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| 1. | Pataliputtra, in Magadha Having crossed the river, and descended south for a yojana, the travelers came to the town of Pataliputtra (Bāliánfú 巴连弗, “the city of flowers”; modern Patna), in the kingdom of Magadha, the city where king Asoka ruled [in the latter part of his reign and where he convened the Third Great Council]. |
度河南下一由延。 到摩竭提国。 巴连弗邑。 巴连弗邑是阿育王所治城。 Dù hé nán xià yī yóuyán. Dào mó jié tí guó. Bāliánfú yì. Bā lián fú yì shì Ēyù wáng suǒ zhì chéng. 度河南下一由延。 到摩竭提國。 巴連弗邑。 巴連弗邑是阿育王所治城。 |
| 2. | King Asoka’s Spirit-Built Palace and Halls The royal palace and halls in the midst of the city, which exist now as of old, were all made by spirits which he employed, and which piled up the stones, reared the walls and gates, and executed the elegant carving and inlaid sculpture-work, in a way which no human hands of this world could accomplish. |
城中王宫殿。 皆使鬼神作。 累石起墙阙。 雕文刻镂。 非世所造。 今故现在。 Chéng zhōng wánggōng diàn. Jiē shǐ guǐshén zuò. Lèi shí qǐ qiáng què. Diāowén kèlòu. Fēi shì suǒzào. Jīn gù xiànzài. 城中王宮殿。 皆使鬼神作。 累石起墻闕。 彫文刻鏤。 非世所造。 今故現在。 |
| 3. | King Asoka had a younger brother who had attained to be an arhat, and resided on Gridhra-kuta [“Vulture”] Hill, finding his delight in solitude and quiet. | 阿育王弟。 得罗汉道。 常住耆阇崛山。 志乐闲静。 Ēyù wáng dì. Dé luóhàn dào. Chángzhù Qídūjué Shān. Zhì lè xiánjìng. 阿育王弟。 得羅漢道。 常住耆闍崛山。 志樂閑靜。 |
| 4. | The king, who sincerely reverenced him, wished and begged him to come and live in his family, where he could supply all his wants. | 王敬心欲请于家供养。 Wáng jìng xīn yù qǐng yú jiā gòngyǎng. 王敬心欲請於家供養。 |
| 5. | The other, however, because of his delight in the stillness of the mountain, was unwilling to accept the invitation, and so the king said to him, “Only accept my invitation, and I will make a hill for you inside the city.” | 以乐山静不肯受请。 王语弟言。 但受我请。 当为汝于城里作山。 Yǐ Lèshān jìng bùkěn shòu qǐng. Wáng yù dì yán. Dàn shòu wǒ qǐng. Dāng wèi rǔ yú chéng lǐ zuò shān. 以樂山靜不肯受請。 王語弟言。 但受我請。 當為汝於城裏作山。 |
| 6. | Accordingly, he provided the materials of a feast, called to him the spirits, and announced to them, “Tomorrow you will all receive my invitation; but as there are no mats for you to sit on, let each one bring his own seat.” | 王乃具饮食。 召诸鬼神而告之曰。 明日悉受我请。 无座席。 各赉来。 Wáng nǎi jù yǐnshí. Zhào zhū guǐshén ér gào zhī yuē. Míngrì xī shòu wǒ qǐng. Wú zuò xí. Gè lài lái. 王乃具飲食。 召諸鬼神而告之曰。 明日悉受我請。 無座席。 各賚來。 |
| 7. | Next day the spirits came, each one bringing with him a great rock, like a wall, four or five paces square, for a seat. | 明日诸大鬼神。 各赉大石来。 壁方四五步。 Míngrì zhū dàguǐ shén. Gè lài dà shí lái. Bì fāng sì wǔ bù. 明日諸大鬼神。 各賚大石來。 壁方四五步。 |
