Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 18: Yasa, the Youth of Benares"

Latest revision as of 18:37, 31 December 2013

At that time there was in Benares a noble youth,
Yasa by name, the son of a wealthy merchant.
Troubled in his mind about the sorrows of the world,
he secretly rose up in the night and stole away to the Blessed One. [1]

The Blessed One saw Yasa, the noble youth, coming from afar.
And Yasa approached and exclaimed:
"Alas, what distress! What tribulations!" [2]

The Blessed One said to Yasa:
"Here is no distress; here are no tribulations.
Come to me and I will teach you the truth,
and the truth will dispel your sorrows." [3]

And when Yasa, the noble youth,
heard that there were neither distress,
nor tribulations, nor sorrows, his heart was comforted.
He went into the place where the Blessed One was, and sat down near him. [4]

Then the Blessed One preached about charity and morality.
He explained the vanity of the thought "I am";
the dangers of desire, and the necessity of avoiding the evils of life
in order to walk on the path of deliverance. [5]

Instead of disgust with the world,
Yasa felt the cooling stream of holy wisdom,
and, having obtained the pure and spotless eye of truth,
he looked at his person,
richly adorned with pearls and precious stones,
and his heart was filled with shame. [6]

The Tathagata, knowing his inward thoughts, said: [7]

"Though a person be ornamented with jewels,
the heart may have conquered the senses.
The outward form does not constitute religion or affect the mind.
Thus the body of a samana may wear an ascetic's garb
while his mind is immersed in worldliness. [8]

"A man that dwells in lonely woods
and yet covets worldly vanities, is a worldling,
while the man in worldly garments
may let his heart soar high to heavenly thoughts. [9]

"There is no distinction between the layman and the hermit,
if but both have banished the thought of self." [10]

Seeing that Yasa was ready to enter upon the path,
the Blessed One said to him: "Follow me!"
And Yasa joined the brotherhood,
and having put on a bhikkhu's robe, received the ordination. [11]

While the Blessed One and Yasa were discussing the doctrine,
Yasa's father passed by in search of his son;
and in passing he asked the Blessed One:
"Pray, Lord, hast thou seen Yasa, my son?" [12]

And the Blessed One said to Yasa's father:
"Come in, sir, thou wilt find thy son";
and Yasa's father became full of joy and he entered.
He sat down near his son,
but his eyes were holden and he knew him not;
and the Lord began to preach.
And Yasa's father understanding the doctrine of the Blessed One, said: [13]

"Glorious is the truth, O Lord!
The Buddha, the Holy One, our Master,
sets up what has been overturned;
he reveals what has been hidden;
he points out the way to the wanderer who has gone astray;
he lights a lamp in the darkness
so that all who have eyes to see
can discern the things that surround them.
I take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord:
I take refuge in the doctrine revealed by him:
I take refuge in the brotherhood which he has founded.
May the Blessed One receive me from this day forth while my life lasts
as a lay disciple who has taken refuge in him." [14]

Yasa's father was the first lay-member
who became the first lay disciple to the Buddha
by pronouncing the threefold formula of refuge. [15]

When the wealthy merchant had taken refuge in the Buddha,
his eyes were opened and he saw his son sitting at his side in a bhikkhu's robe.
"My son, Yasa," he said,
"thy mother is absorbed in lamentation and grief.
Return home and restore thy mother to life." [16]

Then Yasa looked at the Blessed One, and the Blessed One said:
"Should Yasa return to the world
and enjoy the pleasures of a worldly life as he did before?" [17]

And Yasa's father replied:
"If Yasa, my son, finds it a gain to stay with thee, let him stay.
He has become delivered from the bondage of worldliness." [18]

When the Blessed One had cheered their hearts with the words of truth and righteousness,
Yasa's father said: "May the Blessed One, O Lord,
consent to take his meal with me together with Yasa as his attendant?" [19]

The Blessed One, having donned his robes,
took his alms-bowl and went with Yasa to the house of the rich merchant.
When they had arrived there, the mother and also the former wife of Yasa
saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him. [20]

