Victorious Buddha Home Page Next Section
Jinacaritaü
The Life of the Victorious Buddha
[1: Durekathà]
[The Story of the Far Distant Past]
[Sumedhakathà]
[The Story of Sumedha]
kappasatasahassassa catunnaÿ-càpi matthake
asaïkheyyànam-àvàsaü sabbadà puÿÿakàminaü [8]
Catunnaü asaïkheyyànaü ca api kappa-sata-sahassassa matthake sabbadà puÿÿa-kàminaü àvàsaü,
At a time of four immeasurables, and a hundred thousand aeons ago (there was a city where) 01 those who desired merit everyday resided,
nànàratanasampannaü nànàjanasamàkulaü
vicittàpaõasaïkiõõaü toraõagghikabhåsitaü [9]
nànà-ratana-sampannaü nànà-jana-samàkulaü vicitta-àpaõa-saïkiõõaü toraõa-agghika-bhåsitaü,
(it was) endowed with various jewels, crowded with various people, full of beautiful shops, adorned with decorated towers,
yuttaü dasahi saddehi devindapurasannibhaü
puraü amarasaïkhàtaü ahosi ruciraü varaü [10]
dasahi saddehi yuttaü Deva-Inda-pura-sannibhaü, ruciraü varaü Amara-saïkhàtaü puraü ahosi.
having the ten sounds, 02 like unto the city of (Sakka) the Lord of the Devas - it was a brilliant, excellent city named Amara. 03
tahiü bràhmanvaye jàto sabbalokàbhipåjito
mahàdayo mahàpaÿÿo abhiråpo manoramo [11]
Tahiü bràhma-anvaye jàto, sabba-loka-abhipåjito, mahà-dayo mahà-paÿÿo abhiråpo mano-ramo,
One of the best lineage 04 was born in that place, who was greatly honoured by the whole world, one of great compassion, great wisdom, handsome, delightful,
sumedho nàma nàmena vedasàgarapàragå
kumàrosi garånaü so avasàne jinaïkuro [12]
kumàro àsi Sumedho nàma nàmena, Veda-sàgara-pàragå. So Jina-Aïkuro, garånaü avasàne,
a youth called Sumedha 05 by name, who had crossed the ocean of the Vedas. 06 That Budding Victor, 07 after the death of his parents, 08
ràsivaóóhakamaccena dassitaü amitaü dhanaü
anekasatagabbhesu nicitaü taü udikkhiya [13]
amitaü dhanaü ràsi-vaóóhaka-amaccena dassitaü, taü nicitaü aneka-sata-gabbhesu udikkhiya,
having been shown the immeasurable wealth by the councillor who managed the estate, and after surveying that mass in the countless hundreds of storerooms,
dhanasannicayaü katvà aho mayhaü pitàdayo
gatà màsakam-ekam-pi nevàdàya divaü iti [14]
dhana-sannicayaü katvà, ßAho! Mayhaü pitu-àdayo ekaü pi màsakaü na-eva-àdàya gatà divaü!û iti
and piling up the wealth (said): ßAlas! My father and the rest have gone to the gods and have not taken even one cent 09 with them!û
saüvegam-upayàto va cintesã ti guõàkaro
dhanasàraü imaü gayha gantuü yuttan-ti me pana [15]
Guõa-âkaro saüvegaü upayàto va, iti cintesi: ßMe pana imaü dhana-sàraü gayha, gantuü yuttaüû ti.
That Mine of Virtue became really anxious 10, and thought thus: ßAlthough I have received this valuable wealth, I am bound to go.û 11
rahogato nisãditvà sundare nijamandire
dehe dose udikkhanto ovadanto pi attano [16]
Sundare nija-mandire raho-gato nisãditvà, dehe dose udikkhanto, attano ovadanto pi:
Having sat down in seclusion in his own beautiful house, while surveying the faults in the body, and advising himself (he thought thus):
bhedanaü tanuno dukkhaü dukkho tassodayo pi ca
jàtidhammo jaràdhammo vyàdhidhammo ahaü iti [17]
ßTanuno bhedanaü dukkhaü, tassa-udayo pi ca dukkho - ahaü jàti-dhammo jarà-dhammo vyàdhi-dhammo.û iti
ßPainful is the break-up of the body, painful also is its arising again - I am subject to death, subject to old age, subject to sickness.û
evam-àdãhi dehasmiü disvà dose anekadhà
pure bheriÿ-caràpetvà àrocetvàna ràjino [18]
Evaü dehasmiü àdãhi dose anekadhà disvà, ràjino àrocetvàna, pure bheriü caràpetvà,
Having thus seen the countless faults in the body and so on, after informing the king, and having the drums beaten in the city,
bherinàdasugandhena yàcakàlisamàgate
dànakiÿjakkha-oghena sattàhaü pãõayã tato [19]
bheri-nàda-su-gandhena yàcaka-ali samàgate, tato dàna-kiÿjakkha-oghena satta-ahaü pãõayã.
for seven days thereafter he satisfied the beggars who gathered at the sound of the drum with a flood of gifts, just as bees gather and are satisfied with the sweet scent of a multitude of blossoms. 12