SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST

Including Selections from the Vedic Hymns, Zend-Avesta, Dhammapada, Upanishads, the Koran, and the Life of Buddha, with Critical andBiographical Sketches by Epiphanius Wilson, A. M. 

1900

CONTENTS

VEDIC HYMNS

IntroductionTo the Unknown GodTo the MarutsTo the Maruts and IndraTo Indra and the MarutsTo Agni and the MarutsTo RudraTo RudraTo Agní and the MarutsTo VâyuTo VâyuIndra and Agastya: A DialogueTo Soma and RudraTo RudraTo VâtaTo Vâta

THE ZEND-AVESTA

IntroductionDiscovery of the Zend-AvestaThe CreationMyth of YimaThe EarthContracts and OutragesUncleannessFunerals and PurificationCleansing the UncleanSpells Recited During the CleansingTo Fires, Waters, PlantsTo the Earth and the Sacred WatersPrayer for HelpersA Prayer for Sanctity and its BenefitsTo the FireTo the Bountiful ImmortalsPraise of the Holy BullTo Rain as a Healing PowerTo the Waters and Light of the SunTo the Waters and Light of the MoonTo the Waters and Light of the Stars

THE DHAMMAPADA

IntroductionCHAPTER I. --The Twin-Verses II. --On Earnestness III. --Thought IV. --Flowers V. --The Fool VI. --The Wise Man VII. --The Venerable VIII. --The Thousands IX. --Evil X. --Punishment XI. --Old Age XII. --Self XIII. --The World XIV. --The Buddha--The Awakened XV. --Happiness XVI. --Pleasure XVII. --Anger XVIII. --Impurity XIX. --The Just XX. --The Way XXI. --Miscellaneous XXII. --The Downward Course XXIII. --The Elephant XXIV. --Thirst XXV. --The Bhikshu XXVI. --The Brâhmana

THE UPANISHADS

Introduction

KAUSHÍTAKI-UPANISHAD. -- The Couch of Brahman Knowledge of the Living Spirit Life and Consciousness

SELECTIONS FROM THE KORAN

IntroductionMohammed and MohammedanismChapter I. ----Entitled, the PrefaceChapter II. ---Entitled, the CowChapter III. --Entitled, the Family of ImranChapter IV. ---Entitled, WomenChapter V. ----Entitled, the Table

LIFE OF BUDDHA

Introduction

CHAPTER I. -- The Birth Living in the Palace Disgust at Sorrow Putting Away Desire Leaving the City

CHAPTER II. -- The Return of Kandaka Entering the Place of Austerities The General Grief of the Palace The Mission to Seek the Prince

CHAPTER III. -- Bimbisara Râga Invites the Prince The Reply to Bimbisara Râga Visit to Ârada Udrarama Defeats Mara O-wei-san-pou-ti (Abhisambodhi) Turning the Law-wheel

CHAPTER IV. -- Bimbisara Râga Becomes a Disciple The Great Disciple Becomes a Hermit Conversion of the "Supporter of the Orphans and Destitute" Interview Between Father and Son Receiving the Getavana Vihara Escaping the Drunken Elephant and Devadatta The Lady Âmra Sees Buddha

CHAPTER V. -- By Spiritual Power Fixing His Term of Years The Differences of the Likkhavis Parinirvana Mahaparinirvana Praising Nirvana Division of the Sariras

VEDIC HYMNS

Translation by F. Max Müller. 

INTRODUCTION

The Vedic Hymns are among the most interesting portions of Hindooliterature. In form and spirit they resemble both the poems of theHebrew psalter and the lyrics of Pindar. They deal with the mostelemental religious conceptions and are full of the imagery of nature. It would be absurd to deny to very many of them the possession of thetruest poetic inspiration. The scenery of the Himalayas, ice and snow, storm and tempest, lend their majesty to the strains of the Vedic poet. He describes the storm sweeping over the white-crested mountains tillthe earth, like a hoary king, trembles with fear. The Maruts, orstorm-gods, are terrible, glorious, musical, riding on strong-hoofed, never-wearying steeds. There is something Homeric, Pindaric in theseepithets. Yet Soma and Rudra are addressed, though they wield sharpweapons; and sharp bolts, i. E. , those of the lightning, are spoken of askind friends. "Deliver us, " says the poet, "from the snare of Varuna, and guard us, as kind-hearted gods. " One of the most remarkable of thesehymns is that addressed to the Unknown God. The poet says: "In thebeginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as he was born he alonewas the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this heaven. "The hymn consists of ten stanzas, in which the Deity is celebrated asthe maker of the snowy mountains, the sea and the distant river, whomade fast the awful heaven, He who alone is God above all gods, beforewhom heaven and earth stand trembling in their mind. Each stanzaconcludes with the refrain, "Who is the God to whom we shall offersacrifice?"

We have in this hymn a most sublime conception of the Supreme Being, andwhile there are many Vedic hymns whose tone is pantheistic and seems toimply that the wild forces of nature are Gods who rule the world, thishymn to the Unknown God is as purely monotheistic as a psalm of David, and shows a spirit of religious awe as profound as any we find in theHebrew Scriptures. 

It is very difficult to arrive at the true date of the Vedas. The wordVeda means knowledge, and is applied to unwritten literature. The Vedasare therefore the oldest Sanscrit writings which exist, and stand in thesame class with regard to Hindoo literature as Homer does with regard toGreek literature. Probably the earliest Vedas were recited a thousandyears before Christ, while the more recent of the hymns date about fivehundred before Christ. We must therefore consider them to be the mostprimitive form of Aryan poetry in existence. 

There is in the West a misunderstanding as to the exact meaning of"Vedic" and "Sanscrit"; for the latter is often used as if it weresynonymous with Indian; whereas, only the later Indian literature can beclassed under that head, and "Vedic" is often used to indicate only theVedic Hymns, whereas it really denotes Hymns, Bráhmanas, Upanishads, andSutras; in fact, all literature which orthodox Hindoos regard as sacred. The correct distinction then between the Vedic and the Sanscrit writingsis that of holy writ and profane literature. 

E. W. 

VEDIC HYMNS

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD

In the beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as born, he alonewas the lord of all that is. He established the earth and thisheaven:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose command all the brightgods revere, whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death:--Who isthe God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who through his might became the sole king of the breathing andtwinkling world, who governs all this, man and beast:--Who is the God towhom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whose might these snowy mountains are, and the sea, they say, with the distant river; he of whom these regions are indeed the twoarms:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whom the awful heaven and the earth were made fast, hethrough whom the ether was established, and the firmament; he whomeasured the air in the sky:--Who is the God to whom we shall offersacrifice?

He to whom heaven and earth, standing firm by his will, look up, trembling in their mind; he over whom the risen sun shines forth:--Whois the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

When the great waters went everywhere, holding the germ, and generatinglight, then there arose from them the breath of the gods:--Who is theGod to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who by his might looked even over the waters which held power andgenerated the sacrifice, he who alone is God above all gods:--Who is theGod to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

May he not hurt us, he who is the begetter of the earth, or he, therighteous, who begat the heaven; he who also begat the bright and mightywaters:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Pragâpati, no other than thou embraces all these created things. Maythat be ours which we desire when sacrificing to thee: may we be lordsof wealth!

TO THE MARUTS[1]

I

Come hither, Maruts, on your chariots charged with lightning, resoundingwith beautiful songs, stored with spears, and winged with horses! Fly tous like birds, with your best food, you mighty ones! They comegloriously on their red, or, it may be, on their tawny horses whichhasten their chariots. He who holds the axe is brilliant likegold;--with the tire of the chariot they have struck the earth. On yourbodies there are daggers for beauty; may they stir up our minds as theystir up the forests. For yourselves, O well-born Maruts, the vigorousamong you shake the stone for distilling Soma. Days went round you andcame back, O hawks, back to this prayer, and to this sacred rite; theGotamas making prayer with songs, pushed up the lid of the cloud todrink. No such hymn was ever known as this which Gotama sounded for you, O Maruts, when he saw you on golden wheels, wild boars rushing aboutwith iron tusks. This comforting speech rushes sounding towards you, like the speech of a suppliant: it rushed freely from our hands as ourspeeches are wont to do. 

II

Let us now proclaim for the robust host, for the herald of the powerfulIndra, their ancient greatness! O ye strong-voiced Maruts, you heroes, prove your powers on your march, as with a torch, as with a sword! Likeparents bringing a dainty to their own son, the wild Maruts playplayfully at the sacrifices. The Rudras reach the worshipper with theirprotection, strong in themselves, they do not fail the sacrificer. Forhim to whom the immortal guardians have given fulness of wealth, and whois himself a giver of oblations, the Maruts, who gladden men with themilk of rain, pour out, like friends, many clouds. You who have stirredup the clouds with might, your horses rushed forth, self-guided. Allbeings who dwell in houses are afraid of you, your march is brilliantwith your spears thrust forth. When they whose march is terrible havecaused the rocks to tremble, or when the manly Maruts have shaken theback of heaven, then every lord of the forest fears at your racing, eachshrub flies out of your way, whirling like chariot-wheels. You, Oterrible Maruts, whose ranks are never broken, favorably fulfil ourprayer! Wherever your glory-toothed lightning bites, it crunches cattle, like a well-aimed bolt. The Maruts whose gifts are firm, whose bountiesare never ceasing, who do not revile, and who are highly praised at thesacrifices, they sing their song for to drink the sweet juice: they knowthe first manly deeds of the hero Indra. The man whom you have guarded, O Maruts, shield him with hundredfold strongholds from injury andmischief--the man whom you, O fearful, powerful singers, protect fromreproach in the prosperity of his children. On your chariots, O Maruts, there are all good things, strong weapons are piled up clashing againsteach other. When you are on your journeys, you carry the rings on yourshoulders, and your axle turns the two wheels at once. In their manlyarms there are many good things, on their chests golden chains, flaringornaments, on their shoulders speckled deer-skins, on their felliessharp edges; as birds spread their wings, they spread out splendorsbehind. They, mighty by might, all-powerful powers, visible from afarlike the heavens with the stars, sweet-toned, soft-tongued singers withtheir mouths, the Maruts, united with Indra, shout all around. This isyour greatness, O well-born Maruts!--your bounty extends far, as thesway of Aditi. Not even Indra in his scorn can injure that bounty, onwhatever man you have bestowed it for his good deeds. This is yourkinship with us, O Maruts, that you, immortals, in former years haveoften protected the singer. Having through this prayer granted a hearingto man, all these heroes together have become well known by theirvaliant deeds. That we may long flourish, O Maruts, with your wealth, Oye racers, that our men may spread in the camp, therefore let me achievethe rite with these offerings. May this praise, O Maruts, this song ofMândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you with food for offspring forourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain!

III

For the manly host, the joyful, the wise, for the Maruts bring thou, ONodhas, a pure offering. I prepare songs, like as a handy priest, wisein his mind, prepares the water, mighty at sacrifices. They are born, the tall bulls of heaven, the manly youths of Rudra, the divine, theblameless, pure, and bright like suns; scattering raindrops, full ofterrible designs, like giants. The youthful Rudras, they who never growold, the slayers of the demon, have grown irresistible like mountains. They throw down with their strength all beings, even the strongest, onearth and in heaven. They deck themselves with glittering ornaments fora marvellous show; on their chests they fastened gold chains for beauty;the spears on their shoulders pound to pieces; they were born togetherby themselves, the men of Dyu. They who confer power, the roarers, thedevourers of foes, they made winds and lightnings by their powers. Theshakers milk the heavenly udders, they sprinkle the earth all round withmilk. The bounteous Maruts pour forth water, mighty at sacrifices, thefat milk of the clouds. They seem to lead about the powerful horse, thecloud, to make it rain; they milk the thundering, unceasing spring. Mighty they are, powerful, of beautiful splendor, strong in themselveslike mountains, yet swiftly gliding along;--you chew up forests, likewild elephants, when you have assumed your powers among the red flames. Like lions they roar, the wise Maruts, they are handsome like gazelles, the all-knowing. By night with their spotted rain-clouds and with theirspears--lightnings--they rouse the companions together, they whose irethrough strength is like the ire of serpents. You who march incompanies, the friends of man, heroes, whose ire through strength islike the ire of serpents, salute heaven and earth! On the seats on yourchariots, O Maruts, the lightning stands, visible like light. All-knowing, surrounded with wealth, endowed with powers, singers, menof endless prowess, armed with strong rings, they, the archers, havetaken the arrow in their fists. The Maruts who with the golden tires oftheir wheels increase the rain, stir up the clouds like wanderers on theroad. They are brisk, indefatigable, they move by themselves; they throwdown what is firm, the Maruts with their brilliant spears makeeverything to reel. We invoke with prayer the offspring of Rudra, thebrisk, the pure, the worshipful, the active. Cling for happiness-sake tothe strong company of the Maruts, the chasers of the sky, the powerful, the impetuous. The mortal whom ye, Maruts, protected, he indeedsurpasses people in strength through your protection. He carries offbooty with his horses, treasures with his men; he acquires honorablewisdom, and he prospers. Give, O Maruts, to our lords strength glorious, invincible in battle, brilliant, wealth-acquiring, praiseworthy, knownto all men. Let us foster our kith and kin during a hundred winters. Will you then, O Maruts, grant unto us wealth, durable, rich in men, defying all onslaughts?--wealth a hundred and a thousand-fold, alwaysincreasing?--May he who is rich in prayers come early and soon!

IV

Sing forth, O Kanvas, to the sportive host of your Maruts, brilliant ontheir chariots, and unscathed, --they who were born together, self-luminous, with the spotted deer, the spears, the daggers, theglittering ornaments. I hear their whips, almost close by, when theycrack them in their hands; they gain splendor on their way. Sing forththe god-given prayer to the wild host of your Maruts, endowed withterrible vigor and strength. Celebrate the bull among the cows, for itis the sportive host of the Maruts; he grew as he tasted the rain. Who, O ye men, is the strongest among you here, ye shakers of heaven andearth, when you shake them like the hem of a garment? At your approachthe son of man holds himself down; the gnarled cloud fled at your fierceanger. They at whose racings the earth, like a hoary king, trembles forfear on their ways, their birth is strong indeed: there is strength tocome forth from their mother, nay, there is vigor twice enough for it. And these sons, the singers, stretched out the fences in their racings;the cows had to walk knee-deep. They cause this long and broad unceasingrain to fall on their ways. O Maruts, with such strength as yours, youhave caused men to tremble, you have caused the mountains to tremble. Asthe Maruts pass along, they talk together on the way: does anyone hearthem? Come fast on your quick steeds! there are worshippers for youamong the Kanvas: may you well rejoice among them. Truly there is enoughfor your rejoicing. We always are their servants, that we may live eventhe whole of life. 

V

To every sacrifice you hasten together, you accept prayer after prayer, O quick Maruts! Let me therefore bring you hither by my prayers fromheaven and earth, for our welfare, and for our great protection; theshakers who were born to bring food and light, self-born andself-supported, like springs, like thousandfold waves of water, aye, visibly like unto excellent bulls, those Maruts, like Soma-drops, whichsqueezed from ripe stems dwell, when drunk, in the hearts of theworshipper--see how on their shoulders there clings as if a clingingwife; in their hands the quoit is held and the sword. Lightly they havecome down from heaven of their own accord: Immortals, stir yourselveswith the whip! The mighty Maruts on dustless paths, armed with brilliantspears, have shaken down even the strong places. O ye Maruts, who arearmed with lightning-spears, who stirs you from within by himself, asthe jaws are stirred by the tongue? You shake the sky, as if on thesearch for food; you are invoked by many, like the solar horse of theday. Where, O Maruts, is the top, where the bottom of the mighty skywhere you came? When you throw down with the thunderbolt what is strong, like brittle things, you fly across the terrible sea! As your conquestis violent, splendid, terrible, full and crushing, so, O Maruts, is yourgift delightful, like the largess of a liberal worshipper, wide-spreading, laughing like heavenly lightning. From the tires oftheir chariot-wheels streams gush forth, when they send out the voice ofthe clouds; the lightnings smiled upon the earth, when the Maruts showerdown fatness. Prisni brought forth for the great fight the terribletrain of the untiring Maruts: when fed they produced the dark cloud, andthen looked about for invigorating food. May this praise, O Maruts, thissong of Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you with food foroffspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, withquickening rain!

VI

The Maruts charged with rain, endowed with fierce force, terrible likewild beasts, blazing in their strength, brilliant like fires, andimpetuous, have uncovered the rain-giving cows by blowing away thecloud. The Maruts with their rings appeared like the heavens with theirstars, they shone wide like streams from clouds as soon as Rudra, thestrong man, was born for you, O golden-breasted Maruts, in the brightlap of Prisni. They wash their horses like racers in the courses, theyhasten with the points of the reed on their quick steeds. O golden-jawedMaruts, violently shaking your jaws, you go quick with your spotteddeer, being friends of one mind. Those Maruts have grown to feed allthese beings, or, it may be, they have come hither for the sake of afriend, they who always bring quickening rain. They have spotted horses, their bounties cannot be taken away, they are like headlong charioteerson their ways. O Maruts, wielding your brilliant spears, come hither onsmooth roads with your fiery cows whose udders are swelling; being ofone mind, like swans toward their nests, to enjoy the sweet offering. Oone-minded Maruts, come to our prayers, come to our libations like Indrapraised by men! Fulfil our prayer, like the udder of a barren cow, andmake the prayer glorious by booty to the singer. Grant us this stronghorse for our chariot, a draught that rouses our prayers, from day today, food to the singers, and to the poet in our homesteads luck, wisdom, inviolable and invincible strength. When the gold-breastedMaruts harness the horses to their chariots, bounteous in wealth, thenit is as if a cow in the folds poured out to her calf copious food, toevery man who has offered libations. Whatever mortal enemy may haveplaced us among wolves, shield us from hurt, ye Vasus! Turn the wheelswith burning heat against him, and strike down the weapon of the impiousfiend, O Rudras! Your march, O Maruts, appears brilliant, whether evenfriends have milked the udder of Prisni, or whether, O sons of Rudra, you mean to blame him who praises you, and to weaken those who areweakening Trita, O unbeguiled heroes. We invoke you, the great Maruts, the constant wanderers, at the offering of the rapid Vishnu; holdingladles and prayerful we ask the golden-colored and exalted Maruts forglorious wealth. The Dasagvas carried on the sacrifice first; may theyrouse us at the break of dawn. Like the dawn, they uncover the darknights with the red rays, the strong ones, with their brilliant light, as with a sea of milk. With the morning clouds, as if with glitteringred ornaments, these Maruts have grown great in the sacred places. Streaming down with rushing splendor, they have assumed their bright andbrilliant color. Approaching them for their great protection to help us, we invoke them with this worship, they whom Trita may bring near, likethe five Hotri priests for victory, descending on their chariot to help. May that grace of yours by which you help the wretched across allanguish, and by which you deliver the worshipper from the reviler, comehither, O Maruts; may your favor approach us like a cow going to hercalf!

VII

I come to you with this adoration, with a hymn I implore the favor ofthe quick Maruts. O Maruts, you have rejoiced in it clearly, put downthen all anger and unharness your horses! This reverent praise of yours, O Maruts, fashioned in the heart, has been offered by the mind, O gods!Come to it, pleased in your mind, for you give increase to our worship. May the Maruts when they have been praised be gracious to us, andlikewise Indra, the best giver of happiness, when he has been praised. May our lances through our valor stand always erect, O Maruts! I amafraid of this powerful one, and trembling in fear of Indra. For you theofferings were prepared--we have now put them away, forgive us! Thouthrough whom the Mânas see the mornings, whenever the eternal dawnsflash forth with power, O Indra, O strong hero, grant thou glory to uswith the Maruts, terrible with the terrible ones, strong and a giver ofvictory. O Indra, protect thou these bravest of men, let thy anger beturned away from the Maruts, for thou hast become victorious togetherwith those brilliant heroes. May we have an invigorating autumn, withquickening rain!

VIII

O Maruts, that man in whose dwelling you drink the Soma, ye mighty sonsof heaven, he indeed has the best guardians. You who are propitiatedeither by sacrifices or from the prayers of the sage, hear the call, OMaruts! Aye, the powerful man to whom you have granted a sage, he willlive in a stable rich in cattle. On the altar of this strong man Soma ispoured out in daily sacrifices; praise and joy are sung. To him let themighty Maruts listen, to him who surpasses all men, as the flowingrain-clouds pass over the sun. For we, O Maruts, have sacrificed at manyharvests, through the mercies of the storm-gods. May that mortal beblessed, O chasing Maruts, whose offerings you carry off. You takenotice either of the sweat of him who praises you, ye men of truestrength, or of the desire of the suppliant. O ye of true strength, makethis manifest with might! strike the fiend with your lightning! Hide thehideous darkness, destroy every tusky fiend. Make the light which welong for!

IX

Endowed with exceeding vigor and power, the singers, the neverflinching, the immovable, the impetuous, the most beloved and mostmanly, have decked themselves with their glittering ornaments, a fewonly, like the heavens with the stars. When you have seen your waythrough the clefts, like birds, O Maruts, on whatever road it be, thenthe clouds on your chariots trickle everywhere, and you pour out thehoney-like fatness for him who praises you. At their racings the earthshakes, as if broken, when on the heavenly paths they harness their deerfor victory. They the sportive, the roaring, with bright spears, theshakers of the clouds have themselves glorified their greatness. Thatyouthful company, with their spotted horses, moves by itself; hence itexercises lordship, invested with powers. Thou indeed art true, thousearchest out sin, thou art without blemish. Therefore the manly hostwill help this prayer. We speak after the kind of our old father, ourtongue goes forth at the sight of the Soma: when the singers had joinedIndra in deed, then only they took their holy names;--these Maruts, armed with beautiful rings, obtained splendors for their glory, theyobtained rays, and men to celebrate them; nay, armed with daggers, speeding along, and fearless, they found the beloved domain of theMaruts. 

X

What then now? When will you take us as a dear father takes his son byboth hands, O ye gods, for whom the sacred grass has been trimmed? Wherenow? On what errand of yours are you going, in heaven, not on earth?Where are your cows sporting? Where are your newest favors, O Maruts?Where the blessings? Where all delights? If you, sons of Prisni, weremortals, and your praiser an immortal, then never should your praiser beunwelcome, like a deer in pasture grass, nor should he go on the path ofYama. Let not one sin after another, difficult to be conquered, overcomeus; may it depart together with greed. Truly they are terrible andpowerful; even to the desert the Rudriyas bring rain that is never driedup. The lightning lows like a cow, it follows as a mother follows afterher young, when the shower of the Maruts has been let loose. Even by daythe Maruts create darkness with the water-bearing cloud, when theydrench the earth. Then from the shouting of the Maruts over the wholespace of the earth, men reeled forward. Maruts on your strong-hoofed, never-wearying steeds go after those bright ones, which are still lockedup. May your fellies be strong, the chariots, and their horses, may yourreins be well-fashioned. Speak forth forever with thy voice to praisethe Lord of prayer, Agni, who is like a friend, the bright one. Fashiona hymn in thy mouth! Expand like the cloud! Sing a song of praise. Worship the host of the Maruts, the terrible, the glorious, the musical. May they be magnified here among us. 

XI

Let your voice-born prayers go forth to the great Vishnu, accompanied bythe Maruts, Evayâmarut, and to the chasing host, adorned with goodrings, the strong, in their jubilant throng, to the shouting power ofthe Maruts. O Maruts, you who are born great, and proclaim it yourselvesby knowledge, Evayâmarut, that power of yours cannot be approached bywisdom, that power of theirs cannot be approached by gift or might; theyare like unapproachable mountains. They who are heard with their voicefrom the high heaven, the brilliant and strong, Evayâmarut, in whosecouncil no tyrant reigns, the rushing chariots of these roaring Marutscome forth, like fires with their own lightning. The wide-stridingVishnu strode forth from the great common seat, Evayâmarut. When he hasstarted by himself from his own place along the ridges, O ye striving, mighty Maruts, he goes together with the heroes, conferring blessings. Impetuous, like your own shout, the strong one made everything tremble, the terrible, the wanderer, the mighty, Evayâmarut; strong with him youadvanced self-luminous, with firm reins, golden colored, well armed, speeding along. Your greatness is infinite, ye Maruts, endowed with fullpower, may that terrible power help, Evayâmarut. In your raid you areindeed to be seen as charioteers; deliver us therefore from the enemy, like shining fires. May then these Rudras, lively like fires and withvigorous shine, help, Evayâmarut. The seat of the earth is stretched outfar and wide, when the hosts of these faultless Maruts come quickly tothe races. Come kindly on your path, O Maruts, listen to the call of himwho praises you, Evayâmarut. Confidants of the great Vishnu, may youtogether, like charioteers, keep all hateful things far, by yourwonderful skill. Come zealously to our sacrifice, ye worshipful, hearour guileless call, Evayâmarut. Like the oldest mountains in the sky, Owise guardians, prove yourselves for him irresistible to the enemy. 

XII

O Syâvâsva, sing boldly with the Maruts, the singers who, worthythemselves of sacrifice, rejoice in their guileless glory according totheir nature. They are indeed boldly the friends of strong power; theyon their march protect all who by themselves are full of daring. Likerushing bulls, these Maruts spring over the dark cows, and then weperceive the might of the Maruts in heaven and on earth. Let us boldlyoffer praise and sacrifice to your Maruts, to all them who protect thegeneration of men, who protect the mortal from injury. They who areworthy, bounteous, men of perfect strength, to those heavenly Maruts whoare worthy of sacrifice, praise the sacrifice! The tall men, coming nearwith their bright chains, and their weapon, have hurled forth theirspears. Behind these Maruts there came by itself the splendor of heaven, like laughing lightnings. Those who have grown up on earth, or in thewide sky, or in the realm of the rivers, or in the abode of the greatheaven, praise that host of the Maruts, endowed with true strength andboldness, whether those rushing heroes have by themselves harnessedtheir horses for triumph, or whether these brilliant Maruts have in thespeckled cloud clothed themselves in wool, or whether by their strengththey cut the mountain asunder with the tire of their chariot; call themcomers, or goers, or enterers, or followers, under all these names, theywatch on the straw for my sacrifice. The men watch, and their steedswatch. Then, so brilliant are their forms to be soon, that people say, Look at the strangers! In measured steps and wildly shouting the gleemenhave danced towards the cloud. They who appeared one by one likethieves, were helpers to me to see the light. Worship, therefore, Oseer, that host of Maruts, and keep and delight them with your voice, they who are themselves wise poets, tall heroes armed withlightning-spears. Approach, O seer, the host of Maruts, as a womanapproaches a friend, for a gift; and you, Maruts, bold in your strength, hasten hither, even from heaven, when you have been praised by ourhymns. If he, after perceiving them, has approached them as gods with anoffering, then may he for a gift remain united with the brilliantMaruts, who by their ornaments are glorious on their march. They, thewise Maruts, the lords, who, when there was inquiry for their kindred, told me of the cow, they told me of Prisni as their mother, and of thestrong Rudra as their father. The seven and seven heroes gave me each ahundred. On the Yamunâ I clear off glorious wealth in cows, I clearwealth in horses. 

XIII

Those who glance forth like wives and yoke-fellows, the powerful sons ofRudra on their way, they, the Maruts, have indeed made heaven and earthto grow; they, the strong and wild, delight in the sacrifices. Whengrown up, they attained to greatness; the Rudras have established theirseat in the sky. While singing their song and increasing their vigor, the sons of Prisni have clothed themselves in beauty. When these sons ofthe cow adorn themselves with glittering ornaments, the brilliant onesput bright weapons on their bodies. They drive away every adversary;fatness streams along their paths;--when you, the powerful, who shinewith your spears, shaking even what is unshakable by strength--when you, O Maruts, the manly hosts, had yoked the spotted deer, swift as thought, to your chariots;--when you had yoked the spotted deer before yourchariots, hurling thunderbolt in the fight, then the streams of thered-horse rush forth: like a skin with water they water the earth. Maythe swiftly-gliding, swift-winged horses carry you hither! Come forthwith your arms! Sit down on the grass-pile; a wide seat has been madefor you. Rejoice, O Maruts, in the sweet food. Strong in themselves, they grew with might; they stepped to the firmament, they made theirseat wide. When Vishnu saved the enrapturing Soma, the Maruts sat downlike birds on their beloved altar. Like heroes indeed thirsting forfight they rush about; like combatants eager for glory they have strivenin battles. All beings are afraid of the Maruts; they are men terribleto behold, like kings. When the clever Tvashtar had turned thewell-made, golden, thousand-edged thunderbolt, Indra takes it to performhis manly deeds; he slew Vritra, he forced out the stream of water. Bytheir power they pushed the well aloft, they clove asunder the rock, however strong. Blowing forth their voice the bounteous Marutsperformed, while drunk of Soma, their glorious deeds. They pushed thecloud athwart this way, they poured out the spring to the thirstyGotama. The Maruts with beautiful splendor approach him with help, theyin their own ways satisfied the desire of the sage. The shelters whichyou have for him who praises you, grant them threefold to the man whogives! Extend the same to us, O Maruts! Give us, ye heroes, wealth withvaliant offspring!

XIV

Who are these resplendent men, dwelling together, the boys of Rudra, also with good horses? No one indeed knows their births, they alone knoweach other's birthplace. They plucked each other with their beaks; thehawks, rushing like the wind, strove together. A wise man understandsthese secrets, that Prisni, the great, bore an udder. May that clan berich in heroes by the Maruts, always victorious, rich in manhood! Theyare quickest to go, most splendid with splendor, endowed with beauty, strong with strength. Strong is your strength, steadfast your powers, and thus by the Maruts is this clan mighty. Resplendent is your breath, furious are the minds of the wild host, like a shouting maniac. Keepfrom us entirely your flame, let not your hatred reach us here. I callon the dear names of your swift ones, so that the greedy should besatisfied, O Maruts, the well-armed, the swift, decked with beautifulchains, who themselves adorn their bodies. Bright are the libations foryou, the bright ones, O Maruts, a bright sacrifice I prepare for thebright. In proper order came those who truly follow the order, thebright born, the bright, the pure. On your shoulders, O Maruts, are therings, on your chests the golden chains are fastened; far-shining likelightnings with showers, you wield your weapons, according to your wont. Your hidden splendors come forth; spread out your powers, O racers!Accept, O Maruts, this thousandfold, domestic share, as an offering forthe house-gods. If you thus listen, O Maruts, to this praise, at theinvocation of the powerful sage, give him quickly a share of wealth inplentiful offspring, which no selfish enemy shall be able to hurt. TheMaruts, who are fleet like racers, the manly youths, shone like Yakshas;they are beautiful like boys standing round the hearth, they play aboutlike calves who are still sucking. May the bounteous Maruts be graciousto us, opening up to us the firm heaven and earth. May that bolt ofyours which kills cattle and men be far from us! Incline to us, O Vasus, with your favors. The Hotri priest calls on you again and again, sittingdown and praising your common gift, O Maruts. O strong ones, he who isthe guardian of so much wealth, he calls on you with praises, free fromguile. These Maruts stop the swift, they bend strength by strength, theyward off the curse of the plotter, and turn their heavy hatred on theenemy. These Maruts stir up even the sluggard, even the vagrant, as thegods pleased. O strong ones, drive away the darkness, and grant us allour kith and kin. May we not fall away from your bounty, O Maruts, maywe not stay behind, O charioteers, in the distribution of your gifts. Let us share in the brilliant wealth, the well-acquired, that belongs toyou, O strong ones. When valiant men fiercely fight together, forrivers, plants, and houses, then, O Maruts, sons of Rudra, be in battlesour protectors from the enemy. O Maruts, you have valued the praiseswhich our fathers have formerly recited to you; with the Maruts thevictor is terrible in battle, with the Maruts alone the racer wins theprize. O Maruts, may we have a strong son, who is lord among men, aruler, through whom we may cross the waters to dwell in safety, and thenobtain our own home for you. May Indra then, Varuna, Mitra, Agni, thewaters, the plants, the trees of the forest be pleased with us. Let usbe in the keeping, in the lap of the Maruts; protect us always with yourfavors. 

XV

Sing to the company of the Maruts, growing up together, the strong amongthe divine host: they stir heaven and earth by their might, they mountup to the firmament from the abyss of Nirriti. Even your birth was withfire and fury, O Maruts! You, terrible, wrathful, never tiring! You whostand forth with might and strength; everyone who sees the sun, fears atyour coming. Grant mighty strength to our lords, if the Maruts arepleased with our praise. As a trodden path furthers a man, may theyfurther us; help us with your brilliant favors. Favored by you, OMaruts, a wise man wins a hundred, favored by you a strong racer wins athousand, favored by you a king also kills his enemy: may that gift ofyours prevail, O ye shakers. I invite these bounteous sons of Rudra, will these Maruts turn again to us? Whatever they hated secretly oropenly, that sin we pray the swift ones to forgive. This praise of ourlords has been spoken: may the Maruts be pleased with this hymn. Keepfar from us, O strong ones, all hatred, protect us always with yourfavors!

XVI

Come hither, do not fail, when you march forward! Do not stay away, Ounited friends, you who can bend even what is firm. O Maruts, Ribhukshans, come hither on your flaming strong fellies, O Rudras, cometo us to-day with food, you much-desired ones, come to the sacrifice, you friends of the Sobharis. For we know indeed the terrible strength ofthe sons of Rudra, of the vigorous Maruts, the liberal givers of rain. The clouds were scattered, but the monster remained, heaven and earthwere joined together. O you who are armed with bright rings, the tractsof the sky expanded, whenever you stir, radiant with your own splendor. Even things that cannot be thrown down resound at your race, themountains, the lord of the forest--the earth quivers on your marches. The upper sky makes wide room, to let your violence pass, O Maruts, whenthese strong-armed heroes display their energies in their own bodies. According to their wont these men, exceeding terrible, impetuous, withstrong and unbending forms, bring with them beautiful light. The arrowof the Sobharis is shot from the bowstrings at the golden chest on thechariot of the Maruts. They, the kindred of the cow, the well-born, should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. Bring forward, Ostrongly-anointed priests, your libations to the strong host of theMaruts, the strongly advancing. O Maruts, O heroes, come quickly hither, like winged hawks, on your chariot with strong horses, of strong shape, with strong naves, to enjoy our libations. Their anointing is the same, the golden chains shine on their arms, their spears sparkle. Thesestrong, manly, strong-armed Maruts, do not strive among themselves; firmare the bows, the weapons on your chariot, and on your faces aresplendors. They whose terrible name, wide-spreading like the ocean, isthe one of all that is of use, whose strength is like the vigor of theirfather, worship these Maruts, and praise them! Of these shouters, as ofmoving spokes, no one is the last; this is theirs by gift, by greatnessis it theirs. Happy is he who was under your protection, O Maruts, informer mornings, or who may be so even now. Or he, O men, whoselibations you went to enjoy; that mighty one, O shakers, will obtainyour favors with brilliant riches and booty. As the sons of Rudra, theservants of the divine Dyu, will it, O youths, so shall it be. Whateverliberal givers may worship the Maruts, and move about together asgenerous benefactors, even from them turn towards us with a kinderheart, you youths! O Sobhari, call loud with your newest song the young, strong, and pure Maruts, as the plougher calls the cows. Worship theMaruts with a song, they who are strong like a boxer, called in toassist those who call for him in all fights; worship them the mostglorious, like bright-shining bulls. Yes, O united friends, kindred, OMaruts, by a common birth, the oxen lick one another's humps. O yedancers, with golden ornaments on your chests, even a mortal comes toask for your brotherhood; take care of us, ye Maruts, for yourfriendship lasts forever. O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of yourMarut-medicine, you friends, and steeds. With the favors whereby youfavor the Sindhu, whereby you save, whereby you help Krivi, with thosepropitious favors be our delight, O delightful ones, ye who never hateyour followers. O Maruts, for whom we have prepared good altars, whatever medicine there is on the Sindhu, on the Asiknî, in the seas, onthe mountains, seeing it, you carry it all on your bodies. Bless us withit! Down to the earth, O Maruts, with what hurts our sickone--straighten what is crooked!

XVII

Full of devotion like priests with their prayers, wealthy like piousmen, who please the gods with their offerings, beautiful to behold likebrilliant kings, without a blemish like the youths of our hamlets--theywho are gold-breasted like Agni with his splendor, quick to help likeself-harnessed winds, good leaders like the oldest experts, they are tothe righteous man like Somas, that yield the best protection. They whoare roaring and hasting like winds, brilliant like the tongues of fires, powerful like mailed soldiers, full of blessings like the prayers of ourfathers, who hold together like the spokes of chariot-wheels, who glanceforward like victorious heroes, who scatter ghrita like wooing youths, who chant beautifully like singers, intoning a hymn of praise, who areswift like the best of horses, who are bounteous like lords of chariotson a suit, who are hastening on like water with downward floods, who arelike the manifold Angiras with their numerous songs. These noble sons ofSindhu are like grinding-stones, they are always like Soma-stones, tearing everything to pieces; these sons of a good mother are likeplayful children, they are by their glare like a great troop on itsmarch. Illumining the sacrifice like the rays of the dawn, they shoneforth in their ornaments like triumphant warriors; the Maruts withbright spears seem like running rivers, from afar they measure manymiles. O gods, make us happy and rich, prospering us, your praisers, OMaruts! Remember our praise and our friendship, for from of old thereare always with you gifts of treasures. 

XVIII

O Indra, a thousand have been thy helps accorded to us, a thousand, Odriver of the bays, have been thy most delightful viands. May thousandsof treasures richly to enjoy, may goods come to us a thousandfold. Maythe Maruts come towards us with their aids, the mighty ones, or withtheir best aids from the great heaven, now that their furthest steedshave rushed forth on the distant shore of the sea; there clings to theMaruts one who moves in secret, like a man's wife, [2] and who is like aspear carried behind, well grasped, resplendent, gold-adorned; there isalso with them Vâk, [3] like unto a courtly, eloquent woman. Far away thebrilliant, untiring Maruts cling to their young maid, as if she belongedto them all; but the terrible ones did not drive away Rodasi, for theywished her to grow their friend. When the divine Rodasi with dishevelledlocks, the manly-minded, wished to follow them, she went, like Sûryâ, [4]to the chariot of her servant, with terrible look, as with the pace of acloud. As soon as the poet with the libations, O Maruts, had sung hissong at the sacrifice, pouring out Soma, the youthful men placed theyoung maid in their chariot as their companion for victory, mighty inassemblies. I praise what is the praiseworthy true greatness of thoseMaruts, that the manly-minded, proud, and strong one drives with themtowards the blessed mothers. They protect Mitra and Varuna from theunspeakable, and Aryaman also finds out the infamous. Even what is firmand unshakable is being shaken; but he who dispenses treasures, OMaruts, has grown in strength. No people indeed, whether near to us, orfrom afar, have ever found the end of your strength, O Maruts! TheMaruts, strong in daring strength, have, like the sea, boldly surroundedtheir haters. May we to-day, may we tomorrow in battle be called themost beloved of Indra. We were so formerly, may we truly be so day byday, and may the lord of the Maruts be with us. May this praise, OMaruts, this song of Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you withfood for offspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain!

XIX

Who knows their birth? or who was of yore in the favor of the Maruts, when they harnessed the spotted deer? Who has heard them when they hadmounted their chariots, how they went forth? For the sake of whatliberal giver did they run, and their comrades followed, as streams ofrain filled with food? They themselves said to me when day by day theycame to the feast with their birds: they are manly youths and blameless;seeing them, praise them thus; they who shine by themselves in theirornaments, their daggers, their garlands, their golden chains, theirrings, going on their chariots and on dry land. O Maruts, givers ofquickening rain, I am made to rejoice, following after your chariots, asafter days going with rain. The bucket which the bounteous heroes shookdown from heaven for their worshipper, that cloud they send along heavenand earth, and showers follow on the dry land. The rivers having piercedthe air with a rush of water, went forth like milk-cows; when yourspotted deer roll about like horses that have hasted to theresting-place on their road. Come hither, O Maruts, from heaven, fromthe sky, even from near; do not go far away! Let not the Rasâ, theAnitabhâ, the Kubhâ, the Krumu, let not the Sindhu delay you! Let notthe marshy Sarayu prevent you! May your favor be with us alone! Theshowers come forth after the host of your chariots, after the terribleMarut-host of the ever-youthful heroes. Let us then follow with ourpraises and our prayers each host of yours, each troop, each company. Towhat well-born generous worshipper have the Maruts gone to-day on thatmarch, on which you bring to kith and kin the never-failing seed ofcorn? Give us that for which we ask you, wealth and everlastinghappiness! Let us safely pass through our revilers, leaving behind theunspeakable and the enemies. Let us be with you when in the morning youshower down health, wealth, water, and medicine, O Maruts! That mortal, O men, O Maruts, whom you protect, may well be always beloved by thegods, and rich in valiant offspring. May we be such! Praise the liberalMaruts, and may they delight on the path of this man here who praisesthem, like cows in fodder. When they go, call after them as for oldfriends, praise them who love you, with your song!

XX

You have fashioned this speech for the brilliant Marut-host which shakesthe mountains: celebrate then the great manhood in honor of that hostwho praises the warm milk of the sacrifice, and sacrifices on the heightof heaven, whose glory is brilliant. O Maruts, your powerful men cameforth searching for water, invigorating, harnessing their horses, swarming around. When they aim with the lightning, Trita shouts, and thewaters murmur, running around on their course. These Maruts are menbrilliant with lightning, they shoot with thunderbolts, they blaze withthe wind, they shake the mountains, and suddenly, when wishing to givewater, they whirl the hail; they have thundering strength, they arerobust, they are ever-powerful. When you drive forth the nights, ORudras, the days, O powerful men, the sky, the mists, ye shakers, theplains, like ships, and the strongholds, O Maruts, you suffer nowhere. That strength of yours, O Maruts, that greatness extended as far as thesun extends its daily course, when you, like your deer on their march, went down to the western mountain with untouched splendor. Your host, OMaruts, shone forth when, O sages, you strip, like a caterpillar, thewaving tree. Conduct then, O friends, our service to a good end, as theeye conducts the man in walking. That man, O Maruts, is not overpowered, he is not killed, he does not fail, he does not shake, he does not drop, his goods do not perish, nor his protections, if you lead him rightly, whether he be a seer or a king. The men with their steeds, likeconquerors of clans, like Aryaman, the Maruts, carrying waterskins, fillthe well; when the strong ones roar, they moisten the earth with thejuice of sweetness. When the Maruts come forth this earth bows, theheaven bows, the paths in the sky bow, and the cloud-mountains withtheir quickening rain. When you rejoice at sunrise, O Maruts, toilingtogether, men of sunlight, men of heaven, your horses never tire inrunning, and you quickly reach the end of your journey. On yourshoulders are the spears, on your feet rings, on your chests goldenchains, O Maruts, on your chariot gems; fiery lightnings in your fists, and golden headbands tied round your heads. O Maruts, you shake the redapple from the firmament, whose splendor no enemy can touch; the hamletsbowed when the Maruts blazed, and the pious people intoned theirfar-reaching shout. O wise Maruts, let us carry off the wealth of foodwhich you have bestowed on us; give us, O Maruts, such thousandfoldwealth as never fails, like the star Tishya from heaven! O Maruts, youprotect our wealth of excellent men, and the seer, clever in song; yougive to the warrior a strong horse, you make the king to be obeyed. Oyou who are quickly ready to help, I implore you for wealth whereby wemay overshadow all men, like the sky. O Maruts, be pleased with thisword of mine, and let us speed by its speed over a hundred winters!

XXI

The chasing Maruts with gleaming spears, the golden-breasted, havegained great strength, they move along on quick, well-brokenhorses;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. You haveyourselves, you know, acquired power; you shine bright and wide, yougreat ones. They have even measured the sky with their strength;--whenthey went in triumph, the chariots followed. The strong heroes, borntogether, and nourished together, have further grown to real beauty. They shine brilliantly like the rays of the sun;--when they went intriumph, the chariots followed. Your greatness, O Maruts, is to behonored, it is to be yearned for like the sight of the sun. Place usalso in immortality;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. O Maruts, you raise the rain from the sea, and rain it down, O yeomen!Your milch-cows, O destroyers, are never destroyed;--when they went intriumph, the chariots followed. When you have joined the deer as horsesto the shafts, and have clothed yourselves in golden garments, then, OMaruts, you scatter all enemies;--when they went in triumph, thechariots followed. Not mountains, not rivers have kept you back, wherever you see, O Maruts, there you go. You go even round heaven andearth;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. Be it old, OMaruts, or be it new, be it spoken, O Vasus, or be it recited, you takecognizance of it all;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. Have mercy on us, O Maruts, do not strike us, extend to us your manifoldprotection. Do remember the praise, the friendship;--when they went intriumph, the chariots followed. Lead us, O Maruts, towards greaterwealth, and out of tribulations, when you have been praised. Oworshipful Maruts, accept our offering, and let us be lords oftreasures!

XXII

O Agni, on to the strong host of the Maruts, bedecked with golden chainsand ornaments. To-day I call the folk of the Maruts down from the lightof heaven. As thou, Agni, thinkest in thine heart, to the same object mywishes have gone. Strengthen thou these Maruts, terrible to behold, whohave come nearest to thy invocations. Like a bountiful lady, the earthcomes towards us, staggering, yet rejoicing; for your onslaught, OMaruts, is vigorous, like a bear, and fearful, like a wild bull. Theywho by their strength disperse wildly like bulls, impatient of the yoke, they by their marches make the heavenly stone, the rocky mountain cloudto shake. Arise, for now I call with my hymns the troop of these Maruts, grown strong together, the manifold, the incomparable, as if calling adrove of bulls. Harness the red mares to the chariot, harness the ruddyhorses to the chariots, harness the two bays, ready to drive in theyoke, most vehement to drive in the yoke. And this red stallion too, loudly neighing, has been placed here, beautiful to behold; may it notcause you delay on your marches, O Maruts; spur him forth on yourchariots. 

We call towards us the glorious chariot of the Maruts, whereon therestands also Rodasî, carrying delightful gifts, among the Maruts. 

I call hither this your host, brilliant on chariots, terrible andglorious, among which she, the well-born and fortunate, the bounteouslady, is also magnified among the Maruts. 

XXIII

O Rudras, joined by Indra, friends on golden chariots, come hither forour welfare! This prayer from us is acceptable to you like the springsof heaven to a thirsty soul longing for water. O you sons of Prisni, youare armed with daggers and spears, you are wise, carrying good bows andarrows and quivers, possessed of good horses and chariots. With yourgood weapons, O Maruts, you go to triumph! You shake the sky and themountains for wealth to the liberal giver; the forests bend down out ofyour way from fear. O sons of Prisni, you rouse the earth when you, Oterrible ones, have harnessed the spotted deer for triumph! The Maruts, blazing with the wind, clothed in rain, are as like one another astwins, and well adorned. They have tawny horses, and red horses, theyare faultless, endowed with exceeding vigor; they are in greatness wideas the heaven. Rich in rain-drops, well adorned, bounteous, terrible tobehold, of inexhaustible wealth, noble by birth, golden-breasted, thesesingers of the sky have obtained their immortal name. Spears are on yourtwo shoulders, in your arms are placed strength, power, and might. Manlythoughts dwell in your heads, on your chariots are weapons, and everybeauty has been laid on your bodies. O Maruts, you have given us wealthof cows, horses, chariots, and heroes, golden wealth! O men of Rudra, bestow on us great praise, and may I enjoy your divine protection! Hark, O heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty, immortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling onmighty mountains, and grown mighty. 

XXIV

I praise now the powerful company of these ever-young Maruts, who driveviolently along with quick horses; aye, the sovereigns are lords ofAmrita the immortal. The terrible company, the powerful, adorned withquoits on their hands, given to roaring, potent, dispensing treasures, they who are beneficent, infinite in greatness, praise, O poet, thesemen of great wealth! May your water-carriers come here to-day, all theMaruts who stir up the rain. That fire which has been lighted for you, OMaruts, accept it, O young singers! O worshipful Maruts, you create forman an active king, fashioned by Vibhvan; from you comes the man who canfight with his fist, and is quick with his arm, from you the man withgood horses and valiant heroes. Like the spokes of a wheel, no one islast, like the days they are born on and on, not deficient in might. Thevery high sons of Prisni are full of fury, the Maruts cling firmly totheir own will. When you have come forth with your speckled deer ashorses on strong-fellied chariots, O Maruts, the waters gush, theforests go asunder;--let Dyu roar down, the bull of the Dawn. At theirapproach, even the earth opened wide, and they placed their own strengthas a husband the germ. Indeed they have harnessed the winds as horses tothe yoke, and the men of Rudra have changed their sweat into rain. Hark, O heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty, immortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling onmighty mountains, and grown mighty. 

XXV

They truly tried to make you grant them welfare. Do thou sing praises toHeaven, I offer sacrifice to the Earth. The Maruts wash their horses andrace to the air, they soften their splendor by waving mists. The earthtrembles with fear from their onset. She sways like a full ship, thatgoes rolling. The heroes who appear on their marches, visible from afar, strive together within the great sacrificial assembly. Your horn isexalted for glory, as the horns of cows; your eye is like the sun, whenthe mist is scattered. Like strong racers, you are beautiful, O heroes, you think of glory, like manly youths. Who could reach, O Maruts, thegreat wise thoughts, who the great manly deeds of you, great ones? Youshake the earth like a speck of dust, when you are carried forth forgranting welfare. These kinsmen are like red horses, like heroes eagerfor battle, and they have rushed forward to fight. They are likewell-grown manly youths, and the men have grown strong, with streams ofrain they dim the eye of the sun. At their outbreak there is none amongthem who is the eldest, or the youngest, or the middle: they have grownby their own might, these sons of Prisni, noble by birth, the boys ofDyaus; come hither to us!

Those who like birds flew with strength in rows from the ridge of themighty heaven to its ends, their horses shook the springs of themountain cloud, so that people on both sides knew it. May Dyaus Aditiroar for our feast, may the dew-lighted Dawns come striving together;these, the Maruts, O poet, the sons of Rudra, have shaken the heavenlybucket cloud, when they had been praised. 

[Footnote 1: The Maruts are the "Storm-Gods". ]

[Footnote 2: The lightning. ]

[Footnote 3: The voice of thunder. ]

[Footnote 4: The dawn. ]

TO THE MARUTS AND INDRA

The Prologue

The sacrificer speaks:

To what splendor do the Maruts all equally cling, they who are of thesame age, and dwell in the same nest? With what thoughts?--from whenceare they come? Do these heroes sing forth their own strength, wishingfor wealth? Whose prayers have the youths accepted? Who has turned theMaruts to his own sacrifice? By what strong desire may we arrest them, they who float through the air like hawks?

The Dialogue

The Maruts speak:

From whence, O Indra, dost thou come alone, thou who art mighty? O lordof men, what has thus happened to thee? Thou greetest us when thoucomest together with us. Tell us then, thou with thy bay horses, whatthou hast against us!

Indra speaks:

The sacred songs are mine, the prayers; sweet are the libations! Mystrength rises, my thunderbolt is hurled forth. They call for me, thehymns yearn for me. Here are my horses, they carry me hither. 

The Maruts speak:

From thence, in company with our strong friends, having adorned ourbodies, we now harness our fallow deer with all our might;--for, Indra, according to custom, thou hast come to be with us. 

Indra speaks:

Where, O Maruts, was that custom with you, when you left me alone in thekilling of Ahi? I indeed am terrible, powerful, strong, --I escaped fromthe blows of every enemy. 

The Maruts speak:

Thou hast achieved much with us as companions. With equal valor, O hero!let us achieve then many things, O thou most powerful, O Indra! whateverwe, O Maruts, wish with our mind. 

Indra speaks:

I slew Vritra, O Maruts, with Indra's might, having grown powerfulthrough my own vigor; I, who hold the thunderbolt in my arms, have madethese all-brilliant waters to flow freely for man. 

The Maruts speak:

Nothing, O mighty lord, is strong before thee: no one is known among thegods like unto thee. No one who is now born comes near, no one who hasbeen born. Do what thou wilt do, thou who art grown so strong. 

Indra speaks:

Almighty strength be mine alone, whatever I may do, daring in my heart;for I indeed, O Maruts, am known as terrible: of all that I threw down, I, Indra, am the lord. 

O Maruts, now your praise has pleased me, the glorious hymn which youhave made for me, ye men!--for me, for Indra, for the joyful hero, asfriends for a friend, for your own sake, and by your own efforts. 

Truly, there they are, shining towards me, bringing blameless glory, bringing food. O Maruts, wherever I have looked for you, you haveappeared to me in bright splendor: appear to me also now!

The Epilogue

The sacrificer speaks:

Who has magnified you here, O Maruts? Come hither, O friends, towardsyour friends. Ye brilliant Maruts, welcoming these prayers, be mindfulof these my rites. The wisdom of Mânya has brought us hither, that heshould help as the poet helps the performer of a sacrifice: turn hitherquickly! Maruts, on to the sage! the singer has recited these prayersfor you. May this your praise, O Maruts, this song of Mândârya, the sonof Mâna, the poet, bring offspring for ourselves with food. May we havean invigorating autumn, with quickening rain. 

TO INDRA AND THE MARUTS

Those who stand around him while he moves on, harness the bright redsteed; the lights in heaven shine forth. They harness to the chariot oneach side his two favorite bays, the brown, the bold, who can carry thehero. Thou who createst light where there was no light, and form, O men!where there was no form, hast been born together with the dawns. Thereupon they (the Maruts), according to their wont, assumed again theform of new-born babes, taking their sacred name. Thou, O Indra, withthe swift Maruts, who break even through the stronghold, hast found evenin their hiding-place the bright ones. The pious singers have, aftertheir own mind, shouted towards the giver of wealth, the great, theglorious Indra. Mayest thou, host of the Maruts, be verily seen comingtogether with Indra, the fearless: you are both happy-making, and ofequal splendor. With the beloved hosts of Indra, with the blameless, hasting (Maruts), the sacrificer cries aloud. From yonder, O traveller, Indra, come hither, or from the light of heaven; the singers all yearnfor it;--or we ask Indra for help from here, or from heaven, or fromabove the earth, or from the great sky. 

TO AGNI[5] AND THE MARUTS

Thou art called forth to this fair sacrifice for a draught of milk; withthe Maruts come hither, O Agni! No god indeed, no mortal, is beyond themight of thee, the mighty one; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! Theywho know of the great sky, the Visve Devas without guile; with thoseMaruts come hither, O Agni! The strong ones who sing their song, unconquerable by force; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They whoare brilliant, of terrible designs, powerful, and devourers of foes;with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who in heaven are enthroned asgods, in the light of the firmament; with the Maruts come hither, OAgni! They who toss the clouds across the surging sea; with the Marutscome hither, O Agni! They who shoot with their darts across the sea withmight; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! I pour out to thee for theearly draught the sweet juice of Soma; with the Maruts come hither, OAgni!

[Footnote 5: Agni is the "God of Fire. "]

TO RUDRA[6]

We offer these prayers to Rudra, the strong, whose hair is braided, whorules over heroes that he may be a blessing to man and beast, thateverything in this our village may be prosperous and free from disease. Be gracious to us, O Rudra, and give us joy, and we shall honor thee, the ruler of heroes, with worship. What health and wealth father Manuacquired by his sacrifices, may we obtain the same, O Rudra, under thyguidance. O bounteous Rudra, may we by sacrifice obtain the good-will ofthee, the ruler of heroes; come to our clans, well-disposed, and, withunarmed men, we shall offer our libation to thee. We call down for ourhelp the fierce Rudra, who fulfils our sacrifice, the swift, the wise;may he drive far away from us the anger of the gods; we desire hisgood-will only. We call down with worship the red boar of the sky, thegod with braided hair, the blazing form; may he who carries in his handthe best medicines grant us protection, shield, and shelter! This speechis spoken for the father of the Maruts, sweeter than sweet, a joy toRudra; grant to us also, O immortal, the food of mortals, be gracious tous and to our kith and kin! Do not slay our great or our small ones, ourgrowing or our grown ones, our father or our mother, and do not hurt ourown bodies, O Rudra! O Rudra, hurt us not in our kith and kin, nor inour own life, not in our cows, nor in our horses! Do not slay our men inthy wrath: carrying libations, we call on thee always. Like a shepherd, I have driven these praises near to thee; O father of the Maruts, grantus thy favor! For thy good-will is auspicious, and most gracious, hencewe desire thy protection alone. Let thy cow-slaying and thy man-slayingbe far away, and let thy favor be with us, O ruler of heroes! Begracious to us, and bless us, O god, and then give us twofoldprotection. We have uttered our supplication to him, desiring his help;may Rudra with the Maruts hear our call. May Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, theRiver, Earth, and the Sky, grant us this!

[Footnote 6: Rudra is the "Father of the Maruts. "]

TO RUDRA

O father of the Maruts, let thy favor come near, and do not deprive usof the sight of the sun; may the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse, and may we increase in offspring, O Rudra! May I attain to a hundredwinters through the most blissful medicines which thou hast given! Putaway far from us all hatred, put away anguish, put away sickness in alldirections! In beauty thou art the most beautiful of all that exists, ORudra, the strongest of the strong, thou wielder of the thunderbolt!Carry us happily to the other shore of our anguish, and ward off allassaults of mischief. Let us not incense thee, O Rudra, by our worship, not by bad praise, O hero, and not by divided praise! Raise up our menby thy medicines, for I hear thou art the best of all physicians. He whois invoked by invocations and libations, may I pay off that Rudra withmy hymns of praise. Let not him who is kind-hearted, who readily hearsour call, the tawny, with beautiful cheeks, deliver us to this wrath!The manly hero with the Maruts has gladdened me, the suppliant, withmore vigorous health. May I without mischief find shade, as if fromsunshine, may I gain the favor of Rudra! O Rudra, where is thy softlystroking hand which cures and relieves? Thou, the remover of allheaven-sent mischief, wilt thou, O strong hero, bear with me? I sendforth a great, great hymn of praise to the bright tawny bull. Let mereverence the fiery god with prostrations; we celebrate the flaring nameof Rudra. He, the fierce god, with strong limbs, assuming many forms, the tawny Rudra, decked himself with brilliant golden ornaments. FromRudra, who is lord of this wide world, divine power will never depart. Worthily thou bearest arrows and bow, worthily, O worshipful, thegolden, variegated chain; worthily thou cuttest every fiend here topieces, for there is nothing indeed stronger than thou, O Rudra. Praisehim, the famous, sitting in his chariot, the youthful, who is fierce andattacks like a terrible lion. And when thou hast been praised, O Rudra, be gracious to him who magnifies thee, and let thy armies mow downothers than us! O Rudra, a boy indeed makes obeisance to his father whocomes to greet him: I praise the lord of brave men, the giver of manygifts, and thou, when thou hast been praised, wilt give us thymedicines. O Maruts, those pure medicines of yours, the most beneficentand delightful, O heroes, those which Manu, our father, chose, those Icrave from Rudra, as health and wealth. May the weapon of Rudra avoidus, may the great anger of the flaring one pass us by. Unstring thystrong bows for the sake of our liberal lords, O bounteous Rudra, begracious to our kith and kin. Thus, O tawny and manly god, showingthyself, so as neither to be angry nor to kill, be mindful of ourinvocations, and, rich in brave sons, we shall magnify thee in thecongregation. 

TO AGNI AND THE MARUTS

I implore Agni, the gracious, with salutations, may he sit down here, and gather what we have made. I offer him sacrifice as with racingchariots; may I, turning to the right, accomplish this hymn to theMaruts. Those who approached on their glorious deer, on their easychariots, the Rudras, the Maruts--through fear of you, ye terrible ones, the forests even bend down, the earth shakes, and also the mountaincloud. At your shouting, even the mountain cloud, grown large, fears, and the ridge of heaven trembles. When you play together, O Maruts, armed with spears, you run together like waters. Like rich suitors theMaruts have themselves adorned their bodies with golden ornaments; moreglorious for glory, and powerful on their chariots, they have broughttogether splendors on their bodies. As brothers, no one being the eldestor the youngest, they have grown up together to happiness. Young istheir clever father Rudra, flowing with plenty is Prisni, always kind tothe Maruts. O happy Maruts, whether you are in the highest, or in themiddle, or in the lowest heaven, from thence, O Rudras, or thou also, OAgni, take notice of this libation which we offer. When Agni, and you, wealthy Maruts, drive down from the higher heaven over the ridges, givethen, if pleased, you roarers, O destroyers of enemies, wealth to thesacrificer who prepares Soma-juice. Agni, be pleased to drink Soma withthe brilliant Maruts, the singers, approaching in companies, with themen, who brighten and enliven everything; do this, Agni, thou who artalways endowed with splendor. 

TO VÂYU

Come hither, O Vâyu, thou beautiful one! These Somas are ready, drink ofthem, hear our call! O Vâyu, the praisers celebrate thee with hymns, they who know the feast-days, and have prepared the Soma. O Vâyu, thysatisfying stream goes to the worshipper, wide-reaching, to theSoma-draught. O Indra and Vâyu, these libations of Soma are poured out;come hither for the sake of our offerings, for the drops of Soma longfor you. O Indra and Vâyu, you perceive the libations, you who are richin booty; come then quickly hither! O Vâyu and Indra, come near to thework of the sacrificer, quick, thus is my prayer, O ye men! I callMitra, endowed with holy strength, and Varuna, who destroys all enemies;who both fulfil a prayer accompanied by fat offerings. On the right way, O Mitra and Varuna, you have obtained great wisdom, you who increase theright and adhere to the right; These two sages, Mitra and Varuna, themighty, wide-ruling, give us efficient strength. 

TO VÂYU

O Vâyu, may the quick racers bring thee towards the offerings, to theearly drink here, to the early drink of Soma! May the Dawn stand erect, approving thy mind! Come near on thy harnessed chariot to share, O Vâyu, to share in the sacrifice! May the delightful drops of Soma delightthee, the drops made by us, well-made, and heaven-directed, yes, madewith milk, and heaven-directed. When his performed aids assume strengthfor achievement, our prayers implore the assembled steeds for gifts, yes, the prayers implore them. Vâyu yokes the two ruddy, Vâyu yokes thetwo red horses, Vâyu yokes to the chariot the two swift horses to drawin the yoke, the strongest to draw in the yoke. Awake Purandhi (themorning) as a lover wakes a sleeping maid, reveal heaven and earth, brighten the dawn, yes, for glory brighten the dawn. For thee the brightdawns spread out in the distance beautiful garments, in their houses, intheir rays, beautiful in their new rays. To thee the juice-yielding cowpours out all treasures. Thou hast brought forth the Maruts from theflanks, yes, from the flanks of heaven. For thee the white, bright, rushing Somas, strong in raptures, have rushed to the whirl, they haverushed to the whirl of the waters. The tired hunter asks luck of thee inthe chase; thou shieldest by thy power from every being, yes, thoushieldest by thy power from powerful spirits. Thou, O Vâyu, art worthyas the first before all others to drink these our Somas, thou art worthyto drink these poured-out Somas. Among the people also who invoke theeand have turned to thee, all the cows pour out the milk, they pour outbutter and milk for the Soma. 

INDRA AND AGASTYA[7]: A DIALOGUE

Indra: There is no such thing to-day, nor will it be so to-morrow. Whoknows what strange thing this is? We must consult the thought ofanother, for even what we once knew seems to vanish. 

Agastya: Why dost thou wish to kill us, O Indra? the Maruts are thybrothers; fare kindly with them, and do not strike us in battle. 

The Maruts: O Brother Agastya, why, being a friend, dost thou despiseus? We know quite well what thy mind was. Dost thou not wish to give tous?

Agastya: Let them prepare the altar, let them light the fire in front!Here we two will spread for thee the sacrifice, to be seen by theimmortal. 

Agastya: Thou rulest, O lord of treasures; thou, lord of friends, artthe most generous. Indra, speak again with the Maruts, and then consumeour offerings at the right season. 

[Footnote 7: Agastya is a worshipper of Indra. ]

TO SOMA AND RUDRA

Soma and Rudra, may you maintain your divine dominion, and may theoblations reach you properly. Bringing the seven treasures to everyhouse, be kind to our children and our cattle. Soma and Rudra, draw faraway in every direction the disease which has entered our house. Drivefar away Nirriti, and may auspicious glories belong to us! Soma andRudra, bestow all these remedies on our bodies. Tear away and removefrom us whatever evil we have committed, which clings to our bodies. Soma and Rudra, wielding sharp weapons and sharp bolts, kind friends, begracious unto us here! Deliver us from the snare of Varuna, and guardus, as kind-hearted gods!

TO RUDRA

Offer ye these songs to Rudra whose bow is strong, whose arrows areswift, the self-dependent god, the unconquered conqueror, theintelligent, whose weapons are sharp--may he hear us! For, being thelord, he looks after what is born on earth; being the universal ruler, he looks after what is born in heaven. Protecting us, come to ourprotecting doors, be without illness among our people, O Rudra! May thatthunderbolt of thine, which, sent from heaven, traverses the earth, passus by! A thousand medicines are thine, O thou who art freely accessible;do not hurt us through our kith and kin! Do not strike us, O Rudra, donot forsake us! May we not be in thy way when thou rushest forthfuriously. Let us have our altar and a good report among men--protect usalways with your favors!

TO VÂTA

Now for the greatness of the chariot of Vâta. Its roar goes crashing andthundering. It moves touching the sky, and creating red sheens, or itgoes scattering the dust of the earth. Afterwards there rise the gustsof Vâta, they go towards him, like women to a feast. The god goes withthem on the same chariot, he, the king of the whole of this world. Whenhe moves on his paths along the sky, he rests not even a single day; thefriend of the waters, the first-born, the holy, where was he born, whence did he spring? The breath of the gods, the germ of the world, that god moves wherever he listeth; his roars indeed are heard, not hisform--let us offer sacrifice to that Vâta!

TO VÂTA

May Vâta waft medicine, healthful, delightful to our heart; may heprolong our lives! Thou, O Vâta, art our father, and our brother, andour friend; do thou grant us to live! O Vâta, from that treasure of theimmortal which is placed in thy house yonder, give us to live!

I

I magnify Agni, the Purohita, the divine ministrant of the sacrifice, the Hotri priest, the greatest bestower of treasures. Agni, worthy to bemagnified by the ancient Rishis and by the present ones--may he conductthe gods hither. May one obtain through Agni wealth and welfare day byday, which may bring glory and high bliss of valiant offspring. Agni, whatever sacrifice and worship thou encompassest on every side, thatindeed goes to the gods. May Agni the thoughtful Hotri, he who is trueand most splendidly renowned, may the god come hither with the gods. Whatever good thou wilt do to thy worshipper, O Agni, that work verilyis thine, O Angiras. Thee, O Agni, we approach day by day, O god whoshinest in the darkness; with our prayer, bringing adoration to thee whoart the king of all worship, the guardian of Rita, the shining one, increasing in thy own house. Thus, O Agni, be easy of access to us, as afather is to his son. Stay with us for our happiness. 

II

We implore with well-spoken words the vigorous Agni who belongs to manypeople, to the clans that worship the gods, whom other people alsomagnify. Men have placed Agni on the altar as the augmenter of strength. May we worship thee, rich in sacrificial food. Thus be thou here to-daygracious to us, a helper in our striving for gain, O good one! We choosethee, the all-possessor, as our messenger and as our Hotri. The flamesof thee, who art great, spread around; thy rays touch the heaven. Thegods, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, kindle thee, the ancient messenger. Themortal, O Agni, who worships thee, gains through thee every prize. Thouart the cheerful Hotri and householder, O Agni, the messenger of theclans. In thee all the firm laws are comprised which the gods have made. In thee, the blessed one, O Agni, youngest god, all sacrificial food isoffered. Sacrifice then thou who art gracious to us to-day andafterwards, to the gods that we may be rich in valiant men. Him, theking, verily the adorers approach reverentially. With oblations menkindle Agni, having overcome all failures. Destroying the foe, theyvictoriously got through Heaven and Earth and the waters; they have madewide room for their dwelling. May the manly Agni, after he has receivedthe oblations, become brilliant at the side of Kanva; may he neigh as ahorse in battles. Take thy seat; thou art great. Shine forth, thou whomost excellently repairest to the gods. O Agni, holy god, emit thy red, beautiful smoke, O glorious one! Thou whom the gods have placed here forManu as the best performer of the sacrifice, O carrier of oblations, whom Kanva and Medhyâtithi, whom Vrishan and Upastuta have worshipped, the winner of prizes. That Agni's nourishment has shone brightly whomMedhyâtithi and Kanva have kindled on behalf of Rita. Him do thesehymns, him do we extol. Fill us with wealth, thou self-dependent one, for thou, O Agni, hast companionship with the gods. Thou art lord overglorious booty. Have mercy upon us; thou art great. Stand up straightfor blessing us, like the god Savitri, straight a winner of booty, whenwe with our worshippers and with ointments call thee in emulation withother people. Standing straight, protect us by thy splendor from evil;burn down every ghoul. Let us stand straight that we may walk and live. Find out our worship among the gods. Save us, O Agni, from the sorcerer, save us from mischief, from the niggard. Save us from him who does usharm or tries to kill us, O youngest god with bright splendor! As with aclub smite the niggards in all directions, and him who deceives us, Ogod with fiery jaws. The mortal who makes his weapons very sharp bynight, may that impostor not rule over us. Agni has won abundance inheroes. Agni and the two Mitras have blessed Medhyâtithi. Agni hasblessed Upastuta in the acquirement of wealth. Through Agni we callhither from afar Turvasa, Yadu, and Ugradeva. May Agni, our strengthagainst the Dasyu, conduct hither Navavâstva, Brihadratha, and Turvîti. 

Manu has established thee, O Agni, as a light for all people. Thou hastshone forth with Kanva, born from Rita, grown strong, thou whom thehuman races worship. Agni's flames are impetuous and violent; they areterrible and not to be withstood. Always burn down the sorcerers, andthe allies of the Yâtus, every ghoul. 

III

We choose Agni as our messenger, the all-possessor, as the Hotri of thissacrifice, the highly wise. Agni and Agni! again they constantly invokedwith their invocations, the lord of the clans, the bearer of oblations, the beloved of many. Agni, when born, conduct the gods hither for himwho has strewn the sacrificial grass; thou art our Hotri, worthy ofbeing magnified. Awaken them, the willing ones, when thou goest asmessenger, O Agni. Sit down with the gods on the Barhis. O thou to whomGhrita oblations are poured out, resplendent god, burn against themischievous, O Agni, against the sorcerers. By Agni Agni is kindled, thesage, the master of the house, the young one, the bearer of oblations, whose mouth is the sacrificial spoon. Praise Agni the sage, whoseordinances for the sacrifice are true, the god who drives away sickness. Be the protector, O Agni, of a master of sacrificial food who worshipsthee, O god, as his messenger. Be merciful, O purifier, unto the man whois rich in sacrificial food, and who invites Agni to the feast of thegods. Thus, O Agni, resplendent purifier, conduct the gods hither to us, to our sacrifice and to our food. Thus praised by us with our newGâyatra hymn, bring us wealth of valiant men and food. Agni with thybright splendor be pleased, through all our invocations of the gods, with this our praise. 

IV

With reverence I shall worship thee who art long-tailed like a horse, Agni, king of worship. May he, our son of strength, proceeding on hisbroad way, the propitious, become bountiful to us. Thus protect usalways, thou who hast a full life, from the mortal who seeks to do usharm, whether near or afar. And mayest thou, O Agni, announce to thegods this our newest efficient Gâyatra song. Let us partake of all bootythat is highest and that is middle; help us to the wealth that isnearest. O god with bright splendor, thou art the distributor. Thouinstantly flowest for the liberal giver in the wave of the river, nearat hand. The mortal, O Agni, whom thou protectest in battles, whom thouspeedest in the races, he will command constant nourishment: Whosoeverhe may be, no one will overtake him, O conqueror Agni! His strength isglorious. May he, known among all tribes, win the race with his horses;may he with the help of his priests become a gainer. O Garâbodha!Accomplish this task for every house: a beautiful song of praise forworshipful Rudra. May he, the great, the immeasurable, thesmoke-bannered, rich in splendor, incite us to pious thoughts and tostrength. May he hear us, like the rich lord of a clan, the banner ofthe gods, on behalf of our hymns, Agni with bright light. Reverence tothe great ones, reverence to the lesser ones! Reverence to the young, reverence to the old! Let us sacrifice to the gods, if we can. May Inot, O gods, fall as a victim to the curse of my better. 

V

I press on for you with my prayer to the all-possessing messenger, theimmortal bearer of offerings, the best sacrificer. He, the great one, knows indeed the place of wealth, the ascent to heaven; may he conductthe gods hither. He, the god, knows how to direct the gods for therighteous worshipper, in his house. He gives us wealth dear to us. He isthe Hotri; he who knows the office of a messenger, goes to and fro, knowing the ascent to heaven. May we be of those who have worshippedAgni with the gift of offerings, who cause him to thrive and kindle him. The men who have brought worship to Agni, are renowned as successful bywealth and by powerful offspring. May much-desired wealth come to us dayby day; may gains arise among us. He, the priest of the tribes, thepriest of men, pierces all hostile powers by his might as with a tossingbow. 

VI

He has brought down the wisdom of many a worshipper, he who holds in hishand all manly power. Agni has become the lord of treasures, he whobrought together all powers of immortality. All the clever immortalswhen seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. Theattentive gods, wearying themselves, following his footsteps, stood atthe highest, beautiful standing-place of Agni. When the bright ones haddone service to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghrita through threeautumns, they assumed worshipful names; the well-born shaped their ownbodies. Acquiring for themselves the two great worlds, the worshipfulones brought forward their Rudra-like powers. The mortal, when beingswere in discord, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highestplace. Being like-minded they reverentially approached him on theirknees. Together with their wives they venerated the venerable one. Abandoning their bodies they made them their own, the one friend wakingwhen the other friend closed his eyes. When the worshipful gods havediscovered the thrice seven secret steps laid down in thee, theyconcordantly guard with them immortality. Protect thou the cattle andthat which remains steadfast and that which moves. Knowing, O Agni, theestablished orders of human dwellings, distribute in due order giftsthat they may live. Knowing the ways which the gods do, thou hast becomethe unwearied messenger, the bearer of oblations. They who knew theright way and were filled with good intentions, beheld from heaven theseven young rivers and the doors of riches. Saramâ found the strongstable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment. TheEarth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in theirgreatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird, with hersons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion, preparing forthemselves the way to immortality. When the immortals created the twoeyes of heaven, they placed fair splendor in him. Then they rush downlike streams let loose. The red ones have recognized, O Agni, thosewhich are directed downwards. 

VII

Forward goes your strength tending heavenward, rich in offerings, withthe ladle full of ghee. To the gods goes the worshipper desirous oftheir favor. I magnify with prayer Agni who has knowledge of prayers, the accomplisher of sacrifice, who hears us, and in whom manifold wealthhas been laid down. O Agni, may we be able to bridle thee the stronggod; may we overcome all hostile powers. Agni, inflamed at thesacrifice, the purifier who should be magnified, whose hair isflame--him we approach with prayers. With his broad stream of light theimmortal Agni, clothed in ghee, well served with oblations, is thecarrier of offerings at the sacrifice. Holding the sacrificial ladles, performing the sacrifice they have with right thought, pressinglybrought Agni hither for help. The Hotri, the immortal god goes in frontwith his secret power, instigating the sacrifices. The strong is set atthe races. He is led forth at the sacrifices, the priest, theaccomplisher of sacrifice. He has been produced by prayer, the excellentone. I have established him, the germ of beings, forever the father ofDaksha. I have laid thee down, the excellent one, with the nourishmentof Daksha, O thou who art produced by power, O Agni, thee theresplendent one, O Usig. The priests, eager to set to work the Rita, kindle with quick strength Agni the governor, him who crosses thewaters. I magnify the child of vigor at this sacrifice, who shines underthe heaven, the thoughtful Agni. He who should be magnified and adored, who is visible through the darkness, Agni, the manly, is kindled. Agni, the manly, is kindled, he who draws hither the gods like a horse. Theworshippers rich in offerings magnify him. We the manly ones will kindlethee the manly god, O manly Agni, who shinest mightily. 

VIII

Produce thy stream of flames like a broad onslaught. Go forth impetuouslike a king with his elephant, thou art an archer; shoot the sorcererswith thy hottest arrows. Thy whirls fly quickly. Fiercely flaming touchthem. O Agni, send forth with the ladle thy heat, thy winged flames;send forth unfettered thy firebrands all around. Being the quickest, send forth thy spies against all evildoers. Be an undeceivable guardianof this clan. He who attacks us with evil spells, far or near, may nosuch foe defy thy track. Rise up, O Agni! Spread out against all foes!Burn down the foes, O god with the sharp weapon! When kindled, O Agni, burn down like dry brushwood, the man who exercises malice against us. Stand upright, strike the foes away from us! Make manifest thy divinepowers, O Agni! Unbend the strong bows of those who incite demonsagainst us. Crush all enemies, be they relations or strangers. He knowsthy favor, O youngest one, who makes a way for a sacred speech likethis. Mayest thou beam forth to his doors all auspicious days and thewealth and the splendor of the niggard. Let him, O Agni, be fortunateand blessed with good rain, who longs to gladden thee with constantofferings and hymns through his life in his house. May such longing everbring auspicious days to him. I praise thy favor; it resounded here. Maythis song, which is like a favorite wife, awaken for thee. Let usbrighten thee, being rich in horses and chariots. Mayest thou maintainour knightly power day by day. May the worshipper here frequently of hisown accord approach thee, O god who shinest in darkness, resplendent dayby day. Let us worship thee sporting and joyous, surpassing the splendorof other people. Whoever, rich in horses and rich in gold, approachesthee, O Agni, with his chariot full of wealth--thou art the protectorand the friend of him who always delights in showing thee hospitality. Through my kinship with thee I break down the great foes by my words. That kinship has come down to me from my father Gotama. Be thouattentive to this our word, O youngest, highly wise Hotri, as the friendof our house. May those guardians of thine, infallible Agni, sittingdown together protect us, the never sleeping, onward-pressing, kind, unwearied ones, who keep off the wolf, who never tire. Thy guardians, OAgni, who seeing have saved the blind son of Mamatâ from distress--Hethe possessor of all wealth has saved them who have done good deeds. Theimpostors, though trying to deceive, could not deceive. In thycompanionship we dwell, protected by thee. Under thy guidance let usacquire gain. Accomplish both praises, O thou who art the truth! Do soby thy present power, O fearless one! May we worship thee, O Agni, withthis log of wood. Accept the hymn of praise which we recite. Burn downthose who curse us, the sorcerers. Protect us, O god who art great likeMitra, from guile, from revilement, and from disgrace. 

IX

Bright, flaming, like the lover of the Dawn, [8] he has, like the lightof the sky, filled the two worlds of Heaven and Earth which are turnedtowards each other. As soon as thou wert born thou hast excelled by thypower of mind; being the son of the gods thou hast become their father. Agni is a worshipper of the gods, never foolish, always discriminating;he is like the udder of the cows; he is the sweetness of food. Like akind friend to men, not to be led astray, sitting in the midst, thelovely one, in the house; like a child when born, he is delightful inthe house; like a race-horse which is well cared for, he has wanderedacross the clans. When I call to the sacrifice the clans who dwell inthe same nest with the heroes, may Agni then attain all divine powers. When thou hast listened to these heroes, no one breaks those laws ofthine. That verily is thy wonderful deed that thou hast killed, with thycompanions, all foes; that, joined by the heroes, thou hast accomplishedthy works. Like the lover of the Dawn, resplendent and bright, offamiliar form: may he thus pay attention to this sacrificer. Carryinghim they opened by themselves the doors of heaven. They all shouted atthe aspect of the sun. 

X

Like unto excellent wealth, like unto the shine of the sun, like untoliving breath, like unto one's own son, like unto a quick takvan Agniholds the wood, like milk, like a milch cow, bright and shining. Heholds safety, pleasant like a homestead, like ripe barley, a conquerorof men; like a Rishi uttering sacred shouts, praised among the clans;like a well-cared-for race-horse, Agni bestows vigor. He to whose flamemen do not grow accustomed, who is like one's own mind, like a wife on acouch, enough for all happiness. When the bright Agni has shone forth, he is like a white horse among people, like a chariot with goldenornaments, impetuous in fights. Like an army which is sent forward heshows his vehemence, like an archer's shaft with sharp point. He who isborn is one twin; he who will be born is the other twin--the lover ofmaidens, the husband of wives. As cows go to their stalls, all thatmoves and we, for the sake of a dwelling, reach him who has beenkindled. Like the flood of the Sindhu he has driven forward thedownward-flowing waters. The cows lowed at the sight of the sun. 

XI

The Hotri goes forward in order to fulfil his duty by his wonderfulpower, directing upwards the brightly adorned prayer. He steps towardsthe sacrificial ladles which are turned to the right, and which firstkiss his foundation. They have greeted with shouts the streams of Ritawhich were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When Hedwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by thepower of which he moves. Two beings of the same age try to draw thatwonderful shape towards themselves, progressing in turns towards acommon aim. Then he is to be proclaimed by us like a winner in acontest. The charioteer governs all things as if pulling in the reins ofa draught-horse. He whom two beings of the same age serve, two twinsdwelling together in one common abode, the gray one has been born as ayouth by night as by day, the ageless one who wanders through manygenerations of men. The prayers, the ten fingers stir him up. We, themortals, call him, the god, for his protection. From the dry land hehastens to the declivities. With those who approached him he hasestablished new rules. Thou indeed, O Agni, reignest by thy own natureover the heavenly and over the terrestrial world as a shepherd takescare of his cattle. These two variegated, great goddesses striving forgloriousness, the golden ones who move crookedly, have approached thysacrificial grass. Agni! Be gratified and accept graciously this prayer, O joy-giver, independent one, who art born in the Rita, good-willed one, whose face is turned towards us from all sides, conspicuous one, gay inthy aspect, like a dwelling-place rich in food. 

[Footnote 8: The sun. ]

SELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA

Translation by James Darmestetter

INTRODUCTION

The study of religion, like the study of poetry, brings us face to facewith the fundamental principles of human nature. Religion, whether it benatural religion or that which is formulated in a book, is as universalas poetry, and like poetry, existed before letters and writing. It isonly in a serious and sympathetic frame of mind that we should approachthe rudest forms of these two departments of human activity. A generalanalysis of the "Zend-Avesta" suggests to us the mind of the Persiansage Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, fixed upon the phenomena of nature andlife, and trying to give a systematized account of them. He sees goodand evil, life and death, sickness and health, right and wrong, engagedin almost equal conflict. He sees in the sun the origin of light andheat, the source of comfort and life to man. Thus he institutes thedoctrine of Dualism and the worship of Fire. The evil things that comeunexpectedly and irresistibly, he attributes to the Devas: the help andcomfort that man needs and often obtains by means which are beyond hiscontrol, he attributes to the "Holy Immortal Ones, " who stand around thePresence of Ormuzd. As he watches the purity of the flame, of the limpidstream, and of the sweet smelling ground, he connects it with the moralpurity which springs from innocence and rectitude, and in his code it isas reprehensible to pollute the fire by burning the dead, or the streamby committing the corpse to its waves, or the earth by making it aburial-place, as it is to cheat or lie or commit an act of violence. Thewonders of Nature furnish abundant imagery for his hymns or hislitanies, and he relies for his cosmogony on the faint traditions of thepast gathered from whatever nation, and reduced into conformity with hisDualistic creed. 

"Zend-Avesta" is the religious book of the Persians who professed thecreed of Zarathustra, known in classic and modern times as Zoroaster. Zoroaster is to be classed with such great religious leaders as Buddhaand Mohammed. He was the predecessor of Mohammed and the worship andbelief which he instituted were trampled out in Persia by the forces ofIslam in the seventh century of our era. The Persian Zoroastrians fledto India, where they are still found as Parsis on the west coast ofHindostan. The religion of Zoroaster was a Dualism. Two powerful andcreative beings, the one good the one evil, have control of theuniverse. Thus, in the account of the creation, the two deities are saidto have equal though opposite share in the work. This is indicated bythe following passage--

 The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd) created, was the strong, holy Môuru (Merv). 

 Thereupon came Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), who is all death, and he counter-created plunder and sin. 

This constant struggle of the two divinities with their armies of goodand bad spirits formed the background of Zoroastrian supernaturalism. The worship of the Persians was the worship of the powers of Nature, andespecially of fire, although water, earth, and air, are also addressedin the litanies of the "Zend-Avesta. " The down-falling water and theuprising mist are thus spoken of in one passage:--

 As the sea (Vouru-kasha) is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aërial way: thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the aërial way. 

The sun is also invoked:--

 Up! rise up and roll along! thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the world. 

The earth was considered to be polluted by the burial of the dead, whoare to be exposed in high places to be devoured by the birds of the airand swept away by the streams into which the rain should wash theirremains. But the principal subjects of Zoroaster's teaching was thestruggle between Ormuzd and Ahriman and their hosts "The Holy ImmortalOnes" and the Devas, or evil spirits. This is the basis of all theactivities of the world and, according to Zoroaster, is to result in atriumph of the good. 

Zoroaster taught that the life of man has two parts, that on earth andthat beyond the grave. After his earthly life each one should bepunished or rewarded according to his deeds. 

The "Zend-Avesta" cannot be dated earlier than the first century beforeour era. It consists of four books, of which the chief one is theVendîdâd; the other three are the liturgical and devotional works, consisting of hymns, litanies, and songs of praise, addressed to theDeities and angels of Goodness. 

The Vendîdâd contains an account of the creation and counter-creation ofOrmuzd and Ahriman, the author of the good things and of the evil thingsin the world. After this follows what we may call a history of thebeginnings of civilization under Yima, the Persian Noah. The revelationis described as being made directly to Zoroaster, who, like Moses, talked with God. Thus, in the second fargard, or chapter, we read:--

 Zarathustra (Zoroaster) asked Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd):--

 "O Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd), most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathustra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach the religion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathustra?"

 Ahura Mazda answered:--

 "The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was the first mortal before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura Mazda, did converse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura Mazda, spake, saying: 'Well, fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, be thou the Preacher and the bearer of my Religion!' And the fair Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me, saying: 'I was not born, I was not taught to be the preacher and the bearer of thy Religion. '"

The rest of the Vendîdâd is taken up with the praises of agriculture, injunctions as to the care and pity due to the dog, the guardian of thehome and flock, the hunter and the scavenger. It includes an elaboratecode of ceremonial purification, resembling on this point the Leviticusof the Bible, and it prescribes also the gradations of penance for sinsof various degrees of heinousness. 

E. W. 

DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA

The "Zend-Avesta" is the sacred book of the Parsis; that is to say, ofthe few remaining followers of that religion which reigned over Persiaat the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew theSassanian dynasty (A. D. 642), and which has been called Dualism, orMazdeism, or Magism, or Zoroastrianism, or Fire-worship, according asits main tenet, or its supreme God, or its priests, or its supposedfounder, or its apparent object of worship has been most kept in view. In less than a century after their defeat, most of the conquered peoplewere brought over to the faith of their new rulers, either by force, orpolicy, or the attractive power of a simpler form of creed. But many ofthose who clung to the faith of their fathers, went and sought abroadfor a new home, where they might freely worship their old gods, saytheir old prayers, and perform their old rites. That home they found atlast among the tolerant Hindoos, on the western coast of India and inthe peninsula of Guzerat. There they throve and there they live still, while the ranks of their co-religionists in Persia are daily thinningand dwindling away. [9]

As the Parsis are the ruins of a people, so are their sacred books theruins of a religion. There has been no other great belief in the worldthat ever left such poor and meagre monuments of its past splendor. Yetgreat is the value which that small book, the "Avesta, " and the beliefof that scanty people, the Parsis, have in the eyes of the historian andtheologian, as they present to us the last reflex of the ideas whichprevailed in Iran during the five centuries which preceded and the sevenwhich followed the birth of Christ, a period which gave to the world theGospels, the Talmud, and the Qur'ân. Persia, it is known, had muchinfluence on each of the movements which produced, or proceeded from, those three books; she lent much to the first heresiarchs, much to theRabbis, much to Mohammed. By help of the Parsi religion and the"Avesta, " we are enabled to go back to the very heart of that mostmomentous period in the history of religious thought, which saw theblending of the Aryan mind with the Semitic, and thus opened the secondstage of Aryan thought. 

Inquiries into the religion of ancient Persia began long ago, and it wasthe old enemy of Persia, the Greek, who first studied it. Aristotle, Hermippus, and many others wrote of it in books of which, unfortunately, nothing more than a few fragments or merely the titles have come down tous. We find much valuable information about it, scattered in theaccounts of historians and travellers, extending over ten centuries, from Herodotos down to Agathias and Procopius (from B. C. 450 to A. D. 550). The clearest and most faithful account of the Dualist doctrine isfound in the treatise _De Iside et Osiride_, ascribed to Plutarch. ButZoroastrianism was never more eagerly studied than in the firstcenturies of the Christian era, though without anything of thedisinterested and almost scientific curiosity of the earlier times. Religious and philosophic sects, in search of new dogmas, eagerlyreceived whatever came to them bearing the name of Zoroaster. As Xanthosthe Lydian, who is said to have lived before Herodotos, had mentionedZoroastrianism, there came to light, in those later times, scores oforacles, styled "Oracula Chaldaïca sive Magica, " the work ofNeo-Platonists who were but very remote disciples of the Median sage. Ashis name had become the very emblem of wisdom, they would cover with itthe latest inventions of their ever-deepening theosophy. Zoroaster andPlato were treated as if they had been philosophers of the same school, and Hierocles expounded their doctrines in the same book. Procluscollected seventy Tetrads of Zoroaster and wrote commentaries on them;but we need hardly say that Zoroaster commented on by Proclus wasnothing more or less than Proclus commented on by himself. Prodicus, theGnostic, possessed secret books of Zoroaster; and, upon the whole, itmay be said that in the first centuries of Christianity, the religion ofPersia was more studied and less understood than it had ever beenbefore. The real object aimed at, in studying the old religion, was toform a new one. 

Throughout the Middle Ages nothing was known of Mazdeism but the name ofits founder, who from a Magus was converted into a magician and masterof the hidden sciences. It was not until the Renaissance that realinquiry was resumed. The first step was to collect all the informationthat could be gathered from Greek and Roman writers. That task wasundertaken and successfully completed by Barnabé Brisson. A nearerapproach to the original source was made in the following century byItalian, English, and French travellers in Asia. Pietro della Valle, Henry Lord, Mandelslo, Ovington, Chardin, Gabriel du Chinon, andTavernier, found Zoroaster's last followers in Persia and India, andmade known their existence, their manners, and the main features oftheir belief to Europe. Gabriel du Chinon saw their books and recognizedthat they were not all written in the same language, their original holywrit being no longer understood except by means of translations andcommentaries in another tongue. 

In the year 1700, a professor at Oxford, Thomas Hyde, the greatestOrientalist of his time in Europe, made the first systematic attempt torestore the history of the old Persian religion by combining theaccounts of the Mohammedan writers with "the true and genuine monumentsof ancient Persia. " Unfortunately the so-called genuine monuments ofancient Persia were nothing more than recent Persian compilations orrefacimenti. But notwithstanding this defect, which could hardly beavoided then, and a distortion of critical acumen, the book of ThomasHyde was the first complete and true picture of modern Parsîism, and itmade inquiry into its history the order of the day. A warm appeal madeby him to the zeal of travellers, to seek for and procure at any pricethe sacred books of the Parsis, did not remain ineffectual, and fromthat time scholars bethought themselves of studying Parsîism in its ownhome. 

Eighteen years later, a countryman of Hyde, George Boucher, receivedfrom the Parsis in Surat a copy of the Vendîdâd Sâda, which was broughtto England in 1723 by Richard Cobbe. But the old manuscript was a sealedbook, and the most that could then be made of it was to hang it by aniron chain to the wall of the Bodleian Library, as a curiosity to beshown to foreigners. A few years later, a Scotchman, named Fraser, wentto Surat, with the view of obtaining from the Parsis, not only theirbooks, but also a knowledge of their contents. He was not verysuccessful in the first undertaking, and utterly failed in the second. 

In 1754 a young man, twenty years old, Anquetil Duperron, a scholar ofthe _École des Langues Orientales_ in Paris, happened to see afac-simile of four leaves of the Oxford Vendîdâd, which had been sentfrom England, a few years before, to Etienne Fourmont, the Orientalist. He determined at once to give to France both the books of Zoroaster andthe first European translation of them. Too impatient to set off to waitfor a mission from the government which had been promised to him, heenlisted as a private soldier in the service of the French East IndiaCompany; he embarked at Lorient on February 24, 1755, and after threeyears of endless adventures and dangers through the whole breadth ofHindostan, at the very time when war was waging between France andEngland, he arrived at last in Surat, where he stayed among the Parsisfor three years more. Here began another struggle, not less hard, butmore decisive, against the same mistrust and ill-will which haddisheartened Fraser; but he came out of it victorious, and prevailed atlast on the Parsis to part both with their books and their knowledge. Hecame back to Paris on March 14, 1764, and deposited on the following dayat the _Bibliothèque Royale_ the whole of the "Zend-Avesta, " and copiesof several traditional books. He spent ten years in studying thematerial he had collected, and published in 1771 the first Europeantranslation of the "Zend-Avesta. "

A violent dispute broke out at once, as half the learned world deniedthe authenticity of this "Avesta, " which it pronounced a forgery. It wasthe future founder of the Royal Asiatic Society, William Jones, a youngOxonian then, who opened the war. He had been wounded to the quick bythe scornful tone adopted by Anquetil towards Hyde and a few otherEnglish scholars: the "Zend-Avesta" suffered for the fault of itsintroducer, Zoroaster for Anquetil. In a pamphlet written in French, with a _verve_ and in a style which showed him to be a good disciple ofVoltaire, William Jones pointed out, and dwelt upon, the oddities andabsurdities with which the so-called sacred books of Zoroaster teemed. It is true that Anquetil had given full scope to satire by the style hehad adopted: he cared very little for literary elegance, and did notmind writing Zend and Persian in French; so the new and strange ideas hehad to express looked stranger still in the outlandish garb he gavethem. Yet it was less the style than the ideas that shocked thecontemporary of Voltaire. His main argument was that books, full of suchsilly tales, of laws and rules so absurd, of descriptions of gods anddemons so grotesque, could not be the work of a sage like Zoroaster, northe code of a religion so much celebrated for its simplicity, wisdom, and purity. His conclusion was that the "Avesta" was a rhapsody of somemodern Guebre. In fact, the only thing in which Jones succeeded was toprove in a decisive manner that the ancient Persians were not equal tothe _lumières_ of the eighteenth century, and that the authors of the"Avesta" had not read the "Encyclopédie. "

Jones's censure was echoed in England by Sir John Chardin andRichardson, in Germany by Meiners. Richardson tried to give a scientificcharacter to the attacks of Jones by founding them on philologicalgrounds. That the "Avesta" was a fabrication of modern times was shown, he argued, by the number of Arabic words he fancied he found both in theZend and Pahlavi dialects, as no Arabic element was introduced into thePersian idioms earlier than the seventh century; also by the harshtexture of the Zend, contrasted with the rare euphony of the Persian;and, lastly, by the radical difference between the Zend and Persian, both in words and grammar. To these objections, drawn from the form, headded another derived from the uncommon stupidity of the matter. 

In Germany, Meiners, to the charges brought against the newly-foundbooks, added another of a new and unexpected kind, namely, that theyspoke of ideas unheard of before, and made known new things. "Pray, whowould dare ascribe to Zoroaster books in which are found numberlessnames of trees, animals, men, and demons, unknown to the ancientPersians; in which are invoked an incredible number of pure animals andother things, which, as appears from the silence of ancient writers, were never known, or at least never worshipped, in Persia? What Greekever spoke of Hôm, of Jemshîd, and of such other personages as thefabricators of that rhapsody exalt with every kind of praise, as divineheroes?"

Anquetil and the "Avesta" found an eager champion in the person ofKleuker, professor in the University of Riga. As soon as the Frenchversion of the "Avesta" appeared, he published a German translation ofit, and also of Anquetil's historical dissertations. Then, in a seriesof dissertations of his own, he vindicated the authenticity of the Zendbooks. Anquetil had already tried to show, in a memoir on Plutarch, thatthe data of the "Avesta" fully agree with the account of the Magianreligion given in the treatise on "Isis and Osiris. " Kleuker enlargedthe circle of comparison to the whole of ancient literature. 

In the field of philology, he showed, as Anquetil had already done, thatZend has no Arabic elements in it, and that Pahlavi itself, which ismore modern than Zend, does not contain any Arabic, but only Semiticwords of the Aramean dialect, which are easily accounted for by theclose relations of Persia with Aramean lands in the time of theSassanian kings. He showed, lastly, that Arabic words appear only in thevery books which Parsi tradition itself considers modern. 

Another stanch upholder of the "Avesta" was the numismatologist Tychsen, who, having begun to read the book with a prejudice against itsauthenticity, quitted it with a conviction to the contrary. "There isnothing in it, " he writes, "but what befits remote ages, and a manphilosophizing in the infancy of the world. Such traces of a recentperiod as they fancy to have found in it, are either due tomisunderstandings, or belong to its later portions. On the whole thereis a marvellous accordance between the 'Zend-Avesta' and the accounts ofthe ancients with regard to the doctrine and institutions of Zoroaster. Plutarch agrees so well with the Zend books that I think no one willdeny the close resemblance of doctrines and identity of origin. Add toall this the incontrovertible argument to be drawn from the language, the antiquity of which is established by the fact that it was necessaryto translate a part of the Zend books into Pahlavi, a language which wasgrowing obsolete as early as the time of the Sassanides. Lastly, itcannot be denied that Zoroaster left books which were, throughcenturies, the groundwork of the Magic religion, and which werepreserved by the Magi, as shown by a series of documents from the timeof Hermippus. Therefore I am unable to see why we should not trust theMagi of our days when they ascribe to Zoroaster those traditional booksof their ancestors, in which nothing is found to indicate fraud or amodern hand. "

Two years afterwards, in 1793, was published in Paris a book which, without directly dealing with the "Avesta, " was the first step taken tomake its authenticity incontrovertible. It was the masterly memoir bySylvestre de Sacy, in which the Pahlavi inscriptions of the firstSassanides were deciphered for the first time and in a decisive manner. De Sacy, in his researches, had chiefly relied on the Pahlavi lexiconpublished by Anquetil, whose work vindicated itself thus--better than byheaping up arguments--by promoting discoveries. The Pahlavi inscriptionsgave the key, as is well-known, to the Persian cuneiform inscriptions, which were in return to put beyond all doubt the genuineness of the Zendlanguage. 

