Chapter 32

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The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a disciple, having immeasurable spheres filled with the seven treasures,[1] bestowed these in the exercise of charity; and if a disciple, whether man or woman, having aspired to supreme spiritual wisdom, selected from this Scripture a stanza comprising four lines, then rigorously observed it, studied it, and diligently explained it to others; the cumulative merit of such a disciple would be relatively greater than the other.”

“In what attitude of mind should it be diligently explained to others?[2] Not assuming the permanency or the reality of earthly phenomena, but in the conscious blessedness of a mind at perfect rest.[3] And why? Because, the phenomena of life may be likened unto a dream, a phantasm, a bubble,[4] a shadow, the glistening dew, or lightning flash, and thus they ought to be contemplated.”

When the Lord Buddha concluded his enunciation of this Scripture,[5] the venerable Subhuti, the monks,[6] nuns, lay-brethren and sisters, all mortals, and the whole realm of spiritual beings, rejoiced exceedingly, and consecrated to its practice, they received it and departed.

[1] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.

[2] “The wise man, the preacher, who wishes to expound this Sutra, must absolutely renounce falsehood, pride, calumny, and envy.... He is always sincere, mild, forbearing; ... he must feel affection for all beings who are striving for enlightenment ... they are greatly perverted in their minds, those beings who do not hear, nor perceive ... the mystery of the Tathagata. Nevertheless will I, who have attained this supreme, perfect knowledge, powerfully bend to it the mind of every one (Burnouf, _par la force de mes facultés surnaturelles_), whatever may be the position he occupies, and bring about that he accepts, understands, and arrives at full ripeness.”—_Saddharma-Pundarika_. H. Kern.

[3] “By contemplation are obtained those conditions through which is eventually gained that supreme calm, undecaying, immortal state, which is so hard to be reached.”—_Buddha-Karita_. E. B. Cowell.

“And in what way can the disciple ‘proclaim them generally?’ Simply by relying on no conditions or distinctions whatever; thus he will act without agitation or excitement. Wherefore the conclusion is this—that all things which admit of definition are as a dream, a phantom, a bubble, a shadow, as the dew and lightning flash. They ought to be regarded thus.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.

“And how should he explain it? As in the sky: stars, darkness, a lamp, a phantom, dew, a bubble, a dream, a flash of lightning, and a cloud—thus should we look upon the world (all that was made).”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

[4] “_Fa-Hien_ stayed at the dragon Vihara till after the summer retreat, and then, travelling to the south-east for seven Yojanas, he arrived at the city of Kanyakubja, lying along the Ganges.... At a distance from the city of six or seven _Le_, on the west, on the northern bank of the Ganges, is a place where Buddha preached the Law to his disciples. It has been handed down that his subjects of discourse were such as ‘The bitterness and vanity (of life), as impermanent and uncertain,’ and that ‘The body is as a “bubble” or foam on the water.’”—_Travels of Fa-Hien_. Legge.

[5] “Thus spake the Bhagavat enraptured; the elder Subhuti, and the friars, nuns, the faithful lay men and women, and the Bodhisattvas also, and the whole world of gods, men, evil spirits and fairies, praised the preaching of the Bhagavat.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

[6] “The vow of ‘obedience’ was never taken by the Buddhist monks and nuns, and in this it may be noticed a fundamental difference between them and monastic orders in the West: mental culture, not mental death, was the aim set before the Buddhist ascetic by the founder of his faith.”—_Buddhism_. T. W. Rhys Davids.

