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 kadācinmṛduśādvalāni puṃskokilonnāditapādapāni |
śuśrāva padmākaramaṇḍitāni śīte nibaddhāni sa kānanāni || 1 ||
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śrutvā tataḥ strījanavallabhānāṃ manojñabhāvaṃ purakānanānām |
bahiḥprayāṇāya cakāra buddhimantargṛhe nāga ivāvaruddhaḥ || 2 ||
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tato nṛpastasya niśamya bhāvaṃ putrābhidhānasya manorathasya |
snehasya lakṣmyā vayasaśca yogyām-ājñāpayāmāsa vihārayātrām || 3 ||
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nivartayāmāsa ca rājamārge sampātamārtasya pṛthagjanasya |
mā bhūtkumāraḥ sukumāracittaḥ saṃvignacetā iva manyamānaḥ || 4 ||
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pratyaṅgahīnān vikalendriyāṃśca jīrṇāturādīn kṛpaṇāṃśca bhikṣūn |
tataḥ samutsārya pareṇa sāmnā śobhāṃ parā rājapathasya cakruḥ || 5 ||
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tataḥ kṛte śrīmati rājamārge śrīmān vinītānucaraḥ kumāraḥ |
prāsādapṛṣṭhādavatīrya kāle kṛtābhyanujño nṛpamabhyagacchat || 6 ||
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atho narendraḥ sutamāgatāśruḥ śirasyupāghrāya ciraṃ nirīkṣya |
gaccheti cājñāpayati sma vācā snehānna cainaṃ manasā mumoca || 7 ||
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tataḥ sa jāmbūnadabhāṇḍabhṛdbhiryuktaṃ caturbhirnibhṛtaisturaṅgaiḥ |
aklīvavidhyucchuciraśmidhārāṃ hiraṇmayaṃ syandanamāruroha || 8 ||
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tataḥ prakīrṇojjvalapuṣpajālaṃ viṣaktamālyaṃ pracalatpatākam |
mārgaṃ prapede sadṛśānuyātraścandraḥ sanakṣatra ivāntarīkṣam || 9 ||
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kautūhalātsphītataraiśca netrairnīlotpalābhairiva kīryamāṇaḥ |
śanaiḥ śanai rājapathaṃ jagāhe pauraiḥ samantādabhivīkṣyamāṇaḥ || 10 ||
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taṃ tuṣṭuvuḥ saumyaguṇena kecidvavandire dīptatayā tathānye |
saumukhyatastu śriyamasya kecidvaipulyamāśaṃsiṣurāyuṣaśca || 11 ||
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niḥsṛtya kubjāśca mahākulebhyo vyūhāśca kairātakavāmanānām |
nāryaḥ kṛśebhyaśca niveśanebhyo devānuyānadhvajavat praṇemuḥ || 12 ||
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tataḥ kumāraḥ khalu gacchatīti śrutvā striyaḥ preṣyajanātpravṛttim |
didṛkṣayā harmyatalāni jagmurjanena mānyena kṛtābhyanujñāḥ || 13 ||
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tāḥ srastakāñcīguṇavighnitāśca suptaprabuddhākulalocanāśca |
vṛttāntavinyastavibhūṣaṇāśca kautūhalenāpi bhṛtāḥ parīyuḥ || 14 ||
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prāsādasopānatalapraṇādaiḥ kāñcīravairnūpuranisvanaiśca |
vibhrāmayantyo gṛhapakṣisaṅghānanyonyavegāṃśca samākṣipantyaḥ || 15 ||
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kāsāñcidāsāṃ tu varāṅganānāṃ jātatvarāṇāmapi sotsukānām |
gatiṃ gurutvājjagṛhurviśālāḥ śroṇīrathāḥ pīnapayodharāśca || 16 ||
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śīghraṃ samarthāpi tu gantumanyā gatiṃ nijagrāha yayau na tūrṇam |
hriyā pragalbhāni nigūhamānā rahaḥ prayuktāni vibhūṣaṇāni || 17 ||
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parasparotpīḍanapiṇḍitānāṃ saṃmardasaṃśobhitakuṇḍalānām |
tāsāṃ tadā sasvanabhūṣaṇānāṃ vātāyaneṣvapraśamo babhūva || 18 ||
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vātāyanebhyastu viniḥsṛtāni parasparopāsitakuṇḍalāni |
strīṇāṃ virejurmukhapaṅkajāni saktāni harmyeṣviva paṅkajāni || 19 ||
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tato vimānairyuvatīkalāpaiḥ kautūhalodghāṭitavātayānaiḥ |
śrīmatsamantānnagaraṃ babhāse viyadvimānairiva sāpsarobhiḥ || 20 ||
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vātāyanānāmaviśālabhāvādanyonyagaṇḍārpitakuṇḍalāni |
mukhāni rejuḥ pramadottamānāṃ baddhāḥ kalāpa iva paṅkajānām || 21 ||
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tasmin kumāraṃ pathi vīkṣamāṇāḥ striyo babhurgāmiva gantukāmāḥ |
ūrdhvonmukhāścainamudīkṣamāṇā narā babhurdyāmiva gantukāmāḥ || 22 ||
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dṛṣṭvā ca taṃ rājasutaṃ striyastā jājvalyamānaṃ vapuṣā śriyā ca |
dhanyāsya bhāryeti śanairavocañśuddhairmanobhiḥ khalu nānyabhāvāt || 23 ||
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ayaṃ kila vyāyatapīnabāhū rūpeṇa sākṣādiva puṣpaketuḥ |
tyaktvā śriyaṃ dharmamupeṣyatīti tasmin hitā gauravameva cakruḥ || 24 ||
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kīrṇaṃ tathā rājapathaṃ kumāraḥ paurairvinītaiḥ śucidhīraveṣaiḥ |
tatpūrvamālokya jaharṣa kiñcinmene punarbhāvamivātmanaśca || 25 ||
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puraṃ tu tatsvargamiva prahṛṣṭaṃ śuddhādhivāsāḥ samavekṣya devāḥ |
jīrṇaṃ naraṃ nirmamire prayātuṃ sañcodanārthaṃ kṣitipātmajasya || 26 ||
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tataḥ kumāro jarayābhibhūtaṃ dṛṣṭvā narebhyaḥ pṛthagākṛtiṃ tam |
uvāca saṅgrāhakamāgatāsthastatraiva niṣkampaniviṣṭadṛṣṭiḥ || 27 ||
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ka eṣa bhoḥ sūta naro 'bhyupetaḥ keśaiḥ sitairyaṣṭiviṣaktahastaḥ |
bhrūsaṃvṛtākṣaḥ śithilānatāṅgaḥ kiṃ vikriyaiṣā prakṛtiryadṛcchā || 28 ||
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ityevamuktaḥ sa rathapraṇetā nivedayāmāsa nṛpātmajāya |
saṃrakṣyamapyarthamadoṣadarśī taireva devaiḥ kṛtabuddhimohaḥ || 29 ||
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rūpasya hartrī vyasanaṃ balasya śokasya yonirnidhanaṃ ratīnām |
nāśaḥ smṛtīnāṃ ripurindriyāṇāmeṣā jarā nāma yayaiṣa bhagnaḥ || 30 ||
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pītaṃ hyanenāpi payaḥ śiśutve kālena bhūyaḥ parimṛṣṭamurvyām |
krameṇa bhūtvā ca yuvā vapuṣmān krameṇa tenaiva jarāmupetaḥ || 31 ||
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ityevamukte calitaḥ sa kiñcidrājātmajaḥ sūtamidaṃ babhāṣe |
kimeṣa doṣo bhavitā mamāpītyasmai tataḥ sārathirabhyuvāca || 32 ||
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āyuṣmato 'pyeṣa vayaḥprakarṣānniḥsaṃśayaṃ kālavaśena bhāvī |
evaṃ jarāṃ rūpavināśayitrīṃ jānāti caivecchati caiṣa lokaḥ || 33 ||
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tataḥ sa pūrvāśayaśuddhabuddhirvistīrṇakalpācitapuṇyakarmā |
