{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_12894/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_12894","id":"gutenberg_12894","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12894","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Oriental literature -- Translations into English"],"text":"SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST\n\nIncluding Selections from the Vedic Hymns, Zend-Avesta, Dhammapada,\nUpanishads, the Koran, and the Life of Buddha, with Critical and\nBiographical Sketches by Epiphanius Wilson, A.M.\n\n1900\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\nVEDIC HYMNS\n\nIntroduction\nTo the Unknown God\nTo the Maruts\nTo the Maruts and Indra\nTo Indra and the Maruts\nTo Agni and the Maruts\nTo Rudra\nTo Rudra\nTo Agn\u00ed and the Maruts\nTo V\u00e2yu\nTo V\u00e2yu\nIndra and Agastya: A Dialogue\nTo Soma and Rudra\nTo Rudra\nTo V\u00e2ta\nTo V\u00e2ta\n\n\nTHE ZEND-AVESTA\n\nIntroduction\nDiscovery of the Zend-Avesta\nThe Creation\nMyth of Yima\nThe Earth\nContracts and Outrages\nUncleanness\nFunerals and Purification\nCleansing the Unclean\nSpells Recited During the Cleansing\nTo Fires, Waters, Plants\nTo the Earth and the Sacred Waters\nPrayer for Helpers\nA Prayer for Sanctity and its Benefits\nTo the Fire\nTo the Bountiful Immortals\nPraise of the Holy Bull\nTo Rain as a Healing Power\nTo the Waters and Light of the Sun\nTo the Waters and Light of the Moon\nTo the Waters and Light of the Stars\n\n\nTHE DHAMMAPADA\n\nIntroduction\nCHAPTER\n      I.--The Twin-Verses\n     II.--On Earnestness\n    III.--Thought\n     IV.--Flowers\n      V.--The Fool\n     VI.--The Wise Man\n    VII.--The Venerable\n   VIII.--The Thousands\n     IX.--Evil\n      X.--Punishment\n     XI.--Old Age\n    XII.--Self\n   XIII.--The World\n    XIV.--The Buddha--The Awakened\n     XV.--Happiness\n    XVI.--Pleasure\n   XVII.--Anger\n  XVIII.--Impurity\n    XIX.--The Just\n     XX.--The Way\n    XXI.--Miscellaneous\n   XXII.--The Downward Course\n  XXIII.--The Elephant\n   XXIV.--Thirst\n    XXV.--The Bhikshu\n   XXVI.--The Br\u00e2hmana\n\nTHE UPANISHADS\n\nIntroduction\n\nKAUSH\u00cdTAKI-UPANISHAD.--\n  The Couch of Brahman\n  Knowledge of the Living Spirit\n  Life and Consciousness\n\n\nSELECTIONS FROM THE KORAN\n\nIntroduction\nMohammed and Mohammedanism\nChapter I.----Entitled, the Preface\nChapter II.---Entitled, the Cow\nChapter III.--Entitled, the Family of Imran\nChapter IV.---Entitled, Women\nChapter V.----Entitled, the Table\n\n\nLIFE OF BUDDHA\n\nIntroduction\n\nCHAPTER I.--\n  The Birth\n  Living in the Palace\n  Disgust at Sorrow\n  Putting Away Desire\n  Leaving the City\n\nCHAPTER II.--\n  The Return of Kandaka\n  Entering the Place of Austerities\n  The General Grief of the Palace\n  The Mission to Seek the Prince\n\nCHAPTER III.--\n  Bimbisara R\u00e2ga Invites the Prince\n  The Reply to Bimbisara R\u00e2ga\n  Visit to \u00c2rada Udrarama\n  Defeats Mara\n  O-wei-san-pou-ti (Abhisambodhi)\n  Turning the Law-wheel\n\nCHAPTER IV.--\n  Bimbisara R\u00e2ga Becomes a Disciple\n  The Great Disciple Becomes a Hermit\n  Conversion of the \"Supporter of the Orphans and Destitute\"\n  Interview Between Father and Son\n  Receiving the Getavana Vihara\n  Escaping the Drunken Elephant and Devadatta\n  The Lady \u00c2mra Sees Buddha\n\nCHAPTER V.--\n  By Spiritual Power Fixing His Term of Years\n  The Differences of the Likkhavis\n  Parinirvana\n  Mahaparinirvana\n  Praising Nirvana\n  Division of the Sariras\n\n\n\n\nVEDIC HYMNS\n\n\nTranslation by F. Max M\u00fcller.\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nThe Vedic Hymns are among the most interesting portions of Hindoo\nliterature. In form and spirit they resemble both the poems of the\nHebrew psalter and the lyrics of Pindar. They deal with the most\nelemental religious conceptions and are full of the imagery of nature.\nIt would be absurd to deny to very many of them the possession of the\ntruest poetic inspiration. The scenery of the Himalayas, ice and snow,\nstorm and tempest, lend their majesty to the strains of the Vedic poet.\nHe describes the storm sweeping over the white-crested mountains till\nthe earth, like a hoary king, trembles with fear. The Maruts, or\nstorm-gods, are terrible, glorious, musical, riding on strong-hoofed,\nnever-wearying steeds. There is something Homeric, Pindaric in these\nepithets. Yet Soma and Rudra are addressed, though they wield sharp\nweapons; and sharp bolts, i.e., those of the lightning, are spoken of as\nkind friends. \"Deliver us,\" says the poet, \"from the snare of Varuna,\nand guard us, as kind-hearted gods.\" One of the most remarkable of these\nhymns is that addressed to the Unknown God. The poet says: \"In the\nbeginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as he was born he alone\nwas the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this heaven.\"\nThe hymn consists of ten stanzas, in which the Deity is celebrated as\nthe maker of the snowy mountains, the sea and the distant river, who\nmade fast the awful heaven, He who alone is God above all gods, before\nwhom heaven and earth stand trembling in their mind. Each stanza\nconcludes with the refrain, \"Who is the God to whom we shall offer\nsacrifice?\"\n\nWe have in this hymn a most sublime conception of the Supreme Being, and\nwhile there are many Vedic hymns whose tone is pantheistic and seems to\nimply that the wild forces of nature are Gods who rule the world, this\nhymn to the Unknown God is as purely monotheistic as a psalm of David,\nand shows a spirit of religious awe as profound as any we find in the\nHebrew Scriptures.\n\nIt is very difficult to arrive at the true date of the Vedas. The word\nVeda means knowledge, and is applied to unwritten literature. The Vedas\nare therefore the oldest Sanscrit writings which exist, and stand in the\nsame class with regard to Hindoo literature as Homer does with regard to\nGreek literature. Probably the earliest Vedas were recited a thousand\nyears before Christ, while the more recent of the hymns date about five\nhundred before Christ. We must therefore consider them to be the most\nprimitive form of Aryan poetry in existence.\n\nThere is in the West a misunderstanding as to the exact meaning of\n\"Vedic\" and \"Sanscrit\"; for the latter is often used as if it were\nsynonymous with Indian; whereas, only the later Indian literature can be\nclassed under that head, and \"Vedic\" is often used to indicate only the\nVedic Hymns, whereas it really denotes Hymns, Br\u00e1hmanas, Upanishads, and\nSutras; in fact, all literature which orthodox Hindoos regard as sacred.\nThe correct distinction then between the Vedic and the Sanscrit writings\nis that of holy writ and profane literature.\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\nVEDIC HYMNS\n\n\nTO THE UNKNOWN GOD\n\n\nIn the beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as born, he alone\nwas the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this\nheaven:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nHe who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose command all the bright\ngods revere, whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death:--Who is\nthe God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nHe who through his might became the sole king of the breathing and\ntwinkling world, who governs all this, man and beast:--Who is the God to\nwhom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nHe through whose might these snowy mountains are, and the sea, they say,\nwith the distant river; he of whom these regions are indeed the two\narms:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nHe through whom the awful heaven and the earth were made fast, he\nthrough whom the ether was established, and the firmament; he who\nmeasured the air in the sky:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer\nsacrifice?\n\nHe to whom heaven and earth, standing firm by his will, look up,\ntrembling in their mind; he over whom the risen sun shines forth:--Who\nis the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nWhen the great waters went everywhere, holding the germ, and generating\nlight, then there arose from them the breath of the gods:--Who is the\nGod to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nHe who by his might looked even over the waters which held power and\ngenerated the sacrifice, he who alone is God above all gods:--Who is the\nGod to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nMay he not hurt us, he who is the begetter of the earth, or he, the\nrighteous, who begat the heaven; he who also begat the bright and mighty\nwaters:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?\n\nPrag\u00e2pati, no other than thou embraces all these created things. May\nthat be ours which we desire when sacrificing to thee: may we be lords\nof wealth!\n\n\n\nTO THE MARUTS[1]\n\n\nI\n\nCome hither, Maruts, on your chariots charged with lightning, resounding\nwith beautiful songs, stored with spears, and winged with horses! Fly to\nus like birds, with your best food, you mighty ones! They come\ngloriously on their red, or, it may be, on their tawny horses which\nhasten their chariots. He who holds the axe is brilliant like\ngold;--with the tire of the chariot they have struck the earth. On your\nbodies there are daggers for beauty; may they stir up our minds as they\nstir up the forests. For yourselves, O well-born Maruts, the vigorous\namong you shake the stone for distilling Soma. Days went round you and\ncame back, O hawks, back to this prayer, and to this sacred rite; the\nGotamas making prayer with songs, pushed up the lid of the cloud to\ndrink. No such hymn was ever known as this which Gotama sounded for you,\nO Maruts, when he saw you on golden wheels, wild boars rushing about\nwith iron tusks. This comforting speech rushes sounding towards you,\nlike the speech of a suppliant: it rushed freely from our hands as our\nspeeches are wont to do.\n\nII\n\nLet us now proclaim for the robust host, for the herald of the powerful\nIndra, their ancient greatness! O ye strong-voiced Maruts, you heroes,\nprove your powers on your march, as with a torch, as with a sword! Like\nparents bringing a dainty to their own son, the wild Maruts play\nplayfully at the sacrifices. The Rudras reach the worshipper with their\nprotection, strong in themselves, they do not fail the sacrificer. For\nhim to whom the immortal guardians have given fulness of wealth, and who\nis himself a giver of oblations, the Maruts, who gladden men with the\nmilk of rain, pour out, like friends, many clouds. You who have stirred\nup the clouds with might, your horses rushed forth, self-guided. All\nbeings who dwell in houses are afraid of you, your march is brilliant\nwith your spears thrust forth. When they whose march is terrible have\ncaused the rocks to tremble, or when the manly Maruts have shaken the\nback of heaven, then every lord of the forest fears at your racing, each\nshrub flies out of your way, whirling like chariot-wheels. You, O\nterrible Maruts, whose ranks are never broken, favorably fulfil our\nprayer! Wherever your glory-toothed lightning bites, it crunches cattle,\nlike a well-aimed bolt. The Maruts whose gifts are firm, whose bounties\nare never ceasing, who do not revile, and who are highly praised at the\nsacrifices, they sing their song for to drink the sweet juice: they know\nthe first manly deeds of the hero Indra. The man whom you have guarded,\nO Maruts, shield him with hundredfold strongholds from injury and\nmischief--the man whom you, O fearful, powerful singers, protect from\nreproach in the prosperity of his children. On your chariots, O Maruts,\nthere are all good things, strong weapons are piled up clashing against\neach other. When you are on your journeys, you carry the rings on your\nshoulders, and your axle turns the two wheels at once. In their manly\narms there are many good things, on their chests golden chains, flaring\nornaments, on their shoulders speckled deer-skins, on their fellies\nsharp edges; as birds spread their wings, they spread out splendors\nbehind. They, mighty by might, all-powerful powers, visible from afar\nlike the heavens with the stars, sweet-toned, soft-tongued singers with\ntheir mouths, the Maruts, united with Indra, shout all around. This is\nyour greatness, O well-born Maruts!--your bounty extends far, as the\nsway of Aditi. Not even Indra in his scorn can injure that bounty, on\nwhatever man you have bestowed it for his good deeds. This is your\nkinship with us, O Maruts, that you, immortals, in former years have\noften protected the singer. Having through this prayer granted a hearing\nto man, all these heroes together have become well known by their\nvaliant deeds. That we may long flourish, O Maruts, with your wealth, O\nye racers, that our men may spread in the camp, therefore let me achieve\nthe rite with these offerings. May this praise, O Maruts, this song of\nM\u00e2nd\u00e2rya, the son of M\u00e2na, the poet, ask you with food for offspring for\nourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain!\n\nIII\n\nFor the manly host, the joyful, the wise, for the Maruts bring thou, O\nNodhas, a pure offering. I prepare songs, like as a handy priest, wise\nin his mind, prepares the water, mighty at sacrifices. They are born,\nthe tall bulls of heaven, the manly youths of Rudra, the divine, the\nblameless, pure, and bright like suns; scattering raindrops, full of\nterrible designs, like giants. The youthful Rudras, they who never grow\nold, the slayers of the demon, have grown irresistible like mountains.\nThey throw down with their strength all beings, even the strongest, on\nearth and in heaven. They deck themselves with glittering ornaments for\na marvellous show; on their chests they fastened gold chains for beauty;\nthe spears on their shoulders pound to pieces; they were born together\nby themselves, the men of Dyu. They who confer power, the roarers, the\ndevourers of foes, they made winds and lightnings by their powers. The\nshakers milk the heavenly udders, they sprinkle the earth all round with\nmilk. The bounteous Maruts pour forth water, mighty at sacrifices, the\nfat milk of the clouds. They seem to lead about the powerful horse, the\ncloud, to make it rain; they milk the thundering, unceasing spring.\nMighty they are, powerful, of beautiful splendor, strong in themselves\nlike mountains, yet swiftly gliding along;--you chew up forests, like\nwild elephants, when you have assumed your powers among the red flames.\nLike lions they roar, the wise Maruts, they are handsome like gazelles,\nthe all-knowing. By night with their spotted rain-clouds and with their\nspears--lightnings--they rouse the companions together, they whose ire\nthrough strength is like the ire of serpents. You who march in\ncompanies, the friends of man, heroes, whose ire through strength is\nlike the ire of serpents, salute heaven and earth! On the seats on your\nchariots, O Maruts, the lightning stands, visible like light.\nAll-knowing, surrounded with wealth, endowed with powers, singers, men\nof endless prowess, armed with strong rings, they, the archers, have\ntaken the arrow in their fists. The Maruts who with the golden tires of\ntheir wheels increase the rain, stir up the clouds like wanderers on the\nroad. They are brisk, indefatigable, they move by themselves; they throw\ndown what is firm, the Maruts with their brilliant spears make\neverything to reel. We invoke with prayer the offspring of Rudra, the\nbrisk, the pure, the worshipful, the active. Cling for happiness-sake to\nthe strong company of the Maruts, the chasers of the sky, the powerful,\nthe impetuous. The mortal whom ye, Maruts, protected, he indeed\nsurpasses people in strength through your protection. He carries off\nbooty with his horses, treasures with his men; he acquires honorable\nwisdom, and he prospers. Give, O Maruts, to our lords strength glorious,\ninvincible in battle, brilliant, wealth-acquiring, praiseworthy, known\nto all men. Let us foster our kith and kin during a hundred winters.\nWill you then, O Maruts, grant unto us wealth, durable, rich in men,\ndefying all onslaughts?--wealth a hundred and a thousand-fold, always\nincreasing?--May he who is rich in prayers come early and soon!\n\nIV\n\nSing forth, O Kanvas, to the sportive host of your Maruts, brilliant on\ntheir chariots, and unscathed,--they who were born together,\nself-luminous, with the spotted deer, the spears, the daggers, the\nglittering ornaments. I hear their whips, almost close by, when they\ncrack them in their hands; they gain splendor on their way. Sing forth\nthe god-given prayer to the wild host of your Maruts, endowed with\nterrible vigor and strength. Celebrate the bull among the cows, for it\nis the sportive host of the Maruts; he grew as he tasted the rain. Who,\nO ye men, is the strongest among you here, ye shakers of heaven and\nearth, when you shake them like the hem of a garment? At your approach\nthe son of man holds himself down; the gnarled cloud fled at your fierce\nanger. They at whose racings the earth, like a hoary king, trembles for\nfear on their ways, their birth is strong indeed: there is strength to\ncome forth from their mother, nay, there is vigor twice enough for it.\nAnd these sons, the singers, stretched out the fences in their racings;\nthe cows had to walk knee-deep. They cause this long and broad unceasing\nrain to fall on their ways. O Maruts, with such strength as yours, you\nhave caused men to tremble, you have caused the mountains to tremble. As\nthe Maruts pass along, they talk together on the way: does anyone hear\nthem? Come fast on your quick steeds! there are worshippers for you\namong the Kanvas: may you well rejoice among them. Truly there is enough\nfor your rejoicing. We always are their servants, that we may live even\nthe whole of life.\n\nV\n\nTo every sacrifice you hasten together, you accept prayer after prayer,\nO quick Maruts! Let me therefore bring you hither by my prayers from\nheaven and earth, for our welfare, and for our great protection; the\nshakers who were born to bring food and light, self-born and\nself-supported, like springs, like thousandfold waves of water, aye,\nvisibly like unto excellent bulls, those Maruts, like Soma-drops, which\nsqueezed from ripe stems dwell, when drunk, in the hearts of the\nworshipper--see how on their shoulders there clings as if a clinging\nwife; in their hands the quoit is held and the sword. Lightly they have\ncome down from heaven of their own accord: Immortals, stir yourselves\nwith the whip! The mighty Maruts on dustless paths, armed with brilliant\nspears, have shaken down even the strong places. O ye Maruts, who are\narmed with lightning-spears, who stirs you from within by himself, as\nthe jaws are stirred by the tongue? You shake the sky, as if on the\nsearch for food; you are invoked by many, like the solar horse of the\nday. Where, O Maruts, is the top, where the bottom of the mighty sky\nwhere you came? When you throw down with the thunderbolt what is strong,\nlike brittle things, you fly across the terrible sea! As your conquest\nis violent, splendid, terrible, full and crushing, so, O Maruts, is your\ngift delightful, like the largess of a liberal worshipper,\nwide-spreading, laughing like heavenly lightning. From the tires of\ntheir chariot-wheels streams gush forth, when they send out the voice of\nthe clouds; the lightnings smiled upon the earth, when the Maruts shower\ndown fatness. Prisni brought forth for the great fight the terrible\ntrain of the untiring Maruts: when fed they produced the dark cloud, and\nthen looked about for invigorating food. May this praise, O Maruts, this\nsong of M\u00e2nd\u00e2rya, the son of M\u00e2na, the poet, ask you with food for\noffspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with\nquickening rain!\n\nVI\n\nThe Maruts charged with rain, endowed with fierce force, terrible like\nwild beasts, blazing in their strength, brilliant like fires, and\nimpetuous, have uncovered the rain-giving cows by blowing away the\ncloud. The Maruts with their rings appeared like the heavens with their\nstars, they shone wide like streams from clouds as soon as Rudra, the\nstrong man, was born for you, O golden-breasted Maruts, in the bright\nlap of Prisni. They wash their horses like racers in the courses, they\nhasten with the points of the reed on their quick steeds. O golden-jawed\nMaruts, violently shaking your jaws, you go quick with your spotted\ndeer, being friends of one mind. Those Maruts have grown to feed all\nthese beings, or, it may be, they have come hither for the sake of a\nfriend, they who always bring quickening rain. They have spotted horses,\ntheir bounties cannot be taken away, they are like headlong charioteers\non their ways. O Maruts, wielding your brilliant spears, come hither on\nsmooth roads with your fiery cows whose udders are swelling; being of\none mind, like swans toward their nests, to enjoy the sweet offering. O\none-minded Maruts, come to our prayers, come to our libations like Indra\npraised by men! Fulfil our prayer, like the udder of a barren cow, and\nmake the prayer glorious by booty to the singer. Grant us this strong\nhorse for our chariot, a draught that rouses our prayers, from day to\nday, food to the singers, and to the poet in our homesteads luck,\nwisdom, inviolable and invincible strength. When the gold-breasted\nMaruts harness the horses to their chariots, bounteous in wealth, then\nit is as if a cow in the folds poured out to her calf copious food, to\nevery man who has offered libations. Whatever mortal enemy may have\nplaced us among wolves, shield us from hurt, ye Vasus! Turn the wheels\nwith burning heat against him, and strike down the weapon of the impious\nfiend, O Rudras! Your march, O Maruts, appears brilliant, whether even\nfriends have milked the udder of Prisni, or whether, O sons of Rudra,\nyou mean to blame him who praises you, and to weaken those who are\nweakening Trita, O unbeguiled heroes. We invoke you, the great Maruts,\nthe constant wanderers, at the offering of the rapid Vishnu; holding\nladles and prayerful we ask the golden-colored and exalted Maruts for\nglorious wealth. The Dasagvas carried on the sacrifice first; may they\nrouse us at the break of dawn. Like the dawn, they uncover the dark\nnights with the red rays, the strong ones, with their brilliant light,\nas with a sea of milk. With the morning clouds, as if with glittering\nred ornaments, these Maruts have grown great in the sacred places.\nStreaming down with rushing splendor, they have assumed their bright and\nbrilliant color. Approaching them for their great protection to help us,\nwe invoke them with this worship, they whom Trita may bring near, like\nthe five Hotri priests for victory, descending on their chariot to help.\nMay that grace of yours by which you help the wretched across all\nanguish, and by which you deliver the worshipper from the reviler, come\nhither, O Maruts; may your favor approach us like a cow going to her\ncalf!\n\nVII\n\nI come to you with this adoration, with a hymn I implore the favor of\nthe quick Maruts. O Maruts, you have rejoiced in it clearly, put down\nthen all anger and unharness your horses! This reverent praise of yours,\nO Maruts, fashioned in the heart, has been offered by the mind, O gods!\nCome to it, pleased in your mind, for you give increase to our worship.\nMay the Maruts when they have been praised be gracious to us, and\nlikewise Indra, the best giver of happiness, when he has been praised.\nMay our lances through our valor stand always erect, O Maruts! I am\nafraid of this powerful one, and trembling in fear of Indra. For you the\nofferings were prepared--we have now put them away, forgive us! Thou\nthrough whom the M\u00e2nas see the mornings, whenever the eternal dawns\nflash forth with power, O Indra, O strong hero, grant thou glory to us\nwith the Maruts, terrible with the terrible ones, strong and a giver of\nvictory. O Indra, protect thou these bravest of men, let thy anger be\nturned away from the Maruts, for thou hast become victorious together\nwith those brilliant heroes. May we have an invigorating autumn, with\nquickening rain!\n\nVIII\n\nO Maruts, that man in whose dwelling you drink the Soma, ye mighty sons\nof heaven, he indeed has the best guardians. You who are propitiated\neither by sacrifices or from the prayers of the sage, hear the call, O\nMaruts! Aye, the powerful man to whom you have granted a sage, he will\nlive in a stable rich in cattle. On the altar of this strong man Soma is\npoured out in daily sacrifices; praise and joy are sung. To him let the\nmighty Maruts listen, to him who surpasses all men, as the flowing\nrain-clouds pass over the sun. For we, O Maruts, have sacrificed at many\nharvests, through the mercies of the storm-gods. May that mortal be\nblessed, O chasing Maruts, whose offerings you carry off. You take\nnotice either of the sweat of him who praises you, ye men of true\nstrength, or of the desire of the suppliant. O ye of true strength, make\nthis manifest with might! strike the fiend with your lightning! Hide the\nhideous darkness, destroy every tusky fiend. Make the light which we\nlong for!\n\nIX\n\nEndowed with exceeding vigor and power, the singers, the never\nflinching, the immovable, the impetuous, the most beloved and most\nmanly, have decked themselves with their glittering ornaments, a few\nonly, like the heavens with the stars. When you have seen your way\nthrough the clefts, like birds, O Maruts, on whatever road it be, then\nthe clouds on your chariots trickle everywhere, and you pour out the\nhoney-like fatness for him who praises you. At their racings the earth\nshakes, as if broken, when on the heavenly paths they harness their deer\nfor victory. They the sportive, the roaring, with bright spears, the\nshakers of the clouds have themselves glorified their greatness. That\nyouthful company, with their spotted horses, moves by itself; hence it\nexercises lordship, invested with powers. Thou indeed art true, thou\nsearchest out sin, thou art without blemish. Therefore the manly host\nwill help this prayer. We speak after the kind of our old father, our\ntongue goes forth at the sight of the Soma: when the singers had joined\nIndra in deed, then only they took their holy names;--these Maruts,\narmed with beautiful rings, obtained splendors for their glory, they\nobtained rays, and men to celebrate them; nay, armed with daggers,\nspeeding along, and fearless, they found the beloved domain of the\nMaruts.\n\nX\n\nWhat then now? When will you take us as a dear father takes his son by\nboth hands, O ye gods, for whom the sacred grass has been trimmed? Where\nnow? On what errand of yours are you going, in heaven, not on earth?\nWhere are your cows sporting? Where are your newest favors, O Maruts?\nWhere the blessings? Where all delights? If you, sons of Prisni, were\nmortals, and your praiser an immortal, then never should your praiser be\nunwelcome, like a deer in pasture grass, nor should he go on the path of\nYama. Let not one sin after another, difficult to be conquered, overcome\nus; may it depart together with greed. Truly they are terrible and\npowerful; even to the desert the Rudriyas bring rain that is never dried\nup. The lightning lows like a cow, it follows as a mother follows after\nher young, when the shower of the Maruts has been let loose. Even by day\nthe Maruts create darkness with the water-bearing cloud, when they\ndrench the earth. Then from the shouting of the Maruts over the whole\nspace of the earth, men reeled forward. Maruts on your strong-hoofed,\nnever-wearying steeds go after those bright ones, which are still locked\nup. May your fellies be strong, the chariots, and their horses, may your\nreins be well-fashioned. Speak forth forever with thy voice to praise\nthe Lord of prayer, Agni, who is like a friend, the bright one. Fashion\na hymn in thy mouth! Expand like the cloud! Sing a song of praise.\nWorship the host of the Maruts, the terrible, the glorious, the musical.\nMay they be magnified here among us.\n\nXI\n\nLet your voice-born prayers go forth to the great Vishnu, accompanied by\nthe Maruts, Evay\u00e2marut, and to the chasing host, adorned with good\nrings, the strong, in their jubilant throng, to the shouting power of\nthe Maruts. O Maruts, you who are born great, and proclaim it yourselves\nby knowledge, Evay\u00e2marut, that power of yours cannot be approached by\nwisdom, that power of theirs cannot be approached by gift or might; they\nare like unapproachable mountains. They who are heard with their voice\nfrom the high heaven, the brilliant and strong, Evay\u00e2marut, in whose\ncouncil no tyrant reigns, the rushing chariots of these roaring Maruts\ncome forth, like fires with their own lightning. The wide-striding\nVishnu strode forth from the great common seat, Evay\u00e2marut. When he has\nstarted by himself from his own place along the ridges, O ye striving,\nmighty Maruts, he goes together with the heroes, conferring blessings.\nImpetuous, like your own shout, the strong one made everything tremble,\nthe terrible, the wanderer, the mighty, Evay\u00e2marut; strong with him you\nadvanced self-luminous, with firm reins, golden colored, well armed,\nspeeding along. Your greatness is infinite, ye Maruts, endowed with full\npower, may that terrible power help, Evay\u00e2marut. In your raid you are\nindeed to be seen as charioteers; deliver us therefore from the enemy,\nlike shining fires. May then these Rudras, lively like fires and with\nvigorous shine, help, Evay\u00e2marut. The seat of the earth is stretched out\nfar and wide, when the hosts of these faultless Maruts come quickly to\nthe races. Come kindly on your path, O Maruts, listen to the call of him\nwho praises you, Evay\u00e2marut. Confidants of the great Vishnu, may you\ntogether, like charioteers, keep all hateful things far, by your\nwonderful skill. Come zealously to our sacrifice, ye worshipful, hear\nour guileless call, Evay\u00e2marut. Like the oldest mountains in the sky, O\nwise guardians, prove yourselves for him irresistible to the enemy.\n\nXII\n\nO Sy\u00e2v\u00e2sva, sing boldly with the Maruts, the singers who, worthy\nthemselves of sacrifice, rejoice in their guileless glory according to\ntheir nature. They are indeed boldly the friends of strong power; they\non their march protect all who by themselves are full of daring. Like\nrushing bulls, these Maruts spring over the dark cows, and then we\nperceive the might of the Maruts in heaven and on earth. Let us boldly\noffer praise and sacrifice to your Maruts, to all them who protect the\ngeneration of men, who protect the mortal from injury. They who are\nworthy, bounteous, men of perfect strength, to those heavenly Maruts who\nare worthy of sacrifice, praise the sacrifice! The tall men, coming near\nwith their bright chains, and their weapon, have hurled forth their\nspears. Behind these Maruts there came by itself the splendor of heaven,\nlike laughing lightnings. Those who have grown up on earth, or in the\nwide sky, or in the realm of the rivers, or in the abode of the great\nheaven, praise that host of the Maruts, endowed with true strength and\nboldness, whether those rushing heroes have by themselves harnessed\ntheir horses for triumph, or whether these brilliant Maruts have in the\nspeckled cloud clothed themselves in wool, or whether by their strength\nthey cut the mountain asunder with the tire of their chariot; call them\ncomers, or goers, or enterers, or followers, under all these names, they\nwatch on the straw for my sacrifice. The men watch, and their steeds\nwatch. Then, so brilliant are their forms to be soon, that people say,\nLook at the strangers! In measured steps and wildly shouting the gleemen\nhave danced towards the cloud. They who appeared one by one like\nthieves, were helpers to me to see the light. Worship, therefore, O\nseer, that host of Maruts, and keep and delight them with your voice,\nthey who are themselves wise poets, tall heroes armed with\nlightning-spears. Approach, O seer, the host of Maruts, as a woman\napproaches a friend, for a gift; and you, Maruts, bold in your strength,\nhasten hither, even from heaven, when you have been praised by our\nhymns. If he, after perceiving them, has approached them as gods with an\noffering, then may he for a gift remain united with the brilliant\nMaruts, who by their ornaments are glorious on their march. They, the\nwise Maruts, the lords, who, when there was inquiry for their kindred,\ntold me of the cow, they told me of Prisni as their mother, and of the\nstrong Rudra as their father. The seven and seven heroes gave me each a\nhundred. On the Yamun\u00e2 I clear off glorious wealth in cows, I clear\nwealth in horses.\n\nXIII\n\nThose who glance forth like wives and yoke-fellows, the powerful sons of\nRudra on their way, they, the Maruts, have indeed made heaven and earth\nto grow; they, the strong and wild, delight in the sacrifices. When\ngrown up, they attained to greatness; the Rudras have established their\nseat in the sky. While singing their song and increasing their vigor,\nthe sons of Prisni have clothed themselves in beauty. When these sons of\nthe cow adorn themselves with glittering ornaments, the brilliant ones\nput bright weapons on their bodies. They drive away every adversary;\nfatness streams along their paths;--when you, the powerful, who shine\nwith your spears, shaking even what is unshakable by strength--when you,\nO Maruts, the manly hosts, had yoked the spotted deer, swift as thought,\nto your chariots;--when you had yoked the spotted deer before your\nchariots, hurling thunderbolt in the fight, then the streams of the\nred-horse rush forth: like a skin with water they water the earth. May\nthe swiftly-gliding, swift-winged horses carry you hither! Come forth\nwith your arms! Sit down on the grass-pile; a wide seat has been made\nfor you. Rejoice, O Maruts, in the sweet food. Strong in themselves,\nthey grew with might; they stepped to the firmament, they made their\nseat wide. When Vishnu saved the enrapturing Soma, the Maruts sat down\nlike birds on their beloved altar. Like heroes indeed thirsting for\nfight they rush about; like combatants eager for glory they have striven\nin battles. All beings are afraid of the Maruts; they are men terrible\nto behold, like kings. When the clever Tvashtar had turned the\nwell-made, golden, thousand-edged thunderbolt, Indra takes it to perform\nhis manly deeds; he slew Vritra, he forced out the stream of water. By\ntheir power they pushed the well aloft, they clove asunder the rock,\nhowever strong. Blowing forth their voice the bounteous Maruts\nperformed, while drunk of Soma, their glorious deeds. They pushed the\ncloud athwart this way, they poured out the spring to the thirsty\nGotama. The Maruts with beautiful splendor approach him with help, they\nin their own ways satisfied the desire of the sage. The shelters which\nyou have for him who praises you, grant them threefold to the man who\ngives! Extend the same to us, O Maruts! Give us, ye heroes, wealth with\nvaliant offspring!\n\nXIV\n\nWho are these resplendent men, dwelling together, the boys of Rudra,\nalso with good horses? No one indeed knows their births, they alone know\neach other's birthplace. They plucked each other with their beaks; the\nhawks, rushing like the wind, strove together. A wise man understands\nthese secrets, that Prisni, the great, bore an udder. May that clan be\nrich in heroes by the Maruts, always victorious, rich in manhood! They\nare quickest to go, most splendid with splendor, endowed with beauty,\nstrong with strength. Strong is your strength, steadfast your powers,\nand thus by the Maruts is this clan mighty. Resplendent is your breath,\nfurious are the minds of the wild host, like a shouting maniac. Keep\nfrom us entirely your flame, let not your hatred reach us here. I call\non the dear names of your swift ones, so that the greedy should be\nsatisfied, O Maruts, the well-armed, the swift, decked with beautiful\nchains, who themselves adorn their bodies. Bright are the libations for\nyou, the bright ones, O Maruts, a bright sacrifice I prepare for the\nbright. In proper order came those who truly follow the order, the\nbright born, the bright, the pure. On your shoulders, O Maruts, are the\nrings, on your chests the golden chains are fastened; far-shining like\nlightnings with showers, you wield your weapons, according to your wont.\nYour hidden splendors come forth; spread out your powers, O racers!\nAccept, O Maruts, this thousandfold, domestic share, as an offering for\nthe house-gods. If you thus listen, O Maruts, to this praise, at the\ninvocation of the powerful sage, give him quickly a share of wealth in\nplentiful offspring, which no selfish enemy shall be able to hurt. The\nMaruts, who are fleet like racers, the manly youths, shone like Yakshas;\nthey are beautiful like boys standing round the hearth, they play about\nlike calves who are still sucking. May the bounteous Maruts be gracious\nto us, opening up to us the firm heaven and earth. May that bolt of\nyours which kills cattle and men be far from us! Incline to us, O Vasus,\nwith your favors. The Hotri priest calls on you again and again, sitting\ndown and praising your common gift, O Maruts. O strong ones, he who is\nthe guardian of so much wealth, he calls on you with praises, free from\nguile. These Maruts stop the swift, they bend strength by strength, they\nward off the curse of the plotter, and turn their heavy hatred on the\nenemy. These Maruts stir up even the sluggard, even the vagrant, as the\ngods pleased. O strong ones, drive away the darkness, and grant us all\nour kith and kin. May we not fall away from your bounty, O Maruts, may\nwe not stay behind, O charioteers, in the distribution of your gifts.\nLet us share in the brilliant wealth, the well-acquired, that belongs to\nyou, O strong ones. When valiant men fiercely fight together, for\nrivers, plants, and houses, then, O Maruts, sons of Rudra, be in battles\nour protectors from the enemy. O Maruts, you have valued the praises\nwhich our fathers have formerly recited to you; with the Maruts the\nvictor is terrible in battle, with the Maruts alone the racer wins the\nprize. O Maruts, may we have a strong son, who is lord among men, a\nruler, through whom we may cross the waters to dwell in safety, and then\nobtain our own home for you. May Indra then, Varuna, Mitra, Agni, the\nwaters, the plants, the trees of the forest be pleased with us. Let us\nbe in the keeping, in the lap of the Maruts; protect us always with your\nfavors.\n\nXV\n\nSing to the company of the Maruts, growing up together, the strong among\nthe divine host: they stir heaven and earth by their might, they mount\nup to the firmament from the abyss of Nirriti. Even your birth was with\nfire and fury, O Maruts! You, terrible, wrathful, never tiring! You who\nstand forth with might and strength; everyone who sees the sun, fears at\nyour coming. Grant mighty strength to our lords, if the Maruts are\npleased with our praise. As a trodden path furthers a man, may they\nfurther us; help us with your brilliant favors. Favored by you, O\nMaruts, a wise man wins a hundred, favored by you a strong racer wins a\nthousand, favored by you a king also kills his enemy: may that gift of\nyours prevail, O ye shakers. I invite these bounteous sons of Rudra,\nwill these Maruts turn again to us? Whatever they hated secretly or\nopenly, that sin we pray the swift ones to forgive. This praise of our\nlords has been spoken: may the Maruts be pleased with this hymn. Keep\nfar from us, O strong ones, all hatred, protect us always with your\nfavors!\n\nXVI\n\nCome hither, do not fail, when you march forward! Do not stay away, O\nunited friends, you who can bend even what is firm. O Maruts,\nRibhukshans, come hither on your flaming strong fellies, O Rudras, come\nto us to-day with food, you much-desired ones, come to the sacrifice,\nyou friends of the Sobharis. For we know indeed the terrible strength of\nthe sons of Rudra, of the vigorous Maruts, the liberal givers of rain.\nThe clouds were scattered, but the monster remained, heaven and earth\nwere joined together. O you who are armed with bright rings, the tracts\nof the sky expanded, whenever you stir, radiant with your own splendor.\nEven things that cannot be thrown down resound at your race, the\nmountains, the lord of the forest--the earth quivers on your marches.\nThe upper sky makes wide room, to let your violence pass, O Maruts, when\nthese strong-armed heroes display their energies in their own bodies.\nAccording to their wont these men, exceeding terrible, impetuous, with\nstrong and unbending forms, bring with them beautiful light. The arrow\nof the Sobharis is shot from the bowstrings at the golden chest on the\nchariot of the Maruts. They, the kindred of the cow, the well-born,\nshould enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. Bring forward, O\nstrongly-anointed priests, your libations to the strong host of the\nMaruts, the strongly advancing. O Maruts, O heroes, come quickly hither,\nlike winged hawks, on your chariot with strong horses, of strong shape,\nwith strong naves, to enjoy our libations. Their anointing is the same,\nthe golden chains shine on their arms, their spears sparkle. These\nstrong, manly, strong-armed Maruts, do not strive among themselves; firm\nare the bows, the weapons on your chariot, and on your faces are\nsplendors. They whose terrible name, wide-spreading like the ocean, is\nthe one of all that is of use, whose strength is like the vigor of their\nfather, worship these Maruts, and praise them! Of these shouters, as of\nmoving spokes, no one is the last; this is theirs by gift, by greatness\nis it theirs. Happy is he who was under your protection, O Maruts, in\nformer mornings, or who may be so even now. Or he, O men, whose\nlibations you went to enjoy; that mighty one, O shakers, will obtain\nyour favors with brilliant riches and booty. As the sons of Rudra, the\nservants of the divine Dyu, will it, O youths, so shall it be. Whatever\nliberal givers may worship the Maruts, and move about together as\ngenerous benefactors, even from them turn towards us with a kinder\nheart, you youths! O Sobhari, call loud with your newest song the young,\nstrong, and pure Maruts, as the plougher calls the cows. Worship the\nMaruts with a song, they who are strong like a boxer, called in to\nassist those who call for him in all fights; worship them the most\nglorious, like bright-shining bulls. Yes, O united friends, kindred, O\nMaruts, by a common birth, the oxen lick one another's humps. O ye\ndancers, with golden ornaments on your chests, even a mortal comes to\nask for your brotherhood; take care of us, ye Maruts, for your\nfriendship lasts forever. O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of your\nMarut-medicine, you friends, and steeds. With the favors whereby you\nfavor the Sindhu, whereby you save, whereby you help Krivi, with those\npropitious favors be our delight, O delightful ones, ye who never hate\nyour followers. O Maruts, for whom we have prepared good altars,\nwhatever medicine there is on the Sindhu, on the Asikn\u00ee, in the seas, on\nthe mountains, seeing it, you carry it all on your bodies. Bless us with\nit! Down to the earth, O Maruts, with what hurts our sick\none--straighten what is crooked!\n\nXVII\n\nFull of devotion like priests with their prayers, wealthy like pious\nmen, who please the gods with their offerings, beautiful to behold like\nbrilliant kings, without a blemish like the youths of our hamlets--they\nwho are gold-breasted like Agni with his splendor, quick to help like\nself-harnessed winds, good leaders like the oldest experts, they are to\nthe righteous man like Somas, that yield the best protection. They who\nare roaring and hasting like winds, brilliant like the tongues of fires,\npowerful like mailed soldiers, full of blessings like the prayers of our\nfathers, who hold together like the spokes of chariot-wheels, who glance\nforward like victorious heroes, who scatter ghrita like wooing youths,\nwho chant beautifully like singers, intoning a hymn of praise, who are\nswift like the best of horses, who are bounteous like lords of chariots\non a suit, who are hastening on like water with downward floods, who are\nlike the manifold Angiras with their numerous songs. These noble sons of\nSindhu are like grinding-stones, they are always like Soma-stones,\ntearing everything to pieces; these sons of a good mother are like\nplayful children, they are by their glare like a great troop on its\nmarch. Illumining the sacrifice like the rays of the dawn, they shone\nforth in their ornaments like triumphant warriors; the Maruts with\nbright spears seem like running rivers, from afar they measure many\nmiles. O gods, make us happy and rich, prospering us, your praisers, O\nMaruts! Remember our praise and our friendship, for from of old there\nare always with you gifts of treasures.\n\nXVIII\n\nO Indra, a thousand have been thy helps accorded to us, a thousand, O\ndriver of the bays, have been thy most delightful viands. May thousands\nof treasures richly to enjoy, may goods come to us a thousandfold. May\nthe Maruts come towards us with their aids, the mighty ones, or with\ntheir best aids from the great heaven, now that their furthest steeds\nhave rushed forth on the distant shore of the sea; there clings to the\nMaruts one who moves in secret, like a man's wife,[2] and who is like a\nspear carried behind, well grasped, resplendent, gold-adorned; there is\nalso with them V\u00e2k,[3] like unto a courtly, eloquent woman. Far away the\nbrilliant, untiring Maruts cling to their young maid, as if she belonged\nto them all; but the terrible ones did not drive away Rodasi, for they\nwished her to grow their friend. When the divine Rodasi with dishevelled\nlocks, the manly-minded, wished to follow them, she went, like S\u00fbry\u00e2,[4]\nto the chariot of her servant, with terrible look, as with the pace of a\ncloud. As soon as the poet with the libations, O Maruts, had sung his\nsong at the sacrifice, pouring out Soma, the youthful men placed the\nyoung maid in their chariot as their companion for victory, mighty in\nassemblies. I praise what is the praiseworthy true greatness of those\nMaruts, that the manly-minded, proud, and strong one drives with them\ntowards the blessed mothers. They protect Mitra and Varuna from the\nunspeakable, and Aryaman also finds out the infamous. Even what is firm\nand unshakable is being shaken; but he who dispenses treasures, O\nMaruts, has grown in strength. No people indeed, whether near to us, or\nfrom afar, have ever found the end of your strength, O Maruts! The\nMaruts, strong in daring strength, have, like the sea, boldly surrounded\ntheir haters. May we to-day, may we tomorrow in battle be called the\nmost beloved of Indra. We were so formerly, may we truly be so day by\nday, and may the lord of the Maruts be with us. May this praise, O\nMaruts, this song of M\u00e2nd\u00e2rya, the son of M\u00e2na, the poet, ask you with\nfood for offspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn,\nwith quickening rain!\n\nXIX\n\nWho knows their birth? or who was of yore in the favor of the Maruts,\nwhen they harnessed the spotted deer? Who has heard them when they had\nmounted their chariots, how they went forth? For the sake of what\nliberal giver did they run, and their comrades followed, as streams of\nrain filled with food? They themselves said to me when day by day they\ncame to the feast with their birds: they are manly youths and blameless;\nseeing them, praise them thus; they who shine by themselves in their\nornaments, their daggers, their garlands, their golden chains, their\nrings, going on their chariots and on dry land. O Maruts, givers of\nquickening rain, I am made to rejoice, following after your chariots, as\nafter days going with rain. The bucket which the bounteous heroes shook\ndown from heaven for their worshipper, that cloud they send along heaven\nand earth, and showers follow on the dry land. The rivers having pierced\nthe air with a rush of water, went forth like milk-cows; when your\nspotted deer roll about like horses that have hasted to the\nresting-place on their road. Come hither, O Maruts, from heaven, from\nthe sky, even from near; do not go far away! Let not the Ras\u00e2, the\nAnitabh\u00e2, the Kubh\u00e2, the Krumu, let not the Sindhu delay you! Let not\nthe marshy Sarayu prevent you! May your favor be with us alone! The\nshowers come forth after the host of your chariots, after the terrible\nMarut-host of the ever-youthful heroes. Let us then follow with our\npraises and our prayers each host of yours, each troop, each company. To\nwhat well-born generous worshipper have the Maruts gone to-day on that\nmarch, on which you bring to kith and kin the never-failing seed of\ncorn? Give us that for which we ask you, wealth and everlasting\nhappiness! Let us safely pass through our revilers, leaving behind the\nunspeakable and the enemies. Let us be with you when in the morning you\nshower down health, wealth, water, and medicine, O Maruts! That mortal,\nO men, O Maruts, whom you protect, may well be always beloved by the\ngods, and rich in valiant offspring. May we be such! Praise the liberal\nMaruts, and may they delight on the path of this man here who praises\nthem, like cows in fodder. When they go, call after them as for old\nfriends, praise them who love you, with your song!\n\nXX\n\nYou have fashioned this speech for the brilliant Marut-host which shakes\nthe mountains: celebrate then the great manhood in honor of that host\nwho praises the warm milk of the sacrifice, and sacrifices on the height\nof heaven, whose glory is brilliant. O Maruts, your powerful men came\nforth searching for water, invigorating, harnessing their horses,\nswarming around. When they aim with the lightning, Trita shouts, and the\nwaters murmur, running around on their course. These Maruts are men\nbrilliant with lightning, they shoot with thunderbolts, they blaze with\nthe wind, they shake the mountains, and suddenly, when wishing to give\nwater, they whirl the hail; they have thundering strength, they are\nrobust, they are ever-powerful. When you drive forth the nights, O\nRudras, the days, O powerful men, the sky, the mists, ye shakers, the\nplains, like ships, and the strongholds, O Maruts, you suffer nowhere.\nThat strength of yours, O Maruts, that greatness extended as far as the\nsun extends its daily course, when you, like your deer on their march,\nwent down to the western mountain with untouched splendor. Your host, O\nMaruts, shone forth when, O sages, you strip, like a caterpillar, the\nwaving tree. Conduct then, O friends, our service to a good end, as the\neye conducts the man in walking. That man, O Maruts, is not overpowered,\nhe is not killed, he does not fail, he does not shake, he does not drop,\nhis goods do not perish, nor his protections, if you lead him rightly,\nwhether he be a seer or a king. The men with their steeds, like\nconquerors of clans, like Aryaman, the Maruts, carrying waterskins, fill\nthe well; when the strong ones roar, they moisten the earth with the\njuice of sweetness. When the Maruts come forth this earth bows, the\nheaven bows, the paths in the sky bow, and the cloud-mountains with\ntheir quickening rain. When you rejoice at sunrise, O Maruts, toiling\ntogether, men of sunlight, men of heaven, your horses never tire in\nrunning, and you quickly reach the end of your journey. On your\nshoulders are the spears, on your feet rings, on your chests golden\nchains, O Maruts, on your chariot gems; fiery lightnings in your fists,\nand golden headbands tied round your heads. O Maruts, you shake the red\napple from the firmament, whose splendor no enemy can touch; the hamlets\nbowed when the Maruts blazed, and the pious people intoned their\nfar-reaching shout. O wise Maruts, let us carry off the wealth of food\nwhich you have bestowed on us; give us, O Maruts, such thousandfold\nwealth as never fails, like the star Tishya from heaven! O Maruts, you\nprotect our wealth of excellent men, and the seer, clever in song; you\ngive to the warrior a strong horse, you make the king to be obeyed. O\nyou who are quickly ready to help, I implore you for wealth whereby we\nmay overshadow all men, like the sky. O Maruts, be pleased with this\nword of mine, and let us speed by its speed over a hundred winters!\n\nXXI\n\nThe chasing Maruts with gleaming spears, the golden-breasted, have\ngained great strength, they move along on quick, well-broken\nhorses;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. You have\nyourselves, you know, acquired power; you shine bright and wide, you\ngreat ones. They have even measured the sky with their strength;--when\nthey went in triumph, the chariots followed. The strong heroes, born\ntogether, and nourished together, have further grown to real beauty.\nThey shine brilliantly like the rays of the sun;--when they went in\ntriumph, the chariots followed. Your greatness, O Maruts, is to be\nhonored, it is to be yearned for like the sight of the sun. Place us\nalso in immortality;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed.\nO Maruts, you raise the rain from the sea, and rain it down, O yeomen!\nYour milch-cows, O destroyers, are never destroyed;--when they went in\ntriumph, the chariots followed. When you have joined the deer as horses\nto the shafts, and have clothed yourselves in golden garments, then, O\nMaruts, you scatter all enemies;--when they went in triumph, the\nchariots followed. Not mountains, not rivers have kept you back,\nwherever you see, O Maruts, there you go. You go even round heaven and\nearth;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. Be it old, O\nMaruts, or be it new, be it spoken, O Vasus, or be it recited, you take\ncognizance of it all;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed.\nHave mercy on us, O Maruts, do not strike us, extend to us your manifold\nprotection. Do remember the praise, the friendship;--when they went in\ntriumph, the chariots followed. Lead us, O Maruts, towards greater\nwealth, and out of tribulations, when you have been praised. O\nworshipful Maruts, accept our offering, and let us be lords of\ntreasures!\n\nXXII\n\nO Agni, on to the strong host of the Maruts, bedecked with golden chains\nand ornaments. To-day I call the folk of the Maruts down from the light\nof heaven. As thou, Agni, thinkest in thine heart, to the same object my\nwishes have gone. Strengthen thou these Maruts, terrible to behold, who\nhave come nearest to thy invocations. Like a bountiful lady, the earth\ncomes towards us, staggering, yet rejoicing; for your onslaught, O\nMaruts, is vigorous, like a bear, and fearful, like a wild bull. They\nwho by their strength disperse wildly like bulls, impatient of the yoke,\nthey by their marches make the heavenly stone, the rocky mountain cloud\nto shake. Arise, for now I call with my hymns the troop of these Maruts,\ngrown strong together, the manifold, the incomparable, as if calling a\ndrove of bulls. Harness the red mares to the chariot, harness the ruddy\nhorses to the chariots, harness the two bays, ready to drive in the\nyoke, most vehement to drive in the yoke. And this red stallion too,\nloudly neighing, has been placed here, beautiful to behold; may it not\ncause you delay on your marches, O Maruts; spur him forth on your\nchariots.\n\nWe call towards us the glorious chariot of the Maruts, whereon there\nstands also Rodas\u00ee, carrying delightful gifts, among the Maruts.\n\nI call hither this your host, brilliant on chariots, terrible and\nglorious, among which she, the well-born and fortunate, the bounteous\nlady, is also magnified among the Maruts.\n\nXXIII\n\nO Rudras, joined by Indra, friends on golden chariots, come hither for\nour welfare! This prayer from us is acceptable to you like the springs\nof heaven to a thirsty soul longing for water. O you sons of Prisni, you\nare armed with daggers and spears, you are wise, carrying good bows and\narrows and quivers, possessed of good horses and chariots. With your\ngood weapons, O Maruts, you go to triumph! You shake the sky and the\nmountains for wealth to the liberal giver; the forests bend down out of\nyour way from fear. O sons of Prisni, you rouse the earth when you, O\nterrible ones, have harnessed the spotted deer for triumph! The Maruts,\nblazing with the wind, clothed in rain, are as like one another as\ntwins, and well adorned. They have tawny horses, and red horses, they\nare faultless, endowed with exceeding vigor; they are in greatness wide\nas the heaven. Rich in rain-drops, well adorned, bounteous, terrible to\nbehold, of inexhaustible wealth, noble by birth, golden-breasted, these\nsingers of the sky have obtained their immortal name. Spears are on your\ntwo shoulders, in your arms are placed strength, power, and might. Manly\nthoughts dwell in your heads, on your chariots are weapons, and every\nbeauty has been laid on your bodies. O Maruts, you have given us wealth\nof cows, horses, chariots, and heroes, golden wealth! O men of Rudra,\nbestow on us great praise, and may I enjoy your divine protection! Hark,\nO heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty,\nimmortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling on\nmighty mountains, and grown mighty.\n\nXXIV\n\nI praise now the powerful company of these ever-young Maruts, who drive\nviolently along with quick horses; aye, the sovereigns are lords of\nAmrita the immortal. The terrible company, the powerful, adorned with\nquoits on their hands, given to roaring, potent, dispensing treasures,\nthey who are beneficent, infinite in greatness, praise, O poet, these\nmen of great wealth! May your water-carriers come here to-day, all the\nMaruts who stir up the rain. That fire which has been lighted for you, O\nMaruts, accept it, O young singers! O worshipful Maruts, you create for\nman an active king, fashioned by Vibhvan; from you comes the man who can\nfight with his fist, and is quick with his arm, from you the man with\ngood horses and valiant heroes. Like the spokes of a wheel, no one is\nlast, like the days they are born on and on, not deficient in might. The\nvery high sons of Prisni are full of fury, the Maruts cling firmly to\ntheir own will. When you have come forth with your speckled deer as\nhorses on strong-fellied chariots, O Maruts, the waters gush, the\nforests go asunder;--let Dyu roar down, the bull of the Dawn. At their\napproach, even the earth opened wide, and they placed their own strength\nas a husband the germ. Indeed they have harnessed the winds as horses to\nthe yoke, and the men of Rudra have changed their sweat into rain. Hark,\nO heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty,\nimmortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling on\nmighty mountains, and grown mighty.\n\nXXV\n\nThey truly tried to make you grant them welfare. Do thou sing praises to\nHeaven, I offer sacrifice to the Earth. The Maruts wash their horses and\nrace to the air, they soften their splendor by waving mists. The earth\ntrembles with fear from their onset. She sways like a full ship, that\ngoes rolling. The heroes who appear on their marches, visible from afar,\nstrive together within the great sacrificial assembly. Your horn is\nexalted for glory, as the horns of cows; your eye is like the sun, when\nthe mist is scattered. Like strong racers, you are beautiful, O heroes,\nyou think of glory, like manly youths. Who could reach, O Maruts, the\ngreat wise thoughts, who the great manly deeds of you, great ones? You\nshake the earth like a speck of dust, when you are carried forth for\ngranting welfare. These kinsmen are like red horses, like heroes eager\nfor battle, and they have rushed forward to fight. They are like\nwell-grown manly youths, and the men have grown strong, with streams of\nrain they dim the eye of the sun. At their outbreak there is none among\nthem who is the eldest, or the youngest, or the middle: they have grown\nby their own might, these sons of Prisni, noble by birth, the boys of\nDyaus; come hither to us!\n\nThose who like birds flew with strength in rows from the ridge of the\nmighty heaven to its ends, their horses shook the springs of the\nmountain cloud, so that people on both sides knew it. May Dyaus Aditi\nroar for our feast, may the dew-lighted Dawns come striving together;\nthese, the Maruts, O poet, the sons of Rudra, have shaken the heavenly\nbucket cloud, when they had been praised.\n\n\n[Footnote 1: The Maruts are the \"Storm-Gods\".]\n\n[Footnote 2: The lightning.]\n\n[Footnote 3: The voice of thunder.]\n\n[Footnote 4: The dawn.]\n\n\n\nTO THE MARUTS AND INDRA\n\n\nThe Prologue\n\nThe sacrificer speaks:\n\nTo what splendor do the Maruts all equally cling, they who are of the\nsame age, and dwell in the same nest? With what thoughts?--from whence\nare they come? Do these heroes sing forth their own strength, wishing\nfor wealth? Whose prayers have the youths accepted? Who has turned the\nMaruts to his own sacrifice? By what strong desire may we arrest them,\nthey who float through the air like hawks?\n\n\nThe Dialogue\n\nThe Maruts speak:\n\nFrom whence, O Indra, dost thou come alone, thou who art mighty? O lord\nof men, what has thus happened to thee? Thou greetest us when thou\ncomest together with us. Tell us then, thou with thy bay horses, what\nthou hast against us!\n\nIndra speaks:\n\nThe sacred songs are mine, the prayers; sweet are the libations! My\nstrength rises, my thunderbolt is hurled forth. They call for me, the\nhymns yearn for me. Here are my horses, they carry me hither.\n\nThe Maruts speak:\n\nFrom thence, in company with our strong friends, having adorned our\nbodies, we now harness our fallow deer with all our might;--for, Indra,\naccording to custom, thou hast come to be with us.\n\nIndra speaks:\n\nWhere, O Maruts, was that custom with you, when you left me alone in the\nkilling of Ahi? I indeed am terrible, powerful, strong,--I escaped from\nthe blows of every enemy.\n\nThe Maruts speak:\n\nThou hast achieved much with us as companions. With equal valor, O hero!\nlet us achieve then many things, O thou most powerful, O Indra! whatever\nwe, O Maruts, wish with our mind.\n\nIndra speaks:\n\nI slew Vritra, O Maruts, with Indra's might, having grown powerful\nthrough my own vigor; I, who hold the thunderbolt in my arms, have made\nthese all-brilliant waters to flow freely for man.\n\nThe Maruts speak:\n\nNothing, O mighty lord, is strong before thee: no one is known among the\ngods like unto thee. No one who is now born comes near, no one who has\nbeen born. Do what thou wilt do, thou who art grown so strong.\n\nIndra speaks:\n\nAlmighty strength be mine alone, whatever I may do, daring in my heart;\nfor I indeed, O Maruts, am known as terrible: of all that I threw down,\nI, Indra, am the lord.\n\nO Maruts, now your praise has pleased me, the glorious hymn which you\nhave made for me, ye men!--for me, for Indra, for the joyful hero, as\nfriends for a friend, for your own sake, and by your own efforts.\n\nTruly, there they are, shining towards me, bringing blameless glory,\nbringing food. O Maruts, wherever I have looked for you, you have\nappeared to me in bright splendor: appear to me also now!\n\n\nThe Epilogue\n\nThe sacrificer speaks:\n\nWho has magnified you here, O Maruts? Come hither, O friends, towards\nyour friends. Ye brilliant Maruts, welcoming these prayers, be mindful\nof these my rites. The wisdom of M\u00e2nya has brought us hither, that he\nshould help as the poet helps the performer of a sacrifice: turn hither\nquickly! Maruts, on to the sage! the singer has recited these prayers\nfor you. May this your praise, O Maruts, this song of M\u00e2nd\u00e2rya, the son\nof M\u00e2na, the poet, bring offspring for ourselves with food. May we have\nan invigorating autumn, with quickening rain.\n\n\n\nTO INDRA AND THE MARUTS\n\n\nThose who stand around him while he moves on, harness the bright red\nsteed; the lights in heaven shine forth. They harness to the chariot on\neach side his two favorite bays, the brown, the bold, who can carry the\nhero. Thou who createst light where there was no light, and form, O men!\nwhere there was no form, hast been born together with the dawns.\nThereupon they (the Maruts), according to their wont, assumed again the\nform of new-born babes, taking their sacred name. Thou, O Indra, with\nthe swift Maruts, who break even through the stronghold, hast found even\nin their hiding-place the bright ones. The pious singers have, after\ntheir own mind, shouted towards the giver of wealth, the great, the\nglorious Indra. Mayest thou, host of the Maruts, be verily seen coming\ntogether with Indra, the fearless: you are both happy-making, and of\nequal splendor. With the beloved hosts of Indra, with the blameless,\nhasting (Maruts), the sacrificer cries aloud. From yonder, O traveller,\nIndra, come hither, or from the light of heaven; the singers all yearn\nfor it;--or we ask Indra for help from here, or from heaven, or from\nabove the earth, or from the great sky.\n\n\n\nTO AGNI[5] AND THE MARUTS\n\n\nThou art called forth to this fair sacrifice for a draught of milk; with\nthe Maruts come hither, O Agni! No god indeed, no mortal, is beyond the\nmight of thee, the mighty one; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They\nwho know of the great sky, the Visve Devas without guile; with those\nMaruts come hither, O Agni! The strong ones who sing their song,\nunconquerable by force; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who\nare brilliant, of terrible designs, powerful, and devourers of foes;\nwith the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who in heaven are enthroned as\ngods, in the light of the firmament; with the Maruts come hither, O\nAgni! They who toss the clouds across the surging sea; with the Maruts\ncome hither, O Agni! They who shoot with their darts across the sea with\nmight; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! I pour out to thee for the\nearly draught the sweet juice of Soma; with the Maruts come hither, O\nAgni!\n\n\n[Footnote 5: Agni is the \"God of Fire.\"]\n\n\n\nTO RUDRA[6]\n\n\nWe offer these prayers to Rudra, the strong, whose hair is braided, who\nrules over heroes that he may be a blessing to man and beast, that\neverything in this our village may be prosperous and free from disease.\nBe gracious to us, O Rudra, and give us joy, and we shall honor thee,\nthe ruler of heroes, with worship. What health and wealth father Manu\nacquired by his sacrifices, may we obtain the same, O Rudra, under thy\nguidance. O bounteous Rudra, may we by sacrifice obtain the good-will of\nthee, the ruler of heroes; come to our clans, well-disposed, and, with\nunarmed men, we shall offer our libation to thee. We call down for our\nhelp the fierce Rudra, who fulfils our sacrifice, the swift, the wise;\nmay he drive far away from us the anger of the gods; we desire his\ngood-will only. We call down with worship the red boar of the sky, the\ngod with braided hair, the blazing form; may he who carries in his hand\nthe best medicines grant us protection, shield, and shelter! This speech\nis spoken for the father of the Maruts, sweeter than sweet, a joy to\nRudra; grant to us also, O immortal, the food of mortals, be gracious to\nus and to our kith and kin! Do not slay our great or our small ones, our\ngrowing or our grown ones, our father or our mother, and do not hurt our\nown bodies, O Rudra! O Rudra, hurt us not in our kith and kin, nor in\nour own life, not in our cows, nor in our horses! Do not slay our men in\nthy wrath: carrying libations, we call on thee always. Like a shepherd,\nI have driven these praises near to thee; O father of the Maruts, grant\nus thy favor! For thy good-will is auspicious, and most gracious, hence\nwe desire thy protection alone. Let thy cow-slaying and thy man-slaying\nbe far away, and let thy favor be with us, O ruler of heroes! Be\ngracious to us, and bless us, O god, and then give us twofold\nprotection. We have uttered our supplication to him, desiring his help;\nmay Rudra with the Maruts hear our call. May Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, the\nRiver, Earth, and the Sky, grant us this!\n\n\n[Footnote 6: Rudra is the \"Father of the Maruts.\"]\n\n\n\nTO RUDRA\n\n\nO father of the Maruts, let thy favor come near, and do not deprive us\nof the sight of the sun; may the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse,\nand may we increase in offspring, O Rudra! May I attain to a hundred\nwinters through the most blissful medicines which thou hast given! Put\naway far from us all hatred, put away anguish, put away sickness in all\ndirections! In beauty thou art the most beautiful of all that exists, O\nRudra, the strongest of the strong, thou wielder of the thunderbolt!\nCarry us happily to the other shore of our anguish, and ward off all\nassaults of mischief. Let us not incense thee, O Rudra, by our worship,\nnot by bad praise, O hero, and not by divided praise! Raise up our men\nby thy medicines, for I hear thou art the best of all physicians. He who\nis invoked by invocations and libations, may I pay off that Rudra with\nmy hymns of praise. Let not him who is kind-hearted, who readily hears\nour call, the tawny, with beautiful cheeks, deliver us to this wrath!\nThe manly hero with the Maruts has gladdened me, the suppliant, with\nmore vigorous health. May I without mischief find shade, as if from\nsunshine, may I gain the favor of Rudra! O Rudra, where is thy softly\nstroking hand which cures and relieves? Thou, the remover of all\nheaven-sent mischief, wilt thou, O strong hero, bear with me? I send\nforth a great, great hymn of praise to the bright tawny bull. Let me\nreverence the fiery god with prostrations; we celebrate the flaring name\nof Rudra. He, the fierce god, with strong limbs, assuming many forms,\nthe tawny Rudra, decked himself with brilliant golden ornaments. From\nRudra, who is lord of this wide world, divine power will never depart.\nWorthily thou bearest arrows and bow, worthily, O worshipful, the\ngolden, variegated chain; worthily thou cuttest every fiend here to\npieces, for there is nothing indeed stronger than thou, O Rudra. Praise\nhim, the famous, sitting in his chariot, the youthful, who is fierce and\nattacks like a terrible lion. And when thou hast been praised, O Rudra,\nbe gracious to him who magnifies thee, and let thy armies mow down\nothers than us! O Rudra, a boy indeed makes obeisance to his father who\ncomes to greet him: I praise the lord of brave men, the giver of many\ngifts, and thou, when thou hast been praised, wilt give us thy\nmedicines. O Maruts, those pure medicines of yours, the most beneficent\nand delightful, O heroes, those which Manu, our father, chose, those I\ncrave from Rudra, as health and wealth. May the weapon of Rudra avoid\nus, may the great anger of the flaring one pass us by. Unstring thy\nstrong bows for the sake of our liberal lords, O bounteous Rudra, be\ngracious to our kith and kin. Thus, O tawny and manly god, showing\nthyself, so as neither to be angry nor to kill, be mindful of our\ninvocations, and, rich in brave sons, we shall magnify thee in the\ncongregation.\n\n\n\nTO AGNI AND THE MARUTS\n\n\nI implore Agni, the gracious, with salutations, may he sit down here,\nand gather what we have made. I offer him sacrifice as with racing\nchariots; may I, turning to the right, accomplish this hymn to the\nMaruts. Those who approached on their glorious deer, on their easy\nchariots, the Rudras, the Maruts--through fear of you, ye terrible ones,\nthe forests even bend down, the earth shakes, and also the mountain\ncloud. At your shouting, even the mountain cloud, grown large, fears,\nand the ridge of heaven trembles. When you play together, O Maruts,\narmed with spears, you run together like waters. Like rich suitors the\nMaruts have themselves adorned their bodies with golden ornaments; more\nglorious for glory, and powerful on their chariots, they have brought\ntogether splendors on their bodies. As brothers, no one being the eldest\nor the youngest, they have grown up together to happiness. Young is\ntheir clever father Rudra, flowing with plenty is Prisni, always kind to\nthe Maruts. O happy Maruts, whether you are in the highest, or in the\nmiddle, or in the lowest heaven, from thence, O Rudras, or thou also, O\nAgni, take notice of this libation which we offer. When Agni, and you,\nwealthy Maruts, drive down from the higher heaven over the ridges, give\nthen, if pleased, you roarers, O destroyers of enemies, wealth to the\nsacrificer who prepares Soma-juice. Agni, be pleased to drink Soma with\nthe brilliant Maruts, the singers, approaching in companies, with the\nmen, who brighten and enliven everything; do this, Agni, thou who art\nalways endowed with splendor.\n\n\n\nTO V\u00c2YU\n\n\nCome hither, O V\u00e2yu, thou beautiful one! These Somas are ready, drink of\nthem, hear our call! O V\u00e2yu, the praisers celebrate thee with hymns,\nthey who know the feast-days, and have prepared the Soma. O V\u00e2yu, thy\nsatisfying stream goes to the worshipper, wide-reaching, to the\nSoma-draught. O Indra and V\u00e2yu, these libations of Soma are poured out;\ncome hither for the sake of our offerings, for the drops of Soma long\nfor you. O Indra and V\u00e2yu, you perceive the libations, you who are rich\nin booty; come then quickly hither! O V\u00e2yu and Indra, come near to the\nwork of the sacrificer, quick, thus is my prayer, O ye men! I call\nMitra, endowed with holy strength, and Varuna, who destroys all enemies;\nwho both fulfil a prayer accompanied by fat offerings. On the right way,\nO Mitra and Varuna, you have obtained great wisdom, you who increase the\nright and adhere to the right; These two sages, Mitra and Varuna, the\nmighty, wide-ruling, give us efficient strength.\n\n\n\nTO V\u00c2YU\n\n\nO V\u00e2yu, may the quick racers bring thee towards the offerings, to the\nearly drink here, to the early drink of Soma! May the Dawn stand erect,\napproving thy mind! Come near on thy harnessed chariot to share, O V\u00e2yu,\nto share in the sacrifice! May the delightful drops of Soma delight\nthee, the drops made by us, well-made, and heaven-directed, yes, made\nwith milk, and heaven-directed. When his performed aids assume strength\nfor achievement, our prayers implore the assembled steeds for gifts,\nyes, the prayers implore them. V\u00e2yu yokes the two ruddy, V\u00e2yu yokes the\ntwo red horses, V\u00e2yu yokes to the chariot the two swift horses to draw\nin the yoke, the strongest to draw in the yoke. Awake Purandhi (the\nmorning) as a lover wakes a sleeping maid, reveal heaven and earth,\nbrighten the dawn, yes, for glory brighten the dawn. For thee the bright\ndawns spread out in the distance beautiful garments, in their houses, in\ntheir rays, beautiful in their new rays. To thee the juice-yielding cow\npours out all treasures. Thou hast brought forth the Maruts from the\nflanks, yes, from the flanks of heaven. For thee the white, bright,\nrushing Somas, strong in raptures, have rushed to the whirl, they have\nrushed to the whirl of the waters. The tired hunter asks luck of thee in\nthe chase; thou shieldest by thy power from every being, yes, thou\nshieldest by thy power from powerful spirits. Thou, O V\u00e2yu, art worthy\nas the first before all others to drink these our Somas, thou art worthy\nto drink these poured-out Somas. Among the people also who invoke thee\nand have turned to thee, all the cows pour out the milk, they pour out\nbutter and milk for the Soma.\n\n\n\nINDRA AND AGASTYA[7]: A DIALOGUE\n\n\nIndra: There is no such thing to-day, nor will it be so to-morrow. Who\nknows what strange thing this is? We must consult the thought of\nanother, for even what we once knew seems to vanish.\n\nAgastya: Why dost thou wish to kill us, O Indra? the Maruts are thy\nbrothers; fare kindly with them, and do not strike us in battle.\n\nThe Maruts: O Brother Agastya, why, being a friend, dost thou despise\nus? We know quite well what thy mind was. Dost thou not wish to give to\nus?\n\nAgastya: Let them prepare the altar, let them light the fire in front!\nHere we two will spread for thee the sacrifice, to be seen by the\nimmortal.\n\nAgastya: Thou rulest, O lord of treasures; thou, lord of friends, art\nthe most generous. Indra, speak again with the Maruts, and then consume\nour offerings at the right season.\n\n\n[Footnote 7: Agastya is a worshipper of Indra.]\n\n\n\nTO SOMA AND RUDRA\n\n\nSoma and Rudra, may you maintain your divine dominion, and may the\noblations reach you properly. Bringing the seven treasures to every\nhouse, be kind to our children and our cattle. Soma and Rudra, draw far\naway in every direction the disease which has entered our house. Drive\nfar away Nirriti, and may auspicious glories belong to us! Soma and\nRudra, bestow all these remedies on our bodies. Tear away and remove\nfrom us whatever evil we have committed, which clings to our bodies.\nSoma and Rudra, wielding sharp weapons and sharp bolts, kind friends, be\ngracious unto us here! Deliver us from the snare of Varuna, and guard\nus, as kind-hearted gods!\n\n\n\nTO RUDRA\n\n\nOffer ye these songs to Rudra whose bow is strong, whose arrows are\nswift, the self-dependent god, the unconquered conqueror, the\nintelligent, whose weapons are sharp--may he hear us! For, being the\nlord, he looks after what is born on earth; being the universal ruler,\nhe looks after what is born in heaven. Protecting us, come to our\nprotecting doors, be without illness among our people, O Rudra! May that\nthunderbolt of thine, which, sent from heaven, traverses the earth, pass\nus by! A thousand medicines are thine, O thou who art freely accessible;\ndo not hurt us through our kith and kin! Do not strike us, O Rudra, do\nnot forsake us! May we not be in thy way when thou rushest forth\nfuriously. Let us have our altar and a good report among men--protect us\nalways with your favors!\n\n\n\nTO V\u00c2TA\n\n\nNow for the greatness of the chariot of V\u00e2ta. Its roar goes crashing and\nthundering. It moves touching the sky, and creating red sheens, or it\ngoes scattering the dust of the earth. Afterwards there rise the gusts\nof V\u00e2ta, they go towards him, like women to a feast. The god goes with\nthem on the same chariot, he, the king of the whole of this world. When\nhe moves on his paths along the sky, he rests not even a single day; the\nfriend of the waters, the first-born, the holy, where was he born,\nwhence did he spring? The breath of the gods, the germ of the world,\nthat god moves wherever he listeth; his roars indeed are heard, not his\nform--let us offer sacrifice to that V\u00e2ta!\n\n\n\nTO V\u00c2TA\n\n\nMay V\u00e2ta waft medicine, healthful, delightful to our heart; may he\nprolong our lives! Thou, O V\u00e2ta, art our father, and our brother, and\nour friend; do thou grant us to live! O V\u00e2ta, from that treasure of the\nimmortal which is placed in thy house yonder, give us to live!\n\nI\n\nI magnify Agni, the Purohita, the divine ministrant of the sacrifice,\nthe Hotri priest, the greatest bestower of treasures. Agni, worthy to be\nmagnified by the ancient Rishis and by the present ones--may he conduct\nthe gods hither. May one obtain through Agni wealth and welfare day by\nday, which may bring glory and high bliss of valiant offspring. Agni,\nwhatever sacrifice and worship thou encompassest on every side, that\nindeed goes to the gods. May Agni the thoughtful Hotri, he who is true\nand most splendidly renowned, may the god come hither with the gods.\nWhatever good thou wilt do to thy worshipper, O Agni, that work verily\nis thine, O Angiras. Thee, O Agni, we approach day by day, O god who\nshinest in the darkness; with our prayer, bringing adoration to thee who\nart the king of all worship, the guardian of Rita, the shining one,\nincreasing in thy own house. Thus, O Agni, be easy of access to us, as a\nfather is to his son. Stay with us for our happiness.\n\nII\n\nWe implore with well-spoken words the vigorous Agni who belongs to many\npeople, to the clans that worship the gods, whom other people also\nmagnify. Men have placed Agni on the altar as the augmenter of strength.\nMay we worship thee, rich in sacrificial food. Thus be thou here to-day\ngracious to us, a helper in our striving for gain, O good one! We choose\nthee, the all-possessor, as our messenger and as our Hotri. The flames\nof thee, who art great, spread around; thy rays touch the heaven. The\ngods, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, kindle thee, the ancient messenger. The\nmortal, O Agni, who worships thee, gains through thee every prize. Thou\nart the cheerful Hotri and householder, O Agni, the messenger of the\nclans. In thee all the firm laws are comprised which the gods have made.\nIn thee, the blessed one, O Agni, youngest god, all sacrificial food is\noffered. Sacrifice then thou who art gracious to us to-day and\nafterwards, to the gods that we may be rich in valiant men. Him, the\nking, verily the adorers approach reverentially. With oblations men\nkindle Agni, having overcome all failures. Destroying the foe, they\nvictoriously got through Heaven and Earth and the waters; they have made\nwide room for their dwelling. May the manly Agni, after he has received\nthe oblations, become brilliant at the side of Kanva; may he neigh as a\nhorse in battles. Take thy seat; thou art great. Shine forth, thou who\nmost excellently repairest to the gods. O Agni, holy god, emit thy red,\nbeautiful smoke, O glorious one! Thou whom the gods have placed here for\nManu as the best performer of the sacrifice, O carrier of oblations,\nwhom Kanva and Medhy\u00e2tithi, whom Vrishan and Upastuta have worshipped,\nthe winner of prizes. That Agni's nourishment has shone brightly whom\nMedhy\u00e2tithi and Kanva have kindled on behalf of Rita. Him do these\nhymns, him do we extol. Fill us with wealth, thou self-dependent one,\nfor thou, O Agni, hast companionship with the gods. Thou art lord over\nglorious booty. Have mercy upon us; thou art great. Stand up straight\nfor blessing us, like the god Savitri, straight a winner of booty, when\nwe with our worshippers and with ointments call thee in emulation with\nother people. Standing straight, protect us by thy splendor from evil;\nburn down every ghoul. Let us stand straight that we may walk and live.\nFind out our worship among the gods. Save us, O Agni, from the sorcerer,\nsave us from mischief, from the niggard. Save us from him who does us\nharm or tries to kill us, O youngest god with bright splendor! As with a\nclub smite the niggards in all directions, and him who deceives us, O\ngod with fiery jaws. The mortal who makes his weapons very sharp by\nnight, may that impostor not rule over us. Agni has won abundance in\nheroes. Agni and the two Mitras have blessed Medhy\u00e2tithi. Agni has\nblessed Upastuta in the acquirement of wealth. Through Agni we call\nhither from afar Turvasa, Yadu, and Ugradeva. May Agni, our strength\nagainst the Dasyu, conduct hither Navav\u00e2stva, Brihadratha, and Turv\u00eeti.\n\nManu has established thee, O Agni, as a light for all people. Thou hast\nshone forth with Kanva, born from Rita, grown strong, thou whom the\nhuman races worship. Agni's flames are impetuous and violent; they are\nterrible and not to be withstood. Always burn down the sorcerers, and\nthe allies of the Y\u00e2tus, every ghoul.\n\nIII\n\nWe choose Agni as our messenger, the all-possessor, as the Hotri of this\nsacrifice, the highly wise. Agni and Agni! again they constantly invoked\nwith their invocations, the lord of the clans, the bearer of oblations,\nthe beloved of many. Agni, when born, conduct the gods hither for him\nwho has strewn the sacrificial grass; thou art our Hotri, worthy of\nbeing magnified. Awaken them, the willing ones, when thou goest as\nmessenger, O Agni. Sit down with the gods on the Barhis. O thou to whom\nGhrita oblations are poured out, resplendent god, burn against the\nmischievous, O Agni, against the sorcerers. By Agni Agni is kindled, the\nsage, the master of the house, the young one, the bearer of oblations,\nwhose mouth is the sacrificial spoon. Praise Agni the sage, whose\nordinances for the sacrifice are true, the god who drives away sickness.\nBe the protector, O Agni, of a master of sacrificial food who worships\nthee, O god, as his messenger. Be merciful, O purifier, unto the man who\nis rich in sacrificial food, and who invites Agni to the feast of the\ngods. Thus, O Agni, resplendent purifier, conduct the gods hither to us,\nto our sacrifice and to our food. Thus praised by us with our new\nG\u00e2yatra hymn, bring us wealth of valiant men and food. Agni with thy\nbright splendor be pleased, through all our invocations of the gods,\nwith this our praise.\n\nIV\n\nWith reverence I shall worship thee who art long-tailed like a horse,\nAgni, king of worship. May he, our son of strength, proceeding on his\nbroad way, the propitious, become bountiful to us. Thus protect us\nalways, thou who hast a full life, from the mortal who seeks to do us\nharm, whether near or afar. And mayest thou, O Agni, announce to the\ngods this our newest efficient G\u00e2yatra song. Let us partake of all booty\nthat is highest and that is middle; help us to the wealth that is\nnearest. O god with bright splendor, thou art the distributor. Thou\ninstantly flowest for the liberal giver in the wave of the river, near\nat hand. The mortal, O Agni, whom thou protectest in battles, whom thou\nspeedest in the races, he will command constant nourishment: Whosoever\nhe may be, no one will overtake him, O conqueror Agni! His strength is\nglorious. May he, known among all tribes, win the race with his horses;\nmay he with the help of his priests become a gainer. O Gar\u00e2bodha!\nAccomplish this task for every house: a beautiful song of praise for\nworshipful Rudra. May he, the great, the immeasurable, the\nsmoke-bannered, rich in splendor, incite us to pious thoughts and to\nstrength. May he hear us, like the rich lord of a clan, the banner of\nthe gods, on behalf of our hymns, Agni with bright light. Reverence to\nthe great ones, reverence to the lesser ones! Reverence to the young,\nreverence to the old! Let us sacrifice to the gods, if we can. May I\nnot, O gods, fall as a victim to the curse of my better.\n\nV\n\nI press on for you with my prayer to the all-possessing messenger, the\nimmortal bearer of offerings, the best sacrificer. He, the great one,\nknows indeed the place of wealth, the ascent to heaven; may he conduct\nthe gods hither. He, the god, knows how to direct the gods for the\nrighteous worshipper, in his house. He gives us wealth dear to us. He is\nthe Hotri; he who knows the office of a messenger, goes to and fro,\nknowing the ascent to heaven. May we be of those who have worshipped\nAgni with the gift of offerings, who cause him to thrive and kindle him.\nThe men who have brought worship to Agni, are renowned as successful by\nwealth and by powerful offspring. May much-desired wealth come to us day\nby day; may gains arise among us. He, the priest of the tribes, the\npriest of men, pierces all hostile powers by his might as with a tossing\nbow.\n\nVI\n\nHe has brought down the wisdom of many a worshipper, he who holds in his\nhand all manly power. Agni has become the lord of treasures, he who\nbrought together all powers of immortality. All the clever immortals\nwhen seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. The\nattentive gods, wearying themselves, following his footsteps, stood at\nthe highest, beautiful standing-place of Agni. When the bright ones had\ndone service to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghrita through three\nautumns, they assumed worshipful names; the well-born shaped their own\nbodies. Acquiring for themselves the two great worlds, the worshipful\nones brought forward their Rudra-like powers. The mortal, when beings\nwere in discord, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highest\nplace. Being like-minded they reverentially approached him on their\nknees. Together with their wives they venerated the venerable one.\nAbandoning their bodies they made them their own, the one friend waking\nwhen the other friend closed his eyes. When the worshipful gods have\ndiscovered the thrice seven secret steps laid down in thee, they\nconcordantly guard with them immortality. Protect thou the cattle and\nthat which remains steadfast and that which moves. Knowing, O Agni, the\nestablished orders of human dwellings, distribute in due order gifts\nthat they may live. Knowing the ways which the gods do, thou hast become\nthe unwearied messenger, the bearer of oblations. They who knew the\nright way and were filled with good intentions, beheld from heaven the\nseven young rivers and the doors of riches. Saram\u00e2 found the strong\nstable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment. The\nEarth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in their\ngreatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird, with her\nsons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion, preparing for\nthemselves the way to immortality. When the immortals created the two\neyes of heaven, they placed fair splendor in him. Then they rush down\nlike streams let loose. The red ones have recognized, O Agni, those\nwhich are directed downwards.\n\nVII\n\nForward goes your strength tending heavenward, rich in offerings, with\nthe ladle full of ghee. To the gods goes the worshipper desirous of\ntheir favor. I magnify with prayer Agni who has knowledge of prayers,\nthe accomplisher of sacrifice, who hears us, and in whom manifold wealth\nhas been laid down. O Agni, may we be able to bridle thee the strong\ngod; may we overcome all hostile powers. Agni, inflamed at the\nsacrifice, the purifier who should be magnified, whose hair is\nflame--him we approach with prayers. With his broad stream of light the\nimmortal Agni, clothed in ghee, well served with oblations, is the\ncarrier of offerings at the sacrifice. Holding the sacrificial ladles,\nperforming the sacrifice they have with right thought, pressingly\nbrought Agni hither for help. The Hotri, the immortal god goes in front\nwith his secret power, instigating the sacrifices. The strong is set at\nthe races. He is led forth at the sacrifices, the priest, the\naccomplisher of sacrifice. He has been produced by prayer, the excellent\none. I have established him, the germ of beings, forever the father of\nDaksha. I have laid thee down, the excellent one, with the nourishment\nof Daksha, O thou who art produced by power, O Agni, thee the\nresplendent one, O Usig. The priests, eager to set to work the Rita,\nkindle with quick strength Agni the governor, him who crosses the\nwaters. I magnify the child of vigor at this sacrifice, who shines under\nthe heaven, the thoughtful Agni. He who should be magnified and adored,\nwho is visible through the darkness, Agni, the manly, is kindled. Agni,\nthe manly, is kindled, he who draws hither the gods like a horse. The\nworshippers rich in offerings magnify him. We the manly ones will kindle\nthee the manly god, O manly Agni, who shinest mightily.\n\nVIII\n\nProduce thy stream of flames like a broad onslaught. Go forth impetuous\nlike a king with his elephant, thou art an archer; shoot the sorcerers\nwith thy hottest arrows. Thy whirls fly quickly. Fiercely flaming touch\nthem. O Agni, send forth with the ladle thy heat, thy winged flames;\nsend forth unfettered thy firebrands all around. Being the quickest,\nsend forth thy spies against all evildoers. Be an undeceivable guardian\nof this clan. He who attacks us with evil spells, far or near, may no\nsuch foe defy thy track. Rise up, O Agni! Spread out against all foes!\nBurn down the foes, O god with the sharp weapon! When kindled, O Agni,\nburn down like dry brushwood, the man who exercises malice against us.\nStand upright, strike the foes away from us! Make manifest thy divine\npowers, O Agni! Unbend the strong bows of those who incite demons\nagainst us. Crush all enemies, be they relations or strangers. He knows\nthy favor, O youngest one, who makes a way for a sacred speech like\nthis. Mayest thou beam forth to his doors all auspicious days and the\nwealth and the splendor of the niggard. Let him, O Agni, be fortunate\nand blessed with good rain, who longs to gladden thee with constant\nofferings and hymns through his life in his house. May such longing ever\nbring auspicious days to him. I praise thy favor; it resounded here. May\nthis song, which is like a favorite wife, awaken for thee. Let us\nbrighten thee, being rich in horses and chariots. Mayest thou maintain\nour knightly power day by day. May the worshipper here frequently of his\nown accord approach thee, O god who shinest in darkness, resplendent day\nby day. Let us worship thee sporting and joyous, surpassing the splendor\nof other people. Whoever, rich in horses and rich in gold, approaches\nthee, O Agni, with his chariot full of wealth--thou art the protector\nand the friend of him who always delights in showing thee hospitality.\nThrough my kinship with thee I break down the great foes by my words.\nThat kinship has come down to me from my father Gotama. Be thou\nattentive to this our word, O youngest, highly wise Hotri, as the friend\nof our house. May those guardians of thine, infallible Agni, sitting\ndown together protect us, the never sleeping, onward-pressing, kind,\nunwearied ones, who keep off the wolf, who never tire. Thy guardians, O\nAgni, who seeing have saved the blind son of Mamat\u00e2 from distress--He\nthe possessor of all wealth has saved them who have done good deeds. The\nimpostors, though trying to deceive, could not deceive. In thy\ncompanionship we dwell, protected by thee. Under thy guidance let us\nacquire gain. Accomplish both praises, O thou who art the truth! Do so\nby thy present power, O fearless one! May we worship thee, O Agni, with\nthis log of wood. Accept the hymn of praise which we recite. Burn down\nthose who curse us, the sorcerers. Protect us, O god who art great like\nMitra, from guile, from revilement, and from disgrace.\n\nIX\n\nBright, flaming, like the lover of the Dawn,[8] he has, like the light\nof the sky, filled the two worlds of Heaven and Earth which are turned\ntowards each other. As soon as thou wert born thou hast excelled by thy\npower of mind; being the son of the gods thou hast become their father.\nAgni is a worshipper of the gods, never foolish, always discriminating;\nhe is like the udder of the cows; he is the sweetness of food. Like a\nkind friend to men, not to be led astray, sitting in the midst, the\nlovely one, in the house; like a child when born, he is delightful in\nthe house; like a race-horse which is well cared for, he has wandered\nacross the clans. When I call to the sacrifice the clans who dwell in\nthe same nest with the heroes, may Agni then attain all divine powers.\nWhen thou hast listened to these heroes, no one breaks those laws of\nthine. That verily is thy wonderful deed that thou hast killed, with thy\ncompanions, all foes; that, joined by the heroes, thou hast accomplished\nthy works. Like the lover of the Dawn, resplendent and bright, of\nfamiliar form: may he thus pay attention to this sacrificer. Carrying\nhim they opened by themselves the doors of heaven. They all shouted at\nthe aspect of the sun.\n\nX\n\nLike unto excellent wealth, like unto the shine of the sun, like unto\nliving breath, like unto one's own son, like unto a quick takvan Agni\nholds the wood, like milk, like a milch cow, bright and shining. He\nholds safety, pleasant like a homestead, like ripe barley, a conqueror\nof men; like a Rishi uttering sacred shouts, praised among the clans;\nlike a well-cared-for race-horse, Agni bestows vigor. He to whose flame\nmen do not grow accustomed, who is like one's own mind, like a wife on a\ncouch, enough for all happiness. When the bright Agni has shone forth,\nhe is like a white horse among people, like a chariot with golden\nornaments, impetuous in fights. Like an army which is sent forward he\nshows his vehemence, like an archer's shaft with sharp point. He who is\nborn is one twin; he who will be born is the other twin--the lover of\nmaidens, the husband of wives. As cows go to their stalls, all that\nmoves and we, for the sake of a dwelling, reach him who has been\nkindled. Like the flood of the Sindhu he has driven forward the\ndownward-flowing waters. The cows lowed at the sight of the sun.\n\nXI\n\nThe Hotri goes forward in order to fulfil his duty by his wonderful\npower, directing upwards the brightly adorned prayer. He steps towards\nthe sacrificial ladles which are turned to the right, and which first\nkiss his foundation. They have greeted with shouts the streams of Rita\nwhich were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He\ndwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by the\npower of which he moves. Two beings of the same age try to draw that\nwonderful shape towards themselves, progressing in turns towards a\ncommon aim. Then he is to be proclaimed by us like a winner in a\ncontest. The charioteer governs all things as if pulling in the reins of\na draught-horse. He whom two beings of the same age serve, two twins\ndwelling together in one common abode, the gray one has been born as a\nyouth by night as by day, the ageless one who wanders through many\ngenerations of men. The prayers, the ten fingers stir him up. We, the\nmortals, call him, the god, for his protection. From the dry land he\nhastens to the declivities. With those who approached him he has\nestablished new rules. Thou indeed, O Agni, reignest by thy own nature\nover the heavenly and over the terrestrial world as a shepherd takes\ncare of his cattle. These two variegated, great goddesses striving for\ngloriousness, the golden ones who move crookedly, have approached thy\nsacrificial grass. Agni! Be gratified and accept graciously this prayer,\nO joy-giver, independent one, who art born in the Rita, good-willed one,\nwhose face is turned towards us from all sides, conspicuous one, gay in\nthy aspect, like a dwelling-place rich in food.\n\n\n[Footnote 8: The sun.]\n\n\n\n\nSELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA\n\nTranslation by James Darmestetter\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nThe study of religion, like the study of poetry, brings us face to face\nwith the fundamental principles of human nature. Religion, whether it be\nnatural religion or that which is formulated in a book, is as universal\nas poetry, and like poetry, existed before letters and writing. It is\nonly in a serious and sympathetic frame of mind that we should approach\nthe rudest forms of these two departments of human activity. A general\nanalysis of the \"Zend-Avesta\" suggests to us the mind of the Persian\nsage Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, fixed upon the phenomena of nature and\nlife, and trying to give a systematized account of them. He sees good\nand evil, life and death, sickness and health, right and wrong, engaged\nin almost equal conflict. He sees in the sun the origin of light and\nheat, the source of comfort and life to man. Thus he institutes the\ndoctrine of Dualism and the worship of Fire. The evil things that come\nunexpectedly and irresistibly, he attributes to the Devas: the help and\ncomfort that man needs and often obtains by means which are beyond his\ncontrol, he attributes to the \"Holy Immortal Ones,\" who stand around the\nPresence of Ormuzd. As he watches the purity of the flame, of the limpid\nstream, and of the sweet smelling ground, he connects it with the moral\npurity which springs from innocence and rectitude, and in his code it is\nas reprehensible to pollute the fire by burning the dead, or the stream\nby committing the corpse to its waves, or the earth by making it a\nburial-place, as it is to cheat or lie or commit an act of violence. The\nwonders of Nature furnish abundant imagery for his hymns or his\nlitanies, and he relies for his cosmogony on the faint traditions of the\npast gathered from whatever nation, and reduced into conformity with his\nDualistic creed.\n\n\"Zend-Avesta\" is the religious book of the Persians who professed the\ncreed of Zarathustra, known in classic and modern times as Zoroaster.\nZoroaster is to be classed with such great religious leaders as Buddha\nand Mohammed. He was the predecessor of Mohammed and the worship and\nbelief which he instituted were trampled out in Persia by the forces of\nIslam in the seventh century of our era. The Persian Zoroastrians fled\nto India, where they are still found as Parsis on the west coast of\nHindostan. The religion of Zoroaster was a Dualism. Two powerful and\ncreative beings, the one good the one evil, have control of the\nuniverse. Thus, in the account of the creation, the two deities are said\nto have equal though opposite share in the work. This is indicated by\nthe following passage--\n\n    The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda\n    (Ormuzd) created, was the strong, holy M\u00f4uru (Merv).\n\n    Thereupon came Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), who is all death, and he\n    counter-created plunder and sin.\n\nThis constant struggle of the two divinities with their armies of good\nand bad spirits formed the background of Zoroastrian supernaturalism.\nThe worship of the Persians was the worship of the powers of Nature, and\nespecially of fire, although water, earth, and air, are also addressed\nin the litanies of the \"Zend-Avesta.\" The down-falling water and the\nuprising mist are thus spoken of in one passage:--\n\n    As the sea (Vouru-kasha) is the gathering place of the waters,\n    rising up and going down, up the a\u00ebrial way and down the earth,\n    down the earth and up the a\u00ebrial way: thus rise up and roll\n    along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the\n    a\u00ebrial way.\n\nThe sun is also invoked:--\n\n    Up! rise up and roll along! thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara\n    Berezaiti, and produce light for the world.\n\nThe earth was considered to be polluted by the burial of the dead, who\nare to be exposed in high places to be devoured by the birds of the air\nand swept away by the streams into which the rain should wash their\nremains. But the principal subjects of Zoroaster's teaching was the\nstruggle between Ormuzd and Ahriman and their hosts \"The Holy Immortal\nOnes\" and the Devas, or evil spirits. This is the basis of all the\nactivities of the world and, according to Zoroaster, is to result in a\ntriumph of the good.\n\nZoroaster taught that the life of man has two parts, that on earth and\nthat beyond the grave. After his earthly life each one should be\npunished or rewarded according to his deeds.\n\nThe \"Zend-Avesta\" cannot be dated earlier than the first century before\nour era. It consists of four books, of which the chief one is the\nVend\u00eed\u00e2d; the other three are the liturgical and devotional works,\nconsisting of hymns, litanies, and songs of praise, addressed to the\nDeities and angels of Goodness.\n\nThe Vend\u00eed\u00e2d contains an account of the creation and counter-creation of\nOrmuzd and Ahriman, the author of the good things and of the evil things\nin the world. After this follows what we may call a history of the\nbeginnings of civilization under Yima, the Persian Noah. The revelation\nis described as being made directly to Zoroaster, who, like Moses,\ntalked with God. Thus, in the second fargard, or chapter, we read:--\n\n    Zarathustra (Zoroaster) asked Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd):--\n\n    \"O Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd), most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the\n    material world, thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before\n    myself, Zarathustra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst\n    converse, whom thou didst teach the religion of Ahura, the\n    Religion of Zarathustra?\"\n\n    Ahura Mazda answered:--\n\n    \"The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was\n    the first mortal before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura\n    Mazda, did converse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the\n    Religion of Zarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura\n    Mazda, spake, saying: 'Well, fair Yima, son of V\u00eevanghat, be\n    thou the Preacher and the bearer of my Religion!' And the fair\n    Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me, saying: 'I was not born, I\n    was not taught to be the preacher and the bearer of thy\n    Religion.'\"\n\nThe rest of the Vend\u00eed\u00e2d is taken up with the praises of agriculture,\ninjunctions as to the care and pity due to the dog, the guardian of the\nhome and flock, the hunter and the scavenger. It includes an elaborate\ncode of ceremonial purification, resembling on this point the Leviticus\nof the Bible, and it prescribes also the gradations of penance for sins\nof various degrees of heinousness.\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\nDISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA\n\n\nThe \"Zend-Avesta\" is the sacred book of the Parsis; that is to say, of\nthe few remaining followers of that religion which reigned over Persia\nat the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew the\nSassanian dynasty (A.D. 642), and which has been called Dualism, or\nMazdeism, or Magism, or Zoroastrianism, or Fire-worship, according as\nits main tenet, or its supreme God, or its priests, or its supposed\nfounder, or its apparent object of worship has been most kept in view.\nIn less than a century after their defeat, most of the conquered people\nwere brought over to the faith of their new rulers, either by force, or\npolicy, or the attractive power of a simpler form of creed. But many of\nthose who clung to the faith of their fathers, went and sought abroad\nfor a new home, where they might freely worship their old gods, say\ntheir old prayers, and perform their old rites. That home they found at\nlast among the tolerant Hindoos, on the western coast of India and in\nthe peninsula of Guzerat. There they throve and there they live still,\nwhile the ranks of their co-religionists in Persia are daily thinning\nand dwindling away.[9]\n\nAs the Parsis are the ruins of a people, so are their sacred books the\nruins of a religion. There has been no other great belief in the world\nthat ever left such poor and meagre monuments of its past splendor. Yet\ngreat is the value which that small book, the \"Avesta,\" and the belief\nof that scanty people, the Parsis, have in the eyes of the historian and\ntheologian, as they present to us the last reflex of the ideas which\nprevailed in Iran during the five centuries which preceded and the seven\nwhich followed the birth of Christ, a period which gave to the world the\nGospels, the Talmud, and the Qur'\u00e2n. Persia, it is known, had much\ninfluence on each of the movements which produced, or proceeded from,\nthose three books; she lent much to the first heresiarchs, much to the\nRabbis, much to Mohammed. By help of the Parsi religion and the\n\"Avesta,\" we are enabled to go back to the very heart of that most\nmomentous period in the history of religious thought, which saw the\nblending of the Aryan mind with the Semitic, and thus opened the second\nstage of Aryan thought.\n\nInquiries into the religion of ancient Persia began long ago, and it was\nthe old enemy of Persia, the Greek, who first studied it. Aristotle,\nHermippus, and many others wrote of it in books of which, unfortunately,\nnothing more than a few fragments or merely the titles have come down to\nus. We find much valuable information about it, scattered in the\naccounts of historians and travellers, extending over ten centuries,\nfrom Herodotos down to Agathias and Procopius (from B.C. 450 to A.D.\n550). The clearest and most faithful account of the Dualist doctrine is\nfound in the treatise _De Iside et Osiride_, ascribed to Plutarch. But\nZoroastrianism was never more eagerly studied than in the first\ncenturies of the Christian era, though without anything of the\ndisinterested and almost scientific curiosity of the earlier times.\nReligious and philosophic sects, in search of new dogmas, eagerly\nreceived whatever came to them bearing the name of Zoroaster. As Xanthos\nthe Lydian, who is said to have lived before Herodotos, had mentioned\nZoroastrianism, there came to light, in those later times, scores of\noracles, styled \"Oracula Chalda\u00efca sive Magica,\" the work of\nNeo-Platonists who were but very remote disciples of the Median sage. As\nhis name had become the very emblem of wisdom, they would cover with it\nthe latest inventions of their ever-deepening theosophy. Zoroaster and\nPlato were treated as if they had been philosophers of the same school,\nand Hierocles expounded their doctrines in the same book. Proclus\ncollected seventy Tetrads of Zoroaster and wrote commentaries on them;\nbut we need hardly say that Zoroaster commented on by Proclus was\nnothing more or less than Proclus commented on by himself. Prodicus, the\nGnostic, possessed secret books of Zoroaster; and, upon the whole, it\nmay be said that in the first centuries of Christianity, the religion of\nPersia was more studied and less understood than it had ever been\nbefore. The real object aimed at, in studying the old religion, was to\nform a new one.\n\nThroughout the Middle Ages nothing was known of Mazdeism but the name of\nits founder, who from a Magus was converted into a magician and master\nof the hidden sciences. It was not until the Renaissance that real\ninquiry was resumed. The first step was to collect all the information\nthat could be gathered from Greek and Roman writers. That task was\nundertaken and successfully completed by Barnab\u00e9 Brisson. A nearer\napproach to the original source was made in the following century by\nItalian, English, and French travellers in Asia. Pietro della Valle,\nHenry Lord, Mandelslo, Ovington, Chardin, Gabriel du Chinon, and\nTavernier, found Zoroaster's last followers in Persia and India, and\nmade known their existence, their manners, and the main features of\ntheir belief to Europe. Gabriel du Chinon saw their books and recognized\nthat they were not all written in the same language, their original holy\nwrit being no longer understood except by means of translations and\ncommentaries in another tongue.\n\nIn the year 1700, a professor at Oxford, Thomas Hyde, the greatest\nOrientalist of his time in Europe, made the first systematic attempt to\nrestore the history of the old Persian religion by combining the\naccounts of the Mohammedan writers with \"the true and genuine monuments\nof ancient Persia.\" Unfortunately the so-called genuine monuments of\nancient Persia were nothing more than recent Persian compilations or\nrefacimenti. But notwithstanding this defect, which could hardly be\navoided then, and a distortion of critical acumen, the book of Thomas\nHyde was the first complete and true picture of modern Pars\u00eeism, and it\nmade inquiry into its history the order of the day. A warm appeal made\nby him to the zeal of travellers, to seek for and procure at any price\nthe sacred books of the Parsis, did not remain ineffectual, and from\nthat time scholars bethought themselves of studying Pars\u00eeism in its own\nhome.\n\nEighteen years later, a countryman of Hyde, George Boucher, received\nfrom the Parsis in Surat a copy of the Vend\u00eed\u00e2d S\u00e2da, which was brought\nto England in 1723 by Richard Cobbe. But the old manuscript was a sealed\nbook, and the most that could then be made of it was to hang it by an\niron chain to the wall of the Bodleian Library, as a curiosity to be\nshown to foreigners. A few years later, a Scotchman, named Fraser, went\nto Surat, with the view of obtaining from the Parsis, not only their\nbooks, but also a knowledge of their contents. He was not very\nsuccessful in the first undertaking, and utterly failed in the second.\n\nIn 1754 a young man, twenty years old, Anquetil Duperron, a scholar of\nthe _\u00c9cole des Langues Orientales_ in Paris, happened to see a\nfac-simile of four leaves of the Oxford Vend\u00eed\u00e2d, which had been sent\nfrom England, a few years before, to Etienne Fourmont, the Orientalist.\nHe determined at once to give to France both the books of Zoroaster and\nthe first European translation of them. Too impatient to set off to wait\nfor a mission from the government which had been promised to him, he\nenlisted as a private soldier in the service of the French East India\nCompany; he embarked at Lorient on February 24, 1755, and after three\nyears of endless adventures and dangers through the whole breadth of\nHindostan, at the very time when war was waging between France and\nEngland, he arrived at last in Surat, where he stayed among the Parsis\nfor three years more. Here began another struggle, not less hard, but\nmore decisive, against the same mistrust and ill-will which had\ndisheartened Fraser; but he came out of it victorious, and prevailed at\nlast on the Parsis to part both with their books and their knowledge. He\ncame back to Paris on March 14, 1764, and deposited on the following day\nat the _Biblioth\u00e8que Royale_ the whole of the \"Zend-Avesta,\" and copies\nof several traditional books. He spent ten years in studying the\nmaterial he had collected, and published in 1771 the first European\ntranslation of the \"Zend-Avesta.\"\n\nA violent dispute broke out at once, as half the learned world denied\nthe authenticity of this \"Avesta,\" which it pronounced a forgery. It was\nthe future founder of the Royal Asiatic Society, William Jones, a young\nOxonian then, who opened the war. He had been wounded to the quick by\nthe scornful tone adopted by Anquetil towards Hyde and a few other\nEnglish scholars: the \"Zend-Avesta\" suffered for the fault of its\nintroducer, Zoroaster for Anquetil. In a pamphlet written in French,\nwith a _verve_ and in a style which showed him to be a good disciple of\nVoltaire, William Jones pointed out, and dwelt upon, the oddities and\nabsurdities with which the so-called sacred books of Zoroaster teemed.\nIt is true that Anquetil had given full scope to satire by the style he\nhad adopted: he cared very little for literary elegance, and did not\nmind writing Zend and Persian in French; so the new and strange ideas he\nhad to express looked stranger still in the outlandish garb he gave\nthem. Yet it was less the style than the ideas that shocked the\ncontemporary of Voltaire. His main argument was that books, full of such\nsilly tales, of laws and rules so absurd, of descriptions of gods and\ndemons so grotesque, could not be the work of a sage like Zoroaster, nor\nthe code of a religion so much celebrated for its simplicity, wisdom,\nand purity. His conclusion was that the \"Avesta\" was a rhapsody of some\nmodern Guebre. In fact, the only thing in which Jones succeeded was to\nprove in a decisive manner that the ancient Persians were not equal to\nthe _lumi\u00e8res_ of the eighteenth century, and that the authors of the\n\"Avesta\" had not read the \"Encyclop\u00e9die.\"\n\nJones's censure was echoed in England by Sir John Chardin and\nRichardson, in Germany by Meiners. Richardson tried to give a scientific\ncharacter to the attacks of Jones by founding them on philological\ngrounds. That the \"Avesta\" was a fabrication of modern times was shown,\nhe argued, by the number of Arabic words he fancied he found both in the\nZend and Pahlavi dialects, as no Arabic element was introduced into the\nPersian idioms earlier than the seventh century; also by the harsh\ntexture of the Zend, contrasted with the rare euphony of the Persian;\nand, lastly, by the radical difference between the Zend and Persian,\nboth in words and grammar. To these objections, drawn from the form, he\nadded another derived from the uncommon stupidity of the matter.\n\nIn Germany, Meiners, to the charges brought against the newly-found\nbooks, added another of a new and unexpected kind, namely, that they\nspoke of ideas unheard of before, and made known new things. \"Pray, who\nwould dare ascribe to Zoroaster books in which are found numberless\nnames of trees, animals, men, and demons, unknown to the ancient\nPersians; in which are invoked an incredible number of pure animals and\nother things, which, as appears from the silence of ancient writers,\nwere never known, or at least never worshipped, in Persia? What Greek\never spoke of H\u00f4m, of Jemsh\u00eed, and of such other personages as the\nfabricators of that rhapsody exalt with every kind of praise, as divine\nheroes?\"\n\nAnquetil and the \"Avesta\" found an eager champion in the person of\nKleuker, professor in the University of Riga. As soon as the French\nversion of the \"Avesta\" appeared, he published a German translation of\nit, and also of Anquetil's historical dissertations. Then, in a series\nof dissertations of his own, he vindicated the authenticity of the Zend\nbooks. Anquetil had already tried to show, in a memoir on Plutarch, that\nthe data of the \"Avesta\" fully agree with the account of the Magian\nreligion given in the treatise on \"Isis and Osiris.\" Kleuker enlarged\nthe circle of comparison to the whole of ancient literature.\n\nIn the field of philology, he showed, as Anquetil had already done, that\nZend has no Arabic elements in it, and that Pahlavi itself, which is\nmore modern than Zend, does not contain any Arabic, but only Semitic\nwords of the Aramean dialect, which are easily accounted for by the\nclose relations of Persia with Aramean lands in the time of the\nSassanian kings. He showed, lastly, that Arabic words appear only in the\nvery books which Parsi tradition itself considers modern.\n\nAnother stanch upholder of the \"Avesta\" was the numismatologist Tychsen,\nwho, having begun to read the book with a prejudice against its\nauthenticity, quitted it with a conviction to the contrary. \"There is\nnothing in it,\" he writes, \"but what befits remote ages, and a man\nphilosophizing in the infancy of the world. Such traces of a recent\nperiod as they fancy to have found in it, are either due to\nmisunderstandings, or belong to its later portions. On the whole there\nis a marvellous accordance between the 'Zend-Avesta' and the accounts of\nthe ancients with regard to the doctrine and institutions of Zoroaster.\nPlutarch agrees so well with the Zend books that I think no one will\ndeny the close resemblance of doctrines and identity of origin. Add to\nall this the incontrovertible argument to be drawn from the language,\nthe antiquity of which is established by the fact that it was necessary\nto translate a part of the Zend books into Pahlavi, a language which was\ngrowing obsolete as early as the time of the Sassanides. Lastly, it\ncannot be denied that Zoroaster left books which were, through\ncenturies, the groundwork of the Magic religion, and which were\npreserved by the Magi, as shown by a series of documents from the time\nof Hermippus. Therefore I am unable to see why we should not trust the\nMagi of our days when they ascribe to Zoroaster those traditional books\nof their ancestors, in which nothing is found to indicate fraud or a\nmodern hand.\"\n\nTwo years afterwards, in 1793, was published in Paris a book which,\nwithout directly dealing with the \"Avesta,\" was the first step taken to\nmake its authenticity incontrovertible. It was the masterly memoir by\nSylvestre de Sacy, in which the Pahlavi inscriptions of the first\nSassanides were deciphered for the first time and in a decisive manner.\nDe Sacy, in his researches, had chiefly relied on the Pahlavi lexicon\npublished by Anquetil, whose work vindicated itself thus--better than by\nheaping up arguments--by promoting discoveries. The Pahlavi inscriptions\ngave the key, as is well-known, to the Persian cuneiform inscriptions,\nwhich were in return to put beyond all doubt the genuineness of the Zend\nlanguage.\n\nTychsen, in an appendix to his Commentaries, pointed to the importance\nof the new discovery: \"This,\" he writes, \"is a proof that the Pahlavi\nwas used during the reign of the Sassanides, for it was from them that\nthese inscriptions emanated, as it was by them--nay, by the first of\nthem, Ardesh\u00eer B\u00e2bag\u00e2n--that the doctrine of Zoroaster was revived. One\ncan now understand why the Zend books were translated into Pahlavi.\nHere, too, everything agrees, and speaks loudly for their antiquity and\ngenuineness.\"\n\nAbout the same time Sir William Jones, then president of the Royal\nAsiatic Society, which he had just founded, resumed in a discourse\ndelivered before that society the same question he had solved in such an\noff-hand manner twenty years before. He was no longer the man to say,\n\"_Sied-il \u00e0 un homme n\u00e9 dans ce si\u00e8cle de s'infatuer de fables\nindiennes?_\" and although he had still a spite against Anquetil, he\nspoke of him with more reserve than in 1771. However, his judgment on\nthe \"Avesta\" itself was not altered on the whole, although, as he\nhimself declared, he had not thought it necessary to study the text. But\na glance at the Zend glossary published by Anquetil suggested to him a\nremark which makes Sir William Jones, in spite of himself, the creator\nof the comparative grammar of Sanscrit and Zend. \"When I perused the\nZend glossary,\" he writes, \"I was inexpressibly surprised to find that\nsix or seven words in ten are pure Sanscrit, and even some of their\ninflexions formed by the rules of the Vy\u00e1caran, as yushm\u00e1cam, the\ngenitive plural of yushmad. Now M. Anquetil most certainly, and the\nPersian compiler most probably, had no knowledge of Sanscrit, and could\nnot, therefore, have invented a list of Sanscrit words; it is,\ntherefore, an authentic list of Zend words, which has been preserved in\nbooks or by tradition; it follows that the language of the Zend was at\nleast a dialect of the Sanscrit, approaching perhaps as nearly to it as\nthe Pr\u00e1crit, or other popular idioms, which we know to have been spoken\nin India two thousand years ago.\" This conclusion, that Zend is a\nSanscrit dialect, was incorrect, the connection assumed being too close;\nbut it was a great thing that the near relationship of the two languages\nshould have been brought to light.\n\nIn 1798 Father Paulo de St. Barth\u00e9lemy further developed Jones's remark\nin an essay on the antiquity of the Zend language. He showed its\naffinity with the Sanscrit by a list of such Zend and Sanscrit words as\nwere least likely to have been borrowed, viz., those that designate the\ndegrees of relationship, the limbs of the body, and the most general and\nessential ideas. Another list, intended to show, on a special topic, how\nclosely connected the two languages are, contains eighteen words taken\nfrom the liturgic language used in India and Persia. This list was not\nvery happily drawn up, as out of the eighteen instances there is not a\nsingle one that stands inquiry; yet it was a happy idea, and one which\nhas not even yet yielded all that it promised. His conclusions were that\nin a far remote antiquity Sanscrit was spoken in Persia and Media, that\nit gave birth to the Zend language, and that the \"Zend-Avesta\" is\nauthentic: \"Were it but a recent compilation,\" he writes, \"as Jones\nasserts, how is it that the oldest rites of the Parsis, that the old\ninscriptions of the Persians, the accounts of the Zoroastrian religion\nby the classical writers, the liturgic prayers of the Parsis, and,\nlastly, even their books do not reveal the pure Sanscrit, as written in\nthe land wherein the Parsis live, but a mixed language, which is as\ndifferent from the other dialects of India as French is from Italian?\"\nThis amounted, in fact, to saying that the Zend is not derived from the\nSanscrit, but that both are derived from another and older language. The\nCarmelite had a dim notion of that truth, but, as he failed to express\nit distinctly, it was lost for years, and had to be rediscovered.\n\nThe first twenty-five years of this century were void of results, but\nthe old and sterile discussions as to the authenticity of the texts\ncontinued in England. In 1808 John Leyden regarded Zend as a Pr\u00e1crit\ndialect, parallel to Pali; Pali being identical with the Magadhi dialect\nand Zend with the Sauraseni. In the eyes of Erskine, Zend was a Sanscrit\ndialect, imported from India by the founders of Mazdeism, but never\nspoken in Persia. His main argument was that Zend is not mentioned among\nthe seven dialects which were current in ancient Persia according to the\nFarhang-i Jehangiri, and that Pahlavi and Persian exhibit no close\nrelationship with Zend.\n\nIn Germany, Meiners had found no followers. The theologians appealed to\nthe \"Avesta,\" in their polemics, and Rhode sketched the religious\nhistory of Persia after the translations of Anquetil.\n\nErskine's essay provoked a decisive answer from Emmanuel Rask, one of\nthe most gifted minds in the new school of philology, who had the honor\nof being a precursor of both Grimm and Burnouf. He showed that the list\nof the Jehangiri referred to an epoch later than that to which Zend must\nhave belonged, and to parts of Persia different from those where it must\nhave been spoken; he showed further that modern Persian is not derived\nfrom Zend, but from a dialect closely connected with it; and, lastly, he\nshowed what was still more important, that Zend was not derived from\nSanscrit. As to the system of its sounds, Zend approaches Persian rather\nthan Sanscrit; and as to its grammatical forms, if they often remind one\nof Sanscrit, they also often remind one of Greek and Latin, and\nfrequently have a special character of their own. Rask also gave the\nparadigm of three Zend nouns, belonging to different declensions, as\nwell as the right pronunciation of the Zend letters, several of which\nhad been incorrectly given by Anquetil. This was the first essay on Zend\ngrammar, and it was a masterly one.\n\nThe essay published in 1831 by Peter von Bohlen on the origin of the\nZend language threw the matter forty years back. According to him, Zend\nis a Pr\u00e1crit dialect, as it had been pronounced by Jones, Leyden, and\nErskine. His mistake consisted in taking Anquetil's transcriptions of\nthe words, which are often so incorrect as to make them look like\ncorrupted forms when compared with Sanscrit. And, what was worse, he\ntook the proper names in their modern Parsi forms, which often led him\nto comparisons that would have appalled M\u00e9nage. Thus Ahriman became a\nSanscrit word ariman, which would have meant \"the fiend\"; yet Bohlen\nmight have seen in Anquetil's work itself that Ahriman is nothing but\nthe modern form of Angra Mainyu, words which hardly remind one of the\nSanscrit ariman. Again, the angel Vohu-man\u00f4, or \"good thought,\" was\nreduced, by means of the Parsi form Bahman, to the Sanscrit b\u00e2hum\u00e2n, \"a\nlong-armed god.\"\n\nAt length came Burnouf. From the time when Anquetil had published his\ntranslation, that is to say during seventy years, no real progress had\nbeen made in knowledge of the Avesta texts. The notion that Zend and\nSanscrit are two kindred languages was the only new idea that had been\nacquired, but no practical advantage for the interpretation of the texts\nhad resulted from it. Anquetil's translation was still the only guide,\nand as the doubts about the authenticity of the texts grew fainter, the\nauthority of the translation became greater, the trust reposed in the\n\"Avesta\" being reflected on to the work of its interpreter. The Parsis\nhad been the teachers of Anquetil; and who could ever understand the\nholy writ of the Parsis better than the Parsis themselves? There was no\none who even tried to read the texts by the light of Anquetil's\ntranslation, to obtain a direct understanding of them.