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an et dans Tlnde, extent § k la fin du IVe Si^e, par Chy fll hian. Traduit du Chinois et comment^ par M. Abel Remusat Ouvrage posthume, roTu, oompl^ld, et augment^ d'^dairoissements nouToaui, par MM. Klaproth et Landresse : Parie, 1836. TIL LEGENDS OF g6TAMA BUDHA. 371 identically the same. The ancient literature of the Budhists, in all the regions where this system is professed, appears to have had its origin in one common source ; but in the ob- servances of the present day there is less uniformity ; and many of the customs now followed, and of the doctrines now taught, would be regarded by the earlier professors as perilous innovations. I am tempted by an almost irresistible impulse, to enter upon an extended examination of the personal chamcter of G6tama, and of the religious system he established. But I forbear. The task I have undertaken is rather to impart in- formation, than to assume the office of an expositor or con- troversialist. There is, nevertheless, something almost over- powering in the thought, that he was the means of producing a moral revolution more important in its results, and more extensive in its ramifications, than any other uninspired teacher, whether of the eastern or western world. The cha- racter of the instrumentality by which these mighty effects were brought about, has hitherto been little regarded; but the time is coming when it will engage the attention of our highest orders of intellect. With the founders of other creeds, and of other monastic orders, and of other philoso- phical systems, G6tama will have to be compared ; nor must such beings as Melampus, Empedokles, and Apollonius, who, like himself, are invested with a shadowy existence and par- took of supernatural powers, be overlooked. Though the great sage of Maghada has more disciples, by tens of mil- lions, than Mahomet, or Anthony, or Aristotle, his name is scarcely heard beyond the limits of Asia ; and in many cases where his history is partially known, he is regarded as a mere abstraction or as the subject of a myth. 2 B 2 VIII. THE DIGNITY, VIETUES, AND POWERS OF BUDHA. I. THE 8FPBBMACY OF BITDHA. — ^11. HIS MANHOOD. — III. HIS APPBASAVCB AND BTATtTRB. — IV. HIS MANNEE OP WALKING. — T. THE BBA17TIBS OF HIS PBB80N. — TI. HIS DEPOBTMBNT AND TIBTUB8. — ^YII. HIS KINDKSB8. — Till. THE MANNEB IN WHICH HE SAID BANA. — IX, HIS SUPEBNATUBAIf ENDOWMENTS. The Budhas are regarded by their adherents as the greatest of beings. The praises they receive are of the most extrava- gant description ; and all the excellencies that the noost fertile imagination can invent have been applied to them, in setting forth the beauty of their persons, the propriety of their de- portment, the kindness of their disposition, or the greatness of their powers. The first sentence in aU the 61a books written in Ceylon is as follows: — ^Nam6 tassa bhagawat6 arhahat6 samm4 sambuddhassa. Bhagawat6, the virtuous, the meritorious ;* arahat6, the perfectly pure, from having overcome all sensuousness ; samma, in a proper manner ; sambuddhassa, he who has ascertained the four great truths, by intuition ; tass4, to him ; nam6, be praise, or worship. In some of the translations now to be inserted, there is pre- sented a more painful proof, if possible, of prostration of in- tellect, than in any of the preceding statements. But they are consistent in their wildness ; and if the honoura bestowed upon Budha are legitimately given, the rest of the story may * The Brahmans give to this word a more recondite signification. "The word Bhagavat is a convenient form to he used in the adoration of that supreme heing, to whom no term is applicahle ; and themfore Bhagavat expresses that supreme spirit, which is individual, almighty, and the cause of causes of all things. The letter JBh implies the cherisher and supporter of the universe. Bj ffa is understood the leader^ impeller, or creator. The dissyllable Bha^a indicates the six properties, dominion, might, glorj, splendour, wisdom, and dispassion. The purport of the letter ca is that elemental spirit in which all beings exist, and which exists in all things. — Wilson's Vishnu Purina. Vm. DIGNITY, VIRTUES, AND POWERS OF BUDHA. 373 follow as a matter of course. We have here a phase of mind that outstrips the utmost extravagancies of our own legends. The old monks have transmitted to us many most wondrous stories ; but their most elaborated menologies must yield the palm to the narrative we have received of the prowess of G6tama. Yet the relation has a melancholy interest, as it may be re- garded as the prime effort of the mind of heathendom to present a faultless and perfect character. It is the eastern beau ideal of that which is the most beautiful, and praise- worthy, and great. There are, confessedly, some features that we are called upon to admire ; but the folly in some in- stances, and the absurdity in others, mark the whole to be " of the earth, earthy." 1. The Supremacy of Budha. It is said of Budha, that he is endowed with many virtaes ; he is the joy of the whole world ; the helper of the helpless ; a mine of mercy ; the d6wa of d6was ; the Sekra of Sekras ; the Brahma of Brahmas ; the only deliverer ; the very compas- sionate ; the teacher of the three worlds ; he who receives the homage of kings ; the royal preacher ; a diamond cofEer to those who seek his assistance ; a moon to the three worlds ; he who gives the ambrosia of righteousness ; the father of the world ; the helper of the world ; the friend of the world ; the relative of the world ; the gem of the world ; the coUjnrium of the world ; the ambrosia of the world ; the treasure of the world ; the magical jewel of the world ; stronger than the strongest ; more merciful than the most merciful ; more beautiful than the most beautiful ; having more merit than the most meritorious ; more powerful than the most powerful ; he who enables the being who only softly pronounces his name, or who gives in his name only a small portion of rice, to attain nirwdna. The eye cannot see anything ; nor the ear hear anything ; nor the mind think of anything, more excellent, or more worthy of regard than Budha. The following declaration, which appears in the Aggap- pasadasdtra, was- made by Gotama : — " Priests, there is no one 374 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. saperior to the Tat&gata, whether it be among apods, bipeds, quadrupeds, or millapeds; araong those that have rdpa, or- ganized bodies, or those that are ardpa, incorporeal. He who trusts in Budha relies upon him who is supreme ; and he who trusts in the supreme will receive the highest of all rewards. No one has been my teacher ; there is none like me ; there is no one who resembles me, whether among d^was or men." Were a being possessed of all wisdom to repeat during aa entire kalpa the praises of Budha, he would not be able to declare the whole. There are beings that are sentient, and beings that are not sentient ; of these two classes, the sentient is the chief. There are two classes of sentient beings, animals and men ; of these two classes, man is the chief. There are two classes of mankind, the male and the female ; of these, the male is the chief. There are two classes of males, those who have fixed habitations and those who have none; of these the men who have no fixed habitation are the chief. Of those who have no fixed habitation, the priests, the Pas6-Budhas, and the supreme Budhas, are the chief.* On a certain occasion, Jinorasa and S^kyaputra wero walking together. He who went in the rear said to the other, '* My lord, the excellence of Budha is immensely great; I have been thinking that if there were books written that contained a perfect account of the whole they would form a heap that would reach to the brahma Idkas." "Friend," replied the superior priest, "by so saying you lower the dignity of our great monarch ; such a comparison appears only like a mockery.'' The other priest then said, *' I spoke according to the extent of my knowledge ; " and as he had not said it with the intention of being disrespectful, but had spoken it out of a heart filled with affection for Budha, the superior priest forgave him.