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THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR 
 
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THE 
 
 GOSPEL OF BUDPHA 
 
 ACCORDING TO OLD RECORDS 
 
 TOLD BY 
 
 PAUL CARUS 
 
 SIXTH EDITION 
 
 
 CHICAGO 
 
 THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 (London . Kegan Paul, Tri nch, Truebner & Co.) 
 
 1898 
 

 rUL. 
 
 SQMS^^ FRYER 
 CH1NF5?^. U8RAPY 
 
 copyright by 
 
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3S<=' 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 'T^HIS booklet needs no preface for him who is familiar with the 
 -*• sacred books of Buddhism, which have been made accessible 
 to the Western world by the indefatigable zeal and industry of 
 scholars like Burnouf, Hodgson, Bigandet, BUhler, Foucaux, Se- 
 nart, Weber, Fausboll, Alexander Csoma, Wassiljew, Rhys Davids, 
 F. Max Muller, Childers, Oldenberg, Schiefner, Eitel, Beal, and 
 Spence Hardy, To those not familiar with the subject it may be 
 stated that the bulk of its contents is derived from the old Buddhist 
 canon. Many passages, and indeed the most important ones, are 
 literally copied from the translations of the original texts. Some are 
 rendered rather freely in order to make them intelligible to the pres- 
 ent generation. Others have been rearranged ; still others are ab- 
 breviated. Besides the three introductory and the three concluding 
 chapters there are only a few purely original additions, which, how- 
 ever, are neither mere literary embellishments nor deviations from 
 Buddhist doctrines. They contain nothing but ideas for which pro- 
 totypes can be found somewhere among the traditions of Buddhism, 
 and have been added as elucidations of its main principles. For 
 those who want to trace the Buddhism of this book to its fountain- 
 head a table of reference has been added, which indicates as briefly 
 as possible the main sources of the various chapters and points 
 out the parallelisms with Western thought, especially in the Chris- 
 tian Gospels. 
 
 751.549 
 
VI THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Buddhism, like Christianity, is split up into innumerable sects, 
 and these sects not unfrequently cling to their sectarian tenets as 
 being the main and most indispensable features of their religion. 
 The present book follows none of the sectarian doctrines, but takes 
 an ideal position upon which all true Buddhists may stand as upon 
 common ground. Thus the arrangement into harmonious and 
 systematic form of this Gospel of Buddha, as a whole, is the main 
 original feature of the book. Considering the bulk of its various 
 details, however, it must be regarded as a mere compilation, and 
 the aim of the compiler has been to treat his material about in the 
 same way as he thinks that the author of the Fourth Gospel of the 
 New Testament used the accounts of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. 
 He has ventured to present the data of Buddha's life in the light of 
 their religio-philosophical importance ; he has cut out most of their 
 apocryphal adornments, especially those in which the Northern tra- 
 ditions abound, yet he did not deem it wise to shrink from preserving 
 the marvellous that appears in the old records, whenever its moral 
 seemed to justify its mention ; he only pruned the exuberance of 
 wonder which delights in relating the most incredible things, appa- 
 rently put on to impress, while in fact they can only tire. Mira- 
 cles have ceased to be a religious test ; yet the belief in the miracu- 
 lous powers of the Master still bears witness to the holy awe of the 
 first disciples and reflects their religious enthusiasm. 
 
 Lest the fundamental idea of Buddha's doctrines be misunder- 
 stood, the reader is warned to take the term ' ' self " in the sense in 
 which Buddha uses it. The "self" of man can be and has been 
 understood in a sense to which Buddha would never have made 
 any objection. Buddha denies the existence of " self " as it was 
 commonly understood in his time ; he does not deny man's men 
 tality, his spiritual constitution, the importance of his personality, 
 in a word, his soul. But he does deny the mysterious ego-entity, 
 the ^tman, in the sense of a kind of soul-monad which by some 
 schools was supposed to reside behind or within man's bodily and 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 psychical activity as a distinct being, a kind of thing-in-itself, and 
 a metaphysical agent assumed to be the soul. 
 
 Buddhism is monistic. It claims that man's soul does not con- 
 sist of two things, of an dtman (self) and of a manas (mind or 
 thoughts) ; but that it is made up of thoughts alone.* The thoughts 
 of a man constitute his soul ; they, if anything, are his self, and there 
 is no dtman, no additional and separate " self " besides. Accord- 
 ingly, the translation of dtman by " soul," which would imply that 
 Buddha denied the existence of the soul, is extremely misleading. 
 
 Representative Buddhists, of different schools and of various 
 countries, acknowledge the correctness of the view here taken, and 
 we emphasise especially the assent of Southern Buddhists because 
 in the translations from their sacred writings the term dtman is 
 commonly rendered by "soul." 
 
 " The Buddhist, the Organ of the Southern Church of Bud- 
 dhism," writes in a review of "The Gospel of Buddha": 
 
 " The eminent feature of the work is its grasp of the difl5cult 
 ' ' subject and the clear enunciation of the doctrine of the most puz- 
 ' ' zling problem of dtman, as taught in Buddhism. So far as we have 
 "examined the question of dtman ourselves from the works of the 
 ' ' Southern canon, the view taken by Dr. Paul Carus is accurate, 
 "and we venture to think that it is not opposed to the doctrine of 
 "Northern Buddhism." 
 
 This <?/wa«-superstition, so common not only in India, but 
 all over the world, corresponds to man's habitual egotism in prac- 
 tical life ; both are illusions growing out of the same root, which 
 is the vanity fair of worldliness, inducing man to believe that the 
 purpose of his life lies in his self. Buddha proposes to cut off en- 
 tirely all thought of self, so that it will no longer bear fruit. Thus 
 Buddha's Nirvina is an ideal state, in which man's soul, after being 
 cleansed from all selfishness and sin, has become a habitation of the 
 truth, teaching him to distrust the allurements of pleasure and to 
 confine all his energies to attending to the duties of life. 
 ♦See Dharmapada, verse 2, page iii, of the present volume. 
 
Vlll THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Buddha's doctrine is no negativism. An investigation of the 
 nature of man's soul shows that while there is no dtman or ego- 
 entity, the very being of man consists in his karma, and his karma 
 remains untouched by death and continues to live. Thus, by de- 
 nying the existence of that which appears to be our soul and for 
 the destruction of which in death we tremble, Buddha actually 
 opens (as he expresses it himself) the door of immortality to man- 
 kind ; and here lies the comer-stone of his ethics and also of the 
 comfort as well as the enthusiasm which his religion imparts. Any 
 one who does not see the positive aspect of Buddhism, will be un- 
 able to understand how it could exercise such a powerful influence 
 upon millions and millions of people. 
 
 The present volume is not designed to contribute to the solu- 
 tion of historical problems. The compiler has studied his subject 
 as well as he could under given circumstances, but he does not 
 intend here to offer a scientific production. Nor is this book an 
 attempt at popularising the Buddhist religious writings, nor at pre- 
 senting them in a poetic shape. If this ' ' Gospel of Buddha " helps 
 people to comprehend Buddhism better, and if in its simple style it 
 impresses the reader with the poetic grandeur of Buddha's personal- 
 ity, these effects must be counted as incidental ; its main purpose 
 lies deeper still. The present book has been written to set the 
 reader a thinking on the religious problems of to-day. It presents 
 a picture of a religious leader of the remote past with the view of 
 making it bear upon the living present and become a factor in the 
 formation of the future. 
 
 It is a remarkable fact that the two greatest religions of the 
 world, Christianity and Buddhism, present so many striking coin- 
 cidences in their philosophical basis as well as in the ethical appli- 
 cations of their faith, while their modes of systematising them in 
 dogmas are radically different ; and it is difficult to understand why 
 iI--.3 agreements should have caused animosity, instead of creating 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 sentiments of friendship and good-will. Why should Christians not 
 say with Prof. F. Max MUller : 
 
 " If I do find in certain Buddhist works doctrines identically 
 "the same as in Christianity, so far from being frightened, I feel 
 "delighted, for surely truth is not the less true because it is be- 
 "lieved by the majority of the human race." 
 
 The main trouble arises from a wrong conception of Christian- 
 ity. There are many Christians who assume that Christianity alone 
 is in the possession of truth and that man could not, in the natural 
 way of his moral evolution, have obtained that nobler conception 
 of life which enjoins the practice of a universal good-will towards 
 both friends and enemies. This narrow view of Christianity is re- 
 futed by the mere existence of Buddhism. 
 
 Must we add that the lamentable exclusiveness that prevails 
 in many Christian churches, is not based upon Scriptural teach- 
 ings, but upon a wrong metaphysics? 
 
 All the essential moral truths of Christianity are, in our opinion, 
 deeply rooted in the nature of things, and do not, as is often as- 
 sumed, stand in contradiction to the cosmic order of the world. 
 They have been formulated by the Church in certain symbols, and 
 since these symbols contain contradictions and come in conflict with 
 science, the educated classes are estranged from religion. Now, 
 Buddhism is a religion which knows of no supernatural revelation, 
 and proclaims doctrines that require no other argument than the 
 "come and see." Buddha bases his religion solely upon man's 
 knowledge of the nature of things, upon provable truth. Thus, we 
 trust that a comparison of Christianity with Buddhism will be a 
 great help to distinguish in both religions the essential from the ac- 
 cidental, the eternal from the transient, the truth from the allegory 
 in which it has found its symbolic expression. We are anxious to 
 press the necessity of discriminating between the symbol and its 
 meaning, between dogma and religion, between statements of fact 
 and metaphysical theories, between man-made formulas and eter- 
 nal truth. And this is the spirit in which we offer this book to the 
 
X THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 public, cherishing the hope that it will help to develop in Chris- 
 tianity not less than in Buddhism the cosmic religion of truth. 
 
 The strength as well as the weakness of original Buddhism lies 
 in its philosophical character, which enabled a thinker, but not the 
 masses, to understand the dispensation of the moral law that per- 
 vades the world. As such, the original Buddhism has been called 
 by Buddhists the little vessel of salvation, or Hinay^na ; for it is 
 comparable to a small boat on which a man may cross the stream 
 of worldliness, so as to reach the shore of Nirvana. Following the 
 spirit of a missionary propaganda, so natural to religious men who 
 are earnest in their convictions, later Buddhists popularised Bud- 
 dha's doctrines and made them accessible to the multitudes. It is 
 true that they admitted many mythical and even fantastical notions, 
 but they succeeded nevertheless in bringing its moral truths home 
 to the people who could but incompletely grasp the philosophical 
 meaning of Buddha's religion. They constructed, as they called 
 it, a large vessel of salvation, the Mahayana, in which the multi- 
 tudes would find room and could be safely carried over. Although 
 the Mahayana unquestionably has its shortcomings, it must not be 
 condemned offhand, for it serves its purpose. Without regarding 
 it as the final stage of the religious development of the nations among 
 which it prevails, we must concede that it resulted from an adapta- 
 tion to their condition and has accomplished much to educate them. 
 The Mahayina is a step forward in so far as it changes a philos- 
 ophy into a religion, and attempts to preach doctrines that were 
 negatively expressed, in positive propositions. 
 
 Far from rejecting the religious zeal which gave rise to the 
 Mahcly^na in Buddhism, we can still less join those who denounce 
 Christianity on account of its dogmatology and mythological ingre- 
 dients. Christianity has a great mission in the evolution of man- 
 kind. It has succeeded in imbuing with the religion of charity and 
 mercy the most powerful nations of the world, to whose spiritual 
 needs it is especially adapted. It extends the blessings of universal 
 good-will with the least possible amount of antagonism to the nat- 
 
PREFACE. Xi 
 
 ural selfishness that is so strongly developed in the Western races. 
 Christianity is "the religion of love made easy." This is its ad- 
 vantage, which, however, is not without its drawbacks. Christian- 
 ity teaches charity without dispelling the ego-illusion ; and in this 
 sense it surpasses even the Mahiyana : it is still more adapted to 
 the needs of multitudes than a large vessel fitted to carry over those 
 who embark on it : it is comparable to a grand bridge, a Mahisetu, 
 on which a child who has no comprehension as yet of the nature of 
 self can cross the stream of self-hood and worldly vanity. 
 
 A comparison of the many striking agreements between Chris- 
 tianity and Buddhism may prove fatal to a sectarian conception of 
 Christianity, but will in the end help to mature our insight into 
 the true significance of Christianity. It will bring out that nobler 
 Christianity which aspires to be the cosmic religion of universal 
 truth. 
 
 Let us hope that this Gospel of Buddha will serve both Bud- 
 dhists and Christians as a help to penetrate further into the spirit 
 of their faith, so as to see its full width, breadth, and depth. 
 
 Above any Hinaydna, Mahliyina, and Mahisetu is the Reli- 
 gion of Truth. 
 
 Paul Carus. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. Rejoice ... i 
 
 II. Samsara and Nirvina 2 
 
 III. Trutl; the Saviour 5 
 
 PRINCE SIDDHARTHA BECOMES BUDDHA. 
 
 IV. Buddha's Birth . . . ; 7 
 
 V. The Ties of Life 10 
 
 VI. The Three Woes 11 
 
 VII. Buddha's Renunciation 14 
 
 VIII. King Bimbis^ra 19 
 
 IX. Buddha's Search 22 
 
 X. Uruvilv^, the Place of Mortification 27 
 
 XI. Mdra, the Evil One 29 
 
 XII. Enlightenment 30 
 
 XIII. The First Converts 34 
 
 XIV. Brahma's Request . . , 35 
 
 FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 XV. Upaka 37 
 
 XVI. The Sermon at Benares 38 
 
 XVII. TheSangha 43 
 
 XVIII. Yashas, the Youth of Benares 45 
 
 XIX. Sending Out the Disciples 48 
 
 XX. Kdshyapa 49 
 
 XXI. The Sermon at RAjagriha 53 
 
 XXII. The King's Gift 57 
 
XIV THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 PACK 
 
 XXIII. ShAriputra and MaudgalyAyana 58 
 
 XXIV. The People Dissatisfied 59 
 
 XXV. Andthapindika 59 
 
 XXVI. The Sermon on Charity 63 
 
 XXVII. Buddha's Father 64 
 
 XXVIII. Yashodhari 66 
 
 XXIX. Rdhula • 69 
 
 XXX. Jetavana 70 
 
 CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 
 
 XXXI. Jivaka, the Physician 75 
 
 XXXII. Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvina 77 
 
 XXXIII. Women Admitted to the Sangha 77 
 
 XXXIV. The Bhikshus* Conduct Toward Women ... 78 
 XXXV. Vishakhi 79 
 
 XXXVI. The Upavasatha and Prdtimoksha 83 
 
 XXXVII. The Schism - . . . 85 
 
 XXXVIII. The Re-establishment of Concord 88 
 
 XXXIX. The Bhikshus Rebuked 94 
 
 XL. D^vadatta 95 
 
 XLI. The Goal 98 
 
 XLII. Miracles Forbidden 99 
 
 XLIII. The Vanity of Worldliness 101 
 
 XLIV. Secrecy and Publicity 103 
 
 XLV. The Annihilation of Suffering 104 
 
 XLVI. Avoiding the Ten Evils 106 
 
 XLVII. The Preacher's Mission 107 
 
 BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 
 
 XLVIII. The Dharmapada m 
 
 XLIX. The Two Brahmans 117 
 
 L. Guard the Six Quarters 122 
 
 LI. Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation . . 124 
 
 LII. All Existence is Spiritual 130 
 
 LIII. Identity and Non-Identity 131 
 
 LIV. Buddha, Not Gautama 140 
 
 LV. One Essence, One Law, One Aim 141 
 
 LVI. The Lesson Given to R^hula 143 
 
 LVII. The Sermon on Abuse 145 
 
TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 XV 
 
 PAGE 
 
 LVIII. Buddha Replies to the D^va 146 
 
 LIX. Words of Instruction 148 
 
 LX. Amitibha 150 
 
 LXI. The Teacher Unknown 156 
 
 PARABLES AND STORIES. 
 
 LXII. Parables 158 
 
 LXIII. The Burning Mansion 158 
 
 LXIV. The Man Born Blind 159 
 
 LXV. The Lost Son 160 
 
 LXVI. The Giddy Fish 161 
 
 LXVII. The Cruel Crane Outwitted 162 
 
 LXVIII. Four Kinds of Merit 164 
 
 LXIX. The Light of the Word 165 
 
 LXX. Luxurious Living 166 
 
 LXXI. The Communication of Bliss 167 
 
 LXXII. The Listless Fool 168 
 
 LXXIII. Rescue in the Desert 169 
 
 LXXIV. Buddha, the Sower 173 
 
 LXXV. The Outcast 174 
 
 LXXVI. The Woman at the Well 174 
 
 LXXVII. The Peacemaker 175 
 
 LXXVm. The Hungry Dog 176 
 
 LXXIX. The Despot 178 
 
 LXXX. VAsavadatta 179 
 
 LXXXI. The Marriage-Feast in Jdmbdnada 180 
 
 LXXXII. A Party in Search for a Thief 182 
 
 LXXXIII. In the Realm of YamarAja 183 
 
 LXXXIV. The Mustard Seed 185 
 
 LXXXV. Following the Master Over the Stream . . . 189 
 
 LXXXVI. The Sick Bhikshu 190 
 
 THE LAST DAYS. 
 
 LXXXVII. The Conditions of Welfare 192 
 
 LXXXVIII. Upright Conduct 194 
 
 LXXXIX. Pitaliputra 194 
 
 XC. Shdriputra's Faith 197 
 
 XCL. The Mirror of Truth 199 
 
 XCII. Ambapili 201 
 
XVI THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 XCIII. Buddha's Farewell Address 204 
 
 XCIV. Buddha Announces His Death 207 
 
 XCV. Chunda, the Smith 211 
 
 XCVI. Maitr^ya 215 
 
 XCVII. Buddha's Final Entering Into Nirvdna. . . . . 2i3 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 XCVIII. The Three Personalities of Buddha 225 
 
 XCIX. The Purpose of Being 228 
 
 C. The Praise of All the Buddhas 232 
 
 Table of Reference , 241 
 
 Abbreviations in the Table of Reference 241 
 
 Glossary of Names and Terms 243 
 
 Pronunciation 260 
 
 Index 261 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I. REJOICE. 
 
 REJOICE at the glad tidings ! Buddha, our Lord, 
 has found the root of all evil. He has shown us 
 the way of salvation. ^ 
 
 Buddha dispels the illusions of our minds and re- 
 deems us from the terrors of death. * 
 
 Buddha, our Lord, brings comfort to the weary 
 and sorrow-laden ; he restores peace to those who are 
 broken down under the burden of life. He gives cour- 
 age to the weak when they would fain give up self- 
 reliance and hope. • 
 
 Ye that suffer from the tribulations of life, ye that 
 have to struggle and endure, ye that yearn for a life of 
 truth, rejoice at the glad tidings ! * 
 
 There is balm for the wounded, and there is bread 
 for the hungry. There is water for the thirsty, and there 
 is hope for the despairing. There is light for those in 
 darkness, and there is inexhaustible blessing for the 
 upright. ^ 
 
 Heal your wounds, ye wounded, and eat your fill, 
 ye hungry. Rest, ye weary, and ye who are thirsty 
 quench your thirst. Look up to the light, ye that sit 
 in darkness ; be full of good cheer, ye that are for- 
 lorn. • 
 
2 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Trust in truth, ye that love the truth, for the king- 
 dom of righteousness is founded upon earth. The 
 darkness of error is dispelled by the light of truth. 
 We can see our way and make firm and certain steps. "^ 
 
 Buddha, our Lord, has revealed the truth. ^ 
 
 The truth cures our diseases and redeems us from 
 perdition ; the truth strengthens us in life and in death ; 
 the truth alone can conquer the evils of error. ^ 
 
 Rejoice at the glad tidings ! ^ 
 
 II. SAMSARA AND NIRVANA. 
 
 Look about you and contemplate life ! * 
 
 Everything is transient and nothing endures. There 
 is birth and death, growth and decay; there is combi- 
 nation and separation. * 
 
 The glory of the world is like a flower : it stands 
 in full bloom in the morning and fades in the heat of 
 the day. * 
 
 Wherever you look, there is a rushing and a push- 
 ing, an eager pursuit of pleasures, a panic flight from 
 pain and death, a vanity fair, and the flames of burn- 
 ing desires. The world is full of changes and trans- 
 formations. All is Samsara. * 
 
 Is there nothing permanent in the world? Is there 
 in the universal turmoil no resting-place where our 
 troubled heart can find peace? Is there nothing ever- 
 lasting? *> 
 
 Is there no cessation of anxiety? Can the burning 
 desires not be extinguished? When shall the mind be- 
 come tranquil and composed? ^ 
 
 Buddha, our Lord, was grieved at the ills of life. 
 He saw the vanity of worldly happiness and sought 
 
INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 salvation in the one thing that will not fade or perish, 
 but will abide forever and ever. ^ 
 
 Ye who long for life, know that immortality is hid- 
 den in transiency. Ye who wish for happiness without 
 the sting of regret, lead a life of righteousness. Ye 
 who yearn for riches, receive treasures that are eternal. 
 Truth is wealth, and a life of truth is happiness. ^ 
 
 All compounds will be dissolved again, but the 
 verities which determine all combinations and separa- 
 tions as laws of nature endure for ever and aye. Bodies 
 fall to dust, but the truth of the mind which inhabits 
 the body as soul will not be destroyed. * 
 
 Truth knows neither birth nor death ; it has no 
 beginning and no end. Hail the truth. The truth is 
 the immortal part of mind. ^® 
 
 Establish the truth in your mind, for the truth is 
 the image of the eternal ; it portrays the immutable ; 
 it reveals the everlasting ; the truth gives unto mortals 
 the boon of immortality. ^^ 
 
 Buddha is the truth ; let Buddha dwell in your 
 heart. Extinguish in your soul every desire that an- 
 tagonises Buddha, and in the end of your spiritual evo- 
 lution you will become like Buddha. " 
 
 That of your soul which cannot or will not develop 
 into Buddha must perish, for it is mere illusion and 
 unreal ; it is the source of your error ; it is the cause 
 of your misery. ^ 
 
 You can make your soul immortal by filling it with 
 truth. Therefore become like unto vessels fit to re- 
 ceive the ambrosia of the Master's words. Cleanse 
 yourselves of sin and sanctify your lives. There is no 
 other way of reaching the truth. ^* 
 
 Learn to distinguish between Self and Truth. Self 
 is the cause of selfishness and the source of sin j truth 
 
4 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 cleaves to no self ; it is universal and leads to justice 
 and righteousness. " 
 
 Self, that which seems to those who love their self 
 as their being, is not the eternal, the everlasting, the 
 imperishable. Seek not self, but seek the truth. " 
 f If we liberate our souls from our petty selves, wish 
 no ill to others, and become clear as a crystal diamond 
 reflecting the light of truth, what a radiant picture will 
 appear in us mirroring things as they are, without the 
 admixture of burning desires, without the distortion of 
 erroneous illusion, without the agitation of sinful un- 
 ^rest. " 
 
 He who seeks self must learn to distinguish be- 
 tween the false self and the true self. His ego and all 
 his egotism are the false self. They are unreal illu- 
 sions and perishable combinations. He only who iden- 
 tifies his self with the truth will attain Nirvana ; and he 
 who has entered Nirvana has attained Buddhahood ; 
 he has acquired the highest bliss ; he has become that 
 which is eternal and immortal. " 
 
 All compound things shall be dissolved again, 
 worlds will break to pieces and our individualities will 
 be scattered ; but the words of Buddha will remain 
 forever. ^ 
 
 ' The extinction of self is salvation ; the annihilation 
 of self is the condition of enlightenment ; the blotting 
 out of self is Nirvana. Happy is he who has ceased to 
 live for pleasure and rests in the truth. Verily his com- 
 posure and tranquillity of mind are the highest bliss. ^ 
 
 Let us take our refuge in Buddha, for he has found 
 the everlasting in the transient. Let us take our refuge 
 in that which is the immutable in the changes of exist- 
 ence. Let us take our refuge in the truth that is es- 
 tablished through the enlightenment of Buddha. *^ 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ni. TRUTH THE SAVIOUR. 
 
 The things of the world and its inhabitants are sub- 
 ject to change ; they are products of things that ex- 
 isted before ; all living creatures are what their past 
 actions made them ; for the law of cause and effect is 
 uniform and without exceptions. ^ 
 
 But in the changing things truth lies hidden. Truth 
 makes things real. Truth is the permanent in change. ^ 
 
 And truth desires to appear ; truth longs to become 
 conscious ; truth strives to know itself. ^ 
 
 There is truth in the stone, for the stone is here ; 
 and no power in the world, no God, no man, no de- 
 mon, can destroy its existence. But the stone has no 
 consciousness. * 
 
 There is truth in the plant and its life can expand ; 
 the plant grows and blossoms and bears fruit. Its 
 beauty is marvellous, but it has no consciousness. ^ 
 
 There is truth in the animal ; it moves about and 
 perceives its surroundings ; it distinguishes and learns 
 to choose. There is consciousness, but it is not yet the 
 consciousness of Truth. It is a consciousness of self 
 only. « 
 
 The consciousness of self dims the eyes of the mind 
 and hides the truth. It is the origin of error, it is the 
 source of illusion, it is the germ of sin. ^ 
 
 Self begets selfishness. There is no evil but what 
 flows from self. There is no wrong but what is done by 
 the assertion of self. 8 
 
 Self is the beginning of all hatred, of iniquity and 
 slander, of impudence and indecency, of theft and rob- 
 bery, of oppression and bloodshed. Self is Mara, the 
 tempter, the evil-doer, the creator of mischief. ^ 
 
6 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Self entices with pleasures. Self promises a fairy's 
 paradise. Self is the veil of Maya, the enchanter. But 
 the pleasures of self are unreal, its paradisian labyrinth 
 is the road to hell and its fading beauty kindles the 
 flames of desires that never can be satisfied. ^^ 
 
 Who shall loosen us from the power of self ? Who 
 shall save us from misery? Who shall restore us to a 
 life of blessedness ? ^^ 
 
 There is misery in the world of Samsara ; there is 
 much misery and pain. But greater than all the misery 
 is the bliss of truth. Truth gives peace to the yearn- 
 ing mind ; it conquers error ; it quenches the flames 
 of desire and leads to Nirvana. '* 
 
 Blessed is he who has found the peace of Nirvana. 
 He is at rest in the struggles and tribulations of life ; 
 he is above all changes ; he is above birth and death ; 
 he remains unaffected by the evils of life. ^^ 
 
 Blessed is he who has become an embodiment of 
 truth, for he has accomplished his purpose and is one 
 with himself and truth. He conquers although he may 
 be wounded ; he is glorious and happy, although he 
 may suffer ; he is strong, although he may break down 
 under the burden of his work ; he is immortal, although 
 he may die. The essence of his soul is immortality.^* 
 
 Blessed is he who has attained the sacred state of 
 Buddhahood, for he is fit to work out the salvation of 
 his fellow-beings. The truth has made its abode in him. 
 Perfect wisdom illumines his understanding, and right- 
 eousness ensouls the purpose of all his actions. ^ 
 
 The truth is a living power for good, indestructible 
 and invincible ! Work the truth out in your mind, and 
 spread it among mankind, for Truth alone is the sa- 
 viour from sin and misery. The Truth is Buddha, and 
 Buddha is the Truth ! Blessed be Buddha ! i« 
 
I * • 
 
 » J > J 
 
 PRINCE SIDDHArTHA' BECOI^fiS 
 BUDDHA. 
 
 IV. BUDDHA'S BIRTH. 
 
 THERE was in Kapilavastu a Shakya king, strong 
 of purpose and reverenced by all men, a de- 
 scendant of the Ikshvaku, who call themselves Gau- 
 tama, and his name was Shuddhodana or Pure-Rice. ^ 
 
 His wife Maya-devi was beautiful as the water-lily 
 and pure in mind as the lotus. As the Queen of Heaven, 
 she lived on earth, untainted by desire, and immacu- 
 late. 2 
 
 The king, her husband, honored her in her holi- 
 ness and the spirit of truth descended upon her. ^ 
 
 When she knew that the hour of motherhood was 
 near, she asked the king to send her home to her 
 parents; and Shuddhodana, anxious about his wife and 
 the child she would bear him, willingly granted her 
 request. ^ 
 
 While she passed through the garden of Lumbini, 
 the hour arrived ; her couch was placed under a lofty 
 satin- tree and the child came forth from the womb like 
 the rising sun, bright and perfect. * 
 
 All the worlds were flooded with light. The blind 
 received their sight by longing to see the coming glory 
 
8 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 of the Lord ; the deaf and dumb spoke with one another 
 of the good omens indicating the birth of Buddha. 
 The crooked became straight ; the lame walked. All 
 prisoners were freed from their chains and the fires of 
 aU{ the hells* vei;/e^:ttinguished. ^ 
 
 "No clouds 'gathered in the skies and the polluted 
 •streams becpime .clear, whilst celestial music rang 
 through the air and the angels rejoiced with gladness. 
 With no selfish or partial joy but for the sake of the 
 law they rejoiced, for creation engulfed in the ocean of 
 pain was now to obtain release. "^ 
 
 The cries of beasts were hushed ; all malevolent 
 beings received a loving heart, and peace reigned on 
 earth. Mara, the evil one, alone was grieved and re- 
 joiced not. ^ 
 
 The Naga kings, earnestly desiring to show their 
 reverence for the most excellent law, as they had paid 
 honor to former Buddhas, now went to meet Bodhi- 
 sattva. They scattered before him mandara flowers, 
 rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay their religious hom- 
 age. 9 
 
 The royal father, pondering the meaning of these 
 signs, was now full of joy and now sore distressed. ^^ 
 
 The queen mother, beholding her child and the 
 commotion which his birth created, felt in her timor- 
 ous woman's heart the pangs of doubt. ^^ 
 
 At her couch stood an aged woman imploring the 
 heavens to bless the child. 12 
 
 Now there was at that time in the grove Asita, a 
 rishi, leading the life of a hermit. He was a Brahman 
 of dignified mien, famed not only for wisdom and 
 scholarship, but also for his skill in the interpretation 
 of signs. And the king invited him to see the royal 
 child. 13 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 9 
 
 The seer, beholding the prince, wept and sighed 
 deeply. And when the king saw the tears of Asita he 
 became alarmed and asked : *'Why has the sight of 
 my son caused thee grief and pain ? " ^^ 
 
 But Asita's heart rejoiced, and, knowing the king's 
 mind to be perplexed, he addressed him, saying : ^ 
 
 **The king, like the moon when full, should feel 
 great joy, for he has begotten a wondrously noble sonJ^ 
 
 " I do not worship Brahma, but I worship this 
 child ; and the gods in the temples will descend from 
 their places of honor to adore him. " 
 
 <* Banish all anxiety and doubt. The spiritual 
 omens manifested indicate that the child now born will 
 bring deliverance to the whole world. ^^ 
 
 '* Recollecting I myself am old, on that account I 
 could not hold my tears ; for now my end is coming on. 
 But this son of thine will rule the world. He is born 
 for the sake of all that lives. ^ 
 
 **His pure teaching will be like the shore that re- 
 ceives the shipwrecked. His power of meditation will 
 be like the cool lake ; and all creatures parched with 
 the drought of lust may freely drink thereof. ^ 
 
 ** On the fire of covetousness he will cause the cloud 
 of his mercy to rise, so that the rain of the law may 
 extinguish it. ^^ 
 
 *'The heavy gates of despondency he will open, 
 and give deliverance to all creatures ensnared in the 
 self-twined meshes of folly and ignorance. '^ 
 
 ** The king of the law has come forth to rescue from 
 bondage all the poor, the miserable, the helpless." ^ 
 
 When the royal parents heard Asita's words they 
 rejoiced in their hearts and named their new-born in- 
 fant Siddhartha, that is, *'he who has accomplished 
 his purpose." ^* 
 
lO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 And the queen said to her sister, Prajapati : "A 
 mother who has borne a future Buddha will never give 
 birth to another child. I shall soon leave this world, 
 my husband the king, and Siddhartha, my child. When 
 I am gone, be thou a mother to him." 26 
 
 And Prajapati wept and promised. 26 
 
 When the queen had departed from the living, Pra- 
 japati took the boy Siddhartha and reared him. And 
 as the light of the moon little by little increases, so the 
 royal child grew from day to day in mind and in body; 
 and truthfulness and love resided in his heart. ^ 
 
 V. THE TIES OF LIFE. 
 
 When Siddhartha had grown to youth, his father 
 desired to see him married, and he sent to all his kins- 
 folk, commanding them to bring their princesses that 
 the prince might select one among them as his wife. * 
 
 But the kinsfolk replied and said : **The prince is 
 young and delicate ; nor has he learned any of the 
 sciences. He would not be able to maintain our daugh- 
 ter, and should there be war he would be unable to 
 cope with the enemy." 2 
 
 The prince was not boisterous, but pensive in his 
 nature. He loved to stay under the great jambu-tree 
 in the garden of his father, and, observing the ways of 
 the world, gave himself up to meditation. ^ 
 
 And the prince said to his father : *' Invite our kins- 
 folk that they may see me and put my strength to the 
 test." And his father did as his son bade him. * 
 
 When the kinsfolk came, and the people of the city 
 Kapilavastu had assembled to test the prowess and 
 scholarship of the prince, he proved himself manly in 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. II 
 
 all the exercises both of the body and of the mind, 
 and there was no rival among the youths and men of 
 India who could surpass him in any test, bodily or 
 mental. * 
 
 He replied to all the questions of the sages ; but 
 when he questioned them, even the wisest among them 
 were silenced. « 
 
 Then Siddhartha chose himself a wife. He se- 
 lected Yashodhara, his cousin, the gentle daughter of 
 the king of Koli. And Yashodhara was betrothed to 
 the prince. "^ 
 
 In their wedlock was born a son whom they named 
 Rahula, and King Shuddhodana, glad that an heir was 
 born to his son, said : 8 
 
 **The prince having begotten a son, will love him 
 as I love the prince. This will be a strong tie to bind 
 Siddhartha's heart to the interests of the world, and 
 the kingdom of the Shakyas will remain under the 
 sceptre of my descendants. " • 
 
 With no selfish aim, but regarding his child and the 
 people at large, Siddhartha, the prince, attended to 
 his religious duties, bathing his body in the holy Gan- 
 ges and cleansing his heart in the waters of the law. 
 Even as men desire to give peace to their children, so 
 did he long to give rest to the world. " 
 
 VI. THE THREE WOES. 
 
 The palace which the king had given to frhe prince 
 was resplendent with all the luxuries of India ; for the 
 king was anxious to see his son happy. ^ 
 
 All sorrowful sights, all misery, and all knowledge 
 of misery were kept away from Siddhartha, and he knew 
 not that there was evil in the world. * 
 
la THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 But as the chained elephant longs for the wilds of 
 the jungles, so the prince was eager to see the world, 
 and he asked his father, the king, for permission to do 
 so. ^ 
 
 And Shuddhodana ordered a jewel-fronted chariot 
 with four stately horses to be held ready, and com- 
 manded the roads to be adorned where his son would 
 pass. ^ 
 
 The houses of the city were decorated with curtains 
 and banners, and spectators arranged themselves on 
 either side, eagerly gazing at the heir to the throne. 
 Thus Siddhartha rode with Channa, his charioteer, 
 through the streets of the city, and into a country 
 watered by rivulets and covered with pleasant trees. ^ 
 
 There they met an old man by the wayside. The 
 prince, seeing the bent frame, the wrinkled face, and 
 the sorrowful brow, said to the charioteer : *' Who is 
 this? His head is white, his eyes are bleared, and his 
 body is withered. He can barely support himself on 
 his staff." « 
 
 The charioteer, much embarrassed, hardly dared 
 to answer the truth. He said : ''These are the symp- 
 toms of old age. This same man was once a suckling 
 child, and as a youth full of sportive life ; but now, as 
 years have passed away, his beauty is gone and the 
 strength of his life is wasted. '* ^ 
 
 Siddhartha was greatly affected by the words of the 
 charioteer, and he sighed because of the pain of old 
 age. *^What joy or pleasure can men take," he 
 thought to himself, ''when they know they must soon 
 wither and pine away! " ^ 
 
 And lo ! while they were passing on, a sick man 
 appeared on the way-side, gasping for breath, his body 
 disfigured, convulsed and groaning with pain. * 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 13 
 
 The prince asked his charioteer : "What kind of 
 man is this?" And the charioteer replied and said: 
 "This man is sick. The four elements of his body 
 are confused and out of order. We are all subject to 
 such conditions : the poor and the rich, the ignorant 
 and the wise, all creatures that have bodies, are liable 
 to the same calamity." *^ 
 
 And Siddhartha was still more moved. All pleas- 
 ures appeared stale to him and he loathed the joys of 
 life. " 
 
 The charioteer sped the horses on to escape the 
 dreary sight when suddenly they were stopped in their 
 fiery course. ^ 
 
 Four persons passed by carrying a corpse ; and the 
 prince, shuddering at the sight of a lifeless body, 
 asked the charioteer; "What is this they carry? 
 There are streamers and flower garlands ; but the men 
 that follow are overwhelmed with grief ! " ^ 
 
 The charioteer replied : * ' That is a dead man : His 
 body is stark ; his life is gone ; his thoughts are still ; 
 his family and the friends who loved him now carry 
 the corpse to the grave." " 
 
 And the prince was full of awe and terror . "Is 
 this the only dead man," he asked, "or does the world 
 contain other instances?" ^^ 
 
 With a heavy heart the charioteer replied : "All 
 over the world it is the same. He who begins life 
 must end it. There is no escape from death." " 
 
 With bated breath and stammering accents the 
 prince exclaimed : " O worldly men ! How fatal is 
 your delusion ! Inevitably your body will crumble to 
 dust, yet carelessly, unheedingly, you live on." " 
 
 The charioteer observing the deep impression these 
 
14 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA 
 
 sad sights had made on the prince, turned his horses 
 and drove back to the city. ^^ 
 
 When they passed by the palaces of the nobiHty, 
 Krisha Gautami, a young princess andniece of the king, 
 saw Siddhartha in his manhness and beauty, and, ob- 
 serving the thoughtfulness of his countenance, said : 
 ** Happy the father that begot you, happy the mother 
 that nursed you, happy the wife that calls husband this 
 lord so glorious." *^ 
 
 The prince hearing this greeting, said: ''Happy 
 are they that have found deliverance. Longing for 
 peace of mind, I shall seek the bliss of Nirvana." And 
 handing her his precious pearl necklace as a reward for 
 the instruction she had given him, he returned home.^ 
 
 Siddhartha looked with disdain upon the treasures 
 of his palace. His wife welcomed him and entreated 
 him to tell her the cause of his grief ; and he said : "I 
 see everywhere the impression of change ; therefore, 
 my heart is heavy. Men grow old, sicken, and die. 
 That is enough to take away the zest of life." ^^ 
 
 The king, his father, hearing that the heart of the 
 prince had become estranged from pleasure, was greatly 
 overcome with sorrow and like a sword it pierced his 
 heart « 
 
 VII. BUDDHA'S RENUNCIATION. 
 
 It was night. The prince found no rest on his 
 soft pillow ; he arose and went out into the garden. 
 "Alas !" he cried, "for all the world is full of dark- 
 ness and ignorance ; there is no one who knows how 
 to cure the ills of existence." And he groaned with 
 pain. ^ 
 
 Siddhartha sat down beneath the great jambu-tree 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. r5 
 
 and gave himself to thought, pondering on life and 
 death and the evils of decay. Concentrating his mind 
 he became free from confusion. All low desires van- 
 ished from his heart and perfect tranquillity came over 
 him. * 
 
 In this state of ecstasy he saw with his mental eye 
 all the misery and sorrow of the world ; he saw the 
 pains of pleasure and the inevitable certainty of death 
 that hovers over every being. Yet men are not awak- 
 ened to the truth. And a deep compassion seized his 
 heart. ' 
 
 While the prince was pondering on the problem of 
 evil, he beheld with his mind's eye under the jambu- 
 tree a lofty figure endowed with majesty, calm and dig- 
 nified. ** Whence dost thou come, and who art thou? " 
 asked the prince. * 
 
 In reply the vision said: *' I am a shramana. Trou- 
 bled at the thought of old age, disease, and death I have 
 left my home to seek the path of salvation. All things 
 hasten to decay; only the truth abideth forever. Every- 
 thing changes, and there is no permanency; yet the 
 words of Buddhas are immutable. I long for the hap- 
 piness that does not decay; the treasure that will never 
 perish ; the life that knows of no beginning and no 
 end. Therefore, I have destroyed all worldly thought. 
 I have retired into an unfrequented dell to live in 
 solitude ; and, begging for food, I devote myself to the 
 one thing that is needed." ^ 
 
 Siddhartha asked: *'Can peace be gained in this 
 world of unrest? I am struck with the emptiness of 
 pleasure and have become disgusted with lust. All 
 oppresses me, and existence itself seems intolerable. " • 
 
 The shramana replied : << Where heat is, there is 
 also a possibility of cold ; creatures subject to pain, 
 
l6 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 possess the faculty of pleasure ; the origin of evil in- 
 dicates that good can be developed. For these things 
 are correlatives. Thus where there is much suffering, 
 there will be much bliss, if you but open your eyes to 
 find it. Just as a man who has fallen into a heap of 
 filth ought to seek the great pond of water covered 
 with lotuses, which is near by: even so seek thou for 
 the great deathless lake of Nirvana to wash off the de- 
 filement of sin. If the lake is not sought, it is not the 
 fault of the lake ; even so when there is a blessed road 
 leading the man held fast by sin to the salvation of 
 Nirvana, if the road is not walked upon it is not the 
 fault of the road, but of the person. And when a man 
 who is oppressed with sickness, there being a physician 
 who can heal him, does not avail himself of the physi- 
 cian's help, that is not the fault of the physician : even 
 so when a man oppressed by the malady of evil-doing 
 does not seek the spiritual guide of enlightenment, that 
 is no fault of the sin-destroying guide. " ' 
 
 The prince listened to the noble words of his visi- 
 tor and said: **You bring good tidings, for now I 
 know that my purpose will be accomplished. My 
 father advises me to enjoy life and to undertake worldly 
 duties, such as will bring honor to me and my house. 
 He tells me that I am too young still, that my pulse 
 beats too full to lead a religious life. ^ 
 
 The venerable figure shook his head and replied : 
 **You ought to know that for seeking true religion 
 there is never a time that can be inopportune." ^ 
 
 A thrill of joy passed through Siddhartha's heart. 
 **Now is the time to seek religion," he said, **now is 
 the time to sever all ties that would prevent me from 
 attaining perfect enlightenment ; now is the time to 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. I7 
 
 wander into the wilderness and, leading a mendicant's 
 life, to find the path of deliverance." ^^ 
 
 The celestial messenger heard the resolution of 
 Siddhartha with approval. " 
 
 **Now, indeed," he added, **is the time to seek 
 religion. Go out, Siddhartha, and accomplish your 
 purpose. For thou art Bodhisattva, the Buddha-elect ; 
 thou art destined to enlighten the world. ^ 
 
 ** Thou art Tathagata, the perfect one, for thou wilt 
 fulfil all righteousness and be dharma-raja, the king of 
 truth. Thou art Bhagavant, the Blessed One, for thou 
 art called upon to become the saviour and redeemer of 
 the world. " 
 
 *' Do thou fulfil the perfection of truth. Though the 
 thunderbolt descend upon thy head, yield thou never 
 to the allurements that beguile men from the path of 
 truth. As the sun at all seasons pursues his own 
 course, nor ever goes on another, even so if thou for- 
 sake not the straight path of righteousness, thou shalt 
 become a Buddha. ** 
 
 ** Persevere in thy quest and thou shalt find what 
 thou seekest. Pursue thy aim unswervingly and thou 
 shalt reach the prize. Struggle earnestly and thou 
 shalt conquer. The benediction of all deities, of all 
 saints, of all that seek light is upon thee, and heavenly 
 wisdom guides thy steps. Thou shalt be the Buddha, 
 our Master, and our Lord ; thou wilt enlighten the 
 world and save mankind from perdition." ^ 
 
 Having thus spoken, the vision vanished, and Sid- 
 dhartha's soul was filled with peace. He said to him- 
 self : M 
 
 '* I have awakened to the truth and I am resolved 
 to accomplish my purpose. I will sever all the ties 
 
l8 THE GOSPEL OP BUDDHA. 
 
 that bind me to the world, and I will go out from my 
 home to seek the way of salvation. " 
 
 '< The Buddhas are beings whose words cannot fail : 
 there is no departure from truth in their speech. ^ 
 
 **For as the fall of a stone thrown into the air, as 
 the death of a mortal, as the sunrise at dawn, as the 
 lion's roaring when he leaves his lair, as the delivery 
 of a woman with child, as all these things are sure and 
 certain — even so the word of the Buddhas is sure and 
 cannot fail. ^ 
 
 "Verily I shall become a Buddha." » 
 
 The prince returned to the bedroom of his wife to 
 take a last farewell glance at those whom he dearly 
 loved above all the treasures of the earth. He longed 
 to take the boy once more into his arms and kiss him 
 with a parting kiss. But the child lay in the arms of 
 its mother and he could not lift the boy without awak- 
 ing both. ^ 
 
 There Siddhartha stood gazing at his beautiful wife 
 and his beloved son, and his heart grieved. The pain 
 of parting overcame him powerfully. Although his 
 mind was determined so that nothing, be it good or 
 evil, could shake his resolution, the tears came freely 
 from his eyes, and it was beyond his power to check 
 or suppress their stream. *^ 
 
 The prince tore himself away with a manly heart, 
 suppressing his feelings but not extinguishing his mem- 
 ory. He mounted his steed Kanthaka, and finding the 
 gates of the castle wide open, he went out into the 
 silent night, accompanied only by his faithful charioteer 
 Channa. ^ 
 
 Thus Siddhartha, the prince, renounced worldly 
 pleasures, gave up his kingdom, severed all ties, and 
 went into homelessness. ** 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. I9 
 
 Darkness lay upon the earth, but the stars shone 
 brightly in the heavens. * 
 
 VIII. KING BIMBISARA. 
 
 Siddhartha had cut his waving hair and had ex- 
 changed his royal robe for a mean dress of the color of 
 the ground. Having sent home Channa, the charioteer, 
 together with the noble mare Kanthaka, to king Shud- 
 dhodana to bear him the message that the prince had 
 left the world, Bodhisattva walked along on the high- 
 road with a beggar's bowl in his hand. ^ 
 
 Yet the majesty of his mind was ill-concealed under 
 the poverty of his appearance. His erect gait betrayed 
 his royal birth and his eyes beamed with a fervid zeal 
 for truth. The beauty of his youth was transfigured 
 by holiness that surrounded his head like a halo. * 
 
 All the people who saw this unusual sight gazed at 
 him in wonder. Those who were in a haste arrested 
 their steps and looked back ; and there was no one who 
 did not pay him homage. • 
 
 Having entered the city of Rajagriha, the prince 
 went from house to house silently waiting till the peo- 
 ple offered him food. Wherever the Blessed One came, 
 the people gave him what they had ; they bowed be- 
 fore him modestly and were filled with gratitude be- 
 cause he condescended to approach their home. * 
 
 Old and young people were moved and said : ** This 
 is a noble muni ! His approach is bliss. What a great 
 joy for us ! " * 
 
 And king Bimbisara noticing the commotion in the 
 city inquired for the cause of it, and learning the news 
 sent one of his attendants to observe the stranger. • 
 
 Having heard that the muni must be a Shakya and of 
 
aO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 noble family, and that he had retired to the bank of a 
 flowing river in the woods to eat the food in his bowl, 
 the king was moved in his heart ; he donned his royal 
 robe, placed his gold crown on his head and went out 
 in the company of aged and wise counselors to meet 
 his mysterious guest. ' 
 
 The king found the muni of the Shakya race seated 
 under a tree. Contemplating the composure of his 
 face and the gentleness of his deportment, Bimbisara 
 greeted him reverently and said. ^ 
 
 ** O shram ana, your hands are fit to grasp the reins 
 of an empire and should not hold a beggar's bowl. I 
 pity your youth. If I did not think you were of royal 
 descent, I should request you to join me in the gov- 
 ernment of my country and share my royal power. De- 
 sire for power is becoming to the noble-minded, and 
 wealth should not be despised. To grow rich and lose 
 religion is not true gain. But he who possesses all 
 three, power, wealth, and religion, enjoying them in 
 discretion and with wisdom, him I call a great mas- 
 ter." 9 
 
 The great Shakyamuni lifted his eyes and replied :^° 
 
 "You are known, O king, as liberal and religious, 
 and your words are prudent. A kind man who makes 
 good use of wealth is rightly said to possess a great 
 treasure ; but the miser who hoards up his riches will 
 have no profit. ii 
 
 "Charity is rich in returns ; charity is the greatest 
 wealth, for though it scatters, it brings no repen- 
 tance. ^ 
 
 ** I have severed all ties because I seek deliverance. 
 How is it possible for me to return to the world ? He 
 who seeks religious truth, which is the highest treas- 
 ure of all, must leave behind all that can concern him 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 21 
 
 or draw away his attention, and must be bent upon 
 that one goal alone. He must free his soul from cov- 
 etousness and lust, and also of the desire for power. ^ 
 
 ''Indulge in lust but a little, and lust like a child 
 will grow. Wield worldly power and you will be bur- 
 dened with cares. ^* 
 
 ** Better than sovereignty over the earth, better 
 than living in heaven, better than lordship over all the 
 worlds, is the fruit of holiness. ^ 
 
 **B6dhisattva has recognised the illusory nature 
 of wealth and will not take poison as food. ^* 
 
 ** Shall the baited fish still covet the hook, or the 
 captive bird be enamoured of the net? ^^ 
 
 ** Would a rabbit rescued from the serpent's mouth 
 go back to be devoured? Would a man who burned 
 his hand with a torch take it up after he had dropped 
 it to the earth ? Would a blind man who has recovered 
 his sight desire to spoil his eyes again? w 
 
 "The sick man suffering from fever seeks for a 
 cooling medicine. Shall we advise him to drink that 
 which will increase the fever? Shall we quench a fire 
 by heaping on it fuel? ^ 
 
 *' I pray you, pity me not. Pity rather those who 
 are burdened with the cares of royalty and the sorrows 
 of great riches. They enjoy them tremblingly, for they 
 are constantly threatened with a loss of those boons 
 on the possession of which their hearts are set, and 
 when they die they cannot take along either their gold 
 or the kingly diadem. What is the preference of a 
 dead king over a dead beggar? 20 
 
 ** My heart hankers after no vulgar profit, so I have 
 put away my royal diadem and prefer to be free from 
 the burdens of life. » 
 
 "Therefore do not try to entangle me in new rela- 
 
22 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 tionship and duties, nor hinder me from completing the 
 work I have begun. 22 
 
 **I regret to leave you. But I will go to the sages 
 who can teach me religion and so find the path on which 
 we can escape evil. " 
 
 ** May your country enjoy peace and prosperity, 
 and may wisdom be shed upon your rule like the 
 brightness of the meridian sun. May your royal power 
 be strong and may righteousness be the sceptre in your 
 hand." 24 
 
 The king, clasping his hands with reverence, bowed 
 down before Shakyamuni and said : " May you obtain 
 that which you seek, and, having obtained it, come 
 back, I pray you, and receive me as your disciple. " * 
 
 Bodhisattva parted from the king in friendship and 
 good-will, and he purposed in his heart to grant his 
 request. * 
 
 IX. BUDDHA'S SEARCH. 
 
 Arada and Udraka were renowned as teachers 
 among the Brahmans, and there was no one in those 
 days who surpassed them in learning and philosoph- 
 ical knowledge. ^ 
 
 Bodhisattva went to them and sat at their feet. 
 He listened to their doctrines of the atman or self, 
 which is the ego of the mind and the doer of all doings. 
 He learned their views of the transmigration of souls 
 and of the law of karma ; how the souls of bad men 
 had to suffer by being reborn in men of low caste, 
 in animals, or in hell, while those who purified them- 
 selves by libations, by sacrifices, and by self-mortifica- 
 tion would become kings, or Brahmans, or devas, so 
 as to rise higher and higher in the grades of existence. 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 23 
 
 He Studied their incantations and offerings and the 
 methods by which they attained deliverance of the ego 
 from material existence in states of ecstasy. ^ 
 
 Arada said : **What is that self which perceives 
 the actions of the five roots of mind, touch, smell, 
 taste, sight, and hearing? What is that which is active 
 in the two ways of motion, in the hands and in the 
 feet? The problem of the soul appears in the expres- 
 sions '/ say,' '/know and perceive,' */ come, 'and '/ 
 go' or '/ will stay here.' Thy soul is not thy body; 
 it is not thy eye, not thy ear, not thy nose, not thy 
 tongue ; nor is it thy mind. The / is he who feels the 
 touch in thy body. The / is the smeller in the nose, 
 the taster in the tongue, the seer in the eye, the hearer 
 in the ear, and the thinker in the mind. The / moves 
 thy hands and thy feet. The / is thy soul. Doubt 
 in the existence of the soul is irreligious, and with- 
 out discerning this truth there is no way of salvation. 
 Deep speculation will easily involve the mind ; it leads 
 to confusion and unbelief; but a purification of the 
 soul leads to the way of escape. True deliverance is 
 reached by removing from the crowd and leading a her- 
 mit's life, depending entirely on alms for food. Putting 
 away all desire and clearly recognising the non-existence 
 of matter, we reach a state of perfect emptiness. Here 
 we find the condition of immaterial life. As the munja- 
 grass when freed from its horny case, or as the wild 
 bird escapes from its prison, so the ego liberating itself 
 from all limitations, finds perfect release. This is true 
 deliverance, but those only who will have deep faith 
 will learn." ^ 
 
 Bodhisattva found no satisfaction in these teach- 
 ings. He replied : *' People are in bondage, because 
 they have not yet removed the idea of /. ♦ 
 
^4 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 "The thing and its quality are different in onr 
 thought, but not in reality. Heat is different from fire 
 in our thought, but you cannot remove heat from fire 
 in reality. You say that you can remove the qualities 
 and leave the thing, but if you think your theory to 
 the end, you will find that this is not so. ^ 
 
 "Is not man an organism of many aggregates? Do 
 we not consist of various skandhas, as our sages call 
 them? Man consists of the material form, of sensation, 
 of thought, of dispositions, and, lastly, of understand- 
 ing. That which men call the ego when they say */ 
 am ' is not an entity behind the skandhas ; it originates 
 by the co-operation of the skandhas. There is mind ; 
 there is sensation and thought, and there is truth ; and 
 truth is mind when it walks in the path of righteousness. 
 But there is no separate ego-soul outside or behind the 
 thought of man. He who believes that the ego is a dis- 
 tinct being has no correct conception of things. The 
 very search for the atman is wrong ; it is a wrong start 
 and it will lead you in the false direction. • 
 
 " How much confusion of thought comes from our 
 interest in self, and from our vanity when thinking */ 
 am so great, * or ' / have done this wonderful deed ? ' 
 The thought of your / stands between your rational 
 nature and truth ; banish it, and then you will see 
 things as they are. He who thinks correctly will rid 
 himself of ignorance and acquire wisdom. The ideas 
 '/ am ' and '/ shall be ' or */ shall not be * do not oc- 
 cur to a clear thinker. ^ 
 
 "Moreover, if your ego remains, how can you at- 
 tain true deliverance ? If the ego is to be reborn in any 
 of the three worlds, be it in hell, upon earth, or be it 
 even in heaven, we shall meet again and again the 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 25 
 
 same inevitable doom of existence. We shall be im- 
 plicated in egotism and sin. ' 
 
 *'A11 combination is subject to separation, and we 
 cannot escape birth, disease, old age, and death. Is 
 this a final escape? " • 
 
 Udraka said : * ' Do you not see around you the ef- 
 fects of karma? What makes men different in character, 
 station, possessions, and fate? It is their karma, and 
 karma includes merit and demerit. The transmigra- 
 tion of the soul is subject to its karma. We inherit 
 from former existences the evil effects of our evil deeds 
 and the good effects of our good deeds. If that were 
 not so, how could we be different?" ^^ 
 
 The Tathagata meditated deeply on the problems 
 of transmigration and karma, and found the truth that 
 lies in them. ^^ 
 
 **The doctrine of karma, '* he said, ** is undeniable, 
 but your theory of the ego has no foundation. ^'^ 
 
 The life of the soul is, like all other phenomena of 
 nature, subject to the law of cause and effect. The 
 present reaps what the past has sown, and the future 
 is the product of the present. But I can discover no 
 immutable ego-being, no self which remains the same 
 and migrates from body to body. ^^ 
 
 *'Is not this individuality of mine a combination, 
 material as well as mental? Is it not made up of qual- 
 ities that sprang into being by a gradual evolution. 
 The five roots of sense-perception in this organism have 
 come from ancestors who performed these functions. 
 The ideas which I think, came to me partly from others 
 who thought them, and partly they rise from combina- 
 tions of these ideas in my own mind. Those who used 
 the same sense-organs, and thought the same ideas 
 before I was composed into this individuality of mine 
 
26 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 are my previous existences ; they are my ancestors as 
 much as / of yesterday am the father of / of to-day, 
 and the karma of my past deeds conditions the fate of 
 my present existence. ^* 
 
 *' Supposing there were an atman that performs the 
 actions of the senses, then if the door of sight were 
 torn down and the eye plucked out, that atman would 
 be able to peep through the larger aperture and see the 
 forms of its surroundings better and more clearly than 
 before. It would be able to hear sounds better, if the 
 ears were torn away; smell better, if the nose were cut 
 off; taste better, if the tongue were pulled out; and 
 feel better if the body were destroyed. ^^ 
 
 *<I observe the preservation and transmission of 
 soul ; I perceive the truth of karma, but see no atman 
 whom your doctrine makes the doer of your deeds. 
 There is rebirth without the transmigration of self. 
 For this atman, this self, this ego in the '/ say ' and 
 in the */ will ' is an illusion. If this self were a reality, 
 how could there be an escape from selfhood? The 
 terror of hell would be infinite, and no release could 
 be granted. The evils of existence would not be due 
 to our ignorance and sin, but would constitute the very 
 nature of our being." ^* 
 
 And Bodhisattva went to the priests officiating in 
 the temples. But the gentle mind of the Shakyamuni 
 was offended at the unnecessary cruelty performed on 
 the altars of the gods. He said : ^^ 
 
 *' Ignorance only can make these men prepare festi- 
 vals and vast meetings for sacrifices. Far better to 
 revere the truth than try to appease the gods by the 
 shedding of blood. 18 
 
 ' ' What love can a man possess who believes that the 
 destruction of life will atone for evil deeds? Can a new 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 27 
 
 wrong expiate old wrongs? And can the slaughter of 
 an innocent victim take away the sins of mankind? 
 This is practising religion by the neglect of moral con- 
 duct. ^ 
 
 * * Purify your hearts and cease to kill ; that is true 
 religion. ^ 
 
 ** Rituals have no efficacy; prayers are vain repeti- 
 tions ; and incantations have no saving power. But to 
 abandon covetousness and lust, to become free from 
 evil passions, and to give up all hatred and ill-will, that 
 is the right sacrifice and the true worship. '* ^ 
 
 X. URUVILVA. THE PLACE OF MORTIFICATION. 
 
 Bodhisattva went in search of a better system and 
 came to a settlement of five bhikshus in the jungle of 
 Uruvilva ; and when the Blessed One saw the life of 
 those five men, virtuously keeping in check their 
 senses, subduing their passions, and practising austere 
 self-discipline, he admired their earnestness and joined 
 their company. ^ 
 
 With holy zeal and a strong heart, Shakyamuni 
 gave himself up to mortification and thoughtful medi- 
 tation. While the five bhikshus were severe, Shakya- 
 muni was severer still, and they revered him as their 
 master. ^ 
 
 So Bodhisattva continued for six years patiently 
 torturing himself and suppressing the wants of nature. 
 He trained his body and exercised his mind in the 
 modes of the most rigorous ascetic life. At last he ate 
 each day one hemp-grain only, seeking to cross the 
 ocean of birth and death and to arrive at the shore of 
 deliverance, ' 
 
a8 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA 
 
 Bodhisattva was shrunken and attenuated, and his 
 body was like a withered branch ; but the fame of his 
 holiness spread in the surrounding countries, and peo- 
 ple came from great distances to see him and receive 
 his blessing. * 
 
 However, the Holy One was not satisfied. Seek- 
 ing true wisdom he did not find it, and he came to the 
 conclusion that mortification would not extinguish de- 
 sire nor afford enlightenment in ecstatic contempla- 
 tion. ^ 
 
 Seated beneath a jambu-tree, he considered the 
 state of his mind and the fruits of his mortification. 
 * * My body has become weaker and weaker, " he thought, 
 **and my fasts have not advanced me in my search for 
 salvation. This is not the right path. I should rather 
 try to strengthen my body by drink and food and thus 
 enable my mind to seek composure." ^ 
 
 He went to bathe in the river, but when he strove 
 to leave the water he could not rise on account of his 
 weakness. Then espying the branch of a tree and 
 taking hold of it, he raised himself and left the river. ^ 
 
 While the Blessed One was walking to return to 
 his abode, he staggered and fell to the ground, and the 
 five bhikshus thought he was dead. ^ 
 
 There was a chief herdsman living near the grove 
 whose eldest daughter was called Nanda ; and Nanda 
 happened to pass by the spot where the Blessed One 
 had swooned, and bowing down before him she offered 
 him rice-milk and he accepted the gift. » 
 
 Having eaten, all his limbs were refreshed, his 
 mind became clear again, and he was strong to receive 
 the highest enlightenment. !« 
 
 After this occurrence, Bodhisattva partook again of 
 food. His disciples having witnessed the scene of 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 29 
 
 Nandi and observing the change in his mode of living, 
 were filled with suspicion. They were convinced that 
 Siddhartha's religious zeal was flagging and that he 
 whom they had hitherto revered as their Master had 
 become oblivious of his high purpose. " 
 
 Bodhisattva when he saw the bhikshus turning away 
 from him, felt sorry for their lack of confidence, and 
 he was aware of the loneliness in which he lived. " 
 
 Suppressing his grief he wandered on alone and his 
 disciples said, ''Siddhartha leaves us to seek a more 
 pleasant abode." " 
 
 XI. MARA THE EVIL ONE. 
 
 The Holy One directed his steps to that blessed 
 Bodhi-tree beneath whose shade he should accomplish 
 his search. ^ 
 
 As he walked, the earth shook and a brilliant light 
 transfigured the world. ' 
 
 When he sat down the heavens resounded with joy 
 and all living beings were filled with good cheer. * 
 
 Mara alone, lord of the five desires, bringer of death 
 and enemy of truth, was grieved and rejoiced not. 
 With his three daughters, the tempters, and with his 
 host of evil demons, he went to the place where the 
 great shramana sat. But Shakyamuni minded him not.* 
 
 Mara uttered fear-inspiring threats and raised a 
 whirl-storm so that the skies were darkened and the 
 ocean roared and trembled. But the Blessed One un- 
 der the B6dhi-tree remained calm and feared not. The 
 Enlightened One knew that no harm could befall him. ^ 
 
 The three daughters of Mara tempted Bodhisattva, 
 but he paid no attention to them, and when Mara saw 
 that he could kindle no desire in the heart of the vie- 
 
3© THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 torious shramana, he ordered all the evil spirits at his 
 command to attack him and overawe the great muni.^ 
 
 But the Blessed One watched them as one would 
 watch the harmless games of children. All the fierce 
 hatred of the evil spirits was of no avail. The flames 
 of hell became wholesome breezes of perfume, and the 
 angry thunderbolts were changed into lotus-flowers. ^ 
 
 When Mara saw this, he fled away with his army 
 from the Bodhi-tree. Whilst from above a rain of 
 heavenly flowers fell, and voices of good spirits were 
 heard : ^ 
 
 ''Behold the great muni! his mind unmoved by 
 hatred ; the host of the wicked one has not overawed 
 him. He is pure and wise, loving, and full of mercy.^ 
 
 **As the rays of the sun drown the darkness of the 
 world, so he who perseveres in his search will find the 
 truth and the truth will enlighten him." ^ 
 
 XII. ENLIGHTENMENT. 
 
 Bodhisattva having put to flight Mara, gave him- 
 self up to meditation. All the miseries of the world, 
 the evils produced by evil deeds and the sufferings 
 arising therefrom passed before his mental eye, and he 
 thought : 1 
 
 "Surely if living creatures saw the results of all 
 their evil deeds, they would turn away from them in 
 disgust. But selfhood blinds them, and they cling to 
 their obnoxious desires. 2 
 
 ''They crave for pleasure and they cause pain; when 
 death destroys their individuality, they find no peace ; 
 their thirst for existence abides and their selfhood re- 
 appears in new births. ^ 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 3I 
 
 *'Thus they continue to move in the coil and can 
 find no escape from the hell of their own making. And 
 how empty are their pleasures, how vain are their en- 
 deavors ! Hollow like the plantain-tree and without 
 contents like the bubble. * 
 
 **The world is full of sin and sorrow, because it is 
 full of error. Men go astray because they think that 
 delusion is better than truth. Rather than truth they 
 follow error, which is pleasant to look at in the begin- 
 ning but causes anxiety, tribulation, and misery." * 
 
 And Bodhisattva began to expound the dharma. 
 The dharma is the truth. The dharma is the sacred 
 law. The dharma is religion. The dharma alone can 
 deliver us from error, sin, and sorrow. • 
 
 Pondering on the origin of birth and death, the 
 Enlightened One recognised that ignorance was the 
 root of all evil ; and these are the links in the develop- 
 ment of life, called the twelve nidanas : ^ 
 
 *' In the beginning there is existence blind and 
 without knowledge ; and in this sea of ignorance there 
 are appetences formative and organising. From appe- 
 tences, formative and organising, rises awareness or 
 feelings. Feelings beget organisms that live as indi- 
 vidual beings. These organisms develop the six fields, 
 that is, the five senses and the mind. The six fields 
 come in contact with things. Contact begets sensa- 
 tion. Sensation creates the thirst of individualised be- 
 ing. The thirst of being creates a cleaving to things. 
 The cleaving produces the growth and continuation of 
 selfhood. Selfhood continues in renewed births. The 
 renewed births of selfhood are the cause of suffering, 
 old age, sickness, and death. They produce lamenta- 
 tion, anxiety, and despair. 8 
 
