方廣大莊嚴經

Chapter 13: MUSIC AROUSING AWAKENING

At that time, the Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“The bodhisattva dwelt in the royal palace, yet wished to renounce the household life. The eight classes of devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, together with Brahma, Shakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, constantly brought all manner of necessities as offerings to the bodhisattva and joyfully praised him. One day, the devas, nagas, gandharva spirits, and the others each thought to themselves: ‘The bodhisattva has appeared in the world in order to accomplish the deliverance of sentient beings, embracing and transforming them all through the four means of attraction.

Now that the faculties of sentient beings have become amenable, why does the bodhisattva remain so long within the inner palace instead of renouncing the household life, attaining the Way, and delivering them? If he does not act in time, we fear that their wholesome intentions will change and become difficult to preserve, so that even after he attains Perfect Awakening, he will be unable to deliver them.’ Having thought this, they all came before the Crown Prince, bowed reverently, and addressed him with eager hope:

“‘How may we behold the Crown Prince renounce the household life to pursue the Way, sit upon the seat of bodhi, subdue the hosts of Mara, attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening, become endowed with the Ten Powers, the Four Fearlessnesses, and the Eighteen Distinctive Qualities of the Buddhas, turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel in three cycles and twelve aspects, and manifest every profound and wondrous supernormal power, so that sentient beings may thereby attain perfect peace and happiness?’

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“Throughout many kalpas in the realm of birth and death, the bodhisattva was never awakened through the instruction of others, but always taught himself. He thoroughly understood the methods for cultivating all wholesome practices, both worldly and supramundane, and always knew how to employ the wondrous functions of supernormal powers at the proper time. He never caused sentient beings to regress or lose their roots of goodness.

Like the tides of the great ocean, which never fall into disorder, through wisdom and supernormal knowledge he fully understood the faculties of every sentient being: when they could be embraced and transformed for their benefit; when they should be subdued and restrained; when they would be delivered; when they should be left alone; when the Dharma should be taught; when silence was required; when wisdom should be cultivated; when recitation and recollection were required; when contemplation was needed; when one should cultivate in solitude;

and when one should enter assemblies of kshatriyas or brahmins, or assemblies of devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, together with Brahma kings, Shakra, the World-Protectors, bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, and upasikas…

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“All bodhisattvas who bear their final body renounce the household life and are continually watched over by the supernormal power of the Buddhas and Tathagatas throughout the boundless asamkhya worlds of the ten directions. Therefore, within the royal palace, the sounds of lutes, songs, drums, and music continually gave forth wondrous tones exhorting the bodhisattva, proclaiming these verses:

Within the palace, maidens ever played and sang,

Wishing the bodhisattva to remain immersed in pleasure.

The Buddhas of the ten directions, replete with supernormal power,

Transformed those sounds into words of Dharma.

You once beheld the sufferings of sentient beings

And vowed to become one upon whom they could rely.

Excellent indeed were the myriad practices cultivated in the past;

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

Remember how, in the past, for the sake of all beings,

You never begrudged body, life, hands, or feet.

You cultivated moral discipline, patience, and diligence,

As well as meditative concentration and wisdom,

Aspiring to attain bodhi, the supreme fruit of merit;

Who in the entire world could equal you?

Sentient beings are filled with greed, anger, and delusion;

Embrace and subdue them through the path of loving-kindness and compassion.

Amid wrong views and delusion,

You aroused a mind of great compassion without end,

Accumulated boundless merit and wisdom,

And through pure meditative concentration developed supernormal powers.

The radiance of your body illuminates the realms of the ten directions,

Ever shining like the moon free from clouds.

Countless melodies of wondrous sound

Exhorted the bodhisattva swiftly to renounce the household life.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“At that time, the bodhisattva resided in an exceedingly magnificent palace, where every necessity was always abundant. Its halls, chambers, towers, and pavilions were adorned with many kinds of precious treasures; banners, pennants, parasols, and canopies were arrayed everywhere. Jeweled nets, precious bells, and countless embroidered brocade curtains studded with jeweled necklaces hung throughout the palace.

Every bridge, large and small, spanning the walkways was made of precious planks. Everywhere stood precious incense burners diffusing renowned fragrances. Above were clusters of precious jewels, while curtains and canopies were spread all around.

The water in the ponds and lakes was always clear and cool. The lakes contained every kind of rare bird—wild ducks, geese, mandarin ducks, peacocks, kingfishers, kalavinkas, jivajivakas, and others—which continually uttered gentle, melodious sounds. The floors were all made of lapis lazuli, radiating a clear, soft light like a mirror.

Their exquisite splendor could never be fully described, and all devas and humans who beheld them rejoiced. One day, while the palace maidens were plucking their instruments and singing, through the supernormal power of the Buddhas of the ten directions, those sounds became these verses:

Long ago, the Blessed One made a great vow,

Taking pity on sentient beings who had no refuge:

‘If I attain perfect awakening, I shall use the ambrosia

To deliver all beings and free them from suffering.’

Just as the Buddhas of old cultivated the practices

And dwelt peacefully in secluded mountains and forests,

Attaining the Tathagata’s omniscience,

You gave wealth and treasures whenever you saw the poor and hungry.

Long ago, the Blessed One practiced great generosity,

Relinquishing money and precious possessions.

To save all beings, let fall the rain of Dharma;

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

You observed pure moral discipline without transgression,

Personally cultivating it throughout many kalpas.

To liberate all beings from affliction,

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

For hundreds of thousands of kalpas, you cultivated patience,

Enduring all the harsh words of the world.

You always used patience to overcome them;

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

Your diligence has always remained steadfast;

Through lifetimes of cultivation, you vanquished the hosts of Mara.

To bring all three evil paths entirely to an end,

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

You cultivated meditative concentration and removed defilements,

Showering the rain of ambrosia upon all beings,

So that the hungry and thirsty of the world might be satisfied;

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

You are a Great Being of boundless wisdom,

Destroying every delusion and wrong view.

Long ago, through contemplation, you made the great vow;

Now is precisely the time to renounce the household life.

Throughout countless kalpas in the past, you cultivated

The immeasurable minds of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

You bestowed all these supreme practices

Upon every being throughout the world.

The palace maidens’ music and songs were truly gentle and melodious,

Intended to keep the bodhisattva immersed in pleasure.

Yet the Buddhas of the ten directions, replete with supernormal power,

Caused the sounds of desire to become sounds of Dharma.

Long ago, the Blessed One was a king.

