佛本行集經

Chapter 14: WINNING A WIFE WHILE WEARING ORDINARY CLOTHES

(Part 2)

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, the Venerable Udayin addressed the Buddha:

“I still do not understand. I respectfully beseech the Blessed One to instruct me: formerly, when you were still living the household life, what karmic affinity did you have with the Sakyan maiden Gopika that caused her to reject five hundred other youths and joyfully choose you alone as her husband?”

The Buddha said to Udayin:

“Venerable Udayin, listen carefully. It was not only in this life that Gopika disliked the other youths and favored me alone; it was likewise in a past life.”

The Venerable Udayin then addressed the Buddha:

“I respectfully beseech the Blessed One to tell me of this matter. I greatly wish to hear it.”

The Blessed One then said to Udayin:

“I recall that in the distant past, at the foot of the Snow Mountains, there were countless herds of beasts that gathered together to forage for food. Among them was a tigress whose body was so well proportioned that few could compare with her. She was covered in a magnificent, lustrous coat, unequaled among all the beasts. Amid those innumerable creatures, the tigress sought a male with whom to form a lifelong bond. When the male animals learned this, they all said, ‘If she summons me, I shall come! If she summons me, I shall come!’ The other beasts discussed the matter among themselves, saying, ‘You must wait and refrain from contending with one another. Let us see whom this tigress chooses as her husband; he shall become our king.’

“At that time, there was a lord of buffaloes among the beasts. He approached the tigress and spoke this verse to seek her hand:

The people of the world all take my dung

And spread it on the ground to make it clean.

For this reason, virtuous and graceful maiden,

You ought to take me as your husband.

“The tigress replied in verse:

Your shoulders and neck are truly massive;

You are fit only to pull carts and plow fields.

Ugly in form, you do not know your place,

Yet suddenly you wish to become my husband.

“Next, a great white elephant approached the tigress and spoke this verse to seek her hand:

I am the mighty elephant king of the Snow Mountains;

In battle, my strength surpasses every creature.

Possessing such majestic and heroic power,

Why should you now hesitate to marry me?

“The tigress replied in verse:

If you should see or hear the lion king,

Your heart would fail, and you would flee in terror,

Scattering dung and urine as you ran—

How could you be worthy to become my husband?

“At that time, there was a lion king among the beasts. He approached the tigress and spoke these verses to seek her hand:

Now observe my form and bearing:

My forequarters are broad, my hindquarters slender.

I roam freely throughout the mountain forests

And am also able to protect the other kinds.

I am indeed the sovereign of all creatures;

No one dares contend with me.

Whoever sees my face or hears my voice

Flees at once and dares not look upon me.

Such are my courage and strength today;

My majestic power is inconceivably great.

Knowing this, O virtuous maiden,

You may now become my wife.

“Before the lion king, the tigress replied in verse:

Supremely courageous, truly majestic,

Your bodily form is upright and handsome.

Thus have I now chosen my husband,

Whom I shall wholeheartedly honor and cherish.

“The lion king among the beasts at that time was I in my present life; the tigress was the present Gopika; and the other beasts were the five hundred youths. At that time, the tigress disliked the other animals and took no pleasure in them. As soon as she heard the lion recite his verses, she asked to become his wife. So it is today: Gopika rejected the five hundred Sakyan youths because she did not favor them and accepted me alone as her husband.

“King Suddhodana then divided the palace women into three groups to attend upon the Crown Prince while he rested:

“The first group consisted of palace women who attended the Crown Prince during the early part of the night.

“The second group consisted of palace women who served the Crown Prince at midnight.

“The third group consisted of palace women who attended the Crown Prince during the final part of the night.

“The first group comprised twenty thousand palace women who stood all around in attendance, with Yasodhara as their leader.

“The second group was led by Manodara. (The Sui translators rendered this name as ‘She Who Sustains Gracefully.’ Other masters, however, called her ‘She Who Sustains the Mind of the Consort.’ Only her name has been heard; no accounts of her deeds, either present or past, have been found.)

“The third group was led by Gopika. Altogether, sixty thousand palace women attended the Crown Prince. (Other masters say that all the palace women attending the Crown Prince numbered one hundred thousand and were divided among three palaces. Of these, twenty thousand were Kshatriya women of the Sakyan clan, while the remaining eighty thousand were daughters of other clans.)

“King Suddhodana recalled the prophecy of the sage Asita and therefore had an additional, exceptionally magnificent palace built within the inner court. It towered above all the other palaces, resembling a cloud suspended in the night sky beneath an autumn moon, and was constructed from precious stones of unimaginable splendor. Its balustrades and walkways were perfectly level and straight, without the slightest tilt or irregularity. Why was this so? Because the king feared that, while roaming about, the Crown Prince might see something displeasing. The palace was suited to every season, allowing the Crown Prince to amuse himself within and enjoy its pleasures.

“The king further commanded the palace women to produce every kind of exquisite sound, with each type of musical instrument numbering in the thousands. The instruments in the palace included one thousand harps, one thousand zithers, one thousand five-stringed lutes, one thousand small drums, one thousand bamboo lutes, one thousand long zithers, one thousand pipas, one thousand hourglass drums, one thousand great drums, one thousand transverse flutes, one thousand mouth organs, one thousand pairs of cymbals, one thousand vertical flutes, one thousand horns, one thousand reed flutes, and one thousand conch shells.

