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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> - 128<br />

religion, wealth, and pleasure is complete in all its parts, then the end<br />

<strong>of</strong> man is complete.<br />

31. ‘Do not thou let these two brawny arms lie useless which are<br />

w<strong>or</strong>thy to draw the bow; they are well fitted like M<br />

conquer the three w<strong>or</strong>lds, much m<strong>or</strong>e the earth.<br />

32. ‘I speak this to you out <strong>of</strong> affection, – not through love <strong>of</strong><br />

dominion <strong>or</strong> through astonishment; beholding this mendicant-dress <strong>of</strong><br />

thine, I am filled with compassion and I shed tears.<br />

33. ‘O thou who desirest the mendicant’s stage <strong>of</strong> life enjoy pleasures<br />

now; in due time, O thou lover <strong>of</strong> religion, thou shalt practise<br />

religion; – ere old age comes on and overcomes this thy beauty, well<br />

w<strong>or</strong>thy <strong>of</strong> thy illustrious race.<br />

34. ‘The old man can obtain merit <strong>by</strong> religion; old age is helpless f<strong>or</strong><br />

the enjoyment <strong>of</strong> pleasures; theref<strong>or</strong>e they say that pleasures belong to<br />

the young man, wealth to the middle-aged, and religion to the old.<br />

35. ‘Youth in this present w<strong>or</strong>ld is the enemy <strong>of</strong> religion and wealth, –<br />

since pleasures, however we guard them, are hard to hold, theref<strong>or</strong>e,<br />

wherever pleasures are to be found, there they seize them.<br />

36. ‘Old age is prone to reflection’, it is grave and intent on remaining<br />

quiet; it attains unimpassionedness with but little eff<strong>or</strong>t, unavoidably,<br />

and f<strong>or</strong> very shame.

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