Chapter I - Birth

1. The unconquerable king of the Śākyas, the progeny of Ikṣvāku, was endowed with virtue and pure riches, and so his name was Śuddhodana.

2. Living beings happily looked up to him, as to the moon which had just risen. The king was like Śakra, ruler of the gods, and his wife was like Śacī.

3. Her steadfastness was as solid as the earth, and her thoughts were as pure as a lotus flower. By way of comparison she was called Māyā, but she was beyond compare.

4. In that godlike queen a spirit descended and dwelled in her womb. The mother was completely free from sorrow. She did not have any illusory thoughts.

5. In her weariness she railed at the commonplace and longed to stay in a secluded forest, in the excellent garden of Lumbinī, where springs flowed and flowers and fruits were luxuriant.

6. She wanted to meditate in quietude and beseeched the king for permission to travel there. The king understood her earnest wish and thought that it was wonderful.

7. He ordered that both her own and her external retinue should go to that garden. Queen Māyā perceived that the time of delivery was at hand.

8. She lay down on an excellent couch, with numerous ladies waiting upon her. On the eighth day of the fourth month the moment was serene and the atmosphere harmonious.

9. She observed the fast and developed her pure qualities, and the Bodhi- sattva was born from her right side. Saving the world with his great compassion, he did not let his mother suffer.

10. King Aurva was born from the thigh. King Pṛthu was born from the hand. King Māndhātṛ was born from the head and King Kakśīvat was born from the armpit.

11. The Bodhisattva was just like that, born from the right side. When in due course he had issued from the womb, his light shone everywhere.

12. As if he had fallen down from the sky, he did not pass through the portal of birth. Having cultivated virtue for countless eons, he was born fully conscious, without any confusion.

13. Established and immovable in the truth, his brightness was quite majestic. With luster he appeared from the womb, like the sun that was just rising.

14. While observing his utter brilliance one’s sight remained uninjured. Even though one looked at him, his light did not blind one, as when observing the moon in the sky.

15. The light of his person was shining, just like the sun outshining the light of a lamp. In the same way the Bodhisattva’s body of true gold was shining all around.

16. Upright and clear of mind, he walked seven steps with dignity. On the bottom of his feet his level soles were well placed. His brightness was as penetrating as the seven stars.^[1]

17. Stepping like a lion, king of the animals, he observed the four directions. With thorough insight into the meaning of the truth, he thus spoke with the fullest assurance:

18. “As this birth is a buddha’s birth, it is my last birth. Just in this one birth I shall save all!”

19. At this occasion two pleasant streams came pouring down from the sky. One was warm and the other cool. They poured down on his head, so that he felt physically happy.

20. Dwelling in his precious palace, he lay on his couch of beryl. The celestial kings supported four legs of the couch with golden lotuses in their hands.

21. The gods waited upon him in the sky, holding a precious parasol. Acknowledging his majesty, the spirits were full of praise and they urged him to complete the Buddha’s path.

22. The dragon kings were filled with joy, thirsting for the most excellent Law. They had served the buddhas of the past, and now they met the Bodhi- sattva.

23. They scattered mandāra flowers, offering joyful worship with all their hearts. As the Tathāgata appeared in the world, the gods of the pure abodes^[2] rejoiced.

24. Having done away with the joy of desire they were pleased with the Law, as it would let living beings, who flounder in the sea of suffering, obtain deliverance.

25. The king of the precious mountain, Sumeru, was holding this great earth in his firm grip, but when the Bodhisattva appeared in the world, it was swayed by the storm of his qualities. It quaked heavily all around, just like a boat struck by waves in a storm.

26. Fine powder incense of sandalwood and a multitude of precious lotus receptacles floated in the sky, blowing in the wind. They fell and scattered in profusion.

27. Celestial garments descended from the sky, and upon touching them, one was thrilled. The sun and the moon were as usual, but [the Bodhisattva’s] radiance doubled their light.

28. Fires flared up spontaneously, without any fuel, all over the world. Cool wells with clean water sprang up here and there all by themselves.

29. The multitude of ladies in the inner palace were astonished at this wonder. They rushed to compete with one another to drink from or bathe in them, and all had happy thoughts.

30. Countless spiritual beings^[3] and gods rejoiced in the Law and they all gathered together like clouds. In Lumbinī garden they thronged in the grove. A multitude of wonderful fine flowers blossomed out of season.

