 1 — did even they speak thus, saying : " We know it, we have seen it, where Brahmfi is, whence BrahmA is, whither Brahma is?"'

14. 4 Then you say, V&se/Ma [that not one of the Brihmans, or of their teachers, or of their pupils, even up to the seventh generation, has ever seen Brahmcl face to face. And that even the Tfoshis of

1 See Mah£ Vagga VI, 35, 2.

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173

old, the authors and utterers of the verses, of the ancient form of words which the Br&hmans of to-day so carefully intone and recite precisely as they have been handed down — even they did not pretend to know or to have seen where or whence or whither BrahmS. is] 1 . So that the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas have forsooth said thus : " What we know not, what we have not seen, to a state of union with that we can show the way, and can say : ' This is the straight path, this is the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahm& ! ' "

* Now what think you, Vfise/Afca ? Does it not follow, this being so, that the talk of the Br&hmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? '

* In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! '

15. 'Verily, Vfise#/fca, that Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas should be abje to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence !

' Just, Vase/Ma, as when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other 2 , neither can the foremost

1 In the text §§ 12, 13 are repeated word for word.

2 Andhavefli paramparazB sawsattl The Phayre MS. has replaced ve«i by pavewi, after the constant custom of the Bur- mese MSS. to improve away unusual or difficult expressions. Buddhaghosa explains andhavewi by andhapavewi, and tells a tale of a wicked wight, who meeting a company of blind men, told them of a certain village wherein plenty of good food was to be had. When they besought him for hire to lead them there, he took the money, made one blind man catch hold of his stick, the next of that one, and so on, and then led them on till they came to a wilderness. There he deserted them, and they all — still

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see, nor can the middle one see, nor can the hindmost see — just even so, methinks, Vfise//^a, is the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas but blind talk: the first sees not, the middle one sees not, nor can the latest see. The talk then of these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas turns out to be ridiculous, mere words, a vain and empty thing ! '

1 6. 'Now what think you, Vdse/Ma? CantheBr&h- mans versed in the Three Vedas — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands towards the place whence they rise and where they set ? '

' Certainly, Gotama, they [can] V

CantheBr&h- mans versed in the Three Vedas — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands towards the place whence they rise and where they set ? '

' Certainly, Gotama, they [can] V

1 7. ' Now what think you, Vksetifa. ? The Br&h- mans versed in the Three Vedas, who can very well — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands to the place whence they rise and where they set — are those Brihmans, versed in the Three Vedas, able to point out the way to a state of union with the sun or the moon, saying : " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, to a state of union with the sun or the moon ? " '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

18. 'So you say, V£se///&a, that the Br£hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that

holding each the other, and vainly, and with tears, seeking both their guide and the path — came to a miserable end 1

1 The words of the question are repeated in the text in this and the following answers. It must be remembered, for these sections, that the sun and moon were Gods just as much as BrahmS,

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175

which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahma]. And you further say that even the i?zshis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] 1 Now what think you, Vdse/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br&hmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? '

' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! '

19. ' Very good, Vdse/^a. Verily then, V&se//£a, that Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence.

'Just, Vdse/Afca, as if a man should say, "How I long for, how I love, the most beautiful woman in this land!"

1 And people should ask him, " Well ! good friend ! this most beautiful woman in the land whom you thus love and long for, do you know whether that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brdhman woman, or of the trader class, or a .Sildra ? "

' But when so asked he should answer " No."

' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good

1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14.

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ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

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' But when so asked he should answer " No."

' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good

1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14.

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ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

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friend! this most beautiful woman in all the land, whom you so love and long for, do you know what the name of that most beautiful woman is, or what is her family name, whether she be tall or short, dark or of medium complexion, black or fair, or in what village or town or city she dwells ? "

' But when so asked he should answer " No."

' And then people should say to him, " So then, good friend, whom you know not, neither have seen, her do you love and long for ? "

'And then when so asked he should answer "Yes/"

' Now what think you, V&se/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? '

' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! '

20. 'And just even so, V£se#>£a, though you say that the Br&hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has .ever seen Brahmd]. And you further say that even the i?/shis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither Brah- m£ is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen !] Now what think you, Vfise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Brdhmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? '

' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that

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177

the talk of the Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! '

'Very good, V£se#yfca. Verily then, V&se//>fca, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence/

21. 1 Just, V&se/A£a, as if a man should make a stair- case in the place where four roads cross, to mount up into a mansion. And people should say to him, " Well, good friend, this mansion, to mount up into which you are making this staircase, do you know whether it is in the east, or in the south, or in the west, or in the north ? whether it is high or low or of medium size ? '

' And when so asked he should answer " No." ' 1 And people should say to him, " But then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something — taking it for a mansion — which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen ! "

* And when so asked he should answer " Yes." ' ' Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? '

' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! '

22. 'And just even so, V£se#^a, though you say that the Brahmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahmi]. And you further say that even the ^"shis of old, [whose

[11] N

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words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br£hmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ? 9

' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk!'

23. 4 Very good, V£se#^a. Verily then, V&se/Ma, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such condition of things has no existence/

24. 'Again, V£se//^a, if this river A&ravati were full of water even to the brim, and over- flowing 1 . And a man with business on the other

1 Samatittika k&kapeyy&, a stock phrase used of a river in flood time. Buddhaghosa says, Samatittika* ti samaharita* (sic ?sam£harit£i): kikapeyyi ti yatthakattha^i tire Mitena k&kena sakka patun ti kakapeyyd, which does not seem to me to solve the question as to the origin and history of these difficult terms. With respect to the right form of samatittika* it should be noticed that the northern Buddhist spelling is samatirthaka (Sukhavativyuha, ed. Max Mttller in J. R. A. S. for 1880, p. 18a), and that both Childers and Oldenberg have read samatitthika* in the Burmese MSS. of Mah&parinibMna Sutta I, 33 = MahA Vagp VI, 28. Now the difference in Burmese letters between tt and tth (gg and gg) is so very small that the copyists frequently write one for the other; and even in good MSS. where the two are not confounded, it is sometimes difficult to tell which is really meant When talking of rivers the mention of titthas seems so appro-

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179

side, bound for the other side, should come up, and want to cross over. And he, standing on this bank, should invoke the further bank, and say, " Come hither, O further bank ! come over to this side ! "

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

179

priate that a copyist, and especially a Burmese copyist, would naturally read a doubtful combination as tth; so that even if all Burmese MSS. spell this word with tth (which is by no means certain), very little reliance should be placed upon the fact. On the other hand, the distinction in Sinhalese between tt and tth is very marked and d(3), and the Sinhalese MSS. all read tt. I think therefore that Childers was right in finally adopting sama- tittika as the correct Pali form. In the numerous words in which Buddhist Sanskrit has a form differing in a way which sets philological rules at defiance from the corresponding Pali form, Childers thought (see Diet. p. xi, where the list of words might be greatly extended) that the Sanskrit was always derived from the Pali, and the Sanskrit writers had merely blundered. I venture, with great diffidence, to doubt this. It seems more likely that, at least in many instances, both P&li and Sanskrit were alike derived from a previous Prakrit form, and that in differently interpreting a difficult word, both Sanskrit and Pali authors made mistakes. That may be the case here; and it is almost certain that the original word had nothing to do with tirtha. How easily this idea could be adopted we see from the fact that Childers when first editing the MSS. (in the J. R. A. S. for 1874), and when he had only Sinhalese MSS. then before him, altered their reading into samatitthika, and put this form into his Dictionary; though he afterwards (in the separate edition), and after noting that reading in the Phayre MS., chose the other. But what, after all, does ' having equal or level tfrthas or landing-places ' mean, when spoken of a river? Comp. Samatittikaw* bh\i%g&m\ (Mil. 213, 214) ; Sabbato tittaw pokkharawi/w (Gat. I, 339, text titthajrc) ; and Samatittiko telapatto (ibid. 393, text c iyo, but see p. 400). The root perhaps is trip.

Kikapeyya, according to Buddhaghosa, would mean 'crow- drinkable/ Crows do not drink on the wing ; and they could stand to drink either when a river actually overflowed its banks and formed shallows on the adjoining land ; or when in the hot season it had formed shallows in its own bed. ' Crow-drinkable ' might mean therefore just as well ' shallow ' as ' overflowing/ Had the word originally anything to do with kdka after all ?

N 2

l8o ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

6 Now what think you, V£se//>&a ? Would the further bank of the river A^iravati, by reason of that man's invoking and praying and hoping and praising, come over to this side ? '

1 Certainly not, Gotama ! '

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l8o ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

6 Now what think you, V£se//>&a ? Would the further bank of the river A^iravati, by reason of that man's invoking and praying and hoping and praising, come over to this side ? '

1 Certainly not, Gotama ! '

25. 'In just the same way, V&se#^a, do the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas — omitting the practice of those qualities which really make a man a Brihman, and adopting the practice of those qualities which really make men not Brihmans — say thus : " Indra we call upon, Soma we call upon, Varu#a we call upon, tsdna we call upon, Paf&pati we call upon, BrahmA we call upon, Mahiddhi we call upon, Yama we call upon 1 ! " Verily, Vksettfa, that those Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas, but omitting the practice of those qualities which really make a man a Brdhman, and adopting the practice of those qualities which really make men not Br&hmans — that they, by reason of their in- voking and praying and hoping and praising, should, after death and when the body is dissolved, become united with BrahmA — verily such a condition of things has no existence!'

26. 'Just, Vase/Afca, as if this river A^iravatt were full, even to the brim, and overflowing. And a man with business on the other side, .bound for the other side, should come up, and want to cross over. And he, on this bank, were to be bound tightly, with his arms behind his back, by a strong

1 The Sinhalese MSS. omit Mahiddhi and Yama, but repeat the verb ' we call upon ' three times after Brahma\ It is possible that the Burmese copyist has wrongly inserted them to remove the strangeness of this repetition. The comment is silent.

