,cover ,illustration                    
,,the ,,novels ,,of                     
,l4 ,,adams ,,beck                      
,,the ,,key ,,of ,,dreams               
,,the ,,perfume ,,of ,,the ,,rainbow    
,,the ,,treasure ,,of ,,ho              
,,the ,,ninth ,,vibration               
,,the ,,way ,,of ,,stars                
,,the ,,splendour ,,of ,,asia           
,illustration3 ,a ,,gandhara ,,buddha   
,,at ,,hoti-,,mardan                    
,,the                                   
,,splendour  ,,of  ,,asia               
,,the ,,story ,,and ,,teaching ,,of     
,,the ,,buddha                          
,,by                               ,l4  
,,adams ,,beck                          
,illustration                           
,,new ,,york                            
,,dodd1 ,,mead ,,and ,,company          
#aibf                                   
,,copyright1 #aibf1                     
,,by ,,dodd1 ,,mead ,,and ,,company1    
,,inc4                                  
,,printed ,,in ,u4 ,s4 ,a4              

,,the ,,vail-,,ballou ,,press           
,,binghamton ,,and ,,new ,,york         
,i dedicate this book to                
,,ellery ,,sedgwick                     
,,who ,,inspired ,,me ,,with ,,the      
,,idea                                  
,,of ,,writing ,,it4                    
,,preface      ,i have endeavoured in   
this book to make not only the story but
 the  teaching of the ,buddha           
intelligible and human1 so that those   
who wish to  understand one of the      
greatest facts in history may not find  
themselves  entangled in the mazes of   
scholastic terms1 and may perhaps be    
enabled  to realize its strange         
coincidences with modern psychology and 
certain  scientific verities4 ,the      
teaching of the ,indian ,prince has     
indeed  nothing to dread from science4  
,sir ,edwin ,arnold's beautiful 8,light 
of  ,asia0 ends very early in that great
 ministry1 and ,i have continued the    
story to the death of the ,buddha1 and  
have enriched it with many  scriptures  

and ancient traditions unknown to or    
unused by ,sir ,edwin4  ,words would    
fail me if ,i attempted to express how  
necessary ,i think a  knowledge of this 
high faith and philosophy is to leaven  
the materialism  of the ,west1 and the  
reception my books on cognate subjects  
have had  encourages me to think there  
may be those who will see in what ,i    
here  set down a great revelation of    
truth4 ,it is1 at all events a truth    
which  influenced not only the mightiest
 thinkers of ,greece and ,rome1 but also
  the beginnings of ,christian          
teaching--which it antedated by five or 
six  hundred years4 ,it may well claim  
kindred with all the great faiths1      
persecuting and opposing none which     
differ with it1 and this for reasons    
which are easily seen in the teachings  
themselves4 ,in relation to its  noble  
and scientific austerity no words are   
needed4    ,of the ,founder himself1 ,i 
may quote a great ,buddhist scholar's   
opinion1  one which none who have       

studied the subject impartially will    
controvert4  8,perhaps never while the  
world has lasted has there been a       
personality  who has wielded such a     
tremendous influence over the thinking  
of  humanity4 ,and whoso recognizes this
 will also recognize that almost two    
and a half millenniums ago the supreme  
summit of spiritual development  was    
reached1 and that at that distant time  
in the quiet hermit groves  along the   
,ganges already had been thought the    
highest man can think40    ,of the      
august beauty of the ,life those who    
read will form their own  judgment4 ,it 
has been the mainspring of the highest  
art of ,asia4 ,it has  brought peace to 
myriads4 ,it will bring it to many more4
    ,i have consulted all the available 
,scriptures1 and have not forgotten  the
 great traditions4 ,i am indebted to all
 the best known scholars1  including    
,max ,mller1 ,fasboll1 ,dahlke1 ,rhys   
,davids1 his accomplished  wife1 ,beal1 
and many more4 ,i must mention          

,professor ,radhakrishnan and  other    
,indian writers1 and among illuminating 
thinkers ,i must not forget  ,dr4       
,carus1 and ,mr4 ,edmond ,holmes4 ,to   
the latter's work ,i owe a debt  because
 he appears to me to appreciate more    
keenly than other writers  the true     
point of junction between the early and 
later interpretations  of the ,buddha's 
teaching4 ,i have myself had the        
advantage of studying  later ,buddhist  
interpretation with ,japanese scholars1 
with whom ,i have  translated the       
,buddhist ,psalms of ,shinran ,shonin4  
,about some of these  interpretations   
there will always be points of          
difference until we have  access to the 
whole body of ancient teaching in the   
,far ,east as well as  in ,india1 and   
freedom from all error is beyond hope4  
,if any ,buddhist scholars should look  
into this book they will recall the     
immense difficulty of 7so to speak7     
translating their work for the  public1 
especially where the words of one       

language often fail to  represent the   
thought of another4 ,they will therefore
 be lenient to  shortcomings4 ,they will
 note that ,i have employed ,pali or    
,sanscrit words  and names alternatively
 as ,i thought they would be more       
familiar or  easier to remember4 ,karma 
for kamma1 and ,nirvana for ,nibbana are
  instances of many others4 ,i have     
omitted accents as mystifying to those  
unfamiliar with ,indian languages4    ,i
 can scarcely hope to satisfy scholars  
and the general public4 ,but if ,i      
succeed in interesting some of the      
latter1 the former1 will1 ,i think1     
recognize that my aim was justified4    
,l4 ,,adams ,,beck4                     
,,contents                              
,,part ,i                               
,,part ,,ii                             
,,part ,,iii                            
,,part ,,iv                             
,,part ,i                               
,,chapter ,i      ,,thus have ,i heard4 
,nearly two thousand five hundred years 

ago1 in the ,city of ,kapila in         
,northern ,india1 the spring came with  
glory4 ,and surely nowhere in all  the  
three worlds is spring more gracious1   
for the sunshine1 life-giving1          
inspiring1 draws divine scents from     
moist earth and the deep luxuriance  of 
leaves and flowers to send on every     
breathing breeze pure incense  from the 
world1 rejoicing as a bride in the      
all-enfolding delight4    ,here stood   
the little ,city of ,kapila1 nobly      
placed1 as beseems the  birthplace of   
the ,perfect ,one1 and above it the     
,himalayas stormed the  skies with      
tossing billows of snow1 leading the    
aspiration of man on and  up until it   
melted in the ,divine4 ,on these1 as was
 known1 the ,divinities  had their      
dwelling4 ,thence ,indra1 the heavenly  
lord1 drove his flocks of  clouds to    
pasture in pure air1 taking form and    
colour from the  splendours of the sun  
and the moon and the silver embroidery  
of the  constellations4 ,vaya1 lord of  

the winds1 charged in thunder or        
breathed  in music from awful heights of
 snow4 ,surya1 the ,sun1 urged his      
golden  steeds from the low horizon to  
the zenith and on to the confines of    
night4 ,chandra1 the moon1 rose on the  
crest of the mighty range and sank      
below it into his mysterious kingdom in 
the darkening west4 ,the deep  pine     
forests clothing the lower spurs and    
veiling the sources of the  rivers must 
surely have their indwelling spirits1   
and the river ,rohini1  breaking        
light-foot from the heights to scatter  
her diamonds as she  leaped from rock to
 rock or brooded a moment in deep pools 
mirroring her  ferns and flowers--what  
was she but a lovely1 living nymph1 a   
,dancer1  pure as the silver peaks that 
fathered her8 ,therefore let it be known
  that this city was set among celestial
 influences1 that the gates of the      
,paradise of ,india were not far from   
it1 and that the ,four ,celestial       
,kings were its wardens4 ,and it dwelt  

at this time in a great peace4    ,the  
city and surrounding country1 a part of 
the great kingdom of ,kosala1  were     
inhabited by the ,sakya clan4 ,very     
great was the kingdom of ,kosala4  ,the 
vast and holy city of ,benares1 a       
hundred miles south from ,kapila1  was  
but one of its cities1 and its capital1 
,savatthi1 lay in the cloudy  mountains 
of ,nepal4 ,to the south-east lay the   
kingdom of ,magadha1 and  only the great
 ,gods then knew to which of these      
kingdoms would fall the  sceptre of     
,india4    ,and peaceful was the ,city  
of ,kapila1 the ,city of ,red ,earth1   
home of the  ,sakya clansmen1 a race    
strong and high1 for they were of the   
,arya1 the  ,noble ,people1 and it was  
they who descending into ,india through 
the  passes had conquered the dark men  
of the land and driven them before  them
 like the shadows of night fleeing      
before the arrows of dawn2 and  having  
dispossessed the dark-skinned1 the      
lawless1 the godless1 the  fair-skinned 

,noble ,people entered in upon their    
lands and made them  theirs4 ,with them 
the ,noble ,people brought their ,gods  
of ,heaven and  ,earth1 and these they  
worshipped with sacrifice and ritual and
 chanting  of mantra and offerings of   
cows and grain and ghi and all the      
savours  dear to hovering divinity4 ,and
 in peace and plenty their ,maharaja    
ruled  them4    ,very fair was the city 
on the banks of bright ,rohini4 ,as     
there were few  men of arrogant1        
dominant riches1 so was there no        
piercing poverty1 and1  since life was  
simple1 all had enough4 ,the streets    
were clean-swept and  watered1 and parks
 and gardens lay about them where men   
might shelter in  the great heats and   
the gay1 golden-skinned children played 
beside the  river and grew sleek and    
round on their food of pure rice and    
plantains  and milk from the            
deep-dewlapped cattle that wound home in
 the evenings  from high pastures by    
running water4    ,nor was there fare   

only for the body4 ,wise men1 the       
,wanderers1 they  whose minds are fixed 
on things unearthly and whose souls     
climb toward  keen stars as the cragsmen
 follow the eagle to her eyry above the 
clouds1 came in from mighty forests     
where the hermits and their families    
dwell in peace with ,god and man        
pursuing the purities of the            
householder's life in the               
wilds2--bringing with them the dreams1  
the  speculations1 the conclusions of   
the hermits and themselves4 ,and for    
such the ,raja had made a hall of       
cedarwood in the city1 where they might 
hold disputations with its wise men and 
the simpler folk sit and listen1        
bestowing applause or condemnation as   
they heard4 ,for there was none in  the 
city1 gentle or simple1 noble or humble1
 but set the things of the  spirit above
 the chaffer of the market-place and    
lent a ready ear to  such talk4 ,nor did
 they fear to speak1 for the ,arya are  
free peoples1  coming from the north and

 bold and adventurous4    ,and of these 
,wanderers the people learnt much1 for  
if the clansmen were  free1 these were  
freer4 ,no love of earthly homes or     
riches held them4  ,strip one of them of
 his worldly all--his tattered robe and 
bowl for  alms--and he would depart     
content1 smiling his strange1 secret    
smile1 as  a man whose treasure is      
beyond thief or destroyer4 ,but for the 
,wasa1  the three months' rainy season1 
they would stay1 willing to speak or to 
hear1 satisfied with a very little1 and 
when the sun shone again1 depart  like  
migrating birds on their mysterious way4
 ,and sometimes would come  one1        
,god-intoxicated1 utterly heedless of   
men1 scarce emerging from  samadhi1 the 
mystic ecstasy2 and him would men       
surround with mute envy  because in that
 trance he beheld things not lawful nor 
possible to be  uttered4 ,and such would
 stay but a little while and then1      
heedless of  rain or sun or wind or     
snow1 press on to the cold glories of   

the  mountains1 alone and in haste1 and 
reappear no more4    ,so does the flame 
of the ,divine draw the moth of the     
spirit of man to  hover about it until1 
dazzled and drunken with radiance1 it   
joins itself  to the flame and is       
consumed into pure light4    ,yet was   
not the talk of the ,city of ,kapila for
 ever of things divine1  for bygone     
,rajas and this one also 7knowing that  
where there is a  ,north-man he must    
still be talking and much trouble       
thereby averted7 had  made a ,folk      
,mote1 a meeting hall1 and not one only1
 where in the  different quarters of the
 town men might gather and talk of their
  affairs1 the farmers and              
handicraftsmen alike1--the sowing and   
harvesting of rice1 the well-doing of   
cattle1 the doings of the  ,kosalans1 of
 whom they themselves were a clan1 the  
subjugation of the  swarthy natives     
among whom they lay as pearls in a black
 ocean1 the  ambitions of the ,kings of 
,magadha1 the trading of the merchants1 

and  many things more which concerned   
them nearly4 ,and each householder had  
the right to be heard1 for each in his  
own house was king and priest and  there
 none might say him nay1 were it not    
that the ,brahmans made or  unmade his  
peace with the ,lords of ,heaven through
 gifts and sacrifices  and a ritual     
grown exceedingly heavy and burdensome4 
,but against these  even the            
fair-skinned people1 the ,arya1 as they 
called themselves1 did  not as yet dare 
to murmur4    ,the women of ,kapila also
 were wives and mothers of free men4    
,their faces  were not veiled save when 
they themselves for modesty chose to    
draw the  folds between themselves and  
too bold a gaze4 ,they shared the joys  
and  sorrows of their men1 though the   
great ladies were screened4 ,and if they
  walked in the ways of ritual piety    
even more eagerly and laid daily  gifts 
even more precious at the feet of the   
,brahmans1 this is the way of  women all
 the world over4    ,and these happy    

people had a good ,maharaja1 named      
,suddhodana1 or ,pure  ,rice1 because   
not only were his granaries and those of
 his fathers'  before him full to       
overflowing1 but his heart was pure as  
the grains of  living pearl2 a man grave
 and kind1 rich also in cattle and      
elephants1  yet not arrogant with       
riches1 charitable1 alms-giving1        
reverencing the  ,brahman and the       
ascetic1 walking in peace in the way of 
ancient pieties1  with thoughts of his  
own to think as he raised his eyes to   
the  mountains1 awful in the heavens as 
intermediaries between men and ,gods4   
,and he had taken to wife two fair      
sisters1 the elder1 ,maya1 the younger1 
,prajapati2 and by the elder1 the more  
dearly loved1 had as yet no child  and  
by neither a son to succeed him on his  
peaceful seat of rulership4  ,and this  
was a grief to him1 for when he was gone
 who should sacrifice  to his soul and  
the souls of the great dead fathers8    
,very sweet and  grateful is the        

tenderness of daughters1 but this they  
cannot do4    ,and one day1 as they sat 
in the pleasure pavilion beside the     
waters of  ,rohini1 listening to her    
song of the snows as she danced onward1 
downward from the heights1 the ,maharaja
 ,suddhodana opened his heart once  more
 to his wives4 ,and one1 ,maya the      
,maharani1 sat at his feet on a  cushion
 of silk woven with gold1 and her beauty
 was calm as the evening  star shining  
in a faint moonlight1 luminous1 remote1 
veiled with dreams  and hopes unknown to
 others4 ,the second ,queen1 ,prajapati1
 was fair and  gentle1 and no more--yet 
that is much1 as shall be shown4 ,and   
these two  were sisters in heart as in  
blood and wifehood4 ,so1 laying his hand
 on  the head of ,maya1 the ,maharaja   
spoke softly3    8,what dreams my       
,queen80    ,and she1 pointing to the   
bamboo grove where stood in green slim  
hand  clasping her sister's3    8,of    
motherhood4 ,of this ,i dream night and 
day1 knowing many beautiful  things1 but

 most of all this--that the heart of my 
lord1 my beloved1  cannot rest until a  
son of his is laid in his arms4 ,o      
would1 if ,i am  barren1 that my heart's
 sister1 my ,prajapati1 might give to   
our husband  this gift of gifts60       
,and he1 with heavy brows3    8,dear    
lady and wife1 the ,gods give and       
withhold their great gift of life  at   
pleasure4 ,what have we left undone8 ,we
 have besought them4 ,we have  offered  
of our best on many an altar4 ,we have  
fed ,brahmans1 we have kept  the        
precepts1 and yet--they do not give4 ,if
 in some former life we have            
sinned--,yet who can tell8 ,it is their 
will1 and must be borne even if it      
break my heart40    ,then ,prajapati1   
raising her sweet eyes timidly to him1  
one slim hand  clasping her sister's3   
8,if my lord please to take another     
wife1 then indeed my sister and ,i  will
 serve her1 and if a son is born1 what  
can we but rejoice80    ,and he3        
8,that son would not be the child of my 

,queens1 and most of all of ,maya1  the 
,great ,lady4 ,dear he might be1 but not
 so dear2 and1 moreover1 you  both1 my  
ladies1 have heard the word of the      
wandering ,rishi1 the wise  ascetic1 who
 prophesied that in this city1 in this  
fortunate palace1  should a child be    
born1 a ruler of men1 a ,king among     
,kings40    8,may it be here and now60  
said the lady ,maya4 ,and again1 softly3
 8,may we  be found worthy60    ,there  
was a long silence and only ,rohini1 the
 river1 talked of sweet  secret things  
as she went her way4 ,and presently the 
,maharaja added3    8,i think it will   
not be60    ,and a large tear pearled   
itself on the long lashes of ,prajapati 
and  spilt down the bloom of her cheek  
as she watched her baby daughter in  the
 arms of a dark-skinned nurse lulling   
her to sleep with strange and  wistful  
songs of the native people1 by the      
lotuses on the great marble  tank in the
 shade of the pippalas4    ,and         
presently the evening came1 gliding with

 silent steps through the  woods and    
along the waters1 veiled as a maid who  
steals to meet her  star-eyed lover4    
,and having beheld the pomps of sunset1 
the mountains  withdrew into their      
mysteries and a star stood on each of   
their summits  for guard1 and in a great
 peace the moon floated upward1         
resplendent4  ,then the beauty of heaven
 and earth became marvellous and remote1
 and  the earth was no longer for men   
but ,gods4    ,now that night ,maya1 the
 ,great ,lady1 asleep beside her lord in
 the  pleasure pavilion when moonlight  
blanched the dewy lawns like snow1      
dreamed a dream4 ,nor was it the first4 
,this lady was vision-haunted4 ,her     
eyes1 her ears1 were open to all the    
starry influences to all the  weeping of
 winds and the tales the reeds whisper  
to one another in  lonely places4 ,but  
this dream came1 not flitting ghostly   
along the ways  of sleep nor with the   
morning dissolving cloud-like1 illusive1
 scarcely  to be grasped or recorded1   

more a feeling than a thought1 but      
clear1  majestic1 terrible and          
beautiful1 so that she found herself    
7and knew  not how7 sitting up1 awake1  
aware1 breathless1 as it were a ,queen  
to  whom has been made a great          
annunciation from equal powers4 ,and1   
with an  awakening hand laid upon her   
husband1 she spoke1 nor did her voice   
tremble3    8,beloved1 awake6 ,i have   
dreamed4 ,for it seemed to me that the  
four  ,guardian ,divine ,kings lifted me
 from my bed and bore me away to the    
great mountains and laid me down4 ,and  
heavenly spirits1 shining as  stars1    
came about me and bathed me in the pure 
waters of a mountain  lake1 freeing me  
of all human stain4 ,and when this was  
done they laid me  down again1 clothing 
me in the gold of divine garments and   
shedding  perfumes about me4 ,and ,i saw
 a lordly elephant1 white as silver1    
wandering beneath the trees4 ,for1 as   
you know1 this is the symbol of         
royalty4 ,and touching me on the right  

side with his trunk1 he appeared  to    
melt into a cloud and pass like a vapor 
into my womb4 ,in the darkness  ,i have 
seen a great light shine1 and in the air
 myriads of radiant  spirits sang my    
joy4 ,and ,o1 beloved1 all is well60    
,and he stammering1 amazed3             
8,beloved1 when you awaked me1 the music
 of these very spirits rang in my  ears1
 and they cried to me with voices more  
tunable than all songs of  birds or     
harmony of well-touched lutes1 #8,the   
child shall be born when  the           
,flower-,star shines in the east4' ,and 
as you touched me1 ,i awoke40    ,and   
more they could not say1 but clung to   
each other1 trembling for joy  and      
wonder4 ,nor could any sleep come to    
them that night1 for in their  gladness 
it seemed they stood on the shining     
shores of heaven1 its light  about them 
like an ocean4 ,and when on the morrow  
these dreams were told  to ,prajapati1  
she rejoiced with them1 no thought of   
envy to cloud the  crystal of her soul4 

,and when they were laid before the     
dream-readers1  they could presage      
nothing but good1 and being called in   
before the  ,maharaja where he sat in   
state with his ,maharanis1 they spoke as
  follows3    8,a lord of men shall be  
born1 a great and awful ruler4 ,let the 
soul of  the ,maharaja be exalted1 and  
the heart of the ,maharani rejoice and  
triumph1 since to their house is given a
 son whose kingdom is the earth  and the
 fullness of it40    ,then the ,maharaja
 shouted for joy1 while ,maya the       
,maharani1 listened  with dreaming eyes4
    8,for he shall conquer the earth60  
he cried1 8and the trampling of his     
elephants be heard like thunder1 and    
,kosala shall be his kingdom and        
,maghada prostrate before his feet1 and 
riches and glory shall be the  slaves of
 the ,conqueror for ever and ever60     
,and the ,maharani said3    8,for ever  
and ever8 ,yet there is death40    ,and 
,prajapati hid her face4    ,and the    
dream-readers1 looking up with reverence

 where they knelt before  their diagrams
 and circles1 answered3    8,great      
,lady1 there are riches that ,death     
cannot thieve4 ,there are  conquests    
that ,time does not triumph over4 ,there
 is an ,empire that  passes not away4   
,what the fate of this child is to be we
 cannot yet  tell4 ,it bewilders us1 for
 great and auspicious as are the signs1 
they  are not plain reading as is the   
custom4 ,it may be that the child shall 
be a sage1 dominating the souls of men1 
ruling by pure wisdom1 a  conqueror----0
    ,but here the ,maharaja broke in1 in
 anger3    8,be silent1 for this ,i will
 not have6 ,the men of my race are      
,kshatriyas1  warriors4 ,the ,brahman1  
the ascetic1 the hermit1 have their     
sacred uses1  and may the guardian ,gods
 forbid that ,i should disparage their  
merit--but my son is my son and a       
warrior1 and if the signs are great1  it
 is a warrior's greatness ,i claim for  
him1 for in my family is no  other known
 or considered40    ,but still the      

dream-readers lingered in doubt4        
8,great sir1 there is more to be told1  
strange and very wonderful4 ,two  ways  
lie before the child to be1 and in which
 he will walk we cannot  say4 ,if1 when 
he is of age to judge1 he beholds a sick
 man1 an old man1  a dead man1 and a    
holy monk1 then great and wide is his   
kingdom but not  of this world4 ,and if 
he see not these signs1 he shall be a   
king of the  earth1 magnificent in      
riches1 glory and power4 ,therefore it  
is in the  hand of his father to choose 
what he shall see or not see4 ,the dream
 is  read40    8,gladly and gloriously  
is it read60 shouted the ,maharaja4 8,no
 such  sights shall my son see4 ,leave  
spiritual things to spiritual men1 for  
he  shall reign for ever and ever60     
,and bowing1 with minds perplexed1 the  
dream-readers gathered up their         
calculations and departed4 ,and in the  
city they spread their news1 and  there 
was scarcely a man but thought and      
rejoiced with the ,maharaja1  commending

 him in that he chose rather to have a  
son to fight beside him  and ride       
terribly at his bridle rein than an     
ascetic in the woods1 with  matted hair 
and clawed hands1 to pray for his       
victories----8,so would we  all choose1 
like men60 they said4 ,and very joyful  
was the city4    ,but ,maya the ,great  
,lady1 saying little1 went her way in   
peace1 strong  and calm of purpose as   
our general mother the earth1 pure      
within and  without as the white lotus2 
and surrounding herself with a great    
tranquillity1 she floated on its surface
 as a water-lily1 rooted in the         
life-giving bosom of earth1 turning an  
adoring face to the purities of  the    
heavens and absorbing their radiance1   
until her heart was pure gold  and her  
body white as the ivory of the flower   
that is a prayer embodied  and throne of
 all the ,gods4 ,and if she passed      
through the city1 the  women and        
children strewed flowers before her as  
before a goddess borne  in procession1  

and when the benediction of her eyes    
fell on them1 they  prostrated          
themselves4    ,and always her sister1  
,prajapati1 went beside her1 guarding   
her with her  own hands1 treasuring her 
as a thing already enskied and sainted1 
a fear  in her heart clasping hands with
 joy4 ,and the ,maharaja ,suddhodana    
would  stride into the pavilion1 saying 
in his great voice3    8,wife1 how goes 
it8 ,for the time passes onward1 and    
soon the spring  shall be here again1   
and with it our boy4 ,this day have the 
farmers  given me a little plough1 made 
of red cedarwood1 banded with ivory1 and
  when he can walk and talk he shall    
plough his furrow like a man60    ,and  
she1 smiling1 answered3    8,dear lord1 
he shall plough his furrow and sow his  
seed1 and very great  shall his harvest 
be4 ,all goes better than well40    ,and
 again another day he came with a sword1
 the haft sparkling like  frost with    
jewels1 and he cried1 rejoicing3        
8,this have the goldsmiths and          

handicraftsmen of the city given me1    
that  with it my son may strike off the 
head of the goat for his first          
sacrifice1 and after destroy his enemies
 as when ,indra thunders and  lightens  
from the peaks4 ,but is all well80      
,and she1 smiling3    8,beloved1 his    
enemies shall fall before him like chaff
 driven on a gale4  ,and all goes better
 than well40    ,and she spent her time 
in deep meditation1 free from grief or  
pain1 free  also from illusions and     
desires1 in a measureless content and   
foreseeing4 ,thus the time went by1 not 
swiftly as a dancer nor slowly as  a    
mourner1 but in a great quiet1 pacing   
with majesty from day to day4    ,now1  
on a certain day when ,spring with her  
birds and blossoms was come  to earth1  
the ,maharani1 following the custom of  
the ladies of her race1  with her sister
 made ready all her matters and entered 
the presence of  her husband1 speaking  
thus3    8,dear lord1 it is a habit of  
my people that when our children are    

born  it is in the house of our parents4
 ,have ,i then your permission to       
journey to them for this auspicious     
birth1 that1 returning1 ,i may bring  my
 sheaves with me80    ,and he1 embracing
 her with true affection1 gave her leave
 to go1  commending her to the care of  
,prajapati and giving strict command    
that  men should go before making all   
the ways clear for her litter1 and men  
and women be warned that no sight       
painful or terrifying should meet her   
eyes4 ,so1 tenderly invoking the prayers
 and ritual of the ,brahmans on  her and
 his son's behalf1 he sent her forth and
 returned to his duties  full of        
thought4 ,but she1 borne in her litter  
and embraced in the very  arms of peace1
 went her way1 thinking to reach the    
house of her parents  and knowing not   
that the great hour of her life was even
 then upon her4    ,and passing the     
,lumbini gardens1 where trees and       
flowers1 placid waters  and green       
shades1 the song of birds and cooing of 

doves combine to make  a heaven on      
earth1 she commanded them to stay her   
litter that she might  set her feet in  
the sun-warmed grass and stand beside   
the coolness of  the lake4 ,so it was   
done1 and leaning on the arm of         
,prajapati1 she  descended and entered  
the garden and wandered awhile1 silent  
for joy4    ,and suddenly1 as they stood
 beneath a great palsa tree1 sweeping   
the  sward with robes of green and the  
honeyed snow of blossom1 awe and        
trembling seized her and a measureless  
marvelling2 and the tree swept  its     
boughs earthward until the leaves and   
flowers lay thick upon the  grass1 and  
she knew that the life of all growing   
things and of the  divine earth and the 
mountains and skies lived within her and
 that her  hour was come4 ,so she laid  
her hand on a bough of the palsa tree1  
and as  ,prajapati knelt beside her1    
stilled with joy and fear1 and her women
  crowded outside the close blossomed   
shelter of the palsa tree1 her son  was 

born3 not like a human birth with agony 
but painlessly4    ,now1 it was told    
afterwards that for wardens the ,four   
,heavenly ,kings  stood about him1 and  
that the air was thronged with those    
birds of  heaven1 the happy ,shining    
,ones1 singing and rejoicing4 ,and it is
 told  that throughout the world all    
polluted streams flowed clear as        
crystal1  and that even as the lady his 
mother suffered no pang of childbirth1  
so  all sentient creatures knew surcease
 of pain because of that great ,birth   
and rejoiced with her in jungle and     
meadow1 in deep waters1 and in  clouds  
aerial--for what mother or child could  
sorrow in that hour8                    
,,chapter ,,ii      ,,but of the child1 
what shall be said8 ,borne back to the  
palace with  flute and drum1 through    
streets thronged with eager men and     
women  pressing forward to behold him1  
he did not sleep1 nor shrink1 like other
  children1 but gazed about him as      
though the gem of thought were hidden   

beneath the blue deeps of his eyes4 ,he 
shone like pure gold1 after the  manner 
of his people1 ,aryan1 noble1 a child of
 high descent4 ,and it is  told that the
 hidden sweetness of precious lilies    
went with him and that  the garments of 
shining spirits1 sweeping unseen above  
him1 made the air  vibrant4 ,so the     
,maharaja1 receiving him in his arms1   
blessed his son1  rejoicing in his happy
 fate who was the father of such a one  
as the  world could not show the like4  
,and in his ears the voices of prophecy 
made a changing music of pride and      
triumph4 ,and the ,maharani1            
overweighted with gladness1 like a lily 
surcharged with dew1 was borne  to her  
noble couch of ivory and gold2 and      
,prajapati watched each breath  she     
drew1 so great were her love and fear4  
,then1 to the rejoicing palace1 came an 
ascetic of pure life and  understanding1
 a dweller on the holy heights of       
,himavat1 a great  marvel-worker1       
honoured of all men2 and he desired to  

enter the presence  of the ,maharaja and
 make obeisance4 ,and this was granted4 
,bowing before the ,maharaja1 he        
addressed him thus3    8,great sir1 as  
,i came on the sun's way1 ,i heard the  
rejoicing of radiant  spirits in the    
air1 and when ,i asked why they were    
glad1 they triumphed  in this verse--   
8#8,the ,wisdom-,child1 that precious   
,jewel1 unmatched1 unrivalled1    ,is   
born in ,lumbini1 in the land of the    
happy ,sakyas1    ,for good and joy to  
all the world of men4'    8,therefore am
 ,i come4 ,lead me now to the young     
child that ,i may see him  and be glad  
also4 ,rejoice1 ,o ,maharaja of happy   
fortune1 for most surely  is it owing to
 your righteous deeds in former lives   
that this good  celestial is fallen to  
your lot60    ,and the ,maharaja1 dumb  
with love and pride1 led the way to the 
palace  hall where the child slept2 and 
they uncovered his little lovely person 
that the old man might see and be glad  
also4 ,so he considered the  precious   

marks and signs of his body1 assuring   
him to be a ,buddha1 one  perfect in    
enlightenment1 reading and comprehending
 them all with a  heart that scarce for 
joy could believe what lay before him4  
,and1 seeing  these wonderful           
birth-portents1 the tears rolled down   
his cheeks2 and at  his weeping fear    
seized the father1 and he bowed down at 
the ascetic's  feet1 crying3    8,o what
 is my lord's grief3 ,o what are his    
tears8 ,is the child doomed8  ,do we    
lose him8 ,forbid it1 all-seeing        
,divinities6 ,forbid it that one        
parched1 within reach of the eternal    
draught1 should lose all and perish  of 
thirst6 ,forbid it that ,i should lose  
my treasure6 ,for when a man dies  who  
owns a son1 it is as a man with two     
eyes--one sleeps yet the other          
watches1--but a man without a son is    
blind in death's darkness40    ,and the 
ascetic1 seeing his grief1 answered     
swiftly3    8,sir1 have no fear4 ,good  
and better than good are the portents4  

,i wept  for myself4 ,this child shall  
rule the world1 but ,i1 by reason of my 
age1  shall not live to see it4 ,deep   
and full and wide is the river of his   
,law4 ,like a great lake is the calm of 
his ,yoga2 like the sun at the  zenith  
his wisdom4 ,the earth shall be glad for
 him1 and he shall reign  and he ,,shall
 reign1 and mighty the glory of his     
dominion60    ,and having said this1 the
 ascetic departed mysteriously1 after   
the  fashion of the ,instructed1 leaving
 joy as his gift4    ,but still         
,prajapati watched by the ,queen ,maya  
and leaned her ear close  to catch a    
whisper--for as yet the ,great ,lady had
 not spoken4    ,and now the child lay  
in the hollow of her arm1 and it was the
 seventh  day4 ,and without raising her 
lashes1 she whispered3    8,sister1 my  
true sister6 ,on the seventh day ,i die1
 for so it is with  those mothers whose 
joy1 too great for the lowlands of      
earth1 soars like  a bird to the        
mountains of heaven4 ,my joy is winged4 

,no more can it walk  beside my sweet   
sister nor follow my husband as his     
shadow nor guard the  steps of my child4
 ,it is become divine4 ,already its     
wings quiver for  flight4 ,but all is   
well4 ,my place is prepared in a heaven 
where my  bliss1 rolling outward1 may   
spread into a sea to mirror the ,wisdom 
,i  have borne4 ,and you1 my true       
sister1 will not forget me1 but1 taking 
this child for your own1 will nourish   
him with noble milk from your pure      
bosom4 ,and for our lord you will take  
heed4 ,and this ,i know1 that the  ,way 
of ,peace shall be opened to the feet of
 my son's foster-mother as to  mine40   
,and ,prajapati pressed her cheek       
against the ,great ,lady's in silence   
that  laid a finger on the lips of      
grief1 and the child slept between them4
    ,now ,night1 with the moon in her   
hair and the stars for ear and breast   
jewels1 came gliding down from the high 
mountains and wandered in the  palace   
gardens1 shedding sleep unutterable and 

all sweet influences from  her outspread
 hands4 ,and there was not one in the   
palace1 from the  ,maharaja to the      
sweeper but slept1 dreaming auspicious  
dreams4    ,and in the morning all woke 
refreshed and at peace4 ,but ,maya1 the 
,great  ,lady waked not4 ,and her       
sister1 the ,queen ,prajapati1 seeing   
the child1  lovely as an image of pure  
gold1 blue-eyed and beautiful1 loved    
him1 and  took him to her fragrant      
bosom1 and became his mother4 ,and he   
received  the name of ,siddhartha1      
meaning 8,he who has attained his       
aim0--for who  could doubt that such a  
child must conquer where he would8      
,thus have ,i heard4    ,with this child
 all good came to the ,city of ,kapila  
and to the country  round about1 and all
 the ,sakya clansmen prospered very     
greatly4 ,their  cows were              
pure-coloured1 well-proportioned1 giving
 fragrant and rich  milk with even flow2
 their horses were as though winged1    
shaped for  speed and strength2 their   

elephants royal beasts and              
understanding4 ,when  rain was needed   
the air distilled it seasonably1 and the
 five cereals  swelled with scented     
grain1 wholesome and soft for food4 ,all
 creatures  about to produce their young
 were content and at ease1 their bodies 
well-knit and healthful4    ,nor was    
this grace confined to the lower        
creation1 for in the ,city of  ,kapila  
and its dominions1 amongst men and women
 auspicious things grew  like seed flung
 from the hands of ,gods1 and even those
 whom their  passions spurred down the  
broad way of a dangerous karma1         
considered and  took heed1 and1 laying  
aside their selfish desires and         
covetousness1  thought no proud1 envious
 thoughts1 but lived in quiet with their
  neighbours2 and men were grave and    
recollected and women chaste and  calm1 
and by all were the ,four ,rules of     
,purity honoured4 ,and it is told  that 
the ,maharaja1 seeing this heavenly     
guest within his palace1 for his  sake  

dwelt purely1 practising virtue1 putting
 away from him all evil  company1 that  
his heart might not be polluted with    
lust4 ,and he  meditated much by night  
and day1 drinking the moon's brightness 
with  clasped hands and sacrificing in  
the golden silences of the dawn1 when   
all high influences are unloosed4 ,and  
this course of conduct must ensue  from 
such a birth1 for1 as the lotus and     
champak flowers exhale their  perfume   
and the moon drops camphor in her secret
 glories1 so do the  influences of      
purity and high thought spread outward  
from the person of  a ,buddha-to-be4    
,therefore1 as the light of sun or moon 
increases little  by little and none can
 measure its growth1 so was it with the 
child1  orbing into beauty perfect and  
yet more perfect--if such a thing can   
be4  ,and with precious things they     
surrounded him4 ,noble amulets guarded  
his  person1 great gems adorned him1 and
 the scent of sandalwood made sweet  the
 air for his breathing4    ,now1 when   

the time for instruction came1 the      
,maharaja considered whom he  should    
employ to teach his son4 ,should it be a
 man of the ,wanderers1  who1 having    
cast the world utterly aside1 scans its 
wisdom with the  diamond ray of perfect 
comprehension--one of the ,unfettered8  
,or should  it be one of the men of     
braided hair--a ,brahman hermit1 held1  
as yet1 in  family ties1 but living the 
life of pure contemplation8 ,or a bearer
 of  the ,triple ,staff8    ,much he    
revolved these matters and1 gathering   
opinions1 digested them1  and summoned  
to the high task the wise and saintly   
,viswamitra4 ,and the  boy was brought  
before him and made due obeisance to his
 teacher 7who  is1 if possible1 more to 
be reverenced than even a father1 being 
the  father of the soul and mind1       
whereas that other may be but the father
 of  the transitory body72 but when     
,viswamitra questioned the noble child1 
it  has been told that there was nothing
 he did not know already4 ,for it is    

related that he was familiar with all   
that has been written in books or  told 
with tongues1 even from the number of   
the spheres and heavenly  bodies1 as    
also their triangular1 square and       
sextile aspects1 to the  powers of the  
lowliest worm that creeps upon the      
earth1 unable even to  raise its head to
 adore the divine luminaries4 ,there was
 nothing that  teacher could teach him1 
for already he knew all4 ,so ,viswamitra
 heard  and trembled1 and at last1      
seeing that this matter touched on      
things  deep1 incomprehensible and      
wonderful1 he prostrated himself before 
the  child1 and1 closing up his books1  
went his way marvelling4    ,yet let it 
not be thought that the ,maharaja       
,suddhodana could behold  these portents
 with a heart of ease1 for mingled with 
all his pride and  joy was fear4 ,his   
son moved before him1 beautiful         
exceedingly1 perfect  in duty not only  
to his father and his foster-mother1    
,prajapati the fair  and noble1 but also

 to all with whom he had to do1 quick to
 smile and  reply1 glad in a boy's      
sports and games1 and yet--apart4 ,as a 
man1  looking down through the clear    
crystal of a lake1 may behold beneath it
  groves of strange leafage where silver
 fish dart and disappear in a life      
unknown to him1 so the ,maharaja1       
looking through the translucence of his 
son's eyes uplifted to his1 knew that   
they revealed yet hid a world in  which 
he had no part4 ,and this aloofness grew
 to be to him a knife  driven into his  
very heart4 ,and time passed1 and the   
child became a  noble youth4    ,one day
 the ,maharaja sent for his minister1 an
 old man1 wise and  instructed1 and to  
him he said3    8,is all well in the    
city and the country about it80    ,and 
the old minister1 saluting1 replied3    
8,o ,maharaj1 all is well4 ,and since   
the birth of your auspicious son how    
could it be otherwise8 ,for it appears  
that in past times when a child of  pure
 brilliancy was born1 there prevailed   

great prosperity1 and  wickedness came  
to an end4 ,and so it is now40    ,and1 
sighing as if his heart were like to    
break1 the ,maharaja replied3    8,this 
is true4 ,and who should rejoice more   
than ,i8 ,yet it is not so1 and  my     
heart is consumed with anxiety40    ,but
 the minister remained respectfully     
silent1 and the ,maharaja  continued3   
8,for my son is not as the other young  
nobles1 free and gay and enamoured  of  
sports and battle and women1 but the    
opposite--rather enduring than  sharing 
the frolics suited to his age2 and when 
,i see him meditating  beneath the      
rose-laurels and mark his calm1         
abstracted eyes1 it recalls  to me the  
saying of the sage ,asita1 that         
#8embarking in the boat of  wisdom1 he  
shall save the world from peril4' ,now1 
were this to be the  wisdom of a great  
,king delivering his people1 ,i might   
triumph as ,i did  in hearing it1 but if
 it is to be the cold wisdom of the     
,wanderers and  forest-dwellers1 then ,i

 desire none of it1 for to embark in    
that boat is  to be severed from power  
and from all things dear and desirable  
to the  heart of man4 ,what1 then1 is   
your counsel80    ,and with grief       
written in his face1 the aged minister  
replied3    8,great sir1 who shall      
challenge ,fate and the unwritten laws  
of the  ,divine8 ,i will own that       
sometimes in the noble youth's presence 
,i have  felt as it were a cold air     
blowing between him and me1 as though he
  stood apart from lesser men4 ,and more
 than once this thought has  occurred3  
,suppose this noble ,siddhartha is a    
,bodhisattva1 destined in  his next     
re-birth to be a ,buddha1 how then shall
 we fight against a  destiny so great   
and awful8 ,but yet it may not be thus1 
and so rarely  does a ,buddha appear    
upon the earth that there is neither    
experience nor  knowledge to guide us40 
,and1 trembling1 the ,maharaja replied3 
8,you voice my very fear4 ,it is certain
 that many of the predictions  which my 

soul applied to earthly glory1 may be   
read otherwise if  considered4 ,but     
since ,i dread this unspeakably and we  
are by no means  certain of the end1    
what is your counsel that we may divert 
him and so  fulfil his mind with beauty 
and bliss1 that these cold visions may  
blow  away like mists at sunrise and    
leave him glad80    ,then1 smiling      
subtly1 the old man answered3    8,there
 is one way1 and one only4 ,for it is   
acknowledged throughout the  three      
worlds that there is no charm of        
forgetfulness like the beauty of  a     
woman4 ,on her bosom the ,gods are      
forgotten and the wisdom of the wise  is
 vanity40    ,but the ,maharaja1 with   
impatience3    8,this is true of others1
 but as for my son1 he has seen the     
loveliest  face to face and has never   
turned to look again4 ,think better1 old
 man40    ,and he3    8,for the noble1 a
 noble bait4 ,and there is a girl1      
daughter of the great  ,suprabuddha1    
young and lovely as the ,maiden of the  

,dawn when she stands1  rose-fingered1  
smiling upon the mountain peaks1 and    
this maiden is pure  in health and      
person1 constant and faithful1 cheerful 
evening and  morning1 one to establish  
the palace in purity and quiet1 full of 
dignity and grace4 ,among her companions
 she moves as the queen-swan  leading   
the flotilla1 with stately neck1 yet    
bowed in humility4 ,for a  ,king of all 
the earth this is a fitting consort4 ,i 
have made diligent  inquiry4 ,her name  
is ,yashodara40    ,and the ,maharaja   
replied with joy3    8,in this          
,yashodara may be our deliverance6 ,send
 in haste1 but with  dignity1 to        
,suprabuddha her father1 and call a     
gathering at which the  bridegroom-to-be
 shall show his strength with bow and   
sword and horse  against all rivals1    
after the manner of the free choice of  
our women40    ,and the old man bowed   
and went away1 smiling1 but with a sore 
doubt at  his heart--for he also        
recalled the words and portents of the  

,prince's  birth and dreaded the anger  
of awful ,gods if any should let their  
purpose4    ,thus on a certain day the  
lists were set1 and the ,sakya lords    
were  challenged by the noble           
,siddhartha to archery1 to sword-play   
and to  riding1 that the maiden1        
,yashodara1 might know she chose no     
craven to be  her husband4 ,and all the 
people crowded to see1 some wagering on 
the  success of this lord and some on   
that1 but all1 on whomsoever they       
wagered1 hoping that the son of the good
 ,maharaja might win honour and  the    
bride4 ,yet most believed that the      
victor would be ,devadatta1 cousin  of  
,siddhartha1 a young prince proud and   
obstinate and amorous and very  skilful 
in feats of arms4    ,it was in the     
golden silence of very early morning    
when the people  crowded to the maidan  
where all should be done1 for the heat  
of the  later day forbade it then4 ,so  
still was it that not a frond of the    
palms  stirred nor even a bamboo leaf   

lifted on the air1 and the dew lay      
bright  as silver upon grass and flower4
 ,so still that the voice of ,rohini1   
full-throated from the melting snows1   
would have filled the quiet but  for the
 myriad shufflings of bare feet through 
the dust and the tinkle  of litter bells
 as the hidden beauty and her companions
 were borne to  the place of meeting4   
,for her face should not be seen until  
she made her  choice4    ,and all the   
way was strewn ankle-deep with flowers1 
as though the  ,spirits of the ,air had 
rained them with both hands upon the    
glad earth1  and from their bruised     
beauty was shed such sweetness on the   
dew that  the fragrance rose like       
incense to greet the lovely ones on     
their way4    ,but when the rival lords 
rode on to the maidan in splendour of   
armour  jewelled and inlaid with gold   
and swords that flashed like lightning  
from the rifts of cloudy mountains1 and 
horses that seemed to spurn the  ground 
with their hoofs and desire to ride the 

air like the very  coursers of the sun1 
then the joy of the people so grew that 
they  clapped their hands and shouted   
lustily1 for of all things the noble    
fair-skinned ,northern peoples love a   
good man and a good horse1 and only     
next to these a beautiful woman4 ,and of
 the last the most beautiful as  yet was
 hidden4 ,so they shouted until their   
voices were like the noise  of a great  
wind and the echoes returned them from  
far-off heights and  woods4    ,and     
,devadatta rode a horse so black that in
 the night he seemed a part  of it1 but 
,siddhartha's horse was white1 proud and
 great and gentle1 and  his name shall  
not be forgotten while the round world  
holds1 for he was  ,kantaka--and of him 
more hereafter4 ,and when the maiden1   
looking between  the curtains of her    
palanquin so that none might know she   
looked1 saw  the young ,sakya lord1 her 
heart left her bosom and fled into his1 
settling there like a bird nestling with
 feet and wings1 for there was  none    

like him--none4 ,with calm he sat his   
horse1 awaiting the moment1  and young  
he was and slender and like an image of 
pure gold1 and his  eyes were blue and  
dark after the manner of his people1 and
 his lips and  cheek shaped by a great  
graver4 ,he carried his head as a stag  
in the  spring season1 and for all his  
slenderness was he tense and eager as a 
bow in the hand of the ,brahma ,king    
with the arrow laid on the string4  ,and
 so he waited1 and his eyes never sought
 the palanquin where was  hidden the    
,pearl of ,victory4 ,and to her sick    
heart she said3    8,he is not mine6 ,he
 is above me4 ,what woman can cloud the 
serenity of  those eyes8 ,how can the   
fiery dart of ,madhu1 the ,god of ,love1
 pierce  that breast1 guarded with the  
snow of high thoughts8 ,he is a ,king   
too  high for me--too high40    ,and it 
is true that the noble youth thought    
little of the maiden1 but  much of the  
great clash with his rivals1 for he knew
 well that ,honour  was the prize of the

 day and that his father's heart must   
needs break if  he failed before all the
 ,kin of the ,house and the people4     
,now it is certain that of this jousting
 many tales have grown up1 of  arrows   
flying miraculously1 winged by eager    
,gods1 of sword-strokes such  as the    
world has never seen nor shall see1 of  
horses that the ,wind1 ,vaya  himself1  
might bestride for swiftness and cruel1 
dangerous pride4 ,and  how all this may 
be ,i know not1 who was not there2 but  
this ,i know1 that  ,siddhartha was     
better than the best in all the tests1  
and that the  people stormed and shouted
 and laughed and wept1 knowing not what 
they  did so only they might hail him   
conqueror1 while he stood leaning on his
  sword1 breathing lightly and resting1 
for the first time smiling1 a very      
splendid young knight4    ,and the      
,maharaja1 scarcely daring to look in   
his son's face lest he  should too      
openly show his pride and joy1 said     
only3    8,son1 you have done well40    