Tychsen, in an appendix to his Commentaries, pointed to the importanceof the new discovery: "This, " he writes, "is a proof that the Pahlaviwas used during the reign of the Sassanides, for it was from them thatthese inscriptions emanated, as it was by them--nay, by the first ofthem, Ardeshîr Bâbagân--that the doctrine of Zoroaster was revived. Onecan now understand why the Zend books were translated into Pahlavi. Here, too, everything agrees, and speaks loudly for their antiquity andgenuineness. "

About the same time Sir William Jones, then president of the RoyalAsiatic Society, which he had just founded, resumed in a discoursedelivered before that society the same question he had solved in such anoff-hand manner twenty years before. He was no longer the man to say, "_Sied-il à un homme né dans ce siècle de s'infatuer de fablesindiennes?_" and although he had still a spite against Anquetil, hespoke of him with more reserve than in 1771. However, his judgment onthe "Avesta" itself was not altered on the whole, although, as hehimself declared, he had not thought it necessary to study the text. Buta glance at the Zend glossary published by Anquetil suggested to him aremark which makes Sir William Jones, in spite of himself, the creatorof the comparative grammar of Sanscrit and Zend. "When I perused theZend glossary, " he writes, "I was inexpressibly surprised to find thatsix or seven words in ten are pure Sanscrit, and even some of theirinflexions formed by the rules of the Vyácaran, as yushmácam, thegenitive plural of yushmad. Now M. Anquetil most certainly, and thePersian compiler most probably, had no knowledge of Sanscrit, and couldnot, therefore, have invented a list of Sanscrit words; it is, therefore, an authentic list of Zend words, which has been preserved inbooks or by tradition; it follows that the language of the Zend was atleast a dialect of the Sanscrit, approaching perhaps as nearly to it asthe Prácrit, or other popular idioms, which we know to have been spokenin India two thousand years ago. " This conclusion, that Zend is aSanscrit dialect, was incorrect, the connection assumed being too close;but it was a great thing that the near relationship of the two languagesshould have been brought to light. 

In 1798 Father Paulo de St. Barthélemy further developed Jones's remarkin an essay on the antiquity of the Zend language. He showed itsaffinity with the Sanscrit by a list of such Zend and Sanscrit words aswere least likely to have been borrowed, viz. , those that designate thedegrees of relationship, the limbs of the body, and the most general andessential ideas. Another list, intended to show, on a special topic, howclosely connected the two languages are, contains eighteen words takenfrom the liturgic language used in India and Persia. This list was notvery happily drawn up, as out of the eighteen instances there is not asingle one that stands inquiry; yet it was a happy idea, and one whichhas not even yet yielded all that it promised. His conclusions were thatin a far remote antiquity Sanscrit was spoken in Persia and Media, thatit gave birth to the Zend language, and that the "Zend-Avesta" isauthentic: "Were it but a recent compilation, " he writes, "as Jonesasserts, how is it that the oldest rites of the Parsis, that the oldinscriptions of the Persians, the accounts of the Zoroastrian religionby the classical writers, the liturgic prayers of the Parsis, and, lastly, even their books do not reveal the pure Sanscrit, as written inthe land wherein the Parsis live, but a mixed language, which is asdifferent from the other dialects of India as French is from Italian?"This amounted, in fact, to saying that the Zend is not derived from theSanscrit, but that both are derived from another and older language. TheCarmelite had a dim notion of that truth, but, as he failed to expressit distinctly, it was lost for years, and had to be rediscovered. 

The first twenty-five years of this century were void of results, butthe old and sterile discussions as to the authenticity of the textscontinued in England. In 1808 John Leyden regarded Zend as a Prácritdialect, parallel to Pali; Pali being identical with the Magadhi dialectand Zend with the Sauraseni. In the eyes of Erskine, Zend was a Sanscritdialect, imported from India by the founders of Mazdeism, but neverspoken in Persia. His main argument was that Zend is not mentioned amongthe seven dialects which were current in ancient Persia according to theFarhang-i Jehangiri, and that Pahlavi and Persian exhibit no closerelationship with Zend. 

In Germany, Meiners had found no followers. The theologians appealed tothe "Avesta, " in their polemics, and Rhode sketched the religioushistory of Persia after the translations of Anquetil. 

Erskine's essay provoked a decisive answer from Emmanuel Rask, one ofthe most gifted minds in the new school of philology, who had the honorof being a precursor of both Grimm and Burnouf. He showed that the listof the Jehangiri referred to an epoch later than that to which Zend musthave belonged, and to parts of Persia different from those where it musthave been spoken; he showed further that modern Persian is not derivedfrom Zend, but from a dialect closely connected with it; and, lastly, heshowed what was still more important, that Zend was not derived fromSanscrit. As to the system of its sounds, Zend approaches Persian ratherthan Sanscrit; and as to its grammatical forms, if they often remind oneof Sanscrit, they also often remind one of Greek and Latin, andfrequently have a special character of their own. Rask also gave theparadigm of three Zend nouns, belonging to different declensions, aswell as the right pronunciation of the Zend letters, several of whichhad been incorrectly given by Anquetil. This was the first essay on Zendgrammar, and it was a masterly one. 

The essay published in 1831 by Peter von Bohlen on the origin of theZend language threw the matter forty years back. According to him, Zendis a Prácrit dialect, as it had been pronounced by Jones, Leyden, andErskine. His mistake consisted in taking Anquetil's transcriptions ofthe words, which are often so incorrect as to make them look likecorrupted forms when compared with Sanscrit. And, what was worse, hetook the proper names in their modern Parsi forms, which often led himto comparisons that would have appalled Ménage. Thus Ahriman became aSanscrit word ariman, which would have meant "the fiend"; yet Bohlenmight have seen in Anquetil's work itself that Ahriman is nothing butthe modern form of Angra Mainyu, words which hardly remind one of theSanscrit ariman. Again, the angel Vohu-manô, or "good thought, " wasreduced, by means of the Parsi form Bahman, to the Sanscrit bâhumân, "along-armed god. "

At length came Burnouf. From the time when Anquetil had published histranslation, that is to say during seventy years, no real progress hadbeen made in knowledge of the Avesta texts. The notion that Zend andSanscrit are two kindred languages was the only new idea that had beenacquired, but no practical advantage for the interpretation of the textshad resulted from it. Anquetil's translation was still the only guide, and as the doubts about the authenticity of the texts grew fainter, theauthority of the translation became greater, the trust reposed in the"Avesta" being reflected on to the work of its interpreter. The Parsishad been the teachers of Anquetil; and who could ever understand theholy writ of the Parsis better than the Parsis themselves? There was noone who even tried to read the texts by the light of Anquetil'stranslation, to obtain a direct understanding of them. 

About 1825 Eugène Burnouf was engaged in a course of researches on thegeographical extent of the Aryan languages in India. After he haddefined the limits which divide the races speaking Aryan languages fromthe native non-brahmanical tribes in the south, he wanted to know if asimilar boundary had ever existed in the northwest; and if it is outsideof India that the origin of the Indian languages and civilization is tobe sought for. He was thus led to study the languages of Persia, and, first of all, the oldest of them, the Zend. But as he tried to read thetexts by help of Anquetil's translation, he was surprised to find thatthis was not the clue he had expected. He saw that two causes had misledAnquetil: on the one hand, his teachers, the Parsi dasturs, either knewlittle themselves or taught him imperfectly, not only the Zend, but eventhe Pahlavi intended to explain the meaning of the Zend; so that thetradition on which his work rested, being incorrect in itself, corruptedit from the very beginning; on the other hand, as Sanscrit was unknownto him and comparative grammar did not as yet exist, he could not supplythe defects of tradition by their aid. Burnouf, laying aside traditionas found in Anquetil's translation, consulted it as found in a mucholder and purer form, in a Sanscrit translation of the Yasna made in thefifteenth century by the Parsi Neriosengh in accordance with the oldPahlavi version. The information given by Neriosengh he tested, andeither confirmed or corrected, by a comparison of parallel passages andby the help of comparative grammar, which had just been founded by Bopp, and applied by him successfully to the explanation of Zend forms. Thushe succeeded in tracing the general outlines of the Zend lexicon and infixing its grammatical forms, and founded the only correct method ofinterpreting the "Avesta. " He also gave the first notions of acomparative mythology of the "Avesta" and the "Veda, " by showing theidentity of the "Vedic Yama" with the "Avesta Yima, " and of Traitânawith Thraêtaona and Ferìdûn. Thus he made his "Commentaire sur le Yasna"a marvellous and unparalleled model of critical insight and steady goodsense, equally opposed to the narrowness of mind which clings to mattersof fact without rising to their cause and connecting them with theseries of associated phenomena, and to the wild and uncontrolled spiritof comparison, which, by comparing everything, confounds everything. Never sacrificing either tradition to comparison or comparison totradition he knew how to pass from the one to the other, and was soenabled both to discover facts and to explain them. 

At the same time the ancient Persian inscriptions at Persepolis andBehistun were deciphered by Burnouf in Paris, by Lassen in Bonn, and bySir Henry Rawlinson in Persia. Thus was revealed the existence, at thetime of the first Achaemenian kings, of a language closely connectedwith that of the "Avesta, " and the last doubts as to the authenticity ofthe Zend books were at length removed. It would have required more thanan ordinary amount of scepticism to look still upon the Zend as anartificial language, of foreign importation, without root in the landwhere it was written, and in the conscience of the people for whom itwas written, at the moment when a twin language, bearing a strikinglikeness to it in nearly every feature, was suddenly making itself heardfrom the mouth of Darius, and speaking from the very tomb of the firstAchaemenian king. That unexpected voice silenced all controversies, andthe last echoes of the loud discussion which had been opened in 1771died away unheeded. 

[Footnote 9: A century ago, it is said, they still numbered nearly100, 000 souls; but there now remain no more than 8, 000 or 9, 000, scattered in Yazd and the surrounding villages. Houtum-Schindler gave8, 499 in 1879; of that number there were 6, 483 in Yazd, 1, 756 in Kirmân, 150 in Teherân. ]

SELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA

THE CREATION[10]

Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying:--

"I have made every land dear to its people, even though it had no charmswhatever in it: had I not made every land dear to its people, eventhough it had no charms whatever in it, then the whole living worldwould have invaded the Airyana Vaêgô. The first of the good lands andcountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Airyana Vaêgô, by theVanguhi Dâitya. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created the serpent in the river and Winter, a work of theDevas. There are ten winter months there, two summer months; and thoseare cold for the waters, cold for the earth, cold for the trees. Wintersfall there, the worst of all plagues. The second of the good lands andcountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the plain which theSughdhas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created the locust, which brings death unto cattle and plants. The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holy Môuru. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is alldeath, and he counter-created plunder and sin. The fourth of the goodlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautifulBâkhdhi with high-lifted banners. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who isall death, and he counter-created the ants and the ant-hills. The fifthof the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, wasNisâya, that lies between Môuru and Bâkhdhi. Thereupon came AngraMainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of unbelief. The sixth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the house-deserting Harôyu. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is alldeath, and he counter-created tears and wailing. The seventh of the goodlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Vaêkereta, of theevil shadows. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created the Pairika Knâthaiti, who clave unto Keresâspa. Theeighth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Urva of the rich pastures. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is alldeath, and he counter-created the sin of pride. The ninth of the goodlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Khnenta which theVehrkânas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the unnaturalsin. The tenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautiful Harahvaiti. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, whois all death, and he counter-created a sin for which there is noatonement, the burying of the dead. The eleventh of the good lands andcountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the bright, gloriousHaêtumant. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created the evil work of witchcraft. And this is the sign bywhich it is known, this is that by which it is seen at once: wheresoeverthey may go and raise a cry of sorcery, there the worst works ofwitchcraft go forth. From there they come to kill and strike at heart, and they bring locusts as many as they want. The twelfth of the goodlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Ragha of thethree races. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created the sin of utter unbelief. The thirteenth of the goodlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holyKakhra. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and hecounter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the cooking ofcorpses. The fourteenth of the good lands and countries which I, AhuraMazda, created, was the four-cornered Varena, for which was bornThraêtaona, who smote Azi Dahâka. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who isall death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women and barbarianoppression. The fifteenth of the good lands and countries which I, AhuraMazda, created, was the Seven Rivers. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, whois all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women andexcessive heat. The sixteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the land by the sources of the Rangha, wherepeople live who have no chiefs. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is alldeath, and he counter-created Winter, a work of the Devas. There arestill other lands and countries, beautiful and deep, longing and askingfor the good, and bright. "

[Footnote 10: This chapter is an enumeration of sixteen perfect landscreated by Ahura Mazda, and of as many plagues created in opposition byAngra Mainyu. Many attempts have been made, not only to identify thesesixteen lands, but also to draw historical conclusions from their orderof succession, as representing the actual order of the migrations andsettlements of the old Iranian tribes. But there is nothing in the textto support such wide inferences. We have here nothing more than ageographical description of Iran, seen from the religious point ofview. ]

MYTH OF YIMA

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

"O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathustra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach theReligion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathustra?"

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was the firstmortal, before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura Mazda, didconverse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the Religion ofZarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura Mazda, spake, saying:'Well, fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, be thou the preacher and the bearerof my Religion!' And the fair Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me, saying: 'I was not born, I was not taught to be the preacher and thebearer of thy Religion. ' Then I, Ahura Mazda, said thus unto him, OZarathustra, 'Since thou dost not consent to be the preacher and thebearer of my Religion, then make thou my world increase, make my worldgrow: consent thou to nourish, to rule, and to watch over my world. ' Andthe fair Yima replied unto me, O Zarathustra, saying: 'Yes! I will makethy world increase, I will make thy world grow. Yes! I will nourish, andrule, and watch over thy world. There shall be, while I am king, neithercold wind nor hot wind, neither disease nor death. ' Then I, Ahura Mazda, brought two implements unto him: a golden seal and a poniard inlaid withgold. Behold, here Yima bears the royal sway! Thus, under the sway ofYima, three hundred winters passed away, and the earth was replenishedwith flocks and herds, with men and dogs and birds and with red blazingfires, and there was room no more for flocks, herds, and men. Then Iwarned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, the earthhas become full of flocks and herds, of men and dogs and birds and ofred blazing fires, and there is room no more for flocks, herds, andmen. ' Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of thesun, and afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and boredit with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta Ârmaiti, kindly openasunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men. ' AndYima made the earth grow larger by one-third than it was before, andthere came flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many ashe wished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, six hundred winters passedaway, and the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men anddogs and birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no morefor flocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fairYima, son of Vîvanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds, of men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room nomore for flocks, herds, and men. '

"Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the sun, and afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and bored itwith the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta Ârmaiti, kindly open asunderand stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men. ' And Yimamade the earth grow larger by two-thirds than it was before, and therecame flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many as hewished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, nine hundred winters passed away, and the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men and dogsand birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no more forflocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fairYima, son of Vîvanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds, of men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room nomore for flocks, herds, and men. ' Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the sun, and afterwards he pressed the earthwith the golden seal, and bored it with the poniard, speaking thus: 'OSpenta Ârmaiti, kindly open asunder and stretch thyself afar, to bearflocks and herds and men. ' And Yima made the earth grow larger bythree-thirds than it was before, and there came flocks and herds andmen, at their will and wish, as many as he wished. "

THE EARTH

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first placewhere the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the placewhereon one of the faithful steps forward, O Spitama Zarathustra! withthe log in his hand, the Baresma in his hand, the milk in his hand, themortar in his hand, lifting up his voice in good accord with religion, and beseeching Mithra, the lord of the rolling country-side, and RâmaHvâstra. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is thesecond place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "Itis the place whereon one of the faithful erects a house with a priestwithin, with cattle, with a wife, with children, and good herds within;and wherein afterwards the cattle continue to thrive, virtue to thrive, fodder to thrive, the dog to thrive, the wife to thrive, the child tothrive, the fire to thrive, and every blessing of life to thrive. " OMaker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third placewhere the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the placewhere one of the faithful sows most corn, grass, and fruit, O SpitamaZarathustra! where he waters ground that is dry, or drains ground thatis too wet. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is thefourth place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "Itis the place where there is most increase of flocks and herds. " O Makerof the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the fifth place where theEarth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place whereflocks and herds yield most dung. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first placewhere the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is theneck of Arezûra, whereon the hosts of fiends rush forth from the burrowof the Drug. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is thesecond place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered:"It is the place wherein most corpses of dogs and of men lie buried. " OMaker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third placewhere the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is theplace whereon stand most of those Dakhmas on which the corpses of menare deposited. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which isthe fourth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazdaanswered: "It is the place wherein are most burrows of the creatures ofAngra Mainyu. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which isthe fifth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazdaanswered: "It is the place whereon the wife and children of one of thefaithful, O Spitama Zarathustra! are driven along the way of captivity, the dry, the dusty way, and lift up a voice of wailing. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the first thatrejoices the Earth with greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is hewho digs out of it most corpses of dogs and men. " O Maker of thematerial world, thou Holy One! Who is the second that rejoices the Earthwith greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who pulls down mostof those Dakhmas on which the corpses of men are deposited. Let no manalone by himself carry a corpse. If a man alone by himself carry acorpse, the Nasu rushes upon him. This Drug Nasu falls upon and stainshim, even to the end of the nails, and he is unclean, thenceforth, forever and ever. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whatshall be the place of that man who has carried a corpse alone? AhuraMazda answered: "It shall be the place on this earth wherein is leastwater and fewest plants, whereof the ground is the cleanest and thedriest and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire ofAhura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by thefaithful. " O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far fromthe fire? How far from the water? How far from the consecrated bundlesof Baresma? How far from the faithful? Ahura Mazda answered: "Thirtypaces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces from theconsecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful. There, onthat place, shall the worshippers of Mazda erect an enclosure, andtherein shall they establish him with food, therein shall they establishhim with clothes, with the coarsest food and with the most worn-outclothes. That food he shall live on, those clothes he shall wear, andthus shall they let him live, until he has grown to the age of a Hana, or of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra. And when he has grown to theage of a Hana, or of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra, then theworshippers of Mazda shall order a man strong, vigorous, and skilful, tocut the head off his neck, in his enclosure on the top of the mountain:and they shall deliver his corpse unto the greediest of thecorpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto thevultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evilthoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, itis remitted by his repentance: if he has committed no other evil deed, he is absolved by his repentance, forever and ever. '" O Maker of thematerial world, thou Holy One! Who is the third that rejoices the Earthwith greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who fills up mostburrows of the creatures of Angra Mainyu. " O Maker of the materialworld, thou Holy One! Who is the fourth that rejoices the Earth withgreatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who sows most corn, grass, and fruit, O Spitama Zarathustra! who waters ground that is dry, ordrains ground that is too wet. Unhappy is the land that has long lainunsown with the seed of the sower and wants a good husbandman, like awell-shapen maiden who has long gone childless and wants a good husband. He who would till the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! with the left armand the right, with the right arm and the left, unto him will she bringforth plenty of fruit: even as it were a lover sleeping with his brideon her bed; the bride will bring forth children, the earth will bringforth plenty of fruit. He who would till the earth, O SpitamaZarathustra! with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and theleft, unto him thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost till me withthe left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, here shallI ever go on bearing, bringing forth all manner of food, bringing cornfirst to thee. ' He who does not till the Earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, untohim thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost not till me with the leftarm and the right, with the right arm and the left, ever shalt thoustand at the door of the stranger, among those who beg for bread; therefuse and the crumbs of the bread are brought unto thee, brought bythose who have profusion of wealth. '"

O maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the food thatfills the Religion of Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is sowing corn again and again, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who sowscorn, sows righteousness: he makes the Religion of Mazda walk, hesuckles the Religion of Mazda; as well as he could do with a hundredman's feet, with a thousand woman's breasts, with ten thousandsacrificial formulas. When barley was created, the Devas started up;when it grew, then fainted the Devas' hearts; when the knots came, theDevas groaned; when the ear came, the Devas flew away. In that house theDevas stay, wherein wheat perishes. It is as though red hot iron wereturned about in their throats, when there is plenty of corn. Then letpeople learn by heart this holy saying: 'No one who does not eat, hasstrength to do heavy works of holiness, strength to do works ofhusbandry, strength to beget children. By eating every material creaturelives, by not eating it dies away. '"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the fifth thatrejoices the Earth with greatest joy?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is he who kindly and piously gives to one of the faithful who tillsthe earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who would not kindly and piouslygive to one of the faithful who tills the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!Spenta Ârmaiti will throw him down into darkness, down into the world ofwoe, the world of hell, down into the deep abyss. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in theearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shallnot disinter it within half a year, what is the penalty that he shallpay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Five hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, five hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in theearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shallnot disinter it within a year, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in theearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shallnot disinter it within the second year, what is the penalty for it? Whatis the atonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone, nothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is noatonement, forever and ever. "

When is it so?

"It is so, if the sinner be a professor of the Religion of Mazda, or onewho has been taught in it. But if he be not a professor of the Religionof Mazda, nor one who has been taught in it, then his sin is taken fromhim, if he makes confession of the Religion of Mazda and resolves neverto commit again such forbidden deeds. 

"The Religion of Mazda indeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! takes away fromhim who makes confession of it the bonds of his sin; it takes away thesin of breach of trust; it takes away the sin of murdering one of thefaithful; it takes away the sin of burying a corpse; it takes away thesin of deeds for which there is no atonement; it takes away the worstsin of usury; it takes away any sin that may be sinned. In the same waythe Religion of Mazda, O Spitama Zarathustra! cleanses the faithful fromevery evil thought, word, and deed, as a swift-rushing mighty windcleanses the plain. So let all the deeds he doeth be henceforth good, OZarathustra! a full atonement for his sin is effected by means of theReligion of Mazda. "

CONTRACTS AND OUTRAGES[11]

"He that does not restore a loan to the man who lent it, steals thething and robs the man. This he doeth every day, every night, as long ashe keep in his house his neighbor's property, as though it were hisown. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How many in number are thycontracts, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are six in number, O holy Zarathustra. The first is theword-contract; the second is the hand-contract; the third is thecontract to the amount of a sheep; the fourth is the contract to theamount of an ox; the fifth is the contract to the amount of a man; thesixth is the contract to the amount of a field, a field in good land, afruitful one, in good bearing. The word-contract is fulfilled by wordsof mouth. It is cancelled by the hand-contract; he shall give as damagesthe amount of the hand-contract. The hand-contract is cancelled by thesheep-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of thesheep-contract. The sheep-contract is cancelled by the ox-contract; heshall give as damages the amount of the ox-contract. The ox-contract iscancelled by the man-contract; he shall give as damages the amount ofthe man-contract. The man-contract is cancelled by the field-contract;he shall give as damages the amount of the field-contract. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theword-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for three hundred years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thehand-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for six hundred years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thesheep-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for seven hundred years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theox-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for eight hundred years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theman-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for nine hundred years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thefield-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for a thousand years. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theword-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, three hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thehand-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thesheep-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seven hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theox-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, eight hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break theman-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Nine hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, nine hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break thefield-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

If a man rise up with a weapon in his hand, it is an Âgerepta. If hebrandish it, it is an Avaoirista. If he actually smite a man withmalicious aforethought, it is an Aredus. Upon the fifth Aredus hebecomes a Peshôtanu. 

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He that committeth anÂgerepta, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Five stripes with the Aspahê-astra, five stripes with theSraoshô-karana; on the second Âgerepta, ten stripes with theAspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifteenstripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraoshô-karana;on the fourth, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, sixty stripes withthe Aspahê-astra, sixty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the seventh, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

If a man commit an Âgerepta for the eighth time, without having atonedfor the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

If a man commit an Âgerepta, and refuse to atone for it, what penaltyshall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit anAvaoirista, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ten stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana;on the second Avaoirista, fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteenstripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, thirty stripes with theAspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with theSraoshô-karana; on the fifth, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, ninety stripeswith the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit anAvaoirista for the seventh time, without having atoned for thepreceding, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit anAvaoirista, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with theSraoshô-karana. 

"On the second Aredus, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirtystripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifty stripes with theAspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with theSraoshô-karana; on the fifth, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredusfor the sixth time, without having atoned for the preceding, whatpenalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another andhurt him sorely, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with theSraoshô-karana; the second time, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, seventy stripeswith the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; thefourth time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

If a man commit that deed for the fifth time, without having atoned forthe preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

If a man commit that deed and refuse to atone for it, what is thepenalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat the blood come, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with theSraoshô-karana; the second time, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, ninety stripeswith the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

If he commit that deed for the fourth time, without having atoned forthe preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat the blood come, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is thepenalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat he break a bone, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with theSraoshô-karana; the second time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

If he commit that deed for the third time, without having atoned for thepreceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat he break a bone, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is thepenalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat he give up the ghost, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

If he commit that deed again, without having atoned for the preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another sothat he give up the ghost, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is thepenalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. 

"And they shall thenceforth in their doings walk after the way ofholiness, after the word of holiness, after the ordinance of holiness. 

"If men of the same faith, either friends or brothers, come to anagreement together, that one may obtain from the other either goods, ora wife, or knowledge, let him who desires goods have them delivered tohim; let him who desires a wife receive and wed her; let him who desiresknowledge be taught the holy word, during the first part of the day andthe last, during the first part of the night and the last, that his mindmay be increased in intelligence and wax strong in holiness. So shall hesit up, in devotion and prayers, that he may be increased inintelligence: he shall rest during the middle part of the day, duringthe middle part of the night, and thus shall he continue until he cansay all the words which former Aêthra-paitis have said. 

"Before the boiling water publicly prepared, O Spitama Zarathustra! letno one make bold to deny having received from his neighbor the ox or thegarment in his possession. 

"Verily I say it unto thee, O Spitama Zarathustra! the man who has awife is far above him who lives in continence; he who keeps a house isfar above him who has none; he who has children is far above thechildless man; he who has riches is far above him who has none. And oftwo men, he who fills himself with meat receives in him Vohu Manô muchbetter than he who does not do so; the latter is all but dead; theformer is above him by the worth of an Asperena, by the worth of asheep, by the worth of an ox, by the worth of a man. This man can striveagainst the onsets of Astô-vidhôtu; he can strive against thewell-darted arrow; he can strive against the winter fiend, with thinnestgarment on; he can strive against the wicked tyrant and smite him on thehead; he can strive against the ungodly fasting Ashemaogha. 

"On the very first time when that deed has been done, without waitinguntil it is done again, down there the pain for that deed shall be ashard as any in this world: even as if one should cut off the limbs fromhis perishable body with knives of brass, or still worse; down there thepain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: even as if oneshould nail his perishable body with nails of brass, or still worse;down there the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world:even as if one should by force throw his perishable body headlong down aprecipice a hundred times the height of a man, or still worse; downthere the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: evenas if one should by force impale his perishable body, or still worse;down there the pain for this deed shall be as hard as any in this world:to-wit, the deed of a man, who, knowingly lying, confronts thebrimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appeal unto Rashnu and alie unto Mithra. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He who, knowingly lying, confronts the brimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appealunto Rashnu and a lie unto Mithra, what is the penalty that he shallpay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seven hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

[Footnote 11: This chapter is the only one in the Vendîdâd that dealswith legal subjects. ]

UNCLEANNESS[12]

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Here is a man watering acorn-field. The water streams down the field; it streams again; itstreams a third time; and the fourth time, a dog, a fox, or a wolfcarries some Nasu into the bed of the stream: what is the penalty thatthis man shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"There is no sin upon a man for any Nasu that has been brought by dogs, by birds, by wolves, by winds, or by flies. For were there sin upon aman for any Nasu that might have been brought by dogs, by birds, bywolves, by winds, or by flies, how soon all this material world of minewould be only one Peshôtanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness, and whose soul will cry and wail! so numberless are the beings that dieupon the face of the earth. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does water kill?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Water kills no man: Astô-vîdhôtu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayucarries him off; and the flood takes him up, the flood takes him down, the flood throws him ashore; then birds feed upon him. When he goesaway, it is by the will of Fate he goes. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does fire kill?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fire kills no man: Astô-vîdhôtu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayucarries him off; and the fire burns up life and limb. When he goes away, it is by the will of Fate he goes. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If the summer is past andthe winter has come, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"In every house, in every borough, they shall raise three rooms for thedead. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How large shall be thoserooms for the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Large enough not to strike the skull of the man, if he should standerect, or his feet or his hands stretched out: such shall be, accordingto the law, the rooms for the dead. And they shall let the lifeless bodylie there, for two nights, or for three nights, or a month long, untilthe birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up the earth. And as soon as the birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry upthe earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall lay down the dead on theDakhma, his eyes towards the sun. If the worshippers of Mazda have not, within a year, laid down the dead on the Dakhma, his eyes towards thesun, thou shalt prescribe for that trespass the same penalty as for themurder of one of the faithful; until the corpse has been rained on, until the Dakhma has been rained on, until the unclean remains have beenrained on, until the birds have eaten up the corpse. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Is it true that thou, Ahura Mazda, seizest the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the windand the clouds? That thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the corpses?that thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the Dakhmas? that thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the unclean remains? that thou, AhuraMazda, takest them down to the bones? and that then thou, Ahura Mazda, makest them flow back unseen? that thou, Ahura Mazda, makest them flowback to the sea Pûitika?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is even so as thou hast said, O righteous Zarathustra! I, AhuraMazda, seize the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the wind and theclouds. I, Ahura Mazda, take them to the corpses; I, Ahura Mazda, takethem down to the Dakhmas; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the uncleanremains; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the bones; then I, AhuraMazda, make them flow back unseen; I, Ahura Mazda, make them flow backto the sea Pûitika. The waters stand there boiling, boiling up in theheart of the sea Pûitika, and, when cleansed there, they run back againfrom the sea Pûitika to the sea Vouru-kasha, towards the well-wateredtree, whereon grow the seeds of my plants of every kind by hundreds, bythousands, by hundreds of thousands. Those plants, I, Ahura Mazda, raindown upon the earth, to bring food to the faithful, and fodder to thebeneficent cow; to bring food to my people that they may live on it, andfodder to the beneficent cow. 

"This is the best, this is the fairest of all things, even as thou hastsaid, O pure Zarathustra!"

With these words, the holy Ahura Mazda rejoiced the holy Zarathustra:"Purity is for man, next to life, the greatest good, that purity, OZarathustra, that is in the Religion of Mazda for him who cleanses hisown self with good thoughts, words, and deeds. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! This Law, thisfiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra, by what greatness, goodness, andfairness is it great, good, and fair above all other utterances?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"As much above all other floods as is the sea Vouru-kasha, so much aboveall other utterances in greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra. As much as a great streamflows swifter than a slender rivulet, so much above all other utterancesin greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroyingLaw of Zarathustra. As high as the great tree stands above the smallplants it overshadows, so high above all other utterances in greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying Law ofZarathustra. As high as heaven is above the earth that it compassesaround, so high above all other utterances is this Law, thisfiend-destroying Law of Mazda. Therefore, he will apply to the Ratu, hewill apply to the Srao-shâ-varez; whether for a draona-service thatshould have been undertaken and has not been undertaken; or for a draonathat should have been offered up and has not been offered up; or for adraona that should have been intrusted and has not been intrusted. TheRatu has power to remit him one-third of his penalty: if he hascommitted any other evil deed, it is remitted by his repentance; if hehas committed no other evil deed, he is absolved by his repentanceforever and ever. "

How long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or men havedied?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A year long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or menhave died, O holy Zarathustra! A year long shall no worshipper of Mazdasow or water that piece of ground whereon dogs or men have died; he maysow as he likes the rest of the ground; he may water it as he likes. Ifwithin the year they shall sow or water the piece of ground whereon dogsor men have died, they are guilty of the sin of 'burying the dead'towards the water, towards the earth, and towards the plants. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazdashall sow or water, within the year, the piece of ground whereon dogs ormen have died, what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazdawant to till that piece of ground again, to water it, to sow it, and toplough it, what shall they do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall look on the ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, orblood that may be there. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If they shall not look onthe ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, or blood that may be there, what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the topjoint of the little finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on tothe ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the topjoint of the fore-finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to theground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the topjoint of the middle finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on tothe ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a fingeror as a rib, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, whatpenalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as twofingers or as two ribs, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to theground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, twohundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as anarm-bone or as a thigh-bone, and if grease or marrow flow from it on tothe ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Four hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, four hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a man'sskull, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, whatpenalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw onthe ground the whole body of a dead dog, or of a dead man, and if greaseor marrow flow from it on to the ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a worshipper of Mazda, walking, or running, or riding, or driving, come upon a corpse in astream of running water, what shall he do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Taking off his shoes, putting off his clothes, while the others wait, OZarathustra! he shall enter the river, and take the dead out of thewater; he shall go down into the water ankle-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep, or a man's full depth, till he can reach the dead body. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If, however, the body bealready falling to pieces and rotting, what shall the worshipper ofMazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He shall draw out of the water as much of the corpse as he can graspwith both hands, and he shall lay it down on the dry ground; no sinattaches to him for any bone, hair, grease, dung, urine, or blood, thatmay drop back into the water. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water ina pond does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, andpollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has not beentaken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean and unfit todrink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the pond, and layit down on the dry ground. And of the water they shall draw off thehalf, or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth part, according as theyare able or not; and after the corpse has been taken out and the waterhas been drawn off, the rest of the water is clean, and both cattle andmen may drink of it at their pleasure, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water ina well does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, andpollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, so longshall that water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the well, and lay it down on the dry ground. Andof the water in the well they shall draw off the half, or the third, orthe fourth, or the fifth part, according as they are able or not; andafter the corpse has been taken out and the water has been drawn off, the rest of the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of itat their pleasure, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of a sheet ofsnow or hail does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, andpollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has notbeen taken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean andunfit to drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the water, and lay it down on the dry ground. After the corpse has been taken out, and the snow or the hail has melted, the water is clean, and both cattleand men may drink of it at their pleasure, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water ofa running stream does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and pollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three steps down the stream, nine steps up the stream, six stepsacross. As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, solong shall the water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the water, and lay it down on the dryground. After the corpse has been taken out and the stream has flowedthree times, the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of itat their pleasure, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the Haoma that hasbeen touched with Nasu from a dead dog, or from a dead man, be madeclean again?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It can, O holy Zarathustra! If it has been prepared for the sacrifice, there is to it no corruption, no death, no touch of any Nasu. If it hasnot been prepared for the sacrifice, the stem is defiled the length offour fingers: it shall be laid down on the ground, in the middle of thehouse, for a year long. When the year is past, the faithful may drink ofits juice at their pleasure, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring, where shall we lay the bodies of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"On the highest summits, where they know there are always corpse-eatingdogs and corpse-eating birds, O holy Zarathustra! There shall theworshippers of Mazda fasten the corpse, by the feet and by the hair, with brass, stones, or clay, lest the corpse-eating dogs and thecorpse-eating birds shall go and carry the bones to the water and to thetrees. "

If they shall not fasten the corpse, so that the corpse-eating dogs andthe corpse-eating birds may go and carry the bones to the water and tothe trees, what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall be Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring, where shall we lay the bones of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The worshippers of Mazda shall make a receptacle out of the reach ofthe dog, of the fox, and of the wolf, and wherein rain-water cannotstay. They shall make it, if they can afford it, with stones, plaster, or earth; if they cannot afford it, they shall lay down the dead man onthe ground, on his carpet and his pillow, clothed with the light ofheaven, and beholding the sun. "

[Footnote 12: This chapter deals chiefly with uncleanness arising fromthe dead, and with the means of removing it from men and things. ]

FUNERALS AND PURIFICATION

If a dog or a man die under a hut of wood or a hut of felt, what shallthe worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall search for a Dakhma, they shall look for a Dakhma allaround. If they find it easier to remove the dead, they shall take outthe dead, they shall let the house stand, and shall perfume it withUrvâsna or Vohú-gaona, or Vohú-kereti, or Hadhâ-naepata, or any othersweet-smelling plant. If they find it easier to remove the house, theyshall take away the house, they shall let the dead lie on the spot, andshall perfume the house with Urvâsna, or Vohú-gaona, or Vohú-kereti, orHadhâ-naêpata, or any other sweet-smelling plant. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If in the house of aworshipper of Mazda a dog or a man happens to die, and it is raining, orsnowing, or blowing, or it is dark, or the day is at its end, whenflocks and men lose their way, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The place in that house whereof the ground is the cleanest and thedriest, and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire ofAhura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by thefaithful. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far from the fire? Howfar from the water? How far from the consecrated bundles of Baresma? Howfar from the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty paces from the fire; thirty paces from the water; thirty pacesfrom the consecrated bundles of Baresma; three paces from thefaithful;--on that place they shall dig a grave, half a foot deep if theearth be hard, half the height of a man if it be soft; they shall coverthe surface of the grave with ashes or cow-dung; they shall cover thesurface of it with dust of bricks, of stones, or of dry earth. And theyshall let the lifeless body lie there, for two nights, or three nights, or a month long, until the birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, thehidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up the earth. And when thebirds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, andthe wind to dry up the earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall make abreach in the wall of the house, and two men, strong and skilful, havingstripped their clothes off, shall take up the body from the clay or thestones, or from the plastered house, and they shall lay it down on aplace where they know there are always corpse-eating dogs andcorpse-eating birds. Afterwards the corpse-bearers shall sit down, threepaces from the dead, and the holy Ratu shall proclaim to the worshippersof Mazda thus: 'Worshippers of Mazda, let the urine be brought herewherewith the corpse-bearers there shall wash their hair and theirbodies. '"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the urinewherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and their bodies? Isit of sheep or of oxen? Is it of man or of woman?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is of sheep or of oxen; not of man nor of woman, except a man or awoman who has married the next-of-kin: these shall therefore procure theurine wherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and theirbodies. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the way, whereon thecarcasses of dogs or corpses of men have been carried, be passed throughagain by flocks and herds, by men and women, by the fire of Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It cannot be passed through again by flocks and herds, nor by men andwomen, nor by the fire of Ahura Mazda, nor by the consecrated bundles ofBaresma, nor by the faithful. They shall therefore cause a yellow dogwith four eyes, [13] or a white dog with yellow ears, to go three timesthrough that way. When either the yellow dog with four eyes, or thewhite dog with yellow ears, is brought there, then the Drug Nasu fliesaway to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, withknees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto thefoulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, O Spitama Zarathustra, they shall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog withyellow ears, to go six times through that way. When either the yellowdog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, is brought there, then the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shapeof a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the foulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, theyshall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellowears, to go nine times through that way. When either the yellow dog withfour eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, has been brought there, then the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shapeof a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the foulest Khrafstras. An Âthravan shall first go alongthe way and shall say aloud these victorious words: 'Yathâ ahûvairyô:--The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts ofVohu-manô to the deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves thepoor makes Ahura king. What protector hast thou given unto me, O Mazda!while the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom but thy Âtar andVohu-manô, through whose work I keep on the world of righteousness?Reveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victoriouswho will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide forboth worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-manô and help whomsoever thoupleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta Ârmaiti!Perish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, Ocreation of the fiend! Perish, O world of the fiend! Perish away, ODrug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, O Drug! Perish away to the regionsof the north, never more to give unto death the living world ofRighteousness!' Then the worshippers of Mazda may at their will bring bythose ways sheep and oxen, men and women, and Fire, the son of AhuraMazda, the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and the faithful. Theworshippers of Mazda may afterwards prepare meals with meat and wine inthat house; it shall be clean, and there will be no sin, as before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throwclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover thefeet, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Four hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, four hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throwclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover bothlegs, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throwclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover thewhole body, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with theSraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man, by force, commits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, eight hundred stripes withthe Sraoshô-karana. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man voluntarilycommits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty for it? What is theatonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone, nothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is noatonement, forever and ever. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the man that is aDeva? Who is he that is a worshipper of the Devas? that is a maleparamour of the Devas? that is a female paramour of the Devas? that is awife to the Deva? that is as bad as a Deva? that is in his whole being aDeva? Who is he that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of theunseen Devas after death?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The man that lies with mankind as man lies with womankind, or as womanlies with mankind, is the man that is a Deva; this one is the man thatis a worshipper of the Devas, that is a male paramour of the Devas, thatis a female paramour of the Devas, that is a wife to the Deva; this isthe man that is as bad as a Deva, that is in his whole being a Deva;this is the man that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of theunseen Devas after death: so is he, whether he has lain with mankind asmankind, or as womankind. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Shall the man be clean whohas touched a corpse that has been dried up and dead more than a year?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He shall. The dry mingles not with the dry. Should the dry mingle withthe dry, how soon all this material world of mine would be only onePeshôtanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness, and whose soul willcry and wail! so numberless are the beings that die upon the face of theearth. "

[Footnote 13: A dog with two spots above the eyes. ]

CLEANSING THE UNCLEAN

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Towhom shall they apply here below, who want to cleanse their body defiledby the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"To a pious man, O Spitama Zarathustra! who knows how to speak, whospeaks truth, who has learned the Holy Word, who is pious, and knowsbest the rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda. That manshall fell the trees off the surface of the ground on a space of nineVibâzus square; in that part of the ground where there is least waterand where there are fewest trees, the part which is the cleanest anddriest, and the least passed through by sheep and oxen, and by the fireof Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by thefaithful. "

How far from the fire? How far from the water? How far from theconsecrated bundles of Baresma? How far from the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty paces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty pacesfrom the consecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful. Then thou shalt dig a hole, two fingers deep if the summer has come, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come. " How far from oneanother? "One pace. " How much is the pace? "As much as three feet. Thenthou shalt dig three holes more, two fingers deep if the summer hascome, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come. " How far fromthe former six? "Three paces. " What sort of paces? "Such as are taken inwalking. " How much are those three paces? "As much as nine feet. Thenthou shalt draw a furrow all around with a metal knife. Then thou shaltdraw twelve furrows; three of which thou shalt draw to surround anddivide from the rest the first three holes; three thou shalt draw tosurround and divide the first six holes; three thou shalt draw tosurround and divide the nine holes; three thou shalt draw around thethree inferior holes, outside the six other holes. At each of the threetimes nine feet, thou shalt place stones as steps to the holes; orpotsherds, or stumps, or clods, or any hard matter. Then the man defiledshall walk to the holes; thou, O Zarathustra! shalt stand outside by thefurrow, and thou shalt recite, 'Nemaskâ yâ ârmaitis izâkâ'; and the mandefiled shall repeat, 'Nemaskâ yâ ârmaitis izâkâ. ' The Drug becomesweaker and weaker at every one of those words which are a weapon tosmite the fiend Angra Mainyu, to smite Aeshma of the murderous spear, tosmite the Mâzainya fiends, to smite all the fiends. Then thou shalt takefor the gômêz a spoon of brass or of lead. When thou takest a stick withnine knots, O Spitama Zarathustra! to sprinkle the gômêz from thatspoon, thou shalt fasten the spoon to the end of the stick. They shallwash his hands first. If his hands be not washed first, he makes hiswhole body unclean. When he has washed his hands three times, after hishands have been washed, thou shalt sprinkle the forepart of his skull;then the Drug Nasu rushes in front, between his brows. Thou shaltsprinkle him in front between the brows; then the Drug Nasu rushes uponthe back part of the skull. Thou shalt sprinkle the back part of theskull; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the jaws. Thou shalt sprinkle thejaws; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ear. Thou shalt sprinklethe right ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ear. Thou shaltsprinkle the left ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the rightshoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the right shoulder; then the Drug Nasurushes upon the left shoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the left shoulder;then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right arm-pit. Thou shalt sprinklethe right arm-pit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left arm-pit. Thoushalt sprinkle the left armpit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon thechest. Thou shalt sprinkle the chest; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon theback. Thou shalt sprinkle the back; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon theright nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the right nipple; then the Drug Nasurushes upon the left nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the left nippíe; thenthe Drug Nasu rushes upon the right rib. Thou shalt sprinkle the rightrib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left rib. Thou shalt sprinklethe left rib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right hip. Thou shaltsprinkle the right hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left hip. Thou shalt sprinkle the left hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon thesexual parts. Thou shalt sprinkle the sexual parts. If the unclean onebe a man, thou shalt sprinkle him first behind, then before; if theunclean one be a woman, thou shalt sprinkle her first before, thenbehind; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right thigh. Thou shaltsprinkle the right thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left thigh. Thou shalt sprinkle the left thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon theright knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the right knee; then the Drug Nasurushes upon the left knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the left knee; then theDrug Nasu rushes upon the right leg. Thou shalt sprinkle the right leg;then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left leg. Thou shalt sprinkle theleft leg; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ankle. Thou shaltsprinkle the right ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ankle. Thou shalt sprinkle the left ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon theright instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the right instep; then the Drug Nasurushes upon the left instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the left instep; thenthe Drug Nasu turns round under the sole of the foot; it looks like thewing of a fly. He shall press his toes upon the ground and shall raiseup his heels; thou shalt sprinkle his right sole; then the Drug Nasurushes upon the left sole. Thou shalt sprinkle the left sole; then theDrug Nasu turns round under the toes; it looks like the wing of a fly. He shall press his heels upon the ground and shall raise up his toes;thou shalt sprinkle his right toe; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon theleft toe. Thou shalt sprinkle the left toe; then the Drug Nasu fliesaway to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, withknees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto thefoulest Khrafstras. And thou shalt say these victorious, most healingwords: 'The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts ofVohu-manô to deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves thepoor makes Ahura king. What protector hadst thou given unto me, O Mazda!while the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom, but thy Âtar andVohu-manô, through whose work I keep on the world of Righteousness?Reveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victoriouswho will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide forboth worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-manô and help whomsoever thoupleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta Ârmaiti!Perish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, O worldof the fiend! Perish away, O Drug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, ODrug! Perish away to the regions of the north, never more to give untodeath the living world of Righteousness. '

"Afterwards the man defiled shall sit down, inside the furrows, outsidethe furrows of the six holes, four fingers from those furrows. There heshall cleanse his body with thick handfuls of dust. Fifteen times shallthey take up dust from the ground for him to rub his body, and theyshall wait there until he is dry even to the last hair on his head. Whenhis body is dry with dust, then he shall step over the holes containingwater. At the first hole he shall wash his body once with water; at thesecond hole he shall wash his body twice with water; at the third holehe shall wash his body thrice with water. Then he shall perfume his bodywith Urvâsna, or Vohû-gaona, or Vohû-kereti, or Hadhâ-naêpata, or anyother sweet-smelling plant; then he shall put on his clothes, and shallgo back to his house. He shall sit down there in the place of infirmity, inside the house, apart from the other worshippers of Mazda. He shallnot go near the fire, nor near the water, nor near the earth, nor nearthe cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful, either man or woman. Thus shall he continue until three nights have passed. When three nightshave passed, he shall wash his body, he shall wash his clothes withgômêz and water to make them clean. Then he shall sit down again in theplace of infirmity, inside the house, apart from the other worshippersof Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor near the water, nor nearthe earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful, either man or woman. Thus shall he continue until six nights havepassed. When six nights have passed, he shall wash his body, he shallwash his clothes with gômêz and water to make them clean. Then he shallsit down again in the place of infirmity, inside the house, apart fromthe other worshippers of Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor nearthe water, nor near the earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nornear the faithful, either man or woman. Thus shall he continue, untilnine nights have passed. When nine nights have passed, he shall wash hisbody, he shall wash his clothes with gômêz and water to make them clean. He may thenceforth go near the fire, near the water, near the earth, near the cow, near the trees, and near the faithful, either man orwoman. 

"Thou shalt cleanse a priest for a blessing of the just. Thou shaltcleanse the lord of a province for the value of a camel of high value. Thou shalt cleanse the lord of a town for the value of a stallion ofhigh value. Thou shalt cleanse the lord of a borough for the value of abull of high value. Thou shalt cleanse the master of a house for thevalue of a cow three years old. Thou shalt cleanse the wife of themaster of a house for the value of a ploughing cow. Thou shalt cleanse amenial for the value of a draught cow. Thou shalt cleanse a young childfor the value of a lamb. These are the heads of cattle--flocks orherds--that the worshippers of Mazda shall give to the man who hascleansed them, if they can afford it; if they cannot afford it, theyshall give him any other value that may make him leave their houses wellpleased with them, and free from anger. For if the man who has cleansedthem leave their houses displeased with them, and full of anger, thenthe Drug Nasu enters them from the nose of the dead, from the eyes, fromthe tongue, from the jaws, from the sexual organs, from the hinderparts. And the Drug Nasu rushes upon them even to the end of the nails, and they are unclean thenceforth forever and ever. It grieves the sunindeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! to shine upon a man defiled by the dead;it grieves the moon, it grieves the stars. That man delights them, OSpitama Zarathustra! who cleanses from the Nasu the man defiled by thedead; he delights the fire, he delights the water, he delights theearth, he delights the cow, he delights the trees, he delights thefaithful, both men and women. "

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What shall be his reward, after his soul has parted from his body, who has cleansed from the Nasuthe man defiled by the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The welfare of Paradise thou canst promise to that man, for his rewardin the other world. "

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I fight againstthat Drug who from the dead rushes upon the living? How shall I fightagainst that Nasu who from the dead defiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Say aloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said twice. Sayaloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said thrice. Say aloudthose words in the Gâthas that are to be said four times. And the Drugshall fly away like the well-darted arrow, like the felt of last year, like the annual garment of the earth. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man who does not knowthe rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda, offers to cleansethe unclean, how shall I then fight against that Drug who from the deadrushes upon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from thedead defiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Then, O Spitama Zarathustra! the Drug Nasu appears to wax stronger thanshe was before. Stronger then are sickness and death and the working ofthe fiend than they were before. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the penalty thathe shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The worshippers of Mazda shall bind him; they shall bind his handsfirst; then they shall strip him of his clothes, they shall cut the headoff his neck, and they shall give over his corpse unto the greediest ofthe corpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto thevultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evilthoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, itis remitted by his repentance; if he has committed no other evil deed, he is absolved by his repentance forever and ever. '"

Who is he, O Ahura Mazda! who threatens to take away fulness andincrease from the world, and to bring in sickness and death?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is the ungodly Ashemaogha, O Spitama Zarathustra! who in thismaterial world cleanses the unclean without knowing the rites ofcleansing according to the law of Mazda. For until then, O SpitamaZarathustra! sweetness and fatness would flow out from that land andfrom those fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increaseand growth, and a growing of corn and grass. "

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! When are sweetness andfatness to come back again to that land and to those fields, with healthand healing, with fulness and increase and growth, and a growing of cornand grass?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Sweetness and fatness will never come back again to that land and tothose fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase andgrowth, and a growing of corn and grass, until that ungodly Ashemaoghahas been smitten to death on the spot, and the holy Sraosha of thatplace has been offered up a sacrifice for three days and three nights, with fire blazing, with Baresma tied up, and with Haoma prepared. Thensweetness and fatness will come back again to that land and to thosefields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase and growth, and a growing of corn and grass. "

SPELLS RECITED DURING THE CLEANSING

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Ahura Mazda! most beneficent Spirit, maker of the material world, thouHoly One! How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead rushesupon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the deaddefiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Say aloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said twice. 'I driveaway Angra Mainyu from this house, from this borough, from this town, from this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, fromthe very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of thehouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from thelord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I driveaway the Nasu, I drive away direct defilement, I drive away indirectdefilement, from this house, from this borough, from this town, fromthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from thevery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of thehouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from thelord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. '"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words inthe Gâthas that are to be said thrice?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"'I drive away Indra, I drive away Sauru, I drive away the DevaNaunghaithya from this house, from this borough, from this town, fromthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from thevery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of thehouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from thelord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I driveaway Tauru, I drive away Zairi, from this house, from this borough, fromthis town, from this land; from the very body of the man defiled by thedead, from the very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from themaster of the house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of thetown, from the lord of the land; from the whole of the holy world. '"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words inthe Gâthas that are to be said four times?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"These are the words in the Gâthas that are to be said four times, andthou shalt four times say them aloud: 'I drive away Aêshma, the fiend ofthe murderous spear, I drive away the Deva Akatasha, from this house, from this borough, from this town, from this land; from the very body ofthe man defiled by the dead, from the very body of the woman defiled bythe dead; from the master of the house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the lord of the land; from the whole ofthe world of Righteousness. I drive away the Varenya Devas, I drive awaythe Wind-Deva, from this house, from this borough, from this town, fromthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from thevery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of thehouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from thelord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. '"

TO FIRES, WATERS, PLANTS

We worship thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! We worship the fireBerezi-savangha (of the lofty use), and the fire Vohu-fryâna (the goodand friendly), and the fire Urvâ-zista (the most beneficial and mosthelpful), and the fire Vâzista (the most supporting), and the fireSpenista (the most bountiful), and Nairya-sangha the Yazad of the royallineage, and that fire which is the house-lord of all houses andMazda-made, even the son of Ahura Mazda, the holy lord of the ritualorder, with all the fires. And we worship the good and best watersMazda-made, holy, all the waters Mazda-made and holy, and all the plantswhich Mazda made, and which are holy. And we worship the Mâthra-spenta(the bounteous word-of-reason), the Zarathustrian law against the Devas, and its long descent. And we worship Mount Ushi-darena which isMazda-made and shining with its holiness, and all the mountains shiningwith holiness, and of abundant glory, and which Mazda made. And weworship the good and pious prayer for blessings, and these waters andthese lands, and all the greatest chieftains, lords of the ritual order;and I praise, invoke, and glorify the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashisof the saints, those of the house, the Vîs, the Zantuma, the Dahvyuma, and the Zarathustrôtema, and all the holy Yazads!

TO THE EARTH AND THE SACRED WATERS

And now we worship this earth which bears us, together with Thy wives, OAhura Mazda! yea, those Thy wives do we worship which are so desiredfrom their sanctity. We sacrifice to their zealous wishes, and theircapabilities, their inquiries, and their wise acts of pious reverence, and with these their blessedness, their full vigor and good portions, their good fame and ample wealth. O ye waters! now we worship you, youthat are showered down, and you that stand in pools and vats, and youthat bear forth our loaded vessels, ye female Ahuras of Ahura, you thatserve us in helpful ways, well forded and full-flowing, and effectivefor the bathings, we will seek you and for both the worlds! Thereforedid Ahura Mazda give you names, O ye beneficent ones! when He who madethe good bestowed you. And by these names we worship you, and by them wewould ingratiate ourselves with you, and with them would we bow beforeyou, and direct our prayers to you with free confessions of our debt. Owaters, ye who are productive, and ye maternal ones, ye with heat thatsuckles the frail and needy before birth, ye waters that have once beenrulers of us all, we will now address you as the best, and the mostbountiful; those are yours, those good objects of our offerings, ye longof arm to reach our sickness, or misfortune, ye mothers of our life!

PRAYER FOR HELPERS

And now in these Thy dispensations, O Ahura Mazda! do Thou wisely actfor us, and with abundance with Thy bounty and Thy tenderness astouching us; and grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to oursouls, O Ahura Mazda! Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for thisworld and the spiritual; and now as part thereof do Thou grant that wemay attain to fellowship with Thee, and Thy Righteousness for allduration. And do Thou grant us, O Ahura! men who are righteous, and bothlovers and producers of the Right as well. And give us trained beastsfor the pastures, broken in for riding, and for bearing, that they maybe in helpful companionship with us, and as a source of long enduringvigor, and a means of rejoicing grace to us for this. So let there be akinsman lord for us, with the laborers of the village, and so likewiselet there be the clients. And by the help of those may we arise. So maywe be to You, O Ahura Mazda! holy and true, and with free giving of ourgifts. 

A PRAYER FOR SANCTITY AND ITS BENEFITS

I pray with benedictions for a benefit, and for the good, even for theentire creation of the holy and the clean; I beseech for them thegeneration which is now alive, for that which is just coming into life, and for that which shall be hereafter. And I pray for that sanctitywhich leads to prosperity, and which has long afforded shelter, whichgoes on hand in hand with it, which joins it in its walk, and of itselfbecoming its close companion as it delivers forth its precepts, bearingevery form of healing virtue which comes to us in waters, appertains tocattle, or is found in plants, and overwhelming all the harmful maliceof the Devas, and their servants who might harm this dwelling and itslord, bringing good gifts, and better blessings, given very early, andlater gifts, leading to successes, and for a long time giving shelter. And so the greatest, and the best, and most beautiful benefits ofsanctity fall likewise to our lot for the sacrifice, homage, propitiation, and the praise of the Bountiful Immortals, for thebringing prosperity to this abode, and for the prosperity of the entirecreation of the holy, and the clean, and as for this, so for theopposition of the entire evil creation. And I pray for this as I praisethrough Righteousness, I who am beneficent, those who are likewise of abetter mind. 

TO THE FIRE

I offer my sacrifice and homage to thee, the Fire, as a good offering, and an offering with our hail of salvation, even as an offering ofpraise with benedictions, to thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! Meetfor sacrifice art thou, and worthy of our homage. And as meet forsacrifice, and thus worthy of our homage, mayest thou be in the housesof men who worship Mazda. Salvation be to this man who worships thee inverity and truth, with wood in hand, and Baresma ready, with flesh inhand, and holding too the mortar. And mayest thou be ever fed with woodas the prescription orders. Yea, mayest thou have thy perfume justly, and thy sacred butter without fail, and thine andirons regularly placed. Be of full-age as to thy nourishment, of the canon's age as to themeasure of thy food, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's son! Be now aflame withinthis house; be ever without fail in flame; be all a-shine within thishouse; be on thy growth within this house; for long time be thou thus tothe furtherance of the heroic renovation, to the completion of allprogress, yea, even till the good heroic millennial time when thatrenovation shall have become complete. Give me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda'sson! a speedy glory, speedy nourishment, and speedy booty, and abundantglory, abundant nourishment, abundant booty, an expanded mind, andnimbleness of tongue for soul and understanding, even an understandingcontinually growing in its largeness, and that never wanders, and longenduring virile power, an offspring sure of foot, that never sleeps onwatch, and that rises quick from bed, and likewise a wakeful offspring, helpful to nurture, or reclaim, legitimate, keeping order in men'smeetings, yea, drawing men to assemblies through their influence andword, grown to power, skilful, redeeming others from oppression, servedby many followers, which may advance my line in prosperity and fame, andmy Vîs, and my Bantu, and my province, yea, an offering which maydeliver orders to the Province as firm and righteous rulers. And mayestthou grant me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's Son! that whereby instructors maybe given me, now and for evermore, giving light to me of Heaven, thebest life of the saints, brilliant, all glorious. And may I haveexperience of the good reward, and the good renown, and of the longforecasting preparation of the soul. The Fire of Ahura Mazda addressesthis admonition to all for whom he cooks the night and morning meal. From all these, O Spitama! he wishes to secure good care, and healthfulcare as guarding for salvation, the care of a true praiser. At both thehands of all who come by me, I, the Fire, keenly look: What brings themate to his mate, the one who walks at large, to him who sits at home?We worship the bounteous Fire, the swift-driving charioteer. And if thisman who passes brings him wood brought with sacred care, or if he bringsthe Baresma spread with sanctity, or the Hadhâ-naêpata plant, thenafterwards Ahura Mazda's Fire will bless him, contented, not offended, and in its satisfaction saying thus: May a herd of kine be with thee, and a multitude of men, may an active mind go with thee, and an activesoul as well. As a blest soul mayest thou live through thy life, thenights which thou shall live. This is the blessing of the Fire for himwho brings it wood well dried, sought out for flaming, purified with theearnest blessing of the sacred ritual truth. We strive after the flowingon of the good waters, and their ebb as well, and the sounding of theirwaves, desiring their propitiation; I desire to approach them with mypraise. 

TO THE BOUNTIFUL IMMORTALS

I would worship these with my sacrifice, those who rule aright, and whodispose of all aright, and this one especially I would approach with mypraise (Ahura Mazda). He is thus hymned in our praise-songs. Yea, weworship in our sacrifice that deity and lord, who is Ahura Mazda, theCreator, the gracious helper, the maker of all good things; and weworship in our sacrifice Spitama Zarathustra, that chieftain of therite. And we would declare those institutions established for us, exactand undeviating as they are. And I would declare forth those of AhuraMazda, those of the Good Mind, and of Asha Vahista, and those ofKhshatra-vairya, and those of the Bountiful Âramaiti, and those of Wealand Immortality, and those which appertain to the body of the Kine, andto the Kine's soul, and those which appertain to Ahura Mazda's Fire, andthose of Sraosha the blessed, and of Rashnu the most just, and those ofMithra of the wide pastures, and of the good and holy Wind, and of thegood Mazdayasnian Religion, and of the good and pious Prayer forblessings, and those of the good and pious Prayer which frees one frombelying, and the good and pious Prayer for blessing against unbelievingwords. And these we would declare in order that we may attain unto thatspeech which is uttered with true religious zeal, or that we may be asprophets of the provinces, that we may succor him who lifts his voicefor Mazda, that we may be as prophets who smite with victory, thebefriended of Ahura Mazda, and persons the most useful to him, holy menwho think good thoughts, and speak good words, and do good deeds. Thathe may approach us with the Good Mind, and that our souls may advance ingood, let it thus come; yea, "how may my soul advance in good? let itthus advance. "

PRAISE OF THE HOLY BULL

Hail, bounteous bull! Hail to thee, beneficent bull! Hail to thee, whomakest increase! Hail to thee, who makest growth! Hail to thee, who dostbestow his part upon the righteous faithful, and wilt bestow it on thefaithful yet unborn! Hail to thee, whom the Gahi kills, and the ungodlyAshemaogha, and the wicked tyrant. 

TO RAIN AS A HEALING POWER

"Come, come on, O clouds, from up above, down on the earth, by thousandsof drops, by myriads of drops"--thus say, O holy Zarathustra! "todestroy sickness, to destroy death, to destroy the sickness that kills, to destroy death that kills, to destroy Gadha and Apagadha. If deathcome after noon, may healing come at eve! If death come at eve, mayhealing come at night! If death come at night, may healing come at dawn!And showers shower down new water, new earth, new plants, new healingpowers, and new healing. "

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE SUN

"As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising upand going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth andup the aerial way: thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising andgrowing Ahura Mazda made the aerial way. Up! rise up and roll along!thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for theworld, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide inGarô-nmânem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by thegods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Word shall keep away theevil. Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth and growth; of thee, Owoman! I will make the body and the strength pure; I make thee rich inchildren and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in fat, in marrow, andin offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand pure springs, runningtowards the pastures that give food to the child. "

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE MOON

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising upand going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth andup the aërial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising andgrowing Ahura Mazda made the earth. Up! rise up, thou Moon, that dostkeep in thee the seed of the bull; rise up above Hara Berezaiti, andproduce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, ifthou art to abide in Garô-nmânem, along the path made by Mazda, alongthe way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Wordshall keep away the evil: Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth andgrowth; of thee, O woman! I will make the body and the strength pure; Imake thee rich in children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, infat, in marrow, and in offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand puresprings, running towards the pastures that give food to the child. 

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE STARS

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising upand going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth andup the aërial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising andgrowing Ahura Mazda made everything that grows. Up! rise up, ye deepStars, that have in you the seed of waters; rise up above HaraBerezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! riseup there, if thou art to abide in Garô-nmânem, along the path made byMazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. Thusrise up and roll along! ye in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda madeeverything that rises. In your rising, away will the Kahvuzi fly andcry; away will the Ayêhi fly and cry; away will the Gahi, who followsthe Yâtu, fly and cry. 

THE DHAMMAPADA

Translation by F. Max Müller

INTRODUCTION

The "Dhammapada, " or "Path to Virtue, " is one of the most practicalethical hand-books of Buddhism. It is included in the canon ofBuddhistic Scriptures, and is one of the Eastern books which can be readwith delight to-day by those who are classed as general readers. It isdivided into twenty-six chapters, and the keynote of it is struck by thesentence "The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy inthe next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good hehas done; he is still more happy when going on the good path. " The firststep in the "good path" is earnestness, for as the writer says, "Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness thepath of death; those who are in earnest do not die, those who arethoughtless are as if dead already. " Earnestness, in this connection, evidently means the power of reflection, and of abstracting the mindfrom mundane things. There is something very inspiring in the sentence, "When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise, climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools: freefrom sorrow he looks upon the sorrowing crowd, as one that stands on amountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain. " This remindsus of Lucretius, "How sweet to stand, when tempests tear the main, On the firm cliff, and mark the seaman's toil! Not that another's danger soothes the soul, But from such toil how sweet to feel secure! How sweet, at distance from the strife, to view Contending hosts, and hear the clash of war! But sweeter far on Wisdom's height serene, Upheld by Truth, to fix our firm abode; To watch the giddy crowd that, deep below, Forever wander in pursuit of bliss; To mark the strife for honors, and renown, For wit and wealth, insatiate, ceaseless urged, Day after day, with labor unrestrained. "

It is curious to see the atheistic Epicurean and the devout Buddhistmeeting on a common ground. But the beauties of the "Dhammapada" canonly be realized by a careful study of this charming work. We wouldpoint out, for instance, in the chapter on Flowers, what is a piece ofgolden advice to all readers of books: "The disciple will find out theplainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower. "

Neither the date nor the authorship of the "Dhammapada" is known, butthere is conclusive evidence that this canon existed before theChristian era. Many scholars agree in ascribing its utterances to Buddhahimself, while others are of the opinion that it is a compilation madeby Buddhist monks from various sources. 

E. W. 

THE DHAMMAPADA

CHAPTER I

THE TWIN-VERSES

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded onour thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or actswith an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot ofthe ox that draws the carriage. 

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded onour thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or actswith a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that neverleaves him. 

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me"--in those whoharbor such thoughts hatred will never cease. 

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me"--in those whodo not harbor such thoughts hatred will cease. 

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases bylove--this is an old rule. 

The world does not know that we must all come to an end here; but thosewho know it, their quarrels cease at once. 

He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mâra (the tempter) willcertainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree. 

He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mâra will certainly notoverthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain. 

He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himselffrom sin, who disregards also temperance and truth, is unworthy of theyellow dress. 

But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in allvirtues, and endowed also with temperance and truth: he is indeed worthyof the yellow dress. 

They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, neverarrive 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, passion will break throughan unreflecting mind. 

As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will notbreak through a well-reflecting mind. 

The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he mournsin both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil result of his ownwork. 

The virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the next; hedelights in both. He delights and rejoices, when he sees the purity ofhis own work. 

The evil-doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next; hesuffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has done; hesuffers more when going on the evil path. 

The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the next; heis happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done; heis still more happy when going on the good path. 

The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion of the law, but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is like acow-herd counting the cows of others. 

The follower of the law, even if he can recite only a small portion ofthe law, but, having forsaken passion and hatred and foolishness, possesses true knowledge and serenity of mind, he, caring for nothing inthis world or that to come, has indeed a share in the priesthood. 

CHAPTER II

ON EARNESTNESS

Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvâna), thoughtlessness thepath of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who arethoughtless are as if dead already. 

Having understood this clearly, those who are advanced in earnestnessdelight in earnestness, and rejoice in the knowledge of the elect. 

These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strongpowers, attain to Nirvâna, the highest happiness. 

If an earnest person has roused himself, if he is not forgetful, if hisdeeds are pure, if he acts with consideration, if he restrains himself, and lives according to law--then his glory will increase. 

By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the wiseman may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm. 

Fools follow after vanity. The wise man keeps earnestness as his bestjewel. 

Follow not after vanity, nor after the enjoyment of love and lust! Hewho is earnest and meditative, obtains ample joy. 

When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise, climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools: freefrom sorrow he looks upon the sorrowing crowd, as one that stands on amountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain. 

Earnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise manadvances like a racer, leaving behind the hack. 

By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods. People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed. 

A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in earnestness, who looks with fearon thoughtlessness, moves about like fire, burning all his fetters, small or large. 

A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in reflection, who looks with fear onthoughtlessness, cannot fall away from his perfect state--he is closeupon Nirvâna. 

CHAPTER III

THOUGHT

As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight histrembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficultto hold back. 

As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on the dry ground, ourthought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mâra, thetempter. 

It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness. 

Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guardedbring happiness. 

Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, iswithout a body, and hides in the chamber of the heart, will be free fromthe bonds of Mâra, the tempter. 

If a man's faith is unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if hispeace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect. 

If a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not perplexed, ifhe has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no fear for himwhile he is watchful. 

Knowing that this body is fragile like a jar, and making his thoughtfirm like a fortress, one should attack Mâra, the tempter, with theweapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and shouldnever rest. 

Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, withoutunderstanding, like a useless log. 

Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, awrongly-directed mind will do him greater mischief. 

Not a mother, not a father, will do so much, nor any other relatives; awell-directed mind will do us greater service. 

CHAPTER IV

FLOWERS

Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama, the lord of thedeparted, and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainlyshown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower?

The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and theworld of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path ofvirtue, as a clever man finds the right flower. 

He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is asunsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of Mâra, and never see the king of death. 

Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind isdistracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village. 

Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind isdistracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures. 

As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, orits color or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village. 

Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission oromission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take noticeof. 

Like a beautiful flower, full of color, but without scent, are the finebut fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly. 

But, like a beautiful flower, full of color and full of scent, are thefine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly. 

As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so manygood things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born. 

The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor that ofsandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mallikâ flowers; but the odor of goodpeople travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place. 

Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassikî, among these sortsof perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed. 

Mean is the scent that comes from Tagara and sandal-wood; the perfume ofthose who possess virtue rises up to the gods as the highest. 

Of the people who possess these virtues, who live withoutthoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, Mâra, the tempter, never finds the way. 

As on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway the lily will grow full ofsweet perfume and delight, thus among those who are mere rubbish thedisciple of the truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledgeabove the blinded worldling. 

CHAPTER V

THE FOOL

Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who istired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law. 

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 companionshipwith a fool. 

"These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to me, " with suchthoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself; howmuch less sons and wealth?

The fool who knows his foolishness, is wise at least so far. But a foolwho thinks himself wise, he is called a fool indeed. 

If a fool be associated with a wise man even all his life, he willperceive the truth as little as a spoon perceives the taste of soup. 

If an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste ofsoup. 

Fools of poor understanding have themselves for their greatest enemies, for they do evil deeds which bear bitter fruits. 

That deed is not well done of which a man must repent, and the reward ofwhich he receives crying and with a tearful face. 

No, that deed is well done of which a man does not repent, and thereward of which he receives gladly and cheerfully. 

As long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it islike honey; but when it ripens, then the fool suffers grief. 

Let a fool month after month eat his food (like an ascetic) with the tipof a blade of Ku['s]a-grass, yet is he not worth the sixteenth particleof those who have well weighed the law. 

An evil deed, like newly-drawn milk, does not turn suddenly;smouldering, like fire covered by ashes, it follows the fool. 

And when the evil deed, after it has become known, turns to sorrow forthe fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his head. 

Let the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence among theBhikshus, for lordship in the convents, for worship among other people!

"May both the layman and he who has left the world think that this isdone by me; may they be subject to me in everything which is to be doneor is not to be done, " thus is the mind of the fool, and his desire andpride increase. 

"One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads toNirvâna"--if the Bhikshu, the disciple of Buddha, has learnt this, hewill not yearn for honor, he will strive after separation from theworld. 

CHAPTER VI

THE WISE MAN

If you see a man who shows you what is to be avoided, who administersreproofs, and is intelligent, follow that wise man as you would one whotells of hidden treasures; it will be better, not worse, for him whofollows him. 

Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is improper!--hewill be beloved of the good, by the bad he will be hated. 

Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends:have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men. 

He who drinks in the law lives happily with a serene mind: the sagerejoices always in the law, as preached by the elect. 

Well-makers lead the water wherever they like; fletchers bend the arrow;carpenters bend a log of wood; wise people fashion themselves. 

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not amidstblame and praise. 

Wise people, after they have listened to the laws, become serene, like adeep, smooth, and still lake. 

Good men indeed walk warily under all circumstances; good men speak notout of a desire for sensual gratification; whether touched by happinessor sorrow wise people never appear elated or depressed. 

If, whether for his own sake, or for the sake of others, a man wishesneither for a son, nor for wealth, nor for lordship, and if he does notwish for his own success by unfair means, then he is good, wise, andvirtuous. 

Few are there among men who arrive at the other shore (become Arhats);the other people here run up and down the shore. 

But those who, when the law has been well preached to them, follow thelaw, will pass over the dominion of death, however difficult to cross. 

A wise man should leave the dark state of ordinary life, and follow thebright state of the Bhikshu. After going from his home to a homelessstate, he should in his retirement look for enjoyment where enjoymentseemed difficult. Leaving all pleasures behind, and calling nothing hisown, the wise man should purge himself from all the troubles of themind. 

Those whose mind is well grounded in the seven elements of knowledge, who without clinging to anything, rejoice in freedom from attachment, whose appetites have been conquered, and who are full of light, they arefree even in this world. 

CHAPTER VII

THE VENERABLE

There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, andabandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off allfetters. 

They exert themselves with their thoughts well-collected, they do nottarry in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leavetheir house and home. 

Men who have no riches, who live on recognized food, who have perceivedvoid and unconditioned freedom (Nirvâna), their path is difficult tounderstand, like that of birds in the air. 

He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, whohas perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvâna), his path isdifficult to understand, like that of birds in the air. 

The gods even envy him whose senses, like horses well broken in by thedriver, have been subdued, who is free from pride, and free fromappetites; such a one who does his duty is tolerant like the earth, orlike a threshold; he is like a lake without mud; no new births are instore for him. 

His thought is quiet, quiet are his word and deed, when he has obtainedfreedom by true knowledge, when he has thus become a quiet man. 

The man who is free from credulity, but knows the uncreated, who has cutall ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is thegreatest of men. 

In a hamlet or in a forest, on sea or on dry land, wherever venerablepersons (Arahanta) dwell, that place is delightful. 

Forests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there thepassionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures. 

CHAPTER VIII

THE THOUSANDS

Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senselesswords, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomesquiet. 

Even though a Gâthâ (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up ofsenseless words, one word of a Gâthâ is better, which if a man hears, hebecomes quiet. 

Though a man recite a hundred Gâthâs made up of senseless words, oneword of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet. 

If one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and ifanother conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors. 

One's own self conquered is better than all other people; not even agod, a Gandharva, not Mâra (with Brâhman) could change into defeat thevictory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives underrestraint. 

If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month by month with a thousand, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is groundedin true knowledge, better is that homage than a sacrifice for a hundredyears. 

If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and ifhe but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in trueknowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years. 

Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblationfor a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth aquarter a farthing; reverence shown to the righteous is better. 

He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things willincrease to him: life, beauty, happiness, power. 

But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life ofone day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting. 

And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life ofone day is better if a man is wise and reflecting. 

And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day isbetter if a man has attained firm strength. 

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a lifeof one day is better if a man sees beginning and end. 

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a lifeof one day is better if a man sees the immortal place. 

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life ofone day is better if a man sees the highest law. 

CHAPTER IX

EVIL

A man should hasten towards the good, and should keep his thought awayfrom evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights inevil. 

If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight insin: the accumulation of evil is painful. 

If a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it:the accumulation of good is delightful. 

Even an evil-doer sees happiness so long as his evil deed does notripen; but when his evil deed ripens, then does the evil-doer see evil. 

Even a good man sees evil days so long as his good deed does not ripen;but when his good deed ripens, then does the good man see good things. 

Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not comenigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled;the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little. 

Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not comenigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled;the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little bylittle. 

Let a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if he has few companions andcarries much wealth, avoids a dangerous road; as a man who loves lifeavoids poison. 

He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand; poisondoes not affect one who has no wound; nor is there evil for one who doesnot commit evil. 

If a man offend a harmless, pure, and innocent person, the evil fallsback upon that fool, like light dust thrown up against the wind. 

Some people are born again; evil-doers go to hell; righteous people goto heaven; those who are free from all worldly desires attain Nirvâna. 

Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into theclefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world wherea man might be freed from an evil deed. 

Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into theclefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world wheredeath could not overcome the mortal. 

CHAPTER X

PUNISHMENT

All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that you arelike unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. 

All men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that thou artlike unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. 

He who, seeking his own happiness, punishes or kills beings who alsolong for happiness, will not find happiness after death. 

He who, seeking his own happiness, does not punish or kill beings whoalso long for happiness, will find happiness after death. 

Do not speak harshly to anyone; those who are spoken to will answer theein the same way. Angry speech is painful: blows for blows will touchthee. 

If, like a shattered metal plate (gong), thou utter nothing, then thouhast reached Nirvâna; anger is not known to thee. 

As a cow-herd with his staff drives his cows into the stable, so do Ageand Death drive the life of men. 

A fool does not know when he commits his evil deeds: but the wicked manburns by his own deeds, as if burnt by fire. 

He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come toone of these ten states:--

He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavyaffliction, or loss of mind. 

A misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or loss ofrelations, or destruction of treasures. 

Lightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, thefool will go to hell. 

Not nakedness, not platted hair, not dirt, not fasting, or lying on theearth, not rubbing with dust, not sitting motionless, can purify amortal who has not overcome desires. 

He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, isquiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault withall other beings, he indeed is a Brâhmana, an ascetic (Sramana), a friar(Bhikshu). 

Is there in this world any man so restrained by shame that he does notprovoke reproof, as a noble horse the whip?

Like a noble horse when touched by the whip, be ye strenuous and eager, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of thelaw, you will overcome this great pain, perfect in knowledge and inbehavior, and never forgetful. 

Well-makers lead the water wherever they like; fletchers bend the arrow;carpenters bend a log of wood; good people fashion themselves. 

CHAPTER XI

OLD AGE

How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is alwaysburning? Do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness?

Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly, full of many schemes, but which has no strength, no hold!

This body is wasted, full of sickness, and frail; this heap ofcorruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death. 

After one has looked at those gray bones, thrown away like gourds in theautumn, what pleasure is there left in life!

After a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with fleshand blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and deceit. 

The brilliant chariots of kings are destroyed, the body also approachesdestruction, but the virtue of good people never approachesdestruction--thus do the good say to the good. 

A man who has learnt little, grows old like an ox; his flesh grows, buthis knowledge does not grow. 

Looking for the maker of this tabernacle, I have run through a course ofmany births, not finding him; and painful is birth again and again. Butnow, maker of the tabernacle, thou hast been seen; thou shalt not makeup this tabernacle again. All thy rafters are broken, thy ridge-pole issundered; the mind, approaching the Eternal (Visankhâra, Nirvâna), hasattained to the extinction of all desires. 

Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained wealthin their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish. 

Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained wealthin their youth, lie, like broken bows, sighing after the past. 

CHAPTER XII

SELF

If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during oneat least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful. 

Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him teachothers; thus a wise man will not suffer. 

If a man make himself as he teaches others to be, then, being himselfwell subdued, he may subdue others; for one's own self is difficult tosubdue. 

Self is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self wellsubdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find. 

The evil done by one's self, self-forgotten, self-bred, crushes thefoolish, as a diamond breaks even a precious stone. 

He whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to that statewhere his enemy wishes him to be, as a creeper does with the tree whichit surrounds. 

Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to do; what isbeneficial and good, that is very difficult to do. 

The foolish man who scorns the rule of the venerable (Arhat), of theelect (Ariya), of the virtuous, and follows a false doctrine, he bearsfruit to his own destruction, like the fruits of the Katthaka reed. 

By one's self the evil is done, by one's self one suffers; by one's selfevil is left undone, by one's self one is purified. The pure and theimpure stand and fall by themselves, no one can purify another. 

Let no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however great;let a man, after he has discerned his own duty, be always attentive tohis duty. 

CHAPTER XIII

THE WORLD

Do not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do notfollow false doctrine! Be not a friend of the world. 

Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The virtuousrest in bliss in this world and in the next. 

Follow the law of virtue; do not follow that of sin. The virtuous restin bliss in this world and in the next. 

Look upon the world as you would on a bubble, look upon it as you wouldon a mirage: the king of death does not see him who thus looks down uponthe world. 

Come, look at this world, glittering like a royal chariot; the foolishare immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it. 

He who formerly was reckless and afterwards became sober brightens upthis world, like the moon when freed from clouds. 

He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds, brightens up this world, like the moon when freed from clouds. 

This world is dark, few only can see here; a few only go to heaven, likebirds escaped from the net. 

The swans go on the path of the sun, they go miraculously through theether; the wise are led out of this world, when they have conquered Mâraand his train. 

If a man has transgressed the one law, and speaks lies, and scoffs atanother world, there is no evil he will not do. 

The uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do notpraise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through itbecomes blessed in the other world. 

Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven, better than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of Sotâpatti, thefirst step in holiness. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE BUDDHA--THE AWAKENED

He whose conquest cannot be conquered again, into whose conquest no onein this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, theOmniscient, the trackless?

He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by whattrack can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless?

Even the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who aregiven to meditation, who are wise, and who delight in the repose ofretirement from the world. 

Difficult to obtain is the conception of men, difficult is the life ofmortals, difficult is the hearing of the True Law, difficult is thebirth of the Awakened (the attainment of Buddhahood). 

Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is theteaching of all the Awakened. 

The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering thehighest Nirvâna; for he is not an anchorite (Pravra-gita) who strikesothers, he is not an ascetic (Sramana) who insults others. 

Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to bemoderate in eating, to sleep and sit alone, and to dwell on the highestthoughts--this is the teaching of the Awakened. 

There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he whoknows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise; even inheavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fullyawakened delights only in the destruction of all desires. 

Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, togroves and sacred trees. 

But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is notdelivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge. 

He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who, withclear understanding, sees the four holy truths: pain, the origin ofpain, the destruction of pain, and the eightfold holy way that leads tothe quieting of pain;--that is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge;having gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain. 

A supernatural person (a Buddha) is not easily found: he is not borneverywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers. 

Happy is the arising of the Awakened, happy is the teaching of the TrueLaw, happy is peace in the church, happy is the devotion of those whoare at peace. 

He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened(Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host of evils, and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as havefound deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured byanyone. 

CHAPTER XV

HAPPINESS

We live happily indeed, not hating those who hate us! among men who hateus we dwell free from hatred! We live happily indeed, free from ailmentsamong the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free fromailments!

We live happily indeed, free from greed among the greedy! among men whoare greedy let us dwell free from greed!

We live happily indeed, though we call nothing our own! We shall be likethe bright gods, feeding on happiness!

Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given upboth victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy. 

There is no fire like passion; there is no losing throw like hatred;there is no pain like this body; there is no happiness higher than rest. 

Hunger is the worst of diseases, the elements of the body the greatestevil; if one knows this truly, that is Nirvâna, the highest happiness. 

Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust isthe best of relationships, Nirvâna the highest happiness. 

He who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquillity, is freefrom fear and free from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of drinkingin the law. 

The sight of the elect (Ariya) is good, to live with them is alwayshappiness; if a man does not see fools, he will be truly happy. 

He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company withfools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise ispleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk. 

Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned, the much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to follow such agood and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars. 

CHAPTER XVI

PLEASURE

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 timeenvy him who has exerted himself in meditation. 

Let no man ever cling to what is pleasant, or to what is unpleasant. Notto see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what isunpleasant. 

Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil. Thosewho love nothing, and hate nothing, have no fetters. 

From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free frompleasure knows neither grief nor fear. 

From affection comes grief, from affection comes fear; he who is freefrom affection knows neither grief nor fear. 

From lust comes grief, from lust comes fear; he who is free from lustknows neither grief nor fear. 

From love comes grief, from love comes fear; he who is free from loveknows neither grief nor fear. 

From greed comes grief, from greed comes fear; he who is free from greedknows neither grief nor fear. 

He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks the truth, and does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear. 

He in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirvâna) has sprung up, who inhis mind is satisfied, and whose thoughts are not bewildered by love, heis called ûrdhvamsrotas (carried upwards by the stream). 

Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, andreturns safe from afar. 

In like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and hasgone from this world to the other;--as kinsmen receive a friend on hisreturn. 

CHAPTER XVII

ANGER

Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome allbondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name andform, and who calls nothing his own. 

He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a realdriver; other people are but holding the reins. 

Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let himovercome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked forlittle; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods. 

The sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body, theywill go to the unchangeable place (Nirvâna), where, if they have gone, they will suffer no more. 

Those who are ever watchful, who study day and night, and who striveafter Nirvâna, their passions will come to an end. 

This is an old saying, O Atula, this is not as if of to-day: "They blamehim who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also blame himwho says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed. "

There never was, there never will be, nor is there now, a man who isalways blamed, or a man who is always praised. 

But he whom those who discriminate praise continually day after day, aswithout blemish, wise, rich in knowledge and virtue, who would dare toblame him, like a coin made of gold from the Gambû river? Even the godspraise him, he is praised even by Brâhman. 

Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of thebody, and with thy body practise virtue!

Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave thesins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!

Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins ofthe mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!

The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise whocontrol their mind, are indeed well controlled. 

CHAPTER XVIII

IMPURITY

Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have comenear to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hastno provision for thy journey. 

Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities areblown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into theheavenly world of the elect (Ariya). 

Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to death (Yama), thereis no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no provision forthy journey. 

Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities areblown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again intobirth and decay. 

Let a wise man blow off the impurities of himself, as a smith blows offthe impurities of silver, one by one, little by little, and from time totime. 

As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from it, destroys it; thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evilpath. 

The taint of prayers is non-repetition; the taint of houses, non-repair;the taint of complexion is sloth; the taint of a watchman, thoughtlessness. 

Bad conduct is the taint of woman, niggardliness the taint of abenefactor; tainted are all evil ways, in this world and in the next. 

But there is a taint worse than all taints--ignorance is the greatesttaint. O mendicants! throw off that taint, and become taintless!

Life is easy to live for a man who is without shame: a crow hero, amischief-maker, an insulting, bold, and wretched fellow. 

But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what ispure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent. 

He who destroys life, who speaks untruth, who in the world takes what isnot given him, who goes to another man's wife; and the man who giveshimself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he, even in this world, digsup his own root. 

O man, know this, that the unrestrained are in a bad state; take carethat greediness and vice do not bring thee to grief for a long time!

The world gives according to their faith or according to their pleasure:if a man frets about the food and the drink given to others, he willfind no rest either by day or by night. 

He in whom that feeling is destroyed, and taken out with the very root, finds rest by day and by night. 

There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there isno snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed. 

The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of one's self isdifficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbor's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from theplayer. 

If a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined to beoffended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the destructionof passions. 

There is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana outwardly. Theworld delights in vanity, the Tathâgatas (the Buddhas) are free fromvanity. 

There is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana outwardly. Nocreatures are eternal; but the awakened (Buddha) are never shaken. 

CHAPTER XIX

THE JUST

A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he whodistinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and guides others, not by violence, but by the same law, being a guardian of the law andintelligent, he is called just. 

A man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free fromhatred and fear, he is called learned. 

A man is not a supporter of the law because he talks much; even if a manhas learnt little, but sees the law bodily, he is a supporter of thelaw, a man who never neglects the law. 

A man is not an elder because his head is gray; his age may be ripe, buthe is called "Old-in-vain. "

He in whom there is truth, virtue, pity, restraint, moderation, he whois free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder. 

An envious, stingy, dishonest man does not become respectable by meansof much talking only, or by the beauty of his complexion. 

He in whom all this is destroyed, and taken out with the very root, he, when freed from hatred, is called respectable. 

Not by tonsure does an undisciplined man who speaks falsehood become aSamana; can a man be a Samana who is still held captive by desire andgreediness?

He who always quiets the evil, whether small or large, he is called aSamana (a quiet man), because he has quieted all evil. 

A man is not a mendicant (Bhikshu) simply because he asks others foralms; he who adopts the whole law is a Bhikshu, not he who only begs. 

He who is above good and evil, who is chaste, who with care passesthrough the world, he indeed is called a Bhikshu. 

A man is not a Muni because he observes silence if he is foolish andignorant; but the wise who, as with the balance, chooses the good andavoids evil, he is a Muni, and is a Muni thereby; he who in this worldweighs both sides is called a Muni. 

A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures;because he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man calledAriya. 

Not only by discipline and vows, not only by much learning, not byentering into a trance, not by sleeping alone, do I earn the happinessof release which no worldling can know. O Bhikshu, he who has obtainedthe extinction of desires has obtained confidence. 

CHAPTER XX

THE WAY

The best of ways is the eightfold; the best of truths the four words;the best of virtues passionlessness; the best of men he who has eyes tosee. 

This is the way, there is no other that leads to the purifying ofintelligence. Go on this path! This is the confusion of Mâra, thetempter. 

If you go on this way, you will make an end of pain! The way preached byme, when I had understood the removal of the thorns in the flesh. 

You yourself must make an effort. The Tathâgatas (Buddhas) are onlypreachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondageof Mâra. 

"All created things perish, " he who knows and sees this becomes passivein pain; this is the way to purity. 

"All created things are grief and pain, " he who knows and sees thisbecomes passive in pain; this is the way that leads to purity. 

"All forms are unreal, " he who knows and sees this becomes passive inpain; this is the way that leads to purity. 

He who does not rouse himself when it is time to rise, who, though youngand strong, is full of sloth, whose will and thought are weak, that lazyand idle man never finds the way to knowledge. 

Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never commit anywrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of actionclear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise. 

Through zeal knowledge is gained, through lack of zeal knowledge islost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus placehimself that knowledge may grow. 

Cut down the whole forest of desires, not a tree only! Danger comes outof the forest of desires. When you have cut down both the forest ofdesires and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of theforest and of desires!

So long as the desire of man towards women, even the smallest, is notdestroyed, so long is his mind in bondage, as the calf that drinks milkis to its mother. 

Cut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with thy hand! Cherishthe road of peace. Nirvâna has been shown by Sugata (Buddha). 

"Here I shall dwell in the rain, here in winter and summer, " thus thefool meditates, and does not think of death. 

Death comes and carries off that man, honored for his children andflocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village. 

Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help fromkinsfolk for one whom death has seized. 

A wise and well-behaved man who knows the meaning of this should quicklyclear the way that leads to Nirvâna. 

CHAPTER XXI

MISCELLANEOUS

If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise manleave the small pleasure, and look to the great. 

He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure forhimself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free fromhatred. 

What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done;the desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing. 

But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body, whodo not follow what ought not to be done, and who steadfastly do whatought to be done, the desires of such watchful and wise people will cometo an end. 

A true Brâhmana goes scathless, though he have killed father and mother, and two valiant kings, though he has destroyed a kingdom with all itssubjects. 

A true Brâhmana goes scathless, though he have killed father and mother, and two holy kings, and an eminent man besides. 

The disciples of Gotama (Buddha) are always well awake, and theirthoughts day and night are always set on Buddha. 

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts dayand night are always set on the law. 

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts dayand night are always set on the church. 

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts dayand night are always set on their body. 

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day andnight always delights in compassion. 

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day andnight always delights in meditation. 

It is hard to leave the world to become a friar, it is hard to enjoy theworld; hard is the monastery, painful are the houses; painful it is todwell with equals to share everything in common, and the itinerantmendicant is beset with pain. Therefore let no man be an itinerantmendicant, and he will not be beset with pain. 

A man full of faith, if endowed with virtue and glory, is respected, whatever place he may choose. 

Good people shine from afar, like the snowy mountains; bad people arenot seen, like arrows shot by night. 

Sitting alone, lying down alone, walking alone without ceasing, andalone subduing himself, let a man be happy near the edge of a forest. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE DOWNWARD COURSE

He who says what is not goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal: they are men withevil deeds in the next world. 

Many men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown areill-conditioned and unrestrained; such evil-doers by their evil deeds goto hell. 

Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring fire, than that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of theland. 

Four things does a reckless man gain who covets his neighbor'swife--demerit, an uncomfortable bed, thirdly, punishment, and lastly, hell. 

There is demerit, and the evil way to hell: there is the short pleasureof the frightened in the arms of the frightened, and the king imposesheavy punishment; therefore let no man think of his neighbor's wife. 

As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practisedasceticism leads to hell. 

An act carelessly performed, a broken vow, and hesitating obedience todiscipline (Brâhma-kariyam), all these bring no great reward. 

If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack itvigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passionsmore widely. 

An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards;a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent. 

Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, solet a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for they who allowthe right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell. 

They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and arenot ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracingfalse doctrines, enter the evil path. 

They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they oughtto fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path. 

They who see sin where there is no sin, and see no sin where there issin, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path. 

They who see sin where there is sin, and no sin where there is no sin, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter the good path. 

CHAPTER XXIII

THE ELEPHANT

Silently I endured abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrowsent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured. 

They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant;the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse. 

Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants withlarge tusks; but he who tames himself is better still. 

For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country(Nirvâna), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal--on his ownwell-tamed self. 

The elephant called Dhanapâlaka, his temples running with pungent sap, and who is difficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; theelephant longs for the elephant grove. 

If a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rollshimself about, that fool, like a hog fed on grains, is born again andagain. 

This mind of mine went formerly wandering about as it liked, as itlisted, as it pleased; but I shall now hold it in thoroughly, as therider who holds the hook holds in the furious elephant. 

Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evilway, like an elephant sunk in mud. 

If a man find a prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and livessoberly, he may walk with him, overcoming all dangers, happy, butconsiderate. 

If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, andlives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left hisconquered country behind--like an elephant in the forest. 

It is better to live alone: there is no companionship with a fool; let aman walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like an elephantin the forest. 

If the occasion arises, friends are pleasant; enjoyment is pleasant, whatever be the cause; a good work is pleasant in the hour of death; thegiving up of all grief is pleasant. 

Pleasant in the world is the state of a mother, pleasant the state of afather, pleasant the state of a Samana, pleasant the state of aBrâhmana. 

Pleasant is virtue lasting to old age, pleasant is a faith firmlyrooted; pleasant is attainment of intelligence, pleasant is avoiding ofsins. 

CHAPTER XXIV

THIRST

The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from lifeto life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest. 

Whomsoever this fierce poisonous thirst overcomes, in this world, hissufferings increase like the abounding Bîrana grass. 

But from him who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conqueredin this world, sufferings fall off, like water-drops from a lotus leaf. 

This salutary word I tell you, "Do ye, as many as are here assembled, dig up the root of thirst, as he who wants the sweet-scented Usîra rootmust dig up the Bîrana grass, that Mâra, the tempter, may not crush youagain and again, as the stream crushes the reeds. "

As a tree, even though it has been cut down, is firm so long as its rootis safe, and grows again, thus, unless the feeders of thirst aredestroyed, this pain of life will return again and again. 

He whose thirty-six streams are strongly flowing in the channels ofpleasure, the waves--his desires which are set on passion--will carryaway that misguided man. 

The channels run everywhere, the creeper of passion stands sprouting; ifyou see the creeper springing up, cut its root by means of knowledge. 

A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; given up topleasure and deriving happiness, men undergo again and again birth anddecay. 

Beset with lust, men run about like a snared hare; held in fetters andbonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again. 

Beset with lust, men run about like a snared hare; let therefore themendicant drive out thirst, by striving after passionlessness forhimself. 

He who, having got rid of the forest of lust (after having reachedNirvâna), gives himself over to forest-life (to lust), and who, whenfree from the forest (from lust), runs to the forest (to lust), look atthat man! though free, he runs into bondage. 

Wise people do not call that a strong fetter which is made of iron, wood, or hemp; passionately strong is the care for precious stones andrings, for sons and a wife. 

That fetter wise people call strong which drags down, yields, but isdifficult to undo; after having cut this at last, people leave theworld, free from cares, and leaving the pleasures of love behind. 

Those who are slaves to passions, run down the stream of desires, as aspider runs down the web which he has made himself; when they have cutthis, at last, wise people go onwards, free from cares, leaving all painbehind. 

Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is between, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind isaltogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay. 

If a man is tossed about by doubts, full of strong passions, andyearning only for what is delightful, his thirst will grow more andmore, and he will indeed make his fetters strong. 

If a man delights in quieting doubts, and, always reflecting, dwells onwhat is not delightful, he certainly will remove, nay, he will cut thefetter of Mâra. 

He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who iswithout thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life:this will be his last body. 

He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands thewords and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (thosewhich are before and which are after), he has received his last body, heis called the great sage, the great man. 

"I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am freefrom taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I amfree; having learnt myself, whom should I indicate as my teacher?"

The gift of the law exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the law exceedsall sweetness; the delight in the law exceeds all delights; theextinction of thirst overcomes all pain. 

Riches destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other shore; thefoolish by his thirst for riches destroys himself, as if he weredestroying others. 

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion:therefore a gift bestowed on the passionless brings great reward. 

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by hatred: thereforea gift bestowed on those who do not hate brings great reward. 

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by vanity: thereforea gift bestowed on those who are free from vanity brings great reward. 

The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by lust: therefore agift bestowed on those who are free from lust brings great reward. 

CHAPTER XXV

THE BHIKSHU

Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the noserestraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue. 

In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thoughtrestraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain. 

He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls hisspeech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who iscollected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu. 

The Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, whoteaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet. 

He who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the law, recollects the law: that Bhikshu will never fall away from the true law. 

Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others: amendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind. 

A Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he hasreceived, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if heis not slothful. 

He who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not grieveover what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu. 

The Bhikshu who behaves with kindness, who is happy in the doctrine ofBuddha, will reach the quiet place (Nirvâna), happiness arising from thecessation of natural inclinations. 

O Bhikshu, empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly; having cutoff passion and hatred, thou wilt go to Nirvâna. 

Cut off the five fetters, leave the five, rise above the five. ABhikshu, who has escaped from the five fetters, he is calledOghatinna--"saved from the flood. "

Meditate, O Bhikshu, and be not heedless! Do not direct thy thought towhat gives pleasure, that thou mayest not for thy heedlessness have toswallow the iron ball in hell, and that thou mayest not cry out whenburning, "This is pain. "

Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is noknowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirvâna. 

A Bhikshu who has entered his empty house, and whose mind is tranquil, feels a more than human delight when he sees the law clearly. 

