From The Contemporary Review.
A SERMON OF BUDDHA.
TRANSLATED FROM THE PALI VERSION OF THE SUTRA PITAKA.
Thus I have heard. On a certain day Buddha dwelt at Rajagaha in a grove called Veluvana. And the same day the young house-holder Sigâla rose early in the morning, and went forth from Râjagaha, and standing with wet hair and streaming garments, and clasped hands uplifted, worshipped the various quarters, the east, the south, the west, the north, the nadir, and the zenith. And Buddha rose early in the morning and put on his raiment, and taking his bowl and robe went to Râjagaha to seek alms. And the Blessed One beheld the young house-holder, as with streaming hair and garments and clasped hands uplifted he worshipped the various quarters, and beholding he thus addressed him: —
Wherefore, young man, dost thou rise betimes, and leaving Râjagaha, with wet hair and streaming garments dost worship the various quarters — the east quarter, the south, the west, and the north, the nadir and the zenith?
Master, my father when he lay on his death-bed said to me, My son, do thou worship the quarters. Honouring therefore my father's words, reverencing, revering, and holding them sacred, I rise early in the morning, and going forth from Râjagaha, with wet hair and streaming garments, and clasped hands uplifted, I worship the various quarters — the east, the south, the west, and the north, the nadir and the zenith.
Not thus, young man, should the six quarters be worshipped according to the teaching of holy sages.
How then, Master, should the six quarters be worshipped? May it please thee, Master, so to teach me thy truth that I may know how the six quarters should be worshipped according to the teaching of the holy sages.
Hear then, young man, give heed to my words and I will speak.
And the young householder Sigala answered, Even so, Lord; and thus the Buddha spoke —
Young man, inasmuch as the holy disciple has forsaken the four polluting actions, inasmuch as he is uninfluenced by four evil states to commit sin, inasmuch as he eschews the six means of dissipating wealth, therefore freed from fourteen evils, and guarding the six quarters, he walks victorious over both worlds; for him this world is blest and the next also, and on the dissolution of the body after death he is reborn in heavenly mansions.
What are the four polluting actions forsaken by him? The destruction of life is a polluting act, theft is a polluting act, impurity is a polluting act, lying is a polluting act — these four polluting actions are forsaken by him.
And what are the four evil states that tempt men to sin? Through partiality men commit sin, through anger men commit sin, through ignorance men commit sin, through fear men commit sin. But inasmuch as the holy disciple lives uninfluenced by partiality, or wrath, or folly, or fear, therefore these four evil states tempt him not to sin. Whoso from partiality, wrath, folly, or fear is tempted to pervert justice, his glory shall fade like the waning moon. But whoso untempted by these refrains from perverting justice, his glory shall be made full, like the glory of the increasing moon.
And what are the six means of dissipating wealth? Strong drink, young man, and theatre-going, and evil companions, and dicing, and wandering about the streets at night, and idleness — these six bring a man to poverty.
There are six evils, young man, in being addicted to strong drink — poverty, strife, disease, loss of character, shameless exposure of the person, and impaired faculties.
Six evils attend on him who wanders about the streets at night. His life is in danger, his wife and children are uncared for, his property is unguarded, he falls under the suspicion of frequenting places of evil resort, false rumours circulate concerning him, and sorrow and remorse follow in his train.
Six evils wait upon him who thirsts after worldly amusements. He is ever crying, Where is there dancing? where is there singing? where is there music? where recitation, where conjuring, where public shows?
Six evils wait upon the gambler. If he win, he begets hatred; if he lose, his heart is sorrowful. His substance is wasted, his word has no weight in a court of ustice, his friends and his kinsmen despise him, and he is looked upon as ineligible for marriage — for men say, A gambler is unfit to support a wife.
Six evils attend on him who associates with bad companions. Every gambler, every libertine, every cheat, every rogue, every outlaw is his friend and companion.
Six evils attend upon the sluggard. He says it is too cold, and does not work; he
