Opulence; Encounter with Sorrows; Birth of Son Rahula

2.23. Then, in due course, the Bodhisat became sixteen years old. The king had three palaces constructed for the Bodhisat to suit the three seasons of the year. One of the palaces had nine storeys, the second had seven storeys and the third, five storeys. The king also made eighty four thousand lady dancers and musicians to serve Him. Like a divinity (deva), surrounded by celestial nymphs, the Bodhisat, enjoying great glory, being entertained by lady musicians and surrounded by well-dressed and decorated dancing damsels, lived in the three palaces turn by turn according to the regular seasons of the year. The queen, Rahulamātā, the mother of Rāhula, was, however, His chief queen.

2.24. While He was thus experiencing the excellent glory, there arose, one day, inside the congregation of kinsmen this gossiping talk: "Prince Siddhattha goes about being fond of sport and amusements, but he does not learn any art, when war breaks out and there is battle to be fought, what is He going to do?" The king sent for the Bodhisat and said:- "My dear soon! your relatives are saying: 'Prince Siddhattha goes about devoting Himself to amusement without learning any art'. In this matter, my dear, what do you think would happen at the time of the arrival of any enemy?" His reply was: "Your Majesty! There is no need for me to learn any art; let an announcement be made by beat of drum in the city for everybody to see my attainment in art, to this effect: "Seven days hence, I am showing my art to all my relatives". The king did accordingly. The Bodhisat had all such archers as are swift and sharp shooters as well as hairsplitters assembled and showed His relatives, twelve kinds of art, in the midst of a big body of people, that sort art of archery, which was beyond the capacity of other archers. That feat of His archery should be understood in the light of what occurred in the birth-story (Jātaka) of Sarabhanga. Thereupon His congregation of kinsmen became free from doubt.

2.25. Then, one day, the Bodhisat, being desirous of going to garden grounds sent for His charioteer and instructed the latter to get His chariot ready. The charioteer replied saying 'very well' and having decorated the most excellent chariot of great value with all kinds of decorations and yoked to the same four auspicious horses of the colour of white lotus petals (kumuda patta0, he reported back to the Bodhisat. The Bodhisat boarded the chariot, which resembled a heavenly mansion and went away in the direction of the royal park. The divine beings said to themselves: "Time for the full enlightenment of the young prince Siddhattha is approaching; we shall show Him foreboding omens. " Accordingly they showed a young divinity, making the same old and aged, with teeth broken, wearing grey hair, crooked, with bent body, holding a stick and trembling. Both the Bodhisat and the charioteer saw it. As a result of that, the Bodhisat asked the charioteer in manner as had come down in the mahāpadana Suttanta thus: "My friend! Who, , is this man? His hair also is not like that of others." When He heard his reply, He became full of remorse saying: "Shameful it is, alas! Oh birth! That, indeed, old age will become apparent to one, , who has been born anywhere whatsoever!", turned back thence even and went up His palace only. The king enquired: "For what reason did my son return quickly?" The reply was: "Your Majesty! He did so because He saw an aged man". They said also that He would renounce the world having seen an aged man. The king said: "Why do you all ruin me; make ready quickly dancing damsels for my soon; He will not think of renunciation while enjoying royal glory", increased the number of guards for watch and placed watchman at every half a league (yojana), in all directions.

2.26. Again, one day, as the Bodhisat was going, even as before, towards the royal park, He saw a sick man duly created by the devas, make enquiries, became remorseful at heart, turned back and duly went up to His mansion. The king also made enquiries, had arrangements requisitioned as already said before, again increased the number of guards and kept watch at every place, three bull's cry (gāvuta) apart all round. Subsequently also, one day, the Bodhisat was going even as before towards the royal park, when He saw a dead man duly created by divinites, made enquiries in the same manner as before, became remorseful at heart, again turned back and duly ascended His mansion. The king also made enquiries, requisitioned what was to be done immediately in the manner as already said before, again increased the number of guards and kept watch at every place, a league (yojana) apart all round. Later on, one day, as the Bodhisat was going towards the royal park, He saw, even as before, a monk with his lower and upper garments properly worn, duly create by divinities, and asked the charioteer thus: "My friend! Who namely, is this?" Since there was no such thing as the arising of Buddhas, the charioteer did not know any such thing as monk or the virtues of a monk;nevertheless, because of the influence of the divinities, he replied: "My lord! This one is known as a monk" and eulogised the qualities of a monk. The Bodhisat activated His inclination for monkhood and on that day, proceeded to the royal park. Reciters of long discourses, however, said: "Having seen all the four omens in a single day even, He went".

