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> - 173<br />
8. Then <strong>by</strong> that divine perfectly pure sight he beheld the whole w<strong>or</strong>ld<br />
as in a spotless mirr<strong>or</strong>.<br />
9. As he saw the various transmigrations and rebirths <strong>of</strong> the various<br />
beings with their several lower <strong>or</strong> higher merits from their actions,<br />
compassion grew up m<strong>or</strong>e within him.<br />
10. ‘These living beings, under the influence <strong>of</strong> evil actions, pass into<br />
wretched w<strong>or</strong>lds, – these others, under the influence <strong>of</strong> good actions,<br />
go f<strong>or</strong>ward in heaven.<br />
11. ‘The one, being b<strong>or</strong>n in a dreadful hell full <strong>of</strong> terr<strong>or</strong>s, are<br />
miserably t<strong>or</strong>tured, alas! <strong>by</strong> many kinds <strong>of</strong> suffering;<br />
12. ‘Some are made to drink molten iron <strong>of</strong> the colour <strong>of</strong> fire, others<br />
are lifted al<strong>of</strong>t screaming on a red-hot iron pillar;<br />
13. ‘Others are baked like flour, thrown with their heads downwards<br />
into iron jars; others are miserably burned in heaps <strong>of</strong> heated<br />
charcoal;<br />
14. ‘Some are devoured <strong>by</strong> fierce dreadful dogs with iron teeth, others<br />
<strong>by</strong> gloating crows with iron beaks and all made as it were <strong>of</strong> iron;<br />
15. ‘Some, wearied <strong>of</strong> being burned, long f<strong>or</strong> cold shade; these enter<br />
like bound captives into a dark blue wood with sw<strong>or</strong>ds f<strong>or</strong> leaves.
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