BUDDHACARITA 4.101: The Merit of Deflation

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−¦¦⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−   Vaṁśastha

tato vthā-dhārita-bhūṣaṇa-srajaḥ kalā-guṇaiś-ca praṇayaiś-ca niṣphalaiḥ |

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−¦¦⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−⏑−

sva eva bhāve viniguhya manmathaṁ puraṁ yayur-bhagna-mano-rathāḥ striyaḥ || 4.101

4.101

Then, their ornaments and garlands having been worn in vain,

Their graceful arts and displays of affection having proved fruitless,

Each enshrouding her love within her own heart,

The women traipsed back to the city,

for the chariots of their fancy had been rent apart.

COMMENT:

Today's verse is a study in disappointment... dashed hopes... deflated expectations.

Like a burglar breaking into a wealthy person's house and finding it utterly empty.

What remains to speak of?

Maybe air passing in and out through the nostrils.

Fancies are dashed on the rocks of harsh reality. That being so, the rocks of harsh reality represent danger and disaster – but not if you are a limpet or a mussel.

Such are my own idle reflections. But what did the Buddha himself have to say on this matter? I think the Buddha's teaching, insofar as the real enemy is not harsh reality but human fancy, is to get one's retaliation in first. Hence:

Seeing the world to be without substance, as fragile as a water-bubble, / What man of sound mind could harbour the notion of not dying? // SN15.63 // So for the giving up, in short, of all such fancies, / Mindfulness of inward and outward breathing, my friend, you should make into your own possession. // SN15.64 // 

VOCABULARY

tataḥ: ind. from that, and so

vṛthā-dhārita-bhūṣaṇa-srajaḥ (nom. pl. f): having worn ornaments and garlands in vain

vṛthā: ind. at will , at pleasure , at random , easily , lightly , wantonly , frivolously ; in vain , vainly , uselessly , fruitlessly , idly

dhārita: mfn. borne (also in the womb) , held , supported &c

bhūṣaṇa: n. embellishment , ornament , decoration

sraj: f. a wreath of flowers , garland , chaplet worn on the head , any wreath or garland , circle , series , chain ; a kind of metre

kalā-guṇaiḥ (inst. pl. m.): the excellent characteristics of their fine arts

kalā: f. (etym. doubtful) a small part of anything , any single part or portion of a whole , esp. a sixteenth part ; any practical art , any mechanical or fine art

guṇa: m. string, garland ; good quality , virtue , merit , excellence

ca: and

praṇayaiḥ (inst. pl.): m. a leader ; manifestation , display ; affection , confidence in (loc.) , love , attachment , friendship , favour ; an entreaty , request , solicitation

ca: and

niṣphalaiḥ (inst. pl.): mfn. bearing no fruit , fruitless , barren , resultless , successless , useless , vain

sve (loc. sg. m.): mfn. one's own

eva: (emphatic)

bhāve (loc. sg.): m. becoming , being ; true condition or state , truth , reality ; any state of mind or body , way of thinking or feeling , sentiment ; love , affection , attachment ; the seat of the feelings or affections , heart , soul , mind

viniguhya = abs. vi-ni- √ guh: to cover over , conceal , hide

vinigṛhya [EHJ] = abs. vi-ni- √ grah: to lay hold of , seize , keep back , restrain , impede

manmatham (acc. sg.): m. love or the god of love , amorous passion or desire

puram (acc. sg.): n. a fortress , castle , city , town ; the female apartments , gynaeceum ; a brothel

yayur = 3^rd pers. pl. yā: to go , proceed , move , walk , set out , march , advance , travel , journey; to go away , withdraw , retire

bhagna-mano-rathāḥ (nom. pl. f.): with fancies disappointed ; with the chariots of their hearts broken

bhagna: mfn. broken (lit. and fig.) , shattered , split , torn , defeated , checked , frustrated , disturbed , disappointed

mano-ratha: m. " heart's joy " (» 2. ratha) , a wish , desire ; fancy, illusion ; the heart compared to a car (» 1. ratha)

ratha: 1. m. ( √ṛ) " goer " , a chariot , car ; 2. m. ( √ ram) pleasure , joy , delight

striyaḥ (nom. pl.): f. woman

時諸婇女衆 伎樂莊嚴具
一切悉無用 慚愧還入城