Avadānas (11 stories)

Gandhāra, Kharoṣṭhī ∙ SC 4

BML edition (version 1, March 2026)

Published in Falk/Steinbrückner 2022. Radiocarbon dating ca. 100 BCE (range: 184–46 BCE).

Avadāna 1

§ 1.1

AA1 /// .. .. .. .. .. A2 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + [bal]o mahabhayanako ∙ A3 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + [so] ya seriyaputro tato proṣi graA4mogato p. .. .. + + + + + + + + [pra]tabho[caṇa] ∙ so a[ti]vika[lo] (pra)[ṭ́hi]to [pa]ḍalipu[tr]o [sa ya] A5 .. .. e[ta ∙] so [ya] tatra bahi nakara[sa] (t)[ena co]◈rena◈ pariprato ∙ so dhanukalavosanahita ∙ A6 tasa kṣova◈ti so seriyaputro pa◈śati . ki istri śaka katu ti so◈ met(ra) samavano

A1 /// .. .. .. .. .. A2 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + … mahābhayānakaḥ | A3 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + so ca sairikaputraḥ tatra prāvātsīt | grāA4magataḥ … + + + + + + + + + prātarbhojanaṃ | so ativikālaṃ prasthitaḥ pāṭaliputram … A5 … so ca tatra bahir nagarasya tena coreṇa pariprāptaḥ | so dhanukalāpasaṃnāhitaḥ A6 tathā kṣobhate | so sairikaputraḥ paśyati | kiṃ striyaṃ śakyaṃ kartum iti | so maitrīṃ samāpannaḥ |

A1 … A2 … he is very dangerous. A3 … and the ploughman stayed out there. A4 He went to the village (?) … breakfast. Much too late did he take oﬀ for Pāṭaliputra. A5 And there, he encountered a robber at the outskirts of the city. The (robber) was girded with bow and quiver. A6 Then the (ploughman) got frightened. The ploughman reﬂected: ʻWhat would a woman be able to do?ʼ The (ploughman) produced loving kindness.

§ 1.2

A7 tena kaḍa osriṭha ∙ so [patip].[g]. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. + + + + + + + + + + + + A8 + + .. .. .. .. aha aha smi/svi eva balavato mahanago ∙ śuro ya [ti] eta ha vijaṭ́hanalabha .. [n]. [ta sa yo] A9 [..] tato ya(tra+ ka) kaḍu na nivatati ∙ tato daṇi aha ekachatraye paḍhaviye raya bhaviṣe siya sayeva aguḍi◈A10(malo) + + + .. sagrato tatreva coro apa avisa ca ∙ śvabhrapravate narake anvavati eva so saï śastrabha[ḍ]. A11 + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. + + + + + + ye ∙ yena eda śastra na kramati

A7 tena kāṇḍam avasṛṣṭam | .. .. .. .. .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + A8 + āha aham asmi evaṃ balavān mahānāgaḥ śūraḥ ca iti | etad ha vidyāsthānalābhaṃ … A9 … yat kāṇḍaṃ enaṃ nivartati | tataḥ idānīm āha ekacchattrāyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ rājā bhaviṣye syāṃ | sa eva aṅguliA10(mālaḥ) + + + .. sāgrataḥ | tatraiva coraḥ asim āyudhaṃ ca śvabhrapravāte narake anvakārīt | evaṃ so svayaṃ śastrabhāṇḍa … A11 … yena etat śatram na kramati |

A7 (The robber) shot an arrow. A8 + … (The ploughman) said: ʻI am likewise a mighty ʻbig elephantʼ and a heroʼ. A9 (There) in addition is this acquisition of knowledge that the arrow returns to him, (and so it happened.) Then he said: ʻIn the future, I will be king on earth exercising one (single) authorityʼ. The very Aṅgulimāla A10 … completely. At this very moment the robber cast his sword and weapons into a hell with cliﬀs and clefts. In the same way the (robber) himself (threw away) his lot of weapons … A11 … so that this weapon does not pierce.

