The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records

Sā'vaka, p., Srā'vaka, skt., he who has heard the voice (viz. of Buddha), a pupil, a beginner. The name is used to designate (1) all personal disciples of Buddha, the foremost among whom are called Mahā-sāvakas, and (2) an elementary degree of saintship. A sāvaka is he who is superficial yet in practice and comprehension, being compared to a hare crossing the stream of Samsāra by swimming on the surface. [See Eitel Handbook, p. 157.]—172, 173, 174.

Sati-patthā'na, p., Smrityupasthā'na, skt., meditation; explained as "fixing the attention." The four objects of earnest meditation are: (1) the impurity of the body, (2) the evils arising from sensation, (3) ideas or the impermanence of existence, and (4) reason and character, or the permanency of the dharma. (Rh. D.B., p. 172.) The term is different from "bhāvanā," although translated by the same English word. (S.B. of the E. XI, p. 62.—211).

Sāva'tthi, p., Srāva'sti, skt., capital of Northern Kosala. It has been identified by General Cunningham with the ruins of Sāhet-Māhet in Oudh and was situated on the river Rapri, northwest of Magadha.—75, 77, 81, 94, 96, 97, 103, 188, 195, 212, 215.

So'ma, p. and skt., derived from the root su, to press in a winepress; not as, according to Eitel, Chinese scholars propose from "exhilarate (su) and mind (mana)." Name of a plant and of its juice, which is intoxicating and is used at Brahmanical festivals; the Soma drink is identified with the moon and personified as a deity.—141.

Suddho'dana, p., Śuddho'dana, skt., Buddha's father. The word means "possessing pure rice." Buddhists always represent him as a king, but Oldenberg declares that this does not appear in the oldest records, and speaks of him as "a great and wealthy land-owner." (See his Buddha, English version, pp. 99 and 416-417).—7, 8, 13, 14, 25, 82, 83, 85, 91.

Tathā'gata, p. and skt., generally explained as "the Perfect One." The highest attribute of Buddha, 21, 32, 34, 44, 49, 50, 55, 58, 59, 63, 65, 68, 69, 71, 73, 74, 80, 82, 85, 86, 87, 90, 92, 93, 95, 96, 111, 121, 124, 127, 128, 129, 130, 138, 142, 143, 144, 147, 148, 150, 151, 152, 154, 156, 157, 158, 163, 164, 165, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 181, 188, 195, 197, 198, 199, 201, 202, 213, 214, 217, 225, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 239, 240, 242, 246, 247, 248, 249, 253; robe of the Tathāgata, 127; soldiers of the Tathāgata, 130; the law the body of the Tathāgata, 253; Tathāgatas are only preachers, 131.

Upo'satha, p., Upava'satha, skt., the Buddhist sabbath. Rhys Davids says (pp. 140-141): "The Uposatha days are the four days in the lunar month when the moon is full, or new, or half way between the two. It is the fourteenth day from the new moon (in short months) and the fifteenth day from the full moon (in the long months), and the eighth day from each of these. The corresponding Sanskrit word is Upavasatha, the fast-day previous to the offering of the intoxicating soma, connected with the worship of the moon. Instead of worshipping the moon, the Buddhists were to keep the fast-day by special observance of the moral precepts; one of many instances in which Gotama spiritualised existing words and customs."—98, 99, 101, 102; observe the Uposatha or Sabbath, 99.

Va'ssa, p., Va'rsha, skt., rain, rainy season. During the rainy season of Northern India, which falls in the months from June to October, the samanas could not wander about, but had to stay in one place. It was the time in which the disciples gathered round their master, listening to his instructions. Thus it became the festive time of the year. In Ceylon, where these same months are the fairest season of the year, Buddhists come together and live in temporary huts, holding religious meetings in the open air, reading the Pitakas and enjoying the Jātakas, legends, and parables of Buddhism. [See Rhys Davids's B., p. 57.]