Part 8

If the worlds were real and permanent, they would always retain their original forms and primordial natures, and be subject neither to the influence of time nor the Law of change.—_Chinese Annotation_.

“Subhuti, this characteristic of the one ‘harmonious principle,’ is a thing which cannot be spoken of in words; it is only the vain philosophy of the world, which has grasped the idea of explaining this.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.

This noteworthy statement seems to militate against some opinions expressed in Europe regarding the Buddhist theory of “matter.” According to our Chinese text, it does not appear that Sakyamuni Buddha categorically denied the “presence” or “existence” of matter in the universe, but endeavoured rather to indicate the diversified and evanescent nature of its “forms” and “qualities.” Many devout Buddhists regard even the smallest particle of dust as containing a mysterious and elusive element—probably what we are disposed to term “a spiritual element,” or “principle of life”—and these are not unreasonably regarded as being altogether inscrutable, and therefore “incomprehensible.”

[Chapter 31]

The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a disciple affirmed that the Lord Buddha enunciated a belief[1] that the mind can comprehend the idea of an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality; what think you, Subhuti, would that disciple be interpreting aright the meaning of my discourse?” Subhuti replied, saying: “Honoured of the Worlds! that disciple would not be interpreting aright the meaning of the Lord Buddha’s discourse. And why? Because, Honoured of the Worlds! discoursing upon comprehending such ideas as an entity, a being, a living being, and a personality, it was declared that these are entirely unreal and illusive, and therefore they are merely termed an entity, a being, a living being, and a personality.”

The Lord Buddha thereafter addressed Subhuti, saying:[2] “Those who aspire to the attainment of supreme spiritual wisdom ought thus to know, believe in, and interpret phenomena. They ought to eliminate from their minds every tangible evidence of every visible object. Subhuti, concerning ‘visible objects,’ the Lord Buddha declared that these are not really ‘visible objects’ they are merely termed ‘visible objects.’”

[1] “Because, O Subhuti, if a man were to say that belief in self, belief in a being, belief in life, belief in personality, had been preached by the Tathagata, would he be speaking truly? Subhuti said, not indeed, Bhagavat, he would not be speaking truly. And why? Because, what was preached by the Tathagata as a belief in self, that was preached as no-belief, therefore it is called belief in self.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

In these words are exemplified another profound aspect of Buddhist doctrine. Apart from interesting questions concerning the existence of an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality, another problem seems to arise regarding our ability to entirely perceive or “comprehend” those admitted abstract ideas. If we interpret aright the Buddhist doctrine, there are variously compounded within those abstract ideas, so many elusive spiritual elements, that the human mind is incapable of resolving them by any process of reasoning. In short—an entity, a being, a living being, or a personality, represents to the Buddhist mind, much more than it attempts to express in terms of philosophy.

[2] “Thus then, O Subhuti, are all things to be perceived, to be looked upon, and to be believed by one who has entered upon the path of the Bodhisattvas. And in this wise are they to be perceived, to be looked upon, and to be believed, neither in the idea of a thing, nor in the idea of a no-thing? And why? Because by saying: the idea of a thing, the idea of a thing indeed, it has been preached by the Tathagata as the no-idea of a thing.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

“Subhuti, the persons who aspire to the perfectly enlightened heart, ought to know accordingly that this is true with respect to all things, and thus prevent the exhibition of any characteristics on any point whatever. Subhuti, these very characteristics of which we speak are after all no characteristics, but a mere name.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.

[Chapter 32]

The Lord Buddha addressed Subhuti, saying: “If a disciple, having immeasurable spheres filled with the seven treasures,[1] bestowed these in the exercise of charity; and if a disciple, whether man or woman, having aspired to supreme spiritual wisdom, selected from this Scripture a stanza comprising four lines, then rigorously observed it, studied it, and diligently explained it to others; the cumulative merit of such a disciple would be relatively greater than the other.”