śrutvā jarāṃ saṃvivije mahātmā mahāśanerghoṣamivāntike gauḥ || 34 ||
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niḥśvasya dīrghaṃ sa śiraḥ prakampya tasmiṃśca jīrṇe viniveśya cakṣuḥ |
tāṃ caiva dṛṣṭvā janatāṃ saharṣāṃ vākyaṃ sa saṃvignamidaṃ jagāda || 35 ||
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evaṃ jarā hanti ca nirviśeṣaṃ smṛtiṃ ca rūpaṃ ca parākramaṃ ca |
na caiva saṃvegamupaiti lokaḥ pratyakṣato 'pīdṛśamīkṣamāṇaḥ || 36 ||
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evaṃ gate sūta nivartayāśvān śīghraṃ gṛhāṇyeva bhavānprayātu |
udyānabhūmau hi kuto ratirme jarābhave cetasi vartamāne || 37 ||
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athājñayā bhartṛsutasya tasya nivartayāmāsa rathaṃ niyantā |
tataḥ kumāro bhavanaṃ tadeva cintāvaśaḥ śūnyamiva prapede || 38 ||
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yadā tu tatraiva na śarma lebhe jarā jareti praparīkṣamāṇaḥ |
tato narendrānumataḥ sa bhūyaḥ krameṇa tenaiva bahirjagāma || 39 ||
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athāparaṃ vyādhiparītadehaṃ ta eva devāḥ sasṛjurmanuṣyam |
dṛṣṭvā ca taṃ sārathimābabhāṣe śauddhodanistadgatadṛṣṭireva || 40 ||
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sthūlodaraḥ śvāsacalaccharīraḥ srastāṃsabāhuḥ kṛśapāṇdugātraḥ |
ambeti vācaṃ karuṇaṃ bruvāṇaḥ paraṃ samāśliṣya naraḥ ka eṣaḥ || 41 ||
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tato 'bravītsārathirasya saumya dhātuprakopaprabhavaḥ pravṛddhaḥ |
rogābhidhānaḥ sumahānanarthaḥ śakro 'pi yenaiṣa kṛto 'svatantraḥ || 42 ||
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ityūcivān rājasutaḥ sa bhūyastaṃ sānukampo naramīkṣamāṇaḥ |
asyaiva jātaḥ pṛthageṣa doṣaḥ sāmānyato rogabhayaṃ prajānām || 43 ||
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tato babhāṣe sa rathapraṇetā kumāra sādhāraṇa eṣa doṣaḥ |
evaṃ hi rogaiḥ paripīḍyamāno rujāturo harṣamupaiti lokaḥ || 44 ||
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iti śrutārthaḥ sa viṣaṇṇacetāḥ prāvepatāmbūrmigataḥ śaśīva |
idaṃ ca vākyaṃ karuṇāyamānaḥ provāca kiñcinmṛdunā svareṇa || 45 ||
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idaṃ ca rogavyasanaṃ prajānāṃ paśyaṃśca viśrambhamupaiti lokaḥ |
vistīrṇavijñānamaho narāṇāṃ hasanti ye rogabhayairamuktāḥ || 46 ||
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nivartyatāṃ sūta vahiḥprayāṇānnarendrasadmaiva rathaḥ prayātu |
śrutvā ca me rogabhayaṃ ratibhyaḥ pratyāhataṃ saṅkucatīva cetaḥ || 47 ||
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tato nivṛttaḥ sa nivṛttaharṣaḥ pradhyānayuktaḥ praviveśa sadma |
taṃ dvistathā prekṣya ca saṃnivṛttaṃ puryāgamaṃ bhūmipatiścakāra || 48 ||
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śrutvā nimittaṃ tu nivartanasya santyaktamātmānamanena mene |
mārgasya śaucādhikṛtāya caiva cukrośa ruṣṭo 'pi ca nogradaṇḍaḥ || 49 ||
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bhūyaśca tasmai vidadhe sutāya viśeṣayuktaṃ viṣayaprakāram |
calendriyatvādapi nāpi śakto nāsmānvijahyāditi nāthamānaḥ || 50 ||
