23- Prince Siddhartha was genial and polite, and his heart was full of mercy and benevolence. He never oppressed others, but often helped the oppressed. Prince Devadatta was cruel and jealous and found of killing . This day Devadatta was crying his bow and arrows, shooting the flying swans for fun. One swan was shot in the wing and fell to the ground. It was badly wounded and appeared to be in much pain.
24- Siddhartha quickly ran up to the swan, which he picked up; removed the arrow from its wing and wrapped the wound with cool leaves to stop the blood and softly patted its body. Devadatta angrily stepped over to him, intending to snatch the swan, at the same time yelling at Siddhartha, demanding that he return the bird to him.
25- Under no conditions would the Prince Siddhartha return the wounded bird to him. He said:
“ If the bird had died, it would probably belong to the shooter; but as long as it is still alive, it naturally belongs to the savior.” But Prince Devadatta insisted: “ I shot the bird down, so it belongs to me ” Finally Prince Siddhartha suggested: “ Let the scholars of the country settle this argument at a conference. ” Prince
Devadatta agreed to this.
26- On the day when the scholars were to gather and confer on various matters, there was plenty
of dispute about the problem of the swan. They all had different opinions. Some said the bird should belong to
Prince Siddhartha because he had saved it’s life. Some, on the contrary, believed that Prince Devadatta
should have the bird because he had brought it down . Everyone seemed to have his own reason for choosing one point of view or another.
27- Finally, a young scholar stood up, loudly proclaiming, “all living creatures belong to those who save or guard their lives, not to those who damage their lives. In fact, this wounded bird shall belong to its savior, that is, to Prince Siddhartha !”
28- The conferring scholars all accepted the statement made by their young colleague,
Unanimously deciding that the bird belong to Prince Siddhartha, for he was the one who had saved its life. So prince Siddhartha carefully nursed the swan until its wound had completely healed. Then he set the bird free to fly back to the forest to live a free and pleasant life among its own kind. From that day, Prince Devadatta began to hate Prince Siddhartha and intended secretly to plot against him.
29- Everyone of these Indian people knew that everything they needed came from the soil. Therefore, they considered the tilling of the soil and the producing of food as their most important work and labor which would benefit the country as well as themselves. Hence, a yearly practice was observed in which the king and his ministers all went to the fields in person to take part in a tilling and plowing ceremony at seed sowing time in order to set an example for the people, showing them that plowing the soil and growing crops was not demeaning work but was, on the contrary, a very glorious work that one could do.
30- In Kapilavastu, the end of summer marked the season for the famers to start tilling. King
Suddhodana and his officials customarily led the Royal tiller Festival outside the city. Every year this was a big ceremony. The people of the city all came out to see the King plowing the land and to enjoy the very colorful feast. On this day also, Prince Siddhartha accompanied King Suddhodana to the ceremony.
31- The King began the ceremony in the field. He raised a beautifully decorated gold plow and began to plow the land. A group of officials followed him, plowing the land with silver-decorated plows. Finally, there came the farmers, two in a row, using their own plows. The stiff brown mud was loosened and was then ready for seeding.
32-At luchtime, the attendants of Prince Siddhartha all went to enjoy the feast, leaving the prince
Siddhartha walked by himself to the shade of a thriving Jambu tree, sat down, quietly calmed his mind by expelling all its wrong thoughts and began to contemplate: “ The King, the officials, and the farmers are here
To hold the Royal Tiller ceremony, and now they are happily feasting.”
33- But the oxen did not seem to be happy at all. They had to exert a force greater than their physical strength to pull the plows and to break the hard earth. They toiled so much that they could not stop panting. Obviously they were not happy. While the people here were enjoying themselves today, they all had to do hard work. And if, occasionally, they were to do something not quite up to their masters’ expectation, harsh threats and merciless whips would fall on them.
34- The prince also noticed the activities of various other creatures around him. He saw a lizard,
which was crawling out from a crevice in the earth, catching and eating working ants with its tongue. Short -afterwards, a snake approached, killed the lizard by biting through its head, and swallowed it. Just at that mo-
ment, the prince was astonished to see a hawk suddenly descend from the sky, seize the snake, tear it apart and eat it.
