法苑珠林 10.13

10.13

王復語釋種言。汝等當觀。誰女堪與太子為妃。爾時五百釋種各各唱言。我女堪為作妃。王復籌量。忽取他女。說不稱可則成違負。若語太子終不可道。復更思惟。可以雜寶作無憂器持與太子令施諸女。密使觀察。看太子眼目瞻矚在誰。即娉作妃。王即於迦毘城振鐸唱言。從今已去至七日來。我太子欲見諸釋女施與一切雜寶種種玩弄無憂之器爾時一切諸女莊嚴其身。來集宮門欲見太子。以太子威德大故。不敢正看。但取寶器。各各低頭速疾而過。寶器盡已。最後一女。波私吒族釋種大臣摩訶那摩。其女名為耶輸陀羅。前後侍從圍繞而來。遙見太子駊峨注睛。徐舉雅步。瞻觀直眄目不斜窺。漸進前趨來迎太子。如舊相識曾無愧顏。即白太子。可與我寶。太子報言。汝來既遲皆悉施盡。女復白言。我有何過。汝令欺我不與寶器。太子答言。我不欺汝。但汝不及。是時大指邊有一所著印環。價直百千。從指脫與。耶輸白言。我於汝邊可止直爾許物耶。太子報言。我之所著自餘瓔珞任意所取。女復白言。我今豈可剝脫太子。止可莊嚴太子。作此語已。心不歡喜。即迴還去。

The King again spoke to the Śākyas: 'You should look to see whose daughter is worthy to be the consort for the Prince.' At that time, five hundred Śākyas each proclaimed: 'My daughter is worthy to be the consort.' The King considered again: 'If I abruptly take someone else's daughter and she is said to be unsatisfactory, it will become a breach of promise. If I ask the Prince, he will certainly never speak of it.' He thought further: 'I can have diverse jewels fashioned into vessels of freedom from sorrow, give them to the Prince, and have him bestow them upon the maidens. I will secretly send someone to observe and see upon whom the Prince's eyes gaze, and then betroth her as consort.' The King then rang a bell and proclaimed in Kapilavastu: 'From now until seven days hence, my Prince wishes to see all the Śākya maidens and bestow upon them all diverse jewels and various plaything vessels of freedom from sorrow.' At that time, all the maidens adorned their bodies and assembled at the palace gate wishing to see the Prince. Because the Prince's majesty and virtue were so great, they dared not look at him directly; they merely took the jewel vessels, and each bowed her head and passed by quickly. When the jewel vessels were exhausted, the very last maiden, the daughter of the Śākya minister Mahānāma of the Vāsiṣṭha clan, named Yaśodharā, came surrounded by attendants before and behind. Seeing the Prince from afar, she held her head high and fixed her gaze, advancing slowly with graceful steps, gazing straight ahead without looking sideways. Advancing gradually, she came forward to meet the Prince like an old acquaintance, without the slightest shame on her face. She then said to the Prince: 'You may give me jewels.' The Prince replied: 'Since you came late, they have all been given away.' The maiden spoke again: 'What fault have I, that you cheat me and do not give me a jewel vessel?' The Prince replied: 'I do not cheat you; it is merely that you were too late.' At that time, beside his thumb he wore a signet ring valued at a hundred thousand; he took it from his finger and gave it to her. Yaśo said: 'Can it be that before you, I am worth only this much?' The Prince replied: 'Take whatever you wish from the other necklaces and ornaments that I wear.' The maiden spoke again: 'How could I now strip the Prince? I should only adorn the Prince.' Having spoken these words, she was displeased in her heart, and immediately turned and departed.