“All these musical instruments, each kind producing a thousand different sounds, harmonized with a thousand singing voices and a thousand different dances. Day and night within the palace, singing mingled with music and dance, continuing constantly without ever ceasing, like melodious tones—now deep, now high—issuing from a great cloud.

“Thus, the Crown Prince was constantly attended on every side by hundreds of thousands of palace women of peerless beauty. They waited upon him, served him, and provided him with everything, allowing him to enjoy pleasures as he wished. All the women adorned their bodies with every variety of jeweled necklace and wore bracelets of gold, silver, and the seven precious substances upon their wrists, producing wondrous sounds, just as the celestial king Shakra delights with the maidens of the devas.

Together they sang, danced, and played, graceful and charming, their voices sweet. They talked and laughed together, embraced one another as they sang, and cast amorous glances. Some leaned to one side and looked in every direction; others turned their heads to glance behind them.

Skillfully applying rouge and cosmetics, they moved with supple grace and appeared exceedingly lovely. Their garments were entirely of gauze and silk in the five brilliant colors. On every side of the Crown Prince were peerless beauties of irresistible allure, keeping him delighted and entertained so that he had no need to travel afar to enjoy the scenery outside, just as the celestial king Shakra delights with the maidens of the devas.

Just so! Just so! The Crown Prince enjoyed the five sensual pleasures in the midst of beautiful women.

Some among them were so adept at discerning the mind in matters of sensual pleasure that they kept the Crown Prince absorbed in amusement, leaving him no time to consider excursions beyond the city.”

The Great King wished to increase the Crown Prince’s merit and virtue, so he established practices of ascetic discipline, eliminated all evil teachings and wrong views, and performed every wholesome deed, such as giving away wealth, cultivating various ascetic practices, and creating every kind of meritorious karma. He dedicated all these roots of goodness toward increasing the Crown Prince’s merit, praying that the Crown Prince would not renounce the household life.

Therefore, a verse says:

The Great King increased merit for the Crown Prince,

Because of Asita’s prophecy.

He disciplined himself through austerities and abandoned what was wrong,

And constantly sat in contemplation with wise men.

Thus, in his royal father’s palace, the Crown Prince freely amused himself and enjoyed every pleasure. He alone partook fully of the five sensual pleasures. Time gradually passed, and for ten years he never once left the city.

At that time, to the south, there was a kingdom named Magadha. The Great King who ruled this country belonged to the lineage of Thiên-liên-ni and was named Bimbisara. In his heart he was constantly afraid that hostile forces might invade, so he frequently assembled his ministers to deliberate together. The Great King proclaimed:

“Ministers, whenever you come and go on your journeys, you should constantly observe the regions both within and beyond the kingdom. Do not allow anyone to come and defeat me, for if they are victorious, I fear they may seize the royal throne.”

The ministers then dispatched two men to patrol the kingdom’s frontiers. Upon receiving the king’s command, the two men immediately set out to inspect the land, traveling from within the kingdom to the outermost boundaries of the neighboring states. When their circuit was nearly complete, the two frontier inspectors heard someone say:

“North of here stands a majestic mountain range of soaring peaks called the Snow Mountains. At the foot of those mountains dwells the Sakya clan, a powerful people with many kinsmen, wealthy, eminent, and endowed with great authority, the noblest under heaven. A young prince has just been born among them.

At his birth, many auspicious signs appeared. He is handsome and majestic in form, fully endowed with the thirty-two marks of a Great Man and the eighty excellent characteristics. On the day the young prince was born, many Brahmin royal preceptors came to examine his marks.

They predicted: ‘This young prince distinctly and unmistakably possesses the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty characteristics. If he remains at home, he will become a wheel-turning sage king, ruling the four continents under heaven. He will teach and transform the people through the ten wholesome practices and possess countless sets of the seven treasures; without employing military force, all kingdoms will submit to him.

But if he renounces the household life, he will become a Buddha, fully endowed with the ten epithets: Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, and so forth. He will then teach the wondrous Dharma of the pure holy life and deliver sentient beings.’”

After the two inspectors had completed their circuit, they returned to the court and appeared before Great King Bimbisara. They reported everything in full, from the beginning through the statement that the prince would teach the wondrous Dharma of the pure holy life and deliver sentient beings, just as related above. The two men therefore implored the Great King that everyone, from the king and his officials down to the youngest men, should quickly raise an army and destroy the young prince, thereby eliminating the future danger that he might seize the Great King’s throne.

When King Bimbisara of Magadha heard this report, he said to the two envoys:

“You two must not speak in this way. Why is that? If what you have said is true, then even if that young prince is certain to become a wheel-turning sage king who rules and teaches the people according to the true Dharma, I shall follow, obey, honor, and serve him. Relying upon his awesome spiritual power, I shall enjoy peace and happiness and govern and instruct the people in security. If the young prince renounces the household life and becomes a Buddha, he will compassionately take pity upon sentient beings and deliver them. We shall then receive his teachings and become his sravaka disciples. Considering the blessed karmic fruits of these two causes and conditions, I must not conceive the intention to raise an army and kill the young prince.”

At that time, Great King Suddhodana had additional ramparts built around the Crown Prince’s palace, leaving only a single gate, called the Gate of Wild Beasts. A mechanical bar was installed upon the gate, and whenever it was opened or closed, five hundred men had to combine their strength to move it. The sound of its opening and closing reverberated for half a yojana.

