The Gospel of Buddha Part 9

"Go ye now, O bhikkhus, for the benefit of the many, for the welfare of mankind, out of compa.s.sion for the world. Preach the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, and glorious in the end, in the spirit as well as in the letter. There are beings whose eyes are scarcely covered with dust, but if the doctrine is not preached to them they cannot attain salvation. Proclaim to them a life of holiness. They will understand the doctrine and accept it." 17

And it became an established custom that the bhikkhus went out preaching while the weather was good, but in the rainy season they came together again and joined their master, to listen to the exhortations of the Tathagata. 18

XVIII.

YASA, THE YOUTH OF BENARES.

At that time there was in Benares a n.o.ble youth, Yasa by name, the son of a wealthy merchant. Troubled in his mind about the sorrows of the world, he secretly rose up in the night and stole away to the Blessed One. 1

The Blessed One saw Yasa, the n.o.ble youth, coming from afar. And Yasa approached and exclaimed: "Alas, what distress! What tribulations!" 2

The Blessed One said to Yasa: "Here is no distress; here are no tribulations. Come to me and I will teach you the truth, and the truth will dispel your sorrows." 3

And when Yasa, the n.o.ble youth, heard that there were neither distress, nor tribulations, nor sorrows, his heart was comforted.

He went into the place where the Blessed One was, and sat down near him. 4

Then the Blessed One preached about charity and morality. He explained the vanity of the thought "I am"; the dangers of desire, and the necessity of avoiding the evils of life in order to walk on the path of deliverance. 5

Instead of disgust with the world, Yasa felt the cooling stream of holy wisdom, and, having obtained the pure and spotless eye of truth, he looked at his person, richly adorned with pearls and precious stones, and his heart was filled with shame. 6

The Tathagata, knowing his inward thoughts, said: 7

"Though a person be ornamented with jewels, the heart may have conquered the senses. The outward form does not const.i.tute religion or affect the mind. Thus the body of a samana may wear an ascetic's garb while his mind is immersed in worldliness. 8

"A man that dwells in lonely woods and yet covets worldly vanities, is a worldling, while the man in worldly garments may let his heart soar high to heavenly thoughts. 9

"There is no distinction between the layman and the hermit, if but both have banished the thought of self." 10

Seeing that Yasa was ready to enter upon the path, the Blessed One said to him: "Follow me!" And Yasa joined the brotherhood, and having put on a bhikkhu's robe, received the ordination. 11

While the Blessed One and Yasa were discussing the doctrine, Yasa's father pa.s.sed by in search of his son; and in pa.s.sing he asked the Blessed One: "Pray, Lord, hast thou seen Yasa, my son?" 12

And the Buddha said to Yasa's father: "Come in, sir, thou wilt find thy son"; and Yasa's father became full of joy and he entered. He sat down near his son, but his eyes were holden and he knew him not; and the Lord began to preach. And Yasa's father, understanding the doctrine of the Blessed One, said: 13

"Glorious is the truth, O Lord! The Buddha, the Holy One, our Master, sets up what has been overturned; he reveals what has been hidden; he points out the way to the wanderer who has gone astray; he lights a lamp in the darkness so that all who have eyes to see can discern the things that surround them. I take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord: I take refuge in the doctrine revealed by him: I take refuge in the brotherhood which he has founded. May the Blessed One receive me from this day forth while my life lasts as a lay disciple who has taken refuge in him." 14

Yasa's father was the first lay-member who became the first lay disciple of the Buddha by p.r.o.nouncing the threefold formula of refuge. 15

When the wealthy merchant had taken refuge in the Buddha, his eyes were opened and he saw his son sitting at his side in a bhikkhu's robe. "My son, Yasa," he said, "thy mother is absorbed in lamentation and grief. Return home and restore thy mother to life." 16

Then Yasa looked at the Blessed One, and the Blessed One said: "Should Yasa return to the world and enjoy the pleasures of a worldly life as he did before?" 17

And Yasa's father replied: "If Yasa, my son, finds it a gain to stay with thee, let him stay. He has become delivered from the bondage of worldliness." 18

When the Blessed One had cheered their hearts with words of truth and righteousness, Yasa's father said: "May the Blessed One, O Lord, consent to take his meal with me together with Yasa as his attendant?" 19

The Blessed One, having donned his robes, took his alms-bowl and went with Yasa to the house of the rich merchant. When they had arrived there, the mother and also the former wife of Yasa saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him. 20

Then the Blessed One preached, and the women having understood his doctrine, exclaimed: "Glorious is the truth, O Lord! We take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord. We take refuge in the doctrine revealed by him. We take refuge in the brotherhood which has been founded by him. May the Blessed One receive us from this day forth while our life lasts as lay disciples who have taken refuge in him." 21

The mother and the wife of Yasa, the n.o.ble youth of Benares, were the first women who became lay disciples and took their refuge in the Buddha. 22

Now there were four friends of Yasa belonging to the wealthy families of Benares. Their names were Vimala, Subahu, Punnaji, and Gavampati. 23

When Yasa's friends heard that Yasa had cut off his hair and put on bhikkhu robes to give up the world and go forth into homelessness, they thought: "Surely that cannot be a common doctrine, that must be a n.o.ble renunciation of the world, if Yasa, whom we know to be good and wise, has shaved his hair and put on bhikkhu robes to give up the world and go forth into homelessness." 24

And they went to Yasa, and Yasa addressed the Blessed One, saying: "May the Blessed One administer exhortation and instruction to these four friends of mine." And the Blessed One preached to them, and Yasa's friends accepted the doctrine and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. 25

XIX

Ka.s.sAPA.

At that time there lived in Uruvela the Jatilas, Brahman hermits with matted hair, worshipping the fire and keeping a fire-dragon; and Ka.s.sapa was their chief. 1

Ka.s.sapa was renowned throughout all India, and his name was honored as one of the wisest men on earth and an authority on religion. 2

And the Blessed One went to Ka.s.sapa of Uruvela, the Jatila, and said: "Let me stay a night in the room where you keep your sacred fire." 3

Ka.s.sapa, seeing the Blessed One in his majesty and beauty, thought to himself: "This is a great muni and a n.o.ble teacher.

Should he stay over night in the room where the sacred fire is kept, the serpent will bite him and he will die." And he said: "I do not object to your staying over-night in the room where the sacred fire is kept, but the serpent lives there; he will kill you and I should be sorry to see you perish." 4

But the Buddha insisted and Ka.s.sapa admitted him to the room where the sacred fire was kept. 5

And the Blessed One sat down with his body erect, surrounding himself with watchfulness. 6

In the night the dragon came to the Buddha, belching forth in rage his fiery poison, and filling the air with burning vapor, but could do him no harm, and the fire consumed itself while the World-honored One remained composed. And the venomous fiend became very wroth so that he died in his anger. 7

When Ka.s.sapa saw the light shining forth from the room he said: "Alas, what misery! Truly, the countenance of Gotama the great Sakyamuni is beautiful, but the serpent will destroy him." 8

In the morning the Blessed One showed the dead body of the fiend to Ka.s.sapa, saying: "His fire has been conquered by my fire." 9

And Ka.s.sapa thought to himself. "Sakyamuni is a great samana and possesses high powers, but he is not holy like me." 10

There was in those days a festival, and Ka.s.sapa thought: "The people will come hither from all parts of the country and will see the great Sakyamuni. When he speaks to them, they will believe in him and abandon me." And he grew envious. 11

When the day of the festival arrived, the Blessed One retired and did not come to Ka.s.sapa. And Ka.s.sapa went to the Buddha on the next morning and said: "Why did the great Sakyamuni not come?" 12

The Tathagata replied: "Didst thou not think, O Ka.s.sapa, that it would be better if I stayed away from the festival?" 13

And Ka.s.sapa was astonished and thought: "Great is Sakyamuni; he can read my most secret thoughts, but he is not holy like me." 14