Jinacaritaṁ
The Life of the Victorious Buddha
[Lakkhaṇakathā]
[The Story of the Signs]
kamena jiṇṇaṁ byadhitaṁ matañ-ca
disvāna rūpaṁ tibhave viratto
manoramaṁ pabbajitañ-ca rūpaṁ
katvā ratiṁ tamhi catutthavāre [142]
Kamena jiṇṇaṁ byadhitaṁ mataṁ rūpaṁ ca disvāna, ti-bhave viratto; catuttha-vāre mano-ramaṁ rūpaṁ pabbajitaṁ ca, tamhi ratiṁ katvā
While proceeding, after seeing the forms of an old man, a sick man, and a dead man, being detached from (attachment to) the three (realms of) existence; i.e. from the sensual realms, the form realms, and the formless realms. It means from all forms of existence. on the fourth occasion (he saw) the delightful form of a renunciant, and delighting in that
suphullanānātarusaṇḍamaṇḍitaṁ
sikhaṇḍisaṇḍādidijūpakūjitaṁ
sudassanīyaṁ viya nandanaṁ vanaṁ
manoramuyyānam-agā mahāyaso [143]
Mahā-Yaso nānā-suphulla-taru-saṇḍa-maṇḍitaṁ sikhaṇḍi-saṇḍa-ādi-dija-upakūjitaṁ Nandanaṁ Vanaṁ viya, sudassanīyaṁ mano-ramaṁ uyyānaṁ agā.
the Greatly Famous One went to a beautiful and delightful garden, which, like the Nandana Wood (in Tāvatiṁsa), was adorned with many blossoming trees, and the birdsong of a multitude of peacocks and so on.
suraṅganā sundarasundarīnaṁ
manorame vāditanaccagīte
surindalīlāya tahiṁ narindo
ramitva kāmaṁ dipadānam-indo [144]
Tahiṁ Sura-inda-līlāya Dipadānaṁ Indo Nara-Indo Sura-aṅganā sundara-sundarīnaṁ mano-rame vādita-nacca-gīte kāmaṁ ramitvā,
There the Lord of Men, like the Lord of the Suras (Sakka) at play, after delighting in the sensual pleasures of the delightful music, dance and song of the truly beautiful Sura-like women,
ābhujitvāna pallaṅkaṁ nisinno rucirāsane
kārāpetum-acintesi dehabhūsanam-attano [145]
rucira-āsane pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvāna nisinno, attano deha-bhūsanaṁ kārāpetuṁ acintesi.
while sitting on his radiant seat, after crossing his legs, thought about how he could get his body adorned.
tassa cittaṁ viditvāna vissakammassidaṁ bravi
alaṅkarohi siddhatthaṁ iti devānam-issaro [146]
Devānaṁ Issaro tassa cittaṁ viditvāna: “Siddhatthaṁ alaṅkarohi” iti idaṁ Vissakammassa abravi.
The Master of the Devas (Sakka), having understood his thoughts, said this to Vissakamma: The name means Universal-Maker; in Buddhism he is considered the god who gets things done, and is frequently seen in the Jātakas erecting buildings and so forth. “Please (go and) adorn Siddhattha.”
tenāṇattopagantvāna vissakammo yasassino
dasadussasahassehi sīsaṁ veṭhesi sobhanaṁ [147]
Tena-āṇatto Vissakammo upagantvāna, dasa-dussa-sahassehi Yasassino sobhanaṁ sīsaṁ veṭhesi.
At that command Vissakamma, having approached, wrapped the beautiful head of the Famous One with ten thousand cloths.
tanuṁ manuññam-pi akāsi sobhanaṁ
anaññasādhāraṇalakkhaṇujjalaṁ
vicittanānuttamabhūsanehi so
sugandhigandhuppalacandanādinā [148]
So anañña-asādhāraṇa-lakkhaṇa-ujjalaṁ manuññaṁ tanuṁ pi vicitta-nānā-uttama-bhūsanehi su-gandhi-gandha-uppala-candana-ādinā sobhanaṁ akāsi.
He also beautified his pleasing body, which was glorious with rare and extraordinary signs, with many and various superb ornaments, and with the sweet perfume of flowers, sandalwood, and so forth.
vibhūsito tena vibhūsitaṅginā
tahiṁ nisinno vimale silātale
suraṅganāsannibhasundarīhi so
purakkhato devapatīva sobhati [149]
Vibhūsita-aṅginā tena vibhūsito, tahiṁ vimale silā-tale nisinno, Sura-aṅganā-sannibha-sundarīhi purakkhato, so Deva-Pati-iva sobhati.
