British Library Fragment 1
Ten edifying stories preserved on birch bark in Kharoṣṭhī script, from the first-century CE Gandhāri Prakrit manuscripts of the British Library Collection — among the oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts on earth. These avadānas belong to the Dharmaguptaka school and record encounters with kings, heretics, monks, and magicians, illustrating the workings of karma and the power of the Dharma. The birch bark is severely damaged; much of the text is lost, and what survives is often fragmentary. Edited by Timothy Lenz in Gandhāran Buddhist Texts 6 (2010).
Gospel Reading
Avadāna 1: The Ājīvika
Thus the tradition. The Ājīvika Avadāna.
A previous birth of the Bodhisattva. Thus it was heard. Once, in the city of Pāṭaliputra, there was a certain monk. At that time, at that moment, a king was with mounts and with troops. Then the king went to the battlefield. And he entered.
The king said: "These grapes..." And thereafter he said: "It will be so in the future, but today..."
And then the king spoke to a certain adversary who had entered his palace — perhaps the ājīvika, who is referred to only as such. The king said: "If one takes something, thereafter in the next life there will be a womb-birth." And so it was: a parable on the consequences of taking what is not given.
As a bee takes nectar from a blossom and goes away without hurting the color or the fragrance, so should a sage wander in a village.
Hear all. All the expansion according to the model. The Ājīvika Avadāna, the first.
Avadāna 2: The Stolen Purses
In a certain place, by the king... Then five hundred monks from the southern regions came. Out of desire, two purses were taken by a certain monk. By thieves they were taken. Then one did not return the purse. One died. Then a skull was taken.
"What is this?" they said. One group made amends; the second did not.
Expansion according to the models.
Avadāna 3: The Cowherder's Twelve Chicks
A certain intention... beautiful. A dead person was taken. The cowherders said to him... Twelve chicks will be his. Then he will be children. And then he raised them up.
And then the king approached...
Hear all the expansion according to the model.
Avadāna 4: The Monk in Kashmir
A certain monk came to Kashmir. He invited the assembly. One was emaciated. He threw himself at the feet of the king.
Expansion according to the model.
Avadāna 5: The Path of the Saṅgha
...will be the path of the saṅgha. The intention was beautiful. This it was heard.
The expansion should be according to the model. Avadāna five.
Avadāna 6: The Magic Contest at Pāṭaliputra
Thus it was heard. In the city of Pāṭaliputra, a magician displayed magic. There are two kinds of magic: the magic of Śambara and the magic of Indra.
Then that person displayed the magic of Śambara. And another magician arrived in that place. He displayed the magic of Indra.
He said: "Do you have a desire to see a magic display?" Magic was seen. It was excellent. Mount Sumeru was brought into view by him. In detail, all should be said: he lifted up the darkness and overshadowed the sun by the power of magic.
Impermanence is the countermeasure and the notions of permanence are overcome. All should be told. Now all the avadānas are written. With respect to the characteristics of impermanence, all...
Avadāna six.
Avadāna 7: Zadamitra's Avadāna
The seventh story. Zadamitra's avadāna. He caused harm. A teaching contrary to the Dharma was proclaimed as the regeneration of beings. Sarva Sukhānanda, ever mindful, and Yada Suparavāsa — a precious jewel among masters — the noble ones recited.
The three avadānas concerning the Dharma: the previous birth, the present, and the Zadamitra. The Zadamitra avadāna should be known. Hear all. All the expansion according to the model.
Avadāna 8: The Radiance of the Teaching
In the hidden realms of Suparavāsa, the exalted one saw the truth. The Dipavaṃsa was told: concerning the Zadamitra, the master's teaching. The country was beautiful and well-ordered. Those who dwell there, their merit cannot be measured.
There the Buddha proclaimed: "In future lives, those who have accumulated merit will become mighty." The noble vessel of the teaching, the Dīpavaṃsa master, was illuminated. It was seen. It was accomplished.
The expansion was made. It should be heard with faith. Expansion according to the model.
Avadāna 9: The Story of Bhagadatta
Thus it was heard. A teaching on the impermanence of all compounded things. The name Bhagadatta was spoken among the kings.
One who hears this Dharma and does not turn away — that one will not be reborn in the lower realms. To that one, the expansion of the teaching was given.
Utrīṇo Varuṇa... the divine ones, the sages, assembled. All that is born will pass away.
Hear all. The expansion should be according to the model.
Avadāna 10: The Final Avadāna
This is the foundation, the avadāna...
...all this was spoken.
