firmness is not to be expected of a mind rendered weak by affection.
85. 'See, a Brâhman suffering from old age and poverty has come to me.
To him I have given both children. Be appeased and do not mourn.
86. 'Look at me, Madrî, do not look for the children, nor indulge in
lamentations. Do not strike anew my heart, still pierced by the dart of
sorrow on account of the children.
87. 'When asked for my life, should I be able to withhold it? Take this
in account, my love, and approve the gift I have made of the children.'
Madrî, whom the suspicion of the death of her children had put to
anguish, now hearing by these words that they were alive, began to
recover from her fright and affliction. She wiped away her tears with
the object of comforting and strengthening her husband; then looking up,
she beheld (something) that made her speak with amazement to her
husband: 'A wonder! A wonder! To say it in a few words,
88. 'Surely, even the Celestials are wrapt in admiration at your heart
being up to this point inaccessible to selfish feelings.
89. 'This is evident from the sounds of the divine drums, echoing in all
directions. It is in order to celebrate your glory, that Heaven has
composed the hymn which it thus pronounces in distinct language from
afar.
90. 'Earth shakes, trembling, I suppose, from exultation, as is
indicated by the heaving of her breasts, the huge mountains. Golden
flowers, falling down from heaven, make the sky appear as if it were
illuminated by lightnings.
91. 'Leave, then, grief and sadness. That you have given away in charity
must rather tend to brighten up your mind. Become again the well that
affords benefit to the creatures, and a giver as before!'
Now the surface of Earth being shaken, Sumeru, the lord of mountains,
radiant with the lustre of its manifold gems, began to waver. _S_akra,
the Lord of the Devas, inquiring into the cause of the earthquake, was
informed of it by the regents of the world-quarters, who, with eyes
expanding with amazement, told him that it had been caused by
Vi_s_vantara giving away his children. Excited with joy and surprise,
next day at day-break he went into the presence of Vi_s_vantara,
feigning to be a Brâhman come to him as a mendicant. The Bodhisattva
showed him the hospitality due to a guest, after which he asked him to
bring forth his request. Then _S_akra begged him for his wife.
92. 'The practice of almsgiving in virtuous persons,' he said, 'comes as
little to its end as the water in great lakes dries up. For this reason
I ask thee for that woman there who is looking like a deity. Her, thy
wife, give to me, I pray thee.'
The Bodhisattva did not lose his firmness of mind, however, and made the
promise of giving her.
93. Then taking Madrî with his left hand and the waterpot with his
right, he poured down water on the hand of the Brâhman, but fire of
grief on the mind of the Love-god[93].
[93] This means not so much that the Indian Amor was afflicted on
account of the offence against conjugal love, as the defeat of
Mâra, the Indian Satan. To conquer the senses and sensuality is to
vanquish Mâra, who is the same as Kâma.
94. No anger arose in Madrî's breast, nor did she weep, for she knew her
husband's nature. Only keeping her eyes fixed on him, she stood like an
image, stupefied by the excessive heaviness of that fresh burden of
suffering.
On beholding this, _S_akra, the Lord of the Devas, affected with the
utmost admiration, magnified the Great Being.
95. 'Oh! the wide distance which is between the conduct of the righteous
and that of the impious! How will those who have not purified their
hearts be even capable of believing this great performance?
96. 'To cherish an affectionate wife and much-beloved children, and yet
to give them up, obeying the self-imposed vow of detachment--is it
possible to conceive any loftiness like this?
97. 'When thy glory will be spread throughout the world by the tales of
those who are enthusiastic about thy virtues, the brilliant reputations
of others will disappear in thine, beyond doubt, just as the other
luminaries dissolve in the splendour of the sunlight.
98. 'Even now this superhuman fact of thine is praisingly approved by
the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, the snakes, and by the Devas, Vâsava[94]
included.'
[94] Vâsava is another name of _S_akra.
After so speaking, _S_akra reassumed his own brilliant figure and made
himself known to the Bodhisattva. Which being done, he said:
99. 'To thee I now give back Madrî, thy wife.
Where else should moonshine stay but with the moon?
100. 'Nor shouldst thou be anxious about the separation from thy son and
daughter, nor grieve for the loss of thy royal dignity. Before long thy
father will come to thee, accompanied by both thy children, and provide
his kingdom with a protector, re-establishing thee in thy high rank.'
Having said these words, _S_akra disappeared on the spot.
And that Brâhman, in consequence of _S_akra's power, brought the
children of the Bodhisattva to the very land of _S_ibi. And when the
_S_ibis and Sa_m_gaya, their king, heard of the Bodhisattva's
performance of the greatest compassion, hard to be done by others, their
hearts became soft with tenderness. They redeemed the children from the
hand of the Brâhman, and having obtained the pardon of Vi_s_vantara, led
him back and reinstated him in his royal dignity.
* * * * *
[In this way, then, the behaviour of a Bodhisattva is exceedingly
marvellous. For this reason such distinguished beings as strive for that
state, must not be despised or hindered. This story is also to be
adduced, when discoursing on the Tathâgata and when treating of
listening with attention to the preaching of the Law.]
Vi_s_vantara's birth being the last but one of the Lord, the person
of that charitable king is held very high among Buddhists. His
largesses are also considered to constitute the highest degree of
practising the pâramitâ of charity. In the memorable night which
preceded his attainment of the Buddhahood, the _S_âkya prince had
but to refer to his actions in the Vi_s_vantara-existence to
demonstrate his having fulfilled that pâramitâ. In the Pâli
_G_âtaka that existence forms the subject-matter of the longest and
last tale of the collection, but since it is the last, it is still
unpublished; its contents, however, have been communicated by
Spence Hardy in his 'Manual of Budhism' (pp. 118-127 of the second
edition). From hence Prof. Kern borrowed his exposition of the tale
in his Geschiedenis van het Buddhisme, I, pp. 303-317, to which he
added copious notes with the object of exploring and expounding the
mythological substratum which underlies it. It is curious to
compare the redaction of the Pâli _G_âtaka with that of _S_ûra. The
latter omitted purposely, it seems, some particulars, for instance,
the name of the old Brâhman, that of the mother of Vi_s_vantara,
and the etymology of his name; his narration is different in some
slight details. But the main features are the same, likewise in the
redaction of the _K_ariyâpi_t_aka, where Vi_s_vantara's story is
No. 9 of the dânaparamitâ and is told in 58 _s_lokas. From this
version it appears that the earthquake, caused by the great
liberality of the prince, is something most essential; or rather
the earthquakes, for this miracle occurred seven times, once, when
he took the determination [not mentioned by _S_ûra] of giving his
heart, eyes, flesh or blood, if requested; secondly, after the gift
of the white elephant; thirdly, when he had made his great
largesses preceding his withdrawal to Mount Vaṅka; fourthly and
fifthly, after giving his children and his wife; the sixth time was
when he met again with his father and mother in the forest; the
seventh at his entrance in his capital. The sevenfold earthquake is
also discussed in the Milinda Pa_ñ_ha, 119 foll. Cp. also the
parallel performance told of the Bodhisattva, who afterwards was
Maṅgala Buddha (Fausb. _G_ât. I, p. 31, translated by Rhys Davids,
Birth-Stories, I, p. 33).
In Kshemendra's Avadânakalpalatâ the story of Vi_s_vantara is No.
23, not yet published.
X. THE STORY OF THE SACRIFICE.
Those whose hearts are pure do not act up to the enticement of the
wicked. Knowing this, pure-heartedness is to be striven after. This will
be taught by the following.
Long ago the Bodhisattva, it is said, was a king who had obtained his
kingdom in the order of hereditary succession. He had reached this state
as the effect of his merit, and ruled his realm in peace, not disturbed
by any rival, his sovereignty being universally acknowledged. His
country was free from any kind of annoyance, vexation or disaster, both
his home relations and those with foreign countries being quiet in every
respect; and all his vassals obeyed his commands.
1. This monarch having subdued the passions, his enemies, felt no
inclination for such profits as are to be blamed when enjoyed, but was
with his whole heart intent on promoting the happiness of his subjects.
Holding virtuous practice (dharma) the only purpose of his actions, he
behaved like a Muni.
