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Not to stand in a higher place, so as to require him to lift np his head. 8. Nor in a lower place, so as to require him to bend liis head. These observances were required when approaching any great man, but more especially in the presence of Budha. {Pujdwaliya.) 7. The Kindness of Budha, The words of Budha were never intended to cause pain. The strongest term of reproach that he ever addressed to any one was, mogha purisa, vain man. On one occasion he reproved the priest Kalandaka-putra ; but it was as the physician who uses powerful medicine for the curing of his patient ; or who pre- scribes the most loathsome medicaments for the same purpose ; or it was the parent who from affection chastises his child. A profusion of fine cotton, though in size it were like a rock, might fall upon any one without his being hurt ; and thus lightly fell the words of Budha upon those whom he addressed. The methods that he took, in order that he might the more effectually teach those who came to him, were many ; as when he made' an image of himself, in which he revealed to Sela the sign that he could see in no other way, which sign was seen by the brahman alone, though at the time he was accompanied by 300 disciples ; just as when a man feels pain, it is felt by himself alone, and not seen by another, and as a sprite may appear to one person alone, though he be in the midst of many. To Nanda he exhibited a beautiful d^wi in the world of Sekra, that he might be induced thereby to despise the earthly princess upon whom he had placed his affections. In other ways also, or by Vm. DIGNITY, VIRTUES, AND POWERS OF BUDHA. 389 other fitratagems, be imparted instruction to his followers. In this he acted like the skilfal physician, who tries the emetic or the purgative, and who at one time cures by anointing and at another by injection. It was declared by Bndha to Ananda, that there are no con- cealed doctrines belonging to the Tatdgatas ; nevertheless it is said in the M41unka-siitra that when M&lunka asked Budha whether the existence of the world is eternal or not eternal, he made him no reply; but the reason of this was, that it was considered by Budha as an enquiry that tended to no profit ; and it was not the practice of the Bndhas to reply to any question, the purport of which was not designed in some way or other to assist in the overcoming of successive existence and the reception of nirwana. It is said that at one time, when Budha was preaching the bana, about sixty priests, who were imperfect in the faith, vomited forth warm blood. The king of Sagal objected to Ndgasena that this was contrary to the declaration that Budha is a benefit to all, and a disadvantage to none. Nagas^na : " The throwing up of the blood by the priests was not caused by Budha; it was their own act." Milinda: **But if Budha had not said bana, would it have taken place ? " Nagasena : *' It would not ; whilst the priests were listening to the bana, a fire was kindled within their bodies, and this fire caused the coming forth of the warm blood." Milinda : " Nevertheless, it must have been Budha who was the principal cause of their de- struction. Thus, there is a nay&, that lives in an ant-hill ; but a man comes and breaks down this mound, that he may take away the earth, by which means the hole in which the snake lies is filled up, and because it cannot breathe it dies ; now is not the death of the snake most clearly caused by the man P" Ndgas^na : " It is." Milinda : ^' Just in the same way, the death of the priests was caused by Budha." N4gas6na : " When Budha says bana, it is not to produce anger in any one ; it is to preserve those who hear it from anger apd hatred. When any one receives it with a willing mind, it brings forth the fruition of the paths (^to nirw4na) ; but when any one hears it with an evil mind, he is brought to destruction. Thus, a man shakes a tree laden with fruit, whether it be of mango, jambu, or some other kind ; the fruits that have a atrong stalk remain upon tho 390 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. tree, bat, if there are any of wbich the stalk is decayed, they faU to the ground ; just bo it is with the bana of Badha ; they whose minds are prepared receive from it benefit, but they whose minds are averse receive from it no benefit; they fall again into the ocean of existence. Again, in ploughing a fi.eld, for whatever kind of grain, many thousands of blades of grass are destroyed ; or in putting the sugar-canes to be crushed in the mill, any worms that there may be upon them must perish : in the same way, the mind that is rightly disposed receives benefit from the bana, whilst that which is evil is still exposed, to the sorrows of existence." Milinda : " But was it not through the preaching of the bana that the priests died P" Nagas6na : " The carpenter, in preparing the tree that has been felled, cuts ofE the knots and branches, that all may be made smooth, whilst he leaves untouched the parts that are free from these excre- scences ; and in the same way, by the preaching of Budha those who are seeking the paths are assisted, whilst the others perish. Again, when the plantain tree has borne fruit, it dies; and when the mare of the breed call Aj^na has foaled, she also dies : and when the robbers who have pillaged a country are doomed to punishment, it is by their own act ; in like manner, when the sixty priests vomited forth warm blood, their destruction was not caused by Budha, nor by any other being ; it was their own act." At another time, when Budha resided in the garden called Amalaki, belonging to the S4kya princes, near the city of Ohatuma, he was visited by Seriyut and Mugalan, who were accompanied by 500 other priests ; but when they proceeded to meet the resident priests, so g^reat a noise was made in placiog their seats and putting down their alms-bowls and robes, that Budha called out, '' Ananda, who are these persons that are making a noise, like so many fishermen drawing their nets?" Ananda informed him that it was occasioned by the arrival of some stranger priests; on hearing which, he said further, '^ Ananda, assemble the whole priesthood, and tell the priests who have acted like fishermen, no longer to remain near the place where I am." The priests, on receiving this command, re< tired to the council-chamber of the Sakya princes, who said to them when they had been informed of their arrival, '* Sirs, where ai*e so many of you going at this unseasonable hour p" Vin. DIGNITY, VIKTUES, AND POWERS OF BUDHA. 391 The priesis told them what had occnrred; apon which they went to Badha to intercede in their behalf, and said, '' My lord, the seed newly sown, if it be not watered, perishes ; the calf that is away from its mother dies ; so also will these priests, newly appointed to their office, be discouraged if they see not the great teacher ; therefore, let them be forgiven." Sahampati Maha Brahma also came from the brahma-16ka, and entreated forgiveness for the priests. This being perceived by Mugalan, by means of his divine eyes, he said, " Priests, Bndha grants ns permission to retnm; let ns hasten to see him." After they had worshipped the sage, he said to Seriynt, '* What were the thoughts that you entertained when you were sent away?" Seriynt replied that he began to think it would be better to leave the practice of the precepts, and return to the world. Upon hearing this, Budha said, " Seriynt, Seriynt, this is enough ; let no such thought hereafter be formed." The same question was then put to Mugalan ; who replied, " I began to think that Budha had abandoned the truth, and that I or Seri- ynt must see to the preservation of the priesthood." For this resolution he was commended by the great teacher, who said that it was eminently good. When a man stumbles over a root, or stone, or uneven ground, it is not the earth that throws him down in anger, because the earth is incapable of feeling either displeasure or satisfaction ; nor is it from aversion that the sea casts the dead body upon the shore ; in like manner, it was not the anger of Budha that caused the retirement of the priests, as he was entirely free from any such feeling ; it was the act of the priests themselves, that forbade them to remain.