TEVIGGA SUTTA. l8l

chain. Now what think you, Vise/^a, would that man be able to get over from this bank of the river A&ravatl to the further bank ? ' ' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

27. * In the same way, V&se/Ma, there are five things leading to lust, which are called in the Discipline of the Noble One a " chain" and a a "bond."'

'What are the five?'

' Forms perceptible to the eye ; desirable, agree- able, pleasant, attractive forms, that are accom- panied by lust and cause delight. Sounds of the same kind perceptible to the ear. Odours of the same kind perceptible to the nose. Tastes of the same kind perceptible to the tongue. Substances of the same kind perceptible to the body by touch. These five things predisposing to passion are called in the Discipline of the Noble One a "chain" and a "bond." And these five things predisposing to lust, V£se///£a, do the Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas cling to, they are infatuated by them, guilty of them, see not the danger of them, know not how unreliable they are, and so enjoy them.

28. ' And verily, Vdse//^a, that Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas, but omitting the practice of those qualities which really make a man a Br&h- man, and adopting the practice of those qualities which really make men non-Brclhmans — clinging to these five things predisposing to passion, infatuated by them, guilty of them, seeing not their danger, knowing not their unreliability, and so enjoying them — that these Brahmans should after death, on the dissolution of the body, become united to Brahm& — such a condition of things has no existence/

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ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

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29. ' Again, Vise/Ma, if this river A^iravatt were full of water even to the brim, and overflowing. And a man with business on the other side, bound for the other side, should come up, and want to cross over. And if he covering himself up, even to his head, were to lie down, on this bank, to sleep.

* Now what think you, Vdse^a ? Would that man be able to get over from this bank of the river A^iravati to the further bank ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

30. 'And in the same way, Vise//^a, there are these five hindrances, in the Discipline of the Noble One, which are called " veils 1 " and are called " hin- drances 2 ," arid are called " obstacles 3 ," and are callecL " entanglements 4 ."

' Which are the five ? ' ' The hindrance of lustful desire, The hindrance of malice, The hindrance of sloth and idleness, The hindrance of pride and self-righteousness, The hindrance of doubt. ' These are the five hindrances, V4se#^a, which, in the Discipline of the Noble One, are called veils, and are called hindrances, and are called obstacles, and are called entanglements.

31. 'Now with these five hindrances, Vise/Z^a, the Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas are veiled, hindered, obstructed, and entangled.

32. 'And verily, V£se//^a, that Br&hmans versed

1 Avara«a\ 2 Ntvara»a\

5 All three MSS. onaha. S. V. reads onaddha/w in the text,

and explains it by on ah a\

4 All three MSS. pariyonaha\ S. V. reads pariyoddhaai in.

the text, and explains it by par iy onaha.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

183

in the Three Vedas, but omitting the practice of those qualities which really make a man a Brdhman, and adopting the practice of those qualities which really make men non-Brdhmans — veiled, hindered, obstructed, and entangled by these Five Hindrances — that these Brahmans should after death, on the dissolution of the body, become united to Brahma — such a condition of things has no existence/

33. ' Now what think you, VAse//^a 3 and what have you heard from the Brahmans aged and well- stricken in years, when the learners and teachers are talking together ? Is BrahmS. in possession of wives and wealth, or is he not 1 ? '

* He is not, Gotama.'

1 Is his mind full of anger, or free from anger ? '

* Free from anger, Gotama/

* He is not, Gotama.'

1 Is his mind full of anger, or free from anger ? '

* Free from anger, Gotama/

' Is his mind full of malice, or free from malice ? 9 ' Free from malice, Gotama/

* Is his mind depraved, or pure 2 ? ' ' It is pure, Gotama/

' Has he self-mastery, or has he not 3 ? ' 1 He has, Gotama/

34. 1 Now what think you, V£se#/fca, are the

1 Sapariggaho v& Brahm& apariggaho v£ ti. Buddhaghosa says on Vase/Ma's reply, ' Kdma^^andassa abh&vato itthi- pariggaheno apariggaho/ thus restricting the 'possession* to women, with especial reference to the first ' hindrance ; ' but the word in the text, though doubtless alluding to possession of women in particular, includes more. Compare, on the general idea of the passage, the English expression ' no encumbrances/

2 Asahkili/Ma-£itto. That is, says Buddhaghosa, 'free from mental sloth and idleness, self-righteousness, and pride/

8 Vasavattt va avasavatti vL Buddhaghosa says, in expla- nation of the answer : ' By the absence of doubt he has his mind under control* (vase vatteti).

184 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

Brahmans versed in the Vedas in the possession of wives and wealth, or are they not ? ' ' They are, Gotama/

• Have they anger in their hearts, or have they not?'

• They have, Gotama/

• Do they bear malice, or do they not ? ' ' They do, Gotama/

' Are they pure in heart, or are they not ? ' ' They are not, Gotama/ 1 Have they self-mastery, or have they not ?' ' They have not, Gotama/

35. 'Then you say, Vase//^a, that the Brfihmans are in possession of wives and wealth, and that Brahm& is not. Can there, then, be agreement and likeness between the Brahmans with their wives and pro- perty, and BrahmcL, who has none of these things ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

36. 'Very good, V4se//^a. But, verily, that these Brahmans versed in the Vedas, who live married and wealthy should after death, when the body is dis- solved, become united with BrahmS, who has none of these things — such a condition of things has no existence/

37. 'Then you say, too, VAse//^a, that the Br&h- mans bear anger and malice in their hearts, and are sinful and uncontrolled, whilst Brahma is free from anger and malice, and sinless, and has self-mastery. Now can there, then, be concord and likeness be- tween the Br&hmans and Brahmi ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! '

38. ' Very good, V^se/Ma. That these Brihmans versed in the Vedas and yet bearing anger and malice in their hearts, sinful, and uncontrolled,

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185

should after death, when the body is dissolved, become united to Brahma, who is free from anger and malice, sinless, and has self-mastery — such a condition of things has no existence/

39. ' So that thus then, V£se//>fca, the Brihmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, while they sit down (in confidence), are sinking down (in the mire) 1 ; and so sinking they are arriving only at despair, thinking the while that they are crossing over into some happier land.

' So that thus then, V£se//>fca, the Brihmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, while they sit down (in confidence), are sinking down (in the mire) 1 ; and so sinking they are arriving only at despair, thinking the while that they are crossing over into some happier land.

' Therefore is it that the threefold wisdom of the Br&hmans, wise in their Three Vedas, is called a waterless desert, their threefold wisdom is called a pathless jungle, their threefold wisdom is called destruction ! '

40. When he had thus spoken, the young Brdh- man Vase//^a said to the Blessed One :

* It has been told me, Gotama, that the Samara Gotama knows the way to the state of union with Brahma.

41. ' What do you think, Vdse//^a, is not Manasi- ka/a near to this spot, not distant from this spot ? 9

c Just so, Gotama. Manasdka/a is near to, is not far from here/

42. 1 Now what think you, Vise/Ma, suppose there were a man born in Manas&ka/a, and people should

1 Asiditva sa/rcsidanti. I have no doubt the commentator is right in his explanation of these figurative expressions. Confi- dent in their knowledge of the Vedas, and in their practice of Vedic ceremonies, they neglect higher things ; and so, sinking into sin and superstition, ' they are arriving only at despair, thinking the while that they are crossing over into some happier land.'

1 86 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

ask him, who never till that time had left ManasA- ka/a, which was the way to Manas&ka/a. Would that man, born and brought up in Manasaka/a, be in any doubt or difficulty ? '

' Certainly not, Gotama ! And why ? If the man had been born and brought up in Manas£ka/a, every road that leads to Manasaka/a would be perfectly familiar to him/

43. ' That man, V£se#>&a, born and brought up at Manas^ka/a might, if he were asked the way to Manasaka/a, fall into doubt and difficulty, but to the Tath&gata, when asked touching the path which leads to the world of BrahmS, there can be neither doubt nor difficulty. For Brahm&, I know, Vase/^a, and the world of Brahm&, and the path which leadeth unto it. Yea, I know it even as one who has entered the Brahmi world, and has been born within it!'

44. When he had thus spoken, V&se/^a the young Br&hman said to the Blessed One :

* So has it been told me, Gotama, even that the Samara Gotama knows the way to a state of union with Brahma. It is well ! Let the venerable Gotama be pleased to show us the way to a state of union with Brahmi, let the venerable Gotama save the Brahman race ! '

45. ' Listen then, V£se/Ma, and give ear atten- tively, and I will speak ! '

'So be it, Lord!' said the young Br&hman V&se#/£a, in assent, to the Blessed One.

46. Then the Blessed One spake, and said :

1 1 Know, Vase/^a, that 1 (from time to time) a

1 From here down to the end of p. 200 is a repetition word for

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

I8 7

'So be it, Lord!' said the young Br&hman V&se#/£a, in assent, to the Blessed One.

46. Then the Blessed One spake, and said :

1 1 Know, Vase/^a, that 1 (from time to time) a

1 From here down to the end of p. 200 is a repetition word for

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

I8 7

Tathdgata is born into the world, a fully Enlight- ened One, blessed and worthy, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the world, unsurpassed as a guide to erring mortals, a teacher of gods and men, a Blessed Buddha 1 . He, by him- self, thoroughly understands, and sees, as it were, face to face this universe — the world below with all its spirits, and the worlds above, of M4ra and of Brahma — and all creatures, Samaras and Brah- mans, gods and men, and he then makes his knowledge known to others. The truth doth he proclaim both in its letter and in its spirit, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation : the higher life doth he make known, in all its purity and in all its perfectness.

47. 'A householder (gahapati), or one of his children, or a man of inferior birth in any class, listens to that truth 2 . On hearing the truth he has faith in the Tathagata, and when he has acquired that faith he thus considers with himself:

' " Full of hindrances is household life, a path defiled by passion : free as the air is the life of him who has renounced all worldly things. How- difficult is it for the man who dwells at home to live the higher life in all its fulness, in all its purity, in all its bright perfection! Let me then cut off my hair and beard, let me clothe myself in the

word of Samawwa Phala Sutta, pp. 133 and following; including the passages there parallel to those in Subha Sutta, p. 157, and in Brahma-^ala Sutta, pp. 5-16.

