Chapter V - Leaving the City

1. The king further increased all kinds of exquisite provisions for the five desires. He hoped to gladden the Crown Prince’s heart with pleasures night and day.

2. The Crown Prince was profoundly weary and completely without any feeling of happiness. He considered only the suffering of birth and death, like a lion struck by an arrow.

3. The king had the famous brethren of the nobility and of his chief ministers, young in years and of excellent appearance, intelligent and with dignified manners, accompany the Crown Prince night and day in order to capture his heart.

4. And so, after a little while, [the prince] informed the king that he would go out on another excursion. Mounted on a swift horse, decorated with a multitude of precious things, and surrounded by the sons of the nobility, they all left the city.

5. Just as the four kinds of flowers all open when the sun shines, the Crown Prince dazzled the divine scene and his attendants all received his brightness.

6. As he left the city and traveled through the gardens, the long road was wide and level. The flowers and fruits on the trees were luxuriant. He was happy at heart and consequently forgot to return.

7. He saw plowmen by the side of the road. As they cultivated the soil they [inadvertently] killed insects. He felt sad at heart, and the pain was greater than that of a dart piercing his heart.

8. He further saw the farmers toiling, their appearance drawn. Their hair was disheveled and they dripped with sweat, their bodies foul with dirt.

9. The plowing oxen were exhausted too, with lolling tongues, panting heavily. The Crown Prince’s nature was compassionate and he felt utter pity in his heart.

10. Deeply sighing with sadness, he dismounted, stooped to the ground, and sat down. While observing all this suffering, he considered the law of birth and extinction.

11. “Alas for the entire world! One is foolish and absolutely unable to wake up.” He comforted the crowd of people and bade each one sit down where they were.

12. He himself was sitting upright in the shade of the jambū tree, given to right consideration. He observed that all birth and death, origination and extinction, were changing through impermanence.

13. His mind was concentrated, firmly established. The wide cloud of the five desires had dissipated. With adjusted and discursive thinking he entered the first trance without impurity.

14. Free from desire, he produced joy and happiness, rightly experiencing samādhi. “The world is very painful, ruined by old age, illness, and death.

15. “One’s whole life is experiencing great suffering, yet one still does not realize this. Disgust with the old age, illness, and death of others, this is a serious ailment.

16. “I will now seek for the excellent Law; I must not do the same as the world! I myself am entangled in old age, illness, and death, but I find [the situation of] others rather worse.

17. “Such is the observation of the truth. Youth, beauty, strength, and long life are constantly and ceaselessly renewed. In the end they disappear [according to] the law of destruction.”

18. Neither joyful nor sorrowful, neither doubting nor confused, neither sleepy nor attached to desire, without aversion or contempt for others, he was quiet, free from any hindrance. The light of his wisdom steadily increased its brightness.

19. Then the god of the pure abodes transformed into the appearance of a bhikṣu. He came to where the Crown Prince was and the Crown Prince respectfully rose to welcome him.

20. The Crown Prince asked, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am a śramaṇa. In fear of old age, illness, and death I have gone forth in search of deliverance.

21. “Beings grow old, fall ill, and die. Their ruin does not stop even for a while. Therefore I seek the happiness of permanence, without either extinction or birth.

22. “Friend or foe, my mind remains even. I do not devote my efforts to riches or beauty. I am only at ease in a mountain forest, living in isolation and managing nothing.

23. “My unclean notions have stopped and I am quietly engaged in seclusion. I do not choose between fine and coarse [food]. I beg in order to support myself.” In front of the Crown Prince, [the śramaṇa] then suddenly ascended into the sky and departed.

24. The Crown Prince was joyful at heart, thinking only of the buddhas of the past. They had established this dignified demeanor, their bequeathed likenesses visible in the present. Sitting upright and given to right consideration, he obtained mindfulness of the Right Law.

25. “What means should I apply myself to for a lasting going-forth, as I wish to?” Controlling his feelings and restraining his faculties, he slowly rose and returned to the city.

26. His whole retinue followed, thinking he would stop and not go far.

While sympathy internally arose, he strived to surpass the worldly external.

27. Even though his body followed the way back, his mind really remained in a mountain forest, just like a chained maddened elephant who constantly thinks of wandering through the wilderness.

28. When the Crown Prince then entered the city, men and women welcomed him, jamming the road. The elderly wished he were their son and the young wished to be his wife. Some wished to be his brothers, his friends, or his inner retinue.

