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.

tataḥ śamavihārasya munerikṣvākucandramāḥ |
arāḍasyāśramaṃ bheje vapuṣā pūrayanniva || 1 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sa kālāmasagotreṇa tenālokyaiva dūrataḥ |
uccaiḥ svāgatamityuktaḥ samīpamupajagmivān || 2 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tāvubhau nyāyataḥ pṛṣṭvā dhātusāmyaṃ parasparam |
dāravyormedhyayorvṛṣyoḥ śucau deśe niṣīdatuḥ || 3 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tamāsīnaṃ nṛpasutaṃ so 'bravīnmunisattamaḥ |
bahumānaviśālābhyāṃ darśanābhyāṃ pibanniva || 4 ||
[Analyze grammar]

viditaṃ me yathā saumya niṣkrānto bhavanādasi |
chittvā snehamayaṃ pāśaṃ pāśaṃ dṛpta iva dvipaḥ || 5 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sarvathā dhṛtimaccaiva prājñaṃ caiva manastava |
yastvaṃ prāptaḥ śriyaṃ tyaktvā latāṃ viṣaphalāmiva || 6 ||
[Analyze grammar]

nāścaryaṃ jīrṇavayaso yajjagmuḥ pārthivā vanam |
apatyebhyaḥ śriyaṃ dattvā bhuktocchiṣṭāmiva srajam || 7 ||
[Analyze grammar]

idaṃ me matamāścaryaṃ nave vayasi yadbhavān |
abhuktveva śriyaṃ prāptaḥ sthito viṣayagocare || 8 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tadvijñātumimaṃ dharmaṃ paramaṃ bhājanaṃ bhavān |
jñānapūrvamadhiṣṭhāya śīghraṃ duḥkhārṇavaṃ tara || 9 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śiṣye yadyapi vijñāte śāstraṃ kālena vartate |
gāmbhīryādvyavasāyācca suparīkṣyo bhavān mama || 10 ||
[Analyze grammar]

iti vākyamarāḍasya vijñāya sa narādhipaḥ |
babhūva paramaprītaḥ provācottarameva ca || 11 ||
[Analyze grammar]

viraktasyāpi yadidaṃ saumukhyaṃ bhavataḥ param |
akṛtārtho 'pyanenāsmi kṛtārtha iva samprati || 12 ||
[Analyze grammar]

didṛkṣuriva hi jyotiryiyāsuriva daiśikam |
tvaddarśanādahaṃ manye titīrṣuriva ca plavam || 13 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tasmādarhasi tadvaktuṃ vaktavyaṃ yadi manyase |
jarāmaraṇarogebhyo yathāyaṃ parimucyate || 14 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityarāḍaḥ kumārasya māhātmyādeva coditaḥ |
saṅkṣiptaṃ kathayāṃ cakre svasya śāstrasya niścayam || 15 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śrūyatāmayamasmākaṃ siddhāntaḥ śṛṇvatāṃ vara |
yathā bhavati saṃsāro yathā vai parivartate || 16 ||
[Analyze grammar]

prakṛtiśca vikāraśca janma mṛtyurjaraiva ca |
tattāvatsattvamityuktaṃ sthirasattva parehi naḥ || 17 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatra tu prakṛtirnāma viddhi prakṛtikovida |
pañca bhūtānyahaṅkāraṃ buddhimavyaktameva ca || 18 ||
[Analyze grammar]

vikāra iti buddhiṃ tu viṣayānindriyāṇi ca |
pāṇipādaṃ ca vādaṃ ca pāyūpasthaṃ tathā manaḥ || 19 ||
[Analyze grammar]

asya kṣetrasya vijñānāt kṣetrajña iti sañjñi ca |
kṣetrajña iti cātmānaṃ kathayantyātmacintakāḥ || 20 ||
[Analyze grammar]

saśiṣyaḥ kapilaśceha pratibuddha iti smṛtiḥ |
saputraḥ pratibuddhaśca prajāpatirihocyate || 21 ||
[Analyze grammar]

jāyate jīryate caiva budhyate mriyate ca yat |
tadvyaktamiti vijñeyamavyaktaṃ tu viparyayāt || 22 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ajñānaṃ karma tṛṣṇā ca jñeyāḥ saṃsārahetavaḥ |
sthito 'smiṃstritaye yastu tatsattvaṃ nābhivartate || 23 ||
[Analyze grammar]