 **The cause of all sorrow lies at the very beginning; 
 
32 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 it is hidden in the ignorance from which life grows. 
 Remove ignorance and you will destroy the wrong ap- 
 petences that rise from ignorance ; destroy these ap- 
 petences and you will wipe out the wrong perception 
 that rises from them. Destroy wrong perception and 
 there is an end of errors in individualised beings. De- 
 stroy errors in individualised beings and the illusions of 
 the six fields will disappear. Destroy illusions and the 
 contact with things will cease to beget misconception. 
 Destroy misconception and you do away with thirst. 
 Destroy thirst and you will be free of all morbid cleav- 
 ing. Remove the cleaving and you destroy the self- 
 ishness of selfhood. If the selfishness of selfhood is 
 destroyed you will be above birth, old age, disease, 
 and death, and you escape all suffering." ^ 
 
 The Enlightened One saw the four noble truths 
 which point out the path that leads to Nirvana or the 
 extinction of self : ^^ 
 
 **The first noble truth is the existence of sorrow. 
 Birth is sorrowful, growth is sorrowful, illness is sor- 
 rowful, and death is sorrowful. Sad it is to be joined 
 with that which we do not like. Sadder still is the 
 separation from that which we love, and painful is the 
 craving for that which cannot be obtained. " 
 
 "The second noble truth is the cause of suffering. 
 The cause of suffering is lust. The surrounding world 
 affects sensation and begets a craving thirst, which 
 clamors for immediate satisfaction. The illusion of 
 self originates and manifests itself in a cleaving to 
 things. The desire to live for the enjoyment of self 
 entangles us in the net of sorrow. Pleasures are the bait 
 and the result is pain. ^ 
 
 *'The third noble truth is the cessation of sorrow. 
 He who conquers self will be free from lust. He m*) 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 33 
 
 longer craves, and the flame of desire finds no material 
 to feed upon. Thus it will be extinguished. *' 
 
 **The fourth noble truth is the eightfold path that 
 leads to the cessation of sorrow. There is salvation 
 for him whose self disappears before Truth, whose will 
 is bent upon what he ought to do, whose sole desire is 
 the performance of his duty. He who is wise will en- 
 ter this path and make an end of sorrow. ^* 
 
 **The eightfold path is (i) right comprehension; 
 (2) right resolutions ; (3) right speech ; (4) right acts; 
 (5) right way of earning a livelihood ; (6) right efforts; 
 (7) right thoughts ; and (8) the right state of a peace- 
 ful mind." ^ 
 
 This is the dharma. This is the truth. This is 
 religion. And the Enlightened One uttered this stanza : 
 
 ** Long have I wandered ! Long I 
 Bound by the chain of desire 
 Through many births, 
 Seeking thus long in vain, 
 Whence comes this restlessness in man? 
 Whence his egotism, his anguish ? 
 And hard to bear is samsara 
 When pain and death encompass us. 
 Found ! it is found ! 
 Author of selfhood, 
 
 No longer shalt thou build a house for me. 
 Broken are the beams of sin ; 
 The ridge-pole of care is shattered. 
 Into Nirvana my mind has passed. 
 The end of cravings has been reached at last." " 
 
 There is self and there is truth. Where self is, truth 
 is not. Where truth is, self is not. Self is the fleeting 
 error of samsara ; it is individual separateness and 
 
34 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 that egotism which begets envy and hatred. Self is 
 the yearning for pleasure and the lust after vanity. 
 Truth is the correct comprehension of things ; it is the 
 permanent and everlasting, the real in all existence, 
 the bliss of righteousness. " 
 
 The existence of self is an illusion, and there is no 
 wrong in this world, no vice, no sin, except what flows 
 from the assertion of self. ^ 
 
 The attainment of truth is possible only when self 
 is recognised as an illusion. Righteousness can be 
 practised only when we have freed our mind from the 
 passions of egotism. Perfect peace can dwell only 
 where all vanity has disappeared. ^* 
 
 Blessed is he who has understood the dharma. 
 Blessed is he who does no harm to his fellow-beings. 
 Blessed is he who overcomes sin and is free from pas- 
 sion. To the highest bliss has he attained who has con- 
 quered all selfishness and vanity. He has become Bud- 
 dha, the Perfect One, the Blessed One, the Holy One.2« 
 
 XIII. THE FIRST CONVERTS. 
 
 The Blessed One tarried in solitude seven times 
 seven days, enjoying the bliss of emancipation. ^ 
 
 At that time Tapussa and Bhallika, two merchants, 
 came travelling on the road near by, and when they 
 saw the great shramana, majestic and full of peace, 
 they approached him respectfully and offered him rice- 
 cakes and honey. * 
 
 This was the first food that the Enlightened One ate 
 since he attained Buddhahood. ^ 
 
 And Buddha addressed them and pointed out to 
 them the way of salvation. The two merchants con- 
 ceiving in their minds the holiness of the conqueror 
 
THE PRINCE BECOMES BUDDHA. 35 
 
 of Mara, bowed down m reverence and said: **We 
 take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One and in the 
 Dharma." * 
 
 Tapussa and Bhallika were the first that became 
 lay disciples of Buddha. ^ 
 
 XIV. BRAHMA'S REQUEST. 
 
 The Blessed One having attained Buddhahood pro- 
 nounced this solemn utterance : ^ 
 
 ** Blissful is freedom from malice. Blissful is ab- 
 sence of lust and the loss of all pride that comes from 
 the thought </am.' 2 
 
 '* I have recognised the deepest truth, which is 
 sublime and peace-giving, but difficult to understand. 
 For most men move in a sphere of worldly interests and 
 find their delight in worldly desires. ^ 
 
 **The worldling will not understand the doctrine, 
 for to him there is happiness in selfhood only, and the 
 bliss that lies in a complete surrender to truth is unin- 
 telligible to him. * 
 
 " He will call resignation what to the Enlightened 
 One is the purest joy. He will see annihilation where 
 the perfected one finds immortality. He will regard as 
 death what the conqueror of self knows to be life ever- 
 lasting. » 
 
 <* The truth remains hidden from him who is in the 
 bondage of hate and desire. Nirvana remains incom- 
 prehensible and mysterious to the vulgar mind that 
 worldly interests surround as with clouds. • 
 
 ** Should I preach the doctrine and mankind not 
 comprehend it, it would bring me only fatigue and 
 trouble." » 
 
36 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Then Brahma Sahampati descended from the heaven 
 and, having worshipped the Blessed One, said : * 
 
 **Alas ! the world must perish, should the Holy 
 One, the Tathagata, decide not to teach the dharma. * 
 
 *'Be merciful to those that struggle; have com- 
 passion upon the sufferers ; pity the creatures who are 
 hopelessly entangled in the snares of sorrow. ^^ 
 
 ** There are some beings that are almost pure from 
 the dust of worldliness. If they hear not the doctrine 
 preached, they will be lost. But if they hear it, they 
 will believe and be saved." ^^ 
 
 The Blessed One, full of compassion, looked with 
 the eye of a Buddha upon all sentient creatures, and he 
 saw among them beings whose minds were but scarcely 
 covered by the dust of worldliness, who were of good 
 disposition and easy to instruct. He saw some who 
 were conscious of the dangers of lust and sin. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said: *'Wide open be the 
 door of immortality to all who have ears to hear. May 
 they receive the dharma with faith. " ^ 
 
 Then, Brahma Sahampati understood that the 
 Blessed One had granted the request and would preach 
 the doctrine. " 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF 
 RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
 
 XV. UPAKA. 
 
 NOW the Blessed One thought : " To whom shall 
 I preach the doctrine first ? My old teachers are 
 dead. They would have received the good news with 
 joy. But my five disciples are still alive. I shall go 
 to them, and to them shall I first proclaim the gospel 
 of deliverance. " ^ 
 
 At that* time the five bhikshus dwelt in the Deer 
 Park at Benares, and the Blessed One not thinking of 
 their unkindness in having left him at a time when he 
 was most in need of their sympathy and help, but 
 mindful only of the services which they had ministered 
 unto him, and pitying them for the austerities which 
 they practised in vain, rose and journeyed to their 
 abode. ^ 
 
 Upaka, a young Brahman and a Jain, a former 
 acquaintance of Siddhartha, saw the Blessed One while 
 he journeyed to Benares, and, amazed at the majesty 
 and sublime joyfulness of his appearance said : "Your 
 countenance, friend, is serene ; your eyes are bright 
 and indicate purity and blessedness." ^ 
 
 The holy Buddha replied: *'I have obtained de- 
 liverance by the extinction of self. My body is chas 
 
38 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 tened, my mind is free from desire, and the deepest 
 truth has taken abode in my heart. I have obtained 
 Nirvana, and this is the reason that my countenance is 
 serene and my eyes are bright. I now desire to found 
 the kingdom of truth upon earth, to give light to those 
 who are enshrouded in darkness and to open the gate 
 of immortality to men.'* * 
 
 Upaka replied : **You profess then, friend, to be 
 Jina, the conqueror of the world, the absolute one and 
 the holy one. " ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said: *' Jinas are all those who 
 have conquered self and the passions of self, those 
 alone are victors who control their minds and abstain 
 from sin. Therefore, Upaka, I am the Jina." ® 
 
 Upaka shook his head. '* Venerable Gautama," 
 he said, "your way lies yonder," and taking another 
 road, he went away. "^ 
 
 XVI. THE SERMON AT BENARES. 
 
 The five bhikshus saw their old teacher approach 
 and agreed among themselves not to salute him,' nor 
 to address him as a master, but by his name only. 
 ** For," so they said, ** he has broken his vow and has 
 abandoned holiness. He is no bhikshu but Gautama, 
 and Gautama has become a man who lives in abun- 
 dance and indulges in the pleasures of worldliness. " ^ 
 
 But when the Blessed One approached in a digni- 
 fied manner, they involuntarily rose from their seats 
 and greeted him in spite of their resolution. Still 
 they called him by his name and addressed him as 
 ** friend." 2 
 
 When they had thus received the Blessed One, he 
 said: "Do not call the Tathagata by his name nor 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 39 
 
 address him * friend/ for he is Buddha, the Holy One. 
 Buddha looks equally with a kind heart on all living 
 beings and they therefore call him ' Father. ' To disre- 
 spect a father is wrong ; to despise him, is sin. ^ 
 
 '* The Tathagata," Buddha continued, ''does not 
 seek salvation in austerities, but for that reason you 
 must not think that he indulges in worldly pleasures, 
 nor does he live in abundance. The Tathagata has 
 found the middle path. * 
 
 ''Neither abstinence from fish or flesh, nor going 
 naked, nor shaving the head, nor wearing matted hair, 
 nor dressing in a rough garment, nor covering oneself 
 with dirt, nor sacrificing to Agni, will cleanse a man 
 who is not free from delusions. ^ 
 
 "Reading the Vedas, making offerings to priests, 
 or sacrifices to the gods, self-mortification by heat or 
 cold, and many such penances performed for the sake 
 of immortality, these do not cleanse the man who is 
 not free from delusions. ^ 
 
 "Anger, drunkenness, obstinacy, bigotry, decep- 
 tion, envy, self-praise, disparaging others, supercili- 
 ousness, and evil intentions constitute uncleanness; 
 not verily the eating of flesh. ^ 
 
 "Let me teach you, O bhikshus, the middle path, 
 which keeps aloof from both extremes. By suffering, 
 the emaciated devotee produces confusion and sickly 
 thoughts in his mind. Mortification is not conducive 
 even to worldly knowledge ; how much less to a triumph 
 over the senses ! ^ 
 
 "He who fills his lamp with water will not dispel 
 the darkness, and he who tries to light a fire with rot- 
 ten wood will fail. ^ 
 
 "Mortifications are painful, vain, and profitless. 
 And how can any one be free from self by leading a 
 
40 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 wretched life if he does not succeed in quenching the 
 fires of lust. ^® 
 
 "All mortification is vain so long as self remains, 
 so long as self continues to lust after either worldly or 
 heavenly pleasures. But he in whom self has become 
 extinct is free from lust ; he will desire neither worldly 
 nor heavenly pleasures, and the satisfaction of his nat- 
 ural wants will not defile him. Let him eat and drink 
 according to the needs of the body. ^ 
 
 "Water surrounds the lotus-flower, but does not 
 wet its petals. ^ 
 
 **On the other hand, sensuality of all kind is en- 
 ervating. The sensual man is a slave of his passions, 
 and pleasure-seeking is degrading and vulgar. ^ 
 
 "But to satisfy the necessities of life is not evil. 
 To keep the body in good health is a duty, for other- 
 wise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, 
 and keep our mind strong and clear. ^* 
 
 "This is the middle path, O bhikshus, that keeps 
 aloof from both extremes. " ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One spoke kindly to his disciples, 
 pitying them for their errors, and pointing out the use- 
 lessness of their endeavors, and the ice of ill-will that 
 chilled their hearts melted away under the gentle 
 warmth of the Master's persuasion. ^* 
 
 Now the Blessed One set the wheel of the most 
 excellent law a- rolling, and he began to preach to the 
 five bhikshus, opening to them the gate of immortality, 
 and showing them the bliss of Nirvana. " 
 
 And when the Blessed One began his sermon, a 
 rapture thrilled through all the universes. ^^ 
 
 The devas left their heavenly abodes to listen to the 
 sweetness of the truth ; the saints that had parted from 
 life crowded around the great teacher to receive the 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 4! 
 
 glad tidings ; even the animals of the earth felt the 
 bliss that rested upon the words of the Tathagata : and 
 all the creatures of the host of sentient beings, gods, 
 men, and beasts, hearing the message of deliverance, 
 received and understood it in their own language. ^ 
 
 Buddha said : 20 
 
 **The spokes of the wheel are the rules of pure 
 conduct ; justice is the uniformity of their length ; wis- 
 dom is the tire ; modesty and thoughtfulness are the 
 hub in which the immovable axle of truth is fixed. ^ 
 
 **He who recognises the existence of suffering, its 
 cause, its remedy, and its cessation has fathomed the 
 four noble truths. He will walk in the right path. ^ 
 
 ** Right views will be the torch to light his way. 
 Right aims will be his guide. Right words will be his 
 dwelling-place on the road. His gait will be straight, 
 for it is right behavior. His refreshments will be the 
 right way of earning his livelihood. Right efforts will 
 be his steps : right thoughts his breath ; and peace 
 will follow in his footprints. " " 
 
 And the Blessed One explained the instability of 
 the ego. ** 
 
 "Whatsoever is originated will be dissolved again. 
 All worry about the self is vain ; the ego is like a mir- 
 age, and all the tribulations that touch it will pass 
 away. They will vanish like a nightmare when the 
 sleeper awakes. ^ 
 
 **He who has awakened is freed from fear; he has 
 become Buddha ; he knows the vanity of all his cares, 
 his ambitions, and also of his pains. ^ 
 
 ** It easily happens that a man, when taking a bath, 
 steps upon a wet rope and imagines that it is a snake. 
 Horror will overcome him, and he will shake from fear, 
 anticipating in his mind all the agonies caused by the 
 
4-2 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 serpent's venomous bite. What a relief does this man 
 experience when he sees that the rope is no snake. 
 The cause of his fright lies in his error, his ignorance, 
 his illusion. If the true nature of the rope is recog- 
 nised, his tranquillity of mind will come back to him ; 
 he will feel relieved ; he will be joyful and happy. ^7 
 
 "This is the state of mind of one who has recog- 
 nised that there is no self, that the cause of all his 
 troubles, cares, and vanities is a mirage, a shadow, a 
 dream. ^ 
 
 ** Happy is he who has overcome all selfishness; 
 happy is he who has attained peace ; happy is he who 
 has found the truth. » 
 
 **The truth is noble and sweet ; the truth can de- 
 liver you from evil. There is no saviour in the world 
 except the truth. so 
 
 '* Have confidence in the truth, although you may 
 not be able to comprehend it, although you may sup- 
 pose its sweetness to be bitter, although you may 
 shrink from it at first. Trust in the truth. '^ 
 
 ** The truth is best as it is. No one can alter it; 
 neither can any one improve it. Have faith in the 
 truth and live it. 8* 
 
 ** Errors lead astray; illusions beget miseries. They 
 intoxicate like strong drinks ; but they fade away soon 
 and leave you sick and disgusted. ^ 
 
 "Self is a fever; self is a transient vision, a dream ; 
 but truth is wholesome, truth is sublime, truth is ever- 
 lasting. There is no immortality except in truth. For 
 truth alone abideth forever." ^ 
 
 And when the doctrine was propounded, the vener- 
 able Kaundinya, the oldest one among the five bhik- 
 shus, discerned the truth with his mental eye, and he 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 43 
 
 said: ''Truly, O Buddha, our Lord, thou hast found 
 the truth." . « 
 
 And the devas and saints and all the good spirits 
 of the departed generations that had listened to the 
 sermon of the Tathagata, joyfully received the doctrine 
 and shouted : "Truly, the Blessed One has founded 
 the kingdom of righteousness. The Blessed One has 
 moved the earth ; he has set the wheel of Truth roll- 
 ing, which by no one in the universe, be he god or 
 man, can ever be turned back. The kingdom of Truth 
 will be preached upon earth ; it will spread ; and 
 righteousness, good- will, and peace will reign among 
 mankind." *• 
 
 XVII. THE SANGHA. 
 
 Having pointed out to the five bhikshus the truth, 
 Buddha said : ^ 
 
 *'A man that stands alone, having decided to obey 
 the truth may be weak and slip back into his old ways. 
 Therefore stand ye together, assist one another, and 
 strengthen one another's efforts. ' 
 
 **Be like unto brothers; one in love, one in holi- 
 ness, and one in your zeal for the truth. ^ 
 
 *' Spread the truth and preach the doctrine in all 
 quarters of the world, so that in the end all living crea- 
 tures will be citizens of the kingdom of righteous- 
 ness. * 
 
 *'This is the holy brotherhood ; this is the church 
 of Buddha ; this is the Sangha that establishes a com- 
 munion among all those who have taken their refuge 
 in Buddha." « 
 
 And Kaundinya was the first disciple of Buddha 
 who had thoroughly grasped the doctrine of the Holy 
 
44 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 One, and the Tathagata looking into his heart said : 
 ' ' Truly Kaundinya has understood the truth. " Hence 
 the venerable Kaundinya received the name "Ajnyata- 
 Kaundinya," that is, ** Kaundinya who has understood 
 the doctrine." • 
 
 Then the venerable Kaundinya spoke to Buddha 
 and said : **Lord, let us receive the ordination from 
 the Blessed One." ' 
 
 And Buddha said: **Come, O bhikshus ! Well 
 taught is the doctrine. Lead a holy life for the extinc- 
 tion of suffering." ^ 
 
 Then Kaundinya and the other bhikshus uttered 
 three times these solemn vows : • 
 
 "To Buddha will I look in faith : He, the Perfect 
 One, is holy and supreme. Buddha conveys to us in- 
 struction, wisdom, and salvation, He is the Blessed 
 One, who knows the laws of being, He is the Lord of 
 the world, who yoketh men like oxen, the Teacher of 
 gods and men, the Exalted Buddha. To Buddha will 
 I look in faith. lo 
 
 ** To the doctrine will I look in faith : well-preached 
 is the doctrine by the Exalted One. The doctrine has 
 been revealed so as to become visible ; the doctrine is 
 above time and space. The doctrine is not based upon 
 hearsay, it means 'come and see*; the doctrine leads 
 to welfare ; the doctrine is recognised by the wise in 
 their own hearts. To the doctrine will I look in faith. ^^ 
 
 ** To the community will I look in faith ; the com- 
 munity of Buddha's disciples instructs us how to lead 
 a life of righteousness ; the community of Buddha's 
 disciples teaches us how to exercise honesty and justice; 
 the community of Buddha's disciples shows us how to 
 practise the truth. They form a brotherhood of kind- 
 ness and charity. Their saints are worthy of rever- 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 45 
 
 ence. The community of Buddha's disciples is founded 
 as a holy alliance in which men bind themselves to- 
 gether to teach the behests of rectitude and to do good. 
 To the community will I look in faith. " ^ 
 
 XVIII. YASHAS, THE YOUTH OF BENARES. 
 
 At that time there was in Benares a noble 3rC)Uth, 
 Yashas by name, the son of a wealthy merchant. 
 Troubled in his mind about the sorrows of the world, 
 he secretly rose up in the night and stole away to the 
 Blessed One. ' 
 
 The Blessed One saw Yashas, the noble youth, 
 coming from afar. And Yashas approached and ex- 
 claimed : **Alas, what distress ! What tribulations ! " * 
 
 The Blessed One said to Yashas : "Here is no dis- 
 tress ; here are no tribulations. Come to me and I 
 will teach you the truth, and the truth will dispel your 
 sorrows." ^ 
 
 And when Yashas, the noble youth, heard that there 
 were neither distress, nor tribulations, nor sorrows, his 
 heart was comforted. He went into the place where 
 the Blessed One was, and sat down near him. * 
 
 Then the Blessed One preached about charity and 
 morality. He explained the vanity of desires, their 
 sinfulness, and their evils, and pointed out the path 
 of deliverance. * 
 
 Instead of disgust at the world, Yashas felt the 
 cooling stream of holy wisdom, and, having obtained 
 the pure and spotless eye of truth, he looked at his 
 person, richly adorned with pearls and precious stones, 
 and his heart was filled with shame. ^ 
 
 The Tathagata, knowing his inward thoughts, said:' 
 
46 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 ** Though a person be ornamented with jewels, the 
 heart may have conquered the senses. The outward 
 form does not constitute rehgion or affect the mind. 
 Thus the body of a shramana may wear an ascetic's 
 garb while his mind is immersed in worldliness. ^ 
 
 *'A man that dwells in lonely woods and yet covets 
 worldly vanities, is a worldling, while the man in 
 worldly garments may let his heart soar high to heav- 
 enly thoughts. ^ 
 *' There is no distinction between the layman and 
 the hermit, if but both have banished the thought of 
 self." i« 
 Seeing that Yashas was ready to enter upon the 
 path, the Blessed One said to him: "Follow me!" 
 And Yashas joined the brotherhood, and having put on 
 the yellow robe, received the ordination. ^^ 
 While the Blessed One and Yashas were discussing 
 the doctrine, Yashas's father passed by in search of his 
 son ; and in passing he asked the Blessed One : '* Pray, 
 Lord, have you seen Yashas, my son? " ^ 
 Buddha said to Yashas's father: ''Come in, sir, 
 you will find your son ; and Yashas's father became full 
 of joy and he entered. He sat down near his son, but 
 his eyes were holden and he knew him not ; and the 
 Lord began to preach. And Yashas's father, under- 
 standing the doctrine of the Blessed One, said : ^ 
 ''Glorious is the truth, O Lord ! The Buddha, the 
 Holy One, our Master, sets up what has been over- 
 turned ; he reveals what has been hidden ; he points 
 out the way to the wanderer that has gone astray; he 
 lights a lamp in the darkness so that all who have eyes 
 to see can discern the things that surround them. I 
 take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord : I take refuge in 
 the doctrine revealed by him : I take refuge in the 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 47 
 
 brotherhood which he has founded. May the Blessed 
 One receive me from this day forth while my life lasts 
 as a disciple who has taken refuge in him." ^* 
 
 Yashas's father was the first lay-memSer who joined 
 the Sangha. i* 
 
 When the wealthy merchant had taken refuge in 
 Buddha, his eyes were opened and he saw his son sit- 
 ting at his side in yellow robes. ** My son, Yat:has," 
 he said, **your mother is absorbed in lamentation and 
 grief. Return home and restore your mother to life. " ^^ 
 
 Then Yashas looked at the Blessed One, and the 
 Blessed One said : '* Should Yashas return to the world 
 and enjoy the pleasures of a worldly life as he did be- 
 fore?" " 
 
 And Yashas's father replied : "If Yashas, my son, 
 finds it a gain to stay with you, let him stay. He has 
 become delivered from the bondage of worldliness. " ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had cheered their hearts 
 with words of truth and righteousness, Yashas's father 
 said: "May the Blessed One, O Lord, consent to 
 take his meal with me together with Yashas as his at- 
 tendant?" ^ 
 
 The Blessed One, having donned his robes, took his 
 alms-bowl and went with Yashas to the house of the 
 rich merchant. When they had arrived there, the 
 mother and also the former wife of Yashas saluted the 
 Blessed One and sat down near him. 20 
 
 Then the Blessed One preached, and tne women 
 having understood his doctrine, exclaimed : "Glorious 
 is the truth, O Lord ! The Buddha, the Holy One, 
 our Master, sets up what has been overturned ; he re- 
 veals what has been hidden ; he points out the way to 
 the wanderer who has gone astray; he lights a lamp 
 in the darkness, so that all who have eyes to see can 
 
48 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 discern the things that surround them. We take refuge 
 in the Buddha, our Lord. We take refuge in the doc- 
 trine revealed by him. We take refuge in the brother- 
 hood which has been founded by him. May the 
 Blessed One receive us from this day forth while our 
 life lasts as disciples who have taken refuge in him. " ^^ 
 
 The mother and the wife of Yashas, the noble youth 
 of Benares, were the first women who became lay-dis- 
 ciples and took their refuge in Buddha. ^ 
 
 Now there were four friends of Yashas belonging 
 to the wealthy families of Benares. Their names were 
 Vimala, Subahu, Punyajit, and Gavampati. ^ 
 
 When Yashas's friends heard that Yashas had cut 
 off his hair and put on yellow robes to give up the 
 world and go forth into homelessness, they thought : 
 ** Surely that cannot be a common doctrine, that must 
 be a noble renunciation of the world, if Yashas, whom 
 we know to be good and wise, has shaved his hair and 
 put on yellow robes to give up the world and go forth 
 into homelessness. " ** 
 
 And they went to Yashas, and Yasha^: addressed the 
 Blessed One, saying.: *'May the Blessed One admin- 
 ister exhortation and instruction to these four friends 
 of mineo " And the Blessed One preached to them and 
 Yashas's friends accepted the doctrine and took refuge 
 in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. ^ 
 
 XIX. SENDING OUT THE DISCIPI-ES. 
 
 And the gospel of the Blessed One increased from 
 day to day, and many people came to hear him and to 
 accept the ordination to lead thenceforth a holy life 
 for the sake of the extinction of suffering. * 
 
 And the Blessed One seeing that it was impossible 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 49 
 
 to attend to all who wanted to hear the truth and re- 
 ceive the ordination, sent out from the number of his 
 disciples such as were to preach the dharma and said 
 unto them : * 
 
 **Go ye now, O bhikshus, for the benefit of the 
 many, for the welfare of mankind, out of compassion 
 for the world. Preach the doctrine which is glorious 
 in the beginning, glorious in the middle, and glorious 
 in the end, in the spirit as well as in the letter. There 
 are beings whose eyes are scarcely covered with dust, 
 but if the doctrine is not preached to them they cannot 
 attain salvation. Proclaim to them a life of holiness. 
 They will understand the doctrine and accept it. ' 
 
 ''The Dharma and the Vinaya proclaimed by the 
 Tathagata shine forth when they are displayed, and 
 not when they are concealed. But let not this doc- 
 trine, so full of truth, so excellent, fall into the hands 
 of those unworthy of it, where it would be despised and 
 contemned, treated shamefully, ridiculed and cen- 
 sured. * 
 
 **I now grant you, O bhikshus, this permission. 
 Confer henceforth in the different countries the ordina- 
 tion to those who are eager to receive it, -when you find 
 them worthy." * 
 
 And it became an established custom that the bhik- 
 shus went out preaching while the weather was good, 
 but in the rainy season they came together again and 
 joined their master, to listen to the exhortations of the 
 Tathagata. • 
 
 XX. KASHYAPA. 
 
 At that time there lived in UruvilvS the Jatilas, be- 
 lievers of Krishna, worshipping the fire ; and Kashyapa 
 was their chief. ^ 
 
50 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Kashyapa was renowned throughout all India, and 
 his name was honored as one of the wisest men on 
 earth and an authority on religion. '^ 
 
 And the Blessed One went to Kashyapa of Uru- 
 vilva, the Jatila, and said : "Let me stay a night in the 
 room where you keep your sacred fire. '* * 
 
 Kashyapa seeing the Blessed One in his majesty and 
 beauty thought to himself : ** This is a great muni and 
 a noble teacher. Should he stay over night in the room 
 where the sacred fire is kept, the serpent will bite him 
 and he will die.'* And he said : ** I do not object to 
 your staying over night in the room where the sacred 
 fire is kept, but the serpent fiend will kill you and I 
 should be sorry to see you perish. " * 
 
 But Buddha insisted and Kashyapa admitted him to 
 the room where the sacred fire was kept. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One sat down, keeping his body 
 erect, and surrounding himself with watchfulness. • 
 
 In the night the dragon came to Buddha, belching 
 forth in rage his fiery poison, and filling the air with 
 burning vapor, but could do him no harm, and the fire 
 consumed itself while the world-honored remained com- 
 posed. And the venomous fiend became very wroth 
 so that he died in his anger. '' 
 
 When Kashyapa saw the light shining forth from the 
 room he said : *'Alas, what misery! Truly the counte- 
 nance of Gautama the great Shakyamuni is beautiful 
 but the serpent will destroy him." ® 
 
 In the morning the Blessed One showed the dead 
 body of the fiend to Kashyapa, saying : **His fire has 
 been conquered by my fire." ^ 
 
 And Kashyapa thought to himself. * ' Shakyamuni is 
 a great shramana and possesses high powers, but he is 
 not holy like me. '* ^* 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 5I 
 
 There was in those days a festival, and Kashyapa 
 thought : *' The people will come hither from all parts 
 of the country and will see the great Shakyamuni. 
 When he speaks to them, they will believe in him and 
 abandon me." And he grew envious. ^^ 
 
 When the day of the festival arrived, the Blessed 
 One retired and did not come to Kashyapa. And Kash- 
 yapa went to Buddha and said : '* Why did the great 
 Shakyamuni not come ? " ^ 
 
 The Tathagata replied: **Did you not think, O 
 Kslshyapa, that it would be better if I stayed away from 
 the festival?" ^ 
 
 And Kashyapa was astonished and thought : ** Great 
 is Shakyamuni, but he is not holy like me." ^* 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed Kashyapa and said : 
 *'You see the truth, but you do not accept it because 
 of the envy that dwells in your heart. Is envy holi- 
 ness ? Envy is the last remnant of self that has remained 
 in your mind. You are not holy, Kashyapa ; you have 
 not as yet entered the path. " ^ 
 
 And Kashyapa gave up his resistance. His envy 
 disappeared, and, bowing down before the Blessed 
 One, he said : ** Lord, our Master, let me receive the 
 ordination from the Blessed One." ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : '* You, Kashyapa, are 
 chief of the Jatilas. Go, then, first and inform them 
 of your intention, and let them do what you think 
 fit." " 
 
 Then Kashyapa went to the Jatilas and said: **I 
 am anxious to lead a religious life under the direction 
 of the great Shakyamuni, who is Buddha, our Lord. 
 You may do as you think best. " " 
 
 And the Jatilas replied: *'We have conceived a 
 
52 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 profound affection for the great Shakyamuni, and if you 
 will join his brotherhood, we will do likewise." ^ 
 
 The Jatilas of Uruvilva now flung their parapher- 
 nalia of fire-worship into the river and went to the 
 Blessed One. ^ 
 
 Nadi Kashyapa and Gaya Kashyapa, brothers of 
 the great Uruvilva Kashyapa, powerful men and chief- 
 tains among the people, were dwelling below on the 
 stream, and when they saw the instrumentalities used 
 in fire-worship floating in the river, they said : ** Some- 
 thing has happened to our brother. " And they came 
 with their folk to Uruvilva. Hearing what had hap- 
 pened, they, too, went to Buddha. *^ 
 
 The Blessed One, seeing the Jatilas of Nadi and 
 Gaya, who had practised severe austerities and wor- 
 shipped fire, come to him, preached a sermon on fire, 
 and said : ^ 
 
 *' Everything, O Jatilas, is burning. The eye is 
 burning, thoughts are burning, all the senses are burn- 
 ing. They are burning with the fire of lust. There 
 is anger, there is ignorance, there is hatred, and as long 
 as the fire finds inflammable things upon which it can 
 feed, so long will it burn, and there will be birth and 
 death, decay, grief, lamentation, suffering, despair, and 
 sorrow. Considering this, a disciple of truth will see 
 the four truths and walk in the noble, eightfold path. 
 He will become wary of his eye, wary of his thoughts, 
 wary of all his senses. He will divest himself of pas- 
 sion and become free. He will be delivered from self- 
 ishness and attain the blessed state of Nirvana.'* ^^ 
 
 And the Jatilas rejoiced and took refuge in the 
 Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. ^ 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 53 
 
 XXL THE SERMON AT RAJAGRIHA. 
 
 And the Blessed One having dwelt some time in 
 Uruvilva went forth to Rajagriha, accompanied by a 
 great number of bhikshus, many of whom had been Ja- 
 tilas before ; and the great Kashyapa, formerly chief of 
 the Jatilas, was with him. ^ 
 
 When the Magadha king, Sainya Bimbisara, heard 
 of the arrival of Gautama Shakyamuni, of whom the 
 people said, **He is the Holy One, the blessed Buddha, 
 guiding men as a driver curbs a bullock, the teacher of 
 high and low," he went out surrounded with his coun- 
 sellors and generals and came to the place where the 
 Blessed One was. ' 
 
 There they saw the Blessed One in the company of 
 Kashyapa, the great religious teacher of the Jatilas, 
 and they were astonished and thought: *'Has the 
 great Shakyamuni placed himself under the spiritual 
 direction of Kashyapa, or has Kashyapa become a dis- 
 ciple of Gautama?" • 
 
 And the Tathagata, reading the thoughts of the 
 people, said to Kashyapa : ** What knowledge have you 
 gained, O Kashyapa, and what has induced you to re- 
 nounce the sacred fire and give up your austere pen- 
 ances?" * 
 
 Kashyapa said : "The profit I derived from adoring 
 the fire was continuance in the wheel of individuality 
 with all its sorrows and vanities. This service I have 
 cast away, and instead of continuing penances and 
 sacrifices I have gone in quest of the highest Nir- 
 vana." » 
 
 Buddha, perceiving that the whole assembly was 
 
54 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 ready as a vessel to receive the doctrine, spoke to 
 Bimbisara the king : « 
 
 **He who knows the nature of his self and under- 
 stands how his senses act, finds no room for the /, and 
 thus he will attain peace unending. The world holds 
 the thought of /, and from this arises false apprehen- 
 sion. ' 
 
 '* Some say that the / endures after death, some 
 say it perishes. Both are wrong and their error is 
 most grievous. 8 
 
 "For if they say the / is perishable, the fruit they 
 strive for will perish too, and at some time there will 
 be no hereafter. This salvation from sinful selfishness 
 is without merit. • 
 
 **When some, on the other hand, say the / will 
 not perish, then in the midst of all life and death there 
 is but one identity unborn and undying. If such is 
 their /, then it is perfect and cannot be perfected by 
 deeds. The lasting, imperishable / could never be 
 changed. The self would be lord and master, and 
 there would be no use in perfecting the perfect; moral 
 aims and salvation would be unnecessary. ^^ 
 
 **But now we see the marks of joy and sorrow. 
 Where is any constancy? If it is not an / that does 
 our deeds, then there is no /; there is no actor behind 
 the doing, no perceiver behind the knowing, no lord 
 behind the living ! " 
 
 *' Now attend and listen : The senses meet the ob- 
 ject and from their contact sensation is born. Thence 
 results recollection. Thus, as the sun's power through 
 a burning-glass causes fire to appear, so through the 
 knowledge bom of sense and object, that lord, whom 
 you call self, is born. The shoot springs from the 
 seed ; the seed is not the shoot ; both are not one and 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 55 
 
 the same, yet not different ! Such is the birth of ani- 
 mated life. 12 
 
 «' Ye that are slaves of the /, that toil in the ser- 
 vice of self from morn to night, that live in constant 
 fear of birth, old age, sickness, and death, receive the 
 good tidings that your cruel master exists not. ^* 
 
 **Self is an error, an illusion, a dream. Open your 
 eyes and awake. See things as they are and you will 
 be comforted. ** 
 
 ** He who is awake will no longer be afraid of night- 
 mares. He who has recognised the nature of the rope 
 that seemed to be a serpent ceases to tremble. ^ 
 
 ** He who has found there is no / will let go all 
 the lusts and desires of egotism. ^^ 
 
 ** The cleaving to things, covetousness, and sensu- 
 ality, inherited from former existences, are the causes 
 of misery and of the vanity in the world. " 
 
 ** Surrender the grasping disposition of your self- 
 ishness and you will attain to that sinless calm state 
 of mind which conveys perfect peace, goodness, and 
 wisdom. ^ 
 
 "As a mother, even at the risk of her own life, pro- 
 tects her son, her only son : so let him that has recog- 
 nised the truth, cultivate good-will without measure 
 among all beings. ^^ 
 
 "Let him cultivate good-will without measure to- 
 ward the whole world, above, below, around, unstinted, 
 unmixed with any feeling of making distinctions or of 
 showing preferences. ^ 
 
 "Let a man remain steadfast in this state of mind 
 while he is awake, whether he is standing, walking, 
 sitting, or lying down. ^^ 
 
 " This state of heart is best in the world. It is Nir- 
 vina I ** 
 
56 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 " To abandon all wrong-doing ; to lead a virtuous 
 life, and to cleanse one*s heart. This is the religion 
 of all Buddhas." » 
 
 When the enlightened one had finished his sermon, 
 the Magadha king said to the Blessed One : ** 
 
 **In former days. Lord, when I was a prince, I 
 cherished five wishes. I wished, O, that I might be 
 inaugurated as a king. This was my first wish, and it 
 has been fulfilled. Further, I wished : Might the Holy 
 Buddha, the Perfect One, appear on earth while I 
 rule and may he come into my kingdom. This was 
 my second wish and it is fulfilled now. Further, I 
 wished i Might I pay my respects to him. This was 
 my third wish and it is fulfilled now. The fourth wish 
 was : Might the Blessed One preach the doctrine to 
 me, and this is fulfilled now. The greatest wish, how- 
 ever, was the fifth wish : Might I understand the doc- 
 trine of the Blessed One ! And this wish is fulfilled 
 too. ^ 
 
 ** Glorious Lord ! Most glorious is the truth 
 preached by the Tathagata I Our Lord, the Buddha 
 sets up what has been overturned ; he reveals what 
 has been hidden ; he points out the way to the wan- 
 derer who has gone astray ; he lights a lamp in the 
 darkness so that those who have eyes to see might 
 see. ^ 
 
 ** I take my refuge in the Buddha I I take my 
 refuge in the Dharma. I take my refuge in the San- 
 gha." 27 
 
 The Tathagata by the exercise of his virtue and by 
 wisdom showed his unlimited spiritual power. He sub- 
 dued and harmonised all minds. He made them see 
 and accept the truth, and throughout the kingdom the 
 seeds of virtue were sown. * 
 
BOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 57 
 
 XXII. THE KINGS GIFT. 
 
 The king, having taken his refuge in Buddha, in- 
 vited the Tathagata to his palace, saying : '' Might the 
 Blessed One consent to take his meal with me to-mor- 
 row together with the fraternity of bhikshus ? " ^ 
 
 The next morning Sainya Bimbisara, the king, an- 
 nounced to the Blessed One that it was time for din- 
 ner : *' You are my most welcome guest, O Lord of the 
 world, come; the dinner is ready." * 
 
 And the Blessed One having donned his robes, took 
 his alms-bowl and entered, together with a great num- 
 ber of bhikshus, the city of Rajagriha. ' 
 Shakra,the king of the Devas, assuming the appear- 
 ance of a young Brahman walked in front, singing these 
 lines : * 
 
 **He who teaches self-control with those who have 
 learned self-control ; the redeemer with those whom 
 he has redeemed ; the Blessed One with those to whom 
 he has given peace, has entered Rajagriha ! Hail, Bud- 
 dha, our Lord ! Honored be his name and blessings 
 to all who take refuge in him." * 
 
 When the Blessed One had finished his meal, and . 
 cleansed his bowl and his hands, the king sat down 
 near him and thought : ^ 
 
 "Where may I find a place for the Blessed One to 
 live in, not too far from the town and not too near, 
 suitable for going and coming, easily accessible for all 
 people who want to see him, a place that is by day not 
 too crowded and by night not exposed to noise, whole- 
 some and well fitted for a retired life ? ' 
 
 *' There is my pleasure-garden, the bamboo forest 
 
58 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Venuvana, fulfilling all these conditions. I shall offet 
 it to the fraternity of bhikshus with the Buddha at their 
 head." 8 
 
 And the king dedicated his pleasure-garden to the 
 fraternity and said: *'May the Blessed One accept 
 the gift." » 
 
 Then the Blessed One having silently shown his 
 consent, gladdened and edified the Magadha king by 
 religious discourse, rose from his seat and went away.^^ 
 
 XXIII. SHARIPUTRA AND MAUDGALYAYANA. 
 
 At that time Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, two 
 Brahmans and chiefs of the followers of Sanjaya, led 
 a religious life. They had given their words to each 
 other: *'Hewho first attains Nirvana shall tell the 
 other one." ^ 
 
 And Shariputra seeing the venerable Ashvajit beg- 
 ging for alms, modestly keeping his eyes to the ground 
 and dignified in deportment, exclaimed : ''Truly this 
 shramana has entered the right path, I will address him 
 and ask. In whose name, friend, have you retired from 
 the world ? Who is your teacher, and what doctrine 
 do you profess ? " ' 
 
 And Ashvajit replied : '* I am a follower of the great 
 Shakyamuni. He is the Buddha, the Blessed One, and 
 in his name have I retired from the world. The Blessed 
 One is my teacher and his doctrine do I profess." ^ 
 
 And Shariputra went to Maudgalyayana and told 
 him, and they said : "We will go to the Blessed One, 
 that he, the Blessed One, may be our teacher." And 
 they went with all their followers to the Tathagata and 
 took their refuge in Buddha. * 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 59 
 
 And the Holy One said: '^Shariputra is like the 
 first-born son of a world-ruling monarch who assists 
 the king as his chief follower to set the wheel of the 
 law a-roUing. " * 
 
 XXIV. THE PEOPLE DISSATISFIED. 
 
 And the peoplewere annoyed. Seeing that many 
 distinguished young men of the kingdom of Magadha 
 led a religious life under the direction of the Blessed 
 One, they became angry and murmured : "Gautama 
 Shaky amuni induces fathers to leave their wives and 
 causes families to become extinct." ^ 
 
 When they saw the bhikshus, they reviled them, 
 saying: **The great Shakyamuni has come to Raja- 
 griha subduing the minds of men. Who will be the 
 next to be led by him ? " * 
 
 The bhikshus told it to the Blessed One, and the 
 Blessed One said : <'This murmuring, O bhikshus, will 
 not last long. It will last seven days. If they revile 
 you, O bhikshus, answer them with these words : ' 
 
 *« * It is by preaching the truth that Tathagatas 
 lead men. Who will murmur at the wise ? Who will 
 blame the virtuous ? Self-control, righteousness, and a 
 clean heart are the injunctions of our Master.' " * 
 
 XXV. ANATHAPINDIKA. 
 
 At this time there was Anathapindika, a man of un- 
 measured wealth, visiting Rajagriha. Being of a chari- 
 table character, he was called *'The supporter of the 
 orphans and the friend of the poor. " ^ 
 
 Hearing that Buddha had come into the world and 
 
6o THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 was stopping in the bamboo grove near the city, he 
 set out in the very night to meet the Blessed One. * 
 
 And the Blessed One saw at once the sterling qual- 
 ity of Anathapindika's heart and greeted him with 
 words of religious comfort. And they sat down to- 
 gether, and Anathapindika listened to the sweetness of 
 the truth preached by the Blessed One. And Buddha 
 said : ' 
 
 **The restless, busy nature of the world, this, I de- 
 clare, is at the root of pain. Attain that composure of 
 mind which is resting in the peace of immortality. 
 Self is but a heap of composite qualities, and its world 
 is empty like a fantasy. * 
 
 "Who is it that shapes our lives? Is it Ishvara, a 
 personal creator? If Ishvara be the maker, all living 
 things should have silently to submit to their maker's 
 power. They would be like vessels formed by the 
 potter^s hand ; and if it were so, how would it be pos- 
 sible to practise virtue? If the world had been made by 
 Ishvara there should be no such thing as sorrow, or 
 calamity, or sin ; for both pure and impure deeds must 
 come from him. If not, there would be another cause 
 beside him, and he would not be the self-existent one. 
 Thus, you see, the thought of Ishvara is overthrown.^ 
 
 "Again it is said that the Absolute has created us. 
 But that which is absolute cannot be a cause. All 
 things around us come from a cause as the plant comes 
 from the seed ; but how can the Absolute be the cause 
 of all things alike? If it pervades them, then, certainly, 
 it does not make them. • 
 
 "Again it is said that Self is the maker. But if 
 self is the maker, why did he not make things pleas- 
 ing? The causes of sorrow and joy are real and objec- 
 tive. How can they have been made by self? ^ 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 6l 
 
 ''Again, if you adopt the argument, there is no 
 maker, our fate is such as it is, and there is no causa- 
 tion, what use would there be in shaping our lives and 
 adjusting means to an end? ^ 
 
 ''Therefore, we argue that all things that exist are 
 not without cause. However, neither Ishvara, nor the 
 absolute, nor the self, nor causeless chance, is the 
 maker, but our deeds produce results both good and 
 evil. * 
 
 " The whole world is under the law of causation, 
 and the causes that act are not un-mental, for the gold 
 of which the cup is made is gold throughout. ^^ 
 
 "Let us, then, surrender the heresies of worship- 
 ping tshvara and praying to him ; let us not lose our- 
 selves in vain speculations of profitless subtleties ; let 
 us surrender self and all selfishness, and as all things 
 are fixed by causation, let us practise good so that 
 good may result from our actions." ^ 
 
 And Anathapindika said: "I see that thou art 
 Buddha, the Blessed One and the Holy One, and I 
 wish to open to you my whole soul. Having listened 
 to my words advise me what I shall do. ^ 
 
 "My life is full of work, and having acquired great 
 wealth, I am surrounded with cares. Yet do I enjoy 
 my work, and I apply myself to it with all diligence. 
 Many people are in my employ and depend upon the 
 success of my enterprises. ^ 
 
 "Now, I have heard your disciples praise the bliss 
 of the hermit and denounce the unrest of the world. 
 'The Holy One,' they say, 'has given up his kingdom 
 and his inheritance, and has found the path of right- 
 eousness, thus setting an example to all the world how 
 to attain Nirvana.' ^* 
 
62 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 *'My soul yearns to do what is right and to be a 
 blessing unto my fellow-beings. Let me then ask you, 
 Must I give up my wealth, my home, and my business 
 enterprises, and, like you, go into homelessness in or- 
 der to attain the bliss of a religious life?" ^ 
 
 And Buddha replied : *'The bliss of a religious life 
 is attainable by every one who walks in the noble eight- 
 fold path. He that cleaves to wealth, had better cast 
 it away than allow his heart to be poisoned by it ; but 
 he who does not cleave to wealth, and possessing 
 riches, uses them rightly, will be a blessing unto his 
 fellow-beings. ^* 
 
 **I say unto thee, remain in thy station of life and 
 apply thyself with diligence to thy enterprises. It is 
 not life and wealth and power that enslave men, but 
 the cleaving to life and wealth and power. ^^ 
 
 **The bhikshu who retires from the world in order 
 to lead a life of leisure will have no gain. For a life 
 of indolence is an abomination, and lack of energy is 
 to be despised. ^ 
 
 **The dharma of the Tathagata does not require a 
 man to go into homelessness or to resign the world, un- 
 less he feels called upon to do so ; but the dharma of 
 the Tathagata requires every man to free himself from 
 the illusion of self, to cleanse his heart, to give up his 
 thirst for pleasure, and lead a life of righteousness. ^ 
 
 **And whatever men do, whether they remain in 
 the world as artisans, merchants, and officers of the 
 king, or retire from the world and devote themselves 
 to a life of religious meditation, let them put their 
 whole heart into their task ; let them be diligent and 
 energetic, and, if they are like the lotus, which, al- 
 though it grows in the water, yet remains untouched 
 by the water, if they struggle in life without cherishing 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 63 
 
 envy or hatred, if they live in the world not a life of 
 self but a life of truth, then surely joy, peace, and bliss 
 will dwell in their minds. " ^ 
 
 XXVI. THE SERMON ON CHARITY. 
 
 Anathapindika rejoiced at the words of the Blessed 
 One and said: '* I dwell at Shravasti, the capital of 
 Kosala, a land rich in produce and enjoying peace. 
 Prasenajit is the king of the country, and his name is 
 renowned among our own people and our neighbors. 
 Now I wish to found there a vihara which shall be a 
 place of religious devotion for your brotherhood, and I 
 pray you to kindly accept it. " ^ 
 
 Buddha saw into the heart of the supporter of or- 
 phans ; and knowing that unselfish charity was the 
 moving cause of his offer, in acceptance of the gift, the 
 Blessed One said : ' 
 
 **The charitable man is loved by all ; his friend- 
 ship is prized highly; in death his heart is at rest and 
 full of joy, for he suffers not from repentance ; he re- 
 ceives the opening flower of his reward and the fruit 
 that ripens from it. ' 
 
 "Hard it is to understand: By giving away our 
 
 . food, we get more strength, by bestowing clothing on 
 
 others, we gain more beauty ; by founding abodes of 
 
 purity and truth, we acquire great treasures. * 
 
 ** There is a proper time and a proper mode in 
 charity; just as the vigorous warrior goes to battle, so 
 is the man who is able to give. He is like an able 
 warrior, a champion strong and wise in action. ^ 
 
 ** Loving and compassionate he gives with rever- 
 ence and banishes all hatred, envy, and anger. * 
 
 **The charitable man has found the path of salva- 
 
64 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 tion. He is like the man who plants a sapling secur- 
 ing thereby the shade, the flowers, and the fruit in fu- 
 ture years. Even so is the result of charity, even so 
 is the joy of him who helps those that are in need of 
 assistance ; even so is the great Nirvana. ^ 
 
 ** We reach the immortal path only by continuous 
 acts of kindliness and we perfect our souls by compas- 
 sion and charity." ^ 
 
 Anathapindika invited Shariputra to accompany 
 him on his return to Kosala and help him in selecting 
 a pleasant site for the vihara. ^ 
 
 XXVII. BUDDHA'S FATHER. 
 
 At the time when Buddha was residing at Raja- 
 griha, Shuddhodana, his father, sent word to him say- 
 ing : ** I wish to see my son before I die. Others have 
 had the benefit of his doctrine, but not his father nor 
 his relatives. " ^ 
 
 And the messenger said : <* O world-honored Tatha- 
 gata, your father looks for your coming as the lily 
 longs for the rising of the sun." * 
 
 The Blessed One consented to the request of his 
 father and set out on his journey to Kapilavastu. Soon 
 the tidings spread in the native country of Buddha : 
 "Prince Siddhartha, who wandered forth from home 
 into homelessness to obtain enlightenment, having at- 
 tained his purpose, is coming back." ^ 
 
 Shuddhodana went out with his relatives and minis- 
 ters to meet the prince. When the king saw Siddhar- 
 tha, his son, from afar, he was struck with his beauty 
 and dignity, and he rejoiced in his heart, but his mouth 
 found no words to utter. * 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 65 
 
 This indeed was his son ; these were the features of 
 Siddhartha. How near was the great shramana to his 
 heart, and yet what a distance lay between them. That 
 noble muni was no longer Siddhartha his son ; he was 
 Buddha, the Blessed One, the Holy One, Lord of 
 truth, and teacher of mankind. ^ 
 
 Shuddhodana the king, considering the religious dig- 
 nity of his son, descended from his chariot and having 
 saluted his son first, said : *' It is now seven years since 
 I saw you. How I have longed for this moment ! " ® 
 
 Buddha took a seat opposite his father, and the 
 king eagerly gazed at his son. He longed to call him 
 by his name but he dared not. '* Siddhartha," he ex- 
 claimed silently in his soul, <' Siddhartha, come back 
 to your old father and be his son again !*' But seeing 
 the determination of his son, he suppressed his senti- 
 ments, and desolation overcame him. ' 
 
 Thus the king sat face to face with his son, rejoic- 
 ing in his sadness and sad in his rejoicing. Well might 
 he be proud of his son, but his pride broke down at 
 the idea that his great son would never be his heir. ^ 
 
 *'I would offer thee my kingdom," said the king, 
 ** but if I did, thou wouldst account it but as ashes. " ^ 
 
 And Buddha said : ** I know that the king's heart 
 is full of love and that for his son's sake he feels deep 
 grief. But let the ties of love that bind you to the son 
 whom you lost embrace with equal kindness all your 
 fellow-beings, and you will receive in his place a greater 
 one than Siddhartha; you will receive Buddha, the 
 teacher of truth, the preacher of righteousness, and the 
 peace of Nirvana will enter into your heart." ^^ 
 
 Shuddhodana trembled with joy when he heard the 
 melodious words of his son, the Buddha, and clasping 
 his hands exclaiijied with tears in his eyes : **Won- 
 
66 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 derful is this change ! The overwhelming sorrow has 
 passed away. At first my sorrowing heart was heavy, 
 but now I reap the fruit of your great renunciation. 
 It was right that, moved by your mighty sympathy, you 
 should reject the pleasures of royal power and achieve 
 your noble purpose in religious devotion. Having 
 found the path you can now preach the law of immor- 
 tality to all the world that yearns for deliverance." " 
 The king returned to the palace while Buddha re- 
 mained in the grove before the city. ^ 
 
 XXVIII. YASHODHARA. 
 
 On the next morning Buddha took his bowl and set 
 out to beg his food. i 
 
 And the news spread : **The prince Siddhartha is 
 going from house to house to receive alms in the city 
 where he used to ride in a chariot attended by his ret- 
 inue. His robe is like a red clod and he holds in his 
 hand an earthen bowl." * 
 
 On hearing the strange rumor, the king went forth 
 in great haste and exclaimed : ** Why do you disgrace 
 me thus ? Do you not know that I can easily supply 
 you and your bhikshus with food ? " * 
 
 And Buddha replied: "It is the custom of my 
 race." * 
 
 But the king said : '* How can this be ? You are 
 descended from kings, and not one of them ever begged 
 for food." 6 
 
 **0 great king," rejoined Buddha, "you and your 
 race may claim the descent from kings ; my descent 
 is from the Buddhas of old. They, begging their food, 
 lived on alms." • 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHtEOUSNESS. 67 
 
 The king made no reply, and the Blessed One con- 
 tinued ; " It is customary, O king, when one has found 
 a hidden treasure, for him to make an offering of the 
 most precious jewel to his father. Suffer me, there- 
 fore, to open this treasure of mine which is the dharma, 
 and accept from me this gem : " ' 
 
 And the Blessed One recited the following stanza : 
 
 **Rise from dream and loiter not, 
 Listen to the Law. 
 Practise righteousness and lo, 
 Eternal bliss is thine. " 8 
 
 Then the king conducted the prince into the palace, 
 and the ministers and all the members of the royal 
 family greeted him with great reverence, but Yash6- 
 dhara, the mother of Rahula, did not make her ap- 
 pearance. The king sent for Yashodhara, but she re- 
 plied: ** Surely, if I am deserving of any regard, Sid- 
 dhlrtha will come and see me." • 
 
 The Blessed One, having greeted all his relatives 
 and friends, asked : "Where is Yashodhara?" And on 
 being informed that she had refused to come, he rose 
 straightway and went to her apartments. ^ 
 
 **I am free,'* the Blessed One said to his disciples 
 Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, whom he had bidden 
 to accompany him to the princess's chamber ; **the 
 princess, however, is not as yet free. Not having seen 
 me for a long time, she is exceedingly sorrowful. Un- 
 less her grief be allowed its course her heart will 
 cleave. Should she touch the Tathagata, the Holy 
 One, you must not prevent her." ^ 
 
 Yashodhara sat in her room, dressed in mean gar- 
 ments, and her hair cut. When the prince Siddhar- 
 tha entered, she was, from the abundance of her 
 
68 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 affection, like an overflowing vessel, unable to contain 
 herself. " 
 
 Forgetting that the man whom she loved was Bud- 
 dha, the Lord of the world, the preacher of truth, she 
 held him by his feet and wept bitterly. " 
 
 Remembering, however, that Shuddhodana was 
 present, she felt ashamed and rose up seating herself 
 reverently at a little distance. " 
 
 The king apologised for the princess, saying : *' This 
 arises from her deep affection, and is more than a tem- 
 porary emotion. During the seven years that she has 
 lost her husband, when she heard that Siddhartha had 
 shaved his head, she did likewise ; when she heard 
 that he had left off the use of perfumes and ornaments, 
 she also refused their use. Like her husband she has 
 eaten at appointed times from an earthen bowl only. 
 Like him she has renounced high seats with splendid 
 coverings, and when other princes asked her in mar- 
 riage, she replied that she was still his. Therefore, 
 grant her forgiveness. " ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One spoke kindly to Yashodhara, 
 telling of her great merits inherited from former ex- 
 istences. She, indeed, in his former lives had been of 
 great assistance to him. Her purity, her gentleness, 
 her devotion had been invaluable to Bodhisattva when 
 he aspired to the highest aim of mankind to attain en- 
 lightenment. And so holy had she been that she de- 
 sired to become the wife of a Buddha. This, then, is 
 her karma, and it is the result of great merits. Her 
 grief has been unspeakable, but the consciousness of 
 the glory that surrounds her spiritual inheritance in- 
 creased by her noble attitude during her life will be a 
 balm that will miraculously transform all sorrows into 
 heavenly joy. ^ 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 69 
 
 XXIX. RAHULA. 
 
 Many people in Kapilavastu believed in the Tathi- 
 gata, taking refuge in his doctrine, and among the 
 young men who joined the Sangha were Ananda, Sid- 
 dhartha's half-brother, the son of PrajapatT ; Devadatta, 
 his cousin and brother-in-law ; Upali the barber ; and 
 Anuruddha the philosopher. i 
 
 Ananda was a man after the heart of the Blessed 
 One ; he was his most beloved disciple, profound in 
 comprehension and gentle in spirit. And Ananda re- 
 mained always near the Blessed Master of truth, until 
 death parted them. • 
 
 On the seventh day after the arrival in Kapilavastu, 
 Yashodhara dressed Rahula, now seven years old, in all 
 the splendor of a prince and said to him : ' 
 
 "This holy man, whose appearance is so glorious 
 that he looks like the great Brahma, is your father. He 
 possesses four great mines of wealth which I have not 
 yet seen. Go to him and entreat him to put you in 
 their possession, for the son ought to inherit the prop- 
 erty of the father." * 
 
 Rahula replied : ** I know of no father but the king. 
 Who is my father? " » 
 
 The princess took the boy in her arms and from the 
 window she pointed out to him Buddha, who happened 
 to be near the palace, partaking of food. * 
 
 Rahula then went to Buddha, and looking up in 
 his face said without fear and with much affection : 
 *' My father!" ' 
 
 And standing near by him, he added: ''O shra- 
 mana, even your shadow is a place of bliss!" * 
 
70 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 When the Tathagata had finished his repast, he 
 gave blessings and went away from the palace, but 
 Rahula followed and asked his father for his inheri- 
 tance. ' 
 
 No one prevented the boy, nor did the Blessed 
 One himself. i® 
 
 Then the Blessed One turned to Shariputra, say- 
 ing : *' My son asks for his inheritance. I cannot give 
 him perishable treasures that will bring cares and sor- 
 rows, but I can give him the inheritance of a holy life, 
 which is a treasure that will not perish.'* ^^ 
 
 Addressing Rahula with earnestness, the Blessed 
 One said : *' Gold and silver and jewels are not in my 
 possession. But if you are willing to receive spiritual 
 treasures, and are strong enough to carry them and to 
 keep them, I shall give you the four truths which will 
 teach you the eightfold path of righteousness. Do you 
 desire to be admitted to the brotherhood of those who 
 devote their life to the culture of the mind seeking for 
 the highest bliss attainable? " ^ 
 
 And Rahula replied with firmness : *'I do." ^ 
 
 When the king heard that Rahula had joined the 
 brotherhood of bhikshus he was grieved. He had lost 
 Siddhartha and Ananda, his sons, and D6vadatta, his 
 nephew. Now his grandson had been taken from him, 
 he went to the Blessed One and spoke to him. And 
 the Blessed One promised that henceforth he would not 
 ordain any minor without the consent of his parents or 
 guardians. " 
 
 XXX. JETAVANA. 
 
 Anathapindika, the friend of the destitute and the 
 supporter of orphans, having returned home, saw the 
 garden of the heir-apparent, Jeta, with its green groves 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 1 
 
 and limpid rivulets, and thought : *' This is the place 
 which will be most suitable as a vihara for the fraternity 
 of the Blessed One. " And he went to the prince and 
 asked for leave to buy the ground. i 
 
 The prince was not inclined to sell the garden for 
 he valued it highly. He at first refused but said at 
 last. ** If you can cover it with gold, then, and for no 
 other price, shall you have it." 2 
 
 Anathapindika rejoiced and began to spread his 
 gold; but J eta said: *'Spareyourself trouble for I will 
 not sell." But Anathapindika insisted. Thus they 
 differed and contended until they resorted to the magis- 
 trate. 8 
 
 Meanwhile the people began to talk of the unwonted 
 proceeding and the prince hearing more of the details, 
 and knowing that Anathapindika was not only very 
 wealthy, but also straightforward and sincere, inquired 
 into his plans. On hearing the name of Buddha, the 
 prince became anxious to share in the foundation and 
 he accepted only one-half of the gold, saying : "Yours 
 is the land but mine are the trees. I will give the trees 
 as my share of the offering to Buddha." * 
 
 Then Anathapindika took the land and J eta the 
 trees, and they settled them in trust of Shariputra. * 
 
 Having made the foundation, they began to build 
 the hall which rose loftily in due proportions according 
 to the directions which Buddha had laid down ; and it 
 was beautifully decorated with appropriate carvings. ^ 
 
 This vihara was called Jetavana, and the friend of 
 the orphans invited the Lord to come to Shravasti and 
 receive the donation. And the Blessed One left Ka- 
 pilavastu and came to Shravasti. ^ 
 
 While the Blessed One entered Jetavana, Anatha- 
 pindika scattered flowers and burned incense, and as a 
 
72 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 sign of the gift he poured water from a golden dragon 
 pitcher, saying, "This Jetavana vihara I give for the 
 use of the brotherhood throughout the world. " * 
 
 The Blessed One received the gift and replied : 
 "May all evil influences be overcome ; may the offering 
 promote the kingdom of righteousness and be a per- 
 manent blessing to mankind in general and especially 
 also to the giver." ^ 
 
 Then the king Prasenajit, hearing that the Lord 
 had come, went in his royal equipage to the Jetavana 
 vihara and saluted the Blessed One with clasped 
 hands, saying : ^^ 
 
 "Blessed is my unworthy and obscure kingdom 
 that it has met with so great a fortune. For how can 
 calamities and dangers befall it in the presence of the 
 Lord of the world, the Dharma Raja, the King of 
 Truth. 11 
 
 "Now that I have seen your sacred features, let 
 me partake of the refreshing waters of your teach- 
 ings. 12 
 
 "Worldly profit is fleeting and perishable, but re- 
 ligious profit is eternal and inexhaustible. A worldly 
 man, though a king, is full of trouble, but even a com- 
 mon man who is holy has peace of mind. " i^ 
 
 Knowing the tendency of the king's heart, weighed 
 down by avarice and love of pleasure, Buddha seized 
 the opportunity and said : i* 
 
 "Even those who, by their evil karma, have been 
 bom in low degree, when they see a virtuous man, feel 
 reverence for him. How much more must an inde- 
 pendent king, who by his previous conditions of life 
 has acquired much merit, when he encounters Bud- 
 dha, conceive reverence. ^ 
 
 "And now as I briefly expound the law, let the 
 
FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 73 
 
 Maharaja listen and weigh my words, and hold fast 
 that which I deliver ! i^ 
 
 "Our good or evil deeds follow us continually like 
 shadows. " 
 
 *' That which is most needed is a loving heart ! ^^ 
 
 '* Regard your people as we do an only son. Do 
 not oppress them, do not destroy them ; keep in due 
 check every member of your body, forsake unrighteous 
 doctrine and walk in the straight path ; do not exalt 
 yourself by trampling down others. But comfort and 
 befriend the suffering. ^ 
 
 ** Neither ponder much on kingly dignity, nor listen 
 to the smooth words of flatterers. 20 
 
 '* There is no profit in vexing oneself by austeri- 
 ties, but meditate on Buddha and weigh his righteous 
 law. « 
 
 "We are enclosed on all sides by the rocks of birth, 
 old age, disease, and death, and only by considering 
 and practising the true law can we escape from this 
 sorrow-piled mountain. ^ 
 
 "What profit, then, in practising iniquity? 23 
 
 "All who are wise spurn the pleasures of the body. 
 They loathe lust and seek to promote their spiritual 
 existence. 2* 
 
 "When a tree is burning with fierce flames, how 
 can the birds congregate therein? Truth cannot dwell 
 where passion lives. Without a knowledge of this the 
 learned man, though he may be praised as a sage, is 
 ignorant. ^ 
 
 *To him who has this knowledge true wisdom 
 dawns. To acquire this wisdom is the one aim needed. 
 To neglect it implies the failure of life. ^ 
 
 "The teachings of all schools should centre here, 
 for without it there is no reason. ^ 
 
74 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 ** This truth is not for the hermit alone ; it concerns 
 every human being, priest and layman alike. There is 
 no distinction between the monk who has taken the 
 vows, and the man of the world living with his family. 
 There are hermits who fall into perdition, and there 
 are humble householders who mount to the rank of 
 rishis. ^ 
 
 "The tide of lust is a danger common to all; it 
 carries away the world. He who is involved in its ed- 
 dies finds no escape. But wisdom is the handy boat, 
 reflexion is the rudder. The slogan of religion calls 
 you to the rescue of your soul from the assaults of 
 Mara, the enemy. 29 
 
 "Since it is impossible to escape the result of our 
 
 deeds, let us practise good works. ^ 
 
 ** Let us inspect our thoughts that we do no evil, for 
 
 as we sow so shall we reap. 'i 
 
 <* There are ways from light into darkness and from 
 darkness into light. There are ways, also, from the 
 gloom into deeper darkness, and from the dawn into 
 brighter light. The wise man will use the light he has 
 to receive more light. He will constantly advance to 
 the knowledge of the truth. 32 
 
 "Exhibit true superiority by virtuous conduct and 
 the exercise of reason ; meditate deeply on the vanity 
 of earthly things, and understand the fickleness of life.^ 
 
 ** Elevate the mind, and seek sincere faith with firm 
 purpose; transgress not the rules of kingly conduct, and 
 let your happiness depend, not upon external things, 
 but upon your own mind. Thus you will lay up a good 
 name for distant ages and will secure the favor of the 
 Tathagata." ^ 
 
 The king listened with reverence and remembered 
 all the words of Buddha in his heart. ^ 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S 
 RELIGION. 
 
