24 



CEYLON BRANCH ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



belonging to the same class with themselves, and in address- 

 ing him used the expression qfj^eso awuso, friend, instead of 

 ta^zozn bhante, Lord, Chief, Superior. He informs them 

 that this is no longer proper, that he is now the Tatagata, 

 the omniscient Budha ; and he calls upon them to bow to his 

 instruction. Although he is unable to convince them of t^ie 

 validity of his claim, they become willing to listen to him, 

 and he addresses his first sermon to them. It may here be 

 observed, that Goutama is not represented in this instance as 

 using miraculous powers to attest the justness of his claims, 

 but relies upon the doctrines he has to propound. He then 

 calls the five associates and says : 



Priests,* these two extremes are to be avoided by him who 

 has forsaken the world (for religious purposes) the one, a 

 devotedness to the enervating pleasures of sense, which are 

 degrading, vulgar, sensual, vain and profitless ; the other, 

 an endurance of exhausting mortifications, painful, vain and 

 profitless. The Tatagata, avoiding both these extremes has 

 discovered a middle path, leading to mental vision, under- 

 standing, self control, wisdom, perfect knowledge, and the 

 extinction of sorrow. 



Which, Priests, is that middle path discovered by the 

 Tatagata, leading to mental vision, understanding, self con- 

 trol, wisdom, perfect knowledge and the extinction of sorrow ? 

 It is this eminent eight-sectioned path, — correct views (of 

 truth,) correct thoughts, correct words, correct conduct, cor- 

 rect ^mode of obtaining a) livelihood, correct efforts, correct- 

 meditation, and correct tranquillity. This, Priests, is the 

 middle path discovered by the Tatagata, leading to mental 

 vision, understanding, self control, wisdom, perfect know- 

 ledge and the extinction of sorrow. 



This, O Priests, is the eminent truth respecting sorrow ; 

 birth causes sorrow, decay causes sorrow, disease causes sor- 



* ^ translated priest, signifies a religious mendicant, or friar. 