As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the elementsof the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong to those who knowthe immortal (Nirvâna). 

And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness over thesenses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble friends whoselife is pure, and who are not slothful. 

Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in thefulness of delight he will make an end of suffering. 

As the Vassikâ plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passionand hatred, O ye Bhikshus!

The Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who iscollected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called quiet. 

Rouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thusself-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu!

For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curbthyself as the merchant curbs a noble horse. 

The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is happy in the doctrine of Buddhawill reach the quiet place (Nirvâna), happiness consisting in thecessation of natural inclinations. 

He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine ofBuddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds. 

CHAPTER XXVI

THE BRÂHMANA

Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brâhmana! When youhave understood the destruction of all that was made, you willunderstand that which was not made. 

If the Brâhmana has reached the other shore in both laws, in restraintand contemplation, all bonds vanish from him who has obtained knowledge. 

He for whom there is neither the hither nor the further shore, nor both, him, the fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Brâhmana. 

He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without passions, andwho has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a Brâhmana. 

The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior isbright in his armor, the Brâhmana is bright in his meditation; butBuddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendor day and night. 

Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brâhmana; becausehe walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he has sentaway his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita (Pabbagita, apilgrim). 

No one should attack a Brâhmana, but no Brâhmana, if attacked, shouldlet himself fly at his aggressor! Woe to him who strikes a Brâhmana, more woe to him who flies at his aggressor!

It advantages a Brâhmana not a little if he holds his mind back from thepleasures of life; the more all wish to injure has vanished, the moreall pain will cease. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who does not offend by body, word, orthought, and is controlled on these three points. 

He from whom he may learn the law, as taught by the Well-awakened(Buddha), him let him worship assiduously, as the Brâhmana worships thesacrificial fire. 

A man does not become a Brâhmana by his plaited hair, by his family, orby birth; in whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, he isa Brâhmana. 

What is the use of plaited hair, O fool! what of the raiment ofgoat-skins? Within thee there is ravening, but the outside thou makestclean. 

The man who wears dirty raiments, who is emaciated and covered withveins, who meditates alone in the forest, him I call indeed a Brâhmana. 

I do not call a man a Brâhmana because of his origin or of his mother. He is indeed arrogant, and he is wealthy: but the poor, who is free fromall attachments, him I call indeed a Brâhmana. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, after cutting all fetters, nevertrembles, is free from bonds and unshackled. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, after cutting the strap and the thong, the rope with all that pertains to it, has destroyed all obstacles, andis awakened. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, though he has committed no offence, endures reproach, stripes, and bonds: who has endurance for his force, and strength for his army. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who is free from anger, dutiful, virtuous, without appetites, who is subdued, and has received his last body. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who does not cling to sensual pleasures, like water on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of aneedle. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, even here, knows the end of his ownsuffering, has put down his burden, and is unshackled. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana whose knowledge is deep, who possesseswisdom, who knows the right way and the wrong, and has attained thehighest end. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who keeps aloof both from laymen and frommendicants, who frequents no houses, and has but few desires. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who without hurting any creatures, whetherfeeble or strong, does not kill nor cause slaughter. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who is tolerant with the intolerant, mildwith the violent, and free from greed among the greedy. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana from whom anger and hatred, pride andhypocrisy have dropped like a mustard seed from the point of a needle. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who utters true speech, instructive andfree from harshness, so that he offend no one. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who takes nothing in the world that is notgiven him, be it long or short, small or large, good or bad. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who fosters no desires for this world orfor the next, has no inclinations, and is unshackled. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who has no interests, and when he hasunderstood the truth, does not say How, how? and who has reached thedepth of the Immortal. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who in this world has risen above bothties, good and evil, who is free from grief, from sin, and fromimpurity. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who is bright like the moon, pure, serene, undisturbed, and in whom all gayety is extinct. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who has traversed this miry road, theimpassable world, difficult to pass, and its vanity, who has gonethrough, and reached the other shore, is thoughtful, steadfast, freefrom doubts, free from attachment, and content. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who in this world, having abandoned alldesires, travels about without a home, and in whom all concupiscence isextinct. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, having abandoned all longings, travelsabout without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who, after leaving all bondage to men, hasrisen above all bondage to the gods, and is free from all and everybondage. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who has left what gives pleasure and whatgives pain, who is cold, and free from all germs of renewed life: thehero who has conquered all the worlds. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who knows the destruction and the return ofbeings everywhere, who is free from bondage, welfaring (Sugata), andawakened (Buddha). 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana whose path the gods do not know, norspirits (Gandharvas), nor men, whose passions are extinct, and who is anArhat. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who calls nothing his own, whether it bebefore, behind, or between; who is poor, and free from the love of theworld. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana, the manly, the noble, the hero, the greatsage, the conqueror, the indifferent, the accomplished, the awakened. 

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who knows his former abodes, who seesheaven and hell, has reached the end of births, is perfect in knowledge, a sage, and whose perfections are all perfect. 

THE UPANISHADS

Translation by F. Max Müller

INTRODUCTION

The "Upanishads" are reckoned to be from a hundred and fifty to ahundred and seventy in number. The date of the earliest of them is aboutB. C. 600; that is an age anterior to the rise of Buddha. They consist ofvarious disquisitions on the nature of man, the Supreme Being, the humansoul, and immortality. They are part of Sanscrit Brahmanic literature, and have the authority of revealed, in contradistinction to traditionaltruth. We see in these books the struggle of the human mind to attain toa knowledge of God and the destiny of man. The result is the formulationof a definite theosophy, in which we find the Brahman in his meditationtrusting to the intuitions of his own spirit, the promptings of his ownreason, or the combinations of his own fancy, for a revelation of thetruth. The result is given us in these wonderful books. We call themwonderful, because the unaided mind of man never attained, in any otherliterature, to a profounder insight into spiritual things. The Westernreader may find in an "Upanishad" many things that seem to him triflingand absurd, many things obscure and apparently meaningless. It is veryeasy to ridicule this kind of literature. But as a matter of fact theseancient writings well repay study, as the most astounding productions ofthe human intellect. In them we see the human mind wrestling with thegreatest thoughts that had ever yet dawned upon it, and trying to graspand to measure the mighty vision before which it was humbled to thedust. The seer, in order to communicate to the world the result of hismeditations, seems to catch at every symbol and every word hallowed byfamiliar usage, in order to set out in concrete shape the color anddimensions of mystic verities; he is employing an old language for theexpression of new truths; he is putting new wine into old wine-skins, which burst and the wine is spilt; words fail, and the meaning is lost. It is not lost, however, to those who will try to study the "Upanishads"from within, and not from without: who will try to put himself in theattitude of those earnest and patient explorers who brought so muchlight into the human life of the East, and so much joy and tranquillityto the perturbed spirit of their fellow-men. Those who thus study theseancient writings will find in them the fundamental principles of adefinite theology, and, more wonderful still, the beginnings of thatwhich became afterwards known to the Greeks, and has been known eversince, as metaphysics: that is, scientific transcendentalism. This muchwill be apparent to anyone who will read and study the "Kaushîtaki-Upanishad, " which is one of the most wonderful of the religious books ofthe East. Laying aside the doctrine of metempsychosis and the idea ofreincarnation, there is something sublime and inspiring in the imagerywith which the destiny of the soul after death is described, while inthe metaphysical subtlety of this book we find an argument againstmaterialism which is just as fresh now as when it was first stated. 

E. W. 

THE UPANISHADS

KAUSHÎTAKI-UPANISHAD

THE COUCH OF BRAHMAN

Kitra Gângyâyani, wishing to perform a sacrifice, chose Âruni Uddâlaka, to be his chief priest. But Âruni sent his son, Svetaketu, and said:"Perform the sacrifice for him. " When Svetaketu had arrived, Kitra askedhim: "Son of Gautama, is there a hidden place in the world where you areable to place me, or is it the other way, and are you going to place mein the world to which that other way leads?"[14]

He answered and said: "I do not know this. But, let me ask the master. "Having approached his father, he asked: "Thus has Kitra asked me; howshall I answer?"

Âruni said: "I also do not know this. Only after having learnt theproper portion of the Veda in Kitra's own dwelling, shall we obtain whatothers give us, i. E. , knowledge. Come, we will both go. "

Having said this he took fuel in his hand, like a pupil, and approachedKitra Gângyâyani, saying: "May I come near to you?" He replied: "You areworthy of Brahman, O Gautama, because you were not led away by pride. Come hither, I shall make you know clearly. "

And Kitra said: "All who depart from this world go to the moon. In theformer, the bright half, the moon delights in their spirits; in theother, the dark half, the moon sends them on to be born again. Verily, the moon is the door of the Svarga, i. E. , the heavenly world. Now, if aman objects to the moon and is not satisfied with life there, the moonsets him free. But if a man does not object, then the moon sends himdown as rain upon this earth. And according to his deeds and accordingto his knowledge he is born again here as a worm, or as an insect, or asa fish, or as a bird, or as a lion, or as a boar, or as a serpent, or asa tiger, or as a man, or as something else in different places. When hehas thus returned to the earth, someone, a sage, asks: 'Who art thou?'And he should answer: 'From the wise moon, who orders the seasons, whenit is born consisting of fifteen parts, from the moon who is the home ofour ancestors, the seed was brought. This seed, even me, they, the gods, mentioned in the Pañkâgnividyâ, gathered up in an active man, andthrough an active man they brought me to a mother. Then I, growing up tobe born, a being living by months, whether twelve or thirteen, wastogether with my father, who also lived by years of twelve or thirteenmonths, that I might either know the true Brahman or not know it. Therefore, O ye seasons, grant that I may attain immortality, i. E. , knowledge of Brahman. By this my true saying, by this my toil, beginningwith the dwelling in the moon and ending with my birth on earth, I amlike a season, and the child of the seasons. ' 'Who art thou?' the sageasks again. 'I am thou, ' he replies. Then he sets him free to proceedonward. 

"He, at the time of death, having reached the path of the gods, comes tothe world of Agni, or fire, to the world of Vâyu, or air, to the worldof Varuna, to the world of Indra, to the world of Pragâpati, to theworld of Brahman. In that world there is the lake Âra, the momentscalled Yeshtiha, the river Vigarâ, i. E. , age-less, the tree Ilyâ, thecity Sâlagya, the palace Aparâgita, i. E. , unconquerable, thedoor-keepers Indra and Pragâpati, the hall of Brahman, called Vibhu(built by vibhu, egoism), the throne Vikakshanâ, i. E. , perception, thecouch Amitaugas or endless splendor, and the beloved Mânasî, i. E. , mind, and her image Kâkshushî, the eye, who, as if taking flowers, are weavingthe worlds, and the Apsaras, the Ambâs, or sacred scriptures, andAmbâyavîs, or understanding, and the rivers Ambayâs leading to theknowledge of Brahman. To this world he who knows the Paryanka-vidyâapproaches. Brahman says to him: 'Run towards him, servants, with suchworship as is due to myself. He has reached the river Vigarâ, theage-less, he will never age. '

"Then five hundred Apsaras go towards him, one hundred with garlands intheir hands, one hundred with ointments in their hands, one hundred withperfumes in their hands, one hundred with garments in their hands, onehundred with fruit in their hands. They adorn him with an adornmentworthy of Brahman, and when thus adorned with the adornment of Brahman, the knower of Brahman moves towards Brahman. He comes to the lake Âra, and he crosses it by the mind, while those who come to it withoutknowing the truth, are drowned. He comes to the moments called Yeshtiha, they flee from him. He comes to the river Vigarâ, and crosses it by themind alone, and there shakes off his good and evil deeds. His belovedrelatives obtain the good, his unbeloved relatives the evil he has done. And as a man, driving in a chariot, might look at the two wheels withoutbeing touched by them, thus he will look at day and night, thus at goodand evil deeds, and at all pairs, all correlative things, such as lightand darkness, heat and cold. Being freed from good and freed from evil, he, the knower of Brahman, moves towards Brahman. 

"He approaches the tree Ilya, and the odor of Brahman reaches him. Heapproaches the city Sâlagya, and the flavor of Brahman reaches him. Heapproaches the palace Aparâgita, and the splendor of Brahman reacheshim. He approaches the door-keepers Indra and Pragâpati, and they runaway from him. He approaches the hall Vibhu, and the glory of Brahmanreaches him and he thinks, 'I am Brahman. ' He approaches the throneVikakshanâ. The Sâman verses, Brihad and Rathantara, are the easternfeet of that throne; the Sâman verses, Syaita and Naudhasa, its westernfeet; the Sâman verses, Vairûpa and Vairâga, its sides lengthways, southand north; the Sâman verses, Sâkvara and Raivata, its sides crossways, east and west. That throne is Pragñâ, knowledge, for by knowledge, self-knowledge, he sees clearly. He approaches the couch Amitaugas. Thatis Prâna, i. E. , speech. The past and the future are its eastern feet;prosperity and earth its western feet; the Sâman verses, Brihad andRathantara, are the two sides lengthways of the couch, south and north;the Sâman verses, Bhadra and Yagñâyagñiya, are its cross-sides at thehead and feet, east and west; the Rik and Sâman are the long sheets, east and west; the Yagus the cross-sheets, south and north; themoon-beam the cushion; the Udgîtha the white coverlet; prosperity thepillow. On this couch sits Brahman, and he who knows himself one withBrahman, sitting on the couch, mounts it first with one foot only. ThenBrahman says to him: 'Who art thou?' and he shall answer: 'I am like aseason, and the child of the seasons, sprung from the womb of endlessspace, from the light, from the luminous Brahman. The light, the originof the year, which is the past, which is the present, which is allliving things, and all elements, is the Self. Thou art the Self. Whatthou art, that am I. ' Brahman says to him: 'Who am I?' He shall answer:'That which is, the true. ' Brahman asks: 'What is the true?' He says tohim: 'What is different from the gods and from the senses that is Sat, but the gods and the senses are Tyam. Therefore, by that name Sattya, ortrue, is called all this whatever there is. All this thou art. ' This isalso declared by a verse: 'This great Rishi, whose belly is the Yagus, the head the Sâman, the form the Rik, is to be known as beingimperishable, as being Brahman. '

"Brahman says to him: 'How dost thou obtain my male names?' He shouldanswer: 'By breath. ' Brahman asks: 'How my female names?' He shouldanswer: 'By speech. ' Brahman asks: 'How my neuter names?' He shouldanswer: 'By mind. ' 'How smells?' 'By the nose. ' 'How forms?' 'By theeye. ' 'How sounds?' 'By the ear. ' 'How flavors of food?' 'By thetongue. ' 'How actions?' 'By the hands. ' 'How pleasures and pain?' 'Bythe body. ' 'How joy, delight, and offspring?' 'By the organ. ' 'Howjourneyings?' 'By the feet. ' 'How thoughts, and what is to be known anddesired?' 'By knowledge alone. '

"Brahman says to him: 'Water indeed is this my world, the whole Brahmanworld, and it is thine. '

"Whatever victory, whatever might belongs to Brahman, that victory andthat might he obtains who knows this, yea, who knows this. "[15]

KNOWLEDGE OF THE LIVING SPIRIT

"Prâna, or breath, [16] is Brahman, " thus says Kaushîtaki. "Of thisprâna, which is Brahman, the mind is the messenger, speech thehousekeeper, the eye the guard, the ear the informant. He who knows mindas the messenger of prâna, which is Brahman, becomes possessed of themessenger. He who knows speech as the housekeeper, becomes possessed ofthe housekeeper. He who knows the eye as the guard, becomes possessed ofthe guard. He who knows the ear as the informant, becomes possessed ofthe informant. 

"Now to that prâna, which is Brahman, all these deities, mind, speech, eye, ear, bring an offering, though he asks not for it, and thus to himwho knows this all creatures bring an offering, though he asks not forit. For him who knows this, there is this Upanishad, or secret vow, 'Begnot!' As a man who has begged through a village and got nothing sitsdown and says, 'I shall never eat anything given by those people, ' andas then those who formerly refused him press him to accept their alms, thus is the rule for him who begs not, but the charitable will press himand say, 'Let us give to thee. '"

"Prâna, or breath, is Brahman, " thus says Paingya. "And in that prâna, which is Brahman, the eye stands firm behind speech, the ear stands firmbehind the eye, the mind stands firm behind the ear, and the spiritstands firm behind the mind. [17] To that prâna, which is Brahman, allthese deities bring an offering, though he asks not for it, and thus tohim who knows this, all creatures bring an offering, though he asks notfor it. For him who knows this, there is this Upanishad, or secret vow, 'Beg not!' As a man who has begged through a village and got nothingsits down and says, 'I shall never eat anything given by those people, 'and as then those who formerly refused him press him to accept theiralms, thus is the rule for him who begs not, but the charitable willpress him and say, 'Let us give to thee. '

"Now follows the attainment of the highest treasure, i. E. , spirit. [18]If a man meditates on that highest treasure, let him on a full moon or anew moon, or in the bright fortnight, under an auspicious Nakshatra, atone of these proper times, bending his right knee, offer oblations ofghee with a ladle, after having placed the fire, swept the ground, strewn the sacred grass, and sprinkled water. Let him say: 'The deitycalled Speech is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him whopossesses and can bestow what I wish for. Svâhâ to it!' 'The deitycalled prâna, or breath, is the attainer, may it attain this for me fromhim. Svâhâ to it!' 'The deity called the eye is the attainer, may itattain this for me from him. Svâhâ to it!' 'The deity called the ear isthe attainer, may it attain this for me from him. Svâhâ to it!' 'Thedeity called mind is the attainer of it, may it attain this for me fromhim. Svâhâ to it!' 'The deity called knowledge is the attainer of it, may it attain this for me from him. Svâhâ to it!'

"Then having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbswith the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him declare hiswish, or let him send a messenger. He will surely obtain his wish. 

"Now follows the Daiva Smara, the desire to be accomplished by the gods. If a man desires to become dear to any man or woman, or to any men orwomen, then at one of the fore-mentioned proper times he offers, inexactly the same manner as before, oblations of ghee, saying: 'I offerthy speech in myself, I this one here, Svâhâ. ' 'I offer thy ear inmyself, I this one here, Svâhâ. ' 'I offer thy mind in myself, I this onehere, Svâhâ. ' 'I offer thy knowledge in myself, I this one here, Svâhâ. 'Then having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbswith the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him try to come incontact or let him stand speaking in the wind, so that the wind maycarry his words to the person by whom he desires to be loved. Surely hebecomes dear, and they think of him. 

"Now follows the restraint instituted by Pratardana, the son ofDivodâsa: they call it the inner Agni-hotri. So long as a man speaks, hecannot breathe, he offers all the while his breath in his speech. And solong as a man breathes, he cannot speak, he offers all the while hisspeech in his breath. These two endless and immortal oblations he offersalways, whether waking or sleeping. Whatever other oblations there are(those, e. G. , of the ordinary Agni-hotri, consisting of milk and otherthings), they have an end, for they consist of works which, like allworks, have an end. The ancients, knowing this the best Agni-hotri, didnot offer the ordinary Agni-hotri. 

"Uktha is Brahman, thus said Sushkabhringâra. Let him meditate on theuktha as the same with the Rik, and all beings will praise him as thebest. Let him meditate on it as the same with the Yagus, and all beingswill join before him as the best. Let him meditate on it as the samewith the Sâman, and all beings will bow before him as the best. Let himmeditate on it as the same with might, let him meditate on it as thesame with glory, let him meditate on it as the same with splendor. Foras the bow is among weapons the mightiest, the most glorious, the mostsplendid, thus is he who knows this among all beings the mightiest, themost glorious, the most splendid. The Adhvaryu conceives the fire of thealtar, which is used for the sacrifice, to be himself. In it he theAdhvaryu weaves the Yagus portion of the sacrifice. And in the Yagusportion the Hotri weaves the Rik portion of the sacrifice. And in theRik portion the Udgâtri weaves the Sâman portion of the sacrifice. He, the Adhvaryu, or prâna, is the self of the threefold knowledge; heindeed is the self of prâna. He who knows this is the self of it, i. E. , becomes prâna. 

"Next follow the three kinds of meditation of the all-conqueringKaushîtaki. The all-conquering Kaushîtaki adores the sun when rising, having put on the sacrificial cord, [19] having brought water, and havingthrice sprinkled the water-cup, saying: 'Thou art the deliverer, deliverme from sin. ' In the same manner he adores the sun when in the zenith, saying: 'Thou art the highest deliverer, deliver me highly from sin. ' Inthe same manner he adores the sun when setting, saying: 'Thou art thefull deliverer, deliver me fully from sin. ' Thus he fully removeswhatever sin he committed by day and by night. And in the same manner hewho knows this, likewise adores the sun, and fully removes whatever sinhe committed by day and by night. 

"Then, secondly, let him worship every month in the year at the time ofthe new moon, the moon as it is seen in the west in the same manner asbefore described with regard to the sun, or let him send forth hisspeech towards the moon with two green blades of grass, saying: 'O thouwho art mistress of immortal joy, through that gentle heart of minewhich abides in the moon, may I never weep for misfortune concerning mychildren. '

"The children of him who thus adores the moon do not indeed die beforehim. Thus it is with a man to whom a son is already born. 

"Now for one to whom no son is born as yet. He mutters the three Rikverses. 'Increase, O Soma! may vigor come to thee. ' 'May milk, may foodgo to thee. ' 'That ray which the Âdityas gladden. '

"Having muttered these three Rik verses, he says: 'Do not increase byour breath, by our offspring, by our cattle; he who hates us and whom wehate, increase by his breath, by his offspring, by his cattle. Thus Iturn the turn of the god, I return the turn of Âditya. ' After thesewords, having raised the right arm towards Soma, he lets it go again. 

"Then, thirdly, let him worship on the day of the full moon the moon asit is seen in the east in the same manner, saying: 'Thou art Soma, theking, the wise, the five-mouthed, the lord of creatures. The Brahmana isone of thy mouths; with that mouth thou eatest the kings; make me aneater of food by that mouth! The king is one of thy mouths; with thatmouth thou eatest the people; make me an eater of food by that mouth!The hawk is one of thy mouths; with that mouth thou eatest the birds;make me an eater of food by that mouth! Fire is one of thy mouths; withthat mouth thou eatest this world; make me an eater of food by thatmouth! In thee there is the fifth mouth; with that mouth thou eatest allbeings; make me an eater of food by that mouth! Do not decrease by ourlife, by our offspring, by our cattle; he who hates us and whom we hate, decrease by his life, by his offspring, by his cattle. Thus I turn theturn of the god, I return the turn of Âditya. ' After these words, havingraised the right arm, he lets it go again. 

"Next, having addressed these prayers to Soma, when being with his wife, let him stroke her heart, saying: 'O fair one, who hast obtainedimmortal joy by that which has entered thy heart through Pragâpati, mayest thou never fall into sorrow about thy children. ' Her childrenthen do not die before her. 

"Next, if a man has been absent and returns home, let him kiss his son'shead, saying: 'Thou springest from every limb, thou art born from theheart, thou, my son, art my self indeed: live thou a hundred harvests. 'He gives him his name, saying: 'Be thou a stone, be thou an axe, be thousolid gold; thou, my son, art light indeed: live thou a hundredharvests. ' He pronounces his name. Then he embraces him, saying: 'AsPragâpati the lord of creatures embraced his creatures for theirwelfare, thus I embrace thee, ' (pronouncing his name). Then he muttersinto his right ear, saying: 'O thou, quick Maghavan, give to him. ' 'OIndra, bestow thy best wishes'--thus he whispers into his left ear. Lethim then thrice kiss his head, saying: 'Do not cut off the line of ourrace, do not suffer. Live a hundred harvests of life; I kiss thy head, Oson, with thy name. ' He then thrice makes a lowing sound over his head, saying: 'I low over thee with the lowing sound of cows. '

"Next follows the Daiva Parimara, the dying around of the gods, theabsorption of the two classes of gods, mentioned before, into prâna orBrahman. This Brahman shines forth indeed when the fire burns, and itdies when it burns not. Its splendor goes to the sun alone, the lifeprâna, the moving principle, to the air. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the sun is seen, and it dies whenit is not seen. Its splendor goes to the moon alone, the life to theair. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the moon is seen, and it dieswhen it is not seen. Its splendor goes to the lightning alone, its lifeto the air. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the lightning flashes, and itdies when it flashes not. Its splendor goes to the air, and the life tothe air. 

"Thus all these deities (fire, sun, moon, lightning), having entered theair, though dead, do not vanish; and out of the very air they riseagain. So much with reference to the deities. Now then, with referenceto the body. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one speaks with speech, and itdies when one does not speak. His splendor goes to the eye alone, thelife to breath. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one sees with the eye, and itdies when one does not see. Its splendor goes to the ear alone, the lifeto breath. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one hears with the ear, and itdies when one does not hear. Its splendor goes to the mind alone, thelife to breath. 

"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one thinks with the mind, and itdies when one does not think. Its splendor goes to the breath alone, andthe life to breath. 

"Thus all these deities (the senses, etc. ), having entered breath orlife alone, though dead, do not vanish; and out of very breath they riseagain. And if two mountains, the southern and northern, were to moveforward trying to crush him who knows this, they would not crush him. But those who hate him and those whom he hates, they die around him. 

"Next follows the Nihsreyasâdâna, i. E. , the accepting of the preeminenceof breath or life by the other gods. The deities, speech, eye, ear, mind, contending with each for who was the best, went out of this body, and the body lay without breathing, withered, like a log of wood. Thenspeech went into it, but speaking by speech, it lay still. Then the eyewent into it, but speaking by speech, and seeing by the eye, it laystill. Then the ear went into it, but speaking by speech, seeing by theeye, hearing by the ear, it lay still. Then mind went into it, butspeaking by speech, seeing by the eye, hearing by the ear, thinking bythe mind, it lay still. Then breath went into it, and thence it rose atonce. All these deities, having recognized the preeminence in life, andhaving comprehended life alone as the conscious self, went out of thisbody with all these five different kinds of life, and resting in theair, knowing that life had entered the air and merged in the ether, theywent to heaven. And in the same manner he who knows this, havingrecognized the preëminence in prâna, and having comprehended life aloneas the conscious self, goes out of this body with all these, does nolonger believe in this body, and resting in the air, and merged in theether, he goes to heaven: he goes to where those gods are. And havingreached this heaven, he, who knows this, becomes immortal with thatimmortality which those gods enjoy. 

"Next follows the father's tradition to the son, and thus they explainit. The father, when going to depart, calls his son, after having strewnthe house with fresh grass, and having laid the sacrificial fire, andhaving placed near it a pot of water with a jug, full of rice, himselfcovered with a new cloth, and dressed in white. He places himself abovehis son, touching his organs with his own organs, or he may deliver thetradition to him while he sits before him. Then he delivers it to him. The father says: 'Let me place my speech in thee. ' The son says: 'I takethy speech in me. ' The father says: 'Let me place my scent in thee. ' Theson says: 'I take thy scent in me. ' The father says: 'Let me place myeye in thee. ' The son says: 'I take thy eye in me. ' The father says:'Let me place my ear in thee. ' The son says: 'I take thy ear in me. ' Thefather says: 'Let me place my tastes of food in thee. ' The son says: 'Itake thy tastes of food in me. ' The father says: 'Let me place myactions in thee. ' The son says: 'I take thy actions in me. ' The fathersays: 'Let me place my pleasure and pain in thee. ' The son says: 'I takethy pleasure and pain in me. ' The father says: 'Let me place happiness, joy, and offspring in thee. ' The son says: 'I take thy happiness, joy, and offspring in me. ' The father says: 'Let me place my walking inthee. ' The son says: 'I take thy walking in me. ' The father says: 'Letme place my mind in thee. ' The son says: 'I take thy mind in me. ' Thefather says: 'Let me place my knowledge in thee. ' The son says: 'I takethy knowledge in me. ' But if the father is very ill, he may say shortly:Let me place my spirits in thee, ' and the son: 'I take thy spirits inme. '

"Then the son walks round his father, keeping his right side towardshim, and goes away. The father calls after him: 'May fame, glory ofcountenance, and honor always follow thee. ' Then the other looks backover his left shoulder, covering himself with his hand or the hem of hisgarment, saying: 'Obtain the heavenly worlds and all desires. '

"If the father recovers, let him be under the authority of his son, orlet him wander about as an ascetic. But if he departs, then let themdespatch him, as he ought to be despatched, yea, as he ought to bedespatched. "

LIFE AND CONSCIOUSNESS

Pratardana, the son of Divodâsa, King of Kâsî, came by means of fightingand strength to the beloved abode of Indra. Indra said to him:"Pratardana, let me give you a boon to choose. " And Pratardana answered:"Do you yourself choose that boon for me which you deem most beneficialfor a man. " Indra said to him: "No one who chooses, chooses for another;choose thyself. " Then Pratardana replied: "Then that boon to choose isno boon for me. "

Then, however, Indra did not swerve from the truth, for Indra is truth. Indra said to him: "Know me only; that is what I deem most beneficialfor man, that he should know me. I slew the three-headed son ofTvashtri; I delivered the Arunmukhas, the devotees, to the wolves;breaking many treaties, I killed the people of Prahlâda in heaven, thepeople of Puloma in the sky, the people of Kâlakañga on earth. And notone hair of me was harmed there. And he who knows me thus, by no deed ofhis is his life harmed: not by the murder of his mother, not by themurder of his father, not by theft, not by the killing of a Brahman. Ifhe is going to commit a sin, the bloom does not depart from his face. Iam prâna, meditate on me as the conscious self, as life, as immortality. Life is prâna, prâna is life. Immortality is prâna, prâna isimmortality. As long as prâna dwells in this body, so long surely thereis life. By prâna he obtains immortality in the other world, byknowledge true conception. He who meditates on me as life andimmortality, gains his full life in this world, and obtains in theSvarga world immortality and indestructibility. "

Pratardana said: "Some maintain here, that the prânas become one, forotherwise no one could at the same time make known a name by speech, seea form with the eye, hear a sound with the ear, think a thought with themind. After having become one, the prânas perceive all these together, one by one. While speech speaks, all prânas speak after it. While theeye sees, all prânas see after it. While the ear hears, all prânas hearafter it. While the mind thinks, all prânas think after it. While theprâna breathes, all prânas breathe after it. "

"Thus it is indeed, " said Indra, "but nevertheless there is apreëminence among the prânas. Man lives deprived of speech, for we seedumb people. Man lives deprived of sight, for we see blind people. Manlives deprived of hearing, for we see deaf people. Man lives deprived ofmind, for we see infants. Man lives deprived of his arms, deprived ofhis legs, for we see it thus. But prâna alone is the conscious self, andhaving laid hold of this body, it makes it rise up. Therefore it issaid, 'Let man worship it alone as uktha. ' What is prâna, that ispragñâ, or self-consciousness; what is pragñâ (self-consciousness), thatis prâna, for together they live in this body, and together they go outof it. Of that, this is the evidence, this is the understanding. When aman, being thus asleep, sees no dream whatever, he becomes one with thatprâna alone. Then speech goes to him, when he is absorbed in prâna, withall names, the eye with all forms, the ear with all sounds, the mindwith all thoughts. And when he awakes, then, as from a burning firesparks proceed in all directions; thus from that self the prânasproceed, each towards its place: from the prânas the gods, from the godsthe worlds. 

"Of this, this is the proof, this is the understanding. When a man isthus sick, going to die, falling into weakness and faintness, they say:'His thought has departed, he hears not, he sees not, he speaks not, hethinks not. ' Then he becomes one with that prâna alone. Then speech goesto him who is absorbed in prâna, with all names, the eye with all forms, the ear with all sounds, the mind with all thoughts. And when he departsfrom this body, he departs together with all these. 

"Speech gives up to him who is absorbed in prâna all names, so that byspeech he obtains all names. The nose gives up to him all odors, so thatby scent he obtains all odors. The eye gives up to him all forms, sothat by the eye he obtains all forms. The ear gives up to him allsounds, so that by the ear he obtains all sounds. The mind gives up tohim all thoughts, so that by the mind he obtains all thoughts. This isthe complete absorption in prâna. And what is prâna is pragñâ, orself-consciousness; what is pragñâ, is prâna. For together do these twolive in the body, and together do they depart. 

"Now we shall explain how all things become one in thatself-consciousness. Speech is one portion taken out of pragñâ, orself-conscious knowledge: the word is its object, placed outside. Thenose is one portion taken out of it, the odor is its object, placedoutside. The eye is one portion taken out of it, the form is its object, placed outside. The ear is one portion taken out of it, the sound is itsobject, placed outside. The tongue is one portion taken out of it, thetaste of food is its object, placed outside. The two hands are oneportion taken out of it, their action is their object, placed outside. The body is one portion taken out of it, its pleasure and pain are itsobject, placed outside. The organ is one portion taken out of it, happiness, joy, and offspring are its object, placed outside. The twofeet are one portion taken out of it, movements are their object, placedoutside. Mind is one portion taken out of it, thoughts and desires areits object, placed outside. 

"Having by self-conscious knowledge taken possession of speech, heobtains by speech all words. Having taken possession of the nose, heobtains all odors. Having taken possession of the eye, he obtains allforms. Having taken possession of the ear, he obtains all sounds. Havingtaken possession of the tongue, he obtains all tastes of food. Havingtaken possession of the two hands, he obtains all actions. Having takenpossession of the body, he obtains pleasure and pain. Having takenpossession of the organ, he obtains happiness, joy, and offspring. Having taken possession of the two feet, he obtains all movements. Having taken possession of mind, he obtains all thoughts. 

"For without self-consciousness speech does not make known to the selfany word. [20] 'My mind was absent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive thatword. ' Without self-consciousness the nose does not make known any odor. 'My mind was absent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive that odor. ' Withoutself-consciousness the eye does not make known any form. 'My mind wasabsent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive that form. ' Withoutself-consciousness the ear does not make known any sound. 'My mind wasabsent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive that sound. ' Withoutself-consciousness the tongue does not make known any taste. 'My mindwas absent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive that taste. ' Withoutself-consciousness the two hands do not make known any act. 'Our mindwas absent, ' they say, 'we did not perceive any act. ' Withoutself-consciousness the body does not make known pleasure or pain. 'Mymind was absent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive that pleasure or pain. 'Without self-consciousness the organ does not make known happiness, joy, or offspring. 'My mind was absent, ' he says, 'I did not perceive thathappiness, joy, or offspring. ' Without self-consciousness the two feetdo not make known any movement. 'Our mind was absent, ' they say, 'we didnot perceive that movement. ' Without self-consciousness no thoughtsucceeds, nothing can be known that is to be known. 

"Let no man try to find out what speech is, let him know the speaker. Let no man try to find out what odor is, let him know him who smells. Let no man try to find out what form is, let him know the seer. Let noman try to find out what sound is, let him know the hearer. Let no mantry to find out the tastes of food, let him know the knower of tastes. Let no man try to find out what action is, let him know the agent. Letno man try to find out what pleasure and pain are, let him know theknower of pleasure and pain. Let no man try to find out what happiness, joy, and offspring are, let him knew the knower of happiness, joy, andoffspring. Let no man try to find out what movement is, let him know themover. Let no man try to find out what mind is, let him know thethinker. These ten objects (what is spoken, smelled, seen, felt) havereference to self-consciousness; the ten subjects (speech, the senses, mind) have reference to objects. If there were no objects, there wouldbe no subjects; and if there were no subjects, there would be noobjects. For on either side alone nothing could be achieved. But theself of pragñâ, consciousness, and prâna, life, is not many, but one. For as in a car the circumference of a wheel is placed on the spokes, and the spokes on the nave, thus are these objects, as a circumference, placed on the subjects as spokes, and the subjects on the prâna. Andthat prâna, the living and breathing power, indeed is the self ofpragñâ, the self-conscious self: blessed, imperishable, immortal. Hedoes not increase by a good action, nor decrease by a bad action. Forthe self of prâna and pragñâ makes him, whom he wishes to lead up fromthese worlds, do a good deed; and the same makes him, whom he wishes tolead down from these worlds, do a bad deed. And he is the guardian ofthe world, he is the king of the world, he is the lord of theuniverse--and he is my (Indra's) self; thus let it be known, yea, thuslet it be known!"

[Footnote 14: The question put by Kitra to Svetaketu is very obscure, and was probably from the first intended to be obscure in its verywording. Kitra wished to ask, doubtless, concerning the future life. That future life is reached by two roads; one leading to the world ofBrahman (the conditioned), beyond which there lies one other stage only, represented by knowledge of, and identity with the unconditionedBrahman; the other leading to the world of the fathers, and from thence, after the reward of good works has been consumed, back to a new round ofmundane existence. There is a third road for creatures which live anddie, worms, insects, and creeping things, but they are of littleconsequence. Now it is quite clear that the knowledge which King Kitrapossesses, and which Svetaketu does not possess, is that of the tworoads after death, sometimes called the right and the left, or thesouthern and northern roads. The northern or left road, called also thepath of the Devas, passes on from light and day to the bright half ofthe moon; the southern or right road, called also the path of thefathers, passes on from smoke and night to the dark half of the moon. Both roads therefore meet in the moon, but diverge afterwards. While thenorthern road passes by the six months when the sun moves towards thenorth, through the sun, moon, and the lightning to the world of Brahman, the southern passes by the six months when the sun moves towards thesouth, to the world of the fathers, the ether, and the moon. The greatdifference, however, between the two roads is, that while those whotravel on the former do not return again to a new life on earth, butreach in the end a true knowledge of the unconditioned Brahman, thosewho pass on to the world of the fathers and the moon return to earth tobe born again and again. The speculations on the fate of the soul afterdeath seem to have been peculiar to the royal families of India, whilethe Brahmans dwelt more on what may be called the shorter cut, aknowledge of Brahman as the true Self. To know, with them, was to be, and, after the dissolution of the body, they looked forward to immediateemancipation, without any further wanderings. ]

[Footnote 15: Who knows the conditioned and mythological form of Brahmanas here described, sitting on the couch. ]

[Footnote 16: In the first chapter it was said, "He approaches the couchAmitaugas, that is prâna" (breath, spirit, life). Therefore havingexplained in the first chapter the knowledge of the couch (of Brahman), the next subject to be explained is the knowledge of prâna, the livingspirit, taken for a time as Brahman, or the last cause of everything. ]

[Footnote 17: Speech is uncertain, and has to be checked by the eye. Theeye is uncertain, taking mother of pearl for silver, and must be checkedby the ear. The ear is uncertain, and must be checked by the mind, forunless the mind is attentive, the ear hears not. The mind, lastly, depends on the spirit, for without spirit there is no mind. ]

[Footnote 18: The vital spirits are called the highest treasure, becausea man surrenders everything to preserve his vital spirits or his life. ]

[Footnote 19: This is one of the earliest, if not the earliest mentionof the yagñopavîta, the sacred cord as worn over the left shoulder forsacrificial purposes. ]

[Footnote 20: Professor Cowell has translated a passage from thecommentary which is interesting as showing that its author and theauthor of the Upanishads too had a clear conception of the correlativenature of knowledge. "The organ of sense, " he says, "cannot existwithout pragñâ (self-consciousness), nor the objects of sense beobtained without the organ, therefore--on the principle, that when onething cannot exist without another, that thing is said to be identicalwith the other--as the cloth, for instance, being never perceivedwithout the threads, is identical with them, or the (false perceptionof) silver being never found without the mother of pearl is identicalwith it, so the objects of sense being never found without the organsare identical with them, and the organs being never found without pragñâ(self-consciousness) are identical with it. "]

SELECTIONS FROM THE KORAN

Translation by George Sale

INTRODUCTION

The importance of the "Koran" lies in the fact that it is a religiousbook of the East, read and stored in the memory of a hundred millions ofpeople of different races and civilizations, inhabiting countriesextending from the western borders of China to the pillars of Hercules. It is considered by the Mohammedan to contain all the knowledge and allthe literature necessary for men. When it was demanded of Mohammed toconfirm the authority of his mission by some work of wonder, he pointedto the "Koran, " and exclaimed, "Behold the greatest miracle of all. " Thelearned men of Alexandria asked the Caliph Omar to give to them the vastlibrary at Alexandria. "If those books, " he replied, "contain anythingwhich is contrary to the 'Koran' they deserve to be destroyed. If theycontain what is written in the 'Koran, ' they are unnecessary. " Heordered them to be distributed among the baths of the city, to serve asfuel for their furnaces. 

The composition of the "Koran" is all the work of Mohammed. He himselfclaimed that he spoke merely as the oracle of God. The commands andinjunctions are in the first person, as if spoken by the Divine Being. The passionate enthusiasm and religious earnestness of the prophet areplainly seen in these strange writings. Sometimes, however, he sinksinto the mere Arabian story-teller, whose object is the amusement of hispeople. He is not a poet, but when he deals with the unity of God, withthe beneficence of the Divine Being, with the wonders of Nature, withthe beauty of resignation, he exhibits a glowing rhetoric, a power ofgorgeous imagery, of pathos, and religious devotion, that make the"Koran" the first written work in the Arabian tongue. 

If we take Mohammed's own account of the composition of the volume, wemust believe that the completed "Koran" existed from all eternity, on atablet preserved in the upper heavens. Once a year, during the period ofthe prophet's active work, fragments of this tablet were brought down bythe angel Gabriel to the lower heavens of the moon, and imparted to theprophet, who was periodically transported to that celestial sphere. Thewords were recited by the angel, and dictated by the prophet to hisscribe. These detached scraps were written on the ribs of palm leaves, or the shoulder-blades of sheep, or parchment, and were stored in achest, in which they were kept until the caliphat of Abu Bekr, in theseventh century, when they were collected in one volume. Such marvels ofrevelation were made at different periods to the prophet, and werecalled Surahs, and formed separate chapters in the Koran as we have itto-day. Some of these Surahs contradict what had previously been utteredby the prophet, but this discrepancy is obviated by the expedient ofwhat is called "abrogation, " and the more recent utterances were held tosupersede and rescind those which were contradictory to it in theearlier revelation. 

It may well be believed that these sibylline leaves of Mohammedanismmake up a heterogeneous jumble of varied elements. Some of the chaptersare long, others are short; now the prophet seems to be caught up by awhirlwind, and is brought face to face with ineffable mysteries, ofwhich he speaks in the language of rhapsody. At other times he is dryand prosaic, indulging in wearisome iterations, and childishtrivialities. Now he assumes the plain, clear voice of the law-giver, orraises his accents into the angry threatenings of the relentless andbloodthirsty fanatic. Yet throughout the whole volume there is a strainof religious resignation, of trust in God, of hopefulness underadversity, of kindliness towards men, which reveal a nobility of ideal, a simplicity and purity in the conception of the Divine Being, and therelations of human life, which make the work not without inspiration, even to the thoughtful man of the nineteenth century. The Koran mustalways be considered one of the most potent of religious books, one ofthe greatest documents which reveal the struggle of the human heartafter a knowledge of God, and of faithful accomplishment of the Divinewill. Perhaps the essence of the work as furnishing a philosophy oflife, is contained in the axioms of Abu Bekr, one of the most exalted incharacter of Mohammed's successors. "Good actions, " he says, "are aguard against the blows of adversity. " And again, "Death is the easiestof all things after it, and the hardest of all things before it. " Towhich we may add the sentence of Ali, "Riches without God are thegreatest poverty and misery. "

There are twenty-nine chapters of the "Koran, " which begin with certainletters of the alphabet: some with a single one, others with more. Theseletters the Mohammedans believe to be the peculiar marks of the "Koran, "and to conceal several profound mysteries, the certain understanding ofwhich, the more intelligent confess, has not been communicated to anymortal, their prophet only excepted. Notwithstanding which, some willtake the liberty of guessing at their meaning by that species of Cabbalacalled by the Jews, Notarikon, and suppose the letters to stand for asmany words expressing the names and attributes of God, his works, ordinances, and decrees; and therefore these mysterious letters, as wellas the verses themselves, seem in the "Koran" to be called signs. Othersexplain the intent of these letters from their nature or organ, or elsefrom their value in numbers, according to another species of the JewishCabbala called Gematria; the uncertainty of these conjecturessufficiently appears from their disagreement. Thus, for example, fivechapters, one of which is the second, begin with the letters A. L. M. , which some imagine to stand for _Allah latîf magîd_--"God is graciousand to be glorified"--or, _Ana li minni_--"to me and from me"--belongsall perfection, and proceeds all good; or else for _Ana Allah âlam_--"Iam the most wise God"--taking the first letter to mark the beginning ofthe first word, the second the middle of the second word, and the thirdthe last of the third word: or for "Allah, Gabriel, Mohammed, " theauthor, revealer, and preacher of the "Koran. " Others say that as theletter A belongs to the lower part of the throat, the first of theorgans of speech; L to the palate, the middle organ: and M to the lips, which are the last organs; so these letters signify that God is thebeginning, middle, and end, or ought to be praised in the beginning, middle, and end of all our words and actions; or, as the total value ofthose three letters in numbers is seventy-one, they signify that in thespace of so many years, the religion preached in the "Koran" should befully established. The conjecture of a learned Christian is, at least, as certain as any of the former, who supposes those letters were setthere by the amanuensis, for _Amar li Mohammed_--"at the command ofMohammed"--as the five letters prefixed to the nineteenth chapter seemto be there written by a Jewish scribe, for _Cob yaas_--"thus hecommanded. "

The general contents of the "Koran" may be divided under three heads:First, precepts and laws in matters of religion, such as prayer, fasting, pilgrimage; there are laws also given in the affairs of thecivil life, such as marriage, the possession and bequeathing ofproperty, and the administration of justice. The second division wouldinclude histories, which consist in a great part of incidents from theBible, as Christians know it. Mohammed probably picked up a good deal ofhearsay knowledge in this department from Jews and Christians. Some ofhis historical incidents are purely fabulous, others are perversions orfalsifications of the Scriptural narrative. This portion of the "Koran, "interesting and anecdotic as it is, is the least satisfactory of thework, and shows the writer in his true ignorance, and disregard forhistoric verification. When, for instance, he confounds Miriam, thesister of Moses, with Mary the Mother of Christ, he shows himself lostin truly Oriental clouds of mystic error. The third element in the"Koran" is a large body of admonitions, many of them addressed to theoutside world, and to unbelievers who are exhorted to accept the creedthat there is one God and Mohammed is His prophet. War is put forth as alegitimate method of propagating the faith. The duties of life, such asjustice, temperance, resignation and industry, are enforced. Hell isthreatened to infidels and immoral people; and from whatever sources thewriter derived his materials there can be no doubt that the moral schemehe promulgated was in every sense a revelation to the degraded idolatersand fire-worshippers, amongst whom he discharged the mission of hislife. Mohammed preached what he called the truth, with the sword in onehand and the "Koran" in the other. But the empire established by thesword would long since have crumbled into dust like that of Alexander orAugustus, unless the "Koran" had fixed its teaching in the minds of theconquered, had regulated by its precepts their social and politicallife, had supported and exalted their faith with the doctrine of oneAlmighty and beneficent God; had cheered them with the hope of aResurrection, and illuminated their minds with the vision of a Paradise, the grossest of whose delights were afterwards to be interpreted byArabic commentators in accordance with the highest spiritualcapabilities of the human race. 

E. W. 

MOHAMMED AND MOHAMMEDANISM

By Thomas Carlyle

From the first rude times of Paganism among the Scandinavians in theNorth, we advance to a very different epoch of religion, among a verydifferent people: Mohammedanism among the Arabs. A great change; what achange and progress is indicated here, in the universal condition andthoughts of men!

The Hero is not now regarded as a God among his fellow-men; but as oneGod-inspired, as a Prophet. It is the second phasis of Hero-worship: thefirst or oldest, we may say, has passed away without return; in thehistory of the world there will not again be any man, never so great, whom his fellow-men will take for a god. Nay we might rationally ask, Did any set of human beings ever really think the man they _saw_ therestanding beside them a god, the maker of this world? Perhaps not: it wasusually some man they remembered, or _had_ seen. But neither can thisany more be. The Great Man is not recognized henceforth as a god anymore. 

It was a rude gross error, that of counting the Great Man a god. Yet letus say that it is at all times difficult to know _what_ he is, or how toaccount of him and receive him! The most significant feature in thehistory of an epoch is the manner it has of welcoming a Great Man. Ever, to the true instincts of men, there is something godlike in him. Whetherthey shall take him to be a god, to be a prophet, or what they shalltake him to be? that is ever a grand question; by their way of answeringthat, we shall see, as through a little window, into the very heart ofthese men's spiritual condition. For at bottom the Great Man, as hecomes from the hand of Nature, is ever the same kind of thing: Odin, Luther, Johnson, Burns; I hope to make it appear that these are alloriginally of one stuff; that only by the world's reception of them, andthe shapes they assume, are they so immeasurably diverse. The worship ofOdin astonishes us, --to fall prostrate before the Great Man, into_deliquium_ of love and wonder over him, and feel in their hearts thathe was a denizen of the skies, a god! This was imperfect enough: but towelcome, for example, a Burns as we did, was that what we can callperfect? The most precious gift that Heaven can give to the Earth; a manof "genius" as we call it; the Soul of a Man actually sent down from theskies with a God's-message to us, --this we waste away as an idleartificial firework, sent to amuse us a little, and sink it into ashes, wreck, and ineffectuality: _such_ reception of a Great Man I do not callvery perfect either! Looking into the heart of the thing, one mayperhaps call that of Burns a still uglier phenomenon, betokening stillsadder imperfections in mankind's ways, than the Scandinavian methoditself! To fall into mere unreasoning _deliquium_ of love andadmiration, was not good; but such unreasoning, nay irrationalsupercilious no-love at all is perhaps still worse!--It is a thingforever changing, this of Hero-worship: different in each age, difficultto do well in any age. Indeed, the heart of the whole business of theage, one may say, is to do it well. 

We have chosen Mohammed not as the most eminent Prophet; but as the onewe are freest to speak of. He is by no means the truest of Prophets; butI do esteem him a true one. Further, as there is no danger of ourbecoming, any of us, Mohammedans, I mean to say all the good of him Ijustly can. It is the way to get at his secret: let us try to understandwhat _he_ meant with the world; what the world meant and means with him, will then be a more answerable question. Our current hypothesis aboutMohammed, that he was a scheming Impostor, a Falsehood incarnate, thathis religion is a mere mass of quackery and fatuity, begins really to benow untenable to any one. The lies, which well-meaning zeal has heapedround this man, are disgraceful to ourselves only. When Pococke inquiredof Grotius where the proof was of that story of the pigeon, trained topick peas from Mohammed's ear, and pass for an angel dictating to him, Grotius answered that there was no proof! It is really time to dismissall that. The word this man spoke has been the life-guidance now of ahundred-and-eighty millions of men these twelve-hundred years. Thesehundred-and-eighty millions were made by God as well as we. A greaternumber of God's creatures believe in Mohammed's word at this hour thanin any other word whatever. Are we to suppose that it was a miserablepiece of spiritual legerdemain, this which so many creatures of theAlmighty have lived by and died by? I, for my part, cannot form any suchsupposition. I will believe most things sooner than that. One would beentirely at a loss what to think of this world at all, if quackery sogrew and were sanctioned here. 

Alas, such theories are very lamentable. If we would attain to knowledgeof anything in God's true Creation, let us disbelieve them wholly! Theyare the product of an Age of Scepticism; they indicate the saddestspiritual paralysis, and mere death-life of the souls of men: moregodless theory, I think, was never promulgated in this Earth. A falseman found a religion? Why, a false man cannot build a brick house! If hedo not know and follow _truly_ the properties of mortar, burnt clay andwhat else he works in, it is no house that he makes, but a rubbish-heap. It will not stand for twelve centuries, to lodge a hundred-and-eightymillions; it will fall straightway. A man must conform himself toNature's laws, _be_ verily in communion with Nature and the truth ofthings, or Nature will answer him, No, not at all! Speciosities arespecious--ah me!--a Cagliostro, many Cagliostros, prominentworld-leaders, do prosper by their quackery, for a day. It is like aforged bank-note; they get it passed out of _their_ worthless hands:others, not they, have to smart for it. Nature bursts-up in fire-flames, French Revolutions and suchlike, proclaiming with terrible veracity thatforged notes are forged. 

But of a Great Man especially, of him I will venture to assert that itis incredible he should have been other than true. It seems to me theprimary foundation of him, and of all that can lie in him, this. NoMirabeau, Napoleon, Burns, Cromwell, no man adequate to do anything, butis first of all in right earnest about it; what I call a sincere man. Ishould say _sincerity_, a deep, great, genuine sincerity, is the firstcharacteristic of all men in any way heroic. Not the sincerity thatcalls itself sincere; ah no, that is a very poor matter indeed;--ashallow braggart conscious sincerity; oftenest self-conceit mainly. TheGreat Man's sincerity is of the kind he cannot speak of, is notconscious of; nay, I suppose, he is conscious rather of _in_sincerity;for what man can walk accurately by the law of truth for one day? No, the Great Man does not boast himself sincere, far from that; perhapsdoes not ask himself if he is so: I would say rather, his sincerity doesnot depend on himself; he cannot help being sincere! The great Fact ofExistence is great to him. Fly as he will, he cannot get out of theawful presence of this Reality. His mind is so made; he is great bythat, first of all. Fearful and wonderful, real as Life, real as Death, is this Universe to him. Though all men should forget its truth, andwalk in a vain show, he cannot. At all moments the Flame-image glares-inupon him; undeniable, there, there!--I wish you to take this as myprimary definition of a Great Man. A little man may have this, it iscompetent to all men that God has made: but a Great Man cannot bewithout it. 

Such a man is what we call an _original_ man; he comes to us atfirst-hand. A messenger he, sent from the Infinite Unknown with tidingsto us. We may call him Poet, Prophet, God;--in one way or other, we allfeel that the words he utters are as no other man's words. Direct fromthe Inner Fact of things:--he lives, and has to live, in daily communionwith that. Hearsays cannot hide it from him; he is blind, homeless, miserable, following hearsays; _it_ glares-in upon him. Really hisutterances, are they not a kind of "revelation";--what we must call suchfor want of other name? It is from the heart of the world that he comes;he is portion of the primal reality of things. God has made manyrevelations: but this man too, has not God made him, the latest andnewest of all? The "inspiration of the Almighty giveth _him_understanding": we must listen before all to him. 

This Mohammed, then, we will in no wise consider as an Inanity andTheatricality, a poor conscious ambitious schemer; we cannot conceivehim so. The rude message he delivered was a real one withal; an earnestconfused voice from the unknown Deep. The man's words were not false, nor his workings here below; no Inanity and Simulacrum; a fiery mass ofLife cast-up from the great bosom of Nature herself. To _kindle_ theworld; the world's Maker had ordered it so. Neither can the faults, imperfections, insincerities even, of Mohammed, if such were never sowell proved against him, shake this primary fact about him. 

On the whole, we make too much of faults; the details of the businesshide the real centre of it. Faults? The greatest of faults, I shouldsay, is to be conscious of none. Readers of the Bible above all, onewould think, might know better. Who is called there "the man accordingto God's own heart"? David, the Hebrew King, had fallen into sinsenough; blackest crimes; there was no want of sins. And thereupon theunbelievers sneer and ask, Is this your man according to God's heart?The sneer, I must say, seems to me but a shallow one. What are faults, what are the outward details of a life; if the inner secret of it, theremorse, temptations, true, often-baffled, never-ended struggle of it, be forgotten? "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. " Ofall acts, is not, for a man, _repentance_ the most divine? The deadliestsin, I say, were that same supercilious consciousness of no sin;--thatis death; the heart so conscious is divorced from sincerity, humility, and fact; is dead: it is "pure" as dead dry sand is pure. David's lifeand history, as written for us in those Psalms of his, I consider to bethe truest emblem ever given of a man's moral progress and warfare herebelow. All earnest souls will ever discern in it the faithful struggleof an earnest human soul towards what is good and best. Struggle oftenbaffled, sore baffled, down as into entire wreck; yet a struggle neverended; ever, with tears, repentance, true unconquerable purpose, begunanew. Poor human nature! Is not a man's walking, in truth, always that:"a succession of falls"? Man can do no other. In this wild element of aLife, he has to struggle onwards; now fallen, deep-abased; and ever, with tears, repentance, with bleeding heart, he has to rise again, struggle again still onwards. That his struggle _be_ a faithfulunconquerable one: that is the question of questions. We will put-upwith many sad details, if the soul of it were true. Details bythemselves will never teach us what it is. I believe we misestimateMohammed's faults even as faults: but the secret of him will never begot by dwelling there. We will leave all this behind us; and assuringourselves that he did mean some true thing, ask candidly what it was ormight be. 

These Arabs Mohammed was born among are certainly a notable people. Their country itself is notable; the fit habitation for such a race. Savage inaccessible rock-mountains, great grim deserts, alternating withbeautiful strips of verdure: wherever water is, there is greenness, beauty; odoriferous balm-shrubs, date-trees, frankincense-trees. Consider that wide waste horizon of sand, empty, silent, like asand-sea, dividing habitable place from habitable. You are all alonethere, left alone with the Universe; by day a fierce sun blazing down onit with intolerable radiance; by night the great deep Heaven with itsstars. Such a country is fit for a swift-handed, deep-hearted race ofmen. There is something most agile, active, and yet most meditative, enthusiastic in the Arab character. The Persians are called the Frenchof the East; we will call the Arabs Oriental Italians. A gifted noblepeople; a people of wild strong feelings, and of iron restraint overthese: the characteristic of noblemindedness, of genius. The wildBedouin welcomes the stranger to his tent, as one having right to allthat is there; were it his worst enemy, he will slay his foal to treathim, will serve him with sacred hospitality for three days, will set himfairly on his way;--and then, by another law as sacred, kill him if hecan. In words too, as in action. They are not a loquacious people, taciturn rather; but eloquent, gifted when they do speak. An earnest, truthful kind of men. They are, as we know, of Jewish kindred: but withthat deadly terrible earnestness of the Jews they seem to combinesomething graceful, brilliant, which is not Jewish. They had "poeticcontests" among them before the time of Mohammed. Sale says, at Ocadh, in the South of Arabia, there were yearly fairs, and there, when themerchandising was done, Poets sang for prizes:--the wild people gatheredto hear that. 

One Jewish quality these Arabs manifest; the outcome of many or of allhigh qualities: what we may call religiosity. From of old they had beenzealous worshippers, according to their light. They worshipped thestars, as Sabeans; worshipped many natural objects--recognized them assymbols, immediate manifestations, of the Maker of Nature. It was wrong;and yet not wholly wrong. All God's works are still in a sense symbolsof God. Do we not, as I urged, still account it a merit to recognize acertain inexhaustible significance, "poetic beauty" as we name it, inall natural objects whatsoever? A man is a poet, and honored, for doingthat, and speaking or singing it--a kind of diluted worship. They hadmany Prophets, these Arabs; Teachers each to his tribe, each accordingto the light he had. But indeed, have we not from of old the noblest ofproofs, still palpable to every one of us, of what devoutness andnoblemindedness had dwelt in these rustic thoughtful peoples? Biblicalcritics seem agreed that our own _Book of Job_ was written in thatregion of the world. I call that, apart from all theories about it, oneof the grandest things ever written with pen. One feels, indeed, as ifit were not Hebrew; such a noble universality, different from noblepatriotism or sectarianism, reigns in it. A noble Book; all men's Book!It is our first, oldest statement of the never-ending Problem, --man'sdestiny, and God's ways with him here in this earth. And all in suchfree flowing outlines; grand in its sincerity, in its simplicity; in itsepic melody, and repose of reconcilement. There is the seeing eye, themildly understanding heart. So _true_ everyway; true eyesight and visionfor all things; material things no less than spiritual: the Horse--"hastthou clothed his neck with _thunder_?"--he "_laughs_ at the shaking ofthe spear!" Such living likenesses were never since drawn. Sublimesorrow, sublime reconciliation; oldest choral melody as of the heart ofmankind;--so soft, and great; as the summer midnight, as the world withits seas and stars! There is nothing written, I think, in the Bible orout of it, of equal literary merit. --

To the idolatrous Arabs one of the most ancient universal objects ofworship was that Black Stone, still kept in the building called Caabahat Mecca. Diodorus Siculus mentions this Caabah in a way not to bemistaken, as the oldest, most honored temple in his time; that is, somehalf-century before our Era. Silvestre de Sacy says there is somelikelihood that the Black Stone is an aerolite. In that case, some manmight _see_ it fall out of Heaven! It stands now beside the Well Zemzem;the Caabah is built over both. A Well is in all places a beautifulaffecting object, gushing out like life from the hard earth;--still moreso in those hot dry countries, where it is the first condition of being. The Well Zemzem has its name from the bubbling sound of the waters, _zem-zem_; they think it is the Well which Hagar found with her littleIshmael in the wilderness: the aerolite and it have been sacred now, andhad a Caabah over them, for thousands of years. A curious object, thatCaabah! There it stands at this hour, in the black cloth-covering theSultan sends it yearly; "twenty-seven cubits high;" with circuit, withdouble circuit of pillars, with festoon rows of lamps and quaintornaments: the lamps will be lighted again _this_ night--to glitteragain under the stars. An authentic fragment of the oldest Past. It isthe _Keblah_ of all Moslem: from Delhi all onwards to Morocco, the eyesof innumerable praying men are turned towards _it_, five times, this dayand all days: one of the notablest centres in the Habitation of Men. 

It had been from the sacredness attached to this Caabah Stone andHagar's Well, from the pilgrimings of all tribes of Arabs thither, thatMecca took its rise as a Town. A great town once, though much decayednow. It has no natural advantage for a town; stands in a sandy hollowamid bare barren hills, at a distance from the sea; its provisions, itsvery bread, have to be imported. But so many pilgrims needed lodgings:and then all places of pilgrimage do, from the first, become places oftrade. The first day pilgrims meet, merchants have also met: where mensee themselves assembled for one object, they find that they canaccomplish other objects which depend on meeting together. Mecca becamethe Fair of all Arabia. And thereby indeed the chief staple andwarehouse of whatever Commerce there was between the Indian and theWestern countries, Syria, Egypt, even Italy. It had at one time apopulation of 100, 000; buyers, forwarders of those Eastern and Westernproducts; importers for their own behoof of provisions and corn. Thegovernment was a kind of irregular aristocratic republic, not without atouch of theocracy. Ten Men of a chief tribe, chosen in some rough way, were Governors of Mecca, and Keepers of the Caabah. The Koreish were thechief tribe in Mohammed's time; his own family was of that tribe. Therest of the Nation, fractioned and cut-asunder by deserts, lived undersimilar rude patriarchal governments by one or several: herdsmen, carriers, traders, generally robbers too; being oftenest at war one withanother, or with all: held together by no open bond, if it were not thismeeting at the Caabah, where all forms of Arab Idolatry assembled incommon adoration;--held mainly by the _inward_ indissoluble bond of acommon blood and language. In this way had the Arabs lived for longages, unnoticed by the world; a people of great qualities, unconsciouslywaiting for the day when they should become notable to all the world. Their Idolatries appear to have been in a tottering state; much wasgetting into confusion and fermentation among them. Obscure tidings ofthe most important Event ever transacted in this world, the Life andDeath of the Divine Man in Judea, at once the symptom and cause ofimmeasurable change to all people in the world, had in the course ofcenturies reached into Arabia too; and could not but, of itself, haveproduced fermentation there. 

It was among this Arab people, so circumstanced, in the year 570 of ourEra, that the man Mohammed was born. He was of the family of Hashem, ofthe Koreish tribe as we said; though poor, connected with the chiefpersons of his country. Almost at his birth he lost his Father; at theage of six years his Mother too, a woman noted for her beauty, her worthand sense: he fell to the charge of his Grandfather, an old man, ahundred years old. A good old man: Mohammed's Father, Abdallah, had beenhis youngest favorite son. He saw in Mohammed, with his old life-worneyes, a century old, the lost Abdallah come back again, all that wasleft of Abdallah. He loved the little orphan Boy greatly; used to saythey must take care of that beautiful little Boy, nothing in theirkindred was more precious than he. At his death, while the boy was stillbut two years old, he left him in charge to Abu Thaleb the eldest of theUncles, as to him that now was head of the house. By this Uncle, a justand rational man as everything betokens, Mohammed was brought-up in thebest Arab way. 

Mohammed, as he grew up, accompanied his Uncle on trading journeys andsuchlike; in his eighteenth year one finds him a fighter following hisUncle in war. But perhaps the most significant of all his journeys isone we find noted as of some years' earlier date: a journey to the Fairsof Syria. The young man here first came in contact with a quite foreignworld, --with one foreign element of endless moment to him: the ChristianReligion. I know not what to make of that "Sergius, the Nestorian Monk, "whom Abu Thaleb and he are said to have lodged with; or how much anymonk could have taught one still so young. Probably enough it is greatlyexaggerated, this of the Nestorian Monk. Mohammed was only fourteen; hadno language but his own: much in Syria must have been a strangeunintelligible whirlpool to him. But the eyes of the lad were open;glimpses of many things would doubtless be taken-in, and lie veryenigmatic as yet, which were to ripen in a strange way into views, intobeliefs and insights one day. These journeys to Syria were probably thebeginning of much to Mohammed. 

One other circumstance we must not forget: that he had noschool-learning; of the thing we call school-learning none at all. Theart of writing was but just introduced into Arabia; it seems to be thetrue opinion that Mohammed never could write! Life in the Desert, withits experiences, was all his education. What of this infinite Universehe, from his dim place, with his own eyes and thoughts, could take in, so much and no more of it was he to know. Curious, if we will reflect onit, this of having no books. Except by what he could see for himself, orhear of by uncertain rumor of speech in the obscure Arabian Desert, hecould know nothing. The wisdom that had been before him or at a distancefrom him in the world, was in a manner as good as not there for him. Ofthe great brother souls, flame-beacons through so many lands and times, no one directly communicates with this great soul. He is alone there, deep down in the bosom of the Wilderness; has to grow up so, --alone withNature and his own Thoughts. 

But, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. Hiscompanions named him "_Al Amin_, the Faithful. " A man of truth andfidelity; true in what he did, in what he spake and thought. They notedthat _he_ always meant something. A man rather taciturn in speech;silent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the onlysort of speech _worth_ speaking! Through life we find him to have beenregarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man. A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, cordial, companionable, jocose even;--agood laugh in him withal: there are men whose laugh is as untrue asanything about them; who cannot laugh. One hears of Mohammed's beauty:his fine sagacious honest face, brown florid complexion, beaming blackeyes;--I somehow like too that vein on the brow, which swelled-up blackwhen he was in anger: like the "horse-shoe vein" in Scott's_Red-gauntlet_. It was a kind of feature in the Hashem family, thisblack swelling vein in the brow; Mahomet had it prominent, as wouldappear. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-meaning man! Full ofwild faculty, fire and light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working outhis life-task in the depths of the Desert there. 

How he was placed with Kadijah, a rich Widow, as her Steward, andtravelled in her business, again to the Fairs of Syria; how he managedall, as one can well understand, with fidelity, adroitness; how hergratitude, her regard for him grew: the story of their marriage isaltogether a graceful intelligible one, as told us by the Arab authors. He was twenty-five; she forty, though still beautiful. He seems to havelived in a most affectionate, peaceable, wholesome way with this weddedbenefactress; loving her truly, and her alone. It goes greatly againstthe impostor theory, the fact that he lived in this entirelyunexceptionable, entirely quiet and commonplace way, till the heat ofhis years was done. He was forty before he talked of any mission fromHeaven. All his irregularities, real and supposed, date from after hisfiftieth year, when the good Kadijah died. All his "ambition, "seemingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest life; his "fame, " themere good opinion of neighbors that knew him, had been sufficienthitherto. Not till he was already getting old, the prurient heat of hislife all burnt out, and _peace_ growing to be the chief thing this worldcould give him, did he start on the "career of ambition"; and, belyingall his past character and existence, set-up as a wretched emptycharlatan to acquire what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, Ihave no faith whatever in that. 

Ah no: this deep-hearted Son of the Wilderness, with his beaming blackeyes and open social deep soul, had other thoughts in him than ambition. A silent great soul; he was one of those who cannot _but_ be in earnest;whom Nature herself has appointed to be sincere. While others walk informulas and hearsays, contented enough to dwell there, this man couldnot screen himself in formulas; he was alone with his own soul and thereality of things. The great Mystery of Existence, as I said, glared-inupon him, with its terrors, with its splendors; no hearsays could hidethat unspeakable fact, "Here am I!" Such _sincerity_, as we named it, has in very truth something of divine. The word of such a man is a Voicedirect from Nature's own Heart. Men do and must listen to that as tonothing else;--all else is wind in comparison. From of old, a thousandthoughts, in his pilgrimings and wanderings, had been in this man: Whatam I? What _is_ this unfathomable Thing I live in, which men nameUniverse? What is Life; what is Death? What am I to believe? What am Ito do? The grim rocks of Mount Hara, of Mount Sinai, the stern sandysolitudes answered not. The great Heaven rolling silent overhead, withits blue-glancing stars, answered not. There was no answer. The man'sown soul, and what of God's inspiration dwelt there, had to answer!

It is the thing which all men have to ask themselves; which we too haveto ask, and answer. This wild man felt it to be of _infinite_ moment;all other things of no moment whatever in comparison. The jargon ofargumentative Greek Sects, vague traditions of Jews, the stupid routineof Arab Idolatry: there was no answer in these. A Hero, as I repeat, hasthis first distinction, which indeed we may call first and last, theAlpha and Omega of his whole Heroism, that he looks through the shows ofthings into _things_. Use and wont, respectable hearsay, respectableformula: all these are good, or are not good. There is something behindand beyond all these, which all these must correspond with, be the imageof, or they are--_Idolatries_; "bits of black wood pretending to beGod"; to the earnest soul a mockery and abomination. Idolatries never sogilded waited on by heads of the Koreish, will do nothing for this man. Though all men walk by them, what good is it? The great Reality standsglaring there upon _him_. He there has to answer it, or perishmiserably. Now, even now, or else through all Eternity never! Answer it;_thou_ must find an answer. --Ambition? What could all Arabia do for thisman; with the crown of Greek Heraclius, of Persian Chosroes, and allcrowns in the Earth;--what could they all do for him? It was not of theEarth he wanted to hear tell; it was of the Heaven above and of the Hellbeneath. All crowns and sovereignties whatsoever, where would _they_ ina few brief years be? To be Sheik of Mecca or Arabia, and have a bit ofgilt wood put into your hand, --will that be one's salvation? I decidedlythink, not. We will leave it altogether, this impostor hypothesis, asnot credible; not very tolerable even, worthy chiefly of dismissal byus. 

Mohammed had been wont to retire yearly, during the month Ramadhan, intosolitude and silence; as indeed was the Arab custom; a praiseworthycustom, which such a man, above all, would find natural and useful. Communing with his own heart, in the silence of the mountains; himselfsilent; open to the "small still voices": it was a right natural custom!Mohammed was in his fortieth year, when having withdrawn to a cavern inMount Hara, near Mecca, during this Ramadhan, to pass the month inprayer, and meditation on those great questions, he one day told hiswife Kadijah, who with his household was with him or near him this year, that by the unspeakable special favor of Heaven he had now found it allout; was in doubt and darkness no longer, but saw it all. That all theseIdols and Formulas were nothing, miserable bits of wood; that there wasOne God in and over all; and we must leave all idols, and look to Him. That God is great; and that there is nothing else great! He is theReality. Wooden Idols are not real; He is real. He made us at first, sustains us yet; we and all things are but the shadow of Him; atransitory garment veiling the Eternal Splendor. "_Allah akbar_, " God isgreat;--and then also "_Islam_, " that we must _submit_ to God. That ourwhole strength lies in resigned submission to Him, whatsoever He do tous. For this world, and for the other! The thing He sends to us, were itdeath and worse than death, shall be good, shall be best; we resignourselves to God. --"If this be _Islam_, " says Goethe, "do we not alllive in _Islam_?" Yes, all of us that have any moral life; we all liveso. It has ever been held the highest wisdom for a man not merely tosubmit to Necessity, --Necessity will make him submit, --but to know andbelieve well that the stern thing which Necessity had ordered was thewisest, the best, the thing wanted there. To cease his franticpretension of scanning this great God's-World in his small fraction of abrain; to know that it _had_ verily, though deep beyond his soundings, aJust Law, that the soul of it was Good;--that his part in it was toconform to the Law of the Whole, and in devout silence follow that; notquestioning it, obeying it as unquestionable. 

I say, this is yet the only true morality known. A man is right andinvincible, virtuous and on the road towards sure conquest, preciselywhile he joins himself to the great deep Law of the World, in spite ofall superficial laws, temporary appearances, profit-and-losscalculations; he is victorious while he coöperates with that greatcentral Law, not victorious otherwise:--and surely his first chance ofcoöperating with it, or getting into the course of it, is to know withhis whole soul that it _is_; that it is good, and alone good! This isthe soul of Islam; it is properly the soul of Christianity;--for Islamis definable as a confused form of Christianity; had Christianity notbeen, neither had it been. Christianity also commands us, before all, tobe resigned to God. We are to take no counsel with flesh-and-blood; giveear to no vain cavils, vain sorrows and wishes: to know that we knownothing; that the worst and crudest to our eyes is not what it seems;that we have to receive whatsoever befalls us as sent from God above, and say, It is good and wise, God is great! "Though He slay me, yet willI trust in Him. " Islam means in its way Denial of Self, Annihilation ofSelf. This is yet the highest Wisdom that Heaven has revealed to ourEarth. 

Such light had come, as it could, to illuminate the darkness of thiswild Arab soul. A confused dazzling splendor as of life and Heaven, inthe great darkness which threatened to be death: he called it revelationand the angel Gabriel;--who of us yet can know what to call it? It isthe "inspiration of the Almighty that giveth us understanding. " To_know_; to get into the truth of anything, is ever a mystic act, --ofwhich the best Logics can but babble on the surface. "Is not Belief thetrue god-announcing Miracle?" says Novalis. --That Mohammed's whole soul, set in flame with this grand Truth vouchsafed him, should feel as if itwere important and the only important thing, was very natural. ThatProvidence had unspeakably honored _him_ by revealing it, saving himfrom death and darkness; that he therefore was bound to make known thesame to all creatures: this is what was meant by "Mohammed is theProphet of God"; this too is not without its true meaning. --

The good Kadijah, we can fancy, listened to him with wonder, with doubt:at length she answered: Yes, it was _true_ this that he said. One canfancy too the boundless gratitude of Mohammed; and how of all thekindnesses she had done him, this of believing the earnest strugglingword he now spoke was the greatest. "It is certain, " says Novalis, "myConviction gains infinitely, the moment another soul will believe init. " It is a boundless favor. --He never forgot this good Kadijah. Longafterwards, Ayesha his young favorite wife, a woman who indeeddistinguished herself among the Moslem, by all manner of qualities, through her whole long life; this young brilliant Ayesha was, one day, questioning him: "Now am not I better than Kadijah? She was a widow;old, and had lost her looks: you love me better than you did her?"--"No, by Allah!" answered Mohammed: "No, by Allah! She believed in me whennone else would believe. In the whole world I had but one friend, andshe was that!"--Seid, his Slave, also belie ed in him; these with hisyoung Cousin Ali, Abu Thaleb's son, were his first converts. 

He spoke of his Doctrine to this man and that; but the most treated itwith ridicule, with indifference; in three years, I think, he had gainedbut thirteen followers. His progress was slow enough. His encouragementto go on, was altogether the usual encouragement that such a man in sucha case meets. After some three years of small success, he invited fortyof his chief kindred to an entertainment; and there stood-up and toldthem what his pretension was: that he had this thing to promulgateabroad to all men; that it was the highest thing, the one thing: whichof them would second him in that? Amid the doubt and silence of all, young Ali, as yet a lad of sixteen, impatient of the silence, started-up, and exclaimed in passionate fierce language that he would!The assembly, among whom was Abu Thaleb, Ali's Father, could not beunfriendly to Mohammed; yet the sight there, of one unlettered elderlyman, with a lad of sixteen, deciding on such an enterprise against allmankind, appeared ridiculous to them; the assembly broke-up in laughter. Nevertheless it proved not a laughable thing; it was a very seriousthing! As for this young Ali, one cannot but like him. A noble-mindedcreature, as he shows himself, now and always afterwards; full ofaffection, of fiery daring. Something chivalrous in him; brave as alion; yet with a grace, a truth and affection worthy of Christianknighthood. He died by assassination in the Mosque at Bagdad; a deathoccasioned by his own generous fairness, confidence in the fairness ofothers: he said if the wound proved not unto death, they must pardon theAssassin; but if it did, then they must slay him straightway, that sothey two in the same hour might appear before God, and see which side ofthat quarrel was the just one!

Mohammed naturally gave offence to the Koreish, Keepers of the Caabah, superintendents of the Idols. One or two men of influence had joinedhim: the thing spread slowly, but it was spreading. Naturally he gaveoffence to everybody: Who is this that pretends to be wiser than we all;that rebukes us all, as mere fools and worshippers of wood! Abu Thalebthe good Uncle spoke with him: Could he not be silent about all that;believe it all for himself, and not trouble others, anger the chief men, endanger himself and them all, talking of it? Mohammed answered: If theSun stood on his right hand and the Moon on his left, ordering him tohold his peace, he could not obey! No: there was something in this Truthhe had got which was of Nature herself; equal in rank to Sun, or Moon, or whatsoever thing Nature had made. It would speak itself there, solong as the Almighty allowed it, in spite of Sun and Moon, and allKoreish and all men and things. It must do that, and could do no other. Mohammed answered so; and, they say, "burst into tears. " Burst intotears: he felt that Abu Thaleb was good to him; that the task he had gotwas no soft, but a stern and great one. 

He went on speaking to who would listen to him; publishing his Doctrineamong the pilgrims as they came to Mecca; gaining adherents in thisplace and that. Continual contradiction, hatred, open or secret dangerattended him. His powerful relations protected Mohammed himself; but byand by, on his own advice, all his adherents had to quit Mecca, and seekrefuge in Abyssinia over the sea. The Koreish grew ever angrier; laidplots, and swore oaths among them, to put Mohammed to death with theirown hands. Abu Thaleb was dead, the good Kadijah was dead. Mohammed isnot solicitous of sympathy from us; but his outlook at this time was oneof the dismallest. He had to hide in caverns, escape in disguise; flyhither and thither; homeless, in continual peril of his life. More thanonce it seemed all-over with him; more than once it turned on a straw, some rider's horse taking fright or the like, whether Mohammed and hisDoctrine had not ended there, and not been heard of at all. But it wasnot to end so. 

In the thirteenth year of his mission, finding his enemies all bandedagainst him, forty sworn men, one out of every tribe, waiting to takehis life, and no continuance possible at Mecca for him any longer, Mohammed fled to the place then called Yathreb, where he had gained someadherents; the place they now call Medina, or "_Medinat al Nabi_, theCity of the Prophet, " from that circumstance. It lay some 200 miles off, through rocks and deserts; not without great difficulty, in such mood aswe may fancy, he escaped thither, and found welcome. The whole Eastdates its era from this Flight, _Hegira_ as they name it: the Year 1 ofthis Hegira is 622 of our Era, the fifty-third of Mohammed's life. Hewas now becoming an old man; his friends sinking round him one by one;his path desolate, encompassed with danger: unless he could find hope inhis own heart, the outward face of things was but hopeless for him. Itis so with all men in the like case. Hitherto Mohammed had professed topublish his Religion by the way of preaching and persuasion alone. Butnow, driven foully out of his native country, since unjust men had notonly given no ear to his earnest Heaven's-message, the deep cry of hisheart, but would not even let him live if he kept speaking it, --the wildSon of the Desert resolved to defend himself, like a man and Arab. Ifthe Koreish will have it so, they shall have it. Tidings, felt to be ofinfinite moment to them and all men, they would not listen to these;would trample them down by sheer violence, steel and murder: well, letsteel try it then! Ten years more this Mohammed had; all of fighting, ofbreathless impetuous toil and struggle; with what result we know. 

Much has been said of Mohammed's propagating his Religion by the sword. It is no doubt far nobler what we have to boast of the ChristianReligion, that it propagated itself peaceably in the way of preachingand conviction. Yet withal, if we take this for an argument of the truthor falsehood of a religion, there is a radical mistake in it. The swordindeed: but where will you get your sword! Every new opinion, at itsstarting, is precisely in a _minority of one_. In one man's head alone, there it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it;there is one man against all men. That _he_ take a sword, and try topropagate with that, will do little for him. You must first get yoursword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can. We do notfind, of the Christian Religion either, that it always disdained thesword, when once it had got one. Charlemagne's conversion of the Saxonswas not by preaching. I care little about the sword: I will allow athing to struggle for itself in this world, with any sword or tongue orimplement it has, or can lay hold of. We will let it preach, andpamphleteer, and fight, and to the uttermost bestir itself, and do, beakand claws, whatsoever is in it; very sure that it will, in the long-run, conquer nothing which does not deserve to be conquered. What is betterthan itself, it cannot put away, but only what is worse. In this greatDuel, Nature herself is umpire, and can do no wrong: the thing which isdeepest-rooted in Nature, what we call _truest_, that thing and not theother will be found growing at last. 

Here however, in reference to much that there is in Mohammed and hissuccess, we are to remember what an umpire Nature is; what a greatness, composure of depth and tolerance there is in her. You take wheat to castinto the Earth's bosom: your wheat may be mixed with chaff, choppedstraw, barn-sweepings, dust and all imaginable rubbish; no matter: youcast it into the kind just Earth; she grows the wheat, --the wholerubbish she silently absorbs, shrouds _it_ in, says nothing of therubbish. The yellow wheat is growing there; the good Earth is silentabout all the rest, --has silently turned all the rest to some benefittoo, and makes no complaint about it! So everywhere in Nature! She istrue and not a lie; and yet so great, and just, and motherly in hertruth. She requires of a thing only that it _be_ genuine of heart; shewill protect it if so; will not, if not so. There is a soul of truth inall the things she ever gave harbor to. Alas, is not this the history ofall highest Truth that comes or ever came into the world? The _body_ ofthem all is imperfection, an element of light _in_ darkness: to us theyhave to come embodied in mere Logic, in some merely _scientific_ Theoremof the Universe; which _cannot_ be complete; which cannot but be found, one day, incomplete, erroneous, and so die and disappear. The body ofall Truth dies; and yet in all, I say, there is a soul which never dies;which in new and ever-nobler embodiment lives immortal as man himself!It is the way with Nature. The genuine essence of Truth never dies. Thatit be genuine, a voice from the great Deep of Nature, there is the pointat Nature's judgment-seat. What _we_ call pure or impure, is not withher the final question. Not how much chaff is in you; but whether youhave any wheat. Pure? I might say to many a man: Yes, you are pure; pureenough; but you are chaff, --insincere hypothesis, hearsay, formality;you never were in contact with the great heart of the Universe at all;you are properly neither pure nor impure; you _are_ nothing, Nature hasno business with you. 

Mohammed's Creed we called a kind of Christianity; and really, if welook at the wild rapt earnestness with which it was believed and laid toheart, I should say a better kind than that of those miserable SyrianSects, with their vain janglings about _Homoiousion_ and _Homoousion_, the head full of worthless noise, the heart empty and dead! The truth ofit is imbedded in portentous error and falsehood; but the truth of itmakes it be believed, not the falsehood: it succeeded by its truth. Abastard kind of Christianity, but a living kind; with a heartlife in it;not dead, chopping barren logic merely! Out of all that rubbish of Arabidolatries, argumentative theologies, traditions, subtleties, rumors andhypotheses of Greeks and Jews, with their idle wiredrawings, this wildman of the Desert, with his wild sincere heart, earnest as death andlife, with his great flashing natural eyesight, had seen into the kernelof the matter. Idolatry is nothing: these Wooden Idols of yours, "ye rubthem with oil and wax, and the flies stick on them, "--these are wood, Itell you! They can do nothing for you; they are an impotent blasphemouspretence; a horror and abomination, if ye knew them. God alone is; Godalone has power; He made us, He can kill us and keep us alive: "_Allahakbar_, God is great. " Understand that His will is the best for you;that howsoever sore to flesh-and-blood, you will find it the wisest, best: you are bound to take it so; in this world and in the next, youhave no other thing that you can do!

And now if the wild idolatrous men did believe this, and with theirfiery hearts lay hold of it to do it, in what form soever it came tothem, I say it was well worthy of being believed. In one form or theother, I say it is still the one thing worthy of being believed by allmen. Man does hereby become the high-priest of this Temple of a World. He is in harmony with the Decrees of the Author of this World;cooperating with them, not vainly withstanding them: I know, to thisday, no better definition of Duty than that same. All that is _right_includes itself in this of cooperating with the real Tendency of theWorld: you succeed by this (the World's Tendency will succeed), you aregood, and in the right course there. _Homoiousion, Homoousion_, vainlogical jangle, then or before or at any time, may jangle itself out, and go whither and how it likes: this is the _thing_ it all struggles tomean, if it would mean anything. If it do not succeed in meaning this, it means nothing. Not that Abstractions, logical Propositions, becorrectly worded or incorrectly; but that living concrete Sons of Adamdo lay this to heart: that is the important point. Islam devoured allthese vain jangling Sects; and I think had right to do so. It was aReality, direct from the great Heart of Nature once more. Arabidolatries, Syrian formulas, whatsoever was not equally real, had to goup in flame, --mere dead _fuel_, in various senses, for this which was_fire_. 

It was during these wild warfarings and strugglings, especially afterthe Flight to Mecca, that Mohammed dictated at intervals his SacredBook, which they name _Koran_, or _Reading_, "Thing to be read. " This isthe Work he and his disciples made so much of, asking all the world, Isnot that a miracle? The Mohammedans regard their Koran with a reverencewhich few Christians pay even to their Bible. It is admitted everywhereas the standard of all law and all practice; the thing to be gone-uponin speculation and life: the message sent direct out of Heaven, whichthis earth has to conform to, and walk by; the thing to be read. TheirJudges decide by it; all Moslem are bound to study it, seek in it forthe light of their life. They have mosques where it is all read daily;thirty relays of priests take it up in succession, get through the wholeeach day. There, for twelve-hundred years, has the voice of this Book, at all moments, kept sounding through the ears and the hearts of so manymen. We hear of Mohammedan Doctors that had read it seventy-thousandtimes!

Very curious: if one sought for "discrepancies of national taste, " heresurely were the most eminent instance of that! We also can read theKoran; our Translation of it, by Sale, is known to be a very fair one. Imust say, it is as toilsome reading as I ever undertook. A wearisomeconfused jumble, crude, incondite; endless iterations, long-windedness, entanglement; most crude, incondite;--insupportable stupidity, in short!Nothing but a sense of duty could carry any European through the Koran. We read in it, as we might in the State-Paper Office, unreadable massesof lumber, that perhaps we may get some glimpses of a remarkable man. Itis true we have it under disadvantages: the Arabs see more method in itthan we. Mohammed's followers found the Koran lying all in fractions, asit had been written-down at first promulgation; much of it, they say, onshoulder-blades of mutton flung pell-mell into a chest; and theypublished it, without any discoverable order as to time orotherwise;--merely trying, as would seem, and this not very strictly, toput the longest chapters first. The real beginning of it, in that way, lies almost at the end: for the earliest portions were the shortest. Read in its historical sequence it perhaps would not be so bad. Much ofit, too, they say, is rhythmic; a kind of wild chanting song, in theoriginal. This may be a great point; much perhaps has been lost in theTranslation here. Yet with every allowance, one feels it difficult tosee how any mortal ever could consider this Koran as a Book written inHeaven, too good for the Earth; as a well-written book, or indeed as a_book_ at all; and not a bewildered rhapsody; _written_, so far aswriting goes, as badly as almost any book ever was! So much for nationaldiscrepancies, and the standard of taste. 

Yet I should say, it was not unintelligible how the Arabs might so loveit. When once you get this confused coil of a Koran fairly off yourhands, and have it behind you at a distance, the essential type of itbegins to disclose itself; and in this there is a merit quite other thanthe literary one. If a book come from the heart, it will contrive toreach other hearts; all art and authorcraft are of small amount to that. One would say the primary character of the Koran is this of its_genuineness_, of its being a _bona-fide_ book. Prideaux, I know, andothers, have represented it as a mere bundle of juggleries; chapterafter chapter got-up to excuse and varnish the author's successive sins, forward his ambitions and quackeries: but really it is time to dismissall that. I do not assert Mohammed's continual sincerity: who iscontinually sincere? But I confess I can make nothing of the critic, inthese times, who would accuse him of deceit _prepense_; of consciousdeceit generally, or perhaps at all;--still more, of living in a mereelement of conscious deceit, and writing this Koran as a forger andjuggler would have done! Every candid eye, I think, will read the Koranfar otherwise than so. It is the confused ferment of a great rude humansoul; rude, untutored, that cannot even read; but fervent, earnest, struggling vehemently to utter itself in words. With a kind ofbreathless intensity he strives to utter himself; the thoughts crowd onhim pell-mell: for very multitude of things to say, he can get nothingsaid. The meaning that is in him shapes itself into no form ofcomposition, is stated in no sequence, method, or coherence;--they arenot _shaped_ at all, these thoughts of his; flung-out unshaped, as theystruggle and tumble there, in their chaotic inarticulate state. We said"stupid": yet natural stupidity is by no means the character ofMohammed's Book; it is natural un-cultivation rather. The man has notstudied speaking; in the haste and pressure of continual fighting, hasnot time to mature himself into fit speech. The panting breathless hasteand vehemence of a man struggling in the thick of battle for life andsalvation; this is the mood he is in! A headlong haste; for verymagnitude of meaning, he cannot get himself articulated into words. Thesuccessive utterances of a soul in that mood, colored by the variousvicissitudes of three-and-twenty years; now well uttered, now worse:this is the Koran. 

For we are to consider Mohammed, through these three-and-twenty years, as the centre of a world wholly in conflict, Battles with the Koreishand Heathen, quarrels among his own people, backslidings of his own wildheart; all this kept him in a perpetual whirl, his soul knowing rest nomore. In wakeful nights, as one may fancy, the wild soul of the man, tossing amid these vortices, would hail any light of a decision for themas a veritable light from Heaven; _any_ making-up of his mind, soblessed, indispensable for him there, would seem the inspiration of aGabriel. Forger and juggler? No, no! This great fiery heart, seething, simmering like a great furnace of thoughts, was not a juggler's. Hislife was a Fact to him; this God's Universe an awful Fact and Reality. He has faults enough. The man was an uncultured semi-barbarous Son ofNature, much of the Bedouin still clinging to him: we must take him forthat. But for a wretched Simulacrum, a hungry Impostor without eyes orheart, practising for a mess of pottage such blasphemous swindlery, forgery of celestial documents, continual high-treason against his Makerand Self, we will not and cannot take him. 

Sincerity, in all senses, seems to me the merit of the Koran; what hadrendered it precious to the wild Arab men. It is, after all, the firstand last merit in a book; gives rise to merits of all kinds, --nay, atbottom, it alone can give rise to merit of any kind. Curiously, throughthese incondite masses of tradition, vituperation, complaint, ejaculation in the Koran, a vein of true direct insight, of what wemight almost call poetry, is found straggling. The body of the Book ismade up of mere tradition, and as it were vehement enthusiasticextempore preaching. He returns forever to the old stories of theProphets as they went current in the Arab memory: how Prophet afterProphet, the Prophet Abraham, the Prophet Hud, the Prophet Moses, Christian and other real and fabulous Prophets, had come to this Tribeand to that, warning men of their sin; and been received by them even ashe Mohammed was, --which is a great solace to him. These things herepeats ten, perhaps twenty times; again and ever again, with wearisomeiteration; has never done repeating them. A brave Samuel Johnson, in hisforlorn garret, might con-over the Biographies of Authors in that way!This is the great staple of the Koran. But curiously, through all this, comes ever and anon some glance as of the real thinker and seer. He hasactually an eye for the world, this Mohammed: with a certain directnessand rugged vigour, he brings home still, to our heart, the thing his ownheart has been opened to. I make but little of his praises of Allah, which many praise; they are borrowed I suppose mainly from the Hebrew, at least they are far surpassed there. But the eye that flashes directinto the heart of things, and _sees_ the truth of them; this is to me ahighly interesting object. Great Nature's own gift; which she bestows onall; but which only one in the thousand does not cast sorrowfully away:it is what I call sincerity of vision; the test of a sincere heart. 

Mohammed can work no miracles; he often answers impatiently: I can workno miracles. I? "I am a Public Preacher"; appointed to preach thisdoctrine to all creatures. Yet the world, as we can see, had really fromof old been all one great miracle to him. Look over the world, says he;is it not wonderful, the work of Allah; wholly "a sign to you, " if youreyes were open! This Earth, God made it for you; "appointed paths init"; you can live in it, go to and fro on it. --The clouds in the drycountry of Arabia, to Mohammed they are very wonderful: Great clouds, hesays, born in the deep bosom of the Upper Immensity, where do they comefrom! They hang there, the great black monsters; pour-down theirrain-deluges "to revive a dead earth, " and grass springs, and "tallleafy palm-trees with their date-clusters hanging round. Is not that asign?" Your cattle too, --Allah made them; serviceable dumb creatures;they change the grass into milk; you have your clothing from them, verystrange creatures; they come ranking home at evening-time, "and, " addshe, "and are a credit to you"! Ships also, --he talks often about ships:Huge moving mountains, they spread-out their cloth wings, go boundingthrough the water there, Heaven's wind driving them; anon they liemotionless, God has withdrawn the wind, they lie dead, and cannot stir!Miracles? cries he; What miracle would you have? Are not you yourselvesthere? God made _you_, "shaped you out of a little clay. " Ye were smallonce; a few years ago ye were not at all. Ye have beauty, strength, thoughts, "ye have compassion on one another. " Old age comes-on you, andgray hairs; your strength fades into feebleness; ye sink down, and againare not. "Ye have compassion on one another": this struck me much: Allahmight have made you having no compassion on one another, --how had itbeen then! This is a great direct thought, a glance at first-hand intothe very fact of things. Rude vestiges of poetic genius, of whatsoeveris best and truest, are visible in this man. A strong untutoredintellect; eyesight, heart: a strong wild man, --might have shapedhimself into Poet, King, Priest, any kind of Hero. 

To his eyes it is forever clear that this world wholly is miraculous. Hesees what, as we said once before, all great thinkers, the rudeScandinavians themselves, in one way or other, have contrived to see:That this so solid-looking material world is, at bottom, in very deed, Nothing; is a visual and tactual Manifestation of God's-power andpresence, --a shadow hung-out by Him on the bosom of the void Infinite;nothing more. The mountains, he says, these great rock-mountains, theyshall dissipate themselves "like clouds"; melt into the Blue as cloudsdo, and not be! He figures the Earth, in the Arab fashion, Sale tellsus, as an immense Plain or flat Plate of ground, the mountains are seton that to _steady_ it. At the Last Day they shall disappear "likeclouds"; the whole Earth shall go spinning, whirl itself off into wreck, and as dust and vapor vanish in the Inane. Allah withdraws his hand fromit, and it ceases to be. The universal empire of Allah, presenceeverywhere of an unspeakable Power, a Splendor, and a Terror not to benamed, as the true force, essence and reality, in all things whatsoever, was continually clear to this man. What a modern talks-of by the name, Forces of Nature, Laws of Nature; and does not figure as a divine thing;not even as one thing at all, but as a set of things, undivineenough, --saleable, curious, good for propelling steamships! With ourSciences and Cyclopaedias, we are apt to forget the _divineness_, inthose laboratories of ours. We ought not to forget it! That once wellforgotten, I know not what else were worth remembering. Most sciences, Ithink, were then a very dead thing; withered, contentious, empty;--athistle in late autumn. The best science, without this, is but as thedead _timber_; it is not the growing tree and forest, --which givesever-new timber, among other things! Man cannot _know_ either, unless hecan _worship_ in some way. His knowledge is a pedantry, and deadthistle, otherwise. 

Much has been said and written about the sensuality of Mohammed'sReligion; more than was just. The indulgences, criminal to us, which hepermitted, were not of his appointment; he found them practised, unquestioned from immemorial time in Arabia; what he did was to curtailthem, restrict them, not on one but on many sides. His Religion is notan easy one: with rigorous fasts, lavations, strict complex formulas, prayers five times a day, and abstinence from wine, it did not "succeedby being an easy religion. " As if indeed any religion, or cause holdingof religion, could succeed by that! It is a calumny on men to say thatthey are roused to heroic action by ease, hope of pleasure, recompense, --sugar-plums of any kind, in this world or the next! In themeanest mortal there lies something nobler. The poor swearing soldier, hired to be shot, has his "honor of a soldier, " different fromdrill-regulations and the shilling a day. It is not to taste sweetthings, but to do noble and true things, and vindicate himself underGod's Heaven as a god-made Man, that the poorest son of Adam dimlylongs. Show him the way of doing that, the dullest daydrudge kindlesinto a hero. They wrong man greatly who say he is to be seduced by ease. Difficulty, abnegation, martyrdom, death are the _allurements_ that acton the heart of man. Kindle the inner genial life of him, you have aflame that burns-up all lower considerations. Not happiness, butsomething higher: one sees this even in the frivolous classes, withtheir "point of honor" and the like. Not by flattering our appetites;no, by awakening the Heroic that slumbers in every heart, can anyReligion gain followers. 

Mohammed himself, after all that can be said about him, was not asensual man. We shall err widely if we consider this man as a commonvoluptuary, intent mainly on base enjoyments, --nay on enjoyments of anykind. His household was of the frugalest; his common diet barley-breadand water: sometimes for months there was not a fire once lighted on hishearth. They record with just pride that he would mend his own shoes, patch his own cloak. A poor, hard-toiling, ill-provided man; careless ofwhat vulgar men toil for. Not a bad man, I should say; something betterin him than _hunger_ of any sort, --or these wild Arab men, fighting andjostling three-and-twenty years at his hand, in close contact with himalways, would not have reverenced him so! They were wild men, burstingever and anon into quarrel, into all kinds of fierce sincerity; withoutright worth and manhood, no man could have commanded them. They calledhim Prophet, you say? Why, he stood there face to face with them; bare, not enshrined in any mystery; visibly clouting his own cloak, cobblinghis own shoes; fighting, counselling, ordering in the midst of them:they must have seen what kind of a man he _was_, let him be _called_what you like! No emperor with his tiara was obeyed as this man in acloak of his own clouting during three-and-twenty years of rough actualtrial. I find something of a veritable Hero necessary for that, ofitself. 

