Return to Index

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


  • Click for The Reluctant Messenger (Host Site)
    Click here to go The Reluctant Messenger (Host Site)

    The Gospel of Buddha

    The Vanity of Worldliness

    There was a poet who had acquired the spotless eye of truth,
    and he believed in the Buddha,
    whose doctrine gave him peace of mind
    and comfort in the hour of affliction. [1]

    And it happened that an epidemic swept over the country in which he lived,
    so that many died, and the people were terrified.
    Some of them trembled with fright,
    and in anticipation of their fate
    were smitten with all the horrors of death before they died,
    while others began to be merry, shouting loudly,
    "Let us enjoy ourselves to-day,
    for we know not whether to-morrow we shall live";

    yet was their laughter no genuine gladness,
    but a mere pretence and affectation. [2]

    Among all these worldly men and women trembling with anxiety,
    the Buddhist poet lived in the time of the pestilence,
    as usual, calm and undisturbed,
    helping wherever he could and ministering unto the sick,
    soothing their pains by medicine and religious consolation. [3]

    And a man came to him and said:
    "My heart is nervous and excited, for I see people die.
    I am not anxious about others, but I tremble because of myself.
    Help me; cure me of my fear."
    [4]

    The poet replied:
    "There is help for him who has compassion on others,
    but there is no help for thee
    so long as thou clingest to thine own self alone.
    Hard times try the souls of men and teach them righteousness and charity.
    Canst thou witness these sad sights around thee
    and still be filled with selfishness?
    Canst thou see thy brothers, sisters, and friends suffer,
    yet not forget the petty cravings and lust of thine own heart?"
    [5]

    Noticing the desolation in the mind of the pleasure-seeking man,
    the Buddhist poet composed this song
    and taught it to the brethren in the vihara: [6]

      "Unless refuge you take in the Buddha and find in Nirvana rest
      Your life is but vanity - empty and desolate vanity.
      To see the world is idle, and to enjoy life is empty.
      The world, including man, is but like a phantom,
      and the hope of heaven is as a mirage.
      [7]

      "The worldling seeks pleasures fattening himself like a caged fowl.
      But the Buddhist saint flies up to the sun like the wild crane.
      The fowl in the coop has food but will soon be boiled in the pot.
      No provisions are given to the wild crane,
      but the heavens and the earth are his."
      [8]

    The poet said:
    "The times are hard
    and teach the people a lesson;
    yet do they not heed it."

    And he composed another poem
    on the vanity of worldliness: [9]

      "It is good to reform, and it is good to exhort people to reform.
      The things of the world will all be swept away.
      Let others be busy and buried with care.
      My mind all unvexed shall be pure.
      [10]

      "After pleasures they hanker and find no satisfaction;
      Riches they covet and can never have enough.
      They are like unto puppets held up by a string.
      When the string breaks they come dowm with a shock.
      [11]

      "In the domain of death there are neither great nor small;
      Neither gold nor silver is used, nor precious jewels.
      No distinction is made between the high and the low.
      And daily the dead are buried beneath the fragrant sod.
      [12]

      "Look at the sun setting behind the western hills.
      You lie down to rest, but soon the cock will announce morn.
      Reform to-day and do not wait until it be too late.
      Do not say it is early, for the time quickly passes by.
      [13]

      "It is good to reform and it is good to exhort people to reform.
      It is good to lead a righteous life and take refuge in the Buddha's name.
      Your talents may reach to the skies, your wealth may be untold
      But all is in vain unless you attain the peace of Nirvana."
      [14]

      End Chapter 43


      [Previous] [Next]


      01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | Preface



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

    $3.99 Kindle eBook
    The Reluctant 
Messenger of Science and Religion Book Cover
    Buy from Amazon.com




    The Reluctant Messenger's Recommended Books and CDs

    Book of Chester (sacred scripture)