The second enclosure of the palace likewise had only one gate, also fitted with a mechanical bar for opening and closing it. Three hundred men were required to open or close it, and the sound reverberated for one krosha. Even the Crown Prince’s residential hall, situated in the innermost part of the palace, had only one gate, likewise fitted with a mechanical bar.

Two hundred men were needed to open or close it. No gate in the world could compare with it, and the sound of its opening and closing reverberated for half a krosha.

Inside and outside all three gates stood great numbers of strong warriors, valiant and highly trained, their bodies clad in armor and their hands holding many different kinds of weapons, such as bows and arrows, axes, lances, long swords, tridents, iron clubs, iron wheels, battle wheels, spears, serpent-headed lances, and others. They stood on close guard, presenting a truly formidable sight. This was because the king feared that the Crown Prince might leave his wives and consorts, cross beyond the city walls, renounce the household life, and escape into the forests and mountains to cultivate the path.

Chapter 15: THE VOICE IN THE SKY CALLING HIM TO ABANDON THE FIVE SENSUAL PLEASURES

At that time, in the sky there was a heavenly son named Tác Bình. Seeing that the Crown Prince had spent ten years in the palace enjoying the pleasures of the five senses, he thought: “For many years, Bodhisattva Hộ Minh has indulged himself within the palace and enjoyed the pleasures of the five senses. He will surely become attached to those pleasures, his mind heedless, fallen, and lost in delusion.

A hundred years pass swiftly; time waits for no one. Bodhisattva Hộ Minh must now awaken, quickly leave behind the five sensual pleasures, renounce the household life, and seek the path. If I do not first reveal the realms that should be wearied of and abandoned, the Crown Prince will surely remain enamored of them and will not yet awaken and give rise to the aspiration for bodhi.

I must now praise and support the merit of renouncing the household life so that he may attain the fruit of bodhi.” Thus, at midnight, the heavenly son Tác Bình spoke this verse:

One who is bound yet wishes to free others

Is like a blind man leading a host without sight.

Only one freed from bonds can free others,

Just as only one with sight can guide the way.

Excellent, Venerable One! You are now young and strong;

Quickly renounce the household life and fulfill your vow.

Bring benefit to the realms of gods and humans.

If a practitioner does not abandon the five sensual pleasures,

He sinks amid the six sense objects, in a realm difficult to cross.

Only by transcending the world and attaining great wisdom

Can one abandon these five sensual pleasures.

Therefore, benevolent one, you should now avoid them.

Afflictions cause sentient beings manifold suffering;

Benevolent one, you should become a great physician

And bestow the many divine medicines of the wondrous teaching.

Quickly reach nirvana, the shore of liberation.

The darkness of ignorance is a realm of deepest gloom,

And the net of falsehood tightly ensnares sentient beings.

Quickly kindle the great lamp of wisdom,

And soon open the eyes of gods and humans.

After the heavenly son Tác Bình had spoken this verse from the sky, through the causes and conditions of his awesome spiritual power and exhortation, he resonated with the power of the Crown Prince’s merit, virtue, and roots of goodness from past lives. He caused all the songs and music of the palace women to cease harmonizing with the pleasures of the five senses. Instead, they produced wondrous sounds that inspired faith and understanding and described the realm of nirvana, spontaneously proclaiming this verse:

Worldly dharmas are impermanent,

Like lightning flashing from a cloud.

Venerable One, now is the proper time;

You should leave secular life and renounce the household.

All dharmas are impermanent,

Like earthenware tiles, jars, and bowls;

Like objects borrowed from another;

Like a wall built from dry earth,

Which before long collapses again;

Like a mud wall in the summer rains;

Like sand upon the two banks of a river.

What arises through conditions does not long endure,

Like the flame of a lamp,

Which, once arisen, is extinguished again.

Like the wind, it never pauses,

Rushing onward without remaining still.

Always devoid of true substance,

It is like the pith of a plantain tree.

Like an illusion that deceives the eyes,

Like an empty hand used to beguile a child.

All arisen dharmas,

All arise through causes and conditions,

Each dharma depends on causes and conditions,

Yet fools do not understand.

It is like a person twisting thick cord,

With hands and wood as causes and conditions.

As a seed gives rise to a tender shoot,

Without the seed, no shoot can exist;

Apart from causes and conditions, nothing comes to be,

Neither permanent nor impermanent.

All dharmas arise from ignorance,

Yet dharmas do not abide independently.

Ignorance itself is not a dharma;

Its nature has always been quiescent.

Dharmas arise and cease without substance,

Like a seal imprinting its mark.

Neither dharmas nor apart from dharmas—

All conditioned formations are likewise.

Just as the eye is not apart from its object,

Through eye and object, consciousness arises;

These three are not separate from one another,

Yet none of the three is truly real.

Pure dharmas and impure dharmas

Arise through the discriminations of consciousness.

From inverted discrimination they are formed;

Everything appears through consciousness.

If one possesses wisdom

And searches for the source from which consciousness arises,

One knows it has no abiding place

And knows the self to be like an illusion or dream.

Two pieces of wood rubbed together produce fire,

With the hand as the third cause.

Without these three causes,

Fire could not arise.

If a wise person investigates,

Fire itself has no fixed location.

