377.

As the Vassikâ-plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion and hatred, O ye Bhikshus !

378.

The Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who is collected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called Quiet.

379.

Rouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thus self-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu !

380.

For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curb thyself as the merchant curbs a good horse.

381.

The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is calm in the doctrine of Buddha will reach the quiet place (Nirvâna), cessation of natural desires, and happiness.

382.

He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of Buddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds.

(381.) See verse 368.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE BRAHMANA.

383.

Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brâhmana! When you have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will understand that which was not made.

384.

If the Brahmana has reached the other shore in both laws (in restraint and contemplation), all bonds vanish from him who has obtained knowledge.

385.

He for whom there is neither this nor that shore, nor both, him, the fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Brahmana.

386.

He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful,

(385.) The exact meaning of the two shores is not quite clear, and the commentator who takes them in the sense of internal and external organs of sense, can hardly be right. See v. 86.

without passions, and who has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a Brâhmana.

387.

The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior is bright in his armour, the Brâhmana is bright in his meditation; but Buddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendour day and night.

388.

Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brâhmana; because he walks quietly, therefore he is called Sramana; because he has sent away his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita (a pilgrim).

389.

No one should attack a Brâhmana, but no Brâhmana (if attacked) should let himself fly at his aggressor! Woe to him who strikes a Brâhmana, more woe to him who flies at his aggressor!

390.

It advantages a Brâhmana not a little if he holds his mind back from the pleasures of life; when all wish to injure has vanished, pain will cease.

(388.) These would-be etymologies are again interesting as showing the decline of the etymological life of the spoken language of India at the time when such etymologies became possible. In order to derive Brahmana' from 'vâh,' it must have been pronounced 'bâhmano; 'vâh,' to remove, occurs frequently in the Buddhistical Sanskrit. (Cf. Lal. Vist. p. 551, 1. 1; 553, 1. 7. See note to verse 265.)

(390.) I am afraid I have taken too much liberty with this Dr. Fausböll translates: Non Brâhmanæ hoc paulo me

verse.

391.

Him I call indeed a Brâhmana who does not offend by body, word, or thought, and is controlled on these three points.

392.

After a man has once understood the Law as taught by the Well-awakened (Buddha), let him worship it carefully, as the Brahmana worships the sacrificial fire.

393.

A man does not become a Brâhmana by his platted hair, by his family, or by both; in whom there is truth and righteousness, he is blessed, he is a Brâh

mana.

394.

What is the use of platted hair, O fool! what of the raiment of goatskins? Within thee there is ravening, but the outside thou makest clean.

395.

The man who wears dirty raiments, who is emaciated and covered with veins, who lives alone in the forest, and meditates, him I call indeed a Brâhmana.

lius, quando retentio fit mentis a jucundis.' In the second verse he translates himsamano,' or 'himsamano,' by 'violenta mens;' Dr. Weber byder Geist der Schadsucht.' Might it be 'himsyamânah,' injured, and ' nivattati,' he is quiet, patient? Ahimsamanah' would be, with the Buddhists, the spirit of love. (Luke xi. 39.)

(394.) I have not copied the language of the Bible more than I was justified in. The words are abbhantaran te gahanam, bâhiram parimaggasi,' interna est abyssus, externum mundas.

(395.) The expression Kisan dhamanisanthatam,' is the San

396.

I do not call a man a Brâhmana because of his origin or of his mother. He may be called "Sir," and may be wealthy: but the poor, who is free from all attachments, him I call indeed a Brahmana.

397.

He who has cut all fetters, and who never trembles, he who is independent and unshackled, him I call indeed a Brâhmana.

398.

He who has cut the girdle and the strap, the rope with all that pertains to it, he who has burst the bar, and is awakened, him I call indeed a Brâhmana.

399.

He who, though he has committed no offence, endures reproach, bonds, and stripes, him, strong in endurance and powerful, I call indeed a Brâhmana.

400.

He who is free from anger, dutiful, virtuous, without weakness, and subdued, who has received his last body, him I call indeed a Brâhmana.

skrit ‘krisam dhamanîsantatam,' the frequent occurrence of which in the Mahabharata has been pointed out by Boehtlingk, 8. v. dhamani. It looks more like a Brahmanic than like a Buddhist phrase.

(399.) The exact meaning of 'balânîka' is difficult to find. Does it mean, possessed of a strong army, or facing a force, or leading a force? The commentary alone could help us to decide.