Jinacaritaṁ
The Life of the Victorious Buddha

[Nekkhammakathā]
[The Story of the Going Forth]

dānaggahimabindūnaṁ nipātenāpi dhaṁsanaṁ
ayātaṁ taṁ viloketvā ratanambujakānanaṁ [20]

Dāna-agga-hima-bindūnaṁ nipātena api dhaṁsanaṁ ayātaṁ taṁ ratana-ambuja-kānanaṁ viloketvā,

Having seen that just as a lotus grove does not go to destruction by the falling of snowflakes; so his treasures did not go to destruction through his supreme generosity, Again a complex similie: the first part of the compounds referring to his gifts, the second to the lotus grove.

rudato ñātisaṅghassa jalitānalakānanā
gajindo viya gehamhā nikkhamitvā manoramā [21]

jalita-anala-kānanā gaja-indo viya, rudato ñāti-saṅghassa mano-ramā gehamhā nikkhamitvā,

like a lordly elephant from an raging forest fire, after departing from the group of his crying relatives and from his delightful house,

mahantaṁ so mahāvīro upagañchi himālayaṁ
haricandanakappūrāgarugandhehi vāsitaṁ [22]

so Mahā-Vīro Mahantaṁ Himālayaṁ upagañchi, haricandana-kappūra-agaru-gandhehi vāsitaṁ;

the Great Champion went to the Great Himālayas, Hima-ālaya means the abode of snow. which are perfumed with yellow sandalwood, camphor, and aloe;

suphullacampakāsokapāṭalītilakehi ca
pūgapunnāganāgādipādapehi ca maṇḍitaṁ [23]

suphulla-campaka-asoka-pāṭalī-tilakehi ca, pūga-punnāga-nāga-ādi-pādapehi ca maṇḍitaṁ;

adorned with blossoming champaka, asoka, and trumpet-flower trees; embellished with arecanut, punnāga, and ironwood trees, A number of these trees, being indigenous, having no common English name. and so on;

sīhavyagghataracchehi ibhadīpikapīhi ca
turaṅgam-ādinekehi migehi ca samākulaṁ [24]

sīha-vyaggha-taracchehi ca ibha-dīpi-kapīhi ca turaṅgaṁ ādi nekehi migehi samākulaṁ;

crowded with various animals, such as lions, tigers, hyenas, elephants, leopards, monkeys and horses; Turaṅga, one who goes swiftly, a horse; spelt turaṅgama in vv. 73 and 106 below.

sālikāravihaṁsehi haṁsakoñcasuvehi ca
kapotakaravīkādisakuntehi ca kūjitaṁ [25]

sālikā-ravihaṁsehi ca haṁsa-koñca-suvehi [ca] kapota-karavīka-sakuntehi ca ādi kūjitaṁ;

(filled) with the song of mynah, golden geese, (ordinary) geese, herons, parrots, and with doves, cuckoos, blue jays, Rouse gives sakunta as vulture, which it can be, of course, and Duroiselle omits to translate, probably because vulture here is so unsuitable; but SED states that it can also mean a blue jay, which seems more appropriate. and so on;

yakkharakkhasagandhabbadevadānavakehi ca
siddhavijjādharādīhi bhūtehi ca nisevitaṁ [26]

Yakkha-Rakkhasa-Gandhabba-Deva-Dānavakehi ca; siddha-vijjā-dhara-ādīhi bhūtehi ca nisevitaṁ;

which are frequented by such beings as the Yakkha, Rakkhasa, Gandhabba, Deva, and Dānavaka; Various types of divine and semi-divine beings. Siddhas (accomplished ones) and vijjādharas (knowledge-bearers) are magicians and sorcerers, so to say. siddha, and vijjādhara;

manosilindanīlorucārupabbatapantihi
sajjhuhemādinekehi bhūdharehi ca bhāsuraṁ [27]

manosila-indanīla-uru-cāru-pabbata-pantihi; sajjhu-hema-ādi-nekehi bhūdharehi ca bhāsuraṁ;

which shine with vast, charming, realgar So-called red arsenic. and sapphire mountain ranges; and places Bhūdhara is literally what holds beings, the earth. having uncountable silver and gold, and so forth;

suvaṇṇamaṇisopānanekatitthasarehi ca
sobhitaṁ tattha kīḷantānekadevaṅgaṇāhi ca [28]

suvaṇṇa-maṇi-sopāna-neka-tittha-sarehi ca - kīḷanta-aneka-Deva-aṅgaṇāhi ca sobhitaṁ tattha -

which has innumerable lakes and tanks having golden and jewelled staircases A tank is an artificial lake, which are numerous in India; they normally have staircases leading down to the waters. - a beautiful place, having countless Deva-maidens playing in the clearings -

sītasīkarasañchannanijjharānaṁ satehi ca
kinnaroragaraṅgehi rammehi ca virājitaṁ [29]

sīta-sīkara-sañchanna-nijjharānaṁ satehi ca; rammehi kinnara-uraga-raṅgehi ca virājitaṁ;

with hundreds of waterfalls covered with cool mist; shimmering with delightful and colourful kinnaras A being having the face of a horse and the body of a human. and snakes; Used synonymously for the semi-divine nāgas, which are elsewhere called Mahoraga, Great Snakes, v. 222.

sikhaṇḍisaṇḍanaccehi latānaṁ maṇḍapehi ca
setavālukasañchannamālakehi ca maṇḍitaṁ [30]

sikhaṇḍi-saṇḍa-naccehi; latānaṁ maṇḍapehi ca; seta-vāluka-sañchanna-mālakehi ca maṇḍitaṁ;

having peacocks dancing in the groves; arbours of vine; and adorned with enclosures covered with white sand;

suvaṇṇamaṇimuttādi anekaratanākaraṁ
icchantānaṁ janālīnaṁ puññakiñjakkham-ālayaṁ [31]

suvaṇṇa-maṇi-muttā-ādi aneka-ratana-ākaraṁ - puñña-kiñjakkhaṁ icchantānaṁ jana-alīnaṁ ālayaṁ.

having countless stores of treasures, with gold, jewels, pearls, and so on - an abode for people who are longing for merit as bees are longing for the blossoms of flowers. Another complex similie. More literally: an abode for bee-like people longing for blossom-like merit.

last updated: October 2006