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

7
Book I: [Bhagavatprasūtiḥ]
[The Birth of the Holy One] 1
śriya parārdhyā vidadhadvidhātjit tamo nirasyannabhibhūtabhānubht |
nudannidāgha jitacārucadramāḥ sa vadyate ’rhanniha yasya nopamā || 1.1* 2
1. That Arhat is here saluted, who has no counterpart, — who, as bestowing the
supreme happiness, surpasses (Brahman) the Creator, — who, as driving away
darkness, vanquishes the sun, — and, as dispelling all burning heat, surpasses the
beautiful moon.
āsīdviśālonnatasānulakṣmyā payodapaktyeva parītapārśvam |
udagradhiṣṇya gagaṇe ’vagāḍha pura maharṣeḥ kapilasya vastu || 1.2*
2. There was a city, the dwelling-place 3 of the great saint Kapila, having its sides
surrounded by the beauty of a lofty broad table-land as by a line of clouds, and itself,
with its high-soaring palaces, 4 immersed in the sky.
sitonnateneva nayena htvā kailāsaśailasya yadabhraśobhām |
bhramādupetān vahadabuvāhān sabhāvanā vā saphalīcakāra || 1.3*
3. By its pure and lofty system of government it, as it were, stole the splendour of the
clouds of Mount Kailāsa, and while it bore the clouds which came to it through a
mistake, it fulfilled the imagination which had led them thither. 5
ratnaprabhodbhāsini yatra lebhe tamo na dāridryamivāvakāśam |
parārdhyapauraiḥ sahavāsatoṣāt ktasmitevātirarāja lakṣmīḥ || 1.4*
4. In that city, shining with the splendour of gems, darkness like poverty could find no
place; prosperity shone resplendently, as with a smile, from the joy of dwelling with
such surpassingly excellent citizens.
yadvedikātoraṇasihakarṇairatnairdadhāna prativeśama śobhām |
jagatyadṣṭveva samānamanyatspardhā svagehairmitha eva cakre || 1.5*
5. With its festive arbours, its arched gateways and pinnacles, 6 it was radiant with
jewels in every dwelling; and unable to find any other rival in the world, it could only
feel emulation with its own houses.
1 The chapter titles are not given by Cowell, and are taken from Johnston’s version. There is no
head-title in the original, but they can be inferred from the end-title.
2 Verses marked with an asterick are omitted from Johnson’s edition as being spurious.
3 Vastu seems to be used here for vāstu.
4 Dhiṣṇya
5 They had though that it was Kailāsa
6 Or towers? (sihakarṇaiḥ)