§ 2. Conversion of Sunita, the Sweeper

1. There lived in Rajagraha a scavenger, by name Sunita. He earned his living as a road sweeper, sweeping away the rubbish thrown by the householders on the roadside. His was a low and hereditary occupation.

2. One day in the early hours of the dawn, the Blessed One rose, dressed himself, and walked into Rajagraha for alms, followed by a large number of Bhikkus.

3. Now Sunita was cleaning the street, collecting scraps, rubbish, and so on into heaps, and filling therewith the basket which he carried on a yoke.

4. And when he saw the Master and his train approaching, his heart was filled with joy and awe.

5. Finding no place to hide in on the road, he placed his yoke in a bend in the wall, and stood as if stuck to the wall, saluting the Lord with clasped hands.

6. Then the Lord, when he had come near, spoke to him in voice divinely sweet, saying, “Sunita! What to you is this wretched mode of living? Can you endure to leave home and come into the Order?”

7. And Sunita, experiencing the rapture of one who has been sprinkled with Ambrosia, said, “If even such as the Exalted One may in this life take Orders, why should I not? May the Exalted One suffer me to come forth.”

8. Then the Master said, “Come, Bhikku!” And Sunita by that word received sanction and ordination and was invested with bowl and robes.

9. The Master, leading him to the Vihar, taught him the Dhamma and the Discipline, and said, “By the discipline of holy life, restraint and mastery of self, a man becomes holy.”

10. When asked how Sunita became so great, the Buddha said, “As on a rubbish-heap on [a] highway cast, a lily may grow, fragrant and sweet, so among rubbish-creatures, worldlings blind, by insight shines the very Buddha’s child.”

§ 3. Conversion of Sopaka and Suppiya, the Untouchables

1. Sopaka was a pariah of Shravasti. In her travail at his birth, his mother fell into a long deep swoon, so that her husband and kinsfolk said “She is dead!” And they bore her to the cemetery and prepared to cremate her body.

2. But on account of the storm of wind and rain, the fire would not burn. So they went away, leaving Sopaka’s mother on the funeral pyre.

3. Sopaka’s mother was not then dead. She died afterwards. Before her death she gave birth to a child.

4. The child was adopted by the watchman of the cemetery, and was brought up by him along with his own child Suppiya. The child was known by the name of the community, Sopaka, to which its mother belonged.

5. The Blessed Lord one day happened to pass by the cemetery. Sopaka, seeing the Lord, approached him. After saluting the Lord, he asked his permission to join him as his disciple.

6. Sopaka was then only seven years old. So the Lord asked him to obtain his father’s consent.

7. Sopaka went and fetched his father. The father saluted the Lord, and requested him to admit his son to the Order.

8. Notwithstanding that he belonged to the pariah community, the Lord admitted him to the Order, and instructed him in the doctrine and discipline.

9. Sopaka later became a Thera.

10. Suppiya and Sopaka had grown together from childhood; and Sopaka having been adopted and brought up by Suppiya’s father, Suppiya learned the Lord’s doctrine and discipline from his companion, Sopaka, and requested Sopaka to admit him to the Order, although Sopaka belonged to a community which was lower in rank than the community to which Suppiya belonged.

11. Sopaka agreed; and Suppiya, a member who belonged to the despised community whose occupation was to perform the duties of watchmen in the cemetery, became a Bhikku.

§ 4. Conversion of Sumangala and other Low Castes

1. Sumangala was a peasant of Shravasti. He earned his living by work in the fields, working with a little sickle, plough and spade.

2. Channa was a native of Kapilavatsu, and was a slave in the house of Suddhodana.

3. Dhanniya was a resident of Rajagraha. He was a potter.

4. Kappata-Kura was a native of Shravasti. The only way he knew of to support himself, was to go about, clad in rags, pan in hand, seeking for rice-grains. Hence he became known as Kappata-Kura–”Rags and-rice.” When grown up, he maintained himself by selling grass.

5. All of them sought from the Buddha permission to become Bhikkus and enter the Order. The Buddha, without hesitation and without caring for their low birth or their previous condition, admitted them into the Order.

§5. Conversion of Supprabuddha, the Leper

1. Once the Exalted One was staying near Rajagraha, in the bamboo grove, at the squirrels’ feeding-ground.

2. Now there lived in Rajagraha at that time a certain man who was a leper, named Supprabuddha, a poor, wretched, miserable creature.

3. And it happened at that time that the Exalted One was sitting there in the midst of a great multitude, teaching the Dhamma.

4. And Supprabuddha, the leper, saw from afar the multitude gathered together, and at the sight he thought, “Without a doubt an alms-giving of food, both hard and soft, is toward yonder. Suppose I draw near to yonder crowd, I might get there something to eat, food soft or hard.”

5. So Supprabuddha, the leper, drew near that crowd, and he beheld the Exalted One sitting there amid a great crowd, preaching the Norm. So, seeing the Exalted One he thought, “No. There is no alms-giving here of food. It is Gotama the Samana preaching the Dhamma in the assembly. Suppose I were to listen to his teaching.”

6. So he sat down at one side, thinking, “I too will listen to the teaching.”

7. Now the Exalted One, reading with His thought the thoughts of that whole gathering, said to Himself, “Who, I wonder, of these present, is able to grasp the Truth?” Then He saw Supprabuddha, the leper, sitting in the crowd; and at the sight of him He knew, “This one can grasp the Truth.”

8. So for the sake of Supprabuddha, the leper, the Master preached a sermon, dealing in due order with these topics: on alms-giving, on the holy life, and on the heaven-world; and He pointed out the meanness and vileness of sensual desires, and the profit of freedom from the asavas.

9. Now when the Exalted One saw that the heart of Supprabuddha, the leper, was softened, pliant, set free, elated, and full of faith, then He set forth to him the Dhamma most excellent of the Buddha: to wit, suffering, the cause of suffering, the ceasing of suffering, and the path.

10. Then, just as a white cloth, free from stains, is ready to receive the dye, even so in Supprabuddha, the leper, as he sat there in that very place, arose the pure stainless insight of the Truth, the knowledge that whatsoever hath a beginning, that also must have an end. And Supprabuddha, the leper, saw the Truth, reached the Truth, perceived the truth, plunged into the Truth, crossed beyond doubting, was freed from all questionings, won confidence, and needing nothing further, being established in the Master’s teaching, sprang up from his seat and drew near to Him, and there he sat down at one side.

