佛本行集經

Chapter 28: EXHORTATION TO ENJOY WORLDLY PLEASURES

(Part 2)

After that night had passed, at the first light of dawn the following day, the bodhisattva dressed himself properly, left Mount Pandava, and walked slowly into Rajagriha to seek alms. As he went, he contemplated that all the skandhas are suffering, empty, and impermanent, and he aspired to seek the Dharma of the great nirvana without remainder. He kept his gaze lowered to the distance of one yoke, restrained his faculties, and cut off every defiled attachment to sense objects, leaving not the slightest trace of impurity. Then he thought: “Today I am going for alms, but I have no alms bowl. When I receive food, what shall I put it in?” Having thought this, he went about seeking a bowl, but could not obtain one. Suddenly he saw a lotus pond nearby and said to its keeper:

“Good sir, would you kindly give me a lotus leaf from the pond?”

Hearing this, the keeper readily agreed, entered the pond, plucked a lotus leaf, and offered it to the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva accepted the lotus leaf and then proceeded toward the city to seek alms.

At that time, the people both inside and outside Rajagriha carefully observed the bodhisattva’s every movement. Seeing his radiant spiritual majesty, they considered it exceedingly rare and discussed among themselves: “Could this be the three-eyed god Maheshvara descending into this land?” Some who were preparing to conduct business in distant regions changed their minds as soon as they saw the bodhisattva and, abandoning their journeys, gathered around him.

Others who were on their way to attend to some affair saw his dignified bearing and immediately abandoned their business to approach him. Some who had been sitting sprang suddenly to their feet upon seeing him and hurried to his side. Some faced him with palms joined reverently; some bowed their heads in homage; and some praised him in refined voices: “Excellent!

Excellent that you have come here!” When all the people of Rajagriha saw the bodhisattva, there was not one who did not rejoice and admire him. Even garrulous people in the city who habitually spoke confused and frivolous words became silent in his presence and followed him. Old and young, men and women, from every quarter of Rajagriha abandoned whatever tasks they had intended to perform and gazed upon him without blinking, regarding the sight as unprecedented.

They carefully observed his form—his face, brow, shoulders, neck, hands, feet, and every gesture. Whenever their gaze rested upon any part of his body, they delighted in it and could not turn their eyes elsewhere.

At that time the bodhisattva was in the prime of vigorous youth and beauty, at an age when vitality and loveliness blossomed like flowers, yet he had renounced the palace and gone forth to seek the Way. Between his eyebrows was a white curl turning to the right. His eyebrows were long and fine; his eyes were large, long, and broad. His majestic virtue radiated everywhere. His body shone brilliantly, awe-inspiring and worthy of reverence, illuminating all places near and far. Between each of his twenty fingers and toes was a fine web-like membrane. He possessed the capacity to guide and transform all humans and devas. The bodhisattva’s majestic virtue and spiritual power encompassed all, and no one in the world could equal him.

There was a verse:

His slender, lengthy brows were like the crescent moon;
His dark blue eyes were like those of a lordly bull.
His limpid body radiated brilliant light;
His ten fingers and ten toes were joined by webs.

At that time, the guardian deity of Rajagriha saw the bodhisattva’s majestic bearing and became frightened, trembling uneasily. He thought to himself: “From what land has this great deity come, intending to approach my dwelling?” Meanwhile, countless people surrounded the bodhisattva on his left and right, before and behind, to gaze upon his countenance.

He walked slowly toward Rajagriha to seek alms. His robes were orderly; his mind was single-pointed and composed; his faculties were carefully restrained; and his contemplative eyes were lowered. In both hands he held the lotus leaf that served as his alms bowl.

His feet moved gently and evenly, neither slowly nor hastily, as he proceeded forward. Whether walking or standing, lowering or raising his head, every gesture displayed complete dignity, serenity, and ease, bringing great joy to all who saw him. He had realized the supreme and most excellent Dharma of meditative calm.

