The Buddha-Carita or The Life of Buddha by Ven. Aśvaghoṣa

Buddha-carita, or The Life of Buddha - 144
para hi hatu vivaśa phalepsayā na yuktarūpa karuṇātmanaḥ sataḥ |
kratoḥ phala yadyapi śāśvata bhavet tathāpi ktvā kimupakṣayātmakam ||
11.65
65. ‘To kill a helpless victim through a wish for future reward, — it would be an
unseemly action for a merciful-hearted good man, even if the reward of the sacrifice
were eternal; but what if, after all, it is subject to decay?
bhavecca dharmo yadi nāparo vidhirvratena śīlena manaḥśamena vā |
tathāpi naivārhati sevitu kratu viśasya yasmin paramucyate phalam || 11.66
66. ‘And even if true religion did not consist in quite another rule of conduct, by selfrestraint,
moral practice and a total absence of passion, — still it would not be seemly
to follow the rule of sacrifice, where the highest reward is described as attained only
by slaughter.
ihāpi tāvatpuruṣasya tiṣṭhataḥ pravartate yatparahisayā sukham |
tadapyaniṣṭa saghṇasya dhīmato bhavātare ki vata yanna dśyate || 11.67
67. ‘Even that happiness which comes to a man, while he stays in this world, through
the injury of another, is hateful to the wise compassionate heart; how much more if it
be something beyond our sight in another life?
na ca pratāryo ’smi phalapravttaye bhaveṣu rājan ramate na me manaḥ |
latā ivābhodharavṣṭitāḍitāḥ pravttayaḥ sarvagatā hi cacalā || 11.68
68. ‘I am not to be lured into a course of action for future reward, — my mind does
not delight, O king, in future births; these actions are uncertain and wavering in their
direction, like plants beaten by the rain from a cloud.
ihāgataścāhamito didkṣayā munerarāḍasya vimokṣavādinaḥ |
prayāmi cādyaiva npāstu te śiva vacaḥ kṣamethāḥ śamatattvaniṣṭhuram ||
11.69
69. ‘I have come here with a wish to see next the seer Arāḍa who proclaims liberation;
I start this very day, — happiness be to thee, O king; forgive my words which may
seem harsh through their absolute freedom from passion. 1
1 I read śamatattva.