Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1A mother, but free from grief or pain, (she was) without any false or illusory! mind. 4 Disliking the clamorous ways of the world, (she remembered) the excellent garden of Lumbint, a pleasant spot, a quiet forest retreat, (with its) trickling fountains, and blooming flowers and fruits. 5 Quiet and peaceful, delighting in meditation, respectfully she asked the king for liberty to roam therein; the king, understanding her earnest desire, was seized with a seldom-felt anxiety (to grant her request). 6 He commanded his kinsfolk, within and without (the palace), to repair with her to that garden shade; and now the queen Maya knew that her time for child-bearing was come. 7 She rested calmly on a beautiful couch, (surrounded by) a hundred thousand female attendants ; (it was) the eighth day of the fourth moon, a season of serene and agreeable character. 8 Whilst she (thus) religiously observed? the rules of a pure discipline, Bodhisattva was born from her right side, (come) to deliver the world, constrained by great pity, without causing his mother pain or anguish. 9 As king Yu-liu® was born from the thigh, as king Pi-t’au* was born from the hand, as king Man-to® ? Here there seems to be a play on the word wan XJ, which is the equivalent for Maya or illusion. The Sanskrit text reads M4y4pagata-iva M4y4, i.e. Maya without deceit. * Or, (the season for) religiously observing the rules of abstinence. S Aurva. * Prithu, born from the arm of Vena. 5 Méandhatré. I,1. THE BIRTH. . 3 was born from the top of the head, as king Kia-4’Za’ was born from the arm-pit, 10 So also was Bodhisattva on the day of his birth produced from the right side; gradually emerging from the womb, he shed in every direction the rays" of his glory. 11 As one (born) ‘from recumbent space*, and not through the gates of life, through countless kalpas, practising virtue, self-conscious he came forth to life, without confusion. 12 Calm and collected, not falling headlong (was he born), gloriously manifested, perfectly adorned, sparkling with light he came from the womb, as when the sun first rises (from the East). 13 (Men) indeed regarded‘ his exceeding great glory, yet their sight remained uninjured: he allowed them to gaze, the brightness of his person concealed for the time, as when we look upon the moon in the heavens. 14 His body, nevertheless, was effulgent with light, and like the sun which eclipses the shining of the lamp, so the true gold-like beauty of Bodhisattva shone forth and was diffused everywhere. 15 Upright and firm and unconfused in mind, he deliberately took seven steps®, the soles of his feet 1 Kakshivat. These names are supplied from the Sanskrit text. * This may also be translated ‘as one who falls from space,’ i.e. miraculously born from space. * He passed from the womb to be born. The idea seems to be that though conceived in the womb, he was born supernaturally from the side. * Kwan-tsai, weighed and considered.
2* This may also be translated ‘as one who falls from space,’ i.e. miraculously born from space. * He passed from the womb to be born. The idea seems to be that though conceived in the womb, he was born supernaturally from the side. * Kwan-tsai, weighed and considered. ® These seven steps are frequently figured by seven lotus-marks. I-tsing refers to such marks at Nalanda, where Buddha walked seven steps, forward and backward; they are also figured on the B2 47 4 FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING. I,1. resting evenly upon the ground as he went, his footmarks remained bright as seven stars. 16 Moving like the lion, king of beasts, and looking earnestly towards the four quarters, penetrating to the centre the principles of truth, he spake thus with the fullest assurance: 17 ‘ This birth is in the condition of a Buddha’; after this I have done with renewed birth; now only am I born this once, for the purpose of saving all the world.’ 18 And now from the midst of heaven there descended two streams of pure water, one warm, the other cold, and baptized his head?, causing refreshment to his body. 19 And now he is placed in the precious palace hall, a jewelled couch for him to sleep upon, and the heavenly kings with their golden flowery hands hold fast the four feet of the bed. 20 Meanwhile the Devas in space, seizing their jewelled canopies, attending, raise in responsive harmony their heavenly songs, to encourage him to accomplish his perfect purpose*®. 