 Chapter 23 of Buddhist Writings. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Dennis Sayers. Buddhist Writings. Translated by Henry Clark Warren. Chapter 23. The trance of cessation. 1. Translated from the Samyuta Nikaya. 41. 6. Inspirations and expirations, O householder, are bodily functions. Therefore, inspirations and expirations constitute bodily karma. First, occur reasoning and reflection, and afterwards, articulate utterance. Therefore, reasoning and reflection constitute vocal karma. Perception and sensation are mental functions and occur in association with the mind. Therefore, perception and sensation constitute mental karma. 2. Translated from the Samyuta Nikaya. 36. 2. And moreover, O priest, I have taught the gradual cessation of karma. Of one who has entered the first trance, the voice has ceased. Of one who has entered the second trance, reasoning and reflection have ceased. Of one who has entered the third trance, joy has ceased. Of one who has entered the fourth trance, the inspirations and the expirations have ceased. Of one who has entered the realm of the infinity of space, the perception of form has ceased. Of one who has entered the realm of the infinity of consciousness, the perception of space has ceased. Of one who has entered the realm of nothingness, the perception of the realm of the infinity of consciousness has ceased. Of one who has entered the realm of neither perception, nor yet non-perception, the perception of the realm of nothingness has ceased. one who has entered the cessation of perception and sensation, perception and sensation have ceased. Of the priests who has lost all depravity, passion has ceased, hatred has ceased, infatuation has ceased. 3. Translated from the Vashuddhimagga, chapter 28. What is the trance of cessation? It is the stoppage of all mentality by a gradual cessation. A priest who is desirous of entering on cessation will take his breakfast, wash carefully his hands and his feet, and seat him cross-legged on a well-strewn seat in some retired spot with body erect and contemplative faculty active. He then enters the first trance and rising from it obtains insight into the transitoriness, misery, and lack of an ego of the constituents of being. This insight however is threefold. The insight into the constituents of being, the insight belonging to the attainment of the fruits, and the insight belonging to the trance of cessation. Whether the insight into the constituents of being be dull or keen, it is in either case a preparation for the paths. The insight belonging to the attainment of the fruits can only be keen, like the realization of the paths. The insight however belonging to the trance of cessation should not be too dull nor yet too keen. Therefore he will contemplate the constituents of being with an insight that is neither very dull nor very keen. Thereupon he enters the second trance and rising from it obtains insight into the constituents of being in the same manner as before. Thereupon he enters the third trance, the fourth trance, the realm of the infinity of space, the realm of the infinity of consciousness, and rising from it obtains insight into the constituents of being in the same manner as before. Then he enters the realm of nothingness and rising from it performs the four preliminary duties, the protection of less intimate belongings, respect for the order, a summons from the teacher, limitation of time, the protection of less intimate belongings. That which is not intimately joined to the person of the priest, but is more loosely connected, such as his bowl and his robes, his couch and his bench, his dwelling, or any other of the requisites, should be protected from fire, water, wind, robbers, rats, etc. by means of a firm resolve. The manner of making this firm resolve is as follows. He makes a firm resolve saying, for the space of seven days, let not this and that article be burnt by fire, borne away by a flood, blown to pieces by the wind, carried off by robbers, or eaten by rats, and the like. Then for the space of seven days no harm will touch them any more than it did in the case of the elder, Naga the Great. But if he does not make this firm resolve, they are liable to perish by fire, etc. In regard to this elder, tradition has it that he went for alms to the village where lived his mother, a lay devotee. The lay devotee gave him some rice, gruel, and asked him to sit down in a reception hall. The elder sat down and entered on cessation. While he was sitting there, the reception hall took fire and all the other priests took up the several mats on which they had been sitting and fled away. The inhabitants of the village came together and seen the elder cried out, the lazy monk, the lazy monk, the fire blazed up in the grass, bamboo sticks of wood, etc., completely surrounding the elder. The people brought water in pictures and put it out, removed the ashes, and made the ground neat again, and scattering flowers stood worshiping him. The elder rose from his trance when the fixed term had elapsed and seen the people gazing at him, sprang up into the air, and went to the island Piyanagu. This is the protection of less intimate belongings. Articles, however, which are intimately joined to the person of the priest, such as his tunic, his upper garment, or the seat on which he may be sitting, do not need any special resolve. The trance is sufficient to protect them, as in the case of the venerable Sanjyava. For it has been said as follows, the concentration of the venerable Sanjyava possesses magical power. Concentration of the venerable Sariputa possesses magical power. Respect for the order. Respect, regard for the order. The sense is the order cannot hold a function without his presence. Here it is not respect for the order, but reflection on the respect do it, which is his preliminary duty. Therefore let him reflect as follows. If, during the seven days I am sitting in a trance of cessation, the order should wish to pass a resolution or perform some other ecclesiastical function, I will arise before a priest comes and summons me. If he does this, before entering his trance, he will rise from it at the time set. But if he does not do it, and the order comes together and misses him, and inquires, where is such and such a priest? And hearing that he has entered a trance of cessation, sends some priest, saying, Go, summon him by authority of the order. Then he will have to rise from his trance when that priest has come within hearing, and has called him, saying, Brother, the order sends you its respects. For such is the imperativeness of a command from the order. Therefore he must reflect on this, and so enter his trance as to rise from it of his own accord. A summons from the teacher. Here also it is reflection on a summons of the teacher that is his duty. Therefore let it be reflected upon as follows. If, during the seven days I am sitting in a trance of cessation, the teacher should take occasion to lay down some precept, or, a propos of some particular event, should teach the doctrine, I will rise from my trance before anyone summons me. If he does this before sitting down, he will rise from it at the time set. But if he does not do it, and the teacher misses him, when the order assembles and inquires, where is such and such a priest? And hearing that he has entered a trance of cessation, sends some priest, saying, Go, summon him by my authority. Then he will have to rise from his trance when that priest has come within hearing, and has called him, saying, The teacher sends for your venerable worship. For such is the imperativeness of a summons from the teacher. Therefore he must reflect on this, and so enter his trance as to rise from it of his own accord. Limitation of Time Limitation of the time of life For this priest should be skillful respecting the limitation of time. He should not enter this trance without first reflecting whether his span of life is to last seven days longer or not. For if he were to enter this trance without perceiving that his vital powers were to break up within the seven-day limit, his trance of cessation would not be able to ward off death, and as death cannot take place during cessation, he would have to rise from the midst of his trance. Therefore he must enter it only after having made the above reflection, for it has been said that it is permissible to neglect the other reflections, but not this one. When he has thus entered the realm of nothingness and risen from it and performed these preliminary duties, he enters the realm of neither perception nor yet non-perception, and having passed beyond one or two thoughts, he stops thinking and reaches cessation. But why do I say that beyond two thoughts the thoughts cease? Because of the priest's progress in cessation. For the priest's progress in gradual cessation consists in an ascent through the eight attainments by the simultaneous use of both the questions and insight methods, and does not result from the trance of the realm of neither perception nor yet non-perception alone. Thus it is because of the priest's progress in cessation that beyond two thoughts the thoughts cease. Now the priest who should rise from the realm of nothingness and enter the realm of neither perception nor yet non-perception without having performed his preliminary duties would not be able to lose all thought, but would fall back into the realm of nothingness. In this connection I will add a simile of a man traveling on a road over which he has never passed before. A certain man traveling on a road over which he has never passed before comes on his way to a deep ravine containing water, or to a slough in which is a stepping stone that has been overheated by the sun, and assaying to descend into the ravine without having first adjusted his tunic and his upper garment, he is obliged to retreat again to the top of the bank through fear of wetting his requisites, or stepping upon the stone he scorches his feet so badly that he jumps back to the hither bank. In the above simile, just as the man, though not having adjusted his tunic and his upper garment, retreated to where he had started from as soon as he had descended into the ravine, or had stepped on the heated stone in exactly the same way the ascetic, if he had not performed the preliminary duties as soon as he reaches the realm of neither perception nor yet non-perception, retreats again into the realm of nothingness. As, however, another man who has traveled on that road before when he reaches that spot will gird his tunic tightly and cross the ravine with the other garment in his hand, or will touch the stone as little as possible in passing to the further bank. In exactly the same way a priest who has performed his preliminary duties and entered the realm of neither perception nor yet non-perception will pass beyond and lose all thought and dwell in cessation. How long will he stay in it? He who has entered it in the above described manner will remain in it during the limit of time which he has set for it, provided that the termination of his life, or respect for the order, or a summons from the teacher, does not interfere. How does he rise from it? In a twofold manner. The priest, who is in the path of never returning with the attainment of the fruit of never returning, the saint with the attainment of the fruit of saintship. When he has risen from it, to what is his mind inclined? It is inclined to nirvana, for it has been said as follows. Brother Visakya, the mind of a priest who has risen from the trance of the cessation of perception and sensation, is inclined to isolation, has a tendency to isolation, is impelled to isolation. What is the difference between a dead man and one who has entered this trance? This matter also is treated of in this discourse as it is said, Brother, of the man who has died and become a corpse, bodily karma has ceased and become quieted, vocal karma has ceased and become quieted, mental karma has ceased and become quieted, vitality has become exhausted, natural heat has subsided, and the senses have broken up. Of the priest who has entered on the cessation of perception and sensation, bodily karma has ceased and become quieted, vocal karma has ceased and become quieted, mental karma has ceased and become quieted, but vitality has not become exhausted, natural heat has not subsided, and the senses have not broken up. In regard to the questions, is the trance of cessation conditioned or unconditioned, etc. It cannot be said either that it is conditioned or that it is unconditioned, either that it is worldly or that it is transcendent, and why not? On account of the non-existence of any positive reality. In as much, however, as it can be entered upon, therefore it is correct to say that it is brought about, not that it is not brought about, whereas the wise who cultivate the wisdom which doth make a saint are they who reach this holy trance. This trance by saints at all times prized, and ever by them held to be nirvana in the present life, therefore the faculty to reach this state of trance, which is conferred by wisdom in the holy paths, a blessing of those paths, is called. End of chapter 23. Chapter 24 of Buddhist Writings. This is the Libhavaksh recording. All Libhavaksh recordings are in the public domain. For more information also volunteer, please visit Libhavaks.org. Recording by Vera Unreal. Buddhist Writings, translated by Henry Clark Warren. Chapter 24, The Attainment of Nirvana. Acquisition of Honor, etc. The blessings to be derived from realisation of this transcendent wisdom include not only the ability to enter the trance of cessation, but also the acquisition of honour, etc. For the individual who has developed his wisdom, by the development of the powerful wisdom of the paths is worthy of the worship, the veneration, the votive offerings, and the reverence of all the worlds of God's in them, and is an unsurpassed source of merit for the world. To particularise, he who, being of weak faculties, develops the wisdom of the first path with a dull insight is reborn seven times at most. After seven rebaths in the states of this, he will make an end of misery. He who develops it with medium faculties and insight is a Roma. And after two or three rebaths, he will make an end of misery. He who develops it with keen faculties and insight takes root that once, only one human birth will he pass through and make an end of misery. He who develops the wisdom of the second path returns once, once more will he return to this wall and then make an end of misery. He who develops the wisdom of the third path never returns. His destiny is fivefold as follows. In the descending order of the worth of his faculties, he passes into Nirvana in the midst. At the end, without instigation, with instigation, or passes out current to the sublime gods. Here the one who passes into Nirvana in the midst is reborn in someone of a pure boat and passes into Nirvana before attaining half the normal length of life of that heaven. He who passes into Nirvana at the end, passes into Nirvana after attaining half the normal length of life. He who passes into Nirvana without instigation achieves the fourth path without instigation or urging. He who passes into Nirvana with instigation achieves the higher path with instigation or urging. And he who passes up current to the sublime gods starts from the particular heaven in which he may be reborn and ascends as far as the sublime gods and there passes into Nirvana. Of those who develop the wisdom of the fourth path, one is freed by faith, another is freed by wisdom, another is suddenly freed, another possesses their threefold knowledge, another the six high powers, but the greatest of all is he who has mastered the four analytical sciences and has lost all the privacy. Concerning this last, it has been said, at the time he is in the paths, he is disentangling the snow, at the time he is in the fruits, he has disentangled the snow, and there is, in all the worlds of gods and men, none more worthy of votive gifts. Since then such blessings many fault, from normal wisdom take their rise, therefore the understanding man should place therein his hearts alight. The above constitutes the explanation of the development of wisdom and of its blessings in the way of purity as taught in the standard, what men his conduct guardeth, and half wisdom, and thought and wisdom traineth well, let's turn west and enable priest, he disentangles all this now. The Admission in Ordination Ceremonies In May 1872 I was invited by my learned friend and pandit, Q.A.D.G. Gala Unisei of the Malawati Monastery in Kandy to be present at an ordination service held according to custom on the full moon day of Weesuck, May, June, being the anniversary of the day on which Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana, B.C. 543. I gladly availed myself of this opportunity of witnessing the celebration of a rite of which English men have but little knowledge, and which has rarely if ever been witnessed by any European in salon. Nothing could be more impressive than the order and solemnity of the proceedings. It was impossible not to feel that the ceremony was being conducted precisely as it was more than 2,000 years ago. The Chapter House, Singhalese, Poyage, is an oblong hall with rows of pillars forming an inner space and leaving broad aisles at the sides. At the top of this inner space sat the aged abbot, Singhalese, Mahayanaaka, as the president of the chapter. On either side of him sat the elder priests, and down the side sat the other priests in number between 30 and 40. The chapter or assembly thus formed three sides of an oblong. The president sat on cushions and a carpet. The other priests sat on mats covered with white calico. They all sat cross-legged. On the fourth side at the foot stood the candidates. Behind the pillars on the right stood the deacons. The left was given up to the visitors, and behind the candidates at the bottom was a crowd of Buddhist laymen. To form a chapter for this purpose, not less than 10 duly ordained priests are required, and the president must not be less than 10 years standing from his Upasampaday ordination. The priests attending the chapter are required to give their undivided, unremitting, and devote attention throughout the service. Every priest is instructed to join hard in mind in the exhortations, responses, formulas, etc., and to correct every error, lest the oversight of a single mistake should vitiate the efficacy of the right. Previously to the ordination, the candidates are subjected to a strict and searching examination as to their knowledge of the discourses of Buddha, the duties of a priest, etc. An examination and ordination is held on the full moon day in Weisak and on the three succeeding poya days or days of quarters of the moon. After witnessing the celebration of this right, I read the Upasampaday, Kamaveke, or book, setting forth the form and manner of ordering of priests and deacons, and I was subsequently induced to translate it. This manual was translated into Italian in 1776 by Padre Maria Percotto, missionary in Hava and Pagu, under the title of Kamuva Ossia Trattoto della Ordinazione dei Teleponi del Secondo Ordinei dei Tipinzi. An apportion of it was edited in 1841 in Pali and Latin by Professor Spiegel. Kluf translated it in 1834, and Hardy has given an interesting summary of it in his Eastern monarchism. But neither the text nor any complete translation is readily accessible, and I have therefore thought that this edition might possibly be acceptable to those who desire information respecting the practice of Buddhism in salon, where, as is well pointed out by Mr. Childers in his Pali Dictionary, SV Nibinam, page 272, note, Buddhism retains almost its pristine purity. With regard to the transliteration, I have used the system adopted after Fosball by Mr. Childers in his Dictionary. In the translation I have placed in italics the rubrical directions in the text and all the explanations and amplifications of the text I have placed in square brackets. I have thus