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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 Conditions of Welfare

    When the Blessed One was residing on the mount called Vulture's Peak, near Rajagaha,
    Ajatasattu the king of Magadha, who reigned in the place of Bimbisara,
    planned an attack on the Vajjis, and he said to Vassakara, his prime minister:
    "I will root out the Vajjis, mighty though they be.
    I will destroy the Vajjis; I will bring them to utter ruin!
    Come now, O Brahman, and go to the Blessed One:
    inquire in my name for his health, and tell him my purpose.
    Bear carefully in mind what the Blessed One may say,
    and repeat it to me, for the Buddhas speak nothing untrue.
    [1]

    When Vassakara, the prime minister, had greeted the Blessed One and delivered his message,
    the venerable Ananda stood behind the Blessed One and fanned him, and the Blessed One said to him:
    "Hast thou heard, Ananda, that the Vajjis hold full and frequent public assemblies?" [2]

    "Lord, so I have heard," replied he. [3]

    "So long, Ananda," said the Blessed One,
    "as the Vajjis hold these full and frequent public assemblies,
    they may be expected not to decline, but to prosper.
    So long as they meet together in concord,
    so long as they honour their elders,
    so long as they respect womanhood,
    so long as they remain religious, performing all proper rites,
    so long as they extend the rightful protection, defence and support to the holy ones,
    the Vajjis may be expected not to decline, but to prosper."
    [4]

    Then the Blessed One addressed Vassakara and said:
    "When I stayed, O Brahman, at Vesali,
    I taught the Vajjis these conditions of welfare,
    that so long as they should remain well instructed,
    so long as they will continue in the right path,
    so long as they live up to the precepts of righteousness,
    we could expect them not to decline, but to prosper."
    [5]

    As soon as the king's messenger had gone,
    the Blessed One had the brethren, that were in the neighbourhood of Rajagaha,
    assembled in the service-hall, and addressed them, saying: [6]

    "I will teach you, O bhikkhus,
    the conditions of the welfare of a community.
    Listen well, and I will speak.
    [7]

    "So long, O bhikkhus, as the brethren hold full and frequent assemblies,
    meeting in concord, rising in concord,
    and attending in concord to the affairs of the Sangha;
    so long as they, O bhikkhus, do not abrogate
    that which experience has proved to be good,
    and introduce nothing except such things as have been carefully tested;
    so long as their elders practise justice;
    so long as the brethren esteem, revere,
    and support their elders, and hearken unto their words;
    so long as the brethren are not under the influence of craving,
    but delight in the blessings of religion,
    so that good and holy men shall come to them
    and dwell among them in quiet;
    so long as the brethren shall exercise themselves
    in the sevenfold higher widom of mental activity,
    search after truth, energy, joy, modest, self-control,
    earnest contemplation, and equanimity of mind, -
    so long the Sangha may be expected not to decline, but to prosper.
    [8]

    "Therefore, O bhikkhus,
    be full of faith,
    modest in heart,
    afraid of sin,
    anxious to learn,
    strong in energy,
    active in mind,
    and full of wisdom."
    [9]

    End Chapter 88


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

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