 XXXI. jtVAKA, THE PHYSICIAN. 
 
 10NG before the Blessed One had attained enllght- 
 j enment, self-mortification had been the custom 
 among those who earnestly sought for salvation. Their 
 final aim appeared to them the deliverance of the soul 
 from all bodily necessities, and finally from the body 
 itself. Thus they avoided everything that might be a 
 luxury in food, shelter, and clothing, and lived like the 
 beasts in the woods. Some went naked, while others 
 wore the rags cast away upon cemeteries or dung- 
 heaps. * 
 
 When the Blessed One retired from the world, he 
 recognised at once the error of the naked ascetics, and 
 considering the indecency of their habit, clad himself 
 in cast-off rags. 2 
 
 Having attained enlightenment and rejected all un- 
 necessary self-mortifications, the Blessed One and his 
 bhikshus continued for a long time to wear the cast-off 
 rags of cemeteries and dung-hills. ^ 
 
 Then it happened that the bhikshus were visited 
 with diseases of all kinds, and the Blessed One allowed 
 them and explicitly ordered the use of medicines, and 
 among them he even enjoined, whenever needed, the 
 use of unguents. * 
 
76 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 One of the brethren suffered from a sore on his foot, 
 and the Blessed One enjoined the bhikshus to wear 
 foot-coverings. ' 
 
 Now it happened that a disease befell the body of 
 the Blessed One himself, and Ananda went to Jivaka, 
 physician to Bimbisara, the king. • 
 
 And Jivaka, a faithful believer in the Holy One, 
 ministered unto the Blessed One with medicines and 
 baths until the body of the Blessed One was completely 
 restored. "^ 
 
 At that time, Pradyota, king of Ujjayini, was suffer- 
 ing from jaundice, and Jivaka, the physician to Bimbi- 
 sara raja, was consulted. When king Pradyota had been 
 restored to health, he sent to Jivaka a suit of the most 
 excellent cloth. And Jivaka said to himself : **This 
 suit is made of the best cloth, and nobody is worthy 
 to receive it but the Blessed One, the perfect and 
 holy Buddha, or the Magadha king, Sainya Bimbi- 
 sara." 8 
 
 Then Jivaka took that suit and went to the place 
 where the Blessed One was ; having approached him, 
 and having respectfully saluted the Blessed One, he 
 sat down near him and said : ** Lord, I ask a boon of 
 the Blessed One." » 
 
 Buddha replied : **TheTathagatas, Jivaka, do not 
 grant boons before they know what they are. " '° 
 
 Jivaka said : ** Lord it is a proper and unobjection- 
 able demand." " 
 
 *' Speak, Jivaka," said the Blessed One. " 
 
 *' Lord of the world, the Blessed One wears only 
 robes made of rags taken from a dust heap or a cem- 
 etery, and so does the fraternity of bhikshus. Now, 
 Lord, this suit has been sent to me by king Pradyota, 
 which is the best and most excellent, and the first and 
 
CONSOLIDATION OP BUDDHA's RELIGION. 77 
 
 the most precious, and the noblest that can be found. 
 Lord of the world, may the Blessed One accept from 
 me this suit, and may he allow the fraternity of bhik- 
 shus to wear lay robes. " ^ 
 
 The Blessed One accepted the suit, and after hav- 
 ing delivered a religious discourse, he addressed the 
 bhikshus thus : i* 
 
 ** He who likes may wear cast-off rags, but he who 
 likes may accept lay robes. Whether you are pleased 
 with the one or with the other, I shall approve it. " ^^ 
 
 When the people at Rajagriha heard, * * The Blessed 
 One has allowed the bhikshus to wear lay robes," 
 those who were willing to bestow gifts became glad. 
 And in one day many thousands of robes were pre- 
 sented at Rajagriha to the bhikshus. ^" 
 
 XXXII. BUDDHA'S PARENTS ATTAIN NIRVANA. 
 
 When Shuddodana had grown old, he fell sick and 
 sent for his son to come and see him once more before 
 he died ; and the Blessed One came and stayed at the 
 sick-bed, and Shuddodana having attained the perfect 
 enlightenment died in the arms of the Blessed One. ^ 
 
 And it is said that the Blessed One, for the sake of 
 preaching to his mother Maya-devi, ascended to heaven 
 and dwelled with the devas. Having concluded his 
 pious mission, he returned to the earth and went about 
 again, converting those who listened to his teachings.* 
 
 XXXIII. WOMEN ADMITTED TO THE SANGHA. 
 
 Yashodhara had three times requested of Buddha 
 that she might be admitted to theSangha, but her wish 
 
78 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 was not granted. Now Prajapati, the foster-mother of 
 the Blessed One, in the company of Yashodhara, and 
 many other women, went to the Tathagata entreating 
 him earnestly to let them take the vows and be or- 
 dained as disciples of Buddha. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One, seeing their zeal for the truth, 
 could no longer resist, and he accepted them as his 
 disciples. * 
 
 Prajapati was the first woman that became a dis- 
 ciple of Buddha and received the ordination as a bhik- 
 shuni. • 
 
 XXXrV. THE BHIKSHUS' CONDUCT TOWARD WOMEN. 
 
 The bhikshus came to the Blessed One and asked 
 him : ^ 
 
 '*0 Tathagata, our Lord and Master, what conduct 
 toward women do you prescribe to the shramanas who 
 have left the world?" » 
 
 And the Blessed One said : ' 
 
 ** Guard against looking on a woman. * 
 
 **If you see a woman, let it be as though you saw 
 her not, and have no conversation with her. * 
 
 " If, after all, you must speak with her, let it be 
 with a pure heart, and think to yourself, * I as a shra- 
 mana will live in this sinful world as the spotless leaf 
 of the lotus, unsoiled by the mud in which it grows.' • 
 
 **If the woman be old, regard her as your mother, 
 if young, as your sister, if very young, as your child. '' 
 
 ** The shramana who looks at a woman as a woman, 
 or touches her as a woman has broken his vow and is 
 no longer a disciple of the Shakyamuni. ^ 
 
 **The power of lust is great with men, and is to be 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA's RELIGION, 79 
 
 feared withal ; take then the bow of earnest persever- 
 ance, and the sharp arrow-points of wisdom. ^ 
 
 ** Cover your head with the helmet of right thought, 
 and fight with fixed resolve against the five desires. ^" 
 
 *' Lust beclouds a man's heart, when it is confused 
 with woman's beauty, and the mind is dazed. " 
 
 ** Better far with red-hot irons bore out both your 
 eyes, than encourage in yourselves sensual thoughts, 
 or look upon a woman's form with lustful desires. ^ 
 
 ** Better fall into the fierce tiger's mouth, or under 
 the sharp knife of the executioner, than to dwell with 
 a woman and excite in yourself lustful thoughts. " 
 
 **A woman of the world is anxious to exhibit her 
 form and shape, whether walking, standing, sitting, or 
 sleeping. Even when represented as a picture, she 
 desires to captivate with the charms of her beauty, and 
 thus to rob men of their steadfast heart ! i* 
 
 *' How then ought you to guard yourselves? ^ 
 
 " By regarding her tears and her smiles as enemies, 
 her stooping form, her hanging arms, and all her dis- 
 entangled hair as toils designed to entrap man's heart. ^^ 
 
 ** Therefore, I say, restrain the heart, give it no 
 unbridled license." ^ 
 
 XXXV. VISHAKHA. 
 
 Vishakha, a wealthy woman in Shravasti who had 
 many children and grandchildren, had given to the 
 order the Purvarama or Eastern Garden, and was the 
 first to become a matron of the lay sisters. ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One stayed at Shravasti, Vi- 
 shakha went up to the place where the Blessed One 
 was, and tendered Him an invitation to take his meal 
 at her house, which the Blessed One accepted. * 
 
8o THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 And a heavy rain fell during the night and the next 
 morning ; and the bhikshus doffed their robes to keep 
 them dry and let the rain fall upon their bodies. * 
 
 When on the next day the Blessed One had fin- 
 ished his meal, she took her seat at his side and spoke 
 thus : ** Eight are the boons, Lord, which I beg of the 
 Blessed One." * 
 
 Said the Blessed One: **The Tathagatas, O Vi- 
 shakha, grant no boons unless they know what they 
 
 are. 
 
 5 
 
 Vishakha replied: "Proper, Lord, and unobjec- 
 tionable are the boons I ask." * 
 
 Having received permission to ask the boons, Vi- 
 shakha said : "I desire. Lord, through all my life long 
 to bestow robes for the rainy season on the Sangha, and 
 food for incoming bhikshus, and food for outgoing 
 bhikshus, and food for the sick, and food for those who 
 wait upon the sick, and medicine for the sick, and a 
 constant supply of rice-milk for the Sangha, and bath- 
 ing robes for the bhikshunis, the sisters." ' 
 
 Said Buddha: "But what circumstance is it, O 
 Vishakha, that you have in view in asking these eight 
 boons of the Tathagata? " ^ 
 
 And Vishakha replied : • 
 
 " I gave command. Lord, to my maid-servant, say- 
 ing, ' Go thou and announce to the fraternity that the 
 meal is ready.' And my maid went, but when she 
 came to the vihara, she observed that the bhikshus 
 had doffed their robes, while it was raining, and she 
 thought : * These are not bhikshus, but naked ascetics 
 letting the rain fall on them. ' So she returned to me 
 and reported accordingly, and I had to send her a sec- 
 ond time. Impure, Lord, is nakedness, and revolting. 
 It was this circumstance, Lord, that I had in view in 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 8 1 
 
 desiring to provide the Sangha my life long with spe- 
 cial garments for use in the rainy season. lo 
 
 *'As to my second wish, Lord, an incoming bhik- 
 shu, not being able to take the direct roads, and not 
 knowing the places where food can be procured, comes 
 on his way wearied out by seeking for alms. It was 
 this circumstance. Lord, that I had in view in desiring to 
 provide the Sangha my life long with food for incoming 
 bhikshus. ii 
 
 ''Thirdly, Lord, an outgoing bhikshu, while seek- 
 ing about for alms, may be left behind, or may arrive 
 too late at the place whither he desires to go, and will 
 set out on the road in weariness. ^ 
 
 "Fourthly, Lord, if a sick bhikshu does not obtain 
 suitable food, his sickness may increase upon him, and 
 he may die. ^ 
 
 <* Fifthly, Lord, a bhikshu who is waiting upon the 
 sick will lose his opportunity of going out to seek food 
 for himself. " 
 
 ** Sixthly, Lord, if a sick bhikshu does not obtain 
 suitable medicines, his sickness may increase upon 
 him, and he may die. ^ 
 
 '* Seventhly, Lord, I have heard that the Blessed 
 One has praised rice-milk, because it gives readiness 
 of mind, dispels hunger and thirst ; it is wholesome for 
 the healthy as nourishment, and for the sick as a medi- 
 cine. Therefore I desire to provide the Sangha my 
 life long with a constant supply of rice-milk. ^* 
 
 ** Finally, Lord, the bhikshunis are in the habit of 
 bathing in the river Achiravati with the courtesans, at 
 the same landing-place, and naked. And the courte- 
 sans. Lord, ridicule the bhikshunis, saying, * What is 
 the good, ladies, of your maintaining chastity when 
 you are young? When you are old, maintain chastity 
 
82 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA, 
 
 then; thus will you be obtainers of both ends.' Im- 
 pure, Lord, is nakedness for a woman, disgusting, and 
 revolting. ^^ 
 
 "These are the circumstances, Lord, that I had in 
 view. " 18 
 
 The Blessed One said: "But what was the advan- 
 tage you had in view for yourself, O Vishakha, in ask- 
 ing these eight boons of the Tathagatha? " " 
 
 Vishakha replied : ^ 
 
 "Bhikshus who have spent the rainy seasons in 
 various places will come, Lord, to Shravasti to visit 
 the Blessed One. And on coming to the Blessed One 
 they will ask, saying : * Such and such a bhikshu. Lord, 
 has died. What, now, is his destiny?' Then will the 
 Blessed One explain that he has attained the fruits of 
 conversion ; that he has entered Nirvana or attained 
 arhantship, as the case may be. ^^ 
 
 "And I, going up to them, shall ask, *Was that 
 brother, Sirs, one of those who had formerly been at 
 Shravasti?* If they reply to me, *He has formerly 
 been at Shravasti,' then shall I arrive at the conclusion, 
 * For a certainty did that brother enjoy either the robes 
 for the rainy season, or the food for the incoming bhik- 
 shus, or the food for the outgoing bhikshus, or the 
 food for the sick, or the food for those that wait upon 
 the sick, or the medicine for the sick, or the constant 
 supply of rice-milk. * 22 
 
 "Then will gladness spring up within me; thus 
 gladdened, joy will come to me ; and so rejoicing all 
 my frame will be at peace. Being thus at peace I shall 
 experience a blissful feeling of content ; and in that 
 bliss my heart will be at rest. That will be to me an 
 exercise of my moral sense, an exercise of my moral 
 powers, an exercise of the seven kinds of wisdom I 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA*S RELIGION. 83 
 
 This, Lord, was the advantage I had in view for myself 
 in asking those eight boons of the Blessed One." ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : ** It is well, it is well, Vi- 
 shakha. Thou hast done well in asking these eight 
 boons of the Tathagata with such advantages in view. 
 Charity bestowed upon those who are worthy of it is 
 like good seeds sown on a good soil that yields an 
 abundance of fruits. But alms given to those who are 
 yet under the tyrannical yoke of the passions are like 
 a seed deposited in a bad soil. The passions of the 
 receiver of the alms choke, as it were, the growth of 
 merits." « 
 
 And the Blessed One gave thanks to Vishakha in 
 these verses : ^^ 
 
 ** Whatsoever donation a woman upright in life, a 
 disciple of the Happy One, may bestow in gladness of 
 heart and without stint, her gift is heavenly, destruc- 
 tive of sorrow, and productive of bliss. *• 
 
 *'A blissful life does she attain, entering upon the 
 path that is free from corruption and impurity ; ^ 
 
 "Aiming at good, happy does she become ; and she 
 rejoices in her charitable actions." ^ 
 
 XXXVI. THE UPAVASATHA AND PrAtIMOKSHA. 
 
 Sainya Bimbisara, the Magadha king, retired from 
 the world and led a religious life. And he observed 
 that there were Brahmanical sects in Rajagriha keep- 
 ing sacred certain days, and the people went to their 
 meeting-houses and listened to their sermons. * 
 
 Concerning the need of keeping regular days for 
 retirement from worldly labors and religious instruc- 
 tion, the king went to the Blessed One and said : "The 
 Parivrajaka, who belong to the Tirthika school, pros- 
 
84 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 per and gain adherents because they keep the eighth 
 day and also the fourteenth or fifteenth day of each 
 half-month. Would it not be advisable for the rev- 
 erend brethren of the Sangha also to assemble on days 
 duly appointed for that purpose?" 2 
 
 And the Blessed One commanded the bhikshus to 
 assemble on the eighth day and also on the fourteenth 
 or fifteenth day of each half-month, and to devote these 
 days to religious exercises. ^ 
 
 This is the Upavasatha or Sabbath of the disciples 
 of Buddha. * 
 
 Now, the bhikshus, in obedience to the rule laid 
 down by the Blessed One, assembled in the vihara on 
 the day appointed, and the people went to hear the 
 dharma, but they were greatly disappointed, for the 
 bhikshus remained silent and delivered no discourse. ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One heard of it, he ordered 
 the bhikshus to recite the Pratimoksha, which is the 
 ceremony of disburdenment ; and he commanded them 
 to make confession of their trespasses so as to receive 
 the absolution of the order. ^ 
 
 For a fault, if there be one, should be confessed by 
 the bhikshu who remembers it and desires to be 
 cleansed. For a fault when confessed shall be light 
 to him. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said: **The Pratimoksha 
 must be recited in this way: ^ 
 
 ** Let a competent and venerable bhikshu make the 
 following proclamation to the Sangha : * May the 
 Sangha hear me ! To-day is Upavasatha, the eighth, or 
 the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the half-month. If 
 the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha hold the Upava- 
 satha service and recite the Pratimoksha. I will re- 
 cite the Pratimoksha. * * 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA's RELIGION. 85 
 
 "And the bhikshus shall reply : * We hear it well 
 and fix well the mind on it, all of us.' lo 
 
 "Then the officiating bhikshu shall continue : * He 
 who has committed an offence, may confess it ; if there 
 be no offence, you shall remain silent ; from your be- 
 ing silent I shall understand that the reverend breth- 
 ren are free from offences. ^ 
 
 *' *As a single person who has been asked a ques- 
 tion answers it, so also, if before an assembly like this 
 a question is solemnly proclaimed three times, an an- 
 swer is expected : if a bhikshu, after a threefold procla- 
 mation, does not confess an existing offence which he 
 remembers, he commits an intentional falsehood. ^ 
 
 ** *Now, reverend brethren, an intentional false- 
 hood has been declared an impediment by the Blessed 
 One. Therefore, by a bhikshu who has committed an 
 offence, and remembers it, and desires to become pure, 
 an existing offence should be confessed ; for if it has 
 been confessed, it is treated duly.' " ^ 
 
 XXXVII. THE SCHISM. 
 
 While the Blessed One dwelt at Kaushambi, a cer- 
 tain bhikshu was accused of having committed an of- 
 fence, and, as he refused to acknowledge it, the fra- 
 ternity pronounced against him a sentence of expul- 
 sion. ^ 
 
 Now that bhikshu was erudite. He knew the 
 dharma, had studied the rules of the order, and was 
 wise, learned, intelligent, modest, conscientious, and 
 ready to submit himself to discipline. And he went to 
 his companions and friends among the bhikshus, say- 
 ing : "This is no offence, friends, this is no reason for 
 a sentence of expulsion. I am not guilty. The ver 
 
86 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 diet is unconstitutional and invalid. Therefore I con- 
 sider myself still as a member of the order. May the 
 venerable brethren assist me in maintaining my right. "^ 
 
 Those who sided with the expelled brother went to 
 the bhikshus who had pronounced the sentence, say- 
 ing : "This is no offence"; while the bhikshus who 
 had pronounced the sentence replied : *' This is an of- 
 fence. " * 
 
 Thus altercations and quarrels arose, and the Sangha 
 was divided into two parties, reviling and slandering 
 one another. * 
 
 And all these happenings were reported to the 
 Blessed One. ^ 
 
 Then the Blessed One went to the place where the 
 bhikshus were that had pronounced the sentence of 
 expulsion, and said to them : **Do not think, O bhik- 
 shus, that you are to pronounce expulsion against a 
 bhikshu, whatever be the facts of the case, simply by 
 saying : * It occurs to us that it is so, and therefore we are 
 pleased to proceed thus against our brother. ' Let those 
 bhikshus who frivolously pronounce a sentence against 
 a brother who knows the dharma and the rules of the 
 order, who is learned, wise, and intelligent, modest, 
 conscientious, and ready to submit himself to disci- 
 pline, stand in awe of causing divisions. They must 
 not pronounce a sentence of expulsion against a brother 
 merely because he refuses to see his offence. " * 
 
 Then the Blessed One rose and went to the breth- 
 ren who sided with the expelled brother and said to 
 them: *'Do not think, O bhikshus, that if you have 
 given offence you need not atone for it, thinking: *We 
 are without offence. ' When a bhikshu has committed 
 an offence, which he considers no offence, while the 
 fraternity consider him as guilty, he should think : 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 87 
 
 * These brethren know the dharma and the rules of the 
 order ; they are learned, wise, intelligent, modest, con- 
 scientious, and ready to submit themselves to disci- 
 pline ; it is impossible that they should on my account 
 act with selfishness or in malice or in delusion or in 
 fear.' Let him stand in awe of causing divisions, and 
 rather acknowledge his offence on the authority of his 
 brethren." » 
 
 Both parties continued to hold Upavasatha and 
 perform official acts independently of one another ; and 
 when their deportment was related to the Blessed One, 
 he ruled that the holding of Upavasatha and the per- 
 formance of official acts were lawful, unobjectionable, 
 and valid for both parties. For he said : "the bhik- 
 shus who side with the expelled brother form a different 
 communion from those who pronounced the sentence. 
 There are venerable brethren in both parties. As they 
 do not agree, let them hold Upavasatha and perform 
 official acts separately." 8 
 
 And the Blessed One reprimanded the litigious bhik- 
 shus saying to them : ^ 
 
 '* Vulgar people make much noise; but who can 
 be blamed when divisions arise in the Sangha? Hatred 
 is not appeased in those who think : * He has reviled 
 me, he has wronged me, he has injured me.' ^^ 
 
 **For not by hatred is hatred appeased. Hatred 
 is appeased by not-hatred. This is an eternal law. ^^ 
 
 ** There are some who do not know the need of self- 
 restraint ; if they are quarrelsome we may excuse their 
 behavior. But those who know better, should learn 
 to live in concord. ^ 
 
 ** If a man finds a wise friend who lives righteously 
 and is constant in his character, he may live with him, 
 overcoming all dangers, happy and mindful. ^ 
 
88 THE GOSPEL OF BUODHa. 
 
 **But if he finds not a friend who lives righteously 
 and is constant in his character, let him rather walk 
 alone like a king who leaves his empire and the cares 
 of his empire behind him to lead a life of retirement 
 like a lonely elephant in the forest. ^* 
 
 **With fools there is no companionship. Rather 
 than to live with men who are selfish, vain, litigious, 
 and obstinate let a man walk alone." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One thought to himself: ''It is 
 no easy task to instruct these headstrong and infatuate 
 fools. " And he rose from his seat and went away. ^* 
 
 XXXVIII. THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF CONCORD. 
 
 The dispute between the parties not being settled, 
 the Blessed One left Kaushambi, and wandering from 
 place to place he at last came to Shravasti. ^ 
 
 And in the absence of the Blessed One the quarrels 
 grew worse, so that the lay devotees of Kaushambi be- 
 came annoyed and they said : " These litigious monks 
 are a great nuisance and will bring upon us misfor- 
 tunes. Worried by their altercations the Blessed One 
 is gone, and has selected another abode for his resi- 
 dence. Let us, therefore, neither salute the bhikshus 
 nor support them. They are not worthy of wearing 
 yellow robes, and must either propitiate the Blessed 
 One, or return to the world. " * 
 
 And the bhikshus of Kaushambi, when no longer 
 honored and no longer supported by the lay devotees, 
 began to repent and said : "Let us go to the Blessed 
 One and have him settle the question of our disagree- 
 ment." • 
 
CONSOUDATION OF BUDDHA*S RELIGION. 89 
 
 And both parties went to Shravasti to the Blessed 
 One. And the venerable Shariputra, having heard of 
 their arrival, addressed the Blessed One and said : 
 "These litigious, disputatious, and quarrelsome bhik- 
 shus of Kaushambi, the authors of dissensions, have 
 come to Shravasti. How am I to behave, O Lord, to- 
 ward those bhikshus. " * 
 
 **Do not scold them, Shariputra," said the Blessed 
 One, **for harsh words are pleasant to no one. As- 
 sign separate dwelling-places to each party and treat 
 them with impartial justice. Listen with patience to 
 both parties. He alone who weighs both sides is called 
 a muni. When both parties have presented their case, 
 let the Sangha come to an agreement and declare the 
 establishment of concord." ^ 
 
 And PrajapatT the matron asked the Blessed One 
 for advice, and the Blessed One said : ** Let both par- 
 ties enjoy the gifts of lay members, be they robes or 
 food, as they may need, and let no one receive any no- 
 ticeable preference over the other. " * 
 
 And the venerable Upali, having approached the 
 Blessed One asked concerning the re-establishment of 
 peace in the Sangha : '* Would it be right, O Lord," 
 said he, **that the Sangha, to avoid further disputa- 
 tions, should declare the restoration of concord without 
 inquiring into the matter of the quarrel? " ' 
 
 And the Blessed One said : 8 
 
 " If the Sangha declares the re-establishment of 
 concord without having inquired into the matter, the 
 declaration is neither right nor lawful. ^ 
 
 ''There are two ways of re-establishing concord ; 
 one is in the letter, and the other one is in the spirit 
 and in the letter. lo 
 
 **If the Sangha declares the re-establishment of 
 
go THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 concord without having inquired into the matter, the 
 peace is concluded in the letter only. But if theSangha 
 after having inquired into the matter and gone to the 
 bottom of it decides to declare the re-establishment of 
 concord, the peace is concluded in the spirit and also 
 in the letter. ^^ 
 
 <*The concord re-established in the spirit and in 
 the letter is alone right and lawful. " ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed the bhikshus and 
 told them the story of Prince Dirghayu. He said : ^^ 
 
 **In former times, there lived at Benares a power- 
 ful king whose name was Brahmadatta of Kashi; and he 
 went to war against Dirgheti, the king of Kosala, for 
 he thought, * The kingdom of Kosala is small and Dir- 
 gheti will not be able to resist my armies.* " 
 
 *'And Dirgheti, seeing that resistance was impos- 
 sible against the great host of the king of Kashi, fled, 
 leaving his little kingdom in the hands of Brahmadatta, 
 and having wandered from place to place, he came at 
 last to Benares, and lived there with his consort in a 
 potter's dwelling outside the town. ^ 
 
 **And the queen bore him a son and they called him 
 Dirghayu. ^' 
 
 * * When Dirghayu had grown up, the king thought to 
 himself : ' King Brahmadatta has done us great harm, 
 and he is fearing our revenge ; he will seek to kill us. 
 Should he find us he will slay us all three.* And he 
 sent his son away, and Dirghayu having received a 
 good education from his father, applied himself dili- 
 gently to learn all arts, becoming very skilful and wise." 
 
 *'At that time the barber of king Dirgheti dwelt at 
 Benares, and he saw the king, his former master, and 
 being of an avaricious nature betrayed him to king 
 Brahmadatta. ^ 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. QI 
 
 '* When Brahmadatta, the king of Kashi heard that 
 the fugitive king of Kosala lived with his wife, un- 
 known and in disguise, a quiet life in a potter's dwell- 
 ing, he ordered him and his queen to be bound and 
 executed ; and the sheriff to whom the order was given 
 seized king Dirgheti and led him to the place of exe- 
 cution. ^ 
 
 *' While the captive king was led through the streets 
 of Benares he saw his son who had returned to visit 
 his parents, and, careful not to betray the presence of 
 his son, yet anxious to communicate to him his last 
 advice, he cried : * O Dirghayu, my son ! Do not look 
 long, do not look short, for not by hatred is hatred ap- 
 peased; hatred is appeased by not-hatred only.* ^o 
 
 ** The king of Kosala was executed together with his 
 wife, but Dirghayu their son bought strong wine and 
 made the guards drunk. When the night arrived he 
 laid the bodies of his parents upon a funeral pyre and 
 burned them with all honors and religious rites. ^i 
 
 ** When king Brahmadatta heard of it, he became 
 afraid, for he thought, * Dirghayu, the son of king Dir- 
 ghSti, will take revenge for the death of his parents, 
 and if he espies a favorable occasion, he will assassi- 
 nate me. ' ^ 
 
 "Young Dirghayu went to the forest and wept to his 
 heart's content. Then he wiped his tears and returned 
 to Benares. Hearing that assistants were wanted in 
 the royal elephants' stable, he offered his services and 
 was engaged by the master of the elephants. ^ 
 
 "And it happened that the king heard a sweet voice 
 ringing through the night and singing to the lute a 
 beautiful song that gladdened his heart. And having 
 inquired among his attendants who the singer might 
 
92 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 be, was told that the master of the elephants had in 
 his service a young man of great accomplishments, and 
 beloved by all his comrades. They said, ' He was wont 
 to sing to the lute, and he must have been the singer 
 that gladdened the heart of the king. * 24 
 
 "And the king ordered the young man before him 
 and, being much pleased with Dirghayu, gave him em- 
 ployment in the royal castle. Observing how wisely 
 the youth acted, how modest he was and yet punctili- 
 ous in the performance of his work, the king very soon 
 gave him a position of trust. 25 
 
 **Now it came to pass that the king went a hunting 
 and became separated from his retinue, young Dirghayu 
 alone remaining with him. And the king worn out 
 from the hunt laid his head into the lap of young Dir- 
 ghayu and slept. 26 
 
 "And Dirghayu thought : * This king Brahmadatta 
 has done us great injury ; he robbed us of our kingdom 
 and slew my father and my mother. He is now in my 
 power. ' Thinking thus he unsheathed his sword. 27 
 
 "Then Dirghayu thought of the last words of his 
 father : ' Do not look long, do not look short. For 
 not by hatred is hatred appeased. Hatred is appeased 
 by not-hatred alone. * Thinking thus, he put his sword 
 back into the sheath. 28 
 
 "The king became restless in his sleep and he awoke, 
 and when the youth asked ' Why do you look fright- 
 ened, O king?* he replied : * My sleep is always rest- 
 less because I often dream that young Dirghayu comes 
 upon me with his sword. While I lay here with my 
 head in your lap I dreamed the dreadful dream again ; 
 and I awoke full of terror and alarm. ' 29 
 
 " Then the youth laying his left hand upon the de- 
 fenceless king's head and with his right hand drawing 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 93 
 
 his sword said : * I am Dirghayu, the son of king Dir- 
 gh6ti, whom you have robbed of his kingdom and slain 
 together with his wife, my mother. The time of re- 
 venge has come.' ^ 
 
 ** The king seeing himself at the mercy of young Dir- 
 ghayu raised his hands and said : * Grant me my life, 
 my dear Dirghayu, grant me my life, my dear Dir- 
 ghayu ! ' " 
 
 *'And Dirghayu said without bitterness or ill-will. 
 * How can I grant you your life, O king, since my life 
 is endangered by you. It is you, O king, who must 
 grant me my life. ' ^ 
 
 *'And the king said : * Well, my dear Dirghayu, then 
 grant me my life, and I will grant you your life. * ^ 
 
 **Thus, king Brahmadatta of Kashi and young Dir- 
 ghayu granted each other life and took each other's 
 hands and swore an oath not to do any harm to each 
 other. ** 
 
 "And king Brahmadatta of Kashi said to young Dir- 
 ghayu : * Why did your father say to you in the hour 
 of his death : "Do not look long, do not look short, for 
 hatred is not appeased by hatred. Hatred is appeased 
 by not-hatred alone," — what did your father mean by 
 that?' ^ 
 
 " The youth replied : ' When my father, O king, in 
 the hour of his death said : "Not long," he meant let 
 not your hatred last long. And when my father said, 
 "Not short," he meant. Do not be hasty to fall out with 
 your friends. And when he said, " For not by hatred 
 is hatred appeased; hatred is appeased by not-hatred," 
 he meant this : You have killed my father and mother, 
 O king. If I should deprive you of life, then your par- 
 tisans would deprive me of life ; my partisans again 
 would deprive those of life. Thus by hatred, hatred 
 
94 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 would not be appeased. But now, O king, you have 
 granted me my life, and I have granted you your life ; 
 thus by not-hatred hatred has been appeased.' ^ 
 
 ** Then king Brahmadatta of Kashi thought: ' How 
 wise is young Dirghayu that he understands in its full 
 extent the meaning of what his father spoke so con- 
 cisely. ' ^^ 
 
 **And the king gave him back his father's troops and 
 vehicles, his realm, his treasuries, and store-houses, 
 and gave him his daughter in marriage. " ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had told this story to the 
 bhikshus, he dismissed them. ^ 
 
 And the bhikshus met in conference and investi- 
 gated the question of their dissensions, and having 
 come to the bottom of the matter, the concord of the 
 Sangha was re-established. ^ 
 
 XXXIX. THE BHIKSHUS REBUKED. 
 
 And it happened that the Blessed One walked up 
 and down in the open air unshod. ^ 
 
 When the elders saw that the Blessed One walked 
 unshod, they put away their shoes and did likewise. 
 But the novices did not mind the example of their elders 
 and kept their feet covered. * 
 
 Some of the brethren noticed the irreverent beha- 
 vior of the novices and told the Blessed One ; and the 
 Blessed One rebuked the novices and said : ** If the 
 brethren, even now, while I am yet living, show so 
 little respect and courtesy to one another, what will 
 they do when I have passed away? * 
 
 "And the Blessed One was filled with anxiety for 
 the welfare of the truth ; and he continued : * 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 95 
 
 <*Even the laymen, O bhikshus, who move in the 
 world, pursuing some handicraft that they may pro- 
 cure them a living, will be respectful, affectionate, and 
 hospitable to their teachers. Do you, therefore, O 
 bhikshus, so let your light shine forth, that you, hav- 
 ing left the world and devoted your entire life to reli- 
 gion and to religious discipline, may observe the rules 
 of decency, be respectful, affectionate, and hospitable 
 to your teachers and superiors, or those who rank as 
 your teachers and superiors. Your demeanor, O bhik- 
 shus, will not conduce to the conversion of the uncon- 
 verted, and to the increase of the number of the faith- 
 ful. It will serve, O bhikshus, to repel the uncon- 
 verted and estrange them." * 
 
 XL. DEVADATTA. 
 
 When DSvadatta, the son of the Suprabuddha, and 
 a brother of Yashodhara, became a disciple, he cher- 
 ished the hope of attaining the same distinctions and 
 honors as Gautama Siddhartha. His ambitions being 
 disappointed, he conceived in his heart a jealous ha- 
 tred, and, attempting to excel the Perfect One in vir- 
 tue, he found fault wjth his regulations and reproved 
 them as too lenient. * 
 
 D8vadatta went to Rajagriha and gained the ear of 
 Ajatashatru, the son of king Bimbisara. And Ajata- 
 shatru built a new vihara for Devadatta, and founded a 
 sect whose disciples were pledged to severe rules and 
 self-mortification. ^ 
 
 Soon afterwards the Blessed One himself came to 
 Rajagriha and stayed at the Venuvana vihara. * 
 
 Devadatta called on the Blessed One, requesting 
 him to sanction his rules of greater stringency, in which 
 
96 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 a greater holiness might be procured. *' The body, " he 
 said, *' consists of its thirty- two parts and has no divine 
 attributes. It is conceived in sin and born in corrup- 
 tion. Its attributes are liability to pain and the disso- 
 lution of what is impermanent. It is the receptacle 
 of karma which is the curse of our former existences ; 
 it is the dwelling-place of sin and diseases and its or- 
 gans constantly discharge disgusting secretions. Its 
 end is death and its goal the charnel house. Such being 
 the condition of the body it behooves us to treat it as 
 a carcass full of abomination and to clothe it in such 
 rags only as have been gathered in cemeteries or upon 
 dung-hills." 4 
 
 The Blessed One said : *' Truly, the body is full of 
 impurity and its end is the charnel house, for it is im- 
 permanent and destined to be dissolved into its ele- 
 ments. But being the receptacle of karma, it lies in 
 your power to make it a vessel of truth and not of sin. 
 It is not good to indulge in th& pleasures of the body, 
 but neither is it good to neglect our bodily needs and 
 to heap filth upon impurities. The lamp that is not 
 cleansed and not filled with oil will be extinguished, 
 and a body that is unkempt, unwashed, and weakened 
 by penance will not be a fit receptacle for the light of 
 truth. Your rules will not lead the disciples on the 
 middle path which I have taught. Certainly, no one 
 can be prevented from keeping more stringent rules, 
 if he sees fit to do so, but they should not be imposed 
 upon any one, for they are unnecessary. " ^ 
 
 Thus the Tathagata refused Devadatta's proposi- 
 tion ; and Devadatta left Buddha and went into the 
 vihara speaking evil of the Lord's path of salvation as 
 too lenient and altogether insufficient. • 
 
 When the Blessed One heard of Devadatta's in- 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 97 
 
 trigues, he said : ''Amongst men there Is no one who 
 is not blamed. People blame him who sits silent and 
 him who speaks, they also blame the man who preaches 
 the middle path. " ^ 
 
 Devadatta instigated Ajatashatru to plot against his 
 father Bimbisara, the king, to make himself king in the 
 latter's place ; and Bimbisara died leaving the kingdom 
 of Magadha to his son Ajatashatru. ^ 
 
 The new king listened to the evil advice of Deva- 
 datta, and he gave orders to take the life of the Tatha- 
 gata. However, the murderers sent out to kill the 
 Lord could not perform their wicked deed, and became 
 converted as soon as they saw him and listened to his 
 preaching. The rock hurled down from a precipice 
 upon the great Master split in twain, and both pieces 
 passed by without doing him harm. The wild elephant 
 let loose to destroy the Lord, became gentle in hiu 
 presence ; and Ajatashatru, suffering greatly from the 
 pangs of his conscience, went to the Blessed One and 
 sought peace in his distress. • 
 
 The Blessed One received Ajatashatru kindly and 
 taught him the way of salvation ; but Devadatta still 
 tried to become the founder of a religious school of his 
 own. " 
 
 Devadatta did not succeed in his plans and having 
 been abandoned by many of his disciples, he fell sick, 
 and he repented. He entreated those who had re- 
 mained with him to carry his litter to Buddha, say- 
 ing : ''Take me, children, take me to him; though 
 I have done evil to him, I am his brother-in-law. For 
 the sake of our relationship Buddha will save me." 
 And they obeyed, although reluctantly. " 
 
 And Devadatta in his impatience to see the Blessed 
 One rose from his litter while his carriers were wash- 
 
98 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 ing their hands. But his feet burned under him ; he 
 sank to the ground ; and having repeated the praise 
 of Buddha died. " 
 
 XLI. THE GOAL. 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed the bhikshus : * 
 
 **It is through not understanding the four noble 
 truths, O bhikshus, that we had to wander so long in 
 the weary path of samsara, both you and I. * 
 
 '* Through contact the soul is born from sensation, 
 and is reborn by a reproduction of its form. Starting 
 from the simplest forms of life, it rises and falls ac- 
 cording to deeds, but the aspirations of a Bodhisattva 
 pursue the straight path of wisdom and righteousness, 
 until they reach perfect enlightenment in the Buddha.'' 
 
 '*A11 creatures are what they are through the karma 
 of their deeds done in former and in present exist- 
 ences. * 
 
 **The rational nature of man is the spark of en- 
 lightenment, which, however, once procured will re- 
 main a lasting possession. But new births are required 
 to insure an ascent to the summit of existence, where 
 the unmeasurable light of moral comprehension is 
 gained which is the source of all righteousness. ^ 
 
 "Having attained this higher birth, I have found 
 the truth and taught you the noble path that leads to 
 the glad city of peace. ® 
 
 *' I have shown you the way to the lake of Ambro- 
 sia, which washes away sinful desire. ' 
 
 " I have given you the refreshing drink called the 
 perception of truth, and he who drinks it becomes free 
 from excitement, passion, and wrong-doing. ^ 
 
 **The very gods envy the bliss of him who has es- 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 99 
 
 caped from the floods of passion and climbed the shores 
 of Nirvana. His heart is cleansed from all defilement 
 and free from all illusion. • 
 
 ** He is like unto the lotus which grows in the wa- 
 ter yet not a drop of water adheres to its petals. ^^ 
 
 " The man who walks in the noble path lives in 
 the world, and yet his heart is not defiled by worldly 
 desires. " 
 
 '*As a mother, even at the risk of her own life, pro- 
 tects her son, her only son, so he cultivates good-will 
 without measure among all beings. ^ 
 
 '* Let a man remain steadfastly in this state of mind, 
 whether he is standing or walking, awake or asleep, 
 suffering from sickness, or enjoying good health, living 
 or dying : for this state of heart is the best in the 
 world. ^ 
 
 ''He who does not see the four noble truths has 
 still a long path to traverse by repeated births through 
 the desert of ignorance with its mirages of illusion and 
 through the morasses of sin. ^* 
 
 **But now they are grasped, the cause of further 
 migrations and aberrations is removed. The goal is 
 reached. The craving of selfishness is destroyed, and 
 the truth is attained. " 
 
 *'Thisistrue deliverance; this is salvation; this 
 is heaven and the bliss of a life immortal." ^' 
 
 XLII. MIRACLES FORBIDDEN. 
 
 Jyotishka, the son of Subhadra, was a householder 
 living in Rajagriha. Having received a precious bowl 
 of sandal- wood decorated with jewels, he erected a long 
 pole before his house and put the bowl on its top with 
 this legend : '* Should a shramana take this bowl down 
 
lOO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 without using a ladder or a stick with a hook, but by- 
 magic power, he shall receive whatever he desires. '* ^ 
 
 And the people came to the Blessed One, full of 
 wonder and their mouths overflowing with praise, say- 
 ing : *' Great is the Tathagata. His disciples perform 
 miracles. Kashyapa, the disciple of Buddha, saw the 
 bowl on Jyotishka's pole, and, stretching out his hand, 
 he took it down, carrying it away in triumph to the 
 vihara." « 
 
 When the Blessed One heard what had happened, 
 he went to Kashyapa, and, breaking the bowl to pieces, 
 forbade his disciples to perform miracles of any kind. ^ 
 
 Soon after this it happened that in one of the rainy 
 seasons many bhikshus were staying in the Vriji terri- 
 tory during a famine. And one of the bhikshus pro- 
 posed to his brethren that they should praise one an- 
 other to the householders of the village, saying : ' ' This 
 bhikshu is a saint ; he has seen celestial visions ; and 
 that bhikshu possesses supernatural gifts ; he can work 
 miracles." And the villagers said : ** It is lucky, very 
 lucky for us, that such saints are spending the rainy 
 season with us. " And they gave willingly and abun- 
 dantly, and the bhikshus prospered and did not suffer 
 from the famine. * 
 
 When the Blessed One heard it, he told Ananda to 
 call the bhikshus together, and he asked them : **Tell 
 me, O bhikshus, when does a bhikshu cease to be a 
 bhikshu?" 6 
 
 And Shariputra replied : • 
 
 "An ordained disciple must not commit any un- 
 chaste act. The disciple who commits an unchaste act 
 is no longer a disciple of the Shakyamuni. ' 
 
 "Again, an ordained disciple must not take except 
 what has been given him. The disciple who takes, be 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. lOI 
 
 it SO little as a penny's worth, is no longer a disciple 
 of the Shakyamuni. ^ 
 
 **And lastly, an ordained disciple must not know- 
 ingly and malignantly deprive any harmless creature of 
 life, not even an earth-worm or an ant. The disciple 
 who knowingly and malignantly ^epri^es any harmless 
 creature of its life is no longer a, disciple of the Shaky*- . 
 muni. • ' ' '^ 
 
 "These are the three great prohibitions." ^® 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed the bhikshus and 
 said : " 
 
 "There is another great prohibition which I pro- 
 claim to you : " 
 
 "An ordained disciple must not boast of any super- 
 human perfection. The disciple who with evil intent 
 and from covetousness boasts of a superhuman per- 
 fection, be it celestial visions or miracles, is no longer 
 a disciple of the Shakyamuni. ^ 
 
 "I forbid you, O bhikshus, to employ any spells or 
 supplications, for they are useless, since the law of 
 karma governs all things. He who attempts to per- 
 form miracles has not understood the doctrine of the 
 Tathagata." i* 
 
 XLIII. THE VANITY OF WORLDLINESS. 
 
 There was a poet by the name of Che who had ac- 
 quired the spotless eye of truth, and he believed in 
 Buddha, whose doctrine gave him peace of mind and 
 comfort in the hour of affliction. i 
 
 And it happened that an epidemic swept over the 
 country in which he lived, so that many died, and the 
 people were terrified. Some of them trembled with 
 
I02 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 fright, and in anticipation of their fate were smitten 
 with all the horrors of death before they died, while 
 others began to be merry, shouting loudly, **Let us 
 enjoy ourselves to-day, for we know not whether to- 
 morrow we shall live "; yet was their laughter no gen- 
 u*in>5 gladness, ^rit a mere pretence and affectation. ^ 
 
 Among all'the'se worldly men and women trembling 
 ^^ith Anxiety, thfi Buddhist poet lived in the time of 
 the pestilence, as usual, calm and undisturbed, helping 
 wherever he could and ministering unto the sick, sooth- 
 ing their pains by medicine and religious consolation. ^ 
 
 And a man came to him and said : ^ 
 
 ** My heart is nervous and excited, for I see people 
 die. I am not anxious about others, but I tremble be- 
 cause of myself. Help me ; cure me of my fear." * 
 
 The poet replied : '* There is help for him who has 
 compassion on others, but there is no help for thee 
 so long as thou clingest to thine own self alone. Hard 
 times try the souls of men and teach them righteousness 
 and charity. Canst thou witness these sad sights around 
 thee and still be filled with selfishness ? Canst thou 
 see thy brothers, sisters, and friends suffer, yet not for- 
 get the petty cravings and lust of thy own heart?" * 
 
 Observing the desolation in the soul of the pleasure- 
 seeking man, the Buddhist poet composed this song 
 and taught it to the brethren in the vihara : ^ 
 
 "Unless you take refuge in Buddha and find rest in Nirvina 
 Everything is vanity — desolation and vanity. 
 To see the world is idle, and to enjoy life is empty. 
 The world, including man, is but like a phantom, and the hope of 
 heaven is as a mirage. ^ 
 
 The worldling seeks pleasures fattening himself like a caged fowl. 
 But the Buddhist saint flies up to the sun like the wild crane. 
 The fowl in the coop has food but will soon be boiled in the pot. 
 
I03 
 
 No provisions are given to the wild crane, but the heavens and the 
 earth are his." • 
 
 The poet said : *' The times are hard and teach the 
 people a lesson ; yet do they not heed it." And he 
 composed another poem on the vanity of worldliness : ^" 
 
 "It is good to reform, and it is good to exhort people to reform. 
 
 The things of the world will be all swept away. 
 
 Let others be busy and buried with care. 
 
 My mind all unvexed shall be pure. u 
 
 After pleasures they hanker and find no satisfaction ; 
 
 Riches they covet and can never have enough. 
 
 They are like unto puppets held up by a string. 
 
 When the string breaks they come down with a shock. ^ 
 
 In the domain of death there are neither great nor small ; 
 
 Neither gold nor silver is used, nor precious jewels. 
 
 No distinction is made between the high and the low. 
 
 And daily the dead are buried beneath the fragrant sod. " 
 
 Look at the sun setting behind the western hills. 
 
 You lie down to rest, but soon the cock will announce mom. 
 
 Reform to-day and do not wait until it be too late. 
 
 Do not say it is early, for the time quickly passes by. ^* 
 
 It is good to reform and it is good to exhort people to reform, 
 It is good to lead a righteous life and take refuge in Buddha's name. 
 Your talents may reach to the skies, your wealth may be untold — 
 But all is in vain unless you attain the peace of Nirvdna." ^^ 
 
 XLIV. SECRECY AND PUBLICITY. 
 
 Buddha said: ** Three things, O disciples, secrecy 
 is characteristic of : love affairs, priestly wisdom, and 
 all aberrations from the path of truth. ^ 
 
 "Women who are in love, O disciples, seek secrecy 
 and shun publicity ; priests who claim to be in posses- 
 sion of special revelations, O disciples, seek secrecy 
 
I04 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 and shun publicity; all those who stray from the path 
 of truth, O disciples, seek secrecy and shun publicity. ^ 
 
 ** Three things, O disciples, shine before the world 
 and cannot be hidden. What are the three ? * 
 
 " The moon, O disciples, illumines the world and 
 cannot be hidden ; the sun, O disciples, illumines the 
 world and cannot be hidden ; and the truth proclaimed 
 by the Tathagata illumines the world and cannot be 
 hidden. These three things, O disciples, illumine the 
 world and cannot be hidden. There is no secrecy 
 about them." * 
 
 XLV. THE ANNIHILATION OF SUFFERING. 
 
 And Buddha said : ''What, my friends, is evil? * 
 *' Killing, my friends, is evil ; stealing is evil ; yield- 
 ing to sexual passion is evil ; lying is evil ; slandering 
 is evil ; abuse is evil ; gossip is evil ; envy is evil ; 
 hatred is evil ; to cling to false doctrine is evil ; all 
 these things, my friends, are evil. * 
 
 "And what, my friends, is the root of evil? ^ 
 
 ** Desire is the root of evil; hatred is the root of 
 evil ; illusion is the root of evil ; these things are the 
 root of evil. * 
 
 "What, however, is good? ^ 
 
 "Abstaining from theft is good ; abstaining from 
 sensuality is good ; abstaining from falsehood is good; 
 abstaining from slander is good ; suppression of un- 
 kindness is good ; abandoning gossip is good ; letting 
 go all envy is good ; dismissing hatred is good ; obe- 
 dience to the truth is good ; all these things are good. ^ 
 "And what, my friends, is the root of the good? ^ 
 " Freedom from desire is the root of the good ; free- 
 dom from hatred and freedom from illusion ; these 
 things, my friends, are the root of the good. ® 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. I05 
 
 *<What, however, O brethren, is suffering? What 
 is the origin of suffering? What is the annihilation 
 of suffering? ^ 
 
 *' Birth is suffering; old age is suffering; disease 
 is suffering ; death is suffering ; sorrow and misery are 
 suffering ; affliction and despair are suffering ; to be 
 united with loathsome things is suffering ; the loss of 
 that which we love and the failure in attaining that 
 which is longed for are suffering ; all these things, O 
 brethren, are suffering. ^^ 
 
 <* And what, O brethren, is the origin of suffering ?^i 
 
 ** It is lust, passion, and the thirst for existence that 
 yearns for pleasure everywhere, leading to a continual 
 rebirth ! It is sensuality, desire, selfishness; all these 
 things, O brethren, are the origin of suffering. ^^ 
 
 ''And what is the annihilation of suffering? ^ 
 
 *' The radical and total annihilation of this thirst 
 and the abandonment, the liberation, the deliverance 
 from passion ; that, O brethren, is the annihilation of 
 suffering. " 
 
 "And what, O brethren, is the path that leads to 
 the annihilation of suffering? ^^ 
 
 ** It is the holy eightfold path that leads to the an- 
 nihilation of suffering, which consists of, right views, 
 right decision, right speech, right action, right living, 
 right struggling, right thoughts, and right meditation. ^^ 
 
 ''In so far, O friends, as a noble youth thus recog- 
 nises suffering and the origin of suffering, as he recog- 
 nises the annihilation of suffering, and the path that 
 leads to the annihilation of suffering, radically forsak- 
 ing passion, subduing wrath, annihilating the vain con- 
 ceit of the "I-am," leaving ignorance, and attaining 
 to enlightenment, he will make an end of all suffering 
 even in this life." *^ 
 
I06 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 XLVI. AVOIDING THE TEN EVILS. 
 
 Buddha said : **A11 acts of living creatures become 
 bad by ten things, and by avoiding the ten things they 
 become good. There are three evils of the body, four 
 evils of the tongue, and three evils of the mind. ^ 
 
 **The evils of the body are, murder, theft, and 
 adultery; of the tongue, lying, slander, abuse, and idle 
 talk ; of the mind, covetousness, hatred, and error. ^ 
 
 **I teach you to avoid the ten evils: ' 
 
 **I. Kill not, but have regard for life. * 
 
 ** II. Steal not, neither do ye rob; but help every- 
 body to be master of the fruits of his labor. * 
 
 ** III. Abstain from impurity, and lead a life of 
 chastity. * 
 
 **IV. Lie not, but be truthful. Speak the truth 
 with discretion, fearlessly and in a loving heart. ^ 
 
 **V. Invent not evil reports, neither do ye repeat 
 them. Carp not, but look for the good sides of your 
 fellow-beings, so that you may with sincerity defend 
 them against their enemies. ^ 
 
 ** VI. Swear not, but speak decently and with dig- 
 nity. » 
 
 "VII. Waste not the time with gossip, but speak 
 to the purpose or keep silence. ^° 
 
 ** VIII. Covet not, nor envy, but rejoice at the for- 
 tunes of other people. *^ 
 
 ** IX. Cleanse your heart of malice and cherish no 
 hatred, not even against your enemies ; but embrace 
 all living beings with kindness. ^ 
 
 *<X. Free your mind of ignorance and be anxious 
 to learn the truth, especially in the one thing that is 
 needed, lest you fall a prey either to scepticism or to 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHA'S RELIGION. 107 
 
 errors. Scepticism will make you indifferent and er- 
 rors will lead you astray so that you shall not find the 
 noble path that leads to life eternal. " ^ 
 
 XLVII. THE PREACHER'S MISSION. 
 
 And the Blessed One said to his disciples : * 
 
 "When I have passed away and can no longer ad- 
 dress you, and edify your minds with religious dis- 
 course, select from among you men of good family and 
 education to preach the truth in my stead. And let 
 those men be invested with the robes of the Tathagata, 
 let them enter into the abode of the Tathagata, and 
 occupy the pulpit of the Tathagata. * 
 
 *' The robe of the Tathagata is sublime forbearance 
 and patience. The abode of the Tathagata is charity 
 and love of all beings. The pulpit of the Tathagata 
 is the comprehension of the good law in its abstract 
 meaning as well as in its particular application. ' 
 
 **The preacher must propound the truth with un- 
 shrinking mind. He must have the power of persua- 
 sion rooted in virtue and in strict fidelity to his vows.* 
 
 "The preacher must keep in his proper sphere and 
 be steady in his course. He must not flatter his van- 
 ity by seeking the company of the great. Nor must he 
 keep company with persons who are frivolous and im- 
 moral. When in temptation, he should constantly 
 think of Buddha and he will conquer. * 
 
 "All who come to hear the doctrine, the preacher 
 must receive with benevolence, and his sermon must be 
 without invidiousness. * 
 
 "The preacher must not be prone to carp at others, 
 or to blame other preachers ; nor speak scandal, nor 
 propagate bitter words. He must not mention by name 
 
Io8 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Other disciples to vituperate them and reproach their 
 demeanor. ' 
 
 **Clad in a clean robe, dyed with good color, with 
 appropriate undergarments, he must ascend the pulpit 
 with a mind free from blame and at peace with the 
 whole world. ^ 
 
 "He must not take delight in quarrelous disputa- 
 tions or engage in controversies so as to show the 
 superiority of his talents, but be calm and composed.^ 
 
 *'No hostile feelings shall reside in his heart, and 
 he must never abandon the disposition of charity to- 
 ward all beings. His sole aim must be that all beings 
 become Buddhas. ^^ 
 
 **Let the preacher apply himself with zeal to his 
 work, and the Tathagata will show to him the body of 
 the holy law in its transcendent glory. He shall be 
 honored as one whom the Tathagata has blessed. The 
 Tathagata blesses the preacher and also those who 
 reverently listen to him and joyfully accept the doc- 
 trine. " 
 
 **A11 those who receive the truth will find perfect 
 enlightenment. And, verily, such is the power of the 
 doctrine that even by the reading of a single stanza, 
 or by reciting, copying, and keeping in mind a single 
 sentence of the good law, persons may be converted to 
 the truth and enter the path of righteousness which 
 leads to deliverance from evil. ^ 
 
 ** Creatures that are swayed by impure passions, 
 when they listen to the voice, will be purified. The 
 ignorant who are infatuated with the follies of the 
 world will, when pondering on the profundity of the 
 doctrine, acquire wisdom. Those who act under the 
 impulse of hatred will, when taking refuge in Buddha, 
 be filled with good-will and love. ^ 
 
CONSOLIDATION OF BUDDHa's RELIGION. lOQ 
 
 <*A preacher must be full of energy and cheerful 
 hope, never tiring and never despairing of final suc- 
 cess. '* 
 
 *'A preacher must be like a man who in quest of 
 water digs a well in an arid tract of land. So long as 
 he sees that the sand is dry and white, he knows that 
 the water is still far off. But let him not be troubled 
 or give up the task as hopeless. The work of remov- 
 ing the dry sand must be done so that he can dig down 
 deeper into the ground. And often the deeper he has 
 to dig, the cooler and purer and more refreshing will 
 the water be. ^ 
 
 ** When after some time of digging he sees that the 
 sand becomes moist, he accepts it as a foretoken that 
 the water is near. ^' 
 
 *< So long as the people do not listen to the words 
 of truth, the preacher knows that he has to dig deeper 
 into their hearts ; but when they begin to heed his 
 words he apprehends that they will soon attain enlight- 
 enment. " 
 
 **Into your hands, O ye men of good family and 
 education who take the vow of preaching the words of 
 the Tathagata, the Blessed One transfers, intrusts, and 
 commands the good law of truth. ^ 
 
 <* Receive the good law of truth, keep it, read and 
 re-read it, fathom it, promulgate it, and preach it to 
 all beings in all the quarters of the universe. ^ 
 
 **The Tathagata is not avaricious, nor narrow- 
 minded, and he is willing to impart the perfect Buddha- 
 knowledge unto all who are ready and willing to re- 
 ceive it. Be ye like unto him. Imitate him and follow 
 his example in bounteously giving, showing, and be- 
 stowing the truth. 20 
 
 ** Gather round you hearers who love to listen to 
 
no THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 the benign and comforting words of the law ; rouse the 
 unbelievers to accept the truth and fill them with de- 
 light and joy. Quicken them, edify them, and lift 
 them higher and higher until they see the truth face to 
 face in all its splendor and infinite glory. " ^^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had thus spoken, the dis- 
 ciples said : " 
 
 **0 thou who rejoicest in kindness having its source 
 in compassion, thou great cloud of good qualities and 
 of benevolent mind, thou quenchest the fire that vex- 
 eth living beings, thou pourest out nectar, the rain of 
 the law ! ^ 
 
 **We shall do, O Lord, what the Tathagata com- 
 mands. We shall fulfil his behest ; the Lord shall find 
 us obedient to his words. " ** 
 
 And this vow of the disciples resounded through 
 the universe, and like an echo it came back from all 
 the Bodhisattvas who are to be and will come to preach 
 the good law of Truth to future generations. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said: **The Tathagata is 
 like unto a powerful king who rules his kingdom with 
 righteousness, but being attacked by envious enemies 
 goes out to wage war against his foes. When the king 
 sees his soldiers fighting he is delighted with their 
 gallantry and will bestow upon them donations of all 
 kinds. Ye are the soldiers of the Tathagata, while Mara, 
 the Evil One, is the enemy who must be conquered. 
 And the Tathagata will give to his soldiers the city of 
 Nirvana, the great capital of the good law. And when 
 the enemy is overcome, the Dharma-raja, the great 
 king of truth, will bestow upon all his disciples the 
 most precious crown jewel which brings perfect 
 enlightenment, supreme wisdom, and undisturbed 
 peace." *• 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 
 
 XL VIII. THE DHARMAPADA. 
 
 THIS is the Dharmapada, the path of religion pur- 
 sued by those who are Buddha's followers : ^ 
 
 All that we are is the result of what we have thought: 
 it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our 
 thoughts. ^ 
 
 By oneself evil is done ; by oneself one suffers ; by 
 oneself evil is left undone ; by oneself one is purified. 
 Purity and impurity belong to oneself, no one can 
 purify another. ^ 
 
 You yourself must make an effort. The Tathagatas 
 are only preachers. The thoughtful who enter the way 
 are freed from the bondage of Mara. * 
 
 He who does not rouse himself when it is time to 
 rise, who, though young and strong, is full of sloth, 
 whose will and thoughts are weak, that lazy and idle 
 man will never find the way to enlightenment. *» 
 
 If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself 
 carefully; the truth guards him who guards his self. * 
 
 If a man makes himself as he teaches others to be, 
 then, being himself subdued, he may subdue others ; 
 one's own self is indeed difficult to subdue. ' 
 
 If one man conquers in battle a thousand times a 
 thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is 
 the greatest of conquerors. * 
 
112 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 It is the habit of fools, be they laymen or members 
 of the clergy, to think, "this is done by me. May 
 others be subject to me. In this or that transaction a 
 prominent part should be played by me. " Fools do not 
 care for the duty to be performed or the aim to be 
 reached, but think of their self alone. Everything is 
 but a pedestal of their vanity. * 
 
 Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy 
 to do ; what is beneficial and good, that is very diffi- 
 cult to do. ^° 
 
 If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him 
 attack it vigorously! ^^ 
 
 Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, 
 despised, without understanding, like a useless log; 
 yet our thoughts will endure. They will be thought 
 again, and will produce action. Good thoughts will 
 produce good actions, and bad thoughts will produce 
 bad actions. ^ 
 
 Earnestness is the path of immortality, thought- 
 lessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest 
 do not die ; those who are thoughtless are as if dead 
 already. ^ 
 
 Those who imagine truth in untruth, and see un- 
 truth in truth, never arrive at truth, but follow vain 
 desires. They who know truth in truth, and untruth 
 in untruth, arrive at truth, and follow true desires. ^* 
 
 As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, pas- 
 sion will break through an unreflecting mind. As rain 
 does not break through a well-thatched house, passion 
 will not break through a well-reflecting mind. ^ 
 
 Well-makers lead the water wherever they like ; 
 fletchers bend the arrow ; carpenters bend a log of 
 wood ; wise people fashion themselves ; wise people 
 falter not amidst blame and praise. Having listened 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. II3 
 
 to the law, they become serene, like a deep, smooth, 
 and still lake. w 
 
 If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain 
 follows him as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that 
 draws the carriage. i' 
 
 An evil deed is better left undone, for a man will 
 repent of it afterwards ; a good deed is better done, 
 for having done it one will not repent. ^ 
 
 If a man commits a sin let him not do it again ; let 
 him not delight in sin ; pain is the outcome of evil. If 
 a man does what is good, let him do it again ; let him 
 delight in it ; happiness is the outcome of good. ^ 
 
 Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, 
 **It will not come nigh unto me." As by the falling of 
 water-drops a water-pot is filled, so the fool becomes 
 full of evil, though he gather it little by little. ^ 
 
 Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his 
 heart, *' It will not come nigh unto me." As by the fall- 
 ing of water-drops a water-pot is filled, so the wise man 
 becomes full of good, though he gather it little by little. ^^ 
 
 He who lives for pleasure only, his senses uncon- 
 trolled, immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, him 
 Mara, the tempter, will certainly overthrow, as the 
 wind throws down a weak tree. He who lives without 
 looking for pleasures, his senses well-controlled, mod- 
 erate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will 
 certainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws 
 down a rocky mountain. 22 
 
 The fool who knows his foolishness, is wise at least 
 so far. But a fool who thinks himself wise, he is a fool 
 indeed. 28 
 
 To the sinful man sin appears sweet as honey; he 
 looks upon it as pleasant so long as it bears no fruit ; 
 but when its fruit ripens, then he looks upon it as sin. 
 
f 14 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 And so the good man looks upon the goodness of the 
 dharma as a burden and an evil so long as it bears no 
 fruit ; but when its fruit ripens, then he sees its good- 
 ness. ^ 
 
 A hater may do great harm to a hater, or an enemy 
 to an enemy; but a wrongly-directed mind will do 
 greater mischief unto himself. A mother, a father, or 
 any other relative will do much good ; but a well- 
 directed mind will do greater service unto himself. * 
 
 He whose wickedness is very great brings himself 
 iown to that state where his enemy wishes him to be. 
 He himself is his greatest enemy. Thus a creeper 
 destroys the life of a tree on which it finds support. ^ 
 
 Do not direct thy thought to what gives pleasure, 
 that thou mayest not cry out when burning, **This is 
 pain. " The wicked man bums by his own deeds, as 
 if burnt by fire. 27 
 
 Pleasures destroy the foolish ; the foolish man by 
 his thirst for pleasures destroys himself as if he were 
 his own enemy. The fields are damaged by hurricanes 
 and weeds ; mankind is damaged by passion, by hatred, 
 by vanity, and by lust. 28 
 
 Let no man ever take into consideration whether a 
 thing is pleasant or unpleasant. The love of pleasure 
 begets grief and the dread of pain causes fear ; he who 
 is free from the love of pleasure and the dread of pain 
 knows neither grief nor fear. 29 
 
 He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give 
 himself to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life 
 and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who 
 has exerted himself in meditation. so 
 
 The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of 
 oneself is difficult to perceive. A man winnows his 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. II5 
 
 neighbor's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, 
 as a cheat hides the false die from the gambler. '^ 
 
 If a man looks after the faults of others, and is al- 
 ways inclined to take offence, his own passions will 
 grow, and he is far from the destruction of passions. ^ 
 
 Not about the perversities of others, not about their 
 sins of commission or omission, but about his own mis- 
 deeds and negligences alone should a sage be wor- 
 ried. » 
 
 Good people shine from afar, like the snowy moun- 
 tains ; bad people are not seen, like arrows shot by 
 night. ** 
 
 If a man by causing pain to others, wishes to ob- 
 tain pleasure for himself, he, entangled in the bonds of 
 selfishness, will never be free from hatred. ** 
 
 Let a man overcome anger by love, let him over- 
 come evil by good ; let him overcome the greedy by 
 liberality, the liar by truth ! * 
 
 For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time ; 
 hatred ceases by love, this is an old rule. ^ 
 
 Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if 
 thou art asked ; by these three steps thou wilt become 
 divine. ^ 
 
 Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his self, 
 as a smith blows off the impurities of silver, one by 
 one, little by little, and from time to time. ^ 
 
 Lead others, not by violence, but by law and 
 equity. ^ 
 
 He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is 
 just, speaks the truth, and does what is his own busi- 
 ness, him the world will hold dear. *i 
 
 As the bee collects nectar and departs without in- 
 juring the flower, or its color or scent, so let a sage 
 dwell in the village. ** 
 
Il6 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 If a traveller does not meet with one who is his 
 better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary 
 journey ; there is no companionship with a fool. ^ 
 
 Long is the night to him who is awake ; long is a 
 mile to him who is tired ; long is life to the foolish 
 who do not know the true religion. ** 
 
 Better than living a hundred years, not seeing the 
 highest religion, is one day in the life of a man who 
 sees the highest religion. *6 
 
 Some form their dharma arbitrarily and fabricate it 
 artificially; they advance complex speculations and 
 imagine that good results are attainable only by the 
 acceptance of their theories ; yet the truth is but one ; 
 there are not many different truths in the world. Hav- 
 ing reflected on the various theories, we have gone 
 into the yoke with him who has shaken off all sin. But 
 shall we be able to proceed together with him ? *^ 
 
 The best of ways is the eightfold. This is the way, 
 there is no other that leads to the purifying of intelli- 
 gence. Go on this way ! Everything else is the deceit 
 of Mara, the tempter. If you go on this way, you will 
 make an end of pain ! Says the Tathagata, The way 
 was preached by me, when I had understood the re- 
 moval of the thorn in the flesh. *' 
 
 Not only by discipline and vows, not only by much 
 learning, do I earn the happiness of release which no 
 worldling can know. Bhikshu, be not confident as 
 long as thou hast not attained the extinction of thirst. 
 The extinction of sinful desire is the highest religion. ^^ 
 
 The gift of religion exceeds all gifts ; the sweetness 
 of religion exceeds all sweetness ; the delight in reli- 
 gion exceeds all delights ; the extinction of thirst over- 
 comes all pain. « 
 
 Few are there among men who cross the river and 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. II7 
 
 reach the goal. The great multitudes are running up 
 and down the shore ; but there is no suffering for him 
 who has finished his journey. ^ 
 
 As the lily will grow full of sweet perfume and de- 
 light upon a heap of rubbish, thus the disciple of the 
 truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his wisdom 
 among those who are like rubbish, among the people 
 that walk in darkness. *i 
 
 Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate 
 us ! among men who hate us let us dwell free from 
 hatred ! 63 
 
 Let us live happily then, free from all ailments 
 among the ailing ! among men who are ailing let us 
 dwell free from ailments ! " 
 
 Let us live happily, then, free from greed among 
 the greedy ! among men who are greedy let us dwell 
 free from greed ! " 
 
 The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, 
 the warrior is bright in his armor, thinkers are bright 
 in their meditation ; but among all the brightest with 
 splendor day and night is Buddha, the Awakened, the 
 Holy, the Blessed. » 
 
 XLIX. THE TWO BRAHMANS. 
 
 At one time when the Blessed One was journeying 
 through Kosala he came to the Brahman village which 
 is called Manasakrita. There he stayed in a mango 
 grove. 1 
 
 And two young Brahmans came to him who were 
 of different schools. One was named Vasishtha and the 
 other Bharadvaja. And Vasishtha said to the Blessed 
 One: « 
 
 *' We have a dispute as to the true path. I say the 
 
Il8 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Straight path which leads unto a union with Brahma 
 is that which has been announced by the Brahman 
 Paushkarasadi, while my friend says the straight path 
 which leads unto a union with Brahma is that which 
 has been announced by the Brahman Tarukshya. ' 
 
 **Now, regarding your high reputation, O shra- 
 mana, and knowing that you are called the Enlight- 
 ened One, the teacher of men and gods, the Blessed 
 Buddha, we have come to ask you, are all these paths 
 saving paths? There are many roads all around our 
 village, and all lead to Manasakrita. Is it just so with 
 the paths of the Brahmans? Are all paths saving 
 paths?" * 
 
 And the Blessed One proposed these questions to 
 the two Brahmans : ** Do you think that all paths are 
 right?" 5 
 
 Both answered and said: **Yes, Gautama, we 
 think so." « 
 
 ** But tell me," continued Buddha, "has anyone 
 of the Brahmans, versed in the Vedas, seen Brahma 
 face to face?" ' 
 
 " No, Sir ! " was the reply. « 
 
 '*But, then," said the Blessed One, **has any 
 teacher of the Brahmans, versed in the V6das, seen 
 Brahma face to face? " • 
 
 The two Brahmans said : *'No, Sir." i® 
 
 **But, then," said the Blessed One, **has any one 
 of the authors of the V8das seen Brahma face to 
 face?" " 
 
 Again the two Brahmans denied the question, and 
 the Blessed One proposed an illustration ; he said : ^ 
 
 "It is as if a man should make a staircase in the 
 place where four roads cross, to mount up into a mian- 
 sion. And people should ask him, * Where, good 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. XIQ 
 
 friend, is 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, * I know it not. ' 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 you seen it. ' And when so asked he 
 should answer, 'That is exactly what I do.* What 
 would you think of him ? Would you not say that the 
 talk of that man was foolish talk? '* ^ 
 
 ** In sooth, Gautama," said the two Brahmans, ''it 
 would be foolish talk ! " " 
 
 The Blessed One continued : "Then the Brahmans 
 should say, * We show you the way unto a union of 
 what we know not and what we have seen not. ' This 
 being the substance of Brahman lore, does it not fol- 
 low that their task is vain? " ^ 
 
 " It does follow," repHed Bharadvaja. *« 
 
 Said the Blessed One : "Thus it is impossible that 
 Brahmans versed in the three Vedas should be able to 
 show the way to a state of union with that which they 
 neither know nor have seen. Just as when a string of 
 blind men are clinging one to the other. Neither can 
 the foremost see, nor can those in the middle see, nor 
 can the hindmost see. Even so, methinks, the talk of 
 the Brahmans versed in the three Vedas is but blind 
 talk ; it is ridiculous, consists of mere words, and is a 
 vain and empty thing. " " 
 
 ",Now suppose," added the Blessed One, "that a 
 man should come hither to the bank of the river, and, 
 having some business on the other side, should want to 
 cross. Do you suppose that if he were to invoke the 
 
I20 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Other bank of the river to come over to him on this 
 side, the bank would come on account of his pray- 
 ing ? " 18 
 
 "Certainly not, Gautama." i^ 
 
 ** Yet this is the way of the Brahmans. They omit 
 the practice of those qualities which really make a man 
 a Brahman, and say, *Indra, we call upon you ; Soma, 
 we call upon you ; Varuna, we call upon you ; Brahma, 
 we call upon you. * Verily, it is not possible that these 
 Brahmans, on account of their invocations, prayers, 
 and praises, should after death be united with 
 Brahma." 20 
 
 "Now tell me," continued Buddha, "what do the 
 Brahmans say of Brahma? Is his mind full of lust?"^! 
 
