1894] 
33 
C. Das— Note on the Buddhist Golden Booh. 
1 Are you not in the royal service 1 ’ ? ‘1 am not, Venerable Sir.’ 
4 Have your father and mother 2 given their consent to your entering 
the Pravrajyd ’ ? ‘Yes, Venerable Sir.’ 
1 At that time the border provinces of the kingdom of Magadha. were 
agitated. Then the Magadha king, Bimbisara, gave order to the officers who were 
at the head of the army: £ Well now, go and search through the border provinces.’ 
The officers bore his command saying ‘ Yes, your Majesty.’ 
Many warriors among them thought, ‘ We who go to war and find our delight 
in fighting, do evil and produce great demerit. What shall we do that we may 
desist from evil doing and may do good P ’ 
Then they thought, ‘ The monks of Qakya lead indeed a virtuous, tranquil, 
holy life ; they speak the truth; they keep the precepts of morality, and are en¬ 
dowed with all virtues.’ Thus these warriors went to the Bhikkhus and asked 
them for the Pravrajyd ordination, and were admitted into the Order. 
The officers at the head of the army asked the royal soldiers, £ Why, how 
is it that the warrior N. N. and N. N. are nowhere to be seen ? ' ‘ The warrior’s 
N. N. and N. N., Lords, have embraced religious life among Bhikkhus.’ The officers 
told this thing to the King, who asked the Officers of Justice; £ Tell me, my good 
Sirs, what punishment does he deserve who ordains a parson in the royal service ? ’ 
£ The Upddhyaya, Your Majesty, should be beheaded ; to him who recites the 
Kamma-vdcas, the tongue should be torn out; to those who form the Chapter, half 
of their ribs should be broken.’ Then the Magadha King went to the palace where 
the Blessed One was, and addressing him said : ‘ Lord, there are unbelieving Kings 
who are disinclined to the faith; these might harass the Bhikkhus even on trifling 
occasions. Pray, Lord, lot their Reverences not confer the Pravrajyd ordination on 
persons in royal service.’ 
Then the Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus : £ Let no one, O Bhikkhus, 
who is in the royal service, receive the Pravrajyd ordination. He who confers it on 
such a person is guilty of Duslcrta, offence.’ 
2 Then the Blessed One, went forth to Kapilavastu and dwelt in the Qakya 
country, in the Banyan grove. And in the fore-noon having put on his under¬ 
robes, took his alms-bowl, and with his robes on went to the residence of his father. 
Having gone there, he sat down on a seat laid out for him. Then the Princess, 
(Buddha’s former wife) said to young Rahula, her son, £ This is your father, Rahula; 
go and ask him for your inheritance.’ Then young Rahula went to the place where 
the Blessed One was; having approached him he said—‘ Father, your shadow is a 
place of bliss.’ Then the Blessed One rose from his seat and went away, and young 
Rahula followed the Blessed One from behind and said. ‘ Give me my inheritance, 
father; give me my inheritance father. ’ 
Then the Blessed One said to the Yenerable Qariputra : £ Well Qiiriputra, con¬ 
fer the Pravrajyd ordination on young Rahula.’ The Venerable Qariputra conferred 
the Pravrajyd ordination on young Rahula. Then the Qakya Quddhodana (Buddha’s 
father) went to the place where the Blessed One was; having approached him and 
having respectfully saluted him, said, £ Lord I ask one boon of thee.’ The Buddha 
replied, the perfect ones are above granting boons before they know what they are. 
Quddhodana said : £ Lord, it is a proper and unobjectionable demand.’ £ Speak.’ 
£ When the Blessed One gave up the world, it was a great pain to me, so it was 
J. i. 5 
