Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada
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