His mind was disciplined and his body graceful, like a well-tamed king of elephants. He was free of all impurity, like a pool of clear water. His body constantly radiated light for one yoke in every direction.

He was like a sala tree in full bloom, like a golden statue emerging from the earth, perfectly endowed with all the splendid marks, like the moon amid the stars in the darkened sky, and like the sun illuminating the entire world.

When people of every class in Rajagriha saw the bodhisattva walking through the streets, their hearts rejoiced, and they regarded the sight as unprecedented. Merchants conducting trade in the city suspended their business and did not go to the marketplace. In taverns, where many ordinarily became intoxicated and mentally confused, everyone that day remained sober, refrained from drunken eating and drinking, abandoned all banquets and songs, and hurried together to the bodhisattva. Some walked on either side of him to behold him; some ran ahead and turned their heads to look back; and others followed behind.

There were also countless women in Rajagriha. Some leaned against their doorways, some stood within their windows, and others watched from towers or tall buildings. That day they suspended all their ordinary activities in order to behold the bodhisattva. Every household in the city opened its doors and joyfully welcomed him. They said to one another: “Who is this man? From where has he come? To what lineage does he belong? What is his name, that his countenance is so beautiful and his conduct so endearing? Never before have we seen such an extraordinarily handsome appearance. Is he a shramana or a brahmin?” Their praises resounded throughout the city, both within and without.

At that time, the king of Magadha, named Bimbisara of the Shrenika clan, had his capital at Rajagriha. Before ascending the throne, he had made five aspirations:

1. May I ascend the throne while still young.

2. After I ascend the throne, may a Buddha, a Blessed One, appear within the realm I govern.

3. If a Buddha appears in the world, may I personally attend upon and make offerings to him.

4. After I have attended upon and made offerings to him, may the Buddha teach me the Dharma in fulfillment of my aspiration.

5. After the Buddha has taught me the Dharma, may I hear it without disparaging it, attain the Dharma, and practice accordingly.

As King Bimbisara sat in a lofty pavilion surrounded by his ministers, he saw from afar the bodhisattva and the crowd gradually entering Rajagriha. At the first glimpse of the bodhisattva, the king was greatly astonished. He hurried down from the pavilion, opened the palace gates, and went outside. He saw that the bodhisattva’s dignified conduct and upright form were unequaled. He was like the moon appearing among the stars in the darkened sky, delightful for everyone to behold, and like a mani jewel, perfectly translucent and shining both within and without. So too was the bodhisattva’s noble countenance filled with majestic virtue, radiant and splendid.

Seeing the bodhisattva’s noble and beautiful countenance, King Bimbisara said to his ministers:

“From the time of my birth until this very day, I have never seen anyone with such eyes, nose, face, complexion, bodily form, and appearance. His forehead is high, broad, level, lucid, and distinct, shining with manifest clarity, like a lotus in water to which not a single drop adheres. His body is filled with majestic virtue, and every hair upon it curls to the right. Between his eyebrows is a pure white curl resembling crystal or white jade, as dazzling as milk foam and like the radiance of the full moon. At every step, the soles of his feet leave perfectly formed impressions of thousand-spoked wheels upon the earth. He shows no fear or trembling, and his wisdom is as tranquil as Mount Sumeru. I do not know from where he has appeared and come to this city.

“My ministers, you should investigate to which lineage this man belongs, whose son he is, in what land he was born, and what his name is. His appearance is so beautiful, lovable, and pleasing; for what reason has he journeyed here?”

Among the ministers, some thought that he was a heavenly king; some thought that he was the god Shakra; some thought that he was a great naga king; some thought that he was the asura king Vemacitrin; some thought that he was the asura king Bali; some thought that he was the world-protecting divine king Vaishravana; some thought that he was the solar deva; some thought that he was the lunar deva; some thought that he was the god Maheshvara; and some thought that he was Brahma.

Then several brahmin diviners reported:

“Great King, you should know that according to the teachings transmitted in our treatises from ancient times to the present, this man must certainly be a wheel-turning sage king. Why is this? Because today we see that the body of this great being is fully endowed with the auspicious marks.”

