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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> - 74<br />

Book VI [The Dismissal <strong>of</strong> Chaṁdaka]<br />

1. Then when the sun, the eye <strong>of</strong> the w<strong>or</strong>ld, was just risen, he, the<br />

2. Its deer all asleep in quiet trust, its birds tranquilly resting, – seeing<br />

it he too became restful, and he felt as if his end was attained.<br />

3. F<strong>or</strong> the sake <strong>of</strong> ending his wonder and to show reverence f<strong>or</strong> the<br />

penances observed, and as expressing his own conf<strong>or</strong>mity therewith,<br />

he alighted from the back <strong>of</strong> his h<strong>or</strong>se.<br />

4. Having alighted, he stroked the h<strong>or</strong>se, exclaiming, ‘All is saved,’<br />

and he spoke well-pleased to Chaṁdaka, bedewing him as it were<br />

with tears from his eyes :<br />

5. ‘Good friend, thy devotion to me and thy courage <strong>of</strong> soul have been<br />

proved <strong>by</strong> thy thus following this steed whose speed is like that <strong>of</strong><br />

Tārkṣya.<br />

6. ‘Bent even though I am on other business, I am wholly won in heart<br />

<strong>by</strong> thee, – one who has such a love f<strong>or</strong> his master, and at the same<br />

time is able to carry out his wish.<br />

7. ‘One can be able without affection, and affectionate though unable;<br />

but one like thee, at once affectionate and able, is hard to find in the<br />

w<strong>or</strong>ld.

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