\n\nAbout 1825 Eug\u00e8ne Burnouf was engaged in a course of researches on the\ngeographical extent of the Aryan languages in India. After he had\ndefined the limits which divide the races speaking Aryan languages from\nthe native non-brahmanical tribes in the south, he wanted to know if a\nsimilar boundary had ever existed in the northwest; and if it is outside\nof India that the origin of the Indian languages and civilization is to\nbe sought for. He was thus led to study the languages of Persia, and,\nfirst of all, the oldest of them, the Zend. But as he tried to read the\ntexts by help of Anquetil's translation, he was surprised to find that\nthis was not the clue he had expected. He saw that two causes had misled\nAnquetil: on the one hand, his teachers, the Parsi dasturs, either knew\nlittle themselves or taught him imperfectly, not only the Zend, but even\nthe Pahlavi intended to explain the meaning of the Zend; so that the\ntradition on which his work rested, being incorrect in itself, corrupted\nit from the very beginning; on the other hand, as Sanscrit was unknown\nto him and comparative grammar did not as yet exist, he could not supply\nthe defects of tradition by their aid. Burnouf, laying aside tradition\nas found in Anquetil's translation, consulted it as found in a much\nolder and purer form, in a Sanscrit translation of the Yasna made in the\nfifteenth century by the Parsi Neriosengh in accordance with the old\nPahlavi version. The information given by Neriosengh he tested, and\neither confirmed or corrected, by a comparison of parallel passages and\nby the help of comparative grammar, which had just been founded by Bopp,\nand applied by him successfully to the explanation of Zend forms. Thus\nhe succeeded in tracing the general outlines of the Zend lexicon and in\nfixing its grammatical forms, and founded the only correct method of\ninterpreting the \"Avesta.\" He also gave the first notions of a\ncomparative mythology of the \"Avesta\" and the \"Veda,\" by showing the\nidentity of the \"Vedic Yama\" with the \"Avesta Yima,\" and of Trait\u00e2na\nwith Thra\u00eataona and Fer\u00ecd\u00fbn. Thus he made his \"Commentaire sur le Yasna\"\na marvellous and unparalleled model of critical insight and steady good\nsense, equally opposed to the narrowness of mind which clings to matters\nof fact without rising to their cause and connecting them with the\nseries of associated phenomena, and to the wild and uncontrolled spirit\nof comparison, which, by comparing everything, confounds everything.\nNever sacrificing either tradition to comparison or comparison to\ntradition he knew how to pass from the one to the other, and was so\nenabled both to discover facts and to explain them.\n\nAt the same time the ancient Persian inscriptions at Persepolis and\nBehistun were deciphered by Burnouf in Paris, by Lassen in Bonn, and by\nSir Henry Rawlinson in Persia. Thus was revealed the existence, at the\ntime of the first Achaemenian kings, of a language closely connected\nwith that of the \"Avesta,\" and the last doubts as to the authenticity of\nthe Zend books were at length removed. It would have required more than\nan ordinary amount of scepticism to look still upon the Zend as an\nartificial language, of foreign importation, without root in the land\nwhere it was written, and in the conscience of the people for whom it\nwas written, at the moment when a twin language, bearing a striking\nlikeness to it in nearly every feature, was suddenly making itself heard\nfrom the mouth of Darius, and speaking from the very tomb of the first\nAchaemenian king. That unexpected voice silenced all controversies, and\nthe last echoes of the loud discussion which had been opened in 1771\ndied away unheeded.\n\n\n[Footnote 9: A century ago, it is said, they still numbered nearly\n100,000 souls; but there now remain no more than 8,000 or 9,000,\nscattered in Yazd and the surrounding villages. Houtum-Schindler gave\n8,499 in 1879; of that number there were 6,483 in Yazd, 1,756 in Kirm\u00e2n,\n150 in Teher\u00e2n.]\n\n\n\nSELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA\n\n\nTHE CREATION[10]\n\n\nAhura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying:--\n\n\"I have made every land dear to its people, even though it had no charms\nwhatever in it: had I not made every land dear to its people, even\nthough it had no charms whatever in it, then the whole living world\nwould have invaded the Airyana Va\u00eag\u00f4. The first of the good lands and\ncountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Airyana Va\u00eag\u00f4, by the\nVanguhi D\u00e2itya. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created the serpent in the river and Winter, a work of the\nDevas. There are ten winter months there, two summer months; and those\nare cold for the waters, cold for the earth, cold for the trees. Winters\nfall there, the worst of all plagues. The second of the good lands and\ncountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the plain which the\nSughdhas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created the locust, which brings death unto cattle and plants.\nThe third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,\nwas the strong, holy M\u00f4uru. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all\ndeath, and he counter-created plunder and sin. The fourth of the good\nlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautiful\nB\u00e2khdhi with high-lifted banners. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is\nall death, and he counter-created the ants and the ant-hills. The fifth\nof the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was\nNis\u00e2ya, that lies between M\u00f4uru and B\u00e2khdhi. Thereupon came Angra\nMainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of unbelief.\nThe sixth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,\nwas the house-deserting Har\u00f4yu. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all\ndeath, and he counter-created tears and wailing. The seventh of the good\nlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Va\u00eakereta, of the\nevil shadows. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created the Pairika Kn\u00e2thaiti, who clave unto Keres\u00e2spa. The\neighth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,\nwas Urva of the rich pastures. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all\ndeath, and he counter-created the sin of pride. The ninth of the good\nlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Khnenta which the\nVehrk\u00e2nas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the unnatural\nsin. The tenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda,\ncreated, was the beautiful Harahvaiti. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who\nis all death, and he counter-created a sin for which there is no\natonement, the burying of the dead. The eleventh of the good lands and\ncountries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the bright, glorious\nHa\u00eatumant. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created the evil work of witchcraft. And this is the sign by\nwhich it is known, this is that by which it is seen at once: wheresoever\nthey may go and raise a cry of sorcery, there the worst works of\nwitchcraft go forth. From there they come to kill and strike at heart,\nand they bring locusts as many as they want. The twelfth of the good\nlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Ragha of the\nthree races. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created the sin of utter unbelief. The thirteenth of the good\nlands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holy\nKakhra. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he\ncounter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the cooking of\ncorpses. The fourteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura\nMazda, created, was the four-cornered Varena, for which was born\nThra\u00eataona, who smote Azi Dah\u00e2ka. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is\nall death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women and barbarian\noppression. The fifteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura\nMazda, created, was the Seven Rivers. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who\nis all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women and\nexcessive heat. The sixteenth of the good lands and countries which I,\nAhura Mazda, created, was the land by the sources of the Rangha, where\npeople live who have no chiefs. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all\ndeath, and he counter-created Winter, a work of the Devas. There are\nstill other lands and countries, beautiful and deep, longing and asking\nfor the good, and bright.\"\n\n\n[Footnote 10: This chapter is an enumeration of sixteen perfect lands\ncreated by Ahura Mazda, and of as many plagues created in opposition by\nAngra Mainyu. Many attempts have been made, not only to identify these\nsixteen lands, but also to draw historical conclusions from their order\nof succession, as representing the actual order of the migrations and\nsettlements of the old Iranian tribes. But there is nothing in the text\nto support such wide inferences. We have here nothing more than a\ngeographical description of Iran, seen from the religious point of\nview.]\n\n\n\nMYTH OF YIMA\n\n\nZarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--\n\n\"O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world,\nthou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathustra,\nwith whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach the\nReligion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathustra?\"\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was the first\nmortal, before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura Mazda, did\nconverse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the Religion of\nZarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura Mazda, spake, saying:\n'Well, fair Yima, son of V\u00eevanghat, be thou the preacher and the bearer\nof my Religion!' And the fair Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me,\nsaying: 'I was not born, I was not taught to be the preacher and the\nbearer of thy Religion.' Then I, Ahura Mazda, said thus unto him, O\nZarathustra, 'Since thou dost not consent to be the preacher and the\nbearer of my Religion, then make thou my world increase, make my world\ngrow: consent thou to nourish, to rule, and to watch over my world.' And\nthe fair Yima replied unto me, O Zarathustra, saying: 'Yes! I will make\nthy world increase, I will make thy world grow. Yes! I will nourish, and\nrule, and watch over thy world. There shall be, while I am king, neither\ncold wind nor hot wind, neither disease nor death.' Then I, Ahura Mazda,\nbrought two implements unto him: a golden seal and a poniard inlaid with\ngold. Behold, here Yima bears the royal sway! Thus, under the sway of\nYima, three hundred winters passed away, and the earth was replenished\nwith flocks and herds, with men and dogs and birds and with red blazing\nfires, and there was room no more for flocks, herds, and men. Then I\nwarned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair Yima, son of V\u00eevanghat, the earth\nhas become full of flocks and herds, of men and dogs and birds and of\nred blazing fires, and there is room no more for flocks, herds, and\nmen.' Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the\nsun, and afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and bored\nit with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta \u00c2rmaiti, kindly open\nasunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men.' And\nYima made the earth grow larger by one-third than it was before, and\nthere came flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many as\nhe wished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, six hundred winters passed\naway, and the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men and\ndogs and birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no more\nfor flocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair\nYima, son of V\u00eevanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds,\nof men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room no\nmore for flocks, herds, and men.'\n\n\"Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the sun,\nand afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and bored it\nwith the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta \u00c2rmaiti, kindly open asunder\nand stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men.' And Yima\nmade the earth grow larger by two-thirds than it was before, and there\ncame flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many as he\nwished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, nine hundred winters passed away,\nand the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men and dogs\nand birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no more for\nflocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair\nYima, son of V\u00eevanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds,\nof men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room no\nmore for flocks, herds, and men.' Then Yima stepped forward, in light,\nsouthwards, on the way of the sun, and afterwards he pressed the earth\nwith the golden seal, and bored it with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O\nSpenta \u00c2rmaiti, kindly open asunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear\nflocks and herds and men.' And Yima made the earth grow larger by\nthree-thirds than it was before, and there came flocks and herds and\nmen, at their will and wish, as many as he wished.\"\n\n\n\nTHE EARTH\n\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place\nwhere the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is the place\nwhereon one of the faithful steps forward, O Spitama Zarathustra! with\nthe log in his hand, the Baresma in his hand, the milk in his hand, the\nmortar in his hand, lifting up his voice in good accord with religion,\nand beseeching Mithra, the lord of the rolling country-side, and R\u00e2ma\nHv\u00e2stra.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the\nsecond place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It\nis the place whereon one of the faithful erects a house with a priest\nwithin, with cattle, with a wife, with children, and good herds within;\nand wherein afterwards the cattle continue to thrive, virtue to thrive,\nfodder to thrive, the dog to thrive, the wife to thrive, the child to\nthrive, the fire to thrive, and every blessing of life to thrive.\" O\nMaker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third place\nwhere the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is the place\nwhere one of the faithful sows most corn, grass, and fruit, O Spitama\nZarathustra! where he waters ground that is dry, or drains ground that\nis too wet.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the\nfourth place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It\nis the place where there is most increase of flocks and herds.\" O Maker\nof the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the fifth place where the\nEarth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is the place where\nflocks and herds yield most dung.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place\nwhere the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is the\nneck of Arez\u00fbra, whereon the hosts of fiends rush forth from the burrow\nof the Drug.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the\nsecond place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered:\n\"It is the place wherein most corpses of dogs and of men lie buried.\" O\nMaker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third place\nwhere the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is the\nplace whereon stand most of those Dakhmas on which the corpses of men\nare deposited.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is\nthe fourth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda\nanswered: \"It is the place wherein are most burrows of the creatures of\nAngra Mainyu.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is\nthe fifth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda\nanswered: \"It is the place whereon the wife and children of one of the\nfaithful, O Spitama Zarathustra! are driven along the way of captivity,\nthe dry, the dusty way, and lift up a voice of wailing.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the first that\nrejoices the Earth with greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is he\nwho digs out of it most corpses of dogs and men.\" O Maker of the\nmaterial world, thou Holy One! Who is the second that rejoices the Earth\nwith greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is he who pulls down most\nof those Dakhmas on which the corpses of men are deposited. Let no man\nalone by himself carry a corpse. If a man alone by himself carry a\ncorpse, the Nasu rushes upon him. This Drug Nasu falls upon and stains\nhim, even to the end of the nails, and he is unclean, thenceforth,\nforever and ever.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What\nshall be the place of that man who has carried a corpse alone? Ahura\nMazda answered: \"It shall be the place on this earth wherein is least\nwater and fewest plants, whereof the ground is the cleanest and the\ndriest and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire of\nAhura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the\nfaithful.\" O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far from\nthe fire? How far from the water? How far from the consecrated bundles\nof Baresma? How far from the faithful? Ahura Mazda answered: \"Thirty\npaces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces from the\nconsecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful. There, on\nthat place, shall the worshippers of Mazda erect an enclosure, and\ntherein shall they establish him with food, therein shall they establish\nhim with clothes, with the coarsest food and with the most worn-out\nclothes. That food he shall live on, those clothes he shall wear, and\nthus shall they let him live, until he has grown to the age of a Hana,\nor of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra. And when he has grown to the\nage of a Hana, or of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra, then the\nworshippers of Mazda shall order a man strong, vigorous, and skilful, to\ncut the head off his neck, in his enclosure on the top of the mountain:\nand they shall deliver his corpse unto the greediest of the\ncorpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto the\nvultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evil\nthoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, it\nis remitted by his repentance: if he has committed no other evil deed,\nhe is absolved by his repentance, forever and ever.'\" O Maker of the\nmaterial world, thou Holy One! Who is the third that rejoices the Earth\nwith greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is he who fills up most\nburrows of the creatures of Angra Mainyu.\" O Maker of the material\nworld, thou Holy One! Who is the fourth that rejoices the Earth with\ngreatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: \"It is he who sows most corn, grass,\nand fruit, O Spitama Zarathustra! who waters ground that is dry, or\ndrains ground that is too wet. Unhappy is the land that has long lain\nunsown with the seed of the sower and wants a good husbandman, like a\nwell-shapen maiden who has long gone childless and wants a good husband.\nHe who would till the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! with the left arm\nand the right, with the right arm and the left, unto him will she bring\nforth plenty of fruit: even as it were a lover sleeping with his bride\non her bed; the bride will bring forth children, the earth will bring\nforth plenty of fruit. He who would till the earth, O Spitama\nZarathustra! with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the\nleft, unto him thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost till me with\nthe left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, here shall\nI ever go on bearing, bringing forth all manner of food, bringing corn\nfirst to thee.' He who does not till the Earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!\nwith the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, unto\nhim thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost not till me with the left\narm and the right, with the right arm and the left, ever shalt thou\nstand at the door of the stranger, among those who beg for bread; the\nrefuse and the crumbs of the bread are brought unto thee, brought by\nthose who have profusion of wealth.'\"\n\nO maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the food that\nfills the Religion of Mazda?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It is sowing corn again and again, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who sows\ncorn, sows righteousness: he makes the Religion of Mazda walk, he\nsuckles the Religion of Mazda; as well as he could do with a hundred\nman's feet, with a thousand woman's breasts, with ten thousand\nsacrificial formulas. When barley was created, the Devas started up;\nwhen it grew, then fainted the Devas' hearts; when the knots came, the\nDevas groaned; when the ear came, the Devas flew away. In that house the\nDevas stay, wherein wheat perishes. It is as though red hot iron were\nturned about in their throats, when there is plenty of corn. Then let\npeople learn by heart this holy saying: 'No one who does not eat, has\nstrength to do heavy works of holiness, strength to do works of\nhusbandry, strength to beget children. By eating every material creature\nlives, by not eating it dies away.'\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the fifth that\nrejoices the Earth with greatest joy?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It is he who kindly and piously gives to one of the faithful who tills\nthe earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who would not kindly and piously\ngive to one of the faithful who tills the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!\nSpenta \u00c2rmaiti will throw him down into darkness, down into the world of\nwoe, the world of hell, down into the deep abyss.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the\nearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall\nnot disinter it within half a year, what is the penalty that he shall\npay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Five hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, five hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the\nearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall\nnot disinter it within a year, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"A thousand stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, a thousand stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the\nearth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall\nnot disinter it within the second year, what is the penalty for it? What\nis the atonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone,\nnothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is no\natonement, forever and ever.\"\n\nWhen is it so?\n\n\"It is so, if the sinner be a professor of the Religion of Mazda, or one\nwho has been taught in it. But if he be not a professor of the Religion\nof Mazda, nor one who has been taught in it, then his sin is taken from\nhim, if he makes confession of the Religion of Mazda and resolves never\nto commit again such forbidden deeds.\n\n\"The Religion of Mazda indeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! takes away from\nhim who makes confession of it the bonds of his sin; it takes away the\nsin of breach of trust; it takes away the sin of murdering one of the\nfaithful; it takes away the sin of burying a corpse; it takes away the\nsin of deeds for which there is no atonement; it takes away the worst\nsin of usury; it takes away any sin that may be sinned. In the same way\nthe Religion of Mazda, O Spitama Zarathustra! cleanses the faithful from\nevery evil thought, word, and deed, as a swift-rushing mighty wind\ncleanses the plain. So let all the deeds he doeth be henceforth good, O\nZarathustra! a full atonement for his sin is effected by means of the\nReligion of Mazda.\"\n\n\n\nCONTRACTS AND OUTRAGES[11]\n\n\n\"He that does not restore a loan to the man who lent it, steals the\nthing and robs the man. This he doeth every day, every night, as long as\nhe keep in his house his neighbor's property, as though it were his\nown.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How many in number are thy\ncontracts, O Ahura Mazda?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They are six in number, O holy Zarathustra. The first is the\nword-contract; the second is the hand-contract; the third is the\ncontract to the amount of a sheep; the fourth is the contract to the\namount of an ox; the fifth is the contract to the amount of a man; the\nsixth is the contract to the amount of a field, a field in good land, a\nfruitful one, in good bearing. The word-contract is fulfilled by words\nof mouth. It is cancelled by the hand-contract; he shall give as damages\nthe amount of the hand-contract. The hand-contract is cancelled by the\nsheep-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of the\nsheep-contract. The sheep-contract is cancelled by the ox-contract; he\nshall give as damages the amount of the ox-contract. The ox-contract is\ncancelled by the man-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of\nthe man-contract. The man-contract is cancelled by the field-contract;\nhe shall give as damages the amount of the field-contract.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nword-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for three hundred years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nhand-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for six hundred years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nsheep-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for seven hundred years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nox-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for eight hundred years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nman-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for nine hundred years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nfield-contract, how many are involved in his sin?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"His sin makes his Nab\u00e2nazdistas answerable for a thousand years.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nword-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Three hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, three hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nhand-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Six hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, six hundred stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nsheep-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seven hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nox-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, eight hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nman-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Nine hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, nine hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the\nfield-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"A thousand stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, a thousand stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf a man rise up with a weapon in his hand, it is an \u00c2gerepta. If he\nbrandish it, it is an Avaoirista. If he actually smite a man with\nmalicious aforethought, it is an Aredus. Upon the fifth Aredus he\nbecomes a Pesh\u00f4tanu.\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He that committeth an\n\u00c2gerepta, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Five stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, five stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; on the second \u00c2gerepta, ten stripes with the\nAspah\u00ea-astra, ten stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the third, fifteen\nstripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana;\non the fourth, thirty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, thirty stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the fifth, fifty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nfifty stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the sixth, sixty stripes with\nthe Aspah\u00ea-astra, sixty stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the seventh,\nninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf a man commit an \u00c2gerepta for the eighth time, without having atoned\nfor the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf a man commit an \u00c2gerepta, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty\nshall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an\nAvaoirista, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Ten stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ten stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana;\non the second Avaoirista, fifteen stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifteen\nstripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the third, thirty stripes with the\nAspah\u00ea-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the fourth,\nfifty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifty stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; on the fifth, seventy stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nseventy stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the sixth, ninety stripes\nwith the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an\nAvaoirista for the seventh time, without having atoned for the\npreceding, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an\nAvaoirista, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus,\nwhat penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Fifteen stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifteen stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\n\n\"On the second Aredus, thirty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, thirty\nstripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the third, fifty stripes with the\nAspah\u00ea-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; on the fourth,\nseventy stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seventy stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; on the fifth, ninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nninety stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus\nfor the sixth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what\npenalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus,\nand refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another and\nhurt him sorely, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Thirty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, thirty stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; the second time, fifty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nfifty stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; the third time, seventy stripes\nwith the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; the\nfourth time, ninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf a man commit that deed for the fifth time, without having atoned for\nthe preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf a man commit that deed and refuse to atone for it, what is the\npenalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat the blood come, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Fifty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifty stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; the second time, seventy stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nseventy stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana; the third time, ninety stripes\nwith the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf he commit that deed for the fourth time, without having atoned for\nthe preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat the blood come, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the\npenalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat he break a bone, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Seventy stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seventy stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana; the second time, ninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\nninety stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf he commit that deed for the third time, without having atoned for the\npreceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat he break a bone, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the\npenalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat he give up the ghost, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Ninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nIf he commit that deed again, without having atoned for the preceding,\nwhat is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so\nthat he give up the ghost, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the\npenalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\n\n\"And they shall thenceforth in their doings walk after the way of\nholiness, after the word of holiness, after the ordinance of holiness.\n\n\"If men of the same faith, either friends or brothers, come to an\nagreement together, that one may obtain from the other either goods, or\na wife, or knowledge, let him who desires goods have them delivered to\nhim; let him who desires a wife receive and wed her; let him who desires\nknowledge be taught the holy word, during the first part of the day and\nthe last, during the first part of the night and the last, that his mind\nmay be increased in intelligence and wax strong in holiness. So shall he\nsit up, in devotion and prayers, that he may be increased in\nintelligence: he shall rest during the middle part of the day, during\nthe middle part of the night, and thus shall he continue until he can\nsay all the words which former A\u00eathra-paitis have said.\n\n\"Before the boiling water publicly prepared, O Spitama Zarathustra! let\nno one make bold to deny having received from his neighbor the ox or the\ngarment in his possession.\n\n\"Verily I say it unto thee, O Spitama Zarathustra! the man who has a\nwife is far above him who lives in continence; he who keeps a house is\nfar above him who has none; he who has children is far above the\nchildless man; he who has riches is far above him who has none. And of\ntwo men, he who fills himself with meat receives in him Vohu Man\u00f4 much\nbetter than he who does not do so; the latter is all but dead; the\nformer is above him by the worth of an Asperena, by the worth of a\nsheep, by the worth of an ox, by the worth of a man. This man can strive\nagainst the onsets of Ast\u00f4-vidh\u00f4tu; he can strive against the\nwell-darted arrow; he can strive against the winter fiend, with thinnest\ngarment on; he can strive against the wicked tyrant and smite him on the\nhead; he can strive against the ungodly fasting Ashemaogha.\n\n\"On the very first time when that deed has been done, without waiting\nuntil it is done again, down there the pain for that deed shall be as\nhard as any in this world: even as if one should cut off the limbs from\nhis perishable body with knives of brass, or still worse; down there the\npain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: even as if one\nshould nail his perishable body with nails of brass, or still worse;\ndown there the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world:\neven as if one should by force throw his perishable body headlong down a\nprecipice a hundred times the height of a man, or still worse; down\nthere the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: even\nas if one should by force impale his perishable body, or still worse;\ndown there the pain for this deed shall be as hard as any in this world:\nto-wit, the deed of a man, who, knowingly lying, confronts the\nbrimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appeal unto Rashnu and a\nlie unto Mithra.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He who, knowingly lying,\nconfronts the brimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appeal\nunto Rashnu and a lie unto Mithra, what is the penalty that he shall\npay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seven hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\n\n[Footnote 11: This chapter is the only one in the Vend\u00eed\u00e2d that deals\nwith legal subjects.]\n\n\n\nUNCLEANNESS[12]\n\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Here is a man watering a\ncorn-field. The water streams down the field; it streams again; it\nstreams a third time; and the fourth time, a dog, a fox, or a wolf\ncarries some Nasu into the bed of the stream: what is the penalty that\nthis man shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"There is no sin upon a man for any Nasu that has been brought by dogs,\nby birds, by wolves, by winds, or by flies. For were there sin upon a\nman for any Nasu that might have been brought by dogs, by birds, by\nwolves, by winds, or by flies, how soon all this material world of mine\nwould be only one Pesh\u00f4tanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness,\nand whose soul will cry and wail! so numberless are the beings that die\nupon the face of the earth.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does water kill?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Water kills no man: Ast\u00f4-v\u00eedh\u00f4tu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayu\ncarries him off; and the flood takes him up, the flood takes him down,\nthe flood throws him ashore; then birds feed upon him. When he goes\naway, it is by the will of Fate he goes.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does fire kill?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Fire kills no man: Ast\u00f4-v\u00eedh\u00f4tu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayu\ncarries him off; and the fire burns up life and limb. When he goes away,\nit is by the will of Fate he goes.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If the summer is past and\nthe winter has come, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"In every house, in every borough, they shall raise three rooms for the\ndead.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How large shall be those\nrooms for the dead?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Large enough not to strike the skull of the man, if he should stand\nerect, or his feet or his hands stretched out: such shall be, according\nto the law, the rooms for the dead. And they shall let the lifeless body\nlie there, for two nights, or for three nights, or a month long, until\nthe birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow,\nand the wind to dry up the earth. And as soon as the birds begin to fly,\nthe plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up\nthe earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall lay down the dead on the\nDakhma, his eyes towards the sun. If the worshippers of Mazda have not,\nwithin a year, laid down the dead on the Dakhma, his eyes towards the\nsun, thou shalt prescribe for that trespass the same penalty as for the\nmurder of one of the faithful; until the corpse has been rained on,\nuntil the Dakhma has been rained on, until the unclean remains have been\nrained on, until the birds have eaten up the corpse.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Is it true that thou,\nAhura Mazda, seizest the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the wind\nand the clouds? That thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the corpses?\nthat thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the Dakhmas? that thou,\nAhura Mazda, takest them down to the unclean remains? that thou, Ahura\nMazda, takest them down to the bones? and that then thou, Ahura Mazda,\nmakest them flow back unseen? that thou, Ahura Mazda, makest them flow\nback to the sea P\u00fbitika?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It is even so as thou hast said, O righteous Zarathustra! I, Ahura\nMazda, seize the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the wind and the\nclouds. I, Ahura Mazda, take them to the corpses; I, Ahura Mazda, take\nthem down to the Dakhmas; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the unclean\nremains; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the bones; then I, Ahura\nMazda, make them flow back unseen; I, Ahura Mazda, make them flow back\nto the sea P\u00fbitika. The waters stand there boiling, boiling up in the\nheart of the sea P\u00fbitika, and, when cleansed there, they run back again\nfrom the sea P\u00fbitika to the sea Vouru-kasha, towards the well-watered\ntree, whereon grow the seeds of my plants of every kind by hundreds, by\nthousands, by hundreds of thousands. Those plants, I, Ahura Mazda, rain\ndown upon the earth, to bring food to the faithful, and fodder to the\nbeneficent cow; to bring food to my people that they may live on it, and\nfodder to the beneficent cow.\n\n\"This is the best, this is the fairest of all things, even as thou hast\nsaid, O pure Zarathustra!\"\n\nWith these words, the holy Ahura Mazda rejoiced the holy Zarathustra:\n\"Purity is for man, next to life, the greatest good, that purity, O\nZarathustra, that is in the Religion of Mazda for him who cleanses his\nown self with good thoughts, words, and deeds.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! This Law, this\nfiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra, by what greatness, goodness, and\nfairness is it great, good, and fair above all other utterances?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"As much above all other floods as is the sea Vouru-kasha, so much above\nall other utterances in greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law,\nthis fiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra. As much as a great stream\nflows swifter than a slender rivulet, so much above all other utterances\nin greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying\nLaw of Zarathustra. As high as the great tree stands above the small\nplants it overshadows, so high above all other utterances in greatness,\ngoodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying Law of\nZarathustra. As high as heaven is above the earth that it compasses\naround, so high above all other utterances is this Law, this\nfiend-destroying Law of Mazda. Therefore, he will apply to the Ratu, he\nwill apply to the Srao-sh\u00e2-varez; whether for a draona-service that\nshould have been undertaken and has not been undertaken; or for a draona\nthat should have been offered up and has not been offered up; or for a\ndraona that should have been intrusted and has not been intrusted. The\nRatu has power to remit him one-third of his penalty: if he has\ncommitted any other evil deed, it is remitted by his repentance; if he\nhas committed no other evil deed, he is absolved by his repentance\nforever and ever.\"\n\nHow long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or men have\ndied?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"A year long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or men\nhave died, O holy Zarathustra! A year long shall no worshipper of Mazda\nsow or water that piece of ground whereon dogs or men have died; he may\nsow as he likes the rest of the ground; he may water it as he likes. If\nwithin the year they shall sow or water the piece of ground whereon dogs\nor men have died, they are guilty of the sin of 'burying the dead'\ntowards the water, towards the earth, and towards the plants.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazda\nshall sow or water, within the year, the piece of ground whereon dogs or\nmen have died, what is the penalty that they shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They are Pesh\u00f4tanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazda\nwant to till that piece of ground again, to water it, to sow it, and to\nplough it, what shall they do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They shall look on the ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, or\nblood that may be there.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If they shall not look on\nthe ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, or blood that may be there,\nwhat is the penalty that they shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They are Pesh\u00f4tanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top\njoint of the little finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to\nthe ground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Thirty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, thirty stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top\njoint of the fore-finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the\nground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Fifty stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, fifty stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top\njoint of the middle finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to\nthe ground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Seventy stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, seventy stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a finger\nor as a rib, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, what\npenalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Ninety stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, ninety stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as two\nfingers or as two ribs, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the\nground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He is a Pesh\u00f4tanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, two\nhundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as an\narm-bone or as a thigh-bone, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to\nthe ground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Four hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, four hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a man's\nskull, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, what\npenalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Six hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, six hundred stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on\nthe ground the whole body of a dead dog, or of a dead man, and if grease\nor marrow flow from it on to the ground, what penalty shall he pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"A thousand stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, a thousand stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a worshipper of Mazda,\nwalking, or running, or riding, or driving, come upon a corpse in a\nstream of running water, what shall he do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Taking off his shoes, putting off his clothes, while the others wait, O\nZarathustra! he shall enter the river, and take the dead out of the\nwater; he shall go down into the water ankle-deep, knee-deep,\nwaist-deep, or a man's full depth, till he can reach the dead body.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If, however, the body be\nalready falling to pieces and rotting, what shall the worshipper of\nMazda do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He shall draw out of the water as much of the corpse as he can grasp\nwith both hands, and he shall lay it down on the dry ground; no sin\nattaches to him for any bone, hair, grease, dung, urine, or blood, that\nmay drop back into the water.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water in\na pond does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and\npollution?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Six steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has not been\ntaken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean and unfit to\ndrink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the pond, and lay\nit down on the dry ground. And of the water they shall draw off the\nhalf, or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth part, according as they\nare able or not; and after the corpse has been taken out and the water\nhas been drawn off, the rest of the water is clean, and both cattle and\nmen may drink of it at their pleasure, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water in\na well does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and\npollution?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, so long\nshall that water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall, therefore,\ntake the corpse out of the well, and lay it down on the dry ground. And\nof the water in the well they shall draw off the half, or the third, or\nthe fourth, or the fifth part, according as they are able or not; and\nafter the corpse has been taken out and the water has been drawn off,\nthe rest of the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of it\nat their pleasure, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of a sheet of\nsnow or hail does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and\npollution?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Three steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has not\nbeen taken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean and\nunfit to drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the water,\nand lay it down on the dry ground. After the corpse has been taken out,\nand the snow or the hail has melted, the water is clean, and both cattle\nand men may drink of it at their pleasure, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water of\na running stream does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection,\nand pollution?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Three steps down the stream, nine steps up the stream, six steps\nacross. As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, so\nlong shall the water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall,\ntherefore, take the corpse out of the water, and lay it down on the dry\nground. After the corpse has been taken out and the stream has flowed\nthree times, the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of it\nat their pleasure, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the Haoma that has\nbeen touched with Nasu from a dead dog, or from a dead man, be made\nclean again?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It can, O holy Zarathustra! If it has been prepared for the sacrifice,\nthere is to it no corruption, no death, no touch of any Nasu. If it has\nnot been prepared for the sacrifice, the stem is defiled the length of\nfour fingers: it shall be laid down on the ground, in the middle of the\nhouse, for a year long. When the year is past, the faithful may drink of\nits juice at their pleasure, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring,\nwhere shall we lay the bodies of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"On the highest summits, where they know there are always corpse-eating\ndogs and corpse-eating birds, O holy Zarathustra! There shall the\nworshippers of Mazda fasten the corpse, by the feet and by the hair,\nwith brass, stones, or clay, lest the corpse-eating dogs and the\ncorpse-eating birds shall go and carry the bones to the water and to the\ntrees.\"\n\nIf they shall not fasten the corpse, so that the corpse-eating dogs and\nthe corpse-eating birds may go and carry the bones to the water and to\nthe trees, what is the penalty that they shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They shall be Pesh\u00f4tanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra,\ntwo hundred stripes with the Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring,\nwhere shall we lay the bones of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The worshippers of Mazda shall make a receptacle out of the reach of\nthe dog, of the fox, and of the wolf, and wherein rain-water cannot\nstay. They shall make it, if they can afford it, with stones, plaster,\nor earth; if they cannot afford it, they shall lay down the dead man on\nthe ground, on his carpet and his pillow, clothed with the light of\nheaven, and beholding the sun.\"\n\n\n[Footnote 12: This chapter deals chiefly with uncleanness arising from\nthe dead, and with the means of removing it from men and things.]\n\n\n\nFUNERALS AND PURIFICATION\n\n\nIf a dog or a man die under a hut of wood or a hut of felt, what shall\nthe worshippers of Mazda do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"They shall search for a Dakhma, they shall look for a Dakhma all\naround. If they find it easier to remove the dead, they shall take out\nthe dead, they shall let the house stand, and shall perfume it with\nUrv\u00e2sna or Voh\u00fa-gaona, or Voh\u00fa-kereti, or Hadh\u00e2-naepata, or any other\nsweet-smelling plant. If they find it easier to remove the house, they\nshall take away the house, they shall let the dead lie on the spot, and\nshall perfume the house with Urv\u00e2sna, or Voh\u00fa-gaona, or Voh\u00fa-kereti, or\nHadh\u00e2-na\u00eapata, or any other sweet-smelling plant.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If in the house of a\nworshipper of Mazda a dog or a man happens to die, and it is raining, or\nsnowing, or blowing, or it is dark, or the day is at its end, when\nflocks and men lose their way, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The place in that house whereof the ground is the cleanest and the\ndriest, and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire of\nAhura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the\nfaithful.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far from the fire? How\nfar from the water? How far from the consecrated bundles of Baresma? How\nfar from the faithful?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Thirty paces from the fire; thirty paces from the water; thirty paces\nfrom the consecrated bundles of Baresma; three paces from the\nfaithful;--on that place they shall dig a grave, half a foot deep if the\nearth be hard, half the height of a man if it be soft; they shall cover\nthe surface of the grave with ashes or cow-dung; they shall cover the\nsurface of it with dust of bricks, of stones, or of dry earth. And they\nshall let the lifeless body lie there, for two nights, or three nights,\nor a month long, until the birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the\nhidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up the earth. And when the\nbirds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and\nthe wind to dry up the earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall make a\nbreach in the wall of the house, and two men, strong and skilful, having\nstripped their clothes off, shall take up the body from the clay or the\nstones, or from the plastered house, and they shall lay it down on a\nplace where they know there are always corpse-eating dogs and\ncorpse-eating birds. Afterwards the corpse-bearers shall sit down, three\npaces from the dead, and the holy Ratu shall proclaim to the worshippers\nof Mazda thus: 'Worshippers of Mazda, let the urine be brought here\nwherewith the corpse-bearers there shall wash their hair and their\nbodies.'\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the urine\nwherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and their bodies? Is\nit of sheep or of oxen? Is it of man or of woman?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It is of sheep or of oxen; not of man nor of woman, except a man or a\nwoman who has married the next-of-kin: these shall therefore procure the\nurine wherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and their\nbodies.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the way, whereon the\ncarcasses of dogs or corpses of men have been carried, be passed through\nagain by flocks and herds, by men and women, by the fire of Ahura Mazda,\nby the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the faithful?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It cannot be passed through again by flocks and herds, nor by men and\nwomen, nor by the fire of Ahura Mazda, nor by the consecrated bundles of\nBaresma, nor by the faithful. They shall therefore cause a yellow dog\nwith four eyes,[13] or a white dog with yellow ears, to go three times\nthrough that way. When either the yellow dog with four eyes, or the\nwhite dog with yellow ears, is brought there, then the Drug Nasu flies\naway to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, with\nknees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the\nfoulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, O Spitama Zarathustra,\nthey shall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with\nyellow ears, to go six times through that way. When either the yellow\ndog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, is brought there,\nthen the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shape\nof a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end,\nand like unto the foulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, they\nshall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow\nears, to go nine times through that way. When either the yellow dog with\nfour eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, has been brought there,\nthen the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shape\nof a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end,\nand like unto the foulest Khrafstras. An \u00c2thravan shall first go along\nthe way and shall say aloud these victorious words: 'Yath\u00e2 ah\u00fb\nvairy\u00f4:--The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts of\nVohu-man\u00f4 to the deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves the\npoor makes Ahura king. What protector hast thou given unto me, O Mazda!\nwhile the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom but thy \u00c2tar and\nVohu-man\u00f4, through whose work I keep on the world of righteousness?\nReveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victorious\nwho will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide for\nboth worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-man\u00f4 and help whomsoever thou\npleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta \u00c2rmaiti!\nPerish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, O\ncreation of the fiend! Perish, O world of the fiend! Perish away, O\nDrug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, O Drug! Perish away to the regions\nof the north, never more to give unto death the living world of\nRighteousness!' Then the worshippers of Mazda may at their will bring by\nthose ways sheep and oxen, men and women, and Fire, the son of Ahura\nMazda, the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and the faithful. The\nworshippers of Mazda may afterwards prepare meals with meat and wine in\nthat house; it shall be clean, and there will be no sin, as before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw\nclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover the\nfeet, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Four hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, four hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw\nclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover both\nlegs, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Six hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, six hundred stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw\nclothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover the\nwhole body, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"A thousand stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, a thousand stripes with the\nSraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man, by force,\ncommits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty that he shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspah\u00ea-astra, eight hundred stripes with\nthe Sraosh\u00f4-karana.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man voluntarily\ncommits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty for it? What is the\natonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone,\nnothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is no\natonement, forever and ever.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the man that is a\nDeva? Who is he that is a worshipper of the Devas? that is a male\nparamour of the Devas? that is a female paramour of the Devas? that is a\nwife to the Deva? that is as bad as a Deva? that is in his whole being a\nDeva? Who is he that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of the\nunseen Devas after death?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The man that lies with mankind as man lies with womankind, or as woman\nlies with mankind, is the man that is a Deva; this one is the man that\nis a worshipper of the Devas, that is a male paramour of the Devas, that\nis a female paramour of the Devas, that is a wife to the Deva; this is\nthe man that is as bad as a Deva, that is in his whole being a Deva;\nthis is the man that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of the\nunseen Devas after death: so is he, whether he has lain with mankind as\nmankind, or as womankind.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Shall the man be clean who\nhas touched a corpse that has been dried up and dead more than a year?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"He shall. The dry mingles not with the dry. Should the dry mingle with\nthe dry, how soon all this material world of mine would be only one\nPesh\u00f4tanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness, and whose soul will\ncry and wail! so numberless are the beings that die upon the face of the\nearth.\"\n\n\n[Footnote 13: A dog with two spots above the eyes.]\n\n\n\nCLEANSING THE UNCLEAN\n\n\nZarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--\n\nO most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! To\nwhom shall they apply here below, who want to cleanse their body defiled\nby the dead?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"To a pious man, O Spitama Zarathustra! who knows how to speak, who\nspeaks truth, who has learned the Holy Word, who is pious, and knows\nbest the rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda. That man\nshall fell the trees off the surface of the ground on a space of nine\nVib\u00e2zus square; in that part of the ground where there is least water\nand where there are fewest trees, the part which is the cleanest and\ndriest, and the least passed through by sheep and oxen, and by the fire\nof Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the\nfaithful.\"\n\nHow far from the fire? How far from the water? How far from the\nconsecrated bundles of Baresma? How far from the faithful?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Thirty paces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces\nfrom the consecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful.\nThen thou shalt dig a hole, two fingers deep if the summer has come,\nfour fingers deep if the winter and ice have come.\" How far from one\nanother? \"One pace.\" How much is the pace? \"As much as three feet. Then\nthou shalt dig three holes more, two fingers deep if the summer has\ncome, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come.\" How far from\nthe former six? \"Three paces.\" What sort of paces? \"Such as are taken in\nwalking.\" How much are those three paces? \"As much as nine feet. Then\nthou shalt draw a furrow all around with a metal knife. Then thou shalt\ndraw twelve furrows; three of which thou shalt draw to surround and\ndivide from the rest the first three holes; three thou shalt draw to\nsurround and divide the first six holes; three thou shalt draw to\nsurround and divide the nine holes; three thou shalt draw around the\nthree inferior holes, outside the six other holes. At each of the three\ntimes nine feet, thou shalt place stones as steps to the holes; or\npotsherds, or stumps, or clods, or any hard matter. Then the man defiled\nshall walk to the holes; thou, O Zarathustra! shalt stand outside by the\nfurrow, and thou shalt recite, 'Nemask\u00e2 y\u00e2 \u00e2rmaitis iz\u00e2k\u00e2'; and the man\ndefiled shall repeat, 'Nemask\u00e2 y\u00e2 \u00e2rmaitis iz\u00e2k\u00e2.' The Drug becomes\nweaker and weaker at every one of those words which are a weapon to\nsmite the fiend Angra Mainyu, to smite Aeshma of the murderous spear, to\nsmite the M\u00e2zainya fiends, to smite all the fiends. Then thou shalt take\nfor the g\u00f4m\u00eaz a spoon of brass or of lead. When thou takest a stick with\nnine knots, O Spitama Zarathustra! to sprinkle the g\u00f4m\u00eaz from that\nspoon, thou shalt fasten the spoon to the end of the stick. They shall\nwash his hands first. If his hands be not washed first, he makes his\nwhole body unclean. When he has washed his hands three times, after his\nhands have been washed, thou shalt sprinkle the forepart of his skull;\nthen the Drug Nasu rushes in front, between his brows. Thou shalt\nsprinkle him in front between the brows; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon\nthe back part of the skull. Thou shalt sprinkle the back part of the\nskull; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the jaws. Thou shalt sprinkle the\njaws; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ear. Thou shalt sprinkle\nthe right ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ear. Thou shalt\nsprinkle the left ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right\nshoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the right shoulder; then the Drug Nasu\nrushes upon the left shoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the left shoulder;\nthen the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right arm-pit. Thou shalt sprinkle\nthe right arm-pit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left arm-pit. Thou\nshalt sprinkle the left armpit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nchest. Thou shalt sprinkle the chest; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nback. Thou shalt sprinkle the back; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nright nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the right nipple; then the Drug Nasu\nrushes upon the left nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the left nipp\u00ede; then\nthe Drug Nasu rushes upon the right rib. Thou shalt sprinkle the right\nrib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left rib. Thou shalt sprinkle\nthe left rib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right hip. Thou shalt\nsprinkle the right hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left hip.\nThou shalt sprinkle the left hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nsexual parts. Thou shalt sprinkle the sexual parts. If the unclean one\nbe a man, thou shalt sprinkle him first behind, then before; if the\nunclean one be a woman, thou shalt sprinkle her first before, then\nbehind; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right thigh. Thou shalt\nsprinkle the right thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left thigh.\nThou shalt sprinkle the left thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nright knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the right knee; then the Drug Nasu\nrushes upon the left knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the left knee; then the\nDrug Nasu rushes upon the right leg. Thou shalt sprinkle the right leg;\nthen the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left leg. Thou shalt sprinkle the\nleft leg; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ankle. Thou shalt\nsprinkle the right ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ankle.\nThou shalt sprinkle the left ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nright instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the right instep; then the Drug Nasu\nrushes upon the left instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the left instep; then\nthe Drug Nasu turns round under the sole of the foot; it looks like the\nwing of a fly. He shall press his toes upon the ground and shall raise\nup his heels; thou shalt sprinkle his right sole; then the Drug Nasu\nrushes upon the left sole. Thou shalt sprinkle the left sole; then the\nDrug Nasu turns round under the toes; it looks like the wing of a fly.\nHe shall press his heels upon the ground and shall raise up his toes;\nthou shalt sprinkle his right toe; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the\nleft toe. Thou shalt sprinkle the left toe; then the Drug Nasu flies\naway to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, with\nknees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the\nfoulest Khrafstras. And thou shalt say these victorious, most healing\nwords: 'The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts of\nVohu-man\u00f4 to deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves the\npoor makes Ahura king. What protector hadst thou given unto me, O Mazda!\nwhile the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom, but thy \u00c2tar and\nVohu-man\u00f4, through whose work I keep on the world of Righteousness?\nReveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victorious\nwho will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide for\nboth worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-man\u00f4 and help whomsoever thou\npleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta \u00c2rmaiti!\nPerish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, O world\nof the fiend! Perish away, O Drug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, O\nDrug! Perish away to the regions of the north, never more to give unto\ndeath the living world of Righteousness.'\n\n\"Afterwards the man defiled shall sit down, inside the furrows, outside\nthe furrows of the six holes, four fingers from those furrows. There he\nshall cleanse his body with thick handfuls of dust. Fifteen times shall\nthey take up dust from the ground for him to rub his body, and they\nshall wait there until he is dry even to the last hair on his head. When\nhis body is dry with dust, then he shall step over the holes containing\nwater. At the first hole he shall wash his body once with water; at the\nsecond hole he shall wash his body twice with water; at the third hole\nhe shall wash his body thrice with water. Then he shall perfume his body\nwith Urv\u00e2sna, or Voh\u00fb-gaona, or Voh\u00fb-kereti, or Hadh\u00e2-na\u00eapata, or any\nother sweet-smelling plant; then he shall put on his clothes, and shall\ngo back to his house. He shall sit down there in the place of infirmity,\ninside the house, apart from the other worshippers of Mazda. He shall\nnot go near the fire, nor near the water, nor near the earth, nor near\nthe cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful, either man or woman.\nThus shall he continue until three nights have passed. When three nights\nhave passed, he shall wash his body, he shall wash his clothes with\ng\u00f4m\u00eaz and water to make them clean. Then he shall sit down again in the\nplace of infirmity, inside the house, apart from the other worshippers\nof Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor near the water, nor near\nthe earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful,\neither man or woman. Thus shall he continue until six nights have\npassed. When six nights have passed, he shall wash his body, he shall\nwash his clothes with g\u00f4m\u00eaz and water to make them clean. Then he shall\nsit down again in the place of infirmity, inside the house, apart from\nthe other worshippers of Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor near\nthe water, nor near the earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nor\nnear the faithful, either man or woman. Thus shall he continue, until\nnine nights have passed. When nine nights have passed, he shall wash his\nbody, he shall wash his clothes with g\u00f4m\u00eaz and water to make them clean.\nHe may thenceforth go near the fire, near the water, near the earth,\nnear the cow, near the trees, and near the faithful, either man or\nwoman.\n\n\"Thou shalt cleanse a priest for a blessing of the just. Thou shalt\ncleanse the lord of a province for the value of a camel of high value.\nThou shalt cleanse the lord of a town for the value of a stallion of\nhigh value. Thou shalt cleanse the lord of a borough for the value of a\nbull of high value. Thou shalt cleanse the master of a house for the\nvalue of a cow three years old. Thou shalt cleanse the wife of the\nmaster of a house for the value of a ploughing cow. Thou shalt cleanse a\nmenial for the value of a draught cow. Thou shalt cleanse a young child\nfor the value of a lamb. These are the heads of cattle--flocks or\nherds--that the worshippers of Mazda shall give to the man who has\ncleansed them, if they can afford it; if they cannot afford it, they\nshall give him any other value that may make him leave their houses well\npleased with them, and free from anger. For if the man who has cleansed\nthem leave their houses displeased with them, and full of anger, then\nthe Drug Nasu enters them from the nose of the dead, from the eyes, from\nthe tongue, from the jaws, from the sexual organs, from the hinder\nparts. And the Drug Nasu rushes upon them even to the end of the nails,\nand they are unclean thenceforth forever and ever. It grieves the sun\nindeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! to shine upon a man defiled by the dead;\nit grieves the moon, it grieves the stars. That man delights them, O\nSpitama Zarathustra! who cleanses from the Nasu the man defiled by the\ndead; he delights the fire, he delights the water, he delights the\nearth, he delights the cow, he delights the trees, he delights the\nfaithful, both men and women.\"\n\nZarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What shall be his reward,\nafter his soul has parted from his body, who has cleansed from the Nasu\nthe man defiled by the dead?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The welfare of Paradise thou canst promise to that man, for his reward\nin the other world.\"\n\nZarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I fight against\nthat Drug who from the dead rushes upon the living? How shall I fight\nagainst that Nasu who from the dead defiles the living?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Say aloud those words in the G\u00e2thas that are to be said twice. Say\naloud those words in the G\u00e2thas that are to be said thrice. Say aloud\nthose words in the G\u00e2thas that are to be said four times. And the Drug\nshall fly away like the well-darted arrow, like the felt of last year,\nlike the annual garment of the earth.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man who does not know\nthe rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda, offers to cleanse\nthe unclean, how shall I then fight against that Drug who from the dead\nrushes upon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the\ndead defiles the living?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Then, O Spitama Zarathustra! the Drug Nasu appears to wax stronger than\nshe was before. Stronger then are sickness and death and the working of\nthe fiend than they were before.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the penalty that\nhe shall pay?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"The worshippers of Mazda shall bind him; they shall bind his hands\nfirst; then they shall strip him of his clothes, they shall cut the head\noff his neck, and they shall give over his corpse unto the greediest of\nthe corpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto the\nvultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evil\nthoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, it\nis remitted by his repentance; if he has committed no other evil deed,\nhe is absolved by his repentance forever and ever.'\"\n\nWho is he, O Ahura Mazda! who threatens to take away fulness and\nincrease from the world, and to bring in sickness and death?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"It is the ungodly Ashemaogha, O Spitama Zarathustra! who in this\nmaterial world cleanses the unclean without knowing the rites of\ncleansing according to the law of Mazda. For until then, O Spitama\nZarathustra! sweetness and fatness would flow out from that land and\nfrom those fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase\nand growth, and a growing of corn and grass.\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! When are sweetness and\nfatness to come back again to that land and to those fields, with health\nand healing, with fulness and increase and growth, and a growing of corn\nand grass?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Sweetness and fatness will never come back again to that land and to\nthose fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase and\ngrowth, and a growing of corn and grass, until that ungodly Ashemaogha\nhas been smitten to death on the spot, and the holy Sraosha of that\nplace has been offered up a sacrifice for three days and three nights,\nwith fire blazing, with Baresma tied up, and with Haoma prepared. Then\nsweetness and fatness will come back again to that land and to those\nfields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase and growth,\nand a growing of corn and grass.\"\n\n\n\nSPELLS RECITED DURING THE CLEANSING\n\n\nZarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--\n\nO Ahura Mazda! most beneficent Spirit, maker of the material world, thou\nHoly One! How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead rushes\nupon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead\ndefiles the living?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"Say aloud those words in the G\u00e2thas that are to be said twice. 'I drive\naway Angra Mainyu from this house, from this borough, from this town,\nfrom this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from\nthe very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the\nhouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the\nlord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I drive\naway the Nasu, I drive away direct defilement, I drive away indirect\ndefilement, from this house, from this borough, from this town, from\nthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the\nvery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the\nhouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the\nlord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness.'\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words in\nthe G\u00e2thas that are to be said thrice?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"'I drive away Indra, I drive away Sauru, I drive away the Deva\nNaunghaithya from this house, from this borough, from this town, from\nthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the\nvery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the\nhouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the\nlord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I drive\naway Tauru, I drive away Zairi, from this house, from this borough, from\nthis town, from this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the\ndead, from the very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the\nmaster of the house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the\ntown, from the lord of the land; from the whole of the holy world.'\"\n\nO Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words in\nthe G\u00e2thas that are to be said four times?\n\nAhura Mazda answered:--\n\n\"These are the words in the G\u00e2thas that are to be said four times, and\nthou shalt four times say them aloud: 'I drive away A\u00eashma, the fiend of\nthe murderous spear, I drive away the Deva Akatasha, from this house,\nfrom this borough, from this town, from this land; from the very body of\nthe man defiled by the dead, from the very body of the woman defiled by\nthe dead; from the master of the house, from the lord of the borough,\nfrom the lord of the town, from the lord of the land; from the whole of\nthe world of Righteousness. I drive away the Varenya Devas, I drive away\nthe Wind-Deva, from this house, from this borough, from this town, from\nthis land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the\nvery body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the\nhouse, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the\nlord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness.'\"\n\n\n\nTO FIRES, WATERS, PLANTS\n\n\nWe worship thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! We worship the fire\nBerezi-savangha (of the lofty use), and the fire Vohu-fry\u00e2na (the good\nand friendly), and the fire Urv\u00e2-zista (the most beneficial and most\nhelpful), and the fire V\u00e2zista (the most supporting), and the fire\nSpenista (the most bountiful), and Nairya-sangha the Yazad of the royal\nlineage, and that fire which is the house-lord of all houses and\nMazda-made, even the son of Ahura Mazda, the holy lord of the ritual\norder, with all the fires. And we worship the good and best waters\nMazda-made, holy, all the waters Mazda-made and holy, and all the plants\nwhich Mazda made, and which are holy. And we worship the M\u00e2thra-spenta\n(the bounteous word-of-reason), the Zarathustrian law against the Devas,\nand its long descent. And we worship Mount Ushi-darena which is\nMazda-made and shining with its holiness, and all the mountains shining\nwith holiness, and of abundant glory, and which Mazda made. And we\nworship the good and pious prayer for blessings, and these waters and\nthese lands, and all the greatest chieftains, lords of the ritual order;\nand I praise, invoke, and glorify the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashis\nof the saints, those of the house, the V\u00ees, the Zantuma, the Dahvyuma,\nand the Zarathustr\u00f4tema, and all the holy Yazads!\n\n\n\nTO THE EARTH AND THE SACRED WATERS\n\n\nAnd now we worship this earth which bears us, together with Thy wives, O\nAhura Mazda! yea, those Thy wives do we worship which are so desired\nfrom their sanctity. We sacrifice to their zealous wishes, and their\ncapabilities, their inquiries, and their wise acts of pious reverence,\nand with these their blessedness, their full vigor and good portions,\ntheir good fame and ample wealth. O ye waters! now we worship you, you\nthat are showered down, and you that stand in pools and vats, and you\nthat bear forth our loaded vessels, ye female Ahuras of Ahura, you that\nserve us in helpful ways, well forded and full-flowing, and effective\nfor the bathings, we will seek you and for both the worlds! Therefore\ndid Ahura Mazda give you names, O ye beneficent ones! when He who made\nthe good bestowed you. And by these names we worship you, and by them we\nwould ingratiate ourselves with you, and with them would we bow before\nyou, and direct our prayers to you with free confessions of our debt. O\nwaters, ye who are productive, and ye maternal ones, ye with heat that\nsuckles the frail and needy before birth, ye waters that have once been\nrulers of us all, we will now address you as the best, and the most\nbountiful; those are yours, those good objects of our offerings, ye long\nof arm to reach our sickness, or misfortune, ye mothers of our life!\n\n\n\nPRAYER FOR HELPERS\n\n\nAnd now in these Thy dispensations, O Ahura Mazda! do Thou wisely act\nfor us, and with abundance with Thy bounty and Thy tenderness as\ntouching us; and grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our\nsouls, O Ahura Mazda! Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for this\nworld and the spiritual; and now as part thereof do Thou grant that we\nmay attain to fellowship with Thee, and Thy Righteousness for all\nduration. And do Thou grant us, O Ahura! men who are righteous, and both\nlovers and producers of the Right as well. And give us trained beasts\nfor the pastures, broken in for riding, and for bearing, that they may\nbe in helpful companionship with us, and as a source of long enduring\nvigor, and a means of rejoicing grace to us for this. So let there be a\nkinsman lord for us, with the laborers of the village, and so likewise\nlet there be the clients. And by the help of those may we arise. So may\nwe be to You, O Ahura Mazda! holy and true, and with free giving of our\ngifts.\n\n\n\n\nA PRAYER FOR SANCTITY AND ITS BENEFITS\n\n\nI pray with benedictions for a benefit, and for the good, even for the\nentire creation of the holy and the clean; I beseech for them the\ngeneration which is now alive, for that which is just coming into life,\nand for that which shall be hereafter. And I pray for that sanctity\nwhich leads to prosperity, and which has long afforded shelter, which\ngoes on hand in hand with it, which joins it in its walk, and of itself\nbecoming its close companion as it delivers forth its precepts, bearing\nevery form of healing virtue which comes to us in waters, appertains to\ncattle, or is found in plants, and overwhelming all the harmful malice\nof the Devas, and their servants who might harm this dwelling and its\nlord, bringing good gifts, and better blessings, given very early, and\nlater gifts, leading to successes, and for a long time giving shelter.\nAnd so the greatest, and the best, and most beautiful benefits of\nsanctity fall likewise to our lot for the sacrifice, homage,\npropitiation, and the praise of the Bountiful Immortals, for the\nbringing prosperity to this abode, and for the prosperity of the entire\ncreation of the holy, and the clean, and as for this, so for the\nopposition of the entire evil creation. And I pray for this as I praise\nthrough Righteousness, I who am beneficent, those who are likewise of a\nbetter mind.\n\n\n\nTO THE FIRE\n\n\nI offer my sacrifice and homage to thee, the Fire, as a good offering,\nand an offering with our hail of salvation, even as an offering of\npraise with benedictions, to thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! Meet\nfor sacrifice art thou, and worthy of our homage. And as meet for\nsacrifice, and thus worthy of our homage, mayest thou be in the houses\nof men who worship Mazda. Salvation be to this man who worships thee in\nverity and truth, with wood in hand, and Baresma ready, with flesh in\nhand, and holding too the mortar. And mayest thou be ever fed with wood\nas the prescription orders. Yea, mayest thou have thy perfume justly,\nand thy sacred butter without fail, and thine andirons regularly placed.\nBe of full-age as to thy nourishment, of the canon's age as to the\nmeasure of thy food, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's son! Be now aflame within\nthis house; be ever without fail in flame; be all a-shine within this\nhouse; be on thy growth within this house; for long time be thou thus to\nthe furtherance of the heroic renovation, to the completion of all\nprogress, yea, even till the good heroic millennial time when that\nrenovation shall have become complete. Give me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's\nson! a speedy glory, speedy nourishment, and speedy booty, and abundant\nglory, abundant nourishment, abundant booty, an expanded mind, and\nnimbleness of tongue for soul and understanding, even an understanding\ncontinually growing in its largeness, and that never wanders, and long\nenduring virile power, an offspring sure of foot, that never sleeps on\nwatch, and that rises quick from bed, and likewise a wakeful offspring,\nhelpful to nurture, or reclaim, legitimate, keeping order in men's\nmeetings, yea, drawing men to assemblies through their influence and\nword, grown to power, skilful, redeeming others from oppression, served\nby many followers, which may advance my line in prosperity and fame, and\nmy V\u00ees, and my Bantu, and my province, yea, an offering which may\ndeliver orders to the Province as firm and righteous rulers. And mayest\nthou grant me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's Son! that whereby instructors may\nbe given me, now and for evermore, giving light to me of Heaven, the\nbest life of the saints, brilliant, all glorious. And may I have\nexperience of the good reward, and the good renown, and of the long\nforecasting preparation of the soul. The Fire of Ahura Mazda addresses\nthis admonition to all for whom he cooks the night and morning meal.\nFrom all these, O Spitama! he wishes to secure good care, and healthful\ncare as guarding for salvation, the care of a true praiser. At both the\nhands of all who come by me, I, the Fire, keenly look: What brings the\nmate to his mate, the one who walks at large, to him who sits at home?\nWe worship the bounteous Fire, the swift-driving charioteer. And if this\nman who passes brings him wood brought with sacred care, or if he brings\nthe Baresma spread with sanctity, or the Hadh\u00e2-na\u00eapata plant, then\nafterwards Ahura Mazda's Fire will bless him, contented, not offended,\nand in its satisfaction saying thus: May a herd of kine be with thee,\nand a multitude of men, may an active mind go with thee, and an active\nsoul as well. As a blest soul mayest thou live through thy life, the\nnights which thou shall live. This is the blessing of the Fire for him\nwho brings it wood well dried, sought out for flaming, purified with the\nearnest blessing of the sacred ritual truth. We strive after the flowing\non of the good waters, and their ebb as well, and the sounding of their\nwaves, desiring their propitiation; I desire to approach them with my\npraise.\n\n\n\nTO THE BOUNTIFUL IMMORTALS\n\n\nI would worship these with my sacrifice, those who rule aright, and who\ndispose of all aright, and this one especially I would approach with my\npraise (Ahura Mazda). He is thus hymned in our praise-songs. Yea, we\nworship in our sacrifice that deity and lord, who is Ahura Mazda, the\nCreator, the gracious helper, the maker of all good things; and we\nworship in our sacrifice Spitama Zarathustra, that chieftain of the\nrite. And we would declare those institutions established for us, exact\nand undeviating as they are. And I would declare forth those of Ahura\nMazda, those of the Good Mind, and of Asha Vahista, and those of\nKhshatra-vairya, and those of the Bountiful \u00c2ramaiti, and those of Weal\nand Immortality, and those which appertain to the body of the Kine, and\nto the Kine's soul, and those which appertain to Ahura Mazda's Fire, and\nthose of Sraosha the blessed, and of Rashnu the most just, and those of\nMithra of the wide pastures, and of the good and holy Wind, and of the\ngood Mazdayasnian Religion, and of the good and pious Prayer for\nblessings, and those of the good and pious Prayer which frees one from\nbelying, and the good and pious Prayer for blessing against unbelieving\nwords. And these we would declare in order that we may attain unto that\nspeech which is uttered with true religious zeal, or that we may be as\nprophets of the provinces, that we may succor him who lifts his voice\nfor Mazda, that we may be as prophets who smite with victory, the\nbefriended of Ahura Mazda, and persons the most useful to him, holy men\nwho think good thoughts, and speak good words, and do good deeds. That\nhe may approach us with the Good Mind, and that our souls may advance in\ngood, let it thus come; yea, \"how may my soul advance in good? let it\nthus advance.\"\n\n\n\nPRAISE OF THE HOLY BULL\n\n\nHail, bounteous bull! Hail to thee, beneficent bull! Hail to thee, who\nmakest increase! Hail to thee, who makest growth! Hail to thee, who dost\nbestow his part upon the righteous faithful, and wilt bestow it on the\nfaithful yet unborn! Hail to thee, whom the Gahi kills, and the ungodly\nAshemaogha, and the wicked tyrant.\n\n\n\nTO RAIN AS A HEALING POWER\n\n\n\"Come, come on, O clouds, from up above, down on the earth, by thousands\nof drops, by myriads of drops\"--thus say, O holy Zarathustra! \"to\ndestroy sickness, to destroy death, to destroy the sickness that kills,\nto destroy death that kills, to destroy Gadha and Apagadha. If death\ncome after noon, may healing come at eve! If death come at eve, may\nhealing come at night! If death come at night, may healing come at dawn!\nAnd showers shower down new water, new earth, new plants, new healing\npowers, and new healing.\"\n\n\n\nTO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE SUN\n\n\n\"As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up\nand going down, up the a\u00ebrial way and down the earth, down the earth and\nup the aerial way: thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and\ngrowing Ahura Mazda made the aerial way. Up! rise up and roll along!\nthou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the\nworld, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide in\nGar\u00f4-nm\u00e2nem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by the\ngods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Word shall keep away the\nevil. Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth and growth; of thee, O\nwoman! I will make the body and the strength pure; I make thee rich in\nchildren and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in fat, in marrow, and\nin offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand pure springs, running\ntowards the pastures that give food to the child.\"\n\n\n\nTO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE MOON\n\n\nAs the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up\nand going down, up the a\u00ebrial way and down the earth, down the earth and\nup the a\u00ebrial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and\ngrowing Ahura Mazda made the earth. Up! rise up, thou Moon, that dost\nkeep in thee the seed of the bull; rise up above Hara Berezaiti, and\nproduce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if\nthou art to abide in Gar\u00f4-nm\u00e2nem, along the path made by Mazda, along\nthe way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Word\nshall keep away the evil: Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth and\ngrowth; of thee, O woman! I will make the body and the strength pure; I\nmake thee rich in children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in\nfat, in marrow, and in offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand pure\nsprings, running towards the pastures that give food to the child.\n\n\n\nTO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE STARS\n\n\nAs the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up\nand going down, up the a\u00ebrial way and down the earth, down the earth and\nup the a\u00ebrial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and\ngrowing Ahura Mazda made everything that grows. Up! rise up, ye deep\nStars, that have in you the seed of waters; rise up above Hara\nBerezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise\nup there, if thou art to abide in Gar\u00f4-nm\u00e2nem, along the path made by\nMazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. Thus\nrise up and roll along! ye in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made\neverything that rises. In your rising, away will the Kahvuzi fly and\ncry; away will the Ay\u00eahi fly and cry; away will the Gahi, who follows\nthe Y\u00e2tu, fly and cry.\n\n\n\n\nTHE DHAMMAPADA\n\n\nTranslation by F. Max M\u00fcller\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nThe \"Dhammapada,\" or \"Path to Virtue,\" is one of the most practical\nethical hand-books of Buddhism. It is included in the canon of\nBuddhistic Scriptures, and is one of the Eastern books which can be read\nwith delight to-day by those who are classed as general readers. It is\ndivided into twenty-six chapters, and the keynote of it is struck by the\nsentence \"The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in\nthe next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he\nhas done; he is still more happy when going on the good path.\" The first\nstep in the \"good path\" is earnestness, for as the writer says,\n\"Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness the\npath of death; those who are in earnest do not die, those who are\nthoughtless are as if dead already.\" Earnestness, in this connection,\nevidently means the power of reflection, and of abstracting the mind\nfrom mundane things. There is something very inspiring in the sentence,\n\"When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise,\nclimbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools: free\nfrom sorrow he looks upon the sorrowing crowd, as one that stands on a\nmountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain.\" This reminds\nus of Lucretius,\n\n  \"How sweet to stand, when tempests tear the main,\n  On the firm cliff, and mark the seaman's toil!\n  Not that another's danger soothes the soul,\n  But from such toil how sweet to feel secure!\n  How sweet, at distance from the strife, to view\n  Contending hosts, and hear the clash of war!\n  But sweeter far on Wisdom's height serene,\n  Upheld by Truth, to fix our firm abode;\n  To watch the giddy crowd that, deep below,\n  Forever wander in pursuit of bliss;\n  To mark the strife for honors, and renown,\n  For wit and wealth, insatiate, ceaseless urged,\n  Day after day, with labor unrestrained.\"\n\nIt is curious to see the atheistic Epicurean and the devout Buddhist\nmeeting on a common ground. But the beauties of the \"Dhammapada\" can\nonly be realized by a careful study of this charming work. We would\npoint out, for instance, in the chapter on Flowers, what is a piece of\ngolden advice to all readers of books: \"The disciple will find out the\nplainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower.\"\n\nNeither the date nor the authorship of the \"Dhammapada\" is known, but\nthere is conclusive evidence that this canon existed before the\nChristian era. Many scholars agree in ascribing its utterances to Buddha\nhimself, while others are of the opinion that it is a compilation made\nby Buddhist monks from various sources.\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\n\nTHE DHAMMAPADA\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nTHE TWIN-VERSES\n\n\nAll that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on\nour thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts\nwith an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of\nthe ox that draws the carriage.\n\nAll that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on\nour thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts\nwith a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never\nleaves him.\n\n\"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me\"--in those who\nharbor such thoughts hatred will never cease.\n\n\"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me\"--in those who\ndo not harbor such thoughts hatred will cease.\n\nFor hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by\nlove--this is an old rule.\n\nThe world does not know that we must all come to an end here; but those\nwho know it, their quarrels cease at once.\n\nHe who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled,\nimmoderate in his food, idle, and weak, M\u00e2ra (the tempter) will\ncertainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree.\n\nHe who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled,\nmoderate in his food, faithful and strong, him M\u00e2ra will certainly not\noverthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain.\n\nHe who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself\nfrom sin, who disregards also temperance and truth, is unworthy of the\nyellow dress.\n\nBut he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all\nvirtues, and endowed also with temperance and truth: he is indeed worthy\nof the yellow dress.\n\nThey who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never\narrive at truth, but follow vain desires.\n\nThey who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at truth,\nand follow true desires.\n\nAs rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through\nan unreflecting mind.\n\nAs rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will not\nbreak through a well-reflecting mind.\n\nThe evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he mourns\nin both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil result of his own\nwork.\n\nThe virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the next; he\ndelights in both. He delights and rejoices, when he sees the purity of\nhis own work.\n\nThe evil-doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next; he\nsuffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has done; he\nsuffers more when going on the evil path.\n\nThe virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the next; he\nis happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done; he\nis still more happy when going on the good path.\n\nThe thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion of the law,\nbut is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is like a\ncow-herd counting the cows of others.\n\nThe follower of the law, even if he can recite only a small portion of\nthe law, but, having forsaken passion and hatred and foolishness,\npossesses true knowledge and serenity of mind, he, caring for nothing in\nthis world or that to come, has indeed a share in the priesthood.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nON EARNESTNESS\n\n\nEarnestness is the path of immortality (Nirv\u00e2na), thoughtlessness the\npath of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who are\nthoughtless are as if dead already.\n\nHaving understood this clearly, those who are advanced in earnestness\ndelight in earnestness, and rejoice in the knowledge of the elect.\n\nThese wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong\npowers, attain to Nirv\u00e2na, the highest happiness.\n\nIf an earnest person has roused himself, if he is not forgetful, if his\ndeeds are pure, if he acts with consideration, if he restrains himself,\nand lives according to law--then his glory will increase.\n\nBy rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the wise\nman may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.\n\nFools follow after vanity. The wise man keeps earnestness as his best\njewel.\n\nFollow not after vanity, nor after the enjoyment of love and lust! He\nwho is earnest and meditative, obtains ample joy.\n\nWhen the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise,\nclimbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools: free\nfrom sorrow he looks upon the sorrowing crowd, as one that stands on a\nmountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain.\n\nEarnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise man\nadvances like a racer, leaving behind the hack.\n\nBy earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods.\nPeople praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed.\n\nA Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in earnestness, who looks with fear\non thoughtlessness, moves about like fire, burning all his fetters,\nsmall or large.\n\nA Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in reflection, who looks with fear on\nthoughtlessness, cannot fall away from his perfect state--he is close\nupon Nirv\u00e2na.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nTHOUGHT\n\n\nAs a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his\ntrembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult\nto hold back.\n\nAs a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on the dry ground, our\nthought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of M\u00e2ra, the\ntempter.\n\nIt is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty,\nrushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness.\n\nLet the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive,\nvery artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded\nbring happiness.\n\nThose who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone, is\nwithout a body, and hides in the chamber of the heart, will be free from\nthe bonds of M\u00e2ra, the tempter.\n\nIf a man's faith is unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his\npeace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.\n\nIf a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not perplexed, if\nhe has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no fear for him\nwhile he is watchful.\n\nKnowing that this body is fragile like a jar, and making his thought\nfirm like a fortress, one should attack M\u00e2ra, the tempter, with the\nweapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should\nnever rest.\n\nBefore long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, without\nunderstanding, like a useless log.\n\nWhatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a\nwrongly-directed mind will do him greater mischief.\n\nNot a mother, not a father, will do so much, nor any other relatives; a\nwell-directed mind will do us greater service.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nFLOWERS\n\n\nWho shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama, the lord of the\ndeparted, and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly\nshown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower?\n\nThe disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the\nworld of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path of\nvirtue, as a clever man finds the right flower.\n\nHe who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is as\nunsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of M\u00e2ra,\nand never see the king of death.\n\nDeath carries off a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is\ndistracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.\n\nDeath subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is\ndistracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures.\n\nAs the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or\nits color or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village.\n\nNot the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or\nomission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice\nof.\n\nLike a beautiful flower, full of color, but without scent, are the fine\nbut fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.\n\nBut, like a beautiful flower, full of color and full of scent, are the\nfine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly.\n\nAs many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so many\ngood things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born.\n\nThe scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor that of\nsandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mallik\u00e2 flowers; but the odor of good\npeople travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place.\n\nSandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassik\u00ee, among these sorts\nof perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed.\n\nMean is the scent that comes from Tagara and sandal-wood; the perfume of\nthose who possess virtue rises up to the gods as the highest.\n\nOf the people who possess these virtues, who live without\nthoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, M\u00e2ra,\nthe tempter, never finds the way.\n\nAs on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway the lily will grow full of\nsweet perfume and delight, thus among those who are mere rubbish the\ndisciple of the truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledge\nabove the blinded worldling.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V\n\nTHE FOOL\n\n\nLong is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is\ntired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.\n\nIf a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal,\nlet him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no companionship\nwith a fool.\n\n\"These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to me,\" with such\nthoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself; how\nmuch less sons and wealth?\n\nThe fool who knows his foolishness, is wise at least so far. But a fool\nwho thinks himself wise, he is called a fool indeed.\n\nIf a fool be associated with a wise man even all his life, he will\nperceive the truth as little as a spoon perceives the taste of soup.\n\nIf an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man,\nhe will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste of\nsoup.\n\nFools of poor understanding have themselves for their greatest enemies,\nfor they do evil deeds which bear bitter fruits.\n\nThat deed is not well done of which a man must repent, and the reward of\nwhich he receives crying and with a tearful face.\n\nNo, that deed is well done of which a man does not repent, and the\nreward of which he receives gladly and cheerfully.\n\nAs long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is\nlike honey; but when it ripens, then the fool suffers grief.\n\nLet a fool month after month eat his food (like an ascetic) with the tip\nof a blade of Ku['s]a-grass, yet is he not worth the sixteenth particle\nof those who have well weighed the law.\n\nAn evil deed, like newly-drawn milk, does not turn suddenly;\nsmouldering, like fire covered by ashes, it follows the fool.\n\nAnd when the evil deed, after it has become known, turns to sorrow for\nthe fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his head.\n\nLet the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence among the\nBhikshus, for lordship in the convents, for worship among other people!\n\n\"May both the layman and he who has left the world think that this is\ndone by me; may they be subject to me in everything which is to be done\nor is not to be done,\" thus is the mind of the fool, and his desire and\npride increase.\n\n\"One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads to\nNirv\u00e2na\"--if the Bhikshu, the disciple of Buddha, has learnt this, he\nwill not yearn for honor, he will strive after separation from the\nworld.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI\n\nTHE WISE MAN\n\n\nIf you see a man who shows you what is to be avoided, who administers\nreproofs, and is intelligent, follow that wise man as you would one who\ntells of hidden treasures; it will be better, not worse, for him who\nfollows him.\n\nLet him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is improper!--he\nwill be beloved of the good, by the bad he will be hated.\n\nDo not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends:\nhave virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men.\n\nHe who drinks in the law lives happily with a serene mind: the sage\nrejoices always in the law, as preached by the elect.\n\nWell-makers lead the water wherever they like; fletchers bend the arrow;\ncarpenters bend a log of wood; wise people fashion themselves.\n\nAs a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not amidst\nblame and praise.\n\nWise people, after they have listened to the laws, become serene, like a\ndeep, smooth, and still lake.\n\nGood men indeed walk warily under all circumstances; good men speak not\nout of a desire for sensual gratification; whether touched by happiness\nor sorrow wise people never appear elated or depressed.\n\nIf, whether for his own sake, or for the sake of others, a man wishes\nneither for a son, nor for wealth, nor for lordship, and if he does not\nwish for his own success by unfair means, then he is good, wise, and\nvirtuous.\n\nFew are there among men who arrive at the other shore (become Arhats);\nthe other people here run up and down the shore.\n\nBut those who, when the law has been well preached to them, follow the\nlaw, will pass over the dominion of death, however difficult to cross.\n\nA wise man should leave the dark state of ordinary life, and follow the\nbright state of the Bhikshu. After going from his home to a homeless\nstate, he should in his retirement look for enjoyment where enjoyment\nseemed difficult. Leaving all pleasures behind, and calling nothing his\nown, the wise man should purge himself from all the troubles of the\nmind.\n\nThose whose mind is well grounded in the seven elements of knowledge,\nwho without clinging to anything, rejoice in freedom from attachment,\nwhose appetites have been conquered, and who are full of light, they are\nfree even in this world.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII\n\nTHE VENERABLE\n\n\nThere is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and\nabandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all\nfetters.\n\nThey exert themselves with their thoughts well-collected, they do not\ntarry in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave\ntheir house and home.\n\nMen who have no riches, who live on recognized food, who have perceived\nvoid and unconditioned freedom (Nirv\u00e2na), their path is difficult to\nunderstand, like that of birds in the air.\n\nHe whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, who\nhas perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirv\u00e2na), his path is\ndifficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.\n\nThe gods even envy him whose senses, like horses well broken in by the\ndriver, have been subdued, who is free from pride, and free from\nappetites; such a one who does his duty is tolerant like the earth, or\nlike a threshold; he is like a lake without mud; no new births are in\nstore for him.\n\nHis thought is quiet, quiet are his word and deed, when he has obtained\nfreedom by true knowledge, when he has thus become a quiet man.\n\nThe man who is free from credulity, but knows the uncreated, who has cut\nall ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is the\ngreatest of men.\n\nIn a hamlet or in a forest, on sea or on dry land, wherever venerable\npersons (Arahanta) dwell, that place is delightful.\n\nForests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there the\npassionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII\n\nTHE THOUSANDS\n\n\nEven though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless\nwords, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes\nquiet.\n\nEven though a G\u00e2th\u00e2 (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of\nsenseless words, one word of a G\u00e2th\u00e2 is better, which if a man hears, he\nbecomes quiet.\n\nThough a man recite a hundred G\u00e2th\u00e2s made up of senseless words, one\nword of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.\n\nIf one man conquer in battle a thousand times a thousand men, and if\nanother conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.\n\nOne's own self conquered is better than all other people; not even a\ngod, a Gandharva, not M\u00e2ra (with Br\u00e2hman) could change into defeat the\nvictory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under\nrestraint.\n\nIf a man for a hundred years sacrifice month by month with a thousand,\nand if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded\nin true knowledge, better is that homage than a sacrifice for a hundred\nyears.\n\nIf a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and if\nhe but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded in true\nknowledge, better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.\n\nWhatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation\nfor a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a\nquarter a farthing; reverence shown to the righteous is better.\n\nHe who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things will\nincrease to him: life, beauty, happiness, power.\n\nBut he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of\none day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.\n\nAnd he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life of\none day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.\n\nAnd he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day is\nbetter if a man has attained firm strength.\n\nAnd he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life\nof one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.\n\nAnd he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life\nof one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.\n\nAnd he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of\none day is better if a man sees the highest law.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX\n\nEVIL\n\n\nA man should hasten towards the good, and should keep his thought away\nfrom evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights in\nevil.\n\nIf a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in\nsin: the accumulation of evil is painful.\n\nIf a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it:\nthe accumulation of good is delightful.\n\nEven an evil-doer sees happiness so long as his evil deed does not\nripen; but when his evil deed ripens, then does the evil-doer see evil.\n\nEven a good man sees evil days so long as his good deed does not ripen;\nbut when his good deed ripens, then does the good man see good things.\n\nLet no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come\nnigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled;\nthe fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little.\n\nLet no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not come\nnigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled;\nthe wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by\nlittle.\n\nLet a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if he has few companions and\ncarries much wealth, avoids a dangerous road; as a man who loves life\navoids poison.\n\nHe who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand; poison\ndoes not affect one who has no wound; nor is there evil for one who does\nnot commit evil.\n\nIf a man offend a harmless, pure, and innocent person, the evil falls\nback upon that fool, like light dust thrown up against the wind.\n\nSome people are born again; evil-doers go to hell; righteous people go\nto heaven; those who are free from all worldly desires attain Nirv\u00e2na.\n\nNot in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the\nclefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where\na man might be freed from an evil deed.\n\nNot in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the\nclefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where\ndeath could not overcome the mortal.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X\n\nPUNISHMENT\n\n\nAll men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that you are\nlike unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.\n\nAll men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that thou art\nlike unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.\n\nHe who, seeking his own happiness, punishes or kills beings who also\nlong for happiness, will not find happiness after death.\n\nHe who, seeking his own happiness, does not punish or kill beings who\nalso long for happiness, will find happiness after death.\n\nDo not speak harshly to anyone; those who are spoken to will answer thee\nin the same way. Angry speech is painful: blows for blows will touch\nthee.\n\nIf, like a shattered metal plate (gong), thou utter nothing, then thou\nhast reached Nirv\u00e2na; anger is not known to thee.\n\nAs a cow-herd with his staff drives his cows into the stable, so do Age\nand Death drive the life of men.\n\nA fool does not know when he commits his evil deeds: but the wicked man\nburns by his own deeds, as if burnt by fire.\n\nHe who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to\none of these ten states:--\n\nHe will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy\naffliction, or loss of mind.\n\nA misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or loss of\nrelations, or destruction of treasures.\n\nLightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, the\nfool will go to hell.\n\nNot nakedness, not platted hair, not dirt, not fasting, or lying on the\nearth, not rubbing with dust, not sitting motionless, can purify a\nmortal who has not overcome desires.\n\nHe who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is\nquiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with\nall other beings, he indeed is a Br\u00e2hmana, an ascetic (Sramana), a friar\n(Bhikshu).\n\nIs there in this world any man so restrained by shame that he does not\nprovoke reproof, as a noble horse the whip?\n\nLike a noble horse when touched by the whip, be ye strenuous and eager,\nand by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by discernment of the\nlaw, you will overcome this great pain, perfect in knowledge and in\nbehavior, and never forgetful.\n\nWell-makers lead the water wherever they like; fletchers bend the arrow;\ncarpenters bend a log of wood; good people fashion themselves.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI\n\nOLD AGE\n\n\nHow is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always\nburning? Do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness?\n\nLook at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together,\nsickly, full of many schemes, but which has no strength, no hold!\n\nThis body is wasted, full of sickness, and frail; this heap of\ncorruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death.\n\nAfter one has looked at those gray bones, thrown away like gourds in the\nautumn, what pleasure is there left in life!\n\nAfter a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with flesh\nand blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and deceit.\n\nThe brilliant chariots of kings are destroyed, the body also approaches\ndestruction, but the virtue of good people never approaches\ndestruction--thus do the good say to the good.\n\nA man who has learnt little, grows old like an ox; his flesh grows, but\nhis knowledge does not grow.\n\nLooking for the maker of this tabernacle, I have run through a course of\nmany births, not finding him; and painful is birth again and again. But\nnow, maker of the tabernacle, thou hast been seen; thou shalt not make\nup this tabernacle again. All thy rafters are broken, thy ridge-pole is\nsundered; the mind, approaching the Eternal (Visankh\u00e2ra, Nirv\u00e2na), has\nattained to the extinction of all desires.\n\nMen who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained wealth\nin their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish.\n\nMen who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained wealth\nin their youth, lie, like broken bows, sighing after the past.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII\n\nSELF\n\n\nIf a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during one\nat least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful.\n\nLet each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him teach\nothers; thus a wise man will not suffer.\n\nIf a man make himself as he teaches others to be, then, being himself\nwell subdued, he may subdue others; for one's own self is difficult to\nsubdue.\n\nSelf is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self well\nsubdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find.\n\nThe evil done by one's self, self-forgotten, self-bred, crushes the\nfoolish, as a diamond breaks even a precious stone.\n\nHe whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to that state\nwhere his enemy wishes him to be, as a creeper does with the tree which\nit surrounds.\n\nBad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to do; what is\nbeneficial and good, that is very difficult to do.\n\nThe foolish man who scorns the rule of the venerable (Arhat), of the\nelect (Ariya), of the virtuous, and follows a false doctrine, he bears\nfruit to his own destruction, like the fruits of the Katthaka reed.\n\nBy one's self the evil is done, by one's self one suffers; by one's self\nevil is left undone, by one's self one is purified. The pure and the\nimpure stand and fall by themselves, no one can purify another.\n\nLet no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however great;\nlet a man, after he has discerned his own duty, be always attentive to\nhis duty.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII\n\nTHE WORLD\n\n\nDo not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do not\nfollow false doctrine! Be not a friend of the world.\n\nRouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The virtuous\nrest in bliss in this world and in the next.\n\nFollow the law of virtue; do not follow that of sin. The virtuous rest\nin bliss in this world and in the next.\n\nLook upon the world as you would on a bubble, look upon it as you would\non a mirage: the king of death does not see him who thus looks down upon\nthe world.\n\nCome, look at this world, glittering like a royal chariot; the foolish\nare immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it.\n\nHe who formerly was reckless and afterwards became sober brightens up\nthis world, like the moon when freed from clouds.\n\nHe whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds, brightens up this world,\nlike the moon when freed from clouds.\n\nThis world is dark, few only can see here; a few only go to heaven, like\nbirds escaped from the net.\n\nThe swans go on the path of the sun, they go miraculously through the\nether; the wise are led out of this world, when they have conquered M\u00e2ra\nand his train.\n\nIf a man has transgressed the one law, and speaks lies, and scoffs at\nanother world, there is no evil he will not do.\n\nThe uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do not\npraise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through it\nbecomes blessed in the other world.\n\nBetter than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven,\nbetter than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of Sot\u00e2patti, the\nfirst step in holiness.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV\n\nTHE BUDDHA--THE AWAKENED\n\n\nHe whose conquest cannot be conquered again, into whose conquest no one\nin this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the\nOmniscient, the trackless?\n\nHe whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what\ntrack can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless?\n\nEven the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who are\ngiven to meditation, who are wise, and who delight in the repose of\nretirement from the world.\n\nDifficult to obtain is the conception of men, difficult is the life of\nmortals, difficult is the hearing of the True Law, difficult is the\nbirth of the Awakened (the attainment of Buddhahood).\n\nNot to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is the\nteaching of all the Awakened.\n\nThe Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the\nhighest Nirv\u00e2na; for he is not an anchorite (Pravra-gita) who strikes\nothers, he is not an ascetic (Sramana) who insults others.\n\nNot to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to be\nmoderate in eating, to sleep and sit alone, and to dwell on the highest\nthoughts--this is the teaching of the Awakened.\n\nThere is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he who\nknows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise; even in\nheavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully\nawakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.\n\nMen, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to\ngroves and sacred trees.\n\nBut that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not\ndelivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.\n\nHe who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who, with\nclear understanding, sees the four holy truths: pain, the origin of\npain, the destruction of pain, and the eightfold holy way that leads to\nthe quieting of pain;--that is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge;\nhaving gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.