the highest truth, in order to deliver all that lives. Who that hears of him, but yearns with love! The pains of birth, old age, disease, and death, the endless sorrows of the world, the countless miseries of 'hereafter', dreaded by all the Devas, He has removed all these accumulated sorrows; say, who would not revere him? to escape the joys of after life, this is the world's chief joy! To add the pain of other births, this is the world's worst sorrow! Buddha, escaped from pain of birth, shall have no joy of the hereafter! And having shown the way to all the world, who would not reverence and adore him? To sing the praises of the lordly monk, declare) his acts from first to last, Without self-seeking or self-honour, without desire for personal renown, but following what the scriptures say, to benefit the world, has been my aim). XII. RENASCENCE. The king said: "He who will not be reborn, Nâgasena, does he st feel any painful sensation?” The Elder replied: "Some he feels and some not." -Which are they?" "He may feel bodily pain, O King; but mental pain he would not." "How would that be so?" "Because the causes, proximate or remote, of bodily pain still Continue, he would be liable to it. "But the causes, proximate or remote, of mental agony having ceased, he could not feel it. For it has been said by the Blessed One One kind of pain he suffers, bodily pain: but not mental." "Then why, Sir, does he not die?” "The Arabat, O King, has need neither to curry favour nor to tear malice. He shakes not down the unripe fruit, but awaits the fall time of its maturity. "For it has been said, O King, by the Elder, Sâriputta, the Commander of the faith: "It is not death, it is not life I welcome; As the hireling his wage, so do I bide my time. It is not death, it is not life I want; Mindful and thoughtful do I bide my time." "Well put, Nâgasena!" The King said: "Will you, Nâgasena, be reborn?" "Nay, great King, what is the use of asking that question again? Have I not already told you that if, when I die, I die with craving in my heart, I shall; but if not, not?" "Give me an illustration." "Suppose, O King, a man were to render service to the King: and the King, pleased with him, were to bestow an office upon him. And then that he, while living through that appointment, in the full possession and enjoyment of all the pleasures of sense, should publicly declare that the King had repaid him naught. Now would that man, O King, be acting rightly?" "Most certainly not." "Just so, great King, what is the use of asking that question again? Have I not already told you that if, when I die, I die with craving in my heart, I shall; and if not, not?" "You are ready, Nâgasena, in reply." XIII. NIRVANA. The King said: "Is cessation Nirvâna?" "Yes, your Majesty." "How is that Nâgasena?" "All foolish individuals, O King, take pleasure in the senses and in the objects of sense, find delight in them, continue to cleave to them. Hence are they carried down by that flood (of human passions), they are not set free from birth, old age, and death, from grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow, and despair, they are not set free, I say, from suffering. But the wise, O King, the disciple of the noble ones, neither takes pleasure in those things, nor finds delight in them, nor continues cleaving to them. And inasmuch as he does not, in him craving ceases, and by the cessation of craving grasping ceases, and by the cessation of grasping becoming ceases, and when becoming has ceased birth ceases, and with its cessation birth, old age, and death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow and despair cease to exist. Thus is the cessation brought about, the end of all that aggregation of pain. Thus is it that cessation is Nirvâna! "Very good, Nâgasena!" XIV. THE ETERNITY OF BUDDHA. The King said: "Is there such a person as the Buddha, Nâgasena?" "Yes." "Can he then, Någasena, be pointed out as being here or there?" "The Blessed One, O King, has passed away by that kind of passing away in which nothing remains which could tend to the formation of another individual. It is not possible to point out the Blessed One as being here or there." "Give me an illustration." "Now what do you think, O King? When there is a great body of fire blazing, is it possible to point out any one flame that has gone out, that it is here or there?" "No, Sir. That flame has ceased, it has vanished." "Just so, great King, has the Blessed One passed away by that kind of passing away in which no root remains for the formation of another individual. The Blessed One has come to an end, and it cannot be pointed out of him, that he is here or there. But in the body of his doctrine he can, O King, be pointed out. For the doctrine was preached by the Blessed One?" "Very good, Nâgasena!" X V. BUDDHIST LITURGY. We believe in the Blessed One, the Holy One, in him who has arrived at the knowledge of all truth, who has fully accomplished the eight kinds of supernatural knowledge and the fifteen holy pracices, who came the good journey which led to the Buddhahood, who knows the Universe, the unrivalled, who has made subject to m all mortal beings, whether in heaven or in earth, the Teacher fgods and men, the blessed Budd'a. Through life till I reach Nirvara I will put my trust in Budd'a. The Enlightened of to-day, No other refuge do I know, My triumph and my food: By these fair words of truth I trow The best of all is Budd'. My head unto the ground I reverently bow, I beg forgiveness now. The law was graciously preached by Budd'a, its effects are immediate, it is unlimited by time, it is conducive to salvation, it invites all comers, it is a fitting object of contemplation, the wise ponder it in their hearts. Through life till I reach Nirvâna I will put my trust in the Law. The Law as it is to-day, No other refuge do I know, By these fair words of truth I trow I fall upon the knee And crave forgiveness now; Before the Law and Baskets three Budd'a's holy Brotherhood, the assembly of righteous men who lead a godly life, who walk in the straight path, in the way of wisdom, who walk faithfully in the four paths of holiness, the eight orders of the elect, worthy of offerings from afar, worthy of fresh offerings, worthy of offerings of the daily necessaries of life, entitled to receive the respectful salutation of joined hands raised in homage to the forehead, this holy Brotherhood brings forth merit which, like a rich field, yields its increase for the benefit of this world of men. Through life till I reach Nirvâna I will put my trust in the Brotherhood (Order, Church). The Church as it is to-day, My refuge is in thee, Upon the knee I fall And crave forgiveness now, Before the Church, before them all I reverently bow! Upon my head abide Three refuges, three signs; And ever at my side Nirvana's peaceful mines! |