1 See above, § 7.

2 The point is, that the acceptance of this 4 Doctrine and Discipline' is open to all, not of course that Br&hmans never accept it.

1 88 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

orange-coloured robes, and let me go forth from a household life into the homeless state!"

48. * Then before long, forsaking his portion of wealth, be it great or be it small; forsaking his circle of relatives, be they many or be they few, he cuts off his hair and beard, he clothes himself in the orange-coloured robes, and he goes forth from the household life into the homeless state.

49. ' When he has thus become a recluse he passes a life self-restrained according to the rules of the Pdtimokkha ; uprightness is his delight, and he sees danger in the least of those things he should avoid ; he adopts and trains himself in the precepts ; he encompasses himself with holiness in word and deed; he sustains his life by means that are quite pure; good is his conduct, guarded the door of his senses ; mindful and self-possessed, he is altogether happy 1 !'

1 The argument is resumed after the Three Silas, or Descrip- tions of Conduct — a text, doubtless older than the Suttas in which it occurs, setting forth the distinguishing moral characteristics of a member of the Order.

The FirstSilaisan expansion of the Ten Precepts (' Buddhism/ p. 160), but omitting the fifth, against the use of intoxicating drinks. The Second Stla is a further expansion of the first and then of the last four, and finally of the fourth Precept. The Third Sila is directed against auguries, divinations, prophecies, astrology, quackery, ritualism, and the worship of Gods (including Brahma).

These Three Silas may perhaps have been inserted in the Sutta as a kind of counterpoise to the Three Vedas. Our Sutta really reads better without them ; but they are interesting in themselves, and the third is especially valuable as evidence of ancient customs and beliefs.

II.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

Chapter II. The Short Paragraphs on Conduct.

THE ZtfLA SlLA^ 1 .

1. ' Now wherein, Vase//^a, is his conduct good ?'

' Herein, O V£se/Ma, that putting away the mur- der of that which lives, he abstains from destroying life. The cudgel and the sword he lays aside ; and, full of modesty and pity, he is compassionate and kind to all creatures that have life !

' This is the kind of goodness that he has.

2. ' Putting away the theft of that which is not his, he abstains from taking anything not given. He takes only what is given, therewith is he con- tent, and he passes his life in honesty and in purity of heart !

' This, too, is the kind of goodness that he has.

3. ' Putting away inchastity, he lives a life of chastity and purity, averse to the low habit of sexual intercourse.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.) 2

1 There is no division into actual chapters in the original, but it is convenient to arrange the following enumeration of moral pre- cepts separately, as they occur in various suttas in the same order; and are always divided into the three divisions of Lower, Medium, and Higher Morality.

2 The clause ' this, too, is the kind of goodness that he has ' is repeated in the text after each section. The clause, which differs

I90 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.. CH,

4. ' Putting away lying, he abstains from speaking falsehood; He speaks truth, from the truth he never swerves ; faithful and trustworthy, he injures not his fellow man by deceit.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

5. ' Putting away slander, he abstains from ca- lumny. What he hears here he repeats not else- where to raise a quarrel against the people here: what he hears elsewhere he repeats not here to raise a quarrel against the people there. Thus he lives as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, a peace- maker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

Thus he lives as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, a peace- maker, a lover of peace, impassioned for peace, a speaker of words that make for peace.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

6. ' Putting away bitterness of speech, he abstains from harsh language. Whatever word is humane, pleasant to the ear, lovely, reaching to the heart, urbane, pleasing to the people, beloved of the people — such are the words he speaks.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

7. ' Putting away foolish talk, he abstains from vain conversation. In season he speaks ; he speaks that which is ; he speaks fact ; he utters good doc- trine ; he utters good discipline; he speaks, and at the right time, that which redounds to profit, is well- grounded, is well-defined, and is full of wisdom.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

8. ' He refrains from injuring any herb or any creature. He takes but one meal a day ; abstaining

in the different suttas in which this enumeration of Buddhist morality is found, is distinct from the enumeration itself, and, like the opening reference to V£se//£a, characteristic only of the par- ticular Sutta.

II.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

IQI

from food at night time, or at the wrong time. He abstains from dancing, singing, music, and theatrical shows. He abstains from wearing, using, or adorning himself with garlands, and scents, and unguents, and he abstains from lofty couches and large beds. 1 This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

9. ' He abstains from the getting of silver or gold. He abstains from the getting of grain un- cooked. He abstains from the getting of flesh that is raw. He abstains from the getting of any woman or girl. He abstains from the getting of bondmen or bondwomen. He abstains from the getting of sheep or goats. He abstains from the getting of fowls or swine. He abstains from the getting of elephants, cattle, horses, and mares. He abstains from the getting of fields or lands.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

10. ' He refrains from carrying out those com- missions on which messengers can be sent. He refrains from buying and selling. He abstains from tricks with false weights, alloyed metals, or false measures. He abstains from bribery, cheating, fraud, and crooked ways.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

11. 'He refrains from maiming, killing, im- prisoning, highway robbery, plundering villages, or obtaining money by threats of violence.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.) 9

End of the Short Paragraphs on Conduct.

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ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

The Middle Paragraphs on Conduct.

THE MAGG^IMA sIImAM

1. 'Or whereas some Sama#a-Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to injuring plants or vegetables : that is to say, the germs arising from roots, the germs arising from trunks of trees, the germs arising from joints, the germs arising from buds, or the germs arising from seeds. He, on the other hand, refrains from injuring such plants or animals.

He, on the other hand, refrains from injuring such plants or animals.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

2. ' Or whereas some Sama^a-Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to storing up property : that is to say, meat, drink, clothes, equipages, beds, perfumes, and grain. He, on the other hand, refrains from storing up such property.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

3. ' Or whereas some Samara- Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to witnessing public spectacles : that is to say, dancing, singing, concerts, theatrical representa- tions, recitations, instrumental music, funeral cere- monies, drummings, balls, gymnastics, tumblings, feasts in honour of the dead, combats between elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, cocks, and quails, cudgel playing, boxing, wrestling, fencing, musters, marching, and reviews of troops. He, on the other hand, refrains from such public spectacles.

II*

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

193

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

4* 1 Or whereas some Sama#a-Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to occupying their time with games detri- mental to their progress in virtue : that is to say, with a board of sixty-four squares, or of one hun- dred squares; tossing up; hopping over diagrams formed on the ground ; removing substances from a heap without shaking the remainder ; dicing ; trap- ball ; sketching rude figures ; tossing balls ; blowing trumpets ; ploughing matches ; tumbling ; forming mimic windmills ; guessing at measures ; chariot races ; archery ; shooting marbles from the fingers ; guessing other people's thoughts ; and mimicking other people's acts. He, on the other hand, refrains from such games detrimental to virtue.

'This, too, (&c, see $ II, 2.)

5. 'Or whereas some Samara- Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of elevated and ornamented couches or things to recline upon: that is to say, of large couches ; ornamented beds ; coverlets with long fleece ; embroidered counterpanes ; woollen coverlets, plain or worked with thick flowers ; cotton coverlets, worked with knots, or dyed with figures of animals ; fleecy carpets ; carpets inwrought with gold or with silk ; far-spreading carpets ; rich ele- phant housings, trappings, or harness ; rugs for chariots ; skins of the tiger or antelope ; and pillows or cushions ornamented with gold lace or embroi- dery. He, on the other hand, refrains from the use of such elevated or ornamented couches or things to recline upon.

4 This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.) [11] o

194

ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

He, on the other hand, refrains from the use of such elevated or ornamented couches or things to recline upon.

4 This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.) [11] o

194

ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

6. ' Or whereas some Samara- Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to the use of articles for the adornment of their persons : that is to say, unguents ; fragrant oils ; perfumed baths ; shampooings ; mirrors ; anti- mony for the eyebrows and eyelashes ; flowers ; cosmetics ; dentifrices ; bracelets ; diadems ; hand- some walking-sticks; tiaras; swords; umbrellas; embroidered slippers; fillets; jewelry; fans of the buffalo tail ; and long white garments. He, on the other hand, refrains from the use of such articles for the adornment of the person.

'This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

7. ' Or whereas some Sama#a-Brahmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to mean talk : that is to say, tales of kings, of robbers, or of ministers of state ; tales of arms, of war, of terror; conversation respecting meats, drinks, clothes, couches, garlands, perfumes, relation- ships, equipages, streets, villages, towns, cities, pro- vinces, women, warriors, demigods; fortune- telling ; hidden treasures in jars; ghost stories ; empty tales; disasters by sea ; accidents on shore ; things which are, and things which are not. He, on the other hand, refrains from such mean conversation.

' This, too, (&c, see $11, 2.)

8. ' Or whereas some Sama^a-Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to wrangling: that is to say, to saying, " You are ignorant of this doctrine and discipline, but I understand them ! " " What do you know of doctrine or discipline ? " " You are heterodox, but I am orthodox ! " " My discourse is profitable, but yours is worthless ! " " That which you should speak

II.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

*95

first you speak last, and that which you should speak last you speak first ! " " What you have long studied I have completely overturned!" "Your errors are made quite plain ! " " You are disgraced ! " " Go away and escape from this disputation ; or if not, extricate yourself from your difficulties ! " He, on the other hand, refrains from such wrangling, ' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

9. ' Or whereas some Sama#a-Br£hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to performing the servile duties of a go- between : that is to say, between kings, ministers of state, soldiers, Br&hmans, people of property, or young men, who say, " Come here ! " " Go there ! "

Take this to such a place ! " " Bring that here ! " But he refrains from such servile duties of a messenger.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

" " Go there ! "

Take this to such a place ! " " Bring that here ! " But he refrains from such servile duties of a messenger.

' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

10. ' Or whereas some Sama^a-Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue addicted to hypocrisy: that is to say, they speak much ; they make high professions ; they disparage others ; and they are continually thirsting after gain. But he refrains from such hypocritical craft.