Though searching everywhere for fire,

No place of its appearance can be found.

All skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas

Arise from karma, craving, and delusion.

Sentient beings exist through the conjunction of causes,

But in true suchness there are no sentient beings.

Through the throat, lips, and tongue,

Spoken sounds are produced.

Sound is not the throat,

Yet neither is it apart from those conditions.

Through the convergence of conditions,

Sounds are uttered according to intention.

Sound does not abide within intention,

Nor does it possess form or shape.

Its place of arising and place of cessation

Cannot be found by the wise.

All that is contemplated is quiescent;

Speech is like an echo.

Through wood and through strings,

Together with human skill—these three conditions combined—

A konghou harp produces sound,

Yet in none of the three can it be found.

If one possesses wisdom

And seeks the place where the harp's sound exists,

Though searching throughout every direction,

No location of the sound can be found.

Through causes and conditions,

All dharmas arise in this way.

Those who understand correctly

Should thus contemplate emptiness.

The skandhas, ayatanas, and dhatus,

Both inwardly and outwardly, are all quiescent.

Though seeking the Self everywhere,

It is like empty space, without form.

The characteristics of all dharmas are likewise.

In the presence of Dipankara Buddha,

Long ago, you realized and knew this;

Now you teach it to devas and humans.

Because beings are inverted in their discriminations

And scorched by the fire of desire,

You therefore raise clouds of loving-kindness and compassion

And pour down the ambrosial rain of Dharma.

Remembering how, throughout countless past kalpas,

You practiced generosity and observed the precepts,

You attained the unsurpassed Way

And bestowed the wealth of the noble ones upon the world.

You remember your former lives,

Giving noble wealth to the poor;

To gather beings through that noble wealth,

The Tamer bestowed it without greed or reluctance.

In the past you upheld pure precepts;

Though poor, you never stole.

You vowed to open the gate of ambrosia

And teach the Dharma for sentient beings.

Recalling the practices of former times,

You therefore closed the gates of hell

And skillfully opened the path to liberation;

Your heartfelt vows became the practice of morality.

In the past you cultivated patience;

When hearing the sounds of others' abuse,

To establish the practice of patience,

You contemplated all dharmas as empty.

Because you remember your former practice,

And the world abounds in anger,

You teach beings to abide in the practice of patience

And never abandon that power of resolve.

In the past you practiced diligence

And realized the wisdom of no-self.

Within the ocean of afflictions,

You carry beings to the other shore.

Remembering your former aspiration,

You uproot the four sufferings for others,

Exerting great diligence

To deliver them from every peril and tribulation.

In the past you cultivated meditation

To end all afflictions.

Those whose faculties were not yet tamed,

You taught how to tame them.

You reflect upon the past

And pity those still beset by afflictions.

All insights are quiescent;

You tame their restless, distracted faculties.

In the past you cultivated wisdom,

Vowing to dispel the darkness of ignorance.

Pitying those afflicted by ignorance,

You opened and revealed the eye of truth.

You reflect upon former times,

When afflictions shrouded sentient beings.

You summoned the light of purity;

Your wisdom is supreme.

Out of compassion for all sentient beings,

You skillfully teach liberation.

The fires of birth, aging, and illness consume the three realms;

Hunger and thirst oppress beings without respite.

For the sake of the world, you become a great bridge,

Carrying beings to the shore of liberation.

Sentient beings drift through the ocean of afflictions,

Like wood-boring insects trapped within a bamboo tube.

Rebirth in the three realms is like an autumn cloud;

Beings pass back and forth, rising and falling without cease,

Just like illusions performed upon a stage,

Or like a current flowing beyond a mountain ravine.

Sentient beings subject to aging and illness are no different.

They may be born among devas or humans, or in the three evil destinies;

Deluded by desire within every realm, they have no freedom,

Rolling through the five destinies without awareness,

Like a potter whirling a wheel of fire,

Bound everywhere by the five desires.

They are like birds in the sky caught in a net,

Or beasts ensnared in a hunter's trap.

Those who crave wealth and possessions never know contentment,

Like fish that seize bait and are caught upon the hook.

Through rivalry and rage, they form enmity and hatred;

Steeped in afflictions, they undergo every suffering.

The calamities of the five desires are like sharpened blades,

And like a beautiful vessel filled with poison.

They should be shunned like excrement and filth.

Greed and attachment cause one to lose the upright mind;

They are the cause of continued birth within the realms,

While sensual craving grows without ever ceasing.

The objects of the six senses blaze fiercely,

Like dry grass meeting a heap of fire;

Quickly resolve to leave them behind and go forth at once.

The wise contemplate the objects of the five desires

As terrifying as a vast pit of fire,

And like a lump of flesh upon a butcher's block.

They are also like a person sinking into a marsh,

Like a tongue licking honey from a sharp blade,

Or like encountering a serpent's head or a hostile bandit;

The noble ones contemplate desire in just this way.

It is like arrows, spears, knives, and swords,

And like poisoned meat that no one dares eat.

Of all enemies, desire is foremost.

The five desires resemble the moon reflected in water,

An image in a mirror, or an echo in a mountain cave,

A scene conjured onstage by an illusionist,

Or joys and sorrows beheld within a dream;

The wise regard desire in just this way.

All worldly dharmas are ever false and deceptive,

Fraught with fear, allowing no freedom.

They are like a mirage, which has no reality,

And like bubbles floating upon a river.