“In what attitude of mind should it be diligently explained to others?[2] Not assuming the permanency or the reality of earthly phenomena, but in the conscious blessedness of a mind at perfect rest.[3] And why? Because, the phenomena of life may be likened unto a dream, a phantasm, a bubble,[4] a shadow, the glistening dew, or lightning flash, and thus they ought to be contemplated.”

When the Lord Buddha concluded his enunciation of this Scripture,[5] the venerable Subhuti, the monks,[6] nuns, lay-brethren and sisters, all mortals, and the whole realm of spiritual beings, rejoiced exceedingly, and consecrated to its practice, they received it and departed.

[1] Gold, silver, pearls, coral, cornelian, glass, and crystal.

[2] “The wise man, the preacher, who wishes to expound this Sutra, must absolutely renounce falsehood, pride, calumny, and envy.... He is always sincere, mild, forbearing; ... he must feel affection for all beings who are striving for enlightenment ... they are greatly perverted in their minds, those beings who do not hear, nor perceive ... the mystery of the Tathagata. Nevertheless will I, who have attained this supreme, perfect knowledge, powerfully bend to it the mind of every one (Burnouf, _par la force de mes facultés surnaturelles_), whatever may be the position he occupies, and bring about that he accepts, understands, and arrives at full ripeness.”—_Saddharma-Pundarika_. H. Kern.

[3] “By contemplation are obtained those conditions through which is eventually gained that supreme calm, undecaying, immortal state, which is so hard to be reached.”—_Buddha-Karita_. E. B. Cowell.

“And in what way can the disciple ‘proclaim them generally?’ Simply by relying on no conditions or distinctions whatever; thus he will act without agitation or excitement. Wherefore the conclusion is this—that all things which admit of definition are as a dream, a phantom, a bubble, a shadow, as the dew and lightning flash. They ought to be regarded thus.”—_Kin-Kong-King_. Beal.

“And how should he explain it? As in the sky: stars, darkness, a lamp, a phantom, dew, a bubble, a dream, a flash of lightning, and a cloud—thus should we look upon the world (all that was made).”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

[4] “_Fa-Hien_ stayed at the dragon Vihara till after the summer retreat, and then, travelling to the south-east for seven Yojanas, he arrived at the city of Kanyakubja, lying along the Ganges.... At a distance from the city of six or seven _Le_, on the west, on the northern bank of the Ganges, is a place where Buddha preached the Law to his disciples. It has been handed down that his subjects of discourse were such as ‘The bitterness and vanity (of life), as impermanent and uncertain,’ and that ‘The body is as a “bubble” or foam on the water.’”—_Travels of Fa-Hien_. Legge.

[5] “Thus spake the Bhagavat enraptured; the elder Subhuti, and the friars, nuns, the faithful lay men and women, and the Bodhisattvas also, and the whole world of gods, men, evil spirits and fairies, praised the preaching of the Bhagavat.”—_The Vagrakkhedika_. Max Müller.

[6] “The vow of ‘obedience’ was never taken by the Buddhist monks and nuns, and in this it may be noticed a fundamental difference between them and monastic orders in the West: mental culture, not mental death, was the aim set before the Buddhist ascetic by the founder of his faith.”—_Buddhism_. T. W. Rhys Davids.

“_As when men, travelling, feel a glorious perfume sweet Pervading all the country side, and gladdening them, infer at once, ‘Surely ’tis giant forest trees are flowering now!’ So, conscious of this perfume sweet of righteousness That now pervades the earth and heavens, they may infer: ‘A Buddha, infinitely great, must once have lived!’_”

