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IV, 4, 11.
THE BODISAT.
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Bhikkhus who are to be his two chief disciples, and the lad who is to be his son, and the member of the Order who is to be his special attendant.” But on the other hand he said: “When yet in the condition of a god in the Tusita heaven the Bodisat makes the eight Great Investigations — he investigates the time (whether the right moment had come at which he ought to be re-born as a man), and the continent (in which his birth is to take place), and the country (where he is to be re-born), and the family (to which he is to belong), and the mother (who is to bear him), and the period (during which he was to remain in the womb), and the month (in which his birthday shall come), and his renunciation (when it shall be)". (194] Now, Nâgasena, before knowledge is ripe there is no understanding, but when it has reached its summit there is no longer any need to wait for thinking a matter over, for there is nothing outside the ken of the omniscient mind. Why then should the Bodisat investigate the time, thinking to himself: “In what moment shall I be born ? ?" And for the same reason why should he investigate the family, thinking to him
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These eight Investigations (Vilokanâni) have not yet been found in the Pitaka texts. But, when relating the birth of the historical Buddha, the Gataka commentary (vol. 1, p. 48, of Professor Fausboll's edition) mentions the first six of them (substituting okâsa for desa), and calls them, oddly enough, the Five Great Investigations. In the corresponding passage in the Lalita Vistara only the first four are mentioned. The last two of the above eight seem very forced.
* Nimesantaram na âgameti, for which Hînan-kumburê (p. 256 at the end) has nivesantara. Neither word occurs elsewhere.
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