Sub - k i - 1 i - 1 ih - k iu , "The 
 Suhrillekba • • ^t.r , by. Rev 
 S « Beal . 
 
 ' 一權 
 
SUH-KI-LI-LIH-KIU. 
 
 THE SUHEILLEKHA OE ' FEIEKDLY LETTER/ 
 
 Written by Lung shtj (IN'agakjwa), and addressed to 
 King Sadvaha. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE EDITION OF I-TSING. 
 
 BY THE LATE 
 
 EEV. SAMUEL BEAI,, M.E.A.S. 
 
 WITH THE CHINESE TEXT. 
 
 LONDON ： 
 
 LUZAC & C0.， OPPOSITE THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 
 SHANGHAI : 
 KELLY & WALSH. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/suhkililihkiusuhOOnaga 
 
SUH-KI-LI-LIH-KIU. 
 
 THE SUHEILLEKHA OR i FEIENDLY LETTEE,' 
 
 Written by Lung shtj (Nagaejtjna), and addressed to 
 King Sadvaha. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE EDITION OF I-TSIX(J. 
 
 BY THE LATE 
 
 EEV. SAMUEL BEAL， M.E.A.S. 
 
 WITH THE CHINESE TEXT. 
 
 LOKDOJST ： 
 
 L 腸 G & C0.， OPPOSITE THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 
 SHANGHAI ： 
 KELLY & WALSH. 
 
SUH-KI-LI-LIH-KIU. 
 
 The Suhrillekha or " Friendly Letter," written by 
 Lung shu (Nagarjuna), and addressed to King 
 Sadvaha. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I had intended this Chinese Text of the " Friendly Letter," 
 with the English translation, to form part of the Introduction 
 to the " Life of Hiuen Tsiang," which was published by 
 me towards the end of last year. But the difficulty 
 of passing the Chinese sheets through the press pre- 
 vented this being done. Rather than lose my labour and 
 sacrifice the little book, I resolved to publish the text and 
 translation separately, hoping that it might serve as a 
 Manual for those studying, or about to study, Chinese 
 translations of Buddhist Texts. 
 
 It is well known now that this Letter was written by the 
 celebrated Nagarjuna, the thirteenth (or perhaps fourteenth) 
 patriarch (so-called) in tlie Buddhist succession (according 
 to the Northern school). It was addressed to a King So 
 (or Sha) -to-p，o-ho， restored to Sadvaha, who ruled over a 
 Southern Indian Kingdom, perhaps Kosala. 
 
 5'5G3i.5 i 
 
 ORI^TAL 
 
2 
 
 The Chinese interpretation of Sadvaha is Yun-ching ； the 
 symbol chung, corresponding to sad (sat), denotes excellence ； 
 and yin refers to the power of drawing (tlie bow ？) or pulling 
 (vaha). Sadvaha may therefore refer to the King's excellence 
 in archery {vaha being used for dhara, with, the same meaning 
 as in dhanus-dhara) ； in this case the probability that he 
 belonged to the Pahlavar, settled at Aramana or Alamana, 
 the site of the old Pahlava dominion (Indian Jjntiquary, 
 May, 1888, p. 126) is increased. The Archer type of coin 
 was not uncommon among the early Guptas, and may have 
 been borrowed from the Pahlavas. In any case we have 
 to account for the early conversion of the Parthians to 
 Buddhism, and it is more likely that this conversion should 
 have been effected in India than in Parthia proper. The 
 title Sadvaha may therefore have been a biruda name of one 
 of the Pahlava kings contemporary with Nagarjuna, who 
 lived, as it is now believed, towards the end of the second 
 century a.d. 
 
 Nagarjuna must not be confounded with Nagasena ； the 
 latter flourished probably as early B.C. as Nagarjuna did 
 after Christ. 
 
 What we know from Chinese sources respecting these two 
 writers may be summed up in the following remarks, which 
 I extract from the Indian Antiquary, December, 1866， and 
 June, 1877. 
 
 The Age and Writings of Nagaejuna-Bodhisattva. 
 
 From an examination of Chinese documents relating to 
 Nagarjuna, it seems evident that he is not the same person 
 as Nagasena. 
 
 It has been hitherto commonly held that these two names 
 denote one person. But the Chinese version of the Melinda- 
 Prasna (Nanjio's Catalogue y No. 1358) describes Nagasena 
 as a native of North India, and simply terras him a Bhikshu ； 
 whilst the Life of Nagarjuna by Kumarajiva (id. ~No. 1461) 
 places him in South India, and speaks of him as an eminent 
 Bodhisattva. 
 
3 
 
 Again, the time when these two writers flourished is not 
 the same. Nagasena was contemporary with Menander, 
 who flourished about B.C. 140 ； whilst Nagarjuna was 
 certainly subsequent to the date of Kanishka, and, according 
 to the latest conclusions, lived towards the end of the second 
 century a.d. 
 
 Again, the characters of the two seem to be wholly 
 different. Nagasena was a skilful disputant, but a loyal 
 follower of the primitive doctrine of the great Teacher ； but 
 Nagarjuna was the founder of a new school, an ambitious 
 innovator, and an adept in conjuration and magic. 
 
 On all grounds, then, we must distinguish these two 
 writers, and be content to let Nagaseaa alone, judging him 
 only by his one work, The Questionings of Melinda. 
 
 I will, however, make one or two remarks about the 
 Chinese versions of this book. I call them versions, but 
 they are only abridgments of the original work, if that work 
 is fairly represented by the Pali translation. The first was 
 made by an unknown hand during the Eastern Tsia dynasty, 
 i.e. between a.d. 317 and 400 ； it is called Na-sien-pi-khu-king, 
 or u the Sutra of the Bhikshu Nagasena." After some intro- 
 ductory matter relating to previous births, we are told that 
 there were two Brahmans, who had practised together their 
 rules of austerity in the same mountain. One of these had 
 expressed a wish that he might be born as a king ； the other 
 desired that he might be re-born in a condition to arrive at 
 nirvana. Accordingly, the first became the son of a king 
 whose kingdom was by the sea-shore ； and when the time 
 came to name him, he was called Mi-lan. The other was 
 born in the country of Ki-pin (Cophene), and he was called 
 To-la ； but, because a royal elephant belonging to the 
 family was born on the same day as the child, he was also 
 called Na-sin, " for (the narrative adds) the Indian word for 
 ( elephant ' is Na" (？ JN"aga). Having become a Bhikshu, he 
 attained celebrity, and after a while came to the country of 
 She-kie in India, and took up his residence in the Shi-ti-kia 
 temple. We must restore She-kie to Sakala, 1 and Shi-ti-kia 
 
 1 [The modern Safxgalawalatibba in the Pan jab ； see page 246 above, note q. 
 — J.F.F.] 
 
to Jetika. So that the plot of the discussion which follows 
 is laid in the same place as in the Southern or Pali account. 
 Meanwhile the Prince Mi- lan had succeeded to his father's 
 maritime kingdom ； and, being an adept in religious and 
 philosophical questions, he requested his ministers to inquire 
 for one worthy to enter the lists with him in disputation. 
 The reply was that in the Northern region, in the country 
 Ta-ts'in, 1 in the kingdom of She-Me, and in the palace of 
 an old king of that country, there was dwelling a Shaman 
 well able to dispute with the royal scholar. Then follows 
 a description of the city of Sakala, the noble character of the 
 people, the richly ornamented gates, the sculptured palaces, 
 the apartments of the court ladies, the streets and suburbs, 
 the elephants, horses and chariots, the artizans and scholars, 
 and the tribute paid to this city by all the small countries 
 round about. 2 The clothing of the people is described 
 as being of the five colours, glistening and bright, 一 the 
 women, of white complexion, and wearing jewels and costly 
 ornaments, ― the soil, rich and productive, etc. This was 
 the capital of the country of Mi-lan. The king, therefore, 
 proceeds thither, and the disputation is narrated in two long 
 chapters of twenty and fourteen double pages respectively. 
 
 From a superficial examination, the description appears 
 to be, in its general character, identical with that found in 
 the Me lin da-pan ho ； but, as I do not possess the English 
 translation of this work, published, I understand, by Mr. 
 Trenckner, I have not been able to make any exact com- 
 parison. 
 
 The only remark on the foregoing that need be made is, 
 that the kingdom of Menander may properly be described 
 as a maritime one, as the conquest of Pattalene is ascribed 
 to him ； and, as " he reigned over an extensive tract from 
 the foot of the Paroparoisus to the sea," 3 we may accept the 
 Chinese account that, whilst his kingdom bordered on the 
 
 1 Ta-fsin in this place must denote the Grseco-Baktrian Empire. 
 
 2 Sakala, therefore, at this time was the seat of Greek influence and civiliza- 
 tion in North India. 
 
 a Wilson, Avian Antiq. page 280. 
 
5 
 
 Sea, its chief city was Sakala. This country the Chinese 
 writer identifies with Ta-ts, in, which is generally referred to 
 the Roman Empire, but may, I think, be also equivalent to 
 the countries ruled by the Baktrian satraps. On all sides, 
 at least, this Chinese book supports the identification of 
 Melinda (Mi- lan) with the Menander of the Greeks. 
 
 There is another short work in the Chinese collection of 
 books relating to this subject. It comprises the 101st tale, 
 or story, in the Tsah-pao-ts 1 ang-king (the Sahiyuktaratnapita- 
 hmuira)} The tale is called Na-sien- Nan-to-wang-Mng , i.e. 
 " the Sutra of Nagasena and ]^andar4ja." The contents are 
 similar to the former work noticed. The king's name is 
 given as Kanda, instead of Mi- lan. But I see no difficulty 
 in supposing Nanda to be a contraction of Menander, or of 
 the Pali Minanda. 
 
 On the whole we may conclude that Nagasena, the Bhikshu, 
 was contemporary with Menander, and that his discussion 
 with the Greek ruler may have given rise to the story of 
 Plutarch about the distribution of his (Menander's) relics 
 and the monuments placed over them. 
 
 We now come to Nagarjuna, respecting whom there is 
 abundance of information, of a mixed character, to be fouud 
 scattered throughout the Buddhist literature of China. The 
 chief difficulty is how to connect these scattered notices into 
 anything like a reliable narrative. 
 
 Taking Hiuen Tsiang's notices first, 2 一 we find that, ac- 
 cording to him, Nagar j una lived during the time of a king 
 called So-to-p'o-ho y z in Southern Kosala. He practised the 
 art of converting inferior substances into gold, and also 
 gained a knowledge of the elixir of life. By means of the 
 latter he had extended his own and the king's years over 
 several centuries. The king built for him, or excavated 
 from the rock, a samgh drama ； the rock or mountain was 
 called Po-lo-mo- lo-ki- li y and it was 300 li south, of the 
 
 1 Nanjio's Catalogue, No. 1329. 
 
 2 Buddh. Rec. West. World, vol. ii. p. 210 ff. 
 
 3 This is a phonetic representation, and is explained as meaning "he who 
 draws the good," which of course suggests Sadvaha or Sadvahana as the original 
 Sanskrit word. 
 
6 
 
 country. 1 We cannot fix the site of the capital city visited 
 by Hiuen Tsiang ； and so the Po-lo-mo-lo hill is not known 
 for certain. One thing, however, we know that it must be 
 restored to Bhramara, or " the black bee," and was called 
 after Durga or Parvati ； and that it is the same as the 
 Sri-parvata- Paramalagiri named by Scheifner in his Trans- 
 lation of Tdrandtha, p. 304. On this hill Mgarjuna is 
 said to have passed one hundred and twenty-nine years of 
 his life (Scheifner, Tdrandtha, p. 73). We must then, it 
 appears, give up the old story of Fa-hian 2 about the pigeon 
 (pdrdvata) monastery, and substitute for it the Sriparvata 
 dedicated to Durga. I have been told by Dr. Burgess that 
 he has good reason for identifying this rock with the 
 celebrated Srisaila, on the river Krishna. 3 
 
 But now the question arises who was this king So-to-p^o-Iw, 
 and what was his probable date ？ 
 
 The Chinese explanation of the king's name is, "he who 
 draws, or pulls well." 4 This, however, gives us but little 
 help, beyond suggesting, as the original Sanskrit word, 
 Sadvaha ― a name which we do not know of from Sanskrit 
 sources, and which does not seem a very probable one. But 
 we are told by I-tsing 5 that this monarch was also called 
 Shi-yen-te-kia, which might be restored to Sindhuka ； more- 
 over, the same writer says that Nagarjuna wrote to him as 
 the king of a country called Shing-fu (Sindh ？). All this 
 is obscure ； it is true the Vayu-Purdna gives us the name 
 Sindhuka as the first of the Andhras ； but his date is much 
 
 1 This expression probably means that it was 300 li from the capital of the 
 kingdom. 
 
 2 Buddh. Sec. West. World, Introd. p. lxviii. ff. 
 
 3 [It seems worth noting that a Euddhist Bhadanta named Nagarjunacharya 
 is mentioned in one of the inscriptions at the Jaggayyapeta Stupa, thirty miles 
 north- west of the well-known Amaravati in the Kistna (Krishna) district 
 (Archceol. Surv. South. Ind. vol. iii. p. 57). This inscription, however, is in 
 Sanskrit, and, partly for that reason, partly on palseographical grounds, lias to be 
 allotted to about the beginning of the seventh century a.d. ； and it thus gives 
 about a.d. 650 as the date of this Nagarjunacharya. — J.F.F. 
 
 i ch ing yin ； lit. 'right-drawing.' At one time I thought this was equivalent 
 to the Greek ScwTrjp. 
 
