The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-27
A HOLY BUDDHIST TALE.
Condensed in the Literary Digest from Die
Gids. Amsterdam


Once the Bodhisat, the coming Buddha,
was incarnated in the person Of Brah-
min who lived in a village near Benares.
He grew up as a farmer, and having taken
a wife, became the father Of two chill
/ dren, a son and daughter When his
son had grown up he was married to a
virtuous girl, and thus the whole family
of the Bodhisat lived in the greatest
! unity and happiness, all six (for he also
owned a female slave) vying with each
other in leading holy lives. The Bodhisat
| often reminded them of their duties, say
ing; Give aims according to your prop
erty, keep the commandments, honor the
day of rest, and, above all, think of death.
| For you are mortal, life is uncertain, and
death is certain, everything passes away
and it behooves US to be continually ready
for the end. Once the Brahmin went
| into the field to pillow, and his son with
him. They gathered all the weeds into a
heap and set fire to It,.
But poisonous snake, mad
dened by the smoke. drove her
fangs into the son and he died. The Bod
hisat saw his beloved son fall. He
oDbpllbu bAAC NGdlll VI OAGL anu Gatllt W Ills
assistance, but the young man was al
ready dead when the father reached him.
The Bodhisat placed the body in sitting
posture under tree, and having arrang-
ed the clothing he returned to his work.
"a brittle thing will break and mortal
man must die" he said to himself as he
continued his ploughing. Just then one
OF his neighbors passed by on his way to
| the village and he said to him; Tell
the Brahmani not to send food for two
to-day, but only for one, and tell her not
to send the servant, but let all four of the
women come to me, with pure garments
and with flowers in their hands" When
the neighbor related this request to the
Brahmani, she only asked who had sent
the message, and hearing that it was the
Bodhisat, she knew at once that her son
was dead. She did not weep, but follow
ed the others into the field. And the
Bodhisat, sitting in the shadow of the
tree by the side of his dead son, ate his
food, while not one of the whole family
shed tear.
Whenever an extraordinary thing
happens in the world, the marble seat of
Sakka THE Buddhist Zeus) grows warm
and he is compelled to descend. The
great piety Of these good people also
warmed the throne of Sakka, and he
thoughts II will go and speak to them,
and, having filled their home with riches,
| will return. He went to the place
where the Bodhisat was now busy
cremating the body of his son and said:
what are you doingl'
"Sir, we burn body"
care you not roasting a piece of game
which you have killed2n
mo sir, 1t is a man"
Then he was certainly your enemyn
"Our own son was he.'
''If he were beloved son, why do YOU
not weep for himl" And the Boohisat
spoke thus:
Like unto a serpent which leaves its
skin never to return to it, he who is dead
and gone has left his soulless body He
who is gone knows nothing of our grief,
therefore we do not weep; he has de-
parted as he must" Having heard
these words Of the Bodhisat, Sakka
turned to the Brahmani and said
Mother, what was he to you?"
''My son, sir, whom l have borne ten
months, whom have fed from my
breast, and taught the use of his hands
and feet"
Mother, his father may not weep, for
it is unmanly; but mothers heart is
tender why are you without tears}u
''He came without being called, he is
gone without permission, his coming and
going l cannot influences why should l
weepl"
"What was he to youl'
my brother"
"Sisters often love their brother, why
do you not weepl"
"Were to weep my beauty would fade,
and my relations would have still greater
sorrow"
Turning to the wife, Sakka said:
Women are without defenders when
their husbands die, why are you so calmPn
"She who weeps over one who is gone
forever, is like a child sorrowing over the
waning moon"
Then Sakka spoke to the slave:
The dead man undoubtedly treated
you badly, you are glad that he is gomez"
mo, sir; my master deserves better
praise, he was patient and kind and low
ing But she who weeps for the dead is
as foolish as one lamenting a broken
pitcher"
Sakka was much delighted with their
piety, and gave them untold riches,
knowing that they would make proper
use of wealth.
The Yataka tales contain many in
stances of the Bodeisat's strictness
against himself. Once he was
teacher in Takkalisa He lived in wood
on the outskirts of the town, near q beau
tiful pond. One day he waded into the
pond, attracted by the odor of the lotus
flowers, and wishing to enjoy it better.
he bent down and inhaled the fragrant
perfume. A daughter of the Dewas
(gods) standing in hollow tree said to
him:
"Your action is a kind of theft, the
flower is not yours, you are thief of
sweet odors, reverend sirl"
But" said the Bodhisat, Il do not
pluck the flower, how can be a thief2n
AT this moment he noticed man who
pulled out great number of flowers by
the roots. Turning toward the goddess
he said bitterly:
"Why do you not reprimand yOn person,
who destroys the plants which do not be-
long TO him?"
And the Dervi answered: Sin a wicked
person a small sin is not noticeable, and it
would be useless to reprimand him But
the saint is pure, and sin no larger than
hair appears as large as great storm
cloud
AS in the Bible, THE Koran, and in
ancient mythology, we find in the Yataka
cases in which very pious persons were al
lowed to ascend to heaven bodily. The Bod |
hisat was there more than once. The pious
king Sadhina, whose charities were al |
most countless, also went to heaven alive. |
But when he had been there seven hun |
dred years he began to feel uncomforta- |
BILE, and Sakka explains that he |
has had his moneys-or rather |
his charities-worth of heavenly bliss. |
Sakka offers him the use of |
some of his own good deeds, but Sadhina |