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

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Buddha-carita, or The Life of Buddha - 185 96. Seeing that the world was lost in false views and vain efforts and that its passions were gross, seeing too that the law of salvation was exceeding subtle, he set his mind on remaining immobile. 97. Then remembering his former promise, he formed a resolution for the preaching of tranquility. Thereon he reflected in his mind how there are some persons with great passion and others with little passion. 98. Then when the two chiefs of the heavenly dwellings (i.e. Brahma and Indra) knew that the Sugata’s mind had taken the decision to preach tranquility, they were filled with a desire for the world’s benefit and, shining brightly, approached him. 99. As he sat, his aim accomplished by his rejection of sin, and the excellent dharma he had seen as his best companion, they lauded him in all reverence and addressed these words to him for the good of the world:— 100. “Ah! Does not the world deserve such good fortune that your mind should feel compassion for the creatures? In the world there exist beings of varied capacity, some with great passion, some with little passion. 101. O sage, having yourself crossed beyond the ocean of existence, rescue the world which is drowning in suffering, and, like a great merchant his wealth, bestow your excellencies on others also. 102. There are some people here who, knowing what is to their advantage in this world and the hereafter, act only for their own good. But it is hard to find in this world or in heaven one who will be active for the good of the world.” 103. After thus addressing the great seer, they returned to the celestial shere by the way they had come. After the sage also had pondered on that speech, the decision grew strong in him for the liberation of the world. 104. At the time for the alms-round the gods of the four quarters presented the seer with begging-bowls; Gautama, accepting the four, turned them into one for the sake of the dharma. 105. Then at that time two merchants of a passing caravan, being instigated thereto by a friendly deity, joyfully did obesience to the seer with exalted minds and were the first to give him alms. 106. The sage reflected that Arāḍa and Udraka Rāmaputra were the two who had minds capable of accepting the dharma, but, when he saw that both had gone to heaven, his thoughts turned to the five mendicants. 107. Then, wishing to preach tranquility in order to dispel the darkness of ignorance, as the rising sun the darkness, Gautama proceeded to the blessed city, which was beloved of Bhīmaratha, and whose various forests are ornamented by the Varāṇasī.

Buddha-carita, or The Life of Buddha - 186 108. Then the sage, whose eye was like a bull’s, whose gait like a rutting elephant’s, desired to go to the land of Kāśi, in order to convert the world, and turning his entire body like an elephant, he fixed his unwinking eyes on the bodhi tree. [End of Chapter Fourteen]

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

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