The great end to be aimed at in the observance of the precepts of the law and the exercise of meditation19 is the obtaining of a state of complete indifference20 to all things. The state of indifference alluded21 to does not consist in a stupid carelessness about the things of this world. It is the result of a knowledge acquired with much labour and pain. The wise man who has possessed22 himself of such science is no longer liable to the influence of that vulgar illusion which makes people believe in the real existence of things that have no reality about them, but subsist23 only on an ephemeral basis, which incessantly24 changes and finally vanishes away. He sees things as they truly are. He is full of contempt for things which are at best a mere illusion. This contempt generates a complete indifference for all that exists, even for his own being. He longs for the moment when it shall be given to him to cast away his own body, that he may no longer move within the circle of endless and miserable25 forms of existence. In this sense must be understood the state of perfect quietism or indifference, which is the last stage the wise man may reach by the help of the science he possesses. The religious of the Brahminical creed26 have professed27 the same indifference for all the accidents of life. Hence our Buddha, when he became a perfected being, looked on the wicked Dewadat with the same feelings as he did on the great Maia, his mother. Numberless Rathees or anchorites have ever been eulogised for having allowed themselves to be devoured28 by ferocious29 beasts or bit by venomous snakes, rather than offer the least resistance that could exhibit a sign of non-indifference. Entire was their unconcern towards their very body, which they knew well is, as everything else, a compound of the four elements, a mere illusion, totally distinct from self.
Five commandments constitute the very basis whereupon[195] stand all morals, and are obligatory30 on all men without exception. They include five prohibitions31. (It is not a little surprising that the five precepts obligatory on all men are merely five prohibitions designed not to teach men what they have to do, but warning them not to do such things as are interdicted33 to them. This supposes that man is prone34 to do certain acts which are sinful. The Buddhist35 law of the five precepts forbids him to yield to such propensities36, but it does not teach him particular duties to perform. It does not elevate man above his original level, but it aims at preventing him from falling lower.) The five prohibitions are: Not to destroy the life of any being; not to steal; not to commit adultery; not to tell lies; not to drink any intoxicating37 liquors or beverages38.
Our author seems to be a perfect master in casuistry, as he shows the greatest nicety and exactness in explaining all the requisite39 conditions that constitute a trespassing40 of those precepts. We will give here but a few samples of his uncommon41 proficiency42 in this science. As regards the first prohibition32, he says, five things are necessary to constitute an offence against the first commandment, viz., a being that has life, the intention and will of killing43 that being, an act which is capable of inflicting44 death, and the loss of life of that being consequent on the inflicting of that action. Should but one of these conditions be wanting, the sin could not be said to have taken place, and therefore no complete trespassing of the first prohibition.
Again, as regards the second precept6, five circumstances or conditions are necessary to constitute a trespassing, viz., an object belonging to another person, who neither by words nor signs showed any intention to part with it; the knowing that the owner intends to keep possession of it; having the actual intention to take away secretly or forcibly that object; an effort to become possessed of the thing by deceiving, injuring, or by mal-practices causing the owner or keeper of the thing to fall asleep; and,[196] finally, removing the thing from its place, however short may be the distance, should it be but that of the length of a hair of the head.
For the infraction45 of the third precept the following conditions are required: the intention and will of sinning with any person of another sex, which comes within the denomination of Akamani-jathan, that is to say, persons whom it is forbidden to touch; acting46 up to that intention and the consummating47 of such an act. Women that fall under the above denomination are divided into twenty classes. The eight first classes include those that are under the guardianship48 of their parents or relatives; the ninth class comprises those affianced before they be of age; the tenth, those reserved for the king. Within the ten other classes come all those who, owing to their having been slaves, or from any other cause, have become concubines to their masters, or married their seducers, &c.
The fourth prohibition extends not only to lies, but likewise to slander49, coarse and abusive expressions, and vain and useless words. The four following conditions constitute a lie, viz., saying a thing that is untrue; the intention of saying such a thing; making manifest such an intention by saying the thing; and some one’s hearing and clearly understanding the thing that is uttered. That the sin of medisance may be said to exist, it is required that the author of it should speak with the intention of causing parties to hate each other or quarrel with each other, and that the words spoken to that end should be heard and understood by the parties alluded to.
The fifth precept forbids the drinking of Sura and Meria, that is to say, of distilled50 liquors and of intoxicating juices extracted from fruits and flowers. The mere act of putting the liquor in the mouth does not constitute a sin; the swallowing of it is implied.
