The Buddha-Karita (Life of the Buddha)

¹That Arhat is hcrv,' saluted, who has ao counterpart, — who, as bestowing the supreme hap- pinessj surpasses (Brahman) the Creator, — who, as driving away darkness, vanquishes the sun, — and, as dispelling all burning heat, surpasses the beautiful moon. «

²There was a city, the dwelling-place^ of the great saint Kapila, having its sides surrounded by the beauty of a lofty broad table-land as by a line of clouds, and itself, with its high-soaring palaces immersed in the sky. •

³By its pure and lofty system of government it, as it were, stole the splendour of the clouds of Mount Kailasa, and while it bore the clouds which came to it through a mistake, it fulfilled the imagina- tion which had led them thither ^

⁴In that city, shining with the splendour of gems, darkness like poverty could find no place ; * Vastu seems used here for vastu. * They had thought that it was Kailasa. [42J B Dhishiya. 2 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. prosperity shone resplendently, as with a smile, from the joy of dwelling with such surpassingly excellent citizens.

⁵With its festive arbours, its arched gateways and pinnacles ^ it was radiant with jewels in every dwelling ; and unable to find any other rival in the world, it could only feel emulation with its own houses.

⁶There the sun, even although he had retired, was unable to scorn the moon-like faces of its women which put the lotuses to shame, and as if from the access of passion, hurried tovards the western ocean to enter the (cooling) water.

⁷‘Yonder Indra has been utterly annihilated by the people when they saw the glories'* acquired by the 5 'dkyas,’ — uttering this scoff, the cijty strove by its banners with gay-fluttering streamers to wipe away every mark of his existence.

⁸After mocking the water-lilies even at night by the moonbeams which rest on its' silver pavi- lions, — by day it assumed the brightness of the lotuses through the sunbeams falling on its golden palaces.

⁹A king, by name ^uddhodana, of the kindred of the sun, anointed to stand at the head of earth’s monarchs, — ruling over the city, adorned it, as a bee-inmate a full-blown lotus®. •

¹⁰The very best of kings with his train ever ' Or towers? (siwhakarnai^). ’ For the genitive ya.rasin, see PS«. II, 3. 52 (adhtgartha). ’ VS is used for iva in Sirup. Badha, III, 63, IV, 35 ; Meghad.

¹¹(Cf. infra, IV, 44.) PurSdhirSam seems used adverbially. Cf. the line in Vikramorv. kusumSny Srerate shapadS^ Could it mean ‘as a thought the lotus of the heart?’ BOOK I. 5-15. 3 near him — intent on liberality yet devoid of pride - ; a sovereign, yet with an ever equal eye thrown on all — of gentle nature and yet with wide-reaching majesty

¹²Falling smitten by his arm in the arena of battle, the lordly elephants of his enemies bowed prostrate with their heads pouring forth quantities of pearls as if they vfcre offering handfuls of flowers in homage.

¹³Having dispersed his enemies by his pre- eminent majesty as the sun disperses the gloom of an eclipse, he illumincted his people on every side, showing them the paths which they were to follow. 1 3. Duty, wealth, and pleasure under his guidance assumed mutually each other’s object, but not the outwqrd, dress ; ) et as if they still vied together they shone all the brighter in the glorious career of their triumphant success.

¹⁴He, the monarch of the ,S'dkyas, of native pre-eminendb, but whose actual pre-eminence was brought about by his numberless councillors of exalted wisdom,*shone forth all the more gloriously, like the moon amidst the stars shining with a light like its own *.

¹⁵To him there was a queen, named Mdyd, as if free from all deceit (mdyd) — an effulgence proceeding * Also ‘ though the highest of mountains, yet bearing his w ings (uncut).’ ’ Or if applied to an elephant, ‘not in rut.’ * Or with a double meaning in tra, ‘ though like Aiva, yet with even eyes,’ i. e. not three. * Or ‘ like the moon, yet widely burning (like the sun).’ ‘ Or perhaps ‘ shining with undiminished splendour.’ I f we read akrftdnyathdbha^ it would run, ‘shining with its light undimmed by the stars.’ P. 2 4 THE BUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. from his effulgence, like the splendour of the sun when it is free from all the influence of darkness, — a chief queen in the united assembly of all queens. 1 6. Like a mother to her subjects, intent on their welfare, — devoted to all worthy of reverence like devotion itself, — shining on her lord’s family like the goddess of prosperity, — she was the most eminent of goddesses to the whole world. •

¹⁶Verily the life of women is always darkness, yet when it encountered her, it shone brilliantly ; thus the night docs not retain its gloom, when it meets with the radiant cresce^^t of the moon.

¹⁷‘This people, being hard to be roused to wonder in their souls, cannot be influenced by me if I come to them as beyond their senses,’ — so saying. Duty abandoned her own subtile nature apd ^made her form visible.

¹⁸Then falling from, the host of beings in the Tushita heaven and illumining the three worlds, the most excellent of Bodhisattvas suddfenly entered at a thought into her womb, like the Naga-king entering the cave of NandA. *

¹⁹Assuming the form of a huge elephant white like Himalaya, armed with six tusks ^ with his face perfumed with flowing ichor, he entcretT the womb of the queen of king 5 'uddhodana, to destroy the evdls of the world.

²⁰The guardians of the world hastened from heaven to mount watch over the world’s one true ruler ; thus the moonbeams, though they shine ‘ For tushitat k&yat, cf. tushite devanikiya upapanni, Divyavad. p. ; and tushitakdyika, Lalitav. p. 142. * Cf. the Pdli /faddanto, and the Lalitav. sha<fdanta. BOOK I, 16-28. 5 everywhere, are especially bright on Mount Kai- Usa.

²¹Mayi also, holding him in her womb, like a line of clouds holding a lightning-flash, relieved the people around her from the sufferings of poverty by raining show'ers of gifts.

²²Then one day by the' king’s permission the queen, having a grdlat longhig in her mind, went with the inmates of the gynaeceum into the garden Lumbini.

²³As the quaen supported herself by a bough which hung laden with a weight of flowers, the Bodhisattva suddenly came forth, cleaving open her womb.

²⁴’ At that time the constellation Pushya was auspifious, and from the oide of the queen, who was purified by her vow. her son was born for the welfare of the world, without pain and without illness. *

²⁵Like* the sun bursting from a cloud in the morning, — so he too, when he was born from his mother’s womb* made the world bright like gold, bursting forth with his rays which dispelled the darkness.

²⁶As soon as he was born the thousand-eyed (Indra) well-pleased took him gently, bright like a golden pillar ; and two pure streams of water fell down from heaven upon his head with piles of Manddra flowers.

²⁷Carried about by the chief suras, and delighting them with the rays that streamed from his body, he * From this point tlie Tibetan and Chinese versions agree more or less closely with the Sanskrit text. 6 THE BUDDIIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA surpassed in beauty the new moon as it rests on a mass of evening clouds.

²⁸As was Aurva’s birth from the thigh *, and Prfthu’s from the hand and Mdndhatrf’s, who was like Indra himself, from the forehead'^, and Kakshl- vat’s from the upper end of the arm *, — thus too was his birth (miraculous).

²⁹Having thus in due tifne issued from the womb, he shone as if he had come down from heaven, he who had not been born in the natural way, — he who was born full of wisdom, not foolish, — as if his mind had been purified by countless aeons of contemplation.

³⁰With glory, fortitude, and beauty he .shone like the young sun descended upon the earth ; when he was gazed at, though of such surpassing bright- ness, he attracted all eyes like the moon.

³¹With the radiant ^splendour of his limbs he extinguished like the sun the* splendour of the lamps; with his beautiful hue as of precious gold he illu- minated all the quarters of space.

³²Unflurried, with the lotus-sigh in high relief®, far-striding, set down with a stamp, — seven such firni footsteps did he then take, — he who was like the constellation of the seven rfshis.

³³‘ 1 am born for supreme knowledge, for the welfare of the world, — thus this is my last birth,’ — * Mahibh. I, 2610. “ Vishu Pur. I, 13. ® According to the Mahdbh. Ill, 1 . 10450, he was born from his father’s left side, but cf. Vishu Pur. IV, 2. The MSS. vary between bbud?«fa and bhuarsa ; we might conjecture bhudgraderdt, but bhudwraderdt is the only reading in V, 56. Beal , 10 has ‘ the armpit.’ ’’ Abasamudgatdni. Cf. Beal I, 16, note. nooK I, 29-40. 7 thus did he of lion gait, gazing at the four quarters, utter a voice full of auspicious meaning.

³⁴Two streams of water bursting frorti heaven, bright as the moon’s rays, having the power of heat and cold, fell down upon that peerless one’s benign head to give refreshment to his body.

³⁵His body lay on a bed with a royal canopy and a frame shining* with gold, and supported by feet of lapis lazuli, and in his honour the yaksha- lords stood round guarding him with golden lotuses in their hands.

³⁶The gods in hjomage to the son of Mdyfi, with their heads bowed at his majesty, held up a white umbrella’in the sky and muttered the highest blessings on his supreme wisdom.

³⁷^ Te great dragoi’s * in their great thirst for the Law — they who had had the privilege of waiting on the past Buddies, — gazing with eyes of intent devotion, fanned* ' him and strewed Mandara flowers ovet him.

³⁸Gladdened through the influence of the birth of the Tathdgclta, the gods of pure natures and inhabiting pure abodes * were filled with joy, though all passion was extinguished, for the sake of the world ® drowned in sorrow.

³⁹When he was born, the earth, though fastened down by (Himalaya) the monarch of mountains, shook like a ship tossed by the wind ; and from a cloudless sky there fell a shower full of lotuses and water-lilies, and perfumed with sandal- wood. ‘ MahoragdA. “ Cf. infra, floka 54. " Avyaan. * 5 uddhddhivdsiA. ' Reading hitdya. 8 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF AJVAGIIOSHA.

⁴⁰Pleasant breezes blew soft to the touch, dropping down heavenly garments ; the very sun, though srill the same, shone with augmented light, and fire gleamed, unstirred, with a gentle lustre.

⁴¹In the north-eastern part of the dwelling a well of pure water appeared of its own accord, wherein the inhabitants of the gynaeceiim, filled with wonder, performed their ‘rites as in a sacred bathing-place.

⁴²Through the troops of heavenly visitants, who came seeking religious merit, the pool itself received strength to behold Buddha,^ and by means of its trees bearing flowers and perfumes it eagerly offered him worship.

⁴³The flowering trees at once produced their blossoms, while their fragrance was borne alpsin all directions by the wind, accompanied by the songs of bewildered female bees, ^whilc the air was inhaled and absorbed by the many snakes (gathering near) *.

⁴⁴Sometimes there resounded ^ on both sides songs mingled with musical instruments and tabours, and lutes also, drums, tambourines, and the rest, — from women adorned with dancing bracelets.

⁴⁵‘ •'* That royal Taw which neither Bhrfgu nor Angiras ever made, those two great seers the founders of families, their two sons Kukra and Vrfhaspati left revealed at the end. ' Serpents are called vSyubhaksha. See Ind. Sprliche, III, 4738, and Raghuvanra XIII, 12. Cf. also infra, VII, 15. “ Virditam, ‘it was manifested by.’ Can tat mean ‘then’ or ‘ there ? ’ “ We learn from xloka 52 that this is a speech uttered by the Brahmans of the court. BOOK I, 41-53- 9

⁴⁶‘Yea, the son of Sarasvati* proclaimed that lost Veda which they had never seen in former — Vyisa rehearsed that in many forms, which Vaishyia helpless could not compile ;

⁴⁷‘The voice ofVSlmiki uttered its poetry which the great seer Ayavana could not compose; and that medicine which Atri never invented the wise son of Atri ® proclaimed after him ;

⁴⁸‘ That Brahmanhood which Kiuika never attained, — his son, O king, found out the means to gain it; (so) Sagara made a bound for the ocean, which even the Iksl\v 4 kus had not fixed before him.

⁴⁹‘ 6^anaka* attained a power of instructing the twice-born in the rules of Yoga which none other had pv<yr reached * ; and the famed feats of the grandson of 6’fira ■* (Knsha) Aiira and his peers were powerless to accomplish.

⁵⁰‘Therefore it is not age nor years which are the criterioh ; different persons win pre-eminence in the world at different places ; those mighty exploits worthy of king^ and sages, when left undone by the ancestors, have been done by the sons.’

⁵¹The king, being thus consoled and congratu- lated by those well-trusted Brahmans, dismissed from his mind all unwelcome suspicion and rose to a still higher degree of joy ;

⁵²And well-pleased he gave to those most excellent of the twice-born rich treasures with all ‘ The Vishm Pur. (Ill, 3) says that Sirasvata arranged the Vedas in the ninth age, as Varish/^a in the eighth. * Atreya is the proclaimer of the Aaraka-samhitl. ’ Cf. iOlndogya Upan. V, 3, 7. * Read j'aureA for ^auraiii. lO THE BUDDIIA-iTARlTA OF A5VAGI10SHA, due honour, — ‘ May he become the ruler of the earth according to }'our words, and may he retire to the woods when he attains old age.’

⁵³Then having learned by signs and through the power of his penances this birth of him who was to destroy all birth, the great seer Asita in his thirst for the excellent Law ' came to the palace of the 6'dkya king. •

⁵⁴Him shining with the glory of sacred know- ledge and ascetic observances, the king’s own priest, — himself a special student amoijg the students of sacred knowledge, — introduced into the royal palace with all due reverence and respect.

⁵⁵He entered into the precincts of the king's gynaeceum, which was all astir with the joy arisen from the birth of the young prince, — grave .from his consciousness of power, his pre-eminence in asceticism, and the weight of old age.

⁵⁶Then the king, having duly honoured the sage, who was seated in his seat, with Abater for the feet and an arghya offering, invited him (to speak) with all ceremonies of respect, as did Antideva* in olden time to Vai-shMa :

⁵⁷‘ I am indeed fortunate, this my family is the object of high favour' that thou shouldst have come to visit me ; be pleased to command what I should do, O benign one ; I am thy disciple, be pleased to show thy confidence in me.’

⁵⁸The sage, being thus invited by the king, filled with intense feeling as was due, uttered his ' Cf. jloka 38 a. * See IX, 20, 60. C reads Atideva, i. e. Indra? [The Tibetan reads Antadevj, ‘ in the end dwelling god ’ or ‘ end having god.’ H. W.] BOOK I, 54-66. 1 1 deep and solemn words, having his large eyes opened wide with wonder :

⁵⁹‘ This is indeed worthy of thee, grdat-soiiled as thou art, fond of guests, liberal and a lover of duty, — that thy mind should be thus kind towards me, in full accordance with thy nature, family, wisdom, and age.

⁶⁰‘This is the true way in w'hich those seer- kings of old, rejecting through duty all trivial riches’, have ever flung them away as was right, — being poor in outward, substance but rich in ascetic endurance.

⁶¹‘ But hear now the motive for my coming and rejoice thereat ;*a heavenly voice has been heard by me in the heavenly path, that thy son has been born for the Sjike of supreme knowledge.

⁶²‘ Having heard that voice and applied my mind thereto, and having known its truth by signs, I am now come hither,* with a longing to see the banner of tHe 6"^kya race, as if it were Indra’s banner being set up

⁶³Having heard this address of his, the king, with his steps bewildered with joy, took the prince, who lay on his nurse’s side, and showed him to the holy ascetic.

⁶⁴Thus the great seer beheld the king’s son with wonder, — his foot marked with a wheel, his fingers and toes webbed, with a circle of hair be- tween his eyebrows, and signs of vigour like an elephant.

⁶⁵Having beheld him seated on his nurse’s side. ' Or ‘all riches which were trifling in comparison with duty.’ * In allusion to a festival in parts of India ; cf, Schol. Raghu- vawa IV, 3. (Cf. Mrs. Guthrie’s Year in an Indian Fort, vol. ii.) 12 THE BUDDIIA-JSrARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. like the son of Agni (Skanda) seated on Devi’s side, he stood with the tears hanging on the ends of his eyelashes', and sighing he looked up towards heaven.

⁶⁶But seeing Asita with his eyes thus filled with tears, the king was agitated through his love for his son, and with his hands clasped and his body bowed he thus asked him in a brokftn voice choked with weeping, 68 . ‘One whose beauty has little to distinguish it from that of a divine sage^, and whose brilliant birth has been so wonderfuj, and for whom thou hast prophesied a transcendent future, — wherefore, on seeing him, do tears come to thee, O reverend one ?

⁶⁷‘ Is the prince, O holy man, destined fo ^ long life ? Surely he cannot be born for my sorrow I have with difficulty obtained a handful of water, surely it is not death whicii comes to drink it.

⁶⁸‘Tell me, is the hoard of my fame free from de.struction ? Is this chief prize of my family secure ? Shall I ever depart happily to anoflier life, — I who keep one eye ever awake, even when my son is asleep * ?

⁶⁹‘Surely this young shoot of my family is not born barren, destined only to wither! Speak quickly, my lord, I cannot wait ; thou well knowest the love of near kindred for a son.’

⁷⁰Knowing the king to be thus agitated through his fear of some impending evil, the sage thus ad- ' I adopt Prof. Kiclhorn's suggestion, pakshmantavilawbi- trru^. (A»^ita might mean ‘curved on his eyelashes.’) ® Or, reading munc, ‘one whose age is so small, O sage. ’ ° Ka^^inna rokaya mama prasfita^. * Obscure. BOOK I, 67-78, 13 dressed him; ‘Let not thy mind, O monarch, be disturbed, — all that I have said is certainly true*. 73" ‘I have no feeling of fear as to his being subject to change, but I am distressed for mine own disappointment. It is my time to depart, and this child is now born, — he who knows that mystery hard to attain, the means of destroying birth.

⁷¹‘ Having forsaken his kingdom, indifferent to all worldly objects, and having attained the highest truth by strenuous efforts, he will shine forth as a sun of knowledge to .destroy the darkness of illusion in the world.

⁷²‘ He will deliver by the boat of knowledge the distressed world, borne htdpiessly along, from the ocean of misery which thrown up sickness as its foam,, tossing with the waves of old age. and rushing with the dreadful onflow ot death.

⁷³‘The thirsty world of living beings will drink the flowing stream of Ins Law, bursting forth with the water of wisdom, enclosed by the banks of strong moral rules, delightfully cool with contemplation, and filled with religious vows as with ruddy geese.

⁷⁴‘He will proclaim the way of deliverance to those afflicted with sorrow, entangled in objects of sense, and lost in the forest-paths of worldly exist- ence, as to travellers who have lost their way.

⁷⁵‘ By the rain of the Law he will give gladness to the multitude who are consumed in this world with that fire of desire whose fuel is worldly objects, as a great cloud does with its showers at the end of the hot season. • I take asmi as meaning aham (aham ityarthdvyayam), or should we read asti? H THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA.

⁷⁶‘He will break open for the escape of living beings that door whose bolt is desire and whose -two leaves are ignorance and delusion, — with that ex- cellent blow of the good Law which is so hard to find.

⁷⁷‘ He, the king of the Law, when he has attained to supreme knowledge, will achieve the deliver- ance from its bonds of the wcfrld now overcome by misery, destitute of every refuge, and enveloped in its own chains of delusion.

⁷⁸‘Therefore make no sorrow for him, — that belongs rather, kind sire, tq the pitiable world of human beings, who through illusion or the plea- sures of desire or intoxication refuse to hear his perfect Law.

⁷⁹‘Therefore since I have fallen .shott 0/ that excellence, though I have accomplished all the stages of contemplation, my life is only a failure ; since I have not heard his Law, I count even dwell- ing in the highest heaven a misfortune.’*

⁸⁰Having heard these words, the king with his queen and his friends abandoned* sorrow and re- joiced; thinking, ‘such is this son of mine,’ he con- sidered that his excellence was his own.

⁸¹But he let his heart be influenced by the thought. ‘ he will travel by the noble path,’ — he was not in truth averse to religion, yet still he saw alarm at the prospect of losing his child.

⁸²Then the sage Asita, having made known the real fate which awaited the prince to the king who was thus disturbed about his. son, departed by the way of the wind as he had come, his figure watched reverentially in his flight.

⁸³Havmg taken his resolution and having seen BOOK 1 , 79-92. 15 the son of his younger sister’, the saint, filled with compassion, enjoined him earnestly in all kinds of ways, as if he were his son, to listen to the sage’s words and ponder over them.

⁸⁴The monarch also, being well-pleased at the birth of a son, having thrown off all those bonds called worldly objects, caused his son to go through the usual birth-cereifionies in a manner worthy of the family.

⁸⁵When ten days were fulfilled after his son’s birth, with his tlioughts kept under restraint, and filled with excessive joy, he offered for his son most elaborate saerifices to the gods with muttered prayers, oblations, and all kinds of auspicious ceremonies. 89., Ajid he himself gave to the brahmans for his son’s welfare cows full of milk, with no traces of infirmity, golden-horned and with strong healthy calves, to the full number of a hundred thousand.

⁸⁶Then he, with his soul under strict restraint, having performed all kinds of ceremonies which re- joiced his heart, on a fortunate day, in an auspicious moment, gladly determined to enter his city.

⁸⁷Then the queen with her babe having wor- shipped the gods for good fortune, occupied a costly panquin made of elephants’ tusks, filled with all kinds of white flowers, and blazing with gems.

⁸⁸Having made his wife with her child ® enter first into the city, accompanied by the aged attend- ants, the king himself also advanced, saluted by the ' This was Naradatta, see Lalitavistara, ch. vii. pp. 103, no (Foucaux). * Apatyandthdm might also mean ‘having hr child as her protector.’ THE BUDDHA-iTARlTA OF AJVAGIIOSHA. l hosts of the citizens, as Indra entering heaven, saluted by the immortals.

⁸⁹The ^ilkya king, having entered his palace, like Bhava ^ well-pleased at the birth of Kdrttikeya with his face full of joy, gave orders for lavish expenditure, showing all kinds of honour and liberality

⁹⁰Thus at the good fortune of the birth of the king's son, that city surnamed after Kapila, with all the surrounding inhabitants, was full of gladness like the city of the lord of wealth*, crowded with heavenly nymphs, at the birth of his son Nalakfivara. ' Sc. .Siva. '■* Shanmukha. ’ ]3ahuvidhapushiyaja.skarain seems used as an adverb to vyadhatta, ‘he made e.xiicnditure.’ ' Kuvera.

¹From the time of the birth of that son of his, who, the true master of himself, was to end all birth and old age, the king increased day by day in wealth, elephants, horses, dnd friends as a river increases with its influx of waters.

²Of different kinds of wealth and jewels, and of gold, wrought or unwrought, he found ^ treasures of manifold variety ^ surpassing even the capacity of his desircij.

³Elephants from I limavat, raging with rut, whom not even princes of elephants like Padma^ could teach to go rpund in circles, came without any effort and waited on him.

⁴His city was all astir with the crowds of horses, some adorned with various marks and decked with new golden trappings, others una- dorned and with long flowing manes, — suitable alike in strength, gentleness, and costly ornaments ^

⁵And many fertile cows, with tall calves, ga- thered in his kingdom, well nourished and happy, ^ I suppose avapi to be used as a middle aorisC like abodhi (cf. 5'ijup. I, 3 ). Should we read avapa? “ I take naikatman as *of manifold nature/ * Mahapadma is the name of the elephant which supports the world in the south. ^ I read dptaiA. [42] C THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. t gentle and without fierceness, and producing excel- lent milk.

⁶His enemies became indifferent; indifference; grew into friendship; his friends became specially united ; were there two sides, — one passed into oblivion.

⁷Heaven rained in his kingdom in due time and place, with the sound ‘of gentle winds and clouds, and adorned with wreaths of lightning, and without any drawback of showers of stones or thunderbolts. ,

⁸A fruitful crop sprang ^up according to season, even without the labour of ploughing^; and the old plants grew more vigorous in juice and sub- stance.

⁹Even at that crisis which threatens ganger to the body like the collision of battle, pregnant women brought forth in good health, in safety, and without sickness. •

¹⁰And whereas men do not williifgly ask from others, even where a surety’s property is available — at that time even one possessed of slender means turned not his face away when solicited.

¹¹There was no ruin nor murder®, — nay, there was not even one ungenerous to his kinsmen, no •breaker of obligations, none untruthful nor in- jurious, — as in the days of Yaydti the son of Nahusha. 1 2. Those who sought religious merit performed sacred works and made gardens, temples, and * Tad&skrttenpi krtshiframea. * I read pratibhvo, though it should be pratibhuvo. * Could n&saubadho (C) mean ‘there was no murderer of any one ? • BOOK II, 6 - 1 8 . 19 hermitages, wells, cisterns, lakes, and groves, hav- ing beheld heaven as it were visible before their .eyes,

¹²The people, delivered from famine, fear, and sickness, dwelt happily as in heaven ; and in mutual contentment husband transgressed not against wife, nor wife against husband.

¹³None pursued love for mere sensual pleasure ; none hoarded wealth for the sake of desires ; none practised religious duties for the sake of gaining wealth ; none injured living beings for the sake of religious duty.

¹⁴On every side ‘theft and its kindred vices disappeared ; hi own dominion was in peace and at rest from foreign interference^ ; prosperity and plenty belonged to him, and the cities in his realm were (healtfiy) like the forests

¹⁵When that son was born it was in that monarch’s kingdom as «in the reign of Manu the son of the ‘Sun, — gladness went everywhere anfl evil perished ; right blazed abroad and sin was still. • 1 7. Since at the birth of this son of the king such a universal accomplishment of all objects took place, the king in consequence caused the prince’s name to be Sarvdrthasiddha

¹⁶But the queen Mdy, having seen the great glory of her new-born son, like some ./?fshi of the * The Tibetan seems to have read parajokamuktam for paraakramuktam. * Cf. VIII, 13. If we read arawyasya we must translate these lines, ‘the cities in his kingdom seemed part of the forest champaign/ This line appears to be untranslated in the Tibetan. * He by whom all objects are accomplished. 20 THE BUDDIIA-iTARITA OF AJVAGIIOSHA. gods, could not sustain the joy which it brought ; and that she might not die she went to heaven.

¹⁷Then the queen’s sister, with an influence like a mother’s, undistinguished from the real mother in her affection or tenderness, brought up as her own son the young prince who was like the offspring of the gods.

¹⁸Then like the young sub on the eastern moun- tain or the fire when fanned by the wind, the prince gradually grew in all due perfection, like the moon in the fortnight of brightness.

¹⁹Then they brought him as presents from the houses of his friends costly unguents of sandal- wood, and strings of gems exactly* like wreaths of plants, and little golden carriages yoked with deer ;

²⁰Ornaments also suitable to his age, and ele- phants, deer, and horses made of gold carriages and oxen decked with rich garments, and carts * gay with silver and gold. *

²¹Thus indulged with all sorts of such objects to please the senses as were suitable to his years, — child as he was, he behaved not like a child in gravity, purity, wisdom, and dignity.

²²When he had passed the period of childhood and reached that of middle youth, the young prince learned in a few days the various sciences suitable to his race, which generally took many years to master.

²³But having heard before from the great seer Asita his destined future which was to embrace * Cf. Satyavat’s toy horses in MahSbh. Ill, 16670. ’ Gamtri Jias this meaning in the Amarakofiha and Hema- landra. BOOK 11 , 19-31. 21 transcendental happiness, the anxious care^ of the king of the present 6'akya race turned the prince to sensual pleasures.

²⁴Then he sought for him from a family of un- blemished moral excellence a bride possessed of beauty, modesty, and gentle bearing, of wide-spread glory, Yarodhari by name, having a name well worthy of her, a very goddess of good fortune.

²⁵Then after that the prince, beloved of the king his father, he who was like SanatkumAra, re- joiced in the society of that .Sakya princess as the thousand-eyed (Indra) rejoiced with his bride .Sa/(’i.

²⁶‘ He might percliance see some inauspicious sight which could disturb his mind,’ — thus reflecting the king had a dwelling prepared for him apart from the busy press in the recesses of the palace.

²⁷Then he spent his time in those royal apart- ments, furnished with the delights proper for every season, gaily decorated jlike heavenly chariots upon the earth, and bright like the clouds of autumn, amidst the splendid musical concerts of singing- women. •

²⁸With the softly-sounding tambourines beaten by the tips of the women’s hands, and ornamented with golden rims, and with the dances which were like the dances of the heavenly nymphs, that palace shone like Mount Kailisa.

²⁹There the women delighted him with their soft voices, their beautiful pearl-garlands, their play- ful intoxication, their sweet laughter, and their stolen glances concealed by their brows. * The last p&da seems spurious as it is only found in C. I have tried to make some sense by reading buddhi^ for vriddhiA. 22 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASYAGHOSHA.

³⁰Borne in the arms of these women well-skilled in the ways of love, and reckless in the pursuit of pleasure, he fell from the roof of a pavilion and yet reached not the ground, like a holy sage stepping from a heavenly chariot.

³¹Meanwhile the king for the sake of ensuring his son’s prosperity and stirred in heart by the destiny which had been predicted for him, delighted himself in perfect calm, ceased from all evil, practised all self-restraint, and rewarded the good.

³²He turned to no sensual .pleasures like one wanting in self-control ; he felt no violent delight in any state of birth* ; he subdued by firmness the rest- less horses of the senses ; and hfe surpassed his kindred and citizens by his virtues.

³³He sought not learning to vex another ; such knowledge as was beneficent, that only he studied ; he wished well to all mankind as much as to his own subjects. .

³⁴He worshipped also duly the brilliant (Agni) that tutelary god of the Angirasas, for his son’s long life ; and he offered oblations in a large fire, and gave gold ® and cows to the Brahmans.

³⁵He bathed to purify his body and mind with the waters of holy places and of holy feelings ; and at the same time he drank the soma-juice as enjoined by the Veda, and the heartfelt self-produced happi- ness of perfect calm.

³⁶He only spoke what was pleasant and not unprofitable ; he discoursed about what was true and not ill-natured ; he could not speak even to himself * Can ^nani mean m&tnma ? * Or pearls ? (krrxana.) BOOK II, 32-43. 23 for very shame a false pleasant thing or a harsh truth.

³⁷In things which required to be done, whether they were pleasant or disagreeable, he found no reason either for desire or dislike ; he pursued the advantageous which could be attained without litigation • ; he did not so highly value sacrifice.

³⁸When a suppliqpt came to him with a petition, he at once hastened to quench his thirst with the water sprinkled on his gift^; and without fighting, by the battle-axe of his demeanour he smote down the arrogant armed with ® double pride.

³⁹Thus he took hway the one, and protected the seven ; he abandoned the seven and kept the five; he obtained the set of three and learned the set of three ; he understood the two and abandoned the two **.

⁴⁰Guilty persons, even though he had sentenced them to death, he did, not cause to be killed nor even looked on them with anger; he bound them with gentle words and with the reform produced in their character ,-»-even their release was accompanied by no inflicted injury.

⁴¹He performed great religious vows prescribed by ancient seers ; he threw Aside hostile feelings long cherished ; he acquired glory redolent with the fragrance of virtue; he relinquished all passiohs involving defilement. ‘ Professor Max Mailer would read vyavahdralabdham, ‘all bliss which could be obtaiued in the lower or vydvahdrika sphere.’ * See Colebrooke’s Essays, vol. ii, p. 230, note ; Manu IX, 168. * Cf. dviravasam (madam), Rig-vedalX, 104, 2. Professor Kielhom would suggest dvirfdarpam. ‘ The Tibetan, like the Chinese, gives no help h6re. 24 THE BUDDHA-iTARlTA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁴²He desired not to take his tribute of one- sixth without acting as the guardian of his people * ; he had no wish to covet another’s property; he desired not to mention the wrong-doing of his enemies; nor did he wish to fan wrath in his heart.

⁴³When the monarch himself was thus employed his servants and citizens followed his example, like the senses of one absorbed in contemplation whose mind is abstracted in profound repose.

⁴⁴In course of time to the fair-bosomed Yaro- dhard, — who was truly glorious in accordance with her name, — there was born 'from the son of 6ud- dhodana a son named Rdhula, with a face like the enemy of Rdhu

⁴⁵Then the king who from regard to the welfare of his race had longed for a son and been exceedingly delighted [at his coming], — as he had rejoiced at the birth of his son, so did he now rejoice at the birth of his grandson, •

⁴⁶‘ O how can I feel that love which my son feels for my grandson ? ’ Thus thijnking in his joy he at the due time attended to every enjoined rite like one who fondly loves his son and is about to rise to heaven.

⁴⁷Standing in the paths of the pre-eminent kings who flourished in primaeval ages, he practised aus- terities without laying aside his white garments, and he offered in sacrifice only those things which in- volved no injury to living creatures.

⁴⁸He of holy deeds shone forth gloriously, in * Cf. Indische Sprflche, 568 (2nd ed.). * I.e. the s&n or the moon, as eclipsed by the demon Rihu. BOOK II, 44-55. 25 the splendour of royalty and the splendour of penances, conspicuous by his family and his own conduct and wisdom, and desirous to diffuse bright- ness like the sun,

⁴⁹Having offered worship, he whose own glory was secure muttered repetitions of Vedic texts to SvayambhCl for the safety of his son, and performed various ceremonies l\ard to be accomplished, like the god Ka in the first aeon wishing to create living beings.

⁵⁰He laid aside weapons and pondered the .Slistra, he practised perfect calm and undement various observances, like a hermit he refused all objects of senses he viewed all his kingdoms ' like a father,

⁵¹He endured the kingdom for the sake of his son. His son for his family, his family for fame, fame for heaven, heaven for tlie soul, — he only desired the soul’s continuance for the sake of duty.

⁵²Thus, did he practise the various observances as followed by the pious and established from revela- tion, — ever askiijg himself, ‘ now that he has seen the face of his son, how may my son be stopped from going to the forest ? ’

⁵³The prudent* kings of the earth, who wish to guard their prosperity, watch over their sons in the world; but this king, though loving religion, kejit his son from religion and set him free towards all objects of pleasure. * Vishay&>i seems used here in two senses, ‘kingdoms’ and ‘objects of sense.’ * Lit. ‘self-possessed,’ StmasawisthSA. Or should we read atmasaOTSthSm, ‘ wishing to keep their prosperity their own?’ 26 THE BUDDHA-rARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁵⁴But all Bodhisattvas, those beings of pre-emi- nent nature, after knowing the flavour of worldly enjoyments, have departed to the forest as soon as a son is born to them ; therefore he too, though he had accomplished all his previous destiny, even when the (final) motive had begun to germinate, still went on pursuing worldly pleasure up to the time of attaining the supreme wisdom.