§ 1.3

A12 .. .. .. [vaśitavaśa] śikṣami e[hi pre]na ta sace vadea ca [śikṣaga] .. .. .. śa aha baḍho ti tato masuA13[va]siṭhasa [ayiṣva]to ekato nito ∙ tena paḍhamo masiśviṭho grahito ayiṣva ∙ eṣo khu eva bhayanako tasa ayiA14ṣva ∙ brohi saca asti eṣa vija ti śi◈kṣaviśe ti aha baḍho tato so coro tatrayiṣvata uvakalito ∙

A12 I will teach. Come, send him, and I will tell the truth. The (prospective) student said: ʻCertainlyʼ. A13 Then he was led into the presence of the venerable Madhuvāsiṣṭha. The (robber) ﬁrst held on to / touched Madhuvāsiṣṭha. (Someone said:) ʻVenerable Sir! They say that this man is dangerousʼ. A14 (Madhuvāsiṣṭha said:) ʻSo be it, Venerable Sirʼ. (The Ācārya said:) ʻTell (him) that this science means truthʼ. (Madhuvāsiṣṭha) said: ʻI will teach (him), certainlyʼ. Then the robber was prompted by the Venerable in that matter.

§ 1.4

s[o] aha i(cha)A15mi eta śipavijaṭ́hana śikṣ[a]ṇaye tat[r]ayiṣva [a]ha tisa s[a]ca sti eṣa vijaṭ́hana śikṣaṇay[o] tatrayiṣva aha saA16[ca] asti eṣa [vija] ∙ tatra s. k.[dh]. [t]o vatitavo bh[o]ti ∙ aha [ka]dha aha pravacitavo ∙ keś̠a orovitava ∙ kaṣaka pu[n]u utava sarva[dra] A17 + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. uvat[i]ṭha pravayi ∙ uvasapatito ∙

A15 (The robber) said: ʻI wish the handicraft science for my study-ﬁeldʼ. Then the Venerable (Madhuvāsiṣṭha) said: ʻThreefold is this science as a study-ﬁeldʼ. A16 Then the Venerable said: ʻThis science means truthʼ. At this point the (robber said): ʻHow?ʼ (Madhuvāsiṣṭha answered:) ʻIt has to be put in motionʼ. (The robber) said: ʻHow?ʼ (The Venerable Madhuvāsiṣṭha) said: ʻ(First,) you have to leave your home. (Second,) the hair has to be shaved, (Third,) in addition a rust-coloured cloth has to be sewn (and put on) everywhereʼ. A17 Instructed (this way the robber) left his home and was ordained.

§ 1.5

tatrayiṣvata metra upatiṭha ∙ yata apanudakena [nu]ḍati na pravi .. ∙ A18 .. + + + + [pati] ∙ araha bhuṣi abhiutarita roca a[bh]u[ṣi] ∙

tatra āyuṣmatā maitrīṃ upadiṣṭām | yataḥ apanodakena nudyate na pravi … A18 … | arhan abhūt | abhyuttaritvā rocaḥ abhūt |

Then the Venerable taught (him) friendliness. A18 … So that when he is brushed aside by someone (he will) not … (and …) (The robber) became an arhat. After crossing (to yonder world) he became a light (in the sky).

§ 1.6

[api] seriyaputrena api ṃasuvasiṭheṇ[a] ∙ tay[e]va vaṣavaso A19 seriya[p]u[tro pravaya]ti ∙

api seriyaputreṇa api madhuvāsiṣṭheṇa | tau eva varṣavāsau A19 seriyaputraḥ pravrajati ||

What happened to the ploughman, what happened to Madhuvāsiṣṭha? These two spent the rainy season together. A19 The ploughman (also) became a monk.

