佛本行集經

Chapter 20: YASODHARA SEES OMINOUS DREAMS

(Part 2)

At that time, the royal preceptor had a son named Udayin (translated in the Sui as Eloquent Intelligence), who was intelligent, wise, and skilled in debate. King Suddhodana then sent a messenger to summon Udayin. When Udayin arrived, the King asked:

“Udayin, you are intelligent and resourceful. You may now attend upon Prince Siddhartha. Employ every possible means to make the Prince’s mind peaceful and happy within the palace. Do not allow him to become weary of the palace, leave it behind, and go forth into homelessness.”

The King summoned all the Sakyan clansmen to assemble and said:

“All you members of the royal clan, I fear that Prince Siddhartha is resolved not to remain at home. What means can you now devise to help me cause the Prince to abandon his intention of going forth?”

The King and the royal clan stationed outside the eastern city gate five hundred courageous and resourceful young men, all skilled in military arts and exceedingly valiant. These warriors possessed strength that few could rival. Each young man had five hundred chariots circling around him, and each chariot was surrounded by five hundred strong men.

In the same way, five hundred men were stationed in succession to guard each of the southern, western, and northern gates, as described above. Elder Sakyan ministers also stood watch at the crossroads and along every major and minor street within the city, jointly guarding the Prince. King Suddhodana further deployed a special force of five hundred exceptionally elite warriors, clad in armor and mounted on elephants or horses, to patrol all four sides of the city.

Guards were stationed at every palace gate throughout both day and night.

Then Mahaprajapati Gautami, the chief royal consort, assembled all the women of the palace and instructed them:

“You should know that from this day onward you must not sleep by day or night. Hang luminous jewels atop the banner poles so that the night will not be dark. Everywhere, light lamps fueled with clarified butter or wax, and always cover them with lamp cages so that they will not go out.

The palace gates must be securely barred, and no one may open them or pass through outside the appointed times. Adorn yourselves magnificently and wear jeweled necklaces. Hold one another’s hands to form a circle around the Prince, and do not let him pass through.

Whether holding bows, swords, knives, spears, or other weapons, whether standing or sitting guard, remain constantly vigilant by day and night. Do not become negligent and allow the Prince to depart. If the Prince goes forth, our palace will become empty and desolate, and all delight will be lost.”

Udayin, the royal preceptor’s son, was appointed the Prince’s close attendant. When he entered the palace, he saw the Prince seated in the center of the main hall, absorbed in contemplation, while all the palace women remained silent. Seeing such a melancholy scene, Udayin said to them:

“You are all eloquent, skilled at pleasing others, and able to turn sorrow into joy. Your forms are beautiful and lovable, without equal in the world. Each of you possesses such talents; why have you now cast them aside and chosen to stand silently?

You should make this palace as lively and magnificent as the palace of Uttarakuru in the north. Moreover, you are fit to be chief queens or principal consorts of Vaisravana, the great World-Protecting King of the north. How, then, could you fail to enliven a palace in the human world?

Palace women, why do you allow the Prince to remain detached from sensual desire? Even true sages could be made by you to become infatuated with the five sensual pleasures; how much more could you captivate this Sakyan prince in the human realm! Palace women, you speak gently and skillfully, can turn anger into joy, and understand the minds of men.

Your female forms possess many advantages capable of unsettling men’s minds. Even women who see you give rise to sensual desire; how then could men fail to become infatuated with you? It is utterly impossible for any man in the world to live among you without giving rise to sensual desire.”

Then the young Udayin spoke in verse:

“Thus, you palace women know your own power to entice and how to employ your innate advantages. I see that every one of you possesses such qualities. If you do not cause the Prince, while among you, spontaneously to give rise to sensual desire, I shall not be pleased. Each of you should strive by every means to make the Prince’s mind become stained with desire. Do not let him grow weary and depart.

“Palace women, have you not heard that long ago in the kingdom of Kasi there was a seer named Devadana (translated in the Sui as Born from Conditions Above), who was beguiled by the courtesan Sundari? That seer possessed majestic virtue equal to that of the devas, so that even the devas dared not act against him. Yet he was beguiled by the courtesan Sundari and followed her on foot into the city of Kasi.

