A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t2.12

v2.c19.s6.t2.12

In spite of all this, and in spite of the fact that this work tells us scarcely anything new about the doctrine of the Buddha, nor even about special doctrines of the Lokottaravādins, this work is nevertheless of the utmost importance, because it has preserved many old traditions and old versions of texts which appear in the Pāli Canon too. Thus the departure of Prince Siddhārtha from his home (abhiniṣkramaṇa) is related in very archaic fashion, resembling the Majjhimanikāya (26 and 36).⁴ Similarly we find there old versions of the "sermon of Benares," the Mahā-Govinda-Sutta (Dīghanikāya 19), the Dīgha-Nakha-Sutta (Majjhimanikāya 74), the Māra-Saṃyutta from the Saṃyuttanikāya, the Sahassa-Vagga from the Dhammapada, the Khuddaka-Pāṭha, the Pabbajjā, Padhāna and Khaggavisāṇa-Suttas from the Suttanipāta, and isolated portions of the Vimāna-Vatthu and of the Buddha-Vaṃsa.⁵ The poems on the birth of the Buddha also maintain the old ballad style. They are remnants of that old Buddhist ballad poetry which we have already met with so often.