grief, as a man would feel who saw his own household bound fetters, and, being thus affected with sorrow on behalf of t whole family of sentient creatures, he dismounted from his ho Kantaka, and, having done so, he walked about in deep flection, thinking about the misery attaching to the vario forms of life, and as he meditated, he exclaimed, "Alas! ala how full of misery is human life. What unhappiness there is birth and death, old age and disease, and in the midst of all th wretchedness to know of no means of escape or deliverance! B why do men seek for no release? Why do they not strive aft rest from toil? Why do they not contend earnestly for that wi dom which alone can lead them to escape from the miseries ind dent to life and death? Oh! where may I find a quiet spot f meditation-to cast over these causes of sorrow in my mind ?” Then Suddhôdana, having watched the ploughing-match, a companied by all the Sâkyas, returned to the garden. Then the Royal Prince, wandering about and looking from plac to place for a convenient spot for rest, suddenly saw a seclude space under a Jambu Tree where he could sit in quiet, and the he addressed his attendants on each side, and bade them dispers themselves in other directions," for I," said he, " desire to be alon for a short period." Then, gradually approaching the tree, he sat down beneath it shade with his legs crossed, and began to think upon the subjec of the sorrows and pain belonging to every form of life. An then, through the power of the love and pity which these reflec tions produced in his heart, he was wrapt into a state of uncon scious ecstacy: and, finally, by separating his thoughts from every kind of impure or worldly taint, he reached the first condition of Dhyâna.1 At this time there happened to be five Rishis flying, by means 1 This incident seems to be the subject of Fig. 1, Pl. xxv., "Tree and Serpent Worship." =, his heart was filled with sorrow on behalf of the ut and looking from place he sat down beneath its › think upon the subject every form of life. And I pity which these reflec t into a state of uncon his thoughts from every ed the first condition of Rishis flying, by means f Fig. 1, Pl. xxv., "Tree course. to go onwards, suddenly they found the Then they said one to another, have in former times found no difficulty and reaching even beyond Sumeru to t and even to the city of Arkavanta1, and abode of the Yakshas, yet now find our f over this tree? By what influence is it our spiritual power ?" Then the Rishis, looking downwards, 1 neath the tree, sitting with his legs cros bright with glory that they could with diff these Rishis began to consider-"Whc Brahma, Lord of the world?—or is it K Kama Loka?-or is it Sâkra?-or is it the Treasuries ?-or is it Chandradeva -or is it some Chakravartin Râja ?-o is the person of a Buddha born into the v At this time the Guardian Deva of the as follows: "Great Rishis all! this is no the World; or Krishna, Lord of the K or Vaisravana, Lord of the Treasuries; o Deva; but this is the Prince Royal, ca Suddhôdana Râja, belonging to the Sâky proceeds from one pore of his body is grea all the glory proceeding from the bodie Devas! And on this account your spirit you as soon as you came above this tree! The Rishis, having heard the words of t with descended from the air, and, standi uttered the following verses of commen The first Rishi said: "The world destroyed by the fire 1 Ho-lo-kia-pan-t There is one who can produce such brightness as this! The darkness is dispersed-the world is illumined." "In the midst of the vast bog and wilderness of sorrow This great means of conveyance can carry us thro' all, Then we can pass over the three worlds without difficulty." The fourth said: "From all the bonds and shackles of worldly sorrows There is some contrivance able to give good deliverance; Can deliver men from all the bonds and shackles of life." “Whatever miseries of life or death are in the world, This great Physician is able to cure all; And so the most excellent Law Is a perfect remedy for all the sorrows of birth and death.” Thus the Rishis, having saluted the prince with these verses, they bowed down at his feet, and three times proceeded to circumambulate the place, and then flying away again they went on their way through the air. Now at this time Suddhôdana, having for a moment lost sight of the prince, was very much alarmed, and asking a man who passed by, he said, "Have you any knowledge as to which way my son the Royal Prince has gone? [These two former sentences are repeated in the Sanscrit original. Ch. Ed.] He has just now suddenly disappeared." Forthwith the king sent his ministers in every direction to seek for the prince, wherever he might be. Then one of the ministers unexpectedly saw him sitting beneath the Jambu tree in the 1 Literally-"the water of the Lake of the Law." culous away on foot, he summoned the king to "The son of the Mahârâja is now dwelli Beneath the shade of the Jambu tree, With his legs crossed, lost in meditati The brilliancy of his person like the Moon, This in truth is the great Master, From whom the shadow of the tree tur Oh! would that the king himself woul And say what means this wonderful ap So bright his body that he resembles M Or Sâkra Deva, god of Trayastriñshas, So wonderful the brilliancy of his spiri That it lights up with glory all that w Suddhôdana Raja, having heard this went to the spot beneath the Jambu tre son sitting cross-legged beneath the tre night a burning mountain belching fort visible, or as suddenly from the black emerges, or as a lamp shines in a dark having witnessed the sight, was filled w body were ruffled and stood erect, whilst I of his son and, filled with inexpressible Sadhu! my son has indeed great person added these verses "As the flaming top of a mountain i Or as the full autumn moon in the So beholding my son as he sits in Every hair of my body is impercep Then the king again bowed at his so Gatha "I now bend this body of min Before the thousand radiate 66 king was, they were making a noise and laughing, on which one the Ministers reproved them and said, "You children! hold you tongues, and make no noise!" On which they replied, And wh may we not make a noise and play ?" On which the minister replie in a verse "The sun, though it is past noon, Cannot draw its shadow beyond this tree, Unequalled in the world, Of this one who sits in meditation beneath the tree Unmoved and unaffected as Sumeru, Siddhartha the prince royal! from the depth of his heart On the Betrothal of the Prince. [Lit. pushing—art—contention-marriage.] § 3. AND now the Prince, growing up by degrees, reached his nineteenth year. And when at this age, his father Suddhôdana Râja caused three Palaces to be constructed for him, each of them for a different season of the year. The first a warm palace, calculated for the winter; the second a cool palace, for the summer; the third fit for the spring and autumn. These palaces were severally surrounded by gardens, in which were tanks and pleasant streams of water, and every kind of delightful flower to please the senses. Moreover, the king appointed a great number of skilful and distinguished personal attendants to wait on his son. Some to rub his person, others to smooth it, and others to anoint and bathe him. There were hairdressers, looking-glass holders, etc., etc., besides some to perfume his garments, others to keep the Bezoar (new hwang); others to keep the hair chaplets; others again |