 5 Nan -hai-khi- kwei-chun , K. iv. p. 5， b. I-tsing tells us that the king's 
 title (/w) was Sha-to-po - han - na , his private or personal name {ming) being 
 Shi-yen-te-kia. 
 
7 
 
 too early for Nagarjuna. Under these circumstances I can 
 find no clue to the settlement of the date from this part of 
 my enquiry, and must rest satisfied with the suggestion that 
 the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit name is wrong ― 
 that the original name was Satavaha(na), which is equally 
 deducible from the transliteration, and the sound of which 
 might easily be confused by the Chinese with the sound of 
 Sadvaha ― and that the king is to be identified with, one of 
 the Satavahana or Andhra kings, and possibly with the 
 Yaj nasri-Satakarni, who seems to have flourished about a.d. 
 178 to 207. 
 
 If we come now to consider the succession of Buddhist 
 Patriarchs as they are named in the Northern Books, we 
 find that Nagarjuna is the thirteenth in the order, and 
 Parsva the ninth. If this Parsva was the one who presided 
 over tL.e council summoned by Kanishka, then we may- 
 reason ably place him about 300 years after Asoka, or a.d. 
 70 or 75, for this seems to be the meaning of the 400 years 
 after the nirvana, alluded to by Hiuen Tsiang. 1 His suc- 
 cessors were Punyayasas, Asvaghosha, Kapimala, and then 
 Nagarjuna. Respecting these there is no reliable observa- 
 tion found in Chinese books, except that Asvaghosha was 
 contemporary with Kanishka. As there has been some 
 doubt expressed about this, I will refer to stories 93 and 94 
 in the above-named work called Samyuldaratnapitaka. In 
 these stories we have mention made of the king called 
 (J handan- Kanika , which I can only restore to Kanishka of 
 Gandhara. He was a great conqueror, and was converted to 
 Buddhism. In story 94 he is said to have had three friends, 
 Asvaghosha, his spiritual adviser ； Mo-cha-lo (Madra), his 
 great minister ； and Chay-lo-kia (Jurka ？)， his chief physician. 
 We are then told how Kanishka, after a great slaughter of 
 his enemies, relented and desired to pursue a more peaceful 
 life ； on which his chief minister intimated that such a 
 desire could scarcely be carried out by such a man as he 
 had been. The king then orders a caldron full of water to 
 
 1 Buddh. Bee. West. World, vol. i. p. 151. 
 
8 
 
 be heated to the boiling point, and, this done, lie flung into 
 the water his ring, ordering his minister immediately to take 
 it out with his hand. The officer begs to be excused, but in 
 vain ； at last, on condition he would take it out, the king 
 permits him to adopt his own method. Of course he takes 
 from under the caldron the fire, and allows the water to cool. 
 Then he removes the ring. "And so," replied the monarch, 
 " even I may gain the treasure of the Law, by extinguishing 
 within me the three fires of lust, hatred, and doubt." 
 
 I only refer to this story to show that Asvaghosha was 
 contemporary with. Kanishka. But he was probably a young 
 man, and may have succeeded Punj^ayasas in his old age, 
 At any rate we cannot accommodate this succession to any 
 date for Nagarj una earlier than the latter end of the second 
 century a.d. 
 
 According to Tibetan accounts Nagarjuna lived some 600 
 years after Buddha ； for this is the only reasonable way of 
 explaining the statement that according to some his life was 
 71 years short of 600, and according to others 29 years short 
 of that period. 1 This is supposed to be a mistake for 71 or 
 29 years short of 600 years after Buddha ； and if we assume 
 the date of Buddha (according to Tibetan accounts) to be 
 100 years before As ok a, this again would give us a date for 
 Nagarjuna from about a.d. 166 to a.d. 200. 
 
 I think we may safely regard this as the nearest approxi- 
 mate date to be got from Chinese or Tibetan sources. I will 
 merely add that the change introduced by Nagarjuna into 
 the code of Buddhist doctrine was so great that it is said 
 lie claimed himself to be the " all-knowing one ，， (the 
 Omniscient), and that, after his death, Stupas were raised to 
 him, and he was worshipped as Buddha ！ 2 
 
 Some Remarks on the Suhkillekha or Eeiendlt Communication 
 of ！ Nagaejuna-Bodhisatva to King Shatopohanna. 
 
 "Whatever Nagarjuna's speculative views were, he seems 
 to have held fast to the groundwork of Buddha's moral 
 
 1 Vassilief (French Ed.), p. 201 n. 
 
 2 ； Records of the Patriarchs [Nanjio^s Catalogue, No. 1340) K. v. p. 20 b. 
 
9 
 
 doctrine. Of the twenty-four works in the Chinese Tripitaka 
 ascribed to him, the Eka-sloka-sds tra (Nanjio's Catalogue, 
 No. 1212) has been translated by Dr. Edkins ； and I have 
 partly translated the Prdnyamula-sdstra (JN"o. 1179). Of the 
 others, so far as I know, there have been no accounts given ； 
 except a notice by Dr. Miiller 1 respecting a work (No, 1440) 
 called Arya-Ndgdrj una - Bodhisattva - Suhrillehha, or "the 
 Friendly Letter of Nagarj una-B6dhisattva." I now purpose 
 to speak of this Letter, in which 一 addressed to his old 
 patron {Ddnapati) Shi-yen-teh-kia, whose regal title was 
 Sha-to-po-han-na 2 — there are found many admirable precepts, 
 in keeping with, the original teaching of Buddhism. 
 
 I-tsing in his summary of the letter says : " It may be 
 regarded as an elegant composition, the object of which is 
 to encourage and exhort to earnest diligence, and to point 
 out the true middle path of right behaviour in relationship 
 with friends and kindred. The leading thoughts are these ，， 
 (he adds) : " First, the writer exhorts the king to faith in 
 the three honourable ones (Buddha, Dharma, and the Samgha) : 
 to nourish and cherish father and mother ； to hold by the 
 moral precepts, and to avoid the society of those who practise 
 evil and are immersed in the pleasures of life ； to free 
 himself from the bonds of family complications ； to meditate 
 rightly on impermanence ； to search, into the character of 
 the future life, whether that life be under the form of a 
 wandering spirit (preta), or in the higher grades, as a man 
 or deva } or in the lowest condition, as born in hell ； and 
 thus to seek deliverance (from such conditions) with all the 
 heart. He then exhorts to the practice of the three species 
 of Wisdom (the Trividyd), and illustrates the character of 
 the eight branches of the holy way of Buddha (The eight-fold 
 path). He urges the king to learn the four true methods 
 of salvation (The four Truths ？) and to aim at the perfect 
 condition of love and purity, like that of Avalokitesvara 
 and Amit&blia." 
 
 1 See The Times, Sept. 20， 1883 ； printed with additional notes in the Trans- 
 actions of the Pali Text Society, 1883. 
 
 2 I-tsing, Nan-hai, etc., K. IV. p. 5b. 
 
10 
 
 Such is the summary of the Letter given us by I-tsing ； 
 and he adds that this Letter is learned by heart by children 
 in India, as the " 1000-letter classic ，， is in China. 
 
 There are three translations of the l( Friendly Writing " 
 found in the Chinese Tripitaka. They are numbered 1464, 
 1440, and 1441, respectively, in Mr. B. Nanjio's Catalogue. 
 
 The first was done by Gunavarman, a native of Cophene 
 or Kubha, said to have been the younger son of the king 
 of that country. He came to China a.d. 431. His transla- 
 tion bears the title " Lung-shu-pu-sa-wei-shan- to-kia-wang- 
 shwo-fa-yau-kie ； that is, u Nagarjuna-Bodhisattva delivers 
 some choice religious verses for the sake of king Jantaka." 
 
 The second translation was made, according to the copy 
 in the India Office (No. 1440), by the same Shaman Guna- 
 varman ； but, according to the authority cited on p. 23 of 
 my Abstract of Four Lectures, it was done by the Shaman 
 Samghavarman, a.d. 434. Mr. JSTanjio, I observe, also 
 attributes it to this latter translator ； 1 so that we may 
 suppose the India Office copy is wrong. The title of 
 the translation is Kiun-fa-ch u-icang-yau-kie ； that is, " choice 
 verses, exhorting the king." 
 
 The third translation is by I-tsing, who worked as a 
 translator in China about a.d. 700. This copy is called 
 Lung-shu-pu-sa-Mun-kiai- wan g- sung ； that is, "verses byNagar- 
 j una-B6dnisattva, exhorting and warning the king." He 
 tells us that these verses were composed by Lung-shu, i.e. 
 Nagarjuna, and were sent to Southern India to a friend 
 of his, a certain king of the Shing-tu country. It would 
 seem as if this king was a native of Sindh, who had established 
 Lis authority in South India. Taranatha 2 calls him Udayana 
 or Antivahana, and adds that his name as a child was 
 J etaka, and he tells us that Nagarjuna had known him as 
 a boy in the state called 1 Salamana ' (or ' Alamana 9 ？), 
 probably on the Coromandel coast, or at any rate one 
 of those countries in which. Kumarajiva 3 says he (i.e. 
 
 1 Catalogue, No. 1440. 
 
 2 Schiefner, pp. 73， 303. 
 
 3 Life of Lung-shu, by Kumarajiva. 
 
11 
 
 ！ N"agarjuna) passed his younger days, " travelling alone 
 through all countries, and acquiring the worldly arts, such 
 as astronomy, geography, and the power of magic." It may 
 have been, and probably was, some district where foreign 
 intercourse had brought these arts to the front, and in no 
 part was this the case more than in the neighbourhood of 
 the mouths of the Kistna River. 
 
 It would seem from the introductory lines of the Letter, 
 that the king, whoever he was, had in his early days been 
 versed in the knowledge of other teachers besides Buddha. 
 The expression used is a singular one. The letter says : 
 " The king, although he was formerly versed in the teaching 
 of many masters, now, in addition, hearing the words of 
 Buddha, will add to the excellency of the knowledge he has 
 reached." Here we seem to have a hint that, as a boy, 
 the king was not a follower of Buddha, or had not been 
 trained as a Buddhist. It is true that Mr. Kasawara, as 
 reported by Dr. Miiller, 1 translates this passage differently, 
 thus : "Although thou, 0 King, hast already been acquainted 
 with the law of suchness {tathdtvam), yet hear further the 
 words of Buddha, so that thou mayest increase thy under- 
 standing and excellence." But the expression ju-ju is 
 explained by Samghavarman to mean "all the Buddhas," 
 or rather " all those who have come as Teachers or prophets; ，， 
 hence a common name for Buddha himself is Chin-ju " the 
 true one, who has thus come," in distinction from all others. 
 I take it, therefore, that by using the expressions above 
 quoted, Nagarjuna was hinting at his patron's conversion 
 to Buddhism ； and that, as the Prince had been his Ddnapatt 
 in the land of f Alamana/ so also he had become a convert 
 to the doctrine taught by his protege. 
 
 A translation of this letter from the Thibetan has been 
 made by Dr. Heinrich Wenzel, and I have availed myself 
 of this version for comparative purposes ； after so using it, 
 however, I am bound to express an opinion different from 
 that of Prof. Max Miiller, who considers Thibetan translations 
 
 1 J own. of the Pali Text Soc. 1883 ； The Times, Sept, 22， 1883. 
 
12 
 
 of Buddhist Texts, as a rule, far superior to Chinese trans- 
 lations" (Letter referred to above, Note). So far as I have 
 been able to consult such translations, the Thibetan books 
 (such as have been rendered into English) are by no means 
 equal to the Chinese parallel versions ； and I think the 
 present little book will bear out that opinion. But I grate- 
 fully acknowledge the value of Dr. Wenzel's notes. 
 
 I have only to add that I-Tsing's writings or translations, 
 are in all cases obscure, and, as it seems to me, designedly 
 artificial. If he translated the present work from Sanskrit 
 I should be inclined to think that the Sanskrit was itself 
 a version from some South Indian dialect, and as " Pahlavi 
 inscriptions have been found in the old Buddhist caves 
 at Kanheri " (Haug's Essays on the Parsis, p. 50， Triibner's 
 edition), I see no great difficulty in supposing that Nagar- 
 juna, out of compliment to his patron (if lie was a Pahlava), 
 raade use of that language in his letter. The remark of 
 Weber {Indian Literature (English Translations), p. 188 in 
 Triibner's Edition) would quite meet the present case 
 as to the time when the name of this people (the Pahlavas) 
 passed into India. I may further remark that the numerous 
 Parthian translators (called 'An-sik, i.e. Arsacidans), who 
 worked in China as translators, probably came from the 
 Pahlava dominions on the coast of India, and not from 
 Parthia itself. Of course these remarks are open to question, 
 but I trust are not irrelevant. 
 
