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Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

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REST AND REPOSE. 1 1<br />

<strong>the</strong> "World-honoured opened his- mouth, and uttered <strong>the</strong>se<br />

stanz<strong>as</strong> :<br />

—<br />

" My life is now at rest, with no anger amongst<br />

those who are angry (or those who hate). Men<br />

indeed on all sides feel anger, but my life (conduct)<br />

is free <strong>from</strong> anger. My life is now at rest, free<br />

<strong>from</strong> dise<strong>as</strong>e amongst <strong>the</strong> dise<strong>as</strong>ed ; all men suffer<br />

<strong>from</strong> dise<strong>as</strong>e, to me <strong>the</strong>re is none. My life is now<br />

at rest, sorrowless in <strong>the</strong> midst of sorrow ; all men<br />

have sorrow, but I have none. My life is now at<br />

rest, in perfect peace, without any personal aim<br />

{v)ou wei), feeding on (unearthly) joys, like <strong>the</strong><br />

bright gods above (Abh^svar<strong>as</strong>). My life is now<br />

at rest, calm, indifferent, with no thought about<br />

' what I must do.' Pile up <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> wood, and let<br />

<strong>the</strong> fire encircle me ; but how can it touch such an<br />

one <strong>as</strong> I ? " 1<br />

On this <strong>the</strong> villagers embraced <strong>the</strong> faith and became<br />

Eahats, and Buddha and his followers returned through<br />

<strong>the</strong> air to <strong>the</strong> bamboo grove, on which occ<strong>as</strong>ion <strong>the</strong> Worldhonoured<br />

explained to Ananda that in former days, when<br />

he had been a Pratyeka 2 Buddha, he had, underneath this<br />

same tree, obtained Nirvana, and because <strong>the</strong> villagers had<br />

piously burnt his body, and collected his relics and placed<br />

<strong>the</strong>m in a c<strong>as</strong>ket, and done reverence to <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>the</strong>y were<br />

now privileged to hear him preach, and so had obtained<br />

<strong>the</strong> fruition of <strong>the</strong> Paths. After this explanation, count-<br />

less Dev<strong>as</strong> obtained knowledge of <strong>the</strong> Paths.<br />

2. In days of old, when Buddha w<strong>as</strong> residing ia <strong>the</strong> Jeta-<br />

vana, at Srav<strong>as</strong>ti, <strong>the</strong>re were four Bhikshus seated under<br />

1 Compare Max Miiller's note (200) for Pratyeka is "pi-chi," evidently<br />

about <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> King of Mi- <strong>the</strong> translation of <strong>the</strong> F^li or M&gadht<br />

thiia.<br />

"Paoce(ko)."<br />

' Observe that <strong>the</strong> Chinese phr<strong>as</strong>e<br />

5

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