法苑珠林 9.22

9.22

As the Auspicious Response Sūtra says: When the Prince was first born, the Great King immediately deployed the fourfold army and entered the garden together with his ministers. Seeing such marvelous omens of the Prince, he was at once joyful and fearful. Folding his hands, he paid homage to the heavenly deities. Stepping forward, he took the Prince in his arms, placed him upon an elephant carriage made of the seven treasures, and together with his ministers and court ladies, accompanied by the devas making music, entered the city. Because the King did not yet know the Three Jewels, he took the Prince to the deva temple. When the Prince entered, the statues of the Brahmā devas all rose from their seats and bowed to the Prince's feet, saying to the King: “Great King, you should know that this Prince is the most revered among devas and humans; the deities in the sky all pay homage to him. Does the Great King not see such signs? How could you have him come here to bow to us?” King Śuddhodana and his ministers marvelled at this unprecedented event. They immediately took the Prince out of the deva temple and returned to the inner palace. The Lalitavistara says: When the Prince reached the temple, he spoke a verse: