BOOK II: Campaign of Conversion
Part
I — Buddha and His Vishad Yoga.
Part
II — The Conversion of the Parivrajakas.
Part
III — Conversion of the High and the Holy.
Part
IV — Call from Home.
Part
V — Campaign for Conversion Resumed.
Part
VI — Conversion of the Low and the Lowly.
Part
VII — Conversion of Women.
Part
VIII — Conversion of the Fallen and
the Criminals.
PART I : BUDDHA AND HIS VISHAD YOGA
1.
To preach or not to preach.
2.
Proclamation of good news by Bramha Sahampati.
3.
Two types of conversion.
1.
To Preach or Not to Preach
1.
After having attamed enlightenment and after having formulated his way, doubt arose in the
mind of the Buddha. Should he go forth and preach his doctrine or should he continue to
devote himself to his own personal perfection.
2.
He said to himself: "True, I have gained a new doctrine. But it is too difficult for
the common man to accept it and follow it. It is too subtle even for the wise.
3. " It is hard for mankind to liberate itself from the entanglement of God and Soul. It is hard for mankind to give up its belief in rites and ceremonies. It is hard for mankind to give up its belief in Karma.
4. " It is hard for mankind to give up its
belief in the immortality of the Soul and accept my doctrine that the Soul as an
independent entity does not exist and does not survive after death.
5.
" Mankind is intent on its selfishness and takes delight and pleasure in it. It is hard for mankind to accept my doctrine of
righteousness overriding selfishness.
6.
" If I were to teach my doctrine, and others did not understand it or understanding
it did not accept or accepting it did not follow it, it would be weariness to others and a
vexation to me.
7.
" Why not remain a sanyasi away from the world and use my gospel to perfect my own
self ? " He asked himself. " At least I can do good to myself."
8.
Thus as he reflected, his mind turned to inaction, not to teaching of the gospel.
9.
Then Brahma Sahampati knowing what was passing in the mind of the Buddha thought, "
Verily the world is being destroyed, verily the world is going to destruction, if the
Tathagata, the fully enlightened, turns to inaction and not to teaching his
doctrine." 10. Filled with anxiety Brahma Sahampati leftthe Brahma world and appeared
before the Buddha. And arranging his upper robe on one shoulder he bent down and with
clasped hands said: " Thou art no longer Siddharth Gautama, Thou art Buddha. Thou art the Blessed One who is
blessed with the fullest enlightenment. Thou art the Tathagatha. How can thou refuse to
enlighten the world ? How can thou refuse to save erring humanity?
11. " There are beings full of impurity that are falling away through not hearing the doctrine.
12. "As the Lord knows," proceeded Brahma Sahampati, " Among the Magadhas arose in ancient times, doctrine impure, with many blemishes devised.
13. " Will not the Lord open for them the door of his immortal doctrine ?
14. " As one upon a rocky mountain standing, beholdeth all the people round about him even thus, 0 thou, with wisdom distilled, ascending all, behold, look down, thou griefless one, upon those plunged in their griefs.
15.
" Rise up, 0 hero, victor in battle, 0 caravan-leader, free from the debt of birth,
go to the world and not turn away from it.
16.
" May the Lord in his compassion design to teach his gospel to men and to gods"
17.
"0 Brahma, Eminent and Excellent among men, if I did not give public utterance to my
gospel, it is because I perceived vexation," was the reply of the Buddha.
18.
Knowing that there was so much unhappiness in the world the Buddha realised that it was
wrong for him to sit as a sanyasi with folded arms and allow things to remain as they
were.
19.
Asceticism he found to be useless. It was vain to attempt to escape from the world. There
is no escape from the world even for an ascetic. He realised that what is necessary is not
escape from the world. What is necessary is to change the world and to make it better.
20.
He realised that be left the world because there was so much conflict resulting in misery
and unhappiness and for which he knew no remedy. If he can banish misery and unhappiness
from the world by the propagation of his doctrine, it was his duty to return to the world
and serve it and not sit silent as the personification of inactive impassivity
21.
The Buddha therefore agreed to the request of Brahma Sahampati and decided to preach his
doctrine to the world.
