Buddha-Carita [sanskrit]

by E. B. Cowell | 2003 | 11,474 words | ISBN-10: 8187418788 | ISBN-13: 9788187418788

The Buddha Carita (Saddharma-pundarika) by Asvaghosa a famous Sanskrit text revolving around the live and exploits of the Buddha. The Buddha Carita (Buddhacarita) is written in the style of a Kavya (or Mahakavya, epic poetry) and extant original Sanskrit text consists of roughly 1,000 metrical verses.

ā janmano janmajarāntakasya tasyātmajasyātmajitaḥ sa rājā |
ahanyahanyarthagajāśvamitrairvṛddhiṃ yayau sindharivāmbuvegaiḥ || 1 ||
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dhanasya ratnasya ca tasya tasya kṛtākṛtasyaiva ca kāñcanasya |
tadā hi naikātmanidhīnavāpi manorathasyāpyatibhārabhūtān || 2 ||
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ye padmakalpairapi ca dvipendrairna maṇḍalaṃ śakyamihābhinetum |
madotkaṭā haimavatā gajāste vināpi yatnādupatasthurenam || 3 ||
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nānāṅkacihnairnavahemabhāṇḍairabhūṣitairlambasaṭaistathānyaiḥ |
sañcukṣubhe cāsya puraṃ turaṅgairbalena maitryā ca dhanena cāptaiḥ || 4 ||
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puṣṭāśca tuṣṭāśca tadāsya rājye sādhvyo 'rajaskā guṇavatpayaskāḥ |
udagravatsaiḥ sahitā babhūvurbahvyo bahukṣīraduhaśca gāvaḥ || 5 ||
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madhyasthatāṃ tasya ripurjagāma madhyasvabhāvaḥ prayayau suhṛttvam |
viśeṣato dārḍhyamiyāya mitraṃ dvāvasya pakṣāvaparastu nāśam || 6 ||
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tathāsya mandānilameghaśabdaḥ saudāminīkuṇḍalamaṇḍitāṅgaḥ |
vināśmavarṣāśanipātadoṣaiḥ kāle ca deśe pravavarṣa devaḥ || 7 ||
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ruroha saṃyak phalavadyathārtu tadākṛtenāpi kṛṣiśrameṇa |
tā eva caivauṣadhayo rasena sāreṇa caivābhyadhikā babhūvuḥ || 8 ||
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śarīrasandehakare 'pi kāle saṅgrāmasaṃmarda iva pravṛtte |
svasthāḥ sukhaṃ caiva nirāmayaṃ ca prajajñire garbhadharāśca nāryaḥ || 9 ||
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yacca pratibhvo vibhave 'pi śakye na prārthayanti sma narāḥ parebhyaḥ |
abhyarthitaḥ sūkṣmadhano 'pi cāyaṃ tadā na kaścidvimukho babhūva || 10 ||
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nāśe vadho bandhuṣu nāpyadātā naivāvrato nānṛtiko na hiṃsraḥ |
āsīttadā kaścana tasya rājye rājño yayāteriva nāhuṣasya || 11 ||
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udyānadevāyatanāśramāṇāṃ kūpaprapāpuṣkariṇīvanānām |
cakruḥ kriyāstatra ca dharmakāmāḥ pratyakṣataḥ svargamivopalabhya || 12 ||
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muktaśca durbhikṣabhayāmayebhyo hṛṣṭo janaḥ svargamivābhireme |
patnīṃ patirvā mahiṣī patiṃ vā parasparaṃ na vyabhiceratuśca || 13 ||
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kaścitsiṣeve rataye na kāmaṃ kāmārthamarthaṃ na jugopa kaścit |
kaściddhanārthaṃ na cacāra dharmaṃ dharmāya kaścinna cakāra hiṃsām || 14 ||
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steyādibhiścāpyabhitaśca naṣṭaṃ svasthaṃ svacakraṃ paracakramuktam |
kṣemaṃ subhikṣaṃ ca babhūva tasya purāṇyaraṇyāni yathaiva rāṣṭre || 15 ||
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tadā hi tajjanmani tasya rājño manorivādityasutasya rājye |
cacāra harṣaḥ praṇanāśa pāpmā jajvāla dharmaḥ kaluṣaḥ śaśāma || 16 ||
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evaṃvidhā rājasutasya tasya sarvārthasiddhiśca yato babhūva |
tato nṛpastasya sutasya nāma sarvārthasiddho 'yamiti pracakre || 17 ||
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devī tu māyā vibudharṣikalpaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśālaṃ tanayaprabhāvam |
jātaṃ praharṣaṃ na śaśāka soḍhuṃ tato 'vināśāya divaṃ jagāma || 18 ||
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tataḥ kumāraṃ suragarbhakalpaṃ snehena bhāvena ca nirviśeṣam |
