佛本行集經

Chapter 23: CHANDAKA AND THE HORSE RETURN TO THE PALACE

(Part 3)

At that time, King Suddhodana again made this supplication:

-Today, with a prayerful heart, I beseech all the Divine Kings, Protectors of the World, who safeguard sentient beings in the four directions: for the sake of the Prince, may you always render him beneficial assistance.

Today, with a prayerful heart, I beseech the thousand-eyed Lord Sakra in the heavenly realm, king of the devas, husband of Saci, possessed of great power and surrounded and attended by the celestial hosts: may you aid the Prince.

-I also beseech the gods of wind, water, fire, and earth throughout the four cardinal and four intermediate directions of the world: may you aid the Prince.

You are supreme, transcendent great beings; how could you abandon the four great continents? My son has gone forth and resolved to seek the supremely wondrous fruit of noble attainment. I pray that my son's great vow may swiftly be fulfilled and that he may attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, so that I may soon behold it.

King Suddhodana lay upon the ground and addressed countless reproaches to the horse Kanthaka:

-You are a wicked horse! Until now you brought me much peace and happiness, but for what reason have you now done something so utterly harmful and ruinous to my Sakya clan? My son, the Prince, always cherished you, and so did I, because formerly you always brought us joy. Yet today, by acting in this way, you have brought about your own ruin. Take me to the place where the Prince now dwells, so that I may cultivate ascetic practices together with my beloved son. Because I am now separated from the Prince, my life will not endure much longer; I have but a moment left to live!

The king then spoke this verse:

Kanthaka, quickly arise;

Carry me to where the Prince abides.

Apart from the Prince, my life cannot last,

Like one gravely ill who has no medicine.

After speaking these words, the king, tormented by longing for the Prince, lay upon the ground and cried aloud in unbearable anguish. At times he struggled to rise, only to fall down again, choking with grief.

At that time, an intelligent and wise chief minister, together with the royal preceptors and brahmins, saw King Suddhodana rolling upon the ground, falling first to the left and then to the right, his body and mind continually overwhelmed by sorrow, misery, and unrelenting anguish. Wishing to dispel his grief, they deliberately appeared entirely free from sorrow and together addressed the king:

-Your Majesty, today you should relinquish your sorrow and anguish. You must summon firm resolve and calm your mind. You should not collapse unconscious like an ordinary man, weeping and lamenting with tears streaming down. Why should Your Majesty not behave in this way?

Your Majesty, in the past many kings cast aside their thrones as one discards a withered garland and entered deep forests to practice austerities. Moreover, Your Majesty, Prince Siddhartha formed wholesome affinities in the past; therefore, today he continues to practice austerities in order to attain the fruit of bodhi.

Your Majesty, today you should recall the words spoken years ago by the seer Asita. At that time, the seer told Your Majesty: “This youth cannot be bound by the blessings of humans and devas, nor can he be enticed by the throne of a universal monarch in the hope that he might become attached to worldly sensual pleasures.”

Your Majesty, if you are now determined to summon the Prince back, you need only issue us a royal command to depart. The Prince will obey the royal decree and will certainly not dare oppose it.

The king immediately said:

-If you two consider this course reasonable, then go there at once and persuade the Prince to return. If you cannot do so, my life is truly in peril today, for I am oppressed by suffering and anguish.

The minister and the brahmin royal preceptor received King Suddhodana's command and immediately set out together for the place where the Prince was staying. They spoke this verse:

The Prince now practices austerities;

The king recalls Asita's former words.

The Prince desires not a universal monarch's throne,

Nor gives thought to the five human sensual pleasures.

After speaking this verse, the minister and the royal preceptor continued on their way together.

As for the horse Kanthaka, when he heard all the grievous reproaches recounted above, his heart became exceedingly sorrowful. His mind was oppressed by anguish and knew not the slightest happiness, and thus he died. After death, his consciousness was reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

Having been born in that heavenly realm, he later learned that the Tathagata had attained enlightenment. He then left the heavenly realm and was born in the human world as the son of a brahmin family accomplished in the six practices, in the city of Nava in central India. In time, when he had reached adulthood, this brahmin's son went to pay homage to the Tathagata.

The Tathagata knew that in a former existence this man had been a horse and that after his death he had been reborn in heaven. The Blessed One then told him of the causes and conditions of his former life as a horse. After hearing the Dharma, he completely eradicated all outflows, attained liberation, and realized nirvana.

