[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [太子瑞應本起經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185) › 1.21 # 太子瑞應本起經 1.21 太子瑞應本起經 1.21 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1.21) 「太子駕乘，出南城門。天帝復化作老人，頭白背僂，拄杖羸步。太子問曰：『此為何人？』其僕曰：『老人也。』『何如為老？』對曰：『年耆根熟，形變色衰，飲食不化，氣力虛微，坐起苦極，餘命無幾，故謂之老。』太子曰：『有何樂哉！日月流邁，時變歲移，物生於春，秋冬悴枯，老至如電，身安足恃？』迴車而還，愍念人生丁壯不久，有老有病，其痛難忍，吾不能久居天下嬰此苦也，又憂不食。王悔令出，復增五百妓女，以娛樂之。 > "The prince mounted his carriage and went out of the southern gate of the city. The Lord of Devas again transformed into an old man, with white hair and a hunched back, leaning on a cane and walking feebly. The prince asked, saying: 'What kind of person is this?' His servant said: 'An old man.' 'What is it to be old?' He replied: 'When years are advanced and the faculties are ripe, the form changes and the complexion declines, food and drink do not digest, physical strength becomes hollow and feeble, sitting and rising are extremely arduous, and of the remaining life little is left; therefore it is called old.' The prince said: 'What joy is there? The sun and moon pass away, seasons alter and years shift; things are born in spring, and wither and dry in autumn and winter; old age arrives like lightning—how can the body be relied upon?' He turned his carriage back, taking pity on human life: 'Prime and vigor do not last long, there are old age and sickness, whose pain is hard to endure; I cannot long dwell in the world to bear this suffering,' and again he grieved and did not eat. The king regretted having let him go out, and again added five hundred singing-girls to entertain him." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1.20) - [Next: 1.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1.22) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185~en-mt.1.21) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.185.1.21) · Pramāṇa