Songs of Lake Anavatapta
The Songs of Lake Anavatapta (Anavataptagāthā) are among the earliest Buddhist testimonial literature. At the supernatural Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas, the Buddha's senior disciples gather and each recounts their past lives and the deeds that led to their awakening. The text survives in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan recensions, but this Gandhari version — British Library Kharosthi Fragment 1, written in the first century CE — is the oldest physical witness.
This is a Good Works Translation from the Gandhari, produced directly from the normalized transliteration published by the Corpus of Gandhari Texts (gandhari.org, catalog entry CKM 1). The manuscript is severely damaged in places; the gospel reading presents the surviving text as a flowing poem, while the scholarly translation preserves all lacunae. Each section represents a different elder's testimony.
Gospel Reading
I. The First Elder
In former births I did these deeds;
in this existence I have found what is good.
Free of stain, free of taint —
Worthy, fearless, a speaker of the true —
beautiful of appearance,
the glorious ground of merit.
By the root of merit,
in happy rebirths,
among gods and humans,
with merit and manly power.
Of the pratyekabuddha —
the merit of all who have gone free.
By that root of merit,
born in Varanasi,
a prince of the warrior-caste.
At Kapilavastu the Buddha was seen,
and the mind was gladdened by faith.
There the middle warrior-king
worshipped the shrine of the Blessed One.
At the Jetavana monastery,
without laziness, without sloth —
I worship the warrior-king's shrine.
Without greed, in all good things.
Born in the eastern land,
the son of Mahakoshala,
I was a king, a ruler of the earth.
The pratyekabuddha came to me;
his form shone with grace and beauty.
Having seen him, joy arose;
gifts I gave, and food, and drink.
II. The Second Elder
Born in the eastern quarter,
the son of a householder,
in Shakarayakula I became a man.
At the Bodhi tree,
praising this dharma,
among the gathering,
speaking with joy.
The teacher Krakucchanda by name,
destroyer of the army of Mara —
there I gave gifts to the Blessed One,
a robe of the finest kind.
III. The Third Elder
By deeds of merit in former births,
in this world I flourish.
Three times now the age has passed,
reborn in the Brahma-world.
Having left the Brahma-world,
born in Varanasi.
In the house of the chief merchant,
born as a beloved son —
of great wealth, great fortune,
handsome and well-formed,
dear to kinsmen,
gone to the highest state.
By day surrounded by attendants,
swiftly to rest, without torment.
Easily freed from all —
he saw ten women then.
The procession with tusked beasts,
with lutes and drums and kettledrums —
hair unbound, running wild,
the women wailing with their children.
Then my former deed arose,
established in great wisdom.
The perception of impermanence and sorrow —
terrible and fearful it was to me.
Then I was shaken to my depths;
despair seized upon me.
I went out, leaving my bed,
released into equanimity.
Lying down on the flat roof,
with faith I went forth.
My door was opened —
a god, unseen, had come.
Descending from the palace,
I went to the riverbank.
I saw on the far shore
a wanderer walking back and forth.
IV. The Fourth Elder
Having seen his many virtues,
having bowed to the great sage —
I asked about the teaching,
the going-forth, the discipline.
Then I was established in the teaching;
the four truths were made known.
The three knowledges were attained;
the Buddha's teaching was fulfilled.
Going forth from home —
not by birth, not by clan,
but by deed alone
is a wanderer known.
V. The Fifth Elder
Seeing misery, seeing impermanence,
the mind is stilled, the mind is free.
Craving is cut, the root destroyed;
no more becoming, here or there.
Of all the deeds of former lives,
knowing this and knowing that —
with great effort and with wisdom,
the fruit of liberation found.
The teacher dwells in Varanasi,
honoured by the community of monks.
By the ripening of his deeds,
at the great lake Anavatapta.
VI. The Sixth Elder
In the city of Rajagriha
there was a chief merchant of great wealth,
cruel and wicked of mind,
with hatred toward all beings.
By the stain of miserliness,
the mind devises evil.
Not even a thread would he give away —
for a hundred years, flowers untouched.
Such was his wretchedness,
such his cruel and wicked mind.
