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The Gospel of Buddha

Preface

  • Preface:
    by Paul Carus


    Introduction
  • Chapter 01:
    Rejoice
  • Chapter 02:
    Samsara and Nirvana
  • Chapter 03:
    Truth the Saviour


    Prince Siddhattha becomes Buddha
  • Chapter 04:
    The Bodhisatta's Birth
  • Chapter 05:
    The Ties of Life
  • Chapter 06:
    The Three Woes
  • Chapter 07:
    The Bodhisatta's Renunciation
  • Chapter 08:
    King Bimbisara
  • Chapter 09:
    The Bodhisatta's Search
  • Chapter 10:
    Uruvela, the Place of Mortification
  • Chapter 11:
    Mara, the Evil One
  • Chapter 12:
    Enlightenment
  • Chapter 13:
    The First Converts
  • Chapter 14:
    Brahma's Request


    The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness
  • Chapter 15:
    Upaka
  • Chapter 16:
    The Sermon at Benares
  • Chapter 17:
    The Sangha
  • Chapter 18:
    Yasa, the Youth of Benares
  • Chapter 19:
    Kassapa
  • Chapter 20:
    The Sermon at Rajagaha
  • Chapter 21:
    The King's Gift
  • Chapter 22:
    Sariputta and Moggallana
  • Chapter 23:
    Anathapindika
  • Chapter 24:
    The Sermon on Charity
  • Chapter 25:
    Jetavana
  • Chapter 26:
    The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate
  • Chapter 27:
    The Buddha's Father
  • Chapter 28:
    Yasodhara
  • Chapter 29:
    Rahula


    Consolidation of the Buddha's religion
  • Chapter 30:
    Jivaka, the Physician
  • Chapter 31:
    The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvana
  • Chapter 32:
    Women Admitted to the Sangha
  • Chapter 33:
    The Bhikkhus' Conduct Toward Women
  • Chapter 34:
    Visakha
  • Chapter 35:
    The Uposatha and Patimokkha
  • Chapter 36:
    The Schism
  • Chapter 37:
    The Re-establishment of Concord
  • Chapter 38:
    The Bhikkhus Rebuked
  • Chapter 39:
    Devadatta
  • Chapter 40:
    Name and Form
  • Chapter 41:
    The Goal
  • Chapter 42:
    Miracles Forbidden
  • Chapter 43:
    The Vanity of Worldliness
  • Chapter 44:
    Secrecy and Publicity
  • Chapter 45:
    The Annihilation of Suffering
  • Chapter 46:
    Avoiding the Ten Evils
  • Chapter 47:
    The Preacher's Mission


    The Teacher
  • Chapter 48:
    The Dhammapada
  • Chapter 49:
    The Two Brahmans
  • Chapter 50:
    Guard the Six Quarters
  • Chapter 51:
    Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation
  • Chapter 52:
    All Existence is Spiritual
  • Chapter 53:
    Identity and Non-Identity
  • Chapter 54:
    The Buddha Omnipresent
  • Chapter 55:
    One Essence, One Law, One Aim
  • Chapter 56:
    The Lesson Given to Rahula
  • Chapter 57:
    The Sermon on Abuse
  • Chapter 58:
    The Buddha Replies to the Deva
  • Chapter 59:
    Words of Instruction
  • Chapter 60:
    Amitabha
  • Chapter 61:
    The Teacher Unknown


    Parables and Stories
  • Chapter 62:
    Parables
  • Chapter 63:
    The Widow's Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants
  • Chapter 64:
    The Man Born Blind
  • Chapter 65:
    The Lost Son
  • Chapter 66:
    The Giddy Fish
  • Chapter 67:
    The Cruel Crane Outwitted
  • Chapter 68:
    Four Kinds of Merit
  • Chapter 69:
    The Light of the World
  • Chapter 70:
    Luxurious Living
  • Chapter 71:
    The Communication of Bliss
  • Chapter 72:
    The Listless Fool
  • Chapter 73:
    Rescue in the Desert
  • Chapter 74:
    The Sower
  • Chapter 75:
    The Outcast
  • Chapter 76:
    The Woman at the Well
  • Chapter 77:
    The Peacemaker
  • Chapter 78:
    The Hungry Dog
  • Chapter 79:
    The Despot
  • Chapter 80:
    Vasavadatta
  • Chapter 81:
    The Marriage-Feast in Jambunada
  • Chapter 82:
    A Party in Search of a Thief
  • Chapter 83:
    In the Realm of Yamaraja
  • Chapter 84:
    The Mustard Seed
  • Chapter 85:
    Following the Master Over the Stream
  • Chapter 86:
    The Sick Bhikkhu
  • Chapter 87:
    The Patient Elephant


