太子瑞應本起經

The Buddha taught:

“I remember that in the distant past, throughout countless kalpas, from the time when, still an ordinary being, I first sought the Buddha Way until now, I have taken birth in accordance with karma and wandered through the five destinies. Whenever one body perished, I took another, undergoing birth and death beyond measure. If all the grasses and trees between heaven and earth were cut down and made into counting tallies, they still could not suffice to reckon all the bodies I have assumed. If the period from the beginning of a world to its end is called one kalpa, then the number of kalpas during which I have taken birth is incalculably greater than the number of times worlds have arisen and perished.

“Therefore, moved by compassion for beings of the world, who through ceaseless craving and attachment were submerged in the ocean of sensual desire, I alone went against the current of samsara and strove to cross beyond it. Thus, life after life, I practiced diligently amid hardship without regarding it as wearisome. My mind was serene; I delighted in tranquil solitude, free from desire and fabrication.

I practiced generosity without regard for myself, observed the precepts with perfect sincerity, cultivated patience and humility, advanced with courageous vigor, single-mindedly contemplated, and trained in the wisdom of the noble ones. I treated all living beings with loving-kindness, had compassion for the poor and distressed, cared for, comforted, and nourished sentient beings, rescued those who suffered, served the Buddhas—the Perfectly and Truly Awakened Ones—and accumulated merits too numerous to recall.

“Also in that distant age, when the Buddha Dīpaṃkara appeared in the world, there was a noble king named Jaya who ruled the great kingdom of Padma. Its people were numerous, long-lived, and joyful, and peace prevailed throughout the realm. At that time, I was a bodhisattva named Nho Đồng.

From childhood I was intelligent and quick-witted, and my aspirations were immeasurably vast. I lived in seclusion among mountains and marshes, practicing meditation and preserving the Way. When the bodhisattva heard that a Buddha had appeared in the world, his heart overflowed with joy.

Wearing a deerskin robe, he set out to return to the kingdom. On the way, he passed a mound where five hundred ascetics were dwelling. The bodhisattva stopped there and, throughout the day and night, discussed the Way and its meaning with them; teachers and disciples alike rejoiced.

When the bodhisattva was about to depart, each of the five hundred ascetics presented him with one silver coin as a farewell gift. The bodhisattva accepted the money and continued on his way.

“The bodhisattva entered the royal capital and saw everyone joyfully coming and going. The roads had been leveled, swept, sprinkled, and perfumed with incense. He asked a passerby:

“‘What occasion is taking place here?’

“The passerby replied:

“‘Today the Buddha will enter the capital.’

“The bodhisattva was filled with joy and thought delightedly, ‘Today I shall meet the Buddha and ask that my aspiration be fulfilled.’

“Shortly after the bodhisattva had spoken these words, a maiden of royal lineage named Cù-di passed by. She carried a vase containing seven blue lotus flowers. The bodhisattva hurried after her and called out:

“‘Sister, please stop! I shall give you one hundred silver coins if you will let me have several of those flowers.’

“The maiden replied:

“‘The Buddha is about to enter the city. The king has observed the fasting precepts and bathed himself clean so that he may offer these flowers to the Buddha. I cannot give them to you.’

“The bodhisattva pleaded:

“‘Please agree to my request.’

“She said:

“‘Even if you offered two hundred or three hundred coins, I would not accept them.’

“The bodhisattva emptied all five hundred silver coins from his purse and gave them to the maiden. Cù-di thought, ‘These flowers are worth only a few coins, yet he offers as many as five hundred.’ Coveting the precious coins, she gave the bodhisattva five flowers and retained two for herself. As she turned to leave, doubt arose in her mind: ‘Who is this ascetic, clad in a deerskin robe, who does not begrudge such precious silver and rejoices so greatly merely at obtaining five flowers?’ She quickly followed him and called out:

“‘Sir, tell me the truth. Otherwise, you may not take these flowers away.’

“The bodhisattva said:

“‘I bought these flowers for five hundred coins, and we both agreed to the exchange. Why do you now wish to take them back?’

“The maiden said:

“‘I am of royal lineage and have the authority to reclaim your flowers.’

“Compelled to answer, the bodhisattva said:

“‘I wish to offer these flowers to the Buddha and pray that my aspiration may be fulfilled.’

“Cù-di said:

“‘Excellent! I wish in future lives always to become your wife, and whether conditions are favorable or unfavorable, may we never be separated. I make this vow with utmost sincerity and ask the Buddha to bear witness to it. Now, being a frail woman, I cannot go there myself, so I entrust these two flowers to you to offer to the Buddha.’

“The bodhisattva agreed. A moment later, the Buddha arrived. The king, his ministers, and the people throughout the kingdom all came forth to welcome him and bowed in homage. Each scattered fragrant flowers as an offering, and the flowers fell to the ground. When the bodhisattva saw the Buddha before him, he also cast his five flowers upward. Those flowers remained suspended in the air directly above the Buddha, as though planted there, and did not fall to the ground. The bodhisattva then cast the two flowers entrusted to him by Cù-di. Those two flowers came to rest above the Buddha’s shoulders. Understanding the bodhisattva’s sincere aspiration, the Buddha praised him:

“‘Throughout countless kalpas, you have purified your training, subdued your mind, sacrificed your life, relinquished desire, upheld emptiness, realized neither arising nor cessation, cultivated immeasurable loving-kindness, fulfilled vows and practices, and accumulated merit. Only now have you attained this. Therefore, I confer upon you this prediction: “Ninety-one kalpas from now, during the Auspicious Kalpa, you shall become a Buddha named Shakyamuni.”’

“Having received this prediction, the bodhisattva penetrated all doubts, brought restless activity to an end, extinguished deluded thoughts, entered tranquil samadhi, and attained the pure patience regarding the non-arising of dharmas. At that very moment, the bodhisattva moved lightly, and his body rose into the air to a height of about seven fathoms above the ground. He then descended and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. Seeing that the ground was wet, the bodhisattva removed his deerskin robe and spread it over the damp place, but the robe was not large enough to cover all the mud. He then spread his hair upon the ground and invited the Buddha to step upon it and pass over. The Buddha praised him:

“‘You are diligent, vigorous, and courageous. In the future, you shall become a Buddha. At that time, the world will be beset by the five turbidities, yet you will universally deliver devas and humans without regarding it as difficult. You will assuredly be just as I am.’