Upon the road, he encountered a beggar

Who asked for the entire kingdom and the royal throne;

Gladly he relinquished them without regret.

The Blessed One once was a brahmin

Named Yuga, who was exceedingly diligent.

With loving filial devotion, he supported his virtuous parents

And guided countless brahmins,

Together with many sentient beings, toward the wholesome paths.

After leaving that body and life, he was reborn in the heavenly realm.

Long ago, the Blessed One was a rishi

Who aroused great compassion and bore no resentment;

All his wounds were completely healed.

Once, in the past, he was the rishi Shyama,

Practicing austerities with his parents upon a lofty mountain,

When a king’s poisoned arrow struck his body.

With compassion and no hatred, he joyfully died.

The Blessed One once was a golden-colored deer.

Seeing a man drowning while crossing a river,

He aroused loving-kindness and rescued him;

Later, though betrayed, he felt no anger.

Long ago, the Blessed One was a rishi

Whose precious jewel accidentally fell into the great ocean.

Arousing diligent resolve, he braved the danger,

Until the Dragon King, alarmed, returned the jewel.

Recall how, in the past, he was a rishi

Whose loving heart cherished a bird and gave it protection.

When someone pursued him and demanded that bird,

He cut flesh from his own body to exchange for it.

The flesh and the bird were equal in weight;

For the bird’s sake, he ultimately lost his life.

Recall also that long ago he was the rishi Shyama

Some came and asked how many leaves a tree bore;

Knowing well whether few or many, he answered clearly.

When that person did not believe him, heaven bore witness:

Recall how, long ago, he was once a parrot.

Shakra transformed into a man and came to question him closely:

“The tree where you dwell has withered away;

If you will not leave it, where can you remain?”

He replied, “It was through this tree that I grew to maturity.”

Shakra thought this exceedingly rare

And immediately caused the withered tree to flourish again.

He is one who upholds countless wholesome virtues,

Through whom the beings of the world gain peace and security.

Relying upon the boundless ocean of the Buddha’s merit,

Thus, through the spiritual power of the Buddhas of the ten directions,

They praised the virtues of the bodhisattva,

Transforming all the songs played by the palace women

To exhort the bodhisattva to quickly renounce the household life.

For many kalpas the Blessed One made great vows

To end completely the suffering of beings in samsara.

Pray, remember the practices cultivated through countless kalpas;

Now is indeed the time to renounce the household life.

Throughout boundless kalpas the Blessed One

Gave away countless jewels, gold, and silver,

His body and life, his royal throne, his wife and children,

Joyfully bestowing them upon all who entreated him.

He once was the sovereign leader, King Tràng Nha,

Possessing moonlight, lamps, precious hair, and loving-kindness;

With gentle eyes and courage surpassing other kings,

All through the spiritual power of practicing generosity.

For many kalpas he diligently observed the precepts,

His morality ever pure, like a radiant pearl;

Resolutely guarding it without the slightest blemish,

As a yak cherishes its own tail.

The Blessed One once was a great elephant king;

A hunter shot an arrow into his body,

Yet he still aroused loving-kindness, free from enmity,

And gave all six tusks while preserving pure morality.

Throughout many kalpas the Blessed One likewise

Resolutely cultivated patience and endured suffering.

Long ago, the Blessed One once took the body of a bear;

Seeing a man hungry and cold, he nourished and sheltered him.

When that man went forth and encountered a hunter,

He returned with him to kill the bear, yet the bear’s mind bore no hatred.

You have cultivated diligence without ever turning back,

Practicing the myriad deeds to attain awakening.

Mara and all his armies shall be subdued;

Now is indeed the time to leave the worldly life.

Long ago, the Blessed One was once a noble steed,

Racing along every road to bestow benefit.

In the land of the yakshas he rescued beings

And established all creatures in fearlessness.

Through boundless kalpas you were diligent in this way,

Using the powers of wisdom and spiritual mastery to dispel afflictions.

Your mind was ever gentle and abided in meditative concentration,

Bringing benefit to sentient beings.

Recall how, long ago, you were once a king

Who caused all beings to practice the Ten Wholesome Deeds.

Because those beings cultivated wholesome conduct,

After passing away they were born in the Brahma world.

The bodhisattva clearly knows the wholesome and unwholesome,

Fully understands the faculties and dispositions of every being,

And with wisdom penetrates every principle;

Now is indeed the time to renounce the household life.

Pray, have compassion for beings of wrong views,

Submerged in the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death.

End completely the perilous and evil course of birth and death,

And show the path to true nirvana.

Thus all the Buddhas of the ten directions

Praised the virtues of the bodhisattva,

Transforming all the songs played by the palace women

To exhort the bodhisattva to quickly renounce the household life.

Long ago, you were once a king named Thắng Phước,

Thi-lợi-ni-di-ngật-sắc-trá,

And Kê-tát-lê-khiên-da-nhã;

The wisdom of the path blazed brightly, and your mind was steadfast.

Your morality shone like the radiant moon, and your virtue rose ever higher.

To requite kindness, you relinquished great majesty and power,

Becoming the truly heroic sage Hình Nguyệt.

Your mind of awakening grew ever greater as you sought the wondrous Dharma.

With the supreme conduct of Nguyệt Quang Thiện Trụ,

You practiced vast generosity toward people throughout the whole earth,

Giving your hair and relinquishing your pure body.

Throughout immeasurable kalpas, as a king you always acted thus;

Whatever was difficult to relinquish, you were able to relinquish.

You received the rain of Dharma poured down by the Tathagatas.

Long ago you encountered Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,

And before them all devotedly cultivated without error,

Aspiring to attain awakening and deliver all beings.

Now is indeed the time to quickly renounce the household life.

The deeds of the distant past cannot be fully recounted:

You encountered Buddha Kiên Cố Hoa;

With but a single pure thought,

You beheld Vairocana.

You again encountered Buddha Chiên-đàn

And offered grass and torches.

When the Buddha entered the city,

You scattered fine gold upon the ground.

You encountered Buddha Pháp Tự Tại,

Who taught the Dharma and praised you, saying, “Excellent!”

You encountered Tathagata Phổ Quang

And at once recollected, “Namo Buddha.”

You beheld Buddha Đại Tự Quang

And offered golden flowers.

You encountered Tathagata Quang Tràng

And offered food.

You again beheld Buddha Trí Tràng

And Tathagata Vô Ưu Hoa;

You offered them rice porridge

And made great vows in their fullness.

