Majjhima Nikāya II (Further Dialogues of the Buddha, vol. II: suttas 77-152)

The witness is not true ; it imputes to me what is false and untrue. Said the king to Vidudabha the general : — Who put this story about in the palace ? The brahmin Sanjaya Akasagotta, sire. Sending a messenger to summon the brahmin to his presence, the king said : — Can it be that, though originally uttered about something else, the Lord’s words have been transferred by people to a quite different subject? In what sense does the Lord acknowledge having made his statement ? What I acknowledge having said was that, at one and the same time, no recluse or brahmin can know and see everything. Casually, and with reference to causation, the Lord has said this. [128] Now, sir, is there any distinction or difference between the four classes of Nobles, brahmins, middle-class people and peasants ? Two out of the four classes take precedence, sire, in the way these are addressed, received, approached and treated. I was not asking the Lord about things here and now ; my question relates to their destinies hereafter. There are five qualities for striving after the truth. — (i) An Almsman has confidence, is confident . . , {etc, as in Suit a 85) . . . utter destruction of 111. V

68 XC. KAffff AKATTHALA-SUTTA. ’ M. tl 129. now the four classes possess these five qualities, it will be to their abiding weal and welfare. If all four classes [129] had all five qualities, would there be any distinction or difference between them ? I premise, sire, differing degrees of capacity. It is just as though there were one pair of young elephants or colts or steers who had been schooled and trained, while another pair had not. Would the -first pair, being trained, attain to trained capacity and rank as trained ? Would the second pair, being untrained, do the same ? It is just the same, sire, with what an Almsman can achieve with confidence, health, honesty, strenuous effort and understanding. He cannot possibly achieve it without such an equipment. Casually, and with reference to causation, the Lord has said this. If, now, all four classes had all five qualities and had them to the full, would there then be any distinction or difference between them ? In such case, I recognize no difference, — that is to say, in Deliverance as against Deliverance. . It is just like one man lighting a fire with a dry stick of brushwood, and a second man [130] lighting his with a stick of sal-wood, while a third man employs a mango stick and the fourth a stick of figwood. Would you expect any difference in flame, hue or brilliance between the four fires, though kindled from different woods ?

It is just the same, sire, with the illumination which is kindled by effort and fired by striving. Therein, I recognize no difference, —that is to say, in Deliverance as against Deliverance. Causally, and with reference to causation, the Lord has said this. — Are there gods, sir ? k Why ask such a question ? Do gods come back to life on earth or not ? „ The malign do ; the benign do not. At this point Viduclabha asked the Lord whether the malign gods who must return to an earthly life can expel or banish from their abodes those benign gods who will never return to earth. Thought the reverend Ananda : — This Vidudabha is the son of Pasenadi, king of Kosala ; and I am the Lord’s son. Now is the time for son to talk with son. So he said to VidQ<Jabha : — I will ask you a question in return, for such answer as you may see fit to give. In the kingdom of Kosala and within the range of his sovereignty and sway, [131] has the king power to expel or banish any recluse or brahmin, anyone either virtuous or not virtuous, anyone leading or not leading the higher life ?

Yes, my good sir ; he has that power. Has he that power outside his own dominions ? Have you ever heard of the Thirty-three gods ? Oh, yes ; and so has his majesty. Tell me ; can the king of Kosala expel or banish them from their abodes ? Why, he cannot even see them, much less expel or banish them. Just in the same way, general, the malign gods cannot cv*n seeu-thfL henign gods, much less expel or banish them froy0un|eir abodes. What is the namc^nUr, of this Almsman ? asked the king. Joyous (ananda) is his name, and joyous is his nature. He spoke causally [132] and with reference to causation. — Does Brahma exist ? Why ask such a question ? Does he, or does he nqt, return to life on earth ? A malign Brahma does ; a benign Brahma does not. At this point, the brahmin Sanjaya Akasagotta was announced and was asked by the king who put that story about in the palace. It was Vidudabha, the general, said the brahmin. It was the brahmin Sanjaya Akasagotta, said the general. The king’s carriage being now announced, the king; said to the Lord ; — I asked the Lord about omniscience and he explained omniscience to me in a manner which pleases, satisfies and gladdens me. I asked him about the purity of the four classes and he explained it to me in a manner which pleases, satisfies and gladdens me. I asked him about the supreme Brahma and he explained him to me in a manner which pleases, satisfies and gladdens me. The Lord has explained to me everything about which I asked, in a manner which pleases, satisfies and gladdens me. But now [138] I must be going, sir ; I have much to do and attend to.

At your pleasure, sire. Having expressed his satisfactions and thanks for what the Lord had told him, Pasenadi, king of Kosala, saluted the Lord and with deep reverence departed.

Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord with a great company of some some £ Arrrauien was on an alms-pilgrimage ira tfe- Videha country, there was living at Mithila the brahmin Brahmayu, an old and aged man, far advance^. in years and nearing the end of his span, being oifie hundred and twenty years old. He was versed in fall three Vedas ; he was accomplished in the ritual with the glosses thereon, in phonology and in etymology, twith chronicles as a fifth branch ; he knew exegesis ancji was learned in casuistry and in the signs that mark tbjfe Superman. It came to his ears that the recluse Gotama, a Sakyan ... (etc. as in Suttas 4r and 82). . . f. It was good to go and see saintly men like him. > [184] This brahmin Brah mayu had as pupil at the time a young brahmin name<d Uttara, who was likewise verged in the three Vedas . . . mark the Superman. To this pupil the brahmin related what had come to his ears about this recluse Gotama, bidding the young man go and find out whether the facts tallied with popular repute or not, so that he himself might feel assured.

How shall I know whether the facts tally with popular repute ? In our runes, Uttara, there are recorded the two and thirty marks of a Superman, — for whom, if he bears these marks, there awaits one of two careers and no third. Should he live a home life, he becomes Emperor over the four quarters of the earth, righteous in himself and ruling righteously, triumphant abroad, enforcing law and order at home, and possessing the Seven Jewels, — wheel, elephant, charger, gem, queenconsort, treasurer and counsellor. More than a thousand sons has he, heroes of might, who sweep the enemy’s hosts before them. Over all the earth, to the shores of ocean, he extends his sway, by sheer righteousness alone, and not by cudgel or sword. If, instead, he goes forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim, he becomes the Arahat all-enlightened who lifts the veil from the world. It is mine, my dear Uttara, to impart the runes ; k is yours to receive them. Dutifully, the young brahmin rose and with deep reverence departed on an alms-pilgrimage through the Videha country [185] till in due course he found the Lord, whom he greeted before taking a seat to one side. Being seated, he scanned the Lord’s body for the two and thirty marks of a Superman and in time observed them all save twt>, namely the privities hidden in a sheath and the big tongue, — concerning which two Uttara was in doubt and perplexity, not feeling certain or sure. Realizing exactly the young man’s uncertainty of mind, the Lord made such a manifestation of psychic power that Uttara could see the Lord’s privities within their sheath ; and then, putting forth his tongue, he passed it up and down the

orifices of both ears and of both nostrils, and covered with it the whole expanse of his forehead. Quite sure now about the presence of all the two and thirty marks, Uttara resolved to dog the footsteps of the recluse Gotama and to observe his carriage in his every posture. So for seven months on end he dogged the Lord like his shadow, and then returned to the brahmin Brahmayu at Mithila. In answer to the brahmin’s enquiries, [136] Uttara spoke as follows : — Yes; the facts tally with popular repute and the reverend Gotama is all that is reported of him. He has got all the two and thirty marks of a Superman, to wit — (1) His tread is firmly planted; (2) on his soles are the wheels, complete with a thousand spokes and with felloes and hubs; (3) his heels project ; (4) his digits are long ; (5) he has soft hands and feet ; (6) his fingers and toes spring clean, without webbing between them; (7) his ankles are over the exact middle of his tread ; (8) his legs are like an antelopes ; (9) while standing bolt upright, he can, without bending, touch and rub his knees with both hands at once; (10) his privities are within a sheath ; (1 1) golden of hue is he ; (12) so fine is his skin’s texture that no dust^ or dirt can lodge on it;

(13) each several hair on his body grows separate and distinct, each from its own individual pore; (14) each hair starts straight, is blueblack like collyrium, and curls to the right at the tip ; (15) he is as straight as a die; (16) his body shows the same convexities; (17) bis chest is like a lion’s; (18) his back is flat between the shoulders (19) his proportions are those of the banyan-tree, — his stretch being the same as his height ; (20) the curve of his shoulders is symmetrical; (21) his sense of taste is consummate; (22) he has the jaw of a lion; (23) he has [137] forty teeth ; (24) his teeth are all the same length ; (25) there are no interstices between his teeth ; (26) his teeth are sparkling white ; (27) his tongue is big ; (28) his voice is melodious as the

cuckoo’s note ; (29) the pupils of his eyes are intensely dark; (30) his eyelashes are like a cow’s; (31) between his eyebrows grow soft white hairs like cottondown ; and (32) his head is shaped like a turban. As he walks, — he always leads off with the right foot first, with steps neither too long nor too short, and at a pace neither too hurried nor too slow ; he does not knock his knees or ankles together ; his thighs are not elevated or slouched, not turned in or turned out ; only his lower limbs are in movement ; he does not put his whole body into it. When he stands at gaze, he turns full round to do so ; he does not gaze up or down or stare about him. Three yards does his forward glance extend ; — beyond that distance his boundless ken and vision comes into play. When entering a house, he does not bend his body up or down, or to [138] or fro. He turns to sit down neither too far off nor too near his seat ; not clutching hold of it nor flinging himself down on it. When seated indoors, he does not behave wrongly with hands or feet ; he does not sit with legs and ankles crossed, nor does he prop his head on his hand ; he is not terror-struck, nor does he shake, tremble or quake ; he sits there without fear, without dread, without consternation,— aloof within himself.

When receiving water to wash his bowl, he does not move his bowl up and down, or to and fro ; he takes just water enough, neither too much nor too little ; he does not swish the water about, as he washes his bowl, nor does he twirl it round and round ; he does not set his bowl down on the ground before he begins to wash his hands ; by the time his hands are washed, his bowl is washed too, and his hands are washed by the time his bowl is ; he empties the water from his bowl neither too far away nor yet too near, without tossing it out. When receiving boiled rice in his bowl, he does not move his bowl up and down or to a.nd fro ; he takes just rice enough, neither too much nor too little ; with his mouthful of rice he eats the proper proportion of curries (viz. one-fourth), without neglecting the rice ; twice and thrice he turns over in his mouth each mouthful, nor is there a single grain of rice which either goes down whole or is left unswallowed before he proceeds to the next mouthful ; he appreciates the taste of his food without being passionately fond of it ; his eating has an eightfold character, — he eats not for pleasure or for delight or for ostentation or for display, but only to support and to maintain his body, to save it from harm and to help on the higher life, so as to

[139] rid himself of the old feelings and not to breed any new feelings, but to ensure progress and the blameless lot and well-being. After his meal, when receiving water to wash his bowl, he does not move . . . without tossing it out ; after his meal he sets his bowl down on the ground not too far off nor too near, not negligently nor yet holding on to it too long ; after his meal, he sits in silence for a little while, but does not forget when to return thanks ; and in returning thanks after his meal, he does not complain of his fare nor express a preference for something else, but confines himself to instructing* rousing, enlightening, and cheering onwards the company there present with a doctrinal discourse, — after which he rises up and departs, not too fast and not too slow, without manifesting the desire to get away. Gotama’s robe is neither too long nor too short ; it is not skin-tight nor is it baggy ; nor does the wind blow it up. No dust or dirt adheres to his body. When back in the pleasaunce, Gotama sits on the seat set for him and washes first one foot and then the other, — though he makes no study of the appearance of his feet. His feet washed, he sits cross-legged, with his body erect, in alert mindfulness. No thought of harm — whether to himself or to others or to both — ever crosses his mind ; his only thoughts as he sits there are for the weal of himself, and of others, and of both himself and others, and of the whole wide world.

[140] In the pleasaunce he preaches the Doctrine to those there, neither flattering nor denouncing themi but simply instructing, rousing, enlightening and heartening them. Eightfold are the qualities of Gotama’s voice ; it is frank, clear, melodious, pleasant, full, carrying, deep and resonant ; in giving -instruction, his voice does not travel beyond his audience ; when his instruction is over, his hearers rise up and depart reluctantly, with their gaze still on him. I have seen Gotama walking ; I have seen him standing still ; I have seen him sitting silent in a house ; I have seen him eating in a house ; I have seen him sitting silent after a meal ; I have seen him returning thanks after a meal ; I have seen him on his way back to his pleasaunce ; I have seen him sitting silent in the pleasaunce ; I have seen him preaching the doctrine in the pleasaunce to the assemblage.- — That is what he is like, only more so. At the close of this relation, the brahmin Brahmayu rose from his seat, respectfully bared his right shoulder, and stretched forth his folded palms reverently towards where the Lord was, exclaiming thrice with deep emotion : — Honour be to the Lord, Arahat allenlightened !