“_As when men, travelling, feel a glorious perfume sweet Pervading all the country side, and gladdening them, infer at once, ‘Surely ’tis giant forest trees are flowering now!’ So, conscious of this perfume sweet of righteousness That now pervades the earth and heavens, they may infer: ‘A Buddha, infinitely great, must once have lived!’_”

INDEX

Alexandria, 20

Alms-bowl, 3, 5

Almsgiving, 2

Anagami, 31, 32

Ananda, 11, 12

Anepidu, 51

Anniversaries, 37

Anta-Kalpas, 42

Anuradhapura, 51

Anurogrammum, 51

Apatti, 28

Aranyaka, 35, 36, 37

Arhat, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 55, 78

Ari-Hat, 32

Arjuna, 57

Arnold (Sir Edwin), 11, 18, 21, 29, 40, 42, 48, 50, 55, 94

Arya, 31, 32

Aryagiti, 26

Arya-Marga, 32

Ascetic, 21

Asiatic, 89

Asoka, 94, 95

Asurus, 44

Asvaghocha, 9, 74

Atman, 51

Atoms, 48

Attavada, 12

_αὐτοδιδακτος_, 38

_Awakening of Faith_, 9, 74

_Bacche (The)_, 20

Bana, 35, 45, 51

Beal, 7, 10, 15, 24, 26, 28, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49, 50, etc.

Benares, 2

Benefactions, 3

_Bhagavad-Gita_, 8, 23, 34, 58, 68

Bhagavat, 23, 26, 38, 47, 54, 80, 85, 87, 103, 105, 110

Bhoga-Deha, 83

Bikkhus, 95

Bikshu, 7

Bikshuni, 7

Bodhi, 6, 35, 62, 63

Bodhisattva, 6, 38, 39, 58, 59, 69, 75, 76, 97, 98, 99, 106, 110

Bo-Tree, 70, 71

Brahman, 69

Brahmanas, 1

Brahmanical, 83

Brahmanism, 17

Buddha, 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 18, etc.

_Buddha-Karita_, 86, 91, 109

Buddhaphalam, 32

Buddhas, 7, 11, 25, 28

Buddhaship, 6, 15, 32

Buddhic, 27

Buddhism, 13, 14, 16, 19, 41, 49, 63, 72, 80, 83, 110

Burnouf, 108

Calingapatah, 56

Calvary, 71

Ceylon, 80

_Ceylon Friend_, 61

Chakra, 95

Chakravartin, 94, 95

Chang-Ming, 20

Chang-Shui, 101

Chiliocosms, 43, 49

China, 5, 19

_Chinese Buddhism_, 2, 7, 9, 37, 39, 40, 69

Chioh-Hsien, 11

Christ, 8, 23, 40, 63, 73

Christians, 74

Chuan-Fah-Luen, 14

Chuang-Yen, 39

Circars, 56

Coral, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Cornelian, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Cowell, E. B., 86, 91, 109

Creed, 47

Cross, 71

Crystal, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Danataka Aranyaka, 35

