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240 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST a grave posture, and with a meditative heart, recite the following Gatha: " On first awaking from my sleep, I ought to pray that every breathing thing May wake to saving wisdom, vast As the wide and boundless universe." Having finished this Gatha, recite the following secret sentence : Om! Ti-li-jih-li.!' Svah. [To be repeated seven times.] 2. On hearing the convent bell, or striking it oneself, let all recite the following Gatha : " Oh ! may the music of this Bell extend throughout the mystic world, And, heard beyond the iron walls and gloomy glens of earth. Produce in all a perfect rest, and quiet every care, And guide each living soul to lose itself in Mind Supreme." Om ! ka-lo-ti-ye.'^ Svah. [To be repeated seven times : moreover, add this reflection on hearing the sound of the convent bell, that sorrow is short, but supreme wisdom enduring; when true knowledge (Bodhi) springs into life, then we escape Hell, and come out of the fiery lake ; oh ! that our perfect Buddha would rescue all living creatures, and complete the end of his mission ! " Whoever hears the bell, should arise at once from his bed, and sit up; if he encourages a lazy inclination, and rises not, he courts the attack of sin. An old priest says: " Whoever hears the Bell and rises not. His guardian angel flies away in wrath. And leaves the wretched man to present misery. And after death to writhe in serpent shape." But if a man is sick, .and rises not, there is no sin.] 3. On getting out of bed recite the following Gatha : "On putting down my foot and standing up, Oh ! let me pray that every living soul May gain complete release of mind and self. And so, in perfect Rest, stand n]i unmoved !" ' Tara-jala? - GardyeV from " gard." to resound. SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 241 Then say: " From earliest dawn till setting sun, Each living soul might tend to self -advance, Reflecting thus : ' ]\Iy foot firm planted on the earth, Should make me think, am I Advancing on my road to Heaven?'" Then repeat seven times : " Om ! Yih-ti-liu-ni J Svah." 4. On putting on one's clothes say this Gatha : " Assuming this my upper robe, I pray that every living soul. Obtaining the most perfect principle. May reach the other shore of Life."^ " Assuming this my under robe, I pray that every living soul, Attaining every virtuous principle. May perfect in himseH true penitence." " On binding on the sash, I pray That every living soul may closely bind Each virtuous principle around himself, And never loosen it or let it go." 5. On walking, so as not to crush an insect, say: "As thus I walk upon my feet, I pray that every living soul. Emerging from the sea of life and death, May soon attain the fulness of the Law." Then say: " Om ! ti-li-jih-li. Svah." [Seven times.] 6. On washing one's face, say: " As thus I wash my face, I pray That every living soul may gain Religious knowledge, which admits Of no defilement, through eternity." 1 Jitrouni (?) - " Of the Law," where " Dharma" denotes a superior condition of existence. E 242 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST Then say: "Om! lam! Svah ! [To be repeated seven times.] 7. On drinking water^ say tlie following secret words : " Om ! fu-sih-po-lo-mo-ni. Svali."i [To be repeated seven times; Buddha beheld in one vessel of water 84,000 insects ; if these secret words be not repeated when drinking, the guilt will be the same as if one ate the flesh of animals.] 8. On putting on the five garments, say: " Hail ! robes of final and complete release, Fit robes for those whose happiness is unsurpassed : I take these vestments to me reverently, For ever and for ever, mine ;"^ [Similar verses are to be repeated on taking the other garments.] 9. On spreading out the mat, say: " This mat,' designed for purposes of Rest, And to promote the growth of holiest principles, I spread upon the sacred Earth In reverence to Tathagata's command." Om ! Tan-po-tan-po, Svah. 10. On entering within the sacred precincts, say:* " As I enter within tliis sacred enclosure, I pray that every living soul, Aspiring to the Highest Court (for worship), May find complete repose, and rest unmoved and fixed." ^ Vasibrahmani ? 