35- Siddhartha again went into deeper thought and began to question himself thus: “If things are like that, then is it not the case that, then which is said to be beautiful in life, will also certainly hide ugliness behind its back? At last the prince came to realize that although he was very happy now, there was how-ever a
Kind of great suffering, that was always coverings. Although Prince Siddhartha was still young he was able to
attain to the state of non-differentiation regarding all things and enter into the First Dhyana.
36- When the Royal Tiller ceremony and the feast were over, the attendants began to think of the prince. They rushed back to him and found the prince sitting motionless like a stone statue under the Jambu tree. They awakened him and told him that the king was looking for him for it was time to go home. On the way, Prince Siddhartha was filled with compassion for all creatures, because every single creature, in the course, in the course of keeping itself alive, has to struggle constantly against pain and suffering.
37- Knowing that the Prince had thought of seeking the ultimate truth, troubled King Suddhodana. He feared that if such thoughts were not eliminated, the prince probably would soon leave him and abandon the country, and then there would be no one to inherit the throne. He felt that the only way to
change the prince’s mind was to double the joy and pleasure available to him in the royal palace. To- achieve this and, his first plan was to construct three splendid new palaces.
38- The first palace was built of fragrant wood. Inside, the air was warm, and everything was
Designed for maximum comfort. This was the prince’s summer palace, which was built of polished marble.
The third palace was built of brick with a green tiled roof. This was the prince’s lodge in the monsoon season.
King Suddhodana also ordered that a beautiful garden be built around the three palaces, which was to have many ponds containing lotus plants of various colors. Thus the prince could take a walk or a horseback ride or
do whatever he enjoyed most.
39-The years went by very quickly, and the Prince Siddhartha had now become a young man. All
the material pleasures the King had bestowed on him turned out to be valueless to the contemplative prince.
The King had thought that his actions would make the prince happy, but everything proved to be in vain.
40- He then summoned his ministers to a meeting, asking them if there were any other means to prevent the Prince from abandoning his position as potential leader of the country to become a religious teacher as the old sage Asita had predicted. The officials offered their opining: “ The best way to hold the prince is to seek out the most beautiful girl in the land and have the prince get married to her. One the prince has experienced the sweetness of married life, he will choose nothing else. Then he will follow your intention and take over the throne in the future. ”
41- The King considered the suggestion offered by the ministers as alright. Then he ordered the selection of the most beautiful girl in the country to take place. On the particular day decreed for the selection, all candidates had to come to the city of Kapilavastu. Each of them was required to walk in front to the prince and would receive a present from him. The King also ordered a group of highly intelligent officials to be stationed in a place where the beautiful girls were to pass before the prince. Their duty was to observe carefully which girl the prince liked best.
42- On the day of the beauty contest, candidates from all over the country passed, one after –another, in front of the prince. They wree all very beautiful. Each of them received a present directly from the hand of the prince. The girls were all very happy and fekt honored to accept a present from the prince. However, when they returned to their groups, they all began to fear that they might not be pretty enough.
43- For they that, Prince Siddhartha was unlike other young men, he had not paid attention to their beauty at all. Indeed, the prince had handed a present to each of the girls, but his mind, all the time,- appeared to be centered on some other thing, which was much more important than the smiling appearances
and beautiful and voluptuous bodily movements of the girls. And that was why some of girls said that when- the prince had handed them presents, they felt that he was not an ordinary human being at all, but, on the
contrary, that he was a celestial being.
44- The line of girls had almost come to an end, and the presents were all given away. The prince still sat calmly, thinging about other things, Everyone thought that the last contestant had come before the prince and received her present, but suddenly a beautiful girl hastily entered, for she had arried late.
45- When this girl entered, the observers noticed that the prince was somewhat astonished. Like
the other girls had done, she also walked before the prince, bashfully with bowed head. But after she had passed by, she looked backed smilingly and asked: “Any present for me?” The prince replied: “ I am really- sorry, but all the present are gone. However, you may have this!” And he took from his neck an exquisite golden chain and word it about the girl’s arm.
