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while circumambulating the city; In the middle of the Vessas' street, Phussati gave birth to me. 77. My name is not from my mother, nor from my father's lineage; Born there in the Vessas' street, therefore I was Vessantara. 78. When I was a child, eight years old by birth; Then, sitting in the palace, I resolved to give gifts. 79. 'I would give my heart, my eyes, even my flesh and blood; I would give my body, having declared it, if anyone should ask me.' 80. As I thought of this nature, unshaken and unyielding; There the earth trembled, with Mount Sineru and its forest-crown. 81. On the fifteenth day of the half-month, the full moon Uposatha; Mounting the auspicious elephant, I went to give a gift. 82. Brahmins from the Kalinga country approached me; They asked me for the lordly elephant, the auspicious and blessed one. 83. "Our country has no rain, there is a great famine and starvation; Give us the excellent elephant, the all-white, supreme elephant." 84. "I give, I do not waver, what the Brahmins ask of me; I do not conceal what is present, my mind delights in giving." 85. When a beggar approaches me, refusal is not proper; 'May my resolution not be broken, I will give the magnificent elephant.' 86. Taking the elephant by its trunk, with a jeweled pitcher; Pouring water into their hands, I gave the elephant to the Brahmins. 87. Again, as I gave the all-white, supreme elephant; Then too the earth trembled, with Mount Sineru and its forest-crown. 88. Because of the gift of that elephant, the Sivis, enraged, gathered; They banished me from my own kingdom. Oh, "Let us go to the crooked mountain." 89. While they were giving away, unshaken, unperturbed; To perform a great donation, I begged for one boon. 90. All the Sivis, being asked, gave me one boon; Having made a proclamation, I gave a great donation. 91. Then there arose a sound, tumultuous, dreadful, great; "They drive him out with gifts, yet he gives gifts again!" 92. Having given elephants, horses, chariots, female slaves, male slaves, cattle, wealth; Having given a great donation, I then departed from the city. 93. Having departed from the city, and having turned back to look; Then too the earth trembled, with Sineru and its forest-garland. 94. Having given the four-horse chariot, standing at the crossroads; Alone, without a second, I spoke this to Queen Maddī: 95. "You, Maddī, take Kaṇhā, she is light, this younger sister; I will take Jāli, for he is heavy, that elder brother." 96. Like a lotus, a white water-lily, Maddī took Kaṇhājina; I, like a golden image, took Jāli, the prince. 97. Well-born, delicate, four royal persons; Treading uneven and even ground, let us go to the crooked mountain. 98. Whatever people came, along the by-paths and main roads; We asked them on the way, "Where is the crooked mountain?" 99. They, seeing us there, uttered a compassionate speech; They informed us with sorrow, "Far is the crooked mountain." 100. If the children saw in the forest, fruit-bearing trees; For the sake of those fruits, the children cried. 101. Seeing the crying children, the great trees, agitated; Themselves bending down, approached the children. 102. Seeing this wonder, this amazing, hair-raising thing; Maddī, beautiful in all her limbs, uttered a cry of approval. 103. "Oh, a wonder in the world! An amazing, hair-raising thing! By the power of Vessantara, the trees themselves bent down." 104. They contracted p Then the yakkhas, out of compassion for the children, As if it were the very day they departed, approached the Ceta kingdom. 105. Sixty thousand kings, were then residing with their maternal uncles; All, with clasped hands, came weeping. 106. Having held a discussion there, with the Cetans and the Ceta princes, They then departed from there, and went to the Vaṅka mountain. 107. The king of devas, having addressed Vissakamma, the mighty one: "Construct a well-made, delightful hermitage, a leaf-hut." 108. Having heard the word of Sakka, Vissakamma, the mighty one, Constructed a well-made, delightful hermitage, a leaf-hut. 109. Having entered the forest, quiet and undisturbed, We four people, dwelt there in the mountain range. 110. I and Maddīdevī, Jālī and Kaṇhājinā, both, Relieving each other's sorrow, we dwelt in the hermitage then. 111. Protecting the children, I was not absent from the hermitage; Maddī, bringing fruits, nourished those three people. 