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ā ī ū ṛ ṝ ḷ
ḹ ’ ṃ ḥ ṅ ñ
ṭ ḍ ṇ ṣ ś ź
š č ǰ γ    
Note on the transliteration:
The transliteration system of the BP/TLB is based on the Unicode/UTF-8 system. However, there may be difficulties with some of the letters – particularly on PC/Windows-based systems, but not so much on the Mac. We have chosen the most accepted older and traditional systems of transliteration against, e.g, Wylie for Tibetan, since with Unicode it is possible, in Sanskrit and Tibetan, etc., to represent one sound with one letter in almost all the cases (excepting Sanskrit and Tibetan aspirated letters, and Tibetan tsa, tsha, dza). We thus do not use the Wylie system which widely employs two letters for one sound (ng, ny, sh, zh etc.).
 
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We ask you in particular to note the use of the ’ apostrophe and not the ' representing the avagrāha in Sanskrit, and most important the ’a-chuṅ in Tibetan. On the Mac the ’ is Alt-M.
 
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Aśvaghoṣa: Buddhacarita
    Click to Expand/Collapse Option Complete text
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionTitle
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPreface
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 1: Bhagavatprasūti
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 2: Antaḥpuravihāra
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 3: Saṃvegotpatti
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 4: Strīvighātana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 5: Abhiniṣkramaṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 6: Chandakanivartana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 7: Tapovanapraveśa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 8: Antaḥpuravilāpa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 9: Kumārānveṣaṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 10: Śreṇyābhigamana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 11: Kāmavigarhaṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 12: Arāḍadarśana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 13: Māravijaya
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 14: Englightenment
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 15: Turning the Wheel of the Law
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 16: Many Conversions
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 17: Conversion (pravrajyā) of the Great Disciples
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 18: The Instruction of Anāthapiṇḍada
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 19: The Meeting of Father and Son
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 20: Acceptance of Jetavana
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 21: Progress (srotas) of the Mission
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 22: The Visit to Amrapāli's Grove
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 23: Fixing the Factors of Bodily Life
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 24: Compassion for the Licchavis
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 25: The Journey to Nirvāṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 26: The Mahāparinirvāṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 27: Eulogy of Nirvāṇa
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 28: The Division of the Relics
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionColophon
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yad api syād asamaye yāto vanam asāv iti |
akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati || 6.21 || 
(28)若言年少壯 非是遊學時
(29)當知求正法 無時非爲時 
gaṅ yaṅ ’di ni dus min par | | nags su soṅ ba yin źe na | |
srog kyaṅ g-yo bar gyur pa na | | chos la dus yod ma yin no | | 
but I rejoice to have acquired religious wealth; if you say that I am young and tender, and that the time for seeking wisdom is not come,
440. ’You ought to know that to seek true religion, there never is a time not fit; 
21. ‘"Even though thou sayest, ‘He is gone at a wrong time to the wood,’--there is no wrong time for religious duty (dharma), life being fragile as it is. 
tasmād adyaiva me śreyaś cetavyam iti niścayaḥ |
jīvite ko hi viśrambho mṛtyau pratyarthini sthite || 6.22 || 
(11b1)無常無定期 死怨常隨1 伺
(2)是故我今日 決定求法時 
de phyir da lta ñid du (5)bdag | | dge ba bsag ces ṅes pa ste | |
’chi ba’i dgra ni gnas pa na | | gson pa la ni blo gtad ciṅ | | 
impermanence and fickleness, the hate of death, these ever follow us,
441. ’And therefore I (embrace) the present day, convinced that now is time to seek religion. 
22. ‘"Therefore my determination is, ‘I must seek my supreme good this very day;’ what confidence can there be in life, when death stands as our adversary?" 
evamādi tvayā saumya vijñāpyo vasudhādhipaḥ |
prayatethās tathā caiva yathā māṃ na smared api || 6.23 || 
(3)如上諸所啓 汝悉爲我宣
(4)唯願2 今父王 不復3 我顧戀 
źi ba khyod kyis de la sogs | | sa ’dzin bdag la źu bya ste | |
ji ltar bdag ni mi dran pa | | de ltar ñid du ’bad pa gyis | | 
With such entreaties as the above, you must make matters plain on my behalf;
442. ’But, pray you cause my father not to think longingly after me; 
23. ‘Do thou address the king, O friend, with these and such-like words; and do thou use thy efforts so that he may not even remember me. 
api nairguṇyam asmākaṃ vācyaṃ narapatau tvayā |
nairguṇyāt tyajyate snehaḥ snehatyāgān na śocyate || 6.24 || 
(5)若以形毀我 令王割愛4 者
(6)汝5 愼勿惜言 使王念不絶 
gźan yaṅ bdag la yon tan med | | khyod kyis mi (6)bdag la smra bya | |
yon tan med las brtse ba ’dor | | brtse ba dor las mya ṅan med | | 
let him destroy all recollection of me, and cut out from his soul the ties of love;
443. ’And you, grieve not because of what I say, but recollect to give the king my message.’ 