    The Last Days
  • Chapter 88:
    The Conditions of Welfare
  • Chapter 89:
    Sariputta's Faith
  • Chapter 90:
    Pataliputta
  • Chapter 91:
    The Mirror of Truth
  • Chapter 92:
    Ambapali
  • Chapter 93:
    The Buddha's Farewell Address
  • Chapter 94:
    The Buddha Announces His Death
  • Chapter 95:
    Chunda, the Smith
  • Chapter 96:
    Metteyya
  • Chapter 97:
    The Buddha's Final Entering into Nirvana


    Conclusion
  • Chapter 98:
    The Three Personalities of the Buddha
  • Chapter 99:
    The Purpose of Being
  • Chapter 100:
    The Praise of All the Buddhas


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    The Gospel of Buddha

    Truth the Saviour

    The things of the world and its inhabitants are subject to change.
    They are combinations of elements that existed before,
    and all living creatures are what their past actions made them;
    for the law of cause and effect is uniform and without exceptions. [1]

    But in the changing things there is a constancy of law,
    and when the law is seen there is truth.
    The truth lies hidden in Samsara as the permanent in its changes. [2]

    Truth desires to appear;
    truth longs to become conscious;
    truth strives to know itself. [3]

    There is truth in the stone, for the stone is here;
    and no power in the world, no god, no man, no demon, can destroy its existence.
    But the stone has no consciousness. [4]

    There is truth in the plant and its life can expand;
    the plant grows and blossoms and bears fruit.
    Its beauty is marvellous, but it has no consciousness. [5]

    There is truth in the amimal; it moves about and perceives its surroundings;
    it distinguishes and learns to choose.
    There is consciousness, but it is not yet the consciousness of Truth.
    It is a consciousness of self only. [6]

    The consciousness of self dims the eyes of the mind and hides the truth.
    It is the origin of error, it is the source of illusion, it is the germ of evil. [7]

    Self begets selfishness.
    There is no evil but what flows from self.
    There is no wrong but what is done by the assertion of self. [8]

    Self is the beginning of all hatred,
    of iniquity and slander, of impudence and indecency,
    of theft and robbery, of oppression and bloodshed.
    Self is Mara, the tempter, the evildoer, the creator of mischief. [9]

    Self entices with pleasures. Self promises a fairy's paradise.
    Self is the veil of Maya, the enchanter.
    But the pleasures of self are unreal,
    its paradisian labyrinth is the road to misery,
    and its fading beauty kindles the flames of desires
    that never can be satisfied. [10]

    Who shall deliver us from the power of self?
    Who shall save us from misery?
    Who shall restore us to a life of blessedness? [11]

    There is misery in the world of Samsara;
    there is much misery and pain.
    But greater than all the misery is the bliss of truth.
    Truth gives peace to the yearning mind;
    it conquers error;
    it quenches the flames of desires;
    it leads to Nirvana. [12]

    Blessed is he who has found the peace of Nirvana.
    He is at rest in the struggles and tribulations of life;
    he is above all changes; he is above birth and death;
    he remains unaffected by the evils of life. [13]

    Blessed is he who has found enlightenment.
    He conquers, although he may be wounded;
    he is glorious and happy, although he may suffer;
    he is strong, although he may break down under the burden of his work;
    he is immortal, although he may die.
    The essence of his being is purity and goodness. [14]

    Blessed is he who has attained the sacred state of Buddhahood,
    for he is fit to work out the salvation of his fellow beings.
    The truth has taken its abode in him.
    Perfect wisdom illumines his understanding,
    and righteousness ensouls the purpose of all his actions. [15]

    The truth is a living power for good, indestructible and invincible!
    Work the truth out in your mind, and spread it amoung mankind,
    for truth alone is the saviour from evil and misery.
    The Buddha has found the truth and the truth has been proclaimed by the Buddha!
    Blessed be the Buddha! [16]

    End Chapter 3


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    The Gospel of Buddha
    The Gospel of Buddha
    Compiled from ancient records by Paul Carus, 1894

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