Buddha My Refuge

PREFACE  
This small work has  its origins in the composition during one Rains in a Thai monastery, of a Life of the Buddha. This work • later printed by Mahamakut Press, Bangkok, in two volumes and entitled The Splendour of Enlightenment-is made up of quotations from the Pali Suttas and other sources without any explanations or commentary. One of the chapters (X11) is called •Recollection of the Buddha• and illustrates the nine virtues of the Buddha with sutta-passages and stories. Other chapters are on •The Samana Gotama•- that is, the Buddha as seen by others; and •The Tathagata• • the Buddha talking about himself as an enlightened teacher. I had proposed to Ven. Nyanaponika Mahathera that the Recollection chapter, be reprinted in The Wheel series but he had pointed out a number of changes which would make for improvement. The matter stood for a while and was then taken up again by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, who was so kind as to map out some quotations to illustrate the nine virtues. Though I have not adhered to his ideas completely, many of the passages that he proposed have been included in the present work. I have added a commentary which should join all these pieces together, offering explanation and perhaps  a little inspiration. Most of the passages included are from the Pali Suttas,  with only one or two from the Commentaries.  The majority of them have come from The Splendour of Enlightenment, as can be seen from the list of references. The concluding extract, translated from the Sinhalese, is a quotation from Butsarana, in An Anthology of Sinhalese Literature, published by Allen and Unwin, London (1970).  As passages have been selected from various sources, some discrepancies will be seen in the rendering of Pali terms, reflecting the choices of the individual translators; in an inspirational work of this kind, however; this failing is perhaps not important. In some places adopted translations have been slightly modified. To all the good supporters of Wat Buddha-Dhamma-in particular to Riet and Neville Little, in whose kuti I stayed while finishing this work, and to Mallika Perera, a patient typist • I dedicate the merits in composing this book.  

CONTENTS  
1 ARAHAM The Accomplished Destroyer of Defilements 9 
2 SAMMA SAMBUDDHO 
A Buddha Perfected by Himself 
3 Vijja-sARANA-SAMPANNO Complete in Clear Knowledge and Compassionate Conduct 
4 SUGATO Supremely Good in Presenceand in Destiny 
5 LOKAVIDU Knower of the Worlds 
6 ANUTTARO PURISADAMMA-SARATHI Incomparable Master of Those to be Tamed 
7 SATTHA DEVA-MANUSSANAM Teacher of Devas and Humanity,
8 BUDDHO Awakener and Awakened BHAGAVA