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> - 150<br />
55. ‘Upon this stage some teachers make their stand, thinking that it is<br />
indeed liberation, since pleasure and pain have been left behind and<br />
there is no exercise <strong>of</strong> the intellect.<br />
56. ‘But he who, immersed in this ecstasy, strives not f<strong>or</strong> a further<br />
deities.<br />
57. ‘But he who, having attained such a bliss desires it not but despises<br />
it, obtains the fourth stage <strong>of</strong> contemplation which is separate from<br />
all pleasure <strong>or</strong> pain.<br />
58. ‘The fruit <strong>of</strong> this contemplation which is on an equality with the<br />
sdom call the<br />
59. ‘But rising beyond this contemplation, having seen the<br />
imperfections <strong>of</strong> all embodied souls, the wise man climbs to a yet<br />
higher wisdom in <strong>or</strong>der to abolish all body.<br />
60. ‘Then, having abandoned this contemplation, being resolved to<br />
find a further distinction, he becomes as disgusted with f<strong>or</strong>m itself as<br />
he who knows the real is with pleasures.<br />
61. ‘First he makes use <strong>of</strong> all the apertures <strong>of</strong> his body; and next he<br />
exerts his will to experience a feeling <strong>of</strong> void space even in the solid<br />
parts.
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