“Again, long ago there was a seer named Pratyekabuddha, who had never engaged in sexual desire from childhood through adulthood. One day a courtesan named Sanda (translated in the Sui as Tranquil Stillness) beguiled him, causing him to lose all his meditative concentration and five supernatural powers.

“Again, long ago there was a seer named Visvamitra (translated in the Sui as Transforming Branch), who had practiced austerities for many years and once went without food for ten years. At that time there was an exceedingly beautiful courtesan named Mekhala (translated in the Sui as the One); that seer too was beguiled by her.

“Seers possessing such supernatural powers were often beguiled by courtesans and drawn into worldly acts of sensual desire. How much more Prince Siddhartha, who is now in the vigor of youth, with a tender body, the son of a great king, and thoroughly versed in every affair! You should therefore devote all your strength to attending upon him, causing him to become attached to you, lest the royal lineage be extinguished.”

When the palace women heard these encouraging words from Udayin, the royal preceptor’s son, they approached the Prince together and performed every sort of alluring display to bewilder his mind further. Some danced; some sang and chanted verses praising the pleasures of the five desires in sweet voices; some played music; some jested, contorting their faces into strange forms; some produced a hundred kinds of sounds and recited various phrases; some displayed graceful ways of walking before the Prince; some offered him all kinds of beautiful fresh flowers; some blended a hundred fragrances and anointed the Prince’s body; some blew across their fingers to imitate every kind of birdsong; and some addressed the Prince:

“O prince of the noble lineage, please listen to these worldly jests of love and affection.”

Hearing such seductive playfulness within the palace, the Prince thought: “Sentient beings in the world are oppressed by suffering—the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. Though so afflicted, they will not leave suffering behind and seek refuge. What skillful means must I now employ to transcend worldly birth, aging, sickness, and death?”

The palace women again presented all kinds of song, dance, music, and seductive amusements, but upon seeing them the Prince did not give rise to even the slightest delight. At that time, one palace woman personally took a garland of mallika flowers and approached to place it around the Prince’s neck. The Prince gazed at her fixedly without blinking. After looking at her, he removed the mallika garland with his own hand, held it, and cast it out through the window.

Then Udayin, the royal preceptor’s son, saw the Prince sitting upright in mindfulness and contemplation, unattached to the conditioned objects of the world and uninfatuated with beautiful forms, pleasing sounds, fragrances, sweet tastes, and the like. Seeing this, the intelligent and wise Udayin again remonstrated with the Prince in various words:

“Great and holy Prince, the King sent me here to be your companion and bring you delight. I now wish to ask you something; please permit me. Why, as I see, is your mind unattached to worldly affairs?”

He then spoke in verse:

After speaking this verse, Udayin continued:

“Great and holy Prince, since I am now your friend, we should discuss good and bad matters together. If one sees something unusual occurring yet ignores it, one cannot be called a friend. Therefore, today I wish to speak heart-to-heart with the Prince.

Please accept this sincere friendship. The Prince is now in the vigor of youth and strong in health, yet I see that you appear unwilling to enjoy worldly happiness. You wish to distance yourself from the palace women and do not desire to live near them.

What is there to detest in them? The minds of worldly people naturally follow this course. The path of love is fundamental, and women’s bodies exist to be cherished by worthy men and taken as a source of delight.

If the Prince is determined to renounce the pleasures of the five desires, then for these women the wealth, honor, and splendor of palace life will be only a punishment. Please comfort the palace women with gentle and affectionate words, causing joy to arise in their hearts.”

Udayin spoke in verse:

The Prince, seated near Udayin, the royal preceptor’s son, heard these words. With skillful speech in a voice filled with sorrow—like rolling thunder shrouded by clouds, or a master musician producing a deep melody—he replied to Udayin:

“Udayin, I know that you are my good and virtuous friend. With wholesome intentions you admonish me and illuminate my understanding. I also understand your meaning and know that you treat me with deep intimacy and regard. I will not oppose your wishes. Since you now see such faults in me, I shall follow your counsel. Yet it is not that I do not know how to enjoy the world’s five sensual pleasures. I have examined all worldly things and understand them clearly. Because I see that the world is impermanent and subject to decay, and that this world is fearful, my mind takes no delight in it.”

