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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> - 78<br />

31. ‘Surely thou wilt not abandon, O hero, that fond old king, so<br />

devoted to his son, as a heretic might the true religion?<br />

32. ‘And her, thy second mother, w<strong>or</strong>n with the care <strong>of</strong> bringing thee<br />

up, – thou wilt not surely f<strong>or</strong>get her, as an ingrate a benefit?<br />

33. ‘Thou wilt not surely abandon thy queen, endowed with all virtues,<br />

illustrious f<strong>or</strong> her family, devoted to her husband and with a young<br />

son, as a coward the royal dignity within his reach?<br />

34. ‘Thou wilt not abandon the young son <strong>of</strong> Yaśodharā, w<strong>or</strong>thy <strong>of</strong> all<br />

praise, thou the best <strong>of</strong> the cherishers <strong>of</strong> religion and fame, as a<br />

dissolute spendthrift his choicest gl<strong>or</strong>y?<br />

35. ‘Or even if thy mind be resolved to abandon thy kindred and thy<br />

kingdom, thou wilt not, O master, abandon me, – thy feet are my only<br />

refuge.<br />

36. ‘I cannot go to the city with my soul thus burning, leaving thee<br />

behind in the f<strong>or</strong>est as Sumitra left the son <strong>of</strong> Raghu.<br />

37. ‘What will the king say to me, returning to the city without thee?<br />

<strong>or</strong> what shall I say to thy queens <strong>by</strong> way <strong>of</strong> telling them good news?<br />

38. ‘As f<strong>or</strong> what thou saidst, "thou must repeat my unw<strong>or</strong>thiness to the<br />

king" – how shall I speak what is false <strong>of</strong> thee as <strong>of</strong> a sage without a<br />

fault?

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