His last words are a prayer; broken ejaculations of a heart strugglingup, in trembling hope, towards its Maker. We cannot say that hisreligion made him _worse_; it made him better; good, not bad. Generousthings are recorded of him: when he lost his Daughter, the thing heanswers is, in his own dialect, everyway sincere, and yet equivalent tothat of Christians, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; blessedbe the name of the Lord. " He answered in like manner of Seid, hisemancipated well-beloved Slave, the second of the believers. Seid hadfallen in the War of Tabûc, the first of Mohammed's fightings with theGreeks. Mohammed said, It was well; Seid had done his Master's work, Seid had now gone to his Master: it was all well with Seid. Yet Seid'sdaughter found him weeping over the body;--the old gray-haired manmelting in tears! "What do I see?" said she. --"You see a friend weepingover his friend. "--He went out for the last time into the mosque, twodays before his death; asked, If he had injured any man? Let his ownback bear the stripes. If he owed any man? A voice answered, "Yes, methree drachms, " borrowed on such an occasion. Mohammed ordered them tobe paid: "Better be in shame now, " said he, "than at the Day ofJudgment. "--You remember Kadijah, and the "No, by Allah!" Traits of thatkind show us the genuine man, the brother of us all, brought visiblethrough twelve centuries, --the veritable Son of our common Mother. 

Withal I like Mohammed for his total freedom from cant. He is a roughself-helping son of the wilderness; does not pretend to be what he isnot. There is no ostentatious pride in him; but neither does he go muchupon humility: he is there as he can be, in cloak and shoes of his ownclouting; speaks plainly to all manner of Persian Kings, Greek Emperors, what it is they are bound to do; knows well enough, about himself, "therespect due unto thee. " In a life-and-death war with Bedouins, cruelthings could not fail; but neither are acts of mercy, of noble naturalpity and generosity, wanting. Mohammed makes no apology for the one, noboast of the other. They were each the free dictate of his heart; eachcalled-for, there and then. Not a mealy-mouthed man! A candid ferocity, if the case call for it, is in him; he does not mince matters! The Warof Tabûc is a thing he often speaks of: his men refused, many of them, to march on that occasion; pleaded the heat of the weather, the harvest, and so forth; he can never forget that. Your harvest? It lasts for aday. What will become of your harvest through all Eternity? Hot weather?Yes, it was hot; "but Hell will be hotter!" Sometimes a rough sarcasmturns-up: He says to the unbelievers, Ye shall have the just measure ofyour deeds at that Great Day. They will be weighed-out to you; ye shallnot have short weight!--Everywhere he fixes the matter in his eye; he_sees_ it: his heart, now and then, is as if struck dumb by thegreatness of it. "Assuredly, " he says; that word, in the Koran, iswritten-down sometimes as a sentence by itself: "Assuredly. "

No _Dilettanteism_ in this Mohammed; it is a business of Reprobation andSalvation with him, of Time and Eternity: he is in deadly earnest aboutit! Dilettanteism, hypothesis, speculation, a kind of amateur-search forTruth, toying and coquetting with Truth: this is the sorest sin. Theroot of all other imaginable sins. It consists in the heart and soul ofthe man never having been _open_ to Truth;--"living in a vain show. "Such a man not only utters and produces falsehoods, but _is_ himself afalsehood. The rational moral principle, spark of the Divinity, is sunkdeep in him, in quiet paralysis of life-death. The very falsehoods ofMohammed are truer than the truths of such a man. He is the insincereman: smooth-polished, respectable in some times and places; inoffensive, says nothing harsh to anybody; most _cleanly_, --just as carbonic acidis, which is death and poison. 

We will not praise Mohammed's moral precepts as always of thesuperfinest sort; yet it can be said that there is always a tendency togood in them; that they are the true dictates of a heart aiming towardswhat is just and true. The sublime forgiveness of Christianity, turningof the other cheek when the one has been smitten, is not here: you _are_to revenge yourself, but it is to be in measure, not overmuch, or beyondjustice. On the other hand, Islam, like any great Faith, and insightinto the essence of man, is a perfect equalizer of men: the soul of onebeliever outweighs all earthly kingships; all men, according to Islamtoo, are equal. Mohammed insists not on the propriety of giving alms, but on the necessity of it: he marks-down by law how much you are togive, and it is at your peril if you neglect. The tenth part of a man'sannual income, whatever that may be, is the _property_ of the poor, ofthose that are afflicted and need help. Good all this: the natural voiceof humanity, of pity and equity dwelling in the heart of this wild Sonof Nature speaks _so_. 

Mohammed's Paradise is sensual, his Hell sensual: true; in the one andthe other there is enough that shocks all spiritual feeling in us. Butwe are to recollect that the Arabs already had it so; that Mohammed, inwhatever he changed of it, softened and diminished all this. The worstsensualities, too, are the work of doctors, followers of his, not hiswork. In the Koran there is really very little said about the joys ofParadise; they are intimated rather than insisted on. Nor is itforgotten that the highest joys even there shall be spiritual; the purePresence of the Highest, this shall infinitely transcend all other joys. He says, "Your salutation shall be, Peace. " _Salam_, Have Peace!--thething that all rational souls long for, and seek, vainly here below, asthe one blessing. "Ye shall sit on seats, facing one another: allgrudges shall be taken away out of your hearts. " All grudges! Ye shalllove one another freely; for each of you, in the eyes of his brothers, there will be Heaven enough!

In reference to this of the sensual Paradise and Mohammed's sensuality, the sorest chapter of all for us, there were many things to be said;which it is not convenient to enter upon here. Two remarks only I shallmake, and therewith leave it to your candor. The first is furnished meby Goethe; it is a casual hint of his which seems well worth taking noteof. In one of his Delineations, in _Meister's Travels_ it is, the herocomes-upon a Society of men with very strange ways, one of which wasthis: "We require, " says the Master, "that each of our people shallrestrict himself in one direction, " shall go right against his desire inone matter, and _make_ himself do the thing he does not wish, "should weallow him the greater latitude on all other sides. " There seems to me agreat justness in this. Enjoying things which are pleasant; that is notthe evil: it is the reducing of our moral self to slavery by them thatis. Let a man assert withal that he is king over his habitudes; that hecould and would shake them off, on cause shown: this is an excellentlaw. The Month Ramadhan for the Moslem, much in Mohammed's Religion, much in his own Life, bears in that direction; if not by forethought, orclear purpose of moral improvement on his part, then by a certainhealthy manful instinct, which is as good. 

But there is another thing to be said about the Mohammedan Heaven andHell. This namely, that, however gross and material they may be, theyare an emblem of an everlasting truth, not always so well rememberedelsewhere. That gross sensual Paradise of his; that horrible flamingHell; the great enormous Day of Judgment he perpetually insists on: whatis all this but a rude shadow, in the rude Bedouin imagination, of thatgrand spiritual Fact, and Beginning of Facts, which it is ill for us tooif we do not all know and feel: the Infinite Nature of Duty? That man'sactions here are of _infinite_ moment to him, and never die or end atall; that man, with his little life, reaches upwards high as Heaven, downwards low as Hell, and in his threescore years of Time holds anEternity fearfully and wonderfully hidden: all this had burnt itself, asin flame-characters, into the wild Arab soul. As in flame and lightning, it stands written there; awful, unspeakable, ever present to him. Withbursting earnestness, with a fierce savage sincerity, halt, articulating, not able to articulate, he strives to speak it, bodies itforth in that Heaven and that Hell. Bodied forth in what way you will, it is the first of all truths. It is venerable under all embodiments. What is the chief end of man here below? Mohammed has answered thisquestion, in a way that might put some of _us_ to shame! He does not, like a Bentham, a Paley, take Right and Wrong, and calculate the profitand loss, ultimate pleasure of the one and of the other; and summing allup by addition and subtraction into a net result, ask you, Whether onthe whole the Right does not preponderate considerably? No; it is not_better_ to do the one than the other; the one is to the other as lifeis to death, --as Heaven is to Hell. The one must in nowise be done, theother in nowise left undone. You shall not measure them; they areincommensurable: the one is death eternal to a man, the other is lifeeternal. Benthamee Utility, virtue by Profit and Loss; reducing thisGod's-world to a dead brute Steam-engine, the infinite celestial Soul ofMan to a kind of Hay-balance for weighing hay and thistles on, pleasuresand pains on:--if you ask me which gives, Mohammed or they, thebeggarlier and falser view of Man and his Destinies in this Universe, Iwill answer, It is not Mohammed!--

On the whole, we will repeat that this Religion of Mohammed's is a kindof Christianity; has a genuine element of what is spiritually highestlooking through it, not to be hidden by all its imperfections. TheScandinavian God _Wish_, the god of all rude men, --this has beenenlarged into a Heaven by Mohammed; but a Heaven symbolical of sacredDuty, and to be earned by faith and well-doing, by valiant action, and adivine patience which is still more valiant. It is ScandinavianPaganism, and a truly celestial element super-added to that. Call it notfalse; look not at the falsehood of it, look at the truth of it. Forthese twelve centuries, it has been the religion and life-guidance ofthe fifth part of the whole kindred of Mankind. Above all things, it hasbeen a religion heartily _believed_. These Arabs believe their religion, and try to live by it! No Christians, since the early ages, or onlyperhaps the English Puritans in modern times, have ever stood by theirFaith as the Moslem do by theirs, --believing it wholly, fronting Timewith it, and Eternity with it. This night the watchman on the streets ofCairo when he cries, "Who goes?" will hear from the passenger, alongwith his answer, "There is no God but God. " _Allah akbar, Islam_, soundsthrough the souls, and whole daily existence, of these dusky millions. Zealous missionaries preach it abroad among Malays, black Papuans, brutal Idolaters;--displacing what is worse, nothing that is better orgood. 

To the Arab Nation it was as a birth from darkness into light; Arabiafirst became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people, roamingunnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world: a Hero-Prophetwas sent down to them with a word they could believe: see, the unnoticedbecomes world-notable, the small has grown world-great; within onecentury afterwards, Arabia is at Grenada on this hand, at Delhi onthat;--glancing in valor and splendor and the light of genius, Arabiashines through long ages over a great section of the world. Belief isgreat, life-giving. The history of a Nation becomes fruitful, soul-elevating, great, so soon as it believes. These Arabs, the manMohammed, and that one century, --is it not as if a spark had fallen, onespark, on a world of what seemed black unnoticeable sand; but lo, thesand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Grenada!I said, the Great Man was always as lightning out of Heaven; the rest ofmen waited for him like fuel, and then they too would flame. 

THE KORAN

CHAPTER I

Entitled, the Preface, or Introduction--Revealed at Mecca

_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_. 

Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most merciful, the kingof the day of judgment. Thee do we worship, and of thee do we begassistance. Direct us in the right way, in the way of those to whom thouhast been gracious; not of those against whom thou art incensed, nor ofthose who go astray. [21]

[Footnote 21: This chapter is a prayer, and held in great veneration bythe Mohammedans, who give it several other honorable titles; as thechapter of prayer, of praise, of thanksgiving, of treasure. They esteemit as the quintessence of the whole Koran, and often repeat it in theirdevotions both public and private, as the Christians do the Lord'sPrayer. ]

CHAPTER II

Entitled, the Cow[22]--Revealed Partly at Mecca, and Partly at Medina

_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_, A. L. M. There is no doubt in this book; it is a direction to the pious, who believe in the mysteries of faith, who observe the appointed timesof prayer, and distribute alms out of what we have bestowed on them; andwho believe in that revelation, which hath been sent down unto thee, andthat which hath been sent down unto the prophets before thee, and havefirm assurance in the life to come: these are directed by their Lord, and they shall prosper. As for the unbelievers, it will be equal to themwhether thou admonish them, or do not admonish them; they will notbelieve. God hath sealed up their hearts and their hearing; a dimnesscovereth their sight, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. Thereare some who say, We believe in God and the last day, but are not reallybelievers; they seek to deceive God, and those who do believe, but theydeceive themselves only, and are not sensible thereof. There is aninfirmity in their hearts, and God hath increased that infirmity; andthey shall suffer a most painful punishment because they havedisbelieved. When one saith unto them, Act not corruptly in the earth, they reply, Verily, we are men of integrity. Are not they themselvescorrupt doers? but they are not sensible thereof. And when one saithunto them, Believe ye as others believe; they answer, Shall we believeas fools believe? Are not they themselves fools? but they know it not. When they meet those who believe, they say, We do believe: but when theyretire privately to their devils, they say, We really hold with you, andonly mock at those people: God shall mock at them, and continue them intheir impiety; they shall wander in confusion. These are the men whohave purchased error at the price of true direction: but their traffichath not been gainful, neither have they been rightly directed. They arelike unto one who kindleth a fire, and when it hath enlightened allaround him, God taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, they shall not see; they are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore will theynot repent. Or like a stormy cloud from heaven, fraught with darkness, thunder, and lightning, they put their fingers in their ears, because ofthe noise of the thunder, for fear of death; God encompasseth theinfidels: the lightning wanteth but little of taking away their sight;so often as it enlighteneth them, they walk therein, but when darknesscometh on them, they stand still; and if God so pleased, He wouldcertainly deprive them of their hearing and their sight, for God isalmighty. O men of Mecca! serve your Lord who hath created you, andthose who have been before you: peradventure ye will fear him; who hathspread the earth as a bed for you, and the heaven as a covering, andhath caused water to descend from heaven, and thereby produced fruitsfor your sustenance. Set not up therefore any equals unto God, againstyour own knowledge. If ye be in doubt concerning that revelation whichwe have sent down unto our servant, produce a chapter like unto it, andcall upon your witnesses, besides God, if ye say truth. But if ye do itnot, nor shall ever be able to do it, justly fear the fire whose fuel ismen and stones, prepared for the unbelievers. But bear good tidings untothose who believe, and do good works, that they shall have gardenswatered by rivers; so often as they eat of the fruit thereof forsustenance, they shall say, This is what we have formerly eaten of; andthey shall be supplied with several sorts of fruit having a mutualresemblance to one another. There shall they enjoy wives subject to noimpurity, and there shall they continue forever. Moreover God will notbe ashamed to propound in a parable a gnat, or even a more despicablething: for they who believe will know it to be the truth from theirLord; but the unbelievers will say, What meaneth God by this parable? hewill thereby mislead many, and will direct many thereby: but he will notmislead any thereby, except the transgressors, who make void thecovenant of God after the establishing thereof, and cut in sunder thatwhich God hath commanded to be joined, and act corruptly in the earth;they shall perish. How is it that ye believe not in God? Since ye weredead, and he gave you life; he will hereafter cause you to die, and willagain restore you to life; then shall ye return unto him. It is he whohath created for you whatsoever is on earth, and then set his mind tothe creation of heaven, and formed it into seven heavens; he knoweth allthings. When thy Lord said unto the angels, I am going to place asubstitute on earth, [23] they said, Wilt thou place there one who willdo evil therein, and shed blood? but we celebrate thy praise, andsanctify thee. God answered, Verily I know that which ye know not; andhe taught Adam the names of all things, and then proposed them to theangels, and said, Declare unto me the names of these things if ye saytruth. They answered, Praise be unto thee, we have no knowledge but whatthou teachest us, for thou art knowing and wise. God said, O Adam, tellthem their names. And when he had told them their names, God said, Did Inot tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and know thatwhich ye discover, and that which ye conceal? And when we said unto theangels, Worship Adam, they all worshipped him, except Eblis, whorefused, and was puffed up with pride, and became of the number ofunbelievers. [24] And we said, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in thegarden, and eat of the fruit thereof plentifully wherever ye will; butapproach not this tree, lest ye become of the number of thetransgressors. But Satan caused them to forfeit paradise, and turnedthem out of the state of happiness wherein they had been; whereupon wesaid, Get ye down, the one of you an enemy unto the other; and thereshall be a dwelling-place for you on earth, and a provision for aseason. And Adam learned words of prayer from his Lord, and God turnedunto him, for he is easy to be reconciled and merciful. We said, Get yeall down from hence; hereafter shall there come unto you a directionfrom me, and whoever shall follow my direction, on them shall no fearcome, neither shall they be grieved; but they who shall be unbelievers, and accuse our signs of falsehood, they shall be the companions of hellfire, therein shall they remain forever. O children of Israel, [25]remember my favor wherewith I have favored you; and perform yourcovenant with me and I will perform my covenant with you; and revere me;and believe in the revelation which I have sent down, confirming thatwhich is with you, and be not the first who believe not therein, neitherexchange my signs for a small price; and fear me. Clothe not the truthwith vanity, neither conceal the truth against your own knowledge;observe the stated times of prayer, and pay your legal alms, and bowdown yourselves with those who bow down. Will ye command men to dojustice, and forget your own souls? yet ye read the book of the law: doye not therefore understand? Ask help with perseverance and prayer; thisindeed is grievous, unless to the humble, who seriously think they shallmeet their Lord, and that to him they shall return. O children ofIsrael, remember my favor wherewith I have favored you, and that I havepreferred you above all nations: dread the day wherein one soul shallnot make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any intercessionbe accepted from them, nor shall any compensation be received, neithershall they be helped. Remember when we delivered you from the people ofPharaoh, who grievously oppressed you, they slew your male children, andlet your females live: therein was a great trial from your Lord. Andwhen we divided the sea for you and delivered you, and drowned Pharaoh'speople while ye looked on. And when we treated with Moses forty nights;then ye took the calf[26] for your God, and did evil; yet afterwards weforgave you, that peradventure ye might give thanks. And when we gaveMoses the book of the law, and the distinction between good and evil, that peradventure ye might be directed. And when Moses said unto hispeople, O my people, verily ye have injured your own souls, by yourtaking the calf for your God; therefore be turned unto your Creator, andslay those among you who have been guilty of that crime; this will bebetter for you in the sight of your Creator; and thereupon he turnedunto you, for he is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. And when yesaid, O Moses, we will not believe thee, until we see God manifestly;therefore a punishment came upon you, while ye looked on; then we raisedyou to life after ye had been dead, that peradventure ye might givethanks. And we caused clouds to overshadow you, and manna and quails[27]to descend upon you, saying, Eat of the good things which we have givenyou for food: and they injured not us, but injured their own souls. Andwhen we said, Enter into this city, and eat of the provisions thereofplentifully as ye will; and enter the gate worshipping, and say, Forgiveness! we will pardon you your sins, and give increase unto thewell-doers. But the ungodly changed the expression into another, different from what had been spoken unto them; and we sent down upon theungodly indignation from heaven, because they had transgressed. And whenMoses asked drink for his people, we said, Strike the rock with thy rod;and there gushed thereout twelve fountains according to the number ofthe tribes, and all men knew their respective drinking-place. Eat anddrink of the bounty of God, and commit not evil in the earth, actingunjustly. And when ye said, O Moses, we will by no means be satisfiedwith one kind of food; pray unto thy Lord therefore for us, that hewould produce for us of that which the earth bringeth forth, herbs, andcucumbers, and garlic, and lentils, and onions; Moses answered, Will yeexchange that which is better, for that which is worse? Get ye down intoEgypt, for there shall ye find what ye desire; and they were smittenwith vileness and misery, and drew on themselves indignation from God. This they suffered, because they believed not in the signs of God, andkilled the prophets unjustly; this, because they rebelled andtransgressed. Surely those who believe, and those who Judaize, andChristians, and Sabeans, whoever believeth in God, and the last day, anddoth that which is right, they shall have their reward with their Lord;there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. Call tomind also when we accepted your covenant, and lifted up the mountain ofSinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with aresolution to keep it, and remember that which is contained therein, that ye may beware. After this ye again turned back, so that if it hadnot been for God's indulgence and mercy towards you, ye had certainlybeen destroyed. Moreover, ye know what befell those of your nation whotransgressed on the Sabbath day: We said unto them, Be ye changed intoapes, driven away from the society of men. And we made them an exampleunto those who were contemporary with them, and unto those who cameafter them, and a warning to the pious. And when Moses said unto hispeople, Verily God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow;[28] they answered, Dost thou make a jest of us? Moses said, God forbid that I should be oneof the foolish. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would showus what cow it is. Moses answered, He saith, She is neither an old cow, nor a young heifer, but of a middle-age between both: do ye thereforethat which ye are commanded. They said, Pray for us unto the Lord, thathe would show us what color she is of. Moses answered, He saith, She isa red cow, intensely red, her color rejoiceth the beholders. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would further show us what cow it is, for several cows with us are like one another, and we, if God please, will be directed. Moses answered, He saith, She is a cow not broken toplough the earth, or water the field: a sound one, there is no blemishin her. They said, Now hast thou brought the truth. Then they sacrificedher; yet they wanted little of leaving it undone. And when ye slew aman, and contended among yourselves concerning him, God brought forth tolight that which ye concealed. For we said, Strike the dead body withpart of the sacrificed cow; so God raiseth the dead to life, and showethyou his signs, that peradventure ye may understand. Then were yourhearts hardened after this, even as stones, or exceeding them inhardness: for from some stones have rivers burst forth, others have beenrent in sunder, and water hath issued from them, and others have fallendown for fear of God. But God is not regardless of that which ye do. Doye therefore desire that the Jews should believe you? yet a part of themheard the word of God, and then perverted it, after they had understoodit, against their own conscience. And when they meet the true believers, they say, We believe: but when they are privately assembled together, they say, Will ye acquaint them with what God hath revealed unto you, that they may dispute with you concerning it in the presence of yourLord? Do ye not therefore understand? Do not they know that God knoweththat which they conceal as well as that which they publish? But thereare illiterate men among them, who know not the book of the law, butonly lying stories, although they think otherwise. And woe unto them whotranscribe corruptly the book of the law with their hands, and then say, This is from God: that they may sell it for a small price. Therefore woeunto them because of that which their hands have written; and woe untothem for that which they have gained. They say, The fire of hell shallnot touch us but for a certain number of days. Answer, Have ye receivedany promise from God to that purpose? for God will not act contrary tohis promise: or do ye speak concerning God that which ye know not?Verily whoso doth evil, and is encompassed by his iniquity, they shallbe the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever: butthey who believe and do good works, they shall be the companions ofparadise, they shall continue therein forever. Remember also, when weaccepted the covenant of the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall notworship any other except God, and ye shall show kindness to your parentsand kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and speak that which isgood unto men, and be constant at prayer, and give alms. Afterwards yeturned back, except a few of you, and retired afar-off. And when weaccepted your covenant, saying, Ye shall not shed your brother's blood, nor dispossess one another of your habitations, then ye confirmed it, and were witnesses thereto. Afterwards ye were they who slew oneanother, and turned several of your brethren out of their houses, mutually assisting each other against them with injustice and enmity;but if they come captives unto you, ye redeem them: yet it is equallyunlawful for you to dispossess them. Do ye therefore believe in part ofthe book of the law, and reject other parts thereof? But whoso among youdoth this, shall have no other reward than shame in this life, and onthe day of resurrection they shall be sent to a most grievouspunishment; for God is not regardless of that which ye do. These arethey who have purchased this present life, at the price of that which isto come; wherefore their punishment shall not be mitigated, neithershall they be helped. We formerly delivered the book of the law untoMoses, and caused apostles to succeed him, and gave evident miracles toJesus the son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Do yetherefore, whenever an apostle cometh unto you with that which yoursouls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse some of imposture, andslay others? The Jews say, Our hearts are uncircumcised: but God hathcursed them with their infidelity, therefore few shall believe. And whena book came unto them from God, confirming the scriptures which werewith them, although they had before prayed for assistance against thosewho believed not, yet when that came unto them which they knew to befrom God, they would not believe therein: therefore the curse of Godshall be on the infidels. For a vile price have they sold their souls, that they should not believe in that which God hath sent down; out ofenvy, because God sendeth down his favors to such of his servants as hepleaseth: therefore they brought on themselves indignation onindignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment. When one saith unto them, Believe in that which God hath sent down; theyanswer, We believe in that which hath been sent down unto us: and theyreject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth, confirming that which is with them. Say, Why therefore have ye slain theprophets of God in times past, if ye be true believers? Moses formerlycame unto you with evident signs, but ye afterwards took the calf foryour god and did wickedly. And when we accepted your covenant, andlifted the mountain of Sinai over you, saying, Receive the law which wehave given you, with a resolution to perform it, and hear; they said, Wehave heard, and have rebelled: and they were made to drink down the calfinto their hearts for their unbelief. Say, A grievous thing hath yourfaith commanded you, if ye be true believers. Say, If the future mansionwith God be prepared peculiarly for you, exclusive of the rest ofmankind, wish for death, if ye say truth: but they will never wish forit, because of that which their hands have sent before them; God knoweththe wicked doers; and thou shalt surely find them of all men the mostcovetous of life, even more than the idolaters: one of them would desirehis life to be prolonged a thousand years, but none shall reprievehimself from punishment, that his life may be prolonged: God seeth thatwhich they do. Say, Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (for he hath causedthe Koran to descend on thy heart, by the permission of God, confirmingthat which was before revealed, a direction, and good tidings to thefaithful); whosoever is an enemy to God, or his angels, or his apostles, or to Gabriel, or Michael, verily God is an enemy to the unbelievers. And now we have sent down unto thee evident signs, and none willdisbelieve them but the evil-doers. Whenever they make a covenant, willsome of them reject it? yea, the greater part of them do not believe. And when there came unto them an apostle from God, confirming thatscripture which was with them, some of those to whom the scriptures weregiven, cast the book of God behind their backs, as if they knew it not:and they followed the device which the devils devised against thekingdom of Solomon; and Solomon was not an unbeliever; but the devilsbelieved not, they taught men sorcery, and that which was sent down tothe two angels at Babel, Harût, and Marût: yet those who taught no manuntil they had said, Verily we are a temptation, therefore be not anunbeliever. So men learned from those two a charm by which they mightcause division between a man and his wife; but they hurt none thereby, unless by God's permission; and they learned that which would hurt them, and not profit them; and yet they knew that he who bought that artshould have no part in the life to come, and woful is the price forwhich they have sold their souls, if they knew it. But if they hadbelieved and feared God, verily the reward they would have had from Godwould have been better, if they had known it. O true believers, say notto our apostle, Raina; but say, Ondhorna;[29] and hearken: the infidelsshall suffer a grievous punishment. It is not the desire of theunbelievers, either among those unto whom the scriptures have beengiven, or among the idolaters, that any good should be sent down untoyou from your Lord: but God will appropriate his mercy unto whom hepleaseth; for God is exceeding beneficent. Whatever verse we shallabrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, orone like unto it. Dost thou not know that God is almighty? Dost thou notknow that unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth? neitherhave ye any protector or helper except God. Will ye require of yourapostle according to that which was formerly required of Moses? but hethat hath exchanged faith for infidelity, hath already erred from thestraight way. Many of those unto whom the scriptures have been given, desire to render you again unbelievers, after ye have believed; out ofenvy from their souls, even after the truth is become manifest untothem; but forgive them, and avoid them, till God shall send his command;for God is omnipotent. Be constant in prayer, and give alms; and whatgood ye have sent before for your souls, ye shall find it with God;surely God seeth that which ye do. They say, Verily none shall enterparadise, except they who are Jews or Christians: this is their wish. Say, Produce your proof of this, if ye speak truth. Nay, but he whoresigneth himself to God, and doth that which is right, he shall havehis reward with his Lord; there shall come no fear on them, neithershall they be grieved. The Jews say, The Christians are grounded onnothing; and the Christians say, The Jews are grounded on nothing; yetthey both read the scriptures. So likewise say they who know not thescripture, according to their saying. But God shall judge between themon the day of the resurrection, concerning that about which they nowdisagree. Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth the temples of God, that his name should be remembered therein, and who hasteth to destroythem? Those men cannot enter therein, but with fear: they shall haveshame in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment. To Godbelongeth the east and the west; therefore, whithersoever ye turnyourselves to pray, there is the face of God; for God is omnipresent andomniscient. They say God hath begotten children. God forbid! To himbelongeth whatever is in heaven, and on earth; all is possessed by him, the Creator of heaven and earth; and when he decreeth a thing, he onlysaith unto it, Be, and it is. And they who know not the scriptures say, Unless God speak unto us, or thou show us a sign, we will not believe. So said those before them, according to their saying: their heartsresemble each other. We have already shown manifest signs unto peoplewho firmly believe; we have sent thee in truth, a bearer of goodtidings, and a preacher; and thou shalt not be questioned concerning thecompanions of hell. But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neitherthe Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction ofGod is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find nopatron or protector against God. They to whom we have given the book ofthe Koran, and who read it with its true reading, they believe therein;and whoever believeth not therein, they shall perish. O children ofIsrael, remember my favor wherewith I have favored you, and that I havepreferred you before all nations; and dread the day wherein one soulshall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall anycompensation be accepted from them, nor shall any intercession avail, neither shall they be helped. Remember when the Lord tried Abraham bycertain words, which he fulfilled: God said, Verily I will constitutethee a model of religion unto mankind; he answered, And also of myposterity; God said, My covenant doth not comprehend the ungodly. Andwhen we appointed the holy house of Mecca to be the place of resort formankind, and a place of security; and said, Take the station of Abrahamfor a place of prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismael, thatthey should cleanse my house for those who should compass it, and thosewho should be devoutly assiduous there, and those who should bow downand worship. And when Abraham said, Lord, make this a territory ofsecurity, and bounteously bestow fruits on its inhabitants, such of themas believe in God and the last day; God answered, And whoever believethnot, I will bestow on him little: afterwards I will drive him to thepunishment of hell fire; an ill journey shall it be! And when Abrahamand Ismael raised the foundations of the house, saying, Lord, accept itfrom us, for thou art he who heareth and knoweth: Lord, make us alsoresigned unto thee, and of our posterity a people resigned unto thee, and show us our holy ceremonies, and be turned unto us, for thou arteasy to be reconciled, and merciful; Lord, send them likewise an apostlefrom among them, who may declare thy signs unto them, and teach them thebook of the Koran and wisdom, and may purify them; for thou art mightyand wise. Who will be averse to the religion of Abraham, but he whosemind is infatuated? Surely we have chosen him in this world, and in thatwhich is to come he shall be one of the righteous. When his Lord saidunto him, Resign thyself unto me, he answered, I have resigned myselfunto the Lord of all creatures. And Abraham bequeathed this religion tohis children, and Jacob did the same, saying, My children, verily, Godhath chosen this religion for you, therefore die not, unless ye also beresigned. Were ye present when Jacob was at the point of death? when hesaid to his sons, Whom will ye worship after me? They answered, We willworship thy God, and the God of thy fathers, Abraham and Ismael, andIsaac, one God, and to him will we be resigned. That people are nowpassed away, they have what they have gained, and ye shall have what yegain; and ye shall not be questioned concerning that which they havedone. They say, Become Jews or Christians that ye may be directed. Say, Nay, we follow the religion of Abraham the orthodox, who was noidolater. Say, We believe in God, and that which hath been sent downunto us, and that which hath been sent down unto Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was delivered untoMoses, and Jesus, and that which was delivered unto the prophets fromtheir Lord: We make no distinction between any of them, and to God arewe resigned. Now if they believe according to what ye believe, they aresurely directed, but if they turn back, they are in schism. God shallsupport thee against them, for he is the hearer, the wise. The baptismof God[30] have we received, and who is better than God to baptize? himdo we worship. Say, Will ye dispute with us concerning God, who is ourLord, and your Lord? we have our works, and ye have your works, and untohim are we sincerely devoted. Will ye say, Truly Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, Areye wiser, or God? And who is more unjust than he who hideth thetestimony which he hath received from God? But God is not regardless ofthat which ye do. That people are passed away, they have what they havegained, and ye shall have what ye gain, nor shall ye be questionedconcerning that which they have done. The foolish men will say, Whathath turned them from their Keblah, towards which they formerlyprayed?[31] Say, Unto God belongeth the east and the west: he directethwhom he pleaseth into the right way. Thus have we placed you, OArabians, an intermediate nation, that ye may be witnesses against therest of mankind, and that the apostle may be a witness against you. Weappointed the Keblah towards which thou didst formerly pray, only thatwe might know him who followeth the apostle, from him who turneth backon his heels; though this change seem a great matter, unless unto thosewhom God hath directed. But God will not render your faith of no effect;for God is gracious and merciful unto man. We have seen thee turn aboutthy face towards heaven with uncertainty, but we will cause thee to turnthyself towards a Keblah that will please thee. Turn, therefore, thyface towards the holy temple of Mecca; and wherever ye be, turn yourfaces towards that place. They to whom the scripture hath been given, know this to be truth from their Lord. God is not regardless of thatwhich ye do. Verily although thou shouldst show unto those to whom thescripture hath been given all kinds of signs, yet they will not followthy Keblah, neither shalt thou follow their Keblah; nor will one part ofthem follow the Keblah of the other. And if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, verily thou wilt becomeone of the ungodly. They to whom we have given the scripture know ourapostle, even as they know their own children; but some of them hide thetruth, against their own knowledge. Truth is from thy Lord, thereforethou shalt not doubt. Every sect hath a certain tract of heaven to whichthey turn themselves in prayer; but do ye strive to run after goodthings: wherever ye be, God will bring you all back at the resurrection, for God is almighty. And from what place soever thou comest forth, turnthy face towards the holy temple; for this is truth from thy Lord;neither is God regardless of that which ye do. From what place soeverthou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple; and whereverye be, thitherward turn your faces, lest men have matter of disputeagainst you; but as for those among them who are unjust doers, fear themnot, but fear me, that I may accomplish my grace upon you, and that yemay be directed. As we have sent unto you an apostle from among you, torehearse our signs unto you, and to purify you, and to teach you thebook of the Koran and wisdom, and to teach you that which ye knew not:therefore remember me, and I will remember you, and give thanks unto me, and be not unbelievers. O true believers, beg assistance with patienceand prayer, for God is with the patient. And say not of those who areslain in fight for the religion of God, that they are dead; yea, theyare living: but ye do not understand. We will surely prove you byafflicting you in some measure with fear, and hunger, and decrease ofwealth, and loss of lives, and scarcity of fruits; but bear good tidingsunto the patient, who when a misfortune befalleth them, say, We areGod's, and unto him shall we surely return. Upon them shall be blessingsfrom their Lord and mercy, and they are the rightly directed. MoreoverSafa and Merwah are two of the monuments of God: whoever therefore goethon pilgrimage to the temple of Mecca or visiteth it, it shall be nocrime in him if he compass them both. And as for him who voluntarilyperformeth a good work; verily God is grateful and knowing. They whoconceal any of the evident signs, or the direction which we have sentdown, after what we have manifested unto men in the scripture, God shallcurse them; and they who curse shall curse them. But as for those whorepent and amend, and make known what they concealed, I will be turnedunto them, for I am easy to be reconciled and merciful. Surely they whobelieve not, and die in their unbelief, upon them shall be the curse ofGod, and of the angels, and of all men; they shall remain under itforever, their punishment shall not be alleviated, neither shall they beregarded. Your God is one God, there is no God but He, the mostmerciful. Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the vicissitudeof night and day, and in the ship which saileth in the sea, laden withwhat is profitable for mankind, and in the rain-water which God sendethfrom heaven, quickening thereby the dead earth, and replenishing thesame with all sorts of cattle, and in the change of winds, and theclouds that are compelled to do service between heaven and earth, aresigns to people of understanding: yet some men take idols beside God, and love them as with the love due to God; but the true believers aremore fervent in love towards God. Oh that they who act unjustly didperceive, when they behold their punishment, that all power belongethunto God, and that he is severe in punishing! When those who have beenfollowed, shall separate themselves from their followers, and shall seethe punishment, and the cords of relation between them shall be cutasunder; the followers shall say, If we could return to life, we wouldseparate ourselves from them, as they have now separated themselves fromus. So God will show them their works; they shall sigh grievously, andshall not come forth from the fire of hell. O men, eat of that which islawful and good on the earth; and tread not in the steps of the devil, for he is your open enemy. Verily he commandeth you evil and wickedness, and that ye should say that of God which ye know not. And when it issaid unto them who believe not, Follow that which God hath sent down;they answer, Nay, but we will follow that which we found our fatherspractised. What? though their fathers knew nothing, and were not rightlydirected? The unbelievers are like unto one who crieth aloud to thatwhich heareth not so much as his calling, or the sound of his voice. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore they do not understand. O truebelievers, eat of the good things which we have bestowed on you forfood, and return thanks unto God, if ye serve him. Verily he hathforbidden you to eat that which dieth of itself, and blood, and swine'sflesh, and that on which any other name but God's hath beeninvocated. [32] But he who is forced by necessity, not lusting, norreturning to transgress, it shall be no crime in him if he eat of thosethings, for God is gracious and merciful. Moreover they who conceal anypart of the scripture which God hath sent down unto them, and sell itfor a small price, they shall swallow into their bellies nothing butfire; God shall not speak unto them on the day of resurrection, neithershall he purify them, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. Theseare they who have sold direction for error, and pardon for punishment:but how great will their suffering be in the fire! This they shallendure, because God sent down the book of the Koran with truth, and theywho disagree concerning that book, are certainly in a wide mistake. Itis not righteousness that ye turn your faces in prayer towards the eastand the west, but righteousness is of him who believeth in God and thelast day, and the angels, and the scriptures, and the prophets; whogiveth money for God's sake unto his kindred, and unto orphans, and theneedy, and the stranger, and those who ask, and for redemption ofcaptives; who is constant at prayer, and giveth alms; and of those whoperform their covenant, when they have covenanted, and who behavethemselves patiently in adversity, and hardships, and in time ofviolence: these are they who are true, and these are they who fear God. O true believers, the law of retaliation is ordained you for the slain:the free shall die for the free, and the servant for the servant, and awoman for a woman; but he whom his brother shall forgive, may beprosecuted, and obliged to make satisfaction according to what is just, and a fine shall be set on him[33] with humanity. This is indulgencefrom your Lord, and mercy. And he who shall transgress after this, bykilling the murderer, shall suffer a grievous punishment. And in thislaw of retaliation ye have life, O ye of understanding, thatperadventure ye may fear. It is ordained you, when any of you is at thepoint of death, if he leave any goods, that he bequeath a legacy to hisparents and kindred, according to what shall be reasonable. [34] This isa duty incumbent on those who fear God. But he who shall change thelegacy, after he hath heard it bequeathed by the dying person, surelythe sin thereof shall be on those who change it, for God is he whoheareth and knoweth. Howbeit he who apprehendeth from the testator anymistake or injustice, and shall compose the matter between them, thatshall be no crime in him, for God is gracious and merciful. O truebelievers, a fast is ordained you, as it was ordained unto those beforeyou, that ye may fear God. A certain number of days shall ye fast: buthe among you who shall be sick, or on a journey, shall fast an equalnumber of other days. And those who can keep it, and do not, must redeemtheir neglect by maintaining of a poor man. And he who voluntarilydealeth better with the poor man than he is obliged, this shall bebetter for him. But if ye fast it will be better for you, if ye knew it. The month of Ramadhan shall ye fast, in which the Koran was sent downfrom heaven, a direction unto men, and declarations of direction, andthe distinction between good and evil. Therefore let him among you whoshall be present in this month, fast the same month; but he who shall besick, or on a journey, shall fast the like number of other days. Godwould make this an ease unto you, and would not make it a difficultyunto you; that ye may fulfil the number of days, and glorify God, forthat he hath directed you, and that ye may give thanks. When my servantsask thee concerning me, Verily I am near; I will hear the prayer of himthat prayeth, when he prayeth unto me: but let them hearken unto me, andbelieve in me, that they may be rightly directed. It is lawful for youon the night of the fast to go in unto your wives: they are a garmentunto you, and ye are a garment unto them. God knoweth that ye defraudyourselves therein, wherefore he turneth unto you and forgiveth you. Nowtherefore go in unto them; and earnestly desire that which God ordainethyou, and eat and drink, until ye can plainly distinguish a white threadfrom a black thread by the daybreak: then keep the fast until night, andgo not in unto them, but be constantly present in the places of worship. These are the prescribed bounds of God, therefore draw not near them totransgress them. Thus God declareth his signs unto men, that ye may fearhim. Consume not your wealth among yourselves in vain; nor present itunto judges, that ye may devour part of men's substance unjustly, against your own consciences. They will ask thee concerning the phasesof the moon. Answer, They are times appointed unto men, and to show theseason of the pilgrimage to Mecca. It is not righteousness that ye enteryour houses by the back part thereof, but righteousness is of him whofeareth God. Therefore enter your houses by their doors; and fear God, that ye may be happy. And fight for the religion of God against thosewho fight against you, but transgress not by attacking them first, forGod loveth not the transgressors. And kill them wherever ye find them, and turn them out of that whereof they have dispossessed you; fortemptation to idolatry is more grievous than slaughter: yet fight notagainst them in the holy temple, until they attack you therein; but ifthey attack you, slay them there. This shall be the reward of theinfidels. But if they desist, God is gracious and merciful. Fighttherefore against them, until there be no temptation to idolatry, andthe religion be God's: but if they desist, then let there be nohostility, except against the ungodly. A sacred month for a sacredmonth, and the holy limits of Mecca, if they attack you therein, do yealso attack them therein in retaliation; and whoever transgressethagainst you by so doing, do ye transgress against him in like manner ashe hath transgressed against you, and fear God, and know that God iswith those who fear him. Contribute out of your substance towards thedefence of the religion of God, and throw not yourselves with your ownhands into perdition; and do good, for God loveth those who do good. Perform the pilgrimage of Mecca, and the visitation of God; if ye bebesieged, send that offering which shall be the easiest; and shave notyour heads, until your offering reacheth the place of sacrifice. Butwhoever among you is sick, or is troubled with any distemper of thehead, must redeem the shaving his head by fasting, or alms, or someoffering. When ye are secure from enemies, he who tarrieth in thevisitation of the temple of Mecca until the pilgrimage, shall bring thatoffering which shall be the easiest. But he who findeth not anything tooffer, shall fast three days in the pilgrimage, and seven when ye arereturned: they shall be ten days complete. This is incumbent on himwhose family shall not be present at the holy temple. And fear God, andknow that God is severe in punishing. The pilgrimage must be performedin the known months; whosoever therefore purposeth to go on pilgrimagetherein, let him not know a woman, nor transgress, nor quarrel in thepilgrimage. The good which ye do, God knoweth it. Make provision foryour journey; but the best provision is piety: and fear me, O ye ofunderstanding. It shall be no crime in you, if ye seek an increase fromyour Lord, by trading during the pilgrimage. And when ye go inprocession from Arafat, remember God near the holy monument; andremember him for that he hath directed you, although ye were before thisof the number of those who go astray. Therefore go in procession fromwhence the people go in procession, and ask pardon of God, for God isgracious and merciful. And when ye have finished your holy ceremonies, remember God, according as ye remember your fathers, or with a morereverent commemoration. There are some men who say, O Lord, give us ourportion in this world; but such shall have no portion in the next life:and there are others who say, O Lord, give us good in this world, andalso good in the next world, and deliver us from the torment of hellfire. They shall have a portion of that which they have gained: God isswift in taking an account. Remember God the appointed number of days;but if any haste to depart from the valley of Mina in two days, it shallbe no crime in him. And if any tarry longer, it shall be no crime inhim, in him who feareth God. Therefore fear God, and know that unto himye shall be gathered. There is a man who causeth thee to marvel[35] byhis speech concerning this present life, and calleth God to witness thatwhich is in his heart, yet he is most intent in opposing thee; and whenhe turneth away from thee, he hasteth to act corruptly in the earth, andto destroy that which is sown, and springeth up;[36] but God loveth notcorrupt doing. And if one say unto him, Fear God; pride seizeth him, together with wickedness; but hell shall be his reward, and an unhappycouch shall it be. There is also a man who selleth his soul for the sakeof those things which are pleasing unto God;[37] and God is graciousunto his servants. O true believers, enter into the true religionwholly, and follow not the steps of Satan, for he is your open enemy. Ifye have slipped after the declarations of our will have come unto you, know that God is mighty and wise. Do the infidels expect less than thatGod should come down to them overshadowed with clouds, and the angelsalso? but the thing is decreed, and to God shall all things return. Askthe children of Israel how many evident signs we have showed them; andwhoever shall change the grace of God, after it shall have come untohim, verily God will be severe in punishing him. The present life wasordained for those who believe not, and they laugh the faithful toscorn; but they who fear God shall be above them, on the day of theresurrection: for God is bountiful unto whom he pleaseth withoutmeasure. Mankind was of one faith, and God sent prophets bearing goodtidings, and denouncing threats; and sent down with them the scripturein truth, that it might judge between men of that concerning which theydisagreed: and none disagreed concerning it, except those to whom thesame scriptures were delivered, after the declarations of God's will hadcome unto them, out of envy among themselves. And God directed those whobelieved, to that truth concerning which they disagreed, by his will:for God directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. Did ye think yeshould enter paradise, when as yet no such thing had happened unto you, as hath happened unto those who have been before you? They sufferedcalamity and tribulation, and were afflicted; so that the apostle, andthey who believed with him, said, When will the help of God come? Is notthe help of God nigh? They will ask thee what they shall bestow in alms:Answer, The good which ye bestow, let it be given to parents, andkindred, and orphans, and the poor, and the stranger. Whatsoever good yedo, God knoweth it. War is enjoined you against the Infidels; but thisis hateful unto you: yet perchance ye hate a thing which is better foryou, and perchance ye love a thing which is worse for you: but Godknoweth and ye know not. They will ask thee concerning the sacred month, whether they may war therein: Answer, To war therein is grievous; but toobstruct the way of God, and infidelity towards him, and to keep menfrom the holy temple, and to drive out his people from thence, is moregrievous in the sight of God, and the temptation to idolatry is moregrievous than to kill in the sacred months. They will not cease to waragainst you, until they turn you from your religion, if they be able:but whoever among you shall turn back from his religion, and die aninfidel, their works shall be vain in this world and the next; theyshall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever. But they who believe, and who fly for the sake of religion, and fight inGod's cause, they shall hope for the mercy of God; for God is graciousand merciful. They will ask thee concerning wine[38] and lots:[39]Answer, In both there is great sin, and also some things of use untomen, but their sinfulness is greater than their use. They will ask theealso what they shall bestow in alms: Answer, What ye have to spare. ThusGod showeth his signs unto you, that peradventure ye might seriouslythink of this present world, and of the next. They will also ask theeconcerning orphans: Answer, To deal righteously with them is best; andif ye intermeddle with the management of what belongs to them, do themno wrong; they are your brethren: God knoweth the corrupt dealer fromthe righteous; and if God please, he will surely distress you, for Godis mighty and wise. Marry not women who are idolaters, until theybelieve: verily a maid-servant who believeth is better than anidolatress, although she please you more. And give not women who believein marriage to the idolaters, until they believe; for verily a servantwho is a true believer, is better than an idolater, though he please youmore. They invite into hell fire, but God inviteth unto paradise andpardon through his will, and declareth his signs unto men, that they mayremember. They will ask thee also concerning the courses of women:Answer, They are a pollution: therefore separate yourselves from womenin their courses, and go not near them until they be cleansed. But whenthey are cleansed, go in unto them as God hath commanded you, for Godloveth those who repent, and loveth those who are clean. Your wives areyour tillage; go in therefore unto your tillage in what manner soever yewill: and do first some act that may be profitable unto your souls; andfear God, and know that ye must meet him; and bear good tidings unto thefaithful. Make not God the object of your oaths, that ye may dealjustly, and be devout, and make peace among men;[40] for God is he whoheareth and knoweth. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate wordin your oaths; but he will punish you for that which your hearts haveassented unto: God is merciful and gracious. They who vow to abstainfrom their wives, are allowed to wait four months: but if they go backfrom their vow, verily God is gracious and merciful; and if they resolveon a divorce, God is he who heareth and knoweth. The women who aredivorced shall wait concerning themselves until they have their coursesthrice, and it shall not be lawful for them to conceal that which Godhath created in their wombs, if they believe in God and the last day;and their husbands will act more justly to bring them back at this time, if they desire a reconciliation. The women ought also to behave towardstheir husbands in like manner as their husbands should behave towardsthem, according to what is just: but the men ought to have a superiorityover them. God is mighty and wise. Ye may divorce your wives twice; andthen either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them with kindness. But it is not lawful for you to take away anything of what ye have giventhem, unless both fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God. And if ye fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God, it shallbe no crime in either of them on account of that for which the wifeshall redeem herself. These are the ordinances of God; thereforetransgress them not; for whoever transgresseth the ordinances of God, they are unjust doers. But if the husband divorce her a third time, sheshall not be lawful for him again, until she marry another husband. Butif he also divorce her, it shall be no crime in them, if they return toeach other, if they think they can observe the ordinances of God; andthese are the ordinances of God: he declareth them to people ofunderstanding. But when ye divorce women, and they have fulfilled theirprescribed time, either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them withkindness; and retain them not by violence, so that ye transgress; for hewho doth this, surely injureth his own soul. And make not the signs ofGod a jest: but remember God's favor towards you, and that he hath sentdown unto you the book of the Koran, and wisdom, admonishing youthereby; and fear God, and know that God is omniscient. But when ye havedivorced your wives, and they have fulfilled their prescribed time, hinder them not from marrying their husbands, when they have agreedamong themselves according to what is honorable. This is given inadmonition unto him among you who believeth in God, and the last day. This is most righteous for you, and most pure. God knoweth, but ye knownot. Mothers, after they are divorced, shall give suck unto theirchildren two full years, to him who desireth the time of giving suck tobe completed; and the father shall be obliged to maintain them andclothe them in the meantime, according to that which shall bereasonable. No person shall be obliged beyond his ability. A mothershall not be compelled to what is unreasonable on account of her child, nor a father on account of his child. And the heir of the father shallbe obliged to do in like manner. But if they choose to wean the childbefore the end of two years, by common consent and on mutualconsideration, it shall be no crime in them. And if ye have a mind toprovide a nurse for your children, it shall be no crime in you, in caseye fully pay what ye offer her, according to that which is just. Andfear God, and know that God seeth whatever ye do. Such of you as die, and leave wives, their wives must wait concerning themselves four monthsand ten days, and when they shall have fulfilled their term, it shall beno crime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, accordingto what is reasonable. God well knoweth that which ye do. And it shallbe no crime in you, whether ye make public overtures of marriage untosuch women, within the said four months and ten days, or whether yeconceal such your designs in your minds: God knoweth that ye willremember them. But make no promise unto them privately, unless ye speakhonorable words; and resolve not on the knot of marriage, until theprescribed time be accomplished; and know that God knoweth that which isin your minds, therefore beware of him, and know that God is graciousand merciful. It shall be no crime in you, if ye divorce your wives, solong as ye have not touched them, nor settled any dowry on them. Andprovide for them (he who is at his ease must provide according to hiscircumstances, and he who is straitened according to his circumstances)necessaries, according to what shall be reasonable. This is a dutyincumbent on the righteous. But if ye divorce them before ye havetouched them, and have already settled a dowry on them, ye shall givethem half of what ye have settled, unless they release any part, or herelease part in whose hand the knot of marriage is; and if ye releasethe whole, it will approach nearer unto piety. And forget not liberalityamong you, for God seeth that which ye do. Carefully observe theappointed prayers, and the middle prayer, [41] and be assiduous therein, with devotion towards God. But if ye fear any danger, pray on foot or onhorseback; and when ye are safe, remember God, how he hath taught youwhat as yet ye knew not. And such of you as shall die and leave wives, ought to bequeath their wives a year's maintenance, without putting themout of their houses: but if they go out voluntarily, it shall be nocrime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, according towhat shall be reasonable; God is mighty and wise. And unto those who aredivorced, a reasonable provision is also due; this is a duty incumbenton those who fear God. Thus God declareth his signs unto you, that yemay understand. Hast thou not considered those who left theirhabitations (and they were thousands) for fear of death? And God saidunto them, Die; then he restored them to life, for God is gracioustowards mankind; but the greater part of men do not give thanks. Fightfor the religion of God, and know that God is he who heareth andknoweth. Who is he that will lend unto God on good usury? verily he willdouble it unto him manifold; for God contracteth and extendeth his handas he pleaseth, and to him shall ye return. Hast thou not considered theassembly of the children of Israel, after the time of Moses; when theysaid unto their prophet Samuel, Set a king over us, that we may fightfor the religion of God? The prophet answered, If ye are enjoined to goto war, will ye be near refusing to fight? They answered, And whatshould ail us that we should not fight for the religion of God, seeingwe are dispossessed of our habitations, and deprived of our children?But when they were enjoined to go to war, they turned back, except a fewof them: and God knew the ungodly. And their prophet said unto them, Verily God hath set Talût king over you: they answered, How shall hereign over us, seeing we are more worthy of the kingdom than he, neitheris he possessed of great riches? Samuel said, Verily God hath chosen himbefore you, and hath caused him to increase in knowledge and stature, for God giveth his kingdom unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous andwise. And their prophet said unto them, Verily the sign of his kingdomshall be, that the ark shall come unto you: therein shall betranquillity from your Lord, and the relics which have been left by thefamily of Moses, and the family of Aaron; the angels shall bring it. Verily this shall be a sign unto you, if ye believe. And when Talûtdeparted with his soldiers, he said, Verily God will prove you by theriver: for he who drinketh thereof, shall not be on my side (but he whoshall not taste thereof he shall be on my side) except he who drinketh adraught out of his hand. And they drank thereof, except a few of them. And when they had passed the river, he and those who believed with him, they said, We have no strength to-day against Jalut and his forces. Butthey who considered that they should meet God at the resurrection, said, How often hath a small army discomfited a great army, by the will ofGod? and God is with those who patiently persevere. And when they wentforth to battle against Jalut and his forces, they said, O Lord, pour onus patience, and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelievingpeople. Therefore they discomfited them, by the will of God, and Davidslew Jalut. And God gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him hiswill; and if God had not prevented men, the one by the other, verily theearth had been corrupted: but God is beneficent towards his creatures. These are the signs of God: we rehearse them unto thee with truth, andthou art surely one of those who have been sent by God. These are theapostles; we have preferred some of them before others: some of themhath God spoken unto, and hath exalted the degree of others of them. Andwe gave unto Jesus the son of Mary manifest signs, and strengthened himwith the holy spirit. And if God had pleased, they who came after thoseapostles would not have contended among themselves, after manifest signshad been shown unto them. But they fell to variance; therefore some ofthem believed, and some of them believed not; and if God had so pleased, they would not have contended among themselves, but God doeth what hewill. O true believers, give alms of that which we have bestowed on you, before the day cometh wherein there shall be no merchandising, norfriendship, nor intercession. The infidels are unjust doers. God! thereis no God but he;[42] the living, the self-subsisting: neither slumbernor sleep seizeth him; to him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven, and onearth. Who is he that can intercede with him, but through his goodpleasure! He knoweth that which is past, and that which is to come untothem, and they shall not comprehend anything of his knowledge, but sofar as he pleaseth. His throne is extended over heaven and earth, [43]and the preservation of both is no burden unto him. He is the high, themighty. Let there be no violence in religion. Now is right directionmanifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall denyTagut, and believe in God, he shall surely take hold on a strong handle, which shall not be broken; God is he who heareth and seeth. God is thepatron of those who believe; he shall lead them out of darkness intolight: but as to those who believe not, their patrons are Tagut; theyshall lead them from the light into darkness; they shall be thecompanions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever. Hast thounot considered him who disputed with Abraham concerning his Lord, because God had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said, My Lord is hewho giveth life, and killeth: he answered, I give life, and I kill. Abraham said, Verily God bringeth the sun from the east, now do thoubring it from the west. Whereupon the infidel was confounded; for Goddirecteth not the ungodly people. Or hast thou not considered how hebehaved who passed by a city which had been destroyed, even to herfoundations? He said, How shall God quicken this city, after she hathbeen dead? And God caused him to die for a hundred years, and afterwardsraised him to life. And God said, How long hast thou tarried here? Heanswered, A day, or part of a day. God said, Nay, thou hast tarried herea hundred years. Now look on thy food and the drink, they are not yetcorrupted; and look on thine ass: and this have we done that we mightmake thee a sign unto men. And look on the bones of thine ass, how weraise them, and afterwards clothe them with flesh. And when this wasshown unto him, he said, I know that God is able to do all things. Andwhen Abraham said, O Lord, show me how thou wilt raise the dead; Godsaid, Dost thou not yet believe? He answered, Yea; but I ask this thatmy heart may rest at ease. God said, take therefore four birds, anddivide them; then lay a part of them on every mountain; then call them, and they shall come swiftly unto thee: and know that God is mighty andwise. The similitude of those who lay out their substance for advancingthe religion of God, is as a grain of corn which produceth seven ears, and in every ear a hundred grains; for God giveth twofold unto whom hepleaseth: God is bounteous and wise. They who lay out their substancefor the religion of God, and afterwards follow not what they have solaid out by reproaches or mischief, they shall have their reward withtheir Lord; upon them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved. A fair speech, and to forgive, is better than alms followed by mischief. God is rich and merciful. O true believers, make not your alms of noeffect by reproaching, or mischief, as he who layeth out what he hath toappear unto men to give alms, and believeth not in God and the last day. The likeness of such a one is as a flint covered with earth, on which aviolent rain falleth, and leaveth it hard. They cannot prosper inanything which they have gained, for God directeth not the unbelievingpeople. And the likeness of those who lay out their substance from adesire to please God, and for an establishment for their souls, is as agarden on a hill, on which a violent rain falleth, and it bringeth forthits fruits twofold; and if a violent rain falleth not on it, yet the dewfalleth thereon: and God seeth that which ye do. Doth any of you desireto have a garden of palm-trees and vines, through which rivers flow, wherein he may have all kinds of fruits, and that he may attain to oldage, and have a weak offspring? then a violent fiery wind shall strikeit, so that it shall be burned. Thus God declareth his signs unto you, that ye may consider. O true believers, bestow alms of the good thingswhich ye have gained, and of that which we have produced for you out ofthe earth, and choose not the bad thereof, to give it in alms, such asye would not accept yourselves, otherwise than by connivance: and knowthat God is rich and worthy to be praised. The devil threateneth youwith poverty, and commandeth you filthy covetousness; but God promisethyou pardon from himself and abundance: God is bounteous and wise. Hegiveth wisdom unto whom he pleaseth; and he unto whom wisdom is given, hath received much good: but none will consider, except the wise ofheart. And whatever alms ye shall give, or whatever vow ye shall vow, verily God knoweth it; but the ungodly shall have none to help them. Ifye make your alms to appear, it is well; but if ye conceal them, andgive them unto the poor, this will be better for you, and will atone foryour sins: and God is well informed of that which ye do. The directionof them belongeth not unto thee; but God directeth whom he pleaseth. Thegood that ye shall give in alms shall redound unto yourselves; and yeshall not give unless out of desire of seeing the face of God. And whatgood thing ye shall give in alms, it shall be repaid you, and ye shallnot be treated unjustly; unto the poor who are wholly employed infighting for the religion of God, and cannot go to and fro in the earth;whom the ignorant man thinketh rich, because of their modesty: thoushalt know them by this mark, they ask not men with importunity; andwhat good ye shall give in alms, verily God knoweth it. They whodistribute alms of their substance night and day, in private and inpublic, shall have their reward with the Lord; on them shall no fearcome, neither shall they be grieved. They who devour usury shall notarise from the dead, but as he ariseth whom Satan hath infected by atouch: this shall happen to them because they say, Truly selling is butas usury: and yet God hath permitted selling and forbidden usury. Hetherefore who, when there cometh unto him an admonition from his Lord, abstaineth from usury for the future, shall have what is past forgivenhim, and his affair belongeth unto God. But whoever returneth to usury, they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall continue thereinforever. God shall take his blessing from usury, and shall increasealms: for God loveth no infidel, or ungodly person. But they who believeand do that which is right, and observe the stated times of prayer, andpay their legal alms, they shall have their reward with their Lord:there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. O truebelievers, fear God, and remit that which remaineth of usury, if yereally believe; but if ye do it not, hearken unto war, which is declaredagainst you from God and his apostle: yet if ye repent, ye shall havethe capital of your money. Deal not unjustly with others, and ye shallnot be dealt with unjustly. If there be any debtor under a difficulty ofpaying his debt, let his creditor wait till it be easy for him to do it;but if ye remit it as alms, it will be better for you, if ye knew it. And fear the day wherein ye shall return unto God; then shall every soulbe paid what it hath gained, and they shall not be treated unjustly. Otrue believers, when ye bind yourselves one to the other in a debt for acertain time, write it down; and let a writer write between youaccording to justice, and let not the writer refuse writing according towhat God hath taught him; but let him write, and let him who oweth thedebt dictate, and let him fear God his Lord, and not diminish aughtthereof. But if he who oweth the debt be foolish, or weak, or be notable to dictate himself, let his agent dictate according to equity; andcall to witness two witnesses of your neighboring men; but if there benot two men, let there be a man and two women of those whom ye shallchoose for witnesses: if one of those women should mistake, the other ofthem will cause her to recollect. And the witnesses shall not refuse, whensoever they shall be called. And disdain not to write it down, be ita large debt, or be it a small one, until its time of payment: this willbe more just in the sight of God, and more right for bearing witness, and more easy, that ye may not doubt. But if it be a present bargainwhich ye transact between yourselves, it shall be no crime in you, if yewrite it not down. And take witnesses when ye sell one to the other, andlet no harm be done to the writer, nor to the witness; which if ye do, it will surely be injustice in you: and fear God, and God will instructyou, for God knoweth all things. And if ye be on a journey, and find nowriter, let pledges be taken: but if one of you trust the other, let himwho is trusted return what he is trusted with, and fear God his Lord. And conceal not the testimony, for he who concealeth it hath surely awicked heart: God knoweth that which ye do. Whatever is in heaven and onearth is God's; and whether ye manifest that which is in your minds, orconceal it, God will call you to account for it, and will forgive whomhe pleaseth, and will punish whom he pleaseth; for God is almighty. Theapostle believeth in that which hath been sent down unto him from hisLord, and the faithful also. Every one of them believeth in God, and hisangels, and his scriptures, and his apostles: we make no distinction atall between his apostles. [44] And they say, We have heard, and do obey:we implore thy mercy, O Lord, for unto thee must we return. God will notforce any soul beyond its capacity: it shall have the good which itgaineth, and it shall suffer the evil which it gaineth. O Lord, punishus not, if we forget, or act sinfully: O Lord, lay not on us a burdenlike that which thou hast laid on those who have been before us;[45]neither make us, O Lord, to bear what we have not strength to bear, butbe favorable unto us, and spare us, and be merciful unto us. Thou artour patron, help us therefore against the unbelieving nations. 

[Footnote 22: This title was occasioned by the story of the red heifer, mentioned p. 217. ]

[Footnote 23: Concerning the creation of Adam, here intimated, theMohammedans have several peculiar traditions. They say the angels, Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil, were sent by God, one after another, tofetch for that purpose seven handfuls of earth from different depths, and of different colors (whence some account for the various complexionof mankind); but the earth being apprehensive of the consequence, anddesiring them to represent her fear to God that the creature he designedto form would rebel against him, and draw down his curse upon her, theyreturned without performing God's command; whereupon he sent Azraïl onthe same errand, who executed his commission without remorse, for whichreason God appointed that angel to separate the souls from the bodies, being therefore called the angel of death. The earth he had taken wascarried into Arabia, to a place between Mecca and Tayef, where, beingfirst kneaded by the angels, it was afterwards fashioned by God himselfinto a human form, and left to dry for the space of forty days, or, asothers say, as many years, the angels in the meantime often visiting it, and Eblis (then one of the angels who are nearest to God's presence, afterwards the devil) among the rest; but he, not contented with lookingon it, kicked it with his foot, and knowing God designed that creatureto be his superior, took a secret resolution never to acknowledge him assuch. After this, God animated the figure of clay and endued it with anintelligent soul, and when he had placed him in paradise, formed Eve outof his left side. ]

[Footnote 24: This occasion of the devil's fall has some affinity withan opinion which has been pretty much entertained among Christians, viz. , that the angels being informed of God's intention to create manafter his own image, and to dignify human nature by Christ's assumingit, some of them, thinking their glory to be eclipsed thereby, enviedman's happiness, and so revolted. ]

[Footnote 25: The Jews are here called upon to receive the Koran, asverifying and confirming the Pentateuch, particularly with respect tothe unity of God, and the mission of Mohammed. And they are exhorted notto conceal the passages of their law which bear witness to those truths, nor to corrupt them by publishing false copies of the Pentateuch, forwhich the writers were but poorly paid. ]

[Footnote 26: The person who cast this calf, the Mohammedans say, was(not Aaron but) al Sâmeri, one of the principal men among the childrenof Israel, some of whose descendants it is pretended still inhabit anisland of that name in the Arabian Gulf. It was made of the rings andbracelets of gold, silver, and other materials, which the Israelites hadborrowed of the Egyptians; for Aaron, who commanded in his brother'sabsence, having ordered al Sâmeri to collect those ornaments from thepeople, who carried on a wicked commerce with them, and to keep themtogether till the return of Moses; al Sâmeri, understanding thefounder's art, put them into a furnace to melt them down into one mass, which came out in the form of a calf. ]

[Footnote 27: The eastern writers say these quails were of a peculiarkind, to be found nowhere but in Yaman, from whence they were brought bya south wind in great numbers to the Israelites' camp in the desert. TheArabs call these birds Salwä, which is plainly the same with the HebrewSalwim, and say they have no bones, but are eaten whole. ]

[Footnote 28: The occasion of this sacrifice is thus related: A certainman at his death left his son, then a child, a cow-calf, which wanderedin the desert till he came to age; at which time his mother told him theheifer was his, and bid him fetch her, and sell her for three pieces ofgold. When the young man came to the market with his heifer, an angel inthe shape of a man accosted him, and bid him six pieces of gold for her;but he would not take the money till he had asked his mother's consent;which when he had obtained, he returned to the market-place, and met theangel, who now offered him twice as much for the heifer, provided hewould say nothing of it to his mother; but the young man refusing, wentand acquainted her with the additional offer. The woman perceiving itwas an angel, bid her son go back and ask him what must be done with theheifer; whereupon the angel told the young man that in a little time thechildren of Israel would buy that heifer of him at any price. And soonafter it happened that an Israelite, named Hammiel, was killed by arelation of his, who, to prevent discovery, conveyed the body to a placeconsiderably distant from that where the act was committed. The friendsof the slain man accused some other persons of the murder before Moses;but they denying the fact, and there being no evidence to convict them, God commanded a cow, of such and such particular marks, to be killed;but there being no other which answered the description except theorphan's heifer, they were obliged to buy her for as much gold as herhide would hold; according to some, for her full weight in gold, and asothers say, for ten times as much. This heifer they sacrificed, and thedead body being, by divine direction, struck with a part of it, revived, and standing up, named the person who had killed Him; after which itimmediately fell down dead again. The whole story seems to be borrowedfrom the red heifer which was ordered by the Jewish law to be burnt, andthe ashes kept for purifying those who happened to touch a dead corpse;and from the heifer directed to be slain for the expiation of anuncertain murder. See Deut. Xxi. 1-9. ]

[Footnote 29: Those two Arabic words have both the same signification, viz. , Look on us; and are a kind of salutation. Mohammed had a greataversion to the first, because the Jews frequently used it in derision, it being a word of reproach in their tongue. They alluded, it seems, tothe Hebrew verb _ruá_, which signifies to be bad or mischievous. ]

[Footnote 30: By baptism is to be understood the religion which Godinstituted in the beginning; because the signs of it appear in theperson who professes it, as the signs of water appear in the clothes ofhim that is baptized. ]

[Footnote 31: At first, Mohammed and his followers observed noparticular rite in turning their faces towards any certain place, orquarter, of the world, when they prayed; it being declared to beperfectly indifferent. ]

[Footnote 32: For this reason, whenever the Mohammedans kill any animalfor food, they always say, _Bismi allah_, or "In the name of God";which, if it be neglected, they think it not lawful to eat of it. ]

[Footnote 33: This is the common practice in Mohammedan countries, particularly in Persia, where the relations of the deceased may taketheir choice, either to have the murderer put into their hands to be putto death, or else to accept of a pecuniary satisfaction. ]

[Footnote 34: That is, the legacy was not to exceed a third part of thetestator's substance, nor to be given where there was no necessity. Butthis injunction is abrogated by the law concerning inheritances. ]

[Footnote 35: This person was al Akhnas Ebn Shoraik, a fair-spokendissembler, who swore that he believed in Mohammed, and pretended to beone of his friends, and to contemn this world. But God here reveals tothe prophet his hypocrisy and wickedness. ]

[Footnote 36: Setting fire to his neighbor's corn, and killing his assesby night. ]

[Footnote 37: The person here meant was one Soheib, who being persecutedby the idolaters of Mecca forsook all he had and fled to Medina. ]

[Footnote 38: Under the name of wine all sorts of strong and inebriatingliquors are comprehended. ]

[Footnote 39: The original word, _al Meiser_, properly signifies aparticular game performed with arrows, and much in use with the paganArabs. But by lots we are here to understand all games whatsoever, whichare subject to chance or hazard, as dice and cards. ]

[Footnote 40: Some commentators expound this negatively, "That ye willnot deal justly, nor be devout ... " For such wicked oaths, they say, were customary among the idolatrous inhabitants of Mecca; which gaveoccasion to the following saying of Mohammed: "When you swear to do athing, and afterwards find it better to do otherwise, do that which isbetter, and make void your oath. "]

[Footnote 41: Yahya interprets this from a tradition of Mohammed, who, being asked which was the middle prayer, answered, The evening prayer, which was instituted by the prophet Solomon. ]

[Footnote 42: The following seven lines contain a magnificentdescription of the divine majesty and providence; but it must not besupposed the translation comes up to the dignity of the original. Thispassage is justly admired by the Mohammedans, who recite it in theirprayers; and some of them wear it about them, engraved on an agate orother precious stone. ]

[Footnote 43: This throne, in Arabic called Corsi, is by the Mohammedanssupposed to be God's tribunal, or seat of justice. ]

[Footnote 44: But this, say the Mohammedans, the Jews do, who receiveMoses but reject Jesus; and the Christians, who receive both thoseprophets, but reject Mohammed. ]

[Footnote 45: That is, on the Jews, who, as the commentators tell us, were ordered to kill a man by way of atonement, to give one-fourth oftheir substance in alms, and to cut off an unclean ulcerous part, andwere forbidden to eat fat, or animals that divided the hoof, and wereobliged to observe the Sabbath, and other particulars wherein theMohammedans are at liberty. ]

CHAPTER III

Entitled, the Family of Imran[46]--Revealed at Medina

_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_. 

A. L. M. [47] There is no God but God, the living, self-subsisting: He hathsent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming thatwhich was revealed before it; for he had formerly sent down the law andthe gospel, a direction unto men; and he had also sent down thedistinction between good and evil. Verily those who believe not thesigns of God, shall suffer a grievous punishment; for God is mighty, able to revenge. Surely nothing is hidden from God, of that which is onearth, or in heaven: it is he who formeth you in the wombs, as hepleaseth; there is no God but he, the mighty, the wise. It is he whohath sent down unto thee the book, wherein are some verses clear to beunderstood, they are the foundation of the book; and others areparabolical. But they whose hearts are perverse will follow that whichis parabolical therein, out of love of schism, and a desire of theinterpretation thereof; yet none knoweth the interpretation thereof, except God. But they who are well grounded in knowledge say, We believetherein, the whole is from our Lord; and none will consider except theprudent. O Lord, cause not our hearts to swerve from truth, after thouhast directed us: and give us from thee mercy, for thou art he whogiveth. O Lord, thou shalt surely gather mankind together, unto a day ofresurrection: there is no doubt of it, for God will not be contrary tothe promise. As for the infidels, their wealth shall not profit themanything, nor their children, against God: they shall be the fuel ofhell fire. According to the wont of the people of Pharaoh, and of thosewho went before them, they charged our signs with a lie; but God caughtthem in their wickedness, and God is severe in punishing. Say unto thosewho believe not, Ye shall be overcome, and thrown together into hell; anunhappy couch shall it be. Ye have already had a miracle shown you intwo armies, which attacked each other:[48] one army fought for God'strue religion, but the other were infidels; they saw the faithful twiceas many as themselves in their eyesight; for God strengthened with hishelp whom he pleaseth. Surely herein was an example unto men ofunderstanding. The love and eager desire of wives, and children, andsums heaped up of gold and silver, and excellent horses, and cattle, andland, is prepared for men: this is the provision of the present life;but unto God shall be the most excellent return. Say, Shall I declareunto you better things than this? For those who are devout are preparedwith their Lord, gardens through which rivers flow; therein shall theycontinue forever: and they shall enjoy wives free from impurity, and thefavor of God; for God regardeth his servants; who say, O Lord, we dosincerely believe; forgive us therefore our sins, and deliver us fromthe pain of hell fire: the patient, and the lovers of truth, and thedevout, and the alms-givers, and those who ask pardon early in themorning. God hath borne witness that there is no God but he; and theangels, and those who are endowed with wisdom, profess the same; whoexecuted righteousness; there is no God but he; the mighty, the wise. Verily the true religion in the sight of God, is Islam;[49] and they whohad received the scriptures dissented not therefrom, until after theknowledge of God's unity had come unto them, out of envy amongthemselves; but whosoever believeth not in the signs of God, verily Godwill be swift in bringing him to account. If they dispute with thee, say, I have resigned myself unto God, and he who followeth me doth thesame: and say unto them who have received the scriptures, and to theignorant, Do ye profess the religion of Islam? Now if they embraceIslam, they are surely directed; but if they turn their backs, verilyunto thee belongeth preaching only; for God regardeth his servants. Andunto those who believe not in the signs of God, and slay the prophetswithout a cause, and put those men to death who teach justice; denounceunto them a painful punishment. These are they whose works perish inthis world, and in that which is to come; and they shall have none tohelp them. Hast thou not observed those unto whom part of the scripturewas given? They were called unto the book of God, that it might judgebetween them; then some of them turned their backs, and retiredafar-off. This they did because they said, The fire of hell shall by nomeans touch us, but for a certain number of days: and that which theyhad falsely devised, hath deceived them in their religion. How then willit be with them, when we shall gather them together at the day ofjudgment, [50] of which there is no doubt; and every soul shall be paidthat which it hath gained, neither shall they be treated unjustly? Say, O God, who possessest the kingdom; thou givest the kingdom unto whomthou wilt, and thou takest away the kingdom from whom thou wilt: thouexaltest whom thou wilt, and thou humblest whom thou wilt: in thy handis good, for thou art almighty. Thou makest the night to succeed theday: thou bringest forth the living out of the dead, and thou bringestforth the dead out of the living; and providest food for whom thou wiltwithout measure. Let not the faithful take the infidels for theirprotectors, rather than the faithful: he who doth this shall not beprotected of God at all; unless ye fear any danger from them: but Godwarneth you to beware of himself; for unto God must ye return. Say, Whether ye conceal that which is in your breasts, or whether ye declareit, God knoweth it: for he knoweth whatever is in heaven, and whateveris on earth: God is almighty. On the last day every soul shall find thegood which it hath wrought, present; and the evil which it hath wrought, it shall wish that between itself and that were a wide distance: but Godwarneth you to beware of himself; for God is gracious unto his servants. Say, If ye love God, follow me: then God shall love you, and forgive youyour sins; for God is gracious and merciful. Say, Obey God, and hisapostle: but if ye go back, verily God loveth not the unbelievers. Godhath surely chosen Adam, and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and thefamily of Imran above the rest of the world; a race descending the onefrom the other: God is he who heareth and knoweth. Remember when thewife of Imran said, Lord, verily I have vowed unto thee that which is inmy womb, to be dedicated to thy service: accept it therefore of me; forthou art he who heareth and knoweth. And when she was delivered of it, she said, Lord, verily I have brought forth a female (and God well knewwhat she had brought forth), and a male is not as a female: I havecalled her Mary; and I commend her to thy protection, and also herissue, against Satan driven away with stones. Therefore the Lordaccepted her with a gracious acceptance, and caused her to bear anexcellent offspring. And Zacharias took care of the child; wheneverZacharias went into the chamber to her, he found provisions with her;and he said, O Mary, whence hadst thou this? she answered, This is fromGod: for God provideth for whom he pleaseth without measure. ThereZacharias called on his Lord, and said, Lord, give me from thee a goodoffspring, for thou art the hearer of prayer. And the angels called tohim, while he stood praying in the chamber, saying, Verily God promiseththee a son named John, who shall bear witness to the Word which comethfrom God; an honorable person, chaste, and one of the righteousprophets. He answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, when old age hathovertaken me, and my wife is barren? The angel said, So God doth thatwhich he pleaseth. Zacharias answered, Lord, give me a sign. The angelsaid, Thy sign shall be, that thou shalt speak unto no man for threedays, otherwise than by gesture: remember thy Lord often, and praise himevening and morning. And when the angels said, O Mary, verily God hathchosen thee, and hath purified thee, and hath chosen thee above all thewomen of the world: O Mary, be devout towards thy Lord, and worship, andbow down with those who bow down. This is a secret history: we reveal itunto thee, although thou wast not present with them when they threw intheir rods to cast lots which of them should have the education of Mary:neither wast thou with them, when they strove among themselves. When theangels said, O Mary, verily God sendeth thee good tidings, that thoushalt bear the Word, proceeding from himself; his name shall be ChristJesus the son of Mary, honorable in this world and in the world to come, and one of those who approach near to the presence of God; and he shallspeak unto men in the cradle, and when he is grown up;[51] and he shallbe one of the righteous: she answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, since a man hath not touched me? the angel said, So God createth thatwhich he pleaseth: when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be, and it is: God shall teach him the scripture, and wisdom, and the law, and the gospel; and shall appoint him his apostle to the children ofIsrael; and he shall say, Verily I come unto you with a sign from yourLord; for I will make before you, of clay, as it were the figure of abird; then I will breathe thereon, and it shall become a bird, by thepermission of God: and I will heal him that hath been blind from hisbirth, and the leper: and I will raise the dead by the permission ofGod: and I will prophesy unto you what ye eat, and what ye lay up forstore in your houses. Verily herein will be a sign unto you, if yebelieve. And I come to confirm the Law which was revealed before me, andto allow unto you as lawful, part of that which hath been forbiddenyou:[52] and I come unto you with a sign from your Lord; therefore fearGod, and obey me. Verily God is my Lord, and your Lord: therefore servehim. This is the right way. But when Jesus perceived their unbelief, hesaid, Who will be my helpers towards God? The apostles[53] answered, Wewill be the helpers of God; we believe in God, and do thou bear witnessthat we are true believers. O Lord, we believe in that which thou hassent down, and we have followed thy apostle; write us down thereforewith those who bear witness of him. And the Jews devised a stratagemagainst him; but God devised a stratagem against them; and God is thebest deviser of stratagems. When God said, O Jesus, verily I will causethee to die, and I will take thee up unto me, [54] and I will deliverthee from the unbelievers; and I will place those who follow thee abovethe unbelievers, until the day of resurrection: then unto me shall yereturn, and I will judge between you of that concerning which yedisagree. Moreover, as for the infidels, I will punish them with agrievous punishment in this world, and in that which is to come; andthere shall be none to help them. But they who believe, and do thatwhich is right, he shall give them their reward; for God loveth not thewicked doers. These signs and this prudent admonition do we rehearseunto thee. Verily the likeness of Jesus in the sight of God is as thelikeness of Adam: he created him out of the dust, and then said untohim, Be; and he was. This is the truth from thy Lord; be not thereforeone of those who doubt: and whoever shall dispute with thee concerninghim, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, say unto them, Come, let us call together our sons, and your sons, and our wives, andyour wives, and ourselves, and yourselves; then let us makeimprecations, and lay the curse of God on those who lie. Verily this isa true history: and there is no God but God; and God is most mighty, andwise. If they turn back, God well knoweth the evil-doers. Say, O ye whohave received the scripture, come to a just determination between us andyou; that we worship not any except God, and associate no creature withhim; and that the one of us take not the other for lords, beside God. But if they turn back, say, Bear witness that we are true believers. Oye to whom the scriptures have been given, why do ye dispute concerningAbraham, since the Law and the Gospel were not sent down until afterhim? Do ye not therefore understand? Behold ye are they who disputeconcerning that which ye have some knowledge in; why therefore do yedispute concerning that which ye have no knowledge of? God knoweth, butye know not. Abraham was neither a Jew, nor a Christian; but he was ofthe true religion, one resigned unto God, and was not of the number ofthe idolaters. Verily the men who are the nearest of kin unto Abraham, are they who follow him; and this prophet, and they who believe on him:God is the patron of the faithful. Some of those who have received thescriptures desire to seduce you; but they seduce themselves only, andthey perceive it not. O ye who have received the scriptures, why do yenot believe in the signs of God, since ye are witnesses of them? O yewho have received the scriptures, why do ye clothe truth with vanity, and knowingly hide the truth? And some of those to whom the scriptureswere given, say, Believe in that which hath been sent down unto thosewho believe, in the beginning of the day, and deny it in the endthereof; that they may go back from their faith: and believe him onlywho followeth your religion. Say, Verily the true direction is thedirection of God, that there may be given unto some other a revelationlike unto what hath been given unto you. Will they dispute with youbefore your Lord? Say, Surely excellence is in the hand of God, hegiveth it unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and wise: he willconfer peculiar mercy on whom he pleaseth; for God is endued with greatbeneficence. There is of those who have received the scriptures, untowhom if thou trust a talent, he will restore it unto thee; and there isalso of them, unto whom if thou trust a dinar, [55] he will not restoreit unto thee, unless thou stand over him continually with great urgency. This they do because they say, We are not obliged to observe justicewith the heathen: but they utter a lie against God, knowingly. Yea;whoso keepeth his covenant, and feareth God, God surely loveth those whofear him. But they who make merchandise of God's covenant, and of theiroaths, for a small price, shall have no portion in the next life, neither shall God speak to them or regard them on the day ofresurrection, nor shall he cleanse them; but they shall suffer agrievous punishment. And there are certainly some of them, who read thescriptures perversely, that ye may think what they read to be really inthe scriptures, yet it is not in the scripture; and they say, This isfrom God; but it is not from God: and they speak that which is falseconcerning God, against their own knowledge. It is not fit for a man, that God should give him a book of revelations, and wisdom, andprophecy; and then he should say unto men, Be ye worshippers of me, besides God; but he ought to say, Be ye perfect in knowledge and inworks, since ye know the scriptures, and exercise yourselves therein. God hath not commanded you to take the angels and the prophets for yourLords: Will he command you to become infidels, after ye have been truebelievers? And remember when God accepted the covenant of the prophets, saying, This verily is the scripture and the wisdom which I have givenyou: hereafter shall an apostle come unto you, confirming the truth ofthat scripture which is with you; ye shall surely believe on him, and yeshall assist him. God said, Are ye firmly resolved, and do ye accept mycovenant on this condition? They answered, We are firmly resolved: Godsaid, Be ye therefore witnesses; and I also bear witness with you: andwhosoever turneth back after this, they are surely the transgressors. Dothey therefore seek any other religion but God's? since to him isresigned whosoever is in heaven or on earth, voluntarily, or of force:and to him shall they return. Say, We believe in God, and that whichhath been sent down unto us, and that which was sent down unto Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which wasdelivered to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord; we makeno distinction between any of them; and to him are we resigned. Whoeverfolloweth any other religion than Islam, it shall not be accepted ofhim: and in the next life he shall be of those who perish. How shall Goddirect men who have become infidels after they had believed, and bornewitness that the apostle was true, and manifest declarations of thedivine will had come unto them? for God directeth not the ungodlypeople. Their reward shall be, that on them shall fall the curse of God, and of angels, and of all mankind: they shall remain under the sameforever; their torment shall not be mitigated, neither shall they beregarded; except those who repent after this, and amend; for God isgracious and merciful. Moreover they who become infidels after they havebelieved, and yet increase in infidelity, their repentance shall in nowise be accepted, and they are those who go astray. Verily they whobelieve not, and die in their unbelief, the world full of gold shall inno wise be accepted from any of them, even though he should give it forhis ransom; they shall suffer a grievous punishment, and they shall havenone to help them. Ye will never attain unto righteousness, until yegive in alms of that which ye love: and whatever ye give, God knowethit. All food was permitted unto the children of Israel, except whatIsrael forbade unto himself before the Pentateuch was sent down. Sayunto the Jews, Bring hither the Pentateuch and read it, if ye speaktruth. Whoever therefore contriveth a lie against God after this, theywill be evil-doers. Say, God is true: follow ye therefore the religionof Abraham the orthodox; for he was no idolater. Verily the first houseappointed unto men to worship in was that which is in Becca;[56]blessed, and a direction to all creatures. Therein are manifest signs:the place where Abraham stood; and whoever entereth therein, shall besafe. And it is a duty towards God, incumbent on those who are able togo thither, to visit this house; but whosoever disbelieveth, verily Godneedeth not the service of any creature. Say, O ye who have received thescriptures, why do ye not believe in the signs of God? Say, O ye whohave received the scriptures, why do ye keep back from the way of Godhim who believeth? Ye seek to make it crooked, and yet are witnessesthat it is the right: but God will not be unmindful of what ye do. Otrue believers, if ye obey some of those who have received thescripture, they will render you infidels, after ye have believed: andhow can ye be infidels, when the signs of God are read unto you, and hisapostle is among you? But he who cleaveth firmly unto God, is alreadydirected into the right way. O believers, fear God with his true fear;and die not unless ye also be true believers. And cleave all of you untothe covenant of God, and depart not from it, and remember the favor ofGod towards you: since ye were enemies, and he reconciled your hearts, and ye became companions and brethren by his favor: and ye were on thebrink of a pit of fire, and he delivered you thence. Thus God declarethunto you his signs, that ye may be directed. Let there be people amongyou, who invite to the best religion; and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil; and they shall be happy. And be not asthey who are divided, and disagree in matters of religion, aftermanifest proofs have been brought unto them: they shall suffer a greattorment. On the day of resurrection some faces shall become white, andother faces shall become black. And unto them whose faces shall becomeblack, God will say, Have ye returned unto your unbelief, after ye hadbelieved? therefore taste the punishment, for that ye have beenunbelievers: but they whose faces shall become white shall be in themercy of God, therein shall they remain forever. These are the signs ofGod: we recite them unto thee with truth. God will not deal unjustlywith his creatures. And to God belongeth whatever is in heaven and onearth; and to God shall all things return. Ye are the best nation thathath been raised up unto mankind: ye command that which is just, and yeforbid that which is unjust, and ye believe in God. And if they who havereceived the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better forthem: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them aretransgressors. They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; andif they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you, and theyshall not be helped. They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they arefound; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with God, and a treaty with men: and they draw on themselves indignation from God, and they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because theydisbelieved the signs of God, and slew the prophets unjustly; this, because they were rebellious, and transgressed. Yet they are not allalike: there are of those who have received the scriptures, uprightpeople; they meditate on the signs of God in the night season, andworship; they believe in God and the last day; and command that which isjust, and forbid that which is unjust, and zealously strive to excel ingood works: these are of the righteous. And ye shall not be denied thereward of the good which ye do; for God knoweth the pious. As for theunbelievers, their wealth shall not profit them at all, neither theirchildren, against God: they shall be the companions of hell fire; theyshall continue therein forever. The likeness of that which they lay outin this present life, is as a wind wherein there is a scorching cold: itfalleth on the standing corn of those men who have injured their ownsouls, and destroyeth it. And God dealeth not unjustly with them; butthey injure their own souls. O true believers, contract not an intimatefriendship with any besides yourselves: they will not fail to corruptyou. They wish for that which may cause you to perish: their hatred hathalready appeared from out of their mouths; but what their breastsconceal is yet more inveterate. We have already shown you signs of theirill-will towards you, if ye understand. Behold, ye love them, and theydo not love you: ye believe in all the scriptures, and when they meetyou, they say, We believe; but when they assemble privately together, they bite their fingers' ends out of wrath against you. Say unto them, Die in your wrath: verily God knoweth the innermost part of yourbreasts. If good happen unto you, it grieveth them; and if evil befallyou, they rejoice at it. But if ye be patient, and fear God, theirsubtlety shall not hurt you at all; for God comprehendeth whatever theydo. Call to mind when thou wentest forth early from thy family, thatthou mightest prepare the faithful a camp for war; and God heard andknew it; when two companies of you were anxiously thoughtful, so that yebecame faint-hearted; but God was the supporter of them both; and in Godlet the faithful trust. And God had already given you the victory atBedr, when ye were inferior in number; therefore fear God, that ye maybe thankful. When thou saidst unto the faithful, Is it not enough foryou, that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels, sentdown from heaven? Verily if ye persevere, and fear God, and your enemiescome upon you suddenly, your Lord will assist you with five thousandangels, distinguished by their horses and attire. And this God designedonly as good tidings for you that your hearts might rest secure: forvictory is from God alone, the mighty, the wise. That he should cut offthe uttermost part of the unbelievers, or cast them down, or that theyshould be overthrown and unsuccessful, is nothing to thee. It is nobusiness of thine; whether God be turned unto them, or whether he punishthem; they are surely unjust doers. To God belongeth whatsoever is inheaven and on earth: he spareth whom he pleaseth, and he punisheth whomhe pleaseth; for God is merciful. O true believers, devour not usury, doubling it twofold; but fear God, that ye may prosper: and fear thefire which is prepared for the unbelievers; and obey God, and hisapostle, that ye may obtain mercy. And run with emulation to obtainremission from your Lord, and paradise, whose breath equalleth theheavens and the earth, which is prepared for the godly; who give alms inprosperity and adversity; who bridle their anger and forgive men: forGod loveth the beneficent. [57] And who, after they have committed acrime, or dealt unjustly with their own souls, remember God, and askpardon for their sins (for who forgiveth sins except God?) and perseverenot in what they have done knowingly: their reward shall be pardon fromtheir Lord, and gardens wherein rivers flow, they shall remain thereinforever: and how excellent is the reward of those who labor! There havealready been before you examples of punishment of infidels, therefore gothrough the earth, and behold what hath been the end of those who accuseGod's apostles of imposture. This book is a declaration unto men, and adirection and an admonition to the pious. And be not dismayed, neitherbe ye grieved; for ye shall be superior to the unbelievers if yebelieve. If a wound hath happened unto you in war, a like wound hathalready happened unto the unbelieving people: and we cause these days ofdifferent success interchangeably to succeed each other among men; thatGod may know those who believe, and may have martyrs from among you (Godloveth not the workers of iniquity); and that God might prove those whobelieve, and destroy the infidels. Did ye imagine that ye should enterparadise, when as yet God knew not those among you who foughtstrenuously in his cause; nor knew those who persevered with patience?Moreover ye did some time wish for death before that ye met it; but yehave now seen it, and ye looked on, but retreated from it. Mohammed isno more than an apostle; the other apostles have already deceased beforehim: if he die therefore, or be slain, will ye turn back on your heels?but he who turneth back on his heels, will not hurt God at all; and Godwill surely reward the thankful. No soul can die unless by thepermission of God, according to what is written in the book containingthe determinations of things. And whoso chooseth the reward of thisworld, we will give him thereof: but whoso chooseth the reward of theworld to come, we will give him thereof; and we will surely reward thethankful. How many prophets have encountered those who had many myriadsof troops: and yet they desponded not in their mind for what hadbefallen them in fighting for the religion of God, and were notweakened, neither behaved themselves in an abject manner? God loveththose who persevere patiently. And their speech was no other than thatthey said, Our Lord forgive us our offences, and our transgressions inour business; and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelievingpeople. And God gave them the reward of this world, and a gloriousreward in the life to come; for God loveth the well-doers. O ye whobelieve, if ye obey the infidels, they will cause you to turn back onyour heels, and ye will be turned back and perish: but God is your Lord;and he is the best helper. We will surely cast a dread into the heartsof the unbelievers, because they have associated with God thatconcerning which he sent them down no power: their dwelling shall be thefire of hell; and the receptacle of the wicked shall be miserable. Godhad already made good unto you his promise, when ye destroyed them byhis permission, until ye became faint-hearted, and disputed concerningthe command of the apostle, and were rebellious; after God had shown youwhat ye desired. Some of you chose this present world, and others of youchose the world to come. Then he turned you to flight from before them, that he might make trial of you (but he hath now pardoned you; for Godis endued with beneficence towards the faithful); when ye went up as yefled, and looked not back on any; while the apostle called you, in theuttermost part of you. Therefore God rewarded you with affliction onaffliction, that ye be not grieved hereafter for the spoils which yefail of, nor for that which befalleth you; for God is well acquaintedwith whatever ye do. Then he sent down upon you after afflictionsecurity; soft sleep which fell on some part of you; but other partswere troubled by their own souls; falsely thinking of God a foolishimagination, saying, Will anything of the matter happen unto us? Say, Verily the matter belongeth wholly unto God. They concealed in theirminds what they declared not unto thee; saying, If anything of thematter had happened unto us, we had not been slain here. Answer, If yehad been in your houses, verily they would have gone forth to fight, whose slaughter was decreed, to the places where they died, and thiscame to pass that God might try what was in your breasts, and mightdiscern what was in your hearts; for God knoweth the innermost parts ofthe breasts of men. Verily they among you who turned their backs on theday whereon the two armies met each other at Ohod, Satan caused them toslip, for some crime which they had committed: but now hath God forgiventhem; for God is gracious and merciful. O true believers, be not as theywho believe not, and said of their brethren, when they had journeyed inthe land or had been at war, If they had been with us, those had notdied, nor had these been slain: whereas what befell them was so ordainedthat God might make it matter of sighing in their hearts. God givethlife, and causeth to die: and God seeth that which ye do. Moreover, ifye be slain, or die in defence of the religion of God; verily pardonfrom God, and mercy, is better than what they heap together of worldlyriches. And if ye die, or be slain, verily unto God shall ye begathered. And as to the mercy granted unto the disobedient from God, thou, O Mohammed, hast been mild towards them; but if thou hadst beensevere and hard-hearted, they had surely separated themselves from aboutthee. Therefore forgive them, and ask pardon for them: and consult themin the affair of war; and after thou hast deliberated, trust in God; forGod loveth those who trust in him. If God help you, none shall conqueryou; but if he desert you, who is it that will help you after him?Therefore in God let the faithful trust. It is not the part of a prophetto defraud, for he who defraudeth, shall bring with him what he hathdefrauded anyone of, on the day of the resurrection. [58] Then shallevery soul be paid what he hath gained; and they shall not be treatedunjustly. Shall he therefore who followeth that which is well pleasingunto God, be as he who bringeth on himself wrath from God, and whosereceptacle is hell? an evil journey shall it be thither. There shall bedegrees of rewards and punishments with God, for God seeth what they do. Now hath God been gracious unto the believers when he raised up amongthem an apostle of their own nation, [59] who should recite his signsunto them, and purify them, and teach them the book of the Koran andwisdom; whereas they were before in manifest error. After a misfortunehath befallen you at Ohod (ye had already obtained two equaladvantages), do ye say, Whence cometh this? Answer, This is fromyourselves: for God is almighty. And what happened unto you, on the daywhereon the two armies met, was certainly by the permission of God; andthat he might know the faithful, and that he might know the ungodly. Itwas said unto them, Come, fight for the religion of God, or drive backthe enemy: they answered, If we had known ye went out to fight, we hadcertainly followed you. They were on that day nearer unto unbelief thanthey were to faith; they spake with their mouths what was not in theirhearts; but God perfectly knew what they concealed; who said of theirbrethren, while themselves stayed at home, if they had obeyed us, theyhad not been slain. Say, Then keep back death from yourselves, if ye saytruth. Thou shalt in no wise reckon those who have been slain at Ohod inthe cause of God, dead; nay, they are sustained alive with their Lord, rejoicing for what God of his favor hath granted them; and being gladfor those who, coming after them, have not as yet overtaken them, because there shall no fear come on them, neither shall they be grieved. They are filled with joy for the favor which they have received fromGod, and his bounty; and for that God suffereth not the reward of thefaithful to perish. They who hearkened unto God and his apostle, after awound had befallen them at Ohod, such of them as do good works, and fearGod, shall have a great reward; unto whom certain men said, Verily themen of Mecca have already gathered forces against you, be ye thereforeafraid of them: but this increaseth their faith, and they said, God isour support, and the most excellent patron. Wherefore they returned withfavor from God, and advantage; no evil befell them: and they followedwhat was well pleasing unto God; for God is endowed with greatliberality. Verily that devil would cause you to fear his friends: butbe ye not afraid of them; but fear me, if ye be true believers. Theyshall not grieve thee, who emulously hasten unto infidelity; for theyshall never hurt God at all. God will not give them a part in the nextlife, and they shall suffer a great punishment. Surely those whopurchase infidelity with faith, shall by no means hurt God at all, butthey shall suffer a grievous punishment. And let not the unbelieversthink, because we grant them lives long and prosperous, that it isbetter for their souls: we grant them long and prosperous lives onlythat their iniquity may be increased; and they shall suffer anignominious punishment. God is not disposed to leave the faithful in thecondition which ye are now in, until he sever the wicked from the good;nor is God disposed to make you acquainted with what is a hidden secret, but God chooseth such of his apostles as he pleaseth, to reveal his mindunto: believe, therefore, in God, and his apostles; and if ye believe, and fear God, ye shall receive a great reward. And let not those who arecovetous of what God of his bounty hath granted them, imagine that theiravarice is better for them: nay, rather it is worse for them. That whichthey have covetously reserved shall be bound as a collar about theirneck, [60] on the day of the resurrection; unto God belongeth theinheritance of heaven and earth; and God is well acquainted with what yedo. God hath already heard the saying of those who said, Verily God ispoor, and we are rich: we will surely write down what they have said, and the slaughter which they have made of the prophets without a cause;and we will say unto them, Taste ye the pain of burning. This shall theysuffer for the evil which their hands have sent before them, and becauseGod is not unjust towards mankind; who also say, Surely God hathcommanded us, that we should not give credit to any apostle, until oneshould come unto us with a sacrifice, which should be consumed by fire. Say, Apostles have already come unto you before me, with plain proofs, and with the miracle which ye mention: why therefore have ye slain them, if ye speak truth? If they accuse thee of imposture, the apostles beforethee have also been accounted impostors, who brought evidentdemonstrations, and the scriptures, and the book which enlightened theunderstanding. Every soul shall taste of death, and ye shall have yourrewards on the day of resurrection; and he who shall be far removed fromhell fire, and shall be admitted into paradise, shall be happy: but thepresent life is only a deceitful provision. Ye shall surely be proved inyour possessions, and in your persons; and ye shall bear from those untowhom the scripture was delivered before you, and from the idolaters, much hurt: but if ye be patient, and fear God, this is a matter that isabsolutely determined. And when God accepted the covenant of those towhom the book of the law was given, saying, Ye shall surely publish itunto mankind, ye shall not hide it; yet they threw it behind theirbacks, and sold it for a small price; but woful is the price for whichthey have sold it. [61] Think not that they who rejoice at what they havedone, and expect to be praised for what they have not done; think not, Oprophet, that they shall escape from punishment, for they shall suffer apainful punishment; and unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven andearth; God is almighty. Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and thevicissitude of night and day, are signs unto those who are endued withunderstanding; who remember God standing, and sitting, and lying ontheir sides; and meditate on the creation of heaven and earth, saying, OLord, thou hast not created this in vain; far be it from thee: thereforedeliver us from the torment of hell fire. O Lord, surely whom thou shaltthrow into the fire, thou wilt also cover with shame; nor shall theungodly have any to help them. O Lord, we have heard of a preacher[62]inviting us to the faith, and saying, Believe in your Lord: and webelieved. O Lord, forgive us therefore our sins, and expiate our evildeeds from us, and make us to die with the righteous. O Lord, give usalso the reward which thou hast promised by thy apostles; and cover usnot with shame on the day of resurrection; for thou art not contrary tothe promise. Their Lord therefore answereth them, saying, I will notsuffer the work of him among you who worketh to be lost, whether he bemale or female: the one of you is from the other. They therefore whohave left their country, and have been turned out of their houses, andhave suffered for my sake, and have been slain in battle; verily I willexpiate their evil deeds from them, and I will surely bring them intogardens watered by rivers; a reward from God: and with God is the mostexcellent reward. Let not the prosperous dealing of the unbelievers inthe land deceive thee: it is but a slender provision; and then theirreceptacle shall be hell; an unhappy couch shall it be. But they whofear their Lord shall have gardens through which rivers flow, they shallcontinue therein forever: this is the gift of God; for what is with Godshall be better for the righteous than short-lived worldly prosperity. There are some of those who have received the scriptures, who believe inGod, and that which hath been sent down unto you, and that which hathbeen sent down to them, submitting themselves unto God; they tell notthe signs of God for a small price: these shall have their reward withtheir Lord; for God is swift in taking an account. O true believers, bepatient, and strive to excel in patience, and be constant-minded, andfear God, that ye may be happy. 