May it be mine, added the brahmin, to meet Gotama at some time somewhere and to hold converse with him ! When, in the course of his alms-pilgrimage in the Videha country the Lord had come to Mithila and taken up his abode there in Makhadeva’s mangogrove, it came to the ears of the brahmin heads of houses there that the recluse [141] Gotama, a Sakyan . . . (etc. as in Sutta 41) . . . and others again in silence. Hearing of the Lord’s coming to Mithila, Brahmayu proceeded to the mango-grove with a number of young brahmins, but thought to himself, as he drew near, that he ought not to appear in the presence of the recluse Gotama as a quite unknown stranger. So he despatched a young brahijnin to precede him, with civil enquiries in his name and to announce that he was the brahmin Brahmayd, an old and aged man, far ?6 XCI. BRAHMXYU-SUTTA. M. ii. 142, advanced in years and nearing the end of his span, being one hundred and twenty years old, versed in all three Vedas . . . and in the signs that mark the Superman ; that he was foremost in Mithila alike in substance, in knowledge of runes, [142] in age, and in repute ; and that he wished to see Gotama.

This message was duly carried by the young brahmin to the Lord, who sent back word that he awaited the brahmin’s convenience. On this intimation, Brahm&yu advanced, and the assemblage, when they saw him coming a little way off, made way to receive one so well-known and distinguished. But Brahmayu begged them to resume their seats, for he would sit near Gotama, — as he did after exchange of greetings. As he sat there, the brahmin [143] scanned the Lord’s body for the two and thirty marks of a Superman, and in time observed all of them save two, namely the privities hidden in a sheath and the big tongue, — concerning which two Brahmayu was in doubt and perplexity, not feeling certain or sure. Thereupon, Brahmayu addressed the Lord in these lines : Of two and thirty marks that stamp , Pis said the Sttperman, I miss in thee but two. Hast thou thy parts ens heath? d, thou prince of men? Or are they female ? Is thy tongue not short But large and long ? Pray , let me know the truth . Put forth thy tongue , 0 sage ; dispel my doubts ; to compass welfare here and bliss beyond , vouchsafe to answer what I seek to learn.

Realizing exactly Brahmayu’s uncertainty of mind, the Lord made such a manifestation of psychic power that the brahmin could see the Lord’s privities within their sheath ; and then, putting forth his tongue, he passed it up and down the orifices of both ears and of both nostrils and covered with it the whole expanse of his forehead, ending by replying to the brahmin in the following lines ; — The two and thirty marks that stamp , Pis said, the Superman , are mine j dispel your doubts / M. ii. 144. THE SUPERMAN. 77 I know what mind should know ; I am what man should be ; I'm quit of all man should renounce ; — thus, brahmin) all enlightenment is mine. [144] To compass zvelfare here and bliss beyond , I grant permission what thou wilt to ask. Thought the brahmin to himself : — On this permission, shall I ask about things here and now or about the hereafter ? As I am versed in the former, and am referred to as an accepted authority thereon, I will ask Gotama about weal hereafter. So he made rejoinder to the Lord in the following lines : —

What makes a Brahmin ? What gives holy Lore ? What makes a Threefold Seer ? Who is tli Elect ? What makes an A rahat ? What makes a Saint ? What makes a Sage ? What gives Enlightenment ? To the Brahmin the Lord made answer in the following lines : — Whoso his former lives can call to mind , descrying heaven and hell with eye divine , — whose round of births is done, with Insight won , who knows his heart is pure, from passion free , — whoso, o’er birth and death victorious, the higher life in sanctity fulfils and thought transcends, his is Enlightenment. Hereupon, the brahmin Brahmayu arose and, with his right shoulder respectfully bared, bowed his head at the Lord’s feet, which he kissed and stroked again and again, as he gave his name: — The brahmin Brahmayu am I, Gotama. And all that were there wondered and marvelled at the power and might of ‘the recluse,’ in that this renowned and famous brahmin should so humble himself. Said the Lord : — {145] Forbear, brahmin. Rise up and resume your seat now that your heart believes in me. And when the Brahmayu was seated once more the Lord addressed to him a progressive discourse, — namely on giving, on virtue, on heaven, on the perils,

7$, XCL BRAHMAYU-SUTTA. M, h. 146. variety and foulness of pleasures of sense, and the gains to be won by renouncing worldly things. As soon as the Lord recognized Brahmayu’s heart to have become sound and malleable . . . {etc. as in Suita 56) . . . direct conviction in the master’s teachings, — Brahmayu said to the Lord: — Wonderful, Gotama; wonderful! Just as a man might set upright again ... an abiding refuge, from this day forth while life lasts ! I pray the reverend Gotama, with his Confraternity, to take his meal with me to-morrow. The Lord having signified his silent assent, the brahmin with deep reverence withdrew to order an excellent meal which on the morrow [146] he served round to the Lord and the Almsmen with his own hands till all had had their fill. For a whole week did Brahmayu entertain them, after which the Lord resumed his alms-pilgrimage through the Videha country. Not long after the Lord’s departure, the Brahmin died ; and a number of Almsmen reported his death to the Lord, asking what the brahmin had passed to and what hereafter would be his. Said the Lord: — Learned was the brahmin Brahmayu, Almsmen ; he got at the gist of the Doctrine but had difficulty with the ninth stage. By bursting asunder all the Bonds which bind men to this lower world, Brahmayu has been translated to realms above, never to return to earth.

Thus spoke the Lord. Glad at heart those Almsmen rejoiced in what the Lord had said.

X[SN 102] Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was on an alms-pilgrimage in the Anga country i For text see P.T.S. edition of the Sutta Nipata (1913). Cf. TheragSlthS, pp, 78-80 (translated at p. 310 et seqq. of Psalms of the Early Buddhists) and Vinaya I. 245. across the river, with a great train of Almsmen numbering twelve [SN 103] hundred and fifty, he sojourned in the Anga township of Apana. It came to the ears of Keniya the fire-worshipper that the recluse Gotama, a Sakyan who had gone forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim, was reported to have arrived at Apapa with this train in the course of his almspilgrimage. Such, according to report, was the high repute noised abroad concerning this Gotama that . . . {etc. as m Sutta 41). . . . It was good to go and visit saintly men like him. So Keniya came to the Lord and, seating himself after greetings, was by the Lord instructed, roused, fired and cheered onwards with a -doctrinal discourse, — at the close of which he invited he Lord and his Almsmen to take their meal with him r)n the morrow. I Said the Lord : — There are [SN 104] no less than twelve hundred and fifty Almsmen with me ; and you |ye an adherent of the brahmins.

4 A second time did Keniya tender his invitation, - -aying this made no difference ; and a second time did ie receive the same answer. But when the invitation ivas tendered for the third time, the Lord by his silence accepted it. Then Keniya got up and went off to his hwn hut, where he told his friends and kinsfolk Gotama ivas coming and asked them to help. Readily enough they set to work digging earth-ovens, chopping wood, . scouring pans, setting out water-jars, and placing seats ready, — while Keniya himself marked off a reserved circle. Now, at that time there was living at Apana the brahmin Sela [SN 105], who was versed in all* three Vedas, was accomplished in ritual with the glosses thereon, in phonology, and in etymology, with chronicles as a fifth branch ; he knew exegesis, and was learned in casuistry and in the signs that mark a Superman ; he had three hundred young brahmins to whom he taught the runes. At this time, moreover, Keniya the fire-worshipper was an adherent of this brahmin Sela. Accompanied by his three hundred pupils, the brah- min came in the course of his walks abroad to Keniya’s hut and saw all the fire-worshippers there busy with their several tasks, with Kepiya himself marking off the reserved circle. At the sight, the brahmin said to Keniya: What is all this? Is it a wedding-feast ? Or is there a great sacrifice afoot? Or have you invited : to a repast to-morrow Seniya Bimbisara, king of Magadha, with all his host ?

It is no wedding-feast, Sela, nor is the king coming with all his host. But I have got a great sacrifice • afoot. For, the recluse Gotama, the Sakyan who has j gone forth_ as a Pilgrim from a Sakyan home, has "| arrived at Apana, in the course of an alms-pilgrimage, f with twelve hundred and fifty Almsmen in his trair*“**/ Now, [SN 106] such, according to report, is the higl repute noised abroad concerning this Gotama that . . * (etc. as in Sutta 41) . . . the Lord of Enlightenment, It is he whom I have invited to to-morrow’s meal here, together with his Confraternity. i; Did you attribute to him Enlightenment, Keniya Yes, I did, Sela. Yes, I did. j Thought the Brahmin to himself : — This is rubbish. Rarely indeed do the Enlightened appear in the world/ In our runes there have been handed down the two anc> thirty marks of the Superman, for whom, if he bears these marks, there awaits one of two careers and no third. Should he live . . . (etc. as in Sutta 91) . . . who lifts the veil from the world. > Where is Gotama now staying, this Arahat all* enlightened?

In answer, Keniya stretched out his right arm and said: — [SN 107] Yonder, Sela, in that stretch of dark trees. L Then the brahmin Sela proceeded to the . Lord, attended by his three hundred young brahmins, to $ whom he gave the following instructions : — Move for- . 1 ward in silence, in one another's footsteps noiselessly \ for, these Lords are hard of access, like solitary lions. •’ t And while I am conferring with the recluse Gotama, do not interrupt but wait till my talk with him is over. Arrived in the Lord’s presence, the brahmin, seating himself after greetings, scanned the Lord’s body for the two and thirty marks of a Superman, and in time observed them all save two . . . {etc. as in Sutta 91) , . . [SN 108] the whole expanse of his forehead. Quite sure now about the presence of the two and thirty marks, Sela still did not know whether or not he had Enlightenment. But he remembered hearing from old and aged brahmins, teachers of teachers, that those who became Arahats all-enlightened, reveal themselves when their praises are sung, and so he made up his mind to extol the Lord to his face in the following lines of eulogy : —

Perfect of body , goodly , Lord, art thoti, ^Well-grown, well- liking, golden-hued , with teeth ywhich gleam with lustre ; vigour fills thy frame ; why body’s full perfection manifests mack single sign that marks a Superman. jClear-eyed and handsome , tall, upright art thou , ^effulgent as a sun among thy train , — so debonair , so golden-hued ! Why waste thy beauty s prime as homeless anchorite ? d As world-wide monarch thou shouldst ride m state ; \ and Ind from sea to sea should own thy sway. r;[SN 109] Proud princes shall thy village headmen be; ?' rule thou mankind \ as sovran king of kings. The Lord made answer : King indeed am /, the peerless king of utter righteousness ; in righteousness my sovran Wheel of Truth r roll ’ that backwards nevermore shall go. £ If All-enlighten d thou dost claim to be, -4 he peerless king of utter righteousness , \ ..rolling in righteousness your sovran Wheel, h^who ranks as Captain next to you to keep ^fyour Wheel still rolling onward on its course ? The Lord made answer : Next to me, to keep my sovran Wheel of Truth still rolling on , stands Sariputta, in my image shaped,

I know tvhat mind should know ; I am what man should be; I'm quit of all man should renounce ; — thus, brahmin , all enlightenment is mine. All doubts of me dispel; have faith in me ; to view thl Enlighten d is a boon most rare. [SN 110] and that rare boon thou may' st behold in me who A ll-Enlighten' d am , of Healers chief perfect and peerless, routing Maras hosts , o'er foes triumphant ;—fear clouds not my bliss . Sirs, mark him , mark how , lion-like , he speaks, this Seer , this Healer, this great Conqueror , Lives there a man so low as not to trust , at sight, fell Mara' s peerless vanquisher ? Let who will follow ; let the rest depart ; — be mine the Pilgrimage with Wisdom's lord ! If you, sir, th' A ll-enlighten d take as guide, ours too be Pilgrimage with Wisdom’s Lord ! As thus his pupils spoke, the brahmin cried:- — Three hundred brahmins, Lord \ with hands outstretch' here pray to lead the higher life with thee. That higher life — the Lord made answer then— stands here reveal'd, with fruits ripe here and now \ the earnest Pilgrim! s diligence to bless. |

So the brahmin Sela and all his following wereJ admitted to the Lord’s Confraternity and confirmed^ therein. % Now, when night had passed, an excellent meal was| got ready by Keniya the fire-worshipper, [SN 111] whof sent to tell the Lord when everything was ready, and with his own hands served the Lord and the Almsmen without stint till all had had their fill, after which he seated himself on a lower seat to one side and was thanked by the Lord in these lines : — Of fire- oblations sacrifice ranks first ; of Vedic metres Savitrl is first ; a king ranks Jwst ’ mong men , 'mong streams the sea ; the moon among the lamps of night ranks first ; and first of luminaries ranks the sun. For those who Merit seek by sacrifice , gifts to the Almsmen profit most of all. Having thanked Keniya the fire-worshipper in these lines, the Lord arose and departed. Dwelling alone and aloof, strenuous, ardent and purged of self, the reverend Sela with his following was not long before [SN 112] he won the prize in quest of which young men go forth from home to homelessness, that prize of prizes which crowns the highest life ; — even this did he think out for himself, realize, and attain, here and now ; and to him came the conviction that— ‘ Rebirth is no more, I have lived the highest life, my task is done, and now for me there is no more of what I have been.’ And so the reverend Sela too was numbered, with his following, among the Arahats.