“The bodhisattva served the Buddha Dīpaṃkara until the Buddha entered nirvana. He always upheld the precepts and supported the Buddha-Dharma. When his life ended, he was immediately born in the first heaven as one of the Four Heavenly Kings. When his heavenly lifespan was exhausted, the bodhisattva was born in the human realm as a wheel-turning noble king. The seven treasures appeared to him spontaneously:

1. The precious golden wheel.

2. The precious divine jewel.

3. The precious azure horse, with a long mane adorned with pearls.

4. The precious white elephant, with a long tail adorned with jewels.

5. The precious maiden.

6. The precious wise counselor.

7. The precious noble guide.

“The noble king lived for eighty-four thousand years. When his life ended, he was immediately born in the second heaven, Trāyastriṃśa, as Śakra, Lord of the Devas. When that lifespan ended, he ascended again to the seventh heaven, the Brahmā Heaven, and became the Brahmā King. Thus, when ascending he became a heavenly king, and when descending he became a sovereign among noble beings. He passed through this cycle thirty-six times, eventually returning to the beginning. Manifesting transformations according to the needs of each time, he appeared either as a noble emperor, a leader among the learned, a royal preceptor, or an ascetic. His manifestations were too numerous to recount.

“Throughout ninety-one kalpas, the bodhisattva cultivated virtue, trained in the conduct of a Buddha, and passed beyond the Ten Grounds. As a once-returning bodhisattva destined for complete awakening in his next life, he was born again in the fourth heaven, Tuṣita, where he became the teacher of the devas. His merit was complete, his aspiration fulfilled, and his spiritual wisdom immeasurable. When the proper time arrived, he descended to be born and became a Buddha. The bodhisattva manifested birth in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. His father was King Śuddhodana, who was wise, benevolent, and virtuous, and his mother was Lady Māyā, who was gentle, sincere, noble, and pure.”

The kingdom of Kapilavastu was at the center of three thousand suns and moons and twelve thousand worlds. The majestic spiritual power of the Buddha is supremely exalted; he could not be born in a remote borderland filled with perversity. Therefore, he appeared at the center to guide beings throughout the ten directions. All Buddhas of the past had appeared here.

When the bodhisattva descended into the world, he rode upon a white elephant and entered his mother's womb. While the Queen was asleep, she dreamed that a white elephant entered through her right side. Startled awake from her dream, she felt something unusual within her body. The King summoned physiognomists and asked them to interpret the dream.

A physiognomist reported:

“This is one to whom all virtues shall return, and the world will benefit from his blessings. The Queen has certainly conceived a sage.”

While in the womb, the bodhisattva remained pure and undefiled. At that time, when the kings, officials, and ministers of the lesser kingdoms heard that the great King's consort was with child, they all came to offer their congratulations. From within his mother's womb, the bodhisattva saw the people outside bowing in homage as though looking through a dim veil of netting. From behind that dim veil, he raised his hand to stop them, meaning that he did not wish to trouble them.

From the time the Queen conceived, food offered by the heavens came to her by itself each day. The Queen partook of this food without knowing whence it came. She did not eat the royal household's food, for it tasted bitter or pungent to her.

On the eighth day of the fourth month, just as the morning star arose, the Prince was born from the Queen's right side. Immediately after his birth, the Prince took seven steps, raised his right hand, and said:

“In heaven and on earth, I alone am the Honored One. All three realms are suffering; what joy can there be?”

At the very moment of the Prince's birth, heaven and earth trembled, and the royal palace shone with brilliant light. Devas, spirits, Brahma, and Shakra all came and stood in attendance in the sky. The Four Heavenly Kings received the Prince and placed him upon a golden seat, bathing him with warm, fragrant heavenly water. The Prince's body was golden in color and possessed the thirty-two marks. His radiant light shone everywhere, upward to the twenty-eight heavens, downward to the eighteen realms of hell, and as far as the utmost bounds of the Buddha realms. Everywhere remained resplendent throughout both day and night. At that time, the heavens manifested thirty-two auspicious signs:

1. The earth shook mightily, and all mounds and hillocks became level.

2. All roads became clean by themselves, and everyone perceived a fragrant scent.

3. Withered trees in every land put forth leaves and blossomed.

4. Wondrously sweet fruit appeared spontaneously in the gardens.

5. Lotus flowers as large as cartwheels sprang from the dry land.

6. Treasures buried within the earth revealed themselves.

7. Precious objects within the treasuries all emitted light.

8. Garments laid ready in chests hung themselves upon racks after being worn.

9. Hundreds of rivers and countless streams all became clear and still.

10. The sky became cloudless, serene, and bright.

11. From all four quarters, the heavens sent down a fine rain imbued with fragrance.

12. Divine Bright-Moon jewels hung in the halls and dwellings.

13. The torches in the palace were no longer needed.

14. The sun, moon, and stars all ceased their courses.

15. The Phi star appeared and descended to attend the Prince's birth.

16. Brahma's celestial jeweled canopy covered the entire palace.

17. The spirits of the eight directions brought precious jewels as offerings.

18. A hundred flavors of heavenly food appeared spontaneously before them.

19. Tens of thousands of precious vessels hung filled with amrita.

20. Devas arrived in chariots adorned with the seven treasures.

21. Five hundred white elephants spontaneously formed ranks before the hall.

22. Five hundred white lions descended from the Snow Mountains and stood in ranks at the city gates.

23. Celestial maidens appeared carrying musical instruments upon their shoulders.

24. The daughters of the Dragon Kings surrounded the palace.

25. Tens of thousands of celestial jade maidens, holding peacock-feather fly-whisks, stood upon the walls of the Prince's palace.