You again encountered Buddha Bảo Phát

And offered radiant lamps.

You beheld Tathagata Hoa Quang

And offered precious medicines.

You again encountered Buddha Vô Úy

And presented jeweled necklaces.

To Buddha Bà-chi-gia-la

You offered a precious padma.

You beheld Buddha Ta-la Vương

And offered fresh milk.

To Tathagata Danh Xứng

You reverently offered a lion throne.

You again encountered Buddha Chân Thật

And Tathagata Cao Trí,

Constantly bowing at their feet and circumambulating them.

You again encountered Buddha Long Thí

And offered garments.

You beheld Buddha Tăng Thượng Hạnh

And at once offered sandalwood incense.

You again beheld Buddha Trí Sa

And offered precious robes and bowls.

You again beheld Buddha Đại Nghiêm

And presented utpala flowers.

You again encountered Buddha Quang Vương

And offered countless precious objects.

You again beheld Buddha Shakyamuni

And presented golden lotus flowers.

You again beheld Buddha Túc Vương

And praised the Buddha’s virtuous conduct.

You again beheld Buddha Nhật Diện

And offered Trang Nhĩ flowers.

You again encountered Buddha Diệu Ý

And scattered Chân Đầu flowers as offerings.

You again encountered Buddha Giáng Long

And presented precious mani jewels.

You again encountered Buddha Tăng Ích

And offered many precious canopies.

You again encountered Buddha Dược Sư

And offered a supremely wondrous throne.

You encountered Buddha Sư Tử Tràng

And reverently offered jeweled nets.

You again encountered Buddha Trì Đức

And made offerings of music.

You again encountered Buddha Kashyapa

And presented every kind of precious incense.

You again beheld Buddha Phóng Quang

And offered fragrant flowers.

You again encountered Buddha A Bỉ

And presented a supremely wondrous dais.

You again beheld Buddha Thế Cúng

And presented many garlands.

You again encountered Buddha Đa-già

And relinquished even the throne of a heavenly king.

You again encountered Buddha Kê Giáng

And offered many wondrous fragrances.

You again encountered Buddha Đại Quang

And relinquished your body as an offering.

You again encountered Buddha Thượng Hoa

And offered many precious objects.

You again encountered Buddha Pháp Tràng

And cast wondrous flowers as offerings.

You again encountered Buddha Tác Quang,

Bowing as you presented utpala flowers

And offering them with all your heart.

Thus, before immeasurable Buddhas,

You made offerings to each and every one.

You made offerings to them all without omission.

Pray, recall how in the past

You made offerings to all the Tathagatas.

Suffering beings have nowhere to turn;

Pray, quickly remember them and urgently renounce the household life.

Recall how, long ago, you encountered Dipankara Buddha

And realized the pure patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas,

Together with the five spiritual powers, never to regress.

From then onward you remained devoted to monasteries,

Wholeheartedly serving and making offerings to countless Buddhas.

All conditioned dharmas are impermanent;

Kingship and the five desires do not endure forever.

Sentient beings are now oppressed by suffering;

Pray, quickly renounce the household life and save the people of the world.

All the sounds of the palace women’s songs and music

Were meant to further bewilder the bodhisattva’s mind,

Yet the spiritual power of the Buddhas throughout the ten directions

Caused them to proclaim myriad wondrous teachings:

The afflictions of the three realms

Are like a blazing fire;

Delusion never departs,

And beings are constantly scorched.

They are like gathering clouds

That vanish in an instant,

Coming together and then dispersing,

As in a fleeting game.

Thought after thought passes away,

Like flashes of lightning,

Disappearing with great speed,

Like swiftly flowing water.

Because of craving and ignorance,

Beings revolve through the five destinies,

Turning round without end,

Like a wheel set ablaze.

Immersed in the five desires,

They are like birds caught in a net.

Desire is like an enemy and thief—

How truly fearsome it is!

Those who crave the five desires

Are like people treading upon blades.

Those attached to the five desires

Are like people embracing a poisonous tree.

The wise abandon desire

As they would leave a filthy place.

The five desires are dark and obscure,

Causing mindfulness to be lost.

They are ever to be feared,

For they are the cause of suffering and sorrow.

Through ceaseless birth and death,

They create myriad bonds;

Because of them, beings drift along

With the current of samsara.

The noble ones cast them away

As they would discard filthy phlegm.

As when encountering a vicious dog,

One quickly hastens to escape;

They are like a blade smeared with honey,

Like the head of a venomous serpent,

Like a sharp spear or halberd,

Like a jar filled with excrement.

If one does not abandon them,

One is like a starving dog

That keeps gnawing a dry bone.

The five desires have no reality;

They arise from deluded views,

Like the moon reflected in water,

Like an echo in a cavern.

They are all illusory appearances,

Like swelling bubbles upon water,

Arising through conceptual discrimination—

How could they be real dharmas?

While still in youthful years,

The foolish, immersed in craving,

Suppose it will last forever

And therefore never grow weary or turn away.

When old age, sickness, and death arrive,

Even youthful vigor dissolves.

They encounter manifold evils.

Those who possess wealth

Know not how to relinquish it;

When it is lost through the five causes,

They immediately give rise to sorrow and suffering.

It is like a great tree

Whose branches are laden with flowers and fruit:

As people pluck and break them,

Its branches and leaves are left in ruins.

If one gives them no heed,

Sickness, poverty, age, and weakness

Will all be just the same.

They are like vicious birds

Hated by all the world;

Like fire and thunderbolts

That burn up a great tree;

Like a decaying house

That may collapse at any moment.

There is a Dharma that brings release

From birth, old age, sickness, and death.

We beseech you to renounce the household life

For the sake of all living beings

And clearly proclaim that Dharma.

Birth, old age, sickness, and death

Bind living beings,

Like mālūka vines

Entwining a nyagrodha tree,

Preventing the tree from growing

And destroying its roots.

They are like bitter frost

That withers an entire forest.

Youth and physical beauty

Will in time decay and fade.

They are like a mountain wildfire

Spreading in all four directions,

While the myriad beasts within it

Suffer in terror and distress.

The realm of birth and death

Is likewise just the same.

May you swiftly renounce the household life

And deliver all living beings.

Contemplate the suffering of sickness,

Which brings sorrow and injury to living beings,

Like a flowering forest

Withered by frost.

Contemplate the suffering of death:

Those bound by affection are torn apart,

Families and kin are separated,

Never to meet again.