11. So seated he said to the Exalted One, “Excellent, O Lord, Excellent, O Lord, just as if, Lord, one should lift up the fallen, discover the hidden, point out the way to one bewildered, show a light in the gloom, saying, ‘Now they who have eyes to see can see shapes,’ even so in diverse ways has the Exalted One expounded the truth. I, even I, Lord, do go for refuge to the Exalted One, to the Norm and to the Order of Brethren. May the Exalted One accept me as His follower, as one who from this time forth even to life’s end has gone to refuge in Him.”

12. Thereupon Supprabuddha, the leper, being taught, established, roused, and made happy by the Exalted One’s pious talk, praised and welcomed His words, gave thanks and rose up from his seat, saluted the Exalted One by the right, and went away.

13. Unfortunately it came to pass that a young calf flung the leper Supprabuddha down and gored him to death.

Book Two, Part VII—Conversion of Women

1. *Conversion of Mahaprajapati Gautami, Yeshodhara, and her Companions* — 2. *Conversion of Prakrati, a Chandalika*

1 Conversion of Mahaprajapati Gautami, Yeshodhara, and her Companions

1. When the Blessed One had been on a visit to his father’s home, the desire to join the Sangh was as keen among the Sakya women as it was among the Sakya men.

2. The leader of such women was no other than Mahaprajapati Gautami.

3. Now at the time when the Blessed One was staying among the Sakyas in the Nigrodharama, Mahaprajapati Gautami went to him and said, “It would be well, Lord, if women were allowed to become Parivrajakas and enter the Sangh under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata!”

4. “Enough, O Gautami! Let not such a thought come into your mind.” And a second and a third time did Mahaprajapati make the same request in the same words, and a second and a third time did she receive the same reply.

5. Then Mahaprajapati Gautami, sad and sorrowful, bowed down before the Blessed One, and went away weeping and in tears.

6. After the Blessed One had left Nigrodharama for his wanderings, Mahaprajapati and the Sakya women sat together to give further consideration to their request for admission to the Sangh, and the refusal of the Lord to grant such a request.

7. The Sakya women refused to take the Lord’s refusal as final. They decided to go further: to assume the garb of a Parivrajaka and present the Lord with a fait accompli.

8. Accordingly Mahaprajapati Gautami cut off her hair and put on orange-coloured robes, and set out with a number of women of the Sakya clan on her journey to meet the Lord, who was at that time staying in Vesali in the Mahavana in the Kutagara Hall.

9. In due course Mahaprajapati Gautami with her companions arrived at Vesali, and with swollen feet and covered with dust, came to the Kutogara Hall.

10. Again she made the same request to the Blessed Lord which she had made when he was staying at Nigrodharama, and he refused it again.

11. On receiving his refusal a second time, Mahaprajapati withdrew, and was standing outside the entrance of the hall not knowing what to do. While she was so standing, Ananda, on his way to the hall saw her and recognised her.

12. He then asked Mahaprajapati, “Why standest thou there, outside the porch, with swollen feet, covered with dust, and sorrowful, weeping and in tears?” “Inasmuch, O Ananda, as the Lord, the Blessed One, does not permit women to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata,” said Mahaprajapati.

13. Then did the Venerable Ananda go up to the place where the Blessed One was, and bowed down before the Blessed One, and take [=took] his seat on one side. And, so sitting, the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One, “Behold, Lord; Mahaprajapati Gautami is standing outside under the entrance porch, with swollen feet, covered with dust, sad and sorrowful, weeping and in tears, inasmuch as the Blessed One does not permit women to renounce their homes and enter the homeless state under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Blessed One. It were well, Lord, if women were to have permission granted to them to do as she desires.

14. “Has not Mahaprajapati proved herself of great service to the Blessed One, when as aunt and nurse she nourished him and gave him milk, and on the death of his mother suckled the Blessed One at her own breast; it were, therefore, well, Lord, that women should have permission to go forth from the household life and enter the homeless state, under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Tathagata.”

15. “Enough, Ananda! Let it not [be?], please, that women should be allowed to do so.” A second time and a third time did Ananda make the same request, in the same words, and received the same reply.

16. Then the Venerable Ananda asked the Blessed One, “What can be the ground, Lord, for your refusal to allow women to take Parivraja?

17. “The Lord knows that the Brahmins hold that the Shudras and women cannot reach moksha (Salvation) because they are unclean and inferior. They do therefore not allow Shudras and women to take Parivraja. Does the Blessed One hold the same view as the Brahmins?

18. Has not the Blessed One allowed the Shudras to take Parivraja and join the Sangh in the same way he has done to the Brahmins? What is the ground, Lord, for treating women differently?

19. Does the Blessed One hold that women are not capable of reaching Nibbana, under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by the Blessed One?”

20. The Blessed One replied, “Ananda! Do not misunderstand me. I hold that women are as much capable as men in the matter of reaching Nibbana. Ananda! do not misunderstand me, I am not an upholder of the doctrine of sex inequality. My rejection of Mahaprajapati’s request is not based on sex inequality. It is based on practical grounds.”

21. “I am happy, Lord, to know the real reason. But must the Lord refuse her request because of practical difficulties? Would not such an act bring the Dhamma into discredit, and make it open to the charge of upholding sex inequality? Could not the Lord devise some rules to get over such practical difficulties by which the Lord is worried?”

22. “Well, Ananda, I grant, if Mahaprajapati insists, that women must be allowed to take Parivraja under the doctrine and discipline proclaimed by me. But it shall be subject to eight conditions. Let Mahaprajapati Gautami take upon herself the responsibility of enforcing the Eight Chief Rules. That will be her initiation.”

23. Then the Venerable Ananda, when he learnt from the Blessed One these Eight Chief Rules, went to Mahaprajapati Gautami and told her all that the Blessed One had said.

24. “Just, Ananda, as a man or a woman, when young and of tender years, accustomed to adorn himself, would, when he had bathed his head, receive with both hands a garland of lotus flowers, or of jasmine flowers, or of stimutaka flowers, and place it on the top of his head; even so do I, Ananda, take upon me these Eight Chief Rules, never to be transgressed during my lifelong [=lifetime],” said Mahaprajapati to Ananda.

25. Then the Venerable Ananda returned to the Blessed One, and bowed down before him, and took his seat on one side. And so sitting, the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One, “Mahaprajapati Gautami, Lord, has taken upon herself the responsibility for the enforcement of the Eight Chief Rules; she may therefore be regarded as having received the Upasampada initiation (entry into the Sangha).”

