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A comparison of the many striking agreements between Christianity and Buddhism may prove fatal to sectarian[Pg xv] conceptions of either religion, but will in the end help to mature our insight into the true significance of both. It will bring out a nobler faith which aspires to be the cosmic religion of universal truth.
Let us hope that this Gospel of Buddha will serve both Buddhists and Christians as a help to penetrate further into the spirit of their faith, so as to see its full height, length and breadth.
Above any Hnayna, Mahyna, and Mahsetu is the Religion of Truth.
Paul Carus.
Pronounce:
a as the Italian and German short a.
as a in father,
e as e in eight.
i as i in hit.
as i in machine.
o as o in home.
u as oo in good.
u as in rumor.
ai as in eye.
au as ow in how.
as ny.
j as dny.
as n-ny.
ch as ch in church.
cch as ch-ch in rich chance.
Note that o and e are always long.
s, j, y, and other letters, as usual in English words.
Double consonants are pronounced as two distinct sounds, e.g., ka'm-ma, not k'ma.
The h after p, b, k, g, t, d is audible as in dub him, beg her, brick house, ant hill. Pronounce Tat-hgata, not Ta-thgata.
To the average European it is difficult to catch, let alone to imitate, the difference of sound between dotted and non-dotted letters. All those who are desirous for information on this point must consult Sanskrit and Pli grammars.
Lest the reader be unnecessarily bewildered with foreign-looking dots and signs, which after all are no help to him, all dotted , , , , and italicized t, d, m, n have been replaced in the text of the book by t, d, m, n, , , dotted and italicized s have been transcribed by ny, nny, ri, and sh, while the Glossary preserves the more exact transcription.
We did not follow the spelling of the Sacred Books of the East, where it must be misleading to the uninitiated, especially when they write italicized K to denote spelling of the English sound ch, and italicized g to denote j. Thus we write "rj," not "rg," and "Chunda," not "Kunda."[Pg xvii]
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Preface
Pronunciation
INTRODUCTION.
I. Rejoice
II. Samsra and Nirvna
III. Truth the Saviour
PRINCE SIDDHATTHA BECOMES BUDDHA.
IV. The Bodhisatta's Birth
V. The Ties of Life
VI. The Three Woes
VII. The Bodhisatta's Renunciation
VIII. King Bimbisra
IX. The Bodhisatta's Search
X. Uruvel, the Place of Mortification
XI. Mra, the Evil One
XII. Enlightenment
XIII. The First Converts
XIV. Brahm's Request
THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
XV. Upaka
[Pg xviii]XVI. The Sermon at Benares
XVII. The Sangha
XVIII. Yasa, the Youth of Benares
XIX. Kassapa
XX. The Sermon at Rjagaha
XXI. The King's Gift
XXII. Sriputta and Moggallna
XXIII. Anthapindika
XXIV. The Sermon on Charity
XXV. Jetavana
XXVI. The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate
XXVII. The Buddha's Father
XXVIII. Yasodhar
XXIX. Rhula
CONSOLIDATION OF THE BUDDHA'S RELIGION.
XXX. Jvaka, the Physician
XXXI. The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvna
XXXII. Women Admitted to the Sangha
XXXIII. The Bhikkhus' Conduct Toward Women
XXXIV. Viskh
XXXV. The Uposatha and Ptimokkha
XXXVI. The Schism
XXXVII. The Re-establishment of Concord
XXXVIII. The Bhikkhus Rebuked
XXXIX. Devadatta
XL. Name and Form
XLI. The Goal
XLII. Miracles Forbidden
XLIII. The Vanity of Worldliness
XLIV. Secrecy and Publicity
XLV. The Annihilation of Suffering
XLVI. Avoiding the Ten Evils
XLVII. The Preacher's Mission
THE TEACHER.
XLVIII. The Dhammapada
XLIX. The Two Brahmans
L. Guard the Six Quarters
[Pg xix]
LI. Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation
LII. All Existence is Spiritual
LIII. Identity and Non-Identity
LIV. The Buddha Omnipresent
LV. One Essence, One Law, One Aim
LVI. The Lesson Given to Rhula
LVII. The Sermon on Abuse
LVIII. The Buddha Replies to the Deva
LIX. Words of Instruction
LX. Amitbha
LXI. The Teacher Unknown
PARABLES AND STORIES.
LXII. Parables
LXIII. The Widow's Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants
LXIV. The Man Born Blind
LXV. The Lost Son
LXVI. The Giddy Fish
LXVII. The Cruel Crane Outwitted
LXVIII. Four Kinds of Merit
LXIX. The Light of the World
LXX. Luxurious Living
LXXI. The Communication of Bliss
LXXII. The Listless Fool
LXXIII. Rescue in the Desert
LXXIV. The Sower
LXXV. The Outcast
LXXVI. The Woman at the Well
LXXVII. The Peacemaker
LXXVIII. The Hungry Dog
LXXIX. The Despot
LXXX. Vsavadatt
LXXXI. The Marriage-Feast in Jambnada
LXXXII. A Party in Search of a Thief
LXXXIII. In the Realm of Yamarja
LXXXIV. The Mustard Seed
LXXXV. Following the Master Over the Stream
LXXXVI. The Sick Bhikkhu
[Pg xx]
LXXXVII. The Patient Elephant
THE LAST DAYS.
LXXXVIII. The Conditions of Welfare
LXXXIX. Sriputta's Faith
XC. Ptaliputta
XCI. The Mirror of Truth
XCII. Ambapl
XCIII. The Buddha's Farewell Address
XCIV. The Buddha Announces His Death
XCV. Chunda, the Smith
XCVI. Metteyya
XCVII. The Buddha's Final Entering Into Nirvna
CONCLUSION.
XCVIII. The Three Personalities of the Buddha
XCIX. The Purpose of Being
C. The Praise of All the Buddhas
Table of Reference
Abbreviations in the Table of Reference
Glossary of Names and Terms
Index
Remarks on the illustrations of the Gospel of Buddha