2. For he knew the nature of mankind, that people set a high value on
imitating the behaviour of the highest. For this reason, being desirous
of bringing about salvation for his subjects, he was particularly
attached to the due performance of his religious duties.
3. He practised almsgiving, kept strictly the precepts of moral conduct
(_s_îla), cultivated forbearance, strove for the benefit of the
creatures. His mild countenance being in accordance with his thoughts
devoted to the happiness of his subjects, he appeared like the embodied
Dharma.
Now it once happened that, though protected by his arm, his realm, both
in consequence of the faulty actions of its inhabitants and inadvertence
on the part of the angels charged with the care of rain, was afflicted
in several districts by drought and the troublesome effects of such a
disaster. Upon this the king, fully convinced that this plague had been
brought about by the violation of righteousness by himself or his
subjects, and taking much to heart the distress of his people, whose
welfare was the constant object of his thoughts and cares, took the
advice of men of acknowledged competence, who were reputed for their
knowledge in matters of religion. So keeping counsel with the elders
among the Brâhmans, headed by his family priest (purohita) and his
ministers, he asked them for some means of putting an end to that
calamity. Now they, believing a solemn sacrifice as is enjoined by the
Veda to be a cause of abundant rain, explained to him that he must
perform such a sacrifice of a frightful character, inasmuch as it
requires the massacre of many hundreds of living beings. But after being
informed of everything concerning such a slaughter as is prescribed for
the sacrifice, his innate compassionateness forbade him to approve of
their advice in his heart; yet out of civility, unwilling to offend them
by harsh words of refusal, he slipped over this point, turning the
conversation upon other topics. They, on the other hand, no sooner
caught the opportunity of conversing with the king on matters of
religion, than they once more admonished him to accomplish the
sacrifice, for they did not understand his deeply hidden mind.
4. 'You constantly take care not to neglect the proper time of
performing your different royal duties, established for the sake of
obtaining the possession of land and ruling it. The due order of these
actions of yours is in agreement with the precepts of Righteousness
(dharma).
5. 'How then is this that you who (in all other respects) are so clever
in the observance of the triad (of dharma, artha, and kâma), bearing
your bow to defend the good of your people, are so careless and almost
sluggish as to that bridge to the world of the Devas, the name of which
is 'sacrifice'?
6. 'Like servants, the kings (your vassals) revere your commands,
thinking them to be the surest gage of success. Now the time is come, O
destroyer of your foes, to gather by means of sacrifice superior
blessings, which are to procure for you a shining glory.
7, 8. 'Certainly, that holiness which is the requisite for a
dîkshita[95] is already yours, by reason of your habitual practice of
charity and your strictness in observing the restraint (of good
conduct). Nevertheless, it would be fit for you to discharge your debt
to the Devas[96] by such sacrifices as are the subject-matter of the
Veda. The deities being satisfied by duly and faultlessly performed
sacrifice, honour the creatures in return by (sending) rain. Thus
considering, take to mind the welfare of your subjects and your own, and
consent to the performance of a regular sacrifice, which will enhance
your glory.'
[95] Before undertaking the performance of a great sacrifice, its
performer has to be purified by the initiatory ceremony of dikshâ.
From that time till the final bath or avabh_ri_tha at the close of
the sacrifice he is called a dîkshita, and bound to the observance
of many detailed prescriptions about his food, dress, residence,
and his whole mode of living.
[96] By sacrifice, is the saying of the Hindus, man pays his debts
to the Devas, by the _S_râddha and by offspring to his ancestors,
by study and penance to the _ri_shis or old sages, by benevolence
and kindness to men. See, for instance, Mhbh. I, 120, 17 foll.;
Buddha_k_arita IX, 55.
Thereupon he entered upon this thought: 'Very badly guarded is my poor
person indeed, being given in trust to such leaders. While faithfully
believing and loving the Law, I should uproot my virtue of
tender-heartedness by reliance upon the words of others. For, truly,
9. 'Those who are reputed among men to be the best refuge, are the very
persons who intend to do harm, borrowing their arguments from the Law.
Alas! such a man who follows the wrong path shown by them, will soon
find himself driven to straits, for he will be surrounded by evils.
10. 'What connection may there be, forsooth, between righteousness and
injuring animals? How may residence in the world of the Devas or
propitiation of the deities have anything to do with the murder of
victims?
