V. The Chain Of Causation : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 37 V THE CHAIN OF CAUSATION Gotama, on his retirement, went to Rjagaha, the capital of Magadha, and studied under several teachers. Then for six years he practised severe penance with five disciples. Finally he came to see the vanity...
Xiii. The Questions Of Vacchagotta : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 71 XIII THE QUESTIONS OF VACCHAGOTTA The same questions as in the two previous passages occur in the following discourse with the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta. When asked why he refuses to answer them, Buddha gives the following reply. "Vacch...
Xviii. The Jewel Discourse. A Spell : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 99 XVIII THE JEWEL DISCOURSE. A SPELL As Buddhism did not deny the gods, but only their eternity, so it did not deny the existence of the other superhuman beings of Indian mythology. Such beings in the older Hinduism, like the guardian angels...
Iv. The Great Renunciation : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 32 IV THE GREAT RENUNCIATION Gotama, at the ago of sixteen, was married to his cousin, Yasodhar, who in the sacred texts is usually called "the mother of Rhula." After his enlightenment Gotama returned to his native city, begging alms through...
X. The Weaver's Daughter : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 57 X THE WEAVER'S DAUGHTER The Dhammapada, consisting of 423 verses, is accompanied by a commentary, which gives a quasi-historical account of how each verse came to be uttered. The following is the commentary on verse 174. "Blind and unseeing...
Xxii. The Non Existence Of Individuality : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 118 XXII THE NON-EXISTENCE OF INDIVIDUALITY For the two following passages from the "Questions of Milinda" see the Introduction, pp. 14, 19. The denial of the individual in the following is not the denial of a fact of existence, but of the theory...
Title Page : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 1 The Wisdom of the East Series EDITED BY L. CRANMER-BYNG Dr. S. A. KAPADIA BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES p. 2 WISDOM OF THE EAST BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES A SELECTION TRANSLATED FROM THE PALI WITH INTRODUCTION BY E. J. THOMAS, M.A. LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE...
Xx. Buddha's Visit To Chunda : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 109 XX BUDDHA'S VISIT TO CHUNDA The two following passages are from the Sutta of the Great Decease, an account of the last few months of the life of Buddha. The food which Buddha ate at the meal provided by Chunda has been stated to have been...
Ii. The Birth Of Gotama : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 26 II THE BIRTH OF GOTAMA The personal name of Buddha was Siddhattha, "one who has accomplished his aim." Whether it was actually the name given to him as a child we do not know. His family name was Gotama, and it is as "sir, Gotama" ("bho...
Viii. The Ten Commandments : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 52 VIII THE TEN COMMANDMENTS The first five of these commandments--not to take life, not to steal, not to commit unchastity, not to tell lies, not to drink intoxicants--are binding on all laymen. The whole ten are binding on the brotherhood...
Xxiii. Non Individuality And Moral Responsibility : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 123 XXIII NON-INDIVIDUALITY AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY The king said, "Reverend Ngasena, what is reborn?" The elder replied, "Mind and body [name and form], O king, are re-born. Is it just this mind and body that is re-born? Not just this mind...
Xii. The Questions Of Uttiya : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 68 XII THE QUESTIONS OF UTTIYA Uttiya and Vaccha, as will be seen from their mode of addressing Buddha, are not his followers. They are interested in the "views" or metaphysical theories discussed by the various philosophical schools. All such...
Introduction : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 9 BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES INTRODUCTION To what extent can we speak of Buddhism as a religion--a system which rejects a belief in an immortal soul and an eternal God? We shall do well not to seek to answer this by fitting our reply into the limits...
Vii. The Ordination Of Yasa : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 45 VII THE ORDINATION OF YASA The conversion of Yasa and his father is represented as taking place soon after the Great Enlightenment. Two laymen had previously been converted together, confessing their belief in the Buddha and the doctrine...
Xiv. Birth Story Of The Blessings : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 75 XIV BIRTH-STORY OF THE BLESSINGS OF THE COMMANDMENTS The Jtaka consists of about five hundred stories of the previous lives of Buddha. Each story is introduced by some incident occurring in the Master's life as Buddha, such as the backsliding...
Xxi. The Death Of Buddha : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 112 XXI THE DEATH OF BUDDHA Kusinr (now Kasia), to which Buddha journeyed after recovering from his sickness, was in the Mallian country, about 140 miles east of Svatthi; and it was there where he gave his last instructions and passed away...
Editorial Note : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 8 EDITORIAL NOTE The object of the Editors of this series is a very definite one. They desire above all things that, in their humble way, these books shall be the ambassadors of good-will and understanding between East and West--the old world...
Iii. The Four Signs : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 29 III THE FOUR SIGNS The subject of the following legend also forms one of the episodes of the "Lalita Vistara", and has found its way into English literature. It forms the leading motive of the medieval morality play "Everyman", where Death is...
Advertisements : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 125 The following advertisements followed the text of the original book. They are included for completeness. THE WISDOM OF THE EAST SERIES Edited by L. CRANMER-BYNG and Dr. S. A. KAPADIA THE SERIES AND ITS PURPOSE THE object of the Editors...
Xi. The Questions Of Malunkyaputta : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 64 XI THE QUESTIONS OF MLUNKYPUTTA On the subject of this discourse and the two following compare the Introduction, p. 14. Thus have I heard: The Lord was once dwelling near Svatthi, at Jetavana in the park of Anthapindika. Now the elder...
Xvii. The Pig Faced Ghost : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 97 XVII THE PIG-FACED GHOST This story was told while the Master was dwelling at Kalandakanivpa in the Bamboo Grove near Savatthi about a certain pig-faced ghost. Long ago, in the time of the teaching of the Lord Buddha Kassapa, there w...
Xvi. Birth Story Of The City With Four Gates : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 90 XVI BIRTH-STORY OF THE CITY WITH FOUR GATES Four of the five "gatis" or states of re-birth (see Introd. p. 20) occur in the following story: Mittavindaka, in his life as a man, and as inhabitant of hell, the inhabitants of the ghost world...
Vi. The Beginning Of Buddha's Preaching : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 40 VI THE BEGINNING OF BUDDHA'S PREACHING The first discourse of the Buddha was given to the five disciples who had deserted him when he abandoned his austerities. It is given in the Vinaya in explaining the rules as to how the elder and younger...
Ix. The Fire Discourse : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 54 IX THE FIRE DISCOURSE Gotama, when intending to carry out his great Renunciation, says, "When the fire of lust, the fire of hate, the fire of delusion, are extinguished, Nirvana is won." This metaphor of the individual and world being on fire...
Xix. Dhaniya The Herdsman : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 104 XIX DHANIYA THE HERDSMAN The last two verses of the following are not an original part of the poem. They occur independently in the Samyutta Nikya, iv. 1, 8, where they form one of the temptations of Mra. Dhaniya: I have boiled my rice, my...
Xv. Birth Story Of King Mahasilava : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 80 XV BIRTH-STORY OF KING MAHSLAVA "Resist not him that is evil, but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." It has been said that if the principles of the Sermon on the Mount were put into practice, the world...
I. The Dream Of Queen Maya : * "Buddhist Scriptures", by E.J. Thomas, [1913], p. 23 I THE DREAM OF QUEEN MY Gotama, the future Buddha, was born about 567 B.C. as the son of the Raja of the tribe of Sakyas, at Kapilavatthu on the borders of Nepal, and about 130 miles north of Benares. This date is only a calculation made by...