¹On a certain day he heard of the forests carpeted with tender grass, with their trees resound- ing with the kokilas, adorned with lotus-ponds, and which had been all bound up in the cold season.

²Having heard of the delightful appearance of the city groves beloved *by the women, he resolved to go out of dooft, like an elephant long shut up in a house.

³The king, having learned the character of the wish thus expressed by his son, ordered a pleasure- party to be prepared, worthy of his own affection and his son’s beauty and .youth.

⁴He prohibited the encounter of any afflicted common person in the highroad ; ‘ heaven forbid that the prince with his tender nature should even imagine himself to be distressed.’

⁵Then having removed out of the way with the greatest gentleness all those nrho had mutilated limbs or maimed senses, the decrepit and the sick and all squalid beggjars, they made the highway assume its perfect beauty.

⁶Along this road thus made beautiful, the fortunate prince with his well-trained attendants came down one day at a proper time from the roof of the palace and went to visit the king by his leave.

⁷Then the king, with tears rising t his eyes. 28 THE BUDDHA-^ARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. having smelt his son's head ^ and long gazed upon him, gave him his permission, saying, ‘ Go ; ’ but in his heart through aiifection he could not let him depart

⁸He then mounted a golden chariot, adorned with reins bright like flashing lightning ®, and yoked with four gentle horses, all wearing golden trappings.

⁹With a worthy retinuei he entered the road which was strewn with heaps of gleaming flowers, with garlands suspended and banners waving, like the moon with its asterism entering the sky.

¹⁰Slowly, slowly he passed along the highway, watched on every side by the citizens, and be- showered by their eyes opened wide with curiosity like blue lotuses.

¹¹Some praised him for his gentle disposition, others hailed him for his glorious appearance, others eulogised his beauty from his fine countenance and desired for him length of days.

¹²Hump-backed men coming out from the great families, and troops of foresters and dwarfs®, and women coming out from the meaner houses bowed down like the banners of some procession of the gods.

¹³^ Hearing the mews, ‘the prince is going out,’ from the attendants of the female apartments, the women hastened to the roofs of the different man- sions, having obtained the leave of their lords. ' Cf. Wilson, Hindu Drama, vol. ii, p. 45, note. ® Rarmi may mean ‘rays.’ For akliva cf. Soph. Philoct. 1455, apafju. * These are all menlioned in the Sahitya-darpawa among the attendants in a seraglio (§ 8i). * With this'description cf. Raghuv.'VII, 5-12 ; KSdambarf, p. 74. BOOK III, 8-21. 29

¹⁴Hindered by the strings of their girdles which had slipped down, with their eyes bewildered as just awakened from sleep, and with their ornaments hastily put on in the stir of the news, and filled with curiosity, they crowded round ;

¹⁵Frightening the flocks of birds which lived in the houses, with the noise of their girdles and the jingling of their anklets which resounded on the staircases and roofs of the mansions, and mutually reproaching one another for their hurry.

¹⁶Some of these women, even in their haste as they rushed longing to see, were delayed in their going by the weight of their hips and full bosoms.

¹⁷Another, though well able to go herself, checked her pace and forbore to run, hiding with shame her ornaments hitherto worn only in seclusion, and now too boldly displayed.

¹⁸There they were restlessly swaying about in the windows, crowded together in the mutual press, with their earrings polished by the continual collision and their ornaments all jingling.

¹⁹The lotus-Jike faces of the women gleamed while they looked out from the windows with their earrings coming into mutual proximity*, as if they were real lotuses fastened upon, the houses.

²⁰With the palaces all alive with crowds of damsels, every aperture thrown open in eager curiosity, the magnificent city appeared on every side like heaven witli its divine chariots thronged with celestial nymphs.

²¹The faces of the beautiful women shone like lotuses wreathed in garlands, while through the * Parasparopisita? 30 THE BUDDHA-EARITA O# ASVAGHOSHA. narrowness of the windows their earrings were transferred to each other’s cheeks.

²²Gazing down upon the prince in the road, the women appeared as if longing to fall to the earth ; gazing up to him with upturned faces, the men seemed as if longing to rise to heaven \

²³Beholding the king’s son thus radiant in his beauty and glory, those wopien softly whispered, ‘ happy is his wife,’ with pure minds and from no baser feeling.

²⁴‘ He with the long sturdy arms, who stands in his beauty like the flower-armed god visibly present, will leave his royal pomp and devote himself to religion,’ thus thinking, full of kindly feelings towards him, they all offered reverence.

²⁵Beholding for the first time that high-road thus crowded with respectful citizens, all dressed in white sedate garments, the prince for a while did feel a little pleasure and thought jhat it seemed to promise a revival of his youth.

²⁶But then the gods, dwelling in pure abodes having beheld that city thus rejojcing like heaven itself, created an old man to walk along on purpose to stir the heart of the king’s son.

²⁷The prince having beheld him thus overcome with decrepitude and different in form from other men, with his gaze intently fixed on him, thus addressed his driver ® with simple confidence :

²⁸‘Who is this man that has come here, O charioteer, with white hair and his hand resting on a staff, his eyes hidden beneath his brows, his ' Cf. Uhland’s ‘ Das Schloss am meere.’ ^ .^uddhildhiv&si^. ’ Cf. sa»2gabako inPili. BOOK III, 22-35. 31 limbs bent down and hanging loose, — is this a change produced in him or his natural state or an accident ? ’

²⁹Thus addressed, the charioteer revealed to the king’s son the secret that should have been kept so carefully, thinking no harm in his simplicity, for those same gods had bewildered his mind :

³⁰‘That is old age by which he is broken down, — the ravisher of beauty, the ruin of vigour, the cause of sorrow, the destruction of delights, the bane of memories, the enemy of the senses.

³¹‘He too once drank milk in his childhood, and in course of time he learned to grope on the ground ; having step by step become a vigorous youth, he has step by step in the same way reached old age.’

³²Bein^ thus addressed, the prince, starting a little, spoke these words to the charioteer, ‘ What ! will this evil come to me algo ? ’ and to him again spoke the charioteer : •

³³‘It will* come without doubt by the force of time through multitude of years even to my long- lived lord ; all the world knows thus that old age will destroy their comeliness and they are content to have it so.’

³⁴Then he, the great-souled one, who had his mind purified by the impressions of former good actions, who possessed a store of merits accumu- lated through many preceding aeons, was deeply agitated when he heard of old age, like a bull who has heard the crash of a thunderbolt close by.

³⁵Drawing a long sigh and shaking his head, and fixing his eyes on that decrepit old man,* and looking round on that exultant multitude he then uttered these distressed words : THE BUDDHA-^ARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

³⁶‘ Old age thus strikes down all alike, our memory, comeliness, and valour ; and yet the world is not disturbed, even when it sees such a fate visibly impending.

³⁷‘Since such is our condition, O charioteer, turn back the horses, — go quickly home ; how can I rejoice in the pleasure-garden, when the thoughts arising from old age overpower me ? ’

³⁸Then the charioteer at the command of the king's son turned the chariot back, and the prince lost in thought entered even that royal palace as if it were empty.

³⁹But when he found no happiness even there, as he continually kept reflecting, * old age, old age,’ then once more, with the permission of the king, he went out with the same arrangement as before.

⁴⁰Then the same deities created another man with his body all afflicted by disease ; and on seeing him the son of 6'uddhodand addressed the charioteer, having his gaze fixed on the man :

⁴¹‘Yonder man with a swollen belly, his whole frame shaking as he pants, his arms and shoulders hanging loose, his body all pale and thin, uttering plaintively the word “ mother,” when he embraces a stranger, — who, pray, is this ? ’ . 42. Then his charioteer answered, ‘ Gentle Sir, it is a very great affliction called sickness, that has grown up, caused by the inflammation of the (three) humours, which has made even this strong man^ no longer master of himself.’

⁴²Then the prince again addressed him, looking upon the man compassionately, ‘ Is this evil peculiar ' .Sakroipi. BOOK III, 36-50, 33 to him or are all beings alike threatened by sickness ? ’

⁴³Then the charioteer answered, ‘ O prince, this evil is common to all ; thus pressed round by diseases men run to pleasure, though racked with pain

⁴⁴Having heard this account, his mind deeply distressed, he trembled like the moon reflected in the waves of water; aftd full of sorrow he uttered these words in a low voice ;

⁴⁵‘ Even while they see all this calamity of diseases mankind can yet feel tranquillity ; alas for the scattered intelligence of men who can smile when still not free from the terrors of disease !

⁴⁶‘ Let the chariot, O charioteer, be turned back from going outside, let it return straight to the king’s palace ; having heard this alarm of disease, my mind shrinks into itself, repelled from pleasures.’

⁴⁷Then having turned Ijack, with all joy de- parted, he entered his hole, absorbed in thought ; and having sen him thus return a second time, the king himself entered the city.

⁴⁸Having heard the occasion of the prince’s return he felt himself as deserted by him, and, although unused to severe punishment, even when displeased, he rebuked him whose duty it was to see that the road was clear.

⁴⁹And once more he arranged for his son all kinds of worldly enjoyments to their highest point ; imploring in his heart, ‘ Would that he might not be able to forsake us, even though rendered unable only through the restlessness of his senses *.’ * Rudturo. [The Tibetan seems to have read rui>^d»»tarc,- - nad thar-phyin-na, ‘having come to the end of illness.’. H. W.] * I would read api ndma sakto — . [42] D 34 THE BUDDHA-^TARITA OF A5VAGIIOSIIA.

⁵⁰But when in the women’s apartments his son found no pleasure in the several objects of the senses, sweet sounds and the rest, he gave orders for another progress outside, thinking to himself*, ‘ It may create a diversion of sentiment

⁵¹And in his affection pondering on the con- dition of his son, never thinking of any ills that might come from his hasted he ordered the best singing-women to be in attendance, as well-skilled in all the soft arts that can please.

⁵²Then the royal road being specially adorned and guarded, the king oneg more made the prince go out, having ordered the charioteer and chariot to proceed in a contrary direction (to the previous one).

⁵³But as the king’s son was thus gQing on his way, the very same deities created a dead man, and only the charioteer aqd the prince, and none else, beheld him as he was carried dead along the road.

⁵⁴Then spoke the prince to tbe charioteer, ‘ Who is this borne by four men, followed by mournful companions, who is beWailed, adorned but no longer breathing ? ’

⁵⁵Then the driver, — having his mind over- powered by the go*ds who possess pure minds and pure dwellings, — himself knowing the truth, uttered to his lord this truth also which was not to be told ;

⁵⁶‘This is some poor man who, bereft of his intellect, senses, vital airs and qualities, lying asleep * I would read manyamana^. * A technical term in rhetoric. Cf. SShitya Darp. § 220. ® 1 would read ajvasy avarudyate. BOOK III, 51-64. .'5 and unconscious, like mere wood or straw, is aban- doned alike by friends and enemies after they have carefully swathed and guarded him.’

⁵⁷Having heard these words of the charioteer he was somewhat startled and said to him, ‘ fs this an accident peculiar to him alone, or is such the end of all living creatures ? ’

⁵⁸Then the charioteer replied to him, ‘ This is the final end of all living creatures ; be it a mean man, a man of middle state, or a noble, destruction is fixed to all in this world.’

⁵⁹Then the king’s son, sedate though he was, as soon as he heard ^of death, immediately sank down overwhelmed, and pressing the end of the chariot- pole with his shoulder spoke with a loud voice,

⁶⁰‘ Js d'is end appointed to all creatures, and yet the world throws off all fear and is infatuated ! Hard indeed, I think, must the hearts of men be, who can be self-composed in such a road.

⁶¹‘ Therefore, O charioteer, turn back our chariot, this is no time or place for a pleasure- excursion ; how cab a rational being, who knows what destruction is, stay heedless here, in the hour of calamity ^ ? ’

⁶²Even when the prince thus spoke to him, the charioteer did not turn the chariot back ; but at his peremptorily reiterated command he retired to the forest Padmakhaflfa.

⁶³There he beheld that lovely forest like Nandana itself, full of young trees in flower, with intoxicated kokilas wandering joyously about, and ‘ The Tibetan has slam thag dus.su, ‘ at the time qf oppression (as by misfortune).' Does this imply a reading Srtti-kile ? D 2 THE BUDDIIA-A'ARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA, with its bright lakes gay with lotuses and well- furnished with watering-places

⁶⁴The king’s son was perforce carried away to that wood filled with troops of beautiful women, just as if some devotee who had newly taken his vow were carried off, feeling weak to withstand tempta- tion, to the palace of the monarch of Alakd -, gay with the dancing of the loveHest heavenly nymphs. ' Sc. for cattle, cf. Maluibli. XII, 9270 (in the text read -dlrghikaw). “ Kuvera.

¹Then from that city-garden, with their eyes restless in excitement, flie women went out to meet the prince as a newly-arrived bridegroom ;

²And when they came up to him, their eyes wide open in wonder, they performed their due homage with hands folded like a lotus-calyx.

³Then they stood surrounding him, their minds overpowered by passion, as if they were drinking him In with their eyes motionless and blossoming wide with love.

⁴Some of the women verily thought that he was Kama incarnate, — decorated as he was with his brilliant signs as with conftate ornaments.

⁵Others thought from his gentleness and majesty that it was the moon with its ambrosial beams as it were visibly come Tlown to the earth.

⁶Others, smitten by his beauty, yawned ^ as if to swallow him, and fixing their eyes on each other, softly sighed.

⁷Thus the women only looked upon him, simply • gazing with their eyes, — they spoke not, nor did they smile, controlled by his power.

⁸But having seen them thus listless, be- wildered in their love, the wise son of the family priest, Uddyin, thus addressed them :

⁹‘ Ye are all skilled in all the graceful arts, * Cf. Sdhitya Darp. § 155, 13. THE BUDDIIA-ATARITA OF ASVAGHOSITA. proficients in understanding the language of amor- ous sentiments, possessed of beauty and gracefulness, thorough masters in your own styles.

¹⁰‘ With these graces of yours ye may embellish even the Northern Kurus, yea, even the dances^ of Kuvera, much more this little earth.

¹¹‘Ye are able to move even sages who have lost all their desires, and to Ensnare even the gods who are charmed by heavenly nymphs.

¹²‘By your skill in expressing the heart’s feelings, by your coquetry, your grace, and your perfect beauty, ye are able to enrapture even women, how much more easily men.

¹³‘You thus skilled as ye are, each set® in her own proper sphere, — such as this is your power, — I am not satisfied with your simplicity J]when you profess to find him beyond your reach].

¹⁴‘ This timid action of yours would be fit for new brides, their eyes closed through shame, — or it might be a blandishment worthy eveft of the wives of the cowherds

¹⁵‘What though this hero* be great by his exalted glory, yet “great is the might of women,” let this be your firm resolve.

¹⁶‘In olden t'ime a great seer, hard to be . conquered even by the gods, was spurned by a harlot, the beauty of Kdji, planting her feet upon him,

¹⁷‘The Bhikshu Manthdlagautama was also formerly spurned by B&lamukhyS, with her leg, and ' Professor Bflhlcr suggests ^dkri</am, cf. rloka 28. ® I read niyuktdndm for viyuktdndm. ’ Is this a reference to Kr/'shna's story? but cf. Weber, Ind. Antiquary, vol. v, p. 254. BOOK IV, 10-26. 39 wishing to please her he carried out dead bodies for her sake to be buried.

¹⁸‘And a woman low in standing and caste fascinated the great seer Gautama, though a master of long penances and old in years.

¹⁹‘So tSinti ^ by her various wiles captivated and subdued the sage’s son Rtshya.sririga, unskilled in women’s ways. •

²⁰‘ And the great seer Vijvdmitra, though plunged in a profound penance®, was carried captive for ten years in the forests by the nymph GhmS^’i

²¹‘Many such seers as these have women brought to shame, — how much more then a delicate prince in the first ’flower of his age ?

²²‘ This being so, boldly put forth your efforts that the prosperity of die king’s family may not be turned away from him.

²³‘Ordinary women captivate similar lovers; but they are truly women who subdue the natures of high and loV.’

²⁴Having heard these words of Udayin these women as stung ’to the heart rose even above themselves for the conquest of the prince.

²⁵With their brows, their glances, their coquetries, their smiles, their delicate moverfients, they made all sorts of significant gestures like women utterly . terrified.

²⁶But they soon regained their confidence* through the command of the king and the gentle temperament of the prince, and through the power of intoxication aind of love. * RSmSy. I, 10 (Schleg. ed.). * I would read mahat tapa//. ’ Ramdy. IV, 35. * Lit. ‘ dispelled their want of confidence.’ 40 THE BUDDlIA-iTARlTA OF A5VAGH0SHA,

²⁷Then surrounded by troops of women the prince wandered in the wood like an elephant in the forests of Himavat accompanied by a herd of females.

²⁸Attended by the women he shone in that pleasant grove, as the sun surrounded by Apsarasas in his royal garden.

²⁹There some of them, urged by passion, pressed him with their full firm bosoms in gentle collisions.

³⁰Another violently embraced him after making a pretended stumble, — leaning on him with her shoulders drooping down,_ and with her gentle creeper-like arms dependent.

³¹Another with her mouth ’smelling of spiri- tuous liquor, her lower lip red like copper, whispered in his ear, ‘ Let my secret be heard.’ ^ ^

³²Another, all wet with unguents, as if giving him her command, clasped his hand eagerly and said, ‘ Perform thy rites of adoration here.’

³³Another, with her blue garmehts continually slipping down in pretended intoxication, stood con- spicuous with her tongue visible 'like the night with its lightning flashing.

³⁴Others, with their golden zones tinkling, wandered about Mere and there, showing to him . their hips veiled with thin cloth.

³⁵Others leaned, holding a mango-bough in full flower, displaying their bosoms like golden jars.

³⁶Another, coming from a lotus-bed, carrying lotuses and with eyes like lotuses, stood like the lotus-goddess Padm&, by the side of that lotus-faced prince.

³⁷Another sang a sweet song easily under- stood and* with the proper gesticulations, rousing BOOK IV, 27-47. 41 him, self-subdued though he was, by her glances, as saying, ‘ O how thou art deluded ! ’

³⁸Another, having armed herself* with her bright face, with its brow-bow drawn to its full, imitated his action, as playing the hero.

³⁹Another, with beautiful full bosoms, and having her earrings waving in the wind ", laughed loudly at him, as if saying, ‘ Catch me, sir, if you can ! ’

⁴⁰Some, as he was going away, bound him with strings of garlands, — others punished him with words like an elephant-driver’s hook, gentle yet reproachful.

⁴¹Another, wishing to argue with him, seizing a mango-spray, asked, all bewildered with passion. ‘ This flower, whose is it ? ’

⁴²Another, assuming a gait and attitude lik(! those of a man, said to him, ‘Thou who art conquered by women, go and conquer tjiis earth ! ’

⁴³Then another with rolling eyes, smelling a blue lotus, thus addressed the prince with words slightly indistinct in her excitement,

⁴⁴‘ See, my lord, this mango covered with its honey-scented flowers, where the kokila sings, as if imprisoned in a golden cage.

⁴⁵‘ Come and see this ajoka tree, which aug- ments lovers’ sorrows, — where the bees make ;u noise as if they were scorched by fire.

⁴⁶‘ Come and see this tilaka tree, embraced by a slender mango-branch, like a man in a white garment by a woman decked with yellow unguents.

⁴⁷‘ Behold this kuruvaka in flower, bright like Prav;-«tya. ® 1 read vatShflrwita. 42 THE BUDDflA-A'ARITA OF AJVAGHOSHA. fresh ^ resin-juice, which bends down as if it felt reproached by the colour of women’s nails

⁴⁸‘ Come and see this young ai'oka, covered all over with new shoots, which stands as it were ashamed at the beauty of our hands.

⁴⁹‘ See this lake surrounded by the sinduvdra shrubs growing on its banks ®, like a fair woman reclining, clad in fine white cloth,

⁵⁰‘ See the imperial power of females, — yonder ruddy-goose in the water goes behind his mate following her like a slave.

⁵¹* Come and listen to the notes of this intoxicated cuckoo as he sings, while another cuckoo sings as if consenting, wholly without care.

⁵²‘Would that thine was the intoxication of the birds which the spring produces, — and not the thought of a thinking man, ever pondering how wise he is ! ’

⁵³Thus these young women, their souls carried away by love, assailed the prince with all kinds of stratagems.

⁵⁴But although thus attackcfd, he, having his senses guarded by self-control, neither rejoiced nor smiled, thinking anxiously, ‘ One must die.’

⁵⁵Having seen* them in their real condition*, .that best of men pondered with an undisturbed ® and stedfast mind. * I read nirmuktam, which might mean ‘just exuded,' or the whole compound may mean (cf. Kum. Sambh. V, 34) ‘ like a lip which has given up the use of pinguent.’ ^ Cf. Vikramorvari, Act ii, stri-nakha-pialat kuruvakam. '' I read ttraai^ sinduvdrakai^. * For vasthdnam cf. Maitri Upan. (Comm.) VI, r. “ 1 would read asamvignena. BOOK IV, 48-65. 43

⁵⁶‘ What is it that these women lack * that they perceive not that youth is fickle ? for this old age will destroy whatever has beauty.

⁵⁷‘Verily they do not see any one’s plunge into disease, and so dismissing fear, they are joyous in a world which is all pain.

⁵⁸‘ Evidently they know nothing of death which carries all awa/; and so at ease and without distress they can sport and laugh.

⁵⁹‘ What rational being, who knows of old age, death and sickness, could stand ® or sit down at his ease or sleep, far less laugh .■*

⁶⁰‘ But he verily is like one bereft of sense, who, beholding another aged or sick or dead, remains self-possessed and not afflicted.

⁶¹‘j(So) even when a tree is deprived of its flowers and fruits, or if it is cut down and falls, no other tree sorrows.’

⁶²Seeing him thus absorbed in contemplation, with his desires estranged from all worldly objects, Ud&yin, well skilled in the rules of policy, with kindly feelings adefressed him :

⁶³‘ Since I was appointed by the king as a fitting friend for thee, therefore I have a wish to speak to thee in this friendliness ’of my heart.

⁶⁴‘ To hinder from what is disadvantageous, — • to urge to what is advantageous, — and not to for- sake in misfortune, — these are the three marks of a friend.

⁶⁵‘ If I, after having promised my friendship, were not to heed when thou turnest away from the great end of man, there would be no friendship in me. Kim vina. * I would conjecture tishZen. THE nUDDIIA-iTARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA. 44

⁶⁶‘ Therefore I speak as thy friend, — such rude- ness as this to women is not befitting for one young in years and graceful in person,

⁶⁷‘ It is right to woo a woman even by guile, — this is useful both for getting rid of shame and for one’s own enjoyment.

⁶⁸‘ Reverential behaviour and compliance with her wishes are what binds rf woman’s heart ; good qualities truly are a cause of love, and women love respect.

⁶⁹‘Wilt thou not then, O large-eyed prince, even if thy heart is unwilling, seek to please them with a courtesy worthy of this beauty of thine ?

⁷⁰‘ Courtesy is the balm of women, courtesy is the best ornament ; beauty without courtesy is like a grove without flowers.

⁷¹‘ But of what use is courtesy by itself? let it be assisted by the Jjeart’s feelings ; surely, when worldly objects so hard tt> attain are in thy grasp, thou wilt not despise them. *

⁷²‘ Knowing that pleasure was the best of objects, even the god Purawdara (Indra) wooed in olden time AhalyS the wife of the saint Gautama.

⁷³‘ So too Agastya wooed Rohiwi, the wife of Soma; and therefore, as 6'ruti saith, a like thing . befell Lopamudra *.

⁷⁴‘ The great ascetic Vrfhaspati begot Bha- radvSa on Mamatd. the daughter of the Maruts, the wife of Autathya'*. ’ Agastya’s wife. This seems to refer to Lopdmudrd's words to her husband in Rig-veda I, 179; cf. also Mahdbh. Ill, xcvii. * This should be Utathya (cf. Mahdbh. I, civ). Mamald had Dfrghatamas ^ by her husband and Bharadv^ by Vnhaspati. The MSS. read Samatd. BOOK IV, 66-83. 45

⁷⁵‘ The Moon, the best of offerers, begat Budha of divine nature on the spouse of Vrfhaspati as she was offering a libation ^

⁷⁶‘ So too in old time Pariara, overpowered by passion on the bank of the Yamun^, lay with the maiden Kfili who was the daughter of the son of the Water (Agni).

⁷⁷‘The sage Vadsh//^a through lust begot a son Kapiwldda on Akshamali a despised low-caste woman

⁷⁸‘And the seer-king Yayati, even when the vigour of his prime was gone, sported in the A'aitraratha forest with the Apsaras VivAi .

⁷⁹‘And the Kaurava king PdwAi, though he knew that intercourse with his wife would end in death, ^yet overcome by the beauty and good qualities of Mfidri yielded to the pleasures of love.

⁸⁰‘And so Karfilafanaka, when he carried off the Brdhmaif s daughter, incurred loss of caste thereby, but he would not give up his love.

⁸¹‘ Great heroes such as these pursued even contemptible desires for the sake of pleasure, how much more so when they are praiseworthy of their kind ? ’

⁸²‘And yet thou, a young man, possessed of- strength and beauty, despisest enjoyments which rightly belong to thee, and to which the whole world is devoted.’

⁸³Having heard these specious words of his, well-supported By sacred tradition, the prince made reply, in a voice like the thundering of a cloud : ' She is called Tara, Vishwu Pur. IV, 6. ^ Manu IX, 23. 46 THE BUDDIIA-JSTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁸⁴‘ This speech manifesting affection is well- befitting in thee; but I will convince thee as to where thou wrongly judgest me.

⁸⁵‘ I do not despise worldly objects, I know that all mankind are bound up therein; but re- membering that the world is transitory, my mind cannot find pleasure in them.

⁸⁶‘ Old age, disease, an(f death — if these three things did not exist, I too should find my enjoyment in the objects that please the mind.

⁸⁷‘Yet even though this beauty of women were to remain perpetual, still delight in the pleasures of desire would not be worthy of the wise man.

⁸⁸* But since their beauty will be drunk up by old age, to delight therein through infatuation can- not be a thing approved even by thyself\ ,

⁸⁹‘ He who himself subject to death, disease, and old age, can sport yndisturbed with those whose very nature implies death, disease, and old age, — such a man is on a level with birds an beasts.

⁹⁰‘ And as for what thou sayest as to even those great men having become ■victims to desire, — do not be bewildered by them, for destruction was also their lot.

⁹¹‘ Real greatrfess is not to be found there, ..where there is universally destruction, or where there is attachment to earthly objects, or a want of self-control.

⁹²‘ And when thou sayest, “ Let one deal with women even by guile,” I know nought about guile, even if it be accompanied with courtesy.

⁹³* That compliance too with a woman’s wishes * Or ‘ even by the soul.’ BOOK IV, 84-101. 47 pleases me not, if truthfulness be not there ; if there be not a union with one’s whole soul and nature, then “ out upon it ” say I.

⁹⁴‘A soul overpowered by passion, believing in falsehood, carried away by attachment and blind to the faults of its objects, — what is there in it worth being deceived ?

⁹⁵‘And if the victims of passion do deceive one another, — ^are not men unfit for women to look at and women for men ?

⁹⁶‘ Since then these things are so, thou surely wouldest not lead me astray into ignoble pleasures, — me afflicted by sorrow, and subject to old age and death ?

⁹⁷‘ Ah ! thy mind must be very firm and strong, if thou canst find substance in the transitory pleasures of sense; even in the midst of violent alarm thou canst cling to jvorldly objects, when thou seest all created beiflgs in the road of death.

⁹⁸‘ But I dm fearful and exceedingly bewildered, as I ponder the terrors of old age, death, and disease ; I can firtd no peace, no self-command, much less can I find pleasure, while I see the world as it were ablaze with fire.

⁹⁹‘ If desire arises in the heart of the man, who knows that death is certain, — I think that his soul must be made of iron, who restrains it in this great terror and does not weep.’

¹⁰⁰Then the prince uttered a discourse full of resolve and abolishing the objects of desire ; and the lord of day, whose orb is the worthy centre of human eyes, departed to the Western Mountain.

¹⁰¹And the women, having worn their garlands and ornaments in vain, with their graceful arts and 48 THE BUDDIIA-ATARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. endearments all fruitless, concealing their love deep in their hearts returned to the city with broken hopes.

¹⁰²Having thus seen the beauty -of the troop of women who had gone out to the city-garden, now withdrawn in the evening, — the prince, pondering the transitoriness which envelopes all things, entered his dwelling.

¹⁰³Then the king, when he heard how his mind turned away from all objects of sense, could not lie down all that night, like an elephant with an arrow in its heart; but wearied in all sorts of consultation, he and his ministers could find no other means beside these (despised) pleasures to restrain his son’s purpose. ’ Reading sva eva bhdve from the Tibetan. “ Reading jriyam for striyam.

¹He, the son of thg 3 ’ 4 kya king, even though thus tempted by the objects of sense which infatuate others, yielded not to pleasure and felt not delight, like a lion deeply pierced in his heart by a poisoned arrow.

²Then one day acccfmpanied by some worthy sons of his father’s ministers, friends full of varied converse, — ^with a desire to see the glades of the forest and longing for peace, he went out with the king’s permission.

³Having mounted his good horse Kawthaka, decked with bells and bri<jle-bit of new gold, with beautiful golden harness and the chowrie waving’, he went forth like the moon * mounted on a comet.

⁴Lured by love pf the wood and longing for the beauties of the ground he went to a spot near at hand^ on the forest-outskirts; and there he saw a piece of land being ploughed, with the path of the plough broken like waves on the water. ^ ‘ The white bushy tail of the Tibet cow, fixed on a gold or ornamented shaft, rose from between the ears of the horse/ Wilson, Hindu Drama, I, p. 200. ® The Tibetan has tog-la Ijon-dah chu-skyes tog-can, ‘ like him who has the sign of a tree and water-born (lotus,) (mounted) on a comet,* but with no furtlier explanation. Could this mean the moon as oshadhipati and as kumu exa ? * Should we read -guwe^^AuA for -guia^^^a 4 ? ^ Nikrishatarm ; one MS. reads vikrisha-, ‘ploughed.' [42] E 50 THE BUDDHA-jrARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁵Having beheld the ground in this condition, with its young grass scattered and torn by the plough, and covered with the eggs and young of little insects which were killed, he was filled with deep sorrow as for the slaughter of his own kindred.

⁶And beholding the men as they were plough- ing, their complexions spoiled by the dust, the sun’s rays, and the wind, and thelV cattle bewildered with the burden of drawing, the most noble one felt ex- treme compassion.

⁷Having alighted from the back of his horse, he went over the ground slowly, overcome with sorrow, — pondering the birth and destruction of the world, he, grieved, exclaimed, ‘ this is indeed pitiable.’

⁸Then desiring to become perfectly lonely in his thoughts, having stopped those friends who were following him, he went to the root of a rose-apple in a solitary spot, which had its beautiful leaves all tremulous (in the wind). •

⁹There he sat down on the grouftd covered with leaves \ and with its young grass bright like lapis lazuli ; and, meditating on the origin and destruction of the world, he laid hold of the path that leads to firmness of mind.

¹⁰Having atfained to firmness of mind^ and being forthwith set free from all sorrows such as the desire of worldly objects and the rest, he attained * The MSS. add -khoravatydM, an obscure word, which may be connected with khura or perhaps should be altered to -koravatydm, i.e. ‘covered with sharp-pointed leaves,’ or ‘covered with leaves and buds.’ [The Tibetan has g6ah-inar Idan-pai sa-gzhi der-ni de zhugs-te, ‘on the pure ground here he sitting.’ This might point to soxtra rauavaty&m. H.W.] * Query, lamavdptamanasthiti^ for -mandjisthite^. BOOK V, 5-17. 51 the first stage of contemplation, unaffected by sin, calm, and ‘ argumentative

¹¹Having then obtained the highest happiness sprung from deliberation*, he next pondered this meditation, — having thoroughly understood in his mind the course of the world :

¹²‘ It is a miserable thing that mankind, though themselves powerless* &nd subject to sickness, old age, and death, yet, blinded by passion and ignorant, look with disgust on another who is afflicted by old age or diseased or dead.

¹³‘ If I here, being sych myself, should feel dis- gust for another who has such a nature, it would not be worthy or right in me who know this highest duty.’

¹⁴h? thus considered thoroughly these faults of sickness, old age, and death which belong to all living beings, all the joy which he had felt in the activity of his vigour, his yolith, and his life, vanished in a moment.

¹⁵He did not rejoice, he did not feel remorse ; he suffered no hesitation, indolence, nor sleep ; he felt no drawing towards the qualities of desire ; he hated not nor scorned another.

¹⁶Thus did this pure passionless meditation grow within the great-souled one ; and unobserved by the other men, there crept up a man in a beggar’s dress. 1 7. The king’s son asked him a question, — he said to him, ‘Tell me, who art thou?’ and the other replied, ‘Oh bull, of men, I, being terrified at birth * .S'avitarka, cf. Yoga-sfltras I, 42. (Read anisrava-.) * Two syllables are lost in this line. * Arasa^. THE HUDDHA'/fARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. and death, have become an ascetic for the sake of liberation. 1 8. ‘ Desiring liberation in a world subject to de- struction, I seek that happy indestructible abode, — isolated from mankind, with my thoughts unlike those of others, and with my sinful passions turned away from all objects of sense

¹⁷‘ Dwelling anywhere, at the root of a tree, or in an uninhabited house, a mountain or a forest, — I wander without a family and without hope, a beggar ready for any fare, seeking only the highest good.’

¹⁸When he had thus. spoken, while the prince was looking on, he suddenly flew up to the sky ; it was a heavenly inhabitant who, knowing that the prince’s thoughts were other than what his outward form promised, had come to him for the sake of rousing his recollection.

¹⁹When the other was gone like a bird to heaven, the foremost of men was rejoiced and astonished ; and having comprehended the meaning of the term dharma^ he set his mind on the manner of the accomplishment of deliverance.

²⁰Then like Indra himself, and having tamed his senses, — desiring to return home he mounted his noble steed ; and having made him turn back as he looked for his friends, from that moment he sought no more the desired forest.