,and1 turning1 8,bring forth the bride40
    ,then all the people were of a      
sudden silent1 that not a word1 not a   
sound of that ,beautiful should be lost4
 ,and they drew back the pictured       
curtains of the litter and she stepped  
forth1 most resembling the silver  moon 
floating through clouds to her unveiling
 and pure radiance1 and so  stood before
 the people1 clad in supple silver that 
flowed about her  like water and jewels 
that dripped glory braided among the    
silk-soft  hair that fell to her ankles 
and crowned her brows4 7,yet none could 
look  at her splendour1 for her face    
drew the bees of all glances to the     
honey  of its sweetness and there held  
them1 dizzy with ecstasy47 ,thus1 with a
  maiden1 only less fair1 on either     
side1 she paced towards ,siddhartha     
where he sat motionless on his white    
horse as a man of marble1 carrying  in  
her hand the ,garland of ,choosing4 ,and
 coming before him1 she raised  her eyes
 to his and stood silent2 but her look  

pleaded4    ,then for the first time he 
knew in the solitude of his heart the   
drawing  near of another4 ,and soft     
spring airs came before her1 with the   
singing  of mating birds1 and pearling  
of young buds and delicate tremble and  
thrill of life in green silences and all
 the good things of this world4  ,and it
 troubled his calm1 because he knew not 
what it meant1 and it was  more pain    
than pleasure4 ,this sweet melody1 as it
 were of flutes and  lutes1 that came   
from the tattling of her anklets and the
 rustle of her  garments1 overpowered   
the austere1 high voices that had       
breathed in his  ear from birth1 and    
they were silent4 ,like a man           
bewildered1 he  dismounted from white   
,kantaka1 with his arm still laid along 
the noble  neck1 and gazed down upon    
her1 and their looks met and were one4  
,so she stooped and took the dust from  
his feet1 then rising1 stately as  a    
young palm-tree1 she put the ,garland of
 ,choosing about his neck and  together 

they faced the shouting people and the  
rivals1 some sullen as  ,devadatta the  
evil-hearted1 some glad in the victory  
as ,ananda the  ,prince1 his true       
cousin4    ,and of all men who saw that 
sight be sure that none more beautiful  
could  ever meet their eyes than the    
silver bride hand in hand with the      
golden  lover1 shining as ,surya the    
,sun rejoicing to run his course2 for   
with  the touch of her hand1 doubt      
dropped from him like a garment and they
  were submerged1 he and she alike1 in  
the joy of the bridegroom and the       
bride4    ,and the ,maharaja1 laughing  
aloud for triumph and gladness1 said to 
the  old minister3    8,we have caught  
our bird6 ,thanks be to the ,god of     
,love60    ,but the old man replied3    
8,great sir1 it will need the triple    
cord of love to bind him--your own1  the
 wife's and the child's4 ,let us wait4  
,still are we not secure40              
,,chapter ,,iii      ,,thus have ,i     
heard4    ,time went by1 but since he   

had snared his bird1 the ,maharaja      
,suddhodana  resolved that the fetters  
should be gilded1 and calling his       
minister  again1 he said to him3    8,if
 a man would cage a bird of heaven 7and 
such1 ,i think1 is my son71 it  is      
necessary that earth should be made     
heaven1 so that no home-sickness  for   
the blue heights should take him4 ,and  
because a young man may weary  of one   
woman's beauty1 however beautiful1 let  
fresh faces be found to  make for him a 
wreath of such roses of the earth as may
 intoxicate him  with its love and      
perfume4 ,send north to ,savatthi and   
south to ,benares1  and fetch such      
beauties1 such players on the vina and  
sitar as sing  before the high ,gods1   
such dancers as those whose white limbs1
 melting  to music1 enchant their eyes4 
,give orders to build him a house for   
the  winter1 when the snow is blue in   
the hollows of ,himalaya and the rivers 
are locked in his cold heart4 ,see that 
it be warm and silent and that no  wind 

may creep in1 and let white furs of     
snow-leopards1 clouded with  black1 lie 
about it1 soft and smooth to the touch1 
and let there be  story-tellers to speed
 the long nights with jest and amorous  
tale and  clash of battle4 ,shut out the
 cold and terrible moon with close      
lattice-work and rich curtains1 for she1
 remote and small in the blue1  profound
 skies1 may freeze his soul to the chill
 calm ,i fear40    ,and the minister1   
saluting1 said3    8,all shall be done4 
,and yet----0    8,and yet there is more
 before we may sleep in peace4 ,build   
for him also  a house of spring4 ,let it
 be pavilioned1 and with little stiff1  
frilled  roofs flying outward like the  
skirts of a dancer when she revolves    
swiftly4 ,on every point set a wind-bell
 to resemble her anklets and  armlets in
 their tinkling1 so that the soft       
breezes from the hills shall  make an   
aerial music as they wander about it4   
,let it appear as if the  whole were    
blown together like a cloud on a wind   

and might be lifted and  dispersed like 
thistle-down--a dream of spring40       
,and the old wise man saluted1 saying3  
8,it shall be done4 ,and yet----0       
8,and yet it is not enough10 mused the  
,maharaja1 stroking his great  beard4   
8,for we must build also a house for    
summer--to drowse in1 dim and  cool and 
with long echoing colonnades to catch   
the faintest breath of  breeze4 ,let    
this house be set in the grass by       
,rohini1 that her liquid  voice may sing
 of the snows when the dog-days are     
sultry4 ,and let it be  paved with      
shining stone from the mountains1 and   
the walls be of dark  cedar1 carved     
wonderfully1 and all the windows dimmed 
and latticed that  the heats die on the 
threshold4 ,choose a place for it where 
the asoka  trees are deep with rich     
leafage and golden blossom1 and the     
neems  spread their shade and the       
acacias rain white petals and the       
champak  swoons in its heavy sweetness4 
,let there be a lake1 pensive with reeds

  and green reaches1 the haunt of swans 
and cranes and all beautiful water      
birds1 and silver rills by which my son 
may sit and muse if he will1  until the 
langour of slowly dropping water shall  
pass into his veins and  be a narcotic  
binding him for ever to long dreaming   
days and nights1 and  he be utterly     
content40    ,and the old man saluted1  
saying3    8,so it shall be done4 ,is it
 also your pleasure1 ,maharaja1 that ,i 
set a  guard at the gate of the park of 
the three ,pleasure ,houses80    ,and he
 answered3    8,it is my pleasure4 ,and 
now ,i will visit my son's wife and hear
 her  mind40    ,so he went to the place
 of the women in the great house4 ,and  
his  presence being told to ,yashodara1 
she came before him1 sweet as the star  
of evening bathed in rosy vapours1 for a
 dress fell about her coloured  as      
though dipped in the blood of red roses 
and bound with gold that1  winding      
spirally upward round her lovely limbs  
and bosom1 embraced them1  drawing the  

eye to the slender curves1 and she wore 
no jewels but only  the great rings in  
her ears sparkling with fiery gems4 ,and
 he drew her  to his feet and she sat on
 a cushion beside him1 looking upward   
with  duty and affection1 waiting for   
the favour of his speech4 ,and at last1 
having observed the delicate sweetness  
of her face and her grace and  majesty1 
he said1 sighing3    8,noble daughter1  
you have now been wedded to my son1     
,siddhartha1 for six  months4 ,is all   
well with you80    ,and1 stooping to    
touch his feet1 she replied3    8,great 
father1 all is well4 ,and ,i did not    
know that in all the world  there was   
such joy as ,i share night and day with 
my dear lord4 ,for  beyond all beauty he
 is beautiful and beyond all goodness1  
good1 and his  gentleness of speech is  
not like that of a woman1 but with      
strength  behind it like ,himalaya when 
he smiles in sunshine4 ,and yet----0    
,the words stopped like hovering birds  
on her sweet lips and her fine  brows   

drew together as she meditated4 ,and the
 ,maharaja1 drawing his hand  from her  
head1 leaned forward to look into her   
eyes4    8,daughter1 have you a         
doubt--and what is it80    ,she1 lovely 
and submissive1 made haste to answer3   
8,great lord1 all is pure joy1 and      
yet----0    ,and he1 in great anger1 so 
that she shrank down1 veiling her face  
with  her hands3    8,and yet6 ,when ,i 
command my minister to surround my son  
with all joy  wherewith to bind and hold
 him1 he obeys1 but ends always with    
#8,and  yet--' as though some mystery   
surrounded him6 ,and you1 that should   
triumph in pride and joy1 say the like4 
,my son is fair and free and  noble and 
sharer in my riches and pride4 ,what is 
this miserable #8,and  yet--' that mocks
 my hope8 ,speak out1 woman1 and tell me
 what is in your  heart40    ,and1      
kindling her courage at his sternness1  
the wife of ,siddhartha  looked at him  
with clear1 unsullied eyes4    8,father1
 all ,i have said is truth1 but there is

 also this4 ,in the midst  of rejoicings
 of song and when the women dance before
 him and the feast  is spread and the   
great fruits1 cooled with snow1 and     
purple wines in  cut crystal cups are   
set to his hand1 then often ,i know that
 though his  fair body is among us1 his 
soul is escaped and fled away40    ,and 
in her eyes two tears gathered and stood
 but did not fall4    ,and he1 with     
anger3    8,would it not be thought a   
woman should know her business6 ,for    
what is  beauty but to hold a man       
prisoner to the senses8 ,and you are    
beautiful  as the woman the high ,gods  
made with flowers--how then do you fail8
 ,does  he not love you80    8,sir1 he  
loves me4 ,but not me only4 ,he loves   
something that ,i know not1  and his    
thought flies away to it as a dove flies
 home40    ,and he said3    8,true1     
true6 ,it is true4 ,what is this thing8 
,for ,i1 too1 have felt it4  ,when ,i   
have spoken of wealth and power and     
pride1 ,i have known that as  you1      

daughter1 say1 his soul is escaped and  
gone1 ,i cannot tell where4  ,but have  
no fear4 ,tell me only this--has never a
 word1 never a sight of  sorrow crept   
into the paradises ,i have made for     
him80    ,and she answered3    8,not    
one4 ,all is joy unceasing40    8,and no
 sign of age1 of sickness1 of death8    
,for1 as ,i have told you1 he  must not 
know that these things are1 and until he
 passed into your  keeping1 the secret  
was well guarded40    ,and she replied  
gravely3    8,the secret is well        
guarded4 ,he does not know4 ,when he    
speaks1 it is of  an eternity of delight
 and of nothing else4 ,and yet--if ,i   
may speak and  live----0    ,and he     
said3    8,speak4 ,even in the words of 
women there is sometimes wisdom1 and you
  are a pearl among women40    8,great  
lord1 is it possible to strive against  
the high ,gods8 ,for they  have         
appointed death and sickness and grief  
to be our lot1 and it may be  that the  
very joy of life is the greater because 

we know it is brief4  ,children suck    
sugar-cane until they sicken1 and may   
not grown man and  woman weary of sweet 
things1 desiring to match their         
fortitude against  grief8 ,and he is    
great of soul40    ,then he would not   
look at her for anger1 saying3          
8,folly and double folly--woman's       
madness6 ,have you not heard the saying 
of the wise1 that if ever he hears tell 
of age and sickness and death1  his doom
 is sealed8 ,and mine with it--and mine 
with it6 ,for ,i love my  son40    ,then
 the great tears overflowed her eyes and
 ran down like a stream at  the thaw4   
8,forgiveness60 she cried4              
8,forgiveness6 for ,i love my husband1  
and if  this unknown sweetness capture  
and carry him from me1 what good should 
my life do me8 ,but now1 most honoured  
father of my lord1 ,i have a  hope--a   
hope6 ,will a child's hand hold him80   
,and even as the words left her lips1 he
 caught her two hands and gazed  deep   
into her eyes and triumphed4 ,and he    

said3    8,daughter1 you are hope1 and  
your words a cup in the desert6 ,for1   
knowing what my son is to me1 ,i know   
that those hands will hold him when     
yours and mine drop helpless4 ,go back  
to him and tell him1 and to the  great  
,gods do ,i give thanks because my      
prayers and sacrifices have not  run to 
waste but are rewarded60    ,and as she 
knelt before him1 the tears rolled down 
his cheeks for  gladness1 nor could he  
hide them1 as a warrior should4    ,and1
 beautiful as a rainbow flowering       
against a black cloud1 the  ,princess   
returned to the carved chamber of cedar 
with its lattices set  wide to the      
perfumed air of summer4 ,beneath and    
around them the ivory  chalices of the  
frangipani blossoms and starred clouds  
of jasmine  offered warm incense to the 
sun and all was calm as ecstasy1 as     
though  the world1 captured by the power
 of ,yoga1 were in ecstasy1 dreaming    
with  open eyes upon ,perfection4 ,the  
leaves of deep-foliaged trees floated on

  air in absolute stillness1 swimming1  
silent1 in liquid gold1 and below  the  
shades of the gardens gleamed ,rohini1  
she also dancing no longer as  in       
spring1 but calm and silent as the      
meditation of a saint1 pursuing  her    
shining way in a deep quiet4    ,there1 
seated beneath a neem tree1 in the green
 bower of its heart1 the  ,princess     
beheld ,siddhartha as he sat with his   
feet folded and his hands  lying upon   
his knees4 ,and as she watched1 kneeling
 by the lattice1 he  stirred no more    
than a noble image of himself made in   
gold and there was  that in his calm    
that struck her soul with fear4 ,then   
presently1  gathering courage from      
knowledge of the gladness she bore      
within her1  she rose1 and folding the  
gold sari about her brows1 she went with
  rose-leaf footsteps through the ,house
 of ,joy1 passing those palace rooms    
where the fair women talked and sang and
 made low music with their vinas  and   
sitars1 eating fruits cooled in blocks  

of ice from the mountains and  laughing 
with each other as though joy could     
never cease nor death wreck  youth and  
life1 for it seemed that the secret of  
the house held them  also and that they1
 like the ,prince1 believed that these  
things were  immortal4    ,but          
,yashodara1 going through the garden    
ways1 past groups of tall  flowers      
bee-haunted1 flickered about by         
rose-coloured and black  butterflies1   
caught wafts of varying perfumes1 like  
strains of music  through the opening   
and closing of celestial doors1 so sweet
 was the  world that day4 ,the jewelled 
peacock and his wife led forth their    
train  of little ones to pace in deep   
grass and silver pheasants went daintily
  in the plumed shades of the bamboo and
 their young followed rejoicing in  life
 and warmth and plenty1 and birds hidden
 in high branches sang as if  never they
 would cease1 and above all floated the 
blue sky--a blue pure  and strong as    
that of the infinite ocean1 and life and

 love wandered  hand in hand along the  
blossomed earth in sunlight like clear  
water4 ,so  though her secret winged her
 feet the ,princess must needs pause    
here and  there to share with all these 
living creatures the wine of joy poured 
from the sun's brimming cup1 and her    
soul gladdened within her in the  youth 
of the world4 ,and at last with steps   
light as the fall of a petal  she       
approached the great neem tree and stood
 and looked into its shade4    ,now here
 was an extraordinary stillness as      
though an arresting finger  were laid   
upon the pulse of life1 but not wholly  
silencing it1 for from  a fern-fringed  
spring there fell at regular intervals a
 bright drop of  water marking time into
 divisions lest it should wholly slip   
into  ,eternity and be lost4 ,and the   
shade within was deep and green making a
  soft dusk at noon1 and through the    
shade could be seen the great spires  of
 silver mountains ecstatic in blue air  
and resembling the highest  reach of the

 aspiration of man arrested on the verge
 of comprehension4    ,very still in    
green shade sat the son of the          
,maharaja1 his hands1 palm  upward1 laid
 empty upon his knees1 his eyes fixed on
 the everlasting  hills1 neither joy nor
 trouble upon calm brows1 lost in       
meditation so  deep that it walled him  
as in crystal from the fair shows       
around1 and  her coming was nothing to  
him for he neither saw nor heard it4    
,then a wave of anguish rose in her     
bosom and swelled until it spilt in     
salt and bitter water from her eyes1 and
 she could not restrain herself  from   
that forbidden show of sorrow and       
putting aside the boughs she ran  to him
 and fell at his knees and laid her head
 upon them1 sobbing4 ,and  with a long  
sigh he awoke and looked down upon her1 
smiling4    8,what is it1 wife1 and why 
do your eyes run like ,rohini4 ,is it a 
new  gladness beyond gladness8 ,and why 
are you so glad80    ,weeping and       
sobbing she hid her fair face upon his  

knees1 clasping them  passionately1 her 
words stumbling from her lips in agony4 
8,it is not gladness1 ,o heart of my    
heart4 ,it is grief40    ,and he1 from  
the inward ,kingdom of ,calm4    8,and  
what is grief1 my lotus flower80    ,for
 in all his life he had neither heard   
the word nor seen the thing and  she    
spoke an unknown language4 ,and as she  
sobbed on1 he lifted her face  gently in
 his two hands and looked at her closed 
eyelids1 the lashes wet  and matted on  
her cheek with running tears1 she pale  
as death1 the rich  colour dead in her  
lips1 and on his beautiful face was     
amazement and no  more1 for how could he
 pity who had lived only in the presence
 of joy8  ,and at last he said very     
slowly as if bewildered3    8,my rose1  
my delight1 what is this new thing1 and 
what have you to tell  me8 ,speak that  
,i may rejoice also40    ,and his words 
stung some terror in her because he     
could not understand  and it seemed that
 she must bear the burden of grief and  

the hidden  secret of the world's woe   
not only for him and herself1 but for   
all the  earth4 ,for from any creature  
born human1 though young and beautiful  
and  a ,prince1 it may well seem a      
daring too great for mortals to deny    
grief  and affront sorrow and to shut   
the door in their grey faces--knowing   
them waiting and watching outside4 ,so  
the words broke from her sobbing  lips3 
8,this morning ,i woke1 and in the      
august quiet of the dawn ,i knew that my
  hope of hopes was given to me and my  
joy brimmed and sparkled in the cup  of 
jewelled gold from the ,gods1 and ,i    
would have turned then into my  lord's  
breast to tell of it1 but that night you
 had not passed with me  but in the     
chamber of deodar1 so ,i lay and dreamed
 awake1 lost in bliss  until they       
brought me word that our father would   
speak with me1 and ,i  went40    8,but  
all this was good1 my lily swaying on   
blue waters4 ,and what was  your hope80 
he said with a hand coming and going    

softly in her hair1 and  the monotony   
and gentleness of his touch soothed her 
like the  immeasurable falling of       
far-distant water--no louder than the   
humming of  a bee4 ,and drawing more    
quiet breath1 she continued3    8,our   
father asked me1 lord of my soul1       
whether still you escaped away in  soul 
from all the love and laughter about    
you4 ,for when this is so1 is  it not   
that we fail to make you glad1 and am   
not ,i1 your wife1 the worst  sinner8 ,o
 heart of my heart1 what more is there  
that we have not done8  ,tell me1 ,i    
beseech you40    ,and he answered1      
8,nothing10 looking above her head to   
the heights4    ,passionately she caught
 his hands in hers4    8,then1 ,o       
beloved1 if we have done all and fail1  
what is it that draws  you from me8     
,what is your soul's desire8 ,when our  
father1 believing a  man might weary of 
my poor beauty1 sought out new faces for
 the ,painted  ,chambers1 did ,i weep8  
,i smiled1 though--,but no1 ,i will not 

say it4 ,if it  was your pleasure1 what 
should ,i be but glad8 ,but still you   
were drawn  from us1 and it has been a  
terror that bit into my soul1 when      
waking in  a white moonlight1 ,i have   
seen you sitting with alien eyes fixed  
upon  the great march of the stars4 ,and
 yet ,i have kept silence4 ,but now1    
lord  of my life ,i ask this--where is  
it your soul goes1 and to whom80    ,her
 hands1 hot with the fever of the soul1 
pleaded for her1 clasping  his4 ,her    
dark eyes heavy with tears entreated    
mercy4 ,he answered  gravely3    8,i go 
to my own people40    8,and we are not  
your own people8 ,beloved1              
beloved--,your words are  swords1 who   
then are your own80    8,i cannot tell40
    ,her hope forgotten1 the ,princess  
knelt beside him4    8,o noble one1 is  
it life or death that draws you80    8,i
 cannot tell4 ,what is death8 ,but life 
such as this is weariness               
inexpressible1 and how men endure it ,i 
cannot know4 ,without change1  break1 or

 ripple the sunshiny days glide past1   
each bringing in its  hands the same    
offering of love and peace monotonous as
 a dove's cooing4  ,my life is without  
hope1 for1 having all1 what is there to 
hope for8 ,and  what ,i have is         
over-sweet4 ,it cloys in the tasting    
like honey4 ,and the  ,brahmans make    
their sacrifices and mutter their       
mantras of invocation  and propitiation1
 and for what8 ,for if we have all1 what
 more is there  to have1 and why pray   
for what is unneeded8 ,if this ,paradise
 over-sweet  can never crack asunder2 if
 ages and ages hence we still shall sit 
here  young and beautiful as            
to-day1--the ,gods have emptied their   
hands and  what have they left to give8 
,and if we do amiss1 how shall they     
punish  us8 ,and will not the day come  
when ,i may lift up my hand to the      
mountains and curse them1 saying--#8,be 
at ease in your careless heavens1  ,o   
unapproachable ,gods1--but ,i am a man  
with a soul not to be captured  and     

tamed in earth's paddock4 ,i demand my  
rights1 though what they are ,i  know   
not1 for ,i move in a perfumed cloud    
that blinds me4 ,but ,i shall  know one 
day4'0    ,she looked up at him in fear 
that forbade speech4    8,i hear the    
noise of hammers outside the gardens1   
the cry of the  plougher1 the song of   
the maids who come home with cattle from
 the outer  meadows4 ,and ,i say that   
these people have lives better than     
mine1 and if  ,i could change ,i would1 
for sweet must be their sleep and glad  
their  leisure1 but for me life is all  
idleness and sleep1 and their eternity  
is better than my own4 ,i will ask my   
father to let me too go out and  labour 
in the glad world outside this prison1  
that buys its food with  happy toil1    
that ,i too may know what it is to eat  
the bread ,i have  earned in            
contentment40    ,pale with fear        
,yashodara answered3    8,but1 lord of  
my life1 how is it known to you that    
their life is all  good8 ,is it possible

 to envy what you know not80    8,i know
 that with them life is eternal as with 
me and doubtless joy  perpetual4 ,but to
 this they add useful toil that gives us
 our luxuries4  ,all these fair things  
about us are made by the hands of free  
men  rejoicing in beauty4 ,and ,i make  
nothing4 ,i pass from one enjoyment to  
another1 fettered--a winged bird in a   
jewelled cage4 ,are they not  happier   
than ,i8 ,and you1 sweet wife1--what joy
 have you in comforting  the long hours 
of a slave80    ,she kissed his hands   
with passion1 her black hair falling    
silken about  his feet4    8,it is ,i   
that am the slave1 my ,king--the happy  
slave of your beauty and  nobleness1 and
 what could ,i ask but to wait eternally
 upon your pleasure  and that of your   
son40    ,he turned his eyes gravely    
upon her4    8,my son80 he said4 ,and   
she3    8,it is true--it is true4 ,and  
it is because ,i bear this hope in my   
bosom  that it pierces me like a sword  
to see your calm averted eyes and know  

you far away in that strange heaven     
where ,i cannot follow4 ,o1 my lord1  if
 it be true that you have alien kindred 
,i cannot reach1 let your son  be of    
them4 ,give him all good60    ,then     
stooping1 he drew her head to his breast
 and put his arm about her  and drew her
 gently until she sat upon his left     
knee--that throne of the  ,indian wife1 
and thus they remained awhile in        
silence1 and his touch was  better than 
speech and his quiet healing as         
moonlight4 ,nor did she miss  words of  
love or rejoicing for his calm folded   
her in the very wings of  peace4 ,at    
long last he spoke3    8,my ,pearl of   
,perfectness1 we two are one1 and of our
 true oneness  springs this new delight4
 ,to me the hope is sweeter than all    
harps  touched in the hollow of ,heaven1
 and if you were dear to me before1     
judge how dear now4 ,but since we are so
 one1 come nearer1 share my  thought as 
well as my heart4 ,does it content you  
that we should bring  into our prison   

another prisoner and one so dear8 ,here 
the days slip by  uncounted--a chain of 
fadeless flowers4 ,here the river links 
its long  silver thought for ever and   
ever down the channel from the peaks4   
,here  the bright birds flash by        
eternally4 ,will they people the garden 
to  overflowing with their beauty or do 
they fly away to freer lands as ,i      
would if ,i could8 ,when this garden is 
full of our children and theirs1  what  
then8 ,am ,i the only prisoner or they  
also8 ,what is the secret my  father    
holds from me80    ,but she1 trembling1 
could answer nothing4 ,and again there  
was silence  and only the bright slow   
dropping of the little spring1 and her  
heart  forboded sorrow4    8,o day of   
joy made bitter with fear60 it said     
within her4    ,and again he fell into  
deep cold meditation1 and forgot her    
utterly and  his arm relaxed and        
slipping fell beside him1 and she crept 
from his  knee1 and he did not know1    
staring with lost eyes toward the       

stainless  heavens4 ,and for awhile she 
stood and watched unnoticed1 and then   
crept  shuddering away4    ,and beneath 
the shade of the neem ,siddhartha sat   
motionless until the  rays from the low 
sun struck high up the tree trunks1 and 
sunset  followed1 a breath of rose on a 
rainbow sky1 and presently the moon rose
  unclouded in luminous loveliness and  
floated to the zenith1 and all  boughs  
dropped dew1 and the mountains were lost
 in stars4    ,nor did any dare to break
 his dream4                             
,,chapter ,,iv      ,,thus have ,i      
heard4    ,time went by1 each day sweet 
as new honey dripping golden from a     
golden  comb1 sweet1 inexpressibly      
sweet1 and the ,princess1 moving        
languidly1  trembling with hope mingled 
with doubt and fear1 would tell only her
  joys to the ,maharaja ,suddhodana and 
not her fears4 ,for what help was  there
 in him8 ,he could not strengthen the   
guarding gates for they were  strong and
 armed men watched by them1 nor the     

walls1 for they were high1  and observed
 from watch-towers4 ,and yet1 day by day
 and night by night  the spirit of      
,siddhartha had passed invisible between
 the swords and  unsleeping eyes4       
,but since the hope of the ,princess was
 made known to him1 he shut  himself    
within the great gardens in spirit also4
 ,there should no cloud  dim the eyes of
 the mother of his son--flowers must bud
 and blossom in  her heart as about her 
slender feet1 and no thought but peace  
and  security creep into her ,paradise4 
,and little by little1 as a wild deer   
glimpsing through the green flies in    
terror1 yet may be slowly won with      
patience and tenderness till it will    
browse the rose-leaves in a girl's      
hand1 so was the fear of the ,princess  
put to sleep1 and a low song of  joy and
 immeasurable thankfulness made music in
 her heart like the  summer voice of    
,rohini after the melting of the        
snows--when the river is  little and    
peaceful4    ,and one day the ,maharaja 

came to visit her in the cool chamber of
 roses  looking toward the north and the
 eternal mountains and found her        
stringing jade and crystal and amber on 
a fine golden cord1 while ladies  sat   
about her plucking rose petals for paste
 of roses1 and there was a  sound of far
 music in the gardens and looking       
through the lattice he saw  ,siddhartha 
with his best and dearest cousin1 the   
,prince ,ananda1 shooting  with bow and 
arrow in a wide meadow by the river1 and
 ,devadatta and  another of the ,sakya  
lords stood by1 and the young men       
laughed and  shouted1 and their voices  
came small and clear with distance1 so  
that  the heart of the ,king exulted and
 he triumphed as he seated himself on   
the golden and peacock cushions1        
dismissing the women4    8,we have      
conquered1 lovely one60 he said1        
laughing kindly in his black  beard4    
8,what neither ,i nor all my sages could
 do your small wise hands  have done1   
for in them the mother of his child     

holds my son's heart4 ,i  knew--,i      
foretold1 it must be so1 for he is      
loving and good and all the  pieties of 
life hold him like bands of iron4 ,you  
are content80    ,and she smiling4      
8,noble father1 ,i am content4 ,i have  
no more #8,and yets' with which to      
wound your ear4 ,my lord leaves me      
neither by night or day1 except when ,i 
entreat him to try his strength with    
,ananda and ,devadatta and the ,sakya   
lords4 ,and this is wisdom4 ,we strained
 too tight upon the fetters and  they   
ate into his soul4 ,this freedom among  
the young lords is well4 ,my  noble     
father1 ,i entreat you to give him what 
liberty you can1 for it is  good4 ,never
 now do ,i see him submerged in the cold
 dreams that stole him  from us4 ,those 
strange voices call him no more1 the    
hands have ceased to  beckon4 ,he is    
ours--yours and mine and the child's1   
and of the child is  all his talk and   
thought4 ,he shall ride with sword and  
lance and be a  ,king of ,kings4 ,so we 

say--one to the other40    ,she looked  
up with tears of pure joy trembling like
 shed diamonds on her  long black       
lashes1 and the ,maharaja1 grave with   
delight1 replied3    8,so it shall be6  
,what6--the kingdom of ,maghada is ruled
 by a foolish  man--the ,king           
,bimbisara1--why shall not my son oust  
him as we gather  strength8 ,ha6 are not
 we too of the ,arya--the great fighting
 people1 and  may not one elephant      
subdue another6 ,daughter1 ,i would have
 you breathe  these things in my son's  
ear1 and thrill him with hope of great  
splendours for the child40    ,she      
answered eagerly4    8,father1 ,i have  
done--,i do it4 ,i say each day--#8,give
 him his  inheritance1 my lord4 ,let all
 good that you gain be his1 for he is   
yours  and ours1' and always he replies3
 #8,could ,i find the whole world's     
,pearl  it would be for my great father1
 for you and for the child4 ,be content1
  wife1 for my heart is with my own     
people4'0    ,and as she spoke his words

 the tears of gladness brimmed and fell 
on the  crystals and jade and amber in  
her golden lap and the ,raja clapped his
  hands together and shouted for joy4   
8,ha1 ha6 we have won him6 ,o auspicious
 daughter1 dip your hands in my         
treasury and take at your will4 ,what   
reward is enough for your beauty  and   
wisdom8 ,but now be cautious0--,there he
 became grave and  weighty--8guard your 
health and your person as the deposit of
 a ,king1  and all shall be well4 ,and  
the day is not far distant when we shall
  laugh at the sickly foretelling that  
said if he saw death1 pain or old  age  
he would flee into the jungle4 ,what6   
,shall not my son have strength  to face
 the common lot of man like a great     
,king6 ,but not yet--not yet6  ,we will 
go warily40    ,and the wise ,princess  
saw that beneath his triumph he was not 
even yet  wholly reassured4 ,but she    
herself was content4    ,so when        
,siddhartha returned flushed and gay    
from riding and shooting by  the parks  

of ,rohini with the great bow in his    
hand and quiver at his  shoulder1 a     
glittering glorious young warrior1 she  
clung about him  shining with bliss so  
that it appeared that visible rays      
surrounded her  as they do the ,dawn    
,maiden when she1 standing1 flings her  
golden arrows  about the world from the 
peaks of ,himalaya4 ,and with his arms  
about her  in their chamber of marble he
 said3    8,and is my dove content8 ,and
 is life good80 and she replied3        
8,most utterly content4 ,if life is good
 to my lord it is delight to me4  ,but  
you1 ,o1 heart's dearest--and are you   
not content8 ,see how the world  is     
white with blossom dropping perfumed    
dew1 and the blue birds flash  through  
them1 and there is piping and singing   
and the flutter of wings  through all   
the happy gardens and the humming of    
black bees mad for  honey4 ,and this    
morning as ,i walked with ,gautami the  
slender-waisted1  close1 close hidden in
 the jasmin flowers ,i found a small    

nest--small  and heart-holding and in it
 four blue jewels of eggs warm from the 
mother's breast--warm as love and home1 
and blue as the skies1 and ,i  looked   
and said--#8,one1 two1 three1 four4     
,this is a prophecy4 ,these are  the    
three sons and the one daughter ,i shall
 bear to my lord4  ,first--three sons1  
one by one1 and then a daughter so      
lovely that all  ,kings of the earth    
shall desire her1 and the three strong  
brothers shall  guard her beauty--that  
is fit only for the enjoyment of the    
,king of the  ,three ,worlds6 ,and we   
will hide this lovely one in the heart  
of the  gardens until he comes4 ,now1   
since ,i have seen this portent1 four   
there  must be4 ,less there cannot4 ,but
 possibly more6'0    ,and she leaned    
back1 flashing the sunshine of her eyes 
in his1 and he  laughed back holding her
 by the two hands1 half dazzled with her
 beauty  and gladness4    8,this is     
life10 he said--8and the cold dreams are
 gone4 ,they rose like  mists from      

,rohini in autumn mornings--and in the  
rising of the sun they  disperse4 ,and  
the coming of my son has driven them    
into the night where  they belong40     
,therefore great gladness reigned in the
 ,house of ,gardens and doubt was       
forgotten1 and in his pride1 willing to 
make his son more free and yet  security
 more secure1 the ,maharaja made another
 and most beautiful  garden across the  
city where ,siddhartha might take his   
pleasure if he  wearied of the ,gardens 
of ,rohini1 and the ,princess approved  
this with  her wisdom1 saying3 8,we must
 stretch the tether1 lest the bird guess
 he  is not free to fly into the        
distances40    ,and this was a most     
exquisite garden1 with great pools and  
lakes where  white cranes stood         
meditating all day among blue lotus     
blossoms--the  very essence of the blue 
of the waters1 and it was made a        
,paradise where  none might take life or
 harm the creatures of earth or air or  
water1 and  the wild swans floated as   

pure and fearless upon those lakes as   
upon the  bosom of holy ,manasa in the  
sky-uplifted bosom of the mountains1 and
 the  deer were not shy but walked      
beside men1 and with great eyes1 silent 
though full of speech1 told them the    
hidden histories of their wild  hearts4 
,and on a certain day ,siddhartha sent a
 message to his father4    8,great      
father1 if my ,paradise is ready1 give  
me permission to drive  through the city
 to-morrow that ,i may enjoy it with my 
cousins ,ananda  and ,devadatta and the 
,sakya lords40    ,and the answer       
returned was 8,to-morrow10 and that     
night ,siddhartha  passed with his wife 
,yashodara in a pavilion of ,chinese    
silks with blue  and gold dragons by the
 banks where ,rohini wandered among her 
reeds  singing a little song of sleep1  
and as the orange sunset faded into grey
  a few large stars came out1 and swam  
in immeasurable deeps above them4  ,and 
she said1 holding his hand3    8,how    
beautiful--how beautiful is the coming  

of the night with all the  stars caught 
like bees in her net of blue1--and is it
 not strange1 ,o  lord of my life1 to   
think that long ages after we and our   
love are  forgotten other lovers shall  
sit by this little river and see the    
night  glide down the mountains         
scattering stars about the world like   
seeds of  light4 ,shall we see1 shall we
 know1 in those cold other lives they   
promise80    ,and he in great           
astonishment3    8,forgotten8 ,in what  
age to come shall you not still be      
loveliest and  gentlest1 ,queen of the  
whole earth for beauty8 ,then1 as now1  
shall men  come to happy ,kapila because
 the city holds the most beautiful as   
the  shell its pearl4 ,how should we be 
forgotten80    ,and for a moment cold   
fear crept by her like the silent       
passing of a  snake1 compelling her to  
remember that the truth was shut from   
those  dear eyes1 light of her          
life1--and she brushed it from her and  
said  laughing4    8,true--who should   

forget us8 ,i dream sometimes that of   
all names in the  world my lord's shall 
be greatest1 uplifted1 splendid1 like   
that great  star throbbing upon the     
topmost peak of all1 and men shall bow  
down and  do homage to it not only in   
the land of the ,sakyas and in ,maghada 
and  ,kosala1 but in the wide great     
world among strange people who send us  
their treasures but whose very names we 
cannot utter40    8,and you have dreamed
 this1 beloved8 ,and how80    8,i have  
dreams that beat in my ears and their   
sound goes over the  mountains1 north   
and south and east and west4 ,and the   
sun is dimmed with  fumes of incense    
offered to a great ,king4 ,and ,i see   
golden palaces like  the sands of all   
the rivers for number1 with my lord     
sitting throned  beneath them in        
gold--palaces innumerable1 and flowers  
cast in heaps to  exhale their perfume4 
,and all this in my lord's honour4 ,this
 have ,i  dreamed four times40    ,and  
he said1 slowly3    8,it is my dream    

also4 ,certainly the ,gods come in      
dream4 ,but who can say8  ,see1 beloved1
 how the night1 mother of men1 brings us
 her dark reposes  lulling all things to
 sleep4 ,there is no moon1 but strange  
spirits as  white as moonbeams moving   
among the trees4 ,sing low to me1       
beloved1 sing  low4 ,i would not see    
their eyes--they look upon me with      
thoughts ,i  cannot read4 ,sing to      
me--fill my eyes with the love in yours4
 ,sing60    ,and she took her sitar of  
ebony and ivory and sang softly as      
,rohini that  made a silver music at    
their feet4    ,but there was a seal    
upon her lips that she might not sing of
 love  though love was beside her1 for  
the awe of the mountains was heavy on   
them and the listening of night4        
,therefore she sang these words1 but no 
louder than a bee hovering about a      
flower4                      8,the wild 
swans rise from earth1                  
,strong in the path of the sun4         
,how should it give them mirth          

,with his great day begun8              
,upward the white wings fly1            
,clouds in the bluest blue1             
,far they soar--and high6--             
,would ,i might follow too40    ,and    
again after awhile she sang a great hymn
 of the ancient ,scripture  but lower   
still3                 8,though         
difference be none1 ,i am of ,thee1     
,not ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 of me4            
,for of the sea is verily the wave1     
,not of the wave the sea40    ,and there
 was silence1 and he turned and laid his
 cheek to hers and they  sat together   
long1 gazing speechless at the marvel of
 the starry deeps4  ,nor did they know  
that their last night of peace was with 
them4    ,meanwhile the commands of the 
,maharaja went out into every street and
  house of ,kapila4    8,to-morrow the  
chariot of my son goes through the      
streets to the  ,paradise of ,pleasure4 
,see and beware that no aged man or     
woman be abroad  in the city1 for my    
son's eyes must behold no aged1 sick or 

dead person4  ,it is forbidden by the   
,powers that rule his destiny4          
,therefore let none  but healthy1 glad  
and beautiful persons fall in his way1  
for if  otherwise the transgressor must 
die40    ,and there was not a soul in   
the place but heard this command and    
touching their foreheads murmured1 8,it 
is an order40 ,and men1 women and       
children ran busily here and there      
garlanding the happy streets1 and  they 
set up poles gilded and painted and with
 gay fluttering banners4  ,and dwarfed  
trees after the ,chinese manner were    
placed along the roads1  and there were 
hanging canopies of blue and rose silk1 
and magnificent  tapestries were hung   
from the windows1 until the city shone  
beautiful as  the ,paradise of the ,gods
 on the holy mountain ,sumeru1 and bands
 of  children running like the lesser   
angels strewed flowers through all the  
ways where ,siddhartha should pass4     
,then steadily as the running of a river
 the people poured in from the          

country-side to see their young ,prince1
 and the ways were gay with happy  folk 
dressed in their best and garlanded with
 garlands of marigolds and  little      
rosebuds scented with fragrant oils to  
increase their own  fragrance4 ,the     
towers were filled with men and women   
clustering like  bees4 ,the mounds by   
the trees1 the windows and              
terraces--were thronged  with eager     
persons1--the men looking sharply about 
them to see that  nothing was left which
 might offend the eyes of the heir4 ,and
 there was  nothing1 for in bright      
sunshine1 tempered by a cool breath from
 the  mountains none but happy and      
beautiful people with their children    
rejoiced and were glad4    ,now see the 
glorious chariot of ivory inlaid with   
gold made ready by the  gate of the     
,garden ,house1 fronted with jewels     
glittering in the bright  challenging   
sunbeams1 spread with noble silks       
flowered with gold1 and  drawn by four  
equal-pacing stately horses1 white as   

the ivory they drew1  and harnessed with
 splendour1--their pride subdued to the 
pride of their  master4 ,and beside them
 stood ,channa1 the charioteer1 a young 
man well  born and noble in mind and    
person4    ,so having saluted his wife1 
the ,princess ,yashodara1 the ,prince   
,siddhartha advancing ascended the      
chariot1 robed in gold and jewels and   
appearing like ,surya the sun when he   
blazes at his zenith1 and all  veiled   
their eyes from his brilliance4    ,and 
as he came through the streets1 his     
horses pacing gently1 the people  swayed
 toward him and a whisper of awe and    
delight ran through them like  the      
breathing of a breeze that blows the    
blossoms in passing4    ,looking upon   
them his heart exulted with joy and     
kindness1 for he  thought--8,this is my 
city of delight4 ,these are my people1  
and it shall  eternally be my bliss to  
do them good4 ,look at the strong       
fathers  holding up their little sweet  
children to see their ,prince4 ,their   

hearts  are full of love even as my own4
 ,look at the lovely mothers with their 
babes in warm bosoms--only less fair    
than ,yashodara1 and full of love  and  
gentleness4 ,and the glorious young men 
straight and tall1 and the              
antelope-eyed girls with silken hair    
braided with blossoms4 ,the ,gods  know 
it is a happy world with all these noble
 creatures in it1 and my  sick dreams of
 ,i know not what are dispersed in this 
bliss and the great  joy of my people40 
,and he saluted with his hands1 smiling 
right and left that none might be       
forgotten1 and sometimes from the       
chariot he took an armful of flowers    
and tossed them lightly among the crowd 
and they were gathered up with  delight 
and pressed to eager lips and brows     
because they had touched the  ,prince's 
hand4 ,so he went through the city1     
marvelling why his father  had forbidden
 it hitherto4 ,and as he flung his last 
handful of flowers  the appointed moment
 struck--predestined by the             

,rulers1--and across the  way of the    
chariot staggered an old1 old man1 and  
the stately stallions  arched white     
necks and tossed their heads in disdain 
at this revolting  sight1 for they too  
had beheld nothing but loveliness until 
that moment4    ,and because the        
commands of the ,maharaja were stern it 
is said that this  figure was no mortal 
man but a divinity hidden in flesh whom 
none could  let or hinder and that the  
myriad people of ,kapila saw nothing of 
this--but two saw clearly--the ,prince  
and the charioteer1 ,channa4 ,and  how  
this may be ,i cannot tell4 ,thus have  
,i heard4    ,and the aged man with     
tattered white hair depending from his  
bleached  and bony head like lichen from
 a stricken tree1 supporting his painful
  steps on a stick1 weak1 imbecile1     
skinny jaw fallen disclosing toothless  
gums1 eyes red and bleared1 without     
lashes1 and moisture oozing from  them1 
drawing oppressed and painful breath and
 terror-stricken amidst  the crowds1    

tottered across the flowery way and     
sank1 heaped and huddled  beside the    
chariot1 casting a look of terror upon  
the radiant ,prince1  and mumbling and  
muttering what none could hear1 his head
 shaking like a  leaf in wind4 ,and it  
was as if darkness and terror           
obliterated the sun  and all the crowded
 people bowed forward to see the        
stopping of the  chariot1 breathlessly  
remembering the ,maharaja's commands1   
but none  stirred in his place and even 
the children were dumb4 ,and yet they   
had  seen nothing but the face of the   
,prince with a shadow fallen upon it4   
,and the ,prince laid his hand on the   
reins and the horses stopped with       
drooped crests1 and shaken with horror  
he cried aloud to the charioteer3       
8,channa1 what is it8 ,what is this man8
 ,if indeed man it be40    ,and the old 
man crouched there1 muttering1 and great
 fear held ,channa  silent1 and again   
the ,prince cried aloud3    8,what is   
it8 ,what is it80    ,and again the     

crowd sighed like the first stirring of 
winter answer from  ,channa's lips where
 he stood1 bowed over the golden reins  
grasped in his  hand4    8,prince1 this 
is an old man4 ,this is old age40 ,and a
 long sighing sob  commoved the crowded 
people as though their doom were        
pronounced1 when  they heard4    ,but   
the ,prince1 the words almost dying on  
his lips1 said trembling4    8,what is  
old age8 ,was this unhappy one born so1 
or has it fallen as a  judgment from    
,heaven80    ,and again the crowd sighed
 like the first stirring of winter winds
 and  ,channa1 face hidden1 replied3    
8,prince1 he was not so born1 nor is it 
the ,gods' anger1 but this is the       
common lot and to every man born on     
earth it comes nor can it be  escaped4  
,this ruin of a man was once a child at 
his mother's breast1 and  then a boy    
filled with laughter and sportive       
gaiety1 a joy to see and  hear4 ,later1 
a youth1 beautiful1 amorous and brave1  
such as attended on  bliss1 and in      

enjoyment of the ,five ,pleasures4 ,but 
old age1 dogging the  steps of men as a 
hound with fell teeth1 has dragged him  
down at last  and had its will of him1  
and he lives a life of pain and men     
avoid him  and women pass him by40      
,and some women in the crowd wept aloud1
 and the air was heavy with  sighing and
 the old man moaned and muttered with   
toothless jaws4    ,but the ,prince1    
still unbelieving and trembling said3   
8,and will this doom come upon my great 
father8    8,noble sir1 yes40    8,and  
upon the beauty of--my ladies80         
8,even so40    8,and upon me40    ,and  
there was a fearful silence like death  
among the crowd and no word  from       
,channa so that had a breath stirred in 
the palms it would have  affrighted the 
soul4    ,then suddenly the ,prince     
cried aloud3    8,turn back the chariot4
 ,what heart have ,i for pleasures6     
,tear down the  garlands4 ,where is     
there room for joy6 ,i have seen what ,i
 have seen40    ,and1 wordless1 ,channa 

turned the white horses1 and guided the 
chariot  along the way it came and the  
people fell back to make way1 and men   
and  women hid their faces like mourners
 for it seemed as though in the         
knowledge of the ,prince knowledge had  
come to them also of the terror of  life
 and the doom inevitable4               
,,chapter ,v      ,,now when ,siddhartha
 returned to the ,garden ,house1 one ran
 before him and  told the women what had
 occurred and the ladies bore the news  
to the  ,princess where she waited1 and 
when she heard it she said3    8,o      
ill-foreboding heart of mine6 ,did ,i   
not know that the anger of the  ,gods   
must burn against those who would       
conceal their righteous doom from  any  
man born upon this cruel earth8 ,for who
 can fight with fate8 ,if this  drives  
my lord to despair1 what shall be done80
    ,so she sent messages to the        
,maharaja telling him the danger and    
went  forth into the ,painted ,hall to  
seek the ,prince1 and he sat there      

alone1  surrounded by lovely images     
painted upon the walls1 where joy and   
triumph and love clasped hands1 and     
dancing limbs shone amongst flowers  and
 all the world was white with spring4   
,now something in his eyes held his wife
 from him and she had no courage  to    
draw near1 and went and sat herself     
humbly on the ground before him  but at 
a distance1 and at last he said3        
8,this was the secret4 ,you knew it and 
did not tell me40    ,and in the hall   
was no sound4    8,you saw me fed with  
lies such as these--0 7and he flung out 
his arm  against the pictures7 8and you 
did not tell me they were the mask of   
horror40 ,she bowed her head upon her   
hands speechless4    8,and ,i1 most     
pitiable1 most ignorant1 rejoiced that a
 son should be  given to me1 not knowing
 that such a one is born to a heritage  
of  wretchedness and the inevitable     
approach of shame and ruin4 ,and from   
this is no escape1 for the ,gods have   
appointed no end to our misery1 no  door

 from the prison1 but we must live      
eternally and horribly1 old and         
disgraced in body and mind4 ,could a man
 but end it and fall into the  dark and 
be forgotten6 ,o had ,i known1 no child 
of mine should ever have  felt the whip 
and dragged the chain4 ,i will not blame
 you who are but a  woman1--but my      
father--my father40    ,and in the hall 
was no sound at all4 ,and the ,princess1
 hiding her face1  thought1 8,shall ,i  
tell him of the end--of ,death80 ,but   
she dared not4    ,and he called aloud  
for the women and said3    8,deface     
these pictures for they are lies1 and   
the sight of them turns  the knife in   
the wound4 ,blot them out with          
blackness40    ,so it was done1 but the 
,maharaja in terror bade them redouble  
the  pleasures of the ,paradise and of  
the ,garden ,house4 ,and at great cost  
he  bought a fair slave from the        
outlands1 golden-haired as dawn1        
sapphire-eyed as blue ice of the        
,himalaya1 white as the elephants' tusk1

  skilled in all arts of love1 and among
 the darker beauties of the  pleasure   
chambers she moved radiant as though day
 had broken forth in  starry midnight1  
and all the neighbouring ,kings hearing 
were envious4  ,and in this beauty all  
hoped1 even the sad ,yashodara1 and her 
heart  failed her when she saw the      
,prince's eyes coldly averted from      
loveliness  that might have stirred the 
eternal ,gods4 ,and again she sent a    
message  to the ,maharaja4    8,your    
son1 my lord1 will not look upon the    
beautiful white stranger nor  on any4 ,o
 send him forth in freedom1 for penned  
in these sweet gardens  he muses and    
meditates and what is in his heart ,i   
cannot know1 but fear  very terribly4   
,yet guard the way that no sad sight    
approach him1 for if  he sees more all  
is lost40    ,and again orders were     
given1 and as before the ,prince set    
forth1 but  this time grave and sad1 and
 the crowds shared his mood and the city
  could not rejoice4    ,and as they    

neared the street all a-flutter with    
banners and flowers and  perfumes and   
thronged with silent gazing thousands   
again a divinity  masked his divinity in
 tortured flesh 7thus it is told71 and  
by the way  was seen a sick man         
struggling for life in a losing battle4 
,his body was swollen and disfigured1   
his hollow cheeks blazed with fever  and
 in his dying eyes fear and agony       
contended4 ,scarce could he drag        
himself along1 moaning and crying for   
pity1 the hot tears pouring and  searing
 his cheeks as they ran4 ,and seeing it1
 the ,prince set his hands  on the reins
 and checked the horses and cried aloud4
    8,what is this horror80    ,so the  
charioteer1 ,channa1 with fear tearing  
at his vitals1 yet  compelled by a force
 beyond all resistance to no other than 
the truth1  answered3    8,prince1 it is
 a sick man4 ,the four elements are all 
confused and  disordered1 he is worn1   
feeble1 and strengthless1 tortured in   
body and  mind1 dependent upon the mercy

 of men whose own evil day is but       
postponed40    ,and a shudder ran       
through the crowd as the ,prince        
questioned him1  shrinking back as one  
in mortal fear4    8,and this too is the
 common doom80    8,prince1 none escape 
it40    8,and the few poor years that   
old age leaves us are broken into misery
  like this80    8,prince1 so it is40   
,and he said3    8,turn my chariot      
again1 ,i will go no further4 ,i have   
seen what ,i have  seen40    ,so the    
news was carried to the ,maharaja and he
 was almost beside  himself1 raging with
 anger that was half fear1 and he sent  
for his wise  minister1 and cried to    
him3    8,what shall we do8 ,for my son 
is learning the guarded secrets1 and if 
,i  keep him shut in the gardens he will
 rebel and break away1 and if ,i send   
him through the city such devils are my 
servants that horrible sights  afflict  
him and disperse my hopes in him4 ,here 
have ,i built a ,paradise  so heavenly  
that could he but see it ,i need fear no

 more1 for the man is  not born who     
could leave its deep and delicious      
shades for the dusty  world4 ,and there 
have ,i placed a golden maiden whose    
smile is sunshine  and her lips singing 
roses1 and were he to see her--,but what
 do ,i say8  ,is it not possible to a   
great person like myself that for a few 
short  hours the city ways should be    
guarded from horror while he passes     
through8 ,i am fallen indeed1           
otherwise40    ,but the old wise        
minister shook his head4    8,great     
,sir1 one should say it is possible1 yet
 when ,i remember how the  city was     
searched and guarded this twice1 what   
dare ,i say8 ,o  ,maharaj--may it not be
 that the high ,gods being resolved may 
not be  thwarted1 and that we fight     
against iron destiny8 ,great fear       
possesses  me40    ,but his ,master     
replied angrily4    8,foolish old man6  
,and was ,i not given the choice8 ,if ,i
 could withhold  the truth he would be a
 great world-,king4 ,if he guessed it he

 would be  an ascetic of the jungles4   
,what father would choose other than ,i 
have  done8 ,once more ,i will send him 
to my ,paradise1 and if this time ,i am 
tricked let your head answer it40       
,and again the ,prince was sent out but 
this time also though the city was      
decorated and garlanded1 there was no   
semblance of joy1 and the very  horses  
went with drooped heads as though fear  
were the charioteer4    ,and as they    
reached the street1 where most the      
people crowded1 the  ,divinity was again
 ready with his work1 having prepared a 
sight terrible  and woeful4 ,for slowly 
preceding the chariot there went a      
funeral train1  with four men bearing a 
bier and lying on it a body cold and    
stiff1 with  dropped jaw and dreadful   
dead eyes staring blindly at the sun4   
,withered  flowers lay on the bier and  
the mourners beat their breasts and wept
  aloud1 filling the air with wailing   
and lamentation4    ,and the ,prince    
closing his eyes to shut out the horror1

 and clenching  his palms said3         
8,what is this80    ,and ,channa not    
daring to look in his face1 answered    
very low3 bowed  under the weight of    
words he was compelled to utter4        
8,this is a dead man1 all his powers of 
body destroyed1 life departed1  his     
heart without thought1 his intellect    
dispersed4 ,his spirit is fled1  his    
body withered1 stretched out like a dead
 log1 taken from all who  loved him4    
,and mourning they carry him forth to   
burn and obliterate him1  for they--even
 they--will have no more of his presence
 now become  loathsome1 but cast him    
from them utterly4 ,and this is ,death40
    ,and into his clenched hands he     
murmured3    8,is this also the common  
lot80    ,and the charioteer replied1   
with hidden face3    8,prince1 so it is4
 ,he who begins his life must end it4   
,and thus4 ,for  death may at any moment
 seize us and carry us away into        
darkness40    ,then ,siddhartha sank    
down in the chariot1 his soul warring   

with his  body1 catching at the         
leaning-board for support1 hiding his   
face from  the light of day as the dead 
man was borne on before him and wailing 
and  lamentation filled the air4    ,and
 into his clenched hands he murmured3   
8,o terrible delusion of mortal men1 who
 born in pain and utterly deluded  are  
brought through grief and sickness and  
old age to this frightful  end6         
,disperse the people4 ,turn back my     
chariot4 ,the whole world is a  lie4 ,i 
have seen what ,i have seen40    ,so the
 people melted silently away in tears1  
as clouds disperse in rain4  ,for seeing
 the ,prince's horror and amazement in  
learning the truth1 for  the first time 
they also sounded the deeps of their own
 misery1 and life  appeared to them a   
traitor1 and in all the universe was no 
comfort4    ,but ,channa the charioteer1
 not daring to return because of the    
,maharaja's strict command1 drove onward
 to the ,paradise1 and the ,prince      
crouching in the silks and gold with    

face hidden neither knew nor cared4     
,so at last they came in among the green
 lawns and pleasant waters and          
deep-leaved trees1 the last hope of the 
,maharaja1 and slowly and  painfully he 
dismounted4    ,suddenly about the      
chariot1 running and fluttering like    
doves came the  lovely ones provided for
 pleasure1 beautiful as flowers in a    
,paradise of  ,gods1 adorned with chains
 of pearls and other jewels4            
,beautiful were they1 each one chosen as
 merchants choose a pearl to  complete a
 queen's necklace1 for their eyes were  
long and languishing1  half hidden in   
black lashes as stars in midnight1 and  
their mouths  pomegranate buds          
disclosing seeds of ivory1 and down to  
the ankle rolled  their lengths of      
perfumed hair4    ,most beautiful is the
 bosom of a woman1 for in its gentle    
curves are all  love1 all tenderness    
expressed1 and these displayed its      
loveliness--dear  as rare jasmin        
flowers1 precious as sweet food to the  

hungry1 unveiled  or veiled a little in 
transparency like the running of shallow
 water4    ,and thus they surrounded him
 as he passed through the blossomed     
trees  rapt in sorrowful meditation1    
pale with the terror of gazing for the  
first time on the face of ,death4    ,so
 they fluttered about him1 the lovely   
ones1 skilled in all subtleties  of     
love1 shedding enticements as the moon  
distils dews of camphor4 ,one1  seeing  
him sad1 saddened her sweet face and    
looked at him with tears  hanging on    
long lashes1 as though she would        
say--8,dear ,prince1 ,i too  have tasted
 grief4 ,do ,i not know80 ,and one1     
smiles chasing one another  to cover in 
her merry eyes1 promised forgetfulness1 
gladness in her  arms1 and some clinging
 together like sister roses on twined   
stems1  seemed to defy severance even if
 love should call them1 tempting him who
  watched them to essay that sweet      
sorrow4    ,but amidst them the ,prince 
paced lost in grief1 not seeing them1   

or1  seeing1 heeding not at all4 ,and   
presently when they had tried all their 
arts and could draw his regards no more 
than remote stars can draw the  gaze of 
a cold moon1 they fell silent and       
gathered fearfully into                 
groups1--drawing back4    ,now there    
stood in the shade of the bamboos a man 
much about the person  of the ,maharaja1
 sent to see if all were well1 and when 
the ,prince  passed on1 careless1 this  
nobleman1 ,udayi1 came out and addressed
 the  silent beauties4    8,you women1  
all so graceful and fair1 are you thus  
worsted8 ,surely in  all ages men have  
been subject to women when they put     
forth their power4  ,too soon are you   
discouraged--too soon4 ,for this        
,prince1 though he  restrains his heart 
with the bit and bridle of purity1 is   
but a man1 and  the wisest and greatest 
in time past have slipped where they    
thought  themselves secure4 ,and there  
is no fetter strong as white arms about 
a  man's neck4 ,strive after new        

devices4 ,redouble your efforts4 ,great 
is  the prize40    ,and the maidens1    
ashamed and angry at his chiding1       
fluttered again about  the ,prince where
 he sat in the shade of a jambu tree1   
putting forth  amorous enticements1     
forgetful of all modesty and womanly    
reserve1  pressing on1 striving to move 
him4    ,but he in his great heart1     
sorrowful1 apart1 looked upon them1     
sighing4    8,o creatures most          
miserable1 unheeding the dooms of age   
and death1  forgetful of the briefness  
of beauty1 unconscious that above your  
throats is suspended the sharp two-edged
 sword1 how wretched is your  empty     
playing in the very jaws of             
destruction60    ,and though he spoke   
nothing1 they saw the homeless horror in
 his eyes1  and again they shrank away  
afraid4    ,so seeing the ,prince alone1
 ,udayi1 smooth of speech1 came softly  
along  the pleasure-paths of the        
,paradise1 brushing aside the flowers1  
observant and quiet as a serpent1 and   

saluting the ,prince he drew up  beside 
him and spoke this3    8,prince in whom 
all beauty and nobility meet1 you sit   
here sad and  alone1 and it is therefore
 that your great father1 consumed by    
care for  your welfare appointed me to  
act as beseems a friend4 ,permit me then
 to  speak1 for a wise friend removes   
what is unprofitable1 promotes real     
gain1 and in adversity is true40    ,and
 ,siddhartha lifting his eyes said3     
8,speak1 if indeed in this great strait 
there be anything to say40    ,so       
supporting his arm on a bough of the    
fire-flame tree ,udayi spoke1  inclining
 his delicate dark face and subtle eyes 
toward the ,prince4    8,true it is that
 sickness may assail us and that old age
 and death will  by no means be baulked 
of their prey1 yet youth is youth and   
beauty  divine1 and the man who turns   
his back on pleasure because it passes  
is  a coward4 ,indeed the rose is the   
sweeter because even in blooming it     
treads the way of death and soon we see 

it no more4 ,truly1 my ,prince1  you are
 afflicted with a distempered mind4     
,acquiescence is the secret of  life4   
,we who are wise know that these things 
must be1 and even old age  and death1   
the conquerors1 we take to enhance our  
pleasures1 saying to  ourselves1 #8,the 
moment is mine1 and love is sweet and   
lust the spur of  life4 ,this moment    
neither death nor old age can take from 
me4 ,i will  spend it as a man would    
spend his all if he knew that next day  
he would  be plundered1 and a beggar4'0 
,but ,siddhartha was silent1 with       
brooding eyes fixed on the ground1 and  
presently ,udayi resumed1 in a          
delicately modulated voice3    8,while  
you believed that joy and beauty were   
eternal1 and that ages  hence these     
women would still surround you1         
beautiful and yielding1 then  you might 
well shrink from a delight too          
prolonged1 for dropped honey  cloys4 ,an
 eternity of love may well become hell4 
,was it not so1 my  ,prince40    ,and   

slowly the ,prince answered3    8,it was
 so4 ,i have looked on the racing river1
 swollen with melting  snows1 thinking  
that1 were any end possible1 to be      
hurled beaten and  broken down the rocks
 in its mad hurry were better than the  
changeless  ,paradise of love and soft  
words and swooning music4 ,there you are
 right1  ,udayi the smooth-tongued4     
,this is true40    ,and highly          
satisfied1 ,udayi resumed3    8,and now1
 having learnt that there is an end1    
what should be your  course8 ,the       
pleasures of a prisoner released1 who   
enjoys knowing that he  has a respite   
though the doors will shut upon him one 
day4 ,surely it is  not the part of a   
brave man to fling away what he has     
because he cannot  have all1 nor to own 
himself conquered because one day he    
must face the  enemy whom as yet he has 
not seen4 ,no--not so4 ,take what the   
,gods  send--the ,gods who have         
themselves been amenable to beauty and  
docile in  the arms of loveliness4      

