法苑珠林 10.92

10.92

Furthermore, the Ruiying jing states: When the prince reached the age of fourteen, he asked the king's permission to go on an excursion. The Yinguo jing states: There was the son of a brāhmaṇa named Udāyin, clever and wise. The king ordered him to be a friend to the prince, saying: "You must persuade him not to leave home." Complying with the royal decree, he went to the prince's presence and spoke these words: "The king has ordered me to be a friend to the prince. There are three essential principles in friendship: first, whenever there is a fault, to admonish and instruct each other; second, seeing good deeds, to deeply rejoice in them; third, when in distress and difficulty, not to abandon each other. Now I offer sincere words, praying that I will not be blamed. The kings of ancient times all enjoyed the five desires and only afterwards left home. Why does the prince repeatedly abandon them?" The prince answered: "None of those kings escaped suffering; therefore, I am not like them."