All such things arise from discrimination;

The wise contemplate them all in this way.

When people in the world are in the bloom of youth,

Full of strength, they delight in the five desires.

But when old age arrives and beard and hair turn white,

Those desires forsake them like a river run dry.

Those rich, honored, and powerful often live heedlessly;

Such people are filled with craving.

Later, when their wealth is exhausted, they suffer poverty and hardship.

Unable to calmly abandon the five desires,

They are like a tree heavily laden with fruit and flowers,

To which everyone rushes, competing to pluck them.

Those who delight in extravagance are just the same,

As people come to take from them without ever being satisfied.

When old age arrives and all their wealth is gone,

They beg from others, but no one gives.

When one is wealthy, noble, handsome, and strong,

People gladly befriend one and join in revelry;

But when the wealth is gone and one begs, no one pays heed,

While in old age one's back bends and one's hands lean upon a staff.

Like a fallen tree that no one cherishes,

So fearsome is the state of old age.

You swiftly went forth to seek perfect awakening,

And after attaining the Way, taught others

How aging, illness, and emaciation harm sentient beings.

Like kudzu vines entwining a great tree,

An aged body grows weak and loses all vigor,

Withered and decayed like rotten wood.

Old age steals away beauty and grace;

A fresh, rosy countenance becomes wrinkled,

As old age turns a fresh flower into one withered and faded.

Sensual pleasures rob beings of joy and bring the loss of joy;

Old age seizes their strength and leads them toward death,

While diseases appear like deer fallen into a pit.

Seeing the hundred kinds of illness in the world,

You swiftly employ the skillful means of the Dharma of liberation.

Like wintertime storms of rain and snow,

Toppling trees, breaking branches, and leaving trunks in ruin,

So too do the many forms of aging and illness appear among people,

Causing all their faculties to deteriorate.

When old age arrives, it empties people's granaries;

People fear aging more than all other sufferings.

At life's end, consciousness is led away by ghosts.

As the setting sun can no longer be seen,

So death separates people from those they love,

Making others loathe and fear to look upon them.

Though they wish only to remain united with their loved ones,

Suddenly they are like a fallen leaf swept into a stream;

When death arrives, no one has mastery over oneself.

Consciousness is like grass carried away by water,

Taking birth in another realm without friends or companions,

According to karma created, beings receive their bodies of retribution,

Ghosts seize and swallow the souls of countless multitudes.

Like a makara fish swallowing a merchant ship,

Like a golden-winged bird swallowing a great dragon,

Like a blazing fire consuming a marsh of dry grass,

Such sufferings torment living beings.

In former times the Great Being made a vast vow,

Remembering that original vow, the time has now come;

Therefore he must renounce desire and swiftly leave the household life.

Remember how in the past he cultivated generosity,

Moral discipline, patience, and diligence,

Meditative concentration together with wisdom,

For the sake of others, not for himself.

In this life his vow is fulfilled;

He must quickly go forth to save living beings.

In the past he gave precious possessions,

Gold, silver, and jeweled necklaces,

And constantly established unrestricted assemblies of giving,

Providing whatever the world required.

If one asked for his son, he gave his son;

If one desired his grandchild, he gave his grandchild;

If one asked for his wife, he gave his wife;

If one asked the king, he relinquished his throne;

When wealth was requested, he never refused.

In the past he was a king,

Named Great Literary Virtue.

Again he was a king replete with merit,

Named Ni-dân-đà-la.

Again he was King A-tư-đà,

And again a king named Lion;

All these kings

Gave thousands of precious possessions.

In the past there was also a Great King

Named Ever Contemplating All Dharmas;

Again there was a king replete with merit,

Named True Conduct;

Those kings contemplated the Dharma.

In ancient times there was a Great King,

Diligent, named Literary Moon;

He also was born as a prince,

Whose honored name was Light of Meritorious Karma,

Possessing countless great beneficent virtues,

And fully understanding gratitude and righteousness.

In the past he was a Great King,

Whose honored name was Moon-Hued Sage;

Again he was named Valiant General,

Then named True Increase,

Again named Seeker of Good Words,

Then named Possessor of Good Intent,

Again named Tamer of the Faculties.

All such kings,

Most diligent in virtuous conduct,

Were former lives he had lived.

In the past he was a Great King,

Whose honored name was Moonlight.

Next he was named Victorious Conduct,

Then named Lotus Land,

Next named Lord of the Regions,

Then named Valiant Giver,

Next the King of Kāśī,

Then King Jeweled Topknot.

All such Great Kings

Were none other than he.

Whatever precious possessions he had,

He gave willingly to all who came asking.

At that time he gave material wealth;

Now we ask him to bestow the wealth of Dharma.

In the distant past,

He encountered Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

To those Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones,

He had made offerings

Of immeasurable articles of worship,

Presenting them without the least reluctance.

He ceaselessly aspired to the path,

Hoping that sentient beings might attain liberation.

Now is truly the proper time;

Go forth and do not remain at home.

The first Buddha he encountered

Bore the honored name Unfailing Vision.

With Tỳ-xa-ca flowers,

He joyfully made offerings to the Buddha.

In the past there was a Buddha

Named Vairocana,

Whom he delighted to behold and venerate throughout his life.

In the past there was a Buddha

Named Wondrous Sound;

With a single A-lê-lặc fruit,

He made an offering to the World-Honored One.

In the past there was a Buddha

Named White Sandalwood;

He stood before that Buddha

And silently offered a blade of grass.

In the past there was a Buddha

Named Lotus Hare;

As that Buddha was about to enter the great city,

He scattered a handful of fragrant powder.

Next came a Buddha named Lord of Dharma;

He praised the Buddha's teaching of the Dharma,

And, having heard the Dharma, delighted in discussing it.

He praised him in countless words,

Revering him and constantly making offerings.

Next he encountered a Buddha

Bearing the honored name Universally Manifest;

On seeing the Buddha, he praised him.

Next there was a Buddha

Bearing the honored name Blazing Portion;

Because he was filled with joy,

He gazed reverently upon the Buddha's body,

And also offered a golden flower garland

To that Buddha.

Now he should remember the Buddhas

And not allow his mind to forget.

Next there was a Buddha

Bearing the honored name Banner of Luminous Marks;

He took a handful of mung beans

And offered them to that Buddha.

In the past there was a Buddha

Bearing the honored name Banner of Wisdom;

He took Thâu-ca flowers

And presented them as offerings to the Buddha.

Next there was a Buddha

Bearing the honored name Tamer of the Chariot;

After he had seen that Buddha,

He stood before him and offered praise.

Next came a Buddha named Jeweled Victory.

Before that Buddha he lit many lamps

And offered immeasurable wondrous medicines.

To the Buddha named Victory Over All,

He constantly offered strings of pearls.

Next he encountered the Buddha Great Ocean,

To whom he offered lotus flowers.

To the Buddha Lotus Treasury,

He offered a great parasol.

While attending upon the Buddha Lion,

He once offered a seat of soft grass.

To the Buddha King of Sala Trees,

He offered various necessities.

Before the Buddha Blossoming Flower,

He offered milk of the finest quality.

To the Buddha Da-du-đà,

He offered Câu-đà-la flowers.

After seeing the Buddha True Vision,

He joyfully offered food and drink.

In the past, to the Buddha named Wisdom Mountain,

He bowed his body in homage.

There was a Buddha named Dragon Virtue,

To whom he presented his own child.

To the Buddha Flying High through the Sky,

He constantly offered sandalwood powder.

Next came a Buddha named Đế-sa,

To whom he offered precious gems and red flowers.

He once made offerings to that Buddha,

And encountered the Buddha Great Adornment.

With fragrant Chiêm-bặc flowers,

He made offerings to that Buddha.

He once encountered the Buddha King of Light,

To whom he offered precious gems.

In the past he encountered the Buddha Śākyamuni,

To whom he offered many fine silver flowers.

He made offerings to that Buddha,

Then beheld the marks of Śakra,

And, having seen them, sang his praises.

In the past there was a Buddha

Named Vast Solar Celestial Countenance;

He took many beautiful flowers

And offered them to that World-Honored One.

Next there was another Buddha

Named Victorious Honored One;

With many fine silver flowers,

He adorned the Buddha's body.

In ancient times there was a Tathagata

Bearing the honored name Dragon Victory;

He lit lamps as offerings to that Buddha.

To the Tathagata Phú-sa,

He once offered white felt.

To the Buddha King of Medicine Masters,

He offered a jeweled canopy.

The Buddha named Great Muni

Also possessed the marks of a lion;

To this World-Honored One of great merit,

He offered a jeweled net.

There was a Buddha named Kāśyapa,

To whom he offered abundant music.

In the past there was a Buddha named Liberation,

To whom he offered much fragrant powder.

To the Buddha, the World-Honored One Jeweled Marks,

He made offerings of celestial flowers.

To the Buddhas named Akṣobhya,

He respectfully invited them to sit in an elephant-borne carriage.

As a king of the world venerating the Buddha,

He offered flower garlands.

To the Buddha, the World-Honored One Śikhin,

He offered his royal throne.

There was a Buddha named Difficult to Subdue,

To whom he offered many flowers.

To the Buddha Great Blazing Honored One,

He offered his own body.

Before the Buddha Supreme Lotus,

He offered jeweled necklaces.

Upon the body of the Buddha Dharma Banner,

He scattered fine fragrances and flowers.

To the World-Honored One Dīpaṅkara,

He offered a cluster of blue lotuses.

Such were those Buddhas,

And there were immeasurably many others,

Difficult to describe and difficult to conceive.

Throughout past kalpas,

He had made offerings to them,

And with immeasurable varieties

Of the most wondrous offerings,

He made offerings to the Buddhas of the past

Without ever growing weary.

Now remember those offerings,

And contemplate the Buddhas of the past.

Out of compassion for all sentient beings,

Give rise to loving-kindness and liberate them;

Awaken, and do not be deluded by worldly life.

In the past,

In the presence of the Buddha Dīpaṅkara,

After making offerings to that Buddha,

He swiftly realized the unsurpassed state,

Attained the five superknowledges,

And attained the patience of conformity with the Dharma.

Thereafter, the Venerable One

Made offerings to even more Buddhas than before.

Through countless asaṃkhyeyas,

Such were the numbers of kalpas.

Those kalpas passed away,

And the Buddhas also entered nirvana.

All the bodies he formerly assumed

Throughout those kalpas,

Together with their clans and names,

Have entirely vanished.

All dharmas change and are impermanent;

The appearances of the world are transformed.