24. ‘Yea, do thou repeat to the king our utter unworthiness; through unworthiness affection is lost,--and where affection is lost, there is no sorrow.’ 
iti vākyam idaṃ śrutvā chandaḥ saṃtāpaviklavaḥ |
bāṣpa1 grathitayā vācā pratyuvāca kṛtāñjaliḥ || 6.25 || 
(7)車匿奉教勅 悲塞情惛迷
(8)合掌而胡跪 還答太子言 
de ltar tshig ’di thos gyur nas | | ’dun pa gduṅ bas rnam ’khrugs śiṅ | |
mchi mas ’dud pa’i tshig ñid kyis | | thal mo sbyar te lan gsol ba | | 
Kandaka hearing respectfully the words of exhortation, blinded and confused through choking sorrow,
444. With hands outstretched did worship; and answering the prince, he spoke, 
25. Having heard these words, Chanda, overwhelmed with grief, made reply with folded hands, his voice choked by tears : 
anena tava bhāvena bāndhavāyāsadāyinā |
bhartaḥ sīdati me ceto nadīpaṅkae iva dvipaḥ || 6.26 || 
(9)如勅具宣6 言 恐更増憂悲
(10)憂悲増轉深 如象溺深泥 
jo bo khyod kyis dgoṅs pa ni | | gñen la ṅal ba ster ba (7)’dis | |
chu bo’i ’gram na gñis ’thuṅ bźin | | bdag gi sems ’di sgyur ba’o | | 
’The orders that you give me, will, I fear, add grief to grief;
445. ’And sorrow thus increased will deepen, as the elephant who struggles into deeper mire. 
26. ‘At this state of mind of thine, causing affliction to thy kindred, my mind, O my lord, sinks down like an elephant in the mud of a river. 
kasya notpādayed bāṣpaṃ2 niścayas te ’yam īdṛśaḥ |
ayomaye ’pi hṛdaye kiṃ punaḥ snehaviklave || 6.27 || 
(11)決定恩愛7 乖 有心孰不哀
(12)金石尚摧8 碎 何況溺哀情 
khyod kyis ṅes pa ’di lta bus | | su yis mchi ma ’byuṅ ba med | |
lcags las gyur pa’i sñiṅ la’aṅ ste | | brtse bas ’khrug la smos ci dgos | | 
When the ties of love are rudely snapped, who, that has any heart, would not grieve!
446. ’The golden ore may still by stamping be broken up, how much more the feelings choked with sorrow! 
27. ‘To whom would not such a determination as this of thine cause tears, even if his heart were of iron,--how much more if it were throbbing with love? 
vimānaśayanārhaṃ hi saukumāryam idaṃ kva ca |
kharadarbhāṅkuravatī tapovanamahī kva ca || 6.28 || 
(13)太子長深宮 少樂身細軟
(14)投身刺棘林 苦行安可堪 
gźal med khaṅ gi mal ’os pa’i | | śin tu gźon nu ’di gaṅ na | |
(23a1)ku śa’i myu gu rno ba can | | dka’ thub nags kyi sa gaṅ na | | 
the prince has grown up in a palace, with every care bestowed upon his tender person,
447. ’And now he gives his body to the rough and thorny forest; how will he be able to bear a life of privation? 
28. ‘Where is this delicacy of limb, fit to lie only in a palace,--and where is the ground of the ascetic forest, covered with the shoots of rough kusa grass? 
śrutvā tu vyavasāyaṃ te yad aśvo ’yaṃ mayāhṛtaḥ3 |
balātkāreṇa tan nātha daivenaivāsmi kāritaḥ || 6.29 || 
(15)初命我索馬 9 下情甚不安
(16)天神10 見驅逼 命我速莊嚴 
khyod kyi ’bad pa thos nas kyaṅ | | rta gaṅ bdag gis blaṅs pa ’di | |
mgon po de ni stobs kyis ni | | lha yis byed du bcug pa ’dra | | 
When first you ordered me to equip your steed, my mind was indeed sorely troubled,
448. ’But the heavenly powers urged me on, causing me to hasten the preparation (of the horse), 
29. ‘When, on hearing thy resolve, I first brought thee this horse,--it was fate only, O my lord, which made me do it, mastering my will. 