26. Celestial maidens, embracing golden vessels filled with fragrant water, stood in ranks in the sky to attend him.

27. Heavenly music resounded everywhere at once.

28. All suffering in the hells ceased.

29. Venomous creatures hid themselves, while auspicious birds flew about, singing.

30. Cruel and hostile fishermen and hunters all simultaneously gave rise to loving-kindness.

31. Every pregnant woman in the kingdom gave birth to a son. Hundreds of illnesses and afflictions—including blindness, deafness, muteness, speech impediments, and sores—were all completely cured.

32. Tree spirits appeared in human form, bowed their heads in homage, and stood in attendance.

At that time, the people of every kingdom used the most beautiful sounds to praise these unprecedented events. The Queen then wrapped the Prince in a robe of fine white silk and entrusted him to a wet nurse to be cared for. The Prince was named Siddhartha. The King said to the Queen:

“This child is truly extraordinary. In our kingdom there is an ascetic named Asita. He is over a hundred years old, a venerable man of vast knowledge who thoroughly understands physiognomy. Let us now go together and ask him to examine the Prince's marks.”

The Queen replied:

“Excellent!”

The King ordered that a white-elephant carriage be prepared and that a full ensemble of musicians accompany them to the ascetic's dwelling. The King offered him gifts of gold, silver, and robes, but the ascetic would not accept them.

The ascetic removed the Prince's inner garment to examine his marks and saw that the Prince possessed the thirty-two marks: his entire body was golden in color; upon the crown of his head was an ushnisha; his hair was deep blue; between his eyebrows shone a white light; from his neck radiated light like the sun; his deep-blue eyes were perpetually radiant; within his mouth were forty teeth, all white, even, and level; his cheeks were square and his jaw broad; his tongue was long; his chest was full like that of a lion; his body was upright; his arms and fingers were long; his heels were full; the inner and outer surfaces of his feet and hands were full and even; a fine webbing lay between his fingers; upon the soles of his feet were thousand-spoked wheel marks;

his male organ was sheathed like that of a horse; his belly was like a deer's; his bones and joints interlocked like a chain; his body hair curled to the right; each pore bore a single hair; his skin was smooth, and neither dust nor water adhered to it; and upon his chest was the svastika mark.

Seeing this, the ascetic Asita became even more deeply moved. Tears fell from his eyes, and his voice choked so that he could not speak. The King and Queen were frightened. Joining their palms respectfully, they asked:

“Is there something inauspicious concerning the Prince? We beg you, ascetic, to tell us.”

The ascetic waved his hand and replied:

“Excellent! There is nothing unfavorable whatsoever. I congratulate Your Majesty on the birth of this divine being.

Yesterday, heaven and earth shook mightily precisely because of this event. According to physiognomy, when a king begets a son who possesses the thirty-two marks of a great man, that great man will become a wheel-turning sage king, ruling as sovereign over all beneath heaven. The seven treasures will come to him of themselves, and he will be able to fly.

Without employing weapons, his realm will naturally enjoy peace. If this great man takes no delight in worldly life, leaves home, and sets forth in search of the Way, he will become a Buddha and liberate countless beings. I grieve because I am old and approaching the end of my years.

I shall not live long enough in this world to behold the Buddha and hear his teachings; therefore, I am sorrowful.”

King Suddhodana came to understand more clearly the Prince’s extraordinary characteristics. He therefore had three palaces built, each in a different location. During the rainy season, the Prince stayed in one palace; during autumn and the hot season, he stayed in the cool palace; and during the cold season, he stayed in the warm palace.

The king had five hundred female entertainers selected, choosing those who were well-proportioned and beautiful, neither fat nor thin, neither tall nor short, neither too fair nor too dark, and possessed of refined and consummate talents. Each such entertainer wore upon her body a necklace of white precious gems. Groups of one hundred took turns attending upon the Prince.

Before each palace were planted trees bearing sweet fruit, and among the rows of trees were bathing pools. Within the pools were wondrous flowers and rare plants, while several thousand kinds of exotic birds adorned the surroundings, delighting the Prince and causing him to forget his aspiration to seek the Way. The palace walls were exceedingly strong, and the sound of the gates opening or closing could be heard forty miles away.

On the day the Prince was born, a maidservant of the royal household also gave birth to a son. In the stables, a white colt and a golden-fleeced kid were born. The groom was named Chandaka, and the horse was named Kanthaka.

Thereafter, the king frequently ordered Chandaka to attend the Prince and had the white horse draw his carriage. Seven days after the Prince’s birth, his mother, the queen, passed away. Through the merit and virtue of having given birth to the teacher of gods and humans, the queen was reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven, where she naturally enjoyed a celestial lifespan.

The bodhisattva had always known the gracious virtue of his mother’s nature and would not allow her to bow reverently before him. Knowing that she was approaching the end of her life, he therefore manifested his birth at that time.

When the Prince reached the age of seven and wished to study books, he rode in a goat-drawn carriage to the home of his teacher. Because much time had passed since the age of the sages, two characters had been lost from the texts. The Prince brought this matter before his teacher and questioned him, but the teacher could not answer and instead expounded upon the Prince’s lofty resolve.

By the age of ten, the Prince’s extraordinary abilities had become even more evident. The Prince had two cousins, sons of his paternal uncle: the elder was named Devadatta, and the younger was named Nanda. Although Devadatta was highly talented and naturally possessed unfathomable abilities, he was arrogant and constantly harbored jealousy. He invited the Prince to practice archery in the rear garden, using an iron drum as the target. They each drew their bowstrings and aimed at the drum. The Prince loosed a single arrow, which struck and pierced straight through the drum. The other two could not equal this feat and were ashamed.

Afterward, they again requested a martial contest before the king, with water to be poured over whoever lost. The Prince was compassionate; although he defeated both cousins, he did not wish to cause them pain.

Later, Devadatta and Nanda again requested a contest of strength. First, Nanda grasped an elephant by its trunk and dragged it into the courtyard. Devadatta was stronger and pulled the elephant back. The Prince smiled, slowly stepped forward, grasped the elephant, lifted it up, and cast it beyond the wall, yet the elephant suffered no injury whatsoever. Only then did Devadatta and Nanda realize that they could not equal the Prince. The king, his father, and all the ministers surrounding him came to understand even more clearly that the Prince’s abilities were truly extraordinary.