mātṛṣvasā mātṛsamaprabhāvā saṃvardhayāmātmajavadbabhūva || 19 ||
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tataḥ sa bālārka ivodayasthaḥ samīrito vahnirivānilena |
krameṇa samyagvavṛdhe kumārastārādhipaḥ pakṣa ivātamaske || 20 ||
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tato mahārhāṇi ca candanāni ratnāvalīścauṣadhibhiḥ sagarbhāḥ |
mṛgaprayuktānrathakāṃśca haimānācakrire 'smai suhṛdālayebhyaḥ || 21 ||
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vayo 'nurūpāṇi ca bhūṣaṇāni hiraṇmayā hastimṛgāśvakāśca |
rathāśca gāvo vasanaprayuktā gantrīśca cāmīkararūpyacitrāḥ || 22 ||
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evaṃ sa taistairviṣayopacārairvayo 'nurūpairupacaryamāṇaḥ |
bālo 'pyabālapratimo babhūva dhṛtyā ca śaucena dhiyā śriyā ca || 23 ||
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vayaśca kaumāramatītya madhyaṃ samprāpya bālaḥ sa hi rājasūnuḥ |
alpairahobhirbahuvarṣagamyā jagrāha vidyāḥ svakulānurūpāḥ || 24 ||
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naiḥśreyasaṃ tasya tu bhavyamarthaṃ śrutvā purastādasitānmahārṣeḥ |
kāmeṣu saṅgaṃ janayāmbabhūva vṛddhirbhavacchākyakulasya rājñaḥ || 25 ||
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kulāttato 'smai sthiraśīlayuktātsādhvīṃ vapurhrīvinayopapannām |
yaśodharāṃ nāma yaśoviśālāṃ tulyābhidhānaṃ śriyamājuhāva || 26 ||
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athāparaṃ bhūmipateḥ priyo 'yaṃ sanatkumārapratimaḥ kumāraḥ |
sārdhaṃ tayā śākyanarendravadhvā śacyā sahasrākṣa ivābhireme || 27 ||
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kiñcinmanaḥkṣobhakaraṃ pratīpaṃ kathañca paśyediti so 'nucintya |
vāsaṃ nṛpo hyādiśati sma tasmai harmyodareṣveva na bhūpracāram || 28 ||
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tataḥ śarattoyadapāṇḍareṣu bhūmau vimāneṣviva rañjiteṣu |
harmyeṣu sarvartusukhāśrayeṣu strīṇāmudārairvijahāra tūryaiḥ || 29 ||
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kalairhi cāmīkarabaddhakakṣairnārīkarāgrābhihatairmṛdaṅgaiḥ |
varāpsaronṛtyasamaiśca nṛtyaiḥ kailāsavattadbhavanaṃ rarāja || 30 ||
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vāgbhiḥ kalābhirlalitaiśca hārairmadaiḥ sakhelairmadhuraiśca hāsaiḥ |
taṃ tatra nāryo ramayāmbabhūvurbhrūvañcitairardhanirīkṣitaiśca || 31 ||
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tataśca kāmāśrayapaṇḍitābhiḥ strībhirgṛhīto ratikarkaśābhiḥ |
vimānapṛṣṭhānna mahīṃ jagāma vimānapṛṣthādiva puṇyakarmā || 32 ||
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nṛpastu tasyaiva vivṛddhihetostadbhāvinārthena ca codyamānaḥ |
śame 'bhireme virarāma pāpādbheje damaṃ saṃvibabhāja sādhūn || 33 ||
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nādhīravat kāmasukhe sasañje na saṃrarañje viṣamaṃ jananyām |
dhṛtyendriyāśvāṃścapalān vijigye bandhūṃśca paurāṃśca guṇairjigāya || 34 ||
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nādhyaiṣṭa duḥkhāya parasya vidyāṃ jñānaṃ śivaṃ yattu tadadhyagīṣṭa |
svābhyaḥ prajābhyo hi yathā tathaiva sarvaprajābhyaḥ śivamāśaśaṃse || 35 ||
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taṃ bhāsuraṃ cāṅgirasādhidevaṃ yathāvadānarca tadāyuṣe saḥ |
juhāva havyānyakṛśe kṛśānau dadau dvijebhyaḥ kṛśanaṃ ca gāśca || 36 ||
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sasnau śarīraṃ pavituṃ manaśca tīrthāmbubhiścaiva guṇāmbubhiśca |
vedopadiṣṭaṃ samamātmajaṃ ca somaṃ papau śāntisukhaṃ ca hārdam || 37 ||
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sāntvaṃ babhāṣe na ca nārthavadyajjajalpa tattvaṃ na ca vipriyaṃ yat |
sāntvaṃ hyatatvaṃ paruṣaṃ ca tattvaṃ hriyāśakannātmana eva vaktum || 38 ||
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iṣṭeṣvaniṣṭeṣu ca kāryavatsu na rāgadoṣāśrayatāṃ prapede |
śivaṃ siṣeve 'vyavahāralabdhaṃ yajñaṃ hi mene na tathā yathāvat || 39 ||
