The Buddha-Carita or The Life of Buddha by Ven. Aśvaghoṣa
A Sanskrit and English line by line (interlinear) version of one of the most important and influential biographies of the Buddha (together with extensive annotation).
A Sanskrit and English line by line (interlinear) version of one of the most important and influential biographies of the Buddha (together with extensive annotation).
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Buddha</strong>-carita, <strong>or</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Buddha</strong> - 116<br />
ihaiti hitvā svajana paratra pralabhya cehāpi punaḥ prayāti |<br />
gatvāpi tatrāpyaparatra gacchetyeva jano yogini ko ’nurodhaḥ || 9.36<br />
36. ‘Leaving his kindred in another w<strong>or</strong>ld, he departs hither; and having stolen away 1<br />
from them here, he goes f<strong>or</strong>th once m<strong>or</strong>e; "having gone thither, go thou elsewhere<br />
also," — such is the lot <strong>of</strong> mankind, — what consideration can the yogin have f<strong>or</strong><br />
them? 2<br />
yadā ca garbhātprabhti prajānā vadhāya [.. ..] nubadhāya mtyuḥ 3 |<br />
kasmādakāle vanasaśraya me putrapriyastatra bhavān avocat || 9.37<br />
37. ‘Since from the moment <strong>of</strong> leaving the womb death is a characteristic adjunct, 4<br />
why, in thy affection f<strong>or</strong> thy son, hast thou called my departure to the f<strong>or</strong>est ill-timed?<br />
bhavatyakālo viṣayābhipattau kālastathaivābhividhau pradiṣṭaḥ | 9.38<br />
kālo jagatkarṣati sarvakālānarcārhake śreyasi sarvakālaḥ ||<br />
38. ‘<strong>The</strong>re may be an "ill time" in one’s attaining a w<strong>or</strong>ldly object, — time indeed is<br />
described as inseparably connected with all things; 5 time drags the w<strong>or</strong>ld into all its<br />
various times; but all time suits a bliss which is really w<strong>or</strong>thy <strong>of</strong> praise. 6<br />
rājya mumukṣurmayi yacca rājā tadapyudāra sadśa pituśca |<br />
pratigrahītu mama na kṣama tu lobhādapathyānnamivāturasya || 9.39<br />
39. ‘That the king should wish to surrender to me his kingd<strong>or</strong>n, — this is a noble<br />
thought, well w<strong>or</strong>thy <strong>of</strong> a father; but it would be as improper f<strong>or</strong> me to accept it, as f<strong>or</strong><br />
a sick man through greed to accept unwholesome food.<br />
katha nu mohāyatana npatva kṣama prapattu viduṣā nareṇa |<br />
sodvegatā yatra madaḥ śramaśca paropacāreṇa ca dharmapīḍā || 9.40<br />
40. ‘How can it be right f<strong>or</strong> the wise man to enter royalty, the home <strong>of</strong> illusion, where<br />
are found anxiety, passion, and weariness, and the violation <strong>of</strong> all right through<br />
another’s service?<br />
1 Pralabhya, cf. H<strong>or</strong>ace, ‘vivens m<strong>or</strong>iensque fefellit’. [<strong>The</strong> Tibetan has rab·tu bslas·nas, ‘having<br />
deceived’. H.W.]<br />
2 <strong>The</strong> Tibetan has f<strong>or</strong> the fourth line de·ltar (eva) o d<strong>or</strong>·ldan skye·la rjes·su rten rnam ci, ‘thus<br />
what kind <strong>of</strong> reliance is there on man who is <strong>of</strong> a leaving disposition?’ Should we read in the<br />
<strong>or</strong>ginal ityeva jane tyāgini ko ’nurodhaḥ?<br />
3 Johnson reads: yadā ca garbhāt prabhti pravttaḥ sarvāsv avasthāsu vadhāya mtyuḥ.<br />
4 Can anubadhāya be wrongly used f<strong>or</strong> anubandhāya?<br />
5 Cf. Pāṇ.III, 3, 44.<br />
6 I.e. mukti can never be ill-timed. But this is an obscure śloka (verse).
Change language