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.

tasminśca bodhāya kṛtapratijñe rājarṣivaṃśaprabhave mahārṣau |
tatropaviṣṭe prajaharṣa lokastatrāsa saddharmaripustu māraḥ || 1 ||
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yaṃ kāmadevaṃ pravadanti loke citrāyudhaṃ puṣpaśaraṃ tathaiva |
kāmapracārādhipatiṃ tameva mokṣadviṣaṃ māramudāharanti || 2 ||
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tasyātmajā vibhramaharṣadarpāstisro ratiprītitṛṣaśca kanyāḥ |
papracchurenaṃ manaso vikāraṃ sa tāṃśca tāścaiva vaco babhāṣe || 3 ||
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asau munirniścayavarma bibhrat sattvāyudhaṃ buddhiśaraṃ vikṛṣya |
jigīṣurāste viṣayānmadīyān tasmādayaṃ me manaso viṣādaḥ || 4 ||
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yadi hyasau māmabhibhūya yāti lokāya cākhyātyapavargamārgam |
śūnyastato 'yaṃ viṣayo mamādya vṛttāccyutasyeva videhabhartuḥ || 5 ||
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tadyāvadevaiṣa na labdhacakṣurmadgocare tiṣṭhati yāvadeva |
yāsyāmi tāvadvratamasya bhettuṃ setuṃ nadīvega ivābhivṛddhaḥ || 6 ||
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tato dhanuḥ puṣpamayaṃ gṛhītvā śarāṃstathā mohakarāṃśca pañca |
so 'śvatthamūlaṃ sasuto 'bhyagacchadasvāsthyakārī manasaḥ prajānām || 7 ||
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atha praśāntaṃ munimāsanasthaṃ pāraṃ titīrṣuṃ bhavasāgarasya |
viṣajya savyaṃ karamāyudhāgre krīḍañśareṇedamuvāca māraḥ || 8 ||
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uttiṣṭha bhoḥ kṣatriya mṛtyubhīta varasva dharmaṃ tyaja mokṣadharmam |
vāṇaiśca yajñaiśca vinīya lokān lokān parān prāpnuhi vāsavasya || 9 ||
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panthā hi niryātumayaṃ yaśasyo yo vāhitaḥ pūrvatamairnarendraiḥ |
jātasya rājarṣikule viśāle bhaikṣākamaślāghyamidaṃ prapattum || 10 ||
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athādya nottiṣṭhasi niścitātmā bhava sthiro mā vimucaḥ pratijñām |
mayodyato hyeṣa śaraḥ sa eva yaḥ sūryake mīnaripau vimuktaḥ || 11 ||
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pṛṣṭaḥ sa cānena kathañcidaiḍaḥ somasya naptāpyabhavadvicittaḥ |
sa cābhavacchāntanurasvatantraḥ kṣīṇe yuge kiṃ vata durbalo 'nyaḥ || 12 ||
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tatkṣipramuttiṣṭha labhasva sañjñāṃ vāṇo hyayaṃ tiṣṭhati lelihānaḥ |
priyābhidheyeṣu ratipriyeṣu yaṃ cakravākeṣvapi notsṛjāmi || 13 ||
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ityevamukto 'pi yadā nirāstho naivāsanaṃ śākyamunirbibheda |
śaraṃ tato 'smai visasarja māraḥ kanyāśca kṛtvā purataḥ sutāṃśca || 14 ||
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tasmiṃstu vāṇe 'pi sa vipramukte cakāra nāsthāṃ na dhṛteścacāla |
dṛṣṭvā tathainaṃ viṣasāda māraścintāparītaśca śanairjagāda || 15 ||
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śailendraputrīṃ prati yena viddho devo 'pi śambhuścalito babhūva |
na cintayatyeṣa tameva vāṇaṃ kiṃ syādacitto na śaraḥ sa eṣaḥ || 16 ||
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tasmādayaṃ nārhati puṣpavāṇaṃ na harṣaṇaṃ nāpi raterniyogam |
arhatyayaṃ bhūtagaṇairaśeṣaiḥ santrāsanātarjanatāḍanāni || 17 ||
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sasmāra māraśca tataḥ svasainyaṃ vidhvaṃsanaṃ śākyamuneścikīrṣan |
nānāśrayāścānucarāḥ parīyuḥ śaradrumaprāsagadāsihastāḥ || 18 ||
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varāhamīnāśvakharoṣṭravaktrā vyāghrarkṣasiṃhadviradānanāśca |
