Fetching
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Fetching
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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1who first rendered samma throughout by correct 1 , afterwards adopted the other method 2 ; and as these eight divisions of the perfect life are of such vital importance for a correct understanding of what Buddhism really was, I here add in parallel columns his two versions of the terms used : — 1. Correct views (of truth). Correct doctrines. 2. Correct thoughts. A clear perception (of their 5. Correct (mode of obtain- A sinless occupation, ing a) livelihood. The varying expressions in these two lists are intended in all cases, (except perhaps the second,) to convey the same idea. The second division (samma-sankappo) is not really open to any doubt. Sankappois will, volition, determina- tion, desire ; that exertion of the will in the various affairs of life which results from the feeling that a certain result will be desirable. The only variation in the meaning is that sometimes more stress is laid upon the implied exertion of the will, sometimes more stress upon the implied desire 3. Correct words. 4. Correct conduct. nature). Inflexible veracity. Purity of conduct. 6. Correct efforts. 7. Correct meditation. 8. Correct tranquillity. Perseverance in duty. Holy meditation. Mental tranquillity. 1 Journal of the Ceylon Asiatic Society, 1845. 2 Ibid. 1865. INTRODUCTION. 145 which calls it into action. ' Motive' would be somewhat too impersonal, * volition 1 too metaphysical a rendering ; ' aims ' or ' aspirations ' seems to me to best express the sense intended in this passage. In No. 7 (sammd-sati) sati is literally 'memory/ but is used with reference to the constantly repeated phrase ' mindful and thoughtful' (sato sampa^dno) ; and means that activity of mind and constant presence of mind which is one of the duties most frequently inculcated on the good Buddhist. Gogerly's rendering of the term should have been reserved for the last division (sammi-samddhi), that prolonged meditation on the deep mysteries of life, which is stated in the Great Decease 1 to be the necessary complement and accessory to intelligence and goodness. Reason and works are good in themselves, but they require to be made perfect by that samddhi which in Buddhism corresponds to faith in Christianity. This Buddhist ideal of the perfect life has an analogy most instructive from a historical point of view with the ideals of the last pagan thinkers in Europe before the rise of Christianity, and of the modern exponents of what has been called fervent atheism. When after many cen- turies of thought a pantheistic or monotheistic unity has been evolved out of the chaos of polytheism, — which is itself a modified animism or animistic polydaemonism, — there has always arisen at last a school to whom theo- logical discussions have lost their interest, and who have sought for a new solution of the questions to which the theologies have given inconsistent answers, in a new system in which man was to work out here, on earth, his own salvation.
2ism, — there has always arisen at last a school to whom theo- logical discussions have lost their interest, and who have sought for a new solution of the questions to which the theologies have given inconsistent answers, in a new system in which man was to work out here, on earth, his own salvation. It is their place in the progress of thought that helps us to understand how it is that there is so much in common between the Agnostic philosopher of India, the Stoics of Greece and Rome, and some of the newest schools in France, in Germany, and among ourselves. 1 Chap. I, § ia, and often afterwards. ["] L THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - DHAMMA-^AKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA, Reverence to the Blessed One, the Holy One, the Fully-Enlightened One. 1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once staying at Benares, at the hermitage called Migaddya. And there the Blessed One addressed the company of the five Bhikkhus 1 , and said : 2. ' There are two extremes, O Bhikkhus, which the man who has given up the world 2 ought not to follow — the habitual practice, on the one hand, of those things whose attraction depends upon the passions, and especially of sensuality — a low and pagan 3 way (of seeking satisfaction) unworthy, un- profitable, and fit only for the worldly-minded — 1 These are the five mendicants who had waited on the Bodisat during his austerities, as described in 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' pp. 88, 89. Their names are given on p. 113 of that book; see below, the note on § 32. 9 Pabba^ito, one who has gone forth, who has renounced worldly things, a ' religious/ 3 Gamma, a word of the same derivation as, and corresponding meaning to, our word 4 pagan.' DHAMMA-2TAKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA. M7 and the habitual practice, on the other hand, of asceticism (or self-mortification), which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable. 3. 6 There is a middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathdgata 1 — a path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- standing, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirv£#a ! 4. 'What is that middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathdgata — that path which opens the fc eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvli^a ? Verily ! it is this noble eightfold path ; that is to say : 1 Right views ; Right aspirations; Right speech ; Right conduct; Right livelihood ; Right effort; Right mindfulness ; and Right contemplation. ' This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathigata — that path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- 1 The Tathdgata is an epithet of a Buddha.
