which surround it suddenly fall th its glorious light, disappear, y darkness. I saw a lighted from it. I saw the guardian on every side, his person so ired, suddenly stand without ce in lamentation and wailing. denly converted into a waste, ot of delight. I saw all the ld. ! which cause me this distress, they be indications of good or alt, whether my life is coming society is to be taken from me; n my sleep, and am still dis and thought thus with himeave my home and become a eared to Yasodharâ.” "Dear wife! though you had d fall to the earth, or a thouough space, yet let none of reams are but the empty proar wife, to your rest! You licate and soft, let not such you distress!" Then Yasôdrince, returned to her couch her side.1 ce himself had five dreams,2 ficient at any rate to show weaned from the gratificains this by saying that he light variation by Spence out to the great Southern Sea. S. a certain plant called Kin-leh1, gro the top of it reaching even to the he dreamt that he saw four birds, 1 towards him, they were of every c at his feet, they all became white. four head of white cattle, black fro come and lick his feet. Fifthly, he impure substance, on which he rep without pollution. The Flight from § 2. At this time, whilst the Prin slept, the chief officer of the guar told the persons composing the gua pass-words should be these, “Kon And he, moreover, warned them to out this particular night, to see t informing them of the anxiety of S of the soothsayers respecting his e Recluse. Then the first watch being pass claimed in a loud voice, 66 Prosperi life and happiness!" And so the went by, and it was just beginning At this time all the Devas of t down to Kapilavastu. The men of and all within the palace was still 1 The Sinhalese account says it w the navel. I do not know what p this with the story about Vishnu. with their eyes half-closed, others dribbling from their m grinding with their teeth, snorting through their throats, et Then the prince, suddenly waking up and seeing the b and lamps all untrimmed and defiled with oil, and in the lurid observing the women lying about in the unseemly attitude described, and the instruments of music scattered here and in utter disorder, seeing all this, he reflected thus—“ It is on fool who is deceived by the outward show of beauty; for wh the beauty when the decorations of the person are taken the jewels removed, the gaudy dress laid aside, the flower chaplets withered and dead? The wise man, seeing the van all such fictitious charms, regards them as a dream, a mira phantasy." And then he repeated this Gâtha "How impure the world! how false and deceiving! But if a man bring himself to consider All these charms are but a phantasy, unreal as a dream,' And so put away ignorance, and do not permit himself t deceived, That man shall obtain deliverance and a body free from tamination." And then the prince proceeded further to reflect in this wa "Alas! what great misery is this! What an impure place is t like a vessel filled with filth. Oh! what madness is it to de such pleasures as these! This place is hateful-this place is de as poison," etc., etc. And again he reflected, as he still gazed on the scene in chamber, "This sight should give me joy! as far as it steels heart to resolve to aim at the highest religious happiness, an vow to deliver all men who are left as it were without a Savi a ely position, some half dithed, unt, lying in all frections, some ers dabeling freer their mouths, ng through their throats, etc. king up and seeing the beaters led with cũ, and in the land light t in the unseemly attitudes jost of music scattered here and there ce reflected this—“It is only the ard show of beauty; for where is s of the person are taken away, ress laid aside, the Bowers and e wise man, seeing the vanity of s them as a dream, a mirage, a se and deceiving! n's appearance; rations of jewels, awake, approached him and said, made from time to time, to be born scend to earth, to be incarnated palace and enjoy the pleasures of 1 accomplished. And now all the I your leaving your palace and becom Then the prince, having heard putra, immediately put on his richl pers for the purpose of rising to l Then beholding the precious couch tomed to lie, he struck it with his h "Never again will I indulge in the -this is the last time; from hencef no more!" Then taking in his 1 net-like curtain which divided the he raised it and proceeded slowly t and then, standing at the eastern paused and invoked the Universal head, he looked up into heaven an the night. Then the four guardian Deities o perceiving that the time was com home, began to assemble from the di lowers, designing to come to the spo Dhritarashtra, with an innumerable r ing sweet music, proceeded from the encircled the city of Kapilavastu earth, and standing with clasped ha the spot where the prince was stan râja, with an innumerable retinue of hands vases full of perfumes, proceed of space, came to the city and did like 1 "All the Buddhas"- -a phrase i -to signify "the Universal Spirit." fume, etc., came from the Trâyastriñshas Heavens and di wise. Then the prince, looking up into the Heavens at the s night, beheld these countless beings assembling round th and just as the star Kwei was in conjunction with the mo heard the Devas chanting this song—“ Holy Prince! the ti come! the star is now conjoined, the time has come to se Highest Law of Life; delay no longer amongst men, aband and become a recluse !" Then the prince, still gazing upwards into heaven, though with himself—“ Now, in the silence of the night, the star K conjunction, all the Devas are come down to earth to confir resolution, I WILL GO-THE TIME HAS COME !'" Thus resolv called his coachman Tchandaka, born on the same day with self, and addressed him thus-"Tchandaka! bring hither, wi noise, my horse Kantaka, born on the same day as myself." Tchandaka, having heard these directions, and seeing the p thus looking up into the Heavens during the depth of the r began to doubt in his mind, his body trembled, and the hai his body stood erect, and he spake thus-" What fear, or wha alarms my master that thus in the night time he orders n bring his horse ?" "Tchandaka!" the prince replied, "you soon know all! but now bring me my horse Kantaka!" [Kiouen XVI contains 6,368 words and cost 3.184 taels.] CHAPTER XVII. On Leaving the Palace to become a Recluse. § 1. Ar this time Tchandaka, having heard the prince speak: did, made up his mind that he had now resolved to becom ascetic; desiring, therefore, to shake the determination of nto the Heavens at the stars of eings assembling round the city, n conjunction with the moon, he ng-" Holy Prince! the time has , the time has come to seek the onger amongst men, abandon all pwards into heaven, thought thus ce of the night, the star Kwei in me down to earth to confirm my HAS COME!" Thus resolved, he born on the same day with himchandaka! bring hither, without the same day as myself." Then lirections, and seeing the prince s during the depth of the night, body trembled, and the hairs on thus-"What fear, or what foe he night time he orders me to the prince replied, “you shall my horse Kantaka!” ords and cost 3.184 taels.] to go forth to visit the gardens, th foe or rebel or traitor do you fear! is no public commotion, or distress rule (umbrella) of one Holy Prin your horse Kantaka to be brought the present time are numberless w every side, coveting nothing so m Lord of Heaven, Sâkradevanam, re by his lovely Apsarasas, so are seated on your jewelled throne. W your heart be content in the mids listen to their charming songs, a and rest at ease!" Then Tchanda dresses (or hair), and with his foot in order to rouse and wake them, b of the Devas they were still bound none of the efforts made to arouse t Then the prince, fearing lest the dressed Tchandaka in a soft voice, "Tchandaka! born on the same That all within this palace is i * * Tchandaka! I realise the mise And my desire to remain here Tchandaka! bring me my hors My heart is fixed, I am resolve Tchandaka, on hearing this, aga the world says that hereafter you varti Râja, how can this be, if you your—" But here the Prince, i what folly, Tchandaka! for if form Tusita Heavens, I vowed to give u born in the world and become a rec |