Another minister then reported:

“Great King, you should know that this is indeed the case. Why? Not much more than ten yojanas north of here, at the foot of the Snow Mountains, there is a clan called the Shakyas. That clan has a kingdom named Kapilavastu. The king who rules that land belongs to the Shakya clan and is named Shuddhodana. He had a crown prince named Siddhartha, of the Shakya clan, also called Gautama. On the day the prince was born, the king invited brahmin physiognomists to examine his marks. After examining him, they reported to the king: ‘Great King, please understand that this child has two possible destinies:

“‘1. If he remains at home, he will become a wheel-turning sage king, supreme throughout the four continents, protecting the great earth and governing the world according to the true Dharma.

“‘2. If he renounces the royal station, he will certainly attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, and his renown will resound throughout the ten directions.’

“Great King, this man is certainly Crown Prince Siddhartha, without the slightest doubt. Why? Because he has now renounced his kingdom and city, gone forth, shaved off his beard and hair, and, with a body the color of pure gold, donned the kashaya robe and journeyed here.”

He then spoke this verse:

The physiognomists of that land foretold:
If he ruled not as king, he would become a Buddha.
Surely this man is the son of the Shakya clan,
Gone forth to practice austerities and seek enlightenment.

Having heard the minister’s words, King Bimbisara thought: “If this is so, the aspiration I made long ago will be fulfilled.” He then commanded two ministers:

“If you are capable, quickly follow that renunciant and discover where he stops to rest. Once you know his dwelling place, return swiftly and report it to me. I shall then go personally to behold him, make offerings, question him, and receive teachings I have never before heard.”

The two ministers obeyed the royal command and followed closely behind the bodhisattva without leaving him for a moment.

As the bodhisattva sought alms in Rajagriha, he saw crowds packed densely everywhere and thought: “These people have no refuge and no one to rescue them. They are constantly bound by birth, old age, sickness, and death, yet they feel neither fear nor anxiety. They do not know to seek the ultimate Way.

They have no teacher and are foolish and benighted, submerged in afflictions and harmed day after day, yet because of their delusion and ignorance, they do not perceive it. Thus they cling to this body of five skandhas, which is suffering, empty, and impermanent, without becoming disenchanted or seeking to leave it behind.” Having reflected in this way, the bodhisattva aroused loving-kindness and compassion, and his vigorous, courageous diligence increased manyfold.

Subduing his own mind, he resolved: “I shall now become a refuge for all beings in the world. I shall rescue the world from its suffering and distress. For the sake of the world, I shall proclaim the way to end birth, old age, sickness, and death.”

At that time, the bodhisattva kept his eyes lowered to the distance of one furrow ahead. Silently and attentively, he walked slowly with orderly dignity, going from place to place throughout Rajagriha to seek alms. When he had finished, he calmly left the city and gradually proceeded toward Mount Pandava.

Arriving near the foot of the mountain, he sat beside a stream. Seated properly and established in right mindfulness, he partook of the food in accordance with the Dharma, whether it was fine or coarse. After eating, he folded his robe, washed his hands and feet, and climbed to the summit of Mount Pandava.

Going southward, he found a forest with a cool, clear stream, flourishing trees, and luxuriant branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits, where many kinds of birds and beasts roamed at leisure. He went among the great trees, spread out a grass mat, and sat cross-legged facing east. With body upright and mind properly contemplating, he sat there serenely, like a lion entering its cave without the slightest fear.

Clad in his kashaya robe, he shone brilliantly. His handsome and solemn countenance radiated light everywhere, like the light of the sun appearing at dawn.

There was a verse:

Seated beneath the tree, the bodhisattva reflected: “Here I should cultivate the teaching that there is no person, no self, no sentient being, no life span, no being, no sovereign, no supreme self, and no nurturer. This body of five skandhas is entirely empty. There is neither life faculty nor consciousness. All dharmas are merely provisionally designated by the name ‘sentient being.’”