26. Now Mahaprajapati received ordination, and 500 Sakya ladies who had come with her were also ordained at the same time. Thus ordained, great Prajapati came before the Master, and saluting him, stood on one side, and the Blessed One taught her the Dhamma, the doctrine, and the discipline.

27. The other five hundred Bhikkhunis were ininstructed by Nandaka, one of the disciples of the Blessed One.

28. Among the Sakya women who became Bhikkhunis along with Mahaprajapati was Yeshodhara. After her initiation she came to be known as Bhadda Kaccana.

§ 2. Conversion of Prakrati, a Chandalika

1. Once the Blessed Lord was living in Shravasti, in the Jetavana Arama of Anathpindika.

2. It so happened that Ananda, his disciple, had gone into the city to beg for alms. After eating his food, Ananda was going to the river for drinking water.

3. He saw a girl on the river bank filling her pot. Ananda asked her to give him some water.

4. The girl, whose name was Prakrati, refused, saying she was a Chandalika.

5. Ananda said, “I am concerned with water, I am not concerned with your caste.” The girl then gave him some water from her pot.

6. Thereafter, Ananda left for Jetavana. The girl followed him and saw where he was staying, and found that his name was Ananda and that he was a follower of the Buddha.

7. On returning home she told her mother, Matangi, what had happened; and falling on the ground, started weeping.

8. The mother asked for the cause of her weeping. The girl told the whole story, and said, “If you wish to marry me [=arrange my marriage], I can only marry Ananda. I will not marry anybody else.”

9. The mother started on an inquiry. On [her] return she told the girl that such a marriage was impossible, for Ananda was under a vow of celibacy.

10. On hearing this news, the girl was filled with extreme sorrow, and gave up food. She was not prepared to take things as though it was a decree of fate. So she said, “Mother, you know the art of sorcery, don’t you? Why don’t you employ it to achieve our purpose?” The mother said, “I will see what can be done.”

11. Matangi invited Ananda to her house for a meal. The girl became very happy. Matangi then told Ananda that her daughter was very anxious to marry him. Ananda replied, “I am vowed to be celibate, and therefore I cannot marry any woman.”

12. “If you do not marry my daughter, she will commit suicide, so attached she is to you,” Matangi told Ananda. “But I cannot help [this],” replied Ananda.

13. Matangi went inside, and told her daughter that Ananda refused to marry her.

14. The girl cried, “Mother, where is your sorcery?” The mother said, “My sorcery cannot win against the Tathagata.”

15. The girl shouted and said, “Close the door, and do not allow him to go out. I shall see that he becomes my husband this very night.”

16. The mother did what the girl wanted her to do. As night fell the mother brought in[to] the room a bed. The girl, dressed in her best, stepped in. But Ananda remained unmoved.

17. The mother at last used her sorcery. As a result, a fire broke out in the room. The mother then held Ananda by his clothes and said, “If you will not agree to marry my daughter, I will throw you in this fire.” However, Ananda did not yield; and the mother and the daughter, feeling helpless, left him free.

18. Ananda, on his return, told the Blessed Lord all that had happened.

19. On the second day the girl came to Jetavana in search of Ananda. Ananda was going out for alms. Ananda saw her and wanted to avoid her. But the girl followed him wherever he went.

20. When Ananda returned to Jetavana, he found the girl waiting at the door of his Vihar.

21. Ananda told the Blessed One how the girl was pursuing him. The Blessed One sent for her.

22. When the girl appeared before him, the Blessed One asked her why she was pursuing Ananda. The girl replied that she was intent on marrying him. “I have heard he is unmarried and I am also unmarried.”

23. The Bhagavan said, “Ananda is a Bhikku, and he has no hair on his head. If you can get yourself clean shaven I shall see what could be done.”

24. The girl replied, “I am prepared for it.” The Bhagavan said, “You must get your mother’s permission for undergoing tonsure.”

25. The girl returned to her mother and said, “Mother! I have achieved what you failed to achieve. The Bhagavan has promised to get me married to Ananda if I undergo tonsure.”

26. The mother grew angry and said, “You must not do that. You are my daughter, and you must keep hair. Why are you so eager to marry a Shramana, Ananda? I can get you married to a better man.”

27. She replied, “I will either die, or marry Ananda. There is no third alternative for me.”

28. The Mother said, “Why are you insulting me?” The girl said, “If you love me you must let me do as I wish.”

29. The mother withdrew her objection, and the girl underwent tonsure.

30.. Then the girl presented herself before the Blessed Lord, saying, ” I have tonsured my head as directed by you.”

31. The Blessed Lord then asked her, “What do you want? What part of his body you cherish?” The girl said, “I am in love with his nose, I am in love with his mouth, I am in love with his ears, I am in love with his voice, I am in love with his eyes, and I am in love with his gait.”

32. The Blessed Lord then said to the girl, “Do you know that the eyes are the home of tears, the nose is the home of dirt, the mouth is the home of spit, the ear is the home of dirt, and the body is the container of dung and urine?”

33. “When men and women come together they procreate children. But where there is birth there is death also; where there is death there is sorrow also. My dear girl, what are you going to get by marrying Ananda? I do not know.”

34. The girl began to cogitate, and agreed that there was no purpose in her marriage with Ananda, on which she was so intent; and she told the Blessed Lord accordingly.

35. After saluting the Blessed Lord, the girl said, “Owing to ignorance, I was going in pursuit of Ananda. My mind is now enlightened. I am like a sailor whose ship, after a mishap, has reached the other bank. I am like an unprotected aged person who has found protection. I am like the blind who has got new sight. The Blessed Lord by his wise words of advice has awakened me from my sleep.”

36. “Blessed art thou, Prakrati, for though you are a Chandalika you will be a model for noblemen and noblewomen. You are of low caste, but Brahmins will learn a lesson from you. Swerve not from the path of justice and righteousness and you will outshine the royal glory of queens on the throne.”

37. The marriage having failed, the only course for her was to join the Bhikkhuni Sangh.

38. Having expressed her wish she was admitted into it, though she belonged to the lowest class.

Book Two, Part VIII—Conversion of the Fallen and the Criminals

1. *Conversion of a Vagabond* — 2. *Conversion of Angulimala, the Robber* — 3. *Conversion of Other Criminals* — 4. *Risk of Conversion*

§ 1 Conversion of a Vagabond

1. There was in olden times a certain disorderly person living in Rajagraha, who neither reverenced his parents nor paid respect to his superiors, but always had resort to sacrifice and worship of the sun and moon and fire when he went wrong, hoping thereby to get merit, and feel happy in himself.