\n\nA supernatural person (a Buddha) is not easily found: he is not born\neverywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers.\n\nHappy is the arising of the Awakened, happy is the teaching of the True\nLaw, happy is peace in the church, happy is the devotion of those who\nare at peace.\n\nHe who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened\n(Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host of evils,\nand crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as have\nfound deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured by\nanyone.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XV\n\nHAPPINESS\n\n\nWe live happily indeed, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate\nus we dwell free from hatred! We live happily indeed, free from ailments\namong the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from\nailments!\n\nWe live happily indeed, free from greed among the greedy! among men who\nare greedy let us dwell free from greed!\n\nWe live happily indeed, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like\nthe bright gods, feeding on happiness!\n\nVictory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up\nboth victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy.\n\nThere is no fire like passion; there is no losing throw like hatred;\nthere is no pain like this body; there is no happiness higher than rest.\n\nHunger is the worst of diseases, the elements of the body the greatest\nevil; if one knows this truly, that is Nirv\u00e2na, the highest happiness.\n\nHealth is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is\nthe best of relationships, Nirv\u00e2na the highest happiness.\n\nHe who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquillity, is free\nfrom fear and free from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of drinking\nin the law.\n\nThe sight of the elect (Ariya) is good, to live with them is always\nhappiness; if a man does not see fools, he will be truly happy.\n\nHe who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company with\nfools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise is\npleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk.\n\nTherefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned,\nthe much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to follow such a\ngood and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVI\n\nPLEASURE\n\n\nHe who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to meditation,\nforgetting the real aim of life and grasping at pleasure, will in time\nenvy him who has exerted himself in meditation.\n\nLet no man ever cling to what is pleasant, or to what is unpleasant. Not\nto see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what is\nunpleasant.\n\nLet, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil. Those\nwho love nothing, and hate nothing, have no fetters.\n\nFrom pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free from\npleasure knows neither grief nor fear.\n\nFrom affection comes grief, from affection comes fear; he who is free\nfrom affection knows neither grief nor fear.\n\nFrom lust comes grief, from lust comes fear; he who is free from lust\nknows neither grief nor fear.\n\nFrom love comes grief, from love comes fear; he who is free from love\nknows neither grief nor fear.\n\nFrom greed comes grief, from greed comes fear; he who is free from greed\nknows neither grief nor fear.\n\nHe who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks the truth,\nand does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear.\n\nHe in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirv\u00e2na) has sprung up, who in\nhis mind is satisfied, and whose thoughts are not bewildered by love, he\nis called \u00fbrdhvamsrotas (carried upwards by the stream).\n\nKinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, and\nreturns safe from afar.\n\nIn like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and has\ngone from this world to the other;--as kinsmen receive a friend on his\nreturn.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII\n\nANGER\n\n\nLet a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all\nbondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and\nform, and who calls nothing his own.\n\nHe who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real\ndriver; other people are but holding the reins.\n\nLet a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him\novercome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!\n\nSpeak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for\nlittle; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.\n\nThe sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body, they\nwill go to the unchangeable place (Nirv\u00e2na), where, if they have gone,\nthey will suffer no more.\n\nThose who are ever watchful, who study day and night, and who strive\nafter Nirv\u00e2na, their passions will come to an end.\n\nThis is an old saying, O Atula, this is not as if of to-day: \"They blame\nhim who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also blame him\nwho says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed.\"\n\nThere never was, there never will be, nor is there now, a man who is\nalways blamed, or a man who is always praised.\n\nBut he whom those who discriminate praise continually day after day, as\nwithout blemish, wise, rich in knowledge and virtue, who would dare to\nblame him, like a coin made of gold from the Gamb\u00fb river? Even the gods\npraise him, he is praised even by Br\u00e2hman.\n\nBeware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the\nbody, and with thy body practise virtue!\n\nBeware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the\nsins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!\n\nBeware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of\nthe mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!\n\nThe wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who\ncontrol their mind, are indeed well controlled.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVIII\n\nIMPURITY\n\n\nThou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have come\nnear to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hast\nno provision for thy journey.\n\nMake thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are\nblown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the\nheavenly world of the elect (Ariya).\n\nThy life has come to an end, thou art come near to death (Yama), there\nis no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no provision for\nthy journey.\n\nMake thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are\nblown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again into\nbirth and decay.\n\nLet a wise man blow off the impurities of himself, as a smith blows off\nthe impurities of silver, one by one, little by little, and from time to\ntime.\n\nAs the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from it,\ndestroys it; thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil\npath.\n\nThe taint of prayers is non-repetition; the taint of houses, non-repair;\nthe taint of complexion is sloth; the taint of a watchman,\nthoughtlessness.\n\nBad conduct is the taint of woman, niggardliness the taint of a\nbenefactor; tainted are all evil ways, in this world and in the next.\n\nBut there is a taint worse than all taints--ignorance is the greatest\ntaint. O mendicants! throw off that taint, and become taintless!\n\nLife is easy to live for a man who is without shame: a crow hero, a\nmischief-maker, an insulting, bold, and wretched fellow.\n\nBut life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what is\npure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent.\n\nHe who destroys life, who speaks untruth, who in the world takes what is\nnot given him, who goes to another man's wife; and the man who gives\nhimself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he, even in this world, digs\nup his own root.\n\nO man, know this, that the unrestrained are in a bad state; take care\nthat greediness and vice do not bring thee to grief for a long time!\n\nThe world gives according to their faith or according to their pleasure:\nif a man frets about the food and the drink given to others, he will\nfind no rest either by day or by night.\n\nHe in whom that feeling is destroyed, and taken out with the very root,\nfinds rest by day and by night.\n\nThere is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there is\nno snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.\n\nThe fault of others is easily perceived, but that of one's self is\ndifficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbor's faults like chaff,\nbut his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the\nplayer.\n\nIf a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined to be\noffended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the destruction\nof passions.\n\nThere is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana outwardly. The\nworld delights in vanity, the Tath\u00e2gatas (the Buddhas) are free from\nvanity.\n\nThere is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana outwardly. No\ncreatures are eternal; but the awakened (Buddha) are never shaken.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIX\n\nTHE JUST\n\n\nA man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he who\ndistinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and guides others,\nnot by violence, but by the same law, being a guardian of the law and\nintelligent, he is called just.\n\nA man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free from\nhatred and fear, he is called learned.\n\nA man is not a supporter of the law because he talks much; even if a man\nhas learnt little, but sees the law bodily, he is a supporter of the\nlaw, a man who never neglects the law.\n\nA man is not an elder because his head is gray; his age may be ripe, but\nhe is called \"Old-in-vain.\"\n\nHe in whom there is truth, virtue, pity, restraint, moderation, he who\nis free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder.\n\nAn envious, stingy, dishonest man does not become respectable by means\nof much talking only, or by the beauty of his complexion.\n\nHe in whom all this is destroyed, and taken out with the very root, he,\nwhen freed from hatred, is called respectable.\n\nNot by tonsure does an undisciplined man who speaks falsehood become a\nSamana; can a man be a Samana who is still held captive by desire and\ngreediness?\n\nHe who always quiets the evil, whether small or large, he is called a\nSamana (a quiet man), because he has quieted all evil.\n\nA man is not a mendicant (Bhikshu) simply because he asks others for\nalms; he who adopts the whole law is a Bhikshu, not he who only begs.\n\nHe who is above good and evil, who is chaste, who with care passes\nthrough the world, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.\n\nA man is not a Muni because he observes silence if he is foolish and\nignorant; but the wise who, as with the balance, chooses the good and\navoids evil, he is a Muni, and is a Muni thereby; he who in this world\nweighs both sides is called a Muni.\n\nA man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures;\nbecause he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man called\nAriya.\n\nNot only by discipline and vows, not only by much learning, not by\nentering into a trance, not by sleeping alone, do I earn the happiness\nof release which no worldling can know. O Bhikshu, he who has obtained\nthe extinction of desires has obtained confidence.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XX\n\nTHE WAY\n\n\nThe best of ways is the eightfold; the best of truths the four words;\nthe best of virtues passionlessness; the best of men he who has eyes to\nsee.\n\nThis is the way, there is no other that leads to the purifying of\nintelligence. Go on this path! This is the confusion of M\u00e2ra, the\ntempter.\n\nIf you go on this way, you will make an end of pain! The way preached by\nme, when I had understood the removal of the thorns in the flesh.\n\nYou yourself must make an effort. The Tath\u00e2gatas (Buddhas) are only\npreachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondage\nof M\u00e2ra.\n\n\"All created things perish,\" he who knows and sees this becomes passive\nin pain; this is the way to purity.\n\n\"All created things are grief and pain,\" he who knows and sees this\nbecomes passive in pain; this is the way that leads to purity.\n\n\"All forms are unreal,\" he who knows and sees this becomes passive in\npain; this is the way that leads to purity.\n\nHe who does not rouse himself when it is time to rise, who, though young\nand strong, is full of sloth, whose will and thought are weak, that lazy\nand idle man never finds the way to knowledge.\n\nWatching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never commit any\nwrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of action\nclear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise.\n\nThrough zeal knowledge is gained, through lack of zeal knowledge is\nlost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus place\nhimself that knowledge may grow.\n\nCut down the whole forest of desires, not a tree only! Danger comes out\nof the forest of desires. When you have cut down both the forest of\ndesires and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of the\nforest and of desires!\n\nSo long as the desire of man towards women, even the smallest, is not\ndestroyed, so long is his mind in bondage, as the calf that drinks milk\nis to its mother.\n\nCut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with thy hand! Cherish\nthe road of peace. Nirv\u00e2na has been shown by Sugata (Buddha).\n\n\"Here I shall dwell in the rain, here in winter and summer,\" thus the\nfool meditates, and does not think of death.\n\nDeath comes and carries off that man, honored for his children and\nflocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.\n\nSons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help from\nkinsfolk for one whom death has seized.\n\nA wise and well-behaved man who knows the meaning of this should quickly\nclear the way that leads to Nirv\u00e2na.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXI\n\nMISCELLANEOUS\n\n\nIf by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise man\nleave the small pleasure, and look to the great.\n\nHe who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for\nhimself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from\nhatred.\n\nWhat ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done;\nthe desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing.\n\nBut they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body, who\ndo not follow what ought not to be done, and who steadfastly do what\nought to be done, the desires of such watchful and wise people will come\nto an end.\n\nA true Br\u00e2hmana goes scathless, though he have killed father and mother,\nand two valiant kings, though he has destroyed a kingdom with all its\nsubjects.\n\nA true Br\u00e2hmana goes scathless, though he have killed father and mother,\nand two holy kings, and an eminent man besides.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama (Buddha) are always well awake, and their\nthoughts day and night are always set on Buddha.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day\nand night are always set on the law.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day\nand night are always set on the church.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day\nand night are always set on their body.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day and\nnight always delights in compassion.\n\nThe disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day and\nnight always delights in meditation.\n\nIt is hard to leave the world to become a friar, it is hard to enjoy the\nworld; hard is the monastery, painful are the houses; painful it is to\ndwell with equals to share everything in common, and the itinerant\nmendicant is beset with pain. Therefore let no man be an itinerant\nmendicant, and he will not be beset with pain.\n\nA man full of faith, if endowed with virtue and glory, is respected,\nwhatever place he may choose.\n\nGood people shine from afar, like the snowy mountains; bad people are\nnot seen, like arrows shot by night.\n\nSitting alone, lying down alone, walking alone without ceasing, and\nalone subduing himself, let a man be happy near the edge of a forest.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXII\n\nTHE DOWNWARD COURSE\n\n\nHe who says what is not goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing,\nsays I have not done it. After death both are equal: they are men with\nevil deeds in the next world.\n\nMany men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown are\nill-conditioned and unrestrained; such evil-doers by their evil deeds go\nto hell.\n\nBetter it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring fire,\nthan that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of the\nland.\n\nFour things does a reckless man gain who covets his neighbor's\nwife--demerit, an uncomfortable bed, thirdly, punishment, and lastly,\nhell.\n\nThere is demerit, and the evil way to hell: there is the short pleasure\nof the frightened in the arms of the frightened, and the king imposes\nheavy punishment; therefore let no man think of his neighbor's wife.\n\nAs a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised\nasceticism leads to hell.\n\nAn act carelessly performed, a broken vow, and hesitating obedience to\ndiscipline (Br\u00e2hma-kariyam), all these bring no great reward.\n\nIf anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it\nvigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passions\nmore widely.\n\nAn evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards;\na good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.\n\nLike a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, so\nlet a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for they who allow\nthe right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell.\n\nThey who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and are\nnot ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing\nfalse doctrines, enter the evil path.\n\nThey who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they ought\nto fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.\n\nThey who see sin where there is no sin, and see no sin where there is\nsin, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.\n\nThey who see sin where there is sin, and no sin where there is no sin,\nsuch men, embracing the true doctrine, enter the good path.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIII\n\nTHE ELEPHANT\n\n\nSilently I endured abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow\nsent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.\n\nThey lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant;\nthe tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse.\n\nMules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with\nlarge tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.\n\nFor with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country\n(Nirv\u00e2na), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal--on his own\nwell-tamed self.\n\nThe elephant called Dhanap\u00e2laka, his temples running with pungent sap,\nand who is difficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; the\nelephant longs for the elephant grove.\n\nIf a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rolls\nhimself about, that fool, like a hog fed on grains, is born again and\nagain.\n\nThis mind of mine went formerly wandering about as it liked, as it\nlisted, as it pleased; but I shall now hold it in thoroughly, as the\nrider who holds the hook holds in the furious elephant.\n\nBe not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evil\nway, like an elephant sunk in mud.\n\nIf a man find a prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives\nsoberly, he may walk with him, overcoming all dangers, happy, but\nconsiderate.\n\nIf a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and\nlives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his\nconquered country behind--like an elephant in the forest.\n\nIt is better to live alone: there is no companionship with a fool; let a\nman walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like an elephant\nin the forest.\n\nIf the occasion arises, friends are pleasant; enjoyment is pleasant,\nwhatever be the cause; a good work is pleasant in the hour of death; the\ngiving up of all grief is pleasant.\n\nPleasant in the world is the state of a mother, pleasant the state of a\nfather, pleasant the state of a Samana, pleasant the state of a\nBr\u00e2hmana.\n\nPleasant is virtue lasting to old age, pleasant is a faith firmly\nrooted; pleasant is attainment of intelligence, pleasant is avoiding of\nsins.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIV\n\nTHIRST\n\n\nThe thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life\nto life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.\n\nWhomsoever this fierce poisonous thirst overcomes, in this world, his\nsufferings increase like the abounding B\u00eerana grass.\n\nBut from him who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered\nin this world, sufferings fall off, like water-drops from a lotus leaf.\n\nThis salutary word I tell you, \"Do ye, as many as are here assembled,\ndig up the root of thirst, as he who wants the sweet-scented Us\u00eera root\nmust dig up the B\u00eerana grass, that M\u00e2ra, the tempter, may not crush you\nagain and again, as the stream crushes the reeds.\"\n\nAs a tree, even though it has been cut down, is firm so long as its root\nis safe, and grows again, thus, unless the feeders of thirst are\ndestroyed, this pain of life will return again and again.\n\nHe whose thirty-six streams are strongly flowing in the channels of\npleasure, the waves--his desires which are set on passion--will carry\naway that misguided man.\n\nThe channels run everywhere, the creeper of passion stands sprouting; if\nyou see the creeper springing up, cut its root by means of knowledge.\n\nA creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; given up to\npleasure and deriving happiness, men undergo again and again birth and\ndecay.\n\nBeset with lust, men run about like a snared hare; held in fetters and\nbonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again.\n\nBeset with lust, men run about like a snared hare; let therefore the\nmendicant drive out thirst, by striving after passionlessness for\nhimself.\n\nHe who, having got rid of the forest of lust (after having reached\nNirv\u00e2na), gives himself over to forest-life (to lust), and who, when\nfree from the forest (from lust), runs to the forest (to lust), look at\nthat man! though free, he runs into bondage.\n\nWise people do not call that a strong fetter which is made of iron,\nwood, or hemp; passionately strong is the care for precious stones and\nrings, for sons and a wife.\n\nThat fetter wise people call strong which drags down, yields, but is\ndifficult to undo; after having cut this at last, people leave the\nworld, free from cares, and leaving the pleasures of love behind.\n\nThose who are slaves to passions, run down the stream of desires, as a\nspider runs down the web which he has made himself; when they have cut\nthis, at last, wise people go onwards, free from cares, leaving all pain\nbehind.\n\nGive up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is between,\nwhen thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind is\naltogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.\n\nIf a man is tossed about by doubts, full of strong passions, and\nyearning only for what is delightful, his thirst will grow more and\nmore, and he will indeed make his fetters strong.\n\nIf a man delights in quieting doubts, and, always reflecting, dwells on\nwhat is not delightful, he certainly will remove, nay, he will cut the\nfetter of M\u00e2ra.\n\nHe who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who is\nwithout thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life:\nthis will be his last body.\n\nHe who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the\nwords and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (those\nwhich are before and which are after), he has received his last body, he\nis called the great sage, the great man.\n\n\"I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am free\nfrom taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I am\nfree; having learnt myself, whom should I indicate as my teacher?\"\n\nThe gift of the law exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the law exceeds\nall sweetness; the delight in the law exceeds all delights; the\nextinction of thirst overcomes all pain.\n\nRiches destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other shore; the\nfoolish by his thirst for riches destroys himself, as if he were\ndestroying others.\n\nThe fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion:\ntherefore a gift bestowed on the passionless brings great reward.\n\nThe fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by hatred: therefore\na gift bestowed on those who do not hate brings great reward.\n\nThe fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by vanity: therefore\na gift bestowed on those who are free from vanity brings great reward.\n\nThe fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by lust: therefore a\ngift bestowed on those who are free from lust brings great reward.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXV\n\nTHE BHIKSHU\n\n\nRestraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose\nrestraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue.\n\nIn the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought\nrestraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu,\nrestrained in all things, is freed from all pain.\n\nHe who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls his\nspeech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is\ncollected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu.\n\nThe Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, who\nteaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet.\n\nHe who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the law,\nrecollects the law: that Bhikshu will never fall away from the true law.\n\nLet him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others: a\nmendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.\n\nA Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he has\nreceived, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if he\nis not slothful.\n\nHe who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not grieve\nover what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.\n\nThe Bhikshu who behaves with kindness, who is happy in the doctrine of\nBuddha, will reach the quiet place (Nirv\u00e2na), happiness arising from the\ncessation of natural inclinations.\n\nO Bhikshu, empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly; having cut\noff passion and hatred, thou wilt go to Nirv\u00e2na.\n\nCut off the five fetters, leave the five, rise above the five. A\nBhikshu, who has escaped from the five fetters, he is called\nOghatinna--\"saved from the flood.\"\n\nMeditate, O Bhikshu, and be not heedless! Do not direct thy thought to\nwhat gives pleasure, that thou mayest not for thy heedlessness have to\nswallow the iron ball in hell, and that thou mayest not cry out when\nburning, \"This is pain.\"\n\nWithout knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is no\nknowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirv\u00e2na.\n\nA Bhikshu who has entered his empty house, and whose mind is tranquil,\nfeels a more than human delight when he sees the law clearly.\n\nAs soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the elements\nof the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong to those who know\nthe immortal (Nirv\u00e2na).\n\nAnd this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness over the\nsenses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble friends whose\nlife is pure, and who are not slothful.\n\nLet him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the\nfulness of delight he will make an end of suffering.\n\nAs the Vassik\u00e2 plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion\nand hatred, O ye Bhikshus!\n\nThe Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who is\ncollected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called quiet.\n\nRouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thus\nself-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu!\n\nFor self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curb\nthyself as the merchant curbs a noble horse.\n\nThe Bhikshu, full of delight, who is happy in the doctrine of Buddha\nwill reach the quiet place (Nirv\u00e2na), happiness consisting in the\ncessation of natural inclinations.\n\nHe who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of\nBuddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVI\n\nTHE BR\u00c2HMANA\n\n\nStop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Br\u00e2hmana! When you\nhave understood the destruction of all that was made, you will\nunderstand that which was not made.\n\nIf the Br\u00e2hmana has reached the other shore in both laws, in restraint\nand contemplation, all bonds vanish from him who has obtained knowledge.\n\nHe for whom there is neither the hither nor the further shore, nor both,\nhim, the fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana.\n\nHe who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without passions, and\nwho has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana.\n\nThe sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior is\nbright in his armor, the Br\u00e2hmana is bright in his meditation; but\nBuddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendor day and night.\n\nBecause a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Br\u00e2hmana; because\nhe walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he has sent\naway his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita (Pabbagita, a\npilgrim).\n\nNo one should attack a Br\u00e2hmana, but no Br\u00e2hmana, if attacked, should\nlet himself fly at his aggressor! Woe to him who strikes a Br\u00e2hmana,\nmore woe to him who flies at his aggressor!\n\nIt advantages a Br\u00e2hmana not a little if he holds his mind back from the\npleasures of life; the more all wish to injure has vanished, the more\nall pain will cease.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who does not offend by body, word, or\nthought, and is controlled on these three points.\n\nHe from whom he may learn the law, as taught by the Well-awakened\n(Buddha), him let him worship assiduously, as the Br\u00e2hmana worships the\nsacrificial fire.\n\nA man does not become a Br\u00e2hmana by his plaited hair, by his family, or\nby birth; in whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, he is\na Br\u00e2hmana.\n\nWhat is the use of plaited hair, O fool! what of the raiment of\ngoat-skins? Within thee there is ravening, but the outside thou makest\nclean.\n\nThe man who wears dirty raiments, who is emaciated and covered with\nveins, who meditates alone in the forest, him I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana.\n\nI do not call a man a Br\u00e2hmana because of his origin or of his mother.\nHe is indeed arrogant, and he is wealthy: but the poor, who is free from\nall attachments, him I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, after cutting all fetters, never\ntrembles, is free from bonds and unshackled.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, after cutting the strap and the thong,\nthe rope with all that pertains to it, has destroyed all obstacles, and\nis awakened.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, though he has committed no offence,\nendures reproach, stripes, and bonds: who has endurance for his force,\nand strength for his army.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who is free from anger, dutiful, virtuous,\nwithout appetites, who is subdued, and has received his last body.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who does not cling to sensual pleasures,\nlike water on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of a\nneedle.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, even here, knows the end of his own\nsuffering, has put down his burden, and is unshackled.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana whose knowledge is deep, who possesses\nwisdom, who knows the right way and the wrong, and has attained the\nhighest end.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who keeps aloof both from laymen and from\nmendicants, who frequents no houses, and has but few desires.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who without hurting any creatures, whether\nfeeble or strong, does not kill nor cause slaughter.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who is tolerant with the intolerant, mild\nwith the violent, and free from greed among the greedy.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana from whom anger and hatred, pride and\nhypocrisy have dropped like a mustard seed from the point of a needle.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who utters true speech, instructive and\nfree from harshness, so that he offend no one.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who takes nothing in the world that is not\ngiven him, be it long or short, small or large, good or bad.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who fosters no desires for this world or\nfor the next, has no inclinations, and is unshackled.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who has no interests, and when he has\nunderstood the truth, does not say How, how? and who has reached the\ndepth of the Immortal.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who in this world has risen above both\nties, good and evil, who is free from grief, from sin, and from\nimpurity.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who is bright like the moon, pure, serene,\nundisturbed, and in whom all gayety is extinct.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who has traversed this miry road, the\nimpassable world, difficult to pass, and its vanity, who has gone\nthrough, and reached the other shore, is thoughtful, steadfast, free\nfrom doubts, free from attachment, and content.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who in this world, having abandoned all\ndesires, travels about without a home, and in whom all concupiscence is\nextinct.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, having abandoned all longings, travels\nabout without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who, after leaving all bondage to men, has\nrisen above all bondage to the gods, and is free from all and every\nbondage.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who has left what gives pleasure and what\ngives pain, who is cold, and free from all germs of renewed life: the\nhero who has conquered all the worlds.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who knows the destruction and the return of\nbeings everywhere, who is free from bondage, welfaring (Sugata), and\nawakened (Buddha).\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana whose path the gods do not know, nor\nspirits (Gandharvas), nor men, whose passions are extinct, and who is an\nArhat.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who calls nothing his own, whether it be\nbefore, behind, or between; who is poor, and free from the love of the\nworld.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana, the manly, the noble, the hero, the great\nsage, the conqueror, the indifferent, the accomplished, the awakened.\n\nHim I call indeed a Br\u00e2hmana who knows his former abodes, who sees\nheaven and hell, has reached the end of births, is perfect in knowledge,\na sage, and whose perfections are all perfect.\n\n\n\n\nTHE UPANISHADS\n\nTranslation by F. Max M\u00fcller\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nThe \"Upanishads\" are reckoned to be from a hundred and fifty to a\nhundred and seventy in number. The date of the earliest of them is about\nB.C. 600; that is an age anterior to the rise of Buddha. They consist of\nvarious disquisitions on the nature of man, the Supreme Being, the human\nsoul, and immortality. They are part of Sanscrit Brahmanic literature,\nand have the authority of revealed, in contradistinction to traditional\ntruth. We see in these books the struggle of the human mind to attain to\na knowledge of God and the destiny of man. The result is the formulation\nof a definite theosophy, in which we find the Brahman in his meditation\ntrusting to the intuitions of his own spirit, the promptings of his own\nreason, or the combinations of his own fancy, for a revelation of the\ntruth. The result is given us in these wonderful books. We call them\nwonderful, because the unaided mind of man never attained, in any other\nliterature, to a profounder insight into spiritual things. The Western\nreader may find in an \"Upanishad\" many things that seem to him trifling\nand absurd, many things obscure and apparently meaningless. It is very\neasy to ridicule this kind of literature. But as a matter of fact these\nancient writings well repay study, as the most astounding productions of\nthe human intellect. In them we see the human mind wrestling with the\ngreatest thoughts that had ever yet dawned upon it, and trying to grasp\nand to measure the mighty vision before which it was humbled to the\ndust. The seer, in order to communicate to the world the result of his\nmeditations, seems to catch at every symbol and every word hallowed by\nfamiliar usage, in order to set out in concrete shape the color and\ndimensions of mystic verities; he is employing an old language for the\nexpression of new truths; he is putting new wine into old wine-skins,\nwhich burst and the wine is spilt; words fail, and the meaning is lost.\nIt is not lost, however, to those who will try to study the \"Upanishads\"\nfrom within, and not from without: who will try to put himself in the\nattitude of those earnest and patient explorers who brought so much\nlight into the human life of the East, and so much joy and tranquillity\nto the perturbed spirit of their fellow-men. Those who thus study these\nancient writings will find in them the fundamental principles of a\ndefinite theology, and, more wonderful still, the beginnings of that\nwhich became afterwards known to the Greeks, and has been known ever\nsince, as metaphysics: that is, scientific transcendentalism. This much\nwill be apparent to anyone who will read and study the \"Kaush\u00eetaki-\nUpanishad,\" which is one of the most wonderful of the religious books of\nthe East. Laying aside the doctrine of metempsychosis and the idea of\nreincarnation, there is something sublime and inspiring in the imagery\nwith which the destiny of the soul after death is described, while in\nthe metaphysical subtlety of this book we find an argument against\nmaterialism which is just as fresh now as when it was first stated.\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\n\nTHE UPANISHADS\n\n\n\nKAUSH\u00ceTAKI-UPANISHAD\n\nTHE COUCH OF BRAHMAN\n\n\nKitra G\u00e2ngy\u00e2yani, wishing to perform a sacrifice, chose \u00c2runi Udd\u00e2laka,\nto be his chief priest. But \u00c2runi sent his son, Svetaketu, and said:\n\"Perform the sacrifice for him.\" When Svetaketu had arrived, Kitra asked\nhim: \"Son of Gautama, is there a hidden place in the world where you are\nable to place me, or is it the other way, and are you going to place me\nin the world to which that other way leads?\"[14]\n\nHe answered and said: \"I do not know this. But, let me ask the master.\"\nHaving approached his father, he asked: \"Thus has Kitra asked me; how\nshall I answer?\"\n\n\u00c2runi said: \"I also do not know this. Only after having learnt the\nproper portion of the Veda in Kitra's own dwelling, shall we obtain what\nothers give us, i.e., knowledge. Come, we will both go.\"\n\nHaving said this he took fuel in his hand, like a pupil, and approached\nKitra G\u00e2ngy\u00e2yani, saying: \"May I come near to you?\" He replied: \"You are\nworthy of Brahman, O Gautama, because you were not led away by pride.\nCome hither, I shall make you know clearly.\"\n\nAnd Kitra said: \"All who depart from this world go to the moon. In the\nformer, the bright half, the moon delights in their spirits; in the\nother, the dark half, the moon sends them on to be born again. Verily,\nthe moon is the door of the Svarga, i.e., the heavenly world. Now, if a\nman objects to the moon and is not satisfied with life there, the moon\nsets him free. But if a man does not object, then the moon sends him\ndown as rain upon this earth. And according to his deeds and according\nto his knowledge he is born again here as a worm, or as an insect, or as\na fish, or as a bird, or as a lion, or as a boar, or as a serpent, or as\na tiger, or as a man, or as something else in different places. When he\nhas thus returned to the earth, someone, a sage, asks: 'Who art thou?'\nAnd he should answer: 'From the wise moon, who orders the seasons, when\nit is born consisting of fifteen parts, from the moon who is the home of\nour ancestors, the seed was brought. This seed, even me, they, the gods,\nmentioned in the Pa\u00f1k\u00e2gnividy\u00e2, gathered up in an active man, and\nthrough an active man they brought me to a mother. Then I, growing up to\nbe born, a being living by months, whether twelve or thirteen, was\ntogether with my father, who also lived by years of twelve or thirteen\nmonths, that I might either know the true Brahman or not know it.\nTherefore, O ye seasons, grant that I may attain immortality, i.e.,\nknowledge of Brahman. By this my true saying, by this my toil, beginning\nwith the dwelling in the moon and ending with my birth on earth, I am\nlike a season, and the child of the seasons.' 'Who art thou?' the sage\nasks again. 'I am thou,' he replies. Then he sets him free to proceed\nonward.\n\n\"He, at the time of death, having reached the path of the gods, comes to\nthe world of Agni, or fire, to the world of V\u00e2yu, or air, to the world\nof Varuna, to the world of Indra, to the world of Prag\u00e2pati, to the\nworld of Brahman. In that world there is the lake \u00c2ra, the moments\ncalled Yeshtiha, the river Vigar\u00e2, i.e., age-less, the tree Ily\u00e2, the\ncity S\u00e2lagya, the palace Apar\u00e2gita, i.e., unconquerable, the\ndoor-keepers Indra and Prag\u00e2pati, the hall of Brahman, called Vibhu\n(built by vibhu, egoism), the throne Vikakshan\u00e2, i.e., perception, the\ncouch Amitaugas or endless splendor, and the beloved M\u00e2nas\u00ee, i.e., mind,\nand her image K\u00e2kshush\u00ee, the eye, who, as if taking flowers, are weaving\nthe worlds, and the Apsaras, the Amb\u00e2s, or sacred scriptures, and\nAmb\u00e2yav\u00ees, or understanding, and the rivers Ambay\u00e2s leading to the\nknowledge of Brahman. To this world he who knows the Paryanka-vidy\u00e2\napproaches. Brahman says to him: 'Run towards him, servants, with such\nworship as is due to myself. He has reached the river Vigar\u00e2, the\nage-less, he will never age.'\n\n\"Then five hundred Apsaras go towards him, one hundred with garlands in\ntheir hands, one hundred with ointments in their hands, one hundred with\nperfumes in their hands, one hundred with garments in their hands, one\nhundred with fruit in their hands. They adorn him with an adornment\nworthy of Brahman, and when thus adorned with the adornment of Brahman,\nthe knower of Brahman moves towards Brahman. He comes to the lake \u00c2ra,\nand he crosses it by the mind, while those who come to it without\nknowing the truth, are drowned. He comes to the moments called Yeshtiha,\nthey flee from him. He comes to the river Vigar\u00e2, and crosses it by the\nmind alone, and there shakes off his good and evil deeds. His beloved\nrelatives obtain the good, his unbeloved relatives the evil he has done.\nAnd as a man, driving in a chariot, might look at the two wheels without\nbeing touched by them, thus he will look at day and night, thus at good\nand evil deeds, and at all pairs, all correlative things, such as light\nand darkness, heat and cold. Being freed from good and freed from evil,\nhe, the knower of Brahman, moves towards Brahman.\n\n\"He approaches the tree Ilya, and the odor of Brahman reaches him. He\napproaches the city S\u00e2lagya, and the flavor of Brahman reaches him. He\napproaches the palace Apar\u00e2gita, and the splendor of Brahman reaches\nhim. He approaches the door-keepers Indra and Prag\u00e2pati, and they run\naway from him. He approaches the hall Vibhu, and the glory of Brahman\nreaches him and he thinks, 'I am Brahman.' He approaches the throne\nVikakshan\u00e2. The S\u00e2man verses, Brihad and Rathantara, are the eastern\nfeet of that throne; the S\u00e2man verses, Syaita and Naudhasa, its western\nfeet; the S\u00e2man verses, Vair\u00fbpa and Vair\u00e2ga, its sides lengthways, south\nand north; the S\u00e2man verses, S\u00e2kvara and Raivata, its sides crossways,\neast and west. That throne is Prag\u00f1\u00e2, knowledge, for by knowledge,\nself-knowledge, he sees clearly. He approaches the couch Amitaugas. That\nis Pr\u00e2na, i.e., speech. The past and the future are its eastern feet;\nprosperity and earth its western feet; the S\u00e2man verses, Brihad and\nRathantara, are the two sides lengthways of the couch, south and north;\nthe S\u00e2man verses, Bhadra and Yag\u00f1\u00e2yag\u00f1iya, are its cross-sides at the\nhead and feet, east and west; the Rik and S\u00e2man are the long sheets,\neast and west; the Yagus the cross-sheets, south and north; the\nmoon-beam the cushion; the Udg\u00eetha the white coverlet; prosperity the\npillow. On this couch sits Brahman, and he who knows himself one with\nBrahman, sitting on the couch, mounts it first with one foot only. Then\nBrahman says to him: 'Who art thou?' and he shall answer: 'I am like a\nseason, and the child of the seasons, sprung from the womb of endless\nspace, from the light, from the luminous Brahman. The light, the origin\nof the year, which is the past, which is the present, which is all\nliving things, and all elements, is the Self. Thou art the Self. What\nthou art, that am I.' Brahman says to him: 'Who am I?' He shall answer:\n'That which is, the true.' Brahman asks: 'What is the true?' He says to\nhim: 'What is different from the gods and from the senses that is Sat,\nbut the gods and the senses are Tyam. Therefore, by that name Sattya, or\ntrue, is called all this whatever there is. All this thou art.' This is\nalso declared by a verse: 'This great Rishi, whose belly is the Yagus,\nthe head the S\u00e2man, the form the Rik, is to be known as being\nimperishable, as being Brahman.'\n\n\"Brahman says to him: 'How dost thou obtain my male names?' He should\nanswer: 'By breath.' Brahman asks: 'How my female names?' He should\nanswer: 'By speech.' Brahman asks: 'How my neuter names?' He should\nanswer: 'By mind.' 'How smells?' 'By the nose.' 'How forms?' 'By the\neye.' 'How sounds?' 'By the ear.' 'How flavors of food?' 'By the\ntongue.' 'How actions?' 'By the hands.' 'How pleasures and pain?' 'By\nthe body.' 'How joy, delight, and offspring?' 'By the organ.' 'How\njourneyings?' 'By the feet.' 'How thoughts, and what is to be known and\ndesired?' 'By knowledge alone.'\n\n\"Brahman says to him: 'Water indeed is this my world, the whole Brahman\nworld, and it is thine.'\n\n\"Whatever victory, whatever might belongs to Brahman, that victory and\nthat might he obtains who knows this, yea, who knows this.\"[15]\n\n\n\nKNOWLEDGE OF THE LIVING SPIRIT\n\n\n\"Pr\u00e2na, or breath,[16] is Brahman,\" thus says Kaush\u00eetaki. \"Of this\npr\u00e2na, which is Brahman, the mind is the messenger, speech the\nhousekeeper, the eye the guard, the ear the informant. He who knows mind\nas the messenger of pr\u00e2na, which is Brahman, becomes possessed of the\nmessenger. He who knows speech as the housekeeper, becomes possessed of\nthe housekeeper. He who knows the eye as the guard, becomes possessed of\nthe guard. He who knows the ear as the informant, becomes possessed of\nthe informant.\n\n\"Now to that pr\u00e2na, which is Brahman, all these deities, mind, speech,\neye, ear, bring an offering, though he asks not for it, and thus to him\nwho knows this all creatures bring an offering, though he asks not for\nit. For him who knows this, there is this Upanishad, or secret vow, 'Beg\nnot!' As a man who has begged through a village and got nothing sits\ndown and says, 'I shall never eat anything given by those people,' and\nas then those who formerly refused him press him to accept their alms,\nthus is the rule for him who begs not, but the charitable will press him\nand say, 'Let us give to thee.'\"\n\n\"Pr\u00e2na, or breath, is Brahman,\" thus says Paingya. \"And in that pr\u00e2na,\nwhich is Brahman, the eye stands firm behind speech, the ear stands firm\nbehind the eye, the mind stands firm behind the ear, and the spirit\nstands firm behind the mind.[17] To that pr\u00e2na, which is Brahman, all\nthese deities bring an offering, though he asks not for it, and thus to\nhim who knows this, all creatures bring an offering, though he asks not\nfor it. For him who knows this, there is this Upanishad, or secret vow,\n'Beg not!' As a man who has begged through a village and got nothing\nsits down and says, 'I shall never eat anything given by those people,'\nand as then those who formerly refused him press him to accept their\nalms, thus is the rule for him who begs not, but the charitable will\npress him and say, 'Let us give to thee.'\n\n\"Now follows the attainment of the highest treasure, i.e., spirit.[18]\nIf a man meditates on that highest treasure, let him on a full moon or a\nnew moon, or in the bright fortnight, under an auspicious Nakshatra, at\none of these proper times, bending his right knee, offer oblations of\nghee with a ladle, after having placed the fire, swept the ground,\nstrewn the sacred grass, and sprinkled water. Let him say: 'The deity\ncalled Speech is the attainer, may it attain this for me from him who\npossesses and can bestow what I wish for. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!' 'The deity\ncalled pr\u00e2na, or breath, is the attainer, may it attain this for me from\nhim. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!' 'The deity called the eye is the attainer, may it\nattain this for me from him. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!' 'The deity called the ear is\nthe attainer, may it attain this for me from him. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!' 'The\ndeity called mind is the attainer of it, may it attain this for me from\nhim. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!' 'The deity called knowledge is the attainer of it,\nmay it attain this for me from him. Sv\u00e2h\u00e2 to it!'\n\n\"Then having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbs\nwith the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him declare his\nwish, or let him send a messenger. He will surely obtain his wish.\n\n\"Now follows the Daiva Smara, the desire to be accomplished by the gods.\nIf a man desires to become dear to any man or woman, or to any men or\nwomen, then at one of the fore-mentioned proper times he offers, in\nexactly the same manner as before, oblations of ghee, saying: 'I offer\nthy speech in myself, I this one here, Sv\u00e2h\u00e2.' 'I offer thy ear in\nmyself, I this one here, Sv\u00e2h\u00e2.' 'I offer thy mind in myself, I this one\nhere, Sv\u00e2h\u00e2.' 'I offer thy knowledge in myself, I this one here, Sv\u00e2h\u00e2.'\nThen having inhaled the smell of the smoke, and having rubbed his limbs\nwith the ointment of ghee, walking on in silence, let him try to come in\ncontact or let him stand speaking in the wind, so that the wind may\ncarry his words to the person by whom he desires to be loved. Surely he\nbecomes dear, and they think of him.\n\n\"Now follows the restraint instituted by Pratardana, the son of\nDivod\u00e2sa: they call it the inner Agni-hotri. So long as a man speaks, he\ncannot breathe, he offers all the while his breath in his speech. And so\nlong as a man breathes, he cannot speak, he offers all the while his\nspeech in his breath. These two endless and immortal oblations he offers\nalways, whether waking or sleeping. Whatever other oblations there are\n(those, e.g., of the ordinary Agni-hotri, consisting of milk and other\nthings), they have an end, for they consist of works which, like all\nworks, have an end. The ancients, knowing this the best Agni-hotri, did\nnot offer the ordinary Agni-hotri.\n\n\"Uktha is Brahman, thus said Sushkabhring\u00e2ra. Let him meditate on the\nuktha as the same with the Rik, and all beings will praise him as the\nbest. Let him meditate on it as the same with the Yagus, and all beings\nwill join before him as the best. Let him meditate on it as the same\nwith the S\u00e2man, and all beings will bow before him as the best. Let him\nmeditate on it as the same with might, let him meditate on it as the\nsame with glory, let him meditate on it as the same with splendor. For\nas the bow is among weapons the mightiest, the most glorious, the most\nsplendid, thus is he who knows this among all beings the mightiest, the\nmost glorious, the most splendid. The Adhvaryu conceives the fire of the\naltar, which is used for the sacrifice, to be himself. In it he the\nAdhvaryu weaves the Yagus portion of the sacrifice. And in the Yagus\nportion the Hotri weaves the Rik portion of the sacrifice. And in the\nRik portion the Udg\u00e2tri weaves the S\u00e2man portion of the sacrifice. He,\nthe Adhvaryu, or pr\u00e2na, is the self of the threefold knowledge; he\nindeed is the self of pr\u00e2na. He who knows this is the self of it, i.e.,\nbecomes pr\u00e2na.\n\n\"Next follow the three kinds of meditation of the all-conquering\nKaush\u00eetaki. The all-conquering Kaush\u00eetaki adores the sun when rising,\nhaving put on the sacrificial cord,[19] having brought water, and having\nthrice sprinkled the water-cup, saying: 'Thou art the deliverer, deliver\nme from sin.' In the same manner he adores the sun when in the zenith,\nsaying: 'Thou art the highest deliverer, deliver me highly from sin.' In\nthe same manner he adores the sun when setting, saying: 'Thou art the\nfull deliverer, deliver me fully from sin.' Thus he fully removes\nwhatever sin he committed by day and by night. And in the same manner he\nwho knows this, likewise adores the sun, and fully removes whatever sin\nhe committed by day and by night.\n\n\"Then, secondly, let him worship every month in the year at the time of\nthe new moon, the moon as it is seen in the west in the same manner as\nbefore described with regard to the sun, or let him send forth his\nspeech towards the moon with two green blades of grass, saying: 'O thou\nwho art mistress of immortal joy, through that gentle heart of mine\nwhich abides in the moon, may I never weep for misfortune concerning my\nchildren.'\n\n\"The children of him who thus adores the moon do not indeed die before\nhim. Thus it is with a man to whom a son is already born.\n\n\"Now for one to whom no son is born as yet. He mutters the three Rik\nverses. 'Increase, O Soma! may vigor come to thee.' 'May milk, may food\ngo to thee.' 'That ray which the \u00c2dityas gladden.'\n\n\"Having muttered these three Rik verses, he says: 'Do not increase by\nour breath, by our offspring, by our cattle; he who hates us and whom we\nhate, increase by his breath, by his offspring, by his cattle. Thus I\nturn the turn of the god, I return the turn of \u00c2ditya.' After these\nwords, having raised the right arm towards Soma, he lets it go again.\n\n\"Then, thirdly, let him worship on the day of the full moon the moon as\nit is seen in the east in the same manner, saying: 'Thou art Soma, the\nking, the wise, the five-mouthed, the lord of creatures. The Brahmana is\none of thy mouths; with that mouth thou eatest the kings; make me an\neater of food by that mouth! The king is one of thy mouths; with that\nmouth thou eatest the people; make me an eater of food by that mouth!\nThe hawk is one of thy mouths; with that mouth thou eatest the birds;\nmake me an eater of food by that mouth! Fire is one of thy mouths; with\nthat mouth thou eatest this world; make me an eater of food by that\nmouth! In thee there is the fifth mouth; with that mouth thou eatest all\nbeings; make me an eater of food by that mouth! Do not decrease by our\nlife, by our offspring, by our cattle; he who hates us and whom we hate,\ndecrease by his life, by his offspring, by his cattle. Thus I turn the\nturn of the god, I return the turn of \u00c2ditya.' After these words, having\nraised the right arm, he lets it go again.\n\n\"Next, having addressed these prayers to Soma, when being with his wife,\nlet him stroke her heart, saying: 'O fair one, who hast obtained\nimmortal joy by that which has entered thy heart through Prag\u00e2pati,\nmayest thou never fall into sorrow about thy children.' Her children\nthen do not die before her.\n\n\"Next, if a man has been absent and returns home, let him kiss his son's\nhead, saying: 'Thou springest from every limb, thou art born from the\nheart, thou, my son, art my self indeed: live thou a hundred harvests.'\nHe gives him his name, saying: 'Be thou a stone, be thou an axe, be thou\nsolid gold; thou, my son, art light indeed: live thou a hundred\nharvests.' He pronounces his name. Then he embraces him, saying: 'As\nPrag\u00e2pati the lord of creatures embraced his creatures for their\nwelfare, thus I embrace thee,' (pronouncing his name). Then he mutters\ninto his right ear, saying: 'O thou, quick Maghavan, give to him.' 'O\nIndra, bestow thy best wishes'--thus he whispers into his left ear. Let\nhim then thrice kiss his head, saying: 'Do not cut off the line of our\nrace, do not suffer. Live a hundred harvests of life; I kiss thy head, O\nson, with thy name.' He then thrice makes a lowing sound over his head,\nsaying: 'I low over thee with the lowing sound of cows.'\n\n\"Next follows the Daiva Parimara, the dying around of the gods, the\nabsorption of the two classes of gods, mentioned before, into pr\u00e2na or\nBrahman. This Brahman shines forth indeed when the fire burns, and it\ndies when it burns not. Its splendor goes to the sun alone, the life\npr\u00e2na, the moving principle, to the air.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the sun is seen, and it dies when\nit is not seen. Its splendor goes to the moon alone, the life to the\nair.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the moon is seen, and it dies\nwhen it is not seen. Its splendor goes to the lightning alone, its life\nto the air.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when the lightning flashes, and it\ndies when it flashes not. Its splendor goes to the air, and the life to\nthe air.\n\n\"Thus all these deities (fire, sun, moon, lightning), having entered the\nair, though dead, do not vanish; and out of the very air they rise\nagain. So much with reference to the deities. Now then, with reference\nto the body.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one speaks with speech, and it\ndies when one does not speak. His splendor goes to the eye alone, the\nlife to breath.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one sees with the eye, and it\ndies when one does not see. Its splendor goes to the ear alone, the life\nto breath.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one hears with the ear, and it\ndies when one does not hear. Its splendor goes to the mind alone, the\nlife to breath.\n\n\"This Brahman shines forth indeed when one thinks with the mind, and it\ndies when one does not think. Its splendor goes to the breath alone, and\nthe life to breath.\n\n\"Thus all these deities (the senses, etc.), having entered breath or\nlife alone, though dead, do not vanish; and out of very breath they rise\nagain. And if two mountains, the southern and northern, were to move\nforward trying to crush him who knows this, they would not crush him.\nBut those who hate him and those whom he hates, they die around him.\n\n\"Next follows the Nihsreyas\u00e2d\u00e2na, i.e., the accepting of the preeminence\nof breath or life by the other gods. The deities, speech, eye, ear,\nmind, contending with each for who was the best, went out of this body,\nand the body lay without breathing, withered, like a log of wood. Then\nspeech went into it, but speaking by speech, it lay still. Then the eye\nwent into it, but speaking by speech, and seeing by the eye, it lay\nstill. Then the ear went into it, but speaking by speech, seeing by the\neye, hearing by the ear, it lay still. Then mind went into it, but\nspeaking by speech, seeing by the eye, hearing by the ear, thinking by\nthe mind, it lay still. Then breath went into it, and thence it rose at\nonce. All these deities, having recognized the preeminence in life, and\nhaving comprehended life alone as the conscious self, went out of this\nbody with all these five different kinds of life, and resting in the\nair, knowing that life had entered the air and merged in the ether, they\nwent to heaven. And in the same manner he who knows this, having\nrecognized the pre\u00ebminence in pr\u00e2na, and having comprehended life alone\nas the conscious self, goes out of this body with all these, does no\nlonger believe in this body, and resting in the air, and merged in the\nether, he goes to heaven: he goes to where those gods are. And having\nreached this heaven, he, who knows this, becomes immortal with that\nimmortality which those gods enjoy.\n\n\"Next follows the father's tradition to the son, and thus they explain\nit. The father, when going to depart, calls his son, after having strewn\nthe house with fresh grass, and having laid the sacrificial fire, and\nhaving placed near it a pot of water with a jug, full of rice, himself\ncovered with a new cloth, and dressed in white. He places himself above\nhis son, touching his organs with his own organs, or he may deliver the\ntradition to him while he sits before him. Then he delivers it to him.\nThe father says: 'Let me place my speech in thee.' The son says: 'I take\nthy speech in me.' The father says: 'Let me place my scent in thee.' The\nson says: 'I take thy scent in me.' The father says: 'Let me place my\neye in thee.' The son says: 'I take thy eye in me.' The father says:\n'Let me place my ear in thee.' The son says: 'I take thy ear in me.' The\nfather says: 'Let me place my tastes of food in thee.' The son says: 'I\ntake thy tastes of food in me.' The father says: 'Let me place my\nactions in thee.' The son says: 'I take thy actions in me.' The father\nsays: 'Let me place my pleasure and pain in thee.' The son says: 'I take\nthy pleasure and pain in me.' The father says: 'Let me place happiness,\njoy, and offspring in thee.' The son says: 'I take thy happiness, joy,\nand offspring in me.' The father says: 'Let me place my walking in\nthee.' The son says: 'I take thy walking in me.' The father says: 'Let\nme place my mind in thee.' The son says: 'I take thy mind in me.' The\nfather says: 'Let me place my knowledge in thee.' The son says: 'I take\nthy knowledge in me.' But if the father is very ill, he may say shortly:\nLet me place my spirits in thee,' and the son: 'I take thy spirits in\nme.'\n\n\"Then the son walks round his father, keeping his right side towards\nhim, and goes away. The father calls after him: 'May fame, glory of\ncountenance, and honor always follow thee.' Then the other looks back\nover his left shoulder, covering himself with his hand or the hem of his\ngarment, saying: 'Obtain the heavenly worlds and all desires.'\n\n\"If the father recovers, let him be under the authority of his son, or\nlet him wander about as an ascetic. But if he departs, then let them\ndespatch him, as he ought to be despatched, yea, as he ought to be\ndespatched.\"\n\n\n\nLIFE AND CONSCIOUSNESS\n\n\nPratardana, the son of Divod\u00e2sa, King of K\u00e2s\u00ee, came by means of fighting\nand strength to the beloved abode of Indra. Indra said to him:\n\"Pratardana, let me give you a boon to choose.\" And Pratardana answered:\n\"Do you yourself choose that boon for me which you deem most beneficial\nfor a man.\" Indra said to him: \"No one who chooses, chooses for another;\nchoose thyself.\" Then Pratardana replied: \"Then that boon to choose is\nno boon for me.\"\n\nThen, however, Indra did not swerve from the truth, for Indra is truth.\nIndra said to him: \"Know me only; that is what I deem most beneficial\nfor man, that he should know me. I slew the three-headed son of\nTvashtri; I delivered the Arunmukhas, the devotees, to the wolves;\nbreaking many treaties, I killed the people of Prahl\u00e2da in heaven, the\npeople of Puloma in the sky, the people of K\u00e2laka\u00f1ga on earth. And not\none hair of me was harmed there. And he who knows me thus, by no deed of\nhis is his life harmed: not by the murder of his mother, not by the\nmurder of his father, not by theft, not by the killing of a Brahman. If\nhe is going to commit a sin, the bloom does not depart from his face. I\nam pr\u00e2na, meditate on me as the conscious self, as life, as immortality.\nLife is pr\u00e2na, pr\u00e2na is life. Immortality is pr\u00e2na, pr\u00e2na is\nimmortality. As long as pr\u00e2na dwells in this body, so long surely there\nis life. By pr\u00e2na he obtains immortality in the other world, by\nknowledge true conception. He who meditates on me as life and\nimmortality, gains his full life in this world, and obtains in the\nSvarga world immortality and indestructibility.\"\n\nPratardana said: \"Some maintain here, that the pr\u00e2nas become one, for\notherwise no one could at the same time make known a name by speech, see\na form with the eye, hear a sound with the ear, think a thought with the\nmind. After having become one, the pr\u00e2nas perceive all these together,\none by one. While speech speaks, all pr\u00e2nas speak after it. While the\neye sees, all pr\u00e2nas see after it. While the ear hears, all pr\u00e2nas hear\nafter it. While the mind thinks, all pr\u00e2nas think after it. While the\npr\u00e2na breathes, all pr\u00e2nas breathe after it.\"\n\n\"Thus it is indeed,\" said Indra, \"but nevertheless there is a\npre\u00ebminence among the pr\u00e2nas. Man lives deprived of speech, for we see\ndumb people. Man lives deprived of sight, for we see blind people. Man\nlives deprived of hearing, for we see deaf people. Man lives deprived of\nmind, for we see infants. Man lives deprived of his arms, deprived of\nhis legs, for we see it thus. But pr\u00e2na alone is the conscious self, and\nhaving laid hold of this body, it makes it rise up. Therefore it is\nsaid, 'Let man worship it alone as uktha.' What is pr\u00e2na, that is\nprag\u00f1\u00e2, or self-consciousness; what is prag\u00f1\u00e2 (self-consciousness), that\nis pr\u00e2na, for together they live in this body, and together they go out\nof it. Of that, this is the evidence, this is the understanding. When a\nman, being thus asleep, sees no dream whatever, he becomes one with that\npr\u00e2na alone. Then speech goes to him, when he is absorbed in pr\u00e2na, with\nall names, the eye with all forms, the ear with all sounds, the mind\nwith all thoughts. And when he awakes, then, as from a burning fire\nsparks proceed in all directions; thus from that self the pr\u00e2nas\nproceed, each towards its place: from the pr\u00e2nas the gods, from the gods\nthe worlds.\n\n\"Of this, this is the proof, this is the understanding. When a man is\nthus sick, going to die, falling into weakness and faintness, they say:\n'His thought has departed, he hears not, he sees not, he speaks not, he\nthinks not.' Then he becomes one with that pr\u00e2na alone. Then speech goes\nto him who is absorbed in pr\u00e2na, with all names, the eye with all forms,\nthe ear with all sounds, the mind with all thoughts. And when he departs\nfrom this body, he departs together with all these.\n\n\"Speech gives up to him who is absorbed in pr\u00e2na all names, so that by\nspeech he obtains all names. The nose gives up to him all odors, so that\nby scent he obtains all odors. The eye gives up to him all forms, so\nthat by the eye he obtains all forms. The ear gives up to him all\nsounds, so that by the ear he obtains all sounds. The mind gives up to\nhim all thoughts, so that by the mind he obtains all thoughts. This is\nthe complete absorption in pr\u00e2na. And what is pr\u00e2na is prag\u00f1\u00e2, or\nself-consciousness; what is prag\u00f1\u00e2, is pr\u00e2na. For together do these two\nlive in the body, and together do they depart.\n\n\"Now we shall explain how all things become one in that\nself-consciousness. Speech is one portion taken out of prag\u00f1\u00e2, or\nself-conscious knowledge: the word is its object, placed outside. The\nnose is one portion taken out of it, the odor is its object, placed\noutside. The eye is one portion taken out of it, the form is its object,\nplaced outside. The ear is one portion taken out of it, the sound is its\nobject, placed outside. The tongue is one portion taken out of it, the\ntaste of food is its object, placed outside. The two hands are one\nportion taken out of it, their action is their object, placed outside.\nThe body is one portion taken out of it, its pleasure and pain are its\nobject, placed outside. The organ is one portion taken out of it,\nhappiness, joy, and offspring are its object, placed outside. The two\nfeet are one portion taken out of it, movements are their object, placed\noutside. Mind is one portion taken out of it, thoughts and desires are\nits object, placed outside.\n\n\"Having by self-conscious knowledge taken possession of speech, he\nobtains by speech all words. Having taken possession of the nose, he\nobtains all odors. Having taken possession of the eye, he obtains all\nforms. Having taken possession of the ear, he obtains all sounds. Having\ntaken possession of the tongue, he obtains all tastes of food. Having\ntaken possession of the two hands, he obtains all actions. Having taken\npossession of the body, he obtains pleasure and pain. Having taken\npossession of the organ, he obtains happiness, joy, and offspring.\nHaving taken possession of the two feet, he obtains all movements.\nHaving taken possession of mind, he obtains all thoughts.\n\n\"For without self-consciousness speech does not make known to the self\nany word.[20] 'My mind was absent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that\nword.' Without self-consciousness the nose does not make known any odor.\n'My mind was absent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that odor.' Without\nself-consciousness the eye does not make known any form. 'My mind was\nabsent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that form.' Without\nself-consciousness the ear does not make known any sound. 'My mind was\nabsent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that sound.' Without\nself-consciousness the tongue does not make known any taste. 'My mind\nwas absent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that taste.' Without\nself-consciousness the two hands do not make known any act. 'Our mind\nwas absent,' they say, 'we did not perceive any act.' Without\nself-consciousness the body does not make known pleasure or pain. 'My\nmind was absent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that pleasure or pain.'\nWithout self-consciousness the organ does not make known happiness, joy,\nor offspring. 'My mind was absent,' he says, 'I did not perceive that\nhappiness, joy, or offspring.' Without self-consciousness the two feet\ndo not make known any movement. 'Our mind was absent,' they say, 'we did\nnot perceive that movement.' Without self-consciousness no thought\nsucceeds, nothing can be known that is to be known.\n\n\"Let no man try to find out what speech is, let him know the speaker.\nLet no man try to find out what odor is, let him know him who smells.\nLet no man try to find out what form is, let him know the seer. Let no\nman try to find out what sound is, let him know the hearer. Let no man\ntry to find out the tastes of food, let him know the knower of tastes.\nLet no man try to find out what action is, let him know the agent. Let\nno man try to find out what pleasure and pain are, let him know the\nknower of pleasure and pain. Let no man try to find out what happiness,\njoy, and offspring are, let him knew the knower of happiness, joy, and\noffspring. Let no man try to find out what movement is, let him know the\nmover. Let no man try to find out what mind is, let him know the\nthinker. These ten objects (what is spoken, smelled, seen, felt) have\nreference to self-consciousness; the ten subjects (speech, the senses,\nmind) have reference to objects. If there were no objects, there would\nbe no subjects; and if there were no subjects, there would be no\nobjects. For on either side alone nothing could be achieved. But the\nself of prag\u00f1\u00e2, consciousness, and pr\u00e2na, life, is not many, but one.\nFor as in a car the circumference of a wheel is placed on the spokes,\nand the spokes on the nave, thus are these objects, as a circumference,\nplaced on the subjects as spokes, and the subjects on the pr\u00e2na. And\nthat pr\u00e2na, the living and breathing power, indeed is the self of\nprag\u00f1\u00e2, the self-conscious self: blessed, imperishable, immortal. He\ndoes not increase by a good action, nor decrease by a bad action. For\nthe self of pr\u00e2na and prag\u00f1\u00e2 makes him, whom he wishes to lead up from\nthese worlds, do a good deed; and the same makes him, whom he wishes to\nlead down from these worlds, do a bad deed. And he is the guardian of\nthe world, he is the king of the world, he is the lord of the\nuniverse--and he is my (Indra's) self; thus let it be known, yea, thus\nlet it be known!\"\n\n\n[Footnote 14: The question put by Kitra to Svetaketu is very obscure,\nand was probably from the first intended to be obscure in its very\nwording. Kitra wished to ask, doubtless, concerning the future life.\nThat future life is reached by two roads; one leading to the world of\nBrahman (the conditioned), beyond which there lies one other stage only,\nrepresented by knowledge of, and identity with the unconditioned\nBrahman; the other leading to the world of the fathers, and from thence,\nafter the reward of good works has been consumed, back to a new round of\nmundane existence. There is a third road for creatures which live and\ndie, worms, insects, and creeping things, but they are of little\nconsequence. Now it is quite clear that the knowledge which King Kitra\npossesses, and which Svetaketu does not possess, is that of the two\nroads after death, sometimes called the right and the left, or the\nsouthern and northern roads. The northern or left road, called also the\npath of the Devas, passes on from light and day to the bright half of\nthe moon; the southern or right road, called also the path of the\nfathers, passes on from smoke and night to the dark half of the moon.\nBoth roads therefore meet in the moon, but diverge afterwards. While the\nnorthern road passes by the six months when the sun moves towards the\nnorth, through the sun, moon, and the lightning to the world of Brahman,\nthe southern passes by the six months when the sun moves towards the\nsouth, to the world of the fathers, the ether, and the moon. The great\ndifference, however, between the two roads is, that while those who\ntravel on the former do not return again to a new life on earth, but\nreach in the end a true knowledge of the unconditioned Brahman, those\nwho pass on to the world of the fathers and the moon return to earth to\nbe born again and again. The speculations on the fate of the soul after\ndeath seem to have been peculiar to the royal families of India, while\nthe Brahmans dwelt more on what may be called the shorter cut, a\nknowledge of Brahman as the true Self. To know, with them, was to be,\nand, after the dissolution of the body, they looked forward to immediate\nemancipation, without any further wanderings.]\n\n[Footnote 15: Who knows the conditioned and mythological form of Brahman\nas here described, sitting on the couch.]\n\n[Footnote 16: In the first chapter it was said, \"He approaches the couch\nAmitaugas, that is pr\u00e2na\" (breath, spirit, life). Therefore having\nexplained in the first chapter the knowledge of the couch (of Brahman),\nthe next subject to be explained is the knowledge of pr\u00e2na, the living\nspirit, taken for a time as Brahman, or the last cause of everything.]\n\n[Footnote 17: Speech is uncertain, and has to be checked by the eye. The\neye is uncertain, taking mother of pearl for silver, and must be checked\nby the ear. The ear is uncertain, and must be checked by the mind, for\nunless the mind is attentive, the ear hears not. The mind, lastly,\ndepends on the spirit, for without spirit there is no mind.]\n\n[Footnote 18: The vital spirits are called the highest treasure, because\na man surrenders everything to preserve his vital spirits or his life.]\n\n[Footnote 19: This is one of the earliest, if not the earliest mention\nof the yag\u00f1opav\u00eeta, the sacred cord as worn over the left shoulder for\nsacrificial purposes.]\n\n[Footnote 20: Professor Cowell has translated a passage from the\ncommentary which is interesting as showing that its author and the\nauthor of the Upanishads too had a clear conception of the correlative\nnature of knowledge. \"The organ of sense,\" he says, \"cannot exist\nwithout prag\u00f1\u00e2 (self-consciousness), nor the objects of sense be\nobtained without the organ, therefore--on the principle, that when one\nthing cannot exist without another, that thing is said to be identical\nwith the other--as the cloth, for instance, being never perceived\nwithout the threads, is identical with them, or the (false perception\nof) silver being never found without the mother of pearl is identical\nwith it, so the objects of sense being never found without the organs\nare identical with them, and the organs being never found without prag\u00f1\u00e2\n(self-consciousness) are identical with it.\"]\n\n\n\n\nSELECTIONS FROM THE KORAN\n\nTranslation by George Sale\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nThe importance of the \"Koran\" lies in the fact that it is a religious\nbook of the East, read and stored in the memory of a hundred millions of\npeople of different races and civilizations, inhabiting countries\nextending from the western borders of China to the pillars of Hercules.\nIt is considered by the Mohammedan to contain all the knowledge and all\nthe literature necessary for men. When it was demanded of Mohammed to\nconfirm the authority of his mission by some work of wonder, he pointed\nto the \"Koran,\" and exclaimed, \"Behold the greatest miracle of all.\" The\nlearned men of Alexandria asked the Caliph Omar to give to them the vast\nlibrary at Alexandria. \"If those books,\" he replied, \"contain anything\nwhich is contrary to the 'Koran' they deserve to be destroyed. If they\ncontain what is written in the 'Koran,' they are unnecessary.\" He\nordered them to be distributed among the baths of the city, to serve as\nfuel for their furnaces.\n\nThe composition of the \"Koran\" is all the work of Mohammed. He himself\nclaimed that he spoke merely as the oracle of God. The commands and\ninjunctions are in the first person, as if spoken by the Divine Being.\nThe passionate enthusiasm and religious earnestness of the prophet are\nplainly seen in these strange writings. Sometimes, however, he sinks\ninto the mere Arabian story-teller, whose object is the amusement of his\npeople. He is not a poet, but when he deals with the unity of God, with\nthe beneficence of the Divine Being, with the wonders of Nature, with\nthe beauty of resignation, he exhibits a glowing rhetoric, a power of\ngorgeous imagery, of pathos, and religious devotion, that make the\n\"Koran\" the first written work in the Arabian tongue.\n\nIf we take Mohammed's own account of the composition of the volume, we\nmust believe that the completed \"Koran\" existed from all eternity, on a\ntablet preserved in the upper heavens. Once a year, during the period of\nthe prophet's active work, fragments of this tablet were brought down by\nthe angel Gabriel to the lower heavens of the moon, and imparted to the\nprophet, who was periodically transported to that celestial sphere. The\nwords were recited by the angel, and dictated by the prophet to his\nscribe. These detached scraps were written on the ribs of palm leaves,\nor the shoulder-blades of sheep, or parchment, and were stored in a\nchest, in which they were kept until the caliphat of Abu Bekr, in the\nseventh century, when they were collected in one volume. Such marvels of\nrevelation were made at different periods to the prophet, and were\ncalled Surahs, and formed separate chapters in the Koran as we have it\nto-day. Some of these Surahs contradict what had previously been uttered\nby the prophet, but this discrepancy is obviated by the expedient of\nwhat is called \"abrogation,\" and the more recent utterances were held to\nsupersede and rescind those which were contradictory to it in the\nearlier revelation.\n\nIt may well be believed that these sibylline leaves of Mohammedanism\nmake up a heterogeneous jumble of varied elements. Some of the chapters\nare long, others are short; now the prophet seems to be caught up by a\nwhirlwind, and is brought face to face with ineffable mysteries, of\nwhich he speaks in the language of rhapsody. At other times he is dry\nand prosaic, indulging in wearisome iterations, and childish\ntrivialities. Now he assumes the plain, clear voice of the law-giver, or\nraises his accents into the angry threatenings of the relentless and\nbloodthirsty fanatic. Yet throughout the whole volume there is a strain\nof religious resignation, of trust in God, of hopefulness under\nadversity, of kindliness towards men, which reveal a nobility of ideal,\na simplicity and purity in the conception of the Divine Being, and the\nrelations of human life, which make the work not without inspiration,\neven to the thoughtful man of the nineteenth century. The Koran must\nalways be considered one of the most potent of religious books, one of\nthe greatest documents which reveal the struggle of the human heart\nafter a knowledge of God, and of faithful accomplishment of the Divine\nwill. Perhaps the essence of the work as furnishing a philosophy of\nlife, is contained in the axioms of Abu Bekr, one of the most exalted in\ncharacter of Mohammed's successors. \"Good actions,\" he says, \"are a\nguard against the blows of adversity.\" And again, \"Death is the easiest\nof all things after it, and the hardest of all things before it.\" To\nwhich we may add the sentence of Ali, \"Riches without God are the\ngreatest poverty and misery.\"\n\nThere are twenty-nine chapters of the \"Koran,\" which begin with certain\nletters of the alphabet: some with a single one, others with more. These\nletters the Mohammedans believe to be the peculiar marks of the \"Koran,\"\nand to conceal several profound mysteries, the certain understanding of\nwhich, the more intelligent confess, has not been communicated to any\nmortal, their prophet only excepted. Notwithstanding which, some will\ntake the liberty of guessing at their meaning by that species of Cabbala\ncalled by the Jews, Notarikon, and suppose the letters to stand for as\nmany words expressing the names and attributes of God, his works,\nordinances, and decrees; and therefore these mysterious letters, as well\nas the verses themselves, seem in the \"Koran\" to be called signs. Others\nexplain the intent of these letters from their nature or organ, or else\nfrom their value in numbers, according to another species of the Jewish\nCabbala called Gematria; the uncertainty of these conjectures\nsufficiently appears from their disagreement. Thus, for example, five\nchapters, one of which is the second, begin with the letters A.L.M.,\nwhich some imagine to stand for _Allah lat\u00eef mag\u00eed_--\"God is gracious\nand to be glorified\"--or, _Ana li minni_--\"to me and from me\"--belongs\nall perfection, and proceeds all good; or else for _Ana Allah \u00e2lam_--\"I\nam the most wise God\"--taking the first letter to mark the beginning of\nthe first word, the second the middle of the second word, and the third\nthe last of the third word: or for \"Allah, Gabriel, Mohammed,\" the\nauthor, revealer, and preacher of the \"Koran.\" Others say that as the\nletter A belongs to the lower part of the throat, the first of the\norgans of speech; L to the palate, the middle organ: and M to the lips,\nwhich are the last organs; so these letters signify that God is the\nbeginning, middle, and end, or ought to be praised in the beginning,\nmiddle, and end of all our words and actions; or, as the total value of\nthose three letters in numbers is seventy-one, they signify that in the\nspace of so many years, the religion preached in the \"Koran\" should be\nfully established. The conjecture of a learned Christian is, at least,\nas certain as any of the former, who supposes those letters were set\nthere by the amanuensis, for _Amar li Mohammed_--\"at the command of\nMohammed\"--as the five letters prefixed to the nineteenth chapter seem\nto be there written by a Jewish scribe, for _Cob yaas_--\"thus he\ncommanded.\"\n\nThe general contents of the \"Koran\" may be divided under three heads:\nFirst, precepts and laws in matters of religion, such as prayer,\nfasting, pilgrimage; there are laws also given in the affairs of the\ncivil life, such as marriage, the possession and bequeathing of\nproperty, and the administration of justice. The second division would\ninclude histories, which consist in a great part of incidents from the\nBible, as Christians know it. Mohammed probably picked up a good deal of\nhearsay knowledge in this department from Jews and Christians. Some of\nhis historical incidents are purely fabulous, others are perversions or\nfalsifications of the Scriptural narrative. This portion of the \"Koran,\"\ninteresting and anecdotic as it is, is the least satisfactory of the\nwork, and shows the writer in his true ignorance, and disregard for\nhistoric verification. When, for instance, he confounds Miriam, the\nsister of Moses, with Mary the Mother of Christ, he shows himself lost\nin truly Oriental clouds of mystic error. The third element in the\n\"Koran\" is a large body of admonitions, many of them addressed to the\noutside world, and to unbelievers who are exhorted to accept the creed\nthat there is one God and Mohammed is His prophet. War is put forth as a\nlegitimate method of propagating the faith. The duties of life, such as\njustice, temperance, resignation and industry, are enforced. Hell is\nthreatened to infidels and immoral people; and from whatever sources the\nwriter derived his materials there can be no doubt that the moral scheme\nhe promulgated was in every sense a revelation to the degraded idolaters\nand fire-worshippers, amongst whom he discharged the mission of his\nlife. Mohammed preached what he called the truth, with the sword in one\nhand and the \"Koran\" in the other. But the empire established by the\nsword would long since have crumbled into dust like that of Alexander or\nAugustus, unless the \"Koran\" had fixed its teaching in the minds of the\nconquered, had regulated by its precepts their social and political\nlife, had supported and exalted their faith with the doctrine of one\nAlmighty and beneficent God; had cheered them with the hope of a\nResurrection, and illuminated their minds with the vision of a Paradise,\nthe grossest of whose delights were afterwards to be interpreted by\nArabic commentators in accordance with the highest spiritual\ncapabilities of the human race.\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\nMOHAMMED AND MOHAMMEDANISM\n\nBy Thomas Carlyle\n\n\nFrom the first rude times of Paganism among the Scandinavians in the\nNorth, we advance to a very different epoch of religion, among a very\ndifferent people: Mohammedanism among the Arabs. A great change; what a\nchange and progress is indicated here, in the universal condition and\nthoughts of men!\n\nThe Hero is not now regarded as a God among his fellow-men; but as one\nGod-inspired, as a Prophet. It is the second phasis of Hero-worship: the\nfirst or oldest, we may say, has passed away without return; in the\nhistory of the world there will not again be any man, never so great,\nwhom his fellow-men will take for a god. Nay we might rationally ask,\nDid any set of human beings ever really think the man they _saw_ there\nstanding beside them a god, the maker of this world? Perhaps not: it was\nusually some man they remembered, or _had_ seen. But neither can this\nany more be. The Great Man is not recognized henceforth as a god any\nmore.\n\nIt was a rude gross error, that of counting the Great Man a god. Yet let\nus say that it is at all times difficult to know _what_ he is, or how to\naccount of him and receive him! The most significant feature in the\nhistory of an epoch is the manner it has of welcoming a Great Man. Ever,\nto the true instincts of men, there is something godlike in him. Whether\nthey shall take him to be a god, to be a prophet, or what they shall\ntake him to be? that is ever a grand question; by their way of answering\nthat, we shall see, as through a little window, into the very heart of\nthese men's spiritual condition. For at bottom the Great Man, as he\ncomes from the hand of Nature, is ever the same kind of thing: Odin,\nLuther, Johnson, Burns; I hope to make it appear that these are all\noriginally of one stuff; that only by the world's reception of them, and\nthe shapes they assume, are they so immeasurably diverse. The worship of\nOdin astonishes us,--to fall prostrate before the Great Man, into\n_deliquium_ of love and wonder over him, and feel in their hearts that\nhe was a denizen of the skies, a god! This was imperfect enough: but to\nwelcome, for example, a Burns as we did, was that what we can call\nperfect? The most precious gift that Heaven can give to the Earth; a man\nof \"genius\" as we call it; the Soul of a Man actually sent down from the\nskies with a God's-message to us,--this we waste away as an idle\nartificial firework, sent to amuse us a little, and sink it into ashes,\nwreck, and ineffectuality: _such_ reception of a Great Man I do not call\nvery perfect either! Looking into the heart of the thing, one may\nperhaps call that of Burns a still uglier phenomenon, betokening still\nsadder imperfections in mankind's ways, than the Scandinavian method\nitself! To fall into mere unreasoning _deliquium_ of love and\nadmiration, was not good; but such unreasoning, nay irrational\nsupercilious no-love at all is perhaps still worse!--It is a thing\nforever changing, this of Hero-worship: different in each age, difficult\nto do well in any age. Indeed, the heart of the whole business of the\nage, one may say, is to do it well.\n\nWe have chosen Mohammed not as the most eminent Prophet; but as the one\nwe are freest to speak of. He is by no means the truest of Prophets; but\nI do esteem him a true one. Further, as there is no danger of our\nbecoming, any of us, Mohammedans, I mean to say all the good of him I\njustly can. It is the way to get at his secret: let us try to understand\nwhat _he_ meant with the world; what the world meant and means with him,\nwill then be a more answerable question. Our current hypothesis about\nMohammed, that he was a scheming Impostor, a Falsehood incarnate, that\nhis religion is a mere mass of quackery and fatuity, begins really to be\nnow untenable to any one. The lies, which well-meaning zeal has heaped\nround this man, are disgraceful to ourselves only. When Pococke inquired\nof Grotius where the proof was of that story of the pigeon, trained to\npick peas from Mohammed's ear, and pass for an angel dictating to him,\nGrotius answered that there was no proof! It is really time to dismiss\nall that. The word this man spoke has been the life-guidance now of a\nhundred-and-eighty millions of men these twelve-hundred years. These\nhundred-and-eighty millions were made by God as well as we. A greater\nnumber of God's creatures believe in Mohammed's word at this hour than\nin any other word whatever. Are we to suppose that it was a miserable\npiece of spiritual legerdemain, this which so many creatures of the\nAlmighty have lived by and died by? I, for my part, cannot form any such\nsupposition. I will believe most things sooner than that. One would be\nentirely at a loss what to think of this world at all, if quackery so\ngrew and were sanctioned here.\n\nAlas, such theories are very lamentable. If we would attain to knowledge\nof anything in God's true Creation, let us disbelieve them wholly! They\nare the product of an Age of Scepticism; they indicate the saddest\nspiritual paralysis, and mere death-life of the souls of men: more\ngodless theory, I think, was never promulgated in this Earth. A false\nman found a religion? Why, a false man cannot build a brick house! If he\ndo not know and follow _truly_ the properties of mortar, burnt clay and\nwhat else he works in, it is no house that he makes, but a rubbish-heap.\nIt will not stand for twelve centuries, to lodge a hundred-and-eighty\nmillions; it will fall straightway. A man must conform himself to\nNature's laws, _be_ verily in communion with Nature and the truth of\nthings, or Nature will answer him, No, not at all! Speciosities are\nspecious--ah me!--a Cagliostro, many Cagliostros, prominent\nworld-leaders, do prosper by their quackery, for a day. It is like a\nforged bank-note; they get it passed out of _their_ worthless hands:\nothers, not they, have to smart for it. Nature bursts-up in fire-flames,\nFrench Revolutions and suchlike, proclaiming with terrible veracity that\nforged notes are forged.\n\nBut of a Great Man especially, of him I will venture to assert that it\nis incredible he should have been other than true. It seems to me the\nprimary foundation of him, and of all that can lie in him, this. No\nMirabeau, Napoleon, Burns, Cromwell, no man adequate to do anything, but\nis first of all in right earnest about it; what I call a sincere man. I\nshould say _sincerity_, a deep, great, genuine sincerity, is the first\ncharacteristic of all men in any way heroic. Not the sincerity that\ncalls itself sincere; ah no, that is a very poor matter indeed;--a\nshallow braggart conscious sincerity; oftenest self-conceit mainly. The\nGreat Man's sincerity is of the kind he cannot speak of, is not\nconscious of; nay, I suppose, he is conscious rather of _in_sincerity;\nfor what man can walk accurately by the law of truth for one day? No,\nthe Great Man does not boast himself sincere, far from that; perhaps\ndoes not ask himself if he is so: I would say rather, his sincerity does\nnot depend on himself; he cannot help being sincere! The great Fact of\nExistence is great to him. Fly as he will, he cannot get out of the\nawful presence of this Reality. His mind is so made; he is great by\nthat, first of all. Fearful and wonderful, real as Life, real as Death,\nis this Universe to him. Though all men should forget its truth, and\nwalk in a vain show, he cannot. At all moments the Flame-image glares-in\nupon him; undeniable, there, there!--I wish you to take this as my\nprimary definition of a Great Man. A little man may have this, it is\ncompetent to all men that God has made: but a Great Man cannot be\nwithout it.\n\nSuch a man is what we call an _original_ man; he comes to us at\nfirst-hand. A messenger he, sent from the Infinite Unknown with tidings\nto us. We may call him Poet, Prophet, God;--in one way or other, we all\nfeel that the words he utters are as no other man's words. Direct from\nthe Inner Fact of things:--he lives, and has to live, in daily communion\nwith that. Hearsays cannot hide it from him; he is blind, homeless,\nmiserable, following hearsays; _it_ glares-in upon him. Really his\nutterances, are they not a kind of \"revelation\";--what we must call such\nfor want of other name? It is from the heart of the world that he comes;\nhe is portion of the primal reality of things. God has made many\nrevelations: but this man too, has not God made him, the latest and\nnewest of all? The \"inspiration of the Almighty giveth _him_\nunderstanding\": we must listen before all to him.\n\nThis Mohammed, then, we will in no wise consider as an Inanity and\nTheatricality, a poor conscious ambitious schemer; we cannot conceive\nhim so. The rude message he delivered was a real one withal; an earnest\nconfused voice from the unknown Deep. The man's words were not false,\nnor his workings here below; no Inanity and Simulacrum; a fiery mass of\nLife cast-up from the great bosom of Nature herself. To _kindle_ the\nworld; the world's Maker had ordered it so. Neither can the faults,\nimperfections, insincerities even, of Mohammed, if such were never so\nwell proved against him, shake this primary fact about him.\n\nOn the whole, we make too much of faults; the details of the business\nhide the real centre of it. Faults? The greatest of faults, I should\nsay, is to be conscious of none. Readers of the Bible above all, one\nwould think, might know better. Who is called there \"the man according\nto God's own heart\"? David, the Hebrew King, had fallen into sins\nenough; blackest crimes; there was no want of sins. And thereupon the\nunbelievers sneer and ask, Is this your man according to God's heart?\nThe sneer, I must say, seems to me but a shallow one. What are faults,\nwhat are the outward details of a life; if the inner secret of it, the\nremorse, temptations, true, often-baffled, never-ended struggle of it,\nbe forgotten? \"It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.\" Of\nall acts, is not, for a man, _repentance_ the most divine? The deadliest\nsin, I say, were that same supercilious consciousness of no sin;--that\nis death; the heart so conscious is divorced from sincerity, humility,\nand fact; is dead: it is \"pure\" as dead dry sand is pure. David's life\nand history, as written for us in those Psalms of his, I consider to be\nthe truest emblem ever given of a man's moral progress and warfare here\nbelow. All earnest souls will ever discern in it the faithful struggle\nof an earnest human soul towards what is good and best. Struggle often\nbaffled, sore baffled, down as into entire wreck; yet a struggle never\nended; ever, with tears, repentance, true unconquerable purpose, begun\nanew. Poor human nature! Is not a man's walking, in truth, always that:\n\"a succession of falls\"? Man can do no other. In this wild element of a\nLife, he has to struggle onwards; now fallen, deep-abased; and ever,\nwith tears, repentance, with bleeding heart, he has to rise again,\nstruggle again still onwards. That his struggle _be_ a faithful\nunconquerable one: that is the question of questions. We will put-up\nwith many sad details, if the soul of it were true. Details by\nthemselves will never teach us what it is. I believe we misestimate\nMohammed's faults even as faults: but the secret of him will never be\ngot by dwelling there. We will leave all this behind us; and assuring\nourselves that he did mean some true thing, ask candidly what it was or\nmight be.\n\nThese Arabs Mohammed was born among are certainly a notable people.\nTheir country itself is notable; the fit habitation for such a race.\nSavage inaccessible rock-mountains, great grim deserts, alternating with\nbeautiful strips of verdure: wherever water is, there is greenness,\nbeauty; odoriferous balm-shrubs, date-trees, frankincense-trees.\nConsider that wide waste horizon of sand, empty, silent, like a\nsand-sea, dividing habitable place from habitable. You are all alone\nthere, left alone with the Universe; by day a fierce sun blazing down on\nit with intolerable radiance; by night the great deep Heaven with its\nstars. Such a country is fit for a swift-handed, deep-hearted race of\nmen. There is something most agile, active, and yet most meditative,\nenthusiastic in the Arab character. The Persians are called the French\nof the East; we will call the Arabs Oriental Italians. A gifted noble\npeople; a people of wild strong feelings, and of iron restraint over\nthese: the characteristic of noblemindedness, of genius. The wild\nBedouin welcomes the stranger to his tent, as one having right to all\nthat is there; were it his worst enemy, he will slay his foal to treat\nhim, will serve him with sacred hospitality for three days, will set him\nfairly on his way;--and then, by another law as sacred, kill him if he\ncan. In words too, as in action. They are not a loquacious people,\ntaciturn rather; but eloquent, gifted when they do speak. An earnest,\ntruthful kind of men. They are, as we know, of Jewish kindred: but with\nthat deadly terrible earnestness of the Jews they seem to combine\nsomething graceful, brilliant, which is not Jewish. They had \"poetic\ncontests\" among them before the time of Mohammed. Sale says, at Ocadh,\nin the South of Arabia, there were yearly fairs, and there, when the\nmerchandising was done, Poets sang for prizes:--the wild people gathered\nto hear that.\n\nOne Jewish quality these Arabs manifest; the outcome of many or of all\nhigh qualities: what we may call religiosity. From of old they had been\nzealous worshippers, according to their light. They worshipped the\nstars, as Sabeans; worshipped many natural objects--recognized them as\nsymbols, immediate manifestations, of the Maker of Nature. It was wrong;\nand yet not wholly wrong. All God's works are still in a sense symbols\nof God. Do we not, as I urged, still account it a merit to recognize a\ncertain inexhaustible significance, \"poetic beauty\" as we name it, in\nall natural objects whatsoever? A man is a poet, and honored, for doing\nthat, and speaking or singing it--a kind of diluted worship. They had\nmany Prophets, these Arabs; Teachers each to his tribe, each according\nto the light he had. But indeed, have we not from of old the noblest of\nproofs, still palpable to every one of us, of what devoutness and\nnoblemindedness had dwelt in these rustic thoughtful peoples? Biblical\ncritics seem agreed that our own _Book of Job_ was written in that\nregion of the world. I call that, apart from all theories about it, one\nof the grandest things ever written with pen. One feels, indeed, as if\nit were not Hebrew; such a noble universality, different from noble\npatriotism or sectarianism, reigns in it. A noble Book; all men's Book!\nIt is our first, oldest statement of the never-ending Problem,--man's\ndestiny, and God's ways with him here in this earth. And all in such\nfree flowing outlines; grand in its sincerity, in its simplicity; in its\nepic melody, and repose of reconcilement. There is the seeing eye, the\nmildly understanding heart. So _true_ everyway; true eyesight and vision\nfor all things; material things no less than spiritual: the Horse--\"hast\nthou clothed his neck with _thunder_?\"--he \"_laughs_ at the shaking of\nthe spear!\" Such living likenesses were never since drawn. Sublime\nsorrow, sublime reconciliation; oldest choral melody as of the heart of\nmankind;--so soft, and great; as the summer midnight, as the world with\nits seas and stars! There is nothing written, I think, in the Bible or\nout of it, of equal literary merit.--\n\nTo the idolatrous Arabs one of the most ancient universal objects of\nworship was that Black Stone, still kept in the building called Caabah\nat Mecca. Diodorus Siculus mentions this Caabah in a way not to be\nmistaken, as the oldest, most honored temple in his time; that is, some\nhalf-century before our Era. Silvestre de Sacy says there is some\nlikelihood that the Black Stone is an aerolite. In that case, some man\nmight _see_ it fall out of Heaven! It stands now beside the Well Zemzem;\nthe Caabah is built over both. A Well is in all places a beautiful\naffecting object, gushing out like life from the hard earth;--still more\nso in those hot dry countries, where it is the first condition of being.\nThe Well Zemzem has its name from the bubbling sound of the waters,\n_zem-zem_; they think it is the Well which Hagar found with her little\nIshmael in the wilderness: the aerolite and it have been sacred now, and\nhad a Caabah over them, for thousands of years. A curious object, that\nCaabah! There it stands at this hour, in the black cloth-covering the\nSultan sends it yearly; \"twenty-seven cubits high;\" with circuit, with\ndouble circuit of pillars, with festoon rows of lamps and quaint\nornaments: the lamps will be lighted again _this_ night--to glitter\nagain under the stars. An authentic fragment of the oldest Past. It is\nthe _Keblah_ of all Moslem: from Delhi all onwards to Morocco, the eyes\nof innumerable praying men are turned towards _it_, five times, this day\nand all days: one of the notablest centres in the Habitation of Men.\n\nIt had been from the sacredness attached to this Caabah Stone and\nHagar's Well, from the pilgrimings of all tribes of Arabs thither, that\nMecca took its rise as a Town. A great town once, though much decayed\nnow. It has no natural advantage for a town; stands in a sandy hollow\namid bare barren hills, at a distance from the sea; its provisions, its\nvery bread, have to be imported. But so many pilgrims needed lodgings:\nand then all places of pilgrimage do, from the first, become places of\ntrade. The first day pilgrims meet, merchants have also met: where men\nsee themselves assembled for one object, they find that they can\naccomplish other objects which depend on meeting together. Mecca became\nthe Fair of all Arabia. And thereby indeed the chief staple and\nwarehouse of whatever Commerce there was between the Indian and the\nWestern countries, Syria, Egypt, even Italy. It had at one time a\npopulation of 100,000; buyers, forwarders of those Eastern and Western\nproducts; importers for their own behoof of provisions and corn. The\ngovernment was a kind of irregular aristocratic republic, not without a\ntouch of theocracy. Ten Men of a chief tribe, chosen in some rough way,\nwere Governors of Mecca, and Keepers of the Caabah. The Koreish were the\nchief tribe in Mohammed's time; his own family was of that tribe. The\nrest of the Nation, fractioned and cut-asunder by deserts, lived under\nsimilar rude patriarchal governments by one or several: herdsmen,\ncarriers, traders, generally robbers too; being oftenest at war one with\nanother, or with all: held together by no open bond, if it were not this\nmeeting at the Caabah, where all forms of Arab Idolatry assembled in\ncommon adoration;--held mainly by the _inward_ indissoluble bond of a\ncommon blood and language. In this way had the Arabs lived for long\nages, unnoticed by the world; a people of great qualities, unconsciously\nwaiting for the day when they should become notable to all the world.\nTheir Idolatries appear to have been in a tottering state; much was\ngetting into confusion and fermentation among them. Obscure tidings of\nthe most important Event ever transacted in this world, the Life and\nDeath of the Divine Man in Judea, at once the symptom and cause of\nimmeasurable change to all people in the world, had in the course of\ncenturies reached into Arabia too; and could not but, of itself, have\nproduced fermentation there.\n\nIt was among this Arab people, so circumstanced, in the year 570 of our\nEra, that the man Mohammed was born. He was of the family of Hashem, of\nthe Koreish tribe as we said; though poor, connected with the chief\npersons of his country. Almost at his birth he lost his Father; at the\nage of six years his Mother too, a woman noted for her beauty, her worth\nand sense: he fell to the charge of his Grandfather, an old man, a\nhundred years old. A good old man: Mohammed's Father, Abdallah, had been\nhis youngest favorite son. He saw in Mohammed, with his old life-worn\neyes, a century old, the lost Abdallah come back again, all that was\nleft of Abdallah. He loved the little orphan Boy greatly; used to say\nthey must take care of that beautiful little Boy, nothing in their\nkindred was more precious than he. At his death, while the boy was still\nbut two years old, he left him in charge to Abu Thaleb the eldest of the\nUncles, as to him that now was head of the house. By this Uncle, a just\nand rational man as everything betokens, Mohammed was brought-up in the\nbest Arab way.\n\nMohammed, as he grew up, accompanied his Uncle on trading journeys and\nsuchlike; in his eighteenth year one finds him a fighter following his\nUncle in war. But perhaps the most significant of all his journeys is\none we find noted as of some years' earlier date: a journey to the Fairs\nof Syria. The young man here first came in contact with a quite foreign\nworld,--with one foreign element of endless moment to him: the Christian\nReligion. I know not what to make of that \"Sergius, the Nestorian Monk,\"\nwhom Abu Thaleb and he are said to have lodged with; or how much any\nmonk could have taught one still so young. Probably enough it is greatly\nexaggerated, this of the Nestorian Monk. Mohammed was only fourteen; had\nno language but his own: much in Syria must have been a strange\nunintelligible whirlpool to him. But the eyes of the lad were open;\nglimpses of many things would doubtless be taken-in, and lie very\nenigmatic as yet, which were to ripen in a strange way into views, into\nbeliefs and insights one day. These journeys to Syria were probably the\nbeginning of much to Mohammed.\n\nOne other circumstance we must not forget: that he had no\nschool-learning; of the thing we call school-learning none at all. The\nart of writing was but just introduced into Arabia; it seems to be the\ntrue opinion that Mohammed never could write! Life in the Desert, with\nits experiences, was all his education. What of this infinite Universe\nhe, from his dim place, with his own eyes and thoughts, could take in,\nso much and no more of it was he to know. Curious, if we will reflect on\nit, this of having no books. Except by what he could see for himself, or\nhear of by uncertain rumor of speech in the obscure Arabian Desert, he\ncould know nothing. The wisdom that had been before him or at a distance\nfrom him in the world, was in a manner as good as not there for him. Of\nthe great brother souls, flame-beacons through so many lands and times,\nno one directly communicates with this great soul. He is alone there,\ndeep down in the bosom of the Wilderness; has to grow up so,--alone with\nNature and his own Thoughts.\n\nBut, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. His\ncompanions named him \"_Al Amin_, the Faithful.\" A man of truth and\nfidelity; true in what he did, in what he spake and thought. They noted\nthat _he_ always meant something. A man rather taciturn in speech;\nsilent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere,\nwhen he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the only\nsort of speech _worth_ speaking! Through life we find him to have been\nregarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man. A serious,\nsincere character; yet amiable, cordial, companionable, jocose even;--a\ngood laugh in him withal: there are men whose laugh is as untrue as\nanything about them; who cannot laugh. One hears of Mohammed's beauty:\nhis fine sagacious honest face, brown florid complexion, beaming black\neyes;--I somehow like too that vein on the brow, which swelled-up black\nwhen he was in anger: like the \"horse-shoe vein\" in Scott's\n_Red-gauntlet_. It was a kind of feature in the Hashem family, this\nblack swelling vein in the brow; Mahomet had it prominent, as would\nappear. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true-meaning man! Full of\nwild faculty, fire and light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working out\nhis life-task in the depths of the Desert there.\n\nHow he was placed with Kadijah, a rich Widow, as her Steward, and\ntravelled in her business, again to the Fairs of Syria; how he managed\nall, as one can well understand, with fidelity, adroitness; how her\ngratitude, her regard for him grew: the story of their marriage is\naltogether a graceful intelligible one, as told us by the Arab authors.\nHe was twenty-five; she forty, though still beautiful. He seems to have\nlived in a most affectionate, peaceable, wholesome way with this wedded\nbenefactress; loving her truly, and her alone. It goes greatly against\nthe impostor theory, the fact that he lived in this entirely\nunexceptionable, entirely quiet and commonplace way, till the heat of\nhis years was done. He was forty before he talked of any mission from\nHeaven. All his irregularities, real and supposed, date from after his\nfiftieth year, when the good Kadijah died. All his \"ambition,\"\nseemingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest life; his \"fame,\" the\nmere good opinion of neighbors that knew him, had been sufficient\nhitherto. Not till he was already getting old, the prurient heat of his\nlife all burnt out, and _peace_ growing to be the chief thing this world\ncould give him, did he start on the \"career of ambition\"; and, belying\nall his past character and existence, set-up as a wretched empty\ncharlatan to acquire what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, I\nhave no faith whatever in that.\n\nAh no: this deep-hearted Son of the Wilderness, with his beaming black\neyes and open social deep soul, had other thoughts in him than ambition.\nA silent great soul; he was one of those who cannot _but_ be in earnest;\nwhom Nature herself has appointed to be sincere. While others walk in\nformulas and hearsays, contented enough to dwell there, this man could\nnot screen himself in formulas; he was alone with his own soul and the\nreality of things. The great Mystery of Existence, as I said, glared-in\nupon him, with its terrors, with its splendors; no hearsays could hide\nthat unspeakable fact, \"Here am I!\" Such _sincerity_, as we named it,\nhas in very truth something of divine. The word of such a man is a Voice\ndirect from Nature's own Heart. Men do and must listen to that as to\nnothing else;--all else is wind in comparison. From of old, a thousand\nthoughts, in his pilgrimings and wanderings, had been in this man: What\nam I? What _is_ this unfathomable Thing I live in, which men name\nUniverse? What is Life; what is Death? What am I to believe? What am I\nto do? The grim rocks of Mount Hara, of Mount Sinai, the stern sandy\nsolitudes answered not. The great Heaven rolling silent overhead, with\nits blue-glancing stars, answered not. There was no answer. The man's\nown soul, and what of God's inspiration dwelt there, had to answer!\n\nIt is the thing which all men have to ask themselves; which we too have\nto ask, and answer. This wild man felt it to be of _infinite_ moment;\nall other things of no moment whatever in comparison. The jargon of\nargumentative Greek Sects, vague traditions of Jews, the stupid routine\nof Arab Idolatry: there was no answer in these. A Hero, as I repeat, has\nthis first distinction, which indeed we may call first and last, the\nAlpha and Omega of his whole Heroism, that he looks through the shows of\nthings into _things_. Use and wont, respectable hearsay, respectable\nformula: all these are good, or are not good. There is something behind\nand beyond all these, which all these must correspond with, be the image\nof, or they are--_Idolatries_; \"bits of black wood pretending to be\nGod\"; to the earnest soul a mockery and abomination. Idolatries never so\ngilded waited on by heads of the Koreish, will do nothing for this man.\nThough all men walk by them, what good is it? The great Reality stands\nglaring there upon _him_. He there has to answer it, or perish\nmiserably. Now, even now, or else through all Eternity never! Answer it;\n_thou_ must find an answer.--Ambition? What could all Arabia do for this\nman; with the crown of Greek Heraclius, of Persian Chosroes, and all\ncrowns in the Earth;--what could they all do for him? It was not of the\nEarth he wanted to hear tell; it was of the Heaven above and of the Hell\nbeneath. All crowns and sovereignties whatsoever, where would _they_ in\na few brief years be? To be Sheik of Mecca or Arabia, and have a bit of\ngilt wood put into your hand,--will that be one's salvation? I decidedly\nthink, not. We will leave it altogether, this impostor hypothesis, as\nnot credible; not very tolerable even, worthy chiefly of dismissal by\nus.\n\nMohammed had been wont to retire yearly, during the month Ramadhan, into\nsolitude and silence; as indeed was the Arab custom; a praiseworthy\ncustom, which such a man, above all, would find natural and useful.\nCommuning with his own heart, in the silence of the mountains; himself\nsilent; open to the \"small still voices\": it was a right natural custom!\nMohammed was in his fortieth year, when having withdrawn to a cavern in\nMount Hara, near Mecca, during this Ramadhan, to pass the month in\nprayer, and meditation on those great questions, he one day told his\nwife Kadijah, who with his household was with him or near him this year,\nthat by the unspeakable special favor of Heaven he had now found it all\nout; was in doubt and darkness no longer, but saw it all. That all these\nIdols and Formulas were nothing, miserable bits of wood; that there was\nOne God in and over all; and we must leave all idols, and look to Him.\nThat God is great; and that there is nothing else great! He is the\nReality. Wooden Idols are not real; He is real. He made us at first,\nsustains us yet; we and all things are but the shadow of Him; a\ntransitory garment veiling the Eternal Splendor. \"_Allah akbar_,\" God is\ngreat;--and then also \"_Islam_,\" that we must _submit_ to God. That our\nwhole strength lies in resigned submission to Him, whatsoever He do to\nus. For this world, and for the other! The thing He sends to us, were it\ndeath and worse than death, shall be good, shall be best; we resign\nourselves to God.--\"If this be _Islam_,\" says Goethe, \"do we not all\nlive in _Islam_?\" Yes, all of us that have any moral life; we all live\nso. It has ever been held the highest wisdom for a man not merely to\nsubmit to Necessity,--Necessity will make him submit,--but to know and\nbelieve well that the stern thing which Necessity had ordered was the\nwisest, the best, the thing wanted there. To cease his frantic\npretension of scanning this great God's-World in his small fraction of a\nbrain; to know that it _had_ verily, though deep beyond his soundings, a\nJust Law, that the soul of it was Good;--that his part in it was to\nconform to the Law of the Whole, and in devout silence follow that; not\nquestioning it, obeying it as unquestionable.\n\nI say, this is yet the only true morality known. A man is right and\ninvincible, virtuous and on the road towards sure conquest, precisely\nwhile he joins himself to the great deep Law of the World, in spite of\nall superficial laws, temporary appearances, profit-and-loss\ncalculations; he is victorious while he co\u00f6perates with that great\ncentral Law, not victorious otherwise:--and surely his first chance of\nco\u00f6perating with it, or getting into the course of it, is to know with\nhis whole soul that it _is_; that it is good, and alone good! This is\nthe soul of Islam; it is properly the soul of Christianity;--for Islam\nis definable as a confused form of Christianity; had Christianity not\nbeen, neither had it been. Christianity also commands us, before all, to\nbe resigned to God. We are to take no counsel with flesh-and-blood; give\near to no vain cavils, vain sorrows and wishes: to know that we know\nnothing; that the worst and crudest to our eyes is not what it seems;\nthat we have to receive whatsoever befalls us as sent from God above,\nand say, It is good and wise, God is great! \"Though He slay me, yet will\nI trust in Him.\" Islam means in its way Denial of Self, Annihilation of\nSelf. This is yet the highest Wisdom that Heaven has revealed to our\nEarth.\n\nSuch light had come, as it could, to illuminate the darkness of this\nwild Arab soul. A confused dazzling splendor as of life and Heaven, in\nthe great darkness which threatened to be death: he called it revelation\nand the angel Gabriel;--who of us yet can know what to call it? It is\nthe \"inspiration of the Almighty that giveth us understanding.\" To\n_know_; to get into the truth of anything, is ever a mystic act,--of\nwhich the best Logics can but babble on the surface. \"Is not Belief the\ntrue god-announcing Miracle?\" says Novalis.--That Mohammed's whole soul,\nset in flame with this grand Truth vouchsafed him, should feel as if it\nwere important and the only important thing, was very natural. That\nProvidence had unspeakably honored _him_ by revealing it, saving him\nfrom death and darkness; that he therefore was bound to make known the\nsame to all creatures: this is what was meant by \"Mohammed is the\nProphet of God\"; this too is not without its true meaning.--\n\nThe good Kadijah, we can fancy, listened to him with wonder, with doubt:\nat length she answered: Yes, it was _true_ this that he said. One can\nfancy too the boundless gratitude of Mohammed; and how of all the\nkindnesses she had done him, this of believing the earnest struggling\nword he now spoke was the greatest. \"It is certain,\" says Novalis, \"my\nConviction gains infinitely, the moment another soul will believe in\nit.\" It is a boundless favor.--He never forgot this good Kadijah. Long\nafterwards, Ayesha his young favorite wife, a woman who indeed\ndistinguished herself among the Moslem, by all manner of qualities,\nthrough her whole long life; this young brilliant Ayesha was, one day,\nquestioning him: \"Now am not I better than Kadijah? She was a widow;\nold, and had lost her looks: you love me better than you did her?\"--\"No,\nby Allah!\" answered Mohammed: \"No, by Allah! She believed in me when\nnone else would believe. In the whole world I had but one friend, and\nshe was that!\"--Seid, his Slave, also belie ed in him; these with his\nyoung Cousin Ali, Abu Thaleb's son, were his first converts.\n\nHe spoke of his Doctrine to this man and that; but the most treated it\nwith ridicule, with indifference; in three years, I think, he had gained\nbut thirteen followers. His progress was slow enough. His encouragement\nto go on, was altogether the usual encouragement that such a man in such\na case meets. After some three years of small success, he invited forty\nof his chief kindred to an entertainment; and there stood-up and told\nthem what his pretension was: that he had this thing to promulgate\nabroad to all men; that it was the highest thing, the one thing: which\nof them would second him in that? Amid the doubt and silence of all,\nyoung Ali, as yet a lad of sixteen, impatient of the silence,\nstarted-up, and exclaimed in passionate fierce language that he would!\nThe assembly, among whom was Abu Thaleb, Ali's Father, could not be\nunfriendly to Mohammed; yet the sight there, of one unlettered elderly\nman, with a lad of sixteen, deciding on such an enterprise against all\nmankind, appeared ridiculous to them; the assembly broke-up in laughter.\nNevertheless it proved not a laughable thing; it was a very serious\nthing! As for this young Ali, one cannot but like him. A noble-minded\ncreature, as he shows himself, now and always afterwards; full of\naffection, of fiery daring. Something chivalrous in him; brave as a\nlion; yet with a grace, a truth and affection worthy of Christian\nknighthood. He died by assassination in the Mosque at Bagdad; a death\noccasioned by his own generous fairness, confidence in the fairness of\nothers: he said if the wound proved not unto death, they must pardon the\nAssassin; but if it did, then they must slay him straightway, that so\nthey two in the same hour might appear before God, and see which side of\nthat quarrel was the just one!\n\nMohammed naturally gave offence to the Koreish, Keepers of the Caabah,\nsuperintendents of the Idols. One or two men of influence had joined\nhim: the thing spread slowly, but it was spreading. Naturally he gave\noffence to everybody: Who is this that pretends to be wiser than we all;\nthat rebukes us all, as mere fools and worshippers of wood! Abu Thaleb\nthe good Uncle spoke with him: Could he not be silent about all that;\nbelieve it all for himself, and not trouble others, anger the chief men,\nendanger himself and them all, talking of it? Mohammed answered: If the\nSun stood on his right hand and the Moon on his left, ordering him to\nhold his peace, he could not obey! No: there was something in this Truth\nhe had got which was of Nature herself; equal in rank to Sun, or Moon,\nor whatsoever thing Nature had made. It would speak itself there, so\nlong as the Almighty allowed it, in spite of Sun and Moon, and all\nKoreish and all men and things. It must do that, and could do no other.\nMohammed answered so; and, they say, \"burst into tears.\" Burst into\ntears: he felt that Abu Thaleb was good to him; that the task he had got\nwas no soft, but a stern and great one.\n\nHe went on speaking to who would listen to him; publishing his Doctrine\namong the pilgrims as they came to Mecca; gaining adherents in this\nplace and that. Continual contradiction, hatred, open or secret danger\nattended him. His powerful relations protected Mohammed himself; but by\nand by, on his own advice, all his adherents had to quit Mecca, and seek\nrefuge in Abyssinia over the sea. The Koreish grew ever angrier; laid\nplots, and swore oaths among them, to put Mohammed to death with their\nown hands. Abu Thaleb was dead, the good Kadijah was dead. Mohammed is\nnot solicitous of sympathy from us; but his outlook at this time was one\nof the dismallest. He had to hide in caverns, escape in disguise; fly\nhither and thither; homeless, in continual peril of his life. More than\nonce it seemed all-over with him; more than once it turned on a straw,\nsome rider's horse taking fright or the like, whether Mohammed and his\nDoctrine had not ended there, and not been heard of at all. But it was\nnot to end so.\n\nIn the thirteenth year of his mission, finding his enemies all banded\nagainst him, forty sworn men, one out of every tribe, waiting to take\nhis life, and no continuance possible at Mecca for him any longer,\nMohammed fled to the place then called Yathreb, where he had gained some\nadherents; the place they now call Medina, or \"_Medinat al Nabi_, the\nCity of the Prophet,\" from that circumstance. It lay some 200 miles off,\nthrough rocks and deserts; not without great difficulty, in such mood as\nwe may fancy, he escaped thither, and found welcome. The whole East\ndates its era from this Flight, _Hegira_ as they name it: the Year 1 of\nthis Hegira is 622 of our Era, the fifty-third of Mohammed's life. He\nwas now becoming an old man; his friends sinking round him one by one;\nhis path desolate, encompassed with danger: unless he could find hope in\nhis own heart, the outward face of things was but hopeless for him. It\nis so with all men in the like case. Hitherto Mohammed had professed to\npublish his Religion by the way of preaching and persuasion alone. But\nnow, driven foully out of his native country, since unjust men had not\nonly given no ear to his earnest Heaven's-message, the deep cry of his\nheart, but would not even let him live if he kept speaking it,--the wild\nSon of the Desert resolved to defend himself, like a man and Arab. If\nthe Koreish will have it so, they shall have it. Tidings, felt to be of\ninfinite moment to them and all men, they would not listen to these;\nwould trample them down by sheer violence, steel and murder: well, let\nsteel try it then! Ten years more this Mohammed had; all of fighting, of\nbreathless impetuous toil and struggle; with what result we know.