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> - 161<br />
7. Then having seized his flower-made bow and his five infatuating<br />
arrows, he drew near to the root <strong>of</strong> the Aśvattha tree with his<br />
children, he the great disturber <strong>of</strong> the minds <strong>of</strong> living beings.<br />
8. Having fixed his left hand on the end <strong>of</strong> the barb and playing with<br />
the arrow, Māra thus addressed the calm seer as he sat on his seat,<br />
preparing to cross to the further side <strong>of</strong> the ocean <strong>of</strong> existence:<br />
9. ‘Up, up, O thou Kṣatriya, afraid <strong>of</strong> death! follow thine own duty<br />
and abandon this law <strong>of</strong> liberation! and having conquered the lower<br />
w<strong>or</strong>lds <strong>by</strong> thy arrows [and sacrifices], proceed to gain the higher<br />
w<strong>or</strong>lds <strong>of</strong> Indra.<br />
10. ‘That is a gl<strong>or</strong>ious path to travel, which has been followed <strong>by</strong><br />
f<strong>or</strong>mer leaders <strong>of</strong> men; this mendicant life is ill-suited f<strong>or</strong> one b<strong>or</strong>n in<br />
the noble family <strong>of</strong> a royal sage to follow.<br />
11. ‘But if thou wilt not rise, strong in thy purpose, – then be firm if<br />
thou wilt and quit not thy resolve, – this arrow is uplifted <strong>by</strong> me, – it<br />
is the very one which was shot against Sūryaka, the enemy <strong>of</strong> the fish.<br />
12. ‘So too, I think, when somewhat probed <strong>by</strong> this weapon, even the<br />
son <strong>of</strong> Iḍā, the grandson <strong>of</strong> the moon, became mad; and Sāntanu also<br />
lost his self-control, – how much m<strong>or</strong>e then one <strong>of</strong> feebler powers<br />
now that the age has grown degenerate?<br />
13. ‘Theref<strong>or</strong>e quickly rise up and come to thyself - f<strong>or</strong> this arrow is<br />
ready, darting out its tongue, which I do not launch even against the
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