2. But notwithstanding all his bodily exercises, in worship and offerings, he found no peace, even after three years’ incessant perseverance.

3. He at length resolved to go to Shravasti to inquire of the Buddha. Arrived there, and seeing the glory of his person, he fell down at his feet, and said how he was pleased.

4. Then the Lord explained the folly of animal sacrifice, and the senselessness of all such exercises where the heart was untouched, and where there was no final reverence or dutiful behaviour to those to whom it belonged; and in, conclusion recited certain gathas which, resplendent with glory, lit up the place and all the surrounding country with the brightness of his presence.

5. On this, the villagers, and especially the parents of the children, came near to worship him.

6. On seeing the parents, and hearing their account of the children, Buddha smiled, and recited these gathas:

7. “The great man is entirely free from covetous desire; he dwells in a place of light, himself enlightened. Although perchance he meets with sorrow, he rejoices; without consternation, he exhibits his wisdom.

8. “The wise man (bhadra) concerns himself with no worldly business; he desires neither wealth, children, [n]or possessions (land), always carefully observing the precepts, and walking in the way of supreme wisdom, he hankers not after strange doctrine (or wealth or honour).

9. “The wise man, knowing the character of instability, as a tree in the midst of sand, (uses every effort) to change his friend whose mind is unfixed, and to bring him back from impurity to virtue (purity).”

§ 2 Conversion of Angulimala, the Robber

1. There was in the realm of Pasenadi, king of Kosala, a robber named Angulimala, a ruffian whose hands were red with blood, who was always killing and wounding, and showed no mercy to any living creature. Because of him, what had been villages were villages no more, what had been townships were townships no more, and what had been countryside was countryside no more.

2. From every human being whom he slew, he took a finger to make for himself a necklace, and so got his name of “Necklace of Fingers.”

3. Once when the Lord was staying in Shravasti in Jeta’s grove, he had heard of the ravages committed by the robber Angulimala. The Blessed Lord decided to convert him into a righteous man. So one day, after taking his meal and after putting away his bedding, and then, with robes and bowl, set out on his journey to find the robber Angulimala.

4. Seeing him journeying thither, neatherds, goatherds, ploughmen, and wayfarers called out, “Don’t go that way, recluse! It will take you to the robber Angulimala.

5. “Why, even when, ten, twenty, thirty, or forty people band themselves together to travel this road, the whole company falls into the robber’s hands!” But, without a word, the Lord held on to his way.

6. A second time, and yet a third time, those near there and the rest repeated their warning; but still, without a word, the Lord went his way.

7. From some way off the robber saw the Lord coming and marvelled exceedingly that, where even companies of ten to fifty travellers dare not come his way, this solitary recluse should be seen to be forcing his way alone; and the robber was minded to slay ‘this recluse.’ So, armed with sword and buckler, and with his bow and quiver, the robber followed up the Lord’s trail.

8. The Lord, while he himself was proceeding at his wonted pace, the robber, for all his efforts, could not catch him up [=catch up to him].

9. Thought the robber, “This is a wonderful and marvellous thing. Heretofore, I could always overtake an elephant, or horse, or carriage, or deer, when going full speed; and yet here am I unable, despite all my efforts, to overtake this recluse while he proceeds at his wonted pace.” So he stopped and shouted to the Lord to stop.

10. When the two met the Lord said, “I have stopped, Angulimala, for your sake. Will you stop following your career of an evil doer? I have been pursuing you in order to win you over, to convert you to the path of righteousness. The good in you is not yet dead. If you will only give it a chance, it will transform you.”

11. Angulimala felt overcome by the words of the Blessed One, saying, “At last this sage has tracked me down.”

12. “And now that thy hallowed words ask me to renounce evil deeds forever, I am prepared to give myself a trial,” replied Angulimala.

13. Angulimala threw into a deep abyss the string of his victims’ fingers which he wore round his neck, and fell at the Master’s feet and craved admission to the Brotherhood.

14. The Lord, the guide of gods and men, said, “Almsman, follow me”; and almsman since that summons Angulimala did become.

15. With Angulimala as his almsman in attendance, the Lord now proceeded on his way to the pleasance in Shravasti. At this very time the portals of King Pasenadi’s inner palace were beset by a huge crowd loudly shouting that in the realm he had conquered there was a robber named Angulimala, a ruffian who was committing ravages and was killing and wounding innocent people and who took pride in wearing a necklace made of fingers of victims whom he slew. “Suppress him, sire,” they cried. Pasenadi promised to run him down to earth. But he failed.

16. One morning King Pasenadi went to the pleasance to see the Lord. The Blessed Lord inquired, “What is the matter, sire? Is there trouble with Seniya Bimbisara of Magadha, or with Licchavis of Vesali, or with any other hostile power?”

17.”No trouble at all of that sort, sir. In my realms there is a robber named Angulimala who is infesting my territories and harassing my subjects. I want to suppress him but I have failed.”

18. “If now, sire, you were to see Angulimala with his hair and beard off, in the yellow robes, as a pilgrim who kills not. steals not, lies not, eats but one meal a day, and leads the higher life in virtue and goodness,–what would you do to him?”

19. “Sir, I would salute him, or rise to meet him, or would invite him to be seated, or invite him to accept robes and other requisites, or I would extend to him the defence, protection and safeguards which are his due. But how could the shadow of such virtue ever extend to one so wicked and depraved?”

20. At that moment the Reverend Angulimala was seated quite close to the Lord–who, stretching forth his right arm, said, “This, sire, is Angulimala!”

21. At this the king in his alarm became dumbfounded, with every hair of his body standing erect. Seeing this, the Lord said, “Fear not, sire; fear not; there is no cause for fear here.”

22. So the king’s fears and alarm abated; and across to the reverend Angulimala he went, saying, “Is your reverence indeed Angulimala?” “Yes, sire.”

23. “What sire, was your father’s family, and your mother’s ?” “My father was a Gagga, sire, and my mother a Mantani.”

24. “Be of good cheer, Gagga Mantani-putta; I will take care to supply you with all requisites.”

25. Now at the time, the Reverend Angulimala having pledged to be resident in the wilds, subsisting on alms, and wearing clothes from the dust heap not exceeding three in number, he declined the king’s offer on the ground that he had already got his full three robes.