21 - Then the Naga-ragas filled with joy, earnestly desiring to show their reverence for the most excellent law‘, as they had paid honour to the former Buddhas, now went to meet Bodhisattva; 22 cloth held by the attendants at the birth of Bodhisattva. See Tree and Serpent Worship, plate Ixv, figure 2, middle scene. 1 This birth is a Buddha-birth. * He was thus consecrated to be a king; see Childers, P&li Dict., sub Abhisi#fati; also Eitel, Handbook, sub Mfarddhabhishikta. * Inviting him to perfect the way of Buddha. « That is, ‘to advance the cause of true religion.’ It. THE BIRTH. 5 They scattered before him Mandara flowers, rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay such religious homage; (and so, again,) Tathagata having appeared in the world, the Suddha! angels rejoiced with gladness; 23 With no selfish or partial joy, but for the sake of religion they rejoiced, because creation’, engulfed in the ocean of pain, was now to obtain perfect release. 24 Then the precious Mountain-raga, Sume(ru)’, firmly holding this great earth* when Bodhisattva appeared in the world, was swayed by the wind of his perfected merit. 25 On every hand the world was greatly shaken, as the wind drives the tossing boat; so also the minutest atoms of sandal perfume, and the hidden sweetness of precious lilies, 26 Floated on the air and rose through space and then commingling came back to earth; so again the garments of Devas descending from heaven touching the body, caused delightful thrills of joy; 27
3The sun and moon with constant course redoubled the brilliancy of their light, whilst in the world the ! The Suddha-vasas, ‘beings dressed in pure garments.’ A class of heavenly beings, supposed to take peculiar interest in the religious welfare of men. 2 ‘Creation,’ in the sense of ‘all that lives.’ > Sumeru, written also Sumé and Meru. The primeval mountain; the Alborz, Atlas, or Olympus of other tribes. It is explained as ‘the high, or resplendent, mountain.’ On it was the heaven of the gods (the thirty-three gods). * It would seem from this that the original idea of Sumeru was ‘the mountain of Heaven ;’ the visible heaven, or firmament, which ‘ firmly holds the earth.’ 6 FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING. Ir. fire’s gleam of itself prevailed without the use of fuel. 28 Pure water, cool and refreshing from the springs, flowed here and there, self-caused; in the palace all the waiting women were filled with joy at such an unprecedented event. 29 Proceeding all in company, they drink and bathe themselves; in all arose calm and delightful thoughts; countless inferior Devas (bhatas), delighting in religion, like clouds assembled. 30 In the garden of Lumbint, filling the spaces between the trees, rare and special flowers, in great abundance, bloomed out of season. 31 All cruel and malevolent kinds of beings, together conceived a loving heart; all diseases and afflictions among men without a cure applied, of themselves were healed. 32 The various cries and confused sounds of beasts were hushed and silence reigned; the stagnant water of the river-courses flowed apace, whilst the polluted streams became clear and pure. 33 No clouds gathered throughout the heavens, whilst angelic music, self-caused, was heard around; the whole world of sentient creatures enjoyed peace and universal tranquillity. 34 Just as when a country visited by desolation, suddenly obtains an enlightened ruler, so when Bodhisattva was born, he came to remove the sorrows of all living things. 35 Mra’, the heavenly monarch, alone was grieved and rejoiced not. The Royal Father (Suddhodana) ' Mara, the king of the world of desire. According to the Buddhist theogony he is the god of sensual love. He holds the I, THE BIRTH. 7 beholding his son’, strange and miraculous?, as to his birth, 36 Though self-possessed and assured in his soul, was yet moved with astonishment and his countenance changed, whilst he alternately weighed with himself the meaning (of such an event), now rejoiced and now distressed. 37 The queen-mother beholding her child, born thus contrary to laws of nature, her timorous woman’s heart was doubtful; her mind through fear, swayed between extremes: 38 Not distinguishing the happy from the sad portents, again and again she gave way to grief*; and now the aged women of the world, (of the ‘long night*’) in a confused way supplicating heavenly guidance, 39
