釋迦譜 1.405

1.405

At that time, the great astrologers of the realm of Kapilavastu all knew that if the Crown Prince did not leave home, after seven days he would attain the status of a wheel-turning king (cakravartin), ruling over the four continents, with the seven treasures arriving of their own accord. Each reported what he knew to the king, saying: "The Śākya clan will flourish from this!" Hearing these words, the king rejoiced in his heart. He immediately ordered all the ministers and the sons of the Śākya clan: "Did you hear what the astrologers said, or not? You must all attend and guard the Crown Prince day and night! Place one thousand men at each of the four gates, completely surrounding the city. Set up sentries within one yojana outside the city to guard him." The Puyao jing says: The next day he commanded five hundred Śākyas of great courage and strength to guard the Bodhisattva through the night, making the sounds of the opening and closing of the city's four gates audible for forty li. He further commanded Yaśodharā and all the inner palace women to redouble their vigilance, so that for the duration of seven days he would not be permitted to leave home. The king then went again to the Crown Prince's quarters. Seeing him from afar, the Crown Prince went out to welcome him, bowing his head to his feet and inquiring after his health. The king said to the Crown Prince: "From what I heard previously from Asita, the various astrologers, and the auspicious omens, I know with certainty that you take no pleasure in staying in the world. Yet the succession to the kingdom is of great weight; who will carry it on? I ask only that you father a son for me; after that, you may sever worldly ties, and I will no longer oppose you." Hearing his father the king's words, the Crown Prince thought to himself: "The only reason the Great King insists on detaining me is merely that the kingdom lacks an heir." Having thought this, he answered the king, saying: "Very well, as you command." He then pointed to his consort's belly with his left hand. At that moment, Yaśodharā felt a change in her body and knew she was pregnant. Hearing the Crown Prince say "As you command," the king rejoiced greatly, thinking that within seven days the Crown Prince could not yet have a child, and once this period passed, the position of a wheel-turning king would arrive naturally, and he would no longer leave home. At that time, the Crown Prince thought to himself: "I have reached nineteen years of age. Today is the second month and also the seventh day. I must devise an expedient means to seek departure from home. Why is this? Now is precisely the right time. Moreover, my father the king's wish has already been fulfilled." Having had this thought, his body emitted light that illuminated the palaces of the Four Heavenly Kings and reached up to the palace of the Śuddhāvāsa Devas, without allowing the mortal world to see this radiance. Seeing this light, the devas knew that the time had arrived for the Crown Prince to leave home. They descended at once to the Crown Prince's presence, bowed their heads to his feet, joined their palms, and said: "The vows you have practiced through countless kalpas now face the time of fruition!" Thereupon the Crown Prince replied to the devas: "It is just as you say; now is indeed the time. However, my father the king has commanded the inner and outer officials to maintain a strict guard; I have no way to depart." The devas said: "We shall devise expedient means to ensure that the Crown Prince departs without anyone knowing." The devas then used their spiritual power to put all the guards and officials into a deep sleep. At that moment, while asleep, Yaśodharā had three great dreams: first, she dreamed the moon fell to the earth; second, she dreamed her teeth fell out; third, she dreamed she lost her right arm. Having dreamed these, she awoke in fright, filled with great terror, and said to the Crown Prince: "In my sleep I have had three terrible dreams!" The Crown Prince asked: "What did you dream?" Yaśodharā then related in detail what she had dreamed. The Crown Prince told her: "The moon is still in the sky, your teeth have not fallen out, and your arm is still there. You should know that all dreams are unreal and illusory; you should not give way to baseless fears." Yaśodharā further said to the Crown Prince: "According to my own contemplation of these dreams, they are surely signs that the Crown Prince will leave home." The Crown Prince answered again: "Just sleep peacefully and do not harbor such worries; I will never let any misfortune befall you." Hearing these words, Yaśodharā went back to sleep. The Crown Prince then rose from his seat and surveyed the courtesans and Yaśodharā: they all resembled wooden figures, just like plantain trees lacking any solid core. Some leaned or sprawled over musical instruments, their arms and legs hanging down to the ground, sleeping pillowed upon one another, with snot, tears, and saliva drooling from their mouths. He again surveyed his wife and the courtesans, seeing their bodies as nothing but hair, nails, marrow, and brain; bones, teeth, and skulls; skin and flesh; sinews, veins, fat, and blood; heart, lungs, spleen, and kidneys; liver, gall bladder, intestines, and stomach; feces, urine, snot, and spit. Externally a leather bag, filled inside with foul filth, there was nothing admirable. Forcibly perfumed with incense and adorned with flowered silks, they were like borrowed items that must be returned, unable to last long. Half of a hundred-year lifespan is spent sleeping away; and with so much sorrow and distress, there is very little joy. How can people of the world constantly behold this without awakening, and instead harbor covetous lust toward it? The Puyao jing says: At that time, the Bodhisattva observed the courtesans at night; their hundred joints were hollow inside, like plantain trees, with snot and tears, and instruments scattered helter-skelter. Looking at his wife, he saw her body in full: brain, marrow, skull, heart, lungs, intestines, and stomach—externally a leather bag containing foulness, like borrowed goods to be returned, unable to last long. In the three realms there is no refuge; only the Path can be relied upon. The gods of the desire realm stood in the air. The devaputra Dharmacārin addressed the Bodhisattva from afar: "The time has come! The Puṣya constellation has just appeared!" He immediately ordered Chandaka to arise and saddle Kaṇṭhaka. As soon as these words were uttered, the Four Heavenly Kings, together with countless yakṣas, nāgas, and spirits, all clad in armor, came from the four directions and bowed their heads before the Bodhisattva. The men and women of the city were all sound asleep from exhaustion; the peacocks and flocks of birds were also fast asleep from exhaustion. The Xiuxing benqi says: The devas all said, "The Crown Prince must depart, lest there be any delay." They summoned Wusuman (named the Sleep-Inducing Spirit), who immediately cast a spell of deep sleep throughout the palace and the realm, inside and out. [The Crown Prince thought:] "I must now train in the practices undertaken by all the past Buddhas, and swiftly depart far from this great mass of fire."