ekekṣaṇā naikamukhāstriśīrṣā lambodarāścaiva pṛṣodarāśca || 19 ||
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ajāsu saktā ghaṭajānavaśca daṃṣṭrāyudhāścaiva nakhāyudhāśca |
kabandhahastā bahumūrtayaśca bhagnārdhavaktrāśca mahāmukhāśca || 20 ||
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tāmrāruṇā lohitavinducitrāḥ khaṭvāṅgahastā haridhūmrakeśāḥ |
lambasrajo vāraṇalambakarṇāścarmāmbarāścaiva nirambarāśca || 21 ||
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śvetārdhavaktrā haritārdhakāyāstāmrāśca dhūmrā harayo 'sitāśca |
vyāḍottarāsaṅgabhujāstathaiva praghuṣṭaghaṇṭākulamekhalāśca || 22 ||
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tālapramāṇāśca gṛhītaśūlā daṃṣṭrākarālāśca śiśupramāṇāḥ |
urabhravaktrāśca vihaṅgamāśca mārjāravaktrāśca manuṣyakāyāḥ || 23 ||
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prakīrṇakeśāḥ śikhino 'rdhamuṇḍā rajjvambarā vyākulaveṣṭanāśca |
prahṛṣṭavaktrā bhṛkuṭīmukhāśca tejoharāścaiva manoharāśca || 24 ||
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kecidvrajanto bhṛśamāvavalguranyo 'nyamāpupluvire tathānye |
cikrīḍurākāśagatāśca kecitkecicca cerustarumastakeṣu || 25 ||
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nanarta kaścidbhramayaṃstriśūlaṃ kaściddha pusphūrja gadāṃ vikarṣan |
harṣeṇa kaścidvṛṣavannanarta kaścitprajajvāla tanūruhebhyaḥ || 26 ||
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evaṃvidhā bhūtagaṇāḥ samantāttadbodhimūlaṃ parivārya tasthuḥ |
jighṛkṣavaścaiva jighāṃsavaśca bharturniyogaṃ paripālayantaḥ || 27 ||
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taṃ prekṣya mārasya ca pūrvarātre śākyarṣabhasyaiva ca yuddhakālam |
na dyauścakāśe pṛthivī cakampe prajajvaluścaiva diśaḥ saśabdāḥ || 28 ||
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viṣvagvavau vāyurudīrṇavegastārā na rejurna babhau śaśāṅkaḥ |
tamaśca bhūyo vitatāra rātreḥ sarve ca sañcukṣubhire samudrāḥ || 29 ||
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mahībhṛto dharmaparāśca nāgā mahāmunervighnamamṛṣyamāṇāḥ |
māraṃ prati krodhavivṛttanetrā niḥśaśvasuścaiva jajṛmbhire ca || 30 ||
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śuddhādhivāsā vibudharṣayastu saddharmasiddhyarthamiva pravṛttāḥ |
māre 'nukampāṃ manasā pracakrurvirāgabhāvāttu na roṣamīyuḥ || 31 ||
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tadbodhimūlaṃ samavekṣya kīrṇaṃ hiṃsātmanā mārabalena tena |
dharmātmabhirlokavimokṣakāmairbabhūva hāhākṛtamantarīkṣam || 32 ||
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upaplutaṃ dharmavidastu tasya dṛṣṭvā sthitaṃ mārabalaṃ mahārṣiḥ |
na cukṣubhe nāpi yayau vikāraṃ madhye gavāṃ siṃha ivopaviṣṭaḥ || 33 ||
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mārastato bhūtacamūmudīrṇāmājñāpayāmāsa bhayāya tasya |
svaiḥ svaiḥ prabhāvairatha sāsya senā taddhairyabhedāya matiṃ cakāra || 34 ||
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keciccalannaikavilambijihvāstīkṣṇogradaṃṣṭrā harimaṇḍalākṣāḥ |
vidāritāsyāḥ sthiraśaṅkukarṇāḥ santrāsayantaḥ kila nāma tasthuḥ || 35 ||
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tebhyaḥ sthitebhyaḥ sa tathāvidhebhyaḥ rūpeṇa bhāvena ca dāruṇebhyaḥ |
na vivyathe nodvivije mahārṣiḥ krīḍan subālebhya ivoddhatebhyaḥ || 36 ||
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kaścittato raudravivṛttadṛṣṭistasmai gadāmudyamayāñcakāra |
tastambha bāhuḥ sagadastato 'sya purandarasyeva purā savajraḥ || 37 ||
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kecitsamudyamya śilāstarūṃśca viṣehire naiva munau vimoktum |