Then the Blessed One preached,
and the women having understood his doctrine, exclaimed:
"Glorious is the truth, O Lord!
We take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord.
We take refuge in the the doctrine revealed by him.
We take refuge in the brotherhood which has been founded by him.
May the Blessed One receive us from this day forth while our life lasts
as lay disciples who have taken refuge in him." [21]

The mother and wife of Yasa, the noble youth of Benares,
were the first women who became lay disciples
and took their refuge in the Buddha. [22]

Now there were four friends of Yasa belonging to the wealthy families of Benares.
Their names were Vimala, Subahu, Punnyaji, and Gavampati. [23]

When Yasa's friends heard that Yasa had cut off his hair and put on bhikkhu robes
to give up the world and go forth into homelessness, they thought:
"Surely that cannot be a common doctrine,
that must be a noble renunciation of the world,
if Yasa, whom we know to be good and wise,
has shaved his hair and put on bhikkhu robes
to give up the world and go forth into homelessness." [24]

And they went to Yasa, and Yasa addressed the Blessed One, saying:
"May the Blessed One administer exhortation and instruction
to these four friends of mine."
And the Blessed One preached to them,
and Yasa's friends accepted the doctrine
and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. [25]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DisplayImages|1983|717|184|337|1649|1370|1920|280|299|579|61|1636|16|254|1577|898}}
-At that time there was in Benares a noble youth,<br/>
+At that [[time]] there was in [[Benares]] a [[noble]] youth,<br/>
-Yasa by name, the son of a wealthy merchant.<br/>
+[[Yasa]] by [[name]], the son of a wealthy {{Wiki|merchant}}.<br/>
-Troubled in his mind about the sorrows of the world,<br/>
+Troubled in his [[mind]] about the sorrows of the [[world]],<br/>
-he secretly rose up in the night and stole away to the Blessed One. [1]<br/>
+he secretly rose up in the night and stole away to the [[Blessed One]]. [1]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Blessed One saw Yasa, the noble youth, coming from afar.<br/>
+The [[Blessed One]] saw [[Yasa]], the [[noble]] youth, coming from afar.<br/>
-And Yasa approached and exclaimed:<br/>
+And [[Yasa]] approached and exclaimed:<br/>
-"Alas, what distress! What tribulations!" [2]<br/>
+"Alas, what {{Wiki|distress}}! What tribulations!" [2]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Blessed One said to Yasa:<br/>
+The [[Blessed One]] said to [[Yasa]]:<br/>
-"Here is no distress; here are no tribulations.<br/>
+"Here is no {{Wiki|distress}}; here are no tribulations.<br/>
-Come to me and I will teach you the truth,<br/>
+Come to me and I will teach you the [[truth]],<br/>
-and the truth will dispel your sorrows." [3]<br/>
+and the [[truth]] will dispel your sorrows." [3]<br/>
 <br/>
-And when Yasa, the noble youth,<br/>
+And when [[Yasa]], the [[noble]] youth,<br/>
-heard that there were neither distress,<br/>
+heard that there were neither {{Wiki|distress}},<br/>
-nor tribulations, nor sorrows, his heart was comforted.<br/>
+nor tribulations, nor sorrows, his [[heart]] was comforted.<br/>
-He went into the place where the Blessed One was, and sat down near him. [4]<br/>
+He went into the place where the [[Blessed One]] was, and sat down near him. [4]<br/>
 <br/>
-Then the Blessed One preached about charity and morality.<br/>
+Then the [[Blessed One]] {{Wiki|preached}} about [[charity]] and [[morality]].<br/>
-He explained the vanity of the thought "I am";<br/>
+He explained the vanity of the [[thought]] "I am";<br/>
-the dangers of desire, and the necessity of avoiding the evils of life<br/>
+the dangers of [[desire]], and the necessity of avoiding the [[evils]] of [[life]]<br/>