INDEX

Alexandria, 20

Alms-bowl, 3, 5

Almsgiving, 2

Anagami, 31, 32

Ananda, 11, 12

Anepidu, 51

Anniversaries, 37

Anta-Kalpas, 42

Anuradhapura, 51

Anurogrammum, 51

Apatti, 28

Aranyaka, 35, 36, 37

Arhat, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 55, 78

Ari-Hat, 32

Arjuna, 57

Arnold (Sir Edwin), 11, 18, 21, 29, 40, 42, 48, 50, 55, 94

Arya, 31, 32

Aryagiti, 26

Arya-Marga, 32

Ascetic, 21

Asiatic, 89

Asoka, 94, 95

Asurus, 44

Asvaghocha, 9, 74

Atman, 51

Atoms, 48

Attavada, 12

_αὐτοδιδακτος_, 38

_Awakening of Faith_, 9, 74

_Bacche (The)_, 20

Bana, 35, 45, 51

Beal, 7, 10, 15, 24, 26, 28, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49, 50, etc.

Benares, 2

Benefactions, 3

_Bhagavad-Gita_, 8, 23, 34, 58, 68

Bhagavat, 23, 26, 38, 47, 54, 80, 85, 87, 103, 105, 110

Bhoga-Deha, 83

Bikkhus, 95

Bikshu, 7

Bikshuni, 7

Bodhi, 6, 35, 62, 63

Bodhisattva, 6, 38, 39, 58, 59, 69, 75, 76, 97, 98, 99, 106, 110

Bo-Tree, 70, 71

Brahman, 69

Brahmanas, 1

Brahmanical, 83

Brahmanism, 17

Buddha, 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 18, etc.

_Buddha-Karita_, 86, 91, 109

Buddhaphalam, 32

Buddhas, 7, 11, 25, 28

Buddhaship, 6, 15, 32

Buddhic, 27

Buddhism, 13, 14, 16, 19, 41, 49, 63, 72, 80, 83, 110

Burnouf, 108

Calingapatah, 56

Calvary, 71

Ceylon, 80

_Ceylon Friend_, 61

Chakra, 95

Chakravartin, 94, 95

Chang-Ming, 20

Chang-Shui, 101

Chiliocosms, 43, 49

China, 5, 19

_Chinese Buddhism_, 2, 7, 9, 37, 39, 40, 69

Chioh-Hsien, 11

Christ, 8, 23, 40, 63, 73

Christians, 74

Chuan-Fah-Luen, 14

Chuang-Yen, 39

Circars, 56

Coral, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Cornelian, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Cowell, E. B., 86, 91, 109

Creed, 47

Cross, 71

Crystal, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Danataka Aranyaka, 35