endeavored to give a translation of the text as it stands, and at the same time to set out the ordination service fully and completely, precisely in the form and use in salon at the present time, as I have witnessed myself. No one who compares this form with that given in article 15 of Hodgson's literature and religion of the Buddhists in Nepal can fail to be struck with the purity and simplicity of the salon right as contrasted with that in use among the northern Buddhists. Candy, 9th January, 1873, JFD. The ordination service praise be to the blessed one, the holy one, to him who has arrived at the knowledge of all truth. The candidate, accompanied by his tutor in the dress of a layman, but having the yellow robes of a priest in his arms makes the usual obeisance and offering to the president of the chapter and standing says, grant me leave to speak. Lord graciously grant me admission to deacons orders, Neelstown. Lord, I pray for admission as a deacon. Again, Lord, I pray for admission as a deacon. A third time, Lord, I pray for admission as a deacon. In compassion for me, Lord, take these yellow robes and let me be ordained. In order to the destruction of all sorrow and in order to the attainment of Nirvana to be repeated three times, the president takes the bundle of robes. In compassion for me, Lord, give me those yellow robes and let me be ordained. In order to the destruction of all sorrow and in order to the attainment of Nirvana to be repeated three times. And the president then gives the bundle of robes, the yellow band of which he ties around the neck of the candidate, reciting the while, the takamakapan, or formula of meditation on the perishable nature of the human body as follows. Kese, Lome, Nake, Dante, Taco, Taco, Dante, Nake, Lome, Kese. Hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin. Skin, teeth, nails, hair of the body, hair of the head. The candidate then rises up and retires to throw off the dress of a layman and to put on his yellow robes. While changing his dress, he recites the following. In wisdom, I put on the robes as a protection against cold, as a protection against heat, as a protection against gadflies and mosquitoes, wind and sun, and the touch of serpents and to cover nakedness, i.e. I wear them in all humility for use only and not for ornament or show. Having put on the yellow robes, he returns to the side of his tutor and says, Grant me leave to speak. I make obeisance to my Lord. Lord, forgive me all my faults. Let the merit that I have gained be shared by my Lord. It is fitting to give me to share in the merit gained by my Lord. It is good. It is good. I share in it. Grant me leave to speak. Graciously give me, Lord, the three refuges and the precepts. He kneels down. Lord, I pray for the refuges and the precepts. The tutor gives the three refuges and the 10 precepts as follows. The candidate still kneeling and repeating them after him, sentence by sentence. 1. The three refuges. I put my trust in Buddha. I put my trust in the law. I put my trust in the priesthood. Again, I put my trust in Buddha. Again, I put my trust in the law. Again, I put my trust in the priesthood. Once more, I put my trust in Buddha. Once more, I put my trust in the law. Once more, I put my trust in the priesthood. 2. The 10 precepts or laws of the priesthood. Abstinence from destroying life. Abstinence from theft. Abstinence from fornication and all uncleanliness. Abstinence from lying. Abstinence from fermented liquor, spirits and strong drink, which are a hindrance to merit. Abstinence from eating at forbidden times. Abstinence from dancing, singing and shows. Abstinence from adorning and beautifying the person by the use of garlands, perfumes and hungents. Abstinence from using a high or large couch or seat. Abstinence from receiving gold and silver are the 10 means of leading a moral life. The candidate says, I have received these 10 precepts. Permit me. He rises up and makes obeisance to his tutor. Lord, I make obeisance. Forgive me all my faults. May the merit I have gained be shared by my Lord. Give me to share in the merit of my Lord. It is good. It is good. I share in it. This completes the ordination of a deacon and the candidate retires. The foregoing ceremony is gone through previous to the ordination of a priest in all cases, even where the candidate has already been admitted as a deacon. If the candidate is duly qualified for the priestly office, he can proceed at once from deacons to priest orders. Otherwise, he must pass a term of instruction as a deacon. But a candidate who has received deacons orders must solicit them again and go through the above ceremony when presented for priest's orders. The candidate being duly qualified returns with his tutor and goes up to the president of the chapter presenting an offering and makes obeisance saying, permit me to speak, Lord. Graciously grant me Your sanction and support. He kneels down. Lord, I pray for Your sanction and support. A second time, Lord, I pray for Your sanction and support. A third time, Lord, I pray for Your sanction and support. Lord, be my superior. This is repeated three times. The president says it is well, and the candidate replies I am content. This is repeated three times. From this day forth, my Lord is my charge. I am charged to my Lord. This vow of mutual assistance is repeated three times. The candidate rises up, makes obeisance, and retires alone to the foot of the assembly where his alms bowl is strapped on his back. His tutor then goes down, takes him by the hand, and brings him back, placing him in front of the president. One of the assembled priests stands up and places himself on the other side of the candidate who thus stands between two tutors. The tutors say to the assembly, with your permission, and then proceed to examine the candidate as to his fitness to be admitted to the priest's orders. Your name is Nega. It is so, Lord. Your superior is the venerable Tisa. It is so, Lord. The two tutors say together, praise be to the blessed one, the holy one, to him who has arrived at the knowledge of all truth. They then recite the following commands of Buddha. First, it is right to appoint a superior. When the superior has been appointed, it is right to inquire whether the candidate has alms bowl and robes, which they do as follows. Is this your alms bowl? It is so, Lord. Is this the stole? It is so, Lord. Is this the upper robe? It is so, Lord. Is this the under robe? It is so, Lord. Go and stand there. The candidate here retires, going backwards in a reverential posture, and stands at the lower corner of the assembly. The tutors remain in front of the president, and one of them says, priests, hear me. The candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. Now is the time of the assembly of priests. I will instruct the candidate. The tutors make obeisance to the president and go down to the foot of the assembly and join the candidate, whom they instruct and examine as follows. Listen, Nega, this is the time for you to speak the truth, to state what has occurred. When asked concerning anything in the midst of the assembly, if it be true, it is meat to say so. If it be not true, it is meat to say that it is not. Do not hesitate. Conceal nothing. They inquire of the candidate as follows. Have you any such diseases as these? Leprosy? No, Lord. Boils? No, Lord. Itch? No, Lord. Asthma? No, Lord. Epilepsy? No, Lord. Are you a human being? Yes, Lord. Are you a male? Yes, Lord. Are you a free man? Yes, Lord. Are you free from debt? Yes, Lord. Are you exempt from military service? Yes, Lord. Have you come with the permission of your parents? Yes, Lord. Are you of the full age of 20 years? Yes, Lord. Are your arms, bowls, and robes complete? Yes, Lord. What is your name? Lord, I am called Nega. What is the name of your superior? Lord, my superior is called the venerable Tisa. The two tutors here go to the top of the assembly and make obeisance to the president, and one of them says, priests, hear me. The candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. He has been duly instructed by me. Now is the time of the assembly of priests. If the candidate is here, it is right to tell him to approach. One of the tutors says, come hither. The candidate comes up and stands between the tutors, makes obeisance to the assembly, and kneels down. Priests, I ask the assembly for ordination. Priests, have compassion on me and lift me up. A second time, lords, I ask the assembly for ordination. Lords, have compassion on me and lift me up. A third time, lords, I ask the assembly for ordination. Lords, have compassion on me and lift me up. The candidate rises up and makes obeisance. The tutors say, priests, hear me. This candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. Now is the time of the assembly of priests. I will examine the candidate respecting the disqualifications for the priestly office. Listen, Nega, this is time for you to speak the truth, to state what has occurred. I will inquire of you concerning facts. If a thing is, it is right to say it is. If a thing is not, it is right to say it is not. Have you any such diseases as these? Leprosy, no lord. Boils, no lord. Itch, no lord. Asthma, no lord. Epilepsy, no lord. Are you a human being? Yes, lord. Are you a male? Yes, lord. Are you free from debt? Yes, lord. Are you exempt from military service? Yes, lord. Have you come with the permission of your parents? Yes, lord. Are you of the full age of 20 years? Yes, lord. Are your alms bowl and robes complete? Yes, lord. What is your name? Lord, I am called Nega. What is the name of your superior? My superior lord is called the venerable Tisa. Here ends the examination in the midst of the assembly and one of the tutors reports the result as follows. This candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. He is free from disqualifications. He has his alms bowl and robes complete. The candidate asks the assembly for ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. The assembly gives the candidate ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. If any of the venerable assembly approves the ordination of the candidate under the venerable Tisa, let him be silent. If any objects let him speak. A second time I state this matter, priests hear me. The candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. He is free from disqualifications for the priestly office. His alms bowl and robes are complete. The candidate asks the priesthood for ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. The assembly gives the candidate ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. If any of the venerable assembly approves the ordination of the candidate under his superior, the venerable Tisa, let him be silent. If any objects let him speak. A third time I state this matter, priests listen. This candidate desires ordination under the venerable Tisa. He is free from disqualifications for the priestly office. His alms bowl and robes are complete. The candidate asks the priesthood for ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. The assembly gives the candidate ordination under his superior, the venerable Tisa. If any of the venerable assembly approves the ordination of the candidate under his superior, the venerable Tisa, let him be silent. If any objects let him speak. The two tutors here again make obeisance to the president and say, the candidate has received ordination from the priesthood under his superior, the venerable Tisa. The assembly approves the resolution, therefore it keeps silence, so I understand your wish. Chapter 26 of Buddhist writings This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ashwin Jain. Buddhist writings translated by Henry Clark Warren. Chapter 26. The Medicant Idol. Translated from Samyut Nikhaya. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion, the Blessed One was dwelling at Savitha in Jethwana Monastery in an Athapindika's Park, and there the Blessed One addressed the priest. Priest said, Lord, said the priest to the Blessed One in reply, and the Blessed One spoke as follows. Take pattern by the moon, O priest, when you go a-bregging, hold aloof, O priest, both in body and in mind. Never vary your welcome, nor be imputed to your benefactors, just as a man, O priest, would regard a dilapidated well of a rugged mountain or a river difficult to ford, and hold aloof both in body and in mind. In exactly the same way, O priest, take pattern by the moon when you go a-bregging, hold aloof both in body and in mind. Never vary your welcome, nor be imputed to your benefactors, just as a man, O priest, take pattern by the moon when you go a-bregging. He holds aloof both in body and in mind. Never vary his welcome, nor be imputed to his benefactors. What do you say to this, O priest? Would sort of a priest is worthy to go a-bregging? Reverent, sir, our beliefs drive from the Blessed One. Have the Blessed One for their guide and their authority. Pray, reverent, sir, let the answer to find expression in the mouth of the Blessed One. Anything the priest hear from the Blessed One will be kept in mind, then the Blessed One waved his hand in the air. Just as my hand, O priest, is not caught, nor seized, nor held fast by the air. In exactly the same way, O priest, when the mind of a priest when goes a-bregging is not caught, nor seized, nor held fast, and when willing that they should gain who wish for gain, and they should acquire merit who wished to acquire merit, he is as delighted and pleased with the gains of others as with his own. Such a priest, O priest, is worthy to go a-bregging. The mind of Kasapa, O priest, when he goes a-bregging is not caught, nor seized, nor held fast, and willing that they should gain who wish for gain, and they should acquire merit who wish to acquire merit, he is as delighted and pleased with the gains of others as with his own. What do you say to this, O priest? What sort of a priest is an unworthy teacher of the doctrine? And what sort of a priest is a worthy teacher of the doctrine? Revencer, our beliefs drive from the blessed one. I have the blessed one for their guide and their authority. Pray, reverend sir, that the meaning of the saying find expression in the mouth of the blessed one. Anything the priest hear from the blessed one will be kept in mind. Then listen, O priest, and pay strict attention, and I will speak. Yes, reverend sir, send the priest to the blessed one in assent. And the blessed one spoke as follows. Any priest, O priest, who in teaching the doctrine to others thinks as follows. O, that they may hear from me, the doctrine, and be won over by what they hear, and manifest delight towards me. Such a priest, O priest, is an unworthy teacher of the doctrine. Any priest, O priest, who in teaching the doctrine to others think as follows. The doctrine has been well taught by the blessed one, how is even in the present life, is immediate in its results, is inviting and conductive to salvation, and may be mastered by any intelligent man for himself. O, that they may hear from me, the doctrine, and be enlightened by what they hear, and as a result of the enlightenment begin to act accordingly, and thus teaches the doctrine to others, because of that doctrine's intrinsic goodness, and because of compassion, mercy, and kindness. Such a priest, O priest, is a worthy teacher of the doctrine. Kalsapa, O priest, in teaching the doctrine to others thinks as follows. The doctrine has been well taught by the blessed one, is of advantage even in the present life, is immediate in its results, is inviting and conductive to salvation, and may be mastered by any intelligent man for himself. O, that they may hear from me, the doctrine, and be enlightened by what they hear, and as a result of the enlightenment begin to act accordingly, and thus teaches the doctrine to others, because of doctrine's intrinsic goodness, and because of compassion, mercy, and kindness. I will admonish you, O priest, by the example of Kalsapa, or by that of anyone who may resemble Kalsapa, and when you have admonished begin to act accordingly. End of Chapter 26, Recording by Ashwin Jain. Chapter 27 of Buddhist writings, this is a Librivox recording, all Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Recording by Ashwin Jain. Buddhist writings, translated by Henry Clark Warren, Chapter 27, and hate not his father and mother, translated from Visuddhimaka, Chapter 3. For some persons, even mother and father, are no hindrances, as in the case of the young priest, the nephew on this mother's side of an elder who dwelt in Koran Dhaka monastery. It is related that the young priest had gone to Rohan to hear the precepts read, and the elder's sister, who was a lay devotee, used constantly to ask the elder for news of her son. One day, the elder determined to go and fetch the lad, and sit out in the direction of Rohan. The youth also left his quarters, and had issued forth from Rohan. For he said to himself, it is a long time that I have lived here, I will go now and see my preceptor, and having learned how the laywoman is doing, I will return again, and they both met in the banks of the Ganges. Then the young priest performed his respectful duties to the elder at the foot of a certain tree, and when the latter asked him, whether are you going? He dueled him, said the elder. You do well, the laywoman is always asking after you, and it is for this very reason that I am come. By all means go, and I will stay and keep precedence here. And thus he dismissed him, and the young priest arrived home at the monastery on the day for beginning residence, and they assigned to him a cell which had been built by his father. On the next day his father came, and inquired of one of the priests, reverend sir, to whom has my cell been assigned, and when he heard it had been assigned to a young stranger, a junior, and having done away since, he said, reverend sir, anyone who enters upon residence in my cell has a garment given him. What mean you, O layman, for the next three months you must beg your food at our house, and when, after the solemnity of inviting criticism, you wish to depart, come, and take leave of us, the other assented by his silence. Then the layman went home, and said to his wife, a certain reverend stranger is in the dwelling at Putha, and we must wait on him attentively, very well, said the laywoman in ascent, and prepared excellent food, both hard and soft. At breakfast time, the lad came to the house of his mother and father, but no one recognized him, and he remained three months, and always ate his alms at their house, and when residence was over, he announced to them that he was about to depart, then said his mother and father, reverend sir, you can go on the morrow, and the next day they fed him in their house, and then filled up a measure of sesame oil and gave it to him, and also a lump of sugar, in nine qubits length of clothes, and said you can go now, reverend sir, and he returned in tanks, and set out in the direction of Rohan, and his preceptor, after the solemnity of inviting criticism, was coming in the opposite direction, and met him in the place where they had met before. The lad performed his respectful duties to the elder as a foot of a certain tree, then said the elder, well my friend, did you see the laywoman, yes reverend sir, said he in reply, and told him all the news, and having anointed the feet of the elder with the sesame oil, and made him a drink with a lump of sugar, and given him the cloth, he did obeisance before him, and saying, reverend sir, Rohan is a place for me, he departed on his way, the elder came to the monastery, and on the next day entered the village of Korandaka, and the laywoman, who was always looking up the road, and saying, now my brother is coming with my son, saw him approaching alone, and fell at his feet, and wept and lamented, saying, my son, me things must be dead, inasmuch as the elder comes alone, then taught the elder, surely the lad, through the moderateness of his passions, must have gone away without announcing himself, and