lly native,
if not Buddhistic. Yet of the simple narrative and the adulterated
mystery-play, if one has to choose, the former must take precedence.
From the point of view of history, Northern Buddhism, however old its
elements, can be regarded only as an admixture of Buddhistic and
Brahmanic ideas. For this reason we take a little more space, not to
cite from the Lotus or the grotesque Lalita Vistara,[68] but to
illustrate Buddhism at its best. Fausboell, who has translated the
dialogue that follows, thinks that in the Suttas of the
Sutta-nip[=a]ta there is a reminiscence of a stage of Buddhism before
the institution of monasteries, while as yet the disciples lived as
hermits. The collection is at least very primitive, although we doubt
whether the Buddhist disciples ever lived formally as individual
hermits. All the Samanas are in groups, little 'congregations,' which
afterwards grew into monasteries.

This is a poetical (amoebic) contest between the herdsman Dhaniya and
Buddha, with which Fausboell[69] compares St. Luke, xii. 16, but which,
on the other hand reminds one of a spiritualized Theocritus, with whom
its author was, perhaps, contemporary.

I have boiled the rice, I have milked the kine--so said the
herdsman Dhaniya--I am living with my comrades near the
banks of the (great) Mah[=i] river; the house is roofed, the
fire is lit--then rain if thou wilt, O sky!

I am free from anger, free from stubbornness--so said the
Blessed One--I am abiding for one night near the banks of
the (great) Mah[=i] river; my house has no cover, the fire
(of passion) is extinguished--then rain if thou wilt, O sky!

Here are no gad-files--so said the herdsman Dhaniya--The
cows are roaming in meadows full of grass, and they can
endure the rain--then rain if thou wilt, O sky!

1 have made a well-built raft--so said the Blessed One--I
have crossed over, I have reached the further bank, I have
overcome the torrent (of passions); I need the raft no
more--then rain if thou wilt, O sky!

My wife is obedient, she is not wanton--so said the herdsman
Dhaniya--she has lived with me long and is winning; no
wickedless have I heard of her--then rain if thou wilt, O
sky!

My mind is obedient, delivered (from evil)--so said the
Blessed One--it has been cultivated long and is
well-subdued; there is no longer anything wicked in me--th