English
An ascetic 83 times ; a monarch 58 ; the d^wa of a tree 43 ; a religious teacher 26 ; a courtier 24 ; a pr6hita brahman 24 ; a prince 24 ; a noble- man 23 ; a learned man 22 ; the d^wa Sekra 20 ; an ape 18 ; a merchant 13 ; a man of wealth 12 ; a deer 10 ; a lion 10 ; the bird hansa 8 ; a snipe 6 ; an elephant 6 ; a fowl 5 ; a slave 5 ; a golden eagle 5 ; a horse 4 ; a bull 4 ; the brahma Maha Brahma 4 ; a peacock 4 ; a serpent 4 ; a potter 3 ; an outcaste 3 ; a guana 3 ; twice each a fish, an elephant driver, a rat, a jackal, a crow, a woodpecker, a thief, and a pig ; and once each a dog, a curer of snake-bites, a gambler, a mason, a smith, a devil dancer, a scholar, a silversmith, a carpenter, a water-fowl, a frog, a hare, a cock, a kite, a jungle-fowl, and a kindurd. It is evident, however, that this list is im- perfect. Not a few of the fables that pass under the name of ^Esop are here to be found ; and the schoolboy is little aware, as he reads of the wit of the fox or the cunning of the monkey, that these animals become, in the course of ages, the teacher of the three worlds, Budha. Each Jdtaka begins with the formula, " yata-giya-dawasa," which is an exact equivalent to our own, " in days of yore." The Hindu collection of fables, called the Hit6pad&a, is well known. As the scene of these fables is laid in the comparatively modern city of Pdtaliputra, whilst that of the JAtaka, is almost invariably connected with a Brahmadatta, king of Benares, we may infer therefrom the superior antiquity of the Pali collection. The Jdtaka-pota bears a considerable resemblance to those parts of the Talmud V. GKiTAMA BODHISAT: HIS VIRTUES, ETC. 103 that are described as consisting of ''aphorisms an^ moral sentiments, illustrated by similes and parables, and also by naiTatiyes,*sometimes real and sometimes fictitious." These l^nds are interesting, as throwing light upon the manners and customs, and upon the modes of thought, that were pre- valent when this compilation was made, or in the ages imme- diately previous; as there is a boundary of verisimilitude beyond which the wildest imagination cannot pass. One tale, after the usual manner of eastern compositions, presents the opportunity for the introduction of several other stories that are only slightly dependent upon the principal narrative. The Singhalese will listen the night through to recitations from this work, without any apparent weariness ; and a great number of the Jdtakas are familiar even to the women. The J&takas here transcribed are the Suj&ta (2), Apan- naka (3), Munika (4), Makasa (5), Guna (6), Tinduka (7), Asadrisa (8), and Wessantara (9). In this selection I have had in view the interest of the legend as a tale ; the con- venience of its length ; or its importance as illustrating some feature of Budhism. The Sujdta Jataka is here translated in full, with its introduction ; but in the other Jdtakas the introduction is omitted, and the narrative much abridged. The first J&taka recorded in the original text is the Apan- naka ; and the last, the Wessantara. 1. The Virtues and Privileges of the Bodhisat, There are ten primary virtues, called paramitds, that are con- tinnally exercised by the Bddhisats ; and as each virtue is divided into three degrees ; ordinary ; npa, superior ; and para- mirtha, pre-eminent ; there are in all fhirty pdramitds. For the space of twenty asankya-kap-lakshas, that is to say, from the time that the mandpranidhdna, or resolution to become a Bndha, was first exercised, the thirty paramitas were practised by GiStama B6dhisat. 1. He gave in alms, or as charity, his eyes, head, flesh, blood, children, wife, and substance, whether personal or otherwise, as in the Khadirangara birth. In this way 104 A MANUAIi OF BUDHISM. he fulfilled tke three kinds of dana, viz., dana-pdramita, d&na- upa-paramita, and dana-paramartha-p4ramita. 2. In the Bha- sidatta birth, and in others of a similar description, he practised the sila-pdramita, or observance of the precepts, in the three degrees. 3. In the Chulla Snttasoma, and other similar births, he abandoned vast treasures of gold and silver, and numberless slaves, cattle, buffaloes, and other sources of wealth, and thus fulfilled the naiskrama-paramita, which requires retirement from the world. 