he comforted her, and told her the whole story, and drawing forth the cloth from the script in which he carried his bow, he showed it to her, the laywoman was pleased, and lying prostrate with a face in the direction in which her son had gone, she worshiped, saying, me things the blessed one must have had in mind a body of priest like my son, when he preached the relay course of conduct, the Nalak course of conduct, Nituvatak course of conduct, and the course of conduct customary with the great saints, showing how to take delight in the cultivation of content with the four reliances, this man ate for three months in the house of the mother who bore him, and never said, I am thy son, and thou art my mother, for the wonderful man, for such a one mother and father are no hindrances, much less say any other lay devotees, end of chapter 27, recording by Ashwin chapter 28 of buddhist writings, this is a LibriVox recording, all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain, for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ray, buddhist writings translated by Henry Clark Warren chapter 28 the story of Visakha as flowers and rich profusion piled, will many a garland furnish forth, so all the years of mortal man should fruitful be in our good works as flowers and rich profusion piled, this doctrinal instruction was given by the teacher while dwelling near Savati in eastern monastery, and it was concerning Visakha a female lay disciple, she was born we are told in the city of Badia in the kingdom of Bengal, her father Dananjaya son of Mandakha the treasurer ranked also as treasurer, and her mother was the lady Sumana his principal wife, when Visakha was seven years old the teacher perceiving that the Brahman seller and others of her city were competent to attain to salvation went thither on his wanderings accompanied by a great congregation of priests, now at that time Mandakha who was filling the office of treasurer in that city was head of a household of five persons of great merit, the five persons of great merit were Mandakha the treasurer, Paduma his principal wife, Dharanjaya his eldest son, the latter's wife Sumana and Mandakha's slave Puna, now Mandakha the treasurer was not the only person of illimitable wealth in Bhimsaara's territory there were five of them Jyothiya, Jatila, Mandakha, Punakha, Kakavaliya, when Mandakha the treasurer heard of the arrival of the one possessing the ten forces he sent for the little maid Visakha the daughter of his son Dharanjaya the treasurer and said to her dear girl this is an auspicious day for you and for me with your five hundred girl attendants mount five hundred chariots and with these five hundred female slaves as your retinue go to welcome the one possessing the ten forces very well said she and did so but as she well knew what etiquette required when she had gone as far in her carriage as was proper for carriages to go she alighted and on foot drew near to the teacher then she did him obeisance and stood respectfully at one side pleased with her behavior the teacher taught her the doctrine and at the end of the discourse she attained to the fruit of conversion together with her five hundred maidens also Mandakha the treasurer drew near to the teacher and listening to a sermon attained to the fruit of conversion and invited him for the morrow to breakfast on the next day at his own house he served the buddha and the congregation of the priests with excellent food both hard and soft and thus for a month he gave liberally and when the teacher had stopped in the city of Badia as long as he wished he departed now at that time Bimbisara and Pasenadi the Koselin were connected by marriage being each of them the husband of the other sister and one day it occurred to the Koselin king in Bimbisara's territory dwell five men of illimitable wealth while there is not one in mine suppose now I go to Bimbisara and ask him for one of these persons of great merit and going to King Bimbisara he was received cordially by the latter who then asked what was your purpose in coming in your territory dwell five men of illimitable wealth persons of great merit I have come with the intention of taking one of them back with me let me have one it would be impossible for me to move one of these great families I will not go without was the reply the king took counsel with his ministers and then said to him to move such powerful personages as Jyoti and the others would be like moving the world but Mandaka the great treasurer has a son called Dadan Jaya the treasurer I will consult with him and then give you my reply then Bimbisara sent for Dadan Jaya the treasurer and said to him dear friend the king of the Koselin says he will not return home unless you go with him therefore go with him pray say I will go if you send me then make your preparations dear friend and go so he got himself ready and the king was full of kind attentions to him and at parting formally entrusted him to Pasenadi the king and Pasenadi the king set out for Savati intending to spend one night on the way and coming to a pleasant spot they be worked there then said Dadan Jaya the treasurer whose territory are we on now my no treasurer how far is it from here to Savati seven leagues it is very crowded in a city and my sweet is a large one Sire if it so please you I will dwell here very good said the king in a scent and mapping out for him a city he gave it to him and went away and from the circumstance that the settlement in that place was made in the evening the city received the name of Saketa now there was dwelling at Savati a young man named Punavadanna who was the son of a treasurer named Migara and had just come of age and his mother and father said to him son choose yourself a wife from what family you please oh I have no use for anything of that sort son act not so no family can last without children well then said he when they continually insisted if I can have a girl endowed with the five beauties I will do as you say but son what are these five beauties beauty of hair beauty of flesh beauty of bone beauty of skin and beauty of youth the hair of a woman who is experiencing the reward of great merit is like a peacock's tail and when it is loosened and allowed to fall reaches to the bottom of the tunic where the ends turn and point upwards this is beauty of hair the lips are of a fine color resembling a bright red gourd and are smooth and pleasant to touch this is beauty of flesh the teeth are white with even interstices resembling a row of diamonds set upright or evenly cut mother of pearl this is beauty of bone the skin even without the application of sandalwood perfume or any rouge or other cosmetic is glossy like a blue lotus wreath and white like a wreath of kanikara flowers this is beauty of skin she possesses a youthfulness as fresh when she has brought forth 10 times as if she had brought forth but once this is beauty of youth then his mother and father invited and entertained 108 brahmanas and inquired of them are there any women endowed with the five beauties assuredly there are then let eight of you go in search of a girl of this description and giving them a liberal present they continued when you return we will remember you again go search for a girl of this description and as soon as you find her put on her this decoration and with what that they placed in their hands a gold wreath worth a hundred thousand pieces of money and dismissed them so the eight brahmanas went searching through all the large cities but discovered no girl endowed with the five beauties then they turned back and as they were returning they chanced to arrive at saketa on public day now thought they are mission will be affected it seems that every year in that city there was a held a festival called public day then all those ladies who are not in the habit of going out of doors issue forth from their homes with their attendants and show themselves in public going on foot to the banks of the river and on the same day they do this all the rich men sons of the warrior and other caste station themselves alongside the paths in order to put garlands on the heads of any pretty girls they may see of equal rank with themselves and these brahmanas came also and stationed themselves in a hall of the banks of the river at that moment vizakha then some fifteen or sixteen years old came to that place on her way to bathe in the river being decked in all her ornaments and attended by five hundred maidens and suddenly a cloud arose and it began to rain the five hundred maidens took to running and sought refuge in the hall the brahmanas scanned them carefully but saw not one among them and out with the five beauties then vizakha came up at her natural gate and entered the hall and her garments and ornaments were wet the brahmanas perceived that she had four of the beauties and being desirous of seeing her teeth they began conversing among themselves saying our daughter is of a lazy disposition her husband we must need suppose will have to content himself with sour gruel then said vizakha what is that you are saying dear girl we say thus and so they say the sound of her voice was sweet sounding forth like the tones of a gong of bell metal then with a sweet voice she asked them again why do you say that your attendant women came running to this hall and did not get their garments or their ornaments wet but though it is but a little way you did not run at all and got your garments and ornaments wet this is why we speak as we do good sirs say not so i am better able to run than they but i had my reasons for not running what were they dear girl good sirs there are four things which do not appear to advantage when running and there is another reason dear girl what are the four things good sirs an anointed and richly dressed king does not appear to advantage when he binds up his loincloth and runs in a royal court everyone finds fault saying how is it this great king rushes around like any householder he appears to advantage when walking at a slow gate the king's