At the age of fourteen, the Prince asked his father, the king, for permission to travel beyond the city because he wished to observe how the people lived. The king ordered the officials to escort him on both sides and clear the way before the Prince.

Just as the Prince passed through the eastern gate of the city, the Lord of Heaven transformed himself into a sick man with an emaciated body and swollen belly, leaning against a wall and gasping for breath. The Prince asked:

“What kind of person is this?”

His attendant replied:

“That is a sick person.”

“What is sickness?”

“Sickness generally arises from wind and cold, or from heat or chill. This person ate and drank without moderation and kept irregular hours of waking and sleeping; therefore, he contracted this illness.”

The Prince said:

“How painful this is! Though I dwell amid wealth and honor and partake of delicious food and drink, I too am sometimes immoderate. When illness comes, how shall I be any different from this man?”

The Prince had the carriage turn back toward the royal palace. He reflected with compassion that all human beings undergo this calamity; how could even the wealthy escape it? The Prince was so troubled that he had no desire to eat or drink, and he pondered how living beings might be freed from illness.

The king asked the attendant:

“Did the Prince enjoy his excursion?”

The attendant replied:

“The Prince encountered a sick man, and for that reason he was unhappy.”

The king added another five hundred female entertainers, who provided every kind of amusement day and night. The king’s heart was anxious and sorrowful because he feared that the Prince would leave to seek the Way.

Some time later, the Prince again addressed his royal father:

“I have long been confined within the palace and wish to go out for an excursion.”

His father agreed and issued an order throughout the kingdom:

“The Prince will leave the royal palace. The people must not allow anyone who is sick or disabled, or anything filthy whatsoever, to remain along either side of the road.”

The Prince mounted his carriage and passed through the southern gate of the city. The Lord of Heaven again transformed himself, this time into an old man with white hair and a bent back, who had to support himself with a staff and walked unsteadily. The Prince asked:

“What has happened to this man?”

His attendant replied:

“He is an old man.”

“What does it mean to be old?”

“An old person is advanced in years; his body has withered, his appearance has declined and changed, food and drink are difficult to digest, his strength and vital energy are depleted, standing and sitting are difficult, and little remains of his life. Such a person is called old.”

The Prince lamented:

“What joy can there be? Days and months revolve, time brings ceaseless change, and the years pass away. The myriad things are born in spring but wither in autumn and winter. Old age arrives as swiftly as a flash of lightning. Upon what can this body rely?”

The Prince turned the carriage around and returned, reflecting with compassion that the vigor of human life lasts only a short while before one must grow old and fall ill, enduring unbearable pain. “I cannot dwell long in this world and endure such suffering!”

Again, he was so troubled that he would not eat. His father regretted having allowed the Prince to go out. He added yet another five hundred female entertainers to provide amusement for the Prince.

Some time later, the Prince again wished to go on an excursion. His father said:

“Each time you go out, you return without joy, filled only with sorrow and distress. Why do you wish to go out again?”

The Prince replied:

“It is only because I have been reflecting upon those sufferings.”

After a considerable time, the king issued an order throughout the kingdom:

“The Prince is about to go on an excursion. The people must not allow old or sick persons, or any unclean things, to remain along either side of the road.”

The Prince mounted his carriage and passed through the western gate of the city. The Lord of Heaven again transformed himself, this time into a dead man. The men and women of his family carried banners and followed the bier, wailing and weeping as they accompanied him to his burial. The Prince asked:

“What has happened to this man?”

His attendant replied:

“He is a dead man.”

“What is death?”

“Death means the end. Lifespans may be long or short, but once one’s merit is exhausted, life comes to an end: the breath ceases, the spirit departs, and the body disintegrates. This is called death. Human beings and all living things are alike in this respect; none who are born can escape death!”

The Prince lamented:

“Death is truly agonizing! The spirit undergoes intense suffering. Having been born, one must endure the sufferings of old age, sickness, and death. Death does not wait until the time is ripe but may come suddenly—is this not suffering? I see that when a person dies, the physical form dissolves, decays, and perishes, yet consciousness remains. According to one’s good and evil karma, misfortune or blessing comes of itself. Wealth and honor are also impermanent, and this body is a perilous citadel. Therefore, the sages have always regarded this body as a calamity, yet fools cling to it and remain unsated with it even unto death. I cannot allow death to lead me into rebirth among the five destinies and thereby exhaust my spirit.”

The Prince turned the carriage around and returned to the royal palace. Filled with compassion for living beings who endure these three sufferings, he was sorrowful and would neither eat nor drink. His father, the king, grew even more anxious and said:

—What you have seen in the kingdom is the natural condition of human beings and all things. Why trouble yourself with distant concerns and bring hardship upon yourself?

The king then added another five hundred female entertainers to bring pleasure to the Crown Prince.

When the Crown Prince reached the age of seventeen, the king arranged his marriage. He ordered the selection of several thousand beautiful young women throughout the kingdom, but none pleased the Crown Prince. At last there was a young woman named Gopī, graceful and the most beautiful under heaven. She was accomplished in the arts, surpassed others in virtue, and was fully endowed with propriety and righteousness. She was the flower seller from his previous life.

Although the Crown Prince took her as his wife, a long time passed without his approaching her intimately. When his wife wished to draw near to him, the Crown Prince said:

—Place beautiful flowers between you and me, and let us contemplate them together. That would be better.

Gopī arranged beautiful flowers in abundance and again wished to draw near to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince said:

—I will not accept flowers whose moisture would soil the bedding.

Some time later, the Crown Prince again said:

—Place a fine white carpet between you and me. Would it not also be good for the two of us to contemplate it together?

Gopī brought the carpet and again desired to draw near to him. The Crown Prince said:

—I cannot allow your impurity, for it would defile this carpet.

Thereafter, his wife did not dare approach him. The attendant women around them began to suspect that the Crown Prince lacked male potency. The Crown Prince pointed his hand toward his wife's abdomen and said:

—Six years from now, you will give birth to a son.

Gopī then became pregnant.