Chapter 24: OBSERVING THE NON-BUDDHIST PATHS

At that time, the Prince took a knife in his own hand and cut off the topknot upon his head, then shaved away his beard and hair and clothed himself in a kasaya robe. At once, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of devas were filled with such overwhelming joy that they could not contain themselves. Their hearts brimming with delight, they shouted together; some sang aloud, some whistled, and some tossed their garments into the air, while all proclaimed:

-Prince Siddhartha has gone forth today! Prince Siddhartha has gone forth today! He will certainly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. He possessed all the constituents of a sentient being, yet he has relinquished them. Even the suffering of separation that he should have endured like other sentient beings, and all such bonds, have now been cast off, and he is liberated.

At the place where the bodhisattva cut off his topknot, the people later built a stupa as a memorial and called it the Stupa of the Cutting of the Topknot.

At the place where the bodhisattva first put on the kasaya robe, the people later built a stupa called the Stupa of Receiving the Kasaya.

At the place where Chandaka and the horse Kanthaka took leave of the Prince and returned to the royal palace, the people later built a commemorative stupa named the Stupa of Chandaka and the Horse Kanthaka Returning to the Palace.

The bodhisattva walked slowly, his countenance contemplative. Whenever anyone approached and questioned him, he remained silent and gave no reply. All the people said to one another, “This seer must surely be a son of the Sakya clan.” For this reason, they named him Sakyamuni.

At that time, the bodhisattva thought to himself: “Now that I have entered upon this life, I have relinquished the royal throne, the kingdom and cities, and my kindred without regret. My going forth has now been accomplished; this is the manifestation of the mark of quiescent cessation.” Having reflected thus, the Prince's resolve became ever more courageous. He then departed from the village of Aniyika and gradually made his way toward the city of Vaisali.

Along the road, he passed by the dwelling place of an elder seer named Bhargava (translated by the Sui scholars as ‘Potter’). When the bodhisattva reached the seer's dwelling, the forest naturally became radiant. The bodhisattva had removed his celestial Kasika garment and all the jeweled necklaces adorning his body.

The light emitted solely by the majestic virtue of the bodhisattva's own person dazzled all the seers in the forest. A verse says:

The celestial robe and jeweled necklaces he cast aside,

Wearing only the kasaya, the customary Dharma robe.

His bodily radiance and majestic power illumined the seers;

He strode like an elephant king or a lion.

At that time, all the seers who were practicing various disciplines—whether walking, standing, lying down, or sitting, or holding objects in their hands—maintained their respective deportment and all turned toward the bodhisattva. With reverence, admiration, and respect, they bowed their heads in homage; some seers gazed upon him while doubts still arose in their minds. Some of the elder seers were gathering fruits, roots, and medicinal herbs.

Others had gone far away and had not yet returned. Although they had not seen the bodhisattva, they harbored no doubts. Merely hearing his voice from afar, their hearts stirred and they hurried back to their dwellings in the forest.

Thus, they did not do what ought to have been done, nor gather what ought to have been gathered. Moreover, whatever fruits, roots, and medicinal herbs they had already gathered, they cast aside, longing in their hearts to return swiftly and behold the bodhisattva.

All the birds in the forest—wild geese, geese, wild ducks, parrots, starlings, mandarin ducks, jivajivaka birds, peacocks, kalavinka birds, kokila birds, and others—upon seeing the bodhisattva enter the forest, raised their voices in melodious and gentle song.

Furthermore, all the insects and beasts in the forest ceased eating grass and drinking water. Filled with joy and delight, they gathered before the bodhisattva.

At that time, there were Brahmins in the forest who attended to sacrificial offerings and milked the dairy cows. Although these cows had nearly ceased giving milk, their udders suddenly became full and naturally streamed forth as they had at first. They said to one another, “We have heard that there are eight Vāsava deities. Could this man be one of those eight?” Others said, “Could this man be one of the two divine lords of the Lou constellation? For what reason, and from where, has he come to this forest? His radiance pervades every place, like the sun appearing at dawn and illuminating the entire world.”

They then spoke this verse:

Could he be one of the eight Vāsavas?

Or a divine son of the two Lou stars?

If not, why does such brilliance arise,

Like the crimson sun suffusing all the world?