Having rejected the monks,
having sprinkled them with horse-urine —
those monks he wronged,
those good and gentle ones.
By that ripening of deeds,
he was cast into hell for a long time.
Then by the remainder of those deeds,
wherever he was reborn —
tortured by hunger,
enduring terrible suffering.
Even after a hundred births,
wherever he was reborn —
tortured by hunger,
enduring terrible suffering.
Born in the eastern quarter,
in the human world again —
Scholarly Translation
This translation preserves the verse numbering and lacunae of the Gandhari source text. Square brackets [...] indicate damaged or missing text. Ellipses (…) indicate lost passages. Parenthesized text indicates editorial reconstruction from partial syllables. Section numbers [I]–[VII] follow the manuscript divisions.
[I] The First Elder (Verses 2–13)
[2] (By these deeds) [...] / (in this existence, my) go(od fa)(te) / [...] / without stain, without outflow.
[3] (Fearless), (a speaker of the true) / (golden-)(faced) / pleasing to behold / (worthy), the (ground) of (merit).
[4] (By that) (root of merit) / in happy (rebirths) / among gods and humans / (with merit and manly) power.
[5] Of the pratyekabuddha [...] / [...] / [...] / (without sin), (all suffering gone).
[6] [...] / [...] / (golden-)faced, I am [...] / without (stain), without outflow.
[7] (By that root of merit) / (born in) Varanasi / [...] / [...] (a son, I was).
[8] (At) Kapilavastu, (seeing) the shrine / (the mind was gladdened by faith) / there the middle warrior-king / worshipped the shrine (of the Blessed One).
[9] (At the Jetavana) monas(tery) / without laziness, without sloth / I worship (the warrior-king's shrine) / (without greed, in all good things).
[10] (Born in the eastern quarter) / [...] / the son of Mahakoshala / a king, a ruler of the earth.
[11] [...] / [...] / (That pratyekabuddha I saw) / [...].
[12] (Having seen him, joy arose) / (of beautiful form), (grace and beauty) / [...] / gifts I gave, and food, and drink.
[13] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[II] The Second Elder (Verses 14–21)
[14] Born (in the eastern quarter) / (the son) of a householder / in Shakarayakula I became a man / [...].
[15] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[16] At the Bodhi tree / praising this dharma / among the gathering / speaking with joy.
[17] [...] (in existence) good / [...] / free of stain, without outflow / [...].
[18] The teacher Krakucchanda by name / destroyer of the army of Mara / [...] / (lord of the dharma), fearless.
[19] (There I gave) gifts to (the Blessed One) / a robe (of the finest kind) / [...] / the teacher [...].
[20] [...] / [...] / [...] / (by the ripening of his deeds).
[21] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[III] The Third Elder (Verses 22–49)
[22] Grass I cut, a seat (I made) / there with joy (I sat) / (giving) gifts, and food, and drink / (with a gladdened mind).
[23] In the thirtieth aeon / reborn in the Brahma-world / (by that deed of merit) / [...].
[24] (By these deeds done) / my reward is a beautiful body / [...] / [...].
[25] (Looking down) on the womb from above / [...] / impure, (that body) there / (a) billowing (blue) smoke.
[26] Looking carefully into the womb / he sat alone / impure, (that state) there / one-pointed, well-composed.
[27] There, while I was seated / the belly burst open / (hearing) the terrible (sound) / simultaneously my death occurred.
[28] In her womb — he saw — / smeared with much filth / equally it flows out / impure, unclean.
[29] Here and there, worms crawling / the liver and the entrails / by various worms devoured / again the mind finds (no peace).
[30] Outside, a body to be seen / (a lifeless) body exposed / what is this, what is that / what is that, what is this / (the senses) and (the limbs) / all connected in pairs.
[31] Then I arose and went / I proceeded to the hermitage / never again will (suffering) befall (me) / nor will I fear existence.
[32] When I go home again / I shall enter (the house), fearing existence / seeing a beautiful, jewelled woman / that same perception arose.
[33] All this is suffering / whose body is that / (the senses) and the limbs / all connected in pairs.