cabraisoned state elephant does not appear to advantage when running he appears to advantage when marching at an elephant's natural dignified pace a man who has retired from the world does not appear to advantage when running everyone finds fault saying how is it this monk rushes about like any layman he appears to advantage when adopting a tranquil gate no woman appears to advantage when running people justly find fault with her saying how is it this woman rushes about like a man these four do not appear to advantage when running but what dear girl was your other reason good sirs a daughter is brought up by her mother and father who put a value on every limb in her body for we are goods for sale they bring us up in order to marry us into another family if we should run and stumble either over our skirts or over some obstacle on the ground and in falling should break either a hand or foot we should remain as burdens on our families but articles of ornament if they get wet can dry this good sirs was my reason for not running all the while she was talking the brahmins were beholding the splendor of her teeth such splendor as they felt they had never seen before and having applauded her speech they took the gold wreath and placed it on her head and said you dear girl are the one whom this befits then she asked them good sirs from what city are you come from savati dear girl the treasurer the head of the family what is his name his name dear girl is migara the treasurer and my young master what is his name he is the young punavadana dear girl having thus ascertained that the family was of equal cost to her own she sent a message to her father to send the chariot for although she had come on foot it is not allowed to maidens to return in that manner when once they have been decorated with the wreath the daughters of influential families return in chariots and the like others either mount ordinary carriages or walk under a palm leaf parasol or if that is lacking they raise the skirts of their cloaks and throw them over their shoulders in present instance her father sent her 500 chariots and she and her attendants mounted and returned home while the brahmins accompanied them then set the treasurer to the brahmins when sir you come from savati great treasurer the treasurer what is his name mugara the treasurer what is the son's name young punavadana the riches how great are the riches 400 millions great treasurer his riches by the side of ours are but as a farthing however from the time one obtains a protector for a maiden why look for anything else thus he gave his consent after a day or two of hospitable entertainment he dismissed them and they returned to savati and announced to mugara the treasurer we have found the girl whose daughter is she darangaya the treasurer's that is a powerful personage whose daughter you have secured for us we must go quickly to fetch her then he went and announced to the king the circumstances of the case and that he must needs absent himself for a while and the king thought to himself this is the great personage whom i removed from before bim spisara and settled in sakkata i ought to pay him some attention and he said to mugara the treasurer i too will go very good sire replied the other and sent the following message to darangaya the treasurer when i come the king will come also and the king's army is large shall you be able to take care of so many people or not the return message came let 10 kings come if they wish the mugara the treasurer took all the inhabitants of that large city leaving barely enough to guard the houses and when he had come within half a league of sakkata he halted and sent a message announcing his arrival then darangaya the treasurer after sending out to him a large present consulted with his daughter my dear said he i hear that your father-in-law has come with the king of the corselands which house shall we get ready for him which for the king and which ones for the deputy kings now clever was the treasurer's daughter with a fully matured and keen intellect the result of longing expressed an aspiration cherished through a hundred thousand world cycles and she gave orders let such and such a house be got ready for my father-in-law such another for the king and such others for the deputy kings after making these arrangements she next summoned the slaves and servants and said to them let so many of you wait on the king and so many on the deputy kings and do you who are hostels and the like take care of the elephants horses and other beasts for our guests must have a merry time while they are here such were her orders and why so that none might say we came to visaka's merry-making and got nothing for our pains but spent our time looking after our beasts that same day visaka's father sent for five hundred goldsmiths and giving them a thousand neakers of red gold besides silver gems pearls coral diamonds etc enough to go with he said make for my daughter what is called the great creeper purure after a remaining a few days the king sent a message to dalangaya the treasurer saying it is too great a load for a simple treasure to feed and take care of us be pleased to appoint a time for the maidens departure but dalangaya the treasurer returned word to the king the rainy season is now come and you can well afford to remain four months let everything pertaining to your army be my care it will be time enough for your majesty to go when i dismiss you from that time on it was like a continual festival for the city of saketa from the king down everyone was provided with garlands perfumes garments and other gifts so that each one felt himself the a special object of the treasurer's hospitality thus three months went by but the purure was not yet finished then came the masters of ceremonies and announced the treasurer there is no lack of anything else but the army has not sufficient wood to cook its meals go my dear sirs take all the tumbledown elephant stables and other buildings of the kind in the city and all the dilapidated houses and use them for cooking fuel this wood did the cooking for half a month and thereupon they again announced to the treasurer there is no wood at this time in the year one cannot go for wood but open the storehouses where stuffs are kept and make wicks of the coarse cloths dip them in vessels of oil and so cook your meals they did so for half a month and thus four months had gone by and the purure was finished there was no thread in this purure silver was used instead when this purure was on it extended from head to foot at the latter place where bunches of gold medals and silver dies on the crown of the head was a medal at the top of the ears two at the throat one at the knees two at the elbows two and at the sides of the waist two now a part of this purure consisted of a peacock and there were 500 feathers of red gold in the wing on the right side and 500 in the one on the left side the beak was of coral the eyes were of jewels and likewise the neck and the tail feathers the mid rips of the feathers were of silver and likewise the shanks of the legs when placed in position of visaka's head it appeared like a peacock dancing on the summit of a mountain and the sound which came from the thousand mid rips rolled forth like the tones of celestial choruses and orchestras and it was only when people had come quite close that they knew it was not a real peacock this purure was worth 19 millions and a hundred thousand was spent on the workmanship but what was the deed in a previous existence which caused her to obtain this purure they say that in the time of kasapa buddha she gave cloth for robes to 20 000 priests also thread and needles and dye material all her own property and the purure was the result of this liberality for the giving of robes by a woman attains its fruition in the great creeper purure by a man in the supernatural ball and robes when the great treasurer had thus spent four months in getting ready his daughter's trousseau he began giving her the dowry he gave 500 carts full of money 500 carts full of goat dishes 500 full of silver dished 500 full of copper dishes 500 full of silk garments 500 full of clarified butter 500 full of husked rice and 500 full of plow shares and other implements they say the reason why he thus gave her all manner of implements was for fear that his daughter in her new home might need something and the oblige to send to her neighbors for it and he gave 1500 waiting maids whose duties were to bathe feed and dress her all of them handsome slaves and richly dressed and riding in 500 chariots three to each several chariot then he determined to give his daughter some cattle and gave orders to his men look you now go and open the door of my lesser cattle fold and post yourselves for a distance of three quarters of a league and at every quarter league have a drum and let the space across from side to side be a hundred and forty cubits and let not the cows transgress those limits and as soon as you get them in position sound your drums they did so when the cows passed out of the fold and had gone a quarter league the men gave a signal with the drum and again at the end of the second quarter league and again at the third quarter league and they hemmed them in at the sides thus for a space of three quarters of a league in length and a hundred and forty cubits across the cows stood so close that they chafed one another then said the great treasurer that is enough cows for my daughter shut the door so they shut the door of the fold but not withstanding the door was shut such was the effect of visakas merit that the vigorous bulls and the milk cows leapt up and got out and in spite of all the men could do to prevent them sixty thousand vigorous bulls and sixty thousand milk cows got out and behind the milk cows followed vigorous bull calves what was the deed in a previous existence by reason of which the cattle thus got out because once she kept on giving in spite of the efforts people made to stop her as tradition has it in the time of the