31. The various kinds of fierce beings momentarily had friendly thoughts, and diseases in the world disappeared by themselves, without any cure applied.

32. The birds and animals with their confused cries fell silent, not making any sound. The ten thousand rivers all stopped flowing and muddy waters all became clear. In the sky there were no clouds, and celestial drums sounded all by themselves.

33. All the worldly beings were safe and happy, just as when a country in upheaval suddenly has obtained a wise and able ruler.

34. The Bodhisattva was born to save the world from suffering. Only the celestial king Māra was full of sorrow and did not rejoice.

35. When the king, his father, saw the birth of his son, he was amazed in wonder. Although ordinarily his disposition was serious, he was startled and his usual countenance changed. In his anxiety he had mixed feelings of both joy and distress.

36. When his wife saw that her son was not born in the usual way—a woman being timorous by nature—she felt contradictory emotions in her distress. She did not distinguish an auspicious mark from an inauspicious one but became even more fearful.

37. The old women were confused and prayed to the spirits. Each one of them beseeched the spirit that they usually served, praying for the safety of the Crown Prince.

38. At that time there was a brahman in the grove, a discerner of signs. He had a dignified demeanor and was endowed with learning. He was eloquent and had a lofty reputation.

39. He beheld the signs and rejoiced in his heart, overjoyed at the wonder. He knew that the king felt distress, and he informed the king of the truth:

40. “When one is born into the world, [the parent] wants only an excellent son. O king, you should feel great joy now, as [you would at the celebration upon] a full month [after birth]!

41. “You now have a wonderful son. His light will most certainly make your clan famous. Be assured and pleased, and do not feel uncertain anymore!

42. “Good luck will be concentrated in your house and country. From now on you will be increasingly prosperous. The excellent son born to you will certainly be the world’s salvation.

43. “Yes, this superior person is gold-colored and very bright. With such excellent signs he most certainly will attain perfect awakening. Or he will bring happiness in the world, certain to be a wheel-turning king.

44. “All around he will be a ruler of the great earth, a brave and righteous ruler. He will rule the four worlds, governing over all kings, just as the light of the sun is superior among any kind of light in the world.

45. “If he dwells in the forests in the mountains and seeks deliverance with all his heart, he will accomplish true wisdom and shine everywhere in the world.

46. “Just as Mount Sumeru is the king among mountains and just as gold is superior among all precious things, just as the sea is superior among all streams, and

47. “Just as the moon is superior among the stars and the sun is superior among all luminous bodies, when the Tathāgata dwells in the world he is the most honored one among two-legged beings.

48. “His pleasant eyes are long and wide, opening and closing with long eyelashes. His eyes are blue, shaped like half-moons. How could these signs be negative, as they are all causes of excellence!”

49. The king then said to the twice-born one, “If it is as you say, why would such wonderful signs not be associated with a former king but be manifested in my progeny?”

50. The brahman said to the king: “Do not speak like that! Learning or wisdom, fame or career, for such four things there must not be any question of former or later.

51. “The specific natures of things are each produced arising from a cause. I shall now give you parallels. O king, listen carefully now!

52. “In each of the families of the two seers Bhṛgu and Aṅgiras, an excellent son was born after a very long period:

53. “Bṛhaspati and Śukra. They composed royal treatises^[4] not derived from [those produced by] their families.

54. “After the scriptures had long ceased, the seer Sārasvata produced Parāśara, who continued the scriptural texts of the Vedas. When knowledge is produced in the present, it is not necessarily connected with the deceased.

55. “The seer Vyāsa composed many scriptural texts. The final heir Vālmīki extensively collected stanzas, sections, and verses.

56. “The seer Atri did not understand medical treatises. Ātreya, who was born later, was well versed in curing the hundred illnesses.

57. “As for brahmanhood, the seer Kuśika was not trained in its heretical treatises. Later, King Gādhin completely understood the heretical doctrine.

58. “The original family of King Ikṣvāku could not regulate the tide of the sea, but when King Sagara raised a thousand princes, he could regulate the tide of the great sea so that it did not exceed the usual limit.

59. “The seer Janaka obtained the path of meditation without any teacher. Every attainment of fame is produced by one’s own efforts.