To the Lord came the reverend Sela, with his following, and, with right shoulder respectfully bared, addressed the Lord in the following lines : — * We who a week ago found Refuge , seert in thee, remoidded by thy Doctrine come. Enlighten' d Master , over Mara’s host triumphant ! Thou who , wrong propensities Excising , for thyself salvation found and others taught to find salvation too / Tkou hast surmounted all that breeds rebirth and extirpated Canker-growths within . With naught to bind thee thrall to life , thou'rl free , as forest lion, from at l fear or dread. Three hundred A Imsmen, Lord, with outstretched hands , pray thee , great Victor, one sole grace to grant , > — that they , thy saints , may bow down at thy feet !

[147] Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was staying at Savatthi in Jeta’s grove in Anathapindika’s pleasaunce, some five hundred brahmins from divers countries were stopping in the city on some business or other. Thought they : — Here is this recluse Gotama preaching that purity extends to all four classes alike. Who can refute him ? Now in the city at the time there was a young brahmin named Assalayana, a youth of sixteen, with shaven head, who was versed in all three Vedas, was accomplished in ritual with the glosses thereon, in phonology, and in etymology, with chronicles as a fifth branch ; he knew exegesis, and was learned in casuistry and in the signs that mark a Superman. This is he, thought those brahmins, who can refute the recluse Gotama. So they asked him to essay the task ; but he replied that Gotama was a thinker with a Doctrine of his own and that thinkers with Doctrines of their own were awkward people to refute ; nor could he personally refute Gotama. A second time they appealed to Assalayana, [148] reminding him that he had been a Wanderer ; but he returned the same answer as before.

A third time the brahmins appealed to him, adding that he ought not to own defeat without a contest. And this time Assalayana answered that he did not share their view, that Gotama was a thinker with a Doctrine of his own, that such independent thinkers were awkward people to refute, and that he personally could not tackle Gotama, — but that, at their bidding, he would go forward. So, escorted by a numerous company of brahmins, the young brahmin Assalayana went to the Lord, and, after exchange of greetings, sat down to one side, saying : — Brahmins maintain, Gotama, that only brah^ mins form the superior class, all other classes being inferior ; that only brahmins form the white class, all other classes being black fellows ; that purity resides in brahmins alone and not in non-brahmins ; and that only brahmins are Brahma’s legitimate sons, born from his mouth, offspring of his, creations of his, and his heirs. — What does Gotama say hereon ? Albeit, Assalayana, the brahmin wives of brahmins are known to have their periods, and to conceive, and to lie in and .give suck, do brahmins really maintain all this, though they are themselves born of woman like everybody else ?

[149] In spite of what you say, that is what brahmins think. Have you ever heard that in the Yona and Kamboja countries, and in other adjacent countries, there are only two classes, namely masters and slaves, and that a master can become a slave and vice versd ? Yes, I have heard so. What strength or support does this lend to the brahmins’ claim ? Despite what you say, brahmins think as I have said. Suppose a man is a murderer, or a thief, or a fornicator, or a liar, or suppose he is a slanderer, or violent of speech, or tattles, or covets, or is malevolent or holds wrong views, — will he after death , at the body’s dissolution pass to a state of misery and woe only if he be a noble or a middle-class man or a peasant, and not if he be a brahmin ? N o, Gotama ; with such a record the same doom awaits men of all four classes alike. [150] What strength or support does that lend to the brahmins’ claim ? Despite what you say, brahmins think as I have Suppose now a man refrains from murdering and stealing and so forth, will he, after death at the body s dissolution, only pass to bliss or heaven if he be a brahmin and not if he be a noble or a middle-class man or a peasant?

No, Gotama; with such a record, the same guerdon awaits men of all four classes alike. What strength . . . claim ? — Despite . . . [151] as I have said. Is it only a brahmin, and not a man of the other three classes, who, in this country, can develop in his heart the love that knows no hate or ill-will ? No, Gotama ; all four classes alike can do this. What strength ... as I have said. Is it only a brahmin, and not a man of the other three classes, who can go down to the river with his string of red bath-balls to shampoo himself with, and can there rub off the dust and dirt ? No, Gotama ; all four classes alike can do this. What strength ... as I have said. Suppose a Noble [152] who has been anointed king, were to assemble a hundred men of mixed origins and were to say to them : — All of you who are nobles or brahmins or of royal birth, take kindling wood of sal or pine or sandal or lotus and make a blazing fire with it. And you that come of low stocks — trappers, rushplaiters, Cartwrights and vermin-killers — you light your fires with cattle-troughs or hog-troughs or wash-tubs or bits of woodbine. What would happen, do you think ? Would it be only the fire kindled by the high-born which would blaze up with a bright flame and serve the purposes of a fire? And would the fire of the low people fail herein ?

No, Gotama ; it would be just the same with high and low ; every fire alike [153] would blaze up with the same bright flame and equally serve the purposes of a fire. What strength ... as I have said. Suppose a young noble consorts with a brahmin maiden and a son is born to them. Is that son of theirs like both parents and is he to be styled both a noble and a brahmin ? If a young brahmin consorts with a noble maiden and a son is born to them, is that son of theirs like both parents and is he to be styled both a noble and a brahmin ? If a mare were put to a jackass and the union resulted in a foal, would their foal be like both parents and be called both a horse and an ass ? Her foal would be a mule. [154] This difference I see, but no other. Suppose, Assalayana, there were two young brahmins, uterine brothers, — the one an educated (Vedic) scholar, the other uneducated and no scholar at all. Which of these would be served first by brahmins with rice from oblations to the dead, or with rice cooked in milk for festivals, or with a portion of a sacrifice, or with hospitality as a guest ?

Why, the educated scholar. For, what benefits could accrue from gifts made to the uneducated man ? Now suppose the scholar was profligate and wicked, whereas his uneducated brother was virtuous and good. Which of the two would be served first by brahmins ? Why, the uneducated one, who was virtuous and good. For, what benefits could accrue from gifts made to a wicked profligate. You started off with birth, Assalayana; then you passed to runes, from which you have come round to that equal purity of all four classes alike for which I contend. At this, Assalayana sat silent and upset, with his shoulders hunched up and with eyes downcast, much exercised in mind but without any rejoinder to hand. Seeing the young brahmin’s plight, the Lord went on to say : — Once on a time there were seven brahmin sages in thatched cabins in the wilds, who conceived the erroneous view that brahmins were the superior class [155] and all the rest of it. Hearing of this, the sage Asita Devala arranged his hair and beard, donned his orange attire, got into his stout sandals, took his staff and made his appearance in the precincts of these seven brahmins’ hermitage. As he walked about the precincts, he exclaimed — Where can those brahmin sages have got to ? Where can they have got to ?

Who, thought they, is this that, like a neatherd, trots round our precincts wondering where we can have got to ? Let us put a curse on him ! So they cursed the sage Asita Devala, saying : — Shrivel to a vile cinder 1 But the more they cursed; the more goodly and comely and handsome grew the sage Asita, so that the seven brahmin sages cried : — In vain have been our austerities, fruitless our higher life ! For, never a man have we cursed heretofore who did not shrivel to a cinder, — whereas the more we curse this man, the more goodly and comely and handsome he grows ! No, said Asita; your austerities have not been in vain nor your higher life fruitless ; but I urge you to discard the delusion which besets you about me. [156] Yes, we will. Who, sir, are you ? Have you ever heard of the sage Asita Devala ? Hereupon the seven brahmin sages advanced to salute Asita, who proceeded to tell them that he had heard how in their cabins they had conceived the erroneous view that brahmins were the superior class and so forth. Yes, they admitted it was so.

Do you know for. certain that the mother who bore you had commerce with a brahmin only and not with a non-brahmin ? Do you know for certain that your mother’s mother and your grandmothers for seven generations back had commerce with brahmins only and never with nonbrahmins ? Do you know for certain that the father who begat you had commerce with a brahmin-woman only and not with non- brahmins ? No. / . . •. Do you know for certain that your father’s father and your grandfathers for seven generations back had M.rii. 157. BRAHMIN PRETENSIONS. 89 commerce with brahmin-women only and not with nonbrahmins ? Do you know' how conception comes about? Yes ; [157] if there is coitus of the parents, and if it is the mother’s period, and if the tutelary deity of generation be present, — then this triple conjunction brings about conception. Do you know whether the tutelary deity there present is a noble, or a brahmin, or from the middle class, or from the peasantry ? This being so, do you know who you are ? No, we do not. When, Assalayana, those seven brahmin sages were pressed and examined and cross-questioned about their pretensions with regard to lineage, they could not find a rejoinder. And what rejoinder have you when I press you, — you who inherit the same tradition as they and are not a mere server to hold their oblation ladles for them ?

At this point, the young brahmin Assalayana said to the Lord -.—Wonderful, Gotama ; wonderful ! I pray you to accept me as a disciple who has found an abiding refuge while life lasts.

Thus have I heard. Once when the reverend Udena was staying at Benares in the mango-grove called Tranquillity, the brahmin Ghotarnukha, who had come to Benares on some business or .other, [158] came, in the course of his walks abroad, to this grove, in which Udena was pacing up and down in the open. Having approached Udena and exchanged greetings,, the brahmin walked by his side, saying Recluse, that there is no Pilgrimage for Doctrine sake, is my- idea , but it is an idea informed by no acquaintance either with men like yourself or with Doctrine. At this point, Udena cut short his walk and went into his cell, where he sat down on the seat awaiting him. Likewise, the brahmin cut short his walk and also went into the cell, where he remained standing, till Udena said : Here are seats, sit down if you will. Said the brahmin : I did not sit down till I was bidden, For, how could a man of my position sit down unbidden ? So the brahmin took a low seat to one side and repeated his remark that there was no Pilgrimage for Doctrine’s sake, but that this idea of his was informed by no acquaintance either with men like Udena or with Doctrine.

Could we arrange our talk, brahmin, on the basis that you will assent to what you admit, will reject what you object to, and will question me further, for reasons or explanations, when you do not take my meaning ? [159] Brahmin, there are four types of individuals to be found in the world. First, there is he who tortures himself and is set on self-torture. Then there is he who tortures others and is set on torturing them. Next, there is he who tortures both himself and others and is set on torturing both. Lastly, there is he who tortures neither himself nor others and is set on torturing neither. And this last individual, who tortures neither himself nor others, dwells — here and now — beyond appetites, consummate, unfevered, blissful and inwardly at his best. Which of the four, brahmin, commends himself most to you ? I am not drawn, sir, to either the self-torturer or the torturer of others ; nor do I approve him who tortures both himself and others. The one who commends himself most to me is the last individual, — who tortures neither himself nor others and dwells — here and now — in the felicity you describe.

Why do not the first three commend themselves to you ? He, sir, who is set on torturing himself, tortures his own natural desires for happiness and his own natural repugnance to pain ; and so he does not commend himself to me. [160] He, again, who is set on torturing others tortures others’ natural desires for happiness and their natural repugnance to pain ; and so he does not commend himself to me. And he who is set on torturing both himself and others, tortures both his own and other people’s natural desires for happiness and natural repugnance to pain ; and so he does not commend himself to me. But he who is set on torturing neither himself nor other people, and dwells — here and now — in the felicity you describe, he it is who commends himself to me. There are two categories of men. The first, inflamed with a passion for gems and jewelry, wants sons and wives, wants men and women slaves, wants fields and lands, wants coins of silver and gold bullion. The second category wants none of these things but discards them all to go forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim. Now in which category do you expect to find the man who tortures neither himself nor others but dwells — here and now — beyond appetites, consummate, unfevered, blissful and inwardly at his best ?

[161] Why, in the category which wants none of these things but discards them all to go forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim. But, brahmin, just now you expressed your belief that there was no such thing as Pilgrimage for Doctrine’s sake, — without acquaintance either with men like me or with Doctrine 1 Clearly, Udena, what I said has served a useful purpose. I now see, and you may take me as holding, that there is such a thing as Pilgrimage for Doctrine’s sake ; and I should be glad if you would be so good as to set out in detail what you have indicated in outline concerning the four types of individuals. Hearken then, brahmin, and give me your attention; I will tell you. Then to the listening brahmin the reverend Udena spoke as follows : -What manner of man is he who tortures himself and is set on selftorture ? Take the case of the individual who, naked, flouting the decencies of life, . . . (etc. as m Sutta 51) [162] unfevered, blissful and inwardly at his At the close of these words, the brahmin Ghotamukha exclaimed to the reverend Udena Wonderful, Udena, wonderful! Just as a man might set upright again . . . expounded his doctrine. 1 o him I come as my refuge and to his Doctrine and to his Confraternity; and I ask him to accept me as a follower who has found an abiding refuge from this day onward while life shall last.

Come not to me, brahmin, as. your refuge. Find your refuge, as I have found mine, in none but the Where is the present dwelling-place of that Lord, the Arahat all-enlightened ? He has now passed away. If I could but listen to him within ten leagues from here, ten leagues would I travel to visit him , nay, I would travel twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or a hundred leagues [163] to visit Gotama, the Arahat all-enlightened. But though he has passed away, still it is to Gotama that I come as my refuge, to him and to his Doctrine and to his Confraternity ; and I ask you to receive me as a follower who has found an abiding refuge from this day onward while life shall last. Moreover, Udena, the king of the Anga country gives me a regular daily allowance, -r-out of which I will give you a regular allowance. How much is your daily allowance from the king . We may not take money. ... . .. If you may not, then I will have a cell built for If you want to do that, you might build an assemblyjh&ll for the. Confraternity at Pataliputta. ■

It mak$s me still more pleased and delighted with M. ii. 164. AGAINST TORTURING. 93 you, Udena, that you urge me to bestow my benefaction on the Confraternity as a whole ; and I will do so out of this and further allowances. Accordingly, the brahmin Ghotamukha built the assembly-hall at Pataliputta which bears his name to-day.

[164] Thus have I heard. Once, in the course of an alms-pilgrimage through the Kosala country with a great train of Almsmen, the Lord came to a brahmin village of the Kosalans called Opasada, where he took up his abode to the north of the village in the sal-tree wood where oblations are offered to deities. In Opasada in those days lived the brahmin Canki, on a royal fief granted to him outright in full seignory by King Pasenadi of Kosala, — a demesne teeming with life and abounding in grasslands, woodlands, water and cornlands. It came to the ears of the brahmin heads of houses in Opasada that, in the course of an alms - pilgrimage through Kosala, the recluse Gotama, a Sakyan . . . (etc. as in Suttas 4.1 and 82). It was good to go and see saintly men like So off to the wood by the north approach went the brahmins in companies and bands. They were observed by Canki, who had gone upstairs to lie down during the heat of the day in his verandah, — and asked his confidant what it all meant. Being told they were all on their way to see Gotama, he sent his confidant to ask them to wait for him and he would come too to see Gotama. When the confidant [165] had duly delivered this message, some five hundred brahmins from divers parts who were in Opasada on some Business or other, at once went to Canki to ask if it was true he was going to pay a visit to the" recluse Gotama.

Yes, he told them, it was quite true that he was going to Gotama with the others. Do not do so, said they to Cankl. You ought not to pay a visit to the recluse Gotama ; he ought to come and see you. On both your father’s and your mother’s side, you are of pure descent right back through seven successive generations without break or blemish in your lineage. That is one point why you should not go to him but he should come to you. Another point is that you are rich and wealthy, with great substance, And another point is that you are versed in all three Vedas ; are accomplished in ritual with all glosses thereon, in phonology, and in etymology, with chronicles as a fifth branch ; know exegesis, and are learned in casuistry and in the signs that mark a Superman. You are handsome, goodly, well-liking, of finest complexion, perfect alike in complexion and stature, and of noble presence. You are virtuous, abundant in virtue, in which you abound. You have a fine voice and are a good speaker ; [166] your speech is urbane, distinct, unfaltering, apt to express your meaning. You have taught many a teacher of teachers and have three hundred young brahmins learning the runes from you. You are honoured and reverenced by the king of Kosala, who shows you devotion and worship. You live on a royal fief, . . . and cornlands ; and this adds another point why you should not go to Gotama but he should come to you.

Now listen to me, said CankT, and I will tell you why I ought to go to Gotama instead of his coming to me. On both his mother’s and his father’s side, Gotama is of pure descent right back through seven successive generations without break or blemish in his lineage. That is one point why I should go to him and not he to me. To go on Pilgrimage, Gotama gave up great stores of gold, wrought and unwrought, buried away below ground or housed in treasury chambers. When he went forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim, he was in the flush of youth and early manhood, with a wealth of coal-black hair un- M. ii. 1 67. BRAHMIN PRETENSIONS. 95 touched by grey, and in all the beauty of his prime. He went forth on Pilgrimage, despite his parents’ wishes, leaving them in tears and lamentation when he cut off his hair and beard and donned the yellow robes to go forth from home to homelessness. Gotama is handsome, goodly, well-liking, of finest complexion, [167] perfect alike in complexion and stature, and noble of presence. He is virtuous, abundant in virtue, in which he abounds. He has a fine voice and is a good speaker ; his speech is urbane, distinct, unfaltering, apt to express his meaning. He has taught many a teacher of teachers. In him all passion is dead ; frailty abides not in him.

He preaches the consequences of acts and the principles of action, lauding the avoidance of evil for righteous folk. He went forth as a Pilgrim from an exalted and immemorial sept of Nobles, rich and wealthy, abounding in substance. From far realms and countries men come to consult Gotama. Many thousands of gods have found life s refuge in him. Of him is the high repute noised abroad that he is said to be the Lord, Arahat all-enlightened, walking by knowledge, blessed, understanding all worlds, the matchless tamer of the human heart, teacher of gods and men, the Lord of Enlightenment. He is stamped with the two and thirty marks of a Superman. In him have Seniya Bimbisara, king of Magadha, and Pasenadi, king of Kosala, and the brahmin Pokkharasati, found life’s refuge,— they and their wives and their children. To Opasada has the recluse Gotama come and is now dwelling in our northern wood. Now, all recluses and brahmins who come within the precincts of our village are our guests,— to be treated with honour and reverence, with devotion and worship. As our guest, Gotama is to be so treated ; [168] and this is another count why -I should go to him, instead of his coming to me. This much I know about Gotama’s excellences ; but they do not end here, for indeed they are beyond all measure. On each several count it is not Gotama who ought to come to me, but I who ought to go to him. Conse-

M. ii. r 6q. quently, we will all go together to visit the recluse , Gotama. Thereupon, with a large company of brahmins, CankI came to the Lord and, after exchanging greetings with him, took his seat to one side, At the time the Lord was sitting down after exchanging greetings with some old and aged brahmins ; and in the circle sat a young brahmin named Kapathika, a youdi of sixteen with shaven head, who was versed in all three Vedas , . . signs that mark the Superman. This young brahmin broke in on the conversation which these old and aged brahmins were having with the Lord, — who rebuked him by saying that he should not interrupt his elders but wait his turn when they had finished. Hereupon, the brahmin Canki said to the Lord : — Do not rebuke Kapathika, Gotama. He comes of a good stock, is well-informed, a good speaker, and a scholar quite able to hold his own in the discussion. Thought the Lord to himself: — [169] This young brahmin will be sure to be a master of Vedic lore, as the brahmins have such a high opinion of him. Thought Kapathika to himself : — As soon as I catch the eye of the recluse Gotama, I will put a question to him.

Reading with his own heart the thoughts in the young brahmin’s heart, the Lord fixed his gaze in Kapathika’s direction, so that the latter, feeling that he had secured the Lord’s attention, bethought him of putting his question and accordingly said to the Lord : As touching the runes which have come down from brahmins of old along the line by unbroken oral tradition and mastery of the Canon, runes in which brahmins find an absolute certitude that ‘here alone resides truth, and everything else is vain,’ — what does Gotama say of them ? Tell me, Bharadvaja ; — is there among all brahmins a single brahmin who claims that he personally sees and knows that ‘ here alone resides truth, and everything else is vain ? Is that claim preferred by a single teacher or teacher of teachers of brahmins back to the seventh generation ? Was that claim preferred by those brahmin sages of yore who composed and promulgated the runes and whose compositions are chanted and repeated and rehearsed by the brahmins of to-day, — such as Atfchaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa or Bhagu ? [170] No. So, Bharadvaja, no claim personally to have seen and known the absolute and exclusive truth of the runes has been preferred either by a single living brahmin or by a single teacher of brahmins for seven successive generations back, or by those brahmin sages who actually composed the runes which are repeated by brahmins to-day. It is like a string of blind men each holding on to his neighbour, the first of whom cannot see, nor can the one in the middle, nor can the hindermost. Such a string of blind men, methinks, exemplifies the brahmin tradition, — wherein the first never saw, nor did the one in the middle see, nor does the last. Tell me, Bharadvaja; is not the brahmins’ belief groundless, on this showing ?

It is not faith alone which inspires brahmins but also the tradition they have inherited. At the outset you based yourself on faith, Bharadvaja ; now you are shifting to authority. — There are five separate states of consciousness, each with its own alternative outcome ; and the five are as follows : — faith, inclination, authority, appreciation and intellectual enthusiasm. A thing may either evoke faith in abundance but yet in itself prove empty, vain and false ; or, it may fail to inspire faith but yet in itself prove real, veritable and sure. And the same may [171] apply to inclination, authority, appreciation and intellectual enthusiasm. Maintenance of a truth does not entitle an intelligent man to aver that here alone resides all truth and that everything else is vain. What is the scope of this maintenance of truth and of his maintenance thereof? I invite the reverend Gotama to enlarge on the maintenance of truth. If a man has faith, then in his profession of faith he maintains the truth he has but does not claim absolutely that this is all truth and that everything elseis vain ; or if he has inclination and the rest, and, while professing what he has got, does not claim that this is all truth and that everything else is vain;— then, within this scope, there is maintenance of truth and he maintains truth, as I affirm ; but this does not give him enlightenment in truth.

I quite follow. — And now as to enlightenment in truth ? Take the case of an Almsman, supported by a village or township, to whom there comes the head of a house or his son to scan him with regard to [172] greed, malevolence and delusion. The visitor wonders whether the reverend man’s heart harbours such greed as to make him profess either to know when he does not know, or to see when he does not see, or to egg another on to do what would conduce to the lasting harm and hurt of other people. Convinced by his scrutiny that no such greed is harboured in that Almsman’s heart, he concludes that his behaviour in action and in speech proclaims him void of greed. Moreover, the Doctrine the Almsman preaches is profound, recondite, hard to comprehend, serene, excellent, beyond dialectic, subtle, only to be understood by the instructed, and incapable of being preached by a greedy man. Convinced on this first point, he proceeds to consider whether the reverend man’s heart harbours malevolence or [173] delusion ; and is similarly convinced by his scrutiny that the Almsman is neither wicked nor wrong-headed, or he could not preach as he does. With this settled conviction, he reposes faith in him ; this faith leads him to frequent the Almsman’s company where he listens and hears the Doctrine preached and stores it in his memory, studying the meaning of all he hears till he grows interested

and so grows zealous ; Zeal makes him energetic and weigh things and strive amain ; discarding self, he realizes the truth physically and penetrates it with his understanding till he sees it clearly. — So far, he becomes enlightened in truth and recognizes truth, as I affirm ; but this does not give him the attainment of truth. I quite follow. — And now as to the attainment of truth ? [174] That comes by the practice, development and growth of just the aforesaid states of mind. — So far, there is attainment of truth and he attains it, as I affirm. I quite follow. — And now what attitude fosters this attainment ? Striving hard. If the man does not strive hard, he will not attain ; it is because he strives that he attains ; and therefore striving fosters attainment. What attitude fosters striving ? Cogitation. If he does not cogitate, he will not strive ; it is because he cogitates that he strives ; and therefore cogitation fosters striving. What fosters cogitation ? Energy. If he have not energy. ... What fosters energy ? Zeal. If he have not zeal. . . . What fosters zeal ?