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1A mother, but free from grief or pain, (she was) without any false or illusory! mind. 4 Disliking the clamorous ways of the world, (she remembered) the excellent garden of Lumbint, a pleasant spot, a quiet forest retreat, (with its) trickling fountains, and blooming flowers and fruits. 5 Quiet and peaceful, delighting in meditation, respectfully she asked the king for liberty to roam therein; the king, understanding her earnest desire, was seized with a seldom-felt anxiety (to grant her request). 6 He commanded his kinsfolk, within and without (the palace), to repair with her to that garden shade; and now the queen Maya knew that her time for child-bearing was come. 7 She rested calmly on a beautiful couch, (surrounded by) a hundred thousand female attendants ; (it was) the eighth day of the fourth moon, a season of serene and agreeable character. 8 Whilst she (thus) religiously observed? the rules of a pure discipline, Bodhisattva was born from her right side, (come) to deliver the world, constrained by great pity, without causing his mother pain or anguish. 9 As king Yu-liu® was born from the thigh, as king Pi-t’au* was born from the hand, as king Man-to® ? Here there seems to be a play on the word wan XJ, which is the equivalent for Maya or illusion. The Sanskrit text reads M4y4pagata-iva M4y4, i.e. Maya without deceit. * Or, (the season for) religiously observing the rules of abstinence. S Aurva. * Prithu, born from the arm of Vena. 5 Méandhatré. I,1. THE BIRTH. . 3 was born from the top of the head, as king Kia-4’Za’ was born from the arm-pit, 10 So also was Bodhisattva on the day of his birth produced from the right side; gradually emerging from the womb, he shed in every direction the rays" of his glory. 11 As one (born) ‘from recumbent space*, and not through the gates of life, through countless kalpas, practising virtue, self-conscious he came forth to life, without confusion. 12 Calm and collected, not falling headlong (was he born), gloriously manifested, perfectly adorned, sparkling with light he came from the womb, as when the sun first rises (from the East). 13 (Men) indeed regarded‘ his exceeding great glory, yet their sight remained uninjured: he allowed them to gaze, the brightness of his person concealed for the time, as when we look upon the moon in the heavens. 14 His body, nevertheless, was effulgent with light, and like the sun which eclipses the shining of the lamp, so the true gold-like beauty of Bodhisattva shone forth and was diffused everywhere. 15 Upright and firm and unconfused in mind, he deliberately took seven steps®, the soles of his feet 1 Kakshivat. These names are supplied from the Sanskrit text. * This may also be translated ‘as one who falls from space,’ i.e. miraculously born from space. * He passed from the womb to be born. The idea seems to be that though conceived in the womb, he was born supernaturally from the side. * Kwan-tsai, weighed and considered.
2* This may also be translated ‘as one who falls from space,’ i.e. miraculously born from space. * He passed from the womb to be born. The idea seems to be that though conceived in the womb, he was born supernaturally from the side. * Kwan-tsai, weighed and considered. ® These seven steps are frequently figured by seven lotus-marks. I-tsing refers to such marks at Nalanda, where Buddha walked seven steps, forward and backward; they are also figured on the B2 47 4 FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING. I,1. resting evenly upon the ground as he went, his footmarks remained bright as seven stars. 16 Moving like the lion, king of beasts, and looking earnestly towards the four quarters, penetrating to the centre the principles of truth, he spake thus with the fullest assurance: 17 ‘ This birth is in the condition of a Buddha’; after this I have done with renewed birth; now only am I born this once, for the purpose of saving all the world.’ 18 And now from the midst of heaven there descended two streams of pure water, one warm, the other cold, and baptized his head?, causing refreshment to his body. 19 And now he is placed in the precious palace hall, a jewelled couch for him to sleep upon, and the heavenly kings with their golden flowery hands hold fast the four feet of the bed. 20 Meanwhile the Devas in space, seizing their jewelled canopies, attending, raise in responsive harmony their heavenly songs, to encourage him to accomplish his perfect purpose*®. 