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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1h- mans versed in the Three Vedas — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands towards the place whence they rise and where they set ? ' ' Certainly, Gotama, they [can] V 1 7. ' Now what think you, Vksetifa. ? The Br&h- mans versed in the Three Vedas, who can very well — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands to the place whence they rise and where they set — are those Brihmans, versed in the Three Vedas, able to point out the way to a state of union with the sun or the moon, saying : " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, to a state of union with the sun or the moon ? " ' ' Certainly not, Gotama ! ' 18. 'So you say, V£se///&a, that the Br£hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that holding each the other, and vainly, and with tears, seeking both their guide and the path — came to a miserable end 1 1 The words of the question are repeated in the text in this and the following answers. It must be remembered, for these sections, that the sun and moon were Gods just as much as BrahmS, i. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 175 which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahma]. And you further say that even the i?zshis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] 1 Now what think you, Vdse/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br&hmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! ' 19. ' Very good, Vdse/^a. Verily then, V&se//£a, that Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence. 'Just, Vdse/Afca, as if a man should say, "How I long for, how I love, the most beautiful woman in this land!" 1 And people should ask him, " Well ! good friend ! this most beautiful woman in the land whom you thus love and long for, do you know whether that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brdhman woman, or of the trader class, or a .Sildra ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good 1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14. 176 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.
2ther that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brdhman woman, or of the trader class, or a .Sildra ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good 1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14. 176 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH. friend! this most beautiful woman in all the land, whom you so love and long for, do you know what the name of that most beautiful woman is, or what is her family name, whether she be tall or short, dark or of medium complexion, black or fair, or in what village or town or city she dwells ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And then people should say to him, " So then, good friend, whom you know not, neither have seen, her do you love and long for ? " 'And then when so asked he should answer "Yes/" ' Now what think you, V&se/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! ' 20. 'And just even so, V£se#>£a, though you say that the Br&hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has .ever seen Brahmd]. And you further say that even the i?/shis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither Brah- m£ is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen !] Now what think you, Vfise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Brdhmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that I. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 177 the talk of the Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! ' 'Very good, V£se#yfca. Verily then, V&se//>fca, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence/ 21. 1 Just, V&se/A£a, as if a man should make a stair- case in the place where four roads cross, to mount up into a mansion. And people should say to him, " Well, good friend, this mansion, to mount up into which you are making this staircase, do you know whether it is in the east, or in the south, or in the west, or in the north ? whether it is high or low or of medium size ? ' ' And when so asked he should answer " No." ' 1 And people should say to him, " But then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something — taking it for a mansion — which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen ! " * And when so asked he should answer " Yes." ' ' Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that
3t then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something — taking it for a mansion — which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen ! " * And when so asked he should answer " Yes." ' ' Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! ' 22. 'And just even so, V£se#^a, though you say that the Brahmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahmi]. And you further say that even the ^"shis of old, [whose [11] N 178 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH. words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br£hmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ? 9 ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk!' 23. 4 Very good, V£se#^a. Verily then, V&se/Ma, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such condition of things has no existence/ 24. 'Again, V£se//^a, if this river A&ravati were full of water even to the brim, and over- flowing 1 . And a man with business on the other 1 Samatittika k&kapeyy&, a stock phrase used of a river in flood time. Buddhaghosa says, Samatittika* ti samaharita* (sic ?sam£harit£i): kikapeyyi ti yatthakattha^i tire Mitena k&kena sakka patun ti kakapeyyd, which does not seem to me to solve the question as to the origin and history of these difficult terms. With respect to the right form of samatittika* it should be noticed that the northern Buddhist spelling is samatirthaka (Sukhavativyuha, ed. Max Mttller in J. R. A. S. for 1880, p. 18a), and that both Childers and Oldenberg have read samatitthika* in the Burmese MSS. of Mah&parinibMna Sutta I, 33 = MahA Vagp VI, 28. Now the difference in Burmese letters between tt and tth (gg and gg) is so very small that the copyists frequently write one for the other; and even in good MSS. where the two are not confounded, it is sometimes difficult to tell which is really meant When talking of rivers the mention of titthas seems so appro- I. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 179 side, bound for the other side, should come up, and want to cross over.
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.
