Udana - I. "The Enlightenment"
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CHAPTER I.
"The Enlightenment."
1. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Exalted One, soon after the
attainment of Buddhahood, dwelt at Uruvela, on the banks of the stream
Neranjara, at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment. At that time the Exalted
One, after remaining in a sitting posture for seven days, experienced the joy of
Emancipation.
When the seven days had come to a close, the Exalted One arose from the state
of trance and in the first watch of the night, thoroughly thought out the chain
of cause and effect, in direct order, thus; "If there is this (state), another
(state) arises, by the arising of this (state), a (state) is produced, that is
to say:
"From Ignorance1 spring Conformations, from Conformations springs
Consciousness, from Consciousness spring Mind p. 2 and Material Form, from Mind
and Material Form, the six Organs of Sense, from the six Organs of Sense,
Contact, from Contact, Sensations, from Sensations, Desire, from Desire,
Attachment, from Attachment, Being,1 from Being, Birth, from Birth spring Decay,
Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, Grief and Despair. Thus the whole mass of
suffering originates". And the Exalted One in this connection, on that occasion,
breathed forth this solemn utterance:
"When the conditions of existence dawn upon the strenuous meditative
Brahmana,2
When he understands the nature of cause and effect,
Then all doubts depart."
2. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Exalted One, soon after the
attainment of Buddhahood, dwelt at Uruvela on the banks of the stream Neranjara,
at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment. At that time the Exalted One, after
remaining in a sitting posture for seven days, experienced the joy of
Emancipation.
When the seven days had come to a close, the Exalted one arose from the state
of trance, and in the middle watch of the night thoroughly thought out the chain
of p. 3 cause and effect, in indirect order, thus: "If there is not this
(state), another (state) does not arise, by the non-arising of this (state), a
(state) is not produced, that is to say;
By the destruction of Ignorance, Conformations are destroyed, by the
destruction of Conformations, Consciousness is destroyed, by the destruction of
Consciousness, Mind and Material Form are destroyed, by the destruction of Mind
and Material Form, the six Organs of Sense are destroyed, by the destruction of
the six Organs of Sense, Contact is destroyed, by the destruction of Contact,
Sensations are destroyed, by the destruction of Sensations, Desire is destroyed,
by the destruction of Desire, Attachment is destroyed, by the destruction of
Attachment, Being is destroyed, by the destruction of Being, Birth is destroyed,
and by the destruction of Birth, Decay, Death, Sorrow, Lamentation, Pain, Grief
and Despair are destroyed. Thus the whole mass of suffering is brought to an
end.
And the Exalted One, in this connection, on that occasion breathed forth this
solemn utterance:
"When the conditions of Existence dawn upon the strenuous, meditative
Brahmana,
When he understands the destruction of the causes,
Then all doubts depart."
3. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Exalted One, soon after the
attainment of Buddhahood, dwelt at Uruvela on the banks of the stream Neranjara,
at the foot of the tree of Enlightenment. At that time the Exalted One, after
remaining in a sitting posture for seven days, experienced the bliss of
Emancipation.
When the seven days had come to a close, the Exalted p. 4 One arose from the
state of trance and in the last watch of the night thoroughly thought out the
chain of cause and effect in both the direct and indirect orders. [Repetition of
formulæ. Transl:]. Now by the complete destruction of Ignorance, there is
cessation of Conformations. And the Exalted One in this connection, on that
occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance:
"When the conditions of existence dawn upon the strenuos, meditative
Brahmana,
He stands, scattering the hosts of the Tempter, as the Sun, diffusing
its rays through space."
4. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Exalted One, soon after the
attainment of Buddhahood, dwelt at Uruvela on the banks of the Neranjara stream,
at the foot of the 'Goat-herd's' Banyan tree. At that time, the Exalted One,
after remaining in a sitting posture for seven days, experienced the bliss of
Emancipation. And the Exalted One at the end of the seventh day arose from the
state of trance.