vipratyayādahaṅkārātsandehādabhisamplavāt |
aviśeṣānupāyābhyāṃ saṅgādabhyavapātataḥ || 24 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatra vipratyayo nāma viparītaṃ pravartate |
anyathā kurute kāryaṃ mantavyaṃ manyate 'nyathā || 25 ||
[Analyze grammar]

bravīmyahamahaṃ vedmi gacchāmyahamahaṃ sthitaḥ |
itīhaivamahaṅkārastvanahaṅkāra vartate || 26 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yastu bhāvena sandigdhānekībhāvena paśyati |
mṛtpiṇḍavadasandeha sandehaḥ sa ihocyate || 27 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ya evāhaṃ sa evedaṃ mano buddhiśca karma ca |
yaścaivaṃ sa gaṇaḥ so 'hamiti yaḥ so 'bhisamplavaḥ || 28 ||
[Analyze grammar]

aviśeṣaṃ viśeṣajña pratibuddhāprabuddhayoḥ |
prakṛtīnāṃ ca yo veda so 'viśeṣa iti smṛtaḥ || 29 ||
[Analyze grammar]

namaskāravaṣaṭkārau prokṣaṇābhyukṣaṇādayaḥ |
anupāya iti prājñairupāyajña praveditaḥ || 30 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sajjate yena durmedhā manovākkarmabuddhibhiḥ |
viṣayeṣvanabhiṣvaṅga so 'bhiṣvaṅga iti smṛtaḥ || 31 ||
[Analyze grammar]

mamedamahamasyeti yadduḥkhamabhimanyate |
vijñeyo 'bhyavapātaḥ sa saṃsāre yena pātyate || 32 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityavidyā hi vidvāṃsaḥ pañcaparvā samīhate |
tamo mohaṃ mahāmohaṃ tāmisradvayameva ca || 33 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatrālasyaṃ tamo viddhi mohaṃ mṛtyuṃ ca janma ca |
mahāmohastvasaṃmoha kāma ityavagamyatām || 34 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yasmādatra ca bhūtāni pramuhyanti mahāntyapi |
tasmādeṣa mahābāho mahāmoha iti smṛtaḥ || 35 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tāmisramiti cākrodha krodhamevādhikurvate |
viṣādaṃ cāndhatāmisramaviṣāda pracakṣate || 36 ||
[Analyze grammar]

anayāvidyayā bālaḥ saṃyuktaḥ pañcaparvayā |
saṃsāre duḥkhabhūyiṣṭhe janmasvabhiniṣicyate || 37 ||
[Analyze grammar]

draṣṭā śrotā ca mantā ca kāryaṃ karaṇameva ca |
ahamityevamāgamya saṃsāre parivartate || 38 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityebhirhetubhirdhīman tamaḥsrotaḥ pravartate |
hetvabhāve phalābhāva iti vijñātumarhasi || 39 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatra samyagmatirvidyānmokṣakāma catuṣṭayam |
pratibuddhāprabuddhau ca vyaktamavyaktameva ca || 40 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yathāvadetadvijñāya kṣetrajño hi catuṣṭayam |
ārjavaṃ javatāṃ hitvā prāpnoti padamakṣaram || 41 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityarthaṃ brāhmaṇā loke paramabrahmavādinaḥ |
brahmacaryaṃ carantīha brāhmaṇān vāsayanti ca || 42 ||
[Analyze grammar]

iti vākyamidaṃ śrutvā munestasya nṛpātmajaḥ |
abhyupāyaṃ ca papraccha padameva ca naiṣṭhikam || 43 ||
[Analyze grammar]

brahmacaryamidaṃ caryaṃ yathā yāvacca yatra ca |
dharmasyāsya ca paryantaṃ bhavān vyākhyātumarhati || 44 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityarāḍo yathāśāstraṃ vispaṣṭārthaṃ samāsataḥ |
tamevānyena kalpena dharmamasmai vyabhāṣata || 45 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ayamādau gṛhānmuktvā bhaikṣākaṃ liṅgamāśritaḥ |
samudācāravistīrṇaṃ śīlamādāya vartate || 46 ||
[Analyze grammar]

santoṣaṃ paramāsthāya yena tena yatastataḥ |
viviktaṃ sevate vāsaṃ nirdvandvaḥ śāstravitkṛtī || 47 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tato rāgādbhayaṃ dṛṣṭvā vairāgyācca paraṃ śivam |
nigṛhṇannindriyagrāmaṃ yatate manasaḥ śrame || 48 ||
[Analyze grammar]

