The Gâtakamâlâ; Or, Garland of Birth-StoriesAryasura
Religion
The Gâtakamâlâ; Or, Garland of Birth-Stories
Aryasura
Gautama Buddha -- Pre-existence
3. 'The sky makes thee a resting-place for thy feet, as if it were the
earth, O thou being with lotus-like feet; thou shinest far and wide,
bearing the lustre of the sun, so to speak. Who art thou, whose form is
a delight to the eyes?'
The Bodhisattva replied:
4. 'Know me, O king, one of those Devarshis who attained Brahma's world,
having by the power of their mind's strong and assiduous attachment to
religion vanquished love and hatred[202], those two proud foes, like two
haughty chiefs of a hostile army in battle.'
[202] Love, viz. sensual love and covetousness, and hatred (with
anger) are the two great divisions of vyasanâni (vices, evil
habits), not only with Buddhists. See, for instance, Manu VII, 45
foll.
After these words the king offered him the hospitable reception due to a
worthy guest, water to wash his feet and the arghya-water[203],
accompanying this act (of homage) with kind words of welcome and the
like. Then, casting admiring looks at his face, he said: 'Very
wonderful, O Great _Ri_shi, is thy figure. Indeed, thy power is
supernatural.
[203] The arghya is the name of a worshipful offering of water to a
worthy guest, given with the other ceremonial marks of hospitality:
vish_t_ara, padya, madhuparka.
5. 'Without clinging to the walls of a building, thou walkest in the sky
as easily as on earth. Tell me, O thou whose brightness has the lustre
of a flash of lightning, how didst thou obtain this supernatural power?'
The Bodhisattva spoke:
6. 'Such superhuman power is the result, O king, of meditation (dhyâna),
spotless good conduct (_s_îla), and an excellent restraint of the
senses, which I have so practised in other existences that they became
essential elements of my nature.'
The king said: 'Does there exist in earnest anything like a world
hereafter?' The Brahman[204] said: 'Verily, Your Majesty, there is a
world hereafter.' The king said: 'But, my dear sir, how should I too be
able to believe so?' The Bodhisattva said: 'This is a tangible truth,
Your Majesty, which may be proved by reasoning with the ordinary modes
of proof (pramâ_n_a): perception by the senses and the rest[205]. It is
exemplified by the declarations of reliable persons, and may be tested
by the method of accurate examination. Do but consider this:
[204] The inhabitants of Brahma's world are called Brahmans.
[205] The others are inference and analogy; for it is unlikely that
the Brahman would think of persuading a disbeliever by means of the
fourth mode of proof, revelation.
7. 'The heaven, with its ornament of sun, moon and stars, and the
many-shaped variety of animals, are the world hereafter in a concrete
and visible form. Let not thy mind be benumbed by scepticism so as not
to perceive this truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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