Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 80: Vasavadatta"

Latest revision as of 20:02, 31 December 2013

There was a courtesan in Mathura named Vasavadatta.
She happened to see Upagutta, one of Buddha's disciples,
a tall and beautiful youth, and fell desperately in love with him.
Vasavadatta sent an invitation to the young man, but he replied:
"The time has not yet arrived when Upagutta will visit Vasavadatta." [1]

The courtesan was astonished at the reply,
and she sent again for him, saying:
"Vasavadatta desires love, not gold, from Upagutta."
But Upagutta made the same enigmatic reply and did not come. [2]

A few months later Vasavadatta had a love-intrigue with the chief of the artisans,
and at that time a wealthy merchant came to Mathura, who fell in love with Vasavadatta.
Seeing his wealth, and fearing the jealousy of her other lover,
she contrived the death of the chief of the artisans,
and concealed his body under a dunghill. [3]

When the chief of the artisans had disappeared,
his relatives and friends searched for him and found his body.
Vasavadatta, however, was tried by a judge,
and condemned to have her ears and nose,
her hands and feet cut off,
and flung into a graveyard. [4]

Vasavadatta had been a passionate girl,
but kind to her servants,
and one of her maids followed her,
and out of love for her former mistress
ministered unto her in her agonies,
and chased away the crows. [5]

Now the time had arrived when Upagutta decided to visit Vasavadatta. [6]

When he came, the poor woman ordered her maid to collect
and hide under a cloth her severed limbs;
and he greeted her kindly, but she said with petulance:
"Once this body was fragrant like the lotus and I offered thee my love.
In those days I was covered with pearls and fine muslin.
Now I am mangled by the executioner and covered with filth and blood." [7]

"Sister," said the young man,
"it is not for my pleasure that I approach thee.
It is to restore to thee a nobler beauty
than the charms which thou hast lost. [8]

"I have seen with mine eyes the Tathagata walking upon earth
and teaching men his wonderful doctrine.
But thou wouldst not have listened to the words of righteousness
while surrounded with temptations,
while under the spell of passion and yearning for worldly pleasures.
Thou wouldst not have listened to the teachings of the Tathagata,
for thy heart was wayward, and thou didst see thy trust on the sham of thy transient charms. [9]

"The charms of a lovely form are trecherous,
and quickly lead into temptations,
which have proved too strong for thee.
But there is a beauty which will not fade,
and if thou wilt but listen
to the doctrine of our Lord, the Buddha,
thou wilt find that peace which thou wouldst have found
in the restless world of sinful pleasures."[10]

Vasavadatta became calm and a spiritual happiness
soothed the tortures of her bodily pain;
for where there is much suffering there is also great bliss. [11]

