It did not seem to me necessary to provide an index, for it would inevitably have been little more than a repetition of the one given in the text. But, as I have had to add an appendix to correct misprints and mistakes in the text and its index and to give such amended readings as I would now definitely adopt, besides a few variants from P which had been omitted, I have taken the opportunity to include in it those words or references which on further examination I think should have appeared in the original index to make it correspond more closely to my intention; for, if in actual fact there are relatively few terms in the poem which would pass the Buddhist definition of nisparyâyena, it is better to include words which are of interest, though not strictly speaking technical, or which, though not unknown elsewhere, are rare. This arrangement is inconvenient but affords the best way out of the difficulty, short of providing a complete index verborum.
Though I prefer not to deal with Aévaghosa’s position either in Sanskrit literature or in Buddhist history till I can bring out the edition of the Buddhacarita which I have had in mind for a long time past, one or two remarks on the story of the poem will not be out of place. The original text from which the poet drew his plot is still unknown to me, but, if it should ever come to light among the Chinese or Tibetan translations, it might enable us to state definitely to what sect he belonged; for, though it is often regarded as indisputable that he was a Sarvàstivâdin, there are indications in the Saundarananda that make me hesitate and prefer to leave the question entirely open for the present. Pali literature contains three versions of Nanda’s story, all different from this one, but in substantial agreement among themselves, namely at Udâna, p. 22, Jâtaka II, p. 92, and the commentary on Dhammapada, 13 and 14. The first named has a hiatus, for it omits the monkey episode, though referring to it. The only other version accessible to me is in the work translated from the Chinese by Beal under the name of The Romantic Legend of Sakya Buddha, p. 369 ff.; despite its differences from this poem, certain passages suggest an acquaintance with it, just as in the earlier part of that work the Buddhacarita is frequently laid under contribution. A special motive may have led Asvaghosa to choose this not very well-known story. For Chinese tradition is insistent that he was born a Brahman and only converted to Buddhism in later life; seeing that he shows much deeper knowledge of Brahmanical learning than any other Buddhist writer known to us, the tradition appears worthy of credit. Is it not possible, therefore, that he was especially fond of subjects which dealt with conversion because of their application to himself? It is the sole subject of two out of the three works which we know for certain to be his, this poem and the Sâriputraprakarana, and it is a leading motif throughout the third, the Buddhacarita. The curious verse, xviii, 58, of this poem might then reflect an experience that had happened to him personally.
I have acknowledged above my indebtedness to various scholars, and it only remains to express my gratitude to the Panjab University for accepting this volume and to Professor A. C. Woolner, C.I.E., its Vice-Chancellor, for his good offices in the matter. The translation has also profited by kindly criticism of some of its angularities and obscurities from my wife and Miss G. Harcourt Smith.
CANTO I. KAPILAVSTU
OM! Hail to the Buddha!
1. THERE WAS a seer, supreme among the upholders of the religious Law, Kapila Gautama by name, strenuous in asceticism like Kâksïvat Gautama, 2. Who continuously practised glorious austerities just as the sun continually gives forth blazing heat, and attained in their progress the highest perfection like Kâsyapa, 3. Who milked libations from his cow for his own sake, just as a king milks the earth for his own purposes, and milked speech in the midst of his disciples trained in asceticism, just as Vasistha milked his cow, 4. Who was the peer of Dirghatapas in magnanimity, the equal of Kâvya and the son of Angiras in sagacity.
5. For the practice of his long-enduring austerities he had on an auspicious slope of the Himalayas his hermitage, the domain and temple of asceticism.
6. It had groves of lovely shrubs and trees and smooth soft lawns, and with its canopy of smoke from the oblations it ever looked like a cloud.
7. With its ground which was soft, sandy, smooth, yellowish with a carpet of kesara flowers and unpolluted, it appeared as if covered with body-paint, consisting of unadulterated earthy particles in soft greasy grains and yellowish with a sprinkling of saffron.
8. It was, as it were, surrounded by friends who were pure, recognised as objects of veneration, holy and promoters of others’ welfare, in the shape of lotusponds, clear, purifying, salubrious and famed as places of pilgrimage.
9. With forest aisles abounding in fruit and flowers on all sides it was splendid and flourished like a man who has all things needful at his command.
10. It seemed as if quite empty, though thronged with ascetics; for they lived self-controlled and peaceful, free from yearnings and contented with a diet of wild rice and fruit.
11. The only sounds to be heard there were of oblations burning in the sacred fires, of muttering hermits with matted hair and of ablutions at the bathing-places.
12. There the spotted deer, asleep in the enclosures sacred to worship, seemed as if made into offerings accompanied by mâdhavï flowers and puffed rice.
13. Even the beasts of prey roamed quietly there with the deer, as if they had studied the rules of the holy life under the ascetics with whom they had taken refuge.
14. Though their release from rebirth was open to doubt and their scriptures were contradictory, yet the ascetics there practised asceticism as if possessed of supernatural perception (of its result).
