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

7. ' Well then, prince, I will yet ask you this, and do you answer even as you think fit. What think you ? Take the case of men who have taken a felon redhanded and bring him up saying : — " My lord, this felon was caught in the act ; inflict what penalty you wish." He replies : — " Well then, sirs, bind this man securely, his arms behind him, with a strong cord ; shave his head ; lead him around, to the sound of a sharp drum, from street to street, from cross-road to cross-road, and out at the southern gate ; there, south of the town in the place of execution, cut off his head." They, assenting with " Very good," proceed to carry out these orders, and, in the place of execution, make him sit down. Now would the felo^ gain permission of this sort from his executioners : " Let my masters, the executioners, wait till I have visited my friends and advisers, my kinsmen by blood, in this or that village or town, and come back" ? [322] Or would the executioners cut off the head of this vain talker ? '

1 They would not grant the permission, Master
Kassapa ; they would cut off his head.'

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* But this felon, prince, is human and cannot get leave from human executioners. How much less then would your friends and relatives, after death, in the Pit, gain permission from the keepers of the Pit, saying: — " Let my masters, the Pit-keepers, wait till we have gone and told the chieftain Payasi, that there is both another world and rebirth other than of parents, and fruit and result of deeds well-done and ill ? " Be this exposition a proof to you, Prince, that these things exist.'

8. ' Even though Master Kassapa says thus, it still appears to me that not one of these things exists.'

' Have you, prince, any further proof to establish
that they do not exist ? '
1 I have, Master Kassapa.'
' As how ? '

[323] ' Here it is, Master Kassapa. I have had friends and companions, kinsmen, men of the same blood as myself, who have abstained from taking life, from committing thefts, or fornication, from lying, slandering, rude, or frivolous speech, who have not coveted, or had malign thoughts or evil opinions. They anon have fallen ill of mortal suffering and disease. When I had understood that they would not recover from that illness, I have gone to them and said : " According, sirs, to the views and opinions held by some Wanderers and Brahmins, they who keep the precepts of morality, when the body breaks up, are after death reborn into the bright and happy world. Now you, sirs, have kept those precepts. If what those reverend samaras and brahmins say is true, this, sirs, will be your fate. If these things should befall you, sirs, when you have been there reborn, come to me and let me know that there is both another world, rebirth other than of parents, and fruit and result of deeds well-done and ill-done. You, sirs, are for me trustworthy and reliable, and what you say you have seen, will be even so, just as if I myself had seen it." They have consented to do this, saying " Very good " ; but they have not come and let me know, nor have in. a a

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