Now a certain Brahmana of haughty disposition went to where the Blessed One
was and drawing near he saluted the Blessed One and after exchanging with him
the compliments of friendship and civility, he stationed himself respectfully on
one side and while thus standmg he said to the Blessed One; "What, Lord Gotama,
is the standard of excellence for a Brahmana, and what is the nature of the
works he should perform?
And the Blessed One in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this
solemn utterance:
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"He who has put away evil, who is humble, free from impurity, self
restrained, versed in knowledge, leading a holy life,
That man may be truly called a Brahmana.
For him there are no desires anywhere in the world."
5. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion, the Blessed One dwelt at
Savatthi in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâtha-pindika. At that time the
venerable brethren Sariputta, Mahamogallana, Mahakassapa, Mahakaccayana,
Mahakotthita, Mahakappina, Mahacunda, Anuruddha, Revata, Devadatta, and Ananda
drew near to the Blessed One. And the Blessed One beheld from afar the venerable
brethren approaching and when he saw them he called to his disciples and said;
"Behold, O Bhikkhus, these venerable Brahmanas approaching, behold, O Bhikkhus
these venerable Brahmanas drawing nigh."
When these words had been spoken a certain Bhikkhu, by birth a Brahmana, said
to the Blessed One: "What is the standard of conduct required of a Brahmana and
what is the nature of the works he should perform?"
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth
this solemn utterance:
"Those who walk ever mindful, who have put away evil, who have
destroyed the fetters, the wise ones,
These verily in this world are Brahmanas."
6. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Râjagaha
in the Bambu Grove, in Kalandika-nivâpa. At that time the venerable Mahakassapa
abode in the Pipphali cave and was stricken with a sore disease. p. 6
Subsequently the venerable Mahakassapa recovered from the disease and when he
was restored to health, this thought occurred to him: "What if I were to enter
Râjagaha in quest of alms?" Now at that time there were some 500 Devas in
attendance upon the venerable Mahakassapa, who were zealously engaged in
procuring alms for him. And the venerable Mahakassapa, dismissing the 500 Devas,
robed himself in the forenoon and taking with him his alms bowl and tunic,
entered Râjagaha for alms and went to the slums, the streets of the poor and the
alleys where the weavers resided.
And the Blessed One beheld the venerable Mahakassapa wandering about in
Râjagaha for alms, in the slums, in the streets of the poor and the alleys where
the weavers resided.
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth
this solemn utterance:
"He who cherishes the forsaken and the unknown, who has subdued
himself,
Who stands firm in the truth, who has destroyed evil, and put away sin,
That man I call a Brahmana."
7. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Pâtali,
at the Ajakalâpaka monastery, in the cell of the Yakkha,1 Ajakalâpaka. Now at
that time the Blessed One was sitting in the open air, the darkness of the night
was profound, and from a cloud there fell, one by one, drops of rain. And the
Yakkha, Ajakalâpaka, desirous of causing terror, trembling, and horripilation to
the Blessed p. 7 One, approached the Blessed One, and when he had arrived quite
close to him, he uttered three piercing shrieks, crying out, "This, O Samana, is
thy evil spirit." And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion,
breathed forth this solemn utterance:
"When the Brahmana, in knowledge, has passed beyond the conditions of
existence,
Him neither goblin nor fiend can terrify."
8. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at
Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika. At that time the
venerable Sangamaji had arrived at Savatthi to see the Blessed One.
Now the old wife of the venerable Sangamaji heard that her lord, Sangamaji,
had arrived at Savatthi, so taking her child with her, she went to the Jetavana.
At that time the venerable Sangamaji was sitting at the foot of a certain
tree, enjoying a noonday rest. And the old wife went to where the venerable
Sangamaji was, and drawing near to him, said, "This, O Samana,1 is thy little
son, cherish thou him."