 And when the Brahmans denied the question, Bud- 
 dha asked : "Is Brahma's mind full of malice, sloth, 
 or pride?" " 
 
 'No, sir! " was the reply. *■ 
 
 And Buddha went on : "But are the Brahmans free 
 of these vices? " ** 
 
 " No, sir ! " said Vasishtha. * 
 
 The Holy One said : "The Brahmans cling to the 
 five things leading to worldliness and yield to the temp- 
 tations of the senses ; they are entangled in the five hin- 
 drances, lust, malice, sloth, pride, and doubt. How 
 can they be united to that which is most unlike their 
 nature? Therefore the threefold wisdom of the Brah- 
 mans is a waterless desert, a pathless jungle, and a 
 hopeless desolation." ^ 
 
 When Buddha had thus spoken, one of the Brah- 
 mans said : "We are told, Gautama, that the Shakya- 
 muni knows the path to a union with Brahma." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : "What do you think, 
 O Brahmans, of a man born and brought up in Mana- 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 121 
 
 sakrita? Would he be in doubt about the directest way 
 from this spot to Manasakrita? " * 
 
 "Certainly not, Gautama." ® 
 
 "Thus," replied Buddha, "the Tathagata knows 
 the straight path that leads to a union with Brahma. 
 He knows it as one who has entered the world of 
 Brahma and has been bom in it. There can be no 
 doubt in him." «> 
 
 And the two young Brahmans said : "If you know 
 the way show it to us. " ^ 
 
 And Buddha said : •* 
 
 "The Tathagata sees the universe face to face and 
 understands its nature. He proclaims the truth both 
 in its letter and in its spirit, and his doctrine is lovely 
 in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its con- 
 summation. The Tathagata reveals the higher life in 
 its purity and perfection. " 
 
 " The Tathagata lets his mind pervade the four 
 quarters of the world with thoughts of love. And thus 
 the whole wide world, above, below, around, and every- 
 where will continue to be filled with love, far-reaching, 
 grown great, and beyond measure. ^ 
 
 "Just as a mighty trumpeter makes himself heard 
 — and that without difficulty — in all the four quarters 
 of the earth; even so is the coming of the Tathagata: 
 there is not one living creature that the Tathagata 
 passes by or leaves aside, but regards them all with 
 mind set free, and deep-felt love. ^ 
 
 "And this is the sign that a man follows the right 
 path : Uprightness is his delight, and he sees danger 
 in the least of those things which he should avoid. He 
 trains himself in the commands of morality, he encom- 
 passeth himself with holiness in word and deed ; he 
 sustains life by means that are quite pure ; good is his 
 
laa THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 conduct, guarded is the door of his senses; mindful and 
 self-possessed, he is altogether happy. ^ 
 
 **He who walks in the eightfold noble path with 
 unswerving determination is sure to reach Nirvana. 
 The Tathagata anxiously watches over his children and 
 with loving care helps them to see the light. ^ 
 
 ** When a hen has eight or ten or twelve eggs, over 
 which she has properly brooded, the wish arises in her 
 heart, * O would that my little chickens should break 
 open the egg-shell with their claws, or with their beaks, 
 and come forth into the light in safety!' yet all the 
 while those little chickens are sure to break the egg- 
 shell and will come forth into the light in safety. Even 
 so, a brother who with firm determination walks in the 
 noble path is sure to come forth into the light, sure to 
 reach up to the higher wisdom, sure to attain to the 
 highest bliss of enlightenment. " * 
 
 L. GUARD THE SIX QUARTERS. 
 
 While the Blessed One was staying at the bamboo 
 g^ove near Rajagriha, he once met on his way Srigala, 
 a householder, who, clasping his hands, turned to the 
 four quarters of the world, to the zenith above, and to 
 the nadir below. And the Blessed One, knowing that 
 this was done according to the traditional religious 
 superstition to avert evil, asked Srigala: ** Why are 
 you performing these strange ceremonies?" * 
 
 And Srigala in reply said : ** Do you think it strange 
 that I protect my home against the influences of de- 
 mons? I know thou wouldst fain tell me, O Gautama 
 Shakyamuni, whom people call the Tathagata and the 
 Blessed Buddha, that incantations are of no avail and 
 possess no saving power. But listen to me and know, 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 2$ 
 
 that in performing this rite I honor, reverence, and 
 keep sacred the words of my father." ' 
 
 Then the Tathagata said : ' 
 
 *'You do well, O Srigala, to honor, reverence, and 
 keep sacred the words of your father ; and it is your 
 duty to protect your home, your wife, your children, 
 and the children of your children against the hurtful 
 influences of evil spirits. I find no fault with the per- 
 formance of your father's rite. But I find that you do 
 not understand the ceremony. Let the Tathagata, 
 who is now speaking to you as a spiritual father and 
 loves you not less than did your parents, explain to 
 you the meaning of the six directions. * 
 
 ** To guard your home by mysterious ceremonies is 
 not sufficient ; you must guard it by good deeds. Turn 
 to your parents in the East, to your teachers in the 
 South, to your wife and children in the West, to your 
 friends in the North, and regulate the zenith of your 
 religious relations above you, and the nadir of your 
 servants below you. * 
 
 " Such is the religion your father wants you to have, 
 and the performance of the ceremony shall remind vou 
 of your duties." * 
 
 And Srigala looked up to the Blessed One with 
 reverence as to his father and said : * * Truly, Gautama, 
 thou art Buddha, the Blessed One, the holy teacher. 
 I never knew what I was doing, but now I know. Thou 
 hast revealed to me the truth that was hidden as one 
 who brings a lamp into the darkness. I take my refuge 
 in the Enlightened Teacher, in the truth that enlight- 
 ens, and in the community of brethren who have found 
 the truth." » 
 
124 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 LI. SIMHA'S QUESTION CONCERNING ANNIHILATION. 
 
 At that time many distinguished citizens were sit- 
 ting together assembled in the town-hall and spoke in 
 many ways in praise of the Buddha, of the Dharma, 
 and of the Sangha. Simha, the general- in-chief, a 
 disciple of the Nirgrantha sect, was sitting among 
 them. And Simha thought : '* Truly, the Blessed One 
 must be Buddha, the Holy One. I will go and visit 
 him." 1 
 
 Then Simha, the general, went to the place where 
 the Nirgrantha chief, Jnyataputra, was; and having 
 approached him, he said : **I wish, Lord, to visit the 
 shramana Gautama." 2 
 
 Jnyataputra said : <^ Why should you, Simha, who 
 believe in the result of actions according to their moral 
 merit, go to visit the shramana Gautama, who denies 
 the result of actions? The shramana Gautama, O 
 Simha, denies the result of actions; he teaches the 
 doctrine of non-action ; and in this doctrine he trains 
 his disciples.** * 
 
 Then the desire to go and visit the Blessed One, 
 which had arisen in Simha, the general, abated. * 
 
 Hearing again the praise of the Buddha, of the 
 Dharma, and of the Sangha, Simha asked the Nirgran- 
 tha chief a second time ; and again Jnyataputra per- 
 suaded him not to go. ^ 
 
 When a third time the general heard some men of 
 distinction extol the merits of the Buddha, the Dharma, 
 and the Sangha, the general thought : ''Truly the shra- 
 mana Gautama must be the Holy Buddha. What 
 are the Nirgranthas to me, whether they give their con- 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 25 
 
 sent or not? I shall go without asking their permission 
 to visit him, the Blessed One, the Holy Buddha." « 
 
 And Simha, the general, said to the Blessed One : 
 **I have heard, Lord, that the shramana Gautama 
 denies the result of actions ; he teaches the doctrine of 
 non-action, saying that the actions of sentient beings 
 do not receive their reward, for he teaches annihilation 
 and the contemptibleness of all things; and in this 
 doctrine he trains his disciples. Do you teach the do- 
 ing away of the soul and the burning away of man's 
 being? Pray tell me. Lord, do those who speak thus 
 say the truth, or do they bear false witness against the 
 Blessed One, passing off a spurious dharma as your 
 dharma?" ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : ^ 
 
 *< There is a way, Simha, in which one who says 
 so, is speaking truly of me ; on the other hand, Simha, 
 there is a way in which one who says the opposite is 
 speaking truly of me, too. Listen, and I will tell 
 you: ^ 
 
 *<I teach, Simha, the not-doing of such actions as 
 are unrighteous, either by deed, or by word, or by 
 thought ; I teach the not bringing about of all those 
 conditions of heart which are evil and not good. How- 
 ever, I teach, Simha, the doing of such actions as are 
 righteous, by deed, by word, and by thought ; I teach 
 the bringing about of all those conditions of heart 
 which are good and not evil. ^" 
 
 *'I teach, Simha, that all the conditions of heart 
 which are evil and not good, unrighteous actions by 
 deed, by word, and by thought, must be burnt away. 
 He who has freed himself, Simha, from all those con- 
 ditions of heart which are evil and not good, he who 
 has destroyed them as a palm-tree which is rooted out, 
 
126 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 SO that they cannot grow up again, such a man has 
 accomplished the eradication of self." " 
 
 *'I proclaim, Simha, the annihilation of egotism, 
 of lust, of ill-will, of delusion. However, I do not 
 proclaim the annihilation of forbearance, of love, of 
 charity, and of truth. " 
 
 **I deem, Simha, unrighteous actions contempti- 
 ble, whether they be performed by deed, or by word, 
 or by thought ; but I deem virtue and righteousness 
 praiseworthy. " 
 
 And Simha said: <'One doubt still lurks in my 
 mind concerning the doctrine of the Blessed One. Will 
 the Blessed One consent to clear the cloud away so 
 that I may understand the dharma as the Blessed One 
 teaches it. " ^* 
 
 The Tathagata having given his consent, Simha 
 said: **I am a soldier, O Blessed One, and am ap- 
 pointed by the king to enforce his laws and to wage 
 his wars. Does the Tathagata who teaches kindness 
 without end and compassion with all sufferers, permit 
 the punishment of the criminal ? and further, does the 
 Tathagata declare that it is wrong to go to war for the 
 protection of our homes, our wives, our children, and 
 our property ? Does the Tathagata teach the doctrine 
 of a complete self-surrender, so that I should suffer 
 the evil-doer to do what he pleases and yield submis- 
 sively to him who threatens to take by violence what 
 is my own? Does the Tathagata maintain that all 
 strife, including such warfare as is waged for a righte- 
 ous cause, should be forbidden ? " ^^ 
 
 Buddha replied : '<The Tathagata says: He who 
 deserves punishment must be punished, and he who is 
 worthy of favor must be favored. Yet at the same time 
 he teaches to do no injury to any living being but to be 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 127 
 
 full of love and kindness. These injunctions are not 
 contradictory, for whosoever must be punished for the 
 crimes which he has committed, suffers his injury not 
 through the ill-will of the judge but on account of his 
 evil-doing. His own acts have brought upon him the 
 injury that the executer of the law inflicts. When a 
 magistrate punishes, let him not harbor hatred in his 
 breast, yet a murderer, when put to death, should con- 
 sider that this is the fruit of his own act. As soon as 
 he will understand that the punishment will purify his 
 soul, he will no longer lament his fate but rejoice at it. "^' 
 
 And the Blessed One continued ; *'The Tathagata 
 teaches that all warfare in which man tries to slay his 
 brother is lamentable, but he does not teach that those 
 who go to war in a righteous cause after having ex- 
 hausted all means to preserve the peace are blame- 
 worthy. He must be blamed who is the cause of war.^^ 
 
 ** The Tathagata teaches a complete surrender of 
 self, but he does not teach a surrender of anything to 
 those powers that are evil, be they men or gods or the 
 elements of nature. Struggle must be, for all life is a 
 struggle of some kind. But he that struggles should 
 look to it lest he struggle in the interest of self against 
 truth and righteousness. ^ 
 
 **He who struggles in the interest of self, so that 
 he himself may be great or powerful or rich or famous, 
 will have no reward, but he who struggles for righte- 
 ousness and truth, will have great reward, for even his 
 defeat will be a victory. ^^ 
 
 "Self is not a fit vessel to receive any great suc- 
 cess ; self is small and brittle and its contents will soon 
 be spilt for the benefit, and perhaps also for the curse, 
 of others. * 
 
 ** Truth, however, is large enough to receive the 
 
128 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 yearnings and aspirations of all selfs, and when the 
 selfs break like soap-bubbles, their contents will be 
 preserved and in the truth they will lead a life ever- 
 lasting. 21 
 
 ** He who goeth to battle, O Simha, even though 
 it be in a righteous cause, must be prepared to be slain 
 by his enemies, for that is the destiny of warriors ; and 
 should his fate overtake him he has no reason for com- 
 plaint. 22 
 
 '' But he who is victorious should remember the in- 
 stability of earthly things. His success may be great, 
 but be it ever so great the wheel of life may turn again 
 and bring him down into the dust. 28 
 
 ** However, if he moderates himself and, extinguish- 
 ing all hatred in his heart lifts his down-trodden ad- 
 versary up and says to him, *come now and make 
 peace and let us be brothers,' he will gain a victory 
 that is not a transient success, for its fruits will remain 
 forever. 24 
 
 ** Great is a successful general, O Simha, but he 
 who has conquered self is the greater victor. 26 
 
 '* The doctrine of the conquest of self, O Simha, is 
 not taught to destroy the souls of men, but to preserve 
 them. He who has conquered self is more fit to live, 
 to be successful, and to gain victories than he who is 
 the slave of self. 26 
 
 **He whose mind is free from the illusion of self, 
 will stand and not fall in the battle of life. 27 
 
 ** He whose intentions are righteousness and jus- 
 tice, will meet with no failure, but be successful in his 
 enterprises and his success will endure. 28 
 
 * ' He who harbors in his heart love of truth will 
 live and not die, for he has drunk the water of immor- 
 tality. * 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 29 
 
 '* Struggle then, O general, courageously ; and fight 
 your battles vigorously, but be a soldier of truth and 
 the Tathagata will bless you.'* ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had spoken thus, Simha, 
 the general, said: ** Glorious Lord, glorious Lord! 
 Thou hast revealed the truth. Great is the doctrine 
 of the Blessed One. Thou, indeed, art the Buddha, 
 the Tathagata, the Holy One. Thou art the teacher of 
 mankind. Thou showest us the road of salvation, for 
 this indeed is true deliverance. He who follows thee 
 will not miss the light to enlighten his path. He will 
 find blessedness and peace. I take my refuge, Lord, 
 in the Blessed One, and in his doctrine, and in his 
 brotherhood. May the Blessed One receive me from 
 this day forth while my life lasts as a disciple who has 
 taken refuge in him." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : '* Consider first, Simha, 
 what you are doing. It is becoming that persons of 
 rank like you do nothing without due consideration."^ 
 
 Simha's faith in the Blessed One increased. He 
 replied: *'Had other teachers. Lord, succeeded in 
 making me their disciple, they would carry around 
 their banners through the whole city of Vaishali, shout- 
 ing f * Simha, the general has become our disciple ! 
 For the second time, Lord, I take my refuge in the 
 Blessed One, and in the Dharma, and in the Sangha ; 
 may the Blessed One receive me from this day forth 
 while my life lasts as a disciple who has taken his 
 refuge in him. ** ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One: **For a long time, Simha, 
 offerings have been given to the Nirgranthas in your 
 house. You should therefore deem it right also in the 
 future to give them food when they come to you on 
 their alms-pilgrimage." ^ 
 
I30 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 And Simha's heart was -filled with joy. He said: 
 *'I have been told, Lord: * The shramana Gautama 
 says : ' * To me alone and to nobody else gifts should 
 be given. My pupils alone and the pupils of no one 
 else should receive offerings."* But the Blessed One 
 exhorts me to give also to the Nirgranthas. Well, 
 Lord, we shall see what is seasonable. For the third 
 time, Lord, I take my refuge in the Blessed One, and 
 in his dharma, and in his fraternity." " 
 
 LII. ALL EXISTENCE IS SPIRITUAL. 
 
 And there was an officer among the retinue of Simha 
 who had heard of the discourse between the Blessed 
 One and the general, and there was some doubt left 
 in his heart. ^ 
 
 This man came to the Blessed One and said : **It 
 is said, O Lord, that the shramana Gautama denies 
 the existence of the soul. Do they who say so speak 
 the truth, or do they bear false witness against the 
 Blessed One?" 2 
 
 And the Blessed One said: ** There is a way in 
 which those who say so are speaking truly of me ; on 
 the other hand, there is a way in which those who say 
 so do not speak truly of me. * 
 
 **The Tathagata teaches that there is no self. He 
 who says that the soul is his self and that the self is 
 the thinker of our thoughts and the actor of our deeds, 
 teaches a wrong doctrine which leads to confusion and 
 darkness. * 
 
 ' **On the other hand, the Tathagata teaches that 
 there is mind. He who understands by soul mind, 
 and says that mind exists, teaches the truth which 
 leads to clearness and enlightenment." * 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. . 13I 
 
 The officer said : " Does, then, the Tathagata main- 
 tain that two things exist? that which we perceive with 
 our senses and that which is mental? " • 
 
 Said the Blessed One: '* Verily, I say unto you, 
 your mind is spiritual, but neither is the sense-per- 
 ceived void of spirituality. The eternal verities which 
 dominate the cosmic order are spiritual, and spirit de- 
 velops through comprehension. The bodhi changes 
 the irritability of matter into mind and the very clay 
 under our feet can be changed into children of truth." ^ 
 
 LIII. IDENTITY AND NON-IDENTITY. 
 
 Kutadanta, the head of the Brahmans in the village 
 of Danamati having approached the Blessed One re- 
 spectfully, greeted him and said : '* I am told, O shra- 
 mana, that thou art Buddha, the Holy One, the All- 
 knowing, the Lord of the world. But if thou wert 
 Buddha, wouldst thou not come like a king in all thy 
 glory and power ? " ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One : *' Thy eyes are holden. If 
 the eye of thy mind were undimmed thou couldst see 
 the glory and the power of truth. " ' 
 
 Said Kutadanta : "Show me the truth and I shall 
 see it. But thy doctrine is without consistency. If it 
 were consistent, it would stand ; but as it is not, it will 
 pass away." ' 
 
 The Blessed One replied : **The truth will never 
 pass away." * 
 
 Kutadanta said : ** I am told that thou teachest the 
 law, yet thou tearest down religion. Thy disciples 
 despise rites and abandon immolation, but reverence 
 for the gods can be shown only by sacrifices. The very 
 nature of religion consists in worship and sacrifice." • 
 
132 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Said Buddha: ''Greater than the immolation of 
 bullocks is the sacrifice of self. He who offers to the 
 gods his sinful desires will see the uselessness of slaugh- 
 tering animals at the altar. Blood has no cleansing 
 power, but the eradication of lust will make the heart 
 pure. Better than worshipping gods is obedience to 
 the laws of righteousness. " ^ 
 
 Kutadanta being of a religious disposition, and anx- 
 ious about the future of his soul, had sacrificed count- 
 less victims. Now he saw the folly of atonement by 
 blood. Not yet satisfied, however, with the teachings 
 of the Tathagata, Kutadanta continued : **Thou be- 
 lievest, O Master, that the soul is reborn ; that it mi- 
 grates in the evolution of life ; and that subject to the 
 law of karma we must reap what we sow. Yet teachest 
 thou the non-existence of the soul ! Thy disciples praise 
 utter self-extinction as the highest bliss of Nirvana. If 
 I am merely a combination of the samskaras, my exist- 
 ence will cease when I die. If I am merely a compound 
 of sensations and ideas and desires, whither can I go at 
 the dissolution of the body? Where is the infinite 
 bliss of which thy followers speak? It is an empty 
 word and a self-delusion, for nothingness stares me in 
 the face when I consider thy doctrines.** ' 
 
 Said the Blessed One : ® 
 
 ** O Brahman, thou art religious and earnest. Thou 
 art seriously concerned about thy soul. Yet is thy 
 work in vain because thou art lacking in the one thing 
 that is needed. ' 
 
 *'Only through ignorance and delusion do men in- 
 dulge in the dream that their souls are separate and 
 self-existent entities. ^® 
 
 '*Thy heart, O Brahman, is cleaving still to self; 
 thou art anxious about heaven but thou seekest the 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 33 
 
 pleasures of self in heaven, and thus thou canst not 
 see the bliss of truth and the immortality of truth. ^^ 
 
 '* Verily I say unto you: The Blessed One has not 
 come to teach death, but to teach life, and thou dost 
 not discern the nature of living and dying. ^^ 
 
 "This body will be dissolved and no amount of 
 sacrifice will save it. Therefore, seek thou the life that 
 is of the mind. Where self is, truth cannot be ; yet 
 when truth comes, self will disappear. Therefore, let 
 thy mind rest in the truth ; propagate the truth, put 
 thy whole soul in it, and let it spread. In the truth 
 thou shalt live forever. ^ 
 
 ''Self is death and truth is life. The cleaving to 
 self is a perpetual dying, while moving in the truth is 
 partaking of Nirvana which is life everlasting. " ^* 
 
 Kutadanta said: "Where, O venerable Master, is 
 Nirvana?" ^ 
 
 'Nirvana is wherever the precepts are obeyed,'* 
 replied the Blessed One. ^^ 
 
 "Do I understand you right," rejoined the Brah- 
 man, "that Nirvana is not a place and being nowhere 
 it is without reality? " " 
 
 "You do not understand me right," said the Bles- 
 sed One, "Now listen and answer these questions: 
 Where does the wind dwell ? '* ^ 
 
 "Nowhere," was the reply. " 
 
 Buddha retorted: "Then, sir, there is no such 
 thing as wind." 20 
 
 Kutadanta made no reply; and the Blessed One 
 asked again : "Answer me, O Brahman, where does 
 wisdom dwell? Is wisdom a locality?" 21 
 
 "Wisdom has no allotted dwelling-place," replied 
 Kutadanta. ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One : "Do you mean to say that 
 
134 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 there is no wisdom, no enlightenment, no righteous- 
 ness, and no salvation, because Nirvana is not a local- 
 ity ? As a great and mighty wind which passeth over 
 the world in the heat of the day, so the Tathagata 
 comes to blow over the minds of mankind with the 
 breath of his love, so cool, so sweet, so calm, so deli- 
 cate ; and those tormented by fever assuage their suffer- 
 ing and rejoice at the refreshing breeze." ^ 
 
 Said Kiitadanta: <'I feel, O Lord, that thou pro- 
 claimest a great doctrine, but I cannot grasp it. For- 
 bear with me that I ask again : Tell me, O Lord, if 
 there be no atman, how can there be immortality? 
 The activity of the mind passeth, and our thoughts are 
 gone when we have done thinking." ^ 
 
 Buddha replied: **Our thinking is gone, but our 
 thoughts continue. Reasoning ceases, but knowledge 
 remains." ^^ 
 
 Said Kutadanta : "How is that ? Is not reasoning 
 and knowledge the same?" ^ 
 
 The Blessed One explained the distinction by an 
 illustration : ** It is as when a man wants, during the 
 night, to send a letter, and, after having his clerk 
 called, has a lamp lit, and gets the letter written. 
 Then, when that has been done, he extinguishes the 
 lamp. But though the lamp has been put out the 
 writing is still there. Thus does reasoning cease and 
 knowledge remain ; and in the same way mental activ- 
 ity ceases, but experience, wisdom, and all the fruits of 
 our acts endure. " ^ 
 
 Kutadanta continued : <* Tell me, O Lord, pray tell 
 me, where, if the samskaras are dissolved, is the iden- 
 tity of my self. If my thoughts are propagated, and 
 if my soul migrates, my thoughts cease to be my 
 thoughts and my soul ceases to be my soul. Give me 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 35 
 
 an illustration, but pray, O Lord, tell me, where is the 
 identity of my self?" ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One : ** Suppose a man were to 
 light a lamp ; would it burn the night through? " ^ 
 
 ** Yes, it might do so," was the reply. *® 
 
 **Now, is it the same flame that burns in the first 
 watch of the night as in the second? " ^^ 
 
 Kutadanta hesitated. He thought '*yes, it is the 
 same flame," but fearing the complications of a hidden 
 meaning, and trying to be exact, he said : **No, it is 
 not." ^ 
 
 *' Then," continued the Blessed One, ''there are 
 two flames, one in the first watch and the other in the 
 second watch." ^ 
 
 **No, sir," said Kutadanta. ** In one sense it is not 
 the same flame, but in another sense it is the same 
 flame. It burns of the same kind of material, it emits 
 the same kind of light, and it serves the same pur- 
 pose. " " 
 
 **Very well," said Buddha, ** and would you call 
 those flames the same that have burned yesterday and 
 are burning now in the same lamp, filled with the same 
 kind of oil, illuminating the same room ? " *® 
 
 **They may have been extinguished during the 
 day," suggested Kutadanta. ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One : "Suppose the flame of the 
 first watch had been extinguished during the second 
 watch, would you call it the same if it burns again in 
 the third watch ? " »' 
 
 Replied Kutadanta : ** In one sense it is a different 
 flame, in another it is not." ^ 
 
 The Tathagata asked again : *'Has the time that 
 elapsed during the extinction of the flame anything to 
 do with its identity or non-identity?" ^ 
 
136 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 *'No, sir," said the Brahman, "it has not. There 
 is a difference and an identity, whether many years 
 elapsed or only one second, and also whether the lamp 
 has been extinguished in the meantime or not." ^ 
 
 **Well, then, we agree that the flame of to-day is 
 in a certain sense the same as the flame of yesterday, 
 and in another sense it is different at every moment. 
 Moreover, the flames of the same kind, illuminating 
 with equal power the same kind of rooms, are in a cer- 
 tain sense the same." *^ 
 
 ''Yes, sir," replied Kutadanta. ** 
 
 The Blessed One continued : " Now, suppose there 
 is a man who feels like you, thinks like you, and acts 
 like you, is he not the same man as you? " ^ 
 
 **No, sir," interrupted Kutadanta. ** 
 
 Said Buddha: "Dost thou deny that the same 
 logic holds good for thyself that holds good for the 
 things of the world ? " *^ 
 
 Kutadanta bethought himself and rejoined slowly : 
 "No. I do not. The same logic holds good univer- 
 sally; but there is a peculiarity about my self which 
 renders it altogether different from everything else and 
 also from other selves. There may be another man 
 who feels exactly like me, thinks like me, and acts like 
 me ; suppose even he had the same name and the 
 same kind of possessions, he would not be myself." ^ 
 
 "True, Kiitadanta," answered Buddha, "he would 
 not be thyself. Now, tell me, is the person who goes 
 to school one, and that same person when he has fin- 
 ished his schooling another ? Is it one who commits 
 a crime, another who is punished by having his hands 
 and feet cut off?" *^ 
 
 "They are the same," was the reply. *^ 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. T37 
 
 «*Then sameness is constituted by continuity only?" 
 asked the Tathagata. *^ 
 
 "Not only by continuity," said Kutadanta, ''but 
 also and mainly by identity of character. " ^ 
 
 ''Very well," concluded Buddha, "then you agree 
 that persons can be the same, in the same sense as 
 two flames of the same kind are called the same; and 
 thou must recognise that in this sense another man of 
 the same character and product of the same karma is 
 the same as thou." *^ 
 
 'Well, I do," said the Brahman. « 
 
 Buddha continued : "And in this same sense alone 
 art thou the same to-day as yesterday. Thy nature is 
 not constituted by the matter of which thy body con- 
 sists, but by the forms of the body, of the sensations, 
 of the thoughts. Thy soul is the combination of the 
 samskaras. Wherever they are, thou art. Whither- 
 soever they go, thy soul goes. Thus thou wilt recog- 
 nise in a certain sense an identity of thy self, and in 
 another sense thou wilt not. But he who does not 
 recognise the identity should deny all identity, and 
 should say that the questioner is no longer the same 
 person as he who a minute after receives the answer. 
 Now consider the continuation of thy personality, which 
 is preserved in thy karma. Dost thou call it death and 
 annihilation, or life and continued life." ^^ 
 
 " I call it life and continued life," rejoined Kuta- 
 danta, " for it is the continuation of my existence, but 
 I do not care for that kind of continuation. All I care 
 for is the continuation of self in the other sense, which 
 makes of every man, whether identical with me or not, 
 an altogether different person." ^ 
 
 " Very well," said Buddha. " This is what thou 
 desirest and this is the cleaving to self. This is thy 
 
138 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 error, and it implicates thee into unnecessary anxie- 
 ties and wrong-doing, into grief and cares of all kind. 
 He who cleaves to self must pass through the endless 
 migrations of death, he is constantly dying. For the 
 nature of self is a perpetual death." ^ 
 
 *' How is that? " asked Kutadanta. ^ 
 
 " Where is thy self?" asked Buddha. And when 
 Kutadanta made no reply, he continued : *' Thy self 
 to which thou cleavest is a constant change. Years 
 ago thou wast a small babe; then, thou wast a boy ; 
 then a youth, and now, thou art a man. Is there any 
 identity of the babe and the man ? There is an iden- 
 tity in a certain sense only. Indeed there is more 
 identity between the flames of the first and the third 
 watch, even though the lamp might have been extin- 
 guished during the second watch. Now which is the 
 true self, that of yesterday, that of to-day, or that of 
 to-morrow, for the preservation of which thou dost 
 clamor?" w 
 
 Kutadanta was bewildered. ** Lord of the world," 
 he said, '' I see my error, but I am confused still." ^ 
 
 The Tathagata continued : *'It is by a process of 
 evolution that samskaras come to be. There is no 
 samskara which has sprung into being without a grad- 
 ual becoming. Thy samskaras are the product of thy 
 deeds in former existences. The combination of thy 
 samskaras is thy soul. Wheresoever they ate impressed 
 thither thy soul migrates. In thy samskaras thou wilt 
 continue to live and thou wilt reap in future existences 
 the harvest gown now and in the past." ^ 
 
 ** Verily, O Lord," rejoined Kutadanta, " this is no 
 fair retribution. I cannot recognise the justice that 
 others after me will reap what I am sowing now. '* ^ 
 
 The Blessed One waited a moment and then re- 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 39 
 
 plied : " Is all teaching in vain? Dost thou not un- 
 derstand that those others are thou thyself? Thou thy- 
 self wilt reap what thou sowest, not others. *^ 
 
 ** Think of a man who is ill-bred and destitute, suf- 
 fering from the wretchedness of his condition. As a 
 boy ho was slothful and indolent, and when he grew 
 up he had not learned a craft to earn a living. Wouldst 
 thou say, his misery is not the product of his own ac- 
 tion, because the adult is no longer the same person as 
 was the boy? ^ 
 
 ** Verily, I say unto you : Not in the heavens, not 
 in the midst of the sea, not if thou hidest thyself away 
 in the clefts of the mountains, wilt thou find a place 
 where thou canst escape the fruit of thy evil actions.® 
 
 *'At the same time thou art sure to receive the 
 blessings of thy good actions. ®* 
 
 **Him, who has been long travelling and who re- 
 turns home in safety, the welcome of kinsfolk, friends, 
 and acquaintances, awaits. So, the fruits of his good 
 works bid welcome the man who has walked in the 
 path of righteousness, when he passes over from the 
 present life into the hereafter." ^ 
 
 Kutadanta said : " I have faith in the glory and ex- 
 cellency of thy doctrines. My eye cannot as yet en- 
 dure the light ; but I now understand that there is no 
 self, and the truth dawns upon me. Sacrifices cannot 
 save, and invocations are idle talk. But how shall I 
 find the path to life everlasting ? I know all the Vedas 
 by heart and have not found the truth." ^ 
 
 Said Buddha : " Learning is a good thing ; but it 
 availeth not. True wisdom can be acquired by prac- 
 tice only. » Practise the truth that thy brother is the 
 same as thou. Walk in the noble path of righteous- 
 
140 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 ness and thou wilt understand that while there is death 
 in self, there is immortality in truth. " ^ 
 
 Said Kutadanta : **Let me take my refuge in the 
 Blessed One, in the dharma, and in the brotherhood. 
 Accept me as thy disciple and let me partake of the 
 bliss of immortality." ^ 
 
 LIV. BUDDHA. NOT GAUTAMA. 
 
 And the Blessed One said : * 
 
 *' Those only who do not believe, call me Gautama 
 Siddhartha, but you call me Buddha, the Blessed One, 
 and Teacher. And this is right, for I have even in 
 this life entered Nirvana, and the life of Gautama Sid- 
 dhartha has been extinguished. ^ 
 
 '<Self has disappeared, and the truth has taken its 
 abode in me. This body of mine is Gautama's body 
 and it will be dissolved in due time, and after its dis- 
 solution no one, neither God nor man, will see Gau- 
 tama Siddhartha again. But Buddha will not die; 
 Buddha will continue to live in the holy body of the 
 law. 8 
 
 *' The extinction of the Blessed One will be by that 
 passing away in which nothing remains that could tend 
 to the formation of another self. Nor will it be pos- 
 sible to point out the Blessed One as being here or 
 there. But it will be like a flame in a great body of 
 blazing fire. That flame has ceased ; it has vanished 
 and it cannot be said that it is here or there. In the 
 body of the dharma, however, the Blessed One can be 
 pointed out ; for the dharma has been preached by the 
 Blessed One. « * 
 
 ' Ye are my children, I am your father ; through 
 me ye have been released from your sufferings. * 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. I4I 
 
 <* I myself having reached the other shore, help 
 others to cross the stream ; I myself having attained 
 salvation, am a saviour of others ; being comforted, I 
 comfort others and lead them to the place of refuge. ^ 
 
 *'I shall fill with joy all the beings whose limbs 
 languish ; I shall give happiness to those who are dy- 
 ing from distress ; I shall extend to them succor and 
 deliverance. ^ 
 
 ** I was born into the world as the king of truth for 
 the salvation of the world. ^ 
 
 ** The subject on which I meditate is truth. The 
 practice to which I devote myself is truth. The topic 
 of my conversation is truth. My thoughts are always 
 in the truth. For lo ! my self has become the truth. 
 I am the truth. ^ 
 
 "Whosoever comprehendeth the truth, he will see 
 the Blessed One, for the truth has been preached by 
 the Blessed One." w 
 
 LV. ONE ESSENCE, ONE LAW, ONE AIM. 
 
 And the Tathagata addressed the venerable Ka- 
 shyapa, to dispel the uncertainty and doubt of his 
 mind, and he said : * 
 
 "All things are made of one essence, yet things are 
 different according to the forms which they assume un- 
 der different impressions. As they form themselves 
 so they act, and as they act so they are. ^ 
 
 " It is, Kashyapa, as if a potter made different ves- 
 sels out of the same clay. Some of these pots are to 
 contain sugar, others rice, others curds and milk ; 
 others still are vessels of impurity. There is no di- 
 versity in the clay used ; the diversity of the pots is 
 only due to the moulding hands of the potter who 
 
142 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 shapes them for the various uses that circumstances 
 may require. 3 
 
 *'And as all things originate from one essence, so 
 they are developing according to one law and they are 
 destined to one aim which is Nirvana. * 
 
 ' * Nirvana, comes to you, Kashyapa, if you thor- 
 oughly understand, and if you live according to your 
 understanding, that all things are of one essence and 
 that there is but one law. Hence, there is but one 
 Nirvana as there is but one truth, not two or three. ' 
 
 "And the Tathagata is the same unto all beings, 
 differing in his attitude only in so far as all beings are 
 different. • 
 
 " The Tathagata recreates the whole world like a 
 cloud shedding its waters without distinction. He has 
 the same sentiments for the high as for the low, for 
 the wise as for the ignorant, for the noble-minded as 
 for the immoral. ' 
 
 " The great cloud full of rain comes up in this wide 
 universe covering all countries and oceans to pour down 
 its rain everywhere, over all grasses, shrubs, herbs, 
 trees of various species, families of plants of different 
 names growing on the earth, on the hills, on the moun- 
 tains, or in the valleys. * 
 
 **Then, Kashyapa, the grasses, shrubs, herbs, and 
 wild trees suck the water emitted from that great cloud 
 which is all of one essence and has been abundantly 
 poured down ; and they will, according to their nature, 
 acquire a proportionate development, shooting up and 
 producing blossoms and fruits in their season. ' 
 
 '* Rooted in one and the same soil, all those fami- 
 lies of plants and germs are quickened by water of the 
 same essence. ^^ 
 
 ** The Tathagata, however, O Kashyapa, knows 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 43 
 
 the law whose essence is salvation, and whose end is 
 the peace of Nirvana. He is the same to all, and yet 
 knowing the requirements of every single being, he 
 does not reveal himself to all alike. He does not im- 
 part to them at once the fulness of omniscience, but 
 pays attention to the disposition of various beings," " 
 
 LVI. THE LESSON GIVEN TO RAHULA. 
 
 Before Rahula, the son of Gautama Siddhartha and 
 Yashodhara, attained to the enlightenment of true wis- 
 dom, his conduct was not always marked by a love of 
 truth, and the Blessed One sent him to a distant 
 vihara to govern his mind and to guard his tongue. ^ 
 
 After some time the Blessed One repaired to the 
 place, and Rahula was filled with joy. ' 
 
 And the Blessed One ordered the boy to bring him 
 a basin with water and wash his feet, and Rahula 
 obeyed. * 
 
 When Rahula had washed the Tathagata's feet, the 
 Blessed One asked : ** Is the water now fit for drink- 
 ing?" * 
 
 **No, my Lord," replied the boy, "the water is 
 defiled." ^ 
 
 Then the Blessed One said : **Now consider your 
 own case. Although you are my son, and the grand- 
 child of a king, although you are a shramana who has 
 voluntarily given up everything, you are unable to 
 guard your tongue from untruth, and thus defile your 
 mind." « 
 
 And when the water had been poured away, the 
 Blessed One asked again : "Is this vessel now fit for 
 holding water to drink ? " ' 
 
144 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 "No, my Lord," replied Rahula, '* the vessel, too, 
 has become unclean." ® 
 
 And the Blessed One said : **Now consider your 
 own case. Although you wear the yellow robe, are 
 you fit for any high purpose when you have become 
 unclean like this vessel? " ^ 
 
 Then the Blessed One, lifting up the empty basin 
 and whirling it round, asked: **Are you not afraid 
 lest it should fall and break ? " ^o 
 
 **No, my Lord," replied Rahula, ** the vessel is 
 but cheap, and its loss will not amount to much. " ^^ 
 
 *' Now consider your own case,'* said the Blessed 
 One. **You are whirled about in endless eddies of 
 transmigration, and your body being made of the same 
 substance as other material things that will crumble to 
 dust, there is no loss if it be broken. He who is given 
 to speaking untruths is an object of contempt to the 
 wise." ^ 
 
 Rahula was filled with shame, and the Blessed One 
 addressed him once more : ** Listen, and I will tell 
 you a parable : ^ 
 
 ** There was a king who had a very powerful ele- 
 phant, able to cope with five hundred ordinary ele- 
 phants. When going to war, the elephant was armed 
 with sharp swords on his tusks, with scythes on his 
 shoulders, spears on his feet, and an iron ball at his 
 tail. The elephant-master rejoiced to see the noble 
 creature so well equipped, and, knowing that a slight 
 wound by an arrow in the trunk would be fatal, he had 
 taught the elephant to keep his trunk well coiled up. 
 But during the battle the elephant stretched forth his 
 trunk to seize a sword. His master was frightened 
 and consulted with the king, and they decided that 
 the elephant was no longer fit to be used in battle, i* 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 145 
 
 *« O Rahula ! if men would only guard their tongues 
 all would be well ! Be like the fighting elephant who 
 guards his trunk against the arrow that strikes in the 
 middle. ^ 
 
 <'By love of truth the sincere escape iniquity. 
 Like the elephant well subdued and quiet, who per- 
 mits the king to mount on his trunk, thus the man that 
 reveres righteousness will endure faithfully throughout 
 his life." M 
 
 Rahula hearing these words was filled with deep 
 sorrow ; he never again gave any occasion for com- 
 plaint, and forthwith he sanctified his life by earnest 
 exertions. " 
 
 LVII. THE SERMON ON ABUSE. 
 
 And the Blessed One observed the ways of society 
 and noticed how much misery came from malignity and 
 foolish offences done only to gratify vanity and self- 
 seeking pride. * 
 
 And Buddha said : **If a man foolishly does me 
 wrong, I will return to him the protection of my un- 
 grudging love ; the more evil comes from him, the 
 more good shall go from me ; the fragrance of good- 
 ness always comes to me, and the harmful air of evil 
 goes to him." * 
 
 A foolish man learning that Buddha observed the 
 principle of great love which commends to return good 
 for evil, came and abused him. Buddha was silent, 
 pitying his folly. * 
 
 The man having finished his abuse, Buddha asked 
 him, saying: **Son, if a man declined to accept a 
 present made to him, to whom would it belong? " And 
 
146 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 he answered : '*In that case it would belong to the 
 man who offered it. " * 
 
 <'My son," said Buddha, "you have railed at me, 
 but I decline to accept your abuse, and request you to 
 keep it yourself. Will it not be a source of misery to 
 you? As the echo belongs to the sound, and the 
 shadow to the substance, so misery will overtake the 
 evil-doer without fail. '* ^ 
 
 The abuser made no reply, and Buddha contin- 
 ued : « 
 
 '<A wicked man who reproaches a virtuous one is 
 like one who looks up and spits at heaven ; the spittle 
 soils not the heaven, but comes back and defiles his 
 own person. ' 
 
 "The slanderer is like one who flings dust at another 
 when the wind is contrary; the dust does but return on 
 him who threw it. The virtuous man cannot be hurt, 
 and the misery that the other would inflict comes back 
 on himself. " ^ 
 
 The abuser went away ashamed, but he came again 
 and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the 
 Sangha. * 
 
 LVIII. BUDDHA REPLIES TO THE D^VA. 
 
 On a certain day when the Blessed One dwelt at 
 J6tavana, the garden of Anathapindika, a celestial d6va 
 came to him in the shape of a Brahman whose coun- 
 tenance was bright and whose garments were white 
 like snow. The dSva asked questions which the Bles- 
 sed One answered. * 
 
 The d6va said: "What is the sharpest sword? 
 What is the deadliest poison ? What is the fiercest 
 fire? What is the darkest night ? " * 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. I47 
 
 The Blessed One replied : **A word spoken in wrath 
 is the sharpest sword ; covetousness is the deadliest 
 poison ; passion is the fiercest fire ; ignorance is the 
 darkest night." ' 
 
 The deva said : ** Who gains the greatest benefit? 
 Who loses most? Which armor is invulnerable ? What 
 is the best weapon ? " * 
 
 The Blessed One replied : ** He is the greatest 
 gainer who gives to others, and he loses most who re- 
 ceives from others without giving a compensation. 
 Patience is an invulnerable armor ; wisdom is the best 
 weapon. " • 
 
 The d6va said : * * Who is the most dangerous thief ? 
 What is the most precious treasure ? Who is most suc- 
 cessful in taking away by violence not only on earth, but 
 also in heaven? What is the securest treasure-trove? "* 
 
 The Blessed One replied ; * * Evil thought is the most 
 dangerous thief ; virtue is the most precious treasure. 
 The soul can take away by viole'nce not only on earth, 
 but also in heaven, and immortality is its securest 
 treasure-trove. '* ^ 
 
 The d6va said : *' What is attractive? What is dis- 
 gusting? What is the most horrible pain? What is 
 the greatest enjoyment?" • 
 
 The Blessed One replied: "Good is attractive; 
 evil is disgusting. A bad ccJnscience is the most tor- 
 menting pain; deliverance is the height of bliss." ^ 
 
 The d6va asked : *< What causes ruin in the world? 
 What breaks off friendships ? What is the most vio- 
 lent fever? Who is the best physician ? " * 
 
 The Blessed One replied : *' Ignorance causes the 
 ruin of the world. Envy and selfishness break off friend- 
 ships. Hatred is the most violent fever, and Buddha 
 is the best physician." ** 
 
148 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 The d6va then asked and said : **Now I have only 
 one doubt to be solved ; pray, clear it away : What is 
 it fire can neither burn, nor moisture corrode, nor wind 
 crush down, but is able to reform the whole world? " ^ 
 
 The Blessed One replied : "Blessing! Neither fire, 
 nor moisture, nor wind can destroy the blessing of a 
 good deed, and it will reform the whole world." ^* 
 
 The deva, having heard the words of the Blessed 
 One, was full of exceeding joy. Clasping his hands, he 
 bowed down before him in reverence, and disappeared 
 suddenly from the presence of Buddha. ^* 
 
 UX. WORDS OF INSTRUCTION. 
 
 Thus I have heard. The bhikshus came to the 
 Blessed One, and having saluted him with clasped 
 hands they said : * 
 
 **0 Master, thou all-seeing, we all wish to learn ; 
 our ears are ready to hear, thou art our teacher, thou 
 art incomparable. Cut off our doubt, inform us of the 
 blessed dharma, O thou of great understanding ; speak 
 in the midst of us, O thou who art all-seeing, as is the 
 thousand-eyed Lord of the gods. * 
 
 "We will ask the muni of great understanding, 
 who has crossed the stream, gone to the other shore, 
 is blessed and of a firm mind : How does a bhikshu 
 wander rightly in the world, after having gone out 
 from his house and driven away desire? " * 
 
 Buddha said : * 
 
 "Let the bhikshu subdue his passion for human 
 and celestial pleasures, then, having conquered exis- 
 tence, he will command the dharma. Such a one will 
 wander rightly in the world. ^ 
 
 ** He whose lusts have been destroyed, who is free 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. I49 
 
 from pride, who has overcome all the ways of passion, 
 is subdued, perfectly happy,and of a firm mind. Such 
 a one will wander rightly in the world. • 
 
 *' Faithful is he who is possessed of knowledge, 
 seeing the way that leads to Nirvana, he who is no 
 partisan, he who is pure and victorious, and has re- 
 moved the veil from his eyes. Such a one will wander 
 rightly in the world. " ' 
 
 Said the bhikshus : ''Certainly, O Bhagavant, it is 
 so : whichever bhikshu lives in this way, subdued and 
 having overcome all bonds, such a one will wander 
 rightly in the world." ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : ' 
 
 "Whatever is to be done by him who aspires to 
 attain the tranquillity of Nirvana let him be able and 
 upright, conscientious and gentle, and not proud. ^® 
 
 **Let no one deceive another, let no one despise 
 another, let no one out of anger or resentment wish to 
 harm another. " 
 
 *' Happy is the solitude of the peaceful who know 
 and behold the truth. Happy is he who stands firm by 
 holding himself in check alway. Happy is he whose 
 every sorrow, whose every desire is at an end. The 
 conquest of the stubborn vanity of self is truly supreme 
 happiness. " 
 
 "Let a man's pleasure be the dharma, let him de- 
 light in the dharma, let him stand fast in the dharma, 
 let him know how to inquire into the dharma, let him 
 not raise any dispute that pollutes the dharma, and let 
 him spend his time in pondering on the well-spoken 
 truths of the dharma. ^ 
 
 *'A treasure that is laid up in a deep pit profits 
 nothing and may easily be lost. The real treasure 
 that is laid up through charity and piety, temperance. 
 
X50 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 self-control, or deeds of merit, is hid secure and can- 
 not pass away. It is never gained by despoiling or 
 wronging others, and no thief can steal it. A man, 
 when he dies, must leave the fleeting wealth of the 
 world, but this treasure of virtuous acts he takes with 
 him. Let the wise do good deeds ; they are a treasure 
 that can never be lost. " ** 
 
 And the bhikshus praised the wisdom of the Tatha- 
 gata : ^^ 
 
 **Thou hast past beyond pain ; thou art holy, O 
 Enlightened One, we consider thee one that has de- 
 stroyed his passions. Thou art glorious, thoughtful, 
 and of great understanding. O thou who puts an end 
 to pain, thou hast carried us across our doubt. ^* 
 
 ** Because thou sawest our longing and carriedest us 
 across our doubt, adoration be to thee, O muni, who 
 hast attained the highest gain in the ways of wisdom.^' 
 
 "The doubt we had before, thou hast cleared away, 
 O thou clearly-seeing ; surely thou art a muni, perfectly 
 enlightened, there is no obstacle for thee. ^® 
 
 *<And all thy troubles are scattered and cutoff; 
 thou art calm, subdued, firm, truthful. ^^ 
 
 * 'Adoration be to thee, O noble muni, adoration be 
 to thee, O thou best of beings ; in the world of men and 
 gods there is none equal to thee. ^ 
 
 "Thou art Buddha, thou art the Master, thou art 
 the muni that conquers Mara ; after having cut off de- 
 sire thou hast crossed over and earnest this generation 
 to the other shore. ' * ^ 
 
 LX. AMITABHA. 
 
 One of the disciples came to the Blessed One with 
 a trembling heart and his mind full of doubt. And he 
 asked the Blessed One: '*0 Buddha, our Lord and 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 151 
 
 Master, why do we give up the pleasures of the world, 
 if you forbid us to work miracles and to attain the su- 
 pernatural ? Is not Amitabha, the infinite light of reve- 
 lation, the source of innumerable miracles ? " ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One, seeing the anxiety of a truth- 
 seeking mind, said : **0 shravaka, thou art a novice 
 among the novices, and thou art swimming on the sur- 
 face of samsara. How long will it take thee to grasp 
 the truth ? Thou hast not understood the words of the 
 Tathagata. The law of karma is irrefragable, and sup- 
 plications have no effect, for they are empty words. " ^ 
 
 Said the disciple : ** So you say there are no mir- 
 aculous and wonderful things? " ' 
 
 And the Blessed One replied ; * 
 
 **Is it not a wonderful thing, mysterious and mi- 
 raculous to the worldling, that a sinner can become a 
 saint, that he who attains to true enlightenment will 
 find the path of truth and abandon the evil ways of 
 selfishness ? * 
 
 * * The bhikshu who renounces the transient pleas- 
 ures of the world for the eternal bliss of holiness, per- 
 forms the only miracle that can truly be called a mir- 
 acle. • 
 
 * *A holy man changes the curses of karma into bless- 
 ings. The desire to perform miracles arises either 
 from covetousness or from vanity. ^ 
 
 ** That mendicant does right who does not think : 
 * People should salute me'; who, though despised by 
 the world, yet cherishes no ill-will towards it. ^ 
 
 '*That mendicant does right to whom omens, me- 
 teors, dreams, and signs are things abolished ; he is 
 free from all their evils. ® 
 
 * 'Amitabha, the unbounded light, is the source of 
 wisdom, of virtue, of Buddhahood. The deeds of 
 
152 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 sorcerers and miracle-mongers are frauds, but what is 
 more wondrous, more mysterious, more miraculous 
 than Amitabha?" 10 
 
 **But, Master," continued the shravaka, '*is the 
 promise of the happy region vain talk and a myth ? " ^^ 
 
 ** What is this promise ? " asked Buddha ; and the 
 disciple replied : ^ 
 
 * * There is in the West a paradisian country called 
 the Pure Land, exquisitely adorned with gold and sil- 
 ver and precious gems. There are pure waters with 
 golden sands, surrounded by pleasant walks and cov- 
 ered with large lotus flowers. Joyous music is heard, 
 and flowers rain down three times a day. There are 
 singing birds whose harmonious notes proclaim the 
 praises of religion, and in the minds of those who lis- 
 ten to their sweet sounds, remembrance arises of the 
 Buddha, the law, and the brotherhood. No evil birth 
 is possible there, and even the name of hell is unknown. 
 He who fervently and with a pious mind repeats the 
 words *Amitabha Buddha ' will be transported to the 
 happy region of this pure land, and when death draws 
 nigh, Buddha, with a company of saintly followers, 
 will stand before him, and there will be perfect tran- 
 quillity." 13 
 
 '*In truth," said Buddha, *' there is such a happy 
 paradise. But the country is spiritual and it is acces- 
 sible only to those that are spiritual. You say. It lies 
 in the West. This means, look for it where he who 
 enlightens the world resides. The sun sinks down and 
 leaves us in utter darkness, the shades of night steal 
 over us, and Mara, the evil one, buries our bodies in 
 the grave. Sunset is nevertheless no extinction, and 
 where we imagine we see extinction there is boundless 
 light and inexhaustible life. " ^* 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 153 
 
 *' Your description," Buddha continued, *'is beau- 
 tiful ; yet it is insufficient and does little justice to the 
 glory of the pure land. The worldly can speak of it in 
 a worldly way only, they use worldly similes and worldly 
 words. But the pure land in which the pure live is 
 more beautiful than you can say or imagine. ^^ 
 
 ''However, the repetition of the name Amitabha 
 Buddha is meritorious only if you speak it with such a 
 devout attitude of mind as will cleanse your heart and 
 attune your will to do works of righteousness. He 
 only can reach the happy land whose soul is filled with 
 the infinite light of truth. He only can live and breathe 
 in the spiritual atmosphere of the western paradise 
 who has attained enlightenment. ^® 
 
 *' Verily I say unto you, the Tathagata lives in the 
 pure land of eternal bliss even now while he is still in 
 the body ; and the Tathagata preaches the law of reli- 
 gion unto you and unto the whole world, so that you 
 and your brethren may attain the same peace and the 
 same happiness.'* " 
 
 Said the disciple : "Teach me, O Lord, the medi- 
 tations to which I must devote myself in order to let 
 my mind enter into the paradise of the pure land. " ^^ 
 
 Buddha said : '* There are five meditations. ^ 
 
 **The first meditation is the meditation of love in 
 which you must so adjust your heart that you long for 
 the weal and welfare of all beings, including the happi- 
 ness of your enemies. 20 
 
 "The second meditation is the meditation of pity, 
 in which you think of all beings in distress, vividly 
 representing in your imagination their sorrows and 
 anxieties so as to arouse a deep compassion for them 
 in your soul. ^^ 
 
 "The third meditation is the meditation of joy in 
 
154 '^^^ GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 which you think of the prosperity of others and rejoice 
 with their rejoicings. ^ 
 
 '*The fourth meditation is the meditation on im- 
 purity, in which you consider the evil consequences of 
 corruption, the effects of sin and diseases. How trivial 
 often the pleasure of the moment and how fatal its 
 consequences ! ^ 
 
 *' The fifth meditation is the meditation on serenity, 
 in which you rise above love and hate, tyranny and 
 oppression, wealth and want, and regard your own fate 
 with impartial calmness and perfect tranquillity. ^ 
 
 *'A true follower of the Tathagata does not found 
 his trust upon austerities or rituals but giving up the 
 idea of self relies with his whole heart upon Amitabha, 
 which is the unbounded light of truth. " 25 
 
 The Blessed One after having explained his doc- 
 trine of Amitabha, the immeasurable light which makes 
 him who receives it a Buddha, looked into the heart 
 of his disciple and saw still some doubts and anxieties. 
 And the Blessed One said: **Ask me, my son, the 
 questions which weigh upon your soul." ^6 
 
 And the disciple said : ''Can a humble monk, by 
 sanctifying himself, acquire the talents of supernatural 
 wisdom called abhijnya and the supernatural powers 
 called riddhi? Show me the riddhi-pada, the path to 
 the highest wisdom ? Open to me the dhyanas which 
 are the means of acquiring samadhi, the fixity of mind 
 which enraptures the soul. " ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : ''Which are the abhij- 
 nyas? " ^ 
 
 The disciple replied: "There are six abhijnyas : 
 (i) The celestial eye ; (2) the celestial ear ; (3) the 
 body at will or the power of transformation ; (4) the 
 knowledge of the destiny of former dwellings, so as to 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 155 
 
 know former states of existence ; (5) the faculty of 
 reading the thoughts of others ; and (6) the knowledge 
 of comprehending the finality of the stream of life. " ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One replied: ** These are won- 
 drous things ; but verily, every man can attain them. 
 Consider the abilities of your own mind, you were born 
 about two hundred leagues from here and can you not, 
 in your thought, in an instant travel to your native 
 place and remember the details of your father's home? 
 Do you not see with your mind's eye the roots of the 
 tree which is shaken by the wind without being over- 
 thrown ? Does not the collector of herbs see in his 
 mental vision, whenever he pleases, any plant with its 
 roots, its stem, its fruits, its leaves, and even the uses 
 to which it can be applied ? Cannot the man who un- 
 derstands languages recall to his mind any word when- 
 ever he pleases, knowing its exact meaning and im- 
 port? How much more does the Tathagata understand 
 the nature of all things ; he looks into the hearts of men 
 and reads their thoughts. He knows the evolution of 
 beings and foresees their ends. " '^ 
 
 Said the disciple: *'Then the Tathagata teaches 
 that man can attain through the dhyanas the bliss of 
 abhijnya." ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One asked in reply: "Which are 
 the dhyanas through which man reaches abhijnya?" ^^ 
 
 The disciple replied: *' There are four dhyanas. 
 The first dhyana is seclusion in which you must free 
 your mind from sensuality ; the second dhyana is a 
 tranquillity of mind full of joy and gladness ; the third 
 dhyana is a taking delight in things spiritual ; the 
 fourth dhyana is a state of perfect purity and peace in 
 which the mind is above all gladness and grief." ^ 
 
 ** Good, my son," enjoined the Blessed One. ** Be 
 
156 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 sober and abandon wrong practices which serve only 
 to stultify your mind. " ^ 
 
 Said the disciple: ** Forbear with me, O Blessed 
 One, for I have faith without understanding and I am 
 seeking the truth. O Blessed One, O Tathagata, my 
 Lord and Master, teach me the riddhipada." ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : ** There are four means by 
 which riddhi is acquired ; (i) Prevent bad qualities 
 from arising. (2) Put away bad qualities which have 
 arisen. (3) Produce goodness that does not yet exist. 
 Search with sincerity, and persevere in your search. 
 In the end you will find the truth. " *• 
 
 LXI. THE TEACHER UNKNOWN. 
 
 And the Blessed One said to Ananda : ^ 
 
 ** There are various kinds of assemblies, O Ananda; 
 assemblies of nobles, of Brahmans, of householders, 
 of bhikshus, and of other beings. When I used to enter 
 an assembly, I always became, before I seated myself, 
 in color like unto the color of my audience, and in 
 voice like unto their voice. Then with religious dis- 
 course, I instructed, quickened, and gladdened them. ^ 
 
 ''My doctrine is like the ocean, having the same 
 eight wonderful qualities. '^ 
 
 *' Both the ocean and my doctrine become gradu- 
 ally deeper. Both preserve their identity under all 
 changes. Both cast out dead bodies upon the dry 
 land. As the great rivers, when falling into the main, 
 lose their names and are thenceforth reckoned as the 
 great ocean, so all the castes, having renounced their 
 lineage and entered the Sangha, become brethren and 
 are reckoned the sons of Shakyamuni. The ocean is 
 the goal of all streams and of the rain from the clouds, 
 yet is it never overflowing and never emptied : so the 
 
BUDDHA, THE TEACHER. 1 57 
 
 dharma is embraced by many millions of people, yet 
 it neither increases nor decreases. As the great ocean 
 has only one taste, the taste of salt, so my doctrine 
 has only one flavor, the flavor of emancipation. Both 
 the ocean and the dharma are full of gems and pearls 
 and jewels, and both afford a dwelling-place for mighty 
 beings. * 
 
 ** These are the eight wonderful qualities in which 
 my doctrine resembles the ocean. * 
 
 *'My doctrine is pure and it makes no discrimina- 
 tion between noble and ignoble, rich and poor. * 
 
 " My doctrine is like unto water which cleanses all 
 without distinction. ^ 
 
 " My doctrine is like unto fire which consumes all 
 things that exist between heaven and earth, great and 
 small. 8 
 
 " My doctrine is like unto the heavens, for there is 
 room in it, ample room for the reception of all, for men 
 and women, boys and girls, the powerful and the 
 lowly. 3 
 
 ** But when I spoke, they knew me not and would 
 say, *Who may this be who thus speaks, a man or a 
 god?' Then having instructed, quickened, and glad- 
 dened them with religious discourse, I would vanish 
 away. But they knew me not, even when I vanished 
 away." " 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 
 
 LXII. PARABLES. 
 
 AND the Blessed One thought : *'l have taught the 
 . truth which is excellent in the beginning, excel- 
 lent in the middle, and excellent in the end ; it is glori- 
 ous in its spirit and glorious in its letter. But simple as 
 it is, the people cannot understand it. I must speak to 
 them in their own language, I must adapt my thoughts 
 to their thoughts. They are like unto children, and 
 love to hear tales. Therefore, I will tell them stories 
 to explain the glory of the dharma. If they cannot 
 grasp the truth in the abstract arguments by which I 
 have reached it, they may nevertheless come to under- 
 stamd it, if it is illustrated in parables. " * 
 
 LXIII. THE BURNING MANSION. 
 
 There was a wealthy householder who possessed a 
 large but old mansion ; its rafters were worm-eaten, its 
 pillars rotten, its roof dry and combustible. And it 
 happened on one day that there was a smell of fire. 
 The householder, ran out doors and saw the thatch all 
 ablaze. He was horror-struck, for he loved his chil- 
 dren dearly, and knew that, ignorant of the danger, 
 they were romping about in the burning mansion. ^ 
 
 The distracted father thought to himself, **What 
 shall I do? The children are ignorant, and it will be 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 59 
 
 useless to warn them of the danger. If I run in to 
 catch them and carry them out in my arms, they will 
 run away, and while I might save one of them, the 
 others would perish in the flames. " Suddenly an idea 
 came to him. ** My children love toys," he thought ; 
 *<if I promise them playthings of wonderful beauty, 
 they will listen to me." * 
 
 Then he shouted aloud : *' Children, come out and 
 see the exquisite feast your father has prepared for 
 you. Here are toys for you finer than you have ever 
 seen. Come quickly, before it is too late ! " ^ 
 
 And lo ! from the blazing ruins the children came 
 out in full haste. The word ** toys'* had caught their 
 minds. Then the fond father in his joy bought them 
 the most precious playthings, and, when they saw the 
 destruction of the house, they understood the good in- 
 tention of their father, and praised the wisdom which 
 had saved their lives. * 
 
 The Tathagata knows that the children of the world 
 l«ve the tinsel of worldly pleasures ; he describes the 
 bliss of righteousness, thus endeavoring to save their 
 souls from perdition, and he will give them the spiritual 
 treasures of truth. ' 
 