 1889. 
 
 S. B. 
 
13 
 
 ENGLISH TEANSLATION. 
 
 Stanzas (written by) Lung-shu, the Bodhisattva, exhorting 
 and advising the King. 
 
 Translated by I-Tsing, a Master of the law of the three 
 Pitakas of the Tang (dynasty). 
 
 These stanzas are those which the Bodhisattva Lung-shii 
 copied down in verse and sent as a present to South India 
 to his personal friend the King of the country of Shing-tu. 
 This work has before been translated by scholars (Scripture 
 or Pitaka men) residing in China, mostly without having 
 seen, and consequently not examined into, the choice 
 language (of this original) ； on this account therefore (we 
 have published) this emended edition, in which we hope 
 there will be found no break in its regular flow throughout. 
 It was translated by the Shaman I-Tsing when he first 
 arrived at the country of Tamralipte, in Eastern India. 
 
 la. 
 
 Because of the ignorance which, clouds the heart of all 
 that lives, 
 
 Compassionately desiring to open a way of deliverance from 
 
 this (ignorance), 
 The venerable (bhadanta) Lung-shii, for the sake of the 
 
 king of the country, 
 Sent this work to him that lie might prepare himself in 
 
 wisdom (or, that he might prepare himself to learn). 
 
 This single stanza was framed by some person after the 
 original was written, in order to set forth the ground-thought 
 of the Text. 
 
14 
 
 1. 
 
 Oh thou completely gifted one ！ I set forth 1 the teaching 
 
 of the Holy ones 
 In order to produce (in you) the happiness of religious 
 
 merit, and to excite (you) towards the practice of it ； 
 Wherefore the truly virtuous (king) should carefully attend to 
 These stanzas which I call Holy Gita. 
 
 2. 
 
 As when one makes an image of Buddha from wood or 
 other material, 
 
 All those who are wise regard it with reverence (or, pay it 
 
 religious offerings) ； 
 So also with respect to these less-skilfully made verses of mine, 
 As they are in agreement with the true law utterances, let 
 
 them not be treated lightly. 
 
 3. 
 
 Although the King has heretofore understood the teaching 
 
 of the Holy ones, 
 Yet still further listen to the words of Buddha, and add (to 
 
 thine acquaintance with) the teaching of the Jina 
 
 (or, the excellent teaching). 
 Even as a shining well shines brighter still in the moon's 
 
 beams, 
 
 So, why may not that which is now shining bright, be got 
 made more excellent in beauty ？ 
 
 4. 
 
 Buddha, the Law, the Community, 
 Charity, Morality, and the Devas, 
 
 The aggregate of all the individual perfections (of these 
 so named), 
 
 Buddha declares should ever be kept in remembrance. 
 1 Or, if " yen " be the true reading, it will be " I practice/' 
 
15 
 
 5. 
 
 The ten (fold) path of virtuous actions, 
 
 Depending on the body and the words and the thoughts, 
 
 ever cherishing (these), 
 Removing far off (the love of) all spirituous drink, 
 Thus will your life be unspotted and pure. 
 
 6. 
 
 Knowing that the substance of wealth is not stable, 
 As the law (directs) give of these to Bhikshus, 
 The poor, and the twice born, 
 
 Then in the future world you will make for yourself truo 
 friends. 
 
 7. 
 
 All virtue depends on morality as a basis, 
 
 As the earth multiplies (or, supports) all things (thereon) ； 
 
 This faultless and fearless (morality) 
 
 Buddha says, you should always practice. 
 
 8. 
 
 Charity, morality, patience, energy, and meditation, 
 With wisdom, not capable of measurement, 
 If these have been able to be properly practiced, 
 Then (you will) pass over the sea of existence and complete 
 the condition of a Buddha. 
 
 9. 
 
 If Father and Mother are treated filially and nourished, 
 That family has Brahmaraja (in its midst) ； 
 In the present world it is pointed to as virtuous and renowned, 
 In the next (its members) are born in heavenly courts {i.e. 
 in Heaven). 
 
]6 
 
 10. 
 
 Murder, theft, lewdness and false speech, 
 
 Greedy eating, a love of high seats (i.e. pre-eminence) ； 
 
 Renouncing (these), and also every kind of wine, and also 
 
 singing and dancing, 
 Flower-adornments, and the use of (daubing) scents. 
 
 11. 
 
 If either woman or man can perfect (himself) 
 In carrying out this eight-branched holy law of morals, 
 Then above the six heavens of the world of desire (Karaaloka), 
 (In the world of) excellent purity and virtue, such persons 
 
 will be born (i.e. in the Suddhavasa heaven, or the 
 
 Brahmaloka). 
 
 12 
 
 Stinginess, deceit, falseness, covetousness, listlessness, 
 haughtiness, lust, rage ； on account of family-descent, 
 or renown, or youthful years (encouraging pride). 
 
 Regard these as hateful foes. 
 
 13 
 
 (The Buddha) has said, that a birthless condition springs 
 
 from diligent care, 
 And death from negligence. 
 
 Diligence can greatly increase the virtuous principle of 
 
 Religion (or, virtue and religion, dharma) , 
 Therefore do thou practice carefulness and attention. 
 
 14 
 
 Formerly living a disorderly negligent life, 
 Afterwards if there is a change and a diligent preparation of 
 Religion, 
 
 Such, a man, like the clouds and mists removed, 
 Brightly shines forth, as the clear moon when it appears. 
 
17 
 
 15 
 
 Sundara Nanda, Angulamalya, Daksha, Hemuka, 
 These leaving their wicked ways, all became perfectly 
 virtuous. 
 
 16 
 
 In the work of earnest perseverance, there is nothing like 
 . patience, 
 
 Not permitting the rise of anger, resolutely walking, 
 
 In the end that man shall attain the condition of " one who 
 
 does not return," 
 Buddha himself testifies that we should banish anger. 
 
 17 
 
 That man struck me, blamed me, 
 This one schemed to rob me of my wealth. 
 Cherishing resentment in the heart, this leads to hatred and 
 quarrels, 
 
 But giving up resentment, you have the joy of sleep and 
 quiet. 
 
 18 
 
 Know that as on water, earth, or stone, 
 
 So is the painting 1 (or planning) of the heart of man ； 
 
 For causing sorrow the first excels, 
 
 But those who love Eeligion resemble the last. 
 
 19 
 
 Buddha says there are three kinds of speech : 
 Men's words are either agreeable, true or vain, 
 Even as honey, or like a flower, or vile. 
 Keject the last, then you may practice the first. 
 
 20 
 
 Isow full of light, and hereafter also full of light, 
 Now dark, and afterwards returning to the dark, 
 
 1 Tsin for Swah 
 
 2 
 
18 
 
 Also now light but dark afterwards, 
 
 And now dark but afterwards light. 
 
 Thus also there are four kinds of men. 
 
 The king should follow the example of the first. 
 
 21 
 
 Being unripe, as if fully ripe, 
 So also when ripe, as if unripe, 
 So also when ripe, as if ripe, 
 And when unripe, as if unripe. 
 
 . 22 
 
 Among the fruits of the Amra 
 There are such distinctions as these, 
 
 And also amongst men there are the same four (distinctions) . 
 The king should learn to distinguish these, difficult tho， it be. 
 
 23 
 
 Look not upon another man's wife, 
 
 Supposing you see her regard her as your mother or 
 
 daughter, 
 Or sister, having regard to her age. 
 The rising of a covetous (lustful) thought, is impure. 
 
 24 
 
 As your own reputation, your son, your treasure, your life, 
 Guard and hold your hasty, fickle mind, 
 As a wild beast, as poison, as a sword, is the fire of hatred. 
 Kever allow the indulgence of evil desire to invade (your 
 heart) . 
 
 25 
 
 From "evil desire" springs hurt (no profit), 
 We may compare it to the Kimpa-fruit, 
 Buddha says it should be cast off, 
 
 As the iron bands (greaves) of the prison of birth and death. 
 
19 
 
 26 
 
 The false, misleading, ever-shifting objects, 
 
 Who can banish these six (sources of) knowledge, 
 
 And he who grasping his arms, overcomes the host of his 
 
 enemies in battle. 
 We accord the first to be more heroic far. 
 
 27 
 
 Of evil flavour, the nine openings, the abodes of all that is 
 foul. 
 
 The personal body difficult to fill, covered over with a 
 
 wrapping of skin. 
 Permit (yourself) to regard thus a youthful girl, without 
 
 her decorations ； 
 To distinguish her different members, would be evil and not 
 
 allowed to words. 
 
 28 
 
 The leprous man, already infested (bored into) with worms, 
 Seeking ease, draws near to the fireside, 
 Bat finds no cessation of pain therefrom ； 
 So is it with those affected by evil desire. 
 
 29 
 
 In order to know the true, highest reason, 
 Look at all things in the use of mind. 
 You should exercise yourself in this quality alone, 
 There is no other Rule like this {akin to this). 
 
 30 
 
 Though a man belongs to a distinguished family, 
 (Possesses) beauty and polish, and moreover is of high 
 renown ； 
 
 If he is without Wisdom, and is a transgressor in moral 
 
 duties (Sila), 
 What real nobility has such, a man as this ？ 
 
20 
 
 31 
 
 But if a man have no family rank, 
 Be of revolting appearance, and without renown, 
 Yet if he have wisdom, and keeps to the Eules of moral 
 behaviour, 
 
 Such a man as this will be universally respected (nourished 
 or reverenced). 
 
 32 
 
 Profit, loss, pain, pleasure, fame, disrepute, censure, praise, 
 These eight conditions (dharmas) of the wholly common 
 world. 
 
 With equal mind, put away such, objects. 
 
 33. 
 
 For a twice-born man, a Deva, a mendicant (Bhikshu), 
 For father or mother, wife or child or (any) man, 
 Do not for these commit a crime, 
 For they will not share with you the pains of hell. 
 
 34. 
 
 Supposing a man does every kind of evil deed, 
 He is not as one who is executed with the knife (instantly), 
 But waiting till he comes to the margin of death ； 
 Then will be the complete foreshadowing of the fruit of his 
 evil deeds. 
 
 35. 
 
 Faith, morality, charity, pure-hearing (i.e. listening to pure 
 
 doctrine), shame, modesty and true wisdom, 
 (Respecting) these seven treasures the Muni says 
 All worldly things (compared with these) are 
 Yain and empty. 
 
21 
 
 36 
 
 Delight in betting (dice-throwing), watching boisterous and 
 
 confused objects (crowds ？), 
 Indolence, having friendly relations with, bad men, 
 Drinking wine, and going about at improper times, tliese 
 
 six faults 
 
 Known by the name Kelt, you should avoid. 
 
 37. 
 
 In the search, after gain contentedness is the chief, 
 The Lord of men and Gods has fully so declared. 
 If you can practice this contentedness 
 Tho， poor, a man is rich indeed. 
 
 38. 
 
 If a man search everywhere for much possessions, 
 
 As soon as lie gains his aim, cares come in addition, 
 
 0 wise one ！ if a man do not practice content, 
 
 He will inherit care in return, like the many-headed dragon. 
 
 39. 
 
 The submissive nature (wife?) embracing an enemy, is as 
 
 the Evil one (Mara), 
 Lightly esteeming the Lord of the house, like Tara (？) 
 Stealing but a little, she is, of necessity, a thief ； 
 You should avoid these three robber-wives. 
 
 40. 
 
 But obedient as a sister, loving as a mother, 
 Obedient as a servant, kind as a friend : 
 A wife possessing tliese four qualities you ought to cherish, 
 And know that such a one is (rightly) named the Divinity of 
 the house. 
 
22 
 
 41. 
 
 Take your food as if it were a medicine, 
 Knowing moderation, put away greediness, 
 Take it not for the sake of becoming sleek and proud and 
 insolent, 
 
 (But take it) only desirous to sustain and support the body. 
 42. 
 
 Pass the entire day diligently (diligent in body) ； 
 
 In the interval between the first and last watch of the night, 
 
 Take your rest ― but still ever be mindful 一 
 
 (So that you) do not let your life to be fruitless at the last. 
 
 43. 
 
 Love, pity, joy, perfect equanimity, 
 
 Practicing the acquirement of these, and being able to 
 
 investigate them continually, 
 Although you may not enter the upper Sowings (of happiness) 
 Yet you will be able to be born in the world of Brahma 
 
 (Brahmakayika) ？ 
 
 44. 
 
 Rejecting and casting far away the sorrow connected with 
 evil desire, and searching after joy and happiness, 
 
 According to one's works will be birth in one of these four 
 earths, 
 
 Either in that of Maha Brahma, or the Abhasvara or the 
 Subhakritsa, 
 
 Or the Yrihatphala Heaven, and in the same condition (as 
 the Devas who inhabit these heavens). 
 