²¹Ever seeking to make an end of old age and death, fixing his thoughts in memory on dwelling in the woods, he entered the city again but wdth no feelings of longing, like an elephant entering an exercise-ground “ after roaming in a forest-land,

²²‘ Happy truly and blessed is that woman whose ■ Cf. II, 3. * Dharmasaws'wain ? BOOK V, 18-30. 53 husband is such as thou, O long-eyed prince ! ’ So, on seeing him, the princess exclaimed, folding her hands to welcome him, as he entered the road.

²³He whose voice was deep-sounding like a cloud heard this address and was filled with profound calm : and as he heard the word ‘ blessed ‘ ’ he fixed his mind on the attainment of Nirvdwa.

²⁴Then the prince whose form was like the peak of a golden mountain, — whose eye, voice, and arm resembled a bull, a cloud, and an elephant — whose countenance and prowess were like the moon and a lion, — having a longing aroused for something imperishable, — went into his palace.

²⁵Then stepping like a lion he went towards the king who was attended by his numerous counsellors, like Sanatkumdra in heaven waiting on Indra re- splendent in the assembly * of the Maruts.

²⁶Prostrating himself, with folded hands, he addressed him, ‘Grant me graciously thy permission, O lord of meft, — I wish to become a wandering mendicant for the sake of liberation, since separation is appointed for ma’

²⁷Having heard his words, the king shook like a tree struck by an elephant, and having seized his folded hands which were like a ’lotus, he thus ad- dressed him in a voice choked with tears :

²⁸‘ O my son, keep back this thought, it is not the time for thee to betake thyself to d harm a; they say that the practice of religion is full of evils in the first period of life when the mind is still fickle. * Sc. nirvrta. ® Gajamegharshabhabahunisvanaksha^? So Chinese translation, Beal, si. 356. ® I read samitau. t 54 the IJUDDHA-iTAKITA OF AJVAOHOSIIA.

²⁹‘ The mind of the thoughtless ignorant young man whose senses are eager for worldly objects, and who has no power of settled resolution for the hard- ships of vows of penance, shrinks back from the forest, for it is especially destitute of discrimination.

³⁰‘It is high time for me to practise religion, O my child of loved qualities S leaving my royal glory to thee who art well wftrthy to be distinguished by it : but thy religion, O firm-striding hero, is to be accomplished by heroism ; it vrould be irreligion if thou wert to leave thine own father.

³¹‘ Do thou therefore ^abandon this thy resolu- tion ; devote thyself for the present to the duties of a householder ; to a man who has enjoyed the plea- sures of his prime, it is delightful to enter the penance-forest.’

³²Having heard these words of the king, he made his reply in a vqice soft like a sparrow’s : ‘ If thou wilt be my surety, O king, against four contin- gencies, I will not betake myself to the forest.

³³‘ Let not my life be subject to death, and let not disease impair this health of mine ; let not old age attack my youth, and let not misfortune destroy my weal.’

³⁴When his son uttered a speech so hard to be understood, the king of the 6’dkyas thus replied : ‘ Abandon this idea bent upon departure ; extrava- gant desires are only ridiculous.’

³⁵Then he who was firm as Mount Meru ad- dressed his father : ‘ If this is impossible, then this course of mine is not to be hindered ; it is not right to lay hold of one who would escape * from a house that is on fire. Or ‘ lover of religion.' * Read nij'^ikramishutn. BOOK V, 31-45. 55

³⁶‘As separation is inevitable to the world, but not for Dharma’, this separation is preferable ; will not death sever me helplessly, my objects unattained and myself unsatisfied.^’

³⁷The monarch, having heard this resolve of his son longing for liberation, and havingagain exclaimed, ‘He shall not go,’ set guards round him and the highest pleasures.

³⁸Then having been duly instructed* by the counsellors, with all respect and affection, according to the jfistras, and being thus forbidden with tears by his father, the prince, §orrowing, entered into his palace.

³⁹There he was gazed at by his wives with rest- less eyes, whose faces were kissed by their dangling earrings, and whose bosoms were shaken with their thick-coming sighs, — as by so many young fawns.

⁴⁰Bright like a golden rnguntain, and bewitching the hearts of the nobl(‘ women, he enraptured their ears, limbs, dyes, and souls by his speech, touch, form, and qualities.

⁴¹When the day was gone, then, shining with his form like the sun, he ascended the palace, as the rising sun ascends Mount Meru, desiring to dispel the darkness by his own splendotir.

⁴²Having ascended, he repaired to a special, golden seat decorated with embellishments of dia- mond, with tall lighted candlesticks ablaze with gold, and its interior filled with the incense of black aloe-wood.

⁴³Then the noblest of women waited during the ‘ This accompanies the soul at death; cf. Manu VIII, 17. * Does this allude to Udiyin? or should we translate it ‘being shown the way ?’ 56 THE BUDDHA-JTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. night on the noblest of men who was like Indra him- self, with a concert of musical instruments, as the crowds of heavenly nymphs wait on the son of the Lord of wealth ^ upon the summit of Himavat, white like the moon.

⁴⁴But even by those beautiful instruments like heavenly music he was not moved to pleasure or de- light ; since his desire to go "forth from his home to seek the bliss of the highest end was never lulled.

⁴⁵Then by the power of the heavenly beings most excellent in self-mortification, the Akanish/^^as, who knew the purpose of his heart, deep sleep was suddenly thrown on that company of women and their limbs and gestures became distorted

⁴⁶One was lying there, resting her cheek on her trembling arm ; leaving as in anger her lute, though dearly loved, which lay on her side, decorated with gold-leaf.

⁴⁷Another shone with her flute clinging to her hand, lying with her white garments fallen from her bosom, — like a river whose banks are smiling with the foam of the water and whose lotuses are covered with a straight line of bees

⁴⁸Another was sleeping*, embracing her drum as a lover, with her two arms tender like the shoot of a young lotus and bearing their bracelets closely linked, blazing with gold.

⁴⁹Others, decked with new golden ornaments ’ Sc. Kuvera. I follow ProfessorMaxMUller’s suggested reading himava^^^irastva for the MS. himavadgirisira. * With this description of the sleeping women compare that in the Rdmdyawa, V, 10. ’ The bees represent the flute held in the lotus-like hand. * I would read tathdpard. BOOK V, 46-59. 57 and wearing peerless yellow garments, fell down alas * helpless with sleep, like the boughs of the Kari- kdra broken by an elephant.

⁵⁰Another, leaning on the side of a window, with her willow-form bent like a bow, shone as she lay with her beautiful necklace hanging down, like a statue * in an archway made by art.

⁵¹The lotus-face of another, bowed down, with the pinguent-lines on her person rubbed by the jewelled earrings, appeared to be a lotus with its stalk bent into a half-circle, and shaken by a duck standing on it*.

⁵²Others, lying as they sat, with their limbs oppressed by the weight of their bosoms, shone in their beauty, mutually clasping one another with their twinii^ arms decorated with golden bracelets.'

⁵³And another damsel lay sound asleep, embrac- ing her big lute as if it werp a female friend, and rolled it about, while its *golden strings trembled, with her own fhcc bright with her shaken earrings.

⁵⁴Another lay, with her tabour, . . .

⁵⁵Others showtd no lustre with their eyes shut, although they were really full-eyed and fair-browed, — like the lotus-beds with their buds closed at the setting of the sun.

⁵⁶Another, with her hair loose and dishevelled, and her skirts and ornaments fallen from her loins, lay with her necklace in confusion, like a woman crushed by an elephant and then dropped.

⁵⁷Others, helpless and lost to shame, though * •S'&labhanik& ? * This is a hard verse, hut the woman’s face above the bent body seems to be compared to the duck standing on the flower and bending its stalk. 58 THE BUDDIIA-EARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. naturally self-possessed and endued with all graces of person, breathed violently as they lay and yawned with their arms distorted and tossed about. 6 0. Others, with their ornaments and garlands thrown off, — unconscious, with their garments spread out unfastened, — their bright eyes wide open and motionless, — lay without any beauty as if they were dead. • 6 1. Another, with fully-developed limbs, her mouth wide open, her saliva dropping, and her person ex- posed, lay as though sprawling in intoxication, — she spoke not, but bore every limb distorted.

⁵⁸Thus that company of women, lying in differ- ent attitudes, according to their disposition and family, bore the aspect of a lake whose lotuses were bent down and broken by the wind.

⁵⁹Then having seen these young women thus lying distorted and \vith uncontrolled gestures, — however excellent their 'forms and graceful their appearance, — the king’s son felt movfed with scorn.

⁶⁰‘ Such is the nature of women, impure and monstrous in the world of living beings; but deceived by dress and ornaments a man becomes infatuated by a woman’s attractions.

⁶¹‘ If a man would but consider the natural state of women and this change produced in them by sleep, assuredly he would not cherish his folly ; but he is smitten from a right will and so succumbs to passion.’

⁶²Thus to him having recognised that difference there arose a desire to escape in the night ; and then the gods, knowing his purpose, caused the door of the palace to fly open.

⁶³Then he went down from the roof of the BOOK V, 60-74, 59 palace, scorning those women who lay thus distorted; and having descended, undauntedly he went out first into the courtyard . Having awakened his horse’s attendant, the swift A'iawdaka, he thus addressed him : ‘Bring me quickly my horse Kawthaka ^ I wish to-day to go hence to attain immortality.

⁶⁴‘ Since such is the firm content which to-day is produced in my heart, and since my determination is settled in calm resolve, and since even in loneliness I seem to possess a guide, — verily the end which I desire is now before me. .

⁶⁵‘ Since abapdoning all shame and modesty these women lay before me as they did, and the two doors opened of their own accord, verily the time is come to depart for tny true health.’

⁶⁶Then, accepting his lord’s command, though he knew the purport of the* king’s injunctions, as being urged b]^ a higher power in his mind, he set himself to bring the horse.

⁶⁷Then he brought out for his master that noble steed, his mouth furnished with a golden bit, his back lightly touched by the bed on which he had been lying, and endued with strenjgth, vigour, speed, and swiftness ® ;

⁶⁸With a long chine, and root of the tail and heel, — gentle, with short hair, back, and ears, — with his back, belly, and sides depressed and elevated, — with broad nostrils, forehead, hips, and breast *.

⁶⁹The broad-chested hero,having embraced him, ' Cf. MaMbh. II, 32. ® Spelt in the MSS. sometimes Kaw/^aka, but not always clear. * Read ^avatvaropapannam for MS. ^avatvale-. * Cf. the description in Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis. 6 o THE BUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASTVAGHOSHA. and caressing him with his lotus-like hand, ordered him with a gentle-toned voice, as if he were desirous to plunge into the middle of an army :

⁷⁰‘ Oftentimes have evil enemies been over- thrown by the king when mounted on thee; do thou, O best of steeds, so exert thyself that I too may obtain the highest immortality

⁷¹‘ Companions are easy to be found in battle or in the happiness obtained by winning worldly objects or in attaining wealth ; but companions are hard for a man to find who has fallen into mis- fortune or when he flics fof refuge to Dharma.

⁷²‘ And yet all those who in this world are com- panions, whether in sinful custom or in seeking for Dharma, — as my inner soul now recognises, — they too are verily sharers in the common aiip.

⁷³‘ Since then, when I attain this righteous end, my escape from hence will be for the good of the world, — O best of 'steeds, by thy speed and energy, strive for thine own good and the good of the world.’

⁷⁴Thus having exhorted thfe best of steeds like a friend to his duty, he, the best of men, longing to go to the forest, wearing a noble form, in brightness like fire®, mounte'd the white horse as the sun an autumnal cloud.

⁷⁵Then that good steed, avoiding all noises which would sound startling in the dead of night and awaken the household,— all sound of his jaws hushed and his neighing silenced, — went forth, planting his hurrying steps at full speed.

⁷⁶With their lotus-like hands, whose fore-arms ’ Yath4vat=yathS. * Asitagati seems here used like kri‘shagati, ‘fire.’ BOOK V, 75-87. 6r were adorned with golden bracelets, the Yakshas, with their bodies bent down, threw lotuses and bore up his hoofs as he rushed in startled haste.

⁷⁷The city-roads which were closed with heavy gates and bars, and which could be with difficulty opened ^ even by elephants, flew open of their own accord without noise, as the prince went through.

⁷⁸Firm in his resoWe and leaving behind with- out hesitation his father who turned ever towards him and his young son, his affectionate people and his unparalleled magnificence, he then went forth out of his father’s city.

⁷⁹Then he with his ryes long and like a full- blown lotus, looking back on the city, uttered a sound like a lion, ‘ Till I have seen the further shore of birthand death I wifl never again enter the city called after Kapila.’

⁸⁰Having heard this his utterance, the troops of the court of the Lord uf wealth® rejoiced; and the hosts of the gdds, triumphing, wished him a success- ful accomplishment of his purpose.

⁸¹Other heavenly beings with forms bright like fire, knowing that his purpose was hard to fulfil, pro- duced a light on his dewy path like the rays of the moon issuing from the rift of a clbud.

⁸²But he with his horse like the horse of Indra, . the lord of bay horses, hurrying on as if spurred in his mind, went over the leagues full of many con- flicting emotions*, — the sky all the while with its cloud-masses checkered with the light of the dawn. ’ ApSdhriyantc MSS., but I read apavri-. * Abhimukham. * Sc. the Yakshas. * Or perhaps ‘ six leagues.'

¹Then when the sun, the eye of the world, was just risen, he, the noblest of pien, beheld the hermit- age of the son of Bhy%u,

²Its deer all asleep in quiet trust, its birds tran- quilly resting, — seeing it he too became restful, and he felt as if his end was attained.

³For the sake of endinjg his wonder and to show reverence for the penances observed, and as express- ing his own conformity therewith he alighted from the back of his horse.

⁴Having alighted, he stroked the hoi'se, exclaim- ing, ‘ All is saved,’ and he spoke well-pleased to KiximdaksL, bedewing him as it were with tears from his eyes : •

⁵‘ Good friend, thy devotion to me and thy courage of soul have been proved by thy thus following this steed whose speed is like that of Tirkshya

⁶‘ Bent even though I am on other business, I am , wholly won in heart by thee, — one who has such a love for his master, and at the same time is able to carry out his wish.

⁷‘ One can be able without affection, and affec- tionate though unable; but one like thee, at once affectionate and able, is hard to find in the world. ’ Svdm ^dnuvartit&m rakshan. [The Tibetan has the obscure rah-gi rjes su bsrun*va la=sva+anu+rakshan ? H. W.] * An old nfythic representation of the sun as a horse. BOOK VI, I-I. 63

⁸‘ I am pleased with this noble action of thine : this feeling is seen towards me, even though I am regardless of conferring rewards.

⁹‘ Who would not be favourably disposed to one who stands to him as bringing him reward ? but even one’s own people commonly become mere strangers in a reverse of fortune ^

¹⁰‘The son is martitaincd for the sake of the family, the father is honoured for the sake of our own (future) support ; the world shows kindness for the sake of hope ; there is no such a thing as un- selfishness without a motive, 1 1. ‘ Why speak many wrrds ? in short, thou hast done me a very great kindness ; take now my horse and return, I have attanied the desired wood.’

¹¹Thus having spoken, the mighty hero in his desire to show perfect gentleness® unloosed his ornaments and gave them tp the other, who was deeply grieved. •

¹²Having* taken a brilliant jewel whose effect illumined his diadem, he stood, uttering these words, like the mbuntain Mawdara with the sun resting on it :

¹³‘By thee with this jewel, O /f> 5 a#«da, having offered him repeated obeisance, *the king, with his loving confidence still un-shaken, must be enjoined • to stay his grief.

¹⁴“‘I have entered the ascetic-wood to destroy old age and death, — with no thirst for heaven, with no lack of love nor feeling of anger. ’ Gantbhavati may be a quaint expression for paraano bhavati, — this seems the meaning of the Tibetan. Or we might rcadanyo bhavati. * Anrramsa (for finriraOTsya), see PSmni V, f, igogata. 64 THE BUDDHA-^ARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. 1 6. Do not think of mourning for me who am thus gone forth from my home ; union, however long it may last, in time will come to an end.

¹⁵Since separation is certain, therefore is my mind fixed on liberation ; how shall there not be repeated severings from one’s kindred ?

¹⁶Do not think of mourning for me who am gone forth to leave sorrow behind ; it is the thralls of passion, who are attached to desires, the causes of sorrow, for whom thou shouldst mourn.

¹⁷‘ “ This was the firm persuasion of our prede- cessors, — I as one departing by a common road am not to be mourned for by my heir.

¹⁸‘ “ At a man’s death there are doubtless heirs to his wealth ; but heirs to his merit are hard to find on the earth or exist not at all. • *

¹⁹Even though thou sayest, ‘ He is gone at a wrong time to the wqod,’ — there is no wrong time for religious duty (dhai*ma), life being fragile as it is.

²⁰Therefore my determination is, ‘ I must seek my supreme good this very day ;’ what confidence can there be in life, when death stands as our adversary ? ”

²¹‘ Do thou address the king, O friend, with ' these and such-like words ; and do thou use thy efforts so that he may not even remember me.

²²‘Yea, do thou repeat to the king our utter unworthiness ; through unworthiness affection is lost, — and where affection is lost, there is no sorrow.’

²³Having heard these words, KfiAmda., over- whelmed with gief, made reply with folded hands, his voice choked by tears :

²⁴‘ Afthis state of mind of thine, causing afflic- BOOK VI, 16-35. 65 tion to thy kindred, my mind, O my lord, sinks down like an elephant in the mud of a river.

²⁵‘ To whom would not such a determination as this of thine cause tears, even if his heart were of iron, — how much more if it were throbbing with love ?

²⁶‘ Where ' is this delicacy of limb, fit to lie only in a palace, — and where *is the ground of the ascetic- forest, covered with the shoots of rough kiwa grass ?

²⁷‘When, on hearing thy resolve, I first brought thee this horse, — it was fate only, O my lord, which made me do it, masteringmy will.

²⁸‘But how could I, O king, by mine own will, — knowing this thy decision, — carry back the horse to the sorrow of Kapilavastu ?

²⁹‘Surely thou wilt not abandon, O hero, that fond old king, so devoted to his son, as a heretic might the true religion ?

³⁰‘ And her, thy secontL mother, worn with the care of bringing thee up, — thou wilt not surely forget her, as an ingrate a benefit ?

³¹‘ Thou wilt rfot surely abandon thy queen, endowed with all virtues, illustrious for her family, devoted to her husband and with a young son, as a coward the royal dignity within his reach ?

³²‘ Thou wilt not abandon the young son of Yaiodhard, worthy of all praise, thou the best of the cherishers of religion and fame, as a dissolute spend- thrift his choicest glory ?

³³‘Or even if thy mind be resolved to abandon thy kindred and thy kingdom, thou wilt not, O master, abandon me, — thy feet are my only refuge. ' A common expression (which occurs also in Pcisian poetry) to imply the incompatibility of two things. [ 4 *] P 66 THE BUDDHA-EARITA OF A5VACHOSHA.

³⁴‘ I cannot go to the city with my soul thus burning, leaving thee behind in the forest as Sumitra^ left the son of Raghu.

³⁵‘ What will the king say to me, returning to the city without thee ? or what shall I say to thy queens by way of telling them good news ?

³⁶‘ As for what thou saidst, “ thou must repeat my unworthiness to the king” — how shall I speak what is false of thee as of a sage without a fault ?

³⁷‘ Or even if I ventured to speak it with a heart ashamed and a tongue cleaving to my mouth, who would think of believing it ?

³⁸‘He who would tell of or believe the fierce- ness of the moon, might tell of or believe thy faults, O physician of faults.

³⁹‘Him who is always compassionate and who never fails to feel pity, it ill befits to abandon one who loves ; — turn back and have mercy on me.’

⁴⁰Having heard thdse words of A'-^awda over- come with sorrow, — self-possessed with the utmost firmness the best of speakers answered :

⁴¹‘ Abandon this distress, 'ATawda, regarding thy separation from me, — change is inevitable in corporeal beings who are subject to different births.

⁴²‘ Even if I 'through affection were not to aban- don my kindred in my desire for liberation, death would still make us helplessly abandon one another.

⁴³‘ She, my mother, by whom I was borne in the womb with great thirst and pains, — where am I now with regard to her, all her efforts fruitless, and where is she with regard to me ?

⁴⁴‘ As birds go to their roosting-tree and then * This is the Sumantra of the Rimyana II, 57. BOOK VI, 36-55- 67 depart, so the meeting of beings inevitably ends in separation.

⁴⁵*As clouds, having come together, depart asunder again, such I consider the meeting and parting of living things.

⁴⁶‘ And since this world goes away, each one of us deceiving the other, — it is not right to think any- thing thine own in a* time of union which is a dream.

⁴⁷‘ Since the trees are parted from the innate colour of their leaves, why should there not still more be the parting of twp things which are alien to each other ?

⁴⁸‘ Therefore, since it is so, grieve not, my good friend, but go ; or if thy love lingers, then go and afterwards r.eturn.

⁴⁹‘ Say, without reproaching us, to the people in Kapilavastu, “ Let your love for him be given up, and hear his resolve.

⁵⁰“‘Either he will quickly come back, having destroyed old age and death ; or else he will himself perish, having failed* in his purpose and lost hold of every support.’”

⁵¹Having heard his words, Ka»/thaka,the noblest of steeds, licked his feet with his tongue and dropped hot tears.

⁵²With his hand whose fingers were united with a membrane and which was marked with the auspi- cious svastika, and with its middle part curved ‘, the prince stroked him and addressed him like a friend ;

⁵³‘Shed not tears, Kawthaka, this thy perfect * Professor Kielhom suggests fekra-madhyena, ‘ with a wheel in its centre,’ cf. VIII, 55. 68 THE BUDDHA-XARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. equine nature has been proved, — bear with it, this thy labour will soon have its fruit.*

⁵⁴Then seizing the sharp jewelled sword which was in ^^a»«daka’s hand, he resolutely drew out from the sheath the blade decked with golden orna- ments, like a serpent from its hole.

⁵⁵Having drawn it forth, dark blue like a blue lotus petal, he cut his decdrated tiara and his hair, and he tossed it with its scattered muslin into the air as a grey goose into a lake.

⁵⁶And the heavenly beings, with a longing to worship it, seized it respectfully as it was thrown up ; and the divine hosts paid it due adoration in heaven with celestial honours.

⁵⁷Having thus divorced his ornaments and banished all royal magnificence from lys head, and seeing his muslin floating away like a golden goose, the stedfast prince desired a sylvan dress.

⁵⁸Then a celestial being, wearing the form of a hunter, pure in heart, knowing his thoughts, ap- proached near him in dark-red garments ; and the son of the JSakya king thus addressed him :

⁵⁹‘ Thy red garments are auspicious, the sign of a saint ; but this destructive bow is not befitting ; therefore, my good friend, if there is no strong pre- ference in the matter, do thou give me that dress and take this of mine.’

⁶⁰The hunter replied, ‘ It has given me my desire ’, O giver of desires, as by this I have inspired * I have taken drat as Horn a + rd, but Professor Kielhorn suggests that it might mean ‘near.’ ‘Although in this dress I make the deer come confidently close to me and then kill them, yet take it if you want it.’ [The Tibetan seems to have read kdmasdrdt, — ^^dod-pa sHin-po las, ‘from essence of desire.’ H.W.] BOOK VI, 56-68. 69 animals with confidence and then killed them ; but if thou hast need of it, O thou who art like Indra, accept it at once and give me the white dress.’

⁶¹With extreme joy he then took that sylvan dress and gave away the linen one ; and the hunter, assuming his heavenly form, having taken the white garment, went to heaven.

⁶²Then the prince* and the attendant of the horse were filled with wonder as he was thus going, and forthwith they paid great honour anew to that sylvan dress.

⁶³Then the great-souled one, having dismissed the weeping A"^awda, and v\rearing his fame veiled by the sign of thfi red garment, went towards the hermitage, like the king of mountains wrapped in an evening cloud.

⁶⁴Vhile his master, tlius regardless of his kingdom, was going to the ascetic-wood in mean garments, the groom, tossing up his arms, wailed bitterly and feH on the ground.

⁶⁵Having looked again he wept aloud, and embraced the horso» Kamthska with his arms ; and then, hopeless and repeatedly lamenting, he went in body to the city, not in soul.

⁶⁶Sometimes he pondered, sometimes he la- mented, sometimes he stumbled, and sometimes he fell ; and so going along, wretched through his de- voted attachment, he performed all kinds of actions in the road without conscious will.

¹Then having left the weeping tear-faced A'^awda, — indifferent to alh things in his longing for the forest, he by whom all objects are accomplished, overpowering the place by his beauty, entered that hermitage as if it were fully blessed.

²He the prince with a. gait like the lion’s, having entered that arena of deer, himself like a deer, — by the beauty of his person, even though bereft of his magnificence, attracted the eyes of all the dwellers in the hermitage.

³The drivers of wheeled carriages also, with their wives, stood stilbin curiosity, holding the yokes in their hands, — they gazed on him who was like Indra, and moved not, standing like their beasts of burden with their heads half bent down.

⁴And the Brdhmans who Had gone outside for the sake of fuel, having come with their hands full of fuel, flowers, and kuj'a grass, — pre-eminent as they were in penances, and proficients in wisdom, went to see him, and went not to their cells.

⁵Delighted the peacocks uttered their cries, as if they had seen a dark-blue cloud rising up ; and leaving the young grass and coming forward, the deer with restless eyes and the ascetics who grazed like deer ^ stood still. ‘ A form of ascetic observance, see Mah 4 bh. I, 3644; V, 4072. Cf. infra, rloka 15. BOOK VII, 1-13. 71

⁶Beholding him, the lamp of the race of Iksh- vdku, shining like the rising sun, — even though their milking was over, being filled with joy, the oblation-giving cows poured forth their milk.

⁷‘ It is one of the eight Vasus or one of the two Alvins, descended here,’ — these words arose, uttered aloud by the sages in their astonishment at seeing him. •

⁸Like a second form of the lord of the gods\ like the personified glory of the universe, he lighted up the entire wood like the sun come down of his own accord.

⁹Then he, being duly honoured and invited to enter by those dwellers in the hermitage, paid his homage to the saint'^, with a voice like a cloud in the rain^ season

¹⁰He, the wise one, longing for liberation, tra- versed that hermitage filled with the holy company desirous of heaven, — ga ting at their strange penances.

¹¹He, the* gentle one, having seen the different kinds of penance practised by the ascetics in that sacred grove, — desiring to know the truth, thus ad- dressed one of the ascetics who was following him :

¹²‘Since this to-day is my first sight of a hermitage I do not understand tins rule of penance ; therefore will your honour kindly explain to me^ what resolve possesses each one of you.’

¹³Then the Brahman well- versed in penance told in order to that bull of the Jdkyas, a very bull in prowess, all the various kinds of penance and the fruit thereof. * Lekharshabha is a rare name of Inclra. * A conjectural reading. THE BUDDHA-EARITA OF AVAGIIOSHA, 72

¹⁴‘ Uncultivated food, growing out of the water, leaves, water, and roots and fruits, — this is the fare of the saints according to the sacred texts ; but the different alternatives of penance vary. 1 5. ‘ Some live like the birds on gleaned corn, others graze on grass like the deer, others live on air with the snakes, as if turned into ant-hills

¹⁵‘ Others win their nourishment with great effort from stones, others eat corn ground with their own teeth ; some, having boiled for others, dress for themselves what may chance to be left. 1 7. ‘ Others, with their tufts of matted hair con- tinually wet with water, twice offer oblations to Agni with hymns; others plunging like fishes into the water dwell there with their bodies scratched by tortoises, ^ •

¹⁶‘By such penances endured for a time, — by the higher they attain heaven, by the lower the world of men ; by the path of pain they eventually dwell in happiness, — pain, they say, 'is the root of merit,’

¹⁷The king’s son, having heard this speech of the ascetic, even though he saw no lofty truth in it was not content, but gently uttered these thoughts to himself : ‘

¹⁸‘ The penance is full of pain and of many kind.s, and the fruit of the penance is mainly heaven at its best, and all the worlds are subject to change ; verily the labour of the hermitages is spent for but little gain. ’ Cf. the legend of the princess Sukanyi, given in Wilson’s note, Hindu Drama, I, p. 263. * Cf. Beal, 517 (or perhaps ‘though he had not himself yet attained the highest truth ’). BOOK VII, 14-27. 73

¹⁹‘ Those who abandoning wealth, kindred, and worldly objects, undertake vows for the sake of heaven, — they, when parted, only wish to go to a still greater wood of their own again >.

²⁰‘ He who by all these bodily toils which are called penances, seeks a sphere of action for the sake of desire, — not examining the inherent evils of mun- dane existence, he only seeks pain by pain.

²¹‘ There is ever to living creatures fear from death, and they with all their efforts seek to be born again ; where there is action, there must in- evitably be death, — he is always drowned therein, just because he is afraid.

²²‘ Some undergo misery for the sake of this world, others meet toil for the sake of heaven ; all living Ijeings, wretched through hope and always missing their aim, fall certainly for the .sake of happiness into misery. ,

²³‘ It is not the effort itself which I blame, — which flinging ’aside the base pursues a high path of its own ; but the wise, by all this common toil, ought to attain thsft state in which nothing needs ever to be done again.

²⁴‘ If the mortification of the body here is religion, then the body’s happiness is only irreligion ; but by religion a man obtains happiness in the next « world, therefore religion here bears irreligion as its fruit.

²⁵‘Since it is only by the mind’s authority that the body either acts or ceases to act, therefore to control the thought is alone befitting, — without the thought, the body is like a log. Their desired heaven will only be a fresh penanbe-grove. 74 the BUDDIIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA.

²⁶‘If merit is gained by purity of food, then there is merit also in the deer; and in those men also who live as outcasts from all enjoyments, through being estranged from them by the fault of their destiny.

²⁷‘If the deliberate choice of pain is a cause of merit, why should not that same choice be directed to pleasure ? If you say that the choice of pleasure carries no authority, is not the choice of pain equalh without authority ?

²⁸‘ So too those who for the sake of purifying their actions, earnestly sprinkle water on themselves, saying, “ this is a sacred spot,” — even there this satisfaction resides only in the heart, — for waters will not cleanse away sin.

²⁹‘The water which has been touche 4 by the virtuous, — that is the spot, if you wish for a sacred spot on the earth; tl\erefore I count as a place of pilgrimage only the virtues of a virtuous man ’, — water without doubt is only water.’ '

³⁰Thus he uttered his discourse full of various arguments, and the sun went down into the west ; then he entered the grove where penances had now ceased and whose trees were gray with the smoke of the (evening) oblations ;

³¹Where the sacred fires had been duly trans- ferred when kindled to other spots, — all crowded with the holy hermits who had performed their ablutions, and with the shrines of the gods murmur- ing with the muttered prayers, — it seemed all alive like the full service of religion in exercise.

³²He spent several nights there, himself like Guffdn eva? BOOK VII, 28-42. 75 the moon, examining their penances ; and he de- parted from that penance-field, feeling that he had comprehended the whole nature of penance.

³³The dwellers of the hermitage followed him with their minds fixed on the greatness of soul visible in his person, as if they were great seers beholding Religion herself, withdrawn from a land invaded by the base. •

³⁴Then he looked on all those ascetics with their matted hair, bark garments, and rag-strips waving, and he stood considering their penances under, an auspicious and noble tree by the way-side.

³⁵Then the hermits having approached stood surrounding the best of men ; and an old man from among them thus addressed him res]3ectfully in a gentle voice :

³⁶‘ At thy coming the hermitage seems to have become full, it becomes .-.s it Ayere empty when thou art gone, — therefore, my son, thou wilt not surely desert it, as the loved life the body of one who wishes to live.

³⁷‘ In front staftds the holy mountain I limavat, inhabited by Brahmarshis, rifarshis, and surarshis ; by whose mere presence the merit of these penances becomes multiplied to the ascetics!

³⁸‘ Near us also are holy spots of pilgrimage, ■ which become ladders to heaven ; loved by divine sages and saints whose souls are intent on devotion and who keep their souls in perfect control.

³⁹‘ From hence, again, the Northern quarter is especially to be . fitly followed for the sake of pre- eminent merit; even one who was wise starting towards the south could not advance one single step.

⁴⁰‘ Hast thou seen in this sacred grove one who 76 THE nUDDHA-JTARlTA OF ASVAGHOSHA. - ' • neglects all ceremonies or who follows confused ceremonies or an outcast or one impure, that thou dost not desire to dwell here ? Speak it out, and let the abode be welcomed.

⁴¹‘ These hermits here desire thee as their companion in penance, thee who art like a store- house of penance, — to dwell with thee who art like Indra would bring prosperity even to Vrfhaspati.’

⁴²H e, the chief of the wise, when thus addressed in the midst of the ascetics by their chief — having resolved in his mind to put an end to all existence — thus uttered his inward thought :

⁴³‘ The upright-souled saints, the upholders of religion, become the very ideal of our own kindred through their delight in showing hospitality ; by all these kind feelings of thine towards me affection is produced in me and the path which regards the self as supreme^ is revealed.

⁴⁴‘ I seem to be alV at once bathed by these gentle heart-touching words of thinfe, and the joy now throbs in me once more which I felt when I first grasped the idea of dharm®.

⁴⁵‘ There is sorrow to me when I reflect that 1 shall have to depart, leaving you who are thus engaged, you whcT are such a refuge and who have shown such excessive kindness to me, — just as there was when I had to leave my kindred behind.

⁴⁶‘ But this devotion of yours is for the sake of heaven, — while my desire, is that there may be no fresh birth ; therefore I wish not to dwell in this wood ; the nature of cessation is different from that of activity.

⁴⁷‘ It is not therefore any dislike on my part or ’ Obscure, cf. Mahabh.V, 1593. BOOK VII, 43-56. 77 the wrong conduct of another, which makes me go away from this wood ; for ye are all like great sages, standing fast in the religious duties which are in accordance with former ages,’

⁴⁸Then having heard the prince’s discourse, gracious and of deep meaning, gentle, strong, and full of dignity, the ascetics paid him especial honour.

⁴⁹But a certain Br&hman who was lying there in the ashes, tall and wearing his hair in a tuft, and clothed in the bark of trees, with reddish eyes and a thin long nose, and carrying a pot with water ^ in his hand, thus lifted his voice ; «

⁵⁰‘ O sage, brave indc ’d is thy purpose, who, young as thou art, hast seen the evils of birth; he who, having pondered thoroughly heaven and liberation, makes up his mind fo- liberation, — he is indeed brave !