They are like flowers fallen into a river

And swept away by its current.

When strength and vitality are exhausted,

How can one remain free and sovereign?

Alone, one takes each step,

Departing in accordance with one’s karma.

Though one’s lifespan may be long,

How can death be escaped?

It is like the garuḍa

Devouring the flesh of nāgas;

Like the king of elephants

Slain by a lion;

Like the makara fish

Swallowing myriad creatures in its belly;

Like a raging fire

Burning down a forest.

We beseech you to recall

Your vast former vows.

The proper time has now arrived;

You should swiftly renounce the household life.

The palace women sang and made music

To bewitch the bodhisattva,

But through the spiritual power of the Buddhas,

Their sounds became the voice of Dharma:

All conditioned dharmas

Will ultimately decay and perish,

Like lightning in the sky,

Appearing and then vanishing;

Like broken tiles;

Like things used only temporarily;

Like a wall of decaying grass;

Like a bank of loose gravel.

Arising in dependence upon causes and conditions,

None of them is certain or real.

They are like a lamp before the wind,

Like masses of foam upon the water,

Like bubbles bursting on the water,

Like a plantain tree

Whose trunk has no solidity;

Like an illusory performance,

Like a conjurer’s empty art.

They are forever changing,

Yet fools do not understand

And deludedly give rise to craving and attachment.

It is like a person’s strength

Together with muñja fibers:

Only when they are combined and twisted around wood

Can a rope be made.

If even one strand is separated,

That rope cannot be formed.

When the twelve links of dependent origination

Are divided into their individual parts,

Whether past, present, or future,

They have no intrinsic nature.

Though one seeks it, it cannot be found;

So too is it with the foregoing.

It is like a seed

Sprouting into a shoot:

The shoot and the seed

Are neither one nor two.

From ignorance

Conditioned formations arise.

Ignorance and formations

Are likewise just the same:

Neither identical nor separate,

Their nature is empty and quiescent.

When causes and conditions are clearly understood,

Nothing can be found when sought.

It is like an image impressed in clay:

The clay itself does not carry the image,

Nor does the image exist within the clay;

Yet the clay must be molded

For the figure to become visible.

Sense faculty and object depend upon one another

And give rise to visual consciousness.

When faculty, object, and consciousness combine,

This is called the capacity to see.

The object does not abide in consciousness,

Nor does consciousness abide in the object.

Within object, consciousness, and faculty,

There is originally no seeing whatsoever.

Discriminating and deluded attachment

Arise together with their objects.

When the wise examine them,

No characteristics whatsoever are found;

All are like dreams and illusions.

It is like kindling a fire:

Human effort, tinder, and wood—

When these three come together,

Fire immediately arises.

Yet within these three dharmas,

There was originally no fire.

Through temporary conjunction there appears

What is called a living being,

But according to ultimate truth,

It can never be established.

It is like the throat,

Together with the tongue and lips,

Acting in concert to produce speech.

When each is separated,

Speech cannot exist.

Only when all conditions converge

Can sound be produced.

The wise contemplate sound

As continuing from thought-moment to thought-moment;

How could it be a real dharma?

It is like an echo in a cavern,

Which in truth has no real existence.

It is like a konghou harp:

Strings, instrument, and player

Come together to produce sound.

Yet sound neither comes nor goes.

If sought among the various conditions,

It cannot be found;

If sought apart from those conditions,

It cannot be found either.

All the inner and outer skandhas

Are entirely empty and quiescent.

There is no self and no person,

Nor is there any lifespan.

Recall how long ago,

When you encountered Dīpaṃkara Buddha,

You attained the supremely excellent,

Wondrous, true Dharma.

We now beseech the bodhisattva,

For the sake of all living beings,

To shower down the ambrosia of Dharma

And bring them all to fulfillment.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“Having clearly heard these verses, the bodhisattva single-mindedly maintained right mindfulness and directed his mind toward bodhi, never becoming negligent for even a moment. Why was this? Throughout many kalpas of birth and death, the bodhisattva had always honored, revered, and made offerings to the true Dharma and to the teachers who expounded the true Dharma.

He developed pure and steadfast faith in the true Dharma, delighted in it, and abided in it. He listened to the true Dharma without ever becoming weary or thinking that he had heard enough. He thereby awakened living beings and bestowed the true Dharma upon them, causing them to cherish it with profound reverence.

He expounded it for their sake without hoping for recompense. He did not teach the Dharma in pursuit of money, wealth, or precious things. In teaching the Dharma to them, he never harbored any miserliness concerning the Dharma.

He was always vigorous and courageous, single-mindedly and diligently seeking the Dharma. Taking the Dharma as his refuge, he protected and preserved it, abided in patient endurance, cultivated the practices of prajnaparamita, and thoroughly mastered all skillful means.”

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“Throughout many kalpas, the bodhisattva had always remained far removed from the harmful consequences of the world’s five sensual desires. It was only because he wished to accomplish the work of liberating living beings that he manifested within this realm of sensual desire. He accumulated and increased the power of all roots of goodness and supreme merit.

Although he appeared to live amid and enjoy the abundant, complete, and exquisite pleasures of the five desires, his mind always remained free and sovereign. At that time, the bodhisattva recalled his vows from the distant past, and because of those vows he constantly contemplated the Buddha-Dharma. All events of the past appeared before his eyes.

Therefore, the bodhisattva gave rise to great compassion and contemplated the world. He perceived that even the utmost wealth and nobility would ultimately decay and perish. He further contemplated the realm of birth and death, filled with many evil, dangerous afflictions.

Becoming fearful, he wished swiftly to eradicate them and enter Great Nirvana.”

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

—For a long time, the bodhisattva had clearly understood all the suffering and afflictions of birth and death and therefore was never attached to them. He delighted only in seeking the true merits of the Tathagatas. Dwelling in the tranquil setting of an aranya, his mind was always peaceful and joyful; he benefited himself and brought benefit to others.

Regarding the unsurpassed path, the bodhisattva was always courageous and diligent, wishing all sentient beings to attain peace and happiness, benefit, tranquility, and liberation. The bodhisattva constantly aroused a mind of great loving-kindness and compassion and, through the four means of embracing, gathered and guided sentient beings without weariness. He regarded sentient beings as his own children.

His mind was unattached to every object, and he convened great assemblies of giving to increase merit. Free from greed and stinginess, he gave without seeking recompense. While dwelling in the realm of birth and death, he was always courageous and diligent and skillfully subdued all greed, anger, pride, jealousy, and other afflictions.