* This, too, (&c, see J II, 2.)'

End of the Middle Paragraphs on Conduct.

o 2

196

ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

The Long Paragraphs on Conduct.

THE MAHA StLAJJ/.

1. 'Or whereas some Sama#a-Br4hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices as these : that is to say, by divination from marks on the body ; by auguries ; by the interpreta- tion of prognostics, of dreams, and of omens, good or bad ; by divinations from the manner in which cloth and other such things have been bitten by rats ; by sacrifices to the god of fire, offerings of Dabba grass, offerings with a ladle, offerings of husks, of bran, of rice, of clarified butter, of oil, and of liquids ejected from the mouth ; and by bloody sacrifices ; by teaching spells for preserving the body, for determining lucky sites, for protecting fields, for luck in war, against ghosts and goblins, to secure good harvests, to cure snake bites, to serve as antidotes for poison, and to cure bites of scorpions or rats; by divination, by the flight of hawks, or by the croaking of ravens ; by guessing at length of life ; by teaching spells to ward off wounds ; and by pretended knowledge of the lan- guage of beasts. —

'He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices. ' This, too, (&c, see $11, 2.)

2. ' Or whereas some Sama^a-Brihmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying

ir.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

197

practices as these : that is to say, by explaining the good and bad points in jewels, sticks, garments, swords, arrows, bows, weapons of war, women, men, youths, maidens, male and female slaves, elephants, horses, bulls, oxen, goats, sheep, fowl, snipe, iguanas, long-eared creatures, turtle, and deer. —

'He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices.

' This, too, (&c, see $11, 2.)

3. ' Or whereas some Sama#a-Br£hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts and such lying practices as these : that is to say, by foretelling future events, as these :

' This, too, (&c, see $11, 2.)

* " There will be a sortie by the king." " There will not be a sortie by the king." " The king within the city will attack." "The king outside the city will retreat." " The king within the city will gain the victory." " The king outside the city will be defeated." " The king outside the city will be the conqueror." " The king inside the city will be van- quished." Thus prophesying to this one victory and to that one defeat. —

4 He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices.

' This, too, (&c, see $11, 2.)

4. * Or whereas some Sama#a-Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts and such lying practices as these : that is to say, by predicting —

' " There will be an eclipse of the moon." " There will be an eclipse of the sun." " There will be an eclipse of a planet." " The sun and the moon will be in conjunction." " The sun and the moon will be in

I98 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

opposition." 44 The planets will be in conjunction." " The planets will be in opposition." " There will be falling meteors, and fiery coruscations in the atmo- sphere." " There will be earthquakes, thunderbolts, and forked lightnings." " The rising and setting of the sun, moon, or planets will be cloudy or clear." And then : " The eclipse of the moon will have such and such a result." " The eclipse of the sun will have such and such a result." " The eclipse of the moon will have such and such a result." " The sun and the moon being in conjunction will have such and such a result." 44 The sun and the moon being in opposition will have such and such a result" 44 The planets being in conjunction will have such and such a result." 44 The planets being in opposition will have such and such a result." " The falling meteors and fiery coruscations in the atmosphere will have such and such a result." 44 The earth- quakes, thunderbolts, and forked lightnings will have such and such a result." 44 The rising and setting of the sun, moon, or planets, cloudy or clear, will have such and such a result."

4 He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts,, by such lying practices.

4 This, too, (&c, see §11, 2.)

5. 4 Or whereas some Samara- Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts and such lying practices as these : that is to say, by predicting —

4 4 4 There will be an abundant rainfall." 44 There will be a deficient rainfall." 44 There will be an abundant harvest." 44 There will be famine." 44 There will be tranquillity." 44 There will be disturbances." " The season will be sickly." 44 The season will be healthy."

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

199

Or by drawing deeds, making up accounts, giving pills, making verses, or arguing points of casuistry. —

* He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices. ' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

6. ' Or whereas some Sama^a-Brahmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts and such lying practices as these : that is to say, by giving advice touching the taking in marriage, or the giving in marriage ; the forming of alliances, or the dissolution of connections ; the calling in property, or the laying of it out. By teaching spells to procure prosperity, or to cause adversity to others ; to remove sterility ; to produce dumbness, locked-jaw, deformity, or deafness. By obtaining oracular responses by the aid of a mirror, or from a young girl, or from a god. By worshipping the sun, or by worshipping Brahma ; by spitting fire out of their mouths, or by laying hands on people's heads. —

4 He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices. ' This, too, (&c, see § II, 2.)

7. ' Or whereas some Sama#a-Br&hmans, who live on the food provided by the faithful, continue to gain a livelihood by such low arts and such lying practices as these : that is to say, by teaching the ritual for making vows and performing them ; for blessing fields ; for imparting virility and rendering impotent; for choosing the site of a house; for performing a house-warming. By teaching forms of words to be used when cleansing the mouth, when bathing, and when making offerings to the god of

200 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

fire. By prescribing medicines to produce vomiting or purging, or to remove obstructions in the higher or lower intestines, or to relieve head-ache. By preparing oils for the ear, collyriums, catholicons, antimony, and cooling drinks. By practising cau- tery, midwifery, or the use of root decoctions or salves. —

6 He, on the other hand, refrains from seeking a livelihood by such low arts, by such lying practices. ' This, too, (&c, see J II, 2.Y

End of the Long Paragraphs on Conduct.

ni.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

20 1

Chapter III.

1. 11 And he lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of Love, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, and every- where, does he continue to pervade with heart of Love, far-reaching, grown great, and beyond measure.

2. ' Just, V£se#>fca, as a mighty trumpeter makes himself heard — and that without difficulty — in all the four directions ; even so of all things that have shape or life, there is not one that he passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free, and deep-felt love.

* Verily this, V&se/A£a, is the way to a state of union with Brahma.

3. * And he lets his mind pervade one quarter of the world with thoughts of pity, sympathy, and equa- nimity, and so the second, and so the third, and so the fourth. And thus the whole wide world, above, below, around, and everywhere, does he continue to pervade with heart of pity, sympathy, and equanimity, far-reaching, grown great, and be- yond measure.

4. * Just, Vdse/Ma, as a mighty trumpeter makes himself heard — and that without difficulty — in all the four directions ; even so of all things that have

1 This paragraph occurs frequently; see, inter alia, below, Mah&-Sudassana Sutta II, 8. It will be seen from 'Buddhism/ pp. 170, 171, that these meditations play a great part in later Buddhism, and occupy very much the place that prayer takes in Christianity. A fifth, the meditation on Impurity, has been added, at what time I do not know, before the last. All five are prac- tised in Siam (Alabaster, ' Wheel of the Law,' p. 168).

202 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.

shape or life, there is not one that he passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with mind set free, and deep-felt pity, sympathy, and equanimity.

'Verily this, V&se#/&a, is the way to a state of union with Brahmd.'

5. ' Now what think you, V4se#^a, will the Bhikkhu 1 who lives thus be in possession of women and of wealth, or will he not ? '

' He will not, Gotama ! '

' Will he be full of anger, or free from anger ? ' ' He will be free from anger, Gotama ! 9 'Will his mind be full of malice, or free from malice ? '

' Free from malice, Gotama ! '

' Will his mind be sinful, or pure ? '

' It will be pure, Gotama ! '

' Will he have self-mastery, or will he not ? '

' Surely he will, Gotama ! '

6. ' Then you say, Vdse^a, that the Bhikkhu is free from household cares, and that Brahmi is free from household cares. Is there then agreement and likeness between the Bhikkhu and Brahmd ? '

' There is, Gotama ! '

7. ' Very good, V&se#/&a. Then in sooth, V&se/- thdi, that the Bhikkhu who is free from household cares should after death, when the body is dissolved, become united with Brahmd, who is the same — such a condition of things is every way possible !

8. ' And so you say, Vdse^a, that the Bhikkhu is free from anger, and free from malice, pure in mind, and master of himself; and that Brahmi is

1 Or 4 Member of our Order/ See the note on MaMparinib- bana Sutta I, 6.

III.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

203

free from anger, and free from malice, pure in mind, and master of himself. Then in sooth, Vdse^Ma, that the Bhikkhu who is free from anger, free from malice, pure in mind, and master of himself should after death, when the body is dissolved, become united with Brahma, who is the same — such a condition of things is every way possible. 1,

9. When he had thus spoken, the young Br&hmans Vase#//a and Bharadva^a addressed the Blessed One, and said :

' Most excellent, Lord, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent! Just as if a man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness, so that those who have eyes can see external forms; — just even so, Lord, has the truth been made known to us, in many a figure, by the Blessed One. And we, even we, betake ourselves, Lord, to the Blessed One as our refuge, to the Truth, and to the Brotherhood. May the Blessed One accept us as disciples, as true believers, from this day forth, as long as life endures ! '

End of the Tevigfa Suttanta.

AK AN K H EY YA-S UTTA.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

Akankheyya sutta.

Just as the Tevi^fa Sutta is an argumentum ad hominem to the man wise in the Vedas, and seeking through that knowledge for union with the Deity, urging him to adopt rather the Buddhist method of a life of right- eousness here on earth ; so the present Sutta is a similar argument addressed to the seeker after the various things specified in its different sections. If he should desire any of these things then let him live the life of uprightness as set out in the opening section, and cultivate the intel- ligent earnestness and spiritual insight described in the refrain.

The two combined amount, as would naturally be ex- pected, to the Nirvi/za of a perfect life in Arahatship — the supreme goal not only of every good Buddhist, but of every good Buddhist argument. As applied in the earlier sections it is only a re-statement of a familiar doc- trine ; as applied in the later sections it has the additional interest of showing us the answer of early Buddhism to the mystics, as the Tevi^a shows us its answer to the theologians. And in the answer we find the details of some curious beliefs which existed in India when Bud- dhism arose, and which in after times, and especially in the northern church, had so disastrous an effect upon it.

