THUS have I heard.
A Brahman, high and haughty, having great possessions and full of this
world’s power, raised his voice railing against the teaching of the Holy
One, saying:
“But this is against the teaching of the Vedanta! Who shall hear Gotama
the Sakya when he teaches thus?”
And he came proudly from Rajagriha far off, and stood beside to hear,
that he might scoff at his ease, but the nobleness of the teacher drew
him as with the kindred understanding of high birth, and the marvellous
deeps of the Law caught him by the pride of his intellect for he thought
it was too high for the foolish, and the wisdom beyond all words that
falls like dew on the thirsty soul subdued him into an amazing quiet,
and when it was done he went alone into the wood and sat himself in the
shade by a clear running stream and considered these things in his
heart.
But he could not stay away for cords drew him and bonds were forged
between him and That Other and they were smithied in iron unbreakable.
So after awhile he rose, and hanging his head went back to the Jetavana
monastery and demanded to see the World-Honoured, and when he came, this
Brahman Vasettha made due salutation and seated himself respectfully
beside him, and he said:
“It has been told to me, Gotama, that the monk Gotama knows the way to
the state of union with the Ultimate.”
And the Perfect One replied:
“What is to be known I know.”
“So has it been told to me, Gotama. It is well. Let the venerable Gotama
be pleased to show me the way.”
Then said the Happy One:
“Know, Vasettha, that from time to time is born into the world a fully
Enlightened One happy with knowledge of the Truth, a Blessed Buddha, and
he sees as it were face to face this Universe, freed from his senses in
that they no longer can shape illusions to blind and deceive him, for
with ordinary men their thought creates shapes about them, a false world
in which they believe and are blinded. But it is not so with the Buddhas
for they see things as they are. Then do they proclaim this truth of the
Universe as it is, lovely in origin, lovely in progress, lovely in
consummation, and this is to be known by the higher life, which is the
Way to Wisdom in all its purity and perfectness.”
And the Brahman Vasettha as in a dream, fixed, unconscious of all else,
said:
“Speak, Lord,—I hear.”
And the Lord said:
“There are two levels of the Way. One for the monk, one for the
householder, and of the monk I speak first.
“He takes nothing that is not his own. He is content with what is given,
and honesty and a pure heart are his.
“His life is pure, having put aside the habit and thought of sexual
intercourse. This is for the householder only, but in all purity.
“From truth in speech he cannot swerve, faithful and trustworthy, he
hurts no man by deceit.
“Slander is not for him, and calumny dies upon his tongue. He is a
binder together of those who are divided, a peacemaker, a peace-lover,
impassioned for peace.
“From him come no harsh words. Whatever word is humane and lovely,
pleasing and comforting, that he speaks.
“Foolish talk and idle words are not his. In season he speaks what
redounds to profit and wisdom.
“He will not injure any creature. He eats but once a day. Gay and
trivial shows are not for him. He does not adorn himself richly, for
this is folly for a grown man.
“For riches, be it in silver and gold and jewels, or flocks and herds he
has no desire, and putting field to field does not tempt him who knows
the world as it Is. And as for any deed of fraud or violence the
possibility of it is not in him.
“Nor will he teach magical spells nor gain a living or influence by any
such arts or lying practices. And among the disturbed and careful, he
moves serene and pure, as the moon, freed from clouds, pursues her way
in midnight skies, shedding her light abroad to guide the wayfarer.”
And Vasettha, musing, said:
“This is no low teaching. This is the way of a great nobleman, and such
are his manners.”
And the Blessed One:
“It is true. And there is more. Having attained right conduct within and
without, he sets his mind free like a bird uncaged from the self, to
pervade the four quarters of the world with love and sympathy, and as a
mighty trumpeter makes himself heard with ease in all the four
directions, so there is no living thing he passes by, but surrounds them
with love, grown great and beyond measure.
“And when Love is attained, the way to be one with the Supreme is known
and is not far from him.”
And there was a silence, and the Brahman Vasettha said slowly:
“Venerable Gotama, I have been a liberal giver: justly I sought riches,
bountifully I bestowed them. Was this well?”
And the Blessed One replied:
“Well. Yet have I shown you a more excellent way, for love is the path
of wisdom to true understanding and union with all that is.”
And the Brahman said with passion:
“Instruct me.”
So the Perfect One opened to him the Way and, seated beside him, the
Brahman Vasettha learned the Four Noble Truths of suffering, the truth,
the cause, the cessation, and the way that leads to its extinction. And
immediately there arose within him forgetfulness of all his riches and
wisdom came upon him—the Light-bearer, so that he knew illusions for
what they are and saw the Universe about him wholly fair, being united
with it as a bridegroom with a bride. And seeing being substituted for
blindness, he said:
“Most excellent, Lord, are the words of your mouth, most excellent! Just
as if a man were to bring a lamp into the darkness so that all is seen
clear, so is the truth made known by the Blessed One. And I, even I,
betake myself to the Blessed One as my refuge, and to the Truth and the
Brotherhood. May I be accepted!”
And the Blessed One replied:
“Come, monk! Well taught is the Doctrine. You have broken every fetter.
You have made an end of pain.”
So Vasettha was made one of the Brotherhood and glad at heart he exalted
the word of the Blessed One.
And so it was that even the Shining Ones desired instruction of the
Perfect One.
Thus have I heard.
When He who has thus Attained dwelt in the monastery of Jetavana, once
there came to him a Shining One in the dead of night, and the place was
lit up by the clear luminance that streamed from his body. And this
Shining One placed himself neither too far nor too near, but where he
should rightly be, and bowing low thus he addressed the Buddha:
“Most Excellent, during the twelve years of teaching many Shining Ones
desiring to reach the holiness of the Peace have striven to discover
what things are blessed, and still are ignorant. Instruct us therefore
in those matters which are most blessed. Pronounce the Beatitudes.”
And the Perfected One replied:
“Son of Light, to shun the company of the foolish, to pay homage to the
learned, to worship what is worship-worthy, these are blessed things.
Son of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to dwell among good men: to hold within the consciousness
of good deeds done in a former state of existence, to guard well the
actions;—Son of Light, these are blessed things. Mark them well.
“Son of Light, to hear and see much in order to acquire knowledge, to
study all science that does not lead to sin, to use right language, to
study right manners, these are blessed things. Son of Light, mark them
well.
“Son of Light, to treat parents with tenderness and love, to guard wife
and children, to do no evil when tempted, these are blessed things. Son
of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to make offerings and give nobly, to follow the precepts
of law and virtue, to assist relations and friends: these are blessed
things, Son of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to avoid sin steadfastly, to abstain from strong drink,
to lay up great treasure of good deeds: these are blessed things. Son of
Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to reverence those who are worthy of veneration, to walk
in humility, to dwell in content and gratitude, to hear the teaching of
the Law; these are blessed things. Son of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to be patient and endure suffering, to rejoice in good
words, to visit saintly persons when possible, to talk on high matters;
these are blessed things. Son of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to practise holy austerities, to walk steadfast in the
Truth with eyes fixed on the attainment of the Peace: these are blessed
things. Son of Light, mark them well.
“Son of Light, to be unmoved, to be of serene mind, exempt from passion,
composed and fearless amid all earthly dangers: these are blessed
things. Son of Light, mark them well.
“O Son of Light, whoever possesses these blessings shall never be
overcome; shall in all things find joy. Son of Light, mark them well,
thus attaining the peace of the Arhats, the Perfected Saints.”
Thus replied the World-Honoured and the Shining One heard and went away
content. And it is told that it was the beloved Ananda who handed down
this discourse to the ages, having received it from the Blessed One, and
mark it well, for in a little compass it contains all.
Praise be to the Possessor of the Six Glories, the Holy, the All-Wise!
Now of the bodily presence of the Blessed One will I say this.
When age came upon him it came with beauty, so that all hearts fell at
his feet and embraced them because he was as one to whom all evil things
must fly for refuge that being delivered from the self they might be
made one with him and the Truth. And none could see him without this
desire. Nor in his presence was virtue remembered for he was virtue’s
self made manifest in love, and in the ocean of love were all submerged
who saw him.
His face was worn and calm as in an image of royal ivory, his nose
prominent and delicate, bespeaking his Aryan birth, his eyes of a blue
darkness, and he carried himself as one of the princes. But all this
might be said of another, and there was none like him—none! For Wisdom
walked on his left hand and Love on his right, and light as of the sun
surrounded him. Wise and piercing were his words, delighting even those
who would have scoffed.