-in order to walk on the path of deliverance. [5]<br/>
+in order to walk on the [[path]] of [[deliverance]]. [5]<br/>
 <br/>
-Instead of disgust with the world,<br/>
+Instead of disgust with the [[world]],<br/>
-Yasa felt the cooling stream of holy wisdom,<br/>
+[[Yasa]] felt the cooling stream of {{Wiki|holy}} [[wisdom]],<br/>
-and, having obtained the pure and spotless eye of truth,<br/>
+and, having obtained the [[pure]] and spotless [[eye]] of [[truth]],<br/>
-he looked at his person,<br/>
+he looked at his [[person]],<br/>
-richly adorned with pearls and precious stones,<br/>
+richly adorned with pearls and [[precious]] stones,<br/>
-and his heart was filled with shame. [6]<br/>
+and his [[heart]] was filled with [[shame]]. [6]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Tathagata, knowing his inward thoughts, said: [7]<br/>
+The [[Tathagata]], [[knowing]] his inward [[thoughts]], said: [7]<br/>
 <br/>
-"Though a person be ornamented with jewels,<br/>
+"Though a [[person]] be ornamented with [[jewels]],<br/>
-the heart may have conquered the senses.<br/>
+the [[heart]] may have conquered the [[senses]].<br/>
-The outward form does not constitute religion or affect the mind.<br/>
+The outward [[form]] does not constitute [[religion]] or affect the [[mind]].<br/>
-Thus the body of a samana may wear an ascetic's garb<br/>
+Thus the [[body]] of a [[samana]] may wear an ascetic's garb<br/>
-while his mind is immersed in worldliness. [8]<br/>
+while his [[mind]] is immersed in worldliness. [8]<br/>
 <br/>
 "A man that dwells in lonely woods<br/>
-and yet covets worldly vanities, is a worldling,<br/>
+and yet covets [[worldly]] vanities, is a [[worldling]],<br/>
-while the man in worldly garments<br/>
+while the man in [[worldly]] garments<br/>
-may let his heart soar high to heavenly thoughts. [9]<br/>
+may let his [[heart]] soar high to [[heavenly]] [[thoughts]]. [9]<br/>
 <br/>
-"There is no distinction between the layman and the hermit,<br/>
+"There is no distinction between the [[layman]] and the [[hermit]],<br/>
-if but both have banished the thought of self." [10]<br/>
+if but both have banished the [[thought]] of [[self]]." [10]<br/>
 <br/>
-Seeing that Yasa was ready to enter upon the path,<br/>
+[[Seeing]] that [[Yasa]] was ready to enter upon the [[path]],<br/>
-the Blessed One said to him: "Follow me!"<br/>
+the [[Blessed One]] said to him: "Follow me!"<br/>
-And Yasa joined the brotherhood,<br/>
+And [[Yasa]] joined the brotherhood,<br/>
-and having put on a bhikkhu's robe, received the ordination. [11]<br/>
+and having put on a [[bhikkhu's]] robe, received the [[ordination]]. [11]<br/>
 <br/>
-While the Blessed One and Yasa were discussing the doctrine,<br/>
+While the [[Blessed One]] and [[Yasa]] were discussing the [[doctrine]],<br/>
-Yasa's father passed by in search of his son;<br/>
+[[Yasa's]] father passed by in search of his son;<br/>
-and in passing he asked the Blessed One:<br/>
+and in passing he asked the [[Blessed One]]:<br/>
-"Pray, Lord, hast thou seen Yasa, my son?" [12]<br/>
+"Pray, [[Lord]], hast thou seen [[Yasa]], my son?" [12]<br/>
 <br/>
-And the Blessed One said to Yasa's father:<br/>
+And the [[Blessed One]] said to [[Yasa's]] father:<br/>
 "Come in, sir, thou wilt find thy son";<br/>
-and Yasa's father became full of joy and he entered.<br/>
+and [[Yasa's]] father became full of [[joy]] and he entered.<br/>
 He sat down near his son,<br/>
-but his eyes were holden and he knew him not;<br/>
+but his [[eyes]] were holden and he knew him not;<br/>
-and the Lord began to preach.<br/>
+and the [[Lord]] began to {{Wiki|preach}}.<br/>
-And Yasa's father understanding the doctrine of the Blessed One, said: [13]<br/>
