(A) 1 Pr[i]yadas[i] l[ā]jā Māgadhe saṃghaṃ abhivāde[tū]naṃ āhā ap[ā]bādhataṃ ca phāsu-vihālataṃ cā
(B) 2 vidite v[e] bhaṃte āvatake h[a]mā Budhasi dhaṃmasi saṃghasī ti gālave caṃ prasāde ca
(C) e keci bhaṃte 3 bhagavatā Budhe[na] bhāsite sarve se subhāsite vā
(D) e cu kho bhamte hamiyāye diseyā hevaṃ sadhamme 4 cil[a-ṭhi]tāke hosatī ti alahāmi hakaṃ ta[ṃ] v[ā]tave
(E) imāni bhaṃt[e dha]mma-paliyāyani Vinaya-samukase 5 Aliya-vasāṇi Anāgata-bhayāni Muni-gāthā Moneya-sūte Upaṭisa-pasine e cā Laghulo-6vāde musā-vādaṃ adhigicya bhagavatā Budhena bhāsite etāni bhaṃte dhaṃma-paliyāyāni ichāmi 7 kiṃti bahuke bhikhu-[p]āye cā bhikhuniye c[ā] abhikhinaṃ sun[e]yu cā upadhāl[a]yeyū cā
(F) 8 hevaṃmeva upāsakā cā upāsikā cā
(G) eteni bhaṃte imaṃ likhā[pa]yāmi abhipretaṃ me jānaṃtū ti.
(A) The Māgadha king Priyadarśin, having saluted the Samgha, hopes they are both well and comfortable.
(B) It is known to you, Sirs, how great is my reverence and faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, (and) the Samgha.
(C) Whatsoever, Sirs, has been spoken by the blessed Buddha, all that is quite well spoken.
(D) But, Sirs, what would indeed appear to me (to be referred to by the words of the scripture): ‘thus the true Dharma will be of long duration’, that I feel bound to declare.
(E) The following expositions of the Dharma, Sirs, (viz.) (1) the Vinaya-samukasa; (2) the Aliya-vasas, (3) the Anāgata-bhayas, (4) the Muni-gāthās, (5) the Moneya-sūta, (6) the Upatisa-pasina, and (7) the Lāghulovāda which was spoken by the blessed Buddha concerning falsehood,–I desire, Sirs, that many groups of monks and (many) nuns may repeatedly listen to these expositions of the Dharma, and may reflect (on them).
(F) In the same way both laymen and laywomen (should act).
(G) For the following (purpose), Sirs, am I causing this to be written, (viz.) order that they may know my intention.