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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> - 166<br />

in the sky, was shattered into a hundred fragments <strong>by</strong> the sage’s<br />

power.<br />

41. One, rising up like the sun in full splendour, rained down from the<br />

sky a great shower <strong>of</strong> live embers, as at the end <strong>of</strong> an aeon blazing<br />

Meru showers down the pulverised sc<strong>or</strong>iae <strong>of</strong> the golden valleys.<br />

42. But that shower <strong>of</strong> embers full <strong>of</strong> sparks, when scattered at the<br />

foot <strong>of</strong> the Bodhi tree, became a shower <strong>of</strong> red lotus-petals through<br />

the operation <strong>of</strong> the great saint’s boundless charity.<br />

43. But with all these various sc<strong>or</strong>ching assaults on his body and his<br />

mind, and all these missiles showered down upon him, the Śākya saint<br />

did not in the least degree move from his posture, clasping firmly his<br />

resolution as a kinsman.<br />

44. Then others spat out serpents from their mouths as from old<br />

decayed trunks <strong>of</strong> trees; but, as if held fast <strong>by</strong> a charm, near him they<br />

neither breathed n<strong>or</strong> discharged venom n<strong>or</strong> moved.<br />

45. Others, having become great clouds, emitting lightning and<br />

uttering the fierce roar <strong>of</strong> thunderbolts, poured a shower <strong>of</strong> stones<br />

upon that tree, – but it turned to a pleasant shower <strong>of</strong> flowers.<br />

46. Another set an arrow in his bow, – there it gleamed but it did not<br />

issue f<strong>or</strong>th, like the anger which falls slack in the soul <strong>of</strong> an illtempered<br />

impotent man.

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