,indeed what choice is there but to     
slink through  life starting at every   
shadow1 or to dice and drink and love1  
like a man  tasting the best while it   
lasts4 ,for what comes after we cannot  
tell4  ,who knows80    ,and the ,prince 
said3    8,this has the sound of wisdom1
 yet wisdom it is not4 ,there is an     
answer--there is a way1 but ,i have not 
found it4 ,it may be that it  cannot be 
found--that there is no such thing4     
,yet1 better the search  than dully to  
agree with necessity4 ,and as for these 
women--,to me they  are no enticement1  
and if ,i would ,i cannot4 ,under their 
fair faces ,i see  the skull and they   
mop and mow like apes in the face of    
,horror4 ,if the  ,gods have thus made  
the world it is a folly and a brutality 
and they are  more foolish than men who 
must abide their cruelties1 and if they 
have  not made it and all is chance we  
sink in the slough lit only by the      
flicker of dying dreams4 ,leave me1     
,udayi the smooth-tongued4 ,i would be  

alone40    ,and the courtier crept      
silently away under green shades1       
treading  lightly on turf and blossoms1 
thanking destiny that he was not as     
,siddhartha but could lift the brimming 
cup and drain it to the dregs1          
savouring every sparkle4 ,and in his    
heart he mocked him1 laughing at his    
weakness--he whose name is now          
remembered only because one day he      
spread  out his folly before the        
,perfect ,one6    ,but the ,prince1     
bending his great brows upon life and   
death1 sat beneath  the jambu tree1 feet
 folded1 hands laid upon his knees in   
perfect  immobility4 ,and he thought3   
8,hollow compliance and a protesting    
heart6 ,is this life8 ,is there a       
better8 ,great are the concerns of life 
and death4 ,so great1 so awful  that the
 poor race of mankind struggles only to 
forget for a brief  moment what it can  
never comprehend4 ,for all about us are 
seen  injustices that were a ,king to   
commit his miserable people would rise  

and hurl him from his bloody throne4    
,and we are told of the priests that    
the ,gods have committed these crimes   
and yet are worthy of worship and       
honour4 ,no--rather is it the           
propitiation of fiends who will torture 
us  if they have not the servility of   
our praises while we die for their      
pleasure4 ,and the good suffer and the  
evil flourish1 and to the rich man  is  
given more riches and to the poor more  
toil even exceeding their  strength4    
,now indeed all that was hidden from me 
bursts upon my mind as  when a flash of 
lightning tears the dark1 and things ,i 
put aside for  want of comprehension    
shriek aloud in my ears4 ,why am ,i     
clothed in  jewels1 why is my father    
generous and good1 and my wife the      
fairest and  most loving of women1 when 
at this moment were my eyes opened they 
would  behold men dying for bread that  
the least of my jewels would buy1 with  
none to tend or pity them4 ,and what are
 my deserts more than theirs8 ,and  why 

are some evil and some good as it were  
by nature8 ,o cruel ,gods who1  lapt in 
far-off pleasures1 care nothing for our 
agonies1 and let fall  your good things 
on the wicked and evil things on the    
good--yourselves  perhaps the sport of  
chance1 if indeed you are at all60      
,and these thoughts and many like them1 
black and miserable1 stormed  about him 
in the wreckage of the world4    ,and at
 long last he aroused himself and the   
,paradise was empty of all  but a broad 
moonlight that lay in glories of light  
and shadow on trees  and waters and     
there was deep silence4 ,for the women1 
ashamed and  terrified1 had slipt       
noiselessly away and so back to the     
city1 and far  off down a long glade his
 chariot and wearied horses stood       
waiting in  marble patience1 and ,channa
 sat beside them his head bowed upon his
  raised knees like an embodied grief4  
,very slowly the horses paced through   
the city1 and that also was empty  of   
all but moonlight1 for not a living soul

 went or came in the quiet1  and the    
pacing of the horses echoed loudly down 
the empty ways4    ,and not a word was  
spoken as they went1 but when they      
reached the ,house  of the ,garden1 a   
woman ran out to meet them veiled like a
 ghost in the  moonlight1 and cried     
aloud4    8,o happy ,prince1 and        
happiest1--the ,gods are good to this   
glad ,house and  to you1 for on the     
bosom of the ,princess lies your        
first-born son40    ,and at these words 
a strange trembling seized him1 so that 
for a moment  he hid his face in his    
hands4 ,then pale in the moonlight he   
said these  words3    8,a fetter1 a     
fetter is set upon me1 therefore call   
the child ,rahula1 a  ,fetter40         
,,chapter ,,vi      ,,now at the birth  
of her son1 so great was the joy of the 
,princess that  life and death were     
little things in her eyes1 black rocks  
submerged in  bright water glittering   
with sunshine1 and every day she        
blossomed more  beautiful and the child 

in her arms was like the star shining   
within the  moon's crescent4 ,and seeing
 this what could the nobility of        
,siddhartha  do otherwise than hide his 
grief and deep searchings of a heart    
tossed  like waves in a mighty wind4    
,beautiful in his eyes was the          
tenderness of the lovely mother and her 
eyes dwelling upon him and the child1   
but terrible also remembering that  at  
any moment the bright picture of life   
might break asunder and  disclose       
beneath the lurking horror of death and 
the dark and unknown  hereafter4    ,for
 if the ,gods with their utmost         
forethought had made the world so full  
of shameful things1 what wise man could 
trust such unskilful workmen for  the   
world to come1 and no hope was left     
anywhere4    ,he sat much alone by      
,rohini1 his gaze dwelling on the silver
 peaks far  off and serene in blue air1 
and at his feet little fish darted in   
the  transparency of the pure waters1   
and the pheasant would lead her brood   

to his unmoving feet1 and the shimmering
 peacocks feed beside him4 ,and  when   
the wild white swans spread snowy vans  
above his head1 taking wing  for the    
mountains and for far lands beyond that 
he knew not1 it seemed  in his deep     
musings that all these happy creatures  
were subject to a law  they knew and    
obeyed with content and that their life 
was better than  his own4    ,but       
compassion grew daily in his heart now  
that his eyes were  opened--,compassion 
for all the sorrows that surrounded him 
bleeding in  his heart like a wound such
 as drains life itself away4 ,he saw the
  little lovely dancer ,amra drag       
wearied feet through the dance one night
  and called her to him4    8,child1    
what ails you80    8,great my lord1 ,i  
must not tell you4 ,but ,i dance no     
more4 ,to-morrow ,i  go40    8,child1 ,i
 command you to speak4 ,what is it80    
,she looked about her with eyes large   
and fearful as the deer's when she  sees
 the hunter's knife glitter above her4  

8,great my lord1 it is an order4 ,i dare
 not speak40    8,my order stands       
higher4 ,speak40    ,she trembled as she
 stood1 with fear and weakness4    8,my 
lord1 it is the sickness4 ,two years ago
 my sister ,vijaya was a  dancer4       
,yourself has commended her4 ,but the   
cruel cough came and tore  her breast1  
and at last she could scarcely lift her 
little feet1 and  then they sent her    
secretly away1 and she spat blood and   
the cough  devoured her1 and she died4  
,and now it has taken me also and the   
blood  came from my mouth last night1   
and to-morrow ,i go4 ,but ,o ,i beseech 
your  greatness to hide my words1 for it
 is forbidden that any grief should     
soil the air about your noble presence40
    8,but when you rest the cough will  
decline and you will be glad again1 my  
sister40    8,great ,prince1 ,i shall   
die4 ,for this there is no cure40       
,there was a long silence4    8,and do  
you fear this80    8,my lord1 ,i fear   
very terribly--but there is no help4    

,what must be1  must4 ,and ,i am now too
 weary to dance1 and it is better ,i die
 for ,i am a  burden and a distress to  
my mother now ,i am worth no more money1
 and she  is poor4 ,there is scarce     
bread to eat40    ,then the blood poured
 into the pale face of ,siddhartha for  
shame and  horror1 and he said3    8,on 
such foundations was my happiness built1
 and others have bled and  wept that ,i 
might laugh6 ,o1 evil ,gods1 shameful   
and disastrous to man1  if this is all6 
,how shall the heart of man forgive your
 crimes against  us1 and where is       
justice in all the wide ,three ,worlds80
    ,and as he spoke he lifted the chain
 of pearls from his shoulders and  threw
 them upon the dancer's and she1        
beholding his nobleness and grief  with 
tears1 went sobbing away4    ,the next  
day he sent a message to the ,maharaja4 
8,great father1 since now ,i know all   
the secrets and there is nothing  hidden
 from me of the world's woe1 what       
hinders that ,i should go free to  see  

it8 ,it may be that some joy shall meet 
my eyes and relieve the  burning of the 
flame of pity that consumes me4 ,also1  
since ,i have a son  it is now surely   
well that ,i should see and know the    
lives of the people  whom he and ,i one 
day shall rule4 ,and ,i say this for    
truth1 ,i am weary1  weary even to death
 of the music and dancing and the       
miserable  diversions of my prison1 and 
if there be any hope for me it is in the
  things of men1 for ,i have done with  
those of women and children4 ,set  your 
prisoner free4 ,it is your son who      
beseeches40    ,and when the ,maharaja  
agreed1 the ,prince sent another        
message4    8,and let the city be       
neither decorated nor feasting4 ,i      
desire to see the  life of the people as
 they live it1 not as they would pretend
 it is  lived to please us great ones40 
,and this too was conceded1 but the     
,maharaja commanded that the chief      
minister and a guard of the ,sakya lords
 should accompany the ,prince4          

,therefore once more the chariot and    
well-paced horses were prepared1        
adorned with precious stones and gold   
glittering like splendid sunshine1  and 
he passed through the city and out by   
the further gate into a new  world      
hitherto unknown4    ,and as he went on 
the road was smooth and white1 and      
gardens gay on  either side and trees   
loaded1 some with flowers and some with 
fruit1 and  seeing this and knowing it  
unprepared for his eyes1 his heart      
stirred  under the snow of grief and    
thawed a little from its ice1 for it    
seemed  that the people who lived       
therein must know some happiness and    
freedom  from misery4 ,but as he went   
further the heat of the day strengthened
 and  became like a weight of lead1     
oppressive even beneath the silken      
canopy  of the chariot and the sweat    
stood on his brow and his garments clung
 to  the moisture of his skin and       
weariness weighed upon him4    ,but for 
all this the toil about him could not   

cease1 for men must eat1  and work be   
completed and the fields of the         
,maharaja ploughed1 and he  saw how the 
labourers struggled with painful        
exertion1 their bodies  bent1 their wet 
hair falling about haggard faces1 their 
bodies fouled  with mud and dust4 ,and  
some were old and some were weak1 and   
yet all  must greatly toil and very     
pitiful was it to see their strained    
muscles  and starting eyes4    ,the     
ploughing oxen also--they1 toiling so   
pitifully and with no  reward1--their   
lolling tongues and gaping jaws1 the    
whip and goad  indenting smooth flanks  
until bright blood drops started and    
they  trembled and shrank--all these    
things tortured the mind of ,siddhartha 
as  he sat silently observant4 ,and he  
said within himself3    8,the world is  
built on pain and its foundations laid  
in agony4 ,o ,gods1  most cruel and     
unjust1 if there be a way1 where is it8 
,if there be a ,law  of ,peace1 where   
shall ,i find it8 ,for ,i am bound in   

the dungeons of  despair40    ,and1     
nobly moved to sympathy1 he dismounted  
from the chariot1 forcing  himself to   
look steadfastly upon the sufferings of 
man and beast1 and he  sat down beneath 
a jambu tree1 reflecting on the ways of 
death and  birth4 ,and he desired his   
companions1 the ,sakya lords1 to leave  
him and  wander where they would1 and   
they went away laughing with each other 
and  talking1 costly umbrellas borne    
over them in the heat until they should 
reach the shade of the forest and there 
rest beside their wines and  fruits4    
,and then1 as was now his wont1 he gave 
himself to deep  meditation on life and 
death1 on transiency1 and the progress  
of all to  decay1 desiring with all his 
soul that somewhere1 anywhere1 he might 
behold the changeless1 the ,abiding and 
in that find rest4 ,and he asked  of his
 soul3    8,is there safety in riches8  
,are the rich exempt and high in the    
,gods'  favour4 ,no--no1 indeed1--for   
their very luxuries consume them body   

and  soul1 making their bodies the home 
of disease and death1 and their souls   
the harbourage of cowardice and terror4 
,for it is harder to leave a  ,palace of
 gold than a mud hovel1 and these are   
the spoilt children of  the universe4   
,there is no refuge in riches4 ,in all  
the ,three ,worlds ,i  see no refuge at 
all from the three ,enemies--death1 old 
age1 and  disease40    ,and as he       
meditated1 his heart thus fixed1 the    
five senses1 as it were1  extinguished1 
lost in the clear light of insight he   
entered on the first  stage of pure     
rapture4 ,all low desires submerged and 
in an ecstasy that  was not joy but     
perfect clarity he saw the misery and   
sorrow of the  world1 sounding its deeps
 of agony and loss1 the ruin wrought by 
age1  disease1 and death1--the hopeless 
dark beyond4    ,hitherto he had known  
only in part1 but now the whole1 even as
 an eagle  suspended on unmoving        
pinions1 floating in supernal sunshine  
looks down  beholding the earth spread  

like a picture below him1 and nothing   
hidden4    ,and suddenly a great light  
shone within him--not to be described in
  words nor in thought comprehended4    
,and he said these words1 radiant with  
the first dawning beams of illumination3
    8,i have heard the wisdom of men and
 it is the crackling of dry wood in a   
destroying fire4 ,now will ,i seek a    
,noble ,law they have not known1 a ,law 
hidden and divine1 and ,i will wrestle  
with disease and age and death and  bind
 their terrors4 ,for behind these things
 is ,peace1 if the way is  opened4 ,and 
,i will seek until ,i die40    ,and     
slowly at length1 passing downward from 
ecstasy his thoughts  collecting centred
 again about things earthly1 and he     
became aware that  a man approached him1
 carrying a bowl in his hand1 wearing a 
coarse robe  of yellow1 pacing slowly in
 the roadway4 ,and their eyes met4      
,and it appeared to the ,prince that he 
had never before seen a man who         
resembled this strange mendicant1 and he

 rose to greet him with  courtesy1      
saying in his heart3    8,who is this   
person8 ,for his face is calm and       
joyful1 and his eyes  bespeak a soul at 
rest4 ,nor has he the mien of one       
tricked by sensual  happiness1 but      
austerity and contentment guide him1 and
 though he treads  on earth it does not 
hold him4 ,and what is this bowl in his 
hand8 ,i will  accost him40    ,and this
 done1 the stranger1 with due salutation
 grave and sweet1  replied3    8,great  
lord1 ,i am a religious mendicant1 who1 
shuddering at the  victorious onslaught 
of age1 disease and death1 seeing that  
all things  are transient and permanence
 nowhere to be found1 have left the     
fetters  of my home behind me that ,i   
may search for some happiness that is   
trustworthy1 that decays not1 that is   
imperishable1 that looks with  equal    
mind on friend and enemy1 and is        
regardless of wealth and beauty4  ,such 
is the only happiness that will content 
me40    ,and ,siddhartha in deep        

amazement on hearing thoughts thus      
resembling his  own1 enquired eagerly3  
8,and where1 ,o wise man1 do you seek   
it80    8,great lord1 ,i seek it in     
solitude1 in the tranquillity of deep   
woods1  free from molestation4 ,there in
 the ,quiet dwells enlightenment4 ,and  
,i  carry this bowl that the charitable 
may deposit an alms of food within  it1 
and this is all ,i ask of the world4    
,and now1 pardon haste1 for my  way lies
 onward to the mountains where the true 
light awaits me1 and joy  for its       
attendant40    ,and he passed onward and
 was no more seen1 and it is related    
that this  ascetic was that divinity    
veiled in flesh who had made known to   
the  ,prince the ,three ,terrors1--but  
this ,i cannot tell4    ,be he what he  
might1 this man left behind him the     
first hope that had  enlightened the    
midnight of grief4 ,and the ,prince said
 within his soul3    8,this too is a    
seeker1 and this is the life ,i covet1  
for the pleasures  of earth are but     

sea-waters enraging the thirst they seem
 to quench1 and  what now has life to   
offer but the search for truth8 ,were   
there no  others in the world but my    
son1 my father1 my wife1 then surely is 
it  incumbent upon me to find some means
 for their deliverance1 but since  the  
whole wide earth weeps uncomforted1 what
 a craven should ,i be1 if ,i  spared to
 help it even with my blood and tears   
for unguents to its  wounds4 ,the way   
most surely opens before me1 and the cry
 of the  conquering ages is in my ears40
    ,and after a time the ,sakya lords1 
weary of their enjoyments1 gathered     
about him and the horses were harnessed1
 and all returned to the city4  ,and the
 people1 rejoicing to see their ,prince1
 gathered to meet and  greet him1 and   
one fair lady1 leaning from a window1   
rejoicing in his  beauty cried aloud3   
8,happy be the father1 happy the mother1
 happy the wife of such a son and       
husband40    ,but this word 8happy0     
means also 8freed10 for are not freedom 

and  happiness one8 ,and taking her     
auspicious words for the cry of freedom 
he  looked up smiling into her eyes1 and
 said 8,good is the teacher4 ,let this  
be her fee10 unclasped his necklace of  
pearls and sent it to the happy  lady   
and passed on1 forgetting1 while she    
dreamed in vain of love4    ,and all    
dispersed to their abodes4    ,but the  
next day the ,prince entered into his   
father's presence1 his face  bright with
 resolution like the full moon1 his step
 strong and steady as  the gait of the  
,king of ,lions1 noble and beautiful in 
strength4    ,and making due obeisance  
he asked4    8,is the ,maharaj well and 
happy80    8,well1 my son1 and rejoicing
 to see your face so bright and calm    
after  long sorrow4 ,is the cloud past80
    8,my father1 it is past in part4 ,a 
clear way lies before me40    8,that too
 is well4 ,praise to the ,wielder of the
 thunder and to all great  ,gods who    
hear our prayers40    ,then tenderly1   
but with a calm immovable1 the ,prince  

declared his  heart's desire4    8,o    
kind father1 worthy of all obedience1   
hear my case4 ,the grief that  has moved
 me is not my grief alone4 ,were ,i to  
die1 ,i can die silent1  after the      
manner of our race4 ,but a man1 when he 
beholds other men old1  diseased1 dying1
 is hurt1 ashamed1 revolted that such   
things should be1  and no way of        
conquering such evils4 ,there is a way  
if it could but be  found40    ,and the 
,maharaja replied with anger4    8,what 
way8 ,this is child's folly4 ,these     
things have been from ,eternity1  and   
men have faced the common lot as best   
they could1 taking their  pleasure where
 they might4 ,what would you have more  
than others8 ,life is  good1 if you will
 but see it40    ,but ,siddhartha       
answered steadfastly4    8,o my father1 
,i desire your august permission to seek
 the solitude1 and  there1 deeply       
meditating1 to find true deliverance not
 only for myself  but for you and all   
the world40    ,and when the ,maharaja  

heard these words--8to seek the         
solitude0 a great  trembling of the     
heart seized him1 and his strong voice  
choked in his  throat4 ,and at last1    
even as the mighty wild elephant shakes 
with his  weight the boughs of a fair   
green sapling in the jungle1 he caught  
the  hands of the ,prince and clung to  
them most pitifully1 crying aloud4      
8,stop4 ,let not such ill-omened words  
be spoken4 ,the time is not yet         
come--even if come it must4 ,you are    
young and full of life and your  heart  
beats to a glad measure4 ,if you were to
 do this miserable thing  you would     
bitterly repent it4 ,you have not the   
strength1 nor the  knowledge4 ,this is a
 resolution for old men1 world-wearied4 
,but  you--beautiful as the day1 full of
 youth1 husband of a fair and dutiful   
wife1 father of a young son1 what talk  
is this8 ,my son1 ,i am ashamed for     
you4 ,it is for me to undertake the     
ascetic's life1 for you to rule in      
,kapila4 ,let it be so1 and ,i will go40

    ,and ,siddhartha holding his        
father's hands tenderly replied thus3   
8,my father1 honoured and loved1 you are
 the ruler and what have ,i to do  with 
putting you from your seat8 ,no--far be 
it from me6 ,rule in gladness  and      
honour until the appointed day4 ,but for
 myself--there is but one  condition on 
which ,i can stay6 ,if you will assure  
me against old age1  disease1 and death1
 ,i will remain--but not otherwise40    
,and the ,maharaja1 blind with grief1   
the white hairs showing on head and     
beard1 said only3    8,such words are   
impious4 ,am ,i a ,god that ,i can say  
to these three1 #8,thus  far and no     
farther'8 ,no--,betake yourself to      
pleasure and business like  other men   
and forget4 ,there is no other remedy40 
,but ,siddhartha flung himself on his   
knees before his father and grasped  his
 robe in the agony of his pleading4     
8,father1 hinder me no more if you love 
me4 ,if ,i were shut in a burning  home 
would you bar the door8 ,let me solve my

 doubt for it consumes my  very life4 ,o
 let me go1 let me go6 ,for if not--what
 way is left8 ,men  have slain          
themselves for a lesser hope than mine1 
that perhaps down the  dark ways of     
death they might seek and find what they
 could not in this  world of lies and   
counterfeits40    ,but he appealed in   
vain for the ears of his father were    
sealed1 and when  after pleading even to
 anguish the ,prince had left him grave 
and silent1  he issued orders that the  
,garden ,house should be guarded more   
strictly  than before--that fresh       
dancers1 fresh music1 should be ordered 
and new  pleasures invented and that    
every road and way should be watched    
with  ten-fold diligence4    ,and       
,siddhartha seeing the tears of his     
father with a compassion that  pierced  
his own heart returned to the ,garden   
,house1 and set himself in  silence to  
consider1 not knowing whence help would 
find him1 but firm in  his resolve4     
,and beneath the trees ,yashodara       

awaited him1 carrying his young son in  
her arms1 and she knelt beside him1     
uncovering the face of the child1       
bright and beautiful as a budding rose  
in earliest summer4 ,for she            
thought--8,let this speak for me10 and  
,siddhartha read the little face so     
like his own1 in silence4    ,then1     
stretching out his hand1 he clasped the 
hand of his wife1 and  spoke thus3      
8,well-beloved1 if our child were in a  
house ruining about him1 and ,i  stood  
by to see him crushed and broken1 what  
would be your thoughts of  me80    ,she 
smiled with pride and contentment4      
8,why ask8 ,that could not be4 ,you     
would give your life for him and count  
it nothing40    8,well-beloved1 mother  
of my son1 that word is true2 you know  
it4 ,and  would you who love me hold me 
back if ,i rushed on death for his sake1
  counting my own life as nothing80     
8,for my love's sake ,i would bid you   
go40    8,true again4 ,so speak1 so do  
the women of our race4 ,but hear        

further4  ,suppose my son fallen into   
bitter poverty1 and that ,i knew of a   
great  treasure hidden in far-off       
forests and mountains1 so far that great
 was  the danger1 great the severance1  
would you bid me stay or go80    ,doubt 
clouded the beauty of her eyes1 raised  
toward him4    8,there1 my heart's lord1
 ,i know not4 ,you are more to my son   
and me than  any treasure4 ,what are    
jewels1 pearls or gold compared with the
 heaven  of your presence8 ,better      
poverty together and the blue heaven    
above us  and bright earth beneath1 than
 loneliness and splendour40    ,clasping
 her hand he answered3    8,but         
starving1 his face gaunt with want1     
haunted by ghosts of grief and  fear1   
would you send me or bid me stay8 ,think
 well1 mother of my son4  ,would you    
weigh your grief against his good1 and  
he too young to know80    ,and she      
answered3    8,i would say1 ,go--how    
otherwise8 ,but1 ,o beloved1 these words
 are  dreadful4 ,forget them4 ,look at  

the sunset strewing roses on the cold   
snows and the splendour of ,surya       
driving his chariot down the western    
sky after the long day of glory4 ,he is 
weary of pomp and colour4 ,he  longs for
 the cool refreshing dews and the dusk  
and quiet and the dark  repose of       
midnight4 ,would that we could see him  
face to face1  golden-eyed and          
inconceivably divine4 ,the ,gods are far
 and grief is  near40    ,he loosed her 
hand gently4    8,those words are true  
also1 wise and beautiful40 ,and slowly  
he added3    8,night comes and the ,gods
 are far4 ,go in and sleep1             
beloved1--,yet do not  forget the words 
we have spoken together1 for grief comes
 to all and  when it comes there is but 
one way--to agree nobly with necessity40
    ,and she took the dust from his     
feet1 rapt on the beauty of his eyes and
  went1 carrying the child with her4    
,,part ,,ii                             
,,chapter ,,vii      ,,thus have ,i     
heard4    ,on that night of terror and  

wonder were strange influences astir in 
the  darkness1 influences moving        
steadily to war4 ,for the battle was not
  between the armies of ,kings nor was  
the prize a throne1 but a combat        
strange1 unearthly between the armies of
 the ,appetites and ,desires1 and  the  
warriors of the ,world of pure spirit   
and wisdom eternal1 and there  and thus 
was it fought4    ,it was the night of  
,no ,moon and the stars hung larger and 
brighter1  suspended but a little above 
the earth1 and the dark was still and   
breathless1 so that ,siddhartha would   
have willingly sat all night by  ,rohini
 listening to the cool ripple of water  
as she made her way through  the gardens
 to an end he knew not4 ,but this could 
not be1 for by the  ,maharaja's new     
orders the women must dog his footsteps1
 never permitting  him to wander1 or    
remain unseen4 ,and thus1 though they   
were invisible1  he knew that bright    
eyes watched in every brake1 and feet   
light as a  spirit's trod noiselessly   

where he went4    ,therefore at last1   
sighing1 he rose and passed into the    
,hall where the  dancers stood ready to 
sway in their beautiful measure1 and the
 singers  and musicians were ranged in  
order1 fair face outshining fair face   
until  the most beautiful were nearest  
to the gold cushions of his seat4 ,but  
the ,princess ,yashodara slept far off  
in the little marble chamber with  her  
child clasped to her bosom4    ,and at  
last as the night went on a deep        
weariness oppressed him and lay  like   
lead on his eyelids1 and the subtly     
stealing dark and wearisome  iteration  
of music and of rhythmic feet became    
like an opiate1 and his  head dropped on
 the raised pillows and he slept4 ,so   
the dance slackened  quietly and the    
dancers whispered one to another3       
8,how pale is the ,prince6 ,how         
careworn6 ,was it wise in the ,maharaj  
to  hide from him what cannot be hidden8
 ,but we are dancers--this is not our   
business4 ,do not wake him lest there be

 anger4 ,mute the instruments very      
slowly and softly and let none jangle as
 we lay it aside4 ,we must not  leave   
him alone1 lest suddenly he awake and   
demand more pleasure1  therefore remain 
here but be very quiet and1 if it be    
possible1 sleep4  ,o1 it is good to     
rest4 ,we too are weary of singing and  
dancing4 ,it is a  hard service4 ,sleep1
 sisters1 sleep40    ,and it is told    
that when midnight drew veils of        
darkness over earth and  sky there came 
,influences noiseless--winged as the    
white moth that  haunts the evenings of 
summer1 and that as these came1 thought 
died from  the soul of ,siddhartha and  
it became ,perception1--and he saw and  
heard  inwardly while the women about   
him lay drunk with heavy sleep4    ,now 
along the night crept a strange music1  
thin at first and faint as  the far-off 
falling of rain1 but drawing nearer1    
nearer1 sweeter than  all harps and     
lutes struck with earthly hands1 and at 
first no words  could be distinguished  

but only an unearthly sweetness1        
soul-dividing1  purer than the crystal  
purity of ice on the highest summits of 
the  mountains that speak face to face  
with heaven4    ,and at last1 the clear 
sounds glided into clear words1 and the 
,prince  heard the mystic music1 whether
 within or without his soul who shall   
say8 ,but it fell from on high like     
white flakes of snow falling cold and   
passionless and drowning desire4        
8,mighty ,one1 ,o ,mighty ,one4         
,there is a ,way--a ,way4               
,the wise of old have trodden it4       
,rise now and go4                       
,finding the ,light1                    
,share it with men4                     
,grant unto all                         
,to drink in peace                      
,the water of ,righteousness4           
,thou who in past lives                 
,didst agonize for men1                 
,nothing withholding1                   
,again go forth1                        
,conqueror of sorrow40    ,and as he    

listened in tranced silence once more   
the clear words shaped  themselves from 
the heart of silence4                   
8,light of the world1                   
,remember past lives4                   
,griefs without end1                    
,revilings and prisons1                 
,deaths many and cruel4                 
,these hast ,thou borne1                
,loving and patiently1                  
,shedding forgiveness                   
,on those who slew thee4                
,go forth again1                        
,riding to ,victory40    ,and when he   
heard and had understood this music1 the
 ,prince rose from  sleep and looked    
about him in the faint light of the     
lamps1 with  thoughts new and awful     
stirring in his breast--thoughts beyond 
words1  unutterable4    ,and the women  
slept in disorder about him1 heavily    
lolling as though  drunk with wine1     
their faces wried and twisted1 mouths   
awry1 running  over with saliva1 limbs  
flung into coarse attitudes1 sprawling1 

couchant  like animals1 with pendant    
lips and breasts1 laughing foolishly at 
worthless dreams1 hidden blemishes      
visible1 abandoned to the disclosures   
of careless sleep1 ungainly1 revolting1 
as though the truth had suddenly        
touched them with clear ray disclosing  
them as they were4    ,and the ,prince  
said slowly3    8,it is a graveyard1 and
 these are the corpses40    ,and        
shrinking in his very soul1 he rose1    
looking down upon them with  horror1 and
 drawing his feet and garments from the 
contact went forth  treading quietly and
 ascended to the roof of the ,house of  
the ,garden to  look out into the night4
    ,dead silent was it as he turned to 
the eastern horizon1 the air  breathless
 as though the ,universe waited in      
suspense to know what he  would do4     
,but he1 standing alone in the night1   
joined the ten fingers of his  hands1   
and rendered homage to all the          
,enlightened who had preceded him1      
exalting and uniting his purpose to     

theirs who had opened the way which  the
 eternities shall not close4    ,and    
even as he joined his hands he perceived
 that the bright star ,pushya  which had
 shone upon his birth was rising in the 
sky1 and he knew that  his hour was upon
 him4    ,then turning he descended1 led
 by human anguish and longing to see    
once  more his young child and its      
mother1 for in the very deeps of his    
heart  those lives were rooted1 but1    
lest resolution should waver1 he went   
first to the doorway where slept ,channa
 the charioteer1 wrapped in his  white  
garment1 and even as the ,prince stooped
 above him1 this man sprang  to his     
feet1 alert and faithful1 saluting his  
,prince1--and in dim  lamplight each    
looked into the eyes of the other4      
,and ,siddhartha said3    8,o faithful6 
,the blessing that is upon me has this  
night touched  perfection4 ,bring out my
 noble white horse1 for my life here is 
done and  ,i depart40    ,but ,channa   
stood perfectly silent staring in his   

face as one bereft of  purpose1 and once
 more ,siddhartha spoke4    8,what must 
be1 must4 ,i thirst and long for a      
draught of the ,fountain of  ,sweet     
,dew4 ,delay no more4 ,saddle white     
,kantaka4 ,it is an order40    ,and     
,channa obeyed4    ,so the ,prince      
entered the little marble chamber where 
on her golden bed  lay the ,princess1   
drowned in sweet sleep1 clasping the    
child in her  arms1 unconscious of the  
grief approaching4 ,and it appeared to  
,siddhartha that the cold air of his    
sorrow must rouse her1 but it did  not4 
,she slept and smiled1 rapt in a dream  
of content4 ,and garlands of  flowers   
hung about the chamber mingling their   
perfumes with the pure air  of night    
breathed through marble lattices1 and   
all this was home and  his1 and for the 
last time he looked upon it4 ,and so    
great a desolation  fell upon him that  
twice he stretched his empty arms to    
clasp the child  in all its rosy warmth 
and dearness1 and twice they fell       

because he  feared to wake ,yashodara   
from her last dream of joy4    ,so he   
stood1 enduring1 looking upon them as a 
man who faces death and  for a while he 
stayed1 with thoughts that cannot be    
told1 nor should  that veil be lifted4  
,but when the end was come and he could 
endure no more1 he stooped above  them  
until his breath mingled with theirs1   
and turned away leaving them  sleeping4 
,then1 passing through the quiet house1 
he came to the doorway where  stood     
white ,kantaka1 and ,channa held him    
pale as death4    ,now this horse was of
 all most noble1 high-maned1 with       
flowing tail1  broad-backed1            
wide-browed1 with round and claw-shaped 
nostrils1 and he  stood regarding his   
lord1 and there was prescience in his   
great eyes4  ,and the ,prince soothed   
and caressed the strong neck1 saying3   
8,o brave in fight and fearless1 now put
 forth strength in a sterner  battle4   
,to-night ,i ride far--even to the      
,river of ,eternal ,life4 ,i ride  far  

to seek deliverance--not for men only1  
but for all your kind also4  ,therefore 
for your own sake1 great horse1--for the
 sake of all that draw  the breath of   
life1 carry me far--far this night40    
,and so1 springing upon the noble horse1
 he settled himself in the  saddle1 and 
pacing quietly the horse went on his    
way4 ,so they passed out  dreamlike1 the
 man like the sun shining forth from his
 cloudy palaces1  the horse like the    
white cloud beneath him1 drawing quiet  
breath because  no sound must awake the 
house of sleepers4    ,and it is        
told--but ,i know not--that four        
attendant divine spirits laid  their    
hands beneath the strong ringing hoofs  
to deaden the sound1 and  that others1  
casting the watchmen into sleep1 caused 
the heavy barred  gates to roll open    
slowly and noiselessly4 ,but be that as 
it will it is  certain that the ,prince 
passed out1 and gaining the road before 
the  gates1 stopped and turned1 saying  
these words3    8,never again shall ,i  

come here--never again see this beloved 
place1  unless ,i conquer old age1      
disease1 and death1 for this is my      
quest40    ,and it is told that divine  
voices in the air cried aloud3    8,well
 done4 ,well said40 ,and whether the    
,prince heard this or no ,i cannot      
tell1 but he rode on his way4 ,and man  
and horse1 strong of heart1 went  far   
that night1 so far that when the east   
flashed into light and the  world-wide  
radiance of the rising sun they stood   
beside great woods and  the habitations 
of those ascetics who had relinquished  
the world4    ,there1 wearied1 the royal
 horse himself stopped1 to draw restful 
breath  and to drink the pure lymph of  
those crystalline streams4 ,so the      
,prince  dismounted and looking into the
 horse's eyes he said3    8,you have    
borne me well40 ,and from that he turned
 to ,channa1 saying3    8,and you1 ,o   
faithfullest1 swift-footed as a bird is 
swift-winged1 long  have you followed   
me1 and even before this night my heart 

was full of  gratitude1 and ,i knew you 
as a true man1--strong of heart and     
strong of  body4 ,but now ,i know more1 
for you have come with me utterly       
disdainful  of profit1 courting danger  
and rebuke1 and what shall ,i say to    
you8 ,many  words ,i cannot say--but    
only this4 ,my heart will remember4     
,but1 here we  part--here is our        
relationship ended4 ,take my horse and  
return4 ,for me  are births and deaths  
about to be ended40    ,and taking off  
the chain of beaten gold and glimmering 
jewels which he  wore about his neck1 he
 gave it to ,channa1 saying3    8,take  
this in remembrance4 ,let it console    
your grief40    ,then loosing the       
precious jewel that shone in his        
head-tire1 he looked  at it lying in his
 palm where it flashed resplendent like 
the sun of  ,indra's ,paradise1 and he  
said slowly3    8,take this1 ,channa1 to
 my father and lay it reverently before 
him4 ,it is  my heart4 ,tell him that ,i
 have entered upon the life of the      

ascetic1 not  indeed seeking a heavenly 
birth1 for what is that to me if again  
,i fall  into rebirth and it leaves me  
in this world of lies and               
illusions8--but  that ,i may find the   
,way of ,deliverance4 ,for if that way  
is found then no  more need ,i leave    
those whom ,i love2 no more put away my 
kindred4 ,but  since ,i must go1 let not
 my father endure grief for me4 ,let him
 forget  me and be glad40    ,then      
,channa1 listening with reverence1 tried
 to make his voice heard1  choking with 
grief4    8,this will ,i do--but ,o the 
heaping up of sorrow6 ,how shall it be  
endured8 ,your father increases in      
years1 your son is but a little  infant1
 the sister of your mother1 who tended  
your childhood1 loves you  as a         
son1--your wife1 the mother of your     
child--,my ,prince1 my  ,prince6--think 
better before all are lost4 ,and drive  
me not from you4 ,if  ,i have been      
faithful is not trust the reward of     
fidelity8 ,o turn for  pity's sake3 set 

your face homeward4 ,this ,i beseech    
you40    ,but the ,prince1 pale and     
resolved1 made answer3    8,what is     
relationship8 ,were ,i to die ,i must   
leave them4 ,my own mother  loved me1   
but she is vanished from among us4 ,the 
kinships of this world  are like a flock
 of birds that for a night settle on the
 same tree and  when dawn comes         
disperse4 ,such are its ties1 no more4  
,does any tie of  relationship ensure   
the joy of permanent union8 ,no4 ,all is
 said4 ,say no  more1 faithful one4     
,return to the city and make known to   
all men these  my words--#8,when ,i have
 found the ,way--that ,way which puts an
 end to the  sad endless chain of birth 
and death1 then and not otherwise ,i    
will  return4' ,and if ,i do not obtain 
this victory my body shall perish in the
  jungle40    ,and as he turned to go1  
the horse1 hearing1 bent his head and   
licked the  foot of the ,prince1 and    
grief was seen in his large eyes4 ,so   
the ,prince1  fondly stroking his head1 

bade him also farewell4    8,my horse1  
gentle and noble1 your good deeds have  
gained their reward4  ,no painful       
rebirth awaits you--this ,i know4 ,be   
content1 for it is well40    ,then      
taking his jewelled sword1 shining like 
a meteor1 he cut off the  knot of hair  
which as a ,prince he wore twisted with 
jewels and even as  he did this1 there  
passed a hunter going toward the jungle 
with bow and  arrows and wearing a      
garment of coarse yellow1 and           
,siddhartha hailed the  man4            
8,friend1 will you change your garment  
for mine1 for with mine ,i have  done   
for ever40    ,and the man drew near1   
consenting1 and stripped off his garment
 and took  the other1 and for a moment  
the two looked each other in the eyes1  
,channa standing by4    ,now it is      
told--but this ,i cannot know--that this
 hunter was the same  divine spirit1 who
 disguised in flesh had brought         
enlightenment to the  ,prince1 but be   
that as it may1 he took the garment and 

went his way in  silence4    ,and having
 made this exchange ,siddhartha took off
 his jewels one by one  and placed them 
in the hands of ,channa1 and stood a    
moment in the dull  garment as it were a
 bright star in eclipse1 and so looked  
into the  faithful eyes of ,channa--as  
though he would have spoken4 ,but this  
he  could not1 then slowly turning he   
made his way to the forest1 and its     
boughs and leaves opened to receive him1
 he parting them with his hands1  and he
 passed in and was seen no more4    ,and
 ,channa left alone1 cried aloud    8,it
 is done40    ,raising his hands to the 
unpitying skies and letting fall his arm
 on the  neck of ,kantaka1 he stumbled  
homeward1 his tears falling1 and great  
fear  and grief possessing his soul4    
,and here and thus ends the scripture of
 the great ,renunciation leading  us    
onward to the ,discipline1 the          
,enlightenment and the ,victory4        
,,chapter ,,viii      ,,thus have ,i    
heard4    ,going deeper into the forest1

 calm and resolved in mind1 startling   
the  deer as he passed1 the birds rising
 about him with cries1 the ,prince  went
 on his way1 plucking the wild berries  
and fruits for food1 he who  had been   
served from gold and silver1 and the sun
 now fully risen poured  floods of light
 between the quivering leaves and       
ancient branches of  those venerable    
trees4 ,and as he passed1 seeing the    
world so beautiful1  dew trembling like 
crystals upon leaf and flower and the   
perfume of the  morning exhaling like   
the breath of a maiden in pure mist1 the
 beginning  of peace rose in his        
troubled mind1 and he said within       
himself4    8,after a great storm comes 
calm4 ,let me now control my grief1     
remembering that the past returns no    
more than ,rohini after she has  flowed 
into the ocean4 ,and as in the ocean    
drifting logs for awhile meet  and touch
 and are then driven apart by the waves 
so is it with parents1  wives1 children 
and wealth4 ,this is most true40    ,and

 when at noon he was weary and his feet 
torn with the strong thorns  and hooks  
of jungle creepers he sat down to rest  
and the thought came4    8,were ,i now  
in the sweet garden by ,rohini how would
 my wife1  soft-handed1 gentle-voiced1  
weep to see these feet1 with what cool  
dropping unguents would she staunch the 
blood1 which now ,i have not so  much as
 a rag to wipe away40----    ,so1 seeing
 this and waiting his opportunity ,mara 
the ,tempter--that ,one  evil from of   
old1 drew near through the shining      
trees1 and whether he  spoke within or  
without the heart of ,siddhartha ,i     
cannot tell1 but most  certainly he     
spoke and his voice at first distant as 
the humming of  ardent black bees about 
a flower became nearer1 sweeter1 subtle1
 until  it sealed every sense to all but
 its meaning4 ,and thus he said3    8,o 
,prince1 merciful and compassionate but 
utterly misled1 what is it you  would do
 in the wild forest8 ,is this a place   
for a ruler of men8 ,far be  it from    

you6 ,by what evil counsel do you       
abandon your duties1 flinging  all madly
 aside to become an ascetic8 ,what      
reason is there in believing  that pain 
and destruction of the body give wings  
to the soul8 ,no--but  far otherwise1   
for the soul dwindles with the tortured 
body as flame  dies when it has consumed
 the fuel4 ,and if your aim be to       
benefit  mankind1 are not just and      
powerful ,kings needed1 and was it not  
foretold  at your auspicious birth that 
you would become an empire-ruling ,king8
  ,here--living and dying in the jungle1
 how is your might wasted1 and the      
people forsaken60    ,and the voice grew
 sweeter and more poignant and verily   
before him did  ,siddhartha see the face
 of the ,tempter1 beautiful and         
melancholy with  pleading mouth and eyes
 that entreated and hands spread out in 
prayer4    8,think better1 ,o ,prince4  
,consider how the kingdom of ,kosala    
lies near to  ,kapila and easily to be  
captured4 ,great are the cities of      

,kosala4  ,consider the city of         
,ayodhya--in length it is eighty-four   
miles1 in  breadth seventy1 and the     
streets so broad that a team of         
elephants--nay  two2 might be easily    
driven abreast1 and flowering trees     
stand along  them1 and there are rows of
 stalls to which the wealthy merchants  
flock  from all the countries of the    
world1 from ,china and ,lanka and down  
the  ,passes from ,balkh and            
,samarkhand2 their caravans of camels   
and horses  carrying such rarities as   
kingly hearts desire4 ,there are gardens
 and  mango groves for the delight of   
the citizens and clear waters where they
  may sport like swans and other aquatic
 birds1 and mountain-like palaces       
adorned with pinnacles and banners and  
glittering with precious  inlay1--and   
great houses where skilled actors       
delight their hearers with  song and    
dance and story1 so that eye and ear are
 transported in seeing  and hearing4    
,and there is a quarter of the city     

where dwell women of  beauty exceeding  
the ,apsaras1 for they are brought from 
the ends of the  earth to delight the   
happy people of ,kosala4 ,and the town  
is thronged  with splendid elephants and
 horses2 and neighbouring kings1 decked 
with  earrings and armlets1 come to pay 
tribute and marvel at the glittering    
beauty of the city4 ,there is no want of
 food and the very water is sweet  as   
the juice of the sugar-cane1 and night  
and day the air resounds with  music and
 stringed instruments4 ,and all this is 
yours for the taking40    ,and          
heart-enthralling was the picture that  
rose before the ,prince's eyes  in      
hearing1 for he beheld ,yashodara a     
,queen beside him1 fair and royal1      
example to women1 and between his knees 
his son ,rahula proud and  gentle--a    
great ,king to be1 and a happy people   
sheltered in his  shadow--a noble people
 enlightening the dark tribes about     
them4 ,and the  soft voice proceeded    
like the breathing melody of a flute4   