26. Then the king went across to the Lord and, after salutations, seated himself to the one side, saying; “It is wonderful, sir, it is marvellous, what a tamer of the untamed the Lord is, how he quells the unquelled, and how he calms the uncalmed! Here is one whom I could not subdue with cudgel and sword; but without either cudgel or sword the Lord has subdued him! And now, sir, I must be going, for I have much to do and attend to.”

27. “When Your Majesty pleases.” Then, rising from his seat, the king saluted the Lord with deep reverence and withdrew.

28. One day when, duly robed and bowl in hand, Angulimala had gone into Shravasti for alms, he was hit by a clod flung by one man, by a club flung by a second and by a potsherd flung by a third, so that it was with a broken head streaming with blood, with his bowl smashed, and with his cloak in tatters, that he presented himself before the Lord. Seeing him drawing near, the Lord said to Angulimala, “Endure it all, endure it all.”

29. Thus did Angulimala the robber become a righteous man by accepting the teachings of the Buddha.

30. Expressing the joy of the bliss of deliverance he said, “Who shows zeal, where zeal was none, who with virtue clokes his past, who in youth to Buddha cleaves, he, like the moon, floods earth with light.

31. “Let my foes hear this gospel, embrace this creed and follow wisdom’s sons who cleave to it. Let my foes hear in season, love’s message which is meek forbearance–and conform their lives to it.

32. “As ‘Finger Necklace,’ I, bandit, lived and whirled downstream, till He brought me to land. As ‘Finger Necklace,’ I was steeped in blood; saved now am I.”

§ 3. Conversion of Other Criminals

1. There was to the south of Rajagraha a great mountain, distant from the city about 200 li.

2. Through this mountain there was a pass, deep and lonely, through which the road to South India lay.

3. Five hundred robbers had taken up their abode in this defile, who used to murder and rob all travellers that passed that way.

4. The king had vainly sent his forces to capture them, but they always escaped.

5. The Buddha, residing in the neighbourhood, and considering the case of these men, that they understood not the nature of their conduct, and that although he had come into the world to teach them, yet their eyes had not seen him, nor their ears heard the tidings of his law, he resolved to go to them.

6. Consequently he transformed himself into a man richly dighted, on a well-caparisoned steed, with his sword and bow, with bags of silver and gold on his saddle-bow, and precious stones studding his horse’s bravery.

7. On entering the defile, loud neighed his steed. On hearing the sound the 500 robbers started up, and spying the traveller, exclaimed, “Never have we had such a prospect of booty; let us be up, and capture him!”

8. So they proceeded to surround the traveller, with a view to prevent his escape; but on seeing him they fell on the ground.

9. On their falling to the ground, they exclaimed, “What God is this?” “What God is this?”

10. On this the traveller began to explain that such hurts and pains as they give and receive were trivial compared with the pain caused by the sorrow that rules the world, and the wounds of unbelief and doubt; and that nought but the wisdom resulting from earnest attention (hearing) to the Scriptures could heal such wounds; and then he added these words and said:

11. “There is no painful wound so bad as sorrow–no piercing arrow so sharp as folly. Nothing can remedy these but an earnest attention to religious instruction. From this the blind receive sight, the deluded are enlightened.

12. “Men are guided and led by this, as eyes given to them without eyes.

13. “This, then, is able to dispel unbelief, to remove sorrow, to impart joy; the highest wisdom is the lot of those who hear.”

14. “This is the title of him who has acquired the greatest merit (most to be revered).”

15. On hearing this the robbers repented of their evil lives, and the arrows, of themselves, left their bodies, and their wounds were healed.

16. They then became disciples, and obtained rest and peace.

§ 4. Risk of Conversion

1. In olden times, Buddha was residing in a country about 500 li from Rajagraha, full of mountains. In these mountains there lived a certain clan of about 122 persons, who occupied themselves in hunting, and fed themselves on the flesh of the animals they killed.

2. (Buddha goes to the place and converts the women, who were left alone during the day, whilst their husbands were hunting, and then adds these lines.)

3. “He who is humane does not kill (or, it is humane not to kill); he is ever able to preserve (his own?) life.

4. “This principle (chu) is imperishable; whoever observes it, no calamity shall betide that man.

5. “Politeness, indifference to wordly things, hurting no one, without place for annoyance–this is the character of the Brahma Heaven (or of Brahma Deva).

6. “Ever exercising love towards the infirm; pure, according to the teaching of Buddha; knowing when sufficient has been had; knowing when to stop,–this is to escape (the recurrence of) birth and death.”

The women, having heard these words, were converted, and on the men’s return, although they wished at first to kill Buddha, they were restrained by their wives; and, listening to these words of love, they also were converted.

7. And then he added these lines.

8. “There are eleven advantages which attend the man who practices mercifulness, and is tender to all that lives.

9. “His body is always in health (happy); he is blessed with peaceful sleep; and when engaged in study he is also composed.”

10. “He has no evil dreams; he is protected by Heaven (Devas) and loved by man; he is unmolested by poisonous things, and escapes the violence of war; he is unharmed by fire or water.

11. “He is successful wherever he lives; and when dead goes to the Heaven of Brahma. These are the eleven.”

12. Having uttered these words, both men and women were admitted into the company of his disciples, and obtained rest.

BOOK THREE: WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT

Book Three, Part I—His Place in His Dhamma

1. *The Buddha claimed no place for Himself in His Own Dhamma* — 2. *The Buddha did not promise to give salvation. He said He was Marga Data (Way Finder) and not Moksha Data (Giver of Salvation)* — 3. *The Buddha did not claim any Divinity for Himself or for His Dhamma. It was discovered by man for man. It was not a Revelation*

§ 1. The Buddha claimed no place for Himself in His own Dhamma

1. Christ claimed to be the Prophet of Christianity.

2. He further claimed that he was the Son of God.

3. Christ also laid down the condition that there was no salvation for a person unless he accepted that Christ was the Son of God.

4. Thus Christ secured a place for Himself by making the salvation of the Christian depend upon his acceptance of Christ as the Prophet and Son of God.

5. Mohammad, the Prophet of Islam, claimed that he was a Prophet sent by God.

6. He further claimed that no one could get salvation unless he accepted two other conditions.

7. A seeker of salvation in Islam must accept that Mohammad is the Prophet of God.

8. A seeker after salvation in Islam must further accept that he is the last prophet.

9. Salvation in Islam is thus ensured only to those who accept these two conditions.

10. Mohammad thus secured a place for Himself by making the salvation of the Muslim depend upon his acknowledgement of Mohammed as the Prophet of God.