The two ministers of King Bimbisara had followed closely beside the bodhisattva throughout. One now sat in front of him not far away, while the other hurried back to report to King Bimbisara. Upon arriving, the messenger knelt and addressed the king:

“Great King, you should know that after seeking alms, the renunciant left Rajagriha and proceeded toward Mount Pandava. After taking his meal... he sat upright, facing south, and so forth, as described above. If the Great King wishes to pay homage to him today, please go there quickly.”

When King Bimbisara heard the messenger’s report, he immediately ordered a splendid carriage and provisions to be prepared. He mounted the carriage and went directly to Mount Pandava. When the king reached the foot of the mountain, he saw from afar the bodhisattva’s upright form, and his heart was filled with immense delight.

The bodhisattva’s countenance resembled the bright moon among the stars in the darkened sky, a vast fire blazing amid a dark mountain forest, or a flash of lightning cleaving dense clouds and mist. Thus did the king of Magadha behold the bodhisattva seated beneath the tree. Considering the sight exceedingly rare, he was filled throughout his entire body with overwhelming joy.

He hurriedly descended from his carriage, walked to the bodhisattva’s side, inquired after his health, and said:

“Do you have little illness or distress? Are the four great elements of your body at ease?”

There was a verse:

The king beheld the bodhisattva like the lord of devas;
Seeing his body shine, his heart rejoiced.
He inquired whether his health and body were at ease,
Whether he had little illness, little sorrow, and no bodily affliction.

At that time, the bodhisattva smiled. In a voice like that of Brahma, elegant and gentle, with sentences clearly distinguished, words lucid, and speech free of impurity, he greeted King Bimbisara of Magadha:

“Excellent, Great King. May all be most auspicious. You are capable of governing and transforming the people. From what distant place has the Great King come? Please sit and rest awhile. I do not know what you seek that has caused you to labor in coming here.”

Hearing this greeting from the bodhisattva, King Bimbisara approached him and sat comfortably upon a slab of stone. Wishing to test the bodhisattva’s mind, the king said:

“Good sir, if you are not too weary today, please allow me to ask a few questions. There is doubt in my heart, and I beg you to resolve it.”

The king then asked:

“Good sir, what kind of being are you? Are you a deva or a naga? Are you Brahma or Shakra? Are you a human being or a spirit?”

Without arrogance, craving, or anger, having uprooted every thorn of affliction, and without the slightest deceit or flattery, the bodhisattva replied to King Bimbisara of Magadha:

“Great King, please understand that I am neither a deva nor a naga, nor am I Brahma or any such being. I am a human being. Great King, because I seek the path of tranquility, I abandoned the throne and went forth.”

King Bimbisara of Magadha said to the bodhisattva:

“Venerable bhikshu, my heart rejoices greatly upon seeing you. Because I hold you in affectionate esteem and because a certain concern troubles me today, I wish to ask you a few things. Please be willing to hear me.

Why, when you are in the prime of youth, vigorous, strong, and healthy, with an upright, gentle, handsome appearance unequaled by anyone, and at precisely the age to enjoy pleasures freely, did you resolve to leave the royal palace, go forth as a shramana, and sit alone in these deserted mountains? Moreover, a body such as yours deserves to be anointed with sandalwood perfume; it should not be covered by a kashaya robe like this!

Your hands, whose fingers bear lines like exquisite paintings, should govern and guide the people and receive a full array of a hundred exquisite flavors to enjoy at will. Why should they carry a bowl from house to house begging for food?”

The king then spoke this verse:

After speaking this verse, King Bimbisara again said to the bodhisattva:

“Today, out of loving regard for your royal father, you have declined the throne, renounced the household life, and gone forth. I now invite you to remain in my country and enjoy the five sensual pleasures. Whatever you require, I shall provide according to your wishes.

If you need wealth, I shall supply wealth; even my palace women and attendants shall all be provided for you. I shall divide my kingdom in half and give you one part to govern. You may accept kingship here in my land, and I shall serve you so that you lack nothing.

