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Khuppipdsikas, that live a whole budhdntara without tasting either meat or drink. 3. Nijjhiimatrisnikas, that live in the hollow of decayed trees which have been set on fire. These three kinds of pr^tas derive no benefits from offer- ings ; but there are others that may receive assistance therefrom." MLLinda: '*Then it will frequently happen that no benefit is derived from the alms that are thus presented ; and they will thus be fruitless and vain." Ndgas6na: "Not so; there is a man who tskkes fish, flesh, toddy, rice, and cakes to present to his relatives ; but he is not able to find them. On this account, is the food lost that he has prepared ? Does he not enjoy it himself? And it is the same with alms Tin such instances as have been referred to) ; the giver receives the benefit.'* Milinda : ** Be it so ; the deceased relatives will in some instances receive benefit ^m the alms that are presented ; but if I become a cruel murderer, putting many persons to death without mercy, will my relatives in any way reap the reward of my evil actions?** Nagas^na : " No." Milinda : " What is the reason of this differ- ence ? The reward of good actions is received by the deceased relatives, but the reward of evil actions is not ; tell me the cause of this distinction ? ** Ndgas^na : " You are asking a profitless question ; it is just like asking why the sky does not fall, or why * When Fa Hian TiBited Wisila, the garden was jet in existence. 476 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. the stream of the river does not go upward rather than descend, or why men and birds have only two feet, whilst the beasts of the field have f onr ; these are not proper questions at all for any one to ask." Milinda: "I do not make this enquiry merely to trouble you ; I ask it that my mind may be relieved, and that others also who have doubts upon the subject may be instructed." Ndgasena : " The reward of merit may be divided, and a portion of it imparted to another ; but that of demerit cannot. Just in the same way, water may be carried by bamboo spouts to a great distance, but the rocks and hills cannot be removed at will ; the lamp may be fed with oil or grease, but it cannot with water ; water taken from the pond fertilises the soil, but that which is taken from the sea cannot be used for the same purpose." Mi- linda : *' Will you explain to me how it is that the reward of de- merit cannot be imparted to another ? I am like a blind man ; I want instruction." Nigas^na : '* The reward of demerit is small and insignificant ; that of merit is vast, and spreads to the dewa- l<5ka ; and this is the reason why the one can be divided and not the other. A single drop of water cannot be made to spread over the space of ten or twelve yojanas ; but a heavy shower fills the lakes, rivers, brooks, rills, and channels, and spreads over this space. And in like manner, demerit, on account of its littleness, cannot be received by another, whilst merit, because of its greatness, admits of participation." Milinda : ** Whence is this greatness of merit derived P " Ndgas6na : " A man gives alms, or keeps the precepts ; by this means his mind is filled with satisfaction ; again and again this satisfaction wells up within him, and he is induced to acquire a greater degree of merit ; it is like a perpetual fountain, continually flowing over ; but when a man does that which brings demerit, his mind becomes sorrow- ful, and he is deterred from pursuing the same course, like a river that is lost in the sand of the desert. It is in this way that merit increases and becomes great, whilst demerit is dimi* nished." X. THE ETHICS OF BUDHISM. r. THE TAKINO of LITE. — H. THBPT.-^IH. ADULTJtet.-TT. LTlird.--T. BLANDBB. — ^VI. TTITPBOTITABLB COITrBBSATIOK. — TH. OOTBTOtJfiHBSB. — Vni. BCBFnOIBlC. — ^IX. INTOXICATHrO LIQ1T0B8* — X. OAMBLtirGr.'^XI. IDLBNBS8. — XII. IMFBOFBB ASSOCIATIOirS. — XHI. FLACB8 OF AMITSB. liBNT. — XIV. THB FABBNT AND OHILD. — XV. THE TBAOHEB AKD BOAOLA.B. — XVI. THB FBIBST AND HOUSEHOLDER. — XVII. THE HUBBAKD AND WIFE. — XVni. THB KABTEB AND 8EBVANT. — ^XIX. THB FBIBND. — XX. HISOBLLANBOVB ADVI0B8. — ^XXI. THB bIlA FBBOBFTB.