Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 84: The Mustard Seed"

Latest revision as of 20:06, 31 December 2013

There was a rich man who found his gold suddenly transformed into ashes;
and he took to his bed and refused all food.
A friend, hearing of his sickness,
visited the rich man and learned the cause of his grief.
And the friend said:
"Thou didst not make good use of thy wealth.
When thou didst hoard it up it was not better than ashes.
Now heed my advice. Spread mats in the bazaar;
pile up these ashes, and pretend to trade with them." [1]

The rich man did as his friend had told him,
and when his neighbours asked him,
"Why sellest thou ashes?" he said:
"I offer my goods for sale." [2]

After some time a young girl, named Kisa Gotama,
an orphan and very poor, passed by,
and seeing the rich man in the bazaar, said:
"My lord, why pilest thou thus up gold and silver for sale." [3]

And the rich man said:
"Wilt thou please hand me that gold and silver?"
And Kisa Gotami took up a handful of ashes,
and lo! they changed back into gold. [4]

Considering that Kisa Gotami had the mental eye of spiritual knowledge
and saw the real worth of things,
the rich man gave her in marriage to his son, and he said:
"With many, gold is no better than ashes,
but with Kisa Gotami ashes become pure gold." [5]

And Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died.
In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbours,
asking them for medicine, and the people said:
"She has lost her senses. The boy is dead." [6]

At length Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request:
"I cannot give thee medicine for thy child,
but I know a physician who can." [7]

And the girl said: "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?"
And the man replied: "Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha." [8]

Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried:
"Lord and Master, give me medicine that will cure my boy." [8]

The Buddha answered:
"I want a handful of mustard seed."
And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added:
"The mustard seed must be taken from a house
where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend." [10]

Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house,
and the people pitied her and said:
"Here is mustard seed; take it!"
But when she asked,
"Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?"
They answered her:
"Alas! the living are few, but the dead are many.
Do not remind us of our deepest grief."
And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it. [11]

Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside,
watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again.
At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere.
And she considered the fate of men,
that their lives flicker up and are extinguished.
And she thought to herself:
"How selfish am I in my grief!
Death is common to all;
yet in this valley of desolation there is a path
that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness." [12]

Putting away the selfishness of her affection for her child,
Kisa Gotami had the dead boy buried in the forest.
Returning to the Buddha, she took refuge in him
and found comfort in the Dharma,
which is a balm that will soothe
all the pains of our troubled hearts. [13]

The Buddha said: [14]

"The life of mortals in this world
is troubled and brief and combined with pain.
For there is not any means by which those
that have been born can avoid dying;
after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. [15]

"As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling,
so mortals when born are always in danger of death. [16]

"As all earthen vessels made by the potter and in being broken,
so is the life of mortals. [17]

"Both young and adult,
both those who are fools
and those who are wise,
all fall into the power of death;
all are subject to death. [18]

"Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life,
a father cannot save his son, nor kinsmen their relations. [19]

"Mark! while relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply,
one by one mortals are carried off,
like an ox that is led to the slaughter. [20]

"So the world is afflicted with death and decay,
therefore the wise do not grieve,
knowing the terms of the world. [21]

"In whatever manner people think a thing will come to pass,
it is often different when it happens,
and great is the disappointment;
see, such are the terms of the world. [22]

"Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain peace of mind;
on the contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body will suffer.
He will make himself sick and pale,
yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. [23]

"People pass away,
and their fate after death
will be according to their deeds. [24]

"If a man live a hundred years, or even more,
he will at last be separated from the company of his relatives,
and leave the life of this world. [25]

"He who seeks peace
should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief. [26]

"He who has drawn out the arrow
and has become composed will obtain peace of mind;
he who has overcome all sorrow
will become free from sorrow, and be blessed." [27]