At that time, the Brahmins who cultivated the practices of seers took whatever products were available in the forest as offerings and together brought them before the bodhisattva. With one mind, they all bowed at the bodhisattva’s feet and said:

“How fortunate that the Noble One has come here! We wish to invite you to remain. This place abounds in every necessity: forests of fruit trees, roots, leaves, medicinal herbs, and cool streams. In every season, they can provide you with an ample supply. This was the dwelling place of the seers of former times who sought the path of liberation. It is secluded and tranquil, suitable for meditative walking and conducive to peace of mind.”

In a sweet and gentle voice, with every word and sentence clear and easily understood, and with a sound resonant like thunder, the bodhisattva extended greetings that every seer received.

At that time, among the assembly of seers was a Brahmin seer who dwelt in the forest and skillfully practiced ascetic disciplines. Seeing the bodhisattva’s deportment and countenance, he said to another Brahmin:

“This divine youth clearly understands the minds of people and is skilled in expedient means. Why is this so? People of the world commonly say, ‘When I beget children, I must raise them. When they are grown, they will take my place in planning and managing the family estate, conducting trade, seeking wealth, and establishing a livelihood. I shall then devote myself to cultivating wisdom and seeking the path; and if I owe debts to others, they will repay them for me.’ Because of such thoughts and affectionate attachment, they raise their children. This youth, however, is not like that. For the sake of sentient beings, he seeks the path, without regard for his own life and without seeking personal

benefit.”

Among the assembly of seers, another Brahmin said to the first Brahmin:

“Virtuous sir, it is precisely as you have said. People in the world do not understand themselves, do not fulfill their duties, and are never content. They merely say, ‘Today I must finish this task; tomorrow I must finish that task.’ Even while carrying out their affairs, they have not yet attained their aims. All such people in the world are deluded. Since in the present they fail to accomplish their own benefit fully, in future lives they will likewise have no means to achieve any benefit.”

Formerly, when the bodhisattva descended from Tusita Heaven into the human world and manifested conception in the Śākya clan, two golden trees naturally sprang from the earth in the forest of the seer Bhārgava shortly before the day of his birth. These trees were immense and exceedingly tall. On the night the bodhisattva renounced the household life, both trees suddenly vanished at the same time, leaving no trace. When the seer Bhārgava saw that the two trees had vanished together in a single night, he became deeply anxious and woeful. Lowering his head, he thought, “Surely the time of my decline has come, or perhaps some ill omen has occurred, causing such an event to appear.”

The bodhisattva saw the seer Bhārgava sitting with his head bowed, sorrowful and distressed, without the slightest joy in his heart. Gradually approaching the seer, he asked:

“Venerable sir, why are you sitting with your head bowed and appearing so sorrowful?”

The seer replied:

“Divine youth, until now, at this place of mine there were two golden trees that sprang from beneath the earth. Their trunks were immense, and they were lofty, beautiful, and exceedingly pleasing to behold. Today I saw that these trees had suddenly vanished, and so I am sorrowful and unhappy at heart. For this reason, I sit with my head bowed in contemplation.”

The bodhisattva then asked the seer:

“Venerable sir, how long ago did these two trees arise?”

The seer replied:

“Twenty-nine years have now passed.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“How long ago did these trees disappear?”

The seer replied:

“They vanished last night and can no longer be seen.”

The bodhisattva then told the seer:

“These two trees appeared as a karmic result of my merit. Had I remained in worldly life and become a wheel-turning sage-king, I would have established a garden of flowering trees upon this auspicious ground. But now I have relinquished secular life and gone forth. For this reason, these two trees vanished last night and no longer appear. Such are the causes and conditions; therefore, Venerable sir, do not grieve.”

At that time, all the seers attended the bodhisattva on both sides and escorted him onward toward their dwellings. At his leisure, the bodhisattva walked about and observed throughout the forest the various scenes of diligent ascetic practice—standing, sitting, practicing seated meditation, and so forth—in pursuit of the path. While the bodhisattva remained in this forest, a seer who practiced ascetic disciplines continually followed behind and attended upon him.

After entering the forest and reaching the seers’ dwelling place, the bodhisattva cast his gaze in all four directions—east, west, south, and north—and saw practitioners undertaking ascetic disciplines while walking, standing, lying down, and sitting, with the aim of seeking the supreme attainment.

The bodhisattva asked the seers:

“I have only recently entered this place in search of the path and have not been here long. Therefore, I wish to learn from you. I respectfully ask you seers to teach me, in accordance with the Dharma, those ascetic practices of yours that I have never previously known. Please analyze and explain them clearly for me, so that after hearing them I may practice accordingly. If these methods truly bring genuine benefit to practitioners, I too shall practice in accordance with all your ascetic disciplines.”

The seers replied to the bodhisattva:

“Worthy One, you have asked us about all the practices of asceticism and the methods of seeking the Way. We shall explain them to you in due order. The cultivation of asceticism includes the following practices: Some practitioners eat only vegetables and grasses; some eat only shoots of kusa grass; some eat only branches of the kanikāra tree; some eat only branches of the đầu-câu-la tree; some eat only branches from a particular kind of tree; some eat only cow dung; some eat only sesame dregs, wild fruits, and lotus roots; some eat only the tender branches of various trees; some live only by drinking water; some live like dung beetles; some live like deer, subsisting solely on grass; some stand upon the ground and apply their minds to contemplation;

some sit upon the ground to extinguish desire; some live by ‘four-mouth food’; some use hemp bark as clothing; some use black goat hair as clothing; some use grass as clothing; some use silk as clothing; some use vòi-rồng grass as clothing; some use nutgrass as clothing; some use deerskin, or the remaining hides of animals whose carcasses have decomposed, as clothing; some use tangled hair as clothing; some use woolen felt as clothing; some use all manner of rags as clothing; some go naked and lie upon thorns, wooden planks, tree stumps, or poles; some lie in charnel forests; some lie among burial mounds and anthills, living like snakes; some stand in open ground; some immerse themselves in water; some worship fire; some gaze at and follow the movement of the sun;

some hold both arms straight upward; some stand motionless like wooden posts; some sit with their bodies stretched flat upon the ground; some never bathe and smear their bodies entirely with mud; some wear their hair in a topknot; some pluck out all the hair on their heads; and some pluck out all their mustaches.

“We ourselves cultivate practices such as these. Furthermore, while practicing, we contemplate and visualize thus: Some vow and pray to be reborn in the heavenly realm, while others vow to be reborn among human beings. Through cultivating asceticism, this body will afterward attain happiness. Why is this so? Because attaining rebirth in heaven is extremely difficult, it is essential to take ascetic practice as the foundation.”

Then they spoke this verse:

When ascetic practices such as these are cultivated,

One shall enjoy blessings in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven.

Diligent asceticism brings happiness in the next life,

For suffering is the cause of joy.

Although the bodhisattva heard of the ascetic practices of these seers, and although his eyes had never personally witnessed the seers striving to cultivate the practices described above, his heart nevertheless grew weary of them. He considered the seers’ explanations not to be the true and wholesome Dharma. Lowering his voice and speaking slowly, he told them:

“I have now examined your practices. Although there is suffering that must be extinguished, the blessings and rewards of a future life have no certain destination. Even if you are reborn in heaven in the next life, you do not understand that all rewards enjoyed in the celestial palaces are impermanent phenomena. Through such cultivation, only meager rewards are obtained. For ascetic practices such as these, you have abandoned the affection of your relatives and have also lost the pleasures of worldly life. You ascetics forsake all pleasures, yet instead you shall fall into a great prison.”

Then he spoke this verse:

Loved ones and worldly pleasures I abandon,

Practicing asceticism to ascend to heaven.

Though one may say that one will reach the celestial realm,

How could one know that in a later life one will enter prison?

After speaking this verse, the bodhisattva said:

“If someone torments the body in hopes of obtaining a favorable reward, such as rebirth in heaven, then, because beings in the heavenly realm enjoy the pleasures of the five desires without ever knowing satisfaction, in future lives they cannot avoid the calamities brought about by the afflictions of the five desires.

“O seers, through cultivating asceticism you instead incur great suffering. When you are about to die, you see suffering, become exceedingly terrified, and therefore hope to be reborn in a better realm in the next life. Because you still seek rebirth, you cannot escape the law of impermanence.

Why is this so? Wherever beings living in this world experience terror, they return and become attached to that very place. Because they are oppressed by suffering in this world, they seek rebirth in heaven to enjoy its pleasures.

They yearn and hope to be born in the celestial realm, yet such conduct has not freed them from samsara. Thus, in the next life they again fall into realms devoid of benefit. Nevertheless, they stubbornly persist in asceticism and do not seek to abandon practices that torment the body.

“If you wish to seek an excellent realm surpassing the realms of the devas, then, if you are wise, you should distance yourselves from the five desires and gradually seek the supreme realm. It is like a person traveling on foot, whose feet step forward in order to reach the supreme realm; having reached that supreme realm, one must then pass beyond it.