| 8. | When their sitting was over, the king made them form a hill with the large stones piled on one another, and also at the foot of the hill, with five large square stones, to make an apartment, which might be more than thirty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and more than ten cubits high. | 坐讫。 即使鬼神累作大石山。 又于山底。 以五大方石。 作一石室。 可长三丈。 广二丈。 高一丈余。 Zuò qì. Jíshǐ guǐshén lèi zuòdà shíshān. Yòu yú shān dǐ. Yǐ wǔ dà fāng shí. Zuò yī shíshì. Kě zhǎngsān zhàng. Guǎng èr zhàng. Gāo yīzhàng yú. 坐訖。 即使鬼神累作大石山。 又於山底。 以五大方石。 作一石室。 可長三丈。 廣二丈。 高一丈餘。 |
| 9. | The Buddhist Brahman, Radha-Sami In this city there had resided a great Brahman named Radha-sami (Luótài-sīmí 罗汰私迷), a professor of the Mahayana, of clear discernment and much wisdom, who understood everything, living by himself in spotless purity. |
有一大乘婆罗门子。 名罗汰私迷。 住此城里。 爽悟多智。 事无不达。 以清净自居。 Yǒu yī Dàshèng Póluómén zi. Míng Luótài-sīmí. Zhù cǐ chénglǐ. Shuǎng wù duō zhì. Shì wúbù dá. Yǐ qīngjìng zìjū. 有一大乘婆羅門子。 名羅汰私迷。 住此城裏。 爽悟多智。 事無不達。 以清淨自居。 |
| 10. | The king of the country honoured and reverenced him, and served him as [though he were the king’s] teacher. | 国王宗敬师事。 Guówáng zōng jìng shīshì. 國王宗敬師事。 |
| 11. | If he went to inquire for and greet him, the king did not presume to sit down alongside of him; and if, in his love and reverence, he took hold of his hand, as soon as he let it go, the Brahman made haste to pour water on it and wash it. | 若往问讯。 不敢并坐。 王设以爱敬心执手。 执手已。 婆罗门辄自灌洗。 Ruò wǎng wènxùn. Bù gǎn bìngzuò. Wáng shè yǐ ài jìng xīn zhí shǒu. Zhí shǒu yǐ. Póluómén zhé zì guàn xǐ. 若往問訊。 不敢並坐。 王設以愛敬心執手。 執手已。 婆羅門輒自灌洗。 |
| 12. | He might be more than fifty years old, and all the kingdom looked up to him. | 年可五十余。 举国瞻仰。 Nián kě wǔshí yú. Jǔguó zhānyǎng. 年可五十餘。 舉國瞻仰。 |
| 13. | By means of this one man, the Law of the Buddha was widely made known, and the followers of other doctrines did not find it in their power to persecute the body of monks in any way. | 赖此一人弘宣佛法。 外道不能得加陵众僧。 Lài cǐ yīrén hóng xuān Fó.ǎ. Wàidào bù néng dé jiā líng zhòng sēng. 賴此一人弘宣佛法。 外道不能得加陵眾僧。 |
| 14. | By the side of the stupa of Asoka, there has been made a Mahayana monastery, very grand and beautiful; there is also a Hinayana one; the two together containing six or seven hundred monks. The rules of demeanour and the arrangements for schooling in them are worthy of observation. | 于阿育王塔边。 造摩诃衍僧伽蓝。 甚严丽。 亦有小乘寺。 都合六七百僧众。 威仪、庠序。 可观。 Yú Ēyù wáng tǎ biān. Zào mó hē yǎn sēng qiélán. Shén yánlì. Yì yǒu XiǎoshèngSì. Dōu hé liù qībǎi sēng zhòng. Wēiyí、Xiángxù. Kěguān. 於阿育王塔邊。 造摩訶衍僧伽藍。 甚嚴麗。 亦有小乘寺。 都合六七百僧衆。 威儀、庠序。 可觀。 |
| 15. | Shamans of the highest virtue from all quarters, and students, inquirers wishing to find out truth and the grounds of it, all resort to these monasteries. | 四方高德沙门。 及学问人。 欲求义理。 皆诣此寺。 Sìfāng gāo dé shāmén. Jí xuéwèn rén. Yùqiú yìlǐ. Jiē yì cǐ sì. 四方高德沙門。 及學問人。 欲求義理。 皆詣此寺。 |
| 16. | There also resides in this monastery a Brahman teacher, whose name also is Manjusri [Wénshū-shīlì 文殊师利, like that of the famous bodhisattva], whom the shamans of greatest virtue in the kingdom, and the Mahayana bhikshus honour and look up to. | 婆罗门子师。 亦名文殊师利。 国内大德沙门。 诸大乘比丘皆宗仰焉。 亦住此僧伽蓝。 Póluómén zi shī. Yì míng Wénshūshīlì. Guónèi dà dé shāmén. Zhū Dàshèng bǐqiū jiē zōngyǎng yān. Yì zhù cǐ sēng qiélán. 婆羅門子師。 亦名文殊師利。 國內大德沙門。 諸大乘比丘皆宗仰焉。 亦住此僧伽藍。 |