Continue Reading

Source

mountainman.com.au

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{DisplayImages|253|453|1060|1258|26|1914|816|578|1268|1487|872|67|2117|1737|1981|1504|792|1492}}
+{{DisplayImages|253|453|1060|1258|26|1914|816|578|1268|1487|872|67|2117|1737|1981|792|1492}}
-There was a rich man who found his gold suddenly transformed into ashes;<br/>
+There was a rich man who found his {{Wiki|gold}} suddenly [[transformed]] into ashes;<br/>
-and he took to his bed and refused all food.<br/>
+and he took to his bed and refused all [[food]].<br/>
-A friend, hearing of his sickness,<br/>
+A [[friend]], hearing of his [[sickness]],<br/>
-visited the rich man and learned the cause of his grief.<br/>
+visited the rich man and learned the [[cause]] of his [[grief]].<br/>
-And the friend said:<br/>
+And the [[friend]] said:<br/>
-"Thou didst not make good use of thy wealth.<br/>
+"Thou didst not make good use of thy [[wealth]].<br/>
 When thou didst hoard it up it was not better than ashes.<br/>
 Now heed my advice. Spread mats in the bazaar;<br/>
 pile up these ashes, and pretend to trade with them." [1]<br/>
 <br/>
-The rich man did as his friend had told him,<br/>
+The rich man did as his [[friend]] had told him,<br/>
 and when his neighbours asked him,<br/>
 "Why sellest thou ashes?" he said:<br/>
 "I offer my goods for sale." [2]<br/>
 <br/>
-After some time a young girl, named Kisa Gotama,<br/>
+After some [[time]] a young girl, named [[Kisa Gotama]],<br/>
 an orphan and very poor, passed by,<br/>
-and seeing the rich man in the bazaar, said:<br/>
+and [[seeing]] the rich man in the bazaar, said:<br/>
-"My lord, why pilest thou thus up gold and silver for sale." [3]<br/>
+"My [[lord]], why pilest thou thus up {{Wiki|gold}} and {{Wiki|silver}} for sale." [3]<br/>
 <br/>
 And the rich man said:<br/>
-"Wilt thou please hand me that gold and silver?"<br/>
+"Wilt thou please hand me that {{Wiki|gold}} and {{Wiki|silver}}?"<br/>
-And Kisa Gotami took up a handful of ashes,<br/>
+And [[Kisa Gotami]] took up a handful of ashes,<br/>
-and lo! they changed back into gold. [4]<br/>
+and lo! they changed back into {{Wiki|gold}}. [4]<br/>
 <br/>
-Considering that Kisa Gotami had the mental eye of spiritual knowledge<br/>
+Considering that [[Kisa Gotami]] had the [[mental]] [[eye]] of [[spiritual]] [[knowledge]]<br/>
 and saw the real worth of things,<br/>
-the rich man gave her in marriage to his son, and he said:<br/>
+the rich man gave her in [[marriage]] to his son, and he said:<br/>
-"With many, gold is no better than ashes,<br/>
+"With many, {{Wiki|gold}} is no better than ashes,<br/>
-but with Kisa Gotami ashes become pure gold." [5]<br/>
+but with [[Kisa Gotami]] ashes become [[pure]] {{Wiki|gold}}." [5]<br/>
 <br/>
-And Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died.<br/>
+And [[Kisa Gotami]] had an only son, and he [[died]].<br/>
-In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbours,<br/>
+In her [[grief]] she carried the [[dead]] child to all her neighbours,<br/>
-asking them for medicine, and the people said:<br/>
+asking them for [[medicine]], and the [[people]] said:<br/>
-"She has lost her senses. The boy is dead." [6]<br/>
+"She has lost her [[senses]]. The boy is [[dead]]." [6]<br/>
 <br/>
-At length Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request:<br/>
+At length [[Kisa Gotami]] met a man who replied to her request:<br/>
-"I cannot give thee medicine for thy child,<br/>
+"I cannot give thee [[medicine]] for thy child,<br/>
-but I know a physician who can." [7]<br/>
+but I know a {{Wiki|physician}} who can." [7]<br/>
 <br/>
 And the girl said: "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?"<br/>
-And the man replied: "Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha." [8]<br/>