[34] (By these deeds done) / my reward is a beautiful body / the four Brahma-abodes / (the immeasurables), well-cultivated.
[35] Then, when the time of death arrived / with the Brahma-world as destination / having left the Brahma-world / born in Varanasi.
[36] In the house of the chief merchant / born as a be(loved son) / of great wealth, great fortune / handsome, well-formed / dear to kinsmen / gone to the highest state.
[37] By day surrounded by attendants / swiftly to rest, without torment / easily freed from all — / he saw ten women then.
[38] (With garlands on their heads) / with lutes and drums and kettledrums / hair unbound, running wild / (the women wailing with their children).
[39] Then my former deed arose / established in great wisdom / the perception of impermanence and (sorrow) / it was terrible and fearful to me.
[40] Then I was shaken to my depths / despair seized upon me then / I went out, leaving (my bed) / released into equanimity.
[41] Lying down on the flat roof / with faith I went forth / my door was opened / a god, unseen, had come.
[42] (Descending) from the palace / I went to the riverbank / I saw on the far shore / a wanderer walking back and forth.
[43] Having seen his many virtues / having bowed to the great sage / [...] / [...].
[44] I asked about the teaching / the going-forth, the discipline / [...] / [...].
[45] (The four truths) were made known / established in the three knowledges / [...] / [...].
[46] By deed alone is a wanderer known / not by birth, not by clan / [...] / [...].
[47] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[48] (By the power of his own) (deeds) / (become) great, (attaining) glory / (the good dharma, a profound teaching) / then (hearing) the Bud(dha's) teaching.
[49] (The teacher Krakucchanda) / honoured by the community of monks / (by the ripening of his deeds) / at the great lake Anavatapta.
[IV] The Fourth Elder (Verses 50–58)
[50] A merchant's son, in the city he lived / master of his father's wealth / (his father having died) / he was drunk with intoxicants and pleasure.
[51] Father, brother, and sister / and slaves, (servants), and workers / without food he left them starving / his mother he reviled.
[52] (In the grip of miserliness) / he gave nothing — slaves, brothers, wife / harsh words he spoke, with cruelty / a wretch, fearful of existence.
[53] By that ripening of deeds / he was cast into hell for a long time / then, reborn as a human / a wretch, fearful of existence.
[54] In those various births / a wretch he was, many times / (tortured) by hunger / enduring terrible suffering.
[55] Even after a hundred births / wherever he was reborn / tortured by hunger / enduring terrible suffering.
[56] (In this), the final birth / I have attained a human existence / I have encountered the Buddha / Shakyasimha, best of men.
[57] And I have attained the going-forth / in Shakyasimha's teaching / (and) I have attained arhatship / the triple knowledge I possess.
[58] This is my supernatural power, brothers / of the arhat, of the steadfast one / [...] / [...].
[V] The Fifth Elder (Verses 59–70)
[59] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[60] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[61] (By that root) of merit / I have obtained this (state) / [...] / [...].
[62] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[63] (In this), the final birth / I have attained a human existence / I have encountered the Buddha / (Shakyasimha), best of men.
[64] And I have attained the going-forth / in Shakyasimha's teaching / and I have attained arhatship / the triple knowledge I possess.
[65] This is my supernatural power, brothers / of the arhat, of the steadfast one / [...] / [...].
[66] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[67] (But now), the fruit (has ripened) / (sorrow is ended), fear is gone / [...] / [...].
[68] (A householder), I was the chief / (having seen) the all-seeing one / (of great learning), with varied skills / eloquent and quick-witted.
[69] (By the power of his own) effort / (become) great, (attaining) glory / the good dharma, a profound teaching / then hearing the Bud(dha's) teaching.
[70] The teacher (Krakucchanda) / honoured by the community of monks / by the (ripening of his deeds) / at the great lake Anavatapta.
[VI] The Sixth Elder — Nanda (Verses 71–79)
[71] In Rajagriha there was / a chief merchant of great wealth / cruel and wicked of mind / with hatred toward all beings.
[72] (By the stain of miserliness) / the mind devises evil / not even a thread would he give away / (for a hundred years), flowers untouched / such was his wretchedness / such his cruel and wicked mind.