 45. 
 
 If a man is persevering, earnest in self-government (？ ), 
 
 Virtuous, strong, tender to all that lives : 
 
 These five actions are good. 
 
 Not practicing these is great wrong (evil). 
 
23 
 
 46. 
 
 A little salt turns a little water salt, 
 
 How much more if the salt sea overflows into a river or 
 a lake ； 
 
 So by permitting minute transgression (sinful works), 
 You should know there is a great destruction of a virtuous 
 (life). 
 
 47. 
 
 Angry clashings, evil doings ； 
 Slothful sleep, covetous desire and doubt, 
 These are the five besetting sins (Nivaranas). 
 Which ever steal away the benefits of virtue. 
 
 48. 
 
 There are five super-excellent qualities (dharmas), 
 Faith, energy, recollection, meditation, wisdom. 
 You ought diligently to practice yourself in these, 
 And thus be able to reach your highest powers. 
 
 49. 
 
 The affliction (sorrow) of disease, death, and variety of 
 
 attachments, 
 These all spring from one's own personal Karma, 
 Not freed from them yet, labour diligently to practice (the 
 
 way of deliverance), 
 According to (your own particular) case, avoiding all 
 
 arrogancy or negligence. 
 
 50. 
 
 If you long for heaven and emancipation, 
 
 You ought to practice " right views," 
 
 Supposing you get a man to act virtuously, 
 
 And he yet holds " false views," he will reap evil fruit. 
 
24 
 
 51. 
 
 The absence of joy and permanence, no personal existence, 
 
 Not pure ； the wise man 
 
 "Not thinking of these four false views ； 
 
 In such a man no sorrow can exist. 
 
 52. 
 
 "We say that Form (Rupa) is not our personal self, 
 
 That self has no existence in Form, 
 
 That Form and self do not exist by substitution, 
 
 And in the same way the other four Skandhas are empty. 
 
 53. 
 
 Not from time, or seasons born, 
 Not of itself, or original JSTature, 
 Not without cause or self-create (or from Is vara), 
 But from the fruits of Ignorance and love (the " self " or 
 " the world ，， is born). 
 
 54. 
 
 The view that rules and prohibitions (can effect deliverance), 
 or the view that all depends upon oneself (bodily 
 exercise), 
 
 Or (relying on) Yicikiccha (vicikitsat) [uncertainty], 
 You should know that these are three fetters, 
 Which are able to fasten (bind) the gate of dhoksha 
 (salvation). 
 
 55. 
 
 As salvation is at last a private thing (relating to yourself), 
 And is not completed by the aid of some outside friend, 
 Apply yourself diligently to hearing (the holy doctrine), 
 
 moral life and contemplation (the four Dhyanas). 
 Let the four true principles come forth, to life. 
 
25 
 56. 
 
 Add (to the above) the higher (law of) morals, spiritual 
 
 understanding, wisdom. 
 This enlightened state ever aiming to reach (practice), 
 Then the 150 and odd Rules, 
 
 Were all be embraced (or included) in these three segregates 
 (collectanea). 
 
 57. 
 
 Fixed meditation on oneself, in oneself (i.e. meditation on the 
 impurity of the body, on the evils of sensation, on the 
 evanescence of thought, on the conditions of existence) : 
 [vid. Childers, s.v. Sattipatthdnam]. 
 This road ever virtuously pursue ； 
 For by want of correct thought (samyaksmriti) 
 All things (dharma) come to an end, are swallowed up and 
 forgotten. 
 
 58. 
 
 Many are the sorrows and dangers of the passing life, 
 As a breath, of wind or as a bubble on the water Care 
 its years), 
 
 If perchance there is a moment's delay, 
 
 It is but as a fanciful dream which arises in (one's) sleep. 
 
 59. 
 
 When dead (the body) is resolved into ashes, or dries up and 
 corrupts, 
 
 Unclean and foul, you cannot keep it long. 
 Regard the body then as essentially unreal ； 
 When it perishes, according to its parts, it is dispersed (or, 
 " it totally perishes as its parts are dispersed ，，)• 
 
 60. 
 
 The great earth, Meru (the Divine Mountain, i.e. the Heavens), 
 and the sea, 
 
 ！ For seven days burning with, fervent heat (will perish) ； 
 
26 
 
 How mucli more this exceedingly insignificant (minute) body ！ 
 Surely this will be completely destroyed (burnt to ashes). 
 
 61 . 
 
 Thus then (this body being) impermanent, transient, 
 Without refuge, without deliverance, without a house 
 (tabernacle) ； 
 
 Thou, most excellent man, ought to despise and reject (the 
 
 rule of) birth and death, 
 And regard thy body as unreal as the substance of the 
 
 plantain tree. 
 
 62 
 
 For the sea- tortoise (turtle) to hit upon a hole in a (floating) 
 
 piece of wood, 
 At one trial, is very difficult ； 
 
 So also is it to quit the form of a lower animal and perfect 
 
 the human substance, 
 The fruit of an evil life will draw you back again (to the 
 
 lower form). 
 
 63 
 
 To fill a golden vessel with, all kinds of filth, 
 
 Surely to do this, would be great folly ； 
 
 So also if a person born as a man commits sinful actions, 
 
 He acts by so doing (as foolishly) as a very child. 
 
 64 
 
 Be born in the middle (land), to rely on "a good friend," 
 To reach (attain to) correct aspiration, 
 To enjoy the meritorious reward of a former life. 
 These are the four great wheels (by which) perfection is 
 readied. 
 
 65 
 
 Buddha says : relying on (staying near) a virtuous friend, 
 This is (the way) to accomplish in yourself a perfectly pure 
 life. 
 
27 
 
 Therefore, virtuous sir ！ rely upon Buddha, 
 For thus you will with little doubt attain perfect quiet 
 (Nirvana). 
 
 66 
 
 Holding heresy, to be born as a beast, 
 (Or) in Hell, or at a time when the Law is not preached, 
 (To be born) in a frontier land, among the Millechas, 
 To be born with a stupid disposition, or as a dumb man. 
 
 67 
 
 Moreover, to be born, among tlie long-lived Devas (Dirgha- 
 yuko), 
 
 Excluding these eight unfavourable (without leisure) con- 
 tingencies (or, intervals) . 
 
 Having reached (a period of) quiet rest, 
 
 You will be able to lend the mind (to the attainment of) 
 a suitable birth. 
 
 68 
 
 The distinctions of (consequent on) Love (i.e. Eros) ) old age, 
 disease and death, 
 
 These all, the residences of every sorrow, 
 
 You, 0 wise one, should beget a hatred of. 
 
 Listen then whilst I recite some few of the evil (conse- 
 quences of sin). 
 
 69 
 
 The Mother that was, changing her condition, becomes the 
 wife, 
 
 The Father too (changing) in the wheel (of re-birth), becomes 
 the child, 
 
 The house (family) of an enemy, by change becomes (that 
 of) a friend. 
 
 In tlie flowing streams of change, there is no fixed relation- 
 ship. 
 
28 
 
 70. 
 
 The milk drank from the succession of mothers 
 Would exceed the waters of the four seas, 
 And what is to be drunk by successive bodies, daring con- 
 tinuous births, 
 "Will exceed even that. 
 
 71. 
 
 The bones of the bodies born in past time 
 
 During the revolutions of life, when heaped up, would be like 
 
 the exceedingly high Mountain (Meru), 
 And if the entire earth, were made into pellets like the seed 
 
 of the sour Jujube tree (cannarium) (wild date), 
 Even these would not exhaust the number of the bodily 
 
 forms possessed (by one individual). 
 
 72. 
 
 Even Brahma, who rules the world and is universally 
 honoured, 
 
 By the force of works (Karma) in the end falls to earth, 
 And he who has been a Universal Monarch (a wheel-turning 
 
 king) time after time, 
 By transformation of his changeful body, becomes a slave. 
 
 73. 
 
 Having partaken of pleasures with, the music- women (Grand- 
 
 harbas) of the thirty-three heavens (Trayastrinshas) 
 
 for a long time, 
 Falling down to the lower hells (Narakas) 
 Suddenly, without warning, one has to pass through all the 
 
 pains of excruciating torments, 
 Grinding the body, lacerating (？) the substance, without 
 
 power of wailing (repressing all power of crying out). 
 
29 
 
 74. 
 
 Having received the joys of dwelling on the summit of the 
 
 excellently high (Mountain), 
 Where the ground is pliant (and soft) to one's foot, 
 (Then by the law of) revolution, partaking of the misery of 
 
 the hot ashes {i.e. walking on hot ashes), 
 (One is born in the hell) where one walks through filth 
 
 and odure. 
 
 75. 
 
 Having enjoyed delight within the flowery gardens, 
 Sporting and gambolling with the heavenly maids, 
 One falls down into the midst of the knife-cutting grove, 
 Where hands and feet and ears and nose are (severed from 
 the body). 
 
 76 
 
 Or entering the beautiful waters of the Manda Lake to 
 bathe, 
 
 With the heavenly maids whose radiant persons are adorned 
 
 with golden flowers, 
 Leaving this body again to receive the torments of hell, 
 In the intolerable, scalding hot, ashes river. 
 
 77. 
 
 Having received the prescribed joys of the Heaven of "desire ，， 
 (Kamaloka), 
 
 Or the pure happiness of the Maha Brahma Heaven, 
 Again falling down to Avitchi 
 
 You receive the ceaseless pains of fuel- glaring (i.e. your 
 body glaring like fuel). 
 
 78. 
 
 Or having been born to dwell in the Sun and Moon (Palaces), 
 The body- brightness shining throughout the four dvipas, 
 Suddenly (in a trice) you return to pitchy darkness, 
 Unable to see your hand held out. 
 
30 
 
 79. 
 
 The illuminating merit of the three-fold lamp 
 
 Being able to grasp and hold this after death, 
 
 (The King) may enter alone the boundless gloom, 
 
 Where the flowing rays of the Sun and Moon (never come) . 
 
 80. 
 
 In the Satpjiva, the Kalasutra, the Tapana, 
 
 The Samghata, the Ranrava, and down in Avitchi. 
 The ceaseless torments of these and the other hells, 
 On fire, will those who have done all kinds of wickedness 
 (endure). 
 
 81. 
 
 So also they are ground, and pressed, and scraped as with 
 iron forks, 
 
 And again (powdered) as the small dust of flour, 
 Or chopped by knives as the axe chops wood, 
 Or split up with, murderous saws. 
 
 82. 
 
 Continually roasted or boil'd by the raging fire, 
 Or made to drink the melted copper-broth, 
 The body fixed on sharpened iron stakes, 
 Or the transfixed body burnt on red-hot beds. 
 
 83. 
 
 Or then at times the hands raised up on high, 
 Devoured by furious dogs, with iron fangs, 
 Or by vultures with beaks and claws of iron ； 
 By these the heart and liver pecked away. 
 
 84. 
 
 Worms, black flies, and every noisome insect, 
 In number, numberless ； 
 
 These bristling up, gobble their victims' flesh. 
 
 Suddenly falling into this condition, all are thus fed upon. 
 
31 
 
 85. 
 
 If a man do countless deeds of sin, 
 
 Hearing of the miseries (borne by) the body and flesh, during 
 
 innumerable (100,000) lapses, . 
 And yet his stupid hardened (diamond) nature is in doubt 
 
 as to these things (i.e. their consequences). 
 His breath gone from his body, he shall endure the fierce 
 
 fire (of Hell). 
 
 86. 
 
 But when one sees the changes are finished, hearing, there 
 
 should be recollection : 
 Reading and reciting the Sutras and Sastras, and ever 
 
 searching and investigating, 
 Listening to the clamours of the Narakas, filled with proper 
 
 fear thereat, 
 
 And how to avoid these pains, should be thoroughly 
 considered. 
 
 87. 
 
 Amidst the various sources of joy, which, is the most pleasant? 
 The end of desire, no further birth, this is the highest (essence 
 
 of) happiness. 
 And amongst all sorrow which is the worst ？ 
 The (suffering of) Avitchi, this sorrow is by far the worst. 
 
 88. 
 
 Amongst men, during one day, 
 
 Continually pierced by three hundred spears ； 
 
 Compared with the light pains of hell, 
 
 Those piercings are preferable by far (as the smallest atom). 
 89. 
 
 Enduring the extreme miseries of these abodes 
 
 During a hundred kotis of years. 
 
 If the wicked (root) be not yet destroyed, 
 
 There will assuredly be no release from such a life. 
 
32 
 
 90. 
 
 Thus with respect to these evil consequences, 
 
 The seeds of which spring from deed, or word, or thought, 
 
 You should exert your utmost strength, to prevent 
 
 The least atom of evil unremoved. 
 
 91. 
 
 And if you enter the side-path, of birth, (i.e. the lower gati 
 
 born as a beast, etc.), 
 You will continually endure the miseries of slaughtering and 
 
 binding, 
 
 Removing far off the virtue of quietness, 
 Still mutually engaged in wretched conflict. 
 
