Respecting some of the advantages that are expected to be gained by embracing the priesthood, the teachings of Budhism are not uniform. It is sometimes said that the sins of the man are to the priest as the sins that have been committed in a former state of existence, and are no bar to the reception of nirwána. Thus Anguli-mála, a student, who at the instigation of his preceptor committed 999 murders, became a rahat. But on another occasion it is said by Nágaséna that certain priests were prevented from attaining nirwána by the sins they had unknowingly committed before they abandoned the world. Milinda said to him, "There is a laic who unwittingly commits one of the five deadly sins; he afterwards embraces the priesthood, and still unaware that he has committed the sin, endeavours to become a rahat; can such a one succeed in attaining nirwána?" Nágaséna replied, "No; if even previously to the commission of the crime he had the merit whereby he might have attained nirwana, it would be destroyed, cut off, by his sin." Milinda:-"You have said on a previous occasion that when a man knows he has committed a deadly crime, he is in doubt; when he is in doubt his mind is prevented from rightly attending to the obligations and the other ordinances; and because his mind is thus agitated, he is unable to attain nirwána; but in this instance the crime is not known, and there is therefore no doubt." Nágaséna :- A man takes good seed, and sows it in the fertile soil of a field that has been ploughed and prepared for its reception; he takes the same kind of seed, and sows it upon the bare rock; in the one case it is productive; in the other it is not for this reason; that upon the rock there is no hêtu, that which is necessary for the fructifying of the seed is not there. Again, when sticks and stones are thrown upon the ground, there they remain; but when the same things are thrown into the sky, they do not remain there; they fall down; for this reason, that in the sky there is no hétu, nothing by which they can be supported. Again, when a fire is lighted upon the earth, it burns; but a fire cannot be kindled upon the water; for this reason: the water is ahétu as to fire, there is nothing in it upon which the fire can lay hold." Milinda :—“ But explain to me how it is that when the crime is committed unwittingly, and there is therefore no doubt, no agitation, arising from it, still nirwana should not be obtained ?" Nágaséna :-"When a man takes poison unknowingly, does it not injure him? When he treads upon fire unknowingly, does it not burn him? When a nayá bites him during sleep, or when in any

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other way unconscious, will he not die? There was a chakrawartti (a universal emperor, who also possesses preternatural powers), who with his army was one day passing through the sky; unknowingly he happened to approach the bó-tree near which the prince Sidhártta became a supreme Budha; but he was not able to pass over the sacred place; his progress was arrested, though he knew not from what cause. In like manner, when a priest who during the time he was a laic has committed any of the five deadly sins, attempts to attain nirwana, he is unable to accomplish the object at which he aims."

It will be said by the Budhist that though Anguli-mála committed so many murders, he did not commit any of the five deadly sins; which are, 1. Matricide. 2. Patricide. 3. The murder of a rahat. 4. Wounding the person of a supreme Budha (his life cannot possibly be taken). 5. Causing a schism among the priesthood. But though this reply may seem to prove the uniformity of the system, it lays it open to a serious charge upon moral grounds. In the arguments brought forward by Nágaséna, the dangerous extent to which imagery may be carried, and the manner in which the operation of moral causes is confounded with that of physical causes, are too apparent to require specific indication. The advantages that may be gained by the sincere novice are, however, here represented as very great; by becoming a recluse the way to nirwána is opened before him, and there can be no barrier to its attainment, if he be free from the five sins.

That considerable attention is yet paid to the conduct of the novices may be learnt from what is said in an epistle sent by the sangha rája of Burma to the priests of Ceylon in 1802. "As some erroneously think," he says, "that certain observances are not enacted for the novices, but are only obligatory on the ordained priests, I quote the following passage from the commentary on the Mahawaggo, to show how unfounded is their assertion- As long as a priest is ignorant of the discipline to be observed by him; unskilful in the adjusting of the robes, in the manner in which he ought to carry the alms-bowl, in the modes of standing and sitting, eating and drinking; he ought not to be sent to any of the almshouses where food is distributed to the priesthood at large, nor to any place where food is daily distributed to a select number of priests, nor to the forest, nor to any public assembly; but he should be kept near the senior priests; he should be nourished like a little

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child; he should constantly be informed of what is allowed and what is not; and he should be duly trained up in the modes of wearing and covering the robes, and in the other parts of the discipline he is required to observe.' Some assert that whatever is sanctioned by the preceptor becomes binding upon the novices, and is legalised by his dictum alone. But hear what is said upon this point in the Sanghiti Khandaka. It is allowable to a pupil to observe some things, saying, My preceptor has enjoined it, or, My teacher has enjoined it; therefore I observe it ;-but of the matters thus sanctioned some may be legal and some may not.' The commentary explains the expression, some are legal,' by saying that of course it is meant of those things that are in themselves good, and do not militate against the laws of Budha."*

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The difficulties that have sometimes to be encountered by the youth who wishes to renounce the world, and the reasons that are supposed to induce him to take this important step, may be inferred from the legend of Rathapála, as it appears in the Rathapala-sútrasanné. Though somewhat long, as it abounds with illustrative incidents, and contains a moral from which even the wisest may receive instruction, I insert it in its original form, with scarcely any abridgement.