⁵¹‘ By all those various sacrifices, penances, and vows the slaves of passion desire to go to heaven; but the strong' having battled with passion as with an enemy, desire to obtain liberation,

⁵²‘ If this is thy settled purpose, go quickly to Vindhyakoshja ; the Muni Ar 4 ^/a lives there who has gained an insight into absolute bliss.

⁵³‘ From him thou wilt hcar'the path to truth, and if thou hast a desire for it, thou wilt embrace it ; but as I foresee, this purpose of thine will go on further, after having rejected his theory.

⁵⁴‘ With the nose of a well-fed horse, large long eyes, a red lower lip, white sharp teeth, and a thin red tongue, — this face of thine will drink up the entire ocean of what is to be known. ' Conjectural. Dr. von Bohtlingk suggests kuwrfa.vahasto, ‘ the back of whose hand was like a kuffi</a.’ 78 THE BUDDHA-^ARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁵⁵‘That unfathomed depth which characterises thee, that majesty and all those signs of thine, — they shall win a teacher’s chair in the earth which was never won by sages even in a former age.’

⁵⁶The prince replied, ‘ Very well,’ and having saluted the company of sages he departed; the hermits also having duly performed to him all the rites of courtesy entered again into the ascetic- grove.

¹Meanwhile the attendant of the horse, in deep distress, when his unselfish master thus went into the forest, made every effort in the road to dis- solve ^ his load of sorrow, and yet in spite of it all not a tear dropped from him.

²But the road which by his lord's command he had traversed in 9ne night with that horse, — that same road he now travelled in eight days, pondering his lord's absence.

³And tbc horse Ka;/^thaka, though he still went on bravely, flagged and had lost all spirit in his heart ; and decked though he was with ornaments, he had lost all his beauty when bereft of his master.

⁴And turning round towards that ascetic-grove, he neighed repeatecfly with a mournful sound ; and though pressed with hunger, he welcomed not nor tasted any grass or water on the road, as before

⁵Slowly they two at last came back to the city called after Kapila, which seemed empty * when deserted by that hero who was bent on the ^ V igraha seems here used in an unusual sense. Cf. Tennyson’s * Home they brought her warrior dead, &c.' ® I read nabhinananda, supposing na to have been written on the margin and inserted in the wrong place, otherwise abhis must be used for abhi. [This is confirmed by the Tibetan, which translates abhinananda by mnon-par ma dga, where mnon'par is the usual translation of the preposition abhi. ILW.J 8 o THE BUDDHA-JrARITA OF AiVAGHOSHA. salvation of the world, — like the sky bereft of the sun.

⁶Bright as it was with lotus-covered waters, adorned also with trees full of flowers, that garden of his, which was now like a forest, was no longer gay with citizens who had lost all their gladness.

⁷Then those two, — who w'ere as it were silently forbidden by the sad inhabitants who were wander- ing in that direction, their brightness gone and their eyes dim with tears, — slowly entered the city which seemed all bathed in gloom.

⁸Having heard that they had returned with their limbs all relaxed, coming back without the pride of the ^^akya race, the men of the city shed tears in the road, as when in old days the chariot of the son of Daaratha came back. • •

⁹Full of wrath, the people followed A'^awdaka in the road, crying behind him with tears, ‘ Where is the king’s son, the gloiy of his race and kingdom? he has been stolen away by thee.’

¹⁰Then he said to those faithful ones, ‘ I have not left the king’s son; but by him in the unin- habited forest I weeping and the dress of a house- holder were abandoned together.’

¹¹Having heard these words of his those crowds adopted a most difficult resolve ; they did not wipe away the tears which fell from their eyes, and they blamed their own (evil) hearts on account of the consequences of their actions ; 1 2. Then they said, ‘ Lei us go this very day into that forest, whither he is gone, whose gait is like the king of elephants; without him we have no wish to live, like the senses when the souls depart. * BOOK VIII, 6-20. 8l '13.* This city bereft of him is a forest, and that forest which possesses him is a city ; the city with- out him has no charms for us, like heaven without the lord of the Maruts, when Vrtra was slain

¹²Next the women crowded to the rows of windows, crying to one another, ‘ The prince has returned ; ’ but having heard that his horse had an empty back, they closed the windows again and wailed aloud.

¹³But the king, having undertaken religious observances for the recovery of his son, with his mind distressed by the vow and the sorrow, was muttering prayers in the temple, and performing such rites as suited the occasion.

¹⁴Then with his eyes filled with tears, — taking the horse, his whole soul fixed on the horse, — over- come with grief he ** cntCLcd the palace as if his master had been killed by an (;ncmy.

¹⁵And entering the royal stable, looking about with his eyes fifll of tears, Ka»^thaka uttered a loud sound, as if he were uttering his woe to the people. 1 8. Then the birds that fed in the middle of the house, and the carefully cherished horses that were tied near by, re-echoed the sound of that horse, thinking that it might be the returh of the prince.

¹⁶And the people, deceived by an excessive joy, who were in the neighbourhood of the king’s inner apartments, thought in their hearts, ‘ Since the horse Ka/«thaka neighs, it must be that the prince is coming.’

¹⁷Then the women, who were fainting with ’ Quoted by U,{',fvaladatta, on Uddi-sfltras I, 156. * Sc. A'iiandaka. [4»] G 82 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. sorrow, now in wild joy, with their eyes rolling to see the prince, rushed out of the palace full of hope, like flickering lightnings from an autumn cloud.

¹⁸With their dress • hanging down, and their linen garments soiled, their faces untouched by collyrium and with eyes dimmed by tears; dark and discoloured and destitute of all painting*, like the stars in the sky, pale.red with the ending of night ; 2 2. With their feet unstained by red, and un- decked by anklets, — their faces without earrings, and their ears in their native simplicity, — their loins with only nature’s fulness, and uncircled by any girdle, — and their bosoms* bare of strings of pearls as if they had been robbed,

¹⁹But when they saw A'/iandaka standing help- less, his eyes filled with tears, and tlte horse, the noble women wept with pale faces, like cows aban- doned by the bull in the midst of the forest.

²⁰Then the king’s principal ejueen Gautami, like a fond cow that has lost her calf, fell bursting into tears on the ground witli outstretched arms, like a golden plantain-tree with trembling leaves.

²¹Some of the other women, bereft of their brightness and ^vith arms and souls lifeless, and seeming to have lost their senses in their despon- dency, raised no cry, shed no tear, and breathed not, standing ‘senseless as if painted*.

²²Others as having lost all self-control, fainting in their sorrow for their lord, their faces pouring tears from their eyes, watered their bosoms from ’ Is awanaya used here irregularly in the fetn. to distinguish it from arg'ana, ‘ the pinguent?’ * Conjectural. BOOK VIII, 21-32, 83 which all sandal-wood was banished, like a mountain the rocks with its streams.

²³Then that royal palace was illumined with their faces pelted by the tears from their eyes, as a lake in the time of the first rains with its dripping lotuses pelted by the rain from the clouds.

²⁴The noble women beat their breasts with their lotus-like hands, failing incessantly, whose fin- gers were round and plump, which had their arteries hidden and bore no ornaments, — as creepers tossed by the wind strike themselves with their shoots.

²⁵And again how those women shone forth, as their bosoms rose up together after the blow from the hand, and treml>led with the shock, — like the streams, when their pairs of ruddy geese shake, as the lotuses or which they sit wave about with the wind from the wood

²⁶As they pressed their, breasts with their hands, so too they pressed their hands with their breasts, — dull fo all feelings of pity, they made their hands and bosoms inflict mutual pains on each other. •

²⁷Then thus spoke YaJodharA, shedding tears with deep* sorrow, her bosom heaving with her sighs, her eyes discoloured with' anger, and her voice choking with emotion through the influence of despondency :

²⁸‘Leaving me helplessly asleep in the night, whither, O AVawdaka, is he, the desire of my heart, * This is an obscure verse, — yathdpi is not clear; I have taken yathd as a ‘how’ of admiration. The latter lines seem to compare the hand swaying with the motion of the bosom to the bird seated on the tossed lotus. ‘ Is vigidha for ag&dha, or should we read vigiltfa? G 2 84 the BUDDHA-iTARITA OF A 5 VAGHOSHA. gone? and when thou and Ka»/thaka are alone come back, while three went away together, my mind trembles.

²⁹‘Why dost thou weep to-day, O cruel one, having done a dishonourable, pitiless, and unfriendly deed to me ? Cease thy tears and be content in thy heart, — tears and that deed of thine ill agree.

³⁰‘Through thee, his dear obedient faithful loyal companion, always doing what was right, the son of my lord is gone never to return, — rejoice, — all hail ! thy pains have gained their end.

³¹‘ Better for a marina wise enemy rather than a foolish friend unskilled in emergencies ; by thee, the unwise self-styled friend, a *great calamity has been brought upon this family.

³²‘ These women are sorely to be pitied who have put away their ornaments, having their eyes red and dimmed witj^ continuous tears, who are as it were desolate widows, though their lord still stands as unshaken as the earth or Mount Himavat.

³³‘And these lines of palaces seem to weep aloud, flinging up their doveccrtis for arms, with the long unbroken moan of their doves, — separated verily, with him, from all who could restrain them.

³⁴‘ Even thrft horse Kawthaka without doubt desired my utter ruin ; for he bore away from hence my treasure when all were sound asleep in the night, — like one who steals jewels.

³⁵‘ When he was able to bear even the onsets of arrows, and still more the strokes of whips, — how then for fear of the fall of a w’hip, could he go carry- ing with him my prosperity and my heart together ?

³⁶‘ The base creature now neighs loudly, filling the king’s palace with the sound ; but when he BOOK VIII, 33-48. 85 carried away my beloved, then this vilest of horses was dumb.

³⁷‘ If he had neighed and so woke up the people, or had even made a noise with his hoofs on the ground, or had made the loudest sound he could with his jaws, my grief would not have been so great.’

³⁸Having thus heard the queen’s words, their syllables choked with tedrs and full of lament, slowly A'^awdaka uttered this answer, with his face bent down, his voice low with tears, and his hands clasped in supplication :

³⁹‘ Surely, O queen, thou wilt not blame Ka;«- thaka nor wilt thou show thy anger against me, — know that we two are entirely guiltless, — that god amongst men, O queen, is gone away like a god.

⁴⁰‘ I, indeed, though I well knew the king’s com- mand, as though dragged by force by some divine powers, brought quickly to him this swift steed, and followed him on the road unwearied.

⁴¹‘ And this best of horses as he went along touched not the ground with the tips of his hoofs as if they were kept al6ft from it ; and so too, having his mouth restrained as by fate, he made no sound with his jaws and neighed not.

⁴²‘ When the prince w'ent out, *then the gate was thrown open of its own accord ; and the darkness of the night was, as it were, pierced by the sun, — we may learn from hence too that this was the ordering of fate.

⁴³‘ When also by the king’s command, in palace and city, diligent guards had been placed by thou- sands, and at that time they were all overcome by sleep and woke not, — we may learn from hence too that this was the ordering of fate.

⁴⁴‘When also the garment, approved for a 86 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. hermit’s dwelling in the forest, was offered to him at the moment by some denizen of heaven, and the tiara which he threw into the sky was carried off, — we may learn from hence too that this was the ordering of fate.

⁴⁵‘ Do not therefore assume^ that his departure arises from the fault of either of us, O queen ; neither I nor this horse acted by our own choice ; he went on his way with the gods as his retinue.’

⁴⁶Having thus heard the history of the prince’s departure, so marvellous in many ways, those women, as though losing their grief, were filled with wonder, but they again took up their distress at the thought of his becoming an ascetic.

⁴⁷With her eyes filled with the tears of despon- dency, wretched like an osprey who has Jost her young, — Gautamf abandoning all self-control wailed aloud, — she fainted, and with a weeping face ex- claimed :

⁴⁸‘ Beautiful, soft, black, and all in great waves, growing each from its own special root, — those hairs of his are tossed on the grourtd, worthy to be en- circled by a royal diadem.

⁴⁹‘With his long arms and lion-gait, his bull- like eye, and his “beauty bright like gold, his broad • chest, and his voice deep as a drum or a cloud, — should such a hero as this dwell in a hermitage ? 54 * ‘ This earth is indeed unworthy as regards that peerless doer of noble actions, for such a vir- tuous hero has gone away from her, — it is the merits and virtues of the subjects which produce their king.

⁵⁰‘ Those two feet of his, tender, with their ' Shotild we read pratipattum for pratiganfum? BOOK VIII, 49-62. 87 beautiful web spread between the toes, with their ankles concealed, and soft like a blue lotus, — how can they, bearing a wheel marked in the middle, walk on the hard ground of the skirts of the forest ?

⁵¹‘ That body, which deserves to sit or lie on the roof of a palace, — honoured with costly garments, aloes, and sandal-wood, — how will that manly body live in the woods, exposed to the attacks of the cold, the heat, and the rain

⁵²‘ He who was proud of his family, goodness, strength, energy, sacred learning, beauty, and youth, — who was ever ready to give, not to ask, — how will he go about begging alms from others ?

⁵³‘ He who, lymg on a spotless golden bed, was awakened during the night by the concert of musical instruments, — how alas! will he, my ascetic, sleep to-day on the bare ground with only one rag of cloth interposed ? ’ ,

⁵⁴Having heard this piteous lamentation, the women, embracing one another with their arms, rained the tears from their eyes, as the shaken creepers drop honey •from their flowers,

⁵⁵Then Yajodhari fell upon the ground, like the ruddy goose parted from her mate, and in utter bewilderment she slowly lamented, with her voice repeatedly stopped by sobs :

⁵⁶‘If he wishes to practise a religious life after abandoning me his lawful wife widowed, — where is his religion, who wishes to follow penance without his lawful wife to share it with him ?

⁵⁷‘He surely has never heard of the monarchs of olden times, his own ancestors, MahAsudara ' and ' Mahdsudassana is the name of a king; in Grdtakit I, 95. 88 THE BUDDIIA-E'ARITA OF AJVAGHOSHA. the rest, — ^how they went with their wives into the forest, — that he thus wishes to follow a religious life without me.

⁵⁸" ‘ He does not see that husband and wife are both consecrated in sacrifices, and both purified by the performance of the rites of the Veda, and both destined to enjoy ‘ the same results afterwards, — he therefore grudges me a shai« in his merit.

⁵⁹‘ Surely it must be that this fond lover of religion, knowing that my mind was secretly quar- relling even with my beloved, lightly and without fear has deserted me thus angry, in the hope to obtain heavenly nymphs in Indra’s world !

⁶⁰‘ But what kind of a thouglit is this of mine ? those women even there have the attributes which belong to bodies, — for whose sake he thus practises austerities in the forest, deserting his royal magnifi- cence and my fond devotion.

⁶¹‘ I have no such longing for the joy of heaven, nor is that hard for even common peoflle to win if they are resolute - ; but my one desire is .how he my beloved may never leave me either in this w'orld or the next. 6 7. ‘ Even if I am unworthy to look on my husband’s face with its long eyes and bright smile, still is this poor Rdhula never to roll about in his father’s lap ?

⁶²‘ Alas ! the mind of that wise hero is terribly stern, — gentle as his beauty seems, it is pitilessly cruel, — who can desert of' his own accord such an infant son with his inarticulate talk, one who would charm even an enemy.

⁶³‘ My heart too is certainly most stern, yea, ' I read bubhukshA for bubhukshu^. * Ai, I think, should properly follow ^anasya. HOOK VIII, 63-75. 89 made of rock or fashioned even of iron, which does not break when its lord is gone to the forest, de- serted by his royal glory like an* orphan, — he so well worthy of happiness.’

⁶⁴So the queen, fainting in her woe, wept and pondered and wailed aloud repeatedly, — self-pos- sessed as she was by nature, yet in her distress she remembered not her fortitude and felt no shame.

⁶⁵Seeing Yaodhard thus bewildered with her wild utterances of grief and fallen on the ground, all the women cried out with their faces streaming with tears like large lotusgs beaten by the rain.

⁶⁶But the kin^, having ended his prayers, and performed the auspicious rites of the sacrifice, now came out of the temple ; and being smitten by the wailing .sound of the people, he tottered like an elephant at the crash of a thunderbolt.

⁶⁷Having heard (of ihe arrival) of both Klv&nt- daka and Ka;«thaka, and having learned the fixed resolve of his son, the Ion! of the earth fell struck down by sorrow like the banner of Indra when the festival is over •

⁶⁸Then the king, distracted by his grief for his son, being held up for a moment by his attendants all of the same race, gazed on the horse with his eyes filled with tears, and then falling on the ground wailed aloud :

⁶⁹‘ After having done many dear exploits for me in battle, one great deed of cruelty, O Karthaka, hast thou done, — for by thee that dear son of mine, dear for his every virtue, has been tossed down in the wood, dear as he was, like a worthless thing. > Cf. I, 63- 90 THE BUDDHA-^ARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁷⁰‘ Therefore either lead me to-day where he is, or go quickly and bring him back again ; without him there is no life Ibft to me, as to one plunged in sickness without the true medicine,

⁷¹‘ When SuvarwanishMlvin was carried away by death, it seemed impossible that Srmya ’ should not die; and shall I, when my duty-loving son is gone, fear to set my soul free, like any coward ?

⁷²‘ How should not the mind of Manu himself be distracted, when parted from his dear virtuous son *, — (Manu) the son of Vivasvat, who knew the higher and the lower, the mighty lord of creatures, the institutor of the ten chieftains

⁷³‘ I envy the monarch, that friend of Indra, the wise son of king Aa ^ who, when his son went into the forest, went himself to heaven, and dragged out no miserable life here with vain tears,

⁷⁴‘ Describe to me, O beloved one, the court of that hermitage, whither thou hast carried him who is as my funeral oblation of water ; these my vital airs are all ready to depart, and are eager for it, longing to drink it,’ *

⁷⁵Thus the king, in his grief for his separation from his son, — losing all his innate firmness which was stedfast like the earth, — loudly lamented as one ‘distraught, like Dai'aratha, a prey to his sorrow for Rdma, See Mahabh, XII, 31. T he MSS. read Sawya for Sr/'OTya, * Does this refer to his losing his son Sudyumna, who was changed to a woman, Vishu Pui. IV, i ? ’ DaraksKatrakrt t is an obscure phrase ; [the Tibetan renders it by rgyal-rigs bcu byas, ‘ king-race ten made,*’ rgyal-rigs is the ordinary translation of kshatriya, II. W,] * Dararathh. BOOK VIII, 76-87. 91

⁷⁶Then the wise counsellor, endued with religious learning, courtesy, and virtue, and the old family priest, spoke to him as was befitting in these well- weighed words, neither with their faces overwhelmed by grief nor yet wholly uninoved :

⁷⁷‘ Cease, O noblest of men, thy grief, regain thy firmness, — surely thou wilt not, O firm hero, shed tears like one of no self-control ; many kings on this earth have gone into the forests, throwing away their royal pomp like a crushed wreath.

⁷⁸‘ Moreover, this his state of mind was all pre- determined ; remember those words long ago of the holy sage Asita; “ He will never be made to dwell even for a moment contentedly in heaven or in an emperor’s domain.”

⁷⁹‘ But if, O best of men, the effort must be made, quickly speak the word, we two will at once go together; let the batth. be. waged in every way with thy son and his fate whatever it be.’

⁸⁰Then the king commanded them both, ‘ Do you both go quickly hence, — my heart will not return to quiet, any ftiore than a bird’s in the woods longing for its young.’

⁸¹With a prompt acquiescence at the king’s order the counsellor and the family priest went to that forest ; and then with his wives and his queen the king also, saying, ‘ It is done,’ performed the remainder of the rites.

¹Then the two, the counsellor and the family priest, beaten by the king with his scourge of tears, went with every effort to that forest in the hurry of affection, like two noble horses goaded.

²Having come at last full of weariness to that hermitage, accompanied by a fitting train, — they dis- missed their royal pomp and with sober gestures entered the abode of Bhdrgava.

³Having saluted that Brahman with due respect, and having been honoured by him with due rever- ence in return, having seated themselves, plunging at once into the subject, they addressed Bhdrgava, who was likewise seated, concerning their errand.

⁴‘ Let your honour know us to be respectively imperfect proficients in preserving the sacred learning and in retaining the state-counsdls, — in the service of the monarch of the Ikshvdku race, pure in his valour and pure and wide in his glory.

⁵‘ His son, wKo is like CTayanta, while he himself is like Indra, has come here, it is said, desirous to escape from the fear of old age and death, — know that we two are come here on account of him.’

⁶He answered them, ‘That prince of the long arms did indeed come here, but not as one un- awakened ; “this dharma only brings us back again,” — recognising this, he went off forthwith towards Ardafa, seeking liberation.’

⁷Thelt they two, having understood the true BOOK IX, I -1 4. 93 state of things, bade that Br&hman at once farewell, and wearied though they were, went on as if they were unwearied, thither whither the prince was gone.

⁸As they were going, they saw him bereft of all ornaments but still radiant with his beauty, sitting like a king in the road at the foot of a tree, like the sun under the canopy of a cloud.

⁹Leaving his chariot, the family priest then went up to the prince with the counsellor, as the saint Aurvaeya - went with Vdmadeva, wishing to see Rdma when he dwelt in the forest.

¹⁰They paid him honour as was fitting, as K 9 ukra and Awgiras honoured Indra in heaven ; and he in return paid due honour to them, as Indra in heaven to .Sukra and Awgiras,

¹¹Then they, having obtained his permission, sat down near him who was the banner of the .^S’akya race; and they shone in his pro'-imity like the two stars of the asterism Punarvasu in conjunction with the moon.

¹²The family priest addressed the prince who shone brightly as he sat at the foot of the tree, as Vibaspati addressed Indra’s .son Crayanta, seated in heaven under the heavenly tree pdridta :

¹³‘ O prince, consider for a moment what the king with his eyes raining tears Said to thee, as he lay fainting on the ground with the arrow of thy * sorrow plunged into his heart.

¹⁴‘“I know that thy resolve is fixed upon reli- gion, and I am convinced that this purpose of thine is unchanging ® ; but I am consumed with a flame of ‘ Is sriayi for srad ? * Agastya, the son of Urvari. Vdmadeva was Dararatha’s counsellor. ’ Conjectural. [The Tibetan reads the second line, khyod-kyi 94 THE BUDDHA-jrARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. anguish like fire at thy flying to the woods at an in- opportune time.

¹⁵Come, thou who lovest duty, for the sake of what is my heart’s desire, — abandon this purpose for the sake of duty; this huge swollen stream of sorrow sweeps me away as a river’s torrent its bank.

¹⁶That effect ^ which is wrought in the clouds, water, the dry grass, and the mountains by the wind, the sun, the fire, and the thunderbolt, — that same effect this grief produces in us by its tearing in pieces, its drying up, its burning, and its cleaving.

¹⁷Enjoy therefore for a while the sovereignty of the earth, — thou shalt go to tlie forest at the time provided by the ^dstras, — do not show disregard for thy unhappy kindred, — compassion for all creatures is the true religion.

¹⁸‘“Religion is jiot wrought out only in the forests, the salvation of ascetics can be accomplished even in a city ; thought and effort are the true means ; the forest and the badge are only a coward’s signs. •

¹⁹Liberation has been attained even by house- holders, Indras among men, who wore diadems, and carried strings of pearls suspended on their shoulders, whose garlands were entangled with bracelets, and who lay cradled in the lap of Fortune.

²⁰‘ “ Bali and Vaabdhu, the two younger brothers of Dhruva, VaibhrAfa, Ashdfja, and Awti- (,byuh-var ^^gyur-var clon-ni fes-pao, ‘I know thy purpose which is about to arise (or which has arisen) in thy mind.' Can they have read bhavinam or bhdvitam ? H.W.] * I read VrrttiA. BOOK IX, 15-26. 95 deva and (kanaka also, the king of the Videhas, and king Senat’s son, his tree of ripe blessing * ;

²¹Know that all these great kings who were householders were well skilled in attaining the merit which leads to final bliss, — do thou also therefore obtain both® simultaneously — royal magnificence and the control over the mind.

²²‘“I desire, — when I have once closely em- braced thee after thy kingly consecration is once performed, and while thou art still wet with the sacred water, — when I behold thee with the pomp of the royal umbrella, — in the fulness of that joy to enter the forest.”

²³‘ Thus did the king say to thee in a speech whose words were stopped by Lears, — surely having heard it, for the sake of what is so dear to him, thou wilt with air affection follow his affection.

²⁴‘ The king of the .Sakyas is drowned in a deep sea of sorrow, full of waves of trouble, springing from thee; do ‘thou therefore deliver him helpless and protectorless like an ox drowning in the sea.

²⁵‘ Having heard that Bhtshma who sprang from Ganga’s womb, Rama, and Rama the son of Bhrgu, — all did what would please their fathers; — surely thou too wilt do thy father’s desiret

²⁶‘ Consider also the queen, who brought thee ’ Cf. I, ; IX, 60. ® My reading pSkadrumam is conjectural, Paradrumau as two old kings would be a possible reading. Senagit's son is praised for his philosophical depth in Mahabh. XII, 6524, &c.; he is there called Medhavin. [The Tibetan has brtan-pai (dhruva) nu VO, ‘the firm one’s younger brother (?); ’ it also has ^ro dan Ijoiv fin-can for pakadruma, ‘having a tree of — ?’ It takes sena^^n- tar/'a ra^«aA as acc. plural. H.W.] ’ Ubhepi, although with pragrhya e. 96 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. up, who has not yet gone to the region inhabited by Agastya* — wilt thou not take some heed of her, who ceaselessly grieves like a fond cow that has lost her calf ?

²⁷' Surely thou wilt succour thy wife by the sight of thee, who now mourns widowed yet with her lord still alive, — like a swan separated from her mate or a female elephant deserted in the forest by her companion.

²⁸‘ Thy only son, a child little deserving such woe, distressed with sorrow, and ® . — O deliver Rdhula from the grief of his kindred like the full moon from the contact of Rhu !

²⁹‘ Burned with the fire of Anguish within him, to which thy absence adds fresh fuel, — a fire whose smoke is sighs and its flame despair, — he wanders for a sight of thee through the womens apartments and the whole city.’ ^ ^

³⁰The Bodhisattva, — whose perfection was ab- solute, — having heard the words of the family priest, reflected for a moment, knowing all the virtues of the virtuous, and then thus uttered his gentle reply ;

³¹‘I well know the paternal tenderness ® of the king, especially that which he has displayed towards me ; yet knowing this as I do, still alarmed at sick- ness, old age, and death, I am inevitably forced to leave my kindred.

³²‘ Who would not wish to see his dear kindred, if but this separation from beloved ones did not exist ? but since even after It has been once, separa- * The south, — the region of the god of death. * Five syllables are here lost, — apakvasattvam ? ^ Should we read tanayaprasaktam? BOOK IX, 27-38. 97 tion will still come again, it is for this that I abandon my father, however loving.

³³‘ I do not however approve that thou shouldst consider the king’s grief as caused by me, when in the midst of his dream-like unions he is afflicted by thoughts of separations in the future.

³⁴‘ Thus let thy thoughts settle into certainty, having seen the multiform in its various develop- ments ; neither a son nor kindred is the cause of sorrow, — this sorrow is only caused by ignorance.

³⁵‘ Since parting is inevitably fixed in the course of time for all beings, just as for travellers who have joined company on a rpad, — what wise man would cherish sorrow, when he loses his kindred, even though he loves them ^ ? 36- ‘ Leaving his kindred in another world, he departs hither ; and having stolen away '■* from them here, he goes forth once mor i having gone thither, go thou elsewhere also,”— such is the lot of man- kind, — what consideration can the yogin have for them ® ?

³⁶‘ Since from thb moment of leaving the womb death is a characteristic adjunct *, why, in thy affec- tion for thy son, hast thou called my departure to the forest ill-timed ?

³⁷‘There may be an “ill time” in one’s attain- ing a worldly object, — time indeed is described as * Some letters are here lost in the original. * Pralabhya, cf. Horace, ‘vivens moriensque fefellit.’ [The Tibetan has rab-tu bslas*nas, * having deceived.’ H.W.] * The Tibetan has for the fourth line de-ltar (evaw) ^dor-ldan skyeda rjeS'Su rten mam ci, ‘thus what kind of reliance is there on man who is of a leaving disposition?’ Should we read in the original ityevaw ^ane tydgini ko*nurodhaA ? * Can anubadhdya be wrongly used for anubandlidya? [42] 11 98 THE BUDDHA-JfARlTA OF A5VAGHOSHA. inseparably connected with all things * ; time drags the world into all its various times ; but all time suits a bliss which is really worthy of praise

³⁸‘ That the king should wish to surrender to me his kingdom, — this is a noble thought, well worthy of a father; but it would be as improper for me to accept it, as for a sick man through greed to accept unwholesome food.

³⁹‘ How can it be right for the wise man to enter royalty, the home of illusion, where are found anxiety, passion, and weariness, and the violation of all right through another’s service ?

⁴⁰‘ The golden palace seems to me to be on fire ; the daintiest viands seem mixed with poison ; infested with crocodiles® [is the tranquil lotus-bed].’ • •••••••»

⁴¹Having heard the king’s son uttering this discourse, well suitable to his virtues and knowledge of the soul, freed from all desires, full of sound reasons, and weighty, — the counsellor thus made answer ;

⁴²‘ This resolve of thine is'an excellent counsel, not unfit in itself but only unfit at the present time ; it could not be thy duty, loving duty as thou dost, to leave thy father in his old age to sorrow.

⁴³‘ Surely thy mind is not very penetrating, or it is ill-skilled in examining duty, wealth, and pleasure*, — when for the sake of an unseen result thou departest disregarding a visible end. ■ Cf. Pa«. Ill, 3, 44. ” I.e. mukti can never be ill-timed. But this is an obscure rloka. • The remainder of the prince's speech is lost. By Beal’s translation from the Chinese, iiileen verses are wanting. * The three well-known ‘secular' ends of human action. BOOK IX, 39-52. 99

⁴⁴‘Again, some say that there is another birth, — others with confident assertion say that there is not : since then the matter is all in doubt, it is right to enjoy the good fortune which comes into thy hand.

⁴⁵‘ If there is any activity hereafter, we will enjoy ourselves in it as may offer ; or if there is no activity beyond this life, then there is an assured liberation to all the worW without any effort.

⁴⁶‘ Some say there is a future life, but they do not allow the possibility of liberation ; as fire is hot by nature and water liquid, so they hold that there is a special nature in our power of action

⁴⁷‘ Some maintain that all things arise from inherent properties, — both good and evil and exist- ence and non-existence ; and since all this world thus arises spontaneously, therefore also all effort of ours is vain.

⁴⁸‘ Since the action of the senses is fixed, and so too the agreeableness or the disagreeablencss of outward objects, — then for that which is united to old age and pains, what effort can avail to alter it ? Does it not all hrise spontaneously ?

⁴⁹‘ The fire becomes quenched by water, and fire causes water to evaporate ; and different elements, united in a body, producing unity, bear up the world.

⁵⁰‘That the nature of the embryo in the womb is produced as composed of hands, feet, belly, back, and head, and that it is also united with the soul, — the wise declare that all this comes of itself sponta- neously.

⁵¹‘Who causes the sharpness of the thorn? or ‘ I.e. it cannot be abolished, t II 2 * I read gamayanti. lOO THE HUDDIIA-ATARITA OF A<SVAGHOSliA. the various natures of beasts and birds ? All this has arisen spontaneously ; there is no acting from desire, how then can there be such a thing as will ?

⁵²‘ Others say that creation comes from 1 j’vara, — what need then is there of the effort of the conscious soul ‘ ? That which is the cause of the action of the world, is also determined as the cause of its ceasing to act.

⁵³‘ Some say that the coming into being and the destruction of being are alike caused by the soul ; but they say that coming into being arises without effort, while the attainment of liberation is by effort.

⁵⁴‘A man discharges his debt to his ancestors by begetting offspring, to the saints by sacred lore, to the gods by sacrifices ; he is born with these three debts upon him, — whoever has liberation (from these,) he indeed has liberation.

⁵⁵‘ Thus by this series of rules the wise pro- mise liberation to him who uses effort; but however ready for effort with all their energy, those who seek liberation will find weariness.

⁵⁶‘Therefore, gentle youth, if thou hast a love for liberation, follow rightly the prescribed rule ; thus wilt thou thyself attain to it, and the king’s grief will come to an end.

⁵⁷‘ And as for thy meditations on the evils of life ending in thy return from the forest to thy home, — let not the thought of this trouble thee, my son, — those in old time also have returned from the forests to their houses.

⁵⁸‘ The king Awbarlsha though he had Purusha. I’rob.'ibly the son of Nabh%a. BOOK IX, 53-64. 101 dwelt in the forest, went back to the city, sur- rounded by his children ; so too R&ma, seeing the earth oppressed by the base, came forth from his hermitage and ruled it again.

⁵⁹‘ So too Drumdksha, the king of the vSdlvas, came to his city from the forest with his son ; and Sdwkmi Awtideva after he had become a Brah- marshi, received his ro*yal dignity from the saint VadshMa.

⁶⁰‘Such men as these, illustrious in glory and virtue, left the forests and came back to their houses ; therefore it is no sin to return from a her- mitage to one’s ho]ne, if it l.'e only for the sake of duty.’

⁶¹Then having heard the affectionate and loyal words of the minister, who was as the eye of the king, — firm in his resolve, the king’s son made his answer, with nothing omitted or displaced neither tedious,** nor hasty :

⁶²‘ This doubt whether anything exists or not, is not to be solved for me by another’s words ; having determined tlie truth by asceticism or quiet- ism, I will myself grasp whatever is ascertained concerning it.

⁶³‘ It is not for me to accep’t a theory which depends on the unknown and is all controverted, * and which involves a hundred prepossessions ; what ' This might mean Amlideva (cf. I, 57, IX, 20) the son of Sawkriti, but in Mahdbh. XII, 1013 we have Rawtideva the son of Samkrtti; cf. Burnous on Rudiaka and Udraka, Introduction, p. 386. [The Tibetan takes sSwkrrti as sbyin-sreg-dah-bcas, ‘together with burnt offering.' H.W.] Would this imply an old reading sdhuti?— For Awtideva’s connection with VarisliMa see Mahdbh. XII, 8591. * I read avyastam. ’ Or ‘ prejudiced ? ' 102 THE nUDDIIA-A-ARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. wise man would go by another’s belief? Man- kind are like the blind directed in the darkness by the blind.

