ON TIBETAN SCROLLS AND IMAGES. 11 



wise. The people of the world, on the other hand, are given to desire, intent upon desire, 

 delighting in desire. My doctrine will not be easy to understand to beings that are lost 

 in lust and hatred. Let me therefore remain in quiet and not preach the doctrine." 

 Then the four- faced Brahma understanding by the power of his mind the reflection which 

 had arisen in the mind of the Blessed One, thought : "If the Blessed One remains in quiet 

 and does not preach the doctrine, alas ! the world perishes ! alas ! the world is destroyed!" 

 Then Brahma with hands folded approached the Blessed One saying : " May the Lord preach 

 the doctrine, may the Blessed One preach the doctrine, may the Perfect One preach the 

 doctrine ; there are beings whose mental eyes are not yet darkened by any dust ; if they 

 do not hear the doctrine, they cannot attain salvation ; therefore, may the Spotless One 

 open the door of Immortality." 1 



III. 



3. Original.— g' £!' ^C SlRflT q| 



Transcription. — Lna-sde dan mjal wa. 



Translation. — Visiting the group of five (Brahmans). 



Explanation. — The Blessed One thought : "To whom shall I preach the doctrine first ? 

 Who will understand this doctrine easily?" After along deliberation he went forth 

 to Benares at a place called Deer Park, where he met with the five Brahmans who had been 

 his associates while he had practised meditation under the Bodhi tree in Gaya. The Blessed 

 One addressing these five Brahmans said: "Give ear, O Bhikkhus, the Immortal has been 

 won by me ; I will teach you ; to you I preach the doctrine. If you walk in the way I 

 show you, you will, ere long, have penetrated to the truth, having yourselves known it 

 and seen it face to face ; and you will live in the possession of that highest goal of holy life, 

 for the sake of which noble youths fully give up the world and go forth into the houseless 

 state." Then the Blessed One explained to these five Bhikkhus the doctrine of the Noble 

 Eightfold Path which leads to insight, which leads to wisdom, which conduces to calm, to 

 knowledge, to the full enlightenment, to Nirvana. The Noble Eightfold Path consists of 

 Right Perception, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of 

 Livelihood, Right Endeavour, Right Memory, and Right Meditation. Along with these 

 the Blessed One also expounded the doctrine of four noble truths, viz., (1) sorrow, (2) origin 

 of sorrow, (3) extinction of sorrow, and (4) the path leading to the extinction of sorrow. 



The five Brahmans, to whom Buddha preached the doctrines of the Noble Eightfold 

 Path and the Four Noble Truths, were at first full of conceit. Seeing the Blessed One com- 

 ing from afar, they concerted with each other saying: " Friends, there comes Buddha, who 

 lives in abundance, who has given up his exertions, and who has turned to an abundant 

 life. Let us not salute him, nor rise from our seats when he approaches, nor take his 

 bowl and his robe from his hands. But let us put there a seat ; if he likes, let him sit 

 down." But when the Blessed One gradually approached near unto those five Brahmans, 

 they could not keep their agreement. They bowed down to him in reverence with 

 hands folded and went forth to meet him. His calm tranquil appearance subdued them. 2 



' Vide Mahdvagga, Khandhaka I, sect. 5 (S.B.E.S). B Mahavagga, Khandhaka I, sect. 6 (S.B.E.S). 



