THE SMALLER
SUKHÂVATÎ-VYÛHA.
Translated by F. Max Muller
ADORATION TO THE OMNISCIENT!
§ 1. Thus it was heard by me: At one time the Blessed (Bhagavat, i.e. Buddha) dwelt at Srâvastî[1], in the Geta-grove, in the garden of Anâthapindaka, together with a large company of Bhikshus (mendicant friars), viz. with twelve hundred and fifty Bhikshus, all of them acquainted with the five kinds of knowledge[2], elders, great disciples[3], and Arhats[4]
[1. Srâvastî, capital of the Northern Kosalas, residence of king Prasenagit. It was in ruins when visited by Fa-hian (init. V. Saec.); not far from the modern Fizabad. Cf. Burnouf, Introduction, p. 22.
2. Abhigñânâbhigñâtaih. The Japanese text reads abhigñâtâbhâgñâtaih, i.e. abhigñâtâbhigñâtaih. If this were known to be the correct reading, we should translate it by ”known by known people,” notus a viris notis, i.e. well known, famous. Abhigñâta in the sense of known, famous, occurs in Lalitavistara, p. 25, and the Chinese translators adopted the same meaning here. Again, if we preferred the reading abhigñânâbhigñâtaih, this, too, would admit of an intelligible rendering, viz. known or distinguished by the marks or characteristics, i.e. the good qualities which belong to a Bhikshu. But the technical meaning is ”possessed of a knowledge of the five abhigñâs.” It would be better in that case to write abhigñâtâbhigñânaih, but no MSS. seem to support that reading. The five abhigñâs or abhigñânas which an Arhat ought to possess are the pine sight, the pine hearing, the knowledge of the thoughts of others, the remembrance of former existences, and magic power. See Burnouf, Lotus, Appendice, No. xiv. The larger text of the Sukhâvatî has abhigñânâbhigñaih, and afterwards abhigñâtâbhigñaih. The position of the participle as the uttara-pada in sueh compounds as abhigñânâbhigñâtaih is common in Buddhist Sanskrit. Mr. Bendall has called my attention to the Pâli abhiññâta-abhiññâta (Vinaya-pitaka, ed. Oldenberg, vol. i, p. 43), which favours the Chinese acceptation of the term.
3. Mahâsrâvaka, the great disciples; sometimes the eighty principal disciples.
4. Arhadbhih. I have left the correct Sanskrit form, because the Japanese text gives the termination adbhih. Hôgö”s text has the more usual form arhantaih. The change of the old classical arhat into the Pâli arahan, and then back into Sanskrit arhanta, arahanta, and at last arihanta, with the meaning of ”destroyer of the enemies,” i e. the passions, shows very clearly the different stages through which Sanskrit words passed in the different phases of Buddhist literature. In Tibet, in Mongolia, and in China, Arhat is translated by ”destroyer of the enemy,” i.e. ari-hanta. See Burnouf, Lotus, p. 287, Introduction, p. 295. Arhat is really the title of the Bhikshu on reaching the fourth degree of perfection Cf. Sûtra of the 42 Sections, cap. 2. Clemens of Alexandria (d. 220) speaks of the {Greek Semnoí} who worshipped a pyramid erected over the relics of a god. This may be a translation of Arhat, as Lassen (”De nom. Ind. philosoph.” in Rhein. Museum, vol. i, p. 187) and Burnouf (Introduction, p. 295) supposed, or a transliteration of Samana. Clemens also speaks of {Greek Semnaí} (Stromat. p. 539, Potter).]
{p. 90}
such as Sâriputra, the elder, Mahâmaudgalyâyana, Mahâkâsyapa, Mah&a…
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