He then spoke in verse:

After speaking this verse, the Prince again said to Udayin:

“You should observe how aging has already seized the beautiful complexions of these palace women. When each looks upon the others, her mind will find no joy. You will see that only a fool would wish to become infatuated among them.”

He then spoke in verse:

The Prince and Udayin, the royal preceptor’s son, conversed back and forth. When the Prince saw the sunlight disappear, he entered the inner palace and joyfully partook of the pleasures of the five desires with the palace women, who assembled and stood around him. That night the Prince’s chief consort, Yasodhara, felt that she had conceived.

On that same night, the Prince’s maternal aunt, Gautami Mahaprajapati, dreamed in her sleep of a lordly white bull roaring within the city and then slowly departing, with no one able to obstruct its way. Also that night, King Suddhodana dreamed that at the center of the city there arose the celestial parasol of Sakra, adorned with many precious things and jeweled necklaces, resembling Mount Sumeru, rising from the earth and standing suspended in space.

Brilliant light shone from this parasol of Sakra throughout the four directions. Great clouds arose in the four directions, gathered over the parasol, and released a violent rain whose waters washed it clean. All kinds of beautiful flowers then rained from the sky around the parasol of Sakra.

Immeasurable melodious music sounded spontaneously, though no one played it. A perfectly white canopy, with a shaft of precious jewels and ribs of pure gold, exquisite and beautiful in appearance, came naturally and spread over the parasol of Sakra on all four sides. The Four Great Heavenly Kings then arrived in the city with their retinues, opened the city gates, and escorted the parasol of Sakra away.

That same night, Yasodhara, utterly exhausted, slept deeply and saw twenty extremely terrifying omens in a dream. Trembling in body and mind, uneasy, astonished, and frightened, she suddenly awoke.

The Prince asked Yasodhara:

“Why, beloved, did you suddenly awaken trembling from sleep, panting and frightened? Beloved, what is the reason? We are not now in a charnel ground, nor are we lying among corpses. We are not in the mountains or in the wilderness. We are in the royal palace within Kapilavastu, protected by immeasurable and boundless armed forces. This place is entirely secure: there is no danger from wild beasts, nor any fear of bandits coming to cause harm. This place is exceedingly peaceful and pleasant, and there is nothing to fear. Yet I see that your mind is greatly frightened and filled with sorrow and anxiety. Why did you suddenly awaken?”

Yasodhara, the Prince’s chief consort, shed tears like rain and, sorrowful and afraid, said to the Prince in a choked voice:

“Great and holy Prince, tonight in my dream I saw twenty transformations. I beg you to listen as I recount them.

“Prince, in my dream I saw the entire great earth shaking all around.

“Prince, next I saw the celestial parasol of Sakra topple to the ground.

“Prince, next I saw the sun, moon, and stars fall from the sky.

“Prince, next I saw an exceedingly pure and beautiful canopy. I took shelter beneath it, and it lovingly protected and covered me. Suddenly Chandaka, the maidservant’s son, came by force, seized my canopy, and carried it away.

“Prince, next I saw the precious jewels adorning my hair bun cut away and carried off by a knife.

“Prince, next I saw all the jeweled necklaces upon my body swept away by water.

“Prince, next I saw my incomparably beautiful countenance suddenly become ugly.

“Prince, next I saw my hands and feet suddenly separate from my body.

“Prince, next I saw my body suddenly become naked.

“Prince, next I saw the bed upon which I have always sat attending you suddenly topple to the ground.

“Prince, next I dreamed that the bed upon which you and I slept and enjoyed pleasure suddenly had all four legs break and collapse.

“Prince, next I dreamed of a great mountain composed entirely of precious substances, with four sharp sides and of immense height. It was suddenly set ablaze, and the mountain collapsed to the ground.