One day, the Crown Prince asked his royal father for permission to go out sightseeing. He departed through the northern gate of the city. The Lord of Heaven once again transformed himself into a śramaṇa, wearing Dharma robes, carrying an alms bowl, and walking with his gaze lowered toward the ground. The Crown Prince asked:

—What kind of person is this?

The attendant replied:

—He is a śramaṇa.

—What is meant by a śramaṇa?

—I have heard that one who practices the path of a śramaṇa leaves behind home, wife, and children; abandons sensual craving; severs the six sense faculties; and observes the precepts of the unconditioned. That path is pure. When one attains single-mindedness, all that is false and corrupt is extinguished. The path of single-mindedness means the attainment of arhatship. One who attains the fruit of arhatship is a True Person. Such a person is not defiled by sounds and forms, nor subdued by glory, splendor, rank, or position. Like the earth, he is difficult to move. Having escaped suffering and sorrow, he is entirely joyful, peaceful, and free.

The Crown Prince said:

—Excellent! I greatly desire to become like that.

The Crown Prince ordered the carriage to return to the royal palace. He had no desire for food or drink, but thought only of the pure path: “I should not live the household life. I must dwell among mountains, forests, and secluded marshlands, diligently practicing meditation.”

Gopī became suspicious. She knew that the Crown Prince wished to depart, and therefore never dared leave his side.

When he reached the age of nineteen, at midnight on the eighth day of the fourth month, a heavenly deity stood within the doorway, joined his palms, and addressed the Crown Prince:

—The time has come. You may now depart.

The Crown Prince raised his head and replied:

—I fear the guards may see me. I do not want anyone to follow.

The heavenly deity immediately caused the Crown Prince's wife and all the female entertainers to fall into a deep sleep. The Crown Prince slowly rose. He saw that his wife was fast asleep and that the entertainers were like wooden figures. Their bodies lay scattered in disorder like felled banana trees. Some, with disheveled hair, leaned against drums; others had collapsed upon lutes. Their heads rested upon one another, their arms and legs hung down to the floor, tears and mucus smeared their faces, and saliva flowed from their mouths. Lutes, zithers, flutes, and all the other musical instruments lay strewn about in disorder. Even the mating birds and mandarin ducks that the king employed as sentinels to give advance warning had been overcome and lay fast asleep.

The Crown Prince surveyed the entire scene and then looked again at his wife. He perceived all the components of the human body: hair, nails, marrow, brain, bones, teeth, skull, skin, flesh, sinews, joints, veins, fat, blood, heart, lungs, spleen, stomach, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, large intestine, feces, urine, saliva, and so forth. Outwardly it was merely a bag of skin; inwardly it was filled with impurities, without anything beautiful.

While vigorous, the body was perfumed and adorned with flowers. Yet, like a loan that must be repaid, it could not last long. Of a human life spanning a hundred years, half is spent in sleep and rest; moreover, there is much anxiety and little joy.

Sexual indulgence ruins virtue and makes people foolish; it is not something praised by the Buddhas and True Persons who possess understanding. Therefore it is said: “Craving and lust lead to old age; anger leads to sickness; ignorance leads to death. Only by eliminating these three poisons can one attain the path.”

Having reflected single-mindedly in this way, the Crown Prince immediately rose and looked toward the Phi star. More than half the night had passed. He saw the devas in the sky joining their palms and encouraging him to depart.

The Crown Prince summoned Channa and carefully instructed him to lead out the horse. He gathered up his robes and mounted the horse, but hesitated in the palace courtyard, thinking: “If I open the gate, it will make a sound.” The Heavenly King Duy Liêm knew the Crown Prince's thought and immediately ordered spirits to lift the horse's hooves and carry Channa as well. They passed over the royal citadel gate and proceeded until the Crown Prince sat beneath a jambu tree beside the king's fields.

Early the following morning, the palace was thrown into turmoil, for no one knew where the Crown Prince was. A thousand chariots and ten thousand horses rushed out in search of him. When his royal father arrived at the edge of the fields, he saw from afar the Crown Prince sitting beneath a tree. Though the sunlight blazed intensely, the tree's branches bent over to cast their shade upon him. Startled and awestruck, his royal father then knew that the Crown Prince was a holy being. Without realizing it, he dismounted and bowed in homage. The Crown Prince also rose to greet his royal father and said:

—Since having me as your son, Father, you have never left the kingdom, yet today you have come to this very place. Why have you come here? Please return to the palace.

Today, I wish to leave the worldly life only because I myself have perceived that affection and love are like a dream, and that homes, families, and happiness must all be left behind. Sensual craving is a prison from which escape is difficult. The ancients said: “One casts the net of desire around oneself and covers oneself with the canopy of attachment, binding oneself within a prison.

Like a fish entering the mouth of a basket trap, one proceeds toward old age and death as a calf seeks its mother's udder.” I have often taken these matters as a means of awakening myself, and naturally I vow to remove the suffering of sentient beings. Those who have not yet been saved, I wish to save. Those beings who have not yet attained liberation, I shall cause to attain liberation.

Those who are not yet secure, I wish to bring to security. Those who have not yet seen the path, I wish to enable to see the path. Therefore, I wish to enter the mountains and cultivate the path so that I may fulfill my vow.

When I attain the path, I shall return and never forget the vow I have made today.

Knowing that the Crown Prince's resolve was firm, his royal father hesitated, not knowing what to say, and had no choice but to return to the royal palace. The king said to Gopī:

—My son's mind is serene and still like the earth, difficult to move. The Crown Prince has no concern for wealth or nobility and takes no delight in worldly life; he is devoted solely to the path. At some future time, the Crown Prince will certainly return.

At that time, the Crown Prince stood holding a tree branch and saw a farmer plowing. As the clods of earth were broken open by the plow, insects were exposed within them, and birds flew down to peck and eat them. The Crown Prince felt compassion for sentient beings who devoured one another. Lacking benevolence, they only increased their killing and harm; after death, they would fall into the evil destinies, from which escape would be difficult. Although the heavenly realms are blissful, they too are impermanent. When their meritorious reward is exhausted, beings are afraid; when the retribution for their offenses arrives, they are also afraid. Calamity and blessing go hand in hand, while birth and death continue without end.

