The Gospel of Buddha Part 8

"Let me teach you, O bhikkhus, the middle path, which keeps aloof from both extremes. By suffering, the emaciated devotee produces confusion and sickly thoughts in his mind. Mortification is not conducive even to worldly knowledge; how much less to a triumph over the senses! 11

"He who fills his lamp with water will not dispel the darkness, and he who tries to light a fire with rotten wood will fail. And how can any one be free from self by leading a wretched life, if he does not succeed in quenching the fires of l.u.s.t, if he still hankers after either worldly or heavenly pleasures. But he in whom self has become extinct is free from l.u.s.t; he will desire neither worldly nor heavenly pleasures, and the satisfaction of his natural wants will not defile him. However, let him be moderate, let him eat and drink according to the needs of the body. 12

"Sensuality is enervating; the self-indulgent man is a slave to his pa.s.sions, and pleasure-seeking is degrading and vulgar. 13

"But to satisfy the necessities of life is not evil. To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear.

Water surrounds the lotus-flower, but does not wet its petals. 14

"This is the middle path, O bhikkhus, that keeps aloof from both extremes." 15

And the Blessed One spoke kindly to his disciples, pitying them for their errors, and pointing out the uselessness of their endeavors, and the ice of ill-will that chilled their hearts melted away under the gentle warmth of the Master's persuasion. 16

Now the Blessed One set the wheel of the most excellent law rolling, and he began to preach to the five bhikkhus, opening to them the gate of immortality, and showing them the bliss of Nirvana. 17

The Buddha said: 18

"The spokes of the wheel are the rules of pure conduct: justice is the uniformity of their length; wisdom is the tire; modesty and thoughtfulness are the hub in which the immovable axle of truth is fixed. 19

"He who recognizes the existence of suffering, its cause, its remedy, and its cessation has fathomed the four n.o.ble truths. He will walk in the right path. 20

"Right views will be the torch to light his way. Right aspirations will be his guide. Right speech will be his dwelling-place on the road. His gait will be straight, for it is right behavior. His refreshments will be the right way of earning his livelihood. Right efforts will be his steps: right thoughts his breath; and right contemplation will give him the peace that follows in his footprints. 21

"Now, this, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning suffering: 22

"Birth is attended with pain, decay is painful, disease is painful, death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful, painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is unsatisfied, that too is painful. In brief, bodily conditions which spring from attachment are painful. 23

"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning suffering. 24

"Now this, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the origin of suffering: 25

"Verily, it is that craving which causes the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual delight, seeking satisfaction now here, now there, the craving for the gratification of the pa.s.sions, the craving for a future life, and the craving for happiness in this life. 26

"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the origin of suffering. 27

"Now this, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the destruction of suffering: 28

"Verily, it is the destruction, in which no pa.s.sion remains, of this very thirst; it is the laying aside of, the being free from, the dwelling no longer upon this thirst. 29

"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the destruction of suffering. 30

"Now this, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the way which leads to the destruction of sorrow. Verily! it is this n.o.ble eightfold path; that is to say: 31

"Right views; right aspirations; right speech; right behavior; right livelihood; right effort; right thoughts; and right contemplation. 32

"This, then, O bhikkhus, is the n.o.ble truth concerning the destruction of sorrow. 33

"By the practice of lovingkindness I have attained liberation of heart, and thus I am a.s.sured that I shall never return in renewed births. I have even now attained Nirvana. 34

And when the Blessed One had thus set the royal chariot-wheel of truth rolling onward, a rapture thrilled through all the universes. 35

The devas left their heavenly abodes to listen to the sweetness of the truth; the saints that had parted from life crowded around the great teacher to receive the glad tidings; even the animals of the earth felt the bliss that rested upon the words of the Tathagata: and all the creatures of the host of sentient beings, G.o.ds, men, and beasts, hearing the message of deliverance, received and understood it in their own language. 36

