The Buddha-Carita

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Buddha-carita, or The Life of Buddha
anena maõinà chaüda praõamya bahuèo nÔpaþ |
vijÿàpyo 'muktavièraübhaü saütàpavinivÔttaye || 6.14
14. `By thee with this jewel, O Chaüda, having offered him repeated obeisance, the
king, with his loving confidence still unshaken, must be enjoined to stay his grief.
jaràmaraõanàèàrthaü praviùño 'smi tapovanam |
na khalu svargatarùeõa nàsnehena na manyunà || 6.15
15. ßI have entered the ascetic-wood to destroy old age and death, Þ with no thirst for
heaven, with no lack of love nor feeling of anger.
tadevamabhiniùkràütaü na màü èocitumarhasi |
bhåtvàpi hi ciraü èleùaþ kàlena na bhaviùyati || 6.16
16. ßDo 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.
dhruvo yasmàcca vièleùastasmànmokùàya me matiþ |
viprayogaþ kathaü na syàdbhåyo 'pi svajanàdibhiþ || 6.17
17. ßSince separation is certain, therefore is my mind fixed on liberation; how shall
there not be repeated severings from one's kindred?
èokatyàgàya niùkràütaü na màü èocitumarhasi |
èokahetuùu kàmeùu saktàþ èocyàstu ràgiõaþ || 6.18
18. ßDo 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.
ayaü ca kila pårveùàmasmàkaü niècayaþ sthiraþ |
iti dàyàdabhåtena na èocyo 'smi pathà vrajan || 6.19
19. ßThis was the firm persuasion of our predecessors, Þ I as one departing by a
common road am not to be mourned for by my heir.
bhavaüti hyarthadàyàdàþ puruùasya viparyaye |
pÔthivyàü dharmadàyàdà durlabhàstu na saüti và || 6.20
20. ßAt 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.
yadapi syàdasamaye yàto vanamasàviti |
akàlo nàsti dharmasya jãvite caücale sati || 6.21
21. ßEven though thou sayest, `He is gone at a wrong time to the wood,' Þ there is no
wrong time for religious duty (dharma), life being fragile as it is.
77
Buddha-carita, or The Life of Buddha
tasmàdadyaiva me èreyaècetavyamiti niècayaþ |
jãvite ko hi vièraübho mÔtyau pratyarthini sthite || 6.22
22. ßTherefore 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?"
evamàdi tvayà saumya vijÿàpyo vasudhàdhipaþ |
prayatethàstathà caiva yathà màü na smaredapi || 6.23
23. `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.
api nairguõyamasmàkaü vàcyaü narapatau tvayà |
nairguõyàttyajyate snehaþ snehatyàgànna èocyate || 6.24
24. `Yea, do thou repeat to the king our utter unworthiness; through unworthiness
affection is lost, Þ and where affection is lost, there is no sorrow.'
iti vàkyamidaü èrutvà chaüdaþ saütàpaviklavaþ |
vàùpagrathitayà vàcà pratyuvàca kÔtàüjaliþ || 6.25
25. Having heard these words, Chaüda, overwhelmed with grief, made reply with
folded hands, his voice choked by tears :
anena tava bhàvena bàüdhavàyàsadàyinà |
bhartaþ sãdati me ceto nadãpaüka iva dvipaþ || 6.26
26. `At this state of mind of thine, causing affliction to thy kindred, my mind, O my
lord, sinks down like an elephant in the mud of a river.
kasya notpàdayedvàùpaü niècayaste 'yamãdÔèaþ |
ayomaye 'pi hÔdaye kiü punaþ snehaviklave || 6.27
27. `To whom would not such a determination as this of thine cause tears, even if his
heart were of iron, Þ how much more if it were throbbing with love?
vimànaèayanàrhaü hi saukumàryamidaü kva ca |
kharadarbhàükuravatã tapovanamahã kva ca || 6.28
28. `Where 1 is this delicacy of limb, fit to lie only in a palace, Þ and where is the
ground of the ascetic forest, covered with the shoots of rough kusa grass?
1 A common expression (which occurs also in Persian poetry) to imply the incompatibility of
two things.
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