Why do I say this? I see that your body is delicate and unsuited to life in a desolate mountain forest. Sitting upon the ground on a mat of dry grass may injure your health and cause illness.

Please govern my country for a short time. When your royal father becomes aged and frail, you may return to your native land and ascend the throne. If today you will show consideration and compassion toward me, please accept the royal station and govern here.

“If, considering yourself descended from the noble lineage of a great clan, you disdain my kingdom as narrow and its territory as defiled, then I, together with my ministers, officials, and all the people, shall expand the frontiers for your sake, making the kingdom greater and broader, and then govern it together with you. At that time, I hope to establish relations with your noble clan and form bonds of deep affection like those of a family. Please do not doubt my sincerity.”

The king then spoke this verse:

You may consider yourself of a great and noble clan,
And decline because my kingdom is too small.
Together with my ministers and all my officials,
I shall extend its borders and make it broader still.

After speaking this verse, the king of Magadha again addressed the bodhisattva:

“I cherish and deeply respect you, yet today you sustain yourself by seeking alms. Be resolved and magnanimous: accept rank, wealth, and the pleasures of the five senses. Why should you undertake this life?

Within the palace you may delight in the beauty of palace women and enjoy happiness and pleasure. Thus you may become one who enjoys worldly blessings both now and in the future. If today you do not enjoy these three things, or relinquish even one of them, your blessings will be incomplete both now and in the future.

Even if you later obtain them, something will be lacking. Therefore, good sir, be magnanimous and enjoy these three pleasures. While enjoying them, employ the reward of your youth and handsome form to obtain position, wealth, and sensual pleasure.

Men in the world sometimes enjoy sensual desire in order to beget heirs. Children are the most precious of possessions. Therefore, good sir, do not allow this opportunity to pass!

“Furthermore, strong arms such as yours should be employed in drawing the bow. How could you let an entire lifetime go to waste? In ancient times, King Murdhaja used his valor and strength to rule the four continents, extending even to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

Today you should undertake such a task. Why? Today it is out of compassion for all the people that I invite you in this way; I do not earnestly exhort you merely in my capacity as a king.

When I see your handsome form, pity and sorrow bring tears to my eyes, and I cannot bear to remain silent. My admiration for you has therefore increased manyfold, and for this reason I labor so earnestly to invite you. Today, while your strength is abundant, you should enjoy worldly desires.

Wait until you are old and weak, and only then renounce the household life and go forth.

“Furthermore, good sir, from ancient times until now, your ancestors all followed the custom of their royal house. Only when they became old did they entrust the affairs of state to the crown prince or a minister. Afterward, they relinquished the throne, went forth, entered the mountains, and practiced.

“Furthermore, good sir, the ancient seers taught that while young, a person should enjoy sensual pleasures; in middle age, he should conduct business and seek the wealth needed for life; and only when old and frail should he relinquish his property, entrust it to his children, and practice austerities. In this way, every aspect of social life is properly established. Conversely, one who does not enjoy sensual pleasure in youth and does not establish a livelihood in middle age acts as his own enemy and may even be called a thief. When old age arrives and the faculties have declined, it is difficult to experience sensual pleasure.

“Furthermore, good sir, even if a person wishes to practice austerities while young, his faculties still demand the five sensual pleasures. In old age, when he resolves inwardly to sever sensual desire, it is easier to guard the faculties, give rise to a sense of shame, and bring the mind to stillness.

“Furthermore, good sir, youth in this world is a time of full vigor, when one cannot perceive the lofty and distant Way and is liable to many errors. In middle age, one’s vitality gradually declines and the period of heedlessness has passed. It is like a man who, after crossing a wilderness, stops to rest and sighs: ‘I have crossed that wilderness.’ Today you are in the prime of youth, precisely the time for enjoyment. I beg you to partake freely of sensual pleasure, whether much or little.