The Prince contemplated the human world and the twenty-eight heavens above. Even the utmost wealth and honor, if devoid of the Way, would ultimately lead one to face the gates of hell and suffer in a hundred ways within the three evil destinies. Happiness is fragile, while fear and anxiety endure. In this world there is nowhere to take refuge; I must not be deluded by sensual desire.

The Prince mounted his horse and rode forward with Chandaka for several dozen li. Suddenly, he saw the great minister who presided over the five destinies, named Bi Thuc. He was exceedingly fierce and powerful, holding a bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right, with a sharp sword strapped to his back. From the central realm he governed all three realms: 1. The heavenly realm; 2. The human realm; 3. The three evil destinies. This was the place through which the spirits of the dead would pass.

The Prince approached and asked:

-Which road may be taken?

Bi Thuc, terrified, cast aside his bow, dropped his arrow, unfastened his sword, stepped backward, and timidly pointed toward the heavenly path, saying:

-You may take this road.

After traveling several dozen li, the Prince encountered two hunters. He thought: “I have left my family to dwell in the desolate forests and mountains. I should not wear costly worldly garments that might arouse covetous thoughts in others.” The Prince removed his precious woolen robe and exchanged it for a hunter’s deerskin garment. Upon reaching their destination, he dismounted and instructed Chandaka to return. Chandaka knelt and said:

-Today I beg to follow the Great Celestial One; I will not return alone.

The Prince said:

-Return and report to the great king, and convey my farewell to my wife. I now seek the great unconditioned Way; do not grieve or worry on my account.

The Prince removed his jeweled crown and the garments he wore and gave them all to Chandaka. The white horse then bent its knees and licked the Prince’s feet, tears streaming down its face. Chandaka also wept in sorrow. Man and horse departed, weeping as they went and repeatedly looking back at the Prince, who had exchanged his royal robes for a deerskin garment.

Chandaka led the white horse back on foot. Everyone within the palace and beyond the city was filled with sorrow. Gopi wept bitterly and said:

-I long for the Prince as a thirsty person longs for water. Yet now you and the horse have returned without him.

She came and embraced the white horse’s neck, asking where the Prince was. Chandaka reported:

-The Prince instructed me to return and report to the great king and convey his farewell to you, my lady. The Prince departed to seek the great unconditioned Way. He asks that you not grieve or worry on his account.

Gopi wept again and said:

-Why is my fate throughout this life so wretched! I have lost my celestial lord. What did the Prince promise me, and what does he now go to seek?

Gopi gently stroked the white horse’s back:

-The Prince rode away upon you; why have you returned alone?

The people throughout the kingdom sobbed with emotion. The king was overwhelmed with grief, tears streaming down his face, and said to Gopi:

-If my son has awakened to the suffering of aging, sickness, and death and perceived them as the great calamity of human existence, then the Prince is indeed a divine being. I remember that on the day the Prince was born, the Lord of Heaven came in person and celestial spirits stood in attendance. The Prince manifested brilliant auspicious signs such as could not exist in this world. The seer Asita said: “If the Prince takes no delight in ruling the realm and leaves his family to seek the Way, he will certainly become a Buddha and liberate all beings.” Now the Prince has bid everyone farewell to seek the Way; this is only natural.

The king wished to console Gopi, though he himself was deeply moved. He ordered that several thousand worthy and valiant men of the kingdom be assembled, and from among those who had many sons and grandsons, he selected five. The king said:

-At home, your sons have grown up, and you also have grandsons to care for; thus you already have cause for joy. I have only one son, who had never once gone beyond the gates. Yet one day he abandoned me and journeyed into remote caves and deep mountains, filled with hardships, dangers, and calamities. Who knows whether he fares well or ill, whether he suffers heat or cold, hunger or thirst! I entrust this task to you five ministers. Each of you is to leave one son at home, then go in search of the Prince. When you find him, remain there and attend upon him on my behalf. If any of you turns back along the way, I shall exterminate your clans.

At that time, the five men, Ajnata Kaundinya and the others, accepted the command and went in search of the Prince. In the depths of the forest, they followed the Prince for several years. The Prince never spoke with them but continued onward alone as before. He climbed lofty mountains and made his way through deep ravines. The five men, worn down by hardship, thought that he was mad: What Way could there be in wandering without choosing a path? How could we possibly follow him? Yet if we return, the king will exterminate our five families. It would be better for us to remain here. The five men therefore stayed in a place with clear spring water and many trees bearing sweet fruit.

The Prince continued alone across many mountains until he reached the kingdom of Magadha. King Bimbisara and his retinue were out hunting when, from afar, they saw the Prince walking amid the mountains and marshes. The king immediately ordered his great ministers to pursue him and arrange a meeting.

King Bimbisara said:

-The Prince was born with many extraordinary and radiant marks. You are destined to become a king who rules the entire world, a wheel-turning sage king, with dominion extending across the four seas and treasures coming to you of their own accord. Why, then, have you abandoned your celestial throne and entered these desolate forests and mountains? Surely you must possess a different vision. I wish to know your aspiration.

The Prince replied:

-I perceive that among people in this world, wherever there is birth, there is death. There are three great sufferings: the sufferings of aging, sickness, and death, from which no one can escape. Regarding this body as noble gives rise to arrogance, heedlessness, and the craving for pleasure. No one can escape this calamity. Therefore, I have become disenchanted and wish to enter the forests and mountains to cultivate the Way.

The elders said:

-Aging, sickness, and death are ordinary conditions of the world. Why should the Prince alone grieve over them, renounce his exalted position, dwell in a secluded forest, and torment his own body? Is that not itself a form of torment?

The Prince replied:

-According to what you say, I should not be concerned. But suppose I became king: when old age and sickness came upon me, or when death arrived, who could take these sufferings in my place? If no one could take my place, then you should not concern yourselves over what I do. Even the most loving father and filial son in the world, though bound by the deepest affection, cannot take each other’s place when sickness and death arrive. When suffering one day comes upon this fabricated body, even if one occupies an exalted position and one’s six kinds of relatives stand at one’s side, they are like someone holding a torch for a blind person—what help can they render?

