Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Mix freely with men in their common worship, He will be in truth the ‘great master of all.’ And as the pure unsullied water (rain) Is universally diffused and causes luxuriant vegetation, So by the right apprehension (samyakdrish/i) of the truth of this one’s doctrine, There shall ever be both rest and quiet.”’ Buddha, moreover, addressed the Bhikshus and said: ‘Seven days after the birth of Bodhisattva his mother died.’ On this the thought occurred to the Bhikshus, it must have been on account of some fault on the part of Bodhisattva that such an event occurred ; on which Buddha resumed: Let not such a thought present itself; and why? Because her destiny was even so, that the birth of Bodhisattva should be the term of her life; and hence at her birth, when she came down for the purpose of bearing Bodhisattva in her womb, all the Devas attended her and provided her with heavenly clothing and food. And it has ever been thus. The mothers of all the Buddhas have always died seven days after their birth; and so because at the time of Bodhisattva’s birth the bodily functions of his mother were all in perfect condition, she was born as the result of her previous merit in the Tr4yastrissas heaven. And before this, Bodhisattva not yet born, she had gone up thither, on which occasion all the Devas attending her offered her a palace to dwell in, and awaiting her in the great preaching hall they offered the queen 5000 pitchers containing the rarest scented waters; 5000 Apsarases presented her with thrones 1 In Chinese ‘hu-ming:’ this was the name of Bodhisattva whilst resident in the Tusita heaven, [19] Aa 354 NOTE IL.
2to sit on; 5000 others, holding caps of state in their hands, sprinkled before her on the ground perfumed water; 50,000 Brahma devas, holding golden pitchers, saluted her with expressions that she might live 10,000 years; 20,000 Nagas with necklaced bodies, 20,000 white elephants with pearlcovered bodies, 20,000 chariots with flags and jewelled canopies surrounded her, and behind these 40,000 armed attendants, heroes of marked courage, and Bodhisattva himself in the rear. Moreover, on this occasion there were countless thousand Devas, who caused to appear in space ina moment yellow golden parapets, along which they offered worship to the mother of Bodhisattva. On that night Bodhisattva was conceived in the womb, on which occasion 20,000 damsels attendants on Mara, proceeding from the great and superblyadorned palace of the Kamaloka heavens, and holding in their hands precious silken tissues, came to the place to wait on the mother of Bodhisattva; and so likewise 20,000 men (male Devas?) with highly decorated bodies, to do honour to the occasion. On that night between every two attendant women was one Apsaras!; the attendant women beholding the beauty of her face felt the risings of desire. And now by the power of the divine merit of Bodhisattva in the midst of this great city of Kapilavastu, 500 nobles, all of the Sakya race, each laid the foundation of a palace for residence, 500 in all, so that when he entered the gates of the city, they addressed him as they paid him reverence and said, ‘Oh! would that Sarvarthasiddha would condescend to enter this divine abode (place), this perfectly pure abode. Oh! thou whose eye beholds all things (samantazakshus), thou hast come down into this world (yeou= bhava), (condescend to enter) this great palace called “ Hu-tsing-fa” (defendpure-flower), a fitting residence for Bodhisattva.’ Then the great Brahmaférins and the principle princes of 1 T take this from the French translation of the Lalita Vistara; the Chinese expression is At kk. * Ku-tien-sii; the French translation from the Tibetan renders this ‘God above gods,’ and so in the next phrase, tsing-tsing-ii, ‘ perfectly pure abode or place,’ the Tibetan refers this also to Bodhisattva, and translates it, ‘Oh! thou pure being.’ I do not see how to bring the Chinese text into harmony with the Tibetan in this passage. EXAMPLE OF THE STYLE OF EXPANDED SOTRAS. 355