[73] Having rejected the monks / having sprinkled them with horse-urine / those monks he wronged / those good and gentle ones.
[74] By that ripening of deeds / he was cast into hell for a long time / (by the) remainder of those deeds / wherever he was reborn / tortured by hunger / enduring terrible suffering.
[75] Even after a hundred births / wherever he was reborn / tortured by hunger / enduring terrible suffering.
[76] In this, the final birth / I have attained a human existence / I have encountered the Buddha / Shakyasimha, best of men.
[77] (And I have) attained the (going-forth) / in Shakyasimha's teaching / and I have attained arhatship / the triple knowledge I possess.
[78] This is now my power, brothers / of the arhat, of the steadfast one / (by supernatural power I fly) / (having swal)lowed (the mountain).
[79] Thus did the Elder Nanda speak / companion of Anuruddha / (by the ripening of his deeds) / at the great lake Anavatapta.
[VII] The Seventh Elder — Sumana (Verses 80–90+)
[80] Sumana made a wreath of flowers / (garlands placed upon his head) / he went to the park / (surrounded) by his companions.
[81] There he saw the great shrine / glorious, of Vipassin / having gathered (the people) / they worshipped at the great shrine.
[82] Having gathered two companions / (taking) a beautiful garland / they (worshipped at the shrine) / [...].
[83] By the power of that (deed of merit) / [...] / (of great learning), with varied skills / [...].
[84] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[85] [...] / (born in Rajagriha) / [...] / [...].
[86] The Blessed One in Rajagriha / the great sage, chief of the Shakyas / [...] / [...].
[87] [...] / having gone forth in his teaching / [...] / [...].
[88] [...] / [...] / [...] / [...].
[89] [...] / [...] / (by the ripening of his deeds) / at the great lake (Anavatapta).
Colophon
Songs of Lake Anavatapta (Anavataptagāthā). Good Works Translation from Gandhari Prakrit by Gandhāra (tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church), March 2026. Translated from the normalized transliteration of British Library Kharosthi Fragment 1 as published in the Corpus of Gandhari Texts (gandhari.org, catalog entry CKM 1, editions 2072–2073), edited by Stefan Baums and Andrew Glass, following the critical edition of Richard Salomon, Two Gandhari Manuscripts of the Songs of Lake Anavatapta (Gandharan Buddhist Texts, Volume 5). Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008.
This is the first freely available English translation of the Gandhari recension of the Songs of Lake Anavatapta. The text is known from later Sanskrit, Chinese (T. 200), and Tibetan versions, but this Gandhari manuscript — written on birch bark in the first century CE — is the oldest physical witness. The text preserves personal testimonies of individual Buddhist elders recounting their past lives, their encounters with pratyekabuddhas and the Buddha, and the deeds that led to their awakening.
The manuscript is organized into seven sections [I]–[VII], each attributed to a different elder. Sections VI and VII name the speakers — the Elder Nanda, companion of Anuruddha, and the Elder Sumana. The earlier sections are unnamed. The gospel reading presents the surviving text as flowing verse; the scholarly translation preserves the verse numbering and all lacunae of the Gandhari source. The manuscript is severely damaged — approximately one-third of the text is lost or fragmentary.
The verso of the manuscript contains summary verses (uddāna) and prose avadāna narratives, including stories of magicians in the city of Paladiputra (Pataliputra) and an encounter between Indra and a Shabari magician. These prose sections are not translated but the source text is preserved below.
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Source Text
Gandhari Prakrit transliteration of British Library Kharosthi Fragment 1 (BL 1), Anavataptagāthā. Normalized transliteration from the Corpus of Gandhari Texts (gandhari.org, catalog entry CKM 1, editions 2072–2073), edited by Stefan Baums and Andrew Glass. Manuscript: birch bark scroll, provenance Hadda, Bihsud District, Nangarhar, Afghanistan, 1st century CE.
Notation: [...] damaged or uncertain akṣaras; (...) editorial reconstruction; + lost akṣara; /// edge of manuscript; ◦ verse marker; ⟨...⟩ editorial insertion; ⟪...⟫ scribal error; {{...}} interlinear addition; ※ flourish.