[175] Interest in the Doctrine. . . . What fosters interest ? Studying the meaning of all he hears. ... What fosters this study ? Stored knowledge of the Doctrine. ... What fosters this stored knowledge of the Doctrine ? Hearing it preached. ... What fosters such hearing?/ Listening. . . . [176] What fostei* Hstehing? What fosters attendance ? \ Faith. If faith do not abound, he will not attend the Almsman; it is because he has faith in him that he attends ; and therefore faith fosters attendance. Gotama, I have now asked you about maintenance of truth, about enlightenment in truth, about attainment of truth, and about the factors which promote attainment ; [177] and you have explained it all to me to my satisfaction, pleasure and delight. Up till now, Gotama, my attitude used to be — ‘Who are these shavelings of recluses, these menial black fellows, sprung from the feet of our kinsman, Brahma ? Who are these Doctrine-mongers ? ’ But you, Gotama, have aroused in me a liking for recluses, a belief in recluses, and a respect for them. Wonderful, Gotama; wonderful. etc. — I ask you to accept me as a disciple who has

found an abiding refuge, from this day forth, while life lasts.

Thus have I heard. Once while the Lord was staying at Savatthl in Jeta’s grove in Anathapindika s pleasaunce, the brahmin Esukari came to the Lord, by whom he took his seat after exchange of the greetings of friendliness and civility, saying : — Service, Gotama, is divided into four by brahmins, — service of a brahmin, service of a noble, service of a middle-class man, and service of a peasant. Any member of all four classes may serve a brahmin ; [178] a noble may be served by another noble ‘or by a middle-class man or by a peasant ; a middle-class man may be served by another middle-class man or by a peasant ; while a peasant may be served only by a peasant, — for who else could ? What does the reverend Gotama say hereon ? Is the whole world in accordjy vth brahmins in their fourfold division of service^-^ M. ii. 179* BIRTH’S INVIDIOUS BAR. It is just like a poor, needy and destitute wretch for whom folk should reserve a joint he does not want, telling him he has got to have it — and to pay for it. Just in the same way it is without the assent of recluses and brahmins that brahmins lay down the law about service. For myself, I neither assert that all service is to be rendered nor that all service is to be refused. If the service makes a man bad and not good, it should not be rendered ;

but if it makes him better and not bad, then it should be rendered. This is the guiding consideration which should decide the conduct alike of nobles, [179] of brahmins, of middle-class men and of peasants ; each individual should refuse service which makes him bad and should accept only the service which makes him a better man. I assert that lineage does not enter into a man’s being either good or bad ; — nor do good looks or wealth. For, you will find a man of noble birth who is a murderer, a thief, a fornicator, a liar, a slanderer, a man of bitter tongue, a tattler, a covetous person, a man of rancour or of wrong views ; and therefore I assert that noble birth does not make a good man. Or again you will find a man of noble birth who is innocent of all these vices ; — and therefore I assert that it is not lineage which makes a man bad. Similarly, it is not good looks or Wealth which make a man either good or bad ; — and therefore I assert that neither good looks nor wealth make him either good or bad. [180] I neither assert that all service is to be rendered nor that all service is to be refused. If the service rendered breeds faith and virtue in a man, increases his store of information, leads to Renunciation, enriches his understanding, — that, I assert, is service which may be rendered.

At this point the brahmin Esukarl said to the Lord : — Brahmins give a fourfold classification of income, — from alms, for brahmins ; from his bow and arrows, for the noble ; from ploughing and tending cattle, for the middle-class man ; and for the peasant, by the carriage of crops on the pole slung over his shoulder. If any one of these deserts his vocation for something else he 102 XCVI. ESUKARI'SUTTA. M. li. l8r, does what he should not do, — not less than a guardian who appropriates what is not his. — What does the reverend Gotama say on this ? Is the whole world in accord with this brahmin classification ? It is just like a poor, needy . . . your brahmins lay down the law about wealth. It is the noble transcendent Doctrine which I, brahmin, affirm to be true wealth. As against pride of ancestry, the station into which a man happens to be born determines only his designation — be it noble or brahmin or middle-class or peasant. Even as a fire is called after the material out of which it is kindled, and may thus be called either a wood-fire, or a chip-fire, or a bracken-fire, or a cowdung fire, — -just in the same way the noble, transcendent Doctrine, I aver, is the source of true wealth for every man, birth merely determining his designation in one of the four classes.

Take a man — be he noble or brahmin or what not — who goes forth from home to homelessness as a Pilgrim and, thanks to the Doctrine and Rule proclaimed by the Truth-finder, abstains from murder, theft, loose living, lying, slander, reviling, tattling, covetousness and malevolence, gains right views, and attains to the causal method and to Doctrine and to the right. [1 82] Now, if a man of each class accomplishes this, is it only the brahmin — and not any one of the three other classes — who in this region can develop a heart of love innocent of all hate and malevolence?

N o, Gotama ; all four classes alike can do so. Exactly so can men of all four classes alike go forth from home . . . and to the right. What think you, brahmin ? Can only a brahmin take shampooing balls down to the river with him and scour off the dust and dirt ; and can this not be done by a noble or a middle-class man or a peasant ? No ; all the other three classes [188] can do so too. Exactly so can all four classes alike go forth . , . and to the right. What think you ? Suppose a noble, anointed king, assembled a hundred men of varied birth . . . (etc. as in Sntta No. 93) . . . [184] every fire alike would blaze up with the same bright flame and equally serve the purposes of a fire. Exactly so can men of all four classes alike go forth from home . . . attain to the causal method and to the Doctrine and to the right. At the close of these words, the brahmin Esukar! said to the Lord: — Wonderful, Gotama; wonderful! . . . accept me as a disciple who has found an abiding refuge, from this day forth, while life shall last.

Thus have I heard, Once when the Lord was staying at Rajagaha in the Bamboo grove where the squirrels were fed, the reverend Sariputta was making an alms-pilgrimage with a great train of Almsmen among the Southern Hills, where he was found [185] by an Almsman who had spent the rainy season at Rajagaha. After interchange of the greetings of friendliness and civility, Sariputta enquired after the Master’s health and was told he was well, as too was the Confraternity,— and also the brahmin Dhananjani of Tandula-pala Gate in Rajagaha concerning whose health too Sariputta had made enquiries. And is the brahmin zealous and earnest ?— asked Sariputta further of the Almsman. How could earnest zeal possibly dwell in Dhananjani ? He uses the king to fleece the brahmins and householders, and uses them to fleece the king. Also, his pious wife who came of a pious stock is dead now ; and he has taken to himself another wife who is not pious and comes of no pious stock. This is bad news, very bad news, to hea: of Dhananjani’s lack of zeal. Perhaps, however, at some time 104 XCVII. DHANA&JANI-SUTTA. M. ii. l86- and place I may meet him ; I should like to have a talk with him.

After staying as long as he wanted in the Southern Hills, Sariputta proceeded on his alms-pilgrimage till he reached Rajagaha, where he took up his abode in the Bamboo grove. Early in the morning, bowl in hand and duly robed, he went into Rajagaha for alms, [186] at a time when the brahmin Dhananjani was out of the city seeing his cows milked in the byre. On his return after his round and meal, Sariputta sought out the brahmin, who, seeing him coming, came to meet him with the remark that they had time for a draught of milk before meal-time. Not so, brahmin. I have had my meal to-day, and shall be resting under the shade of a tree during the noontide. Come to me there. Dhananjani agreed and after his own meal joined Sariputta, seating himself by him after friendly greetings. Said Sariputta : — May I rest assured, Dhananjani, that zeal and earnestness are yours ? Howt can that be, when I have to support my parents, my wife and family, and my slaves and serving folk ; and have to entertain my acquaintances and friends, my kith and kin, and guests, and have also to provide for my kinsfolk dead and gone, and for the deities, and for the king, — not to speak of supporting myself in meat and drink ?

What think you, Dhananjani? If we suppose a man who, for his parents' sake, has departed from righteousness and equity and is being hauled off to purgatory by its wardens, — would it avail him either to plea,d on his own behalf that it was for his parents’ sake that he had departed from righteousness and equity jand that therefore they should not haul him off, or :[187] for his parents to plead that it was for theiij sake he had departed from righteousness and equityf No ; despite all appeals, the wardens would cast him into purgatory. M, ii. r83. THE WORLD’S CLAIMS. T05 Would it avail him either to plead on his own behalf, or to have his wife and family plead for him, that it was for their sake he had departed from righteousness and equity ? No ; despite all appeals, the wardens would cast him into purgatory. Would it avail him if he pleaded his slaves and serving folk ? Or if he pleaded his friends and acquaintances ? Or if he pleaded his kith and kin, or his guests ? [188] Or if he pleaded his kinsfolk dead and gone, or the deities, or his monarch’s claims on him ?

Would it avail him to plead on his own behalf or to have others pleading for him that it was to support himself in meat and drink that he departed from righteousness and equity ? No ; despite all appeals, they would cast him into purgatory. What think you, Dhananjani ? Which is the better man? — He that for the sake of his parents departs from righteousness and equity ? Or he that for their sake walks in righteousness and equity ? The latter. For, to walk in righteousness and equity is better than to depart therefrom. Moreover, Dhananjani, there are other courses of action which are justified and righteous in themselves, whereby he can support his parents and yet avoid evil-doing and walk uprightly. Now, does the same reasoning apply to the support of wife and family, [189 to 191] and everything else ? Hereupon, the brahmin rejoicing in what the reverend Sariputta had said, thanked him, rose up and went his way. A time came when the brahmin Dhananjani, being ill and in pain and in grave danger, sent a man [192] 106 XCVII, DHANAftjlNI-SUTTA* M, I93> to go in his name to the Lord and, bowing his head at the Lord’s feet, to say how ill he was and how he bowed his head at the feet of the Lord ; and further to carry the same message to the reverend Sariputta, with the added request to the latter to be so good as to come to the house.

The two messages having been duly delivered, Sariputta came to Dhananjani’s house and, seating himself on the seat set for him, asked the brahmin whether he was getting better and able to hold on, whether his pains were leaving him and not coming on, and whether he found himself progressing and not losing ground with his pain. Not at all, Sariputta; I am getting not better but worse ; my pains grow worse and worse ; I am losing ground. It is just like [193] a strong man boring my skull with a sword’s sharp point, so violent are the winds which rack my head. I am getting worse and not better. My head is racked with violent winds as though a strong man had twisted a leather thong round my head. I am getting worse and not better. My inwards are being pierced through and through by violent winds, just as if a butcher or his man were hacking them. I am getting worse and not better. So violent is the fire within me that it is just as though a couple of strong men, taking a weaker man by both arms, were to roast and burn him up in a fiery furnace. No, Sariputta; I am not getting better but worse ; I am losing ground ; my pains grow on me.

What think you ? Is it better to go to purgatory or to be reborn as an animal ? Is it better to be reborn as an animal or as a ghost ? Is it better to be reborn as a ghost or as a human being ? [194] As a human being or as one of the Four Regents of the world ? As one of the Four Regents or as one of the Thirty-three Gods ? As one of the Thirty-three or as a God in the Yama heaven ? As a God in the Yama or in the Tusita heaven ? As a God in the Tusita or in the Nimmanarati heaven ? As a God in the Nimmanarati or the Paranimmitavasavatti heaven ? As a God in the Paranimmita-vasavatti heaven or in the heaven of Brahma ? You speak of the heaven of Brahma! Ah! the heaven of Brahma ! Thought Sariputta to himself ; — These brahmins’ hearts are set on the heaven of Brahma ; I might do well to indicate the path to union with Brahmas. Accordingly he said he would indicate it to the brahmin and thus began : [195] What Is the path to union with the Brahmas ? Take the case of an Almsman who dwells with radiant thoughts of love pervading one quarter of the world — a second quarter — a third quarter — the fourth quarter ; who dwells with radiant thoughts of love pervading the whole length and breadth of the world, above, below, around, everywhere, — with thoughts of love all-embracing and vast beyond measure, untinged by hatred or malice.— -This is a path to union with the Brahmas !— And as with thoughts of love, so does the Almsman pervade the whole length and breadth of the world with compassion. — This is the path to union with Brahmas !