\n\nMuch has been said of Mohammed's propagating his Religion by the sword.\nIt is no doubt far nobler what we have to boast of the Christian\nReligion, that it propagated itself peaceably in the way of preaching\nand conviction. Yet withal, if we take this for an argument of the truth\nor falsehood of a religion, there is a radical mistake in it. The sword\nindeed: but where will you get your sword! Every new opinion, at its\nstarting, is precisely in a _minority of one_. In one man's head alone,\nthere it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it;\nthere is one man against all men. That _he_ take a sword, and try to\npropagate with that, will do little for him. You must first get your\nsword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can. We do not\nfind, of the Christian Religion either, that it always disdained the\nsword, when once it had got one. Charlemagne's conversion of the Saxons\nwas not by preaching. I care little about the sword: I will allow a\nthing to struggle for itself in this world, with any sword or tongue or\nimplement it has, or can lay hold of. We will let it preach, and\npamphleteer, and fight, and to the uttermost bestir itself, and do, beak\nand claws, whatsoever is in it; very sure that it will, in the long-run,\nconquer nothing which does not deserve to be conquered. What is better\nthan itself, it cannot put away, but only what is worse. In this great\nDuel, Nature herself is umpire, and can do no wrong: the thing which is\ndeepest-rooted in Nature, what we call _truest_, that thing and not the\nother will be found growing at last.\n\nHere however, in reference to much that there is in Mohammed and his\nsuccess, we are to remember what an umpire Nature is; what a greatness,\ncomposure of depth and tolerance there is in her. You take wheat to cast\ninto the Earth's bosom: your wheat may be mixed with chaff, chopped\nstraw, barn-sweepings, dust and all imaginable rubbish; no matter: you\ncast it into the kind just Earth; she grows the wheat,--the whole\nrubbish she silently absorbs, shrouds _it_ in, says nothing of the\nrubbish. The yellow wheat is growing there; the good Earth is silent\nabout all the rest,--has silently turned all the rest to some benefit\ntoo, and makes no complaint about it! So everywhere in Nature! She is\ntrue and not a lie; and yet so great, and just, and motherly in her\ntruth. She requires of a thing only that it _be_ genuine of heart; she\nwill protect it if so; will not, if not so. There is a soul of truth in\nall the things she ever gave harbor to. Alas, is not this the history of\nall highest Truth that comes or ever came into the world? The _body_ of\nthem all is imperfection, an element of light _in_ darkness: to us they\nhave to come embodied in mere Logic, in some merely _scientific_ Theorem\nof the Universe; which _cannot_ be complete; which cannot but be found,\none day, incomplete, erroneous, and so die and disappear. The body of\nall Truth dies; and yet in all, I say, there is a soul which never dies;\nwhich in new and ever-nobler embodiment lives immortal as man himself!\nIt is the way with Nature. The genuine essence of Truth never dies. That\nit be genuine, a voice from the great Deep of Nature, there is the point\nat Nature's judgment-seat. What _we_ call pure or impure, is not with\nher the final question. Not how much chaff is in you; but whether you\nhave any wheat. Pure? I might say to many a man: Yes, you are pure; pure\nenough; but you are chaff,--insincere hypothesis, hearsay, formality;\nyou never were in contact with the great heart of the Universe at all;\nyou are properly neither pure nor impure; you _are_ nothing, Nature has\nno business with you.\n\nMohammed's Creed we called a kind of Christianity; and really, if we\nlook at the wild rapt earnestness with which it was believed and laid to\nheart, I should say a better kind than that of those miserable Syrian\nSects, with their vain janglings about _Homoiousion_ and _Homoousion_,\nthe head full of worthless noise, the heart empty and dead! The truth of\nit is imbedded in portentous error and falsehood; but the truth of it\nmakes it be believed, not the falsehood: it succeeded by its truth. A\nbastard kind of Christianity, but a living kind; with a heartlife in it;\nnot dead, chopping barren logic merely! Out of all that rubbish of Arab\nidolatries, argumentative theologies, traditions, subtleties, rumors and\nhypotheses of Greeks and Jews, with their idle wiredrawings, this wild\nman of the Desert, with his wild sincere heart, earnest as death and\nlife, with his great flashing natural eyesight, had seen into the kernel\nof the matter. Idolatry is nothing: these Wooden Idols of yours, \"ye rub\nthem with oil and wax, and the flies stick on them,\"--these are wood, I\ntell you! They can do nothing for you; they are an impotent blasphemous\npretence; a horror and abomination, if ye knew them. God alone is; God\nalone has power; He made us, He can kill us and keep us alive: \"_Allah\nakbar_, God is great.\" Understand that His will is the best for you;\nthat howsoever sore to flesh-and-blood, you will find it the wisest,\nbest: you are bound to take it so; in this world and in the next, you\nhave no other thing that you can do!\n\nAnd now if the wild idolatrous men did believe this, and with their\nfiery hearts lay hold of it to do it, in what form soever it came to\nthem, I say it was well worthy of being believed. In one form or the\nother, I say it is still the one thing worthy of being believed by all\nmen. Man does hereby become the high-priest of this Temple of a World.\nHe is in harmony with the Decrees of the Author of this World;\ncooperating with them, not vainly withstanding them: I know, to this\nday, no better definition of Duty than that same. All that is _right_\nincludes itself in this of cooperating with the real Tendency of the\nWorld: you succeed by this (the World's Tendency will succeed), you are\ngood, and in the right course there. _Homoiousion, Homoousion_, vain\nlogical jangle, then or before or at any time, may jangle itself out,\nand go whither and how it likes: this is the _thing_ it all struggles to\nmean, if it would mean anything. If it do not succeed in meaning this,\nit means nothing. Not that Abstractions, logical Propositions, be\ncorrectly worded or incorrectly; but that living concrete Sons of Adam\ndo lay this to heart: that is the important point. Islam devoured all\nthese vain jangling Sects; and I think had right to do so. It was a\nReality, direct from the great Heart of Nature once more. Arab\nidolatries, Syrian formulas, whatsoever was not equally real, had to go\nup in flame,--mere dead _fuel_, in various senses, for this which was\n_fire_.\n\nIt was during these wild warfarings and strugglings, especially after\nthe Flight to Mecca, that Mohammed dictated at intervals his Sacred\nBook, which they name _Koran_, or _Reading_, \"Thing to be read.\" This is\nthe Work he and his disciples made so much of, asking all the world, Is\nnot that a miracle? The Mohammedans regard their Koran with a reverence\nwhich few Christians pay even to their Bible. It is admitted everywhere\nas the standard of all law and all practice; the thing to be gone-upon\nin speculation and life: the message sent direct out of Heaven, which\nthis earth has to conform to, and walk by; the thing to be read. Their\nJudges decide by it; all Moslem are bound to study it, seek in it for\nthe light of their life. They have mosques where it is all read daily;\nthirty relays of priests take it up in succession, get through the whole\neach day. There, for twelve-hundred years, has the voice of this Book,\nat all moments, kept sounding through the ears and the hearts of so many\nmen. We hear of Mohammedan Doctors that had read it seventy-thousand\ntimes!\n\nVery curious: if one sought for \"discrepancies of national taste,\" here\nsurely were the most eminent instance of that! We also can read the\nKoran; our Translation of it, by Sale, is known to be a very fair one. I\nmust say, it is as toilsome reading as I ever undertook. A wearisome\nconfused jumble, crude, incondite; endless iterations, long-windedness,\nentanglement; most crude, incondite;--insupportable stupidity, in short!\nNothing but a sense of duty could carry any European through the Koran.\nWe read in it, as we might in the State-Paper Office, unreadable masses\nof lumber, that perhaps we may get some glimpses of a remarkable man. It\nis true we have it under disadvantages: the Arabs see more method in it\nthan we. Mohammed's followers found the Koran lying all in fractions, as\nit had been written-down at first promulgation; much of it, they say, on\nshoulder-blades of mutton flung pell-mell into a chest; and they\npublished it, without any discoverable order as to time or\notherwise;--merely trying, as would seem, and this not very strictly, to\nput the longest chapters first. The real beginning of it, in that way,\nlies almost at the end: for the earliest portions were the shortest.\nRead in its historical sequence it perhaps would not be so bad. Much of\nit, too, they say, is rhythmic; a kind of wild chanting song, in the\noriginal. This may be a great point; much perhaps has been lost in the\nTranslation here. Yet with every allowance, one feels it difficult to\nsee how any mortal ever could consider this Koran as a Book written in\nHeaven, too good for the Earth; as a well-written book, or indeed as a\n_book_ at all; and not a bewildered rhapsody; _written_, so far as\nwriting goes, as badly as almost any book ever was! So much for national\ndiscrepancies, and the standard of taste.\n\nYet I should say, it was not unintelligible how the Arabs might so love\nit. When once you get this confused coil of a Koran fairly off your\nhands, and have it behind you at a distance, the essential type of it\nbegins to disclose itself; and in this there is a merit quite other than\nthe literary one. If a book come from the heart, it will contrive to\nreach other hearts; all art and authorcraft are of small amount to that.\nOne would say the primary character of the Koran is this of its\n_genuineness_, of its being a _bona-fide_ book. Prideaux, I know, and\nothers, have represented it as a mere bundle of juggleries; chapter\nafter chapter got-up to excuse and varnish the author's successive sins,\nforward his ambitions and quackeries: but really it is time to dismiss\nall that. I do not assert Mohammed's continual sincerity: who is\ncontinually sincere? But I confess I can make nothing of the critic, in\nthese times, who would accuse him of deceit _prepense_; of conscious\ndeceit generally, or perhaps at all;--still more, of living in a mere\nelement of conscious deceit, and writing this Koran as a forger and\njuggler would have done! Every candid eye, I think, will read the Koran\nfar otherwise than so. It is the confused ferment of a great rude human\nsoul; rude, untutored, that cannot even read; but fervent, earnest,\nstruggling vehemently to utter itself in words. With a kind of\nbreathless intensity he strives to utter himself; the thoughts crowd on\nhim pell-mell: for very multitude of things to say, he can get nothing\nsaid. The meaning that is in him shapes itself into no form of\ncomposition, is stated in no sequence, method, or coherence;--they are\nnot _shaped_ at all, these thoughts of his; flung-out unshaped, as they\nstruggle and tumble there, in their chaotic inarticulate state. We said\n\"stupid\": yet natural stupidity is by no means the character of\nMohammed's Book; it is natural un-cultivation rather. The man has not\nstudied speaking; in the haste and pressure of continual fighting, has\nnot time to mature himself into fit speech. The panting breathless haste\nand vehemence of a man struggling in the thick of battle for life and\nsalvation; this is the mood he is in! A headlong haste; for very\nmagnitude of meaning, he cannot get himself articulated into words. The\nsuccessive utterances of a soul in that mood, colored by the various\nvicissitudes of three-and-twenty years; now well uttered, now worse:\nthis is the Koran.\n\nFor we are to consider Mohammed, through these three-and-twenty years,\nas the centre of a world wholly in conflict, Battles with the Koreish\nand Heathen, quarrels among his own people, backslidings of his own wild\nheart; all this kept him in a perpetual whirl, his soul knowing rest no\nmore. In wakeful nights, as one may fancy, the wild soul of the man,\ntossing amid these vortices, would hail any light of a decision for them\nas a veritable light from Heaven; _any_ making-up of his mind, so\nblessed, indispensable for him there, would seem the inspiration of a\nGabriel. Forger and juggler? No, no! This great fiery heart, seething,\nsimmering like a great furnace of thoughts, was not a juggler's. His\nlife was a Fact to him; this God's Universe an awful Fact and Reality.\nHe has faults enough. The man was an uncultured semi-barbarous Son of\nNature, much of the Bedouin still clinging to him: we must take him for\nthat. But for a wretched Simulacrum, a hungry Impostor without eyes or\nheart, practising for a mess of pottage such blasphemous swindlery,\nforgery of celestial documents, continual high-treason against his Maker\nand Self, we will not and cannot take him.\n\nSincerity, in all senses, seems to me the merit of the Koran; what had\nrendered it precious to the wild Arab men. It is, after all, the first\nand last merit in a book; gives rise to merits of all kinds,--nay, at\nbottom, it alone can give rise to merit of any kind. Curiously, through\nthese incondite masses of tradition, vituperation, complaint,\nejaculation in the Koran, a vein of true direct insight, of what we\nmight almost call poetry, is found straggling. The body of the Book is\nmade up of mere tradition, and as it were vehement enthusiastic\nextempore preaching. He returns forever to the old stories of the\nProphets as they went current in the Arab memory: how Prophet after\nProphet, the Prophet Abraham, the Prophet Hud, the Prophet Moses,\nChristian and other real and fabulous Prophets, had come to this Tribe\nand to that, warning men of their sin; and been received by them even as\nhe Mohammed was,--which is a great solace to him. These things he\nrepeats ten, perhaps twenty times; again and ever again, with wearisome\niteration; has never done repeating them. A brave Samuel Johnson, in his\nforlorn garret, might con-over the Biographies of Authors in that way!\nThis is the great staple of the Koran. But curiously, through all this,\ncomes ever and anon some glance as of the real thinker and seer. He has\nactually an eye for the world, this Mohammed: with a certain directness\nand rugged vigour, he brings home still, to our heart, the thing his own\nheart has been opened to. I make but little of his praises of Allah,\nwhich many praise; they are borrowed I suppose mainly from the Hebrew,\nat least they are far surpassed there. But the eye that flashes direct\ninto the heart of things, and _sees_ the truth of them; this is to me a\nhighly interesting object. Great Nature's own gift; which she bestows on\nall; but which only one in the thousand does not cast sorrowfully away:\nit is what I call sincerity of vision; the test of a sincere heart.\n\nMohammed can work no miracles; he often answers impatiently: I can work\nno miracles. I? \"I am a Public Preacher\"; appointed to preach this\ndoctrine to all creatures. Yet the world, as we can see, had really from\nof old been all one great miracle to him. Look over the world, says he;\nis it not wonderful, the work of Allah; wholly \"a sign to you,\" if your\neyes were open! This Earth, God made it for you; \"appointed paths in\nit\"; you can live in it, go to and fro on it.--The clouds in the dry\ncountry of Arabia, to Mohammed they are very wonderful: Great clouds, he\nsays, born in the deep bosom of the Upper Immensity, where do they come\nfrom! They hang there, the great black monsters; pour-down their\nrain-deluges \"to revive a dead earth,\" and grass springs, and \"tall\nleafy palm-trees with their date-clusters hanging round. Is not that a\nsign?\" Your cattle too,--Allah made them; serviceable dumb creatures;\nthey change the grass into milk; you have your clothing from them, very\nstrange creatures; they come ranking home at evening-time, \"and,\" adds\nhe, \"and are a credit to you\"! Ships also,--he talks often about ships:\nHuge moving mountains, they spread-out their cloth wings, go bounding\nthrough the water there, Heaven's wind driving them; anon they lie\nmotionless, God has withdrawn the wind, they lie dead, and cannot stir!\nMiracles? cries he; What miracle would you have? Are not you yourselves\nthere? God made _you_, \"shaped you out of a little clay.\" Ye were small\nonce; a few years ago ye were not at all. Ye have beauty, strength,\nthoughts, \"ye have compassion on one another.\" Old age comes-on you, and\ngray hairs; your strength fades into feebleness; ye sink down, and again\nare not. \"Ye have compassion on one another\": this struck me much: Allah\nmight have made you having no compassion on one another,--how had it\nbeen then! This is a great direct thought, a glance at first-hand into\nthe very fact of things. Rude vestiges of poetic genius, of whatsoever\nis best and truest, are visible in this man. A strong untutored\nintellect; eyesight, heart: a strong wild man,--might have shaped\nhimself into Poet, King, Priest, any kind of Hero.\n\nTo his eyes it is forever clear that this world wholly is miraculous. He\nsees what, as we said once before, all great thinkers, the rude\nScandinavians themselves, in one way or other, have contrived to see:\nThat this so solid-looking material world is, at bottom, in very deed,\nNothing; is a visual and tactual Manifestation of God's-power and\npresence,--a shadow hung-out by Him on the bosom of the void Infinite;\nnothing more. The mountains, he says, these great rock-mountains, they\nshall dissipate themselves \"like clouds\"; melt into the Blue as clouds\ndo, and not be! He figures the Earth, in the Arab fashion, Sale tells\nus, as an immense Plain or flat Plate of ground, the mountains are set\non that to _steady_ it. At the Last Day they shall disappear \"like\nclouds\"; the whole Earth shall go spinning, whirl itself off into wreck,\nand as dust and vapor vanish in the Inane. Allah withdraws his hand from\nit, and it ceases to be. The universal empire of Allah, presence\neverywhere of an unspeakable Power, a Splendor, and a Terror not to be\nnamed, as the true force, essence and reality, in all things whatsoever,\nwas continually clear to this man. What a modern talks-of by the name,\nForces of Nature, Laws of Nature; and does not figure as a divine thing;\nnot even as one thing at all, but as a set of things, undivine\nenough,--saleable, curious, good for propelling steamships! With our\nSciences and Cyclopaedias, we are apt to forget the _divineness_, in\nthose laboratories of ours. We ought not to forget it! That once well\nforgotten, I know not what else were worth remembering. Most sciences, I\nthink, were then a very dead thing; withered, contentious, empty;--a\nthistle in late autumn. The best science, without this, is but as the\ndead _timber_; it is not the growing tree and forest,--which gives\never-new timber, among other things! Man cannot _know_ either, unless he\ncan _worship_ in some way. His knowledge is a pedantry, and dead\nthistle, otherwise.\n\nMuch has been said and written about the sensuality of Mohammed's\nReligion; more than was just. The indulgences, criminal to us, which he\npermitted, were not of his appointment; he found them practised,\nunquestioned from immemorial time in Arabia; what he did was to curtail\nthem, restrict them, not on one but on many sides. His Religion is not\nan easy one: with rigorous fasts, lavations, strict complex formulas,\nprayers five times a day, and abstinence from wine, it did not \"succeed\nby being an easy religion.\" As if indeed any religion, or cause holding\nof religion, could succeed by that! It is a calumny on men to say that\nthey are roused to heroic action by ease, hope of pleasure,\nrecompense,--sugar-plums of any kind, in this world or the next! In the\nmeanest mortal there lies something nobler. The poor swearing soldier,\nhired to be shot, has his \"honor of a soldier,\" different from\ndrill-regulations and the shilling a day. It is not to taste sweet\nthings, but to do noble and true things, and vindicate himself under\nGod's Heaven as a god-made Man, that the poorest son of Adam dimly\nlongs. Show him the way of doing that, the dullest daydrudge kindles\ninto a hero. They wrong man greatly who say he is to be seduced by ease.\nDifficulty, abnegation, martyrdom, death are the _allurements_ that act\non the heart of man. Kindle the inner genial life of him, you have a\nflame that burns-up all lower considerations. Not happiness, but\nsomething higher: one sees this even in the frivolous classes, with\ntheir \"point of honor\" and the like. Not by flattering our appetites;\nno, by awakening the Heroic that slumbers in every heart, can any\nReligion gain followers.\n\nMohammed himself, after all that can be said about him, was not a\nsensual man. We shall err widely if we consider this man as a common\nvoluptuary, intent mainly on base enjoyments,--nay on enjoyments of any\nkind. His household was of the frugalest; his common diet barley-bread\nand water: sometimes for months there was not a fire once lighted on his\nhearth. They record with just pride that he would mend his own shoes,\npatch his own cloak. A poor, hard-toiling, ill-provided man; careless of\nwhat vulgar men toil for. Not a bad man, I should say; something better\nin him than _hunger_ of any sort,--or these wild Arab men, fighting and\njostling three-and-twenty years at his hand, in close contact with him\nalways, would not have reverenced him so! They were wild men, bursting\never and anon into quarrel, into all kinds of fierce sincerity; without\nright worth and manhood, no man could have commanded them. They called\nhim Prophet, you say? Why, he stood there face to face with them; bare,\nnot enshrined in any mystery; visibly clouting his own cloak, cobbling\nhis own shoes; fighting, counselling, ordering in the midst of them:\nthey must have seen what kind of a man he _was_, let him be _called_\nwhat you like! No emperor with his tiara was obeyed as this man in a\ncloak of his own clouting during three-and-twenty years of rough actual\ntrial. I find something of a veritable Hero necessary for that, of\nitself.\n\nHis last words are a prayer; broken ejaculations of a heart struggling\nup, in trembling hope, towards its Maker. We cannot say that his\nreligion made him _worse_; it made him better; good, not bad. Generous\nthings are recorded of him: when he lost his Daughter, the thing he\nanswers is, in his own dialect, everyway sincere, and yet equivalent to\nthat of Christians, \"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; blessed\nbe the name of the Lord.\" He answered in like manner of Seid, his\nemancipated well-beloved Slave, the second of the believers. Seid had\nfallen in the War of Tab\u00fbc, the first of Mohammed's fightings with the\nGreeks. Mohammed said, It was well; Seid had done his Master's work,\nSeid had now gone to his Master: it was all well with Seid. Yet Seid's\ndaughter found him weeping over the body;--the old gray-haired man\nmelting in tears! \"What do I see?\" said she.--\"You see a friend weeping\nover his friend.\"--He went out for the last time into the mosque, two\ndays before his death; asked, If he had injured any man? Let his own\nback bear the stripes. If he owed any man? A voice answered, \"Yes, me\nthree drachms,\" borrowed on such an occasion. Mohammed ordered them to\nbe paid: \"Better be in shame now,\" said he, \"than at the Day of\nJudgment.\"--You remember Kadijah, and the \"No, by Allah!\" Traits of that\nkind show us the genuine man, the brother of us all, brought visible\nthrough twelve centuries,--the veritable Son of our common Mother.\n\nWithal I like Mohammed for his total freedom from cant. He is a rough\nself-helping son of the wilderness; does not pretend to be what he is\nnot. There is no ostentatious pride in him; but neither does he go much\nupon humility: he is there as he can be, in cloak and shoes of his own\nclouting; speaks plainly to all manner of Persian Kings, Greek Emperors,\nwhat it is they are bound to do; knows well enough, about himself, \"the\nrespect due unto thee.\" In a life-and-death war with Bedouins, cruel\nthings could not fail; but neither are acts of mercy, of noble natural\npity and generosity, wanting. Mohammed makes no apology for the one, no\nboast of the other. They were each the free dictate of his heart; each\ncalled-for, there and then. Not a mealy-mouthed man! A candid ferocity,\nif the case call for it, is in him; he does not mince matters! The War\nof Tab\u00fbc is a thing he often speaks of: his men refused, many of them,\nto march on that occasion; pleaded the heat of the weather, the harvest,\nand so forth; he can never forget that. Your harvest? It lasts for a\nday. What will become of your harvest through all Eternity? Hot weather?\nYes, it was hot; \"but Hell will be hotter!\" Sometimes a rough sarcasm\nturns-up: He says to the unbelievers, Ye shall have the just measure of\nyour deeds at that Great Day. They will be weighed-out to you; ye shall\nnot have short weight!--Everywhere he fixes the matter in his eye; he\n_sees_ it: his heart, now and then, is as if struck dumb by the\ngreatness of it. \"Assuredly,\" he says; that word, in the Koran, is\nwritten-down sometimes as a sentence by itself: \"Assuredly.\"\n\nNo _Dilettanteism_ in this Mohammed; it is a business of Reprobation and\nSalvation with him, of Time and Eternity: he is in deadly earnest about\nit! Dilettanteism, hypothesis, speculation, a kind of amateur-search for\nTruth, toying and coquetting with Truth: this is the sorest sin. The\nroot of all other imaginable sins. It consists in the heart and soul of\nthe man never having been _open_ to Truth;--\"living in a vain show.\"\nSuch a man not only utters and produces falsehoods, but _is_ himself a\nfalsehood. The rational moral principle, spark of the Divinity, is sunk\ndeep in him, in quiet paralysis of life-death. The very falsehoods of\nMohammed are truer than the truths of such a man. He is the insincere\nman: smooth-polished, respectable in some times and places; inoffensive,\nsays nothing harsh to anybody; most _cleanly_,--just as carbonic acid\nis, which is death and poison.\n\nWe will not praise Mohammed's moral precepts as always of the\nsuperfinest sort; yet it can be said that there is always a tendency to\ngood in them; that they are the true dictates of a heart aiming towards\nwhat is just and true. The sublime forgiveness of Christianity, turning\nof the other cheek when the one has been smitten, is not here: you _are_\nto revenge yourself, but it is to be in measure, not overmuch, or beyond\njustice. On the other hand, Islam, like any great Faith, and insight\ninto the essence of man, is a perfect equalizer of men: the soul of one\nbeliever outweighs all earthly kingships; all men, according to Islam\ntoo, are equal. Mohammed insists not on the propriety of giving alms,\nbut on the necessity of it: he marks-down by law how much you are to\ngive, and it is at your peril if you neglect. The tenth part of a man's\nannual income, whatever that may be, is the _property_ of the poor, of\nthose that are afflicted and need help. Good all this: the natural voice\nof humanity, of pity and equity dwelling in the heart of this wild Son\nof Nature speaks _so_.\n\nMohammed's Paradise is sensual, his Hell sensual: true; in the one and\nthe other there is enough that shocks all spiritual feeling in us. But\nwe are to recollect that the Arabs already had it so; that Mohammed, in\nwhatever he changed of it, softened and diminished all this. The worst\nsensualities, too, are the work of doctors, followers of his, not his\nwork. In the Koran there is really very little said about the joys of\nParadise; they are intimated rather than insisted on. Nor is it\nforgotten that the highest joys even there shall be spiritual; the pure\nPresence of the Highest, this shall infinitely transcend all other joys.\nHe says, \"Your salutation shall be, Peace.\" _Salam_, Have Peace!--the\nthing that all rational souls long for, and seek, vainly here below, as\nthe one blessing. \"Ye shall sit on seats, facing one another: all\ngrudges shall be taken away out of your hearts.\" All grudges! Ye shall\nlove one another freely; for each of you, in the eyes of his brothers,\nthere will be Heaven enough!\n\nIn reference to this of the sensual Paradise and Mohammed's sensuality,\nthe sorest chapter of all for us, there were many things to be said;\nwhich it is not convenient to enter upon here. Two remarks only I shall\nmake, and therewith leave it to your candor. The first is furnished me\nby Goethe; it is a casual hint of his which seems well worth taking note\nof. In one of his Delineations, in _Meister's Travels_ it is, the hero\ncomes-upon a Society of men with very strange ways, one of which was\nthis: \"We require,\" says the Master, \"that each of our people shall\nrestrict himself in one direction,\" shall go right against his desire in\none matter, and _make_ himself do the thing he does not wish, \"should we\nallow him the greater latitude on all other sides.\" There seems to me a\ngreat justness in this. Enjoying things which are pleasant; that is not\nthe evil: it is the reducing of our moral self to slavery by them that\nis. Let a man assert withal that he is king over his habitudes; that he\ncould and would shake them off, on cause shown: this is an excellent\nlaw. The Month Ramadhan for the Moslem, much in Mohammed's Religion,\nmuch in his own Life, bears in that direction; if not by forethought, or\nclear purpose of moral improvement on his part, then by a certain\nhealthy manful instinct, which is as good.\n\nBut there is another thing to be said about the Mohammedan Heaven and\nHell. This namely, that, however gross and material they may be, they\nare an emblem of an everlasting truth, not always so well remembered\nelsewhere. That gross sensual Paradise of his; that horrible flaming\nHell; the great enormous Day of Judgment he perpetually insists on: what\nis all this but a rude shadow, in the rude Bedouin imagination, of that\ngrand spiritual Fact, and Beginning of Facts, which it is ill for us too\nif we do not all know and feel: the Infinite Nature of Duty? That man's\nactions here are of _infinite_ moment to him, and never die or end at\nall; that man, with his little life, reaches upwards high as Heaven,\ndownwards low as Hell, and in his threescore years of Time holds an\nEternity fearfully and wonderfully hidden: all this had burnt itself, as\nin flame-characters, into the wild Arab soul. As in flame and lightning,\nit stands written there; awful, unspeakable, ever present to him. With\nbursting earnestness, with a fierce savage sincerity, halt,\narticulating, not able to articulate, he strives to speak it, bodies it\nforth in that Heaven and that Hell. Bodied forth in what way you will,\nit is the first of all truths. It is venerable under all embodiments.\nWhat is the chief end of man here below? Mohammed has answered this\nquestion, in a way that might put some of _us_ to shame! He does not,\nlike a Bentham, a Paley, take Right and Wrong, and calculate the profit\nand loss, ultimate pleasure of the one and of the other; and summing all\nup by addition and subtraction into a net result, ask you, Whether on\nthe whole the Right does not preponderate considerably? No; it is not\n_better_ to do the one than the other; the one is to the other as life\nis to death,--as Heaven is to Hell. The one must in nowise be done, the\nother in nowise left undone. You shall not measure them; they are\nincommensurable: the one is death eternal to a man, the other is life\neternal. Benthamee Utility, virtue by Profit and Loss; reducing this\nGod's-world to a dead brute Steam-engine, the infinite celestial Soul of\nMan to a kind of Hay-balance for weighing hay and thistles on, pleasures\nand pains on:--if you ask me which gives, Mohammed or they, the\nbeggarlier and falser view of Man and his Destinies in this Universe, I\nwill answer, It is not Mohammed!--\n\nOn the whole, we will repeat that this Religion of Mohammed's is a kind\nof Christianity; has a genuine element of what is spiritually highest\nlooking through it, not to be hidden by all its imperfections. The\nScandinavian God _Wish_, the god of all rude men,--this has been\nenlarged into a Heaven by Mohammed; but a Heaven symbolical of sacred\nDuty, and to be earned by faith and well-doing, by valiant action, and a\ndivine patience which is still more valiant. It is Scandinavian\nPaganism, and a truly celestial element super-added to that. Call it not\nfalse; look not at the falsehood of it, look at the truth of it. For\nthese twelve centuries, it has been the religion and life-guidance of\nthe fifth part of the whole kindred of Mankind. Above all things, it has\nbeen a religion heartily _believed_. These Arabs believe their religion,\nand try to live by it! No Christians, since the early ages, or only\nperhaps the English Puritans in modern times, have ever stood by their\nFaith as the Moslem do by theirs,--believing it wholly, fronting Time\nwith it, and Eternity with it. This night the watchman on the streets of\nCairo when he cries, \"Who goes?\" will hear from the passenger, along\nwith his answer, \"There is no God but God.\" _Allah akbar, Islam_, sounds\nthrough the souls, and whole daily existence, of these dusky millions.\nZealous missionaries preach it abroad among Malays, black Papuans,\nbrutal Idolaters;--displacing what is worse, nothing that is better or\ngood.\n\nTo the Arab Nation it was as a birth from darkness into light; Arabia\nfirst became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people, roaming\nunnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world: a Hero-Prophet\nwas sent down to them with a word they could believe: see, the unnoticed\nbecomes world-notable, the small has grown world-great; within one\ncentury afterwards, Arabia is at Grenada on this hand, at Delhi on\nthat;--glancing in valor and splendor and the light of genius, Arabia\nshines through long ages over a great section of the world. Belief is\ngreat, life-giving. The history of a Nation becomes fruitful,\nsoul-elevating, great, so soon as it believes. These Arabs, the man\nMohammed, and that one century,--is it not as if a spark had fallen, one\nspark, on a world of what seemed black unnoticeable sand; but lo, the\nsand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Grenada!\nI said, the Great Man was always as lightning out of Heaven; the rest of\nmen waited for him like fuel, and then they too would flame.\n\n\n\n\nTHE KORAN\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nEntitled, the Preface, or Introduction--Revealed at Mecca\n\n_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_.\n\n\nPraise be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most merciful, the king\nof the day of judgment. Thee do we worship, and of thee do we beg\nassistance. Direct us in the right way, in the way of those to whom thou\nhast been gracious; not of those against whom thou art incensed, nor of\nthose who go astray.[21]\n\n\n[Footnote 21: This chapter is a prayer, and held in great veneration by\nthe Mohammedans, who give it several other honorable titles; as the\nchapter of prayer, of praise, of thanksgiving, of treasure. They esteem\nit as the quintessence of the whole Koran, and often repeat it in their\ndevotions both public and private, as the Christians do the Lord's\nPrayer.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nEntitled, the Cow[22]--Revealed Partly at Mecca, and Partly at Medina\n\n_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_,\n\n\nA.L.M. There is no doubt in this book; it is a direction to the pious,\nwho believe in the mysteries of faith, who observe the appointed times\nof prayer, and distribute alms out of what we have bestowed on them; and\nwho believe in that revelation, which hath been sent down unto thee, and\nthat which hath been sent down unto the prophets before thee, and have\nfirm assurance in the life to come: these are directed by their Lord,\nand they shall prosper. As for the unbelievers, it will be equal to them\nwhether thou admonish them, or do not admonish them; they will not\nbelieve. God hath sealed up their hearts and their hearing; a dimness\ncovereth their sight, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. There\nare some who say, We believe in God and the last day, but are not really\nbelievers; they seek to deceive God, and those who do believe, but they\ndeceive themselves only, and are not sensible thereof. There is an\ninfirmity in their hearts, and God hath increased that infirmity; and\nthey shall suffer a most painful punishment because they have\ndisbelieved. When one saith unto them, Act not corruptly in the earth,\nthey reply, Verily, we are men of integrity. Are not they themselves\ncorrupt doers? but they are not sensible thereof. And when one saith\nunto them, Believe ye as others believe; they answer, Shall we believe\nas fools believe? Are not they themselves fools? but they know it not.\nWhen they meet those who believe, they say, We do believe: but when they\nretire privately to their devils, they say, We really hold with you, and\nonly mock at those people: God shall mock at them, and continue them in\ntheir impiety; they shall wander in confusion. These are the men who\nhave purchased error at the price of true direction: but their traffic\nhath not been gainful, neither have they been rightly directed. They are\nlike unto one who kindleth a fire, and when it hath enlightened all\naround him, God taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness,\nthey shall not see; they are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore will they\nnot repent. Or like a stormy cloud from heaven, fraught with darkness,\nthunder, and lightning, they put their fingers in their ears, because of\nthe noise of the thunder, for fear of death; God encompasseth the\ninfidels: the lightning wanteth but little of taking away their sight;\nso often as it enlighteneth them, they walk therein, but when darkness\ncometh on them, they stand still; and if God so pleased, He would\ncertainly deprive them of their hearing and their sight, for God is\nalmighty. O men of Mecca! serve your Lord who hath created you, and\nthose who have been before you: peradventure ye will fear him; who hath\nspread the earth as a bed for you, and the heaven as a covering, and\nhath caused water to descend from heaven, and thereby produced fruits\nfor your sustenance. Set not up therefore any equals unto God, against\nyour own knowledge. If ye be in doubt concerning that revelation which\nwe have sent down unto our servant, produce a chapter like unto it, and\ncall upon your witnesses, besides God, if ye say truth. But if ye do it\nnot, nor shall ever be able to do it, justly fear the fire whose fuel is\nmen and stones, prepared for the unbelievers. But bear good tidings unto\nthose who believe, and do good works, that they shall have gardens\nwatered by rivers; so often as they eat of the fruit thereof for\nsustenance, they shall say, This is what we have formerly eaten of; and\nthey shall be supplied with several sorts of fruit having a mutual\nresemblance to one another. There shall they enjoy wives subject to no\nimpurity, and there shall they continue forever. Moreover God will not\nbe ashamed to propound in a parable a gnat, or even a more despicable\nthing: for they who believe will know it to be the truth from their\nLord; but the unbelievers will say, What meaneth God by this parable? he\nwill thereby mislead many, and will direct many thereby: but he will not\nmislead any thereby, except the transgressors, who make void the\ncovenant of God after the establishing thereof, and cut in sunder that\nwhich God hath commanded to be joined, and act corruptly in the earth;\nthey shall perish. How is it that ye believe not in God? Since ye were\ndead, and he gave you life; he will hereafter cause you to die, and will\nagain restore you to life; then shall ye return unto him. It is he who\nhath created for you whatsoever is on earth, and then set his mind to\nthe creation of heaven, and formed it into seven heavens; he knoweth all\nthings. When thy Lord said unto the angels, I am going to place a\nsubstitute on earth,[23] they said, Wilt thou place there one who will\ndo evil therein, and shed blood? but we celebrate thy praise, and\nsanctify thee. God answered, Verily I know that which ye know not; and\nhe taught Adam the names of all things, and then proposed them to the\nangels, and said, Declare unto me the names of these things if ye say\ntruth. They answered, Praise be unto thee, we have no knowledge but what\nthou teachest us, for thou art knowing and wise. God said, O Adam, tell\nthem their names. And when he had told them their names, God said, Did I\nnot tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and know that\nwhich ye discover, and that which ye conceal? And when we said unto the\nangels, Worship Adam, they all worshipped him, except Eblis, who\nrefused, and was puffed up with pride, and became of the number of\nunbelievers.[24] And we said, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the\ngarden, and eat of the fruit thereof plentifully wherever ye will; but\napproach not this tree, lest ye become of the number of the\ntransgressors. But Satan caused them to forfeit paradise, and turned\nthem out of the state of happiness wherein they had been; whereupon we\nsaid, Get ye down, the one of you an enemy unto the other; and there\nshall be a dwelling-place for you on earth, and a provision for a\nseason. And Adam learned words of prayer from his Lord, and God turned\nunto him, for he is easy to be reconciled and merciful. We said, Get ye\nall down from hence; hereafter shall there come unto you a direction\nfrom me, and whoever shall follow my direction, on them shall no fear\ncome, neither shall they be grieved; but they who shall be unbelievers,\nand accuse our signs of falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell\nfire, therein shall they remain forever. O children of Israel,[25]\nremember my favor wherewith I have favored you; and perform your\ncovenant with me and I will perform my covenant with you; and revere me;\nand believe in the revelation which I have sent down, confirming that\nwhich is with you, and be not the first who believe not therein, neither\nexchange my signs for a small price; and fear me. Clothe not the truth\nwith vanity, neither conceal the truth against your own knowledge;\nobserve the stated times of prayer, and pay your legal alms, and bow\ndown yourselves with those who bow down. Will ye command men to do\njustice, and forget your own souls? yet ye read the book of the law: do\nye not therefore understand? Ask help with perseverance and prayer; this\nindeed is grievous, unless to the humble, who seriously think they shall\nmeet their Lord, and that to him they shall return. O children of\nIsrael, remember my favor wherewith I have favored you, and that I have\npreferred you above all nations: dread the day wherein one soul shall\nnot make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any intercession\nbe accepted from them, nor shall any compensation be received, neither\nshall they be helped. Remember when we delivered you from the people of\nPharaoh, who grievously oppressed you, they slew your male children, and\nlet your females live: therein was a great trial from your Lord. And\nwhen we divided the sea for you and delivered you, and drowned Pharaoh's\npeople while ye looked on. And when we treated with Moses forty nights;\nthen ye took the calf[26] for your God, and did evil; yet afterwards we\nforgave you, that peradventure ye might give thanks. And when we gave\nMoses the book of the law, and the distinction between good and evil,\nthat peradventure ye might be directed. And when Moses said unto his\npeople, O my people, verily ye have injured your own souls, by your\ntaking the calf for your God; therefore be turned unto your Creator, and\nslay those among you who have been guilty of that crime; this will be\nbetter for you in the sight of your Creator; and thereupon he turned\nunto you, for he is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. And when ye\nsaid, O Moses, we will not believe thee, until we see God manifestly;\ntherefore a punishment came upon you, while ye looked on; then we raised\nyou to life after ye had been dead, that peradventure ye might give\nthanks. And we caused clouds to overshadow you, and manna and quails[27]\nto descend upon you, saying, Eat of the good things which we have given\nyou for food: and they injured not us, but injured their own souls. And\nwhen we said, Enter into this city, and eat of the provisions thereof\nplentifully as ye will; and enter the gate worshipping, and say,\nForgiveness! we will pardon you your sins, and give increase unto the\nwell-doers. But the ungodly changed the expression into another,\ndifferent from what had been spoken unto them; and we sent down upon the\nungodly indignation from heaven, because they had transgressed. And when\nMoses asked drink for his people, we said, Strike the rock with thy rod;\nand there gushed thereout twelve fountains according to the number of\nthe tribes, and all men knew their respective drinking-place. Eat and\ndrink of the bounty of God, and commit not evil in the earth, acting\nunjustly. And when ye said, O Moses, we will by no means be satisfied\nwith one kind of food; pray unto thy Lord therefore for us, that he\nwould produce for us of that which the earth bringeth forth, herbs, and\ncucumbers, and garlic, and lentils, and onions; Moses answered, Will ye\nexchange that which is better, for that which is worse? Get ye down into\nEgypt, for there shall ye find what ye desire; and they were smitten\nwith vileness and misery, and drew on themselves indignation from God.\nThis they suffered, because they believed not in the signs of God, and\nkilled the prophets unjustly; this, because they rebelled and\ntransgressed. Surely those who believe, and those who Judaize, and\nChristians, and Sabeans, whoever believeth in God, and the last day, and\ndoth that which is right, they shall have their reward with their Lord;\nthere shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. Call to\nmind also when we accepted your covenant, and lifted up the mountain of\nSinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a\nresolution to keep it, and remember that which is contained therein,\nthat ye may beware. After this ye again turned back, so that if it had\nnot been for God's indulgence and mercy towards you, ye had certainly\nbeen destroyed. Moreover, ye know what befell those of your nation who\ntransgressed on the Sabbath day: We said unto them, Be ye changed into\napes, driven away from the society of men. And we made them an example\nunto those who were contemporary with them, and unto those who came\nafter them, and a warning to the pious. And when Moses said unto his\npeople, Verily God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow;[28] they answered,\nDost thou make a jest of us? Moses said, God forbid that I should be one\nof the foolish. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would show\nus what cow it is. Moses answered, He saith, She is neither an old cow,\nnor a young heifer, but of a middle-age between both: do ye therefore\nthat which ye are commanded. They said, Pray for us unto the Lord, that\nhe would show us what color she is of. Moses answered, He saith, She is\na red cow, intensely red, her color rejoiceth the beholders. They said,\nPray for us unto thy Lord, that he would further show us what cow it is,\nfor several cows with us are like one another, and we, if God please,\nwill be directed. Moses answered, He saith, She is a cow not broken to\nplough the earth, or water the field: a sound one, there is no blemish\nin her. They said, Now hast thou brought the truth. Then they sacrificed\nher; yet they wanted little of leaving it undone. And when ye slew a\nman, and contended among yourselves concerning him, God brought forth to\nlight that which ye concealed. For we said, Strike the dead body with\npart of the sacrificed cow; so God raiseth the dead to life, and showeth\nyou his signs, that peradventure ye may understand. Then were your\nhearts hardened after this, even as stones, or exceeding them in\nhardness: for from some stones have rivers burst forth, others have been\nrent in sunder, and water hath issued from them, and others have fallen\ndown for fear of God. But God is not regardless of that which ye do. Do\nye therefore desire that the Jews should believe you? yet a part of them\nheard the word of God, and then perverted it, after they had understood\nit, against their own conscience. And when they meet the true believers,\nthey say, We believe: but when they are privately assembled together,\nthey say, Will ye acquaint them with what God hath revealed unto you,\nthat they may dispute with you concerning it in the presence of your\nLord? Do ye not therefore understand? Do not they know that God knoweth\nthat which they conceal as well as that which they publish? But there\nare illiterate men among them, who know not the book of the law, but\nonly lying stories, although they think otherwise. And woe unto them who\ntranscribe corruptly the book of the law with their hands, and then say,\nThis is from God: that they may sell it for a small price. Therefore woe\nunto them because of that which their hands have written; and woe unto\nthem for that which they have gained. They say, The fire of hell shall\nnot touch us but for a certain number of days. Answer, Have ye received\nany promise from God to that purpose? for God will not act contrary to\nhis promise: or do ye speak concerning God that which ye know not?\nVerily whoso doth evil, and is encompassed by his iniquity, they shall\nbe the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever: but\nthey who believe and do good works, they shall be the companions of\nparadise, they shall continue therein forever. Remember also, when we\naccepted the covenant of the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall not\nworship any other except God, and ye shall show kindness to your parents\nand kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and speak that which is\ngood unto men, and be constant at prayer, and give alms. Afterwards ye\nturned back, except a few of you, and retired afar-off. And when we\naccepted your covenant, saying, Ye shall not shed your brother's blood,\nnor dispossess one another of your habitations, then ye confirmed it,\nand were witnesses thereto. Afterwards ye were they who slew one\nanother, and turned several of your brethren out of their houses,\nmutually assisting each other against them with injustice and enmity;\nbut if they come captives unto you, ye redeem them: yet it is equally\nunlawful for you to dispossess them. Do ye therefore believe in part of\nthe book of the law, and reject other parts thereof? But whoso among you\ndoth this, shall have no other reward than shame in this life, and on\nthe day of resurrection they shall be sent to a most grievous\npunishment; for God is not regardless of that which ye do. These are\nthey who have purchased this present life, at the price of that which is\nto come; wherefore their punishment shall not be mitigated, neither\nshall they be helped. We formerly delivered the book of the law unto\nMoses, and caused apostles to succeed him, and gave evident miracles to\nJesus the son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Do ye\ntherefore, whenever an apostle cometh unto you with that which your\nsouls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse some of imposture, and\nslay others? The Jews say, Our hearts are uncircumcised: but God hath\ncursed them with their infidelity, therefore few shall believe. And when\na book came unto them from God, confirming the scriptures which were\nwith them, although they had before prayed for assistance against those\nwho believed not, yet when that came unto them which they knew to be\nfrom God, they would not believe therein: therefore the curse of God\nshall be on the infidels. For a vile price have they sold their souls,\nthat they should not believe in that which God hath sent down; out of\nenvy, because God sendeth down his favors to such of his servants as he\npleaseth: therefore they brought on themselves indignation on\nindignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment.\nWhen one saith unto them, Believe in that which God hath sent down; they\nanswer, We believe in that which hath been sent down unto us: and they\nreject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth,\nconfirming that which is with them. Say, Why therefore have ye slain the\nprophets of God in times past, if ye be true believers? Moses formerly\ncame unto you with evident signs, but ye afterwards took the calf for\nyour god and did wickedly. And when we accepted your covenant, and\nlifted the mountain of Sinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we\nhave given you, with a resolution to perform it, and hear; they said, We\nhave heard, and have rebelled: and they were made to drink down the calf\ninto their hearts for their unbelief. Say, A grievous thing hath your\nfaith commanded you, if ye be true believers. Say, If the future mansion\nwith God be prepared peculiarly for you, exclusive of the rest of\nmankind, wish for death, if ye say truth: but they will never wish for\nit, because of that which their hands have sent before them; God knoweth\nthe wicked doers; and thou shalt surely find them of all men the most\ncovetous of life, even more than the idolaters: one of them would desire\nhis life to be prolonged a thousand years, but none shall reprieve\nhimself from punishment, that his life may be prolonged: God seeth that\nwhich they do. Say, Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (for he hath caused\nthe Koran to descend on thy heart, by the permission of God, confirming\nthat which was before revealed, a direction, and good tidings to the\nfaithful); whosoever is an enemy to God, or his angels, or his apostles,\nor to Gabriel, or Michael, verily God is an enemy to the unbelievers.\nAnd now we have sent down unto thee evident signs, and none will\ndisbelieve them but the evil-doers. Whenever they make a covenant, will\nsome of them reject it? yea, the greater part of them do not believe.\nAnd when there came unto them an apostle from God, confirming that\nscripture which was with them, some of those to whom the scriptures were\ngiven, cast the book of God behind their backs, as if they knew it not:\nand they followed the device which the devils devised against the\nkingdom of Solomon; and Solomon was not an unbeliever; but the devils\nbelieved not, they taught men sorcery, and that which was sent down to\nthe two angels at Babel, Har\u00fbt, and Mar\u00fbt: yet those who taught no man\nuntil they had said, Verily we are a temptation, therefore be not an\nunbeliever. So men learned from those two a charm by which they might\ncause division between a man and his wife; but they hurt none thereby,\nunless by God's permission; and they learned that which would hurt them,\nand not profit them; and yet they knew that he who bought that art\nshould have no part in the life to come, and woful is the price for\nwhich they have sold their souls, if they knew it. But if they had\nbelieved and feared God, verily the reward they would have had from God\nwould have been better, if they had known it. O true believers, say not\nto our apostle, Raina; but say, Ondhorna;[29] and hearken: the infidels\nshall suffer a grievous punishment. It is not the desire of the\nunbelievers, either among those unto whom the scriptures have been\ngiven, or among the idolaters, that any good should be sent down unto\nyou from your Lord: but God will appropriate his mercy unto whom he\npleaseth; for God is exceeding beneficent. Whatever verse we shall\nabrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, or\none like unto it. Dost thou not know that God is almighty? Dost thou not\nknow that unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth? neither\nhave ye any protector or helper except God. Will ye require of your\napostle according to that which was formerly required of Moses? but he\nthat hath exchanged faith for infidelity, hath already erred from the\nstraight way. Many of those unto whom the scriptures have been given,\ndesire to render you again unbelievers, after ye have believed; out of\nenvy from their souls, even after the truth is become manifest unto\nthem; but forgive them, and avoid them, till God shall send his command;\nfor God is omnipotent. Be constant in prayer, and give alms; and what\ngood ye have sent before for your souls, ye shall find it with God;\nsurely God seeth that which ye do. They say, Verily none shall enter\nparadise, except they who are Jews or Christians: this is their wish.\nSay, Produce your proof of this, if ye speak truth. Nay, but he who\nresigneth himself to God, and doth that which is right, he shall have\nhis reward with his Lord; there shall come no fear on them, neither\nshall they be grieved. The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on\nnothing; and the Christians say, The Jews are grounded on nothing; yet\nthey both read the scriptures. So likewise say they who know not the\nscripture, according to their saying. But God shall judge between them\non the day of the resurrection, concerning that about which they now\ndisagree. Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth the temples of God,\nthat his name should be remembered therein, and who hasteth to destroy\nthem? Those men cannot enter therein, but with fear: they shall have\nshame in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment. To God\nbelongeth the east and the west; therefore, whithersoever ye turn\nyourselves to pray, there is the face of God; for God is omnipresent and\nomniscient. They say God hath begotten children. God forbid! To him\nbelongeth whatever is in heaven, and on earth; all is possessed by him,\nthe Creator of heaven and earth; and when he decreeth a thing, he only\nsaith unto it, Be, and it is. And they who know not the scriptures say,\nUnless God speak unto us, or thou show us a sign, we will not believe.\nSo said those before them, according to their saying: their hearts\nresemble each other. We have already shown manifest signs unto people\nwho firmly believe; we have sent thee in truth, a bearer of good\ntidings, and a preacher; and thou shalt not be questioned concerning the\ncompanions of hell. But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither\nthe Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of\nGod is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires,\nafter the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no\npatron or protector against God. They to whom we have given the book of\nthe Koran, and who read it with its true reading, they believe therein;\nand whoever believeth not therein, they shall perish. O children of\nIsrael, remember my favor wherewith I have favored you, and that I have\npreferred you before all nations; and dread the day wherein one soul\nshall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any\ncompensation be accepted from them, nor shall any intercession avail,\nneither shall they be helped. Remember when the Lord tried Abraham by\ncertain words, which he fulfilled: God said, Verily I will constitute\nthee a model of religion unto mankind; he answered, And also of my\nposterity; God said, My covenant doth not comprehend the ungodly. And\nwhen we appointed the holy house of Mecca to be the place of resort for\nmankind, and a place of security; and said, Take the station of Abraham\nfor a place of prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismael, that\nthey should cleanse my house for those who should compass it, and those\nwho should be devoutly assiduous there, and those who should bow down\nand worship. And when Abraham said, Lord, make this a territory of\nsecurity, and bounteously bestow fruits on its inhabitants, such of them\nas believe in God and the last day; God answered, And whoever believeth\nnot, I will bestow on him little: afterwards I will drive him to the\npunishment of hell fire; an ill journey shall it be! And when Abraham\nand Ismael raised the foundations of the house, saying, Lord, accept it\nfrom us, for thou art he who heareth and knoweth: Lord, make us also\nresigned unto thee, and of our posterity a people resigned unto thee,\nand show us our holy ceremonies, and be turned unto us, for thou art\neasy to be reconciled, and merciful; Lord, send them likewise an apostle\nfrom among them, who may declare thy signs unto them, and teach them the\nbook of the Koran and wisdom, and may purify them; for thou art mighty\nand wise. Who will be averse to the religion of Abraham, but he whose\nmind is infatuated? Surely we have chosen him in this world, and in that\nwhich is to come he shall be one of the righteous. When his Lord said\nunto him, Resign thyself unto me, he answered, I have resigned myself\nunto the Lord of all creatures. And Abraham bequeathed this religion to\nhis children, and Jacob did the same, saying, My children, verily, God\nhath chosen this religion for you, therefore die not, unless ye also be\nresigned. Were ye present when Jacob was at the point of death? when he\nsaid to his sons, Whom will ye worship after me? They answered, We will\nworship thy God, and the God of thy fathers, Abraham and Ismael, and\nIsaac, one God, and to him will we be resigned. That people are now\npassed away, they have what they have gained, and ye shall have what ye\ngain; and ye shall not be questioned concerning that which they have\ndone. They say, Become Jews or Christians that ye may be directed. Say,\nNay, we follow the religion of Abraham the orthodox, who was no\nidolater. Say, We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down\nunto us, and that which hath been sent down unto Abraham, and Ismael,\nand Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was delivered unto\nMoses, and Jesus, and that which was delivered unto the prophets from\ntheir Lord: We make no distinction between any of them, and to God are\nwe resigned. Now if they believe according to what ye believe, they are\nsurely directed, but if they turn back, they are in schism. God shall\nsupport thee against them, for he is the hearer, the wise. The baptism\nof God[30] have we received, and who is better than God to baptize? him\ndo we worship. Say, Will ye dispute with us concerning God, who is our\nLord, and your Lord? we have our works, and ye have your works, and unto\nhim are we sincerely devoted. Will ye say, Truly Abraham, and Ismael,\nand Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, Are\nye wiser, or God? And who is more unjust than he who hideth the\ntestimony which he hath received from God? But God is not regardless of\nthat which ye do. That people are passed away, they have what they have\ngained, and ye shall have what ye gain, nor shall ye be questioned\nconcerning that which they have done. The foolish men will say, What\nhath turned them from their Keblah, towards which they formerly\nprayed?[31] Say, Unto God belongeth the east and the west: he directeth\nwhom he pleaseth into the right way. Thus have we placed you, O\nArabians, an intermediate nation, that ye may be witnesses against the\nrest of mankind, and that the apostle may be a witness against you. We\nappointed the Keblah towards which thou didst formerly pray, only that\nwe might know him who followeth the apostle, from him who turneth back\non his heels; though this change seem a great matter, unless unto those\nwhom God hath directed. But God will not render your faith of no effect;\nfor God is gracious and merciful unto man. We have seen thee turn about\nthy face towards heaven with uncertainty, but we will cause thee to turn\nthyself towards a Keblah that will please thee. Turn, therefore, thy\nface towards the holy temple of Mecca; and wherever ye be, turn your\nfaces towards that place. They to whom the scripture hath been given,\nknow this to be truth from their Lord. God is not regardless of that\nwhich ye do. Verily although thou shouldst show unto those to whom the\nscripture hath been given all kinds of signs, yet they will not follow\nthy Keblah, neither shalt thou follow their Keblah; nor will one part of\nthem follow the Keblah of the other. And if thou follow their desires,\nafter the knowledge which hath been given thee, verily thou wilt become\none of the ungodly. They to whom we have given the scripture know our\napostle, even as they know their own children; but some of them hide the\ntruth, against their own knowledge. Truth is from thy Lord, therefore\nthou shalt not doubt. Every sect hath a certain tract of heaven to which\nthey turn themselves in prayer; but do ye strive to run after good\nthings: wherever ye be, God will bring you all back at the resurrection,\nfor God is almighty. And from what place soever thou comest forth, turn\nthy face towards the holy temple; for this is truth from thy Lord;\nneither is God regardless of that which ye do. From what place soever\nthou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple; and wherever\nye be, thitherward turn your faces, lest men have matter of dispute\nagainst you; but as for those among them who are unjust doers, fear them\nnot, but fear me, that I may accomplish my grace upon you, and that ye\nmay be directed. As we have sent unto you an apostle from among you, to\nrehearse our signs unto you, and to purify you, and to teach you the\nbook of the Koran and wisdom, and to teach you that which ye knew not:\ntherefore remember me, and I will remember you, and give thanks unto me,\nand be not unbelievers. O true believers, beg assistance with patience\nand prayer, for God is with the patient. And say not of those who are\nslain in fight for the religion of God, that they are dead; yea, they\nare living: but ye do not understand. We will surely prove you by\nafflicting you in some measure with fear, and hunger, and decrease of\nwealth, and loss of lives, and scarcity of fruits; but bear good tidings\nunto the patient, who when a misfortune befalleth them, say, We are\nGod's, and unto him shall we surely return. Upon them shall be blessings\nfrom their Lord and mercy, and they are the rightly directed. Moreover\nSafa and Merwah are two of the monuments of God: whoever therefore goeth\non pilgrimage to the temple of Mecca or visiteth it, it shall be no\ncrime in him if he compass them both. And as for him who voluntarily\nperformeth a good work; verily God is grateful and knowing. They who\nconceal any of the evident signs, or the direction which we have sent\ndown, after what we have manifested unto men in the scripture, God shall\ncurse them; and they who curse shall curse them. But as for those who\nrepent and amend, and make known what they concealed, I will be turned\nunto them, for I am easy to be reconciled and merciful. Surely they who\nbelieve not, and die in their unbelief, upon them shall be the curse of\nGod, and of the angels, and of all men; they shall remain under it\nforever, their punishment shall not be alleviated, neither shall they be\nregarded. Your God is one God, there is no God but He, the most\nmerciful. Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the vicissitude\nof night and day, and in the ship which saileth in the sea, laden with\nwhat is profitable for mankind, and in the rain-water which God sendeth\nfrom heaven, quickening thereby the dead earth, and replenishing the\nsame with all sorts of cattle, and in the change of winds, and the\nclouds that are compelled to do service between heaven and earth, are\nsigns to people of understanding: yet some men take idols beside God,\nand love them as with the love due to God; but the true believers are\nmore fervent in love towards God. Oh that they who act unjustly did\nperceive, when they behold their punishment, that all power belongeth\nunto God, and that he is severe in punishing! When those who have been\nfollowed, shall separate themselves from their followers, and shall see\nthe punishment, and the cords of relation between them shall be cut\nasunder; the followers shall say, If we could return to life, we would\nseparate ourselves from them, as they have now separated themselves from\nus. So God will show them their works; they shall sigh grievously, and\nshall not come forth from the fire of hell. O men, eat of that which is\nlawful and good on the earth; and tread not in the steps of the devil,\nfor he is your open enemy. Verily he commandeth you evil and wickedness,\nand that ye should say that of God which ye know not. And when it is\nsaid unto them who believe not, Follow that which God hath sent down;\nthey answer, Nay, but we will follow that which we found our fathers\npractised. What? though their fathers knew nothing, and were not rightly\ndirected? The unbelievers are like unto one who crieth aloud to that\nwhich heareth not so much as his calling, or the sound of his voice.\nThey are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore they do not understand. O true\nbelievers, eat of the good things which we have bestowed on you for\nfood, and return thanks unto God, if ye serve him. Verily he hath\nforbidden you to eat that which dieth of itself, and blood, and swine's\nflesh, and that on which any other name but God's hath been\ninvocated.[32] But he who is forced by necessity, not lusting, nor\nreturning to transgress, it shall be no crime in him if he eat of those\nthings, for God is gracious and merciful. Moreover they who conceal any\npart of the scripture which God hath sent down unto them, and sell it\nfor a small price, they shall swallow into their bellies nothing but\nfire; God shall not speak unto them on the day of resurrection, neither\nshall he purify them, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. These\nare they who have sold direction for error, and pardon for punishment:\nbut how great will their suffering be in the fire! This they shall\nendure, because God sent down the book of the Koran with truth, and they\nwho disagree concerning that book, are certainly in a wide mistake. It\nis not righteousness that ye turn your faces in prayer towards the east\nand the west, but righteousness is of him who believeth in God and the\nlast day, and the angels, and the scriptures, and the prophets; who\ngiveth money for God's sake unto his kindred, and unto orphans, and the\nneedy, and the stranger, and those who ask, and for redemption of\ncaptives; who is constant at prayer, and giveth alms; and of those who\nperform their covenant, when they have covenanted, and who behave\nthemselves patiently in adversity, and hardships, and in time of\nviolence: these are they who are true, and these are they who fear God.\nO true believers, the law of retaliation is ordained you for the slain:\nthe free shall die for the free, and the servant for the servant, and a\nwoman for a woman; but he whom his brother shall forgive, may be\nprosecuted, and obliged to make satisfaction according to what is just,\nand a fine shall be set on him[33] with humanity. This is indulgence\nfrom your Lord, and mercy. And he who shall transgress after this, by\nkilling the murderer, shall suffer a grievous punishment. And in this\nlaw of retaliation ye have life, O ye of understanding, that\nperadventure ye may fear. It is ordained you, when any of you is at the\npoint of death, if he leave any goods, that he bequeath a legacy to his\nparents and kindred, according to what shall be reasonable.[34] This is\na duty incumbent on those who fear God. But he who shall change the\nlegacy, after he hath heard it bequeathed by the dying person, surely\nthe sin thereof shall be on those who change it, for God is he who\nheareth and knoweth. Howbeit he who apprehendeth from the testator any\nmistake or injustice, and shall compose the matter between them, that\nshall be no crime in him, for God is gracious and merciful. O true\nbelievers, a fast is ordained you, as it was ordained unto those before\nyou, that ye may fear God. A certain number of days shall ye fast: but\nhe among you who shall be sick, or on a journey, shall fast an equal\nnumber of other days. And those who can keep it, and do not, must redeem\ntheir neglect by maintaining of a poor man. And he who voluntarily\ndealeth better with the poor man than he is obliged, this shall be\nbetter for him. But if ye fast it will be better for you, if ye knew it.\nThe month of Ramadhan shall ye fast, in which the Koran was sent down\nfrom heaven, a direction unto men, and declarations of direction, and\nthe distinction between good and evil. Therefore let him among you who\nshall be present in this month, fast the same month; but he who shall be\nsick, or on a journey, shall fast the like number of other days. God\nwould make this an ease unto you, and would not make it a difficulty\nunto you; that ye may fulfil the number of days, and glorify God, for\nthat he hath directed you, and that ye may give thanks. When my servants\nask thee concerning me, Verily I am near; I will hear the prayer of him\nthat prayeth, when he prayeth unto me: but let them hearken unto me, and\nbelieve in me, that they may be rightly directed. It is lawful for you\non the night of the fast to go in unto your wives: they are a garment\nunto you, and ye are a garment unto them. God knoweth that ye defraud\nyourselves therein, wherefore he turneth unto you and forgiveth you. Now\ntherefore go in unto them; and earnestly desire that which God ordaineth\nyou, and eat and drink, until ye can plainly distinguish a white thread\nfrom a black thread by the daybreak: then keep the fast until night, and\ngo not in unto them, but be constantly present in the places of worship.\nThese are the prescribed bounds of God, therefore draw not near them to\ntransgress them. Thus God declareth his signs unto men, that ye may fear\nhim. Consume not your wealth among yourselves in vain; nor present it\nunto judges, that ye may devour part of men's substance unjustly,\nagainst your own consciences. They will ask thee concerning the phases\nof the moon. Answer, They are times appointed unto men, and to show the\nseason of the pilgrimage to Mecca. It is not righteousness that ye enter\nyour houses by the back part thereof, but righteousness is of him who\nfeareth God. Therefore enter your houses by their doors; and fear God,\nthat ye may be happy. And fight for the religion of God against those\nwho fight against you, but transgress not by attacking them first, for\nGod loveth not the transgressors. And kill them wherever ye find them,\nand turn them out of that whereof they have dispossessed you; for\ntemptation to idolatry is more grievous than slaughter: yet fight not\nagainst them in the holy temple, until they attack you therein; but if\nthey attack you, slay them there. This shall be the reward of the\ninfidels. But if they desist, God is gracious and merciful. Fight\ntherefore against them, until there be no temptation to idolatry, and\nthe religion be God's: but if they desist, then let there be no\nhostility, except against the ungodly. A sacred month for a sacred\nmonth, and the holy limits of Mecca, if they attack you therein, do ye\nalso attack them therein in retaliation; and whoever transgresseth\nagainst you by so doing, do ye transgress against him in like manner as\nhe hath transgressed against you, and fear God, and know that God is\nwith those who fear him. Contribute out of your substance towards the\ndefence of the religion of God, and throw not yourselves with your own\nhands into perdition; and do good, for God loveth those who do good.\nPerform the pilgrimage of Mecca, and the visitation of God; if ye be\nbesieged, send that offering which shall be the easiest; and shave not\nyour heads, until your offering reacheth the place of sacrifice. But\nwhoever among you is sick, or is troubled with any distemper of the\nhead, must redeem the shaving his head by fasting, or alms, or some\noffering. When ye are secure from enemies, he who tarrieth in the\nvisitation of the temple of Mecca until the pilgrimage, shall bring that\noffering which shall be the easiest. But he who findeth not anything to\noffer, shall fast three days in the pilgrimage, and seven when ye are\nreturned: they shall be ten days complete. This is incumbent on him\nwhose family shall not be present at the holy temple. And fear God, and\nknow that God is severe in punishing. The pilgrimage must be performed\nin the known months; whosoever therefore purposeth to go on pilgrimage\ntherein, let him not know a woman, nor transgress, nor quarrel in the\npilgrimage. The good which ye do, God knoweth it. Make provision for\nyour journey; but the best provision is piety: and fear me, O ye of\nunderstanding. It shall be no crime in you, if ye seek an increase from\nyour Lord, by trading during the pilgrimage. And when ye go in\nprocession from Arafat, remember God near the holy monument; and\nremember him for that he hath directed you, although ye were before this\nof the number of those who go astray. Therefore go in procession from\nwhence the people go in procession, and ask pardon of God, for God is\ngracious and merciful. And when ye have finished your holy ceremonies,\nremember God, according as ye remember your fathers, or with a more\nreverent commemoration. There are some men who say, O Lord, give us our\nportion in this world; but such shall have no portion in the next life:\nand there are others who say, O Lord, give us good in this world, and\nalso good in the next world, and deliver us from the torment of hell\nfire. They shall have a portion of that which they have gained: God is\nswift in taking an account. Remember God the appointed number of days;\nbut if any haste to depart from the valley of Mina in two days, it shall\nbe no crime in him. And if any tarry longer, it shall be no crime in\nhim, in him who feareth God. Therefore fear God, and know that unto him\nye shall be gathered. There is a man who causeth thee to marvel[35] by\nhis speech concerning this present life, and calleth God to witness that\nwhich is in his heart, yet he is most intent in opposing thee; and when\nhe turneth away from thee, he hasteth to act corruptly in the earth, and\nto destroy that which is sown, and springeth up;[36] but God loveth not\ncorrupt doing. And if one say unto him, Fear God; pride seizeth him,\ntogether with wickedness; but hell shall be his reward, and an unhappy\ncouch shall it be. There is also a man who selleth his soul for the sake\nof those things which are pleasing unto God;[37] and God is gracious\nunto his servants. O true believers, enter into the true religion\nwholly, and follow not the steps of Satan, for he is your open enemy. If\nye have slipped after the declarations of our will have come unto you,\nknow that God is mighty and wise. Do the infidels expect less than that\nGod should come down to them overshadowed with clouds, and the angels\nalso? but the thing is decreed, and to God shall all things return. Ask\nthe children of Israel how many evident signs we have showed them; and\nwhoever shall change the grace of God, after it shall have come unto\nhim, verily God will be severe in punishing him. The present life was\nordained for those who believe not, and they laugh the faithful to\nscorn; but they who fear God shall be above them, on the day of the\nresurrection: for God is bountiful unto whom he pleaseth without\nmeasure. Mankind was of one faith, and God sent prophets bearing good\ntidings, and denouncing threats; and sent down with them the scripture\nin truth, that it might judge between men of that concerning which they\ndisagreed: and none disagreed concerning it, except those to whom the\nsame scriptures were delivered, after the declarations of God's will had\ncome unto them, out of envy among themselves. And God directed those who\nbelieved, to that truth concerning which they disagreed, by his will:\nfor God directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. Did ye think ye\nshould enter paradise, when as yet no such thing had happened unto you,\nas hath happened unto those who have been before you? They suffered\ncalamity and tribulation, and were afflicted; so that the apostle, and\nthey who believed with him, said, When will the help of God come? Is not\nthe help of God nigh? They will ask thee what they shall bestow in alms:\nAnswer, The good which ye bestow, let it be given to parents, and\nkindred, and orphans, and the poor, and the stranger. Whatsoever good ye\ndo, God knoweth it. War is enjoined you against the Infidels; but this\nis hateful unto you: yet perchance ye hate a thing which is better for\nyou, and perchance ye love a thing which is worse for you: but God\nknoweth and ye know not. They will ask thee concerning the sacred month,\nwhether they may war therein: Answer, To war therein is grievous; but to\nobstruct the way of God, and infidelity towards him, and to keep men\nfrom the holy temple, and to drive out his people from thence, is more\ngrievous in the sight of God, and the temptation to idolatry is more\ngrievous than to kill in the sacred months. They will not cease to war\nagainst you, until they turn you from your religion, if they be able:\nbut whoever among you shall turn back from his religion, and die an\ninfidel, their works shall be vain in this world and the next; they\nshall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever.\nBut they who believe, and who fly for the sake of religion, and fight in\nGod's cause, they shall hope for the mercy of God; for God is gracious\nand merciful. They will ask thee concerning wine[38] and lots:[39]\nAnswer, In both there is great sin, and also some things of use unto\nmen, but their sinfulness is greater than their use. They will ask thee\nalso what they shall bestow in alms: Answer, What ye have to spare. Thus\nGod showeth his signs unto you, that peradventure ye might seriously\nthink of this present world, and of the next. They will also ask thee\nconcerning orphans: Answer, To deal righteously with them is best; and\nif ye intermeddle with the management of what belongs to them, do them\nno wrong; they are your brethren: God knoweth the corrupt dealer from\nthe righteous; and if God please, he will surely distress you, for God\nis mighty and wise. Marry not women who are idolaters, until they\nbelieve: verily a maid-servant who believeth is better than an\nidolatress, although she please you more. And give not women who believe\nin marriage to the idolaters, until they believe; for verily a servant\nwho is a true believer, is better than an idolater, though he please you\nmore. They invite into hell fire, but God inviteth unto paradise and\npardon through his will, and declareth his signs unto men, that they may\nremember. They will ask thee also concerning the courses of women:\nAnswer, They are a pollution: therefore separate yourselves from women\nin their courses, and go not near them until they be cleansed. But when\nthey are cleansed, go in unto them as God hath commanded you, for God\nloveth those who repent, and loveth those who are clean. Your wives are\nyour tillage; go in therefore unto your tillage in what manner soever ye\nwill: and do first some act that may be profitable unto your souls; and\nfear God, and know that ye must meet him; and bear good tidings unto the\nfaithful. Make not God the object of your oaths, that ye may deal\njustly, and be devout, and make peace among men;[40] for God is he who\nheareth and knoweth. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate word\nin your oaths; but he will punish you for that which your hearts have\nassented unto: God is merciful and gracious. They who vow to abstain\nfrom their wives, are allowed to wait four months: but if they go back\nfrom their vow, verily God is gracious and merciful; and if they resolve\non a divorce, God is he who heareth and knoweth. The women who are\ndivorced shall wait concerning themselves until they have their courses\nthrice, and it shall not be lawful for them to conceal that which God\nhath created in their wombs, if they believe in God and the last day;\nand their husbands will act more justly to bring them back at this time,\nif they desire a reconciliation. The women ought also to behave towards\ntheir husbands in like manner as their husbands should behave towards\nthem, according to what is just: but the men ought to have a superiority\nover them. God is mighty and wise. Ye may divorce your wives twice; and\nthen either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them with kindness.\nBut it is not lawful for you to take away anything of what ye have given\nthem, unless both fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God.\nAnd if ye fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God, it shall\nbe no crime in either of them on account of that for which the wife\nshall redeem herself. These are the ordinances of God; therefore\ntransgress them not; for whoever transgresseth the ordinances of God,\nthey are unjust doers. But if the husband divorce her a third time, she\nshall not be lawful for him again, until she marry another husband. But\nif he also divorce her, it shall be no crime in them, if they return to\neach other, if they think they can observe the ordinances of God; and\nthese are the ordinances of God: he declareth them to people of\nunderstanding. But when ye divorce women, and they have fulfilled their\nprescribed time, either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them with\nkindness; and retain them not by violence, so that ye transgress; for he\nwho doth this, surely injureth his own soul. And make not the signs of\nGod a jest: but remember God's favor towards you, and that he hath sent\ndown unto you the book of the Koran, and wisdom, admonishing you\nthereby; and fear God, and know that God is omniscient. But when ye have\ndivorced your wives, and they have fulfilled their prescribed time,\nhinder them not from marrying their husbands, when they have agreed\namong themselves according to what is honorable. This is given in\nadmonition unto him among you who believeth in God, and the last day.\nThis is most righteous for you, and most pure. God knoweth, but ye know\nnot. Mothers, after they are divorced, shall give suck unto their\nchildren two full years, to him who desireth the time of giving suck to\nbe completed; and the father shall be obliged to maintain them and\nclothe them in the meantime, according to that which shall be\nreasonable. No person shall be obliged beyond his ability. A mother\nshall not be compelled to what is unreasonable on account of her child,\nnor a father on account of his child. And the heir of the father shall\nbe obliged to do in like manner. But if they choose to wean the child\nbefore the end of two years, by common consent and on mutual\nconsideration, it shall be no crime in them. And if ye have a mind to\nprovide a nurse for your children, it shall be no crime in you, in case\nye fully pay what ye offer her, according to that which is just. And\nfear God, and know that God seeth whatever ye do. Such of you as die,\nand leave wives, their wives must wait concerning themselves four months\nand ten days, and when they shall have fulfilled their term, it shall be\nno crime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, according\nto what is reasonable. God well knoweth that which ye do. And it shall\nbe no crime in you, whether ye make public overtures of marriage unto\nsuch women, within the said four months and ten days, or whether ye\nconceal such your designs in your minds: God knoweth that ye will\nremember them. But make no promise unto them privately, unless ye speak\nhonorable words; and resolve not on the knot of marriage, until the\nprescribed time be accomplished; and know that God knoweth that which is\nin your minds, therefore beware of him, and know that God is gracious\nand merciful. It shall be no crime in you, if ye divorce your wives, so\nlong as ye have not touched them, nor settled any dowry on them. And\nprovide for them (he who is at his ease must provide according to his\ncircumstances, and he who is straitened according to his circumstances)\nnecessaries, according to what shall be reasonable. This is a duty\nincumbent on the righteous. But if ye divorce them before ye have\ntouched them, and have already settled a dowry on them, ye shall give\nthem half of what ye have settled, unless they release any part, or he\nrelease part in whose hand the knot of marriage is; and if ye release\nthe whole, it will approach nearer unto piety. And forget not liberality\namong you, for God seeth that which ye do. Carefully observe the\nappointed prayers, and the middle prayer,[41] and be assiduous therein,\nwith devotion towards God. But if ye fear any danger, pray on foot or on\nhorseback; and when ye are safe, remember God, how he hath taught you\nwhat as yet ye knew not. And such of you as shall die and leave wives,\nought to bequeath their wives a year's maintenance, without putting them\nout of their houses: but if they go out voluntarily, it shall be no\ncrime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, according to\nwhat shall be reasonable; God is mighty and wise. And unto those who are\ndivorced, a reasonable provision is also due; this is a duty incumbent\non those who fear God. Thus God declareth his signs unto you, that ye\nmay understand. Hast thou not considered those who left their\nhabitations (and they were thousands) for fear of death? And God said\nunto them, Die; then he restored them to life, for God is gracious\ntowards mankind; but the greater part of men do not give thanks. Fight\nfor the religion of God, and know that God is he who heareth and\nknoweth. Who is he that will lend unto God on good usury? verily he will\ndouble it unto him manifold; for God contracteth and extendeth his hand\nas he pleaseth, and to him shall ye return. Hast thou not considered the\nassembly of the children of Israel, after the time of Moses; when they\nsaid unto their prophet Samuel, Set a king over us, that we may fight\nfor the religion of God? The prophet answered, If ye are enjoined to go\nto war, will ye be near refusing to fight? They answered, And what\nshould ail us that we should not fight for the religion of God, seeing\nwe are dispossessed of our habitations, and deprived of our children?\nBut when they were enjoined to go to war, they turned back, except a few\nof them: and God knew the ungodly. And their prophet said unto them,\nVerily God hath set Tal\u00fbt king over you: they answered, How shall he\nreign over us, seeing we are more worthy of the kingdom than he, neither\nis he possessed of great riches? Samuel said, Verily God hath chosen him\nbefore you, and hath caused him to increase in knowledge and stature,\nfor God giveth his kingdom unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and\nwise. And their prophet said unto them, Verily the sign of his kingdom\nshall be, that the ark shall come unto you: therein shall be\ntranquillity from your Lord, and the relics which have been left by the\nfamily of Moses, and the family of Aaron; the angels shall bring it.\nVerily this shall be a sign unto you, if ye believe. And when Tal\u00fbt\ndeparted with his soldiers, he said, Verily God will prove you by the\nriver: for he who drinketh thereof, shall not be on my side (but he who\nshall not taste thereof he shall be on my side) except he who drinketh a\ndraught out of his hand. And they drank thereof, except a few of them.\nAnd when they had passed the river, he and those who believed with him,\nthey said, We have no strength to-day against Jalut and his forces. But\nthey who considered that they should meet God at the resurrection, said,\nHow often hath a small army discomfited a great army, by the will of\nGod? and God is with those who patiently persevere. And when they went\nforth to battle against Jalut and his forces, they said, O Lord, pour on\nus patience, and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving\npeople. Therefore they discomfited them, by the will of God, and David\nslew Jalut. And God gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him his\nwill; and if God had not prevented men, the one by the other, verily the\nearth had been corrupted: but God is beneficent towards his creatures.\nThese are the signs of God: we rehearse them unto thee with truth, and\nthou art surely one of those who have been sent by God. These are the\napostles; we have preferred some of them before others: some of them\nhath God spoken unto, and hath exalted the degree of others of them. And\nwe gave unto Jesus the son of Mary manifest signs, and strengthened him\nwith the holy spirit. And if God had pleased, they who came after those\napostles would not have contended among themselves, after manifest signs\nhad been shown unto them. But they fell to variance; therefore some of\nthem believed, and some of them believed not; and if God had so pleased,\nthey would not have contended among themselves, but God doeth what he\nwill. O true believers, give alms of that which we have bestowed on you,\nbefore the day cometh wherein there shall be no merchandising, nor\nfriendship, nor intercession. The infidels are unjust doers. God! there\nis no God but he;[42] the living, the self-subsisting: neither slumber\nnor sleep seizeth him; to him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven, and on\nearth. Who is he that can intercede with him, but through his good\npleasure! He knoweth that which is past, and that which is to come unto\nthem, and they shall not comprehend anything of his knowledge, but so\nfar as he pleaseth. His throne is extended over heaven and earth,[43]\nand the preservation of both is no burden unto him. He is the high, the\nmighty. Let there be no violence in religion. Now is right direction\nmanifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall deny\nTagut, and believe in God, he shall surely take hold on a strong handle,\nwhich shall not be broken; God is he who heareth and seeth. God is the\npatron of those who believe; he shall lead them out of darkness into\nlight: but as to those who believe not, their patrons are Tagut; they\nshall lead them from the light into darkness; they shall be the\ncompanions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever. Hast thou\nnot considered him who disputed with Abraham concerning his Lord,\nbecause God had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said, My Lord is he\nwho giveth life, and killeth: he answered, I give life, and I kill.\nAbraham said, Verily God bringeth the sun from the east, now do thou\nbring it from the west. Whereupon the infidel was confounded; for God\ndirecteth not the ungodly people. Or hast thou not considered how he\nbehaved who passed by a city which had been destroyed, even to her\nfoundations? He said, How shall God quicken this city, after she hath\nbeen dead? And God caused him to die for a hundred years, and afterwards\nraised him to life. And God said, How long hast thou tarried here? He\nanswered, A day, or part of a day. God said, Nay, thou hast tarried here\na hundred years. Now look on thy food and the drink, they are not yet\ncorrupted; and look on thine ass: and this have we done that we might\nmake thee a sign unto men. And look on the bones of thine ass, how we\nraise them, and afterwards clothe them with flesh. And when this was\nshown unto him, he said, I know that God is able to do all things. And\nwhen Abraham said, O Lord, show me how thou wilt raise the dead; God\nsaid, Dost thou not yet believe? He answered, Yea; but I ask this that\nmy heart may rest at ease. God said, take therefore four birds, and\ndivide them; then lay a part of them on every mountain; then call them,\nand they shall come swiftly unto thee: and know that God is mighty and\nwise. The similitude of those who lay out their substance for advancing\nthe religion of God, is as a grain of corn which produceth seven ears,\nand in every ear a hundred grains; for God giveth twofold unto whom he\npleaseth: God is bounteous and wise. They who lay out their substance\nfor the religion of God, and afterwards follow not what they have so\nlaid out by reproaches or mischief, they shall have their reward with\ntheir Lord; upon them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved.\nA fair speech, and to forgive, is better than alms followed by mischief.\nGod is rich and merciful. O true believers, make not your alms of no\neffect by reproaching, or mischief, as he who layeth out what he hath to\nappear unto men to give alms, and believeth not in God and the last day.\nThe likeness of such a one is as a flint covered with earth, on which a\nviolent rain falleth, and leaveth it hard. They cannot prosper in\nanything which they have gained, for God directeth not the unbelieving\npeople. And the likeness of those who lay out their substance from a\ndesire to please God, and for an establishment for their souls, is as a\ngarden on a hill, on which a violent rain falleth, and it bringeth forth\nits fruits twofold; and if a violent rain falleth not on it, yet the dew\nfalleth thereon: and God seeth that which ye do. Doth any of you desire\nto have a garden of palm-trees and vines, through which rivers flow,\nwherein he may have all kinds of fruits, and that he may attain to old\nage, and have a weak offspring? then a violent fiery wind shall strike\nit, so that it shall be burned. Thus God declareth his signs unto you,\nthat ye may consider. O true believers, bestow alms of the good things\nwhich ye have gained, and of that which we have produced for you out of\nthe earth, and choose not the bad thereof, to give it in alms, such as\nye would not accept yourselves, otherwise than by connivance: and know\nthat God is rich and worthy to be praised. The devil threateneth you\nwith poverty, and commandeth you filthy covetousness; but God promiseth\nyou pardon from himself and abundance: God is bounteous and wise. He\ngiveth wisdom unto whom he pleaseth; and he unto whom wisdom is given,\nhath received much good: but none will consider, except the wise of\nheart. And whatever alms ye shall give, or whatever vow ye shall vow,\nverily God knoweth it; but the ungodly shall have none to help them. If\nye make your alms to appear, it is well; but if ye conceal them, and\ngive them unto the poor, this will be better for you, and will atone for\nyour sins: and God is well informed of that which ye do. The direction\nof them belongeth not unto thee; but God directeth whom he pleaseth. The\ngood that ye shall give in alms shall redound unto yourselves; and ye\nshall not give unless out of desire of seeing the face of God. And what\ngood thing ye shall give in alms, it shall be repaid you, and ye shall\nnot be treated unjustly; unto the poor who are wholly employed in\nfighting for the religion of God, and cannot go to and fro in the earth;\nwhom the ignorant man thinketh rich, because of their modesty: thou\nshalt know them by this mark, they ask not men with importunity; and\nwhat good ye shall give in alms, verily God knoweth it. They who\ndistribute alms of their substance night and day, in private and in\npublic, shall have their reward with the Lord; on them shall no fear\ncome, neither shall they be grieved. They who devour usury shall not\narise from the dead, but as he ariseth whom Satan hath infected by a\ntouch: this shall happen to them because they say, Truly selling is but\nas usury: and yet God hath permitted selling and forbidden usury. He\ntherefore who, when there cometh unto him an admonition from his Lord,\nabstaineth from usury for the future, shall have what is past forgiven\nhim, and his affair belongeth unto God. But whoever returneth to usury,\nthey shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall continue therein\nforever. God shall take his blessing from usury, and shall increase\nalms: for God loveth no infidel, or ungodly person. But they who believe\nand do that which is right, and observe the stated times of prayer, and\npay their legal alms, they shall have their reward with their Lord:\nthere shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. O true\nbelievers, fear God, and remit that which remaineth of usury, if ye\nreally believe; but if ye do it not, hearken unto war, which is declared\nagainst you from God and his apostle: yet if ye repent, ye shall have\nthe capital of your money. Deal not unjustly with others, and ye shall\nnot be dealt with unjustly. If there be any debtor under a difficulty of\npaying his debt, let his creditor wait till it be easy for him to do it;\nbut if ye remit it as alms, it will be better for you, if ye knew it.\nAnd fear the day wherein ye shall return unto God; then shall every soul\nbe paid what it hath gained, and they shall not be treated unjustly. O\ntrue believers, when ye bind yourselves one to the other in a debt for a\ncertain time, write it down; and let a writer write between you\naccording to justice, and let not the writer refuse writing according to\nwhat God hath taught him; but let him write, and let him who oweth the\ndebt dictate, and let him fear God his Lord, and not diminish aught\nthereof. But if he who oweth the debt be foolish, or weak, or be not\nable to dictate himself, let his agent dictate according to equity; and\ncall to witness two witnesses of your neighboring men; but if there be\nnot two men, let there be a man and two women of those whom ye shall\nchoose for witnesses: if one of those women should mistake, the other of\nthem will cause her to recollect. And the witnesses shall not refuse,\nwhensoever they shall be called. And disdain not to write it down, be it\na large debt, or be it a small one, until its time of payment: this will\nbe more just in the sight of God, and more right for bearing witness,\nand more easy, that ye may not doubt. But if it be a present bargain\nwhich ye transact between yourselves, it shall be no crime in you, if ye\nwrite it not down. And take witnesses when ye sell one to the other, and\nlet no harm be done to the writer, nor to the witness; which if ye do,\nit will surely be injustice in you: and fear God, and God will instruct\nyou, for God knoweth all things. And if ye be on a journey, and find no\nwriter, let pledges be taken: but if one of you trust the other, let him\nwho is trusted return what he is trusted with, and fear God his Lord.\nAnd conceal not the testimony, for he who concealeth it hath surely a\nwicked heart: God knoweth that which ye do. Whatever is in heaven and on\nearth is God's; and whether ye manifest that which is in your minds, or\nconceal it, God will call you to account for it, and will forgive whom\nhe pleaseth, and will punish whom he pleaseth; for God is almighty. The\napostle believeth in that which hath been sent down unto him from his\nLord, and the faithful also. Every one of them believeth in God, and his\nangels, and his scriptures, and his apostles: we make no distinction at\nall between his apostles.[44] And they say, We have heard, and do obey:\nwe implore thy mercy, O Lord, for unto thee must we return. God will not\nforce any soul beyond its capacity: it shall have the good which it\ngaineth, and it shall suffer the evil which it gaineth. O Lord, punish\nus not, if we forget, or act sinfully: O Lord, lay not on us a burden\nlike that which thou hast laid on those who have been before us;[45]\nneither make us, O Lord, to bear what we have not strength to bear, but\nbe favorable unto us, and spare us, and be merciful unto us. Thou art\nour patron, help us therefore against the unbelieving nations.\n\n\n[Footnote 22: This title was occasioned by the story of the red heifer,\nmentioned p. 217.]\n\n[Footnote 23: Concerning the creation of Adam, here intimated, the\nMohammedans have several peculiar traditions. They say the angels,\nGabriel, Michael, and Israfil, were sent by God, one after another, to\nfetch for that purpose seven handfuls of earth from different depths,\nand of different colors (whence some account for the various complexion\nof mankind); but the earth being apprehensive of the consequence, and\ndesiring them to represent her fear to God that the creature he designed\nto form would rebel against him, and draw down his curse upon her, they\nreturned without performing God's command; whereupon he sent Azra\u00efl on\nthe same errand, who executed his commission without remorse, for which\nreason God appointed that angel to separate the souls from the bodies,\nbeing therefore called the angel of death. The earth he had taken was\ncarried into Arabia, to a place between Mecca and Tayef, where, being\nfirst kneaded by the angels, it was afterwards fashioned by God himself\ninto a human form, and left to dry for the space of forty days, or, as\nothers say, as many years, the angels in the meantime often visiting it,\nand Eblis (then one of the angels who are nearest to God's presence,\nafterwards the devil) among the rest; but he, not contented with looking\non it, kicked it with his foot, and knowing God designed that creature\nto be his superior, took a secret resolution never to acknowledge him as\nsuch. After this, God animated the figure of clay and endued it with an\nintelligent soul, and when he had placed him in paradise, formed Eve out\nof his left side.]\n\n[Footnote 24: This occasion of the devil's fall has some affinity with\nan opinion which has been pretty much entertained among Christians,\nviz., that the angels being informed of God's intention to create man\nafter his own image, and to dignify human nature by Christ's assuming\nit, some of them, thinking their glory to be eclipsed thereby, envied\nman's happiness, and so revolted.]\n\n[Footnote 25: The Jews are here called upon to receive the Koran, as\nverifying and confirming the Pentateuch, particularly with respect to\nthe unity of God, and the mission of Mohammed. And they are exhorted not\nto conceal the passages of their law which bear witness to those truths,\nnor to corrupt them by publishing false copies of the Pentateuch, for\nwhich the writers were but poorly paid.]\n\n[Footnote 26: The person who cast this calf, the Mohammedans say, was\n(not Aaron but) al S\u00e2meri, one of the principal men among the children\nof Israel, some of whose descendants it is pretended still inhabit an\nisland of that name in the Arabian Gulf. It was made of the rings and\nbracelets of gold, silver, and other materials, which the Israelites had\nborrowed of the Egyptians; for Aaron, who commanded in his brother's\nabsence, having ordered al S\u00e2meri to collect those ornaments from the\npeople, who carried on a wicked commerce with them, and to keep them\ntogether till the return of Moses; al S\u00e2meri, understanding the\nfounder's art, put them into a furnace to melt them down into one mass,\nwhich came out in the form of a calf.]\n\n[Footnote 27: The eastern writers say these quails were of a peculiar\nkind, to be found nowhere but in Yaman, from whence they were brought by\na south wind in great numbers to the Israelites' camp in the desert. The\nArabs call these birds Salw\u00e4, which is plainly the same with the Hebrew\nSalwim, and say they have no bones, but are eaten whole.]\n\n[Footnote 28: The occasion of this sacrifice is thus related: A certain\nman at his death left his son, then a child, a cow-calf, which wandered\nin the desert till he came to age; at which time his mother told him the\nheifer was his, and bid him fetch her, and sell her for three pieces of\ngold. When the young man came to the market with his heifer, an angel in\nthe shape of a man accosted him, and bid him six pieces of gold for her;\nbut he would not take the money till he had asked his mother's consent;\nwhich when he had obtained, he returned to the market-place, and met the\nangel, who now offered him twice as much for the heifer, provided he\nwould say nothing of it to his mother; but the young man refusing, went\nand acquainted her with the additional offer. The woman perceiving it\nwas an angel, bid her son go back and ask him what must be done with the\nheifer; whereupon the angel told the young man that in a little time the\nchildren of Israel would buy that heifer of him at any price. And soon\nafter it happened that an Israelite, named Hammiel, was killed by a\nrelation of his, who, to prevent discovery, conveyed the body to a place\nconsiderably distant from that where the act was committed. The friends\nof the slain man accused some other persons of the murder before Moses;\nbut they denying the fact, and there being no evidence to convict them,\nGod commanded a cow, of such and such particular marks, to be killed;\nbut there being no other which answered the description except the\norphan's heifer, they were obliged to buy her for as much gold as her\nhide would hold; according to some, for her full weight in gold, and as\nothers say, for ten times as much. This heifer they sacrificed, and the\ndead body being, by divine direction, struck with a part of it, revived,\nand standing up, named the person who had killed Him; after which it\nimmediately fell down dead again. The whole story seems to be borrowed\nfrom the red heifer which was ordered by the Jewish law to be burnt, and\nthe ashes kept for purifying those who happened to touch a dead corpse;\nand from the heifer directed to be slain for the expiation of an\nuncertain murder. See Deut. xxi. 1-9.]\n\n[Footnote 29: Those two Arabic words have both the same signification,\nviz., Look on us; and are a kind of salutation. Mohammed had a great\naversion to the first, because the Jews frequently used it in derision,\nit being a word of reproach in their tongue. They alluded, it seems, to\nthe Hebrew verb _ru\u00e1_, which signifies to be bad or mischievous.]\n\n[Footnote 30: By baptism is to be understood the religion which God\ninstituted in the beginning; because the signs of it appear in the\nperson who professes it, as the signs of water appear in the clothes of\nhim that is baptized.]\n\n[Footnote 31: At first, Mohammed and his followers observed no\nparticular rite in turning their faces towards any certain place, or\nquarter, of the world, when they prayed; it being declared to be\nperfectly indifferent.]\n\n[Footnote 32: For this reason, whenever the Mohammedans kill any animal\nfor food, they always say, _Bismi allah_, or \"In the name of God\";\nwhich, if it be neglected, they think it not lawful to eat of it.]\n\n[Footnote 33: This is the common practice in Mohammedan countries,\nparticularly in Persia, where the relations of the deceased may take\ntheir choice, either to have the murderer put into their hands to be put\nto death, or else to accept of a pecuniary satisfaction.]\n\n[Footnote 34: That is, the legacy was not to exceed a third part of the\ntestator's substance, nor to be given where there was no necessity. But\nthis injunction is abrogated by the law concerning inheritances.]\n\n[Footnote 35: This person was al Akhnas Ebn Shoraik, a fair-spoken\ndissembler, who swore that he believed in Mohammed, and pretended to be\none of his friends, and to contemn this world. But God here reveals to\nthe prophet his hypocrisy and wickedness.]\n\n[Footnote 36: Setting fire to his neighbor's corn, and killing his asses\nby night.]\n\n[Footnote 37: The person here meant was one Soheib, who being persecuted\nby the idolaters of Mecca forsook all he had and fled to Medina.]\n\n[Footnote 38: Under the name of wine all sorts of strong and inebriating\nliquors are comprehended.]\n\n[Footnote 39: The original word, _al Meiser_, properly signifies a\nparticular game performed with arrows, and much in use with the pagan\nArabs. But by lots we are here to understand all games whatsoever, which\nare subject to chance or hazard, as dice and cards.]\n\n[Footnote 40: Some commentators expound this negatively, \"That ye will\nnot deal justly, nor be devout ...\" For such wicked oaths, they say,\nwere customary among the idolatrous inhabitants of Mecca; which gave\noccasion to the following saying of Mohammed: \"When you swear to do a\nthing, and afterwards find it better to do otherwise, do that which is\nbetter, and make void your oath.\"]\n\n[Footnote 41: Yahya interprets this from a tradition of Mohammed, who,\nbeing asked which was the middle prayer, answered, The evening prayer,\nwhich was instituted by the prophet Solomon.]\n\n[Footnote 42: The following seven lines contain a magnificent\ndescription of the divine majesty and providence; but it must not be\nsupposed the translation comes up to the dignity of the original. This\npassage is justly admired by the Mohammedans, who recite it in their\nprayers; and some of them wear it about them, engraved on an agate or\nother precious stone.]\n\n[Footnote 43: This throne, in Arabic called Corsi, is by the Mohammedans\nsupposed to be God's tribunal, or seat of justice.]\n\n[Footnote 44: But this, say the Mohammedans, the Jews do, who receive\nMoses but reject Jesus; and the Christians, who receive both those\nprophets, but reject Mohammed.]\n\n[Footnote 45: That is, on the Jews, who, as the commentators tell us,\nwere ordered to kill a man by way of atonement, to give one-fourth of\ntheir substance in alms, and to cut off an unclean ulcerous part, and\nwere forbidden to eat fat, or animals that divided the hoof, and were\nobliged to observe the Sabbath, and other particulars wherein the\nMohammedans are at liberty.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nEntitled, the Family of Imran[46]--Revealed at Medina\n\n_In the Name of the Most Merciful God_.\n\n\nA.L.M.[47] There is no God but God, the living, self-subsisting: He hath\nsent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming that\nwhich was revealed before it; for he had formerly sent down the law and\nthe gospel, a direction unto men; and he had also sent down the\ndistinction between good and evil. Verily those who believe not the\nsigns of God, shall suffer a grievous punishment; for God is mighty,\nable to revenge. Surely nothing is hidden from God, of that which is on\nearth, or in heaven: it is he who formeth you in the wombs, as he\npleaseth; there is no God but he, the mighty, the wise. It is he who\nhath sent down unto thee the book, wherein are some verses clear to be\nunderstood, they are the foundation of the book; and others are\nparabolical. But they whose hearts are perverse will follow that which\nis parabolical therein, out of love of schism, and a desire of the\ninterpretation thereof; yet none knoweth the interpretation thereof,\nexcept God. But they who are well grounded in knowledge say, We believe\ntherein, the whole is from our Lord; and none will consider except the\nprudent. O Lord, cause not our hearts to swerve from truth, after thou\nhast directed us: and give us from thee mercy, for thou art he who\ngiveth. O Lord, thou shalt surely gather mankind together, unto a day of\nresurrection: there is no doubt of it, for God will not be contrary to\nthe promise. As for the infidels, their wealth shall not profit them\nanything, nor their children, against God: they shall be the fuel of\nhell fire. According to the wont of the people of Pharaoh, and of those\nwho went before them, they charged our signs with a lie; but God caught\nthem in their wickedness, and God is severe in punishing. Say unto those\nwho believe not, Ye shall be overcome, and thrown together into hell; an\nunhappy couch shall it be. Ye have already had a miracle shown you in\ntwo armies, which attacked each other:[48] one army fought for God's\ntrue religion, but the other were infidels; they saw the faithful twice\nas many as themselves in their eyesight; for God strengthened with his\nhelp whom he pleaseth. Surely herein was an example unto men of\nunderstanding. The love and eager desire of wives, and children, and\nsums heaped up of gold and silver, and excellent horses, and cattle, and\nland, is prepared for men: this is the provision of the present life;\nbut unto God shall be the most excellent return. Say, Shall I declare\nunto you better things than this? For those who are devout are prepared\nwith their Lord, gardens through which rivers flow; therein shall they\ncontinue forever: and they shall enjoy wives free from impurity, and the\nfavor of God; for God regardeth his servants; who say, O Lord, we do\nsincerely believe; forgive us therefore our sins, and deliver us from\nthe pain of hell fire: the patient, and the lovers of truth, and the\ndevout, and the alms-givers, and those who ask pardon early in the\nmorning. God hath borne witness that there is no God but he; and the\nangels, and those who are endowed with wisdom, profess the same; who\nexecuted righteousness; there is no God but he; the mighty, the wise.\nVerily the true religion in the sight of God, is Islam;[49] and they who\nhad received the scriptures dissented not therefrom, until after the\nknowledge of God's unity had come unto them, out of envy among\nthemselves; but whosoever believeth not in the signs of God, verily God\nwill be swift in bringing him to account. If they dispute with thee,\nsay, I have resigned myself unto God, and he who followeth me doth the\nsame: and say unto them who have received the scriptures, and to the\nignorant, Do ye profess the religion of Islam? Now if they embrace\nIslam, they are surely directed; but if they turn their backs, verily\nunto thee belongeth preaching only; for God regardeth his servants. And\nunto those who believe not in the signs of God, and slay the prophets\nwithout a cause, and put those men to death who teach justice; denounce\nunto them a painful punishment. These are they whose works perish in\nthis world, and in that which is to come; and they shall have none to\nhelp them. Hast thou not observed those unto whom part of the scripture\nwas given? They were called unto the book of God, that it might judge\nbetween them; then some of them turned their backs, and retired\nafar-off. This they did because they said, The fire of hell shall by no\nmeans touch us, but for a certain number of days: and that which they\nhad falsely devised, hath deceived them in their religion. How then will\nit be with them, when we shall gather them together at the day of\njudgment,[50] of which there is no doubt; and every soul shall be paid\nthat which it hath gained, neither shall they be treated unjustly? Say,\nO God, who possessest the kingdom; thou givest the kingdom unto whom\nthou wilt, and thou takest away the kingdom from whom thou wilt: thou\nexaltest whom thou wilt, and thou humblest whom thou wilt: in thy hand\nis good, for thou art almighty. Thou makest the night to succeed the\nday: thou bringest forth the living out of the dead, and thou bringest\nforth the dead out of the living; and providest food for whom thou wilt\nwithout measure. Let not the faithful take the infidels for their\nprotectors, rather than the faithful: he who doth this shall not be\nprotected of God at all; unless ye fear any danger from them: but God\nwarneth you to beware of himself; for unto God must ye return. Say,\nWhether ye conceal that which is in your breasts, or whether ye declare\nit, God knoweth it: for he knoweth whatever is in heaven, and whatever\nis on earth: God is almighty. On the last day every soul shall find the\ngood which it hath wrought, present; and the evil which it hath wrought,\nit shall wish that between itself and that were a wide distance: but God\nwarneth you to beware of himself; for God is gracious unto his servants.\nSay, If ye love God, follow me: then God shall love you, and forgive you\nyour sins; for God is gracious and merciful. Say, Obey God, and his\napostle: but if ye go back, verily God loveth not the unbelievers. God\nhath surely chosen Adam, and Noah, and the family of Abraham, and the\nfamily of Imran above the rest of the world; a race descending the one\nfrom the other: God is he who heareth and knoweth. Remember when the\nwife of Imran said, Lord, verily I have vowed unto thee that which is in\nmy womb, to be dedicated to thy service: accept it therefore of me; for\nthou art he who heareth and knoweth. And when she was delivered of it,\nshe said, Lord, verily I have brought forth a female (and God well knew\nwhat she had brought forth), and a male is not as a female: I have\ncalled her Mary; and I commend her to thy protection, and also her\nissue, against Satan driven away with stones. Therefore the Lord\naccepted her with a gracious acceptance, and caused her to bear an\nexcellent offspring. And Zacharias took care of the child; whenever\nZacharias went into the chamber to her, he found provisions with her;\nand he said, O Mary, whence hadst thou this? she answered, This is from\nGod: for God provideth for whom he pleaseth without measure. There\nZacharias called on his Lord, and said, Lord, give me from thee a good\noffspring, for thou art the hearer of prayer. And the angels called to\nhim, while he stood praying in the chamber, saying, Verily God promiseth\nthee a son named John, who shall bear witness to the Word which cometh\nfrom God; an honorable person, chaste, and one of the righteous\nprophets. He answered, Lord, how shall I have a son, when old age hath\novertaken me, and my wife is barren? The angel said, So God doth that\nwhich he pleaseth. Zacharias answered, Lord, give me a sign. The angel\nsaid, Thy sign shall be, that thou shalt speak unto no man for three\ndays, otherwise than by gesture: remember thy Lord often, and praise him\nevening and morning. And when the angels said, O Mary, verily God hath\nchosen thee, and hath purified thee, and hath chosen thee above all the\nwomen of the world: O Mary, be devout towards thy Lord, and worship, and\nbow down with those who bow down. This is a secret history: we reveal it\nunto thee, although thou wast not present with them when they threw in\ntheir rods to cast lots which of them should have the education of Mary:\nneither wast thou with them, when they strove among themselves. When the\nangels said, O Mary, verily God sendeth thee good tidings, that thou\nshalt bear the Word, proceeding from himself; his name shall be Christ\nJesus the son of Mary, honorable in this world and in the world to come,\nand one of those who approach near to the presence of God; and he shall\nspeak unto men in the cradle, and when he is grown up;[51] and he shall\nbe one of the righteous: she answered, Lord, how shall I have a son,\nsince a man hath not touched me? the angel said, So God createth that\nwhich he pleaseth: when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be,\nand it is: God shall teach him the scripture, and wisdom, and the law,\nand the gospel; and shall appoint him his apostle to the children of\nIsrael; and he shall say, Verily I come unto you with a sign from your\nLord; for I will make before you, of clay, as it were the figure of a\nbird; then I will breathe thereon, and it shall become a bird, by the\npermission of God: and I will heal him that hath been blind from his\nbirth, and the leper: and I will raise the dead by the permission of\nGod: and I will prophesy unto you what ye eat, and what ye lay up for\nstore in your houses. Verily herein will be a sign unto you, if ye\nbelieve. And I come to confirm the Law which was revealed before me, and\nto allow unto you as lawful, part of that which hath been forbidden\nyou:[52] and I come unto you with a sign from your Lord; therefore fear\nGod, and obey me. Verily God is my Lord, and your Lord: therefore serve\nhim. This is the right way. But when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he\nsaid, Who will be my helpers towards God? The apostles[53] answered, We\nwill be the helpers of God; we believe in God, and do thou bear witness\nthat we are true believers. O Lord, we believe in that which thou has\nsent down, and we have followed thy apostle; write us down therefore\nwith those who bear witness of him. And the Jews devised a stratagem\nagainst him; but God devised a stratagem against them; and God is the\nbest deviser of stratagems. When God said, O Jesus, verily I will cause\nthee to die, and I will take thee up unto me,[54] and I will deliver\nthee from the unbelievers; and I will place those who follow thee above\nthe unbelievers, until the day of resurrection: then unto me shall ye\nreturn, and I will judge between you of that concerning which ye\ndisagree. Moreover, as for the infidels, I will punish them with a\ngrievous punishment in this world, and in that which is to come; and\nthere shall be none to help them. But they who believe, and do that\nwhich is right, he shall give them their reward; for God loveth not the\nwicked doers. These signs and this prudent admonition do we rehearse\nunto thee. Verily the likeness of Jesus in the sight of God is as the\nlikeness of Adam: he created him out of the dust, and then said unto\nhim, Be; and he was. This is the truth from thy Lord; be not therefore\none of those who doubt: and whoever shall dispute with thee concerning\nhim, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, say unto them,\nCome, let us call together our sons, and your sons, and our wives, and\nyour wives, and ourselves, and yourselves; then let us make\nimprecations, and lay the curse of God on those who lie. Verily this is\na true history: and there is no God but God; and God is most mighty, and\nwise. If they turn back, God well knoweth the evil-doers. Say, O ye who\nhave received the scripture, come to a just determination between us and\nyou; that we worship not any except God, and associate no creature with\nhim; and that the one of us take not the other for lords, beside God.\nBut if they turn back, say, Bear witness that we are true believers. O\nye to whom the scriptures have been given, why do ye dispute concerning\nAbraham, since the Law and the Gospel were not sent down until after\nhim? Do ye not therefore understand? Behold ye are they who dispute\nconcerning that which ye have some knowledge in; why therefore do ye\ndispute concerning that which ye have no knowledge of? God knoweth, but\nye know not. Abraham was neither a Jew, nor a Christian; but he was of\nthe true religion, one resigned unto God, and was not of the number of\nthe idolaters. Verily the men who are the nearest of kin unto Abraham,\nare they who follow him; and this prophet, and they who believe on him:\nGod is the patron of the faithful. Some of those who have received the\nscriptures desire to seduce you; but they seduce themselves only, and\nthey perceive it not. O ye who have received the scriptures, why do ye\nnot believe in the signs of God, since ye are witnesses of them? O ye\nwho have received the scriptures, why do ye clothe truth with vanity,\nand knowingly hide the truth? And some of those to whom the scriptures\nwere given, say, Believe in that which hath been sent down unto those\nwho believe, in the beginning of the day, and deny it in the end\nthereof; that they may go back from their faith: and believe him only\nwho followeth your religion. Say, Verily the true direction is the\ndirection of God, that there may be given unto some other a revelation\nlike unto what hath been given unto you. Will they dispute with you\nbefore your Lord? Say, Surely excellence is in the hand of God, he\ngiveth it unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and wise: he will\nconfer peculiar mercy on whom he pleaseth; for God is endued with great\nbeneficence. There is of those who have received the scriptures, unto\nwhom if thou trust a talent, he will restore it unto thee; and there is\nalso of them, unto whom if thou trust a dinar,[55] he will not restore\nit unto thee, unless thou stand over him continually with great urgency.