Avadāna 2

§ 2.1

araño saghamitro [sa]ṣamaso dhamarakṣito tritio ca amoheṇa sarvanasti pacimo A20 ṣaṭhi śaga[ḍe ca e]kena vaṣena ∙ [ba]holako ṣahi ca vaṣehi [v/dh].[v]e[t]i[to] kṣemeṇa ca atra gahi[k]eṇa dhamagutena ca ∙ A21 vuḍhataro ∙

araṇyaḥ saṃghamitraḥ sāśramasad dharmarakṣitaḥ tṛtīyaḥ ca | amoghena sarvanāsti pañcamaḥ A20 ṣaṣṭaḥ śakaṭaḥ ca ekena varṣeṇa | bāhulakaḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ ca varṣaiḥ … kṣemeṇa ca | atra gṛhikeṇa dharmaguptena ca A21 vṛddhataraḥ |

Araṇya, the co-hermit Saṅghamitra and Dharmarakṣita as the third (or: Araṇya and Saṅghamitra, and the hermit Dharmarakṣita as the third.) With Amogha (as the fourth) was Sarvanāsti the ﬁfth. A20 And Śakaṭa was the sixth, for one year. And Bāhulaka (lived with them) for six rainy seasons, … and in peace. With them there was also the housekeeper Dharmagupta. A21 He was older (than the rest).

§ 2.2

ta ede dhaṃmag[u]a jarata ahas[u] baholago [dha]maguta[sa aṃte]vaso ∙ ya t[e] baholago aja paA22riṇiva[h]i[ṣati t]o [no] sahasa pariśudho chativaṇo abhoṣi

tad ete dharmaguptaṃ jārataḥ āhuḥ | bāhulakaḥ dharmaguptakasya antevāsī | yad te bāhulakaḥ adya paA22rinirvahiṣyati | tad naḥ sahasā pariśuddhaḥ chavivarṇaḥ abhūt |

This being so, they spoke to Dharmagupta about old age: ʻBāhulaka is the serving house-pupil of Dharmagupta. A22 In case your Bāhulaka would go to Parinirvāṇa today, … then for us he would suddenly become a fully pure and white-skinned (Buddha-like) ﬁgureʼ.

§ 2.3

tada uvaṭ́hayaga na prachadi bhade ativiayiṣvato A23 muhasa[karo] [aha] putriṇi ∙ yasa dukhakaṃdhasa purimakoḍ̱i ṇa ñaïti ∙ tasa aja a[ṇa]viśiṣonikṣevo bhaviṣati A24 [ta]tha ceva tatra[yiṣi]ta śenakara manuṣa paḍ̱isamotidi ∙

tadā upasthāyikā enaṃ pṛcchati | bhante atīvāyuṣmataḥ A23 mokṣasatkāraḥ | āha putriṇi yasya duḥkhaskandhasya pūrvakoṭiḥ na jñāyate | tasya adya anavaśeṣanikṣepaḥ bhaviṣyati | A24 tathā caiva tatreṣitāḥ śayanakarāḥ manuśyāḥ pratisaṃmodanti |

Then his female student asked (Dharmagupta): A23 ʻHonorable man; is there a liberation ceremony for exceedingly old people?ʼ He said: ʻLady with sons; for someone who does not know (even) the basic pre-requisites about (the liberation from) the constituents of suﬀering … such a man will today experience (his own) complete elimination (= pariṇirvāṇa). A24 And then people will rush there to build the (pyre)-bed and rejoiceʼ.

§ 2.4

a[ni] telasa [ca ka]ṭhasa ca maharaśi ṇiyita tatrayiṣva A25 [pa]śate prochati me ta bhaviṣati ∙ .. [a] s. [ayi]ṣ(va) [ta jevaṇa pracava] .. ..

ānīya tailasya ca kāṣṭhasya ca mahārāśiḥ nicitaḥ | tatra āyuṣmān A25 paśyati pṛcchati me tad bhaviṣyati | āhuḥ āyuṣman ?tvajjīvanaṃ pratyāva(rtitam) |

(People) brought a large mass of oil and ﬁrewood and piled it up. A25 At that point the venerable (Bāhulaka) reﬂected and asked ʻCould this be for me?ʼ They said ʻVenerable, your(?) life has come backʼ.

