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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1On that occasion the venerable Mah4-K4syapa uttered the following stanzas: 1. Weare stricken with wonder, amazement, and rapture at hearing a voice ‘; it is the lovely voice, the leader's voice, that so unexpectedly we hear to-day. 2. In a short moment we have acquired a great heap of precious jewels such as we were not thinking of, nor requiring. All of us are astonished to hear it. 3. It is like (the history of) a young® person who, seduced by foolish people, went away from his father and wandered to another country far distant. 1 And, the Lord’s real sons, ? And, the Tath4gata’s real sons. § Rather, position. * Or call. 5 Bla, the word used in the text, may mean young as well as ignorant and foolish. Burnouf translates bélaganena by ‘ par une troupe d’enfants.’ IV. DISPOSITION. 109 ‘ 4. The father was sorry to perceive that his son had run away and in his sorrow roamed the country in all directions during no less than fifty years. 5. In search of his son he came to some great city, where he built a house and dwelt, blessed with all that can gratify the five senses. 6. He had plenty of bullion and gold, money and corn, conch shells, stones (?), and coral; elephants, horses, and footboys ; cows, cattle, and sheep; 7. Interests, revenues, landed properties; male and female slaves and a great number of servants ; was highly honoured by thousands of kofis and a constant favourite of the king’s. 8. The citizens bow to him with joined hands, as well as the villagers in the rural districts; many merchants come to him, (and) persons charged with numerous affairs’. 9. In such way the man becomes wealthy, but he gets old, aged, advanced in years, and he passes days and nights always sorrowful in mind on account of his son. 10. ‘It is fifty years since that foolish son has run away. I have got plenty of wealth and the hour of my death draws near.’ 11. Meanwhile that foolish son is wandering from village to village, poor and miserable, seeking food and clothing. 12. When begging, he at one time gets something, another time he does not. He grows lean in his travels *, the unwise boy, while his body is. vitiated with scabs and itch. 1 Bahohi karyehi kr#tadhik4ra2. * For parasarazeshu of the MSS., I read parisarazeshu, 110 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. 13. In course of time he in his rovings reaches the town where his father is living, and comes to his father’s mansion to beg for food and raiment. 14. And the wealthy, rich man happens to sit at the door on a throne under a canopy expanded in the sky and surrounded with many hundreds of living beings. 15. His trustees stand round him, some of them counting money and bullion, some writing bills, some lending money on interest. 16. The poor man, seeing the splendid mansion of the householder, thinks within himself: Where am I here? This man must be a king or a grandee.
215. His trustees stand round him, some of them counting money and bullion, some writing bills, some lending money on interest. 16. The poor man, seeing the splendid mansion of the householder, thinks within himself: Where am I here? This man must be a king or a grandee. 17. Let me not incur some injury and be caught to do forced labour. With these reflections he hurried away inquiring after the road to the street of the poor. 18. The rich man on the throne is glad to see his own son, and despatches messengers with the order to fetch that poor man. 19. The messengers immediately seize the man, but he is no sooner caught than he faints away (as he thinks): These are certainly executioners who have approached me; what do I want clothing or food ? 20. On seeing it, the rich, sagacious man (thinks): This ignorant and stupid person is of low disposition and will have no faith in my magnificence’, nor believe that I am his father. 21. Under those circumstances he orders persons a word known from classic Sanskrit and not wanting in Buddhistic Sanskrit, as appears from Lalita-vistara, p. 39. 1 Or, have no liking for my magnificence ; the term used in the text, sraddadhAti, admitting of both interpretations. IV. DISPOSITION. III of low character, crooked, one-eyed, maimed, ill-clad, and blackish !, to go and search that man who shall do menial work. 22. ‘Enter my service and cleanse the putrid heap of dirt, replete with feeces and urine; I will give thee a double salary’ (are the words of the message). 23. On hearing this call the poor man comes and cleanses the said spot; he takes up his abode there in a hovel? near the mansion. 24. The rich man continually observes him through the windows (and thinks): There is my son engaged in a low occupation®, cleansing the heap of dirt. 25. Then he descends, takes a basket, puts on dirty garments, and goes near the man. He chides him, saying: Thou dost not perform thy work. 26. I will give thee double salary and twice more ointment for the feet ; I will give thee food with salt, potherbs, and, besides, a cloak. 27. So he chides him at the time, but afterwards he wisely conciliates* him (by saying): Thou dost thy work very well, indeed; thou art my son, surely; there is no doubt of it. 28. Little by little he makes the man enter the house, and employs him in his service for fully twenty years, in the course of which time he succeeds in inspiring him with confidence. 29. At the same time he lays up in the house 1 It is with this word, kr#shnaka, that durvarna above, p. 103, must agree. * Here nivesanasyopaliku#fake, var. lect. “ku#hike. * Hinadhimukta; one might render it, ‘placed in a low or humble position,’ but ‘ disposition’ would seem out of place. * Samsleshayate. I I 2 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. gold, pearls, and crystal, draws up the sum total, and is always occupied in his mind with all that property.
