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法句譬喻經 38: The profit of religion

Texts from the Buddhist Canon commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives 38

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The profit of religion

38.p1

There was in former days a certain King who ruled his people justly, and with an earnest desire for their good; but he had no son to succeed him. Buddha, having come to his kingdom, he went to hear him preach, and being convinced of the truth he became a disciple. After this he ceased not to pray earnestly for a son. Now he had a little servant boy (keih-shi?) about eleven years old, who also devoted himself to religious exercises and the repetition of Scripture. This boy having died, was re-incarnated as a child of the King his master, and when he had arrived at the age of fifteen years he was publicly acknowledged as the Prince Royal (Kumāra). After a while, the King having died, the Prince ascended the throne, and he soon gave way to evil habits of self-indulgence, and the people and the kingdom suffered in consequence. On this Buddha, knowing all the circumstances of the case, once more visited the kingdom, and the Rāja having gone to meet him, paid the usual obeisance. Buddha then began to explain to the King how it was he had come to his present royal dignity—viz., by his attention in former births to the five religious duties of a Shaman, which are these—1st, charity; 2d, founding religious buildings; 3d, reverence in worship; 4th, patience and self-restraint; 5th, diligent search after truth. By observing these he had attained his present rank; and then the World-honoured added these words, and said:—

38.p2

“A man who knows how to reverence the higher powers, his parents, and religious teachers—who is full of faith, and obedience, and charity, and wisdom—shall certainly in the end attain a fortunate condition of birth. His destiny being thus a felicitous one, if born in the world he will be a ruler of men ("prince,” or “honourable,” among men), and by his wisdom will be able to control the empire. Reverencing the law, it cannot be but that he will become lord of men. And so continuing in the path of virtue, and not receding therefrom, he will ever be so born, and without any intermission enjoy increasing happiness.”

38.p3

Buddha having thus spoken, explained how the King had come to his present dignity, and urged him not to give way, now he had attained such a position, to the temptations of sense, and then added these lines :—

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“The man who possesses authority in the world, practising himself in right dealing, and not using violence, regulating his thoughts, and overcoming all wicked desires, thus becomes a king of the law (or a righteous king). Seeing that which is right, he is able to do good; loving virtue, he is able to profit men; and thus, by an impartiality of conduct, he treats all and makes all, as it were, his own equals and fellows.”

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The King having heard these words, was filled with penitence, and bowing down at Buddha's feet, he received the five rules of a lay disciple, and entered the first Path.

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In days of old, when Buddha was residing at the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his law for the good of Devas and men, at this time there was in a country some way to the south a very large elephant of a threefold colour, white, blue, and black, which the King very much desired to capture and to tame, so as to make it one of his fighting elephants. Accordingly having despatched his chief hunter for the purpose, he waited in expectation of his command being obeyed. Now there was at this time in the mountains a certain divine elephant, his body white as snow, his tail red as vermilion, and his tusks yellow as gold. Having seen this creature, the hunter returned to the King, and asked him whether the elephant he had been sent to capture was of this kind. The King immediately ordered the beast to be taken and brought to him. On this the hunter, with thirty men, went in pursuit of him. Having come to the spot, and surrounded the place, the elephant, knowing their purpose, allowed the men to approach him, and then, filled with fury, he rushed at them and trampled the nearest to death, and put the others to flight. Now at this time in the side of the mountain there was a young and lusty hermit, who had long practised his religious austerities without arriving at any degree of fixedness. Seeing from a distance the sad case of these hunters, and pitying their condition, relying on his strength, he hurried to the spot, hoping to save them. Meantime Buddha, seeing the danger of this Bhikshu, and fearing lest the divine elephant should kill him, quickly transported himself to the place, and standing beside the elephant, caused the glory of his person to exhibit itself. The elephant, seeing the brilliancy of the body of Buddha, appeased his rage, and gave up the pursuit of the men. The Bhikshu also seeing the wonderful light that shone forth, bowed down at Buddha's feet, who forthwith repeated these verses:—

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“Be not so foolishly angry with the divine elephant as thus to entangle yourself in the certain calamity that will follow your conduct; the evil thought produces self-destruction, and in the end accomplishes no good.”

38.p8

The Bhikshu, having heard these words, was convinced that he was wrong in giving loose to the thoughts he had, and in deep penitence bowing at Buddha's feet, obtained wisdom. [The next story is that of Buddha, in a similar way to the last, converting a Raksha, who had attacked a city to the south of Rājagriha, and devoured many of its inhabitants; on which occasion the Master recited these lines:—

38.p9

“One who is able to rely upon the saving power of virtue (virtuous, or moral conduct), a happy destiny ever follows that man, and by perception of religious truth (the law) he becomes conspicuous among his fellow-men. And thus he finally escapes the three evil modes of birth; getting rid of anger by strict moral government, he also drives away sorrow and fear; he rises to be chief of the three worlds (Buddha); then neither Nāgas or demons, or noxious, poisonous snakes, can hurt him, the man who disobeys not the laws of virtuous conduct."]

38.p10

[The next story relates to Buddha when he was in a former birth a chakravarttin (universal monarch), and made a rule that he and his descendants should give up their empire and become Shamans on the appearance of the first white hair on their heads (a similar story is found in the “previous history" of Buddha, in the “Romantic Legend,” pp. 18, 19)].

38.p11

Translated from the Chinese by Samuel Beal, 1878.

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Texts from the Buddhist canon, commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives

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Published by Trübner & Co, Ludgate Hill, London, 1878.

38.p14

Translated by the Shamans Fā-Kheu and Fā-Lih, of the Western Tsin Dynasty.

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Original book can be downloaded at https://archive.org/details/textsfrombuddhis00beal.

38.p16

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ven. Vimala.

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