⁶⁴‘ But even though I cannot discern the truth, yet still, if good and evil are doubted, let one’s mind be set on the good; even a toil’ in vain is to be chosen by him whose soul is good, while the man of base soul has no joy even in the truth.

⁶⁵‘ But having seen that this “ sacred tradition ” is uncertain, know that that only is right which has been uttered by the trustworthy ; and know that trustworthiness means the absence of faults ; he who is without faults will, not utter an un- truth.

⁶⁶‘And as for what thou saidst to me in regard to my returning to my home, by alleging RSma and others as examples, they are no authority, — for in determining duty, how canst thou quote as autho- rities those who have broken their vows ?

⁶⁷‘ Even the sun, therefore, may fall to the earth, even the mountain Himavat may lose its firmness ; but never would I return to my home as a man of the world, with no knowledge of the truth and my senses only alert for external objects.

⁶⁸‘ I would enter the blazing fire, but not my house with my purpose unfulfilled.’ Thus he proudly made his resolve, and rising up in ac- cordance with it, full of disinterestedness, went his way.

⁶⁹Then the minister and the BrAhman, both full of tears, having heard his firm determination, and having followed him awhile with despondent MSS. khedo. BOOK IX, 65-72. 105 looks, and overcome with sorrow, slowly returned of necessity to the city.

⁷⁰Through their love for the prince and their devotion to the king, they returned, and often stopped looking back * ; they coidd neither behold him on the road nor yet lose the sight of him, — shining in his own splendour and beyond the reach of all others, like the suh.

⁷¹Having placed faithful emissaries in disguise to find out the actions of him who was the supreme refuge of all, they went on with faltering steps, saying to each other, ‘ How shall we approach the king and see him, who is longing for his dear son ?’ ’ Another reading gives ‘full of reproach.'

¹The prince, he of thq broad and lusty chest, having thus dismissed the minister and the priest, crossed the Ganges with its speeding waves and went to RSgr?ha with its beautiful palaces.

²He reached the city distinguished by the five hills, well guarded and adorned with mountains, and supported and hallowed by auspicious sacred places ^ — like Brahman * in a holy calm going to the upper- most heaven.

³Having heard of his majesty and strength, and his splendid beauty, surpassing all other men, the people of that region ‘were all astonished as at him who has a bull for his sign and is immovable in his vow

⁴On seeing him, he who was going elsewhere stood still, and he who was standing there followed him in the way ; he who was walking gently and gravely ran quickly, and he who was sitting at once sprang up.

⁵Some people reverenced him with their hands, others in worship saluted him with their heads, some addressed him with affectionate words, — not one went on without paying him homage.

⁶Those who were wearing gay-coloured dresses were ashamed when they saw him, those who were talking on random subjects fell to silence on the ’ Taptoda is the name of a tfrtha in Magadha. * Svayambhh. * 5iva. BOOK X, 1 - 12 . 105 road ; no one indulged in an improper thought, as at the presence of Religion herself embodied.

⁷In the men and the women on the highway, even though they were intent on other business, that conduct alone with the profoundest reverence seemed proper which is enjoined by the rules of royal homage; but his eyes never looked upon them.

⁸His brows, his forehead, his mouth, or his eyes, — his body, his hands, his feet, or his git, — whatever part of him any one beheld, that at once riveted his eyes.

⁹Having beheld him witii the beautiful circle of hair between his brows* and with long eyes, with his radiant body and his hands showing a graceful membrane between the fingers, — so worthy of ruling the earth and yet wearing a mendicant’s dress, — the Goddess of R^''agrdia was lleself perturbed.

¹⁰Then ^’cewya^, the lord of the court of the Magadhas, beheld from the outside of his palace the immense concourse j>f people, and asked the reason of it ; and thus did a man recount it to him :

¹¹‘He who was thus foretold by the Br&hmans, “ he will either attain supreme wisdom or the empire of the earth,” — it is he, the son of the king of the 6'ikyas, who is the ascetic w'hom the people are gazing at’

¹²The king, having heard this and perceived its meaning with his mind, thus at once spoke to that man : ‘ Let it be known whither he is going ; ’ and the man, receiving the command, followed the prince. > So the Tibetan. The Sanskrit text seems comrpt here. Cf. I, 65 c. * A name of Bimbisdra, see Burnous, Introd. p. 165. I06 THE BUDDlIA-iTARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA.

¹³With unrestless eyes, seeing only a yoke’s length before him \ with his voice hushed, and his walk slow and measured, he, the noblest of mendi- cants, went begging alms, keeping his limbs and his wandering thoughts under control.

¹⁴Having received such alms as were offered, he retired to a lonely cascade of the mountain; and having eaten it there in the fitting manner, he ascended the mountain PSwava®. 1 5. In that wood, thickly filled with lodhra trees, having its thickets resonant with the notes of the peacocks, he the sun of mankind shone, wearing his red dress, like the morning sua above the eastern mountain.

¹⁵That royal attendant, having thus watched him there, related it all to the king 6Veya ; and the king, when he heard it, in his deep veneration, started himself to go thither with a modest retinue.

¹⁶He who was like the Pawiavas in heroism, and like a mountain in stature, ascended P&mdsLva, that noblest of mountains, — a crown-wearer, of lion-like gait, a lion among men, as a maned lion ascends a mountain.

¹⁷There he beheld the Bodhisattva, resplendent as he sat on his hams, with subdued senses, as if the mountain were moving ® and he himself were a peak thereof, — like the moon rising from the top of a cloud.

¹⁸Him, distinguished by his beauty of form and perfect tranquillity as the very creation of Religion ' Hardy explains this ‘ he does not look before him further than the distance of a plough or nine spans ’ (Manual of Buddhism, P-371)- ’ Cf. LaKtavistara. ’ I.e. as if he, not the mountain, were entitled to the name aala. nooK X, 13-26. 107 herself, — filled with astonishment and affectionate regard the king of men approached, as Indra the self-existent (Brahman).

¹⁹He, the chief of the courteous, having courteously drawn nigh to him, inquired as to the equilibrium of his bodily humours ; and the other with equal gentleness assured the king of his health of mind and freedom from all ailments.

²⁰Then the king sat down on the clean surface of the rock, dark blue like an elephant’s ear ; and being seated’, with the other’s assent, he thus spoke, desiring to know his state of mind ;

²¹‘I have a strong frieiidship with thy family, come down by inheritance and well proved ; since from this a desire to speak to thee, my son, has arisen in me, therefore listen to my words of affection.

²²‘ When I consider thy widespread race, beginning with, the sun, diy fresh youth, and thy conspicuous beauty, — whence comes this resolve of thine so out of all harmony with the rest, set wholly on a mendicant’s life, not on a kingdom ?

²³‘ Thy limbs are worthy of red sandal-wood ‘- perfumes, — they do not deserve the rough contact of red cloth ; this hand is fit to protect subjects, it deserves not to hold food given by another.

²⁴‘ If therefore, gentle youth, through thy love for thy father thou desirest not thy paternal kingdom in thy generosity, — then at any rate thy choice must not be excused, — accepting forthwith one half of my kingdom.

²⁵‘ If thou actest thus there will be no violence ' Nrpopavijya ? with drsha Sandhi.. ^ LohitaX’andana may mean ‘saffron/ 108 THE BUDDHA-XARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. shown to thine own people, and by the mere lapse of time imperial power at last flies for refuge to the tranquil mind ; therefore be pleased to do me a kindness, — the prosperity of the good becomes very powerful, when aided by the good

²⁶‘ But if from thy pride of race thou dost not now feel confidence in me, then plunge with thy arrows into countless armies, and with me as thy ally seek to conquer thy foes.

²⁷‘ Choose thou therefore one of these ends, pursue according to rule religious merit, wealth, and pleasure ; for these, love and the rest, in reverse order, are the three objects in Jife ; when men die they pass into dissolution as far as regards this world.

²⁸‘ That which is pleasure when it has over- powered wealth and merit, is wealth when it has conquered merit and pleasure; so too it is merit, when pleasure and wealth fall into abeyance ; but all would have to be alike abandoned, if thy desired end were obtained.

²⁹‘ Do thou therefore by pursuing the three objects of life, cause this beauty of thine to bear its fruit ; they say that when the attainment of religion, wealth, and pleasure is complete in all its parts, then the end of man is complete.

³⁰‘Do not thou let these two brawny arms lie useless which are worthy to draw the bow ; they are well fitted like Mindhdtr/’s to conquer the three worlds, much more the earth. ‘ [The Tibetan translates the fourth line, dam*pa'rnams dan bcas*pas dam-pai dpal gphel-lo,‘by being with the good the prosperity of the good increases.' H. W.] * NirvSa. BOOK X, 27-39. 109

³¹‘I speak this to you out of affection, — not through love of dominion or through astonishment ; beholding this mendicant-dress of thine, I am filled with compassion and I shed tears.

³²‘ O thou who desirest the mendicant’s stage of life, enjoy pleasures now ; in due time, O thou lover of religion, thou shalt practise religion ; — ere old age comes on and overcomes this thy beauty, well worthy of thy illustrious race,

³³‘ The old man can obtain merit by religion ; old age is helpless for the enjoyment of pleasures ; therefore they say that pleasures belong to the young man, wealth to the middle-aged, and religion to the old.

³⁴‘Youth in this present world is the enemy of religion and wealth, — since pleasures, however we guard them, are hard to hold, therefore, wherever pleasures are to be found, ilierp they seize them.

³⁵‘Old age is prone to rctlection’, it is grave and intent on remaining <iuiet ; it attains unimpassioned- ness with but little effort, unavoidably, and for very shame. •

³⁶‘ Therefore having passed through the decep- tive period of youth, fickle, intent on external objects, heedless, impatient, not looking at the distance, — they take breath like men vho have escaped safe through a forest.

³⁷‘ Let therefore this fickle time of youth first pass by, reckless and giddy, — our early years are the mark for pleasure, they cannot be kept from the power of the senses.

³⁸‘ Or if religion is really thy one aim, then offer Vimarjayanti? I lO THE BUDDHA-KARITA OK ASVAGHOSllA. sacrifices, — this is ihy family’s immemorial custom, — climbing to highest heaven by sacrifices, even Indra, the lord of the winds, went thus to highest heaven.

³⁹‘ With their arms pressed * by golden brace- lets, and their variegated diadems resplendent with the light of gems, royal sages have reached the same goal by sacrifices which great sages reached by self- mortification.’

⁴⁰Thus spoke the monarch of the Magadhas, who spoke well and strongly like Indra^; but having heard it, the prince did not falter, (firm) like the mountain Kaildsa, having its many summits varie- gated (with lines of metals). * Vidasha; cf. samda.sha in Raghuv. XVJ, 65. * Valabhid, ‘ the smiter of the demon Vala.'

¹Being thus addressed by the monarch of the Magadhas, in a hostile speech with a friendly face, — self-possessed, unchanged, pure by family and per- sonal purity, the son of 6’uddhodana thus made answer :

²‘ This is not to be called a strange thing for thee, born as thou art in the great family whose ensign is the lion *-»-that by thee of pure conduct, O lover of thy friends, this line of conduct should be adopted towards him who stands as one of thy friends.

³‘ Amongst the bad a friendship, worthy of their family, ceases to continue (and fades) like prosperity among the faint-hearted ; it is only the good who keep increasing the old friendship of their ancestors by a new succession qf friendly acts.

⁴‘ But those men who act unchangingly towards their friends in reverses of fortune, I esteem in my heart as true friends ; who is not t|ie friend of the prosperous man in his times of abundance ?

⁵‘So those who, having obtained riches in the world, employ them for the sake of their friends and religion, — their wealth has real solidity, and when it perishes it produces no pain at the end.

⁶‘ This thy determination concerning me, O king, is prompted by pure generosity and friendship*; * So the Tibetan explains harya/«ka, scn*ges mcan-pai. * The Sanskrit of this line is corrupt and does not scan. The I 12 THE BUDDHA-KARITA OF AVAGHOSItA. I will meet thee courteously with simple friendship ; I would not utter aught else in my reply.

⁷‘ I, having experienced the fear of old age and death, fly to this path of religion in my desire for liberation ; leaving behind my dear kindred with tears in their faces, — still more then those pleasures which are the causes of evil.

⁸‘ I am not so afraid .even of serpents nor of thunderbolts falling from heaven, nor of flames blown together by the wind, as I am afraid of these worldly objects.

⁹‘ These transient pleasures, — the robbers of our happiness and our wealth, and which float empty and like illusions through the worfd, — infatuate men’s minds even when they are only hoped for, — still more when they take up their abode in the soul.

¹⁰‘ The victims of pleasure attain not to happi- ness even in the heayen of the gods, still less in the world of mortals; he who is athirst is never satis- fied with pleasures, as the fire, th*e friend of the wind, with fuel.

¹¹‘There is no calamity in the world like plea- sures, — people are devoted to them through delu- sion ; when he once knows the truth and so fears evil, what wise man would of his own choice desire evil ?

¹²‘When they have obtained all the earth girdled by the sea, kings wish to conquer the other side of the great ocean ; mankind are never satiated Tibetan renders it as follows; khyod-kyi (te) hes-pa (vinija- ya.h) gan-zhig bdag-la dmigs pa ^di, ‘whatever a determination of thine imagines of me, to this (answering I would say).' 1 would read vibhavya mam eva. The translation given above is con- jectural. BOOK XI, 7-18. 1 13 with pleasures, as the ocean with the waters that fall into it.

¹³‘When it had rained a golden shower from heaven, and when he had conquered the continents and the four oceans, and had even obtained the half of .Sakra’s throne *, Mdndhdtr/ was still unsatisfied with worldly objects.

¹⁴‘ Though he had enjoyed the kingdom of the gods in heaven, when Indra had concealed himself through fear of V^'ftra, and though in his pride he had made the great .^/shis bear his litter VNahusha fell, unsatisfied with pleasures.

¹⁵‘King (Purfiravas) the =on of \dk, having penetrated into the furthest heaven, and brought the goddess Urvad into his power, — when he wished in his greed to take nway gold from the /?fshis®, — being unsatisfied with pleasures, fell into destruction. .

¹⁶‘ Who would put his trust in these worldly objects, whether in heaven or in earth, unsettled as to lot or family, — which passed from Bali to Indra, and from Indra to NahusHh, and then again from Nahusha back to Indra ? 1 7. ‘ Who would seek these enemies bearing the name of pleasures, by whom even those sages have been overcome, who were devoted to other pursuits, whose only clothes were rags, whose food was roots, fruits, and water, and who wore their twisted locks as long as snakes ?

¹⁷‘ Those pleasures for whose sake even Ugri- yudha*, armed terribly as he was with his weapon, ’ DivySvaddna, pp. 213-224. * Mahibh. V, 532. ’ Mahibh. I, 3147. * See Harivamja, ch. xx. He was armed with a discus. [4a] I 1 14 THE BUDDIIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. found death at Bhishma’s hands, — is not the mere thought of them unlucky and fatal, — still more the thought of the irreligious whose lives are spent in their service ?

¹⁸‘Who that considers the paltry flavour of worldly objects, — the very height of union being only insatiety, — the blame of the virtuous, and the certain sin, — has ever drawn near this poison which is called pleasure ?

¹⁹‘ When they hear of the miseries of those who are intent on pleasure and are devoted to worldly pursuits such as agriculture and the rest, and the self-content of those who are careless of pleasure, — it well befits the self-controlled to fling it away

²⁰‘ Success in pleasure is to be considered a misery in the man of pleasure, for he becomes in- toxicated when his desired pleasures are attained ; through intoxication , he does what should not be done, not what should be done ; and being wounded thereby he falls into a miserable end.

²¹‘ These pleasures which are gained and kept by toil, — which after deceiving leave you and return whence they came, — these pleasures which are but borrowed for a time ', what man of self-control, if he is wise, would delight in them ?

²²‘ What man of self-control could find satis- faction in these pleasures which are like a torch of hay, — which excite thirst when you seek them and when you grasp them, and which they who abandon not keep only as misery * ?

²³‘Those men of no self-control who are bitten by ‘ Dharmabhi^. (Cf. V, 5, 6.) * I would read kdmdA. * For yS'Aitaka cf. Pd«. IV, 4, 21. * I would read paripdnti. BOOK XI, 19-30. 115 them in their hearts, fall into ruin and attain not bliss, — what man of self-control could find satisfaction in these pleasures, which are like an angry, cruel serpent?

²⁴‘Even if they enjoy them men are not satis- fied, like dogs famishing with hunger over a bone, — what man of self-control could find satisfaction in these pleasures, which are like a skeleton composed of dry bones } *

²⁵‘ What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in these pleasures which are like flesh that has been flung away, and which produce misery by their being held only in common with kings, thieves, water, and fire * ?

²⁶‘What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in these pleasures, which, like the senses are destructive, and which bring calamity on every hand to those who abide in them, from the side of friends even more than from open enemies ?

²⁷‘ What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in those pleasures, which are like the fruit that grows on the top of a tree, — which those who would leap up to reach fall down upon a mountain or into a forest, waters, or the ocean ?

²⁸‘ What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in those pleasures, which are like snatching up a hot coal, — men never attain happiness, however they pursue them, increase them, or guard them ?

²⁹‘ What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in those pleasures, which are like the enjoyments in a dream, — which are gained by their recipients after manifold pilgrimages and labours, and then perish in a moment ? I.e. any one of these can seize them from us. * Ayatana. Il THE BUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

³⁰‘ What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in those pleasures which are like a spear sword, or club, — for the sake of which the Kurus, the Vrfshwis and the A/«dhakas, the Maithilas and the Ua/«^/akas suffered destruction ?

³¹‘What man of self-control could find satisfac- tion in those pleasures which dissolve friendships and for the sake of which the two Asuras Suwda and Upasuwda perished, victims engaged in mutual enmity ?

³²‘ None, however their intellect is blinded with pleasure, give themselves up, as in compassion, to ravenous beasts*; so what man of self-control could find satisfaction in those pleasures which are disastrous and constant enemies ?

³³‘He whose intellect is blinded with pleasure does pitiable things ; he incurs calamities, such as death, bonds, and the like ; the wretch, who is the miserable slave of hope for the sake of pleasure, well deserves the pain of death even in the world of the living.

³⁴‘Deer are lured to their dcistruction by songs®, in- sects for the sake of the brightness fly into the fire, the fish greedy for the flesh swallows the iron hook, — therefore worldlj^ objects produce misery as their end.

³⁵‘ As for the common opinion, “ pleasures are enjoyments,” none of them when examined are ' The Chinese translation seems to take rfila as a stake for impaling criminals in ver. 864. * The text is corrupt. I would read kravydtsu nStmdnam. The va in line i is for iva, a rare form, but allowed by Sanskrit lexicographers. Perhaps we should translate ^dmindhasam^^a, 'these men who are called “blinded with pleasure.”' * Cf. Ivdambarl (Calc, ed.), p. 27, 1. 6 infra. BOOK XI, 31-43. II worthy of being enjoyed ; fine garments and the rest are only the accessories of things, — they are to be regarded as merely the remedies for pain.

³⁶‘ Water is desired for allaying thirst; food in the same way for removing hunger ; a house for keeping off the wind, the heat of the sun, and the rain ; and dress for keeping off the cold and to cover one’s nakedness. .

³⁷‘ So too a bed is for removing drowsiness ; a carriage for remedying the fatigue of a journey ; a seat for alleviating the pain of standing ; so bathing as a means for washing, health, and strength.

³⁸‘ External objects therefore are to human beings means for remedying pain, not in themselves sources of enjoyment ; what wise man would allow that he enjoys those delights which are only used as remedial ?

³⁹‘ He who, when burned with the heat of bilious fever, maintains that cold appliances are an enjoy- ment, when he is only engaged in alleviating pain, — he indeed might give the name of enjoyment to pleasures. •

⁴⁰‘ Since variableness is found in all pleasures, I cannot apply to them the name of enjoyment ; the very conditions which mark pleasure, bring also in its turn pain. «

⁴¹‘ Heavy garments and fragrant aloe-wood are pleasant in the cold, but an annoyance in the heat ' ; and the moonbeams and sandal- wood are pleasant in the heat, but a pain in the cold.

⁴²‘ Since the well-known opposite pairs®, such ' I have adopted Professor Kielhom's suggested reading sukhiya rite hy asukhdya gharme. * Cf. ij mvTotxia of the Pythagoreans (Arist. Ethics, 4 , 6 ). Il THE BUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. as gain and loss and the rest, are inseparably con- nected with everything in this world, — therefore no man is invariably happy on the earth nor invariably wretched.

⁴³‘ When I see how the nature of pleasure and pain are mixed, I consider royalty and slavery as the same ; a king does not always smile, nor is a slave always in pain. •

⁴⁴‘ Since to be a king involves a wider range of command, therefore the pains of a king are great ; for a king is like a peg — he endures trouble for the sake of the world.

⁴⁵‘ A king is unfortunate, if he places his trust in his royalty which is apt to desert and loves crooked turns * ; and on the other hand, if he does not trust in it, then what can be the happiness of a timid king ?

⁴⁶‘ And since after even conquering the whole earth, one city only can serve as a dwelling-place, and even there only one house can be inhabited, is not royalty mere labour for others ?

⁴⁷‘ And even in royal clothing one pair of gar- ments is all he needs, and just enough food to keep off hunger ; so only one bed, and only one seat ; all a king’s other distinctions are only for pride.

⁴⁸‘ And if all -these fruits are desired for the sake of satisfaction, I can be satisfied without a kingdom ; and if a man is once satisfied in this world, are not all distinctions indistinguishable ?

⁴⁹‘ He then who has attained the auspicious road to happiness is not to be deceived in regard to plea- sures ; remembering thy professed friendship, tell me again and again, do they keep their promise ? ’ Cf. Isaiah xxii. 23, 24 (W). • Professor Kielhorn would read ramkamilre. BOOK XI, 44-58. II

⁵⁰‘I have not repaired to the forest through anger, nor because my diadem has been dashed down by an enemy’s arrows ; nor have I set my desires on loftier objects’, that I thus refuse thy proposal.

⁵¹‘ Only he who, having once let go a malignant incensed serpent, or a blazing hay-torch all on fire, would strive again to ,seize it, would ever seek pleasures again after having once abandoned them.

⁵²‘ Only he who, though seeing, would envy the blind, though free the bound, though wealthy the destitute, though sound in his reason the maniac,— only he, I say, would envy one who is devoted to worldly objects.

⁵³‘ He who lives on alms, my good friend, is not to be pitied, having gained his end and being set on escaping the fear of old age and death ; he has here the best happiness, perfect calm, and hereafter all pains are for him abolished.

⁵⁴‘ But he is to be pitied who is overpowered by thirst though set in the midst of great wealth, — who attains not the happiness of calm here, while pain has to be experienced hereafter.

⁵⁵‘ Thus to speak to me is well worthy of thy character, thy mode of life, and thy family ; and to carry out my resolve is also befitting my character, my mode of life, and my family.

⁵⁶‘I have been wounded by the enjoyment of the world, and I have come out longing to obtain peace ; I would not accept an empire free from all ill even in the third heaven, how much less amongst men ?

⁵⁷‘ But as for what thou saidst to me, O king, that the universal pursuit of the three objects is the ' Sc. as rule in heaven, &c. 120 THE BUDDHA-JTARITA OF A5VAGH0SHA. supreme end of man, — and * thou saidst that what I regard as the desirable is misery, — thy three objects are perishable and also unssttisfying.

⁵⁸' But that world in which there is no old age nor fear, no birth, nor death, nor anxieties *, that alone I consider the highest end of man, where there is no ever-renewed action,

⁵⁹‘ And as for what thou saidst, “ wait till old age comes, for youth is ever subject to change ; ” — this want of decision is itself uncertain ; for age too can be irresolute and youth can be firm.

⁶⁰‘ But since Fate ® is so well skilled in its art as to draw the world in all its various ages into its power, — how shall the wise man, who desires tranquillity, wait for old age, when he knows not when the time of death will be

⁶¹‘ When death stands ready like a hunter, with old age as his weapon, and diseases scattered about as his arrows, smiting down living creatures who fly like deer to the forest of destiny, what desire can there be in any one for length of life ?

⁶²‘It well befits the youthful son or the old man or the child so to act with all promptitude that they may choose the action of the religious man whose soul is all mercy, — nay, better still, his inactivity.

⁶³‘ And as for what thou saidst, " be diligent in sacrifices for religion, such as are worthy of thy race and bring a glorious fruit,” — honour to such sacrifices ! I desire not that fruit which is sought by causing pain to others * ! ‘ I would read anartha ity dttha (for ity artha). * AdhayaA. * Ko, ‘who?’ seems here used for ‘fate.' Professor Kielhorn would read — Yadamtako ^agad vayaAsu sarveshu vaam vikarshati. ‘ Yad ishyate is the true reading. BOOK XI, 59-70. I2I

⁶⁴‘ To kill a helpless victim through a wish for future reward, — it would be an unseemly action for a merciful-hearted good man, even if the reward of the sacrifice were eternal ; but what if, after all, it is subject to decay ?

⁶⁵‘ And even if true religion did not consist in quite another rule of conduct, by self-restraint, moral practice and a total absence of passion, — still it would not be seemly to follow the rule of sacrifice, where the highest reward is described as attained only by slaughter.

⁶⁶‘ Even that happiness which comes to a man, while he stays in this world, through the injury of another, is hateful lo the wise compassionate heart ; how much more if it be something beyond our sight in another life ?

⁶⁷‘ I am not to be lured inu) a course of action for future reward, — my minc^ does not delight, O king, in future births ; these actions are uncertain and wavering in their direction, like plants beaten by the rain from a cloud.

⁶⁸‘ I have come*here with a wish to see next the seer ArAda. who proclaims liberation ; I start this very day, — happiness be to thee, O king ; forgive my words which may seem harsh through their abso- lute freedom from passion ’.

⁶⁹‘ * N ow therefore do thou guard (the world) like Indra in heaven; guard it continually like the sun by thy excellencies; guard its best happiness here ; ' I read ramatattva. * This verse is obscure, — the division of the clauses is uncer- tain, the Chinese translation giving only six; but ava seems to occur eight times. The Tibetan has its equivalent^ sruhs nine times. 122 THE BUDDHA-XARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. guard the earth; guard life by the noble'; guard the sons of the good ; guard thy royal powers, O king ; and guard thine own religion.

⁷⁰‘ As in the midst of a sudden catastrophe aris- ing from the flame of (fire), the enemy of cold, a bird, to deliver its body, betakes itself to the enemy of fire (water), — so do thou, when occasion calls, betake thyself, to deliver thy mind, to those who will destroy the enemies of thy home

⁷¹The king himself, folding his hands, with a sudden longing come upon him, replied, ‘ Thou art obtaining thy desire without hindrance ; when thou hast at last accomplished all that thou hast to do, thou shalt show hereafter thy favour towards me.’

⁷²Having given his firm promise to the mon- arch, he proceeded to the Vaivawtara hermitage; and, after watching him with astonishment, as he wandered on in his cpurse, the king and* his cour- tiers returned to the mountain (of RSagiri). ' So the Tibetan. * This is a very hard verse, but the qjscure Chinese translation helps to explain it, vv. 9 12-915, I read in c, himarijatrum, i.e. water, as the enemy of the enemy of cold (fire). The bird flies to water to stop the effects of fire ; as the king is to destroy his enemies by means oS their enemies, cf. Manu VII, 158. Here, ^ however, it seems to mean also that he is to destroy his passions by their opposites; the home (kshaya) is the summum bonum, nirvawa. — 1 read samplava for sambhava, as the two words are confused in XII, 24 and 28. ® ATa seems used in a very artificial manner with the ellipsis of the substantive which should follow it; cf. Amarakosha III, 4, r, 6 (we might also read prapad).

¹Then the moon of the Ikshvaku race turned towards the hermitage of the sage Ardi ^ of tran- quil life, — as it were, doing honour to it by his beauty.

²He drew near, on being addressed in a loud voice ‘Welcome’ by the kinsman of Kalama, as he saw him from afar. '

³They, having mutually asked after each other’s health as was fitting, sat down in a clean place on two pure wooden scats

⁴The best of ciUges, having seen the prince seated, and as it were drinking in the sight of him with eyes opened wide in reverence, thus addressed him :

⁵T know, gentle, youth, how thou liast come forth from thy home, having severed the bond of affection, as a wild elephant its cord.

⁶‘In every way thy mind is stadfast and wise, who hast come here after abandoning royal luxury like a creeper-plant with poisonous fruit.

⁷‘ It is no marvel that kings have retired to the forest who have grown old in years, having given up their glory to their children, like a garland left behind after being used.

⁸‘But this is to me indeed a marvel that thou art come hither in life’s fresh prime, set in the open field Ara^/a holds an early form of the Sawkhya doctrine. 124 THE BUDDHA-JTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. of the world’s enjoyments, ere thou hast as yet tasted of their happiness.

⁹‘ Verily thou art a worthy vessel to receive this highest religion ; having mastered it with full know- ledge, cross at once over the sea of misery, I o, ‘ Though the doctrine is generally efficient only after a time, when the student has been thoroughly tested, thou art easy for me to examine from thy depth of character and determination.’

¹⁰The prince, having heard these words of Arida, was filled with great pleasure and thus made reply :

¹¹‘This extreme kindliness which thou showest to me, calmly passionless as thou art, makes me, im- perfect as I am, seem even already to have attained perfection. 1 3. ‘ I feel at the sight of thee like one longing to see who finds a light, — like one wishing to journey, a guide, — or like one wishing to cross, a boat.

¹²‘Wilt thou therefore deign to tell me that secret, if thou thinkest it should be told, whereby thy servant may be delivered frohi old age, death, and disease.’

¹³Ardrfa, thus impelled by the noble nature of the prince, declared in a concise form the tenets of his doctrine :

¹⁴‘ O best of hearers, hear this our firmly-settled theory, how our mortal existence arises and how it revolves.

¹⁵The evolvent ” and “ the evolute,” birth, old age, and death, — know that this has been called the reality by us ; do thou receive our words, O thou who art stedfast in thy nature.

¹⁶“But know, O thou who art deep in the search BOOK XII, 9-26. 125 into the nature of things, that the five elements’, egoism, intellect, and “ the unmanifested ” are the “ evolvents ; ”

¹⁷‘But know that the “evolutes” consist of in- tellect, external objects®, the senses, and the hands, feet, voice, anus, and generative organ, and also the mind.

¹⁸‘ There is also a something which bears the name kshetra^«a, from its knowledge of this “field” (kshetra or the body) ; and those who investigate the soul call the soul kshetra^«a.

¹⁹‘ Kapila with his disciple became the illu- minated, — such is the tradition ; and he, as the illu- minated, with his son is now called here Prapati.

²⁰‘ That which is born and grows old and is bound and dies, — is to be known as “the manifested,” and “ the unmanifested” is to be distinguished by its contrariety.

²¹‘ Ignorance, the merit or demerit of former actions, and desire arf' to be known as the causes of mundane existence ; he who abides in the midst of this triad does not attain to the truth of things, —

²²‘ P'rom mistake egoism, confusion, fluctua- tion, indiscrimination, false means, inordinate attach- ment, and gravitation. •

²³‘Now “mistake” acts in a contrary manner, • it does wrongly what it should do, and what it should think it thinks wrongly.

²⁴‘ “ I say,” “ I know,” “ I go,” “ I am firmly ' These are the tanmitr4«i or subtile elements. * VishaySn, corresponding to the gross elements. The in- tellect, buddhi, is both an evolver and an evolute. • Should we read viparyaydd? Cf. S3«khya, aphor. Ill, 37 . 126 THE BUDDHA-iTARlTA OF A5VAGHOSHA. fixed,” it is thus that “ egoism ” shows itself here, O thou who art free from all egoism.

²⁵‘That state of mind is called “confusion,” O thou who art all unconfused, which views under one nature, massed like a lump of clay, objects that thus become confused in their nature.

²⁶‘ That state of mind which .says that this mind, intellect, and these actions ^are the same as “ I,” and that which says that all this aggregate is the same as “ I,” — is called “ fluctuation.”

²⁷‘That state of mind is called “indiscrimination,” O thou who art discriminating, which thinks there is no difference between the illuminated and the un- wise, and between the different evolvents.

²⁸‘ Uttering “ namas ” and “ vasha/,” sprinkling water upon sacrifices, &c. with or without the recital of Vedic hymns, and suchlike rite.s, — these are de- clared by the wise tobe “ false means,” O thou who art well skilled in true means.

²⁹‘ That is called “inordinate attachment,” by which the fool is entangled in external objects through his mind, speech, actions, and thoughts, O thou who hast shaken thyself free from all attachments.

³⁰‘ The mi.sery which a man imagines by the ideas “ This is mine,” “ I am connected with this,” is to be recognised as “ gravitation,” — by this a man is borne downwards into new births.

³¹‘ Thus Ignorance, O ye wise, being fivefold in its character, energises towards torpor, delusion, the great delusion, and the two kinds of darkness

³²‘ Know, that among these indolence is “ tor- por,” death and birth are “ delusion,” and be it clearly * Cf. SawkhyaHrik^, 48. BOOK XU, 27-43. 127 understood, O undeluded one, that desire is the “ great delusion.”

³³‘ Since by it even the highfer beings are de- luded, therefore, O hero, is this called the “great delusion.”

³⁴‘ They define anger, O thou angerless one, as “ darkness ; ” and despondency, O undesponding, they pronounce to be the “ blind darkness.” 37 - ‘ The child, entangled in this fivefold ignorance, is effused in his different births in a world abounding with misery.

³⁵‘He wanders about in the world of embodied existence, thinking that I aiT* the seer, and the hearer, and the thinker, — the effect and the cause.

³⁶‘Through these causes', O wise prince, the stream of “ torpor ” is set in motion ; be pleased to consider that in the absence of the cause there is the absence of the effect. ,

³⁷‘ Let the wise man who has right views know these four things, O thou who desirest liberation, — the illuminated and the unilluminated, the manifested and the unmanifested.*

³⁸‘ The soul, having once learned to distinguish these four properly, having abandoned all (ideas of) straightness or quickness attains ttJ the immortal sphere.

³⁹‘ For this reason the Th-ahmans in the world, discoursing on the supreme Brahman, practise here a rigorous course of sacred study and let other Brdhmans live with them to follow it also.’