Davids, T. W. Rhys, 13, 29, 31, 80, 95, 110

Davis, Sir John Francis, 19

Dewa-Loka, 30

Devas, 31

Dhamma, 27, 34, 44, 52

_Dhammapada_, 34, 44, 52, 63, 93

Dhammo, 78

Dharma, 30, 35, 83

Dharma Aranyaka, 35

Dharma-Kaya, 17, 82

Dharmasala, 65

Dharmma, 27

_Diamond Sutra, The_, 37, 47

Dipankara Buddha, 37, 38, 67, 71, 72, 73

Djatakas, 2

Dubois (the Abbé), 88

_Eastern Monachism_, 4, 5, 16, 21, 27, 30, 35, 36, 38, 46, 51, 53, 61, 78

Edkins, 2, 7, 9, 39, 40, 69

Egypt, 20

Eitel, 1, 2, 6, 11, 13, 26, 28, 31, 32, 35, 37, 49, 56, 57, 58, 79

Elburz, 40

Eleusis, 65

_Enlightenment of Ananda_, 12

Euripides, 20

Europe, 20, 104

Fa-Hien, 2, 65, 109

Fah, 14, 60

Fah-Ai, 14

Fah-Lien, 14

Fah-Luen, 14

Fah-Men, 14

Fah-Ming, 14

Fah-Pao, 14

Fah-Shen, 16

Fah-Wang, 14

Fah-Yen, 78

Fairies, 110

Faith, 3, 27

Fausböll, 23, 27

Fei-Fuh-Fah, 28

_Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King_, 93

Fox, 67

Fuh-Ko, 32

Fuh-Tu, 39

Gandhara, 5

Ganges, 2, 42, 51, 61, 79, 98, 109

Gatha, 26, 95

Gautama, 63, 80

German, 20

Getæ, 69

Girdle, 3

Glass, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

God, 21, 74

Gods, 110

Gogerly, Rev. D. J., 61

Gold, 25, 43, 64, 81, 107

Gondophares, 9

Gotama, 52

Greek, 20

Gunga, 42

Hardy, Spence, 4, 16, 21, 27, 30, 35, 36, 38, 46, 51, 53, 61, 78

Hastagiri, 48

Hero, 50

Hinayana, 64

Hindoo, 64

_Hindu Manners, Customs, and Ceremonies_, 88

_Hinduism_, 66

Hiuen-Tsang, 2, 50, 53, 65

Ho-Ru-To-Lo-San-Mao-San-Pu-Ti, 7

Ho-Tan-Ju-Lai, 63

_Hua-Yen-Sutra_, 100

Hunter, Sir William, 55

Huxley, 10

Icicles, 86

_Idea and Will, The World as_, 48, 103

Immortality, 44

Immortals, 2

India, 7, 20

_Indian Empire, The_, 55

Indo-Scythic, 9

I-Wu-Wei-Fah, 25

Jains, 88

Jayendra, 53

Jesus, 18

Jeta, 2, 4

Jewels, 91

Kalinga, 56

Kaliradja, 56

Kalpa, 45

Kanyakubja, 109

Kashaya, 50

Kashmir, 65

Kasina, 36

Kern, H., 39, 58, 108

Khaloupas’ Waddhaktinka, 4

Kin-Kong-King, 7, 10, 15, 24, 26, 28, 36, 39, 45, 49, 59, etc.

Kingdoms, 38, 40, 76

Kos’ala, 56

Kshanti, 58

Kshantivadin, 58

Kwa-Yuh, 33

Lao-Tsz, 28

_Lay Sermons_, 10

Le, 109

Legge, 65, 109

_Light of Asia (The)_, 11, 18, 21, 29, 34, 40, 42, 48, 50, 55, 94, etc.

_Lotus of the Good Law_, 64

Love, 73

Ma-Ming, 9

Madhyades’a, 5

Mahasattvas, 7

Mahayana, 62

Mantras, 1

Matanga, 35

Materialist, 48

Maya, 50, 58

Meitreya (Buddha), 5

_Memoirs sur les Contrées Occidentales_, 2

Mencius, 33

Mendicant, 4

Metamorphosis, 9

Mieh-Tu, 10

Milinda, 4, 29, 31, 33, 36, 95

Milton, 71

Mo-Ho-Sa, 7

_Mo-Wei-Sutra_, 77

Muir (J.), 89

Müller (Max), 1, 25, 26, 30, 34, 39, 42, 44, 47, 52, 54, etc.

Murray (Gilbert), 20

Myak, 7

Nairanjara, 70

Narakas, 46

Needle, 3

Nibbana, 23

Nihilism, 69

Nimitta, 36

Nirmanakaya, 17, 83

Nirvana, 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 44, 46, 55, 62, 63, 69

