Sacred Books Of The East
-
A Prayer For Sanctity And Its Benefits
I pray with benedictions for a benefit, and for the good, even for the entire creation of the holy and the clean; I beseech for them the generation which is now alive, for that which is just coming into life, and for that which shall be hereafter.... Bimbisara Raga Becomes A Disciple
And now those five men, Asvagit Vashpa, and the others, having heard that he (Kaundinya) "knew" the law, with humble mien and self-subdued, their hands joined, offered their homage, and looked with reverence in the teacher's face. Tathagata, by wi... Bimbisara Raga Invites The Prince
The royal prince, departing from the court-master (i.e. the Purohita) and the great minister, Saddharma, keeping along the stream, then crossing the Ganges, he took the road towards the Vulture Peak,[99] hidden among the five mountains, standi... Cleansing The Unclean
Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:-- O most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! To whom shall they apply here below, who want to cleanse their body defiled by the dead? Ahura Mazda answered:-- "To a pious man, O Spit... Contracts And Outrages
"He that does not restore a loan to the man who lent it, steals the thing and robs the man. This he doeth every day, every night, as long as he keep in his house his neighbor's property, as though it were his own." O Maker of the material world... Discovery Of The Zend-avesta
The "Zend-Avesta" is the sacred book of the Parsis; that is to say, of the few remaining followers of that religion which reigned over Persia at the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew the Sassanian dynasty (A.D. 642), and which h... Flowers
Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama, the lord of the departed, and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower? The disciple will overcome the earth, and the... Funerals And Purification
If a dog or a man die under a hut of wood or a hut of felt, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do? Ahura Mazda answered:-- "They shall search for a Dakhma, they shall look for a Dakhma all around. If they find it easier to remove the dead, t... Happiness
We live happily indeed, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us we dwell free from hatred! We live happily indeed, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments! We live happily indeed... Impurity
Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have come near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hast no provision for thy journey. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are bl... Indra And Agastya: A Dialogue
Indra: There is no such thing to-day, nor will it be so to-morrow. Who knows what strange thing this is? We must consult the thought of another, for even what we once knew seems to vanish. Agastya: Why dost thou wish to kill us, O Indra? the Mar... Introduction
The study of religion, like the study of poetry, brings us face to face with the fundamental principles of human nature. Religion, whether it be natural religion or that which is formulated in a book, is as universal as poetry, and like poetry, ex... Introduction
The Vedic Hymns are among the most interesting portions of Hindoo literature. In form and spirit they resemble both the poems of the Hebrew psalter and the lyrics of Pindar. They deal with the most elemental religious conceptions and are full of t... Introduction
The "Dhammapada," or "Path to Virtue," is one of the most practical ethical hand-books of Buddhism. It is included in the canon of Buddhistic Scriptures, and is one of the Eastern books which can be read with delight to-day by those who are classe... Introduction
The "Upanishads" are reckoned to be from a hundred and fifty to a hundred and seventy in number. The date of the earliest of them is about B.C. 600; that is an age anterior to the rise of Buddha. They consist of various disquisitions on the nature... Introduction
The importance of the "Koran" lies in the fact that it is a religious book of the East, read and stored in the memory of a hundred millions of people of different races and civilizations, inhabiting countries extending from the western borders of ... Introduction
Buddha is undoubtedly the most potent name as a religious teacher, in the whole of Asia. The propaganda of the Buddhistic faith passed from the valley of the Indus to the valley of the Ganges, and from Ceylon to the Himalayas; thence it traversed ... Knowledge Of The Living Spirit
"Prana, or breath,[16] is Brahman," thus says Kaushitaki. "Of this prana, which is Brahman, the mind is the messenger, speech the housekeeper, the eye the guard, the ear the informant. He who knows mind as the messenger of prana, which is Brahman,... Life And Consciousness
Pratardana, the son of Divodasa, King of Kasi, came by means of fighting and strength to the beloved abode of Indra. Indra said to him: "Pratardana, let me give you a boon to choose." And Pratardana answered: "Do you yourself choose that boon for ... Miscellaneous
If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise man leave the small pleasure, and look to the great. He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for himself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never ... Mohammed And Mohammedanism
By Thomas Carlyle From the first rude times of Paganism among the Scandinavians in the North, we advance to a very different epoch of religion, among a very different people: Mohammedanism among the Arabs. A great change; what a change and prog... Myth Of Yima
Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:-- "O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathustra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach the Re... Old Age
How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always burning? Do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness? Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly, full of many schemes, but which has... On Earnestness
Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead already. Having understood this clearly, those who are advanced in earnestness de... Pleasure
He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to meditation, forgetting the real aim of life and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation. Let no man ever cling to what is pleasant, or to what... Praise Of The Holy Bull