⁴⁰The prince, having heard this discourse from the seer, asked concerning the means and the final state. ‘ Cf. ver. 23. * It rises above all relative ideas ? The text may be cornipt. 128 THE BUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁴¹‘ Wilt thou please to explain to me how, how far, and where this life of sacred study is to be led, and the limit of this course of life ^ ? ’

⁴²Then Arsua, according to his doctrine, de- clared to him in another way that course of life clearly and succinctly.

⁴³‘ The devotee, in the beginning, having left his house, and assumed tha signs of the mendicant, goes on, following a rule of conduct which extends to the whole life.

⁴⁴‘ Cultivating absolute content with any alms from any person, he carries out his lonely life, indif- ferent to all feelings, meditating on the holy books, and satisfied in himself.

⁴⁵‘ Then having seen how fear arises from passion and the highest happiness from the absence of passion, he strives, by restraining all the senses, to attain to tranquilljty of mind.

⁴⁶‘ Then he reaches the first stage of contempla- tion, which is separated from desires, evil intentions and the like, and arises from discrimination and which involves reasoning »

⁴⁷•* And having obtained this ecstatic contempla- tion, and reasoning on various objects, the childish mind is carried away by the possession of the new unknown ecstasy.

⁴⁸‘ With a tranquillity of this kind, which disdains desire or dislike, he reaches the world of Brahman, deceived by the delight.

⁴⁹‘ But the wise man, knowing that these reason- ings bewilder the mind, reaches a (second) stage of contemplation separate from this, which has its own pleasure and ecstasy. ‘ Dharma. * Cf. Yoga-sfitras I, 42. BOOK XII, 44-62. 129

⁵⁰‘And he who, carried away by this pleasure, sees no further distinction, obtains a dwelling full of light, even amongst the Abhasura deities.

⁵¹‘ But he who separates his mind from this pleasure and ecstasy, reaches the third stage of con- templation ecstatic but without pleasure.

⁵²‘ Upon this stage some teachers make their stand, thinking that it is indeed liberation, since pleasure and pain have been left behind and there is no exercise of the intellect.

⁵³‘ But he who, immersed in this ecstasy, strives not for a further distinction, obtains an ecstasy in common with the 6'ubhakWtsna deities.

⁵⁴‘ But he. who* having attained such a bliss desires it not but despises it, obtains the fourth stage of contemplation which is separate from all pleasure or pain.

⁵⁵‘ The fruit of this contenjplation which is on an equality with the Vrhatphala deities, those who investigate the great wisdom call the Vrhatphala *.

⁵⁶‘ But rising beyond this contemplation, having .seen the imperfections of all embodied souls, the wise man climbs to a yet higher wisdom in order to abolish all body.

⁵⁷‘ Then, having abandoned this contemplation, being resolved to find a further distinction, he be- comes as disgusted with form itself as he who knows the real is with pleasures.

⁵⁸‘ First he makes use of all the apertures of his body ; and next he exerts his will to experience a feeling of void space even in the solid parts *.

⁵⁹‘ But another wise man, having contracted his soul which is by nature extended everywhere like * The great fruit. * An obscure verse ; cf. Plli Diet. [43] K THE BUDDHA-EARITA OF AJVAGIIOSHA. the ether/ — as he gazes ever further on, detects a yet higher distinction.

⁶⁰‘ Another one of those who are profoundly versed in the supreme Self, having abolished himself by himself, sees that nothing exists and is called a Nihilist \

⁶¹‘ Then like the Mu»^-reed’s stalk ® from its sheath or the bird from its cage, the soul, escaped from the body, is declared to be “ liberated.”

⁶²‘ This is that supreme Brahman, constant, eternal, and without distinctive signs; which the wise who know reality declare to be liberation.

⁶³‘ Thus have I shown to thee the means and liberation; if thou hast understood and approved it, then act accordingly.

⁶⁴‘ 6^aiglshavya * and (7anaka, and the aged Parljara, by following this path, were liberated, and so were others who gought liberation.’

⁶⁵The prince having not accepted his words but having pondered them, filled with the force of his former arguments, thus made answer :

⁶⁶‘ I have heard this thy doctrine, subtil and pre-eminently auspicious, but I hold- that it cannot be final, because it does not teach us how to abandon this soul itself hi the various bodies.

⁶⁷‘For I consider that the embodied soul, though freed from the evolutes and the evolvents, is still subject to the condition of birth and has the condition of a seed ®.

⁶⁸‘ Even though the pure soul is declared to be * Cf. BliasliapariAX’/ieda, floka 25. ’ Akiwanya. ’ Cf. KaMa Up. VI, 17. * MaMbh. IX, § 50; Tattvakaumudt, § 5. “ XhisTis expanded in the Chinese, vv. 984, 985. BOOK XII, 63-79. l.y “ liberated,” yet as long as the soul remains there can be no absolute abandonment of it.

⁶⁹‘If we abandon successively all this triad, yet “distinction” is still perceived; as long as the soul itself continues, there this triad continues in a subtil form.

⁷⁰‘ It is held (by some) that this is liberation, because the “imperfections” are so attenuated, and the thinking power is inactive, and the term of existence is so prolonged ;

⁷¹‘ But as for this supposed abandonment of the principle of egoism, — as long as the soul continues, there is no real abandonment of egoism.

⁷²‘ The soul docs not become free from qualities as long as it is not released from number and the rest ; therefore, as long as there is no freedom from (jualities, there is no liberation declared for it.

⁷³‘ There is no real separation of the qualities and their subject ; for fire cannot be conceived, apart from its form and heat.

⁷⁴‘Before the body there will be nothing em- bodied, so before the qualities there will be no subject ; how, if it Was originally free, could the soul ever become bound ’ ?

⁷⁵‘ The body-knower (the soul) which is un- embodied, must be either knowing 'or unknowing ; if it is knowing, there must be some object to be known, and if there is this object, it is not liberated.

⁷⁶‘ Or if the soul is declared to be unknowing, then of what use to you is this imagined soul ? Even without such a soul, the existence of the absence of knowledge is notorious as, for instance, in a log of wood or a wall. ' 1 read kasmdt for tasmat. K 2 THE BUDDIIA-EARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. 8 0. ‘ And since each successive abandonment is held to be still accompanied by qualities, I maintain that the absolute attainment of our end can only be found in the abandonment of everything.’ 8 1. Thus did he remain unsatisfied after he had heard the doctrine of Araaa; then having decided it to be incomplete, he turned away.

⁷⁷Seeking to know the true distinction, he went to the hermitage of Udraka^, but he gained no clear understanding from his treatment of the soul.

⁷⁸For the sage Udraka, having learned the inherent imperfections of the name and the thing named, look refuge in a theory beyond Nihilism, which maintained a name and a non-name.

⁷⁹And since even a name and a non-name were substrata, however subtil, he went even further still and found his restlessness set at rest in the idea that there is no named and no un-named ;

⁸⁰And because the intellect rested there, not proceeding any further, — it became very subtil, and there was no such thing as un-named nor as named.

⁸¹But because, even when it has reached this goal it yet returns again to the world, therefore the Bodhisattva, seeking something beyond, left Udraka.

⁸²Having tjuitted his hermitage, fully resolved in his purpose, and seeking final bliss, he next visited the hermitage, called a city, of the royal sage Gaya.

⁸³Then on the pure bank of the Naira«^nd the saint whose every effort was pure fixed his dwelling, bent as he was on a lonely habitation.

⁸⁴Five mendicants, desiring liberation, came * Cf. Biirnouf, Introd. p. 386 n. It is written Rudraka in XV, 89. BOOK XII, 80-97. up to him when they beheld him there, just as the objects of the senses come up to a percipient who has gained ivealth and health by his previous merit.

⁸⁵Being honoured by these disciples who were, dwelling in that family, as they bowed reverently with their bodies bent low in humility, as the mind is honoured by the restless senses,

⁸⁶And thinking, ‘this may be the means of abolishing birth and death,’ he at once commenced a series of difficult austerities by fasting.

⁸⁷For six years, vainly trying to attain merit he practised self-mortification, performing many rules of abstinence, hard for a man to carry out.

⁸⁸At the hours for eating, he, longing to cross the world whose farther shore is so difficult to reach, broke his vow with single jujube fruits, sesame seeds, and rice.

⁸⁹But the emaciation ivhich was produced in his body by that asceticism, became positive fatness through the splendour which invested him.

⁹⁰Though thin, yet with his glory and his beauty unimpaired, lie caused gladness to other eyes, as the autumnal moon in the beginning of her bright fortnight gladdens the lotuses.

⁹¹Having only skin and bone* remaining, with his fat, flesh and blood entirely wasted, yet, though diminished, he still shonewith undiminished grandeur like the ocean.

⁹²Then the seer, having his body evidently emaciated to no purpose in a cruel self-mortifica ■ ’ This is the Tibetan reading [las*ni thob*bzhed lo drug-lu. ‘ wishing to obtain (the fruits of good) works, during six years." II.W.] 134 the BUDDTIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. tion, — dreading continued existence, thus reflected in his longing to become a Buddha :

⁹³‘ This is not the way to passionlessness, nor to perfect knowledge, nor to liberation ; that was certainly the true way which I found at the root of the fPambu ^ tree.

⁹⁴‘ But that cannot be attained by one who has lost his strength,’ — so resuming his care for his body, he next pondered thus, how best to increase his bodily vigour :

⁹⁵‘Wearied with hunger, thirst, and fatigue, with his mind no longer self-possessed through fatigue, how should one who is not absolutely calm reach the end which is to be attained by his mind ?

⁹⁶‘True calm is properly obtained by the constant satisfaction of the senses ; the mind’s self- possession is only obtained by the senses being perfectly satisfied.

⁹⁷‘ True meditation is produced in him whose mind is self-possessed and at rest, — to him whose thoughts are engaged in meditation the exercise of perfect contemplation begins at once.

⁹⁸‘ By contemplation are obtained those con- ditions through which is eventually gained that supreme calm, undecaying, immortal state, which is so hard to be reached.’

⁹⁹Having thus resolved, ‘ this means is based upon eating food,’ the wise seer of unbounded wis- dom, having made up his mind to accept the con- tinuance of life,

¹⁰⁰And having bathed, thin as he was, slowly ’ "rhe rose apple, sec V, 8. * Dharma//. BOOK xir, 98-113. 135 came up the bank of the NairawnS, supported, as by a hand by the trees on the shore, which bent down the ends of their branches in adoration.

¹⁰¹Now at that time Nandabald, the daughter of the leader of the herdsmen, impelled by the gods, with a sudden joy risen in her heart, had just come near,

¹⁰²Her arm gay with a white shell, and wear- ing a dark blue woollen cloth, like the river Yamumi, with its dark blue water and its wreath of foam.

¹⁰³She, having her joy increased by her faith, with her lotus-like eyes opened wide, bowed down before him and persuaded him to take some milk.

¹⁰⁴By partaking that food having made her obtain the full reward of her birth, he himself be- came capable of gaining the highest knowledge, all his six senses being now satisfied, 1 10. The seer, having hi ; body now fully robust, together with his glorious fame, one beauty and one majesty being equally .spread in both, shone like the ocean and the moon'.

¹⁰⁵Thinking thaf he had returned to the world the five mendicants left him, as the five elements leave the wise soul when it is liberated. 1 1 2. Accompanied only by hiS own resolve, having fixed his mind on the attainment of per- sect knowledge, he went to the root of an As- vattha tree where the surface of the ground was covered with young grass. 1 13. Then KSla*, the best of serpents, whose * Fame is often compared for its brightness to tlie moon. * Ficus rcligiosa or pipul tree. ’ He is the NSga king, Gataka I, 72. * 136 THE BUDUHA-KARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. majesty was like the lord of elephants, having been awakened by the unparalleled sound of his feet, uttered this praise of the great sage, being sure that he was on the point of attaining perfect knowledge : 1 14. ‘ Inasmuch as the earth, pressed down by thy feet, O sage, resounds repeatedly, and inas- much as thy splendour shines forth like the sun, thou shalt assuredly to-day enjoy the desired fruit. 1 1 5. ‘ Inasmuch as lines of birds fluttering in the sky offer thee reverential salutation, O lotus-eyed one, and inasmuch as gentle breezes blow in the sky, thou shalt certainly to-day become the Buddha,’ 1 1 6. Being thus praised by the best of serpents, and having taken some pure grass from a grass- cutter, he, having made his resolution, sat down to obtain perfect knowledge at the foot of the great holy tree. .

¹⁰⁶Then he sat down on his hams in a posture, immovably firm and with his limbs gathered into a mass like a sleeping serpent’s hood, exclaiming, ‘ I will not rise from this pbsition on the earth ^ until I have obtained my utmost aim.’ 1 1 8. Then the dwellers in heaven burst into unequalled joy r the herds of beasts and the birds uttered no cry ; the trees moved by the wind made no sound, when the holy one took his seat firm in his resolve. For iSvai read yavat.

¹When the great sage, sprung from a line of royal sages, sat clown there with his soul fully re- solved to obtain the highest knowledge, the whole world rejoiced ; but Mdra, the enemy of the good law, was afraid.

²He whom they call in the world Kdmadeva, the owner of the^ various weapons, the flower- arrowed, the lord of the course of desire, — it is he whom they also style Mara the enemy of liberation.

³His three sons. Confusion, Gaiety, and Pride, and his three daughters, Li.st,»Delight, and Thirst', asked of him the reason of his despondency, and he thus made answer unto them :

⁴‘ This sage, wearing the armour of resolution, and having drawn the arrow of wisdom with the barb of truth, sits yonder intending to conquer my realms, — hence is this despondency of my mind.

⁵‘ If he succeeds in overcomihg me and pro- claims to the world the path of final bliss, all this my realm will to-day become empty, as did that of the disembodied lord when he violated the rules of his station*.

⁶‘ While, therefore, he stands within my reach * For these cf. also ver. 14, and XV, 13. • This probably refers to the legend of Nimi-videha, see Vishu Pur. IV, 5 ; it might be ‘ the king of the Videhas.’ There may be also a secondary allusion to the legend of Anahga and ilva. 138 THE BUDDHA-^TARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. and while his spiritual eyesight is not yet attained, I will assail him to break his vow as the swollen might of a river assails a dam.’

⁷Then having seized his flower-made bow and his five infatuating arrows, he drew near to the root of the Avattha tree with his children, he the great disturber of the minds of living beings.

⁸Having fixed his left hand on the end of the .barb and playing with the arrow, Mdra thus ad- dressed the calm seer as he sat on his seat, pre- paring to cross to the further side of the ocean of existence :

⁹‘Up, up, O thou Kshatriya, afraid of death! follow thine own duty and abandon this law of liberation ! and having conquered the lower worlds by thy arrows, proceed to gain the higher worlds of Indra.

¹⁰‘ That is a glorious path to travel, which has been followed by former leaders of men ; this men- dicant life is ill-suited for one born in the noble family of a royal sage to follow.

¹¹‘ But if thou wilt not ri 5 e, strong in thy pur- pose, — then be firm if thou wilt and quit not thy resolve, — this arrow is uplifted by me, — it is the very one which* was . shot against Sliryaka the enemy of the fish.

¹²‘So too, 1 think, when somewhat probed by this weapon, even the son of \d^ the grandson of the moon, became mad ; and ^Sawtanu ® also lost * The sun, alluding to his amour with Va(/avS. (The lake is called vipannamlnam in i?/lusawhira I, 20.) “ Purilravas. (Professor Btthler suggests spmhaA.) ’ Does this mean Vitravlrya the grandson of .^amtanu, see Vishwu Puf. IV, 20 ? BOOK XIII, 7-19. 139 his self-control, — how much more then one of feebler powers now that the age has grown de- generate ? 1 3. ‘ Therefore quickly rise up and come to th j- self, — for this arrow is ready, darting out its tongue, which I do not launch even against the /akravdka birds, tenderly attached as they are and well de- serving the name of lovers.’

¹³But when, even though thus addressed, the ^akya saint unheeding did not change his posture, then Mdra discharged his arrow at him, setting in front of him his daughters and his sons

¹⁴But even when that arrou was shot he gave no heed and swerved not from his firmness ; and Mara, beholding him thus, sank down, and slowly thus spoke, full of thought :

¹⁵‘He does not even notice that arrow by which the god ^ambhu was pieiced with love for the daughter of the mountain * and shaken in his vow ; can he be destitute of all feeling ? is not this that very arrow ?

¹⁶‘ He is not worthy of my flower-shaft, nor my arrow “ gladdener,” nor the sending of my daughter Rati (to tempt him) ; he deserves the alarms and rebukes and blows from all the gathered hosts of the demons.’

¹⁷Then Mira called to mind his own army, wishing to work the overthrow of the .Sikya saint ; and his followers swarmed round, wearing different forms and carrying arrows, trees, darts, clubs, and swords in their hands ;

¹⁸Having the faces of boars, fishes, horses, asses. * See vcr. 3. * Uma. 140 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. and camels, of tigers, bears, lions, and elephants, — one-eyed, many-faced, three-headed, — ^with protu- berant bellies and speckled bellies ;

¹⁹Blended with goats, with knees swollen like pots, armed with tusks and with claws, carrying headle.ss trunks in their hands, and assuming many forms, with half-mutilated faces, and with monstrous mouths ;

²⁰Copper-red, covered with red spots, bearing clubs in their hands, with yellow or smoke-coloured hair, with wreaths dangling down, with long pendulous ears like elephants, clothed in leather or wearing no clothes at all ;

²¹Having half their faces white or half their bodies green, — red and smoke-coloured, yellow and black, — with arms reaching out longer than a serpent, and with girdles jingling with rattling bells.

²²Some were as tall as palm-trees, carrying spears, — others were of the size of children with projecting teeth, others birds with the faces of rams, others with men’s bodies and cats’ faces ;

²³With dishevelled hair, *or with topknots, or half-bald, with rope-garments or with head-dress all in confusion, — with triumphant faces or frowning faces, — wasting The strength or fascinating the mind.

²⁴Some as they went leaped about wildly, others danced upon one another, some sported about in the .sky, others went along on the tops of the trees.

²⁵One danced, shaking a trident, another made a crash, dragging a club, another bounded for joy like a bull, another blazed out flames from every hair.

²⁶Such were the troops of demons who encircled the root of the Bodhi tree on every side, eager to BOOK xm. 20-33, I4I seize it and to destroy it, awaiting the command of their lord.

²⁷Beholding in the first half of the night that battle of MSra and the bull of the 6akya race, the heavens did not shine and the earth shook and the (ten) regions of space flashed flames and roared.

²⁸A wind of intense violence blew in all direc- tions \ the stars did not shine, the moon gave no light, and a deeper darkness of night spread around, and all the oceans were agitated.

²⁹The mountain deities^ and the Nagas who honoured the Law, indignant at the attack on the saint, rolling their eyes in anger against Mdra, heaved deep sighs and opened their mouths wide.

³⁰But the god-sages, the 5‘uddhadhivasas^, being as it were absorbed in the perfect accomplish- ment of the good Law, felt only a pity for Mdra in their minds and through tlieir. absolute passionless- ness were unruffled by' anger.

³¹When they saw the foot of the Bodhi tree crowded with that host of Mdra, intent on doing harm, — the sky was* filled with the cry raised by all the virtuous beings who desired the world’s liberation.

³²But the great sage * having beheld that army of Mdra thus engaged in an attack on the knower of the Law ®, remained untroubled and suffered no per- turbation, like a lion seated in the midst of oxen. ^ Vijvak should be coiTe< ted vishvak. ® Mah!bhrta^, This might mean simply ‘the rulers of the earth/ » In Pali Suddhavasa.’ Cf. Ill, 26. ^ Buddha himself, viewing all this ab extra. ® The Tibetan seems to read dharmavidhe/^ for dharmavida//, as it has chos-kyi cho*ga de-ni, ‘(injurcr) of that law of'dharma.* 142 THE BUDDHA-iTARlTA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

³³Then M&ra commanded his excited army of demons to terrify him ; and forthwith that host resolved to break down his determination with their various powers.

³⁴Some with many tongues hanging out and shaking, with sharp-pointed savage teeth and eyes like the disk of the sun, with wide-yawning mouths and upright ears like spikes, — they stood round trying to frighten him.

³⁵Before these monsters standing there, so dread- ful in form and disposition, the great sage remained unalarmed and untroubled, sporting with them as if they had been only rude children b

³⁶Then one of them, with his eyes rolling wildly, lifted up a club against him ; but his arm with the club was instantly paralysed, as was Indra’s of old with its thunderbolt

³⁷Some, having lifted up stones and trees, found themselves unable to throw them against the sage ; down they fell, with their trees and their stones, like the roots of the Vindhya shattered by the thunderbolt.

³⁸Others, leaping up into die sky, flung rocks, trees, and axes ; these remained in the sky and did not fall down, like the many-coloured rays of the evening clouds.

³⁹Another hurled upon him a mass of blazing straw as big as a mountain-peak, which, as soon as it was thrown, while it hung poised in the sky, was shat- tered into a hundred fragments by the sage’s power.

⁴⁰One, rising up like the sun in full splendour, rained down from the sky a great shower of live * Prof. Biihler suggests svabalebhya^, ‘ as with his own tossed hair.* ^ Cf. i'atap. Br. XII, 7, 3; Vishwu Pur. V, 30 ; Kum. Sambh.II, 20. BOOK XIII, 34-48. 143 embers, as at the end of an aeon blazing Mem showers down the pulverised scoriae of the golden valleys.

⁴¹But that shower of embers full of sparks, when scattered at the foot of the Bodhi tree, became a shower of red lotus-petals through the operation of the great saint’s boundless charity.

⁴²But with all these various scorching assaults on his body and his mind, and all these missiles showered down upon him, the 6akya saint did not in the least degree move from his posture, clasping firmly his resolution as a kinsman.

⁴³Then others spat out .serpents from their mouths as from old decayed trunks of trees ; but, as if held fast by a charm, near him they neither breathed nor discharged venom nor moved.

⁴⁴Others, having become great clouds, emitting lightning and uttering the fierce roar of thunderbolts, poured a shower of stones upon that tree, — but it turned to a pleasant .shower of flowers.

⁴⁵Another set an arrow in his bow, — there it gleamed but it did dot issue forth, like the anger which falls slack ' in the soul of an ill-tempered impotent man.

⁴⁶But five arrows shot by another stood motion- less and fell not, through the saint’s ruling guidance, — like the five senses of him who is well experienced in the course of worldly objects and is afraid of embodied existence.

⁴⁷Another, full of anger, rushed towards the great saint, having seized a club with a desire to ’ Dhfiryamio is a diflicult word, connected with ■/dhvr/' or •/ dhfirv. 144 BUDDIlA-iTARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA. smite him ; but he fell powerless without finding an opportunity, like mankind in the presence of faults which cause failure

⁴⁸But a woman named Meghakill, bearing a skull in her hand, in order to infatuate the mind of the sage, flitted about unsettled and stayed not in one spot, like the mind of the fickle student over the sacred texts.

⁴⁹Another, fixing a kindling eye, wished to burn him with the fire of his glance like a poisonous serpent ; but he saw the sage and lo ! he was not there, like the votary of pleasure when true happiness is pointed out to him ^

⁵⁰Another, lifting up a heavy rock, wearied himself to no purpose, having his efforts baffled, — like one who wishes to obtain by bodily fatigue that condition of supreme happiness which is only to be reached by meditation and knowledge.

⁵¹Others, wearing the forms of hyenas and lions, uttered loudly fierce howls, which caused all beings round to quail with terror, as thinking that the heavens were smitten with a thunderbolt and were bursting.

⁵²Deer and elephants uttering cries of pain ran about or lay down, — in that night as if it were day screaming birds flew around disturbed in all directions.

⁵³But amidst all these various sounds which they made, although all living creatures were shaken, the saint trembled not nor quailed, like Garu</a at the noise of crows. ‘ Cf. randhropanipdtinoinarthdA, .Sakunt. VI. * He' had not eyes to see the object which he looked for. BOOK XIII, 49-62. 145

⁵⁴The less the saint feared the frightful hosts of that multitude, the more did Mdra, the enemy of the righteous, continue his attacks in grief and anger.

⁵⁵Then some being of invisible shape, but of pre- eminent glory, standing in the heavens, — beholding Mdra thus malevolent against the seer, — addressed him in a loud voice, unruffled by enmity:

⁵⁶‘Take not on thyself, O Mara, this vain' fatigue, — throw aside thy malevolence and retire to peace ‘ ; this sage cannot be shaken by thee any more than the mighty mountain Merit by the wind.

⁵⁷‘ Even fire might lose its hot nature, water its fluidity, earth its* steadiness, but never will he^ abandon his resolution, who has acquired his merit by a long course of actions through unnumbered aeons.

⁵⁸‘ Such is that purpose of his, that heroic effort, that glorious strength, that compassion for all beings, — until he attains the highest .visdom, he will never rise from his seat, just as the sun does not rise, with- out dispelling the darkness.

⁵⁹‘ One who rubs die two pieces of wood obtains the fire, one who digs the earth finds at last the water, — and to him in his perseverance there is nothing unattainable, — all things to him are reason- able and possible.

⁶⁰‘ Pitying the world King distres.sed amidst diseases and passions, he, the great physician, ought not to be hindered, who undergoes all his labours for the sake of the remedy knowledge.

⁶¹‘ l ie who toilsomely pursues the one good path, when all the world is carried away in devious ^ Or ‘go to thy home/ L [4*] 146 THE BUDDHA-KARITA OF A 5 VAGHOSHA. tracks, — he the guide should not be disturbed, like a right informant when the caravan has lost its way.

⁶²‘He who is made a lamp of knowledge when all beings are lost in the great darkness, — it is not for a right-minded soul to try to quench him, — like a lamp kindled in the gloom of night.

⁶³‘ He who, when he beholds the world drowned in the great flood of existence and unable to reach the further shore, strives to bring them safely across, — would any right-minded soul offer him wrong ?

⁶⁴‘ The tree of knowledge, whose roots go deep in firmness, and whose fibres are patience, — whose flowers are moral actions and whose branches are memory and thought, — and which gives out the law as its fruit, — surely when it is growing it should not be cut down. 66 . ‘ Him whose one desire is to deliver mankind bound in soul by the fast snares of illusion, — thy wish to overthrow him is not worthy, wearied as he is for the sake of unloosing the bonds of the world.

⁶⁵‘To-day is the appointed period of all those actions which have been performed by him for the sake of knowledge, — he is now seated on this seat just as all the previous saints have sat.

⁶⁶‘ This is the navel of the earth’s surface, endued with all the highest glory; there is no other spot of the earth than this, — the home of contemplation, the realm of well-being.

⁶⁷‘ Give not way, then, to grief but put on calm ; let not thy greatness, O Mira, be mixed with pride ; it is not well to be confident, — fortune BOOK XIII, 63-73. 147 is unstable, — why dost thou accept a position on a tottering base ? ’

⁶⁸Having listened to his words, and having seen the unshaken firmness of the great saint, Mara departed dispirited and broken in purpose ' with those very arrows by which, O world, thou art smitten in thy heart.

⁶⁹With their triumph at an end, their labour all fruitless, and all their stones, straw, and trees thrown away, that host of his fled in all directions, like some hostile army when its camp has been destroyed by the enemy.

⁷⁰When the flower-armed god^ thus fled away vanquished with his hostile forces and the passion- less sage remained victorious, having conquered all the power of darkness, the heavens shone out with the moon like a maiden wiih a smile, and a sweet- smelling shower of flowers fell dpwn wet with dew.

⁷¹“When the wicked one thus fled vanquished, the different regions of the sky grew clear, the moon shone forth, showers of flowers fell down from the sky upon the earth, and the night gleamed out like a spotless maiden *. ' I read hatodyamo. ^ * Mara as identified with Kamadeva, cf. vor. 2. ’ Should we read tathd hi for tathdpi ? ‘ Here the original work of A.rvaghosha ends according to the gloss at the close of the Cambridge MS. C ; the four remaining books were added, to supply an old lacuna, by Amrrtdnanda, a modern Nepalese author. The Chinese and Tibetan translations seem to agree with the Sanskrit for part of the fourteenth book, but they soon diverge widely from it. The four books are included in the translation as a literary curiosity.

¹Then, having conquered the hosts of Mira by his firmness and calmness, he the great master of meditation set himself to meditate, longing to know the supreme end.

²And having attained the highest mastery in all kinds of meditation, he remembered in the first watch the continuous series of all his former births.

³‘In such a place I was so and so by name, and from thence I. passed and came hither,’ thus he remembered his thousands of births, experi- encing each as it were over again.

⁴And having remembered each birth and each death in all those various transmigrations, the com- passionate one then felt compassion for all living beings.

⁵Having wilfully rejected the good guides in this life and done all kinds of actions in various lives, this world of living beings rolls on helplessly, like a wheel.

⁶As he thus remembered, to him in his strong self-control came the conviction, ‘ All existence is unsubstantial, like the fruit of a plantain.’

⁷When the second watch came, he, possessed of unequalled energy, received a pre-eminent divine sight, 'he the highest of all sight-gifted beings. BOOK XIV, l-l. 149

⁸Then by that divine perfectly pure sight he beheld the whole world as in a spotless mirror.

⁹As he saw the various transmigrations and rebirths of the various beings with their several lower or higher merits from their actions, compas- sion grew up more within him.

¹⁰‘These living beings, under the influence of evil actions, pass into wretched worlds,— these others, under the influence of goofl actions, go forward in heaven.

¹¹‘The one, being born in a dreadful hell full of terrors, are miserably tortured, alas ! by many kinds of .suffering;

¹²‘Some are made to drink molten iron of the colour of fire, others are lified aloft screaming on a red-hot iron pillar ; 1 3. ‘ Others are baked like flour, thrown with their heads downwards into iron jars ; others are miserably burned in heaps of heated charcoal ;

¹³‘Some are devoured by fierce dreadful dogs with iron teeth, others by gloating crows with iron beaks and all made as it were of iron ,* 1 5. ‘ Some, wearied of being burned, long for cold shade; these enter like bound captives into a dark blue wood with swords for ‘leaves.

¹⁴‘ Others having many arms are split like timber with axes, but even in that agony they do not die, being supported in their vital powers by their previous actions.

¹⁵‘Whatever deed was done, only to hinder pain with the hope that it might bring pleasure, its result is now experienced by these helpless victims as simple pain.

¹⁶‘These who did something evil for the sake 150 THE BUDDIIA-JCARITA OF AJVAGIIOSHA. of pleasure and are now grievously pained, — does that old taste produce even an atom of pleasure to them now ?

¹⁷‘The wicked deed which was done by the wicked-hearted in glee, — its consequences are reaped by them in the fulness of time w'ith cries.

¹⁸‘ If only evil doers could see the fruits of their actions, they would vomit hot blood as if they were smitten in a vital part.

¹⁹‘And worse still than all these bodily tor- tures in hell seems to me the as.sociation of an intelligent man with the base.

²⁰‘Others also, through various actions arising from the spasmodic violence of their minds, are born miserable in the wombs of various beasts.

²¹‘There the poor wretches are killed even in the sight of their kindred, for the sake of their flesh, their skin, their hair, or their teeth, or through hatred or for mere pleasure.

²²‘ Kven though powerless and helpless, op- pressed by hunger, thirst, and fatigue, they are driven along as oxen and* horses, their bodies wounded with goads.

²³‘ They are driven along, when born as ele- phants, by wedker creatures than themselves for all their strength,— their heads tormented by the hook and their bodies kicked by foot and heel.

²⁴‘And with all these other miseries there is an especial misery arising from mutual enmity and from subjection to a master.

²⁵‘Air-dwellers are oppressed by air-dwellers, the denizens of water by the denizens of water, those that dwell on dry land are made to suffer by the 'dwellers on dry land in mutual hostility. BOOK XIV, 19-36. I5I

²⁶‘And others there are who, when born again, with their minds filled with envy, reap the miserable fruit of their actions in a world of the Pitrs desti- tute of all light ;

²⁷‘ Having mouths as small as the eye of a needle and bellies as big as a mountain, these miserable wretches are tortured with the pains of hunger and thirst.

²⁸‘ If a man only knew that such was the con- sequence of selfishness, he would always give to others even pieces of his own body like 6’ibi.

²⁹‘ Rushing up filled with hope but held back by their former deeds, they try in vain to eat anything large, however impure.

³⁰‘ Others, having found a hell in an impure lake called the womb, are born amongst men and there suffer anguish.

³¹‘ Others, ascetics, who ha.ve performed merito- rious actions go to heaven ; others, having attained widely extended empire, wander about on the earth ’ ;

³²‘ Others as Ndgas in the subterranean regions become the guardiank of treasures, — they wander in the ocean of existence, receiving the fruits of their deeds.’

³³Having pondered all this, iiii the last watch he thus reflected, ‘Alas for this whole world of • living beings doomed to misery, all alike wandering astray !

³⁴‘ They know not that all this universe, desti- tute of any real refuge, is born and decays through that existence which is the site of the skandhas and pain; * Heaven and earthlj empire are alike transient.* THE BUDDHA-JfARlTA OF AJVAGlIOSnA.

³⁵‘It dies and passes into a new state and then is born anew.’ Then he reflected, ‘What is that which is the necessary condition for old age and death ? ’

³⁶He saw that when there is birth, there is old age and death, then he pondered, ‘What is that which is the necessary condition for a new birth^?’

³⁷He perceived that where there has been the attachment to existence'^ there arises a (previous) exist- ence ; then he pondered, ‘ What is that which is the necessary condition for the attachment to existence?’

³⁸Having ascertained this to be desire, he again meditated, and he next pondered, ‘ What is that which is the necessary condition for desire?’

³⁹He saw that desire arises where there is sensation, and he next pondered, ‘ What is that which is the necessary condition for sensation ? ’

⁴⁰He saw that sensation arises where there is contact ^ and he next pondered, ‘What is that which is the necessary condition for contact ?’

