26.03.2016 Views

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.

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Buddha</strong>-<strong>carita</strong>, <strong>or</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Buddha</strong> - 209<br />

51. In the heavens everywhere the heavenly beings with troops <strong>of</strong><br />

Apsarases uttered f<strong>or</strong>th great shouts, ‘Even so, O noble being <strong>of</strong><br />

boundless energy!’<br />

52. Then Maitreya addressed the holy one, ‘O great mendicant, in<br />

what f<strong>or</strong>m has the wheel been turned <strong>by</strong> thee?’<br />

53. Having heard this question asked <strong>by</strong> the great-souled Maitreya, the<br />

holy one looked at him and thus addressed him:<br />

54. ‘The pr<strong>of</strong>ound subtil wheel <strong>of</strong> the Law, so hard to be seen, has<br />

been turned <strong>by</strong> me, into which the disputatious Tīrthikas cannot<br />

penetrate.<br />

55. ‘The wheel <strong>of</strong> the Law has been turned, which has no extension,<br />

no <strong>or</strong>igin, no birth, no home, isolated, and free from matter;<br />

56. ‘Having many divisions, and not being without divisions, having<br />

no cause, and susceptible <strong>of</strong> no definition, – that wheel, which is<br />

described as possessing perfect equilibrium, has been proclaimed <strong>by</strong><br />

the <strong>Buddha</strong>.<br />

57. ‘Everything subject to successive causation is like a delusion, a<br />

mirage, <strong>or</strong> a dream like the moon seen in water <strong>or</strong> an echo, – it lies<br />

stretched out on the surface, not to be extirpated, but not eternal.<br />

58. ‘The wheel <strong>of</strong> the Law has been described as that in which all<br />

false doctrines are extirpated; it is always like the pure ether,<br />

involving no doubts, ever bright.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!