[Footnote 46: This name is given in the Koran to the father of theVirgin Mary. ]

[Footnote 47: The word Koran, derived from the verb _Karaa_, i. E. , toread, signifies in Arabic "the reading, " or rather "that which is to beread. " The syllable _Al_, in the words Al Koran, is only the Arabicarticle signifying "the, " and ought to be omitted when the Englisharticle is prefixed. ]

[Footnote 48: The miracle, it is said, consisted in three things: (1. )Mohammed, by the direction of the angel Gabriel, took a handful ofgravel and threw it towards the enemy in the attack, saying, "May theirfaces be confounded"; whereupon they immediately turned their backs andfled. But, though the prophet seemingly threw the gravel himself, yet itis told in the Koran that it was not he, but God, who threw it, that isto say, by the ministry of his angel. (2. ) The Mohammedan troops seemedto the infidels to be twice as many in number as themselves, whichgreatly discouraged them. (3. ) God sent down to their assistance first athousand, and afterwards three thousand angels, led by Gabriel, mountedon his horse Haizum; and, according to the Koran, these celestialauxiliaries really did all the execution, though Mohammed's men imaginedthemselves did it, and fought stoutly at the same time. ]

[Footnote 49: The proper name of the Mohammedan religion, whichsignifies the resigning or devoting one's self entirely to God and hisservice. This they say is the religion which all the prophets were sentto teach, being founded on the unity of God. ]

[Footnote 50: The Mohammedans have a tradition that the first banner ofthe infidels that shall be set up, on the day of judgment, will be thatof the Jews; and that God will first reproach them with theirwickedness, over the heads of those who are present, and then order themto hell. ]

[Footnote 51: This phrase signifies a man in full age, that is, betweenthirty and thirty-four. ]

[Footnote 52: Such as the eating of fish that have neither fins norscales, the caul and fat of animals, and camel's flesh, and to work onthe Sabbath. ]

[Footnote 53: In Arabic, _al Hawâriyûn_: which word they derive from_Hâra_, "to be white, " and suppose the apostles were so-called eitherfrom the candor and sincerity of their minds, or because they wereprinces and wore white garments, or else because they were by tradefullers. ]

[Footnote 54: Some Mohammedans say this was done by the ministry ofGabriel; but others that a strong whirlwind took him up from MountOlivet. ]

[Footnote 55: A gold coin worth about $2. 50. ]

[Footnote 56: Becca is another name of Mecca. Al Beidâwi observes thatthe Arabs used the "M" and "B" promiscuously in several words. ]

[Footnote 57: It is related of Hasan the son of Ali that a slave havingonce thrown a dish on him boiling hot, as he sat at table, and fearinghis master's resentment, fell immediately on his knees, and repeatedthese words, "Paradise is for those who bridle their anger. " Hasananswered, "I am not angry. " The slave proceeded, "and for those whoforgive men. " "I forgive you, " said Hasan. The slave, however, finishedthe verse, adding, "for God loveth the beneficent. " "Since it is so, "replied Hasan, "I give you your liberty, and four hundred pieces ofsilver. " A noble instance of moderation and generosity. ]

[Footnote 58: According to a tradition of Mohammed, whoever cheatethanother will on the day of judgment carry his fraudulent purchasepublicly on his neck. ]

[Footnote 59: Some copies, instead of _min anfosihim_, i. E. , ofthemselves, read _min anfasihim_, i. E. , of the noblest among them; forsuch was the tribe of Koreish, of which Mohammed was descended. ]

[Footnote 60: Mohammed is said to have declared, that whoever pays nothis legal contribution of alms duly shall have a serpent twisted abouthis neck at the resurrection. ]

[Footnote 61: That is, dearly shall they pay hereafter for taking bribesto stifle the truth. "Whoever concealeth the knowledge which God hasgiven him, " says Mohammed, "God shall put on him a bridle of fire on theday of resurrection. "]

[Footnote 62: Namely, Mohammed, with the Koran. ]

CHAPTER IV

Entitled, Women[63]--Revealed at Medina

_In the Name of the Most Merciful God. _

O men, fear your Lord, who hath created you out of one man, and out ofhim created his wife, and from them two hath multiplied many men andwomen: and fear God by whom ye beseech one another; and respect womenwho have borne you, for God is watching over you. And give the orphanswhen they come to age their substance; and render them not in exchangebad for good: and devour not their substance, by adding it to yoursubstance; for this is a great sin. And if ye fear that ye shall not actwith equity towards orphans of the female sex, take in marriage of suchother women as please you, two, or three, or four, and not more. But ifye fear that ye cannot act equitably towards so many, marry one only, orthe slaves which ye shall have acquired. This will be easier, that yeswerve not from righteousness. And give women their dowry freely; but ifthey voluntarily remit unto you any part of it, enjoy it withsatisfaction and advantage. And give not unto those who are weak ofunderstanding, the substance which God hath appointed you to preservefor them; but maintain them thereout, and clothe them, and speak kindlyunto them. And examine the orphans until they attain the age ofmarriage: but if ye perceive they are able to manage their affairs well, deliver their substance unto them; and waste it not extravagantly, orhastily, because they grow up. Let him who is rich abstain entirely fromthe orphan's estates; and let him who is poor take thereof according towhat shall be reasonable. And when ye deliver their substance unto them, call witnesses thereof in their presence: God taketh sufficient accountof your actions. Men ought to have a part of what their parents andkindred leave behind them when they die: and women also ought to have apart of what their parents and kindred leave, whether it be little, orwhether it be much; a determinate part is due to them. And when they whoare of kin are present at the dividing of what is left, and also theorphans, and the poor; distribute unto them some part thereof; and ifthe estate be too small, at least speak comfortably unto them. And letthose fear to abuse orphans, who if they leave behind them a weakoffspring, are solicitous for them: let them therefore fear God, andspeak that which is convenient. Surely they who devour the possessionsof orphans unjustly, shall swallow down nothing but fire into theirbellies, and shall broil in raging flames. God hath thus commanded youconcerning your children. A male shall have as much as the share of twofemales: but if they be females only, and above two in number, theyshall have two third-parts of what the deceased shall leave; and ifthere be but one, she shall have the half. And the parents of thedeceased shall have each of them a sixth part of what he shall leave, ifhe have a child: but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have the third part. And if he have brethren, hismother shall have a sixth part, after the legacies[64] which he shallbequeath, and his debts be paid. Ye know not whether your parents oryour children be of greater use unto you. This is an ordinance from God, and God is knowing and wise. Moreover, ye may claim half of what yourwives shall leave, if they have no issue; but if they have issue, thenye shall have the fourth part of what they shall leave, after thelegacies which they shall bequeath, and the debts be paid. They alsoshall have the fourth part of what ye shall leave, in case ye have noissue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have the eighth part ofwhat ye shall leave, after the legacies which ye shall bequeath and yourdebts be paid. And if a man or woman's substance be inherited by adistant relation, and he or she have a brother or sister; each of themtwo shall have a sixth part of the estate. But if there be more thanthis number, they shall be equal sharers in a third part, after paymentof the legacies which shall be bequeathed, and the debts, withoutprejudice to the heirs. This is an ordinance from God: and God isknowing and gracious. These are the statutes of God. And whoso obeyethGod and his apostle, God shall lead him into gardens wherein riversflow, they shall continue therein forever; and this shall be greathappiness. But whoso disobeyeth God, and his apostle, and transgressethhis statutes, God shall cast him into hell fire; he shall remain thereinforever, and he shall suffer a shameful punishment. If any of your womenbe guilty of whoredom, produce four witnesses from among you againstthem, and if they bear witness against them, imprison them in separateapartments until death release them, or God affordeth them a way toescape. [65] And if two of you commit the like wickedness, punish themboth: but if they repent and amend, let them both alone; for God is easyto be reconciled and merciful. Verily repentance will be accepted withGod, from those who do evil ignorantly, and then repent speedily; untothem will God be turned: for God is knowing and wise. But no repentanceshall be accepted from those who do evil until the time when deathpresenteth itself unto one of them, and he saith, Verily, I repent now;nor unto those who die unbelievers: for them have we prepared a grievouspunishment. O true believers, it is not lawful for you to be heirs ofwomen against their will, nor to hinder them from marrying others, thatye may take away part of what ye have given them in dowry; unless theyhave been guilty of a manifest crime: but converse kindly with them. Andif ye hate them, it may happen that ye may hate a thing wherein God hathplaced much good. If ye be desirous to exchange a wife for another wife, and ye have already given one of them a talent; take not away anythingtherefrom: will ye take it by slandering her, and doing her manifestinjustice? And how can ye take it, since the one of you hath gone inunto the other, and they have received from you a firm covenant? Marrynot women whom your fathers have had to wife (except what is alreadypast): for this is uncleanness, and an abomination, and an evil way. Yeare forbidden to marry your mothers, and your daughters, and yoursisters, and your aunts both on the father's and on the mother's side, and your brother's daughters, and your sister's daughters, and yourmothers who have given you suck, and your foster-sisters, and yourwives' mothers, and your daughters-in-law which are under your tuition, born of your wives unto whom ye have gone in (but if ye have not gone inunto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them), and the wives ofyour sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye are also forbidden totake to wife two sisters; except what is already past: for God isgracious and merciful. Ye are also forbidden to take to wife free womenwho are married, except those women whom your right hands shall possessas slaves. [66] This is ordained you from God. Whatever is beside this, is allowed you; that ye may with your substance provide wives foryourselves, acting that which is right, and avoiding whoredom. And forthe advantage which ye receive from them, give them their reward, according to what is ordained: but it shall be no crime in you to makeany other agreement among yourselves, after the ordinance shall becomplied with; for God is knowing and wise. Whoso among you hath notmeans sufficient that he may marry free women, who are believers, lethim marry with such of your maid-servants whom your right hands possess, as are true believers; for God well knoweth your faith. Ye are the onefrom the other; therefore marry them with the consent of their masters;and give them their dower according to justice; such as are modest, notguilty of whoredom, nor entertaining lovers. And when they are married, if they be guilty of adultery, they shall suffer half the punishmentwhich is appointed for the free women. [67] This is allowed unto himamong you, who feareth to sin by marrying free women; but if ye abstainfrom marrying slaves, it will be better for you; God is gracious andmerciful. God is willing to declare these things unto you, and to directyou according to the ordinances of those who have gone before you, andto be merciful unto you. God is knowing and wise. God desireth to begracious unto you; but they who follow their lusts, desire that yeshould turn aside from the truth with great deviation. God is minded tomake his religion light unto you: for man was created weak. O truebelievers, consume not your wealth among yourselves in vanity; unlessthere be merchandising among you by mutual consent: neither slayyourselves; for God is merciful towards you: and whoever doth thismaliciously and wickedly, he will surely cast him to be broiled in hellfire; and this is easy with God. If ye turn aside from the grievoussins, [68] of those which ye are forbidden to commit, we will cleanse youfrom your smaller faults; and will introduce you into paradise with anhonorable entry. Covet not that which God hath bestowed on some of youpreferably to others. [69] Unto the men shall be given a portion of whatthey shall have gained, and unto the women shall be given a portion ofwhat they shall have gained: therefore ask God of his bounty; for God isomniscient. We have appointed unto everyone kindred, to inherit part ofwhat their parents and relations shall leave at their deaths. And untothose with whom your right hands have made an alliance, give their partof the inheritance; for God is witness of all things. Men shall have thepreeminence above women, because of those advantages wherein God hathcaused the one of them to excel the other, and for that which theyexpend of their substance in maintaining their wives. The honest womenare obedient, careful in the absence of their husbands, for that Godpreserveth them, by committing them to the care and protection of themen. But those, whose perverseness ye shall be apprehensive of, rebuke;and remove them into separate apartments, and chastise them. [70] But ifthey shall be obedient unto you, seek not an occasion of quarrel againstthem; for God is high and great. And if ye fear a breach between thehusband and wife, send a judge out of his family, and a judge out of herfamily: if they shall desire a reconciliation, God will cause them toagree; for God is knowing and wise. Serve God, and associate no creaturewith him; and show kindness unto parents, and relations, and orphans, and the poor, and your neighbor who is of kin to you, and also yourneighbor who is a stranger, and to your familiar companion, and thetraveller, and the captives whom your right hands shall possess; for Godloveth not the proud or vain-glorious, who are covetous, and recommendcovetousness unto men, and conceal that which God of his bounty hathgiven them (we have prepared a shameful punishment for the unbelievers);and who bestow their wealth in charity to be observed of men, andbelieve not in God, nor in the last day; and whoever hath Satan for acompanion, an evil companion hath he! And what harm would befall them ifthey should believe in God and the last day, and give alms out of thatwhich God hath bestowed on them? since God knoweth them who do this. Verily God will not wrong anyone even the weight of an ant: and if it bea good action, he will double it, and will recompense it in his sightwith a great reward. How will it be with the unbelievers when we shallbring a witness out of each nation against itself, and shall bring thee, O Mohammed, a witness against these people? In that day they who havenot believed, and have rebelled against the apostle of God, shall wishthe earth was levelled with them; and they shall not be able to hide anymatter from God. O true believers, come not to prayers when ye aredrunk, until ye understand what ye say; nor when ye are polluted byemission of seed, unless ye be travelling on the road, until ye washyourselves. But if ye be sick, or on a journey, or any of you come fromeasing nature, or have touched women, and find no water; take fine cleansand and rub your faces and your hands therewith; for God is mercifuland inclined to forgive. Hast thou not observed those unto whom part ofthe scriptures was delivered? they sell error, and desire that ye maywander from the right way; but God well knoweth your enemies. God is asufficient patron, and God is a sufficient helper. Of the Jews there aresome who pervert words from their places; and say, We have heard, andhave disobeyed; and do thou hear without understanding our meaning, andlook upon us: perplexing with their tongues, and reviling the truereligion. But if they had said, We have heard, and do obey; and do thouhear, and regard us: certainly it were better for them, and more right. But God hath cursed them by reason of their infidelity; therefore a fewof them only shall believe. O ye to whom the scriptures have been given, believe in the revelation which we have sent down, confirming that whichis with you; before we deface your countenances, and render them as theback parts thereof; or curse them, as we cursed those who transgressedon the Sabbath day; and the command of God was fulfilled. Surely Godwill not pardon the giving him an equal; but will pardon any other sin, except that, to whom he pleaseth; and whoso giveth a companion unto God, hath devised a great wickedness. Hast thou not observed those whojustify themselves? But God justifieth whomsoever he pleaseth, nor shallthey be wronged a hair. Behold, how they imagine a lie against God; andtherein is iniquity sufficiently manifest. Hast thou not consideredthose to whom part of the scripture hath been given? They believe infalse gods and idols, [71] and say of those who believe not, These aremore rightly directed in the way of truth than they who believe onMohammed. Those are the men whom God hath cursed; and unto him whom Godshall curse, thou shalt surely find no helper. Shall they have a part ofthe kingdom, since even then they would not bestow the smallest matteron men? Do they envy other men that which God of his bounty hath giventhem? We formerly gave unto the family of Abraham a book of revelationsand wisdom; and we gave them a great kingdom. There is of them whobelieveth on him; and there is of them who turneth aside from him: butthe raging fire of hell is a sufficient punishment. Verily, those whodisbelieve our signs, we will surely cast to be broiled in hell fire; sooften as their skins shall be well burned, we will give them other skinsin exchange, that they may taste the sharper torment; for God is mightyand wise. But those who believe and do that which is right, we willbring into gardens watered by rivers: therein shall they remain forever, and there shall they enjoy wives free from all impurity; and we willlead them into perpetual shades. Moreover, God commandeth you to restorewhat ye are trusted with, to the owners; and when ye judge between men, that ye judge according to equity: and surely an excellent virtue it isto which God exhorteth you; for God both heareth and seeth. O truebelievers, obey God, and obey the apostle, and those who are inauthority among you: and if ye differ in anything, refer it unto God[72]and the apostle, if ye believe in God and the last day: this is better, and a fairer method of determination. Hast thou not observed those whopretend they believe in what hath been revealed unto thee, and what hathbeen revealed before thee? They desire to go to judgment before Taghût, although they have been commanded not to believe in him; and Satandesireth to seduce them into a wide error. And when it is said untothem, Come unto the book which God hath sent down, and to the apostle;thou seest the ungodly turn aside from thee, with great aversion. Buthow will they behave when a misfortune shall befall them, for that whichtheir hands have sent before them? Then will they come unto thee, andswear by God, saying, We intended no other than to do good, and toreconcile the parties. God knoweth what is in the hearts of these men;therefore let them alone, and admonish them, and speak unto them a wordwhich may affect their souls. We have not sent any apostle, but that hemight be obeyed by the permission of God: but if they, after they haveinjured their own souls, come unto thee, and ask pardon of God, and theapostle ask pardon for them, they shall surely find God easy to bereconciled and merciful. And by thy Lord they will not perfectlybelieve, until they make thee judge of their controversies; and shallnot afterwards find in their own minds any hardship in what thou shaltdetermine, but shall acquiesce therein with entire submission. And if wehad commanded them, saying, Slay yourselves, or depart from your houses, they would not have done it, except a few of them. And if they had donewhat they were admonished, it would certainly have been better for them, and more efficacious for confirming their faith; and we should then havesurely given them in our sight an exceeding great reward, and we shouldhave directed them in the right way. Whoever obeyeth God and theapostle, they shall be with those unto whom God hath been gracious, ofthe prophets, and the sincere, and the martyrs, and the righteous; andthese are the most excellent company. This is bounty from God; and Godis sufficiently knowing. O true believers, take your necessaryprecaution against your enemies, and either go forth to war in separateparties, or go forth all together in a body. There is of you whotarrieth behind; and if a misfortune befall you, he saith, Verily Godhath been gracious unto me, that I was not present with them: but ifsuccess attend you from God, he will say (as if there was no friendshipbetween you and him), Would to God I had been with them, for I shouldhave acquired great merit. Let them therefore fight for the religion ofGod, who part with the present life in exchange for that which is tocome; for whosoever fighteth for the religion of God, whether he beslain, or be victorious, we will surely give him a great reward. Andwhat ails you, that ye fight not for God's true religion, and in defenceof the weak among men, women, and children, who say, O Lord, bring usforth from this city, whose inhabitants are wicked; grant us from beforethee a protector, and grant us from thee a defender. They who believefight for the religion of God; but they who believe not fight for thereligion of Taghût. Fight therefore against the friends of Satan, forthe stratagem of Satan is weak. Hast thou not observed those unto whomit was said, Withhold your hands from war, and be constant at prayers, and pay the legal alms? But when war is commanded them, behold, a partof them fear men as they should fear God, or with a greater fear, andsay, O Lord, wherefore hast thou commanded us to go to war, and hast notsuffered us to wait our approaching end? Say unto them, The provision ofthis life is but small; but the future shall be better for him whofeareth God; and ye shall not be in the least injured at the day ofjudgment. Wheresoever ye be, death will overtake you, although ye be inlofty towers. If good befall them, they say, This is from God; but ifevil befall them, they say, This is from thee, O Mohammed: say, All isfrom God; and what aileth these people, that they are so far fromunderstanding what is said unto them? Whatever good befalleth thee, Oman, it is from God; and whatever evil befalleth thee, it is fromthyself. [73] We have sent thee an apostle unto men, and God is asufficient witness thereof. Whoever obeyeth the apostle, obeyeth God;and whoever turneth back, we have not sent thee to be a keeper overthem. They say, Obedience: yet when they go forth from thee, part ofthem meditate by night a matter different from what thou speakest; butGod shall write down what they meditate by night: therefore let themalone, and trust in God, for God is a sufficient protector. Do they notattentively consider the Koran? If it had been from any besides God, they would certainly have found therein many contradictions. When anynews cometh unto them, either of security or fear, they immediatelydivulge it; but if they told it to the apostle and to those who are inauthority among them, such of them would understand the truth of thematter, as inform themselves thereof from the apostle and his chiefs. And if the favor of God and his mercy had not been upon you, ye hadfollowed the devil, except a few of you. Fight therefore for thereligion of God, and oblige not any to what is difficult, exceptthyself; however, excite the faithful to war, perhaps God will restrainthe courage of the unbelievers; for God is stronger than they, and moreable to punish. He who intercedeth between men with a good intercessionshall have a portion thereof; and he who intercedeth with an evilintercession shall have a portion thereof; for God overlooketh allthings. When ye are saluted with a salutation, salute the person with abetter salutation, or at least return the same; for God taketh anaccount of all things. God! there is no God but he; he will surelygather you together on the day of resurrection; there is no doubt of it:and who is more true than God in what he saith? Why are ye dividedconcerning the ungodly into two parties; since God hath overturned themfor what they have committed? Will ye direct him whom God hath ledastray; since for him whom God shall lead astray, thou shalt find notrue path? They desire that ye should become infidels, as they areinfidels, and that ye should be equally wicked with themselves. Therefore take not friends from among them, until they fly their countryfor the religion of God; and if they turn back from the faith, takethem, and kill them wherever ye find them; and take no friend from amongthem, nor any helper, except those who go unto a people who are inalliance with you, for those who come unto you, their hearts forbiddingthem either to fight against you, or to fight against their own people. And if God pleased he would have permitted them to have prevailedagainst you, and they would have fought against you. But if they departfrom you, and fight not against you and offer you peace, God doth notallow you to take or kill them. Ye shall find others who are desirous toenter into a confidence with you, and at the same time to preserve aconfidence with their own people: so often as they return to sedition, they shall be subverted therein; and if they depart not from you, andoffer you peace, and restrain their hands from warring against you, takethem and kill them wheresoever ye find them; over these have we grantedyou a manifest power. It is not lawful for a believer to kill abeliever, unless it happen by mistake; and whoso killeth a believer bymistake, the penalty shall be the freeing of a believer from slavery, and a fine to be paid to the family of the deceased, [74] unless theyremit it as alms: and if the slain person be of a people at enmity withyou, and be a true believer, the penalty shall be the freeing of abeliever; but if he be of a people in confederacy with you, a fine to bepaid to his family, and the freeing of a believer. And he who findethnot wherewith to do this, shall fast two months consecutively, as apenance enjoined from God; and God is knowing and wise. But whosokilleth a believer designedly, his reward shall be hell; he shall remaintherein forever; and God shall be angry with him, and shall curse him, and shall prepare for him a great punishment. O true believers, when yeare on a march in defence of the true religion, justly discern such asye shall happen to meet, and say not unto him who saluteth you, Thou artnot a true believer; seeking the accidental goods of the present life;for with God is much spoil. Such have ye formerly been, but God hathbeen gracious unto you; therefore make a just discernment, for God iswell acquainted with that which ye do. Those believers who sit still athome, not having any hurt, and those who employ their fortunes and theirpersons for the religion of God, shall not be held equal. God hathpreferred those who employ their fortunes and their persons in thatcause, to a degree of honor above those who sit at home: God hath indeedpromised everyone paradise, but God hath preferred those who fight forthe faith before those who sit still, by adding unto them a greatreward, by degrees of honor conferred on them from him, and by grantingthem forgiveness and mercy; for God is indulgent and merciful. Moreover, unto those whom the angels put to death, having injured their ownsouls, [75] the angels said, Of what religion were ye? they answered, Wewere weak in the earth. The angels replied, Was not God's earth wideenough, that ye might fly therein to a place of refuge? Therefore theirhabitation shall be hell; and an evil journey shall it be thither:except the weak among men, and women, and children, who were not able tofind means, and were not directed in the way; these peradventure Godwill pardon, for God is ready to forgive and gracious. Whosoever fliethfrom his country for the sake of God's true religion, shall find in theearth many forced to do the same, and plenty of provisions. And whoeverdeparteth from his house, and flieth unto God and his apostle, if deathovertake him in the way, God will be obliged to reward him, for God isgracious and merciful. When ye march to war in the earth, it shall be nocrime in you if ye shorten your prayers, in case ye fear the infidelsmay attack you; for the infidels are your open enemy. But when thou, Oprophet, shalt be among them, and shalt pray with them, let a party ofthem arise to prayer with thee, and let them take their arms; and whenthey shall have worshipped, let them stand behind you, and let anotherparty come that hath not prayed, and let them pray with thee, and letthem be cautious and take their arms. The unbelievers would that yeshould neglect your arms and your baggage while ye pray, that they mightturn upon you at once. It shall be no crime in you, if ye be incommodedby rain, or be sick, that ye lay down your arms; but take your necessaryprecaution. God hath prepared for the unbelievers an ignominiouspunishment. And when ye shall have ended your prayer, remember God, standing, and sitting, and lying on your sides. But when ye are securefrom danger, complete your prayers; for prayer is commanded thefaithful, and appointed to be said at the stated times. Be not negligentin seeking out the unbelieving people, though ye suffer someinconvenience; for they also shall suffer, as ye suffer, and ye hope fora reward from God which they cannot hope for; and God is knowing andwise. We have sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, thatthou mayest judge between men through that wisdom which God showeth theetherein; and be not an advocate for the fraudulent; but ask pardon ofGod for thy wrong intention, since God is indulgent and merciful. Dispute not for those who deceive one another, for God loveth not himwho is a deceiver or unjust. Such conceal themselves from men, but theyconceal not themselves from God; for he is with them when they imagineby night a saying which pleaseth him not, and God comprehendeth whatthey do. Behold, ye are they who have disputed for them in this presentlife; but who shall dispute with God for them on the day ofresurrection, or who will become their patron? yet he who doth evil, orinjureth his own soul, and afterwards asketh pardon of God, shall findGod gracious and merciful. Whoso committeth wickedness, committeth itagainst his own soul: God is knowing and wise. And whoso committeth asin or iniquity, and afterwards layeth it on the innocent, he shallsurely bear the guilt of calumny and manifest injustice. If theindulgence and mercy of God had not been upon thee, surely a part ofthem had studied to seduce thee; but they shall seduce themselves only, and shall not hurt thee at all. God hath sent down unto thee the book ofthe Koran and wisdom, and hath taught thee that which thou knewest not;for the favor of God hath been great towards thee. There is no good inthe multitude of their private discourses, unless in the discourse ofhim who recommendeth alms, or that which is right, or agreement amongstmen; whoever doth this out of a desire to please God we will surely givehim a great reward. But whoso separateth himself from the apostle, aftertrue direction hath been manifested unto him, and followeth any otherway than that of the true believers, we will cause him to obtain that towhich he is inclined, and will cast him to be burned in hell; and anunhappy journey shall it be thither. Verily God will not pardon thegiving him a companion, but he will pardon any crime besides that, untowhom he pleaseth: and he who giveth a companion unto God, is surely ledaside into a wide mistake: the infidels invoke beside him only femaledeities, and only invoke rebellious Satan. God cursed him; and he said, Verily I will take of thy servants a part cut off from the rest, and Iwill seduce them, and will insinuate vain desires into them, and I willcommand them, and they shall cut off the ears of cattle; and I willcommand them, and they shall change God's creature. But whoever takethSatan for his patron, besides God, shall surely perish with a manifestdestruction. He maketh them promises, and insinuateth into them vaindesires; yet Satan maketh them only deceitful promises. The receptacleof these shall be hell, they shall find no refuge from it. But they whobelieve, and do good works, we will surely lead them into gardens, through which rivers flow; they shall continue therein forever, according to the true promise of God; and who is more true than God inwhat he saith? It shall not be according to your desires, nor accordingto the desires of those who have received the scriptures. Whoso doethevil, shall be rewarded for it; and shall not find any patron or helper, beside God; but whoso doeth good works, whether he be male or female, and is a true believer, they shall be admitted into paradise, and shallnot in the least be unjustly dealt with. Who is better in point ofreligion than he who resigneth himself unto God, and is a worker ofrighteousness, and followeth the law of Abraham the orthodox? since Godtook Abraham for his friend: and to God belongeth whatsoever is inheaven and on earth; God comprehendeth all things. They will consultthee concerning women; Answer, God instructeth you concerning them, andthat which is read unto you in the book of the Koran concerning femaleorphans, to whom ye give not that which is ordained them, neither willye marry them, and concerning weak infants, and that ye observe justicetowards orphans: whatever good ye do, God knoweth it. If a woman fearill usage, or aversion, from her husband, it shall be no crime in themif they agree the matter amicably between themselves; for areconciliation is better than a separation. Men's souls are naturallyinclined to covetousness: but if ye be kind towards women, and fear towrong them, God is well acquainted with what ye do. Ye can by no meanscarry yourselves equally between women in all respects, although yestudy to do it; therefore turn not from a wife with all manner ofaversion, nor leave her like one in suspense: if ye agree, and fear toabuse your wives, God is gracious and merciful; but if they separate, God will satisfy them both of his abundance; for God is extensive andwise, and unto God belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth. Wehave already commanded those unto whom the scriptures were given beforeyou, and we command you also, saying, Fear God; but if ye disbelieve, unto God belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth; and God isself-sufficient, and to be praised; for unto God belongeth whatsoever isin heaven and on earth, and God is a sufficient protector. If hepleaseth he will take you away, O men, and will produce others in yourstead; for God is able to do this. Whoso desireth the reward of thisworld, verily with God is the reward of this world, and also of thatwhich is to come; God both heareth and seeth. O true believers, observejustice when ye bear witness before God, although it be againstyourselves, or your parents, or relations; whether the party be rich, orwhether he be poor; for God is more worthy than them both: thereforefollow not your own lust in bearing testimony, so that ye swerve fromjustice. And whether ye wrest your evidence, or decline giving it, Godis well acquainted with that which ye do. O true believers, believe inGod and his apostle, and the book which he hath caused to descend untohis apostle, and the book which he hath formerly sent down. Andwhosoever believeth not in God, and his angels, and his scriptures, andhis apostles, and the last day, he surely erreth in a wide mistake. Moreover, they who believed, and afterwards became infidels, and thenbelieved again, and after that disbelieved, and increased in infidelity, God will by no means forgive them, nor direct them into the right way. Declare unto the ungodly that they shall suffer a painful punishment. They who take the unbelievers for their protectors, besides thefaithful, do they seek for power with them? since all power belongethunto God. And he hath already revealed unto you, in the book of theKoran, the following passage: When ye shall hear the signs of God, theyshall not be believed, but they shall be laughed to scorn. Therefore sitnot with them who believe not, until they engage in different discourse;for if ye do, ye will certainly become like unto them. God will surelygather the ungodly and the unbelievers together in hell. They who waitto observe what befalleth you, if victory be granted you from God, say, Were we not with you? But if any advantage happen to the infidels, theysay unto them, Were we not superior to you, and have we not defended youagainst the believers? God shall judge between you on the day ofresurrection; and God will not grant the unbelievers means to prevailover the faithful. The hypocrites act deceitfully with God, but he willdeceive them; and when they stand up to pray, they stand carelessly, affecting to be seen of men, and remember not God, unless a little, wavering between faith and infidelity, and adhering neither unto thesenor unto those: and for him whom God shall lead astray, thou shalt findno true path. O true believers, take not the unbelievers for yourprotectors, besides the faithful. Will ye furnish God with an evidentargument of impiety against you? Moreover, the hypocrites shall be inthe lowest bottom of hell fire, and thou shalt not find any to help themthence. But they who repent and amend, and adhere firmly unto God, andapprove the sincerity of their religion to God, they shall be numberedwith the faithful; and God will surely give the faithful a great reward. And how should God go about to punish you, if ye be thankful andbelieve? for God is grateful and wise. God loveth not the speaking illof anyone in public, unless he who is injured call for assistance; andGod heareth and knoweth: whether ye publish a good action, or concealit, or forgive evil, verily God is gracious and powerful. They whobelieve not in God and his apostles, and would make a distinctionbetween God and his apostles, and say, We believe in some of theprophets, and reject others of them, and seek to take a middle way inthis matter; these are really unbelievers, and we have prepared for theunbelievers an ignominious punishment. But they who believe in God andhis apostles, and make no distinction between any of them, unto thosewill we surely give their reward; and God is gracious and merciful. Theywho have received the scriptures will demand of thee, that thou cause abook to descend unto them from heaven: they formerly asked of Moses agreater thing than this; for they said, Show us God visibly. Wherefore astorm of fire from heaven destroyed them, because of their iniquity. Then they took the calf for their God: after that evident proofs of thedivine unity had come unto them; but we forgave them that, and gaveMoses a manifest power to punish them. And we lifted the mountain ofSinai over them, when we exacted from them their covenant; and said untothem, Enter the gate of the city worshipping. We also said unto them, Transgress not on the Sabbath day. And we received from them a firmcovenant, that they would observe these things. Therefore for that[76]they have made void their covenant, and have not believed in the signsof God, and have slain the prophets unjustly, and have said, Our heartsare uncircumcised (but God hath sealed them up, because of theirunbelief; therefore they shall not believe, except a few of them): andfor that they have not believed on Jesus, and have spoken against Mary agrievous calumny; and have said, Verily we have slain Christ Jesus theson of Mary, the apostle of God; yet they slew him not, neithercrucified him, but he was represented by one in his likeness; and verilythey who disagreed concerning him, [77] were in a doubt as to thismatter, and had no sure knowledge thereof, but followed only anuncertain opinion. They did not really kill him; but God took him upunto himself: and God is mighty and wise. And there shall not be one ofthose who have received the scriptures, who shall not believe in him, before his death;[78] and on the day of resurrection he shall be awitness against them. Because of the iniquity of those who Judaize, wehave forbidden them good things, which had been formerly allowed them;and because they shut out many from the way of God, and have takenusury, which was forbidden them by the law, and devoured men's substancevainly: we have prepared for such of them as are unbelievers a painfulpunishment. But those among them who are well grounded in knowledge, andthe faithful, who believe in that which hath been sent down unto thee, and that which hath been sent down unto the prophets before thee, andwho observe the stated times of prayer, and give alms, and believe inGod and the last day; unto these will we give a great reward. Verily wehave revealed our will unto thee, as we have revealed it unto Noah andthe prophets who succeeded him; and as we revealed it unto Abraham, andIsmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and unto Jesus, and Job, and Jonas, and Aaron, and Solomon; and we have given thee the Koran, aswe gave the Psalms unto David: some apostles have we sent, whom we haveformerly mentioned unto thee; and other apostles have we sent, whom wehave not mentioned unto thee; and God spake unto Moses, discoursing withhim; apostles declaring good tidings, and denouncing threats, lest menshould have an argument of excuse against God, after the apostles hadbeen sent unto them; God is mighty and wise. God is witness of thatrevelation which he hath sent down unto thee; he sent it down with hisspecial knowledge: the angels also are witnesses thereof; but God is asufficient witness. They who believe not, and turn aside others from theway of God, have erred in a wide mistake. Verily those who believe not, and act unjustly, God will by no means forgive, neither will he directthem into any other way than the way of hell; they shall remain thereinforever: and this is easy with God. O men, now is the apostle come untoyou, with truth from your Lord; believe therefore, it will be better foryou. But if ye disbelieve, verily unto God belongeth whatsoever is inheaven and on earth; and God is knowing and wise. O ye who have receivedthe scriptures, exceed not the just bounds in your religion, neither sayof God any other than the truth. Verily Christ Jesus the son of Mary isthe apostle of God, and his Word, which he conveyed into Mary, and aspirit proceeding from him. Believe, therefore, in God, and hisapostles, and say not, There are three Gods;[79] forbear this; it willbe better for you. God is but one God. Far be it from him that he shouldhave a son! unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth; andGod is a sufficient protector. Christ doth not proudly disdain to be aservant unto God; neither the angels who approach near to his presence:and whoso disdaineth his service, and is puffed up with pride, God willgather them all to himself, on the last day. Unto those who believe, anddo that which is right, he shall give their rewards, and shallsuperabundantly add unto them of his liberality: but those who aredisdainful and proud, he will punish with a grievous punishment; andthey shall not find any to protect or to help them, besides God. O men, now is an evident proof come unto you from your Lord, and we have sentdown unto you manifest light. They who believe in God and firmly adhereto him, he will lead them into mercy from him, and abundance; and hewill direct them in the right way to himself. They will consult thee forthy decision in certain cases; say unto them, God giveth you thesedeterminations, concerning the more remote degrees of kindred. If a mandie without issue, and have a sister, she shall have the half of what heshall leave:[80] and he shall be heir to her, [81] in case she have noissue. But if there be two sisters, they shall have between them twothird-parts of what he shall leave; and if there be several, bothbrothers and sisters, a male shall have as much as the portion of twofemales. God declareth unto you these precepts, lest ye err: and Godknoweth all things. 

[Footnote 63: This title was given to this chapter because it chieflytreats of matters relating to women: as marriages, divorces, dower, prohibited degrees. ]

[Footnote 64: By legacies in this and the following passages, arechiefly meant those bequeathed to pious uses; for the Mohammedansapprove not of a person's giving away his substance from his family andnear relations on any other account. ]

[Footnote 65: Their punishment, in the beginning of Mohammedanism, wasto be immured till they died, but afterwards this cruel doom wasmitigated, and they might avoid it by undergoing the punishment ordainedin its stead by the Sonna, according to which the maidens are to bescourged with a hundred stripes, and to be banished for a full year; andthe married women to be stoned. ]

[Footnote 66: According to this passage it is not lawful to marry a freewoman that is already married, be she a Mohammedan or not, unless she belegally parted from her husband by divorce; but it is lawful to marrythose who are slaves, or taken in war, after they shall have gonethrough the proper purifications, though their husbands be living. Yet, according to the decision of Abu Hanifah, it is not lawful to marry suchwhose husbands shall be taken, or in actual slavery with them. ]

[Footnote 67: The reason of this is because they are not presumed tohave had so good education. A slave, therefore, in such a case, is tohave fifty stripes, and to be banished for half a year; but she shallnot be stoned, because it is a punishment which cannot be inflicted byhalves. ]

[Footnote 68: These sins al Beidâwi, from a tradition of Mohammed, reckons to be seven (equalling in number the sins called deadly byChristians), that is to say, idolatry, murder, falsely accusing modestwomen of adultery, wasting the substance of orphans, taking of usury, desertion in a religious expedition, and disobedience to parents. ]

[Footnote 69: Such as honor, power, riches, and other worldlyadvantages. ]

[Footnote 70: By this passage the Mohammedans are in plain terms allowedto beat their wives, in case of stubborn disobedience; but not in aviolent or dangerous manner. ]

[Footnote 71: The Arabic is, in Tibt and Taghût. The former is supposedto have been the proper name of some idol; but it seems rather tosignify any false deity in general. The latter we have explainedalready. ]

[Footnote 72: That is, to the decision of the Koran. ]

[Footnote 73: These words are not to be understood as contradictory tothe preceding, "That all proceeds from God, " since the evil whichbefalls mankind, though ordered by God, is yet the consequence of theirown wicked actions. ]

[Footnote 74: Which fine is to be distributed according to the laws ofinheritance given in the beginning of this chapter. ]

[Footnote 75: These were certain inhabitants of Mecca, who held with thehare and ran with the hounds, for though they embraced Mohammedanism, yet they would not leave that city to join the prophet, as the rest ofthe Moslems did, but on the contrary went out with the idolaters, andwere therefore slain with them at the battle of Bedr. ]

[Footnote 76: There being nothing in the following words of thissentence, to answer to the causal "for that, " Jallalo'ddin supposessomething to be understood to complete the sense, as "therefore we havecursed them, " or the like. ]

[Footnote 77: For some maintained that he was justly and reallycrucified; some insisted that it was not Jesus who suffered, but anotherwho resembled him in the face, pretending the other parts of his body, and by their unlikeness plainly discovered the imposition; some said hewas taken up into heaven; and others, that his manhood only suffered, and that his godhead ascended into heaven. ]

[Footnote 78: This passage is expounded two ways. Some, referring therelative his to the first antecedent, take the meaning to be that no Jewor Christian shall die before he believes in Jesus: for they say, thatwhen one of either of those religions is ready to breathe his last, andsees the angel of death before him, he shall then believe in thatprophet as he ought, though his faith will not then be of any avail. According to a tradition of Hejâj, when a Jew is expiring, the angelswill strike him on the back and face, and say to him, "O thou enemy ofGod, Jesus was sent as a prophet unto thee, and thou didst not believeon him;" to which he will answer, "I now believe him to be the servantof God"; and to a dying Christian they will say, "Jesus was sent as aprophet unto thee, and thou hast imagined him to be God, or the son ofGod, " whereupon he will believe him to be the servant of God only, andhis apostle. Others, taking the above-mentioned relative to refer toJesus, suppose the intent of the passage to be, that all Jews andChristians in general shall have a right faith in that prophet beforehis death, that is, when he descends from heaven and returns into theworld, where he is to kill Antichrist, and to establish the Mohammedanreligion, and a most perfect tranquillity and security on earth. ]

[Footnote 79: Namely, God, Jesus, and Mary--as the eastern writersmention a sect of Christians which held the Trinity to be composed ofthose three; but it is allowed that this heresy has been long sinceextinct. The passage, however, is equally levelled against the HolyTrinity, according to the doctrine of the orthodox Christians, who, asal Beid[=a]wi acknowledges, believe the divine nature to consist ofthree persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; by the Fatherunderstanding God's essence, by the Son his knowledge, and by the HolyGhost his life. ]

[Footnote 80: And the other half will go to the public treasury. ]

[Footnote 81: That is, he shall inherit her whole substance. ]

CHAPTER V

Entitled, the Table[82]--Revealed at Medina

_In the Name of the Most Merciful God. _

O True believers, perform your contracts. Ye are allowed to eat thebrute cattle, [83] other than what ye are commanded to abstain from;except the game which ye are allowed at other times, but not while yeare on pilgrimage to Mecca; God ordaineth that which he pleaseth. O truebelievers, violate not the holy rites of God, nor the sacred month, [84]nor the offering, nor the ornaments hung thereon, nor those who aretravelling to the holy house, seeking favor from their Lord, and toplease him. But when ye shall have finished your pilgrimage, then hunt. And let not the malice of some, in that they hindered you from enteringthe sacred temple, provoke you to transgress, by taking revenge on themin the sacred months. Assist one another according to justice and piety, but assist not one another in injustice and malice: therefore fear God;for God is severe in punishing. Ye are forbidden to eat that which diethof itself, and blood, and swine's flesh, and that on which the name ofany besides God hath been invocated, and that which hath been strangled, or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by the horns of another beast, andthat which hath been eaten by a wild beast, except what ye shall killyourselves; and that which hath been sacrificed unto idols. It islikewise unlawful for you to make division by casting lots witharrows. [85] This is an impiety. On this day, woe be unto those who haveapostatized from their religion; therefore fear not them, but fear me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, and have completed mymercy upon you; and I have chosen for you Islam, to be your religion. But whosoever shall be driven by necessity through hunger to eat of whatwe have forbidden, not designing to sin, surely God will be indulgentand merciful unto him. They will ask thee what is allowed them as lawfulto eat? Answer, Such things as are good are allowed you; and what yeshall teach animals of prey to catch, training them up for hunting afterthe manner of dogs, and teaching them according to the skill which Godhath taught you. Eat therefore of that which they shall catch for you;and commemorate the name of God thereon; and fear God, for God is swiftin taking an account. This day are ye allowed to eat such things as aregood, and the food of those to whom the scriptures were given is alsoallowed as lawful unto you; and your food is allowed as lawful untothem. And ye are also allowed to marry free women that are believers, and also free women of those who have received the scriptures beforeyou, when ye shall have assigned them their dower; living chastely withthem, neither committing fornication, nor taking them for concubines. Whoever shall renounce the faith, his work shall be vain, and in thenext life he shall be of those who perish. O true believers, when yeprepare yourselves to pray, wash your faces, and your hands unto theelbows; and rub your heads, and your feet unto the ankles; and if ye bepolluted and ye find no water, take fine clean sand, and rub your facesand your hands therewith; God will not put a difficulty upon you; but hedesireth to purify you, and to complete his favor upon you, that ye maygive thanks. Remember the favor of God towards you, and his covenantwhich he hath made with you, when ye said, We have heard, and will obey. Therefore fear God, for God knoweth the innermost parts of the breastsof men, O true believers, observe justice when ye appear as witnessesbefore God, and let not hatred towards any induce you to do wrong: butact justly; this will approach nearer unto piety; and fear God, for Godis fully acquainted with what ye do. God hath promised unto those whobelieve, and do that which is right, that they shall receive pardon anda great reward. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs offalsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers, remember God's favor towards you, when certain men designed to stretchforth their hands against you, but he restrained their hands fromhurting you; therefore fear God, and in God let the faithful trust. Godformerly accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, and weappointed out of them twelve leaders: and God said, Verily, I am withyou: if ye observe prayer, and give alms, and believe in my apostles, and assist them, and lend unto God on good usury, I will surely expiateyour evil deeds from you, and I will lead you into gardens, whereinrivers flow: but he among you who disbelieveth after this, erreth fromthe straight path. Wherefore because they have broken their covenant, wehave cursed them, and hardened their hearts; they dislocate the words ofthe Pentateuch from their places, and have forgotten part of what theywere admonished; and thou wilt not cease to discover deceitful practicesamong them, except a few of them. But forgive them and pardon them, forGod loveth the beneficent. And from those who say, We are Christians, wehave received their covenant; but they have forgotten part of what theywere admonished; wherefore we have raised up enmity and hatred amongthem, till the day of resurrection; and God will then surely declareunto them what they have been doing. O ye who have received thescriptures, now is our apostle come unto you, to make manifest unto youmany things which ye concealed in the scriptures; and to pass over manythings. Now is light and a perspicuous book of revelations come unto youfrom God. Thereby will God direct him who shall follow his goodpleasure, into the paths of peace; and shall lead them out of darknessinto light, by his will, and shall direct them in the right way. Theyare infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary. Say untothem, And who could obtain anything from God to the contrary, if hepleased to destroy Christ the son of Mary, and his mother, and all thosewho are on the earth? For unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven andearth, and whatsoever is contained between them; he createth what hepleaseth, and God is almighty. The Jews and the Christians say, We arethe children of God, and his beloved. Answer, Why therefore doth hepunish you for your sins? Nay, but ye are men, of those whom he hathcreated. He forgiveth whom he pleaseth, and punisheth whom he pleaseth;and unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of what iscontained between them both; and unto him shall all things return. O yewho have received the scriptures, now is our apostle come unto you, declaring unto you the true religion, during the cessation ofapostles[86], lest ye should say, There came unto us no bearer of goodtidings, nor any warner: but now is a bearer of good tidings and awarner come unto you; and God is almighty. Call to mind when Moses saidunto his people, O my people, remember the favor of God towards you, since he hath appointed prophets among you, and constituted you kings, and bestowed on you what he hath given to no other nation in the world. O my people, enter the holy land, which God hath decreed you, and turnnot your backs, lest ye be subverted and perish. They answered, O Moses, verily there are a gigantic people in the land; and we will by no meansenter it, until they depart thence; but if they depart thence, then willwe enter therein. And two men of those who feared God, unto whom God hadbeen gracious, said, Enter ye upon them suddenly by the gate of thecity; and when ye shall have entered the same, ye shall surely bevictorious: therefore trust in God, if ye are true believers. Theyreplied, O Moses, we will never enter the land, while they remaintherein: go therefore thou, and thy Lord, and fight; for we will sithere. Moses said, O Lord, surely I am not master of any except myself, and my brother; therefore make a distinction between us and the ungodlypeople. God answered, Verily the land shall be forbidden them fortyyears; during which time they shall wander like men astonished in theearth; therefore be not thou solicitous for the ungodly people. Relatealso unto them the history of the two sons of Adam, with truth. Whenthey offered their offering, and it was accepted from one of them, andwas not accepted from the other, Cain said to his brother, I willcertainly kill thee. Abel answered, God only accepteth the offering ofthe pious; if thou stretchest forth thy hand against me, to slay me, Iwill not stretch forth my hand against thee, to slay thee; for I fearGod the Lord of all creatures. I choose that thou shouldst bear myiniquity and thine own iniquity; and that thou become a companion ofhell fire; for that is the reward of the unjust. But his soul sufferedhim to slay his brother, and he slew him; wherefore he became of thenumber of those who perish. And God sent a raven, which scratched theearth, to show him how he should hide the shame of his brother, and hesaid, Woe is me! am I unable to be like this raven, that I may hide mybrother's shame? and he became one of those who repent. Wherefore wecommanded the children of Israel, that he who slayeth a soul, withouthaving slain a body, or committed wickedness in the earth, shall be asif he had slain all mankind: but he who saveth a soul alive, shall be asif he had saved the lives of all mankind. Our apostles formerly cameunto them, with evident miracles; then were many of them, after this, transgressors on the earth. But the recompense of those who fightagainst God and his apostles, and study to act corruptly in the earth, shall be, that they shall be slain, or crucified, or have their handsand their feet cut off on the opposite sides, or be banished the land. This shall be their disgrace in this world, and in the next world theyshall suffer a grievous punishment; except those who shall repent, before ye prevail against them; for know that God is inclined toforgive, and be merciful. O true believers, fear God, and earnestlydesire a near conjunction with him, and fight for his religion, that yemay be happy. Moreover, they who believe not, although they had whateveris in the earth, and as much more withal, that they might therewithredeem themselves from punishment on the day of resurrection: it shallnot be accepted from them, but they shall suffer a painful punishment. They shall desire to go forth from the fire, but they shall not go forthfrom it, and their punishment shall be permanent. If a man or a womansteal, cut off their hands, [87] in retribution for that which they havecommitted; this is an exemplary punishment appointed by God; and God ismighty and wise. But whoever shall repent after his iniquity, and amend, verily God will be turned unto him, for God is inclined to forgive andbe merciful. Dost thou not know that the kingdom of heaven and earth isGod's? He punisheth whom he pleaseth, and he pardoneth whom he pleaseth;for God is almighty. O apostle, let them not grieve thee, who hasten toinfidelity, either of those who say, We believe, with their mouths, butwhose hearts believe not; or of the Jews, who hearken to a lie, andhearken to other people; who come not unto thee: they pervert the wordsof the law from their true places, and say, If this be brought unto you, receive it; but if it be not brought unto you, beware of receiving aughtelse; and in behalf of him whom God shall resolve to reduce, thou shaltnot prevail with God at all. They whose hearts God shall not please tocleanse, shall suffer shame in this world, and a grievous punishment inthe next: who hearken to a lie, and eat that which is forbidden. But ifthey come unto thee for judgment, either judge between them, or leavethem; and if thou leave them, they shall not hurt thee at all. But ifthou undertake to judge, judge between them with equity; for God loveththose who observe justice. And how will they submit to thy decision, since they have the law, containing the judgment of God? Then will theyturn their backs, after this; but those are not true believers. We havesurely sent down the law, containing direction, and light: thereby didthe prophets, who professed the true religion, judge those who Judaized;and the doctors and priests also judged by the book of God, which hadbeen committed to their custody; and they were witnesses thereof. Therefore fear not men, but fear me; neither sell my signs for a smallprice. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, theyare infidels. We have therein commanded them, that they should give lifefor life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and toothfor tooth; and that wounds should also be punished by retaliation: butwhoever should remit it as alms, it should be accepted as an atonementfor him. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, theyare unjust. We also caused Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow thefootsteps of the prophets, confirming the law which was sent down beforehim; and we gave him the gospel, containing direction and light;confirming also the law which was given before it, and a direction andadmonition unto those who fear God: that they who have received thegospel might judge according to what God hath revealed therein: andwhoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they aretransgressors. We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koranwith truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; andpreserving the same safe from corruption. Judge, therefore, between themaccording to that which God hath revealed; and follow not their desires, by swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every one ofyou have we given a law, and an open path; and if God had pleased, hehad surely made you one people; but he hath thought fit to give youdifferent laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given yourespectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works: untoGod shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you thatconcerning which ye have disagreed. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, judgebetween them according to that which God hath revealed, and follow nottheir desires; but beware of them, lest they cause thee to err from partof those precepts which God hath sent down unto thee; and if they turnback, know that God is pleased to punish them for some of their crimes;for a great number of men are transgressors. Do they therefore desirethe judgment of the time of ignorance? but who is better than God, tojudge between people who reason aright? O true believers, take not theJews or Christians for your friends; they are friends the one to theother; but whoso among you taketh them for his friends, he is surely oneof them: verily God directeth not unjust people. Thou shalt see those inwhose hearts there is an infirmity, to hasten unto them, saying, We fearlest some adversity befall us; but it is easy for God to give victory, or a command from him, that they may repent of that which they concealedin their minds. And they who believe will say, Are these the men whohave sworn by God, with a most firm oath, that they surely held withyou? their works are become vain, and they are of those who perish. Otrue believers, whoever of you apostatizeth from his religion, God willcertainly bring other people to supply his place, whom he will love, andwho will love him; who shall be humble towards the believers, but severeto the unbelievers; they shall fight for the religion of God, and shallnot fear the obloquy of the detractor. This is the bounty of God, hebestoweth it on whom he pleaseth: God is extensive and wise. Verily yourprotector is God, and his apostle, and those who believe, who observethe stated times of prayer, and give alms, and who bow down to worship. And whoso taketh God, and his apostle, and the believers for hisfriends, they are the party of God, and they shall be victorious. O truebelievers, take not such of those to whom the scriptures were deliveredbefore you, or of the infidels, for your friends, who make alaughing-stock and a jest of your religion; but fear God, if ye be truebelievers; nor those who, when ye call to prayer, make a laughing-stockand a jest of it; this they do because they are people who do notunderstand. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, do ye reject usfor any other reason than because we believe in God, and that revelationwhich hath been sent down unto us, and that which was formerly sentdown, and for that the greater part of you are transgressors? Say, ShallI denounce unto you a worse thing than this, as to the reward which yeare to expect with God? He whom God hath cursed, and with whom he hathbeen angry, having changed some of them into apes and swine, and whoworship Taghût, they are in the worse condition, and err more widelyfrom the straightness of the path. When they came unto you, they said, We believe: yet they entered into your company with infidelity, and wentforth from you with the same; but God well knew what they concealed. Thou shalt see many of them hastening unto iniquity and malice, and toeat things forbidden; and woe unto them for what they have done. Unlesstheir doctors and priests forbid them uttering wickedness, and eatingthings forbidden; woe unto them for what they shall have committed. TheJews say, the hand of God is tied up. Their hands shall be tied up, andthey shall be cursed for that which they have said. Nay, his hands areboth stretched forth; he bestoweth as he pleaseth: that which had beensent down unto thee from thy Lord, shall increase the transgression andinfidelity of many of them; and we have put enmity and hatred betweenthem, until the day of resurrection. So often as they shall kindle afire for war, God shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds toact corruptly in the earth, but God loveth not the corrupt doers. Moreover, if they who have received the scriptures believe, and fearGod, we will surely expiate their sins from them, and we will lead theminto gardens of pleasure; and if they observe the law, and the gospel, and the other scriptures which have been sent down unto them from theirLord, they shall surely eat of good things both from above them and fromunder their feet. Among them there are people who act uprightly; but howevil is that which many of them do work! O apostle, publish the whole ofthat which hath been sent down unto thee from thy Lord: for if thou donot, thou dost not in effect publish any part thereof; and God willdefend thee against wicked men; for God directeth not the unbelievingpeople. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, ye are not groundedon anything, until ye observe the law and the gospel, and that whichhath been sent down unto you from your Lord. That which hath been sentdown unto thee from thy Lord shall surely increase the transgression andinfidelity of many of them: but be not thou solicitous for theunbelieving people. Verily they who believe, and those who Judaize, --andthe Sabeans, and the Christians, whoever of them believeth in God andthe last day, and doth that which is right, there shall come no fear onthem, neither shall they be grieved. We formerly accepted the covenantof the children of Israel, and sent apostles unto them. So often as anapostle came unto them with that which their souls desired not, theyaccused some of them of imposture, and some of them they killed: andthey imagined that there should be no punishment for those crimes, andthey became blind and deaf. Then was God turned unto them; afterwardsmany of them again became blind and deaf; but God saw what they did. They are surely infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary;since Christ said, O children of Israel, serve God, my Lord and yourLord; whoever shall give a companion unto God, God shall exclude himfrom paradise, and his habitation shall be hell fire; and the ungodlyshall have none to help them. They are certainly infidels, who say, Godis the third of three: for there is no God besides one God; and if theyrefrain not from what they say, a painful torment shall surely beinflicted on such of them as are unbelievers. Will they not therefore beturned unto God, and ask pardon of him? since God is gracious andmerciful. Christ, the son of Mary, is no more than an apostle; otherapostles have preceded him; and his mother was a woman of veracity: theyboth ate food. Behold, how we declare unto them the signs of God'sunity; and then behold, how they turn aside from the truth. Say untothem, Will ye worship, besides God, that which can cause you neitherharm nor profit? God is he who heareth and seeth. Say, O ye who havereceived the scriptures, exceed not the just bounds in your religion, byspeaking beside the truth; neither follow the desires of people who haveheretofore erred, and who have seduced many, and have gone astray fromthe straight path. Those among the children of Israel who believed not, were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus the son of Mary. Thisbefell them because they were rebellious and transgressed: they forbadenot one another the wickedness which they committed; and woe unto themfor what they committed. Thou shalt see many of them take for theirfriends those who believe not. Woe unto them for what their souls havesent before them, for that God is incensed against them, and they shallremain in torment forever. But, if they had believed in God, and theprophet, and that which hath been revealed unto him, they had not takenthem for their friends; but many of them are evil-doers. Thou shaltsurely find the most violent of all men in enmity against the truebelievers, to be the Jews and the idolaters: and thou shalt surely findthose among them to be the most inclinable to entertain friendship forthe true believers, who say, We are Christians. This cometh to pass, because there are priests and monks among them; and because they are notelated with pride. And when they hear that which hath been sent down tothe apostle read unto them, thou shalt see their eyes overflow withtears, because of the truth which they perceive therein, saying, O Lord, we believe; write us down, therefore, with those who bear witness to thetruth: and what should hinder us from believing in God, and the truthwhich hath come unto us, and from earnestly desiring that our Lord wouldintroduce us into paradise with the righteous people. Therefore hath Godrewarded them, for what they have said, with gardens through whichrivers flow; they shall continue therein forever; and this is the rewardof the righteous. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs offalsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers, forbid not the good things which God hath allowed you; but transgressnot, for God loveth not the transgressors. And eat of what God hathgiven you for food that which is lawful and good: and fear God, in whomye believe. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate word in youroaths; but he will punish you for what ye solemnly swear withdeliberation. And the expiation of such an oath shall be the feeding often poor men with such moderate food as ye feed your own familieswithal; or to clothe them; or to free the neck of a true believer fromcaptivity: but he who shall not find wherewith to perform one of thesethree things, shall fast three days. This is the expiation of youroaths, when ye swear inadvertently. Therefore keep your oaths. Thus Goddeclareth unto you his signs, that ye may give thanks. O true believers, surely wine, and lots, and images, and divining arrows, are anabomination of the work of Satan; therefore avoid them, that ye mayprosper. Satan seeketh to sow dissension and hatred among you, by meansof wine and lots, and to divert you from remembering God, and fromprayer; will ye not therefore abstain from them? Obey God, and obey theapostle, and take heed to yourselves: but if ye turn back, know that theduty of our apostle is only to preach publicly. In those who believe anddo good works, it is no sin that they have tasted wine or gaming beforethey were forbidden; if they fear God, and believe, and do good works, and shall for the future fear God, and believe, and shall persevere tofear him, and to do good; for God loveth those who do good. O truebelievers, God will surely prove you in offering you plenty of game, which ye may take with your hands or your lances, that God may know whofeareth him in secret; but whoever transgresseth after this, shallsuffer a grievous punishment. O true believers, kill no game while yeare on pilgrimages; whosoever among you shall kill any designedly, shallrestore the like of what ye shall have killed, in domestic animals, according to the determination of two just persons among you, to bebrought as an offering to the Caabah; or in atonement thereof shall feedthe poor; or instead thereof shall fast, that he may taste theheinousness of his deed. God hath forgiven what is past, but whoeverreturneth to transgress, God will take vengeance on him; for God ismighty and able to avenge. It is lawful for you to fish in the sea, [88]and to eat what ye shall catch, as a provision for you and for those whotravel; but it is unlawful for you to hunt by land, while ye areperforming the rites of pilgrimage; therefore fear God, before whom yeshall be assembled at the last day. God hath appointed the Caabah, theholy house, an establishment for mankind; and hath ordained the sacredmonth, and the offering, and the ornaments hung thereon. This hath hedone that ye might know that God knoweth whatsoever is in heaven and onearth, and that God is omniscient. Know that God is severe in punishing, and that God is ready to forgive and be merciful. The duty of ourapostle is to preach only; and God knoweth that which ye discover, andthat which ye conceal. Say, Evil and Good shall not be equally esteemedof, though the abundance of evil pleaseth thee; therefore fear God, O yeof understanding, that ye may be happy. O true believers, inquire notconcerning things which, if they be declared unto you, may give youpain; but if ye ask concerning them when the Koran is sent down, theywill be declared unto you: God pardoneth you as to these matters; forGod is ready to forgive and gracious. People who have been before youformerly inquired concerning them; and afterwards disbelieved therein. God hath not ordained anything concerning Bahîra, nor Sâïba, nor Wasîla, nor Hâmi;[89] but the unbelievers have invented a lie against God: andthe greater part of them do not understand. And when it was said untothem, Come unto that which God hath revealed, and to the apostles; theyanswered, That religion which we found our fathers to follow issufficient for us. What though their fathers knew nothing, and were notrightly directed? O true believers, take care of your souls. He whoerreth shall not hurt you, while ye are rightly directed: unto God shallye all return, and he will tell you that which ye have done. O truebelievers, let witnesses be taken between you, when death approaches anyof you, at the time of making the testament; let there be two witnesses, just men, from among you; or two others of a different tribe or faithfrom yourselves, if ye be journeying in the earth, and the accident ofdeath befall you. Ye shall shut them both up, after the afternoonprayer, and they shall swear by God, if ye doubt them, and they shallsay, We will not sell our evidence for a bribe, although the personconcerned be one who is related to us, neither will we conceal thetestimony of God, for then should we certainly be of the number of thewicked. But if it appear that both have been guilty of iniquity, twoothers shall stand up in their place, of those who have convicted themof falsehood, the two nearest in blood, and they shall swear by God, saying, Verily our testimony is more true than the testimony of thesetwo, neither have we prevaricated; for then should we become of thenumber of the unjust. This will be easier, that men may give testimonyaccording to the plain intention thereof, or fear lest a different oathbe given, after their oath. Therefore fear God, and hearken; for Goddirecteth not the unjust people. On a certain day shall God assemble theapostles, and shall say unto them, What answer was returned you, when yepreached unto the people to whom ye were sent? They shall answer, Wehave no knowledge but thou art the knower of secrets. When God shallsay, O Jesus, son of Mary, remember my favor towards thee, and towardsthy mother; when I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, that thoushouldst speak unto men in the cradle, and when thou wast grown up; andwhen I taught thee the scripture, and wisdom, and the law and thegospel; and when thou didst create of clay as it were the figure of abird, by my permission, and didst breathe thereon, and it became a birdby my permission; and thou didst heal one blind from his birth and theleper, by my permission; and when thou didst bring forth the dead fromtheir graves, by my permission; and when I withheld the children ofIsrael from killing thee, when thou hadst come unto them with evidentmiracles, and such of them as believed not, said, This is nothing butmanifest sorcery. And when I commanded the apostles of Jesus, saying, Believe in me and in my messenger; they answered, We do believe; and dothou bear witness that we are resigned unto thee. Remember when theapostles said, O Jesus, son of Mary, is thy Lord able to cause a tableto descend unto us from heaven?[90] He answered, hear God, if ye be truebelievers. They said, We desire to eat thereof, and that our hearts mayrest at ease, and that we may know that thou hast told us the truth, andthat we may be witnesses thereof. Jesus, the son of Mary, said, O Godour Lord, cause a table to descend unto us from heaven, that the day ofits descent may become a festival day unto us, unto the first of us, andunto the last of us, and a sign from thee; and do thou provide food forus, for thou art the best provider. God said, Verily I will cause it todescend unto you; but whoever among you shall disbelieve hereafter, Iwill surely punish him with a punishment wherewith I will not punish anyother creature. And when God shall say unto Jesus, at the last day, OJesus, son of Mary, hast thou said unto men, Take me and my mother fortwo gods, beside God? He shall answer, Praise be unto thee! it is notfor me to say that which I ought not; if I had said so, thou wouldstsurely have known it: thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what isin thee; for thou art the knower of secrets. I have not spoken to themany other than what thou didst command me; namely, Worship God, my Lordand your Lord: and I was a witness of their actions while I stayed amongthem; but since thou hast taken me to thyself, thou hast been thewatcher over them; for thou art witness of all things. If thou punishthem, they are surely thy servants; and if thou forgive them, thou artmighty and wise. God will say, This day shall their veracity be ofadvantage unto those who speak truth; they shall have gardens whereinrivers flow, they shall remain therein forever: God hath been wellpleased in them, and they have been well pleased in him. This shall begreat felicity. Unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and of earth, and of whatever therein is; and he is almighty. 

[Footnote 82: This title is taken from the Table, which, towards the endof the chapter, is fabled to have been let down from heaven to Jesus. Itis sometimes also called the chapter of Contracts, which word occurs inthe first verse. ]

[Footnote 83: As camels, oxen, and sheep; and also wild cows, antelopes, but not swine, nor what is taken in hunting during the pilgrimage. ]

[Footnote 84: The sacred months in the Mohammedan calendar were thefirst, the seventh, the eleventh, and the twelfth. ]

[Footnote 85: A game similar to raffling, arrowheads being used ascounters. ]

[Footnote 86: The Arabic word _al Fatra_ signifies the intermediatespace of time between two prophets, during which no new revelation ordispensation was given; as the interval between Moses and Jesus, andbetween Jesus and Mohammed, at the expiration of which last, Mohammedpretended to be sent. ]

[Footnote 87: But this punishment, according to the Sonna, is not to beinflicted, unless the value of the thing stolen amount to four dinars, or about $10. For the first offence, the criminal is to lose his righthand, which is to be cut off at the wrist; the second offence, his leftfoot, at the ankle; for the third, his left hand; for the fourth, hisright foot; and if he continue to offend, he shall be scourged at thediscretion of the judge. ]

[Footnote 88: This is to be understood of fish that live altogether inthe sea, and not of those that live in the sea and on land both, ascrabs. The Turks, who are Hanifites, never eat this sort of fish; butthe sect of Malec Ebn Ans, and perhaps some others, make no scruple ofit. ]

[Footnote 89: These were the names given by the pagan Arabs to certaincamels or sheep which were turned loose to feed, and exempted fromcommon services, in some particular cases; having their ears slit, orsome other mark, that they might be known; and this they did in honor oftheir gods. Which superstitions are here declared to be no ordinances ofGod, but the inventions of foolish men. ]

[Footnote 90: This miracle is thus related by the commentators: Jesushaving, at the request of his followers, asked it of God, a red tableimmediately descended, in their sight, between two clouds, and was setbefore them; whereupon he rose up, and having made the ablution, prayed, and then took off the cloth which covered the table, saying, "In thename of God, the best provider of food. "]

LIFE OF BUDDHA

BY ASVAGHOSHA BODHISATTVA

Translated from Sanscrit into Chinese by Dharmaraksha, A. D. 420; from Chinese into English by Samuel Beal

INTRODUCTION

Buddha is undoubtedly the most potent name as a religious teacher, inthe whole of Asia. The propaganda of the Buddhistic faith passed fromthe valley of the Indus to the valley of the Ganges, and from Ceylon tothe Himalayas; thence it traversed China, and its conquests seem to havebeen permanent. The religion of Buddha is so far different from that ofConfucius, and so far resembles Christianity, that it combines mysticismwith asceticism--a practical rule of personal conduct with a consistenttranscendentalism. It has, moreover, the great advantage of possessing ahighly fascinating and romantic gospel, or biography, of its founder. Gautama, as the hero of Arnold's "Light of Asia, " is very well known toEnglish readers, and, although Sir Edwin Arnold is not by any means apoet of the first order, he has done a great deal to familiarize theAnglo-Saxon mind with Oriental life and thought. A far more faithfullife of Buddha is that written some time in the first century of our eraby the twelfth Buddhist patriarch Asvaghosha. This learned ecclesiasticappears to have travelled about through different districts of India, patiently collecting the stories and traditions which related to thelife of his master. These he wove into a Sanscrit poem, which threehundred years later was translated into Chinese, from which version ourpresent translation is made. There can be no doubt that the author ofthe Sanscrit poem was a famous preacher and musician. Originally livingin central India, he seems to have wandered far and wide exercising hisoffice, and reciting or singing his poem--a sacred epic, more thrillingto the ears of India than the wrath of Achilles, or the voyages ofUlysses. We are told that Asvaghosha took a choir of musicians with him, and many were converted to Buddhism through the combined persuasivenessof poetry and preaching. The present life of Buddha, although it laborsunder the disadvantage of transfusion from Sanscrit into Chinese, andfrom Chinese into English, is by no means destitute of poetic color andaroma. When, for instance, we read of the grief-stricken Yasodhara that"her breath failed her, and sinking thus she fell upon the dustyground, " we come upon a stately pathos, worthy of Homer or Lucretius. And what can be more beautiful than the account of Buddha's conversionand sudden conviction, that all earthly things were vanity. The versesonce heard linger in the memory so as almost to ring in the ears: "Thusdid he complete the end of self, as fire goes out for want of grass. Thus he had done what he would have men do: he first had found the wayof perfect knowledge. He finished thus the first great lesson; enteringthe great Rishi's house, the darkness disappeared, light burst upon him;perfectly silent and at rest, he reached the last exhaustless source oftruth; lustrous with all wisdom the great Rishi sat, perfect in gifts, whilst one convulsive throe shook the wide earth. "

E. W. 

LIFE OF BUDDHA

CHAPTER I

The Birth

There was a descendant of the Ikshvâku family, an invincible Sâkyamonarch, pure in mind and of unspotted virtue, called thereforePure-rice, or Suddhodana. Joyously reverenced by all men, as the newmoon is welcomed by the world, the king indeed was like the heaven-rulerSakra, his queen like the divine Saki. Strong and calm of purpose as theearth, pure in mind as the water-lily, her name, figuratively assumed, Mâyâ, she was in truth incapable of class-comparison. On her in likenessas the heavenly queen descended the spirit and entered her womb. Amother, but free from grief or pain, she was without any false orillusory mind. Disliking the clamorous ways of the world, she rememberedthe excellent garden of Lumbini, a pleasant spot, a quiet forestretreat, with its trickling fountains, and blooming flowers and fruits. Quiet and peaceful, delighting in meditation, respectfully she asked theking for liberty to roam therein; the king, understanding her earnestdesire, was seized with a seldom-felt anxiety to grant her request. Hecommanded his kinsfolk, within and without the palace, to repair withher to that garden shade; and now the queen Mâyâ knew that her time forchild-bearing was come. She rested calmly on a beautiful couch, surrounded by a hundred thousand female attendants; it was the eighthday of the fourth moon, a season of serene and agreeable character. 

Whilst she thus religiously observed the rules of a pure discipline, Bodhisattva was born from her right side, come to deliver the world, constrained by great pity, without causing his mother pain or anguish. As king Yu-liu was born from the thigh, as King Pi-t'au was born fromthe hand, as King Man-to was born from the top of the head, as KingKia-k'ha was born from the arm-pit, so also was Bodhisattva on the dayof his birth produced from the right side; gradually emerging from thewomb, he shed in every direction the rays of his glory. As one born fromrecumbent space, and not through the gates of life, through countlesskalpas, practising virtue, self-conscious he came forth to life, withoutconfusion. Calm and collected, not falling headlong was he born, gloriously manifested, perfectly adorned, sparkling with light he camefrom the womb, as when the sun first rises from the East. 

Men indeed regarded his exceeding great glory, yet their sight remaineduninjured: he allowed them to gaze, the brightness of his personconcealed for the time, as when we look upon the moon in the heavens. His body, nevertheless, was effulgent with light, and like the sun whicheclipses the shining of the lamp, so the true gold-like beauty ofBodhisattva shone forth, and was diffused everywhere. Upright and firmand unconfused in mind, he deliberately took seven steps, the soles ofhis feet resting evenly upon the ground as he went, his footmarksremained bright as seven stars. 

Moving like the lion, king of beasts, and looking earnestly towards thefour quarters, penetrating to the centre the principles of truth, hespake thus with the fullest assurance: This birth is in the condition ofa Buddha; after this I have done with renewed birth; now only am I bornthis once, for the purpose of saving all the world. 

And now from the midst of heaven there descended two streams of purewater, one warm, the other cold, and baptized his head, causingrefreshment to his body. And now he is placed in the precious palacehall, a jewelled couch for him to sleep upon, and the heavenly kingswith their golden flowery hands hold fast the four feet of the bed. Meanwhile the Devas in space, seizing their jewelled canopies, attending, raise in responsive harmony their heavenly songs, toencourage him to accomplish his perfect purpose. 

Then the Nâga-râgas filled with joy, earnestly desiring to show theirreverence for the most excellent law, as they had paid honor to theformer Buddhas, now went to meet Bodhisattva; they scattered before himMandâra flowers, rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay such religioushomage; and so, again, Tathâgata having appeared in the world, theSuddha angels rejoiced with gladness; with no selfish or partial joy, but for the sake of religion they rejoiced, because creation, engulfedin the ocean of pain, was now to obtain perfect release. 

Then the precious Mountain-râga, Sumeru, firmly holding this great earthwhen Bodhisattva appeared in the world, was swayed by the wind of hisperfected merit. On every hand the world was greatly shaken, as the winddrives the tossing boat; so also the minutest atoms of sandal perfume, and the hidden sweetness of precious lilies floated on the air, and rosethrough space, and then commingling, came back to earth; so again thegarments of Devas descending from heaven touching the body, causeddelightful thrills of joy; the sun and moon with constant courseredoubled the brilliancy of their light, whilst in the world the fire'sgleam of itself prevailed without the use of fuel. Pure water, cool andrefreshing from the springs, flowed here and there, self-caused; in thepalace all the waiting women were filled with joy at such anunprecedented event. Proceeding all in company, they drink and bathethemselves; in all arose calm and delightful thoughts; countlessinferior Devas, delighting in religion, like clouds assembled. 

In the garden of Lumbinî, filling the spaces between the trees, rare andspecial flowers, in great abundance, bloomed out of season. All crueland malevolent kinds of beings, together conceived a loving heart; alldiseases and afflictions among men without a cure applied, of themselveswere healed. The various cries and confused sounds of beasts were hushedand silence reigned; the stagnant water of the river-courses flowedapace, whilst the polluted streams became clear and pure. No cloudsgathered throughout the heavens, whilst angelic music, self caused, washeard around; the whole world of sentient creatures enjoyed peace anduniversal tranquillity. 

Just as when a country visited by desolation, suddenly obtains anenlightened ruler, so when Bodhisattva was born, he came to remove thesorrows of all living things. 

Mâra, [91] the heavenly monarch, alone was grieved and rejoiced not. TheRoyal Father (Suddhodana), beholding his son, strange and miraculous, asto his birth, though self-possessed and assured in his soul, was yetmoved with astonishment and his countenance changed, whilst healternately weighed with himself the meaning of such an event, nowrejoiced and now distressed. 

The queen-mother beholding her child, born thus contrary to laws ofnature, her timorous woman's heart was doubtful; her mind, through fear, swayed between extremes: Not distinguishing the happy from the sadportents, again and again she gave way to grief; and now the aged womenof the world, in a confused way supplicating heavenly guidance, imploredthe gods to whom their rites were paid, to bless the child; to causepeace to rest upon the royal child. Now there was at this time in thegrove, a certain soothsayer, a Brahman, of dignified mien andwide-spread renown, famed for his skill and scholarship: beholding thesigns, his heart rejoiced, and he exulted at the miraculous event. Knowing the king's mind to be somewhat perplexed, he addressed him withtruth and earnestness: "Men born in the world, chiefly desire to have ason the most renowned; but now the king, like the moon when full, shouldfeel in himself a perfect joy, having begotten an unequalled son, (forby this the king) will become illustrious among his race; let then hisheart be joyful and glad, banish all anxiety and doubt, the spiritualomens that are everywhere manifested indicate for your house anddominion a course of continued prosperity. The most excellently endowedchild now born will bring deliverance to the entire world: none but aheavenly teacher has a body such as this, golden-colored, gloriouslyresplendent. One endowed with such transcendent marks must reach thestate of Samyak-Sambodhi, or, if he be induced to engage in worldlydelights, then he must become a universal monarch; everywhere recognizedas the ruler of the great earth, mighty in his righteous government, asa monarch ruling the four empires, uniting under his sway all otherrulers; as among all lesser lights, the sun's brightness is by far themost excellent. But if he seek a dwelling among the mountain forests, with single heart searching for deliverance, having arrived at theperfection of true wisdom, he will become illustrious throughout theworld; for as Mount Sumeru is monarch among all mountains, or, as goldis chief among all precious things; or, as the ocean is supreme amongall streams; or, as the moon is first among the stars; or, as the sun isbrightest of all luminaries, so Tathâgata, born in the world, is themost eminent of men; his eyes clear and expanding, the lashes both aboveand below moving with the lid, the iris of the eye of a clear bluecolor, in shape like the moon when half full, such characteristics asthese, without contradiction, foreshadow the most excellent condition ofperfect wisdom. "

At this time the king addressed the twice-born, [92] "If it be as yousay, with respect to these miraculous signs, that they indicate suchconsequences, then no such case has happened with former kings, nor downto our time has such a thing occurred. " The Brahman addressed the kingthus, "Say not so; for it is not right; for with regard to renown andwisdom, personal celebrity, and worldly substance, these four thingsindeed are not to be considered according to precedent or subsequence;but whatever is produced according to nature, such things are liable tothe law of cause and effect: but now whilst I recount some parallels letthe king attentively listen:--Bhrigu, Angira, these two of Rishi family, having passed many years apart from men, each begat an excellentlyendowed son; Brihaspati with Sukra, skilful in making royal treatises, not derived from former families (or tribes); Sârasvata, the Rishi, whose works have long disappeared, begat a son, Po-lo-sa, who compiledillustrious Sûtras and Shâstras; that which now we know and see, is nottherefore dependent on previous connection; Vyâsa, the Rishi, the authorof numerous treatises, after his death had among his descendants Poh-mi(Vâlmîki), who extensively collected Gâthâ sections; Atri, the Rishi, not understanding the sectional treatise on medicine, afterwards begatÂtreya, who was able to control diseases; the twice-born Rishi Kusi(Kusika), not occupied with heretical treatises, afterwards begatKia-ti-na-râga, who thoroughly understood heretical systems; thesugar-cane monarch, who began his line, could not restrain the tide ofthe sea, but Sagara-râga, his descendant, who begat a thousand royalsons, he could control the tide of the great sea so that it should comeno further. Ganaka, the Rishi, without a teacher acquired power ofabstraction. All these, who obtained such renown, acquired powers ofthemselves; those distinguished before, were afterwards forgotten; thosebefore forgotten, became afterwards distinguished; kings like these andgod-like Rishis have no need of family inheritance, and therefore theworld need not regard those going before or following. So, mighty king!is it with you: you should experience true joy of heart, and because ofthis joy should banish forever doubt or anxiety. " The king, hearing thewords of the seer, was glad, and offered him increased gifts. 

"Now have I begotten a valiant son, " he said, "who will establish awheel authority, whilst I, when old and gray-headed, will go forth tolead a hermit's life, so that my holy, king-like son may not give up theworld and wander through mountain forests. "

And now near the spot within the garden, there was a Rishi, leading thelife of an ascetic; his name was Asita, wonderfully skilful in theinterpretation of signs; he approached the gate of the palace; the kingbeholding him exclaimed, "This is none other but Brahmadeva, himselfenduring penance from love of true religion, these two characteristicsso plainly visible as marks of his austerities. " Then the king was muchrejoiced; and forthwith he invited him within the palace, and withreverence set before him entertainment, whilst he, entering the innerpalace, rejoiced only in prospect of seeing the royal child. 

Although surrounded by the crowd of court ladies, yet still he was as ifin desert solitude; and now they place a preaching throne and pay himincreased honor and religious reverence, as Antideva râga reverenced thepriest Vasishtha. Then the king, addressing the Rishi, said: "Mostfortunate am I, great Rishi! that you have condescended to come here toreceive from me becoming gifts and reverence; I pray you therefore enteron your exhortation. "

Thus requested and invited, the Rishi felt unutterable joy, and said, "All hail, ever victorious monarch! possessed of all noble, virtuousqualities, loving to meet the desires of those who seek, nobly generousin honoring the true law, conspicuous as a race for wisdom and humanity, with humble mind you pay me homage, as you are bound. Because of yourrighteous deeds in former lives, now are manifested these excellentfruits; listen to me, then, whilst I declare the reason of the presentmeeting. As I was coming on the sun's way, I heard the Devas in spacedeclare that the king had born to him a royal son, who would arrive atperfect intelligence; moreover I beheld such other portents, as haveconstrained me now to seek your presence; desiring to see the Sâkyamonarch who will erect the standard of the true law. "

The king, hearing the Rishi's words, was fully assured; escaping fromthe net of doubt, he ordered an attendant to bring the prince, toexhibit him to the Rishi. The Rishi, beholding the prince, thethousand-rayed wheel on the soles of his feet, the web-like filamentbetween his fingers, between his eyebrows the white wool-likeprominence, his complexion bright and lustrous; seeing these wonderfulbirth-portents, the seer wept and sighed deeply. 

The king beholding the tears of the Rishi, thinking of his son, his soulwas overcome, and his breath fast held his swelling heart. Thus alarmedand ill at ease, unconsciously he arose from his seat, and bowing hishead at the Rishi's feet, he addressed him in these words: "This son ofmine, born thus wonderfully, beautiful in face, and surpassinglygraceful, little different from the gods in form, giving promise ofsuperiority in the world, ah! why has he caused thee grief and pain?Forbid it, that my son should die! or should be short-lived!--thethought creates in me grief and anxiety; that one athirst, within reachof the eternal draught, [93] should after all reject and lose it! sadindeed! Forbid it, he should lose his wealth and treasure! dead to hishouse! lost to his country! for he who has a prosperous son in life, gives pledge that his country's weal is well secured; and then, comingto die, my heart will rest content, rejoicing in the thought ofoffspring surviving me; even as a man possessed of two eyes, one ofwhich keeps watch, while the other sleeps; not like the frost-flower ofautumn, which, though it seems to bloom, is not a reality. A man who, midst his tribe and kindred, deeply loves a spotless son, at everyproper time in recollection of it has joy; O! that you would cause me torevive!"

The Rishi, knowing the king-sire to be thus greatly afflicted at heart, immediately addressed the Mahârâga: "Let not the king be for a momentanxious! the words I have spoken to the king, let him ponder these, andnot permit himself to doubt; the portents now are as they were before, cherish then no other thoughts! But recollecting I myself am old, onthat account I could not hold my tears; for now my end is coming on. Butthis son of thine will rule the world, born for the sake of all thatlives! this is indeed one difficult to meet with; he shall give up hisroyal estate, escape from the domain of the five desires, withresolution and with diligence practise austerities, and then awakening, grasp the truth. Then constantly, for the world's sake (all livingthings), destroying the impediments of ignorance and darkness, he shallgive to all enduring light, the brightness of the sun of perfect wisdom. All flesh submerged in the sea of sorrow; all diseases collected as thebubbling froth; decay and age like the wild billows; death like theengulfing ocean; embarking lightly in the boat of wisdom he will savethe world from all these perils, by wisdom stemming back the flood. Hispure teaching like to the neighboring shore, the power of meditation, like a cool lake, will be enough for all the unexpected birds; thus deepand full and wide is the great river of the true law; all creaturesparched by the drought of lust may freely drink thereof, without stint;those enchained in the domain of the five desires, those driven along bymany sorrows, and deceived amid the wilderness of birth and death, inignorance of the way of escape, for these Bodhisattva has been born inthe world, to open out a way of salvation. The fire of lust andcovetousness, burning with the fuel of the objects of sense, he hascaused the cloud of his mercy to rise, so that the rain of the law mayextinguish them. The heavy gates of gloomy unbelief, fast kept bycovetousness and lust, within which are confined all living things, heopens and gives free deliverance. With the tweezers of his diamondwisdom he plucks out the opposing principles of lustful desire. In theself-twined meshes of folly and ignorance all flesh poor and in misery, helplessly lying, the king of the law has come forth, to rescue thesefrom bondage. Let not the king in respect of this his son encourage inhimself one thought of doubt or pain; but rather let him grieve onaccount of the world, led captive by desire, opposed to truth; but I, indeed, amid the ruins of old age and death, am far removed from themeritorious condition of the holy one, possessed indeed of powers ofabstraction, yet not within reach of the gain he will give, to bederived from his teaching as the Bodhisattva; not permitted to hear hisrighteous law, my body worn out, after death, alas! destined to be bornas a Deva[94] still liable to the three calamities, old age, decay, anddeath, therefore I weep. "

The king and all his household attendants, hearing the words of theRishi, knowing the cause of his regretful sorrow, banished from theirminds all further anxiety: "And now, " the king said, "to have begottenthis excellent son, gives me rest at heart; but that he should leave hiskingdom and home, and practise the life of an ascetic, not anxious toensure the stability of the kingdom, the thought of this still bringswith it pain. "

At this time the Rishi, turning to the king with true words, said, "Itmust be even as the king anticipates, he will surely arrive at perfectenlightenment. " Thus having appeased every anxious heart among theking's household, the Rishi by his own inherent spiritual power ascendedinto space and disappeared. 

At this time Suddhodana râga, seeing the excellent marks (predictivesigns) of his son, and, moreover, hearing the words of Asita, certifyingthat which would surely happen, was greatly affected with reverence tothe child: he redoubled measures for its protection, and was filled withconstant thought; moreover, he issued decrees through the empire, toliberate all captives in prison, according to the custom when a royalson was born, giving the usual largess, in agreement with the directionsof the Sacred Books, and extending his gifts to all; or, all thesethings he did completely. When the child was ten days old, his father'smind being now quite tranquil, he announced a sacrifice to all the gods, and prepared to give liberal offerings to all the religious bodies;Srâmanas and Brahmanas invoked by their prayers a blessing from thegods, whilst he bestowed gifts on the royal kinspeople and the ministersand the poor within the country; the women who dwelt in the city or thevillages, all those who needed cattle or horses or elephants or money, each, according to his necessities, was liberally supplied. Then, selecting by divination a lucky time, they took the child back to hisown palace, with a double-feeding white-pure-tooth, carried in arichly-adorned chariot (cradle), with ornaments of every kind and colorround his neck; shining with beauty, exceedingly resplendent withunguents. The queen embracing him in her arms, going around, worshippedthe heavenly spirits. Afterwards she remounted her precious chariot, surrounded by her waiting women; the king, with his ministers andpeople, and all the crowd of attendants, leading the way and following, even as the ruler of heaven, Sakra, is surrounded by crowds of Devas; asMahesvara, when suddenly his six-faced child was born; arranging everykind of present, gave gifts, and asked for blessings; so now the king, when his royal son was born, made all his arrangements in like manner. So Vaisravana, the heavenly king, when Nalakûvara was born, surroundedby a concourse of Devas, was filled with joy and much gladness; so theking, now the royal prince was born, in the kingdom of Kapila, hispeople and all his subjects were likewise filled with joy. 

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Living in the Palace

And now in the household of Suddhodana râga, because of the birth of theroyal prince, his clansmen and younger brethren, with his ministers, were all generously disposed, whilst elephants, horses and chariots, andthe wealth of the country, and precious vessels, daily increased andabounded, being produced wherever requisite; so, too, countless hiddentreasures came of themselves from the earth. From the midst of the puresnowy mountains, a wild herd of white elephants, without noise, ofthemselves, came; not curbed by any, self-subdued, every kind of coloredhorse, in shape and quality surpassingly excellent, with sparklingjewelled manes and flowing tails, came prancing round, as if with wings;these too, born in the desert, came at the right time, of themselves. Aherd of pure-colored, well-proportioned cows, fat and fleshy, andremarkable for beauty, giving fragrant and pure milk with equal flow, came together in great number at this propitious time. Enmity and envygave way to peace; content and rest prevailed on every side; whilstthere was closer union amongst the true of heart, discord and variancewere entirely appeased; the gentle air distilled a seasonable rain, nocrash of storm or tempest was heard, the springing seeds, not waitingfor their time, grew up apace and yielded abundant increase; the fivecereals grew ripe with scented grain, soft and glutinous, easy ofdigestion; all creatures big with young, possessed their bodies in easeand their frames well gathered. All men, even those who had not receivedthe seeds of instruction derived from the four holy ones;[95] all these, throughout the world, born under the control of selfish appetite, without any thought for others' goods, had no proud, envious longings;no angry, hateful thoughts. All the temples of the gods and sacredshrines, the gardens, wells, and fountains, all these like things inheaven, produced of themselves, at the proper time, their severaladornments. There was no famishing hunger, the soldiers' weapons were atrest, all diseases disappeared; throughout the kingdom all the peoplewere bound close in family love and friendship; piously affectioned theyindulged in mutual pleasures, there were no impure or polluting desires;they sought their daily gain righteously, no covetous money-lovingspirit prevailed, but with religious purpose they gave liberally; therewas no thought of any reward or return, but all practised the four rulesof purity; and every hateful thought was suppressed and destroyed. Evenas in days gone by, Manu râga begat a child called "Brilliancy of theSun, " on which there prevailed through the country great prosperity, andall wickedness came to an end; so now the king having begotten a royalprince, these marks of prosperity were seen; and because of such aconcourse of propitious signs, the child was named Siddhârtha. [96] Andnow his royal mother, the queen Mâyâ, beholding her son born under suchcircumstances, beautiful as a child of heaven, adorned with everyexcellent distinction, from excessive joy which could not be controlleddied, and was born in heaven. Then Pragâ-pati Gautami, beholding theprince, like an angel, with beauty seldom seen on earth, seeing him thusborn and now his mother dead, loved and nourished him as her own child;and the child regarded her as his mother. 

So as the light of the sun or the moon, little by little increases, theroyal child also increased each day in every mental excellency andbeauty of person; his body exhaled the perfume of priceless sandal-wood, decorated with the famed Gambunada gold gems; divine medicines therewere to preserve him in health, glittering necklaces upon his person;the members of tributary states, hearing that the king had an heir bornto him, sent their presents and gifts of various kinds: oxen, sheep, deer, horses, and chariots, precious vessels and elegant ornaments, fitto delight the heart of the prince; but though presented with suchpleasing trifles, the necklaces and other pretty ornaments, the mind ofthe prince was unmoved, his bodily frame small indeed, but his heartestablished; his mind at rest within its own high purposes, was not tobe disturbed by glittering baubles. 

And now he was brought to learn the useful arts, when lo! onceinstructed he surpassed his teachers. His father, the king, seeing hisexceeding talent, and his deep purpose to have done with the world andits allurements, began to inquire as to the names of those in his tribewho were renowned for elegance and refinement. Elegant and graceful, anda lovely maiden, was she whom they called Yasodharâ; in every wayfitting to become a consort for the prince, and to allure by pleasantwiles his heart. The prince with a mind so far removed from the world, with qualities so distinguished, and with so charming an appearance, like the elder son of Brahmadeva, Sanatkumâra (She-na Kiu-ma-lo); thevirtuous damsel, lovely and refined, gentle and subdued in manner;majestic like the queen of heaven, constant ever, cheerful night andday, establishing the palace in purity and quiet, full of dignity andexceeding grace, like a lofty hill rising up in space; or as a whiteautumn cloud; warm or cool according to the season; choosing a properdwelling according to the year, surrounded by a return of singing women, who join their voices in harmonious heavenly concord, without anyjarring or unpleasant sound, exciting in the hearers forgetfulness ofworldly cares. As the heavenly Gandharvas of themselves, in theirbeauteous palaces, cause the singing women to raise heavenly strains, the sounds of which and their beauty ravish both eyes and heart--soBodhisattva dwelt in his lofty palace, with music such as this. Theking, his father, for the prince's sake, dwelt purely in his palace, practising every virtue; delighting in the teaching of the true law, heput away from him every evil companion, that his heart might not bepolluted by lust; regarding inordinate desire as poison, keeping hispassion and his body in due control, destroying and repressing alltrivial thoughts; desiring to enjoy virtuous conversation, lovinginstruction fit to subdue the hearts of men, aiming to accomplish theconversion of unbelievers; removing all schemes of opposition fromwhatever source they came by the enlightening power of his doctrine, aiming to save the entire world; thus he desired that the body of peopleshould obtain rest; even as we desire to give peace to our children, sodid he long to give rest to the world. He also attended to his religiousduties, sacrificing by fire to all the spirits, with clasped handsadoring the moon, bathing his body in the waters of the Ganges;cleansing his heart in the waters of religion, performing his dutieswith no private aim, but regarding his child and the people at large;loving righteous conversation, righteous words with loving aim; lovingwords with no mixture of falsehood, true words imbued by love, and yetwithal so modest and self-distrustful, unable on that account to speakas confident of truth; loving to all, and yet not loving the world; withno thought of selfishness or covetous desire: aiming to restrain thetongue and in quietness to find rest from wordy contentions, not seekingin the multitude of religious duties to condone for a worldly principlein action, but aiming to benefit the world by a liberal andunostentatious charity; the heart without any contentious thought, butresolved by goodness to subdue the contentious; desiring to mortify thepassions, and to destroy every enemy of virtue; not multiplying coarseor unseemly words, but exhorting to virtue in the use of courteouslanguage; full of sympathy and ready charity, pointing out andpractising the way of mutual dependence; receiving and understanding thewisdom of spirits and Rishis; crushing and destroying every cruel andhateful thought. Thus his fame and virtue were widely renowned, and yethimself finally (or, forever) separate from the ties of the world, showing the ability of a master builder, laying a good foundation ofvirtue, an example for all the earth; so a man's heart composed and atrest, his limbs and all his members will also be at ease. And now theson of Suddhodana, and his virtuous wife Yasodharâ, as time went on, growing to full estate, their child Râhula was born; and then Suddhodanarâga considered thus: "My son, the prince, having a son born to him, theaffairs of the empire will be handed down in succession, and there willbe no end to its righteous government; the prince having begotten a son, will love his son as I love him, and no longer think about leaving hishome as an ascetic, but devote himself to the practice of virtue; I nowhave found complete rest of heart, like one just born to heavenly joys. "

Like as in the first days of the kalpa, Rishi-kings by the way in whichthey walked, practising pure and spotless deeds, offered up religiousofferings, without harm to living thing, and illustriously prepared anexcellent karma, so the king excelling in the excellence of purity infamily and excellence of wealth, excelling in strength and everyexhibition of prowess, reflected the glory of his name through theworld, as the sun sheds abroad his thousand rays. But now, being theking of men, or a king among men, he deemed it right to exhibit hisson's prowess, for the sake of his family and kin, to exhibit him; toincrease his family's renown, his glory spread so high as even to obtainthe name of "God begotten;" and having partaken of these heavenly joys, enjoying the happiness of increased wisdom; understanding the truth byhis own righteousness, derived from previous hearing of the truth. Wouldthat this might lead my son, he prayed, to love his child and notforsake his home; the kings of all countries, whose sons have not yetgrown up, have prevented them exercising authority in the empire, inorder to give their minds relaxation, and for this purpose have providedthem with worldly indulgences, so that they may perpetuate the royalseed; so now the king, having begotten a royal son, indulged him inevery sort of pleasure; desiring that he might enjoy these worldlydelights, and not wish to wander from his home in search of wisdom. Informer times the Bodhisattva kings, although their way (life) has beenrestrained, have yet enjoyed the pleasures of the world, and when theyhave begotten a son, then separating themselves from family ties, haveafterwards entered the solitude of the mountains, to prepare themselvesin the way of a silent recluse. 

