have all adopted this mode of diffusive doctrine [doctrine which
admits of no particular distinction (_wou-wei)], and hence the
differences which have occurred.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[2] The Chinese text “_i-wu-wei-fah_,” is explained by a learned
expositor as _tsz-ran-choih-sing_—the intuitive faculty.
[3] “Because that thing which was known or taught by the Tathagata
is incomprehensible and inexpressible. It is neither a thing nor
no-thing. And why? Because the holy persons are of imperfect
power.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[Chapter 8]
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? If a
benevolent person bestowed as alms, an abundance of the seven
treasures[1] sufficient to fill the universe, would there accrue to
that person a considerable merit?”
Subhuti replied, saying:[2] “A very considerable merit, Honoured of
the Worlds! And why? Because, what is referred to does not partake of
the nature of ordinary merit, and in this sense the Lord Buddha made
mention of a ‘considerable’ merit.”
The Lord Buddha rejoined, saying: “If a disciple adhered with implicit
faith to a stanza[3] of this Scripture, and diligently explained it to
others, the intrinsic merit of that disciple would be relatively
greater. And why? Because, Subhuti, the holy Buddhas, and the Law[4]
by which they attained to supreme spiritual wisdom, severally owe
their inception to the truth[5] of this sacred Scripture. Subhuti,
what is ordinarily termed the Buddhic Law, is not really a Law
attributive to Buddha.”[6]
[1] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.
[2] “Very considerable indeed, world-honoured one! But why so?
This merit being in its very character of the nature of that which
is no merit at all, so Tathagata speaks of it as being
‘much.’”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
“Subhuti said: Yes, O Sugata, that son or daughter of a good
family would produce a large stock of merit. And why? Because, O
Bhagavat, what was preached by the Tathagata as the stock of
merit, is no stock of merit. Therefore, the Tathagata preaches: ‘a
stock of merit, a stock of merit indeed!’”—_The Vagrakkhedika_.
Max Müller.
[3] “Gatha—hymns and chants, narratives containing moral
expositions in metrical language. A Chinese text says, ‘32
characters form one Gatha,’ which refers to a certain variety of
Gatha called Aryagiti, a metre consisting of 32
instants.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
[4] “The _Dharmma_ (Law) is perfect, having nothing redundant, and
nothing wanting. But it requires attention, that the benefits it
offers may be received. Though the teacher may attain great
happiness, and enter Nirvana, it does not follow that the disciple
will necessarily possess the same privileges; he may be like one
who binds the crown upon the head of another. Therefore each one
for himself must exercise meditation, and observe the ordinances,
that he may attain wisdom.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[5] “Faith is in the world the best property for a man; _Dhamma_
(the Law), well observed, conveys happiness; truth, indeed, is the
sweetest of things; and the life they call the best which is lived
with understanding.”—_Sutta-Nipata_. Fausböll.
[6] “What then, Subhuti? All the Buddhas, and all the perfect laws
of the Buddhas, have sprung from (the principles of) this one
Sutra; but, Subhuti, that which is spoken of as the Law of Buddha,
is after all not such a Law (or, is a Law of no
Buddha).”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
“Because, O Subhuti, the highest perfect knowledge of the holy and
enlightened Tathagatas is produced from it; the blessed Buddhas
are produced from it. And why? Because, O Subhuti, when the
Tathagata preached: ‘The qualities of Buddha, the qualities of
Buddha indeed!’ They were preached by him as no-qualities of
Buddha. Therefore they are called the qualities of Buddha.”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
An erudite Chinese commentator suggests that the words
_fei-fuh-fah_ are synonymous with _wu-wei-fah_—intuition, already
observed in the preceding section. A familiar passage from
_Lao-Tsz_, “Infinite truth is inexpressible,” is quoted by our
commentator as serving to illustrate the difficulty of giving
expression to an idea equivalent to the Law of Buddha.
[Chapter 9]
The Lord Buddha enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you? May a
Scrotapatti[1] (having entered the stream which bears on to Nirvana)
thus moralise within himself, ‘I have obtained the fruits[2]
commensurate with the merit of a Scrotapatti’?” Subhuti replied,
saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, Scrotapatti is
simply a descriptive term signifying ‘having entered the stream.’ A
disciple who avoids the seductive phenomena of form, sound, odour,
taste, touch, and Law,[3] is named a Scrotapatti.”
The Lord Buddha again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think you?
May a Sakridagami[4] (who is subject only to one more reincarnation)
thus muse within himself, ‘I have obtained the fruits consonant with
the merit of a Sakridagami’?” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured
of the Worlds! And why? Because, Sakridagami is merely a descriptive
title denoting ‘only one more reincarnation’;[5] but in reality there
is no such condition as ‘only one more reincarnation,’ hence
Sakridagami is merely a descriptive title.”
The Lord Buddha once again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think
you? May an Anagami[6] (having entire immunity from reincarnation)
thus reflect within himself, ‘I have obtained the fruits which accord
with the merit of an Anagami?’” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured
of the Worlds! And why? Because, Anagami is merely a designation
meaning ‘immunity from reincarnation’; but in reality there is no such
condition as ‘immunity from reincarnation,’ hence Anagami is merely a
convenient designation.”
The Lord Buddha yet again enquired of Subhuti, saying: “What think
you? May an Arhat[7] (having attained to absolute quiescence of mind)
thus meditate within himself, ‘I have obtained the condition of an
Arhat’?” Subhuti replied, saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! And
why? Because, there is not in reality a condition synonymous with the
term Arhat. Honoured of the Worlds! if an Arhat thus meditates within
himself, ‘I have obtained the condition of an Arhat,’ there would be
obvious recurrence of such arbitrary concepts as an entity, a being, a
living being, and a personality. Honoured of the Worlds! When the Lord
Buddha declared that in absolute quiescence[8] of mind, perfect
observance of the Law,[9] and true spiritual perception, I was
pre-eminent amongst the disciples, I did not cogitate thus within
myself, ‘I am an Arhat, freed[10] from desire!’ Had I thus cogitated,
‘I have obtained the condition of an Arhat,’[11] the ‘Honoured of the
Worlds’ would not have declared concerning me, ‘Subhuti delights in
the austerities practised by the Aranyaka’;[12] but, in reality,
Subhuti was perfectly quiescent and oblivious to phenomena;[13] hence
the allusion, ‘Subhuti delights in the austerities practised by the
Aranyaka.’”
[1] “One who has entered (Apatti) the stream (Srota), the latter
being defined as the stream of holy conduct (which bears on to
Nirvana).”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
[2] “Men walking in the path, and standing in the fruits thereof,
those who have attained some fruits thereof but are yet
learners ... whose hope is directed to the utmost goal.”—_Questions
of King Milinda_. T. W. Rhys Davids.
“Enter the path! There spring the healing streams
Quenching all thirst! there bloom th’ immortal flowers
Carpeting all the way with joy! there throng
Swiftest and sweetest hours.”—_The Light of Asia_.
Sir Edwin Arnold.
[3] Perhaps in the sense that a Scrotapatti clearly perceives and
understands the tentative nature of the Law, his mind being
trained to regard it as “a well-constructed raft,” designed to
bear him safely across the stream of spiritual consciousness upon
which he has entered. It also appears that the Scrotapatti
discerns in the _idea_ of the Law, something as unreal and
ephemeral as the phenomena of form, sound, odour, taste, or touch.
In seeking “Nirvana’s blest abode,” the Scrotapatti endeavours to
“rise by daily sojourn with these phantasies—to lovelier verities.”
[4] “The path Sakradagami is so called because he who enters it
will receive one more birth. He may enter this path in the world
of men, and afterwards be born in a Dewa-Loka (a heavenly
mansion—in Chinese _Tien-Kong_); or he may enter it in a
Dewa-Loka, and afterwards be born in the world of men.”—_Eastern
Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[5] “Because he is not an individual being (Dharma), who has
obtained the state of a Sakridagami.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max
Müller.
[6] “Not returning, or not being reborn in the world of desire.
The third degree of Buddhistic saintship, the third class of
Aryas, embracing all those who are no more liable to be reborn as
men, though they are to be born once more as Devas, when they will
forthwith become Arhats and enter Nirvana.”—_Handbook of Chinese
Buddhism_. Eitel.
“Men devoid of passion, and of malice, and of dulness, men in whom
the great evils (lust, becoming, delusion, and ignorance) are not,
men who have neither craving thirst, nor grasping
desires.”—_Questions of King Milinda_. T. W. Rhys Davids.
[7] “Explained by _Fuh-Ko_—the Fruit of Buddha (Buddhaphalam). The
original meaning of Arhat (deserving, worthy) is overlooked by
most Chinese commentators, who explained the term as if it were
written _Ari-Hat_—Destroyer of the Enemy. The following two
explanations are given, _Shah-Tseh_—Destroying the Enemy, and
_Puh-Seng_—not to be reborn, _i.e._, except from transmigration.
