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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> - 158<br />

Aśvattha tree, where the surface <strong>of</strong> the ground was covered with<br />

young grass.<br />

113. Then Kāla, the best <strong>of</strong> serpents, whose majesty was like the l<strong>or</strong>d<br />

<strong>of</strong> elephants, having been awakened <strong>by</strong> the unparalleled sound <strong>of</strong> his<br />

feet, uttered this praise <strong>of</strong> the great sage, being sure that he was on<br />

the point <strong>of</strong> attaining perfect knowledge:<br />

114. ‘Inasmuch as the earth, pressed down <strong>by</strong> thy feet, O sage,<br />

resounds repeatedly, and inasmuch as thy splendour shines f<strong>or</strong>th like<br />

the sun, thou shalt assuredly to-day enjoy the desired fruit.<br />

115. ‘Inasmuch as lines <strong>of</strong> birds fluttering in the sky <strong>of</strong>fer thee<br />

reverential salutation, O lotus-eyed one, and inasmuch as gentle<br />

breezes blow in the sky, thou shalt certainly to-day become the<br />

<strong>Buddha</strong>.’<br />

116. Being thus praised <strong>by</strong> the best <strong>of</strong> serpents, and having taken some<br />

pure grass from a grasscutter, he, having made his resolution, sat<br />

down to obtain perfect knowledge at the foot <strong>of</strong> the great holy tree.<br />

117. Then he sat down on his hams in a posture, immovably firm and<br />

with his limbs gathered into a mass like a sleeping serpent’s hood,<br />

exclaiming, ‘I will not rise from this position on the earth until I have<br />

obtained my utmost aim.’

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