I contemplate that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, illusory transformations without reality, bringing little happiness and much suffering. This body is not mine. The world is insubstantial and cannot endure for long.

Whatever is born must die; whatever is formed must decay; safety will give way to danger; gain will be followed by loss. All the myriad things, confused and mingled, will ultimately return to emptiness. The formless spirit, wavering and unenlightened, gives rise to the perils of birth and death, not merely in a single lifetime.

Because beings are shrouded by craving within the net of ignorance, they sink into the river of birth and death and cannot awaken. Therefore, I wish single-mindedly and purely to cultivate the four immaterial attainments, transcend sensual desire in the realm of form, extinguish anger, cut off every longing, and contemplate the nature of emptiness, remaining utterly unattached. This is to go against the current and return to the source.

First, one must sever its very root. Only when I attain what I aspire to will there be complete peace and happiness.

King Bimbisara rejoiced and said:

-Excellent! Such a wondrous aspiration as that of the bodhisattva is difficult to encounter in this world. You will certainly attain Buddhahood. I beg you to liberate me first.

The prince silently departed. He crossed the Nairanjana River, and a heavenly spirit caused the blazing current to subside and gradually dry up. After crossing the river, the prince traveled several tens of li and saw three brahmins, each dwelling with his disciples beside a stream. As the prince passed by, he asked them about their path. They declared:

-We worship Brahma and venerate the sun and moon. In worshiping the sun, we make offerings to fire; only water is pure.

The bodhisattva replied:

-The path of birth and death lies precisely herein. Water is not always full, fire does not burn forever, the sun moves on, and the full moon must wane. The path abides in purity and stillness; how could water make a person's mind pure?

The prince departed, feeling compassion for them. He aroused loving-kindness, contemplating all sentient beings who, obscured by the decline of old age and delusion, could not escape the suffering of sickness and death. Wishing to bring sentient beings to liberation, he unified his mind and aroused compassion.

The bodhisattva had compassion for sentient beings beset by calamity and hardship amid hunger and thirst, heat and cold, gain and loss, and transgression. Wishing to bring sentient beings peace and security, he unified his mind and aroused sympathetic joy.

The bodhisattva observed that all in the world faced the afflictions of anxiety, suffering, and terror. Wishing to bring them relief, he unified his mind and aroused equanimity.

The bodhisattva wished to deliver sentient beings from the eight difficulties within the five destinies, for they were shrouded in ignorance and delusion and could not see the true path. Contemplating how to rescue them and lead them to the unconditioned path, he single-mindedly remained neither elated upon encountering good nor distressed upon encountering evil, and relinquished the eight worldly concerns. They are:

Gain, decline, slander, honor, praise, blame, pain, and pleasure. He remained unmoved by all these things.

The prince entered deep into the mountains and came to a secluded place, where he saw a patra tree amid complete silence. The prince thought: “I have taken leave of my family and entered this mountain forest. I should no longer dress or wear my hair like a worldly person. If I entertain thoughts of combing my hair or bathing in warm water, I shall lose pure morality, right concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation. That would be wholly contrary to the path and would defile pure conduct. I must become a renunciant in accordance with the bodhisattva Dharma.”

A heavenly spirit offered him a razor with which to shave his hair. The prince's hair fell away by itself, and a deity received it and carried it off. The bodhisattva gathered fragrant grass, spread it upon the ground, and sat there in meditation. Placing one hand upon the other and closing his eyes, he made this solemn vow:

-I vow to remain seated here. Though my flesh decay and my bones wither, if I do not attain Buddhahood, I shall not leave this place.

A heavenly spirit brought him food, but the prince resolutely refused it. The deity caused rice and sesame to grow on both sides of the place where the prince dwelt. Each day the prince ate only one sesame seed and one grain of rice to sustain his strength.

After six years of meditative concentration, the prince's body had become emaciated, with nothing but skin covering his bones, yet his spirit had become profoundly calm and serene. Single-minded and silent, he contemplated the anapana method: 1. Counting; 2.

Following; 3. Stilling; 4. Contemplation; 5.

Turning Back; 6. Purification. The prince contemplated this Dharma gateway through twelve cycles in this manner, while his mind remained undistracted.

He attained subtle supernormal powers, abandoned unwholesome states, was free from the five hindrances, and no longer indulged in the five sensual pleasures. All evils vanished of themselves; his right mindfulness became clear and distinct, and he contemplated the unconditioned Dharma. Like a strong man who vanquishes his enemy, his mind became purified.

The bodhisattva attained the first dhyana. His mind opened of itself; he eliminated sensual desire, no longer harbored unwholesome thoughts or engaged in calculation and comparison, and the mind's agitation ceased. It was like a spring on a mountaintop whose waters well up and overflow: although rainwater floods the ravines and caves, it cannot enter this spring.

Serene and single-minded, with joy and bliss unwavering, the bodhisattva attained the second dhyana.

The bodhisattva then relinquished attachment to joy and bliss and contemplated only freedom from desire. External wholesome and unwholesome activities did not enter his mind, nor did they arise within it; his body was upright and his mind at ease. It was like a lotus in the water before its blossom opens, when its roots, stems, flowers, and leaves are thoroughly saturated with water. Through pure and right vision, the bodhisattva attained the third dhyana.

The bodhisattva relinquished the notions of pain and pleasure and no longer conceived of joy or sorrow. His mind depended neither upon good nor upon evil. He abided in that state of meditative concentration like a person who, after bathing until perfectly clean, is covered with a new, beautiful, immaculate white cloth, so that both inside and out are clean and free of dust. His breathing ceased of itself, and he became still and unmoving. The bodhisattva attained the fourth dhyana.

Just as a potter kneads pliant clay free from gravel and sand and can fashion from it any object whatsoever, so the bodhisattva diligently developed his practice without a moment of indolence. Having attained mental concentration, he did not relinquish the mind of great compassion. By skillful means and wisdom, he investigated the wondrous Dharma and thoroughly penetrated the thirty-seven factors of the path. These are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Supernormal Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and the Eightfold Path. Examining them repeatedly, he found not a single defilement. His mind inclined toward three gateways:

1. Inclination toward emptiness: mindfulness ceases without distraction, neither grasping nor relinquishing.

2. Inclination toward signlessness: the concentrated mind does not arise and entertains no thoughts of good or bad.

3. Inclination toward wishlessness: without attachment to the three realms, suffering does not arise again, and one attains the three liberations:

a) Freedom from lust.

b) Freedom from anger.

c) Freedom from delusion.