8,nor are the ,gods forgotten in the    
city of ,ayodhya2 great reverence is    
done them1 and were a royal saint upon  
the throne1 crime would be  banished and
 forgotten and the ,golden ,age return  
to earth4 ,o bountiful  and merciful1   
all this is in your hands4 ,there also  
are troops of noble  ,brahmans1         
celebrated for learning and piety1 for  
it were shame indeed if  greatness of   
mind and soul were forgotten in the     
pleasure of the senses4  ,no--far       
otherwise4 ,and with such wisdom1 there 
is no poverty1 for every  householder is
 rich in horses and cattle and food4    
,all possess earrings  and garlands1    
each is content with his own gains1 free
 from  covetousness1 speaking the       
truth40    ,and when the sweet subtle   
voice ceased the ,prince replied3       
8,then it is only ,i who shall be       
covetous--,i1 who must plunge this happy
  city in blood and tears that ,i may   
take it to be my slave8 ,and the ,king  
who has made them happy ,i must slay4   

,is this what you would have me do80    
,and the ,tempter replied gravely4      
8,prince1 there is no good but what it  
might be better1 and if that ,king  is  
wise you are wiser4 ,turn again to      
,kapila and to glory1 and to the  good  
of mankind and this that ,i promise     
shall befall in seven days40    ,then   
summoning his fortitude1 ,siddhartha    
said slowly4    8,this city filled with 
pleasure1 beauty and wealth1 with wisdom
 and  content1--is it safely protected1 
,o wise one8 ,is it well fortified      
against attack80    ,and eager was the  
voice of the ,tempter4    8,well asked1 
,o ,prince1 and wisely4 ,it is fortified
 as never city in the  world's history4 
,about it goes a mighty wall where the  
,king's chariots  may drive abreast1 and
 about that a moat wide and deep1 and   
there is a  host of warriors1 each able 
to combat with a thousand4 ,never city  
so  safe4 ,nor could even yourself      
conquer it did ,i not give you friends  
within the gates40    8,then is it      

certain that age1 disease and death1    
those fell enemies1  must needs stay    
outside8 ,they cannot enter in this     
guarded city80 ,so  said the ,prince4   
,there was silence4 ,and presently      
,siddhartha answering the subtle voice  
said3    8,go from me1 thou ,ancient    
,evil6 ,the snare is set too plain4 ,for
 all  their wealth this miserable people
 must suffer and decay and die like  all
 the world and their riches are but a   
pang the more4 ,truly one day ,i  may   
come to ,ayodhya and as a conqueror     
bringing great riches in my hand  for   
their good1 but not thus--not thus60    
,and in his heart the subtle voice was  
stilled and he rose and went on  his way
 with bleeding feet4 ,and as he went he 
said this to himself3    8,before the   
days when ,i considered the terrors of  
re-birth1 old age1  disease and death1  
,i sought after such merchandise as the 
merchandise of  ,kosala1 subject to all 
these lures4 ,but now1 seeing the       
danger1 awake  and alert1 let me seek   

only after the things which have no part
 in  these1 even the supreme joy and    
security of the ,peace40    ,but though 
he did not know it1 that ,tempter       
followed1 for who is immune  from his   
arts1 and he thought1 watching the      
serenity of the ,prince3    8,this time 
he has conquered1 but sooner or later   
even if riches fail  some hurtful or    
malicious thought will burn within him  
and then--then he  is mine40    ,and    
from that hour he crept behind the      
,prince on the watch for sin1  cleaving 
to him like a shadow which follows the  
object from which it  falls4    ,so     
after long journeying he came to        
,rajagriha--name never to be  forgotten 
because once the ,light of the world    
sojourned there4 ,and this  was the     
capital of ,king ,bimbisara1 ,king of   
,magadha1 and it lay very  pleasantly in
 an eastern valley of holy ,ganges1     
surrounded by the five  mountains of the
 ,vindhya range1 and these are beautiful
 though but as  foothills comparing them

 with those great ramparts of the       
,gods--the  mountains beyond ,kapila4   
,now in these ,vindhya mountains are    
caves in the lower hills1 all grown     
about by trees1 in the solitude yet not 
so far but what an ascetic may  go to   
the city if needful1 and in these caves 
certain learned and holy  ,brahmans had 
established themselves and to each came 
disciples1 counting  this world as husks
 if they might rise to the heavens on   
strong wings of  knowledge and belief4  
,coming wearily through the forest1 pale
 and worn with unused hardships1  the   
,prince climbed upward to the caves     
shaded by great trees and in an         
excellent quiet1 and at last before him 
he saw the mouth of a cave hung  with   
vines and grown about by bushes in      
blossom1 and before it sat a man        
clothed in a garment of red bark1 and he
 was in the lotus posture to  ward off  
evil1 and the ,prince seeing him thus   
meditating passed around  him           
respectfully three times and took his   

seat in silence at a proper  distance1  
waiting his pleasure4    ,so time went  
by1 and the ascetic never stirred though
 his shadow shifted  as the sun went on 
his golden journey westward1 and        
,siddhartha meditated  on the ,way of   
,peace1 wondering if the man before him 
had its key1 and to  him too the time   
was not long1 and the cool shade bathed 
his wounded  feet and refreshed them4   
,and at last the ascetic returned to    
earth and looked at him with  visionary 
incurious eyes while the ,prince waited 
respectfully1 and  finally he accosted  
,siddhartha1 asking what had brought him
 hither1 to  whom the ,prince dutifully 
replied1 for a teacher is more even than
 a  parent1 being a spiritual and not a 
fleshly father1 and he besought his     
instruction4    ,and having heard1 the  
,brahman ,alara considered awhile1 and  
agreed that  he should study the ,vedas 
and ,upanishads1 those ancient holy     
scriptures1  under his guidance and amid
 the families of holy persons1 both men 

and  women1 who dwelt in the caves and  
woods each engaged in religious duties  
and pursuing the way to ,heaven4    ,and
 the ,prince1 with folded hands1 said   
humbly3    8,i am but a beginner1 great 
sir2 ,i do not know the rules of the    
religious life4 ,be pleased to grant me 
information40    ,and that twice-born   
,brahman of high lineage informed       
,siddhartha of the  rules of the various
 teachers and of the fruits expected    
from their  practices4 ,he declared how 
some lived only on food proceeding from 
pure  water1 some subsisting on edible  
roots and tender twigs1 others on       
fruits and flowers some1 like deer1     
eating grass and herbs1 others again    
begging their food and giving it in     
charity1 keeping only the crumbs and    
remnants for themselves4    ,also he    
named those ascetics who torture the    
body in order to subdue it1  those who  
let water drop continually on their     
heads--and many more1  cunning in       
devising sufferings and cruel           

austerities1 so that at the end  of     
every life they may purchase birth in   
,heaven and taste divine  tranquillities
 and pleasures before they are again    
launched into the  dreary sea of mortal 
existence4    8,and thus10 he said1 8are
 great joys attained1 impossible to be  
described in words1 delectable to the   
soul40    ,and the ,prince heard with   
reverence1 and the ascetics1 men and    
women who  dwelt in the woods and caves1
 seeing the beauty of his face and his  
serenity and courtesy were moved with   
wonder and admiration1  saying--8,who is
 this most beautiful young man1 so calm 
and noble8 ,surely  he has the          
appearance of a great ,prince and can be
 no other4 ,well is it  when such       
forsake the world's things for the      
things of the ,gods40    ,and his master
 appointed a cave for his dwelling      
tapestried with nests  of the wild black
 bees1 and dripped about in one part    
with golden honey1  but because the holy
 men were friendly to all creatures and 

disturbed  none of their combs but only 
ate a little of the dripped honey1 the  
bees  were friendly also and pleasant   
companions1 their myriad voices soothing
  to meditation as the sounds of a great
 ocean far off4    ,here dwelt          
,siddhartha joining in the strong       
chanting of ,vedic hymns and  hearing   
the recital of the ,vedas and           
,upanishads1 for books were  none--the  
memories of men carrying all knowledge1 
and he learnt these  things with a      
swiftness almost incredible1 because his
 heart was in it4  ,and when food was   
needed1 clad in his yellow garment he   
took his begging  bowl1 and went down to
 the city begging from house to house1  
for he  considered thus3    8,full of   
hindrances is the household life2 the   
haunt of passion4 ,free as  air is the  
homeless state10 and all the luxuries of
 his former life  seemed empty as a     
dream that flies at dawn4 8,better is   
the alms of food  ,i beg than the wines 
and fruits cooled in snow1 the rich     

meats and  costly of ,kapila40 ,so he   
said night and day1 though at first his 
soul  loathed the food4    ,now one day 
when he went to the town of ,giribaja to
 beg his food it so  happened that the  
,king of ,magadha1 ,bimbisara1 stood on 
the high terrace  of his palace1 looking
 down the street1 and he saw the young  
ascetic  coming slowly1 holding his bowl
 in his hands and courteously accepting 
what was given4 ,and there was that in  
the nobility of his person and  evident 
signs of ,aryan birth which arrested the
 eyes of the ,king and he  said to those
 about him4    8,look upon this man1    
lords1 beautiful is he1 great and pure4 
,he is  guarded in conduct3 his eyes do 
not wander1 he looks not more than a    
fathom's length before him4 ,such a man 
is of no low caste4 ,see how1 like  a   
great noble1 he is self-possessed and   
serene1 moving in solitary  majesty as  
the moon among faint stars4 ,send my    
royal messengers and  inquire where that
 mendicant goes40    ,and the messengers

 ran at the ,king's word and hurried    
down into the  street saying to one     
another4    8,where is that ,bhikkhu#a  
going8 ,it is toward the mountain       
,pandava4 ,that  must be his abode40    
-----    #a ,monk4    -----    ,and     
having followed where ,siddhartha went  
they returned to the ,king and  told    
him--    8,on the eastern slope of      
,mount ,pandava that ,bhikku has taken  
his seat1 a  ,king among men as the     
tiger among beasts40    ,and the ,king  
said1 8,bring out my chariot10 and he   
directed it to the  mountain4    ,now   
when the road ended he did not return   
discouraged but dismounting  went onward
 climbing up on foot until he came near 
to where the ,prince  sat1 and there    
with eagerness and courtesy the ,king   
greeted him1 for as  lions know their   
kind1 not mistaking them for jackals1 so
 is it with the  great4 ,and the ,king  
took his seat on a rock1 saying3    8,i 
beseech you1 sir1 to tell me your family
 and lineage4 ,young are you1  a man in 

his first youth1 fine and delicate in   
colour1 the glory of the  vanguard of an
 army4 ,i would lay wealth at your feet1
 if wealth  delighted you4 ,speak1 and  
tell me your mind40    ,and as he spoke 
the nobles stood grouped about to hear1 
correcting every  careless or unseemly  
gesture because the man was great and   
the very air  about him pure1 and they  
beheld with joy his noble body bright as
 gold1  his eyes of darkest blue1 and   
the kingliness of his manners4    ,and  
the ,prince replied with gratitude and  
noble courtesy3    8,great ,king1 kind  
and liberal is your heart1 and precious 
your  generosity to my own1 but all     
these things lie behind me far as dawn  
from sunset4 ,i had wealth and power1   
and more1 but regarding these  things as
 hindrances to perception ,i am come out
 into the solitude to  seek the ,way of 
,peace40    ,and having thus begun he   
related to the ,king his family and     
history and  all about them held breath 
to listen4    ,and the ,king1 sighing1  

at last said this3    8,noble one1 ,i   
cannot but reverence your choice yet ,i 
lament it1 for the  world has need of   
you4 ,i would share my kingdom with you 
could that  shake your resolution4      
,there is nothing ,i could refuse would 
it draw you  to us again for ,i see you 
surpassing other men and have not known 
your  like40    ,but the steadfast      
,prince replied3    8,illustrious and   
world-renowned1 descendant of ,arya1    
your words are  heard with deep         
veneration4 ,righteous and sincere1 you 
speak the truth1  and virtue is not     
confined to any one school of           
thought--the sun lights  the whole world
 and the ,way of a great and just king  
is blessed4 ,but for  me1 ,i have heard 
a call4 ,my way is onward and behind me 
lie the ,five  ,desires4 ,would a hare  
rescued from a serpent's jaws go back to
 be  devoured8 ,as little would ,i      
return to the dreams and illusions that 
have  fallen from me4 ,king1 there are  
many quests and mine is to find         

deliverance for the world from the      
,wheel of ,agony that turns and turns   
and will not cease through pitiless ages
 of rebirth and sorrow4 ,there is  a    
way1--and ,i have given all that ,i may 
find it4 ,but you--return1 ,o wise      
,king1 to your happy city4 ,may you     
direct and defend your subjects in      
peace4 ,may the ,gods be good to you4   
,may all good go with you40    ,and the 
,king replied with gratitude and noble  
courtesy said these words3    8,that    
which you seek1 great ,prince1 may you  
attain1 receiving the  perfect fruit of 
your birth4 ,and when this is gained ,i 
pray you return  to me that ,i also may 
share in your wisdom1 and graciously    
receive me as  one who would learn40    
,so the ,prince rising1 with courteous  
salutations1 pursued his way to the     
solitude1 and the ,king and his nobles  
with folded hands followed a  little way
 in reverence and then with thoughtful  
and mindful hearts  returned to the     
city4                                   

,,chapter ,,ix      ,,thus have ,i      
heard4    ,so while the ,prince went on 
into the woods1 turning his steadfast   
face  to the dawn of ,enlightenment1    
,channa the charioteer went slowly back 
to  ,kapila1 grieving and weeping1      
leading the noble horse1 for he had most
  surely hoped that where his lord went 
he might follow1 having proved  himself 
faithful2 and as the darkness of night  
closed in upon him he  wavered1 halting 
and looking behind him and then again   
proceeding1  irresolute in mind4    ,and
 the horse also grieved for his master1 
going heavily1 his head bowed  that was 
held so nobly1 neither would he eat     
grass nor drink water1 and  no joy nor  
spirit were left in him1 for he thought 
8,i shall never see  him again40 ,and   
even as he thought this1 his great heart
 broke for  grief1 and he died4 ,but in 
a happy place was he reborn because of  
his  fidelity1 even as the ,prince had  
foreseen1 for in no world can love lose 
the blessedness of its love4    ,but    

,channa went yet more slowly1 weeping a 
second sorrow1 and to him the  land     
appeared withered as when a man returns 
to a ruined city which once  he knew    
glad and living1 and it seemed as though
 the sun hidden behind a  mountain no   
longer enlightened the world4    ,so the
 men about the way1 seeing him in grief1
 turned again to look1 and              
consternation seized them and one cried 
aloud3    8,where is the                
,prince--beloved of the world8 ,have you
 taken him away by  stealth8 ,where is  
he hidden80    ,and ,channa halting1    
said with sighs2    8,i who followed him
 always with a loving heart1 would ,i   
have left him8  ,little do you know me6 
,he has dismissed me1--,o men of        
,kapila6 ,he has  buried himself in the 
forests to live the life of an ascetic40
    ,and those who listened heard this  
with dark foreboding1 for it appeared   
to them that things deep1 strange1 and  
mysterious had suddenly appeared  in    
their way1 and that the very world had  

changed in its course if such  things   
could be4 ,what had there been lacking  
to the ,prince that he  should go out   
thus to seek it8 ,what had he beheld1   
invisible to them8    ,and the news     
spread from them to the city and men and
 women rushed out  to the gates1 and    
when they saw that ,channa wept as he   
returned in  loneliness1 they1 not      
understanding whether the ,prince was   
dead or  alive1 cried out4    8,what has
 befallen8 ,surely sorrow is added to   
sorrow40    ,and like the flash of      
lightning news spread to the ,house of  
the ,garden  and the women of the       
palace1 their hair dishevelled about    
them1 their  robes flung hastily on as  
for a night-alarm1 came pouring down to 
the  doors that they might hear the     
worst1 and when they saw the charioteer 
alone1 they raised a loud and bitter    
cry4 ,so women mourn the beloved  dead  
when hope itself is dead with him4      
,and the cry reached ,prajapati1 aunt   
and foster-mother of the ,prince1       

sister of ,maya his mother1 and she     
wept1 saying to herself4    8,alas--his 
beauty1 his beauty6 ,o my son1 who was  
there to compare with  him8 ,i see his  
dark locks bound with gold1 his eyes    
blue and deep as the  ,ox-,king's1 his  
broad shoulders and strong arms1 a      
,tiger-,king among men4  ,how can it be 
endured that you should suffer the      
chills and heats of the  forest and we1 
bereft and miserable1 see you no more60 
,and the great lady threw herself upon  
the earth and so lay1 with the  women   
sitting about her1 held motionless by   
strong grief1 as marble  images4    ,and
 when at last one gathered up courage to
 tell the ,princess she sent  for       
,channa1 towering in indignation above  
him like an angry ,queen4    8,o        
faithless man1 and trusted in vain6 evil
 contriver1 false  servant6--beneath    
these pretended tears there is a hidden 
smile4 ,you  went out with him and alone
 you return4 ,what have you done8       
,better an  open enemy than a false     

friend4 ,alas1 the sorrows of our line6 
,surely  his noble mother died          
foreseeing the grief of to-day1 for our 
house is  left unto us desolate60       
,and ,channa1 pierced to the soul and   
thunderstruck1 was silent1 and she      
spoke again4    8,you weep aloud now4   
,why did you not awake the ,palace when 
he went8 ,then  all might have been     
saved4 ,now it is too late40    ,so1    
folding his hands1 with no anger in his 
heart1 for the agony of the  ,princess  
was visible1 the true ,channa replied3  
8,great ,lady1 have pity on my grief1   
for ,i am innocent in this4 ,in my  soul
 ,i believe it was the ,gods' doing4    
,from the day of his birth there  have  
been portents1 and who was ,i to stand  
against it80    ,then the ,princess1    
just and noble of soul1 recollected     
herself1  regretting her words1 knowing 
well that the burden of the ,gods'      
purpose  is their own and cannot be     
charged upon a man1 and she spoke gently
 to  him1 and when he was gone she sat  

alone mourning1 recalling the face and  
voice of her ,prince1 and slowly as the 
strong grief overburdened her she       
slipped down strengthless from the      
golden cushions and lay upon the        
ground1 her empty arms stretched out    
before her4    ,so her women found her1 
and as they raised her tenderly1 she    
said this  only3    8,take away my      
golden bed where my lord and ,i lay1 for
 henceforth ,i will  lie upon bare      
earth4 ,take away my robes of silk and  
my jewels and bring  me the yellow robe 
of the mendicant1 for ,i am beggared    
indeed4  ,henceforth ,i will wear no    
other4 ,cut off my long hair1 for ,i    
have done  with beauty4 ,and once a day 
and once only1 bring me the food of the 
mendicant1 such as will keep the flame  
of life alight and no more1 for  as to  
pleasure1 the name of it is forgotten40 
,and as she said so was it done1 and the
 long and perfumed tresses that  touched
 her lovely feet fell about her like a  
dropped veil1 and thus she  lived       

henceforward1 and for her child's sake  
only4    ,but as to the ,maharaja his   
case was different1 for love and anger  
contended in him1 and his thoughts      
charged each other as in battle1        
rushing madly hither and thither like a 
herd of wild elephants4 ,and when  his  
nobles gathered about him he raged aloud
 before them3    8,once ,i had a son4   
,now ,i have none4 ,what is my kingdom  
to me1 and my  horribly echoing empty   
palace8 ,and what are rule and          
dominance8 ,why was  he given to be     
taken80    ,and for all the royal priest
 and the wise minister could do1 they   
could  not assuage his wrath and grief  
until the thought occurred to them that 
they might follow the wanderer and yet  
compel or persuade him to return4       
,then1 and then only1 the ,king         
listened3    8,go10 he said1 8and       
swiftly4 ,let not a breath intervene    
between now and  your going1 for life is
 unendurable until you return with him40
    ,so in great haste the priest and   

minister set out on the way indicated   
by ,channa1 counting every instant of   
time they lost precious as dropped      
grains of pearl4    ,and when they were 
come to the forests and hills of        
,rajagriha1 they  asked their way of the
 wandering religious persons whom they  
met1 and of  the cave-dwelling ascetics1
 and to these grave persons they said3  
8,we are come1 beseeching your aid4 ,we 
serve a ,king like to the greatest  of  
the ,gods and his son1 beautiful as the 
,god who pierces hearts1 has  forsaken  
us and gone out into the solitudes      
seeking a remedy against old  age1      
disease1 and death1 a thing no man can  
find4 ,knowing this1 tell us1  we       
entreat1 where we may find him40    ,and
 the ascetics replied3    8,we know him 
and his beauty and nobleness4 ,he is    
gone to the cave of  ,alara the ,brahman
 that he may seek for illumination40    
,scarcely giving themselves time to hear
 and to utter thanks those two  old men1
 the priest and minister1 hurried on4   

,now as they did so the awe of the place
 and its quiet and the spirit of  deep  
contemplation arising from the residence
 of so many holy persons  fell on them1 
and insensibly their speed slackened1   
and neither said  this to the other1 but
 the same influence was upon them both1 
and as  they had abandoned the royal    
chariot when the track ceased1 so also  
they  now divested themselves of the    
insignia of their high offices1 and     
advanced humbly towards their           
destination4 ,and as they went they saw 
a  young ascetic seated beneath a tree1 
his hands folded and eyes fixed  upon   
the running water of a stream before his
 feet1 and he heard their  steps and    
rising saluted them1 and it was their   
,prince4    ,surely words cannot tell   
how this sight moved them--they who had 
seen  him far otherwise1 who perceived  
about him now a difference immeasurable 
even in thought6    ,but they saluted   
him with more than the old obedience1   
and being hidden  took their seats      

beside him as the twin stars attend the 
moon4 ,and about  them was the vast     
quiet and silence and shadow of the     
forest4    ,then choosing their words   
with care as a warrior chooses the      
arrows that  shall lose his life or save
 it1 in turn they set before him the    
condition of his father the ,king1      
asking him with deep earnestness how  it
 could be right in his eyes to abandon  
all his duties1 inflicting  sorrow worse
 than death upon those he loved and     
left4    ,and when they had spoken1 only
 the little running water took up the   
tale  for the ,prince meditated upon    
their words1 and they dared not         
interpose4    ,after a long interval he 
raised his head and answered3    8,this 
is well spoken1 but ,i have entered the 
road wherein is no turning4  ,for it is 
not for myself only that ,i seek the    
remedy1 but for all  creation4 ,and to  
me the earth is filled with this thought
 and with this  only1 and however you   
may use the sorcery of words to bewilder

 me it  fails4 ,i have heard and ,i will
 again hear your plea1 but this is and  
will be my answer--,the sun1 the moon1  
forsaking the sky1 may fall to  earth1  
the snowy mountains topple from their   
base1 but ,i will never  change my      
purpose40    ,and having said this he   
rose1 and the two with him1 and they1   
seeing  that they broke themselves      
against rock1 answered gently3    8,my  
,prince1 it is enough4 ,no more remains 
to be said4 ,we will intrude  our       
presence on you no more1 but will return
 to the ,king and lay your  fixed       
resolution before him40    ,and they    
saluted him1 and returned slowly through
 the forest1 pausing  here and there as 
they went to speak with the calm and    
untroubled  inhabitants who therein     
sought the treasure of wisdom1 eager to 
understand from them if possible the    
teaching which as the nectar of  flowers
 draws the bee1 had drawn the ,prince to
 the homeless life4 ,hard  was it to    
comprehend1 and at last1 sad and        

bewildered1 they emerged from  the green
 ocean of leaves to the light of common 
day and mounting the  chariot1 plied    
lash and shout hastening homeward1 and  
thus was the last  tie with ,kapila     
broken4    ,and the ,prince remained    
behind them1 upborne by the love of     
those he had  forsaken1 a love too great
 for them and such as they to           
comprehend4                             
,,chapter ,x      ,,thus have ,i heard4 
,then for patient years4 ,siddhartha1   
the ,buddha to be1--struggled to the    
light in the forest1 finding none4      
,surely was this the dark night of the  
soul wherein not so much as a star      
gleams in the thick and stifling        
midnight4    ,with ,alara he studied    
long and patiently1 so mastering his    
system of  thought that the ascetics who
 followed ,alara besought the ,prince to
  become their master4 ,but this he     
would not1 for he discerned no finality 
in this teaching1 nor any real          
deliverance1 because desire is not      

extinguished even though it be for high 
things1 and though it be held  but by a 
finger the ego of man is drawn again and
 yet again into the  revolving wheel    
that mangles him1--the wheel of birth   
and death4    ,therefore abandoning the 
teacher ,alara he went sorrowfully on to
 the  teacher ,uddaka1 that wise dweller
 in solitude1 and with him he studied   
in patience1 hoping yet against hope    
that here at last might be the          
beginning of light4    ,and he mastered 
this system also1 confronting his       
instructor with  difficulties which     
could be neither explained nor          
overcome1--finding  that ,uddaka        
promised a glittering heaven not founded
 upon the  ,unchangeable1 but           
transitory1 vanishing1 illusory4 ,and   
here too the ,way  was not1 nor the     
unchanging ,law4    ,then at last on his
 long patience dawned a certainty--that 
no help was  in any son of man1 that the
 riddle was too high for them and their 
wings  fluttered lamed in the blue and  

awful heights where his own thoughts    
soared--and that even this height was   
not high enough4 ,and within  himself he
 said3--    8,what ,i have learned here 
,i have learned and there is no more4   
,the  pasture is eaten bare4 ,i will go 
on alone into the forests of ,uruvela   
and there ,i will practise a terrible   
asceticism beyond all ,i have seen  in  
,rajagriha1 for it may be these men are 
right who teach that in the  destruction
 of the body lies enfranchisement of the
 soul4 ,i cannot tell1  but ,i will pass
 by no opening which may set my feet in 
the ,way40    ,so travelling alone 7for 
he said in his heart3    8,if a         
traveller does not meet with one who is 
his better or his equal  let him        
steadfastly keep to his solitary        
journey3 there is no  companionship with
 a fool407 ,he came at last to the town 
of ,uruvela1 and  when he saw the place 
he loved it1 and long afterwards1 when  
,enlightenment was come he spoke of it  
thus4    8,then1 ,o disciples1 ,i       

thought within myself1 ,surely this is a
 place dear  and delightful4 ,the forest
 is wide and deep4 ,there flows a pure  
river1  with little creeks where a man  
may bathe1 and fair lie the villages of 
the simple people4 ,this is a good place
 for one in search of  deliverance40    
,but he was very weary1 and often he    
said to his heart3    8,long is the     
night to him who is awake1 long is a    
mile to him who is  tired1 long is life 
to him who knows not the true ,law4 ,o  
that it would  shine upon me in this    
gross darkness40    ,and there in the   
great woods he set himself to a cruel   
discipline so  that other wood-dwellers 
marvelled at his austerities though     
themselves  treading a painful way4 ,and
 of these were in especial five1 of whom
 more  hereafter4 ,and they established 
themselves within reasonable distance1  
hoping to learn from him when he should 
attain1 and talking with him of  great  
things4    ,so by the river in the      
forest composing his body and mind he   

set himself  to contemplation lessening 
his food little by little daily until he
  subsisted on a morsel incredible to   
the mind of man1 and even this he  would
 have spared had it been possible that  
the attenuated body could  still have   
caged the soul4 ,and after awhile he    
spoke to no man1 sitting  lost in       
far-off regions they could not enter1   
even controlling his  breath so that    
scarcely could he be said to breathe at 
all4    ,so still1 so motionless1 he sat
 day-long that he became a part of      
nature  as much as the tree that        
sheltered him1 and the creatures of the 
forest  moved about him unafraid4 ,the  
furry mothers brought their cubs to     
nestle  by his feet1 and winged mothers 
lit upon his shoulders to call their    
broods1 and at his feet the wild peacock
 outspread his jewelled fans1  and fear 
was unknown in the still presence of the
 ,bodhisattva--the  ,buddha-to-be4      
,far and wide spread the fame of this   
great and noble ascetic in the  woods of

 ,uruvela1 and persons would journey    
from the city that they  might stand far
 off and see him lost in meditation1 and
 when1 looking  timidly through the     
boughs1 they beheld his starved body    
like a withered  tree and his calm      
unseeing eyes they were moved with      
wonder and  compassion1 and went away   
very softly1 in their hearts entreating 
his  prayers and blessings4    ,but lost
 in deep meditation ,siddhartha was     
beyond prayer or blessing and  whether  
they came or went1 he neither saw nor   
knew4    ,making his way perfect through
 the disentangling powers of wisdom1    
fasting cruelly1 yet not trusting in    
this austerity for enfranchisement1  he 
strengthened in heart and wisdom even as
 his body weakened4    ,and first he    
meditated on transience1 and all about  
him confirmed the  truth1 for nothing   
stayed but all became and passed        
instantly1 never  resting1 into further 
becoming4 ,about him the seasons trod   
their quiet  round4 ,scarcely had the   

young spring burst into blossom1 when1  
before  she had leisure to mirror her   
beauty in the river at his feet1 she was
  lost in the burning splendour of      
summer1 and this passed without pause   
or division into the gold and orange    
fruitage of autumn and the  passionate  
weeping of the rains1 and so ended in   
the temperate sweetness  of winter1     
there to recommence the eternal ,wheel  
of ,change4    ,and he thought3 8,there 
is no being1 for all is becoming4 ,on   
what shall  we build80    ,and before   
him the spider spun her frail thread1   
glittering with morning  dew1 lovely as 
a queen's garments in the pale morning  
gold that filtered  through green       
leaves4 ,and so in a moment it was gone4
 ,and he thought3    8,surely the       
existence of man is frailer4 ,a blow1 a 
breath of pestilence  and he lies       
broken1 an offence to the earth4 ,to    
appear1 to disappear4  ,such is the     
history of man as of the meanest of     
insects40 ,and before his  strained     

perception unrolled itself the whole    
vast phantasmagoria of  thought like a  
veil hung to conceal the ,permanent1 the
 ,eternal1 and he  could not penetrate  
behind it4 ,before him were the steps by
 which the  creature ascends to the     
,source1 but in the height they         
dissolved into  vapour and dispersed    
into cloud and there was no way there4  
,and sometimes so present were the evil 
and pain of life to his vision1  so     
unescapable their presence1 that for a  
space it seemed the perfection  of      
divine attainment was but an infinite of
 the first power1 but evil  and pain an 
infinite of immeasurable power1 terrible
 in perfection4 ,and  to a lesser than  
the ,bodhisattva this must have brought 
madness or  despair1 but strong as an   
eagle to the sun he outsoared the dark  
clouds4  ,and unknown to himself nature 
spread her guards about him4 ,in the    
rising  of the moon was peace and her   
light shed tenderer dreams like the soft
  falling of snow1 and the strong leap  

of the sun at dawn in the first of  his 
three strides1 was the outrush of       
hope--hope unfulfilled but ever on      
before4 ,and the breeze was good to him1
 laying a cool hand on weary  temples1  
and the singing of the river overflowed 
from the very heart of  quiet4    ,and  
as the tapestry of life unrolled its    
pictures before his eyes he  read its   
lesson4 ,happiness is a dream and sorrow
 a truth and individual  life a         
misfortune from which impersonal        
contemplation is the only               
enfranchisement4 ,could this be true8   
,could it be possible that a barren     
soul1 a proud and complete selfishness  
and heedlessness of all other  sufferers
 than himself1 disdain of the crowd and 
indifference to all  that the vulgar    
covet1 represent the only escape for the
 wise man from  the entanglements of    
,maya--,illusion8 ,no--a thousand times 
no6 ,better to  drop into the jaws of   
darkness and be extinguished than remain
 petrified  and apart in a world where  

men must bleed and die4    ,then is     
goodness itself a lie8 ,is man the      
eternal dupe of words and  phrases      
contrived to make us docile to suffering
 as slaves to the whip8  ,is hope but a 
watery rainbow painted on a dissolving  
cloud8 ,is the ,way  itself a dream     
begotten of ,misery1 the ,mother1 and   
,pride1 the  father--,pride that will   
have man think himself a something when 
in  reality he is nothing and his fate  
concerns the universe as much as  blown 
grains of sand in a whirlwind1 rising   
and settling as aimlessly8    ,and at   
such times the ,bodhisattva felt the    
endless turning of the ,wheel  within   
his own soul1 and a vertigo of          
perception seized him as the            
,infinities gazed over his head in      
untroubled calm1 and only the ,wheel    
turned and turned in merciless          
revolution4    ,then were it not better 
to submit to passive ignorance and fight
 no  more8 ,to sink into wearied        
submission1 accepting the lash and      

fetter for  doom8 ,for each life is     
built up of millions1 and where is the  
redemption  for its infinite littleness8
 ,let all pass for all is nothing4      
,but at such times he steadied himself  
upon the thought of ,law4 ,could a  man 
nobly agree with necessity which is the 
other name of ,law1 were that  no peace 
and enlightenment8 ,is not ,law beheld  
in nature8 ,what is this  incessant     
changing yet unchanging series of       
phenomena unperplexed by                
self-contemplation and analysis which   
man sees about him4 ,what8 ,is it a     
play--a spectacle that ,brahm the       
,universal ,spirit has set in motion for
  ,its own delight1 or is it ,itself    
expanded throughout the ,universe1 and  
if this be so is man the one thing      
outside ,its circumference1 and if he   
be within it1 shall he only be ignorant 
of the ,law and agonized because  he    
does not obey it8 ,if man is capable of 
conceiving the ,law surely it  exists   
and is his and him4    ,so he looked    

down the abyss and beheld nothing but   
persistence in change  and the infinity 
of infinities4 ,was there anywhere a    
fixed point8 ,surely  only in the       
relation of all to ,law4 ,therefore he  
hungered and thirsted  for ,law1        
forgetting the emaciation of his body   
and its pitiable  weakness1 thirsting   
for the ,way with a deathly thirst that 
consumed him1  rendering him incapable  
of all other suffering4    ,but though  
he knew full well and each day perceived
 more clearly that  the climax of wisdom
 is perception of this universal ,law   
from which  nothing--no1 not the very   
soul of man is exempt--still it evaded  
him4  ,freedom from deception he        
attained1 diamond-clear lucidity1       
certainty  that there is a first        
principle and final aim of the          
,universe1 but the  ,way to touch hands 
with it he could not find4    ,thus1    
having caught but a glimpse of the      
,absolute like a star in driven  clouds1
 he had gained the certainty of what is 

not1 but not as yet the  knowledge of   
what is1 and there even the majesty of  
the ,bodhisattva's#b  intellect fell    
back baffled1 and at last his mind      
became like a dimness  in which thought 
itself lost its way and analysis        
stumbled1 and the  clear call became    
like the falling of a great water in    
which many sounds  fuse into a confused 
roar in which nothing but mere noise is 
to be  discerned1 deafening the ears and
 confusing the senses4    -----    #b   
,the ,buddha-to-be4    -----    ,and    
thus he sat for six long years1 and at  
the end though he had  discerned the    
perishable1 the transient1 the ,eternal 
,way was far from  his perception1 and  
life rushed by him from an unknown      
beginning to a  hopeless end1 defending 
itself frantically for a few brief      
years1 but in  the end conquered1 and   
the man broken in the frail edifice     
which is  called his being4    ,and now 
he was so wasted that life hung in him  
by a thread worn slender  as a spider's1

 and the fame of his terrible           
austerities had spread like  the sound  
of a great bell hung in the canopy of   
the skies1 and if he had  gained what he
 sought all this would have counted as  
nothing in his  eyes1 but in the long   
six years he had not gained1 and his    
mind tortured  him because now it seemed
 that it broke itself and its power     
dispersed  like a mighty wave broken on 
rocks and fleeing in foam and spray4    
,and  one day when he rose to his feet1 
still drowned in hopeless meditation1   
his limbs failed beneath him1 and he    
fell and so lay exhausted1 spent1       
believing 8,this is death1 and ,i am    
conquered40    ,and it could not be     
otherwise for very terrible had been his
 austerities  and later he told his     
disciple this4    8,i remember when a   
crab-apple was my only daily food4 ,i   
remember when a  single grain of rice   
was my only grain of food4 ,and my body 
became  extremely thin and lean4 ,like  
dried withered reeds my arms and legs1  

my  hips like a camel's hoof1 like a    
plait of hair my spine4 ,as project the 
rafters of a house's roof1 so raggedly  
stuck out my ribs4 ,as in a  deep-lying 
brook the watery mirror beneath appears 
so small as almost to  disappear1 so in 
the deep hollows of my eye-pits my      
eye-balls well nigh  wholly disappeared4
 ,as a gourd becomes shrivelled and     
hollow in the hot  sun so did the skin  
of my head become parched4 ,and pressing
 my stomach  my hands touched my spine1 
and feeling my spine my hand felt       
through to  the stomach4 ,and yet with  
all this mortification ,i came no nearer
 to the  supernatural faculty of        
clearness of knowledge40    ,so for a   
long time he lay in the borderland of   
death1 and had this been  the end--,o   
,light of the ,world extinguished1 ,o   
,sun set at dawn6--but it  was not to   
be1 and slowly1 very slowly1            
consciousness returned1 and his  heavy  
eyelids lifted and once more he beheld  
the light4 ,and he thought3    8,if ,i  

could creep down to the river the       
waters1 warm and kindly1 would  refresh 
me1 and thought would perhaps return to 
me1 and a little rest40    ,and painful 
inch by inch ,siddhartha crept down to  
the river1 supporting  himself as he    
went by the extended hands of branches1 
and in a warm  shallow of water1        
sparkling in green shade he lay1        
foredone1 and it  flowed about him      
gently1 bringing healing4    ,and the   
five ascetics watching him from far off 
said to each other3    8,he will die    
now2 the ascetic ,gotama will die now4  
,it is not possible  that a man so worn 
and exhausted should live40    ,and     
indeed1 when he tried to struggle up and
 leave the kindly water1  there was no  
strength in him and he could not rise4  
,and it is told that  a heavenly spirit 
pressed down a branch that he might     
reach it and  support himself4 ,this it 
is certain he did1 laying hold on a     
bough which  dipped over its own image  
in still water1 and he crept up the     

bank1  dizzily1 and seated himself      
beneath a tree1 supporting his weakness 
against it1 with closed eyes4    ,and   
now1 being refreshed1 he had power to   
reflect1 and he said within  himself4   
8,this way of mortification has failed  
me also4 ,like other ways ,i have       
sought this beats against a shut door   
and there is no help in it4 ,my  body is
 so broken that it can no longer support
 the intellect4 ,i will  eat and drink  
and strengthen this tortured body that  
it may still be the  servant of the     
higher in me1 no longer complaining of  
its own griefs and  diverting attention 
from the goal4 ,for it is possible that 
what ,i have  already learned has       
prepared the way to ,right ,ecstasy and 
that in  ecstasy ,i may behold the      
beginning of the ,wisdom which in all   
the  methods ,i have tried has been     
hidden from me40    ,and even as he     
thought this the strong weakness        
overwhelmed him again  and he could     
think no more4    ,now1 on the other    

side of the wood dwelt a chief herdsman1
 very wealthy  in cattle and rice1      
owning land far-spreading and fertile in
 the rich  water-meadows by the river1  
and he had a daughter fair and wise1    
named  ,sujata4 ,and reaching womanhood 
this fair maiden had made a vow to the  
,tree-,spirit of the forest1 saying3    
8,if ,i should wed a husband of equal   
rank with myself and my first-born      
should be a son1 then would ,i make a   
noble offering every year1 never        
forgetting the benefit40 ,and this      
prayer was heard1 and her first-born    
son lay upon her bosom4    ,so wishing  
to make her offering on the day of the  
full moon1 she  pastured a thousand cows
 in the woods1 and with their milk she  
nourished  five hundred cows1 and with  
theirs two hundred and fifty1 drawing   
life  through life until at last she    
possessed eight cows thus fed on the    
strength and life of a thousand1 and no 
purer nor stronger milk could  be4 ,and 
this being ready ,sujata rose earlier   

than dawn and1 went to the  byre with   
her pails1 and as she came near the milk
 flowed in streams  without milking1    
even as when the calves crowd for their 
food about  their mothers4    ,so she   
took it and placed it in a new vessel   
and added rice1 and herself  made a fire
 and cooked it4 ,and the bubbles rose   
and froth1 but not a  drop ran over the 
brim1 and the fire burned clear and     
steady without  smoke or blackness4 ,and
 as a man crushes golden honey from the 
comb that  has formed about a stick--the
 very essence of honey--so into that    
pure  food was infused a marvellous     
sustenance4    ,and ,sujata said to her 
waiting-maid1 ,punna3    8,punna1 dear  
girl1 surely the deity is auspiciously  
disposed to us4 ,the  omens are good4   
,run therefore and get all ready beneath
 the tree40    ,and ,punna answered     
obediently3    8,yes1 lady10 and ran4   
,and when she came to the tree1 the     
,bodhisattva--the ,buddha-to-be--sat    
beneath it1 and it appeared to her that 

his body shone like light and  she      
flushed and trembled with terror1       
saying3    8,good indeed are the omens1 
for this is the ,tree-,spirit himself   
come to  receive our offering60    ,and 
with all her might she ran to tell this 
to her lady1 and when ,sujata  heard it 
she cried out3    8,from this day be to 
me as a daughter1 for this great good   
news60    ,and running to where she kept
 her jewels she put upon the happy      
,punna  all those ornaments suitable to 
a daughter of the house4 ,and she       
thought2 8,what more can ,i do8 ,for    
this is a great day10 and so took up a  
precious golden dish and into this she  
poured the milk-rice1 and it  rolled in 
like drops of water slipping off a      
lily-leaf and filled the  vessel1       
neither more nor less4 ,then1 covering  
it with a golden cover1  she adorned    
herself with her best jewels and went   
stately to worship and  make her        
offering4    ,so she came along the     
banks of the river1 glad in the dawn1   

robed in  grey like a cloud before      
sunrise1 and about her slender wrists   
were  bracelets of white chalcedony and 
the grey and white of them resembled    
the colours of the rounded river-bubble 
before it breaks1 and she came  as      
softly4    ,and parting the boughs she  
saw the ,prince1 his head fallen back   
against  the tree1 eyes closed and      
helpless hands beside him1 and deep pity
 and  veneration stirred in her heart1  
and seeing it was no ,tree-,spirit but a
  holy man she thought 8,may he accept  
it60    ,and bowing repeatedly she      
raised the dish in both hands1          
entreating his  greatness and thus      
offered it humbly1 saying3    8,lord1   
accept my gift and go where it seems    
good to you40 ,and he1 seeing  in this  
the accomplishment of his purpose1      
received it1 and partook of  that pure  
food while the happy giver watched with 
such delight as when a  mother feeds her
 only child and beholds new life flow   
through his veins1  and the very air    

about the ,prince appeared to distil in 
dews of visible  blessing upon her head 
and joy hitherto unknown possessed her  
noble  soul4 ,and she said3    8,lord1  
may your wishes prosper as mine have    
done601 and so departed1  caring no more
 for her golden dish than as if it had  
been an autumn leaf  upon the ground4   
,but the five ascetics1 watching far off
 with greedy eyes1 said3    8,the       
ascetic ,gotama has failed4 ,he is now  
mere man4 ,like the common herd  he eats
 and drinks4 ,he has nothing to teach   
us--nothing6 ,mistaken indeed  were we  
in thinking to learn from a mere        
backslider6 ,it is done and  over1 and  
the ,gods are angry with him40    ,so   
they turned their backs in scorn and    
departed to ,benares1 there to  resume  
their austerities4    ,but when ,sujata 
was gone1 timidly receiving thanks1 the 
,future ,buddha  arose and stood beneath
 the tree1 refreshed in heart and body1 
his face  shining with renewed strength1
 his energy swelling like a river in    

spate  rushing rejoicing to the sea4    
,and he knew that that place where for  
six years he had pursued a  vanishing   
truth could hold him no more1 its use   
being ended1 and he set  steadfast steps
 toward the tree4    ,o ,tree of        
,wisdom1 ,tree of ,knowledge            
unsearchable1 ,tree whereunder the      
world's deliverance was                 
attained1--through all the rain of years
 between  our sight and thee1 shall we  
not look back and behold and veil our   
faces8 ,for beneath this ,tree was      
,wisdom perfected4    ,then taking his  
way1 ,bodhisattva begged from a man     
cutting grass for his  cattle1 an armful
 of pure and pliant grass1 and1 going   
onward1 he saw  before him that ,tree of
 ,knowledge1 broad-leaved1 noble1 a     
tower of  leafage1 and knowing that this
 was where time and place meeting       
clasped  hands1 he spread the grass and 
seated himself with folded hands and    
feet  beneath the pillared stems and the
 night came quietly down the woodland   

ways and veiled him from the sight of   
man4                                    
,,chapter ,,xi      ,,thus have ,i      
heard4    ,yet of what follows ,i veil  
my face in writing1 for it is high1     
holy1 and  beyond the mind of man to    
conceive1 nor can it be told but in     
great  parables1 for by pictures we     
teach little children4 ,it is the       
,arhats  only1--the perfected           
saints1--who comprehend and can         
distinguish the  symbol from the truth4 
,bodhisattva was tempted in the         
wilderness4 ,against him that ,wicked   
,one  led his hosts1 strong and cunning 
to daunt and allure4 ,and as our ,lord  
sat there in peace1 suddenly the calm   
sea1 heaven-reflecting1 of his  mind1   
was tossed and torn into wild billows as
 in a furious storm1 and  foes which he 
had thought conquered1 rose mighty      
against him1 some most  infinitely      
sweet1 piercing the heart with a pain   
more to be desired than  joy4    ,for1  
shaping on the dark like a picture--but 

real1 so real that he had  but to rise  
and enter1 came the lost heaven of      
,kapila1 where ,rohini  flowed in liquid
 light1 and there in cool green shades  
he beheld those  loveliest in whose arms
 once he lay4 ,soft bosoms1 intolerably 
sweet  after long pain and loneliness1  
entreated him to rest4 ,deep eyes1      
love-filled1 invited4 ,and at the last  
one alone drew near him and it  seemed  
that in that one fair face was centred  
all beauty that was his in  those far   
days4 ,in one all wooed him4    8,come  
to me--,come to me4 ,dear lord1 you have
 borne torture for long  years and grief
 exceeding4 ,you have hungered and      
thirsted and wept tears  of blood and   
still the ,way eludes you1 and all was  
vain4 ,there is no  ,way4 ,it is        
delusion4 ,vain it must be3 not thus is 
,paradise found4 ,love  is heaven--there
 is no other40--,so said the ,beautiful 
kneeling before  him1 most dear and     
desirable1 with passionate dark eyes    
more eloquent  than music plucked on    

harp or sitar1 words spoken between     
kisses and the  slackening and straining
 of arms that are the bonds of love4 ,on
 his  knees he felt the warmth of her   
golden bosom1 sun-kissed fruit for the  
tasting1 on his hands the clasp of those
 little fingers that once  clenched his 
heart4    8,put away your pale dreams of
 ,heaven4 ,o ,prince beloved60 she      
pleaded4  8,heaven is here and now by   
bright ,rohini4 ,come1 taking and giving
 joy4 ,o  sad and wearied1 and utterly  
foredone1 come back to us and be made   
whole  and glad4 ,am ,i not yours8 ,rest
 in my arms4 ,forget the cold ascetic1  
and  be again our ,prince1 our warrior4 
,come6 ,time goes swiftly and the sands 
of life are blown about the desert and  
man knows them no more40    ,she moved  
as if to draw him with her1 and all her 
naked loveliness swam  rose and gold    
before his eyes1 long hair1 brightening 
at the  tendril-ends1 caressing the     
slender curves of perfect feet1 the     
smile of  victory touching soft         

lips1--breathless beauty waiting its    
fruition1  queen and slave of men1      
thinking its victory won1 looking       
downward half  amazed at its own        
perfection4    ,then lifting her head   
that ,beautiful regarded him in triumph 
as the moon  rides serene over tossing  
waves1 and lo6 he sat motionless and    
unmoved1  with eyes looking past her to 
a distant hope1 and his face was set and
  calm as doom4    ,and suddenly1       
shuddering together with the sighing    
shudder of leaves in  cold rain1 the    
sweet shape wavered1 trembled like an   
image in water when  the rings widen    
outward and all is dispersed1 and it was
 gone1 for the  waste night closed about
 it and took it4    ,but the garden     
remained--that home beloved1 and a new  
and dearer shape  wandered lonely by the
 river bank gazing steadfastly upward to
 the  bright billows of the silver      
peaks1 remote and pure as they1 and she 
led  by the hand a child4 ,and surely he
 whom lust cannot conquer may  unashamed

 kneel at the feet of love pure as the  
very sources of light6  ,and his heart  
said 8,my ,princess60 and almost ceased 
to beat1 so strange1  so sweet1 that    
living bleeding memory2--and whether it 
was the voice of  his own soul or hers  
he could not know1--but she seemed to   
shape the one  word1 8,beloved01 and so 
withdrawing her gaze from the mountains1
 looked  at him1 all love1 all entreaty 
in those sunken eyes--beauty faded by   
grief1 but stronger a thousandfold to   
plead with him1 and mutely she  showed  
the child1 and so stood1 waiting to know
 his sentence whether she  must live or 
die4    ,and round her like mourning    
shadows swept the image of his father1  
aged  by grief and visibly stooping     
under the heavy burden2 the gentle      
queen1  sister of his mother1 who had   
fed him from her own bosom1 wrung her   
hands beside him and all the faithful   
friends and servants who had  guarded   
his youth2 and together they were the   
very voice of home1 and  his own heart  

asked itself1 8,have ,i the right to    
hurt these faithful  ones6 ,but what are
 they and myriads like them to her--my  
wife1 my son60    ,and whether he would 
have moved to reach her1 ,i cannot tell1
 but  suddenly1 past all knowledge1 he  
certainly knew that never could that    
great lady his wife present herself as  
an obstacle and a temptation1 and  that 
this was but a shift and a shape-changer
 not to be trusted1  dangerous and      
cunning like the first1 and steadfastly 
he gazed past her1  his face set and    
calm as doom1 and shrieking horribly she
 fled4    ,and then1 thick as rain in   
,wasa1 fell delirious dreams and        
delusions1  and there came about him    
frightful things1 misshapen1 goblin1 the
 very  spume and smoke of the pit1 and  
there was a noise in the air1 that      
stupified the brain1 of shrieks and     
shouts and groans and terrible cries    
and far off wailings and it appeared as 
though great spirits fought in  the air 
about him with the black armies of the  

