:: 3. Conversion of Other Criminals. ::
1. There was to the south of Rajagraha a great mountain, distant from the city about 200 li.
2. 2. Through this mountain there was a pass, deep and lonely, through which the road to South India lay.
3. Five hundred robbers had taken up their abode in this defile, who used to murder and rob all travellers that passed that way.
4. The king had vainly sent his forces to capture them, but they always escaped.
5. The Buddha, residing in the neighbourhood, and considering the case of these men, that they understood not the nature of their conduct, and that although he had come into the world to teach them, yet their eyes had not seen him, nor their ears heard the tidings of his law, he resolved to go to them.
6. Consequently he transformed himself into a man richly dighted, on a well-caparisoned steed, with his sword and bow, with bags of silver and gold on his saddle-bow, and precious stones studding his horse's bravery.
7. On entering the defile loud neighed his steed. On hearing the sound the 500 robbers started up, and spying the traveller, exclaimed, " Never have we had such a prospect of booty; let us be up, and capture him!"
8. So they proceeded to surround the traveller, with a view to prevent his escape; but on seeing him they fell on the ground.
9. On their falling to the ground, they exclaimed, " What God is this ?" " What God is this ?"
10. On this the traveller began to explain that such hurts and pains as they give and receive were trivial compared with the pain caused by the sorrow that rules the world, and the wounds of unbelief and doubt, and that nought but the wisdom resulting from earnest attention (hearing) to the Scriptures could heal such wounds; and then he added these words and said:
11. "There is no painful wound so bad as sorrow—no piercing arrow so sharp as folly. Nothing can remedy these but an earnest attention to religious instruction. From this the blind receive sight, the deluded are enlightened.
12. "Men are guided and led by this, as eyes, given to them without eyes.
13. "This, then, is able to dispel unbelief, to remove sorrow, to impart joy; the highest wisdom is the lot of those who " hear."
14. " This is the title of him who has acquired the greatest merit (most to be revered)."
15. On hearing this the robbers repented of their evil lives, and the arrows, of themselves, left their bodies, and their wounds were healed. 16. They then became disciples, and obtained rest and peace
1. There was to the south of Rajagraha a great mountain, distant from the city about 200 li.
2. 2. Through this mountain there was a pass, deep and lonely, through which the road to South India lay.
3. Five hundred robbers had taken up their abode in this defile, who used to murder and rob all travellers that passed that way.
4. The king had vainly sent his forces to capture them, but they always escaped.
5. The Buddha, residing in the neighbourhood, and considering the case of these men, that they understood not the nature of their conduct, and that although he had come into the world to teach them, yet their eyes had not seen him, nor their ears heard the tidings of his law, he resolved to go to them.
6. Consequently he transformed himself into a man richly dighted, on a well-caparisoned steed, with his sword and bow, with bags of silver and gold on his saddle-bow, and precious stones studding his horse's bravery.
7. On entering the defile loud neighed his steed. On hearing the sound the 500 robbers started up, and spying the traveller, exclaimed, " Never have we had such a prospect of booty; let us be up, and capture him!"
8. So they proceeded to surround the traveller, with a view to prevent his escape; but on seeing him they fell on the ground.
9. On their falling to the ground, they exclaimed, " What God is this ?" " What God is this ?"
10. On this the traveller began to explain that such hurts and pains as they give and receive were trivial compared with the pain caused by the sorrow that rules the world, and the wounds of unbelief and doubt, and that nought but the wisdom resulting from earnest attention (hearing) to the Scriptures could heal such wounds; and then he added these words and said:
11. "There is no painful wound so bad as sorrow—no piercing arrow so sharp as folly. Nothing can remedy these but an earnest attention to religious instruction. From this the blind receive sight, the deluded are enlightened.
12. "Men are guided and led by this, as eyes, given to them without eyes.
13. "This, then, is able to dispel unbelief, to remove sorrow, to impart joy; the highest wisdom is the lot of those who " hear."
14. " This is the title of him who has acquired the greatest merit (most to be revered)."
15. On hearing this the robbers repented of their evil lives, and the arrows, of themselves, left their bodies, and their wounds were healed. 16. They then became disciples, and obtained rest and peace
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