Jinacaritaṁ
The Life of the Victorious Buddha
[Dhammacakkappavattanakathā]
[The Story of the Rolling of the Dhamma Wheel]
tatojapālodayapabbatodito
mahappabho buddhadivākaro nabhe
maṇippabhāsannibhabhāsurappabho
pamocayaṁ bhāsurabuddharaṁsiyo [304]
Tato-Aja-Pāla-udaya-pabbata-udito maha-ppabho Buddha-divā-karo nabhe, maṇi-ppabhā-sannibha-bhāsura-ppabho bhāsura-Buddha-raṁsiyo pamocayaṁ.
Then the Buddha rose from the Goat-Herder’s (Tree), like the sun rising with great light into the sky over the mountain, like a shining and bright jewel-light, emitting the shining Buddha-rays.
pamodayanto upakādayo tadā
kamena aṭṭhārasayojanañjasaṁ
atikkamitvāna suphullapādape
vijambhamānāligaṇābhikūjitaṁ [305]
Tadā Upaka-ādayo pamodayanto, suphulla-pādape vijambhamāna-ali-gaṇa-abhikūjitaṁ aṭṭhā-rasa-yojana-añjasaṁ kamena atikkamitvāna,
Then rejoicing Upaka and so on, after gradually covering an 18-league road, which resounded with the sound of a host of bees active in the blossoming trees,
nirantaraṁ nekadijūpakūjitaṁ
suphullapaṅkeruhagandhavāsitaṁ
gato yasassī migadāyam-uttamaṁ
tahiṁ tapassī atha pañcavaggiyā [306]
Yasassī nirantaraṁ neka-di-ja-upakūjitaṁ suphulla-paṅkeruha-gandha-vāsitaṁ uttamaṁ Miga-dāyaṁ gato; atha tahiṁ Pañca-Vaggiyā tapassī
the Famous One went to the supreme Deer Park, which was continuously resounding with countless birds, and perfumed with the scent of blossoming lotuses; then, in that place, the Group of Five ascetics
devātidevaṁ tibhavekanāthaṁ
lokantadassiṁ sugataṁ sugattaṁ
disvāna dhīraṁ munisīharājaṁ
kumantaṇaṁ te iti mantayiṁsu [307]
te Deva-Atidevaṁ Ti-Bhava-Eka-Nāthaṁ Loka-Anta-Dassiṁ su-gattaṁ Dhīraṁ Muni-Sīha-Rājaṁ Sugataṁ disvāna, ku-mantaṇaṁ iti mantayiṁsu:
having seen the Deva of Devas, the Sole Protector of the Three Realms of Existence, the One who Sees to the End of the World, the Hero with beautiful limbs, the Lion King of Sages, the Happy One, they counselled an evil counsel:
bhutvāna oḷārika-annapānaṁ
suvaṇṇavaṇṇo paripuṇṇakāyo
etāvusoyaṁ samaṇo imassa
karoma nāmhe abhivādanādiṁ [308]
“Āvuso! Ayaṁ samaṇo oḷārika-anna-pānaṁ bhutvāna, su-vaṇṇa-vaṇṇo paripuṇṇa-kāyo eti; amhe imassa abhivādana-ādiṁ na karoma.
“Friends! This ascetic, having enjoyed gross food and drink, has come by a very beautiful complexion and a full body; we should not pay respects to him and so on.
ayaṁ visālanvayato pasūto
sambhāvanīyo bhuvi ketubhūto
paṭiggahetuṁ 'rahatāsanan-tu
tasmāsanaṁ yeviti paññapema [309]
Tu ayaṁ visāla-anvayato pasūto sambhāvanīyo bhuvi ketu-bhūto, āsanaṁ paṭiggahetuṁ arahati, tasmā-āsanaṁ yeva paññapema” iti.
However, he is born into a great lineage, is venerable, and has been a chief in the world, he is worthy of being offered a seat, therefore let us prepare a seat.”