| 17. | The cities and towns of this country are the greatest of all in the Middle Kingdom. The inhabitants are rich and prosperous, and vie with one another in the practice of benevolence and righteousness. | 凡诸中国唯此国城邑为大。 民人富盛竞行仁义。 Fán zhū Zhōngguó wéi cǐ guó chéngyì wéi dà. Mínrén fù shèng jìng xíngrén yì. 凡諸中國唯此國城邑為大。 民人富盛競行仁義。 |
| 18. | Every year on the eighth day of the second month they celebrate a procession of images. | 年年常以建卯月八日行像。 Niánnián cháng yǐ jiànmǎo yuè bā rì xíng xiàng. 年年常以建卯月八日行像。 |
| 19. | They make a four-wheeled car, and on it erect a structure of four storeys by means of bamboos tied together. This is supported by a king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and is rather more than twenty cubits high, having the shape of a stupa. | 作四轮车缚竹作五层。 有羕攎椻戟高二丈余许。 其状如塔。 Zuò sì lún chē fù zhú zuò wǔ céng. Yǒu yàng lú yàn jǐ gāo èr zhàng yúxǔ. Qí zhuàngrú tǎ. 作四輪車縛竹作五層。 有羕攎椻戟高二丈餘許。 其狀如塔。 |
| 20. | White and silk-like cloth of hair [cashmere?] is wrapped all round it, which is then painted in various colours. | 以白迭缠上。 然后彩画。 Yǐ bái dié chán shàng. Ránhòu cǎihuà. 以白疊纏上。 然後彩畫。 [The character for which dié 疊 is here a stand-in is written 疊*毛, with 毛 on the lower right, in Legge’s text, probably a graphic variant of U+23C43 𣱃.] |
| 21. | They make figures of devas, with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli grandly blended and having silken streamers and canopies hung out over them. | 作诸天形像。 以金银瑠璃庄挍。 其上悬缯幡盖。 Zuò zhū tiān xíngxiàng. Yǐ jīnyín liú lí zhuāng jiào. Qíshàng xuán zēng fāngài. 作諸天形像。 以金銀瑠璃莊挍。 其上懸繒幡蓋。 |
| 22. | On the four sides are niches, with a Buddha seated in each, and a Bodhisattva standing in attendance on him. | 四边作龛。 皆有坐佛菩萨立侍。 Sìbiān zuò kān. Jiē yǒu zuò Fó púsà lì shì. 四邊作龕。 皆有坐佛菩薩立侍。 |
| 23. | There may be twenty cars, all grand and imposing, but each one different from the others. | 可有二十车。 车车庄严各异。 Kě yǒu èrshí chē. Chē chē zhuāngyán gè yì. 可有二十車。 車車莊嚴各異。 |
| 24. | On the day mentioned, the monks and laity within the [country’s] borders all come together; they have singers and skilful musicians; they pay their devotion with flowers and incense. | 当此日。 境内道俗皆集。 作倡伎乐。 华香供养。 Dāngcǐ rì. Jìngnèi dàosú jiē jí. Zuò chāngjì lè. Huá xiāng gòngyǎng. 當此日。 境內道俗皆集。 作倡伎樂。 華香供養。 |
| 25. | The Brahmans come and invite the Buddhas to enter the city. These do so in order, and remain two nights in it. | 婆罗门子来请佛。 佛次第入城。 入城内再宿。 Póluómén zi lái qǐng Fó. Fó cìdì rù chéng. Rù chéngnèi zài sù. 婆羅門子來請佛。 佛次第入城。 入城內再宿。 |
| 26. | All through the night they keep lamps burning, have skilful music, and present offerings. This is the practice in all the other kingdoms as well. | 通夜然灯。 伎乐。 供养。 国国皆尔。 Tōngyè rán dēng. Jì lè. Gòngyǎng. Guó guó jiē ěr. 通夜然燈。 伎樂。 供養。 國國皆爾。 |
