A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.156

v2.c19.s6.t4.156

Among the numerous Paripṛcchās which are included in the Chinese and the Tibetan Ratnakūṭa,¹ there is also the Rāṣṭrapāla-Paripṛcchā, or Rāṣṭrapāla-Sūtra.² The Sūtra consists of two parts, the first of which is more dogmatic and contains Buddha's reply to "Rāṣṭrapāla's question" on the qualities (Dharmas) of a Bodhisattva, while Part II relates the Jātaka of Prince Puṇyaraśmi, whose story has a few features in common with the Buddha legend. Even in Part I, however, Buddha gives a brief account of his actions in former births, by way of elucidating the Bodhisattva-Dharmas, and fifty Jātakas are mentioned. Following abruptly after these Jātakas, is a prophecy of the future decay of the religion,¹ and this is the most interesting part of the Sūtra: for the picture here sketched in a very life-like and accurate manner, must necessarily reflect actual facts, and must contain a satirical description of the lax morals of the Buddhist monks. It says, for instance: