Jinacaritaü
The Life of the Victorious Buddha

[Pàramãkathà]
[The Story of the Perfections]

 

nisinno upadhàresi dhamme buddhakare tadà
kim-uddhaü và adho và pi disàsu vidisàsu ca [60]

Tadà nisinno Buddha-kare dhamme kiü uddhaü và adho và pi disàsu vidisàsu ca upadhàresi,

Then, while sitting, he examined above, below, in the main and intermediate directions what things make one Awakened, 01

 

iccevaü vicinanto so sakalaü dhammadhàtukaü
addakkhi sakasantàne pañhamaü dànapàramiü [61]

so iti-evaü sakalaü Dhamma-dhàtukaü vicinanto, saka-santàne pañhamaü dàna-pàramiü addakkhi,

examining all the elements of the Dhamma in this way, the first thing he saw in his own stream (of consciousness) 02 was the perfection of giving,

 

evam-evaü gavesanto uttariü pàramiü vidå
sabbà pàramiyo disvà attano ÿàõacakkhunà [62]

evaü vidå, evaü uttariü pàramiü gavesanto, attano ÿàõa-cakkhunà sabbà pàramiyo disvà,

understanding it thus, and seeking out the next perfection in this way, after seeing by himself with the eye of knowledge all the perfections,

 

saüsàre saüsaranto so bahuü dukkhaü titikkhiya
gavesantomataü santo påretvà dànapàramã [63]

so Saüsàre saüsaranto bahuü dukkhaü titikkhiya, santo amataü gavesanto, dàna-pàramã påretvà -

and enduring a great deal of suffering in the rolling on of Saüsàra, 03 seeking the peaceful, the deathless, after fulfilling the perfection of giving -

 

sattànaü kapparukkho va cintàmaõi va kàmado
icchiticchitam-annàdiü dadanto dadataü varo [64]

sattànaü kappa-rukkho va cintà-maõi va dadanto kàma-do, icchita-icchitaü varo anna-àdiü dadataü -

giving to (all) beings, like a wish-fulfilling tree or a wish-fulfilling jewel, granting their desires, he gave whatever they longed for, beginning with excellent food and so forth -

 

tàrakàhi bahuü katvà nabhe càruvilocane
uppàñetvà dadaü dhãro yàcakànaü pamodito [65]

nabhe tàrakàhi bahuü katvà, pamodito Dhãro, càru-vilocane uppàñetvà, yàcakànaü dadaü,

and doing a good many other things, (as many as) the stars in the sky, gladly the Hero, having torn out his charming eyes, gave them to beggars, 04

 

mahiyà paüsuto càpi samuddodakatodhikaü
dadaü sarãramaüsaÿ-ca lohitam-pi ca attano [66]

Attano mahiyà paüsuto sarãra-maüsaü ca-api; samudda-udakato-adhikaü ca pi lohitaü dadaü.

he also gave his body's flesh, more than the dust on the earth; and his blood, more than the waters in the ocean. 05

 

molinàlaïkate sãsedhikaü katvà sineruto
kampayitvà mahiü dento sute càpi sakaïganà [67]

Molinà-alaïkate sãse Sineruto adhikaü katvà, mahiü kampayitvà, sute saka-aïganà api ca dento.

After giving away his diadem-ardorned heads in excess of (Mount) Sineru, 06 and making the earth shake, he gave away his wife and children. 07

 

sãlanekkhammapaÿÿàdi påretvà sabbapàramã
vessantarattabhàvevaü patvà tamhà cuto pana [68]

Evaü sãla-nekkhamma-paÿÿa-àdi sabba-pàramã påretvà, Vessantara-atta-bhàvaü patvà, tamhà pana cuto

Thus after fulfilling all the perfections such as virtue, renunciation, and wisdom, and attaining his individuality as Vessantara, and from there passing away

 

uppajjitvà suràvàse sundare tusite pure
vasanto suciraü kàlaü bhutvànànantasampadaü [69]

Sura-àvàse sundare Tusite pure uppajjitvà, su-ciraü kàlaü ananta-sampadaü bhutvàna vasanto.

and re-arising in the Tusita Heaven, 08 the beautiful abode of the Suras, for a very long time he dwelt (there) enjoying endless blessings.

 

last updated: October 2006