11. No such condition was ever made by the Buddha.

12. He claimed that he was no more than the natural son of Suddhodana and Mahamaya.

13. He carved for himself no place in his religion by laying down any such conditions regarding himself for salvation as Jesus and Mahommad did.

14. That is the reason why we are left to know so little about himself even though abundant material was available.

15. As is known, the first Buddhist congregation was held soon after the death of the Buddha at Rajagraha.

16. Kassyappa presided over the congregation. Anand, Upali and many others who belonged to Kapilavatsu and who wandered with him wherever he went, and were with him till his death, were present.

17. But what did Kassyappa the President do?

18. He asked Anand to repeat the Dhamma and put the question to the congregation, “Is this right?” They answered in the affirmative. And Kassyappa then closed the question.

19. Thereafter he asked Upali to repeat the Vinaya and put the question to the congregation, ” Is this right ?” They answered in the affirmative. Kassyappa then closed the question.

20. Kassyappa then should have put the third question to someone present in the congregation to record some important incidents in the life of the Buddha.

21. But Kassyappa did not. These were the only two questions with which he thought the Sangh was concerned.

22. If Kassyappa had collected the record of the Buddha’s life we would have had today a full-fledged biography of the Buddha.

23. Why did it not strike Kassyappa to collect the record about the Buddha’s life?

24. It could not be indifference. The only answer one can give is that the Buddha had carved no niche for himself in his religion.

25. The Buddha and his religion were quite apart.

26. Another illustration of the Buddha keeping himself out of his religion is to be found in his refusal to appoint a successor.

27. Twice or thrice the Buddha was requested by his followers to appoint a successor.

28. Every time the Buddha refused.

29. His answer was, “The Dhamma must be its own successor.

30. “Principle must live by itself, and not by the authority of man.

31. “If principle needs the authority of man, it is no principle.

32. “If every time it becomes necessary to invoke the name of the founder to enforce the authority of Dhamma, then it is no Dhamma.”

33. Such was the view he took of his own position regarding his Dhamma.

§ 2. The Buddha did not promise to give Salvation. He said He was Marga Data (Way Finder) and not Moksha Data (Giver of Salvation)

1. Most religions are described as revelations. But the Buddha’s religion is not a revelation.

2. A revealed religion is so called because it is a message of God to His creatures to worship their maker (i.e., God) and to save their souls.

3. Often the message is sent through a chosen individual who is called a prophet, to whom the message is revealed and who reveals it to the people. It is then called Religion.

4. The obligation of the prophet is to ensure salvation to the faithful.

5. Salvation of the faithful means the saving of their souls from being sent to hell, provided they obey God’s commands and recognise the prophet as his messenger.

6. The Buddha never claimed that he was a prophet or a messenger of God. He repudiated any such description.

7. A more important point than this is that his religion is a discovery. As such, it must be sharply distinguished from a religion which is called Revelation.

8. His religion is a discovery in the sense that it is the result of inquiry and investigation into the conditions of human life on earth; and understanding of the working of human instincts with which man is born; the moulding of his instincts and dispositions which man has formed as a result of history and tradition, and which are working to his detriment.

9. All prophets have promised salvation. The Buddha is the one teacher who did not make any such promise. He made a sharp distinction between a moksha data and a marga data, one who gives salvation and one who only shows the way.

10. He was only a marga data. Salvation must be sought by each for himself by his own effort.

11. He made this very clear to the Brahmin Moggallana in the following Sutta.

12. “Once the Exalted One was staying at Shravasti, in the East Park, at the [multi-]storeyed house of Migara’s mother.

13. “Then the Brahmin Moggallana, the accountant, came to the Exalted One and gave him friendly greeting, and after the exchange of courtesies sat down at one side. So seated, the Brahmin Moggallana, the accountant, said this to the Exalted One:

14. “‘Just as, Master Gautama, one gets a gradual view of this [multi-]storeyed house, a progress, a graduated path, and so on right up to the last step of the stairs, just so is the progressive training of us Brahmins: that is to say, in our course of study in the Vedas.’

15. “‘Just as in a course of archery, Gautama, with us the Brahmins, the training, the progress, the approach is step by step; for instance, in counting.’

16. “‘When we take a private pupil we make him count thus: ‘One one, twice two, thrice three, four times four, and so on up to a hundred.’ Now is it possible. Master Gautama, for you to point to a similar progressive training on the part of your followers in your Dhamma?’

17. “‘It is so, Brahmin. Take the case, Brahmin, of a clever horse-trainer. He takes a thoroughbred in hand, gives him his first lesson with bit and bridle, and then proceeds to the further course.’

18. “‘Just so, Brahmin, the Tathagata takes in hand a man who is to be trained and gives him his first lesson, thus: ‘Come thou, brother! Be virtuous. Abide, constrained by the restraint of the obligation.’

19. ‘Become versed in the practice of right behaviour; seeing danger in trifling faults, do you undertake the training and be a pupil in the moralities.’

20. “‘As soon as he has mastered all that, the Tathagata gives him his second lesson, thus: ‘Come thou brother! Seeing an object with the eye, be not charmed by its general appearance or its details.’

21. “‘Persist in the restraint of that dejection that comes from craving, caused by the sense of sight uncontrolled–these ill states, which would overwhelm one like a flood. Guard the sense of sight, win control over the sense of sight.’

22. “‘And so do with the other organs of sense. When you hear a sound with the ear, or smell a scent with the nose, taste a taste with the tongue, or with body touch things tangible, and when with mind you are conscious of a thing, be not charmed with its general appearance or its details.’

23. “‘As soon as he has mastered all that, the Tathagata gives him a further lesson, thus: ‘Come thou, brother! Be moderate in eating; earnest and heedful do you take your food, not for sport not for indulgence, not for adding personal charm or comeliness to body, but do it for body’s stabilising, for its support, for protection from harm, and for keeping up the practice of the righteous life, with this thought: ‘I check my former feeling. To no new feeling will I give rise, that maintenance and comfort may be mine.’

24. “‘Then, Brahmin, when he has won restraint in food, the Tathagata gives him a further lesson thus: ‘Come thou, brother! Abide given to watchfulness. By day, when walking or sitting, cleanse your heart from things that may hinder you. By night spend the first watch walking up and down or sitting, and do likewise. By night in the second watch, lie down on the right side in the posture of a lion, and placing one foot upon the other, mindful and self-possessed, set your thoughts on the idea of exertion. Then in the third watch of the night rise up, and walking up and down, or sitting, cleanse the heart of things that may hinder.’