3thou pure being.’ I do not see how to bring the Chinese text into harmony with the Tibetan in this passage. EXAMPLE OF THE STYLE OF EXPANDED SOTRAS. 355 the SAkya tribe addressing Suddhodana said, ‘ It would be perhaps convenient if the prince would condescend to agree to enter these abodes and remain in them (use them).’ Bodhisattva therefore entered the 500 abodes. (Moreover they said, ‘Who is there’) of conspicuous merit, and of complacent disposition, who can protect and order (Bodhisattva) aright?’ Then 500 Khandakas’, each one said, ‘We can nourish and cherish the prince.’ But others replied, ‘It is a difficult task to train aright and lead into obedience one possessed of such saintlike wisdom as the prince, especially such as are in the prime of their beauty and youth, for when he begins to grow up who then will be able to attend on him and direct him aright?’ Then they all agreed that Mahapragdpati alone was able to nourish (the child), and with loving heart to protect him from the heats and damps of his abode, and to feed him with child’s food (pap) by which he might grow to maturity. Mahapragapati, the prince’s maternal aunt, pure and faultless, she, they said, is the one to protect and cherish, and ever be near the person of the prince. Then Suddhodana-raga and the Sakya princes, being all agreed on this point, went together to the abode of Mah4pragapati and expressed their wishes on the point: ‘The prince’s mother being dead, we beg you, his maternal aunt, to take charge of him and bring him up, that he may grow up (to manhood). So Mahapragdpati undertook the office. The king now called an assembly of the Sakyas, wishing to find out, by enquiring of them, whether the prince was to be the lord of the kingdom, or if he was to become a recluse ; desiring to solve this doubt (he called them together). Then the Sakyas all replied and said, ‘ We have heard that in the snowy mountains there is a Rishi, a Brahmafarin, called Asita (A-i-to), of advanced age, and possessed of much wisdom, and thoroughly understanding all qualities and substances 3 (i.e. the nature of all things).’ * T have been obliged to supply this, the text being evidently corrupt. * Ku-nih. This is the transcription for Kkandaka, the coachman of Bodhisattva. It is possible it may here represent ‘a personal attendant’ only, whether male or female. Inthe Lalita Vistara we read Sakyabadh(, the wives of the Sakyas. 5 I take siang here in its usual (Buddhist) sense as equal to ‘lakshana,’ and f& as equal to ‘dharma’ in the sense of ‘substance.’ Aa2 356 NOTE II.
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.
1Mix freely with men in their common worship, He will be in truth the ‘great master of all.’ And as the pure unsullied water (rain) Is universally diffused and causes luxuriant vegetation, So by the right apprehension (samyakdrish/i) of the truth of this one’s doctrine, There shall ever be both rest and quiet.”’ Buddha, moreover, addressed the Bhikshus and said: ‘Seven days after the birth of Bodhisattva his mother died.’ On this the thought occurred to the Bhikshus, it must have been on account of some fault on the part of Bodhisattva that such an event occurred ; on which Buddha resumed: Let not such a thought present itself; and why? Because her destiny was even so, that the birth of Bodhisattva should be the term of her life; and hence at her birth, when she came down for the purpose of bearing Bodhisattva in her womb, all the Devas attended her and provided her with heavenly clothing and food. And it has ever been thus. The mothers of all the Buddhas have always died seven days after their birth; and so because at the time of Bodhisattva’s birth the bodily functions of his mother were all in perfect condition, she was born as the result of her previous merit in the Tr4yastrissas heaven. And before this, Bodhisattva not yet born, she had gone up thither, on which occasion all the Devas attending her offered her a palace to dwell in, and awaiting her in the great preaching hall they offered the queen 5000 pitchers containing the rarest scented waters; 5000 Apsarases presented her with thrones 1 In Chinese ‘hu-ming:’ this was the name of Bodhisattva whilst resident in the Tusita heaven, [19] Aa 354 NOTE IL.