petuḥ savṛkṣāḥ saśilāstathaiva vajrāvabhagnā iva vindhyapādāḥ || 38 ||
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kaiścitsamutpatya nabho vimuktāḥ śilāśca vṛkṣāśca paraśvadhāśca |
tasthurnabhasyeva na cāvapetuḥ sandhyābhrapādā iva naikavarṇāḥ || 39 ||
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cikṣepa tasyopari dīptamanyaḥ kaḍaṅgaraṃ parvataśṛṅgamātram |
yanmuktamātraṃ gaganasthameva tasyānubhāvācchatadhā babhūva || 40 ||
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kaścijjvalannarka ivoditaḥ khādaṅgāravarṣaṃ mahadutsasarja |
cūrnāni cāmīkarakandarāṇāṃ kalpātyaye meruriva pradīptaḥ || 41 ||
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tadbodhimūle pravikīryamāṇamaṅgāravarṣaṃ tu savisphuliṅgam |
maitrīvihārādṛṣisattamasya babhūva raktotpalapatravarṣaḥ || 42 ||
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śarīracittavyasanātapaistairevaṃvidhaistaiśca nipātyamānaiḥ |
naivāsanācchākyamuniścacāla svaṃ niścayaṃ bandhumivopaguhya || 43 ||
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athāpare nirjagalurmukhebhyaḥ sarpānvijīrṇebhya iva drumebhyaḥ |
te mantrabaddhā iva tatsamīpe na śaśvasurnotsasṛjurna celuḥ || 44 ||
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bhūtvāpare vāridharā vṛhantaḥ savidyutaḥ sāśanicaṇḍaghoṣāḥ |
tasmin drume tatyajuraśmavarṣaṃ tatpuṣpavarṣaṃ ruciraṃ babhūva || 45 ||
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cāpe 'tha vāṇo nihito 'pareṇa jajvāla tatraiva na niṣpapāta |
anīśvarasyātmani dhūryamāṇo durmarṣaṇasyeva narasya manyuḥ || 46 ||
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pañceṣavo 'nyena tu vipramuktāstasthurnayatyeva munau na petuḥ |
saṃsārabhīrorviṣayapravṛttau pañcendriyāṇīva parīkṣakasya || 47 ||
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jighāṃsayānyaḥ prasasāra ruṣṭo gadāṃ gṛhītvābhimukho mahārṣeḥ |
so 'prāptakālo vivaśaḥ papāta doṣeṣvivānarthakareṣu lokaḥ || 48 ||
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strī meghakālī tu kapālahastā kartuṃ mahārṣeḥ kila mohacittam |
babhrāma tatrāniyataṃ na tasthau calātmano buddhirivāgameṣu || 49 ||
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kaścitpradīptaṃ praṇidhāya cakṣurnetrāgnināśīviṣavaddidhakṣuḥ |
tatraiva nāsīttamṛṣiṃ dadarśa kāmātmakaḥ śreya ivopadiṣṭam || 50 ||
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gurvīṃ śilāmudyamayaṃstathānyaḥ śaśrāma moghaṃ vihataprayatnaḥ |
niḥśreyasaṃ jñānasamādhigamyaṃ kāyaklamairdharmamivāptukāmaḥ || 51 ||
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tarakṣusiṃhākṛtayastathānye praṇeduruccairmahataḥ praṇādān |
sattvāni yaiḥ sañcukucuḥ samantādvajrāhatā dyauḥ phalatīti matvā || 52 ||
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mṛgā gajāścārttaravān sṛjanto vidudruvuścaiva nililyire ca |
rātrau ca tasyāmahanīva digbhyaḥ khagā ruvantaḥ paripeturārttāḥ || 53 ||
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teṣāṃ praṇādaistu tathāvidhaistaiḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣvapi kampiteṣu |
munirna tatrāsa na sañcukoca ravairgarutmāniva vāyasānām || 54 ||
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bhayāvahebhyaḥ pariṣadgaṇebhyo yathā yathā naiva munirbibhāya |
tathā tathā dharmabhṛtāṃ sapatnaḥ śokācca roṣācca sasāra māraḥ || 55 ||
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bhūtaṃ tataḥ kiñcidadṛśyarūpaṃ viśiṣṭarūpaṃ gaganasthameva |
dṛṣṭvārṣaye drugdhamavairaruṣṭaṃ māraṃ babhāṣe mahatā svareṇa || 56 ||