3lect. “ku#hike. * Hinadhimukta; one might render it, ‘placed in a low or humble position,’ but ‘ disposition’ would seem out of place. * Samsleshayate. I I 2 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. gold, pearls, and crystal, draws up the sum total, and is always occupied in his mind with all that property. 30. The ignorant man, who is living outside the mansion, alone in a hovel, cherishes no other ideas but of poverty, and thinks to himself: Mine are no such possessions! 31. The rich man perceiving this of him (thinks): My son has arrived at the consciousness of being noble. He calls together a gathering of his friends and relatives (and says): I will give all my property to this man. 32. In the midst of the assembly where the king, burghers, citizens, and many merchantmen were present, he speaks thus: This is my son whom I lost a long time ago. 33. It is now fully fifty years—and twenty years more during which I have seen him—that he disappeared from such and such a place and that in his search I came to this place. 34. He is owner of all my property; to him I leave it all and entirely; let him do with it what he wants; I give him my whole family property. 35. And the (poor) man is struck with surprise ; remembering his former poverty, his low disposition!, and as he receives those good things of his father’s and the family property, he thinks: Now am I a happy man. 36. In like manner has the leader, who knows our low disposition (or position), not declared to us: ‘Ye shall become Buddhas,’ but, ‘Ye are, certainly, my disciples and sons.’ 1 Rather, position. IV. DISPOSITION. 113 37. And the Lord of the world enjoins us: Teach, K4syapa, the superior path to those that strive to attain the highest summit of enlightenment, the path by following which they are to become Buddhas. 38. Being thus ordered by the Sugata, we show the path to many Bodhisattvas of great might', by means of myriads of kofis of illustrations and proofs. 39. And by hearing us the sons of Gina realise that eminent path to attain enlightenment, and in that case receive the prediction that they are to become Buddhas in this world. 40. Such is the work we are doing strenuously ?, preserving this law-treasure and revealing it to the sons of Gina, in the manner of that man who had deserved the confidence of that (other man). 41. Yet, though we diffuse the Buddha-treasure® we feel ourselves to be poor ; we do not require the knowledge of the Gina, and yet, at the same time, we reveal it. 42. We fancy an individual * Nirvaza; so far, no further does our knowledge reach; nor do we ever rejoice at hearing of the divisions of Buddha-fields. 43. All these laws are faultless, unshaken, exempt from destruction and commencement; but there is no law® in them. When we hear this, however, we cannot believe °. * Mah4bala; this term is obviously intended to be synonymous with mah4sattva.
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.
1On that occasion the venerable Mah4-K4syapa uttered the following stanzas: 1. Weare stricken with wonder, amazement, and rapture at hearing a voice ‘; it is the lovely voice, the leader's voice, that so unexpectedly we hear to-day. 2. In a short moment we have acquired a great heap of precious jewels such as we were not thinking of, nor requiring. All of us are astonished to hear it. 3. It is like (the history of) a young® person who, seduced by foolish people, went away from his father and wandered to another country far distant. 1 And, the Lord’s real sons, ? And, the Tath4gata’s real sons. § Rather, position. * Or call. 5 Bla, the word used in the text, may mean young as well as ignorant and foolish. Burnouf translates bélaganena by ‘ par une troupe d’enfants.’ IV. DISPOSITION. 109 ‘ 4. The father was sorry to perceive that his son had run away and in his sorrow roamed the country in all directions during no less than fifty years. 5. In search of his son he came to some great city, where he built a house and dwelt, blessed with all that can gratify the five senses. 6. He had plenty of bullion and gold, money and corn, conch shells, stones (?), and coral; elephants, horses, and footboys ; cows, cattle, and sheep; 7. Interests, revenues, landed properties; male and female slaves and a great number of servants ; was highly honoured by thousands of kofis and a constant favourite of the king’s. 8. The citizens bow to him with joined hands, as well as the villagers in the rural districts; many merchants come to him, (and) persons charged with numerous affairs’. 9. In such way the man becomes wealthy, but he gets old, aged, advanced in years, and he passes days and nights always sorrowful in mind on account of his son. 10. ‘It is fifty years since that foolish son has run away. I have got plenty of wealth and the hour of my death draws near.’ 11. Meanwhile that foolish son is wandering from village to village, poor and miserable, seeking food and clothing. 12. When begging, he at one time gets something, another time he does not. He grows lean in his travels *, the unwise boy, while his body is. vitiated with scabs and itch. 1 Bahohi karyehi kr#tadhik4ra2. * For parasarazeshu of the MSS., I read parisarazeshu, 110 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. 13. In course of time he in his rovings reaches the town where his father is living, and comes to his father’s mansion to beg for food and raiment. 14. And the wealthy, rich man happens to sit at the door on a throne under a canopy expanded in the sky and surrounded with many hundreds of living beings. 15. His trustees stand round him, some of them counting money and bullion, some writing bills, some lending money on interest. 16. The poor man, seeing the splendid mansion of the householder, thinks within himself: Where am I here? This man must be a king or a grandee.