3speech ; Right conduct; Right livelihood ; Right effort; Right mindfulness ; and Right contemplation. ' This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathigata — that path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- 1 The Tathdgata is an epithet of a Buddha. It is interpreted by Buddhaghosa, in the Samangala Vilasint, to mean that he came fo earth for the same purposes, after having passed through the same training in former births, as all the supposed former Buddhas; and that, when he had so come, all his actions corresponded with theirs. ' Avoiding these two extremes' should perhaps be referred to the TathSgata, but I prefer the above rendering. L 2 148 FOUNDATION OF KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. standing, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirv&#a ! 5. 'Now 1 this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning suffering. 4 Birth is attended with pain 2 , decay is painful, disease is painful, death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful, painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is unsatisfied, that too is painful. In brief, the five aggregates which spring from attachment (the conditions of individuality and their cause) 3 are painful. ' This then, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth con- cerning suffering. 6. ' Now this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering. * Verily, it is that thirst (or craving), causing the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual de- light, seeking satisfaction now here, now there — that is to say, the craving for the gratification of the passions, or the craving for (a future) life, or the craving for success (in this present life) 4 . 1 On the following ' four truths ' compare Dhammapada, verse 191, and Mahd-parinibMna Sutta II, 2, 3, and IV, 7, 8. 2 Or ' is painful.' 8 Pa£# upadanakkhandha. On the Khandhft, or the mate- rial and mental aggregates which go to make up an individual, see my 'Buddhism/ Chap. III. Upddina, or * grasping' is their source, and the uprooting of this up id in a from the mind is Arahatship. One might express the central thought of this First Noble Truth in the language of the nineteenth century by saying that pain results from existence as an individual. It is the struggle to maintain one's individuality which produces pain — a most preg- nant and far-reaching suggestion. See for a fuller exposition the Fortnightly Review for December, 1879. 4 ' The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life 9 DH AMMA-1TAKK A-PP AVATTANA-SUTTA. 1 49 ' This then, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth con- cerning the origin of suffering. 7. 'Now this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering. ' Verily, it is the destruction, in which no passion remains, of this very thirst ; the laying aside of, the getting rid of, the being free from, the harbouring no longer of this thirst.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1who first rendered samma throughout by correct 1 , afterwards adopted the other method 2 ; and as these eight divisions of the perfect life are of such vital importance for a correct understanding of what Buddhism really was, I here add in parallel columns his two versions of the terms used : — 1. Correct views (of truth). Correct doctrines. 2. Correct thoughts. A clear perception (of their 5. Correct (mode of obtain- A sinless occupation, ing a) livelihood. The varying expressions in these two lists are intended in all cases, (except perhaps the second,) to convey the same idea. The second division (samma-sankappo) is not really open to any doubt. Sankappois will, volition, determina- tion, desire ; that exertion of the will in the various affairs of life which results from the feeling that a certain result will be desirable. The only variation in the meaning is that sometimes more stress is laid upon the implied exertion of the will, sometimes more stress upon the implied desire 3. Correct words. 4. Correct conduct. nature). Inflexible veracity. Purity of conduct. 6. Correct efforts. 7. Correct meditation. 8. Correct tranquillity. Perseverance in duty. Holy meditation. Mental tranquillity. 1 Journal of the Ceylon Asiatic Society, 1845. 2 Ibid. 1865. INTRODUCTION. 145 which calls it into action. ' Motive' would be somewhat too impersonal, * volition 1 too metaphysical a rendering ; ' aims ' or ' aspirations ' seems to me to best express the sense intended in this passage. In No. 7 (sammd-sati) sati is literally 'memory/ but is used with reference to the constantly repeated phrase ' mindful and thoughtful' (sato sampa^dno) ; and means that activity of mind and constant presence of mind which is one of the duties most frequently inculcated on the good Buddhist. Gogerly's rendering of the term should have been reserved for the last division (sammi-samddhi), that prolonged meditation on the deep mysteries of life, which is stated in the Great Decease 1 to be the necessary complement and accessory to intelligence and goodness. Reason and works are good in themselves, but they require to be made perfect by that samddhi which in Buddhism corresponds to faith in Christianity. This Buddhist ideal of the perfect life has an analogy most instructive from a historical point of view with the ideals of the last pagan thinkers in Europe before the rise of Christianity, and of the modern exponents of what has been called fervent atheism. When after many cen- turies of thought a pantheistic or monotheistic unity has been evolved out of the chaos of polytheism, — which is itself a modified animism or animistic polydaemonism, — there has always arisen at last a school to whom theo- logical discussions have lost their interest, and who have sought for a new solution of the questions to which the theologies have given inconsistent answers, in a new system in which man was to work out here, on earth, his own salvation.