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Disgust at Sorrow

Without are pleasant garden glades, flowing fountains, pure refreshinglakes, with every kind of flower, and trees with fruit, arranged inrows, deep shade beneath. There, too, are various kinds of wondrousbirds, flying and sporting in the midst, and on the surface of the waterthe four kinds of flowers, bright colored, giving out their floatingscent; minstrel maidens cause their songs and chorded music, to invitethe prince. He, hearing the sounds of singing, sighs for the pleasuresof the garden shades, and cherishing within these happy thoughts, hedwelt upon the joys of an outside excursion; even as the chainedelephant ever longs for the free desert wilds. 

The royal father, hearing that the prince would enjoy to wander throughthe gardens, first ordered all his attendant officers to adorn andarrange them, after their several offices:--To make level and smooth theking's highway, to remove from the path all offensive matter, all oldpersons, diseased or deformed, all those suffering through poverty orgreat grief, so that his son in his present humor might see nothinglikely to afflict his heart. The adornments being duly made, the princewas invited to an audience; the king seeing his son approach, patted hishead, and looking at the color of his face, feelings of sorrow and joyintermingled, bound him. His mouth willing to speak, his heartrestrained. 

Now see the jewel-fronted gaudy chariot; the four equally pacing, stately horses; good-tempered and well trained; young and of gracefulappearance; perfectly pure and white, and draped with flowery coverings. In the same chariot stands the stately driver; the streets werescattered over with flowers; precious drapery fixed on either side ofthe way, with dwarfed trees lining the road, costly vessels employed fordecoration, hanging canopies and variegated banners, silken curtains, moved by the rustling breeze; spectators arranged on either side of thepath. With bodies bent and glistening eyes, eagerly gazing, but notrudely staring, as the blue lotus flower they bent drooping in the air, ministers and attendants flocking round him, as stars following thechief of the constellation; all uttering the same suppressed whisper ofadmiration, at a sight so seldom seen in the world; rich and poor, humble and exalted, old and young and middle-aged, all paid the greatestrespect, and invoked blessings on the occasion. 

So the country-folk and the town-folk, hearing that the prince wascoming forth, the well-to-do not waiting for their servants, thoseasleep and awake not mutually calling to one another, the six kinds ofcreatures not gathered together and penned, the money not collected andlocked up, the doors and gates not fastened, all went pouring along theway on foot; the towers were filled, the mounds by the trees, thewindows and the terraces along the streets; with bent body fearing tolift their eyes, carefully seeing that there was nothing about them tooffend, those seated on high addressing those seated on the ground, those going on the road addressing those passing on high, the mindintent on one object alone; so that if a heavenly form had flown past, or a form entitled to highest respect, there would have been nodistraction visible, so intent was the body and so immovable the limbs. And now beautiful as the opening lily, he advances towards the gardenglades, wishing to accomplish the words of the holy prophet (Rishi). Theprince, seeing the ways prepared and watered and the joyous holidayappearance of the people; seeing too the drapery and chariot, pure, bright, shining, his heart exulted greatly and rejoiced. The people (ontheir part) gazed at the prince, so beautifully adorned, with all hisretinue, like an assembled company of kings gathered to see aheaven-born prince. And now a Deva-râga of the Pure abode, suddenlyappears by the side of the road; his form changed into that of an oldman, struggling for life, his heart weak and oppressed. The princeseeing the old man, filled with apprehension, asked his charioteer, "What kind of man is this? his head white and his shoulders bent, hiseyes bleared and his body withered, holding a stick to support him alongthe way. Is his body suddenly dried up by the heat, or has he been bornin this way?" The charioteer, his heart much embarrassed, scarcely daredto answer truly, till the pure-born (Deva) added his spiritual power, and caused him to frame a reply in true words: "His appearance changed, his vital powers decayed, filled with sorrow, with little pleasure, hisspirits gone, his members nerveless, these are the indications of whatis called 'old age. ' This man was once a sucking child, brought up andnourished at his mother's breast, and as a youth full of sportive life, handsome, and in enjoyment of the five pleasures; as years passed on, his frame decaying, he is brought now to the waste of age. "

The prince, greatly agitated and moved, asked his charioteer anotherquestion and said, "Is yonder man the only one afflicted with age, orshall I, and others also, be such as he?" The charioteer again repliedand said, "Your highness also inherits this lot: as time goes on, theform itself is changed, and this must doubtless come, beyond allhindrance. The youthful form must wear the garb of age, throughout theworld, this is the common lot. "

Bodhisattva, who had long prepared the foundation of pure and spotlesswisdom, broadly setting the root of every high quality, with a view togather large fruit in his present life, hearing these words respectingthe sorrow of age, was afflicted in mind, and his hair stood upright. Just as the roll of the thunder and the storm alarm and put to flightthe cattle, so was Bodhisattva affected by the words; shaking withapprehension, he deeply sighed; constrained at heart because of the painof age; with shaking head and constant gaze, he thought upon this miseryof decay; what joy or pleasure can men take, he thought, in that whichsoon must wither, stricken by the marks of age; affecting all withoutexception; though gifted now with youth and strength, yet not one butsoon must change and pine away. The eye beholding such signs as thesebefore it, how can it not be oppressed by a desire to escape?Bodhisattva then addressed his charioteer: "Quickly turn your chariotand go back. Ever thinking on this subject of old age approaching, whatpleasures now can these gardens afford, the years of my life like thefast-flying wind; turn your chariot, and with speedy wheels take me tomy palace. " And so his heart keeping in the same sad tone, he was as onewho returns to a place of entombment; unaffected by any engagement oremployment, so he found no rest in anything within his home. 

The king hearing of his son's sadness urged his companions to induce himagain to go abroad, and forthwith incited his ministers and attendantsto decorate the gardens even more than before. The Deva then causedhimself to appear as a sick man; struggling for life, he stood by thewayside, his body swollen and disfigured, sighing with deep-drawngroans; his hands and knees contracted and sore with disease, his tearsflowing as he piteously muttered his petition. The prince asked hischarioteer, "What sort of man, again, is this?"

Replying, he said, "This is a sick man. The four elements all confusedand disordered, worn and feeble, with no remaining strength, bent downwith weakness, looking to his fellow-men for help. " The prince hearingthe words thus spoken, immediately became sad and depressed in heart, and asked, "Is this the only man afflicted thus, or are others liable tothe same calamity?" In reply he said, "Through all the world, men aresubject to the same condition; those who have bodies must endureaffliction, the poor and ignorant, as well as the rich and great. " Theprince, when these words met his ears, was oppressed with anxiousthought and grief; his body and his mind were moved throughout, just asthe moon upon the ruffled tide. "Placed thus in the great furnace ofaffliction, say! what rest or quiet can there be! Alas! that worldlymen, blinded by ignorance and oppressed with dark delusion, though therobber sickness may appear at any time, yet live with blithe and joyoushearts!" On this, turning his chariot back again, he grieved to thinkupon the pain of sickness. As a man beaten and wounded sore, with bodyweakened, leans upon his staff, so dwelt he in the seclusion of hispalace, lone-seeking, hating worldly pleasures. 

The king, hearing once more of his son's return, asked anxiously thereason why, and in reply was told--"he saw the pain of sickness. " Theking, in fear, like one beside himself, roundly blamed the keepers ofthe way; his heart constrained, his lips spoke not; again he increasedthe crowd of music-women, the sounds of merriment twice louder thanaforetime, if by these sounds and sights the prince might be gratified;and indulging worldly feelings, might not hate his home. Night and daythe charm of melody increased, but his heart was still unmoved by it. The king himself then went forth to observe everything successively, andto make the gardens even yet more attractive, selecting with care theattendant women, that they might excel in every point of personalbeauty; quick in wit and able to arrange matters well, fit to ensnaremen by their winning looks; he placed additional keepers along theking's way, he strictly ordered every offensive sight to be removed, andearnestly exhorted the illustrious coachman, to look well and pick outthe road as he went. And now that Deva of the Pure abode, again causedthe appearance of a dead man; four persons carrying the corpse lifted iton high, and appeared (to be going on) in front of Bodhisattva; thesurrounding people saw it not, but only Bodhisattva and the charioteer. Once more he asked, "What is this they carry? with streamers and flowersof every choice description, whilst the followers are overwhelmed withgrief, tearing their hair and wailing piteously. " And now the godsinstructing the coachman, he replied and said, "This is a dead man: allhis powers of body destroyed, life departed; his heart without thought, his intellect dispersed; his spirit gone, his form withered and decayed;stretched out as a dead log; family ties broken--all his friends whoonce loved him, clad in white cerements, now no longer delighting tobehold him, remove him to lie in some hollow ditch tomb. " The princehearing the name of Death, his heart constrained by painful thoughts, heasked, "Is this the only dead man, or does the world contain likeinstances?" Replying thus he said, "All, everywhere, the same; he whobegins his life must end it likewise; the strong and lusty and themiddle-aged, having a body, cannot but decay and die. " The prince wasnow harassed and perplexed in mind; his body bent upon the chariotleaning-board, with bated breath and struggling accents, stammered thus, "Oh worldly men! how fatally deluded! beholding everywhere the bodybrought to dust, yet everywhere the more carelessly living; the heart isneither lifeless wood nor stone, and yet it thinks not 'all isvanishing!'" Then turning, he directed his chariot to go back, and nolonger waste his time in wandering. How could he, whilst in fear ofinstant death, go wandering here and there with lightened heart! Thecharioteer remembering the king's exhortation feared much nor dared goback; straightforward then he pressed his panting steeds, passed onwardto the gardens, came to the groves and babbling streams of crystalwater, the pleasant trees, spread out with gaudy verdure, the nobleliving things and varied beasts so wonderful, the flying creatures andtheir notes melodious; all charming and delightful to the eye and ear, even as the heavenly Nandavana. 

Putting Away Desire

On the prince entering the garden the women came around to pay himcourt; and to arouse in him thoughts frivolous; with ogling ways anddeep design, each one setting herself off to best advantage; or joiningtogether in harmonious concert, clapping their hands, or moving theirfeet in unison, or joining close, body to body, limb to limb; orindulging in smart repartees, and mutual smiles; or assuming athoughtful saddened countenance, and so by sympathy to please theprince, and provoke in him a heart affected by love. But all the womenbeheld the prince, clouded in brow, and his god-like body not exhibitingits wonted signs of beauty; fair in bodily appearance, surpassinglylovely, all looked upwards as they gazed, as when we call upon the moonDeva to come; but all their subtle devices were ineffectual to moveBodhisattva's heart. 

At last commingling together they join and look astonished and in fear, silent without a word. Then there was a Brahmaputra, whose name wascalled Udâyi (Yau-to-i). He, addressing the women, said, "Now all ofyou, so graceful and fair, see if you cannot by your combined power hiton some device; for beauty's power is not forever. Still it holds theworld in bondage, by secret ways and lustful arts; but no suchloveliness in all the world as yours, equal to that of heavenly nymphs;the gods beholding it would leave their queens, spirits and Rishis wouldbe misled by it; why not then the prince, the son of an earthly king?why should not his feelings be aroused? This prince indeed, though herestrains his heart and holds it fixed, pure-minded, with virtueuncontaminated, not to be overcome by power of women; yet of old therewas Sundarî (Su-to-li) able to destroy the great Rishi, and to lead himto indulge in love, and so degrade his boasted eminence; undergoing longpenance, Gautama fell likewise by the arts of a heavenly queen;Shing-kü, a Rishi putra, practising lustful indulgences according tofancy, was lost. The Brahman Rishi Visvâmitra (Pi-she-po), livingreligiously for ten thousand years, deeply ensnared by a heavenly queen, in one day was completely shipwrecked in faith; thus those enticingwomen, by their power, overcame the Brahman ascetics; how much more mayye, by your arts, overpower the resolves of the king's son; strivetherefore after new devices, let not the king fail in a successor to thethrone; women, though naturally weak, are high and potent in the way ofruling men. What may not their arts accomplish in promoting in men alustful desire?" At this time all the attendant women, hearingthroughout the words of Udâyi, increasing their powers of pleasing, asthe quiet horse when touched by the whip, went into the presence of theroyal prince, and each one strove in the practice of every kind of art. They joined in music and in smiling conversation, raising theireyebrows, showing their white teeth, with ogling looks, glancing one atthe other, their light drapery exhibiting their white bodies, daintilymoving with mincing gait, acting the part of a bride as if cominggradually nearer, desiring to promote in him a feeling of love, remembering the words of the great king, "With dissolute form andslightly clad, forgetful of modesty and womanly reserve. " The princewith resolute heart was silent and still, with unmoved face he sat; evenas the great elephant-dragon, whilst the entire herd moves round him; sonothing could disturb or move his heart, dwelling in their midst as in aconfined room. Like the divine Sakra, around whom all the Devîsassemble, so was the prince as he dwelt in the gardens; the maidensencircling him thus; some arranging their dress, others washing theirhands or feet, others perfuming their bodies with scent, others twiningflowers for decoration, others making strings for jewelled necklets, others rubbing or striking their bodies, others resting, or lying, onebeside the other; others, with head inclined, whispering secret words, others engaged in common sports, others talking of amorous things, others assuming lustful attitudes, striving thus to move his heart. ButBodhisattva, peaceful and collected, firm as a rock, difficult to move, hearing all these women's talk, unaffected either to joy or sorrow, wasdriven still more to serious thought, sighing to witness such strangeconduct, and beginning to understand the women's design, by these meansto disconcert his mind, not knowing that youthful beauty soon falls, destroyed by old age and death, fading and perishing! This is the greatdistress! What ignorance and delusion (he reflected) overshadow theirminds: "Surely they ought to consider old age, disease, and death, andday and night stir themselves up to exertion, whilst this sharpdouble-edged sword hangs over the neck. What room for sport or laughter, beholding those monsters, old age, disease, and death? A man who isunable to resort to this inward knowledge, what is he but a wooden or aplaster man, what heart-consideration in such a case! Like the doubletree that appears in the desert, with leaves and fruit all perfect andripe, the first cut down and destroyed, the other unmoved byapprehension, so it is in the case of the mass of men: they have nounderstanding either!"

At this time Udâyi came to the place where the prince was, and observinghis silent and thoughtful mien, unmoved by any desire for indulgence, heforthwith addressed the prince, and said, "The Mahâraga, by his formerappointment, has selected me to act as friend to his son; may Itherefore speak some friendly words? an enlightened friendship is ofthree sorts: that which removes things unprofitable, promotes that whichis real gain, and stands by a friend in adversity. I claim the name of'enlightened friend, ' and would renounce all that is magisterial, butyet not speak lightly or with indifference. What then are the threesources of advantage? listen, and I will now utter true words, and provemyself a true and sincere adviser. When the years are fresh andripening, beauty and pleasing qualities in bloom, not to give properweight to woman's influence, this is a weak man's policy. It is rightsometimes to be of a crafty mind, submitting to those little subterfugeswhich find a place in the heart's undercurrents, and obeying what thosethoughts suggest in way of pleasures to be got from dalliance: this isno wrong in woman's eye! even if now the heart has no desire, yet it isfair to follow such devices; agreement is the joy of woman's heart, acquiescence is the substance (the full) of true adornment; but if a manreject these overtures, he's like a tree deprived of leaves and fruits;why then ought you to yield and acquiesce? that you may share in allthese things. Because in taking, there's an end of trouble--no light andchangeful thoughts then worry us--for pleasure is the first and foremostthought of all, the gods themselves cannot dispense with it. Lord Sakrawas drawn by it to love the wife of Gautama the Rishi; so likewise theRishi Agastya, through a long period of discipline, practisingausterities, from hankering after a heavenly queen (Devî), lost allreward of his religious endeavors, the Rishi Brihaspati, and Kandradevaputra; the Rishi Parâsara, and Kavañgara (Kia-pin-ke-lo). All these, outof many others, were overcome by woman's love. How much more then, inyour case, should you partake in such pleasant joys; nor refuse, withwilful heart, to participate in the worldly delights, which your presentstation, possessed of such advantages, offers you, in the presence ofthese attendants. "

At this time the royal prince, hearing the words of his friend Udâyi, soskilfully put, with such fine distinction, cleverly citing worldlyinstances, answered thus to Udâyi: "Thank you for having spokensincerely to me; let me likewise answer you in the same way, and letyour heart suspend its judgment whilst you listen:--It is not that I amcareless about beauty, or am ignorant of the power of human joys, butonly that I see on all the impress of change; therefore my heart is sadand heavy; if these things were sure of lasting, without the ills ofage, disease, and death, then would I too take my fill of love; and tothe end find no disgust or sadness. If you will undertake to cause thesewomen's beauty not to change or wither in the future, then, though thejoy of love may have its evil, still it might hold the mind in thraldom. To know that other men grow old, sicken, and die, would be enough to robsuch joys of satisfaction; yet how much more in their own case (knowingthis) would discontentment fill the mind; to know such pleasures hastento decay, and their bodies likewise; if, notwithstanding this, men yieldto the power of love, their case indeed is like the very beasts. And nowyou cite the names of many Rishis, who practised lustful ways in life;their cases likewise cause me sorrow, for in that they did these things, they perished. Again, you cite the name of that illustrious king, whofreely gratified his passions, but he, in like way, perished in the act;know, then, that he was not a conqueror; with smooth words to conceal anintrigue, and to persuade one's neighbor to consent, and by consentingto defile his mind; how can this be called a just device? It is but toseduce one with a hollow lie--such ways are not for me to practise; or, for those who love the truth and honesty; for they are, forsooth, unrighteous ways, and such a disposition is hard to reverence; shapingone's conduct after one's likings, liking this or that, and seeing noharm in it, what method of experience is this! A hollow compliance, anda protesting heart, such method is not for me to follow; but this Iknow, old age, disease, and death, these are the great afflictions whichaccumulate, and overwhelm me with their presence; on these I find nofriend to speak, alas! alas! Udâyi! these, after all, are the greatconcerns; the pain of birth, old age, disease, and death; this grief isthat we have to fear; the eyes see all things falling to decay, and yetthe heart finds joy in following them; but I have little strength ofpurpose, or command; this heart of mine is feeble and distraught, reflecting thus on age, disease, and death. Distracted, as I never wasbefore; sleepless by night and day, how can I then indulge in pleasure?Old age, disease, and death consuming me, their certainty beyond adoubt, and still to have no heavy thoughts, in truth my heart would be alog or stone. " Thus the prince, for Uda's sake, used every kind ofskilful argument, describing all the pains of pleasure; and notperceiving that the day declined. And now the waiting women all, withmusic and their various attractions, seeing that all were useless forthe end, with shame began to flock back to the city; the princebeholding all the gardens, bereft of their gaudy ornaments, the womenall returning home, the place becoming silent and deserted, felt withtwofold strength the thought of impermanence. With saddened mien goingback, he entered his palace. 

The king, his father, hearing of the prince, his heart estranged fromthoughts of pleasure, was greatly overcome with sorrow, and like a swordit pierced his heart. Forthwith assembling all his council, he sought ofthem some means to gain his end; they all replied, "These sources ofdesire are not enough to hold and captivate his heart. "

Leaving the City

And so the king increased the means for gratifying the appetite forpleasure; both night and day the joys of music wore out the prince, opposed to pleasure; disgusted with them, he desired their absence, hismind was weaned from all such thoughts, he only thought of age, disease, and death; as the lion wounded by an arrow. 

The king then sent his chief ministers, and the most distinguished ofhis family, young in years and eminent for beauty, as well as for wisdomand dignity of manners, to accompany and rest with him, both night andday, in order to influence the prince's mind. And now within a littleinterval, the prince again requested the king that he might go abroad. 

Once more the chariot and the well-paced horses were prepared, adornedwith precious substances and every gem; and then with all the nobles, his associates, surrounding him, he left the city gates. Just as thefour kinds of flower, when the sun shines, open out their leaves, so wasthe prince in all his spiritual splendor; effulgent in the beauty of hisyouth-time. As he proceeded to the gardens from the city, the road waswell prepared, smooth, and wide, the trees were bright with flowers andfruit, his heart was joyous, and forgetful of its care. 

Now by the roadside, as he beheld the ploughmen, plodding along thefurrows, and the writhing worms, his heart again was moved with piteousfeeling, and anguish pierced his soul afresh; to see those laborers attheir toil, struggling with painful work, their bodies bent, their hairdishevelled, the dripping sweat upon their faces, their persons fouledwith mud and dust; the ploughing oxen, too, bent by the yokes, theirlolling tongues and gaping mouths. The nature of the prince, loving, compassionate, his mind conceived most poignant sorrow, and nobly movedto sympathy, he groaned with pain; then stooping down he sat upon theground, and watched this painful scene of suffering; reflecting on theways of birth and death! "Alas! he cried, for all the world! how darkand ignorant, void of understanding!" And then to give his followerschance of rest, he bade them each repose where'er they list, whilst hebeneath the shadow of a Gambu tree, gracefully seated, gave himself tothought. He pondered on the fact of life and death, inconstancy, andendless progress to decay. His heart thus fixed without confusion, thefive senses covered and clouded over, lost in possession ofenlightenment and insight, he entered on the first pure state ofecstasy. All low desire removed, most perfect peace ensued; and fullynow in Samâdhi he saw the misery and utter sorrow of the world; the ruinwrought by age, disease, and death; the great misery following on thebody's death; and yet men not awakened to the truth! oppressed withothers' suffering (age, disease, and death), this load of sorrow weighedhis mind. "I now will seek, " he said, "a noble law, unlike the worldlymethods known to men. I will oppose disease and age and death, andstrive against the mischief wrought by these on men. "

Thus lost in tranquil contemplation, he considered that youth, vigor, and strength of life, constantly renewing themselves, without long stay, in the end fulfil the rule of ultimate destruction. Thus he pondered, without excessive joy or grief, without hesitation or confusion ofthought, without dreaminess or extreme longing, without aversion ordiscontent, but perfectly at peace, with no hindrance, radiant with thebeams of increased illumination. At this time a Deva of the Pure abode, transforming himself into the shape of a Bhikshu, came to the placewhere the prince was seated; the prince with due consideration rose tomeet him, and asked him who he was. In reply he said, "I am a Shâman, depressed and sad at thought of age, disease, and death; I have left myhome to seek some way of rescue, but everywhere I find old age, disease, and death; all things hasten to decay and there is no permanency. Therefore I search for the happiness of something that decays not, thatnever perishes, that never knows beginning, that looks with equal mindon enemy and friend, that heeds not wealth nor beauty; the happiness ofone who finds repose alone in solitude, in some unfrequented dell, freefrom molestation, all thoughts about the world destroyed; dwelling insome lonely hermitage, untouched by any worldly source of pollution, begging for food sufficient for the body. " And forthwith as he stoodbefore the prince, gradually rising up he disappeared in space. 

The prince, with joyful mind, considering, recollected former Buddhas, established thus in perfect dignity of manner; with noble mien andpresence, as this visitor. Thus calling things to mind with perfectself-possession, he reached the thought of righteousness, and by whatmeans it can be gained. Indulging thus for some time in thoughts ofreligious solitude, he now suppressed his feelings and controlled hismembers, and rising turned again towards the city. His followers allflocked after him, calling him to stop and not go far from them, but inhis mind these secret thoughts so held him, devising means by which toescape from the world, that though his body moved along the road, hisheart was far away among the mountains; even as the bound and captiveelephant ever thinks about his desert wilds. The prince now entering thecity, there met him men and women, earnest for their several ends; theold besought him for their children, the young sought something for thewife, others sought something for their brethren; all those allied bykinship or by family, aimed to obtain their several suits, all of themjoined in relationship dreading the pain of separation. And now theprince's heart was filled with joy, as he suddenly heard those words"separation and association. " "These are joyful sounds to me, " he said, "they assure me that my vow shall be accomplished. " Then deeplypondering the joy of "snapped relationship, " the idea of Nirvâna, deepened and widened in him, his body as a peak of the Golden Mount, hisshoulder like the elephant's, his voice like the spring-thunder, hisdeep-blue eye like that of the king of oxen; his mind full of religiousthoughts, his face bright as the full moon, his step like that of thelion king, thus he entered his palace; even as the son of Lord Sakra, orSakra-putra, his mind reverential, his person dignified, he wentstraight to his father's presence, and with head inclined, inquired, "Isthe king well?" Then he explained his dread of age, disease, and death, and sought respectfully permission to become a hermit. "For all thingsin the world, " he said, "though now united, tend to separation. "Therefore he prayed to leave the world; desiring to find "truedeliverance. "

His royal father hearing the words "leave the world, " was forthwithseized with great heart-trembling, even as the strong wild elephantshakes with his weight the boughs of some young sapling; going forward, seizing the prince's hands, with falling tears, he spake as follows:"Stop! nor speak such words, the time is not yet come for 'a religiouslife;' you are young and strong, your heart beats full, to lead areligious life frequently involves trouble; it is rarely possible tohold the desires in check, the heart not yet estranged from theirenjoyment; to leave your home and lead a painful ascetic life, yourheart can hardly yet resolve on such a course. To dwell amidst thedesert wilds or lonely dells, this heart of yours would not be perfectlyat rest, for though you love religious matters, you are not yet like mein years; you should undertake the kingdom's government, and let mefirst adopt ascetic life; but to give up your father and your sacredduties, this is not to act religiously; you should suppress this thoughtof 'leaving home, ' and undertake your worldly duties, find your delightin getting an illustrious name, and after this give up your home andfamily. "

The prince, with proper reverence and respectful feelings, againbesought his royal father; but promised if he could be saved from fourcalamities, that he would give up the thought of "leaving home. " If hewould grant him life without end, no disease, nor undesirable old age, and no decay of earthly possessions, then he would obey and give up thethought of "leaving home. "

The royal father then addressed the prince, "Speak not such words asthese, for with respect to these four things, who is there able toprevent them, or say nay to their approach; asking such things as these, you would provoke men's laughter! But put away this thought of 'leavinghome, ' and once more take yourself to pleasure. "

The prince again besought his father, "If you may not grant me thesefour prayers, then let me go I pray, and leave my home. O! place nodifficulties in my path; your son is dwelling in a burning house, wouldyou indeed prevent his leaving it! To solve a doubt is only reasonable, who could forbid a man to seek its explanation? Or if he were forbidden, then by self-destruction he might solve the difficulty, in anunrighteous way: and if he were to do so, who could restrain him afterdeath?"

The royal father, seeing his son's mind so firmly fixed that it couldnot be turned, and that it would be waste of strength to bandy furtherwords or arguments, forthwith commanded more attendant women, to provokestill more his mind to pleasure; day and night he ordered them to keepthe roads and ways, to the end that he might not leave his palace. Hemoreover ordered all the ministers of the country to come to the placewhere dwelt the prince, to quote and illustrate the rules of filialpiety, hoping to cause him to obey the wishes of the king. 

The prince, beholding his royal father bathed with tears and o'erwhelmedwith grief, forthwith returned to his abode, and sat himself in silenceto consider; all the women of the palace, coming towards him, waited asthey circled him, and gazed in silence on his beauteous form. They gazedupon him not with furtive glance, but like the deer in autumn brakelooks wistfully at the hunter; around the prince's straight and handsomeform, bright as the mountain of true gold (Sumeru). The dancing womengathered doubtingly, waiting to hear him bid them sound their music;repressing every feeling of the heart through fear, even as the deerwithin the brake; now gradually the day began to wane, the prince stillsitting in the evening light, his glory streaming forth in splendor, asthe sun lights up Mount Sumeru; thus seated on his jewelled couch, surrounded by the fumes of sandal-wood, the dancing women took theirplaces round; then sounded forth their heavenly music, even as Vaisamanproduces every kind of rare and heavenly sounds. The thoughts whichdwelt within the prince's mind entirely drove from him desire for music, and though the sounds filled all the place, they fell upon his earunnoticed. At this time the Deva of the Pure abode, knowing the prince'stime was come, the destined time for quitting home, suddenly assumed aform and came to earth, to make the shapes of all the womenunattractive, so that they might create disgust, and no desire arisefrom thought of beauty. Their half-clad forms bent in ungainlyattitudes, forgetful in their sleep, their bodies crooked or supine, theinstruments of music lying scattered in disorder; leaning and facing oneanother, or with back to back, or like those beings thrown into theabyss, their jewelled necklets bound about like chains, their clothesand undergarments swathed around their persons; grasping theirinstruments, stretched along the earth, even as those undergoingpunishment at the hands of keepers, their garments in confusion, or likethe broken kani flower; or some with bodies leaning in sleep against thewall, in fashion like a hanging bow or horn, or with their hands holdingto the window-frames, and looking like an outstretched corpse. Theirmouths half opened or else gaping wide, the loathsome dribble tricklingforth, their heads uncovered and in wild disorder, like some unreasoningmadman's; the flower wreaths torn and hanging across their face, orslipping off the face upon the ground; others with body raised as if infearful dread, just like the lonely desert bird; or others pillowed ontheir neighbor's lap, their hands and feet entwined together, whilstothers smiled or knit their brows in turn; some with eyes closed andopen mouth, their bodies lying in wild disorder, stretched here andthere, like corpses thrown together. And now the prince seated, in hisbeauty, looked with thought on all the waiting women; before, they hadappeared exceeding lovely, their laughing words, their hearts so lightand gay, their forms so plump and young, their looks so bright; but now, how changed! so uninviting and repulsive. And such is woman'sdisposition! how can they, then, be ever dear, or closely trusted; suchfalse appearances! and unreal pretences; they only madden and delude theminds of men. 

"And now, " he said, "I have awakened to the truth! Resolved am I toleave such false society. " At this time the Deva of the Pure abodedescended and approached, unfastening the doors. The prince, too, atthis time rose and walked along, amid the prostrate forms of all thewomen; with difficulty reaching the inner hall, he called to Kandaka, inthese words, "My mind is now athirst and longing for the draught of thefountain of sweet dew; saddle then my horse, and quickly bring it here. I wish to reach the deathless city; my heart is fixed beyond all change, resolved I am and bound by sacred oath; these women, once so charmingand enticing, now behold I altogether loathsome; the gates, which werebefore fast-barred and locked, now stand free and open! these evidencesof something supernatural, point to a climax of my life. "

Then Kandaka stood reflecting inwardly, whether to obey or not theprince's order, without informing his royal father of it, and so incurthe heaviest punishment. 

The Devas then gave spiritual strength; and unperceived the horseequipped came round, with even pace; a gallant steed, with all hisjewelled trappings for a rider; high-maned, with flowing tail, broad-backed, short-haired and eared, with belly like the deer's, headlike the king of parrots, wide forehead, round and claw-shaped nostrils, breath like the dragon's, with breast and shoulders square, true andsufficient marks of his high breed. The royal prince, stroking thehorse's neck, and rubbing down his body, said, "My royal father everrode on thee, and found thee brave in fight and fearless of the foe; nowI desire to rely on thee alike! to carry me far off to the stream (ford)of endless life, to fight against and overcome the opposing force ofmen, the men who associate in search of pleasure, the men who engage inthe search after wealth, the crowds who follow and flatter such persons;in opposing sorrow, friendly help is difficult to find, in seekingreligious truth there must be rare enlightenment, let us then be knittogether thus as friends; then, at last, there will be rest from sorrow. But now I wish to go abroad, to give deliverance from pain; now then, for your own sake it is, and for the sake of all your kind, that youshould exert your strength, with noble pace, without lagging orweariness. " Having thus exhorted him, he bestrode his horse, andgrasping the reins proceeded forth; the man like the sun shining forthfrom his tabernacle, the horse like the white floating cloud, exertinghimself but without exciting haste, his breath concealed and withoutsnorting; four spirits (Devas) accompanying him, held up his feet, heedfully concealing his advance, silently and without noise; the heavygates fastened and barred, the heavenly spirits of themselves caused toopen. Reverencing deeply the virtuous father, loving deeply theunequalled son, equally affected with love towards all the members ofhis family these Devas took their place. 

Suppressing his feelings, but not extinguishing his memory, lightly headvanced and proceeded beyond the city, pure and spotless as the lilyflowers which spring from the mud; looking up with earnestness at hisfather's palace, he announced his purpose--unwitnessed andunwritten--"If I escape not birth, old age, and death, for evermore Ipass not thus along. " All the concourse of Devas, the space-fillingNâgas and spirits followed joyfully and exclaimed, "Well! well!" inconfirmation of the true words he spoke. The Nâgas and the company ofDevas acquired a condition of heart difficult to obtain, and each withhis own inherent light led on the way shedding forth their brightness. Thus man and horse, both strong of heart, went onwards, lost to sightlike streaming stars, but ere the eastern quarter flashed with light, they had advanced three yoganas. 

[Footnote 91: Mâra, the king of the world of desire. According to theBuddhist theogony he is the god of sensual love. He holds the world insin. He was the enemy of Buddha, and endeavored in every way to defeathim. He is also described as the king of death. ]

[Footnote 92: That is, the Brahman wearing the twice-born thread. ]

[Footnote 93: The "eternal draught" or "sweet dew" of Ambrosia. Thisexpression is constantly used in Buddhist writings. It corresponds withthe Pali amatam, which Childers explains as the "drink of the gods. "]

[Footnote 94: The condition of the highest Deva, according to Buddhism, does not exempt him from re-birth; subject to the calamities incident onsuch a renewal of life. ]

[Footnote 95: This seems to mean that those who had not received benefitfrom the teaching of the four previous Buddhas, that even these wereplacable and well-disposed. ]

[Footnote 96: The description here given of the peace and contentprevailing in the world on the birth of Bodhisattva (and his name givento him in consequence) resembles the account of the golden age inclassic authors. ]

CHAPTER II

The Return of Kandaka

And now the night was in a moment gone, and sight restored to allcreated things, when the royal prince looked through the wood, and sawthe abode of Po-ka, the Rishi. The purling streams so exquisitely pureand sparkling, and the wild beasts all unalarmed at man, caused theroyal prince's heart to exult. Tired, the horse stopped of his own will, to breathe. "This, then, " he thought, "is a good sign and fortunate, anddoubtless indicates divine approval. " And now he saw belonging to theRishi, the various vessels used for asking charity, and other thingsarranged by him in order, without the slightest trace of negligence. Dismounting then he stroked his horse's head, and cried, "You now haveborne me well!"

With loving eyes he looked at Kandaka: eyes like the pure cool surfaceof a placid lake and said, "Swift-footed! like a horse in pace, yea!swift as any light-winged bird, ever have you followed after me whenriding, and deeply have I felt my debt of thanks, but not yet had youbeen tried in other ways; I only knew you as a man true-hearted, my mindnow wonders at your active powers of body; these two I now begin to seeare yours; a man may have a heart most true and faithful, but strengthof body may not too be his; bodily strength and perfect honesty ofheart, I now have proof enough are yours. To be content to leave thetinselled world, and with swift foot to follow me, who would do this butfor some profit; if without profit to his kin, who would not shun it?But you, with no private aim, have followed me, not seeking any presentrecompense; as we nourish and bring up a child, to bind together andbring honor to a family, so we also reverence and obey a father, to gainobedience and attention from a begotten son; in this way all think oftheir own advantage; but you have come with me disdaining profit; withmany words I cannot hold you here, so let me say in brief to you, wehave now ended our relationship; take, then, my horse and ride backagain; for me, during the long night past, that place I sought to reachnow I have obtained. "

Then taking off his precious neck-chain, he handed it to Kandaka. "Takethis, " he said, "I give it you, let it console you in your sorrow. " Theprecious jewel in the tire that bound his head, bright-shining, lightingup his person, taking off and placing in his extended palm, like the sunwhich lights up Sumeru, he said, "O Kandaka! take this gem, and goingback to where my father is, take the jewel and lay it reverently beforehim, to signify my heart's relation to him; and then, for me, requestthe king to stifle every fickle feeling of affection, and say that I, toescape from birth and age and death, have entered on the wild forest ofpainful discipline; not that I may get a heavenly birth, much lessbecause I have no tenderness of heart, or that I cherish any cause ofbitterness, but only that I may escape this weight of sorrow. Theaccumulated long-night weight of covetous desire (love), I now desire toease the load so that it may be overthrown forever; therefore I seek theway of ultimate escape; if I should obtain emancipation, then shall Inever need to put away my kindred, to leave my home, to sever ties oflove. O! grieve not for your son! The five desires of sense beget thesorrow; those held by lust themselves induce the sorrow. My veryancestors, victorious kings, thinking their throne established andimmovable, have handed down to me their kingly wealth; I, thinking onlyon religion, put it all away; the royal mothers at the end of life theircherished treasures leave for their sons, those sons who covet much suchworldly profit; but I rejoice to have acquired religious wealth; if yousay that I am young and tender, and that the time for seeking wisdom isnot come, you ought to know that to seek true religion, there never is atime not fit; impermanence and fickleness, the hate of death, these everfollow us, and therefore I embrace the present day, convinced that nowis time to seek religion. With such entreaties as the above, you mustmake matters plain on my behalf; but, pray you, cause my father not tothink longingly after me; let him destroy all recollection of me, andcut out from his soul the ties of love; and you, grieve not because ofwhat I say, but recollect to give the king my message. "

Kandaka hearing respectfully the words of exhortation, blinded andconfused through choking sorrow, with hands outstretched did worship;and answering the prince, he spoke, "The orders that you give me will, Ifear, add grief to grief, and sorrow thus increased will deepen, as theelephant who struggles into deeper mire. When the ties of love arerudely snapped, who, that has any heart, would not grieve! The goldenore may still by stamping be broken up, how much more the feelingschoked with sorrow! the prince has grown up in a palace, with every carebestowed upon his tender person, and now he gives his body to the roughand thorny forest; how will he be able to bear a life of privation? Whenfirst you ordered me to equip your steed, my mind was indeed sorelytroubled, but the heavenly powers urged me on, causing me to hasten thepreparation of the horse, but what is the intention that urges theprince, to resolve thus to leave his secure palace? The people ofKapilavastu, and all the country afflicted with grief; your father, nowan old man, mindful of his son, loving him moreover tenderly; surelythis determination to leave your home, this is not according to duty; itis wrong, surely, to disregard father and mother--we cannot speak ofsuch a thing with propriety! Gotami, too, who has nourished you so long, fed you with milk when a helpless child, such love as hers cannot easilybe forgotten; it is impossible surely to turn the back on a benefactor;the highly gifted virtuous mother of a child, is ever respected by themost distinguished families; to inherit distinction and then to turnround, is not the mark of a distinguished man. The illustrious child ofYasodharâ, who has inherited a kingdom, rightly governed, his years nowgradually ripening, should not thus go away from and forsake his home;but though he has gone away from his royal father, and forsaken hisfamily and his kin, forbid it he should still drive me away, let me notdepart from the feet of my master; my heart is bound to thee, as theheat is bound up in the boiling water. I cannot return without thee tomy country; to return and leave the prince thus, in the midst of thesolitude of the desert, then should I be like Sumanta, who left andforsook Râma; and now if I return alone to the palace, what words can Iaddress to the king? How can I reply to the reproaches of all thedwellers in the palace with suitable words? Therefore let the princerather tell me, how I may truly describe, and with what device, thedisfigured body, and the merit-seeking condition of the hermit! I amfull of fear and alarm, my tongue can utter no words; tell me then whatwords to speak; but who is there in the empire will believe me? If I saythat the moon's rays are scorching, there are men, perhaps, who maybelieve me; but they will not believe that the prince, in his conduct, will act without piety; for the prince's heart is sincere and refined, always actuated with pity and love to men. To be deeply affected withlove, and yet to forsake the object of love, this surely is opposed to aconstant mind. O then, for pity's sake! return to your home, and thusappease my foolish longings. "

The prince having listened to Kandaka, pitying his grief expressed in somany words, with heart resolved and strong in its determination, spokethus to him once more, and said: "Why thus on my account do you feel thepain of separation? you should overcome this sorrowful mood, it is foryou to comfort yourself; all creatures, each in its way, foolishlyarguing that all things are constant, would influence me to-day not toforsake my kin and relatives; but when dead and come to be a ghost, howthen, let them say, can I be kept? My loving mother when she bore me, with deep affection painfully carried me, and then when born she died, not permitted to nourish me. One alive, the other dead, gone bydifferent roads, where now shall she be found? Like as in a wilderness, on some high tree, all the birds living with their mates assemble in theevening and at dawn disperse, so are the separations of the world; thefloating clouds rise like a high mountain, from the four quarters theyfill the void, in a moment again they are separated and disappear; so isit with the habitations of men; people from the beginning have erredthus, binding themselves in society and by the ties of love, and then, as after a dream, all is dispersed; do not then recount the names of myrelatives; for like the wood which is produced in spring, graduallygrows and brings forth its leaves, which again fall in theautumn-chilly-dews--if the different parts of the same body are thusdivided--how much more men who are united in society! and how shall theties of relationship escape rending? Cease therefore your grief andexpostulation, obey my commands and return home; the thought of yourreturn alone will save me, and perhaps after your return I also may comeback. The men of Kapilavastu, hearing that my heart is fixed, willdismiss from their minds all thought of me, but you may make known mywords, 'when I have escaped from the sad ocean of birth and death, thenafterwards I will come back again; but I am resolved, if I obtain not myquest, my body shall perish in the mountain wilds. '" The white horsehearing the prince, as he uttered these true and earnest words, bent hisknee and licked his foot, whilst he sighed deeply and wept. Then theprince with his soft and glossy palm, fondly stroking the head of thewhite horse, said, "Do not let sorrow rise within, I grieve indeed atlosing you, my gallant steed--so strong and active, your merit now hasgained its end; you shall enjoy for long a respite from an evil birth, but for the present take as your reward these precious jewels and thisglittering sword, and with them follow closely after Kandaka. " Theprince then drawing forth his sword, glancing in the light as thedragon's eye, cut off the knot of hair with its jewelled stud, andforthwith cast it into space; ascending upwards to the firmament, itfloated there as the wings of the phoenix; then all the Devas of theTrayastrimsa heavens seizing the hair, returned with it to theirheavenly abodes; desiring always to adore the feet (offer religiousservice), how much rather now possessed of the crowning locks, withunfeigned piety do they increase their adoration, and shall do till thetrue law has died away. 

Then the royal prince thought thus, "My adornments now are gone forever, there only now remain these silken garments, which are not in keepingwith a hermit's life. "

Then the Deva of the Pure abode, knowing the heart-ponderings of theprince, transformed himself into a hunter's likeness, holding his bow, his arrows in his girdle, his body girded with a Kashâya-colored robe, thus he advanced in front of the prince. The prince considering thisgarment of his, the color of the ground, a fitting pure attire, becomingto the utmost the person of a Rishi, not fit for a hunter's dress, forthwith called to the hunter, as he stood before him, in accents soft, and thus addressed him: "That dress of thine belikes me much, as if itwere not foul, and this my dress I'll give thee in exchange, so pleasethee. "

The hunter then addressed the prince, "Although I ill can spare thisgarment, which I use as a disguise among the deer, that alluring themwithin reach I may kill them, notwithstanding, as it so pleases you, Iam now willing to bestow it in exchange for yours. " The hunter havingreceived the sumptuous dress, took again his heavenly body. 

The prince and Kandaka, the coachman, seeing this, thought deeply thus:"This garment is of no common character, it is not what a worldly manhas worn"--and in the prince's heart great joy arose, as he regarded thecoat with double reverence, and forthwith giving all the other things toKandaka, he himself was clad in it, of Kashâya color; then like the darkand lowering cloud, that surrounds the disc of the sun or moon, he for amoment gazed, scanning his steps, then entered on the hermit's grot;Kandaka following him with wistful eyes, his body disappeared, nor wasit seen again. "My lord and master now has left his father's house, hiskinsfolk and myself, " he cried; "he now has clothed himself in hermit'sgarb, and entered the painful forest. " Raising his hands he called onHeaven, o'erpowered with grief he could not move; till holding by thewhite steed's neck, he tottered forward on the homeward road, turningagain and often looking back, his body going on, his heartback-hastening; now lost in thought and self-forgetful, now looking downto earth, then raising up his drooping eye to heaven, falling at timesand then rising again, thus weeping as he went, he pursued his wayhomewards. 

Entering the Place of Austerities

The prince having dismissed Kandaka, as he entered the Rishis' abode, his graceful body brightly shining, lit up on every side the forest"place of suffering"; himself gifted with every excellence, according tohis gifts, so were they reflected. As the lion, the king of beasts, whenhe enters among the herd of beasts, drives from their minds all thoughtsof common things, as now they watch the true form of their kind, sothose Rishi masters assembled there, suddenly perceiving the miraculousportent, were struck with awe and fearful gladness, as they gazed withearnest eyes and hands conjoined. The men and women, engaged in variousoccupations, beholding him, with unchanged attitudes, gazed as the godslook on King Sakra, with constant look and eyes unmoved; so the Rishis, with their feet fixed fast, looked at him even thus; whatever in theirhands they held, without releasing it, they stopped and looked; even asthe ox when yoked to the wain, his body bound, his mind also restrained;so also the followers of the holy Rishis, each called the other tobehold the miracle. The peacocks and the other birds with criescommingled flapped their wings; the Brahmakârins holding the rules ofdeer, following the deer wandering through mountain glades, as the deercoarse of nature, with flashing eyes, regard the prince with fixed gaze;so following the deer, those Brahmakârins intently gaze likewise, looking at the exceeding glory of the Ikshvâku. As the glory of therising sun is able to affect the herds of milch kine, so as to increasethe quantity of their sweet-scented milk, so those Brahmakârins, withwondrous joy, thus spoke one to the other: "Surely this is one of theeight Vasu Devas"; others, "this is one of the two Asvins"; others, "this is Mâra"; others, "this is one of the Brahmakâyikas"; others, "this is Sûryadeva or Kandradeva, coming down; are they not seeking herea sacrifice which is their due? Come let us haste to offer our religiousservices!"

The prince, on his part, with respectful mien addressed to them politesalutation. Then Bodhisattva, looking with care in every direction onthe Brahmakârins occupying the wood, each engaged in his religiousduties, all desirous of the delights of heaven, addressed the seniorBrahmakârin, and asked him as to the path of true religion. "Now havingjust come here, I do not yet know the rules of your religious life. Iask you therefore for information, and I pray explain to me what I ask. "

On this that twice-born (Brahman) in reply explained in succession allthe modes of painful discipline, and the fruits expected as theirresult. How some ate nothing brought from inhabited places but thatproduced from pure water, others edible roots and tender twigs, othersfruits and flowers fit for food, each according to the rules of hissect, clothing and food in each case different; some living amongstbird-kind, and like them capturing and eating food; others eating as thedeer the grass and herbs; others living like serpents, inhaling air;others eating nothing pounded in wood or stone; some eating with twoteeth, till a wound be formed; others, again, begging their food andgiving it in charity, taking only the remnants for themselves; others, again, who let water continually drip on their heads and those who offerup with fire; others who practise water-dwelling like fish; thus thereare Brahmakârins of every sort, who practise austerities, that they mayat the end of life obtain a birth in heaven, and by their presentsufferings afterwards obtain peaceable fruit. 

The lord of men, the excellent master, hearing all their modes ofsorrow-producing penance, not perceiving any element of truth in them, experienced no joyful emotion in his heart; lost in thought, he regardedthe men with pity, and with his heart in agreement his mouth thus spake:"Pitiful indeed are such sufferings! and merely in quest of a human orheavenly reward, ever revolving in the cycle of birth or death, howgreat your sufferings, how small the recompense! Leaving your friends, giving up honorable position; with a firm purpose to obtain the joys ofheaven, although you may escape little sorrows, yet in the end involvedin great sorrow; promoting the destruction of your outward form, andundergoing every kind of painful penance, and yet seeking to obtainanother birth; increasing and prolonging the causes of the five desires, not considering that herefrom birth and death, undergoing suffering and, by that, seeking further suffering; thus it is that the world of men, though dreading the approach of death, yet strive after renewed birth;and being thus born, they must die again. Although still dreading thepower of suffering, yet prolonging their stay in the sea of pain. Disliking from their heart their present kind of life, yet stillstriving incessantly after other life; enduring affliction that they maypartake of joy; seeking a birth in heaven, to suffer further trouble;seeking joys, whilst the heart sinks with feebleness. For this is sowith those who oppose right reason; they cannot but be cramped and poorat heart. But by earnestness and diligence, then we conquer. Walking inthe path of true wisdom, letting go both extremes, we then reachultimate perfection; to mortify the body, if this is religion, then toenjoy rest, is something not resulting from religion. To walkreligiously and afterwards to receive happiness, this is to make thefruit of religion something different from religion; but bodily exerciseis but the cause of death, strength results alone from the mind'sintention; if you remove from conduct the purpose of the mind, thebodily act is but as rotten wood; wherefore, regulate the mind, and thenthe body will spontaneously go right. You say that to eat pure things isa cause of religious merit, but the wild beasts and the children ofpoverty ever feed on these fruits and medicinal herbs; these then oughtto gain much religious merit. But if you say that the heart being goodthen bodily suffering is the cause of further merit, then I ask why maynot those who live in ease, also possess a virtuous heart? If joys areopposed to a virtuous heart, a virtuous heart may also be opposed tobodily suffering; if, for instance, all those heretics profess puritybecause they use water in various ways, then those who thus use wateramong men, even with a wicked mind, yet ought ever to be pure. But ifrighteousness is the groundwork of a Rishi's purity, then the idea of asacred spot as his dwelling, being the cause of his righteousness iswrong. What is reverenced, should be known and seen. Reverence indeed isdue to righteous conduct, but let it not redound to the place or mode oflife. "

Thus speaking at large on religious questions, they went on till thesetting sun. He then beheld their rites in connection with sacrifice tofire, the drilling for sparks and the fanning into flame, also thesprinkling of the butter libations, also the chanting of the mysticprayers, till the sun went down. The prince considering these acts, could not perceive the right reason of them, and was now desirous toturn and go. Then all those Brahmakârins came together to him to requesthim to stay; regarding with reverence the dignity of Bodhisattva, verydesirous, they earnestly besought him: "You have come from anirreligious place, to this wood where true religion flourishes, and yet, now, you wish to go away; we beg you, then, on this account, to stay. "All the old Brahmakârins, with their twisted hair and bark clothes, camefollowing after Bodhisattva, asking him as a god to stay a little while. Bodhisattva seeing these aged ones following him, their bodies worn withmacerations, stood still and rested beneath a tree; and soothing them, urged them to return. Then all the Brahmakârins, young and old, surrounding him, made their request with joined hands: "You who have sounexpectedly arrived here, amid these garden glades so full ofattraction, why now are you leaving them and going away, to seekperfection in the wilderness? As a man loving long life, is unwilling tolet go his body, so we are even thus; would that you would stop awhile. This is a spot where Brahmans and Rishis have ever dwelt, royal Rishisand heavenly Rishis, these all have dwelt within these woods. The placeson the borders of the snowy mountains, where men of high birth undergotheir penance, those places are not to be compared to this. All the bodyof learned masters from this place have reached heaven; all the learnedRishis who have sought religious merit, have from this place andnorthwards found it; those who have attained a knowledge of the truelaw, and gained divine wisdom come not from southwards; if you indeedsee us remiss and not earnest enough, practising rules not pure, and onthat account are not pleased to stay, then we are the ones that ought togo; you can still remain and dwell here; all these differentBrahmakârins ever desire to find companions in their penances. And you, because you are conspicuous for your religious earnestness, should notso quickly cast away their society: if you can remain here, they willhonor you as god Sakra, yea! as the Devas pay worship to Brihaspati. "

Then Bodhisattva answered the Brahmakârins and told them what hisdesires were: "I am seeking for a true method of escape, I desire solelyto destroy all mundane influences; but you, with strong hearts, practiseyour rules as ascetics, and pay respectful attention to such visitors asmay come. My heart indeed is moved with affection towards you, forpleasant conversation is agreeable to all, those who listen are affectedthereby; and so hearing your words, my mind is strengthened in religiousfeeling; you indeed have all paid me much respect, in agreement with thecourtesy of your religious profession; but now I am constrained todepart, my heart grieves thereat exceedingly: first of all, having leftmy own kindred, and now about to be separated from you. The pain ofseparation from associates, this pain is as great as the other; it isimpossible for my mind not to grieve, as it is not to see others'faults. But you, by suffering pain, desire earnestly to obtain the joysof birth in heaven; whilst I desire to escape from the three worlds, andtherefore I give up what my reason tells me must be rejected. The lawwhich you practise, you inherit from the deeds of former teachers, butI, desiring to destroy all combination, seek a law which admits of nosuch accident. And, therefore, I cannot in this grove delay for a longerwhile in fruitless discussions. "

At this time all the Brahmakârins, hearing the words spoken byBodhisattva, words full of right reason and truth, very excellent in thedistinction of principles, their hearts rejoiced and exulted greatly, and deep feelings of reverence were excited within them. 

At this time there was one Brahmakârin, who always slept in the dust, with tangled hair and raiment of the bark of trees, his eyes bleared, preparing himself in an ascetic practice called "high-nose. "[97] Thisone addressed Bodhisattva in the following words: "Strong in will!bright in wisdom! firmly fixed in resolve to escape the limits of birth, knowing that in escape from birth there alone is rest, not affected byany desire after heavenly blessedness, the mind set upon the eternaldestruction of the bodily form, you are indeed miraculous in appearance, as you are alone in the possession of such a mind. To sacrifice to thegods, and to practise every kind of austerity, all this is designed tosecure a birth in heaven, but here there is no mortification of selfishdesire, there is still a selfish personal aim; but to bend the will toseek final escape, this is indeed the work of a true teacher, this isthe aim of an enlightened master; this place is no right halting-placefor you; you ought to proceed to Mount Pinda: there dwells a great Muni, whose name is A-lo-lam. He only has reached the end of religious aims, the most excellent eye of the law. Go, therefore, to the place where hedwells, and listen there to the true exposition of the law. This willmake your heart rejoice, as you learn to follow the precepts of hissystem. As for me, beholding the joy of your resolve, and fearing that Ishall not obtain rest, I must once more let go those following me, andseek other disciples; straighten my head and gaze with my full eyes;anoint my lips and cleanse my teeth; cover my shoulders and make brightmy face, smooth my tongue and make it pliable. Thus, O excellentlymarked sir! fully drinking at the fountain of the water you give, Ishall escape from the unfathomable depths. In the world nought iscomparable to this, that which old men and Rishis have not known, thatshall I know and obtain. "

Bodhisattva having listened to these words, left the company of theRishis, whilst they all, turning round him to the right, returned totheir place. 

The General Grief of the Palace

Kandaka leading back the horse, opening the way for his heart's sorrow, as he went on, lamented and wept: unable to disburden his soul. First ofall with the royal prince, passing along the road for one night, but nowdismissed and ordered to return. As the darkness of night closed on him, irresolute he wavered in mind. On the eighth day approaching the city, the noble horse pressed onwards, exhibiting all his qualities of speed;but yet hesitating as he looked around and beheld not the form of theroyal prince; his four members bent down with toil, his head and neckdeprived of their glossy look, whinnying as he went on with grief, herefused night and day his grass and water, because he had lost his lord, the deliverer of men. Returning thus to Kapilavastu, the whole countryappeared withered and bare, as when one comes back to a desertedvillage; or as when the sun hidden behind Sumeru causes darkness tospread over the world. The fountains of water sparkled no more, theflowers and fruits were withered and dead, the men and women in thestreets seemed lost in grief and dismay. Thus Kandaka with the whitehorse went on sadly and with slow advance, silent to those inquiring, wearily progressing as when accompanying a funeral; so they went on, whilst all the spectators seeing Kandaka, but not observing the royalSâkya prince, raised piteous cries of lamentation and wept; as when thecharioteer returned without Râma. 

Then one by the side of the road, with his body bent, called out toKandaka: "The prince, beloved of the world, the defender of his people, the one you have taken away by stealth, where dwells he now?" Kandaka, then, with sorrowful heart, replied to the people and said: "I withloving purpose followed after him whom I loved; 'tis not I who havedeserted the prince, but by him have I been sent away; by him who nowhas given up his ordinary adornments, and with shaven head and religiousgarb, has entered the sorrow-giving grove. "

Then the men hearing that he had become an ascetic, were oppressed withthoughts of wondrous boding; they sighed with heaviness and wept, and astheir tears coursed down their cheeks, they spake thus one to the other:"What then shall we do?" Then they all exclaimed at once, "Let us hasteafter him in pursuit; for as when a man's bodily functions fail, hisframe dies and his spirit flees, so is the prince our life, and he ourlife gone, how shall we survive? This city, perfected with slopes andwoods; those woods, that cover the slopes of the city, all deprived ofgrace, ye lie as Bharata when killed!"

Then the men and women within the town, vainly supposing the prince hadcome back, in haste rushed out to the heads of the way, and seeing thehorse returning alone, not knowing whether the prince was safe or lost, began to weep and to raise every piteous sound; and said, "Behold!Kandaka advancing slowly with the horse, comes back with sighs andtears; surely he grieves because the prince is lost. " And thus sorrow isadded to sorrow!

Then like a captive warrior is drawn before the king his master, so didhe enter the gates with tears, his eyes filled so that he said nought. Then looking up to heaven he loudly groaned; and the white horse toowhined piteously; then all the varied birds and beasts in the palacecourt, and all the horses within the stables, hearing the sad whinnyingof the royal steed, replied in answer to him, thinking "now the princehas come back. " But seeing him not, they ceased their cries!

And now the women of the after-palace, hearing the cries of the horses, birds, and beasts, their hair dishevelled, their faces wan and yellow, their forms sickly to look at, their mouths and lips parched, theirgarments torn and unwashed, the soil and heat not cleansed from theirbodies, their ornaments all thrown aside, disconsolate and sad, cheerless in face, raised their bodies, without any grace, even as thefeeble little morning star; their garments torn and knotted, soiled likethe appearance of a robber, seeing Kandaka and the royal horse sheddingtears instead of the hoped-for return, they all, assembled thus, utteredtheir cry, even as those who weep for one beloved just dead. Confusedand wildly they rushed about, as a herd of oxen that have lost theirway. 

Mahâpragâpati Gotamî, hearing that the prince had not returned, fellfainting on the ground, her limbs entirely deprived of strength, even assome mad tornado wind crushes the golden-colored plantain tree; andagain, hearing that her son had become a recluse, deeply sighing andwith increased sadness she thought, "Alas! those glossy locks turning tothe right, each hair produced from each orifice, dark and pure, gracefully shining, sweeping the earth when loose, [98] or when sodetermined, bound together in a heavenly crown, and now shorn and lyingin the grass! Those rounded shoulders and that lion step! Those eyesbroad as the ox-king's, that body shining bright as yellow gold; thatsquare breast and Brahma voice; that you! possessing all these excellentqualities, should have entered on the sorrow-giving forest; what fortunenow remains for the world, losing thus the holy king of earth? Thatthose delicate and pliant feet, pure as the lily and of the same color, should now be torn by stones and thorns; O how can such feet tread onsuch ground! Born and nourished in the guarded palace, clad withgarments of the finest texture, washed in richly scented water, anointedwith the choicest perfumes, and now exposed to chilling blasts and dewsof night, O! where during the heat or the chilly morn can rest be found!Thou flower of all thy race! Confessed by all the most renowned! Thyvirtuous qualities everywhere talked of and exalted, ever reverenced, without self-seeking! why hast thou unexpectedly brought thyself uponsome morn to beg thy food for life! Thou who wert wont to repose upon asoft and kingly couch, and indulge in every pleasure during thy wakinghours: how canst thou endure the mountain and the forest wilds, on thebare grass to make thyself a resting-place!"

Thus thinking of her son--her heart was full of sorrow, disconsolate shelay upon the earth. The waiting women raised her up, and dried the tearsfrom off her face, whilst all the other courtly ladies, overpowered withgrief, their limbs relaxed, their minds bound fast with woe, unmovedthey sat like pictured-folk. 

And now Yasodharâ, deeply chiding, spoke thus to Kandaka: "Where nowdwells he, who ever dwells within my mind? You two went forth, the horsea third, but now two only have returned! My heart is utterly o'erbornewith grief, filled with anxious thoughts, it cannot rest. And you, deceitful man! Untrustworthy and false associate! evil contriver!plainly revealed a traitor, a smile lurks underneath thy tears!Escorting him in going; returning now with wails! Not one at heart--butin league against him--openly constituted a friend and well-wisher, concealing underneath a treacherous purpose; so thou hast caused thesacred prince to go forth once and not return again! No questioning thejoy you feel! Having done ill you now enjoy the fruit; better far todwell with an enemy of wisdom, than work with one who, while a fool, professes friendship. Openly professing sweetness and light, inwardly ascheming and destructive enemy. And now this royal and kingly house, inone short morn is crushed and ruined! All these fair and queen-likewomen, with grief o'erwhelmed, their beauty marred, their breathingchoked with tears and sobs, their faces soiled with crossing tracks ofgrief! Even the queen (Mâyâ) when in life, resting herself on him, asthe great snowy mountains repose upon the widening earth, through griefin thought of what would happen, died. How sad the lot of these--withinthese open lattices--these weeping ones, these deeply wailing! Born inanother state than hers in heaven, how can their grief be borne!" Thenspeaking to the horse she said, "Thou unjust! what dulness this--tocarry off a man, as in the darkness some wicked thief bears off aprecious gem. When riding thee in time of battle, swords, and javelinsand arrows, none of these alarmed or frighted thee! But now whatfitfulness of temper this, to carry off by violence, to rob my soul ofone, the choicest jewel of his tribe. O! thou art but a vicious reptile, to do such wickedness as this! to-day thy woeful lamentation soundseverywhere within these palace walls, but when you stole away mycherished one, why wert thou dumb and silent then! if then thy voice hadsounded loud, and roused the palace inmates from their sleep, if thenthey had awoke and slumbered not, there would not have ensued thepresent sorrow. "

Kandaka, hearing these sorrowful words, drawing in his breath andcomposing himself, wiping away his tears, with hands clasped together, answered: "Listen to me, I pray, in self-justification--be notsuspicious of, nor blame the royal horse, nor be thou angry with me, either. For in truth no fault has been committed by us. It is the godswho have effected this. For I, indeed, extremely reverenced the king'scommand, it was the gods who drove him to the solitudes, urgentlyleading on the horse with him: thus they went together fleet as withwings, his breathing hushed! suppressed was every sound, his feet scarcetouched the earth! The city gates wide opening of themselves! all spaceself-lighted! this was the work indeed of the gods; and what was I, orwhat my strength, compared with theirs?"

Yasodharâ hearing these words, her heart was lost in deep consideration!the deeds accomplished by the gods could not be laid to others' charge, as faults; and so she ceased her angry chiding, and allowed her greatconsuming grief to smoulder. Thus prostrate on the ground she mutteredout her sad complaints, "That the two doves should be divided! Now, " shecried, "my stay and my support is lost, between those once agreed inlife, separation has sprung up! those who were at one as to religion arenow divided! where shall I seek another mode of life? In olden days theformer conquerors greatly rejoiced to see their kingly retinue; thesewith their wives in company, in search of highest wisdom, roamed throughgroves and plains. And now, that he should have deserted me! and what isthe religious state he seeks! the Brahman ritual respecting sacrifice, requires the wife to take part in the offering, and because they bothshare in the service they shall both receive a common reward hereafter!but you O prince! art niggard in your religious rites, driving me away, and wandering forth alone! Is it that you saw me jealous, and so turnedagainst me! that you now seek someone free from jealousy! or did you seesome other cause to hate me, that you now seek to find a heaven-bornnymph! But why should one excelling in every personal grace seek topractise self-denying austerities! is it that you despise a common lotwith me, that variance rises in your breast against your wife! Why doesnot Râhula fondly repose upon your knee. Alas! alas! unlucky master!full of grace without, but hard at heart! The glory and the pride of allyour tribe, yet hating those who reverence you! O! can it be, you haveturned your back for good upon your little child, scarce able yet tosmile! My heart is gone! and all my strength! my lord has fled, towander in the mountains! he cannot surely thus forget me! he is then buta man of wood or stone. " Thus having spoken, her mind was dulled anddarkened, she muttered on, or spoke in wild mad words, or fancied thatshe saw strange sights, and sobbing past the power of self-restraint, her breath grew less, and sinking thus, she fell asleep upon the dustyground! The palace ladies seeing this, were wrung with heartfelt sorrow, just as the full-blown lily, struck by the wind and hail, is broken downand withered. 

And now the king, his father, having lost the prince, was filled, bothnight and day, with grief; and fasting, sought the gods for help. Heprayed that they would soon restore him, and having prayed and finishedsacrifice, he went from out the sacred gates; then hearing all the criesand sounds of mourning, his mind distressed became confused, as whenheaven's thundering and lightning put to bewildering flight a herd ofelephants. Then seeing Kandaka with the royal steed, after longquestioning, finding his son a hermit, fainting he fell upon the earth, as when the flag of Indra falls and breaks. Then all the ministers ofstate, upraising him, exhort him, as was right, to calm himself. Afterawhile, his mind somewhat recovered, speaking to the royal steed, hesaid: "How often have I ridden thee to battle, and every time havethought upon your excellence! but now I hate and loathe thee, more thanever I have loved or praised thee! My son, renowned for noble qualities, thou hast carried off and taken from me; and left him 'mid the mountainforests; and now you have come back alone; take me, then, quickly henceand go! And going, never more come back with me! For since you have notbrought him back, my life is worth no more preserving; no longer care Iabout governing! My son about me was my only joy; as the Brahman Gayantamet death for his son's sake, so I, deprived of my religious son, willof myself deprive myself of life. So Manu, lord of all that lives, everlamented for his son; how much more I, a mortal man deprived of mine, must lose all rest! In old time the king Aga, loving his son, wanderingthrough the mountains, lost in thought, ended life, and forthwith wasborn in heaven. And now I cannot die! Through the long night fixed inthis sad state, with this great palace round me, thinking of my son, solitary and athirst as any hungry spirit; as one who, thirsty, holdingwater in his hand, but when he tries to drink lets all escape, and soremains athirst till death ensues, and after death becomes a wanderingghost; so I, in the extremity of thirst, through loss, possessed once ofa son, but now without a son, still live and cannot end my days! Butcome! tell me at once where is my son! let me not die athirst for wantof knowing this and fall among the Pretas. In former days, at least, mywill was strong and firm, difficult to move as the great earth; but nowI've lost my son, my mind is dazed, as was in old time the kingDasaratha's. "

And now the royal teacher (Purohita), an illustrious sage, with thechief minister, famed for wisdom, with earnest and considerate minds, both exhorted with remonstrances, the king. "Pray you (they said) arouseyourself to thought, and let not grief cramp and hold your mind! inolden days there were mighty kings, who left their country, as flowersare scattered; your son now practises the way of wisdom; why then nurseyour grief and misery; you should recall the prophecy of Asita, andreasonably count on what was probable! Think of the heavenly joys whichyou, a universal king, have inherited! But now, so troubled andconstrained in mind, how will it not be said, 'The Lord of earth canchange his golden-jewel-heart!' Now, therefore, send us forth, and bidus seek the place he occupies, then by some stratagem and strongremonstrances, and showing him our earnestness of purpose, we will breakdown his resolution, and thus assuage your kingly sorrow. "

The king, with joy, replied and said: "Would that you both would go inhaste, as swiftly as the Saketa bird flies through the void for heryoung's sake; thinking of nought but the royal prince, and sad atheart--I shall await your search!"

The two men having received their orders, the king retired among hiskinsfolk, his heart somewhat more tranquillized, and breathing freelythrough his throat. 

The Mission to Seek the Prince

The king now suppressing his grief, urged on his great teacher and chiefminister, as one urges on with whip a ready horse, to hasten onwards asthe rapid stream; whilst they fatigued, yet with unflagging effort, cometo the place of the sorrow-giving grove; then laying on one side thefive outward marks of dignity and regulating well their outwardgestures, they entered the Brahmans' quiet hermitage, and paid reverenceto the Rishis. They, on their part, begged them to be seated, andrepeated the law for their peace and comfort. 

Then forthwith they addressed the Rishis and said: "We have on our mindsa subject on which we would ask for advice. There is one who is calledSuddhodana râga, a descendant of the famous Ikshvâku family, we are histeacher and his minister, who instruct him in the sacred books asrequired. The king indeed is like Indra for dignity; his son, likeKe-yan-to, in order to escape old age, disease, and death, has become ahermit, and depends on this; on his account have we come hither, with aview to let your worships know of this. "

Replying, they said: "With respect to this youth, has he long arms andthe signs of a great man? Surely he is the one who, inquiring into ourpractice, discoursed so freely on the matter of life and death. He hasgone to the abode of Arâda, to seek for a complete mode of escape. "

Having received this certain information, respectfully considering theurgent commands of the anxious king, they dared not hesitate in theirundertaking, but straightway took the road and hastened on. Then seeingthe wood in which the royal prince dwelt, and him, deprived of alloutward marks of dignity, his body still glorious with lustrous shining, as when the sun comes forth from the black cloud; then the religiousteacher of the country and the great minister holding to the true law, put off from them their courtly dress, and descending from the chariotgradually advanced, like the royal Po-ma-ti and the Rishi Vasishtha, went through the woods and forests, and seeing the royal prince Râma, each according to his own prescribed manner, paid him reverence, as headvanced to salute him; or as Sukra, in company with Angiras, withearnest heart paid reverence, and sacrificed to Indra râga. 

Then the royal prince in return paid reverence to the royal teacher andthe great minister, as the divine Indra placed at their ease Sukra andAngiras; then, at his command, the two men seated themselves before theprince, as Pou-na and Pushya, the twin stars attend beside the moon;then the Purohita and the great minister respectfully explained to theroyal prince, even as Pi-li-po-ti spoke to that Gayanta: "Your royalfather, thinking of the prince, is pierced in heart, as with an ironpoint; his mind distracted, raves in solitude; he sleeps upon the dustyground; by night and day he adds to his sorrowful reflections; his tearsflow down like the incessant rain; and now to seek you out, he has sentus hither. Would that you would listen with attentive mind; we know thatyou delight to act religiously; it is certain, then, without a doubt, this is not the time for you to enter the forest wilds; a feeling ofdeep pity consumes our heart! You, if you be indeed moved by religion, ought to feel some pity for our case; let your kindly feelings flowabroad, to comfort us who are worn at heart; let not the tide of sorrowand of sadness completely overwhelm the outlets of our heart; as thetorrents which roll down the grassy mountains; or the calamities oftempest, fiery heat, and lightning; for so the grieving heart has thesefour sorrows, turmoil and drought, passion and overthrow. But come!return to your native place, the time will arrive when you can go forthagain as a recluse. But now to disregard your family duties, to turnagainst father and mother, how can this be called love and affection?that love which overshadows and embraces all. Religion requires not thewild solitudes; you can practise a hermit's duties in your home;studiously thoughtful, diligent in expedients, this is to lead ahermit's life in truth. A shaven head, and garments soiled with dirt--towander by yourself through desert wilds--this is but to encourageconstant fears, and cannot be rightly called 'an awakened hermit'slife. ' Would rather we might take you by the hand, and sprinkle water onyour head, and crown you with a heavenly diadem, and place youunderneath a flowery canopy, that all eyes might gaze with eagernessupon you; after this, in truth, we would leave our home with joy. Theformer kings, Teou-lau-ma, A-neou-ke-o-sa, Po-ke-lo-po-yau, Pi-po-lo-'anti, Pi-ti-o-ke-na, Na-lo-sha-po-lo, all these several kingsrefused not the royal crown, the jewels, and the ornaments of person;their hands and feet were adorned with gems, around them were women todelight and please, these things they cast not from them, for the sakeof escape; you then may also come back home, and undertake bothnecessary duties; your mind prepare itself in higher law, whilst for thesake of earth you wield the sceptre; let there be no more weeping, butcomply with what we say, and let us publish it; and having published itwith your authority, then you may return and receive respectful welcome. Your father and your mother, for your sake, in grief shed tears like thegreat ocean; having no stay and no dependence now--no source from whichthe Sâkya stem may grow--you ought, like the captain of the ship, tobring it safely across to a place of safety. The royal prince Pi-san-ma, as also Lo-me-po-ti, they respectfully attended to the command of theirfather: you also should do the same! Your loving mother who cherishedyou so kindly, with no regard for self, through years of care, as thecow deprived of her calf, weeps and laments, forgetting to eat or sleep;you surely ought to return to her at once, to protect her life fromevil; as a solitary bird, away from its fellows, or as the lonelyelephant, wandering through the jungle, losing the care of their young, ever think of protecting and defending them, so you the only child, young and defenceless, not knowing what you do, bring trouble andsolicitude; cause, then, this sorrow to dissipate itself; as one whorescues the moon from being devoured, so do you reassure the men andwomen of the land, and remove from them the consuming grief, andsuppress the sighs that rise like breath to heaven, which cause thedarkness that obscures their sight; seeking you, as water, to quench thefire; the fire quenched, their eyes shall open. "

Bodhisattva, hearing of his father the king, experienced the greatestdistress of mind, and sitting still, gave himself to reflection; andthen, in due course, replied respectfully: "I know indeed that my royalfather is possessed of a loving and deeply considerate mind, but my fearof birth, old age, disease, and death, has led me to disobey, anddisregard his extreme kindness. Whoever neglects right considerationabout his present life, and because he hopes to escape in the end, therefore disregards all precautions in the present: on this man comesthe inevitable doom of death. It is the knowledge of this, therefore, that weighs with me, and after long delay has constrained me to ahermit's life; hearing of my father, the king, and his grief, my heartis affected with increased love; but yet, all is like the fancy of adream, quickly reverting to nothingness. Know then, without fear ofcontradiction, that the nature of existing things is not uniform; thecause of sorrow is not necessarily the relationship of child withparent, but that which produces the pain of separation, results from theinfluence of delusion; as men going along a road suddenly meet midwaywith others, and then a moment more are separated, each one going hisown way, so by the force of concomitance, relationships are framed, andthen, according to each one's destiny, there is separation; he whothoroughly investigates this false connection of relationship ought notto cherish in himself grief; in this world there is rupture of familylove, in another life it is sought for again; brought together for amoment, again rudely divided, everywhere the fetters of kindred areformed! Ever being bound, and ever being loosened! who can sufficientlylament such constant separations; born into the world, and thengradually changing, constantly separated by death and then born again. All things which exist in time must perish; the forests and mountains, all things that exist; in time are born all sensuous things, so is itboth with worldly substance and with time. Because, then, death pervadesall time, get rid of death, and time will disappear. You desire to makeme king, and it is difficult to resist the offices of love; but as adisease is difficult to bear without medicine, so neither can I bearthis weight of dignity; in every condition, high or low, we find follyand ignorance, and men carelessly following the dictates of lustfulpassion; at last, we come to live in constant fear; thinking anxiouslyof the outward form, the spirit droops; following the ways of men, themind resists the right; but, the conduct of the wise is not so. Thesumptuously ornamented and splendid palace I look upon as filled withfire; the hundred dainty dishes of the divine kitchen, as mingled withdestructive poisons; the lily growing on the tranquil lake, in its midstharbors countless noisome insects; and so the towering abode of the richis the house of calamity; the wise will not dwell therein. In formertimes illustrious kings, seeing the many crimes of their home andcountry, affecting as with poison the dwellers therein, in sorrowfuldisgust sought comfort in seclusion; we know, therefore, that thetroubles of a royal estate are not to be compared with the repose of areligious life; far better dwell in the wild mountains, and eat theherbs like the beasts of the field; therefore I dare not dwell in thewide palace, for the black snake has its dwelling there. I reject thekingly estate and the five desires; to escape such sorrows I wanderthrough the mountain wilds. This, then, would be the consequence ofcompliance: that I, who, delighting in religion, am gradually gettingwisdom, should now quit these quiet woods, and returning home, partakeof sensual pleasures, and thus by night and day increase my store ofmisery. Surely this is not what should be done! that the great leader ofan illustrious tribe, having left his home from love of religion, andforever turned his back upon tribal honor, desiring to confirm hispurpose as a leader--that he--discarding outward form, clad in religiousgarb, loving religious meditation, wandering through the wilds--shouldnow reject his hermit vestment, tread down his sense of proper shame andgive up his aim. This, though I gained heaven's kingly state, cannot bedone! how much less to gain an earthly, though distinguished, home!

"For having spewed forth lust, passion, and ignorance, shall I return tofeed upon it? as a man might go back to his vomit! such misery, howcould I bear? Like a man whose house has caught fire, by some expedientfinds a way to escape, will such a man forthwith go back and enter itagain? such conduct would disgrace a man! So I, beholding the evils, birth, old age, and death, to escape the misery, have become a hermit;shall I then go back and enter in, and like a fool dwell in theircompany? He who enjoys a royal estate and yet seeks rescue, cannot dwellthus, this is no place for him; escape is born from quietness and rest;to be a king is to add distress and poison; to seek for rest and yetaspire to royal condition are but contradictions; royalty and rescue, motion and rest, like fire and water, having two principles, cannot beunited. So one resolved to seek escape cannot abide possessed of kinglydignity! And if you say a man may be a king, and at the same timeprepare deliverance for himself, there is no certainty in this! to seekcertain escape is not to risk it thus; it is through this uncertainframe of mind that once a man gone forth is led to go back home again;but I, my mind is not uncertain; severing the baited hook ofrelationship, with straightforward purpose, I have left my home. Thentell me, why should I return again?"

The great minister, inwardly reflecting, thought, "The mind of the royalprince, my master, is full of wisdom, and agreeable to virtue, what hesays is reasonable and fitly framed. " Then he addressed the prince andsaid: "According to what your highness states, he who seeks religionmust seek it rightly; but this is not the fitting time for you; yourroyal father, old and of declining years, thinking of you his son, addsgrief to grief; you say indeed, 'I find my joy in rescue. To go backwould be apostasy. ' But yet your joy denotes unwisdom, and argues wantof deep reflection; you do not see, because you seek the fruit, how vainto give up present duty. There are some who say, There is 'hereafter';others there are who say, 'Nothing hereafter. ' So whilst this questionhangs in suspense, why should a man give up his present pleasure? Ifperchance there is 'hereafter, ' we ought to bear patiently what itbrings; if you say, 'Hereafter is not, ' then there is not eithersalvation! If you say, 'Hereafter is, ' you would not say, 'Salvationcauses it. ' As earth is hard, or fire is hot, or water moist, or wind ismobile, 'Hereafter' is just so. It has its own distinct nature. So whenwe speak of pure and impure, each comes from its own distinctive nature. If you should say, 'By some contrivance this can be removed, ' such anopinion argues folly. Every root within the moral world has its ownnature predetermined; loving remembrance and forgetfulness, these havetheir nature fixed and positive; so likewise age, disease, and death, these sorrows, who can escape by strategy? If you say, 'Water can putout fire, ' or 'Fire can cause water to boil and pass away, ' then thisproves only that distinctive natures may be mutually destructive; butnature in harmony produces living things; so man when first conceivedwithin the womb, his hands, his feet, and all his separate members, hisspirit and his understanding, of themselves are perfected; but who is hewho does it? Who is he that points the prickly thorn? This too isnature, self-controlling. And take again the different kinds of beasts, these are what they are, without desire on their part; and so, again, the heaven-born beings, whom the self-existent (Isvara) rules, and allthe world of his creation; these have no self-possessed power ofexpedients; for if they had a means of causing birth, there would bealso means for controlling death, and then what need ofself-contrivance, or seeking for deliverance? There are those who say, 'I' (the soul) is the cause of birth, and others who affirm, 'I' (thesoul) is the cause of death. There are some who say, 'Birth comes fromnothingness, and without any plan of ours we perish. ' Thus one is born afortunate child, removed from poverty, of noble family, or learned intestamentary lore of Rishis, or called to offer mighty sacrifices to thegods, born in either state, untouched by poverty, then their famous namebecomes to them 'escape, ' their virtues handed down by name to us; yetif these attained their happiness, without contrivance of their own, howvain and fruitless is the toil of those who seek 'escape. ' And you, desirous of deliverance, purpose to practise some high expedient, whilstyour royal father frets and sighs; for a short while you have essayedthe road, and leaving home have wandered through the wilds, to returnthen would not now be wrong; of old, King Ambarisha for a long whiledwelt in the grievous forest, leaving his retinue and all his kinsfolk, but afterwards returned and took the royal office; and so Râma, son ofthe king of the country, leaving his country occupied the mountains, buthearing he was acting contrary to usage, returned and governedrighteously. And so the king of Sha-lo-po, called To-lo-ma, father andson, both wandered forth as hermits, but in the end came back againtogether; so Po-'sz-tsau Muni, with On-tai-tieh, in the wild mountainspractising as Brahmakârins, these too returned to their own country. Thus all these worthies of a by-gone age, famous for their advance intrue religion, came back home and royally governed, as lampsenlightening the world. Wherefore for you to leave the mountain wilds, religiously to rule, is not a crime. "

The royal prince, listening to the great minister's loving words withoutexcess of speaking, full of sound argument, clear and unconfused, withno desire to wrangle after the way of the schools, with fixed purpose, deliberately speaking, thus answered the great minister: "The questionof being and not being is an idle one, only adding to the uncertainty ofan unstable mind, and to talk of such matters I have no stronginclination; purity of life, wisdom, the practice of asceticism, theseare matters to which I earnestly apply myself, the world is full ofempty studies which our teachers in their office skilfully involve; butthey are without any true principle, and I will none of them! Theenlightened man distinguishes truth from falsehood; but how can truth beborn from such as those? For they are like the man born blind, leadingthe blind man as a guide; as in the night, as in thick darkness bothwander on, what recovery is there for them? Regarding the question ofthe pure and impure, the world involved in self-engendered doubt cannotperceive the truth; better to walk along the way of purity, or ratherfollow the pure law of self-denial, hate the practice of impurity, reflect on what was said of old, not obstinate in one belief or onetradition, with sincere mind accepting all true words, and everbanishing sinful sorrow (i. E. Sin, the cause of grief). Words whichexceed sincerity are vainly spoken; the wise man uses not such words. Asto what you say of Râma and the rest, leaving their home, practising apure life, and then returning to their country, and once more mixingthemselves in sensual pleasures, such men as these walk vainly; thosewho are wise place no dependence on them. Now, for your sakes, permitme, briefly, to recount this one true principle of action: The sun, themoon may fall to earth, Sumeru and all the snowy mountains overturn, butI will never change my purpose; rather than enter a forbidden place, letme be cast into the fierce fire; not to accomplish rightly what I haveentered on, and to return once more to my own land, there to enter thefire of the five desires, let it befall me as my own oath records. " Sospake the prince, his arguments as pointed as the brightness of theperfect sun; then rising up he passed some distance off. 

The Purohita and the minister, their words and discourse prevailingnothing, conversed together, after which, resolving to depart on theirreturn, with great respect they quietly inform the prince, not daring tointrude their presence on him further; and yet regarding the king'scommands, not willing to return with unbecoming haste. They loiteredquietly along the way, and whomsoever they encountered, selecting thosewho seemed like wise men, they interchanged such thoughts as move thelearned, hiding their true position, as men of title; then passing on, they speeded on their way. 

[Footnote 97: That is, raising his nose to look up at the sun. ]

[Footnote 98: This description of the prince's hair seems to contradictthe head arrangement of the figures of Buddha, unless the curls denotethe shaven head of the recluse. ]

CHAPTER III

Bimbisâra Raga Invites the Prince

The royal prince, departing from the court-master (i. E. The Purohita)and the great minister, Saddharma, keeping along the stream, thencrossing the Ganges, he took the road towards the Vulture Peak, [99]hidden among the five mountains, standing alone a lovely peak as a roofamid the others. The trees and shrubs and flowers in bloom, the flowingfountains, and the cooling rills; all these he gazed upon--then passingon, he entered the city of the five peaks, calm and peaceful, as onecome down from heaven. The country folk, seeing the royal prince, hiscomeliness and his excessive grace, though young in years, yet gloriousin his person, incomparable as the appearance of a great master, seeinghim thus, strange thoughts affected them, as if they gazed upon thebanner of Isvara. They stayed the foot, who passed athwart the path;those hastened on, who were behind; those going before, turned backtheir heads and gazed with earnest, wistful look. The marks anddistinguishing points of his person, on these they fixed their eyeswithout fatigue, and then approached with reverent homage, joining boththeir hands in salutation. With all there was a sense of wondrous joy, as in their several ways they offered what they had, looking at hisnoble and illustrious features; bending down their bodies modestly, correcting every careless or unseemly gesture, thus they showed theirreverence to him silently; those who with anxious heart, seekingrelease, were moved by love, with feelings composed, bowed down themore. Great men and women, in their several engagements, at the sametime arrested on their way, paid to his person and his presence homage:and following him as they gazed, they went not back. For the whitecircle between his eyebrows adorning his wide and violet-colored eyes, his noble body bright as gold, his pure and web-joined fingers, allthese, though he were but a hermit, were marks of one who was a holyking; and now the men and women of Râgagriha, the old and young alike, were moved, and cried, "This man so noble as a recluse, what common joyis this for us!" At this time Bimbisâra Râga, placed upon a high towerof observation, seeing all those men and women, in different waysexhibiting one mark of surprise, calling before him some man outside, inquired at once the cause of it; this one bending his knee below thetower, told fully what he had seen and heard, "That one of the Sâkyarace, renowned of old, a prince most excellent and wonderful, divinelywise, beyond the way of this world, a fitting king to rule the eightregions, now without home, is here, and all men are paying homage tohim. "

The king on hearing this was deeply moved at heart, and though his bodywas restrained, his soul had gone. Calling his ministers speedily beforehim, and all his nobles and attendants, he bade them follow secretly theprince's steps, to observe what charity was given. So, in obedience tothe command, they followed and watched him steadfastly, as with evengait and unmoved presence he entered on the town and begged his food, according to the rule of all great hermits, with joyful mien andundisturbed mind, not anxious whether much or little alms were given;whatever he received, costly or poor, he placed within his bowl, thenturned back to the wood, and having eaten it and drunk of the flowingstream, he joyous sat upon the immaculate mountain. There he beheld thegreen trees fringing with their shade the crags, the scented flowersgrowing between the intervals, whilst the peacocks and the other birds, joyously flying, mingled their notes; his sacred garments bright andlustrous, shone as the sun-lit mulberry leaves; the messengers beholdinghis fixed composure, one by one returning, reported what they had seen;the king hearing it, was moved at heart, and forthwith ordered his royalequipment to be brought, his god-like crown and his flower-bespangledrobes; then, as the lion-king, he strode forth, and choosing certainaged persons of consideration, learned men, able calmly and wisely todiscriminate, he, with them, led the way, followed by a hundred thousandpeople, who like a cloud ascended with the king the royal mountain. 

And now beholding the dignity of Bodhisattva, every outward gestureunder government, sitting with ease upon the mountain crag, as the moonshining limpid in the pure heavens, so was his matchless beauty andpurity of grace; then as the converting presence of religion dwellingwithin the heart makes it reverential, so, beholding him, he reverentlyapproached, even as divine Sâkara comes to the presence of Mo-hi-su-ma, so with every outward form of courtesy and reverence the king approachedand asked him respectfully of his welfare. 

Bodhisattva, answering as he was moved, in his turn made similarinquiries. Then the king, the questioning over, sat down with dignityupon a clean-faced rock. And so he steadfastly beheld the divineappearance of the prince, the sweetness and complacency of his featuresrevealing what his station was and high estate, his family renown, received by inheritance; the king, who for a time restrained hisfeelings, now wishful to get rid of doubts, inquired why one descendedfrom the royal family of the sun-brightness having attended to religioussacrifices through ten thousand generations, whereof the virtue haddescended as his full inheritance, increasing and accumulating untilnow, why he so excellent in wisdom, so young in years, had now become arecluse, rejecting the position of a Kakravartin's son, begging hisfood, despising family fame, his beauteous form, fit for perfumes andanointings, why clothed with coarse Kasâya garments; the hand whichought to grasp the reins of empire, instead thereof, taking its littlestint of food; if indeed (the king continued) you were not of royaldescent, and would receive as an offering the transfer of this land, then would I divide with you my empire; saying this, he scarcely hopedto excite his feelings, who had left his home and family, to be ahermit. Then forthwith the king proceeded thus: "Give just weight I prayyou to my truthful words: desire for power is kin to nobleness, and sois just pride of fame or family or wealth or personal appearance; nolonger having any wish to subdue the proud, or to bend others down andso get thanks from men, it were better, then, to give to the strong andwarlike martial arms to wear, for them to follow war and by their powerto get supremacy; but when by one's own power a kingdom falls to hand, who would not then accept the reins of empire? The wise man knows thetime to take religion, wealth, and worldly pleasure. But if he obtainsnot the threefold profit, then in the end he abates his earnest efforts, and reverencing religion, he lets go material wealth. Wealth is the onedesire of worldly men; to be rich and lose all desire for religion, thisis to gain but outside wealth. But to be poor and even thus despisereligion, what pleasure can indulgence give in such a case! But whenpossessed of all the three, and when enjoyed with reason and propriety, then religion, wealth, and pleasure make what is rightly called a greatmaster; permit not, then, your perfectly endowed body to lay aside itsglory, without reward; the Kakravartin, as a monarch, ruled the fourempires of the world, and shared with Sakra his royal throne, but wasunequal to the task of ruling heaven. But you, with your redoubtablestrength, may well grasp both heavenly and human power; I do not relyupon my kingly power, in my desire to keep you here by force, but seeingyou change your comeliness of person, and wearing the hermit's garb, whilst it makes me reverence you for your virtue, moves me with pity andregret for you as a man; you now go begging your food, and I offer youthe whole land as yours; whilst you are young and lusty enjoy yourself. During middle life acquire wealth, and when old and all your abilitiesripened, then is the time for following the rules of religion; whenyoung to encourage religious fervor, is to destroy the sources ofdesire; but when old and the breath is less eager, then is the time toseek religious solitude; when old we should avoid, as a shame, desire ofwealth, but get honor in the world by a religious life; but when young, and the heart light and elastic, then is the time to partake ofpleasure, in boon companionship to indulge in gayety, and partake to thefull of mutual intercourse; but as years creep on, giving up indulgence, to observe the ordinances of religion, to mortify the five desires, andgo on increasing a joyful and religious heart, is not this the law ofthe eminent kings of old, who as a great company paid worship to heaven, and borne on the dragon's back received the joys of celestial abodes?All these divine and victorious monarchs, glorious in person, richlyadorned, thus having as a company performed their religious offering, inthe end received the reward of their conduct in heaven. " Thus BimbasâraRâga used every kind of winning expedient in argument The royal prince, unmoved and fixed, remained firm as Mount Sumeru. 

The Reply to Bimbasâra Râga

Bimbasâra Râga, having, in a decorous manner, and with soothing speech, made his request, the prince on his part respectfully replied, in thefollowing words, deep and heart-stirring: "Illustrious andworld-renowned! Your words are not opposed to reason, descendant of adistinguished family--an Aryan--amongst men a true friend indeed, righteous and sincere to the bottom of your heart, it is proper forreligion's sake to speak thus. In all the world, in its differentsections, there is no chartered place for solid virtue, for if virtueflags and folly rules, what reverence can there be, or honor paid, to ahigh name or boast of prowess, inherited from former generations! And sothere may be in the midst of great distress, large goodness, these arenot mutually opposed. This then is so with the world in the connectionof true worth and friendship. A true friend who makes good use ofwealth--is rightly called a fast and firm treasure, but he who guardsand stints the profit he has made, his wealth will soon be spent andlost; the wealth of a country is no constant treasure, but that which isgiven in charity is rich in returns, therefore charity is a true friend:although it scatters, yet it brings no repentance; you indeed are knownas liberal and kind, I make no reply in opposition to you, but simply aswe meet, so with agreeable purpose we talk. I fear birth, old age, disease, and death, and so I seek to find a sure mode of deliverance; Ihave put away thought of relatives and family affection, how is itpossible then for me to return to the world and not to fear to revivethe poisonous snake, and after the hail to be burned in the fierce fire;indeed, I fear the objects of these several desires, this whirling inthe stream of life troubles my heart, these five desires, the inconstantthieves--stealing from men their choicest treasures, making them unreal, false, and fickle--are like the man called up as an apparition; for atime the beholders are affected by it, but it has no lasting hold uponthe mind; so these five desires are the great obstacles, foreverdisarranging the way of peace; if the joys of heaven are not worthhaving, how much less the desires common to men, begetting the thirst ofwild love, and then lost in the enjoyment, as the fierce wind fans thefire, till the fuel be spent and the fire expires; of all unrighteousthings in the world, there is nothing worse than the domain of the fivedesires; for all men maddened by the power of lust, giving themselves topleasure, are dead to reason. The wise man fears these desires, he fearsto fall into the way of unrighteousness; for like a king who rules allwithin the four seas, yet still seeks beyond for something more, so islust; like the unbounded ocean, it knows not when and where to stop. Mandha, the Kakravartin, when the heavens rained yellow gold, and heruled all within the seas, yet sighed after the domain of thethirty-three heavens; dividing with Sakra his seat, and so through thepower of this lust he died; Nung-Sha, whilst practising austerities, gotpower to rule the thirty-three heavenly abodes, but from lust he becameproud and supercilious; the Rishi whilst stepping into his chariot, through carelessness in his gait, fell down into the midst of theserpent pit. Yen-lo, the universal monarch (Kakravartin), wanderingabroad through the Trayastrimsas heaven, took a heavenly woman (Apsara)for a queen, and unjustly extorted the gold of a Rishi; the Rishi, inanger, added a charm, by which the country was ruined, and his lifeended. Po-lo, and Sakra king of Devas, and Nung-Sha returning to Sakra;what certainty is there, even for the lord of heaven? Neither is anycountry safe, though kept by the mighty strength of those dwelling init. But when one's clothing consists of grass, the berries one's food, the rivulets one's drink, with long hair flowing to the ground, silentas a Muni, seeking nothing, in this way practising austerities, in theend lust shall be destroyed. Know then, that the province of the fivedesires is avowedly an enemy of the religious man. Even theone-thousand-armed invincible king, strong in his might, finds it hardto conquer this. The Rishi Râma perished because of lust; how much moreought I, the son of a Kshatriya, to restrain lustful desire; but indulgein lust a little, and like the child it grows apace, the wise man hatesit therefore; who would take poison for food? every sorrow is increasedand cherished by the offices of lust. If there is no lustful desire, therisings of sorrow are not produced, the wise man seeing the bitternessof sorrow, stamps out and destroys the risings of desire; that which theworld calls virtue, is but another form of this baneful law; worldly menenjoying the pleasure of covetous desire then every form of carelessconduct results; these careless ways producing hurt, at death, thesubject of them reaps perdition. But by the diligent use of means, andcareful continuance therein, the consequences of negligence are avoided, we should therefore dread the non-use of means; recollecting that allthings are illusory, the wise man covets them not; he who desires suchthings, desires sorrow, and then goes on again ensnared in love, with nocertainty of ultimate freedom; he advances still and ever adds grief togrief, like one holding a lighted torch burns his hand, and thereforethe wise man enters on no such things. The foolish man and the one whodoubts, still encouraging the covetous and burning heart, in the endreceives accumulated sorrow, not to be remedied by any prospect of rest;covetousness and anger are as the serpent's poison; the wise man castsaway the approach of sorrow as a rotten bone; he tastes it not nortouches it, lest it should corrupt his teeth, that which the wise manwill not take, the king will go through fire and water to obtain, thewicked sons labor for wealth as for a piece of putrid flesh, o'er whichthe hungry flocks of birds contend. So should we regard riches; the wiseman is ill pleased at having wealth stored up, the mind wild withanxious thoughts, guarding himself by night and day, as a man who fearssome powerful enemy, like as a man's feelings revolt with disgust at thesights seen beneath the slaughter post of the East Market; so the highpost which marks the presence of lust, and anger, and ignorance, thewise man always avoids; as those who enter the mountains or the seashave much to contend with and little rest, as the fruit which grows on ahigh tree, and is grasped at by the covetous at the risk of life, so isthe region of covetous desire, though they see the difficulty of gettingit, yet how painfully do men scheme after wealth, difficult to acquire, easy to dissipate, as that which is got in a dream: how can the wise manhoard up such trash! Like covering over with a false surface a hole fullof fire, slipping through which the body is burnt, so is the fire ofcovetous desire. The wise man meddles not with it. Like that Kaurava, orPih-se-ni Nanda, or Ni-k'he-lai Danta, as some butcher's appearance, such also is the appearance of lustful desire; the wise man will havenothing to do with it; he would rather throw his body into the water orfire, or cast himself down over a steep precipice. Seeking to obtainheavenly pleasures, what is this but to remove the place of sorrow, without profit. Sün-tau, Po-sun-tau, brothers of Asura, lived togetherin great affection, but on account of lustful desire slew one another, and their name perished; all this then comes from lust; it is this whichmakes a man vile, and lashes and goads him with piercing sorrow; lustdebases a man, robs him of all hope, whilst through the long night hisbody and soul are worn out; like the stag that covets the power ofspeech and dies, or the winged bird that covets sensual pleasure, or thefish that covets the baited hook, such are the calamities that lustbrings; considering what are the requirements of life, none of thesepossess permanency; we eat to appease the pain of hunger, to do awaywith thirst we drink, we clothe ourselves to keep out the cold and wind, we lie down to rest to get sleep, to procure locomotion we seek acarriage, when we would halt we seek a seat, we wash to cleanseourselves from dirt; all these things are done to avoid inconvenience;we may gather therefore that these five desires have no permanentcharacter; for as a man suffering from fever seeks and asks for somecooling medicine, so covetousness seeks for something to satisfy itslongings; foolish men regard these things as permanent, and as thenecessary requirements of life, but, in sooth, there is no permanentcessation of sorrow; for by coveting to appease these desires we reallyincrease them; there is no character of permanency therefore about them. To be filled and clothed are no lasting pleasures, time passes, and thesorrow recurs; summer is cool during the moon-tide shining; winter comesand cold increases; and so through all the eightfold laws of the worldthey possess no marks of permanence, sorrow and joy cannot agreetogether, as a person slave-governed loses his renown. But religioncauses all things to be of service, as a king reigning in hissovereignty; so religion controls sorrow, as one fits on a burdenaccording to power of endurance. Whatever our condition in the world, still sorrows accumulate around us. Even in the condition of a king, howdoes pain multiply, though bound to others by love, yet this is a causeof grief; without friends and living alone, what joy can there be inthis? Though a man rules over the four kingdoms, yet only one part canbe enjoyed; to be concerned in ten thousand matters, what profit isthere in this, for we only accumulate anxieties. Put an end to sorrow, then, by appeasing desire, refrain from busy work, this is rest. A kingenjoys his sensual pleasures; deprived of kingship there is the joy ofrest; in both cases there are pleasures but of different kinds; why thenbe a king! Make then no plan or crafty expedient, to lead me back to thefive desires; what my heart prays for, is some quiet place and freedom;but you desire to entangle me in relationships and duties, and destroythe completion of what I seek; I am in no fear of family hatred, nor doI seek the joys of heaven; my heart hankers after no vulgar profit, so Ihave put away my royal diadem; and contrary to your way of thinking, Iprefer, henceforth, no more to rule. A hare rescued from the serpent'smouth, would it go back again to be devoured? holding a torch andburning himself, would not a man let it go? A man blind and recoveringhis sight, would he again seek to be in darkness? the rich, does he sighfor poverty? the wise, does he long to be ignorant? Has the world suchmen as these? then will I again enjoy my country. But I desire to getrid of birth, old age, and death, with body restrained, to beg my food;with appetites moderated, to keep in my retreat; and then to avoid theevil modes of a future life, this is to find peace in two worlds: nowthen I pray you pity me not. Pity, rather, those who rule as kings!their souls ever vacant and athirst, in the present world no repose, hereafter receiving pain as their meed. You, who possess a distinguishedfamily name, and the reverence due to a great master, would generouslyshare your dignity with me, your worldly pleasures and amusements; I, too, in return, for your sake, beseech you to share my reward with me;he who indulges in the threefold kinds of pleasure, this man the worldcalls 'Lord, ' but this is not according to reason either, because thesethings cannot be retained, but where there is no birth, or life, ordeath, he who exercises himself in this way, is Lord indeed! You saythat while young a man should be gay, and when old then religious, but Iregard the feebleness of age as bringing with it loss of power to bereligious, unlike the firmness and power of youth, the will determinedand the heart established; but death as a robber with a drawn swordfollows us all, desiring to catch his prey; how then should we wait forold age, ere we bring our mind to a religious life? Inconstancy is thegreat hunter, age his bow, disease his arrows, in the fields of life anddeath he hunts for living things as for the deer; when he can get hisopportunity, he takes our life; who then would wait for age? And whatthe teachers say and do, with reference to matters connected with lifeand death, exhorting the young, mature, or middle-aged, all to contriveby any means, to prepare vast meetings for sacrifices, this they doindeed of their own ignorance; better far to reverence the true law, andput an end to sacrifice to appease the gods! Destroying life to gainreligious merit, what love can such a man possess? even if the reward ofsuch sacrifices were lasting, even for this, slaughter would beunseemly; how much more, when the reward is transient! Shall we, insearch of this, slay that which lives, in worship? this is like thosewho practise wisdom, and the way of religious abstraction, but neglectthe rules of moral conduct. It ill behooves us then to follow with theworld, and attend these sacrificial assemblies, and seek some presentgood in killing that which lives; the wise avoid destroying life! Muchless do they engage in general sacrifices, for the purpose of gainingfuture reward! the fruit promised in the three worlds is none of mine tochoose for happiness! All these are governed by transient, fickle laws, like the wind, or the drop that is blown from the grass; such thingstherefore I put away from me, and I seek for true escape. I hear thereis one O-lo-lam who eloquently discourses on the way of escape; I mustgo to the place where he dwells, that great Rishi and hermit. But intruth, sorrow must be banished; I regret indeed leaving you; may yourcountry have repose and quiet! safely defended by you as by the divineSakra râga! May wisdom be shed abroad as light upon your empire, likethe brightness of the meridian sun! may you be exceedingly victorious aslord of the great earth, with a perfect heart ruling over its destiny!May you direct and defend its sons! ruling your empire in righteousness!Water and snow and fire are opposed to one another, but the fire by itsinfluence causes vapor, the vapor causes the floating clouds, thefloating clouds drop down rain; there are birds in space, who drink therain, with rainless bodies. [100] Slaughter and peaceful homes areenemies! those who would have peace hate slaughter, and if those whoslaughter are so hateful, then put an end, O king, to those who practiseit! And bid these find release, as those who drink and yet are parchedwith thirst. "

Then the king, clasping together his hands, with greatest reverence andjoyful heart, said, "That which you now seek, may you obtain quickly thefruit thereof; having obtained the perfect fruit, return I pray andgraciously receive me!"