+And [[Yasa's]] father [[understanding]] the [[doctrine]] of the [[Blessed One]], said: [13]<br/>
 <br/>
-"Glorious is the truth, O Lord!<br/>
+"Glorious is the [[truth]], O [[Lord]]!<br/>
-The Buddha, the Holy One, our Master,<br/>
+The [[Buddha]], the [[Holy One]], our [[Master]],<br/>
 sets up what has been overturned;<br/>
 he reveals what has been hidden;<br/>
-he points out the way to the wanderer who has gone astray;<br/>
+he points out the way to the {{Wiki|wanderer}} who has gone astray;<br/>
-he lights a lamp in the darkness<br/>
+he lights a [[lamp]] in the darkness<br/>
-so that all who have eyes to see<br/>
+so that all who have [[eyes]] to see<br/>
 can discern the things that surround them.<br/>
-I take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord:<br/>
+I [[take refuge]] in the [[Buddha]], our [[Lord]]:<br/>
-I take refuge in the doctrine revealed by him:<br/>
+I [[take refuge]] in the [[doctrine]] revealed by him:<br/>
-I take refuge in the brotherhood which he has founded.<br/>
+I [[take refuge]] in the brotherhood which he has founded.<br/>
-May the Blessed One receive me from this day forth while my life lasts<br/>
+May the [[Blessed One]] receive me from this day forth while my [[life]] lasts<br/>
-as a lay disciple who has taken refuge in him." [14]<br/>
+as a lay [[disciple]] who has taken [[refuge]] in him." [14]<br/>
 <br/>
-Yasa's father was the first lay-member<br/>
+[[Yasa's]] father was the first lay-member<br/>
-who became the first lay disciple to the Buddha<br/>
+who became the first lay [[disciple]] to the [[Buddha]]<br/>
-by pronouncing the threefold formula of refuge. [15]<br/>
+by pronouncing the threefold [[formula]] of [[refuge]]. [15]<br/>
 <br/>
-When the wealthy merchant had taken refuge in the Buddha,<br/>
+When the wealthy {{Wiki|merchant}} had taken [[refuge]] in the [[Buddha]],<br/>
-his eyes were opened and he saw his son sitting at his side in a bhikkhu's robe.<br/>
+his [[eyes]] were opened and he saw his son sitting at his side in a [[bhikkhu's]] robe.<br/>
-"My son, Yasa," he said,<br/>
+"My son, [[Yasa]]," he said,<br/>
-"thy mother is absorbed in lamentation and grief.<br/>
+"thy mother is absorbed in [[lamentation]] and [[grief]].<br/>
-Return home and restore thy mother to life." [16]<br/>
+Return home and restore thy mother to [[life]]." [16]<br/>
 <br/>
-Then Yasa looked at the Blessed One, and the Blessed One said:<br/>
+Then [[Yasa]] looked at the [[Blessed One]], and the [[Blessed One]] said:<br/>
-"Should Yasa return to the world<br/>
+"Should [[Yasa]] return to the [[world]]<br/>
-and enjoy the pleasures of a worldly life as he did before?" [17]<br/>
+and enjoy the [[pleasures]] of a [[worldly]] [[life]] as he did before?" [17]<br/>
 <br/>
-And Yasa's father replied:<br/>
+And [[Yasa's]] father replied:<br/>
-"If Yasa, my son, finds it a gain to stay with thee, let him stay.<br/>
+"If [[Yasa]], my son, finds it a gain to stay with thee, let him stay.<br/>
 He has become delivered from the bondage of worldliness." [18]<br/>
 <br/>
-When the Blessed One had cheered their hearts with the words of truth and righteousness,<br/>
+When the [[Blessed One]] had cheered their hearts with the words of [[truth]] and [[righteousness]],<br/>
-Yasa's father said: "May the Blessed One, O Lord,<br/>
+[[Yasa's]] father said: "May the [[Blessed One]], O [[Lord]],<br/>
-consent to take his meal with me together with Yasa as his attendant?" [19]<br/>
+consent to take his meal with me together with [[Yasa]] as his attendant?" [19]<br/>
 <br/>
-The Blessed One, having donned his robes,<br/>
+The [[Blessed One]], having donned his [[robes]],<br/>
-took his alms-bowl and went with Yasa to the house of the rich merchant.<br/>
+took his [[alms-bowl]] and went with [[Yasa]] to the house of the rich {{Wiki|merchant}}.<br/>