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moghaṃ śramaṃ nārhasi māra kartuṃ hiṃsrātmatāmutsṛja gaccha śarma |
naiṣa tvayā kampayituṃ hi śakyo mahāgirirmerurivānilena || 57 ||
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apyuṣṇabhāvaṃ jvalanaḥ prajahyādāpo dravatvaṃ pṛthivī sthiratvam |
anekakalpācitapuṇyakarmā na tveva jahyādvyavasāyameṣaḥ || 58 ||
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yo niścayo hyasya parākramaśca tejaśca yadyā ca dayā prajāsu |
aprāpya notthāsyati tattvameṣa tamāṃsyahatveva sahasraraśmiḥ || 59 ||
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kāṣṭhaṃ hi mathnan labhate hutāśaṃ bhūmiṃ khanan vindati cāpi toyam |
nirbandhinaḥ kiñca na nāsya sādhyaṃ nyāyena yuktaṃ ca kṛtaṃ ca sarvam || 60 ||
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tallokamārttaṃ karuṇāyamāno rogeṣu rāgādiṣu vartamānam |
mahābhiṣagnārhati vighnameṣa jñānauṣadhārthaṃ parikhidyamānaḥ || 61 ||
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hṛte ca loke bahubhiḥ kumārgaiḥ sanmārgamanvicchati yaḥ śrameṇa |
sa daiśikaḥ kṣobhayituṃ na yuktaṃ sudeśikaḥ sārtha iva pranaṣṭe || 62 ||
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sattveṣu naṣṭeṣu mahāndhakārairjñānapradīpaḥ kriyamāṇa eṣaḥ |
āryasya nirvāpayituṃ na sādhu prajvālyamānastamasīva dīpaḥ || 63 ||
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dṛṣṭvā ca saṃsāramaye mahaughe magnaṃ jagatpāramavindamānam |
yaścedamuttārayituṃ pravṛttaḥ kaścinnayettasya tu pāpamāryaḥ || 64 ||
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kṣamāśipho dhairyavigāḍhamūlaścāritrapuṣpaḥ smṛtibuddhiśākhaḥ |
jñānadrumo dharmaphalapradātā notpāṭanaṃ hyarhati vardhamānaḥ || 65 ||
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baddhāṃ dṛḍhaiścetasi mohapāśairyasya prajāṃ mokṣayituṃ manīṣā |
tasmin jighāṃsā tava nopapannā śrānte jagadbandhanamokṣahetoḥ || 66 ||
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bodhāya karmāṇi hi yānyanena kṛtāni teṣāṃ niyato 'dya kālaḥ |
sthāne tathāsminnupaviṣṭa eṣa yathaiva pūrve munayastathaiva || 67 ||
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eṣā hi nābhirvasudhātalasya kṛtsnena yuktā parameṇa dhāmnā |
bhūmerato 'nyo 'sti hi na pradeśo veśaṃ samādherviṣayo hitasya || 68 ||
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tanmā kṛthāḥ śokamupehi śāntiṃ mā bhūnmahimnā tava māra mānaḥ |
viśrambhituṃ na kṣamamadhruvā śrīścale pade kiṃ padamabhyupaiṣi || 69 ||
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tataḥ sa saṃśrutya ca tasya tadvaco mahāmuneḥ prekṣya ca niṣprakampatām |
jagāma māro vimanā hatodyamaḥ śarairjagaccetasi yairvihanyase || 70 ||
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gatapraharṣā viphalīkṛtaśramā praviddhapāṣāṇakaḍaṅgaradrumā |
diśaḥ pradudrāva tato 'sya sā camūrhatāśrayeva dviṣatā dviṣaccamūḥ || 71 ||
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dravati saparapakṣe nirjite puṣpaketau jayati jitatamaske nīrajaske mahārṣau |
yuvatiriva sahāsā dyauścakāśe sacandrā surabhi ca jalagarbhaṃ puṣpavarṣaṃ papāta || 72 ||
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tathāpi pāpīyasi nirjite gate diśaḥ praseduḥ prababhau niśākaraḥ |
divo nipeturbhuvi puṣpavṛṣṭayo rarāja yoṣeva vikalmaṣā niśā || 73 ||
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Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Buddha-carita Chapter 13

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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