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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> - 101<br />

45. ‘And this best <strong>of</strong> h<strong>or</strong>ses as he went along touched not the ground<br />

with the tips <strong>of</strong> his ho<strong>of</strong>s as if they were kept al<strong>of</strong>t from it; and so<br />

too, having his mouth restrained as <strong>by</strong> fate, he made no sound with<br />

his jaws and neighed not.<br />

46. ‘When the prince went out, then the gate was thrown open <strong>of</strong> its<br />

own acc<strong>or</strong>d; and the darkness <strong>of</strong> the night was, as it were, pierced <strong>by</strong><br />

the sun, – we may learn from hence too that this was the <strong>or</strong>dering <strong>of</strong><br />

fate.<br />

47. ‘When also <strong>by</strong> the king’s command, in palace and city, diligent<br />

guards had been placed <strong>by</strong> thousands, and at that time they were all<br />

overcome <strong>by</strong> sleep and woke not, – we may learn from hence too that<br />

this was the <strong>or</strong>dering <strong>of</strong> fate.<br />

48. ‘When also the garment, approved f<strong>or</strong> a hermit’s dwelling in the<br />

f<strong>or</strong>est, was <strong>of</strong>fered to him at the moment <strong>by</strong> some denizen <strong>of</strong> heaven,<br />

and the tiara which he threw into the sky was carried <strong>of</strong>f, – we may<br />

learn from hence too that this was the <strong>or</strong>dering <strong>of</strong> fate.<br />

49. ‘Do not theref<strong>or</strong>e assume that his departure arises from the fault<br />

<strong>of</strong> either <strong>of</strong> us, O queen; neither I n<strong>or</strong> this h<strong>or</strong>se acted <strong>by</strong> our own<br />

choice; he went on his way with the gods as his retinue.’<br />

50. Having thus heard the hist<strong>or</strong>y <strong>of</strong> the prince’s departure, so<br />

marvellous in many ways, those women, as though losing their grief,<br />

were filled with wonder, but they again took up their distress at the<br />

thought <strong>of</strong> his becoming an ascetic.

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