The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records. Paul Carus

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СКАЧАТЬ it prevails, we must concede that it resulted from an adaptation to their condition and has accomplished much to educate them. The Mahāyāna is a step forward in so far as it changes a philosophy into a religion, and attempts to preach doctrines that were negatively expressed, in positive propositions.

      Far from rejecting the religious zeal which gave rise to the Māhāyana in Buddhism, we can still less join those who denounce Christianity on account of its dogmatology and mythological ingredients. Christianity has certainly had and still has a great mission in the evolution of mankind. It has succeeded in imbuing with the religion of charity and mercy the most powerful nations of the world, to whose spiritual needs it is especially adapted. It extends the blessings of universal good-will with the least possible amount of antagonism to the natural selfishness that is so strongly developed in the Western races. Christianity is the religion of love made easy. This is its advantage, which, however, is not without its drawbacks. Christianity teaches charity without dispelling the ego-illusion; and in this sense it surpasses even the Māhāyana: it is still more adapted to the needs of multitudes than a large vessel fitted to carry over those who embark on it: it is comparable to a grand bridge, a Mahāsetu, on which a child who has no comprehension as yet of the nature of self can cross the stream of self-hood and worldly vanity.

      A comparison of the many striking agreements between Christianity and Buddhism may prove fatal to sectarian 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 Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Mahāsetu is the Religion of Truth.

      Paul Carus.

PRONUNCIATION.

       Table of Contents

      Pronounce:

      a as the Italian and German short a. ā as a in father, e as e in eight. i as i in hit. ī as i in machine. o as o in home. u as oo in good. u as ū in rumor. ai as in eye. au as ow in how. ñ as ny. jñ as dny. ññ 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 kă'ma.

      The h after p, b, k, g, t, d is audible as in dub him, beg her, brick house, ant hill. Pronounce Tat-hāgata, not Ta-thāgata.

      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 Pāli grammars.

      Lest the reader be unnecessarily bewildered with foreign-looking dots and signs, which after all are no help to him, all dotted ṭ, ḍ, ṃ, ṇ, and italicized t, d, m, n have been replaced in the text of the book by t, d, m, n, ñ, ññ, dotted ṛ 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 "rājā," not "rāgā," and "Chunda," not "Kunda."

      TABLE OF CONTENTS. Preface Pronunciation INTRODUCTION. I. Rejoice II. Samsāra and Nirvāna 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 Bimbisāra IX. The Bodhisatta's Search X. Uruvelā, the Place of Mortification XI. Māra, the Evil One XII. Enlightenment XIII. The First Converts XIV. Brahmā's Request THE FOUNDATION OF THE KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. XV. Upaka XVI. The Sermon at Benares XVII. The Sangha XVIII. Yasa, the Youth of Benares XIX. Kassapa XX. The Sermon at Rājagaha XXI. The King's Gift XXII. Sāriputta and Moggallāna XXIII. Anāthapindika XXIV. The Sermon on Charity XXV. Jetavana XXVI. The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate XXVII. The Buddha's Father XXVIII. Yasodharā XXIX. Rāhula CONSOLIDATION OF THE BUDDHA'S RELIGION. XXX. Jīvaka, the Physician XXXI. The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvāna XXXII. СКАЧАТЬ