§
2. Proclamation of Good News by Brahma Sahampati
1.
Then, Brahma Sahampati, thinking, "I have been instrumental in persuading the Buddha
to agree to preach his doctrine to the masses," felt extremely happy. He saluted the
Buddha, went round him passing to the right, took a look and departed.
2.
On his way back he kept on proclaiming to the world: " Rejoice at the glad tidings.
The Buddha, our Lord, has found the root of all evil and unhappiness in the world. He
knows the way out.
3.
" The Buddha will bring comfort to the weary and sorrow-laden. He will give peace to
those stricken by war. He will give courage to those who are broken in heart. He will give
to those who are suppressed and oppressed, faith and hope.
4.
" Ye that suffer from the tribulations of life, ye that have to struggle and endure,
ye that yearn for justice, rejoice at the glad tidings.
5.
"Heal your wounds, ye that are wounded. Eat your fill, ye that are hungry. Rest, ye
that are weary, and quench your thirst, ye that are thirsty. Seek the light, ye that are
in darkness. Be of good cheer, ye that are forlorn.
6.
"In his doctrine there is love to create a longing to own those who are disowned or
unowned: to the degraded there is the ennoblement ever present to raise them: to the
disinherited and the downtrodden there is equality blazing forth their path to
advancement.
7.
" His doctrine is the doctrine of righteousness and his aim is to establish the
kingdom of righteousness on earth.
8.
" His doctrine is the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
9.
" Blessed is the Buddha for his is the path of reason
and his is the way of emancipation from superstition. Blessed is the Buddha who teaches
the middle way. Blessed is the Buddha who teaches the law of righteousness. Blessed is the
Buddha who teaches the peace of Nibbana. Blessed is the
Buddha who preaches love, kindness and fellowship to help fellow beings to obtain
salvation."
§
3. Two Types of Conversion
1.
In the Buddha's scheme of things conversion has two meanings.
2.
Conversion to the Order of Bhikkus called Sangh.
3.
Secondly, it means conversion of a householder as an Upasaka or lay follower of the
Buddha's Dhamma.
4.
Except on four points there is no difference in the way of life of the Bhikku and the
Upasaka.
5.
An Upasaka remains a householder. A Bhikku becomes a homeless wanderer.
6.
Both the Upasakas and the Bhikkus must observe in their life certain rules.
7.
Here again to the Bhikku they are vows the breach of which ends in punishment. To the
Upasaka they are precepts. They must be observed to the best of his ability.
8.
An Upasaka can have property. A Bhikku cannot have.
9.
To become an Upasaka there is no ceremony.
10.
To become a Bhikku he must undergo a ceremony called Upasampada.
11.The
Buddha converted those who came to him according to their wish either as Bhikku or as
Upasaka.
12.
An Upasaka could become a Bhikku whenever he felt like it.
13.
And a Bhikku had to cease to be a Bhikku when he committed a breach of the major vows or
whenever he wished to give up his membership of
the Order.
14.
It must not be understood that the Buddha converted only those whose names occur in the
following pages.
15.
The instances are chosen only to show that he did not observe any distinction as to caste
or sex in admitting persons to his Sangh or preaching his Dhamma.
PART II: THE CONVERSION OF THE PARIVRAJAKAS
1.
Arrival at Sarnath.
2.
The Buddha's First Sermon.
3.
The Buddha's First Sermon (continued).
4.
The Buddha's First Sermon (continued).
5.
The Buddha's First Sermon (continued).
6.
The Buddha's First Sermon (concluded).
7.
The Response of the Parivrajakas.
§ 1.
Arrival at Sarnath
1.
Having decided to preach his doctrine the Buddha asked himself " to whom shall I
first teach the doctrine ? " The thought of Alara Kalam whom the Buddha adored as the
learned, wise, intelligent and of little impurity ; " What if I first teach him the
doctrine ? " But he was told that Alara Kalam was dead.
2.
Then thought he of preaching it to Uddaka Ramputta. But he too was dead.
3.
Then he thought of the five old companions of his who were with him at Niranjana when he
was practising austerities and who had left him in anger on his abandonment of
austerities.
4.
"They did much for me, attended me and looked after me, what if I first teach the
doctrine to them ? " said he to himself.
5.
"He asked for their whereabouts. Having learnt that they were dwelling at Sarnath in
the deer park of Isipatana, he left in search of them.
6.
The five, seeing him coming, decided among themselves not to welcome him. Said one of
them, "This, friends, is the ascetic Gautama coming, who has abandoned austerities
and has turned to life of abundance and luxury. He has committed a sin. We must not
therefore greet him, nor rise in respect, nor take his bowl and robe. We will only set
apart a seat for him. If he wishes, he may sit down." And they all agreed.
7.
But when the Buddha approached, the five Parivrajakas were not able to abide by their
decision, so greatly impressed were they by his personality that they all rose in their
seats. One took his bowl, one took his robe, and one prepared a seat, and one brought
water to wash his feet.
8.
It was really a great welcome to an unwelcome guest.
9.
Thus those who intended to scoff remained to pray.
§
2. The Buddha's First Sermon
1.
After exchange of greetings the five Pariv-rajakas asked the Buddha whether he still
believed in asceticism. The
Buddha replied in the negative.
2.
He said there were two extremes, a life of pleasure and a life of self-mortification.
3.
One says let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. The other says, kill all vasanas (desires) because they bring rebirth. He
rejected both as unbecoming to man.
4.
He was a believer in the Madhyama Marga (Majjhima Patipada), the middle path, which is
neither the path of pleasure nor the path of self-mortification.
5.
" Answer me this," he said to the Parivrajakas, " So long as your self
remains active and continues to lust after either worldly or heavenly pleasures, is not
all mortification vain?" And they answered, " It is as thou sayest."
6.
" How can ye be free from self by leading a wretched
life of self-mortification if ye do not thereby succeed in
quenching the fires of lust ? " And they replied,
" It is as thou sayest."
7.
" Only when the self in ye has been conquered that ye are free from lust ; ye will
then not desire worldly pleasures, and the satisfaction of your natural wants will not
defile ye. Let ye eat and drink according to the needs of your body.
8.
"Sensuality of all kinds is enervating. The sensual man is a slave of his passion.
All pleasure-seeking is degrading and vulgar. But I say unto you that to satisfy the needs
of life is not an evil : to keep the body in good health is a duty, or otherwise you shall
not be able to keep your mind strong and clear and have the lamp of wisdom burning.
9.
" Know ye, 0 Parivrajakas, that there are these two extremes which man ought not to
follow—the habitual indulgence on the one hand, of those things whose attraction
depends upon the passions, and especially of sensuality—a low and pagan way of
seeking satisfaction, unworthy, unprofitable and the habitual practice thereof, and on the
other hand, of asceticism or self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy and
unprofitable.
10.
" There is a middle path which avoids both these extremes. Know ye, that, this is the
path which I preach."
11.
The five Parivrajakas listened to him with attention. Not knowing what to say in reply to
the Buddha's middle path, they asked him what he was doing after they had left him. Then
the Buddha told them how he left for Gaya, how he sat in contemplation under the Banyan
Tree and how after four weeks of contemplation he obtained enlightenment as a result of
which he was able to discover a new path of life.
12.
On hearing this, the Parivrajakas became extremely impatient to know what the path was and
requested the Buddha to expound it to them.
13.
The Buddha agreed.
14.
He began by saying that his path which is his Dhamma (religion) had nothing to do with God
and Soul. His Dhamma had nothing to do with life after death. Nor has his Dhamma any
concern with rituals and ceremonies.
15.
The centre of his Dhamma is man and the relation of man to man in his life on earth.
16.
This he said was his first postulate.
17.
His second postulate was that men are living in sorrow, in misery and poverty. The world
is full of suffering and that how to remove this suffering from the world is the only
purpose of Dhamma. Nothing else is Dhamma.
18.
The recognition of the existence of suffering and to show the way to remove suffering is
the foundation and basis of his Dhamma.
19.
This can be the only foundation and justification for Dhamma. A religion which fails to
recognise this is no religion at all.
20.