supreme buddha kasapa she was the youngest of the seven daughters of king kiki and her name was servant of the congregation and so as she was once giving the five products of the cow in arms to twenty thousand priests the young priests and the novices cried enough and close their hands up tight but not withstanding their efforts to prevent her she kept on giving saying here is a sweet bit here is a dainty morsel this was the reason the cattle kept on coming out not withstanding the efforts made to prevent them when the treasurer had got thus far in his giving his wife said to him you have assigned goods to my daughter but no male and female vassals to do her bidding why is this because i want to find out who are fond of her and who are not of course i shall vassals with her to do her bidding when she comes to mount her chariot to depart i shall make proclamation let all who wish to go with my daughter do so and let all others stay at home now the day before she was to depart the treasurer sat in his room and had this daughter by him and he admonished her telling her what rules of conduct she should adopt when she came to dwell in her husband's family and it happened that migara the treasurer was seated in the next room and overheard the admonition of that anjaya the treasurer which was as follows my child as long as you dwell in your father-in-law's family the indoor fire is not to be taken out of doors outdoor fire is not to be brought within doors give only to him who gives give not to him who does not give give both to him who gives and to him who does not give sit happily eat happily sleep happily wait upon the fire and reverence the household divinities this was the tenfold admonition on the next day he assembled the different guilds of artisans and in this presence of the royal army he appointed eight householders to be sponsors of his daughter saying you are to try any charge of sin that may be brought against my daughter in her new home next he had his daughter put on her great creeper perure that was worth ninety millions and gave her besides five hundred and forty millions with which to buy aromatic powders for her bath and causing her to mount a chariot he took her about in the neighborhood of saketa as far as to anuda pura through fourteen villages that were subject to him and as he went through one after another he caused proclamation to be made let all who wished to go with my daughter go on hearing the proclamation all the inhabitants of the fourteen villages without exception issued saying when our mistresses on the point of leaving why stay we here then dad and jaya the treasurer full of polite attentions to the king and megara the treasurer accompanied them a short distance on their way and having entrusted his daughter into their hands he took leave of them and megara the treasurer rode in a conveyance behind the doors and beholding the great crowd of people following he asked pray who are these they are male and female vassals to do the bidding of your daughter-in-law who could ever feed so many beat and drive them away and keep only those who do not run hold cried visakha do not drive them away the one army can feed the other but the treasurer persisted saying my dear girl we have no use for them who is there to feed them and he caused is meant to fling clots of earth at them and to beat them with sticks and all those who did not run he took with him saying these are a plenty when visakha approached the gate of the city of savati she began to reflect shall I enter seated in a covered conveyance or standing erect in a chariot then she thought if i am in a covered conveyance when i enter no one will see the elegance of my great creeper peru so she entered the city standing in her chariot and showing herself to the whole town and when the inhabitants of savati beheld the magnificence of visakha they said this then is visakha truly her magnificence becomes her well and thus it was in great pomp that she entered the treasurer's house then all the inhabitants of the city send gifts to her according to their power and according to their ability for they thought that anjaya the treasurer was exceedingly hospitable to us when we went to a city but visakha took all the gifts that were sent her and distributed them to the different families everywhere throughout the city and in sending she accompanied each gift with an affectionate message this is for my mother this is for my father this is for my brother and this is for my sister thus treating each one according to age and making as it were all the inhabitants of the city her relatives now towards the end of the night her thoroughbred mare gave birth to a fall and visakha accompanied by her female slaves bearing torches went to the stable and superintended while they washed the mare with warm water and anointed her with oil then she returned to her own quarters end of chapter 28 recording by ray chapter 29 of buddhist writings this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information nor to volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by ray buddhist writings translated by henry clark warren chapter 29 the story of visakha part 2 now migara the treasurer had for a long time been favorably disposed to the sect of naked Aztecs and urged by his feeling though the buddha was dwelling in a neighboring monastery he neglected him in the festivities of his son's wedding but determined to do the naked Aztecs and honor so on a certain day he had some rice peraged cooked in a several hundred new dishes and extended an invitation to five hundred of the unclothed and when he had got them all into his house he sent a message to visakha saying let my daughter-in-law come and do reverence to the saints when visakha heard the word saints she was greatly delighted for she had been converted and was a noble disciple but when she came to the place where they were eating and beheld them she was angry with the treasurer and returned to her own quarters saying reproachfully these persons so devoid of shame and fear of sinning cannot be saints why did my father-in-law have me summoned why oh householder did you not find someone else for a daughter-in-law you have introduced into your house an errant misfortune breeder a discipline of the monk gotama make haste and have her expelled from the house it is out of the question thought the treasurer for me to expel her just because these men tell me to do so she is from too powerful a family and he dismissed them saying your reverences young people sometimes act without knowing what they are about hold your peace then he sat down on a costly seat and began to eat the sweet rice porridge from a golden ball at that moment a buddhist elder on his begging rounds entered the house visakha was standing fanning her father-in-law and saw him and thinking it would not be fitting for me to announce him to my father-in-law she moved off in such a way as to call his attention to the elder but the foolish unconverted man although he saw the elder made as if he did not see him and with head bent down he kept on eating pass on reverence sir said visakha when she perceived that her father-in-law made no sign notwithstanding he had seen the elder my father-in-law is eating stale fare the treasurer although he had born with the talk of the naked Aztecs the moment she said he is eating stale fare removed his hand from his ball and exclaimed take away this rice porridge and turn the girl out of the house to think that she should accuse me and in a time of festivity too of eating anything unclean but all the slaves and servants in the house belonged to visakha who was there to seize her by hand or foot there was not one who dared so much as open his mouth father said visakha after listening to him i'll not leave so easily as you seem to think i am not a common prostitute picked up at some river bathing place and daughters whose parents are still living are not turned out so easily now my father has provided for this very case when i was starting to come hither he summoned eight householders and put me in their charge saying if any charge of sin be made against my daughter investigated have these men summoned and established my guilt or innocence she speaks well said the treasurer and had the eight householders summoned said he this young girl when i was seated in a time of festivity eating rice porridge from a golden ball said i was eating what was unclean find her guilty and turn her out dear girl is it so as he says that is not as i say but when a certain elder on his begging rounds came and stood in the doorway my father-in-law who was eating sweet rice porridge paid no attention to him then i thought my father-in-law is not acquiring any merit in this existence but is consuming old stale merit so i said pass on reverend sir my father-in-law is eating stale fare now what fault is there of mine there is none our daughter speaks justly why are you angry with her sirs granted that this is no fault but one night in the middle watch she went out behind the house accompanied by her male and female slaves dear girl is it so as he says good sirs i went for no other reason but that i thought when a thorough bred mare was bringing forth in this very house it would not do to sit still and make no sign so i had my slave girls take torches and went and caused the mare to receive the attention suitable for a time of falling sir our daughter does in your house work that is unfit even for slave girls what fault can you discover here sirs granted that here also there is no fault her father however was admonishing her at the time she was starting to come hither and gave her 10 admonitions of a deeply hidden meaning and i do not understand them let her tell me their meaning for instance her father said the indoor fire is not to be taken out of doors is it possible pray for us to get on with our neighbors without ever sending fire to their households is it so as he says dear girl good sirs my father did not mean that by what he said but this is what he meant dear