The Gospel of Buddha Part 7

And the Buddha addressed them and pointed out to them the way of salvation. The two merchants, conceiving in their minds the holiness of the conqueror of Mara, bowed down in reverence and said: "We take our refuge, Lord, in the Blessed One and in the Dharma." 4

Tapussa and Bhallika were the first that became followers of the Buddha and they were lay disciples. 5

XIV.

BRAHMAS REQUEST.

The Blessed One having attained Buddhahood while resting under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree on the banks of the river Neranjara, p.r.o.nounced this solemn utterance: 1

"How blest in happy solitude Is he who hears of truth the call!

How blest to be both kind and good, To practice self-restraint to all!

How blest from pa.s.sion to be free, All sensuous joys to let pa.s.s by!

Yet highest bliss enjoyeth he Who quits the pride of 'I am I.' 2

"I have recognized the deepest truth, which is sublime and peace-giving, but difficult to understand; for most men move in a sphere of worldly interests and find their delight in worldly desires. 3

"The worldling will not understand the doctrine, for to him there is happiness in selfhood only, and the bliss that lies in a complete surrender to truth is unintelligible to him. 4

"He will call resignation what to the enlightened mind is the purest joy. He will see annihilation where the perfected one finds immortality. He will regard as death what the conqueror of self knows to be life everlasting. 5

"The truth remains hidden from him who is in the bondage of hate and desire. Nirvana remains incomprehensible and mysterious to the vulgar whose minds are beclouded with worldly interests.

Should I preach the doctrine and mankind not comprehend it, it would bring me only fatigue and trouble." 6

Mara, the Evil One, on hearing the words of the Blessed Buddha, approached and said: "Be greeted, thou Holy One. Thou hast attained the highest bliss and it is time for thee to enter into the final Nirvana." 7

Then Brahma Sahampati descended from the heavens and, having worshipped the Blessed One, said: 8

"Alas! the world must perish, should the Holy One, the Tathagata, decide not to teach the Dharma. 9

"Be merciful to those that struggle; have compa.s.sion upon the sufferers; pity the creatures who are hopelessly entangled in the snares of sorrow. 10

"There are some beings that are almost free from the dust of worldliness. If they hear not the doctrine preached, they will be lost. But if they hear it, they will believe and be saved." 11

The Blessed One, full of compa.s.sion, looked with the eye of a Buddha upon all sentient creatures, and he saw among them beings whose minds were but scarcely covered by the dust of worldliness, who were of good disposition and easy to instruct. He saw some who were conscious of the dangers of l.u.s.t and wrong doing. 12

And the Blessed One said to Brahma Sahampati: "Wide open be the door of immortality to all who have ears to hear. May they receive the Dharma with faith." 13

And the Blessed One turned to Mara, saying: "I shall not pa.s.s into the final Nirvana, O Evil One, until there be not only brethren and sisters of an Order, but also lay-disciples of both s.e.xes, who shall have become true hearers, wise, well trained, ready and learned, versed in the scriptures, fulfilling all the greater and lesser duties, correct in life, walking according to the precepts--until they, having thus themselves learned the doctrine, shall be able to give information to others concerning it, preach it, make it known, establish it, open it, minutely explain it, and make it clear--until they, when others start vain doctrines, shall be able to vanquish and refute them, and so to spread the wonderworking truth abroad. I shall not die until the pure religion of truth shall have become successful, prosperous, widespread, and popular in all its full extent--until, in a word, it shall have been well proclaimed among men!" 14

Then Brahma Sahampati understood that the Blessed One had granted his request and would preach the doctrine. 15

THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

XV.

UPAKA.

Now the Blessed One thought: "To whom shall I preach the doctrine first? My old teachers are dead. They would have received the good news with joy. But my five disciples are still alive. I shall go to them, and to them shall I first proclaim the gospel of deliverance." 1

At that time the five bhikkhus dwelt in the Deer Park at Benares, and the Blessed One rose and journeyed to their abode, not thinking of their unkindness in having left him at a time when he was most in need of their sympathy and help, but mindful only of the services which they had ministered unto him, and pitying them for the austerities which they practised in vain. 2

Upaka, a young Brahman and a Jain, a former acquaintance of Siddhattha, saw the Blessed One while he journeyed to Benares, and, amazed at the majesty and sublime joyfulness of his appearance, said: "Thy countenance, friend, is serene; thine eyes are bright and indicate purity and blessedness." 3

The holy Buddha replied: "I have obtained deliverance by the extinction of self. My body is chastened, my mind is free from desire, and the deepest truth has taken abode in my heart. I have obtained Nirvana, and this is the reason that my countenance is serene and my eyes are bright. I now desire to found the kingdom of truth upon earth, to give light to those who are enshrouded in darkness and to open the gate of deathlessness." 4

Upaka replied: "Thou professest then, friend, to be Jina, the conqueror of the world, the absolute one and the holy one." 5

The Blessed One said: "Jinas are all those who have conquered self and the pa.s.sions of self, those alone are victors who control their minds and abstain from evil. Therefore, Upaka, I am the Jina." 6

Upaka shook his head. "Venerable Gotama," he said, "thy way lies yonder," and taking another road, he went away. 7

XVI.

THE SERMON AT BENARES.

On seeing their old teacher approach, the five bhikkhus agreed among themselves not to salute him, nor to address him as a master, but by his name only. "For," so they said, "he has broken his vow and has abandoned holiness. He is no bhikkhu but Gotama, and Gotama has become a man who lives in abundance and indulges in the pleasures of worldliness." 1

But when the Blessed One approached in a dignified manner, they involuntarily rose from their seats and greeted him in spite of their resolution. Still they called him by his name and addressed him as "friend Gotama." 2

When they had thus received the Blessed One, he said: "Do not call the Tathagata by his name nor address him as 'friend,' for he is the Buddha, the Holy One. The Buddha looks with a kind heart equally on all living beings, and they therefore call him 'Father.' To disrespect a father is wrong; to despise him, is wicked. 3

"The Tathagata," the Buddha continued, "does not seek salvation in austerities, but neither does he for that reason indulge in worldly pleasures, nor live in abundance. The Tathagata has found the middle path. 4

"There are two extremes, O bhikkhus, which the man who has given up the world ought not to follow--the habitual practice, on the one hand, of self-indulgence which is unworthy, vain and fit only for the worldly-minded--and the habitual practice, on the other hand, of self-mortification, which is painful, useless and unprofitable. 5

"Neither abstinence from fish or flesh, nor going naked, nor shaving the head, nor wearing matted hair, nor dressing in a rough garment, nor covering oneself with dirt, nor sacrificing to Agni, will cleanse a man who is not free from delusions. 6

"Reading the Vedas, making offerings to priests, or sacrifices to the G.o.ds, self-mortification by heat or cold, and many such penances performed for the sake of immortality, these do not cleanse the man who is not free from delusions. 7

"Anger, drunkenness, obstinacy, bigotry, deception, envy, self-praise, disparaging others, superciliousness and evil intentions const.i.tute uncleanness; not verily the eating of flesh. 8

"A middle path, O bhikkhus, avoiding the two extremes, has been discovered by the Tathagata--a path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvana! 9

"What is that middle path, O bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathagata--that path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvana? 10