Hail, bounteous bull! Hail to thee, beneficent bull! Hail to thee, who makest increase! Hail to thee, who makest growth! Hail to thee, who dost bestow his part upon the righteous faithful, and wilt bestow it on the faithful yet unborn! Hail to the... Prayer For Helpers
And now in these Thy dispensations, O Ahura Mazda! do Thou wisely act for us, and with abundance with Thy bounty and Thy tenderness as touching us; and grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our souls, O Ahura Mazda! Of this do Thou Thysel... Punishment
All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that you are like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. All men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that thou art like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause sl... Revealed At Mecca
Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures, the most merciful, the king of the day of judgment. Thee do we worship, and of thee do we beg assistance. Direct us in the right way, in the way of those to whom thou hast been gracious; not of thos... Revealed Partly At Mecca
A.L.M. There is no doubt in this book; it is a direction to the pious, who believe in the mysteries of faith, who observe the appointed times of prayer, and distribute alms out of what we have bestowed on them; and who believe in that revelati... Spells Recited During The Cleansing
Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:-- O Ahura Mazda! most beneficent Spirit, maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead rushes upon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the de... Spiritual Power Fixing His Term Of Years
At this time the great men among the Likkhavis, hearing that the lord of the world had entered their country and was located in the Amra garden, went thither riding in their gaudy chariots with silken canopies, and clothed in gorgeous robes, bot... The Bhikshu
Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue. In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things... The Birth
There was a descendant of the Ikshvaku family, an invincible Sakya monarch, pure in mind and of unspotted virtue, called therefore Pure-rice, or Suddhodana. Joyously reverenced by all men, as the new moon is welcomed by the world, the king ind... The Brahmana
Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brahmana! When you have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will understand that which was not made. If the Brahmana has reached the other shore in both laws, in restraint an... The Buddha The Awakened
He whose conquest cannot be conquered again, into whose conquest no one in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless? He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what tr... The Couch Of Brahman
Kitra Gangyayani, wishing to perform a sacrifice, chose Aruni Uddalaka, to be his chief priest. But Aruni sent his son, Svetaketu, and said: "Perform the sacrifice for him." When Svetaketu had arrived, Kitra asked him: "Son of Gautama, is there a ... The Creation
Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying:-- "I have made every land dear to its people, even though it had no charms whatever in it: had I not made every land dear to its people, even though it had no charms whatever in it, then the wh... The Downward Course
He who says what is not goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal: they are men with evil deeds in the next world. Many men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown are ill-condi... The Earth
O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place whereon one of the faithful steps forward, O Spitama Zarathustra! with the log in his hand, the Baresma... The Elephant
Silently I endured abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endure... The Family Of Imran
A.L.M.[47] There is no God but God, the living, self-subsisting: He hath sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming that which was revealed before it; for he had formerly sent down the law and the gospel, a direction unto... The Fool
Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law. If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journ... The Just
A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he who distinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and guides others, not by violence, but by the same law, being a guardian of the law and intelligent, he is called just. A man i... The Table Revealed At Medina
O True believers, perform your contracts. Ye are allowed to eat the brute cattle,[83] other than what ye are commanded to abstain from; except the game which ye are allowed at other times, but not while ye are on pilgrimage to Mecca; God ordai... The Thousands
Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet. Even though a Gatha (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of... The Twin-verses
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage. ... The Venerable
There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and abandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all fetters. They exert themselves with their thoughts well-collected, they do not tarry in their abode; like sw... The Way
The best of ways is the eightfold; the best of truths the four words; the best of virtues passionlessness; the best of men he who has eyes to see. This is the way, there is no other that leads to the purifying of intelligence. Go on this path! ... The Wise Man
If you see a man who shows you what is to be avoided, who administers reproofs, and is intelligent, follow that wise man as you would one who tells of hidden treasures; it will be better, not worse, for him who follows him. Let him admonish, le... The World
Do not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do not follow false doctrine! Be not a friend of the world. Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The virtuous rest in bliss in this world and in the next. Foll... Thirst
The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest. Whomsoever this fierce poisonous thirst overcomes, in this world, his sufferings increase like the abounding Birana grass... Thought
As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back. As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on the dry ground, our thought trembles a... To Agni And The Maruts
Thou art called forth to this fair sacrifice for a draught of milk; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! No god indeed, no mortal, is beyond the might of thee, the mighty one; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who know of the great sky, th... To Agni And The Maruts
I implore Agni, the gracious, with salutations, may he sit down here, and gather what we have made. I offer him sacrifice as with racing chariots; may I, turning to the right, accomplish this hymn to the Maruts. Those who approached on their glori... To Fires, Waters, Plants
We worship thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! We worship the fire Berezi-savangha (of the lofty use), and the fire Vohu-fryana (the good and friendly), and the fire Urva-zista (the most beneficial and most helpful), and the fire Vazista (the mos... To Indra And The Maruts
Those who stand around him while he moves on, harness the bright red steed; the lights in heaven shine forth. They harness to the chariot on each side his two favorite bays, the brown, the bold, who can carry the hero. Thou who createst light wher... To Rain As A Healing Power
"Come, come on, O clouds, from up above, down on the earth, by thousands of drops, by myriads of drops"--thus say, O holy Zarathustra! "to destroy sickness, to destroy death, to destroy the sickness that kills, to destroy death that kills, to dest... To Rudra
We offer these prayers to Rudra, the strong, whose hair is braided, who rules over heroes that he may be a blessing to man and beast, that everything in this our village may be prosperous and free from disease. Be gracious to us, O Rudra, and give... To Rudra
O father of the Maruts, let thy favor come near, and do not deprive us of the sight of the sun; may the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse, and may we increase in offspring, O Rudra! May I attain to a hundred winters through the most blissful m... To Rudra
Offer ye these songs to Rudra whose bow is strong, whose arrows are swift, the self-dependent god, the unconquered conqueror, the intelligent, whose weapons are sharp--may he hear us! For, being the lord, he looks after what is born on earth; bein... To Soma And Rudra
Soma and Rudra, may you maintain your divine dominion, and may the oblations reach you properly. Bringing the seven treasures to every house, be kind to our children and our cattle. Soma and Rudra, draw far away in every direction the disease whic... To The Bountiful Immortals
I would worship these with my sacrifice, those who rule aright, and who dispose of all aright, and this one especially I would approach with my praise (Ahura Mazda). He is thus hymned in our praise-songs. Yea, we worship in our sacrifice that deit... To The Earth And The Sacred Waters
And now we worship this earth which bears us, together with Thy wives, O Ahura Mazda! yea, those Thy wives do we worship which are so desired from their sanctity. We sacrifice to their zealous wishes, and their capabilities, their inquiries, and t... To The Fire
I offer my sacrifice and homage to thee, the Fire, as a good offering, and an offering with our hail of salvation, even as an offering of praise with benedictions, to thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! Meet for sacrifice art thou, and worthy of ... To The Maruts
I Come hither, Maruts, on your chariots charged with lightning, resounding with beautiful songs, stored with spears, and winged with horses! Fly to us like birds, with your best food, you mighty ones! They come gloriously on their red, or, it m... To The Maruts And Indra
The Prologue The sacrificer speaks: To what splendor do the Maruts all equally cling, they who are of the same age, and dwell in the same nest? With what thoughts?--from whence are they come? Do these heroes sing forth their own strength, wis... To The Unknown God
In the beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as born, he alone was the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this heaven:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice? He who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose c... To The Waters And Light Of The Moon
As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the e... To The Waters And Light Of The Stars
As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made every... To The Waters And Light Of The Sun
"As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up and going down, up the aerial way and down the earth, down the earth and up the aerial way: thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the ... To Vata
Now for the greatness of the chariot of Vata. Its roar goes crashing and thundering. It moves touching the sky, and creating red sheens, or it goes scattering the dust of the earth. Afterwards there rise the gusts of Vata, they go towards him, l... To Vata
May Vata waft medicine, healthful, delightful to our heart; may he prolong our lives! Thou, O Vata, art our father, and our brother, and our friend; do thou grant us to live! O Vata, from that treasure of the immortal which is placed in thy house ... To Vayu
Come hither, O Vayu, thou beautiful one! These Somas are ready, drink of them, hear our call! O Vayu, the praisers celebrate thee with hymns, they who know the feast-days, and have prepared the Soma. O Vayu, thy satisfying stream goes to the worsh... To Vayu
O Vayu, may the quick racers bring thee towards the offerings, to the early drink here, to the early drink of Soma! May the Dawn stand erect, approving thy mind! Come near on thy harnessed chariot to share, O Vayu, to share in the sacrifice! May t... Uncleanness
O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Here is a man watering a corn-field. The water streams down the field; it streams again; it streams a third time; and the fourth time, a dog, a fox, or a wolf carries some Nasu into the bed of the stre... Women Revealed At Medina
O men, fear your Lord, who hath created you out of one man, and out of him created his wife, and from them two hath multiplied many men and women: and fear God by whom ye beseech one another; and respect women who have borne you, for God is wa...