" Verily, Parivrajakas! whatsoever recluses or Brahmins (i.e., preachers of religion)
understand not, as it really is, that the misery in the world and the escape therefrom, is
the main problem of Dhamma, such recluses and Brahmins in my opinion are not to be
regarded as recluses and Brahmins ; nor have those worthies come to know fully of
themselves what in this
very life is the real meaning of Dhamma."
21.
The Parivrajakas then asked him : "If the foundation of your Dhamma is the
recognition of the existence of suffering and the removal of suffering, tell us how does
your Dhamma remove suffering !"
22.
The Buddha then told them that according to his Dhamma if every person followed (1) the
Path of Purity ; (2) the Path of Righteousness ; and (3) the Path of Virtue, it would
bring about the end of all suffering.
23.
And he added that he had discovered such a Dhamma.
§
3. The Buddha's First Sermon—(contd.) The
Path of Purity
1.
The Parivrajakas then asked the Buddha to explain to them his Dhamma.
2.
And the Buddha was pleased to do so.
3.
He addressed them first on the Path of Purity.
4.
" The Path of Purity," he told the Parivrajakas, " teaches that a person
who wishes to be good must recognise some principles as principles of life.
5.
" According to my Path of Purity the principles of life
recognised by it are : Not to injure or kill : Not to steal or appropriate to oneself anything which belongs
to another : Not to speak untruth : Not to indulge in lust : Not to indulge in
intoxicating drinks.
6.
" The recognition of these principles, I say, is most essential for every man. For
every man must have a standard by which to judge whatever he does. And these principles
according to my teachings constitute the standard.
7.
" There are everywhere people who are patit (fallen).
But there are two classes of the patit : the patit who has a standard and a patit who has no standard.
8.
" The path who has no standard does not
know that he has fallen. Consequently he always remains fallen. On the other hand a patit who has a standard tries to rise from his
fallen state. Why? The answer is because he knows that he has fallen
9.
"This is the difference between having a standard and having no standard for
regulating a man's life. What matters is not
so much the fall of the man but the absence of any standard.
10.
" You may ask, ye Parivrajakas ! Why are these principles worthy of recognition as a
standard of life.
11.
"The answer to this question you will find for yourselves, if you ask : "Are
these principles good for the individual ? " also if you ask : " Do they promote social good ? "
12.
" If your answers to these questions are in the affirmative then it follows that the
principles of my Path of Purity are worthy of recognition as forming a true standard of
life."
§
4. The Buddha's First Sermon—{contd.) Ashtanga
Marga or the Path of Righteousness
1. The Buddha next addressed the Parivrajakas on the Ashtangamarga. He said that there are eight constituents in the Ashtangamarga.
2.
He began his discourse with the exposition of Samma
Ditti (Right Views), the first and foremost element in the Ashtangmarga,
3.
" To realise the importance of Samma Ditti,
" the Buddha said to the arivrajakas:
4.
" O, ye, Parivrajakas,
you must realise that the world is a dungeon and man is a
prisoner in the dungeon.
5.
" This dungeon is full of darkness. So dark is it that scarce anything at all can
rightly be seen by the prisoner. The prisoner cannot see that he is a prisoner.
6.
"Indeed, man has not only become blind by living too long in the darkness, but he
very much doubts if any such strange thing as light is said to be, can ever exist at all.
7.
" Mind is the only instrument through which light can come to man.
8.
" But the mind of these dungeon-dwellers is by no means a perfect instrument for the
purpose.
9.
" It lets through only a little light, just enough to show to those with sight that
there is such a thing as darkness.
10.
" Thus defective in its nature, such understanding as
this is.
11.
" But know, ye, Parivrajakas! the case of the prisoner is not as hopeless as it
appears.
12.
" For there is in man a thing called will. When the appropriate motives arise the
will can be awakened and set in motion.
13.
"With the coming of just enough light to see in what directions to guide the motions
of the will, man may so guide them that they shall lead to liberty.
14.
" Thus though man is bound, yet he may be free ; he may at any moment begin to take
the first steps that will ultimately bring him to freedom.
15.
"This is because it is possible to train the mind in whatever directions one chooses.
It is mind that makes us to be prisoners in the house of life, and it is mind that keeps
us so.
16.
" But what mind has done, that mind can undo. If it has brought man to thraldom, it
can also, when rightly directed, bring him to liberty.