\nThis they do because they say, We are not obliged to observe justice\nwith the heathen: but they utter a lie against God, knowingly. Yea;\nwhoso keepeth his covenant, and feareth God, God surely loveth those who\nfear him. But they who make merchandise of God's covenant, and of their\noaths, for a small price, shall have no portion in the next life,\nneither shall God speak to them or regard them on the day of\nresurrection, nor shall he cleanse them; but they shall suffer a\ngrievous punishment. And there are certainly some of them, who read the\nscriptures perversely, that ye may think what they read to be really in\nthe scriptures, yet it is not in the scripture; and they say, This is\nfrom God; but it is not from God: and they speak that which is false\nconcerning God, against their own knowledge. It is not fit for a man,\nthat God should give him a book of revelations, and wisdom, and\nprophecy; and then he should say unto men, Be ye worshippers of me,\nbesides God; but he ought to say, Be ye perfect in knowledge and in\nworks, since ye know the scriptures, and exercise yourselves therein.\nGod hath not commanded you to take the angels and the prophets for your\nLords: Will he command you to become infidels, after ye have been true\nbelievers? And remember when God accepted the covenant of the prophets,\nsaying, This verily is the scripture and the wisdom which I have given\nyou: hereafter shall an apostle come unto you, confirming the truth of\nthat scripture which is with you; ye shall surely believe on him, and ye\nshall assist him. God said, Are ye firmly resolved, and do ye accept my\ncovenant on this condition? They answered, We are firmly resolved: God\nsaid, Be ye therefore witnesses; and I also bear witness with you: and\nwhosoever turneth back after this, they are surely the transgressors. Do\nthey therefore seek any other religion but God's? since to him is\nresigned whosoever is in heaven or on earth, voluntarily, or of force:\nand to him shall they return. Say, We believe in God, and that which\nhath been sent down unto us, and that which was sent down unto Abraham,\nand Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was\ndelivered to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord; we make\nno distinction between any of them; and to him are we resigned. Whoever\nfolloweth any other religion than Islam, it shall not be accepted of\nhim: and in the next life he shall be of those who perish. How shall God\ndirect men who have become infidels after they had believed, and borne\nwitness that the apostle was true, and manifest declarations of the\ndivine will had come unto them? for God directeth not the ungodly\npeople. Their reward shall be, that on them shall fall the curse of God,\nand of angels, and of all mankind: they shall remain under the same\nforever; their torment shall not be mitigated, neither shall they be\nregarded; except those who repent after this, and amend; for God is\ngracious and merciful. Moreover they who become infidels after they have\nbelieved, and yet increase in infidelity, their repentance shall in no\nwise be accepted, and they are those who go astray. Verily they who\nbelieve not, and die in their unbelief, the world full of gold shall in\nno wise be accepted from any of them, even though he should give it for\nhis ransom; they shall suffer a grievous punishment, and they shall have\nnone to help them. Ye will never attain unto righteousness, until ye\ngive in alms of that which ye love: and whatever ye give, God knoweth\nit. All food was permitted unto the children of Israel, except what\nIsrael forbade unto himself before the Pentateuch was sent down. Say\nunto the Jews, Bring hither the Pentateuch and read it, if ye speak\ntruth. Whoever therefore contriveth a lie against God after this, they\nwill be evil-doers. Say, God is true: follow ye therefore the religion\nof Abraham the orthodox; for he was no idolater. Verily the first house\nappointed unto men to worship in was that which is in Becca;[56]\nblessed, and a direction to all creatures. Therein are manifest signs:\nthe place where Abraham stood; and whoever entereth therein, shall be\nsafe. And it is a duty towards God, incumbent on those who are able to\ngo thither, to visit this house; but whosoever disbelieveth, verily God\nneedeth not the service of any creature. Say, O ye who have received the\nscriptures, why do ye not believe in the signs of God? Say, O ye who\nhave received the scriptures, why do ye keep back from the way of God\nhim who believeth? Ye seek to make it crooked, and yet are witnesses\nthat it is the right: but God will not be unmindful of what ye do. O\ntrue believers, if ye obey some of those who have received the\nscripture, they will render you infidels, after ye have believed: and\nhow can ye be infidels, when the signs of God are read unto you, and his\napostle is among you? But he who cleaveth firmly unto God, is already\ndirected into the right way. O believers, fear God with his true fear;\nand die not unless ye also be true believers. And cleave all of you unto\nthe covenant of God, and depart not from it, and remember the favor of\nGod towards you: since ye were enemies, and he reconciled your hearts,\nand ye became companions and brethren by his favor: and ye were on the\nbrink of a pit of fire, and he delivered you thence. Thus God declareth\nunto you his signs, that ye may be directed. Let there be people among\nyou, who invite to the best religion; and command that which is just,\nand forbid that which is evil; and they shall be happy. And be not as\nthey who are divided, and disagree in matters of religion, after\nmanifest proofs have been brought unto them: they shall suffer a great\ntorment. On the day of resurrection some faces shall become white, and\nother faces shall become black. And unto them whose faces shall become\nblack, God will say, Have ye returned unto your unbelief, after ye had\nbelieved? therefore taste the punishment, for that ye have been\nunbelievers: but they whose faces shall become white shall be in the\nmercy of God, therein shall they remain forever. These are the signs of\nGod: we recite them unto thee with truth. God will not deal unjustly\nwith his creatures. And to God belongeth whatever is in heaven and on\nearth; and to God shall all things return. Ye are the best nation that\nhath been raised up unto mankind: ye command that which is just, and ye\nforbid that which is unjust, and ye believe in God. And if they who have\nreceived the scriptures had believed, it had surely been the better for\nthem: there are believers among them, but the greater part of them are\ntransgressors. They shall not hurt you, unless with a slight hurt; and\nif they fight against you, they shall turn their backs to you, and they\nshall not be helped. They are smitten with vileness wheresoever they are\nfound; unless they obtain security by entering into a treaty with God,\nand a treaty with men: and they draw on themselves indignation from God,\nand they are afflicted with poverty. This they suffer, because they\ndisbelieved the signs of God, and slew the prophets unjustly; this,\nbecause they were rebellious, and transgressed. Yet they are not all\nalike: there are of those who have received the scriptures, upright\npeople; they meditate on the signs of God in the night season, and\nworship; they believe in God and the last day; and command that which is\njust, and forbid that which is unjust, and zealously strive to excel in\ngood works: these are of the righteous. And ye shall not be denied the\nreward of the good which ye do; for God knoweth the pious. As for the\nunbelievers, their wealth shall not profit them at all, neither their\nchildren, against God: they shall be the companions of hell fire; they\nshall continue therein forever. The likeness of that which they lay out\nin this present life, is as a wind wherein there is a scorching cold: it\nfalleth on the standing corn of those men who have injured their own\nsouls, and destroyeth it. And God dealeth not unjustly with them; but\nthey injure their own souls. O true believers, contract not an intimate\nfriendship with any besides yourselves: they will not fail to corrupt\nyou. They wish for that which may cause you to perish: their hatred hath\nalready appeared from out of their mouths; but what their breasts\nconceal is yet more inveterate. We have already shown you signs of their\nill-will towards you, if ye understand. Behold, ye love them, and they\ndo not love you: ye believe in all the scriptures, and when they meet\nyou, they say, We believe; but when they assemble privately together,\nthey bite their fingers' ends out of wrath against you. Say unto them,\nDie in your wrath: verily God knoweth the innermost part of your\nbreasts. If good happen unto you, it grieveth them; and if evil befall\nyou, they rejoice at it. But if ye be patient, and fear God, their\nsubtlety shall not hurt you at all; for God comprehendeth whatever they\ndo. Call to mind when thou wentest forth early from thy family, that\nthou mightest prepare the faithful a camp for war; and God heard and\nknew it; when two companies of you were anxiously thoughtful, so that ye\nbecame faint-hearted; but God was the supporter of them both; and in God\nlet the faithful trust. And God had already given you the victory at\nBedr, when ye were inferior in number; therefore fear God, that ye may\nbe thankful. When thou saidst unto the faithful, Is it not enough for\nyou, that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels, sent\ndown from heaven? Verily if ye persevere, and fear God, and your enemies\ncome upon you suddenly, your Lord will assist you with five thousand\nangels, distinguished by their horses and attire. And this God designed\nonly as good tidings for you that your hearts might rest secure: for\nvictory is from God alone, the mighty, the wise. That he should cut off\nthe uttermost part of the unbelievers, or cast them down, or that they\nshould be overthrown and unsuccessful, is nothing to thee. It is no\nbusiness of thine; whether God be turned unto them, or whether he punish\nthem; they are surely unjust doers. To God belongeth whatsoever is in\nheaven and on earth: he spareth whom he pleaseth, and he punisheth whom\nhe pleaseth; for God is merciful. O true believers, devour not usury,\ndoubling it twofold; but fear God, that ye may prosper: and fear the\nfire which is prepared for the unbelievers; and obey God, and his\napostle, that ye may obtain mercy. And run with emulation to obtain\nremission from your Lord, and paradise, whose breath equalleth the\nheavens and the earth, which is prepared for the godly; who give alms in\nprosperity and adversity; who bridle their anger and forgive men: for\nGod loveth the beneficent.[57] And who, after they have committed a\ncrime, or dealt unjustly with their own souls, remember God, and ask\npardon for their sins (for who forgiveth sins except God?) and persevere\nnot in what they have done knowingly: their reward shall be pardon from\ntheir Lord, and gardens wherein rivers flow, they shall remain therein\nforever: and how excellent is the reward of those who labor! There have\nalready been before you examples of punishment of infidels, therefore go\nthrough the earth, and behold what hath been the end of those who accuse\nGod's apostles of imposture. This book is a declaration unto men, and a\ndirection and an admonition to the pious. And be not dismayed, neither\nbe ye grieved; for ye shall be superior to the unbelievers if ye\nbelieve. If a wound hath happened unto you in war, a like wound hath\nalready happened unto the unbelieving people: and we cause these days of\ndifferent success interchangeably to succeed each other among men; that\nGod may know those who believe, and may have martyrs from among you (God\nloveth not the workers of iniquity); and that God might prove those who\nbelieve, and destroy the infidels. Did ye imagine that ye should enter\nparadise, when as yet God knew not those among you who fought\nstrenuously in his cause; nor knew those who persevered with patience?\nMoreover ye did some time wish for death before that ye met it; but ye\nhave now seen it, and ye looked on, but retreated from it. Mohammed is\nno more than an apostle; the other apostles have already deceased before\nhim: if he die therefore, or be slain, will ye turn back on your heels?\nbut he who turneth back on his heels, will not hurt God at all; and God\nwill surely reward the thankful. No soul can die unless by the\npermission of God, according to what is written in the book containing\nthe determinations of things. And whoso chooseth the reward of this\nworld, we will give him thereof: but whoso chooseth the reward of the\nworld to come, we will give him thereof; and we will surely reward the\nthankful. How many prophets have encountered those who had many myriads\nof troops: and yet they desponded not in their mind for what had\nbefallen them in fighting for the religion of God, and were not\nweakened, neither behaved themselves in an abject manner? God loveth\nthose who persevere patiently. And their speech was no other than that\nthey said, Our Lord forgive us our offences, and our transgressions in\nour business; and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving\npeople. And God gave them the reward of this world, and a glorious\nreward in the life to come; for God loveth the well-doers. O ye who\nbelieve, if ye obey the infidels, they will cause you to turn back on\nyour heels, and ye will be turned back and perish: but God is your Lord;\nand he is the best helper. We will surely cast a dread into the hearts\nof the unbelievers, because they have associated with God that\nconcerning which he sent them down no power: their dwelling shall be the\nfire of hell; and the receptacle of the wicked shall be miserable. God\nhad already made good unto you his promise, when ye destroyed them by\nhis permission, until ye became faint-hearted, and disputed concerning\nthe command of the apostle, and were rebellious; after God had shown you\nwhat ye desired. Some of you chose this present world, and others of you\nchose the world to come. Then he turned you to flight from before them,\nthat he might make trial of you (but he hath now pardoned you; for God\nis endued with beneficence towards the faithful); when ye went up as ye\nfled, and looked not back on any; while the apostle called you, in the\nuttermost part of you. Therefore God rewarded you with affliction on\naffliction, that ye be not grieved hereafter for the spoils which ye\nfail of, nor for that which befalleth you; for God is well acquainted\nwith whatever ye do. Then he sent down upon you after affliction\nsecurity; soft sleep which fell on some part of you; but other parts\nwere troubled by their own souls; falsely thinking of God a foolish\nimagination, saying, Will anything of the matter happen unto us? Say,\nVerily the matter belongeth wholly unto God. They concealed in their\nminds what they declared not unto thee; saying, If anything of the\nmatter had happened unto us, we had not been slain here. Answer, If ye\nhad been in your houses, verily they would have gone forth to fight,\nwhose slaughter was decreed, to the places where they died, and this\ncame to pass that God might try what was in your breasts, and might\ndiscern what was in your hearts; for God knoweth the innermost parts of\nthe breasts of men. Verily they among you who turned their backs on the\nday whereon the two armies met each other at Ohod, Satan caused them to\nslip, for some crime which they had committed: but now hath God forgiven\nthem; for God is gracious and merciful. O true believers, be not as they\nwho believe not, and said of their brethren, when they had journeyed in\nthe land or had been at war, If they had been with us, those had not\ndied, nor had these been slain: whereas what befell them was so ordained\nthat God might make it matter of sighing in their hearts. God giveth\nlife, and causeth to die: and God seeth that which ye do. Moreover, if\nye be slain, or die in defence of the religion of God; verily pardon\nfrom God, and mercy, is better than what they heap together of worldly\nriches. And if ye die, or be slain, verily unto God shall ye be\ngathered. And as to the mercy granted unto the disobedient from God,\nthou, O Mohammed, hast been mild towards them; but if thou hadst been\nsevere and hard-hearted, they had surely separated themselves from about\nthee. Therefore forgive them, and ask pardon for them: and consult them\nin the affair of war; and after thou hast deliberated, trust in God; for\nGod loveth those who trust in him. If God help you, none shall conquer\nyou; but if he desert you, who is it that will help you after him?\nTherefore in God let the faithful trust. It is not the part of a prophet\nto defraud, for he who defraudeth, shall bring with him what he hath\ndefrauded anyone of, on the day of the resurrection.[58] Then shall\nevery soul be paid what he hath gained; and they shall not be treated\nunjustly. Shall he therefore who followeth that which is well pleasing\nunto God, be as he who bringeth on himself wrath from God, and whose\nreceptacle is hell? an evil journey shall it be thither. There shall be\ndegrees of rewards and punishments with God, for God seeth what they do.\nNow hath God been gracious unto the believers when he raised up among\nthem an apostle of their own nation,[59] who should recite his signs\nunto them, and purify them, and teach them the book of the Koran and\nwisdom; whereas they were before in manifest error. After a misfortune\nhath befallen you at Ohod (ye had already obtained two equal\nadvantages), do ye say, Whence cometh this? Answer, This is from\nyourselves: for God is almighty. And what happened unto you, on the day\nwhereon the two armies met, was certainly by the permission of God; and\nthat he might know the faithful, and that he might know the ungodly. It\nwas said unto them, Come, fight for the religion of God, or drive back\nthe enemy: they answered, If we had known ye went out to fight, we had\ncertainly followed you. They were on that day nearer unto unbelief than\nthey were to faith; they spake with their mouths what was not in their\nhearts; but God perfectly knew what they concealed; who said of their\nbrethren, while themselves stayed at home, if they had obeyed us, they\nhad not been slain. Say, Then keep back death from yourselves, if ye say\ntruth. Thou shalt in no wise reckon those who have been slain at Ohod in\nthe cause of God, dead; nay, they are sustained alive with their Lord,\nrejoicing for what God of his favor hath granted them; and being glad\nfor those who, coming after them, have not as yet overtaken them,\nbecause there shall no fear come on them, neither shall they be grieved.\nThey are filled with joy for the favor which they have received from\nGod, and his bounty; and for that God suffereth not the reward of the\nfaithful to perish. They who hearkened unto God and his apostle, after a\nwound had befallen them at Ohod, such of them as do good works, and fear\nGod, shall have a great reward; unto whom certain men said, Verily the\nmen of Mecca have already gathered forces against you, be ye therefore\nafraid of them: but this increaseth their faith, and they said, God is\nour support, and the most excellent patron. Wherefore they returned with\nfavor from God, and advantage; no evil befell them: and they followed\nwhat was well pleasing unto God; for God is endowed with great\nliberality. Verily that devil would cause you to fear his friends: but\nbe ye not afraid of them; but fear me, if ye be true believers. They\nshall not grieve thee, who emulously hasten unto infidelity; for they\nshall never hurt God at all. God will not give them a part in the next\nlife, and they shall suffer a great punishment. Surely those who\npurchase infidelity with faith, shall by no means hurt God at all, but\nthey shall suffer a grievous punishment. And let not the unbelievers\nthink, because we grant them lives long and prosperous, that it is\nbetter for their souls: we grant them long and prosperous lives only\nthat their iniquity may be increased; and they shall suffer an\nignominious punishment. God is not disposed to leave the faithful in the\ncondition which ye are now in, until he sever the wicked from the good;\nnor is God disposed to make you acquainted with what is a hidden secret,\nbut God chooseth such of his apostles as he pleaseth, to reveal his mind\nunto: believe, therefore, in God, and his apostles; and if ye believe,\nand fear God, ye shall receive a great reward. And let not those who are\ncovetous of what God of his bounty hath granted them, imagine that their\navarice is better for them: nay, rather it is worse for them. That which\nthey have covetously reserved shall be bound as a collar about their\nneck,[60] on the day of the resurrection; unto God belongeth the\ninheritance of heaven and earth; and God is well acquainted with what ye\ndo. God hath already heard the saying of those who said, Verily God is\npoor, and we are rich: we will surely write down what they have said,\nand the slaughter which they have made of the prophets without a cause;\nand we will say unto them, Taste ye the pain of burning. This shall they\nsuffer for the evil which their hands have sent before them, and because\nGod is not unjust towards mankind; who also say, Surely God hath\ncommanded us, that we should not give credit to any apostle, until one\nshould come unto us with a sacrifice, which should be consumed by fire.\nSay, Apostles have already come unto you before me, with plain proofs,\nand with the miracle which ye mention: why therefore have ye slain them,\nif ye speak truth? If they accuse thee of imposture, the apostles before\nthee have also been accounted impostors, who brought evident\ndemonstrations, and the scriptures, and the book which enlightened the\nunderstanding. Every soul shall taste of death, and ye shall have your\nrewards on the day of resurrection; and he who shall be far removed from\nhell fire, and shall be admitted into paradise, shall be happy: but the\npresent life is only a deceitful provision. Ye shall surely be proved in\nyour possessions, and in your persons; and ye shall bear from those unto\nwhom the scripture was delivered before you, and from the idolaters,\nmuch hurt: but if ye be patient, and fear God, this is a matter that is\nabsolutely determined. And when God accepted the covenant of those to\nwhom the book of the law was given, saying, Ye shall surely publish it\nunto mankind, ye shall not hide it; yet they threw it behind their\nbacks, and sold it for a small price; but woful is the price for which\nthey have sold it.[61] Think not that they who rejoice at what they have\ndone, and expect to be praised for what they have not done; think not, O\nprophet, that they shall escape from punishment, for they shall suffer a\npainful punishment; and unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and\nearth; God is almighty. Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the\nvicissitude of night and day, are signs unto those who are endued with\nunderstanding; who remember God standing, and sitting, and lying on\ntheir sides; and meditate on the creation of heaven and earth, saying, O\nLord, thou hast not created this in vain; far be it from thee: therefore\ndeliver us from the torment of hell fire. O Lord, surely whom thou shalt\nthrow into the fire, thou wilt also cover with shame; nor shall the\nungodly have any to help them. O Lord, we have heard of a preacher[62]\ninviting us to the faith, and saying, Believe in your Lord: and we\nbelieved. O Lord, forgive us therefore our sins, and expiate our evil\ndeeds from us, and make us to die with the righteous. O Lord, give us\nalso the reward which thou hast promised by thy apostles; and cover us\nnot with shame on the day of resurrection; for thou art not contrary to\nthe promise. Their Lord therefore answereth them, saying, I will not\nsuffer the work of him among you who worketh to be lost, whether he be\nmale or female: the one of you is from the other. They therefore who\nhave left their country, and have been turned out of their houses, and\nhave suffered for my sake, and have been slain in battle; verily I will\nexpiate their evil deeds from them, and I will surely bring them into\ngardens watered by rivers; a reward from God: and with God is the most\nexcellent reward. Let not the prosperous dealing of the unbelievers in\nthe land deceive thee: it is but a slender provision; and then their\nreceptacle shall be hell; an unhappy couch shall it be. But they who\nfear their Lord shall have gardens through which rivers flow, they shall\ncontinue therein forever: this is the gift of God; for what is with God\nshall be better for the righteous than short-lived worldly prosperity.\nThere are some of those who have received the scriptures, who believe in\nGod, and that which hath been sent down unto you, and that which hath\nbeen sent down to them, submitting themselves unto God; they tell not\nthe signs of God for a small price: these shall have their reward with\ntheir Lord; for God is swift in taking an account. O true believers, be\npatient, and strive to excel in patience, and be constant-minded, and\nfear God, that ye may be happy.\n\n\n[Footnote 46: This name is given in the Koran to the father of the\nVirgin Mary.]\n\n[Footnote 47: The word Koran, derived from the verb _Karaa_, i.e., to\nread, signifies in Arabic \"the reading,\" or rather \"that which is to be\nread.\" The syllable _Al_, in the words Al Koran, is only the Arabic\narticle signifying \"the,\" and ought to be omitted when the English\narticle is prefixed.]\n\n[Footnote 48: The miracle, it is said, consisted in three things: (1.)\nMohammed, by the direction of the angel Gabriel, took a handful of\ngravel and threw it towards the enemy in the attack, saying, \"May their\nfaces be confounded\"; whereupon they immediately turned their backs and\nfled. But, though the prophet seemingly threw the gravel himself, yet it\nis told in the Koran that it was not he, but God, who threw it, that is\nto say, by the ministry of his angel. (2.) The Mohammedan troops seemed\nto the infidels to be twice as many in number as themselves, which\ngreatly discouraged them. (3.) God sent down to their assistance first a\nthousand, and afterwards three thousand angels, led by Gabriel, mounted\non his horse Haizum; and, according to the Koran, these celestial\nauxiliaries really did all the execution, though Mohammed's men imagined\nthemselves did it, and fought stoutly at the same time.]\n\n[Footnote 49: The proper name of the Mohammedan religion, which\nsignifies the resigning or devoting one's self entirely to God and his\nservice. This they say is the religion which all the prophets were sent\nto teach, being founded on the unity of God.]\n\n[Footnote 50: The Mohammedans have a tradition that the first banner of\nthe infidels that shall be set up, on the day of judgment, will be that\nof the Jews; and that God will first reproach them with their\nwickedness, over the heads of those who are present, and then order them\nto hell.]\n\n[Footnote 51: This phrase signifies a man in full age, that is, between\nthirty and thirty-four.]\n\n[Footnote 52: Such as the eating of fish that have neither fins nor\nscales, the caul and fat of animals, and camel's flesh, and to work on\nthe Sabbath.]\n\n[Footnote 53: In Arabic, _al Haw\u00e2riy\u00fbn_: which word they derive from\n_H\u00e2ra_, \"to be white,\" and suppose the apostles were so-called either\nfrom the candor and sincerity of their minds, or because they were\nprinces and wore white garments, or else because they were by trade\nfullers.]\n\n[Footnote 54: Some Mohammedans say this was done by the ministry of\nGabriel; but others that a strong whirlwind took him up from Mount\nOlivet.]\n\n[Footnote 55: A gold coin worth about $2.50.]\n\n[Footnote 56: Becca is another name of Mecca. Al Beid\u00e2wi observes that\nthe Arabs used the \"M\" and \"B\" promiscuously in several words.]\n\n[Footnote 57: It is related of Hasan the son of Ali that a slave having\nonce thrown a dish on him boiling hot, as he sat at table, and fearing\nhis master's resentment, fell immediately on his knees, and repeated\nthese words, \"Paradise is for those who bridle their anger.\" Hasan\nanswered, \"I am not angry.\" The slave proceeded, \"and for those who\nforgive men.\" \"I forgive you,\" said Hasan. The slave, however, finished\nthe verse, adding, \"for God loveth the beneficent.\" \"Since it is so,\"\nreplied Hasan, \"I give you your liberty, and four hundred pieces of\nsilver.\" A noble instance of moderation and generosity.]\n\n[Footnote 58: According to a tradition of Mohammed, whoever cheateth\nanother will on the day of judgment carry his fraudulent purchase\npublicly on his neck.]\n\n[Footnote 59: Some copies, instead of _min anfosihim_, i.e., of\nthemselves, read _min anfasihim_, i.e., of the noblest among them; for\nsuch was the tribe of Koreish, of which Mohammed was descended.]\n\n[Footnote 60: Mohammed is said to have declared, that whoever pays not\nhis legal contribution of alms duly shall have a serpent twisted about\nhis neck at the resurrection.]\n\n[Footnote 61: That is, dearly shall they pay hereafter for taking bribes\nto stifle the truth. \"Whoever concealeth the knowledge which God has\ngiven him,\" says Mohammed, \"God shall put on him a bridle of fire on the\nday of resurrection.\"]\n\n[Footnote 62: Namely, Mohammed, with the Koran.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nEntitled, Women[63]--Revealed at Medina\n\n_In the Name of the Most Merciful God._\n\n\nO men, fear your Lord, who hath created you out of one man, and out of\nhim created his wife, and from them two hath multiplied many men and\nwomen: and fear God by whom ye beseech one another; and respect women\nwho have borne you, for God is watching over you. And give the orphans\nwhen they come to age their substance; and render them not in exchange\nbad for good: and devour not their substance, by adding it to your\nsubstance; for this is a great sin. And if ye fear that ye shall not act\nwith equity towards orphans of the female sex, take in marriage of such\nother women as please you, two, or three, or four, and not more. But if\nye fear that ye cannot act equitably towards so many, marry one only, or\nthe slaves which ye shall have acquired. This will be easier, that ye\nswerve not from righteousness. And give women their dowry freely; but if\nthey voluntarily remit unto you any part of it, enjoy it with\nsatisfaction and advantage. And give not unto those who are weak of\nunderstanding, the substance which God hath appointed you to preserve\nfor them; but maintain them thereout, and clothe them, and speak kindly\nunto them. And examine the orphans until they attain the age of\nmarriage: but if ye perceive they are able to manage their affairs well,\ndeliver their substance unto them; and waste it not extravagantly, or\nhastily, because they grow up. Let him who is rich abstain entirely from\nthe orphan's estates; and let him who is poor take thereof according to\nwhat shall be reasonable. And when ye deliver their substance unto them,\ncall witnesses thereof in their presence: God taketh sufficient account\nof your actions. Men ought to have a part of what their parents and\nkindred leave behind them when they die: and women also ought to have a\npart of what their parents and kindred leave, whether it be little, or\nwhether it be much; a determinate part is due to them. And when they who\nare of kin are present at the dividing of what is left, and also the\norphans, and the poor; distribute unto them some part thereof; and if\nthe estate be too small, at least speak comfortably unto them. And let\nthose fear to abuse orphans, who if they leave behind them a weak\noffspring, are solicitous for them: let them therefore fear God, and\nspeak that which is convenient. Surely they who devour the possessions\nof orphans unjustly, shall swallow down nothing but fire into their\nbellies, and shall broil in raging flames. God hath thus commanded you\nconcerning your children. A male shall have as much as the share of two\nfemales: but if they be females only, and above two in number, they\nshall have two third-parts of what the deceased shall leave; and if\nthere be but one, she shall have the half. And the parents of the\ndeceased shall have each of them a sixth part of what he shall leave, if\nhe have a child: but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs,\nthen his mother shall have the third part. And if he have brethren, his\nmother shall have a sixth part, after the legacies[64] which he shall\nbequeath, and his debts be paid. Ye know not whether your parents or\nyour children be of greater use unto you. This is an ordinance from God,\nand God is knowing and wise. Moreover, ye may claim half of what your\nwives shall leave, if they have no issue; but if they have issue, then\nye shall have the fourth part of what they shall leave, after the\nlegacies which they shall bequeath, and the debts be paid. They also\nshall have the fourth part of what ye shall leave, in case ye have no\nissue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have the eighth part of\nwhat ye shall leave, after the legacies which ye shall bequeath and your\ndebts be paid. And if a man or woman's substance be inherited by a\ndistant relation, and he or she have a brother or sister; each of them\ntwo shall have a sixth part of the estate. But if there be more than\nthis number, they shall be equal sharers in a third part, after payment\nof the legacies which shall be bequeathed, and the debts, without\nprejudice to the heirs. This is an ordinance from God: and God is\nknowing and gracious. These are the statutes of God. And whoso obeyeth\nGod and his apostle, God shall lead him into gardens wherein rivers\nflow, they shall continue therein forever; and this shall be great\nhappiness. But whoso disobeyeth God, and his apostle, and transgresseth\nhis statutes, God shall cast him into hell fire; he shall remain therein\nforever, and he shall suffer a shameful punishment. If any of your women\nbe guilty of whoredom, produce four witnesses from among you against\nthem, and if they bear witness against them, imprison them in separate\napartments until death release them, or God affordeth them a way to\nescape.[65] And if two of you commit the like wickedness, punish them\nboth: but if they repent and amend, let them both alone; for God is easy\nto be reconciled and merciful. Verily repentance will be accepted with\nGod, from those who do evil ignorantly, and then repent speedily; unto\nthem will God be turned: for God is knowing and wise. But no repentance\nshall be accepted from those who do evil until the time when death\npresenteth itself unto one of them, and he saith, Verily, I repent now;\nnor unto those who die unbelievers: for them have we prepared a grievous\npunishment. O true believers, it is not lawful for you to be heirs of\nwomen against their will, nor to hinder them from marrying others, that\nye may take away part of what ye have given them in dowry; unless they\nhave been guilty of a manifest crime: but converse kindly with them. And\nif ye hate them, it may happen that ye may hate a thing wherein God hath\nplaced much good. If ye be desirous to exchange a wife for another wife,\nand ye have already given one of them a talent; take not away anything\ntherefrom: will ye take it by slandering her, and doing her manifest\ninjustice? And how can ye take it, since the one of you hath gone in\nunto the other, and they have received from you a firm covenant? Marry\nnot women whom your fathers have had to wife (except what is already\npast): for this is uncleanness, and an abomination, and an evil way. Ye\nare forbidden to marry your mothers, and your daughters, and your\nsisters, and your aunts both on the father's and on the mother's side,\nand your brother's daughters, and your sister's daughters, and your\nmothers who have given you suck, and your foster-sisters, and your\nwives' mothers, and your daughters-in-law which are under your tuition,\nborn of your wives unto whom ye have gone in (but if ye have not gone in\nunto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them), and the wives of\nyour sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye are also forbidden to\ntake to wife two sisters; except what is already past: for God is\ngracious and merciful. Ye are also forbidden to take to wife free women\nwho are married, except those women whom your right hands shall possess\nas slaves.[66] This is ordained you from God. Whatever is beside this,\nis allowed you; that ye may with your substance provide wives for\nyourselves, acting that which is right, and avoiding whoredom. And for\nthe advantage which ye receive from them, give them their reward,\naccording to what is ordained: but it shall be no crime in you to make\nany other agreement among yourselves, after the ordinance shall be\ncomplied with; for God is knowing and wise. Whoso among you hath not\nmeans sufficient that he may marry free women, who are believers, let\nhim marry with such of your maid-servants whom your right hands possess,\nas are true believers; for God well knoweth your faith. Ye are the one\nfrom the other; therefore marry them with the consent of their masters;\nand give them their dower according to justice; such as are modest, not\nguilty of whoredom, nor entertaining lovers. And when they are married,\nif they be guilty of adultery, they shall suffer half the punishment\nwhich is appointed for the free women.[67] This is allowed unto him\namong you, who feareth to sin by marrying free women; but if ye abstain\nfrom marrying slaves, it will be better for you; God is gracious and\nmerciful. God is willing to declare these things unto you, and to direct\nyou according to the ordinances of those who have gone before you, and\nto be merciful unto you. God is knowing and wise. God desireth to be\ngracious unto you; but they who follow their lusts, desire that ye\nshould turn aside from the truth with great deviation. God is minded to\nmake his religion light unto you: for man was created weak. O true\nbelievers, consume not your wealth among yourselves in vanity; unless\nthere be merchandising among you by mutual consent: neither slay\nyourselves; for God is merciful towards you: and whoever doth this\nmaliciously and wickedly, he will surely cast him to be broiled in hell\nfire; and this is easy with God. If ye turn aside from the grievous\nsins,[68] of those which ye are forbidden to commit, we will cleanse you\nfrom your smaller faults; and will introduce you into paradise with an\nhonorable entry. Covet not that which God hath bestowed on some of you\npreferably to others.[69] Unto the men shall be given a portion of what\nthey shall have gained, and unto the women shall be given a portion of\nwhat they shall have gained: therefore ask God of his bounty; for God is\nomniscient. We have appointed unto everyone kindred, to inherit part of\nwhat their parents and relations shall leave at their deaths. And unto\nthose with whom your right hands have made an alliance, give their part\nof the inheritance; for God is witness of all things. Men shall have the\npreeminence above women, because of those advantages wherein God hath\ncaused the one of them to excel the other, and for that which they\nexpend of their substance in maintaining their wives. The honest women\nare obedient, careful in the absence of their husbands, for that God\npreserveth them, by committing them to the care and protection of the\nmen. But those, whose perverseness ye shall be apprehensive of, rebuke;\nand remove them into separate apartments, and chastise them.[70] But if\nthey shall be obedient unto you, seek not an occasion of quarrel against\nthem; for God is high and great. And if ye fear a breach between the\nhusband and wife, send a judge out of his family, and a judge out of her\nfamily: if they shall desire a reconciliation, God will cause them to\nagree; for God is knowing and wise. Serve God, and associate no creature\nwith him; and show kindness unto parents, and relations, and orphans,\nand the poor, and your neighbor who is of kin to you, and also your\nneighbor who is a stranger, and to your familiar companion, and the\ntraveller, and the captives whom your right hands shall possess; for God\nloveth not the proud or vain-glorious, who are covetous, and recommend\ncovetousness unto men, and conceal that which God of his bounty hath\ngiven them (we have prepared a shameful punishment for the unbelievers);\nand who bestow their wealth in charity to be observed of men, and\nbelieve not in God, nor in the last day; and whoever hath Satan for a\ncompanion, an evil companion hath he! And what harm would befall them if\nthey should believe in God and the last day, and give alms out of that\nwhich God hath bestowed on them? since God knoweth them who do this.\nVerily God will not wrong anyone even the weight of an ant: and if it be\na good action, he will double it, and will recompense it in his sight\nwith a great reward. How will it be with the unbelievers when we shall\nbring a witness out of each nation against itself, and shall bring thee,\nO Mohammed, a witness against these people? In that day they who have\nnot believed, and have rebelled against the apostle of God, shall wish\nthe earth was levelled with them; and they shall not be able to hide any\nmatter from God. O true believers, come not to prayers when ye are\ndrunk, until ye understand what ye say; nor when ye are polluted by\nemission of seed, unless ye be travelling on the road, until ye wash\nyourselves. But if ye be sick, or on a journey, or any of you come from\neasing nature, or have touched women, and find no water; take fine clean\nsand and rub your faces and your hands therewith; for God is merciful\nand inclined to forgive. Hast thou not observed those unto whom part of\nthe scriptures was delivered? they sell error, and desire that ye may\nwander from the right way; but God well knoweth your enemies. God is a\nsufficient patron, and God is a sufficient helper. Of the Jews there are\nsome who pervert words from their places; and say, We have heard, and\nhave disobeyed; and do thou hear without understanding our meaning, and\nlook upon us: perplexing with their tongues, and reviling the true\nreligion. But if they had said, We have heard, and do obey; and do thou\nhear, and regard us: certainly it were better for them, and more right.\nBut God hath cursed them by reason of their infidelity; therefore a few\nof them only shall believe. O ye to whom the scriptures have been given,\nbelieve in the revelation which we have sent down, confirming that which\nis with you; before we deface your countenances, and render them as the\nback parts thereof; or curse them, as we cursed those who transgressed\non the Sabbath day; and the command of God was fulfilled. Surely God\nwill not pardon the giving him an equal; but will pardon any other sin,\nexcept that, to whom he pleaseth; and whoso giveth a companion unto God,\nhath devised a great wickedness. Hast thou not observed those who\njustify themselves? But God justifieth whomsoever he pleaseth, nor shall\nthey be wronged a hair. Behold, how they imagine a lie against God; and\ntherein is iniquity sufficiently manifest. Hast thou not considered\nthose to whom part of the scripture hath been given? They believe in\nfalse gods and idols,[71] and say of those who believe not, These are\nmore rightly directed in the way of truth than they who believe on\nMohammed. Those are the men whom God hath cursed; and unto him whom God\nshall curse, thou shalt surely find no helper. Shall they have a part of\nthe kingdom, since even then they would not bestow the smallest matter\non men? Do they envy other men that which God of his bounty hath given\nthem? We formerly gave unto the family of Abraham a book of revelations\nand wisdom; and we gave them a great kingdom. There is of them who\nbelieveth on him; and there is of them who turneth aside from him: but\nthe raging fire of hell is a sufficient punishment. Verily, those who\ndisbelieve our signs, we will surely cast to be broiled in hell fire; so\noften as their skins shall be well burned, we will give them other skins\nin exchange, that they may taste the sharper torment; for God is mighty\nand wise. But those who believe and do that which is right, we will\nbring into gardens watered by rivers: therein shall they remain forever,\nand there shall they enjoy wives free from all impurity; and we will\nlead them into perpetual shades. Moreover, God commandeth you to restore\nwhat ye are trusted with, to the owners; and when ye judge between men,\nthat ye judge according to equity: and surely an excellent virtue it is\nto which God exhorteth you; for God both heareth and seeth. O true\nbelievers, obey God, and obey the apostle, and those who are in\nauthority among you: and if ye differ in anything, refer it unto God[72]\nand the apostle, if ye believe in God and the last day: this is better,\nand a fairer method of determination. Hast thou not observed those who\npretend they believe in what hath been revealed unto thee, and what hath\nbeen revealed before thee? They desire to go to judgment before Tagh\u00fbt,\nalthough they have been commanded not to believe in him; and Satan\ndesireth to seduce them into a wide error. And when it is said unto\nthem, Come unto the book which God hath sent down, and to the apostle;\nthou seest the ungodly turn aside from thee, with great aversion. But\nhow will they behave when a misfortune shall befall them, for that which\ntheir hands have sent before them? Then will they come unto thee, and\nswear by God, saying, We intended no other than to do good, and to\nreconcile the parties. God knoweth what is in the hearts of these men;\ntherefore let them alone, and admonish them, and speak unto them a word\nwhich may affect their souls. We have not sent any apostle, but that he\nmight be obeyed by the permission of God: but if they, after they have\ninjured their own souls, come unto thee, and ask pardon of God, and the\napostle ask pardon for them, they shall surely find God easy to be\nreconciled and merciful. And by thy Lord they will not perfectly\nbelieve, until they make thee judge of their controversies; and shall\nnot afterwards find in their own minds any hardship in what thou shalt\ndetermine, but shall acquiesce therein with entire submission. And if we\nhad commanded them, saying, Slay yourselves, or depart from your houses,\nthey would not have done it, except a few of them. And if they had done\nwhat they were admonished, it would certainly have been better for them,\nand more efficacious for confirming their faith; and we should then have\nsurely given them in our sight an exceeding great reward, and we should\nhave directed them in the right way. Whoever obeyeth God and the\napostle, they shall be with those unto whom God hath been gracious, of\nthe prophets, and the sincere, and the martyrs, and the righteous; and\nthese are the most excellent company. This is bounty from God; and God\nis sufficiently knowing. O true believers, take your necessary\nprecaution against your enemies, and either go forth to war in separate\nparties, or go forth all together in a body. There is of you who\ntarrieth behind; and if a misfortune befall you, he saith, Verily God\nhath been gracious unto me, that I was not present with them: but if\nsuccess attend you from God, he will say (as if there was no friendship\nbetween you and him), Would to God I had been with them, for I should\nhave acquired great merit. Let them therefore fight for the religion of\nGod, who part with the present life in exchange for that which is to\ncome; for whosoever fighteth for the religion of God, whether he be\nslain, or be victorious, we will surely give him a great reward. And\nwhat ails you, that ye fight not for God's true religion, and in defence\nof the weak among men, women, and children, who say, O Lord, bring us\nforth from this city, whose inhabitants are wicked; grant us from before\nthee a protector, and grant us from thee a defender. They who believe\nfight for the religion of God; but they who believe not fight for the\nreligion of Tagh\u00fbt. Fight therefore against the friends of Satan, for\nthe stratagem of Satan is weak. Hast thou not observed those unto whom\nit was said, Withhold your hands from war, and be constant at prayers,\nand pay the legal alms? But when war is commanded them, behold, a part\nof them fear men as they should fear God, or with a greater fear, and\nsay, O Lord, wherefore hast thou commanded us to go to war, and hast not\nsuffered us to wait our approaching end? Say unto them, The provision of\nthis life is but small; but the future shall be better for him who\nfeareth God; and ye shall not be in the least injured at the day of\njudgment. Wheresoever ye be, death will overtake you, although ye be in\nlofty towers. If good befall them, they say, This is from God; but if\nevil befall them, they say, This is from thee, O Mohammed: say, All is\nfrom God; and what aileth these people, that they are so far from\nunderstanding what is said unto them? Whatever good befalleth thee, O\nman, it is from God; and whatever evil befalleth thee, it is from\nthyself.[73] We have sent thee an apostle unto men, and God is a\nsufficient witness thereof. Whoever obeyeth the apostle, obeyeth God;\nand whoever turneth back, we have not sent thee to be a keeper over\nthem. They say, Obedience: yet when they go forth from thee, part of\nthem meditate by night a matter different from what thou speakest; but\nGod shall write down what they meditate by night: therefore let them\nalone, and trust in God, for God is a sufficient protector. Do they not\nattentively consider the Koran? If it had been from any besides God,\nthey would certainly have found therein many contradictions. When any\nnews cometh unto them, either of security or fear, they immediately\ndivulge it; but if they told it to the apostle and to those who are in\nauthority among them, such of them would understand the truth of the\nmatter, as inform themselves thereof from the apostle and his chiefs.\nAnd if the favor of God and his mercy had not been upon you, ye had\nfollowed the devil, except a few of you. Fight therefore for the\nreligion of God, and oblige not any to what is difficult, except\nthyself; however, excite the faithful to war, perhaps God will restrain\nthe courage of the unbelievers; for God is stronger than they, and more\nable to punish. He who intercedeth between men with a good intercession\nshall have a portion thereof; and he who intercedeth with an evil\nintercession shall have a portion thereof; for God overlooketh all\nthings. When ye are saluted with a salutation, salute the person with a\nbetter salutation, or at least return the same; for God taketh an\naccount of all things. God! there is no God but he; he will surely\ngather you together on the day of resurrection; there is no doubt of it:\nand who is more true than God in what he saith? Why are ye divided\nconcerning the ungodly into two parties; since God hath overturned them\nfor what they have committed? Will ye direct him whom God hath led\nastray; since for him whom God shall lead astray, thou shalt find no\ntrue path? They desire that ye should become infidels, as they are\ninfidels, and that ye should be equally wicked with themselves.\nTherefore take not friends from among them, until they fly their country\nfor the religion of God; and if they turn back from the faith, take\nthem, and kill them wherever ye find them; and take no friend from among\nthem, nor any helper, except those who go unto a people who are in\nalliance with you, for those who come unto you, their hearts forbidding\nthem either to fight against you, or to fight against their own people.\nAnd if God pleased he would have permitted them to have prevailed\nagainst you, and they would have fought against you. But if they depart\nfrom you, and fight not against you and offer you peace, God doth not\nallow you to take or kill them. Ye shall find others who are desirous to\nenter into a confidence with you, and at the same time to preserve a\nconfidence with their own people: so often as they return to sedition,\nthey shall be subverted therein; and if they depart not from you, and\noffer you peace, and restrain their hands from warring against you, take\nthem and kill them wheresoever ye find them; over these have we granted\nyou a manifest power. It is not lawful for a believer to kill a\nbeliever, unless it happen by mistake; and whoso killeth a believer by\nmistake, the penalty shall be the freeing of a believer from slavery,\nand a fine to be paid to the family of the deceased,[74] unless they\nremit it as alms: and if the slain person be of a people at enmity with\nyou, and be a true believer, the penalty shall be the freeing of a\nbeliever; but if he be of a people in confederacy with you, a fine to be\npaid to his family, and the freeing of a believer. And he who findeth\nnot wherewith to do this, shall fast two months consecutively, as a\npenance enjoined from God; and God is knowing and wise. But whoso\nkilleth a believer designedly, his reward shall be hell; he shall remain\ntherein forever; and God shall be angry with him, and shall curse him,\nand shall prepare for him a great punishment. O true believers, when ye\nare on a march in defence of the true religion, justly discern such as\nye shall happen to meet, and say not unto him who saluteth you, Thou art\nnot a true believer; seeking the accidental goods of the present life;\nfor with God is much spoil. Such have ye formerly been, but God hath\nbeen gracious unto you; therefore make a just discernment, for God is\nwell acquainted with that which ye do. Those believers who sit still at\nhome, not having any hurt, and those who employ their fortunes and their\npersons for the religion of God, shall not be held equal. God hath\npreferred those who employ their fortunes and their persons in that\ncause, to a degree of honor above those who sit at home: God hath indeed\npromised everyone paradise, but God hath preferred those who fight for\nthe faith before those who sit still, by adding unto them a great\nreward, by degrees of honor conferred on them from him, and by granting\nthem forgiveness and mercy; for God is indulgent and merciful. Moreover,\nunto those whom the angels put to death, having injured their own\nsouls,[75] the angels said, Of what religion were ye? they answered, We\nwere weak in the earth. The angels replied, Was not God's earth wide\nenough, that ye might fly therein to a place of refuge? Therefore their\nhabitation shall be hell; and an evil journey shall it be thither:\nexcept the weak among men, and women, and children, who were not able to\nfind means, and were not directed in the way; these peradventure God\nwill pardon, for God is ready to forgive and gracious. Whosoever flieth\nfrom his country for the sake of God's true religion, shall find in the\nearth many forced to do the same, and plenty of provisions. And whoever\ndeparteth from his house, and flieth unto God and his apostle, if death\novertake him in the way, God will be obliged to reward him, for God is\ngracious and merciful. When ye march to war in the earth, it shall be no\ncrime in you if ye shorten your prayers, in case ye fear the infidels\nmay attack you; for the infidels are your open enemy. But when thou, O\nprophet, shalt be among them, and shalt pray with them, let a party of\nthem arise to prayer with thee, and let them take their arms; and when\nthey shall have worshipped, let them stand behind you, and let another\nparty come that hath not prayed, and let them pray with thee, and let\nthem be cautious and take their arms. The unbelievers would that ye\nshould neglect your arms and your baggage while ye pray, that they might\nturn upon you at once. It shall be no crime in you, if ye be incommoded\nby rain, or be sick, that ye lay down your arms; but take your necessary\nprecaution. God hath prepared for the unbelievers an ignominious\npunishment. And when ye shall have ended your prayer, remember God,\nstanding, and sitting, and lying on your sides. But when ye are secure\nfrom danger, complete your prayers; for prayer is commanded the\nfaithful, and appointed to be said at the stated times. Be not negligent\nin seeking out the unbelieving people, though ye suffer some\ninconvenience; for they also shall suffer, as ye suffer, and ye hope for\na reward from God which they cannot hope for; and God is knowing and\nwise. We have sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, that\nthou mayest judge between men through that wisdom which God showeth thee\ntherein; and be not an advocate for the fraudulent; but ask pardon of\nGod for thy wrong intention, since God is indulgent and merciful.\nDispute not for those who deceive one another, for God loveth not him\nwho is a deceiver or unjust. Such conceal themselves from men, but they\nconceal not themselves from God; for he is with them when they imagine\nby night a saying which pleaseth him not, and God comprehendeth what\nthey do. Behold, ye are they who have disputed for them in this present\nlife; but who shall dispute with God for them on the day of\nresurrection, or who will become their patron? yet he who doth evil, or\ninjureth his own soul, and afterwards asketh pardon of God, shall find\nGod gracious and merciful. Whoso committeth wickedness, committeth it\nagainst his own soul: God is knowing and wise. And whoso committeth a\nsin or iniquity, and afterwards layeth it on the innocent, he shall\nsurely bear the guilt of calumny and manifest injustice. If the\nindulgence and mercy of God had not been upon thee, surely a part of\nthem had studied to seduce thee; but they shall seduce themselves only,\nand shall not hurt thee at all. God hath sent down unto thee the book of\nthe Koran and wisdom, and hath taught thee that which thou knewest not;\nfor the favor of God hath been great towards thee. There is no good in\nthe multitude of their private discourses, unless in the discourse of\nhim who recommendeth alms, or that which is right, or agreement amongst\nmen; whoever doth this out of a desire to please God we will surely give\nhim a great reward. But whoso separateth himself from the apostle, after\ntrue direction hath been manifested unto him, and followeth any other\nway than that of the true believers, we will cause him to obtain that to\nwhich he is inclined, and will cast him to be burned in hell; and an\nunhappy journey shall it be thither. Verily God will not pardon the\ngiving him a companion, but he will pardon any crime besides that, unto\nwhom he pleaseth: and he who giveth a companion unto God, is surely led\naside into a wide mistake: the infidels invoke beside him only female\ndeities, and only invoke rebellious Satan. God cursed him; and he said,\nVerily I will take of thy servants a part cut off from the rest, and I\nwill seduce them, and will insinuate vain desires into them, and I will\ncommand them, and they shall cut off the ears of cattle; and I will\ncommand them, and they shall change God's creature. But whoever taketh\nSatan for his patron, besides God, shall surely perish with a manifest\ndestruction. He maketh them promises, and insinuateth into them vain\ndesires; yet Satan maketh them only deceitful promises. The receptacle\nof these shall be hell, they shall find no refuge from it. But they who\nbelieve, and do good works, we will surely lead them into gardens,\nthrough which rivers flow; they shall continue therein forever,\naccording to the true promise of God; and who is more true than God in\nwhat he saith? It shall not be according to your desires, nor according\nto the desires of those who have received the scriptures. Whoso doeth\nevil, shall be rewarded for it; and shall not find any patron or helper,\nbeside God; but whoso doeth good works, whether he be male or female,\nand is a true believer, they shall be admitted into paradise, and shall\nnot in the least be unjustly dealt with. Who is better in point of\nreligion than he who resigneth himself unto God, and is a worker of\nrighteousness, and followeth the law of Abraham the orthodox? since God\ntook Abraham for his friend: and to God belongeth whatsoever is in\nheaven and on earth; God comprehendeth all things. They will consult\nthee concerning women; Answer, God instructeth you concerning them, and\nthat which is read unto you in the book of the Koran concerning female\norphans, to whom ye give not that which is ordained them, neither will\nye marry them, and concerning weak infants, and that ye observe justice\ntowards orphans: whatever good ye do, God knoweth it. If a woman fear\nill usage, or aversion, from her husband, it shall be no crime in them\nif they agree the matter amicably between themselves; for a\nreconciliation is better than a separation. Men's souls are naturally\ninclined to covetousness: but if ye be kind towards women, and fear to\nwrong them, God is well acquainted with what ye do. Ye can by no means\ncarry yourselves equally between women in all respects, although ye\nstudy to do it; therefore turn not from a wife with all manner of\naversion, nor leave her like one in suspense: if ye agree, and fear to\nabuse your wives, God is gracious and merciful; but if they separate,\nGod will satisfy them both of his abundance; for God is extensive and\nwise, and unto God belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth. We\nhave already commanded those unto whom the scriptures were given before\nyou, and we command you also, saying, Fear God; but if ye disbelieve,\nunto God belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth; and God is\nself-sufficient, and to be praised; for unto God belongeth whatsoever is\nin heaven and on earth, and God is a sufficient protector. If he\npleaseth he will take you away, O men, and will produce others in your\nstead; for God is able to do this. Whoso desireth the reward of this\nworld, verily with God is the reward of this world, and also of that\nwhich is to come; God both heareth and seeth. O true believers, observe\njustice when ye bear witness before God, although it be against\nyourselves, or your parents, or relations; whether the party be rich, or\nwhether he be poor; for God is more worthy than them both: therefore\nfollow not your own lust in bearing testimony, so that ye swerve from\njustice. And whether ye wrest your evidence, or decline giving it, God\nis well acquainted with that which ye do. O true believers, believe in\nGod and his apostle, and the book which he hath caused to descend unto\nhis apostle, and the book which he hath formerly sent down. And\nwhosoever believeth not in God, and his angels, and his scriptures, and\nhis apostles, and the last day, he surely erreth in a wide mistake.\nMoreover, they who believed, and afterwards became infidels, and then\nbelieved again, and after that disbelieved, and increased in infidelity,\nGod will by no means forgive them, nor direct them into the right way.\nDeclare unto the ungodly that they shall suffer a painful punishment.\nThey who take the unbelievers for their protectors, besides the\nfaithful, do they seek for power with them? since all power belongeth\nunto God. And he hath already revealed unto you, in the book of the\nKoran, the following passage: When ye shall hear the signs of God, they\nshall not be believed, but they shall be laughed to scorn. Therefore sit\nnot with them who believe not, until they engage in different discourse;\nfor if ye do, ye will certainly become like unto them. God will surely\ngather the ungodly and the unbelievers together in hell. They who wait\nto observe what befalleth you, if victory be granted you from God, say,\nWere we not with you? But if any advantage happen to the infidels, they\nsay unto them, Were we not superior to you, and have we not defended you\nagainst the believers? God shall judge between you on the day of\nresurrection; and God will not grant the unbelievers means to prevail\nover the faithful. The hypocrites act deceitfully with God, but he will\ndeceive them; and when they stand up to pray, they stand carelessly,\naffecting to be seen of men, and remember not God, unless a little,\nwavering between faith and infidelity, and adhering neither unto these\nnor unto those: and for him whom God shall lead astray, thou shalt find\nno true path. O true believers, take not the unbelievers for your\nprotectors, besides the faithful. Will ye furnish God with an evident\nargument of impiety against you? Moreover, the hypocrites shall be in\nthe lowest bottom of hell fire, and thou shalt not find any to help them\nthence. But they who repent and amend, and adhere firmly unto God, and\napprove the sincerity of their religion to God, they shall be numbered\nwith the faithful; and God will surely give the faithful a great reward.\nAnd how should God go about to punish you, if ye be thankful and\nbelieve? for God is grateful and wise. God loveth not the speaking ill\nof anyone in public, unless he who is injured call for assistance; and\nGod heareth and knoweth: whether ye publish a good action, or conceal\nit, or forgive evil, verily God is gracious and powerful. They who\nbelieve not in God and his apostles, and would make a distinction\nbetween God and his apostles, and say, We believe in some of the\nprophets, and reject others of them, and seek to take a middle way in\nthis matter; these are really unbelievers, and we have prepared for the\nunbelievers an ignominious punishment. But they who believe in God and\nhis apostles, and make no distinction between any of them, unto those\nwill we surely give their reward; and God is gracious and merciful. They\nwho have received the scriptures will demand of thee, that thou cause a\nbook to descend unto them from heaven: they formerly asked of Moses a\ngreater thing than this; for they said, Show us God visibly. Wherefore a\nstorm of fire from heaven destroyed them, because of their iniquity.\nThen they took the calf for their God: after that evident proofs of the\ndivine unity had come unto them; but we forgave them that, and gave\nMoses a manifest power to punish them. And we lifted the mountain of\nSinai over them, when we exacted from them their covenant; and said unto\nthem, Enter the gate of the city worshipping. We also said unto them,\nTransgress not on the Sabbath day. And we received from them a firm\ncovenant, that they would observe these things. Therefore for that[76]\nthey have made void their covenant, and have not believed in the signs\nof God, and have slain the prophets unjustly, and have said, Our hearts\nare uncircumcised (but God hath sealed them up, because of their\nunbelief; therefore they shall not believe, except a few of them): and\nfor that they have not believed on Jesus, and have spoken against Mary a\ngrievous calumny; and have said, Verily we have slain Christ Jesus the\nson of Mary, the apostle of God; yet they slew him not, neither\ncrucified him, but he was represented by one in his likeness; and verily\nthey who disagreed concerning him,[77] were in a doubt as to this\nmatter, and had no sure knowledge thereof, but followed only an\nuncertain opinion. They did not really kill him; but God took him up\nunto himself: and God is mighty and wise. And there shall not be one of\nthose who have received the scriptures, who shall not believe in him,\nbefore his death;[78] and on the day of resurrection he shall be a\nwitness against them. Because of the iniquity of those who Judaize, we\nhave forbidden them good things, which had been formerly allowed them;\nand because they shut out many from the way of God, and have taken\nusury, which was forbidden them by the law, and devoured men's substance\nvainly: we have prepared for such of them as are unbelievers a painful\npunishment. But those among them who are well grounded in knowledge, and\nthe faithful, who believe in that which hath been sent down unto thee,\nand that which hath been sent down unto the prophets before thee, and\nwho observe the stated times of prayer, and give alms, and believe in\nGod and the last day; unto these will we give a great reward. Verily we\nhave revealed our will unto thee, as we have revealed it unto Noah and\nthe prophets who succeeded him; and as we revealed it unto Abraham, and\nIsmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and unto Jesus, and Job,\nand Jonas, and Aaron, and Solomon; and we have given thee the Koran, as\nwe gave the Psalms unto David: some apostles have we sent, whom we have\nformerly mentioned unto thee; and other apostles have we sent, whom we\nhave not mentioned unto thee; and God spake unto Moses, discoursing with\nhim; apostles declaring good tidings, and denouncing threats, lest men\nshould have an argument of excuse against God, after the apostles had\nbeen sent unto them; God is mighty and wise. God is witness of that\nrevelation which he hath sent down unto thee; he sent it down with his\nspecial knowledge: the angels also are witnesses thereof; but God is a\nsufficient witness. They who believe not, and turn aside others from the\nway of God, have erred in a wide mistake. Verily those who believe not,\nand act unjustly, God will by no means forgive, neither will he direct\nthem into any other way than the way of hell; they shall remain therein\nforever: and this is easy with God. O men, now is the apostle come unto\nyou, with truth from your Lord; believe therefore, it will be better for\nyou. But if ye disbelieve, verily unto God belongeth whatsoever is in\nheaven and on earth; and God is knowing and wise. O ye who have received\nthe scriptures, exceed not the just bounds in your religion, neither say\nof God any other than the truth. Verily Christ Jesus the son of Mary is\nthe apostle of God, and his Word, which he conveyed into Mary, and a\nspirit proceeding from him. Believe, therefore, in God, and his\napostles, and say not, There are three Gods;[79] forbear this; it will\nbe better for you. God is but one God. Far be it from him that he should\nhave a son! unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth; and\nGod is a sufficient protector. Christ doth not proudly disdain to be a\nservant unto God; neither the angels who approach near to his presence:\nand whoso disdaineth his service, and is puffed up with pride, God will\ngather them all to himself, on the last day. Unto those who believe, and\ndo that which is right, he shall give their rewards, and shall\nsuperabundantly add unto them of his liberality: but those who are\ndisdainful and proud, he will punish with a grievous punishment; and\nthey shall not find any to protect or to help them, besides God. O men,\nnow is an evident proof come unto you from your Lord, and we have sent\ndown unto you manifest light. They who believe in God and firmly adhere\nto him, he will lead them into mercy from him, and abundance; and he\nwill direct them in the right way to himself. They will consult thee for\nthy decision in certain cases; say unto them, God giveth you these\ndeterminations, concerning the more remote degrees of kindred. If a man\ndie without issue, and have a sister, she shall have the half of what he\nshall leave:[80] and he shall be heir to her,[81] in case she have no\nissue. But if there be two sisters, they shall have between them two\nthird-parts of what he shall leave; and if there be several, both\nbrothers and sisters, a male shall have as much as the portion of two\nfemales. God declareth unto you these precepts, lest ye err: and God\nknoweth all things.\n\n\n[Footnote 63: This title was given to this chapter because it chiefly\ntreats of matters relating to women: as marriages, divorces, dower,\nprohibited degrees.]\n\n[Footnote 64: By legacies in this and the following passages, are\nchiefly meant those bequeathed to pious uses; for the Mohammedans\napprove not of a person's giving away his substance from his family and\nnear relations on any other account.]\n\n[Footnote 65: Their punishment, in the beginning of Mohammedanism, was\nto be immured till they died, but afterwards this cruel doom was\nmitigated, and they might avoid it by undergoing the punishment ordained\nin its stead by the Sonna, according to which the maidens are to be\nscourged with a hundred stripes, and to be banished for a full year; and\nthe married women to be stoned.]\n\n[Footnote 66: According to this passage it is not lawful to marry a free\nwoman that is already married, be she a Mohammedan or not, unless she be\nlegally parted from her husband by divorce; but it is lawful to marry\nthose who are slaves, or taken in war, after they shall have gone\nthrough the proper purifications, though their husbands be living. Yet,\naccording to the decision of Abu Hanifah, it is not lawful to marry such\nwhose husbands shall be taken, or in actual slavery with them.]\n\n[Footnote 67: The reason of this is because they are not presumed to\nhave had so good education. A slave, therefore, in such a case, is to\nhave fifty stripes, and to be banished for half a year; but she shall\nnot be stoned, because it is a punishment which cannot be inflicted by\nhalves.]\n\n[Footnote 68: These sins al Beid\u00e2wi, from a tradition of Mohammed,\nreckons to be seven (equalling in number the sins called deadly by\nChristians), that is to say, idolatry, murder, falsely accusing modest\nwomen of adultery, wasting the substance of orphans, taking of usury,\ndesertion in a religious expedition, and disobedience to parents.]\n\n[Footnote 69: Such as honor, power, riches, and other worldly\nadvantages.]\n\n[Footnote 70: By this passage the Mohammedans are in plain terms allowed\nto beat their wives, in case of stubborn disobedience; but not in a\nviolent or dangerous manner.]\n\n[Footnote 71: The Arabic is, in Tibt and Tagh\u00fbt. The former is supposed\nto have been the proper name of some idol; but it seems rather to\nsignify any false deity in general. The latter we have explained\nalready.]\n\n[Footnote 72: That is, to the decision of the Koran.]\n\n[Footnote 73: These words are not to be understood as contradictory to\nthe preceding, \"That all proceeds from God,\" since the evil which\nbefalls mankind, though ordered by God, is yet the consequence of their\nown wicked actions.]\n\n[Footnote 74: Which fine is to be distributed according to the laws of\ninheritance given in the beginning of this chapter.]\n\n[Footnote 75: These were certain inhabitants of Mecca, who held with the\nhare and ran with the hounds, for though they embraced Mohammedanism,\nyet they would not leave that city to join the prophet, as the rest of\nthe Moslems did, but on the contrary went out with the idolaters, and\nwere therefore slain with them at the battle of Bedr.]\n\n[Footnote 76: There being nothing in the following words of this\nsentence, to answer to the causal \"for that,\" Jallalo'ddin supposes\nsomething to be understood to complete the sense, as \"therefore we have\ncursed them,\" or the like.]\n\n[Footnote 77: For some maintained that he was justly and really\ncrucified; some insisted that it was not Jesus who suffered, but another\nwho resembled him in the face, pretending the other parts of his body,\nand by their unlikeness plainly discovered the imposition; some said he\nwas taken up into heaven; and others, that his manhood only suffered,\nand that his godhead ascended into heaven.]\n\n[Footnote 78: This passage is expounded two ways. Some, referring the\nrelative his to the first antecedent, take the meaning to be that no Jew\nor Christian shall die before he believes in Jesus: for they say, that\nwhen one of either of those religions is ready to breathe his last, and\nsees the angel of death before him, he shall then believe in that\nprophet as he ought, though his faith will not then be of any avail.\nAccording to a tradition of Hej\u00e2j, when a Jew is expiring, the angels\nwill strike him on the back and face, and say to him, \"O thou enemy of\nGod, Jesus was sent as a prophet unto thee, and thou didst not believe\non him;\" to which he will answer, \"I now believe him to be the servant\nof God\"; and to a dying Christian they will say, \"Jesus was sent as a\nprophet unto thee, and thou hast imagined him to be God, or the son of\nGod,\" whereupon he will believe him to be the servant of God only, and\nhis apostle. Others, taking the above-mentioned relative to refer to\nJesus, suppose the intent of the passage to be, that all Jews and\nChristians in general shall have a right faith in that prophet before\nhis death, that is, when he descends from heaven and returns into the\nworld, where he is to kill Antichrist, and to establish the Mohammedan\nreligion, and a most perfect tranquillity and security on earth.]\n\n[Footnote 79: Namely, God, Jesus, and Mary--as the eastern writers\nmention a sect of Christians which held the Trinity to be composed of\nthose three; but it is allowed that this heresy has been long since\nextinct. The passage, however, is equally levelled against the Holy\nTrinity, according to the doctrine of the orthodox Christians, who, as\nal Beid[=a]wi acknowledges, believe the divine nature to consist of\nthree persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; by the Father\nunderstanding God's essence, by the Son his knowledge, and by the Holy\nGhost his life.]\n\n[Footnote 80: And the other half will go to the public treasury.]\n\n[Footnote 81: That is, he shall inherit her whole substance.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V\n\nEntitled, the Table[82]--Revealed at Medina\n\n_In the Name of the Most Merciful God._\n\n\nO True believers, perform your contracts. Ye are allowed to eat the\nbrute cattle,[83] other than what ye are commanded to abstain from;\nexcept the game which ye are allowed at other times, but not while ye\nare on pilgrimage to Mecca; God ordaineth that which he pleaseth. O true\nbelievers, violate not the holy rites of God, nor the sacred month,[84]\nnor the offering, nor the ornaments hung thereon, nor those who are\ntravelling to the holy house, seeking favor from their Lord, and to\nplease him. But when ye shall have finished your pilgrimage, then hunt.\nAnd let not the malice of some, in that they hindered you from entering\nthe sacred temple, provoke you to transgress, by taking revenge on them\nin the sacred months. Assist one another according to justice and piety,\nbut assist not one another in injustice and malice: therefore fear God;\nfor God is severe in punishing. Ye are forbidden to eat that which dieth\nof itself, and blood, and swine's flesh, and that on which the name of\nany besides God hath been invocated, and that which hath been strangled,\nor killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by the horns of another beast, and\nthat which hath been eaten by a wild beast, except what ye shall kill\nyourselves; and that which hath been sacrificed unto idols. It is\nlikewise unlawful for you to make division by casting lots with\narrows.[85] This is an impiety. On this day, woe be unto those who have\napostatized from their religion; therefore fear not them, but fear me.\nThis day have I perfected your religion for you, and have completed my\nmercy upon you; and I have chosen for you Islam, to be your religion.\nBut whosoever shall be driven by necessity through hunger to eat of what\nwe have forbidden, not designing to sin, surely God will be indulgent\nand merciful unto him. They will ask thee what is allowed them as lawful\nto eat? Answer, Such things as are good are allowed you; and what ye\nshall teach animals of prey to catch, training them up for hunting after\nthe manner of dogs, and teaching them according to the skill which God\nhath taught you. Eat therefore of that which they shall catch for you;\nand commemorate the name of God thereon; and fear God, for God is swift\nin taking an account. This day are ye allowed to eat such things as are\ngood, and the food of those to whom the scriptures were given is also\nallowed as lawful unto you; and your food is allowed as lawful unto\nthem. And ye are also allowed to marry free women that are believers,\nand also free women of those who have received the scriptures before\nyou, when ye shall have assigned them their dower; living chastely with\nthem, neither committing fornication, nor taking them for concubines.\nWhoever shall renounce the faith, his work shall be vain, and in the\nnext life he shall be of those who perish. O true believers, when ye\nprepare yourselves to pray, wash your faces, and your hands unto the\nelbows; and rub your heads, and your feet unto the ankles; and if ye be\npolluted and ye find no water, take fine clean sand, and rub your faces\nand your hands therewith; God will not put a difficulty upon you; but he\ndesireth to purify you, and to complete his favor upon you, that ye may\ngive thanks. Remember the favor of God towards you, and his covenant\nwhich he hath made with you, when ye said, We have heard, and will obey.\nTherefore fear God, for God knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts\nof men, O true believers, observe justice when ye appear as witnesses\nbefore God, and let not hatred towards any induce you to do wrong: but\nact justly; this will approach nearer unto piety; and fear God, for God\nis fully acquainted with what ye do. God hath promised unto those who\nbelieve, and do that which is right, that they shall receive pardon and\na great reward. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs of\nfalsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers,\nremember God's favor towards you, when certain men designed to stretch\nforth their hands against you, but he restrained their hands from\nhurting you; therefore fear God, and in God let the faithful trust. God\nformerly accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, and we\nappointed out of them twelve leaders: and God said, Verily, I am with\nyou: if ye observe prayer, and give alms, and believe in my apostles,\nand assist them, and lend unto God on good usury, I will surely expiate\nyour evil deeds from you, and I will lead you into gardens, wherein\nrivers flow: but he among you who disbelieveth after this, erreth from\nthe straight path. Wherefore because they have broken their covenant, we\nhave cursed them, and hardened their hearts; they dislocate the words of\nthe Pentateuch from their places, and have forgotten part of what they\nwere admonished; and thou wilt not cease to discover deceitful practices\namong them, except a few of them. But forgive them and pardon them, for\nGod loveth the beneficent. And from those who say, We are Christians, we\nhave received their covenant; but they have forgotten part of what they\nwere admonished; wherefore we have raised up enmity and hatred among\nthem, till the day of resurrection; and God will then surely declare\nunto them what they have been doing. O ye who have received the\nscriptures, now is our apostle come unto you, to make manifest unto you\nmany things which ye concealed in the scriptures; and to pass over many\nthings. Now is light and a perspicuous book of revelations come unto you\nfrom God. Thereby will God direct him who shall follow his good\npleasure, into the paths of peace; and shall lead them out of darkness\ninto light, by his will, and shall direct them in the right way. They\nare infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary. Say unto\nthem, And who could obtain anything from God to the contrary, if he\npleased to destroy Christ the son of Mary, and his mother, and all those\nwho are on the earth? For unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and\nearth, and whatsoever is contained between them; he createth what he\npleaseth, and God is almighty. The Jews and the Christians say, We are\nthe children of God, and his beloved. Answer, Why therefore doth he\npunish you for your sins? Nay, but ye are men, of those whom he hath\ncreated. He forgiveth whom he pleaseth, and punisheth whom he pleaseth;\nand unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of what is\ncontained between them both; and unto him shall all things return. O ye\nwho have received the scriptures, now is our apostle come unto you,\ndeclaring unto you the true religion, during the cessation of\napostles[86], lest ye should say, There came unto us no bearer of good\ntidings, nor any warner: but now is a bearer of good tidings and a\nwarner come unto you; and God is almighty. Call to mind when Moses said\nunto his people, O my people, remember the favor of God towards you,\nsince he hath appointed prophets among you, and constituted you kings,\nand bestowed on you what he hath given to no other nation in the world.\nO my people, enter the holy land, which God hath decreed you, and turn\nnot your backs, lest ye be subverted and perish. They answered, O Moses,\nverily there are a gigantic people in the land; and we will by no means\nenter it, until they depart thence; but if they depart thence, then will\nwe enter therein. And two men of those who feared God, unto whom God had\nbeen gracious, said, Enter ye upon them suddenly by the gate of the\ncity; and when ye shall have entered the same, ye shall surely be\nvictorious: therefore trust in God, if ye are true believers. They\nreplied, O Moses, we will never enter the land, while they remain\ntherein: go therefore thou, and thy Lord, and fight; for we will sit\nhere. Moses said, O Lord, surely I am not master of any except myself,\nand my brother; therefore make a distinction between us and the ungodly\npeople. God answered, Verily the land shall be forbidden them forty\nyears; during which time they shall wander like men astonished in the\nearth; therefore be not thou solicitous for the ungodly people. Relate\nalso unto them the history of the two sons of Adam, with truth. When\nthey offered their offering, and it was accepted from one of them, and\nwas not accepted from the other, Cain said to his brother, I will\ncertainly kill thee. Abel answered, God only accepteth the offering of\nthe pious; if thou stretchest forth thy hand against me, to slay me, I\nwill not stretch forth my hand against thee, to slay thee; for I fear\nGod the Lord of all creatures. I choose that thou shouldst bear my\niniquity and thine own iniquity; and that thou become a companion of\nhell fire; for that is the reward of the unjust. But his soul suffered\nhim to slay his brother, and he slew him; wherefore he became of the\nnumber of those who perish. And God sent a raven, which scratched the\nearth, to show him how he should hide the shame of his brother, and he\nsaid, Woe is me! am I unable to be like this raven, that I may hide my\nbrother's shame? and he became one of those who repent. Wherefore we\ncommanded the children of Israel, that he who slayeth a soul, without\nhaving slain a body, or committed wickedness in the earth, shall be as\nif he had slain all mankind: but he who saveth a soul alive, shall be as\nif he had saved the lives of all mankind. Our apostles formerly came\nunto them, with evident miracles; then were many of them, after this,\ntransgressors on the earth. But the recompense of those who fight\nagainst God and his apostles, and study to act corruptly in the earth,\nshall be, that they shall be slain, or crucified, or have their hands\nand their feet cut off on the opposite sides, or be banished the land.\nThis shall be their disgrace in this world, and in the next world they\nshall suffer a grievous punishment; except those who shall repent,\nbefore ye prevail against them; for know that God is inclined to\nforgive, and be merciful. O true believers, fear God, and earnestly\ndesire a near conjunction with him, and fight for his religion, that ye\nmay be happy. Moreover, they who believe not, although they had whatever\nis in the earth, and as much more withal, that they might therewith\nredeem themselves from punishment on the day of resurrection: it shall\nnot be accepted from them, but they shall suffer a painful punishment.\nThey shall desire to go forth from the fire, but they shall not go forth\nfrom it, and their punishment shall be permanent. If a man or a woman\nsteal, cut off their hands,[87] in retribution for that which they have\ncommitted; this is an exemplary punishment appointed by God; and God is\nmighty and wise. But whoever shall repent after his iniquity, and amend,\nverily God will be turned unto him, for God is inclined to forgive and\nbe merciful. Dost thou not know that the kingdom of heaven and earth is\nGod's? He punisheth whom he pleaseth, and he pardoneth whom he pleaseth;\nfor God is almighty. O apostle, let them not grieve thee, who hasten to\ninfidelity, either of those who say, We believe, with their mouths, but\nwhose hearts believe not; or of the Jews, who hearken to a lie, and\nhearken to other people; who come not unto thee: they pervert the words\nof the law from their true places, and say, If this be brought unto you,\nreceive it; but if it be not brought unto you, beware of receiving aught\nelse; and in behalf of him whom God shall resolve to reduce, thou shalt\nnot prevail with God at all. They whose hearts God shall not please to\ncleanse, shall suffer shame in this world, and a grievous punishment in\nthe next: who hearken to a lie, and eat that which is forbidden. But if\nthey come unto thee for judgment, either judge between them, or leave\nthem; and if thou leave them, they shall not hurt thee at all. But if\nthou undertake to judge, judge between them with equity; for God loveth\nthose who observe justice. And how will they submit to thy decision,\nsince they have the law, containing the judgment of God? Then will they\nturn their backs, after this; but those are not true believers. We have\nsurely sent down the law, containing direction, and light: thereby did\nthe prophets, who professed the true religion, judge those who Judaized;\nand the doctors and priests also judged by the book of God, which had\nbeen committed to their custody; and they were witnesses thereof.\nTherefore fear not men, but fear me; neither sell my signs for a small\nprice. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they\nare infidels. We have therein commanded them, that they should give life\nfor life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth\nfor tooth; and that wounds should also be punished by retaliation: but\nwhoever should remit it as alms, it should be accepted as an atonement\nfor him. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they\nare unjust. We also caused Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow the\nfootsteps of the prophets, confirming the law which was sent down before\nhim; and we gave him the gospel, containing direction and light;\nconfirming also the law which was given before it, and a direction and\nadmonition unto those who fear God: that they who have received the\ngospel might judge according to what God hath revealed therein: and\nwhoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they are\ntransgressors. We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koran\nwith truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; and\npreserving the same safe from corruption. Judge, therefore, between them\naccording to that which God hath revealed; and follow not their desires,\nby swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every one of\nyou have we given a law, and an open path; and if God had pleased, he\nhad surely made you one people; but he hath thought fit to give you\ndifferent laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given you\nrespectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works: unto\nGod shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you that\nconcerning which ye have disagreed. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, judge\nbetween them according to that which God hath revealed, and follow not\ntheir desires; but beware of them, lest they cause thee to err from part\nof those precepts which God hath sent down unto thee; and if they turn\nback, know that God is pleased to punish them for some of their crimes;\nfor a great number of men are transgressors. Do they therefore desire\nthe judgment of the time of ignorance? but who is better than God, to\njudge between people who reason aright? O true believers, take not the\nJews or Christians for your friends; they are friends the one to the\nother; but whoso among you taketh them for his friends, he is surely one\nof them: verily God directeth not unjust people. Thou shalt see those in\nwhose hearts there is an infirmity, to hasten unto them, saying, We fear\nlest some adversity befall us; but it is easy for God to give victory,\nor a command from him, that they may repent of that which they concealed\nin their minds. And they who believe will say, Are these the men who\nhave sworn by God, with a most firm oath, that they surely held with\nyou? their works are become vain, and they are of those who perish. O\ntrue believers, whoever of you apostatizeth from his religion, God will\ncertainly bring other people to supply his place, whom he will love, and\nwho will love him; who shall be humble towards the believers, but severe\nto the unbelievers; they shall fight for the religion of God, and shall\nnot fear the obloquy of the detractor. This is the bounty of God, he\nbestoweth it on whom he pleaseth: God is extensive and wise. Verily your\nprotector is God, and his apostle, and those who believe, who observe\nthe stated times of prayer, and give alms, and who bow down to worship.\nAnd whoso taketh God, and his apostle, and the believers for his\nfriends, they are the party of God, and they shall be victorious. O true\nbelievers, take not such of those to whom the scriptures were delivered\nbefore you, or of the infidels, for your friends, who make a\nlaughing-stock and a jest of your religion; but fear God, if ye be true\nbelievers; nor those who, when ye call to prayer, make a laughing-stock\nand a jest of it; this they do because they are people who do not\nunderstand. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, do ye reject us\nfor any other reason than because we believe in God, and that revelation\nwhich hath been sent down unto us, and that which was formerly sent\ndown, and for that the greater part of you are transgressors? Say, Shall\nI denounce unto you a worse thing than this, as to the reward which ye\nare to expect with God? He whom God hath cursed, and with whom he hath\nbeen angry, having changed some of them into apes and swine, and who\nworship Tagh\u00fbt, they are in the worse condition, and err more widely\nfrom the straightness of the path. When they came unto you, they said,\nWe believe: yet they entered into your company with infidelity, and went\nforth from you with the same; but God well knew what they concealed.\nThou shalt see many of them hastening unto iniquity and malice, and to\neat things forbidden; and woe unto them for what they have done. Unless\ntheir doctors and priests forbid them uttering wickedness, and eating\nthings forbidden; woe unto them for what they shall have committed. The\nJews say, the hand of God is tied up. Their hands shall be tied up, and\nthey shall be cursed for that which they have said. Nay, his hands are\nboth stretched forth; he bestoweth as he pleaseth: that which had been\nsent down unto thee from thy Lord, shall increase the transgression and\ninfidelity of many of them; and we have put enmity and hatred between\nthem, until the day of resurrection. So often as they shall kindle a\nfire for war, God shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds to\nact corruptly in the earth, but God loveth not the corrupt doers.\nMoreover, if they who have received the scriptures believe, and fear\nGod, we will surely expiate their sins from them, and we will lead them\ninto gardens of pleasure; and if they observe the law, and the gospel,\nand the other scriptures which have been sent down unto them from their\nLord, they shall surely eat of good things both from above them and from\nunder their feet. Among them there are people who act uprightly; but how\nevil is that which many of them do work! O apostle, publish the whole of\nthat which hath been sent down unto thee from thy Lord: for if thou do\nnot, thou dost not in effect publish any part thereof; and God will\ndefend thee against wicked men; for God directeth not the unbelieving\npeople. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, ye are not grounded\non anything, until ye observe the law and the gospel, and that which\nhath been sent down unto you from your Lord. That which hath been sent\ndown unto thee from thy Lord shall surely increase the transgression and\ninfidelity of many of them: but be not thou solicitous for the\nunbelieving people. Verily they who believe, and those who Judaize,--and\nthe Sabeans, and the Christians, whoever of them believeth in God and\nthe last day, and doth that which is right, there shall come no fear on\nthem, neither shall they be grieved. We formerly accepted the covenant\nof the children of Israel, and sent apostles unto them. So often as an\napostle came unto them with that which their souls desired not, they\naccused some of them of imposture, and some of them they killed: and\nthey imagined that there should be no punishment for those crimes, and\nthey became blind and deaf. Then was God turned unto them; afterwards\nmany of them again became blind and deaf; but God saw what they did.\nThey are surely infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary;\nsince Christ said, O children of Israel, serve God, my Lord and your\nLord; whoever shall give a companion unto God, God shall exclude him\nfrom paradise, and his habitation shall be hell fire; and the ungodly\nshall have none to help them. They are certainly infidels, who say, God\nis the third of three: for there is no God besides one God; and if they\nrefrain not from what they say, a painful torment shall surely be\ninflicted on such of them as are unbelievers. Will they not therefore be\nturned unto God, and ask pardon of him? since God is gracious and\nmerciful. Christ, the son of Mary, is no more than an apostle; other\napostles have preceded him; and his mother was a woman of veracity: they\nboth ate food. Behold, how we declare unto them the signs of God's\nunity; and then behold, how they turn aside from the truth. Say unto\nthem, Will ye worship, besides God, that which can cause you neither\nharm nor profit? God is he who heareth and seeth. Say, O ye who have\nreceived the scriptures, exceed not the just bounds in your religion, by\nspeaking beside the truth; neither follow the desires of people who have\nheretofore erred, and who have seduced many, and have gone astray from\nthe straight path. Those among the children of Israel who believed not,\nwere cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus the son of Mary. This\nbefell them because they were rebellious and transgressed: they forbade\nnot one another the wickedness which they committed; and woe unto them\nfor what they committed. Thou shalt see many of them take for their\nfriends those who believe not. Woe unto them for what their souls have\nsent before them, for that God is incensed against them, and they shall\nremain in torment forever. But, if they had believed in God, and the\nprophet, and that which hath been revealed unto him, they had not taken\nthem for their friends; but many of them are evil-doers. Thou shalt\nsurely find the most violent of all men in enmity against the true\nbelievers, to be the Jews and the idolaters: and thou shalt surely find\nthose among them to be the most inclinable to entertain friendship for\nthe true believers, who say, We are Christians. This cometh to pass,\nbecause there are priests and monks among them; and because they are not\nelated with pride. And when they hear that which hath been sent down to\nthe apostle read unto them, thou shalt see their eyes overflow with\ntears, because of the truth which they perceive therein, saying, O Lord,\nwe believe; write us down, therefore, with those who bear witness to the\ntruth: and what should hinder us from believing in God, and the truth\nwhich hath come unto us, and from earnestly desiring that our Lord would\nintroduce us into paradise with the righteous people. Therefore hath God\nrewarded them, for what they have said, with gardens through which\nrivers flow; they shall continue therein forever; and this is the reward\nof the righteous. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs of\nfalsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers,\nforbid not the good things which God hath allowed you; but transgress\nnot, for God loveth not the transgressors. And eat of what God hath\ngiven you for food that which is lawful and good: and fear God, in whom\nye believe. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate word in your\noaths; but he will punish you for what ye solemnly swear with\ndeliberation. And the expiation of such an oath shall be the feeding of\nten poor men with such moderate food as ye feed your own families\nwithal; or to clothe them; or to free the neck of a true believer from\ncaptivity: but he who shall not find wherewith to perform one of these\nthree things, shall fast three days. This is the expiation of your\noaths, when ye swear inadvertently. Therefore keep your oaths. Thus God\ndeclareth unto you his signs, that ye may give thanks. O true believers,\nsurely wine, and lots, and images, and divining arrows, are an\nabomination of the work of Satan; therefore avoid them, that ye may\nprosper. Satan seeketh to sow dissension and hatred among you, by means\nof wine and lots, and to divert you from remembering God, and from\nprayer; will ye not therefore abstain from them? Obey God, and obey the\napostle, and take heed to yourselves: but if ye turn back, know that the\nduty of our apostle is only to preach publicly. In those who believe and\ndo good works, it is no sin that they have tasted wine or gaming before\nthey were forbidden; if they fear God, and believe, and do good works,\nand shall for the future fear God, and believe, and shall persevere to\nfear him, and to do good; for God loveth those who do good. O true\nbelievers, God will surely prove you in offering you plenty of game,\nwhich ye may take with your hands or your lances, that God may know who\nfeareth him in secret; but whoever transgresseth after this, shall\nsuffer a grievous punishment. O true believers, kill no game while ye\nare on pilgrimages; whosoever among you shall kill any designedly, shall\nrestore the like of what ye shall have killed, in domestic animals,\naccording to the determination of two just persons among you, to be\nbrought as an offering to the Caabah; or in atonement thereof shall feed\nthe poor; or instead thereof shall fast, that he may taste the\nheinousness of his deed. God hath forgiven what is past, but whoever\nreturneth to transgress, God will take vengeance on him; for God is\nmighty and able to avenge. It is lawful for you to fish in the sea,[88]\nand to eat what ye shall catch, as a provision for you and for those who\ntravel; but it is unlawful for you to hunt by land, while ye are\nperforming the rites of pilgrimage; therefore fear God, before whom ye\nshall be assembled at the last day. God hath appointed the Caabah, the\nholy house, an establishment for mankind; and hath ordained the sacred\nmonth, and the offering, and the ornaments hung thereon. This hath he\ndone that ye might know that God knoweth whatsoever is in heaven and on\nearth, and that God is omniscient. Know that God is severe in punishing,\nand that God is ready to forgive and be merciful. The duty of our\napostle is to preach only; and God knoweth that which ye discover, and\nthat which ye conceal. Say, Evil and Good shall not be equally esteemed\nof, though the abundance of evil pleaseth thee; therefore fear God, O ye\nof understanding, that ye may be happy. O true believers, inquire not\nconcerning things which, if they be declared unto you, may give you\npain; but if ye ask concerning them when the Koran is sent down, they\nwill be declared unto you: God pardoneth you as to these matters; for\nGod is ready to forgive and gracious. People who have been before you\nformerly inquired concerning them; and afterwards disbelieved therein.\nGod hath not ordained anything concerning Bah\u00eera, nor S\u00e2\u00efba, nor Was\u00eela,\nnor H\u00e2mi;[89] but the unbelievers have invented a lie against God: and\nthe greater part of them do not understand. And when it was said unto\nthem, Come unto that which God hath revealed, and to the apostles; they\nanswered, That religion which we found our fathers to follow is\nsufficient for us. What though their fathers knew nothing, and were not\nrightly directed? O true believers, take care of your souls. He who\nerreth shall not hurt you, while ye are rightly directed: unto God shall\nye all return, and he will tell you that which ye have done. O true\nbelievers, let witnesses be taken between you, when death approaches any\nof you, at the time of making the testament; let there be two witnesses,\njust men, from among you; or two others of a different tribe or faith\nfrom yourselves, if ye be journeying in the earth, and the accident of\ndeath befall you. Ye shall shut them both up, after the afternoon\nprayer, and they shall swear by God, if ye doubt them, and they shall\nsay, We will not sell our evidence for a bribe, although the person\nconcerned be one who is related to us, neither will we conceal the\ntestimony of God, for then should we certainly be of the number of the\nwicked. But if it appear that both have been guilty of iniquity, two\nothers shall stand up in their place, of those who have convicted them\nof falsehood, the two nearest in blood, and they shall swear by God,\nsaying, Verily our testimony is more true than the testimony of these\ntwo, neither have we prevaricated; for then should we become of the\nnumber of the unjust. This will be easier, that men may give testimony\naccording to the plain intention thereof, or fear lest a different oath\nbe given, after their oath. Therefore fear God, and hearken; for God\ndirecteth not the unjust people. On a certain day shall God assemble the\napostles, and shall say unto them, What answer was returned you, when ye\npreached unto the people to whom ye were sent? They shall answer, We\nhave no knowledge but thou art the knower of secrets. When God shall\nsay, O Jesus, son of Mary, remember my favor towards thee, and towards\nthy mother; when I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, that thou\nshouldst speak unto men in the cradle, and when thou wast grown up; and\nwhen I taught thee the scripture, and wisdom, and the law and the\ngospel; and when thou didst create of clay as it were the figure of a\nbird, by my permission, and didst breathe thereon, and it became a bird\nby my permission; and thou didst heal one blind from his birth and the\nleper, by my permission; and when thou didst bring forth the dead from\ntheir graves, by my permission; and when I withheld the children of\nIsrael from killing thee, when thou hadst come unto them with evident\nmiracles, and such of them as believed not, said, This is nothing but\nmanifest sorcery. And when I commanded the apostles of Jesus, saying,\nBelieve in me and in my messenger; they answered, We do believe; and do\nthou bear witness that we are resigned unto thee. Remember when the\napostles said, O Jesus, son of Mary, is thy Lord able to cause a table\nto descend unto us from heaven?[90] He answered, hear God, if ye be true\nbelievers. They said, We desire to eat thereof, and that our hearts may\nrest at ease, and that we may know that thou hast told us the truth, and\nthat we may be witnesses thereof. Jesus, the son of Mary, said, O God\nour Lord, cause a table to descend unto us from heaven, that the day of\nits descent may become a festival day unto us, unto the first of us, and\nunto the last of us, and a sign from thee; and do thou provide food for\nus, for thou art the best provider. God said, Verily I will cause it to\ndescend unto you; but whoever among you shall disbelieve hereafter, I\nwill surely punish him with a punishment wherewith I will not punish any\nother creature. And when God shall say unto Jesus, at the last day, O\nJesus, son of Mary, hast thou said unto men, Take me and my mother for\ntwo gods, beside God? He shall answer, Praise be unto thee! it is not\nfor me to say that which I ought not; if I had said so, thou wouldst\nsurely have known it: thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what is\nin thee; for thou art the knower of secrets. I have not spoken to them\nany other than what thou didst command me; namely, Worship God, my Lord\nand your Lord: and I was a witness of their actions while I stayed among\nthem; but since thou hast taken me to thyself, thou hast been the\nwatcher over them; for thou art witness of all things. If thou punish\nthem, they are surely thy servants; and if thou forgive them, thou art\nmighty and wise. God will say, This day shall their veracity be of\nadvantage unto those who speak truth; they shall have gardens wherein\nrivers flow, they shall remain therein forever: God hath been well\npleased in them, and they have been well pleased in him. This shall be\ngreat felicity. Unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and of earth,\nand of whatever therein is; and he is almighty.\n\n\n[Footnote 82: This title is taken from the Table, which, towards the end\nof the chapter, is fabled to have been let down from heaven to Jesus. It\nis sometimes also called the chapter of Contracts, which word occurs in\nthe first verse.]\n\n[Footnote 83: As camels, oxen, and sheep; and also wild cows, antelopes,\nbut not swine, nor what is taken in hunting during the pilgrimage.]\n\n[Footnote 84: The sacred months in the Mohammedan calendar were the\nfirst, the seventh, the eleventh, and the twelfth.]\n\n[Footnote 85: A game similar to raffling, arrowheads being used as\ncounters.]\n\n[Footnote 86: The Arabic word _al Fatra_ signifies the intermediate\nspace of time between two prophets, during which no new revelation or\ndispensation was given; as the interval between Moses and Jesus, and\nbetween Jesus and Mohammed, at the expiration of which last, Mohammed\npretended to be sent.]\n\n[Footnote 87: But this punishment, according to the Sonna, is not to be\ninflicted, unless the value of the thing stolen amount to four dinars,\nor about $10. For the first offence, the criminal is to lose his right\nhand, which is to be cut off at the wrist; the second offence, his left\nfoot, at the ankle; for the third, his left hand; for the fourth, his\nright foot; and if he continue to offend, he shall be scourged at the\ndiscretion of the judge.]\n\n[Footnote 88: This is to be understood of fish that live altogether in\nthe sea, and not of those that live in the sea and on land both, as\ncrabs. The Turks, who are Hanifites, never eat this sort of fish; but\nthe sect of Malec Ebn Ans, and perhaps some others, make no scruple of\nit.]\n\n[Footnote 89: These were the names given by the pagan Arabs to certain\ncamels or sheep which were turned loose to feed, and exempted from\ncommon services, in some particular cases; having their ears slit, or\nsome other mark, that they might be known; and this they did in honor of\ntheir gods. Which superstitions are here declared to be no ordinances of\nGod, but the inventions of foolish men.]\n\n[Footnote 90: This miracle is thus related by the commentators: Jesus\nhaving, at the request of his followers, asked it of God, a red table\nimmediately descended, in their sight, between two clouds, and was set\nbefore them; whereupon he rose up, and having made the ablution, prayed,\nand then took off the cloth which covered the table, saying, \"In the\nname of God, the best provider of food.\"]\n\n\n\n\nLIFE OF BUDDHA\n\nBY ASVAGHOSHA BODHISATTVA\n\nTranslated from Sanscrit into Chinese by Dharmaraksha,\nA.D. 420; from Chinese into English by Samuel Beal\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION\n\n\nBuddha is undoubtedly the most potent name as a religious teacher, in\nthe whole of Asia. The propaganda of the Buddhistic faith passed from\nthe valley of the Indus to the valley of the Ganges, and from Ceylon to\nthe Himalayas; thence it traversed China, and its conquests seem to have\nbeen permanent. The religion of Buddha is so far different from that of\nConfucius, and so far resembles Christianity, that it combines mysticism\nwith asceticism--a practical rule of personal conduct with a consistent\ntranscendentalism. It has, moreover, the great advantage of possessing a\nhighly fascinating and romantic gospel, or biography, of its founder.\nGautama, as the hero of Arnold's \"Light of Asia,\" is very well known to\nEnglish readers, and, although Sir Edwin Arnold is not by any means a\npoet of the first order, he has done a great deal to familiarize the\nAnglo-Saxon mind with Oriental life and thought. A far more faithful\nlife of Buddha is that written some time in the first century of our era\nby the twelfth Buddhist patriarch Asvaghosha. This learned ecclesiastic\nappears to have travelled about through different districts of India,\npatiently collecting the stories and traditions which related to the\nlife of his master. These he wove into a Sanscrit poem, which three\nhundred years later was translated into Chinese, from which version our\npresent translation is made. There can be no doubt that the author of\nthe Sanscrit poem was a famous preacher and musician. Originally living\nin central India, he seems to have wandered far and wide exercising his\noffice, and reciting or singing his poem--a sacred epic, more thrilling\nto the ears of India than the wrath of Achilles, or the voyages of\nUlysses. We are told that Asvaghosha took a choir of musicians with him,\nand many were converted to Buddhism through the combined persuasiveness\nof poetry and preaching. The present life of Buddha, although it labors\nunder the disadvantage of transfusion from Sanscrit into Chinese, and\nfrom Chinese into English, is by no means destitute of poetic color and\naroma. When, for instance, we read of the grief-stricken Yasodhara that\n\"her breath failed her, and sinking thus she fell upon the dusty\nground,\" we come upon a stately pathos, worthy of Homer or Lucretius.\nAnd what can be more beautiful than the account of Buddha's conversion\nand sudden conviction, that all earthly things were vanity. The verses\nonce heard linger in the memory so as almost to ring in the ears: \"Thus\ndid he complete the end of self, as fire goes out for want of grass.\nThus he had done what he would have men do: he first had found the way\nof perfect knowledge. He finished thus the first great lesson; entering\nthe great Rishi's house, the darkness disappeared, light burst upon him;\nperfectly silent and at rest, he reached the last exhaustless source of\ntruth; lustrous with all wisdom the great Rishi sat, perfect in gifts,\nwhilst one convulsive throe shook the wide earth.\"\n\nE.W.\n\n\n\n\nLIFE OF BUDDHA\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\nThe Birth\n\n\nThere was a descendant of the Ikshv\u00e2ku family, an invincible S\u00e2kya\nmonarch, pure in mind and of unspotted virtue, called therefore\nPure-rice, or Suddhodana. Joyously reverenced by all men, as the new\nmoon is welcomed by the world, the king indeed was like the heaven-ruler\nSakra, his queen like the divine Saki. Strong and calm of purpose as the\nearth, pure in mind as the water-lily, her name, figuratively assumed,\nM\u00e2y\u00e2, she was in truth incapable of class-comparison. On her in likeness\nas the heavenly queen descended the spirit and entered her womb. A\nmother, but free from grief or pain, she was without any false or\nillusory mind. Disliking the clamorous ways of the world, she remembered\nthe excellent garden of Lumbini, a pleasant spot, a quiet forest\nretreat, with its trickling fountains, and blooming flowers and fruits.\nQuiet and peaceful, delighting in meditation, respectfully she asked the\nking for liberty to roam therein; the king, understanding her earnest\ndesire, was seized with a seldom-felt anxiety to grant her request. He\ncommanded his kinsfolk, within and without the palace, to repair with\nher to that garden shade; and now the queen M\u00e2y\u00e2 knew that her time for\nchild-bearing was come. She rested calmly on a beautiful couch,\nsurrounded by a hundred thousand female attendants; it was the eighth\nday of the fourth moon, a season of serene and agreeable character.\n\nWhilst she thus religiously observed the rules of a pure discipline,\nBodhisattva was born from her right side, come to deliver the world,\nconstrained by great pity, without causing his mother pain or anguish.\nAs king Yu-liu was born from the thigh, as King Pi-t'au was born from\nthe hand, as King Man-to was born from the top of the head, as King\nKia-k'ha was born from the arm-pit, so also was Bodhisattva on the day\nof his birth produced from the right side; gradually emerging from the\nwomb, he shed in every direction the rays of his glory. As one born from\nrecumbent space, and not through the gates of life, through countless\nkalpas, practising virtue, self-conscious he came forth to life, without\nconfusion. Calm and collected, not falling headlong was he born,\ngloriously manifested, perfectly adorned, sparkling with light he came\nfrom the womb, as when the sun first rises from the East.\n\nMen indeed regarded his exceeding great glory, yet their sight remained\nuninjured: he allowed them to gaze, the brightness of his person\nconcealed for the time, as when we look upon the moon in the heavens.\nHis body, nevertheless, was effulgent with light, and like the sun which\neclipses the shining of the lamp, so the true gold-like beauty of\nBodhisattva shone forth, and was diffused everywhere. Upright and firm\nand unconfused in mind, he deliberately took seven steps, the soles of\nhis feet resting evenly upon the ground as he went, his footmarks\nremained bright as seven stars.\n\nMoving like the lion, king of beasts, and looking earnestly towards the\nfour quarters, penetrating to the centre the principles of truth, he\nspake thus with the fullest assurance: This birth is in the condition of\na Buddha; after this I have done with renewed birth; now only am I born\nthis once, for the purpose of saving all the world.\n\nAnd now from the midst of heaven there descended two streams of pure\nwater, one warm, the other cold, and baptized his head, causing\nrefreshment to his body. And now he is placed in the precious palace\nhall, a jewelled couch for him to sleep upon, and the heavenly kings\nwith their golden flowery hands hold fast the four feet of the bed.\nMeanwhile the Devas in space, seizing their jewelled canopies,\nattending, raise in responsive harmony their heavenly songs, to\nencourage him to accomplish his perfect purpose.\n\nThen the N\u00e2ga-r\u00e2gas filled with joy, earnestly desiring to show their\nreverence for the most excellent law, as they had paid honor to the\nformer Buddhas, now went to meet Bodhisattva; they scattered before him\nMand\u00e2ra flowers, rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay such religious\nhomage; and so, again, Tath\u00e2gata having appeared in the world, the\nSuddha angels rejoiced with gladness; with no selfish or partial joy,\nbut for the sake of religion they rejoiced, because creation, engulfed\nin the ocean of pain, was now to obtain perfect release.\n\nThen the precious Mountain-r\u00e2ga, Sumeru, firmly holding this great earth\nwhen Bodhisattva appeared in the world, was swayed by the wind of his\nperfected merit. On every hand the world was greatly shaken, as the wind\ndrives the tossing boat; so also the minutest atoms of sandal perfume,\nand the hidden sweetness of precious lilies floated on the air, and rose\nthrough space, and then commingling, came back to earth; so again the\ngarments of Devas descending from heaven touching the body, caused\ndelightful thrills of joy; the sun and moon with constant course\nredoubled the brilliancy of their light, whilst in the world the fire's\ngleam of itself prevailed without the use of fuel. Pure water, cool and\nrefreshing from the springs, flowed here and there, self-caused; in the\npalace all the waiting women were filled with joy at such an\nunprecedented event. Proceeding all in company, they drink and bathe\nthemselves; in all arose calm and delightful thoughts; countless\ninferior Devas, delighting in religion, like clouds assembled.\n\nIn the garden of Lumbin\u00ee, filling the spaces between the trees, rare and\nspecial flowers, in great abundance, bloomed out of season. All cruel\nand malevolent kinds of beings, together conceived a loving heart; all\ndiseases and afflictions among men without a cure applied, of themselves\nwere healed. The various cries and confused sounds of beasts were hushed\nand silence reigned; the stagnant water of the river-courses flowed\napace, whilst the polluted streams became clear and pure. No clouds\ngathered throughout the heavens, whilst angelic music, self caused, was\nheard around; the whole world of sentient creatures enjoyed peace and\nuniversal tranquillity.\n\nJust as when a country visited by desolation, suddenly obtains an\nenlightened ruler, so when Bodhisattva was born, he came to remove the\nsorrows of all living things.\n\nM\u00e2ra,[91] the heavenly monarch, alone was grieved and rejoiced not. The\nRoyal Father (Suddhodana), beholding his son, strange and miraculous, as\nto his birth, though self-possessed and assured in his soul, was yet\nmoved with astonishment and his countenance changed, whilst he\nalternately weighed with himself the meaning of such an event, now\nrejoiced and now distressed.\n\nThe queen-mother beholding her child, born thus contrary to laws of\nnature, her timorous woman's heart was doubtful; her mind, through fear,\nswayed between extremes: Not distinguishing the happy from the sad\nportents, again and again she gave way to grief; and now the aged women\nof the world, in a confused way supplicating heavenly guidance, implored\nthe gods to whom their rites were paid, to bless the child; to cause\npeace to rest upon the royal child. Now there was at this time in the\ngrove, a certain soothsayer, a Brahman, of dignified mien and\nwide-spread renown, famed for his skill and scholarship: beholding the\nsigns, his heart rejoiced, and he exulted at the miraculous event.\nKnowing the king's mind to be somewhat perplexed, he addressed him with\ntruth and earnestness: \"Men born in the world, chiefly desire to have a\nson the most renowned; but now the king, like the moon when full, should\nfeel in himself a perfect joy, having begotten an unequalled son, (for\nby this the king) will become illustrious among his race; let then his\nheart be joyful and glad, banish all anxiety and doubt, the spiritual\nomens that are everywhere manifested indicate for your house and\ndominion a course of continued prosperity. The most excellently endowed\nchild now born will bring deliverance to the entire world: none but a\nheavenly teacher has a body such as this, golden-colored, gloriously\nresplendent. One endowed with such transcendent marks must reach the\nstate of Samyak-Sambodhi, or, if he be induced to engage in worldly\ndelights, then he must become a universal monarch; everywhere recognized\nas the ruler of the great earth, mighty in his righteous government, as\na monarch ruling the four empires, uniting under his sway all other\nrulers; as among all lesser lights, the sun's brightness is by far the\nmost excellent. But if he seek a dwelling among the mountain forests,\nwith single heart searching for deliverance, having arrived at the\nperfection of true wisdom, he will become illustrious throughout the\nworld; for as Mount Sumeru is monarch among all mountains, or, as gold\nis chief among all precious things; or, as the ocean is supreme among\nall streams; or, as the moon is first among the stars; or, as the sun is\nbrightest of all luminaries, so Tath\u00e2gata, born in the world, is the\nmost eminent of men; his eyes clear and expanding, the lashes both above\nand below moving with the lid, the iris of the eye of a clear blue\ncolor, in shape like the moon when half full, such characteristics as\nthese, without contradiction, foreshadow the most excellent condition of\nperfect wisdom.\"\n\nAt this time the king addressed the twice-born,[92] \"If it be as you\nsay, with respect to these miraculous signs, that they indicate such\nconsequences, then no such case has happened with former kings, nor down\nto our time has such a thing occurred.\" The Brahman addressed the king\nthus, \"Say not so; for it is not right; for with regard to renown and\nwisdom, personal celebrity, and worldly substance, these four things\nindeed are not to be considered according to precedent or subsequence;\nbut whatever is produced according to nature, such things are liable to\nthe law of cause and effect: but now whilst I recount some parallels let\nthe king attentively listen:--Bhrigu, Angira, these two of Rishi family,\nhaving passed many years apart from men, each begat an excellently\nendowed son; Brihaspati with Sukra, skilful in making royal treatises,\nnot derived from former families (or tribes); S\u00e2rasvata, the Rishi,\nwhose works have long disappeared, begat a son, Po-lo-sa, who compiled\nillustrious S\u00fbtras and Sh\u00e2stras; that which now we know and see, is not\ntherefore dependent on previous connection; Vy\u00e2sa, the Rishi, the author\nof numerous treatises, after his death had among his descendants Poh-mi\n(V\u00e2lm\u00eeki), who extensively collected G\u00e2th\u00e2 sections; Atri, the Rishi,\nnot understanding the sectional treatise on medicine, afterwards begat\n\u00c2treya, who was able to control diseases; the twice-born Rishi Kusi\n(Kusika), not occupied with heretical treatises, afterwards begat\nKia-ti-na-r\u00e2ga, who thoroughly understood heretical systems; the\nsugar-cane monarch, who began his line, could not restrain the tide of\nthe sea, but Sagara-r\u00e2ga, his descendant, who begat a thousand royal\nsons, he could control the tide of the great sea so that it should come\nno further. Ganaka, the Rishi, without a teacher acquired power of\nabstraction. All these, who obtained such renown, acquired powers of\nthemselves; those distinguished before, were afterwards forgotten; those\nbefore forgotten, became afterwards distinguished; kings like these and\ngod-like Rishis have no need of family inheritance, and therefore the\nworld need not regard those going before or following. So, mighty king!\nis it with you: you should experience true joy of heart, and because of\nthis joy should banish forever doubt or anxiety.\" The king, hearing the\nwords of the seer, was glad, and offered him increased gifts.\n\n\"Now have I begotten a valiant son,\" he said, \"who will establish a\nwheel authority, whilst I, when old and gray-headed, will go forth to\nlead a hermit's life, so that my holy, king-like son may not give up the\nworld and wander through mountain forests.\"\n\nAnd now near the spot within the garden, there was a Rishi, leading the\nlife of an ascetic; his name was Asita, wonderfully skilful in the\ninterpretation of signs; he approached the gate of the palace; the king\nbeholding him exclaimed, \"This is none other but Brahmadeva, himself\nenduring penance from love of true religion, these two characteristics\nso plainly visible as marks of his austerities.\" Then the king was much\nrejoiced; and forthwith he invited him within the palace, and with\nreverence set before him entertainment, whilst he, entering the inner\npalace, rejoiced only in prospect of seeing the royal child.\n\nAlthough surrounded by the crowd of court ladies, yet still he was as if\nin desert solitude; and now they place a preaching throne and pay him\nincreased honor and religious reverence, as Antideva r\u00e2ga reverenced the\npriest Vasishtha. Then the king, addressing the Rishi, said: \"Most\nfortunate am I, great Rishi! that you have condescended to come here to\nreceive from me becoming gifts and reverence; I pray you therefore enter\non your exhortation.\"\n\nThus requested and invited, the Rishi felt unutterable joy, and said,\n\"All hail, ever victorious monarch! possessed of all noble, virtuous\nqualities, loving to meet the desires of those who seek, nobly generous\nin honoring the true law, conspicuous as a race for wisdom and humanity,\nwith humble mind you pay me homage, as you are bound. Because of your\nrighteous deeds in former lives, now are manifested these excellent\nfruits; listen to me, then, whilst I declare the reason of the present\nmeeting. As I was coming on the sun's way, I heard the Devas in space\ndeclare that the king had born to him a royal son, who would arrive at\nperfect intelligence; moreover I beheld such other portents, as have\nconstrained me now to seek your presence; desiring to see the S\u00e2kya\nmonarch who will erect the standard of the true law.\"\n\nThe king, hearing the Rishi's words, was fully assured; escaping from\nthe net of doubt, he ordered an attendant to bring the prince, to\nexhibit him to the Rishi. The Rishi, beholding the prince, the\nthousand-rayed wheel on the soles of his feet, the web-like filament\nbetween his fingers, between his eyebrows the white wool-like\nprominence, his complexion bright and lustrous; seeing these wonderful\nbirth-portents, the seer wept and sighed deeply.\n\nThe king beholding the tears of the Rishi, thinking of his son, his soul\nwas overcome, and his breath fast held his swelling heart. Thus alarmed\nand ill at ease, unconsciously he arose from his seat, and bowing his\nhead at the Rishi's feet, he addressed him in these words: \"This son of\nmine, born thus wonderfully, beautiful in face, and surpassingly\ngraceful, little different from the gods in form, giving promise of\nsuperiority in the world, ah! why has he caused thee grief and pain?\nForbid it, that my son should die! or should be short-lived!--the\nthought creates in me grief and anxiety; that one athirst, within reach\nof the eternal draught,[93] should after all reject and lose it! sad\nindeed! Forbid it, he should lose his wealth and treasure! dead to his\nhouse! lost to his country! for he who has a prosperous son in life,\ngives pledge that his country's weal is well secured; and then, coming\nto die, my heart will rest content, rejoicing in the thought of\noffspring surviving me; even as a man possessed of two eyes, one of\nwhich keeps watch, while the other sleeps; not like the frost-flower of\nautumn, which, though it seems to bloom, is not a reality. A man who,\nmidst his tribe and kindred, deeply loves a spotless son, at every\nproper time in recollection of it has joy; O! that you would cause me to\nrevive!\"\n\nThe Rishi, knowing the king-sire to be thus greatly afflicted at heart,\nimmediately addressed the Mah\u00e2r\u00e2ga: \"Let not the king be for a moment\nanxious! the words I have spoken to the king, let him ponder these, and\nnot permit himself to doubt; the portents now are as they were before,\ncherish then no other thoughts! But recollecting I myself am old, on\nthat account I could not hold my tears; for now my end is coming on. But\nthis son of thine will rule the world, born for the sake of all that\nlives! this is indeed one difficult to meet with; he shall give up his\nroyal estate, escape from the domain of the five desires, with\nresolution and with diligence practise austerities, and then awakening,\ngrasp the truth. Then constantly, for the world's sake (all living\nthings), destroying the impediments of ignorance and darkness, he shall\ngive to all enduring light, the brightness of the sun of perfect wisdom.\nAll flesh submerged in the sea of sorrow; all diseases collected as the\nbubbling froth; decay and age like the wild billows; death like the\nengulfing ocean; embarking lightly in the boat of wisdom he will save\nthe world from all these perils, by wisdom stemming back the flood. His\npure teaching like to the neighboring shore, the power of meditation,\nlike a cool lake, will be enough for all the unexpected birds; thus deep\nand full and wide is the great river of the true law; all creatures\nparched by the drought of lust may freely drink thereof, without stint;\nthose enchained in the domain of the five desires, those driven along by\nmany sorrows, and deceived amid the wilderness of birth and death, in\nignorance of the way of escape, for these Bodhisattva has been born in\nthe world, to open out a way of salvation. The fire of lust and\ncovetousness, burning with the fuel of the objects of sense, he has\ncaused the cloud of his mercy to rise, so that the rain of the law may\nextinguish them. The heavy gates of gloomy unbelief, fast kept by\ncovetousness and lust, within which are confined all living things, he\nopens and gives free deliverance. With the tweezers of his diamond\nwisdom he plucks out the opposing principles of lustful desire. In the\nself-twined meshes of folly and ignorance all flesh poor and in misery,\nhelplessly lying, the king of the law has come forth, to rescue these\nfrom bondage. Let not the king in respect of this his son encourage in\nhimself one thought of doubt or pain; but rather let him grieve on\naccount of the world, led captive by desire, opposed to truth; but I,\nindeed, amid the ruins of old age and death, am far removed from the\nmeritorious condition of the holy one, possessed indeed of powers of\nabstraction, yet not within reach of the gain he will give, to be\nderived from his teaching as the Bodhisattva; not permitted to hear his\nrighteous law, my body worn out, after death, alas! destined to be born\nas a Deva[94] still liable to the three calamities, old age, decay, and\ndeath, therefore I weep.\"\n\nThe king and all his household attendants, hearing the words of the\nRishi, knowing the cause of his regretful sorrow, banished from their\nminds all further anxiety: \"And now,\" the king said, \"to have begotten\nthis excellent son, gives me rest at heart; but that he should leave his\nkingdom and home, and practise the life of an ascetic, not anxious to\nensure the stability of the kingdom, the thought of this still brings\nwith it pain.\"\n\nAt this time the Rishi, turning to the king with true words, said, \"It\nmust be even as the king anticipates, he will surely arrive at perfect\nenlightenment.\" Thus having appeased every anxious heart among the\nking's household, the Rishi by his own inherent spiritual power ascended\ninto space and disappeared.\n\nAt this time Suddhodana r\u00e2ga, seeing the excellent marks (predictive\nsigns) of his son, and, moreover, hearing the words of Asita, certifying\nthat which would surely happen, was greatly affected with reverence to\nthe child: he redoubled measures for its protection, and was filled with\nconstant thought; moreover, he issued decrees through the empire, to\nliberate all captives in prison, according to the custom when a royal\nson was born, giving the usual largess, in agreement with the directions\nof the Sacred Books, and extending his gifts to all; or, all these\nthings he did completely. When the child was ten days old, his father's\nmind being now quite tranquil, he announced a sacrifice to all the gods,\nand prepared to give liberal offerings to all the religious bodies;\nSr\u00e2manas and Brahmanas invoked by their prayers a blessing from the\ngods, whilst he bestowed gifts on the royal kinspeople and the ministers\nand the poor within the country; the women who dwelt in the city or the\nvillages, all those who needed cattle or horses or elephants or money,\neach, according to his necessities, was liberally supplied. Then,\nselecting by divination a lucky time, they took the child back to his\nown palace, with a double-feeding white-pure-tooth, carried in a\nrichly-adorned chariot (cradle), with ornaments of every kind and color\nround his neck; shining with beauty, exceedingly resplendent with\nunguents. The queen embracing him in her arms, going around, worshipped\nthe heavenly spirits. Afterwards she remounted her precious chariot,\nsurrounded by her waiting women; the king, with his ministers and\npeople, and all the crowd of attendants, leading the way and following,\neven as the ruler of heaven, Sakra, is surrounded by crowds of Devas; as\nMahesvara, when suddenly his six-faced child was born; arranging every\nkind of present, gave gifts, and asked for blessings; so now the king,\nwhen his royal son was born, made all his arrangements in like manner.\nSo Vaisravana, the heavenly king, when Nalak\u00fbvara was born, surrounded\nby a concourse of Devas, was filled with joy and much gladness; so the\nking, now the royal prince was born, in the kingdom of Kapila, his\npeople and all his subjects were likewise filled with joy.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nLiving in the Palace\n\nAnd now in the household of Suddhodana r\u00e2ga, because of the birth of the\nroyal prince, his clansmen and younger brethren, with his ministers,\nwere all generously disposed, whilst elephants, horses and chariots, and\nthe wealth of the country, and precious vessels, daily increased and\nabounded, being produced wherever requisite; so, too, countless hidden\ntreasures came of themselves from the earth. From the midst of the pure\nsnowy mountains, a wild herd of white elephants, without noise, of\nthemselves, came; not curbed by any, self-subdued, every kind of colored\nhorse, in shape and quality surpassingly excellent, with sparkling\njewelled manes and flowing tails, came prancing round, as if with wings;\nthese too, born in the desert, came at the right time, of themselves. A\nherd of pure-colored, well-proportioned cows, fat and fleshy, and\nremarkable for beauty, giving fragrant and pure milk with equal flow,\ncame together in great number at this propitious time. Enmity and envy\ngave way to peace; content and rest prevailed on every side; whilst\nthere was closer union amongst the true of heart, discord and variance\nwere entirely appeased; the gentle air distilled a seasonable rain, no\ncrash of storm or tempest was heard, the springing seeds, not waiting\nfor their time, grew up apace and yielded abundant increase; the five\ncereals grew ripe with scented grain, soft and glutinous, easy of\ndigestion; all creatures big with young, possessed their bodies in ease\nand their frames well gathered. All men, even those who had not received\nthe seeds of instruction derived from the four holy ones;[95] all these,\nthroughout the world, born under the control of selfish appetite,\nwithout any thought for others' goods, had no proud, envious longings;\nno angry, hateful thoughts. All the temples of the gods and sacred\nshrines, the gardens, wells, and fountains, all these like things in\nheaven, produced of themselves, at the proper time, their several\nadornments. There was no famishing hunger, the soldiers' weapons were at\nrest, all diseases disappeared; throughout the kingdom all the people\nwere bound close in family love and friendship; piously affectioned they\nindulged in mutual pleasures, there were no impure or polluting desires;\nthey sought their daily gain righteously, no covetous money-loving\nspirit prevailed, but with religious purpose they gave liberally; there\nwas no thought of any reward or return, but all practised the four rules\nof purity; and every hateful thought was suppressed and destroyed. Even\nas in days gone by, Manu r\u00e2ga begat a child called \"Brilliancy of the\nSun,\" on which there prevailed through the country great prosperity, and\nall wickedness came to an end; so now the king having begotten a royal\nprince, these marks of prosperity were seen; and because of such a\nconcourse of propitious signs, the child was named Siddh\u00e2rtha.[96] And\nnow his royal mother, the queen M\u00e2y\u00e2, beholding her son born under such\ncircumstances, beautiful as a child of heaven, adorned with every\nexcellent distinction, from excessive joy which could not be controlled\ndied, and was born in heaven. Then Prag\u00e2-pati Gautami, beholding the\nprince, like an angel, with beauty seldom seen on earth, seeing him thus\nborn and now his mother dead, loved and nourished him as her own child;\nand the child regarded her as his mother.\n\nSo as the light of the sun or the moon, little by little increases, the\nroyal child also increased each day in every mental excellency and\nbeauty of person; his body exhaled the perfume of priceless sandal-wood,\ndecorated with the famed Gambunada gold gems; divine medicines there\nwere to preserve him in health, glittering necklaces upon his person;\nthe members of tributary states, hearing that the king had an heir born\nto him, sent their presents and gifts of various kinds: oxen, sheep,\ndeer, horses, and chariots, precious vessels and elegant ornaments, fit\nto delight the heart of the prince; but though presented with such\npleasing trifles, the necklaces and other pretty ornaments, the mind of\nthe prince was unmoved, his bodily frame small indeed, but his heart\nestablished; his mind at rest within its own high purposes, was not to\nbe disturbed by glittering baubles.\n\nAnd now he was brought to learn the useful arts, when lo! once\ninstructed he surpassed his teachers. His father, the king, seeing his\nexceeding talent, and his deep purpose to have done with the world and\nits allurements, began to inquire as to the names of those in his tribe\nwho were renowned for elegance and refinement. Elegant and graceful, and\na lovely maiden, was she whom they called Yasodhar\u00e2; in every way\nfitting to become a consort for the prince, and to allure by pleasant\nwiles his heart. The prince with a mind so far removed from the world,\nwith qualities so distinguished, and with so charming an appearance,\nlike the elder son of Brahmadeva, Sanatkum\u00e2ra (She-na Kiu-ma-lo); the\nvirtuous damsel, lovely and refined, gentle and subdued in manner;\nmajestic like the queen of heaven, constant ever, cheerful night and\nday, establishing the palace in purity and quiet, full of dignity and\nexceeding grace, like a lofty hill rising up in space; or as a white\nautumn cloud; warm or cool according to the season; choosing a proper\ndwelling according to the year, surrounded by a return of singing women,\nwho join their voices in harmonious heavenly concord, without any\njarring or unpleasant sound, exciting in the hearers forgetfulness of\nworldly cares. As the heavenly Gandharvas of themselves, in their\nbeauteous palaces, cause the singing women to raise heavenly strains,\nthe sounds of which and their beauty ravish both eyes and heart--so\nBodhisattva dwelt in his lofty palace, with music such as this. The\nking, his father, for the prince's sake, dwelt purely in his palace,\npractising every virtue; delighting in the teaching of the true law, he\nput away from him every evil companion, that his heart might not be\npolluted by lust; regarding inordinate desire as poison, keeping his\npassion and his body in due control, destroying and repressing all\ntrivial thoughts; desiring to enjoy virtuous conversation, loving\ninstruction fit to subdue the hearts of men, aiming to accomplish the\nconversion of unbelievers; removing all schemes of opposition from\nwhatever source they came by the enlightening power of his doctrine,\naiming to save the entire world; thus he desired that the body of people\nshould obtain rest; even as we desire to give peace to our children, so\ndid he long to give rest to the world. He also attended to his religious\nduties, sacrificing by fire to all the spirits, with clasped hands\nadoring the moon, bathing his body in the waters of the Ganges;\ncleansing his heart in the waters of religion, performing his duties\nwith no private aim, but regarding his child and the people at large;\nloving righteous conversation, righteous words with loving aim; loving\nwords with no mixture of falsehood, true words imbued by love, and yet\nwithal so modest and self-distrustful, unable on that account to speak\nas confident of truth; loving to all, and yet not loving the world; with\nno thought of selfishness or covetous desire: aiming to restrain the\ntongue and in quietness to find rest from wordy contentions, not seeking\nin the multitude of religious duties to condone for a worldly principle\nin action, but aiming to benefit the world by a liberal and\nunostentatious charity; the heart without any contentious thought, but\nresolved by goodness to subdue the contentious; desiring to mortify the\npassions, and to destroy every enemy of virtue; not multiplying coarse\nor unseemly words, but exhorting to virtue in the use of courteous\nlanguage; full of sympathy and ready charity, pointing out and\npractising the way of mutual dependence; receiving and understanding the\nwisdom of spirits and Rishis; crushing and destroying every cruel and\nhateful thought. Thus his fame and virtue were widely renowned, and yet\nhimself finally (or, forever) separate from the ties of the world,\nshowing the ability of a master builder, laying a good foundation of\nvirtue, an example for all the earth; so a man's heart composed and at\nrest, his limbs and all his members will also be at ease. And now the\nson of Suddhodana, and his virtuous wife Yasodhar\u00e2, as time went on,\ngrowing to full estate, their child R\u00e2hula was born; and then Suddhodana\nr\u00e2ga considered thus: \"My son, the prince, having a son born to him, the\naffairs of the empire will be handed down in succession, and there will\nbe no end to its righteous government; the prince having begotten a son,\nwill love his son as I love him, and no longer think about leaving his\nhome as an ascetic, but devote himself to the practice of virtue; I now\nhave found complete rest of heart, like one just born to heavenly joys.\"\n\nLike as in the first days of the kalpa, Rishi-kings by the way in which\nthey walked, practising pure and spotless deeds, offered up religious\nofferings, without harm to living thing, and illustriously prepared an\nexcellent karma, so the king excelling in the excellence of purity in\nfamily and excellence of wealth, excelling in strength and every\nexhibition of prowess, reflected the glory of his name through the\nworld, as the sun sheds abroad his thousand rays. But now, being the\nking of men, or a king among men, he deemed it right to exhibit his\nson's prowess, for the sake of his family and kin, to exhibit him; to\nincrease his family's renown, his glory spread so high as even to obtain\nthe name of \"God begotten;\" and having partaken of these heavenly joys,\nenjoying the happiness of increased wisdom; understanding the truth by\nhis own righteousness, derived from previous hearing of the truth. Would\nthat this might lead my son, he prayed, to love his child and not\nforsake his home; the kings of all countries, whose sons have not yet\ngrown up, have prevented them exercising authority in the empire, in\norder to give their minds relaxation, and for this purpose have provided\nthem with worldly indulgences, so that they may perpetuate the royal\nseed; so now the king, having begotten a royal son, indulged him in\nevery sort of pleasure; desiring that he might enjoy these worldly\ndelights, and not wish to wander from his home in search of wisdom. In\nformer times the Bodhisattva kings, although their way (life) has been\nrestrained, have yet enjoyed the pleasures of the world, and when they\nhave begotten a son, then separating themselves from family ties, have\nafterwards entered the solitude of the mountains, to prepare themselves\nin the way of a silent recluse.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nDisgust at Sorrow\n\nWithout are pleasant garden glades, flowing fountains, pure refreshing\nlakes, with every kind of flower, and trees with fruit, arranged in\nrows, deep shade beneath. There, too, are various kinds of wondrous\nbirds, flying and sporting in the midst, and on the surface of the water\nthe four kinds of flowers, bright colored, giving out their floating\nscent; minstrel maidens cause their songs and chorded music, to invite\nthe prince. He, hearing the sounds of singing, sighs for the pleasures\nof the garden shades, and cherishing within these happy thoughts, he\ndwelt upon the joys of an outside excursion; even as the chained\nelephant ever longs for the free desert wilds.\n\nThe royal father, hearing that the prince would enjoy to wander through\nthe gardens, first ordered all his attendant officers to adorn and\narrange them, after their several offices:--To make level and smooth the\nking's highway, to remove from the path all offensive matter, all old\npersons, diseased or deformed, all those suffering through poverty or\ngreat grief, so that his son in his present humor might see nothing\nlikely to afflict his heart. The adornments being duly made, the prince\nwas invited to an audience; the king seeing his son approach, patted his\nhead, and looking at the color of his face, feelings of sorrow and joy\nintermingled, bound him. His mouth willing to speak, his heart\nrestrained.\n\nNow see the jewel-fronted gaudy chariot; the four equally pacing,\nstately horses; good-tempered and well trained; young and of graceful\nappearance; perfectly pure and white, and draped with flowery coverings.\nIn the same chariot stands the stately driver; the streets were\nscattered over with flowers; precious drapery fixed on either side of\nthe way, with dwarfed trees lining the road, costly vessels employed for\ndecoration, hanging canopies and variegated banners, silken curtains,\nmoved by the rustling breeze; spectators arranged on either side of the\npath. With bodies bent and glistening eyes, eagerly gazing, but not\nrudely staring, as the blue lotus flower they bent drooping in the air,\nministers and attendants flocking round him, as stars following the\nchief of the constellation; all uttering the same suppressed whisper of\nadmiration, at a sight so seldom seen in the world; rich and poor,\nhumble and exalted, old and young and middle-aged, all paid the greatest\nrespect, and invoked blessings on the occasion.\n\nSo the country-folk and the town-folk, hearing that the prince was\ncoming forth, the well-to-do not waiting for their servants, those\nasleep and awake not mutually calling to one another, the six kinds of\ncreatures not gathered together and penned, the money not collected and\nlocked up, the doors and gates not fastened, all went pouring along the\nway on foot; the towers were filled, the mounds by the trees, the\nwindows and the terraces along the streets; with bent body fearing to\nlift their eyes, carefully seeing that there was nothing about them to\noffend, those seated on high addressing those seated on the ground,\nthose going on the road addressing those passing on high, the mind\nintent on one object alone; so that if a heavenly form had flown past,\nor a form entitled to highest respect, there would have been no\ndistraction visible, so intent was the body and so immovable the limbs.\nAnd now beautiful as the opening lily, he advances towards the garden\nglades, wishing to accomplish the words of the holy prophet (Rishi). The\nprince, seeing the ways prepared and watered and the joyous holiday\nappearance of the people; seeing too the drapery and chariot, pure,\nbright, shining, his heart exulted greatly and rejoiced. The people (on\ntheir part) gazed at the prince, so beautifully adorned, with all his\nretinue, like an assembled company of kings gathered to see a\nheaven-born prince. And now a Deva-r\u00e2ga of the Pure abode, suddenly\nappears by the side of the road; his form changed into that of an old\nman, struggling for life, his heart weak and oppressed. The prince\nseeing the old man, filled with apprehension, asked his charioteer,\n\"What kind of man is this? his head white and his shoulders bent, his\neyes bleared and his body withered, holding a stick to support him along\nthe way. Is his body suddenly dried up by the heat, or has he been born\nin this way?\" The charioteer, his heart much embarrassed, scarcely dared\nto answer truly, till the pure-born (Deva) added his spiritual power,\nand caused him to frame a reply in true words: \"His appearance changed,\nhis vital powers decayed, filled with sorrow, with little pleasure, his\nspirits gone, his members nerveless, these are the indications of what\nis called 'old age.' This man was once a sucking child, brought up and\nnourished at his mother's breast, and as a youth full of sportive life,\nhandsome, and in enjoyment of the five pleasures; as years passed on,\nhis frame decaying, he is brought now to the waste of age.\"\n\nThe prince, greatly agitated and moved, asked his charioteer another\nquestion and said, \"Is yonder man the only one afflicted with age, or\nshall I, and others also, be such as he?\" The charioteer again replied\nand said, \"Your highness also inherits this lot: as time goes on, the\nform itself is changed, and this must doubtless come, beyond all\nhindrance. The youthful form must wear the garb of age, throughout the\nworld, this is the common lot.\"\n\nBodhisattva, who had long prepared the foundation of pure and spotless\nwisdom, broadly setting the root of every high quality, with a view to\ngather large fruit in his present life, hearing these words respecting\nthe sorrow of age, was afflicted in mind, and his hair stood upright.\nJust as the roll of the thunder and the storm alarm and put to flight\nthe cattle, so was Bodhisattva affected by the words; shaking with\napprehension, he deeply sighed; constrained at heart because of the pain\nof age; with shaking head and constant gaze, he thought upon this misery\nof decay; what joy or pleasure can men take, he thought, in that which\nsoon must wither, stricken by the marks of age; affecting all without\nexception; though gifted now with youth and strength, yet not one but\nsoon must change and pine away. The eye beholding such signs as these\nbefore it, how can it not be oppressed by a desire to escape?\nBodhisattva then addressed his charioteer: \"Quickly turn your chariot\nand go back. Ever thinking on this subject of old age approaching, what\npleasures now can these gardens afford, the years of my life like the\nfast-flying wind; turn your chariot, and with speedy wheels take me to\nmy palace.\" And so his heart keeping in the same sad tone, he was as one\nwho returns to a place of entombment; unaffected by any engagement or\nemployment, so he found no rest in anything within his home.\n\nThe king hearing of his son's sadness urged his companions to induce him\nagain to go abroad, and forthwith incited his ministers and attendants\nto decorate the gardens even more than before. The Deva then caused\nhimself to appear as a sick man; struggling for life, he stood by the\nwayside, his body swollen and disfigured, sighing with deep-drawn\ngroans; his hands and knees contracted and sore with disease, his tears\nflowing as he piteously muttered his petition. The prince asked his\ncharioteer, \"What sort of man, again, is this?\"\n\nReplying, he said, \"This is a sick man. The four elements all confused\nand disordered, worn and feeble, with no remaining strength, bent down\nwith weakness, looking to his fellow-men for help.\" The prince hearing\nthe words thus spoken, immediately became sad and depressed in heart,\nand asked, \"Is this the only man afflicted thus, or are others liable to\nthe same calamity?\" In reply he said, \"Through all the world, men are\nsubject to the same condition; those who have bodies must endure\naffliction, the poor and ignorant, as well as the rich and great.\" The\nprince, when these words met his ears, was oppressed with anxious\nthought and grief; his body and his mind were moved throughout, just as\nthe moon upon the ruffled tide. \"Placed thus in the great furnace of\naffliction, say! what rest or quiet can there be! Alas! that worldly\nmen, blinded by ignorance and oppressed with dark delusion, though the\nrobber sickness may appear at any time, yet live with blithe and joyous\nhearts!\" On this, turning his chariot back again, he grieved to think\nupon the pain of sickness. As a man beaten and wounded sore, with body\nweakened, leans upon his staff, so dwelt he in the seclusion of his\npalace, lone-seeking, hating worldly pleasures.\n\nThe king, hearing once more of his son's return, asked anxiously the\nreason why, and in reply was told--\"he saw the pain of sickness.\" The\nking, in fear, like one beside himself, roundly blamed the keepers of\nthe way; his heart constrained, his lips spoke not; again he increased\nthe crowd of music-women, the sounds of merriment twice louder than\naforetime, if by these sounds and sights the prince might be gratified;\nand indulging worldly feelings, might not hate his home. Night and day\nthe charm of melody increased, but his heart was still unmoved by it.\nThe king himself then went forth to observe everything successively, and\nto make the gardens even yet more attractive, selecting with care the\nattendant women, that they might excel in every point of personal\nbeauty; quick in wit and able to arrange matters well, fit to ensnare\nmen by their winning looks; he placed additional keepers along the\nking's way, he strictly ordered every offensive sight to be removed, and\nearnestly exhorted the illustrious coachman, to look well and pick out\nthe road as he went. And now that Deva of the Pure abode, again caused\nthe appearance of a dead man; four persons carrying the corpse lifted it\non high, and appeared (to be going on) in front of Bodhisattva; the\nsurrounding people saw it not, but only Bodhisattva and the charioteer.\nOnce more he asked, \"What is this they carry? with streamers and flowers\nof every choice description, whilst the followers are overwhelmed with\ngrief, tearing their hair and wailing piteously.\" And now the gods\ninstructing the coachman, he replied and said, \"This is a dead man: all\nhis powers of body destroyed, life departed; his heart without thought,\nhis intellect dispersed; his spirit gone, his form withered and decayed;\nstretched out as a dead log; family ties broken--all his friends who\nonce loved him, clad in white cerements, now no longer delighting to\nbehold him, remove him to lie in some hollow ditch tomb.\" The prince\nhearing the name of Death, his heart constrained by painful thoughts, he\nasked, \"Is this the only dead man, or does the world contain like\ninstances?\" Replying thus he said, \"All, everywhere, the same; he who\nbegins his life must end it likewise; the strong and lusty and the\nmiddle-aged, having a body, cannot but decay and die.\" The prince was\nnow harassed and perplexed in mind; his body bent upon the chariot\nleaning-board, with bated breath and struggling accents, stammered thus,\n\"Oh worldly men! how fatally deluded! beholding everywhere the body\nbrought to dust, yet everywhere the more carelessly living; the heart is\nneither lifeless wood nor stone, and yet it thinks not 'all is\nvanishing!'\" Then turning, he directed his chariot to go back, and no\nlonger waste his time in wandering. How could he, whilst in fear of\ninstant death, go wandering here and there with lightened heart! The\ncharioteer remembering the king's exhortation feared much nor dared go\nback; straightforward then he pressed his panting steeds, passed onward\nto the gardens, came to the groves and babbling streams of crystal\nwater, the pleasant trees, spread out with gaudy verdure, the noble\nliving things and varied beasts so wonderful, the flying creatures and\ntheir notes melodious; all charming and delightful to the eye and ear,\neven as the heavenly Nandavana.\n\nPutting Away Desire\n\nOn the prince entering the garden the women came around to pay him\ncourt; and to arouse in him thoughts frivolous; with ogling ways and\ndeep design, each one setting herself off to best advantage; or joining\ntogether in harmonious concert, clapping their hands, or moving their\nfeet in unison, or joining close, body to body, limb to limb; or\nindulging in smart repartees, and mutual smiles; or assuming a\nthoughtful saddened countenance, and so by sympathy to please the\nprince, and provoke in him a heart affected by love. But all the women\nbeheld the prince, clouded in brow, and his god-like body not exhibiting\nits wonted signs of beauty; fair in bodily appearance, surpassingly\nlovely, all looked upwards as they gazed, as when we call upon the moon\nDeva to come; but all their subtle devices were ineffectual to move\nBodhisattva's heart.\n\nAt last commingling together they join and look astonished and in fear,\nsilent without a word. Then there was a Brahmaputra, whose name was\ncalled Ud\u00e2yi (Yau-to-i). He, addressing the women, said, \"Now all of\nyou, so graceful and fair, see if you cannot by your combined power hit\non some device; for beauty's power is not forever. Still it holds the\nworld in bondage, by secret ways and lustful arts; but no such\nloveliness in all the world as yours, equal to that of heavenly nymphs;\nthe gods beholding it would leave their queens, spirits and Rishis would\nbe misled by it; why not then the prince, the son of an earthly king?\nwhy should not his feelings be aroused? This prince indeed, though he\nrestrains his heart and holds it fixed, pure-minded, with virtue\nuncontaminated, not to be overcome by power of women; yet of old there\nwas Sundar\u00ee (Su-to-li) able to destroy the great Rishi, and to lead him\nto indulge in love, and so degrade his boasted eminence; undergoing long\npenance, Gautama fell likewise by the arts of a heavenly queen;\nShing-k\u00fc, a Rishi putra, practising lustful indulgences according to\nfancy, was lost. The Brahman Rishi Visv\u00e2mitra (Pi-she-po), living\nreligiously for ten thousand years, deeply ensnared by a heavenly queen,\nin one day was completely shipwrecked in faith; thus those enticing\nwomen, by their power, overcame the Brahman ascetics; how much more may\nye, by your arts, overpower the resolves of the king's son; strive\ntherefore after new devices, let not the king fail in a successor to the\nthrone; women, though naturally weak, are high and potent in the way of\nruling men. What may not their arts accomplish in promoting in men a\nlustful desire?\" At this time all the attendant women, hearing\nthroughout the words of Ud\u00e2yi, increasing their powers of pleasing, as\nthe quiet horse when touched by the whip, went into the presence of the\nroyal prince, and each one strove in the practice of every kind of art.\nThey joined in music and in smiling conversation, raising their\neyebrows, showing their white teeth, with ogling looks, glancing one at\nthe other, their light drapery exhibiting their white bodies, daintily\nmoving with mincing gait, acting the part of a bride as if coming\ngradually nearer, desiring to promote in him a feeling of love,\nremembering the words of the great king, \"With dissolute form and\nslightly clad, forgetful of modesty and womanly reserve.\" The prince\nwith resolute heart was silent and still, with unmoved face he sat; even\nas the great elephant-dragon, whilst the entire herd moves round him; so\nnothing could disturb or move his heart, dwelling in their midst as in a\nconfined room. Like the divine Sakra, around whom all the Dev\u00ees\nassemble, so was the prince as he dwelt in the gardens; the maidens\nencircling him thus; some arranging their dress, others washing their\nhands or feet, others perfuming their bodies with scent, others twining\nflowers for decoration, others making strings for jewelled necklets,\nothers rubbing or striking their bodies, others resting, or lying, one\nbeside the other; others, with head inclined, whispering secret words,\nothers engaged in common sports, others talking of amorous things,\nothers assuming lustful attitudes, striving thus to move his heart. But\nBodhisattva, peaceful and collected, firm as a rock, difficult to move,\nhearing all these women's talk, unaffected either to joy or sorrow, was\ndriven still more to serious thought, sighing to witness such strange\nconduct, and beginning to understand the women's design, by these means\nto disconcert his mind, not knowing that youthful beauty soon falls,\ndestroyed by old age and death, fading and perishing! This is the great\ndistress! What ignorance and delusion (he reflected) overshadow their\nminds: \"Surely they ought to consider old age, disease, and death, and\nday and night stir themselves up to exertion, whilst this sharp\ndouble-edged sword hangs over the neck. What room for sport or laughter,\nbeholding those monsters, old age, disease, and death? A man who is\nunable to resort to this inward knowledge, what is he but a wooden or a\nplaster man, what heart-consideration in such a case! Like the double\ntree that appears in the desert, with leaves and fruit all perfect and\nripe, the first cut down and destroyed, the other unmoved by\napprehension, so it is in the case of the mass of men: they have no\nunderstanding either!\"\n\nAt this time Ud\u00e2yi came to the place where the prince was, and observing\nhis silent and thoughtful mien, unmoved by any desire for indulgence, he\nforthwith addressed the prince, and said, \"The Mah\u00e2raga, by his former\nappointment, has selected me to act as friend to his son; may I\ntherefore speak some friendly words? an enlightened friendship is of\nthree sorts: that which removes things unprofitable, promotes that which\nis real gain, and stands by a friend in adversity. I claim the name of\n'enlightened friend,' and would renounce all that is magisterial, but\nyet not speak lightly or with indifference. What then are the three\nsources of advantage? listen, and I will now utter true words, and prove\nmyself a true and sincere adviser. When the years are fresh and\nripening, beauty and pleasing qualities in bloom, not to give proper\nweight to woman's influence, this is a weak man's policy. It is right\nsometimes to be of a crafty mind, submitting to those little subterfuges\nwhich find a place in the heart's undercurrents, and obeying what those\nthoughts suggest in way of pleasures to be got from dalliance: this is\nno wrong in woman's eye! even if now the heart has no desire, yet it is\nfair to follow such devices; agreement is the joy of woman's heart,\nacquiescence is the substance (the full) of true adornment; but if a man\nreject these overtures, he's like a tree deprived of leaves and fruits;\nwhy then ought you to yield and acquiesce? that you may share in all\nthese things. Because in taking, there's an end of trouble--no light and\nchangeful thoughts then worry us--for pleasure is the first and foremost\nthought of all, the gods themselves cannot dispense with it. Lord Sakra\nwas drawn by it to love the wife of Gautama the Rishi; so likewise the\nRishi Agastya, through a long period of discipline, practising\nausterities, from hankering after a heavenly queen (Dev\u00ee), lost all\nreward of his religious endeavors, the Rishi Brihaspati, and Kandradeva\nputra; the Rishi Par\u00e2sara, and Kava\u00f1gara (Kia-pin-ke-lo). All these, out\nof many others, were overcome by woman's love. How much more then, in\nyour case, should you partake in such pleasant joys; nor refuse, with\nwilful heart, to participate in the worldly delights, which your present\nstation, possessed of such advantages, offers you, in the presence of\nthese attendants.\"\n\nAt this time the royal prince, hearing the words of his friend Ud\u00e2yi, so\nskilfully put, with such fine distinction, cleverly citing worldly\ninstances, answered thus to Ud\u00e2yi: \"Thank you for having spoken\nsincerely to me; let me likewise answer you in the same way, and let\nyour heart suspend its judgment whilst you listen:--It is not that I am\ncareless about beauty, or am ignorant of the power of human joys, but\nonly that I see on all the impress of change; therefore my heart is sad\nand heavy; if these things were sure of lasting, without the ills of\nage, disease, and death, then would I too take my fill of love; and to\nthe end find no disgust or sadness. If you will undertake to cause these\nwomen's beauty not to change or wither in the future, then, though the\njoy of love may have its evil, still it might hold the mind in thraldom.\nTo know that other men grow old, sicken, and die, would be enough to rob\nsuch joys of satisfaction; yet how much more in their own case (knowing\nthis) would discontentment fill the mind; to know such pleasures hasten\nto decay, and their bodies likewise; if, notwithstanding this, men yield\nto the power of love, their case indeed is like the very beasts. And now\nyou cite the names of many Rishis, who practised lustful ways in life;\ntheir cases likewise cause me sorrow, for in that they did these things,\nthey perished. Again, you cite the name of that illustrious king, who\nfreely gratified his passions, but he, in like way, perished in the act;\nknow, then, that he was not a conqueror; with smooth words to conceal an\nintrigue, and to persuade one's neighbor to consent, and by consenting\nto defile his mind; how can this be called a just device? It is but to\nseduce one with a hollow lie--such ways are not for me to practise; or,\nfor those who love the truth and honesty; for they are, forsooth,\nunrighteous ways, and such a disposition is hard to reverence; shaping\none's conduct after one's likings, liking this or that, and seeing no\nharm in it, what method of experience is this! A hollow compliance, and\na protesting heart, such method is not for me to follow; but this I\nknow, old age, disease, and death, these are the great afflictions which\naccumulate, and overwhelm me with their presence; on these I find no\nfriend to speak, alas! alas! Ud\u00e2yi! these, after all, are the great\nconcerns; the pain of birth, old age, disease, and death; this grief is\nthat we have to fear; the eyes see all things falling to decay, and yet\nthe heart finds joy in following them; but I have little strength of\npurpose, or command; this heart of mine is feeble and distraught,\nreflecting thus on age, disease, and death. Distracted, as I never was\nbefore; sleepless by night and day, how can I then indulge in pleasure?\nOld age, disease, and death consuming me, their certainty beyond a\ndoubt, and still to have no heavy thoughts, in truth my heart would be a\nlog or stone.\" Thus the prince, for Uda's sake, used every kind of\nskilful argument, describing all the pains of pleasure; and not\nperceiving that the day declined. And now the waiting women all, with\nmusic and their various attractions, seeing that all were useless for\nthe end, with shame began to flock back to the city; the prince\nbeholding all the gardens, bereft of their gaudy ornaments, the women\nall returning home, the place becoming silent and deserted, felt with\ntwofold strength the thought of impermanence. With saddened mien going\nback, he entered his palace.\n\nThe king, his father, hearing of the prince, his heart estranged from\nthoughts of pleasure, was greatly overcome with sorrow, and like a sword\nit pierced his heart. Forthwith assembling all his council, he sought of\nthem some means to gain his end; they all replied, \"These sources of\ndesire are not enough to hold and captivate his heart.\"\n\nLeaving the City\n\nAnd so the king increased the means for gratifying the appetite for\npleasure; both night and day the joys of music wore out the prince,\nopposed to pleasure; disgusted with them, he desired their absence, his\nmind was weaned from all such thoughts, he only thought of age, disease,\nand death; as the lion wounded by an arrow.\n\nThe king then sent his chief ministers, and the most distinguished of\nhis family, young in years and eminent for beauty, as well as for wisdom\nand dignity of manners, to accompany and rest with him, both night and\nday, in order to influence the prince's mind. And now within a little\ninterval, the prince again requested the king that he might go abroad.\n\nOnce more the chariot and the well-paced horses were prepared, adorned\nwith precious substances and every gem; and then with all the nobles,\nhis associates, surrounding him, he left the city gates. Just as the\nfour kinds of flower, when the sun shines, open out their leaves, so was\nthe prince in all his spiritual splendor; effulgent in the beauty of his\nyouth-time. As he proceeded to the gardens from the city, the road was\nwell prepared, smooth, and wide, the trees were bright with flowers and\nfruit, his heart was joyous, and forgetful of its care.\n\nNow by the roadside, as he beheld the ploughmen, plodding along the\nfurrows, and the writhing worms, his heart again was moved with piteous\nfeeling, and anguish pierced his soul afresh; to see those laborers at\ntheir toil, struggling with painful work, their bodies bent, their hair\ndishevelled, the dripping sweat upon their faces, their persons fouled\nwith mud and dust; the ploughing oxen, too, bent by the yokes, their\nlolling tongues and gaping mouths. The nature of the prince, loving,\ncompassionate, his mind conceived most poignant sorrow, and nobly moved\nto sympathy, he groaned with pain; then stooping down he sat upon the\nground, and watched this painful scene of suffering; reflecting on the\nways of birth and death! \"Alas! he cried, for all the world! how dark\nand ignorant, void of understanding!\" And then to give his followers\nchance of rest, he bade them each repose where'er they list, whilst he\nbeneath the shadow of a Gambu tree, gracefully seated, gave himself to\nthought. He pondered on the fact of life and death, inconstancy, and\nendless progress to decay. His heart thus fixed without confusion, the\nfive senses covered and clouded over, lost in possession of\nenlightenment and insight, he entered on the first pure state of\necstasy. All low desire removed, most perfect peace ensued; and fully\nnow in Sam\u00e2dhi he saw the misery and utter sorrow of the world; the ruin\nwrought by age, disease, and death; the great misery following on the\nbody's death; and yet men not awakened to the truth! oppressed with\nothers' suffering (age, disease, and death), this load of sorrow weighed\nhis mind. \"I now will seek,\" he said, \"a noble law, unlike the worldly\nmethods known to men. I will oppose disease and age and death, and\nstrive against the mischief wrought by these on men.\"\n\nThus lost in tranquil contemplation, he considered that youth, vigor,\nand strength of life, constantly renewing themselves, without long stay,\nin the end fulfil the rule of ultimate destruction. Thus he pondered,\nwithout excessive joy or grief, without hesitation or confusion of\nthought, without dreaminess or extreme longing, without aversion or\ndiscontent, but perfectly at peace, with no hindrance, radiant with the\nbeams of increased illumination. At this time a Deva of the Pure abode,\ntransforming himself into the shape of a Bhikshu, came to the place\nwhere the prince was seated; the prince with due consideration rose to\nmeet him, and asked him who he was. In reply he said, \"I am a Sh\u00e2man,\ndepressed and sad at thought of age, disease, and death; I have left my\nhome to seek some way of rescue, but everywhere I find old age, disease,\nand death; all things hasten to decay and there is no permanency.\nTherefore I search for the happiness of something that decays not, that\nnever perishes, that never knows beginning, that looks with equal mind\non enemy and friend, that heeds not wealth nor beauty; the happiness of\none who finds repose alone in solitude, in some unfrequented dell, free\nfrom molestation, all thoughts about the world destroyed; dwelling in\nsome lonely hermitage, untouched by any worldly source of pollution,\nbegging for food sufficient for the body.\" And forthwith as he stood\nbefore the prince, gradually rising up he disappeared in space.\n\nThe prince, with joyful mind, considering, recollected former Buddhas,\nestablished thus in perfect dignity of manner; with noble mien and\npresence, as this visitor. Thus calling things to mind with perfect\nself-possession, he reached the thought of righteousness, and by what\nmeans it can be gained. Indulging thus for some time in thoughts of\nreligious solitude, he now suppressed his feelings and controlled his\nmembers, and rising turned again towards the city. His followers all\nflocked after him, calling him to stop and not go far from them, but in\nhis mind these secret thoughts so held him, devising means by which to\nescape from the world, that though his body moved along the road, his\nheart was far away among the mountains; even as the bound and captive\nelephant ever thinks about his desert wilds. The prince now entering the\ncity, there met him men and women, earnest for their several ends; the\nold besought him for their children, the young sought something for the\nwife, others sought something for their brethren; all those allied by\nkinship or by family, aimed to obtain their several suits, all of them\njoined in relationship dreading the pain of separation. And now the\nprince's heart was filled with joy, as he suddenly heard those words\n\"separation and association.\" \"These are joyful sounds to me,\" he said,\n\"they assure me that my vow shall be accomplished.\" Then deeply\npondering the joy of \"snapped relationship,\" the idea of Nirv\u00e2na,\ndeepened and widened in him, his body as a peak of the Golden Mount, his\nshoulder like the elephant's, his voice like the spring-thunder, his\ndeep-blue eye like that of the king of oxen; his mind full of religious\nthoughts, his face bright as the full moon, his step like that of the\nlion king, thus he entered his palace; even as the son of Lord Sakra, or\nSakra-putra, his mind reverential, his person dignified, he went\nstraight to his father's presence, and with head inclined, inquired, \"Is\nthe king well?\" Then he explained his dread of age, disease, and death,\nand sought respectfully permission to become a hermit. \"For all things\nin the world,\" he said, \"though now united, tend to separation.\"\nTherefore he prayed to leave the world; desiring to find \"true\ndeliverance.\"\n\nHis royal father hearing the words \"leave the world,\" was forthwith\nseized with great heart-trembling, even as the strong wild elephant\nshakes with his weight the boughs of some young sapling; going forward,\nseizing the prince's hands, with falling tears, he spake as follows:\n\"Stop! nor speak such words, the time is not yet come for 'a religious\nlife;' you are young and strong, your heart beats full, to lead a\nreligious life frequently involves trouble; it is rarely possible to\nhold the desires in check, the heart not yet estranged from their\nenjoyment; to leave your home and lead a painful ascetic life, your\nheart can hardly yet resolve on such a course. To dwell amidst the\ndesert wilds or lonely dells, this heart of yours would not be perfectly\nat rest, for though you love religious matters, you are not yet like me\nin years; you should undertake the kingdom's government, and let me\nfirst adopt ascetic life; but to give up your father and your sacred\nduties, this is not to act religiously; you should suppress this thought\nof 'leaving home,' and undertake your worldly duties, find your delight\nin getting an illustrious name, and after this give up your home and\nfamily.\"\n\nThe prince, with proper reverence and respectful feelings, again\nbesought his royal father; but promised if he could be saved from four\ncalamities, that he would give up the thought of \"leaving home.\" If he\nwould grant him life without end, no disease, nor undesirable old age,\nand no decay of earthly possessions, then he would obey and give up the\nthought of \"leaving home.\"\n\nThe royal father then addressed the prince, \"Speak not such words as\nthese, for with respect to these four things, who is there able to\nprevent them, or say nay to their approach; asking such things as these,\nyou would provoke men's laughter! But put away this thought of 'leaving\nhome,' and once more take yourself to pleasure.\"\n\nThe prince again besought his father, \"If you may not grant me these\nfour prayers, then let me go I pray, and leave my home. O! place no\ndifficulties in my path; your son is dwelling in a burning house, would\nyou indeed prevent his leaving it! To solve a doubt is only reasonable,\nwho could forbid a man to seek its explanation? Or if he were forbidden,\nthen by self-destruction he might solve the difficulty, in an\nunrighteous way: and if he were to do so, who could restrain him after\ndeath?\"\n\nThe royal father, seeing his son's mind so firmly fixed that it could\nnot be turned, and that it would be waste of strength to bandy further\nwords or arguments, forthwith commanded more attendant women, to provoke\nstill more his mind to pleasure; day and night he ordered them to keep\nthe roads and ways, to the end that he might not leave his palace. He\nmoreover ordered all the ministers of the country to come to the place\nwhere dwelt the prince, to quote and illustrate the rules of filial\npiety, hoping to cause him to obey the wishes of the king.\n\nThe prince, beholding his royal father bathed with tears and o'erwhelmed\nwith grief, forthwith returned to his abode, and sat himself in silence\nto consider; all the women of the palace, coming towards him, waited as\nthey circled him, and gazed in silence on his beauteous form. They gazed\nupon him not with furtive glance, but like the deer in autumn brake\nlooks wistfully at the hunter; around the prince's straight and handsome\nform, bright as the mountain of true gold (Sumeru). The dancing women\ngathered doubtingly, waiting to hear him bid them sound their music;\nrepressing every feeling of the heart through fear, even as the deer\nwithin the brake; now gradually the day began to wane, the prince still\nsitting in the evening light, his glory streaming forth in splendor, as\nthe sun lights up Mount Sumeru; thus seated on his jewelled couch,\nsurrounded by the fumes of sandal-wood, the dancing women took their\nplaces round; then sounded forth their heavenly music, even as Vaisaman\nproduces every kind of rare and heavenly sounds. The thoughts which\ndwelt within the prince's mind entirely drove from him desire for music,\nand though the sounds filled all the place, they fell upon his ear\nunnoticed. At this time the Deva of the Pure abode, knowing the prince's\ntime was come, the destined time for quitting home, suddenly assumed a\nform and came to earth, to make the shapes of all the women\nunattractive, so that they might create disgust, and no desire arise\nfrom thought of beauty. Their half-clad forms bent in ungainly\nattitudes, forgetful in their sleep, their bodies crooked or supine, the\ninstruments of music lying scattered in disorder; leaning and facing one\nanother, or with back to back, or like those beings thrown into the\nabyss, their jewelled necklets bound about like chains, their clothes\nand undergarments swathed around their persons; grasping their\ninstruments, stretched along the earth, even as those undergoing\npunishment at the hands of keepers, their garments in confusion, or like\nthe broken kani flower; or some with bodies leaning in sleep against the\nwall, in fashion like a hanging bow or horn, or with their hands holding\nto the window-frames, and looking like an outstretched corpse. Their\nmouths half opened or else gaping wide, the loathsome dribble trickling\nforth, their heads uncovered and in wild disorder, like some unreasoning\nmadman's; the flower wreaths torn and hanging across their face, or\nslipping off the face upon the ground; others with body raised as if in\nfearful dread, just like the lonely desert bird; or others pillowed on\ntheir neighbor's lap, their hands and feet entwined together, whilst\nothers smiled or knit their brows in turn; some with eyes closed and\nopen mouth, their bodies lying in wild disorder, stretched here and\nthere, like corpses thrown together. And now the prince seated, in his\nbeauty, looked with thought on all the waiting women; before, they had\nappeared exceeding lovely, their laughing words, their hearts so light\nand gay, their forms so plump and young, their looks so bright; but now,\nhow changed! so uninviting and repulsive. And such is woman's\ndisposition! how can they, then, be ever dear, or closely trusted; such\nfalse appearances! and unreal pretences; they only madden and delude the\nminds of men.\n\n\"And now,\" he said, \"I have awakened to the truth! Resolved am I to\nleave such false society.\" At this time the Deva of the Pure abode\ndescended and approached, unfastening the doors. The prince, too, at\nthis time rose and walked along, amid the prostrate forms of all the\nwomen; with difficulty reaching the inner hall, he called to Kandaka, in\nthese words, \"My mind is now athirst and longing for the draught of the\nfountain of sweet dew; saddle then my horse, and quickly bring it here.\nI wish to reach the deathless city; my heart is fixed beyond all change,\nresolved I am and bound by sacred oath; these women, once so charming\nand enticing, now behold I altogether loathsome; the gates, which were\nbefore fast-barred and locked, now stand free and open! these evidences\nof something supernatural, point to a climax of my life.\"\n\nThen Kandaka stood reflecting inwardly, whether to obey or not the\nprince's order, without informing his royal father of it, and so incur\nthe heaviest punishment.\n\nThe Devas then gave spiritual strength; and unperceived the horse\nequipped came round, with even pace; a gallant steed, with all his\njewelled trappings for a rider; high-maned, with flowing tail,\nbroad-backed, short-haired and eared, with belly like the deer's, head\nlike the king of parrots, wide forehead, round and claw-shaped nostrils,\nbreath like the dragon's, with breast and shoulders square, true and\nsufficient marks of his high breed. The royal prince, stroking the\nhorse's neck, and rubbing down his body, said, \"My royal father ever\nrode on thee, and found thee brave in fight and fearless of the foe; now\nI desire to rely on thee alike! to carry me far off to the stream (ford)\nof endless life, to fight against and overcome the opposing force of\nmen, the men who associate in search of pleasure, the men who engage in\nthe search after wealth, the crowds who follow and flatter such persons;\nin opposing sorrow, friendly help is difficult to find, in seeking\nreligious truth there must be rare enlightenment, let us then be knit\ntogether thus as friends; then, at last, there will be rest from sorrow.\nBut now I wish to go abroad, to give deliverance from pain; now then,\nfor your own sake it is, and for the sake of all your kind, that you\nshould exert your strength, with noble pace, without lagging or\nweariness.\" Having thus exhorted him, he bestrode his horse, and\ngrasping the reins proceeded forth; the man like the sun shining forth\nfrom his tabernacle, the horse like the white floating cloud, exerting\nhimself but without exciting haste, his breath concealed and without\nsnorting; four spirits (Devas) accompanying him, held up his feet,\nheedfully concealing his advance, silently and without noise; the heavy\ngates fastened and barred, the heavenly spirits of themselves caused to\nopen. Reverencing deeply the virtuous father, loving deeply the\nunequalled son, equally affected with love towards all the members of\nhis family these Devas took their place.\n\nSuppressing his feelings, but not extinguishing his memory, lightly he\nadvanced and proceeded beyond the city, pure and spotless as the lily\nflowers which spring from the mud; looking up with earnestness at his\nfather's palace, he announced his purpose--unwitnessed and\nunwritten--\"If I escape not birth, old age, and death, for evermore I\npass not thus along.\" All the concourse of Devas, the space-filling\nN\u00e2gas and spirits followed joyfully and exclaimed, \"Well! well!\" in\nconfirmation of the true words he spoke. The N\u00e2gas and the company of\nDevas acquired a condition of heart difficult to obtain, and each with\nhis own inherent light led on the way shedding forth their brightness.\nThus man and horse, both strong of heart, went onwards, lost to sight\nlike streaming stars, but ere the eastern quarter flashed with light,\nthey had advanced three yoganas.\n\n\n[Footnote 91: M\u00e2ra, the king of the world of desire. According to the\nBuddhist theogony he is the god of sensual love. He holds the world in\nsin. He was the enemy of Buddha, and endeavored in every way to defeat\nhim. He is also described as the king of death.]\n\n[Footnote 92: That is, the Brahman wearing the twice-born thread.]\n\n[Footnote 93: The \"eternal draught\" or \"sweet dew\" of Ambrosia. This\nexpression is constantly used in Buddhist writings. It corresponds with\nthe Pali amatam, which Childers explains as the \"drink of the gods.\"]\n\n[Footnote 94: The condition of the highest Deva, according to Buddhism,\ndoes not exempt him from re-birth; subject to the calamities incident on\nsuch a renewal of life.]\n\n[Footnote 95: This seems to mean that those who had not received benefit\nfrom the teaching of the four previous Buddhas, that even these were\nplacable and well-disposed.]\n\n[Footnote 96: The description here given of the peace and content\nprevailing in the world on the birth of Bodhisattva (and his name given\nto him in consequence) resembles the account of the golden age in\nclassic authors.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nThe Return of Kandaka\n\n\nAnd now the night was in a moment gone, and sight restored to all\ncreated things, when the royal prince looked through the wood, and saw\nthe abode of Po-ka, the Rishi. The purling streams so exquisitely pure\nand sparkling, and the wild beasts all unalarmed at man, caused the\nroyal prince's heart to exult. Tired, the horse stopped of his own will,\nto breathe. \"This, then,\" he thought, \"is a good sign and fortunate, and\ndoubtless indicates divine approval.\" And now he saw belonging to the\nRishi, the various vessels used for asking charity, and other things\narranged by him in order, without the slightest trace of negligence.\nDismounting then he stroked his horse's head, and cried, \"You now have\nborne me well!\"\n\nWith loving eyes he looked at Kandaka: eyes like the pure cool surface\nof a placid lake and said, \"Swift-footed! like a horse in pace, yea!\nswift as any light-winged bird, ever have you followed after me when\nriding, and deeply have I felt my debt of thanks, but not yet had you\nbeen tried in other ways; I only knew you as a man true-hearted, my mind\nnow wonders at your active powers of body; these two I now begin to see\nare yours; a man may have a heart most true and faithful, but strength\nof body may not too be his; bodily strength and perfect honesty of\nheart, I now have proof enough are yours. To be content to leave the\ntinselled world, and with swift foot to follow me, who would do this but\nfor some profit; if without profit to his kin, who would not shun it?\nBut you, with no private aim, have followed me, not seeking any present\nrecompense; as we nourish and bring up a child, to bind together and\nbring honor to a family, so we also reverence and obey a father, to gain\nobedience and attention from a begotten son; in this way all think of\ntheir own advantage; but you have come with me disdaining profit; with\nmany words I cannot hold you here, so let me say in brief to you, we\nhave now ended our relationship; take, then, my horse and ride back\nagain; for me, during the long night past, that place I sought to reach\nnow I have obtained.\"\n\nThen taking off his precious neck-chain, he handed it to Kandaka. \"Take\nthis,\" he said, \"I give it you, let it console you in your sorrow.\" The\nprecious jewel in the tire that bound his head, bright-shining, lighting\nup his person, taking off and placing in his extended palm, like the sun\nwhich lights up Sumeru, he said, \"O Kandaka! take this gem, and going\nback to where my father is, take the jewel and lay it reverently before\nhim, to signify my heart's relation to him; and then, for me, request\nthe king to stifle every fickle feeling of affection, and say that I, to\nescape from birth and age and death, have entered on the wild forest of\npainful discipline; not that I may get a heavenly birth, much less\nbecause I have no tenderness of heart, or that I cherish any cause of\nbitterness, but only that I may escape this weight of sorrow. The\naccumulated long-night weight of covetous desire (love), I now desire to\nease the load so that it may be overthrown forever; therefore I seek the\nway of ultimate escape; if I should obtain emancipation, then shall I\nnever need to put away my kindred, to leave my home, to sever ties of\nlove. O! grieve not for your son! The five desires of sense beget the\nsorrow; those held by lust themselves induce the sorrow. My very\nancestors, victorious kings, thinking their throne established and\nimmovable, have handed down to me their kingly wealth; I, thinking only\non religion, put it all away; the royal mothers at the end of life their\ncherished treasures leave for their sons, those sons who covet much such\nworldly profit; but I rejoice to have acquired religious wealth; if you\nsay that I am young and tender, and that the time for seeking wisdom is\nnot come, you ought to know that to seek true religion, there never is a\ntime not fit; impermanence and fickleness, the hate of death, these ever\nfollow us, and therefore I embrace the present day, convinced that now\nis time to seek religion. With such entreaties as the above, you must\nmake matters plain on my behalf; but, pray you, cause my father not to\nthink longingly after me; let him destroy all recollection of me, and\ncut out from his soul the ties of love; and you, grieve not because of\nwhat I say, but recollect to give the king my message.\"\n\nKandaka hearing respectfully the words of exhortation, blinded and\nconfused through choking sorrow, with hands outstretched did worship;\nand answering the prince, he spoke, \"The orders that you give me will, I\nfear, add grief to grief, and sorrow thus increased will deepen, as the\nelephant who struggles into deeper mire. When the ties of love are\nrudely snapped, who, that has any heart, would not grieve! The golden\nore may still by stamping be broken up, how much more the feelings\nchoked with sorrow! the prince has grown up in a palace, with every care\nbestowed upon his tender person, and now he gives his body to the rough\nand thorny forest; how will he be able to bear a life of privation? When\nfirst you ordered me to equip your steed, my mind was indeed sorely\ntroubled, but the heavenly powers urged me on, causing me to hasten the\npreparation of the horse, but what is the intention that urges the\nprince, to resolve thus to leave his secure palace? The people of\nKapilavastu, and all the country afflicted with grief; your father, now\nan old man, mindful of his son, loving him moreover tenderly; surely\nthis determination to leave your home, this is not according to duty; it\nis wrong, surely, to disregard father and mother--we cannot speak of\nsuch a thing with propriety! Gotami, too, who has nourished you so long,\nfed you with milk when a helpless child, such love as hers cannot easily\nbe forgotten; it is impossible surely to turn the back on a benefactor;\nthe highly gifted virtuous mother of a child, is ever respected by the\nmost distinguished families; to inherit distinction and then to turn\nround, is not the mark of a distinguished man. The illustrious child of\nYasodhar\u00e2, who has inherited a kingdom, rightly governed, his years now\ngradually ripening, should not thus go away from and forsake his home;\nbut though he has gone away from his royal father, and forsaken his\nfamily and his kin, forbid it he should still drive me away, let me not\ndepart from the feet of my master; my heart is bound to thee, as the\nheat is bound up in the boiling water. I cannot return without thee to\nmy country; to return and leave the prince thus, in the midst of the\nsolitude of the desert, then should I be like Sumanta, who left and\nforsook R\u00e2ma; and now if I return alone to the palace, what words can I\naddress to the king? How can I reply to the reproaches of all the\ndwellers in the palace with suitable words? Therefore let the prince\nrather tell me, how I may truly describe, and with what device, the\ndisfigured body, and the merit-seeking condition of the hermit! I am\nfull of fear and alarm, my tongue can utter no words; tell me then what\nwords to speak; but who is there in the empire will believe me? If I say\nthat the moon's rays are scorching, there are men, perhaps, who may\nbelieve me; but they will not believe that the prince, in his conduct,\nwill act without piety; for the prince's heart is sincere and refined,\nalways actuated with pity and love to men. To be deeply affected with\nlove, and yet to forsake the object of love, this surely is opposed to a\nconstant mind. O then, for pity's sake! return to your home, and thus\nappease my foolish longings.\"\n\nThe prince having listened to Kandaka, pitying his grief expressed in so\nmany words, with heart resolved and strong in its determination, spoke\nthus to him once more, and said: \"Why thus on my account do you feel the\npain of separation? you should overcome this sorrowful mood, it is for\nyou to comfort yourself; all creatures, each in its way, foolishly\narguing that all things are constant, would influence me to-day not to\nforsake my kin and relatives; but when dead and come to be a ghost, how\nthen, let them say, can I be kept? My loving mother when she bore me,\nwith deep affection painfully carried me, and then when born she died,\nnot permitted to nourish me. One alive, the other dead, gone by\ndifferent roads, where now shall she be found? Like as in a wilderness,\non some high tree, all the birds living with their mates assemble in the\nevening and at dawn disperse, so are the separations of the world; the\nfloating clouds rise like a high mountain, from the four quarters they\nfill the void, in a moment again they are separated and disappear; so is\nit with the habitations of men; people from the beginning have erred\nthus, binding themselves in society and by the ties of love, and then,\nas after a dream, all is dispersed; do not then recount the names of my\nrelatives; for like the wood which is produced in spring, gradually\ngrows and brings forth its leaves, which again fall in the\nautumn-chilly-dews--if the different parts of the same body are thus\ndivided--how much more men who are united in society! and how shall the\nties of relationship escape rending? Cease therefore your grief and\nexpostulation, obey my commands and return home; the thought of your\nreturn alone will save me, and perhaps after your return I also may come\nback. The men of Kapilavastu, hearing that my heart is fixed, will\ndismiss from their minds all thought of me, but you may make known my\nwords, 'when I have escaped from the sad ocean of birth and death, then\nafterwards I will come back again; but I am resolved, if I obtain not my\nquest, my body shall perish in the mountain wilds.'\" The white horse\nhearing the prince, as he uttered these true and earnest words, bent his\nknee and licked his foot, whilst he sighed deeply and wept. Then the\nprince with his soft and glossy palm, fondly stroking the head of the\nwhite horse, said, \"Do not let sorrow rise within, I grieve indeed at\nlosing you, my gallant steed--so strong and active, your merit now has\ngained its end; you shall enjoy for long a respite from an evil birth,\nbut for the present take as your reward these precious jewels and this\nglittering sword, and with them follow closely after Kandaka.\" The\nprince then drawing forth his sword, glancing in the light as the\ndragon's eye, cut off the knot of hair with its jewelled stud, and\nforthwith cast it into space; ascending upwards to the firmament, it\nfloated there as the wings of the phoenix; then all the Devas of the\nTrayastrimsa heavens seizing the hair, returned with it to their\nheavenly abodes; desiring always to adore the feet (offer religious\nservice), how much rather now possessed of the crowning locks, with\nunfeigned piety do they increase their adoration, and shall do till the\ntrue law has died away.\n\nThen the royal prince thought thus, \"My adornments now are gone forever,\nthere only now remain these silken garments, which are not in keeping\nwith a hermit's life.\"\n\nThen the Deva of the Pure abode, knowing the heart-ponderings of the\nprince, transformed himself into a hunter's likeness, holding his bow,\nhis arrows in his girdle, his body girded with a Kash\u00e2ya-colored robe,\nthus he advanced in front of the prince. The prince considering this\ngarment of his, the color of the ground, a fitting pure attire, becoming\nto the utmost the person of a Rishi, not fit for a hunter's dress,\nforthwith called to the hunter, as he stood before him, in accents soft,\nand thus addressed him: \"That dress of thine belikes me much, as if it\nwere not foul, and this my dress I'll give thee in exchange, so please\nthee.\"\n\nThe hunter then addressed the prince, \"Although I ill can spare this\ngarment, which I use as a disguise among the deer, that alluring them\nwithin reach I may kill them, notwithstanding, as it so pleases you, I\nam now willing to bestow it in exchange for yours.\" The hunter having\nreceived the sumptuous dress, took again his heavenly body.\n\nThe prince and Kandaka, the coachman, seeing this, thought deeply thus:\n\"This garment is of no common character, it is not what a worldly man\nhas worn\"--and in the prince's heart great joy arose, as he regarded the\ncoat with double reverence, and forthwith giving all the other things to\nKandaka, he himself was clad in it, of Kash\u00e2ya color; then like the dark\nand lowering cloud, that surrounds the disc of the sun or moon, he for a\nmoment gazed, scanning his steps, then entered on the hermit's grot;\nKandaka following him with wistful eyes, his body disappeared, nor was\nit seen again. \"My lord and master now has left his father's house, his\nkinsfolk and myself,\" he cried; \"he now has clothed himself in hermit's\ngarb, and entered the painful forest.\" Raising his hands he called on\nHeaven, o'erpowered with grief he could not move; till holding by the\nwhite steed's neck, he tottered forward on the homeward road, turning\nagain and often looking back, his body going on, his heart\nback-hastening; now lost in thought and self-forgetful, now looking down\nto earth, then raising up his drooping eye to heaven, falling at times\nand then rising again, thus weeping as he went, he pursued his way\nhomewards.\n\nEntering the Place of Austerities\n\nThe prince having dismissed Kandaka, as he entered the Rishis' abode,\nhis graceful body brightly shining, lit up on every side the forest\n\"place of suffering\"; himself gifted with every excellence, according to\nhis gifts, so were they reflected. As the lion, the king of beasts, when\nhe enters among the herd of beasts, drives from their minds all thoughts\nof common things, as now they watch the true form of their kind, so\nthose Rishi masters assembled there, suddenly perceiving the miraculous\nportent, were struck with awe and fearful gladness, as they gazed with\nearnest eyes and hands conjoined. The men and women, engaged in various\noccupations, beholding him, with unchanged attitudes, gazed as the gods\nlook on King Sakra, with constant look and eyes unmoved; so the Rishis,\nwith their feet fixed fast, looked at him even thus; whatever in their\nhands they held, without releasing it, they stopped and looked; even as\nthe ox when yoked to the wain, his body bound, his mind also restrained;\nso also the followers of the holy Rishis, each called the other to\nbehold the miracle. The peacocks and the other birds with cries\ncommingled flapped their wings; the Brahmak\u00e2rins holding the rules of\ndeer, following the deer wandering through mountain glades, as the deer\ncoarse of nature, with flashing eyes, regard the prince with fixed gaze;\nso following the deer, those Brahmak\u00e2rins intently gaze likewise,\nlooking at the exceeding glory of the Ikshv\u00e2ku. As the glory of the\nrising sun is able to affect the herds of milch kine, so as to increase\nthe quantity of their sweet-scented milk, so those Brahmak\u00e2rins, with\nwondrous joy, thus spoke one to the other: \"Surely this is one of the\neight Vasu Devas\"; others, \"this is one of the two Asvins\"; others,\n\"this is M\u00e2ra\"; others, \"this is one of the Brahmak\u00e2yikas\"; others,\n\"this is S\u00fbryadeva or Kandradeva, coming down; are they not seeking here\na sacrifice which is their due? Come let us haste to offer our religious\nservices!\"\n\nThe prince, on his part, with respectful mien addressed to them polite\nsalutation. Then Bodhisattva, looking with care in every direction on\nthe Brahmak\u00e2rins occupying the wood, each engaged in his religious\nduties, all desirous of the delights of heaven, addressed the senior\nBrahmak\u00e2rin, and asked him as to the path of true religion. \"Now having\njust come here, I do not yet know the rules of your religious life. I\nask you therefore for information, and I pray explain to me what I ask.\"\n\nOn this that twice-born (Brahman) in reply explained in succession all\nthe modes of painful discipline, and the fruits expected as their\nresult. How some ate nothing brought from inhabited places but that\nproduced from pure water, others edible roots and tender twigs, others\nfruits and flowers fit for food, each according to the rules of his\nsect, clothing and food in each case different; some living amongst\nbird-kind, and like them capturing and eating food; others eating as the\ndeer the grass and herbs; others living like serpents, inhaling air;\nothers eating nothing pounded in wood or stone; some eating with two\nteeth, till a wound be formed; others, again, begging their food and\ngiving it in charity, taking only the remnants for themselves; others,\nagain, who let water continually drip on their heads and those who offer\nup with fire; others who practise water-dwelling like fish; thus there\nare Brahmak\u00e2rins of every sort, who practise austerities, that they may\nat the end of life obtain a birth in heaven, and by their present\nsufferings afterwards obtain peaceable fruit.\n\nThe lord of men, the excellent master, hearing all their modes of\nsorrow-producing penance, not perceiving any element of truth in them,\nexperienced no joyful emotion in his heart; lost in thought, he regarded\nthe men with pity, and with his heart in agreement his mouth thus spake:\n\"Pitiful indeed are such sufferings! and merely in quest of a human or\nheavenly reward, ever revolving in the cycle of birth or death, how\ngreat your sufferings, how small the recompense! Leaving your friends,\ngiving up honorable position; with a firm purpose to obtain the joys of\nheaven, although you may escape little sorrows, yet in the end involved\nin great sorrow; promoting the destruction of your outward form, and\nundergoing every kind of painful penance, and yet seeking to obtain\nanother birth; increasing and prolonging the causes of the five desires,\nnot considering that herefrom birth and death, undergoing suffering and,\nby that, seeking further suffering; thus it is that the world of men,\nthough dreading the approach of death, yet strive after renewed birth;\nand being thus born, they must die again. Although still dreading the\npower of suffering, yet prolonging their stay in the sea of pain.\nDisliking from their heart their present kind of life, yet still\nstriving incessantly after other life; enduring affliction that they may\npartake of joy; seeking a birth in heaven, to suffer further trouble;\nseeking joys, whilst the heart sinks with feebleness. For this is so\nwith those who oppose right reason; they cannot but be cramped and poor\nat heart. But by earnestness and diligence, then we conquer. Walking in\nthe path of true wisdom, letting go both extremes, we then reach\nultimate perfection; to mortify the body, if this is religion, then to\nenjoy rest, is something not resulting from religion. To walk\nreligiously and afterwards to receive happiness, this is to make the\nfruit of religion something different from religion; but bodily exercise\nis but the cause of death, strength results alone from the mind's\nintention; if you remove from conduct the purpose of the mind, the\nbodily act is but as rotten wood; wherefore, regulate the mind, and then\nthe body will spontaneously go right. You say that to eat pure things is\na cause of religious merit, but the wild beasts and the children of\npoverty ever feed on these fruits and medicinal herbs; these then ought\nto gain much religious merit. But if you say that the heart being good\nthen bodily suffering is the cause of further merit, then I ask why may\nnot those who live in ease, also possess a virtuous heart? If joys are\nopposed to a virtuous heart, a virtuous heart may also be opposed to\nbodily suffering; if, for instance, all those heretics profess purity\nbecause they use water in various ways, then those who thus use water\namong men, even with a wicked mind, yet ought ever to be pure. But if\nrighteousness is the groundwork of a Rishi's purity, then the idea of a\nsacred spot as his dwelling, being the cause of his righteousness is\nwrong. What is reverenced, should be known and seen. Reverence indeed is\ndue to righteous conduct, but let it not redound to the place or mode of\nlife.\"\n\nThus speaking at large on religious questions, they went on till the\nsetting sun. He then beheld their rites in connection with sacrifice to\nfire, the drilling for sparks and the fanning into flame, also the\nsprinkling of the butter libations, also the chanting of the mystic\nprayers, till the sun went down. The prince considering these acts,\ncould not perceive the right reason of them, and was now desirous to\nturn and go. Then all those Brahmak\u00e2rins came together to him to request\nhim to stay; regarding with reverence the dignity of Bodhisattva, very\ndesirous, they earnestly besought him: \"You have come from an\nirreligious place, to this wood where true religion flourishes, and yet,\nnow, you wish to go away; we beg you, then, on this account, to stay.\"\nAll the old Brahmak\u00e2rins, with their twisted hair and bark clothes, came\nfollowing after Bodhisattva, asking him as a god to stay a little while.\nBodhisattva seeing these aged ones following him, their bodies worn with\nmacerations, stood still and rested beneath a tree; and soothing them,\nurged them to return. Then all the Brahmak\u00e2rins, young and old,\nsurrounding him, made their request with joined hands: \"You who have so\nunexpectedly arrived here, amid these garden glades so full of\nattraction, why now are you leaving them and going away, to seek\nperfection in the wilderness? As a man loving long life, is unwilling to\nlet go his body, so we are even thus; would that you would stop awhile.\nThis is a spot where Brahmans and Rishis have ever dwelt, royal Rishis\nand heavenly Rishis, these all have dwelt within these woods. The places\non the borders of the snowy mountains, where men of high birth undergo\ntheir penance, those places are not to be compared to this. All the body\nof learned masters from this place have reached heaven; all the learned\nRishis who have sought religious merit, have from this place and\nnorthwards found it; those who have attained a knowledge of the true\nlaw, and gained divine wisdom come not from southwards; if you indeed\nsee us remiss and not earnest enough, practising rules not pure, and on\nthat account are not pleased to stay, then we are the ones that ought to\ngo; you can still remain and dwell here; all these different\nBrahmak\u00e2rins ever desire to find companions in their penances. And you,\nbecause you are conspicuous for your religious earnestness, should not\nso quickly cast away their society: if you can remain here, they will\nhonor you as god Sakra, yea! as the Devas pay worship to Brihaspati.\"\n\nThen Bodhisattva answered the Brahmak\u00e2rins and told them what his\ndesires were: \"I am seeking for a true method of escape, I desire solely\nto destroy all mundane influences; but you, with strong hearts, practise\nyour rules as ascetics, and pay respectful attention to such visitors as\nmay come. My heart indeed is moved with affection towards you, for\npleasant conversation is agreeable to all, those who listen are affected\nthereby; and so hearing your words, my mind is strengthened in religious\nfeeling; you indeed have all paid me much respect, in agreement with the\ncourtesy of your religious profession; but now I am constrained to\ndepart, my heart grieves thereat exceedingly: first of all, having left\nmy own kindred, and now about to be separated from you. The pain of\nseparation from associates, this pain is as great as the other; it is\nimpossible for my mind not to grieve, as it is not to see others'\nfaults. But you, by suffering pain, desire earnestly to obtain the joys\nof birth in heaven; whilst I desire to escape from the three worlds, and\ntherefore I give up what my reason tells me must be rejected. The law\nwhich you practise, you inherit from the deeds of former teachers, but\nI, desiring to destroy all combination, seek a law which admits of no\nsuch accident. And, therefore, I cannot in this grove delay for a longer\nwhile in fruitless discussions.\"\n\nAt this time all the Brahmak\u00e2rins, hearing the words spoken by\nBodhisattva, words full of right reason and truth, very excellent in the\ndistinction of principles, their hearts rejoiced and exulted greatly,\nand deep feelings of reverence were excited within them.\n\nAt this time there was one Brahmak\u00e2rin, who always slept in the dust,\nwith tangled hair and raiment of the bark of trees, his eyes bleared,\npreparing himself in an ascetic practice called \"high-nose.\"[97] This\none addressed Bodhisattva in the following words: \"Strong in will!\nbright in wisdom! firmly fixed in resolve to escape the limits of birth,\nknowing that in escape from birth there alone is rest, not affected by\nany desire after heavenly blessedness, the mind set upon the eternal\ndestruction of the bodily form, you are indeed miraculous in appearance,\nas you are alone in the possession of such a mind. To sacrifice to the\ngods, and to practise every kind of austerity, all this is designed to\nsecure a birth in heaven, but here there is no mortification of selfish\ndesire, there is still a selfish personal aim; but to bend the will to\nseek final escape, this is indeed the work of a true teacher, this is\nthe aim of an enlightened master; this place is no right halting-place\nfor you; you ought to proceed to Mount Pinda: there dwells a great Muni,\nwhose name is A-lo-lam. He only has reached the end of religious aims,\nthe most excellent eye of the law. Go, therefore, to the place where he\ndwells, and listen there to the true exposition of the law. This will\nmake your heart rejoice, as you learn to follow the precepts of his\nsystem. As for me, beholding the joy of your resolve, and fearing that I\nshall not obtain rest, I must once more let go those following me, and\nseek other disciples; straighten my head and gaze with my full eyes;\nanoint my lips and cleanse my teeth; cover my shoulders and make bright\nmy face, smooth my tongue and make it pliable. Thus, O excellently\nmarked sir! fully drinking at the fountain of the water you give, I\nshall escape from the unfathomable depths. In the world nought is\ncomparable to this, that which old men and Rishis have not known, that\nshall I know and obtain.\"\n\nBodhisattva having listened to these words, left the company of the\nRishis, whilst they all, turning round him to the right, returned to\ntheir place.\n\nThe General Grief of the Palace\n\nKandaka leading back the horse, opening the way for his heart's sorrow,\nas he went on, lamented and wept: unable to disburden his soul. First of\nall with the royal prince, passing along the road for one night, but now\ndismissed and ordered to return. As the darkness of night closed on him,\nirresolute he wavered in mind. On the eighth day approaching the city,\nthe noble horse pressed onwards, exhibiting all his qualities of speed;\nbut yet hesitating as he looked around and beheld not the form of the\nroyal prince; his four members bent down with toil, his head and neck\ndeprived of their glossy look, whinnying as he went on with grief, he\nrefused night and day his grass and water, because he had lost his lord,\nthe deliverer of men. Returning thus to Kapilavastu, the whole country\nappeared withered and bare, as when one comes back to a deserted\nvillage; or as when the sun hidden behind Sumeru causes darkness to\nspread over the world. The fountains of water sparkled no more, the\nflowers and fruits were withered and dead, the men and women in the\nstreets seemed lost in grief and dismay. Thus Kandaka with the white\nhorse went on sadly and with slow advance, silent to those inquiring,\nwearily progressing as when accompanying a funeral; so they went on,\nwhilst all the spectators seeing Kandaka, but not observing the royal\nS\u00e2kya prince, raised piteous cries of lamentation and wept; as when the\ncharioteer returned without R\u00e2ma.\n\nThen one by the side of the road, with his body bent, called out to\nKandaka: \"The prince, beloved of the world, the defender of his people,\nthe one you have taken away by stealth, where dwells he now?\" Kandaka,\nthen, with sorrowful heart, replied to the people and said: \"I with\nloving purpose followed after him whom I loved; 'tis not I who have\ndeserted the prince, but by him have I been sent away; by him who now\nhas given up his ordinary adornments, and with shaven head and religious\ngarb, has entered the sorrow-giving grove.\"\n\nThen the men hearing that he had become an ascetic, were oppressed with\nthoughts of wondrous boding; they sighed with heaviness and wept, and as\ntheir tears coursed down their cheeks, they spake thus one to the other:\n\"What then shall we do?\" Then they all exclaimed at once, \"Let us haste\nafter him in pursuit; for as when a man's bodily functions fail, his\nframe dies and his spirit flees, so is the prince our life, and he our\nlife gone, how shall we survive? This city, perfected with slopes and\nwoods; those woods, that cover the slopes of the city, all deprived of\ngrace, ye lie as Bharata when killed!\"\n\nThen the men and women within the town, vainly supposing the prince had\ncome back, in haste rushed out to the heads of the way, and seeing the\nhorse returning alone, not knowing whether the prince was safe or lost,\nbegan to weep and to raise every piteous sound; and said, \"Behold!\nKandaka advancing slowly with the horse, comes back with sighs and\ntears; surely he grieves because the prince is lost.\" And thus sorrow is\nadded to sorrow!\n\nThen like a captive warrior is drawn before the king his master, so did\nhe enter the gates with tears, his eyes filled so that he said nought.\nThen looking up to heaven he loudly groaned; and the white horse too\nwhined piteously; then all the varied birds and beasts in the palace\ncourt, and all the horses within the stables, hearing the sad whinnying\nof the royal steed, replied in answer to him, thinking \"now the prince\nhas come back.\" But seeing him not, they ceased their cries!\n\nAnd now the women of the after-palace, hearing the cries of the horses,\nbirds, and beasts, their hair dishevelled, their faces wan and yellow,\ntheir forms sickly to look at, their mouths and lips parched, their\ngarments torn and unwashed, the soil and heat not cleansed from their\nbodies, their ornaments all thrown aside, disconsolate and sad,\ncheerless in face, raised their bodies, without any grace, even as the\nfeeble little morning star; their garments torn and knotted, soiled like\nthe appearance of a robber, seeing Kandaka and the royal horse shedding\ntears instead of the hoped-for return, they all, assembled thus, uttered\ntheir cry, even as those who weep for one beloved just dead. Confused\nand wildly they rushed about, as a herd of oxen that have lost their\nway.\n\nMah\u00e2prag\u00e2pati Gotam\u00ee, hearing that the prince had not returned, fell\nfainting on the ground, her limbs entirely deprived of strength, even as\nsome mad tornado wind crushes the golden-colored plantain tree; and\nagain, hearing that her son had become a recluse, deeply sighing and\nwith increased sadness she thought, \"Alas! those glossy locks turning to\nthe right, each hair produced from each orifice, dark and pure,\ngracefully shining, sweeping the earth when loose,[98] or when so\ndetermined, bound together in a heavenly crown, and now shorn and lying\nin the grass! Those rounded shoulders and that lion step! Those eyes\nbroad as the ox-king's, that body shining bright as yellow gold; that\nsquare breast and Brahma voice; that you! possessing all these excellent\nqualities, should have entered on the sorrow-giving forest; what fortune\nnow remains for the world, losing thus the holy king of earth? That\nthose delicate and pliant feet, pure as the lily and of the same color,\nshould now be torn by stones and thorns; O how can such feet tread on\nsuch ground! Born and nourished in the guarded palace, clad with\ngarments of the finest texture, washed in richly scented water, anointed\nwith the choicest perfumes, and now exposed to chilling blasts and dews\nof night, O! where during the heat or the chilly morn can rest be found!\nThou flower of all thy race! Confessed by all the most renowned! Thy\nvirtuous qualities everywhere talked of and exalted, ever reverenced,\nwithout self-seeking! why hast thou unexpectedly brought thyself upon\nsome morn to beg thy food for life! Thou who wert wont to repose upon a\nsoft and kingly couch, and indulge in every pleasure during thy waking\nhours: how canst thou endure the mountain and the forest wilds, on the\nbare grass to make thyself a resting-place!\"\n\nThus thinking of her son--her heart was full of sorrow, disconsolate she\nlay upon the earth. The waiting women raised her up, and dried the tears\nfrom off her face, whilst all the other courtly ladies, overpowered with\ngrief, their limbs relaxed, their minds bound fast with woe, unmoved\nthey sat like pictured-folk.\n\nAnd now Yasodhar\u00e2, deeply chiding, spoke thus to Kandaka: \"Where now\ndwells he, who ever dwells within my mind? You two went forth, the horse\na third, but now two only have returned! My heart is utterly o'erborne\nwith grief, filled with anxious thoughts, it cannot rest. And you,\ndeceitful man! Untrustworthy and false associate! evil contriver!\nplainly revealed a traitor, a smile lurks underneath thy tears!\nEscorting him in going; returning now with wails! Not one at heart--but\nin league against him--openly constituted a friend and well-wisher,\nconcealing underneath a treacherous purpose; so thou hast caused the\nsacred prince to go forth once and not return again! No questioning the\njoy you feel! Having done ill you now enjoy the fruit; better far to\ndwell with an enemy of wisdom, than work with one who, while a fool,\nprofesses friendship. Openly professing sweetness and light, inwardly a\nscheming and destructive enemy. And now this royal and kingly house, in\none short morn is crushed and ruined! All these fair and queen-like\nwomen, with grief o'erwhelmed, their beauty marred, their breathing\nchoked with tears and sobs, their faces soiled with crossing tracks of\ngrief! Even the queen (M\u00e2y\u00e2) when in life, resting herself on him, as\nthe great snowy mountains repose upon the widening earth, through grief\nin thought of what would happen, died. How sad the lot of these--within\nthese open lattices--these weeping ones, these deeply wailing! Born in\nanother state than hers in heaven, how can their grief be borne!\" Then\nspeaking to the horse she said, \"Thou unjust! what dulness this--to\ncarry off a man, as in the darkness some wicked thief bears off a\nprecious gem. When riding thee in time of battle, swords, and javelins\nand arrows, none of these alarmed or frighted thee! But now what\nfitfulness of temper this, to carry off by violence, to rob my soul of\none, the choicest jewel of his tribe. O! thou art but a vicious reptile,\nto do such wickedness as this! to-day thy woeful lamentation sounds\neverywhere within these palace walls, but when you stole away my\ncherished one, why wert thou dumb and silent then! if then thy voice had\nsounded loud, and roused the palace inmates from their sleep, if then\nthey had awoke and slumbered not, there would not have ensued the\npresent sorrow.\"\n\nKandaka, hearing these sorrowful words, drawing in his breath and\ncomposing himself, wiping away his tears, with hands clasped together,\nanswered: \"Listen to me, I pray, in self-justification--be not\nsuspicious of, nor blame the royal horse, nor be thou angry with me,\neither. For in truth no fault has been committed by us. It is the gods\nwho have effected this. For I, indeed, extremely reverenced the king's\ncommand, it was the gods who drove him to the solitudes, urgently\nleading on the horse with him: thus they went together fleet as with\nwings, his breathing hushed! suppressed was every sound, his feet scarce\ntouched the earth! The city gates wide opening of themselves! all space\nself-lighted! this was the work indeed of the gods; and what was I, or\nwhat my strength, compared with theirs?\"\n\nYasodhar\u00e2 hearing these words, her heart was lost in deep consideration!\nthe deeds accomplished by the gods could not be laid to others' charge,\nas faults; and so she ceased her angry chiding, and allowed her great\nconsuming grief to smoulder. Thus prostrate on the ground she muttered\nout her sad complaints, \"That the two doves should be divided! Now,\" she\ncried, \"my stay and my support is lost, between those once agreed in\nlife, separation has sprung up! those who were at one as to religion are\nnow divided! where shall I seek another mode of life? In olden days the\nformer conquerors greatly rejoiced to see their kingly retinue; these\nwith their wives in company, in search of highest wisdom, roamed through\ngroves and plains. And now, that he should have deserted me! and what is\nthe religious state he seeks! the Brahman ritual respecting sacrifice,\nrequires the wife to take part in the offering, and because they both\nshare in the service they shall both receive a common reward hereafter!\nbut you O prince! art niggard in your religious rites, driving me away,\nand wandering forth alone! Is it that you saw me jealous, and so turned\nagainst me! that you now seek someone free from jealousy! or did you see\nsome other cause to hate me, that you now seek to find a heaven-born\nnymph! But why should one excelling in every personal grace seek to\npractise self-denying austerities! is it that you despise a common lot\nwith me, that variance rises in your breast against your wife! Why does\nnot R\u00e2hula fondly repose upon your knee. Alas! alas! unlucky master!\nfull of grace without, but hard at heart! The glory and the pride of all\nyour tribe, yet hating those who reverence you! O! can it be, you have\nturned your back for good upon your little child, scarce able yet to\nsmile! My heart is gone! and all my strength! my lord has fled, to\nwander in the mountains! he cannot surely thus forget me! he is then but\na man of wood or stone.\" Thus having spoken, her mind was dulled and\ndarkened, she muttered on, or spoke in wild mad words, or fancied that\nshe saw strange sights, and sobbing past the power of self-restraint,\nher breath grew less, and sinking thus, she fell asleep upon the dusty\nground! The palace ladies seeing this, were wrung with heartfelt sorrow,\njust as the full-blown lily, struck by the wind and hail, is broken down\nand withered.\n\nAnd now the king, his father, having lost the prince, was filled, both\nnight and day, with grief; and fasting, sought the gods for help. He\nprayed that they would soon restore him, and having prayed and finished\nsacrifice, he went from out the sacred gates; then hearing all the cries\nand sounds of mourning, his mind distressed became confused, as when\nheaven's thundering and lightning put to bewildering flight a herd of\nelephants. Then seeing Kandaka with the royal steed, after long\nquestioning, finding his son a hermit, fainting he fell upon the earth,\nas when the flag of Indra falls and breaks. Then all the ministers of\nstate, upraising him, exhort him, as was right, to calm himself. After\nawhile, his mind somewhat recovered, speaking to the royal steed, he\nsaid: \"How often have I ridden thee to battle, and every time have\nthought upon your excellence! but now I hate and loathe thee, more than\never I have loved or praised thee! My son, renowned for noble qualities,\nthou hast carried off and taken from me; and left him 'mid the mountain\nforests; and now you have come back alone; take me, then, quickly hence\nand go! And going, never more come back with me! For since you have not\nbrought him back, my life is worth no more preserving; no longer care I\nabout governing! My son about me was my only joy; as the Brahman Gayanta\nmet death for his son's sake, so I, deprived of my religious son, will\nof myself deprive myself of life. So Manu, lord of all that lives, ever\nlamented for his son; how much more I, a mortal man deprived of mine,\nmust lose all rest! In old time the king Aga, loving his son, wandering\nthrough the mountains, lost in thought, ended life, and forthwith was\nborn in heaven. And now I cannot die! Through the long night fixed in\nthis sad state, with this great palace round me, thinking of my son,\nsolitary and athirst as any hungry spirit; as one who, thirsty, holding\nwater in his hand, but when he tries to drink lets all escape, and so\nremains athirst till death ensues, and after death becomes a wandering\nghost; so I, in the extremity of thirst, through loss, possessed once of\na son, but now without a son, still live and cannot end my days! But\ncome! tell me at once where is my son! let me not die athirst for want\nof knowing this and fall among the Pretas. In former days, at least, my\nwill was strong and firm, difficult to move as the great earth; but now\nI've lost my son, my mind is dazed, as was in old time the king\nDasaratha's.\"\n\nAnd now the royal teacher (Purohita), an illustrious sage, with the\nchief minister, famed for wisdom, with earnest and considerate minds,\nboth exhorted with remonstrances, the king. \"Pray you (they said) arouse\nyourself to thought, and let not grief cramp and hold your mind! in\nolden days there were mighty kings, who left their country, as flowers\nare scattered; your son now practises the way of wisdom; why then nurse\nyour grief and misery; you should recall the prophecy of Asita, and\nreasonably count on what was probable! Think of the heavenly joys which\nyou, a universal king, have inherited! But now, so troubled and\nconstrained in mind, how will it not be said, 'The Lord of earth can\nchange his golden-jewel-heart!' Now, therefore, send us forth, and bid\nus seek the place he occupies, then by some stratagem and strong\nremonstrances, and showing him our earnestness of purpose, we will break\ndown his resolution, and thus assuage your kingly sorrow.\"\n\nThe king, with joy, replied and said: \"Would that you both would go in\nhaste, as swiftly as the Saketa bird flies through the void for her\nyoung's sake; thinking of nought but the royal prince, and sad at\nheart--I shall await your search!\"\n\nThe two men having received their orders, the king retired among his\nkinsfolk, his heart somewhat more tranquillized, and breathing freely\nthrough his throat.\n\nThe Mission to Seek the Prince\n\nThe king now suppressing his grief, urged on his great teacher and chief\nminister, as one urges on with whip a ready horse, to hasten onwards as\nthe rapid stream; whilst they fatigued, yet with unflagging effort, come\nto the place of the sorrow-giving grove; then laying on one side the\nfive outward marks of dignity and regulating well their outward\ngestures, they entered the Brahmans' quiet hermitage, and paid reverence\nto the Rishis. They, on their part, begged them to be seated, and\nrepeated the law for their peace and comfort.\n\nThen forthwith they addressed the Rishis and said: \"We have on our minds\na subject on which we would ask for advice. There is one who is called\nSuddhodana r\u00e2ga, a descendant of the famous Ikshv\u00e2ku family, we are his\nteacher and his minister, who instruct him in the sacred books as\nrequired. The king indeed is like Indra for dignity; his son, like\nKe-yan-to, in order to escape old age, disease, and death, has become a\nhermit, and depends on this; on his account have we come hither, with a\nview to let your worships know of this.\"\n\nReplying, they said: \"With respect to this youth, has he long arms and\nthe signs of a great man? Surely he is the one who, inquiring into our\npractice, discoursed so freely on the matter of life and death. He has\ngone to the abode of Ar\u00e2da, to seek for a complete mode of escape.\"\n\nHaving received this certain information, respectfully considering the\nurgent commands of the anxious king, they dared not hesitate in their\nundertaking, but straightway took the road and hastened on. Then seeing\nthe wood in which the royal prince dwelt, and him, deprived of all\noutward marks of dignity, his body still glorious with lustrous shining,\nas when the sun comes forth from the black cloud; then the religious\nteacher of the country and the great minister holding to the true law,\nput off from them their courtly dress, and descending from the chariot\ngradually advanced, like the royal Po-ma-ti and the Rishi Vasishtha,\nwent through the woods and forests, and seeing the royal prince R\u00e2ma,\neach according to his own prescribed manner, paid him reverence, as he\nadvanced to salute him; or as Sukra, in company with Angiras, with\nearnest heart paid reverence, and sacrificed to Indra r\u00e2ga.\n\nThen the royal prince in return paid reverence to the royal teacher and\nthe great minister, as the divine Indra placed at their ease Sukra and\nAngiras; then, at his command, the two men seated themselves before the\nprince, as Pou-na and Pushya, the twin stars attend beside the moon;\nthen the Purohita and the great minister respectfully explained to the\nroyal prince, even as Pi-li-po-ti spoke to that Gayanta: \"Your royal\nfather, thinking of the prince, is pierced in heart, as with an iron\npoint; his mind distracted, raves in solitude; he sleeps upon the dusty\nground; by night and day he adds to his sorrowful reflections; his tears\nflow down like the incessant rain; and now to seek you out, he has sent\nus hither. Would that you would listen with attentive mind; we know that\nyou delight to act religiously; it is certain, then, without a doubt,\nthis is not the time for you to enter the forest wilds; a feeling of\ndeep pity consumes our heart! You, if you be indeed moved by religion,\nought to feel some pity for our case; let your kindly feelings flow\nabroad, to comfort us who are worn at heart; let not the tide of sorrow\nand of sadness completely overwhelm the outlets of our heart; as the\ntorrents which roll down the grassy mountains; or the calamities of\ntempest, fiery heat, and lightning; for so the grieving heart has these\nfour sorrows, turmoil and drought, passion and overthrow. But come!\nreturn to your native place, the time will arrive when you can go forth\nagain as a recluse. But now to disregard your family duties, to turn\nagainst father and mother, how can this be called love and affection?\nthat love which overshadows and embraces all. Religion requires not the\nwild solitudes; you can practise a hermit's duties in your home;\nstudiously thoughtful, diligent in expedients, this is to lead a\nhermit's life in truth. A shaven head, and garments soiled with dirt--to\nwander by yourself through desert wilds--this is but to encourage\nconstant fears, and cannot be rightly called 'an awakened hermit's\nlife.' Would rather we might take you by the hand, and sprinkle water on\nyour head, and crown you with a heavenly diadem, and place you\nunderneath a flowery canopy, that all eyes might gaze with eagerness\nupon you; after this, in truth, we would leave our home with joy. The\nformer kings, Teou-lau-ma, A-neou-ke-o-sa, Po-ke-lo-po-yau,\nPi-po-lo-'anti, Pi-ti-o-ke-na, Na-lo-sha-po-lo, all these several kings\nrefused not the royal crown, the jewels, and the ornaments of person;\ntheir hands and feet were adorned with gems, around them were women to\ndelight and please, these things they cast not from them, for the sake\nof escape; you then may also come back home, and undertake both\nnecessary duties; your mind prepare itself in higher law, whilst for the\nsake of earth you wield the sceptre; let there be no more weeping, but\ncomply with what we say, and let us publish it; and having published it\nwith your authority, then you may return and receive respectful welcome.\nYour father and your mother, for your sake, in grief shed tears like the\ngreat ocean; having no stay and no dependence now--no source from which\nthe S\u00e2kya stem may grow--you ought, like the captain of the ship, to\nbring it safely across to a place of safety. The royal prince Pi-san-ma,\nas also Lo-me-po-ti, they respectfully attended to the command of their\nfather: you also should do the same! Your loving mother who cherished\nyou so kindly, with no regard for self, through years of care, as the\ncow deprived of her calf, weeps and laments, forgetting to eat or sleep;\nyou surely ought to return to her at once, to protect her life from\nevil; as a solitary bird, away from its fellows, or as the lonely\nelephant, wandering through the jungle, losing the care of their young,\never think of protecting and defending them, so you the only child,\nyoung and defenceless, not knowing what you do, bring trouble and\nsolicitude; cause, then, this sorrow to dissipate itself; as one who\nrescues the moon from being devoured, so do you reassure the men and\nwomen of the land, and remove from them the consuming grief, and\nsuppress the sighs that rise like breath to heaven, which cause the\ndarkness that obscures their sight; seeking you, as water, to quench the\nfire; the fire quenched, their eyes shall open.\"\n\nBodhisattva, hearing of his father the king, experienced the greatest\ndistress of mind, and sitting still, gave himself to reflection; and\nthen, in due course, replied respectfully: \"I know indeed that my royal\nfather is possessed of a loving and deeply considerate mind, but my fear\nof birth, old age, disease, and death, has led me to disobey, and\ndisregard his extreme kindness. Whoever neglects right consideration\nabout his present life, and because he hopes to escape in the end,\ntherefore disregards all precautions in the present: on this man comes\nthe inevitable doom of death. It is the knowledge of this, therefore,\nthat weighs with me, and after long delay has constrained me to a\nhermit's life; hearing of my father, the king, and his grief, my heart\nis affected with increased love; but yet, all is like the fancy of a\ndream, quickly reverting to nothingness. Know then, without fear of\ncontradiction, that the nature of existing things is not uniform; the\ncause of sorrow is not necessarily the relationship of child with\nparent, but that which produces the pain of separation, results from the\ninfluence of delusion; as men going along a road suddenly meet midway\nwith others, and then a moment more are separated, each one going his\nown way, so by the force of concomitance, relationships are framed, and\nthen, according to each one's destiny, there is separation; he who\nthoroughly investigates this false connection of relationship ought not\nto cherish in himself grief; in this world there is rupture of family\nlove, in another life it is sought for again; brought together for a\nmoment, again rudely divided, everywhere the fetters of kindred are\nformed! Ever being bound, and ever being loosened! who can sufficiently\nlament such constant separations; born into the world, and then\ngradually changing, constantly separated by death and then born again.\nAll things which exist in time must perish; the forests and mountains,\nall things that exist; in time are born all sensuous things, so is it\nboth with worldly substance and with time. Because, then, death pervades\nall time, get rid of death, and time will disappear. You desire to make\nme king, and it is difficult to resist the offices of love; but as a\ndisease is difficult to bear without medicine, so neither can I bear\nthis weight of dignity; in every condition, high or low, we find folly\nand ignorance, and men carelessly following the dictates of lustful\npassion; at last, we come to live in constant fear; thinking anxiously\nof the outward form, the spirit droops; following the ways of men, the\nmind resists the right; but, the conduct of the wise is not so. The\nsumptuously ornamented and splendid palace I look upon as filled with\nfire; the hundred dainty dishes of the divine kitchen, as mingled with\ndestructive poisons; the lily growing on the tranquil lake, in its midst\nharbors countless noisome insects; and so the towering abode of the rich\nis the house of calamity; the wise will not dwell therein. In former\ntimes illustrious kings, seeing the many crimes of their home and\ncountry, affecting as with poison the dwellers therein, in sorrowful\ndisgust sought comfort in seclusion; we know, therefore, that the\ntroubles of a royal estate are not to be compared with the repose of a\nreligious life; far better dwell in the wild mountains, and eat the\nherbs like the beasts of the field; therefore I dare not dwell in the\nwide palace, for the black snake has its dwelling there. I reject the\nkingly estate and the five desires; to escape such sorrows I wander\nthrough the mountain wilds. This, then, would be the consequence of\ncompliance: that I, who, delighting in religion, am gradually getting\nwisdom, should now quit these quiet woods, and returning home, partake\nof sensual pleasures, and thus by night and day increase my store of\nmisery. Surely this is not what should be done! that the great leader of\nan illustrious tribe, having left his home from love of religion, and\nforever turned his back upon tribal honor, desiring to confirm his\npurpose as a leader--that he--discarding outward form, clad in religious\ngarb, loving religious meditation, wandering through the wilds--should\nnow reject his hermit vestment, tread down his sense of proper shame and\ngive up his aim. This, though I gained heaven's kingly state, cannot be\ndone! how much less to gain an earthly, though distinguished, home!\n\n\"For having spewed forth lust, passion, and ignorance, shall I return to\nfeed upon it? as a man might go back to his vomit! such misery, how\ncould I bear? Like a man whose house has caught fire, by some expedient\nfinds a way to escape, will such a man forthwith go back and enter it\nagain? such conduct would disgrace a man! So I, beholding the evils,\nbirth, old age, and death, to escape the misery, have become a hermit;\nshall I then go back and enter in, and like a fool dwell in their\ncompany? He who enjoys a royal estate and yet seeks rescue, cannot dwell\nthus, this is no place for him; escape is born from quietness and rest;\nto be a king is to add distress and poison; to seek for rest and yet\naspire to royal condition are but contradictions; royalty and rescue,\nmotion and rest, like fire and water, having two principles, cannot be\nunited. So one resolved to seek escape cannot abide possessed of kingly\ndignity! And if you say a man may be a king, and at the same time\nprepare deliverance for himself, there is no certainty in this! to seek\ncertain escape is not to risk it thus; it is through this uncertain\nframe of mind that once a man gone forth is led to go back home again;\nbut I, my mind is not uncertain; severing the baited hook of\nrelationship, with straightforward purpose, I have left my home. Then\ntell me, why should I return again?\"\n\nThe great minister, inwardly reflecting, thought, \"The mind of the royal\nprince, my master, is full of wisdom, and agreeable to virtue, what he\nsays is reasonable and fitly framed.\" Then he addressed the prince and\nsaid: \"According to what your highness states, he who seeks religion\nmust seek it rightly; but this is not the fitting time for you; your\nroyal father, old and of declining years, thinking of you his son, adds\ngrief to grief; you say indeed, 'I find my joy in rescue. To go back\nwould be apostasy.' But yet your joy denotes unwisdom, and argues want\nof deep reflection; you do not see, because you seek the fruit, how vain\nto give up present duty. There are some who say, There is 'hereafter';\nothers there are who say, 'Nothing hereafter.' So whilst this question\nhangs in suspense, why should a man give up his present pleasure? If\nperchance there is 'hereafter,' we ought to bear patiently what it\nbrings; if you say, 'Hereafter is not,' then there is not either\nsalvation! If you say, 'Hereafter is,' you would not say, 'Salvation\ncauses it.' As earth is hard, or fire is hot, or water moist, or wind is\nmobile, 'Hereafter' is just so. It has its own distinct nature. So when\nwe speak of pure and impure, each comes from its own distinctive nature.\nIf you should say, 'By some contrivance this can be removed,' such an\nopinion argues folly. Every root within the moral world has its own\nnature predetermined; loving remembrance and forgetfulness, these have\ntheir nature fixed and positive; so likewise age, disease, and death,\nthese sorrows, who can escape by strategy? If you say, 'Water can put\nout fire,' or 'Fire can cause water to boil and pass away,' then this\nproves only that distinctive natures may be mutually destructive; but\nnature in harmony produces living things; so man when first conceived\nwithin the womb, his hands, his feet, and all his separate members, his\nspirit and his understanding, of themselves are perfected; but who is he\nwho does it? Who is he that points the prickly thorn? This too is\nnature, self-controlling. And take again the different kinds of beasts,\nthese are what they are, without desire on their part; and so, again,\nthe heaven-born beings, whom the self-existent (Isvara) rules, and all\nthe world of his creation; these have no self-possessed power of\nexpedients; for if they had a means of causing birth, there would be\nalso means for controlling death, and then what need of\nself-contrivance, or seeking for deliverance? There are those who say,\n'I' (the soul) is the cause of birth, and others who affirm, 'I' (the\nsoul) is the cause of death. There are some who say, 'Birth comes from\nnothingness, and without any plan of ours we perish.' Thus one is born a\nfortunate child, removed from poverty, of noble family, or learned in\ntestamentary lore of Rishis, or called to offer mighty sacrifices to the\ngods, born in either state, untouched by poverty, then their famous name\nbecomes to them 'escape,' their virtues handed down by name to us; yet\nif these attained their happiness, without contrivance of their own, how\nvain and fruitless is the toil of those who seek 'escape.' And you,\ndesirous of deliverance, purpose to practise some high expedient, whilst\nyour royal father frets and sighs; for a short while you have essayed\nthe road, and leaving home have wandered through the wilds, to return\nthen would not now be wrong; of old, King Ambarisha for a long while\ndwelt in the grievous forest, leaving his retinue and all his kinsfolk,\nbut afterwards returned and took the royal office; and so R\u00e2ma, son of\nthe king of the country, leaving his country occupied the mountains, but\nhearing he was acting contrary to usage, returned and governed\nrighteously. And so the king of Sha-lo-po, called To-lo-ma, father and\nson, both wandered forth as hermits, but in the end came back again\ntogether; so Po-'sz-tsau Muni, with On-tai-tieh, in the wild mountains\npractising as Brahmak\u00e2rins, these too returned to their own country.\nThus all these worthies of a by-gone age, famous for their advance in\ntrue religion, came back home and royally governed, as lamps\nenlightening the world. Wherefore for you to leave the mountain wilds,\nreligiously to rule, is not a crime.\"\n\nThe royal prince, listening to the great minister's loving words without\nexcess of speaking, full of sound argument, clear and unconfused, with\nno desire to wrangle after the way of the schools, with fixed purpose,\ndeliberately speaking, thus answered the great minister: \"The question\nof being and not being is an idle one, only adding to the uncertainty of\nan unstable mind, and to talk of such matters I have no strong\ninclination; purity of life, wisdom, the practice of asceticism, these\nare matters to which I earnestly apply myself, the world is full of\nempty studies which our teachers in their office skilfully involve; but\nthey are without any true principle, and I will none of them! The\nenlightened man distinguishes truth from falsehood; but how can truth be\nborn from such as those? For they are like the man born blind, leading\nthe blind man as a guide; as in the night, as in thick darkness both\nwander on, what recovery is there for them? Regarding the question of\nthe pure and impure, the world involved in self-engendered doubt cannot\nperceive the truth; better to walk along the way of purity, or rather\nfollow the pure law of self-denial, hate the practice of impurity,\nreflect on what was said of old, not obstinate in one belief or one\ntradition, with sincere mind accepting all true words, and ever\nbanishing sinful sorrow (i.e. sin, the cause of grief). Words which\nexceed sincerity are vainly spoken; the wise man uses not such words. As\nto what you say of R\u00e2ma and the rest, leaving their home, practising a\npure life, and then returning to their country, and once more mixing\nthemselves in sensual pleasures, such men as these walk vainly; those\nwho are wise place no dependence on them. Now, for your sakes, permit\nme, briefly, to recount this one true principle of action: The sun, the\nmoon may fall to earth, Sumeru and all the snowy mountains overturn, but\nI will never change my purpose; rather than enter a forbidden place, let\nme be cast into the fierce fire; not to accomplish rightly what I have\nentered on, and to return once more to my own land, there to enter the\nfire of the five desires, let it befall me as my own oath records.\" So\nspake the prince, his arguments as pointed as the brightness of the\nperfect sun; then rising up he passed some distance off.\n\nThe Purohita and the minister, their words and discourse prevailing\nnothing, conversed together, after which, resolving to depart on their\nreturn, with great respect they quietly inform the prince, not daring to\nintrude their presence on him further; and yet regarding the king's\ncommands, not willing to return with unbecoming haste. They loitered\nquietly along the way, and whomsoever they encountered, selecting those\nwho seemed like wise men, they interchanged such thoughts as move the\nlearned, hiding their true position, as men of title; then passing on,\nthey speeded on their way.\n\n\n[Footnote 97: That is, raising his nose to look up at the sun.]\n\n[Footnote 98: This description of the prince's hair seems to contradict\nthe head arrangement of the figures of Buddha, unless the curls denote\nthe shaven head of the recluse.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nBimbis\u00e2ra Raga Invites the Prince\n\n\nThe royal prince, departing from the court-master (i.e. the Purohita)\nand the great minister, Saddharma, keeping along the stream, then\ncrossing the Ganges, he took the road towards the Vulture Peak,[99]\nhidden among the five mountains, standing alone a lovely peak as a roof\namid the others. The trees and shrubs and flowers in bloom, the flowing\nfountains, and the cooling rills; all these he gazed upon--then passing\non, he entered the city of the five peaks, calm and peaceful, as one\ncome down from heaven. The country folk, seeing the royal prince, his\ncomeliness and his excessive grace, though young in years, yet glorious\nin his person, incomparable as the appearance of a great master, seeing\nhim thus, strange thoughts affected them, as if they gazed upon the\nbanner of Isvara. They stayed the foot, who passed athwart the path;\nthose hastened on, who were behind; those going before, turned back\ntheir heads and gazed with earnest, wistful look. The marks and\ndistinguishing points of his person, on these they fixed their eyes\nwithout fatigue, and then approached with reverent homage, joining both\ntheir hands in salutation. With all there was a sense of wondrous joy,\nas in their several ways they offered what they had, looking at his\nnoble and illustrious features; bending down their bodies modestly,\ncorrecting every careless or unseemly gesture, thus they showed their\nreverence to him silently; those who with anxious heart, seeking\nrelease, were moved by love, with feelings composed, bowed down the\nmore. Great men and women, in their several engagements, at the same\ntime arrested on their way, paid to his person and his presence homage:\nand following him as they gazed, they went not back. For the white\ncircle between his eyebrows adorning his wide and violet-colored eyes,\nhis noble body bright as gold, his pure and web-joined fingers, all\nthese, though he were but a hermit, were marks of one who was a holy\nking; and now the men and women of R\u00e2gagriha, the old and young alike,\nwere moved, and cried, \"This man so noble as a recluse, what common joy\nis this for us!\" At this time Bimbis\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga, placed upon a high tower\nof observation, seeing all those men and women, in different ways\nexhibiting one mark of surprise, calling before him some man outside,\ninquired at once the cause of it; this one bending his knee below the\ntower, told fully what he had seen and heard, \"That one of the S\u00e2kya\nrace, renowned of old, a prince most excellent and wonderful, divinely\nwise, beyond the way of this world, a fitting king to rule the eight\nregions, now without home, is here, and all men are paying homage to\nhim.\"\n\nThe king on hearing this was deeply moved at heart, and though his body\nwas restrained, his soul had gone. Calling his ministers speedily before\nhim, and all his nobles and attendants, he bade them follow secretly the\nprince's steps, to observe what charity was given. So, in obedience to\nthe command, they followed and watched him steadfastly, as with even\ngait and unmoved presence he entered on the town and begged his food,\naccording to the rule of all great hermits, with joyful mien and\nundisturbed mind, not anxious whether much or little alms were given;\nwhatever he received, costly or poor, he placed within his bowl, then\nturned back to the wood, and having eaten it and drunk of the flowing\nstream, he joyous sat upon the immaculate mountain. There he beheld the\ngreen trees fringing with their shade the crags, the scented flowers\ngrowing between the intervals, whilst the peacocks and the other birds,\njoyously flying, mingled their notes; his sacred garments bright and\nlustrous, shone as the sun-lit mulberry leaves; the messengers beholding\nhis fixed composure, one by one returning, reported what they had seen;\nthe king hearing it, was moved at heart, and forthwith ordered his royal\nequipment to be brought, his god-like crown and his flower-bespangled\nrobes; then, as the lion-king, he strode forth, and choosing certain\naged persons of consideration, learned men, able calmly and wisely to\ndiscriminate, he, with them, led the way, followed by a hundred thousand\npeople, who like a cloud ascended with the king the royal mountain.\n\nAnd now beholding the dignity of Bodhisattva, every outward gesture\nunder government, sitting with ease upon the mountain crag, as the moon\nshining limpid in the pure heavens, so was his matchless beauty and\npurity of grace; then as the converting presence of religion dwelling\nwithin the heart makes it reverential, so, beholding him, he reverently\napproached, even as divine S\u00e2kara comes to the presence of Mo-hi-su-ma,\nso with every outward form of courtesy and reverence the king approached\nand asked him respectfully of his welfare.