atho viviktaṃ kāmebhyo vyāpādādibhya eva ca |
vivekajamavāpnoti pūrvadhyānaṃ vitarkavat || 49 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tacca dhyānaṃ sukhaṃ prāpya tattadeva vitarkayan |
apūrvasukhalābhena hriyate bāliśo janaḥ || 50 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śamenaivaṃvidhenāyaṃ kāmadveṣavigarhiṇā |
brahmalokamavāpnoti paritoṣeṇa vañcitaḥ || 51 ||
[Analyze grammar]

jñātvā vidvān vitarkāṃstu manaḥsaṅkṣobhakārakān |
tadviyuktamavāpnoti dhyānaṃ prītisukhānvitam || 52 ||
[Analyze grammar]

hriyamāṇastayā prītyā yo viśeṣaṃ na paśyati |
sthānaṃ bhāsvaramāpnoti deveṣvābhāsureṣvapi || 53 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yastu prītisukhāttasmādvivecayati mānasam |
tṛtīyaṃ labhate dhyānaṃ sukhaṃ prītivivarjitam || 54 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatra kecidvyavasyanti mokṣa ityapi māninaḥ |
sukhaduḥkhaparityāgādavyāpārācca cetasaḥ || 55 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yastu tasminsukhe magno na viśeṣāya yatnavān |
śubhakṛtsnaiḥ sa sāmānyaṃ sukhaṃ prāpnoti daivataiḥ || 56 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tādṛśaṃ sukhamāsādya yo na rajyannupekṣate |
caturthaṃ dhyānamāpnoti sukhaduḥkhavivarjitam || 57 ||
[Analyze grammar]

asya dhyānasya tu phalaṃ samaṃ devairvṛhatphalaiḥ |
kathayanti bṛhatkālaṃ vṛhatprajñāparīkṣakāḥ || 58 ||
[Analyze grammar]

samādhervyutthitastasmāddṛṣṭvā doṣāṃścharīriṇām |
jñānamārohati prājñaḥ śarīravinivṛttaye || 59 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatastaddhyānamutsṛjya viśeṣe kṛtaniścayaḥ |
kāmebhya iva satprājño rūpādapi virajyate || 60 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śarīre khāni yānyasya tānyādau parikalpayan |
ghaneṣvapi tato dravyeṣvākāśamadhimucyate || 61 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ākāśasamamātmānaṃ saṅkṣipya tvaparo budhaḥ |
tadaivānantataḥ paśyan viśeṣamadhigacchati || 62 ||
[Analyze grammar]

adhyātmakuśaleṣvanyo nivartyātmānamātmanā |
kiñcinnāstīti sampaśyannākiñcanya iti smṛtaḥ || 63 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tato muñjādiṣīkeva śakuniḥ pañjarādiva |
kṣetrajño niḥsṛto dehānmukta ityabhidhīyate || 64 ||
[Analyze grammar]

etattatparamaṃ brahma nirliṅgaṃ dhruvamakṣaram |
yanmokṣa iti tattvajñāḥ kathayanti manīṣiṇaḥ || 65 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ityupāyaśca mokṣaśca mayā sandarśitastava |
yadi jñātaṃ yadi rucir yathāvatpratipadyatām || 66 ||
[Analyze grammar]

jaigīṣavyo 'tha janako vṛddhaścaiva parāśaraḥ |
imaṃ panthānamāsādya muktā hyanye ca mokṣiṇaḥ || 67 ||
[Analyze grammar]

iti tasya sa tadvākyaṃ gṛhītvā na vicārya ca |
pūrvahetubalaprāptaḥ pratyuttaramuvāca saḥ || 68 ||
[Analyze grammar]

śrutaṃ jñānamidaṃ sūkṣmaṃ parataḥ parataḥ śivam |
kṣetreṣvasyāparityāgādavaimyetadanaiṣṭhikam || 69 ||
[Analyze grammar]

vikāraprakṛtibhyo hi kṣetrajñaṃ muktamapyaham |
manye prasavadharmāṇaṃ vījadharmāṇameva ca || 70 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yatkarmājñānatṛṣṇānāṃ tyāgānmokṣaśca kalpyate |
atyantastatparityāgaḥ satyātmani na vidyate || 71 ||
[Analyze grammar]

hitvā hitvā trayamidaṃ viśeṣastūpalabhyate |
ātmanastu sthitiryatra tatra sūkṣmamidaṃ trayam || 72 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sūkṣmatvāccaiva doṣāṇāmavyāpārācca cetasaḥ |
dīrghatvādāyuṣaścaiva mokṣastu parikalpyate || 73 ||
[Analyze grammar]