“Furthermore, good sir, in youth the faculties are difficult to subdue. If you wish to perform religious duties and cherish virtuous practices, you should follow the Dharma of your household and make sacrifices to the devas. Through those sacrifices, you may also be reborn in heaven. At home, you may adorn your body and hands with gold, silver, precious jade, and jewels, their radiance shining like lamps.

“Furthermore, good sir, the kings of ancient times wore jeweled crowns and adorned their bodies. Dwelling in their palaces, they regularly made sacrifices to the devas, practiced virtuous observances, and established unrestricted assemblies of generosity. Only afterward did they enter the mountains, cultivate the practices of the great seers, and seek the fruit of liberation. Today, good sir, you should learn from those kings and act appropriately at each stage of life.”

In these and many other ways, the king of Magadha used conciliatory words in an attempt to persuade the bodhisattva to return to lay life. Hearing the king’s exhortations, the bodhisattva neither changed nor became fearful. His body and mind remained unmoved, tranquil and firmly established like Mount Sumeru. He gave rise to no other thought, restrained his faculties, and kept his three kinds of karma pure.

There was a verse:

The king of Magadha exhorted the bodhisattva,
Offering what he deemed beneficial, as a friend would do.
With his three kinds of karma perfectly purified,
The bodhisattva replied like a lotus unstained by water.

The bodhisattva said:

“Great King of Magadha, the words you have spoken are unwholesome. They resemble the words of an ignorant man and are unworthy of the exemplary speech of a great king of the realm. Even if the Great King sincerely means what he says to me, those truthful words bring me no benefit and do not show affection for me; in truth, they are harmful to me.

An evil person in the world has no loving-kindness, just as a wealthy and noble person should not be cowardly. One who wishes to benefit others should instruct them in what has been learned from past experience; only such a person is a friend and helps others prosper. One who sees a friend encounter calamity and does not abandon him, but remains united with him in heart and effort, may truly be called an acquaintance.

Yet I say: why should one who is prosperous not be a wise friend? One who, upon acquiring wealth, divides it lawfully with a friend without diminishing it may be called a close friend. Such a person can make lasting use of his wealth.

If, when friends counsel each other, one refuses to listen, or if, because of previous karma, his wealth is lost, I shall nevertheless feel no regret afterward. Today the king has formed a friendship with me as a wise companion, and truly cherishes and esteems me, offering me this advice. Yet I may either approve or disapprove of the king’s opinion.”

Having said this, the bodhisattva again addressed the king:

“Great King, you should know that I seek the Way because I fear birth, old age, sickness, and death. Seeking the Dharma of liberation, I have chosen this life. My relatives and family truly cherished and loved me, and it was extremely difficult to leave them. They wept in anguish, tears covering their faces, and some might even have died because of me. Yet I abandoned them all and came here because I know that attachment to the five worldly pleasures is the cause of many unwholesome things.

“Furthermore, Great King, I truly do not fear venomous serpents, nor do I fear the thunderbolts of the celestial thunder god, nor do I fear a conflagration driven by furious winds that fiercely burns fields and ponds. I fear only the objects of the five sensual pleasures that oppress body and mind. Why? Great King, you should know that the five sensual pleasures are impermanent, like vicious thieves that plunder every merit. They are false and unreal, like magical illusions appearing in the world, yet they deceive worldly people into believing them real. Fools do not understand this and become intoxicated by them. How much worse, then, to indulge in the five sensual pleasures oneself!”

The bodhisattva spoke this verse:

The impermanent five desires plunder merit;
The six sense objects, like illusions, harm sentient beings.
They deceive the world, bringing karmic recompense;
How could the wise dwell in their company?

The ignorant find no satisfaction even in heaven;
How then could they be content in the human world?
Intoxicated by defiled desire, how could they understand?
They differ not from dry grass consumed by blazing fire.

After speaking this verse, the bodhisattva continued:

“Great King, you should know that in ancient times there was a wheel-turning sage king named Nahusha. He ruled the four continents, extending even to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and taught and transformed humans and devas. Yet because his greed was bottomless, he fell back into the human realm.

