LITMIR.BIZ

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how man hath no fate except past deeds,

      No Hell but what he makes, no Heaven too high

      For those to reach whose passions sleep subdued.

      This was the fifteenth day of Vaishya

      Mid-afternoon and that night was full moon.

      But, of the Rishis, first Kaundinya

      Owned the Four Truths and entered on the Paths;

      And after him Bhadraka, Asvajit, Bassav, Mahanama; also there

      Within the Deer-park, at the feet of Buddh,

      Yasad the Prince with nobles fifty-four

      Hearing the blessed word our Master spake

      Worshipped and followed; for there sprang up peace

      And knowledge of a new time come for men

      In all who heard, as spring the flowers and grass

      When water sparkles through a sandy plain.

      These sixty—said they—did our Lord send forth,

      Made perfect in restraint and passion-free,

      To teach the Way; but the World-honoured turned

      South from the Deer-park and Isipatan

      To Yashti and King Bimbasara's realm,

      Where many days he taught; and after these

      King Bimbasara and his folk believed,

      Learning the law of love and ordered life.

      Also he gave the Master, of free gift—

      Pouring forth water on the hands of Buddh—

      The Bamboo-Garden, named Weluvana,

      Wherein are streams and caves and lovely glades;

      And the King set a stone there, carved with this:

      "Ye dharma hetuppabhawa

      Yesan hetun Tathagato;

      Aha yesan cha yo nirodho

      Ewan wadi Maha samano.

      "What life's course and cause sustain

      These Tathagato made plain;

      What delivers from life's woe

      That our Lord hath made us know."

      And, in that Garden—said they—there was held

      A high Assembly, where the Teacher spake

      Wisdom and power, winning all souls which heard,

      So that nine hundred took the yellow robe—

      Such as the Master wears,—and spread his Law;

      And this the gatha was wherewith he closed:

      Sabba papassa akaranan;

      Kusalassa upasampada;

      Sa chitta pariyodapanan;

      Etan Budhanusasanan.

      "Evil swells the debts to pay,

      Good delivers and acquits;

      Shun evil, follow good; hold sway

      Over thyself. This is the Way."

      Whom, when they ended, speaking so of him,

      With gifts, and thanks which made the jewels dull,

      The Princess recompensed. "But by what road

      Wendeth my Lord?" she asked: the merchants said,

      "Yojans threescore stretch from the city-walls

      To Rajagriha, whence the easy path

      Passeth by Sona hither and the hills.

      Our oxen, treading eight slow koss a day,

      Came in one moon."

      Then the King hearing word,

      Sent nobles of the Court—well-mounted lords—

      Nine separate messengers, each embassy

      Bidden to say: "The King Suddhodana—

      Nearer the pyre by seven long years of lack,

      Wherethrough he hath not ceased to seek for thee—

      Prays of his son to come unto his own,

      The Throne and people of this longing Realm,

      Lest he shall die and see thy face no more."

      Also nine horsemen sent Yasodhara

      Bidden to say, "The Princess of thy House—

      Rahula's mother—craves to see thy face

      As the night-blowing moon-flower's swelling heart

      Pines for the moon, as pale asoka-buds

      Wait for a woman's foot: if thou hast found

      More than was lost, she prays her part in this,

      Rahula's part, but most of all thyself."

      So sped the Sakya Lords, but it befell

      That each one, with the message in his mouth,

      Entered the Bamboo-Garden in that hour

      When Buddha taught his Law; and—hearing—each

      Forgot to speak, lost thought of King and quest,

      Of the sad Princess even; only gazed

      Eye-rapt upon the Master; only hung

      Heart-caught upon the speech, compassionate,

      Commanding, perfect, pure, enlightening all,

      Poured from those sacred lips. Look! like a bee

      Winged for the hive, who sees the mogras spread

      And scents their utter sweetness on the air,

      If he be honey-filled, it matters not;

      If night be nigh, or rain, he will not heed;

      Needs must he light on those delicious blooms

      And drain their nectar; so these messengers

      One with another, hearing Buddha's words,

      Let go the purpose of their speed, and mixed,

      Heedless of all, amid the Master's train.

      Wherefore the King bade that Udayi go—

      Chiefest in all the Court, and faithfullest,

      Siddartha's playmate in the happier days—

      Who, as he drew anear the garden, plucked

      Blown tufts of tree-wool from the grove and sealed

      The entrance of his hearing; thus he came

      Safe through the lofty peril of the place

      And told the message of the King, and hers.

      Then meekly bowed his head and spake our Lord

      Before the people: "Surely I shall go!

      It is my duty as it was my will;

      Let no man miss to render reverence

      To those who lend him life, whereby come means

      To live and die no more, but safe attain

      Blissful Nirvana, if ye keep the Law,

      Purging past wrongs and adding nought thereto,

      Complete in love and lovely charities.

      Let

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