ahaṅkāraparityāgo yaścaiṣa parikalpyate |
satyātmani parityāgo nāhaṅkārasya vidyate || 74 ||
[Analyze grammar]

saṅkhyādibhiramuktaśca nirguṇo na bhavatyayam |
tasmādasati nairguṇye nāsya mokṣo 'bhidhīyate || 75 ||
[Analyze grammar]

guṇino hi guṇānāṃ ca vyatireko na vidyate |
rūpoṣṇābhyāṃ virahito na hyagnirupalabhyate || 76 ||
[Analyze grammar]

prāgdehānna bhaveddehī prāgguṇebhyastathā guṇī |
kasmādādau vimuktaḥ sañśarīrī badhyate punaḥ || 77 ||
[Analyze grammar]

kṣetrajño viśarīraśca jño vā syādajña eva vā |
yadi jño jñeyamasyāsti jñeye sati na mucyate || 78 ||
[Analyze grammar]

athājña iti siddho vaḥ kalpitena kimātmanā |
vināpi hyātmanājñānaṃ prasiddhaṃ kāṣṭhakuḍyavat || 79 ||
[Analyze grammar]

parataḥ paratastyāgo yasmāttu guṇavān smṛtaḥ |
tasmātsarvaparityāgānmanye kṛtsnāṃ kṛtārthatām || 80 ||
[Analyze grammar]

iti dharmamarāḍasya viditvā na tutoṣa saḥ |
akṛtsnamiti vijñāya tataḥ pratijagāma ha || 81 ||
[Analyze grammar]

viśeṣamatha śuśrūṣurudrakasyāśramaṃ yayau |
ātmagrāhācca tasyāpi jagṛhe na sa darśanam || 82 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sañjñāsañjñitvayordoṣaṃ jñātvā hi munirudrakaḥ |
ākiñcinyātparaṃ lebhe sañjñāsañjñātmikāṃ gatim || 83 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yasmāccālambane sūkṣme sañjñāsañjñe tataḥ param |
nāsañjñī naiva sañjñīti tasmāttatra gataspṛhaḥ || 84 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yataśca buddhistatraiva sthitānyatrāpracāriṇī |
sūkṣmāpādi tatastatra nāsañjñitvaṃ na sañjñitā || 85 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yasmācca tamapi prāpya punarāvartate jagat |
bodhisattvaḥ paraṃ prepsustasmādudrakamatyajat || 86 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tato hitvāśramaṃ tasya śreyo 'rthī kṛtaniścayaḥ |
bheje gayasya rājarṣernagarīsañjñamāśramam || 87 ||
[Analyze grammar]

atha nairañjanātīre śucau śuciparākramaḥ |
cakāra vāsamekāntavihārābhivratī muniḥ || 88 ||
[Analyze grammar]

pañcopatasthurdṛṣṭvātra bhikṣavastaṃ mumukṣavaḥ |
puṇyārjitadhanārogyamindriyārthā iveśvaram || 89 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sampūjyamānastaiḥ prahvairvinayānatamūrtibhiḥ |
tadvaṃśasthāyibhiḥ śiṣyairlolairmana ivendriyaiḥ || 90 ||
[Analyze grammar]

mṛtyujanmāntakaraṇe syādupāyo 'yamityatha |
duṣkarāṇi samārebhe tapāṃsyanaśanena saḥ || 91 ||
[Analyze grammar]

upavāsavidhīn nekān kurvan naradurācarān |
varṣāṇi ṣaṭkarmaprepsurakarotkārśyamātmanaḥ || 92 ||
[Analyze grammar]

annakāleṣu caikaikaiḥ sakolatilataṇḍulaiḥ |
apārapārasaṃsārapāraṃ prepsurapārayat || 93 ||
[Analyze grammar]

dehādapacayastena tapasā tasya yaḥ kṛtaḥ |
sa evopacayo bhūyastejasāsya kṛto 'bhavat || 94 ||
[Analyze grammar]

kṛśo 'pyakṛśakīrtiśrīrhlādaṃ cakre 'nyacakṣuṣam |
kumudānāmiva śaracchuklapakṣādicandramāḥ || 95 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tvagasthiśeṣo niḥśeṣairmedaḥpiśitaśoṇitaiḥ |
kṣīṇo 'pyakṣīṇagāmbhīryaḥ samudra iva sa vyabhāt || 96 ||
[Analyze grammar]

atha kaṣṭatapaḥspaṣṭavyarthakliṣṭatanurmuniḥ |
bhavabhīrurimāṃ cakre buddhiṃ buddhatvakāṅkṣayā || 97 ||
[Analyze grammar]