 LXIV. THE MAN BORN BLIND. 
 
 There was a man born blind and he said : ** I do 
 not believe in the world of light and appearance. There 
 are no colors, bright or sombre. There is no sun, no 
 moon, no stars. No one has witnessed these things."^ 
 
 His friends remonstrated with him, but he clung to 
 his opinion: **What you say that you see," he ob- 
 jected, ''are illusions. If colors existed I should be 
 able to touch them. They have no substance and are 
 unreal." * 
 
l6o THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 In those days there was a physician who was called 
 to see the blind man, and he mixed four simples and 
 cured him of his disease. ^ 
 
 The Tathagata is the physician, and the four sim- 
 ples are the four noble truths. * 
 
 LXV. THE LOST SON. 
 
 There was a householder's son who went away into 
 a distant country, and while the father accumulated 
 immeasurable riches, the son became miserably poor. 
 And the son while searching for food and clothing hap- 
 pened to come to the country in which his father lived. 
 And the father saw him in his wretchedness, for he 
 wae ragged and brutalised by poverty, and ordered 
 some of his servants to call him. ^ 
 
 When the son saw the palace to which he was con- 
 ducted, he thought, *'I must have evoked the suspi- 
 cion of a powerful man, and he will throw me into 
 prison." Full of apprehension he made his escape 
 before he had seen his father. * 
 
 Then the father sent messengers out after his son, 
 and he was caught and brought back in spite of his 
 cries and lamentations. And his father ordered the 
 servants to deal tenderly with his son, and he appointed 
 a laborer of his son's rank and education to employ the 
 lad as a helpmate on the estate. And the son was 
 pleased with his new situation. ^ 
 
 From the window of his palace the father watched 
 his boy, and when he saw that he was honest and in- 
 dustrious, he promoted him higher and higher. ^ 
 
 After many years, he summoned his son and called 
 together all his servants, and made the secret known 
 to them. Then the poor man was exceedingly glad 
 and he was full of joy at meeting his father. ^ 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. l6l 
 
 Little by little must the minds of men be trained 
 for higher truths. ^ 
 
 LXVI. THE GIDDY FISH. 
 
 There was a bhikshu who had great difficulty in 
 keeping his senses and passions under control ; so, re- 
 solving to leave the order, he came to the Blessed One 
 to ask him for a release from the vows. And the 
 Blessed One said to the bhikshu : ^ 
 
 "Take heed, my son, lest you fall a prey to the 
 passions of your misguided heart. For I see that in 
 former existences, you have suffered much from the 
 evil consequences of lust, and unless you learn to con- 
 quer your sensual desires, you will in this life be ruined 
 through your folly. ' 
 
 ** Listen to a story of another existence of yours, as 
 a fish. 8 
 
 ** The fish could be seen swimming lustily in the 
 river, playing with his mate. She, moving in front, 
 suddenly perceived the meshes of a net, and slipping 
 around escaped the danger ; but he, blinded by love, 
 shot eagerly after her and fell straight into the mouth 
 of the net. The fisherman pulled the net up, and the 
 fish, who complained bitterly of his sad fate, saying, 
 'this indeed is the bitter fruit of my folly,' would surely 
 have died if Bodhisattva had not chanced to come by, 
 and, understanding the language of the fish, took pity 
 on him. He bought the poor creature and said to him : 
 ' My good fish, had I not caught sight of you this day, 
 you would have lost your life. I shall save you, but 
 henceforth sin no more. * With these words he threw 
 the fish into the water. * 
 
 ** Make the best of the time of grace that is offered 
 you in your present existence, and fear the dart of lust 
 
1 62 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 which, if you guard not your senses, will lead you into 
 destruction." ^ 
 
 LXVII. THE CRUEL CRANE OUTWITTED. 
 
 A tailor who used to make robes for the brother- 
 hood was wont to cheat his customers, and thus prided 
 himself on being smarter than other men. But once, 
 on entering upon an important business transaction 
 with a stranger, he found his master in fraudulent prac- 
 tices, and suffered a heavy loss. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : This is no isolated in- 
 cident in the greedy tailor's fate ; in other incarnations 
 he suffered similar losses, and by trying to dupe others 
 ultimately ruined himself. ^ 
 
 This same greedy character lived many generations 
 ago as a crane near a pond, and when the dry season 
 set in he said to the fish with a bland voice : '*Are you 
 not anxious for your future welfare? There is at pres- 
 ent very little water and still less food in this pond. 
 What will you do should in this drought the whole 
 pond become dry ? " ^ 
 
 * ' Yes, indeed, " said the fish, ' ' what should we do ? "* 
 
 Replied the crane: '*I know a fine, large lake, 
 which never becomes dry. Would you not like to be 
 carried to that place in my beak ? " When the fish be- 
 gan to distrust the honesty of the crane, he proposed 
 to have one of them sent over to the lake to see it ; 
 and one of them, a big carp, at last decided to take 
 the risk for the sake of the others, and the crane car- 
 ried him to a beautiful lake and brought him back in 
 safety. Then all doubt vanished, and the fish gained 
 confidence in the crane, and now the crane took the 
 fish one by one out of the pond and devoured them on 
 a big varana-tree. * 
 
PARABLES AND STORtBS. l6$ 
 
 There was also a lobster in the pond, and when it 
 listed the crane to eat him too, he said to him: **I 
 have taken all the fish away and put them in a fine, 
 large lake. Come along. I shall take you, too!" ^ 
 
 " But how will you take hold of me to carry me 
 along?" asked the lobster. "^ 
 
 **I shall bite hold of you with my beak," said the 
 crane. ^ 
 
 ** You will let me fall if you carry me like that. I 
 will not go with you ! " replied the lobster. ® 
 
 ''You need not fear," rejoined the crane ; ** I shall 
 hold you quite tight all the way." *® 
 
 Then said the lobster to himself : "If this crane 
 once gets hold of a fish, he will certainly never let him 
 go in a lake ! Now if he should really put me into the 
 lake it would be splendid ; but if he does not, then I 
 will cut his throat and kill him ! " So he said to him : 
 *'Look here, friend, you will not be able to hold me 
 tight enough ; but we lobsters have a famous grip. If 
 you let me catch hold of you round the neck with my 
 claws, I shall be glad to go with you. " " 
 
 And the crane did not see that the lobster was trying 
 to outwit him, and agreed. So the lobster caught hold 
 of his neck with his claws as securely as with a pair of 
 blacksmith's pincers, and called out: ''Off with you 
 now ! " 12 
 
 The crane took him and showed him the lake, and 
 then turned off toward the varana-tree. "My dear 
 uncle ! " cried the lobster, ' ' the lake lies that way, but 
 you are taking me this way. " " 
 
 Answered the crane : "Do you think so? Am I 
 your dear uncle ? You mean me to understand, I sup- 
 pose, that I am your slave, who has to lift you up and 
 carry you about with him, where you please ! Now 
 
164 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 cast your eye upon that heap of fish-bones at the root 
 of yonder varana-tree. Just as I have eaten those fish, 
 every one of them, just so I will devour you as well ! "^* 
 
 **Ah! those fishes got eaten through their own stu- 
 pidity," answered the lobster, *<but I am not going to 
 let you kill me. On the contrary, it is you that I am 
 going to destroy. For you, in your folly, have not 
 seen that I have outwitted you. If we die, we both 
 die together ; for I will cut off this head of yours and 
 cast it to the ground ! " And so saying, he gave the 
 crane's neck a grip with his claws as with a vise. ^^ 
 
 Then gasping, and with tears trickling from his 
 eyes, and trembling with the fear of death, the crane 
 beseeched him, saying : ** O, my Lord ! Indeed I did 
 not intend to eat you. Grant me my life!" ^* 
 
 ** Very well ! fly down and put me into the lake," 
 replied the lobster. " 
 
 And the crane turned round and stepped down into 
 the lake, to place the lobster on the mud at its edge. 
 But the lobster cut the crane's neck through as clean 
 as one would cut a lotus-stalk with a hunting-knife, 
 and then entered the water! " 
 
 When the Teacher had finished this discourse, he 
 added : *' Not now only was this man outwitted in this 
 way, but in other existences, too, he was outwitted, in 
 the same way." ^ 
 
 LXVIII. FOUR KINDS OF MERIT. 
 
 There was a rich man who used to invite all the 
 Brahmans of the neighborhood to his house, and, giv- 
 ing them rich gifts, offer great sacrifices to the gods. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : ** If a man each month 
 repeat a thousand sacrifices and give offerings without 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 65 
 
 ceasing, he is not equal to him who but for a moment 
 fixes his mind upon righteousness. " ^ 
 
 The world-honored Buddha continued: *< There 
 are four kinds of offering: first, when the gifts are 
 large and the merit small; secondl}^ when the gifts 
 are small and the merit small ; thirdly, when the gifts 
 are small and the merit large ; and fourthly, when the 
 gifts are large and the merit is also large. ^ 
 
 **The first is the case of the deluded man who 
 takes away life for the purpose of sacrificing to the 
 gods, accompanied by carousing and feasting. Here 
 the gifts are great, but the merit is small indeed. * 
 
 ** The gifts are small and the merit is also small, 
 when from covetousness and an evil heart a man keeps 
 to himself a part of that which he intends to offer. ** 
 
 **The merit is great, however, while the gift is 
 small, when a man makes his offering from love and 
 with a desire to grow in wisdom and in kindness. * 
 
 "Lastly, the gift is large and the merit is large, 
 when a wealthy man, in an unselfish spirit and with 
 the wisdom of a Buddha, gives donations and founds 
 institutions for the best of mankind to enlighten the 
 minds of his fellow-men and to administer unto their 
 needs." ' 
 
 LXIX. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 
 
 There was a certain Brahman in Kaushambi, a 
 wrangler and well versed in the Vedas. As he found 
 no one whom he regarded his equal in debate he used 
 to carry a lighted torch in his hand, and when asked 
 for the reason of his strange conduct, he replied : 
 **The world is so dark that I carry this torch to light 
 it up, as far as I can. " ^ 
 
 A shramana sitting in the market-place heard these 
 
1 66 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 words and said : " My friend, if your eyes are blind to 
 the sight of the omnipresent light of the day, do not call 
 the world dark. Your torch adds nothing to the glory 
 of the sun and your good intention to illumine the 
 minds of others is as futile as it is arrogant." * 
 
 On this the Brahman asked: "Where is the sun 
 of which thou speakest? " And the shramana replied : 
 "The wisdom of the Tathagata is the sun of the soul. 
 His radiancy is glorious by day and night, and he 
 whose faith is strong will not lack light on the path to 
 Nirvana where he will inherit bliss everlasting." ^ 
 
 LXX. LUXURIOUS LIVING. 
 
 While Buddha was preaching his doctrine for the 
 conversion of the world in the neighborhood of Shra- 
 vasti, a man of great wealth who suffered from many 
 ailments came to him with clasped hands and said : 
 "World-honored Buddha, pardon me for my want of 
 respect in not saluting you as I ought to, but I suffer 
 greatly from obesity, excessive drowsiness, and other 
 complaints, so that I cannot move without pain." ^ 
 
 The Tathagata, seeing the luxuries with which the 
 man was surrounded asked him : " Have you a desire 
 to know the cause of your ailments? " And when the 
 wealthy man expressed his willingness to learn, the 
 Blessed One said : " There are five things which pro- 
 duce the condition of which you complain ; opulent din- 
 ners, love of sleep, hankering after pleasure, thought- 
 lessness, and lack of occupation. Exercise self-control 
 at your meals, and take upon yourself some duties that 
 will exercise your abilities and make you useful to your 
 fellow-men. In following this advice you will prolong 
 your life." 2 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 67 
 
 The rich man remembered the words of Buddha 
 and after some time having recovered his lightness of 
 body and youthful buoyancy returned to the World- 
 honored One and, coming afoot without horses and 
 attendants, said to him : ** Master you have cured my 
 bodily ailments ; I come now to seek enlightenment 
 of my soul." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : **The worldling nour- 
 ishes his body, but the wise man nourishes his soul. 
 He who indulges in the satisfaction of his appetites 
 works his own destruction ; but he who walks in the 
 path will have both the salvation of his soul and pro- 
 longation of life. " * 
 
 LXXI. THE COMMUNICATION OF BLISS. 
 
 Annabhara, the slave of Sumana, having just cut 
 the grass on the meadow, saw a shramana with his 
 bowl begging for food. And throwing down his bundle 
 of grass he ran into the house and returned with the 
 rice that had been provided for his own food. * 
 
 The shramana ate the rice and gladdened him with 
 words of religious comfort. * 
 
 The daughter of Sumana having observed the scene 
 from a window called out : ** Good ! Annabhara, good! 
 Very good ! " ^ 
 
 Sumana hearing these words inquired what she 
 meant, and on being informed about Annabhara's de- 
 votion and the words of comfort he had received from 
 the shramana, went to his slave and offered him money 
 to divide the bliss of his offering. * 
 
 ** My Lord," said Annabhara, "let me first ask the 
 venerable man." And approaching the shramana, he 
 said: ** My master has asked me to share with him 
 
l68 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 the bliss of the offering I made you of my allowance 
 ol rice. Is it right that I should divide it with him?"*^ 
 
 The shramana replied in a parable. He said : ** In 
 a village of one hundred houses a single light was burn- 
 ing. Then a neighbor came with his lamp and lit it ; 
 and in this same way the light was communicated from 
 house to house and the brightness in the village was 
 increased. Thus the light of religion may be diffused 
 without stinting him who communicates it. Let the 
 bliss of thy offering also be diffused. Divide it. " * 
 
 Annabhara returned to his master's house and said 
 to him : ** I present you, my Lord, with a share of the 
 bliss of my offering. Deign to accept it." ' 
 
 Sumana accepted it and offered his slave a sum of 
 money, but Annabhara replied : **Not so, my Lord ; 
 if I accept your money it would appear as if I sold you 
 my share. Bliss cannot be sold ; please accept it as a 
 gift." 8 
 
 The master replied: '< Brother Annabhara, from 
 this day forth thou shalt be free. Live with me as my 
 friend and accept this present as a token of my re- 
 spect. " ^ 
 
 LXXII. THE LISTLESS FOOL. 
 
 There was a rich Brahman, well advanced in years, 
 who, unmindful of the impermanence of earthly things 
 and anticipating a long life, had built himself a large 
 house. ^ 
 
 Buddha sent Ananda to the rich Brahman to inquire 
 for the reasons why he had built a mansion with so 
 many apartments and to preach to him the four noble 
 truths and the eightfold path of salvation. ' 
 
 The Brahman showed Ananda his house and ex- 
 plained to him the purpose of its numerous chambers, 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 69 
 
 but to the instruction of Buddha's teachings he did not 
 listen. ® 
 
 Ananda said : '*It is the habit of fools to say, 'I 
 have children and wealth. ' He who says so is not even 
 master of himself; how can he claim possession of 
 children, riches, and servants? Many are the anxieties 
 of the worldly, but they know nothing of the changes 
 of the future." * 
 
 Scarcely had Ananda left, when the old man was 
 struck by apoplexy and fell dead. And Buddha said, 
 for the instruction of those who were ready to learn : 
 **A fool, though he live in the company of the wise, 
 understands nothing of the true doctrine, as a spoon 
 tastes not the flavor of the soup. He thinks of him- 
 self only, and unmindful of the advice of good coun- 
 sellors is unable to deliver himself." * 
 
 LXXIII. RESCUE IN THE DESERT. 
 
 There was a disciple of the Blessed One, full of 
 energy and zeal for the truth, who, living under a vow 
 to complete a meditation in solitude, flagged in a mo- 
 ment of weakness; and he said to himself: **The 
 Teacher said there are several kinds of men ; I must 
 belong to the lowest class and fear that in this birth 
 there will be neither path nor fruit for me. What is 
 the use of a forest life if I cannot by my constant en- 
 deavor attain the insight of meditation to which I have 
 devoted myself?" And he left the solitude and re- 
 turned to the Jetavana. * 
 
 When the brethren saw him they said to him: 
 ** You have done wrong, O brother, after taking a vow, 
 to give up the attempt of carrying it out ; " and they 
 took him to the Master. * 
 
lyO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 When the Blessed One saw them he said : "I see, 
 O mendicants, that you have brought this brother here 
 against his will. What has he done?" » 
 
 **Lord, this brother, having fkken the vows of so 
 sanctifying a faith, has abandoned the endeavor to 
 accomplish the aim of a member of the order, and has 
 come back to us." * 
 
 Then the Teacher said to him : **Is it true that 
 you have given up trying? " * 
 
 "It is true, O Blessed One! " was the reply. « 
 
 The Master said : "This present life of yours is a 
 time of grace. If you now fail to reach the happy 
 state you will have to suffer remorse in future exis- 
 tences. How is it, brother, that you have proved 
 yourself so irresolute ! Why, in former states of exis- 
 tence you were full of determination. By your energy 
 alone the men and bullocks of five hundred waggons 
 obtained water in the sandy desert, and were saved. 
 How is it that you give up trying now ? " ^ 
 
 By these few words that brother was re-established 
 in his resolution! But the others besought the Blessed 
 One, saying : "Lord ! Tell us how this was." ® 
 
 "Listen, then, O mendicants!" said the Blessed 
 One ; and having thus excited their attention, he made 
 manifest a thing concealed by the change of birth. ^ 
 
 Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reign- 
 ing in Kashi, Bodhisattva was born in a merchant's 
 family; and when he grew up, he went about traffick- 
 ing with five hundred carts. ^ 
 
 One day he arrived at a sandy desert many leagues 
 across. The sand in that desert was so fine that when 
 taken in the closed fist it could not be kept in the 
 hand. After the sun had risen it became as hot as a 
 mass of burning charcoal, so that no man could walk 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. I7I 
 
 on it. Those, therefore, who had to travel over it 
 took wood, and water, and oil, and rice in their carts, 
 and travelled during the night. And at daybreak they 
 formed an encampment and spread an awning over it, 
 and, taking their meals early, they passed the day sit- 
 ting in the shade. At sunset they supped, and when 
 the ground had become cool they yoked their oxen and 
 went on. The travelling was like a voyage over the 
 sea : a desert-pilot had to be chosen, and he brought 
 the caravan safe to the other side by his knowledge of 
 the stars. " 
 
 On this occasion the merchant of our story tra- 
 versed the desert in that way. And when he had 
 passed over fifty-nine leagues he thought, **Now, in 
 one more night we shall get out of the sand," and after 
 supper he directed the waggons to be yoked, and so set 
 out. The pilot had cushions arranged on the foremost 
 cart, and lay down, looking at the stars, and directing 
 them where to drive. But worn out by want of rest 
 during the long march, he fell asleep, and didnot per- 
 ceive that the oxen had turned round and taken the 
 same road by which they had come. ^^ 
 
 The oxen went on the whole night through. To- 
 wards the dawn the pilot woke up, and, observing the 
 stars, called out : " Stop the waggons, stop the wag- 
 gons! " The day broke just as they stopped and were 
 drawing up the carts in a line. Then the men cried 
 out : '* Why this is the very encampment we left yes- 
 terday! Our wood and water is all gone! We are lost! " 
 And unyoking the oxen and spreading the canopy over 
 their heads, they lay down in despondency, each one 
 under his waggon. But Bodhisattva, saying to him- 
 self, **If I lose heart, all these will perish," walked 
 about while the morning was yet cool. And on seeing 
 
172 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 a tuft of kusa-grass, he thought: "This could have 
 grown only by soaking up some water which must be 
 beneath it." 18 
 
 And he made them bring a spade and dig in that 
 spot. And they dug sixty cubits deep. And when they 
 had got thus far, the spade of the diggers struck on a 
 rock ; and as soon as it struck, they all gave up in de- 
 spair. But Bodhisattva thought, ** There must be water 
 under that rock/' and, descending into the well, he got 
 upon the stone, and, stooping down, applied his ear 
 to it, and tested the sound of it. And he heard the 
 sound of water gurgling beneath. And he got out and 
 called his page. *'My lad, if you give up now, we 
 shall all be lost. Do not you lose heart. Take this iron 
 hammer, and go down into the pit, and give the rock 
 a good blow." ^* 
 
 The lad obeyed, and though they all stood by in 
 despair, he went down full of determination, and struck 
 at the stone. And the rock split in two, and fell be- 
 low, and, no longer blocked up the stream. And water 
 rose till its brim was the height of a palm-tree in the 
 well. And they all drank of the water, and bathed in 
 it Then they cooked rice and ate it, and fed their 
 oxen with it. And when the sun set, they put a flag 
 in the well, and went to the place appointed. There 
 they sold their merchandise at a good profit and re- 
 turned to their home, and when they died they passed 
 away according to their deeds. And Bodhisattva gave 
 gifts and did other virtuous acts, and he also passed 
 away according to his deeds. ^ 
 
 After the Teacher had told the story he formed the 
 connexion by saying in conclusion, "The caravan- 
 leader was Bodhisattva, the future Buddha ; the page 
 who at that time despaired not, but broke the stone, 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 73 
 
 and gave water to the multitude, was this brother with- 
 out perseverance ; and the other men were the atten- 
 dants on the Buddha." " 
 
 LXXIV. BUDDHA. THE SOWER. 
 
 Bharadvaja, a wealthy Brahman, was celebrating 
 his harvest-thanksgiving when the Blessed One came 
 with his alms-bowl, begging for food. * 
 
 Some of the people paid him reverence, but the 
 Brahman was angry and said : **0 shramana, it would 
 suit you better to go to work than to go begging. I 
 plough and sow, and having ploughed and sown, I eat. 
 If you did likewise, you, too, would have to eat." ^ 
 
 And the Tathagata answered him and said: **0 
 Brahman, I, too, plough and sow, and having ploughed 
 and sown, I eat.*' ' 
 
 ** Do you profess to be a husbandman? *' replied the 
 Brahman. ** Where, then, are your bullocks? Where 
 is the seed and the plough? " * 
 
 The Blessed One said : " Faith is the seed I sow : 
 good works are the rain that fertilises it ; wisdom and 
 modesty are the plough; my mind is the guiding- 
 rein ; I lay hold of the handle of the law ; earnestness 
 is the goad I use ; and exertion is my draught-ox. 
 This ploughing is ploughed to destroy the weeds of 
 illusion. The harvest it yields is the immortal life of 
 Nirvana, and thus all sorrow ends. " • 
 
 Then the Brahman poured rice-milk into a golden 
 bowl and offered it to the Blessed One, saying: <'Let 
 the Teacher of mankind partake of the rice-milk, for 
 the venerable Gautama ploughs a ploughing that bears 
 the fruit of immortality." * 
 
174 '^^^ GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 LXXV. THE OUTCAST. 
 
 When Bhagavant dwelt at Shravasti in the JStavana, 
 he went out with his alms-bowl to beg for food and 
 approached the house of a Brahman priest while the 
 fire of an offering was blazing upon the altar. And 
 the priest said : " Stay there, O shaveling ; stay there, 
 O wretched shramana ; thou art an outcast. " ^ 
 
 The Blessed One replied : ** Who is an outcast? ^ 
 
 "An outcast is the man who is angry and bears ha- 
 tred ; the man who is wicked and hypocritical, he who 
 embraces error and is full of deceit. ^ 
 
 ** Whosoever is a provoker and is avaricious, has 
 sinful desires, is envious, wicked, shameless, and with- 
 out fear to commit sins, let him be known as an out- 
 cast. * 
 
 *' Not by birth does one become an outcast, not by 
 birth does one become a Brahman ; by deeds one be- 
 comes an outcast, by deeds one becomes a Brahman."* 
 
 LXXVI. THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 
 
 Ananda, the favorite disciple of Buddha, having 
 been sent by the Lord on a mission, passed by a well 
 near a village, and seeing Prakriti, a girl of the Ma- 
 tanga caste, he asked her for water to drink. ^ 
 
 Prakriti said, ' ' O Brahman, I am too humble and 
 mean to give you water to drink, do not ask any ser- 
 vice of me lest your holiness be contaminated, for I 
 am of low caste." 2 
 
 And Ananda replied : ''I ask not for caste but for 
 water ;" and the Matanga girl's heart leaped joyfully 
 and she gave Ananda to drink. ^ 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 75 
 
 Ananda thanked her and went away ; but she fol- 
 lowed him at a distance. * 
 
 Having heard that Ananda was a disciple of Gau- 
 tama Shakyamuni, the girl repaired to the Blessed One 
 and cried : * * O Lord help me, and let me live in the 
 place where Ananda thy disciple dwells, so that I may 
 see him and minister unto him, for I love Ananda.'* ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One understood the emotions of 
 her heart and he said : **Prakriti, thy heart is full of 
 love, but you do not understand your own sentiments. 
 It is not Ananda whom you love, but his kindness. 
 Receive, then, the kindness you have seen him prac- 
 tise unto you, and in the humility of your station prac- 
 tise it unto others. * 
 
 ** Verily there is great merit in the generosity of a 
 king when he is kind to a slave ; but there is a greater 
 merit in the slave when ignoring the wrongs which he 
 suffers he cherishes kindness and good-will to all man- 
 kind. He will cease to hate his oppressors, and even 
 when powerless to resist their usurpation will with 
 compassion pity their arrogance and supercilious de- 
 meanor. ^ 
 
 ** Blessed art thou, Prakriti, for though you are a 
 Matanga you will be a model for noblemen and noble- 
 women. You are of low caste, but Brahmans will learn 
 a lesson from you. Swerve not from the path of jus- 
 tice and righteousness and you will outshine the royal 
 glory of queens on the throne. " ^ 
 
 LXXVII. THE PEACEMAKER. 
 
 It is reported that two kingdoms were on the verge 
 of war, the possession of a certain embankment being 
 disputed by them. * 
 
176 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 And Buddha seeing the kings with their armies 
 ready to fight, requested them to tell him the cause of 
 their quarrels. Having heard the complaints on both 
 sides, he said : 2 
 
 **I understand that the embankment has value for 
 some of your people, has it any intrinsic value aside 
 from its service to your men?" ^ 
 
 **It has no intrinsic value whatever," was the re- 
 ply. The Tathagata continued : '* Now when you go 
 to battle is it not sure that many of your men will be 
 slain and you yourselves, O kings, are liable to lose 
 your lives?" * 
 
 And they said : ** Verily, it is sure that many will 
 be slain and our own lives be jeopardised.*' ^ 
 
 "The blood of men, however," said Buddha, '* has 
 it less intrinsic value than a mound of earth? " ^ 
 
 "No," the kings said, "the lives of men and 
 above all the lives of kings, are priceless. " ' 
 
 Then the Tathagata concluded : "Are you going to 
 stake that which is priceless against that which has no 
 intrinsic value whatever? " ^ 
 
 The wrath of the two monarchs abated, and they 
 came to a peaceable agreement. * 
 
 LXXVin. THE HUNGRY DOG. 
 
 There was a great king who oppressed his people 
 and was hated by his subjects ; yet when the Tathagata 
 came into his kingdom, the king desired much to see 
 him ; so he went to the place where the Blessed One 
 stayed and asked: "O Shakyamuni, can you teach a 
 lesson to the king that will divert his mind and benefit 
 him at the same time ? " ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said: "I shall tell you the 
 parable of the hungry dog : ^ 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 177 
 
 '* There was a wicked tyrant ; and the god Indra, 
 assuming the shape of a hunter, came down upon 
 earth with the demon Matali, the latter appearing as 
 a dog of enormous size. Hunter and dog entered the 
 palace, and the dog howled so wofully that the royal 
 buildings shook by the sound to their very foundations. 
 The tyrant had the awe-inspiring hunter brought be- 
 fore his throne and inquired after the cause of the ter- 
 rible bark. The hunter said, "The dog is hungry," 
 whereupon the frightened king ordered food for him. 
 All the food prepared at the royal banquet disappeared 
 rapidly in the dog's jaws, and still he howled with 
 portentous significance. More food was sent for, and 
 all the royal store-houses were emptied, but in vain. 
 Then the tyrant grew desperate and asked : * Will 
 nothing satisfy the cravings of that woful beast?' 
 'Nothing,* replied the hunter, 'nothing except per- 
 haps the flesh of all his enemies.' *And who are his 
 enemies?' anxiously asked the tyrant. The hunter 
 replied : < The dog will howl as long as there are peo- 
 ple hungry in the kingdom, and his enemies are those 
 who practise injustice and oppress the poor.' The 
 oppressor of the people, remembering his evil deeds, 
 was seized with remorse, and for the first time in his 
 life he began to listen to the teachings of righteous- 
 ness." ' 
 
 Having ended his story, the Blessed One addressed 
 the king, who had turned pale, and said to him : * 
 
 **The Tathagata can quicken the spiritual ears of 
 the powerful, and when thou, great king, hearest the 
 dog bark, think of the teachings of Buddha, and you 
 may still learn to pacify the monster. " * 
 
178 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 LXXIX. THE DESPOT. 
 
 Brahmadatta raja happened to see a beautiful wo- 
 man, the wife of a merchant, and, conceiving a passion 
 for her, ordered a precious jewel secretly to be dropped 
 into the merchant's carriage. The jewel was missed, 
 searched for, and found. The merchant was arrested 
 on the charge of stealing, and the king pretended to 
 listen with great attention to the defence, and with 
 seeming regret ordered the merchant to be executed, 
 while his wife was consigned to the royal harem. * 
 
 Brahmadatta decided to attend the execution in 
 person, for such sights used to give him pleasure, but 
 when the doomed man looked with deep compassion 
 at his infamous judge, a flash of Buddha's wisdom lit 
 up the king's passion-beclouded mind ; and while the 
 executioner raised the sword for the fatal stroke, Brah- 
 madatta felt the merchant's soul enter into his own 
 being, and he imagined he saw himself on the block. * 
 
 "Hold, executioner! " shouted Brahmadatta, **it is 
 the king whom you slay ! " * 
 
 Too late ! The executioner had done the bloody 
 deed. * 
 
 The king fell back in a swoon, and when he awoke 
 a change had come over him. He had ceased to be 
 the cruel despot and henceforth led a life of holiness 
 and rectitude. ' 
 
 O ye that commit murders and robberies! The veil 
 of Maya is upon your eyes. If you could see things as 
 they are, not as they appear, you would no longer in- 
 flict injuries and pain on your own souls. You do not 
 see that you will have to atone for your evil deeds, for 
 what you sow that you will reap. • 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 79 
 
 LXXX. VASAVADATTA. 
 
 There was a courtesan in Mathura named Vasava- 
 datta. She happened to see Upagupta, one of Bud- 
 dha's disciples, a tall and beautiful youth, and fell 
 desperately in love with him. Vasavadatta sent an 
 invitation to the young man, but he replied: **The 
 time has not yet arrived when Upagupta will visit Va- 
 savadatta." ^ 
 
 The courtesan was astonished at the reply, and she 
 sent again for him, saying : *' Vasavadatta desires love, 
 not gold, from Upagupta." But Upagupta made the 
 same enigmatic reply and did not come. * 
 
 A few months later Vasavadatta had a love-intrigue 
 with the chief of the artisans, and at that time a wealthy 
 merchant came to Mathura, who fell in love with Vasa- 
 vadatta. Seeing his wealth, and fearing the jealousy of 
 her other lover, she contrived the death of the chief of 
 the artisans, and concealed his body under a dunghill.* 
 
 When the chief of the artisans had disappeared, his 
 relatives and friends searched for him and found his 
 body. Vasavadatta, however, was tried by a judge, 
 and condemned to have her ears and nose, her hands 
 and feet cut off, and flung into a graveyard. * 
 
 Vasavadatta had been a passionate girl, but kind 
 to her servants, and one of her maids followed her, and 
 out of love for her former mistress ministered unto her 
 in her agonies, and chased away the crows. ' 
 
 Now the time had arrived when Upagupta decided 
 to visit Vasavadatta. * 
 
 When he came, the poor woman ordered her maid 
 to collect and hide under a cloth her severed limbs ; 
 and he greeted her kindly, but she said with petu- 
 
l8o THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 lance: **Once this body was fragrant like the lotus, 
 and I offered you my love. In those days I was cov- 
 ered with pearls and fine muslin. Now I am mangled 
 by the executioner and covered with filth and blood."' 
 
 ** Sister," said the young man, <'it is not for my 
 pleasure that I approach you. It is to restore to you 
 a nobler beauty than the charms which you have lost.^ 
 
 ** I have seen with mine eyes the Tathagata walk- 
 ing upon earth and teaching men his wonderful doc- 
 trine. But you would not have listened to the words 
 of righteousness while surrounded with temptations, 
 while under the spell of passion and yearning for 
 worldly pleasures. You would not have listened to 
 the teachings of the Tathagata, for your heart was 
 wayward, and you set your trust on the sham of your 
 transient charms. ^ 
 
 <'The charms of a lovely form are treacherous, and 
 quickly lead into temptations, which have proved too 
 strong for you. But there is a beauty which will not 
 fade, and if you but listen to the doctrine of our Lord, 
 the Buddha, you will find that peace which you never 
 would have found in the restless world of sinful pleas- 
 ures." w 
 
 Vasavadatta became calm and a spiritual happiness 
 soothed the tortures of her bodily pain ; for where 
 there is much suffering there is also great bliss. ^^ 
 
 Having taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, 
 and the Sangha, she died in pious submission to the 
 punishment of her crime. ^ 
 
 LXXXI. THE MARRIAGE-FEAST IN JAMBUNADA. 
 
 There was a man in Jambunada who was to be 
 married the next day, and he thought, *' Might Bud- 
 dha, the Blessed One, be present at the wedding." ^ 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. l8l 
 
 And the Blessed One passed by his house and met 
 him, and when he read the silent wish in the heart of 
 the bridegroom, he consented to enter. 2 
 
 When the Holy One appeared with the retinue of 
 his many bhikshus, the host, whose means were lim- 
 ited, received them as best he could, saying: **Eat, 
 my Lord, and all your congregation, according to your 
 desire. " s 
 
 While the holy men ate, the meats and drinks re- 
 mained undiminished, and the host thought to him- 
 self : *< How wondrous is this. I should have had 
 plenty for all my relatives and friends. Would that 
 I had invited them all.'* * 
 
 When this thought was in the host's mind, all his 
 relatives and friends entered the house ; and although 
 the hall in the house was small there was room in it 
 for all of them. They sat down at the table and ate, 
 and there was more than enough for all of them. ** 
 
 The Blessed One was pleased to see so many guests 
 full of good cheer and he quickened them and glad- 
 dened them with words of truth, proclaiming the bliss 
 of righteousness : * 
 
 **The greatest happiness which a mortal man can 
 imagine is the bond of marriage that ties together two 
 loving hearts. But there is a greater happiness still : 
 it is the embrace of truth. Death will separate husband 
 and wife, but death will never affect him who has 
 espoused the truth. ' 
 
 ** Therefore be married unto the truth and live 
 with the truth in holy wedlock. The husband who 
 loves his wife and desires for a union that shall be 
 everlasting must be faithful to her so as to be like truth 
 itself, and she will rely upon him and revere him and 
 minister unto him. And the wife who loves her hus- 
 
l82 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 band and desires for a union that shall be everlasting 
 must be faithful to him so as to be like truth itself ; 
 and he will place his trust in her, he will honor her, 
 he will provide for her. Verily, I say unto you, their 
 wedlock will be holiness and bliss, and their children 
 will become like unto their parents and will bear wit- 
 ness to their happiness. ^ 
 
 "Let no man be single, let every one be wedded in 
 holy love to the truth. And when Mara, the destroyer, 
 comes to separate the visible forms of your being, you 
 will continue to live in the truth, and you will partake 
 of the life everlasting, for the truth is immortal." ^ 
 
 There was no one among the guests but was 
 strengthened in his spiritual life, and recognised the 
 sweetness of a life of righteousness ; and they took 
 refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.^^ 
 
 LXXXII. A PARTY IN SEARCH FOR A THIEF. 
 
 Having sent out his disciples, the Blessed One him- 
 self wandered from place to place until he reached 
 Uruvilva. ^ 
 
 On his way he sat down in a grove to rest, and it 
 happened that in that same grove there was a party of 
 thirty friends who were enjoying themselves with their 
 wives ; and while they were sporting, some of their 
 goods were stolen. ^ 
 
 Then the whole party went in search of the thief 
 and, meeting the Blessed One sitting under a tree, 
 saluted him and said : ** Pray, Lord, did you see the 
 thief pass by with our goods? " * 
 
 And the Blessed One said: ** Which is better for 
 you, that you go in search for the thief or for your- 
 selves? " And the youths cried : "In search for our- 
 selves ! '» ^ 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 83 
 
 "Well, then," said the Blessed One, *^sit down 
 and I will preach you the truth." * 
 
 And the whole party sat down and they listened 
 eagerly to the words of the Blessed One. Having 
 grasped the truth, they praised the doctrine and took 
 refuge in the Buddha. * 
 
 LXXXIII. IN THE REALM OF YAMARAJA. 
 
 There was a Brahman, a rehgious man and fond in 
 his affections but without deep wisdom ; he had a very 
 promising son of great skill, who, when seven years 
 old, was struck with a fatal disease and died. The 
 unfortunate father was unable to control himself ; he 
 threw himself upon the corpse and lay there as one 
 dead. ^ 
 
 The relatives came and buried the dead child and 
 when the father came to himself, he was so immoderate 
 in his grief that he behaved like an insane person. He 
 no longer gave way to tears but wandered about ask- 
 ing for the residence of Yamaraja, the king of death, 
 to beg of him humbly that his child might be allowed 
 to return alive. 2 
 
 Having arrived at a great Brahman temple the sad 
 father went through certain religious rites and fell 
 asleep. While wandering on in his dream he came to 
 a deep mountain pass where he met a number of shra- 
 manas who had acquired supreme wisdom. " Kind 
 sirs," he said, '*can you not tell me where the resi- 
 dence of Yamaraja is ? " And they asked him, '< Good 
 friend, why do you want to know? " Whereupon he 
 told them his sad story and explained his intentions. 
 Pitying his self-delusion, the shramanas said : '* No 
 mortal man can reach the place where Yam a reigns, 
 
184 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 but some four hundred miles westward lies a great city 
 in which many good spirits live ; every eighth day of 
 the month Yama visits the place, and there you may 
 see him who is the king of death and ask him for a 
 boon." 8 
 
 The Brahman rejoicing at the news went to the city 
 and found it as the shramanas had told him. And he 
 was admitted to the dread presence of Yama, the King 
 of Death, who, on hearing his request, said: '*Your 
 son lives now in the eastern garden disporting himself; 
 go there and ask him to follow you." * 
 
 Said the happy father : < * How does it happen that 
 my son, without having performed one good work, is 
 now living in paradise?" Yamaraja replied: *'He 
 has obtained celestial happiness not for performing 
 good deeds, but because he died in faith and love to 
 the Lord and Master, the most glorious Buddha. Bud- 
 dha says : * The heart of love and faith spreads as it 
 were a beneficent shade from the world of men to the 
 world of gods.' This glorious utterance is like the 
 stamp of a king's seal upon a royal edict." ^ 
 
 The happy father hastened to the place and saw 
 his beloved child playing with other children, all trans- 
 figured by the peace of the blissful existence of a heav- 
 enly life. He ran up to his boy and cried with tears 
 running down his cheeks : *' My son, my son, do you 
 not remember me, your father who watched over you 
 with loving care and tended you in your sickness? 
 Return home with me to the land of the living. " But 
 the boy, while struggling to go back to his playmates, 
 upbraided him for using such strange expressions as 
 father and son. <'In my present state," he said, "I 
 know no such words, for I am free from delusion." * 
 
 On this, the Brahman departed, and when he woke 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 85 
 
 from his dream he bethought himself of the Blessed 
 Master of mankind, the great Buddha, and resolved to 
 go to him, lay bare his grief, and seek consolation. ' 
 
 Having arrived at the Jetavana, the Brahman told 
 his story and how his boy had refused to recognise him 
 and to go home with him. ^ 
 
 And the World-honored One said : ** Truly you are 
 self-deluded. When man dies the body is dissolved 
 into its elements, but the spirit is not entombed. It 
 leads a higher mode of life in which all the relative 
 terms of father, son, wife, mother, are at an end, just 
 as a guest who leaves his lodging has done with it, as 
 though it were a thing of the past. Men concern 
 themselves most about that which passes away; but 
 the end of life quickly comes as a burning torrent 
 sweeping away the transient in a moment. They are 
 like a blind man set to look after a burning lamp. A 
 wise man, understanding the transiency of worldly re- 
 lations, destroys the cause of grief, and escapes from 
 the seething whirlpool of sorrow. Religious wisdom 
 lifts a man above the pleasures and pains of the world 
 and gives him peace everlasting." ^ 
 
 The Brahman asked the permission of the Blessed 
 One to enter into the community of his bhikshus, so as 
 to acquire that heavenly wisdom which alone can give 
 comfort to an afflicted heart. *• 
 
 LXXXIV. THE MUSTARD SEED. 
 
 There was a rich man who found his gold suddenly 
 transformed into ashes ; and he took to his bed and 
 refused all food. A friend, hearing of his sickness, 
 visited the rich man and heard the cause of his grief. 
 And the friend said : ** You made no good use of your 
 
1 86 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 wealth. When you hoarded it up it was not better 
 than ashes. Now hear my advice. Spread mats in 
 the bazaar ; pile up these ashes, and pretend to trade 
 with them." ^ 
 
 The rich man did as his friend had told him, and 
 when his neighbors asked him, **Why do you sell 
 ashes? " he said, ** I offer my goods for sale." ^ 
 
 After some time a young girl, named Krisha Gau- 
 tami, an orphan and very poor, passed by, and seeing 
 the rich man in the bazaar, said : *<My lord, why do 
 you thus pile up gold and silver for sale. " ' 
 
 And the rich man said: **Will you please hand 
 me that gold and silver? " And Krisha Gautami took 
 up a handful of ashes, and lo! they changed back into 
 gold. * 
 
 Considering that Krisha Gautami had the mental 
 eye of spiritual knowledge and saw the real worth of 
 things, the rich man gave her in marriage to his son, 
 and he said: **With many, gold is no better than 
 ashes, but with Krisha Gautami ashes become pure 
 gold." ^ 
 
 And Krisha Gautami had an only son, and he died. 
 In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neigh- 
 bors, asking them for medicine, and the people said : 
 " She has lost her senses. The boy is dead." * 
 
 At length Krisha Gautami met a man who replied 
 to her request: **I cannot give you medicine for your 
 child, but I know a physician who can." ' 
 
 And* the girl said : *' Pray tell me, sir ; who is it?" 
 And the man replied: '*Go to Shakyamuni, the Bud- 
 dha." s 
 
 Krisha Gautami repaired to Buddha and cried : 
 "Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will 
 cure my boy." ' 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 87 
 
 Buddha answered : ** I want a handful of mustard- 
 seed." And when the girl in her joy promised to pro- 
 cure it, Buddha added : **The mustard-seed must be 
 taken from a house where no one has lost a child, hus- 
 band, parent, or friend." ^ 
 
 Poor Krisha Gautami now went from house to 
 house, and the people pitied her and said : ' ' Here is 
 mustard-seed; take it ! " But when she asked, **Did 
 a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your fam- 
 ily?" They answered her : **Alas! the living are few, 
 but the dead are many. Do not remind us of our 
 deepest grief. " And there was no house but some be- 
 loved one had died in it. ^^ 
 
 Krisha Gautami became weary and hopeless, and 
 sat down at the wayside, watching the lights of the 
 city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. 
 At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. 
 And she considered the fate of men, that their lives 
 flicker up and are extinguished. And she thought to 
 herself: <*How selfish am I in my grief! Death is 
 common to all ; yet in this valley of desolation there is a 
 path that leads him who has surrendered all selfishness 
 to immortality." " 
 
 Putting away the selfishness of her affection for her 
 child, Krisha Gautami had the dead body buried in the 
 forest. Returning to Buddha, she took refuge in him 
 and found comfort in the dharma, which is a balm 
 that will soothe all the pains of our troubled hearts. ^^ 
 
 Buddha said : " 
 
 The life of mortals in this world is troubled and 
 brief and combined with pain. For there is not any 
 means by which those that have been born can avoid 
 dying ; after reaching old age there is death ; of such 
 a nature are living beings. " 
 
1 88 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mor- 
 tals when born are always in danger of death. ^® 
 
 As all earthen vessels made by the potter end in 
 being broken, so is the life of mortals. " 
 
 Both young and adult, both those who are fools 
 and those who are wise, all fall into the power of 
 death ; all are subject to death. ^ 
 
 Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life, 
 a father cannot save his son, nor relatives their rela- 
 tions. M 
 
 Mark ! while relatives are looking on and lament- 
 ing deeply, one by one of the mortals is carried off, 
 like an ox that is led to the slaughter. 20 
 
 So the world is afflicted with death and decay, 
 therefore the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of 
 the world. 21 
 
 In whatever manner people think a thing will come 
 to pass, it is often different when it happens, and great 
 is the disappointment ; see, such are the terms of the 
 world. « 
 
 Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one 
 obtain peace of mind ; on the contrary, his pain will be 
 the greater and his body will suffer. He will make 
 himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by 
 his lamentation. 28 
 
 People pass away, and their fate after death will 
 be according to their deeds. 24 
 
 Even if a man live a hundred years, or even more, 
 he will at last be separated from the company of his 
 relatives, and leave the life of this world. 25 
 
 He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of 
 lamentation, and complaint, and grief. 26 
 
 He who has drawn out the arrow and has become 
 
PARABLES AND STORIES. 1 89 
 
 composed will obtain peace of mind , he who has over- 
 come all sorrow will become free from sorrow, and be 
 blessed. ^ 
 
 LXXXV. FOLLOWING THE MASTER OVER THE 
 STREAM. 
 
 South of Shravasti there was a great river, very deep 
 and wide, on the banks of which lay a hamlet of five 
 hundred houses. Its inhabitants had not yet heard 
 the good tidings of salvation and were still immersed 
 in worldliness and selfish pursuits. ^ 
 
 Thinking of the salvation of men, the world-honored 
 Buddha resolved to go to the village and preach to the 
 people. Accordingly, he came to the riverside and 
 sat down beneath a tree, and the villagers seeing the 
 glory of his appearance approached him with rev- 
 erence ; but when he began to preach to them, they 
 believed him not. * 
 
 When the world-honored Buddha had left Shravasti, 
 Shariputra felt a desire to see the Lord and to hear 
 him preach. Coming to the river where the water was 
 deep and the current strong, he said to himself: '<This 
 stream shall not prevent me. I shall go and see the 
 Blessed One," and he walked across the water, ap- 
 proached the Master and saluted him. ^ 
 
 The people of the village were astonished to see 
 Shariputra, wondering how he had crossed the stream 
 where there was neither a bridge nor a ferry, and how 
 he could walk on its surface without sinking. * 
 
 And Shariputra replied: <*I lived in ignorance 
 until I heard the voice of Buddha. As I was anxious 
 to hear the doctrine of salvation, I crossed the river 
 and I walked over its troubled waters because I had 
 
igO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 faith. Faith, nothing else, enabled me to do so, and 
 now I am here in the bliss of the Master's presence."* 
 
 The World-honored One added : * * Shariputra, thou 
 hast spoken well. Faith like thine, alone can save the 
 world from the yawning gulf of migration and enable 
 men to walk dryshod to the other shore." * 
 
 And the Blessed One urged to the villagers the ne- 
 cessity of ever advancing in the conquest of sorrow 
 and of casting off all shackles so as to cross the river of 
 worldliness and attain deliverance from death. ' 
 
 Hearing the words of the Tathagata, the villagers 
 were filled with joy and believing in the doctrines of 
 the Blessed One embraced the five rules and took refuge 
 in his name. ^ 
 
 LXXXVI. THE SICK BHIKSHU. 
 
 An old bhikshu of a surly disposition was afflicted 
 with a loathsome disease the sight and smell of which 
 was so nauseating that no one would come near him or 
 help him in his distress. And it happened that the 
 World-honored One came to the vihara in which the 
 unfortunate man lay ; hearing of the case he ordered 
 warm water to be prepared and went to the sick-room 
 to administer unto the sores of the patient with his 
 own hand, saying to his disciples : ^ 
 
 **The Tathagata has come into the world to befriend 
 the poor, to succor the unprotected, to nourish those 
 in bodily affliction, both the followers of the dharma 
 and unbelievers, to give sight to the blind and enlighten 
 the minds of the deluded, to stand up for the rights of 
 orphans as well as the aged, and in so doing to set an 
 example to others. This is the consummation of his 
 work, and thus he attains the great goal of life as the 
 rivers that lose themselves in the ocean." ' 
 
i»ARABLES AND STORIES. I9I 
 
 The World-honored One administered unto the sick 
 bhikshu daily so long as he stayed in that place. And 
 the governor of the city came to Buddha to do him 
 reverence, and having heard of the service which the 
 Lord did in the vihara asked the Blessed One about 
 the previous existence of the sick monk, and Buddha 
 said : ' 
 
 *'In days gone by there was a wicked king who 
 used to extort from his subjects all he could get ; and 
 he ordered one of his officers to lay the lash on a man 
 of eminence. The officer little thinking of the pain he 
 inflicted upon others, obeyed ; but when the victim of 
 the king's wrath begged for mercy, he felt compassion 
 and laid the whip lightly upon him. Now the king 
 was reborn as Devadatta, who was abandoned by all 
 his followers, because they were no longer willing to 
 stand his severity and he died miserable and full of 
 penitence. The officer is the sick bhikshu, who having 
 often given offence to his brethren in the vihara was 
 left without assistance in his distress. The eminent 
 man, however, who begged for mercy was Bodhi- 
 sattva ; he has been reborn as the Tathagata. It is 
 now my lot to help the wretched man as he had mercy 
 on me." * 
 
 And the World-honored One repeated these lines : 
 ** He who inflicts pain on the gentle, or falsely accuses 
 the innocent, will inherit one of the ten great calami- 
 ties. But he who has learned to suffer with patience 
 will be purified and will be the chosen instrument for 
 the alleviation of suffering. " • 
 
 The diseased bhikshu on hearing these words turned 
 to Buddha and confessing his ill-natured temper re- 
 pented and with a heart cleansed from sin did rev- 
 erence unto the Lord. * 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 
 
 LXXXVII. THE CONDITIONS OF WELFARE. 
 
 WHEN the Blessed One was residing on the mount 
 called Vulture's Peak, near Rajagriha, Ajatasha- 
 tru the king of Magadha, who reigned in the place of 
 Bimbisara, planned an attack on the Vriji, and he said 
 to Varshakara, his prime minister : *' I will root out the 
 Vriji, mighty though they be. I v/ill destroy the Vriji ; 
 I will bring them to utter ruin ! Come now, O Brah- 
 man, and go to the Blessed One ; inquire in my name 
 for his health, and tell him my purpose. Bear care- 
 fully in mind what the Blessed One may say, and re- 
 peat it to me, for the Buddhas speak nothing un- 
 true.'' 1 
 When Varshakara, the prime minister, had greeted 
 the Blessed One and delivered his message, the ven- 
 erable Ananda stood behind the Blessed One and 
 fanned him, and the Blessed One said to him : ** Have 
 you heard, Ananda, that the Vriji hold full and fre- 
 quent public assemblies ? " * 
 "Lord, so I have heard," replied he. ' 
 *' So long, Ananda," said the Blessed One, '* as the 
 Vriji hold these full and frequent public assemblies, 
 they may be expected not to decline, but to prosper. 
 So long as they meet together in concord, so long as 
 they honor their elders, so long as they respect woman- 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 1 93 
 
 hood, so long as they remain religious, performing all 
 proper rites, so long as they extend the rightful pro- 
 tection, defence and support to the holy ones, the Vriji 
 may be expected not to decline, but to prosper. " * 
 
 Then the Blessed One addressed Varshakara and 
 said : ** When I staid, O Brahman, at Vaishali, I taught 
 the Vriji these conditions of welfare, that so long as 
 they should remain well instructed, so long as they will 
 continue in the right path, so long as they should live 
 up to the precepts of righteousness, we could expect 
 them not to decline, but to prosper." ^ 
 
 As soon as the king's messenger had gone, the 
 Blessed One had the brethren, that were in the neigh- 
 borhood of Rajagriha, assembled in the service-hall, 
 and addressed them, saying : * 
 
 " I will teach you, O bhikshus, the conditions of 
 the welfare of a community. Listen well, and I will 
 speak. '' 
 
 **So long, O bhikshus, as the brethren hold full 
 and frequent assemblies, meeting in concord, rising in 
 concord, and attending in concord to the affairs of 
 the Sangha, so long as they, O brethren, do not abro- 
 gate that which experience has proved to be good, and 
 introduce nothing except such things as have been 
 carefully tested, so long as their elders practise jus- 
 tice, so long as the brethren esteem, revere, and sup- 
 port their elders, and hearken unto their words, so long 
 as the brethren are not under the influence of craving, 
 but delight in the blessings of religion, so that good 
 and holy men shall come to them and dwell among 
 them in quiet, so long as the brethren shall not be ad- 
 dicted to sloth and idleness, so long as the brethren 
 shall exercise themselves in the sevenfold higher wis- 
 dom of mental activity, search after truth, energy, joy. 
 
194 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 modesty, self-control, earnest contemplation, and equa- 
 nimity of mind, so long the Sangha may be expected 
 not to decline, but to prosper. ® 
 
 ** Therefore, O bhikshus, be full of faith, modest 
 in heart, afraid of sin, anxious to learn, strong in en- 
 ergy, active in mind, and full of wisdom." ^ 
 
 LXXXVIII. UPRIGHT CONDUCT. 
 
 While the Blessed One stayed at Vulture's Peak he 
 held a broad religious conversation with the brethren 
 on the nature of upright conduct, and he repeated this 
 sermon in a great many places all over the country. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said : * 
 
 ** Great is the fruit, great is the advantage of earn- 
 est contemplation, when set round with upright con- 
 duct. « 
 
 ** Great is the fruit, great is the advantage of intel- 
 lect, when set round with earnest contemplation. * 
 
 "The mind set round with intelligence is freed 
 from the great evils of sensuality, selfishness, delusion, 
 and ignorance." ' 
 
 LXXXIX. SHARIPUTRA'S FAITH. 
 
 The Blessed One proceeded with a great company 
 of the brethren to Nalanda ; and there he stayed in a 
 mango grove. ^ 
 
 Now the venerable Shariputra came to the place 
 where the Blessed One was, and having saluted him, 
 took his seat respectfully at his side, and said : "Lord ! 
 such faith have I in the Blessed One, that methinks 
 there never has been, nor will there be, nor is there 
 now any other, who is greater or wiser than the Bles- 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 1 95 
 
 sed One, that is to say, as regards the higher wis- 
 dom." 2 
 Replied the Blessed One : ' ' Grand and bold are 
 the words of thy mouth, Shariputra : verily, thou hast 
 burst forth into a song of ecstasy ! Surely then thou 
 hast known all the Blessed Ones who in the long ages 
 of the past have been holy Buddhas ? " ^ 
 ** Not so, O Lord ! " said Shariputra. * 
 And the Lord continued : ' * Then thou hast per- 
 ceived all the Blessed Ones who in the long ages of 
 the future shall be holy Buddhas ? " * 
 ''Not so, O Lord !" « 
 **But at least then, O Shariputra, thou knowest 
 me as the holy Buddha now alive, and hast pene- 
 trated my mind." ' 
 '' Not even that, O Lord ! " * 
 **You see then, Shariputra, that you know not the 
 hearts of the holy Buddhas of the past nor the hearts 
 of those of the future. Why, therefore, are your words 
 so grand and bold ? Why do you burst forth into such 
 a song of ecstasy ? " * 
 *' O Lord ! I have not the knowledge of the hearts 
 of Buddhas that have been and are to come, and now 
 are. I only know the lineage of the faith. Just, Lord, 
 as a king might have a border city, strong in its foun- 
 dations, strong in its ramparts and with one gate 
 alone ; and the king might have a watchman there, 
 clever, expert, and wise, to stop all strangers and ad- 
 mit only friends. And he, on going over the approaches 
 all about the city, might not be able to observe all the 
 joints and crevices in the ramparts of that city as to 
 know where such a small creature as a cat could get 
 out. That might well be. Yet all living beings of 
 larger size that entered or left the city, would have to 
 
196 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 pass through that gate. Thus only is it, Lord, that I 
 know the Hneage of the faith. I know that the holy 
 Buddhas of the past, putting away all lust, ill-will, 
 sloth, pride, and doubt, knowing all those mental 
 faults which make men weak, training their minds in 
 the four kinds of mental activity, thoroughly exercising 
 themselves in the sevenfold higher wisdom, received 
 the full fruition of Enlightenment. And I know that 
 the holy Buddhas of the times to come will do the 
 same. And I know that the Blessed One, the holy 
 Buddha of to-day, has done so now." ^^ 
 
 "Great is thy faith, O Shariputra," replied the 
 Blessed One, <*but take heed that it be well grounded. "" 
 
 XC. PATALIPUTRA. 
 
 When the Blessed One had stayed as long as con- 
 venient at Nalanda, he went to Pataliputra, the fron- 
 tier town of Magadha; and when the disciples at Pa- 
 taliputra heard of his arrival, they invited him to their 
 village rest-house. And the Blessed One robed him- 
 self, took his bowl and went with the brethren to the 
 rest-house. There he washed his feet, entered the 
 hall, and seated himself against the centre pillar, with 
 his face towards the east. The brethren, also, having 
 washed their feet, entered the hall, and took their seats 
 round the Blessed One, against the western wall, facing 
 the east. And the lay devotees of Pataliputra, having 
 also washed their feet, entered the hall, and took their 
 seats opposite the Blessed One, against the eastern 
 wall, facing towards the west. ' 
 
 Then the Blessed One addressed the lay-disciples 
 of Pataliputra, and he said : ' 
 
 "Fivefold, O householders, is the loss of the wrong- 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 1 97 
 
 doer through his want of rectitude. In the first place, 
 the wrong-doer, devoid of rectitude, falls into great 
 poverty through sloth ; in the next place, his evil re- 
 pute gets noised abroad ; thirdly, whatever society he 
 enters, whether of Brahmans, nobles, heads of houses, 
 or shramanas, he enters shyly and confusedly ; fourthly, 
 he is full of anxiety when he dies ; and lastly, on the 
 dissolution of the body after death, his mind remains 
 in an unhappy state. Wherever his karma continues, 
 there will be suffering and woe. This, O household- 
 ers, is the fivefold loss of the evil-doer ! • 
 
 *' Fivefold, O householders, is the gain of the well- 
 doer through his practice of rectitude. In the first 
 place the well-doer, strong in rectitude, acquires prop- 
 erty through his industry; in the next place, good re- 
 ports of him are spread abroad ; thirdly, whatever 
 society he enters, whether of nobles, Brahmans, heads 
 of houses, or members of the order, he enters with con- 
 fidence and self-possession ; fourthly, he dies without 
 anxiety; and, lastly, on the dissolution of the body after 
 death, his mind remains in a happy state. Wherever 
 his karma continues, there will be heavenly bliss and 
 peace. This, O householders, is the fivefold gain of 
 the well-doer.'* * 
 
 When the Blessed One had taught the disciples, 
 and incited them, and roused them, and gladdened 
 them far into the night with religious edification, he 
 dismissed them, saying, *< The night is far spent, O 
 householders. It is time for you to do what you deem 
 most fit." 6 
 
 **Be it so. Lord !" answered the disciples of Pa- 
 taliputra, and rising from their seats, they bowed to 
 the Blessed One, and keeping him on their right hand 
 as they passed him, they departed thence. * 
 
igS THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 While the Blessed One stayed at Pataliputra, the 
 king of Magadha sent a messenger to the governor of 
 Pataliputra to raise fortifications for the security of 
 the town. * 
 
 And the Blessed One seeing the laborers at work 
 predicted the future greatness of the place, saying : 
 <* The men who build the fortress act as if they had 
 consulted higher powers. For this city of Pataliputra 
 will be a dwelling-place of busy men and a centre for 
 the exchange of all kinds of goods. But three dangers 
 hang over Pataliputra, that of fire, that of water, that 
 of dissension. " ^ 
 
 When the governor heard of the prophecy of Pa- 
 taliputra's future, he greatly rejoiced and named the 
 city-gate through which Buddha had gone towards the 
 river Ganges, *'The Gautama Gate." * 
 
 Meanwhile the people living on the banks of the 
 Ganges arrived in great numbers to pay reverence to 
 the Lord of the world ; and many persons asked him 
 to do them the honor to cross over in their boats. 
 But the Blessed One considering the number of the 
 boats and their beauty did not want to show any par- 
 tiality, and by accepting the invitation of one to offend 
 all the others. He therefore crossed the river without 
 any boat, signifying thereby that the rafts of asceticism 
 and the gaudy gondolas of religious ceremonies were 
 not staunch enough to weather the storms of the ocean 
 of Samsara, while the boat of wisdom is the safest 
 vessel to reach the shore of Nirvana. lo 
 
 And as the city gate was called after the name of 
 the Tathagata so the people called this passage of the 
 river ** Gautama Ford." ^^ 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 1 99 
 
 XCI. THE MIRROR OF TRUTH. 
 
 The Blessed One proceeded to the village Nadika 
 with a great company of brethren and there he stayed 
 at the Brick Hall. And the venerable Ananda went 
 to the Blessed One and mentioning to him the names 
 of the brethren and sisters that had died, anxiously in- 
 quired about their fate after death, whether they had 
 been reborn in animals or in hell, or as ghosts, or in 
 any place of woe. * 
 
 And the Blessed One replied to Ananda and said : ' 
 
 ** Those who have died after the complete destruc- 
 tion of the three bonds of lust, of covetousness and of 
 the egotistical cleaving to existence, need not fear the 
 state after death. They will not be reborn in a state of 
 suffering ; their minds will not continue as a karma of 
 evil deeds or sin, but are assured of final salvation. ' 
 
 ** When they die, nothing will remain of them but 
 their good thoughts, their righteous acts, and the bliss 
 that proceeds from truth and righteousness. As rivers 
 must at last reach the distant main, so their minds will 
 be reborn in higher states of existence and continue to 
 be pressing on to their ultimate goal which is the ocean 
 of truth, the eternal peace of Nirvana. * 
 
 *'Men are anxious about death and their fate after 
 death ; but there is nothing strange in this, Ananda, 
 that a human being should die. However, that you 
 should inquire about them, and having heard the truth 
 still be anxious about the dead, this is wearisome to 
 the Blessed One. I will, therefore, teach you the mir- 
 ror of truth : * 
 
 ** *Hell is destroyed for me, and rebirth as an ani- 
 
200 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 mal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am con- 
 verted ; I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state 
 of suffering, and am assured of final salvation.' ^ 
 
 **What, then, Ananda, is this mirror of truth? It 
 is the consciousness that the elect disciple is in this 
 world possessed of faith in the Buddha, believing the 
 Blessed One to be the Holy One, the Fully-enlight- 
 ened One, wise, upright, happy, world-knowing, su- 
 preme, the Bridler of men's wayward hearts, the 
 Teacher of gods and men, the blessed Buddha. '^ 
 
 **It is further the consciousness that the disciple is 
 possessed of faith in the truth, believing the truth to 
 have been proclaimed by the Blessed One, for the ben- 
 efit of the world, passing not away, welcoming all, 
 leading to salvation, to which through truth the wise 
 will attain, each one by his own efforts. ^ 
 
 *'And, finally, it is the consciousness that the disciple 
 is possessed of faith in the order, believing in the effic- 
 acy of a union among those men and women who are 
 anxious to walk in the noble eightfold path, believing 
 this church of the Buddha, of the righteous, the up- 
 right, the just, the law-abiding, to be worthy of honor, 
 of hospitality, of gifts, and of reverence ; to be the 
 supreme sowing-ground of merit for the world ; to be 
 possessed of the virtues beloved by the good, virtues 
 unbroken, intact, unspotted, unblemished, virtues 
 which make men truly free, virtues which are praised 
 by the wise, are untarnished by the desire of selfish 
 aims, either now or in a future life, or by the belief in 
 the eflGicacy of outward acts, and are conducive to high 
 and holy thought. ^ 
 
 **This is the mirror of truth which teaches the 
 straightest way to enlightenment which is the common 
 goal of all living creatures. He who possesses the 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 20I 
 
 mirror of truth is free from fear, will find comfort in 
 the tribulations of life, and his life will be a blessing 
 to all his fellow-creatures. " ^ 
 
 xcii. ambapalI 
 
 Then the Blessed One proceeded with a great num- 
 ber of brethren to Vaishali, and he stayed at the grove 
 of the courtesan Ambapali. And he said to the breth- 
 ren : <*Let a brother, O bhikshus, be mindful and 
 thoughtful. Let a brother, whilst in the world, over- 
 come the grief which arises from bodily craving, from 
 the lust of sensations, and from the errors of wrong 
 reasoning. Whatever you do, act always in full pres- 
 ence of mind. Be thoughtful in eating and drinking, 
 in walking or standing, in sleeping or waking, in talk- 
 ing or in being silent.'* ^ 
 
 Now the courtesan Ambapali heard that the Blessed 
 One had arrived and was staying at her mango grove ; 
 and she went in a carriage as far as the ground was 
 passable for carriages, and there she alighted. Thence 
 proceeding on foot to the place where the Blessed One 
 was, she took her seat respectfully on one side. As a 
 prudent woman goes forth to perform her religious 
 duties, so she appeared in a simple dress without any 
 ornaments, yet beautiful to look upon. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One thought to himself : **This 
 woman moves in worldly circles and is a favorite of 
 kings and princes ; yet is her heart composed and 
 quieted. Young in years, rich, surrounded by pleas- 
 ures, she is thoughtful and steadfast. This, indeed, is 
 rare in the world. Women, as a rule, are scant in 
 wisdom and deeply immersed in vanity; but she, al- 
 though living in luxury, has acquired the wisdom of a 
 
202 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 master, taking delight in piety, and able to receive the 
 truth in its completeness. " ' 
 
 When she was seated, the Blessed One instructed, 
 aroused, and gladdened her with religious discourse. * 
 
 As she listened to the law, her face brightened with 
 delight. Then she rose and said to the Blessed One : 
 " May the Blessed One do me the honor of taking his 
 meal, together with the brethren, at my house to-mor- 
 row ? " And the Blessed One gave, by silence, his con- 
 sent. ^ 
 
 Now, the Licchavi, a wealthy family of princely 
 descent, hearing that the Blessed One had arrived at 
 Vaishali and was staying at Ambapali's grove, mounted 
 their magnificent carriages, and proceeded with their 
 retinue to the place where the Blessed One was. And 
 the Licchavi were gorgeously dressed in bright colors 
 and decorated with costly jewels. * 
 
 And Ambapali drove up against the young Licchavi, 
 axle to axle, wheel to wheel, and yoke to yoke, and 
 the Licchavi said to Ambapali, the courtesan : ** How 
 is it, Ambapali, that you drive up against us thus?" ^ 
 