With regard to the reality of these mystical powers our Sutta gives an uncertain sound ; leaving, however, an impression rather in its favour. The argument is equally good either way, but the author of the Sutta is so en- grossed with Arahatship that he does not stay to say

208

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE .

The argument is equally good either way, but the author of the Sutta is so en- grossed with Arahatship that he does not stay to say

208

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE .

whether he regards the belief in the powers referred to as a delusion or not. I have no doubt that he really believed in their theoretical possibility, which is elsewhere also in the P&li Pi/akas accepted or implied ; though the practical effect of the belief has greatly varied among Buddhists in different times and countries. In the southern church, which adhered more closely to the simple doctrines of early Buddhism, these beliefs have been relegated to the region of legend and fairy tale ; in the northern church there have been found, from time to time, believers who attached to them a practical importance. There is a useful analogy between the expressions used in i Samuel xxviii, and those in the latter part of our Suttas ; and between the general position of witchcraft in the history of Christianity, and of these beliefs in the history of Bud- dhism ; but it would take too long to carry out the com- parison and contrast in detail here, and with due regard to the necessary limitations under which the comparison should be made. The analogy only reaches to their history, and to their relative importance in the religious systems with which they were connected ; the two sets of belief themselves are fundamentally different, the Indian beliefs being much more nearly allied to modern spiritual- ism and mesmerism.

We have a curious instance of the way in which such legends grow in a parallel passage of the earlier and later lives of Gotama as accepted by orthodox Buddhists. In the Mah£ Vagga 1 it is said that during the first watch of the night following on Gotama's victory over the Evil One, he fixed his mind upon the Chain of Causation, during the second watch he did the same, and during the third watch he did the same — the only difference in the narrative being the verses with which in each of the three watches the meditation closed.

In the life of Gotama prefixed to the G£takas 2 , the simplicity of this account is improved away by saying that

1 I, I, 2-6.

2 Gdtaka I, 75, translated in « Buddhist Birth Stories,* p. 102.

INTRODUCTION.

209

in the first watch he acquired the knowledge of Past Births (Pubbe-nivcisa-n£na, described in our § 17), in the second the knowledge of Present Births (Dibba-£akkhu, described in our § 19), and only in the third the knowledge of the Chain of Causation (Pati££a-samuppAda). It is curious that in the corresponding passage of the northern Buddhist Sanskrit poem, the Lalita Vistara 1 , we find precisely the same tradition, which must therefore have been current in both northern and southern churches before the fifth century of our era.

It is curious that in the corresponding passage of the northern Buddhist Sanskrit poem, the Lalita Vistara 1 , we find precisely the same tradition, which must therefore have been current in both northern and southern churches before the fifth century of our era.

I think it is quite possible that at that time it had become part of the Buddhist theory that every Arahat possessed this supernatural insight ; and as Gotama was supposed by the authors of these two later works to have acquired Arahatship by his victory over the Evil One, it naturally seemed to them proper to say that he then also acquired these particular powers. It is clear that even in the time when the Pi/akas were put into their present form it was considered that the Buddha had acquired them 2 , and that they could be acquired by less exalted persons 3 . In the later literature several instances are given of par- ticular persons who possessed one or other of them in a greater or less degree ; but it is instructive to notice that these are always persons who lived long before the time of the writer who records the instances.

The early Buddhist doctrine as to witchcraft, astrology, omens, auguries, sacrifices, prophecies, and the like, will be found in the Mahd Sila (above, pp. 196-200), and in the Third Fetter (below, p. 222).

1 Calcutta edition, pp. 440-448.

a See, for instance, the Tevi^a-va^i^agotta Sutta.

8 Sama#«a Phala Sutta, pp. 144-154.

[11] r

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE—

AKANKHEYYA-SUTTA.

1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once staying at S&vatthi in An&tha Piwafikas park.

There the Blessed One addressed the Brethren, and said, 'Bhikkhus/ 'Yea, Lord!' said the Brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then spake the Blessed One:

2. * Continue, Brethren, in the practice of Right Conduct 1 , adhering to the Rules of the Order 2 ; continue enclosed by the restraint of the Rules of the Order, devoted to uprightness in life 8 ; train yourselves according to the Precepts 4 , taking them upon you in the sense of the danger in the least offence.

3. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to be- come beloved, popular, respected among his fellow- disciples, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within 6 , let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation 6 , let him look through things 7 , let him be much alone ! '

1 Sila. 2 Patimokkh&\

8 AMrago^arl Comp. Tevi^g-a Sutta I, 49.

4 Sikkh&padesu. The Buddhist Decalogue (given in 'Bud- dhism/ p. 160).

5 Agghattam keto samatha/w. 6 Gh&nz.

7 Vipassana: it is always used, in contrast to samatha

Akankheyya sutta.

211

1 Sila. 2 Patimokkh&\

8 AMrago^arl Comp. Tevi^g-a Sutta I, 49.

4 Sikkh&padesu. The Buddhist Decalogue (given in 'Bud- dhism/ p. 160).

5 Agghattam keto samatha/w. 6 Gh&nz.

7 Vipassana: it is always used, in contrast to samatha

Akankheyya sutta.

211

4. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to receive the requisites — clothing, food, lodging, and medicine, and other necessaries for the sick — let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! 9

5. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, that to those people among whom he receives the requisites — clothing, food, lodging, and medicine, and other necessaries for the sick — that charity of theirs should redound to great fruit and great advantage, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! 9

6. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, that those relatives of his, of one blood with him, dead and gone, who think of him with believing heart should find therein great fruit and great advantage \ let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be de- voted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of con- templation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

7. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, that he

(note 5), of insight into objective phenomena. These three quali- ties are constantly referred to as parts of Arahatship. The Rev. David da Silva makes vipassand identical with the sevenfold perception (sa##&, mentioned as conditions of the welfare of a community in the Book of the Great Decease, Chap. I, § 10).

1 Even after death those who remember the Buddha, the Truth, or the Order with believing heart can reap spiritual advantage. Compare the Dhammapada commentary, p. 97.

P 2

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IF HE SHOULD DESIRE — .

should be victorious over discontent and lust \ that discontent should never overpower him, that he should master and subdue any discontent that had sprung up within him, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

8. 'If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, that he should be victorious over (spiritual) danger and dismay, that neither danger nor dismay should ever overcome him, that he should master and subdue every danger and dismay, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

9. ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to realise the hopes of those spiritual men who live in the bliss which comes, even in this present world, from the four G^&nas, should he desire not to fall into the pains and difficulties (which they avoid), let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone 2 !'

10. ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to reach with his body and remain in those stages of deliverance which are incorporeal, and pass beyond

1 Aratiratisaho. Arati is the disinclination to fulfil the duties of a Samawa, discontent with the restrictions of the Order.

2 The bliss here referred to, and described in detail below, Maha-Sudassana Sutta, Chap. Ill, is the 'ecstasy of contem- plation ' referred to in the refrain.

Akankheyya sutta.

213

phenomena \ let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

11. * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, by the complete destruction of the three Bonds to become converted, to be no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and to be assured of final salva- tion 2 , let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

12. ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, by the complete destruction of the three Bonds, and by the reduction to a minimum of lust, hatred, and delusion, to become a Sakad&g&min, and (thus) on his first return to this world to make an end of sorrow, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone!'

13. ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, by the complete destruction of the five Bonds which bind people to this earth, to become an inheritor of the highest heavens 3 , there to pass entirely away, thence

1 These are the eight Vimokkhd, a list of which occurs in the Great Decease, Chap. Ill, §§ 33-42.

2 On this and the two following sections compare Mah£pari- nibbana Sutta II, 7, and on the Bonds or Fetters below, p. 222.

3 Opapatika. This is another of those words which, from their connoting Buddhist ideas unknown in Europe, are really untranslatable. It means a being who springs into existence without the intervention of parents, and therefore, as it were,

214

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE — .

222.

214

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE — .

never to return, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! *

14. 1 * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to exercise one by one each of the different Iddhis, being one to become multiform, being multiform to become one; to become visible, or to become in- visible ; to go without being stopped to the further side of a wall, or a fence, or a mountain, as if through air ; to penetrate up and down through solid ground, as if through water ; to walk on the water without dividing it, as if on solid ground ; to travel cross-legged through the sky, like the birds on wing; to touch and feel with the hand even the sun and the moon, mighty and powerful though they be ; and to reach in the body even up to the heaven of BrahmA ; let him then fulfil all righteous-

uncaused, and seeming to appear by chance. All the higher devas (angels or gods) are opapatika, there being no sex or birth in the highest heavens ; and it is with especial allusion to this that the word is here used. There is of course from the Buddhist point of view (which admits of nothing without a cause) a very sufficient cause for the sudden appearance of an opapa- tika in heaven, viz. the karma of a being who has past away somewhere else ; but the Buddhist theory necessitated the choice of an expression which would give no countenance to the (here- tical) idea of a soul flying away after the death of its body from one world to another.

In the expression * which bind people to this world,' by world is meant the Rupa-loka, or world of form, which include all those parts of the universe whose inhabitants have an outward form and are subject to lusts.

1 With this paragraph compare Mahaparinibb&na Sutta III, 14, and S£ma/7«a Phala Sutta, p. 145.

AKANKHEYYA SUTTA.

215

ness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone!'