112. As I was dwelling in the forest, a beggar approached me; He begged for my children, Jālī and Kaṇhājinā, both. 113. Seeing the beggar who had approached, joy arose in me; Taking both children, I gave them to the brahmin then. 114. When I was giving away my own children, to the brahmin Jūjaka, Then too the earth quaked, with Sineru as its forest crest. 115. Again Sakka descended, having become like a brahmin; He begged me for Maddīdevī, the virtuous and devoted wife. 116. Taking Maddī by the hand, filling my cupped hands with water, With a mind full of serene intention, I gave Maddī to him. 117. As Maddī was being given away, the devas in the sky rejoiced; Then too the earth quaked, with Sineru as its forest crest. 118. Jālī, Kaṇhājinā the daughter, Maddīdevī the devoted wife; Giving them away, I did not think of them, but only for the sake of enlightenment. 119. Not hateful to me were both children, Maddīdevī was not hateful; Omniscience is dear to me, therefore I gave away my dear ones. Again, in the great forest, at the meeting of my parents; lamenting pitifully, conversing of joy and sorrow. With heavy shame and dread, I approached the two; then too the earth trembled, with Mount Sineru, the forest-crest. Again, from the great forest, having departed with my relatives; I entered the delightful city, Jetuttara, the supreme city. Seven jewels rained down, a great cloud poured forth; then too the earth trembled, with Mount Sineru, the forest-crest. This earth, unconscious, not knowing joy or sorrow; it too, by the power of my giving, trembled seven times. The ninth Vessantara-cariya. Again, when I was, a hare, a forest-dweller; feeding on grass, leaves, vegetables, and fruits, avoiding harm to others. A monkey and a jackal, and an otter, and I then; we lived in one vicinity, visible evening and morning. I instructed them, in deeds good and bad; 'Avoid evil deeds, devote yourselves to good ones.' On the Uposatha day, having seen the full moon; I told them there, 'Today is the Uposatha day.' Prepare gifts, to give to the worthy of offerings; having given gifts to the worthy, observe the Uposatha. They, saying 'Good!' to me, according to their power, according to their strength; having prepared gifts, sought for one worthy of offerings. I, sitting, thought, about a gift suitable for an offering; 'If I obtain one worthy of offerings, what will my gift be? 'I have no sesame, no mung beans, no black beans, no rice, no ghee; I sustain myself with grass, it is not possible to give grass. 'If someone worthy of offerings comes, begging near me; I will give my own self, he will not go away empty-handed.' Knowing my intention, Sakka, in the guise of a brahmin; (came to test my) intention. came to me, to test me, the demoness. 135. Seeing her, I was pleased, and spoke these words: ‘You have come well, to me for food. 136. ‘A gift never given before, today I shall give to you; You are endowed with virtue, it is not right for you to harm others. 137. ‘Come, light the fire, gather various woods; I will cook myself, you will eat it cooked.’ 138. ‘Good!’ he said, delighted, and gathered various woods; He made a large pyre, making it a chamber of coals. 139. He lit a fire there, so it would quickly become great; Shaking off the dust from my body, I sat down to one side. 140. When the great pile of wood, blazed and roared, Then I sprang up and fell, into the midst of the flaming tongues. 141. Just as cool water, when it enters anyone, Calms distress and fever, gives taste and joy. 142. Just so, when I entered, the blazing fire then, All distress was calmed, just like cool water. 143. Skin, hide, flesh, sinews, bone, heart-binding; My entire whole body, I gave to the brahmin.” The tenth, the Sasapaṇḍita Cariya. The first, Akitti Vagga. Its summary – Akitti, the brahmin, Saṅkha, King Kuru, Dhanañcaya; King Mahāsudassana, Mahāgovinda, the brahmin. Nimi, Candakumāra, Sivi, Vessantara, Sasa; I myself was then, he who gave those excellent gifts. These are the requisites of giving, these are the perfections of giving; Giving life to beggars, I fulfilled this perfection. Seeing one come for alms, I sacrificed myself; There is none equal to me in giving, this is my perfection of giving. The exposition of the Perfection of Giving is finished.