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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> - 119<br />

54. ‘Some say that the coming into being and the destruction <strong>of</strong> being<br />

are alike caused <strong>by</strong> the soul, but they say that coming into being arises<br />

without eff<strong>or</strong>t, while the attainment <strong>of</strong> liberation is <strong>by</strong> eff<strong>or</strong>t.<br />

55. ‘A man discharges his debt to his ancest<strong>or</strong>s <strong>by</strong> begetting <strong>of</strong>fspring,<br />

to the saints <strong>by</strong> sacred l<strong>or</strong>e, to the gods <strong>by</strong> sacrifices; he is b<strong>or</strong>n with<br />

these three debts upon him, – whoever has liberation (from these,) he<br />

indeed has liberation.<br />

56. ‘Thus <strong>by</strong> this series <strong>of</strong> rules the wise promise liberation to him<br />

who uses eff<strong>or</strong>t; but however ready f<strong>or</strong> eff<strong>or</strong>t with all their energy,<br />

those who seek liberation will find weariness.<br />

57. ‘Theref<strong>or</strong>e, gentle youth, if thou hast a love f<strong>or</strong> liberation, follow<br />

rightly the prescribed rule; thus wilt thou thyself attain to it, and the<br />

king’s grief will come to an end.<br />

58. ‘And as f<strong>or</strong> thy meditations on the evils <strong>of</strong> life ending in thy<br />

return from the f<strong>or</strong>est to thy home, – let not the thought <strong>of</strong> this<br />

trouble thee, my son, – those in old time also have returned from the<br />

f<strong>or</strong>ests to their houses.<br />

59. ‘The king Ambarīṣa, though he had dwelt in the f<strong>or</strong>est, went back<br />

to the city, surrounded <strong>by</strong> his children; so too Rāma, seeing the earth<br />

oppressed <strong>by</strong> the base, came f<strong>or</strong>th from his hermitage and ruled it<br />

again.

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