2.27. He sported Himself there the whole portion of the day, bathed Himself in the auspicious lotus pond, took His seat on the auspicious stone slab at sunset, as He was desirous of having himself dressed and decorated. Then His men-attendants brought garments of various colours, assortments of trinkets, garlands, perfumes and toilets as well, and stood surrounding Him on all sides. At that moment, the (sitting) seat of Sakka became hot. That divine monarch reflecting: "Who, indeed, is desirous of my passing way from this place?", came to know of the desire of the Bodhisat to dress and decorate Himself, addressed the divine architect, Vissakamma, thus:- "My dear Visakamma! the young prince Siddhattha, at the time of midnight today, will make the great renunciation; this is His last dressing and decorating; you go to the royal park, and dress and decorated the Great Man with celestial decorations."He replied saying "Very well", approached the Bodhisat that very moment very means of divine power, made himself look like His hair-dresser, covered up the Bodhisat's head with celestial cloth. the Bodhisat knew: "This one is not human, he is young divinity" as soon as He was touched by his hand. As soon as His head was wrapped up with head-wrapper, there rose into His chignon a thousand pieces of wrapping cloth with gem-jewel characteristics. When his head was wrapped again there arose a second thousand wrapping pieces. Thus, ten thousand pieces of wrapping cloth arose when His head was wrapped for ten times. It ought to be considered thus: "His head is small; head-wraps are abundant; how can they rise into His chignon? "The biggest of all those head-wrappers was of the size of emblic myrobalan (amalaka) flower. The rest of them were of the size of little fragrant orange-coloured nauclea cordifolia akadambaka) flowers. The head of Bodhisatta became a'kuyya' flower, resembling a gold netting of a carriage? (kiñcakagavacchita).

2.28. Then, when He had become well-dressed and decorated with all kinds of decorations, He boarded the excellent chariot, which was adorned with all kinds of adornments, as and when all those who were conversant with all kinds of music were exhibiting their individual talents, and also as and when the brahmins were made to come together with recitations beginning with "Triumphant joy (jayananda) and with shouts of praise and words of blessing with varied assortments of such words as were auspicious to the ear etc. At that time, on hearing that a son has been born to his daughter-in-law, the great king Suddhodana sent a message saying: "You all had better break this news so that my son becomes joyful and glad." The Bodhisat, on hearing about it, said: "Rahu has been born; bondage has arisen." The king enquired what his son had remarked and on hearing what was stated, passed orders thus: "From now on, my grandson must be known by the name of prince Rāhula.

2.29. The Bodhisat also, indeed, boarded the excellent chariot and entered the city, with an exceedingly large retinue, an exceedingly delightful heart and graceful beauty. At that time, a young princess, Kisāgotamī by name, who had gone up to the top of her palatial mansion, on seeing the graceful physique of the Bodhisat who was then circumambulating the city, became full of zest and made this joyous utterance:-

"Happy, surely, is that mother; Happy, certainly, is that father, Happy, definitely, is that lady, to whom is the husband such as this.

2.30. On hearing it, the Bodhisat thought thus:- "This lady said thus: 'Seeing such a personality, the heart of the mother is at peace; the heart of the father is cool and the heart of a wife is happy'. When what, indeed, is extinguished is the heart known to be cool?" Then this idea occurred to Him when His mind was detached from depravity (kilesa): "When the fire of lust (rāga) is extinguished, it is known as being cool; when the fire of anger (dosa) is extinguished, it is known as being at peace; when the fire of delusion 9moha) is extinguished, it is known as being happy; when the burnings of all such depravity (kilesa) as pride, wrong views, etc. are extinguished, it is said to be cool and happy." Saying to Himself: "This lady let me listen to her good announcement; I go about, indeed, in quest of immortal happiness (nibbāna); straightaway today it befits me to discard the household life, renounce, become a monk and seek nibbāna; let this be the teacher's share for this lady," He took off from His neck His pearl necklace, worth a hundred thousand and sent the same to Kisāgotamī.

She became happy at heart saying to herself:

"Prince Siddhattha, being in love with me, has sent the present."