Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)
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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.
' Then thought that man : — " How wonderful a thing is it, and how marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm ! [i3l] So much so that a man though being both conscious and awake, neither sees, nor hears the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, and each close to him."
' And after giving utterance to his deep faith in
A/ara Kalama, he departed thence.'
28. ' Now what think you, Pukkusa, which is the more difficult thing either to do or to meet with — that a man, being conscious and awake, should neither see, nor hear the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, close to him, — or that a man, being conscious and awake, should neither see, nor hear the sound thereof when the falling rain goes on beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing ? '
29. ' What in comparison, lord, can these five hundred carts do, or six or seven or eight or nine or ten hundred, yea, even hundreds and thousands of carts ? That certainly is more difficult, both to do and to meet with, that a man, being conscious and awake, should neither see, nor hear the sound thereof when the falling rain goes on beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing.'
30. ' Now on one occasion, Pukkusa, I was dwelling
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at Atuma, and was at the Threshing-floor. And at that time the falling rain began to beat and to splash, and the lightnings to flash forth, and the thunderbolts to crash ; and two peasants, brothers, and four oxen were killed. Then, Pukkusa,a great multitude of people went forth from Atuma, and went up to the place where the two peasants, brothers, and the four oxen, lay killed.'
31. 'Now at that time, Pukkusa, I had gone forth from the Threshing-floor, and was walking up and down thinking at the entrance to the Threshing-floor. And a certain man came, Pukkusa, out of that great multitude of people, up to the place where I was ; and when he came up he saluted me, and took his place respectfully on one side. And as he stood there, Pukkusa, I said to the man : —
32. '"Why then, sir, is this great multitude of people assembled together?'"
[132] ' " But just now, the falling rain began to beat and to splash, and the lightnings to flash forth, and the thunderbolts to crash ; and two peasants, brothers, were killed, and four oxen. Therefore is this great multitude of people gathered together. But where, lord, were you ? " '
' " I, sir, have been here all the while."
1 " But, lord, did you see it ? "
' " I, sir, saw nothing."
' " But, lord, did you hear it ? "
' " I, sir, heard nothing."
' " Were you then, lord, asleep ? "
' " I, sir, was not asleep."
1 "Were you then conscious, lord?" liven so, sir.
' " So that you, lord, being conscious and awake, neither saw, nor heard the sound thereof when the i falling rain went on beating and splashing, and the
/ lightnings were flashing forth, and the thunderbolts
/ were crashing." '
' "That is so, sir."
33. 'Then, Pukkusa, the thought occurred to that man : —
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' " How wonderful a thing is it, and marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm ! — so that a man, being conscious and awake, neither sees, nor hears the sound thereof when the falling rain is beating and splashing, and the lightnings are flashing forth, and the thunderbolts are crashing." And after giving utterance to his deep faith in me, he departed from me [with the customary demonstrations of respect].'