The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient RecordsCarus, Paul
ReligionEastern
The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records
Carus, Paul
Buddhism; Christianity and other religions -- Buddhism; Gautama Buddha; Gautama Buddha -- Teachings
"Even the laymen, O bhikkhus, who move in the world, pursuing
some handicraft that they may procure them a living, will be
respectful, affectionate, and hospitable to their teachers. Do
ye, therefore, O bhikkhus, so let your light shine forth, that
ye, having left the world and devoted your entire life to
religion and to religious discipline, may observe the rules of
decency, be respectful, affectionate, and hospitable to your
teachers and superiors, or those who rank as your teachers and
superiors. Your demeanor, O bhikkhus, does not conduce to the
conversion of the unconverted and to the increase of the number
of the faithful. It serves, O bhikkhus, to repel the unconverted
and to estrange them. I exhort you to be more considerate in the
future, more thoughtful and more respectful" 5
XXXIX.
DEVADATTA.
When Devadatta, the son of Suprabuddha and a brother of
Yasodharā, became a disciple, he cherished the hope of attaining
the same distinctions and honors as Gotama Siddhattha. Being
disappointed in his ambitions, he conceived in his heart a
jealous hatred, and, attempting to excel the Perfect One in
virtue, he found fault with his regulations and reproved them as
too lenient. 1
Devadatta went to Rājagaha and gained the ear of Ajātasattu, the
son of King Bimbisāra. And Ajātasattu built a new vihāra for
Devadatta, and founded a sect whose disciples were pledged to
severe rules and self-mortification. 2
Soon afterwards the Blessed One himself came to Rājagaha and
stayed at the Veluvana vihāra. 3
Devadatta called on the Blessed One, requesting him to sanction
his rules of greater stringency, by which a greater holiness
might be procured. "The body," he said, "consists of its
thirty-two parts and has no divine attributes. It is conceived in
sin and born in corruption. Its attributes are liability to pain
and dissolution, for it is impermanent. It is the receptacle of
karma which is the curse of our former existences; it is the
dwelling-place of sin and diseases and its organs constantly
discharge disgusting secretions. Its end is death and its goal
the charnel house. Such being the condition of the body it
behooves us to treat it as a carcass full of abomination and to
clothe it in such rags only as have been gathered in cemeteries
or upon dung-hills." 4
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account