17.
"This is what Samma Ditti can do."
18.
" What is the end of Samma Ditti ?
" asked the Parivrajakas. " The end of Samma
Ditti," replied the Buddha, " is the destruction of Avijja (Nescience). It
is opposed to Miccha Ditti.
19.
" And Avijja means the failure to understand the noble truths, of the existence of
suffering and the removal of suffering.
20.
" Samma Ditti requires giving up of belief
in the efficacy of rites and ceremonies, to have disbelief in the sanctity of the Shasras.
21.
" Samma Ditti requires the abandonment of
superstition and supernaturalism.
22.
" Samma Ditti requires the abandonment of
all doctrines which are mere speculations without any basis in fact or experience
23.
" Samma Ditti requires free mind and free
thought.
24.
" Every man has aims, aspirations and ambitions. Samma Sankappo teaches that such aims, aspirations
and ambitions shall be noble and praiseworthy and not ignoble and unworthy. 25. " Samma Vacca (Right Speech) teaches:
(1)
that one should speak only that which is true;
(2)
that one should not speak what is false ; (3) that one should not speak evil of others ;
(4) that one should refrain from slander ; (5) that one
should not use angry and abusive language towards any fellow man; (6) that one should
speak kindly and courteously to all ; (7) that one should not indulge in pointless,
foolish talk, but let his speech be sensible and to the purpose.
26.
" The observance of Right Speech, as I have explained, is not to be the result of
fear or favour. It is not to have the slightest reference to what any superior being may
think of his action or to any loss which Right Speech may involve.
27.
" The norm for Right Speech is not the order of the superior or the personal benefit
to the individual.
28.
" Samma Kamanto teaches right behaviour. It
teaches that every action should be founded on respect for the feelings and rights of
others.
29.
" What is the norm for Samma Kamanto ? The
norm is that course of conduct which is most in harmony with the fundamental laws of
existence.
30.
" When his actions are in harmony with these laws they may be taken to be in accord
with Samma Kamanto.
31.
" Every individual has to earn his livelihood. But there are ways and ways of earning
one's livelihood. Some are bad ; some are good. Bad ways are those which cause injury or
injustice to others. Good ways are those by which the individual earns his livelihood
without causing injury or injustice to others. This is Samma Ajivo.
32.
" Samma Vyayamo (Right Endeavour) is
primary endeavour to remove Avijja ; to reach the door that leads out of this painful
prison house, to swing it open.
33.
" Right endeavour has four purposes.
34.
" One is to prevent states of mind which are in conflict with the Ashtangamarga.
35.
" Second is to suppress such states of mind which may already have arisen.
36.
"Third is to bring into existence states of mind which will help a man to fulfil the
requirements of the Ashtangamarga.
37. " Fourth is to promote the further growth and increase of such states of mind as already may have arisen.
38.
" Samma Satti calls for mindfulness and
thoughtfulness. It means constant wakefulness of the mind. Watch and ward by the mind over
the evil passions is another name for Samma Satti.
39.
" There are, ye Parivrajakas, five fetters or hindrances which come in the way of a
person trying to achieve Samma Ditti, Samma
Sankappo, Samma Vacca, Samma Kamanto, Samma Ajeevo, Samma Vyayamo and Samma Satti.
40.
"These five hindrances are covetousness, ill-will, sloth and torpor, doubt and
indecision. It is, therefore, necessary to overcome these hindrances which are really
fetters and the means to overcome them is through Samadhi.
But know ye Parivrajakas, Samma Samadhi is not
the same as Samadhi, It is quite different.
41.
" Samadhi is mere concentration. No doubt
it leads to Dhyanic states which are self-induced, holding the five hindrances in
suspense.
42.
"But these Dhyana states are temporary. Consequently the suspension of the hindrances
is also temporary. What is necessary is a permanent turn to the mind. Such a permanent
turn can be achieved only by Samma Samadhi.
43.
" Mere Samadhi is negative inasmuch as it leads to
temporary suspension of the hindrances. In it there is no training to the mind. Samma Samadhi
is positive. It trains the mind to concentrate and to think of some Kusala Kamma (Good Deeds and Thoughts) during
concentration and thereby eliminate the tendency of the mind to be drawn towards Akusala Kamma (Bad Deeds and Bad Thoughts)
arising from the hindrances.
