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A passage for editorial review. , ii 4 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE BY SAMUEL BEAL p. 13, 1. 3. For " unusually," read " universally ." P. 39,1. 1. for "Saddharma-prakasa-sasana," read "Smrityupastbdna" (and in all subsequent cases). P. 52, 1. 33. For " Tusita," read " Trayastrinshas." P. 58, 1. 26. For " Nirmanazati," read " Nirmanarati." P. 59, n. 3. For " Tai-o-bi," react " Ta-o-pi." P. 63, 1.20. For " Avata," read "Arbuta"; and in n. 1,/or " 0-fan-to," read " 0-fau-to" (and in all subsequent cases). P. 63, 1. 22. For " Niravata," read " Nirarbuta"; and in n. 2. for " Ni- lai-fan-to," read " Ni-lai-fau-to." P. 93,1. 5. 4/"ier " Devas," 2)Zoce fig. " 1." P. 93, 1. 11. For " 1," x>lace " 2." P. 97, 1. 1. For " 10," ^lace " 18." P. 108, 1. 25. For " sineb," read " siueb." P. 128, 1. 18. For " Sakba," read " Sakya." P. 131, 1. 8. For " Sala trees," read " Asoka trees." P. 135, 1. 36. For " or," reatZ " on." P. 136, 1. 36. For " Good land," read " Good Law." P. 140, 1. 29. For " to," read " ten." P. 148, 1. 10. Place 1. 12 lefore 1. 11. P. 181. 1. 28. For " wood," read " wind." P. 188, 1. 5. Insert " wbo" before " by." P. 195, 1. 5. Substitute a comma after " great," instead of a semicolon. P. 199, 1. 6. For " 96," :place " 26." P. 202, 1. 6. For " beart," read " beast." P. 206, 1. 19. For " Pratimoisba," read " Fratimoksba." P. 280, 1. 31. For " tsen," read " tseu." P. 332, 1. 12. J^'or " casual," read " causal." P. 332, 1. 33. For " casual," read " causal." P. 416, 1. 32. After " varsba-vardbana," i^lace " query, paripritsba." I'K' i: I- A (• i:. Of tlio translations found in this book, several have already appeared in the Journal of the Kojal Asiatic Society. Having revised these and added others to complete what I conceive to be the cycle of the Buddhist development, I now publish the entire series as a contribution towards a more general acquaintance with Buddhist Literature in China. The Buddhist Canon in that country, as it was arrano-ed between the years G7 and 1285 A.n., includes It 10 distinct works, comprising 558G books. But these form only a fractional part of the entire Buddhist Literature which is spread throughout the Empire. And yet of all this wc have been content, hitherto, to reuuiin profoundly ignorant. It is difficult to understand how we can claim, undcM- these circumstances, to have any precise idea as to the religious condition of the Chinese people, or even to appreciate the phraseology met with in their ordinary books. Our first duty, surely, should be to turn our attention to the study of some portion at least of these extensive Scriptures. I could have wished that this subject had been taken up by somp one more competent than 1 am to do it justice, or, at least, by some one possessed of better opportunities than VI PREFACE. I have, for thorouglily investigating it. In the absence of any promise of snch an event, however, I have com- piled the present work and now publish it. The Book itself represents the result of some years of patient labour. I am solely responsible for the defects and errors which will be found in it. If it deserves any commendation, that also I shall gratefully accept for myself, as my re-assurance after many misgivings. But in any case I have found my reward in the delight which the study itself has afforded me, and the insight which I seem to have gained into the character of one of the most wonderful movements of the human mind in the direction of Spiritual Truth, such as I trace in the History of Buddhism. [The Diagram on the cover of the present work repre- sents the outline of the Buddhist Universe, as described in Part I.] 'r\lU,K nV (TA'TKX'I'S. INTRODUCTEON. Introductory Remarks — Iniportanco of Chinese Huddhism — The Transla- tion of the Canon — Comparison of the Chinese version with tlic Sanskrit — Works kno^vn only in China — The Vessantara Jataka — 'I'lio intercommunication of East and West — Customs and myths h4irrowod from Huddhism — The Divine method its traced in tlie** history of Buddhism — Scope of the present work - l-'J PARr I. LEGENDS AND MYTHS. Works consulted — The Swabhavika system of Buddhism — The Sun-gem or Sura-mani — The opinions of Wan<^-Puh — The Buddhist Kosmos liy Jin-Ch'au^The meaning of Dharma in Later Buddhist works — The origin of the work of Wang-Puh — Ditference between nortlieni and southern schools of Buddhism — The seven divisions of the work of Jin-Ch'au— '1 ho identity of mind and matter, according to the Swabhavikas — The Bhadra Kalim — The meaning of the expres- sion SahaWkadhatu — The origin of the name " India " — The conti- nent of Jambudwipa — China considered as the " ^Middle Country " — The superior reputation of India — The measurement of its position — The Mountain kings — Origin of Rivers — The Navel of the earth — The "WTieel kings — Sanskrit letters — The pleasantness of climate — The Reasonable Medium — The Rishi or Genii — On Faith and Unbe- lief— Karma — Necessity of watchfulness over ourselves - 9-35 THE HABITABLE WORLD. The four great continents — The southern continent — The eastern conti- nent—The western continent — The northern continent --The supe- riority of Jambudwipa — On the Karma that leads to birth in these worlds — On certain signs at time of death— On the nine mountain girdles and the eight seas — On the causes of earthquakes — On the land of the Naga Rajahs — On the country of the Garudas- On the country of the Asuras — On the war of the Asuras with the Devas — On the bodily size of different beings — On the general names for Hell — On the eight Burniug Hells — on the different degrees of punishment — On the eight Cold Hells — On the three frontier Hells Vlll TABLE OF CONTENTS. — On emerging from the Narakas ( Hells) — On the abode of King Jemma (Yama) — On the Pretas — On birth as a brute - 35-68 THE SUPERIOR HEAVENS. The palace of the Sun — The palace of the Moon — On the variable splen- dour of sun and moon — On the palace of the Star Devas — On birth in the Paradise of the Devas — On the conduct leading to such birth — The thirty-three Heavens — The Karma that leads to birth in these Heavens — A consecutive account of the three worlds — The size and longevity of the Devas — The Karma that leads to birth among these Devas — The comjiarative lustre of the bodies of Devas and men — The relative purity of food — The three worlds and the nine earths — Re- specting the Lord of the Devas — The four divisions of Dhyana Heavens — The occupants of the Heavens— General summary — The five marks of decadence — On the way the heart generates the six modes of bii-th .... 68-100 THE COLLECTIVE UNIVERSE. The great chiliocosm — The extent of the different systems of worlds — On the length of time called a Kalpa — On the Kalpa of perfection or renovation — On the Kalpa of establishment — On the Kalpa of deca- dence— On the Kaljja during which there is void — General summary — The various Buddha-kshetras — The pure lands of the eastern region — The pure land of the western region — On the true cause of birth in that land — A general summary of the subject — On the various tiers of worlds — On the names of the great numbei's used in Buddhist books — Concerning the infinite expanse of the universe 100-125 LEGEND OF SAKTA. Origin of the Sakya family — Probably a northern race — Tombs of the Scyths — Modes of burial — Memoirs by Wang Puh — Descent of Sakya — His horoscope — His early life — His conversion — His ascetic life — His enlightenment — His preaching — Conversion of Sarij^utra and Moudgalapoutrar — The various scenes of Sakya's teaching — His methods of teaching — The variovis developments of his doctrine^ The conclusion of his mission — His death — His burial — Division of relics — The eternity of his law — His successors —The epitome of Buddha's life .... 116-142 PAET II. BUDDHISM AS A* EELIGION. The character of this development — Its probable origin — The method of it — The idea of worship — The necessity of meditation — Buddhism as an atheistic system — As a nihilistic system — Primitive ideas — The four truths — Gathas — Allusion to this subject in the Surangama Sutra — In the Pratimoksha — In the Maha-pari-Nii-vana Sutra — TABLE OF CONTENTS.