21 - Then the Naga-ragas filled with joy, earnestly desiring to show their reverence for the most excellent law‘, as they had paid honour to the former Buddhas, now went to meet Bodhisattva; 22 cloth held by the attendants at the birth of Bodhisattva. See Tree and Serpent Worship, plate Ixv, figure 2, middle scene. 1 This birth is a Buddha-birth. * He was thus consecrated to be a king; see Childers, P&li Dict., sub Abhisi#fati; also Eitel, Handbook, sub Mfarddhabhishikta. * Inviting him to perfect the way of Buddha. « That is, ‘to advance the cause of true religion.’ It. THE BIRTH. 5 They scattered before him Mandara flowers, rejoicing with heartfelt joy to pay such religious homage; (and so, again,) Tathagata having appeared in the world, the Suddha! angels rejoiced with gladness; 23 With no selfish or partial joy, but for the sake of religion they rejoiced, because creation’, engulfed in the ocean of pain, was now to obtain perfect release. 24 Then the precious Mountain-raga, Sume(ru)’, firmly holding this great earth* when Bodhisattva appeared in the world, was swayed by the wind of his perfected merit. 25 On every hand the world was greatly shaken, as the wind drives the tossing boat; so also the minutest atoms of sandal perfume, and the hidden sweetness of precious lilies, 26 Floated on the air and rose through space and then commingling came back to earth; so again the garments of Devas descending from heaven touching the body, caused delightful thrills of joy; 27
3The sun and moon with constant course redoubled the brilliancy of their light, whilst in the world the ! The Suddha-vasas, ‘beings dressed in pure garments.’ A class of heavenly beings, supposed to take peculiar interest in the religious welfare of men. 2 ‘Creation,’ in the sense of ‘all that lives.’ > Sumeru, written also Sumé and Meru. The primeval mountain; the Alborz, Atlas, or Olympus of other tribes. It is explained as ‘the high, or resplendent, mountain.’ On it was the heaven of the gods (the thirty-three gods). * It would seem from this that the original idea of Sumeru was ‘the mountain of Heaven ;’ the visible heaven, or firmament, which ‘ firmly holds the earth.’ 6 FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING. Ir. fire’s gleam of itself prevailed without the use of fuel. 28 Pure water, cool and refreshing from the springs, flowed here and there, self-caused; in the palace all the waiting women were filled with joy at such an unprecedented event. 29 Proceeding all in company, they drink and bathe themselves; in all arose calm and delightful thoughts; countless inferior Devas (bhatas), delighting in religion, like clouds assembled. 30 In the garden of Lumbint, filling the spaces between the trees, rare and special flowers, in great abundance, bloomed out of season. 31 All cruel and malevolent kinds of beings, together conceived a loving heart; all diseases and afflictions among men without a cure applied, of themselves were healed. 32 The various cries and confused sounds of beasts were hushed and silence reigned; the stagnant water of the river-courses flowed apace, whilst the polluted streams became clear and pure. 33 No clouds gathered throughout the heavens, whilst angelic music, self-caused, was heard around; the whole world of sentient creatures enjoyed peace and universal tranquillity. 34 Just as when a country visited by desolation, suddenly obtains an enlightened ruler, so when Bodhisattva was born, he came to remove the sorrows of all living things. 35 Mra’, the heavenly monarch, alone was grieved and rejoiced not. The Royal Father (Suddhodana) ' Mara, the king of the world of desire. According to the Buddhist theogony he is the god of sensual love. He holds the I, THE BIRTH. 7 beholding his son’, strange and miraculous?, as to his birth, 36 Though self-possessed and assured in his soul, was yet moved with astonishment and his countenance changed, whilst he alternately weighed with himself the meaning (of such an event), now rejoiced and now distressed. 37 The queen-mother beholding her child, born thus contrary to laws of nature, her timorous woman’s heart was doubtful; her mind through fear, swayed between extremes: 38 Not distinguishing the happy from the sad portents, again and again she gave way to grief*; and now the aged women of the world, (of the ‘long night*’) in a confused way supplicating heavenly guidance, 39
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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