There is, however, a third explanation which is based on the
original meaning of Arhat, namely _Ying-Kong_—deserving worship.
The Arhat is the perfected Arya (one who has mastered the four
spiritual truths—_Sz-Ti_—and thereby entered the path to Nirvana
called Arya-Marga), and the state of Arhat can accordingly be
attained only by passing through the different degrees of
saintship. Arhatship implies possession of supernatural powers,
and is to be succeeded either by Buddhaship or by immediate
entrance into Nirvana.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
“Those who have entered the stream, and those who, free from
stains, will only be reborn once more on earth, those who will
never again return, and Arhats—these are they who dwell in the
‘city of Righteousness.’”—_Questions of King Milinda_. T. W. Rhys
Davids.
In the moral philosophy of Mencius there is inculcated a principle
of having few desires (_Kwa-Yuh_), and Chinese Buddhists
frequently institute comparisons between those “few desires” and
“no desires” of the Arhats.
[8] A Chinese annotator suggests it is almost self-evident that
“absolute quiescence” is the condition of mind in which knowledge
is acquired by intuition.
[9] “More is the treasure of the Law than gems;
Sweeter than comb its sweetness; its delights
Delightful past compare.”—_The Light of Asia_.
Sir Edwin Arnold.
[10] “The man for whom there is nothing upon which he depends, who
is independent, having understood the _Dhamma_ (Law), for whom
there is no desire for coming into existence or having
existence—him I call calm.... He has overcome
desire.”—_Dhammapada_. Max Müller.
“This devotion should be practised with that determination by
which thought becomes indifferent (to every worldly object). He
who has abandoned all desires which spring from imagination, and
has, by means of his heart, kept back the whole collection of the
senses from every direction (in which they would go), should
gradually become passive by his mind’s acquiring firmness, and, by
having caused his heart to remain within himself, should not place
his thoughts on anything at all.”—_Bhagavad-Gita_.—J. Cockburn
Thomson.
[11] “There are some persons who obtain the Rahatship
instantaneously, while others can only obtain it by a slow
process; they must give aims, make offerings, study the _Bana_
(Law), and exercise the necessary discipline.”—_Eastern
Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[12] “Explained by ‘living in retirement,’ ‘a hermit,’ ‘a
recluse.’ The term signifies ascetics who live in strict
seclusion. There are three classes to be distinguished. The first
is called _Dharma Aranyaka_—‘Hermits of the Law,’ their favourite
tenet being the doctrine that the principles (_Dharma_)
constituting human nature are originally calm, still, and passive.
Their favourite tree is the Bodhi tree (tree of intelligence). The
second class is called _Matanga Aranyaka_. Its members reside
constantly in cemeteries, and are prohibited to approach a village
within hearing distance of the lowing of a cow. They are probably
called after the Hindoo caste _Matanga_. The third class, or the
_Danataka Aranyaka_, is formed by hermits living on the sea beach
or on half-tide rocks.”—_Handbook of Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
“Men whose home is the forest, men who have taken on themselves
the extra vows, men full of joy, men who are wearing rough
garments, men rejoicing in solitude.”—_Questions of King Milinda_.
T. W. Rhys Davids.
[13] “The _Sramana_ (Buddhist monk) who sets himself to overcome
the evils of existence, retires from all intercourse with the
world, and either practises meditation, simply, or joins with it
the practice of Kasina (an ascetic exercise to free the mind from
all agitation), by which he is enabled to attain to _Nimitta_
(inward illumination), which is represented as being a mental
illumination that brings with it, in various degrees of
perfection, the state of mind called _Samadhi_ (absolute
self-abstraction). This result of profound meditation includes
undisturbed tranquillity, and equanimity the most entire, and in
its superior degree it produces unconsciousness.”—_Eastern
Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
“The world-honoured one would not then have said: ‘Subhuti, what
is this but the name of the one who delights in the mortification
of an _Aranyaka_ (forest devotee),’ regarding ‘Subhuti’ as in
truth not acting at all, but as a mere name, then (in such
forgetfulness of self) ‘he is one who delights in
self-mortification.’”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[Chapter 10]
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? When the
Lord Buddha, in a previous life, was a disciple of Dipankara
Buddha,[1] was there communicated to him any prescribed Law, or system
of doctrine, whereby he eventually became a Buddha?” Subhuti replied,
saying: “No! Honoured of the Worlds! When the Lord Buddha was a
disciple of Dipankara Buddha, neither prescribed Law nor system of
doctrine was communicated to him, whereby he eventually became a
Buddha.”[2]
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “What think you? may an
enlightened disciple thus ponder within himself, ‘I shall create
numerous Buddhist Kingdoms’?”[3] Subhuti replied, saying: “No!
Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, kingdoms thus created would
not in reality be Buddhist kingdoms,[4] therefore ‘the creation of
numerous Buddhist kingdoms’ is merely a figure of speech.”
The Lord Buddha, continuing, addressed Subhuti, saying: “Enlightened
disciples ought therefore to engender within themselves a pure and
holy mind; they ought not to depend on the phenomena of form, sound,
odour, taste, touch, or Law; they ought to sedulously cultivate a mind
independent of every material aid.”
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “Supposing a man with a
body as pretentious as Sumeru,[5] prince among mountains, would you
esteem such a body as being great?” Subhuti replied, saying:
“Exceedingly great, Honoured of the Worlds! And why? Because, the Lord
Buddha referred not to a physical body,[6] but to mental and spiritual
concepts of bodies, in which sense a body may be regarded as really
Great.”
[1] “_Ran-Teng-Fuh_—the Buddha who illuminates brightly,
_Ting-Kwang-Fuh_—the Buddha of fixed light. The twenty-fourth
predecessor of Sakyamuni, from whom the latter received the
assurance of his being destined for Buddhaship.”—_Handbook of
Chinese Buddhism_. Eitel.
It is recorded in _The Diamond Sutra_ that the Lord Buddha, in
previous incarnations, assiduously performed religious vows, and
deferentially honoured all contemporary Buddhas. An image of a
former master, Dipankara Buddha, may frequently be observed in
Chinese Buddhist temples, immediately behind the more conspicuous
figure of Sakyamuni Buddha. Amongst Chinese Buddhist anniversaries
may be found the birthday of “the ancient Buddha, _Ran-Teng_”
(Dipankara), and the period allocated for its observance is the
22nd day of the 8th month. (Compare Edkins’ _Chinese Buddhism_.)
[2] “It is maintained by the Buddhists that the founder of their
faith was entirely _αὐτοδιδακτος_. The wisdom that he manifested
was the outbeaming of a self-enkindled flame, not an inspiration
from any exterior source, nor was it the result of any process of
thought or reason. To whatever object he directed his intellectual
vision, whether it was near or remote, whether past, present, or
future, he saw it in a moment, intuitively, and yet in a manner
the most absolutely perfect.”—_Eastern Monachism_. Spence Hardy.
[3] “Bhagavat said: If Subhuti, a Bodhisattva, should say, ‘I
shall create numbers of worlds,’ he would say what is untrue. And
why? Because, O Subhuti, when Tathagata preached numbers of
worlds, numbers of worlds indeed! they were preached by him as no
numbers. Therefore they are called numbers of worlds.”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
“Subhuti, what think you? are the various lands and territories of
the Buddhas completely perfected by the Bodhisatwas who occupy
them? No! World-honoured one! for this complete perfection of
which we speak is after all no perfection at all, it is only an
empty name.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
“The wise man is always thinking: How can I and these beings
become Buddhas? I will preach this true Law, upon which the
happiness of all beings depends, for the benefit of the
world.”—_Saddharma-Pundarika_. H. Kern.
The words _Chuang-Yen_, in a Buddhist sense, usually refer to the
erection or adornment of temples and pagodas, almsgiving, or other
work of merit. Used in conjunction with _Fuh-Tu_—Buddhist
kingdoms, as exemplified by our text, _Chuang-Yen_ appears to
convey a much wider meaning. Perhaps it refers to a spiritual
creation and adornment by charity and virtue, of kingdoms owning
allegiance to the Lord Buddha.
“In twelve years from the commencement of his public teaching,
Buddha’s doctrines had spread over sixteen Indian
kingdoms.”—_Chinese Buddhism_. Edkins.
[4] A Buddhist kingdom has no outward manifestation; it is a pure
and holy condition of mind.—_Chinese Annotation_.
Compare the statement attributed to Christ, “The kingdom of heaven
is _within_ you.”
