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
Devadatta did not succeed in his plans and having been abandoned
by many of his disciples, he fell sick, and then repented. He
entreated those who had remained with him to carry his litter to
the Buddha, saying: "Take me, children, take me to him; though I
have done evil to him, I am his brother-in-law. For the sake of
our relationship the Buddha will save me." And they obeyed,
although reluctantly. 11
And Devadatta in his impatience to see the Blessed One rose from
his litter while his carriers were washing their hands. But his
feet burned under him; he sank to the ground; and, having chanted
a hymn on the Buddha, died. 12
XL.
NAME AND FORM.
On one occasion the Blessed One entered the assembly hall and the
brethren hushed their conversation. 1
When they had greeted him with clasped hands, they sat down and
became composed. Then the Blessed One said: "Your minds are
inflamed with intense interest; what was the topic of your
discussion?" 2
And Sāriputta rose and spake: "World-honored master, we were
discussing the nature of man's own existence. We were trying to
grasp the mixture of our own being which is called Name and Form.
Every human being consists of conformations, and there are three
groups which are not corporeal. They are sensation, perception,
and the dispositions, all three constitute consciousness and
mind, being comprised under the term Name. And there are four
elements, the earthy element, the watery element, the fiery
element, and the gaseous element, and these four elements
constitute man's bodily form, being held together so that this
machine moves like a puppet. How does this name and form endure
and how can it live?" 3
Said the Blessed One: "Life is instantaneous and living is dying.
Just as a chariot-wheel in rolling rolls only at one point of the
tire, and in resting rests only at one point; in exactly the same
way, the life of a living being lasts only for the period of one
thought. As soon as that thought has ceased the being is said to
have ceased. 4
"As it has been said:--'The being of a past moment of thought has
lived, but does not live, nor will it live. The being of a future
moment of thought will live, but has not lived, nor does it live.
The being of the present moment of thought does live, but has not
lived, nor will it live.'" 5
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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