Early BuddhismEarly Buddhism by Thomas William Rhys Davids, first published in 1908, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it. |
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¹ Dîgha ¹ Majjhima animate Arahats Arahatship Aryan Aryan race become belief Benares Bhikshu birth bliss we dwell body brahmin Buddha Buddhism arose called Canon cause century B.C. clan clansmen convenient modern term craving death desire Dhammapada Dialogues disciples discuss doctrine EARLY BUDDHISM emancipation of heart eternal ethical evil explain five Hindrances gods Gotama Hermits ideas ill-will India individual insight Intoxications K. E. Neumann Kapilavastu Karma King Kosala Kshatriyas later living Love Lumbini Magadha means mental mountain neighbouring Nepal ness Nirvana Noble Truth pain Pali Pandava Path penance poem points pre-Buddhistic probably Professor question race radiance râjas rebirth RELIGION OF ANCIENT Rhys Davids Right Effort Right Rapture Right Views rise of Buddhism round for alms Royal Asiatic Society sacrifices Sâkiya salvation Samyutta sense sensual Skandhas soul speculation supposed Sutta teaching things thought tion translated transmigration unity Upanishads utterance Vedic Vinaya Wanderers words
Popular passages
Page 50 - Birth is attended with pain, decay is painful, disease is painful, death is painful. Union with the unpleasant is painful, painful is separation from the pleasant; and any craving that is unsatisfied, that too is painful.
Page 49 - There is a middle path, O Bhikkhus, avoiding these two extremes, discovered by the Tathagata (ie, the Perfect One, The Buddha) — a path which opens the eyes, and bestows understanding, which leads to peace of mind, to the higher wisdom, to full enlightenment, to Nirvana!
Page 79 - It was a poetic attempt to lift this mountain of Fate, to reconcile this despotism of race with liberty, which led the Hindoos to say, " Fate is nothing but the deeds committed in a prior state of existence.
Page 59 - As a mother, even at the risk of her own life, protects her son, her only son: so let him cultivate goodwill without measure among all beings. Let him cultivate goodwill without measure toward the whole world, above, below, around, unstinted, unmixed with any feeling of differing or opposing interests.
Page 79 - Our deeds still travel with us from afar, And what we have been makes us what we are.
Page 34 - When this knowledge, this insight had arisen within me, my heart was set free from intoxication of lusts, set free from the intoxication of becomings, set free from the intoxication of ignorance. In me, thus emancipated, there arose the certainty of that emancipation. And I came to know : "Rebirth is at an end. The higher life has been fulfilled. What had to be done has been accomplished.
Page 40 - The truth doth he proclaim both in its letter and in its spirit, lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation: the higher life doth he make known, in all its purity and in all its perfectness.
Page 59 - Our mind shall not waver. No evil speech will we utter. Tender and compassionate^ will we abide, loving in heart, void of malice within.
Page 37 - Happy is the solitude of him who is full of joy, who has learnt the Truth, who sees (the Truth). Happy is freedom from malice in this world, (self-)restraint towards all beings that have life. Happy is freedom from lust in this world, getting beyond all desires ; the putting away of that pride which comes from the thought
Page 50 - Now this, O Bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth concerning the origin of suffering. Verily, it is that thirst or craving, causing the renewal of existence, accompanied by sensual delight, seeking satisfaction now here, now there — that is to say, the craving for the gratification of the passions, or the craving for a future life, or the craving for success in this present life.