 **My lords," said she, *<I have just invited the 
 Blessed One and his brethren for their to-morrow's 
 meal." « 
 
 And the princes replied : * *Ambapali ! give up this 
 meal to us for a hundred thousand. " ® 
 
 " My Lord, were you to offer all Vaishali with its 
 subject territory, I would not give up so great an 
 honor ! " lo 
 
 Then the Licchavi went on to Ambapali's grove. ^^ 
 
 When the Blessed One saw the Licchavi approach- 
 ing in the distance, he addressed the brethren, and 
 said : *' O brethren, let those of the brethren who have 
 never seen the gods gaze upon this company of the 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 203 
 
 Licchavi, for they are dressed gorgeously, like immor- 
 tals." ^ 
 
 And when they had driven as far as the ground was 
 passable for carriages, the Licchavi alighted and went 
 on foot to the place where the Blessed One was, taking 
 their seats respectfully by his side. And when they 
 were thus seated, the Blessed One instructed, roused, 
 and gladdened them with religious discourse. ^ 
 
 Then they addressed the Blessed One and said : 
 " May the Blessed One do us the honor of taking his 
 meal, together with the brethren, at our palace to-mor- 
 row?" " 
 
 <*0 Licchavi," said the Blessed One, **I have 
 promised to dine to-morrow with Ambapali, the cour- 
 tesan." ^ 
 
 Then the Licchavi, expressing their approval of 
 the words of the Blessed One, arose from their seats 
 and bowed down before the Blessed One, and, keeping 
 him on their right hand as they passed him, they de- 
 parted thence ; but when they came home, they cast 
 up their hands, saying: **A worldly woman has out- 
 done us; we have been left behind by a frivolous 
 girl ! " M 
 
 And at the end of the night Ambapali, the courte- 
 san, made ready in her mansion sweet rice and cakes, 
 and announced through a messenger the time to the 
 Blessed One, saying, ** The hour. Lord, has come, and 
 the meal is ready ! " " 
 
 And the Blessed One robed himself early in the 
 morning, took his bowl, and went with the brethren 
 to the place where Ambapali's dwelling-house was : 
 and when they had come there they seated themselves 
 on the seats prepared for them. And Ambapali, the 
 courtesan, set the sweet rice and cakes before the or- 
 
304 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 der, with the Buddha at their head, and waited upon 
 them till they refused to take more. is 
 
 And when the Blessed One had finished his meal, 
 the courtezan had a low stool brought, and sat down 
 at his side, and addressed the Blessed One, and said : 
 * * Lord, I present this mansion to the order of bhikshus, 
 of which Buddha is the chief." And the Blessed One 
 accepted the gift ; and after instructing, rousing, and 
 gladdening her with religious edification, he rose from 
 his seat and departed thence. ^ 
 
 XCIII. BUDDHA'S FAREWELL ADDRESS. 
 
 When the Blessed One had remained as long as 
 he wished at Ambapali's grove, he went to Beluva, 
 near Vaishali. There the Blessed One addressed the 
 brethren, and said : *'0 mendicants, do you take up 
 your abode for the rainy season round about Vaishali, 
 each one according to the place where his friends and 
 near companions may live. I shall enter upon the 
 rainy season here at Beluva.'* ^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had thus entered upon the 
 rainy season there fell upon him a dire sickness, and 
 sharp pains came upon him even unto death. But the 
 Blessed One, mindful and self-possessed, bore them 
 without complaint. ^ 
 
 Then this thought occurred to the Blessed One, 
 *' It would not be right for me to pass away from life 
 without addressing the disciples, without taking leave 
 of the order. Let me now, by a strong effort of the 
 will, bend this sickness down again, and keep my hold 
 on life till the allotted time have come." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One, by a strong effort of the will, 
 bent the sickness down, and kept his hold on life till 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 205 
 
 the time he fixed upon should come. And the sickness 
 abated. * 
 
 Thus the Blessed One began to recover ; and when 
 he had quite got rid of the sickness, he went out from 
 the monastery, and sat down on a seat spread out in the 
 open air. And the venerable Ananda, accompanied by 
 many other disciples, approached where the Blessed 
 One was, saluted him, and taking a seat respectfully 
 on one side, said : *' I have beheld, Lord, how the Bles- 
 sed One was in health, and I have beheld how the 
 Blessed One had to suffer. And though at the sight of 
 the sickness of the Blessed One my body became weak 
 as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me, and 
 my faculties were no longer clear, yet notwithstanding 
 I took some little comfort from the thought that the 
 Blessed One would not pass away from existence until 
 at least he had left instructions as touching the or- 
 der." ^ ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed Ananda for the sake 
 of the order and said : • 
 
 **What, then, Ananda, does the order expect of 
 me? I have preached the truth without making any 
 distinction between exoteric and esoteric doctrine ; for 
 in respect of the truth, Ananda, the Tathagata has no 
 such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps 
 some things back. ^ 
 
 ** Surely, Ananda, should there be any one who har- 
 bours the thought, ' It is I who will lead the brother- 
 hood,' or, ' The order is dependent upon me,* he should 
 lay down instructions in any matter concerning the 
 order. Now the Tathagata , Ananda, thinks not that 
 it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the 
 order is dependent upon him. * 
 
t06 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 "Why, then, should the Tathagata leave instruc- 
 tions in any matter concerning the order? ^ 
 
 " I am now grown old, O Ananda, and full of years, 
 my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached the 
 sum of my days, I am turning eighty years of age. ^^ 
 
 " Just as a worn-out cart can only with much diffi- 
 culty be made to move along, so the body of the Ta- 
 thagata can only be kept going with much additional 
 care. ^^ 
 
 **It is only, Ananda, when the Tathagata, ceasing 
 to attend to any outward thing, becomes plunged in 
 that devout meditation of heart which is concerned 
 with no bodily object, it is only then that the body of 
 the Tathagata is at ease. " 
 
 "Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto your- 
 selves. Rely on yourselves, and do not rely on external 
 help. 13 
 
 " Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Seek salvation 
 alone in the truth. Look not for assistance to any one 
 besides yourselves. i* 
 
 "And how, Ananda, can a brother be a lamp unto 
 himself, rely on himself only and not on any external 
 help, holding fast to the truth as his lamp and seeking 
 salvation in the truth alone, looking not for assistance 
 to any one besides himself? " 
 
 " Herein, O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in 
 the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, 
 thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, 
 overcome the grief which arises from the body's crav- 
 ings. 1* 
 
 "While subject to sensations let him continue so 
 tai regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, 
 thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, 
 overcome the grief which arises from the sensations. " 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 207 
 
 "And SO, also, when he thinks or reasons, or feels, 
 let him so regard his thoughts that being strenuous, 
 thoughtful, and mindful he may, whilst in the world, 
 overcome the grief which arises from the craving due 
 to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling. " 
 
 ** Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall 
 be a lamp unto themselves, relying upon themselves 
 only and not relying upon any external help, but holding 
 fast to the truth as their lamp, and seeking their salva- 
 tion in the truth alone, shall not look for assistance to 
 any one besides themselves, it is they, Ananda, among 
 my bhikshus, who shall reach the very topmost height ! 
 But they must be anxious to learn." ^ 
 
 XCIV. BUDDHA ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH. 
 
 Said the Tathagata to Ananda: *' In former years, 
 Ananda, Mara, the Evil One, approached the holy 
 Buddha three times to tempt him." * 
 
 When Bodhisattva left the palace, Mara stood in 
 the gate and stopped him : *< Depart not, O my Lord," 
 exclaimed Mara, **in seven days from now the wheel 
 of empire will appear, and will make you sovereign 
 over the four continents and the two thousand adjacent 
 islands. Therefore, stay, my Lord." * 
 
 Bodhisattva replied; **Well do I know that the 
 wheel of empire will appear to me ; but it is not sov- 
 ereignty that I desire. I will become a Buddha and 
 make all the world shout for joy. * 
 
 "Again, Ananda, the Evil One approached the Ta- 
 thagata when, after a practice of severe self-mortifica- 
 tion, having bathed his body, he left the Nairanjana 
 river. Mara said; <Thou art emaciated from fasts, 
 
208 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 and death is near. What good is thy exertion ? Deign 
 to live, and thou wilt be able to do good works. ' * 
 
 **Then the Blessed One made reply: ' O thou friend 
 of the indolent, thou wicked one ; for what purpose 
 hast thou come? ^ 
 
 **Let the flesh waste away, if but the mind becomes 
 more tranquil and attention more steadfast. * 
 
 **What is life in this world? Death in battle is 
 better to me than that I should live defeated.' ' 
 
 "And Mara left the Tathagata, saying : * For seven 
 years I followed the Blessed One step by step, but I 
 found no fault in the Enlightened One.' ^ 
 
 **A third time, Ananda, the tempter approached 
 the Blessed One when he was resting under the shep- 
 herd's Nyagrodha tree on the bank of the river Nairan- 
 jana, immediately after having reached the great en- 
 lightenment. Then Mara, the Evil One, came to the 
 place where the Blessed One was, and, standing be- 
 side him, he addressed him in the words : ' Pass away 
 now. Lord, from existence ! Let the Blessed One now 
 die ! Now is the time for the Blessed One to pass 
 away!' ^ 
 
 **And when Mara had thus spoken, the Blessed 
 One said : ' I shall not die, O Evil One, until not only 
 the brethren and sisters of the order, but also the lay- 
 disciples of both sexes, shall have become true hearers, 
 wise and well trained, ready and learned, versed in the 
 Scriptures, fulfilling all the greater and lesser duties, 
 correct in life, walking according to the precepts — 
 until they, having thus themselves learned the doctrine, 
 shall be able to give information to others concerning 
 it, preach it, make it known, establish it, open it, 
 minutely explain it, and make it clear — until they, when 
 others start vain doctrines, shall be able to vanquish 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 209 
 
 and refute them, and so to spread the wonder-working 
 truth abroad ! I shall not die until the pure religion of 
 truth shall have become successful, prosperous, wide- 
 spread, and popular in all its full extent — until, in 
 a word, it shall have been well proclaimed among 
 men!' ^^ 
 
 '* Thus three times did Mara approach me in former 
 years. And now, Ananda, Mara, the Evil One, came 
 again to-day to the place where I was, and, standing 
 beside me, addressed me in the same words : * Pass 
 away. Lord, from existence. ' And when he had thus 
 spoken, Ananda, I answered him and said: *Make 
 thyself happy ; the final extinction of the Tathagata 
 shall take place before long. ' " " 
 
 And the venerable Ananda addressed the Blessed 
 One and said : *' Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain with us, 
 O Blessed One ! for the good and the happiness of the 
 great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the 
 good and the gain of mankind ! " ^ 
 
 Said the Blessed One : ** Enough now, Ananda, be- 
 seech not the Tathagata ! " " 
 
 And again, a second time, the venerable Ananda 
 besought the Blessed One in the same words. And he 
 received from the Blessed One the same reply. ^* 
 
 And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda 
 besought the Blessed One to live longer; and the 
 Blessed One said : *' Hast thou faith, Ananda ? " " 
 
 Said Ananda : ** I have, my Lord ! " ^'^ 
 
 And the Blessed One, seeing the quivering eyelids 
 of Ananda, read the deep grief in the heart of his be- 
 loved disciple, and he asked again: *< Hast thou, in- 
 deed, faith, Ananda?" " 
 
 And Ananda said : ** I have faith, my Lord." " 
 
 Then the Blessed One continued: *' If thou hast 
 
2IO THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 faith, Ananda, in the wisdom of the Tathagata, why, 
 then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the Tathagata even 
 until the third time? Have I not formerly declared to 
 you that it is in the very nature of all things, near and 
 dear unto us, that we must separate from them, and 
 leave them? How then, Ananda, can it be possible 
 for me to remain, since everything that is born, or 
 brought into being, and organised, contains within it- 
 self the inherent necessity of dissolution ? How, then, 
 can it be possible that this body of mine should not be 
 dissolved? No such condition can exist ! And this 
 mortal existence, O Ananda, has been relinquished, 
 cast away, renounced, rejected, and abandoned by the 
 Tathagata." ^^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said to Ananda : ** Go now, 
 Ananda, and assemble in the Service Hall such of the 
 brethren as reside in the neighborhood of Vaishalt. " ^o 
 
 Then the Blessed One proceeded to the Service 
 Hall, and sat down there on the mat spread out for 
 him. And when he was seated, the Blessed One ad- 
 dressed the brethren, and said : ^ 
 
 *' O brethren, ye to whom the truth has been made 
 known, having thoroughly made yourselves masters of 
 it, practise it, meditate upon it, and spread it abroad, 
 in order that pure religion may last long and be per- 
 petuated, in order that it may continue for the good 
 and happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for 
 the world, and to the good and gain of all living be- 
 ings! ^ 
 
 ** Star-gazing and astrology, forecasting lucky or 
 unfortunate events by signs, prognosticating good or 
 evil, all these are things forbidden. ^s 
 
 ** He who lets his heart go loose without restraint 
 shall not attain Nirvana ; therefore, must we hold the 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 211 
 
 heart in check, and retire from worldly excitements 
 and seek tranquillity of mind. ^ 
 
 '* Eat your food to satisfy your hunger, and drink 
 to satisfy your thirst. Satisfy the necessities of life 
 like the butterfly that sips the flower, without destroy- 
 ing its fragrance or its texture. ^ 
 
 " It is through not understanding and grasping the 
 four truths, O brethren, that we have gone astray so 
 long, and wandered in this weary path of transmigra- 
 tions, both you and I, until we have found the truth. ^ 
 
 ** Practise the earnest meditations I have taught 
 you. Continue in the great struggle against sin. Walk 
 steadily in the roads of saintship. Be strong in moral 
 powers. Let the organs of your spiritual sense be 
 quick. When the seven kinds of wisdom enlighten 
 your mind, you will find the noble, eightfold path that 
 leads to Nirvana. ^ 
 
 ** Behold, O brethren, the final extinction of the 
 Tathagata will take place before long. I now exhort 
 you, saying : *AI1 component things must grow old and 
 be dissolved again. Seek ye for that which is perma- 
 nent, and work out your salvation with diligence.' " ^ 
 
 XCV. CHUNDA, THE SMITH. 
 
 And the Blessed One went to Pava. * 
 
 When Chunda, the worker in metals, heard that 
 the Blessed One had come to Pava and was staying in 
 his mango grove, he came to Buddha and respectfully 
 invited him and the brethren to take their meal at his 
 house. And Chunda prepared rice-cakes and a quan- 
 tity of dried boar's wort. * 
 When the Blessed One had eaten the food pre- 
 pared by Chunda, the worker in metals, there fell upon 
 
212 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 him a dire sickness, and sharp pain came upon him 
 even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and 
 self-possessed, bore it without complaint. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed the venerable 
 Ananda, and said: *'Come, Ananda, let us go on to 
 Kushinagara." * 
 
 On his way the Blessed One grew tired, and he 
 went aside from the road to rest at the foot of a tree, 
 and said: "Fold, I pray you, Ananda, the robe, and 
 spread it out for me. I am weary, Ananda, and must 
 rest awhile ! " ^ 
 
 **Be it so, Lord!'* said the venerable Ananda; 
 and he spread out the robe folded fourfold. * 
 
 The Blessed One seated himself, and when he was 
 seated he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : 
 ** Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am 
 thirsty, Ananda, and would drink." ' 
 
 When he had thus spoken, the venerable Ananda 
 said to the Blessed One : ^ ' But just now. Lord, five 
 hundred carts have gone over and have stirred the 
 water ; but a river, O Lord, is not far off. Its water 
 is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, and it is 
 easy to get down to it. There the Blessed One may 
 both drink water and cool his limbs. " * 
 
 A second time the Blessed One addressed the ven- 
 erable Ananda, saying : '* Fetch me, I pray you, 
 Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would 
 drink." 9 
 
 And a second time the venerable Ananda said : 
 **Let us go to the river." ^® 
 
 Then the third time the Blessed One addressed the 
 venerable Ananda, and said : *' Fetch me, I pray you, 
 Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would 
 drink." ^ 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 21 3 
 
 **Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable Ananda in 
 assent to the Blessed One ; and, taking a bowl, he 
 went down to the streamlet. And lo! the streamlet, 
 which, stirred up by wheels, had become muddy, when 
 the venerable Ananda came up to it, flowed clear and 
 bright and free from all turbidity. And he thought : 
 *'How wonderful, how marvellous is the great might 
 and power of the Tathagata ! " ^ 
 
 Ananda brought the water in the bowl to the Lord, 
 saying : *'Let the Blessed One take the bowl. Let the 
 Happy One drink the water. Let the Teacher of men 
 and gods quench his thirst." ^ 
 
 Then the Blessed One drank of the water. " 
 
 Now, at that time a man of low caste, named Puk- 
 kasha, a young Malla, a disciple of Arada Kalama, 
 was passing along the high road from Kushinagara to 
 Pava. « 
 
 And Pukkasha, the young Malla, saw the Blessed 
 One seated at the foot of a tree. On seeing him, he 
 went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and 
 when he had come there, he saluted the Blessed One 
 and took his seat respectfully on one side. Then the 
 Blessed One instructed, edified, and gladdened Puk- 
 kasha, the young Malla, with religious discourse. ^ 
 
 Aroused and gladdened by the words of the Blessed 
 One, Pukkasha, the young Malla, addressed a certain 
 man who happened to pass by, and said : ** Fetch me, 
 I pray you, my good man, two robes of cloth of gold, 
 burnished and ready for wear." " 
 
 "Be it so, sir!" said that man in assent to Puk- 
 kasha, the young Malla ; and he brought two robes of 
 cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear. ^ 
 
 And the Malla, Pukkasha, presented the two robes 
 of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear, to the 
 
214 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Blessed One, saying : ** Lord, these two robes of bur- 
 nished cloth of gold are ready for wear. May the 
 Blessed One show me favor and accept them at my 
 hands ! " ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : ** Pukkasha, robe me in one, 
 and Ananda in the other. " ^ 
 
 And the Tathagata's body appeared shining like a 
 flame, and he was beautiful above all expression. ^i 
 
 And the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: 
 ** How wonderful a thing is it. Lord, and how marvel- 
 lous, that the color of the skin of the Blessed One 
 should be so clear, so exceedingly bright ! When I 
 placed this robe of burnished cloth of gold on the body 
 of the Blessed One, lo! it seemed as if it had lost its 
 splendor!" ^ 
 
 The Blessed One said : " There are two occasions 
 on which a Tathagata's appearance becomes clear and 
 exceeding bright. In the night, Ananda, in which a 
 Tathagata attains to the supreme and perfect insight, 
 and in the night in which he passes finally away in 
 that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever 
 of his earthly existence to remain." '^ 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed the venerable 
 Ananda, and said: **Now it may happen, Ananda, 
 that some one should stir up remorse in Chunda, the 
 smith, by saying : * It is evil to thee, Chunda, and loss 
 to thee, that the Tathagata died, having eaten his last 
 meal from thy provision. ' Any such remorse, Ananda, 
 in Chunda, the smith, should be checked by saying : 
 * It is good to thee, Chunda, and gain to thee, that the 
 Tathagata died, having eaten his last meal from thy 
 provision. From the very mouth of the Blessed One, 
 O Chunda, have I heard, from his own mouth have I 
 received this saying, *' These two offerings of food are 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 21 5 
 
 of equal fruit and of much greater profit than any 
 other : the offerings of food which a Tathagata accepts 
 when he has attained perfect enlightenment and when 
 he passes away by the utter passing away in which 
 nothing whatever of his earthly existence remains be- 
 hind — these two offerings of food are of equal fruit 
 and of equal profit, and of much greater fruit and much 
 greater profit than any other. There has been laid up 
 by Chunda, the smith, a karma redounding to length 
 of life, redounding to good birth, redounding to good 
 fortune, redounding to good fame, redounding to the 
 inheritance of heaven and of great power.'" In this 
 way, Ananda, should be checked any remorse in 
 Chunda, the smith." ** 
 
 Then the Blessed One, perceiving that death was 
 near, uttered these words : *' He who gives away shall 
 have real gain. He who subdues himself shall be free 
 of passions. The righteous man casts off sin ; and by 
 rooting out lust, bitterness, and illusion, do we reach 
 Nirvana.'" » 
 
 XCVI. MAITREYA. 
 
 The Blessed One proceeded with a great company 
 of the brethren to the shala grove of the M alias, the 
 Upavartana of Kushinagara on the further side of the 
 river Hiranyavati, and when he had arrived he ad- 
 dressed the venerable Ananda, and said : ** Make ready 
 for me, I pray you, Ananda, the couch with its head to 
 the north, between the twin shala trees. I am weary, 
 Ananda, and wish to lie down.'* ^ 
 
 ** Be it so. Lord ! '* said the venerable Ananda, and 
 he spread a couch with its head to the north, between 
 the twin shala trees. And the Blessed One laid him- 
 self down, and he was mindful and self-possessed. ^ 
 
21 6 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Now, at that time the twin shala trees were full of 
 bloom with flowers out of season ; and heavenly songs 
 came wafted from the skies, out of reverence for the 
 successor of the Buddhas of old. And Ananda was 
 filled with wonder that the Blessed One was thus hon- 
 ored. But the Blessed One said: *'Not by such 
 events, Ananda, is the Tathagata rightly honored, held 
 sacred, or revered. But the brother or the sister, the 
 devout man or the devout woman, who continually 
 fulfils all the greater and the lesser duties, walking ac- 
 cording to the precepts, it is they who rightly honor, 
 hold sacred, and revere the Tathagata with the worth- 
 iest homage. Therefore, O Ananda, be ye constant in 
 the fulfilment of the greater and of the lesser duties, 
 and walk according to the precepts; thus, Ananda, 
 will ye honor the Master." ^ 
 
 Then the venerable Ananda went into the vihara, 
 and stood leaning against the lintel of the door, 
 weeping at the thought : <* Alas ! I remain still but a 
 learner, one who has yet to work out his own perfec- 
 tion. And the Master is about to pass away from me — 
 he who is so kind ! " * 
 
 Now, the Blessed One called the brethren, and 
 said : ''Where, O brethren, is Ananda?" * 
 
 And one of the brethren went and called Ananda. 
 And Ananda came and said to the Blessed One : 
 ''Deep darkness reigned for want of wisdom; the 
 world of sentient creatures was groping for want of 
 light ; then the Tathagata lit up the lamp of wisdom, 
 and now it will be extinguished again, ere he has 
 brought it out." ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda, 
 as he sat there by his side : ' 
 
 "Enough, Ananda! Do not let yourself be troubled; 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 2I7 
 
 do not weep ! Have I not already, on former occasions, 
 told you that it is in the very nature of all tnings most 
 near and dear unto us that we must separate from them 
 and leave them ? ^ 
 
 ** The foolish man conceives the idea of 'self,' the 
 wise man sees there is no ground on which to build 
 the idea of 'self,* thus he has a right conception of 
 the world and well concludes that all compounds 
 amassed by sorrow will be dissolved again, but the 
 truth will remain. ^ 
 
 **Why should I preserve this body of flesh, when 
 the body of the excellent law will endure? I am re- 
 solved ; having accomplished my purpose and attended 
 to the work set me, I look for rest ! This is the one 
 thing needed. ^ 
 
 **For a long time, Ananda, have you been very 
 near to me by thoughts and acts of such love as never 
 varies and is beyond all measure. You have done 
 well, Ananda ! Be earnest in effort and you too shall 
 soon be free from the great evils, from sensuality, from 
 selfishness, from delusion, and from ignorance ! " ^^ 
 
 And Ananda, suppressing his tears, said to the 
 Blessed One: **Who shall teach us when thou art 
 gone?" 12 
 
 And the Blessed One replied : **I am not the first 
 Buddha who came upon earth, nor shall I be the last. 
 I came to teach you the truth, and I have founded on 
 earth the kingdom of truth. Gautama Siddhartha will 
 die, but Buddha will live, for Buddha is the truth, and 
 the truth cannot die. He who believes in the truth 
 and lives it, is my disciple, and I shall teach him. ^ 
 
 The religion which I have preached to you will 
 flourish so long as my disciples cling to the truth and 
 lead a life of purity. But when clouds of error darken 
 
2l8 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 the light, the religion of the Tathagata will last only 
 for about five hundred years. Then in due time an- 
 other Buddha will arise, and he will reveal to you the 
 selfsame eternal truth which I have taught you." " 
 Ananda said : " How shall we know him? " " 
 
 The Blessed One said : *' He will be known as Mai- 
 treya, which means 'he whose name is kindness.' " i® 
 
 XCVII. BUDDHA'S FINAL ENTERING INTO NIRVANA. 
 
 Then the Mallas, with their young men and maid- 
 ens and their wives, being grieved, and sad, and 
 afflicted at heart, went to the Upavartana, the shala 
 grove of the Mallas, and wanted to see the Blessed 
 One, in order to partake of the bliss that devolves 
 upon those who are in the presence of the Holy One. ^ 
 
 And the Blessed One addressed them and said : ^ 
 
 "Seeking the way, you must exert yourselves and 
 strive with diligence. It is not enough to have seen 
 me ! Walk as I have commanded you ; free yourselves 
 from the tangled net of sorrow. Walk in the path with 
 steadfast aim. • 
 
 *'A sick man may be cured by the healing power 
 of medicine and will be rid of all his ailments without 
 beholding the physician. * 
 
 " He who does not do what I command sees me in 
 vain. This brings no profit. Whilst he who lives far 
 off from where I am and yet walks righteously is ever 
 near me. * 
 
 **A man may dwell beside me, and yet, being dis- 
 obedient, be far away from me. Yet he who obeys 
 the dharma will always enjoy the bliss of the Tatha- 
 gata's presence." • 
 
 Then the mendicant Subhadra went to the shala 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 2ig 
 
 grove of the M alias and said to the venerable Ananda : 
 **I have heard from fellow mendicants of mine, who 
 were deep stricken in years and teachers of great ex- 
 perience : * Sometimes and full seldom do Tathagatas 
 appear in the world, the holy Buddhas.' Now it is 
 said that to-day in the last watch of the night, the final 
 passing away of the shramana Gautama will take place. 
 My mind is full of uncertainty, yet have I faith in the 
 shramana Gautama and trust he will be able so to pre- 
 sent the truth that I may get rid of my doubts. O that 
 I might be allowed to see the shramana Gautama ! " ^ 
 
 When he had thus spoken the venerable Ananda 
 said to the mendicant Subhadra ; ** Enough ! friend 
 Subhadra. Trouble not the Tathagata. The Blessed 
 One is weary." ^ 
 
 Now the Blessed One overheard this conversation 
 of the venerable Ananda with the mendicant Subha- 
 dra. And the Blessed One called the venerable Ananda, 
 and said : **Ananda ! Do not keep out Subhadra. Su- 
 bhadra may be allowed to see the Tathagata. What- 
 ever Subhadra will ask of me, he will ask from a desire 
 of knowledge, and not to annoy me, and whatever I 
 may say in answer to his questions, that he will quickly 
 understand." ^ 
 
 Then the venerable Ananda said to Subhadra the 
 mendicant : ** Step in, friend Subhadra; for the Bles- 
 sed One gives you leave. " ^^ 
 
 When the Blessed One had instructed Subhadra, 
 and aroused and gladdened him with words of wisdom 
 and comfort, Subhadra said to the Blessed One : ^^ 
 
 *' Glorious Lord, glorious Lord ! Most excellent 
 are the words of thy mouth, most excellent ! They set 
 up that which has been overturned, they reveal that 
 which has been hidden. They point out the right road 
 
220 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 to the wanderer who has gone astray. They bring a 
 lamp into the darkness so that those who have eyes to 
 see can see. Thus, Lord, the truth has been made 
 known to me by the Blessed One and I take my refuge 
 in the Blessed One, in the Truth, and in the Order. 
 May the Blessed One accept me as a disciple and true 
 believer, from this day forth as long as life endures."^ 
 
 And Subhadra, the mendicant, said to the vener- 
 able Ananda : ** Great is your gain, friend Ananda, 
 great is your good fortune, that for so many years you 
 have been sprinkled with the sprinkling of discipleship 
 in this brotherhood at the hands of the Master him- 
 self ! " » 
 
 Now the Blessed One addressed the venerable 
 Ananda, and said : ** It may be, Ananda, that in some 
 of you the thought may arise, * The word of the Master 
 is ended, we have no teacher more ! * But it is not 
 thus, Ananda, that you should regard it. It is true 
 that no more shall I receive a body, for all future sor- 
 row is now forever passed away. But while Gautama 
 Siddhartha is gone, Buddha remains. The truth and 
 the rules of the order which I have set forth and 
 laid down for you all, let them, after I am gone, be a 
 teacher unto you. When I am gone, Ananda, let the 
 order, if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and 
 minor precepts. " " 
 
 Then the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and 
 said : ** There may be some doubt or misgiving in the 
 mind of a brother as to the Buddha, or the truth, or 
 the path. Do not have to reproach yourselves after- 
 wards with the thought, * We did not inquire of the 
 Blessed One when we were face to face with him.' 
 Therefore inquire now, O brethren, inquire freely.'* ^ 
 
 And the brethren rejnained sileut. ^ 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 221 
 
 Then the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed 
 One : < ' Verily, I believe that in this whole assembly 
 of the brethren there is not one brother who has any 
 doubt or misgiving as to the Buddha, or the truth, or 
 the path ! " " 
 
 Said the Blessed One : " It is out of the fullness of 
 faith that thou hast spoken, Ananda ! But, Ananda, 
 the Tathagata knows for certain that in this whole as- 
 sembly of the brethren there is not one brother who 
 has any doubt or misgiving as to the Buddha, or the 
 truth, or the path ! For even the most backward, 
 Ananda, of all these brethren has become converted, 
 and is assured of final salvation." ^^ 
 
 Then the Blessed One addressed the brethren and 
 said : *' If ye now know the dharma, the cause of all 
 suffering, and the path of salvation, O disciples, will 
 ye then say: * We respect the Master, and out of rev- 
 erence for the Master do we thus speak ! ' '* ^ 
 
 The brethren replied: <*That we shall not, O 
 Lord." ^ 
 
 And the Holy One continued : ^ 
 
 * * Of those beings who live in ignorance, shut up and 
 confined, as it were, in an egg, I have first broken the 
 egg-shell of ignorance and alone in the universe ob- 
 tained the most exalted, universal Buddhahood. Thus, 
 O disciples, I am the eldest, the noblest of beings. ^ 
 
 **But what ye speak, O disciples, is it not even 
 that which ye have yourselves known, yourselves seen, 
 yourselves realised ? " 23 
 
 Ananda and the brethren said : *'It is, O Lord." ^ 
 
 Once more the Blessed One began to speak : ** Be- 
 hold now, brethren," said he, **I exhort you, saying, 
 * Decay is inherent in all component things, but the 
 truth will remain forever ! ' Work out your salvation 
 
222 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 with diligence ! " This was the last word of the Ta« 
 th^gata. Then the Tathagata fell into a deep medita- 
 tion, and having passed through the four dhyanas, 
 entered Nirvana. ^6 
 
 When the Blessed One entered Nirvana there 
 arose, at his passing out of existence, a mighty earth- 
 quake, terrible and awe-inspiring : and the thunders 
 of heaven burst forth, and of those of the brethren 
 who were not yet free from passions some stretched 
 out their arms and wept, and some fell headlong on 
 the ground, in anguish at the thought : ** Too soon has 
 the Blessed One died ! Too soon has the Happy One 
 passed away from existence ! Too soon has the Light 
 of the world gone out ! '* ^e 
 
 Then the veneraEle Anuruddha exhorted the breth- 
 ren and said: *' Enough, my brethren! Weep not, 
 neither lament ! Has not the Blessed One formerly de- 
 clared this to us, that it is in the very nature of all things 
 near and dear unto us, that we must separate from 
 them and leave them, since everything that is bom, 
 brought into being, and organised, contains within 
 itself the inherent necessity of dissolution ? How then 
 can it be possible that the body of the Tathagata 
 should not be dissolved? No such condition can exist ! 
 Those who are free from passion will bear the loss^ 
 calm and self-possessed, mindful of the truth he has 
 taught us." 27 
 
 And the venerable Anuruddha and the venerable 
 Ananda spent the rest of the night in religious dis- 
 course. ^ 
 
 Then the venerable Anuruddha said to the vener- 
 able Ananda : ** Go now, brother Ananda, and inform 
 the Mallas of Kushinagara saying, * The Blessed One 
 
THE LAST DAYS. 223 
 
 has passed away : do, then, whatsoever seemeth to you 
 fit ! ' " 29 
 
 And when the Mallas had heard this sa5ang they 
 were grieved, and sad, and afflicted at heart. ^ 
 
 Then the Mallas of Kushinagara gave orders to their 
 attendants, saying, ** Gather together perfumes and 
 garlands, and all the music in Kushinagara ! " And the 
 Mallas of Kushinagara took the perfumes and gar- 
 lands, and all the musical instruments, and five hun- 
 dred garments, and went to the shala grove where the 
 body of the Blessed One lay. There they passed the 
 day in paying honor and reverence to the remains of 
 the Blessed One, with dancing, and hymns, and music, 
 and with garlands and perfumes, and in making can- 
 opies of their garments, and preparing decorative 
 wreaths to hang thereon. And they burned the re- 
 mains of the Blessed One as they would do to the body 
 of a king of kings. ^^ 
 
 When the funeral pyre was lit, the sun and moon 
 withdrew their shining, the peaceful streams on every 
 side were torrent-swollen, the earth quaked, and the 
 sturdy forests shook like aspen leaves, whilst flowers 
 and leaves untimely fell to the ground, like scattered 
 rain, so that all Kushinagara became strewn knee-deep 
 with mandara flowers raining down from heaven. ^ 
 
 When the burning ceremonies were over, Deva- 
 putra said to the multitudes that were assembled round 
 the pyre : ^ 
 
 ** Behold, O brethren, the earthly remains of the 
 Blessed One have been dissolved, but the truth which 
 he has taught us lives in our minds and cleanses us 
 from all sin. '* 
 
 '* Let us, then, go out into the world, as compassion- 
 ate and merciful as our great master, and preach to all 
 
224 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 living beings the four noble truths and the eightfold 
 path of righteousness, so that.all mankind may attain 
 to a final salvation, taking refuge in the Buddha, the 
 Dharma, and the Sangha.'* ^^ 
 
 And when the Blessed One had entered into Nir- 
 vana, and the Mallas had burned the body with such 
 ceremonies as would indicate that he was the great 
 king of kings, ambassadors came from all the empires 
 that at the time had embraced his doctrine, to claim a 
 share of the relics ; and the relics were divided into 
 eight parts and eight dagobas were erected for their 
 preservation. One dagoba was erected by the Mallas 
 and seven others by the seven kings of those countries, 
 the people of which had taken refuge in Buddha. ^ 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 XCVIII. THE THREE PERSONALITIES OF BUDDHA. 
 
 WHEN the Blessed One had passed away into Nir- 
 vana, the disciples came together and consulted 
 what to do in order to keep the dharma pure and uncor- 
 rupted by heresies. * 
 
 And Upali rose, saying : • 
 
 "Our great Master used to say to the brethren : 'O 
 bhikshus ! after my Nirvana you must reverence and 
 obey the law. Regard the law as your master. The 
 law is like unto a light that shines in the darkness, 
 pointing out the way; it is also like unto a precious 
 jewel to gain which you must shun no trouble, and be 
 ready to bring any sacrifice, even, should it be needed, 
 your own lives. Obey the dharma which I have re- 
 vealed to you ; follow it carefully and regard it in no 
 way different from myself. ' ^ 
 
 ** Such were the words of the Blessed One. * 
 
 **The law, accordingly, which Buddha has left us 
 as a precious inheritance has now become the visible 
 body of the Tathagata. Let us, therefore, revere it 
 and keep it sacred. For what is the use of erecting 
 dagobas for relics, if we neglect the spirit of the Mas- 
 ter's teachings." • 
 And Anuruddha arose and said : * 
 
S26 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 *'Let US bear in mind, O brethren, that Gautama 
 Siddhartha was the visible appearance of the truth it- 
 self. He was the Holy One and the Perfect One and 
 the Blessed One, because the eternal truth had taken 
 abode in his body. The great Shakyamuni is the bodily 
 incarnation of the truth, and he has revealed the truth 
 to us. 7 
 
 **The Tathagata taught us that the truth existed 
 before he was born into this world, and will exist after 
 he has entered into the bliss of Nirvana. ^ 
 
 '*The Tathagata said: » 
 
 ** *The Blessed One is the truth ; and as such he 
 is omnipresent and eternal, endowed with excellencies 
 innumerable, above all human nature, and ineffable in 
 his holiness. * ^^ 
 
 **Now, let us bear in mind that not this or that law 
 which he has given us in the dharma is Buddha, but 
 the truth, the truth which is eternal, omnipresent, im- 
 mutable, and most excellent. ^ 
 
 '* Many laws of the dharma are temporary and were 
 prescribed because they suited the occasion and were 
 needed for some transient emergency. The truth, how- 
 ever, is not temporary. ^^ 
 
 **The truth is not arbitrary or a matter of opinion, 
 •"ut can be investigated, and he who earnestly, searches 
 for the truth will find it. ^^ 
 
 **The truth is hidden to the blind, but he who has 
 the mental eye sees the truth. The truth is Buddha's 
 essence, and the truth will remain the ultimate stan- 
 dard by which we can discern false and true doc- 
 trines. ^* 
 
 ** Let us, then, revere the truth ; let us inquire into 
 the truth and state it, and let us obey the truth. For 
 
CONCLUSION. 227 
 
 the truth is Buddha our Master, our Teacher, our 
 Lord." ^ 
 
 And Kashyapa rose and said : i« 
 
 " Truly you have spoken well, O brethren. Neither 
 is there any conflict of opinion on the meaning of our 
 religion. For the Blessed One possesses three per- 
 sonalities, and every one of them is of equal impor- 
 tance to us. " 
 
 ** There is the Dharma Kaya. There is the Nir- 
 mana Kaya. There is the Sambhoga Kaya. ^^ 
 
 '* Buddha is the all-excellent truth, eternal, omni- 
 present, and immutable. This is the Sambhoga Kaya 
 which is in a state of perfect bliss. ^^ 
 
 *' Buddha is the all-loving teacher assuming the 
 shape of the beings whom he teaches.. This is the 
 Nirmana Kaya, his apparitional body. 20 
 
 ** Buddha is the all-blessed dispensation of reli- 
 gion. He is the spirit of the Sangha and the meaning 
 of the commands which he has left us in his sacred 
 word, the dharma. This is the Dharma Kaya, the 
 body of the most excellent law. 21 
 
 ''If Buddha had not appeared to us as Gautama 
 Shakyamuni, how could we have the sacred traditions 
 of his doctrine? And if the generations to come did not 
 have the sacred traditions preserved in the Sangha, 
 how could they know anything of the great Shakya- 
 muni? And neither we nor others would know anything 
 about the most excellent truth which is eternal, omni- 
 present,, and immutable. 22 
 
 ''Let us then keep sacred and revere the tradi- 
 tions ; let us keep sacred the memory of Gautama 
 Shakyamuni, so that both may serve us to find the 
 truth ; for he whose spiritual eye is open will discover 
 it, and it is the same to every one who possesses the 
 
228 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 comprehension of a Buddha to recognise it and to ex- 
 pound it." 28 
 Then the brethren decided to convene a synod in 
 Rajagriha in order to lay down the pure doctrines of 
 the Blessed One, to collect and collate the sacred 
 writings, and establish a canon which should serve as 
 a source of instruction for future generations. ^ 
 
 XCIX. THE PURPOSE OF BEING. 
 
 Eternal verities dominate the formation of worlds 
 and constitute the cosmic order of natural laws. But 
 when, through the conflicting motion of masses, the 
 universe was illumined with blazing fire, there was no 
 eye to see the light, no ear to listen to reason's teach- 
 ings, no mind to perceive the significance of being ; 
 and in the immeasurable spaces of existence no place 
 was found where the truth could abide in all its glory. ^ 
 
 In the due course of evolution sentiency appeared 
 and sense-perception arose. There was a new realm 
 of soul-life, full of yearning, with powerful passions 
 and of unconquerable energy. And the world split in 
 twain : there were pleasures and pains, self and not- 
 self, friends and foes, hatred and love. The truth 
 vibrated through the world of sentiency, but in all its 
 infinite potentialities no place could be found where 
 the truth could abide in all its glory. ^ 
 
 And reason came forth in the struggle for life. 
 Reason began to guide the instinct of self, and reason 
 took the sceptre of the creation and overcame the 
 strength of the brutes and the power of the elements. 
 Yet reason seemed to add new fuel to the flame of ha- 
 tred, increasing the turmoil of conflicting passions; 
 and brothers slew their brothers for the sake of satis- 
 
CONCLUSION. 229 
 
 fying the lust of a fleeting moment. And the truth 
 repaired to the domains of reason, but in all its recesses 
 no place was found where the truth could abide in all 
 its glory. ^ 
 
 Now reason, as the helpmate of self, implicated all 
 living beings more and more in the meshes of lust, 
 hatred, and envy, and from lust, hatred, and envy the 
 evils of sin originated. Men broke down under the 
 burdens of life, until the saviour appeared, the great 
 Buddha, the Holy Teacher of men and gods. * 
 
 And Buddha taught men the right use of sentiency, 
 and the right application of reason ; and he taught 
 men to see things as they are, without illusions, and 
 they learned to act according to truth. He taught 
 righteousness and thus changed rational creatures into 
 humane beings, just, kind-hearted, and faithful. And 
 now at last a place was found where the truth might 
 abide in all its glory, and this place is the soul of man- 
 kind. « 
 
 Buddha, O Blessed One, O Holy One, O Perfect 
 One, thou hast revealed the truth, and the truth has 
 appeared upon earth and the kingdom of truth has 
 been founded. ^ 
 
 There is no room for truth in space, infinite though 
 it be. ^ 
 
 There is no room for truth in sentiency, neither in 
 its pleasures nor in its pains ; sentiency is the first 
 footstep of truth, but there is no room in it for the 
 truth, though it may beam with the blazing glow of 
 beauty and life. ^ 
 
 Neither is there any room for truth in rationality. 
 Rationality is a two-edged sword and serves the pur- 
 pose of love equally as well as the purpose of hatred. 
 Rationality is the platform on which the truth stand- 
 
230 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 eth. No truth is attainable without reason. Never- 
 theless, in mere rationality there is no room for truth, 
 though it be the instrument that masters the things of 
 the world. ^ 
 
 The throne of truth is righteousness ; and love and 
 justice and good-will are its ornaments. ^^ 
 
 Righteousness is the place in which truth dwells, 
 and here in the souls of mankind aspiring after the 
 realisation of righteousness, there is ample space for a 
 rich and ever richer revelation of the truth. ^^ 
 
 This is the Gospel of the Blessed One. This is the 
 revelation of the Enlightened One. This is the bequest 
 of the Holy One. 12 
 
 Those who accept the truth and have faith in the 
 truth, take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the 
 Sangha. ^^ 
 
 Receive us, O Buddha, as thy disciples from this 
 day hence, so long as our life lasts. ^* 
 
 Comfort, O holy Teacher, compassionate and all- 
 loving, the afflicted and the sorrow-laden, illumine 
 those who go astray, and let us all gain more and 
 more in comprehension and in holiness. ^^ 
 
 The truth is the end and aim of all existence, and 
 the worlds originate so that the truth may come and 
 dwell therein. ^^ 
 
 Those who fail to aspire for the truth have missed 
 the purpose of life. " 
 
 Blessed is he who rests in the truth, for all things 
 will pass away, but the truth abideth forever. ^ 
 
 The world is built for the truth, but false combina- 
 tions of thought misrepresent the true state of things 
 and bring forth errors. ^ 
 
 Errors can be fashioned as it pleases those who 
 cherish them ; therefore they are pleasant to look 
 
CONCLUSION. 231 
 
 Upon, but they are unstable and contain the seeds of 
 dissolution. ^ 
 
 Truth cannot be fashioned. Truth is one and the 
 same ; it is immutable. * 
 
 Truth is above the power of death, it is omni- 
 present, eternal, and most glorious. * 
 
 Illusions, errors, and lies are the daughters of Mara, 
 and great power is given unto them to seduce the 
 minds of men and lead them astray upon the path of 
 sin. 28 
 
 The nature of delusions, errors, and lies is death ; 
 and sin is the way to perdition. ** 
 
 Delusions, errors, and lies are like huge, gaudy 
 vessels, the rafters of which are rotten and worm- 
 eaten, and those who embark in them are fated to be 
 shipwrecked. ^ 
 
 There are many who say : '*Come error, be thou 
 my guide," and when they are caught in the meshes of 
 selfishness, lust, and evil desires, misery is begot. ^ 
 
 Yet does all life yearn for the truth and the truth 
 only can cure our diseases and give peace to our un- 
 rest. ^ 
 
 Truth is the essence of life, for truth endureth be- 
 yond the death of the body. Truth is eternal and will 
 still remain even though heaven and earth shall pass 
 away. ^ 
 
 There are not many different truths in the world, 
 for truth is one and the same at all times and in every 
 place. ^ 
 
 Truth teaches us the noble eightfold path of right- 
 eousness, and it is a straight path easily found by the 
 truth loving. Happy are those who walk in it. ^^ 
 
233 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 C. THE PRAISE OF ALL THE BUDDHAS. 
 
 All the Buddhas are wonderful and glorious. 
 
 There is not their equal upon earth. 
 
 They reveal to us the path of life. 
 
 And we hail their appearance with pious reverence. ' 
 
 All the Buddhas teach the same truth. 
 
 The Truth points out the way to those who have gone 
 
 wrong. 
 The Truth is our hope and comfort. 
 We gratefully accept its illimitable light. • 
 
 All the Buddhas are one in essence, 
 Which is omnipresent in all modes of being, 
 Sanctifying the bonds that tie all souls together, 
 And we rest in its bliss as our final refuge. ^ 
 
TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 I-III 
 
 EA 
 (LV 1 
 
 
 Descent from 
 
 Klopstock's Messias 
 Gesang I. 
 
 heaven omitted 
 
 [rGya, iii-v J 
 
 IV 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 1-147 
 
 
 IV. 
 
 6 
 
 BSt,p.6^.: 
 
 JMark vii. 32. 37 
 \Matth. xi, 5 
 
 IV, 
 
 9 
 
 Fo, vv. 22-24 
 
 Matth. ii. i 
 
 IV. 
 
 12 
 
 Fo^ vv. 39-40 
 
 Luke ii, 36 
 
 IV. 
 
 17 
 
 RBi^o', RHB^z 
 
 Pseudo Matth. 23 
 
 IV. 
 
 27 
 
 Fo^ V. 147 
 
 Luke ii, 52 
 
 Omitted 
 
 R HB, pp. \oi-\o%. 
 
 Matth. ii, 16 
 
 V 
 
 
 HM,p.is6'.RB,p. 
 83; rGyay xii 
 
 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 152-156.... 
 
 Luke ii, 46-47 
 
 V. 
 
 9 
 
 FOf V. 164 
 
 Matth. iii, 16 
 
 VI 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 191-322 
 
 
 VI. 
 
 19-20 
 
 ( B St, pp. y^So 1 
 
 \RB,p.23 J 
 
 Luke xi, 27>28 
 
 VII 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 335-417 
 
 
 VII, 
 
 7 
 
 B St, p. 5-6 
 
 r Matth. xxiv, 35 
 
 VII, 
 
 18-19 
 
 BSt,p.iS 
 
 Luke xxi, 33 
 iLukexvi 17 
 
 VIII 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 778-918 
 
 
 VIII, 
 
 15 
 
 DF, V. 178 
 
 
 IX 
 
 
 Fo, vv. 919-1035 
 
 
 K. 
 
 6 
 
 iW'^.i.e. §§36-38 
 \SB, xiii,/. 100] 
 
 
234 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSB 
 
 
 
 IX. 14 
 
 <2 A' J/,//. 83-86.. 
 
 Evolution theory 
 
 IX. 15 
 
 Q KM, p. Ill 
 
 
 IX. 16 
 
 QKM,p. Ill 
 
 
 X 
 
 Fo, w 1000-1023 
 
 
 X. n 
 
 Fo, V. 1024 1 
 
 Fo, vv. 1222-1224. . J 
 
 r Luke vii, 19 
 iMatth. ii, 3 
 f Luke iv, 2 
 
 XI 
 
 Fo, w. 1026-1 1 10.. 
 
 \ Matth. iv, x-7 
 
 [See LXXXIX. 1-6] 
 
 
 LMark i, 13 
 
 XII 
 
 Fo, 1111-1199 
 ^QICM,p.^g 
 
 
 XII, 8 
 
 S DP, vii [SB,xxi, 
 
 p. 172] 
 SDF,iii [^^, xxj, 
 
 p. 90] 
 
 
 XII. 11-15 
 
 ^r, i.6, §§19-28 
 Cf. 0/d, G, pp. 227- 
 
 22'&,0id,E,p.211 
 
 RhDB,pp. 106-107 
 
 
 XII, 16 
 
 BSt.pp. 103-104 
 ■Cf.Z> />,//. 153-154 
 
 
 XII, 20 
 
 rGva. ^SS 
 
 Matth. V, 3-11 
 
 XIII 
 
 r \JJfi», 3J3 
 
 MV,i, ^ 
 
 
 XIV 
 
 MV,i,s 
 
 
 XIV. 2 
 
 ^^.i.3. §4 
 
 
 XV 
 
 ^Fo, vv. 1200-12 17 
 \MV,i,6.%%i-9 
 
 
 XVI 
 
 {Fo, 1217-1279 
 \MV,i, 6, §§10-47 
 
 
 XVI. 5 
 
 SN, V. 248 
 
 
 XVI. 6 
 
 RhD B,p. 131 
 
 
 XVI. 7 
 
 SN, 7/. 241 
 
 Matth. XV, 10 
 
 XVII 
 
 MV, i. 6. §10-47 
 
 
 XVII, 10-12 
 
 Samyuttaka Nikdiya, 
 volume iii, fol. si, 
 quoted by Old, G, 
 l^^',Old,E,p.i'^ 
 
 
TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 235 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 XVIII 
 
 (MF, i, 7. 8. 9 1 
 
 \Fo, vv. 1280-1296. . J 
 
 John iii, 2 
 
 XVIII. 8 
 
 Fo, vv. 1 289-1 290 
 
 
 XVIII, 10 
 
 Fo, V. 1292 
 {MV,x, II 
 
 
 XIX 
 
 L 
 
 JLuke ix, 1-6 
 \Luke X, 1-24 
 
 
 yFo, vv. 1 297-1 300. . 
 
 XIX. 
 
 QKM,p.26^ 
 
 Q KM, p. 266 
 
 Matth. V, 16 
 
 Matth. vii, 6 
 
 
 'Fo, 1 300-1334 
 MV, i, 20-21 
 
 
 XX 
 
 
 
 '^0. 1335-1379 
 ' MV, i, 22 
 
 
 XXI 
 
 
 
 ' SN, V. 148. . 
 
 
 
 Metta Sutra. [An 
 
 
 
 often quoted sen- 
 
 
 
 tence. RhDB,p. 
 
 
 XXI. 19-20 
 
 109, Hardy. ' • Le- 
 gends and Theo- 
 ries of the Bud- 
 dhas,"/. 212. 
 
 
 XXI, 23 
 
 RhDB,p.62 
 
 
 XXI, 28 
 
 Fo, V. 1733 
 
 
 XXII 
 
 [Fo, 1380-138 1 
 
 liT/r.i. 22, §§15-18 
 
 
 XXIII 
 
 ' Fo, vv. 1 382-1 43 1 
 MF,i.23-24,PV.p.Sg 
 
 f Matth. xxi, 9 
 
 XXIII. 3-5 
 
 MV,i, 23,%% 13-14 
 
 I Mark xi, 9 
 I John xii, 13 
 
 XXIV 
 
 MKi,23%%5-7 
 
 
 XXV 
 
 Fo, 1432-1495 
 
 
 XXV, 10-20 
 
 £jL 
 
 
 XXVI 
 
 Fo, vv. 1496-152 1 
 
 
 XXVI. 4 
 
 Fo, 1516-1517 
 
 Acts XX, 35 
 
 XXVII 
 
 (Fo, vv. 1534-1610 
 \J/M, p. 204 
 
 
236 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 XXVIII 
 
 f^il/,/. 203etseqq. 
 \B Si, pp. 125-126 
 
 
 XXIX 
 
 \HM, 208-209 
 
 
 XXX 
 
 \Fo, w. 1522-1533 
 \ 1611-1671 
 
 
 XXXI 
 
 xvii, pp. 193-194] 
 
 
 XXXII 
 
 Fo, vv. 1672-1673 
 
 
 xxxin 
 
 HM, pp. 353-354 
 
 
 XXXIV 
 
 [^^^ 1 
 
 \Fo, w, 1 757-1 766. . 
 
 
 
 Matth. V, 28 
 
 
 ^^.A 153 i 
 
 
 
 Fo, w. 1762-1763. . 
 
 Eph. vi, 13-17 
 
 xxxrv, i^ii 
 
 • 
 
 r Mark ix, 47 
 
 
 Fo, w. 1763 
 
 1 Matth. v, 29 
 I Matth. xviii, 9 
 
 XXXV 
 
 MV.vm, 15. {SB, 
 xvii,//. 21^225.] 
 
 
 XXXV. 24 
 
 (Last part of the verse.] 
 
 Bgt,p. 211 
 
 jLukeviii. ii 
 
 t Matth. xiu, 24-27 
 
 XXXVI 
 
 MV,i\ 
 
 
 XXXVII 
 
 MF,x, I, 2§i-2and 
 end of 2 § 20 
 
 
 XXXVIII 
 
 ii/r;x,5-6:x,2§3-2o 
 
 
 XXXIX 
 
 MV, V, 4 
 
 
 XXXIX, 3 
 
 BSt,p. 311 
 
 
 XXXIX, 5 
 
 MV,x,6,.i. {SB. 
 
 
 
 xvii,/. 18.] 
 
 Matth. V, 46-47 
 
 XL 
 
 {Fo, vv. 1713-1734 
 \HM, pp. 337-340 
 
 
 
 XL, 4 
 
 B St, p. 200 
 
 
 XL.7 
 
 DP,v.22'j: SBx,p. 
 
 
 
 S^{ci.ChD,p.i22) 
 
 Matth. xi, 16, 19 
 
 XLI 
 
 MF,vi.29. {SB, 
 xvii, //. 104-105] 
 
 
TABLE OF KEFERENCE. 
 
 237 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 
 fMgifa Sutta 
 
 
 XLI. 12-13 
 
 \ SN, V. 148. [cf. 
 I RhDB,p. 109] 
 
 
 XLII 
 
 RB, pp. 6^-6g. [cf. 
 RhDB,p. 71 and 
 
 
 
 Old, G, 376-378]. 
 
 fMarkiii, 14 
 [Luke ix, 2 
 
 
 Bgt, 212 
 
 r Matth. xiii, 3 et seq. 
 JMarkiv, 3-20 
 
 XLIV 
 
 TPN, p. i2g. 
 
 
 XLV 
 
 TPN,pp.22-2ZZXid. 
 /. 25. 
 
 
 ' XLVI 
 
 ^^5,4 
 
 
 XLVII 
 
 SDP, X, xiii, xxvii 
 
 
 XLVII, 23 
 
 SDF,xxiy,22 [SB 
 xxi, /. 416] 
 
 
 XLVIII 
 
 DPin SB, X 
 
 
 XLVIII. 36-37 
 
 DP,v. 5 
 
 Matth. V, 44 
 
 XLVIII, 46 
 
 SAT, vv. 784-785. 
 885-888, 834 [SB, 
 
 
 
 X, 149. 159. 169] . 
 
 Matth. xi, 29-30 
 
 XLVIII, 47 
 
 DP, z;. 275 
 
 II Cor. vii, 7 
 
 XLVIII. 55 
 
 DP, z/. 387 
 
 
 XLIX 
 
 SB, XI, pp. 157-203. 
 
 
 XLIX, 17 
 
 SB, xi, //. 173-174 
 
 Matth. XV, 14 
 
 L 
 
 SSP, pp. 297-320. 
 [cf. i?Ai?^, 143I 
 
 
 LI, 1-14 1 
 LI. 31-35/ 
 
 MV, vi, 31, f^*^, 
 xvii, pp. 108-113 
 
 
 ^LI. 15-30 
 
 EA \dL.QKM,pp, 
 254-257] 
 
 
 LII 
 
 EA [cf. C^^/. 15 
 and also J/Fv] 
 
 
 LIII 
 
 Compiled from HM 
 //.280 et seq., Fo 
 z/z'.i682-i683, and 
 
 
238 
 
 THTE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 LIII, 
 
 i8-23rt 
 
 QKM,p. 120 
 
 
 LIII, 
 
 23* 
 
 QKM, p. 148 
 
 John iii. 8 
 
 LIII, 
 
 26-27 
 
 QKM, p. 67 
 
 
 LIII. 
 
 29-32 
 
 QKM,pp. 'ji-'j^ 
 
 
 LIII, 
 
 47 
 
 QKM, p. 61 
 
 
 LIII, 
 
 59 
 
 Q KM, p. 83-86 
 
 
 LIV. 
 
 1-2 
 
 Fo, w. 1228, 1208. . 
 
 Matth. V, 3-1 1 
 
 LIV, 
 
 3 
 
 Brakmajdla Suita, 
 
 
 LIV. 
 
 4 
 
 quoted by I^h D, 
 
 P99 
 
 QKM, /. 114 
 
 J John xvi, 16 
 [Matth. xxiv. 23 
 
 LIV. 
 
 5 
 
 Fo, V. 1 23 1 
 
 
 LIV. 
 
 6-8 
 
 ^Gy^'. /■ 372 
 
 Matth. xi, 28 
 
 LIV. 
 
 9 
 
 S 42 S, 16 
 
 
 LIV. 
 
 10 
 
 QKM, p. no 
 
 fJohn xiv, 6 
 [John xviii, 37 
 
 LV 
 
 
 SDP,v 
 
 
 LVI 
 
 
 Mahd RAhula Suita 
 
 
 LVII 
 
 
 S4^S 
 
 
 LVIII 
 
 
 Buddhist Catena 
 SN, pp. 58-62:/. 
 
 25 : /• 147 : P- 54 
 MV, i. 3. §4 [cf. 
 
 
 LIX 
 
 
 Old,E,p.T.^^-\ 
 Nidhikanda Sutta, 
 quoted by Rh DB, 
 
 
 
 
 ■ A 127 
 
 Matth. vi, 20 
 
 LX. 
 
 7-8 
 
 RhDB, p. 156 
 
 
 LX, 
 
 12 
 
 Beal. Buddhism of 
 China, chap, xii 
 
 
 LX. 
 
 18-23 
 
 RhDB, p. 170 
 
 
 LX, 
 
 27-28 
 
 EH 
 
 
 LX, 
 
 29 
 
 QKM, p. 127 
 
 
 LX. 
 
 31 
 
 RhDB, pp. 175-176 
 
 
 LX. 
 
 33 
 
 RhDB, p. 173 
 
 
 LXI 
 
 
 MPN, iii. 22 S^SB 
 
 
 
 
 XX, /. 48-49] 
 
 
TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 239 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 LXI. 
 
 3-5 
 
 Chullavagga ix, 1-4 
 
 
 
 
 [6"^ XX, 301-305] 
 
 Matth. V, 13 
 
 LXI, 
 
 6-9 
 
 Sutra Dsanglun [cf . 
 R. Seydel ''Das 
 Ev. V. Jesu in s. 
 Verh. z. Budd/ia- 
 
 
 
 
 Sage";^jt>.iS4-i85 
 
 Matth. V, 1-2 
 
 LXII 
 
 
 EA 
 
 
 LXIII 
 
 
 SDP, iii 
 
 
 LXIV 
 
 
 DDP, V 
 
 
 LXV 
 
 
 SDP, iv 
 
 Luke XV, II et seq. 
 
 LXVI 
 
 
 B Sty pp. 211, 299 
 
 [See PT, ii, 58] 
 
 ' ^ 
 
 LXVII 
 
 
 B Sty pp. 3i5etseq. 
 
 
 LXVIII 
 
 
 Ch D, pp. 88-89 
 
 
 LXVIII, 
 
 6 
 
 ChD 
 
 Mark xii, 42-44 
 
 LXIX 
 
 
 ChD, p. ^6 
 
 The Story of Dioge- 
 nes and his Lan- 
 tern 
 
 LXX 
 
 
 ChD, p. 134 
 
 
 LXXI 
 
 
 BgP,pp. io7etseq. 
 
 
 LXXII 
 
 
 ChD, p. Tj 
 
 Luke xii, 20 
 
 LXXIII 
 
 
 B St, p. 147 
 
 
 LXXIII, 
 
 15 
 
 BSt 
 
 Exodus xvii, 6 
 
 LXXIV 
 
 SN,pp. 11-15 .... 
 
 J Matth. xiii, 3 et seq. 
 iMarkiv, 14 
 
 LXXV 
 
 
 S N, pp. 20 et seq. 
 
 
 LXXVI 
 
 
 ^/.A205 
 
 John V, 5 et seq. 
 
 LXXVII 
 
 
 HM, pp. 317-319 
 
 
 LXXVIII 
 LXXIX 
 
 1 
 
 Jataka Tales 
 
 
 LXXX 
 
 
 Bf, pp. 146 et seq. 
 
 
 LXXXI 
 
 
 Fu - Pen - Hing - tsi - 
 A'ing,tT. by S.Beal 
 
 
 __JUXXXI, 
 
 7-10 
 
 EA 
 
 JohnJLjLetjse^ 
 
 LXXXli 
 
 
 MV, i, 14 
 
 
 LXXXIII 
 
 
 ChD, p. 130 et seq. 
 
 
240 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 LXXXIII. 
 
 5 
 
 B P, p. 16 
 
 
 LXXXIII, 
 
 5.6,9 
 
 ChD2ccidiSS 
 
 Matth. xxii, 30 
 
 LXXXIV, 
 
 I-I4 
 
 i?/*, /•/. 98etseqq. 
 
 Greek versions quot- 
 ed by Jacob H 
 Thiesen, L JC G. 
 
 LXXXIV. 
 
 15-28 
 
 SB, X, p. 106 
 
 
 LXXXV 
 
 
 CAA/A 50-51.... 
 
 Matth. V, 25, 29 
 
 LXXXV, 
 
 6 
 
 ChD 
 
 Rom. iii, 28 
 
 LXXXVI 
 
 
 Ch D, pp. 94-98 
 
 
 LXXXVII 
 
 
 MPN,\[SB,x\.p. 
 letseqq.] 
 
 
 LXXXVIII 
 
 
 AfPiVjii, 4 and pas- 
 sim 
 
 
 LXXXIX 
 
 
 MPN, i, 19,22 
 ' MV, vi, 28 
 
 
 XC 
 
 
 MPN, i, 16 
 
 
 XCI 
 
 
 MPN, ii, 9 
 
 
 XCI, 
 
 6 
 
 MPN 
 
 rMPN, ii, 12-24 
 
 I Cor. 15, 55 
 
 XCII 
 
 
 \fo, vv. 1749-1753; 
 I 1768-1782. 
 
 
 XCIII 
 
 
 MPN, ii, 27-35 
 
 
 XCIV, 
 
 1-3 
 
 B St, p.%^ 
 
 Luke iv, 5-8 [See 
 also Matth. iv, 1-7 
 and Mark i, 13] 
 
 XCIV, 
 
 4-7 
 
 SN, vv. 425, 439 . . 
 
 Luke iv, 2-4 
 
 XCIV, 
 
 8 
 
 -S"^. ^ 445 
 
 John iii, 46 
 
 XCIV, 
 
 9-22 
 
 MPN, iii, 43-63 
 
 
 xcv 
 
 
 MPN, iv, 14-57 
 
 
 xcv, 
 
 6 
 
 MPN, iv, 25 
 
 John xix, 28 
 Matth. xvii, 2 
 
 xcv. 
 
 14-22 
 
 MPN, iv, 47-52 . . 
 
 Mark ix, 2 
 
 XCVI 
 
 
 MPN, V, 1-14, con- 
 cerning Maitrfiya 
 
 
 
 
 see EH s.v. Rh 
 
 John xiv, 36 
 
 
 
 DB,pp. 180, 200; 
 
 
 
 
 Old, G,p. 153, etc. 
 
 
TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 241 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF 
 
 
 
 BUDDHA 
 
 SOURCES 
 
 PARALLELISMS 
 
 CHAPTER AND VERSE 
 
 
 
 XCVII 
 
 MPN,v, 52-69, and 
 vi ; Fo, vv. 2303- 
 2310 
 
 
 XCVII, 19-20 1 
 XCVII. 23-24 J 
 
 Mahatanhdsakham- 
 
 
 ya-Suita, Majjhi- 
 
 
 
 ma NikAya, vol. i, 
 
 
 
 /. 263, quoted by 
 
 
 
 Old, G, p. 349, E, 
 
 
 
 P' 325 
 
 
 XCVII, 22 
 
 Suttavibhanga, Pd- 
 rdjika i, //. i, 4, 
 quoted by Old, G, 
 
 
 
 P- 349» ^./. 325. 
 
 I Cor. XV, 20 
 
 ^XCVIII 
 
 i?/^, embodying later 
 
 
 
 traditions see ^^ 
 and almost any 
 otherwork onBud- 
 
 
 
 dhism 
 
 The Christian Trin- 
 ity dogma. 
 
 XCIX 
 
 EA 
 
 
 c 
 
 EA, in imitation of 
 a formula at pres- 
 ent in use among 
 Northern Bud- 
 dhists. 
 
 
 ABBREVIATIONS IN THE TABLE OF REFERENCE. 
 
 Bf. — Bumouf, Introduction kl'histoire du Bouddhisme Indien, Paris, 1844. 
 Bgt. — The Life or Legend of Gautama, by the R. Rev. P. Bigandet, Second 
 
 Edition, Rangoon, 1886 
 5P.— Buddhaghosha's Parables. Translated by T. Rogers, London, 1870. 
 55/.— Buddhist Birth Stories or Jataka Tales. Translated by Rhys Davids, 
 
 London, 1880. 
 CB S.—A. Catena of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese by Samuel Beal 
 
 London, 1871. 
 
