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A Manual of Budhism, In Its Modern Development, K. Spence Hardy, 1880 - Complete Book

English

His voice was accompanied by the tones of the harp. In this manner the praises of the pure being and the praises of evil were mingled together, like ambrosia and poison in the same vessel. Budha said to the d6wa, '' Thy music and thy song are in harmony," and then commanded that Sekra should be admitted, lest he should be tired with waiting and go away, whereby g^eat loss would be sustained by him and his followers. From the delay, Sekra had begun to think that the dancer was forgetting his errand and speaking about his own matters to the sage; and he therefore sent to tell him not to talk so much, but to procure him permission to enter the hoDOurable presence. The years appointed to Sekra being nearly ended, Budha knew that it would not be right to say to him on entering, in the usual manner, " May your age be multiplied !" and he therefore addressed him and the others collectively; but by this salutation, three kdtis and sixty thousand years were added to his life, as the ruler of the d^wa- 16ka of which he was then the chief. Budha and Sekra alone knew of this result. When Budha said to him that it was well he had come to visit the fountain of merit at that time, lie 300 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. replied that he had long wished for the opporfcunitj ; and had indeed once come to see him when he resided at the Jetdwaua wihara; but he was disappointed, as the ruler of the three worlds was then performing dhy4na. After this Sekra stated that there were certain questions which he wished to have solved ; and as Bndha gave him permission to propose them, he asked thirteen questions, which, with their answers, appear in the Dik-sanga, in the Sekra- prasna-sdtra. By the explanations which the sage gave to these questions, the 80,000 d^was were enabled to become rahats, and Sekra entered sowdn. As it was by means of Panchasikha that Sekra was enabled to enter the first of the paths, by which, in eight births more, he will attain nirwana, he appointed that d6wa as his teacher, and gave him Suriyawachasa as his wife. It was from cleaving to existence, and wishing to live long, that Sekra was able to enter only the first of the paths, whilst the rest of the d^was entered the last 38. The Tlrttakas are put to Shame : a large Tree is mvracuhttsly produced : and Sekra makes a Pavilion for Budha, During the residence of Budha in the W^luwana wihira> there was a rich man in Rajagaha, who one day found an alms- bowl of red sandal- wood when bathing. This he placed in the court-yard of his mansion, upon a frame of bamboo, and caused it to be everywhere proclaimed, that if there was any rahat in the world, he might come through the air and take it, and he would then believe in him and worship him. There were at that time six noted persons who were deceivers and sceptics. 1. Pur&na-kdsyapa. — He was so called because he was borxi in the house of a noble, of a girl who was a mellaka, or foreigner ; there were previously ninety-nine of that race, and as his birth completed the hundred, he was called Pdma or Purana, complete, or full, which was prefixed to his proper name, K^yapa. From this circumstance his master was unwilling to put him to any hard work, and therefore made him the porter of his mansion ; but he did not like this employment, and ran away. In the forest to which he absconded he was set upon by thieves, who stripped off his clothes and left him naked. In this state he approached a village, and when the people asked him who he was, he said that his name was Pdma, because he was full of all science; Vn. LEGENDS OF OliTAMA BUDHA. 301 Kasyapa, because he was a brahman ; and Pdma-ldlsjapa-bndha because he had overcome all evil desire. The people brought him clothes in abundance, bat he refused them, as he thought that if he put them on he should not be treated with the same respect. " Clothes," said he, " are for the covering of shame ; shame is the efEect of sin ; I am a rahat, and as I am free from evil desire, I know no shame." The people believed what he said, brought him offerings, and worshipped him. Five hundred other persons became his disciples, and it was proclaimed throughout all Jambudwipa that he was Budha. He had in all 80,000 followers, who were perverted from the truth, and went with their false teacher to hell. 2. Makhali-gdsala. — His name was Makhali, and because he was bom of a slave who at the time was confined in a cattle-pen on account of the displeasure of her master, he was called G($sa1a. After he had grown up, his master one day gave him a vessel of ghee to carry on his head ; and when they came to a muddy place he told him to take care lest he should fall ; but he did fall, and from fear of the consequences ran away. His master pursued him and caught hold of his garment ; but he left it in his hand, and fled to the forest naked ; whence he came to a village, and deceived the people in the same way as El^yapa. He had the same number of disciples, and led the same number of followers to destruction. 3. Ajitakdsakambala. — He was a servant, and ran away from his master ; and as he had no livelihood, he became an ascetic. He put on a mean garment, made of hair, shaved his head, and taught that it is an equal sin to kill a fish and to eat its flesh ; that to destroy a creeping plant and to take life is an equal crime. 4. Kakudasatya. — He was the son of a poor widow, of good family, who bore him at the foot of a kakuda or kumbuk tree. A brahman saw him, and brought him up, giving him the name of the tree near which he was bom. When the brahman died he had no means of support, and became an ascetic. He taught that when cold water is drunk many creatures are destroyed , and that therefore warm water alone is to be used, whether for the washing of the feet or any other purpose. His followers never drank cold water, nor washed their bodies with it ; and if obliged to pass through water or ford a river, it gave them 302 A MANUAL OF BUDTIISM. much pain, as they thought it caused a great destraction of life. 5. Sanjayabellanti. — He was called Sanja because he had on his head a boil like a sanja, or wood apple; and Bellanti, because he was bom of a slave. He taught that we shall appear in the next birth as we are now; whosoever is now great or mean, a man or a d6wa, a biped, a qaadmped, or a millepede, without feet, or with one foot, will be exactly the same in the next birth. 6. Nighantandtaputra. — He was the son of Nata, the hasband- man, and because he declared that there was no science with which he was not acquainted, he was called Nirggantha. He said that he was without sin, and that if any one had any doubt, on any subject whatever, he might come to him, and h9 would explain it. Each of the six sceptics had 500 disciples. When these sceptics heard of the proclamation made by the rich citizen of Bajagaha, they went to his residence ; and each one asked for the alms-bowl, saying that he was a rabat ; but the citizen said that if they wanted it, they must come through the air and take it. Thus they remained for the space of five days. Nighantaniitaputra reflected thus : — " The followers of Gotama Budha will come through the air and take the bowl, by which their fame will be everywhere diffused and we shall be put to shame ; this must be prevented, in some way or other, even if it should be by the practice of a deception." He therefore directed his followers to go and ask for the bowl in the name of Budha, saying that he would not work a miracle for a thing so insignificant ; but the citizen would not listen to this proposal. He then went to the place, accom- panied by his followers, and said he was ready to pass through the air ; but his followers, as he had previously instructed them to do so, held him as if by force, and said it was not worth while to pass through the air for such a purpose. Still the citizen refused to give up the bowl. After this Nighanta desisted from further attempts to obtain it, greatly mortified by his defeat. On the seventh day Mugalan and Pinddlabhiradwija went to Rajagaha to receive alms, and on their way a woman informed them of what had taken place. When Mugalan heard this, be said to the priest who was with him that it would be a reflection VII. LEGENDS OF gcJtama budha.