§ 2.5

[aha na da]ṇi bhuyo śakani loṇa vo uṭo A26 [dakṣi]ṇaye ∙ tato [t]. .. (ayi)ṣ[v]a vuḍhapiḍ̱he ṇiṣaṇo ∙ u[va]ṭ́haya[ga] aha kara [pra]kṣa[li]etu ∙ aha ki bhuyo prakṣalidehi ∙

āha na idānīṃ bhūyaḥ śākāni lavaṇā vaḥ ūḍhāḥ A26 .. dakṣiṇāyai | … āyuṣmān vṛddhapīṭhe niṣannaḥ | upasthāyikā āha karau prakṣālayatu | āha kiṃ bhūyaḥ prakṣālitaiḥ |

A26 (Bāhulaka) said: ʻ(But) then no longer will vegetables (and) salt be brought for you ... as a presentʼ Then … the Venerable sat down on the accumulated seat. The femal lay attendant said: ʻYou have to make him wash (his) handsʼ. (Someone else) said: ʻWhy still more washings?ʼ

§ 2.6

A27 ◈ [aprakṣalita]^{ⓝVery uncertain reading.Click to pin} pa[takala] kedaniṣaṇo ∙ eda [ga]sa bhaṣ[i] anica vata sakha ∙ eṣa ca gasa bhaṣita parinivuto

A27 aprakṣālitaḥ prāptakālaḥ ketaniṣannaḥ. etāṃ gāthāṃ abhāṣīt | anityā vata saṃskārāḥ [utpādavyayadharminaḥ, utpadya hi nirūdhyante tāṃ vyupaśamaḥ sukhaṃ] | eṣā ca gāthā bhāṣitā parinirvṛtaḥ |

A27 Unwashed at the proper time, he sat down on the construction. He recited this : ʻTruly, the constituents (of living matter) are not eternal, [it is their nature to arise and decay. After arising they dissolve; to put them to rest means bliss.]ʼ And when this was recited he entered Parinirvāṇa.

§ 2.7

A28 + .. [t]asvi^{ⓝFalk: rasmi.Click to pin} + + + .. .. tatanike⟨da⟩[na vi dhamara]kṣitena eṣa gasa bhaṣita

A28 … | taptaniketanaḥ eva dharmarakṣitena eṣā gāthā bhāṣitā ||

A28 As soon as the construction stood on ﬁre Dharmarakṣita recited the (following) verse:

v. 1gamigasaṃghamitrena khalekṣe[t](r)[e] A29 [ṇasti ṇivaṇa ṣuta]
śakuto jalamuto va [apo] gho hi [gachati] ∙

v. 1gamikasaṃghamitreṇa khalakṣe(tre) A29 nāsti nirvāṇaḥ śrutaṃ |
sakuntaḥ jālamuktaḥ eva alpaṃ aghaṃ hi gacchati ||

v. 1A29 When he went out Saṃghamitra heard (the people) on the threshing ground (say) ʻThere is no Nirvāṇa. As soon as a bird is freed from the net it lightly moves up into the skyʼ.

Avadāna 3: On parentsʼ permission to leave home for monkhood

§ 3.0

[eṣo] paḍhamo a[bhipra]yo [pravaja]ye ∙

esaḥ prathamaḥ abhiprāye pravrajyāyai |

The following is the ﬁrst (to cite when there is) the intention to walk away (i.e. to enter the Buddhist order).

§ 3.1

sa madapitu A30 .. .. .. .. [ti] ∙ ta nanuya[na]ti ∙ nagarasa[maja n](igato)^{ⓝFalk: nagarasamaja nigato, but visible on the reconstructed image.Click to pin} ∙ tatra bhoci

sa mātapitoḥ … A30 … tau nānujānāte | nagarasamājaṃ nirgataḥ | tatra abhojīt |

A30 .. A (boy asked) his mother and father (for permission?). Both did not consent. He went out for a public festival at Nagara. There he ate.

§ 3.2

udahito so ca tava atho [ni]chino ∙ tena ca vuA31to gase [a]śita aghase ti ∙ pipadhito^{ⓝFalk: pipadhito, but there seems to be an additional letter between pi and pa.Click to pin} smi/svi ∙ [vu]to cavalo agach[e]a [∙ na] tava anagadasa eṣo ∙

And he was addressed: ʻDecide about your aim!ʼ A31 And he said: ʻAs people say: ʻI want to eat (real) food, not (animal) fodderʼ. I am thirstyʼ. The (monk) said ʻMay you come soon; this (āśitaḥ, good food) is not for you when you have not comeʼ.

§ 3.3

nichiṭiṣi ti ∙ so A32 + + + + .. .. .. .. ^{ⓝFalk: [gata p]. t. ma d. aha, but there is nothing legible on the reconstructed image.Click to pin} cavala [ma] bhataga dehi (∙) aha eṣa pacati ∙ nutiyaka pi tritiyaka pi ∙

(The boy said/thought): ʻI will untie (myself from the parents)ʼ. A32 He went (home and) said (?to his parents:) ʻQuick, give me some food!ʼ (She) said: ʻIt boilsʼ. (He asked for food) a second time, a third time.

§ 3.4

yada anisara[vita] A33 [ki te] taye ma[du](ye kṣa v)uto gacha hitani bhikṣahi ∙ yati na a[dhi]vaseti ∙ so paśati anuñato A34 [smi/svi] matapitu[na ti] BB1 .. .. .. .. [cha] ti ◦ ^{ⓝUnclear if this belongs here or not, because of the different punctuation mark (cakra instead of flower)Click to pin}

yadā aniḥsāritaḥ A33 kiṃ te tayā mātrā uktam | gaccha. dhṛtāni bhikṣa yadi na adhivāsayati | so paśyati anujñātaḥ A34 asmi mātāpitunā iti | vB1 … ?gaccha iti ||

A33 When he was thus not driven away, the mother said: ʻWhat do you want?ʼ ... ʻ... Go! Beg for things that are ready, if you cannot waitʼ. A34 He reﬂected: ʻI am authorized (to become a monk) by mother and father B1 … (when they) said ʻGo!ʼ

Avadāna 4: On ascetics and women

§ 4.1

.. .. .. .. .. ^{ⓝFalk: sa[ca]ya .. [ha], but not legible on the reconstructed image.Click to pin} [a]yiṣpa pravatadarigiriṣu ṣ̄ayati soṇaga[ṃ]goB2ṭ́hito ludhago .. .. + + tato śe [ja] śi [kh]. [tato aha] loge ti ◦ tas̱a bhoti^{ⓝFalk: ta sabhoti.Click to pin} ◦ ya teṣa i[stri] B3 + + + + [bh]. .. .. .. [ti] la ṭ́ho .. .. + + a va siyati [ta va] pras[u]tik[o] so ayiṣpa abhuṣ[i] ◦ B4 + + + + .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. [p]. ti .. tito o .. s. .. .. .. v[a]ti tatra[yiśpato] .. .. .. .. B5 + + + + + + + + + + + + .. tiea ◊

Saṃcaya said (?): ʻVenerable, they live on mountains with rock cavesʼ. B2 A hunter lived at the Golden Gaṅgā … Then he said: ʻThe people.ʼ. They came together. B3 Those who were their women … gave birth. He became a Venerable (?Buddhist monk). B4 … B5 …

Avadāna 5: On the stolen jewel

§ 5.1

B6 + + + + + + .. tuṣ[i dri] + + + [ṇo] tasa p[r]acu[ta s]avatra maṇi aroyito ◦ samakhada bavuda c̱a tatra[ṭ́hi] B7 + + + + + + + + .. dh. civiṣu

B6 … … pracyutaḥ sarvatra maṇiḥ | samākhyātaḥ vyāvṛtaḥ ca | tatrasthi(tāḥ?) B7 … ||

B6… displaced the jewel was described everywhere. (The theft?) was made public and disclosed. People living there B7 …