242 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Ch A— [Chinese Dhammapada.] Texts from the Buddhist Canon, commonly 
 
 known as Dhammapada. Translated by S. Beal, London and Boston, 1878. 
 Z?/*.— The Dhammapada. Translated from PSli by F. Max Mailer, Vol. X, 
 
 Part I, of the Sacred Books of the East. Oxford, 1881. 
 ,£ii*— .Explanatory AdditioiU 
 
 ^/^l— Handbook of Chinese Buddhism, by Ernest J. Eitel. London, 1888. 
 /i».— The Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King. A Life of Buddha by A^aghosha, trans- 
 lated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Dharmaraksha, A. D. 420, and from 
 
 Chinese into English by Samuel Beal. Vol. XIX of the Sacred Books of 
 
 the East. Oxford, 1883. 
 HM.—k Manual of Buddhism, by R. Spence Hardy. Second Edition. Lon- 
 don, 1880. 
 Z A' (7.— Die Legende von KisSgotami, by Jakob H. Thiessen. Breslau, 1880. 
 L V. — Lalita Vistara, translated into German by Dr. S. Lefmann. Berlin, 1874. 
 MPN.— The MahSparinibbSna Suttanta. The Book of the Great Decease. 
 
 Vol. XI of the Sacred Books of the East. Oxford, 1881. 
 M v.— The MahSvagga. I-IV in Vol. XIII ; V-X in Vol. XVII of the Sacred 
 
 Books of the East. Oxford, 1881-1882. 
 M K— Outlines of the MahSySna as Taught by Buddha, by S. Kuroda. Tokyo, 
 
 Japan, 1893. 
 Oid C— German Edition, Buddha, sein Leben, seine Lehre und seine Ge- 
 
 meinde, by H. Oldenberg. Second Edition. Berlin, 1890. 
 (?/</£.— English translation, Buddha, His Life, His Doctrine, and His Order 
 
 by H. Oldenberg. London, 1882. 
 P y.— Pantschatantra, translated into German by Theodor Benfey. Two vols. 
 
 Leipsic, 1859. 
 Q KM.— The Questions of King Milinda, translated from Pili by T. W. Rhys 
 
 Davids, Vol. XXXV of the Sacred Books of the East. Oxford, 1890. 
 RB.— The Life of the Buddha from Thibetan Works, translated by W. W. 
 
 Rockhill. London, 1884. 
 rGya.—vGya. Tehee Roll Pa, Histoire du Bouddha Sakya Mouni, by Foucaux, 
 
 Paris, 1868. 
 RHB.— The Romantic History of Buddha from the Chinese Sanskrit, by S. 
 
 Beal. London, 1875. 
 /f A i? 5.— Buddhism, by T. W. Rhys Davids, in the Series of Non-Christian 
 
 Religious Systems. London, 1890. 
 S42S. — Sutra of Forty-two Sections. Kyoto, Japan. 
 55.— Sacred Books of the East. 
 5A^.— Sutta Nipata, translated from the PSli by V. Fausb5ll. Part II, Vol. X, 
 
 of the Sacred Books of the East. Oxford, 1881. 
 SS.—A. Brief Account of Shin-Shiu, by R. Akamatsu. Kyoto, Japan, 1893. 
 SSP.—Se^t Suttas Paiis, by M. P. Grimblot. Paris, 1876. 
 rPiV;— Buddhistische Anthologie. Texte aus dem Pali-Kanon. By Dr. Karl 
 
 Eugen Neumann. Leyden, 1892. 
 
 The original PSli texts are published in the Journal of the Pfili Text So- 
 ciety, London, Henry Frowde. 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 
 
 [In the text of the present booklet all unnecessary terms have been 
 avoided. Whenever a good English equivalent could be found, the foreign 
 expression has been dropped. Nevertheless, the introduction not only of 
 many foreign-sounding names, but also of some of the original terms, WM un- 
 avoidable. 
 
 Now we have to state that the Eastern people, at least those of Hindu 
 culture during the golden age of Buddhism in India, adopted the habit of 
 translating not only terms but also names, A German whose name is Schmied 
 is not called Smith in English, but Buddhists, when translating from PSli into 
 Sanskrit, change Siddhattha into SiddhSrtha. The reason of this strange 
 custom lies in the fact that Buddhists originally employed the popular speech 
 and did not adopt the use of Sanskrit until about five hundred years after 
 Buddha. Since the most important names and terms, such as SiddhSrtha, 
 NirvSna, and Dharma, have become familiar to us in their Sanskrit form, 
 while their PSli equivalents, Siddhattha, Nibbfina, and Dhamma, are little 
 used, it appeared advisable to prefer the Sanskrit forms, and this principle has 
 been carried out in "The Gospel of Buddha" with as much consistency as pos- 
 sible. However, as there are instances in which the PSli, for some reason or 
 other, has been preferred by English authors [e. g. Krishi Gautamt is always 
 called Kisa Gdtamt], we present here in the Glossary both the Sanskrit and 
 the PSli forms. 
 
 Names which have been Anglicised, such as " Brahma, Brahman, Bena- 
 res, Jain, and karma," have been preserved in their accepted form. If we 
 adopt the rule of transferring Sanskrit and Pfili words in their stem-form, as 
 we do in most cases (e. g. Nirvfina, Stman), we ought to call Brahma " Brah- 
 man," and karma "karman." But usus est tyr annus. In a popular book it is 
 not wise to swim against the stream. 
 
 Following the common English usage of saying "Christ," not "the 
 Christ," we say " Buddha," " B6dhisattva," not "the Buddha," "the Bddhi- 
 sattva."] 
 
 Abhi'jnA, skt.^ Abhi'Sn^, p., supernatural talent. There are six 
 abhijn^s which Buddha acquired when attaining perfect en- 
 lightenment : — (i) the celestial eye, or an intuitive insight of 
 * the nature of any object in any universe ; (2) the celestial ear, 
 or the ability to understand any sound produced in any uni- 
 verse ; (3) the power of assuming any shape or form ; (4) 
 knowledge of all forms of pre-existence of one's self and others; 
 
244 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDMA. 
 
 (5) intuitive knowledge of the minds of all beings ; and (6) 
 knowledge of the finality of the stream of life. — 154, 155. 
 
 Achira'vatl, skt. and/., a river. — 81. 
 
 AjAtasha'tru, skt., Ajitasa'ttu, /., the son of king Bimbisira and 
 his successor to the throne of Magadha. — 95, 97. 
 
 AjB^'ta, skt., Annd'ta, /., literally "knowing," a cognomen of 
 Kaundinna, the first disciple of Buddha. — 44. 
 
 Arabap^'li, the courtesan, called "Lady Amra" in Fo-Sho-Hing- 
 Tsan-King. It is diflficult for us to form a proper conception 
 of the social position of courtesans at Buddha's time in India. 
 This much is sure, that they were not common prostitutes, but 
 ladies of wealth, possessing great influence. Their education 
 was similar to the hetairae in Greece, where Aspasia played so 
 prominent a part. Their rank must sometimes have been like 
 that of Madame Pompadour in France at the court of Louis 
 XIV, They rose to prominence, not by birth, but by beauty, 
 education, refinement, and othe? purely personal accomplish- 
 ments, and many of them were installed by royal favor. The 
 first paragraphs of Khandhaka VIII of the Mahavagga [5. B., 
 Vol. XVII, pp. 171-172] gives a fair idea of the important role 
 of courtesans in those days. They were not necessarily venal 
 daughters of lust, but, often women of distinction and repute, 
 worldly, but not disrespectable. — 201, 202, 203, 204. 
 
 Amiti'bha, skt. and/., endowed with boundless light, from amita, 
 infinite, immeasurable, and dbhd, ray of light, splendor, the bliss 
 of enlightenment. It is a term of later Buddhism and has been 
 personified as Amit^bha Buddha, or Amita. The invocation 
 of the all-saving name of Amitcibha Buddha is a favorite tenet 
 of the Lotus or Pure Land sect, so popular in China and Japan, 
 Their poetical conception of a paradise in the West is re- 
 ferred to in Chapter LX. Southern Buddhism knows nothing 
 of a personified Araitibha, and the Chinese travellers Fa-hien 
 and Hiuen-tsang do not mention it. The oldest allusion to 
 Amita is found in the AmitAyus Sutra, translated A. D. 148- 
 170, [See Eitel, Handbook, pp. 7-9.] — 150, 151, 152, 153, 
 
 Ana'nda, skt. and /,, Buddha's cousin and his favorite disciple. 
 The Buddhistic St. John (Johannes). — 69, 70, 76, 100, 168, 169, 
 174, 175, 192, 199, 200, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 
 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222. 
 
 Andthapi'ndika, skt. and /,, (also called Andthapi'ndada in skt.) 
 literally "One who gives alms (/m</a) to the unprotected or 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 245 
 
 needy {andf/ta)." Eitel's etymology "one who gives without 
 keeping (anatha) a mouthful (pinda) for himself " is not tenable. 
 A wealthy lay devotee famous for his liberality and donor of 
 the Jetavana vihira. — 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 70, 71, 146. 
 
 Annabhi'ra, skL and p., literally "he who brings food"; name of 
 Sumana's slave. — 167, 168. 
 
 Anuru'ddha, a prominent disciple of Buddha, known as the great 
 master of Buddhist metaphysics. He was a cousin of Buddha, 
 being the second son of Amritodana, a brother of Shuddho- 
 dana. — 69, 222, 225. 
 
 Ari'da, sk^., Ali'ra, p., a prominent Brahman philosopher. His 
 full name is Ardda Kdl^ma. — 22, 23, 213. 
 
 Ar'hant, skt., A'rahat, /,, a saint. (See also Saint in Index.) — 82. 
 
 A'shvajit, sk^., A'ssaji, /., one of Buddha's disciples by whose dig- 
 nified demeanor Shiriputra is converted. — 58. 
 
 A'sita, sk^. and/., a prophet. — 8, 9. 
 
 A'tman, skf. and/., breath as the principle of life, the soul, self, 
 the ego. To some of the old Brahman schools the dtraan con- 
 stitutes a metaphysical being in man, which is the thinker of 
 his thoughts, the perceiver of his sensations, and the doer 
 of his doings. Buddha denies the existence of an itman in 
 this sense. — 22, 24, 26, 134. 
 
 Bal^'ni, or pancha-baldni, s^L and/., (the singular is da/a, power), 
 the five moral powers (also called pancha-indriyini), which 
 are : Faith, energy, memory or recollection, meditation or 
 contemplation, and wisdom or intuition. 
 
 BMuva, a village near Vaishili. — 204. 
 
 Benares, the well-known city in India ; Anglicised form of VirS- 
 nasi, skt., and Birinasi, /. (See Kdshi.) — 37, 48, go, 91, 93, 94. 
 
 Bha'gavant, skt., Bha'gavat, /., the man of merit, worshipful, the 
 Blessed One. A title of honor given to Buddha. — 17, 149, 174. 
 
 Bha'llika, sk^. and/., a merchant. — 34, 35. 
 
 Bhiradvi'ja, skt. and/., name of a Brahman. — 117, 119, 173. 
 
 Bhi'vand, /., meditation. There are five principal meditations: 
 metta-bhAvand, on love; karund-bhivani, on pity; muditi- 
 bhivani, on joy; asubha-bh^vanA, on impunity; and upekshi- 
 bhdvani, on serenity. [See Rhys Davids's Buddhism, pp. 170- 
 
 171]— 153- 
 Bhi'kshu, skt., bhi'kkhu, /., mendicant, monk, friar; the five 
 bhikshus^ 27, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 49, 57, 59, 66, 75, 76, 
 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 90, 94, 95, 98, 100, loi, 
 
246 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 104 ; bhikshus do£Eed their robes, 80 ; bhikshus rebuked, 94 ; 
 bhikshus prospered, 100 ; the sick bhikshu, 190, 191. 
 
 Bhi'kshuni, skt., bhi'kkhuni, /., nun. — 81. 
 
 Bimbisd'ra, skt. and /. , the king of Magadha ; often honored with 
 the cognomen "Sai'nya," skt., or "S6'niya," /., i. e. "the 
 warlike or military," — ig, 20, 54, 76, 97. 
 
 Bo'dhi, skt. and/., knowledge, wisdom, enlightenment. 
 
 Bodhi-a'nga or Bojjha'nga, or Sa'tta Bojjha'ngd, /., meditation 
 on the seven kinds of wisdom, which are : — energy, recollec- 
 tion, contemplation, investigation of scripture, joy, repose, and 
 serenity. — 82, 198. 
 
 Bodhisa'ttva, skt., Bodhisa'tta, /., he whose essence {sattva) is be- 
 coming enlightenment {bddhi). The term denotes (i) one who 
 is about to become a Buddha, but has not as yet attained Nir- 
 vina ; (2) a class of saints who have only once more to be born 
 again to enter into Nirvdna ; (3) in later Buddhism any preacher 
 or religious teacher. — 17, 19, 21-23, 26-31, 68 ; appearance of, 
 19; Boddhisattvas, 110. 
 
 Bodhi-tree, a tree of the species^^«j religiosa. — 29. 
 
 Bra'hma, Anglicised form of skt. stem-form Brahman (nom. s. 
 BrahniA). The chief God of Brahmanism, the world-soul. See 
 also Sahampati. — 35, 36, 69, 120-121 ; Brahma, a union with, 
 120; Brahma, face to face, 118 ; Brahma's mind, 120. 
 
 Brahmada'tta, skt. and/., (etym, given by Brahma,) name of a 
 mythical king of Kishi, skt., or Kisi, /. — 90, 91-94, 170, 178. 
 
 Bra'hman, the priestly caste of the Indians. Anglicised form of 
 Brdhmana (skt. and/.). Priests were selected from the Brah- 
 man caste, but Brahmans were not necessarily priests ; they 
 were farmers, merchants, and often high officials in the service 
 of kings. Brahmans, the two — 117, 122. 
 
 Buddha, skt. and /., the Awakened One, the Enlightened One. — 
 Buddha is also called Shikyamuni (the Shakya sage), Shakya- 
 simha (the Shikya Lion), Sugata (the Happy One), Satthar, 
 nom. Satthd, /.; Shistar, skt., (the Teacher), Jina (the Con- 
 queror), Bhagavat (the Blessed One), Loka-nHtha (the Lord of 
 the World), Sarvajna (the Omniscient One), Dharma-rija (the 
 King of Truth), Tathdgata, etc. [See Rh. Davids's B. p. 28.] 
 B., faith in the, 200 ; B., I am not the first, 217 ; B. not Gau- 
 tama, 140; B., refuge in the, 46, 47, 52, 56, 104, 146, 182, 183, 
 «24, 230 ; B. remains, Gautama is gone, 220 ; B. replies to the 
 d6va, 146; B., the sower, 173; B., the teacher, iii; B., the 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 247 
 
 three personalities of , 225 ; B., the truth, 2, 217, 227 ; B., truly 
 thou art, 123, 129: B. will arise, another, 218; B.'s birth, 7; 
 B.'s death, 218; B.'s farewell address, 204; consolidation of 
 B.'s religion, 75; Buddhas, the praise of all the, 232; Bud- 
 dhas, the religion of all the, 56 ; Buddhas, the words of im- 
 mutable, 15, 18. 
 
 Cha'nna, skt. and/., prince Siddhdrtha's driver. — 12, 18, 19. 
 
 Chu'nda, skt. and/., the smith of Pivd. — 211, 214, 215. 
 
 Dago'ba, modernised form of skt. Dh^tu-ga'rbha, " relic shrine, " 
 (also called Stupa in Northern Buddhism) a mausoleum, tower 
 containing relics, a kenotaph. — 224, 225. 
 
 DA'namati, skt. and/., name of a village. The word means "hav- 
 ing a mind to give." — 131. 
 
 D6'va, skt. and/,, any celestial spirit, a god especially of interme- 
 diate rank, angel. — D^va, questions of the, 146 ; Buddha re- 
 plies to the d^va, 146 ; Devas, 22, 40, 43, 57. 
 
 DSvada'tta (etym. god-given) brother of Yashodhari and Buddha's 
 brother-in-law. He tried to found a sect of his own with se- 
 verer rules than those prescribed by Buddha. He is described 
 undoubtedly with great injustice in the Buddhist canon and 
 treated as a traitor. [About his sect see Rh. Davids's B. p. 
 181-182.] — 69-70, 95-97, 191. 
 
 Dfivapu'tra, skt., Devapu'tta, /., (etym. Son of a God) one of Bud- 
 dha's disciples. — 223. 
 
 Dha'rma, skt., Dha'mma, /., originally the natural condition of 
 things or beings, the law of their existence, truth, then reli- 
 gious truth, the law, the ethical code of righteousness, the 
 whole body of religious doctrines as a system, religion. — 31, 
 33. 35. 48, 49. 52, 56, 62, 67, 146, 148, 149, 158 ; let a man 
 take pleasure in the dharma, 149 ; the goodness of the dharma, 
 114. 
 
 Dharmaki'ya, skt., the body of the law. — 227. 
 
 Dharmapa'da, skt., Dhammapa'da, /. — in. 
 
 Dharmari'ja, skt., Dhammari'ja, /., the king of truth. — 72, no. 
 
 DhyA'na, skt., Jh^'na, /., intuition, beatic vision, ecstasy, rapture, 
 the result of samddhi. Buddha did not recommend trances 
 as means of religious devotion, urging that deliverance can be 
 obtained only by the recognition of the four noble truths and 
 walking on the noble eightfold path, but he did not disturb 
 those who took delight in ecstasies and beatific visions. Bud- 
 dha's interpretation of the Dhyina is not losing consciousness 
 
248 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 but a self-possessed and purposive eradication of egotism. 
 There are fourDhyinas, the first being a state of joy and glad- 
 ness born of seclusion full of investigation and reflexion ; the 
 second one, born of deep tranquillity without reflexion or in- 
 vestigation, the third one brings the destruction of passion, 
 while the fourth one consists in pure equanimity, making an 
 end of sorrow. [See Rhys Davids's B. pp. 175-176.] In the 
 Fo-Sho-hing-tsan-king, the Dhydna is mentioned twice only : 
 first, III, 12, vv. 960-978, where Arida sets forth the doctrine 
 of the four Dhyanas which is not approved of by Buddha, and 
 secondly, at Buddha's death ; when losing consciousness, his 
 mind is said to have passed through all the Dhyanas. — 155. 
 
 Dirghi'yu, ski., Digh^'vu, /., the etymology of the word is "live- 
 long. " Name of a mythical prince, son of king Dirgheti. — 90-94. 
 
 Dirgh^'ti, ski., Dighi'ti, /., literally "suffer-long." Name of a 
 mythical king, father of prince DighS'vu. — 90, 91, 93. 
 
 Ganges, the well known river of India. — 11, 198. 
 
 Gau'tama, skt., Go'tama, /., Buddha's family name. — 7, 38, 227: 
 Gautama denies the existence of the soul, 130; Gautama is 
 gone, Buddha remains, 220 ; Buddha not Gautama, 149; Gau- 
 tama the shramana, 219 ; Gautama Siddhartha, 95, 217, 225. 
 
 Gau'tami, name of any woman belonging to the Gautama family. 
 Krisha Gautami, 14, 186, 187. 
 
 Gavd'mpati, ski., Gava'mpati, /., literally "lord of cows," a friend 
 of Yashas. — 48. 
 
 Ga'yi Kdshyapa, brother of the great Kishyapa of Uruvilva. — 52 
 
 Hinayi'na, the small vehicle, viz., of salvation. A name invented 
 by Northern Buddhists, in contradistinction to Mahdyina, to 
 designate the spirit of Southern Buddhism. The term is not 
 used among Southern Buddhists. — Pp. ix-x, 
 
 Hir'anyavati, skt., Hira'nfiavati, /. , a river. — 215. 
 
 Ikshvi'ku, ski., Okki'ka, /., the name of a mythological family 
 from which the chiefs of the Shakyas claim descent. — 7. 
 
 Indra, one of the principal Brahman gods. — 120, 177. 
 
 Indriyi'ni or pancha-indriyini, the five organs of the spiritual sense. 
 (See Balini. ) 
 
 I'shvara, skt. , I'ssara, /. , (lit. independent existence) Lord, Crea- 
 tor, personal God, a title given to Shiva and other great dei- 
 ties. In Buddhistic scriptures the ski. Ishvara (not the/. 
 Issara) means always a transcendent or extramundane God, a 
 personal God, a deity distinct from, and independent of nature, 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 249 
 
 who is supposed to have created the world out of nothing. — 
 60, 61. 
 
 Jain, modernised form of skt. Jaina ; an adherent of the Jain-sect 
 which reveres Vardhamdna (Jnitaputra) as Buddha. (See Jain- 
 ism. ) — 37. 
 
 Jainism, a sect, founded by Vardhamdna, older than Buddhism and 
 still extant in India. It is in many respects similar to Bud- 
 dhism. Buddha's main objection to the Jains was the habit of 
 their ascetics of going naked. The Jains lay great stress upon 
 ascetic exercises and self-mortification which the Buddhists 
 declare to be injurious. 
 
 Ja'mbu, ski. and/., a tree. — 14, 28. 
 
 Jambu'nada, skt., Jambfl'nada, /., a town of unknown site. (Also 
 the name of a mountain and of a lake.) — i8o. 
 
 Ja'tila, /., "wearing matted hair." The Jatilas were Brahman 
 ascetics. Buddha converted a tribe of them, and Kishyapa, 
 their chief, became one of his most prominent disciples. — 49, 53. 
 
 Je'ta, the heir apparent to the kingdom of Shravasti. — 70, 71. 
 
 Jd'tavana, a vihdra. — 70-72, 146, 169, 174, 185. 
 
 Ji'na, the Conqueror, an honorary title of Buddha. The Jains use 
 the term with preference as an appellative of Vardhamina 
 whom they revere as their Buddha. — 38. 
 
 Ji'vaka, skt. and/., physician to king Bimbisara. According to 
 tradition he was the son of king Bimbisara and the courtesan 
 Sdlavati. We read in Mahivagga VIII that after his birth he 
 was exposed but saved ; then he became a most famous physi- 
 cian and cured Buddha of a troublesome disease contracted by 
 wearing cast off rags. He was an ardent disciple of Buddha 
 and prevailed upon him to allow the bhikshus to wear lay 
 robes. — 75, 76. 
 
 Jnitapu'tra, skt., Nitapu'tta, Jain Prakrit, the son of JSata. Pa- 
 tronym of Vardhamina, the founder of Jainism. — 124. 
 
 Jyo'tishka, skt., name of a householder, son of Subhadra. — 99, 
 100. 
 
 K^ld'ma, skt., and/., (see Arelda). 
 
 Ka'nthaka, prince Siddh^rtha's horse. — 18, 19. 
 
 Kapilava'stu, J/^A, Kapilava'tthu,/. , the capital of the Shikyas, 
 the birthplace of Buddha. — 7, 10, 64, 69, 71. 
 
 Ka'rma, anglicised form of skt. stem-form ka'rman (nom. s. karma), 
 the/, of which is ka'mmatn. Action, work, the law of action, 
 retribution, results of deeds previously done and the destiny 
 
250 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 resulting therefrom. Eitel defines karma as " that moral kernel 
 [of any being] which alone survives death and continues in 
 transmigration. " Karma is a well-defined and scientifically exact 
 term. Professor Huxley says, " In the theory of evolution, the 
 tendency of a germ to develop according to a certain specific 
 type, e. g. , of the kidney bean seed to grow into a plant having 
 all the characters oi PAaseo/us z'u/^^aris is its ' kaTma.' It is 
 • the last inheritor and the last result ' of all the conditions that 
 have affected a line of ancestry which goes back for many mil- 
 lions of years to the time when life first appeared on earth." 
 We read in the Anguttara Nikdya, Pancaka Nip4ta : " My ac- 
 tion (karma) is my possession, my action is my inheritance, 
 my action is the womb which bears me, my action is the race 
 to which I am akin [as the kidney-bean to its species] , my ac- 
 tion is my refuge." [See the article " Karma and Nirvana " 
 in The Monist, Vol. IV, No. 3, pp. 417-439.] — 22, 25, 26, 68, 
 72, 96, 98, 132, 137, 151, 199, 215. 
 
 Ki'shi, skt., Ki'si, /., the old and holy name of Benares. — 90 et 
 seq., 170. 
 
 Kd'shyapa, skt., Ka'ssapa, /. (the etymology "He who swallowed 
 fire," is now rejected), a name of three brothers, chiefs of the 
 Jatilas, called after their residences, Uruvilvli, Nadi, and Gaya. 
 The name Kishyapa applies mainly to Kishyapa of Uruvilv^, 
 one of the great pillars of the Buddhistic brotherhood, who 
 took at once, after his conversion, a most prominent rank 
 among Buddha's disciples. [Kishyapa of Uruvilvd is fre- 
 quently identified with Mahi-Kishyapa, the same who was 
 president of the council at Rijagriha, but H. Dharmapala 
 states, on the authority of the Anguttara Nikdya, that the two 
 were altogether different persons.] — 49-53, 100, 141-142, 227. 
 
 Kaundi'nya, skt., Kond'anna, /., name of Buddha's first disciple, 
 afterwards called Ajni'ta Kaundi'nya in skt. and Anni'ta Kon- 
 da'nna in. p. — 42, 44. 
 
 Kaushi'mbi, skt., Kosa'mbi, /., a city.-^Ss, 88, 89, 165. 
 
 Kl^'sha, J>^/. , KilS'sa, /., error. 
 
 Ko'li, a little kingdom in the neighborhood of Kapilavastu, the 
 home of Yashodhari. — 11. 
 
 K6'sala, skt. and/., name of a country. — 63, 64, 91, 117. 
 
 Kri'shi Gau'tami, skt., Ki'si Go'tami, /., the slim or thin Gautami, 
 Name {i)of a cousin of Buddha, mentioned in Chap. VI, p. 14 ; 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 251 
 
 (2) of the heroine in the parable of the mustard seed. — 14, 
 186, 187. 
 
 Krishna, one of the most prominent Brahman gods. — 49. 
 
 Kushina'gara, skt., Kusini'ra, /., name of a town. — 212, 213, 215, 
 222, 223. 
 
 Kiitada'nta, a Brahman chief in the village Ddnamati ; is men- 
 tioned in Sp. Hardy's M. B., p. 289, and in S. B, E., Vol. 
 XIX, p. 242 [Fo, V. 1682] ; also called Khinumat. — 131, 140. 
 
 Li'cchavi, skt. and/., the name of a princely family. — 202, 203. 
 
 Lu'mbini, skt., a grove named after a princess, its owner. — 7. 
 
 Ma'gadha, skt. and/., name of a country. — 53, 58, 59, 76, 97, 194, 
 196. 
 
 Mah^ra'ja, the great king. — 73. 
 
 Mahdse'tu, the great bridge. A name invented by the author of 
 the present book to designate the importance of Christianity 
 compared to the Hinaydna and Mah^yana of Buddhism. — 
 ix, X. 
 
 Mahdyd'na, the great vehicle, viz. , of salvation. Name of the 
 Northern conception of Buddhism, comparing religion to a great 
 ship in which men can cross the river of Samsira to reach the 
 shore of Nirvina. — ix, x. 
 
 Maitr^'ya, J-^A, M6tt6'ya,/. , etymology, "full of kindness"; the 
 name of the Buddha to come. — 215, 218, 
 
 Ma'lla, skt. and/., name of a tribe. — 213, 215, 218, 222-224. 
 
 Manasi'krita, skt. , Manasd'kata, /. , a village in Kosala. — 117, 118, 
 120, 121. 
 
 Mandd'ra, skt. and/., a flower of great beauty, — 8. 
 
 Mi'ra, skt. and /., the Evil One, the tempter, the destroyer, the 
 god of lust, sin, and death, — 8, 29, 30, 35, 74, no, in, 116, 
 152, 182, 207, 208, 209. 
 
 Ma'rga, skt. , ma'gga, /. , path ; especially used in the Pdli phrase 
 "Ariyo atthangiko maggo," the noble eightfold path, which 
 consists of : right views, high aims, right speech, upright con- 
 duct, a harmless livelihood, perseverance in well-doing, intel- 
 lectual activity, and earnest thought. [See S. B. E. , Vol, XI, 
 pp. 63 and 147.] 
 
 Mi'tali, skt. and/., name of a demon in the retinue of Yama, — 177. 
 
 Mdta'nga, skt. and /., literally, of low birth ; the Mitanga caste 
 comprises mongrels of the lowest with higher castes. — 174. 
 
 Ma'thurd, skt. and/,, name of a place.— 179 
 
252 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Maudgaly^'yana, skt., Mogall^'na, /., one of the most prominent 
 disciples of Buddha, a friend of Shiriputra. — 58, 67. 
 
 Ma'y^, skt. and /., delusion, magic, enchantment. The veil of 
 M^yi is the illusion of self which lies upon the eyes of the 
 worldling who thus is unable to see things as they really are 
 and misunderstands his relation to his fellow-creatures. — 6, 
 178. 
 
 MA'yA, Buddha's mother. (See M^yd-devi.) — 7, 77. 
 
 Mdy4-de'vi, also called Mah^-M^yd, or simply Mliyi, skt. and/., 
 the wife of Shuddhodana and mother of Buddha. She died 
 in childbed, and Buddha ascends to heaven to preach to her 
 the good law and the gospel of salvation. — 7, 77. 
 
 Mu'ni, skt. and/., a thinker, a sage; especially a religious thinker. 
 Shakyamu'ni, the sage of the Shikyas, is Buddha. — 148, 150. 
 
 Nadi' Ki'shyapa, skt., Nadi' Ka'ssapa, /., brother of the great 
 Kcishyapa of Uruvilvll. — 52. 
 
 Na'dika, skt. and/., name of a village. — 199. 
 
 Na'ga, skt. and/., literally serpent. The serpent being regarded 
 as a superior being, the word denotes a special kind of spiritual 
 beings ; a sage, a man of spiritual insight ; any superior per- 
 sonality. NSga kings, 8. 
 
 Naira'njana, skt., Nera'njari, /., name of a river identified by some 
 with the Nilajan, by others with the Phalgu. — 207-208. 
 
 Ndla'nda, skt. and/., a village near Rajagriha. — 194-196. 
 
 Na'ndi, daughter of a chief of shepherds, also called Sujita.-28. 29. 
 
 Nida'na, skt. and/., cause. The twelve nidanas, forming the chain 
 of causation which brings about the misery in the world. [See 
 Oldenberg, Buddha, Engl, tr., pp. 224-252]. — 31. 
 
 Nirgra'ntha, skt., Nigga'ntha, /., literally " liberated from bonds"; 
 a name adopted by the adherents of the Jaina sect. — 124, 129 ; 
 Nirgranthas, give also to the, 130. 
 
 Nirma'na Ka'ya, skt., the body of transformation. — 227. 
 
 Nirvi'na, skt., Nibba'na, /., extinction, viz., the extinction of self ; 
 according to the Hinayina it is defined as ' ' extinction of illu- 
 sion," according to the Mayiyana as "attainment of truth." 
 Nirvana means, according to the latter, enlightenment, the 
 state of mind in which upddana, klesha, and trishna are extinct, 
 the happy condition of enlightenment, peace of mind, bliss, 
 the glory of righteousness in this life and beyond, the eternal 
 rest of Buddha after death. Buddha himself has refused to 
 decide the problem whether or not Nirvana is a final extinC' 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 253 
 
 tion of personality. When questioned, he indicated by his si- 
 lence that the solution is not one of those subjects a knowledge 
 of which is indispensable for salvation. — 2, 6, 14, 16, 32, 33, 
 35, 38, 40, 52, 53, 55, 58, 61, 64, 65, 77, 82, 99, 102, 103, 122, 
 132, 133, 142, 143, 166, 198, 199, 211, 215, 224; where is Nir- 
 vana ? 133 ; Nirvana not a locality, 134 ; the city of Nirvdna, 
 no; the harvest, Nirvdna, 173 ; the one aim, Nirvina, 142: 
 Samsara and Nirvana, 2, 6, 197. 
 
 Nyagro'dha, ski., Nigro'dha, /., a \x&e, ficus indica well known for 
 its air roots. — 208. 
 
 Paramita', skt. and/., perfection, or virtue. The six piramitds 
 are : almsgiving, morality, patience, zeal or energy, medita- 
 tion, and wisdom. 
 
 Parivri'jaka, skt. , Paribbi'jaka, p. , a sect belonging to the Tirthika 
 school. — 83. 
 
 PStalipu'tra, skt., P^talipu'tta, i^. , also called P^taligima, a city 
 on the Ganges north of Rijagriha and belonging to the king- 
 dom of Magadha, the frontier. station against the Vriji (Vajji), 
 the present Patna. Buddha is reported to have predicted the 
 future greatness of the place, which is an important passage 
 for determining the time in which the account of Buddha's 
 sojourn in Pdtaliputra was written. It is still uncertain, how- 
 ever, when Patna became the important centre which it is now. 
 It was the capital of the country when Megasthenes, the am- 
 bassador of Seleucus Nicator, at the end of the third century 
 B. C, visited India. He gave in his book a detailed descrip- 
 tion of the city. — 196, 197, 198 ; Pdtaliputra, three dangers 
 hang over, 198. 
 
 Paushkarasi'di, skt., Pokkharasi'di, f., a Brahman philosopher. — 
 118. 
 
 Pi'v^, skt. and /. , a village where Buddha took his last meal con- 
 sisting of boar's meat and rice. — 211. 
 
 Pradyo'ta, skt., Pajjo'ta, /., name of a king of Ujjayini. — 76. 
 
 Prajd'pati or Mahi-Prajd'pati, skt., Pajd'pati, f., the sister of 
 Miy^-devi, second wife of Shuddhodana, aunt and foster- 
 mother of Buddha. She is also called by her husband's family 
 name Gautami (feminine form of Gautama). — 10, 69, 78, 89. 
 
 Pra'kriti, skt., name of a girl of low caste. — 174, 175. 
 
 Pras^'najit, skt., Pas^'nadi, /., (also called Pasenit) king of Kosala, 
 residing at Shr^vasti. — 72. 
 
 Pratimo'ksha, skt., P^timo'kkha, /., (usually spelt Pritimoksha in 
 
^54 "J^HE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Buddhistic Sanskrit,) literally "disburdenment." It is the 
 Buddhist confession. Rhys Davids says " that it almost cer- 
 tainly dates from the fifth century B. C. Since that time — 
 during a period that is of nearly two thousand and three hun- 
 dred years — it has been regularly repeated, twice in each month, 
 in formal meetings of the stricter members of the Order. It 
 occupies, therefore, a unique position in the literary history of 
 the world ; and no rules for moral conduct have been for so 
 long a time as these in constant practical use, except only 
 those laid down in the Old Testament and in the works of Con- 
 fucius "(p. 163). — 83-85. 
 
 Pravra'jyA, skt., pabba'jjd, f>., the act of leaving the world for re- 
 ceiving admittance to the Order. The first step of the Bud- 
 dhist ordination. (See Upasa'mpad^. ) 
 
 Pu'kkasha or Pu'kkasa, skt., Pu'kkusa, /., name of a low caste. — 
 213-214. 
 
 Pu'nyajit, skt., Pu'nnaji, j>., a friend of Yashas.— 48. 
 
 Purvir&'ma, skt., Pubbiri'ma, /., the Eastern garden. — 79, 
 
 R^'hula, skt. and p. , the son of Buddha, was admitted to the fra- 
 ternity while still a boy. Buddha gave him a lesson in truth- 
 fulness [see Chapter LVI] . He is always named among the 
 prominent disciples of Buddha and is revered as the patron 
 saint of novices. — 11, 67, 69, 70, 143, 144, 145. 
 
 Rainy season (see Varsha). — 49, 204. 
 
 RS'ja, skt. and /., nominative form of the stem r^jan, a king (in 
 composition rija). 
 
 R^jagri'ha, skt. , R^jaga'ha, /. , the capital of Magadha and resi- 
 dence of king Bimbisdra. — 19, 53, 57, 59, 64, 77, 83, 95, 99, 
 122, 193. 
 
 Ra'tna, skt., ra'tana, /., "jewel." 
 
 Ri'ddhi, skt., I'ddhi, ^., defined by Eitel as "the dominion of spirit 
 over matter." It is the adjusting power to one's purpose and 
 the adaptation to conditions. In popular belief it implies ex- 
 emption from the law of gravitation and the power of assuming 
 any shape at will. (See RiddhipMa.) 
 
 Riddhipa'da, skt. , Iddhipa'da, /. , the mode of attaining the power 
 of mind over matter, four steps being needed : (i) the will to 
 acquire it, (2) the necessary exertion, (3) the indispensable 
 preparation of the heart, and (4) a diligent investigation of the 
 truth. — 154, 156. 
 
 Ri'shi, skt. , i'si, ^. , a prophet or seer, an inspired poet, a hermit 
 
GLQSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 255 
 
 having acquired wisdom in saintly retirement, a recluse or 
 anchorite. 
 
 Saha'mpati, occurs only in the phrase "Brahmi Sahampati,"a 
 name frequently used in Buddhist scriptures the meaning of 
 which is obscure. Burnouf renders it Seigneur des itres pa- 
 tients ; Eitel, Lord of the inhabitable parts of all universes ; 
 H. Kern [in S. B., XXI, p. 5] maintains that it is synonymous 
 with Sikhin, which is a common term for Agni. 
 
 Sai'nya, skt., SS'niya, ^., military, warlike, an honorary title given 
 to Bimbislira the king of Magadha. — 53, 57, 83. 
 
 Sama'dhi, skt. and/., trance, abstraction, self-control. Rhys Da- 
 vids says {B. p. 177) : "Buddhism has not been able to escape 
 from the natural results of the wonder with which abnormal 
 nervous states have always been regarded during the infancy 
 of science. . . . But it must be added, to its credit, that the 
 most ancient Buddhism despises dreams and visions ; and that 
 the doctrine of Samadhi is of small practical importance com- 
 pared with the doctrine of the noble eightfold Path." Eitel 
 says {Handbook, p. 140): "The term Samddhi is sometimes 
 used ethically, when it designates moral self-deliverance from 
 passion and vice." 
 
 Sambho'ga K^'ya, skt., the body of Bliss. — 227. 
 
 Samsi'ra, skt. and /., the ocean of birth and death, transiency, 
 worldliness, the restlessness of a worldly life, the agitation of 
 selfishness, the vanity fair of life. — 2, 6, 33, 198. 
 
 Samski'ra, skt., sankhi'ra, /., confection, conformation, disposi- 
 tion. It is the formative element in the karma as it has taken 
 shape in bodily existence. — 134, 137, 138. 
 
 Samyakpradhd'na, skt., Sammappadhi'na, /. , right effort, exertion, 
 struggle. There are four great efforts to overcome sin, which 
 are : (i) Mastery over the passions so as to prevent bad quali- 
 ties from rising ; (2) suppression of sinful thoughts to put away 
 bad qualities which have arisen ; (3) meditation on the seven 
 kinds of wisdom (Bodhi-anga) in order to produce goodness not 
 previously existing, and (4) fixed attention or the exertion of 
 preventing the mind from wandering, so as to increase the good- 
 ness which exists. [See the Mahll-padhina Sutta in the Digha 
 Nikdya. Compare B. B. St., p. 89, and Rh. Davids's Bud- 
 dhism, pp. 172-173.] 
 
 Sa'ngha, skt. and :p., the brotherhood of Buddha's disciples, the 
 Buddhist church. An assembly of at least four has the power 
 
256 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 to hear confession, to grant absolution, to admit persons to the 
 priesthood, etc. The sangha forms the third constituent of 
 the Triratna or three jewels in which refuge is taken (the S. B. 
 cj/" M^ ^. spell Sawgha). — 43, 48, 52, 56, 69, 77, 81, 84-90, 
 146 ; sangha may be expected to prosper, 194. 
 
 Sa'njaya, skt. and/., a wandering ascetic and chief of that sect to 
 which Shiriputra and Maudgalydyana belonged before their 
 conversion. — 58. 
 
 Sha'kra, skt., Sa'kka, /., Lord ; a cognomen of Indra. — 57. 
 
 Sh&'kya, skt., SA'kya, f>., the name of a royal race in the northern 
 frontiers of Magadha. — 11, 20. 
 
 Shdkyamu'ni, skt., S^kyamu'ni, /., the Shdkya sage; a cognomen 
 of Buddha. — 20, 22, 26, 27, 29, 50, 51, 53, 59, 78, 100, loi, 120. 
 
 Shi'la, skt., Sa'la,/., a tree, vatica robusta ; sh^la-grove, 215, 218 ; 
 shala-trees, 216. 
 
 Shiripu'tra, skt., Siripu'tta, /. , one of the principal disciples of 
 Buddha; the Buddhistic St. Peter. — 58, 59, 64, 67, 70, 71, 8g, 
 100, 189, 194-196 ; Shciriputra's faith, 197. 
 
 Shra'mana, skt., Sa'mana, f., an ascetic ; one who lives under the 
 the vow, 30, 34, 50, 69, 78 ; the Shramana Gautama, 219 ; the 
 vision of a shramana, 15. 
 
 Shr^'vaka, skt., Si'vaka, /., he who has heard the voice (viz. of 
 Buddha), a pupil, a beginner. The name is used to designate 
 (i) all personal disciples of Buddha, the foremost among whom 
 are called Maha-shrivakas, and (2) an elementary degree of 
 saintship. A shrivaka is he who is superficial yet in practice 
 and comprehension, being compared to a hare crossing the 
 stream of Samsdra by swimming on the surface. [See Eitel 
 Handbook, p. 157.] — 151, 152. 
 
 Shrfiva'sti, skt., Sdva'tthi, f., capital of Northern Kosala. It has 
 been identified by General Cunningham with the ruins of 
 Sahet-Mahet in Oudh and was situated on the river Rapti, 
 northwest of Magadha. — 63, 71, 79, 82, 88, 89, 166, 174, 189. 
 
 Shuddho'dana, skt., Suddho'dana, /., Buddha's father. The word 
 means, "possessing pure rice." Buddhists always represent 
 him as a king, but Oldenberg declares that this does not ap- 
 pear in the oldest records, and speaks of him as '* a great and 
 wealthy land-owner." (See his Buddha, English version, pp. 
 99 and 416-417.) — 7, II, 12, 19, 64, 65, 68, 77. 
 
 Siddhi'rtha, skt., Siddha'ttha, /.. Buddha's proper name. Etymol- 
 ogy, 'He who has reached his goal." — 9-19, 29, 64-70, 140. 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 257 
 
 Si'mha, skt., Si'ha, /., literally, "lion." Name of a general, an 
 adherent of the Nirgrantha sect, converted by Buddha, 124- 
 126, 128-130; Simha, a soldier, 126; Simha's question con- 
 cerning annihilation, 124. 
 
 Ska'ndha, skt., Kha'ndha, f., elements ; attributes of being, which 
 are form, sensation, perception, discrimination, and conscious- 
 ness. — 24. 
 
 Smrityupasthd'na, skt., Sati-pattha'na, /., meditation; explained 
 as "fixing the attention." The four objects of earnest medi- 
 tation are: (1) the impurity of the body, (2) the evils arising 
 from sensation, (3) ideas or the impermanence of existence, and 
 (4) reason and character, or the permanency of the dharma. 
 (Rh. D. B., p. 172.) The term is different from "bhUvana," 
 although translated by the same English word. {S. B. of the 
 E. XI, p. 62.— 211.) 
 
 S6'ma, skt. and^., derived from the root su, to press in a wine- 
 press; not as, according to Eitel, Chinese scholars propose 
 from "exhilarate {su) and mind {mana)." Name of a plant 
 and of its juice, which is intoxicating and is used at Brahman- 
 ical festivals ; the Soma drink is identified with the moon and 
 personified as a deity. — ;i20. 
 
 Srigd'la, ski., SigA'la. ^., literally, "jackal"; name of a Brahman 
 converted by Buddha. — 122, 123. 
 
 Subd'hu, ski. amd^., a friend of Yashas. — 48. 
 
 Subha'dra, skL, Subha'dda, /., name of a shramana. Subha'dra, 
 Buddha's last convert, must not be confounded with another 
 man of the same name who caused dissension soon after 
 Buddha's death. ^9, 218-220. 
 
 Su'mana, ski. and j^., name of a householder. — 167. 
 
 Sli'tra, ski., Su'tta, ^., literally " thread," any essay, or guide of a 
 religious character. 
 
 Tapu'ssa, ski. and_^., a merchant. — 34, 35. 
 
 Tiru'kshya, ski., Tiru'ccha, ^., name of a Brahman philosopher. 
 
 Tathi'gata, ski. and_^., generally explained as "the Perfect One." 
 The highest attribute of Buddha, 17, 38, 39, 43-45. 5^> 53. 5^ 
 59, 62, 64, 67, 69, 70, 74, 78, 80, 82, 83, 96, 97, 100, 101, 107- 
 III, 116, 159; robe of the Tathdgata, 107; soldiers of the Ta- 
 th^gata, no ; the law the body of the Tathigata, 225 ; Tathi- 
 gatas are only preachers, in. 
 
 Ti'rthika, j/^/. , Ti'tthiya, ^., a religious school of India in Buddha's 
 time. — 83. 
 
258 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 TrikA'ya, the three bodies of personalities of Buddha, the Dharma- 
 k^ya, the Sambhoga-kdya, and the Nirmina-k^ya. — 227. 
 
 Trira'tna, the three jewels or the holy trinity of the Buddha, the 
 Dharma, and the Sangha, a doctrine peculiar to Northern 
 Buddhism. (See TrikAya.) 
 
 Tri'shn^, skt. , ta'nhi, ;p. , thirst, the egotistical desire of existence, 
 selfishness. — 30, 116. 
 
 U'draka, skt., a Brahman philosopher. — 22, 25. 
 
 Ujja'yini, skt., Ujj^'ni, /., name of a city. — 76. 
 
 UpddA'na, skt. and/., desire, a grasping state of mind. One of 
 the niddnas. 
 
 Upagu'pta, skt., name of a Buddhist monk. — 179. 
 
 U'paka, skt. and/., name of a man, a Jain, who met Buddha, but 
 was not converted by him. — 37, 38. 
 
 Up4'li, a prominent disciple of Buddha. Before his conversion he 
 was, according to the Buddhistic tradition, court-barber to the 
 king of the Shikyas. — 69, 89, 225. 
 
 Upasa'mpadi, skt. and/., admittance to the Buddhist brotherhood, 
 ordination. (See Pravrajya.) 
 
 Upava'rtana, skt., Upava'ttana, /., a grove in Kushinagara. The 
 word means a rambling-place, a gymnasium. — 215, 218. 
 
 Upava'satha, skt., Upo'satha, /., the Buddhist sabbath. Rhys 
 Davids says (pp. 140-141): "The Uposatha days are the four 
 days in the lunar month when the moon is full, or new, or half 
 way between the two. It is the fourteenth day from the new 
 moon (in short months) and the fifteenth day from the full 
 moon (in the long months), and the eighth day from each of 
 these. The corresponding Sanskrit word is Upavasatha, the 
 fast-day previous to the offering of the intoxicating soma, con- 
 nected with the worship of the moon. Instead of worshipping 
 the moon, the Buddhists were to keep the fast-day by special 
 observance of the moral precepts ; one of many instances in 
 which Gautama spiritualised existing words and customs." — 
 83, 84, 87 ; observe the Upavasatha or Sabbath, 105. 
 
 Uruvi'lva, skt., Uruve'lA, /., a place south of Patna on the banks of 
 the Neranjari river, now Buddha Gayli. The residence of 
 Kishyapa, the chief of the Jatilas. — 27, 49, 50, 52, 182. 
 
 Vaishi'li, skt., V^sd'li, :p., a great city of India, north of Patna. — 
 193, 201-204, 210. 
 
 Va'rana, skt. and^., a tree ; Crataeva Roxburghii. — 162, 163. 
 
 Vardham^'na, skt. , Vaddhamd'na, /aina Prakrit, proper name ; 
 
GLOSSARY OF NAMES AND TERMS. 259 
 
 the founder of Jainism, Also called JSatapu'tra in skt. and 
 N^tapu'tta in Jaina Prakrit. 
 
 Va'rsha, skt., Va'ssa, f., rain, rainy season. During the rainy 
 season of Northern India, which falls in the months from June 
 to October, the shramanas could not wander about, but had to 
 stay in one place. It was the time in which the disciples 
 gathered round their master, listening to his instructions. Thus 
 it became the festive time of the year. In Ceylon, where these 
 same months are the fairest season of the year, Buddhists 
 come together and live in temporary huts, holding religious 
 meetings in the open air, reading the Pitakas and enjoying the 
 jdtakas, legends, and parables of Buddhism. [See Rhys Da- 
 vids's B. , p. 57, ] 
 
 VarshakU'ra, J-^/. , VassakSra, /. , lit. "rain-maker." Name of a Brah- 
 man, the prime minister of the king of Magadha. — 192, 193. 
 
 Va'runa, skt. and f. , a Brahman deity, the god of heaven and re- 
 gent of the sea ; one of the guardians of the world. — 120. 
 
 Vdsavada'ttd, skt. and^., a courtesan of Mathurd. — 179, 180. 
 
 Vdsi'shtha, skt., V4se'ttha, f., name of a Brahman. — 117, 120. 
 
 V6'das, 39, 118, 119; I know all the VMas, 139. 
 
 V^nuva'na, skt. , V^luva'na, /. , a bamboo-grove at RAjagriha, 58. 
 Vfenuvana vih^ra, 95. 
 
 Vihi'ra, skt. and p., residence of Buddhist monks or priests; a 
 Buddhist convent or monastery; a Buddhist temple. — 63, 64, 
 80, 95, 100, 102, 190, 216. 
 
 Vi'mala, skt. and^. (etym., the spotless), name of a friend of Ya- 
 shas. — 48. 
 
 Vi'naya, 49. 
 
 Vishd'kha, skt., Visd'khfi, ^ , a wealthy matron of Shr&vasti, one 
 of Buddha's most distinguished woman lay-disciples. Says 
 Oldenberg, Buddha, English translation, p. 167 : "Every one 
 invites VisAkhi to sacrificial ceremonies and banquets, and has 
 the dishes offered to her first ; a guest like her brings luck to 
 the house." — 79, 80, 82. 83 ; eight boons of Vishdkhi, 80 ; glad- 
 ness of VishAkhd, 82, 83. 
 
 Vri'ji, skt., Va'jji, ^., name of a people living in the neighborhood 
 of Magadha, 100, 192, 193 ; assemblies of the Vriji, 192. 
 
 Ya'ma, skt. and/., also called Yama-rd'ja, death, the god of 
 death — 183, 184. 
 
 Ya'shas, skt., Ya'sa, f , the noble youth of Benares, son of a wealthy 
 man and one of Buddha's earliest converts — ^45, 48. 
 
26o THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA 
 
 Yasho'dhar^ skt. Yaso'dharS, /. , wife of Prince Gautama Sid- 
 dh^tha before he became Buddha. She became one of the 
 first of Buddhist nuns. [See Jitaka, 87-90 ; Commentary on 
 Dhammapada, vv 168, 169: Bigandet, 156-168; Spence 
 Hardy's Manual, 198-204 , Beal, pp. 360-364 : B, Birth Stc 
 ries, 127. J— XI, 66-69. 77, 78, 95. 
 
 PRONUNCIATION. 
 
 Pronounce : 
 
 a as the Italian and German n as 00 in goo^ 
 short a. fi as » in xumot, 
 
 kss a\n father. ai as in eye. 
 
 e as <f in \ex\X, au as em> in how, 
 
 6 as <f in nght fi as ny, 
 
 i as I in hit. jS as dny, 
 
 i as < in machine. fin as n-ny, 
 
 o as <7 in l^^t. ch as ch m chwcch. 
 
 6 as <? in h^me. cch as ch-ch in ri<-// Mance 
 
 s, j, y, and other letters, as usual in English words. 
 
 Double consonants are pronounced as two distinct sounds, e, g , 
 ka^m'tna, not k&*tna. 
 
 The h after/, b, k^ g, t, d'ls audible as in du^^im, be^^er, bric/^ 
 ^use, an/ ^ill. Pronounce Tat-higata, not Ta-thdgata. 
 
 To the average European it is diflScult to catch, let alone to 
 imitate, the difference of sound between dotted and non-dotted let- 
 ters. All those who are desirous for information on this point 
 must consult Sanskrit and Pili grammars. 
 
 Lest the reader be unnecessarily bewildered with foreign-look- 
 ing dots and signs, which after all are no help to him, all dotted 
 t, d. m, n, and italicised /, d, in, n have been replaced in the text of 
 the book by t, d, m, n , n, fin, dotted r and italicised .$• have been 
 transcribed by ny, nny, ri, and sh, while the Glossary preserves 
 the more exact transcription. 
 
 We did not follow the spelling of the Sacred Books of the East, 
 where it must be misleading to the uninitiated, especially when 
 they write italicised K \.o denote spelling of the English sound ch, 
 and italicised g to denote j Thus we write " rdjd," not **xkg^,* 
 and "Chunda, ' not "Aunda." 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A ^tain from impurity, io6. 
 
 Abstinence, 39. 
 
 Abode in me, truth has taken its, 140, 
 
 Abodes of truth, 63. 
 
 Abolish all the lesser, 220. 
 
 Abolished, omens, 151. 
 
 About to pass away, 216. 
 
 Absolution, 84. 
 
 Abuse, the sermon on, 145. 
 
 According to their deeds, 188. 
 
 Address, Buddha's farewell, 204. 
 
 Adoration be to thee, 150. 
 
 Aim, one, one essence, one law, 141. 
 
 Aim, the one, Nirvfina, 142. 
 
 Aim, the preacher's sole, 108. 
 
 All creatures received the message 
 
 in their own language, 41. 
 Alone, let a man walk, 88 (see also 
 
 Solitary). 
 Altercations, 86. 
 Always in danger of death, 188. 
 Ambrosia, lake of, 98. 
 Angels rejoice, 8. 
 Anger, by love overcome, 115. 
 Annihilation, 124, 125. 
 
 Annihilation of egotism, 126. 
 
 Annihilation, Simha's question con- 
 cerning, 124. 
 
 Another Buddha will arise, 218. 
 
 Anxious to learn, must be, 207. 
 
 Anxious to learn the truth, be, 106. 
 
 Apoplexy, struck by, 169. 
 
 Appearance of Bddhisattva, 19. 
 
 Appearance, the glory of his, 189. 
 
 Appeared, the saviour, 229. 
 
 Appeased not by hatred, hatred, 87. 
 
 Are all paths saving paths? 118. 
 
 Artisans, the chief of the, 179. 
 
 Asceticism, 198. 
 Ascetics, naked, 75. 
 Assemblies of the Vriji, 192. 
 Assemblies, various kinds of, 156. 
 Assured of final salvation, 221. 
 Astrology and forecasting by signs 
 
 forbidden, 210. 
 Atman and the /, 26. 
 Atone for your evil deeds, you will 
 
 have to, 178. 
 Atonement by blood, 132. 
 Audience, like vmto the color of my, 
 
 156. 
 Avoid dying, not any means to, 187, 
 
 Bad deeds easy to do, ii2. 
 
 Bamboo grove, 122. 
 
 Bathing in the Ganges, 11. 
 
 Battle is better, death in, 208. 
 
 Battle of life, 128. 
 
 Battle, the elephant no longer fit for, 
 
 145. 
 
 Battles, fight your, 129. 
 
 Be married unto the truth, 181. 
 
 Be ye lamps unto yourselves, 206. 
 
 Beauty, to restore to you a nobler, 180. 
 
 Becoming, gradual, 138. 
 
 Bee collects nectar, the, 115. 
 
 Being, the purpose of, 228. 
 
 Beings, preach to all, 109. 
 
 Beneath, water gurgling, 172. 
 
 Best, truth is, 42. 
 
 Better bore out both eyes, 79. 
 
 Blessed One, has to suffer, the, 205; 
 Blessed One, refuge in the, 129, 130, 
 140, 220 ; Blessed One swooned, the, 
 a8; Blessed One walked unshod, 
 
2^2 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 the, 94 , Blessed One, wearisome to 
 
 the, 199. 
 Blind man, 21. 
 Blind men, iig. 
 Blind received sight, 7. 
 Blind, the man born, 159. 
 Blind, truth is hidden to the, 226. 
 Blind, your eyes are, 166. 
 Bliss be diffused, let the, 168. 
 Bliss, the communication of, 167. 
 Bliss where suffering is, 16. 
 Blood, atonement by, 132. 
 Blood has no cleansing power, 132. 
 Blood, shedding of, 26. 
 Blow, give the rock a good, 172. 
 Blow off the impurities, 115. 
 Body of flesh? Why preserve this, 217. 
 Body of the law, 140 ; the body of the 
 
 law will endure, 217. 
 Body, the worldling nourishes his, 
 
 167. 
 Bonds that tie all souls together, 232. 
 Boons of VishShka. eight, 80. 
 Brahma, 69, 118. 
 Brahman, 58, 117, 118, 119, 120, 131, 
 
 132, 133. 136, 137, 146, 164, 165, 166, 
 
 168, 173, 174, 175, 183, 184, 185, 192, 
 
 193. 197. 
 Brahman lore, the substance of, 119. 
 Bridler of men's hearts, 20a 
 Bright, the sun is, 117. 
 Bright, thinkers are, 117; warriors 
 
 are bright, 117. 
 Bubble, 31. 
 Buddhahood, omens of, 8, 9 ; signs of 
 
 Buddhahood, 8. 
 Burning, everything is, 52. 
 Burning mansion, the, 158. 
 Butterfly, like the, 211. 
 By deeds one becomes an outcast, 174. 
 
 Calamities, ten great, 191. 
 
 Carp not, 106, 107. 
 
 Cart, as a worn out, 206. 
 
 Cast-off rags, 75, yy. 
 
 Caste, I ask not for, 174. 
 
 Cause of further migrations, 99. 
 
 Cause of selfhood, the. Found 1 33. 
 
 Cease by hatred, hatred does not,ii5. 
 
 Ceremony, 123, 198. 
 
 Chance, 61. 
 
 Change, grief at, 14 ; self Is change 
 138. 
 
 Charcoal, 185. 
 
 Charity, rich in returns, 20 ; the ser- 
 mon on, 63. 
 
 Charms are treacherous, 180 
 
 Chastity, 106. 
 
 Che, loi, 103. 
 
 Cherish no hatred, 106. 
 
 Chickens should break the egg-shell, 
 122. 
 
 Chief of the artisans, the, 179. 
 
 Children, I am your father, ye are, 
 140. 
 
 Childrenof truth, clay can be changed 
 into, 131. 
 
 City of Nirvfina, the, no. 
 
 Clay can be changed into the chil- 
 dren of truth, 131. 
 
 Cleanses from sin, the truth, 223. 
 
 Cleansing power, blood has no, 132. 
 
 Cleaving to self, 137. 
 
 Cloth of gold, robes of, 213, 
 
 Cloud, like a, 142. 
 
 Cloud of good qualities, no. 
 
 Cloud of error, 217. 
 
 Coil, the, 31. 
 
 Color of my audience, like unto the, 
 156. 
 
 Combination, individuality a, 25; 
 combination subject to separation, 
 25- 
 
 Come forth into the light, 122. 
 
 Come into the world to befriend, 190. 
 
 Come to teach life, 133. 
 
 Commandments, see the ten evils, 106. 
 
 Communication of bliss, the, 167. 
 
 Complete surrender of self, 127. 
 
 Compounds will be dissolved, 217. 
 
 Comprehension of things, truth the 
 correct, 34. 
 
 Concord, two ways of re-establish- 
 ing, 89; meeting in concord, 193; 
 re-establishment of concord, 88. 
 
 Conditions of welfare, eight, 192, 193, 
 194. 
 
 Conduct, upright, 194. 
 
 Confer the ordination, 49. 
 
 Confession of trespasses, 84. 
 
 Conquerors, the greatest of, in. 
 
 Conquest of self, 128, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 263 
 
 Consolidation of Buddha's religion, 
 
 75. 
 Contact of the object and senses, 54. 
 Contemplation, earnest, 194. 
 Continuity, sameness and, 137. 
 Coop, the fowl in the, 103. 
 Correct comprehension of things, 
 
 truth the, 34. 
 Correlatives, r6. 
 Courtesan, 81, 179, 201-204. 
 Covet not, 106. 
 Crane, the wild, 103 ; the cruel crane, 
 
 162. 
 Creatures, all, received the message 
 
 in their own language, 41. 
 Criminal, punishment of the, 126. 
 Criminal's act, punishment the fruit 
 
 of the, 127. 
 Crossed the river, 198, 
 Crossed the stream, he had, 189. 
 Cultivate good-will, 55. 
 Culture of the mind, 70. 
 
 Danger of death, always in, 188. 
 
 Dangers hang over Pdtaliputra, 
 three, 198. 
 
 Dark, do not call the world, 166. 
 
 Dart of lust, the, 161. 
 
 Dead are many, the, 187. 
 
 Dead not saved by lamentation, 188. 
 
 Deaf and dumb speak, the, 8. 
 
 Death, always in danger of, 188; Bud- 
 dha' s death, 218; fate after death, 
 188, 189 ; death is near, 208 ; no es- 
 cape from, 13 ; death in battle is 
 better, 208; in the domain of death, 
 103; self is death, 133, 138, 140; 
 thoughtlessness, the path of death, 
 112. 
 
 Deeds, according to their, 188 ; bad 
 deeds easy to do, 112; by deeds 
 one becomes an outcast,i74; passed 
 away according to his deeds, 172, 
 
 Deeper, dig, 109. 
 
 Delusion and truth, 31. 
 
 Delusions, 39. 
 
 Denies the existence of the soul, Gau- 
 tama, 130. 
 
 Desert, a waterless, 120; rescue in 
 the desert, 169 ; a sandy desert, 170, 
 
 Desire, the extinction of sinful, 116. 
 
 Desolation, a hopeless, 120. 
 
 Despot, the, 178. 
 
 Destiny of warriors, 128. 
 
 Destroyed, hell is, 199. 
 
 DSvadatta, sect of, 95. 
 
 Die until, etc., I shall not, 208; truth 
 cannot die, 217. 
 
 Died in the faith, he, 184. 
 
 Diffused, let the bliss be, 168. 
 
 Dig deeper, 109. 
 
 Disciple, the first woman lay-, 48. 
 
 Disciple, a, flagged, 169. 
 
 Dissatisfied, the people, 59. 
 
 Dissolution, necessity of, 222. 
 
 Dissolved, compounds will be, 217. 
 
 Distinction, without, 142. 
 
 Doctrine, preach the, glorious in the 
 beginning, the middle, and end, 
 49; my doctrine is like the great 
 ocean, 156 ; doctrine like unto fire, 
 157 ; doctrine like unto water, 157. 
 
 Doffed their robes, the bhikshus, 80. 
 
 Dog, the hungry, 176. 
 
 Domain of death, in the, 103. 
 
 Do not call the world dark, 166. 
 
 Do not rely on external help, 206. 
 
 Do not scold, 89. 
 
 Door of immortality, 36. 
 
 Draught-ox, exertion is a, 173. 
 
 Drink, the refreshing, perception of 
 truth, 98. 
 
 Drinking? Is the water not fit for, 
 143. 
 
 Dumb, the deaf and, speak, 8. 
 
 Dust, like one who flings, 146. 
 
 Dust of worldliness, 36. 
 
 Dwelling-place, wisdom has no, 133. 
 
 Dying, not any means to avoid, 187. 
 
 Each day one hemp-grain, 27. 
 Earnest contemplation, 194. 
 Earnestness is the goad, 173; earnest- 
 ness is the path of immortality, 112. 
 Earth, peace on, 8. 
 Earthquake, 222. 
 East, face towards the, 196. 
 Eating of flesh, the, 39. 
 Ecstasy, the song of, 195. 
 Eddies of transmigration, 144. 
 Efficacy, rituals have no, 27. 
 Egg-shell, chickens should break the, 
 
264 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 122; I have first broken the egg- 
 shell, 221. 
 
 Eggs, hen brooding over, 122. 
 
 Ego, the, 24; ego, an illusion, 26; the 
 instability of the ego, 41. 
 
 Egotism, the annihilation of, 126. 
 
 Eight boons of VishSkhS, 80. 
 
 Eight conditions of welfare, 192, 193, 
 194. 
 
 Eight wonderful qualities, 156, 157. 
 
 Eightfold path, the, 33, 122, 211. 
 
 Eightfold, the best way is the, 116. 
 
 Eldest, I am the, 221. 
 
 Elephant, powerful, 144; the elephant 
 no longer fit for battle, 145. 
 
 Elevate the mind, 74. 
 
 Emaciated from fasts, 207. 
 
 Embrace of truth, the, 181. 
 
 Empire, the wheel of, 207. 
 
 Emptiness and immaterial life, 23. 
 
 Enabled me to do so, faith, igo. 
 
 Endure, thoughts will, 112. 
 
 Enemy, his greatest, 115. 
 
 Enlightened Teacher, refuge in the, 
 123. 
 
 Entities, sonls not separate and self- 
 existent, 132. 
 
 Envy not, 106. 
 
 Epidemic, loi. 
 
 Eradication of self, 126. 
 
 Error, self an, 55 ; error be thou my 
 guide, 231. 
 
 Errors, 107. 
 
 Escape from death, no, 13. 
 
 Essence of life, truth is the, 231 ; one 
 in essence, 232 ; one essence, one 
 law, one aim, 141. 
 
 Eternal, truth the image of the, 3. 
 
 Everlasting life, 128, 182. 
 
 Evil actions, thou canst not escape 
 the fruit of, 139. 
 
 Everything is burning, 52. 
 
 Evil by good, overcome, 115 ; evil 
 deeds, you will have to atone for 
 your, 178 ; ignorance the root of 
 evil, 31 ; pain is the outcome of 
 evil, 113 ; evil powers no surrender, 
 127. 
 
 Evolution, 138 ; in the course of evo- 
 lution, 228. 
 
 Exertion is a draught-ox, 173. 
 
 Existence is spiritual, all, 130; thirst 
 
 for existence and selfhood, 30. 
 Expulsion, sentence of, 85, 86. 
 External help, do not rely on, 206. 
 Extinction of self, the, salvation, 4; 
 
 the extinction of sinful desire, 116; 
 
 the extinction of thirst, 116. 
 Eye, the, Stman and, 26 ; eye of truth, 
 
 45 ; mental eye, 186 ; spiritual eye, 
 
 227. 
 Eyes, better bore out both, 79. 
 
 Face to face, Brahma, 118; the uni' 
 verse face to face, 121 ; face to face 
 with him, 220. 
 
 Face towards the east, 194. 
 
 Facing towards the west, 195. 
 
 Faith alone can save, 190 ; faith en- 
 abled me to do so, 190 ; great is thy 
 faith, 196 ; lineage of the faith, 195; 
 hast thou faith, 209 ; he died in the 
 faith, 184 ; faith is the seed, 173 ; 
 faith in the Buddha, 200; Sharipu- 
 tra's faith, 194 ; such faith have I, 
 194. 
 
 Falter not, wise people, 112. 
 
 Famine, 100. 
 
 Farewell address, Buddha's, 204. 
 