Having taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha,
she died in pious submission to the punishment of her crime. [12]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{DisplayImages|1007|5|1706|1627|263|100|798|1878|900|677}}
-There was a courtesan in Mathura named Vasavadatta.<br/>
+There was a {{Wiki|courtesan}} in [[Mathura]] named [[Vasavadatta]].<br/>
-She happened to see Upagutta, one of Buddha's disciples,<br/>
+She happened to see Upagutta, one of [[Buddha's disciples]],<br/>
-a tall and beautiful youth, and fell desperately in love with him.<br/>
+a tall and beautiful youth, and fell desperately in [[love]] with him.<br/>
-Vasavadatta sent an invitation to the young man, but he replied:<br/>
+[[Vasavadatta]] sent an invitation to the young man, but he replied:<br/>
-"The time has not yet arrived when Upagutta will visit Vasavadatta." [1]<br/>
+"The [[time]] has not yet arrived when Upagutta will visit [[Vasavadatta]]." [1]<br/>
 <br/>
-The courtesan was astonished at the reply,<br/>
+The {{Wiki|courtesan}} was astonished at the reply,<br/>
 and she sent again for him, saying:<br/>
-"Vasavadatta desires love, not gold, from Upagutta."<br/>
+"[[Vasavadatta]] [[desires]] [[love]], not {{Wiki|gold}}, from Upagutta."<br/>
 But Upagutta made the same enigmatic reply and did not come. [2]<br/>
 <br/>
-A few months later Vasavadatta had a love-intrigue with the chief of the artisans,<br/>
+A few months later [[Vasavadatta]] had a love-intrigue with the chief of the artisans,<br/>
-and at that time a wealthy merchant came to Mathura, who fell in love with Vasavadatta.<br/>
+and at that [[time]] a wealthy {{Wiki|merchant}} came to [[Mathura]], who fell in [[love]] with [[Vasavadatta]].<br/>
-Seeing his wealth, and fearing the jealousy of her other lover,<br/>
+[[Seeing]] his [[wealth]], and fearing the [[jealousy]] of her other lover,<br/>
-she contrived the death of the chief of the artisans,<br/>
+she contrived the [[death]] of the chief of the artisans,<br/>
-and concealed his body under a dunghill. [3]<br/>
+and concealed his [[body]] under a dunghill. [3]<br/>
 <br/>
 When the chief of the artisans had disappeared,<br/>
-his relatives and friends searched for him and found his body.<br/>
+his relatives and friends searched for him and found his [[body]].<br/>
-Vasavadatta, however, was tried by a judge,<br/>
+[[Vasavadatta]], however, was tried by a judge,<br/>
-and condemned to have her ears and nose,<br/>
+and condemned to have her {{Wiki|ears}} and {{Wiki|nose}},<br/>
 her hands and feet cut off,<br/>
 and flung into a graveyard. [4]<br/>
 <br/>
-Vasavadatta had been a passionate girl,<br/>
+[[Vasavadatta]] had been a [[passionate]] girl,<br/>
 but kind to her servants,<br/>
 and one of her maids followed her,<br/>
-and out of love for her former mistress<br/>
+and out of [[love]] for her former mistress<br/>
 ministered unto her in her agonies,<br/>
-and chased away the crows. [5]<br/>
+and chased away the [[crows]]. [5]<br/>
 <br/>
-Now the time had arrived when Upagutta decided to visit Vasavadatta. [6]<br/>
+Now the [[time]] had arrived when Upagutta decided to visit [[Vasavadatta]]. [6]<br/>
 <br/>
 When he came, the poor woman ordered her maid to collect<br/>
 and hide under a cloth her severed limbs;<br/>
 and he greeted her kindly, but she said with petulance:<br/>
-"Once this body was fragrant like the lotus and I offered thee my love.<br/>
+"Once this [[body]] was fragrant like the [[lotus]] and I [[offered]] thee my [[love]].<br/>
 In those days I was covered with pearls and fine muslin.<br/>
-Now I am mangled by the executioner and covered with filth and blood." [7]<br/>
+Now I am mangled by the executioner and covered with filth and {{Wiki|blood}}." [7]<br/>
 <br/>
 "Sister," said the young man,<br/>
-"it is not for my pleasure that I approach thee.<br/>
+"it is not for my [[pleasure]] that I approach thee.<br/>
-It is to restore to thee a nobler beauty<br/>
+It is to restore to thee a nobler [[beauty]]<br/>
 than the charms which thou hast lost. [8]<br/>
 <br/>
-"I have seen with mine eyes the Tathagata walking upon earth<br/>
+"I have seen with mine [[eyes]] the [[Tathagata]] walking upon [[earth]]<br/>
-and teaching men his wonderful doctrine.<br/>
+and [[teaching]] men his wonderful [[doctrine]].<br/>
-But thou wouldst not have listened to the words of righteousness<br/>
+But thou wouldst not have listened to the words of [[righteousness]]<br/>
 while surrounded with temptations,<br/>
-while under the spell of passion and yearning for worldly pleasures.<br/>
+while under the spell of [[passion]] and yearning for [[worldly]] [[pleasures]].<br/>
-Thou wouldst not have listened to the teachings of the Tathagata,<br/>
+Thou wouldst not have listened to the teachings of the [[Tathagata]],<br/>
-for thy heart was wayward, and thou didst see thy trust on the sham of thy transient charms. [9]<br/>
+for thy [[heart]] was wayward, and thou didst see thy [[trust]] on the sham of thy transient charms. [9]<br/>
 <br/>
-"The charms of a lovely form are trecherous,<br/>
+"The charms of a lovely [[form]] are trecherous,<br/>
 and quickly lead into temptations,<br/>
 which have proved too strong for thee.<br/>
-But there is a beauty which will not fade,<br/>
+But there is a [[beauty]] which will not fade,<br/>
 and if thou wilt but listen<br/>
-to the doctrine of our Lord, the Buddha,<br/>
+to the [[doctrine]] of our [[Lord]], the [[Buddha]],<br/>
-thou wilt find that peace which thou wouldst have found<br/>
+thou wilt find that [[peace]] which thou wouldst have found<br/>
-in the restless world of sinful pleasures."[10]<br/>
+in the restless [[world]] of sinful [[pleasures]]."[10]<br/>
 <br/>
-Vasavadatta became calm and a spiritual happiness<br/>
+[[Vasavadatta]] became [[calm]] and a [[spiritual]] [[happiness]]<br/>
-soothed the tortures of her bodily pain;<br/>
+soothed the tortures of her [[bodily pain]];<br/>
-for where there is much suffering there is also great bliss. [11]<br/>
+for where there is much [[suffering]] there is also great [[bliss]]. [11]<br/>
 <br/>
-Having taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha,<br/>
+Having taken [[refuge]] in the [[Buddha]], the [[Dharma]], and the [[Sangha]],<br/>
-she died in pious submission to the punishment of her crime. [12]<br/>
+she [[died]] in pious submission to the {{Wiki|punishment}} of her [[crime]]. [12]<br/>
 {{The Gospel of Buddha}}

Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 80: Vasavadatta"

Latest revision as of 20:02, 31 December 2013

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