 92. 
 
 And having endured the miseries of death and chains (binding), 
 
 In quest of pearls, or hair, or horns, or skin, 
 
 Goaded, whipped, the head pierced by iron hook, 
 
 Beaten or kicked, to enable another to mount upon your back. 
 
 93. 
 
 Eeceiving (birth) in the form of a demon, fruitlessly hoping 
 
 for some desired good, 
 Intolerable (invincible) sorrow ever pressing on you, 
 Hunger and thirst, and cold and heat ； 
 
 Constantly possessed with the misery of weariness and fear. 
 94. 
 
 The mouth, small as a needle's eye, 
 The belly big as a mountain steep, 
 
 Famished with hunger, their persons covered with their 
 own filth, 
 
 But yet no certain means of getting even a little of this 
 (to eat). 
 
33 
 
 95. 
 
 Their outward forms like a dried up, withered tree, 
 Their skin like garments for covering, 
 Their fiery mouths burning night after night, 
 Devouring the flying moths as they chance to come. 
 
 96. 
 
 Of blood and matter and all such, impure things, 
 Through demerit not obtaining a sufficiency, 
 Then their mouths mutually opening 1 and distended, 
 They feed on the swellings, which, in consequence, ripen on 
 their persons. 
 
 97. 
 
 Beneath the Moon they suffer from heat, 
 In the Sun their bodies are icy cold, 
 Expecting fruit they find only a barren tree, 
 Looking at a river the waters dry up. 
 
 98. 
 
 Thus experiencing every kind of misery, 
 Through the lapse of 10,000, or 5000 years, 
 During this long period of time continuing in life, 
 All from the power of the vessel of sorrow, so relentless {i.e. 
 the power of an evil Karma). 
 
 99. 
 
 If born among hungry ghosts, 
 
 Enduring these continuous pains, 
 
 Loving that which is not right or smooth, 
 
 Buddha declares all this comes from stinginess and filthiness 
 
 100. 
 
 "When bom in heaven altho' partaking of joy, 
 
 Yet sorrowfully thinking of the end of this happiness, 
 
 And at last of their return to misery, 
 
 Know that there can be no joy (in such a state). 
 
 3 
 
34 
 
 101. 
 
 Restless sitting, soiled robes, 
 The brightness of the body fading, 
 Beneath the armpits increasing secretions, 
 The flower wreaths on the head : fading 
 
 102. 
 
 By these five marks appearing, 
 The heavenly multitude doubt not their death, 
 Even as among earth-dwelling men when their end comes, 
 The constant sign of the change is sadness and a wandering 
 mind. 
 
 103. 
 
 If one falls from the heavenly abode, 
 
 All virtuous (root of merit) gone, without remnant, 
 
 He must certainly come down to a side-birth as a Demon, 
 
 Or fall at once into Hell, 
 
 104. 
 
 The original Nature of the Asuras, 
 
 Although permitting (the possession of) perfect intelligence 
 and wisdom, 
 
 (Yet) through envying the Gods (or Heaven), there was born 
 
 in them a heart of sorrow, 
 Which quickly concealed (or covered) their perception of 
 
 the truth. 
 
 105. 
 
 Such, are the inconstant ways (gatis) of birth and death, 
 As a Deva or man, a beast or Asura, 
 
 The character (works, karma) poor and vile one is bom, 
 
 vessel of every misery, 
 In the way of demons, and cast down to Hell (Naraka). 
 
35 
 
 106. 
 
 Supposing you were to place a raging fire above your head, 
 Or to enwrap with flames your body and clothes on every side, 
 This calamity without delay (leisure) you would remove 
 
 and subdue : 
 Avoiding birth, fix your thoughts on Nirvana. 
 
 107. 
 
 By aiming at moral conduct, and fixed meditation and 
 wisdom, 
 
 (Desire) thou the perfectly quiet, equable, gentle (condition), 
 
 separate from all pollution, 
 The Nirvana without remains (anupadisesa) without old age 
 
 or death, 
 
 The four elements, sun and moon all forgotten (or, exter- 
 minated). 
 
 108. 
 
 Eecollection, discrimination (dharma pravitchaya), energy, 
 
 Fixed meditation, wisdom, joy, tranquility ； 
 
 By these seven divisions of Bodhi (Bodhyahgas) 
 
 You may attain the excellent Nirvana. 
 
 109. 
 
 Without wisdom, fixed meditation cannot exist ； 
 Without meditation, wisdom is stifled : 
 But to hirn who possesses these two means of transport, 
 The sea of existence is but as the ox-trace (i.e. the pool made 
 by the footstep of an ox). 
 
 110. 
 
 The fourteen undetermined {avyalda) points of the law 
 The friend of the sun has spoken with respect to these, 
 On these let no one think, 
 
 They cannot be made intelligible. . 
 
36 
 111. 
 
 From ignorance comes karma (works), 
 From karma comes knowledge (vijnana), 
 From knowledge is produced name and form, 
 From name and form the six ayatanas. 
 From these comes "contact" (sparia). 
 
 112. 
 
 From "contact" springs sensation (vedana), 
 
 From the exercise of sensation comes "desire" (trishna), 
 
 From trishna we lay hold of clinging to life (upadana), 
 
 From this comes existence (bhava). 
 
 From this again is produced birth (Jati). 
 
 113. 
 
 From both old age and death, 
 
 Misery, sickness, disappointment (seeking not finding). 
 These are the great sorrow (laden) aggregates (skhandas) of 
 
 the revolution of existence, 
 They ought then to be put away and destroyed ； 
 Thus if birth be destroyed, 
 
 Then all sorrow is exterminated without remains. 
 
 114. 
 
 The word 8 of the all- victorious-one, in his sacred teaching, 
 Have opened the gate of these deep and mysterious causes. 
 Whoever clearly perceives these (truths), 
 He also apprehends (beholds) the Highest Lord. 
 
 115. 
 
 Eight views, right (life) [samma-ajivo], right thoughts, 
 Hight meditation, (right) words, (right) actions, (right) 
 thoughts, 
 
 These are called the eight holy ways. 
 Being able to practice these there is quiet. 
 
37 
 
 116. 
 
 Only from the confused exercise (indulgence) of longing 
 
 desire (Trishna) 
 Occupying the body, all sorrows are born ； 
 Banish this, and you find liberation, 
 Walk then in the eight-fold holy path. 
 
 117. 
 
 Such are the results of this connection (Yoga) (?) ； 
 Springing from the four sacred truths (？) ； 
 Altho' you dwell in splendid estate, 
 
 Yet having wisdom, you may pass over the stream of sorrow. 
 118. 
 
 (Such persons) do not drop down from space, 
 
 Nor are they as corn which, is produced from the earth. 
 
 All those who in former days fulfilled the Law, 
 
 These all were once unconverted men, immersed in sorrow. 
 
 119. ' 
 What pretext then for large and diffusive explanations ？ 
 Expel sorrow, this is the brief statement in words, 
 Things that one may confess as done, though the passions (？) 
 The holy teaching says, the mind is the origin of these. 
 
 120. 
 
 To practice completely the rules I have detailed above, 
 Would be difficult even for a Bhikshu, 
 But if thou art able to prepare thyself in one thing, 
 This will prevent an empty and untimely life. 
 
 121. 
 
 Uniformly experiencing joy, in view of all virtuous (deeds), 
 Living excellently in the practice of the three personal 
 qualities, 
 
 Bent upon (by religious consecration) Buddhaship, 
 Thou wilt always enjoy the effects of accumulated merit. 
 
38 
 
 122. 
 
 Afterwards born during years innumerable, 
 
 Passing such, time continuously amongst Devas and men ； 
 
 Or, as Aval okitesh vara, 
 
 Befriending those affected with the weight of extreme 
 danger. 
 
 123. 
 
 Birth, death, old age, disease and the three poisons, expelled 
 Assured of birth in the Buddha-country to be the world- 
 Father, 
 
 L;fe，s j^ears so vast (as to be) beyond knowledge 
 Even equal to the great Buddha Mi-To. 
 
 124. 
 
 Opening out and exhibiting the character of morality and 
 liberality, 
 
 Spreading the fame thereof thro' heaven and earth and space, 
 Amongst earth-dwelling men and the heavenly throng, 
 JN"ot permitting the rise of sensual thoughts about beautiful 
 maids. 
 
 125. 
 
 Freed from the sorrows which cruelly oppress all living 
 things, 
 
 The incessant flow of life and death ； arrived at complete 
 wisdom, 
 
 Kising above and escaping the world, existing only in name, 
 From this you shall obtain the birthless state, and remove 
 from yourself all pollution. 
 
 The Suhrillekha of Arya Nagakoshuna Bodhisattva, is 
 finished. 
 
 Ch. Ed. Arya means "Holy." JVa^a = elephant or dragon. Koshuna = 
 strong. Bodhisattva = enlightened living being. aS>K= friend, lekkha = writing. 
 [The reading of Lung-shii above is wrong. Ch. Ed.]. 
 
39 
 
 NOTES, 
 
 [The figures refer to the verses ； the letters to the lines of the stanzas]. 
 
 The introductory portion of the letter was written by 
 another hand. It briefly states the Dame of the author, 
 and that of the king to whom the letter was sent. 8ome 
 remarks on these names will be found in the Introduction. 
 
 la. 
 
 This stanza is no part of the original, but contains a summary 
 of the arguments following. The invocation found in the Thibetan 
 u Praise to Mangugri Kumarabhuta " is wanting in the Chinese 
 version. 
 
 The expression "yu tsing" (a) is equal to the Sk. Sattva, Pali 
 Sattam, meaning " sentient beings." Eitel (Handbook, 2nd ed. 
 s.v. Bodhisattva) translates it "in possession of one's affections " (！) 
 The phrase 11 wu chi " (a) corresponds with the Sk. Avidya. The 
 Ch. sometimes has "wu ming." The Ch. "ta till" {c) corresponds 
 with Sc. Blmdanta. 
 
 1. 
 
 The Ch. phrase " ju ja " (a) I have translated the 11 Holy ones," 
 as Sn. renders it by " all the Euddhas," and there is a well known 
 phrase in Ch. u chin "the true thus (come)," meaning 
 
 Tathagata. I understand the merit spoken of in (b) to refer to the 
 king, and not to the author as in (W.). "Holy Gita" (d) so also 
 in Sn. 
 
 2. 
 
 The expression u true law " (d) is equal to Saddharma, so also in 
 the Thibetan, (d) or, let not the king treat them lightly. 
 
 3. 
 
 The apparent contrast in (a) and (b) between " the Holy ones," 
 ju ju, and "Buddha," would suggest that the former phrase refers 
 to other teachers, foreign to Buddhism. The expression in (d) 
 the teaching or comments of the Jina (shing) may possibly refer 
 
40 
 
 to Kagarjuna himself, one of whose names was "Limg shing " 
 (Eitel, s.v.), 
 
 4. 
 
 The lines here and ssq. have five syllables each instead of seven, 
 as before ； this indicates a change of metre in the original. 
 
 The translation li aggregate " in (c) may be rendered also "the 
 accumulation ，， ； the phrase is explained by the Thibetan com- 
 mentator, vid. W. in loc. 
 
 5. 
 
 For the phrase "ever cherishing" (5), W. has 11 steadily 
 observing." 
 
 6, 
 
 The last line here differs from W., but there can be no question 
 as to the Chinese. 
 
 The third line (<?) may be rendered, " without confusion, scanti- 
 ness, intermixture or fear." 
 
 8. 
 
 These six virtues are called the Paramitas by Sanghavarraan ； 
 he also speaks of " the sea of the three worlds " in {d), and instead 
 of u Euddha" in (d) he has u Muni Lord." 
 
 9. 
 
 There is some obscurity in (b) ； Sanghavarman renders it 11 the 
 noble company of the pure Devas " ； W. renders it u Brahma and 
 the Teachers " ； doubtless the meaning is, " that household will be 
 pure " ； Brahma, as in Brahmachariya, standing for the principle of 
 a pure life. 
 
 10. 
 
 In {h) the allusion appears to be to greediness or gluttony, and 
 not to "improper time " as in W. ; the expression "t，u hiang " 
 (d) refers to 11 anointing," or applying scents, or unguents, to the 
 person. The complaints against Our Lord in the Gospels that He 
 was a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, and also that He forgot 
 
41 
 
 "the poor," in allowing Himself to be anointed with unguents, 
 seem to confirm the opinion that there was a knowledge of 
 Buddhist teaching among the Jews (perhaps the Essenes ； vid. my 
 Abstract of Four Lectures, pp. 160-161). 
 
 11. 
 
