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

He would be rightly saying that. For, Sirs, the doctrine well proclaimed by the Exalted One is all that ; and

"Wide opened are the portals to Nirvana! "

For, Sirs, whosoever has unwavering1 faith in the Buddha, unwavering faith in the Truth, unwavering faith in the Order, and is endowed with the virtues pleasing to the Noble Ones ; and whatsoever new gods have appeared in our midst, led hither by the Law, to wit more than twenty-four lacs of Magadha disciples now dead and gone 2 ; these all through complete destruction of the Three Bonds, have become converted, and cannot be reborn in any state of woe, but are assured of attaining to the Insight (of the highest stages of the Path). [218] Moreover there are here Once-returners ;

" But of that other Breed to tell,
Of higher merit 3, lo ! the tale
I cannot reckon, lest perchance
I should offend against the truth."

28. This, lord, was the matter of Brahma Sana?//- kumara's speech. And concerning what he had spoken, the reflection arose in the mind of the Great King- Vessava^a : — " Wonderful truly is it, Sirs, marvellous is it, that there should be so glorious a Teacher, so glorious a proclaiming of the Truth, and that such glorious avenues to distinction4 should be made known ! "

1 Avecca, not as Childers thought from ava + eti but from a + vi + eti. Buddhaghosa says acala. Veti (not in Childers) is to wane (see S. I, 135; A. II, 51; KV. 66; Asl. 329), but one can scarcely say ' unwaning faith.'

2 The reading is uncertain. As it stands the deceased disciples belong only to the second group — the new gods. It is quite possible that it is intended to include them also among the men of faith and virtue in the first group.

3 These must be Anagamins, Non-returners, those who, reborn in one of the heavens, will attain Arahantship there, without returning at all to this world.

4 Visesadhigama. See note above on § 13.

p. 252

Then, lord, Brahma Sanawkumara discerning this reflection in the mind of the Great King Vessavawa, spake thus to him : —

" Now what thinks my lord, the Great King Vessavana. ? There both has been in past times, a Teacher so glorious, a proclaiming of the Truth so glorious, a making known such glorious avenues to distinction, and there will be also in future times a Teacher so glorious, [214] a proclaiming of the Truth so glorious, a making known such glorious avenues to distinction."

29. This was the matter whereof Brahma Sana??zkumara spoke to the Thirty-Three Gods. And this matter the Great Kingf Vessavazza, when he had, in his own person, heard it and assented to it, reported to his own following. And this matter the spirit Janavasabha, when he had in his own person heard it so reported by Vessavawa, reported to the Exalted One. And this matter the Exalted One, when he had in his own person heard it and assented to it, and had also intuitively discerned itv reported to Ananda. And this matter the venerable Ananda, when he had in his own person heard it from the Exalted One and assented to it, reported to the brethren and the sisterhood, to believing laymen and laywomen. And the System waxed influential and prosperous and expanded and broadened with the numbers that joined, so well was it spread abroad among men.1

Here endeth Jana-vasabha's Story.

1 Afterwards interpreted to mean ' gods and men ' (see pp. 235, 236).
But the last two sentences refer here to men and women only. To
put in the gods spoils the climax.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

mahA-govinda suttanta.

This Suttanta is certainly, in some respects, among the most interesting in the collection ; and for the history of the literature is of great importance.