When she had thus spoken, the venerable Sangamaji remained silent. A second
and a third time she said: "This, O Samana, is thy little son, cherish thou
him." When she had thus spoken, the venerable Sangamaji remained silent. Then
the old wife, depositing the child in the presence of the venerable Sangamaji,
took her departure, saying: "This, O Samana, is thy son, cherish thou him." And
the venerable Sangamaji neither looked at the child nor spoke to him. Then the
old wife with the assent of the venerable Sangamaji p. 8 withdrew for a short
distance, and when she saw that the venerable Sangamaji neither looked at the
child nor spoke to him, this thought occurred to her, "This Samana cares not for
his son", and turning away, she took her son and departed.
And the Blessed One, with divine vision, clear and surpassing that of men,
beheld this discomfiture of the old wife of the venerable Sangamaji.
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth
this solemn utterance:
"He neither rejoices at his arrival, nor grieves at his departure:
This Sangamaji, freed from attachment, him I call a Brahmana."
9. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at
Gayasisa, near Gaya. At that time near the Gaya there was a large concourse of
ascetics, with matted hair, who, in the icy winter nights, and in the early
morning cold were emerging from and plunging into the water near Gaya, anointing
each other, and sacrificing with fire--thinking by such means to obtain
purification.
And the Blessed One beheld these ascetics, with matted hair, emerging from
and plunging into the water near Gaya, anointing each other, and sacrificing
with fire, thinking by such means to obtain purification.
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth
this solemn utterance:
"Purification cometh not by water, though the people bathe ever so
long;
p. 9 In whom truth and religion abide, that man is pure, he is a
Brahmana."
10. Thus have I heard. On a certain occasion the Blessed One dwelt at
Savatthi, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika. At that time Bahiya
Daruciriya abode at Supparika, on the seashore. He was respected, held in
reverence, honoured and esteemed. He was also a recipient of the requisites of a
monk, namely, robes, alms, bed and medicine in case of sickness. And this
thought occurred to Bahiya Daruciriya: "Am I not, indeed, one of those who are
Saints in this world, or, at least, one of those who have entered the path on
the way to Saintship."
And certain Devas, former blood-relations of Bahiya Daruciriya, who were
compassionate and interested in his welfare, perceived with their own minds the
thought that occurred to Bahiya Daruciriya. They went to where he was, and
drawing near to him, said; "You, O Bahiya are neither a Saint, nor have you
entered the path which leads to Saintship. The course which you pursue is not
such that thereby you will become a Saint, or enter the path which leads to
Saintship. But there are, in these days, both in this world and the world of
gods, saints and those who have entered the path which leads to Saintship. There
is, O Bahiya, in the north country, a city called Savatthi. There, at this very
time, dwells the Exalted One, that Saint, the Supreme Buddha: and that Blessed
One, that Saint, teaches the doctrine of Saintship." And Bahiya incited by these
Devas departed from Supparika and in the course of one night reached Savatthi,
where the Exalted One dwelt, in the Jetavana, the garden of Anâthapindika. p. 10
At that time a great number of mendicants were taking exercise in the open air.
And Bahiya went to where the mendicants were and drawing near said to them:
"Where tarries now, Reverend Sirs, the Exalted One, that Saint, the Supreme
Buddha? I am longing to see the Exated One, that Saint, the Supreme Buddha."
"The Exalted One, O Bahiya, has entered the inner courts to receive alms."
And Bahiya, trembling with agitation and departing from the Jetavana beheld
the Exalted One going on his rounds for alms in Savatthi--the Lord, gracious,
beautiful to behold, with senses stilled and mind restrained, as one who has
attained the supreme calm of self conquest, subdued and guarded. And when he
beheld him, he went to where the Exalted One was and drawing near, he bowed his
head in salutation at the feet of the Exalted One and said: "Teach me, O Exalted
One, the doctrine; O happy One, teach me the doctrine, so that throughout the
length of my days it may conduce to my happiness and welfare." When these words
had been spoken the Blessed One said to Bahiya; "The time is ill-chosen, I have
entered the city for alms."
A second time Bahiya Daruciriya said to the Blessed One: "It is hard, Sire,
to know to which of us death will first come; whether to the Blessed One or to
me; teach me the doctrine, O, Blessed One; O, Happy One, teach me the doctrine,
so that throughout the length of my days, it may be for my welfare and
happiness."