kathaṃ hy ātmavaśo jānan vyavasāyam imaṃ tava |
upānayeyaṃ turagaṃ śokaṃ kapilavāstunaḥ4 || 6.30 || 
(17)何意令太子 決定捨深宮
(18)迦毘羅衞11 國 12 合境生悲痛 
khyed kyi nan tan ṅes pa ’di | | raṅ dbaṅ śes na gaṅ gi phyir | |
ñe (2)bar len te mgyogs ’gro’i rta | | ser skya’i gźi yi mya ṅan gnas | | 
but what is the intention that urges the prince, to resolve thus to leave his secure palace?
449. ’The people of Kapilavastu, and all the country afflicted with grief; 
30. ‘But how could I, O king, by mine own will, knowing this thy decision,--carry back the horse to the sorrow of Kapilavastu? 
tan nārhasi mahābāho vihātuṃ putralālasam |
snigdhaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca rājānaṃ saddharmam iva nāstikaḥ || 6.31 || 
(19)父王年已老 念子愛亦深
(20)決定捨出家 此則非所應
(21)邪見無父母 此則無復論 
med pa po yis dam chos bźin | | rgyal po brtse ba bgres pa daṅ | |
sras po sdug go ’dor ba ni | | phyag chen de ni ’os ma yin | | 
your father, now an old man, mindful of his son, loving him moreover tenderly;
450. ’Surely this determination to leave your home, this is not according to duty; it is wrong, surely, to disregard father and mother,--we cannot speak of such a thing with propriety! 
31. ‘Surely thou wilt not abandon, O hero, that fond old king, so devoted to his son, as a heretic might the true religion? 
saṃvardhanapariśrāntāṃ dvitīyāṃ tāṃ ca mātaram |
devīṃ5 nārhasi vismartuṃ kṛtaghna iva satkriyām || 6.32 || 
(22)瞿曇彌長養 乳哺形枯乾
(23)慈愛難可忘 莫作背恩人 
dam pa’i bya ba byed bcom yin | | yaṅ dag bskyed pas yoṅs su ni | |
thaṅ chad gñis (3)pa’i ma de daṅ | | lha mo brjod par ’os ma yin | | 
451. ’Gotamî, too, who has nourished you so long, fed you with milk when a helpless child, such love as hers cannot easily be forgotten; it is impossible surely to turn the back on a benefactor; 
32. ‘And her, thy second mother, worn with the care of bringing thee up,--thou wilt not surely forget her, as an ingrate a benefit? 
bālaputrāṃ guṇavatīṃ kulaślāghyāṃ pativratām |
devīm arhasi na tyaktuṃ klībaḥ6 prāptām iva śriyam || 6.33 || 
(24)嬰兒功徳母 勝族能奉事
(25)得勝而復棄 此則非勝人」 
ma niṅ gis ni dpal thob bźin | | sras po byis pa yon tan ldan | |
rigs btsun bdag po’i brtul źugs ma | | lha mo ’dor bar ’os ma yin | | 
452. ’The highly gifted (virtuous) mother of a child, is ever respected by the most distinguished families; to inherit distinction and then to turn round, is not the mark of a distinguished man: 
33. ‘Thou wilt not surely abandon thy queen, endowed with all virtues, illustrious for her family, devoted to her husband and with a young son, as a coward the royal dignity within his reach? 
putraṃ yāśodharaṃ ślāghyaṃ yaśodharmabhṛtāṃ varam7 |
bālam arhasi na tyaktuṃ vyasanīvottamaṃ yaśaḥ || 6.34 || 
(26)耶輸陀勝子 嗣國掌正法
(27)厥年尚幼13 少 14 是亦不應15 捨
(28)已違捨父王 及宗親眷屬 
bsṅags ’os sras po grags pa ’dzin | | sñan grags chos ni ’dzin pa’i mchog | |
źin (4)pa ldan pas grogs mchog bźin | | byis pa ’dor bar ’os ma yin | | 
453. The illustrious child of Yasodharâ, who has inherited a kingdom, rightly governed, his years now gradually ripening, should not thus go away from and forsake his home;
454. But though he has gone away from his royal father, and forsaken his family and his kin, 
34. ‘Thou wilt not abandon the young son of Yasodharâ, worthy of all praise, thou the best of the cherishers of religion and fame, as a dissolute spendthrift his choicest glory? 