⁴¹He saw that contact arises through the six organs of sense ; he then pondered, ‘ Where do the six organs of sense arise ? ’

⁴²He reflected that these arise in the organ- ism he then pondered, ‘ Where does the organism arise ? ' * A verse (39) is omitted here containing the third step bhava (cf. Chinese translation, 1150, 1151), ‘He perceived that when there has been a (previous) existence [involving previous actions] there is a new birth; then he pondered, “What is that which is the necessary condition for a previous existence arising? ” ' (Cf. Burnous, Introd. pp. 485-506 ; Childers in Colebrooke'^ Essays, vol. i, 1873.) ® Upadanam. ® Sc. between the senses and their objects. * Namarfipa, sc. ‘name and form,’i.e. the individual consisting of mind and body, as the embryo in the womb. BOOK XIV, 37-54. 153

⁴³He saw that the organism arises where there is incipient consciousness ; he then pon- dered, ‘ Where does incipient consciousness arise ? ’

⁴⁴He reflected that incipient consciousness arises where there are the latent impressions left by former actions ; and he next pondered, ‘ Where do the latent impressions arise ? ’

⁴⁵He reflected exhaustively that they arise in ignorance ; thus did the great seer, the Bodhisattva, the lord of saints,

⁴⁶After reflecting, pondering, and meditating, finally determine, ‘The latent impressions start into activity after they are once developed from ignor- ance.

⁴⁷‘ Produced from the activity of the latent im- pressions incipient consciousness starts into action ; (the activity) of the organism starts into action on having an experience* of incipient consciousness ;

⁴⁸‘ The six organs of sense become active when produced in the organism ; sensation is produced from the contact of the six organs (with, their ob- jects) ;

⁴⁹‘Desire starts into activity when produced from sensation ; the attachment to existence springs from desire ; from this attachment arfees a (continued) existence ;

⁵⁰‘ Birth is produced where there has been a (continued) existence ; and from birth arise old age, disease, and the rest ; and scorched by the flame of old age and disease the world is devoured by death ;

⁵¹‘ When it is . thus scorched by the fire of * Sawparikshya is a doubtful reading ; 1 supply vrUiA with ndmarfipasya. 154 the ISUDDIIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. death’s anguish great pain arises ; such verily is the origin of this great trunk of pain,’

⁵²Thus having ascertained it all, the great Being was perfectly illuminated ; and having again medi- tated and pondered, he thus reflected,

⁵³‘ When old age and disease are stopped, death also is stopped ; and when birth is stopped, old age and disease are stopped ;

⁵⁴‘When the action of existence is stopped, birth also is stopped ; when the attachment to exist- ence is stopped, the action of existence is stopped;

⁵⁵‘ So too when desire is stopped, the attachment to existence is stopped ; and with the stopping of sensation desire is no longer produced ;

⁵⁶‘And when the contact of the six organs is stopped, sensation is no longer produced ; and with the stopping of the six organs their contact (with their objects) is stopped ;

⁵⁷‘And with the stopping of the organism the six organs are stopped ; and with the stopping of inci- pient consciousness the organism is stopped ;

⁵⁸‘ And with the stopping* of the latent impres- sions incipient consciousness is stopped; and with the stopping of ignorance the latent impressions have no longer any power.

⁵⁹‘ Thus ignorance is declared to be the root of this great trunk of pain by all the wise ; therefore it is to be stopped by those who seek liberation.

⁶⁰‘ Therefore by the stopping of ignorance all the pains also of all existing beings are at once stopped and cease to act.’

⁶¹The all-knowing Bodhisattva, the illuminated one, having thus determined, after again pondering and meditating thus came to his conclusion : BOOK XIV, 55-72. 155

⁶²‘ This is pain, this also is the origin of pain in the world of living beings; this also is the stopping of pain ; this is that course which leads to its stopping.’ So having determined he knew all as it really was.

⁶³Thus he, the holy one, sitting there on his seat of grass at the root of the tree, pondering by his own efforts attained at last perfect knowledge.

⁶⁴Then bursting the shell of ignorance, having gained all the various kinds of perfect intuition, he attained all the partial knowledge of alternatives which is included in perfect knowledge . He became the perfectly wise, the Bhagavat, the Arhat, the king of the Law, the Tathata, He who has attained the knowledge of all forms, the Lord of all science.

⁶⁵Having beheld all this, the spirits standing in heaven spoke one to another, ‘Strew flowers on this All-wise Monarch of Saints.’ .

⁶⁶While other immortals exclaimed, who knew the course of action of the greatest among the former saints, ‘ Do not now strew flowers — no reason for it has been shown.’ *

⁶⁷Then the Buddha, mounted on a throne, up in the air to the height of seven palm-trees, addressed all those Nirmitd BodhisattvS^ ^ illumining their minds,

⁶⁸‘ Ho ! ho ! listen ye to the words of me who have now attained perfect knowledge ; everything is achieved by meritorious works, therefore as long as existence lasts ® acquire merit. * Doubtful. I suppose it means that he knew all hypothetical as well as categorical propositions. * These NirmitS BodhisattvdA seem to be the nim- mdaratt devS of the southern Buddhists with their nimmitd kdmi or self-created pleasures. ’ Abhavam. 156 THE BUDDHA-ATARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA.

⁶⁹‘ Since I ever acted as liberal, pure-hearted, patient, skilful, devoted to meditation and wis- dom, — by these meritorious works I became a Bodhisattva.

⁷⁰‘ After accomplishing in due order the entire round of the preliminaries of perfect wisdom, — I have now attained that highest wisdom and I am become the All-wise Arhat and 6^ina.

⁷¹‘ My aspiration is thus fulfilled ; this birth of mine has borne its fruit ; the blessed and immortal knowledge which was attained by former Buddhas, is now mine.

⁷²‘ As they through the good Law achieved the welfare of all beings, so also have I ; all my sins are abolished, I am the destroyer of all pains.

⁷³‘ Possessing a .soul now of perfect purity, I urge all living beings to seek the abolition of worldly existence tlixough the lamps of the Law.’ Having worshipped him as he thus addressed them, those sons of the Cinas disappeared.

⁷⁴The gods then with exultation paid him wor- ship and adoration with divine* flowers ; and all the world, when the great saint had become all-wise, was full of brightness.

⁷⁵Then the holy one descended and stood on • his throne under the tree ; there he passed seven days filled with the thought, ‘ I have here attained perfect wisdom.’

⁷⁶When the Bodhisattva had thus attained per- sect knowledge, all beings became full of great happiness ; and all the different universes w'ere illumined by a great light.

⁷⁷The happy earth shook in six different ways like an overjoyed woman, and the Bodhisattvas, each BOOK XIV, 73-88. 157 dwelling in his own special abode, assembled and praised him.

⁷⁸‘ There has arisen the greatest of all beings, the Omniscient All-wise Arhat — a lotus, unsoiled by the dust of passion, sprung up from the lake of knowledge ;

⁷⁹‘A cloud bearing the water of patience, pouring forth the ambrosia of the good Law, fostering all the seeds of merit, and causing all the shoots of healing to grow ;

⁸⁰‘A thunderbolt with a hundred edges, the vanquisher of M&ra, armed only with the weapon of patience ; a gem fulfilling all desires, a tree of para- dise, a jar of true good fortune ', a cow that yields all that heart can wish ;

⁸¹‘A sun that destroys the darkness of delusion, a moon that takes away the scorching heat of the inherent sins of existence, — glory to thee, glory to thee, glory to thee, O TathAgata ;

⁸²‘ Glory to thee, O Lord of the whole world, glory to thee, who hast gone through the ten (Balas ‘^) ; glory to th'ee, O true hero amongst men, O Lord of righteousness, glory to thee ! ’

⁸³Thus having praised, honoured, and adored him, they each returned to their several homes, after making repeated reverential circumambulations, and recounting his eulogy.

⁸⁴Then the beings of the KAmava-i-ara worlds, and the brilliant inhabitants of the Pure Abodes, the ’ The bhadrakumbha was the golden jar filled with consecrated water, used especially at the inauguration of a king. * The ten balas are ten kinds of spiritual knowledge peculiar to a Buddha; but ‘the ten’ may be the ten dharmas, sec Childers. 158 THE BUDDIIA-ATARITA OF AVAGHOSHA. Brahmakayika gods, and those sons of Mdra who favoured the side of truth

⁸⁵The Paranirmitavajavarti beings, and the Nirmdarataya ; the Tushita beings, the Ydmas, the Trayastrimad Devas, and the other rulers of worlds,

⁸⁶The deities who roam in the sky, those who roam on the earth or in forests, accompanying each their own king, came to the pavilion of the Bodhi tree,

⁸⁷And having worshipped the Cina with forms of homage suitable to their respective positions, and having praised him with hymns adapted to their respective degrees of knowledge, they returned to their own homes, ’ These terms are all explained in Childers’ Diet, sattaloko. For the better-inclined sops of Mdra, cf. the dialogue between those of the right side and the left side before Mara in the Lalitav. XXI, cf. also XXIII.

¹Daily praised by all the various heavenly beings, the perfectly Wise One ^ thus passed that period of seven days which is designated ‘ the aliment of joy

²He then passed the second week, while he was bathed with jars full of water by the heavenly beings, the Bodhisattvas and the rest.

³Then having bathed in the four oceans and being seated on his throne, he passed the third week restraining his eyes from seeing.

⁴In the fourth week, assuming many forms, he stood triumphant on his throng, having delivered a being who was ready to be converted.

⁵A god named Samawtakusuma, bearing an offering of flowers, thus addi*essed with folded hands the great Buddha who was seated there :

⁶‘What is the name, O holy one, of this meditation, engaged in which thou hast thus passed four whole weeks with joy, deeply pondering ? ’

⁷‘ This is designated, O divine being, “the array* of the aliment of great joy,” like an inaugurated king, who has overcome his enemies and enjoys prosperity.’

⁸Having said this, the saint possessing the ten ^ Sawbuddha. ® Prityahara; this book corresponds closely with Lalitav. XXIV. * VyQha. l60 THE BUDDIIA-JTARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA. pre-eminent powers, full of joy, continued, ‘The former perfect Buddhas also did not leave the Bodhi tree.

⁹‘ Here the Kleas and the Moiras together with ignorance and the Asravas have been conquered by me ; and perfect wisdom has been attained able to deliver the world.

¹⁰‘ I too, resolved to follow the teaching of the former Buddhas, remained four whole weeks in the fulfilment of my inauguration

¹¹Then Mara, utterly despondent in soul, thus addressed the Tathata, ‘ O holy one, be pleased to enter Nirvjita, thy desires are accomplished.’

¹²‘I will first establish in perfect wisdom worlds as numerous as the sand, and then I will enter Nirvda,’ thus did the Buddha reply, and with a shriek Mdra went to his home.

¹³Then the thfee daughters of Mara, Lust, Thirst, and Delight ', beholding their father with defeated face, approached the Tathgta.

¹⁴Lust, with a face like the moon and versed in all the arts of enchantment, tried to infatuate him by her descriptions of the pleasures of a house- holder’s life.

¹⁵‘Think, .“If I abandon an emperor’s hap- piness, with what paltry happiness shall I have to content myself.^ When success is lost, what shall I have to enjoy?’’ — and come and take refuge with us.

¹⁶‘ Else, in bitter repentance, thou wilt remember me hereafter, when thou art fallen.’ — But he listened • Query abhishckidikSryataA? * Cf. XIII, 3 and 14. Cf. also Lalitav. XXIV (arati ?). BOOK XV, 9-24. 161 not to her words, closing his eyes in deep meditation like one who is sleepy.

¹⁷Then Thirst, shameless like one distressed with thirst, thus addressed him who was free from all thirst : ‘ Fie, fie, thou hast abandoned thy family duties, thou hast fallen from all social obligations ;

¹⁸‘Without power no asceticism, sacrifice, or vow can be accomplished, — those great /?/shis Brahman and the rest, because they were endowed with power, enjoy their present triumph.

¹⁹‘ Know me to be the power called Thirst’, and worship thirst accordingly ; else I will clasp thee with all my might and fling away thy life.’

²⁰Motionless as *one almost dead, he continued in meditation, remembering the former Buddhas ; then Delight next tried to win him who was indeed hard to be won by evil deeds.

²¹‘ O holy one, I am Delighj: by name, fostering all practicable delights, — therefore making me the female mendicant’s tutelary power, bring delight within thy reach.’

²²But whether flattered or threatened, whether she uttered curses or blessings, he remained absorbed in meditation, perfectly tranquil like one who has entered Nirv 4 «a. •

²³Then the three, with despondent faces, having retired together on one side, consulted with one another and came forward wearing the appearance of youthful beauty.

²⁴Folding their hands in reverence they thus addressed the Tathlgata, ‘O holy one, receive us as religious mendicants, we are come to thy one refuge. [4a] ' Sc. Desire. M 1 62 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF AJVAGHOSIIA.

²⁵‘ Having heard the fame of thy achievements, we, the daughters of Namu-^i, have come from the golden city, abandoning the life of a household.

²⁶‘We are desirous of repressing the teaching of our five hundred brothers, — we would be freed from a master, as thou thyself art freed from all passions.’

²⁷Having his mind continually guided by the conduct which leads to Nirvawa, and setting himself to remember the (former) Buddhas, he kept his eyes closed, absorbed in meditation.

²⁸Then again, having resolved on their new plan in concert, these enchantresses, assuming an older aspect, approached once more to delude him.

²⁹‘ We have come here after wandering under the dismal avatara of slaves’, — thou art the avatAra of Buddha, — do thou establish us, mature, in the true Bauddha doctrine.

³⁰‘We are women of older age, much to be pitied, bewildered by the fear of death, — we are therefore worthy to be established in that doctrine of Nirvaa which puts an end to all future births,’ 3 1 . These words of the enchantresses were heard by him, yet he felt no anger ; but they all became the victims of old age, through the manifestation of his divine power.

³¹Having beheld him plunged in meditation, immovable like the mountain Meru, — they turned away their faces and they could not retain their beauty.

³²Bending their feet, with decrepit limbs, they ’ I read dAsa- for dira-; could there be a reference to the ten avatiras? BOOK XV, 25-42. i;> thus addressed their father ; ‘ O father, do thou , the lord of the world of Desire, restore us to our own forms.’

³³His daughters were dear, but he had no power to alter the effect of the will of Buddha ; then their father said to them, ‘Go to the refuge which he gives.’

³⁴Then they in various guises, bent humbly at his feet, implored the perfect Buddha, ‘ Pardon our transgression, whose minds were intoxicated with youth.’

³⁵The teacher, that mine of Forgiveness, ii^ silence restored them by his will ; and haviiij; repeatedly worshipped and praised him they went joyfully to their home.

³⁶Then again Mdra, the lord of the world of Desire, lost to shame, taking the form of the heatl of a family, thus addressed him from the .sky :

³⁷‘ I worshipped ihee long ago, foretelling that thou wouldest become a Buddha ; and by my blessings thou hast to-day become Buddha Tatha- gata.

³⁸‘ As thou didst cbme from thine own kingdom, so now having returned as Tathagata, with a name corresponding to the reality be a king Tathagata.

³⁹‘ Having gone to that royal station, do thou meditate on the three jewels, and cherish thy father and mother, and delight Yarodiiarfi, —

⁴⁰‘ Possessed of a thousand sons, and able to deliver the world, be successively the supreme lord of every world from the YSma heaven onwards ^

⁴¹‘ Having become also the supreme lord of all ’ Mdra rules the four heavens from theYSma to the Paranirmi- tavajavartin, Mahabrahman the twenty Brahmalokas above* them. M 2 (64 the BUDDIIA-A'ARTTA of ASVAGnnsiTA. Hodhisattvas, thou shalt attain Nirv^«a ; O wise seer, repair to the hermitage of Kapila in order to beget those sons.

⁴²‘As thou art the king of the Law, so shall thy sons also be all TathAgatas, and all the activity and cessation of existence shall depend upon thee, O 6'ina.’

⁴³To him thus speaking the All-wise replied, ‘ Hear, O shameless one ; thou art Mdra, not the head of a clan, the upholder of the race of the . 5 'ilkyas.

⁴⁴‘ A host like thee, though they came in myriads, could not harm me, — I will go to my king- dom gradually, I will bring the world to perfect happiness.

⁴⁵‘ Thou art utterly vanquished, O NamioSi, go back to thy own home ; I will go hence to turn the wheel of the Law in Vdr^«asi.’

⁴⁶He, on hearing this command, saying with a deep sigh, ‘ Alas ! I am crushed,’ left him and went despondent and companionlcss through the sky to his home.

⁴⁷Then he, the conqueror of Mfira, rising from that throne, set forth to journey alone to the holy \'iirAass.

⁴⁸The heavens became covered with clouds when they saw the chief of saints, and the king of the NSgas Mu/’ilinda made a petition in reverential faith :

⁴⁹‘ O holy one, thou art all-wise, there will be stormy weather for seven days. — ^wind, rain, and darkness, — dwell for the time in my abode.’

⁵⁰Though himself possessed of all supernatural power, the holy one thought of the world still in- volved in embodied existence, and sitting on that jewel-seat he remained absorbed in contemplation. BOOK XV, 43-60. 165

⁵¹That king of the NAgas there protected the Buddha, who is himself the source of all protection, from the rain, wind, and darkness, covering his body with his own hood.

⁵²When the seven days were past and the NAga had paid his homage and was gone, the Cina pro- ceeded to the bank of a river, near a forest of goat-herds \

⁵³As the Sugata stayed there during the night, a deity, who bore the name of the Indian fig-tree, came up to him, illumining the spot where he was, and thus addressed him with folded hands :

⁵⁴‘The fig-tree yas planted by me when I was born as a man, bearing the name of Buddha; and it has been fostered like the Bodhi tree in the hope of delivering myself from evil,

⁵⁵‘ By the merit of that action I myself have been born in heaven ; in kindness to me, O my lord, do thou dwell seven days in triumph here.’

⁵⁶‘So be it,’ said the chief of all saints, the true Kalpa tree to grant the wishes of the faithful votary, and he stayed under the fig-tree, absorbed in con- templation, spreading lustre around like a full moon.

⁵⁷There he dwelt seven days ; and then in a forest of Datura trees, sitting at the foot of a palm, he remained absorbed in contemplation.

⁵⁸Spending thus in different spots his weeks of meditation, day and night, the great saint, pondering and fasting, went on in his way, longing to accom- plish the world’s salvation.

⁵⁹Then two wealthy merchants from the land ’ Apilaka is in Pali Costus speciosus; but it may here be a proper name. 1 66 THE BUDDIIA-A'ARITA OF ASVAGUOSIIA. of Uttara Utkala*, named Trapusha and Bhallika, journeying with five hundred waggons, 6 1. Beine freed from a sin which involved a hirth as prctas*, both joyfully worshipped Buddha with an offering of the three sweet substances" and milk ; and they obtained thereby auspicious blessings,

⁶⁰They obtained pieces of his nails and hairs for a ATaitya and they also received a prophecy of their future birth, and having received the additional promise, ‘Ye shall also obtain a stone'*,’ they then proceeded on their way elsewhere.

⁶¹Then Buddha accepted alms in his bowl, offered by the goddess who dwelt in the Datura jrove, and he blessed her with benedictions.

⁶²I'hc 6'ina then blessed the four bowls as one, which were offered by the four Maharfas ®, and ate with pleasure the offering of milk.

⁶³Then one day the f 7 ina ate there an Haritaki fruit® which was offered to him by Yakra, and having planted the seed he caused it to grow to a tree.

⁶⁴The king of the Devas carried the news thereof jo) fully to the Deva-heavens ; and gods, men, and de- mons watered it with reverential circumambulations.

⁶⁵On hearing the news of the Haritaki seed, and remembering the whole history from first to last, a daughter of the gods named Bhadrikd, who had been a cow in her former birth came from heaven. Northern Orissa. Prctadoshci? or the evil inflicted by a preta? Sc. sugar, honey, and ghee. With the mark of Buddha’s feet on it ? The rulers of the lowest devaloka. Terfiiinalia chebula. ’ Cf. Mahabli. V, 7553. BOOK XV, 61-77. 167

⁶⁶She, the daughter of the gods, smiling with her companions, thus addressed the 6^ina, bringing him a garment of rags, dependent from a bough ;

⁶⁷‘ I beg to bring to thy notice — what ? O Buddha ! — accept this garment of rags, by whose influence I am now a daughter of heaven named Bhadrikii.’

⁶⁸‘ By the further development of this merit thou shalt become a Bodhisattva’ — uttering this blessing the Teacher accepted the rags.

⁶⁹Beholding the tattered rags, the gods, crowd- ing in the sky, filled with wonder, and uttering cries of hi hi, flung down upon him g.Trments of heavenl)- silk.

⁷⁰‘ These are not fit for a religious mendicant,’ — so saying, he did not accept even one of them, — only thinking in his calm apathy, ‘ these are fit for imperial pomp and a hoiuschnlder’s luxury.’

⁷¹He desired a stone slab and some water in order to wash the dirt away, — .Sakra at that moment dug out a great river full of water ;

⁷²And four stones are brought to him by the four Mahdrds,- — on one he himself sat, on another . he performed the washing ;

⁷³On another he performed khe drying, and another he flung up into the sky ; the stone as it * flew up reached the blazing city ' and astonished all the worlds.

⁷⁴After paying their worship in many ways, Trapusha and Bhallika duly raised an excellent ATaitya and they called it .S’ilgarbha.

⁷⁵The ascetics of that neighbourhood paid their ' The sun ? or the sphere of fire ? l68 THE UUDDIIA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. homage to the ‘ Three Stones ’ when they were made into a /^aitya, and the noble stream flowed widely- known as the ‘ Holy River.’

⁷⁶Those who bathe and oflfer their worship in the holy river and reverence the A'aitya of the three stones, become great-souled Bodhisattvas and obtain Nirvdwa.

⁷⁷Then seated under a palm-tree the holy one pondered : ‘ The profound wisdom so hard to be understood is now known by me.

⁷⁸‘ These sin-defiled worlds understand not this most excellent (Law), and the unenlightened shame- lessly censure both me and my wisdom.

⁷⁹‘Shall I proclaim the Law? It is only pro- duced by knowledge ; having attained it thus in my lonely pondering, do I feel strong enough to deliver the world ? ’

⁸⁰Having remembered all that he had heard before, he again pondered ; and resolving, ‘ I will explain it for the sake of delivering the world,’

⁸¹Buddha, the chief of saints, absorbed in con- templation, shone forth, arousing' the world, having , emitted in the darkness of the night a light from the tuft of hair between his eyebrows.

⁸²When it became dawn, Brahman and the other gods, and the various rulers of the different worlds, besought Sugata to turn the wheel of the Law.

⁸³When the 6^ina by his silence uttered an assenting ‘ so be it,’ they returned to their own abodes ; and the lion of the iS'cLkyas also shone there, still remaining lost in contemplation.

⁸⁴Then the four divinities (of the Bodhi tree). ‘ Cf. doka 118. BOOK XV, 78-9 V 169 Dharmarui and the rest, addressed him, ‘ Where, O teacher of the world, will the holy one turn the wheel of the Law ? ’

⁸⁵‘ In Vdrciasi, in the Deer Park will I turn the wheel of the Law; seated in the fourth posture', O deities, I will deliver the world.’

⁸⁶There the holy one, the bull of the • 5 ’akyii race, pondered, ‘ For whom shall I first turn the wheel of the Law ? ’

⁸⁷The glorious one reflected that - Rudraka and Ardafa were dead^, and then he remembered those others, the five men united in a worthy society *, who dwelt at Kdi.

⁸⁸Then Buddha set out to go joyfully to Kdd, manifesting as he went the manifold supernatural course of life of Magadha.

⁸⁹Having made a mendicant (whom he met) happy in the path of those. who are illustrious through the Law, the glorious one went on, illu- mining the country which lies to the north of Gayd.

⁹⁰(Having stayed) in the dwelling of the prince of the Ndgas, named Sudarana, on the occurrence, of night, he ate a morning meal consisting of the five kinds of ambrosia, and depanted, gladdening him with his blessing.

⁹¹Near Vadrd® he went under the shadow * Sc. the padmdsana (Yoga-sfttras II, 46), described as that in which the left foot is bent between the right leg and thigh, and the right foot is bent between the left foot and thigh. “ It is written thus here, cf. XII, 86. ® Nirvdtau. * BhadravargtydA, also called Pa/«^avargJydA, cf. XII, 89. ‘ Query Varawd, one of the rivers from which Benares is said to derive its name, — or is it a village near Vdrawasi, the Andla of the Lalitav. p. 528 ? 170 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGllOSIIA. of a tree and there he established a poor Br 4 h- inan named Nandin in sacred knowledge.

⁹²In VaArd in a householder’s dwelling he was lodged for the night; in the morning he par- took of some milk and departed, having given his blessing.

⁹³In the village called Vu»^dadvlra he lodged in the abode of a Yaksha named Vuwda*, and in the morning after taking some milk and giving his blessing he departed.

⁹⁴Next was the garden named Rohitavastuka, and there the Naga-king Kama«</alu with his courtiers also worshipped him.

⁹⁵Having delivered various beings in every place, the compassionate saint journeyed on to Gandhapiira and was worshipped there by the Yaksha Gandha.

⁹⁶When he arrived at the city Sfirathi, the citizens volunteered to be charioteers in his ser- vice ; thence he came to the Ganges, and he bade tl\e ferryman cross.

⁹⁷‘ Good man, convey me across the Ganges, . may the seven blessings be thine.’ ‘ I carry no one across unless he pays the fee.’

⁹⁸‘ I have* nothing, what shall I give ?’ So saying he went through the .sky like the king of birds; and from that time Bimbisdra abolished the ferry-fee fot* all ascetics.

⁹⁹Then having entered V;\raast, the 6^ina, illumining the city with his light, filled the minds of all the inhabitants of KcLyi with excessive in- terest. * This may be ATumda. liDOK XV, 94-109. 171

¹⁰⁰In the ^ahkhamedhtya garden, the king of righteousness, absorbed in meditation, passed the night, gladdening like the moon all those who were astonished at his appearance.

¹⁰¹The next day at the end of the second watch ’, having gone his begging round collecting alms, he, the unecpialled one, like Hari, proceeded to the Deer Park.

¹⁰²The five disciples united in a worthy so- ciety when they beheld him, said to one another, ‘ This is Gautama who has come hither, the ascetic who has abandoned his self-control.

¹⁰³‘He wanders about now, greedy*, of im- pure soul, unstable and with his senses under no firm control, devoted to inquiries regarding the frying-pan.

¹⁰⁴‘ We will not a.sk after l\is health, nor rise to meet him, nor address hkn, nor offer him a welcome, nor a seat, nor bid him enter into our dwelling.’

¹⁰⁵Having understood their agreement, with a smiling countenance, spreading light all around, Huddha advanced gradually nearer, holding his staffi and his begging-pot.

¹⁰⁶Forgetful of their agrectnent, the five friends, under his constraining majesty, rose up * like birds in their cages when scorched by fire.

¹⁰⁷Having taken his begging-bowl and staff, they gave him an arghya, and water for washing his feet and rinsing his mouth ; and bowing ' Docs this yimadvaye mean at noon, counting the ahorStra from sunrise to sunrise? * Cf. supra, 89. ’ Or perhaps ‘ irregular.' 172 THE nUDDHA-JCARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. reverentially they said to him. ‘ Honoured Sir, health to thee.’ no. ‘Health in every respect is ours, — that wisdom has been attained which is so hard to be won,’ — so saying, the holy one thus spoke to the five worthy associates : in. ‘But address me not as “worthy Sir,’’ — know that I am a ( 7 ina, — I have come to give the first wheel of the Law to you. Receive initiation from me, — ye shall obtain the place of Nirvdwa.’

¹⁰⁸Then the five, pure in heart, begged leave to undertake his vow of a religious life ; and the Buddha, touching their heads, ^received them into the mendicant order. 1 1 3. Then at the mendicants’ respectful request the chief of saints bathed in the tank, and after eating ambrosia he reflected on the field of the Law ’.

¹⁰⁹Remembering that the Deer Park and the fiehl of the 6ina were there, he went joyfully with them and pointed out the sacred seats.

¹¹⁰Having worshipped three seats, he desired .to visit the fourth, and when the worthy disciples asked about it, the teacher thus addressed them : 1 1 6. ‘1 hese are the four seats of the Buddhas * of the (present) Bhadra Age, — three Buddhas have passed therein, and I here am the fourth possessor of the ten powers.’

¹¹¹Having thus addressed them the glorious one bowed to that throne of the Law, decked with tapestries of cloth and silk, and having its stone * Does this mean the country round Benares, as the land where all Buddhas turned the wheel of the Law ? BOOK XV, 1 10-119. 173 inlaid with jewels, like a golden mountain, guarded by the kings of kings. In the former fortnight of Ash^//a, on the day consecrated to the Regent of Jupiter, on the lunar day sacred to Vishu, and on an auspicious conjunc- tion, under the asterism Anuradhd ‘, and in the muhfirta called the Victorious, in the night, — he took his stand on the throne. 1 18. The five worthy disciples stood in front, with joyful minds, paying their homage, and the son of vSiiddhodana performed that act of meditation which is called the Arouscr of all workls ; Brahman and the other god'’ came surrounded by their attendants* summoned each from his own world ; and Maitriya with the deities of the Tushita heaven came for the turning of the wheel of the Law. 1 1 9. So too when the multitude of the sons of the G'inas and the Suras gathered together from the ten directions of space, there came also the noble chief of the sons of the Chinas, named Dharma- ^akra *, carrying the 'wheel of the Law ; With head reverentially bowed, having placed . it, a mass of gold and jewels, before the Buddha and having worshipped him, he thus besought him, ‘ O thou lord of saints, turn the wheel of the ' Law as it has been done by (former) Sugatas.’ ' The scventcenih Nakshatra. ® Is this the same as Mailreya, who is to be the future Buddha and who now awaits his lime in the Tushita heaven ? The Cam- bridge MS. interchanges Maitreya and Maitriya in XVI, 53. ® ‘Ein Buddha (der das Rad des Gesetzes in Bewegung setzi), Trika«(/aj. I, i, 8/ St. Petersburg Diet.

¹The omniscient lion of the iSakyas then caused all the assembly, headed by those who be- longed to the company of Maitrlya \ to turn the wheel of the Law.

²‘ Listen, O company belonging to Maitrlya ye who form one vast congregation, — as it was proclaimed by those past arch-saints, so is it now proclaimed by Me.

³‘ These are the two extremes, O mendicants, in the self-control of the religious ascetic, — the one which is devoted to. the joys of desire, vulgar and common,

⁴‘ And the other which is tormented by the excessive pursuit of self-inflicted pain in the mor- tification of the soul's corruptions, — these are the .two extremes of the religious ascetic, each devoted to that which is unworthy and useless.

⁵‘ These have nothing to do with true asce- ticism, renunciation of the world, or self-control, with true indifference or suppression of pain, or with any of the means of attaining deliverance.

⁶‘ They do not tend to the spiritual forms of knowledge, to wisdom, nor to Nirvda; let him who is acquainted with the uselessness of inflicting pain and weariness on the body. * The Maitrlya-varglyai ? BOOK XVI, I- 1 6 . 175

⁷‘ Who ^as lost his interest ’ in any pleasure or pain of a visible nature, or in the future, and who follows this middle Path for the good of tin; world, —

⁸‘ Let him, the TathSgata, the teacher of the world, proclaim the good Law, beginning that mani- festation of the good Law which consists of the (four) noble truths,

⁹‘ And let the Buddha proclaim the Path with its eight divisions. I too who am now the perfectly wise, and the Tathigata in the world,

¹⁰‘Will proclaim the noble Law, beginning with those sublime truths and the eightfold Path which IS the means to attain perfect knowledge.

¹¹‘ Instructing all the world I will show to it NirvAwa; those four noble truths must be heard first and comprehended bv the soul.

¹²‘That must be und( rstood and thoroughly realised by the true students of wisdom, which has been known here by me, through the favour of all the Buddhas.

¹³‘ Having known the noble eightfold Path, and embraced it as realised with joy, — thus I declare . to you the first means for the attainment of liber- ation. •

¹⁴‘ Having thus commenced the noble truths, 1 will describe the true self-control ; this noble truth is the best of all holy laws.

¹⁵‘Walk as long as existence lasts, holding fast the noble eightfold Path, — this noble truth is the highest law for the. attainment of true liberation.

¹⁶‘ Having pondered and held fast the noble ’ Nirata seems used here for virata. 176 THE nUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA. eightfold Path, walk in self-control ;* others, not understanding this, idle talkers full of self-conceit, 1 7. ‘ Say according to their own will that merit is the cause of corporeal existence, others maintain that the soul must be preserved (after death) for its merit is the cause of liberation.

¹⁷‘Some say that everything comes spontane- ously; others that the consequence was produced before ; others talk loudly that all also depends on a Divine Lord.

¹⁸‘If merit and demerit are produced by the good and evil fortune of the soul, how is it that good fortune does not always come to all embodied beings (at last), even in the absence of merit ?

¹⁹‘ How is the difference accounted for, which we see in form, riches, happiness, and the rest, — if there are no previous actions, how do good and evil arise here ?

²⁰‘If karman is said to be the cause of our actions, who would imagine cogency in this assump- tion ? If all the world is produced spontaneously, who then would talk of the ownership of actions ?

²¹‘If good is caused by good, then evil will be the cause of evil, — how then could liberation from existence be produced by difficult penances * ?

²²•‘ Others unwisely talk of lvara as a cause, — how then is there not uniformity in the world if t jvara be the uniformly acting cause

²³‘ Thus certain ignorant people, talking loudly “ he is,” “ he is not,” — through the demerits of their false theories, are at last born wretched in the different hells. ' I. e. viewed as an evil in themselves. BOOK XVI, 17-33. 177

²⁴‘ Through the merits oF good theories vir- tuous men, who understand noble knowledge, go to heavenly worlds, from their self-restraint as regards body, speech, and thought.

²⁵‘ All those who are devoted to existence are tormented with the swarms of its evils, and being consumed by old age, diseases, and death, each one dies and is born again.

²⁶‘ There are many wise men here who can dis- course on the laws of coming into being ; but there is not even one who knows how the cessation of being is produced.

²⁷‘ This body composed of the five skandhas, and produced from the five elements, is all empty and without soul, and arises from the action of the chain of causation.

²⁸‘ This chain of causation is the cause of coming into existence, and the cessation of the series thereof is the cause of the state of cessation.

²⁹‘He who knowing this desires to promote the good of the world, let him hold fast the chain of causation, with his mind fixed on wisdom ;

³⁰‘Let him embrace the vow of self-denial for ^ the sake of wisdom, and practise the four perfec- tions ', and go through existence always doing good to all beings.