15. There some contemplated the Absolute; no one at all did hurt; soma was measured out at the proper time; and no one died untimely.
16. There the ascetics, following their own opinions in the matter of religion and regardless of their bodies, practised austerities as if overjoyed with their toil.
17. There the sages, with minds aspiring to Paradise, strove so hard that they seemed by their very passion for austerities to destroy religion (which consists in passionlessness).
18. One day there came to that hermitage, the seat of the brilliant one, the domain of austerities, certain princes, sons of Iksvâku, desirous of dwelling there.
19. Tall they were like golden columns, lionchested, strong in the arm, distinguished for their great fame, majesty and good conduct.
20. For, being worthy where their younger half-brother was unworthy, high-souled where he was pusillanimous, and wise where he was foolish, 21. They did not lay violent hands on the sovereignty which came to him as his mother’s bride-price, but kept inviolate their father’s promise, wherefore they had come to the forest.
22. The seer, Kapila Gautama, became their preceptor; hence, following their guru’s gotra, they were turned from Kautsas into Gautamas; 23. Just as, though brothers and sons of the same father, Rama became a Gârgya and Vâsubhadra a Gautama through being pupils of different gurus.
24. And as they made a dwelling shaded by mica trees, these scions of Iksvâku’s race came to be known on earth as Sâkyas.
25. Gautama celebrated their rites with the same use as for his own clan, as the Bhârgava seer did for the youthful Sagara in later times, 26. And as Kanva did for the son of éakuntalà, the impetuous Bharata, and as the inspired Valmiki for the inspired sons of the princess of Mithila.
27. The forest assumed simultaneously the glory of Brahmans and Ksatriyas, the glory of sacred peace through the sage, of protection through the Ksatriya heroes.
28. One day, in order to establish their prosperity, the sage flew up into the air with a jar of water and addressed the princes: —
29. ‘Follow me step by step without passing beyond the line of the drops which fall to the earth from this jar whose water is inexhaustible’.
30. They all bowed their heads to him and, assenting, mounted their ornate chariots to which swift horses were harnessed.
31. So travelling in the air and followed by them in their c
hariots, he sprinkled water along the boundary of the land of that hermitage.
32. After laying out a space like a chessboard which was beautified by boundary marks, the seer stood still and said to the princes: —
33. ‘When I depart to Heaven, do ye build a town on this land, round which I have sprinkled water and which is defined by the track of your wheels’.
34. Then in course of time the seer passed away and those heroes roamed about in their unbridled youth, as unrestrained as elephants untamed by goads.
35. With leather guards protecting their fingers, with bows in their hands, with mighty quivers bursting with missiles and with arrows adjusted, 36. They tested their skill on elephants and other wild beasts in rivalry of the godlike deeds of the son of Dusyanta, when he lived in the forest.
37. The hermits, seeing their natural character emerge as they grew up, as in tiger cubs, left that forest and retired to the Himalayas.
38. Then the princes, seeing that hermitage empty of ascetics and with their own minds empty (with grief), were overwhelmed with sorrow and sighed like serpents hissing with rage.
39. In time, through their store of merit, prosperity came to them and they obtained great treasures there, which were pointed out to them by the learned in such matters.
40. These treasures were of many kinds and abundant, ample for the complete attainment of the objects of religion, wealth and pleasure, and not subject to loss at the hands of foes.
41. Then with the acquisition of that wealth and the ripening of their merit, they founded on that site a city which was majestic through their knowledge of townplanning, 42. With a moat as broad as a river, with a straight and magnificent main street and with ramparts almost as big as mountains like another Girivraja, 43. Having a fair front of white upper storeys and well laid out bazaars, and encompassed by a row of palaces, like a valley of the Himalayas having fine peaks like white watchtowers and manifold interior wealth and encompassed by uplands like palaces.
“There they caused the Brahmans, learned in the Vedas and Vedângas and engaged in the six occupations (alone permissible to Brahmans), to repeat the formulas for tranquillity and prosperity.
45. There by their regal might they led to victory their military forces which were employed only in repelling assailants of that land (and not in aggression).
46. There they settled on honourable terms their fellow-clansmen, who were endowed with good conduct and wealth and were self-respecting, circumspect, courageous and active.
47. They appointed ministers according to their possession of the various qualities, such as wisdom of counsel, eloquence and courage, to corresponding offices.
48. The city, in being thronged with men who were wealthy, well-ordered, learned and without arrogance, resembled Mandara which is thronged with Kinnaras who are possessed of jewels, wander on the mountain, are skilled in the arts (of song &c.) and have charming smiles.
49. There with joyful hearts, anxious to gratify the citizens, they made magnificent abodes of fame known as gardens.
50. Without order from anyone but only because of their exceeding-wisdom, they dug in all directions pleasant lotusponds filled with water of pre-eminent virtue.
51. And all round on the roads and in the groves they set up rest-houses, charming, fine, splendid and provided with wells.