“If you regard tormenting the body as attaining the Dharma, then this practice of tormenting the body is contrary to the Dharma. If you torment the body in order to obtain pleasures in the heavenly realm, by carrying out this practice you will fall into what is contrary to the Dharma. Yet all the actions of this body are governed by the mind. Therefore, you must first discipline the mind and should not torment the body.”

Then he spoke this verse:

When the body moves, it is directed by the mind;

First discipline the mind and do not torment the body.

The body is insentient, like wood or stone;

Since the mind is master, why torment the body?

The bodhisattva continued:

“According to the ascetic practices you have just described, if merit were obtained through fasting, then wild animals ought to obtain immense merit. Likewise, a poor person planted few wholesome roots in a former life and therefore now receives the recompense of poverty and lacks possessions. So too, there are people in the world without merit who constantly seek ‘water of merit’ from all the divine and wondrous beings upon this earth, using it to bathe their bodies in the hope that everything they desire will be accomplished according to their wishes. No such thing is possible!”

At that time, the ascetic seers said to the bodhisattva:

“O wise and discerning Worthy One, what dangers do you perceive here?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“Today you cultivate ascetic practices such as these; in future lives, you shall fall into realms of suffering.”

The ascetic seers then joined together in challenging the bodhisattva:

“The practices cultivated here are of this kind. How do you know that by practicing asceticism in this way today, we shall later fall into realms of suffering?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“The ascetic practices you cultivate are not the ultimate teaching, and therefore you shall fall into a state that is not free from fear.”

The ascetic seers again said to the bodhisattva:

“Worthy One, you are a person of great virtue; please do not speak such words! Today, here in this place, there is great merit in the path we practice, and there is nothing whatsoever to fear. Anyone who follows this path of cultivation, after relinquishing this coarse and ugly body, shall obtain an exquisitely fine body of recompense.”

The bodhisattva said:

—Although, after relinquishing this coarse and ugly body, one may obtain a fine and beautiful recompense-body, this is still not a Dharma that leads beyond samsara. Because one now practices methods that torment the body, one will obtain a recompense-body in the next life. Yet that recompense-body in the next life will still not be free from suffering. Why is this? Although one practices many forms of asceticism in the hope of seeking pleasure, one still cannot thereby bring suffering to an end.

The ascetic sages respectfully addressed the bodhisattva:

—Worthy One, it is not so. It is not that, because we practice asceticism in this life, we shall suffer again in the next. Because of these practices by which we mortify the body, we shall certainly obtain happiness in the next life.

The bodhisattva again said:

—What you say is merely the speech of the ignorant. Why is this? Suppose a person wishes to seek benefit and happiness but does not understand that within this pursuit of benefit and happiness there is also harm. If, even knowing it to be harmful, he still seeks benefit therein, he cannot be called wise.

At that time, a brahmin in the assembly proclaimed in a loud voice:

—How rare! How rare! This prince is truly endowed with wisdom. Suppose someone were given exquisite food and drink of the finest flavors, but that food was mixed with poison—who would wish to eat it? Through ascetic practices such as these, although one may obtain happiness in the next life, one has not escaped the conditioned dharmas of birth, aging, illness, and death. Would not such ascetic practice amount to seeking once again the path of birth and death?

The bodhisattva again said:

—Of all worldly sufferings, the most hateful is the god of death taking away one's life; yet one seeks birth in a future life. This is great foolishness.

An ascetic sage praised him, saying:

—Excellent, Prince! I fear that you have not carefully examined and deeply entered this discipline of ascetic practice. In the past, immeasurable greatly virtuous ones practiced this ascetic discipline together. Here as well, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of kings who cultivated the way of the sages and others all practiced this ascetic discipline together, jointly seeking happiness in future lives.

The bodhisattva again said:

—Judging from what you say today, even after thousands and tens of thousands of years, it would be difficult to find anyone more foolish. Alas, these are false words! Because the greatly virtuous ones here practice asceticism and mentally compare states of suffering and happiness, they seek to enjoy blessed happiness in the next life. In future lives they will take birth within the realm of samsara, never finding satisfaction, and amid the afflictions they will do what ought not to be done, continuing to revolve therein. Because they now seek worldly pleasures for the next life, they instead undergo much suffering.