Avadāna 6: On Naḍa from yonder world

§ 6.1

vi[śpa] .. [punaḍ].^{ⓝNot legible on the reconstructed image.Click to pin} ṇama saṃkṣiteṇa caḍalasutago hato ◦ naḍa ca paraB8logato [s̱a] .. .. .. ^{ⓝFalk: [s]va(ḍh)[i] ..Click to pin} + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. .. [siya bha]ṃtec[i]tacedas̱ike[h]i ◦ B9 svaḍhi uviṭho avi [mama not in Falk/Steinbrückner 2022. Maybe blank space of one akṣara.. abhuṣi]

viśva..punaḍaḥ nāma saṃkṣiptena caṇḍālasutakaḥ hataḥ | naḍaḥ ca paraB8lokataḥ svardhi … + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + … .. .. .. .. .. syāt bhrāntacittacetasikaiḥ | B9 svarddhiṃ udviṣṭaḥ āvir abhūt |

Viśva..pu-Naḍa by name was slain – to make it short – because he was a caṇḍāla. B8 And Naḍa, from yonder world (?by) his own magic power … it could be by means of straying mind and mental factors. B9 Entering his own magic power he became visible.

§ 6.2

[akame]su ac. .. + + + + + .r.[śata]citacedas̱ika śakomi uB10padedu tasa me uṭ́haha[da] datava

akarmeṣu … + + + + + … śāntacittacetasikān śaknomi uB10tpādayitum | tathā/tasya/tasmāt me utthitvā (BHS utthahitvā) dātavyaṃ |

B10 … ʻ(?In case of bad deeds). I am able to arouse a paciﬁed mind and mental factors. Therefore (people) should honour me and make presents.

§ 6.3

pavakacitacedas̱ika upaṇaya sa me [bhoti] [alavha vata me duladha va]da me B11 tato me bhoti ki[ta] edavaśeja ◦ [ta]to^{ⓝFalk: [da]toClick to pin} me bhoti aha apapuño aṇatha dubala pusujaṇa sa ṇeva iṃtro ṇa balo ya [ro]B12[ga] raga [samagre] haste ṭ́havita puṇa achi[de/to] atidubala[tva] dara[kas̱a] s̱a yeṇa puṇu achijati vutha na so dukaroti

Fetch someone who holds sinful thoughts; he belongs to me. What is not given is mine, and what is diﬃcult to get is mine. B11 In addition, someone bought (as a slave) is mine (and) someone who is born in someoneʼs possession; a donated person is mine. Alas, (everyone is mine) who has little merit, and (all) ordinary men without a protector or those being weak. Never (will) an Indra (i.e. a king) or mighty (person belong to me). B12 Sick persons and impassioned persons are completely put into my hand. But I could remove too great a weakness from a child. On the other hand, by whichever (monk such a weakness) is removed without result (in that the child dies nonetheless) he (thereby) does not misbehave (in a monastic legal sense)ʼ.

§ 6.4

ṇa[ḍo ca] ◦ B13 parivaḍi[to]

naḍaḥ ca B13 parivartitaḥ ||

(So) Naḍa (said) B13 and returned (to yonder world).

Avadāna 7: On the house-bound monk

§ 7.1

[acaria] svakaṃṭ́haro[dho/ka] abh[u]ṣi ṇagara[śaye] manuṣeṇa nimaṃtrito ∙ tatra ṣamaṇo kulovako

ācāryaḥ sakaṇṭharodhaḥ abhūt | nagareśāye manuśyena nimantritaḥ | tatra śramaṇaḥ kulopakaḥ |

There was a teacher who held his words under control. While in town he was invited by some person. There was (also) a monk who was customarily associated with the family.

§ 7.2

B14 tas̱a aha iśayeva ta phalapate ◦ na hi tatra tadiśaka labhiṣati [aha] s̱a[rva] labhiṣati ye[ganakhatrayi]B15śpa ta śigavereṇa ca makṣi[ena] . [so maṇuśo ga] .

B14 To him the (teacher) said (smugly): ʻThis here is all you want to achieve? Not everybody will achieve this muchʼ. (The house-monk) said: ʻAll can obtain (this)ʼ. B15 ʻSir, at (every) one-star- they (?will even cook) … with ginger and honeyʼ. The man …

§ 7.3

[tas̱a k]u[l]ovakas̱a pariviṣamana sarvas̱akṣayae B16 ṣamaṇa

tasya kulopakasya pariviṣyamāna*sya sarva(sya / saṃ)kṣayāya B16 śramaṇaḥ ||

Then, while the family monk was being served B16 the śramaṇa (set out) for the complete elimination of everything.