46- The officials who were ordered by the King to observe were very happy to see this. They discovered that the girl who had entered last was Yasodhara, the daughter of King Suppabuddha. They reported this to King Suppabuddha. They repored this to King Suddhodana, who sent his minister to visit King Suppabuddha, proposing that Princess Yasodhara marry Prince Siddhartha.
47- The people at the foot of the Himalaya were sturdy and brave. Thus, according to the custom of the Sakya Clan, when a young prince was about to marry, he had to demon state to the public that he was a clever man, and as well versed in horse back riding, archery, and fencing as the other brave, young men were.
Respecting this custom, Prince Siddhartha openly invited all the clever and brave youths of the country to a contest of skills at Kapilavastu.
48- Every one of these youths was an expert horseman, archer and fencer. Each young man, in turn, demonstrated his skills in front of the King, his officials and the people. Prince Siddhartha also participated in the contest, riding his white horse Kanthaka, and he turned out to be the most skillful of all the youths. In archery, Prince Siddhartha shot farther than his cousin Prince Devadatta, who was regarded by all as the best archer in the country.
49- As a swordsman, Prince Siddhartha was able to cut down a tree with one stroke. After he had struck the tree, the tree remained standing, so that witnesses thought the prince had missed. But when the wind began to blow, the tree toppled slowly down, for the prince had sliced through the tree with no trace, the
blade of the sword had passed through cream. In the fencing contest, the prince was also the victor with honor
Before that, his stepbrother, Prince Nanda, was generally recognized as the top swordsman.
50- Next came the horseracing contest. Prince Siddhartha’s white horse Kanthaka ran so fast that the other contestants complained: “The Prince wins so easily just because he has the fastest horse. Anyone- riding Kanthaka would win first place. On the contrary, if someone were to race that rarely mounted queer
black horse, then whoever the rider might be would surely be the loser.”
51- So they exchanged their horse, everyone trying, in turn, to mount that fierce haughty black
Horse, but it threw everyone to the ground. It was now Prince Aniruddha’s turn to try, and being the best rider in the country, he mounted the black horse with only a slight effort, and then he whipped if hard to force it to run around the yard.
52- However, Prince Anirudha stayed in place for only a moment, for unexpectedly the fierce, untamed horse reared, turned its head, and caught the Prince’s leg in its mouth and threw him from its back to
the ground. If the yard guards had hesitated in going to help him or remained behind the horse without beating it, the wild animal would unquestionably have killed Prince Aniruddha.
53- Now it was Prince Siddhartha’s turn to mount. Everybody felt that if even Prince Aniruddha, the best rider in the country, had been thrown and almost killed, prince Siddhartha could probably do no better. But Prince Siddhartha approached the horse lightly, and put one hand on its neck while rubbing its nose with his other hand, at the same time softly murmuring a few words on the sides of its body.
54- Everybody was quite surprised that the fierce black horse had really calmed down, gently letting the prince ride him, it obediently moved fore ward or back ward as the prince directed. The people who were gathered there clearly saw that the horse was acting completely according to the prince’s will. It was the first time that any person had ever dared to come close to this proud horse and tame it without a whip.
55-Finally everyone agreed that Prince Siddhartha was the best rider in the country and most qualified to be Princes Yasodhara’s husband. And King Suppabuddha was also very pleased to give the hand of his beloved daughter to the young, courageous prince Siddhartha in marriage.
56- The wedding of Princess Yasodhara to Prince Siddhartha was an event in which the whole country rejoiced. The young couple lived in a palace that King Suddhadana had specially built for them, one- which contained all kinds of splendid accommodations designed for the sole purpose of giving them comfort, satisfaction and pleasure. Now King Suddhodana began to feel relaxed, feeling assured that the Prince would no longer think about leaving home.