2 The robes of a Buddhist priest can never be taken from him except he is degraded from his ofhce by the superior priests. Eastern Mona- chism, p. 127. 3 Ni-sse-tan is probably a form of the Sanscrit " Nisadin" or " nisadya." * Literally the '' precincts of Reason," i. e., the place of immediate worship, or the neighbourhood of the altar. SCEIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 243 " Beholding the figure of Buddha, I Jjray that every living thing, Acquiring sight without defect, May gaze upon the form of ' all the Buddhas.'"' 1 1 . On bov^ing down before Buddlia, say : " King of the Law, the most exalted Lord, Unequalled through the tlireefold world, Teacher and Guide of Men and Gods, Our loving Father, and of all that breathes, I bow myself in lowest reverence, and pray That thou wouldest soon destroy the power of former works (i. e., destiny). 2 To set forth all thy praise Unbounded Time would not suffice." Om ! fah-jih-lo-hoh.' (Seven times.) [Repeat also the Gathas of Manjusri Bodhisatwa : " The object worshiped and the worshipper are both as to their nature spiritual;* it is difficult to investigate the relation between subject and predicate ; but now I look upon this sacred precinct as a costly gem (mirror) ; within it I behold the forms of all the Buddhas, and my body stands in the presence of the Buddhas, and thus upon my face I worship them^' (and substitute the name of any other object of worship^ whether it be a Bodhisatwa, or the law itself.)] 12. On worshipping a Tope (pagoda) say: " Seeing a sacred Toj)e,* I pray that every living thing May, like this sacred building, Honour'd be by Gods and men, and more." [Such verses as the above would be tedious to record at any greater length ; they are all of the same general cha- racter^ embodying a prayer or vow which breathes a spirit ' That is, may enjoy " beatific vision." The phrase " yih tsai Fuh," " all the Buddhas," is equivalent to our idea of the " Supreme." 2 This line presents several difiiculties ; it may be translated "quickly thou destroyest the Karma of asankheya of ages." ^ Vad]ra(?) * Empty — silent. ^ A stupa containing relics of Buddha. R 2 244 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST of goodwill to all. The other occasions given in the manual are these : (13) On bowing towards a Tope. (14) On cir- cumambulating a Tope. (15) On reading the Scriptures. (16) On taking the religious staff. (17) On going to beg. (18) On walking along the road. (19) On entering a village. (20) On arriving at a door. (21) On being invited within a house. (22) When no charity is given. (23) When charity- is given. (24) On seeing the alms-bowl still empty. (25) On emptying an alms-bowl of the food in it. (26) On seeing a full alms-bowl. (27) When delicious food has been col- lected. (28) Or when objectionable food has been collected. (29) On holding the bowl. (30) Or partaking of food. (31) On concluding a meal. (32) On receiving any religious contribution. (33) On cleaning the teeth. (34) On washing the alms-bowl. (35) On shaving the head. (36) On attending to the various calls of nature. (37) On washing the hands. (38) On entering a bath. (39) On washing the feet. (40) On arranging the sitting mat. (41) On sitting down to meditate. (42) On leaving the state of meditation (samadhi). (43) On going to rest. 8. THE TIAN-TA'I SCHOOL OF BUDDHISM. To conclude the present section, in which we are con- sidering the Religious character of the Buddhist system, I purpose to give a brief outline of the teaching of a school known as the " Tian-Tai^' sect, in China. '' There is no Buddhist estabhshment better known in China than Tian- Tai. The place itself has much natural beauty; but its in- terest, so far as it is historical, centres chiefly round the ancient priest, called Chi-K'ai,^ who founded the system. 1 Otherwise called " Chi-chay." The following brief memoir of this celebrated monk I take from another part of the Almanac. " Chin che-k'hae, otherwise called Che-chay (the Wise one), dwelt originally at Hwa-yung iu Ilonan ; his fatlier was in the service of a royal personage. At fifteen years of age he made a vow, iu the presence of an image at Chang-sha, that he would become a priest.