Well, Sariputta, bow down your head in my name at the Lord’s feet and tell him how ill I am ana that I bow my head at his feet. After thus stablishing the brahmin’s heart not in the highest things of all but only in the humble heaven of Brahma, Sariputta rose and went his way. Nor had he been gone long before the brahmin died and passed away to a heaven of Brahma. Said the Lord to the Almsmen : — Sariputta has risen from his seat and gone his way, after stablishing the heart of the brahmin Dh&nanjani not in the highest things of all but only in the humble heaven of Brahms. When Sariputta came up and delivered the brahmin’s message, the Lord asked him to state why [196] it was not in the highest things of all but only in a humble heaven of Brahma that he had stablished the brahmin’s heart before leaving him. I thought, sir, that, as these brahmins’ hearts are set on the heaven of Brahma, I would indicate the path to union with Brahmas. Yes, and the brahmin has died since, Sariputta, and has passed away to a heaven of Brahma.

[SN 115] Tpius have I heard. Once when the Lord was staying at Icchanankala in the forests there, a large number of very well-known and wealthy brahmins were dwelling there, such as CankT, Tarukkha, Pokkharasati, Janussoni, Todeyya2 and other well-known and wealthy brahmins. Now as the young brahmins Vasettha and Bharadvaja were walking^nd strolling up and down, they fell to discussing what makes a brahmin. 1 F/or,t(Sxt> see P- 11 5 of the Sutta Nipata edited for P.T.S. 1913 (of. Sutta No. 92). For matter, cf. Sutta No. 13 of Digha t*jans' P* et seqq. of vol. I of Dialogues of the Buddha, Stated by Bu. to be five purohitas of King Pasenadi of Kosala. Bharadvaja maintained that what made a brahmin was pure descent on both sides right back for seven successive generations of ancestors, with no break or blemish in his lineage ; whereas Vasettha contended that it was virtue and moral behaviour which made a brahmin. As neither could convince the other [SN 116], Vasettha proposed, and Bharadvaja agreed, to refer the matter to ‘the recluse Gotama’ who was now staying in the forest of Icchanankala and of whom the high repute noised abroad was that he was said to be the Lord . . . {etc. as in Sutta No. 95) . . . the Lord of Enlightenment. So together they went to the Lord and, when they were seated after greetings, Vasettha addressed the Lord in the following verses : —

Pokkharasati s pupil I; my friend for ?naster had Tarukkha ; both alike in Threefold Lore have passed and so profess. In all the Threefold Lore we perfect are , in text and import each his master s peer . [SN 1171 On birth we differ. Bharadvaja says Pis birth that makes the brahmin ; I say life. Agree we cannot ; so an answer crave from you , for high Enlightenment renozvrid. For , as with hands in adoration raised men hail the crescent moon , so men hail you. Of Gotama , whose vision views the worlds we ask if birth or life the brahmin makes. Tell us ; we know not , but would fain feel sure. To Vasettha the Lord this answer gave : — Types manifold of divers living things in order'd sequence must I first unfold ' to show how nature stamps them diverse breeds Regard the grass and trees , which ne' er proclaim, but prove, how nature stamps them diverse breeds . [SN 118] Pass next to insects , pass from moths to ants ; regard four-footed creatures , great and small ; regard the snakes whose length on belly goes ; pass now to fish that dwell in water s depths ;

no XCVIII. VASETTHA-SUTTA. SN 119 then pass to birds that wing their way through air ; — all show how nature stamps them diverse breeds. While these thus widely differ , men alone show not that nature stamps them diverse breeds. They differ not in hair , head ', ears, or eyes, in mouth or nostrils, eyebrows , lips, throat, shoulders, belly, buttocks , back, or chest, nor in the parts of shame, female or male, nor yet in hands or feet, in fingers, nails, in calves or thighs; in hue, or sound of voice ,* — naught shows men stamped by nature diverse breeds ; [SN 119] 7 twixt one man's body and his fellow-man's, except in name , no difference exists. The man that lives by keeping herds of cows, — know him as farmer, not as brahmin true . The man that lives by divers handicrafts, — knoiv him as tradesman, not as brahmin true . The man that lives by selling merchandise , — know him as merchant , not as brahmin true. The man that lives by service done for hire, — know him as hireling, not as brahmin true. The man that lives by taking others' gear,

— know him as robber, not as brahmin true. The man that lives by warlike sword and bow, — know him as soldier, not as brahmin true. The man that lives by sacrificial rites, — know him as chaplain, not as brahmin true. The man that lives by kingship and demesne, — know him as monarch, not as brahmin true. 1N ot birth, not parentage, my Brahmin makes ; — birth breeds the haughty heart of worldliness. Unworldly, trammel-free, my Brahmin stands dauntless, unshackled, passionless, and free. [SN 120] My Brahmin yoke and harness , straps and pin, hamper no more ; Enlightenment is his. 1 From this point to p. 112, line 14, infra, these lines depicting the true Brahmin are incorporated in the Dhammapada (pp. 57-60 of the P.T.S. edition of 1914). Guiltless , my Brahmin bans both stripes and bonds , Endures , meekness armed \ in meekness strong. Virtue s strait path my Brahmin h umbly treads in love ; this life 's his last , — Self-mastered now. As off the lotus- leaf the raindrop rolls , nor rests the mustard-seed on needle's point , so in my Brahmin pleasure finds no home. My Brahmin knows that , here and now , his IU is o'er; his burthen shed, he s free.

Profound in understanding , deep in love , of true and false Paths judge impeccable , Brahmin gains the goal supreme of Truth. My brahmin worldlings shuns and homeless folk ; with scanty needs to meet , he dwells aloof. My Brahmin wreaks no harm on strong or weak ; no foe 'mong foemen, calm in broils is he, among the trammel d trammel-less and free. My Brahmin sheds deceit , lust, hate and pride, as drops the mustard-seed from needle s point. [SN 1 21] My Brahmins imoffending helpful speech, in truth conceived , can never wound the ear. Unasked, my Brahmin takes naught long or short, naught big or little , nothing choice or vile. N o yearnings fill my Brahmins placid breast ; he yearns for naught in this or other worlds. Knowledge has purged my Brahmins mind of doubt ; he harbours nothing ; Deathlessness is his. Transcending good and evil here and now , my cleans'd and stainless Brahmin grief neer knows. Pure as th ' unclouded moon's clear orb on high, my Brahmin sheds delights and love of life. From rebirth's slough , from folly's trackless maze , my Brahmin wins a passage, crossing o'er to dwell in rapture , far from hankerings and doubts, to being dead in Deathlessness. Renoimcing pleasure for the Pilgrim's way, my Brahmin pleasures sheds and love of life. Renouncing Cravings for the Pilgrim! s way, my Brahmin Cravings sheds and love and life. Eschewing human ties , celestial ties

x 1 2 XCVIII. VlSETTI-IA-SUTTA. SN 122, transcending , not a he my Brahmin owns. From likes and dislikes purged , unfever' d, void of what feeds life , my Brahmin s Lord of All. [SN 122] He knows whence creatures come and whither pass , — my Brahmin blest , Enlighten d, un-create ; yet none — nor men nor gods nor choir on high — can tell what bourn awaits the Arahat. Quit of past, present^ future worldliness, unworldly , trammel-free , my Brahmin stands. Leader of leaders, hero , conqueror resistless , sage of sages, cleans'd and pure , my Brahmins meed of high Enlightenment has shown him hell and heaven , taught him whence he hither came , to pass to birth no more. By general consent men's names and clans as useful designations current pass ; 'twas long ere time evolved the novel view , till then unheard , that birth a Brahmin makes. Birth makes no Brahmin , nor non-Brahmm makes ; 'tis life and doing mould the Brahmin true. Their lives mould farmers , tradesmen , merchants, their lives mould robbers , soldiers , chaplains , kings. [SN 123] E'en so the wise life's causal outcome see,

— discern what went before , what follows thence. Perforce life's doings drag the world and men still onward, as the linch-pin trails the cart. 'Tis self-denial , holy life, control, which make my Brahmin? s brahmin-kood. He that has won the Threefold Lore, the Saint who neer rebirth shall see , — he Brahma is to them that know , and Sakka manifest. Hereon the young brahmins Vasettha and Bharadvaja said to the Lord : — Wonderful, Gotama ; wonderful ! . . . accept us as disciples who have found an abiding refuge, from this day forth, while life shall last. M. ii. 197. REAL UNION WITH BRAHMA. II 3

Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was staying at Savatthi in Jeta’s grove in Anathapindika’s pleasaunce, the young brahmin Subha — son of the brahmin Todeyya — was stopping with a householder of that city on some business or other and he told his host he had heard Savatthi was not lacking in Saints (arahantehi), and asked what recluse or brahmin they should go to ; and the host answered that the Lord was staying in the pleasaunce and Subha should go to him. [197] Accordingly, Subha went to the Lord and, seating himself after exchange of greetings, said : — Brahmins hold that, though a man with a home may, a Pilgrim cannot, attain to the true system and to Doctrine and to the right. What does the reverend Gotama say on this ? My view is qualified, not absolute ; I condemn wrong conduct alike in the Pilgrim and in the man with a home. With wrong conduct neither can attain to the true system or to Doctrine or to the right, but I commend right conduct in both alike : and with right conduct both alike can succeed. Brahmins hold, Gotama, that, while there is great fruit arising from the life of a man with a house and home, whose life is full and busy, with questions to solve and difficulties to overcome, the exact converse holds good of a Pilgrim’s life. What does the reverend Gotama say of this ?

Here again my view is qualified and not absolute. The busy life may be a failure and bear little fruit ; or it may be a success and bear much fruit. So too the life without bustle may be either a failure or a success, bearing either little or much fruit. [198] Take first the busy life. Agriculture, however busily pursued, may fail and bear little fruit ; or again it may succeed and bear much fruit. On the other hand, commerce if u. 8 pursued without bustle, may either fail and bear but little fruit ; or again it may succeed and bear much fruit. Just as agriculture, however busily pursued, may prove a failure, so may the life of the busy man with house and home fail and bear little fruit, or, again like agriculture, it may succeed and bear much fruit. Just too as commerce, if pursued without bustle, may either fail or succeed, so too the Pilgrim’s life, pursued without bustle, may either fail or succeed, — may bear either little or [199] much fruit. Brahmins, Gotama, specify five qualities for the attainment of merit and the achievement of what is right. If it is agreeable to you, would you please state these five to the company ?

It is quite agreeable, Gotama, where I address your reverence and your like. Then state these five qualities. First, they rank truth, next austerities, then chastity, followed next by study and lastly by munificence. These are the Brahmins’ five, and what do you say thereto ? Tell me ; — is there one single brahmin who avers that he has discerned and realized the five so that he can affirm their outcome ? Is there one single teacher, or teacher of teachers, of brahmins for seven generations back who can aver it ? [200] Is it averred by Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa or Bhagu, — those sages of yore who were the authors and utterers of those runes which are chanted and repeated and rehearsed by the brahmins of to-day ? Then it is averred by not one single brahmin of to-day, by not a single teacher of brahmins for seven generations back, and not by a single one of the sages M. ii. 201. REAL UNION WITH BRAHMA. I I 5 of yore who were the authors of the runes. So the brahmins’ pronouncement, methinks, resembles a string of blind men, of whom the leader sees not nor the middle one nor the last of the line.

These words mightily angered and incensed the young brahmin, who— actually daring to flout and scoff at the Lord in person and to say it to the Lord’s own face — said to the Lord, in a belief that the recluse Gotama would be annoyed : The brahmin Pokkharasati, of the Upamaftna sept and lord of Subhaga-vana (at UkkatthS), maintains that, as for those recluses and brahmins who profess to transcend ordinary human bounds and to rise to the heights of truly Noble Knowledge, their claims [201] prove ridiculous, — mere words, empty and vain ; for how could a human being possibly transcend human limits and rise to the heights of this truly Noble Knowledge ? Tell me; does Pokkharas&ti’s heart and mind read the hearts and minds of each and every brahmin that exists ? Why he cannot do that as regards his own maidservant Punnika, much less can he read the hearts of all recluses and brahmins as a body ! It is just like a man blind from birth who could not see black or white, blue or yellow, or red or pink things, who could not see level or rough ground, the stars, or the sun and moon, and who should affirm that there were no such things and that no one could see them, — on the ground forsooth that, as he himself had no knowledge or vision of them, therefore they were non-existent. In so saying, would he say aright ?