\n\nBodhisattva, answering as he was moved, in his turn made similar\ninquiries. Then the king, the questioning over, sat down with dignity\nupon a clean-faced rock. And so he steadfastly beheld the divine\nappearance of the prince, the sweetness and complacency of his features\nrevealing what his station was and high estate, his family renown,\nreceived by inheritance; the king, who for a time restrained his\nfeelings, now wishful to get rid of doubts, inquired why one descended\nfrom the royal family of the sun-brightness having attended to religious\nsacrifices through ten thousand generations, whereof the virtue had\ndescended as his full inheritance, increasing and accumulating until\nnow, why he so excellent in wisdom, so young in years, had now become a\nrecluse, rejecting the position of a Kakravartin's son, begging his\nfood, despising family fame, his beauteous form, fit for perfumes and\nanointings, why clothed with coarse Kas\u00e2ya garments; the hand which\nought to grasp the reins of empire, instead thereof, taking its little\nstint of food; if indeed (the king continued) you were not of royal\ndescent, and would receive as an offering the transfer of this land,\nthen would I divide with you my empire; saying this, he scarcely hoped\nto excite his feelings, who had left his home and family, to be a\nhermit. Then forthwith the king proceeded thus: \"Give just weight I pray\nyou to my truthful words: desire for power is kin to nobleness, and so\nis just pride of fame or family or wealth or personal appearance; no\nlonger having any wish to subdue the proud, or to bend others down and\nso get thanks from men, it were better, then, to give to the strong and\nwarlike martial arms to wear, for them to follow war and by their power\nto get supremacy; but when by one's own power a kingdom falls to hand,\nwho would not then accept the reins of empire? The wise man knows the\ntime to take religion, wealth, and worldly pleasure. But if he obtains\nnot the threefold profit, then in the end he abates his earnest efforts,\nand reverencing religion, he lets go material wealth. Wealth is the one\ndesire of worldly men; to be rich and lose all desire for religion, this\nis to gain but outside wealth. But to be poor and even thus despise\nreligion, what pleasure can indulgence give in such a case! But when\npossessed of all the three, and when enjoyed with reason and propriety,\nthen religion, wealth, and pleasure make what is rightly called a great\nmaster; permit not, then, your perfectly endowed body to lay aside its\nglory, without reward; the Kakravartin, as a monarch, ruled the four\nempires of the world, and shared with Sakra his royal throne, but was\nunequal to the task of ruling heaven. But you, with your redoubtable\nstrength, may well grasp both heavenly and human power; I do not rely\nupon my kingly power, in my desire to keep you here by force, but seeing\nyou change your comeliness of person, and wearing the hermit's garb,\nwhilst it makes me reverence you for your virtue, moves me with pity and\nregret for you as a man; you now go begging your food, and I offer you\nthe whole land as yours; whilst you are young and lusty enjoy yourself.\nDuring middle life acquire wealth, and when old and all your abilities\nripened, then is the time for following the rules of religion; when\nyoung to encourage religious fervor, is to destroy the sources of\ndesire; but when old and the breath is less eager, then is the time to\nseek religious solitude; when old we should avoid, as a shame, desire of\nwealth, but get honor in the world by a religious life; but when young,\nand the heart light and elastic, then is the time to partake of\npleasure, in boon companionship to indulge in gayety, and partake to the\nfull of mutual intercourse; but as years creep on, giving up indulgence,\nto observe the ordinances of religion, to mortify the five desires, and\ngo on increasing a joyful and religious heart, is not this the law of\nthe eminent kings of old, who as a great company paid worship to heaven,\nand borne on the dragon's back received the joys of celestial abodes?\nAll these divine and victorious monarchs, glorious in person, richly\nadorned, thus having as a company performed their religious offering, in\nthe end received the reward of their conduct in heaven.\" Thus Bimbas\u00e2ra\nR\u00e2ga used every kind of winning expedient in argument The royal prince,\nunmoved and fixed, remained firm as Mount Sumeru.\n\nThe Reply to Bimbas\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga\n\nBimbas\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga, having, in a decorous manner, and with soothing speech,\nmade his request, the prince on his part respectfully replied, in the\nfollowing words, deep and heart-stirring: \"Illustrious and\nworld-renowned! Your words are not opposed to reason, descendant of a\ndistinguished family--an Aryan--amongst men a true friend indeed,\nrighteous and sincere to the bottom of your heart, it is proper for\nreligion's sake to speak thus. In all the world, in its different\nsections, there is no chartered place for solid virtue, for if virtue\nflags and folly rules, what reverence can there be, or honor paid, to a\nhigh name or boast of prowess, inherited from former generations! And so\nthere may be in the midst of great distress, large goodness, these are\nnot mutually opposed. This then is so with the world in the connection\nof true worth and friendship. A true friend who makes good use of\nwealth--is rightly called a fast and firm treasure, but he who guards\nand stints the profit he has made, his wealth will soon be spent and\nlost; the wealth of a country is no constant treasure, but that which is\ngiven in charity is rich in returns, therefore charity is a true friend:\nalthough it scatters, yet it brings no repentance; you indeed are known\nas liberal and kind, I make no reply in opposition to you, but simply as\nwe meet, so with agreeable purpose we talk. I fear birth, old age,\ndisease, and death, and so I seek to find a sure mode of deliverance; I\nhave put away thought of relatives and family affection, how is it\npossible then for me to return to the world and not to fear to revive\nthe poisonous snake, and after the hail to be burned in the fierce fire;\nindeed, I fear the objects of these several desires, this whirling in\nthe stream of life troubles my heart, these five desires, the inconstant\nthieves--stealing from men their choicest treasures, making them unreal,\nfalse, and fickle--are like the man called up as an apparition; for a\ntime the beholders are affected by it, but it has no lasting hold upon\nthe mind; so these five desires are the great obstacles, forever\ndisarranging the way of peace; if the joys of heaven are not worth\nhaving, how much less the desires common to men, begetting the thirst of\nwild love, and then lost in the enjoyment, as the fierce wind fans the\nfire, till the fuel be spent and the fire expires; of all unrighteous\nthings in the world, there is nothing worse than the domain of the five\ndesires; for all men maddened by the power of lust, giving themselves to\npleasure, are dead to reason. The wise man fears these desires, he fears\nto fall into the way of unrighteousness; for like a king who rules all\nwithin the four seas, yet still seeks beyond for something more, so is\nlust; like the unbounded ocean, it knows not when and where to stop.\nMandha, the Kakravartin, when the heavens rained yellow gold, and he\nruled all within the seas, yet sighed after the domain of the\nthirty-three heavens; dividing with Sakra his seat, and so through the\npower of this lust he died; Nung-Sha, whilst practising austerities, got\npower to rule the thirty-three heavenly abodes, but from lust he became\nproud and supercilious; the Rishi whilst stepping into his chariot,\nthrough carelessness in his gait, fell down into the midst of the\nserpent pit. Yen-lo, the universal monarch (Kakravartin), wandering\nabroad through the Trayastrimsas heaven, took a heavenly woman (Apsara)\nfor a queen, and unjustly extorted the gold of a Rishi; the Rishi, in\nanger, added a charm, by which the country was ruined, and his life\nended. Po-lo, and Sakra king of Devas, and Nung-Sha returning to Sakra;\nwhat certainty is there, even for the lord of heaven? Neither is any\ncountry safe, though kept by the mighty strength of those dwelling in\nit. But when one's clothing consists of grass, the berries one's food,\nthe rivulets one's drink, with long hair flowing to the ground, silent\nas a Muni, seeking nothing, in this way practising austerities, in the\nend lust shall be destroyed. Know then, that the province of the five\ndesires is avowedly an enemy of the religious man. Even the\none-thousand-armed invincible king, strong in his might, finds it hard\nto conquer this. The Rishi R\u00e2ma perished because of lust; how much more\nought I, the son of a Kshatriya, to restrain lustful desire; but indulge\nin lust a little, and like the child it grows apace, the wise man hates\nit therefore; who would take poison for food? every sorrow is increased\nand cherished by the offices of lust. If there is no lustful desire, the\nrisings of sorrow are not produced, the wise man seeing the bitterness\nof sorrow, stamps out and destroys the risings of desire; that which the\nworld calls virtue, is but another form of this baneful law; worldly men\nenjoying the pleasure of covetous desire then every form of careless\nconduct results; these careless ways producing hurt, at death, the\nsubject of them reaps perdition. But by the diligent use of means, and\ncareful continuance therein, the consequences of negligence are avoided,\nwe should therefore dread the non-use of means; recollecting that all\nthings are illusory, the wise man covets them not; he who desires such\nthings, desires sorrow, and then goes on again ensnared in love, with no\ncertainty of ultimate freedom; he advances still and ever adds grief to\ngrief, like one holding a lighted torch burns his hand, and therefore\nthe wise man enters on no such things. The foolish man and the one who\ndoubts, still encouraging the covetous and burning heart, in the end\nreceives accumulated sorrow, not to be remedied by any prospect of rest;\ncovetousness and anger are as the serpent's poison; the wise man casts\naway the approach of sorrow as a rotten bone; he tastes it not nor\ntouches it, lest it should corrupt his teeth, that which the wise man\nwill not take, the king will go through fire and water to obtain, the\nwicked sons labor for wealth as for a piece of putrid flesh, o'er which\nthe hungry flocks of birds contend. So should we regard riches; the wise\nman is ill pleased at having wealth stored up, the mind wild with\nanxious thoughts, guarding himself by night and day, as a man who fears\nsome powerful enemy, like as a man's feelings revolt with disgust at the\nsights seen beneath the slaughter post of the East Market; so the high\npost which marks the presence of lust, and anger, and ignorance, the\nwise man always avoids; as those who enter the mountains or the seas\nhave much to contend with and little rest, as the fruit which grows on a\nhigh tree, and is grasped at by the covetous at the risk of life, so is\nthe region of covetous desire, though they see the difficulty of getting\nit, yet how painfully do men scheme after wealth, difficult to acquire,\neasy to dissipate, as that which is got in a dream: how can the wise man\nhoard up such trash! Like covering over with a false surface a hole full\nof fire, slipping through which the body is burnt, so is the fire of\ncovetous desire. The wise man meddles not with it. Like that Kaurava, or\nPih-se-ni Nanda, or Ni-k'he-lai Danta, as some butcher's appearance,\nsuch also is the appearance of lustful desire; the wise man will have\nnothing to do with it; he would rather throw his body into the water or\nfire, or cast himself down over a steep precipice. Seeking to obtain\nheavenly pleasures, what is this but to remove the place of sorrow,\nwithout profit. S\u00fcn-tau, Po-sun-tau, brothers of Asura, lived together\nin great affection, but on account of lustful desire slew one another,\nand their name perished; all this then comes from lust; it is this which\nmakes a man vile, and lashes and goads him with piercing sorrow; lust\ndebases a man, robs him of all hope, whilst through the long night his\nbody and soul are worn out; like the stag that covets the power of\nspeech and dies, or the winged bird that covets sensual pleasure, or the\nfish that covets the baited hook, such are the calamities that lust\nbrings; considering what are the requirements of life, none of these\npossess permanency; we eat to appease the pain of hunger, to do away\nwith thirst we drink, we clothe ourselves to keep out the cold and wind,\nwe lie down to rest to get sleep, to procure locomotion we seek a\ncarriage, when we would halt we seek a seat, we wash to cleanse\nourselves from dirt; all these things are done to avoid inconvenience;\nwe may gather therefore that these five desires have no permanent\ncharacter; for as a man suffering from fever seeks and asks for some\ncooling medicine, so covetousness seeks for something to satisfy its\nlongings; foolish men regard these things as permanent, and as the\nnecessary requirements of life, but, in sooth, there is no permanent\ncessation of sorrow; for by coveting to appease these desires we really\nincrease them; there is no character of permanency therefore about them.\nTo be filled and clothed are no lasting pleasures, time passes, and the\nsorrow recurs; summer is cool during the moon-tide shining; winter comes\nand cold increases; and so through all the eightfold laws of the world\nthey possess no marks of permanence, sorrow and joy cannot agree\ntogether, as a person slave-governed loses his renown. But religion\ncauses all things to be of service, as a king reigning in his\nsovereignty; so religion controls sorrow, as one fits on a burden\naccording to power of endurance. Whatever our condition in the world,\nstill sorrows accumulate around us. Even in the condition of a king, how\ndoes pain multiply, though bound to others by love, yet this is a cause\nof grief; without friends and living alone, what joy can there be in\nthis? Though a man rules over the four kingdoms, yet only one part can\nbe enjoyed; to be concerned in ten thousand matters, what profit is\nthere in this, for we only accumulate anxieties. Put an end to sorrow,\nthen, by appeasing desire, refrain from busy work, this is rest. A king\nenjoys his sensual pleasures; deprived of kingship there is the joy of\nrest; in both cases there are pleasures but of different kinds; why then\nbe a king! Make then no plan or crafty expedient, to lead me back to the\nfive desires; what my heart prays for, is some quiet place and freedom;\nbut you desire to entangle me in relationships and duties, and destroy\nthe completion of what I seek; I am in no fear of family hatred, nor do\nI seek the joys of heaven; my heart hankers after no vulgar profit, so I\nhave put away my royal diadem; and contrary to your way of thinking, I\nprefer, henceforth, no more to rule. A hare rescued from the serpent's\nmouth, would it go back again to be devoured? holding a torch and\nburning himself, would not a man let it go? A man blind and recovering\nhis sight, would he again seek to be in darkness? the rich, does he sigh\nfor poverty? the wise, does he long to be ignorant? Has the world such\nmen as these? then will I again enjoy my country. But I desire to get\nrid of birth, old age, and death, with body restrained, to beg my food;\nwith appetites moderated, to keep in my retreat; and then to avoid the\nevil modes of a future life, this is to find peace in two worlds: now\nthen I pray you pity me not. Pity, rather, those who rule as kings!\ntheir souls ever vacant and athirst, in the present world no repose,\nhereafter receiving pain as their meed. You, who possess a distinguished\nfamily name, and the reverence due to a great master, would generously\nshare your dignity with me, your worldly pleasures and amusements; I,\ntoo, in return, for your sake, beseech you to share my reward with me;\nhe who indulges in the threefold kinds of pleasure, this man the world\ncalls 'Lord,' but this is not according to reason either, because these\nthings cannot be retained, but where there is no birth, or life, or\ndeath, he who exercises himself in this way, is Lord indeed! You say\nthat while young a man should be gay, and when old then religious, but I\nregard the feebleness of age as bringing with it loss of power to be\nreligious, unlike the firmness and power of youth, the will determined\nand the heart established; but death as a robber with a drawn sword\nfollows us all, desiring to catch his prey; how then should we wait for\nold age, ere we bring our mind to a religious life? Inconstancy is the\ngreat hunter, age his bow, disease his arrows, in the fields of life and\ndeath he hunts for living things as for the deer; when he can get his\nopportunity, he takes our life; who then would wait for age? And what\nthe teachers say and do, with reference to matters connected with life\nand death, exhorting the young, mature, or middle-aged, all to contrive\nby any means, to prepare vast meetings for sacrifices, this they do\nindeed of their own ignorance; better far to reverence the true law, and\nput an end to sacrifice to appease the gods! Destroying life to gain\nreligious merit, what love can such a man possess? even if the reward of\nsuch sacrifices were lasting, even for this, slaughter would be\nunseemly; how much more, when the reward is transient! Shall we, in\nsearch of this, slay that which lives, in worship? this is like those\nwho practise wisdom, and the way of religious abstraction, but neglect\nthe rules of moral conduct. It ill behooves us then to follow with the\nworld, and attend these sacrificial assemblies, and seek some present\ngood in killing that which lives; the wise avoid destroying life! Much\nless do they engage in general sacrifices, for the purpose of gaining\nfuture reward! the fruit promised in the three worlds is none of mine to\nchoose for happiness! All these are governed by transient, fickle laws,\nlike the wind, or the drop that is blown from the grass; such things\ntherefore I put away from me, and I seek for true escape. I hear there\nis one O-lo-lam who eloquently discourses on the way of escape; I must\ngo to the place where he dwells, that great Rishi and hermit. But in\ntruth, sorrow must be banished; I regret indeed leaving you; may your\ncountry have repose and quiet! safely defended by you as by the divine\nSakra r\u00e2ga! May wisdom be shed abroad as light upon your empire, like\nthe brightness of the meridian sun! may you be exceedingly victorious as\nlord of the great earth, with a perfect heart ruling over its destiny!\nMay you direct and defend its sons! ruling your empire in righteousness!\nWater and snow and fire are opposed to one another, but the fire by its\ninfluence causes vapor, the vapor causes the floating clouds, the\nfloating clouds drop down rain; there are birds in space, who drink the\nrain, with rainless bodies.[100] Slaughter and peaceful homes are\nenemies! those who would have peace hate slaughter, and if those who\nslaughter are so hateful, then put an end, O king, to those who practise\nit! And bid these find release, as those who drink and yet are parched\nwith thirst.\"\n\nThen the king, clasping together his hands, with greatest reverence and\njoyful heart, said, \"That which you now seek, may you obtain quickly the\nfruit thereof; having obtained the perfect fruit, return I pray and\ngraciously receive me!\"\n\nBodhisattva, his heart inwardly acquiescing, purposing to accomplish his\nprayer, departing, pursued his road, going to the place where \u00c2r\u00e2da\nK\u00e2l\u00e2ma dwelt; whilst the king with all his retinue, their hands clasped,\nthemselves followed a little space, then with thoughtful and mindful\nheart, returned once more to R\u00e2gagriha!\n\nVisit to \u00c2r\u00e2da Udrar\u00e2ma\n\nThe child of the glorious sun of the Ikshv\u00e2ku race, going to that quiet\npeaceful grove, reverently stood before the Muni, the great Rishi \u00c2r\u00e2da\nR\u00e2ma; the dark-clad followers of the Kalam (Sangh\u00e2r\u00e2ma) seeing afar-off\nBodhisattva approaching, with loud voice raised a joyful chant, and with\nsuppressed breath muttered \"Welcome,\" as with clasped hands they\nreverenced him. Approaching one another, they made mutual inquiries; and\nthis being done, with the usual apologies, according to their precedence\nin age they sat down; the Brahmak\u00e2rins observing the prince, beheld his\npersonal beauty and carefully considered his appearance; respectfully\nthey satisfied themselves of his high qualities, like those who,\nthirsty, drink the \"pure dew.\" Then with raised hands they addressed the\nprince: \"Have you been long an ascetic, divided from your family and\nbroken from the bonds of love, like the elephant who has cast off\nrestraint? Full of wisdom, completely enlightened, you seem well able to\nescape the poisonous fruit of this world. In old time the monarch Ming\nShing gave up his kingly estate to his son, as a man who has carried a\nflowery wreath, when withered casts it away: but such is not your case,\nfull of youthful vigor, and yet not enamoured with the condition of a\nholy king; we see that your will is strong and fixed, capable of\nbecoming a vessel of the true law, able to embark in the boat of wisdom,\nand to cross over the sea of life and death. The common class, enticed\nto come to learn, their talents first are tested, then they are taught;\nbut as I understand your case, your mind is already fixed and your will\nfirm; and now you have undertaken the purpose of learning, I am\npersuaded you will not in the end shrink from it.\"\n\nThe prince hearing this exhortation, with gladness made reply: \"You have\nwith equal intention, illustrious! cautioned me with impartial mind;\nwith humble heart I accept the advice, and pray that it may be so with\nme as you anticipate; that I may in my night-journey obtain a torch, to\nguide me safely through treacherous places; a handy boat to cross over\nthe sea;--may it be so even now with me! But as I am somewhat in doubt\nand anxious to learn, I will venture to make known my doubts, and ask,\nwith respect to old age, disease, and death, how are these things to be\nescaped?\"\n\nAt this time O-lo-lam hearing the question asked by the prince, briefly\nfrom the various Sutras and S\u00e2stras quoted passages in explanation of a\nway of deliverance. \"But thou,\" he said, \"illustrious youth! so highly\ngifted, and eminent among the wise! hear what I have to say, as I\ndiscourse upon the mode of ending birth and death; nature, and change,\nbirth, old age, and death, these five attributes belong to all; nature\nis (in itself) pure and without fault; the involution of this with the\nfive elements, causes an awakening and power of perception, which,\naccording to its exercise, is the cause of change; form, sound, order,\ntaste, touch, these are called the five objects of sense; as the hand\nand foot are called the two ways, so these are called the roots of\naction (the five skandhas); the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the\nbody, these are named the roots (instruments) of understanding. The root\nof mind (manas) is twofold, being both material, and also intelligent;\nnature by its involutions is the cause, the knower of the cause is I\n(the soul); Kapila the Rishi and his numerous followers, on this deep\nprinciple of soul, practising wisdom (Buddhi), found deliverance. Kapila\nand now V\u00e2kaspati, by the power of Buddhi perceiving the character of\nbirth, old age, and death, declare that on this is founded true\nphilosophy; whilst all opposed to this, they say, is false. Ignorance\nand passion, causing constant transmigration, abiding in the midst of\nthese (they say) is the lot of all that lives. Doubting the truth of\nsoul is called excessive doubt, and without distinguishing aright, there\ncan be no method of escape. Deep speculation as to the limits of\nperception is but to involve the soul; thus unbelief leads to confusion,\nand ends in differences of thought and conduct. Again, the various\nspeculations on soul, such as 'I say,' 'I know and perceive,' 'I come'\nand 'I go,' or 'I remain fixed,' these are called the intricacies of\nsoul. And then the fancies raised in different natures, some saying\n'this is so,' others denying it, and this condition of uncertainty is\ncalled the state of darkness. Then there are those who say that outward\nthings are one with soul, who say that the objective is the same as\nmind, who confuse intelligence with instruments, who say that number is\nthe soul. Thus not distinguishing aright, these are called excessive\nquibbles, marks of folly, nature changes, and so on. To worship and\nrecite religious books, to slaughter living things in sacrifice, to\nrender pure by fire and water, and thus awake the thought of final\nrescue, all these ways of thinking are called without right expedient,\nthe result of ignorance and doubt, by means of word or thought or deed;\ninvolving outward relationships, this is called depending on means;\nmaking the material world the ground of soul, this is called depending\non the senses. By these eight sorts of speculation are we involved in\nbirth and death. The foolish masters of the world make their\nclassifications in these five ways: Darkness, folly, and great folly,\nangry passion, with timid fear. Indolent coldness is called darkness;\nbirth and death are called folly; lustful desire is great folly; because\nof great men subjected to error, cherishing angry feelings, passion\nresults; trepidation of the heart is called fear. Thus these foolish men\ndilate upon the five desires; but the root of the great sorrow of birth\nand death, the life destined to be spent in the five ways, the cause of\nthe whirl of life, I clearly perceive, is to be placed in the existence\nof 'I'; because of the influence of this cause, result the consequences\nof repeated birth and death; this cause is without any nature of its\nown, and its fruits have no nature; rightly considering what has been\nsaid, there are four matters which have to do with escape, kindling\nwisdom--opposed to dark ignorance--making manifest--opposed to\nconcealment and obscurity--if these four matters be understood, then we\nmay escape birth, old age, and death. Birth, old age, and death being\nover, then we attain a final place; the Brahmans all depending on this\nprinciple, practising themselves in a pure life, have also largely\ndilated on it, for the good of the world.\"\n\nThe prince hearing these words again inquired of \u00c2r\u00e2da: \"Tell me what\nare the expedients you name, and what is the final place to which they\nlead, and what is the character of that pure Brahman life; and again\nwhat are the stated periods during which such life must be practised,\nand during which such life is lawful; all these are principles to be\ninquired into; and on them I pray you discourse for my sake.\"\n\nThen that \u00c2r\u00e2da, according to the Sutras and S\u00e2stras, spoke: \"Yourself\nusing wisdom is the expedient; but I will further dilate on this a\nlittle; first by removing from the crowd and leading a hermit's life,\ndepending entirely on alms for food, extensively practising rules of\ndecorum, religiously adhering to right rules of conduct; desiring little\nand knowing when to abstain, receiving whatever is given in food,\nwhether pleasant or otherwise, delighting to practise a quiet life,\ndiligently studying all the S\u00fbtras and S\u00e2stras; observing the character\nof covetous longing and fear, without remnant of desire to live in\npurity, to govern well the organs of life, the mind quieted and silently\nat rest; removing desire, and hating vice, all the sorrows of life put\naway, then there is happiness; and we obtain the enjoyment of the first\ndhy\u00e2na.[101] Having obtained this first dhy\u00e2na, then with the\nillumination thus obtained, by inward meditation is born reliance on\nthought alone, and the entanglements of folly are put away; the mind\ndepending on this, then after death, born in the Brahma heavens, the\nenlightened are able to know themselves; by the use of means is produced\nfurther inward illumination; diligently persevering, seeking higher\nadvance, accomplishing the second dhy\u00e2na, tasting of that great joy, we\nare born in the Kwong-yin heaven; then by the use of means putting away\nthis delight, practising the third dhy\u00e2na, resting in such delight and\nwishing no further excellence, there is a birth in the Subhakritsna\nheaven; leaving the thought of such delight, straightway we reach the\nfourth dhy\u00e2na, all joys and sorrows done away, the thought of escape\nproduced; we dwell in this fourth dhy\u00e2na, and are born in the\nVrihat-phala heaven; because of its long enduring years, it is thus\ncalled Vrihat-phala (extensive-fruit); whilst in that state of\nabstraction rising higher, perceiving there is a place beyond any bodily\ncondition, adding still and persevering further in practising wisdom,\nrejecting this fourth dhy\u00e2na, firmly resolved to persevere in the\nsearch, still contriving to put away every desire after form, gradually\nfrom every pore of the body there is perceived a feeling of empty\nrelease, and in the end this extends to every solid part, so that the\nwhole is perfected in an apprehension of emptiness. In brief, perceiving\nno limits to this emptiness, there is opened to the view boundless\nknowledge. Endowed with inward rest and peace, the idea of 'I' departs,\nand the object of 'I'--clearly discriminating the non-existence of\nmatter, this is the condition of immaterial life. As the Mu\u00f1ga (grass)\nwhen freed from its horny case, or as the wild bird which escapes from\nits prison trap, so, getting away from all material limitations, we thus\nfind perfect release. Thus ascending above the Brahmans, deprived of\nevery vestige of bodily existence, we still endure. Endued with wisdom!\nlet it be known this is real and true deliverance. You ask what are the\nexpedients for obtaining this escape; even as I have before detailed,\nthose who have deep faith will learn. The Rishis Gaig\u00eeshavya, Ganaka,\nVriddha Par\u00e2sara, and other searchers after truth, all by the way I have\nexplained, have reached true deliverance.\"\n\nThe prince hearing these words, deeply pondering on the outline of these\nprinciples, and reaching back to the influences produced by our former\nlives, again asked with further words: \"I have heard your very excellent\nsystem of wisdom, the principles very subtle and deep-reaching, from\nwhich I learn that because of not 'letting go' (by knowledge as a\ncause), we do not reach the end of the religious life; but by\nunderstanding nature in its involutions, then, you say, we obtain\ndeliverance; I perceive this law of birth has also concealed in it\nanother law as a germ; you say that the 'I' (i.e. the soul of Kapila)\nbeing rendered pure, forthwith there is true deliverance; but if we\nencounter a union of cause and effect, then there is a return to the\ntrammels of birth; just as the germ in the seed, when earth, fire,\nwater, and wind seem to have destroyed in it the principle of life,\nmeeting with favorable concomitant circumstances will yet revive,\nwithout any evident cause, but because of desire; so those who have\ngained this supposed release, likewise keeping the idea of 'I' and\nliving things, have in fact gained no final deliverance; in every\ncondition, letting go the three classes and again reaching the three\nexcellent qualities, because of the eternal existence of soul, by the\nsubtle influences of that (influences resulting from the past), the\nheart lets go the idea of expedients, and obtains an almost endless\nduration of years. This, you say, is true release; you say 'letting go\nthe ground on which the idea of soul rests,' that this frees us from\n'limited existence,' and that the mass of people have not yet removed\nthe idea of soul, and are therefore still in bondage. But what is this\nletting go gunas (cords fettering the soul); if one is fettered by these\ngunas, how can there be release? For gun\u00ee (the object) and guna (the\nquality) in idea are different, but in substance one; if you say that\nyou can remove the properties of a thing and leave the thing by arguing\nit to the end, this is not so. If you remove heat from fire, then there\nis no such thing as fire, or if you remove surface from body, what body\ncan remain? Thus guna is as it were surface, remove this and there can\nbe no gun\u00ee. So that this deliverance, spoken of before, must leave a\nbody yet in bonds. Again, you say that by clear knowledge you get rid of\nbody; there is then such a thing as knowledge or the contrary; if you\naffirm the existence of clear knowledge, then there should be someone\nwho possesses it (i.e. possesses this knowledge); if there be a\npossesor, how can there be deliverance from this personal 'I'? If you\nsay there is no 'knower,' then who is it that is spoken of as 'knowing'?\nIf there is knowledge and no person, then the subject of knowledge may\nbe a stone or a log; moreover, to have clear knowledge of these minute\ncauses of contamination and reject them thoroughly, these being so\nrejected, there must be an end, then, of the 'doer.' What \u00c2r\u00e2da has\ndeclared cannot satisfy my heart. This clear knowledge is not universal\nwisdom, I must go on and seek a better explanation.\"\n\nGoing on then to the place of Udra Rishi, he also expatiated on this\nquestion of \"I.\" But although he refined the matter to the utmost,\nlaying down a term of \"thought\" and \"no thought\" taking the position of\nremoving \"thought\" and \"no thought,\" yet even so he came not out of the\nmire; for supposing creatures attained that state, still (he said) there\nis a possibility of returning to the coil, whilst Bodhisattva sought a\nmethod of getting out of it. So once more leaving Udra Rishi, he went on\nin search of a better system, and came at last to Mount Kia-ke (the\nforest of mortification), where was a town called Pain-suffering forest.\nHere the five Bhikshus had gone before. When then he beheld these five,\nvirtuously keeping in check their senses, holding to the rules of moral\nconduct, practising mortification, dwelling in that grove of\nmortification; occupying a spot beside the Naira\u00f1gana river, perfectly\ncomposed and filled with contentment, Bodhisattva forthwith by them\nselecting one spot, quietly gave himself to thought. The five Bhikshus\nknowing him with earnest heart to be seeking escape, offered him their\nservices with devotion, as if reverencing Isvara Deva.\n\nHaving finished their attentions and dutiful services, then going on he\ntook his seat not far off, as one about to enter on a course of\nreligious practice, composing all his members as he desired. Bodhisattva\ndiligently applied himself to \"means,\" as one about to cross over old\nage, disease, and death. With full purpose of heart he set himself to\nendure mortification, to restrain every bodily passion, and give up\nthought about sustenance, with purity of heart to observe the\nfast-rules, which no worldly man can bear; silent and still, lost in\nthoughtful meditation; and so for six years he continued, each day\neating one hemp grain, his bodily form shrunken and attenuated, seeking\nhow to cross the sea of birth and death, exercising himself still deeper\nand advancing further; making his way perfect by the disentanglements of\ntrue wisdom, not eating, and yet not looking to that as a cause of\nemancipation, his four members although exceedingly weak, his heart of\nwisdom increasing yet more and more in light; his spirit free, his body\nlight and refined, his name spreading far and wide, as \"highly gifted,\"\neven as the moon when first produced, or as the Kumuda flower spreading\nout its sweetness. Everywhere through the country his excellent fame\nextended; the daughters of the lord of the place both coming to see him,\nhis mortified body like a withered branch, just completing the period of\nsix years, fearing the sorrow of birth and death, seeking earnestly the\nmethod of true wisdom, he came to the conviction that these were not the\nmeans to extinguish desire and produce ecstatic contemplation; nor yet\nthe means by which in former time, seated underneath the Gambu tree, he\narrived at that miraculous condition, that surely was the proper way, he\nthought, the way opposed to this of \"withered body.\"\n\n\"I should therefore rather seek strength of body, by drink and food\nrefresh my members, and with contentment cause my mind to rest. My mind\nat rest, I shall enjoy silent composure; composure is the trap for\ngetting ecstasy (dhy\u00e2na); while in ecstasy perceiving the true law, then\nthe force of truth obtained, disentanglement will follow. And thus\ncomposed, enjoying perfect quiet, old age and death are put away; and\nthen defilement is escaped by this first means; thus then by equal steps\nthe excellent law results from life restored by food and drink.\"\n\nHaving carefully considered this principle, bathing in the Naira\u00f1gana\nriver, he desired afterwards to leave the water, but owing to extreme\nexhaustion was unable to rise; then a heavenly spirit holding out a\nbranch, taking this in his hand he raised himself and came forth. At\nthis time on the opposite side of the grove there was a certain chief\nherdsman, whose eldest daughter was called Nand\u00e2. One of the Suddhav\u00e2sa\nDevas addressing her said, \"Bodhisattva dwells in the grove, go you\nthen, and present to him a religious offering.\"\n\nNand\u00e2 Balada (or Balaga or Baladhya) with joy came to the spot, above\nher hands (i.e. on her wrists) white chalcedony bracelets, her clothing\nof a gray color; the gray and the white together contrasted in the\nlight, as the colors of the rounded river bubble; with simple heart and\nquickened step she came, and, bowing down at Bodhisattva's feet, she\nreverently offered him perfumed rice milk, begging him of his\ncondescension to accept it. Bodhisattva taking it, partook of it at\nonce, whilst she received, even then, the fruits of her religious act.\nHaving eaten it, all his members refreshed, he became capable of\nreceiving Bodhi; his body and limbs glistening with renewed strength,\nand his energies swelling higher still, as the hundred streams swell the\nsea, or the first quartered moon daily increases in brightness. The five\nBhikshus having witnessed this, perturbed, were filled with suspicious\nreflection; they supposed that his religious zeal was flagging, and that\nhe was leaving and looking for a better abode, as though he had obtained\ndeliverance, the five elements entirely removed.\n\nBodhisattva wandered on alone, directing his course to that \"fortunate\"\ntree,[102] beneath whose shade he might accomplish his search after\ncomplete enlightenment. Over the ground wide and level, producing soft\nand pliant grass, easily he advanced with lion step, pace by pace,\nwhilst the earth shook withal; and as it shook, K\u00e2la n\u00e2ga aroused, was\nfilled with joy, as his eyes were opened to the light. Forthwith he\nexclaimed: \"When formerly I saw the Buddhas of old, there was the sign\nof an earthquake as now; the virtues of a Muni are so great in majesty,\nthat the great earth cannot endure them; as step by step his foot treads\nupon the ground, so is there heard the sound of the rumbling\nearth-shaking; a brilliant light now illumes the world, as the shining\nof the rising sun; five hundred bluish-tinted birds I see, wheeling\nround to the right, flying through space; a gentle, soft, and cooling\nbreeze blows around in an agreeable way; all these auspicious signs are\nthe same as those of former Buddhas; wherefore I know that this\nBodhisattva will certainly arrive at perfect wisdom. And now, behold!\nfrom yonder man, a grass cutter, he obtains some pure and pliant grass,\nwhich spreading out beneath the tree, with upright body, there he takes\nhis seat; his feet placed under him, not carelessly arranged, moving to\nand fro, but like the firmly fixed and compact body of a N\u00e2ga; nor shall\nhe rise again from off his seat till he has completed his undertaking.\"\nAnd so he (the N\u00e2ga) uttered these words by way of confirmation. The\nheavenly N\u00e2gas, filled with joy, caused a cool refreshing breeze to\nrise; the trees and grass were yet unmoved by it, and all the beasts,\nquiet and silent, looked on in wonderment.\n\nThese are the signs that Bodhisattva will certainly attain\nenlightenment.\n\nDefeats Mara\n\nThe great Rishi, of the royal tribe of Rishis, beneath the Bodhi tree\nfirmly established, resolved by oath to perfect the way of complete\ndeliverance.\n\nThe spirits, N\u00e2gas, and the heavenly multitude, all were filled with\njoy; but M\u00e2ra Devar\u00e2ga, enemy of religion, alone was grieved, and\nrejoiced not; lord of the five desires, skilled in all the arts of\nwarfare, the foe of those who seek deliverance, therefore his name is\nrightly given Pisuna. Now this M\u00e2ra r\u00e2ga had three daughters, mincingly\nbeautiful and of a pleasant countenance, in every way fit by artful ways\nto inflame a man with love, highest in this respect among the Devis. The\nfirst was named Yuh-yen, the second Neng-yueh-gin, the third Ngai-loh.\nThese three, at this time, advanced together, and addressed their father\nPisuna and said: \"May we not know the trouble that afflicts you?\"\n\nThe father, calming his feelings, addressed his daughters thus: \"The\nworld has now a great Muni, he has taken a strong oath as a helmet, he\nholds a mighty bow in his hand, wisdom is the diamond shaft he uses. His\nobject is to get the mastery in the world, to ruin and destroy my\nterritory; I am myself unequal to him, for all men will believe in him,\nand all find refuge in the way of his salvation; then will my land be\ndesert and unoccupied. But as when a man transgresses the laws of\nmorality, his body is then empty. So now, the eye of wisdom, not yet\nopened in this man, whilst my empire still has peace, I will go and\noverturn his purpose, and break down and divide the ridge-pole of his\nhouse.\"\n\nSeizing then his bow and his five arrows, with all his retinue of male\nand female attendants, he went to that grove of \"fortunate rest\" with\nthe vow that the world should not find peace. Then seeing the Muni,\nquiet and still, preparing to cross the sea of the three worlds, in his\nleft hand grasping his bow, with his right hand pointing his arrow, he\naddressed Bodhisattva and said: \"Kshatriya! rise up quickly! for you may\nwell fear! your death is at hand; you may practise your own religious\nsystem, but let go this effort after the law of deliverance for others;\nwage warfare in the field of charity as a cause of merit, appease the\ntumultuous world, and so in the end reach your reward in heaven. This is\na way renowned and well established, in which former saints have walked,\nRishis and kings and men of eminence; but this system of penury and\nalms-begging is unworthy of you. Now then if you rise not, you had best\nconsider with yourself, that if you give not up your vow, and tempt me\nto let fly an arrow, how that Aila, grandchild of Soma, by one of these\narrows just touched, as by a fanning of the wind, lost his reason and\nbecame a madman. And how the Rishi Vimala, practising austerities,\nhearing the sound of one of these darts, his heart possessed by great\nfear, bewildered and darkened he lost his true nature; how much less can\nyou--a late-born one--hope to escape this dart of mine. Quickly arise\nthen! if hardly you may get away! This arrow full of rankling poison,\nfearfully insidious where it strikes a foe! See now! with all my force,\nI point it! and are you resting in the face of such calamity? How is it\nthat you fear not this dread arrow? say! why do you not tremble?\" M\u00e2ra\nuttered such fear-inspiring threats, bent on overawing Bodhisattva. But\nBodhisattva's heart remained unmoved; no doubt, no fear was present.\nThen M\u00e2ra instantly discharged his arrow, whilst the three women came in\nfront. Bodhisattva regarded not the arrow, nor considered aught the\nwomen three. M\u00e2ra r\u00e2ga now was troubled much with doubt, and muttered\nthus 'twixt heart and mouth: \"Long since the maiden of the snowy\nmountains, shooting at Mahesvara, constrained him to change his mind;\nand yet Bodhisattva is unmoved, and heeds not even this dart of mine,\nnor the three heavenly women! nought prevails to move his heart or raise\none spark of love within him. Now must I assemble my army-host, and\npress him sore by force;\" having thought thus awhile, M\u00e2ra's army\nsuddenly assembled round. Each assumed his own peculiar form; some were\nholding spears, others grasping swords, others snatching up trees,\nothers wielding diamond maces; armed with every sort of weapon. Some had\nheads like hogs, others like fishes, others like asses, others like\nhorses; some with forms like snakes or like the ox or savage tiger;\nlion-headed, dragon-headed, and like every other kind of beast. Some had\nmany heads on one body-trunk, with faces having but a single eye, and\nthen again with many eyes; some with great-bellied mighty bodies. And\nothers thin and skinny, belly-less; others long-legged, mighty-kneed;\nothers big-shanked and fat-calved; some with long and claw-like nails.\nSome were headless, breastless, faceless; some with two feet and many\nbodies; some with big faces looking every way; some pale and\nashy-colored; others colored like the bright star rising, others\nsteaming fiery vapor, some with ears like elephants, with humps like\nmountains, some with naked forms covered with hair. Some with leather\nskins for clothing, their faces parti-colored, crimson, and white; some\nwith tiger skins as robes, some with snake skins over them, some with\ntinkling bells around their waists, others with twisted screw-like hair,\nothers with hair dishevelled covering the body, some breath-suckers,\nothers body-snatchers, some dancing and shrieking awhile, some jumping\nonwards with their feet together, some striking one another as they\nwent. Others waving in the air, others flying and leaping between the\ntrees, others howling, or hooting, or screaming, or whining, with their\nevil noises shaking the great earth; thus this wicked goblin troop\nencircled on its four sides the Bodhi tree; some bent on tearing his\nbody to pieces, others on devouring it whole; from the four sides flames\nbelched forth, and fiery steam ascended up to heaven; tempestuous winds\narose on every side; the mountain forests shook and quaked. Wind, fire,\nand steam, with dust combined, produced a pitchy darkness, rendering all\ninvisible. And now the Devas well affected to the law, and all the N\u00e2gas\nand the spirits, all incensed at this host of M\u00e2ra, with anger fired,\nwept tears of blood; the great company of Suddhav\u00e2sa gods, beholding\nM\u00e2ra tempting Bodhisattva, free from low-feeling, with hearts\nundisturbed by passion, moved by pity towards him and commiseration,\ncame in a body to behold the Bodhisattva, so calmly seated and so\nundisturbed, surrounded with an uncounted host of devils, shaking the\nheaven and earth with sounds ill-omened. Bodhisattva silent and quiet in\nthe midst remained, his countenance as bright as heretofore, unchanged;\nlike the great lion-king placed amongst all the beasts howling and\ngrowling round him so he sat, a sight unseen before, so strange and\nwonderful! The host of M\u00e2ra hastening, as arranged, each one exerting\nhis utmost force, taking each other's place in turns, threatening every\nmoment to destroy him. Fiercely staring, grinning with their teeth,\nflying tumultuously, bounding here and there; but Bodhisattva, silently\nbeholding them, watched them as one would watch the games of children.\nAnd now the demon host waxed fiercer and more angry, and added force to\nforce, in further conflict; grasping at stones they could not lift, or\nlifting them, they could not let them go. Their flying spears, lances,\nand javelins, stuck fast in space, refusing to descend; the angry\nthunderdrops and mighty hail, with these, were changed into five-colored\nlotus flowers, whilst the foul poison of the dragon snakes was turned to\nspicy-breathing air. Thus all these countless sorts of creatures,\nwishing to destroy the Bodhisattva, unable to remove him from the spot,\nwere with their own weapons wounded. Now M\u00e2ra had an aunt-attendant\nwhose name was Ma-kia-ka-li, who held a skull-dish in her hands, and\nstood in front of Bodhisattva, and with every kind of winsome gesture,\ntempted to lust the Bodhisattva. So all these followers of M\u00e2ra,\npossessed of every demon-body form, united in discordant uproar, hoping\nto terrify Bodhisattva; but not a hair of his was moved, and M\u00e2ra's host\nwas filled with sorrow. Then in the air the crowd of angels, their forms\ninvisible, raised their voices, saying: \"Behold the great Muni; his mind\nunmoved by any feeling of resentment, whilst all that wicked M\u00e2ra race,\nbesotted, are vainly bent on his destruction; let go your foul and\nmurderous thoughts against that silent Muni, calmly seated! You cannot\nwith a breath move the Sumeru mountain. Fire may freeze, water may burn,\nthe roughened earth may grow soft and pliant, but ye cannot hurt the\nBodhisattva! Through ages past disciplined by suffering. Bodhisattva\nrightly trained in thought, ever advancing in the use of 'means,' pure\nand illustrious for wisdom, loving and merciful to all. These four\nconspicuous virtues cannot with him be rent asunder, so as to make it\nhard or doubtful whether he gain the highest wisdom. For as the thousand\nrays of yonder sun must drown the darkness of the world, or as the\nboring wood must kindle fire, or as the earth deep-dug gives water, so\nhe who perseveres in the 'right means,' by seeking thus, will find. The\nworld without instruction, poisoned by lust and hate and ignorance;\nbecause he pitied 'flesh,' so circumstanced, he sought on their account\nthe joy of wisdom. Why then would you molest and hinder one who seeks to\nbanish sorrow from the world? The ignorance that everywhere prevails is\ndue to false pernicious books, and therefore Bodhisattva, walking\nuprightly, would lead and draw men after him. To obscure and blind the\ngreat world-leader, this undertaking is impossible, for 'tis as though\nin the Great Desert a man would purposely mislead the merchant-guide. So\n'all flesh' having fallen into darkness, ignorant of where they are\ngoing, for their sakes he would light the lamp of wisdom; say then! why\nwould you extinguish it? All flesh engulfed and overwhelmed in the great\nsea of birth and death, this one prepares the boat of wisdom; say then!\nwhy destroy and sink it? Patience is the sprouting of religion, firmness\nits root, good conduct is the flower, the enlightened heart the boughs\nand branches. Wisdom supreme the entire tree, the 'transcendent law' the\nfruit, its shade protects all living things; say then! why would you cut\nit down? Lust, hate, and ignorance, are the rack and bolt, the yoke\nplaced on the shoulder of the world; through ages long he has practised\nausterities to rescue men from these their fetters. He now shall\ncertainly attain his end, sitting on this right-established throne; as\nall the previous Buddhas, firm and compact like a diamond. Though all\nthe earth were moved and shaken, yet would this place be fixed and\nstable; him, thus fixed and well assured, think not that you can\noverturn. Bring down and moderate your mind's desire, banish these high\nand envious thoughts, prepare yourselves for right reflection, be\npatient in your services.\"\n\nM\u00e2ra hearing these sounds in space, and seeing Bodhisattva still\nunmoved, filled with fear and banishing his high and supercilious\nthoughts, again took up his way to heaven above. Whilst all his host\nwere scattered, o'erwhelmed with grief and disappointment, fallen from\ntheir high estate, bereft of their warrior pride, their warlike weapons\nand accoutrements thrown heedlessly and cast away 'mid woods and\ndeserts. Like as when some cruel chieftain slain, the hateful band is\nall dispersed and scattered, so the host of Mara disconcerted, fled\naway. The mind of Bodhisattva now reposed peaceful and quiet. The\nmorning sunbeams brighten with the dawn, the dust-like mist dispersing,\ndisappears; the moon and stars pale their faint light, the barriers of\nthe night are all removed, whilst from above a fall of heavenly flowers\npay their sweet tribute to the Bodhisattva.\n\nO-wei-san-pou-ti (Abhisambodhi)\n\nBodhisattva having subdued M\u00e2ra, his firmly fixed mind at rest,\nthoroughly exhausting the first principle of truth, he entered into deep\nand subtle contemplation. Every kind of S\u00e2madhi in order passed before\nhis eyes. During the first watch he entered on \"right perception\" and in\nrecollection all former births passed before his eyes. Born in such a\nplace, of such a name, and downwards to his present birth, so through\nhundreds, thousands, myriads, all his births and deaths he knew.\nCountless in number were they, of every kind and sort; then knowing,\ntoo, his family relationships, great pity rose within his heart.\n\nThis sense of deep compassion passed, he once again considered \"all that\nlives,\" and how they moved within the six portions of life's revolution,\nno final term to birth and death; hollow all, and false and transient as\nthe plantain tree, or as a dream, or phantasy. Then in the middle watch\nof night, he reached to knowledge of the pure Devas, and beheld before\nhim every creature, as one sees images upon a mirror; all creatures born\nand born again to die, noble and mean, the poor and rich, reaping the\nfruit of right or evil doing, and sharing happiness or misery in\nconsequence. First he considered and distinguished evil-doers' works,\nthat such must ever reap an evil birth. Then he considered those who\npractise righteous deeds, that these must gain a place with men or gods;\nbut those again born in the nether hells, he saw participating in every\nkind of misery; swallowing molten brass, the iron skewers piercing their\nbodies, confined within the boiling caldron, driven and made to enter\nthe fiery oven dwelling, food for hungry, long-toothed dogs, or preyed\nupon by brain-devouring birds; dismayed by fire, then they wander\nthrough thick woods, with leaves like razors gashing their limbs, while\nknives divide their writhing bodies, or hatchets lop their members, bit\nby bit; drinking the bitterest poisons, their fate yet holds them back\nfrom death. Thus those who found their joy in evil deeds, he saw\nreceiving now their direst sorrow; a momentary taste of pleasure here, a\ndreary length of suffering there. A laugh or joke because of others'\npain, a crying out and weeping now at punishment received. Surely if\nliving creatures saw the consequence of all their evil deeds,\nself-visited, with hatred would they turn and leave them, fearing the\nruin following--the blood and death. He saw, moreover, all the fruits of\nbirth as beasts, each deed entailing its own return; and when death\nensues born in some other form (beast shape), different in kind\naccording to the deeds. Some doomed to die for the sake of skin or\nflesh, some for their horns or hair or bones or wings; others torn or\nkilled in mutual conflict, friend or relative before, contending thus;\nsome burdened with loads or dragging heavy weights, others pierced and\nurged on by pricking goads. Blood flowing down their tortured forms,\nparched and hungry--no relief afforded; then, turning round, he saw one\nwith the other struggling, possessed of no independent strength. Flying\nthrough air or sunk in deep water, yet no place as a refuge left from\ndeath. He saw, moreover, those, misers and covetous, born now as hungry\nghosts; vast bodies like the towering mountain, with mouths as small as\nany needle-tube, hungry and thirsty, nought but fire and poisoned flame\nto enwrap their burning forms within. Covetous, they would not give to\nthose who sought, or duped the man who gave in charity, now born among\nthe famished ghosts, they seek for food, but cannot find withal. The\nrefuse of the unclean man they fain would eat, but this is changed and\nlost before it can be eaten. Oh! if a man believes that covetousness is\nthus repaid, as in their case, would he not give his very flesh in\ncharity even as Sivi r\u00e2ga did! Then, once more he saw, those reborn as\nmen, with bodies like some foul sewer, ever moving 'midst the direst\nsufferings, born from the womb to fear and trembling, with body tender,\ntouching anything its feelings painful, as if cut with knives. Whilst\nborn in this condition, no moment free from chance of death, labor, and\nsorrow, yet seeking birth again, and being born again, enduring pain.\nThen he saw those who by a higher merit were enjoying heaven; a thirst\nfor love ever consuming them, their merit ended with the end of life,\nthe five signs warning them of death. Just as the blossom that decays,\nwithering away, is robbed of all its shining tints; not all their\nassociates, living still, though grieving, can avail to save the rest.\nThe palaces and joyous precincts empty now, the Devis all alone and\ndesolate, sitting or asleep upon the dusty earth, weep bitterly in\nrecollection of their loves. Those who are born, sad in decay; those who\nare dead, belov\u00e9d, cause of grief; thus ever struggling on, preparing\nfuture pain, covetous they seek the joys of heaven, obtaining which,\nthese sorrows come apace; despicable joys! oh, who would covet them!\nusing such mighty efforts to obtain, and yet unable thence to banish\npain. Alas, alas! these Devas, too, alike deceived--no difference is\nthere! through lapse of ages bearing suffering, striving to crush desire\nand lust, now certainly expecting long reprieve, and yet once more\ndestined to fall! in hell enduring every kind of pain, as beasts tearing\nand killing one the other, as Pretas parched with direst thirst, as men\nworn out, seeking enjoyment; although, they say, when born in heaven,\n\"then we shall escape these greater ills.\" Deceived, alas! no single\nplace exempt, in every birth incessant pain! Alas! the sea of birth and\ndeath revolving thus--an ever-whirling wheel--all flesh immersed within\nits waves cast here and there without reliance! thus with his pure Deva\neyes he thoughtfully considered the five domains of life. He saw that\nall was empty and vain alike! with no dependence! like the plantain or\nthe bubble. Then, on the third eventful watch, he entered on the deep,\ntrue apprehension; he meditated on the entire world of creatures,\nwhirling in life's tangle, born to sorrow; the crowds who live, grow\nold, and die, innumerable for multitude. Covetous, lustful, ignorant,\ndarkly-fettered, with no way known for final rescue. Rightly\nconsidering, inwardly he reflected from what source birth and death\nproceed. He was assured that age and death must come from birth as from\na source. For since a man has born with him a body, that body must\ninherit pain. Then looking further whence comes birth, he saw it came\nfrom life-deeds done elsewhere; then with his Deva-eyes scanning these\ndeeds, he saw they were not framed by Isvara. They were not self-caused,\nthey were not personal existences, nor were they either uncaused; then,\nas one who breaks the first bamboo joint finds all the rest easy to\nseparate, having discerned the cause of birth and death, he gradually\ncame to see the truth; deeds come from up\u00e2d\u00e2na, like as fire which\ncatches hold of grass; up\u00e2d\u00e2na comes from trishn\u00e2, just as a little fire\ninflames the mountains; trishn\u00e2 comes from vedan\u00e2, the perception of\npain and pleasure, the desire for rest; as the starving or the thirsty\nman seeks food and drink, so \"sensation\" brings \"desire\" for life; then\ncontact is the cause of all sensation, producing the three kinds of pain\nor pleasure, even as by art of man the rubbing wood produces fire for\nany use or purpose; contact is born from the six entrances.[103] The six\nentrances are caused by name and thing, just as the germ grows to the\nstem and leaf; name and thing are born from knowledge, as the seed which\ngerminates and brings forth leaves. Knowledge, in turn, proceeds from\nname and thing, the two are intervolved leaving no remnant; by some\nconcurrent cause knowledge engenders name and thing, whilst by some\nother cause concurrent, name and thing engender knowledge. Just as a man\nand ship advance together, the water and the land mutually involved;\nthus knowledge brings forth name and thing; name and thing produce the\nroots. The roots engender contact; contact again brings forth sensation;\nsensation brings forth longing desire; longing desire produces up\u00e2d\u00e2na.\nUp\u00e2d\u00e2na is the cause of deeds; and these again engender birth; birth\nagain produces age and death; so does this one incessant round cause the\nexistence of all living things. Rightly illumined, thoroughly perceiving\nthis, firmly established, thus was he enlightened; destroy birth, old\nage and death will cease; destroy bhava then will birth cease; destroy\n\"cleaving\" then will bhava end; destroy desire then will cleaving end;\ndestroy sensation then will trishn\u00e2 end. Destroy contact then will end\nsensation; destroy the six entrances, then will contact cease; the six\nentrances all destroyed, from this, moreover, names and things will\ncease. Knowledge destroyed, names and things will cease; names and\nthings destroyed, then knowledge perishes; ignorance destroyed, then the\nconstituents of individual life will die; the great Rishi was thus\nperfected in wisdom. Thus perfected, Buddha then devised for the world's\nbenefit the eightfold path, right sight, and so on, the only true path\nfor the world to tread. Thus did he complete the end of \"self,\" as fire\ngoes out for want of grass; thus he had done what he would have men do;\nhe first had found the way of perfect knowledge. He finished thus the\nfirst great lesson; entering the great Rishi's house (dreamless sleep),\nthe darkness disappeared; light coming on, perfectly silent, all at\nrest, he reached at last the exhaustless source of truth; lustrous with\nall wisdom the great Rishi sat, perfect in gifts, whilst one convulsive\nthroe shook the wide earth. And now the world was calm again and bright,\nwhen Devas, N\u00e2gas, spirits, all assembled, amidst the void raise\nheavenly music, and make their offerings as the law directs. A gentle\ncooling breeze sprang up around, and from the sky a fragrant rain\ndistilled; exquisite flowers, not seasonable, bloomed; sweet fruits\nbefore their time were ripened. Great Mand\u00e2ras, and every sort of\nheavenly precious flower, from space in rich confusion fell, as tribute\nto the illustrious monk. Creatures of every different kind were moved\none towards the other lovingly; fear and terror altogether put away,\nnone entertained a hateful thought, and all things living in the world\nwith faultless men consorted freely; the Devas giving up their heavenly\njoys, sought rather to alleviate the sinner's sufferings. Pain and\ndistress grew less and less, the moon of wisdom waxed apace; whilst all\nthe Rishis of the Ikshv\u00e2ku clan who had received a heavenly birth,\nbeholding Buddha thus benefitting men, were filled with joy and\nsatisfaction; and whilst throughout the heavenly mansions religious\nofferings fell as raining flowers, the Devas and the N\u00e2ga spirits, with\none voice, praised the Buddha's virtues; men seeing the religious\nofferings, hearing, too, the joyous hymn of praise, were all rejoiced in\nturn; they leapt for unrestrained joy; M\u00e2ra, the Devar\u00e2ga, only, felt in\nhis heart great anguish. Buddha for those seven days, in contemplation\nlost, his heart at peace, beheld and pondered on the Bodhi tree, with\ngaze unmoved and never wearying:--\"Now resting here, in this condition,\nI have obtained,\" he said, \"my ever-shifting heart's desire, and now at\nrest I stand, escaped from self.\" The eyes of Buddha then considered\n\"all that lives,\" and forthwith rose there in him deep compassion; much\nhe desired to bring about their welfare, but how to gain for them that\nmost excellent deliverance, from covetous desire, hatred, ignorance, and\nfalse teaching, this was the question; how to suppress this sinful heart\nby right direction; not by anxious use of outward means, but by resting\nquietly in thoughtful silence. Now looking back and thinking of his\nmighty vow, there rose once more within his mind a wish to preach the\nlaw; and looking carefully throughout the world, he saw how pain and\nsorrow ripened and increased everywhere. Then Brahma-deva knowing his\nthoughts, and considering it right to request him to advance religion\nfor the wider spread of the Brahma-glory, in the deliverance of all\nflesh from sorrow, coming, beheld upon the person of the reverend monk\nall the distinguishing marks of a great preacher, visible in an\nexcellent degree; fixed and unmoved he sat in the possession of truth\nand wisdom, free from all evil impediments, with a heart cleansed from\nall insincerity or falsehood. Then with reverent and a joyful heart,\ngreat Brahma stood and with hands joined, thus made known his\nrequest:--\"What happiness in all the world so great as when a loving\nmaster meets the unwise; the world with all its occupants, filled with\nimpurity and dire confusion, with heavy grief oppressed, or, in some\ncases, lighter sorrows, waits deliverance; the lord of men, having\nescaped by crossing the wide and mournful sea of birth and death, we now\nentreat to rescue others--those struggling creatures all engulfed\ntherein; as the just worldly man, when he gets profit, gives some rebate\nwithal. So the lord of men enjoying such religious gain, should also\ngive somewhat to living things. The world indeed is bent on large\npersonal gain, and hard it is to share one's own with others. O! let\nyour loving heart be moved with pity towards the world burdened with\nvexing cares.\" Thus having spoken by way of exhortation, with reverent\nmien he turned back to the Brahma heaven. Buddha, regarding the\ninvitation of Brahma-deva, rejoiced at heart, and his design was\nstrengthened; greatly was his heart of pity nourished, and purposed was\nhis mind to preach. Thinking he ought to beg some food, each of the four\nkings offered him a P\u00e2tra; Tath\u00e2gata, in fealty to religion, received\nthe four and joined them all in one. And now some merchant men were\npassing by, to whom \"a virtuous friend,\" a heavenly spirit, said: \"The\ngreat Rishi, the venerable monk, is dwelling in this mountain-grove,\naffording in the world a noble field for merit; go then and offer him a\nsacrifice!\" Hearing the summons, joyfully they went, and offered the\nfirst meal religiously. Having partaken of it, then he deeply pondered,\nwho first should hear the law; he thought at once of \u00c2r\u00e2da K\u00e2l\u00e2ma and\nUdraka R\u00e2maputra, as being fit to accept the righteous law; but now they\nboth were dead. Then next he thought of the five men, that they were fit\nto hear the first sermon. Bent then on this design to preach Nirv\u00e2na, as\nthe sun's glory bursts through the darkness, so went he on towards\nBenares, the place where dwelt the ancient Rishis. With eyes as gentle\nas the ox king's, his pace as firm and even as the lion's, because he\nwould convert the world he went on towards the K\u00e2si city. Step by step,\nlike the king of beasts, did he advance watchfully through the grove of\nwisdom.\n\nTurning the Law-wheel\n\nTath\u00e2gata piously composed and silent, radiant with glory, shedding\nlight around, with unmatched dignity advanced alone, as if surrounded by\na crowd of followers. Beside the way he encountered a young Brahman\nwhose name was Up\u00e2ka; struck with the deportment of the Bhikshu, he\nstood with reverent mien on the roadside. Joyously he gazed at such an\nunprecedented sight, and then, with closed hands, he spake as\nfollows:--\"The crowds who live around are stained with sin, without a\npleasing feature, void of grace, and the great world's heart is\neverywhere disturbed; but you alone, your senses all composed, with\nvisage shining as the moon when full, seem to have quaffed the water of\nthe immortals' stream. The marks of beauty yours, as the great man's,\nthe strength of wisdom, as an all-sufficient, independent king's; what\nyou have done must have been wisely done: what then your noble tribe and\nwho your master?\" Answering he said, \"I have no master; no honorable\ntribe; no point of excellence; self-taught in this profoundest doctrine,\nI have arrived at superhuman wisdom. That which behooves the world to\nlearn, but through the world no learner found, I now myself and by\nmyself have learned throughout; 'tis rightly called Sambodhi. That\nhateful family of griefs the sword of wisdom has destroyed; this then is\nwhat the world has named, and rightly named, the 'chiefest victory.'\nThrough all Benares soon will sound the drum of life, no stay is\npossible--I have no name--nor do I seek profit or pleasure. But simply\nto declare the truth; to save men from pain, and to fulfil my ancient\noath, to rescue all not yet delivered. The fruit of this my oath is\nripened now, and I will follow out my ancient vow. Wealth, riches, self\nall given up, unnamed, I still am named 'Righteous Master.' And bringing\nprofit to the world, I also have the name 'Great Teacher'; facing\nsorrows, not swallowed up by them, am I not rightly called 'Courageous\nWarrior?' If not a healer of diseases, what means the name of 'Good\nPhysician?' Seeing the wanderer, not showing him the way, why then\nshould I be called 'Good Master-guide?' Like as the lamp shines in the\ndark, without a purpose of its own, self-radiant, so burns the lamp of\nthe Tath\u00e2gata, without the shadow of a personal feeling. Bore wood in\nwood, there must be fire; the wind blows of its own free self in space;\ndig deep and you will come to water; this is the rule of self-causation.\nAll the Munis who perfect wisdom, must do so at Gay\u00e2; and in the K\u00e2si\ncountry they must first turn the Wheel of Righteousness.\" The young\nBrahman Up\u00e2ka, astonished, breathed the praise of such strange doctrine,\nand called to mind like thoughts he had before experienced; lost in\nthought at the wonderful occurrence, at every turning of the road he\nstopped to think; embarrassed in every step he took, Tath\u00e2gata\nproceeding slowly onwards, came to the city of K\u00e2si. The land so\nexcellently adorned as the palace of Sakradevendra; the Ganges and\nBaran\u00e2, two twin rivers flowed amidst; the woods and flowers and fruits\nso verdant, the peaceful cattle wandering together, the calm retreats\nfree from vulgar noise, such was the place where the old Rishis dwelt.\nTath\u00e2gata, glorious and radiant, redoubled the brightness of the place;\nthe son of the Kaundinya tribe, and next Dasabalak\u00e2syapa, and the third\nV\u00e2shpa, the fourth Asvagit, the fifth called Bhadra, practising\nausterities as hermits, seeing from far Tath\u00e2gata approaching, sitting\ntogether all engaged in conversation, said: \"This Gautama, defiled by\nworldly indulgence, leaving the practice of austerities, now comes again\nto find us here, let us be careful not to rise in salutation, nor let us\ngreet him when he comes, nor offer him the customary refreshments.\nBecause he has broken his first vow, he has no claim to\nhospitality\"--for men on seeing an approaching guest by rights prepare\nthings for his present and his after wants. They arrange a proper\nresting-couch, and take on themselves care for his comfort. Having\nspoken thus and so agreed, each kept his seat, resolved and fixed. And\nnow Tath\u00e2gata slowly approached, when, lo! these men unconsciously,\nagainst their vow, rose and invited him to take a seat; offering to take\nhis robe and P\u00e2tra. They begged to wash and rub his feet, and asked him\nwhat he required more; thus in everything attentive, they honored him\nand offered all to him as teacher. They did not cease however to address\nhim still as Gautama, after his family. Then spake the Lord to them and\nsaid: \"Call me not after my private name, for it is a rude and careless\nway of speaking to one who has obtained Arhat-ship; but whether men\nrespect or disrespect me, my mind is undisturbed and wholly quiet. But\nyou--your way is not so courteous: let go, I pray, and cast away your\nfault. Buddha can save the world; they call him, therefore, Buddha.\nTowards all living things, with equal heart he looks as children, to\ncall him then by his familiar name is to despise a father; this is sin.\"\nThus Buddha, by exercise of mighty love, in deep compassion spoke to\nthem; but they, from ignorance and pride, despised the only wise and\ntrue one's words. They said that first he practised self-denial, but\nhaving reached thereby no profit, now giving rein to body, word, and\nthought, how by these means, they asked, has he become a Buddha? Thus\nequally entangled by doubts, they would not credit that he had attained\nthe way. Thoroughly versed in highest truth, full of all-embracing\nwisdom, Tag\u00e2gata on their account briefly declared to them the one true\nway; the foolish masters practising austerities, and those who love to\ngratify their senses, he pointed out to them these two distinctive\nclasses, and how both greatly erred. \"Neither of these,\" he said, \"has\nfound the way of highest wisdom, nor are their ways of life productive\nof true rescue. The emaciated devotee by suffering produces in himself\nconfused and sickly thoughts, not conducive even to worldly knowledge,\nhow much less to triumph over sense! For he who tries to light a lamp\nwith water, will not succeed in scattering the darkness, and so the man\nwho tries with worn-out body to trim the lamp of wisdom shall not\nsucceed, nor yet destroy his ignorance or folly. Who seeks with rotten\nwood to evoke the fire will waste his labor and get nothing for it; but\nboring hard wood into hard, the man of skill forthwith gets fire for his\nuse. In seeking wisdom then it is not by these austerities a man may\nreach the law of life. But to indulge in pleasure is opposed to right:\nthis is the fool's barrier against wisdom's light. The sensualist cannot\ncomprehend the S\u00fbtras or the S\u00e2stras, how much less the way of\novercoming all desire! As some man grievously afflicted eats food not\nfit to eat, and so in ignorance aggravates his sickness, so can he get\nrid of lust who pampers lust? Scatter the fire amid the desert grass,\ndried by the sun, fanned by the wind--the raging flames who shall\nextinguish? Such is the fire of covetousness and lust. I, then, reject\nboth these extremes: my heart keeps in the middle way. All sorrow at an\nend and finished, I rest at peace, all error put away; my true sight\ngreater than the glory of the sun, my equal and unvarying wisdom,\nvehicle of insight--right words as it were a dwelling-place--wandering\nthrough the pleasant groves of right conduct, making a right life my\nrecreation, walking along the right road of proper means, my city of\nrefuge in right recollection, and my sleeping couch right meditation;\nthese are the eight even and level roads by which to avoid the sorrows\nof birth and death. Those who come forth by these means from the slough,\ndoing thus, have attained the end; such shall fall neither on this side\nor the other, amidst the sorrow-crowd of the two periods. The tangled\nsorrow-web of the three worlds by this road alone can be destroyed; this\nis my own way, unheard of before; by the pure eyes of the true law,\nimpartially seeing the way of escape, I, only I, now first make known\nthis way; thus I destroy the hateful company of Trishn\u00e2's host, the\nsorrows of birth and death, old age, disease, and all the unfruitful\naims of men, and other springs of suffering. There are those who warring\nagainst desire are still influenced by desire; who whilst possessed of\nbody, act as though they had none; who put away from themselves all\nsources of true merit--briefly will I recount their sorrowful lot. Like\nsmothering a raging fire, though carefully put out, yet a spark left, so\nin their abstraction, still the germ of 'I,' the source of great sorrow\nstill surviving, perpetuates the suffering caused by lust, and the evil\nconsequences of every kind of deed survive. These are the sources of\nfurther pain, but let these go and sorrow dies, even as the seed of corn\ntaken from the earth and deprived of water dies; the concurrent causes\nnot uniting, then the bud and leaf cannot be born; the intricate bonds\nof every kind of existence, from the Deva down to the evil ways of\nbirth, ever revolve and never cease; all this is produced from covetous\ndesire; falling from a high estate to lower ones, all is the fault of\nprevious deeds. But destroy the seed of covetousness and the rest, then\nthere will be no intricate binding, but all effect of deeds destroyed,\nthe various degrees of sorrow then will end for good. Having this, then,\nwe must inherit that; destroying this, then that is ended too; no birth,\nold age, disease, or death; no earth, or water, fire, or wind. No\nbeginning, end, or middle; and no deceptive systems of philosophy; this\nis the standpoint of wise men and sages; the certain and exhausted\ntermination, complete Nirv\u00e2na. Such do the eight right ways declare;\nthis one expedient has no remains; that which the world sees not,\nengrossed by error I declare, I know the way to sever all these\nsorrow-sources; the way to end them is by right reason, meditating on\nthese four highest truths, following and perfecting this highest wisdom.\nThis is what means the 'knowing' sorrow; this is to cut off the cause of\nall remains of being; these destroyed, then all striving, too, has\nended, the eight right ways have been assayed.\n\n\"Thus, too, the four great truths have been acquired, the eyes of the\npure law completed. In these four truths, the equal, true or right, eyes\nnot yet born, there is not mention made of gaining true deliverance; it\nis not said what must be done is done, nor that all is finished, nor\nthat the perfect truth has been acquired. But now because the truth is\nknown, then by myself is known 'deliverance gained,' by myself is known\nthat 'all is done,' by myself is known 'the highest wisdom.'\" And having\nspoken thus respecting truth, the member of the Kaundinya family, and\neighty thousand of the Deva host, were thoroughly imbued with saving\nknowledge. They put away defilement from themselves, they got the eyes\nof the pure law; Devas and earthly masters thus were sure, that what was\nto be done was done. And now with lion-voice he joyfully inquired, and\nasked Kaundinya, \"Knowest thou yet?\" Kaundinya forthwith answered\nBuddha, \"I know the mighty master's law.\" And for this reason, knowing\nit, his name was \u00c2gn\u00e2ta Kaundinya. Amongst all the disciples of Buddha,\nhe was the very first in understanding. Then as he understood the sounds\nof the true law, hearing the words of the disciple--all the earth\nspirits together raised a shout triumphant, \"Well done! deeply seeing\nthe principles of the law, Tath\u00e2gata, on this auspicious day, has set\nrevolving that which never yet revolved, and far and wide, for gods and\nmen, has opened the gates of immortality. Of this wheel the spokes are\nthe rules of pure conduct; equal contemplation, their uniformity of\nlength; firm wisdom is the tire; modesty and thoughtfulness, the rubbers\n(sockets in the nave in which the axle is fixed); right reflection is\nthe nave; the wheel itself the law of perfect truth; the right truth now\nhas gone forth in the world, not to retire before another teacher.\"\n\nThus the earth spirits shouted, the spirits of the air took up the\nstrain, the Devas all joined in the hymn of praise, up to the highest\nBrahma heaven. The Devas of the triple world, now hearing what the great\nRishi taught, in intercourse together spoke, \"The widely honored Buddha\nmoves the world! Widespread, for the sake of all that lives, he turns\nthe wheel of the law of complete purity!\" The stormy winds, the clouds,\nthe mists, all disappeared; down from space the heavenly flowers\ndescended. The Devas revelled in their joys celestial, filled with\nunutterable gladness.\n\n\n[Footnote 99: The distance from the place of the interview with the\nministers to the Vulture Peak would be, in a straight line, about 150\nmiles.]\n\n[Footnote 100: The sense of the text and context appears to be this,\nthat as there are those who drink the rain-clouds and yet are parched\nwith thirst, so there are those who constantly practise religious duties\nand yet are still unblest.]\n\n[Footnote 101: The dhy\u00e2nas are the conditions of ecstasy, enjoyed by the\ninhabitants of the Brahmaloka heavens.]\n\n[Footnote 102: The \"fortunate tree,\" the tree \"of good omen,\" the Bodhi\ntree.]\n\n[Footnote 103: The six organs of sense.]\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nBimbis\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga Becomes a Disciple\n\nAnd now those five men, Asvagit V\u00e2shpa, and the others, having heard\nthat he (Kaundinya) \"knew\" the law, with humble mien and self-subdued,\ntheir hands joined, offered their homage, and looked with reverence in\nthe teacher's face. Tath\u00e2gata, by wise expedient, caused them one by one\nto embrace the law. And so from first to last the five Bhikshus obtained\nreason and subdued their senses, like the five stars which shine in\nheaven, waiting upon the brightening moon. At this time in the town of\nKu-i there was a noble's son called Yasas; lost in night-sleep suddenly\nhe woke, and when he saw his attendants all, men and women, with\nill-clad bodies, sleeping, his heart was filled with loathing;\nreflecting on the root of sorrow, he thought how madly foolish men were\nimmersed in it. Clothing himself, and putting on his jewels, he left his\nhome and wandered forth; then on the way he stood and cried aloud,\n\"Alas! alas! what endless chain of sorrows.\" Tath\u00e2gata, by night, was\nwalking forth, and hearing sounds like these, \"Alas! what sorrow,\"\nforthwith replied, \"You are welcome! here, on the other hand, there is a\nplace of rest--the most excellent, refreshing, Nirv\u00e2na, quiet and\nunmoved, free from sorrow.\" Yasas hearing Buddha's exhortation, there\nrose much joy within his heart. And in the place of the disgust he felt,\nthe cooling streams of holy wisdom found their way, as when one enters\nfirst a cold pellucid lake. Advancing then, he came where Buddha\nwas--his person decked with common ornaments, his mind already freed\nfrom all defects; by power of the good root obtained in other births, he\nquickly reached the fruit of an Arhat. The secret light of pure wisdom's\nvirtue enabled him to understand, on listening to the law; just as a\npure silken fabric with ease is dyed a different color. Thus having\nattained to self-illumination, and done that which was to be done, he\nwas converted; then looking at his person richly ornamented, his heart\nwas filled with shame. Tath\u00e2gata knowing his inward thoughts, in g\u00e2thas\nspoke the following words: \"Though ornamented with jewels, the heart may\nyet have conquered sense; looking with equal mind on all that lives, in\nsuch a case the outward form does not affect religion; the body, too,\nmay wear the ascetic's garb, the heart, meanwhile, be immersed in\nworldly thoughts; dwelling in lonely woods, yet covetous of worldly\nshow, such men are after all mere worldlings; the body may have a\nworldly guise, the heart mount high to things celestial. The layman and\nthe hermit are the same, when only both have banished thought of 'self,'\nbut if the heart be twined with carnal bonds, what use the marks of\nbodily attention? He who wears martial decorations, does so because by\nvalor he has triumphed o'er an enemy--so he who wears the hermit's\ncolored robe, does so for having vanquished sorrow as his foe.\" Then he\nbade him come, and be a member of his church; and at the bidding, lo!\nhis garments changed! and he stood wholly attired in hermit's dress,\ncomplete; in heart and outward look, a Sramana. Now Yasas had in former\ndays some light companions, in number fifty and four; when these beheld\ntheir friend a hermit, they, too, one by one, attained true wisdom. By\nvirtue of deeds done in former births, these deeds now bore their\nperfect fruit. Just as when burning ashes are sprinkled by water, the\nwater being dried, the flame bursts forth. So now, with those above, the\ndisciples were altogether sixty, all Arhats; entirely obedient and\ninstructed in the law of perfect discipleship. So perfected he taught\nthem further:--\"Now ye have passed the stream and reached 'the other\nshore,' across the sea of birth and death; what should be done, ye now\nhave done! and ye may now receive the charity of others. Go then through\nevery country, convert those not yet converted; throughout the world\nthat lies burnt up with sorrow, teach everywhere; instruct those lacking\nright instruction. Go, therefore! each one travelling by himself; filled\nwith compassion, go! rescue and receive. I too will go alone, back to\nyonder Kia-ke mountain; where there are great Rishis, royal Rishis,\nBrahman Rishis too, these all dwell there, influencing men according to\ntheir schools. The Rishi K\u00e2syapa, enduring pain, reverenced by all the\ncountry, making converts too of many, him will I visit and convert.\"\nThen the sixty Bhikshus respectfully receiving orders to preach, each\naccording to his fore-determined purpose, following his inclination,\nwent through every land. The honored of the world went on alone, till he\narrived at the Kia-ke mountain, then entering a retired religious dell,\nhe came to where the Rishi K\u00e2syapa was. Now this one had a \"fire grot\"\nwhere he offered sacrifice, where an evil N\u00e2ga dwelt, who wandered here\nand there in search of rest, through mountains and wild places of the\nearth. The honored of the world, wishing to instruct this hermit and\nconvert him, asked him, on coming, for a place to lodge that night.\nK\u00e2syapa, replying, spake to Buddha thus:--\"I have no resting-place to\noffer for the night, only this fire grot where I sacrifice; this is a\ncool and fit place for the purpose, but an evil dragon dwells there, who\nis accustomed, as he can, to poison men.\" Buddha replied, \"Permit me\nonly, and for the night I'll take my dwelling there.\" K\u00e2syapa made many\ndifficulties, but the world-honored one still asked the favor. Then\nK\u00e2syapa addressed Buddha, \"My mind desires no controversy, only I have\nmy fears and apprehensions, but follow you your own good pleasure.\"\nBuddha forthwith stepped within the fiery grot, and took his seat with\ndignity and deep reflection; and now the evil N\u00e2ga seeing Buddha,\nbelched forth in rage his fiery poison, and filled the place with\nburning vapor. But this could not affect the form of Buddha. Throughout\nthe abode the fire consumed itself, the honored of the world still sat\ncomposed: Even as Brahma, in the midst of the kalpa-fire that burns and\nreaches to the Brahma heavens, still sits unmoved, without a thought of\nfear or apprehension, so Buddha sat; the evil N\u00e2ga seeing him, his face\nglowing with peace, and still unchanged, ceased his poisonous blast, his\nheart appeased; he bent his head and worshipped. K\u00e2syapa in the night\nseeing the fire-glow, sighed:--\"Ah! alas! what misery! this most\ndistinguished man is also burnt up by the fiery N\u00e2ga.\" Then K\u00e2syapa and\nhis followers at morning light came one and all to look. Now Buddha\nhaving subdued the evil N\u00e2ga, had straightway placed him in his p\u00e2tra,\nbeholding which, and seeing the power of Buddha, K\u00e2syapa conceived\nwithin him deep and secret thoughts:--\"This Gotama,\" he thought, \"is\ndeeply versed in religion, but still he said, 'I am a master of\nreligion.'\" Then Buddha, as occasion offered, displayed all kinds of\nspiritual changes, influencing K\u00e2syapa's heart-thoughts, changing and\nsubduing them, making his mind pliant and yielding, until at length\nprepared to be a vessel of the true law, he confessed that his poor\nwisdom could not compare with the complete wisdom of the world-honored\none. And so, convinced at last, humbly submitting, he accepted right\ninstruction. Thus U-pi-lo Uravilva K\u00e2syapa, and five hundred of his\nfollowers following their master, virtuously submissive, in turn\nreceived the teaching of the law. K\u00e2syapa and all his followers were\nthus entirely converted. The Rishi then, taking his goods and all his\nsacrificial vessels, threw them together in the river, which floated\ndown upon the surface of the current. Nadi and Gada, brothers, who dwelt\ndown the stream, seeing these articles of clothing and the rest floating\nalong the stream disorderly, said, \"Some great change has happened,\" and\ndeeply pained, were restlessly concerned. The two, each with five\nhundred followers, going up the stream to seek their brother. Seeing him\nnow dressed as a hermit, and all his followers with him, having got\nknowledge of the miraculous law--strange thoughts engaged their\nminds--\"our brother having submitted thus, we too should also follow\nhim.\" Thus the three brothers, with all their band of followers, were\nbrought to hear the lord's discourse on the comparison of a fire\nsacrifice: and in the discourse he taught, \"How the dark smoke of\nignorance arises, whilst confused thoughts, like wood drilled into wood,\ncreate the fire. Lust, anger, delusion, these are as fire produced, and\nthese inflame and burn all living things. Thus the fire of grief and\nsorrow, once enkindled, ceases not to burn, ever giving rise to birth\nand death; but whilst this fire of sorrow ceases not, yet are there two\nkinds of fire, one that burns but has no fuel left. So when the heart of\nman has once conceived distaste for sin, this distaste removing covetous\ndesire, covetous desire extinguished, there is rescue; if once this\nrescue has been found, then with it is born sight and knowledge, by\nwhich distinguishing the streams of birth and death, and practising pure\nconduct, all is done that should be done, and hereafter shall be no more\nlife.\" Thus the thousand Bhikshus hearing the world-honored preach, all\ndefects forever done away, their minds found perfect and complete\ndeliverance. Then Buddha for the K\u00e2syapas' sakes, and for the benefit of\nthe thousand Bhikshus, having preached, and done all that should be\ndone, himself with purity and wisdom and all the concourse of high\nqualities excellently adorned, he gave them, as in charity, rules for\ncleansing sense. The great Rishi, listening to reason, lost all regard\nfor bodily austerities, and, as a man without a guide, was emptied of\nhimself, and learned discipleship. And now the honored one and all his\nfollowers go forward to the royal city (R\u00e2gagriha), remembering, as he\ndid, the Magadha king, and what he heretofore had promised. The honored\none when he arrived, remained within the \"staff grove\"; Bimbis\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga\nhearing thereof, with all his company of courtiers, lords and ladies all\nsurrounding him, came to where the master was. Then at a distance seeing\nBuddha seated, with humbled heart and subdued presence, putting off his\ncommon ornaments, descending from his chariot, forward he stepped; even\nas Sakra, king of gods, going to where Brahmadeva-r\u00e2ga dwells. Bowing\ndown at Buddha's feet, he asked him, with respect, about his health of\nbody; Buddha in his turn, having made inquiries, begged him to be seated\non one side. Then the king's mind reflected silently:--\"This S\u00e2kya must\nhave great controlling power, to subject to his will these K\u00e2syapas who\nnow are round him as disciples.\" Buddha, knowing all thoughts, spoke\nthus to K\u00e2syapa, questioning him:--\"What profit have you found in giving\nup your fire-adoring law?\" K\u00e2syapa hearing Buddha's words, rising with\ndignity before the great assembly, bowed lowly down, and then with\nclasped hands and a loud voice addressing Buddha, said:--\"The profit I\nreceived, adoring the fire spirit, was this--continuance in the wheel of\nlife, birth and death, with all their sorrows growing--this service I\nhave therefore cast away. Diligently I persevered in fire-worship,\nseeking to put an end to the five desires, in return I found desires\nendlessly increasing: therefore have I cast off this service.\nSacrificing thus to fire with many Mantras, I did but miss escape from\nbirth; receiving birth, with it came all its sorrows, therefore I cast\nit off and sought for rest. I was versed, indeed, in self-affliction, my\nmode of worship largely adopted, and counted of all most excellent, and\nyet I was opposed to highest wisdom. Therefore have I discarded it, and\ngone in quest of the supreme Nirv\u00e2na. Removing from me birth, old age,\ndisease, and death, I sought a place of undying rest and calm. And as I\ngained the knowledge of this truth, then I cast off the law of\nworshipping the fire.\"\n\nThe honored-of-the-world, hearing K\u00e2syapa declaring his experience of\ntruth, wishing to move the world throughout to conceive a heart of\npurity and faith, addressing K\u00e2syapa further, said: \"Welcome! great\nmaster, welcome! Rightly have you distinguished law from law, and well\nobtained the highest wisdom; now before this great assembly, pray you!\nexhibit your excellent endowments; as any rich and wealthy noble opens\nfor view his costly treasures, causing the poor and sorrow-laden\nmultitude to increase their forgetfulness awhile; and honor well your\nlord's instruction.\" Forthwith in presence of the assembly, gathering up\nhis body and entering Sam\u00e2dhi, calmly he ascended into space, and there\ndisplayed himself, walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, emitting fiery\nvapor from his body, on his right and left side water and fire, not\nburning and not moistening him. Then clouds and rain proceeded from him,\nthunder with lightning shook the heaven and earth; thus he drew the\nworld to look in adoration, with eyes undazzled as they gazed; with\ndifferent mouths, but all in language one, they magnified and praised\nthis wondrous spectacle, then afterwards drawn by spiritual force, they\ncame and worshipped at the master's feet, exclaiming:--\"Buddha is our\ngreat teacher! we are the honored one's disciples.\" Thus having\nmagnified his work and finished all he purposed doing, drawing the world\nas universal witness, the assembly was convinced that he, the\nworld-honored, was truly the \"Omniscient!\" Buddha, perceiving that the\nwhole assembly was ready as a vessel to receive the law, spoke thus to\nBimbis\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga: \"Listen now and understand: The mind, the thoughts, and\nall the senses are subject to the law of life and death. This fault of\nbirth and death, once understood, then there is clear and plain\nperception. Obtaining this clear perception, then there is born\nknowledge of self; knowing oneself and with this knowledge laws of birth\nand death, then there is no grasping and no sense-perception. Knowing\noneself, and understanding how the senses act, then there is no room for\n'I' (soul) or ground for framing it; then all the accumulated mass of\nsorrow, sorrows born from life and death, being recognized as attributes\nof body, and as this body is not 'I,' nor offers ground for 'I,' then\ncomes the great superlative, the source of peace unending. This thought\nof 'self' gives rise to all these sorrows, binding as with cords the\nworld, but having found there is no 'I' that can be bound, then all\nthese bonds are severed. There are no bonds indeed--they disappear--and\nseeing this there is deliverance. The world holds to this thought of\n'I,' and so, from this, comes false apprehension. Of those who maintain\nthe truth of it, some say the 'I' endures, some say it perishes; taking\nthe two extremes of birth and death, their error is most grievous! For\nif they say the 'I' is perishable, the fruit they strive for, too, will\nperish; and at some time there will be no hereafter: this is indeed a\nmeritless deliverance. But if they say the 'I' is not to perish, then in\nthe midst of all this life and death there is but one identity as space,\nwhich is not born and does not die. If this is what they call the 'I,'\nthen are all things living, one--for all have this unchanging self--not\nperfected by any deeds, but self-perfect. If so, if such a self it is\nthat acts, let there be no self-mortifying conduct, the self is lord and\nmaster; what need to do that which is done? For if this 'I' is lasting\nand imperishable, then reason would teach it never can be changed. But\nnow we see the marks of joy and sorrow, what room for constancy then is\nhere? Knowing that birth brings this deliverance then I put away all\nthought of sin's defilement; the whole world, everything, endures! what\nthen becomes of this idea of rescue? We cannot even talk of putting self\naway, truth is the same as falsehood; it is not 'I' that do a thing, and\nwho, forsooth, is he that talks of 'I'? But if it is not 'I' that do the\nthing, then there is no 'I' that does it, and in the absence of these\nboth, there is no 'I' at all, in very truth. No doer and no knower, no\nlord, yet notwithstanding this, there ever lasts this birth and death,\nlike morn and night ever recurring. But now attend to me and listen: The\nsenses six and their six objects united cause the six kinds of\nknowledge, these three united bring forth contact, then the intervolved\neffects of recollection follow. Then like the burning glass and tinder\nthrough the sun's power cause fire to appear, so through the knowledge\nborn of sense and object, the lord of knowledge (self) is born. The\nshoot springs from the seed, the seed is not the shoot, not one and yet\nnot different: such is the birth of all that lives.\" The honored of the\nworld preaching the truth, the equal and impartial param\u00e2rtha, thus\naddressed the king with all his followers. Then King Bimbis\u00e2ra filled\nwith joy, removing from himself defilement, gained religious sight, a\nhundred thousand spirits also, hearing the words of the immortal law,\nshook off and lost the stain of sin.\n\nThe Great Disciple Becomes a Hermit\n\nAt this time Bimbis\u00e2ra R\u00e2ga, bowing his head, requested the honored of\nthe world to change his place of abode for the bamboo grove; graciously\naccepting it, Buddha remained silent. Then the king, having perceived\nthe truth, offered his adoration and returned to his palace. The\nworld-honored, with the great congregation, proceeded on foot, to rest\nfor awhile in the bamboo garden. There he dwelt to convert all that\nbreathed, to kindle once for all the lamp of wisdom, to establish Brahma\nand the Devas, and to confirm the lives of saints and sages. At this\ntime Asvagit and V\u00e2shpa, with heart composed and every sense subdued,\nthe time having come for begging food, entered into the town of\nR\u00e2gagriha. Unrivalled in the world were they for grace of person, and in\ndignity of carriage excelling all. The lords and ladies of the city\nseeing them, were filled with joy; those who were walking stood still,\nthose before waited, those behind hastened on. Now the Rishi Kapila\namongst all his numerous disciples had one of wide-spread fame, whose\nname was S\u00e2riputra; he, beholding the wonderful grace of the Bhikshus,\ntheir composed mien and subdued senses, their dignified walk and\ncarriage, raising his hands, inquiring, said: \"Young in years, but pure\nand graceful in appearance, such as I before have never seen. What law\nmost excellent have you obeyed? and who your master that has taught you?\nand what the doctrine you have learned? Tell me, I pray you, and relieve\nmy doubts.\" Then of the Bhikshus, one, rejoicing at his question, with\npleasing air and gracious words, replied: \"The omniscient, born of the\nIkshv\u00e2ku family, the very first 'midst gods and men, this one is my\ngreat master. I am indeed but young, the sun of wisdom has but just\narisen, how can I then explain the master's doctrine? Its meaning is\ndeep and very hard to understand, but now, according to my poor wisdom,\nI will recount in brief the master's doctrine:--'Whatever things exist\nall spring from cause, the principles of birth and death may be\ndestroyed, the way is by the means he has declared.'\" Then the\ntwice-born Upata, embracing heartily what he had heard, put from him all\nsense-pollution, and obtained the pure eyes of the law. The former\nexplanations he had trusted, respecting cause and what was not the cause\nthat there was nothing that was made, but was made by Isvara; all this,\nnow that he had heard the rule of true causation, understanding the\nwisdom of the no-self, adding thereto the knowledge of the minute dust\ntroubles, which can never be overcome in their completeness but by the\nteaching of Tath\u00e2gata, all this he now forever put away; leaving no room\nfor thought of self, the thought of self will disappear. Who, when the\nbrightness of the sun gives light, would call for the dimness of the\nlamp? for, like the severing the lotus, the stem once cut, the pods will\nalso die. \"So Buddha's teaching cutting off the stem of sorrow, no seeds\nare left to grow or lead to further increase.\" Then bowing at the\nBhikshu's feet, with grateful mien, he wended homewards. The Bhikshus\nafter having begged their food, likewise went back to the bamboo grove.\nS\u00e2riputra on his arrival home rested with joyful face and full of peace.\nHis friend, the honored Mugalin, equally renowned for learning, seeing\nS\u00e2riputra in the distance, his pleasing air and lightsome step, spoke\nthus:--\"As I now see thee, there is an unusual look I notice; your\nformer nature seems quite changed, the signs of happiness I now observe,\nall indicate the possession of eternal truth: these marks are not\nuncaused.\" Answering he said: \"The words of the Tath\u00e2gata are such as\nnever yet were spoken,\" and then, requested, he declared what he had\nheard. Hearing the words and understanding them, he too put off the\nworld's defilement, and gained the eyes of true religion, the reward of\na long-planted virtuous cause; and, as one sees by a lamp that comes to\nhand, so he obtained an unmoved faith in Buddha; and now they both set\nout for Buddha's presence, with a large crowd of followers. Buddha\nseeing the two worthies coming, thus spoke to his disciples:--\"These two\nmen who come shall be my two most eminent followers, one unsurpassed for\nwisdom, the other for powers miraculous.\" And then with Brahma's voice,\nprofound and sweet, he forthwith bade them \"Welcome!\" Here is the pure\nand peaceful law, he said; here the end of all discipleship! Their hands\ngrasping the triple-staff, their twisted hair holding the water-vessel,\nhearing the words of Buddha's welcome, they forthwith changed into\ncomplete Sramanas; the leaders two and all their followers, assuming the\ncomplete appearance of Bhikshus, with prostrate forms fell down at\nBuddha's feet, then rising, sat beside him, and with obedient heart\nlistening to the word, they all became Arhats. At this time there was a\ntwice-born sage, K\u00e2syapa Shi-ming-teng, celebrated and perfect in\nperson, rich in possessions, and his wife most virtuous. But all this he\nhad left and become a hermit, seeking the way of salvation. And now in\nthe way by the To-tseu tower he suddenly encountered S\u00e2kya Muni,\nremarkable for his dignified and illustrious appearance, as the\nembroidered flag of a temple. Respectfully and reverently approaching,\nwith head bowed down, he worshipped his feet, whilst he said: \"Truly,\nhonored one, you are my teacher, and I am your follower: much and long\ntime have I been harassed with doubts, oh! would that you would light\nthe lamp of knowledge.\" Buddha knowing that this twice-born sage was\nheartily desirous of finding the best mode of escape, with soft and\npliant voice, he bade him come and welcome. Hearing his bidding and his\nheart complying, losing all listlessness of body or spirit, his soul\nembraced the terms of this most excellent salvation. Quiet and calm,\nputting away defilement, the great merciful, as he alone knew how,\nbriefly explained the mode of this deliverance, exhibiting the secrets\nof his law, ending with the four indestructible acquirements. The great\nsage, everywhere celebrated, was called Mah\u00e2 K\u00e2syapa. His original faith\nwas that \"body and soul are different,\" but he had also held that they\nare the same; that there was both \"I\" and a place for \"I\"; but now he\nforever cast away his former faith, and considered only that \"sorrow\" is\never accumulating; so by removing sorrow there will be \"no remains\";\nobedience to the precepts and the practice of discipline, though not\nthemselves the cause, yet he considered these the necessary mode by\nwhich to find deliverance. With equal and impartial mind, he considered\nthe nature of sorrow, for evermore freed from a cleaving heart. Whether\nwe think \"this is\" or \"this is not\" he thought, both tend to produce a\nlistless, idle mode of life. But when with equal mind we see the truth,\nthen certainty is produced and no more doubt. If we rely for support on\nwealth or form, then wild confusion and concupiscence result: inconstant\nand impure. But lust and covetous desire removed, the heart of love and\nequal thoughts produced, there can be then no enemies or friends, but\nthe heart is pitiful and kindly disposed to all, and thus is destroyed\nthe power of anger and of hate. Trusting to outward things and their\nrelationships, then crowding thoughts of every kind are gendered.\nReflecting well, and crushing out confusing thought, then lust for\npleasure is destroyed. Though born in the Ar\u00fbpa world he saw that there\nwould be a remnant of life still left; unacquainted with the four right\ntruths, he had felt an eager longing for this deliverance, for the quiet\nresulting from the absence of all thought. And now putting away forever\ncovetous desire for such a formless state of being, his restless heart\nwas agitated still, as the stream is excited by the rude wind. Then\nentering on deep reflection in quiet he subdued his troubled mind, and\nrealized the truth of there being no \"self,\" and that therefore birth\nand death are no realities; but beyond this point he rose not: his\nthought of \"self\" destroyed, all else was lost. But now the lamp of\nwisdom lit, the gloom of every doubt dispersed, he saw an end to that\nwhich seemed without an end; ignorance finally dispelled, he considered\nthe ten points of excellence; the ten seeds of sorrow destroyed, he came\nonce more to life, and what he ought to do, he did. And now regarding\nwith reverence the face of his lord, he put away the three and gained\nthe three; so were there three disciples in addition to the three; and\nas the three stars range around the Trayastrimsas heaven, waiting upon\nthe three and five, so the three wait on Buddha.\n\nConversion of the \"Supporter of the Orphans and Destitute\"\n\nAt this time there was a great householder whose name was \"Friend of the\nOrphaned and Destitute\"; he was very rich and widely charitable in\nhelping the poor and needy. Now this man, coming far away from the\nnorth, even from the country of Kosala, stopped at the house of a friend\nwhose name was Sheu-lo. Hearing that Buddha was in the world and\ndwelling in the bamboo grove near at hand, understanding moreover his\nrenown and illustrious qualities, he set out that very night for the\ngrove. Tath\u00e2gata, well aware of his character, and that he was prepared\nto bring forth purity and faith, according to the case, called him by\nhis true name, and for his sake addressed him in words of\nreligion:--\"Having rejoiced in the true law, and being humbly desirous\nfor a pure and believing heart, thou hast overcome desire for sleep, and\nart here to pay me reverence. Now then will I for your sake discharge\nfully the duties of a first meeting. In your former births the root of\nvirtue planted firm in pure and rare expectancy, hearing now the name of\nBuddha, you rejoiced because you are a vessel fit for righteousness,\nhumble in mind, but large in gracious deeds, abundant in your charity to\nthe poor and helpless. The name you possess widespread and famous, the\njust reward of former merit, the deeds you now perform are done of\ncharity: done with the fullest purpose and of single heart. Now,\ntherefore, take from me the charity of perfect rest, and for this end\naccept my rules of purity. My rules are full of grace, able to rescue\nfrom destruction, and cause a man to ascend to heaven and share in all\nits pleasures. But yet to seek for these is a great evil, for lustful\nlonging in its increase brings much sorrow. Practise then the art of\n'giving up' all search, for 'giving up' desire is the joy of perfect\nrest. Know then! that age, disease, and death, these are the great\nsorrows of the world. Rightly considering the world, we put away birth\nand old age, disease and death; but now because we see that men at large\ninherit sorrow caused by age, disease, and death, we gather that when\nborn in heaven, the case is also thus; for there is no continuance there\nfor any, and where there is no continuance there is sorrow, and having\nsorrow there is no 'true self.' And if the state of 'no continuance' and\nof sorrow is opposed to 'self,' what room is there for such idea or\nground for self? Know then! that 'sorrow' is this very sorrow and its\nrepetition is 'accumulation'; destroy this sorrow and there is joy, the\nway is in the calm and quiet place. The restless busy nature of the\nworld, this I declare is at the root of pain. Stop then the end by\nchoking up the source. Desire not either life or its opposite; the\nraging fire of birth, old age, and death burns up the world on every\nside. Seeing the constant toil of birth and death we ought to strive to\nattain a passive state: the final goal of Sammata, the place of\nimmortality and rest. All is empty! neither 'self,' nor place for\n'self,' but all the world is like a phantasy; this is the way to regard\nourselves, as but a heap of composite qualities.\"\n\nThe nobleman, hearing the spoken law, forthwith attained the first\ndegree of holiness: he emptied as it were, the sea of birth and death,\none drop alone remaining. By practising, apart from men, the banishment\nof all desire, he soon attained the one impersonal condition, not as\ncommon folk do now-a-day who speculate upon the mode of true\ndeliverance; for he who does not banish sorrow-causing samsk\u00e2ras does\nbut involve himself in every kind of question; and though he reaches to\nthe highest form of being, yet grasps not the one and only truth.\nErroneous thoughts as to the joy of heaven are still entwined by the\nfast cords of lust. The nobleman attending to the spoken law the cloud\nof darkness opened before the shining splendor. Thus he attained true\nsight, erroneous views forever dissipated; even as the furious winds of\nautumn sway to and fro and scatter all the heaped-up clouds. He argued\nnot that Isvara was cause, nor did he advocate some cause heretical, nor\nyet again did he affirm there was no cause for the beginning of the\nworld. \"If the world was made by Isvara deva, there should be neither\nyoung nor old, first nor after, nor the five ways of birth; and when\nonce born there should be no destruction. Nor should there be such thing\nas sorrow or calamity, nor doing wrong nor doing right; for all, both\npure and impure deeds, these must come from Isvara deva. Again, if\nIsvara deva made the world there should be never doubt about the fact,\neven as a son born of his father ever confesses him and pays him\nreverence. Men when pressed by sore calamity ought not to rebel against\nhim, but rather reverence him completely, as the self-existent. Nor\nought they to adore more gods than one. Again, if Isvara be the maker he\nshould not be called the self-existent, because in that he is the maker\nnow he always should have been the maker; but if ever making, then ever\nself-remembering, and therefore not the self-existent one--and if he\nmade without a purpose then is he like the sucking child; but if he made\nhaving an ever prompting purpose, then is he not, with such a purpose,\nself-existent? Sorrow and joy spring up in all that lives, these at\nleast are not the works of Isvara; for if he causes grief and joy, he\nmust himself have love and hate; but if he loves unduly, or has hatred,\nhe cannot properly be named the self-existent. Again, if Isvara be the\nmaker, all living things should silently submit, patient beneath the\nmaker's power, and then what use to practise virtue? Twere equal, then,\nthe doing right or wrong: there should be no reward of works; the works\nthemselves being his making, then all things are the same with him, the\nmaker, but if all things are one with him, then our deeds, and we who do\nthem, are also self-existent. But if Isvara be uncreated, then all\nthings, being one with him, are uncreated. But if you say there is\nanother cause beside him as creator, then Isvara is not the 'end of\nall'; Isvara, who ought to be inexhaustible, is not so, and therefore\nall that lives may after all be uncreated--without a maker. Thus, you\nsee, the thought of Isvara is overthrown in this discussion; and all\nsuch contradictory assertions should be exposed; if not, the blame is\nours. Again, if it be said self-nature is the maker, this is as faulty\nas the first assertion; nor has either of the Hetuvidy\u00e2 s\u00e2stras asserted\nsuch a thing as this, till now. That which depends on nothing cannot as\na cause make that which is; but all things round us come from a cause,\nas the plant comes from the seed; we cannot therefore say that all\nthings are produced by self-nature. Again, all things which exist spring\nnot from one nature as a cause; and yet you say self-nature is but one:\nit cannot then be cause of all. If you say that that self-nature\npervades and fills all places, if it pervades and fills all things, then\ncertainly it cannot make them too; for there would be nothing, then, to\nmake, and therefore this cannot be the cause. If, again, it fills all\nplaces and yet makes all things that exist, then it should throughout\n'all time' have made forever that which is. But if you say it made\nthings thus, then there is nothing to be made 'in time'; know then, for\ncertain, self-nature cannot be the cause of all. Again, they say that\nthat self-nature excludes all modifications, therefore all things made\nby it ought likewise to be free from modifications. But we see, in fact,\nthat all things in the world are fettered throughout by modifications;\ntherefore, again, we say that self-nature cannot be the cause of all.\nIf, again, you say that that self-nature is different from such\nqualities, we answer, since self-nature must have ever caused, it cannot\ndiffer in its nature from itself; but if the world be different from\nthese qualities, then self-nature cannot be the cause. Again, if\nself-nature be unchangeable, so things should also be without decay; if\nwe regard self-nature as the cause, then cause and consequence of reason\nshould be one; but because we see decay in all things, we know that they\nat least are caused. Again, if self-nature be the cause, why should we\nseek to find 'escape'? for we ourselves possess this nature; patient\nthen should we endure both birth and death. For let us take the case\nthat one may find 'escape,' self-nature still will reconstruct the evil\nof birth. If self-nature in itself be blind, yet 'tis the maker of the\nworld that sees. On this account, again, it cannot be the maker,\nbecause, in this case, cause and effect would differ in their character,\nbut in all the world around us, cause and effect go hand in hand. Again,\nif self-nature have no aim, it cannot cause that which has such purpose.\nWe know on seeing smoke there must be fire, and cause and result are\never classed together thus. We are forbidden, then, to say an unthinking\ncause can make a thing that has intelligence. The gold of which the cup\nis made is gold throughout from first to last, self-nature, then, that\nmakes these things, from first to last must permeate all it makes. Once\nmore, if 'time' is maker of the world, 'twere needless then to seek\n'escape,' for 'time' is constant and unchangeable: let us in patience\nbear the 'intervals' of time. The world in its successions has no\nlimits, the 'intervals' of time are boundless also. Those then who\npractise a religious life need not rely on 'methods' or 'expedients.'\nThe To-lo-piu Kiu-na, the one strange S\u00e2stra in the world, although it\nhas so many theories, yet still, be it known, it is opposed to any\nsingle cause. But if, again, you say that 'self' is maker, then surely\nself should make things pleasingly; but now things are not pleasing for\noneself, how then is it said that self is maker? But if he did not wish\nto make things so, then he who wishes for things pleasing, is opposed to\nself, the maker. Sorrow and joy are not self-existing, how can these be\nmade by self? But if we allow that self was maker, there should not be,\nat least, an evil karman; but yet our deeds produce results both good\nand evil; know then that 'self' cannot be maker. But perhaps you say\n'self' is the maker according to occasion, and then the occasion ought\nto be for good alone. But as good and evil both result from 'cause,' it\ncannot be that 'self' has made it so. But if you adopt the\nargument--there is no maker--then it is useless practising expedients;\nall things are fixed and certain of themselves: what good to try to make\nthem otherwise? Deeds of every kind, done in the world, do,\nnotwithstanding, bring forth every kind of fruit; therefore we argue all\nthings that exist are not without some cause or other. There is both\n'mind' and 'want of mind'--all things come from fixed causation; the\nworld and all therein is not the result of 'nothing' as a cause.\" The\nnobleman, his heart receiving light, perceived throughout the most\nexcellent system of truth. Simple, and of wisdom born; thus firmly\nsettled in the true doctrine he lowly bent in worship at the feet of\nBuddha and with closed hands made his request:--\n\n\"I dwell indeed at Sr\u00e2vasti, a land rich in produce, and enjoying peace;\nPrasenagit is the great king thereof, the offspring of the 'lion'\nfamily; his high renown and fame spread everywhere, reverenced by all\nboth far and near. Now am I wishful there to found a Vih\u00e2ra, I pray you\nof your tenderness accept it from me. I know the heart of Buddha has no\npreferences, nor does he seek a resting-place from labor, but on behalf\nof all that lives refuse not my request.\"\n\nBuddha, knowing the householder's heart, that his great charity was now\nthe moving cause--untainted and unselfish charity, nobly considerate of\nthe heart of all that lives--he said:\n\n\"Now you have seen the true doctrine, your guileless heart loves to\nexercise its charity: for wealth and money are inconstant treasures,\n'twere better quickly to bestow such things on others. For when a\ntreasury has been burnt, whatever precious things may have escaped the\nfire, the wise man, knowing their inconstancy, gives freely, doing acts\nof kindness with his saved possessions. But the niggard guards them\ncarefully, fearing to lose them, worn by anxiety, but never fearing\n'inconstancy,' and that accumulated sorrow, when he loses all! There is\na proper time and a proper mode in charity; just as the vigorous warrior\ngoes to battle, so is the man 'able to give'--he also is an able\nwarrior; a champion strong and wise in action. The charitable man is\nloved by all, well-known and far-renowned! his friendship prized by the\ngentle and the good, in death his heart at rest and full of joy! He\nsuffers no repentance, no tormenting fear, nor is he born a wretched\nghost or demon! this is the opening flower of his reward, the fruit that\nfollows--hard to conjecture! In all the six conditions born there is no\nsweet companion like pure charity; if born a Deva or a man, then charity\nbrings worship and renown on every hand; if born among the lower\ncreatures, the result of charity will follow in contentment got; wisdom\nleads the way to fixed composure without dependence and without number,\nand if we even reach the immortal path, still by continuous acts of\ncharity we fulfil ourselves in consequence of kindly charity done\nelsewhere. Training ourselves in the eightfold path of recollection, in\nevery thought the heart is filled with joy; firm fixed in holy\ncontemplation, by meditation still we add to wisdom, able to see aright\nthe cause of birth and death; having beheld aright the cause of these,\nthen follows in due order perfect deliverance. The charitable man\ndiscarding earthly wealth, nobly excludes the power of covetous desire;\nloving and compassionate now, he gives with reverence and banishes all\nhatred, envy, anger. So plainly may we see the fruit of charity, putting\naway all covetous and unbelieving ways, the bands of sorrow all\ndestroyed: this is the fruit of kindly charity. Know then! the\ncharitable man has found the cause of final rescue; even as the man who\nplants the sapling thereby secures the shade, the flowers, the fruit of\nthe tree full grown; the result of charity is even so, its reward is joy\nand the great Nirv\u00e2na. The charity which un-stores wealth leads to\nreturns of well-stored fruit. Giving away our food we get more strength,\ngiving away our clothes we get more beauty, founding religious\nrest-places we reap the perfect fruit of the best charity. There is a\nway of giving, seeking pleasure by it; there is a way of giving,\ncoveting to get more; some also give away to get a name for charity,\nothers to get the happiness of heaven, others to avoid the pain of being\npoor hereafter, but yours, O friend! is a charity without such thoughts:\nthe highest and the best degree of charity, without self-interest or\nthought of getting more. What your heart inclines you now to do, let it\nbe quickly done and well completed! The uncertain and the lustful heart\ngoes wandering here and there, but the pure eyes of virtue opening, the\nheart comes back and rests!\" The nobleman accepting Buddha's teaching,\nhis kindly heart receiving yet more light.\n\nHe invited Upatishya, his excellent friend, to accompany him on his\nreturn to Kosala; and then going round to select a pleasant site, he saw\nthe garden of the heir-apparent, Geta, the groves and limpid streams\nmost pure. Proceeding where the prince was dwelling, he asked for leave\nto buy the ground; the prince, because he valued it so much, at first\nwas not inclined to sell, but said at last:--\"If you can cover it with\ngold then, but not else, you may possess it.\"\n\nThe nobleman, his heart rejoicing, forthwith began to spread his gold.\nThen Geta said: \"I will not give, why then spread you your gold?\" The\nnobleman replied, \"Not give; why then said you, 'Fill it with yellow\ngold'?\" And thus they differed and contended both, till they resorted to\nthe magistrate.\n\nMeanwhile the people whispered much about his unwonted charity, and Geta\ntoo, knowing the man's sincerity, asked more about the matter: what his\nreasons were. On his reply, \"I wish to found a Vih\u00e2ra, and offer it to\nthe Tath\u00e2gata and all his Bhikshu followers,\" the prince, hearing the\nname of Buddha, received at once illumination, and only took one-half\nthe gold, desiring to share in the foundation: \"Yours is the land,\" he\nsaid, \"but mine the trees; these will I give to Buddha as my share in\nthe offering.\" Then the noble took the land, Geta the trees, and settled\nboth in trust on S\u00e2riputra. Then they began to build the hall, laboring\nnight and day to finish it. Lofty it rose and choicely decorated, as one\nof the four kings' palaces, in just proportions, following the\ndirections which Buddha had declared the right ones. Never yet so great\na miracle as this! the priests shone in the streets of Sr\u00e2vasti!\nTath\u00e2gata, seeing the divine shelter, with all his holy ones resorted to\nthe place to rest. No followers there to bow in prostrate service, his\nfollowers rich in wisdom only. The nobleman reaping his reward, at the\nend of life ascended up to heaven, leaving to sons and grandsons a good\nfoundation, through successive generations, to plough the field of\nmerit.\n\nInterview between Father and Son\n\nBuddha in the Magadha country employing himself in converting all kinds\nof unbelievers, entirely changed them by the one and self-same law he\npreached, even as the sun drowns with its brightness all the stars. Then\nleaving the city of the five mountains with the company of his thousand\ndisciples, and with a great multitude who went before and came after\nhim, he advanced towards the Ni-kin mountain, near Kapilavastu; and\nthere he conceived in himself a generous purpose to prepare an offering\naccording to his religious doctrine to present to his father, the king.\nAnd now, in anticipation of his coming, the royal teacher and the chief\nminister had sent forth certain officers and their attendants to observe\non the right hand and the left what was taking place; and they soon\nespied him (Buddha) as he advanced or halted on the way. Knowing that\nBuddha was now returning to his country they hastened back and quickly\nannounced the tidings, \"The prince who wandered forth afar to obtain\nenlightenment, having fulfilled his aim, is now coming back.\" The king\nhearing the news was greatly rejoiced, and forthwith went out with his\ngaudy equipage to meet his son; and the whole body of gentry belonging\nto the country, went forth with him in his company. Gradually advancing\nhe beheld Buddha from afar, his marks of beauty sparkling with splendor\ntwofold greater than of yore; placed in the middle of the great\ncongregation he seemed to be even as Brahma r\u00e2ga. Descending from his\nchariot and advancing with dignity, the king was anxious lest there\nshould be any religious difficulty in the way of instant recognition;\nand now beholding his beauty he inwardly rejoiced, but his mouth found\nno words to utter. He reflected, too, how that he was still dwelling\namong the unconverted throng, whilst his son had advanced and become a\nsaint; and although he was his son, yet as he now occupied the position\nof a religious lord, he knew not by what name to address him.\nFurthermore he thought with himself how he had long ago desired\nearnestly this interview, which now had happened unawares. Meantime his\nson in silence took a seat, perfectly composed and with unchanged\ncountenance. Thus for some time sitting opposite each other, with no\nexpression of feeling the king reflected thus, \"How desolate and sad\ndoes he now make my heart, as that of a man, who, fainting, longs for\nwater, upon the road espies a fountain pure and cold; with haste he\nspeeds towards it and longs to drink, when suddenly the spring dries up\nand disappears. Thus, now I see my son, his well-known features as of\nold; but how estranged his heart! and how his manner high and lifted up!\nThere are no grateful outflowings of soul, his feelings seem unwilling\nto express themselves; cold and vacant there he sits; and like a thirsty\nman before a dried-up fountain so am I.\"\n\nStill distant thus they sat, with crowding thoughts rushing through the\nmind, their eyes full met, but no responding joy; each looking at the\nother, seemed as one thinking of a distant friend who gazes by accident\nupon his pictured form. \"That you,\" the king reflected, \"who of right\nmight rule the world, even as that M\u00e2ndh\u00e2tri r\u00e2ga, should now go begging\nhere and there your food! what joy or charm has such a life as this?\nComposed and firm as Sumeru, with marks of beauty bright as the\nsunlight, with dignity of step like the ox king, fearless as any lion,\nand yet receiving not the tribute of the world, but begging food\nsufficient for your body's nourishment!