CEYLON BRANCH — -ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 85 



or by what means is it, that among mankind some are pros- 

 perous while others are in adversity ? 



Young man, living beings receive the results of their own 

 conduct; (a) their conduct forms their inheritance, their 

 birth, their relationship, their circumstances in life. Con- 

 duct apportions to living beings prosperity or adversity. 



I do not distinctly understand that which has been thus 

 briefly and obscurely spoken by the Venerable Goutamo. 

 Will the Venerable Goutamo be pleased to explain fully 

 the doctrine which has been thus briefly stated, so that I 

 may comprehend it. 



If this be your wish, young man, attend carefully, and 

 I will explain it. Subho the son of Todeyya replied, Let 

 the Venerable One do so : upon which Bagawa said : 



If in this world a woman or a man be a destroyer of life, 

 cruel, bloody-handed, ever slaughtering, and destitute of 

 kindness towards living beings, upon the dissolution of his 

 frame by death, in consequence of the conduct to which he 

 has thus been so fully accustomed, he will be born in hell, 

 wretched, miserable and tormented. But if upon the dis- 

 solution of his frame by death he be not born in hell 

 wretched, miserable, and tormented, but again becomes a 

 man, wherever he may be born he will be short lived. 

 The path which leads to shortness of life is this : — the being 

 a destroyer of life, cruel, bloody-handed, ever-slaughtering, 

 and destitute of kindness towards every living thing. 



If in this world a woman or a man, abstain from de- 

 stroying life, lay aside the club and the knife ; if he be gentle 

 and compassionate to all living beings, upon the dissolution 

 of his frame by death, in consequence of the conduct to 

 which he has been so fully accustomed he will be born in 

 heaven, in a state of happiness : or if he be not born in 

 heaven, but again becomes a man, wherever he may be born 

 he will be long lived. The path which leads to longevity 

 is this : the abstaining from destroying life, the laying aside 

 the club and the knife, and the being gentle and compas- 

 sionate to every living thing. 



If in this world a woman or a man be a tormentor of 

 living beings with the hand, with stones, sticks or knives, 

 upon the dissolution of his frame by death, in consequence 

 of the conduct to which he has thus been so fully ac- 

 customed he will be born in hell, wretched, miserable and 



(a) Conduct ; as)«l®° kamman, signifies an action performed, 

 and also the merit or demerit of the action. 



