Buddhist Mahyna TextsThe Buddhist Mahyna is a series of poems written in the first century AD that tell the legendary history of the life of the Buddha. The last four books of this version of the text were written by a Nepalese author in the 1830s in an attempt to reconstruct lost books. Buddhists and anyone interested in religious studies and comparative mythology will be delight in this hagiographic account of the life of the foundational figure of one of the world's great religions. English scholar EDWARD BYLES COWELL (1826-1903), who lived in Calcutta from 1856 to 1867, is most famous for his translations of the poetry of Hafez. German author FRIEDRICH MAX MULLER (1823-1900) combined the studies of language, culture, and religion to create the discipline of comparative mythology. Among his many works are The Sacred Books of the East, India: What Can It Teach Us?, and Wisdom of the Buddha: The Unabridged Dhammapada. |
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Page ix
... thought and remote allusions ; but many passages no doubt owe their present obscurity to undetected mistakes in the text of our MSS . In the absence of any commentary ( except so far as the diffuse Chinese translation and occasional ...
... thought and remote allusions ; but many passages no doubt owe their present obscurity to undetected mistakes in the text of our MSS . In the absence of any commentary ( except so far as the diffuse Chinese translation and occasional ...
Page 2
... used adverbially . Cf. the line in Vikramorv . kusumāny āserate shatpadāh . Could it mean ' as a thought the lotus of the heart ? ' near him ' , -intent on liberality yet devoid of 2 THE BUDDHA - KARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA .
... used adverbially . Cf. the line in Vikramorv . kusumāny āserate shatpadāh . Could it mean ' as a thought the lotus of the heart ? ' near him ' , -intent on liberality yet devoid of 2 THE BUDDHA - KARITA OF ASVAGHOSHA .
Page 4
... thought into her womb , like the Nāga - king entering the cave of Nandā . 20. Assuming the form of a huge elephant white like Himalaya , armed with six tusks , with his face . perfumed with flowing ichor , he entered the womb of the ...
... thought into her womb , like the Nāga - king entering the cave of Nandā . 20. Assuming the form of a huge elephant white like Himalaya , armed with six tusks , with his face . perfumed with flowing ichor , he entered the womb of the ...
Page 15
... thoughts kept under restraint , and filled with excessive joy , he offered for his son most elaborate sacrifices to the gods with muttered prayers , oblations , and all kinds of auspicious ceremonies . 89. And he himself gave to the ...
... thoughts kept under restraint , and filled with excessive joy , he offered for his son most elaborate sacrifices to the gods with muttered prayers , oblations , and all kinds of auspicious ceremonies . 89. And he himself gave to the ...
Page 30
... thought that it seemed to promise a revival of his youth . 26. But then the gods , dwelling in pure abodes 2 , having beheld that city thus rejoicing like heaven itself , created an old man to walk along on purpose to stir the heart of ...
... thought that it seemed to promise a revival of his youth . 26. But then the gods , dwelling in pure abodes 2 , having beheld that city thus rejoicing like heaven itself , created an old man to walk along on purpose to stir the heart of ...
Contents
PART II | iii |
THE LARGER SUKHĀVATĪVYŪHA I | 77 |
INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS 105 | 105 |
INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS 155 | 155 |
INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS 202 | 202 |
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Common terms and phrases
Agita Amitābha Ānanda Arhat ascetic attained Avalokitesvara beauty Bhagavat Bhikshu birth blessed Buddhas Bodhisattvas body born Brahman Buddha Amitāyus Buddha country Buddhist Burnouf called Chinese translation colour death desire dharma Dipankara dwelling excellent eyes flowers forest fully enlightened Gangā gems Gina gods gold hear heard heaven heavenly highest perfect knowledge holy and fully honoured hundred thousand niyutas immeasurable Indra innumerable kalpas king kotis of Buddhas lapis lazuli lord lotus lotus-flower Mahāyāna Māra Max Müller meditation mendicants mind Nirvāna niyutas of kotis noble noble-minded Bodhisattvas obtain the highest obtained Bodhi old age palace Pāli perception pleasure possessed preached prince rays sacred Sākya Sākyamuni Sanskrit Sāriputra sattva soul spoke stock of merit Subhūti Sukhāvatī Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sumeru Sūtra Tathā Tathagata thee things thou thought Tibetan trees Tushita uttered wisdom wise wish women world Sukhāvati World-Honoured worship XVII Yakshas yoganas
Popular passages
Page 6 - Like the sun bursting from a cloud in the morning, — so he too, when he was born from his mother's womb, made the world bright like gold, bursting forth with his rays which dispelled the darkness.
Page 161 - Maras together with ignorance and the Asravas have been conquered by me ; and perfect wisdom has been attained able to deliver the world. 10. ' I too, resolved to follow the teaching of the former Buddhas, remained four whole weeks in the fulfilment of my inauguration V 11. Then Mara, utterly despondent in soul, thus addressed the Tathagata, ' O holy one, be pleased to enter Nirva»a, thy desires are accomplished.
Page 34 - Sukhavatt belonging to that Bhagavat Amitabha is prosperous, rich, good to live in, fertile, lovely, and filled with many gods and men. Then, O Ananda, in that world there are neither hells, nor the brute creation, nor the realm of departed spirits, nor bodies of Asuras, nor untimely births1.
Page 12 - This is the true way in which those seerkings of old, rejecting through duty all trivial riches1, have ever flung them away as was right, — being poor in outward substance but rich in ascetic endurance. 62. ' But hear now the motive for my coming and rejoice thereat ; a heavenly voice has been heard by me in the heavenly path, that thy son has been born for the sake of supreme knowledge.
Page 172 - When this perception has been formed, thou shouldst meditate on its (constituents) one by one and make (the images) as clear as possible, so that they may never be scattered and lost, whether thine eyes be shut or open. Except only during the time of thy sleep, thou shouldst always keep this in thy mind. One who has reached this (stage of) perception is said to have dimly seen the Land of Highest Happiness (Sukhavati).
Page 99 - Then again all beings, O Sariputra, ought to make fervent prayer for that Buddha country. And why? Because they come together there with such excellent men. Beings are not born in that Buddha country of the Tathagata Amitayus as a reward and result of good works performed in this present life.
Page 92 - O Sariputra, there is neither bodily nor mental pain for living beings. The sources of happiness are innumerable there. For that reason is that world called Sukhavati (the happy).
Page 101 - Thus also in the West do other blessed Buddhas, led by the Tathagata Amitayus, the Tathagata Amitaskandha, the Tathagata...