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III.
A PARABLE.
11. Formerly I was attached to (heretical) theories, being a wandering monk and in high honour (or, of the same opinions) with the heretics ?; afterwards has the Lord, regarding my disposition, taught me Nirvana, to detach me from perverted views.
12. After having completely freed myself from all (heretical) views and reached the laws of void, (I conceive) that I have become extinct; yet this is not deemed to be extinction.
13. But when one becomes Buddha, a superior being, honoured by men, gods, goblins, Titans, and adorned with the thirty-two characteristic signs, then one will be completely extinct.
14. All those (former) cares have now been dispelled, since I have heard the voice. Now am I extinct, as thou announcest my destination (to Nirvâna) before the world including the gods.
15. When I first heard the voice of the Lord, I had a great terror lest it might be Mâra, the evil one, who on this occasion had adopted the disguise of Buddha.
16. But when the unsurpassed Buddha-wisdom had been displayed in and established with argu
i Parivrâgakas Tîrthikasammatas ka. The term parivrågaka or parivrâg is occasionally applied to Buddhist monks, but here it would seem that the Brahmanistic monks are meant, the brahmasamsthas of Sankara in his commentary on BrahmaSätra III, 4, 20. They are to be distinguished from the Tîrthika's.
2 Or, thoughts; one M$. has vyapanita sarvâni 'mi (read Oni 'mi) manyitâni; another reads, vy. sarvâni 'mi makkitâni. Manyita is a participle derived from the present tense of manyate, to mean, to mind, in the manner of gahita from gahâti. Makkitâniis hardly correct; it is, however, just possible that it is intended to stand for mak-kittâ ni.
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