Quickly abandon these false conditions;

You should swiftly depart beyond the city.

Birth, old age, sickness, and death follow;

Those perils are truly terrifying.

Just as the conflagration at the end of a kalpa arrives

And utterly consumes the world,

So too does the fire of impermanence

Consume all kalpas completely.

Amid sufferings such as these,

How could there be even a moment's respite?

Therefore contemplate all sentient beings,

Submerged in the darkness of afflictions,

Ignorant and lacking the eye of wisdom,

Unable to understand for themselves.

Give rise to a mind of great diligence,

Bring merit and virtue to fulfillment,

And for the sake of all sentient beings,

Go forth without delay.

At that time, all the palace women sang and played music. Within those songs and melodies, the sounds of the Dharma were also proclaimed, so that the Crown Prince might grow weary of worldly sensual pleasures and give rise to an awakened mind.

Chapter 16: THE CROWN PRINCE GOES FORTH AND ENCOUNTERS AN OLD MAN

The deva prince Tác Bình wished the Crown Prince to leave the city and proceed toward the Flower Grove Garden, so that, upon witnessing good and evil things, he would develop disenchantment with the world and gradually be encouraged to abandon the palace. At that time, the palace maidens sang and danced, but gradually grew weary. Wishing to praise the captivating scenery of the grove, they sang:

“Holy Prince, listen! The scenery of the Flower Grove Garden is exceedingly captivating. The ground is covered with a layer of fresh, green, tender grass; the trees have dense branches and foliage; luxuriant flowers and fruits display their brilliant colors and entice visitors. There are also all kinds of rare birds singing and warbling with wondrous voices: wild geese, peacocks, parrots, mynah birds, kokilas, mandarin ducks, and others.”

When the Crown Prince heard this song, he desired to go on an excursion and said to the charioteer:

“You should now quickly prepare the carriage and adorn it beautifully and magnificently. I now wish to visit the splendid Flower Grove Garden and enjoy that auspicious place.”

Having heard these words, the charioteer replied to the Crown Prince:

“Your servant shall obey your command and dare not act against your wishes.”

He then hurried to seek an audience with King Śuddhodana and said:

“May the Great King be informed that today the Crown Prince wishes to visit the splendid Flower Grove Garden and enjoy that auspicious place.”

King Śuddhodana immediately issued an edict ordering that every place within the city of Kapilavastu be sprinkled with water and swept clean. All filth, gravel, tiles, and stones were to be removed; uneven ground, pits, and hollows were to be leveled. Fragrant water was then sprinkled to prevent dust from rising, and scented paste was applied to the roads.

Afterward, all kinds of flowers were scattered along every road, and exquisite renowned incenses were burned everywhere. At every crossroads and street corner, water vessels filled with various flowers were placed, and banana trees were displayed throughout the city. Between the banana trees were hung banners and canopies of every brilliant color.

Streamers of fine silk and precious objects were also hung upon the banana trees to enhance their magnificence. Pearl necklaces were suspended from every tree, together with nets made of the seven treasures, each mesh bearing bells that rang with wondrous sounds. Images of the sun, moon, and devas fashioned from the seven treasures were adorned with necklaces and interspersed among the netted curtains.

White yak tails and the tails of other animals were also hung there.

In accordance with the king’s edict, everything unpleasant to the eye was removed from the inner city of Kapilavastu, while beautiful and precious objects were displayed. The city was adorned with the utmost splendor, like a city of the gandharvas. After the inner city had been decorated, the king further ordered the grove to be prepared and every impurity removed... even precious bells were hung there, just as in the adornment of the inner city described above.

Trees in the grove bearing masculine names were adorned with necklaces for men, while trees bearing feminine names were decorated with necklaces for women. He also ordered people to beat drums and ring bells, proclaiming throughout the inner city: “Today the Crown Prince is about to set forth. Therefore, no elderly or sick person, corpse, blind, deaf, or mute person, nor anyone whose six faculties are impaired—in short, nothing unpleasant or disagreeable whatsoever—may appear upon the roads.

Do not allow the Crown Prince to see such things as he passes by.”

At that time, the charioteer adorned the horse-drawn carriage. When everything had been made ready, he went to report to the Crown Prince:

“All the carriages are now fully prepared, and it is time to depart. May the Crown Prince mount the royal carriage, leave the city, and proceed to the splendid Flower Grove Garden to enjoy that blessed and delightful place.”

The Crown Prince rose from his seat and proceeded at a stately pace to the carriage. He mounted the precious chariot with the majestic bearing of a great king, appearing formidable in his mighty power. He departed through the eastern gate of the city and headed toward the splendid Flower Grove Garden to enjoy that blessed and delightful place.

At that time, the deva prince Tác Bình went ahead of the Crown Prince on the road leading to the garden and transformed himself into a decrepit old man. His back was bent, and his head drooped forward. His teeth had fallen out, leaving his mouth sunken; his hair was as white as snow.

His appearance was haggard, and his skin was rough and dark. His skin clung to his bones, without the slightest flesh remaining. Beneath his neck, loose skin hung down like a cow’s dewlap.

His body was withered and emaciated, and he could support himself only by the strength of a staff. He breathed with difficulty and noisily, so that a rasping sound like the sawing of wood could constantly be heard in his throat. His hands and feet trembled.