-^XXn. TBBMB AND 0LAS8IFICATIONB. There are three sins of the body : — 1. The taking of life, Murder (1). 2. The taking of that which is not given, Theft (2). 3. The holding of camal intercourse with the female that belongs to another, Adultery (3). There are four sins of the speech: — 1. Lying (4). 2 Slander (5). 3. Abuse. 4. Unprofitable Conversation (6) There are three sins of the mind: — 1. Covetousness (7). 2. Malice. 3. Scepticism (8). There are also five other evils that are to be avoided :— 1 The drinking of intoxicating Liquors (9). 2. Gambling (10). 3. Idleness (11). 4. Improper Associations (12). 5. The Frequenting of Places of Amusement (13). There are additional obligations that are binding upon par- ticular classes of individuals, among whom may be reckoned ! — 1. The Parent and Child (14). 2. The Teacher and Scholar (15). 3. The Priest and Householder (16). 4. The Husband and Wife (17). 5. The Master and Servant (18). 6. The Friend (19). There are Miscellaneous Advices and Admonitions (20) that form another section. The Sfla Precepts are almost limitless in their extent (21). The most celebrated are the ten Obligations of the Priest. In the native works, certain terms are continually met 478 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. with, an understanding of which is necessary to a right acquaintance with Budhism. A few of the more important of these Terms are inserted, with their explanation (22). 1. The Taking of Life. Prinaghata is the destraction of the life of any being, the taking of it away. The pr4na is here put for the being, bat it is only by a figure of speech. In reality the prdna is the same as the jiwitindra (the eighteenth rdpa-khanda, the principle of life. He who takes away this principle, whether it be done immediately or by instigation (by the body or by the speech) is guilty of this crime. He who takes away the life of a large animal will have greater demerit than he who takes away the life of a small one ; becaase greater skill or artifice is required in taking the life of the former than of the latter. When the life of a man is taken, the demerit increases in proportion to the merit of the person slain ; but he who slays a cruel man has greater demerit than he who slays a man of a kind disposition. There are five things necessary to constitute the crime of taking life. 1. There must be the knowledge that there is life. 2. There mnst be the assurance that a living being is present. 3. There must be the intention to take life. 4. With this inten- tion there must be something done, as the placing of a bow or spear, or the setting of a snare ; and there must be some move- ment towards it, as walking, running, or jumping. 5. The life must be actually taken. (Sadharmmaratnaledre.) Again, it is said, when any one injures a tree, or root, or rock| with the intent to take life, not knowing its nature ; when any one takes life, knowing it is life that he takes ; when any one intends to take life ; when any one actually takes life, whether it be done by himself or through the instrumentality of another, he is guilty of this crime. (Milinda Prasna.) Prdnaghdta may be committed by the body, as when weapons are nsed ; by word, as when a superior commands an inferior to take life ; or by the mind, as when the death of another ia desired. There are six ways in which life may be taken: — 1. By the person himself, with a sword or lance. 2. By giving the com- X. THE ETHICS OF BUDHISM. 479 mand to another. 3. By the nse of projectiles, sach as a spear, an arrow, or a stone. 4. By treachery, as the digging of pits and covering them slightly oyer, setting springs, or poisoning ponds. 5. By magical rites. 6. By the instrumentality of demons. (PujdwaltyaJ) There are eight canses of the destmction of life : — ^1. Evil desire. 2. Anger. 3. Ignorance. 4. Pride. 5. Covetonsness. 6. Poverty. 7. Wantonness, as in the sport of children. 8. Law, as by the decree of the mler. This crime is committed, not only when life is actnally taken, but also when there is the indulgence of hatred or anger ; hence also lying, stealing and slander, may be regarded in some sense as including this sin. (SadharmmaratnaMre.) Under certain circumstances one's own life may be given up, but the life of another is never to be taken.