Besides these five general precepts, obligatory on all the faithful without exception, there are three other precepts, or rather counsels, that are strongly recommended to the[197] Upasakas, or pious51 laymen52. They are designed as barriers against the great propensity53 inherent in nature which causes men to exceed in all that is used, through the senses of taste, hearing, seeing, smelling, and feeling. They are so many means that help to obtain a sober moderation in the daily use of the things of the world.
The first counsel regulates all that regards eating. It forbids using any comestible from noon to daybreak of the following morning. The second interdicts54 the assisting at plays, comedies, and the use of flowers and essences with the intention of fondly handling and smelling them. The third prescribes the form and size of beds, which ought never to be more than one cubit high, plain and without ornaments55. The use of mattresses56 and pillows, filled with cotton or other soft substances, is positively57 prohibited. The very intention of lying upon these enervating58 superfluities, and a fortiori reclining on them, constitutes the breaking of such a command.
These three latter precepts are to be observed chiefly in the following days, on the 5th, 8th, 14th, and 15th of the waxing moon, and on the 5th, 8th, and 14th of the waning59 moon, as well as on the new moon. The pious Upasakas sometimes observe them during the three consecutive60 months of the season of Lent.
In the opinion of our author those men and women are deserving of the respectable title of Upasakas who have the greatest respect for and entertain a pious affection towards the three precious things, Buddha, the law, and the assembly of the perfect. They must ever view them as the haven61 of salvation and the securest asylums62. They must be ready to sacrifice everything, their very life, for the sake of these three perfect things. During their lifetime, under all circumstances, they must aim at following scrupulously63 the instructions of Buddha, such as they are embodied64 in the law and preached by the Rahans.
Five offences disqualify a man for the honourable65 title of Upasaka, viz., the want of belief and confidence in the[198] three precious things, the non-observance of the eight precepts, the believing in lucky and unlucky days,[47] or in good and bad fortune, the belief in omens66 and signs, and keeping company with the impious, who have no faith in Buddha.
We now come to the rules which are prescribed to all the Buddhist religious. They are 227 in number, and are found in a book called Patimauk. This book is the vade mecum of all religious. They study it and often learn it by heart. On certain days of each month the religious assemble in the Thein. The Patimauk is then read, explained, and commented upon by one of the elders of the fraternity. It is an abridgment67 of the Wini, the great book of discipline. It teaches the various rules respecting the four articles offered by the faithful to the religious; that is to say, vestments, food, mats, and the ingredients for mastication68. These rules likewise regulate all that relates to the mode of making prayers, devotions, walking, sitting, reclining, travelling, &c. Everything is described with a minute particularity.
Here, if any interest could be awakened69, would be the place to enter into the system of casuistry carried by Buddhist religious to a point of nicety and refinement[199] truly astonishing. Suffice it to state that they have gone over the boundless70 field of speculative71 conjectures72 respecting all the possible ways of fulfilling or trespassing the precepts and regulations that concern the body of religious.
Every law and precept must have a sanction. This essential requisite is not wanting in the Buddhist system. Let us examine in what consists the reward attending a regular and correct observance of the precepts, and what is the punishment inflicted73 on the transgressors of these ordinances74. As usual, we will follow our author and allow him to make known his own opinions on this important subject. It is often inquired of us, says he, why some individuals live here during many years, whilst others appear but for a short time on the scene of this world. The reason of the difference in the respective condition of these persons is obvious and evident. The first, during their former existence, have faithfully observed the first command and refrained from killing beings, hence their long life; the second, on the contrary, have been guilty of some trespassings of this precept, and therefore the influence of their former crimes causes the shortness of their life. In a similar manner we account for all the differences that exist in the conditions of all beings. The observance or trespassing of one or several precepts creates the positions of happiness and unhappiness, of riches and poverty, of beauty and ugliness, that chequer the lives and positions of mortals in this world.
In addition to the rewards bestowed76 immediately in this world, there are the six seats of Nats, where all sorts of recompenses are allotted77, during immense periods, to those who have correctly attended to the ordinances of the law. There are likewise places of punishment in the several hells, reserved to the transgressors of the precepts. The conditions of animal, Athoorikes and Preittas, are other states of punishment.