He continually cultivated and developed wisdom, donned the armor of great generosity, and covered himself fully with the armor of diligence. With great compassion he delivered all beings. His power of wisdom was firm and never regressed.

His mind was always impartial toward sentient beings, and according to their wishes he provided everything in full. The bodhisattva always comprehended what accorded with truth, clearly understood all Dharma and non-Dharma, and continually directed his mind toward the path of awakening. The three aspects of giving were all pure.

With vajra wisdom he utterly destroyed the four maras. He perfected every observance of morality and mastered the three karmic activities of body, speech, and mind, so that not even the slightest fault could occur. His mind was always pure.

When subjected to evils such as harsh words, humiliation, slander, contempt, beating, or bondage, his mind was never distressed or disturbed. He always maintained the practice of patience; his disposition was harmonious and gentle, and he was steadfast and resolute in his cultivation. His mind never regressed from any wholesome quality.

The power of his mindfulness was always complete. By constantly cultivating right concentration, he attained lucid wisdom capable of dispelling darkness. His mind continually contemplated all phenomena as suffering, empty, impermanent, and impure.

The bodhisattva had firmly cultivated the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. His mind continually abided in shamatha and vipashyana. With wisdom he deeply contemplated dependent origination and awakened to the truth.

He always understood it directly by himself, without relying upon the assistance of others. He realized the three gates of liberation and, through liberating wisdom, clearly knew all phenomena to be like dreams and illusions, like shadows, like the moon in water, like reflections in a mirror, like a sudden blaze of fire, and like a call echoing afar and then fading away.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

—Throughout many kalpas, in all four modes of deportment, the bodhisattva continually abided in that wisdom, that power of diligence, that merit, and that benefit within suchness. Protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas of the ten directions, he caused the instrumental music and singing of the palace women to become wondrous sounds exhorting the bodhisattva to leave the household life. The bodhisattva also wished to teach and transform the palace women, causing them at that very moment to realize four kinds of Dharma gates. What were these four kinds of Dharma gates?

—First, to gather and guide everyone through the skillful means of generosity, loving speech, beneficial conduct, and cooperation.

—Second, to perpetuate and promote the continued existence of the Three Jewels so that they might forever remain connected with the world, while neither the disposition toward omniscience nor the power of vows would ever regress.

—Third, to possess steadfast power of wisdom and never abandon great loving-kindness and great compassion toward sentient beings.

—Fourth, in order to attain the power of supreme wisdom, to distinguish clearly all factors of the Dharma of awakening and immediately attain the Dharma gates of great adornment.

These were the four kinds of Dharma gates used to teach and transform the palace women. The bodhisattva manifested great supernormal powers, causing the palace women to understand the Dharma gates expressed in hundreds of thousands of words issuing from the music. These spoke of a vast mind that compassionately cared for sentient beings; the mind that seeks bodhi; the arising of the profound mind, namely, the arising of pure faith in the Buddhadharma; the abandonment of pride; reverence for the true Dharma; clear knowledge of what is wholesome and unwholesome; and constant mindfulness of the Dharmas of the Buddhas: generosity, observance of morality, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; the six superknowledges; the four means of embracing; the four immeasurable minds;

the four foundations of mindfulness; the four right efforts; the four bases of spiritual power; the five faculties; the five powers; the seven factors of awakening; and the Noble Eightfold Path.

They clearly distinguished the teachings of shamatha and vipashyana; impermanence, suffering, emptiness, non-self, and impurity; freedom from craving and quiescent cessation; the knowledge of non-arising and exhaustion; and ultimately nirvana.

The bodhisattva manifested supernormal powers, causing the ensemble music of the palace women to produce all these kinds of sounds. Upon hearing those sounds, the palace women all gave rise to a sense of wonder and rejoiced exceedingly, attaining what they had never attained before.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

During the time the bodhisattva dwelt in the royal palace, he led eighty-four thousand palace women to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi. Furthermore, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of devas heard these teachings and attained the mind of non-retrogression from the path to unsurpassed bodhi. They therefore recited verses urging the bodhisattva swiftly to leave the household life.

Chapter 14: THE AUSPICIOUS DREAM

At that time, the Buddha told the bhikshus:

—After the devas had exhorted the bodhisattva to leave the household life, the bodhisattva then appeared in a dream to his father, the king. In the dream, King Shuddhodana saw the bodhisattva with his hair and beard completely shaved, leaving the royal palace while immeasurable devas surrounded and accompanied him. Upon awakening, the king immediately asked an attendant:

—Is the Crown Prince presently in one of the palaces, or has he gone outside for an excursion?

The attendant replied:

—The Crown Prince is in the palace and has not gone outside for an excursion.

The king, however, still feared that the bodhisattva had departed and became sorrowful and distressed, anxious and restless, as though an arrow had pierced his heart. The king thought to himself, “If what I saw in the dream is true, the Crown Prince will certainly leave the household life.” The king further thought, “From this day onward, I shall no longer permit the Crown Prince to go on excursions outside. I shall order the palace women to exert themselves in pleasing him so that the Crown Prince will become intoxicated by the five sensual pleasures.”

At that time, for the sake of the Crown Prince, King Shuddhodana had three palaces constructed to suit the three seasons. The first palace was very warm and was used during the cold winter season. The second palace was cool and was used during the hot season. The third palace was temperate, being neither cold nor hot. The king also had many successive gates constructed, which were extremely difficult to open or close. Five hundred people were required to open or close them, and the sound could be heard forty miles away. The king also summoned masters skilled in astronomy and physiognomy, together with sages who had attained the five superknowledges, and carefully questioned them about matters concerning the Crown Prince. They all replied:

—The Crown Prince will pass through the main gate of the royal palace, cross beyond the city walls, and depart.

Upon hearing this, the king, his father, became even more sorrowful and distressed.

Monks, after some time, the bodhisattva again wished to go out sightseeing, so he ordered the charioteer to prepare the carriage and horses. The charioteer immediately reported the Prince’s intention to the king. Upon hearing this, King Suddhodana at once ordered the groves and gardens to be put in order and swept clean.

He commanded the responsible offices to repair the roads, sprinkle the ground everywhere with fragrant water, and scatter all kinds of renowned flowers. Many banners, pennants, parasols, and canopies of every color were hung upon the precious trees. All around were strung various jewels, strings of gems, gold, silver, and precious bells, which emitted countless wondrous sounds whenever stirred by a gentle breeze.

