No. 6. — 1853.] laws of the buddhist priesthood. 23 



ascertain, he should communicate it to the other. The priest 

 Assaji in the morning entered Rajagaha with, his bowl to collect 

 alms. Sariputto saw him and was struck with the sanctity of 

 his appearance, and concluded that he must he a man of eminent 

 piety. Determining to ascertain to what sect he belonged, who 

 was his preceptor, and what doctrines he held, he followed him 

 when he left the city, and entering into conversation said : 

 " Friend, your appearance is pleasing, your aspect placid, and 

 your complexion clear. Under whose direction are you a priest? 

 Who is your preceptor? And what doctrines do you hold? 

 The priest replied : u The Maha Samaria of the Sakya race has 

 become a priest, and I am under his direction. Bhagawa is 

 my preceptor; and I hold the doctrines taught by him." Sariputto 

 further enquired : " What doctrines does that preceptor teach ? 

 What does he declare ?" Assaji replied : " Friend, I have only 

 recently become a priest, and am not able fully to declare his 

 doctrine, but I will give you a brief account of it." u Friend," 

 said Sariputto, " be it little or be it much, declare it. Speak 

 that which is important, and I shall understand it ; speak 

 explicitly." Assaji then spake the following stanza: — 



' Whatever things result from causation, those things and 

 their causes are declared by the Tatagato ; and whatever of 

 them may become extinct, that also the Maha Samana makes 

 known.' 



Sariputto at once saw that this was the doctrine he had been 

 endeavouring to ascertain. His mind became illuminated, and 

 perceiving that whatever is produced must also cease to be,, he 

 entered the first of the paths leading to Nirwana. Meeting 

 Moggallano, he related the circumstance, who proposed to join 

 Buddha at once. They however determined first to converse 

 with their associates ; and these agreed to accompany them. 



