15. The rahat (arahantavaggo) (T211.15)

In old time there was a country called Na-lai (Nara), near the Southern Sea, in which the people gained their livelihood by seeking for pearls and selling sandalwood. It happened that there were two brothers in this country, whose parents being dead, they agreed to separate and seek their several fortunes. One of them had a slave called Fun-na (Pūrna) of very quick intellect, who went out on his journey to seek for some profitable adventure for his master. Having made considerable gain by the sale of some ox-head sandal-wood, he came to Śrāvastī, and meeting with Buddha, was converted and became a Rahat. Returning then to his own people, and exhibiting before them the wonderful powers he possessed—viz., of ascending into the air, and causing water and fire to proceed from his person—he led many of them to become disciples, and finally, at their entreaty, Buddha himself came to convert the King, on which occasion the World-honoured uttered these stanzas:

“His mind having been quieted, his words and deeds are also at rest; freed by the truth, in perfect peace he returns to (or finds refuge in) Nirvāna. Free from desire, without entanglements, released from the impediments of the world (three worlds), all thoughts of self-indulgence gone, this man is rightly called Superior. Whether in the hamlet or in the wilderness, on the level land or the high bank of the river, wherever such persons dwell there cannot but be delight. They have found their delight in the wilderness, where men find none; passionless they rejoice, having no ground left for pleasure-seeking.”

Translated from the Chinese by Samuel Beal, 1878.

Texts from the Buddhist canon, commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives

Published by Trübner & Co, Ludgate Hill, London, 1878.

Translated by the Shamans Fā-Kheu and Fā-Lih, of the Western Tsin Dynasty.

Original book can be downloaded at https://archive.org/details/textsfrombuddhis00beal.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ven. Vimala.