From within the city to the parks and gardens, every place was beautifully and immaculately adorned and prepared, no different from a heavenly palace. The king further ordered that no unpleasant sights—such as the aged and infirm, the sick, corpses, the blind, mute, or deaf, or those whose six faculties were impaired—were to appear along either side of the road. Whatever was inauspicious, the king commanded to be kept far from the route along which the Prince would pass.

At that time, the bodhisattva, accompanied by his retinue in orderly procession, departed through the eastern gate of the city. Then a deva from the Pure Abodes transformed himself into an old man with white hair and an emaciated body. His skin was wrinkled, and he was nothing but skin and bones. With his back bent, he dragged himself along, leaning heavily upon a staff. He coughed repeatedly; all his teeth had fallen out; saliva ran from his mouth; his face was soiled; and he alternately walked and rested, each tottering step slow and unsteady. Upon seeing him, the bodhisattva asked the charioteer:

“What kind of person is that, whose appearance is like this?”

The deva from the Pure Abodes then used his spiritual power to cause the charioteer to answer the bodhisattva:

“Prince, that is an old man.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“What is meant by old age?”

The charioteer replied:

“Those who are old were once young and full of vigor, but gradually they decline: their strength diminishes, their faculties weaken, they cannot digest their food and drink, their bodies become emaciated, and walking and standing become difficult. They undergo many sufferings, are despised by many, and have little remaining lifespan. Because of all these things, it is called old age.”

The Prince asked:

“Does that man alone undergo the infirmity of old age, or must everyone undergo it?”

He replied:

“Everyone in the world must undergo the infirmity of old age in this way.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“Will this body of mine also become like that?”

The charioteer replied:

“Whoever has been born, whether noble or lowly, must undergo the suffering and infirmity of old age in this way.”

The bodhisattva then became sorrowful and ceased to take delight. He said to the charioteer:

“How can I now take pleasure in leisurely excursions and in viewing the scenery of groves and gardens? I must reflect and seek a way to escape that suffering.”

The bodhisattva immediately ordered the carriage to turn back to the royal palace. King Suddhodana then summoned the charioteer and asked:

“Did the Prince enjoy his excursion among the groves and gardens today?”

The charioteer reported:

“Great King, the Prince had just left the city gate and was traveling along the road when he suddenly encountered an aged and infirm man whose body was emaciated and haggard. Because of this, the Prince became unhappy and ordered the carriage to return to the palace.”

When the royal father heard this report, he thought, “Could this be a sign that my son may renounce the household life? Perhaps the words spoken long ago by the seer Asita were true.” Having reflected thus, the king increased the pleasures of the five desires within the palace, hoping to bind and enthrall the bodhisattva.

Monks, at that time, when the devas of the Pure Abodes saw that the bodhisattva was again living amid the five desires, they thought that they should manifest certain events to awaken the bodhisattva and cause him swiftly to renounce the household life.

The bodhisattva then summoned an attendant and said that he wished to go out sightseeing. He ordered him to report this to the king and prepare the carriage. When the royal father heard the report, he summoned his ministers and said:

“Previously, when the Prince departed through the eastern gate, he encountered an aged and infirm man along the road, causing him to return to the palace sorrowful and unhappy. Now the Prince again wishes to visit the groves and gardens. You must have the area from inside the city to outside the city thoroughly cleaned. Hang banners, pennants, parasols, and canopies; burn incense and scatter flowers. Do not allow any filth, or any aged, sick, or dead person, or any other inauspicious sight, to appear along the main road. Command the responsible offices to act without delay and make everything even more magnificent than before.”

At that time, the bodhisattva, accompanied by his retinue in orderly procession, departed through the southern gate of the city. The lord of the devas of the Pure Abodes then transformed himself into a gravely ill man. His complexion was sallow, his breath faint and faltering, and his body as emaciated as a dry skeleton. He lay upon a revolting heap of filthy excrement, suffering immeasurable anguish. Two people attended him beside the road. The bodhisattva asked the charioteer:

“What kind of person is this?”

The charioteer replied:

“That is a sick man.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“What is sickness?”

He replied:

“People become ill because they consume food and drink without moderation and indulge excessively in their desires. Consequently, the four great elements fall out of harmony, giving rise to a hundred kinds of illness. They can neither lie down nor sit in comfort, every movement is difficult, their breath grows feeble, and their lives become extremely fragile. Because of all these things, it is called sickness.”

The bodhisattva then asked:

“Does that man alone undergo sickness, or must everyone undergo it?”

He replied:

“No one in the world can escape such a condition.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“Will I, too, have to undergo sickness in this way?”

The charioteer replied:

“Whoever has been born, whether wealthy and noble or poor and lowly, must undergo such suffering.”

Upon hearing this, the Prince was filled with sorrow and ceased to take delight. He said to the charioteer:

“I now take no pleasure in going sightseeing. I must reflect and discover a way to leave that suffering far behind.”

Having said this, he immediately ordered the carriage to turn back to the royal palace. King Suddhodana again summoned the royal charioteer and questioned him about the Prince’s excursion through the southern gate. The man replied:

“Great King, after the Prince left the city gate and was traveling along the road, he suddenly saw a sick man lying beside the road, his strength exhausted and his suffering immeasurable. Upon seeing this, the Prince became unhappy and ordered the carriage to return to the palace.”

When the royal father heard this, he thought, “Could this be a sign that my son will renounce the household life? The words spoken long ago by the seer Asita were indeed not mistaken.” The king then once again exerted himself to find every possible means of binding the Prince to the pleasures of sensual desire.

Monks, at that time, when the devas of the Pure Abodes saw that the Prince had returned to a life of enjoyment amid the five desires, they likewise considered how to manifest certain signs that would help awaken the Prince and cause him swiftly to renounce the household life.

After some time, the bodhisattva again summoned the charioteer and said that he wished to leave the city for an excursion, ordering him to prepare the horses and carriage. The royal charioteer hastened to report this to the king. When the royal father heard the report, he said:

“On the two previous occasions, the Crown Prince went out through the eastern and southern gates and saw an aged and feeble man and a person afflicted by illness; consequently, he returned to the palace deeply saddened. This time he will go out through the western gate. My heart is anxious, and only when he returns will I be able to feel at ease.