Non-individuality, 76

Nuttara, 7

_Œdipus Coloneus_, 65

O-siu-lo, 44

Padumas, 48

Pali, 80

Paramita, 13, 55, 56, 90

Patna, 94

Path, 18

Paul (The Apostle), 8, 23

Pearls, 25, 43, 64, 81, 108

Persia, 5

Pilgrims, 2

Po-Ro-Po-Lo-Mi, 8

Prajna-Paramita, 9

Prakrita, 57

Prasenajit, 2

Priests, 4

Ptolemy, 51

Puh-Seng, 32

Pundarikas, 48

Pu-sa, 6

_Questions of King Milinda_, 4, 29, 31 33, 36, 95

Raft, 23

Rahat, 20

Rahatship, 35

Ran-Teng-Fuh, 37

Razor, 3

Regents, 40

Reincarnation, 30, 31

_Relation des Royaumes Buddhiques_, 5

Remusat, 5

Ren, 44

Richard (Dr), 74

Righteousness, 33

Rishi, 58

Robe, 3, 50

_Saddharma-Pundarika_, 39, 54, 58, 108

Sagara, 5

Sakkayaditthi, 12

Sakridagami, 30, 31

Sakyamuni, 2, 5, 9, 37, 72, 73, 78, 94, 104

Salvation, 10, 92, 93

Samadhi, 36

Sambhoga-Kaya, 83

Sambodhi, 7

Samma-Sambuddha, 80

Sangha, 44

San-Pao, 17

Sanscrit, 1, 7, 95, 99

Sarvanikchepa, 42

Sarwajnan-Wahanse, 80

Sasa, 45

Sattva, 6

Saviour, 92

Schelling, 20

Schopenhauer, 48, 103

Scripture, 9, 18, 19, 20, 26, 43, 45, etc.

Scrotapatti, 28, 29

Seh-Shen, 16

Selfhood, 42

Sewet, 51

Shah-Tseh, 32

Shanghai, 74

Shelley, 98

Shen-Ming, 51

Shore, 23, 47

Shravasti, 2, 4, 6

Siao-Fah, 64

Signs, 50

Silver, 25, 43, 64, 107

Singhalese, 78

Siva, 17

Sivaism, 17

Sophocles, 65

Spawn, 9

Spirits, 44, 110

Spiritualist, 48

Sramana, 36

Srota, 28

S’ruti, 1

Sthula, 83

Subhuti, 6, 8, 13, etc.

Sugata, 26

Sujata, 70

Sumeru, 40, 42, 58

Sutana, 2

Sutra, 1, 8, 27, 45, 47, 68, 77, 91, 92, 108

_Sutta-Nipata_, 23, 27, 66

Swastika, 50

Syria, 20

Sz-ti, 32

Ta-Cheng-Che, 62

Talents, 78

Tang (dynasty), 76

Ta-Pi-Ku, 3

Tathagata, 25, 26, 38, 47, 49, 59, 63, 72, etc.

Teacher, 3

Temples, 39

Tennyson, 23

Thomson (J. Cockburn), 8, 23, 34, 58, 68

Ti-Ching, 11

Tien, 44

Tien-Kong, 30

Ting-Kwang-Fuh, 37

Topes, 64

Treasures, 25, 43, 64, 81, 90, 107

Trimurti, 17

Triratna, 17

Truth, 27, 78, 79

Tsz-Ran-Choih-Sing, 25

Tuchita, 5

_Twan-Tsi-Sin-Yao_, 76

Upadanas, 13

_Vagrakkhedika (The)_, 25, 26, 28, 30, 39, 42, 45, 47, etc.

Vais’ali, 5

Vedas, 1

Vedic, 89

Vice, 3

Vihara, 109

Virtue, 3

Vows, 19

Waddhaktinka, 4

Waterfall, 86

Water-strainer, 3

West, 110

Wiharas, 51

Williams (Sir Monier), 49, 63, 66, 83

Wisdom, 3, 7, 8, 47

Wou-Wei, 24

Wu-Wei, Fah, 28

Yen-Ping, 88

Yogi, 20

Yojanas, 109

_Yuen-Chioh-Sutra_, 100

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES.

This is an English translation of the Chinese version available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.319510013625058.

The original printed text scans can be found at: https://archive.org/details/cu31924022914588.

Textual notes:

1. Chapter labels have been added in braces (e.g. [Chapter 1]).

2. Footnotes have been moved to the end of each chapter.

3. Text contained within underscores is italicised.

4. Word spellings have been standardized. Words within direct quotations by other authors have been left unchanged.

5. Some page numbers in the index were corrected.