Davids, T. W. Rhys, 13, 29, 31, 80, 95, 110

Davis, Sir John Francis, 19

Dewa-Loka, 30

Devas, 31

Dhamma, 27, 34, 44, 52

_Dhammapada_, 34, 44, 52, 63, 93

Dhammo, 78

Dharma, 30, 35, 83

Dharma Aranyaka, 35

Dharma-Kaya, 17, 82

Dharmasala, 65

Dharmma, 27

_Diamond Sutra, The_, 37, 47

Dipankara Buddha, 37, 38, 67, 71, 72, 73

Djatakas, 2

Dubois (the Abbé), 88

_Eastern Monachism_, 4, 5, 16, 21, 27, 30, 35, 36, 38, 46, 51, 53, 61, 78

Edkins, 2, 7, 9, 39, 40, 69

Egypt, 20

Eitel, 1, 2, 6, 11, 13, 26, 28, 31, 32, 35, 37, 49, 56, 57, 58, 79

Elburz, 40

Eleusis, 65

_Enlightenment of Ananda_, 12

Euripides, 20

Europe, 20, 104

Fa-Hien, 2, 65, 109

Fah, 14, 60

Fah-Ai, 14

Fah-Lien, 14

Fah-Luen, 14

Fah-Men, 14

Fah-Ming, 14

Fah-Pao, 14

Fah-Shen, 16

Fah-Wang, 14

Fah-Yen, 78

Fairies, 110

Faith, 3, 27

Fausböll, 23, 27

Fei-Fuh-Fah, 28

_Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King_, 93

Fox, 67

Fuh-Ko, 32

Fuh-Tu, 39

Gandhara, 5

Ganges, 2, 42, 51, 61, 79, 98, 109

Gatha, 26, 95

Gautama, 63, 80

German, 20

Getæ, 69

Girdle, 3

Glass, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

God, 21, 74

Gods, 110

Gogerly, Rev. D. J., 61

Gold, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Gondophares, 9

Gotama, 52

Greek, 20

Gunga, 42

Hardy, Spence, 4, 16, 21, 27, 30, 35, 36, 38, 46, 51, 53, 61, 78

Hastagiri, 48

Hero, 50

Hinayana, 64

Hindoo, 64

_Hindu Manners, Customs, and Ceremonies_, 88

_Hinduism_, 66

Hiuen-Tsang, 2, 50, 53, 65

Ho-Ru-To-Lo-San-Mao-San-Pu-Ti, 7

Ho-Tan-Ju-Lai, 63

_Hua-Yen-Sutra_, 100

Hunter, Sir William, 55

Huxley, 10

Icicles, 86

_Idea and Will, The World as_, 48, 103

Immortality, 44

Immortals, 2

India, 7, 20

_Indian Empire, The_, 55

Indo-Scythic, 9

I-Wu-Wei-Fah, 25

Jains, 88

Jayendra, 53

Jesus, 18

Jeta, 2, 4

Jewels, 91

Kalinga, 56

Kaliradja, 56

Kalpa, 45

Kanyakubja, 109

Kashaya, 50

Kashmir, 65

Kasina, 36

Kern, H., 39, 58, 108

Khaloupas’ Waddhaktinka, 4

Kin-Kong-King, 7, 10, 15, 24, 26, 28, 36, 39, 45, 49, 59, etc.

Kingdoms, 38, 40, 76

Kos’ala, 56

Kshanti, 58

Kshantivadin, 58

Kwa-Yuh, 33

Lao-Tsz, 28

_Lay Sermons_, 10

Le, 109

Legge, 65, 109

_Light of Asia (The)_, 11, 18, 21, 29, 34, 40, 42, 48, 50, 55, 94, etc.

_Lotus of the Good Law_, 64

Love, 73

Ma-Ming, 9

Madhyades’a, 5

Mahasattvas, 7

Mahayana, 62

Mantras, 1

Matanga, 35

Materialist, 48

Maya, 50, 58

Meitreya (Buddha), 5

_Memoirs sur les Contrées Occidentales_, 2

Mencius, 33

Mendicant, 4

Metamorphosis, 9

Mieh-Tu, 10

Milinda, 4, 29, 31, 33, 36, 95

Milton, 71

Mo-Ho-Sa, 7

_Mo-Wei-Sutra_, 77

Muir (J.), 89

Müller (Max), 1, 25, 26, 30, 34, 39, 42, 44, 47, 52, 54, etc.

Murray (Gilbert), 20

Myak, 7

Nairanjara, 70

Narakas, 46

Needle, 3

Nibbana, 23

Nihilism, 69

Nimitta, 36

Nirmanakaya, 17, 83

Nirvana, 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 44, 46, 55, 62, 63, 69