| 27. | Dispensaries and Hospitals The Heads of the Vaisya families in them establish in the cities houses for dispensing charity and medicines. |
其国长者居士。 各于城内。 立福德医药舍。 Qí guó zhǎngzhě jūshì. Gè yú chéngnèi. Lì fúdé yīyào shè. 其國長者居士。 各於城內。 立福德醫藥舍。 |
| 28. | All the poor and destitute in the country, orphans, widowers, and childless men, maimed people, and cripples, and all who are diseased, go to those houses, and are provided with every kind of help, and doctors examine their diseases. | 凡国中贫穷。 孤独。 残跛。 一切4病人。 皆诣此舍。 种种供给。 医师看病。 Fán guózhōng pínqióng. Gūdú. Cán bǒ. Yīqiè bìngrén. Jiē yì cǐ shè. Zhǒngzhǒng gōngjǐ. Yīshī kànbìng. 凡國中貧窮。 孤獨。 殘跛。 一切4病人。 皆詣此舍。 種種供給。 醫師看病。 |
| 29. | They get the food and medicines which their cases require, and are made to feel at ease; and when they are better, they go away of themselves. | 随宜饮食及汤药。 皆令得安。 差者自去。 Suíyí yǐnshí jí tāngyào. Jiē lìng dé ān. Chà zhě zì qù. 隨宜飲食及湯藥。 皆令得安。 差者自去。 |
| 30. | When king Asoka destroyed the seven stupas, intending to make eighty-four thousand [in chapter 23], the first which he made was the great stupa, more than three lǐ to the south of this city. | 阿育王坏七塔。 作八万四千塔。 最初所作大塔。 在城南三里余。 Ēyù wáng huài qī tǎ. Zuò bāwàn sìqiān tǎ. Zuìchū suǒ zuòdà tǎ. Zài chéngnán sānLíYú. 阿育王壞七塔。 作八萬四千塔。 最初所作大塔。 在城南三里餘。 |
| 31. | In front of this there is a footprint of the Buddha, where a vihara has been built. | 此塔前有佛迹。 起精舍。 Cǐ tǎ qián yǒu Fó jì. Qǐ jīngshè. 此塔前有佛迹。 起精舍。 |
| 32. | The door of it faces the north, and on the south of it there is a stone pillar, fourteen or fifteen cubits in circumference, and more than thirty cubits high, on which there is an inscription, saying, | 户北向。 塔南有一石柱。 围丈四五。 高三丈余。 上有铭题云。 Hù běi xiàng. Tǎ nán yǒu yī shízhù. Wéi zhàng sì-wǔ. Gāo sān zhàng yú. Shàng yǒu míng tí yún. 戶北向。 塔南有一石柱。 圍丈四五。 高三丈餘。 上有銘題云。 |
| 33. | “Asoka gave the jambudvipa [yánfútí 閻浮提] to the general body of all the monks, and then redeemed it from them with money. This he did three times.” | 阿育王以阎浮提。 布施四方僧。 还以钱赎。 如是三反。 Ēyù wáng yǐ yánfútí. Bùshī sìfāng sēng. Hái yǐ qián shú. Rúshì Sānfǎn. 阿育王以閻浮提。 布施四方僧。 還以錢贖。 如是三反。 |
| 34. | North from the stupa 300 or 400 paces, king Asoka built the city of Nílí [unidentified]. | 塔北三四百步。 阿育王。 本于此作泥梨城。 Tǎ běi sān sìbǎi bù. Ēyù wáng. Běnyú cǐ zuò Nílí chéng. 塔北三四百步。 阿育王。 本於此作泥梨城。 |
| 35. | In it there is a stone pillar, which also is more than thirty feet high, with a lion on the top of it. | 泥梨城中。 有石柱。 亦高三丈余。 上有师子。 Ní lí chéng zhōng. Yǒu shízhù. Yì gāo sān zhàng yú. Shàng yǒu shī zi. 泥梨城中。 有石柱。 亦高三丈餘。 上有師子。 |
| 36. | On the pillar there is an inscription recording the things which led to the building of Nílí, with the number of the year, the day, and the month. | 柱上有铭。 记作泥梨城因缘。 及年数日月。 Zhù shàng yǒu míng. Jì zuò ní lí chéng yīnyuán. Jí nián shù rìyuè. 柱上有銘。 記作泥梨城因緣。 及年數日月。 |
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