________________ * वजीनं सत्तः अपरिहानिया धम्मा SEVEN VIRTUES OF THE VAJJIS LEADING TO NUN-DECLINE And the Blessed One said to him: 'Have you heard, Ananda, that the Vajjians hold full and frequent public assemblies?" 'Lord, so I have heard', replied he. So long, Ananda', rejoined the Blessed One, 'as the Vajjians hold these full and frequent public assemblies, so long may they be expected not to decline, but to prosper'. (And in the like manner questioning Adanda, and receiving a similar reply, the Blessed One declared as follows the other conditions which would ensure the welfare of the Vajjian confederacy?). 'So long Ananda, as the Vajjians meet together in concord, and rise in concord, and carry out their undertakings in concord-so long as they enact nothing not already established, abrogate nothing that has been already enacted, and act in accordance with the ancient institutions of the Vajjians as established in former days-so long as they honour and esteem and revere and support the Vaj jian elders, and hold it a point of duty to hearken to their words--so long as no women or girls belonging to their clan are detained among them by force or abduction-so long as they honour and esteem and revere, and support the Vajjian shrines in town or country, and allow not the proper offerings and rites, as formerly given and performed, to fall into desuetude--so long as the rightful protection, defence, and support shall be fully provided for the Arahats among them, so that Arahats from a distance may enter the realm, and the Arahats therein may live at ease-so long may the Vajjians be expected not to decline, but to prosper'. Then the Blessed One addressed Vassakara Brahmana, and said : When I was once staying, O Brahmana, at Vesali at the Sarandada Temple, I taught the Vajjian these conditions of welfare; and so long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the Vajjians, so long as the Uajjians shall be well instructed in these conditions, so long may we expect them not to decline, but to prosper.' -From the Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XI, translated also available in Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II, translated by Messrs. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (London, 1910), pp. 79-80. In the text there is a question, answer, and reply with each clause-Tr. 1.