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yadā ca śabdādibhirindriyārthairantaḥpure naiva suto 'sya reme |
tato vahirvyādiśati sma yātrāṃ rasāntaraṃ syāditi manyamānaḥ || 51 ||
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snehācca bhāvaṃ tanayasya buddhvā saṃvegadoṣānavicintya kāṃścit |
yogyāḥ samājñāpayati sma tatra kalāsvabhijña iti vāramukhyāḥ || 52 ||
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tato viśeṣeṇa narendramārge svalaṅkṛte caiva parīkṣite ca |
vyatyāsya sūtaṃ ca rathaṃ ca rājā prasthāpayāmāsa bahiḥ kumāram || 53 ||
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tatastathā gacchati rājaputre taireva devairvihito gatāsuḥ |
taṃ caiva mārge mṛtamuhyamānaṃ sūtaḥ kumāraśca dadarśa nānyaḥ || 54 ||
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athābravīdrājasutaḥ sa sūtaṃ naraiścaturbhirhriyate ka eṣaḥ |
dīnairmanuṣyairanugamyamāno yo bhūṣito 'śvāsyavarudyate ca || 55 ||
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tataḥ sa śuddhātmabhireva devaiḥ śuddhādhivāsairabhibhūtacetāḥ |
avācyamapyarthamimaṃ niyantā pravyājahārārthavidīśvarāya || 56 ||
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buddhīndriyaprāṇaguṇairviyuktaḥ supto visañjñastṛṇakāṣṭhabhūtaḥ |
sambadhya saṃrakṣya ca yatnavadbhiḥ priyāpriyaistyajyata eṣa ko 'pi || 57 ||
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iti praṇetuḥ sa niśamya vākyaṃ sañcukṣubhe kiñciduvāca cainam |
kiṃ kevalasyaiva janasya dharmaḥ sarvaprajānāmayamīdṛśo 'ntaḥ || 58 ||
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tataḥ praṇetā vadati sma tasmai sarvaprajānāmayamantakarmā |
hīnasya madhyasya mahātmano vā sarvasya loke niyato vināśaḥ || 59 ||
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tataḥ sa dhīro 'pi narendrasūnuḥ śrutvaiva mṛtyuṃ viṣasāda sadyaḥ |
aṃsena saṃśliṣya ca kūbarāgraṃ provāca nihrādavatā svareṇa || 60 ||
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iyaṃ ca niṣṭhā niyataṃ prajānāṃ pramādyati tyaktabhayaśca lokaḥ |
manāṃsi śaṅke kaṭhināni nṝṇāṃ svasthāstathā hyadhvani vartamānāḥ || 61 ||
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tasmādrathaṃ sūta nivartyatāṃ no vihārabhūmau na hi deśakālaḥ |
jānanvināśaṃ kathamārttikāle sacetanaḥ syādiha hi pramattaḥ || 62 ||
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iti bruvāṇe 'pi narādhipātmaje nivartayāmāsa sa naiva taṃ ratham |
viśeṣayuktaṃ tu narendraśāsanātsa padmakhaṇḍaṃ vanameva niryayau || 63 ||
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tataḥ śivaṃ kusumitabālapādapaṃ paribhramatpramuditamattakokilam |
vipānavatsakamalacārudīrghikaṃ dadarśa tadvanamiva nandanaṃ vanam || 64 ||
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varāṅganāgaṇakalilaṃ nṛpātmajastato balādvanamabhinīyate sma tat |
varāpsarovṛtamalakādhipālayaṃ navavrato muniriva vighnakātaraḥ || 65 ||
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Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Buddha-carita Chapter 3

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

Buy now!
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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