doctrine. Apart from interesting questions concerning the
existence of an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality,
another problem seems to arise regarding our ability to entirely
perceive or “comprehend” those admitted abstract ideas. If we
interpret aright the Buddhist doctrine, there are variously
compounded within those abstract ideas, so many elusive spiritual
elements, that the human mind is incapable of resolving them by
any process of reasoning. In short—an entity, a being, a living
being, or a personality, represents to the Buddhist mind, much
more than it attempts to express in terms of philosophy.
[2] “Thus then, O Subhuti, are all things to be perceived, to be
looked upon, and to be believed by one who has entered upon the
path of the Bodhisattvas. And in this wise are they to be
perceived, to be looked upon, and to be believed, neither in the
idea of a thing, nor in the idea of a no-thing? And why? Because
by saying: the idea of a thing, the idea of a thing indeed, it has
been preached by the Tathagata as the no-idea of a thing.”—_The
Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.
“Subhuti, the persons who aspire to the perfectly enlightened
heart, ought to know accordingly that this is true with respect to
all things, and thus prevent the exhibition of any characteristics
on any point whatever. Subhuti, these very characteristics of
which we speak are after all no characteristics, but a mere
name.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.
[Chapter 32]
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. [Chapter 1]).
2. Footnotes have been moved to the end of each chapter.
3. Text contained within underscores is italicised.
4. Word spellings have been standardized. Words within direct
quotations by other authors have been left unchanged.
5. Some page numbers in the index were corrected.