1h- mans versed in the Three Vedas — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands towards the place whence they rise and where they set ? ' ' Certainly, Gotama, they [can] V 1 7. ' Now what think you, Vksetifa. ? The Br&h- mans versed in the Three Vedas, who can very well — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands to the place whence they rise and where they set — are those Brihmans, versed in the Three Vedas, able to point out the way to a state of union with the sun or the moon, saying : " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, to a state of union with the sun or the moon ? " ' ' Certainly not, Gotama ! ' 18. 'So you say, V£se///&a, that the Br£hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that holding each the other, and vainly, and with tears, seeking both their guide and the path — came to a miserable end 1 1 The words of the question are repeated in the text in this and the following answers. It must be remembered, for these sections, that the sun and moon were Gods just as much as BrahmS, i. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 175 which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahma]. And you further say that even the i?zshis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] 1 Now what think you, Vdse/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br&hmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! ' 19. ' Very good, Vdse/^a. Verily then, V&se//£a, that Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence. 'Just, Vdse/Afca, as if a man should say, "How I long for, how I love, the most beautiful woman in this land!" 1 And people should ask him, " Well ! good friend ! this most beautiful woman in the land whom you thus love and long for, do you know whether that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brdhman woman, or of the trader class, or a .Sildra ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good 1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14. 176 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH.
2ther that beautiful woman is a noble lady or a Brdhman woman, or of the trader class, or a .Sildra ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And when people should ask him, " Well ! good 1 The text repeats at length the words of §§ 12, 13, 14. 176 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH. friend! this most beautiful woman in all the land, whom you so love and long for, do you know what the name of that most beautiful woman is, or what is her family name, whether she be tall or short, dark or of medium complexion, black or fair, or in what village or town or city she dwells ? " ' But when so asked he should answer " No." ' And then people should say to him, " So then, good friend, whom you know not, neither have seen, her do you love and long for ? " 'And then when so asked he should answer "Yes/" ' Now what think you, V&se/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! ' 20. 'And just even so, V£se#>£a, though you say that the Br&hmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has .ever seen Brahmd]. And you further say that even the i?/shis of old, [whose words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither Brah- m£ is. Yet these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen !] Now what think you, Vfise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Brdhmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that I. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 177 the talk of the Brdhmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! ' 'Very good, V£se#yfca. Verily then, V&se//>fca, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence/ 21. 1 Just, V&se/A£a, as if a man should make a stair- case in the place where four roads cross, to mount up into a mansion. And people should say to him, " Well, good friend, this mansion, to mount up into which you are making this staircase, do you know whether it is in the east, or in the south, or in the west, or in the north ? whether it is high or low or of medium size ? ' ' And when so asked he should answer " No." ' 1 And people should say to him, " But then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something — taking it for a mansion — which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen ! " * And when so asked he should answer " Yes." ' ' Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that
3t then, good friend, you are making a staircase to mount up into something — taking it for a mansion — which, all the while, you know not, neither have seen ! " * And when so asked he should answer " Yes." ' ' Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Would it not turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ? ' ' In sooth, Gotama, it would turn out, that being so, that the talk of that man was foolish talk ! ' 22. 'And just even so, V£se#^a, though you say that the Brahmans [are not able to point out the way to union with that which they have seen], and you further say that [neither any one of them, nor of their pupils, nor of their predecessors even to the seventh generation has ever seen Brahmi]. And you further say that even the ^"shis of old, [whose [11] N 178 ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS. CH. words they hold in such deep respect, did not pretend to know, or to have seen where, or whence, or whither BrahmS, is. Yet these Br&hmans versed in the Three Vedas say, forsooth, that they can point out the way to union with that which they know not, neither have seen!] Now what think you, Vise/Ma ? Does it not follow that, this being so, the talk of the Br£hmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ? 9 ' In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk!' 23. 4 Very good, V£se#^a. Verily then, V&se/Ma, that Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such condition of things has no existence/ 24. 'Again, V£se//^a, if this river A&ravati were full of water even to the brim, and over- flowing 1 . And a man with business on the other 1 Samatittika k&kapeyy&, a stock phrase used of a river in flood time. Buddhaghosa says, Samatittika* ti samaharita* (sic ?sam£harit£i): kikapeyyi ti yatthakattha^i tire Mitena k&kena sakka patun ti kakapeyyd, which does not seem to me to solve the question as to the origin and history of these difficult terms. With respect to the right form of samatittika* it should be noticed that the northern Buddhist spelling is samatirthaka (Sukhavativyuha, ed. Max Mttller in J. R. A. S. for 1880, p. 18a), and that both Childers and Oldenberg have read samatitthika* in the Burmese MSS. of Mah&parinibMna Sutta I, 33 = MahA Vagp VI, 28. Now the difference in Burmese letters between tt and tth (gg and gg) is so very small that the copyists frequently write one for the other; and even in good MSS. where the two are not confounded, it is sometimes difficult to tell which is really meant When talking of rivers the mention of titthas seems so appro- I. TEVIGGA SUTTA. 179 side, bound for the other side, should come up, and want to cross over.
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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