TRÜBNER’S
ORIENTAL SERIES.
THE LIFE OR LEGEND
OF
GAUDAMA
THE BUDDHA OF THE BURMESE.
With Annotations.
THE WAYS TO NEIBBAN, AND NOTICE ON THE
PHONGYIES OR BURMESE MONKS.
BY THE
RIGHT REVEREND P. BIGANDET,
BISHOP OF RAMATHA,
VICAR APOSTOLIC OF AVA AND PEGU.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
Fourth Edition.
LONDON:
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. LTD.
BROADWAY HOUSE, CARTER LANE, E.C.
1912.
The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved.
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh
CONTENTS.
LEGEND OR LIFE OF THE BURMESE BUDDHA, CALLED GAUDAMA.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Buddha, being seventy-nine years old, delivers instructions to the Rahans—Preachings in the village of Patalie—Miraculous crossing of the Ganges—Conversion of a courtesan—Sickness of Buddha—His instructions to Ananda—Last moments and death of Thariputra—His eulogium by Buddha—Death of Maukalan—Reflections of Buddha on that event | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Voyage to Wethalie—Last temptation of Manh—Causes of earthquake—New instructions to the Rahans—Last meal of Buddha—His painful distemper—His conversation with one of the Malla Princes—Sign foreshowing Buddha’s coming death—Arrival in the Kootheinaron forest—Buddha lays himself on his couch—Wonders attending that event—Instructions to Ananda—Eulogium of Ananda by Buddha—Conversion of Thoubat—Last words of Buddha to the Rahans—His death | [28] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Stanzas uttered after Buddha’s death—Ananda informs the Malla Princes of Buddha’s demise—Preparations for the funeral—Arrival of Kathaba at the spot where the body was exposed to public veneration—He worships the body—Wonder on that occasion—The burning of the corpse—Partition of the relics made by a Pounha called Dauna—Extraordinary honours paid to the relics by King Adzatathat—Death of that king and of Kathaba | [75] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| After Buddha’s death, zeal of Kathaba in upholding genuine doctrines—He selects five hundred elders to become members of a council or assembly—Radzagio is fixed upon for the holding of the council—He repairs thither with a portion of the appointed members—Behaviour of the amiable Ananda previous to his departure for Radzagio—King Adzatathat supports Kathaba in his views—The hall for holding the council is prepared by his orders—Ananda is qualified in a miraculous manner for sitting as a member of the council—Holding of the council under the presidency of Kathaba—Establishment of the Religious era—Destruction of Wethalie by Adzatathat—The successors of that Prince—In the days of King Kalathoka a second council is held at Pataliputra under the presidency of Ratha—Causes that provoked the holding of a second assembly | [101] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Kalathoka is succeeded by his eldest son, Baddasena—And finally by the youngest, Pitzamuka—This prince is killed and succeeded by a chief of robbers, named Ouggasena-nanda—King Tsanda-gutta—King Bandasura—Miraculous dreams of Athoka’s mother—King Athoka—His conversion—His zeal for Buddhism—Finding of the relics—Distribution of them—Third council held under the presidency of Mauggalipata—Preaching of religion in various countries, and particularly in Thaton—Voyage of Buddhagosa to Ceylon—Establishment of religion in Pagan—Various particulars relating to the importation of the Scriptures in Burmah | [123] |
| An Abstract of a few small Dzats, and of two principal ones, known as Nemi and Dzanecka | [153] |
| Remarks on the Sites and Names of the principal Places mentioned in the Legend or Life of Gaudama | [177] |
| The Seven Ways to Neibban | [189] |
| Art. I.—Of the Precepts | [191] |
| Art. II.—Of Meditation and its various Degrees | [202] |
| Art. III.—Of the Nature of Beings | [212] |
| Art. IV.—Of the Cause of the Form and of the Name, or of Master and Spirit | [218] |
| Art. V.—Of the True Meggas or Ways to Perfection | [227] |
| Art. VI.—Of the Progress in Perfect Science | [233] |
| Notice on the Phongyies, or Buddhist Monks, sometimes called Talapoins | [241] |
| Art. I.—A short Parallel between the Brahminical and Buddhistic Religious Orders | [244] |
| Art. II.—Nature of the Religious Order of Phongyies | [251] |
| Art. III.—Hierarchy of the Order | [261] |
| Art. IV.—Ordination, or Ceremonies observed at the Admission into the Society | [272] |
| Art. V.—Rules of the Order | [282] |
| Art. VI.—Occupations of the Buddhist Monks | [296] |
| Art. VII.—Religious Influence of the Phongyies—Respect and Veneration paid to them by the Laity | [303] |
| Addenda | [321] |
| On the word “Nat” | [324] |