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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 Buddha's Farewell Address

    When the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Ambapali's grove,
    he went to Beluva, near Vesali. There the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said:
    "O mendicants, take up your abode for the rainy season round about Vesali,
    each one according to the place where his friends and near companions may live.
    I shall enter upon the rainy season here at Beluva."
    [1]

    When the Blessed One had thus entered upon the rainy season
    there fell upon him a dire sickness,
    and sharp pains came upon him even unto death.
    But the Blessed One, mindful and self-possessed,
    bore his ailments without complaint. [2]

    Then this thought occurred to the Blessed One,
    "It would not be right for me to pass away from life
    without addressing the disciples, without taking leave of the order.
    Let me now, by a strong effort of the will, subdue this sickness,
    and keep my hold on life till the alloted time have come."
    [3]

    And the Blessed One, by a strong effort of the will subdued the sickness,
    and kept his hold on life till the time he fixed upon should come.
    And the sickness abated. [4]

    Thus the Blessed One began to recover;
    and when he had quite got rid of the sickness,
    he went out from the monastery,
    and sat down on a seat spread out in the open air.
    And the venerable Ananda, accompanied by many other disciples,
    approached where the Blessed One was, saluted him,
    and taking a seat respectfully on one side, said:
    "I have beheld, Lord, how the Blessed One was in health,
    and I have beheld how the Blessed One had to suffer.
    And though at the sight of the sickness of the Blessed One
    my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me,
    and my faculties were no longer clear,
    yet notwithstanding I took some little comfort from the thought
    that the Blessed One would not pass away from existence
    until at least he had left instructions as touching the order."
    [5]

    And the Blessed One addressed Ananda in behalf of the order, saying: [6]

    "What, then, Ananda, does the order expect of me?
    I have preached the truth without making any distinction
    between exoteric and esoteric doctrine;
    for in respect of the truth, Ananda,
    the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher,
    who keeps some things back.
    [7]

    "Surely, Ananda, should there be any one who harbours the thought,
    'it is I who will lead the brotherhood,' or,
    'The is order is dependent upon me,'
    he should lay down instructions in any matter concerning the order.
    Now the Tathagata, Ananda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood,
    or that the order is dependent upon him.
    [8]

    "Why, then, should the Tathagata leave instruction
    in any matter concerning the order?
    [9]

    "I am now grown old, O Ananda, and full of years;
    my journey is drawing to its close,
    I have reached the sum of my days,
    I am turning eighty years of age.
    [10]

    "Just as a worn-out cart cannot be made to move along without much difficulty,
    so the body of the Tathagata can only be kept going with much additional care.
    [11]

    "It is only, Ananda, when the Tathagata,
    ceasing to attend to any outward thing,
    becomes plunged into that devout meditation of heart
    which is concerned with no bodily object,
    it is only then that the body of the Tathagata is at ease.
    [12]

    "Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves.
    Rely on yourselves, and do not rely on external help.
    [13]

    "Hold fast to the truth as a lamp.
    Seek salvation alone in the truth.
    Look not for assistance to any one besides yourselves.
    [14]

    "And how, Ananda, can a brother be lamp unto himself,
    rely on himself only and not on any external help,
    holding fast to the truth as his lamp
    and seeking salvation in the truth alone,
    looking not for assistance to any one besides himself?
    [15]

    "Herein, O Ananda, let a brother,
    as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he,
    being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world,
    overcome the grief which arises from the body's cravings.
    [16]

    "While subject to sensations
    let him continue so to regard the sensations that he,
    being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world,
    overcome the grief which arises from the sensations.
    [17]

    "And so, also, when he thinks or reasons, or feels,
    let him so regard his thoughts
    that being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful he may, whilst in the world,
    overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas,
    or to reasoning, or to feeling.
    [18]

    "Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall be lamps unto themselves,
    relying upon themselves only and not relying upon any external help,
    ' but holding fast in the truth as their lamp,
    and seeking their salvation in the truth alone,
    and shall not look for assistance to any one besides themselves,
    it is they, Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very height!
    But they must be anxious to learn."
    [19]

    End Chapter 93


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

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