Avadāna 8: On Lobhajaka

§ 8.1

. tavaḍhaṇe lobhajako nama aha ṃahasaṃghigo abhuṣi teṇa raja grahito

(vit)tavardhanaḥ lobhajakaḥ nāma | atha mahāsāṅghikaḥ abhūt tena rājā gṛhītaḥ |

There was a man, an increaser of wealth, called Lobhajaka. Then there was a Mahāsāṅghika who had the king under his inﬂuence.

§ 8.2

tehi acivikehi B17 loha[ja] .. + [ti] karavito ṃa eda aṃ[ñe]ṣa rajana na avamuśeya ti aja prada c̱a[ṣa]ko

tebhir ājīvikaiḥ B17 lobhajakaḥ … kāritaḥ | mā etat aṇyeṣāṃ rājānāṃ *dāḥ/naya avamuṣeyuḥ iti | adya pradā caṣakaḥ |

B17 With some Ājīvika monks Lobhajaka … had … made. (?They said to the king): ʻ*Give/take this not to other kings! They would steal itʼ. Today the donation is a goblet.

§ 8.3

maso ha ṭ́hi B18 + + + + [pra]viśati tasa ha[ste] mudra kariati

māsaṃ ha sthiB18(tvā) + + + praviśati | tasya haste mudrā kāryate ||

B18 Having stayed [exiled/quiet?] for one month the (Mahāsāṅghika) enters … He has a seal (?print) made in (the kingʼs) hand.

Avadāna 9: On noisy yavanikās, told by Buddhadeva

§ 9.0

budhadevo avadana japati

buddhadevaḥ avadānaṃ jalpati |

Buddhadeva relates this avadāna.

§ 9.1

yonika nikhamanak[r]a B19 + + + + + + + + + .iśika ◦

yavanikāḥ niṣkramaṇakarma … |

Western foreignersʼ women (Yavanikās) (?celebrated) the rite around a babyʼs ﬁrst leaving the house B19

§ 9.2

ta c̱i paḍhamo katha vikatheatva no aṃña c̱a uparito

tad ced prathamāṃ kathām vikathayitvā na anyāṃ ca uparitaḥ |

In case that this story is expanded as the ﬁrst, no other (story should) follow.

§ 9.3

coḍap[r]aB20[b]uta te yonika nacati ◦ s̱ayi praṇacida • ta[s̱]a te kathavidha ve[ś]e[ti] ..

coḍaprāB20vṛtāḥ te yavanikāḥ nṛtyanti | sāyaṃ pranṛttāḥ | tathā tāḥ kathaṃvidhaṃ veśayante ||

Having wrapped themselves in bandages B20 these Yavanikās dance. They dance all through the evening. In which way were they made to rest?

§ 9.4

pusajaṇo a[nitva] B21 sarva[sa/tra][ṣa] mayo yoṇika ṇaḍ[o]maṇa y[a] rajago smi/svi mudrako

pṛthagjanaṃ ānītvā B21 sarvasamayaṃ yavanikāḥ nardamāṇāḥ ca | rajakaḥ asmi mudrāṅkaḥ ||

They led a civilian to the scene, B21 and while the Yavanikās kept shouting all the time. (The citizen said): ʻI am the washerman/dyer, (to collect) the sealed (laundry)ʼ.

Avadāna 10: On the use of luxury, told by Upatiṣya

§ 10.0

uvadiśo avadano japati ◦

upatiṣyaḥ avadānaṃ jalpati |

Upatiṣya tells the (following) avadāna.

