Chapter II - Life in the Palace

1. In the royal house of Śuddhodana, as he had a noble son, his close family and namesake brethren and his ministers were all devoted then.

2. Elephants, horses and precious chariots, national riches, and vessels with the seven precious things—these steadily increased day by day and were accordingly amassed.

3. Countless hidden treasures spontaneously emerged from the earth. A herd of maddened white elephants arrived on their own, without any call, from the pure Snowy Mountains, and became subdued by themselves, not curbed by any person.

4. All kinds of horses of variegated colors, their bodies utterly majestic, with red manes and delicate, long tails, soared as swiftly as if they were flying. Born in the wilds at dawn, they arrived on their own at this occasion.

5. Unspotted, calm, fine cows, strong, sturdy, and beautiful of body, all gathered in great numbers with gentle steps and gave fragrant milk at this occasion.

6. Enemies became peaceful, and neutrality gradually turned into pure friendship. The sincere became close friends. Any rebellion was completely eliminated.

7. It rained in due time with a gentle breeze, and the thunder did not roll. Plants did not wait for their time [but bloomed out of season], and at the harvest the yield was double.

8. The five types of grains were fresh and fragrant, light and easy to digest. All who were with child were content and physically at ease.

9. Except for those who experienced the fourfold attitudes of the noble,^[1] for all other people in the world goods were freely produced for each one. They did not have any further needs.

10. There was no arrogance, stinginess, or envy, and no noxious thoughts either. All men and women were as adept as anyone in the eon.

11. The temples of the gods and the monasteries, gardens, springs, and ponds were all like heavenly things, emerging spontaneously on this occasion.

12. No one went hungry. Weapons disappeared and epidemics ceased. The whole population in the land was like a close family, with mutually affectionate reverence.

13. With love for the Law [the people] indulged in mutual pleasures and did not have any tainted desire. They sought after riches with righteousness, free from any covetous thought.

14. They practiced generosity for the sake of the Law, and did not think of seeking for any reward. They practiced the fourfold pure conduct,^[2] dispelling any noxious thought.

15. In the past, when the crown prince Āditya was born to King Manu, the whole country met with good fortune and all evil was at once appeased.

16. When the Crown Prince was born to the present king, his virtue was also like this. Because [the prince] was endowed with the meaningfulness of all virtues, he was called Siddhārtha.

17. Then, when Lady Māyā saw that the son she had given birth to was as beautiful as a celestial youth, completely endowed with everything beautiful, she was overcome with an excess of joy. Her life ended and she was reborn in heaven.

18. Mahāprajāpātī Gautamī saw that the Crown Prince was a celestial youth, that his virtuous appearance was wonderful in the world. After the life of his natural mother ended, she raised him with affection, as if he were her own son, and the child respected her as if she were his own mother.

19. Just as the glow of the sun and moon begins faintly but gradually shines more brightly, the Crown Prince grew up, daily renewed. The same applied to his virtuous appearance.

20. Priceless was his fragrance of sandalwood and his famous treasure of jām bū nada.^[3] Medicines of divine seers protected him and necklaces adorned him.

21. When the dependent states in the region heard that the king had a crown prince, they offered precious things, oxen and sheep, deer, horses, and carts.

22. Precious objects and ornaments help make the mind of a crown prince joyful but, even though he had ornaments and the amusing toys of an infant,

Chapter II

23. the Crown Prince’s nature was serious. His body was young but his mind was mature. His mind was fixed on a higher, excellent object, untainted by [worldly] splendor.

24. When he studied arts and various skills, he surpassed his instructors after hearing [their teachings] only once. Seeing his intelligence, the king, his father, was deeply worried about the revelation that [the boy] would go beyond the worldly.

25. [The king] inquired far and wide among the famous nobility about a family with propriety and righteousness, instructed in deportment. The maiden with the finest appearance was called Yaśodharā.

26. She was fit to become his wife, the consort of a crown prince, alluring him and holding his attention. But the Crown Prince’s view was lofty. His virtue was great and his appearance clear and bright. He was like Sanat- kumāra, the eldest son of a Brahma.

27. The beauty of the worthy consort and her attractive and fair disposition were as captivating as a celestial queen’s. While dwelling together they were joyful night and day.

28. They had a pure palace put up for them, spacious and beautiful, and with the utmost in adornment. It rose high in the sky, just like a white cloud in autumn.

29. As its temperature was adapted to the four seasons, [the prince] chose the best dwelling for each season. He was surrounded by a group of singing women, playing celestial music. He did not have any fondness for vulgar music and women, which would raise a notion of disgust for the world.

30. Lady musicians played celestial sounds, just like celestial gan dharvas in their natural, precious palace. Their singing and beauty were dazzling to the mind and eyes. Their music was like this while the Bodhisattva dwelled high in his palace.