Adorned by (Vissakamma) whose limbs are adorned, sitting there on a spotless flat slab of stone, surrounded by beautiful Sura-like women, he shone like (Sakka) the Master of the Devas.
suddhodananarindena pesitaṁ sāsanuttamaṁ
putto te putta jāto ti sutvāna dīpaduttamo [150]
Suddhodana-Nara-Indena sāsana-uttamaṁ pesitaṁ: “Putta! putto te jāto!” ti. Dīpada-Uttamo sutvāna,
A supreme message was sent by Suddhodana, the Lord of Men (saying): “Son! A son has been born to you!” The Supreme Man, after hearing (this),
mam-ajja bandhanaṁ jātaṁ iti vatvāna tāvade
samiddhaṁ sabbakāmehi agamā sundaraṁ puraṁ [151]
“Mama-ajja bandhanaṁ jātaṁ!” iti vatvāna, tāvade sabba-kāmehi samiddhaṁ sundaraṁ puraṁ agamā.
and exclaiming: “Today a bond Here the word is
ṭhitā uparipāsāde kisāgotami taṁ tadā
rājentaṁ sataraṁsīva rājaṁ disvā kathesidaṁ [152]
Tadā upari-pāsāde ṭhitā Kisāgotami sata-raṁsi-iva rājentaṁ taṁ Rājaṁ disvā, idaṁ kathesi:
Then Kisāgotami, standing on the top floor of the palace, having seen the Prince shining like the sun, There is a play on the root
yesaṁ sūnu ayaṁ dhīro yā ca jāyā imassa tu
te sabbe nibbutā nūna sadānūnaguṇassa ve [153]
“Ayaṁ Dhīro yesaṁ sūnu, anūna-guṇassa imassa tu yā jāyā ca, ve te sabbe sadā nūna nibbutā.”
“Those to whom this Hero is a son, she who is the wife of this one complete in virtue, all of them are truly satisfied forever.” The exclamation as reported in Jā Nid is:
itīdisaṁ giraṁ sutvā manuññaṁ tāya bhāsitaṁ
sañjātapītiyā pīno gacchamāno sakālayaṁ [154]
Iti tāya bhāsitaṁ īdisaṁ manuññaṁ giraṁ sutvā, sañjāta-pītiyā pīno, saka-ālayaṁ gacchamāno,
After hearing such a pleasant utterance spoken thus by her, full of the joy that had arisen, while he was proceeding to his house,
sītalaṁ vimalaṁ hāriṁ hāraṁ taṁ rativaḍḍhanaṁ
pesetvā santikaṁ tassā omuñcitvāna kaṇṭhato [155]
sītalaṁ vimalaṁ hāriṁ rati-vaḍḍhanaṁ taṁ hāraṁ kaṇṭhato omuñcitvāna, tassā santikaṁ pesetvā,
after removing his cool, spotless, captivating, delightful pearl necklace from his neck, sending it into her presence,
pāsādam-abhirūhitvā vejayantaṁ va sundaraṁ
nipajji devarājā va sayane so mahārahe [156]
Vejayantaṁ va sundaraṁ pāsādaṁ abhirūhitvā, so Mahā-arahe sayane Deva-Rājā va nipajji.
and ascending his beautiful palace, which was like (Sakka’s palace) Vejayanta, he sat down like (Sakka) the King of the Devas on his worthy couch.
sundarī taṁ purakkhatvā surasundarisannibhā
payojayiṁsu naccāni gītāni vividhāni pi [157]
Surasundarisannibhā sundarī taṁ purakkhatvā, vividhāni pi naccāni gītāni payojayiṁsu.
Beautiful women like Sura-maidens, i.e. like goddesses. after surrounding him, performed various songs and dances.
pabbajjābhirato dhīro pañcakāme nirālayo
tādise naccagīte pi na ramitvā manorame [158]
Pabbajjā-abhirato Dhīro, pañca-kāme nir-ālayo, tādise mano-rame nacca-gīte pi na ramitvā.
(But) the Hero, greatly delighting in (the thought) of renunciation, being unattached to the five (strands) of sense pleasure, did not delight A better reading may be