2to sit on; 5000 others, holding caps of state in their hands, sprinkled before her on the ground perfumed water; 50,000 Brahma devas, holding golden pitchers, saluted her with expressions that she might live 10,000 years; 20,000 Nagas with necklaced bodies, 20,000 white elephants with pearlcovered bodies, 20,000 chariots with flags and jewelled canopies surrounded her, and behind these 40,000 armed attendants, heroes of marked courage, and Bodhisattva himself in the rear. Moreover, on this occasion there were countless thousand Devas, who caused to appear in space ina moment yellow golden parapets, along which they offered worship to the mother of Bodhisattva. On that night Bodhisattva was conceived in the womb, on which occasion 20,000 damsels attendants on Mara, proceeding from the great and superblyadorned palace of the Kamaloka heavens, and holding in their hands precious silken tissues, came to the place to wait on the mother of Bodhisattva; and so likewise 20,000 men (male Devas?) with highly decorated bodies, to do honour to the occasion. On that night between every two attendant women was one Apsaras!; the attendant women beholding the beauty of her face felt the risings of desire. And now by the power of the divine merit of Bodhisattva in the midst of this great city of Kapilavastu, 500 nobles, all of the Sakya race, each laid the foundation of a palace for residence, 500 in all, so that when he entered the gates of the city, they addressed him as they paid him reverence and said, ‘Oh! would that Sarvarthasiddha would condescend to enter this divine abode (place), this perfectly pure abode. Oh! thou whose eye beholds all things (samantazakshus), thou hast come down into this world (yeou= bhava), (condescend to enter) this great palace called “ Hu-tsing-fa” (defendpure-flower), a fitting residence for Bodhisattva.’ Then the great Brahmaférins and the principle princes of 1 T take this from the French translation of the Lalita Vistara; the Chinese expression is At kk. * Ku-tien-sii; the French translation from the Tibetan renders this ‘God above gods,’ and so in the next phrase, tsing-tsing-ii, ‘ perfectly pure abode or place,’ the Tibetan refers this also to Bodhisattva, and translates it, ‘Oh! thou pure being.’ I do not see how to bring the Chinese text into harmony with the Tibetan in this passage. EXAMPLE OF THE STYLE OF EXPANDED SOTRAS. 355
3thou pure being.’ I do not see how to bring the Chinese text into harmony with the Tibetan in this passage. EXAMPLE OF THE STYLE OF EXPANDED SOTRAS. 355 the SAkya tribe addressing Suddhodana said, ‘ It would be perhaps convenient if the prince would condescend to agree to enter these abodes and remain in them (use them).’ Bodhisattva therefore entered the 500 abodes. (Moreover they said, ‘Who is there’) of conspicuous merit, and of complacent disposition, who can protect and order (Bodhisattva) aright?’ Then 500 Khandakas’, each one said, ‘We can nourish and cherish the prince.’ But others replied, ‘It is a difficult task to train aright and lead into obedience one possessed of such saintlike wisdom as the prince, especially such as are in the prime of their beauty and youth, for when he begins to grow up who then will be able to attend on him and direct him aright?’ Then they all agreed that Mahapragdpati alone was able to nourish (the child), and with loving heart to protect him from the heats and damps of his abode, and to feed him with child’s food (pap) by which he might grow to maturity. Mahapragapati, the prince’s maternal aunt, pure and faultless, she, they said, is the one to protect and cherish, and ever be near the person of the prince. Then Suddhodana-raga and the Sakya princes, being all agreed on this point, went together to the abode of Mah4pragapati and expressed their wishes on the point: ‘The prince’s mother being dead, we beg you, his maternal aunt, to take charge of him and bring him up, that he may grow up (to manhood). So Mahapragdpati undertook the office. The king now called an assembly of the Sakyas, wishing to find out, by enquiring of them, whether the prince was to be the lord of the kingdom, or if he was to become a recluse ; desiring to solve this doubt (he called them together). Then the Sakyas all replied and said, ‘ We have heard that in the snowy mountains there is a Rishi, a Brahmafarin, called Asita (A-i-to), of advanced age, and possessed of much wisdom, and thoroughly understanding all qualities and substances 3 (i.e. the nature of all things).’ * T have been obliged to supply this, the text being evidently corrupt. * Ku-nih. This is the transcription for Kkandaka, the coachman of Bodhisattva. It is possible it may here represent ‘a personal attendant’ only, whether male or female. Inthe Lalita Vistara we read Sakyabadh(, the wives of the Sakyas. 5 I take siang here in its usual (Buddhist) sense as equal to ‘lakshana,’ and f& as equal to ‘dharma’ in the sense of ‘substance.’ Aa2 356 NOTE II.
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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