 The obscure phrase u wishes it in confession " in W. is not 
 found in the Ch. Sanghavarman, however, uses the symbol chai 
 (a fast, during which, there is confession) instead of shing kiai, 
 u holy rules," in our text. We observe also that the Ch. text 
 promises birth above the Kamaloka, among the Suddhavasadevas. 
 The Brahmadeva who took such an interest in Buddha's career was 
 a Suddha vasade va, i.e. a Deva dwelling " in the pure (Brahma) 
 abodes." His name was tsoh p'ing (pitcher-maker, i.e. Ghatikara), 
 not tsau p'ing (clean vase), as in Eitel (Handbook, s.v. Suddhavasa- 
 deva). For some remarks on Ghatikara vide the Dhathavansa, 
 translated by M. Coomara Swamy, p. 88， n. 53; vide also Romantic 
 Legend, p. 105, and note p. 390. 
 
 12. 
 
 The expression in (c) rendered u renown," is translated 11 glory " 
 Idj W. The Ch. "to wan," is also applied to Varsravana, the 
 Eegent of the North, the Hephaestus of Greek mythology, who is 
 also called "the renowned." 
 
 13. 
 
 A birthless condition {a) i.e. Nirvana. G. seems to agree with 
 the Thibetan. 
 
 14. 
 
 The meaning of (a) is obscure ； the ordinary rendering would be 
 u formerly putting away negligence " ； but this is contrary to the 
 evident sense of the passage, and not in accord with S. or W. 
 Cf. Fa-hheu-pi-u, p. 70. 
 
 15. 
 
 Eor the history of Sandarananda vid. Rom. Leg" pp. 369 ssq. 
 The woodcut in Mrs. Speirs, "Life in Ancient India" (p. 305), 
 copied from Ajanta, seems to represent Nanda ("a man of great 
 personal beauty," Rom. Leg. p. 371) begging Buddha to let hint 
 
42 
 
 fill his alms-disli. (In u the LigLt of Asia," illustrated, p. 194 ； 
 the kneeling figure is identified with Suddhodana, an improbable 
 suggestion). 
 
 For the history of the Angulimalya, vid. Records of Western 
 World, ii. p. 4. S. omits all reference to these instances. Gr. has 
 hshama. The restorations we have adopted in the text are doubtful. 
 The stanza (15) is embodied in (14) the Thibetan. 
 
 16. 
 
 (e) The Thibetan renders our phrase u puh wan lih " (a con- 
 dition of "not returning ") by u Anagamin " ； the usual restoration 
 is vivartana (Sc.), or, vivattam ( Pali) = absence of vatta, or, trans- 
 migration, (d) might be also translated " This is the testimony 
 of Buddha in. the case of one able to banish anger " ； but perhaps 
 the text is defective. Cf. Fa-kheu-pi-u, p. 115， with this and the 
 following stanza. 
 
 17. 
 
 These well-known lines occur in Dhammap. and Eockhill's 
 Udanavarga. Cf. W. in he. 
 
 20. 
 
 Here two verses seem to have run into one another ； see the 
 remark in Dathavansa, p. 84, 11. Por the explanation of this vid. 
 Comment, in W. 
 
 21. 
 
 (a) The phrase tsz 1 yu has the meaning "is of itself," and sang 
 here means " unripe." 
 
 22. 
 
 This verse seems to be wanting in the Thibetan. 
 
 23. 
 
 This verse may be compared with § 28 of the Sutra of 42 
 Paragraphs, vid. Catena } p. 190 ； also Bigaudet's Legend (1st ed. 
 1866)， p. 303. (d) is very obscure in W. 
 
 24. 
 
 In (a) wan has the sense of u reputation." (d) may also be 
 rendered "permit not 1 evil desire ' or self-indulgence to invade 
 (your heart)." This line is very obscure in W. 
 
43 
 
 25. 
 
 (b) For the Kimpa fruit (Kimpaka) see Monier "Williams' Sh. 
 Diet. p. 229, col. 3 ； also conf. Comm. of Thibetan in loc. 
 
 26. 
 
 (a) The symbol Icing has often the meaning of the Sk. dhdta ； 
 vid. Childers' P. Diet. sub. dhdtu for the six dhatus). 
 
 27. 
 
 In (b) the phrase king k,u seems to mean the " Elemental body." 
 "Difficult to fill," i.e. insatiable, (e) Or it may be rendered "let 
 a man .thus view a maiden, bereft of all attractions." {d) is 
 wanting in the Thibetan. 
 
 30. 
 
 (b) In the Thibetan version srutam is rendered " erudition ，， ； 
 but, as before observed, the Chinese to wan, "much heard," refers 
 to personal renown. 
 
 31. 
 
 (b) May be translated "deficient in knowledge and renown " ； 
 this would support the rendering t( erudition " by W. in the 
 previous verse. 
 
 33. 
 
 A twice-born man is, of course, a Brahmin. 
 
 36. 
 
 (d) Eor Kelt vid. Childers' Pali. Diet. s.v. 
 
 38. 
 
 (d) The ISTagas with many heads, when attacked by Garuda, 
 suffer in each head the pains of death, vid. Kagananda by Boyd, 
 p. 76, and passim. 
 
 39. 
 
 {a) This li^ie is difficult ； "the submissive nature " may mean 
 1 a wife,' but it is obscure. 
 
 (a) Shah-che, the murderer, is an epithet of Mara. 
 
 (b) The rendering of yung yu by Tara, I take from the Thibetan. 
 
44 
 
 40. 
 
 (d) May be rendered "this one has the house-name (of the) 
 Divinity." 
 
 41. 
 
 (b) fan cWin may be translated " covetous glaring, or looking 
 at with greediness." The Thibetan "do not use it from lust or 
 hatred," as applied to food, seems unintelligible. 
 
 42. 
 
 (a) The Thibetan text must here differ from the Ch., as in the 
 latter there is no allusion to the essence of any rule. 
 
 43. 
 
 (c) The upper flowings, i.e. of existence, or the stream across 
 which is the supreme condition of Mr v ana. 
 
 (d) The Fan shai is the world. 
 
 44. 
 
 For the Heavens here named, vid. Eitel, Handhooh, and other 
 works of reference. 
 
 (^») " The four earths," the superior heavens are called " lands" ； 
 so we speak of the u happy land " beyond the skies ； t( the land 
 very far off" ； " the land of pure delight," etc. 
 
 (d) There is no mention of "the great kings" as in the Thibetan. 
 
 45. 
 
 (a) 11 Earnest in self-government " is a hazardous translation, 
 but it would seem to be justified ； tuH che is, however, an unusual 
 phrase ； the Thibetan has, " absence of an adversary." 
 
 46. 
 
 (a) A little salt ； lit. 11 ounce salt." 
 
 {b) This line is obscure ； the Thibetan gives no assistance. The 
 moral of the verse in Thib. Comm. is opposite to that of our Text. 
 
 47. 
 
 (a) It may be, " angry clashings leading to (Jcu) evil deeds or 
 doings." 
 
 48. 
 
 (d) appears to refer to physical powers (lean UK). 
 
45 
 
 49. 
 
 (a) Or it may be " attachments and separations." 
 
 (d) The symbol tui seems to have the meaning of u corresponding 
 to," or il according to"; p'hin may refer to "rank" or "class'" 
 The Thibetan affords no assistance. 
 
 50. 
 
 (a) hiai tuh is of course equal to Mohha, i.e. " emancipation." 
 
 (b) u Eight views," or, samyagdrishti. W. translates it "right 
 faith." 
 
 51. 
 
 {a) The translation of this stanza (differing entirely from W.) rests 
 upon the conception of Nirvana advocated by Nagarjuna, as the 
 founder of the Madhyamika school of Buddhism. For this, vid. 
 Catena, pp. 160 sqq. and "Heport on Buddhist Books in the India 
 Office Library " (^Transactions of Oriental Congress held in London). 
 
 52. 
 
 (a) This stanza is intended to assert that " the real self" (supposed 
 by the Madhyamikas to exist as the "true Kature ") is not to be 
 confounded with either of the five Skandhas, or aggregates (for 
 these Skandhas, vid. Eitel Handbook^ s.v.). 
 
 (d) "Do not exist by substitution," that is, may not be sub- 
 stituted one for the other. 
 
 53. 
 
 〔a、) " Or seasons," it may be also, "not from periods, or divisions 
 of time." This argument about " Time," etc., not originating 
 the self (or "all things ") is found in writers of the period of 
 ]S T agar j una, as e.g. Asvaghosha {vid. S.B.E. xix. 206, n. 3， and 
 
 passim). 
 
 (c) In this stanza, again, the Madhymika doctrine is alluded to ； 
 there is a cause, but it is neither Time nor self, nor mula prakriti, 
 nor il without cause," nor Is vara (Isz 1 tsai) ； the Cause is to be 
 found "in the reconciliation of differences," which was finally 
 resolved into 11 the Nature of Euddha," the only basis of true 
 existence : all else springs from " Ignorance " (avidya, want of 
 perception) or "Love" (Eros) [Trishna or Tanha] 
 
 Por a curious exposition of the twelve Nidanas vid. Abstract, 
 etc., pp. 113 sqq. It would seem that the idea of Avidya } or 
 
46 
 
 Trishna, from which all things have sprung, is not to be confined 
 to these flaws as existing in the human subject, but that they 
 were the original causes which clouded the true cause (as Eros in 
 Hesiod, Theog. 121, etc.). 
 
 54. 
 
 (a) W. has " wrong views, " the Ch. is shin Mn, "body, or self, 
 views." 
 
 (b) pi-shih-hih-cha = vicikiccha . 
 
 {d) moh-cha = moksha, i.e. deliverance, or salvation. 
 
 55. 
 
 {d) The four true principles are 11 the four noble truths " 
 (aryasatyani), viz. Dukha, Samudaya, Kicodha, Marga {vid. E,hys 
 Davids, Buddhism, p. 48, and the authorities there referred to). 
 
 (d) "Come forth to life," or "be produced," or as we might 
 say, "be living principles (of action)." 
 
 56. 
 
 (a) Shang (in the upper tone) here denotes " supreme ，， or 
 " superior," 一 it qualifies each of the succeeding nouns. 
 
 (a) " Spiritual understanding," the Chinese sin (the heart), has 
 an elastic meaning in later Buddhism ； W. translates it u highest 
 thought." Oldenberg (Eng. Trans. Buddha) gives for the three 
 il uprightness," " concentration," u wisdom," p. 305. 
 
 (c) The 150 odd Rules are those of the Pratimoksha, according 
 to the Thib. Comm. ； but the Chinese version of the Pratimoksha 
 has 250 Rules (vid. Catena, p. 205). 
 
 57. 
 
 («) vid. Oldenberg, op. cit., p. 305， ff. (W.). 
 
 (d) The expression 4< chu-fd " is equal to u ye dhamma," in the 
 well known verse, ye dhamma Mtuppabhawd, etc. 
 
 58. 
 
 The comparison of life to a breath, or a bubble, is a well 
 known one ； the Thib. differs totally. 
 
 60. 
 
 (b) il Emitting burning flames." 
 
47 
 
 61. 
 
 The Plantain, or Banana tree, " poetically a symbol of the frailty 
 of human life " (Mon. Williams, Sk. Diet., sub Kadala). 
 
 62. 
 
 The "blind tortoise " comparison is a common one in later 
 Euddhism, e.g. " The Lotus of the Good Law ，， passim. 
 
 64. 
 
 {a) " To be born in the middle (land)" was considered a highly 
 fortunate occurrence ； the Thib. seems to have missed this point. 
 
 '(") For the 11 good friend " (Jcalydna-mitra) vid. Leon Peer, 
 Etudes Buddhiques, 1st series, p. 113 ； and cf. also Haug, JEssays 
 on the Parsis (Triibner's Or. Ser.), p. 209. 
 
 67. 
 
 The Thib. Comm. says the "long lived gods," are the Asarnjnas 
 and the Arupas, vid. W. in loc. 
 
 72. 
 
 {a) Either 11 Brahma who rules the world," or 11 Brahma, and 
 he who rules the world " (Indra). 
 
 73. 
 
 (d) The symbol chin has the meaning of " pressing down." 
 74. 
 
 That is, in the Palace Sudarsana, where S'akra dwells, vid. 
 Catena, p. 75. 
 
 76. 
 
 For an account of all these Heavens and Hells, and also the 
 condition of a Preta, or beast-born person, consult Catena, pp. 83 
 sqq., and elsewhere. 
 
 77. 
 
 [a) The expression fa lull (law -joys) may refer to the idea that 
 in the Tusita heaven (which is one of the Kamalokas) 11 the Law " 
 is ^constantly preached, giving joy to all wlio hear it. 
 
4S 
 
 78. 
 
 (a) The Thib. has, "after having become like sun and moon," 
 but the Ch. plainly denotes birth in the abode of the sun and moon 
 Devas, concerning whom vid. Catena, pp. 68 sqq. 
 
 ' 79. 
 
 (a) The "three-fold lamp " no doubt refers to the Trivedyas (in 
 Ch. san ming). 
 
 {c) Or "you must enter alone." 
 
 80. 
 
 (a) Por an account of these hells, vid. Catena, as before, see also 
 Thib. Comm. 
 
 82. 
 