A second time the Blessed One said to Bahiya: "The time is ill-chosen, I have
entered the city for alms."
[Bahiya addresses the Blessed One a third time, as above. Transl.]
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"Thus, O Bahiya, you should learn; of the seen, only a little is seen, of the
heard only a little is heard, of the thought only a little is thought, of the
known only a little is known; so, O Bahiya, it should be learnt: in as much as
of the seen only a little is seen etc., [Text here corrupt and commentary
deficient. Translator]; that is the end of suffering."
And the heart of Bahiya, by the concise exposition of the Doctrine by the
Blessed One, was freed from 'attachment' and the Sins. And when the Blessed One
had thus concisely admonished Bahiya, he took his departure. Now it came to pass
that soon after the departure of the Blessed One, Bahiya was thrown down by a
wild calf and killed. And when the Blessed One had gone his rounds for alms and
finished his meal for the day, he left the city accompanied by a large retinue
of Bhikkhus1 and beheld Bahiya Daruciriya lying dead. And he called the Bhikkhus
to him and said; "Take, O Bhikkhus, the body of Bahiya, place it on a bed, bear
it away and cremate it, and afterwards erect a mound over the remains--for this,
O Bhikkhus, is a fellow-saint who has died."
"So be it, Sire", said the Bhikkhus in assent to the Blessed One. And they
took the body of Bahiya, placed it on a bed, bore it away and cremated it and
afterwards erected a mound over the remains.
And they went to where the Blessed One was and drawing near they saluted the
Blessed One and sat down respectfully on one side and while thus sitting these
Bhikkhus p. 12 said to the Blessed One; "The body of Bahiya, Sire, has been
cremated and the mound erected; whither has he gone and what will be his future
state?"
"A wise man, O Bhikkhus, was Bahiya; he practised the lesser duties for the
attainment of the highest state, he vexed me with no questions concerning the
Doctrine. Bahiya Daruciriya, O Bhikkhus, has ceased to exist."
And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth
this solemn utterance:--
"Where water, earth, heat, air no footing find,
There burns not any light, nor shines the Sun,
The Moon sheds not her radiant beams,
The home of Darkness is not there.
When in deep silent hours of thought
The holy sage to Truth attains,
Then is he free from joy and pain,
From Form and Formless worlds released."
Next
Footnotes
p. 1
1 "Ignorance may be said to be a primary cause only when it is made the starting
point of a discourse concerning the round of rebirth." (Visuddhi Magga. Chap.
XVII).
The Buddha's teaching in respect of continuity of identity and the future
condition after death is frequently expressed in terms of Brahmanical
metempsychosis and eschatology. Buddhism, however, only entertains the notion of
re-incarnation in the sense of a transference of influences from one individual
to another; and the various conditions of punishment and reward in another
world, so often alluded to in the Pitakas, must be divested of the significance
attached to them by the Brahman community, to be properly understood. For
instance, rebirth in one of the p. 2 many heavens, may be compared to the
influences of the philosopher Bruno, which, in his time, had, as it were, no
room to move, but which now live and move and have their being in the minds of a
multitude of admirers. Thus, Bruno is reborn in a spacious and happy heaven of
appreciation. A study of Buddhistic philosophy makes it abundantly clear that
such was the meaning in the mind of the Buddha when he made use of pictorial
expressions, familiar to the people, to convey to them his doctrine of the
non-existence of a soul, as a permanent and immortal entity capable of
migration. (Vide also p. 28. note 1 {?}).
1 Married life.
2 The Buddha adopted the appellation 'Brahmana' into his own system, using it to
designate one who has obtained final sanctification.
p. 6
1 A demon of human shape, hostile to man. Some are harmless, and several were
converted to Buddhism.
p. 7
1 A term applied to Buddhist ascetics.
p. 11
1 Bhikkhu, Lit: 'one who recelves alms'. Members of the Buddhist-Order of monks
are not permitted to beg. They receive only what is freely given. They are
supported by the people, as exemplars and teachers of the faith.
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