60. “Either the former ones were excellent and the later ones weak, or the former ones were weak and the later ones excellent. Kings and divine seers do not need a family inheritance. Therefore, there should not be any question of former and later in any world!

61. “The same now applies to you, great king. You should have joyful thoughts! As your thoughts are joyful, you will always be free from suspicion!”

62. When the king heard the seer’s exposition, he became joyful and his worship increased. “The excellent son born to me now will succeed to the position of wheel-turning [king]!

63. “In my years of decline I will go forth and develop pure conduct. I will not let my noble prince renounce the world and wander in mountain forests!”

64. At that moment in the garden nearby there was an ascetic seer. His name was Asita, and he was skillful in the interpretation of signs.

65. When [the seer] came to the gate of the king’s palace, the king thought, “Applied to brahmadeva, he practices asceticism and finds happiness in the Right Law. These two characteristics are both obvious.”

66. The king then greatly rejoiced, as [the seer] was endowed with the signs of pure conduct. The king immediately invited him into his palace, and made offerings with reverence.

67. As he was led into the inner palace, [the seer] was happy just to see the prince. Even though there was a multitude of ladies, he behaved as if in a secluded forest.

68. When [the seer] was seated on the seat of the Right Law, [the king] increased his reverence and respectfully waited upon him, just as King Antideva had waited upon Vasiṣṭha.

69. The king then said to the seer, “I am most fortunate now. I thank you and submit to you, great seer. You deign to come and receive me. I ask for your timely instruction about all that should be done!”

70. Thus urged, the seer was very happy. “Splendid, ever victorious king! You are completely endowed with a multitude of qualities!

71. “I am happy that you have come with a request. You are generous and full of respect for the Right Law. You are kind and wise, of a most excellent family, humble, and very courteous.

72. “You have previously planted many fine causes and their excellent fruition is now seen. Listen to my explanation of the present causality! 73. “I heard a celestial voice in the sky coming from the path of the sun. It explained that you, King, will have a crown prince who will complete the path of right awakening.

74. “Moreover, having seen previous auspicious signs, I have come here now on purpose. I would like to see the Śākya king who will raise the banner of the Right Law.”

75. When the king heard the seer’s explanation, he became certain and free from the net of doubt. He asked the Crown Prince to be summoned to be shown to the seer.

76. The seer observed that the Crown Prince had a wheel with a thousand spokes [on the soles of] his feet. His fingers and toes had membranes, and between his eyebrows was a white tuft of hair.

77. He was characterized by cryptorchidism, like a horse, and his complexion was ablaze with light. Seeing that [the prince] had these wonderful signs, [the seer] let his tears flow and sighed deeply.

78. When he saw the ascetic’s tears, the king trembled in his heart, as he held his son dear. Sadness filled his heart. He felt alarmed and ill at ease.

79. [The king] spontaneously rose from his seat, bowed at the feet of the seer, and addressed him: “This son’s birth is wonderful.

80. “His complexion is utterly majestic, almost like that of a celestial being. As he shows promise of superiority among humans, why would he cause grief?

81. “My son must not be short-lived, causing me grief! I have been thirsting for a long time to obtain immortality, but will it yet be rejected?

82. “He must not lose my wealth, bring my family to ruin, and destroy the country! If I have an excellent son who will stay, I have someone to whom to entrust the country’s inheritance.

83. “When I die, I will be joyful in my heart. I shall happily be reborn in another world. I will be like someone who has one eye closed [in sleep] and the other [open] in awakeness.

84. “One must not be like a flower in the autumn frost. Even though it may open it cannot achieve fruition. Concerning one’s close family, the depth of one’s love for a son is unsurpassed. It is the proper time to give me an explanation, so that I may again breathe freely.”

85. The seer knew that the king, the father, was very sorrowful in his heart, and immediately said to the great king, “Do not be afraid now, King! I have told you before, Great King! Do not have any doubt!

86. “The present signs are as before. You should not have any other thought! I consider that the evening of my life is worse than my earlier sad tears.

87. “Now that my end is drawing near, this son will rule the world. He is born in order to end birth. Such a person is rarely encountered.

88. “He will give up his position of noble king, unattached to the objects of the five desires. He will strenuously develop asceticism, open up to awakening, and obtain the truth.

89. “He will permanently dispel the darkness of delusion for living beings. Always ablaze in the world, his wisdom is the light of the sun.