Bodhisattva, his heart inwardly acquiescing, purposing to accomplish hisprayer, departing, pursued his road, going to the place where ÂrâdaKâlâma dwelt; whilst the king with all his retinue, their hands clasped, themselves followed a little space, then with thoughtful and mindfulheart, returned once more to Râgagriha!

Visit to Ârâda Udrarâma

The child of the glorious sun of the Ikshvâku race, going to that quietpeaceful grove, reverently stood before the Muni, the great Rishi ÂrâdaRâma; the dark-clad followers of the Kalam (Sanghârâma) seeing afar-offBodhisattva approaching, with loud voice raised a joyful chant, and withsuppressed breath muttered "Welcome, " as with clasped hands theyreverenced him. Approaching one another, they made mutual inquiries; andthis being done, with the usual apologies, according to their precedencein age they sat down; the Brahmakârins observing the prince, beheld hispersonal beauty and carefully considered his appearance; respectfullythey satisfied themselves of his high qualities, like those who, thirsty, drink the "pure dew. " Then with raised hands they addressed theprince: "Have you been long an ascetic, divided from your family andbroken from the bonds of love, like the elephant who has cast offrestraint? Full of wisdom, completely enlightened, you seem well able toescape the poisonous fruit of this world. In old time the monarch MingShing gave up his kingly estate to his son, as a man who has carried aflowery wreath, when withered casts it away: but such is not your case, full of youthful vigor, and yet not enamoured with the condition of aholy king; we see that your will is strong and fixed, capable ofbecoming a vessel of the true law, able to embark in the boat of wisdom, and to cross over the sea of life and death. The common class, enticedto come to learn, their talents first are tested, then they are taught;but as I understand your case, your mind is already fixed and your willfirm; and now you have undertaken the purpose of learning, I ampersuaded you will not in the end shrink from it. "

The prince hearing this exhortation, with gladness made reply: "You havewith equal intention, illustrious! cautioned me with impartial mind;with humble heart I accept the advice, and pray that it may be so withme as you anticipate; that I may in my night-journey obtain a torch, toguide me safely through treacherous places; a handy boat to cross overthe sea;--may it be so even now with me! But as I am somewhat in doubtand anxious to learn, I will venture to make known my doubts, and ask, with respect to old age, disease, and death, how are these things to beescaped?"

At this time O-lo-lam hearing the question asked by the prince, brieflyfrom the various Sutras and Sâstras quoted passages in explanation of away of deliverance. "But thou, " he said, "illustrious youth! so highlygifted, and eminent among the wise! hear what I have to say, as Idiscourse upon the mode of ending birth and death; nature, and change, birth, old age, and death, these five attributes belong to all; natureis (in itself) pure and without fault; the involution of this with thefive elements, causes an awakening and power of perception, which, according to its exercise, is the cause of change; form, sound, order, taste, touch, these are called the five objects of sense; as the handand foot are called the two ways, so these are called the roots ofaction (the five skandhas); the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, thebody, these are named the roots (instruments) of understanding. The rootof mind (manas) is twofold, being both material, and also intelligent;nature by its involutions is the cause, the knower of the cause is I(the soul); Kapila the Rishi and his numerous followers, on this deepprinciple of soul, practising wisdom (Buddhi), found deliverance. Kapilaand now Vâkaspati, by the power of Buddhi perceiving the character ofbirth, old age, and death, declare that on this is founded truephilosophy; whilst all opposed to this, they say, is false. Ignoranceand passion, causing constant transmigration, abiding in the midst ofthese (they say) is the lot of all that lives. Doubting the truth ofsoul is called excessive doubt, and without distinguishing aright, therecan be no method of escape. Deep speculation as to the limits ofperception is but to involve the soul; thus unbelief leads to confusion, and ends in differences of thought and conduct. Again, the variousspeculations on soul, such as 'I say, ' 'I know and perceive, ' 'I come'and 'I go, ' or 'I remain fixed, ' these are called the intricacies ofsoul. And then the fancies raised in different natures, some saying'this is so, ' others denying it, and this condition of uncertainty iscalled the state of darkness. Then there are those who say that outwardthings are one with soul, who say that the objective is the same asmind, who confuse intelligence with instruments, who say that number isthe soul. Thus not distinguishing aright, these are called excessivequibbles, marks of folly, nature changes, and so on. To worship andrecite religious books, to slaughter living things in sacrifice, torender pure by fire and water, and thus awake the thought of finalrescue, all these ways of thinking are called without right expedient, the result of ignorance and doubt, by means of word or thought or deed;involving outward relationships, this is called depending on means;making the material world the ground of soul, this is called dependingon the senses. By these eight sorts of speculation are we involved inbirth and death. The foolish masters of the world make theirclassifications in these five ways: Darkness, folly, and great folly, angry passion, with timid fear. Indolent coldness is called darkness;birth and death are called folly; lustful desire is great folly; becauseof great men subjected to error, cherishing angry feelings, passionresults; trepidation of the heart is called fear. Thus these foolish mendilate upon the five desires; but the root of the great sorrow of birthand death, the life destined to be spent in the five ways, the cause ofthe whirl of life, I clearly perceive, is to be placed in the existenceof 'I'; because of the influence of this cause, result the consequencesof repeated birth and death; this cause is without any nature of itsown, and its fruits have no nature; rightly considering what has beensaid, there are four matters which have to do with escape, kindlingwisdom--opposed to dark ignorance--making manifest--opposed toconcealment and obscurity--if these four matters be understood, then wemay escape birth, old age, and death. Birth, old age, and death beingover, then we attain a final place; the Brahmans all depending on thisprinciple, practising themselves in a pure life, have also largelydilated on it, for the good of the world. "

The prince hearing these words again inquired of Ârâda: "Tell me whatare the expedients you name, and what is the final place to which theylead, and what is the character of that pure Brahman life; and againwhat are the stated periods during which such life must be practised, and during which such life is lawful; all these are principles to beinquired into; and on them I pray you discourse for my sake. "

Then that Ârâda, according to the Sutras and Sâstras, spoke: "Yourselfusing wisdom is the expedient; but I will further dilate on this alittle; first by removing from the crowd and leading a hermit's life, depending entirely on alms for food, extensively practising rules ofdecorum, religiously adhering to right rules of conduct; desiring littleand knowing when to abstain, receiving whatever is given in food, whether pleasant or otherwise, delighting to practise a quiet life, diligently studying all the Sûtras and Sâstras; observing the characterof covetous longing and fear, without remnant of desire to live inpurity, to govern well the organs of life, the mind quieted and silentlyat rest; removing desire, and hating vice, all the sorrows of life putaway, then there is happiness; and we obtain the enjoyment of the firstdhyâna. [101] Having obtained this first dhyâna, then with theillumination thus obtained, by inward meditation is born reliance onthought alone, and the entanglements of folly are put away; the minddepending on this, then after death, born in the Brahma heavens, theenlightened are able to know themselves; by the use of means is producedfurther inward illumination; diligently persevering, seeking higheradvance, accomplishing the second dhyâna, tasting of that great joy, weare born in the Kwong-yin heaven; then by the use of means putting awaythis delight, practising the third dhyâna, resting in such delight andwishing no further excellence, there is a birth in the Subhakritsnaheaven; leaving the thought of such delight, straightway we reach thefourth dhyâna, all joys and sorrows done away, the thought of escapeproduced; we dwell in this fourth dhyâna, and are born in theVrihat-phala heaven; because of its long enduring years, it is thuscalled Vrihat-phala (extensive-fruit); whilst in that state ofabstraction rising higher, perceiving there is a place beyond any bodilycondition, adding still and persevering further in practising wisdom, rejecting this fourth dhyâna, firmly resolved to persevere in thesearch, still contriving to put away every desire after form, graduallyfrom every pore of the body there is perceived a feeling of emptyrelease, and in the end this extends to every solid part, so that thewhole is perfected in an apprehension of emptiness. In brief, perceivingno limits to this emptiness, there is opened to the view boundlessknowledge. Endowed with inward rest and peace, the idea of 'I' departs, and the object of 'I'--clearly discriminating the non-existence ofmatter, this is the condition of immaterial life. As the Muñga (grass)when freed from its horny case, or as the wild bird which escapes fromits prison trap, so, getting away from all material limitations, we thusfind perfect release. Thus ascending above the Brahmans, deprived ofevery vestige of bodily existence, we still endure. Endued with wisdom!let it be known this is real and true deliverance. You ask what are theexpedients for obtaining this escape; even as I have before detailed, those who have deep faith will learn. The Rishis Gaigîshavya, Ganaka, Vriddha Parâsara, and other searchers after truth, all by the way I haveexplained, have reached true deliverance. "

The prince hearing these words, deeply pondering on the outline of theseprinciples, and reaching back to the influences produced by our formerlives, again asked with further words: "I have heard your very excellentsystem of wisdom, the principles very subtle and deep-reaching, fromwhich I learn that because of not 'letting go' (by knowledge as acause), we do not reach the end of the religious life; but byunderstanding nature in its involutions, then, you say, we obtaindeliverance; I perceive this law of birth has also concealed in itanother law as a germ; you say that the 'I' (i. E. The soul of Kapila)being rendered pure, forthwith there is true deliverance; but if weencounter a union of cause and effect, then there is a return to thetrammels of birth; just as the germ in the seed, when earth, fire, water, and wind seem to have destroyed in it the principle of life, meeting with favorable concomitant circumstances will yet revive, without any evident cause, but because of desire; so those who havegained this supposed release, likewise keeping the idea of 'I' andliving things, have in fact gained no final deliverance; in everycondition, letting go the three classes and again reaching the threeexcellent qualities, because of the eternal existence of soul, by thesubtle influences of that (influences resulting from the past), theheart lets go the idea of expedients, and obtains an almost endlessduration of years. This, you say, is true release; you say 'letting gothe ground on which the idea of soul rests, ' that this frees us from'limited existence, ' and that the mass of people have not yet removedthe idea of soul, and are therefore still in bondage. But what is thisletting go gunas (cords fettering the soul); if one is fettered by thesegunas, how can there be release? For gunî (the object) and guna (thequality) in idea are different, but in substance one; if you say thatyou can remove the properties of a thing and leave the thing by arguingit to the end, this is not so. If you remove heat from fire, then thereis no such thing as fire, or if you remove surface from body, what bodycan remain? Thus guna is as it were surface, remove this and there canbe no gunî. So that this deliverance, spoken of before, must leave abody yet in bonds. Again, you say that by clear knowledge you get rid ofbody; there is then such a thing as knowledge or the contrary; if youaffirm the existence of clear knowledge, then there should be someonewho possesses it (i. E. Possesses this knowledge); if there be apossesor, how can there be deliverance from this personal 'I'? If yousay there is no 'knower, ' then who is it that is spoken of as 'knowing'?If there is knowledge and no person, then the subject of knowledge maybe a stone or a log; moreover, to have clear knowledge of these minutecauses of contamination and reject them thoroughly, these being sorejected, there must be an end, then, of the 'doer. ' What Ârâda hasdeclared cannot satisfy my heart. This clear knowledge is not universalwisdom, I must go on and seek a better explanation. "

Going on then to the place of Udra Rishi, he also expatiated on thisquestion of "I. " But although he refined the matter to the utmost, laying down a term of "thought" and "no thought" taking the position ofremoving "thought" and "no thought, " yet even so he came not out of themire; for supposing creatures attained that state, still (he said) thereis a possibility of returning to the coil, whilst Bodhisattva sought amethod of getting out of it. So once more leaving Udra Rishi, he went onin search of a better system, and came at last to Mount Kia-ke (theforest of mortification), where was a town called Pain-suffering forest. Here the five Bhikshus had gone before. When then he beheld these five, virtuously keeping in check their senses, holding to the rules of moralconduct, practising mortification, dwelling in that grove ofmortification; occupying a spot beside the Nairañgana river, perfectlycomposed and filled with contentment, Bodhisattva forthwith by themselecting one spot, quietly gave himself to thought. The five Bhikshusknowing him with earnest heart to be seeking escape, offered him theirservices with devotion, as if reverencing Isvara Deva. 

Having finished their attentions and dutiful services, then going on hetook his seat not far off, as one about to enter on a course ofreligious practice, composing all his members as he desired. Bodhisattvadiligently applied himself to "means, " as one about to cross over oldage, disease, and death. With full purpose of heart he set himself toendure mortification, to restrain every bodily passion, and give upthought about sustenance, with purity of heart to observe thefast-rules, which no worldly man can bear; silent and still, lost inthoughtful meditation; and so for six years he continued, each dayeating one hemp grain, his bodily form shrunken and attenuated, seekinghow to cross the sea of birth and death, exercising himself still deeperand advancing further; making his way perfect by the disentanglements oftrue wisdom, not eating, and yet not looking to that as a cause ofemancipation, his four members although exceedingly weak, his heart ofwisdom increasing yet more and more in light; his spirit free, his bodylight and refined, his name spreading far and wide, as "highly gifted, "even as the moon when first produced, or as the Kumuda flower spreadingout its sweetness. Everywhere through the country his excellent fameextended; the daughters of the lord of the place both coming to see him, his mortified body like a withered branch, just completing the period ofsix years, fearing the sorrow of birth and death, seeking earnestly themethod of true wisdom, he came to the conviction that these were not themeans to extinguish desire and produce ecstatic contemplation; nor yetthe means by which in former time, seated underneath the Gambu tree, hearrived at that miraculous condition, that surely was the proper way, hethought, the way opposed to this of "withered body. "

"I should therefore rather seek strength of body, by drink and foodrefresh my members, and with contentment cause my mind to rest. My mindat rest, I shall enjoy silent composure; composure is the trap forgetting ecstasy (dhyâna); while in ecstasy perceiving the true law, thenthe force of truth obtained, disentanglement will follow. And thuscomposed, enjoying perfect quiet, old age and death are put away; andthen defilement is escaped by this first means; thus then by equal stepsthe excellent law results from life restored by food and drink. "

Having carefully considered this principle, bathing in the Nairañganariver, he desired afterwards to leave the water, but owing to extremeexhaustion was unable to rise; then a heavenly spirit holding out abranch, taking this in his hand he raised himself and came forth. Atthis time on the opposite side of the grove there was a certain chiefherdsman, whose eldest daughter was called Nandâ. One of the SuddhavâsaDevas addressing her said, "Bodhisattva dwells in the grove, go youthen, and present to him a religious offering. "

Nandâ Balada (or Balaga or Baladhya) with joy came to the spot, aboveher hands (i. E. On her wrists) white chalcedony bracelets, her clothingof a gray color; the gray and the white together contrasted in thelight, as the colors of the rounded river bubble; with simple heart andquickened step she came, and, bowing down at Bodhisattva's feet, shereverently offered him perfumed rice milk, begging him of hiscondescension to accept it. Bodhisattva taking it, partook of it atonce, whilst she received, even then, the fruits of her religious act. Having eaten it, all his members refreshed, he became capable ofreceiving Bodhi; his body and limbs glistening with renewed strength, and his energies swelling higher still, as the hundred streams swell thesea, or the first quartered moon daily increases in brightness. The fiveBhikshus having witnessed this, perturbed, were filled with suspiciousreflection; they supposed that his religious zeal was flagging, and thathe was leaving and looking for a better abode, as though he had obtaineddeliverance, the five elements entirely removed. 

Bodhisattva wandered on alone, directing his course to that "fortunate"tree, [102] beneath whose shade he might accomplish his search aftercomplete enlightenment. Over the ground wide and level, producing softand pliant grass, easily he advanced with lion step, pace by pace, whilst the earth shook withal; and as it shook, Kâla nâga aroused, wasfilled with joy, as his eyes were opened to the light. Forthwith heexclaimed: "When formerly I saw the Buddhas of old, there was the signof an earthquake as now; the virtues of a Muni are so great in majesty, that the great earth cannot endure them; as step by step his foot treadsupon the ground, so is there heard the sound of the rumblingearth-shaking; a brilliant light now illumes the world, as the shiningof the rising sun; five hundred bluish-tinted birds I see, wheelinground to the right, flying through space; a gentle, soft, and coolingbreeze blows around in an agreeable way; all these auspicious signs arethe same as those of former Buddhas; wherefore I know that thisBodhisattva will certainly arrive at perfect wisdom. And now, behold!from yonder man, a grass cutter, he obtains some pure and pliant grass, which spreading out beneath the tree, with upright body, there he takeshis seat; his feet placed under him, not carelessly arranged, moving toand fro, but like the firmly fixed and compact body of a Nâga; nor shallhe rise again from off his seat till he has completed his undertaking. "And so he (the Nâga) uttered these words by way of confirmation. Theheavenly Nâgas, filled with joy, caused a cool refreshing breeze torise; the trees and grass were yet unmoved by it, and all the beasts, quiet and silent, looked on in wonderment. 

These are the signs that Bodhisattva will certainly attainenlightenment. 

Defeats Mara

The great Rishi, of the royal tribe of Rishis, beneath the Bodhi treefirmly established, resolved by oath to perfect the way of completedeliverance. 

The spirits, Nâgas, and the heavenly multitude, all were filled withjoy; but Mâra Devarâga, enemy of religion, alone was grieved, andrejoiced not; lord of the five desires, skilled in all the arts ofwarfare, the foe of those who seek deliverance, therefore his name isrightly given Pisuna. Now this Mâra râga had three daughters, mincinglybeautiful and of a pleasant countenance, in every way fit by artful waysto inflame a man with love, highest in this respect among the Devis. Thefirst was named Yuh-yen, the second Neng-yueh-gin, the third Ngai-loh. These three, at this time, advanced together, and addressed their fatherPisuna and said: "May we not know the trouble that afflicts you?"

The father, calming his feelings, addressed his daughters thus: "Theworld has now a great Muni, he has taken a strong oath as a helmet, heholds a mighty bow in his hand, wisdom is the diamond shaft he uses. Hisobject is to get the mastery in the world, to ruin and destroy myterritory; I am myself unequal to him, for all men will believe in him, and all find refuge in the way of his salvation; then will my land bedesert and unoccupied. But as when a man transgresses the laws ofmorality, his body is then empty. So now, the eye of wisdom, not yetopened in this man, whilst my empire still has peace, I will go andoverturn his purpose, and break down and divide the ridge-pole of hishouse. "

Seizing then his bow and his five arrows, with all his retinue of maleand female attendants, he went to that grove of "fortunate rest" withthe vow that the world should not find peace. Then seeing the Muni, quiet and still, preparing to cross the sea of the three worlds, in hisleft hand grasping his bow, with his right hand pointing his arrow, headdressed Bodhisattva and said: "Kshatriya! rise up quickly! for you maywell fear! your death is at hand; you may practise your own religioussystem, but let go this effort after the law of deliverance for others;wage warfare in the field of charity as a cause of merit, appease thetumultuous world, and so in the end reach your reward in heaven. This isa way renowned and well established, in which former saints have walked, Rishis and kings and men of eminence; but this system of penury andalms-begging is unworthy of you. Now then if you rise not, you had bestconsider with yourself, that if you give not up your vow, and tempt meto let fly an arrow, how that Aila, grandchild of Soma, by one of thesearrows just touched, as by a fanning of the wind, lost his reason andbecame a madman. And how the Rishi Vimala, practising austerities, hearing the sound of one of these darts, his heart possessed by greatfear, bewildered and darkened he lost his true nature; how much less canyou--a late-born one--hope to escape this dart of mine. Quickly arisethen! if hardly you may get away! This arrow full of rankling poison, fearfully insidious where it strikes a foe! See now! with all my force, I point it! and are you resting in the face of such calamity? How is itthat you fear not this dread arrow? say! why do you not tremble?" Mârauttered such fear-inspiring threats, bent on overawing Bodhisattva. ButBodhisattva's heart remained unmoved; no doubt, no fear was present. Then Mâra instantly discharged his arrow, whilst the three women came infront. Bodhisattva regarded not the arrow, nor considered aught thewomen three. Mâra râga now was troubled much with doubt, and mutteredthus 'twixt heart and mouth: "Long since the maiden of the snowymountains, shooting at Mahesvara, constrained him to change his mind;and yet Bodhisattva is unmoved, and heeds not even this dart of mine, nor the three heavenly women! nought prevails to move his heart or raiseone spark of love within him. Now must I assemble my army-host, andpress him sore by force;" having thought thus awhile, Mâra's armysuddenly assembled round. Each assumed his own peculiar form; some wereholding spears, others grasping swords, others snatching up trees, others wielding diamond maces; armed with every sort of weapon. Some hadheads like hogs, others like fishes, others like asses, others likehorses; some with forms like snakes or like the ox or savage tiger;lion-headed, dragon-headed, and like every other kind of beast. Some hadmany heads on one body-trunk, with faces having but a single eye, andthen again with many eyes; some with great-bellied mighty bodies. Andothers thin and skinny, belly-less; others long-legged, mighty-kneed;others big-shanked and fat-calved; some with long and claw-like nails. Some were headless, breastless, faceless; some with two feet and manybodies; some with big faces looking every way; some pale andashy-colored; others colored like the bright star rising, otherssteaming fiery vapor, some with ears like elephants, with humps likemountains, some with naked forms covered with hair. Some with leatherskins for clothing, their faces parti-colored, crimson, and white; somewith tiger skins as robes, some with snake skins over them, some withtinkling bells around their waists, others with twisted screw-like hair, others with hair dishevelled covering the body, some breath-suckers, others body-snatchers, some dancing and shrieking awhile, some jumpingonwards with their feet together, some striking one another as theywent. Others waving in the air, others flying and leaping between thetrees, others howling, or hooting, or screaming, or whining, with theirevil noises shaking the great earth; thus this wicked goblin troopencircled on its four sides the Bodhi tree; some bent on tearing hisbody to pieces, others on devouring it whole; from the four sides flamesbelched forth, and fiery steam ascended up to heaven; tempestuous windsarose on every side; the mountain forests shook and quaked. Wind, fire, and steam, with dust combined, produced a pitchy darkness, rendering allinvisible. And now the Devas well affected to the law, and all the Nâgasand the spirits, all incensed at this host of Mâra, with anger fired, wept tears of blood; the great company of Suddhavâsa gods, beholdingMâra tempting Bodhisattva, free from low-feeling, with heartsundisturbed by passion, moved by pity towards him and commiseration, came in a body to behold the Bodhisattva, so calmly seated and soundisturbed, surrounded with an uncounted host of devils, shaking theheaven and earth with sounds ill-omened. Bodhisattva silent and quiet inthe midst remained, his countenance as bright as heretofore, unchanged;like the great lion-king placed amongst all the beasts howling andgrowling round him so he sat, a sight unseen before, so strange andwonderful! The host of Mâra hastening, as arranged, each one exertinghis utmost force, taking each other's place in turns, threatening everymoment to destroy him. Fiercely staring, grinning with their teeth, flying tumultuously, bounding here and there; but Bodhisattva, silentlybeholding them, watched them as one would watch the games of children. And now the demon host waxed fiercer and more angry, and added force toforce, in further conflict; grasping at stones they could not lift, orlifting them, they could not let them go. Their flying spears, lances, and javelins, stuck fast in space, refusing to descend; the angrythunderdrops and mighty hail, with these, were changed into five-coloredlotus flowers, whilst the foul poison of the dragon snakes was turned tospicy-breathing air. Thus all these countless sorts of creatures, wishing to destroy the Bodhisattva, unable to remove him from the spot, were with their own weapons wounded. Now Mâra had an aunt-attendantwhose name was Ma-kia-ka-li, who held a skull-dish in her hands, andstood in front of Bodhisattva, and with every kind of winsome gesture, tempted to lust the Bodhisattva. So all these followers of Mâra, possessed of every demon-body form, united in discordant uproar, hopingto terrify Bodhisattva; but not a hair of his was moved, and Mâra's hostwas filled with sorrow. Then in the air the crowd of angels, their formsinvisible, raised their voices, saying: "Behold the great Muni; his mindunmoved by any feeling of resentment, whilst all that wicked Mâra race, besotted, are vainly bent on his destruction; let go your foul andmurderous thoughts against that silent Muni, calmly seated! You cannotwith a breath move the Sumeru mountain. Fire may freeze, water may burn, the roughened earth may grow soft and pliant, but ye cannot hurt theBodhisattva! Through ages past disciplined by suffering. Bodhisattvarightly trained in thought, ever advancing in the use of 'means, ' pureand illustrious for wisdom, loving and merciful to all. These fourconspicuous virtues cannot with him be rent asunder, so as to make ithard or doubtful whether he gain the highest wisdom. For as the thousandrays of yonder sun must drown the darkness of the world, or as theboring wood must kindle fire, or as the earth deep-dug gives water, sohe who perseveres in the 'right means, ' by seeking thus, will find. Theworld without instruction, poisoned by lust and hate and ignorance;because he pitied 'flesh, ' so circumstanced, he sought on their accountthe joy of wisdom. Why then would you molest and hinder one who seeks tobanish sorrow from the world? The ignorance that everywhere prevails isdue to false pernicious books, and therefore Bodhisattva, walkinguprightly, would lead and draw men after him. To obscure and blind thegreat world-leader, this undertaking is impossible, for 'tis as thoughin the Great Desert a man would purposely mislead the merchant-guide. So'all flesh' having fallen into darkness, ignorant of where they aregoing, for their sakes he would light the lamp of wisdom; say then! whywould you extinguish it? All flesh engulfed and overwhelmed in the greatsea of birth and death, this one prepares the boat of wisdom; say then!why destroy and sink it? Patience is the sprouting of religion, firmnessits root, good conduct is the flower, the enlightened heart the boughsand branches. Wisdom supreme the entire tree, the 'transcendent law' thefruit, its shade protects all living things; say then! why would you cutit down? Lust, hate, and ignorance, are the rack and bolt, the yokeplaced on the shoulder of the world; through ages long he has practisedausterities to rescue men from these their fetters. He now shallcertainly attain his end, sitting on this right-established throne; asall the previous Buddhas, firm and compact like a diamond. Though allthe earth were moved and shaken, yet would this place be fixed andstable; him, thus fixed and well assured, think not that you canoverturn. Bring down and moderate your mind's desire, banish these highand envious thoughts, prepare yourselves for right reflection, bepatient in your services. "

Mâra hearing these sounds in space, and seeing Bodhisattva stillunmoved, filled with fear and banishing his high and superciliousthoughts, again took up his way to heaven above. Whilst all his hostwere scattered, o'erwhelmed with grief and disappointment, fallen fromtheir high estate, bereft of their warrior pride, their warlike weaponsand accoutrements thrown heedlessly and cast away 'mid woods anddeserts. Like as when some cruel chieftain slain, the hateful band isall dispersed and scattered, so the host of Mara disconcerted, fledaway. The mind of Bodhisattva now reposed peaceful and quiet. Themorning sunbeams brighten with the dawn, the dust-like mist dispersing, disappears; the moon and stars pale their faint light, the barriers ofthe night are all removed, whilst from above a fall of heavenly flowerspay their sweet tribute to the Bodhisattva. 

O-wei-san-pou-ti (Abhisambodhi)

Bodhisattva having subdued Mâra, his firmly fixed mind at rest, thoroughly exhausting the first principle of truth, he entered into deepand subtle contemplation. Every kind of Sâmadhi in order passed beforehis eyes. During the first watch he entered on "right perception" and inrecollection all former births passed before his eyes. Born in such aplace, of such a name, and downwards to his present birth, so throughhundreds, thousands, myriads, all his births and deaths he knew. Countless in number were they, of every kind and sort; then knowing, too, his family relationships, great pity rose within his heart. 

This sense of deep compassion passed, he once again considered "all thatlives, " and how they moved within the six portions of life's revolution, no final term to birth and death; hollow all, and false and transient asthe plantain tree, or as a dream, or phantasy. Then in the middle watchof night, he reached to knowledge of the pure Devas, and beheld beforehim every creature, as one sees images upon a mirror; all creatures bornand born again to die, noble and mean, the poor and rich, reaping thefruit of right or evil doing, and sharing happiness or misery inconsequence. First he considered and distinguished evil-doers' works, that such must ever reap an evil birth. Then he considered those whopractise righteous deeds, that these must gain a place with men or gods;but those again born in the nether hells, he saw participating in everykind of misery; swallowing molten brass, the iron skewers piercing theirbodies, confined within the boiling caldron, driven and made to enterthe fiery oven dwelling, food for hungry, long-toothed dogs, or preyedupon by brain-devouring birds; dismayed by fire, then they wanderthrough thick woods, with leaves like razors gashing their limbs, whileknives divide their writhing bodies, or hatchets lop their members, bitby bit; drinking the bitterest poisons, their fate yet holds them backfrom death. Thus those who found their joy in evil deeds, he sawreceiving now their direst sorrow; a momentary taste of pleasure here, adreary length of suffering there. A laugh or joke because of others'pain, a crying out and weeping now at punishment received. Surely ifliving creatures saw the consequence of all their evil deeds, self-visited, with hatred would they turn and leave them, fearing theruin following--the blood and death. He saw, moreover, all the fruits ofbirth as beasts, each deed entailing its own return; and when deathensues born in some other form (beast shape), different in kindaccording to the deeds. Some doomed to die for the sake of skin orflesh, some for their horns or hair or bones or wings; others torn orkilled in mutual conflict, friend or relative before, contending thus;some burdened with loads or dragging heavy weights, others pierced andurged on by pricking goads. Blood flowing down their tortured forms, parched and hungry--no relief afforded; then, turning round, he saw onewith the other struggling, possessed of no independent strength. Flyingthrough air or sunk in deep water, yet no place as a refuge left fromdeath. He saw, moreover, those, misers and covetous, born now as hungryghosts; vast bodies like the towering mountain, with mouths as small asany needle-tube, hungry and thirsty, nought but fire and poisoned flameto enwrap their burning forms within. Covetous, they would not give tothose who sought, or duped the man who gave in charity, now born amongthe famished ghosts, they seek for food, but cannot find withal. Therefuse of the unclean man they fain would eat, but this is changed andlost before it can be eaten. Oh! if a man believes that covetousness isthus repaid, as in their case, would he not give his very flesh incharity even as Sivi râga did! Then, once more he saw, those reborn asmen, with bodies like some foul sewer, ever moving 'midst the direstsufferings, born from the womb to fear and trembling, with body tender, touching anything its feelings painful, as if cut with knives. Whilstborn in this condition, no moment free from chance of death, labor, andsorrow, yet seeking birth again, and being born again, enduring pain. Then he saw those who by a higher merit were enjoying heaven; a thirstfor love ever consuming them, their merit ended with the end of life, the five signs warning them of death. Just as the blossom that decays, withering away, is robbed of all its shining tints; not all theirassociates, living still, though grieving, can avail to save the rest. The palaces and joyous precincts empty now, the Devis all alone anddesolate, sitting or asleep upon the dusty earth, weep bitterly inrecollection of their loves. Those who are born, sad in decay; those whoare dead, belovéd, cause of grief; thus ever struggling on, preparingfuture pain, covetous they seek the joys of heaven, obtaining which, these sorrows come apace; despicable joys! oh, who would covet them!using such mighty efforts to obtain, and yet unable thence to banishpain. Alas, alas! these Devas, too, alike deceived--no difference isthere! through lapse of ages bearing suffering, striving to crush desireand lust, now certainly expecting long reprieve, and yet once moredestined to fall! in hell enduring every kind of pain, as beasts tearingand killing one the other, as Pretas parched with direst thirst, as menworn out, seeking enjoyment; although, they say, when born in heaven, "then we shall escape these greater ills. " Deceived, alas! no singleplace exempt, in every birth incessant pain! Alas! the sea of birth anddeath revolving thus--an ever-whirling wheel--all flesh immersed withinits waves cast here and there without reliance! thus with his pure Devaeyes he thoughtfully considered the five domains of life. He saw thatall was empty and vain alike! with no dependence! like the plantain orthe bubble. Then, on the third eventful watch, he entered on the deep, true apprehension; he meditated on the entire world of creatures, whirling in life's tangle, born to sorrow; the crowds who live, growold, and die, innumerable for multitude. Covetous, lustful, ignorant, darkly-fettered, with no way known for final rescue. Rightlyconsidering, inwardly he reflected from what source birth and deathproceed. He was assured that age and death must come from birth as froma source. For since a man has born with him a body, that body mustinherit pain. Then looking further whence comes birth, he saw it camefrom life-deeds done elsewhere; then with his Deva-eyes scanning thesedeeds, he saw they were not framed by Isvara. They were not self-caused, they were not personal existences, nor were they either uncaused; then, as one who breaks the first bamboo joint finds all the rest easy toseparate, having discerned the cause of birth and death, he graduallycame to see the truth; deeds come from upâdâna, like as fire whichcatches hold of grass; upâdâna comes from trishnâ, just as a little fireinflames the mountains; trishnâ comes from vedanâ, the perception ofpain and pleasure, the desire for rest; as the starving or the thirstyman seeks food and drink, so "sensation" brings "desire" for life; thencontact is the cause of all sensation, producing the three kinds of painor pleasure, even as by art of man the rubbing wood produces fire forany use or purpose; contact is born from the six entrances. [103] The sixentrances are caused by name and thing, just as the germ grows to thestem and leaf; name and thing are born from knowledge, as the seed whichgerminates and brings forth leaves. Knowledge, in turn, proceeds fromname and thing, the two are intervolved leaving no remnant; by someconcurrent cause knowledge engenders name and thing, whilst by someother cause concurrent, name and thing engender knowledge. Just as a manand ship advance together, the water and the land mutually involved;thus knowledge brings forth name and thing; name and thing produce theroots. The roots engender contact; contact again brings forth sensation;sensation brings forth longing desire; longing desire produces upâdâna. Upâdâna is the cause of deeds; and these again engender birth; birthagain produces age and death; so does this one incessant round cause theexistence of all living things. Rightly illumined, thoroughly perceivingthis, firmly established, thus was he enlightened; destroy birth, oldage and death will cease; destroy bhava then will birth cease; destroy"cleaving" then will bhava end; destroy desire then will cleaving end;destroy sensation then will trishnâ end. Destroy contact then will endsensation; destroy the six entrances, then will contact cease; the sixentrances all destroyed, from this, moreover, names and things willcease. Knowledge destroyed, names and things will cease; names andthings destroyed, then knowledge perishes; ignorance destroyed, then theconstituents of individual life will die; the great Rishi was thusperfected in wisdom. Thus perfected, Buddha then devised for the world'sbenefit the eightfold path, right sight, and so on, the only true pathfor the world to tread. Thus did he complete the end of "self, " as firegoes out for want of grass; thus he had done what he would have men do;he first had found the way of perfect knowledge. He finished thus thefirst great lesson; entering the great Rishi's house (dreamless sleep), the darkness disappeared; light coming on, perfectly silent, all atrest, he reached at last the exhaustless source of truth; lustrous withall wisdom the great Rishi sat, perfect in gifts, whilst one convulsivethroe shook the wide earth. And now the world was calm again and bright, when Devas, Nâgas, spirits, all assembled, amidst the void raiseheavenly music, and make their offerings as the law directs. A gentlecooling breeze sprang up around, and from the sky a fragrant raindistilled; exquisite flowers, not seasonable, bloomed; sweet fruitsbefore their time were ripened. Great Mandâras, and every sort ofheavenly precious flower, from space in rich confusion fell, as tributeto the illustrious monk. Creatures of every different kind were movedone towards the other lovingly; fear and terror altogether put away, none entertained a hateful thought, and all things living in the worldwith faultless men consorted freely; the Devas giving up their heavenlyjoys, sought rather to alleviate the sinner's sufferings. Pain anddistress grew less and less, the moon of wisdom waxed apace; whilst allthe Rishis of the Ikshvâku clan who had received a heavenly birth, beholding Buddha thus benefitting men, were filled with joy andsatisfaction; and whilst throughout the heavenly mansions religiousofferings fell as raining flowers, the Devas and the Nâga spirits, withone voice, praised the Buddha's virtues; men seeing the religiousofferings, hearing, too, the joyous hymn of praise, were all rejoiced inturn; they leapt for unrestrained joy; Mâra, the Devarâga, only, felt inhis heart great anguish. Buddha for those seven days, in contemplationlost, his heart at peace, beheld and pondered on the Bodhi tree, withgaze unmoved and never wearying:--"Now resting here, in this condition, I have obtained, " he said, "my ever-shifting heart's desire, and now atrest I stand, escaped from self. " The eyes of Buddha then considered"all that lives, " and forthwith rose there in him deep compassion; muchhe desired to bring about their welfare, but how to gain for them thatmost excellent deliverance, from covetous desire, hatred, ignorance, andfalse teaching, this was the question; how to suppress this sinful heartby right direction; not by anxious use of outward means, but by restingquietly in thoughtful silence. Now looking back and thinking of hismighty vow, there rose once more within his mind a wish to preach thelaw; and looking carefully throughout the world, he saw how pain andsorrow ripened and increased everywhere. Then Brahma-deva knowing histhoughts, and considering it right to request him to advance religionfor the wider spread of the Brahma-glory, in the deliverance of allflesh from sorrow, coming, beheld upon the person of the reverend monkall the distinguishing marks of a great preacher, visible in anexcellent degree; fixed and unmoved he sat in the possession of truthand wisdom, free from all evil impediments, with a heart cleansed fromall insincerity or falsehood. Then with reverent and a joyful heart, great Brahma stood and with hands joined, thus made known hisrequest:--"What happiness in all the world so great as when a lovingmaster meets the unwise; the world with all its occupants, filled withimpurity and dire confusion, with heavy grief oppressed, or, in somecases, lighter sorrows, waits deliverance; the lord of men, havingescaped by crossing the wide and mournful sea of birth and death, we nowentreat to rescue others--those struggling creatures all engulfedtherein; as the just worldly man, when he gets profit, gives some rebatewithal. So the lord of men enjoying such religious gain, should alsogive somewhat to living things. The world indeed is bent on largepersonal gain, and hard it is to share one's own with others. O! letyour loving heart be moved with pity towards the world burdened withvexing cares. " Thus having spoken by way of exhortation, with reverentmien he turned back to the Brahma heaven. Buddha, regarding theinvitation of Brahma-deva, rejoiced at heart, and his design wasstrengthened; greatly was his heart of pity nourished, and purposed washis mind to preach. Thinking he ought to beg some food, each of the fourkings offered him a Pâtra; Tathâgata, in fealty to religion, receivedthe four and joined them all in one. And now some merchant men werepassing by, to whom "a virtuous friend, " a heavenly spirit, said: "Thegreat Rishi, the venerable monk, is dwelling in this mountain-grove, affording in the world a noble field for merit; go then and offer him asacrifice!" Hearing the summons, joyfully they went, and offered thefirst meal religiously. Having partaken of it, then he deeply pondered, who first should hear the law; he thought at once of Ârâda Kâlâma andUdraka Râmaputra, as being fit to accept the righteous law; but now theyboth were dead. Then next he thought of the five men, that they were fitto hear the first sermon. Bent then on this design to preach Nirvâna, asthe sun's glory bursts through the darkness, so went he on towardsBenares, the place where dwelt the ancient Rishis. With eyes as gentleas the ox king's, his pace as firm and even as the lion's, because hewould convert the world he went on towards the Kâsi city. Step by step, like the king of beasts, did he advance watchfully through the grove ofwisdom. 

Turning the Law-wheel

Tathâgata piously composed and silent, radiant with glory, sheddinglight around, with unmatched dignity advanced alone, as if surrounded bya crowd of followers. Beside the way he encountered a young Brahmanwhose name was Upâka; struck with the deportment of the Bhikshu, hestood with reverent mien on the roadside. Joyously he gazed at such anunprecedented sight, and then, with closed hands, he spake asfollows:--"The crowds who live around are stained with sin, without apleasing feature, void of grace, and the great world's heart iseverywhere disturbed; but you alone, your senses all composed, withvisage shining as the moon when full, seem to have quaffed the water ofthe immortals' stream. The marks of beauty yours, as the great man's, the strength of wisdom, as an all-sufficient, independent king's; whatyou have done must have been wisely done: what then your noble tribe andwho your master?" Answering he said, "I have no master; no honorabletribe; no point of excellence; self-taught in this profoundest doctrine, I have arrived at superhuman wisdom. That which behooves the world tolearn, but through the world no learner found, I now myself and bymyself have learned throughout; 'tis rightly called Sambodhi. Thathateful family of griefs the sword of wisdom has destroyed; this then iswhat the world has named, and rightly named, the 'chiefest victory. 'Through all Benares soon will sound the drum of life, no stay ispossible--I have no name--nor do I seek profit or pleasure. But simplyto declare the truth; to save men from pain, and to fulfil my ancientoath, to rescue all not yet delivered. The fruit of this my oath isripened now, and I will follow out my ancient vow. Wealth, riches, selfall given up, unnamed, I still am named 'Righteous Master. ' And bringingprofit to the world, I also have the name 'Great Teacher'; facingsorrows, not swallowed up by them, am I not rightly called 'CourageousWarrior?' If not a healer of diseases, what means the name of 'GoodPhysician?' Seeing the wanderer, not showing him the way, why thenshould I be called 'Good Master-guide?' Like as the lamp shines in thedark, without a purpose of its own, self-radiant, so burns the lamp ofthe Tathâgata, without the shadow of a personal feeling. Bore wood inwood, there must be fire; the wind blows of its own free self in space;dig deep and you will come to water; this is the rule of self-causation. All the Munis who perfect wisdom, must do so at Gayâ; and in the Kâsicountry they must first turn the Wheel of Righteousness. " The youngBrahman Upâka, astonished, breathed the praise of such strange doctrine, and called to mind like thoughts he had before experienced; lost inthought at the wonderful occurrence, at every turning of the road hestopped to think; embarrassed in every step he took, Tathâgataproceeding slowly onwards, came to the city of Kâsi. The land soexcellently adorned as the palace of Sakradevendra; the Ganges andBaranâ, two twin rivers flowed amidst; the woods and flowers and fruitsso verdant, the peaceful cattle wandering together, the calm retreatsfree from vulgar noise, such was the place where the old Rishis dwelt. Tathâgata, glorious and radiant, redoubled the brightness of the place;the son of the Kaundinya tribe, and next Dasabalakâsyapa, and the thirdVâshpa, the fourth Asvagit, the fifth called Bhadra, practisingausterities as hermits, seeing from far Tathâgata approaching, sittingtogether all engaged in conversation, said: "This Gautama, defiled byworldly indulgence, leaving the practice of austerities, now comes againto find us here, let us be careful not to rise in salutation, nor let usgreet him when he comes, nor offer him the customary refreshments. Because he has broken his first vow, he has no claim tohospitality"--for men on seeing an approaching guest by rights preparethings for his present and his after wants. They arrange a properresting-couch, and take on themselves care for his comfort. Havingspoken thus and so agreed, each kept his seat, resolved and fixed. Andnow Tathâgata slowly approached, when, lo! these men unconsciously, against their vow, rose and invited him to take a seat; offering to takehis robe and Pâtra. They begged to wash and rub his feet, and asked himwhat he required more; thus in everything attentive, they honored himand offered all to him as teacher. They did not cease however to addresshim still as Gautama, after his family. Then spake the Lord to them andsaid: "Call me not after my private name, for it is a rude and carelessway of speaking to one who has obtained Arhat-ship; but whether menrespect or disrespect me, my mind is undisturbed and wholly quiet. Butyou--your way is not so courteous: let go, I pray, and cast away yourfault. Buddha can save the world; they call him, therefore, Buddha. Towards all living things, with equal heart he looks as children, tocall him then by his familiar name is to despise a father; this is sin. "Thus Buddha, by exercise of mighty love, in deep compassion spoke tothem; but they, from ignorance and pride, despised the only wise andtrue one's words. They said that first he practised self-denial, buthaving reached thereby no profit, now giving rein to body, word, andthought, how by these means, they asked, has he become a Buddha? Thusequally entangled by doubts, they would not credit that he had attainedthe way. Thoroughly versed in highest truth, full of all-embracingwisdom, Tagâgata on their account briefly declared to them the one trueway; the foolish masters practising austerities, and those who love togratify their senses, he pointed out to them these two distinctiveclasses, and how both greatly erred. "Neither of these, " he said, "hasfound the way of highest wisdom, nor are their ways of life productiveof true rescue. The emaciated devotee by suffering produces in himselfconfused and sickly thoughts, not conducive even to worldly knowledge, how much less to triumph over sense! For he who tries to light a lampwith water, will not succeed in scattering the darkness, and so the manwho tries with worn-out body to trim the lamp of wisdom shall notsucceed, nor yet destroy his ignorance or folly. Who seeks with rottenwood to evoke the fire will waste his labor and get nothing for it; butboring hard wood into hard, the man of skill forthwith gets fire for hisuse. In seeking wisdom then it is not by these austerities a man mayreach the law of life. But to indulge in pleasure is opposed to right:this is the fool's barrier against wisdom's light. The sensualist cannotcomprehend the Sûtras or the Sâstras, how much less the way ofovercoming all desire! As some man grievously afflicted eats food notfit to eat, and so in ignorance aggravates his sickness, so can he getrid of lust who pampers lust? Scatter the fire amid the desert grass, dried by the sun, fanned by the wind--the raging flames who shallextinguish? Such is the fire of covetousness and lust. I, then, rejectboth these extremes: my heart keeps in the middle way. All sorrow at anend and finished, I rest at peace, all error put away; my true sightgreater than the glory of the sun, my equal and unvarying wisdom, vehicle of insight--right words as it were a dwelling-place--wanderingthrough the pleasant groves of right conduct, making a right life myrecreation, walking along the right road of proper means, my city ofrefuge in right recollection, and my sleeping couch right meditation;these are the eight even and level roads by which to avoid the sorrowsof birth and death. Those who come forth by these means from the slough, doing thus, have attained the end; such shall fall neither on this sideor the other, amidst the sorrow-crowd of the two periods. The tangledsorrow-web of the three worlds by this road alone can be destroyed; thisis my own way, unheard of before; by the pure eyes of the true law, impartially seeing the way of escape, I, only I, now first make knownthis way; thus I destroy the hateful company of Trishnâ's host, thesorrows of birth and death, old age, disease, and all the unfruitfulaims of men, and other springs of suffering. There are those who warringagainst desire are still influenced by desire; who whilst possessed ofbody, act as though they had none; who put away from themselves allsources of true merit--briefly will I recount their sorrowful lot. Likesmothering a raging fire, though carefully put out, yet a spark left, soin their abstraction, still the germ of 'I, ' the source of great sorrowstill surviving, perpetuates the suffering caused by lust, and the evilconsequences of every kind of deed survive. These are the sources offurther pain, but let these go and sorrow dies, even as the seed of corntaken from the earth and deprived of water dies; the concurrent causesnot uniting, then the bud and leaf cannot be born; the intricate bondsof every kind of existence, from the Deva down to the evil ways ofbirth, ever revolve and never cease; all this is produced from covetousdesire; falling from a high estate to lower ones, all is the fault ofprevious deeds. But destroy the seed of covetousness and the rest, thenthere will be no intricate binding, but all effect of deeds destroyed, the various degrees of sorrow then will end for good. Having this, then, we must inherit that; destroying this, then that is ended too; no birth, old age, disease, or death; no earth, or water, fire, or wind. Nobeginning, end, or middle; and no deceptive systems of philosophy; thisis the standpoint of wise men and sages; the certain and exhaustedtermination, complete Nirvâna. Such do the eight right ways declare;this one expedient has no remains; that which the world sees not, engrossed by error I declare, I know the way to sever all thesesorrow-sources; the way to end them is by right reason, meditating onthese four highest truths, following and perfecting this highest wisdom. This is what means the 'knowing' sorrow; this is to cut off the cause ofall remains of being; these destroyed, then all striving, too, hasended, the eight right ways have been assayed. 

"Thus, too, the four great truths have been acquired, the eyes of thepure law completed. In these four truths, the equal, true or right, eyesnot yet born, there is not mention made of gaining true deliverance; itis not said what must be done is done, nor that all is finished, northat the perfect truth has been acquired. But now because the truth isknown, then by myself is known 'deliverance gained, ' by myself is knownthat 'all is done, ' by myself is known 'the highest wisdom. '" And havingspoken thus respecting truth, the member of the Kaundinya family, andeighty thousand of the Deva host, were thoroughly imbued with savingknowledge. They put away defilement from themselves, they got the eyesof the pure law; Devas and earthly masters thus were sure, that what wasto be done was done. And now with lion-voice he joyfully inquired, andasked Kaundinya, "Knowest thou yet?" Kaundinya forthwith answeredBuddha, "I know the mighty master's law. " And for this reason, knowingit, his name was Âgnâta Kaundinya. Amongst all the disciples of Buddha, he was the very first in understanding. Then as he understood the soundsof the true law, hearing the words of the disciple--all the earthspirits together raised a shout triumphant, "Well done! deeply seeingthe principles of the law, Tathâgata, on this auspicious day, has setrevolving that which never yet revolved, and far and wide, for gods andmen, has opened the gates of immortality. Of this wheel the spokes arethe rules of pure conduct; equal contemplation, their uniformity oflength; firm wisdom is the tire; modesty and thoughtfulness, the rubbers(sockets in the nave in which the axle is fixed); right reflection isthe nave; the wheel itself the law of perfect truth; the right truth nowhas gone forth in the world, not to retire before another teacher. "

Thus the earth spirits shouted, the spirits of the air took up thestrain, the Devas all joined in the hymn of praise, up to the highestBrahma heaven. The Devas of the triple world, now hearing what the greatRishi taught, in intercourse together spoke, "The widely honored Buddhamoves the world! Widespread, for the sake of all that lives, he turnsthe wheel of the law of complete purity!" The stormy winds, the clouds, the mists, all disappeared; down from space the heavenly flowersdescended. The Devas revelled in their joys celestial, filled withunutterable gladness. 

[Footnote 99: The distance from the place of the interview with theministers to the Vulture Peak would be, in a straight line, about 150miles. ]

[Footnote 100: The sense of the text and context appears to be this, that as there are those who drink the rain-clouds and yet are parchedwith thirst, so there are those who constantly practise religious dutiesand yet are still unblest. ]

[Footnote 101: The dhyânas are the conditions of ecstasy, enjoyed by theinhabitants of the Brahmaloka heavens. ]

[Footnote 102: The "fortunate tree, " the tree "of good omen, " the Bodhitree. ]

[Footnote 103: The six organs of sense. ]

CHAPTER IV

Bimbisâra Râga Becomes a Disciple

And now those five men, Asvagit Vâshpa, and the others, having heardthat he (Kaundinya) "knew" the law, with humble mien and self-subdued, their hands joined, offered their homage, and looked with reverence inthe teacher's face. Tathâgata, by wise expedient, caused them one by oneto embrace the law. And so from first to last the five Bhikshus obtainedreason and subdued their senses, like the five stars which shine inheaven, waiting upon the brightening moon. At this time in the town ofKu-i there was a noble's son called Yasas; lost in night-sleep suddenlyhe woke, and when he saw his attendants all, men and women, withill-clad bodies, sleeping, his heart was filled with loathing;reflecting on the root of sorrow, he thought how madly foolish men wereimmersed in it. Clothing himself, and putting on his jewels, he left hishome and wandered forth; then on the way he stood and cried aloud, "Alas! alas! what endless chain of sorrows. " Tathâgata, by night, waswalking forth, and hearing sounds like these, "Alas! what sorrow, "forthwith replied, "You are welcome! here, on the other hand, there is aplace of rest--the most excellent, refreshing, Nirvâna, quiet andunmoved, free from sorrow. " Yasas hearing Buddha's exhortation, thererose much joy within his heart. And in the place of the disgust he felt, the cooling streams of holy wisdom found their way, as when one entersfirst a cold pellucid lake. Advancing then, he came where Buddhawas--his person decked with common ornaments, his mind already freedfrom all defects; by power of the good root obtained in other births, hequickly reached the fruit of an Arhat. The secret light of pure wisdom'svirtue enabled him to understand, on listening to the law; just as apure silken fabric with ease is dyed a different color. Thus havingattained to self-illumination, and done that which was to be done, hewas converted; then looking at his person richly ornamented, his heartwas filled with shame. Tathâgata knowing his inward thoughts, in gâthasspoke the following words: "Though ornamented with jewels, the heart mayyet have conquered sense; looking with equal mind on all that lives, insuch a case the outward form does not affect religion; the body, too, may wear the ascetic's garb, the heart, meanwhile, be immersed inworldly thoughts; dwelling in lonely woods, yet covetous of worldlyshow, such men are after all mere worldlings; the body may have aworldly guise, the heart mount high to things celestial. The layman andthe hermit are the same, when only both have banished thought of 'self, 'but if the heart be twined with carnal bonds, what use the marks ofbodily attention? He who wears martial decorations, does so because byvalor he has triumphed o'er an enemy--so he who wears the hermit'scolored robe, does so for having vanquished sorrow as his foe. " Then hebade him come, and be a member of his church; and at the bidding, lo!his garments changed! and he stood wholly attired in hermit's dress, complete; in heart and outward look, a Sramana. Now Yasas had in formerdays some light companions, in number fifty and four; when these beheldtheir friend a hermit, they, too, one by one, attained true wisdom. Byvirtue of deeds done in former births, these deeds now bore theirperfect fruit. Just as when burning ashes are sprinkled by water, thewater being dried, the flame bursts forth. So now, with those above, thedisciples were altogether sixty, all Arhats; entirely obedient andinstructed in the law of perfect discipleship. So perfected he taughtthem further:--"Now ye have passed the stream and reached 'the othershore, ' across the sea of birth and death; what should be done, ye nowhave done! and ye may now receive the charity of others. Go then throughevery country, convert those not yet converted; throughout the worldthat lies burnt up with sorrow, teach everywhere; instruct those lackingright instruction. Go, therefore! each one travelling by himself; filledwith compassion, go! rescue and receive. I too will go alone, back toyonder Kia-ke mountain; where there are great Rishis, royal Rishis, Brahman Rishis too, these all dwell there, influencing men according totheir schools. The Rishi Kâsyapa, enduring pain, reverenced by all thecountry, making converts too of many, him will I visit and convert. "Then the sixty Bhikshus respectfully receiving orders to preach, eachaccording to his fore-determined purpose, following his inclination, went through every land. The honored of the world went on alone, till hearrived at the Kia-ke mountain, then entering a retired religious dell, he came to where the Rishi Kâsyapa was. Now this one had a "fire grot"where he offered sacrifice, where an evil Nâga dwelt, who wandered hereand there in search of rest, through mountains and wild places of theearth. The honored of the world, wishing to instruct this hermit andconvert him, asked him, on coming, for a place to lodge that night. Kâsyapa, replying, spake to Buddha thus:--"I have no resting-place tooffer for the night, only this fire grot where I sacrifice; this is acool and fit place for the purpose, but an evil dragon dwells there, whois accustomed, as he can, to poison men. " Buddha replied, "Permit meonly, and for the night I'll take my dwelling there. " Kâsyapa made manydifficulties, but the world-honored one still asked the favor. ThenKâsyapa addressed Buddha, "My mind desires no controversy, only I havemy fears and apprehensions, but follow you your own good pleasure. "Buddha forthwith stepped within the fiery grot, and took his seat withdignity and deep reflection; and now the evil Nâga seeing Buddha, belched forth in rage his fiery poison, and filled the place withburning vapor. But this could not affect the form of Buddha. Throughoutthe abode the fire consumed itself, the honored of the world still satcomposed: Even as Brahma, in the midst of the kalpa-fire that burns andreaches to the Brahma heavens, still sits unmoved, without a thought offear or apprehension, so Buddha sat; the evil Nâga seeing him, his faceglowing with peace, and still unchanged, ceased his poisonous blast, hisheart appeased; he bent his head and worshipped. Kâsyapa in the nightseeing the fire-glow, sighed:--"Ah! alas! what misery! this mostdistinguished man is also burnt up by the fiery Nâga. " Then Kâsyapa andhis followers at morning light came one and all to look. Now Buddhahaving subdued the evil Nâga, had straightway placed him in his pâtra, beholding which, and seeing the power of Buddha, Kâsyapa conceivedwithin him deep and secret thoughts:--"This Gotama, " he thought, "isdeeply versed in religion, but still he said, 'I am a master ofreligion. '" Then Buddha, as occasion offered, displayed all kinds ofspiritual changes, influencing Kâsyapa's heart-thoughts, changing andsubduing them, making his mind pliant and yielding, until at lengthprepared to be a vessel of the true law, he confessed that his poorwisdom could not compare with the complete wisdom of the world-honoredone. And so, convinced at last, humbly submitting, he accepted rightinstruction. Thus U-pi-lo Uravilva Kâsyapa, and five hundred of hisfollowers following their master, virtuously submissive, in turnreceived the teaching of the law. Kâsyapa and all his followers werethus entirely converted. The Rishi then, taking his goods and all hissacrificial vessels, threw them together in the river, which floateddown upon the surface of the current. Nadi and Gada, brothers, who dweltdown the stream, seeing these articles of clothing and the rest floatingalong the stream disorderly, said, "Some great change has happened, " anddeeply pained, were restlessly concerned. The two, each with fivehundred followers, going up the stream to seek their brother. Seeing himnow dressed as a hermit, and all his followers with him, having gotknowledge of the miraculous law--strange thoughts engaged theirminds--"our brother having submitted thus, we too should also followhim. " Thus the three brothers, with all their band of followers, werebrought to hear the lord's discourse on the comparison of a firesacrifice: and in the discourse he taught, "How the dark smoke ofignorance arises, whilst confused thoughts, like wood drilled into wood, create the fire. Lust, anger, delusion, these are as fire produced, andthese inflame and burn all living things. Thus the fire of grief andsorrow, once enkindled, ceases not to burn, ever giving rise to birthand death; but whilst this fire of sorrow ceases not, yet are there twokinds of fire, one that burns but has no fuel left. So when the heart ofman has once conceived distaste for sin, this distaste removing covetousdesire, covetous desire extinguished, there is rescue; if once thisrescue has been found, then with it is born sight and knowledge, bywhich distinguishing the streams of birth and death, and practising pureconduct, all is done that should be done, and hereafter shall be no morelife. " Thus the thousand Bhikshus hearing the world-honored preach, alldefects forever done away, their minds found perfect and completedeliverance. Then Buddha for the Kâsyapas' sakes, and for the benefit ofthe thousand Bhikshus, having preached, and done all that should bedone, himself with purity and wisdom and all the concourse of highqualities excellently adorned, he gave them, as in charity, rules forcleansing sense. The great Rishi, listening to reason, lost all regardfor bodily austerities, and, as a man without a guide, was emptied ofhimself, and learned discipleship. And now the honored one and all hisfollowers go forward to the royal city (Râgagriha), remembering, as hedid, the Magadha king, and what he heretofore had promised. The honoredone when he arrived, remained within the "staff grove"; Bimbisâra Râgahearing thereof, with all his company of courtiers, lords and ladies allsurrounding him, came to where the master was. Then at a distance seeingBuddha seated, with humbled heart and subdued presence, putting off hiscommon ornaments, descending from his chariot, forward he stepped; evenas Sakra, king of gods, going to where Brahmadeva-râga dwells. Bowingdown at Buddha's feet, he asked him, with respect, about his health ofbody; Buddha in his turn, having made inquiries, begged him to be seatedon one side. Then the king's mind reflected silently:--"This Sâkya musthave great controlling power, to subject to his will these Kâsyapas whonow are round him as disciples. " Buddha, knowing all thoughts, spokethus to Kâsyapa, questioning him:--"What profit have you found in givingup your fire-adoring law?" Kâsyapa hearing Buddha's words, rising withdignity before the great assembly, bowed lowly down, and then withclasped hands and a loud voice addressing Buddha, said:--"The profit Ireceived, adoring the fire spirit, was this--continuance in the wheel oflife, birth and death, with all their sorrows growing--this service Ihave therefore cast away. Diligently I persevered in fire-worship, seeking to put an end to the five desires, in return I found desiresendlessly increasing: therefore have I cast off this service. Sacrificing thus to fire with many Mantras, I did but miss escape frombirth; receiving birth, with it came all its sorrows, therefore I castit off and sought for rest. I was versed, indeed, in self-affliction, mymode of worship largely adopted, and counted of all most excellent, andyet I was opposed to highest wisdom. Therefore have I discarded it, andgone in quest of the supreme Nirvâna. Removing from me birth, old age, disease, and death, I sought a place of undying rest and calm. And as Igained the knowledge of this truth, then I cast off the law ofworshipping the fire. "

The honored-of-the-world, hearing Kâsyapa declaring his experience oftruth, wishing to move the world throughout to conceive a heart ofpurity and faith, addressing Kâsyapa further, said: "Welcome! greatmaster, welcome! Rightly have you distinguished law from law, and wellobtained the highest wisdom; now before this great assembly, pray you!exhibit your excellent endowments; as any rich and wealthy noble opensfor view his costly treasures, causing the poor and sorrow-ladenmultitude to increase their forgetfulness awhile; and honor well yourlord's instruction. " Forthwith in presence of the assembly, gathering uphis body and entering Samâdhi, calmly he ascended into space, and theredisplayed himself, walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, emitting fieryvapor from his body, on his right and left side water and fire, notburning and not moistening him. Then clouds and rain proceeded from him, thunder with lightning shook the heaven and earth; thus he drew theworld to look in adoration, with eyes undazzled as they gazed; withdifferent mouths, but all in language one, they magnified and praisedthis wondrous spectacle, then afterwards drawn by spiritual force, theycame and worshipped at the master's feet, exclaiming:--"Buddha is ourgreat teacher! we are the honored one's disciples. " Thus havingmagnified his work and finished all he purposed doing, drawing the worldas universal witness, the assembly was convinced that he, theworld-honored, was truly the "Omniscient!" Buddha, perceiving that thewhole assembly was ready as a vessel to receive the law, spoke thus toBimbisâra Râga: "Listen now and understand: The mind, the thoughts, andall the senses are subject to the law of life and death. This fault ofbirth and death, once understood, then there is clear and plainperception. Obtaining this clear perception, then there is bornknowledge of self; knowing oneself and with this knowledge laws of birthand death, then there is no grasping and no sense-perception. Knowingoneself, and understanding how the senses act, then there is no room for'I' (soul) or ground for framing it; then all the accumulated mass ofsorrow, sorrows born from life and death, being recognized as attributesof body, and as this body is not 'I, ' nor offers ground for 'I, ' thencomes the great superlative, the source of peace unending. This thoughtof 'self' gives rise to all these sorrows, binding as with cords theworld, but having found there is no 'I' that can be bound, then allthese bonds are severed. There are no bonds indeed--they disappear--andseeing this there is deliverance. The world holds to this thought of'I, ' and so, from this, comes false apprehension. Of those who maintainthe truth of it, some say the 'I' endures, some say it perishes; takingthe two extremes of birth and death, their error is most grievous! Forif they say the 'I' is perishable, the fruit they strive for, too, willperish; and at some time there will be no hereafter: this is indeed ameritless deliverance. But if they say the 'I' is not to perish, then inthe midst of all this life and death there is but one identity as space, which is not born and does not die. If this is what they call the 'I, 'then are all things living, one--for all have this unchanging self--notperfected by any deeds, but self-perfect. If so, if such a self it isthat acts, let there be no self-mortifying conduct, the self is lord andmaster; what need to do that which is done? For if this 'I' is lastingand imperishable, then reason would teach it never can be changed. Butnow we see the marks of joy and sorrow, what room for constancy then ishere? Knowing that birth brings this deliverance then I put away allthought of sin's defilement; the whole world, everything, endures! whatthen becomes of this idea of rescue? We cannot even talk of putting selfaway, truth is the same as falsehood; it is not 'I' that do a thing, andwho, forsooth, is he that talks of 'I'? But if it is not 'I' that do thething, then there is no 'I' that does it, and in the absence of theseboth, there is no 'I' at all, in very truth. No doer and no knower, nolord, yet notwithstanding this, there ever lasts this birth and death, like morn and night ever recurring. But now attend to me and listen: Thesenses six and their six objects united cause the six kinds ofknowledge, these three united bring forth contact, then the intervolvedeffects of recollection follow. Then like the burning glass and tinderthrough the sun's power cause fire to appear, so through the knowledgeborn of sense and object, the lord of knowledge (self) is born. Theshoot springs from the seed, the seed is not the shoot, not one and yetnot different: such is the birth of all that lives. " The honored of theworld preaching the truth, the equal and impartial paramârtha, thusaddressed the king with all his followers. Then King Bimbisâra filledwith joy, removing from himself defilement, gained religious sight, ahundred thousand spirits also, hearing the words of the immortal law, shook off and lost the stain of sin. 

The Great Disciple Becomes a Hermit

At this time Bimbisâra Râga, bowing his head, requested the honored ofthe world to change his place of abode for the bamboo grove; graciouslyaccepting it, Buddha remained silent. Then the king, having perceivedthe truth, offered his adoration and returned to his palace. Theworld-honored, with the great congregation, proceeded on foot, to restfor awhile in the bamboo garden. There he dwelt to convert all thatbreathed, to kindle once for all the lamp of wisdom, to establish Brahmaand the Devas, and to confirm the lives of saints and sages. At thistime Asvagit and Vâshpa, with heart composed and every sense subdued, the time having come for begging food, entered into the town ofRâgagriha. Unrivalled in the world were they for grace of person, and indignity of carriage excelling all. The lords and ladies of the cityseeing them, were filled with joy; those who were walking stood still, those before waited, those behind hastened on. Now the Rishi Kapilaamongst all his numerous disciples had one of wide-spread fame, whosename was Sâriputra; he, beholding the wonderful grace of the Bhikshus, their composed mien and subdued senses, their dignified walk andcarriage, raising his hands, inquiring, said: "Young in years, but pureand graceful in appearance, such as I before have never seen. What lawmost excellent have you obeyed? and who your master that has taught you?and what the doctrine you have learned? Tell me, I pray you, and relievemy doubts. " Then of the Bhikshus, one, rejoicing at his question, withpleasing air and gracious words, replied: "The omniscient, born of theIkshvâku family, the very first 'midst gods and men, this one is mygreat master. I am indeed but young, the sun of wisdom has but justarisen, how can I then explain the master's doctrine? Its meaning isdeep and very hard to understand, but now, according to my poor wisdom, I will recount in brief the master's doctrine:--'Whatever things existall spring from cause, the principles of birth and death may bedestroyed, the way is by the means he has declared. '" Then thetwice-born Upata, embracing heartily what he had heard, put from him allsense-pollution, and obtained the pure eyes of the law. The formerexplanations he had trusted, respecting cause and what was not the causethat there was nothing that was made, but was made by Isvara; all this, now that he had heard the rule of true causation, understanding thewisdom of the no-self, adding thereto the knowledge of the minute dusttroubles, which can never be overcome in their completeness but by theteaching of Tathâgata, all this he now forever put away; leaving no roomfor thought of self, the thought of self will disappear. Who, when thebrightness of the sun gives light, would call for the dimness of thelamp? for, like the severing the lotus, the stem once cut, the pods willalso die. "So Buddha's teaching cutting off the stem of sorrow, no seedsare left to grow or lead to further increase. " Then bowing at theBhikshu's feet, with grateful mien, he wended homewards. The Bhikshusafter having begged their food, likewise went back to the bamboo grove. Sâriputra on his arrival home rested with joyful face and full of peace. His friend, the honored Mugalin, equally renowned for learning, seeingSâriputra in the distance, his pleasing air and lightsome step, spokethus:--"As I now see thee, there is an unusual look I notice; yourformer nature seems quite changed, the signs of happiness I now observe, all indicate the possession of eternal truth: these marks are notuncaused. " Answering he said: "The words of the Tathâgata are such asnever yet were spoken, " and then, requested, he declared what he hadheard. Hearing the words and understanding them, he too put off theworld's defilement, and gained the eyes of true religion, the reward ofa long-planted virtuous cause; and, as one sees by a lamp that comes tohand, so he obtained an unmoved faith in Buddha; and now they both setout for Buddha's presence, with a large crowd of followers. Buddhaseeing the two worthies coming, thus spoke to his disciples:--"These twomen who come shall be my two most eminent followers, one unsurpassed forwisdom, the other for powers miraculous. " And then with Brahma's voice, profound and sweet, he forthwith bade them "Welcome!" Here is the pureand peaceful law, he said; here the end of all discipleship! Their handsgrasping the triple-staff, their twisted hair holding the water-vessel, hearing the words of Buddha's welcome, they forthwith changed intocomplete Sramanas; the leaders two and all their followers, assuming thecomplete appearance of Bhikshus, with prostrate forms fell down atBuddha's feet, then rising, sat beside him, and with obedient heartlistening to the word, they all became Arhats. At this time there was atwice-born sage, Kâsyapa Shi-ming-teng, celebrated and perfect inperson, rich in possessions, and his wife most virtuous. But all this hehad left and become a hermit, seeking the way of salvation. And now inthe way by the To-tseu tower he suddenly encountered Sâkya Muni, remarkable for his dignified and illustrious appearance, as theembroidered flag of a temple. Respectfully and reverently approaching, with head bowed down, he worshipped his feet, whilst he said: "Truly, honored one, you are my teacher, and I am your follower: much and longtime have I been harassed with doubts, oh! would that you would lightthe lamp of knowledge. " Buddha knowing that this twice-born sage washeartily desirous of finding the best mode of escape, with soft andpliant voice, he bade him come and welcome. Hearing his bidding and hisheart complying, losing all listlessness of body or spirit, his soulembraced the terms of this most excellent salvation. Quiet and calm, putting away defilement, the great merciful, as he alone knew how, briefly explained the mode of this deliverance, exhibiting the secretsof his law, ending with the four indestructible acquirements. The greatsage, everywhere celebrated, was called Mahâ Kâsyapa. His original faithwas that "body and soul are different, " but he had also held that theyare the same; that there was both "I" and a place for "I"; but now heforever cast away his former faith, and considered only that "sorrow" isever accumulating; so by removing sorrow there will be "no remains";obedience to the precepts and the practice of discipline, though notthemselves the cause, yet he considered these the necessary mode bywhich to find deliverance. With equal and impartial mind, he consideredthe nature of sorrow, for evermore freed from a cleaving heart. Whetherwe think "this is" or "this is not" he thought, both tend to produce alistless, idle mode of life. But when with equal mind we see the truth, then certainty is produced and no more doubt. If we rely for support onwealth or form, then wild confusion and concupiscence result: inconstantand impure. But lust and covetous desire removed, the heart of love andequal thoughts produced, there can be then no enemies or friends, butthe heart is pitiful and kindly disposed to all, and thus is destroyedthe power of anger and of hate. Trusting to outward things and theirrelationships, then crowding thoughts of every kind are gendered. Reflecting well, and crushing out confusing thought, then lust forpleasure is destroyed. Though born in the Arûpa world he saw that therewould be a remnant of life still left; unacquainted with the four righttruths, he had felt an eager longing for this deliverance, for the quietresulting from the absence of all thought. And now putting away forevercovetous desire for such a formless state of being, his restless heartwas agitated still, as the stream is excited by the rude wind. Thenentering on deep reflection in quiet he subdued his troubled mind, andrealized the truth of there being no "self, " and that therefore birthand death are no realities; but beyond this point he rose not: histhought of "self" destroyed, all else was lost. But now the lamp ofwisdom lit, the gloom of every doubt dispersed, he saw an end to thatwhich seemed without an end; ignorance finally dispelled, he consideredthe ten points of excellence; the ten seeds of sorrow destroyed, he cameonce more to life, and what he ought to do, he did. And now regardingwith reverence the face of his lord, he put away the three and gainedthe three; so were there three disciples in addition to the three; andas the three stars range around the Trayastrimsas heaven, waiting uponthe three and five, so the three wait on Buddha. 

Conversion of the "Supporter of the Orphans and Destitute"

At this time there was a great householder whose name was "Friend of theOrphaned and Destitute"; he was very rich and widely charitable inhelping the poor and needy. Now this man, coming far away from thenorth, even from the country of Kosala, stopped at the house of a friendwhose name was Sheu-lo. Hearing that Buddha was in the world anddwelling in the bamboo grove near at hand, understanding moreover hisrenown and illustrious qualities, he set out that very night for thegrove. Tathâgata, well aware of his character, and that he was preparedto bring forth purity and faith, according to the case, called him byhis true name, and for his sake addressed him in words ofreligion:--"Having rejoiced in the true law, and being humbly desirousfor a pure and believing heart, thou hast overcome desire for sleep, andart here to pay me reverence. Now then will I for your sake dischargefully the duties of a first meeting. In your former births the root ofvirtue planted firm in pure and rare expectancy, hearing now the name ofBuddha, you rejoiced because you are a vessel fit for righteousness, humble in mind, but large in gracious deeds, abundant in your charity tothe poor and helpless. The name you possess widespread and famous, thejust reward of former merit, the deeds you now perform are done ofcharity: done with the fullest purpose and of single heart. Now, therefore, take from me the charity of perfect rest, and for this endaccept my rules of purity. My rules are full of grace, able to rescuefrom destruction, and cause a man to ascend to heaven and share in allits pleasures. But yet to seek for these is a great evil, for lustfullonging in its increase brings much sorrow. Practise then the art of'giving up' all search, for 'giving up' desire is the joy of perfectrest. Know then! that age, disease, and death, these are the greatsorrows of the world. Rightly considering the world, we put away birthand old age, disease and death; but now because we see that men at largeinherit sorrow caused by age, disease, and death, we gather that whenborn in heaven, the case is also thus; for there is no continuance therefor any, and where there is no continuance there is sorrow, and havingsorrow there is no 'true self. ' And if the state of 'no continuance' andof sorrow is opposed to 'self, ' what room is there for such idea orground for self? Know then! that 'sorrow' is this very sorrow and itsrepetition is 'accumulation'; destroy this sorrow and there is joy, theway is in the calm and quiet place. The restless busy nature of theworld, this I declare is at the root of pain. Stop then the end bychoking up the source. Desire not either life or its opposite; theraging fire of birth, old age, and death burns up the world on everyside. Seeing the constant toil of birth and death we ought to strive toattain a passive state: the final goal of Sammata, the place ofimmortality and rest. All is empty! neither 'self, ' nor place for'self, ' but all the world is like a phantasy; this is the way to regardourselves, as but a heap of composite qualities. "

The nobleman, hearing the spoken law, forthwith attained the firstdegree of holiness: he emptied as it were, the sea of birth and death, one drop alone remaining. By practising, apart from men, the banishmentof all desire, he soon attained the one impersonal condition, not ascommon folk do now-a-day who speculate upon the mode of truedeliverance; for he who does not banish sorrow-causing samskâras doesbut involve himself in every kind of question; and though he reaches tothe highest form of being, yet grasps not the one and only truth. Erroneous thoughts as to the joy of heaven are still entwined by thefast cords of lust. The nobleman attending to the spoken law the cloudof darkness opened before the shining splendor. Thus he attained truesight, erroneous views forever dissipated; even as the furious winds ofautumn sway to and fro and scatter all the heaped-up clouds. He arguednot that Isvara was cause, nor did he advocate some cause heretical, noryet again did he affirm there was no cause for the beginning of theworld. "If the world was made by Isvara deva, there should be neitheryoung nor old, first nor after, nor the five ways of birth; and whenonce born there should be no destruction. Nor should there be such thingas sorrow or calamity, nor doing wrong nor doing right; for all, bothpure and impure deeds, these must come from Isvara deva. Again, ifIsvara deva made the world there should be never doubt about the fact, even as a son born of his father ever confesses him and pays himreverence. Men when pressed by sore calamity ought not to rebel againsthim, but rather reverence him completely, as the self-existent. Norought they to adore more gods than one. Again, if Isvara be the maker heshould not be called the self-existent, because in that he is the makernow he always should have been the maker; but if ever making, then everself-remembering, and therefore not the self-existent one--and if hemade without a purpose then is he like the sucking child; but if he madehaving an ever prompting purpose, then is he not, with such a purpose, self-existent? Sorrow and joy spring up in all that lives, these atleast are not the works of Isvara; for if he causes grief and joy, hemust himself have love and hate; but if he loves unduly, or has hatred, he cannot properly be named the self-existent. Again, if Isvara be themaker, all living things should silently submit, patient beneath themaker's power, and then what use to practise virtue? Twere equal, then, the doing right or wrong: there should be no reward of works; the worksthemselves being his making, then all things are the same with him, themaker, but if all things are one with him, then our deeds, and we who dothem, are also self-existent. But if Isvara be uncreated, then allthings, being one with him, are uncreated. But if you say there isanother cause beside him as creator, then Isvara is not the 'end ofall'; Isvara, who ought to be inexhaustible, is not so, and thereforeall that lives may after all be uncreated--without a maker. Thus, yousee, the thought of Isvara is overthrown in this discussion; and allsuch contradictory assertions should be exposed; if not, the blame isours. Again, if it be said self-nature is the maker, this is as faultyas the first assertion; nor has either of the Hetuvidyâ sâstras assertedsuch a thing as this, till now. That which depends on nothing cannot asa cause make that which is; but all things round us come from a cause, as the plant comes from the seed; we cannot therefore say that allthings are produced by self-nature. Again, all things which exist springnot from one nature as a cause; and yet you say self-nature is but one:it cannot then be cause of all. If you say that that self-naturepervades and fills all places, if it pervades and fills all things, thencertainly it cannot make them too; for there would be nothing, then, tomake, and therefore this cannot be the cause. If, again, it fills allplaces and yet makes all things that exist, then it should throughout'all time' have made forever that which is. But if you say it madethings thus, then there is nothing to be made 'in time'; know then, forcertain, self-nature cannot be the cause of all. Again, they say thatthat self-nature excludes all modifications, therefore all things madeby it ought likewise to be free from modifications. But we see, in fact, that all things in the world are fettered throughout by modifications;therefore, again, we say that self-nature cannot be the cause of all. If, again, you say that that self-nature is different from suchqualities, we answer, since self-nature must have ever caused, it cannotdiffer in its nature from itself; but if the world be different fromthese qualities, then self-nature cannot be the cause. Again, ifself-nature be unchangeable, so things should also be without decay; ifwe regard self-nature as the cause, then cause and consequence of reasonshould be one; but because we see decay in all things, we know that theyat least are caused. Again, if self-nature be the cause, why should weseek to find 'escape'? for we ourselves possess this nature; patientthen should we endure both birth and death. For let us take the casethat one may find 'escape, ' self-nature still will reconstruct the evilof birth. If self-nature in itself be blind, yet 'tis the maker of theworld that sees. On this account, again, it cannot be the maker, because, in this case, cause and effect would differ in their character, but in all the world around us, cause and effect go hand in hand. Again, if self-nature have no aim, it cannot cause that which has such purpose. We know on seeing smoke there must be fire, and cause and result areever classed together thus. We are forbidden, then, to say an unthinkingcause can make a thing that has intelligence. The gold of which the cupis made is gold throughout from first to last, self-nature, then, thatmakes these things, from first to last must permeate all it makes. Oncemore, if 'time' is maker of the world, 'twere needless then to seek'escape, ' for 'time' is constant and unchangeable: let us in patiencebear the 'intervals' of time. The world in its successions has nolimits, the 'intervals' of time are boundless also. Those then whopractise a religious life need not rely on 'methods' or 'expedients. 'The To-lo-piu Kiu-na, the one strange Sâstra in the world, although ithas so many theories, yet still, be it known, it is opposed to anysingle cause. But if, again, you say that 'self' is maker, then surelyself should make things pleasingly; but now things are not pleasing foroneself, how then is it said that self is maker? But if he did not wishto make things so, then he who wishes for things pleasing, is opposed toself, the maker. Sorrow and joy are not self-existing, how can these bemade by self? But if we allow that self was maker, there should not be, at least, an evil karman; but yet our deeds produce results both goodand evil; know then that 'self' cannot be maker. But perhaps you say'self' is the maker according to occasion, and then the occasion oughtto be for good alone. But as good and evil both result from 'cause, ' itcannot be that 'self' has made it so. But if you adopt theargument--there is no maker--then it is useless practising expedients;all things are fixed and certain of themselves: what good to try to makethem otherwise? Deeds of every kind, done in the world, do, notwithstanding, bring forth every kind of fruit; therefore we argue allthings that exist are not without some cause or other. There is both'mind' and 'want of mind'--all things come from fixed causation; theworld and all therein is not the result of 'nothing' as a cause. " Thenobleman, his heart receiving light, perceived throughout the mostexcellent system of truth. Simple, and of wisdom born; thus firmlysettled in the true doctrine he lowly bent in worship at the feet ofBuddha and with closed hands made his request:--

"I dwell indeed at Srâvasti, a land rich in produce, and enjoying peace;Prasenagit is the great king thereof, the offspring of the 'lion'family; his high renown and fame spread everywhere, reverenced by allboth far and near. Now am I wishful there to found a Vihâra, I pray youof your tenderness accept it from me. I know the heart of Buddha has nopreferences, nor does he seek a resting-place from labor, but on behalfof all that lives refuse not my request. "

Buddha, knowing the householder's heart, that his great charity was nowthe moving cause--untainted and unselfish charity, nobly considerate ofthe heart of all that lives--he said:

"Now you have seen the true doctrine, your guileless heart loves toexercise its charity: for wealth and money are inconstant treasures, 'twere better quickly to bestow such things on others. For when atreasury has been burnt, whatever precious things may have escaped thefire, the wise man, knowing their inconstancy, gives freely, doing actsof kindness with his saved possessions. But the niggard guards themcarefully, fearing to lose them, worn by anxiety, but never fearing'inconstancy, ' and that accumulated sorrow, when he loses all! There isa proper time and a proper mode in charity; just as the vigorous warriorgoes to battle, so is the man 'able to give'--he also is an ablewarrior; a champion strong and wise in action. The charitable man isloved by all, well-known and far-renowned! his friendship prized by thegentle and the good, in death his heart at rest and full of joy! Hesuffers no repentance, no tormenting fear, nor is he born a wretchedghost or demon! this is the opening flower of his reward, the fruit thatfollows--hard to conjecture! In all the six conditions born there is nosweet companion like pure charity; if born a Deva or a man, then charitybrings worship and renown on every hand; if born among the lowercreatures, the result of charity will follow in contentment got; wisdomleads the way to fixed composure without dependence and without number, and if we even reach the immortal path, still by continuous acts ofcharity we fulfil ourselves in consequence of kindly charity doneelsewhere. Training ourselves in the eightfold path of recollection, inevery thought the heart is filled with joy; firm fixed in holycontemplation, by meditation still we add to wisdom, able to see arightthe cause of birth and death; having beheld aright the cause of these, then follows in due order perfect deliverance. The charitable mandiscarding earthly wealth, nobly excludes the power of covetous desire;loving and compassionate now, he gives with reverence and banishes allhatred, envy, anger. So plainly may we see the fruit of charity, puttingaway all covetous and unbelieving ways, the bands of sorrow alldestroyed: this is the fruit of kindly charity. Know then! thecharitable man has found the cause of final rescue; even as the man whoplants the sapling thereby secures the shade, the flowers, the fruit ofthe tree full grown; the result of charity is even so, its reward is joyand the great Nirvâna. The charity which un-stores wealth leads toreturns of well-stored fruit. Giving away our food we get more strength, giving away our clothes we get more beauty, founding religiousrest-places we reap the perfect fruit of the best charity. There is away of giving, seeking pleasure by it; there is a way of giving, coveting to get more; some also give away to get a name for charity, others to get the happiness of heaven, others to avoid the pain of beingpoor hereafter, but yours, O friend! is a charity without such thoughts:the highest and the best degree of charity, without self-interest orthought of getting more. What your heart inclines you now to do, let itbe quickly done and well completed! The uncertain and the lustful heartgoes wandering here and there, but the pure eyes of virtue opening, theheart comes back and rests!" The nobleman accepting Buddha's teaching, his kindly heart receiving yet more light. 

He invited Upatishya, his excellent friend, to accompany him on hisreturn to Kosala; and then going round to select a pleasant site, he sawthe garden of the heir-apparent, Geta, the groves and limpid streamsmost pure. Proceeding where the prince was dwelling, he asked for leaveto buy the ground; the prince, because he valued it so much, at firstwas not inclined to sell, but said at last:--"If you can cover it withgold then, but not else, you may possess it. "

The nobleman, his heart rejoicing, forthwith began to spread his gold. Then Geta said: "I will not give, why then spread you your gold?" Thenobleman replied, "Not give; why then said you, 'Fill it with yellowgold'?" And thus they differed and contended both, till they resorted tothe magistrate. 

Meanwhile the people whispered much about his unwonted charity, and Getatoo, knowing the man's sincerity, asked more about the matter: what hisreasons were. On his reply, "I wish to found a Vihâra, and offer it tothe Tathâgata and all his Bhikshu followers, " the prince, hearing thename of Buddha, received at once illumination, and only took one-halfthe gold, desiring to share in the foundation: "Yours is the land, " hesaid, "but mine the trees; these will I give to Buddha as my share inthe offering. " Then the noble took the land, Geta the trees, and settledboth in trust on Sâriputra. Then they began to build the hall, laboringnight and day to finish it. Lofty it rose and choicely decorated, as oneof the four kings' palaces, in just proportions, following thedirections which Buddha had declared the right ones. Never yet so greata miracle as this! the priests shone in the streets of Srâvasti!Tathâgata, seeing the divine shelter, with all his holy ones resorted tothe place to rest. No followers there to bow in prostrate service, hisfollowers rich in wisdom only. The nobleman reaping his reward, at theend of life ascended up to heaven, leaving to sons and grandsons a goodfoundation, through successive generations, to plough the field ofmerit. 

Interview between Father and Son

Buddha in the Magadha country employing himself in converting all kindsof unbelievers, entirely changed them by the one and self-same law hepreached, even as the sun drowns with its brightness all the stars. Thenleaving the city of the five mountains with the company of his thousanddisciples, and with a great multitude who went before and came afterhim, he advanced towards the Ni-kin mountain, near Kapilavastu; andthere he conceived in himself a generous purpose to prepare an offeringaccording to his religious doctrine to present to his father, the king. And now, in anticipation of his coming, the royal teacher and the chiefminister had sent forth certain officers and their attendants to observeon the right hand and the left what was taking place; and they soonespied him (Buddha) as he advanced or halted on the way. Knowing thatBuddha was now returning to his country they hastened back and quicklyannounced the tidings, "The prince who wandered forth afar to obtainenlightenment, having fulfilled his aim, is now coming back. " The kinghearing the news was greatly rejoiced, and forthwith went out with hisgaudy equipage to meet his son; and the whole body of gentry belongingto the country, went forth with him in his company. Gradually advancinghe beheld Buddha from afar, his marks of beauty sparkling with splendortwofold greater than of yore; placed in the middle of the greatcongregation he seemed to be even as Brahma râga. Descending from hischariot and advancing with dignity, the king was anxious lest thereshould be any religious difficulty in the way of instant recognition;and now beholding his beauty he inwardly rejoiced, but his mouth foundno words to utter. He reflected, too, how that he was still dwellingamong the unconverted throng, whilst his son had advanced and become asaint; and although he was his son, yet as he now occupied the positionof a religious lord, he knew not by what name to address him. Furthermore he thought with himself how he had long ago desiredearnestly this interview, which now had happened unawares. Meantime hisson in silence took a seat, perfectly composed and with unchangedcountenance. Thus for some time sitting opposite each other, with noexpression of feeling the king reflected thus, "How desolate and saddoes he now make my heart, as that of a man, who, fainting, longs forwater, upon the road espies a fountain pure and cold; with haste hespeeds towards it and longs to drink, when suddenly the spring dries upand disappears. Thus, now I see my son, his well-known features as ofold; but how estranged his heart! and how his manner high and lifted up!There are no grateful outflowings of soul, his feelings seem unwillingto express themselves; cold and vacant there he sits; and like a thirstyman before a dried-up fountain so am I. "

Still distant thus they sat, with crowding thoughts rushing through themind, their eyes full met, but no responding joy; each looking at theother, seemed as one thinking of a distant friend who gazes by accidentupon his pictured form. "That you, " the king reflected, "who of rightmight rule the world, even as that Mândhâtri râga, should now go begginghere and there your food! what joy or charm has such a life as this?Composed and firm as Sumeru, with marks of beauty bright as thesunlight, with dignity of step like the ox king, fearless as any lion, and yet receiving not the tribute of the world, but begging foodsufficient for your body's nourishment!"

Buddha, knowing his father's mind, still kept to his own filial purpose. And then to open out his mind, and moved with pity for the multitude ofpeople, by his miraculous power he rose in mid-air and with his handsappeared to grasp the sun and moon. Then he walked to and fro in space, and underwent all kinds of transformation, dividing his body into manyparts, then joining all in one again. Treading firm on water as on dryland, entering the earth as in the water, passing through walls of stonewithout impediment, from the right side and the left water and fireproduced! The king, his father, filled with joy, now dismissed allthought of son and father; then upon a lotus throne, seated in space, he(Buddha) for his father's sake declared the law:--

"I know that the king's heart is full of love and recollection, and thatfor his son's sake he adds grief to grief; but now let the bands of lovethat bind him, thinking of his son, be instantly unloosed and utterlydestroyed. Ceasing from thoughts of love, let your calmed mind receivefrom me, your son, religious nourishment such as no son has offered yetto father: such do I present to you the king, my father. And what nofather yet has from a son received, now from your son you may accept, agift miraculous for any mortal king to enjoy, and seldom had by anyheavenly king! The way superlative of life immortal I offer now theMahârâga; from accumulated deeds comes birth, and as the result of deedscomes recompense. Knowing then that deeds bring fruit, how diligentshould you be to rid yourself of worldly deeds! how careful that in theworld your deeds should be only good and gentle! Fondly affected byrelationship or firmly bound by mutual ties of love, at end of life thesoul goes forth alone--then, only our good deeds befriend us. Whirled inthe five ways of the wheel of life, three kinds of deeds produce threekinds of birth, and these are caused by lustful hankering, each kinddifferent in its character. Deprive these of their power by the practicenow of proper deeds of body and of word; by such right preparation, dayand night strive to get rid of all confusion of the mind and practisesilent contemplation; only this brings profit in the end, besides thisthere is no reality; for be sure! the three worlds are but as the frothand bubble of the sea. Would you have pleasure, or would you practisethat which brings it near? then prepare yourself by deeds that bring thefourth birth: but still the five ways in the wheel of birth and deathare like the uncertain wandering of the stars; for heavenly beings toomust suffer change: how shall we find with men a hope of constancy;Nirvâna! that is the chief rest; composure! that the best of allenjoyments! The five indulgences enjoyed by mortal kings are fraughtwith danger and distress, like dwelling with a poisonous snake; whatpleasure, for a moment, can there be in such a case? The wise man seesthe world as compassed round with burning flames; he fears always, norcan he rest till he has banished, once for all, birth, age, and death. Infinitely quiet is the place where the wise man finds his abode; noneed of arms or weapons there! no elephants or horses, chariots orsoldiers there! Subdued the power of covetous desire and angry thoughtsand ignorance, there's nothing left in the wide world to conquer!Knowing what sorrow is, he cuts away the cause of sorrow. Thisdestroyed, by practising right means, rightly enlightened in the fourtrue principles, he casts off fear and escapes the evil ways of birth. "

The king when first he saw his wondrous spiritual power of miraclerejoiced in heart; but now his feelings deeply affected by the joy ofhearing truth, he became a perfect vessel for receiving true religion, and with clasped hands he breathed forth his praise: "Wonderful indeed!the fruit of your resolve completed thus! Wonderful indeed! theoverwhelming sorrow passed away! Wonderful indeed, this gain to me! Atfirst my sorrowing heart was heavy, but now my sorrow has brought forthonly profit! Wonderful indeed! for now, to-day, I reap the full fruit ofa begotten son. It was right he should reject the choice pleasures of amonarch, it was right he should so earnestly and with diligence practisepenance; it was right he should cast off his family and kin; it wasright he should cut off every feeling of love and affection. The oldRishi kings boasting of their penance gained no merit; but you, livingin a peaceful, quiet place, have done all and completed all; yourself atrest now you give rest to others, moved by your mighty sympathy for allthat lives! If you had kept your first estate with men, and as aKakravartin monarch ruled the world, possessing then no self-dependingpower of miracle, how could my soul have then received deliverance? Thenthere would have been no excellent law declared, causing me such joyto-day; no! had you been a universal sovereign, the bonds of birth anddeath would still have been unsevered, but now you have escaped frombirth and death; the great pain of transmigration overcome, you areable, for the sake of every creature, widely to preach the law of lifeimmortal, and to exhibit thus your power miraculous, and show the deepand wide power of wisdom; the grief of birth and death eternallydestroyed, you now have risen far above both gods and men. You mighthave kept the holy state of a Kakravartin monarch; but no such good asthis would have resulted. " Thus his words of praise concluded, filledwith increased reverence and religious love, he who occupied the honoredplace of a royal father, bowed down respectfully and did obeisance. Thenall the people of the kingdom, beholding Buddha's miraculous power, andhaving heard the deep and excellent law, seeing, moreover, the king'sgrave reverence, with clasped hands bowed down and worshipped. Possessedwith deep portentous thoughts, satiated with sorrows attached tolay-life, they all conceived a wish to leave their homes. The princes, too, of the Sâkya tribe, their minds enlightened to perceive the perfectfruit of righteousness, entirely satiated with the glittering joys ofthe world, forsaking home, rejoiced to join his company. Ânanda, Nanda, Kin-pi, Anuruddha, Nandupananda, with Kundadana, all these principalnobles and others of the Sâkya family, from the teaching of Buddhabecame disciples and accepted the law. The sons of the great minister ofstate, Udâyin being the chief, with all the royal princes following inorder became recluses. Moreover, the son of Atalî, whose name was Upâli, seeing all these princes and the sons of the chief minister becominghermits, his mind opening for conversion, he, too, received the law ofrenunciation. The royal father seeing his son possessing the greatqualities of Riddhi, himself entered on the calm flowings of thought, the gate of the true law of eternal life. Leaving his kingly estate andcountry, lost in meditation, he drank sweet dew. Practising hisreligious duties in solitude, silent and contemplative he dwelt in hispalace, a royal Rishi. Tathâgata following a peaceable life, recognizedfully by his tribe, repeating the joyful news of religion, gladdened thehearts of all his kinsmen hearing him. And now, it being the right timefor begging food, he entered the Kapila country; in the city all thelords and ladies, in admiration, raised this chant of praise:"Siddhârtha! fully enlightened! has come back again!" The news flyingquickly in and out of doors, the great and small came forth to see him;every door and every window crowded, climbing on shoulders, bending downthe eyes, they gazed upon the marks of beauty on his person, shining andglorious! Wearing his Kashâya garment outside, the glory of his personfrom within shone forth, like the sun's perfect wheel; within, without, he seemed one mass of splendor. Those who beheld were filled withsympathizing joy; their hands conjoined, they wept for gladness; and sothey watched him as he paced with dignity the road, his form collected, all his organs well-controlled! His lovely body exhibiting theperfection of religious beauty, his dignified compassion adding to theirregretful joy; his shaven head, his personal beauty sacrificed! his bodyclad in dark and sombre vestment, his manner natural and plain, hisunadorned appearance; his circumspection as he looked upon the earth inwalking! "He who ought to have had held over him the feather-shade, "they said, "whose hands should grasp 'the reins of the flying dragon, 'see how he walks in daylight on the dusty road! holding his alms-dish, going to beg! Gifted enough to tread down every enemy, lovely enough togladden woman's heart, with glittering vesture and with godlike crownreverenced he might have been by servile crowds! But now, his manlybeauty hidden, with heart restrained, and outward form subdued, rejecting the much-coveted and glorious apparel, his shining body cladwith garments gray, what aim, what object, now! Hating the five delightsthat move the world, forsaking virtuous wife and tender child, lovingthe solitude, he wanders friendless; hard, indeed, for virtuous wifethrough the long night, cherishing her grief; and now to hear he is ahermit! She inquires not now of the royal Suddhodana if he has seen hisson or not! But as she views his beauteous person, to think his alteredform is now a hermit's! hating his home, still full of love; his father, too, what rest for him! And then his loving child Râhula, weeping withconstant sorrowful desire! And now to see no change, or heart-relenting;and this the end of such enlightenment! All these attractive marks, theproofs of a religious calling, whereas, when born, all said, these aremarks of a 'great man, ' who ought to receive tribute from the four seas!And now to see what he has come to! all these predictive words vain andillusive. "

Thus they talked together, the gossiping multitude, with confusedaccents. Tathâgata, his heart unaffected, felt no joy and no regret. Buthe was moved by equal love to all the world, his one desire that menshould escape the grief of lust; to cause the root of virtue toincrease, and for the sake of coming ages, to leave the marks ofself-denial behind him, to dissipate the clouds and mists of sensualdesire. 