11, 12. 'The animal slaughtered according to the rites with the
prescribed prayers, as if those sacred formulae were so many darts to
wound it, goes to heaven, they say, and with this object it is killed.
In this way that action is interpreted to be done according to the Law.
Yet it is a lie. For how is it possible that in the next world one
should reap the fruits of what has been done by others? And by what
reason will the sacrificial animal mount to heaven? though he has not
abstained from wicked actions, though he has not devoted himself to the
practice of good ones, simply because he has been killed in sacrifice,
and not on the ground of his own actions?
13. 'And should the victim killed in sacrifice really go to heaven,
should we not expect the Brâhmans to offer themselves to be immolated in
sacrifice? A similar practice, however, is nowhere seen among them. Who,
then, may take to heart the advice proffered by these counsellors?
14. 'As to the Celestials, should we believe that they who are wont to
enjoy the fair ambrosia of incomparable scent, flavour, magnificence,
and effective power, served to them by the beautiful Apsarasas, would
abandon it to delight in the slaughter of a pitiable victim, that they
might feast on the omentum and such other parts of his body as are
offered to them in sacrifice?
'Therefore, it is the proper time to act so and so.' Having thus made up
his mind, the king feigned to be eager to undertake the sacrifice; and
in approval of their words he spoke to them in this manner: 'Verily,
well protected am I, well gratified, having such counsellors as Your
Lordships are, thus bent on securing my happiness! Therefore I will have
a human sacrifice (purushamedha) of a thousand victims performed. Let my
officials, each in his sphere of business, be ordered to bring together
the requisites necessary for that purpose. Let also an inquiry be made
of the most fitting ground whereon to raise the tents and other
buildings for the sattra[97]. Further, the proper time for the sacrifice
must be fixed (by the astrologers) examining the auspicious lunar days,
kara_n_as, muhûrtas, and constellations.' The purohita answered: 'In
order to succeed in your enterprise, Your Majesty ought to take the
avabh_ri_tha (final bath) at the end of one sacrifice; after which you
may successively undertake the others. For if the thousand human victims
were to be seized at once, your subjects, to be sure, would blame you
and be stirred up to great agitation on their account.' These words of
the purohita having been approved by the (other) Brâhmans, the king
replied: 'Do not apprehend the wrath of the people, Reverends. I shall
take such measures as to prevent any agitation among my subjects.'
[97] This is the appellation of great Soma-sacrifices lasting for
many days, sometimes even for years.
After this the king convoked an assembly of the townsmen and the
landsmen, and said: 'I intend to perform a human sacrifice of a thousand
victims. But nobody behaving honestly is fit to be designated for
immolation on my part. With this in mind, I give you this advice:
Whomsoever of you I shall henceforward perceive transgressing the
boundaries of moral conduct, despising my royal will, him will I order
to be caught to be a victim at my sacrifice, thinking such a one the
stain of his family and a danger to my country. With the object of
carrying this resolution into effect, I shall cause you to be observed
by faultless and sharp-sighted emissaries, who have shaken off sleepy
carelessness and will report to me concerning your conduct.'
Then the foremost of the assembly, folding their hands and bringing them
to their foreheads, spoke:
15, 16. 'Your Majesty, all your actions tend to the happiness of your
subjects, what reason can there be to despise you on that account? Even
(god) Brahmâ cannot but sanction your behaviour. Your Majesty, who is
the authority of the virtuous, be our highest authority. For this reason
anything which pleases Your Majesty must please us, too. Indeed, you are
pleased with nothing else but our enjoyment and our good.'
After the notables both of the town and the country had accepted his
command in this manner, the king dispersed about his towns and all over
his country officers, notified as such by their outward appearance to
the people, with the charge of laying hold of the evildoers, and
everywhere he ordered proclamations to be made by beat of drum day after
day, of this kind:
17. 'The king, a granter of security as he is, warrants safety to every
one who constantly cultivates honesty and good conduct, in short, to the
virtuous. Yet, intending to perform a human sacrifice for the benefit of
his subjects, he wants human victims by thousands to be taken out of
those who delight in misconduct.