+And the man replied: "Go to [[Sakyamuni]], the [[Buddha]]." [8]<br/>
 <br/>
-Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried:<br/>
+[[Kisa Gotami]] repaired to the [[Buddha]] and cried:<br/>
-"Lord and Master, give me medicine that will cure my boy." [8]<br/>
+"[[Lord]] and [[Master]], give me [[medicine]] that will cure my boy." [8]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Buddha answered:<br/>
+The [[Buddha]] answered:<br/>
 "I want a handful of mustard seed."<br/>
-And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added:<br/>
+And when the girl in her [[joy]] promised to procure it, the [[Buddha]] added:<br/>
 "The mustard seed must be taken from a house<br/>
-where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend." [10]<br/>
+where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or [[friend]]." [10]<br/>
 <br/>
-Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house,<br/>
+Poor [[Kisa Gotami]] now went from house to house,<br/>
-and the people pitied her and said:<br/>
+and the [[people]] pitied her and said:<br/>
 "Here is mustard seed; take it!"<br/>
 But when she asked,<br/>
-"Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?"<br/>
+"Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, [[die]] in your family?"<br/>
 They answered her:<br/>
-"Alas! the living are few, but the dead are many.<br/>
+"Alas! the living are few, but the [[dead]] are many.<br/>
-Do not remind us of our deepest grief."<br/>
+Do not remind us of our deepest [[grief]]."<br/>
-And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it. [11]<br/>
+And there was no house but some beloved one had [[died]] in it. [11]<br/>
 <br/>
-Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside,<br/>
+[[Kisa Gotami]] became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside,<br/>
-watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again.<br/>
+watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were [[extinguished]] again.<br/>
 At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere.<br/>
-And she considered the fate of men,<br/>
+And she considered the [[fate]] of men,<br/>
-that their lives flicker up and are extinguished.<br/>
+that their [[lives]] flicker up and are [[extinguished]].<br/>
-And she thought to herself:<br/>
+And she [[thought]] to herself:<br/>
-"How selfish am I in my grief!<br/>
+"How [[selfish]] am I in my [[grief]]!<br/>
-Death is common to all;<br/>
+[[Death]] is common to all;<br/>
-yet in this valley of desolation there is a path<br/>
+yet in this valley of desolation there is a [[path]]<br/>
-that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness." [12]<br/>
+that leads him to [[immortality]] who has surrendered all [[selfishness]]." [12]<br/>
 <br/>
-Putting away the selfishness of her affection for her child,<br/>
+Putting away the [[selfishness]] of her {{Wiki|affection}} for her child,<br/>
-Kisa Gotami had the dead boy buried in the forest.<br/>
+[[Kisa Gotami]] had the [[dead]] boy buried in the {{Wiki|forest}}.<br/>
-Returning to the Buddha, she took refuge in him<br/>
+Returning to the [[Buddha]], she took [[refuge]] in him<br/>
-and found comfort in the Dharma,<br/>
+and found {{Wiki|comfort}} in the [[Dharma]],<br/>
 which is a balm that will soothe<br/>
-all the pains of our troubled hearts. [13]<br/>
+all the [[pains]] of our troubled hearts. [13]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Buddha said: [14]<br/>
+The [[Buddha]] said: [14]<br/>
 <br/>
-"The life of mortals in this world<br/>
+"The [[life]] of {{Wiki|mortals}} in this [[world]]<br/>
-is troubled and brief and combined with pain.<br/>
+is troubled and brief and combined with [[pain]].<br/>
 For there is not any means by which those<br/>
 that have been born can avoid dying;<br/>
-after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings. [15]<br/>