15. 1 'If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to hear with clear and heavenly ear, surpassing that of men, sounds both human and celestial, whether far or near, let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

16. 2 * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to com- prehend by his own heart the hearts of other beings and of other men ; to discern the passionate mind to be passionate, and the calm mind calm ; the angry mind to be angry, and the peaceable peaceable ; the deluded mind to be deluded, and the wise mind wise ; the concentrated thoughts to be concentrated, and the scattered to be scattered; the lofty mind to be lofty, and the narrow mind narrow ; the sub- lime thoughts to be sublime, and the mean to be mean; the steadfast mind to be steadfast, and the wavering to be wavering ; the free mind to be free, and the enslaved mind to be enslaved ; let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

17. ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to be able to call to mind his various temporary states in days gone by; such as one birth, two births,

1 With this paragraph compare Sama«»a Phala Sutta, p. 146.

2 Compare M. P. S. I, 16, and Samara Phala Sutta, p. 147-

2l6

IF HE SHOULD DESIRE — .

three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred or a thousand, or a hundred thousand births 1 ; his births in many an aeon of destruction, in many an aeon of renovation, in many an aeon of both destruction and renovation 2 ; (so as to be able to say), "In that place such was my name, such my family, such my caste 3 , such my subsistence, such my experience of comfort or of pain, and such the limit of my life ; and when I passed from thence, I took form again in that other place where my name was so and so, such my family, such my caste, such my subsistence, such my experience of comfort or of joy, and such my term of life ; and when I fell from thence, I took form in such and such a place 4 ; " — should he desire thus to call to mind his temporary states in days gone by in all their modes and all their details let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quie- tude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! 9

i8. 6 ' If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, to see with pure and heavenly vision, surpassing that of

1 The Lalita Vistara (p. 442) characteristically carries this enu- meration further up into innumerable ko/is and niyutas of births.

2 This is based on the Buddhist theory of the periodical destruc- tion and renovation of the universe, each of which takes countless years to be accomplished.

3 Va»»a, colour.

* The text of this clause recurs nearly word for word in the Brahma-^ala Sutta, pp. 17-21 : and in the Lalita Vistara, Chap. XXII, p. 442 ; and exactly in the Sdmaw^a Phala Sutta, p. 148.

5 This paragraph recurs in the Simaw^a Phala Sutta, p. 150, and in nearly the same words in the Lalita Vistara, Chap. XXII.

Akankheyya sutta.

17-21 : and in the Lalita Vistara, Chap. XXII, p. 442 ; and exactly in the Sdmaw^a Phala Sutta, p. 148.

5 This paragraph recurs in the Simaw^a Phala Sutta, p. 150, and in nearly the same words in the Lalita Vistara, Chap. XXII.

Akankheyya sutta.

217

men, beings as they pass from one state of existence and take form in others ; beings base or noble, good-looking or ill-favoured, happy or miserable, according to the karma they inherit — (if he should desire to be able to say), " These beings, reverend sirs, by their bad conduct in action, by their bad conduct in word, by their bad conduct in thought, by their speaking evil of the Noble Ones 1 , by their adhesion to false doctrine, or by their acquiring the karma of false doctrine 2 , have been reborn, on the dissolution of the body after death, in some unhappy state of suffering or woe V " These beings, reverend sirs, by their good conduct in action, by their good conduct in word, by their good conduct in thought, by their not speaking evil of the Noble Ones, by their adhesion to right doctrine, by their acquiring the karma of right doctrine, have been reborn, on the dissolution of the body after death, into some happy state in heaven ; " — should he desire thus to see with pure and heavenly vision, sur- passing that of men, beings as they thus pass from one state of existence and take form in others; beings base or noble, good-looking or ill-favoured, happy or miserable, according to the karma they inherit ; let him then fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs

1 This is a collective term, meaning Buddhas, Pai^eka Buddhas, Arahats, An&gamins, Sakaddg&mins, and Sotdpannas; that is, those who are walking in the Noble Eightfold Path.

2 The Pali is mi&kha.- (and below sammd-) di/Mi-kamma- samadana; the Lalita Vistara, whose other expressions are identical with the Pali, has, very strangely, mithyd- (and below samyag-) di/Mi-karma-dharma-sam£d£na.

8 See note on M. P. S., Chap. I, § 23.

21 8 IF HE SHOULD DESIRE .

from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

19. 1 * If a Bhikkhu should desire, Brethren, by the destruction of the great evils (Asavas 2 ), by him- self, and even in this very world, to know and realise and attain to Arahatship, to emancipation of heart, and emancipation of mind, let him then fulfil all right- eousness, let him be devoted to that quietude of heart which springs from within, let him not drive back the ecstasy of contemplation, let him look through things, let him be much alone ! '

20. * Continue therefore, Brethren, in the practice of Right Conduct, adhering to the Rules of the Order; continue enclosed by the restraint of the Rules of the Order, devoted to uprightness in life ; train yourselves according to the Precepts, taking them upon you in the sense of the danger in the least offence. For to this end alone has all, that has been said, been said ! *

21. Thus spake the Blessed One. And those Brethren, delighted in heart, exalted the word of the Blessed One.

End of the Akankheyya Sutta.

1 Compare S&ma##a Phala Sutta, p. 151 ; Mahdparinibbdna Sutta II, 7 ; and Lalita Vistara, Chap. XXII, p. 442.

2 Sensuality, individuality, delusion, and ignorance.

ATETO KH ILA-SUTTA.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

ICE T O K H I LA SUTTA.

The following translation has been made from a text, based on the Tumour and Phayre MSS. in the India Office, of which Dr. Morris was kind enough to allow me the use. The Suttas in the MsggAima. Nikdya are usually distin- guished by the way in which a single thought or one or two allied thoughts are stated shortly at the commence- ment, and are then elaborated and repeated through a number of consecutive and carefully-balanced paragraphs arranged in a literary form that would now be considered monotonous and tiresome in the extreme. The repetitions in the Suttas of the Digha Nik&ya are no doubt equally artificial, but the train of reasoning being longer and more varied, there is always the hope of a change in the form, or of a new departure in the thought, to sustain the reader's flagging interest.

The argument of this Sutta may be shortly stated thus. The means by which freedom from barrenness and bondage of heart can be reached are zeal and determined effort. But that zeal will be crippled in its struggle against barren- ness by want of confidence in the teacher, his doctrine, his order, or his system of self-culture, and by want of concord with the brethren. And that zeal will be crippled in its struggle against bondage by sensuality, by sloth, or by a craving after a future life in any of its various forms. If the disciple be strenuously diligent in the struggle against these things he need not fear or doubt, he will never fail, but will assuredly reach even to the supreme security of Arahatship.

When I first read this Sutta I was irresistibly reminded of that passage in the New Testament where the exhorta- tion to the disciple, ' giving all diligence ' to add to his faith

222

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, and brotherly kindness, is followed by the figure that these things will make him to be 4 neither barren nor unfruitful ; ' and closes with the promise that if he do these things, giving diligence to make his calling and election sure, he shall never fall, but shall enter into that everlasting kingdom which is the supreme goal of the Christian life.

The analogy is sufficiently close to throw considerable light upon our Sutta, but it touches only the barrenness. The bondage is specially Buddhistic, and is allied with the doctrine of the Sanyo^-anas, or fetters, which the pilgrim along the Noble Path has to break before he can reach the full fruit of Arahatship. It should be compared also with the fivefold bond mentioned in the Teviggu Sutta, Chap. I, §§ 26-28, the word there used being bandhanaw, as against vinibandhana/// here, and the fivefold bond being a fivefold division of our first bondage.

The ten fetters are —

1. The delusion of self (sakk&ya-di/Mi).

2. Doubt (vikikikkASL).

3. Reliance on the efficacy of rites and ceremonies

(silabbata-parimisa).

4. The bodily lusts or passions (kima).

5. Hatred, ill-feeling (patigha).

6. Desire for a future life in the worlds of form

(rupariga).

7. Desire for a future life in the formless worlds

(arupardga).

8. Pride (mho).

9. Self-righteousness (uddha££a). 10. Ignorance (avi^d).

Here the 4th fetter is correlative to our first bondage ; the 6th fetter to our 2nd and 3rd bondage ; and part of the 3rd fetter to our 5th bondage.

The 2nd, 3rd, and 5th bondage are in fact but a new way of stating the fundamental Buddhist doctrine that good must be pursued without any ulterior motive ; and that that man is not spiritually free in whom there is still the least hankering after any future life beyond the grave.

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

ZETOZHILA-SUTTA.

1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once dwelling at Sivatthi, in the park of An&tha Pi/zafika.

There the Blessed One addressed the brethren, saying, ' Brethren ! }

' Yea, Lord ! ' said those brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One spake :

2. 'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not quite become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness \ has not altogether broken through the five kinds of mental bondage 2 — that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to the full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline 3 — that can in no wise be ! '

3. ' And who has not become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness ? '

* In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother

1 Pawka £etokhila\

* Pa«£a ietaso vinibandha*.

8 Dhamma-vinaye. On the disputed question as to whether this compound is a Dvanda or not, see Dr. Oldenberg, Maha* Vagga, p. x. M. Ldon Feer (' £tudes Bouddhiques,' p. 203) has taken itasTatpurusha; and it would be hazardous to say that it is never used as such. Here I think it is a Dvandva.

224

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

doubts in the Teacher (Satth&), is uncertain re- garding him, has not confidence in him, and has not faith in him ; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not become free from this first spiritual barrenness.

4. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother doubts in the System of Belief (Dhamma), is uncertain regarding it, has not confidence in it, has not faith in it ; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not become free from this second spiritual barren- ness.

5. 4 And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has doubt in the Brotherhood (Sangha), is. un- certain about it, has no confidence in it, has no faith in it; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not become free from this third spiritual barrenness.

6. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has doubt in the System of Self-culture (Sik- kh&), is uncertain about it, has no confidence in it, has no faith in it; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not become free from this fourth spiritual barrenness.

7. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother is angry with his fellow-disciples, discontented with

JSTETOKHILA SUTTA.

225

them, excited against them, barren towards them, the mind of the brother, O Bhikkhus, thus angry with his fellow-disciples, discontented with them, excited against them, barren towards them does not incline towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not become free from this fifth spiritual barrenness.

' It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who is not free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness.'

