Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

3J . ' And when the boy Vipassi was born, brethren, he looked forward with unblinking eyes, like the gods in the heaven of Delight. Now it was because of this, people exclaiming " Vipassi, Vipassi " — a Seer, a Seer ! — that this became his name 3. And again, brethren, while Bandhuman raja was sitting as judge, he would take the boy on his hip and so lay down the law as to the cases arising till verily the boy, thus [21] seated on his father's hip, and continually considering, would also determine the points of the matter according to justice4. Then at the thought "It is the babe who is judging cases arieht " ever more and more did that word " a Seer, a Seer" become used as his name.

38. 'Now Bandhuman raja, brethren, had three palaces built for the boy Vipassi, one for the rains, one for the winter and one for the summer, and he had them fitted with every kind of gratification for the five senses. Thus it came to pass that Vipassi spent

1 The Cy. relates of the bird that it sings a flute-like song after pecking at honey and mangoes, and that the song exercises a sort of Orpheus- spell over every beast that hears it. Asandhimitta, the consort of Asoka, was converted by it. She had inquired of the Order, if it were known what the Buddha's voice was like; and on its being compared to the karavika's song, wished to hear that. Asoka sent for one, which would not sing in its cage, till a mirror was placed by it. Fancying it saw a kinsman, it sang, throwing every one into ecstasies, and so exalting the queen's idea of the Buddha's voice, that she attained 'the fruit of sotapatti.'

2 That is, not by special practice, but as the result of action in former births, as with the fairies' power of vision. Cy.

3 Vipassi refers rather to the inward vision of the seer. Vipassana is insight or intuition.

4 Namely by giving signs of dissatisfaction when a decision was wrong.

III. Cp. 1 the four months of the rainy season in the rains-palace, ministered to by bands of female musicians l ; and not once did he come down (from the upper terrace) into the mansion.'

Here endeth the Birth chapter.

II.

i . ' Now the young lord Vipassi, brethren, when many years, many centuries, many thousands of years had passed by 2, bade his charioteer make ready the state carriages, saying : — " Get ready the carriages, good charioteer, and let us go through the park to inspect the pleasaunce." "Yea, my lord," replied the charioteer, and harnessed the state carriages and sent word to Vipassi : — " The carriages are ready, my lord ; do now what you deem to be fit." Then Vipassi mounted a state carriage, and drove out in state into the park.

2. ' Now the young lord Vipassi saw, brethren, as he was driving to the park, [22] an aged man as bent as a roof gable, decrepit, leaning on a staff, tottering as he walked, afflicted and long past his prime. And seeing him Vipassi said : — " That man, good charioteer, what has he done, that his hair is not like that of other men, nor his body ? "

' " He is what is called an aged man, my lord."

1 Nippurisehi turiyehi. Both words are ambiguous. Childers, following B. R., who follow Wilson, renders turiya by musical instrument. It is very doubtful whether it ever means that. Music, or orchestra, seems to be required in such passages as I have noted. Nippurisa (only found as yet in this connexion) may be non-human (that is, fairy), or not male. See D. II, 171 ; M. I, 571 ; A. I, 145; Vin. I, 15 ; II, 180 ; J. I, 58, and Senart's note at Mahavastu III, 486. The alternative rendering would therefore be ' fairy music' But the commentator evidently takes the words in the meaning given above.