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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

    The Sangha

    Having pointed out to the five bhikkhus the truth,
    the Buddha said: [1]

    "A man that stands alone, having decided to obey the truth,
    may be weak and slip back into his old ways.
    Therefore, stand ye together, assist one another,
    and strengthen one another's efforts.
    [2]

    "Be like unto brothers;
    one in love, one in holiness,
    and one in your zeal for the truth.
    [3]

    "Spread the truth and preach the doctrine in all quarters of the world,
    so that in the end all living creatures will be citizens
    of the kingdom of righteousness.
    [4]

    "This is the holy brotherhood; this is the church,
    the congregation of the saints of the Buddha;
    this is the Sangha that establishes a communion
    among all those who have taken their refuge in the Buddha."
    [5]

    And Kondannya was the first disciple of the Buddha
    who had thoroughly grasped the doctrine of the Holy One,
    and the Tathagata looking into his heart said:
    "Truly, Kondannya has understood the truth."
    Hence venerable Kondannya received the name "Annyata-Kondannya,"
    that is, "Kondannya who has understood the doctrine." [6]

    Then the venerable Kondannya spoke to the Buddha and said:
    "Lord, let us receive the ordination from the Blessed One." [7]

    And the Buddha said:
    "Come, O bhikkhus!
    Well taught is the doctrine.
    Lead a holy life for the extinction of suffering."
    [8]

    Then Kondannya and the other bhikkhus uttered three times these solemn vows: [9]

    "To the Buddha will I look in faith:
    He, the Perfect One, is holy and supreme.
    The Buddha conveys to us instruction, wisdom, and salvation;
    he is the Blessed One, who knows the law of being;
    he is the Lord of the world, who yoketh men like oxen,
    the Teacher of gods and men, the Exalted Buddha.
    Therefore, to the Buddha will I look in faith.
    [9]

    "To the doctrine will I look in faith;
    well-preached is the doctrine by the Exalted One.
    The doctrine has been revealed so as to become visible;
    the doctrine is above time and space.
    The doctrine is not based upon hearsay,
    it means 'Come and see';
    the doctrine leads to welfare;
    the doctrine is recognized by the wise in their own hearts.
    Therefore to the doctrine will I look in faith.
    [11]

    "To the community will I look in faith;
    the community of the Buddha's disciples instructs us how to lead a life of righteousness;
    the community of the Buddha's disciples teaches us how to exercise honesty and justice;
    the community of the Buddha's disciples shows us how to practise the truth.
    They form a brotherhood in kindness and charity, and their saints are worthy of reverence.
    The community of the Buddha's disciples is founded as a holy brotherhood
    in which men bind themselves together to teach the behests of rectitude and to do good.
    Therefore, to the community will I look in faith."
    [12]

    And the gospel of the Blessed One increased from day to day,
    and many people came to hear him
    and to accept the ordination to lead thenceforth a holy life
    for the sake of the extinction of suffering. [13]

    And the Blessed One seeing that it was impossible to attend to all
    who wanted to hear the truth and receive the ordination,
    sent out from the number of his disciples
    such as were to preach the Dharma
    and said unto them: [14]

    "The Dharma and the Vinaya proclaimed by the Tathagata
    shine forth when they are displayed, and not when they are concealed.
    But let not this doctrine, so full of truth and so excellent,
    fall into the hands of those unworthy of it,
    where it would be despised and condemned,
    treated shamefully, rediculed and censured.
    [15]

    "I now grant you, O bhikkhus, this permission.
    Confer henceforth in the different countries the ordination upon those who are eager to receive it,
    when you find them worthy.
    [16]

    "Go ye now, O bhikkhus, for the benefit of the many,
    for the welfare of mankind, out of compassion for the world.
    Preach the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning,
    glorious in the middle, and glorious in the end,
    in the spirit as well as in the letter.
    There are beings whose eyes are scarcely covered with dust,
    but if the doctrine is not preached to them they cannot attain salvation.
    Proclaim to them a life of holiness.
    They will understand the doctrine and accept it."
    [17]

    And it became an established custom that the bhikkhus went out preaching while the weather was good,
    but in the rainy season they came together again and joined their master,
    to listen to the exhortations of the Tathagata. [18]

    End Chapter 17


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

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