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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> - 200<br />

112. Then the five, pure in heart, begged leave to undertake his vow<br />

<strong>of</strong> a religious life; and the <strong>Buddha</strong>, touching their heads, received<br />

them into the mendicant <strong>or</strong>der.<br />

113. Then at the mendicants’ respectful request the chief <strong>of</strong> saints<br />

bathed in the tank, and after eating ambrosia he reflected on the field<br />

<strong>of</strong> the Law.<br />

114. Remembering that the Deer Park and the field <strong>of</strong> the Jina were<br />

there, he went joyfully with them and pointed out the sacred seats.<br />

115. Having w<strong>or</strong>shipped three seats, he desired to visit the fourth, and<br />

when the w<strong>or</strong>thy disciples asked about it, the teacher thus addressed<br />

them:<br />

116. ‘These are the four seats <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Buddha</strong>s <strong>of</strong> the (present) Bhadra<br />

Age, – three <strong>Buddha</strong>s have passed therein, and I here am the fourth<br />

possess<strong>or</strong> <strong>of</strong> the ten powers.’<br />

117. Having thus addressed them the gl<strong>or</strong>ious one bowed to that<br />

throne <strong>of</strong> the Law, decked with tapestries <strong>of</strong> cloth and silk, and<br />

having its stone inlaid with jewels, like a golden mountain, guarded<br />

<strong>by</strong> the kings <strong>of</strong> kings,<br />

In the f<strong>or</strong>mer f<strong>or</strong>tnight <strong>of</strong> Āṣāḍa, on the day consecrated to the<br />

Regent <strong>of</strong> Jupiter, on the lunar day sacred to Viṣnu, and on an<br />

auspicious conjunction, under the asterism Anurādhā, and in the

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