,wicked ,one4    ,and upon the night the
 ,tempter flung a vast phantasmagoria of
 the power  and splendour awaiting the  
,prince if he would but stoop to grasp  
them4  ,king of the earth1 throned and  
crowned1 he saw himself4 ,and flames    
shot  about the pictures and huge       
confusions1 and an ocean of terrors     
broke  against him1 and the billows     
threatened to overwhelm him1 and he knew
  that did he relax but for the instant 
that a man blinks his eye1 all  were    
lost4    ,but he sat motionless his face
 fixed and calm as doom1 and it is told 
that in all the tumult not one leaf of  
the ,tree flickered but hung still  as  
if carved in stone4 ,within its shadow  
was calm3 without tumult as  when heaven
 and earth break together in storm4     
,so the strife raged about him and ,lust
 and ,love1 and ,power and ,wealth      
thundered or pleaded at his ear and     
could not move him4 ,and huge  elemental
 ,powers led on their armies1 deep      
instincts from the abyss of  the        

primeval life of man1 conqueering1      
cunning1 rock-rooted1 hard to be        
fought1 beckoning1 alluring1            
threatening4 ,and some1 robed like      
heavenly  spirits1 showed1 as it were1  
the ,way1 but it was no way1 and very   
terrible were the confusions1 sights and
 sounds of that night of dread4  ,nor is
 it possible or lawful that all should  
be uttered4    ,but when the worst and  
utmost were done and endured and no more
  remained1 the ,wicked ,one and his    
hosts1 outwearied1 ceased their         
torment1 and very slowly the angry roar 
of the billows subsided and the  foam of
 their fury stilled1 and the mind of the
 ,blessed ,one relaxed into  peace1 and 
the great darkness thinned as at the    
cold breath of dawn4    ,the moon and   
the stars reappearing shed dying light1 
the barriers of the  dark being removed4
 ,and now--the marvel1--the marvel6     
,let the ,three ,worlds wait in silence4
    ,thus have ,i heard4    ,for the    
east became grey1 and all being now     

hushed1 our ,lord passed into  deep and 
subtle contemplation and entered thus   
upon the ,first ,stage of  ,ecstasy1 and
 this was the ,first ,watch4    ,and1   
consciousness withdrawn into the        
,infinite1 passing through the  bounds  
of human comprehension1 seeing the world
 as it truly is1 not as  it appears1 his
 mind moved swiftly onward and upward as
 the eagle soars  effortless to the sun1
 or rather1 as the swimmer daring the   
current1 is  caught up and carried      
strongly and without volition to his    
desired end4  ,for1 be it known1 this   
world about us is far other than it     
appears1 and  with enlightenment we pass
 free from the fetters of illusion4 ,and
 this  is ,perception in which time as  
it is known in this our world ceases to 
exist4    ,and in this ,perception he   
beheld his past lives and all his former
  births1 with their gains and losses1  
their sins and purities1 as they  passed
 steadily onward and led him inevitably 
to the ,tree2 seeing all at  once as a  

picture4    ,and soaring higher1 carried
 ever more swiftly onward1 ever more    
profoundly withdrawn1 in the second     
watch he beheld with diamond-clear      
perception all that lives1 and the round
 of birth and death of all  mankind1    
hollow all and false and transient1     
built upon nothingness--the  piers and  
fabric of a dream2 and saw before him   
erring creatures born  and born again to
 die1 the righteous and the evil heirs  
alike of pain  self-inflicted1 and      
stabbed with daggers their own hands    
have forged4    ,and he saw the         
transient heavens gained through desire1
 won through  righteousness that craves 
reward1 and beheld these longer-lived   
than the  joys of earth yet transient   
also1 for he who desires the joys of an 
individual heaven and pays down         
righteousness as the coin of its price1 
he too is still held within the pitiless
 fetters of craving1 though it  be for  
heaven1 and nothing rooted in desire is 
eternal1 but must pass  and be done4    

,and he saw the hells that1 gorged with 
suffering1 yet again yield up  their    
prey to the weary round of rebirth and  
lo--heaven and hell and  earth empty and
 vain1 the ,wheel of ,birth and ,death  
revolving evermore1  hopeless and       
without delay or stay1 now heaven-high1 
now low as earth1  but ever and ever a  
whirling ,wheel without rest4 ,and in   
the third watch  there came ,perception 
higher still and our ,lord entered upon 
the deep  apprehension of ,truth4       
,and in this the secrets of birth and   
death were apparent and he became       
assured that age and death have their   
source in birth and are rooted in  it as
 trees in the ground1 for the body and  
earthly self implicate man  in all      
evils1 divided thus from the ,source1   
and1 in a word1 life in this  world of  
ignorance1 is suffering4 ,for here men  
walk blinded with  ignorance1 not       
knowing whence nor whither1 and the high
 things move  veiled about them and are 
not seen4    ,and as to rebirth1 he saw 

that its cause is in deeds done and     
thoughts  thought in former lives4      
,swept on and up in ecstasy1 perception 
becoming ever clearer1 he beheld  the   
so-called soul-self of man unravelled   
into its component parts and  laid      
before him like the unwoven threads of a
 garment1 and behold in  these was no   
durability nor immortality1 for there is
 but one ,immortal1  one ,infinite1 and 
the man who claims his own1 his separate
 immortality1  is dying and reborn      
through the ages and but the fierce     
desire of life  gives him its simulacrum
 and the long-linked chain of births and
 deaths  and griefs immeasurable4    ,so
 then1 swept on and up in ecstasy1 he   
beheld the causes of the  long-linked   
chain of existence stretching from      
,infinite to ,infinite4    ,and these   
are they1 and this is the lineage of    
suffering3      ,contact brings forth   
sensation4    ,sensation brings desire4 
,desire produces the clinging to shows  
and illusions4    ,clinging to shows and

 illusions produces deeds4    ,deeds    
engender birth4    ,birth produces age  
and death4      ,and this is the weary  
round1 the offspring of ,ignorance      
repeated in the  endless turning of the 
,wheel1 the dragging of a lengthening   
chain of  births4 ,for the ignorant man1
 desiring the things that are worthless1
  transient1 illusory1 seeing about him 
false shows instead of the high  things 
which are real1 creates in himself a    
passion which in turn  creates more and 
more dangerous illusions1 and thus is   
his own victim4  ,but when false desire 
dies1 illusions end1 and ,ignorance1    
dispersing  like the night1 gives place 
to the ,sun of ,enlightenment and the   
world  lies about such a man as it truly
 is4 ,and he knows1 being no more the   
prisoner of time and space and their    
brood of follies1 for ,ignorance1  the  
true cause of all ill1 in him is dead4  
,and having thus perceived the world as 
it is1 our ,lord was perfected in       
wisdom1 and shows and illusions being   

ended for him1 there died in him  that  
false self which will have all for its  
own2 never again to be born1  utterly at
 an end1--even that false ego shut in   
the prison of itself4  ,and in him was  
completed the destruction of craving and
 evil desire1 as  a fire goes out for   
lack of fuel4 ,for the man in whom is no
 separation  from the ,source1 in whom  
is no ignorance1 how shall he desire    
that which  has no eternity but is      
transient as a morning dream8 ,and over 
him ,desire  and ,death--which indeed   
are one--had no more dominion4    ,thus 
first he found the way of perfect       
knowledge1 and in the broad east  the   
onrushing of the sun's golden wheels was
 heard afar4    ,so he reached at last  
the unfathomable source of ,truth1      
beholding past1  present1 and future as 
one1 having passed beyond the glimmer of
 the six  senses into true perception1  
no longer gazing through a narrow       
window1  but about and around him the   
wide horizon--and more4    ,illumined   

with all wisdom sat the ,buddha1 the    
,perfected ,one1 having at  last        
attained1 and the light strengthened and
 grew in rapture4 ,and about  him the   
world lay calm and bright and a soft    
breeze lifted the leaves4    ,and for   
seven days and nights sat our ,lord     
beneath the ,tree1 lost in              
contemplation of the ,world as it ,is1  
submerged in the ocean of love1  having 
entered the ,nirvana1 most utterly at   
peace1 and day and night--or  what men  
call such--made their solemn procession 
about him unheeded1 for  he was lost in 
bliss1 and his heart said3    8,now1    
resting here1 have ,i attained my       
birth-weary heart's desire1  having     
traversed many lives to this goal4 ,now 
have ,i slain the self1 and  the fetters
 are broken1 and not for myself alone40 
,and lifting up his voice he cried aloud
 this song of triumph in the  hearing of
 all worlds4                  8,many a  
house of life              ,has held me1
 seeking ever that which wrought        

,these prisons of the senses1           
sorrow-fraught1                ,sore was
 my ceaseless strife4                   
,but now1                ,thou ,builder 
of the body-prison1--,thou6             
,i know thee6 ,never shalt thou build   
again                ,these walls of    
pain1              ,nor raise the       
roof-tree of deceits1 nor lay           
,fresh rafters on the clay4             
,broken the ,house is1 and the          
ridge-pole split1                       
,delusion fashioned it4                 
,safe pass ,i hence1 deliverance to     
attain40#c    -----    #c ,for this     
verse ,i have used ,edwin ,arnold's     
translation slightly  modified4    -----
    ,for now he knew that the builder of
 the prison1 the cause of rebirth1  the 
hinderer from the ,peace was his own    
false self1 the dreamer of  dreams1 the 
creator of false desires and illusions1 
and in him this  false self was dead1   
and only the true1 the ,self that is    
mysterious and  high and ,one with the  

,one survived4    ,and next1 sending his
 sight through the invisible 7for when  
enlightenment is attained all bars of   
time and space fall and man is no       
longer blinded by his eyes and deafened 
by his ears71 he considered all  that   
live1 and like a swelling tide there    
rose in him compassion for  their       
darkness and misery1 and in deep        
contemplation he considered how  to gain
 deliverance for them also1 and with    
this came the thought3    8,shall ,i    
teach8 ,and how80 for he doubted that   
any would believe and  relinquish that  
false and illusory self which holds men 
from the light4  ,and he said3    8,how 
can they believe the world is other than
 it seems and the very sea  and sky and 
mountains far differing from what they  
have supposed8 ,and  they the prisoners 
of ,ignorance40 ,and a deep voice from  
the ,divine  within and without him     
answered3    8,o let your heart most    
loving be moved into pity toward the    
people1 most  ignorant1 toiling amid    

deathly illusions to a goal unknown40   
,and as this purpose rooted and flowered
 within him--a mighty blossom  opening  
its chalice of perfume to all worlds and
 heavens1 the dawn of  the seventh day  
broke resplendent1 as it were a new     
heaven and a new  earth and it was      
light4    ,light also within him and a  
great flooding of light1 for not only   
was  the ,way opened but the steps now  
lay clear before him--the ,noble        
,eightfold ,path whereby men setting one
 foot before the other achieve the      
first heights1 the true ,self developing
 as does the body from lowly  beginnings
 to great ends and royalties1 but all in
 order and gradually1  each step rising 
by the stepping stones of dead selves in
 dead lives to  higher4    ,o peace3 ,o 
bliss inexplicable1 not to be confounded
 with others1 but  singular1 lovely1 and
 alone6 ,not in the heavens1            
unattainable save by  the strength of   
,gods1 but within reach of all who set  
their faces to the  heights in true and 

steadfast endeavour1 proceeding step by 
step in love  and patience4 ,for the    
lowly1 the little children of the ,law1 
as for the  wise and noble4 ,for he who 
is ruler over a few things in this life 
shall  in lives to come be ruler over   
many1 so he be found faithful4 ,and at  
the  last--not the dewdrop lost in the  
ocean1 but the ocean drawn into the     
dewdrop and eternal ,unity4    ,and in  
his heart this thought arose4    8,i    
will proclaim accordingly the way unto  
the further shore60    ,as he saw it1 so
 he told it3 ,he the stainless1 the     
,very ,wise1 the  ,passionless1 the     
,desireless ,lord2 for what reason      
should he speak  falsely8    ,thus1     
flooded with sunshine and bathed in     
peace sat the ,perfect ,one4            
,,chapter ,,xii      ,,now as the       
,blessed ,one sat beneath the ,tree in  
the ,dawn1 two merchants  bound on their
 way passed through the wood1 and within
 them spoke the  ,voice of ,wisdom1     
saying3    8,in this wood1 outspread    

upon the spurs of the mountain1 dwells a
  ,rishi--a wise ascetic--deeply to be  
reverenced2 go then and make him an     
offering40    ,and with joy they went1  
glad in the opportunity of              
righteousness1 and  found him enthroned 
beneath the ,tree1 laving his feet in   
the ripples of  the ,sea of ,bliss2 and 
with reverence they placed food in his  
bowl1 a  simple gift and good2 and they 
were respectfully silent while he ate1  
but when they saw that the ,exalted     
,one1 his need over1 had washed his     
bowl and hands in the mountain stream1  
they bowed their heads to his  feet1    
saying3    8,we who are here take refuge
 in the ,perfect ,one and his ,law4 ,may
 the  ,blessed ,one accept us as his    
adherents from this day forth throughout
  our life1 who have taken refuge in    
him40    ,and they were accepted as lay 
followers and went on their business    
rejoicing in peace2 and these were the  
first persons who accepted the  ,law1   
with faith in the ,one ,enlighted and   

his teaching1 for as yet the  communion 
of the ,order was not4 ,and their names 
were ,bhallika and  ,tapussa4    ,yet1  
having risen1 he paused1 and again      
seated himself in meditation1  for he   
doubted again whether it were either    
wise or possible to make  known the     
great ,law to the world4    ,and into   
the mind of the ,exalted ,one yet       
retired in solitude1 came this  thought4
    8,i have penetrated this deep truth 
of the abandonment of the imprisoning   
self1 hard to be perceived1 difficult to
 grasp4 ,man moves in an earthly        
sphere1 and there has he his place and  
delights1 tapestried about with         
illusions real indeed to the dim feelers
 of his poor senses4 ,for such it  will 
be hard to grasp this matter1 the chain 
of causes and effects1 for  man sees the
 effect but not the cause4 ,and hard    
indeed to grasp are  withdrawal from    
earthly illusions1 extinction of desire1
 cessation of  longing1 and the deep    
mysterious ,peace4 ,should ,i now preach

 the ,law1 it  would gain nothing--grief
 and weariness would be the only fruit  
of  labour4 ,the truth remains hidden   
from men absorbed by hate and greed4 ,it
  is deep and difficult1 veiled from the
 coarse mind4 ,how shall he  apprehend  
it whose thought moves in the darkness  
of earthly  preoccupations80    ,and    
this was without doubt the last1 the    
uttermost temptation of that  ,wicked   
,one1 and the subtlety of it stirred a  
vibration in the highest of  the ,divine
 ,beings1 and this thought arose4       
8,truly the world is lost1 truly the    
world is undone if the heart of the     
,perfect ,one be set on abiding in peace
 without revealing the ,law40    ,and   
instantly this ,divine thought was light
 in the heart of the ,exalted  ,one and 
its symbol was that he beheld a ,divine 
,being who raised his  folded hands     
before him1 saying3    8,may it please  
the ,perfect ,one to preach the ,law6   
,there are a few whose  eyes are not    
dimmed with the dust of earth4 ,they    

will see4 ,they will  hear4 ,open1 ,o   
,wise ,one1 the door of ,eternity4 ,he  
who stands on the  mountain peaks looks 
out over all peoples4 ,go forth to      
,victory40    ,then1 hearing this voice 
in his ears1 the ,exalted ,one turned   
the gaze of  perfect enlightenment upon 
the world1 and he beheld this3    ,as on
 a lotus stem bearing the lotus blossom 
of ivory1 some flowers do  not rise out 
of the water but are below the surface1 
and others float on  the calm surface1  
and others rise high1 reflecting        
themselves in its  mirror1 so are       
men--some pure1 and some impure1 some   
noble and some  ignoble1 some strong in 
mind and intellect1 others weak and     
dull1--but  all needing what they are   
qualified to take of the light of       
wisdom4 ,and  perceiving this1 he       
replied as it were to the ,divine       
,voice3    8,it was because ,i believed 
the toil fruitless1 ,holy ,one1 that ,i 
have not  yet uttered the ,word40       
,and the ,divine ,voice perceived what  

would be1 saying3    8,it is done4 ,the 
,perfect ,one will preach the ,law10 and
 the matter being  thus ended the       
,divine ,voice returned to its source   
and the ,buddha passed  onward in       
majesty1 musing on the first means      
whereby the ,law should be  made known4 
,and since a man owes deep duty to his  
teachers who1 if they  have not opened  
the gate have yet directed him in the   
,path1 his though  hovered first over   
,alara and ,uddaka the ,brahmans1--but  
the diamond-clear  inward sight revealed
 to him that in the six years of his    
asceticism  they were dead4    ,and next
 he remembered the five ascetics who had
 scorned him when in  starving he had   
tasted of the food offered by the lady  
,sujata1 thinking  8,these shall be the 
first fish ,i catch in my net60--and    
because they had  betaken themselves to 
,benares1 he resolved that leaving the  
,forest of  ,enlightenment he would go  
to that great and ancient city bathing  
her  feet in holy ,ganges and there for 

the first time make known the ,pearl he 
had found4    ,so1 alone in the wood1 he
 arose from beneath the ,tree and       
turning  regarded it steadfastly1       
saying3    8,o ,tree1 because of this1  
many generations of men as yet          
unmanifested on  earth1 shall hold your 
name in honour and a leaf of you shall  
be  precious4 ,rejoice therefore and    
accept the sunshine and rain gladly1    
knowing that life is in the least of    
your leaves for ever and ever40    ,then
 with eyes deep and kind1 shedding      
light1 as it were about him1  steadfast 
in noble composure did he advance       
through the ,wood of ,wisdom1  taking   
the way to ,benares1 strengthened as one
 fed on food divine4 ,and  beside the   
way to ,benares1 journeying on in peace1
 he met a young and  haughty ,brahman1  
proud in the possession of his          
greatness1 whose name  was ,upaka1 and  
as this man went he repeated the mystic 
word 8,aum10 of  which the three letters
 are the ,threefold and the word the    

,one1 and in  this he put his faith4    
,and seeing the ,exalted ,one passing   
by1 rapt in  meditation1 he cried aloud 
with scorn3    8,ha1 ,master1--what     
constitutes the true ,brahman80 hoping  
to trip him in  his answer4 ,and from   
the heart of his calm the ,exalted ,one 
replied3    8,to put away all evil1 to  
be pure in thought1 word and deed1 to   
transcend pride and desire1--this it is 
to be a true ,brahman40    ,and the     
answer astonished the proud young man1  
and turning suddenly he  looked into the
 face of the ,perfect ,one and said     
slowly3    8,how comes it that your face
 is so beautiful1 shining like the full 
moon  reflected in water1 your form so  
stately8 ,and whence the peace that     
surrounds you8 ,what is your noble      
tribe1 and who your master8 ,here1 in   
this country1 where each man struggles  
to find the ,way1 what is your  way80   
,and1 glad at heart1 the ,perfect ,one  
answered3    8,happy the solitude of him
 who is full of joy1 who has seen the   

truth4  ,happy he who in all the wide   
world has no ill-will1 self-restrained  
and  guided1 ,happy--happiest is freedom
 from lusts and desires4 ,and highest   
is the bliss of freedom from the pride  
of the thought ,i am ,i4 ,no  honourable
 tribe have ,i1--no ,teacher4 ,i go     
alone and content40    ,and the ,brahman
 heard in great astonishment1 for much  
as he had heard of  religion it was not 
this4 ,and he said1 hesitating3    8,and
 where1 sir1 are you bound80 ,and the   
,world-,honoured replied3    8,i desire 
to set revolving the ,wheel of the      
,excellent ,law1 and therefore  ,i go to
 the great and ancient city of ,benares1
 to give light to them  that sit in     
darkness and to open the gate of true   
,immortality to men40    ,and when the  
,brahman ,upaka heard this his pride was
 revolted and he was  angry that a man  
should assume to himself such           
mastership1 and he  replied curtly3     
8,reverend person1 your way lies        
onward10 and struck into the opposite   

path1 yet as he went1 he stopped1       
proceeded1 stopped again1 lost in       
thought1 for there was that in the      
occurrence which startled him from  his 
equanimity4 ,so the moment goes by us1  
and we do not know it6 ,but the         
,blessed ,one1 proceeding quietly day by
 day1 came at last to ,benares1 to  the 
,deer ,park of ,isipatana where now     
dwelt the five ascetics who had  scorned
 him4 ,and there they sat practising the
 weary round of their  austerities1 not 
knowing that the ,perfect ,one who      
approached them had  discovered the way 
that leads from the world of sorrowful  
becoming and  the flowing stream of     
transiency into the world of happy being
 where all  is beheld as it is4    ,for 
to the man who knows not the way all    
things flow and pass in  unreality and  
nothing abides2 but the foot of him who 
has thus attained  is set on the        
,eternal and in ,that is no motion nor  
any change4    ,so when they saw him    
coming the five ascetics were angry1 and

 they said  to one another3             
8,friends1 here comes the ascetic       
,gotama using in contempt his family    
name he who eats rich food1 who lives in
 self-indulgence and has given  up his  
quest4 ,let us show him no respect nor  
rise up to meet him1 nor  take his      
alms-bowl nor cloak from him4 ,let us   
only give him a seat as we  would to any
 person1 and he can sit down if he      
likes40    ,but the nearer the ,exalted 
,one came to the five the more did the  
majesty  of his presence precede him1   
and the less could they abide by their  
resolution4 ,slowly they rose1 and went 
forward1 and one took the cloak  and    
alms-bowl--another brought a seat1 a    
third brought water1 and  accepting the 
water the ,blessed ,one sat down and    
bathed his weary feet4    ,and then they
 addressed him as 8,friend0 and         
8,gotama0 but he replied3    8,it is not
 seemly1 monks1 that you should address 
,him who has thus  ,attained as         
#8,friend' and #8,gotama4' ,for ,i am   

now the ,enlightened4 ,open  your ears3 
,i teach you the ,law4 ,if you will     
learn1 the ,truth shall meet  you face  
to face40    ,but1 still in much doubt1 
they said3    8,if you were not able1   
friend ,gotama1 to attain full knowledge
 by  mortification of the body1 is it   
likely you can attain it by             
self-indulgence and a worldly life80    
,and thus replied the ,blessed ,one3    
8,monks1 ,i do not live in              
self-indulgence although ,i torture my  
body no  more4 ,nor have ,i forsaken my 
quest4 ,open your ears4 ,found is       
deliverance  from death and illusion60  
,and because the five still doubted1 the
 ,blessed ,one said to them3    8,tell  
me1 monks1--when we dwelt in the forest1
 did ,i ever before speak  to you in    
this manner80    ,and they said3        
8,sir1 never40    ,and it is told in the
 ancient scriptures that the very       
,evening opened  their ears and heard4  
,so1 with the five about him1 the       
,perfect ,one spoke the first words of  

the ,teaching of the ,law1 the first    
ever heard in this world1--and where    
the last shall be spoken who can tell8  
,but it is needful that all to  whom    
their happy ,karma allows it should hear
 and ponder these words for  in them is 
all truth4 ,now this is the high        
teaching in the ,deer ,park of          
,isipatana1 as dusk came on and the     
shadows4    ,and it is told in the      
ancient scriptures that the very evening
 appeared  to bow at the knees of the   
,exalted ,one--the ,world-,honoured1    
that she  might hear his word4 ,like a  
maiden she came1 the stars the pearls   
about  her throat1 the gathering dark   
her braided hair1 the deepening vastness
  of space her cloudy robe4 ,for a crown
 had she the holy heavens where  dwell  
divine spirits4 ,the ,three ,worlds were
 her body1 her eyes were as  blue lotus 
blossoms opening to the moonlight1 and  
her voice of stillness  as the distant  
murmur of bees4 ,to worship and to hear 
the ,perfect ,one  this lovely maiden   

came4    ,and though our ,lord spoke in 
the ,pali tongue each man heard his own4
 ,and  thus said the ,blessed ,one1 the 
,tathagata1 ,he who has thus ,attained3 
8,monks1 there are two extremes which he
 who would follow my attainment  must   
shun4 ,the one is a life of pleasure    
devoted to desire and  enjoyments4 ,that
 is base1 ignoble1 unworthy1 unreal1 and
 is the ,path of  ,destruction4 ,the    
other is the life of self-mortification 
and torture4 ,it  is gloomy1 unworthy1  
unreal4 ,it is nothing and leads to     
nothing4 ,but  hear and be attentive1   
monks1 for ,i have found the ,middle    
,way which lies  between these two1 the 
way which in a spiral of eight stages   
ascends the  ,mount of ,vision even to  
the summit where dwells the glory of the
 ,peace4    8,this is the ,noble        
,eightfold ,path1 and the stages in     
their order4 ,right  ,comprehension4    
,doubts and wrong views and mere        
opinions must be laid  aside4 ,the man  
must perceive the distinction between   

the ,permanent and  the ,transient4 ,he 
must behold facts behind hypotheses4    
,realization of  the need of truth is   
the attitude for its reception4 ,this is
 the first  stage4    8,right           
,resolution4 ,this is the will to       
attain1 based on self-discipline  and   
the vision which has perceived that     
attainment of perfect knowledge  is     
possible4 ,this is the second stage4    
8,right ,speech4 ,this is the first step
 in the practice of  self-discipline4   
,indiscretion1 slander1 abuse1 and      
bitter words are  forbidden4 ,only such 
words must be uttered as are kind1 pure1
 true4 ,this  is the third stage4       
8,right ,conduct4 ,deeds which are      
blameless1 true1 and noble4 ,these only 
must be done4 ,put away all thought of  
gain or reward here or hereafter1  for  
the motive is the deed4 ,retaliation is 
dead4 ,impulse cannot exist  with       
discipline4 ,deeds actuated by likes and
 dislikes are  forbidden1--let each     
action be guided by inward ,law         

irrespective of whom  it concerns4 ,act 
only from this ,law which is in its     
highest ,love and  ,pity1 and very      
swiftly will come the insight to        
distinguish which deeds  are in harmony 
with the ,law and which gainsay it1--and
 that blessedness  will follow which the
 doer has not thirsted to gain or       
garner4 ,this is  the fourth stage4     
8,very difficult to climb are the two   
stages of ,right ,speech and ,right     
,conduct1 but1 when they are surmounted1
 fair and wide and noble is the         
prospect seen from those heights1 and   
very great self-mastery is gained4      
8,right ,living4 ,and this includes the 
right means of earning a livelihood  for
 there are means a man cannot follow and
 maintain his integrity and  purity4    
,let him take heed to avoid these       
dangerous circumstances1 and  which they
 may be that man's mind shall declare to
 him if he have  trodden the ,four      
,first ,stages4 ,such a man cannot be in
 doubt4 ,and so is  the learner become a

 ,master4 ,this is the ,fifth stage4    
8,right ,effort4 ,now1 loving1 wise1 and
 enlightened1 he apportions all his     
strength to wise purpose1 fully         
comprehending his deed and its aim4 ,he 
who has reached this noble stage does   
all1 whether eating or drinking1        
sleeping or waking1 working or resting1 
in harmony with the great ,law1  for in 
his obedience he is perfect1 and the    
,law is his life1 nor does he  need to  
consider longer than while a man in     
health need count his  heart-beat4 ,and 
this is the ,sixth ,stage4    8,right   
,meditation4 ,this is the right state of
 a mind at peace1 self1 he  considers   
only the truth1 and having utterly      
abandoned the thought of  self he is    
clear in perception1 having slain       
illusion and stood face to  face with   
,reality as a man speaks with a friend4 
,he is the ,knower of  ,truth4 ,more1 he
 is the ,truth1 and this is the ,seventh
 ,stage4    8,right ,meditation4 ,this  
the right state of a mind at peace4 ,at 

peace  indeed1 for what is left for     
grief8 ,nothing is here to wail1 nothing
 but  what must quiet us4 ,doubt and    
fear1 trouble and confusions are dead4  
,groundless beliefs1 false hopes and    
fears are forgotten1 and in this  stage 
is the attainment of the ,peace which   
passes understanding4 ,this is  the     
,eighth ,stage from which1 having       
attained1 a man cannot fall4    8,but1  
monks1 you may ask1 what is the cause   
from which springs the need  for the    
,noble ,eightfold ,path8 ,it is this4   
,hear the ,four ,noble ,truths4         
8,birth is the cause of suffering1 for  
life is suffering1 passing through  all 
the stages of grief from birth to death4
 ,this is the first ,truth4  ,the cause 
of birth is the thirst for living1      
leading from birth to  birth1 fed by the
 lust of the flesh1 the lust of the eye1
 the pride of  life4 ,this is the second
 ,truth4    8,the cure of the cause of  
birth is the extinction of this thirst  
for  living by complete extinction of   

wrong desire1 letting it go1 expelling  
it1 giving it no room4 ,this is the     
third ,truth4    8,and the fourth ,truth
 is the ,noble ,eightfold ,path4 ,these 
are the four  ,truths4    8,so by the   
truth of suffering1 monks1 my eyes were 
opened to these  conceptions and        
judgment and vision were opened in me4  
,not by sacrifice  nor mortification nor
 prayer1 but by that which a man has in 
himself is  the ,way of ,deliverance    
opened4 ,and as long as ,i did not know 
this ,i had  not received enlightenment4
 ,but now have ,i attained1 and         
deliverance is  secured1 and henceforth 
,i shall no more go out into birth and  
death4  ,death has no more dominion over
 me40    ,this is the first ,teaching   
and it was spoken in the ,deer ,park at 
,isipatana1--and the five ascetics sat  
about to hear1 and borne on these  great
 words1 their eyes were opened and with 
joy they accepted the ,law1  and the    
chief of them1 ,kondanna1 since called  
8,kondanna the ,knower10  entreated the 

,lord that he would receive them as     
disciples1 and in these  words he       
received them3    8,draw near1 monks1   
well preached is the ,doctrine4 ,walk in
 purity to the  goal of the end of all  
suffering40    ,and further he taught   
them of the transiency and impermanence 
of all  earthly things and of the ,truth
 that lies beyond when the world is     
apprehended as it is1 free of illusion1 
free of the fleeting  apprehensions of  
the senses1 and knowing this1 they      
entered into the  ,peace4    ,and when  
it was ended the darkness was deep about
 them and the night of  rest was come4  
,,part ,,iii                            
,,chapter ,,xiii      ,,so for a time   
the ,world-,honoured dwelt in the ,deer 
,park of ,isipatana1  and men came      
eagerly to hear him1 for his teachings  
resembled none they  had heard as yet   
and delivered them from the yoke of     
priests in  teachings and beliefs which 
if they could not inwardly accept made  
them  very sorely afraid of the anger of

 the ,gods and compelled much           
ceremonial and expiation4    ,but ,he1  
who has thus ,attained1 the ,tathagata1 
taught them thus3    8,no priest1 no    
,god1 can deliver a man4 ,by himself is 
evil done1 by  himself he endures the   
shame and pain4 ,by himself and his own 
will and  struggle he becomes pure4     
,there is none can save a man but       
himself--,no1  none in heaven or earth4 
,it is he himself who must walk the     
,way3 ,the  ,enlightened can but show   
it4 ,therefore where and how can a      
priest aid  you80    ,and this appeared 
to them a most wonderful doctrine1      
inspiring with  great courage and       
resolution1 and looking upon each other 
they said3    8,if it be thus1 and a man
 holds deliverance in the hollow of his 
hand1  it can be done4 ,to-day1 brother1
 let us take the first step40    ,and so
 the ,exalted ,one taught them to break 
the fetter of the delusion  of self--the
 delusive belief that the individual    
self is real and  self-existent4 ,for to

 abide contented in the prison of this  
apparent  self not looking forward to   
its expansion into the ,universal self  
is the  shadow of egoism and egoism is  
the mother of sin4    ,and he broke off 
them the fetter of the belief that      
outward  righteousness of conduct will  
deliver a man1 or that safety lies in   
rites and ceremonies1 for truly a man   
can never say within himself1 8,i  have 
placated the ,gods and may now go my way
 in peace40    ,now at this time there  
was in the great city of ,benares1 a    
noble youth  named ,yasas1 son of a rich
 man1 master of one of the city guilds1 
and on  this son his parents had        
lavished every good thing4 ,he possessed
 a house  of cool shades for summer1 and
 another for the season of the rains4   
,and  his houses were full of delicately
 beautiful dancing girls1 jewelled and  
perfumed1 and what pleasure was absent1 
whether of food or wines1 or  music or  
any other8--,none indeed1 for the rich  
merchants dwell in luxury  resembling   

that of kings4    ,and at first all this
 was good to him and he asked no more2  
but  fulfilled every desire on the      
instant4 ,there are men so embruted that
  this will content them until bodily   
power fails1 but the noble youth  ,yasas
 was not of these4    ,and suddenly in  
the midst of his pleasures deep loathing
 fell upon him  and secret disgust      
because he had sounded the utmost of    
pleasure and no  more or better         
remained1 and it was like vomit in his  
mouth1 revolting  to his soul4    ,and  
one night as he lay among his women1 and
 they1 abandoned to sleep1  surrounded  
him1 lovely as maidens of ,mount        
,sumeru1 he leaned against his  silken  
cushions and the hall became hateful to 
him and he could no more  endure it1 but
 rose softly and put on his gilded shoes
 and went out into  the midnight gardens
 where dripping dew impearled every leaf
 and blossom  and glittered in pure     
moonlight1 and the cool and calm were   
excellent4  ,and he walked under the    

black and white light and dark of a long
 path by  trees whose carven leaves hung
 like sculptured stone in the stillness 
of  the air and their shadows flitted   
like dreams over his robes and face as  
he went1 meditating upon the unspeakable
 weariness and distaste that  filled him
 and the uncomforted wretchedness of    
youth that in all the  world can find no
 good4 ,and he said aloud3    8,o my    
heart1 how oppressive it is6 ,o1 my     
soul1 the speechless weariness6  ,who in
 all the world shall show me any good40 
,so1 in his walking1 he came to the gate
 of the garden and it stood wide  open  
and the porter lay drowned in sleep1 his
 face hidden from the  moonlight1 and   
there was none to see who came or went1 
and ,yasas  wandered on through dewy    
ways and silver pools of moonlight1 not 
knowing  where he went1 having fled the 
house because he could no longer endure 
his despair4 ,and as he came at last to 
the ,deer ,park of ,isipatana the       
darkness began to thin for dawn4    ,and

 so it was that the ,lord had risen from
 sleep and walked beneath the  trees of 
,isipatana in meditation and he saw a   
young man coming1 and in  the great     
stillness heard him say3    8,o my      
grief1 how deep is my wretchedness10 and
 he pitied him1 for he  himself had been
 a rich young man1 and he knew his      
heart4    ,so1 taking his seat1 the     
,blessed ,one said aloud3    8,sir1 you 
are weary1 but ,i hold in my hand a life
 that is neither  grievous nor wretched4
 ,sit down beside me and hear the ,law4 
,this  doctrine1 ,yasas1 is not         
oppressive4 ,this is not afflicting40   
,and ,yasas seeing beneath the trees a  
young man of royal bearing and  beauty  
like to but surpassing his own1 yet     
robed as a monk1 was  startled4 ,nor    
could he refuse1 and he took off his    
gilded shoes and  having saluted the    
stranger with courtesy sat down beside  
him1 and in  the quiet of the coming    
dawn1 the ,blessed ,one spoke4 ,and     
first he spoke  of the misery1          

worthlessness and ruin of lust1 of the  
strong calm of  renunciation1 of the    
high way of the ,law1 and as he heard1  
in place of  burning disgust there      
flowed into the heart of ,yasas the     
refreshing  streams of wisdom1 as when a
 man sets hot and travel-worn feet in   
the  coolness of a pellucid lake4 ,and  
there was that fruit of former births   
within the noble youth which drew him to
 high things1 even as a pure  silken    
fabric is with ease dyed a noble colour4
    ,and the ,lord saw this1 and knowing
 his heart elate and ready he then set  
before him the ,four ,noble ,truths of  
,sorrow and the ,noble ,eightfold ,path1
  and the eyes of ,yasas were opened and
 conquering joy possessed him1 and  the 
sun rose within and without him in      
splendour1 and it was day4    ,then     
,yasas arose and said3    8,it is       
impossible that ,i should return to my  
former life for ,i see it  now unreal   
and foolish1 a tale told by a madman    
signifying nothing4 ,let  me receive    

from the ,lord ordination and admission 
to the ,order that ,i  may spend        
eternity in acquiring knowledge40       
,and the ,blessed ,one answered3        
8,come1 monk4 ,the ,doctrine is well    
taught4 ,lead henceforward a new life40 
,so he was received into the ,order4    
,and presently his father1 the rich     
guild-master1 came running1 eagerly     
asking whether the ,exalted ,one had    
seen his son pass that way4 ,and thus   
he fell into talk with the ,tathagata1  
7even with ,him who has thus  ,attained7
 and he too became ensnared by that     
great ,presence and great  ,doctrine as 
a bee with perfumed mogra blossoms1 for 
sweet1 sweet is the  ,truth to them who 
are akin to it2 and last he exclaimed3  
8,wonderful1 great sir1 most wonderful6 
,this truly is showing the way to  the  
lost and setting a lamp in darkness4 ,i 
take refuge in the ,lord1 the  ,law1 and
 the ,assembly4 ,may the ,lord take me  
as a lay-disciple  henceforth1 while my 
life lasts40    ,and he was accepted1   

and looked upon his son1 now divested of
 jewels and  clad in the yellow robe    
with bared shoulder1 and the ,exalted   
,one said to  him3    8,is it possible1 
householder1 that ,yasas1 the noble     
youth should return  to a worldly life  
of lusts and pleasure80    ,and he      
replied3    8,sir1 it is not possible4  
,it is gain to ,yasas the noble youth1  
that his  mind should be set free4 ,will
 the ,exalted ,one consent this day to  
take  food with me1 with ,yasas beside  
him as a younger brother80    ,and the  
,buddha by silence gave his consent4 ,so
 were these two freed from  the bonds of
 desire and entered into the ,peace4    
,for they knew the ,truth1  and this was
 their desire4                   8,from 
the unreal lead me to the real1         
,from darkness to light4                
,from death to immortality40    ,and of 
the light companions of ,yasas1 many1   
allured to the teaching by  his joy1    
heard and were glad and followed1 and   
many more1 too many to  tell1 women as  

well as men 7for the ,blessed ,one      
welcomed women also1  regarding neither 
sex nor caste7 sought the ,deer ,park of
 ,isipatana and  followed the ,law4     
,and these are the commandments they    
accepted1 and be it understood that  the
 first five only are binding upon laymen
 and women1 but the whole ten  are      
binding on the ,brotherhood1 and they   
may not marry nor take upon  them the   
householder's life while they are a part
 of the ,order4        #a4 ,thou shalt  
not destroy life4        #b4 ,thou shalt
 not take what is not given4        #c4 
,thou shalt abstain from unchastity4    
#d4 ,thou shalt not lie nor deceive4    
#e4 ,thou shalt abstain from            
intoxicating drinks4        #f4 ,thou   
shalt eat temperately and not after     
noon4        #g4 ,thou shalt not behold 
dancing1 singing1 music1 or plays4      
#h4 ,thou shalt not wear garlands1      
perfumes1 ornaments and      adornments4
        #i4 ,thou shalt not use high nor
 luxurious beds4        #aj4 ,thou shalt

 not accept gold and silver4    ,and    
now1 when sixty of the disciples had    
attained complete  enlightenment1 it    
came into the mind of the ,blessed ,one 
that the time  was come to send them    
forth into the world to spread the high 
,doctrine1  and he said to them3        
8,see now6--,you have passed the river  
and reached the shore of peace1 and  for
 you birth and death are no more1 being 
one with the ,unchanging4 ,go  then     
through every country1 teach those who  
have not heard4 ,make known  the        
,teaching1 lovely in its origin1 its    
progress1 and most lovely in its        
consummation4 ,make it known both in the
 spirit and the letter1 ,go6--each  one 
travelling by himself 7,but later they  
went two together7 rescue and  receive4 
,i too will go--for the work is begun40 
,but ,yasas he would not send out into  
the world for his aged parents had  need
 of him in ,benares4    ,then the sixty 
having in all reverence received his    
commands went forth1  for in those days 

books were not and each man was a book  
of the ,law1 and  the ,lord himself went
 on to ,gayasisa1 followed by many who  
had been  ascetics4 ,and great joy went 
with them and a shining peace1 for like 
a  swelling wave exaltation lifted their
 souls so that each looking on the      
other was glad4    ,it was at ,gayasisa 
that the ,exalted ,one uttered the great
 ,fire teaching4    ,and the cause of it
 was this4 ,as he and his disciples sat 
on the  ,elephant ,rock near ,gaya1 with
 the wide and pleasant valley of        
,rajagriha  outspread beneath them1 a   
jungle fire broke out across the valley 
and  they watched it1 and thus spoke the
 ,world-,honoured2 drawing a lesson as  
they looked4    8,everything about and  
within us1 brethren1 is on fire1 and    
how8 ,the  senses are afire with        
passion1 hate and illusion4 ,the mind   
with its  perceptions and sensations is 
afire with passion1 hate and illusion1  
betrayed and deceived every way4 ,every 
approach by which a man beholds  and    

comes in contact with life is afire with
 passion and illusion1 and  these all in
 turn supply fuel to the burning4 ,and  
the wise and noble  disciple1 perceiving
 this1 is indifferent to the lies of the
 senses and  the sensations arising from
 them whether pleasant or unpleasant4   
,he is  indifferent to mental           
perceptions whether pleasant or         
unpleasant4 ,and  this indifference     
extinguishes the fire and cools its     
ashes and deprives  it of fuel and thus 
frees him from passion and illusion1 and
 being free  he recognizes his freedom4 
,he clings no more to the individual and
  selfish self4 ,rebirth is destroyed1  
the life of pure duty and love is       
lived1 and the world has no more        
wherewith to tempt him40    ,and many   
heard and accepted the teaching and     
found peace1 having seen  that behind   
this false world of illusion created by 
the senses lies the  true world of      
things as they are4    ,and from ,gaya1 
the ,world-,honoured1 followed by his   

disciples1 went  onward to the city of  
,rajagriha1 the chief town of ,king     
,bimbisara1 and  with him went ,kassapa1
 a great disciple1 and wise1 who had    
been a  worshipper of the pure element  
of the sacrificial fire until he had    
heard the teaching of the ,buddha1 and  
so great and wise was this man  that    
many of the people of ,rajagriha doubted
 which was the ,master and  which the   
disciple4 ,but the ,exalted ,one willing
 to honour the disciple  addressed him  
thus in presence of the ,king and       
people4    8,welcome1 great ,master1    
welcome6 ,rightly have you distinguished
 ,law1  winning the highest wisdom4 ,and
 now1 as a wealthy noble displays his   
treasures to bring forgetfulness of     
sorrow to those who love beauty1 so  do 
you60    ,and it is told that           
immediately ,kassapa1 composing himself 
into ecstasy1  was raised up in the air 
before the eyes of all and this         
wonderful sight  drew their eyes in     
adoration of so mighty a marvel1 so that

 with  different mouths but in language 
one they magnified the ,buddha1         
exclaiming3    8,let the                
,world-,honoured be our teacher4 ,we are
 his disciples40    ,and perceiving them
 eager to hear1 he addressed them on the
 false self  the lying1 that is nothing 
but claims all within and without as    
fuel for  its greed4    ,hear and be    
wise4    8,the mind1 the thought and all
 the senses are subject to the law of   
life  and death1 and1 understanding the 
self and the transient things of which  
it is compounded and how the thought and
 senses act1 there is no room  left for 
this individual ,i nor any ground for   
this ,i1 for it is this  belief in ,i   
which gives rise to all sorrows binding 
us as with cords  to the world of       
illusion4 ,but when a wise man knows    
there is no such ,i  and that it does   
not exist1 the bonds are severed4       
8,of those who believe in this false ,i1
 some say it endures beyond  death some 
say it perishes4 ,grievous is the error 

of both4 ,for if they  say this ,i is   
perishable1 then all the fruit of their 
striving  perishes and there is no      
hereafter1 and who can call this        
deliverance8    8,and if they say this  
greedy ,i is immortal1 then in the midst
 of all  life and death in this world of
 illusion there is but one identity that
  is not born and does not die--even    
this greedy ,i4 ,and if the one         
immortal thing is this greedy ,i which  
arrogates all to itself then is  it the 
one thing in the whole ,universe that is
 self-perfect1 and there  is no need of 
high and noble deeds1--this greedy self 
is lord and master  of all1 and what    
need to strive for what is already done8
 ,for if this  greedy ,i is lasting and 
imperishable then can it never be       
changed4    8,but when a man has learned
 there is no greedy ,i1 that it does not
  exist1 that it can do nothing1 is but 
an illusion1 then1 freed1 he  passes on 
to the wider outlook1 the nobler        
knowledge1 and he passes on  also in    

other lives the same yet not the same1  
as the shoot springs from  the seed1 and
 the seed is not the shoot1 not one and 
yet not different4  ,such is the birth  
of all that lives4 ,learn therefore that
 this ,i does  not exist1 and the       
illusion of it conceals ,that which     
,is40    ,so the ,world-,honoured1 the  
,happy ,one1 great and glad1 addressed  
the ,king  and people1 and very joyfully
 they heard1 understanding that in the  
egoism of the ,i lives all curse1 all   
ignorance4    ,and the ,king became a   
lay follower and throughout his life was
 faithful  and many of the noble young  
men about him believed also1 and many of
 the  people4    ,it was here too1 in   
happy ,rajagriha1 that the ,perfect     
,one1 gained the  two greatest of his   
,arhats1 his perfected saints1 and thus 
it befell4    ,on a day to be           
remembered1 it so chanced that ,assaji1 
a disciple1 walked  in the streets1     
collecting alms of food in his bowl1 and
 he walked in  the shade1 in the yellow 

robe1 one shoulder bare1 composed and   
with  majesty1 musing as he went4 ,and  
he was thus observed by a young ,brahman
  of noble birth who was studying       
spiritual things in the city under a    
teacher1 and when he saw him the dignity
 of his serene presence moved  the heart
 of the ,brahman ,sariputta1 and he     
thought3    8,surely this is one who has
 already attained the way of purity6 ,i 
will  go and ask him in whose name he   
has renounced the world and by what     
,law4  ,not yet1 for he is collecting   
alms1 but presently40    ,therefore he  
watched1 and when the venerable ,assaji 
had received food  from the householders
 he turned back1 and ,sariputta         
approached him with  a courteous        
salutation1 which having concluded1 he  
said3    8,friend1 your eyes are        
shining1 your colour pure and clear4    
,great is  your composure4 ,in whose    
name have you renounced the world and   
who is  your honourable ,master80       
8,friend1 my master is the ,son of the  

,sakya ,house1 the descendant of        
,kings2 ,i am but a novice4 ,as yet ,i  
cannot tell the great heights of the    
,law1 but in a few words ,i can give its
 spirit40    8,be it so1 friend4        
,instruct me40    ,and musing a moment1 
,assaji said this3    8,the ,perfected  
,one teaches how existences apparently  
separate are  dependent upon ,one       
,cause1 how they depend upon one        
another1 their  apparent separateness   
springing from ignorance and illusion as
 its  cause1 and how these existences   
can be ended and the ,truth of ,unity   
appear4 ,this is the teaching of the    
,son of the ,sakyas40    ,and as he     
heard these words1 suddenly their       
implications and how they  affect all   
within and without us and the whole     
,universe1 flashed into  the clear      
vision of ,sariputta1 and he understood 
as a consequence3    8,whatever is      
subject to the law of beginning that    
also is subject to the  law of decay1   
and how should the ,i be excepted8      

,there is but one  ,unchanging1         
motionless and eternal40    ,and deeply 
moved1 he said to ,assaji3    8,if the  
teaching were nothing else but this you 
have at any rate  overpassed suffering4 
,that which many ages have not seen is  
revealed to  us now40    ,and leaving   
,assaji1 who pursued his way in peace1  
,sariputta hastened  with winged feet to
 his friend and fellow-student          
,moggalana1 and  ,moggalana seeing him  
cried out4    8,your eyes are shining4  
,your colour is pure and clear4 ,have   
you then  found deliverance from death80
    8,i have found it4 ,i have found    
it40    ,and standing there breathless  
he told him of ,assaji and his words1   
and  on the great mind of ,moggalana1   
strong in clear perception1 flashed also
  the truth of the nonentity of the     
greedy ,i1 and unable to delay1  panting
 for the truth1 they left the ascetic   
who taught them1 and  hurried to the    
wood where the ,perfect ,one taught     
sitting among his  disciples1 and when  

he saw the two young ,brahmans approach 
full of  eagerness and awe1 he said to  
those about him4 8,welcome these two1   
for  they shall be my greatest--the one 
unsurpassed for wisdom1 the other for   
supernormal power40    ,and he himself  
welcomed them with joy1 seeing that they
 would stand  about him as bright stars 
about the moon4    ,so when they had    
told him their case and heard his words1
 he said3    8,come1 monks1 the         
,doctrine is well taught6 ,lead         
henceforward the pure  life for the     
extinction of suffering10 and thus      
received them to be his  own4    ,and   
shortly after this he founded the       
,sangha1 the ,brotherhood formally1  and
 drew up the first code for its         
governance4    ,and the number of his   
followers grew and increased mightily1  
for not  only the people but many of the
 noble youths of the ,kingdom of        
,maghada  joined themselves to this most
 noble young man1 the ,son of the       
,sakyas1  so much so that some of the   

people were angry and said3    8,the    
ascetic ,gotama is come to bring        
childlessness and widowhood and the     
decay of families10 and they made a     
verse that was repeated in the  streets3
              8,the great monk has come 
through the wood-ways3              he  
sits on the hill1            ,and whom  
will he steal from us next1             
for he takes whom he will80    ,and his 
disciples hearing this verse went to the
 ,exalted ,one and  repeated it1        
dwelling on the anger of some of the    
people4 ,but the  ,perfect ,one smiled1 
for the young monks were angry4         
8,seven days will this excitement last1 
monks1 and for that time only4  ,but if 
they taunt you with that verse1 reply   
with this3             8,the heroes1 the
 ,perfect ,ones1 lead by the ,truth3--  
and who calls it amiss8           ,if   
the ,buddha persuades by the truth1 will
 ye               blame him for this80  
,and the disciples smiled also and were 
content1 and in seven days it was       

forgotten1 and still the great and lowly
 flocked to hear4    ,now of the people 
who flocked to him many desired signs   
and wonders that  so they might be      
convinced of the truth1 but these were  
not given in  that manner and the       
,blessed ,one forbade his disciples to  
exalt  themselves thus4 ,for there is   
nothing but the taintless beauty of ,law
  throughout the worlds1 and the wise   
know there is no miracle at all1 but    
only a higher law1 not known to the     
ignorant1 which in its action  appears  
to them strange and a miracle4 ,yet did 
our ,lord teach that for  the instructed
 there are the powers1 since to them in 
their higher  consciousness the bonds of
 time and space and form exist no more4 
,but it  is useless and perilous to     
expose these mysteries before the       
ignorant  who can but see in them the   
breaking of the law1 and see it either  
with  fear or greed4 ,therefore he      
taught that those who have attained     
should  be wise and silent in knowledge 

where the occasion does not demand      
speech or action1 and very rarely can   
they be demanded1 for each stage  has   
its own knowledge and cannot rise to the
 knowledge of a  consciousness above its
 own4 ,hence all this foolish talk of   
miracle and  the like4 ,but for those   
who know even in part the fetters are   
broken3--the binding fetters of form1   
time and space4 ,and of such a case  the
 ,lord told this story1 while he rested 
at one time at ,jetavana3    8,there was
 a faithful1 noble1 joyful disciple who 
desired to hear again  the words of ,him
 who has thus ,attained1 and he came in 
the evening to  the river ,aciravati1   
hoping to cross by the ferry4 ,but so it
 was that  the boatman had himself gone 
to hear the great words and there was no
  ferry4 ,then1 joyful in meditating on 
the ,light1 and lost of all else1  that 
faithful disciple walked on the water of
 the river1 and his feet  made no holes 
in the water1 and he went as if on dry  
land4 ,but suddenly  in the middle of   

the river he saw waves1 and his joy sank
 and his feet  with it1 for fear entered
 his soul and fear is a fetter of the   
world of  form1 so that he immediately  
became subject to it4 ,but again he     
strengthened his inmost self in         
meditation on the ,enlightened ,one1 and
  again he walked on the water and so   
came to ,jetavana and saluted the       
,blessed ,one1 and took his seat        
respectfully beside him1 and the ,lord  
asked3 #8,disciple1 did you come with   
little fatigue by the road8 ,have you   
lacked for food8' ,and he replied3      
8,lord1 in my joyful meditation ,i      
received support so that ,i walked on   
the water and did not sink1 and thus    
have ,i come to ,jetavana as though ,i  
walked on dry land40    ,and the ,lord  
said3 8,so also has it been in past     
lives40    ,for he taught that though   
there are times and seasons for the     
powers to  be manifested to the         
ignorant1 they are very few4            
,,chapter ,,xiv      ,,now while the    