Non-individuality, 76

Nuttara, 7

_Œdipus Coloneus_, 65

O-siu-lo, 44

Padumas, 48

Pali, 80

Paramita, 13, 55, 56, 90

Patna, 94

Path, 18

Paul (The Apostle), 8, 23

Pearls, 25, 43, 64, 81, 108

Persia, 5

Pilgrims, 2

Po-Ro-Po-Lo-Mi, 8

Prajna-Paramita, 9

Prakrita, 57

Prasenajit, 2

Priests, 4

Ptolemy, 51

Puh-Seng, 32

Pundarikas, 48

Pu-sa, 6

_Questions of King Milinda_, 4, 29, 31 33, 36, 95

Raft, 23

Rahat, 20

Rahatship, 35

Ran-Teng-Fuh, 37

Razor, 3

Regents, 40

Reincarnation, 30, 31

_Relation des Royaumes Buddhiques_, 5

Remusat, 5

Ren, 44

Richard (Dr), 74

Righteousness, 33

Rishi, 58

Robe, 3, 50

_Saddharma-Pundarika_, 39, 54, 58, 108

Sagara, 5

Sakkayaditthi, 12

Sakridagami, 30, 31

Sakyamuni, 2, 5, 9, 37, 72, 73, 78, 94, 104

Salvation, 10, 92, 93

Samadhi, 36

Sambhoga-Kaya, 83

Sambodhi, 7

Samma-Sambuddha, 80

Sangha, 44

San-Pao, 17

Sanscrit, 1, 7, 95, 99

Sarvanikchepa, 42

Sarwajnan-Wahanse, 80

Sasa, 45

Sattva, 6

Saviour, 92

Schelling, 20

Schopenhauer, 48, 103

Scripture, 9, 18, 19, 20, 26, 43, 45, etc.

Scrotapatti, 28, 29

Seh-Shen, 16

Selfhood, 42

Sewet, 51

Shah-Tseh, 32

Shanghai, 74

Shelley, 98

Shen-Ming, 51

Shore, 23, 47

Shravasti, 2, 4, 6

Siao-Fah, 64

Signs, 50

Silver, 25, 43, 64, 107

Singhalese, 78

Siva, 17

Sivaism, 17

Sophocles, 65

Spawn, 9

Spirits, 44, 110

Spiritualist, 48

Sramana, 36

Srota, 28

S’ruti, 1

Sthula, 83

Subhuti, 6, 8, 13, etc.

Sugata, 26

Sujata, 70

Sumeru, 40, 42, 58

Sutana, 2

Sutra, 1, 8, 27, 45, 47, 68, 77, 91, 92, 108

_Sutta-Nipata_, 23, 27, 66

Swastika, 50

Syria, 20

Sz-ti, 32

Ta-Cheng-Che, 62

Talents, 78

Tang (dynasty), 76

Ta-Pi-Ku, 3

Tathagata, 25, 26, 38, 47, 49, 59, 63, 72, etc.

Teacher, 3

Temples, 39

Tennyson, 23

Thomson (J. Cockburn), 8, 23, 34, 58, 68

Ti-Ching, 11

Tien, 44

Tien-Kong, 30

Ting-Kwang-Fuh, 37

Topes, 64

Treasures, 25, 43, 64, 81, 90, 107

Trimurti, 17

Triratna, 17

Truth, 27, 78, 79

Tsz-Ran-Choih-Sing, 25

Tuchita, 5

_Twan-Tsi-Sin-Yao_, 76

Upadanas, 13

_Vagrakkhedika (The)_, 25, 26, 28, 30, 39, 42, 45, 47, etc.

Vais’ali, 5

Vedas, 1

Vedic, 89

Vice, 3

Vihara, 109

Virtue, 3

Vows, 19

Waddhaktinka, 4

Waterfall, 86

Water-strainer, 3

West, 110

Wiharas, 51

Williams (Sir Monier), 49, 63, 66, 83

Wisdom, 3, 7, 8, 47

Wou-Wei, 24

Wu-Wei, Fah, 28

Yen-Ping, 88

Yogi, 20

Yojanas, 109

_Yuen-Chioh-Sutra_, 100

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES.

This is an English translation of the Chinese version available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.319510013625058.

The original printed text scans can be found at: https://archive.org/details/cu31924022914588.

Textual notes:

1. Chapter labels have been added in braces (e.g. [