ABSTRACT
1. In days of old there was a certain Brahman King, whose name was To-mi-seay (Dhamasa?). It came into the heart of this King one day to distribute, according to the fashion of the Brahmans, an unlimited quantity of precious stones, &c., among the followers of his faith, the rule being that every Brahmachârin who came as a recipient (beggar) might take a handful from the heap and go. And so for many days the affair was conducted; and yet the pile of wealth did not appear to diminish. On this, Buddha, knowing the condition of the King, and his aptitude (capacity) for conversion, transformed himself into a Brahmachârin, and went to the spot. The King going out from his palace, when he beheld him approaching, paid him due respect, and conducting him within, inquired what he would desire to receive, and requested him to have no reserve in asking. On this the Brahmachârin replied, “I have come from far, and I desire to beg a few jewels, that I may have enough to build me a house.” The King immediately answered, “Most virtuous sir, you may take a handful, and welcome.” On this the Brahmachârin took so much from the heap, and then having gone seven paces, he returned and replaced them on the heap. On this the King inquired why he acted thus, in not taking the jewels. Whereupon the Brahmachârin replied, “This handful is indeed enough to enable me to build a house; but afterwards I shall want to take a wife, and for that purpose this handful is not sufficient.” On this the King bade him take three handfuls, and welcome. Having done so, and gone seven paces, again he returned and replaced the jewels on the heap. Whereupon the King once more inquired his reason for so doing, to which he replied, “These might be enough to provide me with house and wife, but then I shall have to buy slaves and oxen and horses, and for this purpose the three handfuls are not sufficient.” On this the King said, “Take then seven handfuls, and welcome.” The Brahmachârin having done so, and gone seven paces, again returned and did as before, saying that these seven handfuls, though enough for the purpose assigned, would yet not suffice for the maintenance and welfare of his children. On this the King bade him take the whole heap of jewels, and use them for the purposes named. Accordingly the Brahmachârin did so, and departed. On this the King, astonished, cried out to him in a loud voice what his reason for so acting might be? To which the man replied, that those who legged sought only things for the present life; whilst those who thought, found out the instability and impermanence of all worldly things, and the ever-accumulating mass of sorrow and pain that resulted from a worldly life. And on this, resuming his own glorious body as Buddha, he added these stanzas:—
“Though a mail possessed a heap of jewels as high as heaven, enough to fill the world, not so happy he as one who apprehends the first principles of truth; he who makes vice resemble virtue, and love resemble hate (or, confuses the one with the other), he who confounds the true source of joy with sorrow—that man surely, bereft of reason, causes his own destruction.”
