SBE 19: Kiouen IV: Varga 16. Bimbisâra Râga Becomes A Disciple

And now those five men, Asvagit, Vâshpa, and the others, having heard that he (Kaundinya) 'knew' the law, with humble mien and self-subdued,

Their hands joined, offered their homage, and looked with reverence in the teacher's face. Tathâgata, by wise expedient, caused them one by one to embrace the law.

And so from first to last the five Bhikshus obtained reason and subdued their senses, like the five stars which shine in heaven, waiting upon the brightening moon.

'The most excellent, refreshing, Nirvâna, quiet and unmoved, free from sorrow.' Yasas hearing Buddha's exhortation, there rose much joy within his heart,

And in the place of the disgust he felt, the cooling streams of holy wisdom found their way, as when one enters first a cold pellucid lake. Advancing then, he came where Buddha was;

His person decked with common ornaments, his mind already freed from all defects; by power of the good root obtained in other births, he quickly reached the fruit of an Arhat;

'The layman and the hermit are the same, when only both have banished thought of "self," but if the heart be twined with carnal bonds, what use the marks of bodily attention?

'He who wears martial decorations, does so because by valour he has triumphed o’er an enemy,--so he who wears the hermit's colour’d robe, does so for having vanquished sorrow as his foe.'

Then he bade him come, and be a member of his church (a Bhikshu); and at the bidding to! his garments changed! and he stood wholly attired in hermit's dress, complete; in heart and outward look, a Sramana.

Now (Yasas) had in former days some light companions, in number fifty and four; when these beheld their friend a hermit, they. too, one by one, attained true wisdom [entered the true law];

By virtue of deeds done in former births, these deeds now bore their perfect fruit. Just as when burning ashes are sprinkled by water, the water being dried, the flame bursts forth.

'Go then through every country, convert those not yet converted; throughout the world that lies burnt up with sorrow, teach everywhere; (instruct) those lacking right instruction;

'Only this fire grot where I sacrifice, this is a cool and fit place for the purpose, but an evil dragon dwells there, who is accustomed, as he can, to poison men.'

Buddha replied, 'Permit me only, and for the night I'll take my dwelling there,' Kâsyapa made many difficulties, but the world-honoured one still asked the favour.

Then Kâsyapa addressed Buddha, 'My mind desires no controversy, only I have my fears and apprehensions, but follow you your own good pleasure.'

Buddha forthwith stepped within the fiery grot, and took his seat with dignity and deep reflection; and now the evil Nâga seeing Buddha, belched forth in rage his fiery poison,

And filled the place with burning vapour. But this could not affect the form of Buddha. Through-out the abode the fire consumed itself, the honoured of the world still sat composed:

Even as Brahma, in the midst of the kalpa-fire that burns and reaches to the Brahma heavens, still sits unmoved, without a thought of fear or apprehension,

(So Buddha sat); the evil Nâga seeing him, his face glowing with peace, and still unchanged, ceased his poisonous blast, his heart appeased; he bent his head and worshipped.

Kâsyapa in the night seeing the fire-glow, sighed;

Then Kâsyapa and his followers at morning light came one and all to look. Now Buddha having subdued the evil Nâga, had straightway placed him in his pâtra,

(Beholding which) and seeing the power of Buddha, Kâsyapa conceived within him deep and secret thoughts: 'This Gotama,' he thought, 'is deeply versed (in religion), but still he said, "I am a master of religion."'

Seeing him now dressed as a hermit, and all his followers with him, having got knowledge of the miraculous law--strange thoughts engaged their minds-- 1324

'Our brother having submitted thus, we too should also follow him (they said).' Thus the three brothers, with all their band of followers,

'All is done that should be done, and hereafter shall be no more life (bhava).' Thus the thousand Bhikshus hearing the world-honoured preach,

Bowing down at Buddha's feet, he asked him, with respect, about his health of body; Buddha in his turn, having made enquiries, begged him to be seated on one side.

Then the king's mind reflected silently: 'This Sâkya must have great controlling power, to subject to his will these Kâsyapas who now are round him as disciples.'

Buddha, knowing all thoughts, spoke thus to Kâsyapa, questioning him: 'What profit have you found in giving up your fire-adoring law?'

