No. 25 — 1882.] buddha's sekmon on omens. 



217 



believing in astrology, and the other of the practice of confer- 

 ring on individuals what are supposed to be lucky or auspicious 

 names. 



My special object however in the present note is to bring- 

 to light the true object of Mangalan Suttan, one of the most 

 remarkable discourses of Buddha against " superstition," which 

 is found in two of the canonical Scriptures of Buddhism, namely 

 in the Sutta Nipdt 'a and Khuddaha Pdtha sections of the Khuddaka 

 Pat ha of the Sutta Pitaka. 



There are three English translations extant of this discourse — 

 one by the late Rev. D. J. Gogerly, in the Ceylon Friend for 

 June 1839, another by the late Professor R. C. Childers 

 in his translation of the Khuddaka Pdtha, and a third in 

 the late Sir M. Coomara Swamy's translation of Sutta Nipdta ; 

 but by an unhappy rendering of one expression by the 

 learned translators, the true object of the discourse, namely, 

 that of exposing the folly of believing in omens, has been com- 

 pletely kept out of view, and the discourse is simply regarded as 

 a series of excellent moral maxims. Mr. Gogerly rendered the 

 words u etan mangalan idtaman" " these are chief excellen- 

 cies" : Mr. Childers, " this is the greatest blessing" : this is also 

 the rendering adopted by Sir M. Coomara Swamv. 



When Mr. Childers' able and lucid translation of Khud- 

 daka Pdtha appeared in 1874, I ventured to address a letter to 

 that gentleman referring him to the Atthakathd or Commen- 

 tary on the discourse, which explains, its origin and objects, and 

 submitting to him whether the words " etan mangalan uttaman " 

 which he has rendered " this is the greatest blessing," 

 should not be more correctly rendered " this is the best omen," 

 or "these are the best omens." In reply he approved of mv 

 proposed rendering, but unfortunately having mislaid his letter, 

 I am deprived of the gratification of producing it, but it will 

 be seen that mv late lamented friend has made the following 

 note in the Addenda to his Pali Dictionary Vol. II. P. 617 s. v. 

 " 'mangalo' ' mangalan, means also ' an omen.' I learn from 

 Louis de Soysa that l etan mangalan uttaman should be rendered 

 'this is the best omen.' " 