,perfect ,one dwelt by ,rajagriha there 
came to him a message  from ,kapila1    
from his father1 the ,maharaja          
,suddhodana1 and it said this3    8,my  
son1 tidings have reached me of great   
things concerning you and the           
fulfilment of prophecies4 ,but of these 
,i will not speak for it is  fitting    
that ,i should hear them from your own  
lips4 ,but this ,i have to  say3 ,is it 
not just and right that ,i should see my
 son before ,i die8  ,come to me40      
,and when this reached the ,enlightened 
,one it was impossible that he  should  
doubt or hesitate1 for who had more     
right to call upon him8 ,and  so1       
preparing himself for the journey on    
foot with certain of his  disciples1    
once more he set his face to ,kapila    
looking toward the  mountains4    ,and  
many things filled his heart1 of memory 
and of affection1 but all  now          
controlled and guided by divine         
knowledge and certitude so that he  went
 surrounded by peace and glad in that he

 carried a great gift to his  father    
exceeding all gold1 all jewels of all   
kings1 if so it could be  received1     
repaying thus the tenderness which had  
guarded his youth4    ,and when the     
,maharaja and the people of ,kapila     
heard he would come1 from  that day     
forth they watched the ways to the city 
that they might with  due eagerness and 
joy welcome the great return of their   
,prince4 ,for they  said proudly3       
8,our ,prince who left us to seek       
enlightenment has now found it1 and     
gloriously returns60 and they thought3  
8,to what kingdom has the like          
happened80    ,so journeying on foot1   
the ,blessed ,one1 crowned with the ,ten
  ,perfections1 at last approached      
,kapila1 and those who were the far     
outposts of the watch ran back to the   
next and those to the next until  it    
reached the city crying3    8,the       
,prince comes6 ,the ,prince comes60     
,and the ,maharaja having prepared      
himself1 surrounded by his lords and    

all the neighbouring nobility1 went     
forth along the flower-strewn ways  7for
 the people hurried with flowers and    
banners and perfumes7 to meet  the great
 guest4 ,and the heart of the ,maharaja 
was hot within him and  exulted1        
thinking3    8,he returns and the clouds
 are past and the sun of his glory      
drowns all  in its brightness1 and my   
good days are come again40    ,so they  
paused in the principal street of the   
town and there waited in  the shade1    
with banners and flowers making gay the 
blue air about them4    ,then at long   
last moving through the streets1        
followed by two others1  the ,maharaja  
and his nobles saw a young monk clad in 
the yellow robe1  with one shoulder     
bared1 who in his hands carried an      
alms-bowl1 and at  each house door      
stopped and silently tendered the bowl1 
receiving with  majesty what was given1 
and passing on with patience when it was
  refused4 ,and it was his son4    ,then
 shame and love and anger contended in  

the heart of the ,maharaja and  tore him
 like a whirlwind among the leaves of a 
tree1 and he clenched  his robe across  
his breast and cried out aloud to       
,siddhartha3    8,i am put to shame--to 
horrible shame4 ,my son a beggar6 ,our  
race is  beaten to the earth with       
shame40    ,and standing calmly before  
the angry ,maharaja the ,blessed ,one   
after due  salutation lifted his eyes   
and replied3    8,maharaj1 this is the  
custom of our race40    8,this horrible 
thing is not so4 ,not one of our        
ancestors has ever begged  his bread40  
8,maharaj1 you and your high race claim 
descent from kings1--but my  descent is 
far otherwise4 ,it is from the ,buddhas 
of ancient days1 and as  they have done1
 begging their food from the charitable1
 so do ,i1 nor can  ,i otherwise40      
,but seeing his father still in pain    
from anger and sorrow1 the ,perfected   
,one spoke thus3    8,do ,i not know    
that the ,king's heart bleeds with love 
and memory1 and  that for his son's sake

 he adds grief to grief8 ,but now let   
these  earthly bonds of love be         
instantly unloosened and utterly        
destroyed1 for  there are greater and   
higher4 ,ceasing from thought of such   
love1 let the  ,king's mind receive from
 me such spiritual food as no son has   
yet  offered to father1 a gift most     
beautiful and wonderful40    ,so leading
 the ,king by the hand they went        
together to the palace1 the  mind of the
 ,maharaja quieted and subdued as after 
a storm the billows  sink to rest4      
,and within the palace the ,perfected   
,one looked for ,another1 but she was   
not there1 for her very life beat       
against her body in agony1  remembering1
 remembering1 and she said in her heart3
    8,i will not go4 ,i cannot go4 ,if  
,i am of any value in his eyes1 ,i1 the 
mother of his son1 he will come to me4  
,i cannot go to him40    ,so1 when a    
little time had passed1 the ,perfected  
,one arose1 and attended  by the two    
mightiest of his disciples and followed 

by the ,maharaja went  to the ,palace of
 his wife1 and as he went1 he said3     
8,monks1 if this lady should embrace me1
 do not hinder her1 though it be        
against the rule40    ,and pacing       
silently beside him1 the two            
comprehended the wisdom and  compassion 
of the ,lord1 bowing their heads4       
,and they entered the hall where the    
,princess stood unveiled1 the glory  of 
her hair shorn1 clad in a coarse robe of
 yellow resembling his own1  and        
divested of all jewels and splendours1  
and she stood like the marble  image of 
a woman as he entered1 pale in the      
shadows4    ,then1 seeing him1 suddenly 
love and manifold anguish broke in a    
freshet  in her heart as when the       
melting snows fill ,rohini until she    
floods her  banks2 and pride and love1  
each stabbed to the heart1 strove within
 her1  and with piteous eyes she looked 
upon her ,lord once so near and now so  
far1 as he stood calmly regarding her   
with a look she could not  understand1  

and love had the victory1 and she ran to
 him and falling on  the ground laid her
 face upon his feet and embraced them   
weeping most  bitterly4    ,and there   
was silence1 none hindering or speaking1
 and he looked down  upon her4    ,so   
she lay4    ,but after awhile           
remembrance returned to her and his     
silence and the  distance wide as heaven
 and earth between them1 and she rose   
with  majesty and withdrew herself to   
one side and stood with bowed head while
  the ,maharaja declared to the         
,perfected ,one her griefs and patience 
and  mortifications so that she might   
resemble him1 abjuring her bed for a    
mat laid upon the ground1 and the feasts
 of the palace for one poor meal  a day1
 and much more4 ,and the ,prince heard  
and speaking slowly1 still  with his    
eyes upon her1 said3    8,this is true4 
,great also was the virtue of this high 
lady1 the mother  of ,rahula1 virtue in 
a former life which ,i remember and she 
too will  remember one day with         

gladness4 ,lady1 mother of my son1 the  
way that ,i  have opened is open for you
 also4 ,come and hear40    ,and with his
 eyes upon her to the last he turned and
 went away4    ,so that evening1 seated 
by the bank of ,rohini1 the ,perfect    
,one taught  the ,way before his own    
people1 and they crowded to hear2 and   
this high  lady seated1 veiled so that  
none might see her hidden eyes1 heard   
also1  and as she listened1 illusion    
fell from her2 she perceived the        
,unchanging1 the ,formless1 the         
,beautiful1 and the illusory forms of   
this  world and the delusion of time    
fell from her also1 and she beheld her  
love no longer past and done with1 but  
eternal as the eternity of the  ,self   
that alone endures1 and the imprisoning 
self which alone can suffer  died within
 her and left her enfranchised1 and     
inward light shone upon  her and she    
knew the truth4    ,so also was it with 
the ,maharaja and the ,maharani         
,prajapati and many  more4    ,but on   

the next day the ,princess ,yashodara   
called to her son ,rahula and  dressed  
him in his best until he shone bright   
and beautiful as a star1  and she laid  
her cheek against his1 saying3    8,go  
now1 beloved1 and seek your father and  
ask for your inheritance40    ,and he   
answered3    8,mother1 ,i know of no    
father but the ,maharaja4 ,what father8 
,and why  should he withhold my         
inheritance80    ,and she said3 8,go and
 ask4 ,but first see1 that you may know 
him40    ,she led the boy to the window 
and pointed4    8,that monk1 clothed in 
the yellow robe1 he whose face shines   
like the  sun in its strength1 is your  
father4 ,and he has great               
wealth--riches1  not to be told in      
words4 ,go1 son1 and demand your        
inheritance40    ,and the boy went1     
wondering and desiring1 and in the      
garden he ran  quickly and catching the 
robe of the ,blessed ,one1 he said3     
8,my father1 how happy ,i am to be near 
you4 ,o day of gladness10 and tears  of 

joy overflowed his eyes1 seeing his     
father so great and beautiful4  ,but to 
test him1 the ,blessed ,one was silent1 
pacing toward the ,nyagrodha  grove1 and
 still the child followed1 entreating   
for his inheritance4    ,then when they 
reached the grove1 the ,perfected ,one  
turned smiling to  ,sariputta the great 
disciple1 and he said3    8,monk1 what  
think you8 ,for worldly wealth perishes1
 but this remains4  ,shall ,i make my   
son heir to the ,greatest8 ,let us admit
 him to the  ,order40    ,and it was    
done1 and the heart of the ,princess    
sang within her for  bliss1 and         
henceforward the boy trod the way of    
,peace4    ,so leaving joy and          
tranquillity behind him and measureless 
content in  the soul of ,yashodara1 the 
,blessed ,one returned to ,shravasti on 
the  river ,rapti and there a rich      
merchant1 ,anathapindika1 gave to the   
,order  a pleasant grove named          
,jetavana1 and a monastery1 and there   
during the  rains our ,lord dwelt and   

many of his teachings and discourses    
were  spoken at ,jetavana4    ,and this 
was the manner of his life4    ,the     
,blessed ,one would rise early in the   
morning1 and that some one of  his      
followers might gain merit he accepted  
service1 and water was  brought to him  
for ablution1 and having performed this 
he would sit  alone until it was time to
 go and beg his food4 ,then he would put
 on his  tunic1 girdle1 and robe1 and   
taking his bowl would enter the village 
or  town for alms4 ,sometimes alone1    
sometimes with other monks1 many of them
  men of great and noble birth4 ,and it 
seemed that gentle breezes cleared  the 
air for him and clouds let fall rain to 
lay the dust1 and where he  placed his  
foot the way was even and pleasant and  
flowers blossomed4 ,and  it appeared to 
those who saw1 that rays of radiance    
surrounded his  person1 since he        
possessed the attributes of that true   
world which  encompasses the illusions  
of the false world perceived by the     

senses4    ,by all these tokens and more
 did the people know who approached1 and
  they said to each other3              
8,bhagavat--the ,blessed ,one--has now  
entered for alms10 and robed in  their  
best1 with perfumes1 flowers1 and such  
offerings as they could  give1 they came
 into the street4 ,there1 having paid   
their homage1 some  would implore him3  
8,reverend sir1 let us feed ten monks10 
and some1 8,let us feed twenty10  and   
the rich 8,let us feed a hundred40 ,and 
the most fortunate would take  the bowl 
of the ,blessed ,one and fill it with   
food4    ,when he had finished his meal1
 the ,blessed ,one considering what was 
suited to the minds of those who        
listened1 would so teach them the ,law  
that many would attain to the fruit of  
knowledge in its different  degrees1 and
 some in the highest--that of a clear   
perception in  saintship1--and having   
thus given his good gifts to the        
multitude he  would rise and return to  
the quiet monastery4    ,on his arrival 

there he sat in a pavilion shaded from  
the sun1 on an  excellent ,buddha-mat   
which had been spread for him1 and there
 waited for  the monks to finish their  
meal1 and when this was done he entered 
his  chamber and bathed his feet from   
the dust of travel4    ,then1 standing1 
he exhorted the assembly of monks1      
saying3    8,monks1 diligently work out 
your salvation1 for not often is a      
,buddha--an ,enlightened ,one--seen in  
the world--not often is it possible     
thus to hear the ,law4 ,and if even an  
animal can keep the ,precepts1 how  much
 more a man40    ,and at this point some
 would ask the ,blessed ,one for        
exercises in  meditation and to each he 
assigned what suited best their         
characters4  ,and then all did obeisance
 to the ,perfect ,one1 and dispersed to 
the  places where they were in the habit
 of spending the night or day1 some  to 
the forest1 some to the foot of trees1  
some1 in meditation1 to the  heavenly   
places4    ,and the ,blessed ,one1 then 

entering his chamber1 would1 if wearied1
 lie  down for awhile1 not sleeping but 
mindful and conscious and on his right  
side1 as a lion takes his repose4 ,and  
when refreshed he rose1 and sent  his   
gaze through the world 7for to the      
,illuminated this is possible71 to  see 
who it was possible he might aid4       
,and after this1 the people of the      
village or town near which he might be  
dwelling assembled1 again in their best 
robes1 and he1 approaching with         
majesty1 took his seat on the           
,buddha-mat in the little audience hall1
  and declared the doctrine to his      
hearers who sat before him rapt in      
hearing4    ,and when they had made     
obeisance and departed it was the custom
 of the  ,perfected ,one to bathe       
himself1 and after that to assume his   
tunic and  girdle1 and throwing his robe
 over his right shoulder to go into his 
chamber and there fall into deep        
meditation1 and after that was the rest 
of the day given to the monks who       

assembled1 coming from here1 there1  and
 everywhere1 to question the ,blessed   
,lord and ask his instructions or  plead
 for a sermon and all this he very      
gladly gave1 so consuming the  first    
watch of the night4    ,and during the  
middle watch of the night he would      
commune with the  blessed spirits of the
 ,universe1 they drawing very near him  
in the true  accord4    ,and the last   
watch of the night he divided into three
 parts1 and weary  with much sitting he 
paced up and down considering many      
things1 and in  the second part would   
enter his chamber and rest1 and in the  
third1  seated1 send the diamond-clear  
ray of his perception through the world 
that he might commune with any soul who 
needed that communion4    ,and thus were
 spent the days of him who had attained 
the ,paramitas1  the ,ten ,perfections4 
,and if there be any who would know of  
the ten1 these are they4    ,almsgiving1
 morality1 long-suffering1 manliness1   
meditation1 mystic  insight1 resolution1

 strength1 knowledge1 and skill in the  
choice of  means4    ,in all these was  
our ,lord perfected4 ,and above even    
these in ,love4 ,for  hear the teaching 
of the ,lord3    8,as a mother1 even at 
the risk of her own life1 protects her  
son1 her  only son1 so let the disciple 
cultivate love without measure toward   
all  beings4 ,let him cultivate toward  
the whole world above1 below1 around1 a 
heart of love unstinted1 unmixed with   
differing or opposing interests4  ,and  
let a man maintain this mindful love    
whether he stands1 walks1 sits  or lies4
 ,for in all the world this state of    
heart is best40    ,for the ,lord1 the  
,blessed ,one1 taught that this love    
must increase until  the wide ,universe 
is suffused with its radiance4    8,our 
mind shall not waver4 ,no evil speech   
will we utter4 ,tender and              
compassionate will we abide1 loving1    
void of malice4 ,and with rays of  love 
shall we suffuse all that is1 even with 
love grown great and  measureless40     

,and because of this high teaching many 
men and women attained to  ,arhatship1  
becoming perfected saints1 seeing things
 as they are in  themselves and not     
according to their illusory appearances 
in this world  of illusion1--and they   
made great songs of triumph and victory1
 saying  that when the ,hindrances are  
removed from a man he is as one set free
  from debt1 imprisonment1 and slavery4 
8,for when the five ,hindrances are put 
away within him1 he is a free man  and  
secure1 and gladness springs up within  
him1 and joy1 and so  rejoicing all his 
frame becomes at ease1 and in that peace
 his heart is  stayed40    ,and again1  
this song of ,right ,rapture4     8,it  
is in very bliss we dwell1 we who hate  
not those who hate us3   ,among men full
 of hate we dwell1 who are void of hate4
   ,it is in very bliss we dwell1 we in 
health among the ailing4   ,among men   
weary and sick1 we continue well4   ,it 
is in very bliss we dwell1 we1 free from
 care among the careworn4   ,among men  

tortured with unrest1 we are calm4   ,it
 is in very bliss we dwell1 we who have 
no hindrances4   ,we have become feeders
 on joy1 like to the shining ,gods40    
8,the shining ,gods40 ,what then are    
these ,gods and ,shining ,ones8 ,thus   
have  ,i heard4    ,surely the ,gods are
 they who having acquired mighty merit  
by great good  deeds reign and shine for
 ages until the power of their good     
deeds is  exhausted4 ,for they knew not 
the ,nirvana and the disintegration of  
the  false self1 and so desired         
,paradise as their reward1 and ,paradise
 they  have4 ,but though it last for    
ages1 when the power of their good deeds
 is  exhausted then they too must enter 
again by the gate of birth and humbly   
learn to extinguish all desire1 even    
though it be the desire of ,heaven1  and
 to know that the greedy ,i which       
desired these things is  non-existent1  
until they too1 treading the ,noble     
,eightfold ,path1 enter  upon the       
highest wisdom and attain to the        

,nirvana1 the ,peace1 for this  alone is
 that comprehension which beholds the   
heavens and hells as  pictures1 as      
illusions1 as nothing1--and whoso       
possesses it sits above  manhood and    
,godhead alike1 having utterly attained4
    ,thus it must be when ignorance is  
dead and wisdom made perfect1 for the   
vain shows of ignorance are dispersed in
 clear perception of the things  that   
are true and eternal4    ,when the wise 
man by earnestness has driven vanity far
 away1 he has  climbed the terraced     
heights of wisdom1 and1 care-free1 looks
 down upon  the illusory world1 the     
careworn crowd1 as he who standing upon 
a  mountain top watches serenely the    
toilers in the plain4    ,and a man must
 have what he desires1 be it the        
,paradises that pass1 or  the ,peace    
that is eternal4                        
,,chapter ,,xv      ,,thus have ,i      
heard4    ,now persons of all castes1   
high and low1 women as well as men1     
sought  the teachings of the ,lord--and 

he received all with courtesy and       
gladness1 for he said3    8,there is no 
caste in blood and tears40    ,so they  
brought him their griefs and            
questionings4 ,and very strange to  them
 did it seem to behold a great ,prince  
surrounded by young men of the  noble   
families who each and all had thrown off
 the ,hindrances of the  illusory world 
and forsaking all had followed the      
,truth4    ,but when they themselves had
 seen the light no longer did it appear 
strange1 for who will stay to watch a   
fragment of broken glass flash in  the  
sun1 when before him pulse the great    
lights of a royal jewel1  brother of the
 sun and stars4    ,and about this time 
the beautiful harlot of ,vaisali1 the   
,lady ,amra1  lovely as the divine ,shri
 rising from the ocean1 heard that a    
great ,lord  of ,wisdom was come to     
,vaisali1 and she offered him the use of
 her ,garden  of ,mangoes outside the   
city that he might rest in the delicious
 shade of  her trees and in the little  

pavilion where she took her pleasure1   
for  she was rich in gold and jewels and
 resembled a great ,princess in pride   
and beauty4 ,but she did not herself    
think to see him1 for the joy of  life  
held her as the nectar of flowers holds 
the clinging bee1 making  his wings     
heavy so that he scarce can fly4    ,but
 her steward came to her1 saying3    8,o
 auspicious lady1 ,i know not how it is1
 but all the nobles and people  are     
afoot1 making their way to the ,garden  
of ,mangoes1 and when ,i asked  the     
reason they replied3    8,it is because 
of the man who rests there4 ,there is   
none like him--none6  ,and he is the son
 of a ,king and has forsaken his kingdom
 that he may  find a greater40    ,and  
she leaped to her feet laughing1 ever   
ready for some new sight1  saying3      
8,is it so8 ,then make ready my vehicle 
and ,i will go with ,subaddha to see    
the man40    ,and they harnessed her    
velvet-white oxen with tassels of gold  
to her  gilded car1 and she took her    

place with the lady ,subaddha at her    
feet  and a golden canopy above her     
head1 shining like the moon in her      
glory1  and she went as a queen1 casting
 proud glances about her4    ,now it was
 so early in the day that folk were     
busied with their labours  and the      
nobles were yet sleeping and the way was
 clear before her1 and  the oxen trod   
quietly between the neem trees and fan  
palms until she  came to the gate of her
 ,garden of ,mangoes1 and there they    
halted in  young sunlight and the dew of
 dawn4 ,and a man stood by the gate as  
though he guarded it1 and he was robed  
in yellow with one arm and  shoulder    
bare1 and when she would have entered he
 stretched out his arm  and forbade her1
 saying3    8,lady1 being such a woman  
as you are1 how is it seemly that you   
should  enter this garden8 ,return      
whence you came40    ,and the blood fell
 away from her face and left her pale at
 that saying1  for she had lived all her
 life like a queen1 and now it seemed   

that  scorn and the end were come upon  
her1 and her beauty nothing though she  
shone like a night of moon and stars in 
her woven webs of gold4 ,and  silence   
fell upon her as she looked upon this   
noble young man serene and  beautiful1  
who regarded her not1 nor could she say1
 8,the garden is  mine10 for she was    
afraid4    ,so then1 between the        
feathering palms and the bamboo leaves  
that floated  on still air1 came another
 man1 also clothed in the yellow robe1  
but  walking like a ,prince1 and he said
 softly to the other3    8,stay her not1
 brother ,yasas1 for our ,master would  
look upon her beauty4  ,descend1 ,lady1 
and follow40    ,and a little comforted 
at his saying she descended from beneath
 the  canopy and followed through the   
palms and the mango trees that were her 
own and now seemed not hers4 ,and there 
was great quiet1 for the monk  said no  
word and the leaves forbore to stir and 
not a cricket chirped  and the sun was  
very early and dewy in the green ways4  

,and she thought3    8,what shall ,i    
see8 ,for kings and princes have feared 
my beauty and ,i  mocked them4 ,and if  
he be wise1 yet have the stern ascetics 
of the  forests--those whose power the  
very ,gods dreaded1--been seduced from  
their wisdom by the nymphs of ,heaven4  
,they have gone utterly astray1 and     
very certainly ,i am beautiful as       
,menaka or ,urvasi40    ,and1 now they  
turned into a green way beside the still
 pool where the  lotuses bloomed1 and it
 was cool and dim with a deep shade of  
trees1 for  they let down pillared stems
 to root again in earth and make a      
forest  temple that scarcely a ray might
 pierce4 ,and within the shade was ,one 
seated with folded hands and feet and   
behind his head a raying light  that    
shone like the midnight moon1 and1 lost 
in calm1 he looked out into  the worlds4
    ,and the man beside her fell on his 
knees and hid his face4    ,not for me1 
,o1 not for me1 least of all the        
disciples is it meet that ,i  should    

tell of this or of the similitude of the
 ,blessed ,one--the very  wise1 the     
passionless1 the desireless ,lord in the
 eyes of such as loved  him4 ,only this 
,i know1 that the woman stood amazed1   
forgetting her  beauty1 forgetting      
herself1 forgetting all in the ,three   
,worlds but only  that ,one4 ,and the   
rock crystal that was her heart melted  
within her and  flowed away in a river  
of tears3 nor could she stay her feet1  
but  slowly1 very slowly1 she approached
 and before his feet she fell and  laid 
her face on the earth4    ,now after    
awhile the ,exalted ,one commanded her  
to rise and be seated1  and he incited  
and gladdened her with high discourse so
 that she could  no longer fear but only
 love in hearing these great words with 
ears that  drank them as the parched    
earth yearns for the rains4 ,and if it  
be asked  how a woman of evil life      
should thus be honoured1 should thus    
harken  with love and understanding1 ,i 
tell this thing4    ,many lives ago was 

there a deep forest where beasts and    
birds dwelt and  nourished their young  
in peace1 but one day a wind blew and   
brought on  its wings a great fire4 ,and
 none had pity on the beasts and birds  
but  one pheasant1 glorious of plumage1 
and this1 caring nothing for her own    
life1 plunged into a stream of pure     
water1 and flying upward shook the      
drops from her feathers on the flames4  
,therefore ,indra1 ,king of the  ,gods1 
seeing said3    8,foolish bird6 and what
 can this do8 ,you weary yourself in    
vain6 ,this is  a deed for the great and
 not for a little bird60    ,and she3   
8,you are ,indra1 ,king of ,heaven1 and 
with a wish you could  quench this fire1
 yet do not4 ,but as for me while it    
burns ,i have no  time for words40      
,and again she flew against the fire1   
sprinkling water4 ,and the ,great ,god  
blew with his breath1 extinguishing the 
fire1 but the pheasant had  perished4   
,now in that former life was the ,lady  
,amra that bird1 and  because the fruit 

of a high deed can never perish so1     
passing through  many lives1 she        
attained at last to lie at the feet of  
the ,blessed ,one4  ,just and perfect is
 the ,law4    ,so1 seated1 at his feet1 
she received the ,heart of ,wisdom and  
accepted  the first noble ,truth1 the   
,truth of suffering4 ,and when the      
,exalted ,one  judged that she could    
receive no more that day1 he dismissed  
her1 and  she bowed at his feet and said
 this3    8,o1 may the ,lord in deep    
compassion do me the honour of eating at
 my  house to-morrow40    ,and all      
assembled thought this could not be1 but
 the ,blessed ,one gave by  silence his 
consent1 and circling reverently about  
him three times she  departed glad of   
heart1 and the people made way for one  
so honoured4    ,now the nobles of      
,vaisali had come out to meet the       
,world-,honoured and  they were on the  
road1 and ,amra in the dancing joy of   
her heart drove up  against them1 axle  
to axle1 and they said angrily4    8,how

 is it1 ,amra1 that you1 being such a   
one1 drive up against us80    ,and she  
cried aloud4    8,noble persons1 ,i have
 bidden the ,exalted ,one for tomorrow's
 meal1 and  he comes--he comes60    ,and
 they halted amazed1 and said3    8,sell
 us the honour of his company for great 
weights of gold40    ,and she1 glowing  
with joy4    8,noble persons1 were you  
to give me ,vaisali and all its subject 
territories yet would ,i not give up    
this honourable meal40    ,and the angry
 nobles cast up their hands1 crying4    
8,we are outdone by this mango-girl6 ,we
 are out-reached by this  mango-girl40  
,and in anger they proceeded to the     
garden and went in before the ,lord     
where he sat surrounded with calm1 and  
they said3    8,may the ,exalted ,one do
 us the honour of taking his meal       
together with  his disciples at one     
house to-morrow80    ,but he replied3   
8,noble persons1 ,i have promised to eat
 with the ,lady ,amra40    ,and again   
they threw up their hands exclaiming3   

8,we are outdone by this mango-girl4    
,great shame to us is this60    ,and the
 ,lord ,buddha robed himself early in   
the morning and took his  begging bowl  
and his disciples followed1 and he went 
to the ,street of  ,flowers1 and ,amra  
set sweet milk-rice and cakes before the
 ,lord and his  followers and she       
herself attended upon them in great     
humility and they  ate the food they had
 not thought to eat1 and when it was    
eaten1 she sat  lowly by his side and   
folding her hands1 said3    8,holy ,one1
 ,i present this house to the ,order4   
,accept it1 if it be your  will40       
,and the ,blessed ,one accepted the     
gift1 seeing the heart that made it1    
and after inciting and gladdening her   
with high discourse1 he rose and  went  
his way4    ,and in merciful deeds and  
right living this lady grew1 and the    
,heart of  ,wisdom strengthened in her1 
and in this very life she became a      
perfected  saint--a great ,arhat--and   
entered the ,nirvana--the ,peace4 ,for1 

as the  lotus flowers do not grow on dry
 land but spring from black and watery  
mud1 so even by the strength of her     
passion and sin and the deeps of        
experience she reached the heights4 ,and
 she it was who made ,the ,psalm of     
,old ,age1 and smiled in its making4    
8,glossy and black as the down of the   
bee my curls once clustered4    ,they1  
with the waste of years1 are liker to   
hemp or to bark-cloth1    ,such and not 
otherwise1 runneth the rune of the      
,soothsayer4      ,lovely the lines of  
my ears as the delicate work of the     
goldsmith4    ,they1 with the waste of  
years1 are seamed with wrinkles and     
pendent4    ,such and not otherwise     
runneth the rune of the ,soothsayer4    
,full and lovely in rounding rose of old
 the small breasts of me4    ,they1 with
 the waste of the years1 droop sunken as
 skins without water4    ,so and not    
otherwise runneth the rune of the       
,soothsayer4      ,such hath this body  
been4 ,now age-weary1 weak and          

unsightly1    ,home of manifold ills3   
old house whence the mortar is dropping 
,so and not otherwise runneth the rune  
of the ,soothsayer40#d    -----    #d   
,translated by ,c4 ,f4 ,rhys ,davids4   
-----    ,and inasmuch as the ,sister   
thus discerned impermanance in all      
phenomena1  knowing the world we see is 
but the creation of our senses1 she1    
making  clear her insight1 attained1    
leaving behind her all fear and grief4  
,for  who shall measure the bounds and  
deeps and height and length of that     
wisdom that is one with ,love8    ,hear 
also the story of the very wise and glad
 and gay ,lady ,visakha--that  pillar of
 the ,order1 who abiding in the world as
 a great lady of riches  yet gave her   
heart to wisdom and the ,law of the     
,perfect ,one1 for open is  the way to  
all4    ,she was daughter to a great    
man1 ,balamitra1 and was a young maiden 
in  her father's house1 when a ,brahman 
commissioned by the ,treasurer ,migara  
to choose a wife for his son came that  

way1 and when he arrived he saw         
,visakha and other girls going into the 
wood in search of amusement1 and  he    
watched them idly4    ,now the other    
girls were frivolous1 running1 skipping1
 whirling about  and singing1 but       
,visakha walked quietly with them1      
observing all and  saying little4 ,and  
when they came to the tank the others   
carelessly  stripped themselves and     
began to play in the clear water4 ,but  
,visakha  lifted her clothes by degrees 
as she entered and by degrees lowered   
them  as she came out1 careful and      
modest in her conduct4 ,and1 after this1
  food was distributed1 and the other   
girls ate hurriedly and greedily and    
then gave the remnants to their         
attendants4 ,but ,visakha gave food     
first  to those who served her1 and then
 ate temperately herself4    ,and the   
,brahman1 still watching1 saw that as   
the girls returned there  was water     
across the path and the others took off 
their shoes and waded1  but ,visakha    

remained shod1 and when they came to a  
wood she kept her  sunshade up though   
the others had lowered theirs4    ,and  
there the ,brahman came up with her1 in 
much astonishment and  questioned her1  
and seeing him to be a holy and         
dignified person she  replied with      
respectful courtesy4 ,and thus he said3 
8,dear girl1 whose daughter are you80   
8,sir1 ,i am the daughter of            
,balamitra40    8,dear girl1 be not     
angry if ,i question you40    8,while   
those girls were skipping1 dancing and  
twirling1 with other  unseemly manners1 
you walked quietly2 why1 dear girl80    
8,because1 great sir1 all girls are     
their parents' merchandise4 ,if in      
leaping and twirling ,i were to injure  
myself1 ,i must be kept by my  parents  
while ,i live1 for none would woo me40  
8,good1 dear girl4 ,i understand4 ,now1 
in entering the water your  companions  
stripped themselves but you went clothed
 and modest4 ,and  why80    8,o uncle1  
maidens must be shame-faced4 ,it is not 

well for them to be  seen unclothed40   
8,dear girl1 there was none to see40    
8,uncle1 you saw40    8,good1 dear girl4
 ,and again1 the others neglected their 
attendants1 but  you fed yours first4   
,and why80    8,for this reason1 uncle2 
we have easy days and feastful2 they1   
hard work  always40    8,good1 dear     
girl4 ,and why in wading through the    
water did you keep your  shoes on80     
8,because in water one cannot see where 
one plants one's feet4 ,i would  not cut
 mine60    8,and in the wood1 dear girl1
 you kept your sunshade open4 ,why8 ,for
 then  there was shade from the trees80 
8,but also1 uncle1 the droppings of     
birds1 the malice of the monkeys        
letting fall unpleasant fragments1 the  
falling of leaves and twigs4 ,in  the   
open this seldom happens2 in a wood     
often40    ,so full of delight at her   
good sense1 the ,brahman went to her    
parents1  and asked her in marriage for 
the son of ,migara4 ,and he said3       
8,this girl will make a noble wife and a

 great lady1 for she is full of  thought
 for others and wise with the very      
wisdom of the ,law4 ,give her to  the   
son of ,migara40    ,and it was granted 
and they sent her to her husband in the 
city of  ,savatthi4 ,now ,visakha was   
one who followed the ,enlightened ,one  
with all  her wise heart1 but it was not
 so with ,migara1 her husband's father1 
nor  yet with his household4 ,but she   
gratified their eyes for they demanded  
the ,five ,beauties in a daughter of the
 ,house1 and these five she richly      
possessed namely1 beauty of hair1 beauty
 of flesh1 beauty of bone1  beauty of   
skin1 and beauty of youth4    ,and      
beauty of hair is when the hair         
resembles a peacock's tail1 falling  to 
the end of the tunic where it curls     
upward4 ,beauty of flesh1 when the  lips
 resemble a bright red gourd4 ,beauty of
 bone1 when the teeth gleam  between the
 rosy lips like cut mother-of-pearl1    
with even division4  ,beauty of skin1   
when without the application of any     

cosmetic it is  smooth as a lotus-wreath
 and white as ,kanikara flowers4 ,beauty
 of youth  is the endurance of the      
gaiety and freshness of youth after many
  child-births4 ,all these had ,visakha1
 and yet another1 for her voice was     
sweeter than music1 like the silver     
sounding of a little gong4 ,and on      
parting her father presented her with a 
magnificent jewel adornment  known as   
the ,great ,creeper ,parure1 and a part 
of it consisted of a  peacock with five 
hundred feathers of red gold in each    
wing1 the beak of  coral1 the eyes of   
jewels and likewise the neck and        
tail-feathers4 ,and  on ,visakha's head 
it resembled a peacock perched on a     
height1 and it  gave forth music and    
appeared to be real4    ,but when she   
was established in her new home she     
found that ,migara1 her  father-in-law1 
was a follower of the naked ascetics1   
and they and he  cast scorn on the      
,perfect ,one1 and this disturbed her   
much1 and the  ascetics said to ,migara3

    8,o householder1 you have introduced
 into your family an arrant  misfortune 
breeder1 a disciple of the monk ,gotama4
 ,expel her instantly40    8,and that is
 not easy60 thought ,migara1 8for she   
comes of a great  family1--,but ,i will 
take measures40    ,so he sat down and  
began to eat sweet rice-milk from a     
golden bowl1 and  ,visakha stood before 
him1 dutifully fanning him4 ,and a holy 
mendicant  entered with his begging bowl
 for alms1 but ,migara made as though he
 did  not see him1 and ate on1 keeping  
his head down4    8,pass on1 reverend   
sir60 said ,visakha with courtesy4 8,my 
father is  eating stale food--it would  
not be agreeable to you40    ,and when  
she said this1 ,migara leaped to his    
feet and cried3    8,take away this food
 and drive the girl from the house4 ,to 
think the  slut should accuse ,me of    
eating stale food1 and at a time of     
festival60    8,father60 said ,visakha1 
with composed serenity4 8,i shall not   
easily  leave the house4 ,for ,i am no  

harlot picked up at some river bathing  
place1 but a great lady4 ,and my father 
foresaw such a case1 and when ,i  left  
commanded eight householders of this    
town to investigate any charge  brought 
against me4 ,summon them now40    ,and  
,migara agreed joyfully1 knowing what   
they must adjudge to such  insolence4   
,then they came--eight grave and wise   
men1 and the story was told4 ,and  when 
it was heard3    8,dear girl10 said the 
eldest householder1 8is it as he says80 
8,that is not as ,i say6 ,for when my   
father-in-law ignored the monk ,i  said 
#8,he is eating stale fare4' ,and ,i    
meant this--,he is uselessly  consuming 
the merit acquired in a former life     
instead of making fresh4  ,now1 what    
fault was that80    8,none1 dear girl4  
,our daughter speaks justly4 ,why are   
you angry with  her1 sir80    8,sirs1   
granted that was no fault1--,but when   
she came to us her mother  gave her ten 
admonitions of a hidden meaning1 and ,i 
dislike them4 ,first3  #8,the indoor    

fire is not to be taken out of doors4'  
,now you know it is  the friendly custom
 to send fire to our neighbours40       
8,is it as he says1 dear girl80         
8,good sirs1 this is the meaning3 #8,if 
you notice any fault in any of your  new
 family1 never tell it outside the      
house4 ,for there is no worse fire  than
 this4' ,was this a fault in me80       
,and ,migara was ashamed and said3      
8,sirs1 ,i grant this4 ,but she was also
 instructed thus3 #8,outdoor fire  must 
not be brought indoors4' ,it is the     
custom to accept fire if ours  should go
 out1 and therefore this was an unseemly
 instruction40    ,and seated in a row  
and consulting1 the householders        
appointed their  eldest to answer4      
8,is it as he says1 dear girl80    8,no1
 good sirs4 ,the meaning is--#8,if any  
outside the house speak ill of  any     
within1 never repeat it within doors4   
,for there is no fire like the  tongue40
    8,well and good1 dear girl4 ,and the
 rest80    ,and she repeated4    8,i was

 instructed4 #8,give to him who gives   
and also to him who does not  give1' and
 this means #8,be liberal to needy      
relatives and friends whether  they can 
repay you or no4' ,and again3 #8,sit    
happily4' ,and this  means--#8,when you 
see your father-in-law or his wife or   
your husband1 you  must rise and stand  
before them4' #8,eat happily4' ,this    
means--#8,they must  be served by you   
before you eat yourself4' #8,wait upon  
the fire4' ,this  signifies1 #8,these   
three must be looked upon as beautiful  
as a flame of  fire or a royal serpent4'
 #8,reverence the household divinities4'
 ,this  means that these three are your 
divinities indeed4 #8,sleep happily4'   
,this  means #8,you must not lie down to
 sleep till you have done all possible  
services for them4' ,all these rules1   
good sirs1 ,i have kept4 ,now am ,i in  
fault80    ,and ,migara sat with        
downcast eyes and the eight said to him3
    8,treasurer1 is there any other sin 
in our daughter for she is clear of  any

 wrong in all this40    ,and he said3   
8,no4 ,none40 ,but ,visakha then arose  
in just anger4    8,good sirs10 she     
said1 8,it would not have been fitting  
that ,i should be  dismissed1 yet now ,i
 am found guiltless ,i will go4 ,it is a
 good time40    ,and she ordered her    
many carriages and slaves to be made    
ready4 ,but  ,migara implored her to    
remain with them1 half in fear and half 
in shame4  ,and when she refused he     
redoubled his entreaties1 and asked her 
forgiveness earnestly4 ,and she replied3
    8,good sir1 what there is to pardon 
,i pardon cheerfully4 ,but ,i am        
daughter to a family which follows the  
,law of the ,exalted ,one4 ,if ,i can   
be allowed to attend upon the ,assembly1
 then ,i will stay4 ,not  otherwise40   
,and he replied3    8,dear girl1 wait on
 your ,assembly as you please40    ,and 
the end of the matter was that ,migara  
went with ,visakha to hear the          
,world-,honoured1 doubtful and          
unwilling1 and it appeared to ,migara1  

as it  did always to all1 that the eyes 
of the ,buddha were fixed steadfastly on
  him and his proclamation of the ,law  
addressed to him1 and to him only4  ,and
 ,migara heard and the words reached his
 innermost being and he became          
established in the truth and acquired an
 immovable faith in the ,three          
,refuges--the ,law1 the ,lord1 and the  
,assembly4 ,and he said3    8,truly it  
was for my advantage1 truly it was for  
my good that my  daughter-in-law came to
 my house10 and when he returned1 he    
touched her  breast with his hand1      
saying3    8,henceforth you are as my   
mother10 thus giving her the position of
  honour4 ,and he caused to be made for 
her an ornament known as the ,highly    
,polished ,parure1 and gave it to her   
under the eyes of the ,buddha4    ,and  
she continued to give alms and to do    
many deeds of merit1 and as the         
crescent moon rounds in the sky she     
became great in sons and daughters1  ten
 of each4 ,she lived to be an hundred   

and twenty years old1 and not  one grey 
hair was seen upon her head1 insomuch   
that when she walked to  the monastery  
with her children and their children1   
people asked3    8,which is the great   
,visakha80    ,and they said3 8,that    
great lady who walks so lightly10 and   
the others  replied3    8,may she walk  
further6 ,our lady looks well when she  
walks40    ,and those who saw her stand1
 sit1 or lie1 would say3    8,i hope she
 may do each a little longer4 ,our lady 
looks well in all she  does40    ,so    
that it could not be charged against her
 that there was any posture  in which   
she did not look well4    ,and great and
 magnificent were her charities to all  
who needed4 ,and even  the great        
,creeper ,parure she gave for the needy1
 and redeemed it with a  ,king's ransom1
 and she attended upon the sick1 healing
 them with wise  medicaments1 and she   
built a monastery and it is easy to     
rehearse what  she did not do that was  
good1 but impossible to rehearse all her

  innumerable nobilities of deed and    
thought4    ,and it was of her the ,one 
who is ,awakened said3    8,just1 monks1
 as a skilful garland-maker if he obtain
 a heap of flowers  will go on making   
beautiful garlands without end1 even so 
does the mind  of ,visakha incline to do
 all manner of noble deeds weaving them 
into  loveliness40    ,and this is the  
history of that great1 generous and     
happy lady1 the  daughter of the ,law4  
,,chapter ,,xvi      ,,thus have ,i     
heard4    ,at this time the ,queen      
,prajapati1 she who had nourished the   
,blessed ,one  with noble milk when his 
mother ,maya was received into          
,paradise1 sent to  our ,lord1 with a   
message from herself and from the       
,princess ,yashodara  and other ladies  
of the royal family1 and it was this4   
8,full of hindrances is the household   
life1 very free the life of the         
homeless for such as would walk in the  
way4 ,let the ,blessed ,one1 the  ,happy
 ,one1 permit that women also retire to 

the peace of the homeless  life under   
the discipline taught by the ,exalted   
,lord40    ,but he was silent1 and a    
second time they made their petition1   
for they  thought3    8,much need have  
women of the ,peace1 and is the way     
closed to them only80    ,and the ,queen
 ,prajapati came herself and besought   
him with tears1 and he  replied3        
8,enough1 ,lady4 ,do not make this      
request10 and weeping and saluting him  
with reverence she left him4    ,so     
wandering from place to place and       
teaching by the way1 the ,blessed  ,one 
came to ,vaisali and stayed awhile in   
the ,pagoda ,hall1 and when she  knew   
where she could find him the ,queen     
,prajapati with shorn hair and  yellow  
robes1 followed by a number of the      
,sakya women journeyed along  the dusty 
ways to ,vaisali and stood in the porch 
of the ,pagoda ,hall  weeping and very  
sorrowful4    ,now it so chanced that   
the disciple ,ananda1 cousin of the     
,exalted ,one  and much loved by him    

7and he was chosen to wait always about 
his  person71 saw those weeping women   
stand in the porch1 dusty and foreworn  
with the long journey and their tender  
feet swollen and cut with  unwonted     
travel1 and he pitied them and inquired 
into the cause of their  grief4    ,and 
having heard all he approached the      
,blessed ,one with reverence where  he  
sat full of peace looking out into the  
green shade of the nyagrodha  trees1 and
 after salutation ,ananda the beloved   
sat down beside him  waiting until the  
,lord turned his eyes serenely upon him4
 ,and then said  ,ananda3    8,reverend 
,sir1 here in the entrance stands       
,prajapati the ,queen with  swollen     
feet1 sorrowful and weeping1 and her    
word is that the ,blessed  ,one will not
 permit women to retire to the homeless 
life4 ,exalted ,one1 ,i  beseech you for
 these4 ,let their petition be heard40  
,but the ,blessed ,one replied3         
8,enough1 ,ananda4 ,do not ask this40   
,and again and yet again the beloved    

,ananda besought and still the ,lord    
refused4 ,and then the thought occurred 
to ,ananda that he might ask in  another
 manner with more success1 for he pitied
 the women for this great  denial of    
their hope4 ,and he said3    8,lord1 if 
women retire to the homeless life is it 
possible for them to  attain to the goal
 of returning only once more to rebirth8
 ,is it  possible that escaping from    
sorrow they should attain to saintship80
    ,and the ,blessed ,one in whom is   
all truth1 answered3    8,this is       
possible40    ,and the face of ,ananda  
gladdened even like his name which      
signifies ,joy1  and he said3    8,then 
,i beseech the ,perfected ,one to       
consider how great a benefactress  to   
the ,order has been the ,queen4 ,she is 
sister to the mother of the  ,blessed   
,one and at her breast was he nourished4
 ,i beseech and yet again  beseech that 
they be admitted1 for if it be possible 
that they thus make  an end of sorrow   
shall not this be permitted80    ,then  

said the ,blessed ,one3    8,hard is it 
to refuse and ,i cannot4 ,if therefore  
these women will accept  eight weighty  
regulations in addition to those        
accepted by the  ,order--eight weighty  
regulations making them subject to the  
,order1 it  shall be reckoned to them   
for ordination40    ,and when he had    
received the eight weighty regulations  
hard to be borne1  for they set the     
oldest and most venerable of nuns below 
the youngest  and least of the ,order1  
,ananda went out to the ,queen and told 
her all as  she stood patiently with the
 wearied women4 ,and when they heard the
  regulations sorrow passed from them as
 when the moon escaping from a  cloud   
floats in pure radiance in pure air1 and
 the ,queen answered for  ,yashodara and
 for all those tender ones3             
8,reverend ,ananda1 as a woman young1   
beautiful1 and loving to beautify       
herself1 having obtained a wreath of    
blue lotus-flowers1 or of perfumed      
jasmin1 takes it and wreathes her head  

with joy1 so do we4 ,o venerable        
,ananda1 we take up those eight weighty 
regulations1 not to be  transgressed    
while life lasts40    ,and that was     
their ordination1 as the ,exalted ,one  
had said1 and ,ananda  returned to the  
,lord and told him of their joy4 ,and he
 meditated and  said3    8,if1 ,ananda1 
women had not retired to the homeless   
life1 under my  discipline then would   
religion have endured long in this      
country1 even a  thousand years4 ,but   
now1 not very long will the discipline  
and religion  endure4 ,and just as a man
 prudently builds a dike in order that  
water  confined may not transgress its  
bounds1 have ,i laid down the eight     
weighty regulations4 ,yet shall it not  
endure1 since women have accepted  the  
rules40    ,and true it is that in      
,india the faith has not endured1 but   
over the  rest of ,asia has it spread1  
strong and mighty4    ,but the women    
were glad at heart1 for the homeless    
life drew them with  the very passion of

 peace and many became great saints1    
some dwelling in  forests and in caves1 
and great to them was the joy of peace  
in the  solitudes far from crowds1 and  
they were filled with the life of trees 
and great forests and the strength of   
the up-running sap and the  speechless  
communion and growth of trees and       
plants4 ,and in many joy  broke forth in
 words and they made the ,psalms of the 
,sisters1 even as  their brothers the   
monks also sang for joy and could no    
more be silent  than birds at dawn1 and 
the world they had known called to ears 
that  heard no longer4 ,and thus it     
called3    8,young art thou1 sister1 and
 faultless--what seekest thou in the    
holy    life8  ,cast off that           
yellow-hued raiment and come60    ,and  
each replied in her own manner4         
8,i what was well to do have done1 and  
what               ,is to my heart      
delectable4 ,therein               ,is  
my delight1 and thus through happiness  
,has happiness been sought after and    

won40    ,young and old they rejoiced1  
and the solitudes were kind to them1    
admitting them to fellowship4 ,and one  
aged sister spoke this3                 
8,though ,i be suffering and weak and   
all                ,my spring of youth  
be gone1 yet have ,i come               
,leaning upon my staff and climbed aloft
                ,on mountain peak4 ,my  
cloak have ,i thrown off                
,my little bowl o'er-turned2 so sit ,i  
here                ,upon the rock4 ,and
 o'er my spirit sweeps                  
,the breath of ,liberty4 ,i win1 ,i win 
,the ,triple ,lore6 ,the ,buddha's will 
be done40    ,for now1 they who had been
 the prisoners of man and of opinion    
learnt  the beauty of the solitudes1 and
 knew the silence that is in the starry 
sky1 the sleep that is among the lonely 
hills1 and it became theirs1 and  they  
attained to the coolness1 purity and    
luminance of the ,peace1  bathing in it 
as in moonlit water4 ,for they had      
passed through the ,three  ,grades of   

,training1 the ,higher habit of         
,conduct1 the ,higher  ,consciousness1  
and the ,higher ,wisdom1 and thus1      
knowing the world1 not  as it appears to
 be but as it is1 knowing 8,this is     
,ill2 this is the  cause of ,ill2 this  
is the way leading to the cessation of  
,ill10 they  were glad1 and right       
ecstasy was theirs and joys that cannot 
be told1  and they were free4    ,and   
another said this3                      
8,nirvana have ,i realized and gazed    
,into the mirror of the holy ,norm4     
,i1 even ,i1 am healed of all my hurt4  
,down is my burden laid1 my task is     
done1                   ,my heart is    
wholly set at liberty40    ,and again3  
8,one day bathing my feet1 ,i sit and   
watch               ,the water as it    
trickles down the slope4                
,thereby ,i set my heart in             
steadfastness1               ,as one    
shall train a horse of noble breed4     
,then1 going to my cell1 ,i take my     
lamp1               ,and seated on my   

couch ,i watch the flame4               
,taking the pin ,i pull the wick right  
down               ,into the oil4       
,extinguished is the fire4              
,lo1 the ,nirvana of the little lamp4   
,emancipation dawns4 ,my heart is free40
    ,for as the flame is quenched so are
 all lusts1 desires and cravings        
extinguished in the clear waters of     
,nirvana4 ,there is no fire so burning  
as the greed of passion1 no luckless    
cast of the dice so cruel as hate1  no  
ill so miserable as that of the ego that
 would claim all4 ,nor is  there any    
bliss to be compared with the ,nirvana4 
,and the monks1 also musing1 made psalms
 that cannot die1 for upon them  also   
was the bliss4         8,when in the    
lowering sky thunders the storm-cloud's 
drum1       ,and all the pathways of the
 birds are thick with rain1       ,the  
brother sits within the hollow of the   
hills       ,alone1 rapt in thought's   
ecstasy4 ,no higher bliss           ,is 
given to men than this4                 