nāyaṃ dharmo virāgāya na bodhāya na muktaye |
jambumūle mayā prāpto yastadā sa vidhirdhruvaḥ || 98 ||
[Analyze grammar]

na cāsau durbalenāptuṃ śakyamityāgatādaraḥ |
śarīrabalavṛddhyarthamidaṃ bhūyo 'nvacintayat || 99 ||
[Analyze grammar]

kṣutpipāsāśramaklāntaḥ śramādasvasthamānasaḥ |
prāpnuyānmanasāvāpyaṃ phalaṃ kathamanirvṛtaḥ || 100 ||
[Analyze grammar]

nirvṛtiḥ prāpyate samyaksatatendriyatarpaṇāt |
santarpitendriyatayā manaḥsvāsthyamavāpyate || 101 ||
[Analyze grammar]

svasthaprasannamanasaḥ samādhirupapadyate |
samādhiyuktacittasya dhyānayogaḥ pravartate || 102 ||
[Analyze grammar]

dhyānapravartanāddharmāḥ prāpyante yairavāpyate |
durlabhaṃ śāntamajaraṃ paraṃ tadamṛtaṃ padam || 103 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tasmādāhāramūlo 'yamupāya itiniścayaḥ |
asūrikaraṇe dhīraḥ kṛtvāmitamatirmatim || 104 ||
[Analyze grammar]

snāto nairañjanātīrāduttatāra śanaiḥ kṛśaḥ |
bhaktyāvanataśākhāgrairdattahastastaṭadrumaiḥ || 105 ||
[Analyze grammar]

atha gopādhipasutā daivatairabhicoditā |
udbhūtahṛdayānandā tatra nandabalāgamat || 106 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sitaśaṅkhojjvalabhujā nīlakambalavāsinī |
sapheṇamālānīlāmburyamuneva saridvarā || 107 ||
[Analyze grammar]

sā śraddhāvardhitaprītirvikasallocanotpalā |
śirasā praṇipatyainaṃ grāhayāmāsa pāyasam || 108 ||
[Analyze grammar]

kṛtvā tadupabhogena prāptajanmaphalāṃ sa tām |
bodhiprāptau samartho 'bhūtsantarpitaṣaḍindriyaḥ || 109 ||
[Analyze grammar]

paryāptāpyānamūrtaśca sārdhaṃ suyaśasā muniḥ |
kāntidhairyaikabhāraikaḥ śaśāṅkārṇavavalbabhau || 110 ||
[Analyze grammar]

āvṛtta iti vijñāya taṃ jahuḥ pañcabhikṣavaḥ |
manīṣiṇamivātmānaṃ nirmuktaṃ pañcadhātavaḥ || 111 ||
[Analyze grammar]

vyavasāyadvitīyo 'tha śādvalāstīrṇabhūtalam |
so 'śvatthamūlaṃ prayayau bodhāya kṛtaniścayaḥ || 112 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tatastadānīṃ gajarājavikramaḥ padasvanenānupamena bodhitaḥ |
mahāmunerāgatabodhiniścayo jagāda kālo bhujagottamaḥ stutim || 113 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yathā mune tvaccaraṇāvapīḍitā muhurmuhurniṣṭanatīva medinī |
yathā ca te rājati sūryavatprabhā dhruvaṃ tvamiṣṭaṃ phalamadya bhokṣyase || 114 ||
[Analyze grammar]

yathā bhramantyo divi vāyapaṅktayaḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ tvāṃ kamalākṣa kurvate |
yathā ca saumyā divi vānti vāyavastvamadya buddho niyataṃ bhaviṣyasi || 115 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tato bhujaṅgapravareṇa saṃstutastṛṇānyupādāya śucīni lāvakāt |
kṛtapratijño niṣasāda bodhaye mahātarormūlamupāśritaḥ śuceḥ || 116 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tataḥ sa paryaṅkamakampyamuttamaṃ babandha suptoragabhogapiṇḍitam |
bhinadmi tāvadbhuvi naitadāsanaṃ na yāmi tāvatkṛtakṛtyatāmiti || 117 ||
[Analyze grammar]

tato yayurmudamatulāṃ divaukaso vavāsire na mṛgaganā na pakṣiṇaḥ |
na sasvanurvanataravo 'nilāhatāḥ kṛtāsane bhagavati niścalātmani || 118 ||
[Analyze grammar]

Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Buddha-carita Chapter 12

Cover of edition (2003)

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

Buy now!
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

Buy now!
Cover of edition (2016)

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

Sanskrit text with English Translation

Buy now!
Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: