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MAHA-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTA.
93
oil vessel of iron 1. They then build a funeral pile of all kinds of perfumes, and burn the body of the king of kings. And then at the four cross roads they erect a dâgaba to the king of kings. This, Ânanda, is the way in which they treat the remains of a king of kings.
And as they treat the remains of a king of kings, so, Ânanda, should they treat the remains of the Tathâgata. At the four cross roads a dâgaba should be erected to the Tathagata. And whosoever shall there place garlands or perfumes or paint, or make salutation there, or become in its presence calm in heart—that shall long be to them for a profit and a joy!
27. These men, Ananda, worthy of a dâgaba ?, are four in number. Which are the four ?
'A Tathagata, or Arahat-Buddha, is worthy of a dâgaba. A Pakkeka-Buddha is worthy of a dâgaba 3. quite clear. It no doubt was originally used for bronze, and only later for iron also, and at last exclusively of iron. As kamsa is already a common word for bronze in very early Buddhist Páli texts, I think âyasa or ayasa must here mean of iron. When Buddhaghosa says it is here a name for gold, we can only conclude that iron had become, in his time, a metal which he might fairly consider too base for the purpose proposed.
1 Buddhaghosa has no note on palikuggetva; but from its use at Gataka I, 50, 29: 69, 23, it must, I think, have this meaning, I am not certain to what root it ought to be referred. I should mention that pakk hipati seems to me never to mean in Pâli, 'to hurl forth into, to throw forth,' but always 'to place (slowly and carefully) into.'
? A solid mound or tumulus, in the midst of which the bones and ashes are to be placed. The dome of St. Paul's as seen from the Thames Embankment gives a very good idea of one of the later Buddhist dâgabas. The Pali word here and below is Thûpa.
8 A Pakkeka-Buddha, who has attained to the supreme and perfect insight; but dies without proclaiming the truth to the world.
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| SR No. | 007674 |
| Book Title | Dhammapada |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Max Muller |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1881 |
| Total Pages | 2540 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 45 MB |