31. The king, his father, developed pure qualities for the sake of the Crown Prince, dwelling in tranquility. Kind and friendly, he was converted by the Right Law. He befriended the worthy and kept away from bad influences.

32. His mind was not tainted by lust. He believed that desire was poison. Controlling his feelings, he restrained his faculties and dispelled any fickle intention.

33. He heard disputes well, with a serene countenance. He gave instructions in a friendly way and was disgusted by any animosity. His pronouncements converted heretics, and he put a stop to any rebellious plotting.

34. He taught the way to save the world, that all people might obtain happiness. “Just as my son is happy now, may all people be the same!”

35. He made offerings to fire and served the spirits. He held his palms together and drank soma. He bathed in the waters of the Ganges and cleansed his mind with the water of the Law. His prayers for good fortune were not for his own preservation but indeed for his son and for all people.

36. His pleasant words were not without meaning, and his meaningful words were not unpleasant. His pleasant words were not untrue, and his true words were not unpleasant.

37. If he could not speak truthfully because he was ashamed, he did not, concerning anything pleasant or unpleasant, rely on any notion of covetousness or anger.

38. His purpose was to maintain silence. He was just and put a stop to contentious disputes not by means of a gathering to bring sacrifices to the gods, but by excelling in merit when deciding a matter.

39. When he saw beings with many aspirations, he gave abundantly, beyond their expectations. In his mind there was no thought of hostility. He subdued the enemy with virtue.

40. By disciplining one, he protected the seven. Free from the seven, he guarded the five. Having obtained the three, he understood the three. Knowing the two, he gave up the two.^[4]

41. When someone interceded, he excused himself. Toward someone who had received a death sentence, he was kind and forgiving. He did not speak harshly but gave instructions with soft words. In his compassion he was generous with his riches, pointing out the way to depend on them. 42. Trained in the path of divine seers, he dispelled any angry thought. His fame and virtue were known all around, and his worldly ties were forever severed.

43. When a master craftsman develops his bright virtue, the entire land carries on the practice. In the same way, when someone’s mind is tranquil, his four limbs and his faculties follow.

44. As the years passed, Yaśodharā, the worthy consort of Śuddhodana’s Crown Prince, eventually [beame pregnant] and gave birth to Rāhula.

45. King Śuddhodana thought to himself, “My crown prince has a son. My posterity will continue. The right changes will never end.

46. “Because the Crown Prince has a son, his love for his son will be the same as mine. He will no longer consider going forth but will determinedly develop goodness. My mind is now greatly at ease, just like the happiness [one feels on] rebirth in heaven.”

47. Similar to the path on which the seer kings at the beginning of the eon dwelled, he observed pure actions, and when offering sacrifices he brought no injury to any living creature.

48. He developed numerous excellent actions. The king mastered the excellence of pure conduct. His clan and its wealth were excellent. He was valiant and possessed great skills.

49. He shone brightly in the world, just like the sun’s thousand-rayed brightness. The way in which he was a king of humans was only to reveal his son.

50. Revealing his son was [a boon] for his clan, bringing splendor to his family through his fame. When one’s fame is great, one obtains rebirth in heaven, and being reborn in heaven, one’s happiness is complete.

51. Being happy, wisdom increases. One gains insight into the path and spreads the Right Law. When one’s ancestors have excelled in learning, one may observe many fine paths. [The king] wished only that the Crown Prince would love his son and not renounce his family.

52. While a son is still young, no king lets him rule the land, considering that [the son’s] mind may yet be negligent. When one gives reign to one’s emotions and is attached to worldly happiness, one cannot continue the royal lineage.

53. But now that the king had a crown prince, he indulged him in the five desires at his whim. He wished only that [his son] would enjoy worldly splendor. He did not want to let him apply himself to the path.

54. The bodhisattva kings of the past, even though their path was very firm, wanted to develop the happiness of worldly splendor and have sons to continue their posterity. Only then did they enter a mountain forest and practice the path of silence.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The fourfold attitudes of the noble are contentment with clothing, with food, and with a monk’s bedding and seating, and also devotion to the way of deliverance by means of appropriate behavior.

[2]:

The fourfold pure conduct is practicing kindness (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), sympathetic joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā). Also called the four immeasurables.

[3]:

I.e., gold.

[4]:

The explanations of the phrases in this passage vary: “The one” is himself; “the seven” are the seven constituents of royal authority. “Free from the seven”: the seven vices of a king; “the five” are skillful diplomatic means. “Having obtained the three”: duty, riches, and desire, i.e. dharma, artha, and kāma. See Chapter X, stanza 31. “He understood three”:  the three strengths a king should have; or the three elements listed in stanza 6, above; or the three conditions of continuance, increase, and diminution. “Knowing the two”: good and bad policy; “he gave up the two”: desire and anger.