,or where by rivers flowers crowd the   
bank1               ,and fragrant rushes
 scent the tranquil air                 
,with heart serene the brother sits to  
see1               ,alone1 rapt in an   
ecstasy4 ,no higher bliss               
,is given to men than this40    ,and    
another3              8,whene'er ,i see 
the crane1 her clear pale wings         
,outstretched in fear to flee the black 
storm cloud1            ,a shelter      
seeking1 to safe shelter borne1         
,then does the river ,ajakarani         
,give joy to me4              ,who shall
 not love to see on either bank         
,clustered rose-apple trees in bright   
array            ,beyond the great cave 
of the hermitage8            ,or hear   
the soft croak of the frogs1 their foes1
            ,the legions of the air1    
withdrawn1 proclaim            ,now from
 the mountain streams is't time to-day  
,to flit4 ,safe is the ,ajakarani4      
,she brings us luck6 ,here it is good to
 be40#e    -----    #e ,these ,psalms   

are all translated by ,c4 ,f4 ,rhys     
,davids4    -----    ,thus very great   
joy had come to be by the ,blessed      
,one's sufferings1 and  for each pang he
 had paid came a golden harvest of the  
peace of others4    ,to ,him who had    
thus ,attained came men and women from  
far and near with  doubts and questions1
 and seated with dignity 7for his noble 
,aryan birth  was upon him as well as   
the ,peace7 he received them all1       
answering and  resolving their doubts1  
nor was it difficult for him to do this 
for his  eyes were as the sun in his    
strength to divide light from darkness4 
,yet let it be well understood that of  
certain things he would not speak1      
counting them beyond human knowledge and
 knowing well that in no human  speech  
are there words to bear the burden of   
the ,ineffable4 ,therefore  when men    
asked him of the ,beginning1 how        
division from the ,eternal into  the    
false ego-self came into the world and  
from what well of bitterness  evil      

thought and evil doing flowed to become 
tears and blood in their  flowing1 he   
would not answer1 for none but a ,buddha
 can comprehend the  deepest1 and he    
only in ways beyond transmission to     
others4 ,and he would  say3    8,the    
arrow sticks in the wound1 will you wait
 before the healer draws it  out to     
enquire of what wood is it made and     
whether the bowstring is of  hair or    
vegetable fibre8 ,life is ebbing while  
you theorize credulously  about present 
and future1 self or identity4 ,of the   
origins ,i do not  teach40    ,and when 
again they besought him to say whether  
life or nothingness lay  beyond death1  
only his own nearest disciples could    
read the fathomless  depths of his calm1
 looking rather to this than to his     
speech4 ,for he  said1 being alone with 
them to whom it was given to know3      
8,in this world of forms and illusions  
created by our senses1 according  to our
 illusion a man either is or is not1    
either lives or dies1 but in  the true  

and formless world this is not so for   
all is otherwise than  according to our 
knowledge and it is easier to answer in 
negatives than  in affirmatives4 ,and if
 you ask ,does a man live beyond death1 
,i answer  ,no1 not in any sense        
comprehensible to the mind of man which 
itself dies  at death4 ,and if you ask  
does a man altogether die at death1 ,i  
answer  ,no1 for what dies is what      
belongs to this world of form and       
illusion1  that is the false ,i1 but    
beyond this is another world            
incomprehensible  as yet to such as are 
not instructed and beyond all human     
categories1 so  that if ,i would ,i     
cannot tell you of it1 but ,i would not1
 for the things  are disturbing and do  
not aid the traveller on the only path  
which can  bring him to their threshold4
 ,therefore of that and of the origins  
,i do  not teach40    ,but this ego     
which the unenlightened believes to be  
himself1 very  certainly falls apart and
 dissolves at death1 nor is there any   

place of  continuance for it1 and it is 
wholly extinct4    ,and it so happened  
that one day a wandering monk1 by name  
,vacchagotta1  came to the ,exalted     
,one1 and saluting him with friendly    
greetings he sat  down beside him1 and  
he asked3    8,how does the matter      
stand1 venerated ,gotama8 ,in a man is  
there the  ,ego80    ,and the ,exalted  
,one was silent1 and ,vacchagotta asked 
again and yet  again and still there was
 silence1 and after awhile he rose and  
went  away4    ,but the beloved ,ananda 
came to ,him who has thus ,attained1 and
 said3    8,why1 sir1 did you not answer
 the wandering monk ,vacchagotta80 ,and1
  smiling1 he looked in the face of the 
beloved ,ananda4    8,if1 ,ananda1 when 
he asked me1 ,i had answered #8,the ego 
is1' then that  reply would have        
confirmed the teaching of those who     
believe in the  permanence of that false
 ego which is a bundle of tendencies and
  consciousness and proudly calls itself
 ,i and the ,soul2 and if ,i had said   

the ego is not1 this would have         
confirmed the teaching of those who say 
there is annihilation and nothing beyond
 death4 ,for neither of these  schools1 
nor yet ,vacchagotta1 know the          
distinction between the ego of  which he
 asked me and the true ,ego1 for this   
last is eternal and beyond              
comprehension1 and the false ego passes 
and is gone like a dream in the         
awakening of dawn4 ,therefore since     
,vacchagotta has not attained to the    
threshold of that knowledge1 being      
prisoned in the world of appearances1   
what could ,i do but keep silence80     
,and the beloved ,ananda laid his hand  
upon his mouth and retired1 for  with   
all his heart of love he had not yet    
attained to the full insight  of the    
unreality of appearances1 but where he  
could not understand he  loved4 ,and    
love is also the ,way1 as witness the   
monk ,purna who was about  to carry the 
light into a land of violent and        
perilous people4 ,so the  ,perfected    

,one sent for him1 and asked3    8,and  
if1 monk1 these people abuse and injure 
you1 what will be your  thought80       
8,that these people are good in that    
they only abuse me and do not beat  me40
    8,but if they beat you80    8,then  
,i shall think they are good in that    
they only beat me and do not  stab me   
with swords40    8,but if with swords80 
8,then ,i shall think3 ,they are good4  
,they leave me my life40    8,but if    
they take your life80    8,then1--,they 
are good to me in that they have lifted 
a burden from me40    ,and looking upon 
his face the ,world-,honoured said3     
8,well have you spoken1 ,purna4 ,go and 
deliver1 you who have delivered         
yourself4 ,comfort1 for you are         
comforted4 ,guide to the ,peace1 for you
  have entered it40    ,so ,purna went  
in joy4    ,and there was a monk named  
,yamaka who1 considering the teaching1  
believed that on the dissolution of the 
body the man who has lost all  depravity
 is annihilated and exists no more4 ,and

 his fellow monks having  in vain urged 
him to abandon so wicked a heresy called
 upon ,sariputta  the ,great to teach   
him better1 and by his silence he       
consented4    ,so when the evening was  
come1 ,sariputta the ,great rose from   
deep  meditation and drawing near to    
,yamaka he greeted him with courtesy as 
one monk should another and sitting down
 respectfully beside him he  questioned 
him thus3    8,is the report true1      
brother ,yamaka1 that the wicked heresy 
of  annihilation has sprung up in your  
mind80    8,even so1 brother1 do ,i     
understand the teaching of the ,blessed 
,one40    ,and ,sariputta the ,great    
mused a moment and resumed3    8,what   
think you1 brother ,yamaka2--is his     
bodily form the saint80    8,no indeed1 
brother40    8,are sensation1           
perception1 predispositions1 the saint80
    8,certainly not1 brother40    8,then
 can you consider the saint as apart and
 distinct from form1  sensation1        
perception and predispositions80        

8,brother1 ,i cannot40    8,and if      
separately they are not1 are they when  
united the saint80    8,brother1 no40   
8,then what think you1 brother ,yamaka8 
,if you cannot prove the very  existence
 of the saint in this world of forms and
 appearances1 is it  reasonable for you 
to say that at death the saint is       
annihilated and  does not exist40       
,and holding down his head for shame    
,yamaka answered3    8,brother          
,sariputta1 it was through ignorance ,i 
held that wicked heresy1  but now ,i    
have acquired the ,true ,doctrine40     
,for ,sariputta the ,great taught as did
 his ,master that the true being is     
detached from each of these delusive    
selves of consciousness1 sensation1     
perception1 and predispositions1 and the
 saint who has attained has  detached   
himself even in this life from belief   
that these are  himself--his ego4 ,how  
then should it be that the essential    
perishes when  these dissolve with the  
dying brain in death8 ,yet has this     

wicked heresy  been spread1 though clear
 as day must it be made to those who    
tread the  way that it is a lie and no  
truth4    ,for thus have ,i heard4      
,after the death of the ,perfected ,one1
 the ,king of  ,kosala1 journeying from 
,savatthi1 met with the learned nun     
,khema1  renowned for wisdom1 and the   
,king1 respectfully saluting her1 asked 
her  of the ,teaching4    8,venerable   
,lady1 the ,perfect ,one is dead4 ,does 
he exist after death80    8,great ,king1
 the ,exalted ,one has not declared that
 he exists after  death40    8,then1    
venerable ,lady1 does the ,perfect ,one 
not exist40    8,the ,perfect ,one has  
not declared that he does not exist     
after death40    8,but1 venerable       
,lady1--does and does not8 ,how is this 
possible80    ,and1 smiling a little1   
the learned nun replied3    8,great     
,king1 have you an accountant or a      
mint-master who could count the  sands  
of ,ganges and lay the figure before    
you80    8,venerable ,lady1 no40    8,or

 who could measure the drops in the     
ocean80    8,again no1 venerable ,lady40
    8,and why8 ,because the ocean is    
deep1 immeasurable1 unfathomable4 ,so   
also  is it if the existence of the     
,perfect ,one be measured by any human  
category1 for all statements of bodily  
form are abolished in the ,perfect      
,one2 their root is severed2 they are   
done with and can germinate no  more4   
,the ,perfect ,one is released from the 
possibility that his being  can be      
gauged in any human terms4 ,he is now   
deep1 immeasurable and  unfathomable as 
the ocean1 and neither the terms of     
existence or of  non-existence as       
understood by the world fit him any     
more40    ,then there was a long silence
 and the ,king having heard the nun     
,khema's  words with approbation1 rose  
and bowed reverently before her and went
  his way4    ,eye hath not seen1 nor   
ear heard1 nor can the tongue tell of   
such  matters for they are beyond and   
above us4 ,and it is for this reason    

that  the ,blessed ,one replied thus to 
the venerable ,malukya1 when he         
reproached the ,perfect ,one as follows3
    8,is the world eternal or the slave 
of time8 ,does the ,world-,honoured live
  on beyond death8 ,it pleases me not at
 all that all these important  matters  
should remain unanswered4 ,may it please
 the ,master to answer  them if he can4 
,and if he does not know let him say so 
plainly40    ,but the ,master replied   
with his smile3    8,did ,i say to you1 
,malukya1--#8,come and be my disciple1  
and ,i will teach  you whether the world
 is everlasting or finite1 whether the  
vital  faculty is separate from the body
 or one with it1 whether the ,exalted   
,one lives or does not live after       
death8' ,did ,i promise all this80      
8,no1 sir1 you did not40    8,and1      
,malukya1 if a man is struck by a       
poisoned arrow1 suppose he  says--#8,i  
will never allow my wound to be treated 
until ,i know who shot  the arrow--was  
it a man of high or low caste4 ,and ,i  

must know whether he  is tall or short1 
and how his bow and arrows are          
made6'--,would this be a  sensible      
proceeding8 ,surely no4 ,he would die of
 his wounds4    8,why have ,i not made  
these things clear8 ,because the        
knowledge of them  does not conduce to  
holiness nor right detachment1 nor to   
peace and  enlightenment4--,what is     
needed for these ,i teach1 the truth of 
suffering  and its origin1 the truth of 
the ,way to its cessation4 ,therefore   
let  what ,i have not revealed rest1 and
 follow that which ,i have revealed40   
,and ,malukya was content1 knowing at   
last that in this life these  questions 
are deep1 mysterious and unanswerable1  
and the sole way to  their understanding
 is to live the life1 untroubled by     
controversy and  dogma on such things as
 cannot be uttered in terms of human    
knowledge4    ,for there is a ,knowledge
 veiled in excess of light which dazzles
 the  eyes to blindness4 ,let words be  
few4 ,let good deeds be many4 ,he       

understands it for whom it passes       
thought4 ,who thinks of it can never    
know it4 ,and if it could be told in    
words it would not be the ,truth4       
,and there is yet another example of    
this4 ,for once in early days the       
,blessed ,one sat high among his own    
upon the ,peak of ,vultures1 and there  
came before his quiet feet a ,shining   
,one and laid there a golden flower1    
praying that he would speak and in sweet
 speech instruct them of the  innermost 
of the ,peace4 ,the ,blessed ,one       
received the golden flower  within his  
hand and sat in utter calm but spoke no 
word and all the  ,assembly mused what  
this might mean1 and1 musing1 could not 
know4 ,but at  long last1 ,kassapa the  
,great smiled1 also in silence1 and the 
,blessed  ,one said softly3    8,i hold 
within my heart the ,treasure of the    
,law1 the wondrous knowledge  that is   
the ,peace4 ,this have ,i given to      
,kassapa wordless1 and wordless  he has 
seen and known40    ,so passes the      

vision from heart to heart4 ,but words  
cannot tell it to  the brain4           
,,chapter ,,xvii      ,,thus have ,i    
heard4    ,a ,brahman1 high and haughty1
 having great possessions and full of   
this  world's power1 raised his voice   
railing against the teaching of the     
,holy  ,one1 saying3    8,but this is   
against the teaching of the ,vedanta6   
,who shall hear ,gotama  the ,sakya when
 he teaches thus80    ,and he came      
proudly from ,rajagriha far off1 and    
stood beside to hear1  that he might    
scoff at his ease1 but the nobleness of 
the teacher drew  him as with the       
kindred understanding of high birth1 and
 the marvellous  deeps of the ,law      
caught him by the pride of his intellect
 for he thought  it was too high for the
 foolish1 and the wisdom beyond all     
words that  falls like dew on the       
thirsty soul subdued him into an amazing
 quiet1  and when it was done he went   
alone into the wood and sat himself in  
the  shade by a clear running stream and

 considered these things in his  heart4 
,but he could not stay away for cords   
drew him and bonds were forged  between 
him and ,that ,other and they were      
smithied in iron unbreakable4  ,so after
 awhile he rose1 and hanging his head   
went back to the ,jetavana  monastery   
and demanded to see the                 
,world-,honoured1 and when he came1 this
  ,brahman ,vasettha made due salutation
 and seated himself respectfully  beside
 him1 and he said3    8,it has been told
 to me1 ,gotama1 that the monk ,gotama  
knows the way to  the state of union    
with the ,ultimate40    ,and the        
,perfect ,one replied3    8,what is to  
be known ,i know40    8,so has it been  
told to me1 ,gotama4 ,it is well4 ,let  
the venerable ,gotama  be pleased to    
show me the way40    ,then said the     
,happy ,one3    8,know1 ,vasettha1 that 
from time to time is born into the world
 a fully  ,enlightened ,one happy with  
knowledge of the ,truth1 a ,blessed     
,buddha1 and  he sees as it were face to

 face this ,universe1 freed from his    
senses in  that they no longer can shape
 illusions to blind and deceive him1 for
  with ordinary men their thought       
creates shapes about them1 a false world
  in which they believe and are blinded4
 ,but it is not so with the ,buddhas    
for they see things as they are4 ,then  
do they proclaim this truth of the      
,universe as it is1 lovely in origin1   
lovely in progress1 lovely in           
consummation1 and this is to be known by
 the higher life1 which is the  ,way to 
,wisdom in all its purity and           
perfectness40    ,and the ,brahman      
,vasettha as in a dream1 fixed1         
unconscious of all else1  said3         
8,speak1 ,lord1--,i hear40    ,and the  
,lord said3    8,there are two levels of
 the ,way4 ,one for the monk1 one for   
the  householder1 and of the monk ,i    
speak first4    8,he takes nothing that 
is not his own4 ,he is content with what
 is given1  and honesty and a pure heart
 are his4    8,his life is pure1 having 

put aside the habit and thought of      
sexual  intercourse4 ,this is for the   
householder only1 but in all purity4    
8,from truth in speech he cannot swerve1
 faithful and trustworthy1 he  hurts no 
man by deceit4    8,slander is not for  
him1 and calumny dies upon his tongue4  
,he is a  binder together of those who  
are divided1 a peacemaker1 a            
peace-lover1  impassioned for peace4    
8,from him come no harsh words4         
,whatever word is humane and lovely1    
pleasing and comforting1 that he speaks4
    8,foolish talk and idle words are   
not his4 ,in season he speaks what      
redounds to profit and wisdom4    8,he  
will not injure any creature4 ,he eats  
but once a day4 ,gay and  trivial shows 
are not for him4 ,he does not adorn     
himself richly1 for  this is folly for a
 grown man4    8,for riches1 be it in   
silver and gold and jewels1 or flocks   
and herds he  has no desire1 and putting
 field to field does not tempt him who  
knows  the world as it ,is4 ,and as for 

any deed of fraud or violence the       
possibility of it is not in him4        
8,nor will he teach magical spells nor  
gain a living or influence by any  such 
arts or lying practices4 ,and among the 
disturbed and careful1 he  moves serene 
and pure1 as the moon1 freed from       
clouds1 pursues her way  in midnight    
skies1 shedding her light abroad to     
guide the wayfarer40    ,and ,vasettha1 
musing1 said3    8,this is no low       
teaching4 ,this is the way of a great   
nobleman1 and such  are his manners40   
,and the ,blessed ,one3    8,it is true4
 ,and there is more4 ,having attained   
right conduct within and  without1 he   
sets his mind free like a bird uncaged  
from the self1 to  pervade the four     
quarters of the world with love and     
sympathy1 and as a  mighty trumpeter    
makes himself heard with ease in all the
 four  directions1 so there is no living
 thing he passes by1 but surrounds them 
with love1 grown great and beyond       
measure4    8,and when ,love is         

attained1 the way to be one with the    
,supreme is known  and is not far from  
him40    ,and there was a silence1 and  
the ,brahman ,vasettha said slowly3     
8,venerable ,gotama1 ,i have been a     
liberal giver3 justly ,i sought riches1 
bountifully ,i bestowed them4 ,was this 
well80    ,and the ,blessed ,one        
replied3    8,well4 ,yet have ,i shown  
you a more excellent way1 for love is   
the path  of wisdom to true             
understanding and union with all that   
is40    ,and the ,brahman said with     
passion3    8,instruct me40    ,so the  
,perfect ,one opened to him the ,way    
and1 seated beside him1 the  ,brahman   
,vasettha learned the ,four ,noble      
,truths of suffering1 the truth1  the   
cause1 the cessation1 and the way that  
leads to its extinction4 ,and           
immediately there arose within him      
forgetfulness of all his riches and     
wisdom came upon him--the ,light-bearer1
 so that he knew illusions for  what    
they are and saw the ,universe about him

 wholly fair1 being united  with it as a
 bridegroom with a bride4 ,and seeing   
being substituted for  blindness1 he    
said3    8,most excellent1 ,lord1 are   
the words of your mouth1 most excellent6
 ,just  as if a man were to bring a lamp
 into the darkness so that all is seen  
clear1 so is the truth made known by the
 ,blessed ,one4 ,and ,i1 even ,i1       
betake myself to the ,blessed ,one as my
 refuge1 and to the ,truth and the      
,brotherhood4 ,may ,i be accepted60     
,and the ,blessed ,one replied3         
8,come1 monk6 ,well taught is the       
,doctrine4 ,you have broken every       
fetter4  ,you have made an end of pain40
    ,so ,vasettha was made one of the   
,brotherhood and glad at heart he       
exalted  the word of the ,blessed ,one4 
,and so it was that even the ,shining   
,ones desired instruction of the        
,perfect ,one4    ,thus have ,i heard4  
,when ,he who has thus ,attained dwelt  
in the monastery of ,jetavana1 once     
there came to him a ,shining ,one in the

 dead of night1 and the place was  lit  
up by the clear luminance that streamed 
from his body4 ,and this  ,shining ,one 
placed himself neither too far nor too  
near1 but where he  should rightly be1  
and bowing low thus he addressed the    
,buddha3    8,most ,excellent1 during   
the twelve years of teaching many       
,shining ,ones  desiring to reach the   
holiness of the ,peace have striven to  
discover  what things are blessed1 and  
still are ignorant4 ,instruct us        
therefore  in those matters which are   
most blessed4 ,pronounce the            
,beatitudes40    ,and the ,perfected    
,one replied3    8,son of ,light1 to    
shun the company of the foolish1 to pay 
homage to the  learned1 to worship what 
is worship-worthy1 these are blessed    
things4  ,son of ,light1 mark them well4
    8,son of ,light1 to dwell among good
 men3 to hold within the consciousness  
of good deeds done in a former state of 
existence1 to guard well the            
actions2--,son of ,light1 these are     

blessed things4 ,mark them well4        
8,son of ,light1 to hear and see much in
 order to acquire knowledge1 to  study  
all science that does not lead to sin1  
to use right language1 to  study right  
manners1 these are blessed things4 ,son 
of ,light1 mark them  well4    8,son of 
,light1 to treat parents with tenderness
 and love1 to guard wife  and children1 
to do no evil when tempted1 these are   
blessed things4 ,son  of ,light1 mark   
them well4    8,son of ,light1 to make  
offerings and give nobly1 to follow the 
precepts  of law and virtue1 to assist  
relations and friends3 these are blessed
  things1 ,son of ,light1 mark them     
well4    8,son of ,light1 to avoid sin  
steadfastly1 to abstain from strong     
drink1  to lay up great treasure of good
 deeds3 these are blessed things4 ,son  
of  ,light1 mark them well4    8,son of 
,light1 to reverence those who are      
worthy of veneration1 to walk  in       
humility1 to dwell in content and       
gratitude1 to hear the teaching of  the 

,law2 these are blessed things4 ,son of 
,light1 mark them well4    8,son of     
,light1 to be patient and endure        
suffering1 to rejoice in good  words1 to
 visit saintly persons when possible1 to
 talk on high matters2  these are       
blessed things4 ,son of ,light1 mark    
them well4    8,son of ,light1 to       
practise holy austerities1 to walk      
steadfast in the  ,truth with eyes fixed
 on the attainment of the ,peace3 these 
are blessed  things4 ,son of ,light1    
mark them well4    8,son of ,light1 to  
be unmoved1 to be of serene mind1 exempt
 from passion1  composed and fearless   
amid all earthly dangers3 these are     
blessed  things4 ,son of ,light1 mark   
them well4    8,o ,son of ,light1       
whoever possesses these blessings shall 
never be  overcome2 shall in all things 
find joy4 ,son of ,light1 mark them     
well1  thus attaining the peace of the  
,arhats1 the ,perfected ,saints40       
,thus replied the ,world-,honoured and  
the ,shining ,one heard and went away   

content4 ,and it is told that it was the
 beloved ,ananda who handed down  this  
discourse to the ages1 having received  
it from the ,blessed ,one1 and  mark it 
well1 for in a little compass it        
contains all4    ,praise be to the      
,possessor of the ,six ,glories1 the    
,holy1 the ,all-,wise6    ,now of the   
bodily presence of the ,blessed ,one    
will ,i say this4    ,when age came upon
 him it came with beauty1 so that all   
hearts fell at  his feet and embraced   
them because he was as one to whom all  
evil things  must fly for refuge that   
being delivered from the self they might
 be  made one with him and the ,truth4  
,and none could see him without this    
desire4 ,nor in his presence was virtue 
remembered for he was virtue's  self    
made manifest in love1 and in the ocean 
of love were all submerged  who saw him4
    ,his face was worn and calm as in an
 image of royal ivory1 his nose         
prominent and delicate1 bespeaking his  
,aryan birth1 his eyes of a blue        

darkness1 and he carried himself as one 
of the princes4 ,but all this  might be 
said of another1 and there was none like
 him--none6 ,for ,wisdom  walked on his 
left hand and ,love on his right1 and   
light as of the sun  surrounded him4    
,wise and piercing were his words1      
delighting even those  who would have   
scoffed4    ,and once the ,holy ,one    
approached with his begging bowl the    
ploughed  fields of a rich man and stood
 apart1 waiting1 and the man saw this   
saying3    8,having ploughed and sown ,i
 eat4 ,you also should plough and sow1  
for the  idle shall not eat40    8,i    
also1 ,brahman1 plough and sow40 ,thus  
said the ,perfected ,one4    8,yet we do
 not see the plough of the ,venerable   
,gotama60 so said the  other1 mocking4  
,and the ,world-,honoured answered3     
8,faith is the seed1 understanding the  
yoke and plough1 tenderness the         
deliverance4 ,so is my ploughing done4  
,and the fruit is immortality1 and      
having thus ploughed a man is freed of  

all ill40    ,and the ,brahman poured   
rice-milk into a bowl and offered it1   
saying3    8,let the ,blessed ,one eat  
of the rice-milk for he also is a       
ploughman who  makes to grow the fruit  
of immortality40    ,and this man also  
entered the ,way and became glad at     
heart1 having heard  the ,truth4    ,and
 the ,holy ,one talked with men and     
women of all ranks and affairs1 so  that
 the mind of none was hidden from him1  
and1 even as they felt1 he  knew1 and   
their hopes and fears were not far from 
him4 ,fathomless were  the wisdom and   
compassion of ,him who has thus         
,attained4    ,so also with women1 from 
the queens to the weaver-maidens they   
feared  not to implore his mercy4 ,very 
patiently and according to the measure  
of  their weakness he instructed them1  
and they grew like bamboos in a night   
shooting up to the light with glory of  
leaf and stem4 ,and surely in  these    
tender ones the ,lord beheld the        
likeness of his mother1 of whom it  was 

said1 8,joyful and reverenced of all1   
even as the young moon1 strong  and calm
 of purpose as the earth1 pure of heart 
as the lotus1 was ,maya  the ,great     
,lady40 ,and of these women many became 
nuns and teachers1 and  not a few       
attained unto the ,perfect              
,enlightenment passing even in this     
life into that ,nirvana wherein are no  
more birth and death4 ,and even the     
light women sought him in hope and he   
drove them not away1 and wisdom  rose   
within them like a wind of fire and     
burnt away all dross and alloy  and they
 too entered the ,way and wielded the   
powers1 perceiving the ,love  in which  
all loves are one4    ,yet let it not be
 thought that because of this compassion
 the ,lord at  any moment relaxed the   
watchfulness of those who followed him1 
knowing  well that of all snares women  
may be the very worst4 ,stern were the  
rules he made for the men who live on   
the austere heights of  contemplation1  
strait the fences about the way4 ,for   

the householders1  purity in marriage1  
kindness reverence to mother1 sister1   
wife1  daughter1 in their daily duties4 
,for all1 watchfulness and discipline   
lest the foot slip in the mire4    ,and 
one day1 when they rested in the shade  
on a journeying1 ,ananda the            
well-beloved1 cousin of the ,lord1 asked
 an instruction4    8,lord1 how should  
we who are monks1 conduct ourselves with
 regard to  women-kind1 for this is a   
hard matter40    ,and the ,excelling    
,one said3    8,see them not1 ,ananda40 
8,even so1 ,lord4 ,but if we should see 
them1 what then80    8,abstain from     
speech1 ,ananda40    8,even so1 ,lord4  
,but if they should speak to us1 what   
then80    8,keep wide awake1 ,ananda40  
,and ,o that it were possible to set    
down the laughter of the ,lord among    
his own1 and the sweet converse when he 
related to them the stories of  his     
former births1 and whether parables or  
truths1 how is it possible  for the not 
wholly enlightened1 who know not their  

own chains of births1  to say8 ,but wise
 were these stories and sweet and full  
of teaching for  the little ones of the 
,law and babes might run to hear and    
laugh1 and  yet again the wisest pause  
and ponder the noble truths hidden in   
them4    ,hear now a ,birth ,story of   
the ,lord4 ,for this is called the ,holy
 ,quail1  and the ,blessed ,one told it 
as he and his went through a jungle4    
,for  there a very great jungle fire    
arose and roared toward them very       
terribly1 and some would have made      
counter-fire and burned the ground      
before it1 but others cried aloud3      
8,monks1 what is it you would do8       
,surely it is madness1 for we journey   
with the ,master who can do ,all4 ,and  
yet1 making a counter-fire you would    
forget the power of the ,buddhas6 ,come1
 let us go to the ,master40    ,so they 
went1 and the flame came roaring on to  
the place where they  stood1 and when it
 came within fifteen rods of the        
,blessed ,one it was  extinguished like 

a torch plunged in water1 and they      
magnified him4 ,but  he said3           
8,monks1 this was not due to my power   
but to the faith of a ,quail4 ,hear     
this40    ,and they said3    8,even so1 
,lord40    ,and the beloved ,ananda     
folded a robe and spread it as a seat   
and he sat  and told this tale3    8,in 
this very spot long1 long ago1 was a    
young ,quail1 and he lay in the  nest   
and his parents fed him1 for he could   
neither fly nor walk4 ,and  with a      
mighty roar there came a jungle fire and
 all the birds fled  shrieking away and 
even his parents deserted him4    8,so  
the young ,quail lay there alone1 and he
 thought this3    8,could ,i fly1 could 
,i walk1 ,i might be saved1 but ,i      
cannot4 ,no help have  ,i from others   
and in myself is none4 ,what then shall 
,i do80    ,and he reflected thus4      
8,in this world is ,truth if it can be  
found4 ,there are also the ,buddhas  who
 have seen the ,truth and have shown it 
abroad1 and in the ,buddhas is  love for

 all that lives4 ,in me also is the     
,truth 7though but a poor  little       
,quail7 and faith that has power4       
,therefore it behoves me1 relying  on   
these things to make an ,act of ,faith  
and thus to drive back the fire  and    
find safety for myself and the other    
birds4    8,so the ,quail called to mind
 the ,powers of the ,buddhas1 the       
,truth-,seers1  and making a solemn     
asseveration of faith existing in       
himself he said  this3                  
8,wings have ,i that cannot fly1        
,feet ,i have that cannot walk4         
,my parents have forsaken me1           
,o all-devouring fire1 go back60        
8,and before this ,act of ,faith the    
fire dropped and died1 retreating4 ,and 
the ,quail lived his life in the forest 
and passed away according to his  deeds1
 and because of his strength of faith   
fire dies for ever when it  touches this
 spot40    ,so said the ,excellent ,one1
 and when he had finished this discourse
 he  made the connection and summed up1 

saying3    8,my parents at that time    
were my present parents1 and the ,quail 
was ,i  myself40    ,and they marvelled 
and were instructed4    ,and one day two
 monks approached him1 having travelled 
far1 and  according to his manner he    
said in welcoming them3    8,is it well 
with you1 monks8 ,are you able to live8 
,have you passed the  rains in peace and
 unity1 and have you experienced any    
lack of support80    ,and they replied3 
8,it is not well with us1 ,blessed ,one1
 for there is great anger between  us1  
and we devour our hearts with bitterness
 and know no peace40    ,and they laid  
their case before him in mutual hatred1 
and he said3    8,he abused me6 ,he beat
 me6 ,in those who harbour such thoughts
 how can  hatred die8 ,by oneself evil  
is done4 ,by oneself one suffers4 ,the  
swans  go on the path of sun1 they go   
through the air by means of their       
miraculous power4 ,in a man's power is  
his salvation from evil4 ,there is  no  
fire like passion3 there is no losing   

throw like hatred4 ,let a man  leave    
anger1 let him forsake pride4 ,let him  
overcome anger by love and  conquer the 
liar by truth4 ,for hatred ceases not at
 any time by hatred1  but only by love4 
,this is an old rule40    ,an old rule4 
,yet when the ,lord spoke it from his   
heart of bliss it  became a new         
commandment and wisdom4 ,so these two   
saluted one another in  love before the 
face of the ,perfect ,one1 and1 hand    
clasped in hand1 they  left him4    ,and
 again when a young monk was led away by
 the transient smile of a  woman to his 
undoing1 the ,perfected ,one said this3 
8,rise above the five senses which see  
things as they are not1 and open  the   
sight which see things as they are4     
,even the ,divine ,beings may well  envy
 him whose desires like horses well     
broken are utterly subdued4 ,him  whom  
no false desires can lead captive any   
more1 by what temptation can  he be     
felled--he the ,awakened1 the           
all-seeing1 the desireless8 ,and make   

thought pure1 for all that we are is the
 result of what we have thought4  ,it is
 founded on our thoughts1 it is made up 
of our thoughts4 ,if a man  speaks or   
acts from an evil thought pain follows  
him as the wheel  follows the ox that   
draws the carriage4 ,earnest among the  
thoughtless1  awake among the drowsy1   
the wise man presses steadily onward to 
joy40    ,and they said1 8,even so1     
,lord10 and seeing their faces glad     
about him1  he added3    8,as on a heap 
of refuse cast forth by the highway a   
lily may grow  filling the air with     
sweetness1 thus the disciples of the    
true ,buddha  shine forth among the     
people who walk in darkness40    ,and on
 another day when they talked of the    
lures of desire1 the ,lord  said this3  
8,as long as the evil deed does not bear
 fruit the fool thinks it sweet  as     
honey1 but later comes the bitterness4  
8,and when the evil deed is thrown      
upward in recklessness1 like a stone  it
 falls back on the fool and breaks his  

head4    8,for those who will not learn1
 who cannot as yet understand1 hard to  
follow is the path of the wise man1 like
 that of birds flying home  through     
trackless depths of air4 ,but what is   
difficult may with taking  thought be   
done4 ,the arrow-maker trues his arrow1 
the carpenter shapes  his log1 the wise 
man shapes himself1 for no other hand   
can do it4  ,tranquil are his thoughts1 
serene his meditation when he has       
obtained  freedom by knowledge4 ,but the
 beginning is this--,let no man think   
lightly of the beginning of evil1       
saying--#8,it is only a little thing1'  
for by the falling of water drops one by
 one1 a pit is filled1 and so is  it    
with a little evil1--and with good it is
 the same4 ,little by little  do good   
thoughts and deeds grow into the ,peace4
    8,by a man's self is evil done1 by  
himself he suffers1 by himself comes    
good1 by himself purification1 and by   
none other4    8,this is the sole       
victory that brings gladness1 for in the

 world of  forms victory breeds hatred  
for the conquered is unhappy4 ,he who   
has  given up both victory and defeat1  
he is the taster of bliss40    ,i write 
and men read1 but who can declare the   
wisdom of the ,lord8 ,for as  mists     
ascend at dawn so illusion was dispersed
 before his radiance and  the veil was  
lifted and men beheld about them the    
true ,universe of the  ,powers and the  
,truth1--the ,one1 the ,alone1 in which 
we live and move and  have our being4   
,,chapter ,,xviii      ,,thus have ,i   
heard4    ,yet another thing1 and heed  
it well for it was a day precious as    
clean  gold4    ,as the ,lord went with 
his disciples1 they came to the river by
 the  fields of ,dhaniya the herdsman1 a
 rich man who trusted in his goods1 but 
kindly and simple1 such as the ,blessed 
,one loved4 ,and here he stayed his     
feet1 smiling a little as at a thought  
of his own2 and his disciples  stood    
about him1 and he said this3    8,here  
we see great riches of beasts and       

pasture2 surely the man owning  these   
good things is well content60    ,and   
,dhaniya seeing the ,holy ,one1 drew    
near in his peasant's pride and         
addressed him3    8,i have boiled my    
rice1 ,i have milked my cows10 so said  
the herdsman  ,dhaniya4 8,i dwell near  
the banks of the ,mahi1 my house is     
roofed1 my  fire kindled4 ,therefore1 if
 thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    ,for      
believing his riches a strong shield he 
feared nothing4    8,i am free from     
anger1 free from stubbornness10 said the
 ,blessed ,one1  8,for one night ,i     
abide by the ,mahi river4 ,my house is  
unroofed1 the fire  of passion is       
extinguished4 ,therefore1 if thou wilt1 
rain1 ,o sky60 ,and  he smiled4         
8,gadflies are not found with me10 said 
the herdsman ,dhaniya4 8,in meadows     
rich with grass my cows are roaming1 and
 well can they endure rain when  it     
falls4 ,therefore if thou wilt1 rain1 ,o
 sky60    8,i have made a raft1 ,i have 
passed over to the shore of the ,peace10

 so  said the ,blessed ,one4 8,therefore
 if thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,my   
wife is obedient60 boasted the herdsman 
,dhaniya4 8,winning she is1  and ,i hear
 no ill of her4 ,therefore1 if thou     
wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,my mind is    
obedient1 delivered from all worldly    
matters10 so said the  ,blessed ,one4   
8,and in me there is no ill4 ,therefore 
if thou wilt1 rain1 ,o  sky60    8,i    
support myself by my own riches60 so    
said the herdsman ,dhaniya1 8and  my    
children are healthy about me4 ,i hear  
nothing wicked of them4  ,therefore if  
thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,i am no  
one's servant10 so said the ,perfect    
,one1 8with what ,i have  gained ,i     
wander through the world4 ,for me there 
is no need to serve4  ,therefore1 if    
thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,i have   
cows1 ,i have calves60 so said the      
herdsman ,dhaniya4 8,i have also  a bull
 as lord over the herds4 ,therefore if  
thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,i have no
 cows1 ,i have no calves60 so said the  

,happy ,one1 8--,and ,i have  no bull as
 lord over the herds4 ,therefore1 if    
thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,the      
stakes are driven in and cannot be      
shaken10 so said the herdsman  ,dhaniya4
 8,the ropes are new and well made3 the 
cows cannot break them4  ,therefore if  
thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60    8,having1  
like a bull1 rent the ropes3 having like
 an elephant broken  through the        
tangle10 so said the ,blessed ,one1 8,i 
shall no more be born  to death4        
,therefore if thou wilt1 rain1 ,o sky60 
,and he smiled as one at rest1 enthroned
 above pain or change4    ,then all at  
once1 from a full-wombed cloud1 a shower
 poured down1  filling both land and    
water4 ,and the eyes of ,dhaniya were   
enlightened1  and seeing the true riches
 of the empty hand and freed soul1 the  
herdsman spoke thus1 bowing at the feet 
of the ,perfect ,one4    8,no small gain
 has indeed accrued to us since we have 
seen the ,blessed  ,one4 ,we take refuge
 in thee1 ,o ,wisest4 ,be thou our      

,master40    8,he who has cows has care 
with his cows10 so said the ,blessed    
,one1  concluding the matter4 8,but he  
who is free of these things has not     
care40 ,so ,dhaniya entered the ,way of 
,peace1 and taking the vow of the       
householder was at rest4    ,and now in 
this of ,dhaniya is a thing much to be  
pondered4 ,for it is  observable that   
the ,holy ,one said these words to him3 
8,i have passed over to ,nirvana--to the
 ,peace40 ,how could this be and he  yet
 living in the world of form8 ,what then
 is the ,nirvana8 ,for1 since  the      
departing of ,him who has thus          
,attained1 the ignorant have taught the 
heresy which ,sariputta the ,great      
rebuked in the monk ,yamaka1--even that 
the true ,nirvana is extinction1 is     
dispersal of all that once was the  man1
 the ego known to himself and others1 he
 being annihilated in death  as a flame 
blown out in vast darkness4 ,yet no1 and
 again1 not so1 though  not in words may
 the ,truth be fully told4 ,yet--if a   

man may attempt to  throw a stone at a  
star1 this that follows may be told of  
the ,nirvana4    ,they who talk of      
existence and non-existence are         
ignorant1 for these are  words only4    
,there is no existence or non-existence1
 but in their stead  reality and        
unreality1 and in this world of form is 
unreality and in  ,that ,world1 reality4
 ,so that the unreal ego which we here  
believe to be  the man is nothing and   
whether here or there has no reality but
 is a  compound of causes which dissolve
 at death1 while the reality of the man 
abides whether here or ,there4 ,true it 
is that after death no longer can  it be
 perceived1 no longer can it be guessed 
by the bodily senses--the  liars1 the   
deceived1 the slaves2 yet in a          
profundity beyond all depths  of all    
oceans it abides4 ,the rest is silence4 
,thus1 the ,blessed ,one and they who   
with him attained1 were in life         
delivered from the illusion of the world
 of forms and seeing all as it  is were 

glad4 ,for the true ,nirvana is an      
extinction--not of the  eternal--but of 
craving1 the lust of the flesh1 the lust
 of life1 and  the pride of life4 ,and  
when the inward fires of lust1 and      
hatred and  pride are extinguished1 then
 that man has entered into the ,nirvana 
whether here or there4 ,and surely this 
was the ,lesson of ,lessons1 and  many a
 parable1 many a teaching did the       
,world-,honoured utter in all  solemnity
 that we might know it is the self--the 
individual self lurking  in a man like  
an ape in the boughs1 clutching1 greedy1
 foul1 foolish1  that is the cause of   
all evil and sorrow and of his          
separation from the  universe of life   
and light that lies about him4 ,and he  
must learn that  this foul and foolish  
chatterer is dream and illusion of the  
senses and  consciousness1 for when this
 teaching is mastered we lift the true  
eyes  of wisdom and look about us seeing
 at last that the world is wholly  fair4
 ,know this1 for it is the very kernel  

of the nut4 ,this is the ,way  of       
,peace1 this is the ,gate of the ,ten   
,perfections whereby we also are        
perfect being ,one2 this is the         
,nirvana1 absolute in joy and bliss     
immortal4    ,be not misled4 ,if this   
false belief of annihilation be accepted
 the  belief in the ,karma and its awful
 justice falls to the ground1 and the   
,blessed ,one is made to utter words    
unreal and deceptive4 ,it is not well   
to traduce the teaching of the ,blessed 
,one1 for what he taught he knew1  and  
where he was silent it was from         
knowledge too great to be uttered  save 
to his high initiates1 and they too1    
knowing1 were content4 ,for a  man can  
but receive as he is able1 and the      
,truth needs two servants--the  one to  
speak and the other to hear4    ,true is
 it that the ,lord before he passed away
 from the world of the  senses said to  
the beloved ,ananda1 this3    8,i have  
preached the truth1 ,ananda1 and in     
respect of the ,truth ,he who  has thus 

,attained had no such thing as the      
closed fist of the ,teacher  who holds  
back his knowledge40    ,yes1 but a man 
can but take what he can1 and where the 
great saints of  the ,lord knew and were
 content1 the lesser men guessed and    
stumbled  blindly by excess of light and
 this was unavoidable for they were not 
prepared1 and in future lives they have 
learned1 will learn1 and they  too be   
content in wisdom4    ,therefore when   
men ask the disciple of the ,nirvana1   
and say3    8,is it annihilation8 ,is it
 the end of all1 for so many teach80    
reply  thus3    8,it is the annihilation
 of ignorance and passion and all their 
brood4 ,it  is the annihilation of      
conditioned being and of all the        
illusion that  fettered us4 ,it is the  
rending of the painted veil of life that
 hides  from us the light4 ,it is the   
end of all turning of the wheel of the  
long  pilgrimage through self-shaped    
dream-worlds of deception4 ,it is the   
end  of grief and self-deceit4 ,it is   

awakening from the dream of life1 from  
the crippling of the ego-self1 into     
freedom4 ,it is beyond all that we  call
 life1 and death is unknown to it4 ,it  
is ,all and ,one and above right  and   
wrong and in it are all things          
reconciled4    8,and it is us and in us 
and we in it for ever40    ,open the    
eyes of understanding and see and know1 
as he the ,awakened1 has  taught4       
,and now must the story turn to the     
,princess ,yashodara1 released from     
grief and grown strong in wisdom4       
,musing night and day on these thoughts 
and this blessedness the ,princess      
excelled in knowledge and in her true   
eyes the light shone brighter and  more 
bright in the deep contemplation of her 
heart1 and when in the  passing of the  
years the wealth of the ,maharaja fell  
into her hands she  valued it nothing1  
placing it where most good and least    
harm could flow  from it4 ,and with     
attendant princesses she walked nearly  
five hundred  miles1 refusing all offers

 of assistance1 that she might be near  
the  ,world-,honoured1 breathing the    
same air1 sometimes attendant upon his  
teaching1 sometimes sending dutifully to
 enquire after the health of the  monk  
,rahula1 her son4    ,so1 having grown  
old1 but still eminent in the nobility  
of her beauty  and its calm1 as she sat 
alone one day she remembered many of her
  friends who through the ,peace here to
 be attained had departed to that       
,other4 ,and she thought this3    8,i   
was born on the same day as my lord1 the
 ,awakened ,one1 and in the  regular    
order of things ,i should on the same   
day enter the ,great ,peace4  ,but this 
is an honour too great for me and far   
beyond my deserts1 nor  can it be4 ,i am
 now seventy eight years in this world  
of illusion1 and  in two years from now1
 he1 the ,blessed ,one1 will enter that 
which cannot  be named4 ,i will         
therefore request permission to precede 
him1 as the  lower should precede the   
great40    ,so1 accompanied by her      

attendants1 the ,princess went to the   
,vihara1 the  monastery1 where the ,lord
 sat at the time with a company of      
disciples1  and presenting herself      
before him humbly asked forgiveness for 
any  faults she might have committed4   
,and he replied3    8,you are the most  
virtuous of women4 ,but from the time   
you received the  ,light1 you have done 
no marvels1 so that many have not known 
the power  that is in you1 doubting     
whether you were indeed an ,arhat4      
,there is a  company assembled about us1
 who know not the ,powers4 ,show them40 
,but the ,princess1 doubting in her     
humility that this should be1 doubting  
whether a woman should display the      
beauty of her person to onlookers1  was 
not assured that this was well4 ,yet1   
with the insight to which time  is      
nothing1 she spoke1 rehearsing the      
mystery and marvel of all her  former   
lives1 for now having vanquished rebirth
 she was as the traveller  who nearing  
the mountain top and the eternal        

purities sees the way by  which he has  
come1 rejoicing in perils escaped and   
rest unending4 ,and  all sat entranced1 
listening to the music of her voice and 
the marvels  she--to whom time was no   
more than a child's toy cast            
aside--unfolded  before them4 ,and      
suddenly1 as she ended1 the air upbore  
her light feet  and a marvel was done   
before them1 for in the air she         
prostrated herself  before ,him who has 
thus ,attained1 attributing to him the  
knowledge that  had guided her into     
bliss4 ,and those who saw hid their     
faces4    ,and when all was concluded   
she retired to her own dwelling and     
there1  that same night1 rising from    
contemplation to contemplation1 she     
beheld  the ,peace1 being delivered for 
ever from all illusion1 and so passed   
into ,that which is to come4    ,and of 
her son--the monk ,rahula--this also    
must be told3    ,at one time the ,lord1
 with robe and bowl1 went to ,savatthi  
in search of  alms1 and his son ,rahula 

followed step for step1 and the ,blessed
 ,one1  turning1 said this3             
8,whatever form one bears1 monk1 is to  
be viewed with perfect wisdom and  the  
understanding--#8,this is not mine2 it  
is not ,i4 ,this is not my true  self4'0
    ,and ,rahula answered3    8,and only
 form1 ,o ,lord1 and only form1 ,o      
,happy ,one80    8,form1 ,rahula1 and   
sensation and perception and the        
tendencies and  consciousness4 ,these   
also are not the true self40    ,and    
,rahula1 being thus addressed with an   
,instruction1 would not go to  roam and 
beg among the people1 but set aside his 
bowl1 and sat beneath a  tree to        
meditate upon the ,instruction4 ,and in 
the evening1 having ended  his calm     
contemplation1 he sought the ,blessed   
,one and saluting him  reverently seated
 himself respectfully beside him and    
besought him to  instruct him on the    
discipline of meditation and training1  
and the  ,blessed ,one instructed him in
 all the processes1 even to the ruling  

of  the breath in inspiration and       
expiration so that the false senses may 
be  lulled and the true eye of wisdom   
opened1 and pleased and gladdened was   
the venerable ,rahula with that high    
instruction4    ,and thus ,rahula in    
time became first a great warrior for   
the ,truth and  then a great ,arhat3 a  
perfected saint4 ,and in what way did he
 become a  warrior8 ,even as a monk     
asked of the ,awakened ,one3            
8,warriors1 warriors1 we call ourselves1
 ,o ,happy ,one1 and in what way are  we
 warriors801 and had this reply3    8,we
 make war1 monk4 ,therefore are we      
warriors80    8,and for what do we make 
war1 ,o ,leader80    8,for perfect      
virtue1 for high endeavour1 for sublime 
wisdom4 ,to see in a  world of          
blindness1 to be free in a world of     
slaves1--therefore1 do we  make war40   
,and when is the victory gained8--,when 
the dark night of ,i-ness is            
enlightened1--when the man is no longer 
a swimmer struggling for life in  agony 

against the waves1 but the grey gull    
borne on the winds in bliss  or floating
 at peace on the billows of eternity4   
,this is the victory of the monk ,rahula
 and of the wise4                       
,,part ,,iv                             
,,chapter ,,xix      ,,so continued our 
,lord1 wandering from place to place1 or
 resting in the  season of the rains in 
the monasteries provided by the         
supporters of the  ,brotherhood1 and1   
followed by his own1 he taught the      
,breaking of the  ,fetters--and the     
fetters he broke are these3    ,the     
delusion of self--namely that the       
individual ego is real and              
self-existent4 ,for what can exist      
outside the ,universal ,self8 ,and      
egoism  is the very root of death4      
,doubt4 ,for who can advance boldly1    
doubting the way and where he shall  set
 the next step8    ,belief in good works
 and ceremonies4 ,for what good work can
 open a man's  eyes if his motive is    
mean1 and what value have rites and     

ceremonies in  themselves8    ,fleshly  
lust4 ,by no means did the ,lord command
 a cruel asceticism1 for  this he had   
tried to the uttermost and having laid  
it aside1 passed on4  ,no1 but a joyous 
temperance1 the child of wisdom and     
duty1 the fosterer  of endeavour4 ,and  
duty in all things1 a strength by some  
to be attained  now1 by others with     
patience in later lives4    ,ill-will4  
,for this is a cruel fetter1 biting to  
the very bone of the  wretch who carries
 it1 and it is forged indeed from the   
black iron of  egoism and belief in the 
separate ego4    ,and this being all    
accomplished the last fetters to be     
broken are3    ,the desire for separate 
and individual life in the world of     
forms we see  about us4    ,the desire  
for separate life in the formless world 
to which we shall  attain4              
,pride--the very snarer of ,divine      
,beings4    ,self-righteousness1 the    
womb-sister of pride4    ,and last1 the 
most terrible of fetters--              

