Coomaraswamy, Ananda Kentish: Buddha and the gospel of buddhism (London, 1916)

Buddha the Gospel of Buddhism
Having described the Four Sublime Moods, Gautama
asks:
“Now what think you, Vasettha, will the Bhikkhu who
thus lives be in possession of women and of wealth, or
will he not?”
‘‘ He will not, Gautama I ”
“ Will he be full of anger, or free from anger? ”
“ He will be free from anger, Gautama I ”
“ Will his mind be full of malice, or free from malice ? ”
“ Free from malice, Gautama 1 ”
“ Will his mind be tarnished, or pure ? ”
“ It will be pure, Gautama 1 ”
“ Will he have self-mastery, or will he not ? ”
“Surely he will, Gautama! ”
“ Then you say, Vasettha, that the Bhikkhu is free from
household and worldly cares, and that Brahma is free
from household and worldly cares. Is there then agree-
ment and likeness between the Bhikkhu and Brahma ? ”
“ There is, Gautama! ”
“Very good, Vasettha. Then in sooth, Vasettha, that
the Bhikkhu who is free from household cares should
after death, when the body is dissolved, become united
with Brahma, who is the same—such a condition of things
is every way possible! ” 1
We must not, however, suppose that the cultivation of the
Four Sublime Moods by an ascetic, and according to the
strict Buddhist formula, is the only means of attaining to
union with Brahma. Buddhist scripture recognizes beside
these ethical exercises other special conditions of intellect
and emotion which are attained in the ‘Four Jhanas,’
and these practices, like those of the Four Sublime Moods,
may be followed by householders as well as by ascetics.
1 T. W. Rhys Davids, Dialogues of the Buddha, i, p. 318.
114