Recto
[I] [2] [a] (*therehi edadi)śhi [b] bh[v](*e mama s)us[gh](*adi ◦) [c] + + + + + + + + [d] [ṇi]kaṣaya aṇasava ◦ [3] [a] abhiro c prast[ṣi] [b] (ase śpa)r[vadaṇo] ca ⟨◦⟩ [c] prasadio darśaṇi [d] b[a]ṇ[a]ve bh(*u)[mi roa]v[a] ◦ [4] [a] [te](*ṇa k)u[mu]leṇa [b] sughadiṣu oava[ji](ṣu [c] devahodu maṇośe ya [d] kridapuñu viro)y[i]ṣu ◦ [5] [a] praceabudhasa [aha] [b] + + + + + .[u] ? + /// [c] + + + + + + + + + [d] [a]ghaṣe sa[rvapidao] (◦) [6] [a] + ? ? + + + + + + [b] + + + + prastae ◦ [c] śpa⟪ṇa⟫vaṇo aha a[se] ◦ [d] ṇik[aṣay](*a aṇasava ◦ [7] [a] teṇa kuśa)(*la)mu[ṇa [b] jadu Ba]raṇasipur(*e) ⟪◦⟫ [c] [Kri] + + + + + + + [d] + + + + (*pu)[tro aho ◦ [8] [a] Ka]śavathubu dhriś [b] [c](*itu prasadaïtaṇa ◦) [c] tatra majimao kṣatro [d] thubu a[ro](*ae tada ◦ [9] [a] jetaasa ya sa)(ṇe)[ṇa [b] a]lasa aṇol[e]vaṇeṇa vi ⟨◦⟩ [c] thuvami kṣatrarṇ [d] [a](*ṇohodu suho baho ◦) [10] [a] [praci](*ṇe janapadaspi) [b] + + + + + + [c] (*Ko)ś(*pu)[tr](*u aho) [d] (*rayu bhuvadevaru ◦) [11] [a] + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + [c] (*taha praceabudho dri)ṣ [d] + + + + + + + + [12] [a] (*ta dri)[ṣ](*pa prasadi ciḍe [b] abhiro)[o] su[d](*arśaṇo ◦ [c]) + + + + + + + + + [d] [da]ṇo daï aśaṇa pae ◦ [13] + + + + + + + + + /// + + + + + + + + +
[II] [14] [a] jad[u] (*praciṇe janapadaspi [b] ghrava)disa putr(*u aho [c]) śa[ka]r[a]yakule ahu puriso [d] + + + + + + + + [15] + + + + + + + + + /// + + + + + + + + + + [16] [a] bohi{ṭḥ}thaṇaspi ya [b] paśaśidu imu dhamu [c] ghano majaspi [d] bhuda·a(*śi) hastulidu ◦ [17] [a] + + + + + [b] + + + (*bhave suhadidu [c] ṇikaṣaya aṇ)(*a)(*sa)[v](*u [d]) + + + + + + + + [18] [a] Krakucad(*o ṇ)(*a)m śastu [b] jiṇa Marasa baïdi ◦ [c] + + + + + + + + [d] dhameśvara abhiruao ◦ [19] [a] (*tatra) d[a](*ṇo das)i bh(*a)[gha]v(*ado) ◦ [b] civara t oariu ◦ [c] + + + + + + + [d] śastu + + + + + + [20] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + + [d] (*śpae) k(*a)rma(*vivao ◦) [21] + + + + + + + + /// + + + + + + + + +
[III] [22] [a] ghasu luïtvaṇa asaṇu [b] tatra praghie ṇiṣidi ◦ [c] daṇo d(*aï aśaṇapaṇe [d] cituprasadaïtaṇa ◦) [23] [a] triś[u] kaleṣu atiramae ◦ [b] Bramalughaprarayaṇo ◦ [c] (*teṇa k)[u](*śalamuleṇa [d]) + + + + + + + + [24] [a] edam edu bhaveateṇa [b] prata me viadaraghada ◦ [c] bramavihara ca[tva]⟪[ra]⟫ [d] amaña subhavida ◦ [25] [a] yoṇiho avekṣidu [b] + + + + + ◦ [c] aśue (*bhavae tatra) [d] udh[u]maü viṇi[lao ◦] [26] [a] yoṇiho pracavekṣatu [b] ekamatu ṇiṣidiṣu ◦ [c] aśua bha[vae] ta[tra] [d] (*e)kaghra susamahida ◦ [27] [a] tatr eva me ṇiṣaṇasa [b] udaru tasa phaṭiṣ[u ◦ [c] ṣu](*do cha)du bheṣaṇao ◦ [d] samasiśpi me cavae ◦ [28] [a] tasa kuchie ◦ adhrekṣe ◦ [b] pu[r]iṣu baha luhidu ◦ [c] samatadu pragharedi [d] asuyi amaghadhio ◦ [29] [a] atra(*m a)traüṇa broka [b] hidao udariao ◦ [c] ṇaṇakrimi khajatu [d] puṇa citu a[e] ◦ [30] [a] bahiro kuṇav[u] dhriśpa [b] śpaśariru ṇivadhae ◦ [c] yasa id[u] tasa e(*ṣu [d] ya)sa eṣu tasa idu ◦ [e] atepudi ay(*o)[kṣa ca] [f] sarvam eva joho[śp](*ida ◦) [31] [a] tada uṭ́haï aghami [b] pra[kame] y[eṇa] arśamu ◦ [c] ṇa bhuyo piḍu vrayiś [d] ṇa ya bhujiśe bh[u]yaṇo ◦ [32] [a] yada y aha puṇo ghramu [b] prav[e]kṣe bhuyaṇath[i]o ◦ [c] dhriśpaṇa rua rayaṇia [d] tam eva saña bha⟪vae⟫ ◦ [33] [a] sarvo aya roa[gha]da [b] yasa su kuṇavu tasa ◦ [c] atepudi ayokṣa ca [d] sarvam edu juho[śpi](*da ◦) [34] [a] edam edu bhaveateṇa [b] prata me viadaraghada ◦ [c] bramavihara ca[tva]⟪ra⟫ [d] amaña subhavida ◦ [35] [a] tad[a] cudu kalaghadu [b] Bramal⟪u⟫ghaprarayaṇo ◦ [c] Bra(*malu)ghu cavitvaṇa [d] jade Baraṇasipure ◦ [36] [a] aghrasreṭhisa ghehami [b] jadu śpi etrao ◦ [c] mahadhaṇo mahabhu⟨*gho⟩ [d] abhiroo susaṭ́hidu ◦ [e] prio maṇav[u] ñadi(*ṇa [f] sapa)tiparami ghadu ◦ [37] [a] divasu pariarita [b] kṣip[u] śaïa akapa[e] [c] lahom eva vioj̄ita [d] adaśa [i]strie tada ◦ [38] [a] rmisigha [ś]i(*rase katva) [b] viṇapaṇavabherie ◦ [c] vikṣitak[eśa] v[iva]ḍa [d] [s]u[ta sapalavati](e ◦) [39] [a] tasa me purima hedu [b] upaṭ́hita mahathia ◦ [c] śpaśaṇasaña aś [d] asi ateuru mama ◦ [40] [a] tadaṇ aho satvaridu [b] viśparo aghari ta[da] (◦) [c] vadhrodu ⟨*śpi⟩ avayi [d] uasriṭhu samatade ◦ [41] [a] śayae orohitaṇa [b] prasad[u] abhiṇirkhami ◦ [c] vivarisu mama rvara [d] devada aṇoapi[a] ◦ [42] [a] ṇrade ṇikasitaṇa [b] ṇaditiru uaghami ◦ [c] paraditire dhriṣpaṇa [d] akamaṇe samae ◦ [43] [a] darśitvaṇa bahuguṇo [b] tada [vanditvaṇa] ma(hamu)ṇi (◦) [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [44] [a] (*pu)ṭ́ho dhamu pravaja(*ña [b] ya viṇaya ya) ◦ [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [45] [a] (*cadu ar)i(*ya sacaṇi [b] tispi vi)j(*aṣu) ṭ́h(*i)(*du) [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [46] [a] kammaṇa vasali hodi [b] ṇa jadiho ṇa [ghodreṇa ◦] [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [47] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [48] [a] (*ta)(*sa) atva(*meṇa) [b] mahatvo abhighakṣadu [c] sadhamu gh[u]rohatavu [d] tada śpara b[u]dhaṇ(*a) [śa]śaṇo ◦ [49] Baki[a vi]aghari śastu [b] bhikhusaghasa aghridu ◦ [c] śpaya krmavivao [d] Aṇodate mahasare ◦