,ignorance--mother of a deadly brood4   
,and where he went these fetters fell   
before him1 and prison doors were       
opened and they who had sat in darkness 
walked in light4 ,and they  aspired to  
perfection for he taught that           
,perfection was their heritage1  if not 
now1 then in some future life where the 
sown seeds of good  expanding should    
throw out strong arms and glorious      
blossom4    ,and they believed1 and some
 set tottering steps in the path1 and   
some  advanced with wings rather than   
feet1 but all were seekers and finders4 
,but he compelled none1 nor threatened1 
for by a man's true self comes  his     
salvation1 and seated among his own he  
said3    8,the ,tathagata--,he who has  
thus ,attained1 does not think that it  
is he  who must lead the ,brotherhood or
 that the ,order is dependent upon him40
    ,only1 steadfastly pointing the way1
 he rejoiced that men should follow  it1
 casting forth his light like the sun1  
not compelling men to guide  their steps

 by it4    ,nor did he teach resignation
 to sorrow nor its acceptance as a      
blessing  and discipline4 ,far from it4 
,for in the clear percipience of the    
,lord  sorrow is ignorance and shameful4
    8,one thing only1 monks1 now as     
always ,i declare to you--sorrow and the
  uprooting of sorrow40    ,for what man
 would wander in the mist of sorrow when
 he may walk glad  and straight to the  
goal in the sunlight of wisdom4 ,and    
sorrow  understood is sorrow ended4     
,therefore the ,lord taught             
understanding of sorrow1 as the first   
need and  therefore says the wise       
,nagasena3    8,as a boy ,i was admitted
 to the ,order1 and nothing did ,i know 
of the  goal4 ,but ,i thought--#8,these 
men taught by the ,awakened ,one will   
teach  me4' ,and they taught1 and now ,i
 know with understanding the foundation 
and the crown of ,renunciation40    ,and
 what the ,lord taught he knew3 that    
there is no sorrow for the wise4    ,and
 thus when he stayed at ,alavi1 by the  

cattle-path in the forest he  rested on 
a couch of leaves1 and it so chanced    
that a man of ,alavi as he  went through
 the forest saw the ,exalted ,one       
sitting absorbed in  meditation1 and    
greeting him with respect this man sat  
down at his side  and said3    8,master1
 does the ,world-,honoured live         
happily80    ,and the ,perfect ,one     
answered3    8,it is so1 young man4 ,of 
those who live happily in the world ,i  
also am  one40    8,cold1 ,master1 is   
the winter night1 the time of frost is  
coming3 rough  is the ground trodden by 
cattle3 thin is the couch of leaves3    
light the  monk's yellow robe3 sharp the
 cutting winter wind40    ,for his heart
 pitied the aging of the ,exalted ,one4 
,but he replied1 again  smiling3    8,it
 is so1 young man4 ,i live happily4 ,of 
those who live happily in the  world ,i 
also am one40    ,and so it was1 and    
with his own also4 ,for his mendicants  
rejoicing said  to one another3    8,we 
who call nothing our own1 drenched with 

happiness1 we in this world  cast out   
light like the radiant ,gods40    ,and  
their song was--       8,abolished is   
the round of birth3 ,completed the      
ascetic life2           ,done what was  
to do4       ,this world of form is no  
more4 ,this we know40    ,and sometimes 
proud and learned ,brahmans would come  
to dispute haughtily  with the ,perfect 
,one1 and they1 full of pride and anger1
 would rage and  trip in their discourse
 thinking to show their much learning   
rather than  to seek the truth4 ,but    
like the waves of a muddy river lashing 
rock so  were they1 and the ,lord sat   
there always1 answering duly1 teaching  
duly1  clothed in serenity1 his skin the
 colour of bright gold1 his eyes bright 
and calm1 for he said3    8,that in     
disputation with anyone whatsoever ,i   
could be thrown into any  confusion or  
embarrassment1--there is no possibility 
of such a thing1  and because ,i know of
 no such possibility ,i remain quiet and
 confident4  ,and even when ,i am       

carried here upon a bed shall my        
intellectual  strength remain unabated40
    ,and his monks said3    8,truly from
 the ,exalted ,one comes all our        
wisdom40    ,and because he was so near 
the ,blessed ,one many monks would come 
to the  venerable ,ananda and say3      
8,it is long1 brother1 since we heard a 
discourse from the ,exalted ,one4  ,it  
were very good if we might hear one     
now40    8,well1 venerable ones1 betake 
yourselves to the hermitage of the      
,brahman  ,rammako4 ,perhaps you will   
get to hear a discourse from the lips of
 the  ,exalted ,one40 ,for ,ananda was  
wise in the ways of the ,master4    ,now
 after the ,perfected ,one had returned 
from his begging-round1 he  turned and  
said3    8,come1 ,ananda1 let us go to  
the ,east ,grove1 to the terrace of the 
,mother  of ,migara1 and stay there     
until the evening40    ,so they went1   
and when he had finished his meditation 
he turned to the  venerable ,ananda3    
8,come1 ,ananda1 let us to the ,old     

,bath and refresh our limbs40    ,so    
they went4 ,then the beloved ,ananda    
addressed the ,perfected ,one thus3     
8,the hermitage of the ,brahman         
,rammako1 ,master1 is not far from here4
 ,it  is pleasantly situated in peaceful
 solitude4 ,good were it if the ,master 
should betake himself there40    ,and   
the ,blessed ,one signified by silence  
his assent4 ,and there they  found many 
monks in edifying discourse4 ,and he    
waited till they were  done1 and cleared
 his throat and rapped at the knocker1  
and they opened  the door1 and the      
,world-,honoured entered in and seated  
himself and  incited and gladdened them 
all with great and high discourse4      
,so they got what they needed1 for very 
wise was the beloved ,ananda in  dealing
 with the ,master4    ,amazing indeed   
were the experiences of those who       
followed the ,lord1 and  not to be      
understood of those who have not stood  
face to face with ,truth  and ,love     
unveiled and terrible in beauty1 and    

terrible also in the loves  they        
inspire4 ,what can words avail8    ,and 
where he went the ,awakened ,one strewed
 little precepts like flowers1  easy for
 a child to remember yet each an upward 
spiral on the ,way4    8,if all knew the
 fruits of alms-giving as ,i1 monks1    
know them1 most  surely they would not  
eat the last least mouthful without     
dividing it  with another40    ,and they
 answered1 8,even so1 ,lord10 and gave  
of their food1 living in  peace amidst  
the ,transient1 until even its semblance
 should pass for  ever away4 ,and       
nothing else than food had they to give1
 being monks4    ,and one asked of the  
learned nun ,dhammadhina3    8,and how1 
venerable ,lady1--how and what has the  
,blessed ,one taught about  the arising 
of the false ego in the beginning of    
things8 ,how came it to  be8 ,what does 
he teach of this80    8,it is the lust  
of life that sows repeated being in     
successive lives40    8,and how is the  
annihilation of the false ego to be     

attained1 ,venerable  ,lady8 ,how has   
the ,exalted ,one taught80    8,even by 
the complete annihilation1 rejection1   
and driving forth of the  lust of       
life--this is what was taught by the    
,exalted ,one40 ,so answered  the nun   
,dhammadhina4 8,even through the        
breaking of any attachment to the       
,transient40    ,but of how ,attachment 
began to be in the beginning of things  
the ,lord  would not answer4 ,the ,way  
out1 he taught2 the way in concerns not 
at all  the man who is fleeing for his  
life to peace and safety from attachment
  to the ,transient and its illusion4   
,and again3    8,but what follows after 
death8 ,what follows after the          
extinction of  illusion80 the seeker    
asked of the learned nun ,dhammadhina4  
,and she  replied3    8,abandon the     
question1 brother4 ,i cannot grasp the  
meaning of the  question4 ,if you will1 
go to the ,enlightened ,one and ask     
him40    ,and he went1 and the ,lord    
answered3    8,wise is ,dhammadhina and 

mighty in understanding4 ,my answer is  
hers40    ,for the ,unknown cannot be   
known until the way is built to it4     
,build then  the way1 and knowledge will
 come in time4 ,but1 without words1 to  
the  few1 the very few1 this knowledge  
has come1 as has been told4    ,and when
 the nun ,gotami asked him3    8,will   
the ,exalted ,one teach me the very     
quintessence of the ,law10 he  answered 
thus3    8,whatever teaching leads to   
passion and not to peace1 to pride and  
not  to humility1 to desire of much in  
place of little1 to love of society  and
 not of solitude1 to idleness and not to
 striving1 to a mind of  unrest and not 
to a mind at peace--that1 ,o            
,gotami1--note well6--that is  not the  
way1--that is not the teaching of the   
,master40    ,and as they sat in the    
calm of the sunset and discoursed1      
,sariputta the  ,great said this3    8,i
 desire not life4 ,i desire not death4  
,i wait until my hour shall come  like a
 servant that waits for his wage4 ,i    

await the coming of the hour1  conscious
 and of thoughtful mind40    ,thus      
steadfast in the way they continued1 not
 cruelly mortifying the  body but in the
 true asceticism of the heart that      
cannot be tempted4 ,for  the ,awakened  
,one said this3    8,i teach asceticism 
inasmuch as ,i teach the burning away of
 all evil  conditions of the heart4 ,and
 the true ascetic who thus lives may    
fitly  and rightly eat of the food that 
is given him in alms1 of rice           
pleasantly prepared and such-like1 and  
it will do him no ill40    ,so quietly  
and in radiance life went on as a summer
 day which from dewy  dawn passes       
through every gradation of light until  
the night comes1  taking the world in   
her net of stars and laying all to rest4
    ,and still the ,exalted ,one        
journeyed and taught1 now being very    
aged1 and  the seeds of his doctrine    
were carried as if by far-flying birds  
into  the outer lands which had never   
felt in this life the tread of his      

blessed feet nor seen the calm of his   
face nor the majesty that attended  him4
 ,and taking root these seeds shot up   
later into mighty trees of  glorious    
growth4    ,and still he journeyed to   
and fro1 and the people said to the     
monks3    8,let not the ,world-,honoured
 overweary himself1 for in what are we  
worthy  that our well-being should cost 
the world its ,light80    ,and they     
answered3    8,all he does is well4     
,this also is well and could not be     
otherwise40    ,but the beloved ,ananda 
saw with fear that the ,world-,honoured 
moved more  slowly and with more painful
 effort on each journey he made4 ,and   
awe and  grief possessed ,ananda1 seeing
 this1 for he had not as yet attained to
  perfect enlightenment1--and with many 
cares he compassed the ,blessed and     
followed him wherever he went4          
,,chapter ,,xx                          
,,the ,,last ,,journey      ,,and the   
,blessed ,one passed through ,pataligama
 and went on to the river  and at that  

time ,ganges was swollen and brimming1  
and some with him  began to seek for    
boats and some for basket-rafts that    
they might pass  over4 ,but the ,exalted
 ,one1 swiftly as a powerful man could  
stretch out  his arm and withdraw it1   
vanished from the hither side of the    
river and  stood on the other bank with 
the brethren4 ,and he uttered this      
verse3             8,those who cross the
 stormy sea           ,making a firm way
 for their feet1           ,while the   
blinded tie their basket-rafts1         
,these are the wise1 these are the safe 
and glad40    ,and they passed on to the
 villages of ,nadika and at the last the
 ,happy  ,one rested at the ,brick      
,hall1 and the beloved ,ananda 7who     
tended him  always7 came and sat down   
respectfully beside him1 and having     
passed  through the village and heard of
 the deaths of several devout followers1
  men and women1 who had followed them  
formerly1 he asked the ,lord of  their  
destiny and of what had befallen them4  

,and naming them each and all by name1  
replied the ,exalted ,one3    8,of those
 men and women there are some who in    
their first return to this  world will  
make an end of sorrow and illusion and  
return no more4 ,and  some there are for
 whom having attained the highest       
knowledge1 it is no  longer possible    
that they should return to mortal birth1
 for they are  now assured of final     
salvation40    ,and in the ,brick ,hall 
at ,nadika he taught the people1 saying3
    8,great is the fruit1 great the     
advantage of earnest contemplation when 
adorned with right doing4 ,and great the
 fruit of high intellect adorned  with  
earnest contemplation4 ,for the mind set
 round with intelligence is  thus       
delivered from sensuality1 from the     
false ego1 from delusion and            
ignorance40    ,and they went on to     
,vaisali1 and from thence to ,beluva1   
and there the  ,blessed ,one rested in  
the village4 ,and he said to the        
brethren3    8,mendicants1 do you take  

up your abode round about ,vaisali for  
the  rains1 each according to his       
friends4 ,for ,i shall enter upon the   
rainy  season here at ,beluva40    8,so 
be it1 ,lord10 said the brethren in     
assent1 and so it was done4    ,now when
 the ,blessed ,one had thus entered on  
the rains at ,beluva there  fell upon   
him a sickness1 and sharp pains came    
upon him even to death4  ,but mindful   
and self-possessed he bore them without 
complaint4 ,and this  thought came into 
his mind3    8,it would not be right for
 me to pass away without addressing the 
disciples1 without taking leave of the  
,order4 ,let me now by a strong  effort 
of the will bend down this sickness and 
keep my hold on life  until the allotted
 time be come40    ,and he bent that    
sickness down and it abated4    ,and    
when he began to recover he went out of 
the little vihara--the  monastery1 and  
sat down behind it on a seat spread out 
for him4 ,and the  venerable ,ananda    
went where the ,blessed ,one was1 and   

sat respectfully  beside him1 and said  
this3    8,i have seen1 ,lord1 how the  
,blessed ,one suffered1 and though at   
that  sight my body became weak as a    
creeper1 yet ,i had some little comfort 
in  thinking that the ,blessed ,one     
would not pass from existence until at  
least he had left some instructions     
touching the ,order40    8,what then1   
,ananda8 ,does the ,order expect that of
 me8 ,now1 ,he who has  thus ,attained  
thinks not that it is he who shall lead 
the ,order or that  it is dependent upon
 him4 ,i too1 ,ananda1 am now grown old 
and full of  years4 ,my journey is      
drawing to its close4 ,i have reached my
 sum of  days1 ,i am turning eighty     
years of age4 ,and just as a worn-out   
cart can  only with much additional care
 be made to move1 so1 ,i think1 the body
 of  the ,tathagata can only be kept    
going with much additional care4 ,it is 
only when ceasing to attend to any      
outward thing he becomes plunged in     
devout meditation concerned with no     

material object1--it is only then  that 
the body of the ,tathagata is at ease40 
,and there was a long pause1 and the    
venerable ,ananda remained  steadfastly 
gazing at the ,perfect ,one1 absorbed in
 his words as  foreseeing the end4 ,and 
the ,lord resumed3    8,therefore1      
,ananda1 be lamps unto yourselves4      
,betake yourselves to no  external      
,refuge4 ,hold fast to the truth as a   
lamp4 ,look not for refuge  to anyone   
beside yourselves4 ,and whoever after ,i
 am dead shall be a lamp  unto          
themselves and holding fast to the truth
 look for refuge to no one  outside     
themselves1 it is they1 among my        
mendicants1 who shall reach the         
,height40    ,and again the ,blessed    
,one robed himself early in the morning 
and taking  his bowl went into ,vaisali 
for alms and when he returned he sat    
down  upon the seat prepared for him and
 when he had finished eating the rice   
he said3    8,take up the mat1          
,ananda1--,i will go to spend the day at

 the ,kapila  ,ketiya40    8,so be it1  
,lord10 said the venerable ,ananda1 and 
he followed step for  step behind the   
,blessed ,one4    ,and when he had come 
there the ,blessed ,one sat down upon   
the mat spread  out for him1 and the    
venerable ,ananda took his seat         
respectfully beside  him4 ,and the      
,blessed ,one said3    8,whoever1       
,ananda1 has developed himself and      
ascended to the very heights  of the    
four paths to ,power1 thus transcending 
bodily conditions and  using these      
,powers for good may if he desires it1  
remain in the same  birth for an age1 or
 that portion of the age which is yet to
 run4 ,now ,he  who has thus ,attained  
has developed these ,powers and could   
therefore  live on yet for an age or    
that portion of the age which has yet to
 run40    ,but even though this         
suggestion was given by the ,blessed    
,one1 the  venerable ,ananda did not    
comprehend it1 nor did he say1          
8,vouchsafe1  ,lord1 to remain6 ,live on

 for the good and happiness of the      
peoples1 out  of pity for the world and 
the weal of ,divine ,beings and men40   
,and a second time did the ,blessed ,one
 say this1 and yet did not the  beloved 
,ananda speak4    ,now the ,blessed ,one
 addressed him thus3    8,you may leave 
me1 ,ananda1 for awhile40    ,and rising
 from his seat1 ,ananda saluted the     
,lord1 and sat down at the  foot of a   
tree not far off1 and when he was gone1 
the ,evil ,one1 the  ,tempter1          
approached the ,lord and stood beside   
him1 and he said3    8,pass away now1   
,lord1 from existence4 ,let the ,blessed
 ,one die4 ,for did  he not say that    
when the ,order was established1 and the
 lay-people1 and  the truth made known1 
that then the time would be come8 ,and  
all this is  now done1 and the time is  
here4 ,pass away now1 therefore1 ,lord4 
,let the  ,blessed ,one die40    ,and   
when he had spoken1 the ,blessed ,one   
said to the ,evil ,one3    8,be happy4  
,at the end of three months from this   

time the ,blessed ,one  will die40      
,thus did the ,lord deliberately and    
consciously reject the rest of his      
possible sum of life4 ,and there        
followed an earthquake and tremblings   
and thunders4    ,and ,ananda returned  
in haste and said3    8,wonderful and   
marvellous is this earthquake1 ,lord1   
and what is its  cause80    ,and the    
,lord said3    8,of the eight causes of 
earthquake and tremblings1 this is      
one--when an  ,awakened ,one1--,he who  
has thus ,attained1 consciously and     
deliberately  rejects the remainder of  
his life1 then is the earth shaken40    
,and1 still speaking of the mastery of  
the ,powers1 the ,lord continued3       
8,now ,i call to mind1 ,ananda1 how when
 ,i used to enter into an assembly  of  
many hundred nobles with discourse of   
religion ,i would instruct and  gladden 
them1 and they would say1--#8,who may   
this be who thus speaks8 ,a  man or a   
,god8' ,and having taught and gladdened 
them1 suddenly ,i would  vanish away4   

,but they knew me not even when ,i      
vanished away1 and they  would say in   
bewilderment1 #8,who may this be who has
 thus vanished away8  ,a man1 or a      
,god8'0    ,and he spoke also of the    
eight stages of deliverance from errors 
of  perception1 passing beyond the      
apprehension of form through infinite   
space and infinite reason and finally   
beyond sensation and ideas1 even  into  
the eighth stage of deliverance4    ,and
 having given this instruction the ,lord
 related to the venerable  ,ananda how  
that in three months' time he should    
hear his voice no more1  and the        
venerable ,ananda cried out vehemently3 
8,vouchsafe1 ,o ,blessed ,one1 to live4 
,stay with us for the weal of ,divine   
,beings and men40    ,but the ,lord     
answered3    8,the time for making such 
a request is past40    ,and a second and
 a third time ,ananda entreated and the 
,lord replied1  saying3    8,verily1 the
 word has gone forth from ,him who has  
thus ,attained4 ,that  the ,tathagata   

for the sake of living should repent of 
that saying can in  no wise be4 ,come1  
,ananda1 let us rise and go to the      
,mahavana40    ,and they went to the    
,mahavana1 to the ,service ,hall1 and he
 commanded  ,ananda to assemble there   
such of the brethren as dwelt in the    
neighbourhood of ,vaisali4 ,and when    
they were assembled the ,blessed ,one   
sat down upon his mat and addressed     
them4 ,and he said3    8,the truths1    
monks1 which ,i have made known to you  
and you have  mastered1 these practise1 
meditate1 and spread abroad1 that it may
  continue to be for the good and       
happiness of great multitudes4          
8,behold1 monks1 now ,i exhort you4 ,all
 component things must grow old and     
pass away4 ,work out your salvation with
 diligence4 ,at the end of three  months
 from this time ,he who has thus        
,attained will die4 ,my age is now  full
 ripe3 my life draws to its close4 ,i   
leave you1 ,i depart1 relying on  myself
 alone4 ,be earnest1 holy1 full of      

thought4 ,be steadfast in  resolve4     
,keep watch over your own hearts4 ,who  
wearies not1 but holds  fast to the     
,law1 shall cross this sea of life1     
shall make an end of  grief40    ,so he 
spoke1 and they dispersed silently4     
,and the ,blessed ,one robed himself    
early in the morning and took his bowl  
and went into ,vaisali for alms and when
 he had eaten his meal and was          
returning1 he gazed steadfastly at      
,vaisali and he said this3    8,this is 
the last time1 ,ananda1 that ,he who has
 thus ,attained will  behold ,vaisali4  
,let us now go to ,bhandagama40    ,and 
they went1 and the ,lord rested in the  
village itself1 and there he  addressed 
the brethren1 saying3    8,it is through
 ignorance of the ,truths that we have  
had to run so long1  to wander so far in
 this weary road of rebirth--you and ,i4
 ,but when the  noble conduct of life1  
noble meditation1 noble wisdom and noble
 freedom  are realized and known1 then  
is the craving for existence rooted out1

  the chain broken and we return to     
earth no more40    ,and it was there    
also that he delivered the high         
discourse on the nature  of the ,four   
,truths2 and having done this he pressed
 on with the  venerable ,ananda and a   
great company of his own to ,pava4 ,and 
there he  stayed in the ,mango ,grove of
 ,chunda1 and ,chunda was a smith by    
family4    ,and when ,chunda heard that 
the ,perfect ,one had come to ,pava and 
rested  in his ,mango ,grove1 he went to
 him and saluted him joyfully1 and with 
reverence took his seat beside him1 and 
the ,blessed ,one gladdened him  with   
talk of high things4 ,and1 so gladdened1
 he addressed the ,lord1 and  said3     
8,may the ,blessed ,one do me the honour
 of taking his meal1 together with  the 
brethren1 at my house to-morrow80       
,and the ,lord signified by silence his 
consent1 and seeing he had  consented1  
,chunda the worker in metals1 bowed     
before him and keeping him  on his right
 hand1 departed4    ,and at the end of  

the night ,chunda made ready in his     
house excellent  food1 hard and soft1   
sweet rice and cakes and the food1 found
 in the  earth and loved by boars1      
truffles1 and when all was ready he     
announced  it to the ,lord saying3      
8,exalted ,one1 the meal is ready40     
,and the ,blessed ,one robed himself and
 took his bowl and he and his  followers
 went to the dwelling-place of ,chunda4 
,and when the meal was  over1 he        
gladdened the smith with discourse of   
high matters1 and so rose  and departed4
    ,but after the ,blessed ,one had    
eaten of his food then fell upon him a  
grievous disease1 and sharp pain came   
upon him even to death1 but he  bore it 
without complaint mindful and           
self-possessed4 ,and to the  venerable  
,ananda he said3    8,come1 let us go to
 ,kusinara40    8,even so1 ,lord10 said 
the venerable ,ananda4    ,and they     
went1 but as they went the ,blessed ,one
 grew very weary and he  rested beneath 
a tree and said3    8,fold the robe and 

spread it for me1 ,i pray you4 ,i am    
weary1 ,ananda1 and  ,i must rest       
awhile40    ,and the robe was spread1   
folded fourfold1 and when the           
,world-,honoured  was seated he asked   
for fresh water to drink and ,ananda    
answered3    8,but1 ,lord1 five hundred 
carts have just gone by across the      
stream and  stirred up by the wheels it 
has become fouled and turbid4 ,let us   
wait  for the river1 cool and           
transparent1 easy to get into4 ,there   
the ,blessed  ,one may drink and cool   
his limbs40    ,but his thirst would not
 wait1 and taking a bowl ,ananda went   
down to the  stream1 and when he came to
 it it flowed clear as light4 ,and he   
thought3    8,how wonderful1 how        
marvellous is the power of ,him who has 
thus  ,attained4 ,for this turbid stream
 is flowing brightly now40    ,and when 
he returned he said3    8,great is the  
power of the ,lord4 ,let the ,happy ,one
 drink60    ,now at that time a young   
man named ,pukkusa1 a disciple of the   

,brahman  ,alara1 passed along the      
highway1 and seeing the ,blessed ,one   
very weary  beneath the tree he came and
 saluted him taking his seat            
respectfully  beside him1 and the ,holy 
,one discoursed with him on the depths  
of calm  in pure contemplation and      
abstraction of mind from the vain shows 
about  us1 and with every power of his  
mind and heart did the young man listen1
  and when the great teaching was ended1
 he said3    8,most excellent1 ,lord1   
are the words of your mouth--most       
excellent4 ,as  it were to bring a lamp 
into the darkness so are your words4    
,and ,i1 even  ,i1 betake myself to the 
,blessed ,one as my refuge1 to the      
,truth and the  ,brotherhood4 ,may ,i be
 accepted as a disciple60    ,and the   
young ,pukkusa presented two robes of   
burnished cloth of gold to  the         
,world-,honoured1 saying3    8,may      
favour be shown and these accepted at my
 hand60    8,in that case1 ,pukkusa1    
offer the one to me and the other to    

,ananda40    ,and so it was done and the
 young man gladdened and strengthened1  
rose  and bowed down and went his way4  
,,chapter ,,xxi      ,,now not long     
after the young man was gone the        
venerable ,ananda placed  that glorious 
robe upon the ,blessed ,one1 and so     
placed it appeared to  dim and lose its 
splendour1 and ,ananda said3    8,lord1 
it is marvellous that the colour of the 
skin of the ,blessed ,one  should now be
 so clear1 so bright1 beyond measure1   
for this robe of  burnished gold has    
lost its splendour in the radiance40    
8,it is even so1 ,ananda4 ,for on the   
night that ,he who has thus ,attained   
achieves supreme ,enlightenment and also
 on the night in which he passes  away  
for ever leaving no residue behind1 the 
colour of his person  becomes           
exceedingly bright and clear4 ,and now  
this day at the third  watch of the     
night at ,kusinara1 between the twin    
sala trees the utter  passing away of   
,him who has thus ,attained will take   

place4 ,come1 let us  go forward40      
,and when he was come to the ,mango     
,grove by the river1 he said3    8,fold 
a robe for me1 ,kundaka1 for ,i am      
forespent and would lie down40  ,and it 
was done and the ,blessed ,one laid     
himself down on his right side1  and    
meditated1 calm and self-possessed1 and 
finally1 calling to ,ananda  the        
beloved1 he said3    8,now it may happen
 that someone may grieve ,chunda the    
smith1 saying1 #8it  is evil to you1    
,chunda1 and loss1 that the ,blessed    
,one died after he had  eaten his last  
meal from your provision4' ,but check   
this remorse1  ,ananda1 by saying--#8,it
 is good and gain to you1 ,chunda1 that 
this should  have been4 ,for the very   
mouth of the ,blessed ,one has told me  
this--,there  is laid up for ,chunda the
 smith a good ,karma of long life and   
good  fortune and good fame and the     
inheritance of ,heaven and sovereign    
power4' ,in this manner check any       
remorse in ,chunda the smith40    ,then 

once more rising1 the ,world-,honoured  
began again his pilgrimage of  pain1 and
 he said3    8,come1 let us go to the   
,sala ,grove of the ,malla people at    
,kusinara40    ,and they went on4    ,so
 with the monks the ,exalted ,one       
reached at last the ,sala ,grove of the 
,mallas1 and he desired that ,ananda the
 beloved would lay a couch for him  with
 its head to the north between the twin 
sala trees that they knew4  ,and this   
was done1 and the sala trees shed their 
dropping blossoms on  the body of the   
,blessed ,one1 for so it must be with a 
departing ,buddha4    ,and here1 ,ananda
 seeing that the time drew on1          
reverently besought the  commands of the
 ,lord as to the disposal of his mortal 
body4 ,and he  replied3    8,hinder not 
yourselves by honouring what remains of 
,him who has thus  ,attained4 ,be       
zealous1 ,i beseech you1 in your own    
behalf3 be intent on  good4 ,there are  
wise men among the nobles who will do   
due honour to the  body of the          

,tathagata40    ,and when he heard this 
,ananda could no longer endure his      
grief1 and that  the ,lord might not see
 his tears1 he went into the monastery  
and stood  leaning against the door and 
wept1 for he thought3    8,alas6 ,i     
still remain but a learner1 one who has 
not yet attained  perfection1 and the   
,master is about to pass away from      
me--he who is so  kind40    ,but the    
,blessed ,one called the brethren and   
asked3    8,where then1 monks1 is       
,ananda80    ,and they told him1 and he 
said to a certain brother3    8,go1     
brother1 and say #8,brother ,ananda1 the
 ,master calls you4'0    ,and it was    
done and the beloved ,ananda returned1  
and the ,blessed ,one  said to him4     
8,enough1 ,ananda4 ,do not let yourself 
be troubled4 ,do not weep4 ,have ,i  not
 often told you that it is in the very  
nature of things most near and  dear to 
us that we must divide ourselves from   
them and leave them8 ,how  then could it
 be possible that anything containing   

within itself the  necessity of         
dissolution should not be dissolved8    
,for a long time1  ,ananda1 have you    
been very near to me by acts of love1   
kind and good1  that never varies and is
 beyond all measure4 ,and not only by   
acts but by  words and thoughts of love4
 ,you have done well1 ,ananda4 ,be      
earnest in  effort and you too shall    
soon be delivered and attain the perfect
  percipience40    ,then the ,blessed   
,one said to the others3    8,he is a   
wise man1 monks1 is ,ananda4 ,knowing   
what is right he has four  marvellous   
qualities1 for those who see him1 who   
hear him speak or teach  are filled with
 joy on beholding and hearing him1 and  
the company of the  ,assembly are ill at
 ease when ,ananda is silent40    ,and  
later he said3    8,go now1 ,ananda1 to 
the town of ,kusinara and inform the    
people of the  ,mallas that in the last 
watch of the night ,he who has thus     
,attained will  pass away4 ,and say     
this--#8,be favourable herein1 ,mallas1 

and leave no  occasion to reproach      
yourselves that you did not visit the   
,world-,honoured in his last hours4'0   
,and ,ananda the beloved went1 robed and
 carrying his bowl and attended by  a   
member of the ,order4    ,and1 as it    
chanced1 the ,mallas were assembled in  
the ,council ,hall and  when they heard 
his words1 they wept1 they and their    
wives and children  saying3             
8,too soon will the ,blessed ,one die6  
,too soon will the ,happy ,one pass     
away4           ,too soon will the      
,light of the ,world be darkened60      
,and trooping out with their wives and  
children1 these ,mallas came to the     
,grove of the sala trees1 and ,ananda   
considering their great number  thought3
    8,there is not time that they should
 speak singly with the ,lord4 ,but ,i   
will present them by families40    ,and 
this he did1 causing the ,mallas to     
stand in groups and so presented  them1 
saying3    8,lord1 a ,malla of such and 
such a name1 with his wives1 his        

children his  retinue and his friends1  
humbly bows down at the feet of the     
,blessed  ,one40 ,and that family with  
its retinue then advanced1 weeping4     
,and after this manner were all         
presented during the first watch of the 
night1 and when it was done they retired
 in heavy grief4    ,but there was yet  
one work of mercy left unto the ,lord4  
,for at this time  a mendicant named    
,subaddha was dwelling at ,kusinara1 and
 he heard the  news that the ,blessed   
,one was about to pass away and his     
religious  doubts rushed into his mind  
and he thought3    8,seldom indeed in   
this world do the authentic ,buddhas    
appear4 ,i have  faith in the monk      
,gotama that he may be able to remove my
 uncertainty4 ,i  will go to him40      
,and he went and told his case to       
,ananda and he replied3    8,enough1    
friend ,subaddha4 ,do not trouble ,him  
who has thus ,attained4 ,the  ,lord is  
weary40    ,and three times he refused4 
,but the ,lord heard and he said3       

8,let him come to me4 ,he will ask from 
a true desire of knowledge and  will    
quickly understand my replies40    ,so  
,ananda said3    8,enter in1 friend     
,subaddha4 ,the ,blessed ,one gives you 
leave40    ,and speaking respectfully   
that mendicant put his questions1       
awaiting the  answer with anxiety4 ,and 
it was this3 8,is the ,way of the ,law  
the only  path possible for a saint8    
,can that way alone produce sainthood of
 the  first order80    ,and the ,lord   
replied3    8,perfect saints from the   
first to the fourth degree are found    
only in  the ,noble ,eightfold ,path40  
,and when he had given the reason why   
only under such discipline is           
perception perfected1 ,subaddha1 hailing
 his words with gladness1 every  doubt  
lost in light1 besought admission as a  
disciple and it was granted  and the    
probation of four months remitted1      
though ,subaddha himself  willingly     
undertook that probation4 ,but the ,lord
 said3    8,in this case ,i acknowledge 

the difference in persons40    ,and this
 was the last man the ,lord himself     
received4 ,and because it  could not be 
otherwise ,subaddha attained light and  
percipience1 and  became conscious that 
for him birth was at an end1 and he     
became a great  ,arhat4 ,and he sat     
beside the ,blessed ,one until the end4 
,and now the time drew on swiftly and   
knowing this1 the ,blessed ,one said1   
while they all stood in great grief     
surrounding him3    8,it may be1        
,ananda1 that in some of you the thought
 may arise--#8,now that  the word of the
 ,master is ended we have no ,teacher4' 
,but this is not so4  ,the truths and   
the rules of the ,order--let them be    
your ,teacher when ,i  am gone4 ,and    
when ,i am gone1 ,ananda1 let the ,order
 if it will1 abolish  the ,lesser       
,precepts40    ,and after awhile the    
,blessed ,one spoke again1 and he said3 
8,it may be1 brethren1 that there is    
doubt or misgiving in the mind of  some 
brother as to the ,buddha1 the ,truth1  

the ,way4 ,enquire freely1  monks6 ,do  
not reproach yourself afterwards with   
the thought1--#8,we were  face to face  
with the ,blessed ,one1 and yet could   
not bring ourselves to  enquire4'0      
,but the brethren were silent4 ,and     
again and a third time the ,lord        
repeated this4 ,and in his care for them
 he said3    8,it may be that the       
brethren will not question out of       
reverence for the  ,teacher4 ,let one   
friend then communicate with another40  
,and still they were silent1 and the    
venerable ,ananda said3    8,it is      
wonderful1 ,lord4 ,i have faith to      
believe that in this whole  ,assembly of
 the brethren there is not one who has  
any doubt or misgiving  as to the       
,buddha1 the ,truth1 or the ,way40      
,and the ,blessed ,one1 sinking yet     
lower into weakness1 answered3    8,from
 the fulness of faith do you speak1     
,ananda4 ,but ,he who has thus          
,attained knows of certain knowledge    
that in this whole ,assembly there is   

not one brother who has any doubt or    
misgiving4 ,for even the most  backward 
of all these brethren knows and has seen
 and will be born no  more in a state of
 suffering and is assured of final      
peace40    ,and by these words did the  
,world-,honoured reassure ,ananda the   
beloved in  whom as yet the tenderness  
of love crippled its wings1 restraining 
it  from the eagle-flight of the        
perfected ,arhat4    ,and ,ananda knelt1
 hiding his face beside the sala trees  
where lay the  ,blessed ,one1 for he    
knew that the parting drew very near4   
,and there was  a deep silence1 and it  
was as though all the spirits of earth  
and air1  and the ,divine ,beings and   
the ,three ,worlds1 the earth1 the      
heavens1 and  hells waited with them nor
 would lose a breath that remained4 ,and
 ,he who  has thus ,attained lay with   
closed eyes1 submerged in calm as in a  
great  ocean4    ,and after awhile his  
eyelids opened and for the last time he 
looked upon  them and for the last time 

his disciples heard his voice1 strong in
  death4    8,behold now1 brethren1 ,i  
exhort you1 saying--#8,decay is inherent
 in all  component things4 ,work out    
your own salvation with diligence4'0    
,and they trembled1 kneeling about him4 
,then the ,blessed ,one entered into the
 first state of ecstasy1 and1  rising   
from this1 into the second1 and so      
passed into the third and into  the     
fourth and rising from that realm of    
ecstasy he entered the realm of  the    
infinity of space1 and from this he     
entered the realm of the  infinity of   
consciousness and rising from this he   
entered the realm of  nothingness1 and  
beyond this the realm of neither        
perception nor  non-perception1 and from
 this he arrived at the cessation of    
sensation  and idea4    ,and ,ananda    
cried out to the great ,anuruddha in an 
agony3    8,o my ,lord--,o ,anuruddha1  
the ,blessed ,one is dead60    ,and he1 
leaning above that ,peace1 said with    
calm3    8,nay1 brother ,ananda4 ,he has

 entered that state where sensation and 
ideas have ceased to be40        ,and   
all veiled their faces4        ,and the 
mind of ,him who has thus ,attained     
retraced its way downward  again and    
passing through all the stages entered  
into the fourth stage  of deep          
meditation and passing out of this he   
immediately entered the  ,great ,peace4 
,and at the moment of his expiring the  
thunders of ,heaven broke forth  roaring
 about them and there was a loud and    
terrible trembling of the  earth and the
 voice of ,him who is the ,first uttered
 this3    8,all beings in the world must
 lose their compound selves and         
individuality1 and even such a ,master  
as this1 he1 unrivalled and endued  with
 all the powers1 even he has passed into
 the ,nirvana40    ,and the voice of    
,indra1 ,king of ,gods1 took up the     
tale4                    8,transient are
 all component things4                  
,they being born must die1 and being    
dead are glad to be at rest40    ,and   

,anuruddha the ,great said these words3 
8,when he1 the ,desireless1 lay in      
peace1 so ending his span of life1      
resolute and with unshaken mind did he  
endure the pains of death1  attaining   
his final deliverance from the          
,fetters40    ,but ,ananda cried aloud3 
8,then there was terror1 then the hair  
rose on the head1 when he who  possessed
 all grace--the supreme ,buddha died40  
,thus spoke the ,four ,loves1 from the  
highest to the lowest1--and these of    
the brethren who were not yet           
enfranchised from the passions wept and 
wailed in anguish1 crying aloud3        
8,too soon has the ,blessed ,one died4  
,too soon has the ,happy ,one departed4 
,too soon is the ,world's ,light        
darkened40    ,but the great ,arhats    
bore their sorrow calm and              
self-possessed1 saying3    8,transient  
are all earth's things4 ,how is it      
possible they should not be  dissolved80
    ,and all that night did the great   
,sariputta and ,anuruddha spend in high 

discourse but ,ananda wept nor could be 
comforted4    ,and in the morning the   
great ,anuruddha addressed the sorrowing
 ,assembly4    8,enough1 my brethren4   
,weep not nor lament4 ,has not the      
,blessed ,one  declared to us that it is
 in the very nature of things near and  
dear to  us that we and they must part8 
,how then can it be possible that       
anything  born and thus containing      
within itself the necessity of          
dissolution  should not dissolve8 ,weep 
no more4 ,even the spirits would        
reproach us4  ,for they who have        
attained wisdom say #8,transient indeed 
are all  component things4 ,how is it   
possible they should not be dispersed8  
,this  cannot be4'0    ,and calling to  
,ananda he sent him into the town of    
,kusinara that he  might tell the       
faithful ,mallas that their ,lord was   
departed and that in  their true hands  
should be the burning4    ,and they came
 out lamenting1 having made great and   
costly preparation1  and they encased   

the body of the ,lord in new cloth and  
folded sheets of  wool and lastly in a  
vessel of iron for the burning1 and     
having clad  themselves in new garments 
eight chieftains of the ,mallas lifted  
the  body1 and they bore it through     
their little town to their own shrine1  
and there in the presence of the ,order 
with devotion and spices and  flowers   
and perfumes they did what was needful1 
and the body of the ,lord  passed into  
grey ash1 fulfilling all even to the    
uttermost4    8,bow down with clasped   
hands4    8,hard1 hard is it to meet    
with a ,buddha through hundreds of      
ages40    ,but they knew in whose       
presence they had stood4    ,this also  
have ,i heard4    ,the great ,ananda1   
casting aside the fetters of love and   
retaining only  its radiance1 became a  
mighty ,arhat and laid aside all sorrow4
    ,after these things1 one day it so  
chanced that one of the brothers sat    
with ,pingiya the aged ,brahman1 the    
disciple of the ,lord1 and ,pingiya     

from the fulness of his heart spoke of  
the ,blessed ,one1 saying3    8,as he   
saw the ,way1 so he taught it1 he1 the  
very wise1 the passionless1  the        
desireless ,lord1 and how should he do  
otherwise1 for in him was no  shadow nor
 turning of untruth4 ,i will praise the 
voice of him who was  without folly1 who
 had left arrogance far behind4 ,it is  
he only1 the  ,dispeller of darkness1   
the high ,deliverer1 who giveth light40 
,and seeing his love1 the other said3   
8,how then can you stay away from him   
even one instant1 ,o ,pingiya80    ,and 
the old man replied3    8,not even for  
one instant do ,i stay away from him1 my
 brother4 ,vigilant  day and night ,i   
see him in my mind4 ,in reverencing him 
do ,i spend the  night1 and verily ,i   
think ,i am not far from him40    ,and  
he mused awhile and added this3    8,i  
am worn out and feeble1 but my heart1   
venerable brother1 is joined to  him for
 ever40    ,and lo1 as ,pingiya sat and 
said this word1 there shone about them a

  great light and ,pingiya beheld the   
,blessed ,one stand there in majesty    
that cannot be uttered4 ,and he said    
these words3    8,strong is thy faith1  
,o ,pingiya1 and it shall be made glad4 
,fear not4  ,you too shall reach that   
further shore1 the haven of the realm of
  death40                               
,,chapter ,,xxii      ,,and when the    
burning was done1 the faithful ,mallas  
gathered the bones  and they took them  
to their ,council ,hall and surrounded  
them with a  lattice-work of spears and 
a rampart of bows1 and there for seven  
days  they did them reverence and homage
 with solemn dance and music and        
garlands and perfumes4    ,and the ,king
 of ,maghada sent to beg a portion of   
the relics1 for he  said3 8,the ,blessed
 ,one was of the soldier caste and so   
too am ,i2 ,i am  worthy to receive a   
portion and ,i will set over it a sacred
 monument and  hold a solemn feast40    
,and other peoples1 and among them the  
,sakyas of ,kapila1--the ,lord's own    

people--sent demanding each a portion4  
,and the ,sakyas said3    8,he who has  
thus ,attained was the pride of our     
race4 ,we are worthy to  receive a      
portion1 and we will put up a sacred    
monument and celebrate a  solemn feast40
    ,and so it was with six more peoples
 all demanding their portion1 and the   
true ,mallas grew angry1 for they loved 
the ,lord1 and they replied3    8,the   
,blessed ,one died in our land and he is
 ours4 ,we will not give away  any of   
the relics40    ,but the wise ,brahman  
,dona rose amongst them and said this3  
8,hear1 sirs1 one word from me4 ,our    
,lord taught forbearance1 and           
gentleness was the law of his lips4     
,would it not be unseemly that strife   
should arise over the relics of him who 
was in all things highest8 ,sirs1  let  
us all with one accord unite in friendly
 harmony to divide these  precious      
relics into eight portions40    ,and    
they asked him1 this being so1 to       
undertake the division1 and he  answered

 8,be it so10 and with scrupulous care  
he divided the relics1  asking for      
himself the vessel that he might set a  
monument over it4    ,and to the ,moriya
 people 7who too late asked their share 
of the precious  relics71 seeing their  
grief they gave the embers of the pyre1 
and these  with all reverence they took 
away4    ,thus is the story told of ,him
 who cast aside earthly love and riches 
and  power that he might open the way to
 the myriads of mankind who have        
trodden it after him and who will tread 
it until all things merge in the  unity 
and reconcilement of the ,peace4 ,for   
like a bright shining went  forth the   
words of the ,lord unto the ends of the 
earth1 and those  countries that have   
not heard shall yet hear and rejoice1   
for in ,him  were all wisdom and all    
love4 ,and ,kings and ,emperors have    
heard and  adored1 and peasants looked  
up in gladness to see the night of      
sorrow  dawn into the sunrise of joy4   
,and for that man who desires no longer 

the illusions of earth1  ended--ended is
 the passing from death to death1 the   
illusion of that  false self and ego    
being slain over whom alone death has   
dominion6 ,for  the ,all in whom we are 
,one is life and not death4    ,yet do  
not think that all the appearances of   
this world are wholly  illusion for that
 was not the ,teaching of the ,lord4    
,no2 but he taught  that the five senses
 cannot see nor hear nor touch nor the  
dissolving  brain apprehend ,absolute   
,truth1 and that this being so there is 
only  relative truth for those          
unenlightened who see but as in a glass 
darkly1  while those who have attained  
enlightenment1 as did ,he who has thus  
,attained1 behold the ,truth face to    
face4    ,therefore here we see things  
but as they can appear to us and not in 
their true ,being1 and are most mistaken
 and deceived4    ,furthermore it is a  
strange thing and not to be uttered in  
words how by  following the narrow way  
of right thinking and right doing is the

  cleansed perception attained4 ,but the
 ,lord said3 8,do thus and thus1 and    
you shall know40 ,and so it is4    ,and 
to the weak and poor in spirit as to the
 great of mind he did not  say3         
8,believe this1 for so it is told you0  
but 8,do this1 and little by  little1 as
 when a man climbs a mountain the earth 
unfolds beneath him1  for yourselves you
 shall see and know1 needing no         
testimony from  another--,no1 not even  
from the ancient scriptures1 the ,vedas1
 the  ,vedanta or any ,brahman nor      
another4 ,for the ,kingdom of ,heaven is
 within  you4 ,look inward and see it   
and be glad40 ,thus the ,lord taught and
 so it  was4    ,and because this is so 
,i who have seen many teachings of the  
old  writings and of the ,brahmans pass 
away in later knowledge have never  seen
 one jot or one tittle of the ,law pass 
rebuked into oblivion1  neither shall   
,i1 nor any other4 ,knowledge is a good 
thing and a great1  but all knowledge   
that comes through the brain and the    

five senses shall  be rebuked later or  
sooner by the majesty of the ,truth and 
shall crumble  and pass4 ,only he who   
perceives beyond knowledge and sees     
beyond sight  can apprehend these       
matters and so sit above error1 being   
one with the  ,one1 and beyond that is  
the ,nirvana1 and even beyond the       
,nirvana it may  well be there are      
states inconceivable in glory4    ,as   
for the ignorant1 nothing is as they    
think it and they move through a  world 
of distorted forms most alien to the    
,truth1 just as in the lower            
consciousness of insect1 reptile1 and   
beast the forms perceived by them  are  
still more alien from the ,truth1 for   
consciousness evolves from  lowly       
beginnings4 ,and this must be so since  
the thing seen is shaped by  him who    
sees it through his own fettered        
consciousness1 the limits of  which he  
can in no way escape until he reaches   
that perception to which  the perception
 of the ignorant is as the snail's or   

worm's to the man's4    ,yet let us not 
think that ,reality is far from us4 ,it 
lies about and in  us and we walk in it 
and see it not1 and in the higher       
perception bright  things move about us 
and we of the lower perception see them 
no more  than the blind man the sunshine
 in which he sits1 and they touch us    
with  strange instincts and visitings   
through the dark and we do not know1 and
  our heart calls them to come nearer   
and there is silence4    ,so1 for those 
who have eyes to see and ears to hear1  
the ,blessed ,one  summed up all        
teachings of the wise men of old and    
those who are yet to  come1 and no more 
can be added to it though it shall be   
more clearly  understood as time and    
knowledge join hands4 ,therefore walk in
 the ,way4    ,and whereas there are    
wise men of the ,west who teach that    
there is but  one life in this world of 
form and illusion1 one hope of          
development and  knowledge1--,i say     
this3 ,very wise and near the ,truth    

must be those men  of the ,west if one  
life of twenty1 thirty1 ninety years    
suffices to free  them from the fetters 
of ignorance and render them perfect as 
their  ,father in ,heaven 7for so they  
phrase it7 is perfect4 ,with us this is 
not  so1 nor yet do we hold that any of 
the ,buddhas can pay the debt of        
another nor lift his sins from his      
shoulders1 holding that the debt        
incurred must be paid by the debtor1 and
 this for the sake of immortal  ,justice
 and for his own sake also4 ,for the    
,law is evolution in the  innermost as  
in the mortal body4 ,first the lowly    
beginning1 the seed in  black earth4    
,then the tender shoot1 the waxing      
strength of trunk and  bough till they  
can bear the glory of expanding blossom1
 and last1 the  perfect fruit4 ,and in  
one life this cannot be4 ,and so have   
all the  ,buddhas taught4    ,yet       
another thing4 ,it was said by our      
,wisest that the man who truly          
perceives sits above good and evil and  

may do what he will4 ,is this a  hard   
saying8 ,how can it be8    ,it is       
because the ,truth is now his will4 ,it 
is his being2 he sits in it  and it in  
him1 and the ,truth and he are one4 ,how
 should such a man  think2 8,this is    
right4 ,i will do it4 ,this is evil2 ,i 
will not do it10  any more than he will 
think2 8,i must breathe or ,i shall     
die10  considering each breath or       
heart-beat8 ,how can sin draw him any   
more  than the writhing of the snake    
tempts to imitation the man who walks   
erect8 ,these things are the necessary  
laws of the beginner in the ,way4  ,they
 are stages of the ,noble ,eightfold    
,path1 but for the ,enlightened1  they  
who see things as they are1 laws have no
 meaning1 for they  themselves are ,law4
    ,and this is the faith that must    
triumph1 for ,wisdom is its sceptre and 
,knowledge its footstool1 and the       
science of the schools its slave to     
follow where it has led the way4    ,did
 not the ,blessed ,one say--8,we know4  

,he who has thus ,attained has  nothing 
to do with theories40    ,and great is  
the patience of the ,law1 for ,eternity 
is its own and of  time it knows        
nothing4    ,and now in ending ,i write 
down a few maxims which the wise have   
made for  those who did not see the     
,face nor hear the ,voice of ,him who   
has thus  ,attained1 that they also may 
consider and attain4 ,for these are     
steps on  the ,way4 8,let a man learn to
 comprehend the ,true ,nature of the    
,world of  ,law4 ,then will he perceive 
that all things are but the production  
of  ,mind40    8,in all living creatures
 there exists and has existed from the  
beginning  the nature of the ,law4 ,all1
 by this nature1 contain the original   
essence  of ,enlightenment4 ,wherefore  
birth and death and even the ,nirvana   
itself  are transcended and become for  
us a dream of the night that is gone1   
being lost in a greater ,light40    8,to
 the eye of flesh1 plants and trees     
appear to be gross matter4 ,but to  the 

eye of the ,buddha they are composed of 
minute spiritual particles40    8,grass1
 trees1 countries1 the earth itself1 all
 these shall wholly enter  into         
,enlightenment40    8,hail to the       
,buddhas of the ,three ,worlds1 who are 
all but ,one in the ,one  ,mind40    ,so
 ,i end4    ,with lips of clay have ,i  
told that which cannot be uttered and   
with  mortal thought have ,i set forth  
the ,highest4 ,and well ,i knew this    
could  not be1 for it is above the flesh
 and the tongue cannot speak it4        
,glory to the ,blessed ,one1 the ,holy1 
the ,perfect in ,enlightenment6         
,,the ,,end                             
,,transcriber ,,notes    ,misspelled    
words and printer errors have been      
corrected4 ,where multiple  spellings   
occur1 majority use has been employed4  
,punctuation has been maintained except 
where obvious printer errors  occur4    
,a cover was created for this e,book and
 is placed in the public domain4    ,the
 end of ,the ,splendour of ,asia by     

,elizabeth ,louisa ,moresby 7as ,l4     
,adams ,beck7