+after reaching [[old age]] there is [[death]]; of such a [[nature]] are [[living beings]]. [15]<br/>
 <br/>
-"As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling,<br/>
+"As ripe {{Wiki|fruits}} are early in [[danger]] of falling,<br/>
-so mortals when born are always in danger of death. [16]<br/>
+so {{Wiki|mortals}} when born are always in [[danger]] of [[death]]. [16]<br/>
 <br/>
 "As all earthen vessels made by the potter and in being broken,<br/>
-so is the life of mortals. [17]<br/>
+so is the [[life]] of {{Wiki|mortals}}. [17]<br/>
 <br/>
 "Both young and adult,<br/>
 both those who are fools<br/>
-and those who are wise,<br/>
+and those who are [[wise]],<br/>
-all fall into the power of death;<br/>
+all fall into the power of [[death]];<br/>
-all are subject to death. [18]<br/>
+all are [[subject]] to [[death]]. [18]<br/>
 <br/>
-"Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life,<br/>
+"Of those who, overcome by [[death]], depart from [[life]],<br/>
 a father cannot save his son, nor kinsmen their relations. [19]<br/>
 <br/>
-"Mark! while relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply,<br/>
+"Mark! while relatives are looking on and [[lamenting]] deeply,<br/>
-one by one mortals are carried off,<br/>
+one by one {{Wiki|mortals}} are carried off,<br/>
-like an ox that is led to the slaughter. [20]<br/>
+like an {{Wiki|ox}} that is led to the slaughter. [20]<br/>
 <br/>
-"So the world is afflicted with death and decay,<br/>
+"So the [[world]] is afflicted with [[death]] and [[decay]],<br/>
-therefore the wise do not grieve,<br/>
+therefore the [[wise]] do not grieve,<br/>
-knowing the terms of the world. [21]<br/>
+[[knowing]] the terms of the [[world]]. [21]<br/>
 <br/>
-"In whatever manner people think a thing will come to pass,<br/>
+"In whatever [[manner]] [[people]] think a thing will come to pass,<br/>
 it is often different when it happens,<br/>
 and great is the disappointment;<br/>
-see, such are the terms of the world. [22]<br/>
+see, such are the terms of the [[world]]. [22]<br/>
 <br/>
-"Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain peace of mind;<br/>
+"Not from weeping nor from grieving will any one obtain [[peace]] of [[mind]];<br/>
-on the contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body will suffer.<br/>
+on the contrary, his [[pain]] will be the greater and his [[body]] will [[suffer]].<br/>
 He will make himself sick and pale,<br/>
-yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. [23]<br/>
+yet the [[dead]] are not saved by his [[lamentation]]. [23]<br/>
 <br/>
-"People pass away,<br/>
+"[[People]] pass away,<br/>
-and their fate after death<br/>
+and their [[fate]] after [[death]]<br/>
-will be according to their deeds. [24]<br/>
+will be according to their [[deeds]]. [24]<br/>
 <br/>
 "If a man live a hundred years, or even more,<br/>
 he will at last be separated from the company of his relatives,<br/>
-and leave the life of this world. [25]<br/>
+and leave the [[life]] of this [[world]]. [25]<br/>
 <br/>
-"He who seeks peace<br/>
+"He who seeks [[peace]]<br/>
-should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief. [26]<br/>
+should draw out the arrow of [[lamentation]], and complaint, and [[grief]]. [26]<br/>
 <br/>
 "He who has drawn out the arrow<br/>
-and has become composed will obtain peace of mind;<br/>
+and has become composed will obtain [[peace]] of [[mind]];<br/>
-he who has overcome all sorrow<br/>
+he who has overcome all [[sorrow]]<br/>
-will become free from sorrow, and be blessed." [27]<br/>
+will become free from [[sorrow]], and be blessed." [27]<br/>
 {{The Gospel of Buddha}}

Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 84: The Mustard Seed"

Latest revision as of 20:06, 31 December 2013

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