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> - 130<br />
Book XI [The Passions Spurned]<br />
1. Being thus addressed <strong>by</strong> the monarch <strong>of</strong> the Magadhas, in a hostile<br />
speech with a friendly face, self-possessed, unchanged, pure <strong>by</strong> family<br />
and personal purity, the son <strong>of</strong> Śuddhodana thus made answer:<br />
2. ‘This is not to be called a strange thing f<strong>or</strong> thee, b<strong>or</strong>n as thou art in<br />
the great family whose ensign is the lion – that <strong>by</strong> thee <strong>of</strong> pure<br />
conduct, O lover <strong>of</strong> thy friends, this line <strong>of</strong> conduct should be adopted<br />
towards him who stands as one <strong>of</strong> thy friends.<br />
3. ‘Amongst the bad a friendship, w<strong>or</strong>thy <strong>of</strong> their family, ceases to<br />
continue (and fades) like prosperity among the faint-hearted; it is only<br />
the good who keep increasing the old friendship <strong>of</strong> their ancest<strong>or</strong>s <strong>by</strong><br />
a new succession <strong>of</strong> friendly acts.<br />
4. ‘But those men who act unchangingly towards their friends in<br />
reverses <strong>of</strong> f<strong>or</strong>tune, I esteem in my heart as true friends; who is not<br />
the friend <strong>of</strong> the prosperous man in his times <strong>of</strong> abundance?<br />
5. ‘So those who, having obtained riches in the w<strong>or</strong>ld, employ them<br />
f<strong>or</strong> the sake <strong>of</strong> their friends and religion, – their wealth has real<br />
solidity, and when it perishes it produces no pain at the end.<br />
6. ‘This thy determination concerning me, O king, is prompted <strong>by</strong><br />
pure generosity and friendship; I will meet thee courteously with<br />
simple friendship; I would not utter aught else in my reply.
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