太子瑞應本起經 1.36

1.36

"The Prince replied: 'It is as you gentlemen say: one should not grieve in advance. If I were king and old age arrived, sickness came, and death were imminent, could someone take this distress upon themselves in my place? If there is no one to take my place, how could I not grieve! Although in the world there are compassionate fathers and filial sons whose love penetrates to the bone and marrow, when sickness and death arrive they cannot take each other's place. With regard to this counterfeit body, on the day suffering arrives, though one may occupy an exalted throne with one's close kin at one's side, it is like holding up a candle for a blind man—what benefit is it to one who lacks eyes? I observe all conditioned formations: everything is impermanent; all is transformational and unreal; there is little joy and much suffering; the body is not one's own; the world is empty and vain, and one cannot remain long. Where things are born, there is death; where matters succeed, there is failure; where there is safety, there is danger; where there is gain, there is loss. All things are in turmoil, and all must return to emptiness. The conscious spirit has no physical form; agitated and defiled, it lacks clarity. One's actions bring about the distress of birth and death, not merely to be undergone once. Only because of greed and desire are beings covered in the net of delusion and submerged in the river of birth and death, unable to awaken. Therefore, with single-mindedness I wish to contemplate the four empty purities, transcend form and extinguish anger, sever seeking and contemplate emptiness, being without bias or aversion. This will be returning to the source and going back to the root, extirpating its very origin. If my wish is fulfilled, then there can be great peace.'"