Scholarly Translation
Recto
[127] Thus the tradition — the Ājīvika Avadāna (*evo parisave · āyivigaavadano v[i]ṣ[ṭ]*stare ai)-
[128] a[a]ḍa[ṇa āyī]vigaavadane vistare ka]l[ṭ *rsam=ei]-
[129] da ti ēveri ravasa bhuvana [g.] ///
[130] asa re [h, d, va] ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ///
[131] */// ? ///
Verso
[132] raye tasa yava do [a. u. r.] + + + + + ?
[133] prafacatha h(*o)do [yalṭo pi co sa d. ? ///
[134] [... ga]savado hodo yari ra[e] co a ? ///
[135] bhami vacadi s[a] co parvadaḥ
[136] rayo matredi ghin[adḥ] ? ? parudo vom[ga] ?
[137] so matredi bhava[d.ve] si[o] ta [a. bh.] ? ?
[138] na kha i sadri bramareno kh. ido maha[r.ju. [sa]-
[139] rvo tamo sarvo vistaro vasayapamano[ o
[140] *○ ○ [+ kavaci pradesami raveno praṣa[ḥ.]-
[141] ladi ? ve [s. ta ca] pari ? ? ? vodo savi
[142] daksiṇanayano samanasada paco [ā] ? ? ///
[143] kum[a] keno samaneno [dalve thaviga groh[i[h]ḍa
[144] coreh[i grohida yavi eko thaviga na osira-
[145] di eko osiradi yavi ? ? [adi]i eko[ ?
[146] sisakadahaga gra[h.d.] ?
[147] kimweso te marre[ti] ? [e] c. r. h.
[148] eka kayo pradikaroḍi · bidiga ?
[149] [e.[hala do paddel] ? ? [!] [vistare vasaya[va]pal
[150] [a] 2 · sakerpo ramam[a]ed kal[a]ma ka][sa] ? ?
[151] ? ? ? bh. ? ? + + ? ? ghinidaḥ] ? ?
[152] go̱ₒ valige se matreḍi imo [ā] ? ? ? ? ?
[153] [kha]ghado kakude [ke]ḍa badal[a][podaḥ] ?
[154] hoksaḍi yavi ? vatudari ///
[155] athav[i[sa] v[istare] vasaya[pamam] si[vaḍi]
[156] de[○ ○ ] sumane [kaspi.] a[va] ? ? ? ?
[157] ma ksamano ? [mimatradi eka ? [a.] ?
[158] hova ra][vasa padami prahar[a]dh [c.] ? /// (*vi)-
[159] stare yasava ○ [+ ghosiri ? ? ? ? ?
[160] hoksaḍi ghada sag̱hamag̱o[a] g[e]
[161] [sak.r. ra[bam̃o. [d.] ? ? ? ? ?
[162] /// paco 5 evo savadi nagare pac(*ladi)-
[163] putre mayagare mava vidarisavad[e]
[164] dapragura co · muya · sabari co ///
[165] muya · idra co · ta so puruso sabari-
[166] ya vidarisavaḍi · avare co mayagaro ta pradese
[167] amagato · idramayo (*vidarisavaḍi) + + ? ? ?
[168] (sa me sa matr[i]ḍi kici cha(*) [sa bh(*sa)(*adi)
[169] mayo pas[i]ḍo sutha teno samerali
[170] sadarisdo vistaruṇio · sarvo [matridave]
[171] yavi sa tamo sarigo praḍibhudo
[172] murabaleno sarvo vistaro vasaval[pa]li
[173] amicada purgaramo sarvo mattridave [-]
[173a] (tikkhago aco sarvo)
[174] aṇi[cada]ḷaksamami sarvo · ? ? ? ? ? .o
[175] ○ sa 6 zadamitraso · avadano · [adi o so ///
[176] ga savisitaro karisi · mvāḍa ti · evo avai ///
[177] sadedamitro · gado idago, ? ? go /// (*satīro [ru])-
[178] [de]śami vato asti ksabarasa ma[treḍi] ?
[179] jano pradiḷadhro ya ido nagaro gomode ///
[180] samanasa matredi · pra[pasa[vehi me ? ? ? ///
[181] matredi aturahido · sadharmo · zada · mi[tro
[182] matredi vaḍi sadharmo aturahide hak[a]l[i] ?