4 In the Sattubhatta, and other births, he revealed to others that which he saw with his divine eyes, and thus ful- filled the pragnya-pAramita, or the virtue proceeding from wisdom. 5. In the Maha-janaka, and other births, he performed things exceedingly difficult to be done, thus fulfilling the wirya- paramita, or the virtue proceeding from determined courage. 6. In the Kshantiwada, and other births, he endured with an equal mind the opposition of unjust men, regarding it as if it were the prattle of a beloved child, thus observing the kshdnti- paramitd, or virtue proceeding from forbearance. 7. In the Maha Suttasdma, and other births, he spoke the words of truth, thus exercising the satta-p4ramita, or virtue proceeding from truth. 8. In the Tem6, and other births, he set his mind to that which is excellent, in the most resolute manner, never giving way to evil in the least possible degree ; thus fulfilling the adishtana-pdramita, or the virtue proceeding from unalterable resolution. 9. In the.Nigrodhaniga, and other births, he gave away that which he enjoyed to aid the necessities of others, and took upon himself the sorrows of others ; thus observing the maitri-paramitd, or the virtue proceeding from kindness and affection. 10. In the Sara, and other births, he regarded with an equal mind those who exercised upon him the most severe cruel- ties, and those who assisted him and were kind ; thus fulfilling the up^ksha-pdramita, or virtue proceeding -from equanimity. All the paramitas were exercised in the three degrees ; and the differences in question may be learnt from that which is said respecting dana. The giving of eyes, flesh, and blood, or that which belongs to the body, is the ordinary ddna. The giving of children, wife, horses, slaves, cattle, buffaloes, lands, pearls, jewels, gold, and silver, or that which may be regarded as a pos- session, is the superior dina. And the giving of that which involves the loss of life, as the head upon which the royal crown V. G(5tAMA BCiDHISAT: HIS VIRTUES, ETC. 105 has been placed, or the body, to feed lions, tigers, jakas, and raksbas, is the pre-eminent dina. Tbe period required for the exercise of a pdramitd is called bbumi. Were a B6dhisat to shed one single drop of blood in a thousand births, he would shed more blood than there is water iQ a thousand oceans in the space of one pdramitd-bhtimi. Were he, in the same number of birtbs, to give a portion of his flesh only the sisEe of the undu flower, he would, in one bhumi, give more flesb than there is earth in a thousand worlds like our own. Were be, in as many births, once to give his head, he would, in one bhtimi, give as many heads as would form a heap higher than M6ru. Were he, on a similar scale, once to give an eye, he woxdd, in one bhdmi, give more eyes than there are star's in a thousand sakwalas. Were he to give one son bound by a withe, the wbole of the withes would form a heap higher than M^ru. Were any being to live successively through the age enjoyed in each of the d6wa and brahma-ldkas, though this period would amount to many millions of years, and more than two hundred thousand maha-kalpas, it would not be a longer space of time than is required for the fulfilling of a pdramitd. Tbe piLramit^- bhumi must therefore be a period inconceivably long. Tbe Bodhisat is never bom in any world above tbe Asanyasatya- 16ka. He avoids the d^wa and bi*abma-16ka8, because in these worlds be cannot further the accomplisbmeDt of bis design ; be never prolongs his stay in places of this description, but seeks continually for opportunities to carry his design into effect ; and it is for this reason that of his own free will he passes away from these 16kas, and is bom in the world of men. Because of his merit, he might always be bom in a d^wa or brahma-16ka, but as in these places he cannot further the purposes of his great intention, he prefers being bom in the world of men. Other beings must remain the appointed time in these worlds, there being no dangers or accidents by which their departure can be hastened; but as the B6dhisat cannot there perform the pdramitds, he has the power to depart at his pleasure.