(We deny that these or any other characters--whether
Devanagari, Pali, or Dravidian--ever used in India, are variations of,
or derivatives from, the Phoenician.) To revert to the texts it is
therein stated that the Sattapanni cave, then called "Sarasvati" and
"Bamboo-cave," got its latter name in this wise. When our Lord first
sat in it for Dhyana, it was a large six-chambered natural cave, 50 to
60 feet wide by 33 deep. One day, while teaching the mendicants
outside, our Lord compared man to a Saptaparna (seven-leaved) plant,
showing them how after the loss of its first leaf every other could be
easily detached, but the seventh leaf--directly connected with the stem.
"Mendicants," he said, "there are seven Buddhas in every Buddha, and
there are six Bikshus and but one Buddha in each mendicant. What are
the seven? The seven branches of complete knowledge. What are the six?
The six organs of sense. What are the five? The five elements of
illusive being. And the ONE which is also ten? He is a true Buddha who
develops in him the ten forms of holiness and subjects them all to the
one--'the silent voice' (meaning Avolokiteswara).
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