The Poetical Works of Edwin Arnold. Edwin Arnold

      Book The First

       Table of Contents

      The Scripture of the Saviour of the World,

      Lord Buddha—Prince Siddartha styled on earth

      In Earth and Heavens and Hells Incomparable,

      All-honoured, Wisest, Best, most Pitiful;

      The Teacher of Nirvana and the Law.

      Then came he to be born again for men.

      Below the highest sphere four Regents sit

      Who rule our world, and under them are zones

      Nearer, but high, where saintliest spirits dead

      Wait thrice ten thousand years, then live again;

      And on Lord Buddha, waiting in that sky,

      Came for our sakes the five sure signs of birth

      So that the Devas knew the signs, and said

      "Buddha will go again to help the World."

      "Yea!" spake He, "now I go to help the World.

      This last of many times; for birth and death

      End hence for me and those who learn my Law.

      I will go down among the Sakyas,

      Under the southward snows of Himalay,

      Where pious people live and a just King."

      That night the wife of King Suddhodana,

      Maya the Queen, asleep beside her Lord,

      Dreamed a strange dream; dreamed that a star from heaven—

      Splendid, six-rayed, in colour rosy-pearl,

      Whereof the token was an Elephant

      Six-tusked and whiter than Vahuka's milk—

      Shot through the void and, shining into her,

      Entered her womb upon the right. Awaked,

      Bliss beyond mortal mother's filled her breast,

      And over half the earth a lovely light

      Forewent the morn. The strong hills shook; the waves

      Sank lulled; all flowers that blow by day came forth

      As 't were high noon; down to the farthest hells

      Passed the Queen's joy, as when warm sunshine thrills

      Wood-glooms to gold, and into all the deeps

      A tender whisper pierced. "Oh ye," it said,

      "The dead that are to live, the live who die,

      Uprise, and hear, and hope! Buddha is come!"

      Whereat in Limbos numberless much peace

      Spread, and the world's heart throbbed, and a wind blew

      With unknown freshness over lands and seas.

      And when the morning dawned, and this was told,

      The grey dream-readers said "The dream is good!

      The Crab is in conjunction with the Sun;

      The Queen shall bear a boy, a holy child

      Of wondrous wisdom, profiting all flesh,

      Who shall deliver men from ignorance,

      Or rule the world, if he will deign to rule."

      In this wise was the holy Buddha born.

      Queen Maya stood at noon, her days fulfilled,

      Under a Palsa in the Palace-grounds,

      A stately trunk, straight as a temple-shaft,

      With crown of glossy leaves and fragrant blooms;

      And, knowing the time some—for all things knew—

      The conscious tree bent down its boughs to make

      A bower above Queen Maya's majesty,

      And Earth put forth a thousand sudden flowers

      To spread a couch, while, ready for the bath,

      The rock hard by gave out a limpid stream

      Of crystal flow. So brought she forth her child

      Pangless—he having on his perfect form

      The marks, thirty and two, of blessed birth;

      Of which the great news to the Palace