25. “‘Then, Brahmin, when the brother is devoted to watchfulness, the Tathagata gives him a further lesson, thus: ‘Come thou, brother! Be possessed of mindfulness and self-control. In going forth or going back, have yourself under control. In looking forward or looking back, in bending or relaxing, in wearing robes or carrying robe and bowl, in eating, chewing, tasting, in easing yourself, in going, standing, sitting, lying, sleeping or waking, in speaking or keeping silence have yourself under control.’

26. “‘Then Brahmin, when he is possessed of self-control, the Tathagata gives him a further lesson thus: ‘Come thou, brother! Seek out a secluded lodging, a forest or root of a tree, a mountain or a cave or a mountain grotto, a charnel field, a forest retreat, the open air, a heap of straw.’ And he does so. And when he has eaten his food he sits down crosslegged, and keeping his body straight up, he proceeds to practise the four ecstacies.’

27. “‘Now, Brahmin, for all brothers who are pupils, who have not yet attained mastery of mind, who abide aspiring, for such is the manner of my training.’

28. “‘But as to those brethren who are arhants, who have destroyed the asavas, who have lived the life, done their task, laid down the burden, won their own salvation, utterly destroyed the fetters of becoming, and are released by the perfect insight, for such as those these things are conducive to ease in the present life and to mindful self-control as well.’

29. “When this was said, the Brahmin Moggallana, the accountant, said to the Exalted One :

30. “‘But tell me, Master Gautama. Do the disciples of the worthy Gautama,–do all of them win the absolute perfection which is Nibbana, or do some fail thus to attain?’

31. “Some of my disciples, Brahmin, thus advised and trained by me, do so attain. Others do not.”

32. “But what is the reason, Master Gautama? What is the cause, Master Gautama? Here we have Nibbana. Here we have the Path to Nibbana. Here we have the worthy Gautama as instructor. What is the reason, I say, why some disciples thus advised and trained do attain, while others do not attain?”

33. “That, Brahmin, is a question that I will answer. But first do you answer me this, so far as you think fit. Now how say you. Brahmin–Are you well skilled in the road to Rajagraha?”

34. “I am, master, Skilled indeed am I in the road to Rajagraha!’

35. “Well, thus instructed, thus advised, he takes the wrong road, and off he goes with his face set to the west.

36. “Then a second man comes up with the same request, and you give him the same instructions. He follows your advice and comes safe to Rajagraha.

37. “‘That is my business?’

38. “‘What do I in the matter. Brahmin? The Tathagata is one who only shows the way.’

39. Here is a full statement that he does not promise salvation. He only shows the way.

40. Besides, what is salvation?

41. With Mohammad and Jesus, salvation means saving the soul from being sent to hell, by the intercession of the Prophet.

42. With Buddha, salvation means Nibbana, and Nibbana means control of passions.

43. What promise of salvation can there be in such a Dhamma?

§ 3. The Buddha did not Claim any Divinity for himself or for his Dhamma. It was discovered by man for man. It was not a Revelation

1. Every founder of religion has either claimed divinity for himself or for his teachings.

2. Moses, although he did not claim for himself any divine origin, did claim divine origin for his teachings. He told his followers that if they wished to reach the land of milk and honey they must accept the teachings, because they were the teachings of Jehovah the God.

3. Jesus claimed divinity for himself. He claimed that he was the Son of God. Naturally His teachings acquired a divine origin.

4. Krishna said that he was God himself, and the Gita was his own word.

5. The Buddha made no such claim, either for himself or his Sasana.

6. He claimed that he was one of the many human beings and his message to the people was the message of man to man.

7. He never claimed infallibility for his message.

8. The only claim he made was that his message was the only true way to salvation as he understood it.

9. It was based on universal human experience of life in the world.

10. He said that it was open to anyone to question it, test it, and find what truth it contained.

11. No founder has so fully thrown open his religion to such a challenge.

Book Three, Part II—Different Views of the Buddha’s Dhamma

1. *What others have understood Him to have Taught* — 2. *The Budha’s Own Classification*

§ 1. What others have understood Him to have Taught

1. “What are the teachings of the Buddha?”

2. This is a question on which no two followers of the Buddha or the students of Buddhism agree.

3. To some Samadhi is his principal teaching.

4. To some it is Vippassana (a kind of Pranayam).

5. To some Buddhism is esoteric. To others it is exoteric.

6. To some it is a system of barren metaphysics.

7. To some it is sheer mysticism.

8. To some it is a selfish abstraction from the world.

9. To some it is a systematic repression of every impulse and emotion of the heart.

10. Many other views regarding Buddhism could be collected.

11. This divergence of views is astonishing.

12. Some of these views are those of men who have a fancy for certain things. Such are those who regard thai the essence of Buddhism lies in Samadhi or Vippassana, or Esoterism.

13. The other views are the results of the fact that the majority of the writers on Buddhism are students of ancient Indian history. Their study of Buddhism is incidental and occasional.

14. Some of them are not students of Buddhism.

15. They are not even students of anthropology, the subject matter which deals with the origin and growth of religion.

16. The question that arises is–”Did the Buddha have no Social Message?”

17. When pressed for an answer, students of Buddhism refer to the two points. They say–

18. “The Buddha taught Ahimsa.”

19. “The Buddha taught peace!”

20. Asked, “Did the Buddha give any other Social Message?”

21. “Did the Buddha teach justice?”

22. “Did the Buddha teach love?”

23. “Did the Buddha teach liberty?”

24. “Did the Buddha teach equality?”

25. “Did the Buddha teach fraternity?”

26. “Could the Buddha answer Karl Marx?”

27. These questions are hardly ever raised in discussing the Buddha’s Dhamma.

28. My answer is that the Buddha has a Social Message. He answers all these questions. But they have been buried by modern authors.

§ 2. The Buddha’s Own Classification

1. The Buddha adopted a different classification of Dhamma.

2. The first category he called Dhamma.

3. He created a new category called Not-Dhamma (Adhamma) though it went by the name of Dhamma.

4. He created a third category which he called Saddhamma.

5. The third category was another name for Philosophy of Dhamma.

6. To understand His Dhamma one must understand all the three–Dhamma, Adhamma, and Saddhamma.

Book Three, Part III—What is Dhamma

1. *To Maintain Purity of Life is Dhamma* — 2. *To Reach Perfection in Life is Dhamma* — 3. *To Live in Nibbana is Dhamma* — 4. *To Give up Craving is Dhamma* — 5. *To believe that all compound things are impermanent is Dhamma* — 6. *To believe that Karma is the instrument of Moral Order is Dhamma*

§ 1. To Maintain Purity of Life is Dhamma

(1.i)

1. “There are these three forms of purity… And of what sort is purity of body?

