Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

IMPERMANENCY. 37
to become a Bhiksliunt, whicli being readily granted, she
assumed the robes and the tonsure, and soon became a
Eahat, and all the rest who heard the words of Buddha
were filled with inexpressible joy.
6. In days of old when Buddha was dwelling in the
Bamboo Garden near Eajagriha, preaching the Law,
there was a certain Brahmach§,rin and his three brothers,
who had obtained spiritual perception, and thereby knew
that after seven days they would have to die. On which
they said— "By our spiritual power we can overturn
heaven and earth, touch the sun and moon, move mountains,
and check the flowing torrent, but yet after all we
cannot arrest death." Then one said, " I will seek out in
the depths of ocean this Demon of inconstancy and
destroy him." Another said, " I will rend Mount Sumeru
in twain, and enter there to seek this Demon of inconstancy
to destroy him." Another said, "I^will mount
into remotest space to seek the Demon of inconstancy and
destroy him." Another said, " I will enter the bowels of
the earth to seek him and destroy him." The King of the
country having heard of these men, came tp Buddha to
inquire respecting the point, on which the Honoured of the
world explained that there were four things which, whilst
we are in the world (jjin), cannot be escaped, ist. It is
impossible to avoid birth in some form or other; 2d,
Having been born it is impossible to escape old age
3d, When old, it is inlpossible to escape infirmity and
disease ; 4th, Under these circumstances, it is impossible
to escape death—and then he added these verses and
said
—
'* Neither in space, nor in the depths of ocean,^
1 This verse agrees with v. 128 of Dhanunapada are; take, e.g., the
the Southern version. It occnrs in pada preceding the one just named
Cod. iii. K. II. fol. f. I wouM here in Cod. iii. " Doing evil, you wUl go
notice (by the way) how singularly to Hell. Doing good (or "preparcurt
and definite these verses of ing," or "practising" good), you will
;