girl if you notice any fault in your mother-in-law or your father-in-law or your husband do not tell of it outside in someone else's house there is no worse fire than this sir so be it but her father said outdoor fire is not to be brought within doors would it be possible if our indoor fire were to go out for us not to fetch the fire from outside is it so as he says dear girl good sirs my father did not mean that by what he said but this is what he meant if any of your neighbors were the male or female speak ill of your father-in-law or of your husband do not bring their talk home and repeat it by saying so-and-so has this or that to say of you for there is no fire comparable to this fire thus in this point also she was guiltless and as in this case so also in the others and the following is their purport when her father said to her give only to him who gives he meant give only to those who give borrowed articles back again and give not to him who does not give meant give not to those who do not give back again what they borrow give both to him who gives and to him who does not give meant when your needy relatives and friends come to you you should give to them whether they are able to repay you or not sit happily meant when you see your mother-in-law or your father-in-law or your husband you should rise and not keep your seat eat happily meant you should not eat before your mother-in-law or your father-in-law or your husband you must eat after you have waited on them and they have been helped to everything they wish sleep happily meant do not ascend your couch to lie down to sleep before your mother-in-law your father-in-law or your husband but when you have done for them all the different services which should be done you can afterwards yourself lie down to sleep wait upon the fire meant you should look upon your mother-in-law your father-in-law and your husband as if they were a flame of fire or a royal serpent reverence the household divinities meant you should look upon your mother-in-law your father-in-law and your husband as your divinities when thus the treasurer had heard the meaning of the 10 admonitions he was unable to find any reply and sat with downcast eyes the householders then said to him treasurer is there any other sin in our daughter sirs there is none then if she is guiltless why did you attempt without course to turn her out of doors good sirs said visaka at this point in the discussion although at first it was not fitting that i should leave at the command of my father-in-law yet now that you whom my father appointed to try charges which might be brought against me have found me guiltless it is a good time to go so saying she gave orders to her male and female slaves to get ready the carriages and make the other necessary preparations dear girl i spoke in ignorance pardon me said then the treasurer speaking half to the householders good sir i do pardon you all there is too pardon i am however daughter in a family that has studied and has faith in the religion of the buddha and to see something of the congregation of the priests is necessary to us if i can be allowed to wait on the congregation of the priests at my pleasure i will stay dear girl wait on your monks as much as you please was the reply visaka accordingly sent an invitation to the one possessing the ten forces and on the next day received him at her house and the naked monks when they heard that the teacher had gone to the house of megara the treasurer went also and sat down outside the house encompassing it visaka having given the water of donation sent a message to her father-in-law all the arrangements for the entertainment are ready let my father-in-law come and wait on the one possessing the ten forces but as he was about to go the naked Aztecs restrained him saying oh householder go not near the monk gotama so he sent back word let my daughter-in-law wait on him herself when she had waited on the buddha and on the congregation of the priests that followed him and the meal was now at an end she again sent a message let my father-in-law come and hear the sermon if i were not to go now it would not do at all said then the treasurer for he was very desirous of hearing the doctrine well then said the naked monks when they saw he was bent on going you may listen to the doctrine of the monk gotama if you will sit outside of a curtain then they went ahead of him and drew a curtain around and he went and sat down outside the curtain but the teacher thought sit outside of a curtain if you will or beyond a wall or beyond a mountain or at the end of the world i am the buddha and can make you hear my voice and marching as it were with a mighty jambu trunk held aloft and showering down as it were showers of ambrosia he began to teach the doctrine in consecutive discourse now when a supreme buddha teaches the doctrine those in front and those behind and those beyond a hundred or a thousand worlds and those even who inhabit the abode of the sublime gods exclaim the teacher is looking at me the teacher is teaching the doctrine to me to each one it seems as if the teacher were beholding and addressing him alone the buddhas they say resemble the moon as the moon in the midst of the heavens appears to every living being as if over his head so the buddhas appear to everyone as of standing in front of him this gift is said to be their reward for liberality in previous existences when for the benefit of others they cut off their own garlanded heads gouged out their own eyes tore out their own hearts and gave away to be slaves son such as jali daughters such as kanha jina and wives such as maddie amigara the treasurer as he sat outside the curtain and turned over and over in his mind the teaching of the tatagata became established in the thousand-fold automated fruit of conversion and acquired an immovable and unquestioning faith in the three refuges then raising the curtain he approached his daughter-in-law and taking her breast in his hand he said from this day forth you are my mother thus giving her the position of mother and henceforth she was known as migara's mother and when later on she had a son she named him migara the great treasurer then let go his daughter-in-law's breast and went and fell at the feet of the blessed one and stroking them with his hands and kissing them with his lips he three times proclaimed his own name reverend sir i am migara reverend sir continued he all this time have i been without knowing that on you should one bestow arms to obtain great reward but now i have learnt it thanks to my daughter-in-law and i'm released from all danger of being reborn in the lower state of existence truly it was for my advantage and for my welfare that my daughter-in-law came to my house so saying he pronounced the following stanza now have i learnt where rich reward will surely follow every gift truly a happy day for me when first my daughter sought my home visakha invited the teacher again for the next day on her own account and on the day after her mother-in-law also attained to the fruit of conversion and henceforth that house kept open doors for the religion of the Buddha then thought the treasurer my daughter-in-law is a great benefactress to me i must make her a present and truly her present perure is too heavy for every day wear i will have a very light one made which she can wear both by day and by night in all the four postures and he had made what is called a highly polished perure worth a thousand pieces of money and when it was finished he invited the Buddha and the congregation of the priests and assiduously waited on them at breakfast and causing visakha to bathe herself with 16 pitcher falls of perfumed water he placed her in front of the teacher and putting her perure upon her he had her due obeisance then the teacher after giving thanks for the repast returned to the monastery and visakha continued to give alms and do other deeds of merit and to receive the eight boons from the teacher and as the crescent of the moon waxes great in the sky so did she increase in sons and daughters they say she had 10 sons and 10 daughters and of each had 10 sons and 10 daughters and of these each also had 10 sons and 10 daughters thus the children and children's children which had sprung from her numbered 8 420 persons she lived to be 120 years old but there was not a single gray hair on her head always she appeared as if about 16 when people saw her on her way to the monastery surrounded by her children and children's children there are always those who inquired which of these is visakha those who saw her as she walked would think i hope she will walk a little further our lady looks well when she walks and those who saw her stand or sit or lie would think i hope she will lie a little longer now our lady looks well when she is lying down thus in respect of the four postures it could not be charged against her that there was any one posture in which she did not look well moreover she was as strong as five elephants and the king hearing that visakha was currently reported to be as strong as five elephants was desirous of testing her own strength and one day as when she was on her way back from the monastery where she had been to hear a sermon he let loose an elephant against her the elephant lifting his trunk came on to meet visakha of her 500 attendant women some fled away while others threw their arms about her and when she asked what the matter was they replied they say the king is desirous of testing your iron strength and has let loose an elephant against you when visakha saw the elephant she thought what is the need of my running away it is only a question how i shall take hold of him and being afraid that if she seized him roughly it might kill him she took hold of his trunk with two fingers and pressed him back the elephant was unable to either to resist or to keep his fret and fell back on his haunches in the royal court there upon the crowd shouted bravo and she and her attendants reached home in safety end of chapter 29 recording by ray