Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
2 There is a supplementary work, the Parivara, much shorter, and consisting mainly of what we should now call examination papers. This volume, though most interesting from the point of view of the history of Indian education, presupposes the old Vinaya, and is later.
As is well known the Khandhakas come first in Oldenberg's edition, but the order in the MSS. is as above. See for instance Oldenberg's 'Catalogue of the Pali MSS. in the India Office Library/ J.P.T. S., 1882, p. 59.
3 Compare Oldenberg's remarks on the Chinese translations of
Vinava at the end of his introduction to the Pali Text.
J
III. S ideal brahmin as quite emancipated from animistic superstitions and practices. He gains access to Brahma by practising (with reference, no doubt, to the closing scene of the Maha-Sudassana, and also to the Tevijja and other passages) the Rapture of Mercy, one of the Brahma-viharas, or Sublime Conditions. The Mahavastu is not satisfied with that. It makes him add to it the kindling of the mystic Fire, Agni (D. II, 239 and Mhvst. Ill, 210). The paean of delight at the arrival of the new gods (D. II, 227 and Mhvst. Ill, 203) is introduced in the Mahavastu by the words : ' He (Brahma) addressed them in verses.' But it gives only one verse. The others are found in the Digha. Perhaps their ethical standpoint did not appeal any more to the Lokottara-vadins. In the eulogy on the Buddha (D. II, 222 and Mhvst. 111,199) the Mahavastu mentions that there are eight points concerning which the Buddha was worthy of praise. It gives, however, only seven, differing in order and meaning from the eight given in the Digha. Verbal differences throughout the whole story are found in almost every paragraph.
In column 136 of Bunyiu Nanjio's catalogue of Chinese Buddhist books we find mentioned a translation of the Maha- Govinda evidently from some recension different from the Pali. It would be interesting to know whether there has, in this version, been preserved an intermediate stage between the Digha and the Mahavastu.
[XIX. mahA-govinda suttanta.
THE LORD HIGH STEWARD.]
[220] Thus have I heard.
1. The Exalted One was once staying at Rajagaha on Vulture-peak Hill. Now when the night was far spent, Five-crest of the Gandharva fairies,1 beautiful to see, irradiating the whole of Vulture-peak, came into the presence of the Exalted One, and saluted him, and stood on one side. So standing Five-crest the Gandharva addressed the Exalted One, and said : —
' The things, lord, that I have seen, the things I have noted when in the presence of the gods in the heaven of the Three-and-Thirty, I would tell to the Exalted One.'
' Tell thou me, Five-crest,' said the Exalted One.
2. ' In days gone by, lord, in days long long gone by, on the Fifteenth, the holy-day, at the Feast of the Invitations 2 on the night of full moon, all the gods in the heaven of the Thirty-Three were assembled, sitting in their Hall of Good Counsel. And a vast celestial company was seated round about, and at the four quarters of the firmament sat the Four Great Kings. There was Dhatara^a, king of the East, seated facing the west, presiding over his host ; Viru/haka, king of the South, seated facing the north, presiding over his host ; [221] Virupakkha, king of the West, seated facing the east, presiding over his host ; and Vessava^a, king of the North, seated facing the south, presiding over his host. Whenever, lord, all the gods in the heaven of the Thirty-Three are assembled, and seated in their Hall of Good Counsel, with the vast celestial company seated around them, and with the Four Great Kings at the four quarters of the firma-