 (c) The body made to surmount (i.e. fixed on) sharp stakes. 
 
 (d) " The forked body," i.e. held down by a fork. 
 
 83. . 
 
 (a) "The hands raised up on high," i.e. wailing (W.), or 
 supplicating. 
 
 84. 
 
 (b) Literally, "their number exceeding a thousand kotis " (a 
 X6ti= 10,000,000). 
 
 (c) The character tsui, means to "raise the head," or "to bristle 
 up " ； the worms referred to are perhaps those named in Thib. 
 Comm. (W. § 71), "worms with pointed bills." 
 
 The § 82 in Thib. is wanting in our Ch. edition, and § 83， which 
 corresponds with the Ch. 84, materially differs from our text. 
 
 86. 
 
 This is a difficult verse, and the text is probably defective or 
 corrupt. The character tsun (a) is perhaps for hwah (a picture) ； 
 in Samghamitra the character is siang (an image), and the Thib. 
 agrees with this ； the meaning would then be, u when beholding 
 the changes (of hell) in a picture {lit. picture changes), or hearing 
 about them, there ought to be remembrance." 
 
 (d) This translation is also doubtful. 
 
49 
 
 88. 
 
 (d) Or connecting (c) and (d) ； it may be rendered, "to the 
 very least (of these pains) one would prefer the mutual piercings ，， 
 (with the spears). 
 
 91. 
 
 (d) Literally, u moreover-mutually-opposed-wretched {kan-san). 11 
 92. 
 
 (b) That is, killed for the sake of these. 
 
 93. 
 
 (a) The Thib. Comm. explains the sources of this weariness and 
 fear; 11 their weariness comes from their continually running after 
 food (and never reaching it) ，， ； "fear from, seeing the beings 
 (tormentors) armed with swords, pestles and leashes." (W. in loc.) 
 
 95. 
 
 (b) That is, " with no other garment but their hanging skin." 
 (d) The Thib. has "hot sand," instead of " flying moths," as in 
 
 our text. 
 
 96. 
 
 (c) Literally, ^moreover-mutually-mouth-gaping-opposing; " it 
 seems to refer to the snarling contentions of these beings. 
 
 99. 
 
 («) 11 ngo kwei," Pretas, generally rendered u hungry ghosts," 
 that is, wandering phantom-spirits. 
 
 (c) u Loving that which is ignoble and rough ("》)，，， referring 
 probably to illiberality and rudeness. 
 
 100. 
 
 (b) "Thinking of the calamity of their happiness-ending misery," 
 i.e. thinking about the calamity involved in the conclusion of their 
 abode in heaven. 
 
 101. 
 
 (c) This prognostic (viz. increasing perspirations beneath the 
 armpits) is one often named in Chinese Buddhist books. 
 
50 
 
 102. 
 
 (^) Literally, 1 1 sadness - confusion - change- ever-indication. ' ' 
 104. 
 
 The war between the A suras and the Devas (whose estate they 
 envied) is alluded to, Catena, p. 52. We may compare this account 
 with the legend of the Babylonian queen by Canon Eawlinson, 
 " Religions of the Ancient World," pp. 79 ff. 
 
 105. 
 
 (e) "Vessel of every misery," i.e. in a place, or condition of 
 punishment. 
 
 (d) JVai- loh-Ma = ！ NTaraka. 
 
 106. 
 
 The Thib. has, 11 were to seize your head" ； the Ch. is plainly 
 " were to be placed above your head." 
 
 109. 
 
 (c) For these two " means of transport," cf, Bhammapada, § 384. 
 Also Catena, p. 251. 
 
 (d) This comparison is a common one in Ch. Buddhist books. 
 
 110. 
 
 (b) For the expression u the friend or kinsman of the sun," cf. 
 Dipavamsa, pp. vi. 87 ff. {Eng. Trans.). 
 
 111. 
 
 ！ For the Kidanas refer to Sermon II. of Asvaghosha [Abstract } 
 p. 113), and other works. This and the following verses may be 
 studied for the identification of Chinese and Sanskrit philosophical 
 terms. 
 
 117. 
 
 (a) This line, which is not found in the Thibetan, seems to refer 
 to the connection (yoga) of the skandhas. 
 
 (b) May be literally translated thus : " the four-kinds - holy- 
 truth -because of." If the connection referred to relates to the 
 connection of causes leading to liberation, then we may suppose 
 that (i) refers to the originating cause of this liberation, viz. "the 
 four sacreds truths." 
 
51 
 
 118. 
 
 (a) In the Thibetan it is "those that fulfil the law do not," etc. 
 (c and d) differ from W. 
 
 119. 
 
 (d) "All these things spring from the heart," this is the common 
 account found in the later development of Buddhism. 
 
 121. 
 
 (b) The three personal disciplines (exercises) of thought, word, 
 and deed. 
 
 122. 
 
 (a) seems to refer to birth in the Paradise of Amityaus (bound- 
 less years) [Amitabha]. 
 (d) is uncertain. 
 
NagAiuuna's " Friekdly Letter/ 
 
 阿離 野那伽 曷樹那 菩提隆 ss 蘇颉 里離 了 阿 離野是 伽聖那 
 
 伽 是蘢是 象曷樹 那義翻 爲猛喾 提薩埵 SS 是覺 情蘇颉 里卽是 親密離 
 
 ； 2 者書也 先云龍 樹者訛 ffi 
 
 寵樹 菩薩勸 誡王頌 
 
 音 釋 
 
 析 
 
 駿 
 
 先的切 春^， 降切 
 
 分 也 
 
 語 駭 切 
 
 癡 ffi 
 
 愚 也 
 
 g 畏^ 徒郞切 火馬同 
 
 纟. 切 煨灰煨 ffl 
 
 柴 
 
 疾切木 
 
 i 色角切 
 
 i 予屬 
 
 匕 日 
 
 乞 洽 切 
 
 爪刺 a 
 
 f 朱惟切 i 石證切 
 
 @ 鑽属 f i H 
 
 移名也 
 
 ？ 證 
 
 盆 a 
 
 居 御 
 
 刀 銶 
 
nagarjuna's <c friendly letter." 
 
 ^此 瑜伽業 
 
 四種 聖諦因 
 
 雖居 舍嚴钸 
 
 智遮 煩憎津 
 
 衆善 皆隨 喜 
 
 妙 行 三 自 修 
 
 廻向 爲成佛 
 
 福聚 而恒收 
 
 不從 S 處墮 
 
 . 如 殼因地 造 
 
 諳先 證法人 
 
 眢几具 W 惱 
 
 何^ 多陳述 
 
 i§ 惱略垒 言 
 
 事由 情可伏 
 
 0 談 心 是 源 
 
 如上 所陳法 
 
 G 宓芻 難總行 
 
 M 隨能修 I 事 
 
 勿令 虛夭生 
 
 後 生 壽 無量 生 老病死 三 毒 除 
 
 廣度 於天人 3 佛國 託生爲 世父 
 
 猶如 觀自在 M 壽 命時長 量叵知 
 
 S 難 等怨親 同 彼天覺 彌陀玉 
 
 開 顯尸羅 及捨惠 W 惱覊纒 有， £ 眾 
 
 天 * 虛空 名邇彰 g 絕 流生列 登正覺 
 
 大地居 -< 及天眾 U 超 度世間 但有名 
 
 勿 使跃姘 女爱慯 由 獲無生 離塵濁 
 
XI NAGARJUNA S U FRIENDLY LETTEll/ 
 
 衆如斯 輸憂生 
 苦 其 應 ％ 病 緣 
 殄 生 速 大 求 於 
 無若斷 苦不老 
 餘滅除 蘊得死 
 
 六名 讕由從 
 處 色綠業 S 
 綠生 淤復知 
 淤六 名生起 
 觸處色 讖 業 
 
 縱 使烈^ 然頭上 爾求尸 
 
 e 邇 身衣服 癡皆通 7 寂靜調 
 
 ^ 此苦 《 躯 能除拂 M ^ 漦無 
 
 無生 往想^ 漦中 四大日 
 
 羅及 定慧 念 擇 法勇聽 
 
 柔 離垢殃 8 定慧. W 輕安 
 
 篛 無老列 ^ 此七 喜提分 
 
 月悉皆 G 能招妙 @ 繁 
 
 0 勝 言 敎 藏 
 
 深妙 綠起門 
 
 4 
 
 U 如能 正見此 
 
 便觀 鹪上奪 
 
 正見 命正念 
 
 正 定 語 業 思 
 
 此謂 八聖道 
 
 爲寂 可修治 
 
 無由 集愛起 
 
 ^身 衆苦生 
 
 除斯 證解脫 
 
 八聖 邋宜行 
 
 無慧 定非有 
 
 決定 慧便溺 
 
 若其 « 運者 
 
 有海 如牛跡 
 
 十四不 記法 
 
 日親 之所說 
 
 淤 此勿應 思 
 
 不 能 令覺滅 
 
 觸生 緣淤受 
 
 受旣 綠焚愛 
 
 ^ 由爱 招淤取 
 
 取復 緣於有 
 
 有復 緣淤生 
 
nagarjuna's u friendly letter." X 
 
 形 
 
 巨 
 
 若 
 
 遭 
 
 若 
 
 任 
 
 如 枯 
 
 方 作 
 
 口 夜 
 
 蛾 隨 
 
 斯 一 
 
 賢 澀 
 
 從 天 
 
 善 盡 
 
 落 旁 
 
 犖 墮 
 
 0 
 
 居 
 
 血 
 
 還 
 
 終 
 
 勿 
 
 膿 S 不淨 
 
 少 獲 無| 從 
 
 相 口排這 
 
 餮 瘻瓤癰 
 
 天 雖受樂 
 
 盡 苦難思 
 
 歸 會陸墮 
 
 樂 可應知 
 
 月下 便招燹 
 
 日中 身遂寒 
 
 望果唯 S 樹 
 
 膽江 水刺乾 
 
 默坐 农沽垢 
 
 身光 有變袞 
 
 腋下親 » S: 
 
 頭 上敌華 蒌 
 
 如 是 
 
 經 萬 
 
 長 特 
 
 K 由 
 
 如 0 
 
 天 眾 
 
 她 居 
 
 閟 亂 
 
 本 性 
 
 覺 慧 
 
 阿蘇羅 
 
 縦令全 
 
 忿 天生 苦 心 
 
 ffi 遮 淤見諦 
 
 如 是深流 
 
 天 入畜及 
 
 下 賤業生 
 
 鬼 趣兼投 
 
 衆 苦 
 
 千 年 
 
 身 命 
 
 器 堅 
 
 相 現 
 
 無 疑 
 
 若 卒 
 
 常 儀 
 
 死 趣 
 
 蘇 羅 
 
 苦 器 
 
 落 迦 
 
IX NAGARJUNA'S 11 FRIENDLY LETTER. 
 
 ^諸樂 中誰是 IS 
 
 愛 盡無生 樂霰精 
 
 淤 衆苦內 誰爲極 
 
 0 間浞犁 苦極成 
 
 若 < 貝 造 衆罪業 
 
 聞 苦身肉 百千墮 
 
 5 
 
 8 如 此頑駿 金剛性 
 
 氣 盡浞犁 遭猛火 
 
 .< 間 一 日中 
 
 屢剜 三白槊 
 
 8 9 
 
 8 比她 獄輕苦 。 
 
 毫 分 寧 相 指 
 
 特 觀盡變 閗 應 《& 
 
 讀 誦 經 論 常 尋 鞠 
 
 浞傘聽 響巳驚 e 
 
 如何遣 當 期 異 0 
 
 窒蠅 及諸蟲 
 
 其數 過千億 
 
 利 g 眩身軀 
 
 急 堕 皆 0 食 
 
 或入 旁生趣 
 
 殺縳 苦恒親 
 
 遠 離 淤寂善 
 
 S 互 被艱辛 
 
 或 被殺縛 苦 
 
 求珠 尾角皮 
 
 雜糨 鈎斲頂 
 
 踏拍 住他麟 
 
 此處 受極苦 
 
 9 經百 俱胝秋 
 
 8 如其 惡末盡 
 
 命掊定 無 由 
 
 受 鬼 望不遂 
 
 0 敵 若常臨 
 
 饑渴 及冷熒 
 
 困怖 苦恒侵 
 
 如是諸 惡 果 
 
 種 由身語 心 
 
 爾勤 隨力護 
 
 輕 塵 惡 勿 侵 
 
 口小 如針孔 
 
 腹大等 山 £ 
 
 饑纒 縱已糞 
 
 得 少 定 a 由 
 
三 十 
 
 多 特 
 
 速 疾 
 
 磨身 拭體鈸 
 
 或 八 
 
 天 女 
 
 拾 身 
 
 0 炎 
 
 有 命 
 
 合 S: 
 
 0 等 
 
 燒 諸 
 
 妙 
 
 浞 
 
 厌 
 
 下 
 
 者 
 
 女 樂 
 
 浞 犁 
 
 0 若 
 
 IS 啼 
 
 池 浴 
 
 彩 容 
 
 犁 若 
 
 0 中 
 
 她 
 
 7 
 
 轉 
 
 欲 天受法 
 
 i! * 大梵 
 
 S 墮阿毗 
 
 薪 嬙苦恒 
 
 高 岑 受 樂 
 
 if 隨其足 
 
 受 M 煨若 
 
 經 糞屎獄 
 
 或若 麻牀扰 
 
 或粉 如細末 
 
 如利 斫斧木 
 
 猶如 銶解割 
 
 或生 居日月 
 
 8 身光 邇四洲 
 
 I 朝 歸黑閽 
 
 展手見 II 由 
 
 猛火 恒煎炱 
 
 令飮 燹銅漿 
 
 驅令 上劍刺 
 
 叉身 燹鐡脉 
 
 歡 
 
 0 
 
 住 
 
 種 燈 
 
 園 
 
 遊 戲 
 
 林 中 
 
 耳 鼻 
 
 明 福 
 
 特將 
 
 邊 閽 
 
 0 光 
 
 擧 手 
 
 狗 餐 
 
 爪 利 
 
 心 肝 
 
vii nagarjuna's ft FRIENDLY letter. 
 