And once the Holy One approached with his begging bowl the ploughed
fields of a rich man and stood apart, waiting, and the man saw this
saying:
“Having ploughed and sown I eat. You also should plough and sow, for the
idle shall not eat.”
“I also, Brahman, plough and sow.” Thus said the Perfected One.
“Yet we do not see the plough of the Venerable Gotama!” so said the
other, mocking. And the World-Honoured answered:
“Faith is the seed, understanding the yoke and plough, tenderness the
deliverance. So is my ploughing done. And the fruit is immortality, and
having thus ploughed a man is freed of all ill.”
And the Brahman poured rice-milk into a bowl and offered it, saying:
“Let the Blessed One eat of the rice-milk for he also is a ploughman who
makes to grow the fruit of immortality.”
And this man also entered the Way and became glad at heart, having heard
the Truth.
And the Holy One talked with men and women of all ranks and affairs, so
that the mind of none was hidden from him, and, even as they felt, he
knew, and their hopes and fears were not far from him. Fathomless were
the wisdom and compassion of Him who has thus Attained.
So also with women, from the queens to the weaver-maidens they feared
not to implore his mercy. Very patiently and according to the measure of
their weakness he instructed them, and they grew like bamboos in a night
shooting up to the light with glory of leaf and stem. And surely in
these tender ones the Lord beheld the likeness of his mother, of whom it
was said, “Joyful and reverenced of all, even as the young moon, strong
and calm of purpose as the earth, pure of heart as the lotus, was Maya
the Great Lady.” And of these women many became nuns and teachers, and
not a few attained unto the Perfect Enlightenment passing even in this
life into that Nirvana wherein are no more birth and death. And even the
light women sought him in hope and he drove them not away, and wisdom
rose within them like a wind of fire and burnt away all dross and alloy
and they too entered the Way and wielded the powers, perceiving the Love
in which all loves are one.
Yet let it not be thought that because of this compassion the Lord at
any moment relaxed the watchfulness of those who followed him, knowing
well that of all snares women may be the very worst. Stern were the
rules he made for the men who live on the austere heights of
contemplation, strait the fences about the way. For the householders,
purity in marriage, kindness reverence to mother, sister, wife,
daughter, in their daily duties. For all, watchfulness and discipline
lest the foot slip in the mire.
And one day, when they rested in the shade on a journeying, Ananda the
well-beloved, cousin of the Lord, asked an instruction.
“Lord, how should we who are monks, conduct ourselves with regard to
women-kind, for this is a hard matter.”
And the Excelling One said:
“See them not, Ananda.”
“Even so, Lord. But if we should see them, what then?”
“Abstain from speech, Ananda.”
“Even so, Lord. But if they should speak to us, what then?”
“Keep wide awake, Ananda.”
And O that it were possible to set down the laughter of the Lord among
his own, and the sweet converse when he related to them the stories of
his former births, and whether parables or truths, how is it possible
for the not wholly enlightened, who know not their own chains of births,
to say? But wise were these stories and sweet and full of teaching for
the little ones of the Law and babes might run to hear and laugh, and
yet again the wisest pause and ponder the noble truths hidden in them.
Hear now a Birth Story of the Lord. For this is called the Holy Quail,
and the Blessed One told it as he and his went through a jungle. For
there a very great jungle fire arose and roared toward them very
terribly, and some would have made counter-fire and burned the ground
before it, but others cried aloud:
“Monks, what is it you would do? Surely it is madness, for we journey
with the Master who can do All. And yet, making a counter-fire you would
forget the power of the Buddhas! Come, let us go to the Master.”
So they went, and the flame came roaring on to the place where they
stood, and when it came within fifteen rods of the Blessed One it was
extinguished like a torch plunged in water, and they magnified him. But
he said:
“Monks, this was not due to my power but to the faith of a Quail. Hear
this.”
And they said:
“Even so, Lord.”
And the beloved Ananda folded a robe and spread it as a seat and he sat
and told this tale:
“In this very spot long, long ago, was a young Quail, and he lay in the
nest and his parents fed him, for he could neither fly nor walk. And
with a mighty roar there came a jungle fire and all the birds fled
shrieking away and even his parents deserted him.
“So the young Quail lay there alone, and he thought this:
“Could I fly, could I walk, I might be saved, but I cannot. No help have
I from others and in myself is none. What then shall I do?”
And he reflected thus.