The ascetic sage again said:

—Worthy Prince, the sovereign of this country resides in the city of Mithila. Before holding the unrestricted assembly, the king slaughtered no small number of animals as offerings to the devas, seeking to enjoy happiness in the next life.

The bodhisattva again said:

—If one claims that the Dharma can be attained through killing living beings, can such conduct truly be called the practice of Dharma?

The ascetic sage again respectfully said:

—From ancient times until now, our rites of sacrifice to the devas have been transmitted in this manner.

The bodhisattva said:

—Some cause suffering to others and regard it as attaining the Dharma. Suppose a person smears his body with earth and then uses earth again to wipe the earth from his body. Would the earth on his body thereby be removed? Or suppose a person smears blood upon his body and then uses blood to wash away the blood on his body. How could the blood on his body ever be cleansed? Likewise, if a person practices what is contrary to the Dharma and hopes thereby to attain the Dharma, that is impossible.

The ascetic sages replied:

—It truly is possible.

The bodhisattva asked:

—For what reason?

The ascetic sages replied:

—It is based upon the Vedas. The sages of ancient times clearly taught this.

The bodhisattva again asked:

—How do the sages explain this meaning in the Vedas?

The ascetic sages replied:

—The treatise states: “If a person makes sacrifices to the devas, this is called attaining the Dharma.”

The bodhisattva again said:

—I ask you further: According to the worldly customs you have recently followed, if a person kills a goat as a sacrifice to heaven and earth, this is called being in accordance with the Dharma. Why, then, do you not kill your parents and relatives as sacrifices to heaven and earth? From this I know that killing goats as sacrifices to heaven possesses no merit. Your practice of these things contrary to the Dharma is merely the product of your own wishes.

At that time, the bodhisattva looked up and saw a forest not far from where he was sitting. It was in fact a charnel ground. Having seen it, the bodhisattva said to the ascetic sages:

—Venerable Ones, look at the scene upon that forest ground. To what kind of ascetic practice could it belong? Within the forest, some corpses are being eaten by birds; some have become piles of white bones; some are presently being cremated and reduced to heaps of bones; some are hanging from trees; some were slain by their relatives, who then adorned a resting place and buried them according to the prescribed rites, leaving later generations to feel ashamed; and some were surrounded by their relatives and carried to the charnel ground in the forest, where they were abandoned before the relatives returned home.

The ascetic sages again replied:

—Worthy Prince, it is so. That charnel-ground forest is a field of merit where bodies are given away equally. It is shared by all four social classes without distinction, and is therefore called a wilderness. As for this forest ground of ours, whoever gives away his body without regarding it as suffering, aspiring thereby to obtain a favorable rebirth, will immediately be born among the devas after death and enjoy celestial pleasures. Some practitioners cast themselves into deep ravines; some burn their bodies; and some give away their bodies and lives. All of them are born among the devas.

The bodhisattva again said:

—If this is so, practitioners cultivate asceticism in pursuit of wealth in the next life. Alas, how utterly deluded! Alas, to seek wealth and honor in a future life amid impermanence is to seek many enemies in the next life! Alas, amid great suffering they pursue yet greater suffering! They are foolish people, people without wisdom, people who leap into blazing fires, people who deliver their lives into the mouths of pythons.

With such eloquence, the bodhisattva spoke subtle and wondrous words to the ascetic sages concerning the path to liberation. By the time this discourse ended, dusk had fallen, and the bodhisattva returned to the sages' dwelling place to rest.

The following morning, the bodhisattva again journeyed toward other places, and the sages set out one after another behind him.

The bodhisattva had not traveled far when he saw that the sages were continuing to follow him. Seeing this, he sat down beneath the canopy of a tree, while the sages surrounded him, some standing and others sitting.

At that time, among the assembly of ascetics was an elder sage. He approached the bodhisattva, gave rise to a sense of wonder, and respectfully said:

—Worthy Prince, ever since you came to this forest, our dwelling place has been adorned with splendor. I fear that when you leave, this scene will immediately become a desolate wilderness. For this reason, Worthy One, please do not abandon us and depart. Why is this? Furthermore, whoever wishes to be born in the celestial realm should remain upon this field of merit and practice asceticism. Therefore, Worthy One, you should not abandon this wondrous forest, where the sages of former times cultivated pure practices, and go elsewhere!

The sage then spoke this verse:

Since you came here, our forest has shone brightly;

Now, without you, it suddenly becomes a wilderness.

For this reason, let us not part from one another;

As one who cherishes life should not destroy the body.