52. The city was crowded with elephants, horses and chariots, yet it was not polluted or disorderly. Wealth was not kept back from those in need there and it harboured learning and manly vigour.
53. It was, so to speak, a ‘thesaurus’ of wealth, an abode of the sciences, a rendezvous of the perfections; and the sacred fires of courage were tended there.
54. It was the roosting-tree of the virtuous, the resort of the distressed, the stage for learned disputants and the picketing ground for men of might.
55. Those heroes adorned that city, the wonder of the world, with assemblies, feasts, gifts and religious ceremonies.
56. And as they levied no unjust tax, in a short time they filled the city with people then.
57. The city was called Kapilavâstu, because they built it on the site of the hermitage of the seer, Kapila.
58. As the cities situate on the hermitages of Kakanda, Makanda and Kusâmba are called after them, so it was called after Kapila.
59. These Indra-like heroes protected this city with noble courage, not with arrogance, and thus they acquired glory of everlasting fragrance like the famed sons of Yayàti.
60. That country, being without a king, was devoid of lustre under those king’s sons, though they behaved as lords, just as the sky, when the moon has not risen, is not made bright by the stars, though they be shining by the thousand.
61. So in their devotion to their elders the brothers consecrated there, like the Àdityas the Thousand-eyed One in Heaven, that one of them J who was their chief in age and virtues, just as the herd-bull is chief among the bulls by right of his might.
62. As Indra governs Heaven with the Maruts in attendance, so he governed that realm with his retinue of brothers, being possessed of good conduct, discipline, wise policy and piety; and he held sway there not for the indulgence of the senses but for righteousness’ sake.
CANTO II. THE KING
1. IN TIME thereafter in the course of succession the realm passed to King Suddhodana, whose deeds were pure, whose senses were subdued, 2. Who was not attached to worldly passions, who was not made insolent by accession to sovereignty, who did not despise others because of his prosperity, who did not tremble before his foes.
3. Strong, resolute, learned in the sacred lore, wise, brave, skilled in counsel, steadfast and gracious, 4. Handsome yet not presumptuous, courteous yet straightforward, courageous yet forbearing, masterly yet without arrogance, 5. Whether challenged by his enemies in battle or solicited by his friends, he was not backward in courage in the one case or in liberality in the other.
6. Anxious to tread the path of righteousness taken by the kings of old, he imitated his ancestors in conduct, dedicating himself, as it were, to his kingdom.
7. Owing to his excellent administration and efficient protection his subjects reposed peacefully, free from alarms, like children in their fathers lap.
8. Whoever came into his sight, whether scholar, warrior or man of high degree, was fortunate in his business.
9. When given advice that was useful though unpalatable, he listened and was not disturbed; he remembered the slightest action done for his benefit, passing over injuries to himself however so many they were.
10. He favoured those who submitted to him, he waged war on the enemies of his race, he received the unfortunate kindly, he checked those who strayed from the path (of right).
11. In general in his dominions men, by imitating his conduct, were seen to accumulate virtue, as if it were wealth.
12. He studied the supreme religious lore, he never failed in fortitude, he gave gifts to the deserving, he committed no sin.
13. He adhered with constancy to his promises, just as a good horse suffers cheerfully the upraised yoke; for he did not desire life for even a moment at the price of falling away from the truth.
14. He honoured the wise and was resplendent with self-control; like the moon in the month of svina he was pleasing to the cultivated.
15. By his wisdom he obtained what was useful in this world and by his learning he knew what was fitting for the hereafter; he guarded his senses with steadfastness and his subjects with courage.
16. He took away from the afflicted the causes of their grief and from his foes their mighty fame; he gained possession of the earth by his policy and covered it with his exceeding fame.
17. The compassion, innate in his nature, overflowed at the sight of distress, and he did not imperil his fame through covetousness in the unjust acquisition of riches.
18. Out of firm devotion to amity with those who were his allies by traditional friendship he would not be dejected, even when they were worthless, but out of graciousness would
give them his wealth according to their needs. —
19. He did not touch anything to eat till he had performed his ablutions and assigned the first portion to holy persons: he did not milk the earth unrighteously, as one might a cow in thirst for milk.
20. He scattered the ball oblation according to rule and did not let himself be overtaken by the pride of dominion; it was for the sake of religion and not to gain repute that he impregnated his mind with the scriptures.
21. He did not maltreat the few evildoers, even when they deserved cruel punishment, and the nobility of his nature was such that he did not disparage the virtues of a good man, even though he was his enemy.
2:2. By his beauty he attracted, like the moon, the gaze of his subjects; he avoided touching the property of others on earth, as one avoids touching a venomous snake on the ground.
23. Nowhere in his realm had anyone occasion to lament injury at the hands of others; for the bow in his hand promised security to the oppressed.
24. Not to speak of those who did his pleasure, even the guilty when they humbled themselves before him he regarded with a benign eye and bedewed with soft words.
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