Nothing remained obstructed.

At that time, the king of maras in the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others’ Emanations, the sixth heaven, saw that the bodhisattva was pure and free from desire, diligent in meditative concentration, and never indolent. Troubled and jealous at heart, he could neither eat with enjoyment nor sleep in peace, and no longer delighted in music, for he feared that if the bodhisattva attained the path, the bodhisattva would certainly gain a great victory over him. Before the bodhisattva attained Buddhahood, he wished to seize the opportunity to destroy the bodhisattva's resolve for the path. Mara's son, named Sada, remonstrated with his father:

-The bodhisattva practices pure conduct, unequaled by anyone in the three realms, and has attained sovereign supernormal powers. Therefore, myriads of millions of devas and hosts of Brahma deities come to bow at his feet and attend upon him. Even the king of heaven cannot obstruct or harm the bodhisattva. We should not increase our evil deeds and thereby destroy our own merit.

The Mara king would not listen. He summoned his three daughters: the first was named Consort of Desire, the second Delight in the Other, and the third Pleasing to Behold. The Mara king commanded all three to go and undermine the bodhisattva's resolve. The three women wore garments of fine gauze, adorned themselves with every exquisite heavenly fragrance, and wore precious jeweled necklaces. They employed every cunning and deceitful word to disturb the bodhisattva's resolve for the path. But the bodhisattva's mind was as pure as lapis lazuli and could not be defiled. The three women then said:

-Your virtue is supreme, and all the devas revere you and wish to make offerings to you. Therefore, the devas have presented us to you. We are entirely pure and in the fullness of youth. We are beautiful heavenly maidens, and none can equal our beauty. We beg leave to provide for you and attend upon you day and night.

The bodhisattva replied:

—Through blessings from former lives, you have attained celestial bodies, yet, heedless of impermanence, you engage in seductive wiles. Though your forms are beautiful, your minds are neither upright nor proper. You are like lovely vessels filled with foul poison. You will destroy your own lives and be left with nowhere to take refuge. Blessings cannot long remain with lustful, wicked, unwholesome persons who have lost their original minds. After death, you will fall into the three evil paths, taking birth as birds or beasts, from which escape will be exceedingly difficult. You have come to disturb one’s supremely right resolve. You are not seeds of purity, but merely skin-bags filled with filthy excrement. Why have you come here? Go away! I have no use for you.

All three maidens were suddenly transformed into old women and could not regain their former bodies. The Mara king became exceedingly enraged and immediately summoned the demons and spirits, forming a host of eighty million Maras. They transformed themselves into lions, bears, leopards, tigers, elephants, dragons, oxen, horses, dogs, pigs, monkeys, apes, and countless other forms. They became insects with human heads and serpentine bodies, creatures with tortoise heads, beings with six eyes upon their heads, or with many heads upon a single neck. They bared fangs and claws, bore mountains upon their heads, spewed fire, and made thunder and lightning erupt on every side, while wielding swords and spears in their hands.

The bodhisattva, his heart filled with loving-kindness, felt not the slightest trace of fear. His countenance grew still more radiant and beautiful, and the demons and Maras scattered in flight, unable to draw near. The Mara king approached and challenged the Buddha:

“What does the bhiksu seek beneath the tree,
Delighting in a forest filled with savage beasts?
Dark clouds gather thickly, fearsome indeed;
Though celestial Maras harass you, you feel no dread.”

“You are destined to become a wheel-turning king;
The seven treasures will come from all four quarters.
None could equal your enjoyment of the five desires.
There is no path here—return to your palace.”

“Why not sit silently instead of speaking so boldly?
You abandoned kingdom, wealth, and rank to choose empty leisure.
Do you not see that I have brought my fourfold army—
Elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry, eighteen billion strong?”

“I have seen the faces of monkeys, apes, and lions,
The forms of demons, tigers, leopards, pigs, and venomous snakes,
Bearing knives, swords, lances, and spears,
Leaping and shouting until the heavens resound.

You have also arrayed countless billions of armed spirits;
It is Mara such as you who has come to this assembly.
Though sharp arrows and fiery assaults rain down like wind and storm,
Before attaining Buddhahood, I shall not rise.

“Throughout my life I delighted in giving;
Therefore I became Mara king of the six heavens.
Bhiksu, you already know my meritorious deeds;
But you claim immeasurable merit—who will bear witness?”

“Long ago, I vowed before Dipankara Buddha
And received the prediction that I would become Sakyamuni.
Having exhausted anger and fear, I sit here now;
With mind concentrated, I shall shatter your armies.

I have served many Buddhas,
Giving others treasures, food, and clothing.
My loving-kindness and virtue in precepts fill the earth;
Through these, I have escaped deluded thoughts and all affliction.”

The bodhisattva then, through the power of wisdom,
Extended his hand and pointed to the earth: “It knows me clearly.”
At that moment, the earth thundered and trembled;
Mara and his retinue tumbled headlong to the ground.

“Loving-kindness alone subdues the hostile Maras;
The world uses weapons, stirring people’s minds.
I regard you all as living beings.
Though elephants and horses may be trained,
Their former unruliness may later arise again.
But when the supreme ones, such as the sages, are trained,
As the Buddha has trained them, no cruelty remains.”

The devas saw the Buddha subdue the four Maras,
Taming the realm beyond perception so that enemies yielded themselves.
Rejoicing, the devas came to offer flowers;
The Mara king was defeated, and the Dharma King prevailed.

Originally through wisdom and an impartial mind,
His wisdom shattered every evil.
He caused former enemies to become disciples,
Bowing in homage to the One who realized the Four Immeasurables.

His face is like the radiant moon, his countenance serene;
His voice pervades the ten directions, his virtue is like a mountain.
The marks of the Buddha are beyond compare;
I bow my head in homage to the Venerable Lord of Loving-kindness.