After speaking this verse, the sage again respectfully said:

“Worthy Prince, do you see here only coarse, lowly, and ungrateful people? Or do you see people who have fallen into the path of defiled practices, or people who lead lives of impure conduct? If not, why do you not wish to remain here with us? We seers wish to form a bond of spiritual friendship with you. We shall obediently follow and carry out your instructions, not daring to oppose them, and wish to seek with you the attainment of the most excellent and sublime state. Even a person beset by misfortune would attain something good by living with you—how much more so we seers!

The foremost seer asked the bodhisattva to seek the Dharma of liberation together with them. Understanding their intention, the bodhisattva declared the original vow cherished in his heart and at the same time praised the ascetic seers. He said:

“Worthy seers, you have now attained unobstructed eloquence. Because you have long cultivated such practices with your bodies, your minds have become pure. You show earnest respect even toward one whom you have never known before, and now, as we are about to part, you feel deeply sorrowful, as though being separated from a beloved relative.

Such indeed are human affections. Yet the fruit sought through your practices is rebirth in the heavenly realms, whereas my aim is not so. I now aspire to liberation and have no desire to seek continued existence of a self.

Such is my firm resolve. Having observed your circumstances, I feel no attachment to your dwelling place. To seek rebirth on the one hand and liberation from the three realms on the other are two entirely contradictory aims.

Yet it is not that I dislike this place, nor that I envy others, nor that I depart because I see faults in anyone. You all abide in your own teaching, following the instructions of the noble and sagely seers of former times, and you have all attained the Dharma of the great seers.”

When the seers saw that the bodhisattva’s aspiration was directed toward supreme liberation, they felt still greater affection, reverence, and respect for him.

At that time, among the assembly of seers was a Brahmin seer who practiced by continually lying in ashes or resting his body beside corpses. He wore a garment made of rags, had blue-green ears, yellow eyes, a high nose, and a fair body, and held a water vessel in his hand. Hearing the bodhisattva speak thus, he came before him and, his heart filled with joy, praised him, saying:

“Your words are exceedingly wondrous and reveal your own supreme original vow. Although you are still young and have not yet experienced the five sensual pleasures, you perceive their perils and therefore do not thirst for them. Those who desire rebirth in heaven do not understand the afflictions that follow such rebirth.

Whoever contemplates in this way and seeks liberation will soon fulfill his aspiration. Since you have contemplated thus and are firmly resolved to seek liberation from the three realms, you should quickly leave this place and go to the region called Nhật Xuyên Tạng, where a seer named Arada resides. That seer has certainly attained right knowledge and the purified eye.

You may study under him and hear the true and ultimate path of skillful means. Once you have heard that path of skillful means, it is my judgment that your wisdom will surely surpass his. Judging from your wisdom and all the excellent marks of your physical form today, you will certainly transcend every form of knowledge and reach the further shore of liberation.

You will surpass all the seers of former times, for what they never realized or knew, you will now realize and know.”

The bodhisattva said to the Brahmin seer:

“I vow to do exactly as you have instructed.”

The bodhisattva then took leave of the ascetic seers, who had respectfully and earnestly invited him to remain, and departed in the direction of the seer Arada.

A verse says:

The Sakyan prince of noble lineage

With gracious words consoled the seers;

Resolved, he set out toward Arada,

While the ascetic seers returned to their abodes.

Chapter 25: THE KING’S ENVOYS SEARCH FOR THE PRINCE

(Part 1)

At that time, the Brahmin royal preceptor and a chief minister, obeying the command of King Suddhodana, sorrowfully wept tears of grief. They prepared a carriage and horses, making everything orderly and complete, and, acting under the authority and majestic virtue of the great king, departed from the city of Kapilavastu. Leaving the city, they followed the bodhisattva’s tracks, and before long they reached the region of the seer Bhargava.

From afar, the seer Bhargava saw the king’s envoys gradually approaching. He immediately rose, went out to welcome them, and said:

“How fortunate that you worthy men have come here! I do not know what has suddenly brought you to this forest. Please be so kind as to tell me. I invite you to rest for a moment and sit upon this mat of grass to quench your thirst. I shall then offer you all kinds of delicious fruits and cool, refreshing water for you to enjoy as you please.”

The two envoys bowed at the feet of the seer Bhargava and then withdrew to sit to one side. Once they were seated, the seer Bhargava inquired after their health.

