In the town of Kampilya there was a king, named Sanjaya, who possessed numerous troops and war-chariots; once he went a-hunting. (1)

He was surrounded on all sides by a large host of horses, elephants, chariots, and footmen. (2)

He chased the deer on horseback in the Kesara park of Kampilya; and intent on his sport he killed there the frightened deer. (3)

Now in the Kesara park there was a houseless ascetic intent on sacred study and meditating on the Law. (4)

Annihilating sinful inclinations, he meditated in the Asphota bower. But the king killed the deer that fled to him. (5)

Now the king on horseback came quickly there; he saw the killed deer and saw the monk there. (6)

The king in his consternation thought: "I had nearly hurt the monk; ill-fated and cruel me that is mad for the sport." (7)

Having dismissed his horse, the king bowed respectfully to the monk, saying, "Forgive me this, Reverend sir." (8)

But the venerable monk, being plunged in silent meditation, made no reply to the king, who, therefore, was seized with fear. (9)

"I am Sanjaya; answer me, Reverend sir; a monk might by the fire of his wrath reduce millions of men to ashes." (10)

"Be without fear, O king; but grant safety to others also; in this transient world of living beings, why are you addicted to cruelty? (11)

"As you must, of necessity, one day part with everything, in this transient world of living beings, why do you cling to kingly power? (12)

"Transient like a stroke of lightning are life and beauty, which you love so much; you do not comprehend what will benefit you in the next life. (13)

"Wives and children, friends and relations, all are dependent on a man during his life; but they will not follow him in death. (14)

"The sons, in great sorrow, will remove the corpse of their father to the cemetery; and so will parents do with their sons and relations; O king, do penance! (15)

"O king, other men, glad, and pleased, and well attired, will enjoy the riches the deceased had amassed, and will dally with the wives he had so well guarded. (16)

"And whatever actions he has done, good or wicked ones, with their record he will depart to the next world." (17)

Then the king was taught the Law by this monk, and was filled with a great desire for purity, and disregard of worldly objects. (18)

Sanjaya gave up his kingly power and adopted the true faith in the presence of the venerable monk Gardabhali. (19)

A Kshattriya, who had abandoned his kingdom and had turned monk, said to him: "As you look so happy in outward appearance, you must have peace of mind. (20)

"What is your name, to which Gotra do you belong, and why have you become an ascetic? How do you venerate the enlightened ones, and how did you come to be called a well-behaved monk?" (21)

"My name is Sanjaya; I belong to the Gotra of Gotama; my teacher is Gardabhali, who is conversant with the sacred lore and good conduct. (22)

"O great sage, the man of limited knowledge talks foolishly on these four heads, viz. the existence of the soul, its non-existence, blind devotion, and the inefficiency of knowledge. (23)

"This has been declared by him who is enlightened, wise, liberated, conversant with the sacred lore and good conduct, who is truthful and of right energy. (24)

"Men who commit sins will go to hell; but those who have walked the road of righteousness, will obtain a place in the Garden. (25)

"All this delusive talk of the heretics is untrue and without any meaning; I live and walk about according to the rules of self-control. (26)

"I know all these heresies to be contemptible; I know that there will be a life hereafter, and I know my soul. (27)

"A monk should abandon the manifold doctrines of heretics, and his own fancies, and such deeds as are productive of evil everywhere. One should live up to this wisdom. (30)

"I keep clear of the superstitious questions and the spells of laymen, exerting myself day and night in the true religion. Thinking thus, one should practise austerities. (31)

"And what you of a pure mind asked me just now, that has been revealed by the enlightened one; such knowledge makes part of the creed of the righteous. (32)

"A wise man believes in the existence of the soul, he avoids the heresy of the non-existence of the soul; possessing true faith one should practise the very difficult Law according to the faith. (33)

"Having learned this pure creed, which is adorned by truth and righteousness, Bharata gave up Bharatavarsha and all pleasures, and entered the order. (34)

"King Sagara also gave up the ocean-girt Bharatavarsha and his unrivalled kingly power, and reached salvation through his compassion. (35)

"After having given up Bharatavarsha, the famous universal monarch of great power, called Maghavan, entered the order. (36)

"King Sanatkumara, a universal monarch of great power, placed his son on the throne, and then practised austerities. (37)

"Santi, a universal monarch of great power, the bringer of peace to the world, gave up Bharatavarsha and reached salvation. (38)

"King Kunthu, the bull of the Aikshvaka race, the widely famed lord, reached salvation. (39)

"King Ara, after he had given up the sea-girt Bharatavarsha, reached salvation on becoming exempt from defilement. (40)

"After having given up his large kingdom, his army and war-chariots, his exquisite pleasures, Mahapadma practised austerities. (41)

"Having brought the whole earth under his sceptre, king Harishena, who humbled the pride of other kings, reached salvation. (42)

"Jaya, together with thousands of kings, renouncing the world, practised self-restraint. He reached salvation which has been taught by the Jinas. (43)

"Dasarnabhadra, giving up his flourishing kingdom of Dasarna, turned monk; he renounced the world, being inspired to do so by an angel. (44)

"Karakandu was king of Kalinga; Dvimukha, of Panchala; Nami, of Videha; Naggati, or rather Nagnajit, of Gandhara. (45)

"Nami humbled himself, being inspired to do so by an angel; the king of Videha left the house and became a Sramana. (46)

"These bulls of kings have adopted the true faith; after having placed their sons on the throne, they exerted themselves as Sramanas. (47)

"Udayana, the bull of the kings of Sauvira, renounced the world and turned monk; he entered the order and reached salvation. (48)

"And thus the king of Kasi, exerting himself for the best truth, abandoned all pleasures, and hewed down, as it were, his sins like a forest. (49)

"And thus king Vijaya, whose sins were not quite annihilated, turned monk after he, the famous man, had quitted his excellent kingdom. (50)

"And thus the royal seer Mahabala practised severe penance with an undistracted mind, and took upon himself the glory of self-control. (51)

"Why should a wise man, for bad reasons, live on earth like a madman, since those persons mentioned above who reached eminence, exerted themselves strongly? (52)

"I have spoken true words able to promote virtue; some have been saved, some are being saved, and some will be saved. (53)

"Why should a wise man, for bad reasons, bring affliction upon himself? He who has become free from all ties and sins, will reach salvation." (54)

Thus I say.