CHAPTER XXIX
MORAL PRECEPTS OF GAUTAMA BUDDHA
A RELIGION, whose great aim is the teaching of holy living in this world, must necessarily be rich in moral precepts, and such maxims are the peculiar beauty of Buddhism, for which the religion is held in honour over all the civilized world. It will be our pleasant task in this chapter to glean some of these graceful precepts, which will give our readers some idea of the essence of Gautama's moral teachings.
Gautama prescribed for lay disciples five prohibitory rules or precepts, which are binding on all Buddhists, whether laymen or Bhikkhus, and are recapitulated thus: "Let not one kill any living being. Let not one take what is not given him. Let not one speak falsely. Let not one drink intoxicating drinks. Let not one be unchaste."
Three other rules are laid down which are not considered obligatory, but which are recommended to austere and pious lay disciples, and run as follows:—
"Let not one eat untimely food at night. Let not one wear wreaths or use perfumes. Let one lie on a bed spread on the earth." Sculptures in the Cave-temple at Karli
One of the most famous cave-temples in India is that of Karli, about midway between Bombay and Poona. The sanctuaries are Buddhist in origin and are of unknown antiquity. The detail and finish of the carvings is marvellous, and the sculptures have fortunately been preserved almost in their original perfection.
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To honour one's father and mother, and to follow an honourable trade, though not included in the Commandments, are duties enjoined upon all householders.
We now turn from Gautama's categories of duties to his precepts of benevolence and love, as when he taught:—
"Hatred does not cease by hatred at any time, hatred ceases by love; this is its nature.
"Let us live happily, not hating those who hate us. Among men who hate us, let us live free from hatred.
"Let one overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good. Let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth."
Parables were told to impress this great lesson on the followers of the gentle and pure-souled Gautama, and we will here narrate one of these parables as briefly as we can. Trying to heal contentions and differences among his followers, Buddha said:—
"In former times, Bhikkhus, there lived at Benares a king of the Kasis, Brahmadatta by name, wealthy, rich in treasures, rich in revenues, and rich in troops and vehicles, the lord over a great realm, with full treasuries and storehouses. And there was also a king of the Kosalas, Dighiti by name, not wealthy, poor in treasures, poor in revenues, poor in troops and vehicles, the lord over a small realm, with empty treasuries and storehouses."
As often happens, the rich king robbed the weak one of his realm and treasures, and Dighiti with his queen fled to Benares, and dwelt there in a potter's house in the guise of an ascetic. There the exiled queen gave birth to a child who was called Dighavu, and in course of time the boy reached the years of discretion.
In the meantime King Brahmadatta heard that his former rival was living in the town in disguise with his wife, and he ordered them to be brought before him, and had them cruelly executed.
Their son Dighavu was then living outside Benares, but happened to come to the town at the time of his father's execution. The dying king looked at his son, and with more than human forgiveness left his last injunctions on his son. "Not by hatred, dear Dighavu, is hatred appeased. By love, dear Dighavu, hatred is appeased."
And young Dighavu went to the forest, where he lamented and wept to his heart's content. He then returned to the town, after having formed his resolution, and took employment under an elephant trainer in the royal stables.
Early in the dawn he arose and sang in a beautiful voice and played upon the lute. And the voice was so beautiful that the king inquired who it was that had risen so early and had sung in the elephant stables in so beautiful a voice. And the young boy was taken to the king, who liked him well and employed him as his attendant.
It so happened that on one occasion the king went out to hunt, taking young Dighavu with him. Dighavu 's secret resentment was burning within him, and he so drove the royal chariot that the hosts went one way, and the king's chariot went another way.
At last the king was wearied and fell asleep, resting his head in Dighavu 's lap.
"And young Dighavu thought, O Bhikkhus, 'This King Brahmadatta, of Kasi, has done much harm to us. By him we have been robbed of our troops and vehicles, our realm, our treasuries, and storehouses. And he has killed my father and mother. Now the time has come for me to satisfy my hatred '—and he unsheathed his sword."
But with the recollection of his father, the last words of his dying parent came to the remembrance of the vengeful prince. "Not by hatred, dear Dighavu, is hatred appeased. By love, dear Dighavu, hatred is appeased"—and the prince put back his sword.
The king dreamed a frightful dream, and started up terrified and alarmed. Dighavu told him the whole truth. The king was astonished, and exclaimed, "Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu! Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu!" whereupon the prince forgave his father's murder by carrying out his father's injunction and granting Brahmadatta his life. And Brahmadatta restored to him his father's troops and vehicles, his realm, his treasures, and his storehouses, and he gave him his daughter.
"Now, O Bhikkhus, if such is the forbearance and mildness of kings who wield the sceptre and bear the sword, so much more, O Bhikkhus, must you so let your light shine before the world, that you, having embraced the religious life according to so well-taught a doctrine and a discipline, may be seen to be forbearing and mild."
Not only forbearance and mildness, but the virtue of good acts is repeatedly and impressively enjoined by Gautama on his followers.
"Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine and fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.
"A man is not an elder because his head is gray. His age may be ripe, but he is called old in vain.
"He in whom there is truth, virtue, love, restraint, moderation, he who is free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder."
Again in the Amagandha Sutta of the Sutta Nipata, Gautama explains to a Brahman, Kasyapa by name, that the destruction of life, killing, cutting, binding, stealing, lying, fraud, adultery, backbiting, treachery, cruelty, intoxication, deceit, pride, and a bad mind and wicked deeds are what defile a man, who can be purified neither by abstinence from fish or flesh, nor by nakedness, tonsure, matted hair, dirt, rough garments, penances, hymns, oblations, or sacrifices. The whole of the Dhammapada is a series of 423 moral precepts which in their beauty and moral worth are unsurpassed by any similar collection of precepts made in any age or country; and a good-sized volume might be compiled from the legends and maxims, the parables and precepts, which are interspersed throughout the Buddhist sacred scriptures, of which the following may serve as specimens:—
"All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death. Remember that you are like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. "
"The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbour's faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the gambler."
"This is called progress in the discipline of the Noble One, if one sees his sin in its sinfulness, and duly makes amends for it, and refrains from it in future."