The chief minister interrupted the seer Bhargava and said, “Venerable Great Seer and teacher, we were sent here by King Suddhodana of the Ikshvaku lineage. I am the king’s chief minister, and the other is the great Brahmin who serves as the king’s revered preceptor. The king of the Ikshvaku lineage has a prince named Siddhartha. Because the prince feared birth, old age, illness, and death, he left the royal palace and entered the mountains, resolutely seeking liberation. We heard that the prince had come to this region. That is why we have come here.”

When the seer Bhargava heard the two envoys speak thus, he replied:

“That Supreme Man, replete with immense merit, did indeed come here. After arriving, he asked me about my practices, and I truthfully explained my teaching to him. Having listened, he said, ‘Although this teaching transcends the ordinary world, it ultimately leads one back into birth and death and is not the final method.’ He rejected my teaching and departed elsewhere to seek the path that transcends birth and death. He is now heading toward the dwelling place of the seer Arada.”

The seer then spoke this verse:

The Supreme Man of immense merit

Came to hear my Dharma but deemed it untrue;

Aspiring to the supreme fruit of nirvana,

He left me and journeyed toward Arada’s abode.

After the two envoys—the chief minister and the great Brahmin royal preceptor—heard the seer Bhargava’s words, their wholehearted devotion, earnestness, and reverence toward King Suddhodana left them unaware of fatigue. Without the slightest delay, and without even taking time to eat the sweet fruits or drink the delicious water offered by the seer, they followed Bhargava’s directions and hurried away together in search of the bodhisattva.

Advancing gradually, they soon found the forest where the bodhisattva was staying. From afar, the two envoys saw him seated upon a mat of grass beneath a tree in the forest. He had removed all his precious ornaments—jewels, necklaces, and the like—yet his own body emitted a brilliant radiance that illuminated the entire forest, making him appear exceedingly majestic, like the sun emerging among the clouds and lighting up heaven and earth.

When the envoys saw this sight, they descended from their carriage and slowly approached the bodhisattva on foot. Upon reaching him, they bowed at his feet and together proclaimed:

—I humbly pray that the Holy Prince may ever abide in peace and well-being.

Then they stood respectfully to one side before the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva inquired after the two envoys and, according to each hardship they had undergone, spoke words of consolation and gratitude. After inquiring after them and comforting them, the bodhisattva permitted the two envoys to sit close beside him.

When the two envoys had taken their seats, they addressed the bodhisattva:

—O Prince of Great Wisdom, your royal father, the great King Suddhodana, is overwhelmed by sorrow and anguish because of his profound love and reverence for you. Why is this so? On the day the bodhisattva left the royal palace to renounce the household life, when the Great King heard the news, he suddenly collapsed to the ground where he stood.

His spirit fled and he became utterly unconscious. His ministers sprinkled water over his body for a long while before he revived. After regaining consciousness, the Great King was overcome with longing for the Prince, and tears streamed down his face.

Because matters have come to this, the Great King has now ordered the two of us to seek out the Holy Prince. We humbly beseech you, Holy Prince, to compose your mind and listen attentively to the decree issued by the Great King:

“We know that the Holy Prince delights in the true Dharma. We also know that the Holy Prince takes no pleasure in the royal palace and is resolved to renounce the household life in quest of the unsurpassed path. Although this is right, now is not the proper time for the Holy Prince to enter the forest.

Seeing that the Prince has entered the forest at an untimely moment, We are filled with the utmost grief and anguish. Our entire body is consumed by affliction, like a blazing fire fiercely burning through a vast forest. The Prince should now relinquish this intention and return to dwell with Us in the royal palace.

For the time being, set aside your love of the Dharma and accept the loving regard of your father. If you can do so, this will be the Prince’s righteous conduct. But if you do not return to see your father, your father’s pain will only grow more intense.

It is like the waters of a great river flowing throughout the year, when suddenly both banks collapse and the current is abruptly cut off; like a violent gale scattering a great mass of clouds; like scorching heat burning up dry grasslands; like months of severe drought drying up all the rivers; or like a hailstorm breaking and flattening the spring rice seedlings.

“My beloved son, your father’s heart is now just so! Because I constantly think of you and long for you, my heart suffers unbearable anguish, as though scalded by boiling water or scorched by fire, until my very entrails are torn apart. Therefore, you must change your mind and return to the royal palace; accept the royal throne and govern the realm. If you wish to leave behind a legacy for later generations to judge, then afterward you may enter the forest and seek the Dharma as you please.”