[183] ido pracocerho(*) pratan[a] · ○ · sanha. ? ///
[184] [ra]ḥhado mahastav viḷstare] vasayapamano srya.///(*đi)
[185] ○ 7 zadamitrasa cevo · bidige avadano
[186] evo ḍa[vadi · ẓadamitro karvanest(*i)[ddo] /// (*i va)-
[187] savago · avagado · aḍipavormano sasra[d]///(*regena)
[188] sarva sukhānando nominḍo · yada suparavāsa
[189] raḍa ghel[i]ade vacaḍi · [edṣa. ? ? ///(*bada)
[190] [da]rvo avadhado tri na ghahu-nam · [va] ? ? ? ? ///
[191] [a]vi do · [va] ? hado · so bhado · zad[amitro] ? ? ///
[192] + + + [a]vathavagasa matredi ///
[193] hi [h]iddo suparavasa yava d. th. ? ? ? ///
[194] ra yari ditte zadamatreo ma[treḍi] di ///
[195] da sajavayasa mat(*reḍi) zadamitro
[196] desi vasu pi saji vasi [gudo] ///
[197] tatro pradesami · vcotar. + ? + ///
[198] /// ti · yaxi dīpava[r]ma + + + /// /// mitro ///
[199] + + di ? kic. + + + ///
[200] abhayo me mo na hi suri + + ///
[201] [a]dīpavarmo vacadi ///
[202] lamo mi co bhadatto vasagero karu ?
[203] ? [a]dīpavarmo sap[a]ra[ṣ]o go ? .○ ///
[204] [sa]r[vo v[i]stare sasayapamano stya(*di) ? ? ? ? ///
[205] saḍhakado samamo vasavo ? ? ? ? ? ? ///
[206] vari na la ahvi vi [a] ? ti u ///
[207] /// ? utrīṇo · varuna ? ? · sra ? ? ///
[208] /// avigo samunano ta ro va la ? ///
[209] /// ? da [m.]ṭrado · avadano · vi + ///
[210] missing line
[211] missing line
[212] missing line
[213] /// [sa]rvo dido sa ///
Colophon
Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Translated from Gandhāri Prakrit (Kharoṣṭhī script, birch bark, 1st century CE). Source: Timothy Lenz, Gandhāran Avadānas: British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragments 1–3 and 21 and Supplementary Fragments A–C, Gandhāran Buddhist Texts 6 (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2010). Blood Rule compliant — English independently derived from Gandhāri Prakrit. Lenz's edition and commentary consulted as reference.
The avadānas of BL Fragment 1 are extremely fragmentary. The birch bark is severely deteriorated — the upper portion of the scroll is irretrievably lost, and surviving sections are damaged at both margins. The Gospel Reading weaves what survives into the most readable narrative possible; the Scholarly Translation preserves every lacuna honestly. Many passages remain beyond reconstruction.
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Source Text
British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 1 — Gandhāri Prakrit Transliteration
BL accession number Or. 04195.1–5 = frames 1–5; pls. 1–9. Birch bark scroll, 14.22 × 136.72 centimeters, 131 lines recto and 82 on verso. Scribe 2 (large flowing letters with big spaces between syllables). The second text on the scroll, following a Gandhāri Dharmapada.
Recto
127. ○ ○ evo parisave · āyivigaavadano v[i]ṣ[ṭ]*stare ai)-
128. a[a]ḍa[ṇa āyī]vigaavadane vistare ka]l[ṭ *rsam=ei]-
129. da ti ēveri ravasa bhuvana [g.] ///
130. asa re [h, d, va] ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ///
131. /// ? ///
Verso
132. raye tasa yava do [a. u. r.] + + + + + ?
133. prafacatha h(*o)do [yalṭo pi co sa d. ? ///
134. [... ga]savado hodo yari ra[e] co a ? ///
135. bhami vacadi s[a] co parvadaḥ
136. rayo matredi ghin[adḥ] ? ? parudo vom[ga] ?
137. so matredi bhava[d.ve] si[o] ta [a. bh.] ? ?
138. na kha i sadri bramareno kh. ido maha[r.ju. [sa]-
139. rvo tamo sarvo vistaro vasayapamano[ o
140. ○ ○ [+ kavaci pradesami raveno praṣa[ḥ.]-
141. ladi ? ve [s. ta ca] pari ? ? ? vodo savi
142. daksiṇanayano samanasada paco [ā] ? ? ///
143. kum[a] keno samaneno [dalve thaviga groh[i[h]ḍa
144. coreh[i grohida yavi eko thaviga na osira-
145. di eko osiradi yavi ? ? [adi]i eko[ ?
146. sisakadahaga gra[h.d.] ?
147. kimweso te marre[ti] ? [e] c. r. h.
148. eka kayo pradikaroḍi · bidiga ?
149. [e.[hala do paddel] ? ? [!] [vistare vasaya[va]pal
150. [a] 2 · sakerpo ramam[a]ed kal[a]ma ka][sa] ? ?
151. ? ? ? bh. ? ? + + ? ? ghinidaḥ] ? ?
152. go̱ₒ valige se matreḍi imo [ā] ? ? ? ? ?
153. [kha]ghado kakude [ke]ḍa badal[a][podaḥ] ?