Although he leaned upon his staff for support, he still swayed from side to side and could neither walk nor stand steadily. Bearing such an extremely aged appearance, he hobbled and staggered along in the same direction before the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince saw the old man’s body trembling, displaying every sign of decline and ominous deterioration, as he stooped and walked with difficulty before him... just as described above... Seeing this, the Crown Prince immediately asked the charioteer, “What kind of person is this, whose skin clings to his bones, whose body is wrinkled and dark, whose eyes are bloodshot, and whose nose runs, making him exceedingly unsightly? Why is this person so wretched in appearance, unlike anyone else? Moreover, his eyes are sunken, his teeth have fallen out, and his mouth is collapsed. Compared with everyone else, he is exceedingly strange, with nothing at all pleasing to behold.” He then spoke this verse and asked the charioteer:

Skillful charioteer, now listen well:

What manner of person is the one before me?

His body is not straight, his head bald of hair;

Was he born this way, or did this come with age?

At that time, through his spiritual power, the deva prince Tác Bình caused the charioteer to reply:

“O Great and Holy Crown Prince, in the world, such a person is said to be old.”

The Crown Prince asked again:

“In the world, what does it mean to be old?”

The charioteer replied:

“O Crown Prince, one who is called old is oppressed by the condition of advanced age. His body deteriorates, and his faculties gradually become impaired. He no longer possesses the perception and understanding he had in youth. His strength grows feeble, and his body becomes haggard. This is the stage when a person enters into suffering, is cast aside by his relatives, knows not how to sustain his life, and knows not where to seek refuge. Moreover, such people cannot live much longer; before many mornings and evenings have passed, their lives will come to an end. For all these reasons, this is called old age.”

The charioteer then spoke this verse for the Crown Prince:

The condition of old age is truly great suffering;

It robs one of beauty and delight.

The faculties decline, and the mind grows confused;

The body can no longer act as one wills.

After hearing this verse, the Crown Prince asked the charioteer:

“Is this condition of old age a law applying only to a particular person and causing him to become so, or is it the same for all beings in the world?”

The charioteer replied:

“O Crown Prince, you should know that this condition of old age is not a law applying only to one particular person. All sentient beings in the world must undergo it.”

The Crown Prince asked again:

“Will this body of mine one day also be subject to the law of old age?”

The charioteer answered:

“O Crown Prince, it is indeed so, indeed so. Although the noble and the lowly differ, whatever has been born cannot escape this law. Even our present bodies already possess all the characteristics of old age, though they have not yet appeared.”

The Crown Prince again asked the charioteer:

“If this body of mine cannot escape the law of old age and has not transcended that condition of ugly decline, I have no need now to visit the Flower Grove Garden for diversion and enjoyment. Turn the carriage back at once and return to the inner palace. I shall contemplate what method may be used to escape this suffering.”

The charioteer replied:

“According to the Crown Prince’s command, this humble servant dares not disobey.”

He immediately turned the chariot around and returned to the inner palace. The Crown Prince returned to the inner palace, sat upon his customary seat, and, with right mindfulness, reflected: “I too shall grow old and have not yet transcended that law. Why, then, should I be heedless and negligent?”

Later, the Great King asked the charioteer:

“You accompanied the Crown Prince from the inner palace toward the Flower Grove Garden to wander about and behold the scenery. Did the Crown Prince find it pleasing to the eye and heart? Was he joyful?”

The charioteer knelt and replied:

“Your Majesty, please understand: the Crown Prince had set out on his excursion, but upon reaching only halfway, he ordered the chariot to stop and turn back. He did not reach the Flower Grove Garden.”

The Great King asked again:

“Why did the Crown Prince turn back halfway and not go to the garden?”

The royal charioteer replied:

“Your Majesty, please understand: the Crown Prince wished to visit the flower garden for enjoyment and recreation, but upon reaching only halfway, he suddenly saw an old man by the roadside, leaning upon a staff, his body trembling, falling down and sitting up again, unable to stand or walk steadily. After seeing this old man, the Crown Prince immediately ordered the chariot to turn back to the inner palace. There he sat cross-legged and reflected with right mindfulness.”

King Suddhodana thought to himself: “How rare! How extraordinary! Such was the appearance of that old man. The prophecy of the seer Asita is certainly true. I fear that the Crown Prince will surely renounce the household life. I should now increase the pleasures of the five desires for the Crown Prince. If he becomes closely acquainted with abundant sensual pleasures, satisfying his mind and eyes, and grows attached, wanton, and infatuated, he will not abandon worldly life to go forth. That would accord with my wish.” Thereupon, the Great King greatly increased every pleasure of the five desires for Crown Prince Siddhartha, so that the Crown Prince’s mind might become intoxicated by them and no longer think of renouncing the household life.

A verse says:

Within the palace he enjoyed abundant sensual pleasures,

Leaving the city to wander, he encountered an old man.

Turning the chariot back to the palace, his heart was filled with concern:

“Alas, I have not yet escaped the condition of old age.”

The Great King, hearing the charioteer’s words,

Feared that the Crown Prince would forsake the royal court.

He increased the five desires and the palace women,

To make him infatuated with love and continue the royal succession.

At that time, the Crown Prince dwelt within the palace, fully provided with the five kinds of sensual pleasure and freely enjoying their delights. He no longer entertained doubts concerning the condition of old age, but regarded himself alone as the most precious of all.