When Gótama Budha visited the different places in the province of Kuru, that he might confer benefits upon the people, he came to the brahman village of Thullakotthitan, so called on account of the numerous castles it contained, that were filled with all kinds of treasures. The people of the village had embraced the doctrines of Budha. Among the rest there was a brahman of a respectable family called Rathapála, who came to Gótama when he visited the village, and requested that he might be admitted to the priesthood, as he said that it was difficult for him to act aright so long as he continued a laic. Budha enquired if his parents had given their consent, and when Rathapála said that he had not requested their permission, the sage made known to him that it was not his custom to receive any into the priesthood who had not gained the consent of their parents. The brahman then went to his parents, and told

them that since he had heard the discourses of Budha it was his wish to become a priest; and he now requested their permission to carry this wish into effect. But his parents replied, "You are our

*The Sandésa of the Sangha Rája of Burma, translated by L. de Zoysa. Ceylon Friend, vol. viii. 1845.

beloved son, our only son; we have none older than you, none younger; you have lived in all happiness; you have enjoyed yourself; you know nothing of sorrow; remain contented; eat and drink whatever is cherishing or delicious; take to yourself a retinue of beautiful maidens; have dancing girls to amuse you; remain a householder; and gain merit by giving alms to the three gems. We cannot give you permission to embrace the priesthood; we do not wish you to become a priest even after we are dead, and cannot therefore give our consent whilst we are alive." Rathapála then said, "Unless I receive your permission, I will die here; "' and having said this, he lay down upon the bare ground. The parents repeated their former declarations three several times, and entreated him to rise; but as he still continued silent, they went to some of his friends, informed them of the determination of their son, and asked them to come and try to persuade him to change it. The friends accordingly came to the place where he was, and thrice urged the same reasons as his parents to induce him to remain a laic; but he still remained silent. They then went to his parents, and telling them it was in vain to attempt to alter his resolution, said it would be better to give their consent; they would then be able to see him at intervals; but if they still refused their permission he would die. To this advice they agreed, on condition that the person who ordained him would allow him to pay them a visit from time to time. When the friends informed Rathapála that his parents gave their consent, he arose, took some refreshment, and went to the residence of Budha, who admitted him to the priesthood on learning that his parents had granted their permission.

Not long after Rathapála had thus renounced the world, he attained rahatship, and became indeed one of the chief of the rahats; after which he went to Budha, who was now resident at Rajagaha, and requested permission to go and see his parents according to the promise he had given. As his request was granted, he went to his native village, near which he remained in a garden called Migachíra, belonging to the king Kórawya. At the proper time, taking his alms-bowl, he went to the village to receive alms, after putting on his robe in such a way as to conceal his person. As he approached his own residence, in going regularly from house to house, his father was standing in the central door-way of the mansion, which had in all seven doors. When his father saw him in the distance he said, "This is one of the priests who took away from us our only

and beloved son." No attentions were paid to him by any of the family; nor were any alms presented; abuse was all that he received. At that time the female slave of one of his relatives was taking some food made of barley, which had been boiled the previous night and become stale, in order to throw it away. When Rathapála perceived her intention, he told her it would be better to put it in his bowl. She accordingly did so; but when he held out his bowl to receive it, she had the opportunity of seeing his hands and feet, and from this, as well as from his voice, she knew that it was Rathapála. At once she went and informed his mother, who was overjoyed at receiving this intelligence, and promised the slave that if it were true she should receive her freedom. The mother went and imparted the news to his father; and in the mean time Rathapála eat the stale food he had received. The father went to the place whither he had retired, and said to him, "Would it not be better to come and reside at your own house, than to eat food that has become stale?" Rathapála replied, “Householder, the priests are houseless; we do not reside in houses; I have already been to your house; no alms were given me; not even a kind word did I receive." The father again entreated his son to return; but he said it was needless, as he had already partaken of food. He was then invited to come on the following day; and though he remained silent, his father knew his intention. The mansion was fitted up for his reception in the most splendid manner, and the wife of Rathapála was commanded to put on her most beautiful ornaments.

The next day, Rathapála was informed that all was ready and he went to his former dwelling. His father displayed before him all his wealth, and said to him, "This is the property of your mother; this belongs to your father; the rest was inherited from our ancestors. Illustrious Rathapála, take possession of all this, become a laic once more, and gain merit by the giving of alms." But he replied, "If my advice were followed, all this gold, and all these jewels, and this wealth, would be placed upon waggons, taken to the Ganges or the Yamuna, and thrown into the stream; for they cause only sorrow, lamentation, grief, distress, and disappointment." His wife then held him by the feet and said, "Have you abandoned the world for the sake of some celestial nymph? If so, tell me, what is the manner of her appearance?" He replied, "Yes; it is for the sake of a celestial nymph that I have abandoned the world.” On hearing this she fell down in a fit, from the excess of her grief.