Title Page / Foreword / Table of Contents
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
KING SUDDHODANA AND QUEEN MAYA 3
MAYA’S DREAM 8
THE BIRTH OF SIDDHARTHA 12
ASITA’S PREDICTION 16
SIDDHARTHA AT THE TEMPLE 20
SIDDHARTHA’S FIRST MEDITATION 24
THE MARRIAGE OF SIDDHARTHA 28
SIDDHARTHA LEADS A LIFE OF PLEASURE 38
THE THREE ENCOUNTERS 41
GOPA’S DREAM 49
SIDDHARTHA IS EAGER TO KNOW THE GREAT TRUTHS 55
SIDDHARTHA LEAVES HIS FATHER’S PALACE 60
SIDDHARTHA THE HERMIT 62
GOPA AND SUDDHODANA GRIEVE 68
THE DOCTRINE OF ARATA KALAMA 72
SIDDHARTHA AND KING VIMBASARA 75
SIDDHARTHA DESERTED BY HIS FIRST DISCIPLES 79
SIDDHARTHA UNDER THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE 83
MARA’S DEFEAT 89
SIDDHARTHA BECOMES THE BUDDHA 96
p. x
PART TWO
SECTION NUMBER
PAGE
TRAPUSHA AND BHALLIKA 103
THE BUDDHA IS PREPARED TO PREACH THE DOCTRINE 110
THE BUDDHA LEAVES FOR BENARES 114
THE BUDDHA FINDS HIS FORMER DISCIPLES 117
THE STORY OF THE HERMIT AND THE HARE 123
THE STORY OF PADMAKA 129
THE BUDDHA AT THE BAMBOO GROVE 135
SARIPUTRA AND MAUDGALYAYANA 141
THE BUDDHA PACIFIES THE MALCONTENTS OF RAJAGRIHA 144
SUDDHODANA SENDS MESSENGERS TO HIS SON 147
THE STORY OF THE CRANE AND THE FISH 151
THE STORY OF VISVANTARA 157
THE STORY OF DHARMAPALA 175
GOPA’S GREAT VIRTUE 179
NANDA RENOUNCES ROYALTY 182
THE BUDDHA LEAVES KAPILAVASTU 186
ANATHAPINDIKA’S OFFERING 190
THE NEW DISCIPLES 196
NANDA’S PRIDE 200
THE DEATH OF SUDDHODANA 206
PART THREE
MAHAPRAJAPATI IS ADMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY 211
THE BUDDHA EXPOSES THE IMPOSTERS 217
p. xi
SECTION NUMBER
PAGE
SUPRABHA 222
VIRUPA 227
SINCA’S DECEIT 232
THE BUDDHA TAMES A WILD BUFFALO 236
DISSENSION AMONG THE MONKS 239
KUVALAYA THE DANCER 243
THE GOD ALAVAKA DEFEATED BY THE BUDDHA 247
DEVADATTA EXPELLED FROM THE COMMUNITY 253
AJATASATRU’S TREACHERY 256
THE DEATH OF DEVADATTA 261
PRASENAJIT AND AJATASATRU 267
THE BUDDHA TEACHES THE DOCTRINE 271
THE BUDDHA AND THE SHEPHERD 273
THE BUDDHA INSTRUCTS THE MONKS OF VAISALI 278
THE MEAL AT CUNDA’S 282
THE BUDDHA ENTERS NIRVANA 284