³¹‘ Then having become an Arhat and con- quered all the wicked, even the hosts of Mdra, and attained the threefold wisdom, he shall enter NirvSiwa.

³²‘ Whosoever therefore has his mind indifferent ' The four brahmavihir&A, sc. charity, compassion, sympathy with others’ joy, and stoicism. . [42] N 178 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. and is void of all desire for any further form of exist- ence, let him abolish one by one the several steps of the chain of causation

³³‘ When these effects of the chain of causation are thus one by one put an end to, he at last, being free from all stain and substratum, will pass into a blissful Nirvda.

³⁴‘ Listen all of you for your own happiness, with your minds free from stain, — I will declare to you step by step this chain of causation.

³⁵‘ The idea of ignorance is what gives the root to the huge poison-tree of mundane existence with its trunk of pain.

³⁶‘The impressions® are caused by this, which produce [the acts of] the body, voice, and mind ; and consciousness arises from these impressions, which produces as its development the five senses and the mind (or internal sense).

³⁷‘ 'I'he organism * which is sometimes called or sa^^darana springs from this ; and from this arises the six organs of the senses, including mind. *

³⁸‘ The association of the six organs with their objects is called “ contact and the consciousness of these different contacts is called “ sensation * ; ”

³⁹‘ By this is produced thirst, which is the desire ‘ Cf. Childers in Colebrooke’s Essays, I, p. 453. * These sawskSrSA constitute predispositions or tendencies. * Literally ‘ the name and the form,’ the individual, consisting of mind and body. * The Nimarhpa is properly the organised body (rfipa) and the three mental skandhas, vedand, wjng^, and the samsldrl^, which are together called nSma. » Vedani. BOOK XVI, 34-46. t79 of being troubled ^ by worldly objects ; “ attachment to continued existence,” arising from this, sets itself in action towards pleasure and the rest ;

⁴⁰‘ From attachment springs continued exist- ence, which is sensual, possessing form, or formless * ; and from existence arises birth through a returning to various wombs.

⁴¹‘ On birth is dependent the series of old age. death, sorrow and the like; by putting a stop to ignorance and what follows from it, all these succes- sively surcease.

⁴²‘ This is the chain of causation, having many turns, and whose sphere of action is created by igno- rance, — this is to be meditated upon by you who enjoy the calm of dwelhng tranquilly in lonely woods ® ; ‘ He who knows it thoroughly reaches at last to absolute tenuity; and having become thus attenuated he becomes blissfully extinct.

⁴³‘When you have thus learned this, in order to be freed from the bond of existence, you must cut down with all your efforts the root of pain, ignorance.

⁴⁴‘ Then, being set free from the bonds of the prison-house of existence, as Arhats, possessing natures perfectly pure, you shall attain Nirviwa.’

⁴⁵Having heard this lesson preached by the chief of saints, all the mendicants comprehended the course and the cessation of embodied existence. ‘ Samkleta, — should we read samriesha ? * I.e. in the eleven k&malokas, the sixteen rfipabrahmalokas, and the four ardpabrahmalokas. * The metre shows that two short syllables are wanting in the line, viana (vana) vixr&maxamibhiA. • N 2 l8o THE BUDDIIA-XARITA OF ASVAGIIOSHA.

⁴⁶As these five ascetics listened to his words, their intellectual eye was purified for the attainment of perfect wisdom :

⁴⁷The eye of dharma^ was purified in six hundred millions of gods, and the eye of wisdom in eight hundred millions of Brahmans

⁴⁸The eye of dharma was purified in eighty thousand men, and even in all beings an ardour for the Law was made visible.

⁴⁹Everywhere all kinds of evil became tran- quillised, and on every side an ardour for all that helps on the good Law manifested itself.

⁵⁰In the heavens everywhere the heavenly beings with troops of Apsarases uttered forth great shouts, ‘ Even so, O noble being of boundless energy ! ’

⁵¹Then Maitreya addressed the holy one, ‘ O great mendicant, in what form has the wheel been turned by thee ? ’

⁵²Having heard this question asked by the great-souled Maitreya, the holy one looked ^t him and thus addressed him :

⁵³‘ The profound subtil wheel of the Law, so hard to be seen, has been turned by me, into which the disputations Tlrthikas cannot penetrate.

⁵⁴‘The wheel of the Law has been turned, which has no extension, no origin, no birth, no home, isolated, and free from matter ;

⁵⁵‘ Having many divisions, and not being with- out divisions ®, having no cause, and susceptible of no definition, — that wheel, which is described as * Dharmaak-hu^, the eye to discern the Law? * The divine inhabitants of the Brahmalokas. * Anirvyfihaw? BOOK XVI, 47-65. 18 1 possessing perfect equilibrium, has been proclaimed by the Buddha.

⁵⁶‘Everything subject to successive causation is like a delusion, a mirage, or a dream, like the moon seen in water or an echo, — it lies stretched out on the surface, not to be extirpated, but not eternal.

⁵⁷‘ The wheel of the Law has been described as that in which all false doctrines are extirpated ; it is always like the pure ether, involving no doubts, ever bright.

⁵⁸‘ The wheel of the Law is described as with- out end or middle, existing apart from “ it is ” or “ it is not,” separated from soul or soullessness.

⁵⁹‘The wheel <5f the Law has been here set forth, with a description according to its real nature, — as it has a limit and as it has not a limit, in its actual quantity and quality.

⁶⁰‘The wheel of the Law has been here set forth, described as posse'^sing unique attributes, apart from the power of thf* eye and so too as regards the sense of hearing or smell ;

⁶¹‘Apart from the tongue, the touch, or the mind, — without soul or exertion ; ‘ Such is this wheel of the Law which has been * turned by me ;

⁶²‘ He makes wise all the ignorant, — therefore , is he called the Buddha ^ ; this knowledge of the laws of reality has been ascertained by me of myself,

⁶³‘ Apart from all teaching by another, therefore is he called the self-existent, — having all laws under his control, therefore is he called the lord of Law.

⁶⁴‘ He knows what is right (naya) and wrong (an ay a) in laws, therefore is he called Niyaka; he ‘ Buddha seems here to identify himself with his Law. 1 82 THE BUDDHA-iTARITA OF ASVAGHOSIIA. teaches unnumbered beings as they become fit to be taught.

⁶⁵‘He has reached the furthest limit of instruc- tion, therefore is he called Viniyaka, from his point- ing out the best of good paths to beings who have lost their way.

⁶⁶‘He has reached the furthest limit of good teaching, he is the guide to all the Law, — attracting all beings by his knowledge of all the means of conciliation ;

⁶⁷‘ He has passed through the forest of mundane existence, therefore is he called the Leader of the Caravan ; the absolute ruler over all law, therefore he is the 6^ina, the lord of Law.

⁶⁸‘ From his turning the wheel of the Law he is the lord of all the sovereigns of Law ; the master- giver of the Law, the teacher, the master of the Law, the lord of the world ;

⁶⁹‘He who has offered the sacrifice, accom- plished his end, fulfilled his hope, achieved his success, the consoler, the loving regarder, the hero, the champion, the victorious one in conflict ; , 71. ‘He has come out from all conflict, released himself and the releaser of all, — he is become the light of the worjd, the illuminator of the knowledge of true wisdom ;

⁷⁰‘ The dispeller of the darkness of ignorance, the illu miner of the great torch, the great phy- sician, the great seer, the healer of all evils, 73 - ‘The extractor of the barb of evil from all those who are wounded by evil, — he who is pos- sessed of all distinctive marks and adorned with all signs,

⁷¹‘.With his body and limbs every way perfect. BOOK XVI, 66-8 1 . 183 of pure conduct and perfectly clear mind, possessed of the ten powers, having great fortitude, learned with all learning,

⁷²‘ Endowed with all the independent states *, he who has attained the great Ydna, the lord of all Dharma, the ruler, the monarch of all worlds, the sovereign,

⁷³‘ The lord of all wisdom, the wise, the destroyer of the pride of all disputers, the om- niscient, the Arhat, possessed of the perfect know- ledge, the great Buddha, the lord of saints ;

⁷⁴‘ The victorious triumphant overthrower of the insolence and pride of the <'vil Mara, the perfect Buddha, the Sugata* the wise one, he who brings the desired end to all beings,

⁷⁵‘ Ever cognisant of past acts, never speaking falsely, a mine of perfect excellence and of all good qualities, the destroyed of all evil ways, the guide in all good ways*,

⁷⁶‘ The ruler of the world, the bearer of the world, the master of the world, the sovereign of the world, the teaches of the world, the preceptor of the world, he who brings to the world the Law, ^ virtue, and its true end,

⁷⁷‘ The fount of an ambrosia which quenches the scorching of the flame of all pain, and the powerful luminary which dries up the great ocean of all pain,

⁷⁸‘He who brings all virtue and all true wealth, the possessor of perfect excellence and all good qualities, the guide on the road of wisdom, he who shows the way to Nirv&«a, * Eighteen in all. See Burnous, Lotus, pp. 648, &c. * Query sadvritti for sawvrrtti? 184 THE BUDDHA-ATARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA.

⁷⁹‘The Tathigata, without stain, without at- tachment, without uncertainty. — This is the com- pendious declaration in the turning of the wheel of the Law.

⁸⁰‘A concise manifestation of a Tath&gata’s qualities is now declared by me ; for a Buddha’s knowledge is endless, unlimited like the ether;

⁸¹‘A narrator might spend a Kalpa, but the virtues of the Buddha would not come to an end, — thus by me has the multitude of the virtues of the Buddha been described.

⁸²‘ Having heard this and welcomed it with joy go on ever in happiness ; this. Sirs, is the MahciySna, the instrument of the Law of the perfect Buddha, which is the establisher of the welfare of all beings, set forth by all the Buddhas.

⁸³‘ In order that this methodical arrangement of the Law may be always spread abroad, do you yourselves always proclaim it and hand it on.

⁸⁴‘Whosoever, Sirs, hears, sees, and welcomes with joy this methodical arrangement of the Law, which is a mine of happiness and prosperity, and honours it with folded hands,

⁸⁵‘ Shall attain pre-eminent strength with a glorious form ^nd limbs, and a retinue of the holy, and an intelligence of the highest reach,

⁸⁶‘And the happiness of perfect contemplation, with a deep calm^ of uninterrupted bliss, with his senses in their highest perfection, and illuminated by unclouded knowledge.

⁸⁷‘He shall assuredly attain these eight pre- eminent perfections, who hears and sees this Law ’ I read naislikarmya for naishkramra. BOOK XVI, 82-99. 185 with a serene soul and worships it with folded hands.

⁸⁸‘ Whosoever in the midst of the assembly shall gladly offer a pulpit to the high-minded teacher of the great Law,

⁸⁹‘ That virtuous man shall assuredly attain the seat of the most excellent, and also the seat of a householder, and the throne of a universal monarch ;

⁹⁰‘He shall also attain the throne of one of the guardian-spirits of the world, and also the firm throne of .Sakra, and also the throne of the Vajavartina^ gods, aye, and the supreme throne of Brahman ;

⁹¹‘And also with the permission of the Bodhi- sattva who is seated on the Bodhi .throne he shall obtain the throne of a teacher of the good Law who has risen to perfect knowledge.

⁹²‘ These eight seats shall the pure-souled one attain who offers joyfully a seat to him who pro- claims the Law.

⁹³‘Whosoever with a believing heart, after examination, shall utter applause to the pious man who proclaims this carefully arranged Law ;

⁹⁴‘ Shall become a truthful and pure speaker, and one whose words are to be ‘accepted, — one whose utterances are welcome and delightful, whose voice is sweet and gentle ;

⁹⁵‘ Having a voice like a Kalavinka bird with a deep and sweet tone, having also a pure voice like Brahman’s ®, and a loud voice with a lion’s sound.

⁹⁶‘He as an all-wise and truthful speaker shall * A kind of sparrow. * Or * having a voice of pure spiritual truth ?' 1 86 THE BUDDIIA-JCARITA OF A5VAGHOS1IA. obtain these eight excellences of speech, who utters applause to one who proclaims the good Law.

⁹⁷‘And whosoever, after writing this method of the Law in a book, shall set it in his house and always worship it and honour it with all reverential observances,

⁹⁸‘And uttering its praises shall hand the doctrine onward on every side, he, the very pious man, shall obtain a most excellent treasure of memory,

⁹⁹‘ And a treasure of insight and a treasure of prudence^, and a treasure of good spells, and a treasure full of intelligence,

¹⁰⁰‘And a treasure of the highest wisdom, and the most excellent treasure of the Law, and a treasure of knowledge, the means to attain the excellences of the good Law, —

¹⁰¹‘These eight treasures shall that high- minded man attain who joyfully writes this down and sets it in a sure place and always worships it.

¹⁰²‘And he who, himself holding this method of the Law in his mind, sets* it going around him, shall obtain a complete supply for liberality for the good of the world,

¹⁰³‘Next, ia complete supply of virtuous dis- positions, a most excellent supply of sacred know- ledge, a supply of perfect calmness, and that which is called spiritual insight,

¹⁰⁴‘A supply of the merit caused by the good Law, a most excellent supply of knowledge, a supply of boundless compassion, which is the means to attain the virtues of the perfect Buddha. ' I read mahdmatinidh&nam for mahaprati-. **Gati? ‘resources?’ BOOK XVI, 1 00-116. 187

¹⁰⁵‘ He, full of joy, shall obtain these eight supplies who himself holds this method of the Law in his mind and sets it going abroad.

¹⁰⁶‘And he who shall declare this method of the Law to others, shall have himself purified by great merit and shall be prosperous and possessed of supernatural powers. no. ‘He shall become a universal monarch, a king of kings, and even a ruler among the guardians of the world an Indra ruler of the gods *, and even the ruler of the Yama heaven ®, in. ‘Yea, the ruler of the Tushita heaven, and the ruler of the SunirmitSi. and the king of the Varavartina^*, and th'e lord of the Brahmaloka ;

¹⁰⁷‘Yea, Mahabrahman, the highest of Sages, — and in the end he shall even become a Buddha, — he, possessing a thoroughly pure intelligence, shall obtain these eight sublime rewanls of merit.

¹⁰⁸‘And he who, thoroughly intent, with a believing heart, and filled with faith and devotion, shall hear this method of the Law as it is preached,

¹⁰⁹‘He shall have* his intellect made perfectly pure, his mind calmed with boundless charity, and his soul happy with boundless compassion, and he shall be filled with boundless joy; , 1 15. ‘His soul constantly calm with universal in- difference, rejoicing in the four contemplations, having reached the ecstatic state of absolute in- difference *, and with his senses abolished, 1 16. ‘ With the five transcendent faculties attained. ‘ Sc. the Mahdras of the first heaven. ’ In the second Devaloka. ’ The third Devaloka. * These are the fourth, fifth, and sixth Devalokas. '• Samfirfipya? 1 88 THE BUDDHA-jrARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. and destroying the aggregate of latent impressions, he, endowed with supernatural powers, will attain the samddhi called ^hrawgama.

¹¹⁰‘ He, having his soul pure, will attain these eight forms of absolute spotlessness ; yea, wherever this method of the Law will prevail universally, 1 1 8. ‘ There will be no fear of any disturbance in the kingdom, no fear of evil-minded thieves, nor fear of evil beasts ;

¹¹¹* There will be no fear of plagues, famines, or wildernesses ; and no alarm shall spread, caused by quarrel or war; 1 20. ‘ There shall be no fear from the gods nor from Ndgas, Yakshas, and the* like, nor shall there be anywhere any fear of any misfortune. 1 2 1 . ‘ These eight fears shall not be found there where this Law extends ; it is all briefly explained, my friends, — all that arises from holding it sted- fastly.

¹¹²‘A yet higher and most excellent merit is declared by all the Buddhas, even although all living beings were to practise conTplete self-restraint.

¹¹³‘ Let a man worship the Buddhas, honouring them always with faith ; from that comes this pre- eminent merit, as is declared by the (7inas. 1 24. ‘And whosoever joyfully worships a Pratyeka- Buddha, they shall become themselves Pratyeka- Buddhas ; therefore let every one worship them.

¹¹⁴‘There is pre-eminent merit from the wor- ship of one Bodhisattva, and they shall all them- selves become Bodhisattvas, let every one worship them ;

¹¹⁵‘Therefore there is pre-eminent merit from the worship of one Buddha, — they shall all them- BOOK XVI, 1 17-1 32. 189 selves become Chinas, let every one devoutly worship them ; and he too shall obtain this pre-eminent merit who hears this or causes others to hear it

¹¹⁶‘ And whosoever in days when the good Law is abolished abandons love for his own body and life and proclaims day and night these good words, — pre-eminent is his merit from this,

¹¹⁷‘ He who wishes to worship constantly the lords of saints, the Pratyeka-Buddhas and the Arhats, let him resolutely produce in his mind the idea of true wisdom and proclaim these good words and the Law.

¹¹⁸‘This jewel of all gool doctrines, which is uttered by the Buddlias for the good of all beings, — even one who lives in a house will be a Tathdgata for it, where this good doctrine prevails.

¹¹⁹‘He obtains a glorious and endless splendour who teaches even one worci thereof ; he will not miss one consonant nor the 'iieaning who gives this SGtra to others. 1 31. ‘He is the best of all guides of men, no other being is like unto him ; he is like a jewel, of im- perishable glory, who hears this Law with a pure , heart.

¹²⁰‘Therefore let those who are endowed with lofty ambitions, always hear this Law which causes transcendent merit ; let them hear it and gladly wel- come it and lay it up in their minds and continually worship the three jewels with faith.'

¹[i When the heavenly beings with Brahman at their head and the Bodhisattvas intent on self-morti- fication * heard this glorification of the Law uttered by the lion of the 6'akyas, they were desirous to hear again this which is so difficult to find, and they went to the city and worshipped him, propitiating his favour ; in the dark fortnight of the month Ashasia on the lunar day sacred to Agni, with the moon in the constellation called Kara (?) and on an auspicious day, — he, remembering the Buddha worlds and being desirous to save all creatures, set off on his journey, longing for disciples with his father at their head.]

²The associated Brdhmans, accompanied by the inhabitants of Kdd who had gone to the Deer Park, and the mendicants to the number of thirty, were rendered resplendent by the chief of saints ; KSrikS the harlot of K 4 .d went to the hetiven of the gods, after she had worshipped the G'ina and attached her sons to the service of the glorious one ; the con- queror of the world then made thirty rejoicing offi- ciating priests of Kdl his disciples, initiating them in the course of perfect wisdom ; and the son of Maitrciyaland Maitra, the preceptor of hosts of the twice-born, named P(ira, obtained true wisdom from the chief of saints and became a noble mendicant.

³The priest of the lord of the city Marakata, a ' This is a doubtful verse, the metre is faulty. * Tread tapasy&pare. * Bumouf, Lotus, p. 489. BOOK XVll, 1-6. I9I BrShman named Afaya, and his son N&Iaka, well versed in sacred learning and full of answers to questions, and an ascetic named Dhrfti, dwelling in the Vindhya, and an invincible Brihman ascetic Sa»*^yin with his disciples, — these all, dwellers in the Vindhya, — when they’ came to him for refuge, the chief of saints initiated as mendicants, touching them with his hand bearing the mark of a wheel ; moreover the NAga Elapatra came to the abode of the best of saints, and stood resplendent there, perfectly calm in his demeanour and worshipping him with his rosaries. 4 . There was also a female ascetic of Mathuri named Trikavya««gikd, and a Brahman named Vid- yikara, — their son whs named Sabhya, a dweller in the district called .SvetabhlArka, a wise ascetic, proud of his wisdom, — he went into the Deer Park, wearing the aspect of one perfectly illumined, and desiring the highest wisdom from the chief of mendicants ; seeking from the omniscient admission to the noble life, he became renowned as the mendicant Sabhya in all assemblies. 5 . The son of Talit5fprabudh&, born after worship paid to the best of trees on the bank of the stream Vara«4, — renowned in the world as Yaoda, — wise from the besprinkling of the ambrosja of the words of the king of heaven, — remembering all former dis- courses which he had heard, came with his friends to the wood in the Deer Park, accompanied by his glory ; and the holy one, touching his head with his hand, made him the guru of the chief Bhikshus. 6 . The glorious one, named the great Buddha, proceeded with the mendicants in an auspicious com- pany, and having manifested his triumphal march for the salvation of the world, entered the city of KcIjI. 192 the buddha-earita of ajvagiiosha. A poor Br&hman, named Svastika, a native of Vdri- /Kisl, obtained riches from heaven through the favour of the glorious one, and having received adoption as a slave in the 6^ina faith, became a mendicant and an Arhat at the hands of the great teacher.

⁴Blessing the king of* Kfijl ^ Divodsa and the citizens with gold, corn, and other riches, — taking up his abode in different places in forests, caves, moun- tains, he at last came in his rambles to the river (Pihnavl. The boatman who conveyed the Czina across the Ganges worshipped him and offered him milk with due services of reverence, and became a mendicant through his favour and by the 6^ina’s com- mand found a dwelling in the Buddha’s hermitage in the grove.

⁵The glorious one, after hie had crossed the Ganges, went to the hermitage of Kdyapa at Gayd, called Uruvilva; there, having shown his super- natural power, he received as Bhikshus the Kijyapas, Uruvilva, and others, with more than a thousand of their disciples, having endued them forthwith with all kinds of spiritual knowledge and with the power to abandon all worldly action ; then accompanied by three hundred disciples Upasena at the command of his maternal uncle became an ascetic. c

⁶The glorious one made seven hundred asce- tics enter Nirvfia who dwelt in the wood Dharma ; and the lord of the Law also caused the daughters of Na;«dika, Sug'^tA and others, who dwelt in the village, to become the first female ascetics ; and in the city of Rliageha, having enlightened in right action and in activity the king Bimbis&ra, ‘ Kdkl BOOK XVII, 7-12. 193 the monarch, who is to be considered as the elder- born in perfect knowledge, he made him who was the devoted follower of the Buddha, a Bodhisattva and a Sakrfd&gdmin.

⁷In another village named Ndradya there was a Brahman Dharmapilin and a Brahman woman named .Salyd; their seventh son named UpatishyaS who had studied the entire Veda, became a Buddhist mendicant ; so too there was a great paflit, a Brdh- man named Dhdnydyana, who dwelt in the village Kolata, and his son; — him and the son of ^yalt named Maudgalya the great saint received as the best of Bhikshus, pre-eminent disciples

⁸Next he ordamed as a mendicant the keen- witted maternal uncle of ^aliputra*, Dirghdnakha by name ; then travelling in the realm of Magadha, the glorious one, being honoured by the inhabitants with alms and other signs of devotion, and delivering them from evil, dwelt in th*^ convent given by the seer 6 ^eta, attracting to himself many of the monks ; and after ordaining as a mendicant a native of Mi- thiia, named Ananda, with his companions, he dwelt there a year. 1 2. The Brahman named Kdyapa, a very Kuvera for wealth, and a master in all the sci(;nces connected with the Veda, an inhabitant of RSgeha, being pure-minded and wearing only one garment, left all his kindred and came seeking wisdom in asceticism ; — when this noble youth came to the Bodhi tree and practised for six years a penance hard to carry out, then he paid worship- to the chief of saints who had attained perfect knowledge, and he became the well- * Sc. .Sfiriputra. O [49] 194 the buddha-jparita of asvaghosha. known Klyyapa, the chief of ascetics, the foremost of the Arhats.

⁹The saint Naradatta, dwelling on Mount Himavat, remembering the wholesome words of his maternal uncle, came to the Sugata with his disciples, and the holy one admitted them all into the order of the Crina ; then a woman named .Sakti, and an- other named Kamald, pre-eminent in Brahmanical power, came to the Sugata and fell down at his feet, and then standing before him they were received by the saint, and made happy with the staff and begging-bowl.

¹⁰Seven hundred disciples of the ascetic Ru- draka, remembering the noble words of their teacher, becoming mendicants according to the doctrine of the Cina, flocked round him paying him their homage and carrying their staves ; next a seer, named Rai- vata, joyfully uttering his praises, having finished his course of discipline, became a mendicant, full of devotion to the guru, counting gold and clay as the same, well versed in sacred spells and meditation, and able to counteract the three kinds of poisons and other fatal harms.

¹¹Having received as followers and disciples certain householders of iSrdvastl, Pfira and others, and given them alms-vessels, — and having made many poor wretches as rich as Kuvera, and maimed persons with all their limbs perfect, and paupers and orphans affluent, — and having proclaimed the Law, and dwelt two years in the forest Getaka delivering the suppliants, the glorious one, having taught again ■ the saint Geta, and established the Bhikshu Pflra, once more proceeded on his way. 16.. Then the glorious one went on, protecting BOOK XVII, 13-19. 195 the merchant-caravans by the stores of his own treasures from the troops of robbers, next he went into the neighbourhood of Rdgeha wandering with his begging-vessel which had been given by the merchants. In the wood called Veu, filled with ^'dl trees, he ate an offering of food prepared by the enriched robbers, and he received as mendicants five hundred of them and gave them their begging- vessels and the other requisites.

¹²At the invitation of Buddha’s son, .yuddho- dana gave this message to his envoys A'.^andaka and Uddyin, ‘Thy father and mother, some noble ladies, headed by Yaodrdi, and this my young son have come in the hope of seeing thee, under the idea that thou art devoted to the world’s salvation ; what shall I tell them ? ’ They two went, and re- verentially saluting the Buddha in the vihdra called Veu, they told him the message with their eyes filled with tears.

¹³Aandaka and Uddyin accepted his counsel, and, being delighted at the mighty power of Buddha, became great ascetics ; and the great 6^ina took them with him and proceeded from that wood with the disciples, the mendicants, and the saints. Going on from place to place, and dwelling in each for a while and conferring deliverance and confirming the disciples, the mendicants, and the Arhats, he at last reached the wood Nigrodha, illuminating the district by his glory, shaking the earth and putting an end to misery.

¹⁴^ He again stirred up his followers in the doctrine of the Buddha, and then went on with the ^ Several phrases are obscure in this verse. O 2 196 THE BUDDHA-XARITA OF A5VAGHOSHA. crowds of inhabitants gathered round him, instructing his shaven mendicant-followers, as they begged alms, while the gods brought his precepts to their minds He forbade the mendicants to enter the city and went to Raageha himself vyith his own followers ; and then the king who dwells apart from all doubt®, the Cina, who knows at once all the history of every Bhikshu, instructed the ascetic (Ud&yin) in proclaim- ing wisdom to others.

¹⁵In accordance with the 6 ‘ina’s command that prince of ascetics, Udilyin, went to the city of Kapila; there he, the lord of all possessors of supernatural powers, instructed the king as he stood in the assembly in the boon of the eight hundred powers ; and coming down from heaven he uttered to the king and his court a discourse on the four sublime truths, and the king, with his mind en- lightened, having worshipped him, held intercourse with him, attended by his courtiers, offering every form of homage.

¹⁶The monarch, rejoiced at the sight of the Cina, praised his feet, worshipping them with eight hundred presents ; and the Sugata departed, and made manifest in the sky in his one person a form comprehending the universe ; first as fire, then ambrosia, then the king of beasts, an elephant, the king of horses, the king of peacocks®, the king of birds, Maghavan, the ten rulers of the world headed by Yama, the sun, the moon, the hosts of stars. Brahman, Vishu, and ^va.

¹⁷The sons of Diti, the four (MahirSjs) with * Obscure. * Dvapare*stha? ^ ^ikhird/ might mean ‘the king of flames/ &c. BOOK xvrr, 20-25, 197 Dhrztarishra at their head, the hosts of Yogins with the king Drumasiddha, the (heavenly) ascetics, the Vasus, the Manus, the sons of the forest, the creatures of the waters headed by the makara, the birds headed by Garu^/a, and all the kings in the different worlds with the lord of tlie Tushita heaven at their head, and those in the world of the dead' the domain of Bali, — whatever is conspicuous in the universe the holy one created it all, becoming the universal one.

¹⁸When the king had thus been instructed, the lord of saints went to the Satya heaven, and then from the sky, seated on his own throne % he pro- claimed the twelvefold Lavr ; then he restored Gautami and Anugdpd and many other women to sight, and filled all the assembled people with joy ; and established others in Nirvci/^a and in the Law. Then ^yuddhodana full of joy invited him to a feast given to the whole assembly, and he accepted it by his silence.

¹⁹The lion of the .Sakyas, having been thus invited, went with the congregation of his followers to the place, after ha’^ing shown a mighty miracle. Then the earth shook, a shower of flowers fell, the ^ various quarters of space became illumined and a wind blew; and the heavenly beings. Brahman, 61 va, Vishwu, Indra, Yama, Varua, Kuvera, the lord of Bhfltas, the lord of the winds, Nirrfti, Fire with his seven flames, and the rest, stood resting their feet on the serpent 6'esha, and followed leading the gods and gandharvas in their dance in the sky.

²⁰Making millions of ascetics, disciples, Arhats, ' Martya seems here to be used for mrta. ® Or must we take sva as put for svar, * in heaven^' 1 98 THE BUDDIIA-iTARITA OF AJVAGHOSHA. sages, mendicants, and fasters, — and delivering from their ills the blind, the humpbacked, the lame, the insane, the maimed as well as the destitute, — and having established many persons of the fourth caste in the true activity and inaction and in the three ydnas^ with the four sawgrahas^ and -the eight a»^gas®, — going on from place to place, delivering, and confirming the Bhikshus, in the twelfth year he went to his own city.

²¹Day by day confirming the Bhikshus, and providing food for the congregation, in an auspicious moment he made a journey to Lumbini with the Bhikshus and the citizens, Brahman and Rudra being at their head, with great triumph and noise of musical inslruments. There he saw the holy fig-tree and he stood by it remembering his birth, with a smile ; and rays of light streamed from his mouth and went forth illumining the earth ; and he uttered a discourse to the goddess of the wood, giving her the serenity of faith.

²²‘Having come to the Lumbin! fig-tree he spoke to Paurvika the daughter of Rhula, and , GopikS, the daughter of Maitra, and his own Saudhani Kau.?ikd ; and he uttered an affectionate discourse honouring his mother by the tank Vasatya ; then speaking with Eka.?ci;«gi the daughter of Mahi- kautuka and Sautasomi in the wood Nigrodha, he received into the community some members of his own family, headed by Sundardnanda, and one hundred and seven citizens. ‘ Burnous, Lotus, p. 315. ^ Apparently the four means of conciliating dependents. ” The eightfold path of Buddhist morality. * Much of this stanza is obscure. BOOK XVII, 26-30. 199

²³Having declared the glory of the Law of Buddha, he built a round Sthpa and gave a royal coronation to Saunu sending him into the wood pre-eminent with the holiest saints and .ATaityas, and bidding him worship the sacred relics ; and having commanded Rdhula, Gautaml, and the other women led by Gopikd, with staves in their hands, as shaven ascetics, to practise the vow of fasting called aho- ratra*, and after that the Lakshaf’aitya ceremony® and then the rite called 6'rfhgabheri and that called Vasu»«dhdrikd®.

²⁴The AshasihasrikA of sacred authority®, — the Geya'' and the GthS, the Nidana and the Avadina, and that which is called the Shtra of the great Ydna, the Vyikara * and the Ityukta, the G'dtaka, the work called Vaipulya, the Adbhuta* and the Upadea, and also the UdAnaka’® as the twelfth. — Teaching (these sacred texts) and making current the Yilna for common disciples, that for Pratyeka Buddhas, and the Mahaydna, and pro- claiming them all around, accompanied by thirteen and a half bodies of fnendicants, the conqueror of the world went out of the city of Kapila.

²⁵After displaying miracles in the city of Ka- ’ Or the grandson of the king ? * See R^^endraldl Mitra, Nepalesi; Buddhist Literature, p. 221. ’ Ibid. p. 275. * Ibid. p. 230. ' Ibid. p. 271. ® Naigama ? The Ashasdhasrikd seems not to be reckoned here among the . following twelve texts of peculiar authority with the Northern Buddhists. But Burnous’s authorities include it in that called * Sfitra.’ '' For the following twelve names see Burnous, Introd. pp. 51-66. * More properly Vyikarawa. * Burnous calls it adbhutadharma. Burnous, Introd. p. 58. 200 THE BUDDHA-EARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA. pila, and having paid honour to his father, and having made Rahula and his companions Arhats, and also the Bhikshuis with Gautami and Gopiki at their head, and various women of all the four castes : and having established Saunu ^ on his im- perial throne, and the people in the Gina doctrine, and having abolished poverty and darkness, and then remembering his mother, he set forth, after worshipping Svayawbhh, towards the northern region with Brahman, Vislmt, and ^^iva as men- dicants in his train.

²⁶The glory of the Avadina of the birth of the lion of the 6'zikyas has thus been described by me at length and yet vefy concisely; it must be corrected by pawafits ■ wherever anything is omitted, — my childish speech is not to be laughed at, but to be listened to with pleasure. Whatever virtue I may have acquired from de- scribing the king of the Law, the deliverer from mundane existence, who assumes all forms, — may it become a store of merit for the production of right activity and inactivity 'in others, and for the diffusion of delight among the six orders of beings®. Thus ends the seventeenth sarga, called the Progress to Lumbini, in the great poem made by Avaghosha, the Buddha->f’arita * Or Saunava, see jloka 28. * Sc. the sha</ jatayas, the 'six paths/ are gods, men, Asuras, &c., Pretas, brutes, and the inhabitants of the different hells. ‘‘‘ C adds here on the last page the following lines : ‘ The poem about Buddha, very difficult to obtain, was w^ itten by Amrftananda in the year indicated by a cipher, the arrows (of Kama), and a nine [=:Ncwfir Sa;wvat 950, or a.d. 1830], in the dark fortnight of the month Margajirsha (Nov.-Dee.) and on the day ruled by the BOOK XVII, 31. 201 seventh astrological house Smara. Having searched for them everywhere and not found them, four sargas have been made by me, — the fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth/ The beginning of another version of these lines is given in P, but D omits them. The name of AmrMnanda occurs in RendraLal Mitra’s Nepalese Buddhist Literature as the author of three treatises, — two in Sanskrit, the ‘irZandomrtalata (p. 79), the Kalyaapa»2^'avi;;/jatika (p. 99), translated in Wilson's Works, vol. ii, and the Virakujdvaddna (p. 274) in Newar?. Com- pare Cowell and Eggeling's Catalogue, pp. 18, 24; in p. 18 he is associated with the date n.s. 916 (a.d. 1796).