No, Gotama. These things do exist and there are those who can see them ; and consequently he would be wrong in saying [202] they were non-existent merely because he could not see them. Just as blind and as lacking eyes to see is the brahmin Pokkharasati, of the Upamaftna sept and lord of Subhaga-vana; he cannot possibly know or see or realize the Noble Knowledge which transcends all human bounds. Il6 XCIX. SUBHA-SUTTA. M. ii. 203, What think you, Subha? Among the wealthy brahmins of Kosala, such as CankI or Tarukkha or Pokkharasati or JanussonI or your own father Todeyya, — which of their utterances do you prefer ? The utterance which is the accepted truth or that which is not universally accepted ? — The utterance which is weighed or that which is not ? The utterance which is weighed. — The utterance which embodies thought or that which does not ? That which embodies thought. — The utterance which is profitable or that which is unprofitable ? The utterance which is profitable. What think you ? On this showing, has the brahmin Pokkharasati— of the Upamanna clan and lord of Subhaga-vana — delivered an accepted utterance or one which is not universally accepted ?

One which is not universally accepted. — A weighed utterance or one which is not weighed ? One which is not weighed. — An utterance which embodies thought or one which does not ? One which does not embody thought. — A profitable or an unprofitable utterance ? [203] Young brahmin, there are five Hindrances,— to wit, sensuality, malevolence, sluggishness, flurry and worry, and a wavering mind ; and by these five Hindrances is Pokkharasati cribbed, cabined, pent and shrouded, so that he can never possibly know or see or realize that Noble Knowledge which transcends all human bounds. Five strands, too, make up pleasures of sense, — to wit, visible shapes, sounds, odours, tastes and touch, all of them pleasant and agreeable and delightful, all of them bound up with passion and lusts. These fivefold pleasures of sense the brahmin Pokkharasati enjoys, being enslaved by avid infatuation, and neither seeing their danger nor understanding how treacherous they all are, — so that he can never possibly know or see or realize this Noble Knowledge which transcends all human bounds. If there be a fire kindled, with bracken and wood to feed it, and if another fire be kindled with nothing to feed it, which fire will burn up and blaze ?

If it be possible, Gotama, to kindle a fire without the bracken and wood to feed it, the fire would burn up and blaze. It is out of the question and impossible to get a fire to blaze up without fuel, except by a magician’s art. The fire that is kindled with fuel, symbolizes the satisfaction which [204] arises from pleasures of sense; while the fire without fuel symbolizes the satisfaction which arises when pleasures of sense and wrong dispositions are not. Now, what is the nature of this latter satisfaction ? Take an Almsman who, divested of pleasures of sense and divested of wrong dispositions develops and dwells in the First Ecstasy ; — this is a satisfaction wholly remote from pleasures of sense and wrong dispositions. Or, take an Almsman who develops and dwells in the Second Ecstasy ; — this too is a satisfaction in which pleasure and wrong dispositions find no place. Tell me now ; which of the five qualities, as specified by brahmins for the achievement of merit and the attainment of what is right, do they specify as more effectual than the rest ? What think you ? Suppose that a brahmin prepares a great sacrifice and that two brahmins come to take part, of whom the first looks to have the best rice, the best seat, the best water and the best piece of meat, in preference to any other brahmin. Suppose, however, that, in his stead, the second brahmin is preferred, [205] to the indignation and mortification of the first brahmin.— What, according to brahmins, will be the outcome of the disappointed man ?

Il8 XCIX. SUBHA-SUTTA. M. ii. 206. When brahmins distribute gifts, Gotama, they do not do so in such a way as to excite indignation and mortification ; their giving is prompted by compassion. On this showing, brahmins have a sixth way of achieving merit, namely by compassion. Yes, on this showing. Do you observe that the brahmins’ five qualities for achieving merit and attaining what is right thrive better in men with homes or in Pilgrims ? Best in Pilgrims and but little in men with houses and homes, Gotama. For such a man’s life is so full and busy with questions to solve and difficulties to overcome, that he is not so uniformly and consistently truthful as the Pilgrim is who is immune from business cares. And the same applies to the four other qualities too ; for a man with a home is not uniformly and consistently ascetic, chaste, regular in repeating the mantras, and munificent, — whereas a Pilgrim is. So, according to my observation, these five qualities thrive best in the Pilgrim, In my view, the whole of the five do but implement the heart [206] to free a man from wrath and malevolence. Take an Almsman who professes the Truth and, in the assurance thereon, takes in import and doctrine and the satisfaction which attends the doctrine, that satisfaction which attends the right — all this, in my view, does but implement the heart to raise it to freedom from wrath and malevolence. Or, if a like assurance of each of the other four qualities within himself ensures the same result, all this, in my view, does but implement the heart to free it from wrath and malevolence. The whole of the five qualities do but implement the heart so as to free it.

At this point the young brahmin Subha said : — I have heard that you know the way to union with Brahma. Tell me this. Is Nalakara-gama near here, not very far away ? , Suppose, now, a man, who had been born there, M. ii. 207. REAL UNION WITH BRAHMA. I 19 had grown up there and had always lived there, were asked the way thither, — would he be at a loss or perplexed ? No, Gotama; for, having been born and bred there, he would have full knowledge of every road to the place. Whether the man born and bred in the place would be at a loss or perplexed by an enquiry concerning the road thither, assuredly the Truth-finder would be at no loss and in no perplexity [207] at a question concerning the heaven of Brahma or the way thither. For well do I know Brahma and his heaven and the way thither ; well too do I know what path he has trodden who is reborn in the heaven of Brahma. I have heard that you teach the way to union with Brahma ; and I would ask you to teach me it. Then listen and pay attention ; I will speak.

Subha readily assenting, the Lord spoke as follows : — What is the way to union with Brahma ? Take the case of an Almsman who dwells with radiant thoughts of love pervading one quarter of the world — a second quarter — a third quarter — the fourth quarter of the world ; who dwells with radiant thoughts of love pervading the whole length and breadth of the world, above, below, around, every where, — » with radiant thought of love all-embracing and vast, beyond measure, untinged by hatred or malice. It is with such infinite love, and with a heart so enfranchised, that he transcends the finite and neither abides therein nor halts there. Just as a mighty conchblower can with ease make his blast" heard north, south, east and west, — so does the Almsman transcend the finite and neither abides therein nor halts there. This is a way to union with Brahma. And as with love, so it is also with pity, compassion and poise ; [208] all these are ways to union with Brahma. At this close, the young brahmin Subha, son of Todeyya, said to the Lord Wonderful, Gotama ; wonderful! . . . accept me as a disciple who has found an abiding refuge, from this day forth while life shall last.

And now, Gotama, I must be going, for I am busy and have much to do. At your pleasure, answered the Lord, from whom, with grateful thanks, Subha now took his leave, with deep reverence. At this time the brahmin Janussoni was driving out of SavatthI at noon in a carriage which was all white and was drawn by milk-white mares, when at a distance he espied Subha returning to that city and asked where he was coming from so early in the day ; and was told he had been with the recluse Gotama. And what is your view of him, Bhlradvaja? Has he got depth of thought ? Is he learned, do you think ? [209] Who am I to comprehend the depth of the recluse Gotama’s thought ? Only his peer could do that. It is lofty praise indeed that you accord him. Who, who am I to praise him ? Naught but praise upon praise is his, that foremost among gods and men ; and as for the five qualities which brahmins specify for the achievement of merit and the attainment of the right, — why the recluse Gotama says they do nothing but implement the heart to free it from wrath and malevolence.

Hereon the brahmin Janussoni alighted from his carriage so white, and with right shoulder respectfully bared and with folded palms stretched out towards the Lord, burst forth with this heartfelt utterance : — How good it is, how very good, for King Pasenadi of Kosala that in his realm there is dwelling the Truth r finder, the Arahat all-enlightened ! Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was making an alms-pilgrimage through Kosala with a great train of Almsmen, there was living at Can^ala- kappa the brahmin lady DhananjanI, who was a staunch believer in the Buddha and his Doctrine and his Confraternity. Chancing to trip up, she exclaimed three times : Glory be to the Lord, the Arahat allenlightened ! [210] Her exclamation was heard by the young brahmin Sangarava, then living in Candalakappa, who was versed in all three Vedas, accomplished in the ritual with the glosses, in phonology and in etymology, with chronicles as a fifth branch, as well as in exegesis, in casuistry and in the signs that mark the Superman. Hearing her exclamation, he said she was low and degraded to extol a shaveling of a recluse when there were brahmins available. Ah, but you do not know how good and wise the Lord is ; if you did, you would not think it right to abuse and denounce him.

Well, madam ; please let me know when the recluse Gotama visits Candala-kappa. I will, said she. In the course of his alms-pilgrimage through Kosala the Lord came to Candala-kappa, and took up his abode in the mango-grove of the Todeyya brahmins. News of his arrival there reached the brahmin lady, who duly told the young brahmin, bidding him select his own time. Accordingly, Sangarava went to the Lord and, after exchange of greetings, [2X1] sat down to one side, saying : — There are some recluses and brahmins, Gotama, who by insight here and now claim to have won the goal and achieved perfection, recognizing the foundations on which the higher life is based. How does the reverend Gotama stand to these? There are differences, in my view, among such. Some of them depend on tradition and claim by tradition to win the goal and the foundations of the higher life, — such as the brahmins who know the Three Vedas. Others go on a modicum of belief,; — such as sophists and researchers. Beyond these are those recluses and brahmins who in domains till then unknown have, unaided, discerned a Doctrine and so have by insight here and now won the goal and

achieved perfection, recognizing the foundations on which the higher life is based. Of these latter am I ; or, you may put it, I am of them in so far as they are truly such. In the days before my Enlightenment, when as yet I was but a Bodhisatta without full Enlightenment, I bethought me that a hole-and-corner life is all a home can give, whereas a Pilgrim is free as air; it is hard for the home-keeping man to follow the higher life in all its completeness and purity and perfection ; come let me cut off hair and beard, don the yellow robe and go forth home to homelessness. [212] So the time came that, while I was quite young — with a wealth of coal-black hair . . . {etc. as in Sutta No. 36) . . . but when I took that solid food they left me in disgust, saying that luxuriousness had claimed me and that, abandoning the struggle, I had reverted to luxuriousness. Regaining strength after eating solid food, I developed and dwelt successively in the First, Second and Third Ecstasies. With thoughts thus stedfast, thus clarified and purified, clean and cleansed of impure things, tempered and apt to serve, stedfast and immutable, — it was thus that I applied my thoughts to the knowledge of recalling my earlier existences. I called to mind my divers existences in the past . . . {etc. as in Sutta No. 4) . . . third watch of the night, — ignorance dispelled and knowledge won, darkness dispelled and illumination won, even as would befall one who lives the strenuous and ardent life, purged of self.

Hereupon the young brahmin Sangarava said : — Fruitful indeed and noble was your striving, worthy of an Arahat all-enlightened. — Now, are there gods ? 1 knew offhand there were gods. Why do you give that answer to my question, Gotama ? Is it not false and untrue ? Anyone who, when asked if gods there be, answers that there are gods [213] and that he knew offhand there were, — why, anyone of intelligence must come irresistibly to the conclusion that there are gods. Why did you not make this clear at the outset, Gotama ? The world is loud in agreement that there are gods. Hereupon, the brahmin Sangarava said to the Lord: — Wonderful, Gotama; wonderful! Just as a man might set upright again . . . accept me as a disciple who has found an abiding refuge from this day forth, while life shall last. [214] Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was dwelling among the Sakyans in their township of Devadaha, he addressed the attentive Almsmen as follows : — Some recluses and brahmins there are who affirm and hold the view that, whatsoever the individual experiences— be it pleasant or unpleasant or neither — all comes from former actions. Hence, by expiation and purge of former misdeeds and by not committing fresh misdeeds, nothing accrues for the future; as nothing accrues for the future, the misdeeds die away ; as misdeeds die away, 111 dies away ; as 111 dies away, feelings die away ; and as feelings die away, all 111 will wear out and pass. — This is what the Niganthas affirm.