[IV] [50] [a] sreṭhiputre pure asi [b] iśpare pitri{a}e dhaṇe ⟨*◦⟩ [c] pidara aṇorakṣ[ta]ṇa ◦ [d] madu micha pravatiṣu ◦ [51] [a] pida bhrada ya bhaïṇi [b] ya dasakrarma[ra] vi ca ◦ [c] aṇapaṇeṇa tarpeṣi [d] madara paribhaṣiṣu ◦ [52] [a] matsariyaśu ghatvaṇa [b] ṇa dase bhatu madue ◦ [c] pharuṣa bhaṣiṣu ba[ya] [d] baṭa bhujaï bhuyaṇo ◦ [53] [a] teṇa karmavivagheṇa [b] ṇiraghehi kṣ[e]viṣu ciru ◦ [c] puṇa maṇośe aghatva [d] baṭa bhujami bhuyaṇo ◦ [54] [a] taṣu taṣu jadiṣu [b] baṭa bhuta baho mae ◦ [c] jihitsehi suduhdu [d] sadu kalo karom aho ◦ [55] [a] eva jadiśada paca [b] yatra yatra ua[va]jiṣu ◦ [c] jihitsehi suduhidu [d] sadu kalu karom aho ◦ [56] [a] a[ya pa]rci[majadi] [b] ladho mi maṇoṣu bhavu ◦ [c] araghidu mi sabudhu [d] Śakasiho ṇarotamu [◦] [57] [a] prabaja ya mae ladha [b] Śakasihasa śaśaṇe ◦ [c] [a]rahapa ca mi prat [d] baïhodu śpi ṣ(*a)vao ◦ [58] [a] edaṇ irdhi※ mama bhate [b] arahatasa tadiṇo ◦ [c] + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + +
[V] [59] + + + + + + + + /// + + + + + + + + [60] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + [61] [a] (*teṇa kuśala)[muleṇa] [b] ladho mi imu ṭ(*haṇo ◦ [c]) + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + [62] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + [63] [a] aya parcim(*a)jadi [b] la(*dho mi maṇoṣu bhav)u ◦ [c] araghidu mi sabud(*ho [d] Śakasiho ṇarotamu ◦) [64] [a] prabaja ya mae ladha [b] Śakasihasa śaśaṇe ◦ [c] arahapa ca me pratu [d] baïhodu śpi ṣavao ◦ [65] [a] e[ṇi] irdhi mama bh[a]de [b] arahatasa tadaṇo ◦ [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [66] + + + + + + + + /// + + + + + + + + [67] [a] [ida](*ṇi ya) phal[u] pa[gu [b] duho khiṇo] ◦ bha(ya) atikradu ◦ [c] + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [68] [a] ghasagharaṇ aho aghro [b] ṇ[i]diṭhu sarvadarśiṇa ⟨◦⟩ [c] bahorśodu citraghasu [d] paḍidu paḍibhaṇavu ◦ [69] [a] taśpa [ho atva]ghameṇa [b] mahatvo abhighakṣadu [c] sadhamu gh[u]rohatavu [d] tada śpara b[u]dhaṇ(*a) [śa]śaṇo ◦ [70] [a] Baki[a vi]aghari śastu [b] bhikhusaghasa aghridu ◦ [c] śpaya krmavivao [d] Aṇodate mahasare ◦
[VI] [71] [a] Rayaghahe pur[e a](*si [b] aghrasreṭh)i mhadhaṇo ◦ [c] dhrohikṣu batamaṇae [d] iṣea sarva bh⟨u⟩ida ◦ [72] [a] matsaṇa oaṇadho [b] cita cedemi pavia ◦ [c] ku ṇo aya parvaïdu [d] sata barṇa puṣae ◦ [e] ediśe k⟪u⟫tare [f] dhrohikṣe vatamaṇae ◦ [73] [a] peavitaṇa bhat [b] aśpamutreṇa kvachia ◦ [c] ta bhikhu aśaveṣi [d] su ya kalu a[k]roviṣu (◦) [74] [a] teṇa karmavivagheṇa [b] ṇiraghehi kṣeviṣu ciro ◦ [c] [tada] karmavaśeṣeṇa [d] yatra yatra uavajiṣu ◦ [e] jihitsahi suduhidu [f] sadu kalu karem aho ◦ [75] [a] e⟨*v⟩a jadiśada paca [b] yatra yatra uavajiṣu [◦] [c] jihitsehi suduhidu [d] sadu kalu karem aho ◦ [76] [a] aya