29. “If I were to comply with their wishes, their accumulated expectations would be annihilated.” The Crown Prince was joyful in his heart, suddenly hearing the words “annihilation” and “accumulation.”

30. “I am happy with these words. This expectation will be accomplished!” He profoundly considered the happiness of annihilating accumulation, and increased his thoughts about nirvana.

31. His body was like a peak of the golden mountains, and his straight arms were like an elephant’s. He sounded like the thunder in spring and his blue eyes were like an ox king’s.

32. The Law without end was on his mind, and his face was as bright as the full moon. With the gait of a lion king, he slowly entered his palace.

33. Resembling a son of Lord Śakra, his mind was respectful and his appearance was reverential too. He went to the king, his father, prostrated before him, and asked him if he was well. He also stated his fear of birth and death, and entreated him, wishing to go forth.

34. “All the worldly, when united, certainly will be separated. Therefore I wish to go forth and seek true deliverance.”

35. When the king, his father, heard that [his son] would go forth, he immediately started trembling inside, just as when a large maddened elephant moves a sapling’s twig. He approached and seized the hands of the Crown Prince. His tears flowed and he said:

36. “Stop this talk! It is not yet the right time to rely on the doctrine! In youth the mind is not steady. One makes many mistakes in the practice of the Law.

37. “Wonderful are the objects of the five desires. Your mind is still not disgusted with them. If you go forth and practice asceticism, you will not yet be capable of a settled mind.

38. “In the wilderness, in seclusion, your mind will not yet be tranquil. Even if your mind were happy with the Law, you would not yet have reached my stage [of life].

39. “You should direct affairs of the state, so that I may go forth first. It is wrong to abandon your father and interrupt our posterity.

40. “You should put a stop to the intention of going forth, and assume your worldly duties. When you are happy, with fine fame, only then may you go forth!”

41. The Crown Prince declined with reverential submission, and further said to the king, his father, “Only if you will preserve four things will I relinguish my intention to go forth.

42. “If, preserving me, your son, my life will always be maintained, if I will be without any illness and free from aging, and if none of my possessions will be destroyed, I will accept your command and desist from going forth.”

43. The king, his father, said to the Crown Prince, “Do not say these words! Such four things, who could preserve one so that one does not have them!

44. “If you seek for these four wishes, you will rightly be ridiculed by others. Now, put a stop to your intention to go forth, and submit to the five desires!”

45. The Crown Prince further informed the king, “If the four wishes cannot be preserved, you must allow me, your son, to go forth! I wish you would not make any difficulties.

46. “When your son is in a house on fire, why not allow him to leave? Since my analysis is [in accord with] the eternal truth, who could not honor my request?

47. “In escaping the coming self-destruction, there is nothing like transcending it with the Law. If one did not transcend with the Law, who could maintain onself in the face of death?”

48. The king, the father, knew that his son’s mind was certain and could not be changed. He just had to do his utmost to hold him back. “Why the need for more words!”

49. He increased the exquisite happiness of the five desires with the ladies even more. Night and day suffering was warded off, so that [the Crown Prince] would certainly not wish to go forth.

50. The ministers in the land came to the Crown Prince and extensively spoke of the rules of propriety, urging him to comply with the king’s command.

51. When the Crown Prince saw that the king, his father, was sad and wept, his tears flowing, he momentarily returned to his palace. Sitting upright, he pondered in silence.

52. The ladies in the palace held him dear. They surrounded him and waited upon him. They observed him, gazing at his face. They gazed at him unblinking, just like a deer in the autumn forest, looking straight at the hunter.

53. The Crown Prince’s whole complexion was like a mountain of real gold. The singing women all looked at him and, listening for his instructions, waited for the expression of his voice. They observed his thoughts with reverence, just as that deer in the forest.

54. Gradually sunset arrived. The Crown Prince dwelled in the dark night, but his light was very bright, just as the sun shining on Mount Sumeru.

55. While he was sitting on his seat with the seven precious things, perfumed with fine sandalwood, the multitude of ladies surrounded him and played gandharva music. It was just like the son of Vaiśravaṇa and the many fine sounds of celestial music.

56. What the Crown Prince had on his mind was the highest happiness of renunciation. Even though [the ladies] brought many fine sounds, they still were not in his heart.

57. Then the celestial sons of the pure abodes knew that the Crown Prince’s time had come, and that he would surely go forth. They suddenly transformed and descended. Disdainful of the multitude of singing women, they caused them all to fall asleep.