44.
" Samma Samadhi gives a habit to the mind
to think of good and always to think of good. Samma
Samadhi gives the mind the necessary motive power to do good."
§
5. The Buddha's First Sermon— (contd.) The
Path of Virtue
1.
The Buddha then explained to the Pariv-rajakas the Path of Virtue.
2.
He told them that the path of virtue meant the observance of the virtues called : (1) Sila; (2) Dana; (3) Uppekha;
(4) Nekkhama; (5) Virya; (6) Khanti;
(7) Succa; (8) Adhithana ; (9) Karuna ; and (10)Maitri
3.
The Parivrajakas asked the Buddha to tell them what these virtues meant.
4.
The Buddha then proceeded to satisfy their desire.
5.
" Sila is moral temperament, the
disposition not to do evil and the disposition to do good ; to be ashamed of doing wrong.
To avoid to do evil for fear of punishment is Sila,
Sila means fear of doing wrong.
6.
" Nekkhama is
renunciation of the pleasures of the world.
7.
" Dana means the giving of one's possessions,
blood and limbs and even one's life, for the good of others without expecting anything in
return. 8. " Virya is right endeavour. It
is doing with all your might whatever you have undertaken to do with never a thought of
turning back, whatever you have undertaken to do.
9.
" Khanti is forbearance. Not to meet hatred
by hatred is the essence of it. For hatred is not appeased by hatred. It is appeased only
by forbearance.
10.
" Succa is truth. A person must never tell
a lie. His speech must be truth and nothing but truth.
11.
" Adhithana is resolute determination to
reach the goal.
12.
" Karuna is
loving kindness to human beings.
13.
" Maitri is extending fellow feeling to all
beings, not only to one who is a friend but also to one who is a foe : not only to man but
to all living beings.
14.
" Upekka is detachment as distinguished
from indifference. It is a state of mind where there is neither like nor dislike.
Remaining unmoved by the result and yet engaged in the pursuit of it.
15.
"These virtues one must practice to his utmost capacity. That is why they are called
Paramitas (States of Perfection).
§
6. The Buddha's First Sermon—(concld.)
1.
Having explained His Dhamma and what it involved, the Buddha
then asked the Parivrajakas:
2.
"Is not personal purity the foundation of good in the world?" And they answered,
"It is as thou sayest."
3.
And he continued : " Is not personal purity undermined by covetousness, passion,
ignorance, the destruction of life, theft, adultery and lying? Is it not necessary for
personal purity to build up sufficient strength of character so that these evils should be
kept under control ? How can a man be the instrument of good if he has no personal purity
in him ? " And they replied, " It is as thou sayest."
4.
" Again why do men not mind enslaving or dominating others ? Why do men not mind
making the lives of others unhappy ? Is it not because men are not righteous in their
conduct towards one another?" And they answered in the affirmative.
5.
" Will not the practice of the Ashtanga Marga, the path of right views, right aims,
right speech, right livelihood, right means, right mindfulness, right perseverance, and
right contemplation, in short, the Path of Righteousness, if followed by every one, remove
all injustice and inhumanity that man does to man?" And they said, "Yes."
6.
Turning to the path of virtue, he asked, "Is not Dana necessary to remove the
suffering of the needy and the poor and to promote general good? Is not Karuna necessary
to be drawn to the relief of poverty and suffering wherever it exists? Is not Nekkamma
necessary to selfless work? Is not Uppekka necessary for sustained endeavour even though
there is no personal gain?
7.
"Is not love for man necessary?" And they said " Yes."
8.
"I go further and say, "Love is not enough ; what is required is Maitri."
It is wider than love. It means fellowship not merely with human beings but with all
living beings. It is not confined to human beings. Is not such Maitri necessary? What else
can give to all living beings the same happiness which one seeks for one's own self, to
keep the mind impartial, open to all, with affection for every one and hatred for none ?
"
9.
They all said "Yes."
10. " The practice of these virtues must, however, be accompanied by Prajna,