parcimia jadi [b] ladhro mi maṇoṣu bhavu ◦ [c] araghidu mi sabudho [d] Śa[kasi]ho ṇarotamu ◦ [77] [a] [pra]ba[ja] ya [mae] (la)dha [b] Śakasihasa śaśaṇo ◦ [c] arahapa ca me pratu [d] baïhoda śp[i] ṣavao (◦) [78] [a] edaṇi bhi mama bhate [b] arahatasa tadiṇo ◦ [c] yaüdaeṇa [ya]ve[mi [d] ghila]ṇo [pa]ravatio ◦ [79] [a] eva ku Ṇadio thero [b] Aṇorudhasahayao ◦ [c] śpaï [ka]rmu viaghaṣe [d] Aṇodate maha⟨*sa⟩re ○
[VII] [80] [a] kaṇe karita Sumaṇa{ṇa} [b] malaa śi krida ◦ [c] uyaṇa[h]omi ṇ[i]asi [d] va[ya]sehi puraḱidu ◦ [81] [a] tatra da[śi ma]hathubu [b] Vivaśisa śirimad[u] ◦ [c] jaṇaghayu samaghatva [d] saḱarisu ma{ma}hisu [ya] ◦ [82] [a] de vayasa samaghatva ◦ [b] śpagho malu ghrahi[tvaṇa] (*◦) [c] aroaïsu thuvaśpi [d] + + + + + + + + [83] [a] teṇa kuśalamuleṇa [b] + + + + + + + + [c] ba(*ho)rśodu ci(*traghasu [d]) + + + + + + + + [84] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [85] [a] + + + + + + + [b] Rayaghahe [jada] (*tada ◦ [c]) + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + + [86] [a] Bhagava Rayaghahe aṣ [b] mahamuṇi Śak⟨*i⟩aṇamu ◦ [c] + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + [87] [a] + + + + + + + [b] tadha śaśaṇe pravajitu [◦] [c] + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + [88] + + + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + + [c] + + + + + + + + + [d] + + + + + + + [89] [a] + + + + + + + [b] + + + + + + + + [c] (*śpaï) k(*armavivao) [d] Aṇo(*dade) maha(*sare ◦)
Verso
The verso of the manuscript contains summary verses (uddāna) and prose avadāna narratives. These are preserved in transliteration but not translated, as the prose sections are heavily damaged.
[Verso begins at line 132. Content includes uddāna summaries for the recto sections and fragmentary avadāna narratives involving magicians in Paladiputra (Pataliputra), encounters between Indra and a Shabari magician, and references to Mount Sumeru. Lines 132–180+ are severely damaged with extensive lacunae.]
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Source Colophon
British Library Kharosthi Fragment 1 (BL 1). Birch bark scroll. Provenance: Hadda, Bihsud District, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Date: 1st century CE. Normalized transliteration from the Corpus of Gandhari Texts (gandhari.org, catalog entry CKM 1, editions 2072–2073), edited by Stefan Baums and Andrew Glass. Critical edition: Richard Salomon, Two Gandhari Manuscripts of the Songs of Lake Anavatapta (Gandharan Buddhist Texts, Volume 5). Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008.
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