[5] “Sumeru is probably Elburz, an isolated mountain of the
Caucasus range, 18,000 feet in height, and surrounded by low
ground.”—_Chinese Buddhism_. Edkins.
“But when they brought the painted palanquin
To fetch him home, the bearers of the poles
Were the four Regents of the Earth, come down
From Mount Sumeru.”—_The Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.
[6] “The modification which Buddhism introduced into the idea of
transmigration was necessitated by the early Buddhist theories of
the nature of sentient beings; according to which, man consists of
an assemblage of different properties or qualities ... these are
Material qualities, Sensations, abstract Ideas, Tendencies of
mind, and mental Powers.... The first group, Material Qualities,
are like a mass of foam, that gradually forms, and then vanishes.
The second group, the Sensations, are like a bubble dancing on the
face of the water. The third group, the Ideas, are like the
uncertain mirage that appears in the sunshine. The fourth group,
the mental and moral Predispositions, are like the plantain stalk,
without firmness or solidity. And the last group, the Thoughts,
are like a spectre or magical illusion. The body itself is
constantly changing, ... man is never the same for two consecutive
moments.” (Compare Rhys Davids’ _Buddhism_, and Spence Hardy’s
_Manual_.
“For instance, Subhuti, a man might have a body and a large body,
so that his size should be as large as the king, of mountains,
Sumeru. Do you think then, O Subhuti, that his selfhood would be
large? Subhuti said, Yes! his selfhood would be large. And why?
Because, when the Tathagata preached ‘selfhood,’ selfhood indeed!
it was preached by him as no selfhood. Therefore it is called
selfhood.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
[Chapter 11]
The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If there were rivers
Ganges as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, would the aggregate
grains of sand[1] be of considerable number?” Subhuti replied, saying:
“Of very considerable number, Honoured of the Worlds! The rivers
Ganges alone would be innumerable, and much more innumerable would be
the grains of sand.”
The Lord Buddha thereupon addressed Subhuti, saying: “I have a truth
to declare unto you! If a good disciple, whether man or woman, were to
bestow in the exercise of charity, an abundance of the seven
treasures,[2] sufficient to fill as many boundless universes as there
would be grains of sand in these innumerable rivers, would the
cumulative merit of such a disciple be considerable?” Subhuti replied,
saying: “Very considerable, Honoured of the Worlds!”
The Lord Buddha then declared unto Subhuti, “If a good disciple,
whether man or woman, were with implicit faith to adhere to a stanza
of this Scripture, and diligently explain it to others, the consequent
merit would be relatively greater than the other.”
[1] “Sarvanikchepa, by which you deal
With all the sands of Gunga, till we come
To Antah-Kalpas, where the unit is
The sands of ten crore Gungas.”—_The
Light of Asia_. Sir Edwin Arnold.
[2] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.
“As much of the seven precious substances as would fill as many
great chiliocosms as there are sands in all the rivers above
described.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[Chapter 12]
The Lord Buddha, continuing, said unto Subhuti: “Wherever this
Scripture is proclaimed, even though it were but a stanza comprising
four lines, you should realise that that place would be sanctified by
the presence of the whole realm of gods, men, and terrestrial
spirits,[1] who ought unitedly to worship, as if before a sacred
shrine of Buddha.[2] But what encomium shall express the merit of a
disciple who rigorously observes, and diligently studies,[3] the text
of this Scripture? Subhuti, you should realise that such a disciple
will be endowed[4] with spiritual powers commensurate with initiation
in the supreme, incomparable, and most wonderful Law.[5] Whatever
place constitutes a repository for this sacred Scripture, there also
the Lord Buddha may be found, together with disciples worthy of
reverence and honour.”
[1] Adopting Max Müller’s rendering. In the Chinese text are
_Tien_, _Ren_, and _O-Siu-Lo_—heaven, or gods—men, and _Asurus_;
the latter defined as _fei-tien_—not celestial spirits.
[2] “Whatever spirits have come together here, either belonging to
the earth or living in the air, let us worship the perfect Buddha,
revered by gods and men.”
“Whatever spirits have come together here, either belonging to the
earth or living in the air, let us worship the perfect _Dhamma_
(Law), revered by gods and men.”
“Whatever spirits have come together here, either belonging to the
earth or living in the air, let us worship the perfect _Sangha_
(community of monks), revered by gods and men.”—_Dhammapada_. Max
Müller.
[3] “Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana),
thoughtlessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest do not
die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead
already.”—_Dhammapada_. Max Müller.