 Fashion themselves, wise people, 112 
 
 Fashioned, truth cannot be, 231. 
 
 Fasts, emaciated from, 207. 
 
 Fate after death, 188, 199. 
 
 Father, 158, 159 ; father and son, 184; 
 I reverence my father, 123 ; ye are 
 my children, I am your father, 140. 
 
 Fault, found no 208. 
 
 Faults of others, the, 114, 115. 
 
 Fell upon him, sickness, 204, 211, 212. 
 
 Fetch me some water, 212, 
 
 Fever, self is a, 42. 
 
 Few, the living are, 187, 
 
 Fight your battles, 129. 
 
 Fire, doctrine like unto, 157. 
 
 Fire, sermon on, 52. 
 
 First broken the egg-shell, I have, 221. 
 
 First Buddha, I am not the, 217. 
 
 First lay-member, the, 47. 
 
 First women lay-disciples, the, 48. 
 
 Fish, the giddy, 161. 
 
 Fit for battle, the elephant no longer, 
 143- 
 
INDEX. 
 
 265 
 
 Fit for drinking? Is the water now, 
 143. 
 
 Fit to live, more, 128. 
 
 Five meditations, 153. 
 
 Five roots of mind, the, 23. 
 
 Five wishes of BimbisSra, 56. 
 
 Fivefold gain, 196 ; fivefold loss, 196. 
 
 Flagged, a disciple, 169. 
 
 Flagging, religious zeal, 29. 
 
 Flame, sameness of the, 135, 
 
 Flesh, the eating of, 39 ; thorn in the, 
 n6; let the flesh waste away, 208 ; 
 why preserve this body of flesh ? 217. 
 
 Flings dust, like one who, 146. 
 
 Flowers out of season, 216 ; lotus flow- 
 ers, 30 ; mandara flowers, 8. 
 
 Following the Master over the 
 stream, 189. 
 
 Fool, 113 ; the listless fool, 168. 
 
 Foolish, pleasures destroy the, 114 ; 
 foolish talk, 119. 
 
 Forbidden, miracles, 99-101. 
 
 Forecasting by signs forbidden, as- 
 trology and, 210. 
 
 Found no fault, 208 ; found! the cause 
 of selfhood, 33 ; found the truth, 43. 
 
 Foundation of the Kingdom of Right- 
 eousness, 37. 
 
 Four kinds of ofitering, 165; four kinds 
 of merit, 164 ; four simples, 160 ; the 
 four quarters, 121 ; the four noble 
 truths, 32, 160 ; the four signs, 12 ; 
 where four roads cross, 118. 
 
 Fowl in the coop, the, 103. 
 
 Fragrant like the lotus, 180. 
 
 Free your mind of ignorance, 106. 
 
 Fruit of evil actions, thou canst not 
 escape the, 139 ; the fruit of immor- 
 tality, 173 ; the fruit of the crim- 
 inal's act punishment, 127. 
 
 Fruits, ripe, 188. 
 
 Gain, fivefold, 195. 
 
 Ganges, bathing in the, 11. 
 
 Gautama Gate, 198. 
 
 Giddy fish, the, 161. 
 
 Gift of religion, the, 116. 
 
 Gift, the king's, 57. 
 
 Give also to the Nigranthas, 130; give, 
 
 if thou art asked, 115 ; give the rock 
 
 a good blow, 172. 
 
 Gives away, he who, etc., 215. 
 
 Giving away, 63. 
 
 Glad tidings, i. 
 
 Gladness of VishSkha, 82, 83, 
 
 Glorious in the beginning, middle, 
 and end, preach the doctrine, 49; 
 the truth is glorious, 46, 47, 56. 
 
 Glory of his appearance, the, 189 ; the 
 truth in all its glory, 229. 
 
 Goad, earnestness is the, 173. 
 
 Goal, the, 99, 117. 
 
 Gods and men, teacher of, 200. 
 
 Goes out to wage war, no. 
 
 Gold, robes of cloth of, 213. 
 
 Gone into the yoke, 116. 
 
 Good qualities, cloud of, no; happi- 
 ness is the outcome of good, 113; 
 overcome evil by good, 115; good 
 tidings, 16; cultivate good-will, 55; 
 good works are rain, 173, 
 
 Governs all things, karma, 101. 
 
 Grace, the time of, 161, 170. 
 
 Gradual becoming, 138. 
 
 Grant me my life, 164. 
 
 Great is thy faith, ig6. 
 
 Great understanding, muni of, 148. 
 
 Greatest enemy, his, 114; the greatest 
 of conquerors, in. 
 
 Greedy tailor, the, 162. 
 
 Grief at change, 14 ; overcome grief, 
 206 ; selfish in my grief, 187. 
 
 Grounded, that it be well, 198. 
 
 Grove, bamboo, 122. 
 
 Guide, error be thou my, 231. 
 
 Guiding-rein, mind is the, 173. 
 
 Happily, let us live, 119. 
 
 Happiness is the outcome of good, 
 
 113 ; vanity of worldly happiness, 2. 
 Happy, he is altogether, 122 ; make 
 
 thyself happy, 209. 
 Hard times teach a lesson, 103. 
 Harvest NirvSna, the, 173 ; thou wilt 
 
 reap the harvest sown in the past, 
 
 138. 
 Hast thou faith? 209. 
 Hatred appeased not by hatred, 87; 
 
 cherish no hatred, 106 ; hatred 
 
 ceases by love, 115 ; hatred does 
 
 not cease by hatred, 115. 
 He promoted him higher, 160. 
 
266 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 He who gives away, etc., 215. 
 
 He who walks righteously is ever 
 near me, 218. 
 
 Hearts, bridler of men's, 200. 
 
 Heaven, hope of, a mirage, 102 ; like 
 one who spits at heaven, 146; pleas- 
 ures of self in heaven, 133. 
 
 Heavenly songs, 216. 
 
 Hell is destroyed, 199. 
 
 Helmet of right thought, 79. 
 
 Help, do not rely on external, 206; 
 now my lot to help, 191. 
 
 Hemp-grain, each day one, 27. 
 
 Hen brooding over eggs, 122. 
 
 Hereafter, the, 139. 
 
 Heresies, 61. 
 
 Hermit, layman and, 46. 
 
 Higher, he promoted him, 160. 
 
 Hold fast to the truth, 206. 
 
 Holiness better than sovereignty, 21. 
 
 Homage, worthiest, 216. 
 
 Honor, so great an, 202. 
 
 Honored be his name, 57. 
 
 Hope of heaven a mirage, 102. 
 
 Hopeless desolation, a, 120. 
 
 Householder, 158. 
 
 Hungry dog, parable of the, 176. 
 
 I am not the first Buddha, 217; I am 
 the eldest, 221 ; I am the truth, 141; 
 I am thirsty, 212 ; I ask not for caste, 
 174 ; I have first broken the egg- 
 shell, 221 ; no room for the I, 54 ; 
 I reverence my father, 123 ; I shall 
 not die until, etc., 208 ; such faith 
 have I, 194 ; the I perishable, 54 ; 
 the I, the soul, 23 ; the thought of I, 
 24 ; the transmission of the soul and 
 the I, 25. 
 
 Idea of self, the, 217. 
 
 Identity, 135 ; identity and non-iden- 
 tity, 131, 135; identity of self, 137; 
 where is the identity of my self ? 
 134. 
 
 Idle talk, invocations are, 139. 
 
 If thou art asked, give, 115. 
 
 Ignorance, free your mind of, 106; 
 ignorance the root of evil, 31. 
 
 Illimitable light, 232. 
 
 Illusion, self an, 34, 128; the ego an 
 illusion, 96. 
 
 Illustration by a lamp, 135 ; illustra- 
 tion by a letter, 134. 
 
 Image of the eternal, truth the, 3. 
 
 Immaterial life, emptiness and, 23. 
 
 Immeasurable light, 98. 
 
 Immolation, 132. 
 
 Immortal, life, 99; the immortal path, 
 64. 
 
 Immortality, 60, 66, 187 ; door of im- 
 mortality, 36; earnestness is the 
 path of immortality, 112; immor- 
 tality in transiency, 3; immortal- 
 ity in truth, 133, 140; the fruit of 
 immortality, 173 ; the water of im- 
 mortality, 128 ; truth and immortal- 
 ity, 6. 
 
 Immutable, the words of Buddha, 15. 
 
 Impure is nakedness, 80, 82. 
 
 Impurity, abstain from, 106; purity 
 and impurity belong to oneself, iii 
 
 Impurities, blow off the, 115. 
 
 In the course of evolution, 228. 
 
 Incantations, 122 ; incantations have 
 no saving power, 27. 
 
 Incarnation of the truth, 225. 
 
 Individuality a combination, 25 ; the 
 wheel of individuality, 53. 
 
 Inexhaustible life, 152. 
 
 Instability of the ego, the, 41. 
 
 Instruction, words of, 148. 
 
 Instrumentalities, 52. 
 
 Invocations, 120 ; invocations are idle 
 talk, 139. 
 
 Is it wrong to go to war ? 126. 
 
 Jewel, a, 225 ; precious crown jewel, 
 
 no. 
 Jewels and worldliness, 46. 
 Jungle, a pathless, 120. 
 
 Karma governs all things, loi. 
 
 Keep my hold on life, 204. 
 
 Kill not, 106. 
 
 King BimbisSra, 19, 20, 54, 76, 97. 
 
 King of kings, 224 ; king of truth, no, 
 141 ; powerful king, no. 
 
 Kingdom of Righteousness, Founda- 
 tion of the, 37, 43. 
 
 Kingdom of truth, 38, 217. 
 
 King's gift, the, 57. 
 
 Kings, Naga, 8. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 267 
 
 King's seal, stamp of a, 184. 
 Knew me not, they, 157. 
 Knowledge remains, 134. 
 Kusa-grass, 172. 
 
 Lake of Ambrosia, 98. 
 
 Lake, still, like a, 113. 
 
 Lame walk, the, 8. 
 
 Lamentation, dead not saved by, 188. 
 
 Lamp, illustration by a, 135. 
 
 Lamps unto yourselves, be ye, 206. 
 
 Land, pure, 152, 153. 
 
 Language, all creatures received the 
 message in their own, 41. 
 
 Last word, 222. 
 
 Law, body of the, 140 ; one aim, one 
 essence, one law, 141 ; the law the 
 body of the Tathagata, 225 ; the 
 body of the law will endure, 217. 
 
 Laws are temporary, many, 226, 
 
 Laws of righteousness, obedience to 
 the, 132. 
 
 Lay disciples, the first women, 48. 
 
 Lay member, the first, 47. 
 
 Lay robes, 77. 
 
 Layman and hermit, 46. 
 
 Layman, priest and, alike, 74. 
 
 Leaning against the lintel, 216. 
 
 Learn, must be anxious to, 207. 
 
 Learning, availeth not, 139. 
 
 Lesser, abolish all the, 220. 
 
 Lesson given to Rdhula, 143. 
 
 Lesson, hard times teach a, 103. 
 
 Let a man walk alone, 88. 
 
 Let the bliss be diffused, 168. 
 
 Let the flesh waste away, 208. 
 
 Let us go into the world, 223. 
 
 Let us live happily, 117. 
 
 Let us obey the truth, 226. 
 
 Let your light shine forth, 95. 
 
 Letter, illustration by a, 134. 
 
 Letter, in the, 89. 
 
 Lie not, 106. 
 
 Life, battle of, 128 ; come to teach, 
 133 ; life everlasting, 128, 182 ; grant 
 me my life, 164 ; keep my hold on 
 life, 204 ; life immortal, 99 ; inex- 
 haustible life, 152 ; reason in the 
 struggle for life, 228 ; seek thou the 
 life that is of the mind, 133 ; truth 
 
 IS life, 133 ; life yearns for the truth, 
 231 ; what is life in this world? 208. 
 
 Light, come forth into the, 122; il- 
 limitable light, 232 ; immeasurable 
 light, 98 ; let your light shine forth, 
 95- 
 
 Like a still lake, 113. 
 
 Like unto the color of my audience, 
 156. 
 
 Lily, the, on a heap of rubbish, 117. 
 
 Lineage of the faith, 195. 
 
 Lintel, leaning against the, 216. 
 
 Listen to both parties, 89. 
 
 Listless fool, the, 168. 
 
 Little by little, 161. 
 
 Live happily, let us, 117. 
 
 Live, more fit to, 128. 
 
 Lives of men, 176. 
 
 Living are few, the, 187. 
 
 Living, luxurious, 166. 
 
 Living in paradise, 184. 
 
 •Lobster, 163. 
 
 Locality? is wisdom a, 133. 
 
 Locality, Nirv&na not a, 134. 
 
 Logic holds universally, 136. 
 
 Lord, glorious, 129, 219. 
 
 Lord, pass away, 209. 
 
 Loss, fivefold, 196. 
 
 Lost, a treasure that can never be, 
 150. 
 
 Lost son, the, 160. 
 
 Lot to help, now my, 191. 
 
 Lotus-flower in water, the, 40, 62, 99. 
 
 Lotus-flowers, 30, 78. 
 
 Lotus, fragrant like the, 180. 
 
 Love, hatred ceases by, 115 ; love of 
 truth, 128 ; overcome anger by love, 
 115 ; the world filled with love, 121. 
 
 Lust, the dart of 161. 
 
 Luxurious living, i56. 
 
 Macarisms, 34, 35, 42, 149. 
 
 Made up of thoughts, in. 
 
 Magic power, 100. 
 
 Main, rivers reach the, 199. 
 
 Make thyself happy, 209. 
 
 Maker, Ishvara, the, 60, 61. 
 
 Maker, the, self, 60. 
 
 Man, a blind, 21. 
 
 Man born blind, the, 159. 
 
 Man, who is the strong? 105. 
 
268 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Mango-grove, 117, 197, 211. 
 
 Mansion, the burning, 158. 
 
 Many, the dead are, 187. 
 
 Married unto the truth, be, 181. 
 
 Master, out of reverence for the, 221. 
 
 Master over the stream, following 
 the, 189. 
 
 May be expected to prosper, Sangha, 
 194. 
 
 Me, this is done by, 112. 
 
 Meats remained undiminished, 181. 
 
 Medicines, 75, 186, 218. 
 
 Meditation (see bhSvana and sati- 
 patth&na in the Glossary), 30, 153, 
 211. 
 
 Meeting in concord, 193. 
 
 Men, blind, 119; teacher of gods and 
 men, 200 ; the lives of men, 176. 
 
 Men's hearts, bridler of, 200. 
 
 Mental eye, 186. 
 
 Merit, four kinds of, 164. 
 
 Merit, the order (sangha) the sowing- 
 ground of, 200. 
 
 Message in their own language, all 
 creatures received the, 41. 
 
 Migrations, cause of further, 99. 
 
 Mind, Brahma's, 120; culture of the, 
 70 ; elevate the mind, 74 ; mind is 
 the guiding rein, 173 ; seek thou the 
 life that is the mind, 133 ; the five 
 roots of mind, 23 ; there is mind, 
 130. 
 
 Miracle-mongers, 152. 
 
 Miracles, 151, 
 
 Miracles forbidden, 99-101. 
 
 Mirage, hope of heaven a, 102. 
 
 Mirage, the cause of self a, 42. 
 
 Mirror of truth, the, 199, 200. 
 
 Mission, the preachers, 107. 
 
 Moon, the, shines by night, 117. 
 
 Moral powers, 82. 
 
 Moral sense, 82. 
 
 More fit to live, 128. 
 
 More, sin no, 161. 
 
 Mortification not the right path, 28. 
 
 Mortification profitless, 39. 
 
 Mortification vain, 40. 
 
 Mother, a, 55, 99. 
 
 Muni of great understanding, 148, 150. 
 
 Mustard seed, the, 185, 187. 
 
 Naked ascetics, 75. 
 
 Nakedness, impure is, 80, 82. 
 
 Name, honored be his, 57. 
 
 Nature of religion consists in wor- 
 ship and sacrifice, the, 131. 
 
 Nature of the rope, the, 55. 
 
 Nature of self, the, 54. 
 
 Near, death is, 208. 
 
 Near me, he who walks righteously 
 is ever, 218. 
 
 Necessity of dissolution, 222. 
 
 Nectar, the bee collects, 115. 
 
 Needed, the one thing that is, 132, 
 217. 
 
 Noble, eightfold path, the, 211, 231. 
 
 Noble truths, the four, 32. 
 
 Non-action, 124, 125. 
 
 Non-existence of the soul, 132. 
 
 Non-identity, identity and, 131, 135. 
 
 Not any means to avoid dying, 187. 
 
 Not worthy of yellow robes, 88. 
 
 Nothing remains, 140. 
 
 Nothing will remain, 199. 
 
 Nothingness stares me in the face, 
 132, 
 
 Nourishes his soul, the wise man, 
 167. 
 
 Novices, precepts for the, 104. 
 
 Now is the time to seek religion, 16. 
 
 Now my lot to help, 191. 
 
 Obedience to the laws of righteous- 
 ness, 132, 
 
 Obey the truth, let us, 226. 
 
 Object and senses, contact of, 54. 
 
 Observe the Upavasatha or Sabbath, 
 105. 
 
 Ocean, 199; rivers in the ocean, 190; 
 my doctrine is like the great ocean, 
 156. 
 
 Offering, four kinds of, 165. 
 
 Omens abolished, 151. 
 
 Omens of Buddhahood, 9. 
 
 One hemp-grain each day, 27. 
 
 One in essence, 232. 
 
 One, the truth is but, 116, 142, 231. 
 
 One thing that is needed, the, 132, 217. 
 
 Oneself, purity and impurity belong 
 
 to. III. 
 
 Order, rules for the, 105. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 269 
 
 Order, the, (sangha) the sowing- 
 ground of merit, 200. 
 
 Ordination, 46, 48, 49 [see also Pra- 
 vrajya and UpasampadS in the 
 Glossary]. 
 
 Others art thou thyself, 139. 
 
 Others, the faults of, 114, 115. 
 
 Our water is all gone, 171. 
 
 Outcast, the, 174; by deeds one be- 
 comes an outcast, 174 ; who is an 
 outcast? 174. 
 
 Outcome of evil, pain is the, 113. 
 
 Outcome of good, happiness is the, 
 113. 
 
 Outwitted, 164. 
 
 Overcome anger by love, 115. 
 
 Overcome evil by good, 115. 
 
 Overcome grief, 206. 
 
 Ox led to slaughter, 188. 
 
 Pain is the outcome of evil, 113. 
 
 Parable, 144, 158, 168. 
 
 Parable of the hungry dog, 176. 
 
 Paradise in the West, the, 152 ; living 
 in paradise, 184 ; the paradise of 
 the pure land, 153. 
 
 Parties, listen to both, 89. 
 
 Party in search of a thief, a, 182. 
 
 Pass away, about to, 216 ; pass away 
 Lord, 209 ; pass away now, 208 ; 
 people pass away, 188 ; the truth 
 will never pass away, 131. 
 
 Passed away according to his deeds, 
 172. 
 
 Passion, rain and, 112. 
 
 Past, thou wilt reap the harvest sown 
 in the, 138. 
 
 Path of transmigration, weary, 211 ; 
 sign of the right, 121 ; the eightfold, 
 33 ; the immortal path, 64 ; the no- 
 ble eightfold path, 122, 211, 231 ; 
 mortification not the path, 28; walk 
 in the noble path, 139 ; a pathless 
 jungle, 120; are all paths saving? 
 118. [See also Maggo in the Glos- 
 sary.] 
 
 Peace on earth, 8. 
 
 Peacemaker, the, 175. 
 
 Peak, Vulture's, 194. 
 
 People dissatisfied, the, 59; people 
 pass away, 188 ; wise people falter 
 
 not, 112 ; wise people fashion them 
 selves, 112. 
 
 Perception of truth, the refreshing 
 drink, 98. 
 
 Perishable, the /, 54. 
 
 Personalities of Buddha, the three, 
 225. 
 
 Pestilence, 102. 
 
 Physician, 16, 160, 186 ; the best physi- 
 cian, 147; without beholding the 
 physician, 218. 
 
 Pit, treasure laid up in a deep, 149. 
 
 Pity me not, 21. 
 
 Plantain-tree, 31. 
 
 Playthings, 159. 
 
 Pleasure, he who lives for, 113 ; let a 
 man take pleasure in the dharma, 
 149. 
 
 Pleasures destroy the foolish, 114 
 pleasures of self in heaven, 133; 
 why do we give up the pleasures of 
 the world, 151 ; religious wisdom 
 lifts above pleasures, 185. 
 
 Potter, 141 ; potter, vessels made by 
 the, 188. 
 
 Power, incantations have no, 27; 
 magic power, 100. 
 
 Powerful elephant, 144. 
 
 Powerful king, no. 
 
 Powers, moral, 82. 
 
 Practise the truth, 139. 
 
 Praise of all the Buddhas, the, 232. 
 
 Prayers, 120; prayers vain repeti- 
 tions, 27. 
 
 Preach the doctrine, glorious in the 
 beginning, middle, and end, 49 ; 
 preach to all beings, 109. 
 
 Preacher's mission, the, 107; the 
 preacher's sole aim, 108. 
 
 Preachers, TathSgatas are only, in 
 
 Precepts, 220 ; precepts for the nov- 
 ices, 104 ; ten precepts, 104 ; walk 
 according to the precepts, 216. 
 
 Precious crown jewel, no. 
 
 Precious jewel, a, 225. 
 
 Priceless, the lives of men are, 176. 
 
 Priest and layman alike, 74. 
 
 Prince, test of the, 10. 
 
 Problem of the soul, the, 23. 
 
 Profitless, mortification, 39. 
 
 Prohibitions, loi. 
 
270 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Promoted him higher, he, 160. 
 
 Propound the truth, 107. 
 
 Prosper, sangha may be expected to, 
 194. 
 
 Prospered, bhikshus, loa 
 
 Punishment of the criminal, 126. 
 
 Punishment, the fruit of the crim- 
 inal's act, 127. 
 
 Puppets on a string, 103. 
 
 Pure land, the paradise of the, 152, 
 153- 
 
 Purity and impurity belong to one- 
 self, III. 
 
 Purpose of being, the, 228. 
 
 Purpose, speak to the, 106. 
 
 Qualities, cloud of good, no; eight 
 wonderful qualities, 156, 157. 
 
 Quality, the thing and its, 24. 
 
 Quarrels, 86. 
 
 Quarters, the four, 121 ; the six quar- 
 ters, 122. 
 
 Question concerning annihilation, 
 124. 
 
 Questioned, the sages, 11 
 
 Questions of the dgva, 146. 
 
 Rabbit rescued from the serpent, 21. 
 
 Rags, cast-off, 75, 77. 
 
 RShuIa, lessons given to, 143. 
 
 Rain and passion, 112. 
 
 Rain fell, 80. 
 
 Rain, good works are, 173. 
 
 Rare in the world, 201. 
 
 Real, truth makes things, 5. 
 
 Reap the harvest sown in the past, 
 thou wilt, 138. 
 
 Reap what we sow, we, 132, 178. 
 
 Reason, as the helpmate of self, 229. 
 
 Reason in the struggle for life, 228. 
 
 Reason, no truth is attainable with- 
 out, 230. 
 
 Reasoning ceases, 134. 
 
 Rebirth without transmigration of 
 self, 26. 
 
 Rebuked, the bhikshus, 94. 
 
 Received the message in their own 
 language, all creatures, 41. 
 
 Re-establishing concord, two ways 
 of, 89. 
 
 Re-establishment of concord, 88. 
 
 Reform to-day, 103. 
 
 Refreshing drink, the, perception of 
 truth, 98. 
 
 Refuge in the Blessed One, 129, 130, 
 140, 220. 
 
 Refuge in the Buddha, 46, 47, 52, 56, 
 104, 146, 182, 183, 224, 230. 
 
 Refuge in the Enlightened Teacher, 
 123. 
 
 Refuge is his name, 190. 
 
 Rejoice, angels, 8. 
 
 Religion, Buddha's, consolidation of, 
 75 ; now is the time to seek religion, 
 16; seeing the highest religion, 116; 
 the gift of all religion, 116; there-- 
 ligion of all Buddhas, 56; worship 
 and sacrifice the nature of religion, 
 131 ; thou tearest down religion, 
 131. 
 
 Religious man, the, and truth, 105; 
 religious wisdom lifts above pleas- 
 ures, 185 ; religious zeal flagging, 
 29. 
 
 Rely on yourselves, 206. 
 
 Remain in thy station, 62 ; nothing 
 will remain, 199 ; the truth will re- 
 main, 217, 221. 
 
 Repetitions, prayers vain, 27. 
 
 Rescue in the desert, 169. 
 
 Restore to you a nobler beauty, to, 
 180. 
 
 Revere the traditions, 227. 
 
 Reverence for the Master, out of, 
 221. 
 
 Reverence my father, I, 123. 
 
 Rice-milk, 81. 
 
 Rich in returns, charity, ao. 
 
 Righteous cause, war in a, 127. 
 
 Righteousness, foundation of the 
 kingdom of, 37 ; source of all right- 
 eousness, 98 ; the kingdom of right- 
 eousness, 43 ; the throne of truth is 
 righteousness, 230. 
 
 Right path, mortification not the, 28, 
 
 Right path, sign of the, 121. 
 
 Right thought, helmet of, 79. 
 
 Ripe fruits, 188. 
 
 Rituals have no eflBcacy, 27. 
 
 River, crossed the, 198. 
 
 Rivers in the ocean, 190. 
 
 Rivers reach the main, 199. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 271 
 
 Roads cross, where four, 118. 
 
 Robe of the Tath^gata, 107. 
 
 Robes, lay, tj\ robes of cloth of gold, 
 
 213; the bkikshus doffed their robes, 
 
 80. 
 Rock a good blow, give the, 172. 
 Room for the /, no, 54. 
 Root of evil, ignorance the, 31. 
 Roots of mind, the five, 23. 
 Rope, the nature of the, 55. 
 Rubbish, the lily on a heap of, 117. 
 Rules for the order, 105. 
 
 Sabbath, 84 ; observe the Upavasatha 
 or Sabbath, 105. 
 
 Sacrifice, 27 ; sacrifice of self, 132 ; 
 the nature of religion, worship and 
 sacrifice, 131. 
 
 Sacrifices, 26 ; sacrifices cannot save, 
 139. 
 
 Sages questioned, the, i. 
 
 Saint, a sinner can become a, 151. 
 
 Salvation alone in the truth, 206, 207; 
 assured of final, 221 ; salvation the 
 extinction of self, 4 ; work out your 
 salvation, 211, 221. 
 
 Sameness and continuity, 137. 
 
 Sandy desert, a, 170. 
 
 Save, faith alone can, 190. 
 
 Saving paths? Are all paths, 118. 
 
 Saving power, incantations have no, 
 27. 
 
 Saviour of others, a, 141. 
 
 Saviour appeared, the, 229. 
 
 Saviour, truth the, 5, 42. 
 
 Scepticism, 106, 107. 
 
 Schism, the, 85. 
 
 Scold, do not, 8g. 
 
 Search of a thief, a party in, 182. 
 
 Season, flowers out of, 216. 
 
 Season, rainy, 49, 204. 
 
 Sect of DSvadatta, 95. 
 
 Seed, faith is the, 173. 
 
 Seeing the highest religion, 116. 
 
 Seek thou the life that is of the mind, 
 133. 
 
 Self, 60; self an error, 55 ; self an il- 
 lusion, 34; self and the cause of 
 troubles, 42; self and truth, 3, 33, 
 i«7; self begets selfishness, 5; cleav- 
 ing to self, 137; complete surrender 
 
 of self, 127; eradication of self, 126; 
 self-extinction, 132; identity of self, 
 137; illusion of self, 123 ; pleasures 
 of self in heaven, 133; self is a fever, 
 42 ; self is change, 138; self is death, 
 133) 138, 140 ; self-mortification, 75 ; 
 my self has become the truth, 141 ; 
 reason as the helpmate of self, 229 ; 
 rebirth without the transmigration 
 of self, 26; sacrifice of self, 132; 
 the cause of self a mirage, 42; the 
 conquest of self, 128 ; the extinction 
 of self, salvation, 4; the idea of self, 
 217; self, the maker, 60; the nature 
 of self, 54 ; self, the veil of MSyS, 
 6; truth and self, 133 ; truth guards 
 him who guards his self, in ; thou 
 clingest to self, 102 ; where is the 
 identity of my self, 134 ; which is 
 the true self ? 138. 
 
 Selfhood, the cause of, found, 33. 
 
 Selfhood, thirst for existence and, 30. 
 
 Selfish is my grief, 187. 
 
 Selfishness, self begets, 5. 
 
 Selfishness, surrender, 55. 
 
 Sense, moral, 82. 
 
 Senses and object, contact of, 54. 
 
 Sentence of expulsion, 85, 86. 
 
 Sentiency, truth vibrated through, 
 228. 
 
 Separation, combination subject to, 
 
 25- 
 
 Sermon on abuse, the, 145 ; the ser- 
 mon on charity, 63 ; sermon on fire, 
 52- 
 
 Serpent, rabbit rescued from the, 21. 
 
 Seven kinds of wisdom, 82. 
 
 Sevenfold higher wisdom, 198. 
 
 Shaveling, 174, 
 
 Shedding of blood, 26. 
 
 Shine forth, let your light, 95. 
 
 Shines by night, the moon, 117. 
 
 Sick bhikshu, the, 190, 191. 
 
 Sickness fell upon him, 204, 211, 212. 
 
 Sight, blind received, 7. 
 
 Sign of the right path, 121. 
 
 Signs forbidden, astrology and fore- 
 casting by, 210; signs of Buddha- 
 hood, 8 ; the four signs, la. 
 
 Sin appears sweet, 113. 
 
 Sin no more, 161. 
 
72 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 Sin, struggle against, 211. 
 
 Sin, the truth cleanses from, 323. 
 
 Sinner can become a saint, a, 151. 
 
 Six quarters, the, 122. 
 
 Slaughter, 27. 
 
 Slaughter, ox led to, 188. 
 
 Smith, Chunda, the, 211, 214, 215. 
 
 Snake, a wet rope no, 41. 
 
 So great an honor, 202. 
 
 Soldier, a, Simha, 126. 
 
 Soldier of truth, a, 129. 
 
 Soldiers of the TathSgata, no. 
 
 Solitary, 116. 
 
 Son, the lost, 160. 
 
 Son, father and, 184. 
 
 Song of ecstasy, 197, 198. 
 
 Songs, heavenly, 216. 
 
 Sorcerers, 152. 
 
 Sorrow compared with a sword, 14. 
 
 Soul, Gautama denies the existence 
 of the, 130; non-existence of the 
 soul, 132 ; the / the soul, 23 ; the 
 problem of the soul, 23 ; the sum of 
 the soul, 166. 
 
 Souls not separate and self-existent 
 entities, 132. 
 
 Soup, a spoon tastes not the flavor 
 of the, 169. 
 
 Source of all righteousness, 98. 
 
 Sovereign, make you, 207. 
 
 Sovereignty, holiness better than, 21. 
 
 Sow that you will reap, what you, 178. 
 
 Sow, we reap what we, 132. 
 
 Sower, Buddha the, 173. 
 
 Sowest, others will reap what thou, 
 
 X39. 
 Sowing-ground of merit, the order 
 
 (sangha) the, 200. 
 Speak, the deaf and dumb, 8. 
 Speak to the purpose, 106. 
 Speaking untruths, 144. 
 Speculations, 116. 
 Spells forbidden, loi. 
 Spirit, in the, 89. 
 Spiritual, all existence is, 130. 
 Spiritual eye, 227. 
 Spits at heaven, like one who, 146. 
 Spoon, a, tastes not the flavor of the 
 
 soup, 169. 
 Spread the truth, 43. 
 Staircase, a, 118. 
 
 Stamp of a king's seal, 184. 
 
 Sta,res me in the face, nothingness, 
 
 132. 
 Station, remain in thy, 62. 
 Steal not, 106. 
 Stream, following the Master over 
 
 189. 
 Stream, he had crossed the, 189. 
 String, puppets on a, 103. 
 Strong man, who is the ? 105. 
 Struck by apoplexy, 169. 
 Struggle against sin, 211. 
 Struggle for life, reason in the, 228. 
 Struggle must be, 127. 
 Subject to separation, combination, 
 
 25- 
 
 Substance, the, of Brahman lore, 119. 
 Such a one will wander rightly in the 
 
 world, 148, 149. 
 Such faith have I, 197. 
 Suffer, the Blessed One had to, 205. 
 Suffering, bliss where there is, 16. 
 Sun is bright, the, 117. 
 Sun of the soul, the, 166. 
 Superstition, 122. 
 Supplications forbidden, loi. 
 Supplications have no effect, 151. 
 Suprabuddha, 95. 
 Surrender, 127. 
 Surrender selfishness, 55. 
 Surrender to evil powers, no, 127. 
 Swear not, 106. 
 Sweet, sin appears, 113. 
 Swooned, the Blessed One, 28. 
 Sword, sorrow compared with, 14. 
 
 Tailor, the greedy, 162. 
 
 Talents. [See Abhijfia in the Glos- 
 sary.] 
 
 Talk, foolish, 119. 
 
 Tastes not the flavor of the soup, a 
 spoon, 169. 
 
 Teach the same truth, 232. 
 
 Teacher, Buddha the, iii ; teacher of 
 gods and men, 200; the teacherun- 
 known, 156; we have no teacher 
 more, 220. 
 
 Temporary, many laws are, 226. 
 
 Ten commandments, the, 105. 
 
 Ten great calamities, 191. 
 
 Ten precepts, 104. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 273 
 
 Tenn^ of the world, such are the, 188. 
 
 Tesi of the prince, 10. 
 
 That it be well grounded, 198. 
 
 There is mind, 130. 
 
 They know me not, 157. 
 
 Thief, a party in search of a, 182. 
 
 Thinkers are bright, 117. 
 
 Thing and its quality, the, 24. 
 
 Things as they are, 55. 
 
 Thirst for existence and selfhood, 30. 
 
 Thirst, the extinction of, 116. 
 
 Thirsty, I am, 212 ; water for the 
 thirsty, i. 
 
 This is done by me, 112. 
 
 Thorn in the flesh, 116. 
 
 Thou art the Buddha, 129 ; thou canst 
 not escape the fruit of evil actions, 
 139 ; thou clingest to self, 102 ; thou 
 tearest down religion, 131 ; thou 
 wilt reap what thou sowest, 139. 
 
 Thought, helmet of right, 79; the 
 thought of /, 24 ; we the result of 
 thought. III. 
 
 Thoughtlessness the path of death, 
 
 112. 
 
 Thoughts continue, 134 ; made up of 
 thoughts. III , thoughts of love, 121; 
 thoughts will endure, ri2. 
 
 Three dangers hang over PStaliputra, 
 196. 
 
 Three personalities of Buddha, the, 
 225. 
 
 Three vows, 44. 
 
 Three woes, the, 11. 
 
 Thyself, others art thou, 139. 
 
 Tidings, glad, i ; good tidings, 16. 
 
 Tie all souls together, bonds that, 232. 
 
 Time of grace, the, 161, 170. 
 
 Time to seek religion, now is the, 16. 
 
 Times, hard, teach a lesson, 103, 
 
 To-day, reform, 103. 
 
 Together, bonds that tie all souls, 232. 
 
 Toys, 159. 
 
 Traditions, revere the, 227. 
 
 Transiency, immortality in, 3. 
 
 Transmigration, eddies of, 144; re- 
 birth without the transmigration of 
 self, 26; weary path of transmigra- 
 tion, 211. 
 
 Transmission of the soul and the /, 
 
 Treacherous, charms are, 180. 
 
 Treasure laid up in a deep pit, 149. 
 
 Treasure that can never be lost, a, 
 150. 
 
 Trespasses, confession of, 84. 
 
 Troubles, the cause of, and self, 42. 
 
 Truly thou art Buddha, 123. 
 
 Trumpeter, 121. 
 
 Trust in truth, 2. 
 
 Truth, a soldier of, 129 ; abodes of 
 truth, 63 ; be anxious to learn the 
 truth, 106; be married unto the 
 truth, 181 ; Buddha the truth, 2, 217, 
 227 ; clay can be changed into chil- 
 dren of truth, 131 ; delusion and 
 truth, 31 ; eye of truth, 43 ; glorious 
 is the truth, 46, 47, 56 ; hold fast to 
 the truth, 206 ; I am the truth, 141; 
 immortality of truth, 133, 140, 182; 
 incarnation of the truth, 225 ; king- 
 dom of truth, 38, 217 ; let us obey 
 the truth, 226; life yearns for the 
 truth, 231 ; love of truth, J28 ; my 
 self has become the truth, 141 ; no 
 truth is attainable without reason, 
 230; perception of truth, the re- 
 freshing drink, 98; practise the 
 truth, 139 ; propound the truth, 107; 
 salvation alone in the truth, 206, 
 207 ; spread the truth, 43 ; teach the 
 same truth, 232 ; the embrace of 
 truth, 181 ; the king of truth, no, 
 141 ; the mirror of truth, 199, 200; 
 the throne of truth is righteousness, 
 230; the religious man and truths 
 105 ; the truth cleanses from sin, 
 223 ; the truth found, 43 ; the truth 
 has been made known to me, 220; 
 the truth will never pass away, 131; 
 the truth will remain, 217, 221 ; the 
 world is built for truth, 230 ; there 
 is but one truth, 116, 142; trust in 
 truth, 2 ; truth and immortality, 6; 
 truth and self, 3, 4, 33, 127, 133 ; truth 
 cannot be fashioned, 231 ; truth can- 
 not die. 217 ; truth dawns upon me, 
 139; truth guards him who guards 
 his self, 111 ; truth has taken its 
 abode in me, 140; truth in all its 
 glory, 29; truth is best, 42; truth is 
 hidden to the blind, 226; truth is 
 
274 
 
 THE GOSPEL OF BUDDHA. 
 
 life, 133 ; truth is one, 231 ; truth is 
 the essence of life, 231 ; truth makes 
 things real, 5; truth the correct com- 
 prehension of all things, 34; truth 
 the image of the eternal, 3 ; truth 
 the saviour, 5, 42; truth vibrated 
 through sentiency, 228. 
 
 Truthful, be, 106. 
 
 Truths, the four noble, 32, 160. 
 
 Twelve nidSnas, the, 31, 
 
 Two ways of re-establishing concord, 
 89. 
 
 Tyrant, 177. 
 
 Unclean, the vessel has become, 144. 
 Undiminished, meats remained, 181. 
 Unguents, 75. 
 
 Union of what we know not, 119. 
 Union with Brahma, 120. 
 Universally, logic holds, 136. 
 Universe, face to face, 121. 
 Unknown teacher, the, 156. 
 Unshod, the Blessed One walked, 94. 
 Untruths, speaking, 144. 
 Upright conduct, 194. 
 
 Vain, mortification, 40. 
 
 Vain repetitions, prayers, 27. 
 
 Vanities, 42. 
 
 Vanity, 24, 102, 112, 114, 151 ; vanity of 
 
 worldliness, loi ; vanity of worldly 
 
 happiness, 2. 
 Various kinds of assemblies, 156. 
 Veil of MSyS, the, 178. 
 Vessel has become unclean, the, 44. 
 Vessels, 141 ; vessels made by the 
 
 potter, 188. 
 Vibrated through sentiency, truth, 228. 
 Victor, the greater, 128. 
 Vision a shramana, the, 15. 
 Vows, three, 44. 
 Vulture's Peak, 194. 
 
 Walk according to the precepts, 216 ; 
 
 let a man walk alone, 88 ; the lame 
 
 walk, 8; walk in the right path, 139. 
 Wander rightly in the world, such a 
 
 one will, 148, 149. 
 War, goes out to wage, no; is it 
 
 wrong to go to war ? 126 ; war in a 
 
 rigbteoas cause, 127. 
 
 Warriors are bright, 117. 
 
 Warriors, destiny of, 128. 
 
 Water, doctrine like unto, 157 ; fetch 
 me some water, 212; is the water 
 now fit for drinking ? 143 ; our water 
 is all goue, 171 1 the lotus-flower in 
 water, 40, 62, 99 ; water gurgling be- 
 neath, 172 ; water for the thirsty, 1 ; 
 the water of immortality, 128. 
 
 Waterless desert, a, 120. 
 
 Ways, the best of, is eightfold, 116. 
 
 We have no teacher more, 220 ; we 
 the result of thought, in. 
 
 Wearisome to the Blessed One, 199. 
 
 Weary path of transmigration, 211. 
 
 Welfare, eight conditions of, 192, 193, 
 194. 
 
 Well, the woman at the, 174. 
 
 West, facing towards the. 195; the 
 paradise in the West, 152. 
 
 Wet rope, a, no snake, 41. 
 
 What we know not, a union of, 119; 
 what is life in this world ? 208 ; what 
 you sow that you will reap, 178. 
 
 Wheel, the, 41 ; the wheel of empire, 
 207 ; the wheel of individuality, 53. 
 
 Where does the wind dwell? 133; 
 where four roads cross, 118 ; where 
 is NirvSna ? 133 ; where is the iden- 
 tity of my self ? 134. 
 
 Which is the true self ? 138. 
 
 Who is an outcast ? 174 ; who is the 
 strong man ? 105. 
 
 Why do we give up the pleasures of 
 the world ? 151. 
 
 Why preserve this body of flesh ? 217. 
 
 Wild crane, the, 103. 
 
 Wind, as a great, 134. 
 
 Wind dwell ? where does the, 133. 
 
 Wisdom has no dwelling-place, 133; 
 is wisdom a locality? 133; religious # 
 wisdom lifts above pleasure, 185; 
 seven kinds of wisdom, 82 ; seven- 
 fold higher wisdom, 198. 
 
 Wise man nourishes his soul, the, 167; 
 wise people falter not, 112 ; wise 
 people fashion themselves, 112. 
 
 Wishes, five, of BimbisSra, 56. 
 
 Without beholding the physician,2i8. 
 
 Woes, the three, n. 
 
 Woman, a worldly, 203 ; if you see B 
 
INDEX. 
 
 275 
 
 woman, 78 ; the woman at the well, 
 174. 
 
 Women as a rule are, etc., 201 ; the 
 first women lay-disciples, 48. 
 
 Word, last, 222; word of the Buddhas, 
 18. 
 
 Words of Buddhas immutable, the, 
 15- 
 
 Work out your salvation, 211, 221. 
 
 World dark, do not call the, 166 ; 
 world filled with love, 121 ; let us go 
 into the world, 223 ; rare in the 
 world, 201 ; such a one will wander 
 rightly in the world, 148, 149 ; such 
 are the terms of the world, 188 ; the 
 world is built for truth, 230 ; come 
 into the world to befriend, 190; 
 what is life in this world ? 208 ; why 
 do we give up the pleasures of the 
 world ? 151. 
 
 Worldliness, dust of, 36 ; jewels and 
 
 worldliness, 46; vanity of worldli- 
 ness, lOI. 
 
 Worldling nourishes his body, the, 
 167. 
 
 Worldly happiness, vanity of, 2; a 
 worldly woman, 203. 
 
 Worn-out cart, as a, 206. 
 
 Worship, 27. 
 
 Worship and sacrifice, the nature of 
 religion, 131. 
 
 Worthiest homage, 216. 
 
 Worthy of yellow robes, not, 88. 
 
 Yashas, 45, 46, 47, 48, 121. 
 Yellow robes, not worthy of, 88. 
 Yoke, gone into the, 116. 
 Your eyes are blind, 166. 
 Yourselves, be ye lamps unto, 206; 
 
 rely on yourselves, 206 • yourselves 
 
 have known, 221. 
 
 Zeal flagging, religious, 29. 
 
 [Names and terms must be looked up in the Glossary, where references 
 to pages of the present book are separated by a dash from the explanation.] 
 
WHAT IS BUDDHISM? 
 
 I. A BRIEF STATEMENT OF ITS TENETS. 
 
 1 . Buddhism is the religion of deliverance from evil by enlight- 
 enment. 
 
 2. Enlightenment means recognition of truth and truth must 
 be found by investigation. 
 
 Enlightenment teaches that the law of cause and effect is irre- 
 fragable in the moral world not less than in the physical world, and 
 that every evil deed has its evil effect, every good deed its good 
 consequences, which we cannot escape either in this or in any other 
 existence. 
 
 By enlightenment we learn that the main evil, indeed the sole 
 absolute evil is moral badness, and its cause is selfhood. Selfhood 
 is an illusion, but the illusion is. dispelled by enlightenment. 
 
 Enlightenment at the same time imparts an all-comprehensive 
 kindness toward all living beings, and a deep compassion with 
 every creature that suffers. 
 
 Thus, truth is like a lamp. It reveals to us the good law and 
 points out the noble path of righteousness leading to Nirvina. 
 
 3. NirvS.na, or the entire surrender of selfhood to truth, is de- 
 liverance from evil, and the highest bliss attainable. 
 
 4. He who has attained to perfect enlightenment, so as to be a 
 teacher of mankind, is called by Buddhists a Buddha, which means 
 the Enlightened One. 
 
 5. Buddhists revere Gautama Siddhirtha as Buddha, for he 
 has for the first time most clearly pointed out the truth which has 
 proved an unspeakable blessing to many hundreds of millions of suf- 
 fering beings. 
 
 II. EXPLANATIONS. 
 
 In order to remove some of the most important miscomprehen- 
 sions we add the following explanations : 
 
 1. Buddhism has no dogmas in the sense of Christian dogmas. 
 Its doctrines are not based upon a revelation in the sense of a 
 Christian revelation. Every Buddhist is free to investigate for 
 himself the facts from which the Buddhist doctrines have been de- 
 rived. Buddha had no other revelation than the experience which 
 every human being is confronted with. He only had a deeper in- 
 sight into the nature of things, and could, better than any other 
 man, trace the cause of evil and propose a remedy 
 
 2. A conflict between religion and science is impossible in 
 Buddhism. It is in harmony with Buddha's injunctions to accept 
 all those propositions which have been proved to be true by a care- 
 ful scientific investigation. Buddha taught only those truths which 
 are necessary for salvation. It is noteworthy that modern psy- 
 
WHAT IS BUDDHISM ? 
 
 chology, as worked out by the most advanced Western scientists 
 who have heard little of Buddha, confirm Buddha's doctrines of 
 the soul. 
 
 3. Buddhism is commonly said to deny the existence of the 
 soul. This statement is correct or incorrect according to the sense 
 in which the word soul is used. Buddhism denies the reality of 
 the selfhood of the soul. It denies the existence of a soul-substra- 
 tum, of a metaphysical soul-entity behind the soul ; but not of the 
 feeling, thinking, aspiring soul, such as we know from experience 
 ourselves to be. To deny the existence of the soul in the latter 
 sense would be a denial of the surest facts of the existence of which 
 we have the most direct and most reliable knowledge. 
 
 4. Buddhism does not propose the doctrine of the annihilation 
 of the soul at the moment of death, but teaches the continuance of 
 the soul according to the deeds done during life, which is called 
 the law of Karma. There are among Buddhists various views and 
 theories as to the law of Karma and the reincarnation of the soul. 
 They are mostly various ways of symbolically expressing the same 
 truth ; but should they be contradictory, this question as all other 
 problems, will have to be decided by an impartial investigation of 
 the facts with the best scientific methods at our command. 
 
 5. Buddhism is commonly said to deny the existence of God. 
 This is true or not trucJ according to the definition of God. While 
 Buddhists do not believe that God is an individual being like our- 
 selves, they recognise that the Christian God-idea contains an im- 
 portant truth, which, however, is more perfectly expressed in Bud- 
 dhism. Buddhism teaches that the essence of Buddha, or Ami- 
 tabha, the source of light, i. e. that which gives enlightenment, and 
 the recognition of which is Nirvana, is omnipresent and eternal. It 
 is that which gives reality to existence, it is the everlasting proto- 
 tjrpe of truth, and above all it is the good law of religion which is 
 the ultimate authority of moral conduct. 
 
 6. Buddhism is no pessimism. Buddhism, it is true, boldly 
 and squarely faces the problem of evil, and recognises Ihe existence 
 of evil ; but it does so in order to show to mankind the way of es- 
 cape. Buddhism does not preach annihilation, but salvation ; it 
 does not teach death but life ; it does not enjoin mortification but 
 the right way of living ; its aim is Nirvdna, the abandonment of 
 selfhood and leading a life of truth which is attainable here upon 
 earth in this life of ours. 
 
 7. Christianity in many respects resembles Buddhism. The 
 ethics of Christ are truly elevating and remind Buddhists of the 
 noble injunctions of Buddha. Buddhists, however, do not accept the 
 dogmas of Christianity because they stand in contradiction to sci- 
 ence and are apt to foster a spirit of intolerance and narrowness. 
 
Commendations and Criticisms 
 
 of the 
 
 GOSPEL OF BUDDHA 
 
 With Table of References and Parallels, Glossary, 
 and Complete Index. Cloth, Gilt Top. Price, $i.oo. 
 
 Some readers of The Gospel of Buddha have asked : 
 *'Is this book genuine Buddhism, or has it been col- 
 ored by the author's philosophical notions?" There is 
 no better answer to this question than the publication 
 of a few responses that came from 
 
 REPRESENTATIVE BUDDHISTS, 
 
 to whom the book was submitted for approval. 
 
 His Majesty, the King of Siam, sent the following 
 communication through his private secretary: 
 
 "Dear Sir : I am commanded by His Most Gracious Majesty, 
 the King of Siam, to acknowledge, with many thanks, the receipt 
 of your kind letter and the book. The Gospel of Buddha, which he 
 esteems very much ; and he expresses his sincerest thanks for the 
 very hard and difficult task of compilation you have considerately 
 undertaken in the interest of our religion. 
 
 ' ' I avail myself of this favorable opportunity to wish the book 
 every success." 
 
 His Royal Highness, Prince Chandradat Chudha- 
 dharn, official delegate of Siamese Buddhism to the 
 Chicago Parliament writes : 
 
 ' 'As regards the contents of the book, and as far as I could see, 
 it is one of the best Buddhist Scriptures ever published. Those 
 
who wish to know the life of Buddha and the spirit of his Dharma 
 may be recommended to read this work which is so ably edited 
 that it comprises almost all knowledge of Buddhism itself." 
 
 The Rt. Rev. C. A. Seelakkhandha, a Buddhist 
 high priest of Dodanduwa, Ceylon, writes as follows : 
 
 • ' The Gospel of Buddha will find a place among the foremost 
 of the English works on Buddhism. My warmest thanks I offer 
 you for giving the public so valuable a book on Buddhism as this." 
 
 Mr. A. E. Buultjens, B. A. (Cantab.), the erudite 
 Principal of Ananda College, Colombo, and General 
 Manager of Buddhist Schools, writes : 
 
 ' ' I have read the book and like it immensely. I shall use it 
 in our English schools."^ 
 
 D. B. Jayatilaka, B. A., Head Master, Buddhist 
 High School, Kandy, Ceylon, writes : 
 
 " The book is undoubtedly the best popular work on Buddhism 
 in the English language. Dr. Cams presents an accurate account 
 of Buddhism in his work." 
 
 The book has been introduced as a reader in private 
 Buddhist schools of Ceylon. Mrs. Marie M. Higgins, 
 Principal of the Musaeus School and Orphanage for 
 Buddhist Girls, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Ceylon, 
 writes as follows : 
 
 "It is the best work I have read on Buddhism. This opinion 
 is endorsed by all who read it here. I propose to make it a text- 
 book of study for my girls. ' ' 
 
 The General Manager of Buddhist schools pro- 
 posed to introduce the book in the government Bud- 
 dhist schools of Ceylon, but he was overruled by the 
 government Public Instruction Department. Mr. H. 
 
 1 This statement was published in The Buddhist of Colombo (October 18. 
 
 1895)- 
 
S. Perera, a representative Buddhist of Ceylon, writes 
 to The Open Court Publishing Co. : 
 
 ' ' Please let Mr. Carus know that the Government Public In- 
 struction Department is not likely to allow The Gospel of Buddha 
 to be used in the Buddhist schools in Ceylon, and a hot discussion 
 is now going on between the Director and General Manager of Bud- 
 dhist schools. Should the Director's decision be against the intro- 
 duction of this highly useful work, our boys will miss a grand op- 
 portunity of studying Buddhist tenets in the English garb." 
 
 The Buddhist, the Organ of the Southern Church 
 of Buddhism, writes in a review of The Gospel of Bud- 
 dha : 
 
 ' ' The eminent feature of the work is its grasp of the diJQScult 
 subject and the clear enunciation of the doctrine of the most puz- 
 zling problem of dtman as taught in Buddhism. So far as we have 
 examined the question of dtman ourselves from the works of the 
 Southern canon, the view taken by Dr. Paul Carus is accurate, and 
 we venture to think that it is not opposed to the doctrine of North- 
 ern Buddhism." 
 
 The Rt. Rev. Shaku Soyen, of the Zen sect, Kama- 
 kura, Japan, writes : 
 
 "A [Japanese] translation of The Gospel of Buddha v&'yxsi fin- 
 ished. The sacred books of Buddhism are so numerous that its 
 beginners are at a loss how to begin their study, and it has been 
 our endeavor to sketch out Buddha's doctrines plainly and concisely. 
 Your book just fills the place." 
 
 A translation of The Gospel of Buddha into Chinese 
 is in preparation. 
 
 H. Dharmapala, Secretary of the Maha-Bodhi So- 
 ciety and Editor of the Maha-Bodhi Journal writes : 
 
 ' ' You have grasped the spirit of Buddha's teachings, and I am 
 indeed glad that I hear nothing but praise on all sides regarding 
 your book." 
 
 iU 
 
LETTERS FROM PROMINENT WESTERN SCHOLARS. 
 
 ' ' The ethical and philosophical essence of the writings that 
 have descended from the great Teacher you present most delight- 
 fully. The book is elevating and fascinating at the same time. 
 The reader will taste some of the effects of the writings of Thomas 
 a Kempis, without being called upon to explore the extreme regions 
 of mysticism to which that author leads." — Maurice Bloomjield, 
 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. 
 
 • ' I beg to express to you my very sincere thanks for your cour- 
 tesy in sending me a copy of your Gospel of Buddha. I am much 
 interested in the endeavor to make Buddhism more accessible in 
 the shape of a collection of extracts from the Buddhist books them- 
 selves. It is altogether more desirable a plan than writing about 
 and about the matter. I very much hope that your valuable collec- 
 tion will prove suggestive and lead people to think," — Prof, T. W. 
 Rhys Davids. 
 
 It is natural that historians and also Sanskrit or Pali professors 
 would have preferred a purely historical and merely critical treat- 
 ment of the subject. Prof. Richard Garbe, of Konigsberg, when 
 consulted before the publication of The Gospel of Buddha, ex- 
 pressed his disapproval of the general plan, and vigorously objected 
 to any consideration of North Buddhistic traditions. After having 
 read the book he wrote : ' ' Uebrigens muss ich gestehen, dass das 
 Buch doch den echten Geist des edelsten Buddhismus athmet. Es 
 ist in sehr ansprechender Form geschrieben und ist in hohem 
 Masse geeignet, den Zwecken zu dienen fur die es verfasst ist." 
 
 "The general reading of such a book as this would have re- 
 moved a good deal of the intolerance from which we suffer." — The 
 Kez>. Dr. John H. Barrows ^ Chairman of the World's Parliament 
 of Religions. 
 
 "I have read it with the greatest pleasure." — CoL R. G. In- 
 gersolL 
 
 PRESS NOTICES. 
 
 "A treat," — Boston Daily Advertiser. 
 
 "An excellent book." — Chicago Herald. 
 
 "A useful book." — Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 
 
 •• This is Buddhism Wseii."— Rochester {N. Y.) Herald. 
 
 iv 
 
"Very interesting reading." — Daily Picayune, New Orleans. 
 "Interesting for comparison and study." — Lutheran Observer. 
 
 " One is charmed in reading the book." — American Antiqua- 
 rian, Chicago. 
 
 ' 'An exceedingly interesting addition to the religious literature 
 of the time." — The Detroit Free Press. 
 
 "He has made a very agreeable and instructive book of it." — 
 The Presbyterian and Reformed Review. 
 
 "Admirably fitted to be a handbook for the single reader or for 
 classes." — Peabody Record, Nashville, Tenn. 
 
 ' ' The book will help its reader to a clearer conception of the 
 character of the sweetest of the pagans." — Chicago Evening Post. 
 
 ' 'A handsome addition to the publications for which this pub- 
 lishing house has already become noted." — Mirror and Farmer, 
 Manchester, N. H. 
 
 "The aim of the volume is to explain the life and doctrines of 
 Buddha in their best form, and it is successfully carried out." — 
 Public Opinion, Washington. 
 
 " Of most absorbing interest and of greatest ethical value. . . . 
 A similar compilation of all the ancient religions would make a 
 priceless addition to the reference library. . . . Available for ready 
 reference." — Every Saturday, Elgin, 111. 
 
 • ' Dr. Paul Cams has admirably collated the teachings of Gau- 
 tama Buddha, heretofore scattered through the Sacred Books of 
 the East, and nowhere else to be found harmoniously and system- 
 atically massed together. It is a work akin to that of the compilers 
 of the Christian Gospels, and deserves recognition as a valuable 
 contribution to the world's knowledge." — The World, New York. 
 
 "In addition to a very luminous and suggestive preface, he 
 furnishes a table of references, showing at an eye-glance the sources 
 of his extracts and the parallelisms in the Gospels. He gives, also, 
 a glossary of names and terms, a method of pronunciation, and a 
 good index. The simplicity of this presentation, the freedom of 
 the text from notes or uncouth and outlandish diacritical points, 
 and the general arrangement of the work are admirable. . . It is ad- 
 mirably fitted to be a handbook for the single reader or for classes." 
 ^The Critic, N. Y. 
 
• The parallelisms between the Buddhistic and Christian reli- 
 gions are very striking." — Herald- Advocate ^ Salem. 
 
 • ' The book is misnamed. Buddha was a noble character ; 
 but he taught no Gospel. There is one Gospel, and one only, the 
 Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." — The Christian Standard, Cin- 
 cinnati, O. 
 
 " The Gospel of Buddha is an excellent compilation. . . . Dr. 
 Cams deserves the thanks of all readers for his painstaking in the 
 preparation of a work so intelligible, so instructive, so practically 
 helpful." — Cumberland Presbyterian, Lebanon, Tenn. 
 
 "The Truth as taught in The Gospel of Buddha has no taint 
 of church or creed. Every house in the land would be the better if 
 a copy of this book was accessible to the children. Paul Carus 
 has given us a valuable book." — Fibre and Fabric, Boston. 
 
 • • The work is one which should be found on the table of every 
 Christian. ... A great boon to all Christian as well as Buddhist 
 students. . . . Complete, attractive, highly intelligible, and so useful 
 as a work of reference. " — Washington Educational Review, '^qjcothz.. 
 
 " It is the author's avowed purpose to reconstruct his material 
 from a ' religio-philosophical ' point of view, as embodying, in com- 
 mon with Christianity, the elements of ' the cosmic religion of 
 truth,' which is, apparently, the religion of Dr. Carus." — The 
 Watchman, Boston. 
 
 • ' One is tempted at times to believe that some of the facts in 
 the life of Christ on earth are corrupted to fit this religion. . . . 
 Compared with the Gospel of Christ, this story is as water unto 
 wine, as a dim candle by the full-orbed sun." — The Christian 
 Guide, Louisville. 
 
 ' ' The best book on the life and doctrines of Buddha. ... It 
 would be a good thing if all missionaries preparing for work in 
 Buddhist countries would allow Dr. Carus in this book to introduce 
 them to Buddhism." — The Tibetan, Organ of the Mission Union, 
 Toronto, Canada. 
 
 "A careful reading of it cannot but broaden one's thought and 
 produce spiritual reflexion. . . . Though many of his [Buddha's] say- 
 ings are almost identical with those of the Christ, yet it cannot be 
 compared with His Gospel. . . . Should be read by every student 
 interested in religion." — The Northwestern, Evanston, 111 
 
"Like other books by the same author it gives evidence of 
 careful study and deep thought." — Times, Kansas City. 
 
 • ' The book is wonderfully interesting and readable, and every 
 delver into varying theologies should possess a copy." — Bee, Sacra- 
 mento, Cal. 
 
 ' ' This volume meets the demand for accurate knowledge con- 
 cerning Buddhism, the greatest of Oriental faiths." — Home Jour- 
 nal, New York. 
 
 ' 'A useful book to all who are curious to know how little Bud- 
 dhism resembles Christianity and how superficial and pretentious 
 the tenets of its Gospel." — The Sanitarian, Brooklyn. 
 
 ' ' Dr. Cams has skilfully marshalled in this volume enough 
 from the Buddhistic literature to indicate its wealth of subtle im- 
 agery and the process of its illuminative insight." — The Conservator . 
 
 ' ' No heathen religion can in any way throw light on Christ's 
 religion. . . . This story of Buddhism, as here compiled and abbre- 
 viated, can be read with interest, and it is certainly interesting to 
 note the many good things that ar« found in its code of morals." — 
 Christian Observer, Louisville, Ky. 
 
 "Dr. Carus's book will be appreciated by many a student of 
 the religions of the world, who will find here the best thoughts of 
 the great Oriental faith put into readable and understandable shape 
 by a clever, a learned, and a sympathetic scholar. The book is 
 doubly valuable for its table of references, a copious glossary, and 
 full index." — Secular Thought, Toronto. 
 
 ' • A most important contribution to the study of comparative 
 religions. . . . Here is biographical matter, the philosophical foun- 
 dations, the religious principles, parables, stories, and other inter- 
 esting information presented in admirable form. . . . To the minis- 
 ters who are willing to enrich their service with extra Biblical 
 readings this book is especially commended." — Unity, Chicago. 
 
 "The resemblance between Buddha's life and doctrines and 
 the life and doctrines of our Lord is remarkable, and will strike the 
 reader all through the book. He will discover that the generally 
 received idea of Nirvana as nothingness or annihilation is altogether 
 wrong, . . . Our Lord taught much in parables and stories ; it was 
 a method of instruction well suited to the minds of the people of 
 the East, and we are glad to see that Dr. Cams has given a largp 
 
selection of the parables and stories of Buddha. There is as much 
 point to them now as in the days of Buddha, and they contain 
 teachings as applicable to modern people as ever they were to the 
 people of India." — The Call, San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 "There is here much information concerning Buddhism, which 
 appears not as a religion but as a philosophy, presented as a sys- 
 tem, but not as a very valuable one. When we have subtracted 
 the absurdities, we shall not have left much more than a few eth- 
 ical common-places." — Religious Herald, Hartford, Conn. 
 
 "There is much of interest and of profit to be gleaned from 
 this Gospel of Buddha by the Christian people of our land and age. 
 The study of comparative religions is ever growing and ever widen- 
 ing ; and works like that of our author hasten the realisation of the 
 grand ideal of a cosmic religion of truth." — ^gis, Univ. of Wis. 
 
 "A series of chapters of extracts from the words of Buddha, 
 from what for the Buddhist corresponds to our Bible, so to express 
 it. . . . Its chapters are beautiful in form and noble in sentiment. 
 It is not offered in hostility to Christianity, but for study in con- 
 nexion with the latter and in the hope of promoting spiritual reflex- 
 ion. Those who wish to consult such an epitome will find this 
 book worth heed." — The Congregationalist, Boston. 
 
 • 'A volume which many readers will find full of fascinating 
 interest. Dr. Carus is a deeply reverent and earnest student of re- 
 ligion, of all the religions of the world. , . . Buddhism, he of course 
 admits, is a religion which knows of no supernatural revelation. 
 Christianity differs radically from Buddhism in this respect, in that 
 it is not a mere philosophy but a spiritual power. . . . Read with a 
 pretty wakeful discrimination, this is a book which is fitted to 
 widen one's thought as to the religious nature of man everywhere ; 
 to convince one of the truth that God has nowhere left himself 
 without witness ; and in the end to make the impression more vivid 
 than ever as to the infinite transcendence of the Christ as not 
 merely the teacher but the Saviour of the world." — The Advance, 
 Chicago. 
 
 THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING CO., 
 
 324 DEARBORN STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 
 viH 
 
The Maha Bodhi Society 
 
 Patron : Lozang Thub-dan gya-tcho, 
 
 Grand Lima of Tibet. 
 
 President: H. Sumangala, Gen'l. Secretary: H. DharmapXla 
 Pradhana Ndyaka, Editor Mahi Bodhi Journal. 
 
 Mahd Thero, High Priest, Colombo, Ceylon. 
 
 OBJECTS OF THE MAHA BODHI SOCIETY. 
 
 The moral, spiritual, and intellectual state of the world's thought at the 
 'present moment has led to the founding of the MahS-Bodhi Society, which 
 was formed at Colombo, in the Island of Ceylon, May 31, 1891. Its object is 
 to make known to all nations the sublime teachings of the Buddha, Sakya 
 Muni, and to rescue, restore, and re-establish as the religious centre of this 
 movement the holy place Buddha-gayd, in Middle India, where Prince Sid- 
 dhSrtha attained supreme wisdom. At this sacred spot stands the Bodhi 
 Tree, under whose shade the gentle Teacher sat, when the sunlight of spirit- 
 ual truth dawned upon him. 
 
 At this thrice sacred spot it is proposed to re-establish a monastery for the 
 residence of Bhikkhus of Tibet, Ceylon, China, Japan, Burma, Siam, Cam- 
 bodia, Chittagong, Nepal, Corea, and Arakan; to found a college for training 
 young men of unblemished character, of whatsoever race and country, for 
 carrying abroad the message of peace and brotherly love promulgated by the 
 divine Teacher twenty-four centuries ago. 
 
 " The Saviour of the World, 
 
 Lord Buddha, Prince SiddhSrtha styled on earth- 
 In earth and heavens and hells Incomparable, 
 All-honored, Wisest, Best, Most Pitiful; 
 The Teacher of NirvSna and the Law," 
 
 has enjoined on His devoted followers to proclaim His Word. In the Maha- 
 "vagga He says: "Go ye, O Bhikkhus, and wander forth for the gain of the 
 many, the welfare of the many, in compassion for the world, for the good, for 
 the gain, for the welfare of gods and men. Proclaim, O Bhikkhus, the doc- 
 trine glorious. Preach ye a life of holiness, perfect and pure." Sir William 
 Hunter, K.C.S.I., CLE., in his Indian Empire, mentioning the objects of the 
 Mahfi Bodhi Society, says: "A revival of Buddhism is, I repeat, one of the 
 present possibilities in India. The life and teaching of Buddha are also be- 
 ginning to exercise a new influence on religious thought in Europe and 
 America." 
 
 International in its character, having its basis on no dogmas, entirely un- 
 sectarian, the MahS Bodhi Society has carried on its work so far with the 
 help of its sympathising friends. The accomplishment of the two great ob- 
 
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