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Buddha-carita, or Life of Buddha by Ven. Aśvaghoṣa

An English translation of this famous life of the Buddha, one of the great pieces of Sanskrit literature, with additions to help complete the text.

An English translation of this famous life of the Buddha, one of the great pieces of Sanskrit literature, with additions to help complete the text.

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<strong>Buddha</strong>-<strong>carita</strong>, <strong>or</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Buddha</strong> - 99<br />

her voice choking with emotion through the influence <strong>of</strong><br />

despondency:<br />

32. ‘Leaving me helplessly asleep in the night, whither, O Chaṁdaka,<br />

is he, the desire <strong>of</strong> my heart, gone? and when thou and Kaṁthaka are<br />

alone come back, while three went away together, my mind trembles.<br />

33. ‘Why dost thou weep to-day, O cruel one, having done a<br />

dishonourable, pitiless, and unfriendly deed to me? Cease thy tears<br />

and be content in thy heart, – tears and that deed <strong>of</strong> thine ill agree.<br />

34. ‘Through thee, his dear obedient faithful loyal companion, always<br />

doing what was right, the son <strong>of</strong> my l<strong>or</strong>d is gone never to return, –<br />

rejoice, – all hail! thy pains have gained their end.<br />

35. ‘Better f<strong>or</strong> a man a wise enemy rather than a foolish friend<br />

unskilled in emergencies; <strong>by</strong> thee, the unwise self-styled friend, a<br />

great calamity has been brought upon this family.<br />

36. ‘These women are s<strong>or</strong>ely to be pitied who have put away their<br />

<strong>or</strong>naments, having their eyes red and dimmed with continuous tears,<br />

who are as it were desolate widows, though their l<strong>or</strong>d still stands as<br />

unshaken as the earth <strong>or</strong> Mount Himavat.<br />

37. ‘And these lines <strong>of</strong> palaces seem to weep aloud, flinging up their<br />

dovecots f<strong>or</strong> arms, with the long unbroken moan <strong>of</strong> their doves, –<br />

separated verily, with him, from all who could restrain them.

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