“Furthermore, Great King, there was a wheel-turning sage king named Ila, who ruled the four continents, extending even to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Yet because his craving was immoderate, he met his death.

“Furthermore, Great King, after the asura king Bali ascended the throne, he fought against Shakra and was defeated. Shakra triumphed and seized his mountains and rivers. Later, King Nahusha seized them from Shakra, and still later the god Shakra recovered them from King Nahusha. Thus, the realms of devas and humans pass in turn from one ruler to another and are all impermanent; whoever has greater power becomes their master. Therefore, a wise person should contemplate in this way: ‘How can one trust realms that are impermanent and change in an instant?’

“Only the seers dwelling in mountain forests, eating merely fruits, roots, leaves, and medicinal herbs, wearing tree bark or the skins and fur of dead animals, and with bodies so emaciated that only skin covers their bones, seek to cross beyond all afflictions, escape the world, and attain the liberated fruit of unconditioned nirvana. Those who live heedlessly, bound by the five sensual pleasures, fall into samsara. Tell me, what wise person would be attached to the five sensual pleasures? To become intoxicated with them is to bring an enemy upon oneself.”

The bodhisattva again spoke this verse:

After speaking this verse, the bodhisattva continued:

“Great King, you should know that sentient beings in the desire realm seek objects of desire in order to experience pleasure and unite with them. Yet even after obtaining those objects, they remain unsatisfied. Ignorant people indulge in the five sensual pleasures without weariness.

They undergo immeasurable distress in the present and shall encounter calamity and affliction in the future. Therefore, the wise do not long for sensual desire. The wise see that those who create dark karma experience boundless suffering.

If one wishes to attain security, one should not create such karma or indulge in sensual pleasures, but should keep far away from every sensual pleasure. Where there is meeting, one should know there will be separation. Indulgence in sensual desire makes the mind heedless; as heedlessness increases, one creates unwholesome karma, and the result of that unwholesomeness is descent into hell.

Having undergone great hardship in the past to obtain present sensual pleasures, once one has obtained them, one must strive to protect them. If one cannot protect them, they are lost again.

“Furthermore, Great King, the wise reflect upon these objects of craving as follows: ‘The realms of humans and devas are like things borrowed from another. They are not one’s permanent possessions, so why should the mind become attached to them?’ All the rewards of the human and heavenly realms are like dew upon grass, the head of a venomous serpent, a heap of bones in a charnel ground, the first lump of flesh in a woman’s womb, a dream, a magical illusion, or a mass of fire. All these realms are places of suffering and calamity, and are unreal in this way. Sentient beings are constantly oppressed and tormented by them all. Therefore, the wise do not allow their minds to become intoxicated by sensual craving.

“Furthermore, Great King, as stated in the treatises: In the past, in the city of Mithila, there was a blind king named Dhritarashtra. Although blind, he fathered many sons, all one hundred of whom were gifted and wise. The king’s younger brother had fifty sons, so the sons of the two brothers numbered one hundred and fifty altogether. After the two royal brothers died, their sons contended for the throne. Because of the causes and karmic consequences of sensual craving, they killed one another until not a single one remained.

“Furthermore, Great King, when the wilderness and lakes of Dandaka were burned, evil spirits also slaughtered the animals.

“Again, beneath Mount Sumeru, two asura brothers loved the same beautiful woman. They fought each other to possess her, and both were wounded and killed.

“Furthermore, in the world there are slaughtering grounds for animals, where posts are erected and all kinds of creatures are tethered for butchering.

“Sensual cravings are likewise. How could a wise person become attached to sensual pleasure?”

He then spoke this verse:

The bodhisattva continued:

“Great King, you should know that some people, craving the five sensual pleasures, aspire to be born in heaven or among humans. After being born in those realms, they become intoxicated by the five sensual pleasures, as though their entire bodies were submerged in boiling water or had fallen into a fiery pit. Such impermanent realms deceive them, and solely because of the five sensual pleasures they bring hostile karma upon themselves. How could one cherish them with an attached mind?”