57-In order to prevent the prince from thinking of leaving home of or other things. King Suddho-
dana ordered that no one should ever mention in front of the prince anything having to do with misery or unhappiness, such as old age, sickness, death. etc. The attendants of the prince were ordered to constantly provide songs, dances, and music and never to appear tired before him.
58- In addition to this, the King ordered the construction of high walls all around the palace and gardens where the prince lived. Only young and beautiful girls were allowed to enter into the gardens and the- walls. Should someone within the walls accidentally fall and injure himself, the person had to be taken out immediately and could not return before complete recovery. The gate of the garden was closely guarded to –
prevent from going outside for nay reason, except with the King’s permission.
59-Although Suddhodana had a selected group of attendants for the prince and tired in every way to keep his son from experiencing anything unpleasant in his life, the prince was not as happy as his father had hope. The prince eagerly desired to see other joyful things of the world, things that were beyond the palace walls. The prince also wanted to know what the life of the people, other than that of the sons of the kings and their high officials, was like. Time and time again the prince pleaded with his father, informing him that he would never be happy unless he could see the outside world.
60-Unable to refuse the persistent demand of the prince to travel outside the palace, King Suddh-odana finally consented. He ordered that, on the day of the prince’s outing, every house must be cleaned, painted and decorated with flags and flowers. Along the way no one was allowed to be seen working, and- blind, sick old men and leprous persons had to stay home until the carriage of the prince had passed.
61- Everything was ready. Prince Siddhartha, in a splendid carriage, came out of the palace and toured around the city. Everywhere he saw crowds of people with smiling faces enthusiastically welcoming him. On seeing the prince, some people shouted: “Long live the prince!”, while others approached his carriage and spread flowers on the road. The carriage thus continued moving on along the flower covered path.
62-All at once, a white-haired old man, clad in dirty rags and tatters, limped out of his house and reached the road before anyone could stop him. His haggard face was full of wrinkles, his eyes dull and dim, and only one tooth remained in his dry and withered mouth. His back was severely hunched and he had to rely on a cane to move his body. Wailing and begging along the road, he would certainly have starved to death if he had failed to get food for even one day.
63- People were very much upset by the daring appearance of this old man since this was the prince’s first excursion, and the king had issued an order prohibiting the presence of all old and sick persons. They rushed to stop this old man from advancing further, intending to drive him home, but it was already too late. The prince had already seen him!
64- Prince Siddhartha was quite surprised at the sight of the old man. He did not know what the creature was. So he asked his driver Chandaka: “Chandaka! What is that? A person? If he is a person, why is his back so curved and not as straight as other people’s? Why does he shake? And the hair, why is it white? What happened to his eyes? Where are his teeth? Are some people born this way? Chandaka! Tell me what all this means!”
65- Chandaka replied: “ This is an old man. He was not born this way. Where he came into the world, he was like everybody else. At first, he was also a strong and dignified youth, having dense black hair and bright eyes. After having lived for a long time, he has changed into this shape. Don’t let it bother you, Prince, for it is only the business of this old person.”
“ What does it mean, Chandaka?” Do you say that everyone will look like this after having lived for a long time, or is it not necessarily so? I have not seen this condition before!” Chandaka replied: “When one has lived a long time, he will be like this. It can not be avoided.”
66- “Chandaka! Do you really mean that everybody will be like this some day, even you and I ? My father?My wife?Is it possible that all of us will some day have no teeth, have white hair and be hunchback moving around with canes and shaking like this old man?”
“Indeed so!”answered Chandaka. “Where one lives long enough, he will be like this man, for no one can avoid getting old!”
67- Prince Siddhartha immediately told Chandaka to drive him back to the palace, for he was no longer in the mood to cotinune his journey around the city. He only wanted to be alone so that he could contemplate deeply the dreadful problem that he had just encountered. Soon he became aware that although he was the prince, the successor to the throne, he and the people dear to himself would, nevertheless, lose everything some day in the future. All his joys and pleasures would turn into nothing, for there would be no way to avoid getting old and, in this matter, no one is an exception, whatever his condition-rich, poor or powerful or mean.
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