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lifted into exceptional, unique significance, by the importance of the person to whom at first it was almost casually given.

But no sooner did Sakya-muni become the Buddha than he was appalled at the laborious enterprise that awaited him in communicating his newly-attained light to all men.' He knew what it had cost himself to accept this light. He knew how men shrank from any teaching which forced truth into their convictions. Was it not hopeless to attempt the deliverance of men by such a system as his-a system involving change of character and entirely averse to all mere magical formulas or rites? But his compassion prevailed. For a time the struggle was severe, but soon we find him making his way to the great religious centre of Northern India with the resolve: "I now desire to turn the wheel of the excellent law; for this purpose am I going to that city of Benares, to give light to those enshrouded in darkness and to open the gate of immortality to men." At first he gained disciples rapidly. His princely appearance and bearing, the indubitable thoroughness of his often-tested self-abnegation and charity, his skill and persuasiveness and originality in teaching, and the reasonableness and purity of

'On the interposition of Brahma at this critical juncture, vide Bigandet, p. 105.

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He publishes his Discovery.

his doctrine, contributed to his success.

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He

was soon in a position to attempt to "set rolling the royal chariot-wheel of a universal kingdom of right." Calling his disciples about him, he conferred upon them the power hitherto reserved to himself, to admit members to the Buddhist Society, and sent them out in all directions to explain his religion to all.

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Bhikshus," he said, "having myself escaped from all sorrows, I desire my own profit to redound to the good of others: there are yet a vast number of men enthralled by grief-for these we ought to have some care and compassion. Go now, therefore, and teach the most excellent law. Explain the beginning, the middle, and the end of the law to all men without exception; let everything respecting it be made publicly known, and be brought to the broad daylight." During the remaining fortyfive years of his life this was his regular procedure: while the rainy season lasted he and his apostles lived together under shelter, but as soon as it became possible for them to itinerate they scattered again in every direction, still turning the wheel of the law.

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Buddha's own skill in teaching and his me

Rhys Davids in Encyclopædia Brit. p. 428. Cf. Beal, p. 244.

2 Beal, p. 285. Bigandet, p. 122.

thod, as well as the missionary ardour of the new religion, are illustrated by the following incidents. Kisâgotami had been married early, and while still a girl gave birth to a son. When the boy was able to walk by himself he died. The young girl in her love for it carried the dead child clasped to her bosom, and went from house to house asking if any one could give her medicine for it. At length a wise man understanding her case thought with himself, "Alas! this Kisâgotami does not understand the law of death. I must comfort her." "My good girl," he said, "I cannot myself give medicine for your child, but I know of one who can." "Oh, tell me who, that is," said she. "The Buddha can give you medicine; you must go to him.” She went to Buddha, and doing homage to him, said, "Lord and master, do you know any medicine that will be good for my child?” "Yes," said the teacher; "I know of some. Get me a handful of mustard seed." But when the poor girl was hurrying away to procure it, he added, "I require mustard seed from a house where no son, husband, parent, or slave, has died." "Very good," said the girl, and went to ask for it, carrying still the dead child astride on her hip. The people said, "Here is mustard seed;" but when she asked, "Has there died a son, a husband,

Missionary Ardour.

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a parent, or a slave, in this house?" they replied, "Lady, what is this that you ask? the living are few, but the dead are many!" Then she went to other homes, but one said, "I have lost a son;" another, "I have lost my parents;" another, "I have lost my slave." At last, not being able to find a single house where no one had died, she began to think, "This is a heavy task that I am on." And as her mind cleared, she summoned up her resolution, left the dead child in a forest, and returned to Buddha. "Have you procured the mustard seed?" he asked. “I have not," she replied: "the people of the village told me, 'The living are few, but the dead are many.” ."" Then Buddha said, "You thought that you alone had lost a son: the law of death is that among all living creatures there is no permanence." Thus he cleared away her darkness of mind, helped her to contentment, and numbered her among his disciples.1

The other incident is told as follows:-A rich merchant, of the name of Purna, being converted to the teaching of Buddha by some of his companions on shipboard, resolved to forsake all and fix his residence with a neighbouring but savage tribe, in order to win them to the same religion. Buddha at first tried to dissuade him from so perilous an undertaking.

I Max Müller's Lecture on Nihilism, p. 16. Buddhaghosha's Parables, p. 98.

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"The men of Sronaparanta, where you wish to fix your residence," he said, "are violent, cruel, passionate, fierce, and insolent. When these men address you in wicked, brutal, gross, and insulting language, when they storm at you and abuse you, what will you do, O Purna?"

"When they address me in wicked and insulting language, and abuse me," replied Purna, "this is what I will think. These men of Sronaparanta are certainly good and gentle men, who do not strike me either with their hands or with stones."

"But if they strike you, what will you think?"

"I will think them good and gentle, because they do not strike me with cudgels or with the sword."

"But what if they do strike you with the sword?"

"I will think them good and gentle, because they do not completely deprive me of life."

"But if they do deprive you of life, what then ?"

"I will think the men of Sronaparanta good and gentle, for delivering me with so little pain from this body full of vileness."

"with

"It is well, Purna," said Buddha; your perfect patience you may dwell among the

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