Order everyone within and outside the city to clean the streets and adorn them with banners, pennants, canopies, parasols, incense, flowers, and every kind of decoration. These arrangements must far surpass those of the previous occasions. Furthermore, forbid the aged, the sick, and the dead from appearing near the route, and do not allow any inauspicious occurrence to take place...” The various offices and public establishments hastened to carry out the royal command with redoubled care.

At that time, the bodhisattva, accompanied by his orderly retinue of officials and guards, departed through the western gate. A deva from the Pure Abodes immediately transformed himself into a dead man lying upon a funeral bier adorned with incense and flowers, while his relatives followed behind in the funeral procession, weeping and lamenting bitterly. When the bodhisattva saw this scene, compassion stirred within him, and he asked the charioteer:

“What kind of person is this, lying upon a carriage adorned with incense and flowers, while so many relatives follow behind him weeping and lamenting?”

At that moment, the deva from the Pure Abodes used his spiritual power to cause the royal charioteer to answer the bodhisattva:

“My lord, that is a dead man.”

The bodhisattva asked again:

“What is meant by death?”

He replied:

“Death means that consciousness has departed from the physical body and the faculties have ceased to function. One bids an everlasting farewell to father and mother, wife and children, brothers and relatives, never to meet them again. After death, the spirit goes alone to another realm; all former connections are severed and cast aside. Such an eternal parting is truly sorrowful.”

The bodhisattva then asked:

“Is this man alone subject to death, or must everyone undergo the same fate?”

He replied:

“Whoever is born must undergo death.”

Upon hearing this answer, the bodhisattva became troubled and uneasy, and said:

“The world contains this suffering as well, yet within the royal palace there is nothing but amusement and pleasure. What delight could I now take in going forth for recreation? I must reflect and discover a means by which this suffering may be brought to an end.”

The Crown Prince immediately ordered the chariot to return to the palace. King Suddhodana then summoned the charioteer and questioned him about the Crown Prince’s excursion through the western gate. The charioteer replied:

“Your Majesty, after the Crown Prince had left the city and traveled some distance, he saw beside the road a dead man lying upon a small bier carried by four men, while the deceased’s relatives followed behind, wailing and weeping bitterly. When the Crown Prince saw that sight, he suddenly became sorrowful and joyless, and therefore ordered the chariot to turn back.”

When the royal father heard this report, he thought, “Is this not the very sign foretelling that my son will renounce the household life, just as the seer Asita declared long ago?” Having reflected in this way, the king increased the amusements within the royal palace even more than before.

Bhikshus, at that time the devas of the Pure Abodes again saw the Crown Prince living amid the confinement of the five sensual pleasures. They therefore considered how they might manifest further signs to urge the bodhisattva to renounce the household life without delay.

The bodhisattva then summoned the keeper of the horses and told him that he wished to leave the city for an excursion, ordering him to prepare the horses and carriage. The man hastened to report this to the king. After hearing the report, the royal father said to him:

“On the three previous occasions, the Crown Prince departed through the eastern, southern, and western gates and encountered old age, sickness, and death, which caused his mind to become sorrowful and joyless. This time he should depart toward the north. You must also order the various offices and public establishments to attend carefully to cleaning the roads. Every kind of decoration and arrangement must surpass those of the previous occasions. Do not allow any inauspicious signs to appear, and forbid the aged, the sick, and the dead from approaching the main thoroughfares.”

At that time, the bodhisattva, accompanied by his orderly retinue of officials and guards, departed through the northern gate of the capital. A deva from the Pure Abodes immediately transformed himself into a bhikshu wearing a robe of subdued color, with his beard and hair completely shaven. Holding a khakkhara staff in his hand, he walked with eyes gently lowered toward the ground. His countenance was dignified, and his deportment differed from that of ordinary people. Seeing him from afar, the Crown Prince asked who he was.

The deva from the Pure Abodes then used his spiritual power to cause the keeper of the horses to answer the bodhisattva:

“That man is one who has renounced the household life.”

Upon hearing this answer, the Crown Prince descended from the carriage, approached the bhikshu, and bowed in salutation. He then took the opportunity to ask:

“What benefits are attained by renouncing the household life?”

The bhikshu replied:

“I have observed that human beings live amid birth, aging, sickness, and death, and that all things are impermanent, changing, decaying, and perishing, without peace or security. Therefore, I have left my relatives behind and chosen to dwell in a secluded place, diligently seeking a means to bring these sufferings to an end. The Dharma gate that I cultivate consists of the undefiled Noble Paths. I practice the teachings and restrain my faculties; I bring forth a mind of great loving-kindness and compassion and am able to manifest fearlessness. My mind is always impartial as I protect and remain mindful of sentient beings. Because I am undefiled by the world, I shall ultimately attain liberation. This is called renouncing the household life.”

The bodhisattva listened attentively to these words, and his heart became filled with joy. He then praised him, saying, “Excellent! Excellent! Throughout the realms of devas and humans, this path alone is supreme. I shall resolve to train and cultivate according to this path.”

Afterward, the bodhisattva mounted the carriage and ordered the charioteer to return to the royal palace. The royal father likewise summoned the keeper of the horses and questioned him about the bodhisattva’s recent excursion. The man replied:

“Your Majesty, when the Crown Prince departed from the city, everything along the route had been carefully arranged in accordance with the royal command, and no inauspicious sign appeared. There was only one man wearing a robe of subdued color, with his beard and hair completely shaven, who walked leaning upon a khakkhara staff. His deportment was dignified, and his bearing serene and unencumbered. When the Crown Prince saw him, he descended from the carriage, bowed in salutation, and spoke with him. Your servant does not know what they discussed. Afterward, the Crown Prince mounted the carriage and ordered that it return to the palace.”

When King Suddhodana heard this report, he thought to himself, “The words spoken long ago by the seer Asita were indeed not false.” Then, as before, the king increased the amusements within the royal palace in order to bind the bodhisattva there.

The Buddha said to the bhikshus:

“At that time, the devas of the Pure Abodes wished to cause the bodhisattva to renounce the household life without delay, and so they caused the royal father to behold seven extraordinary events in a dream.

“First, the king dreamed that many people and carriages bearing the banner of Shakra departed together through the eastern gate of the city of Kapilavastu.

“Second, the king dreamed that the Crown Prince, riding upon a precious elephant and attended by escorts, departed through the southern gate of the city of Kapilavastu.

“Third, the king dreamed that the Crown Prince, seated in a chariot drawn by four horses, departed through the western gate of the city of Kapilavastu.

“Fourth, the king dreamed that a precious wheel departed through the northern gate of the city of Kapilavastu.