8. ' And who has not broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage ? '

' In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for lusts (k&me), has not got rid of the desire after lusts, has not got rid of the attraction to lusts, has not got rid of the thirst for lusts, has not got rid of the fever of lust, has not got rid of the craving after lusts. —

4 Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for lusts, has not got rid of the desire after lusts, has not got rid of the attraction to lusts, has not got rid of the thirst for lusts, has not got rid of the fever of lust, has not got rid of the craving after lusts, his mind does not incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

1 But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this first spiritual bondage.

9. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for a body 1 (k&ye),

1 But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this first spiritual bondage.

9. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for a body 1 (k&ye),

1 It is possible that kaya may be used here in a technical sense, as the group or aggregate of qualities, apart from form, which go

[»] Q

226

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

has not got rid of the desire after a body, has not got rid of the attraction to a body, has not got rid of the thirst for a body, has not got rid of the fever of a body, has not got rid of the craving after a body. —

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for a body, has not got rid of the desire after a body, has not got rid of the attraction to a body, has not got rid of the thirst for a body, has not got rid of the fever of a body, has not got rid of the craving after a body, his mind does not incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this second spiritual bondage.

10. * And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for a form (rfipe), has not got rid of the desire after a form, has not got rid of the attraction to a form, has not got rid of the thirst for a form, has not got rid of the fever of a form, has not got rid of the craving after a form. —

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for a form, has not got rid of the desire after a form, has not got rid of the attraction to a form, has not got rid of the thirst for a form, has not got rid of the fever of a form, has not got rid of the craving after a form, his mind does not incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this third spiritual bondage.

to make up an individual. This paragraph would then correspond to the 7th Sawyo^ana.

JOETOKHILA SUTTA.

227

11. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, a brother may- have eaten enough and to satiety, and begins to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth.

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, when he has eaten enough and to satiety, begins to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth, his mind does not incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this fourth spiritual bondage.

12. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, a brother may have adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts \ and thinking to himself : " By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels !" —

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, may have adopted the religious life in the aspiration of be- longing to some one or other of the angel hosts, and thinking to himself : " By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this reli- gious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels!" his mind does not incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth not toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has not broken through this fifth spiritual bondage.

' It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who has not broken through the five kinds of mental bondage.

1 A##atara/tf deva-nikayaw. Compare Mahaparinibbana Sutta, Chap. I, § 1 1, Chap. II, § 9.

Q 2

228

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

13. 'And whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not quite become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness, has not altogether broken through the five kinds of mental bondage — that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to the full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline — that can in no wise be !

14. ' But whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has become quite free from the five kinds of mental barrenness, has altogether broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage — that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline — that can well be ! '

15. 'And who has become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness ?'

' In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother does not doubt in the Teacher (SatthA), is not uncertain regarding him, has confidence in him, and has faith in him ; then his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle*

'But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this first spiritual barrenness.

16. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother does not doubt in the System of Belief (Dhamma), is not uncertain regarding it, has confidence in it, and has faith in it; then his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle*

4 But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this second spiritual barrenness,

17. ' And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother

tfETOKHILA SUTTA.

229

does not doubt in the Brotherhood (Sangha), is not uncertain about it, has confidence in it, and has faith in it; then his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this third spiritual barrenness.

18. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother does not doubt in the System of Self-culture (Sik- khi), is not uncertain about it, has confidence in it, and has faith in it; then his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fourth spiritual barrenness.

19. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother is not angry with his fellow-disciples, is not discon- tented with them, is not excited against them, is not barren towards them, the mind of the brother, O Bhikkhus, who is thus not angry with his fellow- disciples, not discontented with them, not excited against them, not barren towards them, does incline toward zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fifth spiritual barrenness/

20. ' And who has broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage?'

' In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion after lusts (kime), has got rid of the desire after lusts, has got rid of the attraction to lusts, has got rid of the thirst for

23O BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

lusts, has got rid of the fever of lust, has got rid o^K the craving after lusts. —

* Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got ridH of the passion after lusts, has got rid of the desire= after lusts, has got rid of the attraction to lusts, has— got rid of the thirst for lusts, has got rid of the fever of lust, has got rid of the craving after lusts, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this first spiritual bondage.

21. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion after a body (k&ye), has got rid of the desire after a body, has got rid of the attraction to a body, has got rid of the thirst for a body, has got rid of the fever of a body, has got rid of the craving after a body. —

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got rid of the passion after a body, has got rid of the desire after a body, has got rid of the attraction to a body, has got rid of the thirst for a body, has got rid of the fever of a body, has got rid of the craving after a body, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, per- severance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this second spiritual bondage.

22. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has got rid of the passion for a form (rtipe), has got rid of the desire after a form, has got rid of the attraction to a form, has got rid of the thirst for a form, has got rid of the fever of a form, has got rid of the craving after a form. —

tfETOKHILA SUTTA.

231

—

tfETOKHILA SUTTA.

231

* Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has got rid of the passion for a form, has got rid of the desire after a form, has got rid of the attraction to a form, has got rid of the thirst for a form, has got rid of the fever of a form, has got rid of the craving after a form, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this third spiritual bondage.

23. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother does not, having eaten enough and to satiety, begin to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth.

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, does not, having eaten enough and to satiety, begin to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth, his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fourth spiritual bondage *.

24. 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts, thinking to himself : " By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels ! " —

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not

1 In this section, and in section n, I have rendered sukha by ease, and not by happiness, as I think the former is always its more exact meaning in such passages.

232

BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

adopted the religious life in the aspiration of be- longing to some one or other of the angel hosts, thinking to himself : " By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels ! " his mind does incline to zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle.

' But whosesoever mind inclineth towards zeal, exertion, perseverance, and struggle, he has become free from this fifth spiritual bondage.

' It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who has broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage.

25. 4 Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has be- come quite free from the five kinds of mental barrenness, has altogether broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage — that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline — that can well be !

26. 'He practises the (first) road to saintship 1 , which is accompanied by the union of the will to acquire it with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (second) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of exertion with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (third) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of thought with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against sin. He practises the (fourth) road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of investigation with earnest con-

1 lddhip£daw. Here Iddhi must be (spiritual) welfare.

JSTETOKHILA SUTTA.

233

templation and the struggle against sin 1 , — and strong determination too as a fifth.

27. 'The brother, O Bhikkhus, thus endowed with fifteenfold determination 2 becomes destined to come forth into the light, capable of the higher wisdom, sure of attaining to the supreme security 3 .

28. 'Just, O Bhikkhus, as when a hen has eight or ten or twelve eggs, and the hen has pro- perly brooded over them, properly sat upon them, properly sat herself round them, however much such a wish may arise on her heart as this, " O would that my little chickens should break open the egg- shell with the points of their claws, or with their beaks, and come forth into the light in safety ! " yet all the while those little chickens are sure to break the egg-shell with the points of their claws, or with their beaks, and to come forth into the light in safety.

29. 'Just even so, a brother thus endowed with fifteenfold determination is sure to come forth into the light, sure to reach up to the higher wisdom, sure to attain to the supreme security 4 ! '

1 The text of this section, so far, will be found in Childers's dictionary, sub voce Iddhip&do.

2 That is, the four Iddhipadas, and Usso/^i, each multiplied by three.

3 Anuttarassa Yogakkhemassa ; that is, Nirvawa. Com- pare Dhammapada, ver. 23 and p. 180.

4 The tertium quid of the parable is the absolute certainty of the event which will follow on the hen having duly and diligently followed the law of her instinct, even though she, meanwhile, in her ignorance, be full of doubt and desire. The certainty of the delivery of a woman with child is not unfrequently used as a symbol of what can be absolutely depended upon. So of 'the word of the glorious Buddhas/ which endureth for ever, in ' Bud- dhist Birth Stories/ p. 18. I have attempted to imitate the play in the text upon the two words for the c coming forth into the light/

234 BARRENNESS AND BONDAGE.

— — ]

30. Thus spake the Blessed One. And those Brethren, delighted in heart, exalted the word of the Blessed One.

End of the Sutta, the sixth, on barrenness and bondage.

— — ]

30. Thus spake the Blessed One. And those Brethren, delighted in heart, exalted the word of the Blessed One.

End of the Sutta, the sixth, on barrenness and bondage.

figuratively and literally, of the disciple and of the little chicken. The first is in Pali bhabbo abhinibbidaya (from vid), the latter is aho vata . . . sotthini abhinibbhi^eyyan (from bhid). On sammi-paribhavitdni, here applied to the a» •

294

sabbAsava sutta.

presence within the body of a soul. Buddhism is not only independent of the theory of soul, but regards the con- sideration of that theory as worse than profitless, as the source of manifold delusions and superstitions. Practically this comes, however, to much the same thing as the denial of the existence of the soul ; just as agnosticism is, at best, but an earnest and modest sort of atheism. And we have seen above that anattaw, the absence of a soul or self as abiding principle, is one of the three parts of Buddhist wisdom {v\gg&) 1 and of Buddhist perception (sa/?«a) 2 . The reconciliation of these two doctrines, of the agnosticism and of the denial, is, I think, that the absence of soul is only predicated of those five Aggregates of parts and powers to which a good Buddhist should confine his attention. These alone he should consider ; and he does wrong to care whether beyond and beside them a soul has, or has not, any real existence.

I may add that the importance of the Asavas appears from the fact that elsewhere the knowledge of them, of their origin, of their cessation, and of the way that leads to their cessation is placed on the road to Arahatship immediately after, and parallel to, the knowledge of Suffering, of its origin, of its cessation, and of the way that leads to its ces- sation — the knowledge, that is, of the four Noble Truths 3 .

The Asavas there meant are sensuality, individuality (or life), and ignorance ; and the expressions c to him who knows, to him who sees' (^inato passato) are used there much in the same way as they are in our § 3. Per- haps this was the passage which Burnouf had in his mind when he wrongly said 4 that he had found in the Mah&- parinibbclna Sutta an enumeration of three classes of Asavas, whereas that Sutta always divides them into four classes.

I am unable to suggest any good translation of the term itself —simple though it is. It means literally ' a running or flowing/ or (thence) ' a leak ; ' but as that figure is not

1 See above, p. 162.

3 Samara Phala Sutta, p. 152.

2 See above, p. 9.

4 Lotus de la Bonne Loi, p. 823.

INTRODUCTION.