\"\n\nBuddha, knowing his father's mind, still kept to his own filial purpose.\nAnd then to open out his mind, and moved with pity for the multitude of\npeople, by his miraculous power he rose in mid-air and with his hands\nappeared to grasp the sun and moon. Then he walked to and fro in space,\nand underwent all kinds of transformation, dividing his body into many\nparts, then joining all in one again. Treading firm on water as on dry\nland, entering the earth as in the water, passing through walls of stone\nwithout impediment, from the right side and the left water and fire\nproduced! The king, his father, filled with joy, now dismissed all\nthought of son and father; then upon a lotus throne, seated in space, he\n(Buddha) for his father's sake declared the law:--\n\n\"I know that the king's heart is full of love and recollection, and that\nfor his son's sake he adds grief to grief; but now let the bands of love\nthat bind him, thinking of his son, be instantly unloosed and utterly\ndestroyed. Ceasing from thoughts of love, let your calmed mind receive\nfrom me, your son, religious nourishment such as no son has offered yet\nto father: such do I present to you the king, my father. And what no\nfather yet has from a son received, now from your son you may accept, a\ngift miraculous for any mortal king to enjoy, and seldom had by any\nheavenly king! The way superlative of life immortal I offer now the\nMah\u00e2r\u00e2ga; from accumulated deeds comes birth, and as the result of deeds\ncomes recompense. Knowing then that deeds bring fruit, how diligent\nshould you be to rid yourself of worldly deeds! how careful that in the\nworld your deeds should be only good and gentle! Fondly affected by\nrelationship or firmly bound by mutual ties of love, at end of life the\nsoul goes forth alone--then, only our good deeds befriend us. Whirled in\nthe five ways of the wheel of life, three kinds of deeds produce three\nkinds of birth, and these are caused by lustful hankering, each kind\ndifferent in its character. Deprive these of their power by the practice\nnow of proper deeds of body and of word; by such right preparation, day\nand night strive to get rid of all confusion of the mind and practise\nsilent contemplation; only this brings profit in the end, besides this\nthere is no reality; for be sure! the three worlds are but as the froth\nand bubble of the sea. Would you have pleasure, or would you practise\nthat which brings it near? then prepare yourself by deeds that bring the\nfourth birth: but still the five ways in the wheel of birth and death\nare like the uncertain wandering of the stars; for heavenly beings too\nmust suffer change: how shall we find with men a hope of constancy;\nNirv\u00e2na! that is the chief rest; composure! that the best of all\nenjoyments! The five indulgences enjoyed by mortal kings are fraught\nwith danger and distress, like dwelling with a poisonous snake; what\npleasure, for a moment, can there be in such a case? The wise man sees\nthe world as compassed round with burning flames; he fears always, nor\ncan he rest till he has banished, once for all, birth, age, and death.\nInfinitely quiet is the place where the wise man finds his abode; no\nneed of arms or weapons there! no elephants or horses, chariots or\nsoldiers there! Subdued the power of covetous desire and angry thoughts\nand ignorance, there's nothing left in the wide world to conquer!\nKnowing what sorrow is, he cuts away the cause of sorrow. This\ndestroyed, by practising right means, rightly enlightened in the four\ntrue principles, he casts off fear and escapes the evil ways of birth.\"\n\nThe king when first he saw his wondrous spiritual power of miracle\nrejoiced in heart; but now his feelings deeply affected by the joy of\nhearing truth, he became a perfect vessel for receiving true religion,\nand with clasped hands he breathed forth his praise: \"Wonderful indeed!\nthe fruit of your resolve completed thus! Wonderful indeed! the\noverwhelming sorrow passed away! Wonderful indeed, this gain to me! At\nfirst my sorrowing heart was heavy, but now my sorrow has brought forth\nonly profit! Wonderful indeed! for now, to-day, I reap the full fruit of\na begotten son. It was right he should reject the choice pleasures of a\nmonarch, it was right he should so earnestly and with diligence practise\npenance; it was right he should cast off his family and kin; it was\nright he should cut off every feeling of love and affection. The old\nRishi kings boasting of their penance gained no merit; but you, living\nin a peaceful, quiet place, have done all and completed all; yourself at\nrest now you give rest to others, moved by your mighty sympathy for all\nthat lives! If you had kept your first estate with men, and as a\nKakravartin monarch ruled the world, possessing then no self-depending\npower of miracle, how could my soul have then received deliverance? Then\nthere would have been no excellent law declared, causing me such joy\nto-day; no! had you been a universal sovereign, the bonds of birth and\ndeath would still have been unsevered, but now you have escaped from\nbirth and death; the great pain of transmigration overcome, you are\nable, for the sake of every creature, widely to preach the law of life\nimmortal, and to exhibit thus your power miraculous, and show the deep\nand wide power of wisdom; the grief of birth and death eternally\ndestroyed, you now have risen far above both gods and men. You might\nhave kept the holy state of a Kakravartin monarch; but no such good as\nthis would have resulted.\" Thus his words of praise concluded, filled\nwith increased reverence and religious love, he who occupied the honored\nplace of a royal father, bowed down respectfully and did obeisance. Then\nall the people of the kingdom, beholding Buddha's miraculous power, and\nhaving heard the deep and excellent law, seeing, moreover, the king's\ngrave reverence, with clasped hands bowed down and worshipped. Possessed\nwith deep portentous thoughts, satiated with sorrows attached to\nlay-life, they all conceived a wish to leave their homes. The princes,\ntoo, of the S\u00e2kya tribe, their minds enlightened to perceive the perfect\nfruit of righteousness, entirely satiated with the glittering joys of\nthe world, forsaking home, rejoiced to join his company. \u00c2nanda, Nanda,\nKin-pi, Anuruddha, Nandupananda, with Kundadana, all these principal\nnobles and others of the S\u00e2kya family, from the teaching of Buddha\nbecame disciples and accepted the law. The sons of the great minister of\nstate, Ud\u00e2yin being the chief, with all the royal princes following in\norder became recluses. Moreover, the son of Atal\u00ee, whose name was Up\u00e2li,\nseeing all these princes and the sons of the chief minister becoming\nhermits, his mind opening for conversion, he, too, received the law of\nrenunciation. The royal father seeing his son possessing the great\nqualities of Riddhi, himself entered on the calm flowings of thought,\nthe gate of the true law of eternal life. Leaving his kingly estate and\ncountry, lost in meditation, he drank sweet dew. Practising his\nreligious duties in solitude, silent and contemplative he dwelt in his\npalace, a royal Rishi. Tath\u00e2gata following a peaceable life, recognized\nfully by his tribe, repeating the joyful news of religion, gladdened the\nhearts of all his kinsmen hearing him. And now, it being the right time\nfor begging food, he entered the Kapila country; in the city all the\nlords and ladies, in admiration, raised this chant of praise:\n\"Siddh\u00e2rtha! fully enlightened! has come back again!\" The news flying\nquickly in and out of doors, the great and small came forth to see him;\nevery door and every window crowded, climbing on shoulders, bending down\nthe eyes, they gazed upon the marks of beauty on his person, shining and\nglorious! Wearing his Kash\u00e2ya garment outside, the glory of his person\nfrom within shone forth, like the sun's perfect wheel; within, without,\nhe seemed one mass of splendor. Those who beheld were filled with\nsympathizing joy; their hands conjoined, they wept for gladness; and so\nthey watched him as he paced with dignity the road, his form collected,\nall his organs well-controlled! His lovely body exhibiting the\nperfection of religious beauty, his dignified compassion adding to their\nregretful joy; his shaven head, his personal beauty sacrificed! his body\nclad in dark and sombre vestment, his manner natural and plain, his\nunadorned appearance; his circumspection as he looked upon the earth in\nwalking! \"He who ought to have had held over him the feather-shade,\"\nthey said, \"whose hands should grasp 'the reins of the flying dragon,'\nsee how he walks in daylight on the dusty road! holding his alms-dish,\ngoing to beg! Gifted enough to tread down every enemy, lovely enough to\ngladden woman's heart, with glittering vesture and with godlike crown\nreverenced he might have been by servile crowds! But now, his manly\nbeauty hidden, with heart restrained, and outward form subdued,\nrejecting the much-coveted and glorious apparel, his shining body clad\nwith garments gray, what aim, what object, now! Hating the five delights\nthat move the world, forsaking virtuous wife and tender child, loving\nthe solitude, he wanders friendless; hard, indeed, for virtuous wife\nthrough the long night, cherishing her grief; and now to hear he is a\nhermit! She inquires not now of the royal Suddhodana if he has seen his\nson or not! But as she views his beauteous person, to think his altered\nform is now a hermit's! hating his home, still full of love; his father,\ntoo, what rest for him! And then his loving child R\u00e2hula, weeping with\nconstant sorrowful desire! And now to see no change, or heart-relenting;\nand this the end of such enlightenment! All these attractive marks, the\nproofs of a religious calling, whereas, when born, all said, these are\nmarks of a 'great man,' who ought to receive tribute from the four seas!\nAnd now to see what he has come to! all these predictive words vain and\nillusive.\"\n\nThus they talked together, the gossiping multitude, with confused\naccents. Tath\u00e2gata, his heart unaffected, felt no joy and no regret. But\nhe was moved by equal love to all the world, his one desire that men\nshould escape the grief of lust; to cause the root of virtue to\nincrease, and for the sake of coming ages, to leave the marks of\nself-denial behind him, to dissipate the clouds and mists of sensual\ndesire.\n\nHe entered, thus intentioned, on the town to beg. He accepted food both\ngood or bad, whatever came, from rich or poor, without distinction;\nhaving filled his alms-dish, he then returned back to the solitude.\n\nReceiving the Getavana Vih\u00e2ra\n\nThe lord of the world, having converted the people of Kapilavastu\naccording to their several circumstances, his work being done, he went\nwith the great body of his followers, and directed his way to the\ncountry of Kosala, where dwelt King Prasenagit. The Getavana was now\nfully adorned, and its halls and courts carefully prepared. The\nfountains and streams flowed through the garden which glittered with\nflowers and fruit; rare birds sat by the pools, and on the land they\nsang in sweet concord, according to their kind.\n\nBeautiful in every way as the palace of Mount Kilas, such was the\nGetavana. Then the noble friend of the orphans, surrounded by his\nattendants, who met him on the way, scattering flowers and burning\nincense, invited the lord to enter the Getavana. In his hand he carried\na golden dragon-pitcher, and bending low upon his knees he poured the\nflowing water as a sign of the gift of the Getavana Vih\u00e2ra for the use\nof the priesthood throughout the world. The lord then received it, with\nthe prayer that \"overruling all evil influences it might give the\nkingdom permanent rest, and that the happiness of An\u00e2thapindada might\nflow out in countless streams.\" Then the king Prasenagit, hearing that\nthe lord had come, with his royal equipage went to the Getavana to\nworship at the lord's feet. Having arrived and taken a seat on one side,\nwith clasped hands he spake to Buddha thus:--\n\n\"O that my unworthy and obscure kingdom should thus suddenly have met\nsuch fortune! For how can misfortunes or frequent calamities possibly\naffect it, in the presence of so great a man? And now that I have seen\nyour sacred features, I may perhaps partake of the converting streams of\nyour teaching. A town although it is composed of many sections, yet both\nignoble and holy persons may enter the surpassing stream; and so the\nwind which fans the perfumed grove causes the scents to unite and form\none pleasant breeze; and as the birds which collect on Mount Sumeru are\nmany, and the various shades that blend in shining gold, so an assembly\nmay consist of persons of different capacities: individually\ninsignificant, but a glorious body. The desert master by nourishing the\nRishi, procured a birth as the three leg, or foot star; worldly profit\nis fleeting and perishable, religious profit is eternal and\ninexhaustible; a man though a king is full of trouble, a common man, who\nis holy, has everlasting rest.\"\n\nBuddha knowing the state of the king's heart--that he rejoiced in\nreligion as Sakrar\u00e2ga--considered the two obstacles that weighted\nhim--viz., too great love of money and of external pleasures, then\nseizing the opportunity, and knowing the tendencies of his heart, he\nbegan, for the king's sake, to preach: \"Even those who, by evil karma,\nhave been born in low degree, when they see a person of virtuous\ncharacter, feel reverence for him; how much rather ought an independent\nking, who by his previous conditions of life has acquired much merit,\nwhen he encounters Buddha, to conceive even more reverence. Nor is it\ndifficult to understand, that a country should enjoy more rest and\npeace, by the presence of Buddha, than if he were not to dwell therein.\nAnd now, as I briefly declare my law, let the Mah\u00e2r\u00e2ga listen and weigh\nmy words, and hold fast that which I deliver! See now the end of my\nperfected merit, my life is done, there is for me no further body or\nspirit, but freedom from all ties of kith or kin! The good or evil deeds\nwe do from first to last follow us as shadows; most exalted then the\ndeeds of the king of the law. The prince who cherishes his people, in\nthe present life gains renown, and hereafter ascends to heaven; but by\ndisobedience and neglect of duty, present distress is felt and future\nmisery! As in old times Lui-'ma r\u00e2ga, by obeying the precepts, was born\nin heaven, whilst Kin-pu r\u00e2ga, doing wickedly, at the end of life was\nborn in misery. Now then, for the sake of the great king, I will briefly\nrelate the good and evil law. The great requirement is a loving heart!\nto regard the people as we do an only son, not to oppress, not to\ndestroy; to keep in due check every member of the body, to forsake\nunrighteous doctrine and walk in the straight path; not to exalt one's\nself by treading down others, but to comfort and befriend those in\nsuffering; not to exercise one's self in false theories, nor to ponder\nmuch on kingly dignity, nor to listen to the smooth words of false\nteachers. Not to vex one's self by austerities, not to exceed or\ntransgress the right rules of kingly conduct, but to meditate on Buddha\nand weigh his righteous law, and to put down and adjust all that is\ncontrary to religion; to exhibit true superiority by virtuous conduct\nand the highest exercise of reason, to meditate deeply on the vanity of\nearthly things, to realize the fickleness of life by constant\nrecollection; to exalt the mind to the highest point of reflection, to\nseek sincere faith (truth) with firm purpose; to retain an inward sense\nof happiness resulting from one's self, and to look forward to increased\nhappiness hereafter; to lay up a good name for distant ages, this will\nsecure the favor of Tath\u00e2gata, as men now loving sweet fruit will\nhereafter be praised by their descendants. There is a way of darkness\nout of light, there is a way of light out of darkness; there is darkness\nwhich follows after the gloom, there is a light which causes the\nbrightening of light. The wise man, leaving first principles, should go\non to get more light; evil words will be repeated far and wide by the\nmultitude, but there are few to follow good direction: It is impossible,\nhowever, to avoid result of works, the doer cannot escape; if there had\nbeen no first works, there had been in the end no result of doing--no\nreward for good, no hereafter joy; but because works are done, there is\nno escape. Let us then practise good works; let us inspect our thoughts\nthat we do no evil, because as we sow so we reap. As when enclosed in a\nfour-stone mountain, there is no escape or place of refuge for anyone,\nso within this mountain-wall of old age, birth, disease, and death,\nthere is no escape for the world. Only by considering and practising the\ntrue law can we escape from this sorrow-piled mountain. There is,\nindeed, no constancy in the world, the end of the pleasures of sense is\nas the lightning flash, whilst old age and death are as the piercing\nbolts; what profit, then, in doing iniquity! All the ancient conquering\nkings, who were as gods on earth, thought by their strength to overcome\ndecay; but after a brief life they too disappeared. The Kalpa-fire will\nmelt Mount Sumeru, the water of the ocean will be dried up, how much\nless can our human frame, which is as a bubble, expect to endure for\nlong upon the earth! The fierce wind scatters the thick mists, the sun's\nrays encircle Mount Sumeru, the fierce fire licks up the place of\nmoisture, so things are ever born once more to be destroyed! The body is\na thing of unreality, kept through the suffering of the long night\npampered by wealth, living idly and in carelessness, death suddenly\ncomes and it is carried away as rotten wood in the stream! The wise man,\nexpecting these changes, with diligence strives against sloth; the dread\nof birth and death acts as a spur to keep him from lagging on the road;\nhe frees himself from engagements, he is not occupied with\nself-pleasing, he is not entangled by any of the cares of life, he holds\nto no business, seeks no friendships, engages in no learned career, nor\nyet wholly separates himself from it; for his learning is the wisdom of\nnot-perceiving wisdom, but yet perceiving that which tells him of his\nown impermanence; having a body, yet keeping aloof from defilement, he\nlearns to regard defilement as the greatest evil. He knows that, though\nborn in the Ar\u00fbpa world, there is yet no escape from the changes of\ntime; his learning, then, is to acquire the changeless body; for where\nno change is, there is peace. Thus the possession of this changeful body\nis the foundation of all sorrow. Therefore, again, all who are wise make\nthis their aim--to seek a bodiless condition; all the various orders of\nsentient creatures, from the indulgence of lust, derive pain; therefore\nall those in this condition ought to conceive a heart, loathing lust;\nputting away and loathing this condition, then they shall receive no\nmore pain; though born in a state with or without an external form, the\ncertainty of future change is the root of sorrow; for so long as there\nis no perfect cessation of personal being, there can be, certainly, no\nabsence of personal desire; beholding, in this way, the character of the\nthree worlds, their inconstancy and unreality, the presence of\never-consuming pain, how can the wise man seek enjoyment therein? When a\ntree is burning with fierce flames how can the birds congregate therein?\nThe wise man, who is regarded as an enlightened sage, without this\nknowledge is ignorant; having this knowledge, then true wisdom dawns;\nwithout it, there is no enlightenment. To get this wisdom is the one\naim, to neglect it is the mistake of life. All the teaching of the\nschools should be centred here; without it is no true reason. To recount\nthis excellent system is not for those who dwell in family connection;\nnor is it, on that account, not to be said, for religion concerns a man\nindividually. Burned up with sorrow, by entering the cool stream, all\nmay obtain relief and ease; the light of a lamp in a dark coom lights up\nequally objects of all colors, so is it with those who devote themselves\nto religion--there is no distinction between the professed disciple and\nthe unlearned. Sometimes the mountain-dweller falls into ruin, sometimes\nthe humble householder mounts up to be a Rishi; the want of faith is the\nengulfing sea, the presence of disorderly belief is the rolling flood.\nThe tide of lust carries away the world; involved in its eddies there is\nno escape; wisdom is the handy boat, reflection is the hold-fast. The\ndrum-call of religion, the barrier of thought, these alone can rescue\nfrom the sea of ignorance.\"\n\nAt this time the king, sincerely attentive to the words of the All-wise,\nconceived a distaste for the world's glitter and was dissatisfied with\nthe pleasures of royalty, even as one avoids a drunken elephant, or\nreturns to right reason after a debauch. Then all the heretical\nteachers, seeing that the king was well affected to Buddha, besought the\nking, with one voice, to call on Buddha to exhibit his miraculous gifts.\nThen the king addressed the lord of the world: \"I pray you, grant their\nrequest!\" Then Buddha silently acquiesced. And now all the different\nprofessors of religion, the doctors who boasted of their spiritual\npower, came together in a body to where Buddha was; then he manifested\nbefore them his power of miracle: ascending up into the air, he remained\nseated, diffusing his glory as the light of the sun he shed abroad the\nbrightness of his presence. The heretical teachers were all abashed, the\npeople all were filled with faith. Then for the sake of preaching to his\nmother, he forthwith ascended to the heaven of the thirty-three gods,\nand for three months dwelt in heavenly mansions. There he converted the\noccupants of that abode, and having concluded his pious mission to his\nmother, the time of his sojourn in heaven finished, he forthwith\nreturned, the angels accompanying him on wing; he travelled down a\nseven-gemmed ladder, and again arrived at Gambudv\u00eepa. Stepping down he\nalighted on the spot where all the Buddhas return, countless hosts of\nangels accompanied him, conveying with them their palace abodes as a\ngift.\n\nThe people of Gambudvipa, with closed hands, looking up with reverence,\nbeheld him.\n\nEscaping the Drunken Elephant and Devadatta\n\nHaving instructed his mother in heaven with all the angel host, and once\nmore returned to men, he went about converting those capable of it.\nGutika, G\u00eevaka, Sula, and K\u00fbrna, the noble's son Anga and the son of the\nfearless king Abhaya Nyagrodha and the rest; Sr\u00eekutaka, Up\u00e2li the\nNirgrantha; all these were thoroughly converted. So also the king of\nGandh\u00e2ra, whose name was Fo-kia-lo; he, having heard the profound and\nexcellent law, left his country and became a recluse. So also the demons\nHimapati and V\u00e2tagiri, on the mountain Vibh\u00e2ra, were subdued and\nconverted. The Brahmak\u00e2rin Prayantika, on the mountain Vagana, by the\nsubtle meaning of half a g\u00e2tha, he convinced and caused to rejoice in\nfaith; the village of D\u00e2namati had one K\u00fbtadanta, the head of the\ntwice-born Brahmans; at this time he was sacrificing countless victims;\nTath\u00e2gata by means converted him, and caused him to enter the true path.\nOn Mount Bhatika a heavenly being of eminent distinction, whose name was\nPa\u00f1kasikha, receiving the law, attained Dhy\u00e2na; in the village of\nVainushta, he converted the mother of the celebrated Nanda. In the town\nof A\u00f1kavari, he subdued the powerful mah\u00e2b\u00e2la spirit; Bhanabhadra,\nSronadanta, the malevolent and powerful N\u00e2gas, the king of the country\nand his harem, received together the true law, as he opened to them the\ngate of immortality. In the celebrated Viggi village, Kina and Sila,\nearnestly seeking to be born in heaven, he converted and made to enter\nthe right path. The Angulim\u00e2la, in that village of Sumu, through the\nexhibition of his divine power, he converted and subdued; there was that\nnoble's son, Purig\u00eevana, rich in wealth and stores as Punavat\u00ee, directly\nhe was brought to Buddha, accepting the doctrine, he became vastly\nliberal. So in that village of Padatti he converted the celebrated\nPatali, and also Patala, brothers, and both demons. In Bhidhavali there\nwere two Brahmans, one called Great-age, the other Brahma-age. These by\nthe power of a discourse he subdued, and caused them to attain knowledge\nof the true law; when he came to Vais\u00e2l\u00ee, he converted all the Raksha\ndemons, and the lion of the Likkhavis, and all the Likkhavis, Saka the\nNirgrantha, all these he caused to attain the true law. Hama kinkhava\nhad a demon Potala, and another Potalaka, these he converted. Again he\ncame to Mount Ala, to convert the demon Alava, and a second called\nKum\u00e2ra, and a third Asidaka; then going back to Mount Gaga he converted\nthe demon Ka\u00f1gana, and Kamo the Yaksha, with the sister and son. Then\ncoming to Benares, he converted the celebrated Katy\u00e2yana; then\nafterwards going, by his miraculous power, to Sruvala, he converted the\nmerchants Davakin and Nikin, and received their sandalwood hall,\nexhaling its fragrant odors till now. Going then to Mah\u00eevat\u00ee, he\nconverted the Rishi Kapila, and the Muni remained with him; his foot\nstepping on the stone, the thousand-spoked twin-wheels appeared, which\nnever could be erased.\n\nThen he came to the place Po-lo-na, where he converted the demon\nPo-lo-na; coming to the country of Mathur\u00e2, he converted the demon\nGodama. In the Thurakusati he also converted Pindap\u00e2la; coming to the\nvillage of Vaira\u00f1ga, he converted the Brahman; in the village of\nKalamasa, he converted Savasasin, and also that celebrated Agirivasa.\nOnce more returning to the Sr\u00e2vast\u00ee country, he converted the Gautamas\nG\u00e2tisruna and Dak\u00e2tili; returning to the Kosala country, he converted\nthe leaders of the heretics Vakrapali and all the Brahmak\u00e2rins. Coming\nto Satavaka, in the forest retreat, he converted the heretical Rishis,\nand constrained them to enter the path of the Buddha Rishi. Coming to\nthe country of Ayodhy\u00e2, he converted the demon N\u00e2gas; coming to the\ncountry of Kimbila, he converted the two N\u00e2gar\u00e2gas; one called Kimbila,\nthe other called K\u00e2laka. Again coming to the Vaggi country, he converted\nthe Yaksha demon, whose name was Pisha, the father and mother of N\u00e2gara,\nand the great noble also, he caused to believe gladly in the true law.\nComing to the Kaus\u00e2rub\u00ee country, he converted Goshira, and the two\nUpasik\u00e2s, Vaguttar\u00e2 and her companion Uvari; and besides these, many\nothers, one after the other. Coming to the country of Gandh\u00e2ra he\nconverted the N\u00e2ga Apal\u00e2la; thus in due order all these air-going,\nwater-loving natures he completely converted and saved, as the sun when\nhe shines upon some dark and sombre cave. At this time Devadatta, seeing\nthe remarkable excellences of Buddha, conceived in his heart a jealous\nhatred; losing all power of thoughtful abstraction he ever plotted\nwicked schemes, to put a stop to the spread of the true law; ascending\nthe Gridhrak\u00fbta mount he rolled down a stone to hit Buddha; the stone\ndivided into two parts, each part passing on either side of him. Again,\non the royal highway he loosed a drunken, vicious elephant. With his\nraised trunk trumpeting as thunder he ran, his maddened breath raising a\ncloud around him, his wild pace like the rushing wind, to be avoided\nmore than the fierce tempest; his trunk and tusks and tail and feet,\nwhen touched only, brought instant death. Thus he ran through the\nstreets and ways of R\u00e2gagriha, madly wounding and killing men; their\ncorpses lay across the road, their brains and blood scattered afar. Then\nall the men and women filled with fear, remained indoors; throughout the\ncity there was universal terror, only piteous shrieks and cries were\nheard; beyond the city men were running fast, hiding themselves in holes\nand dens. Tath\u00e2gata, with five hundred followers, at this time came\ntowards the city; from tops of gates and every window, men, fearing for\nBuddha, begged him not to advance; Tath\u00e2gata, his heart composed and\nquiet, with perfect self-possession, thinking only on the sorrow caused\nby hate, his loving heart desiring to appease it, followed by guardian\nangel-n\u00e2gas, slowly approached the maddened elephant. The Bhikshus all\ndeserted him, \u00c2nanda only remained by his side; joined by every tie of\nduty, his steadfast nature did not shake or quail. The drunken elephant,\nsavage and spiteful, beholding Buddha, came to himself at once, and\nbending, worshipped at his feet just as a mighty mountain falls to\nearth. With lotus hand the master pats his head, even as the moon lights\nup a flying cloud. And now, as he lay crouched before the master's feet,\non his account he speaks some sacred words: \"The elephant cannot hurt\nthe mighty dragon, hard it is to fight with such a one; the elephant\ndesiring so to do will in the end obtain no happy state of birth;\ndeceived by lust, anger, and delusion, which are hard to conquer, but\nwhich Buddha has conquered. Now, then, this very day, give up this lust,\nthis anger and delusion! You! swallowed up in sorrow's mud! if not now\ngiven up, they will increase yet more and grow.\"\n\nThe elephant, hearing Buddha's words, escaped from drunkenness, rejoiced\nin heart; his mind and body both found rest, as one athirst finds joy\nwho drinks of heavenly dew. The elephant being thus converted, the\npeople around were filled with joy; they all raised a cry of wonder at\nthe miracle, and brought their offerings of every kind. The\nscarcely-good arrived at middle-virtue, the middling-good passed to a\nhigher grade, the unbelieving now became believers, those who believed\nwere strengthened in their faith. Ag\u00e2tasatru, mighty king, seeing how\nBuddha conquered the drunken elephant, was moved at heart by thoughts\nprofound; then, filled with joy, he found a twofold growth of piety.\nTath\u00e2gata, by exercise of virtue, exhibited all kinds of spiritual\npowers; thus he subdued and harmonized the minds of all, and caused them\nin due order to attain religious truth, and through the kingdom virtuous\nseeds were sown, as at the first when men began to live. But Devadatta,\nmad with rage, because he was ensnared by his own wickedness, at first\nby power miraculous able to fly, now fallen, dwells in lowest hell.\n\nThe Lady \u00c2mra Sees Buddha\n\nThe lord of the world having finished his wide work of conversion\nconceived in himself a desire for Nirvana. Accordingly proceeding from\nthe city of R\u00e2gagriha, he went on towards the town of P\u00e2taliputra.\n\nHaving arrived there, he dwelt in the famous P\u00e2tali ketiya. Now this\ntown of P\u00e2taliputra is the frontier town of Magadha, defending the\noutskirts of the country. Ruling the country was a Brahman of wide\nrenown and great learning in the scriptures; and there was also an\noverseer of the country, to take the omens of the land with respect to\nrest or calamity. At this time the king of Magadha sent to that officer\nof inspection a messenger, to warn and command him to raise\nfortifications in the neighborhood of the town for its security and\nprotection. And now the lord of the world, as they were raising the\nfortifications, predicted that in consequence of the Devas and spirits\nwho protected and kept the land, the place should continue strong and\nfree from calamity or destruction. On this the heart of the overseer\ngreatly rejoiced, and he made religious offerings to Buddha, the law,\nand the church. Buddha now leaving the city gate went on towards the\nriver Ganges. The overseer, from his deep reverence for Buddha, named\nthe gate through which the lord had passed the \"Gautama gate.\" Meanwhile\nthe people all by the side of the river Ganges went forth to pay\nreverence to the lord of the world. They prepared for him every kind of\nreligious offering, and each one with his gaudy boat invited him to\ncross over. The lord of the world, considering the number of the boats,\nfeared lest by an appearance of partiality in accepting one, he might\nhurt the minds of all the rest. Therefore in a moment, by his spiritual\npower, he transported himself and the great congregation across the\nriver, leaving this shore he passed at once to that, signifying thereby\nthe passage in the boat of wisdom from this world to Nirv\u00e2na: a boat\nlarge enough to transport all that lives to save the world, even as\nwithout a boat he crossed without hindrance the river Ganges. Then all\nthe people on the bank of the river, with one voice, raised a rapturous\nshout, and all declared this ford should be called the Gautama ford. As\nthe city gate is called the Gautama gate, so this Gautama ford is so\nknown through ages; and shall be so called through generations to come.\nThen Tath\u00e2gata, going forward still, came to that celebrated Kuli\nvillage, where he preached and converted many; again he went on to the\nN\u00e2di village, where many deaths had occurred among the people. The\nfriends of the dead then came to the lord and asked, \"Where have our\nfriends and relatives deceased, now gone to be born, after this life\nended?\" Buddha, knowing well the sequence of deeds, answered each\naccording to his several needs. Then going forward to Vais\u00e2l\u00ee, he\nlocated himself in the \u00c2mr\u00e2 grove. The celebrated Lady \u00c2mr\u00e2, well\naffected to Buddha, went to that garden followed by her waiting women,\nwhilst the children from the schools paid her respect. Thus with\ncircumspection and self-restraint, her person lightly and plainly\nclothed, putting away all her ornamented robes and all adornments of\nscent and flowers, as a prudent and virtuous woman goes forth to perform\nher religious duties, so she went on, beautiful to look upon, like any\nDev\u00ee in appearance. Buddha seeing the lady in the distance approaching,\nspake thus to all the Bhikshus:--\n\n\"This woman is indeed exceedingly beautiful, able to fascinate the minds\nof the religious; now then, keep your recollection straight! let wisdom\nkeep your mind in subjection! Better fall into the fierce tiger's mouth,\nor under the sharp knife of the executioner, than to dwell with a woman\nand excite in yourselves lustful thoughts. A woman is anxious to exhibit\nher form and shape, whether walking, standing, sitting, or sleeping.\nEven when represented as a picture, she desires most of all to set off\nthe blandishments of her beauty, and thus to rob men of their steadfast\nheart! How then ought you to guard yourselves? By regarding her tears\nand her smiles as enemies, her stooping form, her hanging arms, and all\nher disentangled hair as toils designed to entrap man's heart. Then how\nmuch more should you suspect her studied, amorous beauty; when she\ndisplays her dainty outline, her richly ornamented form, and chatters\ngayly with the foolish man! Ah, then! what perturbation and what evil\nthoughts, not seeing underneath the horrid, tainted shape, the sorrows\nof impermanence, the impurity, the unreality! Considering these as the\nreality, all lustful thoughts die out; rightly considering these, within\ntheir several limits, not even an Apsaras would give you joy. But yet\nthe power of lust is great with men, and is to be feared withal; take\nthen the bow of earnest perseverance, and the sharp arrow points of\nwisdom, cover your head with the helmet of right-thought, and fight with\nfixed resolve against the five desires. Better far with red-hot iron\npins bore out both your eyes, than encourage in yourselves lustful\nthoughts, or look upon a woman's form with such desires. Lust beclouding\na man's heart, confused with woman's beauty, the mind is dazed, and at\nthe end of life that man must fall into an 'evil way.' Fear then the\nsorrow of that 'evil way!' and harbor not the deceits of women. The\nsenses not confined within due limits, and the objects of sense not\nlimited as they ought to be, lustful and covetous thoughts grow up\nbetween the two, because the senses and their objects are unequally\nyoked. Just as when two ploughing oxen are yoked together to one halter\nand cross-bar, but not together pulling as they go, so is it when the\nsenses and their objects are unequally matched. Therefore, I say,\nrestrain the heart, give it no unbridled license.\"\n\nThus Buddha, for the Bhikshus' sake, explained the law in various ways.\nAnd now that \u00c2mr\u00e2 lady gradually approached the presence of the lord;\nseeing Buddha seated beneath a tree, lost in thought and wholly absorbed\nby it, she recollected that he had a great compassionate heart, and\ntherefore she believed he would in pity receive her garden grove. With\nsteadfast heart and joyful mien and rightly governed feelings, her\noutward form restrained, her heart composed, bowing her head at Buddha's\nfeet, she took her place as the lord bade her, whilst he in sequence\nright declared the law:--\n\n\"Your heart, O lady! seems composed and quieted, your form without\nexternal ornaments; young in years and rich, you seem well-talented as\nyou are beautiful. That one, so gifted, should by faith be able to\nreceive the law of righteousness is, indeed, a rare thing in the world!\nThe wisdom of a master derived from former births, enables him to accept\nthe law with joy: this is not rare; but that a woman, weak of will,\nscant in wisdom, deeply immersed in love, should yet be able to delight\nin piety, this, indeed, is very rare. A man born in the world, by proper\nthought comes to delight in goodness, he recognizes the impermanence of\nwealth and beauty, and looks upon religion as his best ornament. He\nfeels that this alone can remedy the ills of life and change the fate of\nyoung and old; the evil destiny that cramps another's life cannot affect\nhim, living righteously; always removing that which excites desire, he\nis strong in the absence of desire; seeking to find, not what vain\nthoughts suggest, but that to which religion points him. Relying on\nexternal help, he has sorrow; self-reliant, there is strength and joy.\nBut in the case of woman, from another comes the labor, and the nurture\nof another's child. Thus then should everyone consider well, and loathe\nand put away the form of woman.\"\n\n\u00c2mr\u00e2, the lady, hearing the law, rejoiced. Her wisdom strengthened, and\nstill more enlightened, she was enabled to cast off desire, and of\nherself dissatisfied with woman's form, was freed from all polluting\nthoughts. Though still constrained to woman's form, filled with\nreligious joy, she bowed at Buddha's feet and spoke: \"Oh! may the lord,\nin deep compassion, receive from me, though ignorant, this offering, and\nso fulfil my earnest vow.\" Then Buddha knowing her sincerity, and for\nthe good of all that lives, silently accepted her request, and caused in\nher full joy, in consequence; whilst all her friends attentive, grew in\nknowledge, and, after adoration, went back home.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V\n\nBy Spiritual Power Fixing His Term of Years\n\n\nAt this time the great men among the Likkhavis, hearing that the lord of\nthe world had entered their country and was located in the \u00c2mr\u00e2 garden,\nwent thither riding in their gaudy chariots with silken canopies, and\nclothed in gorgeous robes, both blue and red and yellow and white, each\none with his own cognizance. Accompanied by their body guard surrounding\nthem, they went; others prepared the road in front; and with their\nheavenly crowns and flower-bespangled robes they rode, richly dight with\nevery kind of costly ornament. Their noble forms resplendent increased\nthe glory of that garden grove; now taking off the five distinctive\nornaments, alighting from their chariots, they advanced afoot. Slowly\nthus, with bated breath, their bodies reverent they advanced. Then they\nbowed down and worshipped Buddha's foot, and, a great multitude, they\ngathered round the lord, shining as the sun's disc, full of radiance.\n\nThere was the lion Likkhavi, among the Likkhavis the senior, his noble\nform bold as the lion's, standing there with lion eyes, but without the\nlion's pride, taught by the S\u00e2kya lion, who thus began: \"Great and\nillustrious personages, famed as a tribe for grace and comeliness! put\naside, I pray, the world's high thoughts, and now accept the abounding\nlustre of religious teaching. Wealth and beauty, scented flowers and\nornaments like these, are not to be compared for grace with moral\nrectitude! Your land productive and in peaceful quiet--this is your\ngreat renown; but true gracefulness of body and a happy people depend\nupon the heart well-governed. Add but to this a reverent feeling for\nreligion, then a people's fame is at its height! a fertile land and all\nthe dwellers in it, as a united body, virtuous! To-day then learn this\nvirtue, cherish with carefulness the people, lead them as a body in the\nright way of rectitude, even as the ox-king leads the way across the\nriver-ford. If a man with earnest recollection ponder on things of this\nworld and the next, he will consider how by right behavior right morals\nhe prepares, as the result of merit, rest in either world. For all in\nthis world will exceedingly revere him, his fame will spread abroad\nthrough every part, the virtuous will rejoice to call him friend, and\nthe outflowings of his goodness will know no bounds forever. The\nprecious gems found in the desert wilds are all from earth engendered;\nmoral conduct, likewise, as the earth, is the great source of all that\nis good. By this, without the use of wings, we fly through space, we\ncross the river needing not a handy boat; but without this a man will\nfind it hard indeed to cross the stream of sorrow or stay the rush of\nsorrow. As when a tree with lovely flowers and fruit, pierced by some\nsharp instrument, is hard to climb, so is it with the much-renowned for\nstrength and beauty, who break through the laws of moral rectitude!\nSitting upright in the royal palace, the heart of the king was grave and\nmajestic; with a view to gain the merit of a pure and moral life, he\nbecame a convert of a great Rishi. With garments dyed and clad with\nhair, shaved, save one spiral knot, he led a hermit's life, but, as he\ndid not rule himself with strict morality, he was immersed in suffering\nand sorrow. Each morn and eve he used the three ablutions, sacrificed to\nfire and practised strict austerity, let his body be in filth as the\nbrute beast, passed through fire and water, dwelt amidst the craggy\nrocks, inhaled the wind, drank from the Ganges' stream, controlled\nhimself with bitter fasts--but all! far short of moral rectitude. For\nthough a man inure himself to live as any brute, he is not on that\naccount a vessel of the righteous law; whilst he who breaks the laws of\nright behavior invites detraction, and is one no virtuous man can love;\nhis heart is ever filled with boding fear, his evil name pursues him as\na shadow. Having neither profit nor advantage in this world, how can he\nin the next world reap content? Therefore the wise man ought to practise\npure behavior; passing through the wilderness of birth and death, pure\nconduct is to him a virtuous guide. From pure behavior comes self-power,\nwhich frees a man from many dangers; pure conduct, like a ladder,\nenables us to climb to heaven. Those who found themselves on right\nbehavior, cut off the source of pain and grief; but they who by\ntransgression destroy this mind, may mourn the loss of every virtuous\nprinciple. To gain this end first banish every ground of 'self'; this\nthought of 'self' shades every lofty aim, even as the ashes that conceal\nthe fire, treading on which the foot is burned. Pride and indifference\nshroud this heart, too, as the sun is obscured by the piled-up clouds;\nsupercilious thoughts root out all modesty of mind, and sorrow saps the\nstrongest will. As age and disease waste youthful beauty, so pride of\nself destroys all virtue; the Devas and Asuras, thus from jealousy and\nenvy, raised mutual strife. The loss of virtue and of merit which we\nmourn, proceeds from 'pride of self' throughout; and as I am a conqueror\namid conquerors, so he who conquers self is one with me. He who little\ncares to conquer self, is but a foolish master; beauty, or earthly\nthings, family renown and such things, all are utterly inconstant, and\nwhat is changeable can give no rest of interval. If in the end the law\nof entire destruction is exacted, what use is there in indolence and\npride? Covetous desire is the greatest source of sorrow, appearing as a\nfriend in secret 'tis our enemy. As a fierce fire excited from within a\nhouse, so is the fire of covetous desire: the burning flame of covetous\ndesire is fiercer far than fire which burns the world. For fire may be\nput out by water in excess, but what can overpower the fire of lust? The\nfire which fiercely burns the desert grass dies out, and then the grass\nwill grow again; but when the fire of lust burns up the heart, then how\nhard for true religion there to dwell! for lust seeks worldly pleasures,\nthese pleasures add to an impure karman; by this evil karman a man falls\ninto perdition, and so there is no greater enemy to man than lust.\nLusting, man gives way to amorous indulgence, by this he is led to\npractise every kind of lustful longing; indulging thus, he gathers\nfrequent sorrow. No greater evil is there than lust. Lust is a dire\ndisease, and the foolish master stops the medicine of wisdom. The study\nof heretical books not leading to right thought, causes the lustful\nheart to increase and grow, for these books are not correct on the\npoints of impermanency, the non-existence of self, and any object ground\nfor 'self.' But a true and right apprehension through the power of\nwisdom, is effectual to destroy that false desire, and therefore our\nobject should be to practise this true apprehension. Right apprehension\nonce produced then there is deliverance from covetous desire, for a\nfalse estimate of excellency produces a covetous desire to excel, whilst\na false view of demerit produces anger and regret; but the idea of\nexcelling and also of inferiority (in the sense of demerit) both\ndestroyed, the desire to excel and also anger (on account of\ninferiority) are destroyed. Anger! how it changes the comely face, how\nit destroys the loveliness of beauty! Anger dulls the brightness of the\neye, chokes all desire to hear the principles of truth, cuts and divides\nthe principle of family affection, impoverishes and weakens every\nworldly aim. Therefore let anger be subdued, yield not to the angry\nimpulse; he who can hold his wild and angry heart is well entitled\n'illustrious charioteer.' For men call such a one 'illustrious\nteam-breaker' who can with bands restrain the unbroken steed; so anger\nnot subdued, its fire unquenched, the sorrow of repentance burns like\nfire. A man who allows wild passion to arise within, himself first burns\nhis heart, then after burning adds the wind thereto which ignites the\nfire again, or not, as the case may be. The pain of birth, old age,\ndisease, and death, press heavily upon the world, but adding 'passion'\nto the score, what is this but to increase our foes when pressed by\nfoes? But rather, seeing how the world is pressed by throngs of grief,\nwe ought to encourage in us love, and as the world produces grief on\ngrief, so should we add as antidotes unnumbered remedies.\" Tath\u00e2gata,\nillustrious in expedients, according to the disease, thus briefly spoke;\neven as a good physician in the world, according to the disease,\nprescribes his medicine. And now the Likkhavis, hearing the sermon\npreached by Buddha, arose forthwith and bowed at Buddha's feet, and\njoyfully they placed them on their heads. Then they asked both Buddha\nand the congregation on the morrow to accept their poor religious\nofferings. But Buddha told them that already \u00c2mr\u00e2 had invited him. On\nthis the Likkhavis, harboring thoughts of pride and disappointment,\nsaid: \"Why should that one take away our profit?\" But, knowing Buddha's\nheart to be impartial and fair, they once again regained their\ncheerfulness. Tath\u00e2gata, moreover, nobly seizing the occasion, appeasing\nthem, produced within a joyful heart; and so subdued, their grandeur of\nappearance came again, as when a snake subdued by charms glistens with\nshining skin. And now, the night being passed, the signs of dawn\nappearing, Buddha and the great assembly go to the abode of \u00c2mr\u00e2, and\nhaving received her entertainment, they went on to the village of\nPi-nau, and there he rested during the rainy season; the three months'\nrest being ended, again he returned to Vais\u00e2li, and dwelt beside the\nMonkey Tank; sitting there in a shady grove, he shed a flood of glory\nfrom his person; aroused thereby, M\u00e2ra Pisuna came to the place where\nBuddha was, and with closed palms exhorted him thus: \"Formerly, beside\nthe Naira\u00f1gan\u00e2 river, when you had accomplished your true and steadfast\naim, you said, 'When I have done all I have to do, then will I pass at\nonce to Nirv\u00e2na'; and now you have done all you have to do, you should,\nas then you said, pass to Nirv\u00e2na.\"\n\nThen Buddha spake to Pisuna: \"The time of my complete deliverance is at\nhand, but let three months elapse, and I shall reach Nirv\u00e2na.\" Then\nM\u00e2ra, knowing that Tath\u00e2gata had fixed the time for his emancipation,\nhis earnest wish being thus fulfilled, joyous returned to his abode in\nheaven. Tath\u00e2gata, seated beneath a tree, straightway was lost in\necstasy, and willingly rejected his allotted years, and by his spiritual\npower fixed the remnant of his life. On this, Tath\u00e2gata thus giving up\nhis years, the great earth shook and quaked through all the limits of\nthe universe; great flames of fire were seen around, the tops of Sumeru\nwere shaken, from heaven there rained showers of flying stones, a\nwhirling tempest rose on every side, the trees were rooted up and fell,\nheavenly music rose with plaintive notes, whilst angels for a time were\njoyless. Buddha rising from out his ecstasy, announced to all the world:\n\"Now have I given up my term of years; I live henceforth by power of\nfaith; my body like a broken chariot stands, no further cause of\n'coming' or of 'going'; completely freed from the three worlds, I go\nenfranchised, as a chicken from its egg.\"\n\nThe Differences of the Likkhavis\n\nThe venerable \u00c2nanda, seeing the earth shaking on every side, his heart\nwas tearful and his hair erect; he asked the cause thereof of Buddha.\n\nBuddha replied: \"\u00c2nanda! I have fixed three months to end my life, the\nrest of life I utterly give up; this is the reason why the earth is\ngreatly shaken.\"\n\n\u00c2nanda, hearing the instruction of Buddha, was moved with pity and the\ntears flowed down his face, even as when an elephant of mighty strength\nshakes the sandal-wood tree. Thus was \u00c2nanda shaken and his mind\nperturbed, whilst down his cheeks the tears, like drops of perfume,\nflowed; so much he loved the lord his master, so full of kindness was\nhe, and, as yet, not freed from earthly thoughts. Thinking then on these\nfour things alone, he gave his grief full liberty, nor could he master\nit, but said, \"Now I hear the lord declare that he has fixed for good\nhis time to die, my body fails, my strength is gone, my mind is dazed,\nmy soul is all discordant, and all the words of truth forgotten; a wild\ndeserted waste seems heaven and earth. Have pity! save me, master!\nperish not so soon! Perished with bitter cold, I chanced upon a\nfire--forthwith it disappeared. Wandering amid the wilds of grief and\npain, deceived, confused, I lost my way--suddenly a wise and prudent\nguide encountered me, but hardly saved from my bewilderment, he once\nmore vanished. Like some poor man treading through endless mud, weary\nand parched with thirst, longs for the water, suddenly he lights upon a\ncool refreshing lake, he hastens to it--lo! it dries before him. The\ndeep blue, bright, refulgent eye, piercing through all the worlds, with\nwisdom brightens the dark gloom, the darkness for a moment is dispelled.\nAs when the blade shoots through the yielding earth, the clouds collect\nand we await the welcome shower, then a fierce wind drives the big\nclouds away, and so with disappointed hope we watch the dried-up field!\nDeep darkness reigned for want of wisdom, the world of sentient\ncreatures groped for light, Tath\u00e2gata lit up the lamp of wisdom, then\nsuddenly extinguished it--ere he had brought it out.\"\n\nBuddha, hearing \u00c2nanda speaking thus, grieved at his words, and pitying\nhis distress, with soothing accents and with gentle presence spake with\npurpose to declare the one true law:--\n\n\"If men but knew their own nature, they would not dwell in sorrow;\neverything that lives, whate'er it be, all this is subject to\ndestruction's law; I have already told you plainly, the law of things\n'joined' is to 'separate'; the principle of kindness and of love is not\nabiding, 'tis better then to reject this pitiful and doting heart. All\nthings around us bear the stamp of instant change; born, they perish; no\nself-sufficiency; those who would wish to keep them long, find in the\nend no room for doing so. If things around us could be kept for aye, and\nwere not liable to change or separation, then this would be salvation!\nwhere then can this be sought? You, and all that lives, can seek in me\nthis great deliverance! That which you may all attain I have already\ntold you, and tell you, to the end. Why then should I preserve this\nbody? The body of the excellent law shall long endure! I am resolved; I\nlook for rest! This is the one thing needful. So do I now instruct all\ncreatures, and as a guide, not seen before, I lead them; prepare\nyourselves to cast off consciousness, fix yourselves well in your own\nisland. Those who are thus fixed mid-stream, with single aim and\nearnestness striving in the use of means, preparing quietly a quiet\nplace, not moved by others' way of thinking, know well, such men are\nsafe on the law's island. Fixed in contemplation, lighted by the lamp of\nwisdom, they have thus finally destroyed ignorance and gloom. Consider\nwell the world's four bounds, and dare to seek for true religion only;\nforget 'yourself,' and every 'ground of self,' the bones, the nerves,\nthe skin, the flesh, the mucus, the blood that flows through every vein;\nbehold these things as constantly impure, what joy then can there be in\nsuch a body? every sensation born from cause, like the bubble floating\non the water. The sorrow coming from the consciousness of birth and\ndeath and inconstancy, removes all thought of joy--the mind acquainted\nwith the law of production, stability, and destruction, recognizes how\nagain and once again things follow or succeed one another with no\nendurance. But thinking well about Nirv\u00e2na, the thought of endurance is\nforever dismissed; we see how the samsk\u00e2ras from causes have arisen, and\nhow these aggregates will again dissolve, all of them impermanent. The\nfoolish man conceives the idea of 'self,' the wise man sees there is no\nground on which to build the idea of 'self,' thus through the world he\nrightly looks and well concludes, all, therefore, is but evil; the\naggregate amassed by sorrow must perish in the end! if once confirmed in\nthis conviction, that man perceives the truth. This body, too, of Buddha\nnow existing soon will perish: the law is one and constant, and without\nexception.\" Buddha having delivered this excellent sermon, appeased the\nheart of \u00c2nanda.\n\nThen all the Likkhavis, hearing the report, with fear and apprehension\nassembled in a body; devoid of their usual ornaments, they hastened to\nthe place where Buddha was. Having saluted him according to custom, they\nstood on one side, wishing to ask him a question, but not being able to\nfind words. Buddha, knowing well their heart, by way of remedy, in the\nright use of means, spake thus:--\n\n\"Now I perfectly understand that you have in your minds unusual\nthoughts, not referring to worldly matters, but wholly connected with\nsubjects of religion; and now you wish to hear from me, what may be\nknown respecting the report about my resolve to terminate my life, and\nmy purpose to put an end to the repetition of birth. Impermanence is the\nnature of all that exists, constant change and restlessness its\nconditions; unfixed, unprofitable, without the marks of long endurance.\nIn ancient days the Rishi kings, Vasishtha Rishi, M\u00e2ndh\u00e2tri, the\nKakravartin monarchs, and the rest, these and all others like them, the\nformer conquerors, who lived with strength like \u00cesvara, these all have\nlong ago perished, not one remains till now; the sun and moon, Sakra\nhimself, and the great multitude of his attendants, will all, without\nexception, perish; there is not one that can for long endure; all the\nBuddhas of the past ages, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, by their\nwisdom enlightening the world, have all gone out as a lamp; all the\nBuddhas yet to come will also perish in the same way; why then should I\nalone be different? I too will pass into Nirvana; but as they prepared\nothers for salvation, so now should you press forward in the path;\nVais\u00e2li may be glad indeed, if you should find the way of rest! The\nworld, in truth, is void of help, the 'three worlds' not enough for\njoy--stay then the course of sorrow, by engendering a heart without\ndesire. Give up for good the long and straggling way of life, press\nonward on the northern track, step by step advance along the upward\nroad, as the sun skirts along the western mountains.\"\n\nAt this time the Likkhavis, with saddened hearts, went back along the\nway; lifting their hands to heaven and sighing bitterly: \"Alas! what\nsorrow this! His body like the pure gold mountain, the marks upon his\nperson so majestic, ere long and like a towering crag he falls; not to\nlive, then why not, 'not to love'? The powers of birth and death,\nweakened awhile, the lord Tath\u00e2gata, himself the fount of wisdom\nappeared, and now to give it up and disappear! without a saviour now,\nwhat check to sorrow? The world long time endured in darkness, and men\nwere led by a false light along the way--when lo! the sun of wisdom\nrose; and now, again, it fades and dies--no warning given. Behold the\nwhirling waves of ignorance engulfing all the world! Why is the bridge\nor raft of wisdom in a moment cut away? The loving and the great\nphysician king came with remedies of wisdom, beyond all price, to heal\nthe hurts and pains of men--why suddenly goes he away? The excellent and\nheavenly flag of love adorned with wisdom's blazonry, embroidered with\nthe diamond heart, the world not satisfied with gazing on it, the\nglorious flag of heavenly worship! Why in a moment is it snapped? Why\nsuch misfortune for the world, when from the tide of constant\nrevolutions a way of escape was opened--but now shut again! and there is\nno escape from weary sorrow! Tath\u00e2gata, possessed of fond and loving\nheart, now steels himself and goes away; he holds his heart so patient\nand so loving, and, like the Wai-ka-ni flower, with thoughts cast down,\nirresolute and tardy, he goes depressed along the road. Or like a man\nfresh from a loved one's grave, the funeral past and the last farewell\ntaken, comes back with anxious look.\"\n\nParinirv\u00e2na\n\nWhen Buddha went towards the place of his Nirv\u00e2na, the city of Vais\u00e2li\nwas as if deserted, as when upon a dark and cloudy night the moon and\nstars withdraw their shining. The land that heretofore had peace, was\nnow afflicted and distressed; as when a loving father dies, the orphan\ndaughter yields to constant grief. Her personal grace unheeded, her\nclever skill but lightly thought of, with stammering lips she finds\nexpression for her thoughts; how poor her brilliant wit and wisdom now!\nHer spiritual powers ill regulated without attractiveness, her loving\nheart faint and fickle, exalted high but without strength, and all her\nnative grace neglected; such was the case at Vais\u00e2li; all outward show\nnow fallen, like autumn verdure in the fields bereft of water, withered\nup and dry; or like the smoke of a half-smouldering fire, or like those\nwho having food before them yet forget to eat, so these forgot their\ncommon household duties, and nought prepared they for the day's\nemergencies. Thinking thus on Buddha, lost in deep reflection, silent\nthey sat nor spoke a word. And now the lion Likkhavis manfully enduring\ntheir great sorrow, with flowing tears and doleful sighs, signifying\nthereby their love of kindred, destroyed forever all their books of\nheresy, to show their firm adherence to the true law. Having put down\nall heresy, they left it once for all; severed from the world and the\nworld's doctrines, convinced that non-continuance was the great disease.\nMoreover thus they thought: \"The lord of men now enters the great quiet\nplace (Nirv\u00e2na), and we are left without support, and with no saviour;\nthe highest lord of 'means' is now about to extinguish all his glory in\nthe final place of death. Now we indeed have lost our steadfast will, as\nfire deprived of fuel; greatly to be pitied is the world, now that the\nlord gives up his world-protecting office, even as a man bereft of\nspiritual power throughout the world is greatly pitied. Oppressed by\nheat we seek the cooling lake, nipped by the cold we use the fire; but\nin a moment all is lost, the world is left without resource; the\nexcellent law, indeed, is left, to frame the world anew, as a\nmetal-caster frames anew his work. The world has lost its master-guide,\nand, men bereaved of him, the way is lost; old age, disease, and death,\nself-sufficient, now that the road is missed, pervade the world without\na way. What is there now throughout the world equal to overcome the\nsprings of these great sorrows? The great cloud's rain alone can make\nthe raging and excessive fire, that burns the world, go out. So only he\ncan make the raging fire of covetous desire go out; and now he, the\nskilful maker of comparisons, has firmly fixed his mind to leave the\nworld! And why, again, is the sword of wisdom, ever ready to be used for\nan uninvited friend, only like the draught of wine given to him about to\nundergo the torture and to die? Deluded by false knowledge the mass of\nliving things are only born to die again; as the sharp knife divides the\nwood, so constant change divides the world. The gloom of ignorance like\nthe deep water, lust like the rolling billow, sorrow like the floating\nbubbles, false views like the Makara fish, amidst all these the ship of\nwisdom only can carry us across the mighty sea. The mass of ills are\nlike the flowers of the sorrow-tree, old age and all its griefs, the\ntangled boughs; death the tree's tap-root, deeds done in life the buds,\nthe diamond sword of wisdom only strong enough to cut down the mundane\ntree! Ignorance the burning-glass, covetous desire the scorching rays,\nthe objects of the five desires the dry grass, wisdom alone the water to\nput out the fire. The perfect law, surpassing every law, having\ndestroyed the gloom of ignorance, we see the straight road leading to\nquietness and rest, the end of every grief and sorrow. And now the\nloving one, converting men, impartial in his thoughts to friend or foe,\nthe all-knowing, perfectly instructed, even he is going to leave the\nworld! He with his soft and finely modulated voice, his compact body and\nbroad shoulders, he, the great Rishi, ends his life! Who then can claim\nexemption? Enlightened, now he quickly passes hence! let us therefore\nseek with earnestness the truth, even as a man meets with the stream\nbeside the road, then drinks and passes on. Inconstancy, this is the\ndreaded enemy--the universal destroyer--sparing neither rich nor poor;\nrightly perceiving this and keeping it in mind, this man, though\nsleeping, yet is the only ever-wakeful.\"\n\nThus the Likkhavi lions, ever mindful of the Buddha's wisdom, disquieted\nwith the pain of birth and death, sighed forth their fond remembrance of\nthe man-lion. Retaining in their minds no love of worldly things, aiming\nto rise above the power of every lustful quality, subduing in their\nhearts the thought of light or trivial matters, training their thoughts\nto seek the quiet, peaceful place; diligently practising the rules of\nunselfish, charitable conduct; putting away all listlessness, they found\ntheir joy in quietness and seclusion, meditating only on religious\ntruth. And now the all-wise, turning his body round with a lion-turn,\nonce more gazed upon Vais\u00e2li, and uttered this farewell verse:--\n\n\"Now this, the last time this, I leave Vais\u00e2li--the land where heroes\nlive and flourish! Now am I going to die.\" Then gradually advancing,\nstage by stage he came to Bhoga-nagara, and there he rested in the S\u00e2la\ngrove, where he instructed all his followers in the precepts:--\n\n\"Now having gone on high I shall enter on Nirvana: ye must rely upon the\nlaw--this is your highest, strongest, vantage ground. What is not found\nin S\u00fbtra, or what disagrees with rules of Vinaya, opposing the one true\nsystem of my doctrine, this must not be held by you. What opposes\nDharma, what opposes Vinaya, or what is contrary to my words, this is\nthe result of ignorance: ye must not hold such doctrine, but with haste\nreject it. Receiving that which has been said aright, this is not\nsubversive of true doctrine, this is what I have said, as the Dharma and\nVinaya say. Accepting that which I, the law, and the Vinaya declare,\nthis is to be believed. But words which neither I, the law, nor the\nVinaya declare, these are not to be believed. Not gathering the true and\nhidden meaning, but closely holding to the letter, this is the way of\nfoolish teachers, but contrary to my doctrine and a false way of\nteaching. Not separating the true from false, accepting in the dark\nwithout discrimination, is like a shop where gold and its alloys are\nsold together, justly condemned by all the world. The foolish masters,\npractising the ways of superficial wisdom, grasp not the meaning of the\ntruth; but to receive the law as it explains itself, this is to accept\nthe highest mode of exposition. Ye ought, therefore, thus to investigate\ntrue principles, to consider well the true law and the Vinaya, even as\nthe goldsmith does who melts and strikes and then selects the true. Not\nto know the S\u00fbtras and the S\u00e2stras, this is to be devoid of wisdom; not\nsaying properly that which is proper, is like doing that which is not\nfit to see. Let all be done in right and proper order, according as the\nmeaning of the sentence guides, for he who grasps a sword unskilfully,\ndoes but inflict a wound upon his hand. Not skilfully to handle words\nand sentences, the meaning then is hard to know; as in the night-time\ntravelling and seeking for a house, if all be dark within, how difficult\nto find. Losing the meaning, then the law is disregarded, disregarding\nthe law the mind becomes confused; therefore every wise and prudent\nmaster neglects not to discover the true and faithful meaning.\"\n\nHaving spoken these words respecting the precepts of religion, he\nadvanced to the town of P\u00e2v\u00e2, where all the Mallas prepared for him\nreligious offerings of every kind. At this time a certain householder's\nson whose name was Kunda, invited Buddha to his house, and there he gave\nhim, as an offering, his very last repast. Having partaken of it and\ndeclared the law, he onward went to the town of Kusi, crossing the river\nTsae-kieuh and the Hiranyavati. Then in that S\u00e2la grove, a place of\nquiet and seclusion, he took his seat: entering the golden river he\nbathed his body, in appearance like a golden mountain. Then he spake his\nbidding thus to \u00c2nanda: \"Between those twin S\u00e2la trees, sweeping and\nwatering, make a clean space, and then arrange my sitting-mat. At\nmidnight coming, I shall die.\"\n\n\u00c2nanda hearing the bidding of his master, his breath was choked with\nheart-sadness; but going and weeping he obeyed the instruction, and\nspreading out the mat he came forthwith back to his master and\nacquainted him. Tath\u00e2gata having lain down with his head towards the\nnorth and on his right side, slept thus. Resting upon his hand as on a\npillow with his feet crossed, even as a lion-king; all grief is passed,\nhis last-born body from this one sleep shall never rise. His followers\nround him, in a circle gathered, sigh dolefully: \"The eye of the world\nis now put out!\" The wind is hushed, the forest streams are silent, no\nvoice is heard of bird or beast. The trees sweat out large flowing\ndrops, flowers and leaves out of season singly fall, whilst men and\nDevas, not yet free from desire, are filled with overwhelming fear. Thus\nwere they like men wandering through the arid desert, the road full\ndangerous, who fail to reach the longed-for hamlet; full of fear they go\non still, dreading they might not find it, their heart borne down with\nfear they faint and droop. And now Tath\u00e2gata, aroused from sleep,\naddressed \u00c2nanda thus: \"Go! tell the Mallas, the time of my decease is\ncome; they, if they see me not, will ever grieve and suffer deep\nregret.\" \u00c2nanda listening to the bidding of his master, weeping went\nalong the road. And then he told those Mallas all--\"The lord is near to\ndeath.\" The Mallas hearing it, were filled with great, excessive grief.\nThe men and women hurrying forth, bewailing as they went, came to the\nspot where Buddha was; with garments torn and hair dishevelled, covered\nwith dust and sweat they came. With piteous cries they reached the\ngrove, as when a Deva's day of merit comes to an end, so did they bow\nweeping and adoring at the feet of Buddha, grieving to behold his\nfailing strength. Tath\u00e2gata, composed and quiet, spake: \"Grieve not! the\ntime is one for joy; no call for sorrow or for anguish here; that which\nfor ages I have aimed at, now am I just about to obtain; delivered now\nfrom the narrow bounds of sense, I go to the place of never-ending rest\nand peace. I leave these things, earth, water, fire, and air, to rest\nsecure where neither birth nor death can come. Eternally delivered there\nfrom grief, oh! tell me! why should I be sorrowful? Of yore on Sirsha's\nmount, I longed to rid me of this body, but to fulfil my destiny I have\nremained till now with men in the world; I have kept this sickly,\ncrumbling body, as dwelling with a poisonous snake; but now I am come to\nthe great resting-place, all springs of sorrow now forever stopped. No\nmore shall I receive a body, all future sorrow now forever done away; it\nis not meet for you, on my account, for evermore, to encourage any\nanxious fear.\"\n\nThe Mallas hearing Buddha's words, that he was now about to die, their\nminds confused, their eyes bedimmed, as if they saw before them nought\nbut blackness, with hands conjoined, spake thus to Buddha: \"Buddha is\nleaving now the pain of birth and death, and entering on the eternal joy\nof rest; doubtless we ought to rejoice thereat. Even as when a house is\nburnt a man rejoices if his friends are saved from out the flames; the\ngods! perhaps they rejoice--then how much more should men! But--when\nTath\u00e2gata has gone and living things no more may see him, eternally cut\noff from safety and deliverance--in thought of this we grieve and\nsorrow. Like as a band of merchants crossing with careful steps a\ndesert, with only a single guide, suddenly he dies! Those merchants now\nwithout a protector, how can they but lament! The present age, coming to\nknow their true case, has found the omniscient, and looked to him, but\nyet has not obtained the final conquest; how will the world deride! Even\nas it would laugh at one who, walking o'er a mountain full of treasure,\nyet ignorant thereof, hugs still the pain of poverty.\"\n\nSo spake the Mallas, and with tearful words excuse themselves to Buddha,\neven as an only child pleads piteously before a loving father. Buddha\nthen, with speech most excellent, exhibited and declared the highest\nprinciple of truth, and thus addressed the Mallas:--\n\n\"In truth, 'tis as you say; seeking the way, you must exert yourselves\nand strive with diligence--it is not enough to have seen me! Walk, as I\nhave commanded you; get rid of all the tangled net of sorrow; walk in\nthe way with steadfast aim; 'tis not from seeing me this comes--even as\na sick man depending on the healing power of medicine, gets rid of all\nhis ailments easily without beholding the physician. He who does not do\nwhat I command sees me in vain, this brings no profit; whilst he who\nlives far off from where I am, and yet walks righteously, is ever near\nme! A man may dwell beside me, and yet, being disobedient, be far away\nfrom me. Keep your heart carefully--give not place to listlessness!\nearnestly practise every good work. Man born in this world is pressed by\nall the sorrows of the long career, ceaselessly troubled--without a\nmoment's rest, as any lamp blown by the wind!\" The Mallas all, hearing\nBuddha's loving instruction, inwardly composed, restrained their tears,\nand, firmly self-possessed, returned.\n\nMah\u00e2parinirv\u00e2na\n\nAt this time there was a Brahmak\u00e2rin whose name was Su-po-to-lo; he was\nwell-known for his virtuous qualities, leading a pure life according to\nthe rules of morality, and protecting all living things. When young he\nhad adopted heretical views, and become a recluse among\nunbelievers--this one, wishing to see the lord, spake to \u00c2nanda thus:--\n\n\"I hear that the system of Tath\u00e2gata is of a singular character and very\nprofound, and that he has reached the highest wisdom in the world, the\nfirst of all horse-tamers. I hear moreover that he is now about to die,\nit will be difficult indeed to meet with him again, and difficult to see\nthose who have seen him with difficulty, even as it is to catch in a\nmirror the reflection of the moon. I now desire respectfully to see him\nthe greatest and most virtuous guide of men, because I seek to escape\nthis mass of sorrow and reach the other shore of birth and death. The\nsun of Buddha now about to quench its rays, O! let me for a moment gaze\nupon him.\" The feelings of \u00c2nanda now were much affected, thinking that\nthis request was made with a view to controversy, or that he felt an\ninward joy because the lord was on the eve of death. He was not willing\ntherefore to permit the interview with Buddha. Buddha, knowing the man's\nearnest desire and that he was a vessel fit for true religion, therefore\naddressed \u00c2nanda thus: \"Permit that heretic to advance; I was born to\nsave mankind, make no hindrance therefore, or excuse!\"\n\nSubhadra, hearing this, was overjoyed at heart, and his religious\nfeelings were much enlarged, as with increased reverence he advanced to\nBuddha's presence. Then, as the occasion required, he spoke becoming\nwords and with politeness made his salutation, his features pleasing and\nwith hands conjoined he said:--\n\n\"Now I desire to ask somewhat from thee; the world has many teachers of\nreligion, those who know the law as I am myself; but I hear that Buddha\nhas attained a way which is the end of all complete emancipation. O that\nyou would, on my account, briefly explain your method, moisten my empty,\nthirsty soul! not with a view to controversy or from a desire to gain\nthe mastery, but with sincerity I ask you so to do.\"\n\nThen Buddha, for the Brahmak\u00e2rin's sake, in brief recounted the eight\n\"right ways\"--on hearing which, his empty soul accepted it, as one\ndeceived accepts direction in the right road. Perceiving now, he knew\nthat what he had before perceived was not the final way of salvation,\nbut now he felt he had attained what he had not before attained, and so\nhe gave up and forsook his books of heresy. Moreover, now he rejected\nthe gloomy hindrances of doubt, reflecting how by his former practices,\nmixed up with anger, hate, and ignorance, he had long cherished no real\njoy. For if, he argued, the ways of lust and hate and ignorance are able\nto produce a virtuous karman, then \"hearing much\" and \"persevering\nwisdom,\" these, too, are born from lust, which cannot be. But if a man\nis able to cut down hate and ignorance, then also he puts off all\nconsequences of works, and these being finally destroyed, this is\ncomplete emancipation. Those thus freed from works are likewise freed\nfrom subtle questionings, such as what the world says \"that all things,\neverywhere, possess a self-nature.\" But if this be the case and\ntherefore lust, hate, and ignorance, possess a self-implanted nature,\nthen this nature must inhere in them; what then means the word\n\"deliverance\"? For even if we rightly cause the overthrow of hate and\nignorance, yet if lust remains, then there is a return of birth; even as\nwater, cold in its nature, may by fire be heated, but when the fire goes\nout then it becomes cold again, because this is its constant nature; so\nwe may ever know that the nature which lust has is permanent, and\nneither hearing wisdom nor perseverance can alter it. Neither capable of\nincrease or diminution, how can there be deliverance? I held aforetime\nthat birth and death resulted thus, from their own innate nature; but\nnow I see that such a belief excludes deliverance; for what is born by\nnature must endure so, what end can such things have? Just as a burning\nlamp cannot but give its light; the way of Buddha is the only true one,\nthat lust, as the root-cause, brings forth the things that live; destroy\nthis lust then there is Nirvana; the cause destroyed then the fruit is\nnot produced. I formerly maintained that \"I\" was a distinct entity, not\nseeing that it has no maker. But now I hear the right doctrine preached\nby Buddha, there is no \"self\" in all the world, for all things are\nproduced by cause, and therefore there is no creator. If then sorrow is\nproduced by cause, the cause may likewise be destroyed; for if the world\nis cause-produced, then is the view correct, that by destruction of the\ncause, there is an end. The cause destroyed, the world brought to an\nend, there is no room for such a thought as permanence, and therefore\nall my former views are \"done away,\" and so he deeply \"saw\" the true\ndoctrine taught by Buddha.\n\nBecause of seeds well sown in former times, he was enabled thus to\nunderstand the law on hearing it; thus he reached the good and perfect\nstate of quietness, the peaceful, never-ending place of rest. His heart\nexpanding to receive the truth, he gazed with earnest look on Buddha as\nhe slept, nor could he bear to see Tath\u00e2gata depart and die; \"ere yet,\"\nhe said, \"Buddha shall reach the term I will myself first leave the\nworld;\" and then with hands close joined, retiring from the holy form,\nhe took his seat apart, and sat composed and firm. Then giving up his\nlife, he reached Nirv\u00e2na, as when the rain puts out a little fire. Then\nBuddha spake to all his followers: \"This my very last disciple has now\nattained Nirv\u00e2na, cherish him properly.\"\n\nThen Buddha, the first night watch passed, the moon bright shining and\nall the stars clear in their lustre, the quiet grove without a sound,\nmoved by his great compassionate heart, declared to his disciples this\nhis bequeathed precepts: \"After my Nirv\u00e2na, ye ought to reverence and\nobey the Pratimoksha, as your master, a shining lamp in the dark night,\nor as a great jewel treasured by a poor man. These injunctions I have\never given, these you ought to obey and follow carefully, and treat in\nno way different from myself. Keep pure your body, words, and conduct,\nput from you all concerns of daily life, lands, houses, cattle, storing\nwealth or hoarding grain. All these should be avoided as we avoid a\nfiery pit; sowing the land, cutting down shrubs, healing of wounds or\nthe practice of medicine, star-gazing and astrology, forecasting lucky\nor unfortunate events by signs, prognosticating good or evil, all these\nare things forbidden. Keeping the body temperate, eat at proper times;\nreceive no mission as a go-between; compound no philteries; abhor\ndissimulation; follow right doctrine, and be kind to all that lives;\nreceive in moderation what is given; receive but hoard not up; these\nare, in brief, my spoken precepts. These form the groundwork of my\nrules, these also are the ground of full emancipation. Enabled thus to\nlive this is rightly to receive all other things. This is true wisdom\nwhich embraces all, this is the way to attain the end; this code of\nrules, therefore, ye should hold and keep, and never let it slip or be\ndestroyed. For when pure rules of conduct are observed then there is\ntrue religion; without these, virtue languishes; found yourselves\ntherefore well on these my precepts; grounded thus in rules of purity,\nthe springs of feeling will be well controlled, even as the\nwell-instructed cow-herd guides well his cattle. Ill-governed feelings,\nlike the horse, run wild through all the six domains of sense, bringing\nupon us in the present world unhappiness, and in the next, birth in an\nevil way. So, like the horse ill-broken, these land us in the ditch;\ntherefore the wise and prudent man will not allow his senses license.\nFor these senses are, indeed, our greatest foes, causes of misery; for\nmen enamoured thus by sensuous things cause all their miseries to recur.\nDestructive as a poisonous snake, or like a savage tiger, or like a\nraging fire, the greatest evil in the world, he who is wise, is freed\nfrom fear of these. But what he fears is only this--a light and trivial\nheart, which drags a man to future misery--just for a little sip of\npleasure, not looking at the yawning gulf before us; like the wild\nelephant freed from the iron curb, or like the ape that has regained the\nforest trees, such is the light and trivial heart; the wise man should\nrestrain and hold it therefore. Letting the heart go loose without\nrestraint, that man shall not attain Nirv\u00e2na; therefore we ought to hold\nthe heart in check, and go apart from men and seek a quiet\nresting-place. Know when to eat and the right measure; and so with\nreference to the rules of clothing and of medicine; take care you do not\nby the food you take, encourage in yourselves a covetous or an angry\nmind. Eat your food to satisfy your hunger and drink to satisfy your\nthirst, as we repair an old or broken chariot, or like the butterfly\nthat sips the flower destroying not its fragrance or its texture. The\nBhikshu, in begging food, should beware of injuring the faithful mind of\nanother; if a man opens his heart in charity, think not about his\ncapabilities, for 'tis not well to calculate too closely the strength of\nthe ox, lest by loading him beyond his strength you cause him injury. At\nmorning, noon, and night, successively, store up good works. During the\nfirst and after-watch at night be not overpowered by sleep, but in the\nmiddle watch, with heart composed, take sleep and rest--be thoughtful\ntowards the dawn of day. Sleep not the whole night through, making the\nbody and the life relaxed and feeble; think! when the fire shall burn\nthe body always, what length of sleep will then be possible? For when\nthe hateful brood of sorrow rising through space, with all its attendant\nhorrors, meeting the mind o'erwhelmed by sleep and death, shall seize\nits prey, who then shall waken it?\n\n\"The poisonous snake dwelling within a house can be enticed away by\nproper charms, so the black toad that dwells within his heart, the early\nwaker disenchants and banishes. He who sleeps on heedlessly without\nplan, this man has no modesty; but modesty is like a beauteous robe, or\nlike the curb that guides the elephant. Modest behavior keeps the heart\ncomposed, without it every virtuous root will die. Who has this modesty,\nthe world applauds; without it, he is but as any beast. If a man with a\nsharp sword should cut the body bit by bit, let not an angry thought, or\nof resentment, rise, and let the mouth speak no ill word. Your evil\nthoughts and evil words but hurt yourself and not another; nothing so\nfull of victory as patience, though your body suffer the pain of\nmutilation. For recollect that he who has this patience cannot be\novercome, his strength being so firm; therefore give not way to anger or\nevil words towards men in power. Anger and hate destroy the true law;\nand they destroy dignity and beauty of body; as when one dies we lose\nour name for beauty, so the fire of anger itself burns up the heart.\nAnger is foe to all religious merit, he who loves virtue let him not be\npassionate; the layman who is angry when oppressed by many sorrows is\nnot wondered at. But he who has 'left his home' indulging anger, this is\nindeed opposed to principle, as if in frozen water there were found the\nheat of fire. If indolence arises in your heart, then with your own hand\nsmooth down your head, shave off your hair, and clad in sombre garments,\nin your hand holding the begging-pot, go ask for food; on every side the\nliving perish, what room for indolence? the worldly man, relying on his\nsubstance or his family, indulging in indolence, is wrong; how much more\nthe religious man, whose purpose is to seek the way of rescue, who\nencourages within an indolent mind; this surely is impossible!\n\n\"Crookedness and straightness are in their nature opposite and cannot\ndwell together more than frost and fire; for one who has become\nreligious, and practises the way of straight behavior, a false and\ncrooked way of speech is not becoming. False and flattering speech is\nlike the magician's art; but he who ponders on religion cannot speak\nfalsely. To 'covet much,' brings sorrow; desiring little, there is rest\nand peace. To procure rest, there must be small desire--much more in\ncase of those who seek salvation. The niggard dreads the much-seeking\nman lest he should filch away his property, but he who loves to give has\nalso fear, lest he should not possess enough to give; therefore we ought\nto encourage small desire, that we may have to give to him who wants,\nwithout such fear. From this desiring-little-mind we find the way of\ntrue deliverance; desiring true deliverance we ought to practise\nknowing-enough contentment.\n\n\"A contented mind is always joyful, but joy like this is but religion;\nthe rich and poor alike, having contentment, enjoy perpetual rest. The\nill-contented man, though he be born to heavenly joys, because he is not\ncontented would ever have a mind burned up by the fire of sorrow. The\nrich, without contentment, endures the pain of poverty; though poor, if\nyet he be contented, then he is rich indeed! That ill-contented man, the\nbounds of the five desires extending further still, becomes insatiable\nin his requirements, and so through the long night of life gathers\nincreasing sorrow. Without cessation thus he cherishes his careful\nplans, whilst he who lives contented, freed from anxious thoughts about\nrelationships, his heart is ever peaceful and at rest. And so because he\nrests and is at peace within, the gods and men revere and do him\nservice. Therefore we ought to put away all cares about relationship.\n\n\"For like a solitary desert tree in which the birds and monkeys gather,\nso is it when we are cumbered much with family associations; through the\nlong night we gather many sorrows. Many dependents are like the many\nbands that bind us, or like the old elephant that struggles in the mud.\nBy diligent perseverance a man may get much profit; therefore night and\nday men ought with ceaseless effort to exert themselves; the tiny\nstreams that trickle down the mountain slopes by always flowing eat away\nthe rock. If we use not earnest diligence in drilling wood in wood for\nfire, we shall not obtain the spark, so ought we to be diligent and\npersevere, as the skilful master drills the wood for fire. A 'virtuous\nfriend' though he be gentle is not to be compared with right\nreflection--right thought kept well in the mind, no evil thing can ever\nenter there.\n\n\"Wherefore those who practise a religious life should always think about\n'the body'; if thought upon one's self be absent, then all virtue dies.\nFor as the champion warrior relies for victory upon his armor's\nstrength, so 'right thought' is like a strong cuirass, able to withstand\nthe six sense-robbers. Right faith enwraps the enlightened heart, so\nthat a man perceives the world throughout is liable to birth and death;\ntherefore the religious man should practise faith.\n\n\"Having found peace in faith, we put an end to all the mass of sorrows,\nwisdom then can enlighten us, and so we put away the rules by which we\nacquire knowledge by the senses. By inward thought and right\nconsideration following with gladness the directions of the 'true law,'\nthis is the way in which both laymen of the world and men who have left\ntheir homes should walk.\n\n\"Across the sea of birth and death, 'wisdom' is the handy bark; 'wisdom'\nis the shining lamp that lightens up the dark and gloomy world. 'Wisdom'\nis the grateful medicine for all the defiling ills of life; 'wisdom' is\nthe axe wherewith to level all the tangled forest trees of sorrow.\n'Wisdom' is the bridge that spans the rushing stream of ignorance and\nlust--therefore, in every way, by thought and right attention, a man\nshould diligently inure himself to engender wisdom. Having acquired the\nthreefold wisdom, then, though blind, the eye of wisdom sees throughout;\nbut without wisdom the mind is poor and insincere; such things cannot\nsuit the man who has left his home.\n\n\"Wherefore let the enlightened man lay well to heart that false and\nfruitless things become him not, and let him strive with single mind for\nthat pure joy which can be found alone in perfect rest and quietude.\n\n\"Above all things be not careless, for carelessness is the chief foe of\nvirtue; if a man avoid this fault he may be born where Sakra-r\u00e2ga\ndwells. He who gives way to carelessness of mind must have his lot where\nthe Asuras dwell. Thus have I done my task, my fitting task, in setting\nforth the way of quietude, the proof of love. On your parts be diligent!\nwith virtuous purpose practise well these rules, in quiet solitude of\ndesert hermitage nourish and cherish a still and peaceful heart. Exert\nyourselves to the utmost, give no place to remissness, for as in worldly\nmatters when the considerate physician prescribes fit medicine for the\ndisease he has detected, should the sick man neglect to use it, this\ncannot be the physician's fault, so I have told you the truth, and set\nbefore you this the one and level road. Hearing my words and not with\ncare obeying them, this is not the fault of him who speaks; if there be\nanything not clearly understood in the principles of the 'four truths,'\nyou now may ask me, freely; let not your inward thoughts be longer hid.\"\nThe lord in mercy thus instructing them, the whole assembly remained\nsilent.\n\nThen Anuruddha, observing that the great congregation continued silent\nand expressed no doubt, with closed hands thus spake to Buddha:--\n\n\"The moon may be warm, the sun's rays be cool, the air be still, the\nearth's nature mobile; these four things, though yet unheard of in the\nworld, may happen; but this assembly never can have doubt about the\nprinciples of sorrow, accumulation, destruction, and the\nincontrovertible truths, as declared by the lord. But because the lord\nis going to die, we all have sorrow; and we cannot raise our thoughts to\nthe high theme of the lord's preaching. Perhaps some fresh disciple,\nwhose feelings are yet not entirely freed from other influences might\ndoubt; but we, who now have heard this tender, sorrowful discourse, have\naltogether freed ourselves from doubt. Passed the sea of birth and\ndeath, without desire, with nought to seek, we only know how much we\nlove, and, grieving, ask why Buddha dies so quickly?\"\n\nBuddha regarding Anuruddha, perceiving how his words were full of\nbitterness, again with loving heart, appeasing him, replied:--\n\n\"In the beginning things were fixed, in the end again they separate;\ndifferent combinations cause other substances, for there is no uniform\nand constant principle in nature. But when all mutual purposes be\nanswered, what then shall chaos and creation do! the gods and men alike\nthat should be saved, shall all have been completely saved! Ye then! my\nfollowers, who know so well the perfect law, remember! the end must\ncome; give not way again to sorrow!\n\n\"Use diligently the appointed means; aim to reach the home where\nseparation cannot come; I have lit the lamp of wisdom, its rays alone\ncan drive away the gloom that shrouds the world. The world is not\nforever fixed! Ye should rejoice therefore! as when a friend, afflicted\ngrievously, his sickness healed, escapes from pain. For I have put away\nthis painful vessel, I have stemmed the flowing sea of birth and death,\nfree forever now, from pain! for this you should exult with joy! Now\nguard yourselves aright, let there be no remissness! that which exists\nwill all return to nothingness! and now I die. From this time forth my\nwords are done, this is my very last instruction.\"\n\nThen entering the Sam\u00e2dhi of the first Dhy\u00e2na, he went successively\nthrough all the nine in a direct order; then inversely he returned\nthroughout and entered on the first, and then from the first he raised\nhimself and entered on the fourth. Leaving the state of Sam\u00e2dhi, his\nsoul without a resting-place, forthwith he reached Nirv\u00e2na. And then, as\nBuddha died, the great earth quaked throughout. In space, on every hand,\nwas fire like rain, no fuel, self-consuming. And so from out the earth\ngreat flames arose on every side.\n\nThus up to the heavenly mansions flames burst forth; the crash of\nthunder shook the heavens and earth, rolling along the mountains and the\nvalleys, even as when the Devas and Asuras fight with sound of drums and\nmutual conflict. A wind tempestuous from the four bounds of earth\narose--whilst from the crags and hills, dust and ashes fell like rain.\nThe sun and moon withdrew their shining; the peaceful streams on every\nside were torrent-swollen; the sturdy forests shook like aspen leaves,\nwhilst flowers and leaves untimely fell around, like scattered rain. The\nflying dragons, carried on pitchy clouds, wept down their tears; the\nfour kings and their associates, moved by pity, forgot their works of\ncharity. The pure Devas came to earth from heaven, halting mid-air they\nlooked upon the changeful scene, not sorrowing, not rejoicing. But yet\nthey sighed to think of the world, heedless of its sacred teacher,\nhastening to destruction. The eightfold heavenly spirits, on every side\nfilled space: cast down at heart and grieving, they scattered flowers as\nofferings. Only M\u00e2ra-r\u00e2ga rejoiced, and struck up sounds of music in his\nexultation. Whilst Gambudvipa shorn of its glory, seemed to grieve as\nwhen the mountain tops fall down to earth, or like the great elephant\nrobbed of its tusks, or like the ox-king spoiled of his horns; or heaven\nwithout the sun and moon, or as the lily beaten by the hail; thus was\nthe world bereaved when Buddha died!\n\nPraising Nirv\u00e2na\n\nAt this time there was a Devaputra, riding on his thousand white-swan\npalace in the midst of space, who beheld the Parinirv\u00e2na of Buddha. This\none, for the universal benefit of the Deva assembly, sounded forth at\nlarge these verses on impermanence:--\n\n\"Impermanency is the nature of all things, quickly born, they quickly\ndie. With birth there comes the rush of sorrows, only in Nirv\u00e2na is\nthere joy. The accumulated fuel heaped up by the power of karman, this\nthe fire of wisdom alone can consume. Though the fame of our deeds reach\nup to heaven as smoke, yet in time the rains which descend will\nextinguish all, as the fire that rages at the kalpa's end is put out by\nthe judgment of water.\"\n\nAgain there was a Brahma-Rishi-deva, like a most exalted Rishi, dwelling\nin heaven, possessed of superior happiness, with no taint in his bliss,\nwho thus sighed forth his praises of Tath\u00e2gata's Nirv\u00e2na, with his mind\nfixed in abstraction as he spoke:\n\n\"Looking through all the conditions of life, from first to last nought\nis free from destruction. But the incomparable seer dwelling in the\nworld, thoroughly acquainted with the highest truth, whose wisdom grasps\nthat which is beyond the world's ken, he it is who can save the\nworldly-dwellers. He it is who can provide lasting escape from the\ndestructive power of impermanence. But, alas! through the wide world,\nall that lives is sunk in unbelief.\"\n\nAt this time Anuruddha, \"not stopped\" by the world, \"not stopped\" from\nbeing delivered, the stream of birth and death forever \"stopped,\" sighed\nforth the praises of Tath\u00e2gata's Nirv\u00e2na:--\n\n\"All living things completely blind and dark! the mass of deeds all\nperishing, even as the fleeting cloud-pile! Quickly arising and as\nquickly perishing! the wise man holds not to such a refuge, for the\ndiamond mace of inconstancy can overturn the mountain of the Rishi\nhermit. How despicable and how weak the world! doomed to destruction,\nwithout strength! Impermanence, like the fierce lion, can even spoil the\nN\u00e2ga-elephant-great-Rishi. Only the diamond curtain of Tath\u00e2gata can\noverwhelm inconstancy! How much more should those not yet delivered from\ndesire, fear and dread its power? From the six seeds there grows one\nsprout, one kind of water from the rain, the origin of the four points\nis far removed: five kinds of fruit from the two 'Koo'--the three\nperiods, past, present, future, are but one in substance; the\nMuni-great-elephant plucks up the great tree of sorrow, and yet he\ncannot avoid the power of impermanence. For like the crested bird\ndelights within the pool to seize the poisonous snake, but when from\nsudden drought he is left in the dry pool, he dies; or as the prancing\nsteed advances fearlessly to battle, but when the fight has passed goes\nback subdued and quiet; or as the raging fire burns with the fuel, but\nwhen the fuel is done, expires; so is it with Tath\u00e2gata, his task\naccomplished he returns to find his refuge in Nirv\u00e2na: just as the\nshining of the radiant moon sheds everywhere its light and drives away\nthe gloom, all creatures grateful for its light, it disappears concealed\nby Sumeru; such is the case with Tath\u00e2gata, the brightness of his wisdom\nlit up the gloomy darkness, and for the good of all that lives drove it\naway, when suddenly it disappears behind the mountain of Nirv\u00e2na. The\nsplendor of his fame throughout the world diffused, had banished all\nobscurity, but like the stream that ever flows, it rests not with us;\nthe illustrious charioteer with his seven prancing steeds flies through\nthe host and disappears.\n\n\"The bright-rayed S\u00fbrya-deva, entering the Yen-tsz' cave, was, with the\nmoon, surrounded with fivefold barriers; 'all things that live,'\ndeprived of light, present their offerings to heaven; but from their\nsacrifice nought but the blackened smoke ascends; thus it is with\nTath\u00e2gata, his glory hidden, the world has lost its light. Rare was the\nexpectancy of grateful love that filled the heart of all that lives;\nthat love, reached its full limit, then was left to perish! The cords of\nsorrow all removed, we found the true and only way; but now he leaves\nthe tangled mesh of life, and enters on the quiet place! His spirit\nmounting through space, he leaves the sorrow-bearing vessel of his body!\nthe gloom of doubt and the great darkness all dispelled, by the bright\nrays of wisdom! The earthy soil of sorrow's dust his wisdom's water\npurifies! no more, no more, returns he here! forever gone to the place\nof rest!\n\n\"The power of birth and death destroyed, the world instructed in the\nhighest doctrine! he bids the world rejoice in knowledge of his law, and\ngives to all the benefit of wisdom! Giving complete rest to the world,\nthe virtuous streams flow forth! his fame known throughout the world,\nshines still with increased splendor! How great his pity and his love to\nthose who opposed his claims, neither rejoicing in their defeat nor\nexulting in his own success. Illustriously controlling his feelings, all\nhis senses completely enlightened, his heart impartially observing\nevents, unpolluted by the six objects of sense! Reaching to that\nunreached before! obtaining that which man had not obtained! with the\nwater which he provided filling every thirsty soul! Bestowing that which\nnever yet was given, and providing a reward not hoped for! his peaceful,\nwell-marked person, perfectly knowing the thoughts of all.\n\n\"Not greatly moved either by loving or disliking! overcoming all enemies\nby the force of his love! the welcome physician for all diseases, the\none destroyer of impermanency! All living things rejoicing in religion,\nfully satisfied! obtaining all they need, their every wish fulfilled!\nThe great master of holy wisdom once gone returns no more! even as the\nfire gone out for want of fuel! Declaring the eight rules without taint;\novercoming the five senses, difficult to compose! with the three powers\nof sight seeing the three precious ones; removing the three robbers\n(i.e. lust, anger, ignorance); perfecting the three grades of a holy\nlife, concealing the one (himself) and obtaining the one\nsaintship--leaping over the seven 'bodhyangas' and obtaining the long\nsleep; the end of all, the quiet, peaceful way; the highest prize of\nsages and of saints!\n\n\"Having himself severed the barriers of sorrow, now he is able to save\nhis followers, and to provide the draught of immortality for all who are\nparched with thirst! Armed with the heavy cuirass of patience, he has\novercome all enemies! by the subtle principles of his excellent law to\nsatisfy every heart. Planting a sacred seed in the hearts of those\npractising virtue; impartially directing and not casting off those who\nare right or not right in their views! Turning the wheel of the\nsuperlative law! received with gladness through the world by those who\nhave in former conditions implanted in themselves a love for religion,\nthese all saved by his preaching! Going forth among men converting those\nnot yet converted; those who had not seen the truth, causing them to see\nthe truth! All those practising a false method of religion, delivering\nto them deep principles of his religion! preaching the doctrines of\nbirth and death and impermanency; declaring that without a master\nteacher there can be no happiness! Erecting the standard of his great\nrenown, overcoming and destroying the armies of M\u00e2ra! advancing to the\npoint of indifference to pleasure or pain, caring not for life, desiring\nonly rest! Causing those not yet converted to obtain conversion! those\nnot yet saved to be saved! those not yet at rest to find rest! those not\nyet enlightened to be enlightened!\n\n\"Thus the Muni taught the way of rest for the direction of all living\nthings! alas! that any transgressing the way of holiness should practise\nimpure works. Even as at the end of the great kalpa, those holding the\nlaw who die, when the rolling sound of the mysterious thunder-cloud\nsevers the forests, upon these there shall fall the rain of immortality.\nThe little elephant breaks down the prickly forest, and by cherishing it\nwe know that it can profit men; but the cloud that removes the sorrow of\nthe elephant old-age, this none can bear. He by destroying systems of\nreligion has perfected his system, in saving the world and yet saving!\nhe has destroyed the teaching of heresy, in order to reach his\nindependent mode of doctrine.\n\n\"And now he enters the great quiet place! no longer has the world a\nprotector or saviour! the great army host of M\u00e2ra-r\u00e2ga, rousing their\nwarrior, shaking the great earth, desired to injure the honored Muni:\nbut they could not move him, whom in a moment now the M\u00e2ra 'inconstancy'\ndestroys. The heavenly occupants everywhere assemble as a cloud! they\nfill the space of heaven, fearing the endless birth and death! their\nhearts are full of grief and dread! His Deva eyes clearly behold,\nwithout the limitations of near or distant, the fruits of works\ndiscerned throughout, as an image perceived in a mirror! His Deva ears\nperfect and discriminating throughout, hear all, though far away,\nmounting through space he teaches all the Devas, surpassing his method\nof converting men! He divides his body still one in substance, crosses\nthe water as if it were not weak (to bear)! remembers all his former\nbirths, through countless kalpas none forgotten! His senses wandering\nthrough the fields of sense, all these distinctly remembered; knowing\nthe wisdom learned in every state of mind, all this perfectly\nunderstood! By spiritual discernment and pure mysterious wisdom equally\nsurveying all things! every vestige of imperfection removed! thus he has\naccomplished all he had to do. By wisdom rejecting other spheres of\nlife, his wisdom now completely perfected, lo! he dies! let the world,\nhard and unyielding, still, beholding it, relent!\n\n\"All living things though blunt in sense, beholding him, receive the\nenlightenment of wisdom! their endless evil deeds long past, as they\nbehold, are cancelled and completely cleansed! In a moment gone! who\nshall again exhibit qualities like his? no saviour now in all the\nworld--our hope cut off, our very breath is stopped and gone! Who now\nshall give us life again with the cool water of his doctrine? his own\ngreat work accomplished, his great compassion now has ceased to work for\nlong: has long ceased or stopped! The world ensnared in the toils of\nfolly, who shall destroy the net? who shall, by his teaching, cause the\nstream of birth and death to turn again? Who shall declare the way of\nrest to instruct the heart of all that lives, deceived by ignorance? Who\nwill point out the quiet place, or who make known the one true doctrine?\n\n\"All flesh suffering great sorrow, who shall deliver, like a loving\nfather? Like the horse changing his master loses all gracefulness, as he\nforgets his many words of guidance! as a king without a kingdom, such is\nthe world without a Buddha! as a disciple with no power of dialectic\nleft, or like a physician without wisdom, as men whose king has lost the\nmarks of royalty, so, Buddha dead, the world has lost its glory! the\ngentle horses left without a charioteer, the boat without a pilot left!\nThe three divisions of an army left without a general! the merchantman\nwithout a guide! the suffering and diseased without a physician! a holy\nking without his seven insignia. The stars without the moon! the loving\nyears without the power of life! such is the world now that Buddha, the\ngreat teacher, dies!\"\n\nThus spake the Arhat, all done that should be done, all imperfections\nquite removed, knowing the meed of gratitude, he was grateful therefore.\nThus thinking of his master's love he spake! setting forth the world's\ngreat sorrow; whilst those, not yet freed from the power of passion,\nwept with many tears, unable to control themselves. Yet even those who\nhad put away all faults, sighed as they thought of the pain of birth and\ndeath. And now the Malla host hearing that Buddha had attained Nirv\u00e2na,\nwith cries confused, wept piteously, greatly moved, as when a flight of\nherons meet a hawk. In a body now they reach the twin trees, and as they\ngaze upon Tath\u00e2gata dead, entered on his long sleep, those features\nnever again to awake to consciousness, they smote their breasts and\nsighed to heaven; as when a lion seizing on a calf, the whole herd\nrushes on with mingled sounds.\n\nIn the midst there was one Malla, his mind enamoured of the righteous\nlaw, who gazed with steadfastness upon the holy law-king, now entered on\nthe mighty calm, and said: \"The world was everywhere asleep, when Buddha\nsetting forth his law caused it to awake; but now he has entered on the\nmighty calm, and all is finished in an unending sleep. For man's sake he\nhad raised the standard of his law, and now, in a moment, it has fallen;\nthe sun of Tath\u00e2gata's wisdom spreading abroad the lustre of its 'great\nawakening,' increasing ever more and more in glory, spreading abroad the\nthousand rays of highest knowledge, scattering and destroying all the\ngloom of earth, why has the darkness great come back again? His\nunequalled wisdom lightening the three worlds, giving eyes that all the\nworld might see, now suddenly the world is blind again, bewildered,\nignorant of the way; in a moment fallen the bridge of truth that spanned\nthe rolling stream of birth and death, the swelling flood of lust and\nrage and doubt, and all flesh overwhelmed therein, forever lost.\"\n\nThus all that Malla host wept piteously and lamented; whilst some\nconcealed their grief nor spoke a word; others sank prostrate on the\nearth; others stood silent, lost in meditation; others, with sorrowful\nheart, groaned deeply. Then on a gold and silver gem-decked couch richly\nadorned with flowers and scents, they placed the body of Tath\u00e2gata; a\njewelled canopy they raised above, and round it flags and streamers and\nembroidered banners; then using every kind of dance and music, the lords\nand ladies of the Mallas followed along the road presenting offerings,\nwhilst all the Devas scattered scents and flowers, and raised the sound\nof drums and music in the heavens. Thus men and Devas shared one common\nsorrow, their cries united as they grieved together. Entering the city,\nthere the men and women, old and young, completed their religious\nofferings. Leaving the city, then, and passing through the Lung-tsiang\ngate, and crossing over the Hiranyavati river, they repaired to where\nthe former Buddhas, having died, had Kaityas raised to them. There\ncollecting ox-head sandal-wood and every famous scented wood, they\nplaced the whole above the Buddha's body, pouring various scented oils\nupon the pyre; then placing fire beneath to kindle it, three times they\nwalked around; but yet it burned not. At this time the great K\u00e2syapa had\ntaken his abode at R\u00e2gagriha, and knowing Buddha was about to die was\ncoming thence with all his followers; his pure mind, deeply moved,\ndesired to see the body of the lord; and so, because of that his sincere\nwish, the fire went out and would not kindle. Then K\u00e2syapa and his\nfollowers coming, with piteous sighs looked on the sight and reverenced\nat the master's feet; and then, forthwith, the fire burst out. Quenched\nthe fire of grief within; without, the fire has little power to burn. Or\nthough it burn the outside skin and flesh, the diamond true-bone still\nremains. The scented oil consumed, the fire declines, the bones they\nplace within a golden pitcher; for as the mystic world is not destroyed,\nneither can these, the bones of Buddha, perish; the consequence of\ndiamond wisdom, difficult to move as Sumeru. The relics which the mighty\ngolden-pinioned bird cannot remove or change, they place within the\nprecious vase, to remain until the world shall pass away; and wonderful!\nthe power of men can thus fulfil Nirv\u00e2na's laws, the illustrious name of\none far spread, is sounded thus throughout the universe; and as the ages\nroll, the long Nirv\u00e2na, by these, the sacred relics, sheds through the\nworld its glorious light, and brightens up the abodes of life. He\nperished in a moment! but these relics, placed within the vase, the\nimperishable signs of wisdom, can overturn the mount of sorrow; the body\nof accumulated griefs this imperishable mind can cause to rest, and\nbanish once forever all the miseries of life. Thus the diamond substance\nwas dealt with at the place of burning. And now those valiant Mallas,\nunrivalled in the world for strength, subduing all private animosities,\nsought escape from sorrow in the true refuge. Finding sweet comfort in\nunited love, they resolved to banish every complaining thought.\nBeholding thus the death of Tath\u00e2gata, they controlled their grieving\nhearts, and with full strength of manly virtue dismissing every listless\nthought, they submitted to the course of nature. Oppressed by thoughts\nof grievous sorrow, they entered the city as a deserted wild: holding\nthe relics thus they entered, whilst from every street were offered\ngifts. They placed the relics then upon a tower for men and Devas to\nadore.\n\nDivision of the Sariras\n\nThus those Mallas offered religious reverence to the relics, and used\nthe most costly flowers and scents for their supreme act of worship.\nThen the kings of the seven countries, having heard that Buddha was\ndead, sent messengers to the Mallas asking to share the sacred relics of\nBuddha. Then the Mallas reverencing the body of Tath\u00e2gata, trusting to\ntheir martial renown, conceived a haughty mind: \"They would rather part\nwith life itself,\" they said, \"than with the relics of the Buddha\"--so\nthose messengers returned from the futile embassage. Then the seven\nkings, highly indignant, with an army numerous as the rain-clouds,\nadvanced on Kusinagara; the people who went from the city filled with\nterror soon returned and told the Mallas all: that the soldiers and the\ncavalry of the neighboring countries were coming, with elephants and\nchariots, to surround the Kusinagara city. The gardens, lying without\nthe town, the fountains, lakes, flower and fruit-trees were now\ndestroyed by the advancing host, and all the pleasant resting-places lay\nin ruins.\n\nThe Mallas, mounting on the city towers, beheld the great supports of\nlife destroyed; they then prepared their warlike engines to crush the\nfoe without: balistas and catapults and \"flying torches,\" to hurl\nagainst the advancing host. Then the seven kings entrenched themselves\naround the city, each army host filled with increasing courage; their\nwings of battle shining in array as the sun's seven beams of glory\nshine; the heavy drums rolling as the thunder, the warlike breath rising\nas the full cloud mist. The Mallas, greatly incensed, opening the gates\ncommand the fray to begin; the aged men and women whose hearts had trust\nin Buddha's law, with deep concern breathed forth their vow, \"Oh! may\nthe victory be a bloodless one!\" Those who had friends used mutual\nexhortations not to encourage in themselves a desire for strife.\n\nAnd now the warriors, clad in armor, grasping their spears and\nbrandishing their swords 'midst the confused noise and heavy drums\nadvanced. But ere the contest had begun, there was a certain Brahman\nwhose name was Drona, celebrated for penetration, honored for modesty\nand lowliness, whose loving heart took pleasure in religion. This one\naddressed those kings and said: \"Regarding the unequalled strength of\nyonder city, one man alone would be enough for its defence; how much\nless when with determined heart they are united, can you subdue it! In\nthe beginning mutual strife produced destruction, how now can it result\nin glory or renown? The clash of swords and bloody onset done, 'tis\ncertain one must perish! and therefore whilst you aim to vanquish those,\nboth sides will suffer in the fray. Then there are many chances, too, of\nbattle: 'tis hard to measure strength by appearances; the strong,\nindeed, may overcome the weak, the weak may also overcome the strong;\nthe powerful champion may despise the snake, but how will he escape a\nwounded body? there are men whose natures bland and soft, seem suited\nfor the company of women or of children, but when enlisted in the ranks,\nmake perfect soldiers. As fire when it is fed with oil, though reckoned\nweak, is not extinguished easily, so when you say that they are weak,\nbeware of leaning overmuch on strength of body; nought can compare with\nstrength of right religion. There was in ancient times a Gina king,\nwhose name was K\u00e2randhama, his graceful upright presence caused such\nlove in others that he could overcome all animosity; but though he ruled\nthe world and was high renowned, and rich and prosperous, yet in the end\nhe went back and all was lost! So when the ox has drunk enough, he too\nreturns. Use then the principles of righteousness, use the expedients of\ngood will and love. Conquer your foe by force, you increase his enmity;\nconquer by love, and you will reap no after-sorrow. The present strife\nis but a thirst for blood, this thing cannot be endured! If you desire\nto honor Buddha, follow the example of his patience and long-suffering!\"\nThus this Brahman with confidence declared the truth; imbued with\nhighest principles of peace, he spake with boldness and unflinchingly.\n\nAnd now the kings addressed the Brahman thus: \"You have chosen a fitting\ntime for giving increase to the seed of wisdom: the essence of true\nfriendship is the utterance of truth. The greatest force of reason lies\nin righteous judgment. But now in turn hear what we say: The rules of\nkings are framed to avoid the use of force when hatred has arisen from\nlow desires, or else to avoid the sudden use of violence in trifling\nquestions where some trifling matter is at stake. But we for the sake of\nlaw are about to fight. What wonder is it! Swollen pride is a principle\nto be opposed, for it leads to the overthrow of society; no wonder then\nthat Buddha preached against it, teaching men to practise lowliness and\nhumility. Then why should we be forbidden to pay our reverence to his\nbody-relics? In ancient days a lord of the great earth, Pih-shih-tsung\nand Nanda, for the sake of a beautiful woman fought and destroyed each\nother; how much more now, for the sake of religious reverence to our\nmaster, freed from passion, gone to Nirv\u00e2na, without regard to self, or\ncareful of our lives, should we contend and assert our rights! A former\nking, Kaurava, fought with a P\u00e2ndava king, and the more they increased\nin strength the more they struggled, all for some temporary gain; how\nmuch more for our not-coveting master should we contend, coveting to get\nhis living relics? The son of R\u00e2ma, too, the Rishi, angry with King\nDasa-ratha, destroyed his country, slew the people, because of the rage\nhe felt; how much less for our master, freed from anger, should we be\nniggard of our lives! R\u00e2ma, for Sita's sake, killed all the\ndemon-spirits; how much more for our lord, heaven-received, should we\nnot sacrifice our lives! The two demons A-lai and Po-ku were ever drawn\ninto contention; in the first place, because of their folly and\nignorance, causing wide ruin among men; how much less for our all-wise\nmaster should we begrudge our lives! Wherefore if from these examples we\nfind others ready to die for no real principle, how shall we for our\nteacher of gods (Devas) and men, reverenced by the universe, spare our\nbodies or begrudge our lives, and not be earnest in desire to make our\nofferings! Now then, if you desire to stay the strife, go and for us\ndemand within the city that they open wide the relics, and so cause our\nprayer to be fulfilled. But because your words are right ones, we hold\nour anger for a while; even as the great, angry snake, by the power of\ncharms is quieted.\"\n\nAnd now the Brahman, having received the kings' instruction, entering\nthe city, went to the Mallas, and saluting them, spoke these true words:\n\"Without the city those who are kings among men grasp with their hands\ntheir martial weapons, and with their bodies clad in weighty armor wait\neagerly to fight; glorious as the sun's rays, bristling with rage as the\nroused lion. These united are, to overthrow this city. But whilst they\nwage this religious war, they fear lest they may act irreligiously, and\nso they have sent me here to say what they require: 'We have come, not\nfor the sake of territory, much less for money's sake, nor on account of\nany insolent feeling, nor yet from any thought of hatred; but because we\nvenerate the great Rishi, we have come on this account. You, noble sirs!\nknow well our mind! Why should there be such sorrowful contention! You\nhonor what we honor, both alike, then we are brothers as concerns\nreligion. We both with equal heart revere the bequeathed spiritual\nrelics of the lord. To be miserly in hoarding wealth, this is an\nunreasonable fault; how much more to grudge religion, of which there is\nso little knowledge in the world! The exclusive and the selfishly\ninclined, should practise laws of hospitality; but if ye have not rules\nof honor such as these, then shut your gates and guard yourselves.' This\nis the tenor of the words, be they good or bad, spoken by them. But now\nfor myself and my own feelings, let me add these true and sincere\nwords:--Let there be no contention either way; reason ought to minister\nfor peace, the lord when dwelling in the world ever employed the force\nof patience. Not to obey his holy teaching, and yet to offer gifts to\nhim, is contradiction. Men of the world, for some indulgence, some\nwealth or land, contend and fight, but those who believe the righteous\nlaw should obediently conform their lives to it; to believe and yet to\nharbor enmity, this is to oppose 'religious principle' to 'conduct.'\nBuddha himself at rest, and full of love, desired to bestow the rest he\nenjoyed on all. To adore with worship the great merciful, and yet to\ngender wide destruction, how is this possible? Divide the relics, then,\nthat all may worship them alike; obeying thus the law, the fame thereof\nwidespread, then righteous principles will be diffused; but if others\nwalk not righteously, we ought by righteous dealing to appease them, in\nthis way showing the advantage of religion, we cause religion everywhere\nto take deep hold and abide. Buddha has told us that of all charity\n'religious charity' is the highest; men easily bestow their wealth in\ncharity, but hard is the charity that works for righteousness.\"\n\nThe Mallas hearing the Brahman's words with inward shame gazed at one\nanother; and answered the Brahmak\u00e2rin thus: \"We thank you much for\npurposing to come to us, and for your friendly and religious\ncounsel--speaking so well, and reasonably. Yours are words which a\nBrahman ought to use, in keeping with his holy character; words full of\nreconciliation, pointing out the proper road; like one recovering a\nwandering horse brings him back by the path which he had lost. We then\nought to adopt the plan of reconciliation such as you have shown us; to\nhear the truth and not obey it brings afterwards regretful sorrow.\"\n\nThen they opened out the master's relics and in eight parts equally\ndivided them. Themselves paid reverence to one part, the other seven\nthey handed to the Brahman; the seven kings having accepted these,\nrejoiced and placed them on their heads; and thus with them returned to\ntheir own country, and erected D\u00e2gobas for worship over them. The\nBrahmak\u00e2rin then besought the Mallas to bestow on him the relic-pitcher\nas his portion, and from the seven kings he requested a fragment of\ntheir relics, as an eighth share. Taking this, he returned and raised a\nKaitya, which still is named \"the Golden Pitcher D\u00e2goba.\" Then the men\nof Kusinagara collecting all the ashes of the burning, raised over them\na Kaitya, and called it \"the Ashes D\u00e2goba.\" The eight St\u00fbpas of the\neight kings, \"the Golden Pitcher\" and \"the Ashes St\u00fbpa.\"\n\nThus throughout Gambudvipa there first were raised ten D\u00e2gobas. Then all\nthe lords and ladies of the country holding gem-embroidered canopies,\npaid their offerings at the various shrines, adorning them as any golden\nmountain. And so with music and with dancing through the day and night\nthey made merry, and sang. And now the Arhats numbering five hundred,\nhaving forever lost their master's presence, reflecting there was now no\nground of certainty, returned to Gridhrak\u00fbta mount; assembling in King\nSakra's cavern, they collected there the S\u00fbtra Pitaka; all the assembly\nagreeing that the venerable \u00c2nanda should say, for the sake of the\ncongregation, the sermons of Tath\u00e2gata from first to last: \"Great and\nsmall, whatever you have heard from the mouth of the deceased Muni.\"\n\nThen \u00c2nanda in the great assembly ascending the lion throne, declared in\norder what the lord had preached, uttering the words \"Thus have I\nheard.\"\n\nThe whole assembly, bathed in tears, were deeply moved as he pronounced\nthe words \"I heard\"; and so he announced the law as to the time, as to\nthe place, as to the person; as he spoke, so was it written down from\nfirst to last, the complete S\u00fbtra Pitaka. By diligent attention in the\nuse of means, practising wisdom, all these Arhats obtained Nirv\u00e2na;\nthose now able so to do, or hereafter able, shall attain Nirv\u00e2na in the\nsame way. King Asoka born in the world when strong, caused much sorrow;\nwhen feeble, then he banished sorrow; as the Asoka-flower tree, ruling\nover Gambudvipa, his heart forever put an end to sorrow, when brought to\nentire faith in the true law; therefore he was called \"the King who\nfrees from sorrow.\" A descendant of the May\u00fbra family, receiving from\nheaven a righteous disposition, he ruled equally over the world; he\nraised everywhere towers and shrines, his private name the \"violent\nAsoka,\" now called the \"righteous Asoka.\"\n\nOpening the D\u00e2gobas raised by those seven kings to take the Sar\u00eeras\nthence, he spread them everywhere, and raised in one day eighty-four\nthousand towers; only with regard to the eighth pagoda in R\u00e2magrama,\nwhich the N\u00e2ga spirit protected, the king was unable to obtain those\nrelics; but though he obtained them not, knowing they were spiritually\nbequeathed relics of Buddha which the N\u00e2ga worshipped and adored, his\nfaith was increased and his reverent disposition. Although the king was\nruler of the world, yet was he able to obtain the first holy fruit; and\nthus induced the entire empire to honor and revere the shrines of\nTath\u00e2gata.\n\nIn the past and present, thus there has been deliverance for all.\nTath\u00e2gata, when in the world; and now his relics--after his Nirvana;\nthose who worship and revere these, gain equal merit; so also those who\nraise themselves by wisdom, and reverence the virtues of the Tath\u00e2gata,\ncherishing religion, fostering a spirit of almsgiving, they gain great\nmerit also. The noble and superlative law of Buddha ought to receive the\nadoration of the world. Gone to that undying place, those who believe\nhis law shall follow him there; therefore let all the Devas and men,\nwithout exception, worship and adore the one great loving and\ncompassionate, who mastered thoroughly the highest truth, in order to\ndeliver all that lives. Who that hears of him, but yearns with love! The\npains of birth, old age, disease and death, the endless sorrows of the\nworld, the countless miseries of \"hereafter,\" dreaded by all the Devas,\nhe has removed all these accumulated sorrows; say, who would not revere\nhim? to escape the joys of after life, this is the world's chief joy! To\nadd the pain of other births, this is the world's worst sorrow! Buddha,\nescaped from pain of birth, shall have no joy of the \"hereafter\"!\n\nAnd having shown the way to all the world, who would not reverence and\nadore him? To sing the praises of the lordly monk, and declare his acts\nfrom first to last, without self-seeking or self-honor, without desire\nfor personal renown, but following what the scriptures say, to benefit\nthe world, has been my aim.","title":"Sacred Books of the East","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":178624}