Consequently, I go to them and, after being assured that this is a correct version of their view, enquire whether they really know that they were in existence before this and not non-existent. No, they don’t know, is their answer. Do you know, I ask them further, that in former existences you were guilty of misdeeds and were not guiltless thereof ? Do you know that then you were guilty of such and such a specific misdeed and were not guiltless thereof? T Do you know that so much 111 has already been outworn, or that so much more remains to be outworn, or that, when so much 111 has been outworn, all 111 will have passed ? Do you know that, here and now, wrong dispositions have been got rid of and right dispositions acquired ? No. . , 1 So I understand, sirs, that you Niganthas have no knowledge whether or no you existed before this ; have no knowledge whether or no, in previous existences, you were guilty of misdeeds, either generally or specifically ; have no knowledge how much 111 within you is already outworn or how much remains to become outworn before all 111 will have worn out ; and have no knowledge that, here and now, wrong dispositions have been got rid of and right dispositions acquired. This being so, ’twere not proper for Niganthas to explain that, whatsoever feelings the individual experiences . . . will wear out and pass. Only if you Niganthas had, as you have not, definite knowledge on these several points, would it be proper for you to offer the explanation you do offer.

[216] It is just as if a man were pierced by an arrow thickly smeared with poison, and his friends and kins* folk were to get a surgeon skilled in arrow-wounds who should cut with a knife the external wound, next probe for the barb, then extract the barb, and finally dress the external wound with medicated embers,—- causing the patient at each stage feelings of acute pain and anguish ; but later on, when the wound has healed and closed up, the patient recovers and is quite well and comfortable, able to look after himself and go where he will, and fully alive to the foregoing stages of his cure [217] and recovery. > It would be just the same, Niganthas, with you if you actually knew that you existed before this and were not non-existent ; if you actually knew that, in previous existences, you were guilty of misdeeds, M. ii. 218. JAIN FATUITIES. either generally or specifically ; if you actually knew how much 111 is already outworn and how much remains to become outworn before all 111 will have worn out and pass away ; if you actually knew that, here and now, wrong dispositions have been got riel of and right dispositions acquired ; — then indeed ’twere proper for Niganthas to explain that, whatsoever feelings the individual experiences . . . will wear out and pass. But as you have not that knowledge, ’twere not proper to offer the explanation you do offer.

Hereupon those Niganthas told me that [218] Nataputta the Nigantha was all-knowing and all-seeing, with nothing beyond his ken and vision, and that he affirmed of himself that, whether walking or standing, sleeping or awake, he was always, without a break, at his spiritual best. These, they added, were his words : — You have done misdeeds, Niganthas, in past existences ; wear it out by severe austerities ; every present restraint on body, speech and mind will undo the evil-doings of the past ; hence, by expiation and purge of past misdeeds and by not doing fresh misdeeds, nothing accrues for the future ; as nothing accrues for the future, misdeeds die away ; as misdeeds die away, 111 dies away ; as 111 dies away, feelings die away, and as painful feelings die away, all 111 will wear out and pass away. This doctrine, they added, commends itself to us and has our approval, and we rejoice in it. Said I to those Niganthas : — Here are five qualities each of which has here and now an alternative outcome,— namely faith, inclination, authority, appreciation and intellectual enthusiasm. Herein, what faith have Niganthas hitherto shown towards their teacher ? What inclination towards him? What authority do they recognize in him ? What is their appreciation ? Or what intellectual enthusiasm have they ?

Such is the doctrine of the Niganthas ; I got nothing from them in the way of an effectual answer. Addressing myself again to those Niganthas, I asked them whether, when they were violent in their efforts and strivings, they concomitantly experienced attendant feelings of violent pain and anguish, and whether, when they ceased from violence of effort, they found their violent pain and anguish ceased too. Yes ; that was what they found in both cases. [219] It comes to this then that the one goes with the other ; — with violence of effort you suffer pain and anguish, whereas without that violence you do not. Now, on this showing it would be quite wrong for you Niganthas to explain that, whatsoever feelings the individual experiences . . . will wear out and pass away. And the same would equally hold good if the violent pain and anguish still went on, whether you were then violent, or had ceased to be violent, in your efforts and strivings. But as your attendant pains start with, and cease with, your violent efforts and strivings, you are yourselves the authors of your own violent pain and anguish, and it is through ignorance, lack of knowledge and delusion that [220] you torture yourselves into the mistaken belief that, whatsoever feelings the individual . . . will wear out and pass away.

Such is the doctrine of the Niganthas; I got nothing from them in the way of an effectual answer. Addressing myself once again to those Niganthas, I asked them whether it was feasible for effort and striving to postpone to a future state the fruits of action which ripen here and now ? Or vice vers& ? Or to turn pleasant fruits of action into unpleasant ? Or vice versd ? Or to change ripe fruits of action into unripe ? Or vice versd ? [221] Or to make big fruits of action into small ? Or vice vers£ ? Or to cancel them ? Or to fabricate them ? By combining your negative answers, it comes to this then, that the Niganthas’ [222] efforts and strivings are fruitless. Such is the doctrine of the Niganthas, ten of whose operative utterances, major and minor, are to be condemned : — (i) If it is because of their former deeds that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Niganthas have a guilty past, since they now suffer pain and anguish. (ii) If it is because of a creator that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Niganthas had a bad creator, since they now suffer pain and anguish.

(iii) If it is because of companionship that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Niganthas keep bad company, since they now suffer pain and anguish. (iv) If it is because of the particular environment they are born into that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Niganthas have found a bad environment, since they now suffer pain and anguish. (v) If it is because of their efforts and strivings here and now that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Niganthas’ efforts are bad, since they now suffer pain and anguish. (vi) If it is because of their former deeds that creatures experience pleasure and pain, the Niganthas are blameworthy, and they are also blameworthy if former deeds are not the cause. (vii) If it is because of a creator that creatures experience pleasure and pain, the Niganthas are blameworthy, and they are also blameworthy if a creator is not the cause. (viii) If it is because of companionship that creatures experience pleasure and pain, the Niganthas are 128 Cl. DEVADAHA-SUTTA. M. ii. 223 blameworthy, and they are also blameworthy if the company they keep is not the cause. (ix) If it is because of their birth’s environment that creatures experience pleasure and pain, the Niganthas are blameworthy, and they are also blameworthy if environment is not the cause.

(x) If it is because of their efforts and strivings that creatures experience pleasure and pain, the Niganthas are blameworthy, [223] and they are also blameworthy if efforts and strivings are not the cause. Such is the doctrine of the Niganthas, ten of whose operative utterances, major and minor, invite censure. Thus fruitless are their efforts and strivings. Now, Almsmen, how do efforts and strivings prove fruitful ?— Take the case of an Almsman who does not defile with 111 his undefiled self, nor fritter away the bliss which the Doctrine gives, but keeps it undefiled. He comes to know how, by wrestling with one constituent of Ill’s sources, he can induce passionlessness, and how he can induce it, as regards another constituent, by fostering indifference of mind ; and he proceeds to induce passionlessness by the pertinent method accordingly and thus 111 becomes outworn and It is just like a man who, being violently in love with a woman, sees her standing about and chatting and laughing and talking with another man. Would the sight pain him and make him miserable ? t Yes, sir : because he is so violently in love with her that he [224] would be very much pained at the

Suppose now this man were to reflect that, being violently in love with the woman, he had been much distressed by seeing her with another man, and that consequently he would do well to rid himself of his love for her. Suppose he does so and later on sees her laughing and talking with another. Would the sight still pain him and make him miserable ? No, sir ; because he has lost all his old passion for her and therefore does not mind. It is just the same with the Almsman who does not defile with 111 . . . [225] 111 becomes outworn and passes away. — And this is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful. Again, the Almsman reflects that, if he leads a careless p'easant life, wrong dispositions wax apace within him while right dispositions wane ; and concludes to wrestle with his 111, with the result that wrong dispositions now wane while right dispositions wax apace. Henceforth he wrestles no more, — because his wrestling has been crowned with entire success. It is like a fletcher who heats a shaft amain with two brands till he has got it straight and serviceable, but stops doing so when his purpose is served, simply because it is served. Just in the same way the Almsman who wrestles down the 111 which besets him, wrestles no more,* when, and because, his wrestling has been [226] crowned with entire success. — This too is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful.

Again, Almsmen, into this world there comes a Truth-finder, Arahat all-enlightened, walking by knowledge . . . (etc. as in Sutta No. 27, down to) . . . he has purged his heart of all doubt. When he has put from him these five Hindrances and has understood how the heart’s shortcomings weaken it, then, divested of pleasures of the senses and divested of wrong dispositions, he develops and dwells in the First Ecstasy with all its zest and satisfaction,— a state bred of inward aloofness, not divorced from observation and reflection. — This too is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful. And in succession he develops and dwells in the Second, Third and Fourth Ecstasies, — each of which also proves how efforts and strivings prove fruitful. With heart thus stedfast . . . (etc. as in Sutta No. 4, down to) . . . divers existences in the past in all their details and features. — This too is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful. That same stedfast heart he now applies . . . (etc. as in Sutta No. 4, down to) . . . appeared after death in states of bliss in heaven. — This too is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful.

[227] That same stedfast heart he next applies to the knowledge of the extinction of Cankers. He comprehends aright 111, the origin of 111, the cessation of 111, and the path that leads to the cessation of III. He comprehends aright what the Cankers are, their origin, their cessation and the path that leads to their cessation. When he knows and sees this, his heart is released from the Canker of lusts, from the Canker of continuing existence and from the Canker of ignor-< ance ; and to him thus Delivered comes the knowledge of his Deliverance in the conviction : Rebirth is now no more ; I have lived the highest life ; and now for me there is no more of what I have been. — This, this, is how efforts and strivings prove fruitful. Such is the doctrine of the Truth-finder, ten of whose intrinsic attributes are to be extolled : — - (i) If it is because of their former deeds that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Truth-finder has a blameless past, since his present feelings are pleasant and freed from all Cankers. (ii) If it is because, of a creator that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Truth-finder had a good creator, since his present feelings are pleasant and freed from all Cankers.

(iii) If it is because of companionship that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Truth-finder keeps good company, since his present feelings are pleasant and freed from all Cankers. (iv) If it is because of the particular environment they . have been born into that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Truth-finder has found a good environment, since his present feelings are pleasant and freed from all Cankers. . . (v) If .it is because of efforts and .strivings here and now that creatures experience pleasure and pain, clearly the Truth-finder’s efforts and strivings have been good, since his present feelings are pleasant and freed from all Cankers. ' (vi) If it is because of their former deeds that creatures experience pleasure and pain, praise is the due of the Truth-finder; as praise is also his due if former deeds are not the cause. (vii) If it is because of a creator that creatures experience pleasure and pain, praise is the due of the Truth-finder ; as praise is also his due if a creator is not the cause. (viii) If it is because of companionship that creatures experience pleasure and pain, praise is the due of the Truth-finder; as praise is also his due if the company he keeps is not the cause.’

(ix) If it is because of their birth’s environment that creatures experience pleasure and pain, praise is the due of the Truth-finder; as praise is also his due if environment is not the cause. (x) If it is because of their efforts and strivings that creatures experience pleasure and pain, praise is the due of the Truth-finder ; as praise is also his due [228] if efforts and strivings are not the cause. Such is the doctrine of the Truth-finder, ten of whose intrinsic attributes are to be extolled. Thus spoke the Lord. Glad at heart, those Almsmen rejoiced in what the Lord had said. Thus have I heard. Once when the Lord was staying at Savatthi in Jeta’s grove in Anathapindika’s pleasaunce, he addressed the Almsmen as follows : — Some recluses and brahmins there are who, busying themselves about ages to come and theorizing about the future, have advanced a variety of assertions about futurity, (i) Some assert that the Self is conscious and hale after death, (ii) Some assert that it, though hale, is unconscious after death, (iii) Some assert that, though hale, it is neither conscious nor uncon-

scious after death, (iv) Or they affirm the break-up, destruction and annihilation of the existent creature, (v) Some again assert Nirvana here and now. lhus either (a) they affirm a Self after death ; or ( b ) they affirm the break-up, destruction and annihilation of the existent creature ; or ( c ) they affirm Nirvana here and now. So what were five theories, become three, and what were three become five. This is the 11 IH ive and Three ’ proposition. , . , Herein Almsmen, those recluses and brahmins who assert that the Self is conscious [229] and hale after death, affirm either that this conscious self has visible shape, or that it has no visible shape, or that it has both, or that it has neither ; they affirm that its consciousness is either unimodal or multimodal, either limited or boundless. Or else they assert an intellection-boundless and permanent— which goes far beyond all this. . With each and every one of these various theories about consciousness after death the 1 ruth-finder is familiar, as he is familiar too with what some assert to stand out as the pure and paramount, chief and utter, form of consciousness— [230] whether with or without form, whether unimodal or multimodal — , namely, the Realm of Naught, boundless and permanent. Realizing that all this is composite and material, and that components can in very truth be laid to rest, the Truthfinder discerns an escape from the composite and leaves