THE LIFE of BUDDHA
According to the Legends of Ancient India
By
A. FERDINAND HEROLD
Translated from the French by
PAUL C. BLUM
Decorations by Mac Hershberger
p. vii
FOREWORD
This Life of Buddha is not a work of fiction, and I think it would be well to mention the books, both ancient and modern, which I have most frequently consulted.
I have, for the most part, relied upon the LALITA-VISTARA. This book is a jumbled collection of legends and scholastic dissertations, and yet in these pages are preserved many precious traditions regarding the Buddha's origin, his childhood and his youth, and here, likewise, we are told of his early education and of his first deeds.
I have also made great use of an excellent poem, the BUDDHACARITA of Asvaghosa. In a few of the chapters I have repeated the lines almost word for word. The text of the BUDDHACARITA was edited by E. B. Cowell.
In the Life, I have interpolated several JATAKAS. These are stories in which the Buddha recalls his former lives. Some of them will be found in a vast collection, the AVADANASATAKA.
Two modern books: LE BOUDDHA, by H. Oldenberg, translated by A. Foucher, and the HISTOIRE DU BOUDDHISME DANS L’INDE, by
p. viii
H. Kern, translated by Gédéon Huet, have also been very useful to me; as well as other works that have appeared in scientific reviews. Thus, for the touching story of Visvantara, I am indebted to a sogdian version published by R. Gauthiot in the JOURNAL ASIATIQUE.
Finally, I would be guilty of the deepest ingratitude if I did not publicly thank my old friend Sylvain Lévi for his generous and kindly advice.
And may the reader find of interest this marvellous story of Prince Siddhartha who, through meditation, was able to attain supreme wisdom.
A. F. HEROLD
p. ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE
SECTION
NUMBER
PAGE
1.
KING SUDDHODANA AND QUEEN MAYA
3
2.
MAYA'S DREAM
8
3.
THE BIRTH OF SIDDHARTHA
12
4.
ASITA'S PREDICTION
16
5.
SIDDHARTHA AT THE TEMPLE
20
6.
SIDDHARTHA'S FIRST MEDITATION
24
7.
THE MARRIAGE OF SIDDHARTHA
28
8.
SIDDHARTHA LEADS A LIFE OF PLEASURE
38
9.
THE THREE ENCOUNTERS
41
10.
GOPA'S DREAM
49
11.
SIDDHARTHA IS EAGER TO KNOW THE GREAT TRUTHS
55
12.
SIDDHARTHA LEAVES HIS FATHER'S PALACE
60
13.
SIDDHARTHA THE HERMIT
62
14.
GOPA AND SUDDHODANA GRIEVE
68
15.
THE DOCTRINE OF ARATA KALAMA
72
16.
SIDDHARTHA AND KING VIMBASARA
75
17.
SIDDHARTHA DESERTED BY HIS FIRST DISCIPLES
79
18.
SIDDHARTHA UNDER THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE
83
19.
MARA'S DEFEAT
89
20.
SIDDHARTHA BECOMES THE BUDDHA
96
p. x
PART TWO
SECTION
NUMBER
PAGE
1.
TRAPUSHA AND BHALLIKA
103
2.
THE BUDDHA IS PREPARED TO PREACH THE DOCTRINE
110
3.
THE BUDDHA LEAVES FOR BENARES
114
4.
THE BUDDHA FINDS HIS FORMER DISCIPLES
117
5.
THE STORY OF THE HERMIT AND THE HARE
123
6.
THE STORY OF PADMAKA
129
7.
THE BUDDHA AT THE BAMBOO GROVE
135
8.
SARIPUTRA AND MAUDGALYAYANA
141
9.
THE BUDDHA PACIFIES THE MALCONTENTS OF RAJAGRIHA
144
10.
SUDDHODANA SENDS MESSENGERS TO HIS SON
147
11.
THE STORY OF THE CRANE AND THE FISH
151
12.
THE STORY OF VISVANTARA
157
13.
THE STORY OF DHARMAPALA
175
14.
GOPA'S GREAT VIRTUE
179
15.
NANDA RENOUNCES ROYALTY
182
16.
THE BUDDHA LEAVES KAPILAVASTU
186
17.
ANATHAPINDIKA'S OFFERING
190
18.
THE NEW DISCIPLES
196
19.
NANDA'S PRIDE
200
20.
THE DEATH OF SUDDHODANA
206
PART THREE
1.
MAHAPRAJAPATI IS ADMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY
211
2.
THE BUDDHA EXPOSES THE IMPOSTERS
217
p. xi
SECTION
NUMBER
PAGE
3.
SUPRABHA
222
4.
VIRUPA
227
5.
SINCA'S DECEIT
232
6.
THE BUDDHA TAMES A WILD BUFFALO
236
7.
DISSENSION AMONG THE MONKS
239
8.
KUVALAYA THE DANCER
243
9.
THE GOD ALAVAKA DEFEATED BY THE BUDDHA
247
10.
DEVADATTA EXPELLED FROM THE COMMUNITY
253
11.
AJATASATRU'S TREACHERY
256
12.
THE DEATH OF DEVADATTA
261
13.
PRASENAJIT AND AJATASATRU
267
14.
THE BUDDHA TEACHES THE DOCTRINE
271
15.
THE BUDDHA AND THE SHEPHERD
273
16.
THE BUDDHA INSTRUCTS THE MONKS OF VAISALI
278
17.
THE MEAL AT CUNDA'S
282
18.
THE BUDDHA ENTERS NIRVANA
284