58. The bearing [of the women] was uncontrolled. [With bodies] bent and lax, they showed their ugly appearance. They were numb, their faces alternately turned downward or upward. Their musical instruments were scattered in disarray. Some leaned sideways or had fallen over, and others looked as if they had been dropped into an abyss.

59. Their necklaces were like dragging chains, and their garments were swathed around their bodies. Some were lying down on the floor, clasping the zither, like someone who is experiencing suffering. Their yellow and green garments were spread out, just like broken karṇi[kāra] flowers.

60. With loose limbs they leaned against the walls, eyes closed, their shape like a hanging horn-bow. Some held on to a window with their hands and looked like strangled corpses. They groaned incessantly and gasped deeply. They were repugnant, sniveling and salivating.

61. With disheveled hair they showed their ugly appearance. They looked like mad people. Flower garlands were hanging across their faces. Some were lying face down on the floor, and some were trembling all over, just like a lone shivering bird.

62. Their bodies bent, they leaned on each other like pillows, hands and feet entwined. Some knit their brows and frowned, and some closed their eyes and opened their mouths. All kinds of bodies were dispersed, scattered about like corpses after an untimely death.

63. The Crown Prince then sat up and observed the ladies. They had all been utterly majestic before, talking and laughing, their thoughts ingratiating and clever. They had been bewitching and ingenious in seduction, but now they all were repugnant.

64. “If the nature of woman is such, how can one hold them dear? When bathing and making use of ornaments, they deceive the minds of men. I have understood now! I will certainly go forth, without any doubt!”

65. Then the gods of the pure abodes came down and opened the gate for him. The Crown Prince then slowly rose and left the room of the ladies. He hesitated in his inner chambers and said to Chandaka:

66. “My mind is thirsty now. I want to drink from the spring of immortality. Put a cover on my horse and quickly bring it here! I want to reach the region of deathlessness. I am fully conscious and my mind has decided. It is firm and adorned with a solemn oath.

67. “The ladies once were beautiful, but now they all show an ugly appearance. The doors were closed before, but now they have all opened of themselves. I observe that these auspicious signs are a snare for the highest meaning.”

68. Chandaka pondered whether he should obey the Crown Prince’s instructions. If he did not inform the king, the father, he would then be charged with a serious fault.

69. The gods increased their divine power and brought the horse, unobserved. The swift, fine horse, [the Crown Prince’s] usual mount, was equipped with gear inlaid with precious things.

70. [The horse had] long bright blue [plumes] and a long mane and tail, a curved back and short hair and ears, the belly of a deer, and the neck of a goose king. Its forehead was wide and its nose round, like a gourd.

71. [It had] the throat of a dragon. Its kneecaps and chest were square. It was endowed with the marks of a thoroughbred. The Crown Prince stroked the horse’s neck and, patting it, he said:

72. “The king, my father, has often mounted you, and, descending on his enemies, has swiftly overcome his foes. I now want to rely on you to cross the distant ford to immortality.

73. “In battle one has numerous troops, and in the happiness of prosperity one has many companions. When a merchant seeks for precious things, those who happily follow him are numerous too.

74. “But when one encounters suffering, a good friend is hard to find. When striving for the Law, one certainly has few friends. He who is supported by these two friends will obtain peace in the end.

75. “I now want to go out to save suffering beings. If you now want what is good for you, and also to save the people, you should exert yourself and gallop away! Do not be tired!”

76. Having urged it on, he slowly mounted his horse. He took control of the reins and at once rode off into the morning. His human shape was floating like the sun’s palace, and the horse floated like a white cloud.

77. Controlled and without exertion, with bated breath it did not neigh. Four spirits came and held up its feet, in secret, silently, without a sound. The heavy gates and their firm bolts were opened by the celestial spirits themselves.

78. Their reverence for the father was unsurpassed, but their affection was deeper for no one than for the son. They and their external retinues were bound by love too. Leaving his feelings behind, but without leaving his memories, he swiftly went beyond the city walls.

79. With eyes like pure lotuses springing from the mud, he looked back at the palace of the king, his father, and spoke the words of his farewell, “If I do not cross over birth, old age, and death, I will never have a reason to travel here!”

80. The multitude of all the gods, dragons, and spirits in the sky rejoiced and they said in praise, “Splendid! Yes, these are true words!”

81. The gods and the host of dragons and spirits rejoiced at his acquisition of a mind that is difficult to acquire. Each guided him with the light of his power, assisting him with their brightness.

82. Man and horse both were keen-spirited and hurried on like a shooting star. Before it dawned in the east, they had advanced three yojanas.