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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 Uposatha and Patimokkha

    When Seniya Bimbisara, the king of Magadha, was advanced in years,
    he retired from the world and led a religious life.
    He observed that there were Brahmanical sects in Rajagaha keeping sacred certain days,
    and the people went to their meeting houses and listened to their sermons. [1]

    Concerning the need of keeping regular days
    for retirement from worldly labours and religious instruction,
    the king went to the Blessed One and said:
    "The Parivrajaka, who belong to the Titthiya school,
    prosper and gain adherents because they keep the eighth day
    and also the fourteenth or fifteenth day of each half-month.
    Would it not be advisable for the reverend brethren of the Sangha
    also to assemble on days duly appointed for that purpose?"
    [2]

    And the Blessed One commanded the bhikkhu to assemble on the eighth day
    and also on the fourteenth or fifteenth day of each half-month,
    and to devote these days to religious exercises. [3]

    A bhikkhu duly appointed should address the congregation and espound the Dharma.
    He should exhort the people to walk in the eightfold path of righteousness;
    he should comfort them in the vicissitudes of life
    and gladden them with the bliss of the fruit of good deeds.
    Thus the brethren should keep the Uposatha. [4]

    Now the bhikkhus, in obedience to the rule laid down by the Blessed One,
    assembled in the vihara on the day appointed,
    and the people went to hear the Dharma,
    but they were greatly disappointed,
    for the bhikkhus remained silent
    and delivered no discourse. [5]

    When the Blessed One heard of it,
    he ordered the bhikkhus to recite the Patimokkha,
    which is a ceremony of disburdening the conscience;
    and he commanded them to make confession of their trespasses
    so as to receive the absolution of the order. [6]

    A fault, if there be one, should be confessed
    by the bhikkhu who remembers it and desires to be cleansed.
    For a fault, when confessed, shall be light on him. [7]

    And the Blessed One said:
    "The Patimokkha must be recited in this way: [8]

    "Let a competent and venerable bhikkhu
    make the following proclamation to the Sangha:
    'May the Sangha hear me! To-day is Uposatha,
    the eighth, or the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the half-month.
    If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha hold the Uposatha service
    and recite the Patimokkha. I will recite the Patimokkha.'
    [9]

    "And the bhikkhus shall reply:
    'We hear it well and we concentrate well our minds on it, all of us.'
    [10]

    "Then the officiating bhikkhu shall continue:
    'Let him who has committed an offence, confess it;
    if there be no offence, let all remain silent;
    from your being silent I shall understand
    that the reverend brethren are free from offences.
    [11]

    "'As a single person who has been asked a question answers it,
    so also, if before an assembly like this
    a question is solemnly proclaimed three times, an answer is expected:
    if a bhikkhu, after a threefold proclamation,
    does not confess an existing offence which he remembers,
    he commits an intentional falsehood.
    [12]

    "'Now, reverend brethren, an intentional falsehood
    has been declared an impeditment by the Blessed One.
    Therefore, if an offence has been committed by a bhikkhu
    who remembers it and desires to become pure,
    the offence should be confessed by the bhikkhu;
    and when it has been confessed, it is treated duly.'"
    [13]

    End Chapter 35


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

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