“Prince, next I dreamed that an exceedingly beautiful tree within King Suddhodana’s palace was suddenly swept away by the wind.

“Prince, next I dreamed that the bright full moon among the stars over this palace suddenly disappeared.

“Prince, next I dreamed that the sun within this palace, shining brightly and radiating thousands upon tens of thousands of rays in every direction, suddenly disappeared, leaving the world in darkness without the least light.

“Prince, next I dreamed that a blazing torch within the palace of this city moved outside the city.

“Prince, next I dreamed that the deity who had always protected this city, whose entire body was adorned with jeweled necklaces and whose handsome form was most pleasing, suddenly stood outside the city gate, grieving, weeping, and lamenting.

“Prince, next I dreamed that Kapilavastu suddenly became a terrifying wilderness as dark as night, in which the mind could find no joy.

“Prince, next I dreamed that the waters of all the ponds in Kapilavastu suddenly became turbid, and that the flowers, fruits, branches, and leaves of every tree in the city fell and completely covered the ground.

“Prince, next I dreamed that all the warriors, clad in armor and holding swords and staffs, surrounded the city on all four sides and together ran in pursuit of you.

“Prince, I dreamed of these twenty events. My mind is deeply anxious and terrified, suspicious and uneasy. I do not know what these omens mean. Will their consequences be fortunate or disastrous? Is my life about to end? Or is my loving union with the Prince about to be severed? Therefore, my heart pounded like a drum, trembling with uncontrollable fear, and I suddenly started awake from sleep.”

Upon hearing this, the Prince thought: “Before long I shall renounce the household life and go forth. For this reason Yasodhara has tonight seen such extremely terrifying omens in her dreams.”

The Prince then said to Yasodhara:

“Beloved consort Yasodhara, even if you saw a thousand celestial parasols of Sakra topple to the ground, what harm could come to you? Even if you saw a thousand suns, moons, and stars fall to the earth, what painful effect could that have upon you? Though you saw a thousand canopies forcibly carried away by Chandaka, the maidservant’s son, this was merely a seizure seen in a dream.

What connection has it with the reality of daytime, and why should your mind be disturbed? You should not grieve. You are my most honored chief consort; do not think fearfully.

Such false dream omens naturally occur in the world. Do not harbor fear, but sleep peacefully as usual. You are my sole chief consort, in the bloom of youth and graceful in bearing.

I fear such fright may injure your health. Yasodhara, you have experienced only happiness and have never suffered.”

Hearing the Prince explain matters in this way, she became reassured and lay down to sleep again. Wishing to comfort and soothe Yasodhara, the Prince lay down with her, and together they delighted in the pleasures of the five desires. That night the Prince himself had five great dreams:

The first dream: The Prince saw himself lying upon a bed formed by the great earth, with Mount Sumeru beneath his head as a pillow, his left hand resting upon the eastern ocean, his right hand upon the western ocean, and both feet upon the southern ocean.

The second dream: The Prince saw a blade of grass called “Establishment” growing from his navel, its tip reaching to the Akanistha Heaven, the highest heaven of the form realm.

The third dream: The Prince saw four brilliantly colored birds fly from the four directions and alight beneath his feet, whereupon they naturally became entirely white.

The fourth dream: The Prince saw four white animals with wholly black heads come and lick him from his heels to his knees.

The fifth dream: The Prince saw an exceedingly high, immense, and broad mountain of excrement. He walked in meditation atop that mountain without being stained by its filth.

Chapter 21: LEAVING THE ROYAL PALACE TO GO FORTH

(Part 1)

At that time, while the Prince slept at night within the palace, an official responsible for protecting the palace told the patrolling guards:

“When making your rounds and keeping watch, each of you must say ‘Kimbila’ (translated in the Sui as fearful), or say ‘Muktira’ (translated in the Sui as escape), or say ‘Angana’ (translated in the Sui as coming out from within). You must remain here at all times.”

The patrolmen replied:

“Yes, we shall always remain here.”

