釋迦譜 1.404

1.404

爾時太子年至十九。心自思惟。我今正是出家之時。而便往至於父王所。威儀詳序。猶如帝釋往詣梵天。傍臣見已而白王言。太子今者來大王所。王聞此言憂喜交集。太子既至頭面作禮。爾時父王。即便抱之。而勅令坐。太子坐已白父王言。恩愛集會必有別離。唯願聽我出家學道。一切眾生。愛別離苦皆使解脫。願必垂許不見留難。時白淨王聞太子語。心大苦痛。猶如金剛摧破於山。舉身顫掉不安本座。執太子手不復能言。啼泣流淚歔欷哽咽。如是良久微聲而言。汝今宜應息出家意。所以者何。年既少壯國未有嗣。而便委我曾不懷顧。普耀經云。太子白王欲得四願。一者不老。二者無病。三者不死。四者不別。假使父王與此四願。不復出家。王聞重悲。此四願者古今無獲。爾時太子既見父王流淚不許。還歸所止。思惟出家愁憂不樂。

At that time the Crown Prince reached the age of nineteen. He thought to himself: "Now is truly the time for me to go forth from the household." He then went to the court of his father the king, his deportment dignified and composed, just like Śakra visiting the Brahmā Heaven. Seeing him, the courtiers reported to the king, saying: "The Crown Prince is coming to the Great King's presence." Hearing these words, the king felt a mixture of sorrow and joy. Once the Crown Prince arrived, he bowed his head to the ground in homage. At that moment, his father the king embraced him and bade him sit. Having sat down, the Crown Prince said to his father the king: "Wherever affection and love gather, parting is inevitable. I pray only that you grant me permission to go forth and train in the Path, so that all sentient beings may be delivered from the suffering of separation from what they love. May you deign to grant it, and not hinder or detain me." When King Śuddhodana heard the Crown Prince's words, his heart felt immense agony, as though a vajra had shattered a mountain. Trembling all over, he could not remain steady on his seat. Clasping the Crown Prince's hand, he could speak no more, weeping and sobbing in choked sorrow. After a long while, in a faint voice, he said: "You must put an end to your wish to leave home! Why is this? You are in the prime of your youth, and the kingdom has as yet no heir; how could you simply cast me aside without a single backward glance?" The Puyao jing says: The Crown Prince addressed the king, asking for four wishes: first, not to grow old; second, to be without illness; third, not to die; fourth, not to be parted. "If my father the king can grant these four wishes, I will not leave home." Hearing this, the king was plunged into deeper grief: "These four wishes have never been obtained by anyone, past or present!" Seeing his father the king shedding tears and refusing permission, the Crown Prince returned to his quarters, brooding over leaving home in sorrow and gloom.