He then spoke this verse:

Foolish craving brings poverty;
Its bonds cause ruin, grief, and manifold pain.
People hope their longing for desire will swiftly be fulfilled,
Unaware that, strength exhausted, future suffering awaits.

The bodhisattva continued:

“Great King of Magadha, because I know that the five sensual pleasures entail such faults, suffering, and pain, the king should not use them to entice me. I now wish to walk the path of fearlessness. If the Great King is truly my good friend, he should address me with an exhortation such as this: ‘May your vast and great aspiration soon be fulfilled. May you swiftly escape the afflictions.’ Why? I did not flee into the mountain forest because many people were pursuing me. Nor was I fleeing an enemy’s vengeance or pursuit. Nor did I depart because another person usurped my throne. Nor am I seeking the Way like ancient seers who lost heart and turned back.

“Therefore, I shall not follow the Great King’s words.

“Furthermore, Great King, if a man has seized a venomous snake by the head and cast it away, would he wish to grasp it again? If he has thrown a burning torch from his hand, would he seize it again? So it is! So it is! I have abandoned the five sensual pleasures and gone forth. To return and indulge in them again would be just the same.

“Furthermore, Great King, is a man with clear vision not better off than one who is blind? Is a man free of bonds not better off than one confined and bound in prison? Is a rich man with abundant wealth not better off than a destitute beggar suffering hunger and cold? Is an intelligent and wise person not better off than a madman? Even those people possess some advantage; as for me, I have left the five sensual pleasures far behind, and there is not one among them to which I could become attached.

“Furthermore, Great King, you said: ‘Remain in my kingdom, enjoy the five sensual pleasures, and delight in them as you wish. I shall provide you with wealth and palace women.’ Great King, you should know that I shall not accept the worldly sensual pleasures of which you speak.

“Furthermore, Great King, while I still dwelt in the palace, I possessed countless sensual pleasures. Yet I had to abandon sixty thousand palace women and go forth into the mountain forest. Great King, you should know that such things contain immeasurable and boundless dangers and calamities. They drag sentient beings into hell; their residual karmic recompense causes rebirth as animals or hungry ghosts; and they destroy all roots of goodness. They are not praised by the noble ones.

“Furthermore, Great King, worldly sensual pleasures are like drifting clouds that do not pause even for a moment, like a violent wind that never rests, and like mountain torrents rushing down and sweeping everything away.

“Furthermore, Great King, ignorant people become infatuated with the five sensual pleasures and know no limit. They sink into birth and death, bound by afflictions and unable to escape. They are like travelers exhausted and miserable upon a long road who drink salt water and become thirstier the more they drink. Exactly so are those who indulge in the five sensual pleasures without recognizing their danger.

“Furthermore, Great King, to speak briefly: Suppose a person enjoys the five sensual pleasures of the heavenly realms or even the finest sensual objects of the human world. However exquisite all those pleasures may be, after experiencing them he still knows no satisfaction. His craving only increases, and he seeks ever newer and stranger pleasures.

“Furthermore, Great King, you previously said: ‘Govern Magadha together with me. I shall yield half the realm for you to rule, or you may accept my entire throne. I shall offer everything to you and serve you. Or I shall raise an army and expand the frontiers, making the kingdom broader, more beautiful, and prosperous.’ Great King, I have already abandoned the four continents, rich and abundant and lacking nothing, in order to go forth. How could I now become attached to and accept the petty throne of a small kingdom?

“Furthermore, Great King, the naga king Sagara, through his karmic reward, dwells in the great ocean, possesses its vast waters, and has an immense palace splendidly adorned with the seven treasures. How could he desire to live in the water held within an ox’s hoofprint?

“Great King, you should know that it is exactly so! Exactly so! I have aroused a courageous resolve, relinquished the four continents together with palaces adorned with the seven treasures and all the rest, shaved off my beard and hair, donned a robe of subdued color, gone forth into the mountain forest, and undertaken cultivation. Were I now to become attached to a worldly throne, it would be just the same.”