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> - 129<br />
37. ‘Theref<strong>or</strong>e having passed through the deceptive period <strong>of</strong> youth,<br />
fickle, intent on external objects, heedless, impatient, not looking at<br />
the distance, – they take breath like men who have escaped safe<br />
through a f<strong>or</strong>est.<br />
38. ‘Let theref<strong>or</strong>e this fickle time <strong>of</strong> youth first pass <strong>by</strong>, reckless and<br />
giddy, – our early years are the mark f<strong>or</strong> pleasure, they cannot be<br />
kept from the power <strong>of</strong> the senses.<br />
39. Or if religion is really thy one aim, then <strong>of</strong>fer sacrifices, – this is<br />
thy family’s immem<strong>or</strong>ial custom, – climbing to highest heaven <strong>by</strong><br />
sacrifices, even Indra, the l<strong>or</strong>d <strong>of</strong> the winds, went thus to highest<br />
heaven.<br />
40. ‘With their arms pressed <strong>by</strong> golden bracelets, and their variegated<br />
diadems resplendent with the light <strong>of</strong> gems, royal sages have reached<br />
the same goal <strong>by</strong> sacrifices which great sages reached <strong>by</strong> selfm<strong>or</strong>tification.’<br />
41. Thus spoke the monarch <strong>of</strong> the Magadhas, who spoke well and<br />
strongly like Indra; but having heard it, the prince did not falter,<br />
(firm) like the mountain Kailāsa, having its many summits variegated<br />
(with lines <strong>of</strong> metals).<br />
[Such is the tenth chapter in the great poem Śri <strong>Buddha</strong><strong>carita</strong>,<br />
written <strong>by</strong> Aśvaghosa, called Śreṇya’s Visit]
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