1838.] Pali Buddhistical Annals. 693 



" At the same time, the living creatures who were the first reproduced in the Abhas- 

 saro-brahrnal6ko,hMing completed the allotted term of their existence, and dying there, 

 are from thence regenerated here, in the manner described in the Aggannasuttan." 



For the elucidation of this interesting subject, I shall here introduce 

 a translation of the Agganna-suttdn, which is one of the discourses 

 in the Pdtlwaggo section of the Dighanikdyo, of the Suttapitako, 

 as delivered by Buddho himself ; instead of restricting myself to the 

 abridged account of the regeneration of the world, which is given in the 

 above Att'hakathd. 



This Suttdn was addressed by Sakya, to Wa'settho and Bharad- 

 dwajo, the descendants of an illustrious brahman named Wasettho, 

 who had become converts to Buddhism, and entered into the first or 

 Sdman^ro order of Buddhistical priesthood. It was delivered at the 

 city of Sdwatthipura, at the Pubbdrdmo wihdro, in the edifice called 

 the Migdrdmdtu pdsddo, which the Atthakathd explains was built by 

 a female of that name. 



The discourse ope.is with Sakya's inquiry from these two converted 

 brahmans whether they had incurred the displeasure or reproach of 

 the elder and the other influential brahmans by their apostacy ; and 

 they explain the nature of the reproach cast on, and of the disgrace 

 imputed to, them. The principal degradation alleged to the converts is, 

 " That the brahmans are the sons of Bra'hma sprung from his mouth, 

 pure and fair ; while the other castes and sects are sprung from his- 

 feet, and are black and impure." 



I must however, to save space, confine myself to the passages of 

 the Suttdn which describe the regeneration of the world, and of the 

 human race. Sakya thus explains himself* : 



II My friends, descendants of Wa'settho ! the progress of time is thus regulated. 

 After the lapse of a long period of time, this world is destroyed. On the 

 destruction of this world, living creatures for the most part will be regenerated in 

 the Abhdssdro-brahmaloko. 



" They will appear there by an apparitional birth, subsisting on the aliment of 

 felicity, illumined by their own effulgence, moving through the air, delightfully 

 located, and will exist there uninterruptedly for ages. 



M My friends, descendants of Wa'settho ! in due course, the lapse of time will 

 produce this result. At the expiration of a long period of time, this world will be 

 reproduced again. On the reproduction of the world, for the most part, those 

 living creatures, dying in the Abhassara-brahmaloko, return to this world. They 

 appear here also by an apparitional birth, subsisting on the aliment of felicity, 

 illumined by their own effulgence, moving through the air, delightfully located, 

 and exist here also uninterruptedly for ages, in unity and concord, similar to (the 

 cohesiveness of) a drop of water. 



" Descendants of Wa'settho 1 at that period there is neither obscurity nor utter 

 darkness. The sun and moon are unknown : night and day are undiscernible. 



* In M. Csoma's account of the origin of the Sakya race, vol. II. p. 387, the 

 exposition of this history is put into the mouth of Mongalyana, a favourite disci- 

 ple.— Ed. 