ñatvātha bhagavā tesaṁ vitakkaṁ tikkhabuddhiyā
mettānilakadambehi mānaketuṁ padhaṁsayi [310]
Atha Bhagavā tesaṁ vitakkaṁ tikkha-buddhiyā ñatvā, mettā-anila-kadambehi māna-ketuṁ padhaṁsayi.
Then the Fortunate One, with keen intelligence, having understood their thoughts, destroyed their conceitedness Lit: the flag of their conceit. with the fragrant breeze of his friendliness.
samatthā na hi saṇṭhātuṁ sakāya katikāya te
akaṁsu lokanāthassa vandanādīni dhīmato [311]
Te sakāya katikāya saṇṭhātuṁ na hi samatthā Dhīmato Loka-Nāthassa vandanā-ādīni akaṁsu.
And they, being unable to maintain their agreement, paid their respects and so on to the Devout One, the Protector of the World.
buddhabhāvaṁ ajānantā munayo munirājino
āvuso vādato tassa kevalaṁ samudīrayuṁ [312]
Munayo Muni-Rājino Buddha-bhāvaṁ ajānantā, kevalaṁ tassa ‘Āvuso’ vādato samudīrayuṁ.
The sages, not knowing that the King of Sages had become a Buddha, they all spoke to him using the term ‘Friend’.
atha lokavidū lokanātho tesam-udīratha
āvuso vādato neva satthuno samudīrayi [313]
Atha Loka-Vidū Loka-Nātho tesaṁ: “Satthuno ‘Āvuso’ vādato na-eva udīratha” samudīrayi.
Then, the Knower of the Worlds, the Protector of the World, addressed them (saying): “Do not speak to the Teacher using the term ‘Friend’.
bhikkhave arahaṁ sammāsambuddho ti tathāgato
buddhabhāvaṁ pakāsetvā attano tesam-uttamo [314]
“Bhikkhave! Tathāgato Arahaṁ Sammā-Sambuddho Uttamo” ti attano Buddha-bhāvaṁ tesaṁ pakāsetvā,
“Monks! (I am) the Realised One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha, the Supreme One”, and having made known to them his Buddhahood,
nisinno tehi paññatte dassaneyyuttamāsane
brahmanādena te there sīlabhūsanabhūsite [315]
āmantetvāna brahmānaṁ nekakoṭipurakkhato
dhammacakkaṁ pavattento desanā raṁsinā tadā [316]
mohandhakārarāsim-pi hantvā loke manoramaṁ
dhammālokaṁ padassetvā veneyyambujabuddhiyā [317]
tehi paññatte dassaneyya-uttama-āsane nisinno, sīla-bhūsana-bhūsite te there Brahma-nādena āmantetvāna, tadā Brahmānaṁ neka-koṭi-purakkhato, loke moha-andha-kāra-rāsiṁ pi hantvā, veneyya-ambuja-buddhiyā mano-ramaṁ dhamma-ālokaṁ padassetvā, desanā raṁsinā Dhamma-cakkaṁ pavattento.
he sat down on the beautiful, supreme seat they had prepared, and having addressed with his Brahmā-like voice those elders adorned with the ornament of virtue, at that time, surrounded by countless tens of millions of Brahmās, after destroying the blind mass of delusion, and showing the light of his delightful Dhamma with his lotus-like intelligence to those who were responsive, he set rolling the Dhamma-Wheel with his radiant teaching.