atha bandhuṃ ca rājyaṃ ca tyaktum eva kṛtā matiḥ |
māṃ nārhasi vibho tyaktuṃ tvatpādau hi gatir mama || 6.35 || 
(29)勿復16 遺棄我 要不離尊足
(11c1)17 我心懷湯火 不堪獨還國 
ci ste gñen daṅ rgyal srid dag | | ’dor ba ñid du blo gros mdzad | |
bdag gi ’gros ni khyod źabs la | | khyab bdag bdag ’dor ’os ma yin | | 
forbid it he should still drive me away, let me not depart from the feet of my master;
455. ’My heart is bound to thee, as the heat is (bound up) in the boiling water; 
35. ‘Or even if thy mind be resolved to abandon thy kindred and thy kingdom, thou wilt not, O master, abandon me,--thy feet are my only refuge. 
nāsmi yātuṃ puraṃ śakto dahyamānena cetasā |
tvām araṇye parityajya sumantra8 iva rāghavam || 6.36 || 
(2)今於空野中 棄18 捐太子歸
(3)則同19 須曼提 棄捨於羅摩 
ma ghu’i bu ni bśes bzaṅ bźin | | khyod ni dgon par dor nas su | |
me (5)yis tshig pa’i sems kyis ni | | groṅ du ’gro bar nus pa med | | 
I cannot return without thee to my country; to return and leave the prince thus, in the midst of the solitude of the desert,
456. ’Then should I be like Sumantra (Sumantra), who left and forsook Râma; 
36. ‘I cannot go to the city with my soul thus burning, leaving thee behind in the forest as Sumitra left the son of Raghu. 
kiṃ hi vakṣyati māṃ rājā9 tvadṛte nagaraṃ gatam |
vakṣyāmy ucitadarśitvāt kiṃ tavāntaḥpurāṇi vā || 6.37 || 
(4)今若獨還宮 白王當何言
(5)合宮同見責 復以何辭答 
khyod ’dir groṅ du ’gro ba can | | rgyal pos bdag la ci źig gsuṅ | |
khyed kyi btsun mo’i ’khor du ’am | | ’os pa mi thoṅ na ci źig smra | | 
and now if I return alone to the palace, what words can I address to the king?
457. ’How can I reply to the reproaches of all the dwellers in the palace with suitable words? 
37. ‘What will the king say to me, returning to the city without thee? or what shall I say to thy queens by way of telling them good news? 
yad apy ātthāpi nairguṇyaṃ vācyaṃ narapatāv iti |
kiṃ tad vakṣyāmy abhūtaṃ te nirdoṣasya muner iva || 6.38 || 
(6)太子20 向告我 隨方便形毀
(7)牟尼功徳所 云何而虚説 
gaṅ yaṅ yon tan med pa yaṅ | | mi bdag la smos gsuṅ ba yaṅ | |
skyon med thub pa’i (6)bźin khyod kyi | | ma gyur pa de ci źig smra | | 
Therefore let the prince rather tell me, how I may truly describe,
458. ’And with what device, the disfigured body, and the merit-seeking condition of the hermit! 
38. ‘As for what thou saidst, "thou must repeat my unworthiness to the king"--how shall I speak what is false of thee as of a sage without a fault? 
hṛdayena salajjena jihvayā sajjamānayā |
ahaṃ yady api vā brūyāṃ kas tac chraddhātum arhati || 6.39 || 
(8)我深慚愧故 舌亦不能言
(9)設使有21 所説 天下誰復信 
ṅo tsha daṅ bcas sems gyis ni | | lce ni thogs par gyur pa yi | |
bdag ni gal te yaṅ smra ba | | de la dad par ’os pa su | | 
I am full of fear and alarm, my tongue can utter no words;
459. ’Tell me then what words to speak; but who is there in the empire will believe me? 
39. ‘Or even if I ventured to speak it with a heart ashamed and a tongue cleaving to my mouth, who would think of believing it? 
yo hi candramasas taikṣṇyaṃ10 kathayec chraddadhīta vā |
sa doṣāṃs tava doṣajña kathayec chraddadhīta vā || 6.40 || 
(10)若言月光熱 世間有信者
(11)脱有信太子 所行非法行 
gaṅ źig zla ba’i ’od rno bar | | smra bar dad par ’dzin pa’am | |
khyed kyis skyon śes des skyon ni | | smra ba dad par ’dzin (7)pa’am | | 
If I say that the moon’s rays are scorching, there are men, perhaps, who may believe me;
460. ’But they will not believe that the prince, in his conduct, will act without piety; 
40. ‘He who would tell of or believe the fierceness of the moon, might tell of or believe thy faults, O physician of faults. 
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