§ 10.1

raya B22 [ki]ci japati ◦ ya eta ṣamaṇa japati an[i]ca dukha ti va etava mahaghani ca vastrani paruama ◦ B23 .. [hagha ca bhoyana] bhukṣama ◦ mahaghani ca paṇani piva[ma] + + + + .. vilevanani viliṃva +

rājā B22 kṛtyaṃ jalpati | yad etāḥ śramaṇāḥ jalpanti anityaṃ duḥkham iti eva | etāvad mahārghāni ca vastrāṇi prāvṛṇumaḥ | B23 mahārghaṃ ca bhojanaṃ bubhukṣāmaḥ | mahārghāni ca pānani pibāmaḥ [maharghāni ca] vilepanāni vilimpāB24maḥ |

A (certain) king B22 speaks about behavior comme il faut: ʻAlthough these (Buddhist) recluses (use to) say: ʻ(Everything) that is not eternal is painfulʼ… still we (royals) put on expensive garments, … B23 and we eat expensive food, … and we drink expensive drinks, … and we annoint ourselves with expensive ointments’. B24

§ 10.2

B24 + + + + .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. [aha de]va atra ña[vit]. .. .. [eta] deva mahaghani bhoyaṇani .. B25 + [nan]u [jigitsa]ye piḍito bhujadhi ◦ mahagha[ni] c̱a va[stra]ṇi śidena pito paruasi ∙ B26 + + [gha]ṇi [c̱]a paṇaṇi pivati udañae piḍido ◦ mahagha[ni] c̱a vilevaṇaṇi .. .. .. .. .. .. B27 + + + + (vil)[i](ṃ)[vasi] [sa]manvoga[dha]eṇa piḍido ◦ atra daṇi ki sukho ◦

… āha deva, atra jñāpitavyaṃ … etat | deva mahārghani bhojanāni …B25 nanu jighatsayā pīḍitaḥ bhunakṣi | mahārghāni ca vastrāṇi śītena pīḍitaḥ prāvṛṇoṣi | B26 mahārghanī ca pānāni pibasi udanyayā pīḍitaḥ | mahārghani ca vilepanāni gṛB27(hītvā) … vilimpasi | sāmānyagandhena pīḍitaḥ | atra idāniṃ kiṃ sukham |

… He said: ʻKing! In this matter you have to be aware of the followingʼ: ʻKing! Donʼt you eat these expensive dishes B25 not simply because you are tormented by hunger? And you put on the expensive dresses because you are tormented by the cold (weather). B26 And you drink expensive drinks because you are tormented by thirst. You take recourse to expensive fragrant ointments B27 … and annoint yourself, because you are tormented by (your) ordinary smell. If things are such, what sort of happiness is this now?ʼ

§ 10.3

aha prajalikaro so B28 raya ṭ́hito suṭhu japasi

āha prāñjalīkāraḥ so B28 rājā sthitaḥ suṣṭhu jalpasi ||

The king stood up and said with joined hands: B28 ʻYou speak rightlyʼ.

Avadāna 11: With Buddha Udgama

§ 11.1

vuḍho ganika[p]r. .. .. .. .. .. ko a[śpa]ti ◦

vṛddhaḥ gaṇikāpr(iyaḥ) …

An old man, ?fond of harlots,

§ 11.2

[so] aca[ria] B29 aha yati ugamo budho aṃba eśati edatagra la[bhi]ṣati ◦

so ācāryaḥ B29 āha | yadi udgamaḥ buddhaḥ ambāṃ/āmraṃ eṣati etadagrāṃ labhiṣyati |

The teacher B29 said: ʻIf the Buddha (named) Udgama longs for a mango,^{ⓝFalk/Steinbrückner 2022: woman/mango.Click to pin} he will obtain the best of the kindʼ.

§ 11.3

acari[o] a[ha]

ācāryaḥ āha |

The teacher said …

§ 11.4

B30 + [gh]i te m[i] .. .. + + + + + + + .. .. .. [le] aha ṇa aṇa .. .. [a] .. .. [thu] .. .. .. .. .. .. B31 /// .. k(u)ḍe śiṣa gat[o] bhiṇaka B32 /// .. le ◦ sagramo di

B30 /// B31 /// … B32 /// …

B30 /// B31 /// B32 ///