295

It means literally ' a running or flowing/ or (thence) ' a leak ; ' but as that figure is not

1 See above, p. 162.

3 Samara Phala Sutta, p. 152.

2 See above, p. 9.

4 Lotus de la Bonne Loi, p. 823.

INTRODUCTION.

295

used in English in a spiritual sense, it is necessary to choose some other figure ; and it is not easy to find one that is appropriate. ' Sin ' would be very misleading, the Christian idea of sin being inconsistent with Buddhist ethics. A ' fault ' in the geological use of the word comes somewhat nearer. * Imperfection ' is too long, and for ' stain ' the Pcili has a different word l . In the Book of the Great Decease I have chosen ' evil ; ' here I leave the word untranslated.

1 Ra^- o. See the verses translated in * Buddhist Birth Stories,' p. 164.

ALL THE ASAVAS.

sabbAsava-sutta.

1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once staying at Sivatthi, at the £etavana, in An&tha Piwdfika's park.

There the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said, * Bhikkhus.'

* Yea, Lord !' said those brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One spake :

2. ' I will teach you, O brethren, the lesson of the subjugation of all the Asavas. Listen well, and attend, and I will speak!'

' Even so, Lord ! ' said the brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One spake :

' 1 say that there is destruction of the Asavas, brethren, to him who knows, to him who sees ; not to him who knows not, to him who sees not. And what do I say, brethren, is the destruction of the Asavas to him who knows, to him who sees ? It is (a matter of) wise consideration, and of foolish consideration.

3. ' In him, brethren, who considers unwisely, Asavas which have not arisen spring up, and Asavas which have arisen are increased. In him, brethren, who considers wisely, Asavas which have not arisen

SABBASAVA SUTTA.

297

spring not up, and Asavas which have arisen do not increase.

4. ' There are Asavas which should be abandoned, brethren, by insight, there are Asavas which should be abandoned by subjugation, there are Asavas which should be abandoned by right use, there are Asavas which should be abandoned by endurance, there are Asavas which should be abandoned by avoidance, there are Asavas which should be aban- doned by removal, there are Asavas which should be abandoned by cultivation.

5. 4 And which, brethren, are the Asavas which should be abandoned by insight 1 ?

' In the first place, brethren, the ignorant uncon- verted man, who perceives not the Noble Ones, who comprehends not, nor is trained according to the doctrine of the noble ones ; who perceives not good men, who comprehends not, nor is trained according to the doctrine of good men ; he neither understands what things ought to be considered, nor what things ought not to be considered ; the things that ought not to be considered, those he considers; and the things that ought to be considered, those he does not consider.

6. * And which, brethren, are those things which he should not consider, which he nevertheless con- siders ?

* There are things which, when a man considers them, the Asava of Lust springs up within him, which had not sprung up before ; and the Asava of Lust, which had sprung up, grows great; the Asava of

1 Dassand.

298

ALL THE ASAVAS.

Life springs up within him, which had not sprung up before ; and the Asava of Life, which had sprung up, grows great; the Asava of Ignorance springs up within him, which had not sprung up before; and the Asava of Ignorance, which had sprung up, grows great.

'These are the things which ought not to be considered, things which he considers.

7. 'And which, brethren, are those things which should be considered, which he nevertheless does not consider?

4 There are things, brethren, which, when a man considers them, the Asava of Lust, if it had not sprung up before, springs not up within him ; and the Asava of Lust, which had sprung up, is put away; the Asava of Life, if it had not sprung up before, springs not up within him ; and the Asava of Life, which had sprung up, is put away; the Asava of Ignorance, if it had not sprung up before, springs not up within him; and the Asava of Ignorance, which had sprung up, is put away.

' These are the things which ought to be con- sidered, things which he does not consider.

8. ' It is by his consideration of those things, which ought not to be considered ; and by his non- consideration of those things, which ought to be considered, that Asavas arise within him which had not sprung up ; and Asavas which had sprung up, grow great/

9. * Unwisely doth he consider thus :

4 " Have I existed during the ages that are past, or have I not ? What was I during the ages that are past? How was I during the ages that are

SABBASAVA SUTTA-

299

past ? Having been what, what did I become in the ages that are past ? Shall I exist during the ages of the future, or shall I not ? What shall I be during the ages of the future ? How shall I be during the ages of the future ? Having been what, what shall I become during the ages of the future ? "

4 Or he debates within himself as to the present : " Do I after all exist, or am I not ? How am I ? This is a being; whence now did it come, and whither will it go ?

10. 4 In him, thus unwisely considering, there springs up one or other of the six (absurd) notions l .

4 As something true and real he gets the notion, " I have a self!"

4 As something true and real he gets the notion, ana, 14, 29, 38. Sattambaka £etiya, 40. Sattapa/zm Cave at Ra^agaha, 56. S&vatthi, on the Rapti, 99, 167, 168. Senart's ' L6gende du Bouddha,' six, 245.

Service Hall, 5, 60.

Service, religious, how conducted

among Buddhists, 16-18. Seven classes of gods, 154. Seven conditions of welfare, 2-7, Seven jewels of the Law, 29, 61-63. Seven sacred places at Ra^agaha,

Service Hall, 5, 60.

Service, religious, how conducted

among Buddhists, 16-18. Seven classes of gods, 154. Seven conditions of welfare, 2-7, Seven jewels of the Law, 29, 61-63. Seven sacred places at Ra^agaha,

5*, 57.

Seven sacred places at Vesili, 40, 58. Seven Treasures of a king of kings,

63, 251. Seven wondrous gems, 249. Sevenfold higher wisdom, 9, 14, 211. Shows of various kinds, 192. Silas, the three, 188-200. Sitavana, grove, 56. Sorrow, cause of, &c., 23, 24. Soul, early Buddhist doctrine as to,

162, 165, 299. Spells, 196, 199.

INDEX.

313

Spirits. See Devati. Spiritualism, 208.

Storehouse of waters beneath the

earth, 130. Subhadda, the barber, xi, 127.

— the last convert, 10 3-1 1 1.

— convert at Nidika, 25, 26. SubhaddS, the Queen of Glory, 240,

241, 276. Subhuti Unnans§, xxxi. Sudatta, convert at N&dika, 25. Su^ti, convert at Nadika, 25. Sukhavativyfiha, quoted, 246, 249. Sunidha, minister, 18, 19, 21. Sun-myths, 244, 245. Susunaga, xvi.

Tapoda, grove at Ra^agaha, 56. Taranatha, quoted, xix. Tarukkha, a Brihman, 167. Tavatiwsa angels, 18, 32. Tevi^ga-vayWAagotta Sutta, 1 59, 209. Textile fabrics of various kinds, 193. Theism, 163.

Thirst, or craving. See the Noble Truths.

Thirty- Three, the Great. See Ta- vatiwsa.

Thunder-cloud, name of the sun- horse, 255, 274.

Thupa. See D&gaba.

Tittiriya Brahmins, 171.

Todeyya, a Brahman, 167.

Tope. See Digaba.

Transfiguration of the Buddha, 82.

Truth, nature of the Buddhist, 27.

Truths, the Four Noble, 23, 24, 148-150.

Tudigama, in Kosala, 168.

Tuttha, convert at Nadika, 25, 26.

Udena Afetiya, 40. Ukkatt^a, in Kosala, 168. Upatissa=Sariputta, 1. Up&vawa, a mendicant, 87. Upavattana, at Kusinanl, 85.

Uposatha, the Sabbath day, 251.

— name of the solar elephant, 254. Uttara-sisakaw, 85.

Va^ians, 1-4.

Valihaka, name of the sun-horse,

255, 274. Vamadeva, Vedic poet, 172. Vimaka, Vedic poet, 172. Vanishing away, 21, 22, 118. VaseM&a, a young Brahman, 168-

203.

— a Vedic poet, 172.

Vasetf&ts, epithet of the Mallas, 121. Vassa, season of, 34. Vassakara, Brihman, 2-4, 18, 19, 21. Vebhira Mount, at Ra^agaha, 56. Vedehi-putto, 1.

Vedic images adopted by the Bud- dhists, 141, 245. Vedic poets, 172. Ve/uriya, a kind of gem, 256. Vesali, xvi, 28, 40, 58, 64. Vessamitta, a Vedic poet, 172. Ve/Aadipa, a Brahman village, 132. Videha, 1.

Vimokkhi, the eight, 51, 52, 213. Virtue, description of Buddhist, 10. Vissakamma, the god (Vulcan), 265. Vulture's Peak, 1, 55.

Wheel of the Law, 140, 141, 153. Wisdom, the sevenfold higher, 9.

— its details, 306.

— possessed by the Buddhas, 14. Witchcraft, 208.

Women, 43, 53, 91, 98, 103, 257. Word of the Buddhas enduring for

ever, 233. Writing, introduction of into India,

xxii.

Yamataggi, a Vedic poet, 172. Yatramulld Unnlnse, xxxi.

Zoysa, Mudaliyar de, xxxi.

ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.

Maha-parinibbana Sutta I, 23, 24. The 'nobles' (khattiyas) should come before the 'Brahmans,' as in III, 21, and in the Tevigga Sutta I, 19. The sentiment of I, 24 recurs in a passage given by Mr. Beal from the Chinese in the ' Indian Antiquary,' IV, 96.

— II, 31. 'Went out from the monastery* (vihara). There is no

mention of a vihara in the previous sections. The following con- versation seems therefore to have been originally recorded in some other connection.

— Ill, 20. Add at the end, 'These, Ananda, are the eight causes,

proximate and remote, of the appearance of a mighty earth- quake.'

— V, 10 (note p. 88). The passage here quoted from Buddhaghosa,

about angels on the point of a gimlet, recurs in the Anguttara Nikaya, Duka Nip&ta.

— V, 52. The words ' who was not a believer* should be in brackets.

They are inserted to give the full force of the word paribba^ako, as the translation * mendicant ' might convey the impression that Subhadda was a Buddhist mendicant.

— VI, 26. Compare G&taka I, 60, line 17.

TRANSLITERATION OF ORIENTAL ALPHABETS. 317

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FOR THE SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST. 319

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