 海龜 投木孔 
 
 1 會 s 難遭 
 
 棄畜 成人體 
 
 0 行 果 還 招 
 
 ，見 生鬼畜 
 
 浞 犁法不 Si 
 
 邊她 蔑戾車 
 
 生便 癡瘂性 
 
 I 1 飮母乳 
 
 過於 四海水 
 
 轉受 異生身 
 
 更飮 多於彼 
 
 金寳 滎除糞 
 
 斯爲 是大癡 
 
 若生 人作罪 
 
 全 成 極春 §a 
 
 或生長 壽 天 
 
 除八 無暇過 
 
 閑睱 旣巳得 
 
 爾可 務當生 
 
 過 去 1 
 
 1 展轉積 
 
 了 地土九 
 
 數已形 
 
 生中 依善友 
 
 及發 淤正頗 
 
 e 先身 爲福業 
 
 四大 輸垒獲 
 
 愛別 老病^ 
 
 斯等 彔若虐 
 
 8 
 
 6 智者 應生猷 
 
 說 少 過 應 聽 
 
 1 生身骨 
 
 若 妙 高 山 
 
 爲 酸棗核 
 
 軀 豈盡邊 
 
 ft 言 近善犮 
 
 全梵 行是親 
 
 善士 依佛故 
 
 衆多 證圓寂 
 
 母或 改爲婦 
 
 父乃 轉成兒 
 
 怨家 翻作友 
 
 遷琉 11 定親 
 
 梵玉 世眢供 
 
 業力終 » 地 
 
 縱紹 轉輸王 
 
 廼身 化奴使 
 
NAGAEJUNA's (< FRIENDLY LETTER. vi 
 
 若希 天解脱 無 樂 常 無 我 
 
 爾當 修正見 1^ 淨 審知人 
 
 設 使人行 善 $ 妄念 四倒見 
 
 邪見 招惡果 難若 在玆身 
 
 戒 禁見身 BR 解脫 終依巳 
 
 及毗 織吉蹉 5 不由 他俘成 
 
 應知 三種結 g 勸修 閬戒定 
 
 能縛 木叉門 四具 ilt 便生 
 
 壽 命多 炎厄 卒歸 灰燥爛 
 
 如風 吹水泡 9 糞櫞 難久持 G 
 
 若^ 蟒息停 e 觀身 非實法 e 
 
 臥起 成希有 滅壤 墮分離 
 
 說色 冗是我 
 
 我非 有淤色 
 
 2 
 
 g 色我非 S 在 
 
 知 餘四蘊 S 
 
 增 上戒心 慧 
 
 玆學 可常修 
 
 6 
 
 g 百 五 十餘戒 
 
 减歸 此三攝 
 
 火她 彌盧海 
 
 七日 ffi S 然 
 
 ^此 極微軀 
 
 那不 成煨燼 
 
 如 
 
 於 
 
 玆 
 
 0 
 
 M 無 
 
 ^ 歸 ^ 
 
 生死滕 
 
 併若芭 
 
 從 峙生節 
 
 自 然本性 
 
 無 因自在 
 
 愚 業愛生 
 
 身住身 0 
 
 路 善修常 
 
 其 虧正念 
 
 法盡淪 C 
 
 常 亦非久 
 
 救 無 家 室 
 
 人 須歇背 
 
 焦 體 0 實 
 
N AGAR J una's " FRIENDLY letter. 
 
 顛 性 
 
 宜 
 
 淤 
 
 勿 
 
 善 
 
 抱 
 
 0 
 
 後 
 
 命 
 
 0 
 
 今 
 
 大 
 
 怨 
 
 汆 
 
 虛 
 
 江 
 
 rtu 
 
 如 
 
 中 
 
 夂：、 
 
 XT 
 
 力 
 
 知 
 
 者 
 
 0 
 
 o 
 
 4 
 
 順 若 
 
 隨 從 
 
 如 玆 
 
 應 知 
 
 慈 悲 喜 正 拾 
 
 SI 修 可常研 
 
 上流 雖末入 4 
 
 能 生 梵世天 
 
 瞋 掉舉 ® 作 
 
 7 昏睡 欲貪疑 
 
 4 如斯 五蓥賊 
 
 常偸 諸善利 
 
 姊妹 慈如母 
 
 若婢 俘猶親 
 
 四婦 宜應供 
 
 此室 Si 天入 
 
 猞離欲 若尋喜 0 
 
 隨 業當生 四她中 
 
 夭 梵光昔 及邇淨 
 
 廣 果天生 與彼同 
 
 有五 景滕法 
 
 信勇念 定 慧 
 
 4 於 此應勸 H3 
 
 能招 根力頂 
 
 受餐 如服藥 
 
 知 量去貧 瞋 
 
 ^爲 肥懦傲 
 
 伹欲 任持身 
 
 若恒 修對治 
 
 德勝^ 衆生 
 
 此五 行爲善 
 
 ^行 爲大惡 
 
 病若 死愛別 
 
 斯眢 自業爲 
 
 汆度 可勤修 
 
 0 品 忘 ^ 恣 
 
 I 
 
NAgAEJUNA's " FRIENDLY LETTER." iv 
 
 霾 
 
 饈 
 
 利 
 
 齊 
 
 穿 巳 
 
 就 力 
 
 無 由 
 
 亦 同 
 
 利 若 
 
 稱 殷 
 
 世 八 
 
 離 0 
 
 樂 觀 
 
 惡 犮 
 
 芳 名 
 
 痛 
 
 逸 
 
 譏 
 
 爾 
 
 爲 知 
 
 作 意 
 
 唯 斯 
 
 舰川 餘 
 
 父 母 
 
 勿 田 
 
 獄 果 
 
 雜 境 
 
 親 志 
 
 六 過 
 
 應棄 
 
 眞 勝 理 
 
 觀衆事 
 
 德 應 習 
 
 法可親 
 
 天乞士 
 
 妻子人 
 
 0 造 罪 
 
 他^ 分 
 
 求 財 
 
 A 天 
 
 7 
 
 3 若 能 
 
 雖 貧 
 
 若 人具： i 望 
 
 貌荑 復多閬 
 
 無智 破尸羅 
 
 是 八何足 肯> 
 
 若 行 
 
 4 
 
 3 待至 
 
 @ 業 
 
 少 欲 翳 
 
 師盛陳 
 
 修 少 欲 
 
 是 富 A 
 
 諸罪業 
 
 刀斬慯 
 
 臨終際 
 
 果 全 彰 
 
 若 
 
 有 
 
 若 
 
 受 
 
 信 
 
 慙 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 七 
 
 A 廣 
 
 被 爾 
 
 者 若 
 
 S 還 
 
 智 
 
 如 
 
 無 
 
 護 
 
 族 望 
 
 知 閟 
 
 尸 羅 
 
 供 養 
 
 淨 閬 
 
 正 慧 
 
 尼 說 
 
 誡 虛 
 
 事 者 
 
 ^ 加 
 
 少 欲 
 
 首 蛇 
 
iii nagarj una's <( friendly lbxxer. 1 
 
 勿 
 
 今 
 
 王 
 
 5 as- rij 
 
 亦 
 
 種 
 
 明 
 
 ffl 
 
 明 
 
 獸 
 
 無 
 
 命 
 
 持 躁勤心 
 
 藥 力 怨 火 
 
 令 欲樂侵 
 
 他人 打罵我 
 
 欺陵 奪我財 
 
 7 
 
 1 懷恨 招怨諍 
 
 捨恨 聣安欒 
 
 自有 生如瓤 
 
 1 亦有 a 如生 
 
 2 
 
 亦有 a 如纖 
 
 或復 生如生 
 
 由欲 作無利 
 
 譬如 兼博果 
 
 佛說 彼應除 
 
 生死牢 » 鑀 
 
 知淤 水土石 
 
 人心盡 ^同 
 
 起煩 惱前勝 
 
 愛法 有如後 
 
 獰沒 羅果中 
 
 有如 是差別 
 
 人亦 同彼四 
 
 難識 王應知 
 
 譎誑 常搖境 
 
 能 除 莂六讕 
 
 執仗 搲衆怨 
 
 許初 爲勇極 
 
 佛 說三種 語 
 
 A 类 實 虚 言 
 
 蝤如 蜜華冀 
 
 榘後 可行前 
 
 勿覩 他妻室 
 
 設觀 如母女 
 
 姊妹 想隨年 
 
 起篱思 ^淨 
 
 臭氣九 門 衆穢室 
 
 行 軀難滿 籙皮纒 
 
 0 看少女 除莊彩 
 
 析別形 骸惡叵 言 
 
NAGARJUNA'S " FRIENDLY LETTER." U 
 
 佛法 井僭彔 
 
 施戒 及與天 
 
 1 1 功德聚 
 
 佛 說應常 念 
 
 施戒 忍勇定 
 
 慧 不可稱 量 
 
 此能 到應修 
 
 渡有 海成佛 
 
 慳諂 誑鬵怠 
 
 慢遝 瞋氏族 
 
 多閬 年少嬌 
 
 並視如 怨 赋 
 
 十善 諸業道 
 
 身 語 意 常 親 
 
 遂離 於諸洒 
 
 亦行 淸淨命 
 
 若孝 養父母 
 
 其家 有梵王 
 
 現招 善各稱 
 
 ^世 生天堂 
 
 說. S 生山勤 
 
 有列 因放逸 
 
 勸能 長善法 
 
 爾可 修謹慎 
 
 知財 體非固 
 
 如 法施宓 芻 
 
 貧賤及 S: 生 
 
 * 世^ 親友 
 
 殺 盜姪妄 SS 
 
 躭食爱 高 牀 
 
 斷諸 滔歌舞 
 
 華彩 及塗香 
 
 先峙 雕放逸 
 
 後若 改勤修 
 
 猶如 雲翳除 
 
 茛霄 覩明月 
 
 衆德 依戒住 
 
 如她長 1 切 
 
 勿穴 痩雜怖 
 
 佛 說 應 常 HI 
 
 若女 男能成 
 
 此八 支聖戒 
 
 欲界 六天上 
 
 長淨 善當生 
 
 係陀 羅難陀 
 
 央具 理摩羅 
 
 達含 綺莫迦 
 
 翻 惡晳成 善 
 
nagarjuna's u friendly letter/ 
 
 龍樹 菩薩勸 誡王頌 
 
 唐 三 藏法師 義淨譯 
 
 此頌是 龍樹善 薩以詩 代書寄 與南印 度親友 
 
 譯神州 虐藏人 多不見 遂今妙 語不得 詳知爲 
 
 滯沙 a: 義 淨釗至 柬印度 躭摩立 底國譯 
 
 有 犒無知 覆心敌 由此 
 
 大 德龍樹 爲國王 寄書 
 
 此 一 行頌 乃是後 ^所 述標書 本意也 
 
 具德我 演如如 敎 
 
 爲 生 福 慶 而興述 
 
 眞 善宜應 可審聽 
 
 此頌 名爲聖 ffi K 
 
 隨 何木等 雕佛像 
 
 諸 有智者 咸供養 
 
 縱 使我詩 非巧妙 
 
 依 正法説 勿當輕 
 
 乘 土國王 一 首此 書巳先 
 
 此 S 定本 文冀使 铳通罔 
 
 興悲 爲開解 
 
 與 彼 今 修 學 
 
 王 雖先解 如如敎 
 
 S 閎 佛語 增滕解 
 
 猶 如粉壁 月光輝 
 
 豈不 明 益姝妙 
 
THE CHINESE TEXT 
 
 TO 
 
 NAGAEJUNA'S u FRIENDLY LETTEE." 
 
PRINTED BY 
 STEPHEN AUSTIN AND SONS, 
 HERTFORD. 
 
THE UB] 
 'DIVERSITY OF 
 UD6 At^ 
 
THE LIBRARY 
 LOS ANGELES