BUDDHACARITA 12.121: Of Heaven, Nature, Non-Doing & Resolute Sitting

⏑−⏑−,⏑⏑⏑⏑−⏑−⏑−¦¦⏑−⏑−,⏑⏑⏑⏑−⏑−⏑−    Rucirā

tato yayur mudam atulāṁ divaukaso vavāśire na mga-gaṇāḥ na pakṣiṇaḥ |

⏑−⏑−,⏑⏑⏑⏑−⏑−⏑−¦¦⏑−⏑−,⏑⏑⏑⏑−⏑−⏑−

na sasvanur vana-taravo 'nilāhatāḥ ktāsane bhagavati niścitātmani || 12.121 

iti buddha-carite mahā-kāvye 'rāḍa-darśano nāma dvādaśaḥ sargaḥ || 12 ||

12.121

Then the denizens of heaven felt unequalled joy;

No sound did any beast make, nor any bird;

No forest tree creaked, though buffeted by the wind – 

When the Glorious One took his sitting posture, resolute to the core.

The 12th canto, titled Seeing / Arāḍa, in an epic tale of awakened action.

COMMENT:

Today's verse is another verse that – being in the relatively long 13-syllable rucirā metre, which allows each pāda enough scope to form a more-or-less independent clause – is easily analysed in four phases:

1. the denizens of heaven naturally belong, along with everything else in heaven, in the 1st phase;
2. natural beings like the birds and beasts, along with everything else in the amazing world of nature, naturally belong in the 2^nd phase;
3. the exemplary quietness of trees that do not react noisily even when subjected to a stimulus, may be taken as a metaphor for the 3^rd noble truth, the truth of cessation;
4. the sitting of a sitting Buddha – or at least a sitting Buddha-to-be – belongs, in every instance, to the fourth and ultimate phase.

VOCABULARY

tataḥ: ind. then

yayur = 3^rd pers. pl. perf. yā: to go to

mudam = acc. sg. mud: f. joy , delight , gladness , happiness

atulām (acc. sg. f.): mfn. unequalled

divaukasaḥ (nom. pl. m.): the sky-dwellers, the denizens of heaven

vavāśire = 3^rd pers. pl. perf. vāś: to roar , howl , bellow , bleat , low (as a cow) , cry , shriek , sing (like a bird) , sound , resound

na: not

mṛga-gaṇāḥ (nom. pl. m.): the multitudes of beasts

gaṇa: m. a flock , troop , multitude

na: not

pakṣiṇaḥ (nom. pl.): “winged ones”; birds

na: not

sasvanur = 3^rd pers. pl. perf. svan: to sound , make any noise , roar , yell , hum , sing

vana-taravaḥ (nom. pl. m.): the trees of the forest

taru: m. tree

anilāhatāḥ (nom. pl. m.): struck by the wind

anila: m. air, wind

āhata: mfn. struck , beaten , hit , hurt

kṛtāsane (loc. abs.): being engaged in sitting, realizing the sitting posture

āsana: n. sitting ; sitting in peculiar posture according to the custom of devotees , (five or , in other places , even eighty-four postures are enumerated ; » padmā*sana , bhadrā*sana , vajrā*sana , vīrā*sana , svastikā*sana: the manner of sitting forming part of the eightfold observances of ascetics)

bhagavati (loc. abs.): mfn. possessing fortune , fortunate , prosperous , happy ; glorious , illustrious , divine , adorable , venerable ; m. name of a buddha or a bodhi-sattva or a jina

niścitātmani (loc. abs.) with resolute self , with determined essence

niścita: mfn. one who has come to a conclusion or formed a certain opinion , determined to , resolute upon

ātman: m. essence , nature , character , peculiarity (often ifc. e.g. karmā*tman , &c )

iti: thus

buddha-carite mahā-kāvye (loc. sg.): in the epic tale of awakened action

arāḍa-darśanaḥ (nom. sg.): meeting Arāḍa

darśana: n. seeing , observing , looking , noticing , observation , perception ; visiting ; n. audience , meeting (with gen. ; instr. with or without saha ; in comp.) ; n. experiencing ; n. view , doctrine , philosophical system ; n. the becoming visible or known , presence

nāma: ind. by name

dvādaśaḥ sargaḥ: the 12^th canto

天龍悉歡喜 

清涼微風起 草木不鳴條
一切諸禽獸 寂靜悉無聲
斯皆是菩薩 必成覺道相 

佛所行讃 阿羅藍鬱頭藍品第十二