“Fifth, the king dreamed that the Crown Prince stood at the intersection of the four great roads, raised a mallet high in his hand, and struck a great drum with force.

“Sixth, the king dreamed that within the city of Kapilavastu there stood a lofty tower. The Crown Prince was upon it, casting innumerable jewels in the four directions, while multitudes of sentient beings gathered them up and departed.

“Seventh, the king dreamed that not far from the city of Kapilavastu, six people were crying out and weeping together.”

At that time, King Suddhodana, having dreamed of these seven events, was filled with great fear and awoke with a start. The king summoned his ministers to the palace, related to them what he had dreamed, and ordered them to find someone skilled in interpreting dreams to explain them. Then a heavenly son from the Pure Abodes transformed himself into a brahmin, donned a deerskin robe, and stood outside the city gate, loudly declaring that he could interpret the king’s dream omens. Hearing this, the ministers reported it to the king, who immediately ordered that he be brought into the palace. King Suddhodana fully recounted everything he had dreamed to the brahmin and asked:

“Are these dreams auspicious omens?”

The brahmin replied:

“Great King, in the first dream, the sight of a vast multitude carrying Indra’s banners and going out together through the eastern gate of the city signifies that when the Crown Prince renounces the household life, he will be reverently surrounded by immeasurable hundreds of thousands of devas.

“In the second dream, the sight of the Crown Prince riding a precious elephant, accompanied by attendants, and going out through the southern gate of the city signifies that after renouncing the household life, he will attain unsurpassed awakening and be endowed with the Ten Powers.

“In the third dream, the sight of the Crown Prince seated in a four-horse chariot and going out through the western gate of the city signifies that after renouncing the household life, he will attain unsurpassed awakening and be endowed with the Four Fearlessnesses.

“In the fourth dream, the sight of a precious wheel going out through the northern gate of the city signifies that after renouncing the household life, the Crown Prince will attain unsurpassed perfect awakening and turn the wheel of Dharma to teach and transform sentient beings.

“In the fifth dream, the sight of the Crown Prince standing at the crossroads, raising a mallet, and striking a great drum signifies that after renouncing the household life, he will attain unsurpassed awakening, and the devas will proclaim the news as far as the Brahma world.

“In the sixth dream, the sight of a lofty tower upon which the Crown Prince stood, casting down many precious objects, while countless sentient beings gathered them up and departed, signifies that after renouncing the household life and attaining unsurpassed awakening, he will spread the precious Dharma and teach the assemblies of devas and humans and the eight classes of beings, proclaiming such teachings as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, the Noble Eightfold Path, and countless other teachings.

“In the final dream, the sight of six men wailing and weeping not far from the royal palace signifies that after renouncing the household life, the Crown Prince will attain unsurpassed perfect awakening, causing the six groups of non-Buddhist teachers to become sorrowful and afraid.”

When the interpreter had clearly explained King Suddhodana’s dream omens, he addressed the king:

“Great King, you should rejoice and not give rise to sorrow. Why is this? All these dream omens are auspicious signs, showing that the royal palace will obtain vast blessings.”

After addressing the king, he suddenly vanished.

When King Suddhodana heard the brahmin’s clear interpretation of the dream omens, he became even more fearful that the Crown Prince would renounce the household life. He therefore increased the sensual pleasures within the royal palace still further in order to bind the bodhisattva.

At that time, Yasodhara also dreamed of twelve alarming events. She awoke anxious and distressed. When the bodhisattva asked her what was wrong, Yasodhara wept and said:

“Crown Prince, I dreamed that the entire vast earth suddenly trembled. I also saw that the beautiful white parasol which always sheltered the place where I slept was seized by Channa, who carried it away. I saw many of Indra’s banners torn apart and strewn all over the ground.

I saw the jeweled necklaces upon my body swept away by a current of water. I saw the sun, moon, and stars all fall from the sky. I saw someone take a precious knife, cut off my hair, and then depart.

I saw my dignified and pure body suddenly become ugly and filthy. I saw all the limbs of my body suddenly break. I saw that my appearance and countenance were no longer rosy and radiant as before.

I saw the place where my customary bed stood sink deep into the earth. I saw all four legs of the bed upon which the Crown Prince and I always rested together break. I saw a precious mountain, towering high on all four sides, consumed by fire, collapsing and falling into ruin.

I saw a precious tree in the royal palace toppled by a fierce wind. I saw the sunlight obscured, and heaven and earth plunged into darkness. I saw the bright moon in the sky and all the stars illuminating this entire palace, and then suddenly all their light disappeared.

I saw a blazing torch appear in the city of Kapilavastu. I saw the guardian deity of the city, dignified and benevolent in appearance, standing beneath the city gate and crying aloud in bitter anguish. I saw this city suddenly become a desolate wilderness.

I saw all the trees, ponds, and streams wither and dry up. I saw a strong man holding a great club in his hand and running swiftly in every direction.

“Crown Prince, having dreamed of such events, my heart is deeply distressed, anxious, and ill at ease. Is my life perhaps not destined to endure, or has the time come for the profound love between the Crown Prince and me to be severed by parting? What do these omens mean? Are they inauspicious or auspicious?”

When the bodhisattva heard Yasodhara recount all these dream omens, he thought, “The time for my renunciation has arrived; therefore, such omens have appeared and have been revealed in dreams to my chief consort.” The bodhisattva consoled Yasodhara:

“You should not be anxious or afraid. Why is this? Dreams and imaginings are inherently inverted and unreal. If what you saw in your dreams were real, then mountains and banners would already have toppled, the sun and moon would already have fallen, yet what harm has come to your body? Channa carries the parasol back and forth, but in your dream you saw him seize it. All these dreams are false and unreal. You should rest at ease and not grieve excessively.”

That night, the bodhisattva also dreamed of five events:

“First, he saw his body lying upon the continent, his head resting on Mount Sumeru, his hands holding the vast ocean, and his feet treading upon the fish of the great sea.

“Second, he dreamed that a kind of grass called Establishment grew from a decayed place, its tip reaching as high as the Akanistha heaven.

“Third, he dreamed that four birds flew toward him from the four directions, their plumage brilliant with many colors; upon alighting at his feet, they turned white.

“Fourth, he dreamed that a beast with a white body but a black head ran toward him, knelt down, and licked his body.

“Fifth, he dreamed of a lofty mountain covered with foul excrement. He was upon that mountain and walked around it many times, treading upon the filth without ever being defiled.”