154. hoksaḍi yavi ? vatudari ///
155. athav[i[sa] v[istare] vasaya[pamam] si[vaḍi]
156. de[○ ○ ] sumane [kaspi.] a[va] ? ? ? ?
157. ma ksamano ? [mimatradi eka ? [a.] ?
158. hova ra][vasa padami prahar[a]dh [c.] ? /// (*vi)-
159. stare yasava ○ [+ ghosiri ? ? ? ? ?
160. hoksaḍi ghada sag̱hamag̱o[a] g[e]
161. [sak.r. ra[bam̃o. [d.] ? ? ? ? ?
162. /// paco 5 evo savadi nagare pac(*ladi)-
163. putre mayagare mava vidarisavad[e]
164. dapragura co · muya · sabari co ///
165. muya · idra co · ta so puruso sabari-
166. ya vidarisavaḍi · avare co mayagaro ta pradese
167. amagato · idramayo (vidarisavaḍi) + + ? ? ?
168. (sa me sa matr[i]ḍi kici cha() [sa bh(*sa)(*adi)
169. mayo pas[i]ḍo sutha teno samerali
170. sadarisdo vistaruṇio · sarvo [matridave]
171. yavi sa tamo sarigo praḍibhudo
172. murabaleno sarvo vistaro vasaval[pa]li
173. amicada purgaramo sarvo mattridave [-]
173a. (tikkhago aco sarvo)
174. aṇi[cada]ḷaksamami sarvo · ? ? ? ? ? .o
175. ○ sa 6 zadamitraso · avadano · [adi o so ///
176. ga savisitaro karisi · mvāḍa ti · evo avai ///
177. sadedamitro · gado idago, ? ? go /// (satīro [ru])-
178. [de]śami vato asti ksabarasa ma[treḍi] ?
179. jano pradiḷadhro ya ido nagaro gomode ///
180. samanasa matredi · pra[pasa[vehi me ? ? ? ///
181. matredi aturahido · sadharmo · zada · mi[tro
182. matredi vaḍi sadharmo aturahide hak[a]l[i] ?
183. ido pracocerho() pratan[a] · ○ · sanha. ? ///
184. [ra]ḥhado mahastav viḷstare] vasayapamano srya.///(*đi)
185. ○ 7 zadamitrasa cevo · bidige avadano
186. evo ḍa[vadi · ẓadamitro karvanest(*i)[ddo] /// (*i va)-
187. savago · avagado · aḍipavormano sasra[d]///(*regena)
188. sarva sukhānando nominḍo · yada suparavāsa
189. raḍa ghel[i]ade vacaḍi · [edṣa. ? ? ///(*bada)
190. [da]rvo avadhado tri na ghahu-nam · [va] ? ? ? ? ///
191. [a]vi do · [va] ? hado · so bhado · zad[amitro] ? ? ///
192. + + + [a]vathavagasa matredi ///
193. hi [h]iddo suparavasa yava d. th. ? ? ? ///
194. ra yari ditte zadamatreo ma[treḍi] di ///
195. da sajavayasa mat(*reḍi) zadamitro
196. desi vasu pi saji vasi [gudo] ///
197. tatro pradesami · vcotar. + ? + ///
198. /// ti · yaxi dīpava[r]ma + + + /// /// mitro ///
199. + + di ? kic. + + + ///
200. abhayo me mo na hi suri + + ///
201. [a]dīpavarmo vacadi ///
202. lamo mi co bhadatto vasagero karu ?
203. ? [a]dīpavarmo sap[a]ra[ṣ]o go ? .○ ///
204. [sa]r[vo v[i]stare sasayapamano stya(*di) ? ? ? ? ///
205. saḍhakado samamo vasavo ? ? ? ? ? ? ///
206. vari na la ahvi vi [a] ? ti u ///
207. /// ? utrīṇo · varuna ? ? · sra ? ? ///
208. /// avigo samunano ta ro va la ? ///
209. /// ? da [m.]ṭrado · avadano · vi + ///
210. missing line
211. missing line
212. missing line
213. /// [sa]rvo dido sa ///
Source Colophon
British Library Kharoṣṭhī Fragment 1. BL accession number Or. 04195.1–5. Birch bark scroll, 1st century CE, Gandhāra (modern Afghanistan/Pakistan). Kharoṣṭhī script. Gandhāri Prakrit. Scribe 2 of the British Library Collection. The scroll contains two texts: a Gandhāri Dharmapada (recto lines 1–126) followed by the ten avadānas (recto lines 127–131, verso lines 132–213). Transliteration by Timothy Lenz, Gandhāran Avadānas, GBT 6 (2010), pp. 51–53.
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