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Discovery, Text and Translation
This may be rendered into English in the following way:
"Priyadarsi, the King of Magadha, saluting the Samgha, and wishing them all health and happiness, thus speaks:
Known is to you, Reverend Sirs, to what extent is my reverence and faith in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Samgha.
Whatsoever has been said, Reverend Sirs, by the Lord Buddha, all that has, of course, been well said. But of such, Reverend Sirs, what occurs to me (to be the best) I state that so that the Saddharma (i.e., the religion preached by the Buddha) may be everlasting.
79
Reverend Sirs, these passages of the scripture as told by the Lord Buddha are the Vinayasamukase (the Buddha's teaching par excellence, i.e., the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta), the Aliyavasani (the Ariyavamsa Sutta), the Anāgatabhayāni (the Anagatabhayāni Sutta), the Munigāthā (the Muni Sutta), the Moneyasute (the Nalaka Sutta), the Upatisapasine (the Săriputta Sutta), and the Laghulovade (the Rahulovada Sutta) on falsehood.
These passages of the scripture, Reverend Sirs, I desire that most of the monks and nuns should repeatedly listen to and meditate upon, and in the same way the lay disciples, male as well female, (should act).
For this reason, Reverend Sirs, am I causing this to be inscribed that they may know of my intention."1
1.
Dr. B.M. Barua and Dr. Radha Kumud Mookerji (op. cit., pp. 116-18) translated it as follows:
"His Gracious Majesty, King of Magadha, saluting the Samgha and wishing them all health and happiness, addresses them as follows: Known is to you, Reverend Sirs, to what extent is my reverence as well as faith in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Samgha.
Whatsoever has been said, Reverend Sirs, by the Lord Buddha, all that has of course been well said. But of such, what has been selected by me that the true Dharma may be everlasting I may be privileged to state.
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