-When they had arrived there, the mother and also the former wife of Yasa<br/>
+When they had arrived there, the mother and also the former wife of [[Yasa]]<br/>
-saluted the Blessed One and sat down near him. [20]<br/>
+saluted the [[Blessed One]] and sat down near him. [20]<br/>
 <br/>
-Then the Blessed One preached,<br/>
+Then the [[Blessed One]] {{Wiki|preached}},<br/>
-and the women having understood his doctrine, exclaimed:<br/>
+and the women having understood his [[doctrine]], exclaimed:<br/>
-"Glorious is the truth, O Lord!<br/>
+"Glorious is the [[truth]], O [[Lord]]!<br/>
-We take refuge in the Buddha, our Lord.<br/>
+We [[take refuge]] in the [[Buddha]], our [[Lord]].<br/>
-We take refuge in the the doctrine revealed by him.<br/>
+We [[take refuge]] in the the [[doctrine]] revealed by him.<br/>
-We take refuge in the brotherhood which has been founded by him.<br/>
+We [[take refuge]] in the brotherhood which has been founded by him.<br/>
-May the Blessed One receive us from this day forth while our life lasts<br/>
+May the [[Blessed One]] receive us from this day forth while our [[life]] lasts<br/>
-as lay disciples who have taken refuge in him." [21]<br/>
+as lay [[disciples]] who have taken [[refuge]] in him." [21]<br/>
 <br/>
-The mother and wife of Yasa, the noble youth of Benares,<br/>
+The mother and wife of [[Yasa]], the [[noble]] youth of [[Benares]],<br/>
-were the first women who became lay disciples<br/>
+were the first women who became lay [[disciples]]<br/>
-and took their refuge in the Buddha. [22]<br/>
+and took their [[refuge]] in the [[Buddha]]. [22]<br/>
 <br/>
-Now there were four friends of Yasa belonging to the wealthy families of Benares.<br/>
+Now there were four friends of [[Yasa]] belonging to the wealthy families of [[Benares]].<br/>
-Their names were Vimala, Subahu, Punnyaji, and Gavampati. [23]<br/>
+Their names were [[Vimala]], [[Subahu]], Punnyaji, and [[Gavampati]]. [23]<br/>
 <br/>
-When Yasa's friends heard that Yasa had cut off his hair and put on bhikkhu robes<br/>
+When [[Yasa's]] friends heard that [[Yasa]] had cut off his [[hair]] and put on [[bhikkhu]] [[robes]]<br/>
-to give up the world and go forth into homelessness, they thought:<br/>
+to give up the [[world]] and go forth into homelessness, they [[thought]]:<br/>
-"Surely that cannot be a common doctrine,<br/>
+"Surely that cannot be a common [[doctrine]],<br/>
-that must be a noble renunciation of the world,<br/>
+that must be a [[noble]] [[renunciation]] of the [[world]],<br/>
-if Yasa, whom we know to be good and wise,<br/>
+if [[Yasa]], whom we know to be good and [[wise]],<br/>
-has shaved his hair and put on bhikkhu robes<br/>
+has shaved his [[hair]] and put on [[bhikkhu]] [[robes]]<br/>
-to give up the world and go forth into homelessness." [24]<br/>
+to give up the [[world]] and go forth into homelessness." [24]<br/>
 <br/>
-And they went to Yasa, and Yasa addressed the Blessed One, saying:<br/>
+And they went to [[Yasa]], and [[Yasa]] addressed the [[Blessed One]], saying:<br/>
-"May the Blessed One administer exhortation and instruction<br/>
+"May the [[Blessed One]] administer exhortation and instruction<br/>
 to these four friends of mine."<br/>
-And the Blessed One preached to them,<br/>
+And the [[Blessed One]] {{Wiki|preached}} to them,<br/>
-and Yasa's friends accepted the doctrine<br/>
+and [[Yasa's]] friends accepted the [[doctrine]]<br/>
-and took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. [25]<br/>
+and took [[refuge]] in the [[Buddha]], the [[Dharma]], and the [[Sangha]]. [25]<br/>
 {{The Gospel of Buddha}}

Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 18: Yasa, the Youth of Benares"

Latest revision as of 18:37, 31 December 2013

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