And when the doctrine was propounded, the venerable Kondanna, the oldest one among the five bhikkhus, discerned the truth with his mental eye, and he said: "Truly, O Buddha, our Lord, thou hast found the truth!" Then the other bhikkhus too, joined him and exclaimed: "Truly, thou art the Buddha, thou hast found the truth." 37

And the devas and saints and all the good spirits of the departed generations that had listened to the sermon of the Tathagata, joyfully received the doctrine and shouted: "Truly, the Blessed One has founded the kingdom of righteousness. The Blessed One has moved the earth; he has set the wheel of Truth rolling, which by no one in the universe, be he G.o.d or man, can ever be turned back. The kingdom of Truth will be preached upon earth; it will spread; and righteousness, good-will, and peace will reign among mankind." 38

XVII.

THE SANGHA.

Having pointed out to the five bhikkhus the truth, the Buddha said: 1

"A man that stands alone, having decided to obey the truth, may be weak and slip back into his old ways. Therefore, stand ye together, a.s.sist one another, and strengthen one another's efforts. 2

"Be like unto brothers; one in love, one in holiness, and one in your zeal for the truth. 3

"Spread the truth and preach the doctrine in all quarters of the world, so that in the end all living creatures will be citizens of the kingdom of righteousness. 4

"This is the holy brotherhood; this is the church, the congregation of the saints of the Buddha; this is the Sangha that establishes a communion among all those who have taken their refuge in the Buddha." 5

And Kondanna was the first disciple of the Buddha who had thoroughly grasped the doctrine of the Holy One, and the Tathagata looking into his heart said: "Truly, Kondanna has understood the truth." Hence the venerable Kondanna received the name "Annata-Kondanna," that is, "Kondanna who has understood the doctrine." 6

Then the venerable Kondanna spoke to the Buddha and said: "Lord, let us receive the ordination from the Blessed One." 7

And the Buddha said: "Come, O bhikkhus! Well taught is the doctrine. Lead a holy life for the extinction of suffering." 8

Then Kondanna and the other bhikkhus uttered three times these solemn vows: 9

"To the Buddha will I look in faith: He, the Perfect One, is holy and supreme. The Buddha conveys to us instruction, wisdom, and salvation; he is the Blessed One, who knows the law of being; he is the Lord of the world, who yoketh men like oxen, the Teacher of G.o.ds and men, the Exalted Buddha. Therefore, to the Buddha will I look in faith. 10

"To the doctrine will I look in faith: well-preached is the doctrine by the Exalted One. The doctrine has been revealed so as to become visible; the doctrine is above time and s.p.a.ce. The doctrine is not based upon hearsay, it means 'Come and see'; the doctrine leads to welfare; the doctrine is recognized by the wise in their own hearts. Therefore to the doctrine will I look in faith. 11

"To the community will I look in faith; the community of the Buddha's disciples instructs us how to lead a life of righteousness; the community of the Buddha's disciples teaches us how to exercise honesty and justice; the community of the Buddha's disciples shows us how to practise the truth. They form a brotherhood in kindness and charity, and their saints are worthy of reverence. The community of the Buddha's disciples is founded as a holy brotherhood in which men bind themselves together to teach the behests of rect.i.tude and to do good.

Therefore, to the community will I look in faith." 12

And the gospel of the Blessed One increased from day to day, and many people came to hear him and to accept the ordination to lead thenceforth a holy life for the sake of the extinction of suffering. 13

And the Blessed One seeing that it was impossible to attend to all who wanted to hear the truth and receive the ordination, sent out from the number of his disciples such as were to preach the Dharma and said unto them: 14

"The Dharma and the Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathagata s.h.i.+ne forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed.

But let not this doctrine, so full of truth and so excellent, fall into the hands of those unworthy of it, where it would be despised and contemned, treated shamefully, ridiculed and censured. 15

"I now grant you, O bhikkhus, this permission. Confer henceforth in the different countries the ordination upon those who are eager to receive it, when you find them worthy. 16