Kâsyapa hearing Buddha's words, rising with dignity before the great assembly, bowed lowly down, and then with clasped hands and a loud voice addressing Buddha, said:

'The profit I received, adoring the fire spirit, was this,--continuance in the wheel of life, birth and death with all their sorrows growing,--this service I have therefore cast away;

'Diligently I persevered in fire-worship, seeking to put an end to the five desires, in return I found desires endlessly increasing, therefore have I cast off this service.

'Sacrificing thus to fire with many Mantras, I did but miss (i.e. I did not find) escape from birth; receiving birth, with it came all its sorrows, therefore I cast it off and sought for rest.

'I was versed, indeed, in self-affliction, my mode of worship largely adopted, and counted of all most excellent, and yet I was opposed to highest wisdom.

'Therefore have I discarded it, and gone in quest

'And as I gained the knowledge of this truth, then I cast off the law of worshipping the fire (or, by fire).' The honoured-of-the-world, hearing Kâsyapa declaring his experience of truth,

Wishing to move the world throughout to conceive a heart of purity and faith, addressing Kâsyapa further, said,' Welcome! great master, welcome!

'Rightly have you distinguished law from law, and well obtained the highest wisdom; now before this great assembly, pray you! exhibit your excellent endowments;

'As any rich and wealthy noble opens for view his costly treasures, causing the poor and sorrow-laden multitude to increase their forgetfulness awhile;

'(So do you now) and honour well your lord's instruction.' Forthwith in presence of the assembly, gathering up his body and entering Samâdhi, calmly he ascended into space,

And there displayed himself, walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, emitting fiery vapour from his body, on his right and left side water and fire, not burning and not moistening him;

Then clouds and rain proceeded from him, thunder with lightning shook the heaven and earth; thus he drew the world to look in adoration, with eyes undazzled as they gazed;

With different mouths, but all in language one, they magnified and praised this wondrous spectacle, then afterwards drawn by spiritual force, they came and worshipped at the master's feet,

Drawing the world as universal witness, the assembly was convinced that he, the world-honoured, was truly the 'Omniscient!'

Buddha, perceiving that the whole assembly was ready as a vessel to receive the law, spoke thus to Bimbisâra Râga: 'Listen now and understand;

'Of those who maintain the truth of it, some say the "I" endures, some say it perishes; taking the two extremes of birth and death, their error is most grievous!

'For if they say the "I" (soul) is perishable, the fruit they strive for, too, will perish; and at some time there will be no hereafter, this is indeed a meritless deliverance.

'But if they say the "I" is not to perish, then in the midst of all this life and death there is but one identity (as space), which is not born and does not die.

'If this is what they call the "I," then are all things living, one--for all have this unchanging self--not perfected by any deeds, but self-perfect;

'If so, if such a self it is that acts, let there be no self-mortifying conduct, the self is lord and master; what need to do that which is done?

'For if this "I" is lasting and imperishable, then reason would teach it never can be changed. But now we see the marks of joy and sorrow, what room for constancy then is here?

'Knowing that birth brings this deliverance then I put away all thought of sin's defilement; the whole world, everything, endures! what then becomes of this idea of rescue.

'We cannot even talk of putting self away, truth is the same as falsehood, it is not "I" that do a thing, and who, forsooth, is he that talks of "I?"

'No doer and no knower, no lord, yet notwithstanding this, there ever lasts this birth and death, like morn and night ever recurring. But now attend to me and listen;

'The senses six and their six objects united cause the six kinds of knowledge, these three (i.e. senses, objects, and resulting knowledge) united bring forth contact, then the intervolved effects of recollection (follow).

'Then like the burning glass and tinder thro’ the sun's power cause fire to appear, so thro’ the knowledge born of sense and object, the lord (of knowledge) (self) (like the fire) is born.

'The shoot springs from the seed, the seed is not the shoot, not one and yet not different, such is the birth of all that lives.'

The honoured of the world preaching the truth, the equal and impartial paramârtha, thus addressed the king with all his followers. Then king Bimbisâra filled with joy,

Removing from himself defilement, gained religious sight, a hundred thousand spirits also, hearing the words of the immortal law, shook off and lost the stain of sin.

Footnotes