2. “Herein a certain one abstains from taking life, from stealing, from sinful living. This is called ‘purity of body.’

3. “And of what sort is purity of speech?

4. “Herein a certain one abstains from falsehood…

5. “And of what sort is purity of mind?

6. “Herein a monk, if he have some personal sensual desire, is aware: ‘ There is in me sensual desire.’ If there be none he is likewise aware of it. Also he is aware of how the arising of sensual desire not yet arisen comes about, and how it is abandoned when it has arisen, and how in the future there is no such arising.

7. “If he have some personal malevolence, he is aware: ‘ There is within me malevolence.’ Also he is aware of the arising . . . and the abandoning thereof, and of how in future there is no recurrence thereof.

8. “If he have some personal sloth-and-torpor…excitement and flurry…if he have some personal doubt-and-wavering, he is aware of the fact. Also of how (each of these) arises, is abandoned and recurs not again in future. This is called ‘purity of mind.’

9. “He who is pure in body, speech, and mind,

“Sinless and clean and blessed with purity–

“‘Sin-washer’ is the name men give to him.”

(1.ii)

1. “There are three forms of purity…Purity of body, purity of speech, purity of mind.”

2. “And of what sort is purity of body?”

3. “Herein a certain one abstains from taking life, from stealing, from wrong practice in sensual lusts. This is called ‘purity of body.’”

4. “And of what sort is purity of speech?”

5. “Herein a certain one abstains from falsehood…from idle babble. This is called ‘purity of speech.’”

6. “And of what sort is purity of mind?”

7. “Herein a certain one is not covetous or malevolent of heart, and has [a] right view. This is called ‘purity of mind.’ These are the three forms of purity.”

(1.iii)

1. There are these five weaknesses, which are a source of weakness to training. What five?

2. Taking life; taking what is not given; lustful, evil practices; lying; and indulging in spirituous liquors, which cause idleness.

3. These are the five causes which lead to failure.

4. When these five sources of weakness to training are put away, four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.

5. Herein a monk abides contemplating the body as body, strenuous, mindful and self-possessed, having overcome both the hankering and discontent common in the world.

6. He abides contemplating the feelings as feelings…

7. He abides contemplating the mind as mind…

8. He abides contemplating ideas as ideas, strenuous, mindful and self-possessed, having overcome both the hankering and discontent common in the world.

9. When these five sources of weakness to training are put away, these four arisings of mindfulness should be made to become.

(1.iv)

1. There are these three failures. Failure in morals, failure in mind, failure in view.

2. And of what sort is failure in morals? A certain one takes life, steals, is a wrong-doer in sensual desires, a liar, a slanderer, of bitter speech, an idle babbler. This is called “failure in morals.”

3. And of what sort is failure in mind?

4. A certain one is covetous and malevolent of heart. This is called “failure in mind.”

5. And of what sort is failure in view?

6. Herein a certain one holds the depraved, the perverse view that there is no (virtue in) alms giving, in sacrifice, in offerings; that there is no fruit, no result of good and evil deeds; that this world is not, that there is no world beyond; that there is no mother, no father, no beings of spontaneous birth; that in the world are no recluses and Brahmins who have won the summit, who have won perfection, who of themselves by their own in tuitional powers have realised the world beyond and can proclaim it. This, monks, is called “failure in view.”

7. Monks, it is due to failure in morals, failure in mind and in view, that beings, when [the] body breaks up after death, are reborn in the Waste, the Way of Woe, in the Downfall, in Purgatory. Such are the three failures.

8. Monks, there are these three successes. What three? Success in morals, success in mind, success in view.

9. Now of what sort is success in morals?

10. A certain one abstains from taking life and the rest…from bitter speech and idle babbling. This is called “success in morals.”

11. And of what sort is success in mind?

12. Herein a certain one is not covetous or malevolent of heart. This is called “success in mind.”

13. And of what sort is success in view?

14. Herein a certain one has [a] right view: he holds with certainty that there is (virtue in) almsgiving, in sacrifice, in offerings; that there is fruit and result of good and evil deeds; that this world is, that there is a world beyond; that mother, father and beings of spontaneous birth do exist; that in the world there are recluses and Brahmins who have realised the world beyond and can proclaim it. This, monks, is called “success in view.”

15. It is owing to success in these three things that beings, when [the] body breaks up after death, are reborn in the Happy Lot, in the Heaven World. Such, monks, are the three successes.

§ 2. To Reach Perfection in Life is Dhamma

1. There are these three perfections.

2. Perfection in body, speech and mind.

3. And of what sort is perfection in mind?

4. By the destruction of the asavas, realising in this very life himself, knowing it thoroughly–the heart’s release, the release by insight which is free from the asavas, having attained it abides therein. This is called “perfection in mind.” These are the three bodily perfections.

5. There are other perfections. The Buddha explained them to Subhuti.

6. Subhuti: “What is a Bodhisattva’s perfection of giving?”

7. The Lord: “Here a Bodhisattva, his thoughts associated with the knowledge of all modes, gives gifts, i.e., inward or outward things, and, having made them common to all beings, he dedicates them to supreme enlightenment; and also others he instigates thereto. But there is nowhere an apprehension of anything.”

8. Subhuti: “What is a Bodhisattva’s perfection of morality?”

9. The Lord: “He himself lives under the obligation of the ten ways of wholesome acting, and also others he instigates thereto.”

10. Subhuti: “What is a Bodhisattva’s perfection of patience?”

11. The Lord: “He himself becomes one who has achieved patience, and others also he instigates to patience.”

12. Subhuti: “What is a Bodhisattva’s perfection of vigour?”

13. The Lord: “He dwells persistently in the five perfections, and also others he instigates to do likewise.”

14. Subhuti: “What is the Bodhisattva’s perfection of concentration (or meditation)?”

15. The Lord: “He himself, through skill in means, enters into the trances, yet he is not reborn in the corresponding heavens of form as he could [be]; and others also he instigates to do likewise.”

16. Subhuti: “What is a Bodhisattva’s perfection of wisdom?”

17. The Lord: “He does not settle down in any dharma, he contemplates the essential original nature of all dharmas; and others also he instigates to the contemplation of all dharmas.”

18. It is Dhamma to cultivate these perfections.