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To which Buddha replied — " Destroy anger and there will be Rest ; Destroy anger and there will be Peace ; Anger is the poisonous Root Which overthrows the growth of virtue. But asrain we have, at the end of the work before named (the Pratimoksha), traditional records respecting the teach- ing of the former Buddhas — " As a man whose eyes are enlightened Is able to clear away every obstruction in his path, So the man whose mind is illuminated Is able to avoid the evils of Life." (Vipasyin Tathagata). Again — " Without complaint, without envy ; Continuing in the practice of the Precepts ; Knowing the way to moderate appetite ; Ever joyous, without any weight of care ; Fixed and ever advancing in virtue : This is the doctrine of all the Buddhas." (Sikhin Tathagata). SCRIPTUEES FROM THE CHINESE. 159 Again — " As the butterfly alights on the flower And destroys not its form or its sweetness, But taking a sip, forthwith departs, So the mendicant follower of Buddha Takes not nor hurts another's possessions, Observes not another man's actions or omissions, Looks only to his own behaviour and conduct. Takes care to observe if this is correct or not." (Wessabhu Tathagata). Again — " The heart, scrupulously avoiding all idle dissipation, ' Diligently applying itself to the Holy Law of Buddha, Letting go all lust and consequent disappointment, Fixed and unchangeable, enters on Nirvana." (Ivrakusanda Tathagata) . Asjain — " Practising no evil way ; Advancing in the exercise of virtue ; Purifying both mind and will ; Tills is the Doctrine of all the Buddhas." (Konagamana Tathagata). Ao-ain- " The man who guards his mouth with virtuous motive, And cleanses both his mind and will, Permits his body to engage in nothing wrong ; This is the triple purification, To attain to which, Is the full Doctrine of all the Buddhas." (Kasyapa Tathagata). From these Gatlias^ wliich might be extended^ it seems plain that the primitive Doctrine of Buddhism addressed it- self to the consideration of the question of the existence of sorrow (moral evil) and the mode of deliverance from it, and to this alone. And the earliest idea of Nirvana seems to have included in it no more than the enjoyment of a state of Rest, consequent on the utter extinction of all causes of sorrow. IGO A CATENA OF BUDDHIST THE FOUR TRUTHS. 2. The confessiou of belief known as the "four Truths" formed, as we have ah*eacly observed, the basis of Primitive Buddhism. It was so regarded by every sect and school throughout the various changes or developments which the system underwent. Accordingly, we are not surprised to find it dwelt upon at some length in one of the latest of the ex- panded Sutras known as the Maha pari nirvana Sutra. This production, which is evidently the same as the Maha pari nibbana Sutta of Ceylon,^ seems to contain an exposition of the Buddhist Faith when it was lapsing into Vaishnava worship. The four characteristics of Nirvana are in this work stated to be permanence, personality, joy, purity ; and the entire universe to be one with the Nature of Buddha, excepting the Daityas,^ the enemies of Vishnu ; the aim being evidently to show the existence of a universal spirit (Hari), which is, in fact, the belief in Vishnu. In the 12th Kiouen of this work we meet with the following ac- count of the subject of the present consideration. " Again, Kasyapa, there is a Confession of Faith (Shing hing) known as the four sacred Truths — sorrow, accumula- tion, destruction, the way. These are the four. Kasyapa! Sorrow; that is, the distinction known as pressure from ex- ternal suffering. Accumulation; that is, the distinction known as life-growth. Destruction; that is, the distinction known as the extinction resulting in Perfect Rest (Nirvana). The way ; that is, the distinction known as the Great Vehicle. Again, illustrious one, we may define sorrbw as the characteristic of the Present ; accum ulation as the cha- racteristic of revolution ; destruction as the characteristic of rejection; and the way as the characteristic of the means by which this rejection operates. Again, illustrious one, 1 Buniouf, Lotus, 201, 339, etc. 2 So, at least, I take the expression yih-tchen-tai (often written tchen- tai). Yih-tchen-tai corresponds to the Sanscrit " S,tyantika," and this refers to the " infinite" wickedness of the Daityas. SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 161 Sorrow has three characteristics : the sorrow of pain (arising from birth, decay, and death) ; the sorrow of Life (conduct, or the sequence of existence) ; the sorrow of Ruin or perdi- tion (in Hell). Accumulation; that is, the twenty-five bhuvanas or places of existence. Destruction ; that is, the destruction of these twenty-five places. The Way ; that is, the repose and perfect illumination resulting from practising the Precepts. Again, illustrious disciple, sorrow may be defined as the result or reward of an imperfect observance of the Law j accumulation, as the causes which lead to such a result or reward ; destruction, as the result or reward of a perfect observance of the Law ; and the Way, as the causes which lead to such a result. Again, illustrious disciple, there are eight distinct kinds or marks of sorrow : they are — 1. Birth; 2. Old age; 3. Disease; 4. Death; 5, The re- moval of that which is loved; 6. The presence of that which is disliked ; 7. The inability of obtaining that which is sought ; 8. The five skandhas.^ Living in continual sub- jection to these sorrows is called accumulation. The absence of such necessity is called destruction. Whilst the posses- sion of the ten powers (dasabalas), the four intrepidities, the three powers of recollection (tiividyas), and great Mercy — this is called the Way. Now, illustrious one, with respect to the first sorrow, viz.. Birth, there are five steps or degrees in this also. 1. Conception; 2. Quickening; 3. Growth; 4. Parturition; 5. Classification as to species. With respect to old age, there are two divisions of this sorrow. 1. Con- stantly thinking about old age ; 2. Actual decrepitude of body. Again, there are two other modes of considering this sorrow, viz., 1. As to the increasing advance of age; and 2. As to the loss and destruction of faculties. > Such is old age. What, then, about the third sorrow, viz.. Disease? Disease is sometimes spoken of as the poisonous snake of the four elements, which no power can heal or overcome. It may be regarded under two aspects, body disease and 1 Compare the account given by Spence Hardy, Manual of Buddhism^ p. 496. M 162 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST mind (heart) disease. As to the first, there are five sorts of body disease. 1. Caused by water; 2. Caused by wind; 3. Caused by heat ; 4. Miscellaneous; 5. Accidental (such as falHng down, or cutting oneself, or the result of diabolical influence). Of mind disease there are four kinds. 1. Un- due excitement; 2. Undue fear; 3. Undue sorrow; 4. Darkness and unbelief (delusion). Again, illustrious dis- ciple, there are three aspects under which we may regard both body and mind disease. 1. As the result of Karma; 2. As resulting from the inability to put away or avoid evil destiny (or influence); 3. Congenital or constitutional infirmi- ties (resulting from elemental causes, and known by various names, as heart disease, liver disease, etc., etc.) So much about disease; and now as to the sorrow called death. Death is just putting off one's body, and may be spoken of 1. As the death which naturally comes when life is worn out; 2. As death resulting from external influences. Again, there is a spiritual and a natural death ; the first consisting in reviling the Law of Buddha, or breaking the command- ments; the latter being the breaking up of the five skandhas. Again, with respect to the fifth sorrow, viz., the removal of that which is loved, this consists in the loss of pleasures resulting from the decay of the animal life (the five skandhas), and may be spoken of as relating to men or to Devas. Again, with respect to the sixth sorrow, viz., the presence of that which is disliked, this may be referred to the sorrows attending a birth in Hell, or as a Preta, or as a brute beast. Again, with respect to the sorrow spoken of as inability to obtain that which is sought, this may relate either to failure to obtain any coveted position in life, or failure to gain the reward of supposed merit (in another life).