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āśāvate cābhigatāya sadyo deyāmbubhistarṣamacecchidiṣṭa |
yuddhādṛte vṛttaparaśvadhena dvidarpamudvṛttamabebhidiṣṭa || 40 ||
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ekaṃ vininye sa jugopa sapta saptaiva tatyāja rarakṣa pañca |
prāpa trivargaṃ bubudhe trivargaṃ jajñe dvivargaṃ prajahau dvivargam || 41 ||
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kṛtāgaso 'pi pratipādya vadhyānnājīghanannāpi ruṣā dadarśa |
babandha sāntvena phalena caitāṃstyāgo 'pi teṣāṃ hyanapāyadṛṣṭaḥ || 42 ||
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ārṣāṇyacārītparamavratāni vairāṇyahāsīccirasambhṛtāni |
yaśāṃsi cāpadguṇagandhavanti rajāṃsyahāsīnmalinīkarāṇi || 43 ||
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na cājihīrṣīdbalimapravṛttaṃ na cācikīrṣītparavastvabhidhyām |
na cāvivakṣīddviṣatāmadharmaṃ na cādidhakṣīddhṛdayena manyum || 44 ||
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tasmiṃstathā bhūmipatau pravṛtte bhṛtyāśca paurāśca tathaiva ceruḥ |
śamātmake cetasi viprasanne prayuktayogasya yathendriyāṇi || 45 ||
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kāle tataścārupayodharāyāṃ yaśodharāyāṃ suyaśodharāyām |
śauddhodanerāhusapatnavaktro jajñe suto rāhula eva nāmnā || 46 ||
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atheṣṭaputraḥ paramapratītaḥ kulasya vṛddhiṃ prati bhūmipālaḥ |
yathaiva putraprasave nananda tathaiva pautraprasave nananda || 47 ||
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pautrasya me putragato mamaiva snehaḥ kathaṃ syāditi jātaharṣaḥ |
kāle sa taṃ taṃ vidhimālalambe putrapriyaḥ svargamivārurukṣan || 48 ||
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sthitvā pathi prāthamakalpikānāṃ rājarṣabhāṇāṃ yaśasānvitānām |
śuklānyamuktvāpi tapāṃsyatapta yajñe ca hiṃsārahitairayaṣṭa || 49 ||
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ajājvaliṣṭātha sa puṇyakarmā nṛpaśriyā caiva tapaḥśriyā ca |
kulena vṛttena dhiyā ca dīptastejaḥ sahasrāṃśurivotsisṛkṣuḥ || 50 ||
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svāyambhuvaṃ cārcikamarcayitvā jajāpa putrasthitaye sthitaśrīḥ |
cakāra karmāṇi ca duṣkarāṇi prajāḥ sisṛkṣuḥ ka ivādikāle || 51 ||
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tatjyāja śastraṃ vimamarśa śāstraṃ śamaṃ siṣeve niyamaṃ viṣehe |
vaśīva kañcidviṣayaṃ na bheje piteva sarvānviṣayān dadarśa || 52 ||
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babhāra rājyaṃ sa hi putrahetoḥ putraṃ kulārthaṃ yaśase kulaṃ tu |
svargāya śabdaṃ divamātmahetordharmārthamātmasthitimācakāṅkṣa || 53 ||
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evaṃ sa dharmaṃ vividhaṃ cakāra sadbhirnipātaṃ śrutitaśca siddham |
dṛṣṭvā kathaṃ putramukhaṃ suto me vanaṃ na yāyāditi nāthamānaḥ || 54 ||
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rirakṣiṣantaḥ śriyamātmasaṃsthā rakṣanti putrān bhuvi bhūmipālāḥ |
putraṃ narendraḥ sa tu dharmakāmo rarakṣa dharmādviṣayeṣvamuñcat || 55 ||
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vanamanupamasattvā bodhisattvāstu sarve viṣayasukharasajñā jagmurutpannaputrāḥ |
ata upacitakarmā rūḍhamūle 'pi hetau sa ratimupasiṣeve bodhimāpannayāvat || 56 ||
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Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Buddha-carita Chapter 2

Cover of edition (2003)

The Buddha-Carita By Asvaghosa or Acts of Buddha
by E. B. Cowell (2003)

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Cover of edition (2011)

Buddha Carita of Asvaghosa
by Shanti Lal Nagar (2011)

Sanskrit text, English translation, Index of Verse and Photographs of Archaeological Evidence

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Cover of edition (2016)

Asvaghosa’s Buddhacarita or Acts of the Buddha
by E. H. Johnston (2016)

Sanskrit text with English Translation

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