The chief minister continued:

“All of you must guard carefully! All of you must guard carefully! From this night onward, whether you keep watch on land, beneath the water, in trees, in caves, beside mountain hollows, or by the palace chambers, all may become exhausted and desire sleep. Tonight, however, you must carry weapons and jointly guard every entrance to the palace. You must exert yourselves and keep diligent watch. Everyone must take turns guarding and must not sleep. Why has the King issued such strict orders? Because he fears that the Prince will abandon this royal palace and go forth. According to the prediction of the royal preceptor Asita, if the Prince can be kept within the palace, he will certainly become a wheel-turning sage-king ruling the four continents beneath heaven.”

After the minister had spoken thus, the first watch of the night passed. At midnight, the watchman cried loudly: “May our Great Holy One be honored for ten thousand ages! May our Great Holy One dwell securely and live for ten thousand years!”

When the first watch had passed and midnight was approaching, though the clock had not yet struck midnight, devas from the Pure Abodes descended into Kapilavastu. At that time, all the people within the city sank into a deep and insensible sleep—from King Suddhodana and his close attendants down to the guard at the Prince’s stable, as well as all the lesser officials and palace women. Exhausted, they all slept deeply.

Among the devas was a devaputra named Dharma Conduct. He entered the inner palace and used his supernatural power to disarrange the ornaments and clothing upon the palace women’s bodies. Some had garments slipped from their shoulders yet did not adjust them.

Some slept with their hands propping up their chins or cheeks. Some let go of their harps and slept leaning upon them. Some slept embracing drums with both arms.

Some grasped the latticework inside the windows and slept with half their bodies exposed. Some slept embracing one another. Some slept without closing their eyes, their eyeballs exposed as though staring.

Some rolled about asleep upon their jeweled necklaces. Some palace women had formerly possessed upright and graceful forms, complete decorum, and a sense of shame, their every action being proper; but now, because they slept so deeply, they passed wind noisily and urinated upon themselves, emitting a foul stench without knowing it. Some had jeweled necklaces slip from their bodies.

Some scattered their flower garlands, cast off their clothing, and slept with eyes bulging like corpses, so that an outsider seeing them would not suppose them alive. Some lay on their backs with arms and legs spread, sleeping with mouths wide open. Some lay chaotically without distinction of head or feet, sleeping upside down beside others.

Some placed both hands beneath their thighs and clutched them tightly while sleeping. Some trembled like drunkards and slept leaning against walls. Some drooped their heads and slept with mucus hanging from their noses.

Some slept squatting with their necks drawn in. Some slept with pale, ashen faces, appearing extremely ugly. Some wore hourglass drums around their necks with straps running beneath their arms as they slept.

Some slept with harps resting upon their necks. Some nodded their heads and muttered in their sleep. Some discharged filth and defecated while sleeping.

Some lay face down like corpses amid a charnel ground.

The Prince then suddenly awoke. By the exceedingly brilliant light of candles and torches as thick as fists or great arms, which were lit throughout the palace, he saw the palace women sleeping in this manner. Some held musical instruments such as cymbals, mouth organs, zithers, lutes, horns, flutes, pipas, pipes, and conches. Some slept with mouths open and saliva forming white foam; others had mucus and drool streaming down.

Seeing these sights, the Prince thought: “The forms of women are only thus, revealing such vile impurities. What is there for me to desire? Powder and rouge merely adorn them outwardly, together with women’s ornaments—jeweled necklaces, garments, garlands, bracelets, and bangles—all artificial decorations upon the body. Those foolish people who do not understand are deceived by these things; seeing female beauty, they deludedly give rise to sensual desire. But one endowed with wisdom and right mindfulness examines a woman’s body and sees that its nature is just so, utterly without a master, like a dream or magical illusion. No one should become heedless through female beauty, yet because the mind is bound by ignorance, people become stained by attachment.”

He then spoke in verse:

The Prince again concentrated his mind and reflected: “Alas, the world is a great calamity! Alas, the world is fearful! What is there to desire?” With loving-kindness and compassion for sentient beings, the Prince cried aloud:

“This world is bondage, yet fools, like animals whose lives are taken by butchers, do not understand. This world is impure, yet fools delight in it, like a beautifully painted vessel filled within with excrement and urine. This world is transient, yet fools plunge and sink within it, like an old elephant mired in mud.

This world is a foul and stinking den, yet fools regard it as sweet and fragrant, like a pig lying in a dung pen. This world is deceptive, yet fools do not know this and hastily become attached, like a dog gnawing a bare white bone. This world is harmful, yet fools do not understand and compete with one another, like moths crowding together and plunging into a lamp flame.

This world is poisonous, yet fools do not know this and cling to its delights, like a fish swallowing a hook. This world is like a withered yellow flower, yet fools do not understand and delight in drawing near, like flowers that grow in wet places but are removed from the water and then scorched by the sun’s heat. This world is fragile, yet fools do not know and walk upon it, like an old ox sinking into deep mud.

This world is like a lofty mountaintop, yet fools do not understand that they will fall into an abyss, like a blind man falling from a high mountain into a deep ravine. This world revolves, yet fools do not understand their wandering through birth and death, like the hand of a potter turning his wheel. This world is an unending entanglement, yet fools do not know that they are bound by it, like dogs in chains, deprived of freedom.

This world has no refreshing coolness, yet fools do not know that they are being burned by fire, like summer grass dried and scorched by oppressive heat. This world declines, yet fools do not know that one day it will be destroyed, like the waning moon gradually disappearing. This world is without benefit, yet fools do not understand that when the fruits of their wholesome roots are exhausted, their wealth passes to others, like the property of a gambler who has lost.”

Having thus contemplated the bodies of the palace women, the Prince again thought: “Now that I see clearly in this way, I must give rise to joyful courage, diligently apply myself, increase merit and virtue, and make a vast vow to rescue the world. For those who have no one to save them, I shall be their protector and helper. For those who have no one to sustain them, I shall be their guardian. For sentient beings without homes, I shall become their houses and shelter. Today these duties have become clear before my eyes. With this resolve, before long I shall attain the true fruit. Why is this so? Because of these shameless palace women sleeping deeply.”

At about midnight, the devaputra Sakping saw that the Prince had awakened. He slowly approached and addressed him:

“Prince, in the past you completely fulfilled all matters of truth. Furthermore, while in the human realm, you formed this aspiration: ‘May I cast off this body and be born in the Tusita Heaven.’ Prince, that vow has now passed into fulfillment. Again, while in the Tusita Heaven, you vowed to descend to the human world and be conceived in the womb of the Holy Mother; that vow has now been fulfilled.

While in the womb, you vowed to be born promptly; that vow too was completed. After birth, you vowed to grow within the palace as a child, freely wandering and enjoying sensual pleasures; that vow too has been fulfilled and has passed. Upon reaching the age of twenty, you wished diligently to study the arts; that vow too was perfected.

In the strength of youth, you wished to experience the world’s sensual pleasures; that vow is now being fulfilled. Prince, do not remain absorbed in them. Today devas and humans alike beseech you to go forth and cultivate the noble path.”

Upon hearing the devaputra Sakping speak thus, the Prince put on a pair of leather shoes made with various precious jewels, worth eight hundred billion catties of gold. He then arose, turned to look at his seat and jeweled couch, and declared loudly:

“This is the place where my body has lain for the last time to enjoy the five desires. From this day forevermore, I shall never again partake of the five desires.”

With his left hand the Prince lifted the netted curtain made of various precious materials and stepped out of the palace, walking slowly. After proceeding a short distance within the inner palace, he stopped, joined his palms, faced east, mindfully invoked the names of the Buddhas, and raised his head to gaze upon the stars in the sky.

The Four Great World-Protecting Heavenly Kings and Sakra knew that the time for the Prince to go forth was approaching, so each prepared abundant offerings in his own realm and came to make offerings.