18. 'Therefore, whosoever henceforward, licentiously indulging in
misbehaviour, shall disregard the command of our monarch, which is even
observed by the kings, his vassals, shall be brought to the state of a
sacrificial victim by the very force of his own actions; and people
shall witness his miserable suffering, when he shall pine with pain, his
body being fastened to the sacrificial post.'
When the inhabitants of that realm became aware of their king's careful
search after evildoers with the aim of destining them to be victims at
his sacrifice--for they heard the most frightful royal proclamation day
after day and saw the king's servants, who were appointed to look out
for wicked people and to seize them, appearing every now and then
everywhere--they abandoned their attachment to bad conduct, and grew
intent on strictly observing the moral precepts and self-control. They
avoided every occasion of hatred and enmity, and settling their quarrels
and differences, cherished mutual love and mutual esteem. Obedience to
the words of parents and teachers, a general spirit of liberality and
sharing with others, hospitality, good manners, modesty, prevailed among
them. In short, they lived as it were in the K_ri_ta Yuga.
19. The fear of death had awakened in them thoughts of the next world;
the risk of tarnishing the honour of their families had stirred their
care of guarding their reputation; the great purity of their hearts had
strengthened their sense of shame. These factors being at work, people
were soon distinguished by their spotless behaviour.
20. Even though every one became more than ever intent on keeping a
righteous conduct, still the king's servants did not diminish their
watchfulness in the pursuit of the evildoers. This also contributed to
prevent people from falling short of righteousness.
21. The king, learning from his emissaries this state of things in his
realm, felt extremely rejoiced. He bestowed rich presents on those
messengers as a reward for the good news they told him, and enjoined his
ministers, speaking something like this:
22-24. 'The protection of my subjects is my highest desire, you know.
Now, they have become worthy to be recipients of sacrificial gifts[98],
and it is for the purpose of my sacrifice that I have provided this
wealth. Well, I intend to accomplish my sacrifice in the manner which I
have considered to be the proper one. Let every one who wishes for
money, that it may be fuel for his happiness, come and accept it from my
hand to his heart's content. In this way the distress and poverty, which
is vexing our country, may be soon driven out. Indeed, whenever I
consider my own strong determination to protect my subjects and the
great assistance I derive from you, my excellent companions in that
task, it often seems to me as though those sufferings of my people, by
exciting my anger, were burning in my mind like a blazing fire.'
[98] Viz. by the purity of their life and the holiness of their
conduct.
The ministers accepted the royal command and anon went to execute it.
They ordered alms-halls to be established in all villages, towns, and
markets, likewise at all stations on the roads. This being done, they
caused all who begged in order to satisfy their wants, to be provided
day after day with a gift of those objects, just as had been ordered by
the king.
25. So poverty disappeared, and the people, having received wealth from
the part of the king, dressed and adorned with manifold and fine
garments and ornaments, exhibited the splendour of festival days.
26. The glory of the king, magnified by the eulogies of the rejoiced
recipients of his gifts, spread about in all directions in the same way,
as the flower-dust of the lotuses carried forth by the small waves of a
lake, extends itself over a larger and larger surface.
27[99]. And after the whole people, in consequence of the wise measures
taken by their ruler, had become intent on virtuous behaviour, the
plagues and calamities, overpowered by the growth of all such qualities
as conduce to prosperity, faded away, having lost their hold.
[99] In the printed text the first line of this stanza is
deficient, two syllables at the end being wanting. I think this
second pâda should be restored by the insertion of _g_ane after
nikhile.
28. The seasons succeeded each other in due course, rejoicing everybody
by their regularity, and like kings newly established, complying with
the lawful order of things. Consequently the earth produced the various
kinds of corn in abundance, and there was fulness of pure and blue water
and lotuses in all water-basins.
29. No epidemics afflicted mankind; the medicinal herbs possessed their
efficacious virtues more than ever; the monsoons blew in due time and
regularly; the planets moved along in auspicious paths.
30. Nowhere there existed any danger to be feared, either from abroad,
or from within, or such as might be caused by derangements of the
elements. Continuing in righteousness and self-control, cultivating good
behaviour and modesty, the people of that country enjoyed as it were the
prerogatives of the K_ri_ta Yuga.