215. His trustees stand round him, some of them counting money and bullion, some writing bills, some lending money on interest. 16. The poor man, seeing the splendid mansion of the householder, thinks within himself: Where am I here? This man must be a king or a grandee. 17. Let me not incur some injury and be caught to do forced labour. With these reflections he hurried away inquiring after the road to the street of the poor. 18. The rich man on the throne is glad to see his own son, and despatches messengers with the order to fetch that poor man. 19. The messengers immediately seize the man, but he is no sooner caught than he faints away (as he thinks): These are certainly executioners who have approached me; what do I want clothing or food ? 20. On seeing it, the rich, sagacious man (thinks): This ignorant and stupid person is of low disposition and will have no faith in my magnificence’, nor believe that I am his father. 21. Under those circumstances he orders persons a word known from classic Sanskrit and not wanting in Buddhistic Sanskrit, as appears from Lalita-vistara, p. 39. 1 Or, have no liking for my magnificence ; the term used in the text, sraddadhAti, admitting of both interpretations. IV. DISPOSITION. III of low character, crooked, one-eyed, maimed, ill-clad, and blackish !, to go and search that man who shall do menial work. 22. ‘Enter my service and cleanse the putrid heap of dirt, replete with feeces and urine; I will give thee a double salary’ (are the words of the message). 23. On hearing this call the poor man comes and cleanses the said spot; he takes up his abode there in a hovel? near the mansion. 24. The rich man continually observes him through the windows (and thinks): There is my son engaged in a low occupation®, cleansing the heap of dirt. 25. Then he descends, takes a basket, puts on dirty garments, and goes near the man. He chides him, saying: Thou dost not perform thy work. 26. I will give thee double salary and twice more ointment for the feet ; I will give thee food with salt, potherbs, and, besides, a cloak. 27. So he chides him at the time, but afterwards he wisely conciliates* him (by saying): Thou dost thy work very well, indeed; thou art my son, surely; there is no doubt of it. 28. Little by little he makes the man enter the house, and employs him in his service for fully twenty years, in the course of which time he succeeds in inspiring him with confidence. 29. At the same time he lays up in the house 1 It is with this word, kr#shnaka, that durvarna above, p. 103, must agree. * Here nivesanasyopaliku#fake, var. lect. “ku#hike. * Hinadhimukta; one might render it, ‘placed in a low or humble position,’ but ‘ disposition’ would seem out of place. * Samsleshayate. I I 2 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. gold, pearls, and crystal, draws up the sum total, and is always occupied in his mind with all that property.
3lect. “ku#hike. * Hinadhimukta; one might render it, ‘placed in a low or humble position,’ but ‘ disposition’ would seem out of place. * Samsleshayate. I I 2 SADDHARMA-PUNDARIKA. IV. gold, pearls, and crystal, draws up the sum total, and is always occupied in his mind with all that property. 30. The ignorant man, who is living outside the mansion, alone in a hovel, cherishes no other ideas but of poverty, and thinks to himself: Mine are no such possessions! 31. The rich man perceiving this of him (thinks): My son has arrived at the consciousness of being noble. He calls together a gathering of his friends and relatives (and says): I will give all my property to this man. 32. In the midst of the assembly where the king, burghers, citizens, and many merchantmen were present, he speaks thus: This is my son whom I lost a long time ago. 33. It is now fully fifty years—and twenty years more during which I have seen him—that he disappeared from such and such a place and that in his search I came to this place. 34. He is owner of all my property; to him I leave it all and entirely; let him do with it what he wants; I give him my whole family property. 35. And the (poor) man is struck with surprise ; remembering his former poverty, his low disposition!, and as he receives those good things of his father’s and the family property, he thinks: Now am I a happy man. 36. In like manner has the leader, who knows our low disposition (or position), not declared to us: ‘Ye shall become Buddhas,’ but, ‘Ye are, certainly, my disciples and sons.’ 1 Rather, position. IV. DISPOSITION. 113 37. And the Lord of the world enjoins us: Teach, K4syapa, the superior path to those that strive to attain the highest summit of enlightenment, the path by following which they are to become Buddhas. 38. Being thus ordered by the Sugata, we show the path to many Bodhisattvas of great might', by means of myriads of kofis of illustrations and proofs. 39. And by hearing us the sons of Gina realise that eminent path to attain enlightenment, and in that case receive the prediction that they are to become Buddhas in this world. 40. Such is the work we are doing strenuously ?, preserving this law-treasure and revealing it to the sons of Gina, in the manner of that man who had deserved the confidence of that (other man). 41. Yet, though we diffuse the Buddha-treasure® we feel ourselves to be poor ; we do not require the knowledge of the Gina, and yet, at the same time, we reveal it. 42. We fancy an individual * Nirvaza; so far, no further does our knowledge reach; nor do we ever rejoice at hearing of the divisions of Buddha-fields. 43. All these laws are faultless, unshaken, exempt from destruction and commencement; but there is no law® in them. When we hear this, however, we cannot believe °. * Mah4bala; this term is obviously intended to be synonymous with mah4sattva.
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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