Dhrtarastra, Heavenly King and lord of the gandharva hosts, came from the east with all his retinue of hundreds of thousands of myriads, arranged in proper order and playing music together. They circled Kapilavastu three times through the sky, descended to the earth, stood to one side, and reverently joined their palms and bowed toward the Prince.

Virudhaka, Heavenly King and lord of the kumbhanda hosts, came from the south with all his retinue of hundreds of thousands of myriads, arranged in proper order and bearing precious vessels filled with wonderfully fragrant water. They circled Kapilavastu three times through the sky, descended to the earth, stood to one side, and reverently joined their palms and bowed toward the Prince.

Virupaksa, Heavenly King and lord of the naga kings, came from the west with all his retinue of hundreds of thousands of myriads, arranged in proper order and holding exquisite strings of pearls. They also manifested clouds of fragrance, clouds of flowers, and even clouds of precious jewels, and caused gentle fragrant winds to blow. They circled Kapilavastu three times through the sky, descended to the earth, stood to one side, and reverently joined their palms and bowed toward the Prince.

Vaisravana, Heavenly King and lord of the yaksa hosts, came from the north with all his retinue of hundreds of thousands of myriads, arranged in proper order. Some held fire-jewels or lamps; some bore great torches burning with brilliant radiance; and some devas wore armor and carried bows and arrows, lances, spears, swords, staffs, and other weapons. They circled Kapilavastu three times through the sky, descended to the earth, stood to one side, and reverently joined their palms and bowed toward the Prince.

The celestial lord Sakra Devanam Indra came from the Trayastrimsa Heaven with all his retinue of hundreds of thousands of myriads of devas, arranged in proper order. They brought flower garlands, fragrant oils, and powders. Some devas held jeweled banners and canopies, while others held exquisitely beautiful jeweled necklaces. They circled Kapilavastu three times through the sky, descended to the earth, stood to one side, and reverently joined their palms and bowed toward the Prince.

The Prince looked throughout all directions and then raised his head to observe the stars in the sky. He saw the Four Great World-Protecting Heavenly Kings, their bodies adorned with beautiful jeweled necklaces and their heads crowned with celestial diadems, proceeding slowly in orderly ranks together with their hosts of gandharvas, kumbhandas, yaksas, and naga kings. Each host comprised hundreds of thousands of attendants surrounding them to left and right, and each came from the east, south, west, or north and stood in its respective direction.

He also saw the celestial lord Sakra Devanam Indra leading hundreds of thousands of devas, arranged in proper order and gathering so densely that they filled the surrounding space. He further saw that the Ghost constellation was in conjunction with an auspicious lunar mansion.

All the devas then proclaimed loudly:

“Great and holy Prince, today is the day of the Ghost constellation. The time has now arrived. One who wishes to seek the supreme Dharma should not remain in the human world. Supreme king among humankind, arise quickly! The time has come to leave the worldly life and go forth.”

Thus all the devas guarding him on both sides praised and urged him to go forth quickly and not remain in the world.

The Prince looked into the sky and thought: “On this quiet night, on the day of the Ghost constellation, devas guard me from the earth up through the sky. At this very moment I am resolved and have no further doubt. I must go forth.”

Having thought thus, the Prince called Chandaka, the maidservant’s son, who had been born on the same day as himself, and commanded:

“Chandaka, come here quickly and do not disobey my command. Quickly saddle and bridle the horse Kanthaka, who was born on the same day as I, and bring him before me. Do not let any member of my Sakyan family hear the horse neigh.”

Standing beside the Prince and hearing this command, Chandaka raised his face to look at the sky. Thinking that it was only midnight, doubt arose in his mind. His whole body shuddered, all his hair stood on end, and, anxious and afraid, he addressed the Prince:

“Prince, why do you command me at midnight to saddle and bridle the noble horse Kanthaka? Is there some danger? Is there some urgent matter? Is there an enemy? Has some fortunate or disastrous event occurred inside or outside the city?”

The Prince told Chandaka:

“Chandaka, I am now in haste because sufferings press upon me like terrifying enemies—how could you understand? Only quickly saddle and bridle Kanthaka, who was born on the same day as I, and bring him here without delay.”