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

19. ' Well then, Prince, I will give you a simile, for by way of a simile some wise men discern the meaning of what is said. Once upon a time, Prince, a certain trumpeter, taking his trumpet of chank-shell, travelled to the folk on the border. When he came to a certain village, he stood in its midst and blew thrice on his trumpet, then laying it on the ground sat down beside it. Now, Prince, those border folk thought: — "Whose is this sound so charming, so lovely, so sweet, so constraining, so enervating ? " Coming together they asked the trumpeter. " This, my masters, is what men call a trumpet, the sound whereof is so charming, so lovely, so sweet, so constraining, so enervating." They laid the trumpet on its back and said : — " Speak, master trumpet ! speak, master trumpet ! " No sound did the trumpet make. They laid the trumpet curving downward, on this side, on that side, they stood it upright,

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they stood it topsy turvy, they struck it with their hands, with a clod, with a stick, with a sword, on one side, on the other, on every side, saying : — " Speak, master trumpet ! speak, master trumpet ! " [338] Then, Prince, the trumpeter thought : — " How silly are these border born men ! Why will they seek so senselessly for the trumpet's sound ? " And while they looked on, he took his trumpet, blew thrice upon it and, taking it with him, went away. Then, Prince, those border born men thought thus : — " When forsooth there was with that trumpet a man, and an effort, and air, that same trumpet made sounds. But when there was with it neither man, nor effort, nor air, that same trumpet made no sounds." Even so, Prince, when this body has its concomitants of life, heat and intelligence, then it goes about and comes back, it stands and sits and lies down, it sees forms with the eye, hears sounds with the ear, smells odours with the smell, tastes tastes with the tongue, touches the tangible with the body, cognizes things with the mind. But when it lacks those three concomitants, it can do none of these things. Let this, Prince, be to you a proof that there both is another world, rebirth other than of parents, and fruit and result of deeds well and ill-done.'

20. ' Even though Master Kassapa says this, [339] it still appears to me that there is neither another world, nor rebirth other than of parents, nor fruit or result of deeds well or ill-done.'

' Have you any further evidence, Prince?'
' I have, Master Kassapa.'
' What may that be like ? '

* Take the case, Master Kassapa, of men who have taken a felon red-handed and bring him up, saying : — " My lord, we caught this felon in the act ; inflict on him what penalty you wish." And I say : — " Well, my masters, flay this man alive, perchance we may see the soul of him passing out." They do so, but no passing of the soul of him do we see. And in cutting out his integument, and his flesh, and his nerves, and breaking his bones and extracting the marrow thereof, still nop. 363 soul of him do we see. This, Master Kassapa, is for me evidence that there is neither another world, nor rebirth other than of parents, nor fruit or result of deeds well or ill-done/