migakānanasaṅkhāte raṇabhūmitale iti
rājā mahānubhāvo va dhammarājā visārado [318]
Iti Miga-Kānana-saṅkhāte raṇa-bhūmi-tale, mahā-ānubhāvo rājā va, visārado Dhamma-Rājā
Thus in the battle-ground known as the Deer Grove, like a very mighty king, the learned King of the Dhamma
desanāsiṁ samādāya dhībhujena manoramaṁ
veneyyajanabandhūnaṁ mahānatthakaraṁ sadā [319]
kilesāri padāḷetvā saddhammajayadundubhiṁ
paharitvāna saddhammajayaketuṁ sudujjayaṁ [320]
ussāpetvāna saddhammajayatthūṇuttamaṁ subhaṁ
patiṭṭhāpiya lokekarājā hutvā sivaṅkaro [321]
dhī-bhujena mano-ramaṁ desanā-asiṁ samādāya, sadā veneyya-jana-bandhūnaṁ mahā-anattha-karaṁ kilesāri padāḷetvā, Saddhamma-jaya-dundubhiṁ paharitvāna, su-dur-jayaṁ Saddhamma-jaya-ketuṁ ussāpetvāna, subhaṁ Saddhamma-jaya-tthūṇa-uttamaṁ patiṭṭhāpiya; Sivaṅkaro Loka-Eka-Rājā hutvā,
after taking up the delightful sword-like teaching with the hand of wisdom, and cutting down the defilements, which, like an enemy, always work for the great harm of the responsive people and kinsmen, and beating the True Dhamma’s victory drum, raising the True Dhamma’s very difficult to attain flag of victory, he established the True Dhamma’s supreme victory pillar; the Safety-Maker, after becoming the Sole King of the World,
pamocetvāna janataṁ brahāsaṁsārabandhanā
nibbānanagaraṁ netukāmo lokahite rato [322]
janataṁ brahā-Saṁsāra-bandhanā pamocetvāna, loka-hite rato, Nibbāna-Nagaraṁ netu-kāmo,
and liberating the people from the vast bondage of Saṁsāra, delighting in the World’s welfare, and desirous of leading them to the City of Nibbāna,
suvaṇṇācalakūṭaṁ va jaṅgamaṁ cārudassanaṁ
patvoruvelagāmiṁ taṁ añjasaṁ va surañjasaṁ [323]
jaṅgamaṁ cāru-dassanaṁ, suvaṇṇa-acala-kūṭaṁ va, Sura-añjasaṁ va Uruvela-gāmiṁ taṁ añjasaṁ patvā,
was a charming sight while going along, This meaning comes from the Vyākhyās. Vimalavaṁsa translates as
bhaddavaggiyabhūpālakumāre tiṁsamattake
maggattayāmatarasaṁ pāyetvā rasam-uttamaṁ [324]
tiṁsa-mattake bhadda-vaggiya-bhū-pāla-kumāre uttamaṁ rasaṁ magga-ttaya-amata-rasaṁ pāyetvā,
having made as many as thirty of the august group of young princes drink the supreme elixir, the elixir of the three deathless paths,
pabbajjam-uttamaṁ datvā lokassatthāya bhikkhavo
uyyojetvāna sambuddho cārikaṁ carathā ti te [325]
uttamaṁ pabbajjaṁ datvā, Sambuddho: “Bhikkhavo lokassa-atthāya cārikaṁ carathā” ti te uyyojetvāna;
and giving them the supreme going-forth, the Sambuddha, after sending them off (saying): “Monks, walk on pilgrimage for the welfare of the world”;
gantvoruvelaṁ jaṭilānam-anto
jaṭā ca chetvāna jaṭā bahiddhā
pāpetva aggañjasam-uttamo te
purakkhato indu va tārakāhi [326]
Uruvelaṁ gantvā, jaṭilānaṁ anto jaṭā bahiddhā jaṭā ca chetvāna, te agga-añjasaṁ pāpetva, Uttamo tārakāhi purakkhato indu va,
reaching Uruvela, cutting off the inner tangle and the outer tangle of the tangled-haired ones, and making them attain the high road, the Supreme One, like the moon surrounded by the stars,
purakkhato tehi anāsavehi
chabbaṇṇaraṁsābharaṇuttamehi
disaṅganāyo atisobhayanto
pakkhīnam-akkhīni pi pīṇayanto [327]
tehi Anāsavehi purakkhato, chaḷ-vaṇṇa-raṁsi-ābharaṇa-uttamehi disa-aṅganāyo atisobhayanto, pakkhīnaṁ akkhīni pi pīṇayanto.
surrounded by those Free from the Pollutants, greatly beautifying the clearings in (all) directions with the supreme ornament of his six-coloured rays, satisfied even the eyes of the birds.