“In this world is Truth if it can be found. There are also the Buddhas
who have seen the Truth and have shown it abroad, and in the Buddhas is
love for all that lives. In me also is the Truth (though but a poor
little Quail) and faith that has power. Therefore it behoves me, relying
on these things to make an Act of Faith and thus to drive back the fire
and find safety for myself and the other birds.
“So the Quail called to mind the Powers of the Buddhas, the Truth-Seers,
and making a solemn asseveration of faith existing in himself he said
this:
“Wings have I that cannot fly,
Feet I have that cannot walk.
My parents have forsaken me,
O all-devouring fire, go back!”
“And before this Act of Faith the fire dropped and died, retreating. And
the Quail lived his life in the forest and passed away according to his
deeds, and because of his strength of faith fire dies for ever when it
touches this spot.”
So said the Excellent One, and when he had finished this discourse he
made the connection and summed up, saying:
“My parents at that time were my present parents, and the Quail was I
myself.”
And they marvelled and were instructed.
And one day two monks approached him, having travelled far, and
according to his manner he said in welcoming them:
“Is it well with you, monks? Are you able to live? Have you passed the
rains in peace and unity, and have you experienced any lack of support?”
And they replied:
“It is not well with us, Blessed One, for there is great anger between
us, and we devour our hearts with bitterness and know no peace.”
And they laid their case before him in mutual hatred, and he said:
“He abused me! He beat me! In those who harbour such thoughts how can
hatred die? By oneself evil is done. By oneself one suffers. The swans
go on the path of sun, they go through the air by means of their
miraculous power. In a man’s power is his salvation from evil. There is
no fire like passion: there is no losing throw like hatred. Let a man
leave anger, let him forsake pride. Let him overcome anger by love and
conquer the liar by truth. For hatred ceases not at any time by hatred,
but only by love. This is an old rule.”
An old rule. Yet when the Lord spoke it from his heart of bliss it
became a new commandment and wisdom. So these two saluted one another in
love before the face of the Perfect One, and, hand clasped in hand, they
left him.
And again when a young monk was led away by the transient smile of a
woman to his undoing, the Perfected One said this:
“Rise above the five senses which see things as they are not, and open
the sight which see things as they are. Even the Divine Beings may well
envy him whose desires like horses well broken are utterly subdued. Him
whom no false desires can lead captive any more, by what temptation can
he be felled—he the Awakened, the all-seeing, the desireless? And make
thought pure, for all that we are is the result of what we have thought.
It is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts from an evil thought pain follows him as the wheel
follows the ox that draws the carriage. Earnest among the thoughtless,
awake among the drowsy, the wise man presses steadily onward to joy.”
And they said, “Even so, Lord,” and seeing their faces glad about him,
he added:
“As on a heap of refuse cast forth by the highway a lily may grow
filling the air with sweetness, thus the disciples of the true Buddha
shine forth among the people who walk in darkness.”
And on another day when they talked of the lures of desire, the Lord
said this:
“As long as the evil deed does not bear fruit the fool thinks it sweet
as honey, but later comes the bitterness.
“And when the evil deed is thrown upward in recklessness, like a stone
it falls back on the fool and breaks his head.
“For those who will not learn, who cannot as yet understand, hard to
follow is the path of the wise man, like that of birds flying home
through trackless depths of air. But what is difficult may with taking
thought be done. The arrow-maker trues his arrow, the carpenter shapes
his log, the wise man shapes himself, for no other hand can do it.
Tranquil are his thoughts, serene his meditation when he has obtained
freedom by knowledge. But the beginning is this—Let no man think
lightly of the beginning of evil, saying—‘It is only a little thing,’
for by the falling of water drops one by one, a pit is filled, and so is
it with a little evil,—and with good it is the same. Little by little
do good thoughts and deeds grow into the Peace.
“By a man’s self is evil done, by himself he suffers, by himself comes
good, by himself purification, and by none other.
“This is the sole victory that brings gladness, for in the world of
forms victory breeds hatred for the conquered is unhappy. He who has
given up both victory and defeat, he is the taster of bliss.”
I write and men read, but who can declare the wisdom of the Lord? For as
mists ascend at dawn so illusion was dispersed before his radiance and
the veil was lifted and men beheld about them the true Universe of the
Powers and the Truth,—the One, the Alone, in which we live and move and
have our being.