He entered, thus intentioned, on the town to beg. He accepted food bothgood or bad, whatever came, from rich or poor, without distinction;having filled his alms-dish, he then returned back to the solitude. 

Receiving the Getavana Vihâra

The lord of the world, having converted the people of Kapilavastuaccording to their several circumstances, his work being done, he wentwith the great body of his followers, and directed his way to thecountry of Kosala, where dwelt King Prasenagit. The Getavana was nowfully adorned, and its halls and courts carefully prepared. Thefountains and streams flowed through the garden which glittered withflowers and fruit; rare birds sat by the pools, and on the land theysang in sweet concord, according to their kind. 

Beautiful in every way as the palace of Mount Kilas, such was theGetavana. Then the noble friend of the orphans, surrounded by hisattendants, who met him on the way, scattering flowers and burningincense, invited the lord to enter the Getavana. In his hand he carrieda golden dragon-pitcher, and bending low upon his knees he poured theflowing water as a sign of the gift of the Getavana Vihâra for the useof the priesthood throughout the world. The lord then received it, withthe prayer that "overruling all evil influences it might give thekingdom permanent rest, and that the happiness of Anâthapindada mightflow out in countless streams. " Then the king Prasenagit, hearing thatthe lord had come, with his royal equipage went to the Getavana toworship at the lord's feet. Having arrived and taken a seat on one side, with clasped hands he spake to Buddha thus:--

"O that my unworthy and obscure kingdom should thus suddenly have metsuch fortune! For how can misfortunes or frequent calamities possiblyaffect it, in the presence of so great a man? And now that I have seenyour sacred features, I may perhaps partake of the converting streams ofyour teaching. A town although it is composed of many sections, yet bothignoble and holy persons may enter the surpassing stream; and so thewind which fans the perfumed grove causes the scents to unite and formone pleasant breeze; and as the birds which collect on Mount Sumeru aremany, and the various shades that blend in shining gold, so an assemblymay consist of persons of different capacities: individuallyinsignificant, but a glorious body. The desert master by nourishing theRishi, procured a birth as the three leg, or foot star; worldly profitis fleeting and perishable, religious profit is eternal andinexhaustible; a man though a king is full of trouble, a common man, whois holy, has everlasting rest. "

Buddha knowing the state of the king's heart--that he rejoiced inreligion as Sakrarâga--considered the two obstacles that weightedhim--viz. , too great love of money and of external pleasures, thenseizing the opportunity, and knowing the tendencies of his heart, hebegan, for the king's sake, to preach: "Even those who, by evil karma, have been born in low degree, when they see a person of virtuouscharacter, feel reverence for him; how much rather ought an independentking, who by his previous conditions of life has acquired much merit, when he encounters Buddha, to conceive even more reverence. Nor is itdifficult to understand, that a country should enjoy more rest andpeace, by the presence of Buddha, than if he were not to dwell therein. And now, as I briefly declare my law, let the Mahârâga listen and weighmy words, and hold fast that which I deliver! See now the end of myperfected merit, my life is done, there is for me no further body orspirit, but freedom from all ties of kith or kin! The good or evil deedswe do from first to last follow us as shadows; most exalted then thedeeds of the king of the law. The prince who cherishes his people, inthe present life gains renown, and hereafter ascends to heaven; but bydisobedience and neglect of duty, present distress is felt and futuremisery! As in old times Lui-'ma râga, by obeying the precepts, was bornin heaven, whilst Kin-pu râga, doing wickedly, at the end of life wasborn in misery. Now then, for the sake of the great king, I will brieflyrelate the good and evil law. The great requirement is a loving heart!to regard the people as we do an only son, not to oppress, not todestroy; to keep in due check every member of the body, to forsakeunrighteous doctrine and walk in the straight path; not to exalt one'sself by treading down others, but to comfort and befriend those insuffering; not to exercise one's self in false theories, nor to pondermuch on kingly dignity, nor to listen to the smooth words of falseteachers. Not to vex one's self by austerities, not to exceed ortransgress the right rules of kingly conduct, but to meditate on Buddhaand weigh his righteous law, and to put down and adjust all that iscontrary to religion; to exhibit true superiority by virtuous conductand the highest exercise of reason, to meditate deeply on the vanity ofearthly things, to realize the fickleness of life by constantrecollection; to exalt the mind to the highest point of reflection, toseek sincere faith (truth) with firm purpose; to retain an inward senseof happiness resulting from one's self, and to look forward to increasedhappiness hereafter; to lay up a good name for distant ages, this willsecure the favor of Tathâgata, as men now loving sweet fruit willhereafter be praised by their descendants. There is a way of darknessout of light, there is a way of light out of darkness; there is darknesswhich follows after the gloom, there is a light which causes thebrightening of light. The wise man, leaving first principles, should goon to get more light; evil words will be repeated far and wide by themultitude, but there are few to follow good direction: It is impossible, however, to avoid result of works, the doer cannot escape; if there hadbeen no first works, there had been in the end no result of doing--noreward for good, no hereafter joy; but because works are done, there isno escape. Let us then practise good works; let us inspect our thoughtsthat we do no evil, because as we sow so we reap. As when enclosed in afour-stone mountain, there is no escape or place of refuge for anyone, so within this mountain-wall of old age, birth, disease, and death, there is no escape for the world. Only by considering and practising thetrue law can we escape from this sorrow-piled mountain. There is, indeed, no constancy in the world, the end of the pleasures of sense isas the lightning flash, whilst old age and death are as the piercingbolts; what profit, then, in doing iniquity! All the ancient conqueringkings, who were as gods on earth, thought by their strength to overcomedecay; but after a brief life they too disappeared. The Kalpa-fire willmelt Mount Sumeru, the water of the ocean will be dried up, how muchless can our human frame, which is as a bubble, expect to endure forlong upon the earth! The fierce wind scatters the thick mists, the sun'srays encircle Mount Sumeru, the fierce fire licks up the place ofmoisture, so things are ever born once more to be destroyed! The body isa thing of unreality, kept through the suffering of the long nightpampered by wealth, living idly and in carelessness, death suddenlycomes and it is carried away as rotten wood in the stream! The wise man, expecting these changes, with diligence strives against sloth; the dreadof birth and death acts as a spur to keep him from lagging on the road;he frees himself from engagements, he is not occupied withself-pleasing, he is not entangled by any of the cares of life, he holdsto no business, seeks no friendships, engages in no learned career, noryet wholly separates himself from it; for his learning is the wisdom ofnot-perceiving wisdom, but yet perceiving that which tells him of hisown impermanence; having a body, yet keeping aloof from defilement, helearns to regard defilement as the greatest evil. He knows that, thoughborn in the Arûpa world, there is yet no escape from the changes oftime; his learning, then, is to acquire the changeless body; for whereno change is, there is peace. Thus the possession of this changeful bodyis the foundation of all sorrow. Therefore, again, all who are wise makethis their aim--to seek a bodiless condition; all the various orders ofsentient creatures, from the indulgence of lust, derive pain; thereforeall those in this condition ought to conceive a heart, loathing lust;putting away and loathing this condition, then they shall receive nomore pain; though born in a state with or without an external form, thecertainty of future change is the root of sorrow; for so long as thereis no perfect cessation of personal being, there can be, certainly, noabsence of personal desire; beholding, in this way, the character of thethree worlds, their inconstancy and unreality, the presence ofever-consuming pain, how can the wise man seek enjoyment therein? When atree is burning with fierce flames how can the birds congregate therein?The wise man, who is regarded as an enlightened sage, without thisknowledge is ignorant; having this knowledge, then true wisdom dawns;without it, there is no enlightenment. To get this wisdom is the oneaim, to neglect it is the mistake of life. All the teaching of theschools should be centred here; without it is no true reason. To recountthis excellent system is not for those who dwell in family connection;nor is it, on that account, not to be said, for religion concerns a manindividually. Burned up with sorrow, by entering the cool stream, allmay obtain relief and ease; the light of a lamp in a dark coom lights upequally objects of all colors, so is it with those who devote themselvesto religion--there is no distinction between the professed disciple andthe unlearned. Sometimes the mountain-dweller falls into ruin, sometimesthe humble householder mounts up to be a Rishi; the want of faith is theengulfing sea, the presence of disorderly belief is the rolling flood. The tide of lust carries away the world; involved in its eddies there isno escape; wisdom is the handy boat, reflection is the hold-fast. Thedrum-call of religion, the barrier of thought, these alone can rescuefrom the sea of ignorance. "

At this time the king, sincerely attentive to the words of the All-wise, conceived a distaste for the world's glitter and was dissatisfied withthe pleasures of royalty, even as one avoids a drunken elephant, orreturns to right reason after a debauch. Then all the hereticalteachers, seeing that the king was well affected to Buddha, besought theking, with one voice, to call on Buddha to exhibit his miraculous gifts. Then the king addressed the lord of the world: "I pray you, grant theirrequest!" Then Buddha silently acquiesced. And now all the differentprofessors of religion, the doctors who boasted of their spiritualpower, came together in a body to where Buddha was; then he manifestedbefore them his power of miracle: ascending up into the air, he remainedseated, diffusing his glory as the light of the sun he shed abroad thebrightness of his presence. The heretical teachers were all abashed, thepeople all were filled with faith. Then for the sake of preaching to hismother, he forthwith ascended to the heaven of the thirty-three gods, and for three months dwelt in heavenly mansions. There he converted theoccupants of that abode, and having concluded his pious mission to hismother, the time of his sojourn in heaven finished, he forthwithreturned, the angels accompanying him on wing; he travelled down aseven-gemmed ladder, and again arrived at Gambudvîpa. Stepping down healighted on the spot where all the Buddhas return, countless hosts ofangels accompanied him, conveying with them their palace abodes as agift. 

The people of Gambudvipa, with closed hands, looking up with reverence, beheld him. 

Escaping the Drunken Elephant and Devadatta

Having instructed his mother in heaven with all the angel host, and oncemore returned to men, he went about converting those capable of it. Gutika, Gîvaka, Sula, and Kûrna, the noble's son Anga and the son of thefearless king Abhaya Nyagrodha and the rest; Srîkutaka, Upâli theNirgrantha; all these were thoroughly converted. So also the king ofGandhâra, whose name was Fo-kia-lo; he, having heard the profound andexcellent law, left his country and became a recluse. So also the demonsHimapati and Vâtagiri, on the mountain Vibhâra, were subdued andconverted. The Brahmakârin Prayantika, on the mountain Vagana, by thesubtle meaning of half a gâtha, he convinced and caused to rejoice infaith; the village of Dânamati had one Kûtadanta, the head of thetwice-born Brahmans; at this time he was sacrificing countless victims;Tathâgata by means converted him, and caused him to enter the true path. On Mount Bhatika a heavenly being of eminent distinction, whose name wasPañkasikha, receiving the law, attained Dhyâna; in the village ofVainushta, he converted the mother of the celebrated Nanda. In the townof Añkavari, he subdued the powerful mahâbâla spirit; Bhanabhadra, Sronadanta, the malevolent and powerful Nâgas, the king of the countryand his harem, received together the true law, as he opened to them thegate of immortality. In the celebrated Viggi village, Kina and Sila, earnestly seeking to be born in heaven, he converted and made to enterthe right path. The Angulimâla, in that village of Sumu, through theexhibition of his divine power, he converted and subdued; there was thatnoble's son, Purigîvana, rich in wealth and stores as Punavatî, directlyhe was brought to Buddha, accepting the doctrine, he became vastlyliberal. So in that village of Padatti he converted the celebratedPatali, and also Patala, brothers, and both demons. In Bhidhavali therewere two Brahmans, one called Great-age, the other Brahma-age. These bythe power of a discourse he subdued, and caused them to attain knowledgeof the true law; when he came to Vaisâlî, he converted all the Rakshademons, and the lion of the Likkhavis, and all the Likkhavis, Saka theNirgrantha, all these he caused to attain the true law. Hama kinkhavahad a demon Potala, and another Potalaka, these he converted. Again hecame to Mount Ala, to convert the demon Alava, and a second calledKumâra, and a third Asidaka; then going back to Mount Gaga he convertedthe demon Kañgana, and Kamo the Yaksha, with the sister and son. Thencoming to Benares, he converted the celebrated Katyâyana; thenafterwards going, by his miraculous power, to Sruvala, he converted themerchants Davakin and Nikin, and received their sandalwood hall, exhaling its fragrant odors till now. Going then to Mahîvatî, heconverted the Rishi Kapila, and the Muni remained with him; his footstepping on the stone, the thousand-spoked twin-wheels appeared, whichnever could be erased. 

Then he came to the place Po-lo-na, where he converted the demonPo-lo-na; coming to the country of Mathurâ, he converted the demonGodama. In the Thurakusati he also converted Pindapâla; coming to thevillage of Vairañga, he converted the Brahman; in the village ofKalamasa, he converted Savasasin, and also that celebrated Agirivasa. Once more returning to the Srâvastî country, he converted the GautamasGâtisruna and Dakâtili; returning to the Kosala country, he convertedthe leaders of the heretics Vakrapali and all the Brahmakârins. Comingto Satavaka, in the forest retreat, he converted the heretical Rishis, and constrained them to enter the path of the Buddha Rishi. Coming tothe country of Ayodhyâ, he converted the demon Nâgas; coming to thecountry of Kimbila, he converted the two Nâgarâgas; one called Kimbila, the other called Kâlaka. Again coming to the Vaggi country, he convertedthe Yaksha demon, whose name was Pisha, the father and mother of Nâgara, and the great noble also, he caused to believe gladly in the true law. Coming to the Kausârubî country, he converted Goshira, and the twoUpasikâs, Vaguttarâ and her companion Uvari; and besides these, manyothers, one after the other. Coming to the country of Gandhâra heconverted the Nâga Apalâla; thus in due order all these air-going, water-loving natures he completely converted and saved, as the sun whenhe shines upon some dark and sombre cave. At this time Devadatta, seeingthe remarkable excellences of Buddha, conceived in his heart a jealoushatred; losing all power of thoughtful abstraction he ever plottedwicked schemes, to put a stop to the spread of the true law; ascendingthe Gridhrakûta mount he rolled down a stone to hit Buddha; the stonedivided into two parts, each part passing on either side of him. Again, on the royal highway he loosed a drunken, vicious elephant. With hisraised trunk trumpeting as thunder he ran, his maddened breath raising acloud around him, his wild pace like the rushing wind, to be avoidedmore than the fierce tempest; his trunk and tusks and tail and feet, when touched only, brought instant death. Thus he ran through thestreets and ways of Râgagriha, madly wounding and killing men; theircorpses lay across the road, their brains and blood scattered afar. Thenall the men and women filled with fear, remained indoors; throughout thecity there was universal terror, only piteous shrieks and cries wereheard; beyond the city men were running fast, hiding themselves in holesand dens. Tathâgata, with five hundred followers, at this time cametowards the city; from tops of gates and every window, men, fearing forBuddha, begged him not to advance; Tathâgata, his heart composed andquiet, with perfect self-possession, thinking only on the sorrow causedby hate, his loving heart desiring to appease it, followed by guardianangel-nâgas, slowly approached the maddened elephant. The Bhikshus alldeserted him, Ânanda only remained by his side; joined by every tie ofduty, his steadfast nature did not shake or quail. The drunken elephant, savage and spiteful, beholding Buddha, came to himself at once, andbending, worshipped at his feet just as a mighty mountain falls toearth. With lotus hand the master pats his head, even as the moon lightsup a flying cloud. And now, as he lay crouched before the master's feet, on his account he speaks some sacred words: "The elephant cannot hurtthe mighty dragon, hard it is to fight with such a one; the elephantdesiring so to do will in the end obtain no happy state of birth;deceived by lust, anger, and delusion, which are hard to conquer, butwhich Buddha has conquered. Now, then, this very day, give up this lust, this anger and delusion! You! swallowed up in sorrow's mud! if not nowgiven up, they will increase yet more and grow. "

The elephant, hearing Buddha's words, escaped from drunkenness, rejoicedin heart; his mind and body both found rest, as one athirst finds joywho drinks of heavenly dew. The elephant being thus converted, thepeople around were filled with joy; they all raised a cry of wonder atthe miracle, and brought their offerings of every kind. Thescarcely-good arrived at middle-virtue, the middling-good passed to ahigher grade, the unbelieving now became believers, those who believedwere strengthened in their faith. Agâtasatru, mighty king, seeing howBuddha conquered the drunken elephant, was moved at heart by thoughtsprofound; then, filled with joy, he found a twofold growth of piety. Tathâgata, by exercise of virtue, exhibited all kinds of spiritualpowers; thus he subdued and harmonized the minds of all, and caused themin due order to attain religious truth, and through the kingdom virtuousseeds were sown, as at the first when men began to live. But Devadatta, mad with rage, because he was ensnared by his own wickedness, at firstby power miraculous able to fly, now fallen, dwells in lowest hell. 

The Lady Âmra Sees Buddha

The lord of the world having finished his wide work of conversionconceived in himself a desire for Nirvana. Accordingly proceeding fromthe city of Râgagriha, he went on towards the town of Pâtaliputra. 

Having arrived there, he dwelt in the famous Pâtali ketiya. Now thistown of Pâtaliputra is the frontier town of Magadha, defending theoutskirts of the country. Ruling the country was a Brahman of widerenown and great learning in the scriptures; and there was also anoverseer of the country, to take the omens of the land with respect torest or calamity. At this time the king of Magadha sent to that officerof inspection a messenger, to warn and command him to raisefortifications in the neighborhood of the town for its security andprotection. And now the lord of the world, as they were raising thefortifications, predicted that in consequence of the Devas and spiritswho protected and kept the land, the place should continue strong andfree from calamity or destruction. On this the heart of the overseergreatly rejoiced, and he made religious offerings to Buddha, the law, and the church. Buddha now leaving the city gate went on towards theriver Ganges. The overseer, from his deep reverence for Buddha, namedthe gate through which the lord had passed the "Gautama gate. " Meanwhilethe people all by the side of the river Ganges went forth to payreverence to the lord of the world. They prepared for him every kind ofreligious offering, and each one with his gaudy boat invited him tocross over. The lord of the world, considering the number of the boats, feared lest by an appearance of partiality in accepting one, he mighthurt the minds of all the rest. Therefore in a moment, by his spiritualpower, he transported himself and the great congregation across theriver, leaving this shore he passed at once to that, signifying therebythe passage in the boat of wisdom from this world to Nirvâna: a boatlarge enough to transport all that lives to save the world, even aswithout a boat he crossed without hindrance the river Ganges. Then allthe people on the bank of the river, with one voice, raised a rapturousshout, and all declared this ford should be called the Gautama ford. Asthe city gate is called the Gautama gate, so this Gautama ford is soknown through ages; and shall be so called through generations to come. Then Tathâgata, going forward still, came to that celebrated Kulivillage, where he preached and converted many; again he went on to theNâdi village, where many deaths had occurred among the people. Thefriends of the dead then came to the lord and asked, "Where have ourfriends and relatives deceased, now gone to be born, after this lifeended?" Buddha, knowing well the sequence of deeds, answered eachaccording to his several needs. Then going forward to Vaisâlî, helocated himself in the Âmrâ grove. The celebrated Lady Âmrâ, wellaffected to Buddha, went to that garden followed by her waiting women, whilst the children from the schools paid her respect. Thus withcircumspection and self-restraint, her person lightly and plainlyclothed, putting away all her ornamented robes and all adornments ofscent and flowers, as a prudent and virtuous woman goes forth to performher religious duties, so she went on, beautiful to look upon, like anyDevî in appearance. Buddha seeing the lady in the distance approaching, spake thus to all the Bhikshus:--

"This woman is indeed exceedingly beautiful, able to fascinate the mindsof the religious; now then, keep your recollection straight! let wisdomkeep your mind in subjection! Better fall into the fierce tiger's mouth, or under the sharp knife of the executioner, than to dwell with a womanand excite in yourselves lustful thoughts. A woman is anxious to exhibither form and shape, whether walking, standing, sitting, or sleeping. Even when represented as a picture, she desires most of all to set offthe blandishments of her beauty, and thus to rob men of their steadfastheart! How then ought you to guard yourselves? By regarding her tearsand her smiles as enemies, her stooping form, her hanging arms, and allher disentangled hair as toils designed to entrap man's heart. Then howmuch more should you suspect her studied, amorous beauty; when shedisplays her dainty outline, her richly ornamented form, and chattersgayly with the foolish man! Ah, then! what perturbation and what evilthoughts, not seeing underneath the horrid, tainted shape, the sorrowsof impermanence, the impurity, the unreality! Considering these as thereality, all lustful thoughts die out; rightly considering these, withintheir several limits, not even an Apsaras would give you joy. But yetthe power of lust is great with men, and is to be feared withal; takethen the bow of earnest perseverance, and the sharp arrow points ofwisdom, cover your head with the helmet of right-thought, and fight withfixed resolve against the five desires. Better far with red-hot ironpins bore out both your eyes, than encourage in yourselves lustfulthoughts, or look upon a woman's form with such desires. Lust becloudinga man's heart, confused with woman's beauty, the mind is dazed, and atthe end of life that man must fall into an 'evil way. ' Fear then thesorrow of that 'evil way!' and harbor not the deceits of women. Thesenses not confined within due limits, and the objects of sense notlimited as they ought to be, lustful and covetous thoughts grow upbetween the two, because the senses and their objects are unequallyyoked. Just as when two ploughing oxen are yoked together to one halterand cross-bar, but not together pulling as they go, so is it when thesenses and their objects are unequally matched. Therefore, I say, restrain the heart, give it no unbridled license. "

Thus Buddha, for the Bhikshus' sake, explained the law in various ways. And now that Âmrâ lady gradually approached the presence of the lord;seeing Buddha seated beneath a tree, lost in thought and wholly absorbedby it, she recollected that he had a great compassionate heart, andtherefore she believed he would in pity receive her garden grove. Withsteadfast heart and joyful mien and rightly governed feelings, heroutward form restrained, her heart composed, bowing her head at Buddha'sfeet, she took her place as the lord bade her, whilst he in sequenceright declared the law:--

"Your heart, O lady! seems composed and quieted, your form withoutexternal ornaments; young in years and rich, you seem well-talented asyou are beautiful. That one, so gifted, should by faith be able toreceive the law of righteousness is, indeed, a rare thing in the world!The wisdom of a master derived from former births, enables him to acceptthe law with joy: this is not rare; but that a woman, weak of will, scant in wisdom, deeply immersed in love, should yet be able to delightin piety, this, indeed, is very rare. A man born in the world, by properthought comes to delight in goodness, he recognizes the impermanence ofwealth and beauty, and looks upon religion as his best ornament. Hefeels that this alone can remedy the ills of life and change the fate ofyoung and old; the evil destiny that cramps another's life cannot affecthim, living righteously; always removing that which excites desire, heis strong in the absence of desire; seeking to find, not what vainthoughts suggest, but that to which religion points him. Relying onexternal help, he has sorrow; self-reliant, there is strength and joy. But in the case of woman, from another comes the labor, and the nurtureof another's child. Thus then should everyone consider well, and loatheand put away the form of woman. "

Âmrâ, the lady, hearing the law, rejoiced. Her wisdom strengthened, andstill more enlightened, she was enabled to cast off desire, and ofherself dissatisfied with woman's form, was freed from all pollutingthoughts. Though still constrained to woman's form, filled withreligious joy, she bowed at Buddha's feet and spoke: "Oh! may the lord, in deep compassion, receive from me, though ignorant, this offering, andso fulfil my earnest vow. " Then Buddha knowing her sincerity, and forthe good of all that lives, silently accepted her request, and caused inher full joy, in consequence; whilst all her friends attentive, grew inknowledge, and, after adoration, went back home. 

CHAPTER V

By Spiritual Power Fixing His Term of Years

At this time the great men among the Likkhavis, hearing that the lord ofthe world had entered their country and was located in the Âmrâ garden, went thither riding in their gaudy chariots with silken canopies, andclothed in gorgeous robes, both blue and red and yellow and white, eachone with his own cognizance. Accompanied by their body guard surroundingthem, they went; others prepared the road in front; and with theirheavenly crowns and flower-bespangled robes they rode, richly dight withevery kind of costly ornament. Their noble forms resplendent increasedthe glory of that garden grove; now taking off the five distinctiveornaments, alighting from their chariots, they advanced afoot. Slowlythus, with bated breath, their bodies reverent they advanced. Then theybowed down and worshipped Buddha's foot, and, a great multitude, theygathered round the lord, shining as the sun's disc, full of radiance. 

There was the lion Likkhavi, among the Likkhavis the senior, his nobleform bold as the lion's, standing there with lion eyes, but without thelion's pride, taught by the Sâkya lion, who thus began: "Great andillustrious personages, famed as a tribe for grace and comeliness! putaside, I pray, the world's high thoughts, and now accept the aboundinglustre of religious teaching. Wealth and beauty, scented flowers andornaments like these, are not to be compared for grace with moralrectitude! Your land productive and in peaceful quiet--this is yourgreat renown; but true gracefulness of body and a happy people dependupon the heart well-governed. Add but to this a reverent feeling forreligion, then a people's fame is at its height! a fertile land and allthe dwellers in it, as a united body, virtuous! To-day then learn thisvirtue, cherish with carefulness the people, lead them as a body in theright way of rectitude, even as the ox-king leads the way across theriver-ford. If a man with earnest recollection ponder on things of thisworld and the next, he will consider how by right behavior right moralshe prepares, as the result of merit, rest in either world. For all inthis world will exceedingly revere him, his fame will spread abroadthrough every part, the virtuous will rejoice to call him friend, andthe outflowings of his goodness will know no bounds forever. Theprecious gems found in the desert wilds are all from earth engendered;moral conduct, likewise, as the earth, is the great source of all thatis good. By this, without the use of wings, we fly through space, wecross the river needing not a handy boat; but without this a man willfind it hard indeed to cross the stream of sorrow or stay the rush ofsorrow. As when a tree with lovely flowers and fruit, pierced by somesharp instrument, is hard to climb, so is it with the much-renowned forstrength and beauty, who break through the laws of moral rectitude!Sitting upright in the royal palace, the heart of the king was grave andmajestic; with a view to gain the merit of a pure and moral life, hebecame a convert of a great Rishi. With garments dyed and clad withhair, shaved, save one spiral knot, he led a hermit's life, but, as hedid not rule himself with strict morality, he was immersed in sufferingand sorrow. Each morn and eve he used the three ablutions, sacrificed tofire and practised strict austerity, let his body be in filth as thebrute beast, passed through fire and water, dwelt amidst the craggyrocks, inhaled the wind, drank from the Ganges' stream, controlledhimself with bitter fasts--but all! far short of moral rectitude. Forthough a man inure himself to live as any brute, he is not on thataccount a vessel of the righteous law; whilst he who breaks the laws ofright behavior invites detraction, and is one no virtuous man can love;his heart is ever filled with boding fear, his evil name pursues him asa shadow. Having neither profit nor advantage in this world, how can hein the next world reap content? Therefore the wise man ought to practisepure behavior; passing through the wilderness of birth and death, pureconduct is to him a virtuous guide. From pure behavior comes self-power, which frees a man from many dangers; pure conduct, like a ladder, enables us to climb to heaven. Those who found themselves on rightbehavior, cut off the source of pain and grief; but they who bytransgression destroy this mind, may mourn the loss of every virtuousprinciple. To gain this end first banish every ground of 'self'; thisthought of 'self' shades every lofty aim, even as the ashes that concealthe fire, treading on which the foot is burned. Pride and indifferenceshroud this heart, too, as the sun is obscured by the piled-up clouds;supercilious thoughts root out all modesty of mind, and sorrow saps thestrongest will. As age and disease waste youthful beauty, so pride ofself destroys all virtue; the Devas and Asuras, thus from jealousy andenvy, raised mutual strife. The loss of virtue and of merit which wemourn, proceeds from 'pride of self' throughout; and as I am a conqueroramid conquerors, so he who conquers self is one with me. He who littlecares to conquer self, is but a foolish master; beauty, or earthlythings, family renown and such things, all are utterly inconstant, andwhat is changeable can give no rest of interval. If in the end the lawof entire destruction is exacted, what use is there in indolence andpride? Covetous desire is the greatest source of sorrow, appearing as afriend in secret 'tis our enemy. As a fierce fire excited from within ahouse, so is the fire of covetous desire: the burning flame of covetousdesire is fiercer far than fire which burns the world. For fire may beput out by water in excess, but what can overpower the fire of lust? Thefire which fiercely burns the desert grass dies out, and then the grasswill grow again; but when the fire of lust burns up the heart, then howhard for true religion there to dwell! for lust seeks worldly pleasures, these pleasures add to an impure karman; by this evil karman a man fallsinto perdition, and so there is no greater enemy to man than lust. Lusting, man gives way to amorous indulgence, by this he is led topractise every kind of lustful longing; indulging thus, he gathersfrequent sorrow. No greater evil is there than lust. Lust is a diredisease, and the foolish master stops the medicine of wisdom. The studyof heretical books not leading to right thought, causes the lustfulheart to increase and grow, for these books are not correct on thepoints of impermanency, the non-existence of self, and any object groundfor 'self. ' But a true and right apprehension through the power ofwisdom, is effectual to destroy that false desire, and therefore ourobject should be to practise this true apprehension. Right apprehensiononce produced then there is deliverance from covetous desire, for afalse estimate of excellency produces a covetous desire to excel, whilsta false view of demerit produces anger and regret; but the idea ofexcelling and also of inferiority (in the sense of demerit) bothdestroyed, the desire to excel and also anger (on account ofinferiority) are destroyed. Anger! how it changes the comely face, howit destroys the loveliness of beauty! Anger dulls the brightness of theeye, chokes all desire to hear the principles of truth, cuts and dividesthe principle of family affection, impoverishes and weakens everyworldly aim. Therefore let anger be subdued, yield not to the angryimpulse; he who can hold his wild and angry heart is well entitled'illustrious charioteer. ' For men call such a one 'illustriousteam-breaker' who can with bands restrain the unbroken steed; so angernot subdued, its fire unquenched, the sorrow of repentance burns likefire. A man who allows wild passion to arise within, himself first burnshis heart, then after burning adds the wind thereto which ignites thefire again, or not, as the case may be. The pain of birth, old age, disease, and death, press heavily upon the world, but adding 'passion'to the score, what is this but to increase our foes when pressed byfoes? But rather, seeing how the world is pressed by throngs of grief, we ought to encourage in us love, and as the world produces grief ongrief, so should we add as antidotes unnumbered remedies. " Tathâgata, illustrious in expedients, according to the disease, thus briefly spoke;even as a good physician in the world, according to the disease, prescribes his medicine. And now the Likkhavis, hearing the sermonpreached by Buddha, arose forthwith and bowed at Buddha's feet, andjoyfully they placed them on their heads. Then they asked both Buddhaand the congregation on the morrow to accept their poor religiousofferings. But Buddha told them that already Âmrâ had invited him. Onthis the Likkhavis, harboring thoughts of pride and disappointment, said: "Why should that one take away our profit?" But, knowing Buddha'sheart to be impartial and fair, they once again regained theircheerfulness. Tathâgata, moreover, nobly seizing the occasion, appeasingthem, produced within a joyful heart; and so subdued, their grandeur ofappearance came again, as when a snake subdued by charms glistens withshining skin. And now, the night being passed, the signs of dawnappearing, Buddha and the great assembly go to the abode of Âmrâ, andhaving received her entertainment, they went on to the village ofPi-nau, and there he rested during the rainy season; the three months'rest being ended, again he returned to Vaisâli, and dwelt beside theMonkey Tank; sitting there in a shady grove, he shed a flood of gloryfrom his person; aroused thereby, Mâra Pisuna came to the place whereBuddha was, and with closed palms exhorted him thus: "Formerly, besidethe Nairañganâ river, when you had accomplished your true and steadfastaim, you said, 'When I have done all I have to do, then will I pass atonce to Nirvâna'; and now you have done all you have to do, you should, as then you said, pass to Nirvâna. "

Then Buddha spake to Pisuna: "The time of my complete deliverance is athand, but let three months elapse, and I shall reach Nirvâna. " ThenMâra, knowing that Tathâgata had fixed the time for his emancipation, his earnest wish being thus fulfilled, joyous returned to his abode inheaven. Tathâgata, seated beneath a tree, straightway was lost inecstasy, and willingly rejected his allotted years, and by his spiritualpower fixed the remnant of his life. On this, Tathâgata thus giving uphis years, the great earth shook and quaked through all the limits ofthe universe; great flames of fire were seen around, the tops of Sumeruwere shaken, from heaven there rained showers of flying stones, awhirling tempest rose on every side, the trees were rooted up and fell, heavenly music rose with plaintive notes, whilst angels for a time werejoyless. Buddha rising from out his ecstasy, announced to all the world:"Now have I given up my term of years; I live henceforth by power offaith; my body like a broken chariot stands, no further cause of'coming' or of 'going'; completely freed from the three worlds, I goenfranchised, as a chicken from its egg. "

The Differences of the Likkhavis

The venerable Ânanda, seeing the earth shaking on every side, his heartwas tearful and his hair erect; he asked the cause thereof of Buddha. 

Buddha replied: "Ânanda! I have fixed three months to end my life, therest of life I utterly give up; this is the reason why the earth isgreatly shaken. "

Ânanda, hearing the instruction of Buddha, was moved with pity and thetears flowed down his face, even as when an elephant of mighty strengthshakes the sandal-wood tree. Thus was Ânanda shaken and his mindperturbed, whilst down his cheeks the tears, like drops of perfume, flowed; so much he loved the lord his master, so full of kindness washe, and, as yet, not freed from earthly thoughts. Thinking then on thesefour things alone, he gave his grief full liberty, nor could he masterit, but said, "Now I hear the lord declare that he has fixed for goodhis time to die, my body fails, my strength is gone, my mind is dazed, my soul is all discordant, and all the words of truth forgotten; a wilddeserted waste seems heaven and earth. Have pity! save me, master!perish not so soon! Perished with bitter cold, I chanced upon afire--forthwith it disappeared. Wandering amid the wilds of grief andpain, deceived, confused, I lost my way--suddenly a wise and prudentguide encountered me, but hardly saved from my bewilderment, he oncemore vanished. Like some poor man treading through endless mud, wearyand parched with thirst, longs for the water, suddenly he lights upon acool refreshing lake, he hastens to it--lo! it dries before him. Thedeep blue, bright, refulgent eye, piercing through all the worlds, withwisdom brightens the dark gloom, the darkness for a moment is dispelled. As when the blade shoots through the yielding earth, the clouds collectand we await the welcome shower, then a fierce wind drives the bigclouds away, and so with disappointed hope we watch the dried-up field!Deep darkness reigned for want of wisdom, the world of sentientcreatures groped for light, Tathâgata lit up the lamp of wisdom, thensuddenly extinguished it--ere he had brought it out. "

Buddha, hearing Ânanda speaking thus, grieved at his words, and pityinghis distress, with soothing accents and with gentle presence spake withpurpose to declare the one true law:--

"If men but knew their own nature, they would not dwell in sorrow;everything that lives, whate'er it be, all this is subject todestruction's law; I have already told you plainly, the law of things'joined' is to 'separate'; the principle of kindness and of love is notabiding, 'tis better then to reject this pitiful and doting heart. Allthings around us bear the stamp of instant change; born, they perish; noself-sufficiency; those who would wish to keep them long, find in theend no room for doing so. If things around us could be kept for aye, andwere not liable to change or separation, then this would be salvation!where then can this be sought? You, and all that lives, can seek in methis great deliverance! That which you may all attain I have alreadytold you, and tell you, to the end. Why then should I preserve thisbody? The body of the excellent law shall long endure! I am resolved; Ilook for rest! This is the one thing needful. So do I now instruct allcreatures, and as a guide, not seen before, I lead them; prepareyourselves to cast off consciousness, fix yourselves well in your ownisland. Those who are thus fixed mid-stream, with single aim andearnestness striving in the use of means, preparing quietly a quietplace, not moved by others' way of thinking, know well, such men aresafe on the law's island. Fixed in contemplation, lighted by the lamp ofwisdom, they have thus finally destroyed ignorance and gloom. Considerwell the world's four bounds, and dare to seek for true religion only;forget 'yourself, ' and every 'ground of self, ' the bones, the nerves, the skin, the flesh, the mucus, the blood that flows through every vein;behold these things as constantly impure, what joy then can there be insuch a body? every sensation born from cause, like the bubble floatingon the water. The sorrow coming from the consciousness of birth anddeath and inconstancy, removes all thought of joy--the mind acquaintedwith the law of production, stability, and destruction, recognizes howagain and once again things follow or succeed one another with noendurance. But thinking well about Nirvâna, the thought of endurance isforever dismissed; we see how the samskâras from causes have arisen, andhow these aggregates will again dissolve, all of them impermanent. Thefoolish man conceives the idea of 'self, ' the wise man sees there is noground on which to build the idea of 'self, ' thus through the world herightly looks and well concludes, all, therefore, is but evil; theaggregate amassed by sorrow must perish in the end! if once confirmed inthis conviction, that man perceives the truth. This body, too, of Buddhanow existing soon will perish: the law is one and constant, and withoutexception. " Buddha having delivered this excellent sermon, appeased theheart of Ânanda. 

Then all the Likkhavis, hearing the report, with fear and apprehensionassembled in a body; devoid of their usual ornaments, they hastened tothe place where Buddha was. Having saluted him according to custom, theystood on one side, wishing to ask him a question, but not being able tofind words. Buddha, knowing well their heart, by way of remedy, in theright use of means, spake thus:--

"Now I perfectly understand that you have in your minds unusualthoughts, not referring to worldly matters, but wholly connected withsubjects of religion; and now you wish to hear from me, what may beknown respecting the report about my resolve to terminate my life, andmy purpose to put an end to the repetition of birth. Impermanence is thenature of all that exists, constant change and restlessness itsconditions; unfixed, unprofitable, without the marks of long endurance. In ancient days the Rishi kings, Vasishtha Rishi, Mândhâtri, theKakravartin monarchs, and the rest, these and all others like them, theformer conquerors, who lived with strength like Îsvara, these all havelong ago perished, not one remains till now; the sun and moon, Sakrahimself, and the great multitude of his attendants, will all, withoutexception, perish; there is not one that can for long endure; all theBuddhas of the past ages, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, by theirwisdom enlightening the world, have all gone out as a lamp; all theBuddhas yet to come will also perish in the same way; why then should Ialone be different? I too will pass into Nirvana; but as they preparedothers for salvation, so now should you press forward in the path;Vaisâli may be glad indeed, if you should find the way of rest! Theworld, in truth, is void of help, the 'three worlds' not enough forjoy--stay then the course of sorrow, by engendering a heart withoutdesire. Give up for good the long and straggling way of life, pressonward on the northern track, step by step advance along the upwardroad, as the sun skirts along the western mountains. "

At this time the Likkhavis, with saddened hearts, went back along theway; lifting their hands to heaven and sighing bitterly: "Alas! whatsorrow this! His body like the pure gold mountain, the marks upon hisperson so majestic, ere long and like a towering crag he falls; not tolive, then why not, 'not to love'? The powers of birth and death, weakened awhile, the lord Tathâgata, himself the fount of wisdomappeared, and now to give it up and disappear! without a saviour now, what check to sorrow? The world long time endured in darkness, and menwere led by a false light along the way--when lo! the sun of wisdomrose; and now, again, it fades and dies--no warning given. Behold thewhirling waves of ignorance engulfing all the world! Why is the bridgeor raft of wisdom in a moment cut away? The loving and the greatphysician king came with remedies of wisdom, beyond all price, to healthe hurts and pains of men--why suddenly goes he away? The excellent andheavenly flag of love adorned with wisdom's blazonry, embroidered withthe diamond heart, the world not satisfied with gazing on it, theglorious flag of heavenly worship! Why in a moment is it snapped? Whysuch misfortune for the world, when from the tide of constantrevolutions a way of escape was opened--but now shut again! and there isno escape from weary sorrow! Tathâgata, possessed of fond and lovingheart, now steels himself and goes away; he holds his heart so patientand so loving, and, like the Wai-ka-ni flower, with thoughts cast down, irresolute and tardy, he goes depressed along the road. Or like a manfresh from a loved one's grave, the funeral past and the last farewelltaken, comes back with anxious look. "

Parinirvâna

When Buddha went towards the place of his Nirvâna, the city of Vaisâliwas as if deserted, as when upon a dark and cloudy night the moon andstars withdraw their shining. The land that heretofore had peace, wasnow afflicted and distressed; as when a loving father dies, the orphandaughter yields to constant grief. Her personal grace unheeded, herclever skill but lightly thought of, with stammering lips she findsexpression for her thoughts; how poor her brilliant wit and wisdom now!Her spiritual powers ill regulated without attractiveness, her lovingheart faint and fickle, exalted high but without strength, and all hernative grace neglected; such was the case at Vaisâli; all outward shownow fallen, like autumn verdure in the fields bereft of water, witheredup and dry; or like the smoke of a half-smouldering fire, or like thosewho having food before them yet forget to eat, so these forgot theircommon household duties, and nought prepared they for the day'semergencies. Thinking thus on Buddha, lost in deep reflection, silentthey sat nor spoke a word. And now the lion Likkhavis manfully enduringtheir great sorrow, with flowing tears and doleful sighs, signifyingthereby their love of kindred, destroyed forever all their books ofheresy, to show their firm adherence to the true law. Having put downall heresy, they left it once for all; severed from the world and theworld's doctrines, convinced that non-continuance was the great disease. Moreover thus they thought: "The lord of men now enters the great quietplace (Nirvâna), and we are left without support, and with no saviour;the highest lord of 'means' is now about to extinguish all his glory inthe final place of death. Now we indeed have lost our steadfast will, asfire deprived of fuel; greatly to be pitied is the world, now that thelord gives up his world-protecting office, even as a man bereft ofspiritual power throughout the world is greatly pitied. Oppressed byheat we seek the cooling lake, nipped by the cold we use the fire; butin a moment all is lost, the world is left without resource; theexcellent law, indeed, is left, to frame the world anew, as ametal-caster frames anew his work. The world has lost its master-guide, and, men bereaved of him, the way is lost; old age, disease, and death, self-sufficient, now that the road is missed, pervade the world withouta way. What is there now throughout the world equal to overcome thesprings of these great sorrows? The great cloud's rain alone can makethe raging and excessive fire, that burns the world, go out. So only hecan make the raging fire of covetous desire go out; and now he, theskilful maker of comparisons, has firmly fixed his mind to leave theworld! And why, again, is the sword of wisdom, ever ready to be used foran uninvited friend, only like the draught of wine given to him about toundergo the torture and to die? Deluded by false knowledge the mass ofliving things are only born to die again; as the sharp knife divides thewood, so constant change divides the world. The gloom of ignorance likethe deep water, lust like the rolling billow, sorrow like the floatingbubbles, false views like the Makara fish, amidst all these the ship ofwisdom only can carry us across the mighty sea. The mass of ills arelike the flowers of the sorrow-tree, old age and all its griefs, thetangled boughs; death the tree's tap-root, deeds done in life the buds, the diamond sword of wisdom only strong enough to cut down the mundanetree! Ignorance the burning-glass, covetous desire the scorching rays, the objects of the five desires the dry grass, wisdom alone the water toput out the fire. The perfect law, surpassing every law, havingdestroyed the gloom of ignorance, we see the straight road leading toquietness and rest, the end of every grief and sorrow. And now theloving one, converting men, impartial in his thoughts to friend or foe, the all-knowing, perfectly instructed, even he is going to leave theworld! He with his soft and finely modulated voice, his compact body andbroad shoulders, he, the great Rishi, ends his life! Who then can claimexemption? Enlightened, now he quickly passes hence! let us thereforeseek with earnestness the truth, even as a man meets with the streambeside the road, then drinks and passes on. Inconstancy, this is thedreaded enemy--the universal destroyer--sparing neither rich nor poor;rightly perceiving this and keeping it in mind, this man, thoughsleeping, yet is the only ever-wakeful. "

Thus the Likkhavi lions, ever mindful of the Buddha's wisdom, disquietedwith the pain of birth and death, sighed forth their fond remembrance ofthe man-lion. Retaining in their minds no love of worldly things, aimingto rise above the power of every lustful quality, subduing in theirhearts the thought of light or trivial matters, training their thoughtsto seek the quiet, peaceful place; diligently practising the rules ofunselfish, charitable conduct; putting away all listlessness, they foundtheir joy in quietness and seclusion, meditating only on religioustruth. And now the all-wise, turning his body round with a lion-turn, once more gazed upon Vaisâli, and uttered this farewell verse:--

"Now this, the last time this, I leave Vaisâli--the land where heroeslive and flourish! Now am I going to die. " Then gradually advancing, stage by stage he came to Bhoga-nagara, and there he rested in the Sâlagrove, where he instructed all his followers in the precepts:--

"Now having gone on high I shall enter on Nirvana: ye must rely upon thelaw--this is your highest, strongest, vantage ground. What is not foundin Sûtra, or what disagrees with rules of Vinaya, opposing the one truesystem of my doctrine, this must not be held by you. What opposesDharma, what opposes Vinaya, or what is contrary to my words, this isthe result of ignorance: ye must not hold such doctrine, but with hastereject it. Receiving that which has been said aright, this is notsubversive of true doctrine, this is what I have said, as the Dharma andVinaya say. Accepting that which I, the law, and the Vinaya declare, this is to be believed. But words which neither I, the law, nor theVinaya declare, these are not to be believed. Not gathering the true andhidden meaning, but closely holding to the letter, this is the way offoolish teachers, but contrary to my doctrine and a false way ofteaching. Not separating the true from false, accepting in the darkwithout discrimination, is like a shop where gold and its alloys aresold together, justly condemned by all the world. The foolish masters, practising the ways of superficial wisdom, grasp not the meaning of thetruth; but to receive the law as it explains itself, this is to acceptthe highest mode of exposition. Ye ought, therefore, thus to investigatetrue principles, to consider well the true law and the Vinaya, even asthe goldsmith does who melts and strikes and then selects the true. Notto know the Sûtras and the Sâstras, this is to be devoid of wisdom; notsaying properly that which is proper, is like doing that which is notfit to see. Let all be done in right and proper order, according as themeaning of the sentence guides, for he who grasps a sword unskilfully, does but inflict a wound upon his hand. Not skilfully to handle wordsand sentences, the meaning then is hard to know; as in the night-timetravelling and seeking for a house, if all be dark within, how difficultto find. Losing the meaning, then the law is disregarded, disregardingthe law the mind becomes confused; therefore every wise and prudentmaster neglects not to discover the true and faithful meaning. "

Having spoken these words respecting the precepts of religion, headvanced to the town of Pâvâ, where all the Mallas prepared for himreligious offerings of every kind. At this time a certain householder'sson whose name was Kunda, invited Buddha to his house, and there he gavehim, as an offering, his very last repast. Having partaken of it anddeclared the law, he onward went to the town of Kusi, crossing the riverTsae-kieuh and the Hiranyavati. Then in that Sâla grove, a place ofquiet and seclusion, he took his seat: entering the golden river hebathed his body, in appearance like a golden mountain. Then he spake hisbidding thus to Ânanda: "Between those twin Sâla trees, sweeping andwatering, make a clean space, and then arrange my sitting-mat. Atmidnight coming, I shall die. "

Ânanda hearing the bidding of his master, his breath was choked withheart-sadness; but going and weeping he obeyed the instruction, andspreading out the mat he came forthwith back to his master andacquainted him. Tathâgata having lain down with his head towards thenorth and on his right side, slept thus. Resting upon his hand as on apillow with his feet crossed, even as a lion-king; all grief is passed, his last-born body from this one sleep shall never rise. His followersround him, in a circle gathered, sigh dolefully: "The eye of the worldis now put out!" The wind is hushed, the forest streams are silent, novoice is heard of bird or beast. The trees sweat out large flowingdrops, flowers and leaves out of season singly fall, whilst men andDevas, not yet free from desire, are filled with overwhelming fear. Thuswere they like men wandering through the arid desert, the road fulldangerous, who fail to reach the longed-for hamlet; full of fear they goon still, dreading they might not find it, their heart borne down withfear they faint and droop. And now Tathâgata, aroused from sleep, addressed Ânanda thus: "Go! tell the Mallas, the time of my decease iscome; they, if they see me not, will ever grieve and suffer deepregret. " Ânanda listening to the bidding of his master, weeping wentalong the road. And then he told those Mallas all--"The lord is near todeath. " The Mallas hearing it, were filled with great, excessive grief. The men and women hurrying forth, bewailing as they went, came to thespot where Buddha was; with garments torn and hair dishevelled, coveredwith dust and sweat they came. With piteous cries they reached thegrove, as when a Deva's day of merit comes to an end, so did they bowweeping and adoring at the feet of Buddha, grieving to behold hisfailing strength. Tathâgata, composed and quiet, spake: "Grieve not! thetime is one for joy; no call for sorrow or for anguish here; that whichfor ages I have aimed at, now am I just about to obtain; delivered nowfrom the narrow bounds of sense, I go to the place of never-ending restand peace. I leave these things, earth, water, fire, and air, to restsecure where neither birth nor death can come. Eternally delivered therefrom grief, oh! tell me! why should I be sorrowful? Of yore on Sirsha'smount, I longed to rid me of this body, but to fulfil my destiny I haveremained till now with men in the world; I have kept this sickly, crumbling body, as dwelling with a poisonous snake; but now I am come tothe great resting-place, all springs of sorrow now forever stopped. Nomore shall I receive a body, all future sorrow now forever done away; itis not meet for you, on my account, for evermore, to encourage anyanxious fear. "

The Mallas hearing Buddha's words, that he was now about to die, theirminds confused, their eyes bedimmed, as if they saw before them noughtbut blackness, with hands conjoined, spake thus to Buddha: "Buddha isleaving now the pain of birth and death, and entering on the eternal joyof rest; doubtless we ought to rejoice thereat. Even as when a house isburnt a man rejoices if his friends are saved from out the flames; thegods! perhaps they rejoice--then how much more should men! But--whenTathâgata has gone and living things no more may see him, eternally cutoff from safety and deliverance--in thought of this we grieve andsorrow. Like as a band of merchants crossing with careful steps adesert, with only a single guide, suddenly he dies! Those merchants nowwithout a protector, how can they but lament! The present age, coming toknow their true case, has found the omniscient, and looked to him, butyet has not obtained the final conquest; how will the world deride! Evenas it would laugh at one who, walking o'er a mountain full of treasure, yet ignorant thereof, hugs still the pain of poverty. "

So spake the Mallas, and with tearful words excuse themselves to Buddha, even as an only child pleads piteously before a loving father. Buddhathen, with speech most excellent, exhibited and declared the highestprinciple of truth, and thus addressed the Mallas:--

"In truth, 'tis as you say; seeking the way, you must exert yourselvesand strive with diligence--it is not enough to have seen me! Walk, as Ihave commanded you; get rid of all the tangled net of sorrow; walk inthe way with steadfast aim; 'tis not from seeing me this comes--even asa sick man depending on the healing power of medicine, gets rid of allhis ailments easily without beholding the physician. He who does not dowhat I command sees me in vain, this brings no profit; whilst he wholives far off from where I am, and yet walks righteously, is ever nearme! A man may dwell beside me, and yet, being disobedient, be far awayfrom me. Keep your heart carefully--give not place to listlessness!earnestly practise every good work. Man born in this world is pressed byall the sorrows of the long career, ceaselessly troubled--without amoment's rest, as any lamp blown by the wind!" The Mallas all, hearingBuddha's loving instruction, inwardly composed, restrained their tears, and, firmly self-possessed, returned. 

Mahâparinirvâna

At this time there was a Brahmakârin whose name was Su-po-to-lo; he waswell-known for his virtuous qualities, leading a pure life according tothe rules of morality, and protecting all living things. When young hehad adopted heretical views, and become a recluse amongunbelievers--this one, wishing to see the lord, spake to Ânanda thus:--

"I hear that the system of Tathâgata is of a singular character and veryprofound, and that he has reached the highest wisdom in the world, thefirst of all horse-tamers. I hear moreover that he is now about to die, it will be difficult indeed to meet with him again, and difficult to seethose who have seen him with difficulty, even as it is to catch in amirror the reflection of the moon. I now desire respectfully to see himthe greatest and most virtuous guide of men, because I seek to escapethis mass of sorrow and reach the other shore of birth and death. Thesun of Buddha now about to quench its rays, O! let me for a moment gazeupon him. " The feelings of Ânanda now were much affected, thinking thatthis request was made with a view to controversy, or that he felt aninward joy because the lord was on the eve of death. He was not willingtherefore to permit the interview with Buddha. Buddha, knowing the man'searnest desire and that he was a vessel fit for true religion, thereforeaddressed Ânanda thus: "Permit that heretic to advance; I was born tosave mankind, make no hindrance therefore, or excuse!"

Subhadra, hearing this, was overjoyed at heart, and his religiousfeelings were much enlarged, as with increased reverence he advanced toBuddha's presence. Then, as the occasion required, he spoke becomingwords and with politeness made his salutation, his features pleasing andwith hands conjoined he said:--

"Now I desire to ask somewhat from thee; the world has many teachers ofreligion, those who know the law as I am myself; but I hear that Buddhahas attained a way which is the end of all complete emancipation. O thatyou would, on my account, briefly explain your method, moisten my empty, thirsty soul! not with a view to controversy or from a desire to gainthe mastery, but with sincerity I ask you so to do. "

Then Buddha, for the Brahmakârin's sake, in brief recounted the eight"right ways"--on hearing which, his empty soul accepted it, as onedeceived accepts direction in the right road. Perceiving now, he knewthat what he had before perceived was not the final way of salvation, but now he felt he had attained what he had not before attained, and sohe gave up and forsook his books of heresy. Moreover, now he rejectedthe gloomy hindrances of doubt, reflecting how by his former practices, mixed up with anger, hate, and ignorance, he had long cherished no realjoy. For if, he argued, the ways of lust and hate and ignorance are ableto produce a virtuous karman, then "hearing much" and "perseveringwisdom, " these, too, are born from lust, which cannot be. But if a manis able to cut down hate and ignorance, then also he puts off allconsequences of works, and these being finally destroyed, this iscomplete emancipation. Those thus freed from works are likewise freedfrom subtle questionings, such as what the world says "that all things, everywhere, possess a self-nature. " But if this be the case andtherefore lust, hate, and ignorance, possess a self-implanted nature, then this nature must inhere in them; what then means the word"deliverance"? For even if we rightly cause the overthrow of hate andignorance, yet if lust remains, then there is a return of birth; even aswater, cold in its nature, may by fire be heated, but when the fire goesout then it becomes cold again, because this is its constant nature; sowe may ever know that the nature which lust has is permanent, andneither hearing wisdom nor perseverance can alter it. Neither capable ofincrease or diminution, how can there be deliverance? I held aforetimethat birth and death resulted thus, from their own innate nature; butnow I see that such a belief excludes deliverance; for what is born bynature must endure so, what end can such things have? Just as a burninglamp cannot but give its light; the way of Buddha is the only true one, that lust, as the root-cause, brings forth the things that live; destroythis lust then there is Nirvana; the cause destroyed then the fruit isnot produced. I formerly maintained that "I" was a distinct entity, notseeing that it has no maker. But now I hear the right doctrine preachedby Buddha, there is no "self" in all the world, for all things areproduced by cause, and therefore there is no creator. If then sorrow isproduced by cause, the cause may likewise be destroyed; for if the worldis cause-produced, then is the view correct, that by destruction of thecause, there is an end. The cause destroyed, the world brought to anend, there is no room for such a thought as permanence, and thereforeall my former views are "done away, " and so he deeply "saw" the truedoctrine taught by Buddha. 

Because of seeds well sown in former times, he was enabled thus tounderstand the law on hearing it; thus he reached the good and perfectstate of quietness, the peaceful, never-ending place of rest. His heartexpanding to receive the truth, he gazed with earnest look on Buddha ashe slept, nor could he bear to see Tathâgata depart and die; "ere yet, "he said, "Buddha shall reach the term I will myself first leave theworld;" and then with hands close joined, retiring from the holy form, he took his seat apart, and sat composed and firm. Then giving up hislife, he reached Nirvâna, as when the rain puts out a little fire. ThenBuddha spake to all his followers: "This my very last disciple has nowattained Nirvâna, cherish him properly. "

Then Buddha, the first night watch passed, the moon bright shining andall the stars clear in their lustre, the quiet grove without a sound, moved by his great compassionate heart, declared to his disciples thishis bequeathed precepts: "After my Nirvâna, ye ought to reverence andobey the Pratimoksha, as your master, a shining lamp in the dark night, or as a great jewel treasured by a poor man. These injunctions I haveever given, these you ought to obey and follow carefully, and treat inno way different from myself. Keep pure your body, words, and conduct, put from you all concerns of daily life, lands, houses, cattle, storingwealth or hoarding grain. All these should be avoided as we avoid afiery pit; sowing the land, cutting down shrubs, healing of wounds orthe practice of medicine, star-gazing and astrology, forecasting luckyor unfortunate events by signs, prognosticating good or evil, all theseare things forbidden. Keeping the body temperate, eat at proper times;receive no mission as a go-between; compound no philteries; abhordissimulation; follow right doctrine, and be kind to all that lives;receive in moderation what is given; receive but hoard not up; theseare, in brief, my spoken precepts. These form the groundwork of myrules, these also are the ground of full emancipation. Enabled thus tolive this is rightly to receive all other things. This is true wisdomwhich embraces all, this is the way to attain the end; this code ofrules, therefore, ye should hold and keep, and never let it slip or bedestroyed. For when pure rules of conduct are observed then there istrue religion; without these, virtue languishes; found yourselvestherefore well on these my precepts; grounded thus in rules of purity, the springs of feeling will be well controlled, even as thewell-instructed cow-herd guides well his cattle. Ill-governed feelings, like the horse, run wild through all the six domains of sense, bringingupon us in the present world unhappiness, and in the next, birth in anevil way. So, like the horse ill-broken, these land us in the ditch;therefore the wise and prudent man will not allow his senses license. For these senses are, indeed, our greatest foes, causes of misery; formen enamoured thus by sensuous things cause all their miseries to recur. Destructive as a poisonous snake, or like a savage tiger, or like araging fire, the greatest evil in the world, he who is wise, is freedfrom fear of these. But what he fears is only this--a light and trivialheart, which drags a man to future misery--just for a little sip ofpleasure, not looking at the yawning gulf before us; like the wildelephant freed from the iron curb, or like the ape that has regained theforest trees, such is the light and trivial heart; the wise man shouldrestrain and hold it therefore. Letting the heart go loose withoutrestraint, that man shall not attain Nirvâna; therefore we ought to holdthe heart in check, and go apart from men and seek a quietresting-place. Know when to eat and the right measure; and so withreference to the rules of clothing and of medicine; take care you do notby the food you take, encourage in yourselves a covetous or an angrymind. Eat your food to satisfy your hunger and drink to satisfy yourthirst, as we repair an old or broken chariot, or like the butterflythat sips the flower destroying not its fragrance or its texture. TheBhikshu, in begging food, should beware of injuring the faithful mind ofanother; if a man opens his heart in charity, think not about hiscapabilities, for 'tis not well to calculate too closely the strength ofthe ox, lest by loading him beyond his strength you cause him injury. Atmorning, noon, and night, successively, store up good works. During thefirst and after-watch at night be not overpowered by sleep, but in themiddle watch, with heart composed, take sleep and rest--be thoughtfultowards the dawn of day. Sleep not the whole night through, making thebody and the life relaxed and feeble; think! when the fire shall burnthe body always, what length of sleep will then be possible? For whenthe hateful brood of sorrow rising through space, with all its attendanthorrors, meeting the mind o'erwhelmed by sleep and death, shall seizeits prey, who then shall waken it?

"The poisonous snake dwelling within a house can be enticed away byproper charms, so the black toad that dwells within his heart, the earlywaker disenchants and banishes. He who sleeps on heedlessly withoutplan, this man has no modesty; but modesty is like a beauteous robe, orlike the curb that guides the elephant. Modest behavior keeps the heartcomposed, without it every virtuous root will die. Who has this modesty, the world applauds; without it, he is but as any beast. If a man with asharp sword should cut the body bit by bit, let not an angry thought, orof resentment, rise, and let the mouth speak no ill word. Your evilthoughts and evil words but hurt yourself and not another; nothing sofull of victory as patience, though your body suffer the pain ofmutilation. For recollect that he who has this patience cannot beovercome, his strength being so firm; therefore give not way to anger orevil words towards men in power. Anger and hate destroy the true law;and they destroy dignity and beauty of body; as when one dies we loseour name for beauty, so the fire of anger itself burns up the heart. Anger is foe to all religious merit, he who loves virtue let him not bepassionate; the layman who is angry when oppressed by many sorrows isnot wondered at. But he who has 'left his home' indulging anger, this isindeed opposed to principle, as if in frozen water there were found theheat of fire. If indolence arises in your heart, then with your own handsmooth down your head, shave off your hair, and clad in sombre garments, in your hand holding the begging-pot, go ask for food; on every side theliving perish, what room for indolence? the worldly man, relying on hissubstance or his family, indulging in indolence, is wrong; how much morethe religious man, whose purpose is to seek the way of rescue, whoencourages within an indolent mind; this surely is impossible!

"Crookedness and straightness are in their nature opposite and cannotdwell together more than frost and fire; for one who has becomereligious, and practises the way of straight behavior, a false andcrooked way of speech is not becoming. False and flattering speech islike the magician's art; but he who ponders on religion cannot speakfalsely. To 'covet much, ' brings sorrow; desiring little, there is restand peace. To procure rest, there must be small desire--much more incase of those who seek salvation. The niggard dreads the much-seekingman lest he should filch away his property, but he who loves to give hasalso fear, lest he should not possess enough to give; therefore we oughtto encourage small desire, that we may have to give to him who wants, without such fear. From this desiring-little-mind we find the way oftrue deliverance; desiring true deliverance we ought to practiseknowing-enough contentment. 

"A contented mind is always joyful, but joy like this is but religion;the rich and poor alike, having contentment, enjoy perpetual rest. Theill-contented man, though he be born to heavenly joys, because he is notcontented would ever have a mind burned up by the fire of sorrow. Therich, without contentment, endures the pain of poverty; though poor, ifyet he be contented, then he is rich indeed! That ill-contented man, thebounds of the five desires extending further still, becomes insatiablein his requirements, and so through the long night of life gathersincreasing sorrow. Without cessation thus he cherishes his carefulplans, whilst he who lives contented, freed from anxious thoughts aboutrelationships, his heart is ever peaceful and at rest. And so because herests and is at peace within, the gods and men revere and do himservice. Therefore we ought to put away all cares about relationship. 

"For like a solitary desert tree in which the birds and monkeys gather, so is it when we are cumbered much with family associations; through thelong night we gather many sorrows. Many dependents are like the manybands that bind us, or like the old elephant that struggles in the mud. By diligent perseverance a man may get much profit; therefore night andday men ought with ceaseless effort to exert themselves; the tinystreams that trickle down the mountain slopes by always flowing eat awaythe rock. If we use not earnest diligence in drilling wood in wood forfire, we shall not obtain the spark, so ought we to be diligent andpersevere, as the skilful master drills the wood for fire. A 'virtuousfriend' though he be gentle is not to be compared with rightreflection--right thought kept well in the mind, no evil thing can everenter there. 

"Wherefore those who practise a religious life should always think about'the body'; if thought upon one's self be absent, then all virtue dies. For as the champion warrior relies for victory upon his armor'sstrength, so 'right thought' is like a strong cuirass, able to withstandthe six sense-robbers. Right faith enwraps the enlightened heart, sothat a man perceives the world throughout is liable to birth and death;therefore the religious man should practise faith. 

"Having found peace in faith, we put an end to all the mass of sorrows, wisdom then can enlighten us, and so we put away the rules by which weacquire knowledge by the senses. By inward thought and rightconsideration following with gladness the directions of the 'true law, 'this is the way in which both laymen of the world and men who have lefttheir homes should walk. 

"Across the sea of birth and death, 'wisdom' is the handy bark; 'wisdom'is the shining lamp that lightens up the dark and gloomy world. 'Wisdom'is the grateful medicine for all the defiling ills of life; 'wisdom' isthe axe wherewith to level all the tangled forest trees of sorrow. 'Wisdom' is the bridge that spans the rushing stream of ignorance andlust--therefore, in every way, by thought and right attention, a manshould diligently inure himself to engender wisdom. Having acquired thethreefold wisdom, then, though blind, the eye of wisdom sees throughout;but without wisdom the mind is poor and insincere; such things cannotsuit the man who has left his home. 

"Wherefore let the enlightened man lay well to heart that false andfruitless things become him not, and let him strive with single mind forthat pure joy which can be found alone in perfect rest and quietude. 

"Above all things be not careless, for carelessness is the chief foe ofvirtue; if a man avoid this fault he may be born where Sakra-râgadwells. He who gives way to carelessness of mind must have his lot wherethe Asuras dwell. Thus have I done my task, my fitting task, in settingforth the way of quietude, the proof of love. On your parts be diligent!with virtuous purpose practise well these rules, in quiet solitude ofdesert hermitage nourish and cherish a still and peaceful heart. Exertyourselves to the utmost, give no place to remissness, for as in worldlymatters when the considerate physician prescribes fit medicine for thedisease he has detected, should the sick man neglect to use it, thiscannot be the physician's fault, so I have told you the truth, and setbefore you this the one and level road. Hearing my words and not withcare obeying them, this is not the fault of him who speaks; if there beanything not clearly understood in the principles of the 'four truths, 'you now may ask me, freely; let not your inward thoughts be longer hid. "The lord in mercy thus instructing them, the whole assembly remainedsilent. 

Then Anuruddha, observing that the great congregation continued silentand expressed no doubt, with closed hands thus spake to Buddha:--

"The moon may be warm, the sun's rays be cool, the air be still, theearth's nature mobile; these four things, though yet unheard of in theworld, may happen; but this assembly never can have doubt about theprinciples of sorrow, accumulation, destruction, and theincontrovertible truths, as declared by the lord. But because the lordis going to die, we all have sorrow; and we cannot raise our thoughts tothe high theme of the lord's preaching. Perhaps some fresh disciple, whose feelings are yet not entirely freed from other influences mightdoubt; but we, who now have heard this tender, sorrowful discourse, havealtogether freed ourselves from doubt. Passed the sea of birth anddeath, without desire, with nought to seek, we only know how much welove, and, grieving, ask why Buddha dies so quickly?"

Buddha regarding Anuruddha, perceiving how his words were full ofbitterness, again with loving heart, appeasing him, replied:--

"In the beginning things were fixed, in the end again they separate;different combinations cause other substances, for there is no uniformand constant principle in nature. But when all mutual purposes beanswered, what then shall chaos and creation do! the gods and men alikethat should be saved, shall all have been completely saved! Ye then! myfollowers, who know so well the perfect law, remember! the end mustcome; give not way again to sorrow!

"Use diligently the appointed means; aim to reach the home whereseparation cannot come; I have lit the lamp of wisdom, its rays alonecan drive away the gloom that shrouds the world. The world is notforever fixed! Ye should rejoice therefore! as when a friend, afflictedgrievously, his sickness healed, escapes from pain. For I have put awaythis painful vessel, I have stemmed the flowing sea of birth and death, free forever now, from pain! for this you should exult with joy! Nowguard yourselves aright, let there be no remissness! that which existswill all return to nothingness! and now I die. From this time forth mywords are done, this is my very last instruction. "

Then entering the Samâdhi of the first Dhyâna, he went successivelythrough all the nine in a direct order; then inversely he returnedthroughout and entered on the first, and then from the first he raisedhimself and entered on the fourth. Leaving the state of Samâdhi, hissoul without a resting-place, forthwith he reached Nirvâna. And then, asBuddha died, the great earth quaked throughout. In space, on every hand, was fire like rain, no fuel, self-consuming. And so from out the earthgreat flames arose on every side. 

Thus up to the heavenly mansions flames burst forth; the crash ofthunder shook the heavens and earth, rolling along the mountains and thevalleys, even as when the Devas and Asuras fight with sound of drums andmutual conflict. A wind tempestuous from the four bounds of eartharose--whilst from the crags and hills, dust and ashes fell like rain. The sun and moon withdrew their shining; the peaceful streams on everyside were torrent-swollen; the sturdy forests shook like aspen leaves, whilst flowers and leaves untimely fell around, like scattered rain. Theflying dragons, carried on pitchy clouds, wept down their tears; thefour kings and their associates, moved by pity, forgot their works ofcharity. The pure Devas came to earth from heaven, halting mid-air theylooked upon the changeful scene, not sorrowing, not rejoicing. But yetthey sighed to think of the world, heedless of its sacred teacher, hastening to destruction. The eightfold heavenly spirits, on every sidefilled space: cast down at heart and grieving, they scattered flowers asofferings. Only Mâra-râga rejoiced, and struck up sounds of music in hisexultation. Whilst Gambudvipa shorn of its glory, seemed to grieve aswhen the mountain tops fall down to earth, or like the great elephantrobbed of its tusks, or like the ox-king spoiled of his horns; or heavenwithout the sun and moon, or as the lily beaten by the hail; thus wasthe world bereaved when Buddha died!

Praising Nirvâna

At this time there was a Devaputra, riding on his thousand white-swanpalace in the midst of space, who beheld the Parinirvâna of Buddha. Thisone, for the universal benefit of the Deva assembly, sounded forth atlarge these verses on impermanence:--

"Impermanency is the nature of all things, quickly born, they quicklydie. With birth there comes the rush of sorrows, only in Nirvâna isthere joy. The accumulated fuel heaped up by the power of karman, thisthe fire of wisdom alone can consume. Though the fame of our deeds reachup to heaven as smoke, yet in time the rains which descend willextinguish all, as the fire that rages at the kalpa's end is put out bythe judgment of water. "

Again there was a Brahma-Rishi-deva, like a most exalted Rishi, dwellingin heaven, possessed of superior happiness, with no taint in his bliss, who thus sighed forth his praises of Tathâgata's Nirvâna, with his mindfixed in abstraction as he spoke:

"Looking through all the conditions of life, from first to last noughtis free from destruction. But the incomparable seer dwelling in theworld, thoroughly acquainted with the highest truth, whose wisdom graspsthat which is beyond the world's ken, he it is who can save theworldly-dwellers. He it is who can provide lasting escape from thedestructive power of impermanence. But, alas! through the wide world, all that lives is sunk in unbelief. "

At this time Anuruddha, "not stopped" by the world, "not stopped" frombeing delivered, the stream of birth and death forever "stopped, " sighedforth the praises of Tathâgata's Nirvâna:--

"All living things completely blind and dark! the mass of deeds allperishing, even as the fleeting cloud-pile! Quickly arising and asquickly perishing! the wise man holds not to such a refuge, for thediamond mace of inconstancy can overturn the mountain of the Rishihermit. How despicable and how weak the world! doomed to destruction, without strength! Impermanence, like the fierce lion, can even spoil theNâga-elephant-great-Rishi. Only the diamond curtain of Tathâgata canoverwhelm inconstancy! How much more should those not yet delivered fromdesire, fear and dread its power? From the six seeds there grows onesprout, one kind of water from the rain, the origin of the four pointsis far removed: five kinds of fruit from the two 'Koo'--the threeperiods, past, present, future, are but one in substance; theMuni-great-elephant plucks up the great tree of sorrow, and yet hecannot avoid the power of impermanence. For like the crested birddelights within the pool to seize the poisonous snake, but when fromsudden drought he is left in the dry pool, he dies; or as the prancingsteed advances fearlessly to battle, but when the fight has passed goesback subdued and quiet; or as the raging fire burns with the fuel, butwhen the fuel is done, expires; so is it with Tathâgata, his taskaccomplished he returns to find his refuge in Nirvâna: just as theshining of the radiant moon sheds everywhere its light and drives awaythe gloom, all creatures grateful for its light, it disappears concealedby Sumeru; such is the case with Tathâgata, the brightness of his wisdomlit up the gloomy darkness, and for the good of all that lives drove itaway, when suddenly it disappears behind the mountain of Nirvâna. Thesplendor of his fame throughout the world diffused, had banished allobscurity, but like the stream that ever flows, it rests not with us;the illustrious charioteer with his seven prancing steeds flies throughthe host and disappears. 

"The bright-rayed Sûrya-deva, entering the Yen-tsz' cave, was, with themoon, surrounded with fivefold barriers; 'all things that live, 'deprived of light, present their offerings to heaven; but from theirsacrifice nought but the blackened smoke ascends; thus it is withTathâgata, his glory hidden, the world has lost its light. Rare was theexpectancy of grateful love that filled the heart of all that lives;that love, reached its full limit, then was left to perish! The cords ofsorrow all removed, we found the true and only way; but now he leavesthe tangled mesh of life, and enters on the quiet place! His spiritmounting through space, he leaves the sorrow-bearing vessel of his body!the gloom of doubt and the great darkness all dispelled, by the brightrays of wisdom! The earthy soil of sorrow's dust his wisdom's waterpurifies! no more, no more, returns he here! forever gone to the placeof rest!

"The power of birth and death destroyed, the world instructed in thehighest doctrine! he bids the world rejoice in knowledge of his law, andgives to all the benefit of wisdom! Giving complete rest to the world, the virtuous streams flow forth! his fame known throughout the world, shines still with increased splendor! How great his pity and his love tothose who opposed his claims, neither rejoicing in their defeat norexulting in his own success. Illustriously controlling his feelings, allhis senses completely enlightened, his heart impartially observingevents, unpolluted by the six objects of sense! Reaching to thatunreached before! obtaining that which man had not obtained! with thewater which he provided filling every thirsty soul! Bestowing that whichnever yet was given, and providing a reward not hoped for! his peaceful, well-marked person, perfectly knowing the thoughts of all. 

"Not greatly moved either by loving or disliking! overcoming all enemiesby the force of his love! the welcome physician for all diseases, theone destroyer of impermanency! All living things rejoicing in religion, fully satisfied! obtaining all they need, their every wish fulfilled!The great master of holy wisdom once gone returns no more! even as thefire gone out for want of fuel! Declaring the eight rules without taint;overcoming the five senses, difficult to compose! with the three powersof sight seeing the three precious ones; removing the three robbers(i. E. Lust, anger, ignorance); perfecting the three grades of a holylife, concealing the one (himself) and obtaining the onesaintship--leaping over the seven 'bodhyangas' and obtaining the longsleep; the end of all, the quiet, peaceful way; the highest prize ofsages and of saints!

"Having himself severed the barriers of sorrow, now he is able to savehis followers, and to provide the draught of immortality for all who areparched with thirst! Armed with the heavy cuirass of patience, he hasovercome all enemies! by the subtle principles of his excellent law tosatisfy every heart. Planting a sacred seed in the hearts of thosepractising virtue; impartially directing and not casting off those whoare right or not right in their views! Turning the wheel of thesuperlative law! received with gladness through the world by those whohave in former conditions implanted in themselves a love for religion, these all saved by his preaching! Going forth among men converting thosenot yet converted; those who had not seen the truth, causing them to seethe truth! All those practising a false method of religion, deliveringto them deep principles of his religion! preaching the doctrines ofbirth and death and impermanency; declaring that without a masterteacher there can be no happiness! Erecting the standard of his greatrenown, overcoming and destroying the armies of Mâra! advancing to thepoint of indifference to pleasure or pain, caring not for life, desiringonly rest! Causing those not yet converted to obtain conversion! thosenot yet saved to be saved! those not yet at rest to find rest! those notyet enlightened to be enlightened!

"Thus the Muni taught the way of rest for the direction of all livingthings! alas! that any transgressing the way of holiness should practiseimpure works. Even as at the end of the great kalpa, those holding thelaw who die, when the rolling sound of the mysterious thunder-cloudsevers the forests, upon these there shall fall the rain of immortality. The little elephant breaks down the prickly forest, and by cherishing itwe know that it can profit men; but the cloud that removes the sorrow ofthe elephant old-age, this none can bear. He by destroying systems ofreligion has perfected his system, in saving the world and yet saving!he has destroyed the teaching of heresy, in order to reach hisindependent mode of doctrine. 

"And now he enters the great quiet place! no longer has the world aprotector or saviour! the great army host of Mâra-râga, rousing theirwarrior, shaking the great earth, desired to injure the honored Muni:but they could not move him, whom in a moment now the Mâra 'inconstancy'destroys. The heavenly occupants everywhere assemble as a cloud! theyfill the space of heaven, fearing the endless birth and death! theirhearts are full of grief and dread! His Deva eyes clearly behold, without the limitations of near or distant, the fruits of worksdiscerned throughout, as an image perceived in a mirror! His Deva earsperfect and discriminating throughout, hear all, though far away, mounting through space he teaches all the Devas, surpassing his methodof converting men! He divides his body still one in substance, crossesthe water as if it were not weak (to bear)! remembers all his formerbirths, through countless kalpas none forgotten! His senses wanderingthrough the fields of sense, all these distinctly remembered; knowingthe wisdom learned in every state of mind, all this perfectlyunderstood! By spiritual discernment and pure mysterious wisdom equallysurveying all things! every vestige of imperfection removed! thus he hasaccomplished all he had to do. By wisdom rejecting other spheres oflife, his wisdom now completely perfected, lo! he dies! let the world, hard and unyielding, still, beholding it, relent!

"All living things though blunt in sense, beholding him, receive theenlightenment of wisdom! their endless evil deeds long past, as theybehold, are cancelled and completely cleansed! In a moment gone! whoshall again exhibit qualities like his? no saviour now in all theworld--our hope cut off, our very breath is stopped and gone! Who nowshall give us life again with the cool water of his doctrine? his owngreat work accomplished, his great compassion now has ceased to work forlong: has long ceased or stopped! The world ensnared in the toils offolly, who shall destroy the net? who shall, by his teaching, cause thestream of birth and death to turn again? Who shall declare the way ofrest to instruct the heart of all that lives, deceived by ignorance? Whowill point out the quiet place, or who make known the one true doctrine?

"All flesh suffering great sorrow, who shall deliver, like a lovingfather? Like the horse changing his master loses all gracefulness, as heforgets his many words of guidance! as a king without a kingdom, such isthe world without a Buddha! as a disciple with no power of dialecticleft, or like a physician without wisdom, as men whose king has lost themarks of royalty, so, Buddha dead, the world has lost its glory! thegentle horses left without a charioteer, the boat without a pilot left!The three divisions of an army left without a general! the merchantmanwithout a guide! the suffering and diseased without a physician! a holyking without his seven insignia. The stars without the moon! the lovingyears without the power of life! such is the world now that Buddha, thegreat teacher, dies!"

Thus spake the Arhat, all done that should be done, all imperfectionsquite removed, knowing the meed of gratitude, he was grateful therefore. Thus thinking of his master's love he spake! setting forth the world'sgreat sorrow; whilst those, not yet freed from the power of passion, wept with many tears, unable to control themselves. Yet even those whohad put away all faults, sighed as they thought of the pain of birth anddeath. And now the Malla host hearing that Buddha had attained Nirvâna, with cries confused, wept piteously, greatly moved, as when a flight ofherons meet a hawk. In a body now they reach the twin trees, and as theygaze upon Tathâgata dead, entered on his long sleep, those featuresnever again to awake to consciousness, they smote their breasts andsighed to heaven; as when a lion seizing on a calf, the whole herdrushes on with mingled sounds. 

In the midst there was one Malla, his mind enamoured of the righteouslaw, who gazed with steadfastness upon the holy law-king, now entered onthe mighty calm, and said: "The world was everywhere asleep, when Buddhasetting forth his law caused it to awake; but now he has entered on themighty calm, and all is finished in an unending sleep. For man's sake hehad raised the standard of his law, and now, in a moment, it has fallen;the sun of Tathâgata's wisdom spreading abroad the lustre of its 'greatawakening, ' increasing ever more and more in glory, spreading abroad thethousand rays of highest knowledge, scattering and destroying all thegloom of earth, why has the darkness great come back again? Hisunequalled wisdom lightening the three worlds, giving eyes that all theworld might see, now suddenly the world is blind again, bewildered, ignorant of the way; in a moment fallen the bridge of truth that spannedthe rolling stream of birth and death, the swelling flood of lust andrage and doubt, and all flesh overwhelmed therein, forever lost. "

Thus all that Malla host wept piteously and lamented; whilst someconcealed their grief nor spoke a word; others sank prostrate on theearth; others stood silent, lost in meditation; others, with sorrowfulheart, groaned deeply. Then on a gold and silver gem-decked couch richlyadorned with flowers and scents, they placed the body of Tathâgata; ajewelled canopy they raised above, and round it flags and streamers andembroidered banners; then using every kind of dance and music, the lordsand ladies of the Mallas followed along the road presenting offerings, whilst all the Devas scattered scents and flowers, and raised the soundof drums and music in the heavens. Thus men and Devas shared one commonsorrow, their cries united as they grieved together. Entering the city, there the men and women, old and young, completed their religiousofferings. Leaving the city, then, and passing through the Lung-tsianggate, and crossing over the Hiranyavati river, they repaired to wherethe former Buddhas, having died, had Kaityas raised to them. Therecollecting ox-head sandal-wood and every famous scented wood, theyplaced the whole above the Buddha's body, pouring various scented oilsupon the pyre; then placing fire beneath to kindle it, three times theywalked around; but yet it burned not. At this time the great Kâsyapa hadtaken his abode at Râgagriha, and knowing Buddha was about to die wascoming thence with all his followers; his pure mind, deeply moved, desired to see the body of the lord; and so, because of that his sincerewish, the fire went out and would not kindle. Then Kâsyapa and hisfollowers coming, with piteous sighs looked on the sight and reverencedat the master's feet; and then, forthwith, the fire burst out. Quenchedthe fire of grief within; without, the fire has little power to burn. Orthough it burn the outside skin and flesh, the diamond true-bone stillremains. The scented oil consumed, the fire declines, the bones theyplace within a golden pitcher; for as the mystic world is not destroyed, neither can these, the bones of Buddha, perish; the consequence ofdiamond wisdom, difficult to move as Sumeru. The relics which the mightygolden-pinioned bird cannot remove or change, they place within theprecious vase, to remain until the world shall pass away; and wonderful!the power of men can thus fulfil Nirvâna's laws, the illustrious name ofone far spread, is sounded thus throughout the universe; and as the agesroll, the long Nirvâna, by these, the sacred relics, sheds through theworld its glorious light, and brightens up the abodes of life. Heperished in a moment! but these relics, placed within the vase, theimperishable signs of wisdom, can overturn the mount of sorrow; the bodyof accumulated griefs this imperishable mind can cause to rest, andbanish once forever all the miseries of life. Thus the diamond substancewas dealt with at the place of burning. And now those valiant Mallas, unrivalled in the world for strength, subduing all private animosities, sought escape from sorrow in the true refuge. Finding sweet comfort inunited love, they resolved to banish every complaining thought. Beholding thus the death of Tathâgata, they controlled their grievinghearts, and with full strength of manly virtue dismissing every listlessthought, they submitted to the course of nature. Oppressed by thoughtsof grievous sorrow, they entered the city as a deserted wild: holdingthe relics thus they entered, whilst from every street were offeredgifts. They placed the relics then upon a tower for men and Devas toadore. 

Division of the Sariras

Thus those Mallas offered religious reverence to the relics, and usedthe most costly flowers and scents for their supreme act of worship. Then the kings of the seven countries, having heard that Buddha wasdead, sent messengers to the Mallas asking to share the sacred relics ofBuddha. Then the Mallas reverencing the body of Tathâgata, trusting totheir martial renown, conceived a haughty mind: "They would rather partwith life itself, " they said, "than with the relics of the Buddha"--sothose messengers returned from the futile embassage. Then the sevenkings, highly indignant, with an army numerous as the rain-clouds, advanced on Kusinagara; the people who went from the city filled withterror soon returned and told the Mallas all: that the soldiers and thecavalry of the neighboring countries were coming, with elephants andchariots, to surround the Kusinagara city. The gardens, lying withoutthe town, the fountains, lakes, flower and fruit-trees were nowdestroyed by the advancing host, and all the pleasant resting-places layin ruins. 

The Mallas, mounting on the city towers, beheld the great supports oflife destroyed; they then prepared their warlike engines to crush thefoe without: balistas and catapults and "flying torches, " to hurlagainst the advancing host. Then the seven kings entrenched themselvesaround the city, each army host filled with increasing courage; theirwings of battle shining in array as the sun's seven beams of gloryshine; the heavy drums rolling as the thunder, the warlike breath risingas the full cloud mist. The Mallas, greatly incensed, opening the gatescommand the fray to begin; the aged men and women whose hearts had trustin Buddha's law, with deep concern breathed forth their vow, "Oh! maythe victory be a bloodless one!" Those who had friends used mutualexhortations not to encourage in themselves a desire for strife. 

And now the warriors, clad in armor, grasping their spears andbrandishing their swords 'midst the confused noise and heavy drumsadvanced. But ere the contest had begun, there was a certain Brahmanwhose name was Drona, celebrated for penetration, honored for modestyand lowliness, whose loving heart took pleasure in religion. This oneaddressed those kings and said: "Regarding the unequalled strength ofyonder city, one man alone would be enough for its defence; how muchless when with determined heart they are united, can you subdue it! Inthe beginning mutual strife produced destruction, how now can it resultin glory or renown? The clash of swords and bloody onset done, 'tiscertain one must perish! and therefore whilst you aim to vanquish those, both sides will suffer in the fray. Then there are many chances, too, ofbattle: 'tis hard to measure strength by appearances; the strong, indeed, may overcome the weak, the weak may also overcome the strong;the powerful champion may despise the snake, but how will he escape awounded body? there are men whose natures bland and soft, seem suitedfor the company of women or of children, but when enlisted in the ranks, make perfect soldiers. As fire when it is fed with oil, though reckonedweak, is not extinguished easily, so when you say that they are weak, beware of leaning overmuch on strength of body; nought can compare withstrength of right religion. There was in ancient times a Gina king, whose name was Kârandhama, his graceful upright presence caused suchlove in others that he could overcome all animosity; but though he ruledthe world and was high renowned, and rich and prosperous, yet in the endhe went back and all was lost! So when the ox has drunk enough, he tooreturns. Use then the principles of righteousness, use the expedients ofgood will and love. Conquer your foe by force, you increase his enmity;conquer by love, and you will reap no after-sorrow. The present strifeis but a thirst for blood, this thing cannot be endured! If you desireto honor Buddha, follow the example of his patience and long-suffering!"Thus this Brahman with confidence declared the truth; imbued withhighest principles of peace, he spake with boldness and unflinchingly. 

And now the kings addressed the Brahman thus: "You have chosen a fittingtime for giving increase to the seed of wisdom: the essence of truefriendship is the utterance of truth. The greatest force of reason liesin righteous judgment. But now in turn hear what we say: The rules ofkings are framed to avoid the use of force when hatred has arisen fromlow desires, or else to avoid the sudden use of violence in triflingquestions where some trifling matter is at stake. But we for the sake oflaw are about to fight. What wonder is it! Swollen pride is a principleto be opposed, for it leads to the overthrow of society; no wonder thenthat Buddha preached against it, teaching men to practise lowliness andhumility. Then why should we be forbidden to pay our reverence to hisbody-relics? In ancient days a lord of the great earth, Pih-shih-tsungand Nanda, for the sake of a beautiful woman fought and destroyed eachother; how much more now, for the sake of religious reverence to ourmaster, freed from passion, gone to Nirvâna, without regard to self, orcareful of our lives, should we contend and assert our rights! A formerking, Kaurava, fought with a Pândava king, and the more they increasedin strength the more they struggled, all for some temporary gain; howmuch more for our not-coveting master should we contend, coveting to gethis living relics? The son of Râma, too, the Rishi, angry with KingDasa-ratha, destroyed his country, slew the people, because of the ragehe felt; how much less for our master, freed from anger, should we beniggard of our lives! Râma, for Sita's sake, killed all thedemon-spirits; how much more for our lord, heaven-received, should wenot sacrifice our lives! The two demons A-lai and Po-ku were ever drawninto contention; in the first place, because of their folly andignorance, causing wide ruin among men; how much less for our all-wisemaster should we begrudge our lives! Wherefore if from these examples wefind others ready to die for no real principle, how shall we for ourteacher of gods (Devas) and men, reverenced by the universe, spare ourbodies or begrudge our lives, and not be earnest in desire to make ourofferings! Now then, if you desire to stay the strife, go and for usdemand within the city that they open wide the relics, and so cause ourprayer to be fulfilled. But because your words are right ones, we holdour anger for a while; even as the great, angry snake, by the power ofcharms is quieted. "

And now the Brahman, having received the kings' instruction, enteringthe city, went to the Mallas, and saluting them, spoke these true words:"Without the city those who are kings among men grasp with their handstheir martial weapons, and with their bodies clad in weighty armor waiteagerly to fight; glorious as the sun's rays, bristling with rage as theroused lion. These united are, to overthrow this city. But whilst theywage this religious war, they fear lest they may act irreligiously, andso they have sent me here to say what they require: 'We have come, notfor the sake of territory, much less for money's sake, nor on account ofany insolent feeling, nor yet from any thought of hatred; but because wevenerate the great Rishi, we have come on this account. You, noble sirs!know well our mind! Why should there be such sorrowful contention! Youhonor what we honor, both alike, then we are brothers as concernsreligion. We both with equal heart revere the bequeathed spiritualrelics of the lord. To be miserly in hoarding wealth, this is anunreasonable fault; how much more to grudge religion, of which there isso little knowledge in the world! The exclusive and the selfishlyinclined, should practise laws of hospitality; but if ye have not rulesof honor such as these, then shut your gates and guard yourselves. ' Thisis the tenor of the words, be they good or bad, spoken by them. But nowfor myself and my own feelings, let me add these true and sincerewords:--Let there be no contention either way; reason ought to ministerfor peace, the lord when dwelling in the world ever employed the forceof patience. Not to obey his holy teaching, and yet to offer gifts tohim, is contradiction. Men of the world, for some indulgence, somewealth or land, contend and fight, but those who believe the righteouslaw should obediently conform their lives to it; to believe and yet toharbor enmity, this is to oppose 'religious principle' to 'conduct. 'Buddha himself at rest, and full of love, desired to bestow the rest heenjoyed on all. To adore with worship the great merciful, and yet togender wide destruction, how is this possible? Divide the relics, then, that all may worship them alike; obeying thus the law, the fame thereofwidespread, then righteous principles will be diffused; but if otherswalk not righteously, we ought by righteous dealing to appease them, inthis way showing the advantage of religion, we cause religion everywhereto take deep hold and abide. Buddha has told us that of all charity'religious charity' is the highest; men easily bestow their wealth incharity, but hard is the charity that works for righteousness. "

The Mallas hearing the Brahman's words with inward shame gazed at oneanother; and answered the Brahmakârin thus: "We thank you much forpurposing to come to us, and for your friendly and religiouscounsel--speaking so well, and reasonably. Yours are words which aBrahman ought to use, in keeping with his holy character; words full ofreconciliation, pointing out the proper road; like one recovering awandering horse brings him back by the path which he had lost. We thenought to adopt the plan of reconciliation such as you have shown us; tohear the truth and not obey it brings afterwards regretful sorrow. "

Then they opened out the master's relics and in eight parts equallydivided them. Themselves paid reverence to one part, the other seventhey handed to the Brahman; the seven kings having accepted these, rejoiced and placed them on their heads; and thus with them returned totheir own country, and erected Dâgobas for worship over them. TheBrahmakârin then besought the Mallas to bestow on him the relic-pitcheras his portion, and from the seven kings he requested a fragment oftheir relics, as an eighth share. Taking this, he returned and raised aKaitya, which still is named "the Golden Pitcher Dâgoba. " Then the menof Kusinagara collecting all the ashes of the burning, raised over thema Kaitya, and called it "the Ashes Dâgoba. " The eight Stûpas of theeight kings, "the Golden Pitcher" and "the Ashes Stûpa. "

Thus throughout Gambudvipa there first were raised ten Dâgobas. Then allthe lords and ladies of the country holding gem-embroidered canopies, paid their offerings at the various shrines, adorning them as any goldenmountain. And so with music and with dancing through the day and nightthey made merry, and sang. And now the Arhats numbering five hundred, having forever lost their master's presence, reflecting there was now noground of certainty, returned to Gridhrakûta mount; assembling in KingSakra's cavern, they collected there the Sûtra Pitaka; all the assemblyagreeing that the venerable Ânanda should say, for the sake of thecongregation, the sermons of Tathâgata from first to last: "Great andsmall, whatever you have heard from the mouth of the deceased Muni. "

Then Ânanda in the great assembly ascending the lion throne, declared inorder what the lord had preached, uttering the words "Thus have Iheard. "

The whole assembly, bathed in tears, were deeply moved as he pronouncedthe words "I heard"; and so he announced the law as to the time, as tothe place, as to the person; as he spoke, so was it written down fromfirst to last, the complete Sûtra Pitaka. By diligent attention in theuse of means, practising wisdom, all these Arhats obtained Nirvâna;those now able so to do, or hereafter able, shall attain Nirvâna in thesame way. King Asoka born in the world when strong, caused much sorrow;when feeble, then he banished sorrow; as the Asoka-flower tree, rulingover Gambudvipa, his heart forever put an end to sorrow, when brought toentire faith in the true law; therefore he was called "the King whofrees from sorrow. " A descendant of the Mayûra family, receiving fromheaven a righteous disposition, he ruled equally over the world; heraised everywhere towers and shrines, his private name the "violentAsoka, " now called the "righteous Asoka. "

Opening the Dâgobas raised by those seven kings to take the Sarîrasthence, he spread them everywhere, and raised in one day eighty-fourthousand towers; only with regard to the eighth pagoda in Râmagrama, which the Nâga spirit protected, the king was unable to obtain thoserelics; but though he obtained them not, knowing they were spirituallybequeathed relics of Buddha which the Nâga worshipped and adored, hisfaith was increased and his reverent disposition. Although the king wasruler of the world, yet was he able to obtain the first holy fruit; andthus induced the entire empire to honor and revere the shrines ofTathâgata. 

In the past and present, thus there has been deliverance for all. Tathâgata, when in the world; and now his relics--after his Nirvana;those who worship and revere these, gain equal merit; so also those whoraise themselves by wisdom, and reverence the virtues of the Tathâgata, cherishing religion, fostering a spirit of almsgiving, they gain greatmerit also. The noble and superlative law of Buddha ought to receive theadoration of the world. Gone to that undying place, those who believehis law shall follow him there; therefore let all the Devas and men, without exception, worship and adore the one great loving andcompassionate, who mastered thoroughly the highest truth, in order todeliver all that lives. Who that hears of him, but yearns with love! Thepains of birth, old age, disease and death, the endless sorrows of theworld, the countless miseries of "hereafter, " dreaded by all the Devas, he has removed all these accumulated sorrows; say, who would not reverehim? to escape the joys of after life, this is the world's chief joy! Toadd 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 andadore him? To sing the praises of the lordly monk, and declare his actsfrom first to last, without self-seeking or self-honor, without desirefor personal renown, but following what the scriptures say, to benefitthe world, has been my aim.