A lengthened78 account of all that relates to the blissful[200] regions of Nats and the gloomy abodes79 of hell is found in one of the great Dzats, or accounts of the former existences of Gaudama, given by himself to his disciples80, when he was a prince under the name of Nemi. The writer has read and partly translated this work, which delightfully81 reminded him of the fine episodes on similar subjects he had read in the sixth book of the ?neid. The wildest, most fertile, and inventive imagination seems to have exhausted83 its descriptive powers, on the one hand, in multiplying the pleasures enjoyed in the seats of Nats, and beautifying and adorning84 those delightful82 regions; and, on the other, in representing with a dark and bloody85 pencil the frightful86 picture of the numberless and horrid87 torments88 of the regions of desolation, despair, and agony.
All that is so abundantly related of the fortunate abodes of Nats in their sacred writings supplies the Buddhist religious with agreeable and inexhaustible topics of sermons which they deliver to their hearers, to excite them more effectually to bestow75 on them abundant alms. The credulous89 hearers are always told that the most conspicuous90 places in those regions are allotted to those who have distinguished themselves by their great liberalities. We think it idle and superfluous91, uninteresting and fatiguing92 to repeat those fabulous93 accounts of the seats of Nats and abodes of hell, as given at great length by Buddhist authors. The only particulars deserving to be attended to are these: the reward is always proportionate to the sum of merits, and punishment to that of demerit. There is no eternity94 of reward or of punishment.[48]
[201]
This first article shall be concluded by an important remark bearing upon the system under consideration. The seats of happiness, as already mentioned, are divided into two great classes; the one including the superior, and the other the inferior seats. The latter are the six seats of Nats, and are tenanted by beings as yet under the influence of concupiscence and other passions. Those who observe the five general precepts have placed, and, as it were, established themselves on the basis whereupon stands perfection, but not yet in perfection itself; they have just crossed the threshold thereof. They are as yet imperfect; but they have prepared themselves for entering the way that leads towards perfection; that is to say, meditation, or the science of Dzan. The very reward enjoyed in those seats is, therefore, as yet an imperfection. The superior seats can only be reached by those who apply themselves to mental exercises. These exercises are the real foundation of the lofty structure of perfection and the high-road to it.
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1
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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promulgator
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| n.颁布者，公布者 | |
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modifications
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| n.缓和( modification的名词复数 )；限制；更改；改变 | |
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immutable
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| adj.不可改变的，永恒的 | |
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precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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precept
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| n.戒律；格言 | |
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Buddha
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| n.佛；佛像；佛陀 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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promulgates
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| v.宣扬（某事物）( promulgate的第三人称单数 )；传播；公布；颁布（法令、新法律等） | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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allurement
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| n.诱惑物 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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subsist
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| vi.生存，存在，供养 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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obligatory
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| adj.强制性的，义务的，必须的 | |
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prohibitions
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| 禁令，禁律( prohibition的名词复数 )； 禁酒； 禁例 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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interdicted
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| v.禁止（行动）( interdict的过去式和过去分词 )；禁用；限制 | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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Buddhist
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| adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒 | |
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propensities
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| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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beverages
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| n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 ) | |
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requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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infraction
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| n.违反；违法 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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consummating
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| v.使结束( consummate的现在分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房 | |
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guardianship
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| n. 监护, 保护, 守护 | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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distilled
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| adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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laymen
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| 门外汉，外行人( layman的名词复数 )； 普通教徒（有别于神职人员） | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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interdicts
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| n.正式禁止( interdict的名词复数 )；禁令；（罗马天主教）停止（某人）教权的禁令；停止某地参加圣事活动v.禁止（行动）( interdict的第三人称单数 )；禁用；限制 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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mattresses
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| 褥垫，床垫( mattress的名词复数 ) | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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enervating
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| v.使衰弱，使失去活力( enervate的现在分词 ) | |
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waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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consecutive
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| adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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asylums
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| n.避难所( asylum的名词复数 )；庇护；政治避难；精神病院 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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embodied
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| v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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omens
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| n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
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abridgment
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| n.删节，节本 | |
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mastication
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| n.咀嚼 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ordinances
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| n.条例，法令( ordinance的名词复数 ) | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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80
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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81
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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82
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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83
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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84
adorning
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| 修饰，装饰物 | |
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85
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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86
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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87
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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88
torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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89
credulous
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| adj.轻信的，易信的 | |
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90
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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91
superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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92
fatiguing
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| a.使人劳累的 | |
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93
fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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