2ism, — there has always arisen at last a school to whom theo- logical discussions have lost their interest, and who have sought for a new solution of the questions to which the theologies have given inconsistent answers, in a new system in which man was to work out here, on earth, his own salvation. It is their place in the progress of thought that helps us to understand how it is that there is so much in common between the Agnostic philosopher of India, the Stoics of Greece and Rome, and some of the newest schools in France, in Germany, and among ourselves. 1 Chap. I, § ia, and often afterwards. ["] L THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - DHAMMA-^AKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA, Reverence to the Blessed One, the Holy One, the Fully-Enlightened One. 1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once staying at Benares, at the hermitage called Migaddya. And there the Blessed One addressed the company of the five Bhikkhus 1 , and said : 2. ' There are two extremes, O Bhikkhus, which the man who has given up the world 2 ought not to follow — the habitual practice, on the one hand, of those things whose attraction depends upon the passions, and especially of sensuality — a low and pagan 3 way (of seeking satisfaction) unworthy, un- profitable, and fit only for the worldly-minded — 1 These are the five mendicants who had waited on the Bodisat during his austerities, as described in 'Buddhist Birth Stories,' pp. 88, 89. Their names are given on p. 113 of that book; see below, the note on § 32. 9 Pabba^ito, one who has gone forth, who has renounced worldly things, a ' religious/ 3 Gamma, a word of the same derivation as, and corresponding meaning to, our word 4 pagan.' DHAMMA-2TAKKA-PPAVATTANA-SUTTA. M7 and the habitual practice, on the other hand, of asceticism (or self-mortification), which is painful, unworthy, and unprofitable. 3. 6 There is a middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathdgata 1 — a path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- standing, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirv£#a ! 4. 'What is that middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathdgata — that path which opens the fc eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvli^a ? Verily ! it is this noble eightfold path ; that is to say : 1 Right views ; Right aspirations; Right speech ; Right conduct; Right livelihood ; Right effort; Right mindfulness ; and Right contemplation. ' This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathigata — that path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- 1 The Tathdgata is an epithet of a Buddha.
3speech ; Right conduct; Right livelihood ; Right effort; Right mindfulness ; and Right contemplation. ' This, O Bhikkhus, is that middle path, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathigata — that path which opens the eyes, and bestows under- 1 The Tathdgata is an epithet of a Buddha. It is interpreted by Buddhaghosa, in the Samangala Vilasint, to mean that he came fo earth for the same purposes, after having passed through the same training in former births, as all the supposed former Buddhas; and that, when he had so come, all his actions corresponded with theirs. ' Avoiding these two extremes' should perhaps be referred to the TathSgata, but I prefer the above rendering. L 2 148 FOUNDATION OF KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. standing, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirv&#a ! 5. 'Now 1 this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning suffering. 4 Birth is attended with pain 2 , decay is painful, disease is painful, death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful, painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is unsatisfied, that too is painful. In brief, the five aggregates which spring from attachment (the conditions of individuality and their cause) 3 are painful. ' This then, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth con- cerning suffering. 6. ' Now this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the origin of suffering. * Verily, it is that thirst (or craving), causing the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual de- light, seeking satisfaction now here, now there — that is to say, the craving for the gratification of the passions, or the craving for (a future) life, or the craving for success (in this present life) 4 . 1 On the following ' four truths ' compare Dhammapada, verse 191, and Mahd-parinibMna Sutta II, 2, 3, and IV, 7, 8. 2 Or ' is painful.' 8 Pa£# upadanakkhandha. On the Khandhft, or the mate- rial and mental aggregates which go to make up an individual, see my 'Buddhism/ Chap. III. Upddina, or * grasping' is their source, and the uprooting of this up id in a from the mind is Arahatship. One might express the central thought of this First Noble Truth in the language of the nineteenth century by saying that pain results from existence as an individual. It is the struggle to maintain one's individuality which produces pain — a most preg- nant and far-reaching suggestion. See for a fuller exposition the Fortnightly Review for December, 1879. 4 ' The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life 9 DH AMMA-1TAKK A-PP AVATTANA-SUTTA. 1 49 ' This then, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth con- cerning the origin of suffering. 7. 'Now this, O Bhikkhus, is the noble truth concerning the destruction of suffering. ' Verily, it is the destruction, in which no passion remains, of this very thirst ; the laying aside of, the getting rid of, the being free from, the harbouring no longer of this thirst.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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