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> - 120<br />
60. ‘So too Drumākṣa, the king <strong>of</strong> the Śālvas, came to his city from<br />
Brahmarṣi, received his royal dignity from the saint Vaśiṣṭha.’<br />
61. ‘Such men as these, illustrious in gl<strong>or</strong>y and virtue, left the f<strong>or</strong>ests<br />
and came back to their houses; theref<strong>or</strong>e it is no sin to return from a<br />
hermitage to one’s home, if it be only f<strong>or</strong> the sake <strong>of</strong> duty.’<br />
62. Then having heard the affectionate and loyal w<strong>or</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> the<br />
minister, who was as the eye <strong>of</strong> the king, – firm in his resolve, the<br />
king’s son made his answer, with nothing omitted <strong>or</strong> displaced, neither<br />
tedious n<strong>or</strong> hasty:<br />
63. ‘This doubt whether anything exists <strong>or</strong> not, is not to be solved f<strong>or</strong><br />
me <strong>by</strong> another’s w<strong>or</strong>ds; having determined the truth <strong>by</strong> asceticism <strong>or</strong><br />
quietism, I will myself grasp whatever is ascertained concerning it.<br />
64. ‘It is not f<strong>or</strong> me to accept a the<strong>or</strong>y which depends on the unknown<br />
and is all controverted, and which involves a hundred prepossessions;<br />
what wise man would go <strong>by</strong> another’s belief? Mankind are like the<br />
blind directed in the darkness <strong>by</strong> the blind.<br />
65. ‘But even though I cannot discern the truth, yet still, if good and<br />
evil are doubted, let one’s mind be set on the good; even a toil in vain<br />
is to be chosen <strong>by</strong> him whose soul is good, while the man <strong>of</strong> base soul<br />
has no joy even in the truth.
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