90. “Beings drown in a sea of suffering, and their illnesses are as heaps of froth. Decay and old age are giant waves, and death is the biggest wave in the sea. In his light boat of wisdom he will cross the difficulties of these currents.

91. “His wisdom will go against the current and his pure morality will be the shore. His samādhi will be a cool pond, rightly receiving wondrous birds.

92. “So very deep and wide is the great river of the Right Law. When thirsty beings drink from it, they are revived.

93. “Deeply attached to the objects of the five desires, one is harassed by suffering. Lost in the wilderness of birth and death, no one knows where to turn. But the Bodhisattva has arisen in the world, opening the path of deliverance.

94. “As the fire of worldly desires burns and as the firewood of the objects [of desire] is ablaze, he raises the clouds of his great compassion. The rain of the Law will fall and cause its extinction.

95. “The gate of delusion has two parts and desire is the bolt. It confines living beings. The way to escape is the gate of deliverance. With the pincers of his adamantine wisdom he will pull out the adverse awl of lust.

96. “Entangled in the web of delusion one suffers, without anything to rely on. When a king of the Law has stood up in the world, he can undo the bonds of [living] beings.

97. “Do not give rise, O King, to the calamity of grief because of this son! You should [instead] feel sorrow for the beings who are attached to desire and who disregard the Right Law!

98. “I am destroyed now by old age and death, far removed from any noble quality. I may have obtained the trance states but I did not obtain their benefits.

99. “I will never hear the Right Law from this Bodhisattva. When my body is destroyed, after my life’s end I shall certainly be reborn in the three difficult heavens.”

100. When the king and his retinue heard the seer’s explanation, he knew that he was distressed for himself. His fear was completely eradicated.

101. “Having this wonderful son, my heart is completely at ease. [But] his going forth, giving up worldly splendor, his practice of the path of a seer, and the fact that he will not succeed to the throne of the land still make me unhappy.”

102. Then the seer spoke the truth to the king. “It certainly will be as you,

O King, anxiously think. He will complete the path of right awakening.”

103. Having appeased the minds of the king and his retinue, [the seer] 3c himself ascended into the sky through his divine power and departed.

104. Having seen the wonderful characteristics of his son and having heard Asita’s decidedly truthful explanation, King Śuddhodana then held his son in reverence. He redoubled his protection and always held him dear.

105. He issued a general pardon in the world and all prisons were thrown open. When a person of this world has a son, he may accept or reject the fact, according to what is proper. Everything is done relying on the  instructions found in the scriptural texts.

106. When ten days after the birth of his son had passed, the king felt secure and calm at heart. He made all the sacrifices to the celestial spirits and he gave liberal offerings to the virtuous.

107. The śramaṇas and brahmans offered incantations and prayed for good fortune for [the king’s] close family and for all his ministers, and also for the poor of the land.

108. A group of women from villages and towns, cows, horses, elephants, money and material goods—all were provided according to everyone’s needs.

109. [The king] selected an auspicious time through divination and moved his son back to his own palace. The white tusks of the elephants, the chariot adorned with the seven precious things, and precious stones of variegated colors—their brilliance was utterly bright.

110. His wife held the Crown Prince in her arms and did obeisance to the celestial spirits all around. She then mounted her precious chariot, with a multitude of ladies waiting upon her.

111. The king and his ministers all accompanied her, like Śakra, the ruler of the gods, surrounded by a multitude of gods.

112. Just as Maheśvara, to whom was unexpectedly born a six-faced son,^[5] and who then arranged for every kind of preparation and provision and asked for blessings, likewise the king, whose crown prince was now born, arranged for all the preparations in the same way.

113. When the celestial king Vaiśravaṇa had Nalakūbara, the whole multitude of gods was filled with great joy.

114. The Crown Prince was now born to the king, and the whole population of the land of Kapilavastu was likewise filled with joy.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major, the “Big Dipper.”

[2]:

The highest five heavens in the fourth trance (dhyāna) are the pure abodes, śuddhā vāsa.

[3]:

The term used here for spiritual beings is bhūtas.

[4]:

The Rāja-śāstras, the first treatises on political science.

[5]:

Maheśvara is Śiva. He had a six-faced son, Kārttikeya, the god of war, also known as Skanda.