佛所行讚 2.5

2.5

the exquisite ornamentation of a seer, and was not fit for a hunter.

59. He immediately gave a shout before the hunter, and with soft words

said to him, “Concerning this garment, you look untainted by covetousness.

Let me trade my own clothing with you!”

60. The hunter said to the Crown Prince, “It is not the case that I do not

feel for this garment. I have used it as a decoy with deer, to lure and kill

them. But if it is what you need, I shall trade it with you now.”

61. When the hunter had received the fine garment, he returned to his

celestial body. When the Crown Prince and Chandaka saw this, they thought

that it was wonderful.

62. “This garment certainly is correct. It is surely not the clothing of a

worldling.” Their inner feelings greatly rejoiced and they doubled their rev-

erence for the garment.

63. [The Crown Prince] then separated from Chandaka, wearing his

kāṣāya garment. It was like an ochre cloud surrounding the disk of the sun

or moon.

64. With dignified and careful steps he entered a seer’s cave. As Chan-

daka’s gaze followed him, he disappeared and was not seen any more.

65. “My master has given up the king, his father, his retinue, and me

too. Wearing the kāṣāya garment he has entered the forest of asceticism.”

66. [Chandaka] raised his hands and called out to the gods. In low spir-

its he fell to the ground. He rose and clasped the neck of the white horse.

His hopes gone, he turned back on his way.

67. In his hesitation he frequently looked back. His body went [forward]

but his mind hurried back. He was lost in thought and was distracted; he

looked up and down, leaning over; he fell over and rose again. Sadly weep-

ing, he went on his way back.

Entry into the Forest of Asceticism

1. As the Crown Prince was about to enter the place of seers, having sent Chandaka away, his majestic person was radiant, shining all around in the forest of asceticism.

2. Being endowed with all that was meaningful, he complied with the meaningful and went there. He went like a lion, king of the animals, entering among a herd of beasts.

3. His common appearance was completely abandoned. He showed only the true appearance of the path. The anchorites unexpectedly saw the won-

der and they were discerning and pleasantly surprised. They held their palms together and stared straight at him.

4. Men and women gazed directly at him as they managed their affairs, without any change in their deportment. When the gods observe Lord Śakra they gaze at him without blinking, and the seers looked at him in the same way, not moving a foot.

5. As they managed their heavy burdens with their hands, they kept looking, not stopping their activities. Just like an ox in shaft and yoke, their bodies were bound but they relied on the mind. And the divine seers, full of application, all said they had never seen such a thing.

6. Flocks of birds, peacocks and others, soared and cried out in confused voices. Brahmans who kept the precepts of deer followed the deer and wandered into a mountain forest.

7. Deer glance about by nature, but seeing the Crown Prince they looked straight at him. The brahmans who were following the deer likewise looked directly at him.

8. The lamp of Ikṣvāku was twice as bright, like the first light of the sun. It caused the milk cows to give more sweet-scented milk.

9. The brahmans were pleasantly surprised and said to each other, “Is he the eighth Vasu god? Is he one of the two Aśvins?

10. “Is he the sixth King Māra? Is he a brahmakāyika god? Is he the

celestial son of the sun or of the moon who has descended here?

11. “In short, we should respect him! Let us hurry and strive to bring

worship!” The Crown Prince still remained humble. He respectfully declined

and made polite inquiries.

12. The Bodhisattva observed the brahmans all over the forest. They

were practicing all kinds of meritorious actions. They were all seeking for

the happiness of rebirth in heaven.

13. He asked elder brahmans about the true path he should practice. “I

have just now arrived here. I do not yet know which way to practice. Con-

sequently I beseech you to please give me your explanation!”

14. Then the twice-born consequently and in due order spoke about the

austerities they were practicing and about the fruition of their asceticism.

15. Some ate roots, stalks, and leaves, things that were not produced in

a village, or things that grew in clear water. Others ate flowers and fruits.

Several paths, each one different, and the food they consumed was not the

same either.

16. Some cultivated the life of birds. They pecked their food like two-

legged creatures. Some followed deer and ate herbs. Serpent-seers inhaled

the wind.

17. Some did not eat things that were pounded with wood or a stone.

Biting with two teeth, they made lesions. Some begged for their food and

gave it to others, accepting remnants as their own food.

18. Some constantly submerged their heads in water, and some wor-

shiped fire. Seers who practiced like fishes dwelled in water. Such were the

various kinds [of practices].

19. When a brahman practices asceticism, he is reborn in heaven when

his life has ended. Because of his asceticism he will obtain a pleasant fruition.

20. When the worthy one, the most honored one among two-legged

beings, heard about these austerities, he did not see their real meaningful-

ness and his inner feelings were not pleased. In his consideration he felt grief

for them. In his mind and verbally he said to them:

21. “Alas, for your great austerities! You seek only for recompense as

a human or god. As the wheel revolves, you turn to birth and death. The suf-

fering will be plentiful but the happiness little.

22. “When one disregards relatives, gives up excellent objects, and decides to seek celestial happiness, even if one may avoid some small suffering one will finally be bound by great suffering.

23. “You let your bodies wither and practice austerities, but while seeking to experience rebirth you increase the cause of the five desires. Because you do not contemplate birth and death, you seek suffering by means of suffering.

24. “All kinds of beings are constantly afraid of death in their heart. If you strenuously seek to experience rebirth, you will, being reborn, meet with death. Even though you may be afraid of suffering, you will be submersed in the sea of suffering for a long time.

25. “This life is utterly wearying, and in a future life one will not rest either. While you endure suffering, you seek happiness in the present but the search for rebirth in heaven is wearisome too. A mind that seeks happiness is inferior. In both cases one falls into meaninglessness.

26. “You give way to something utterly base. Exertion is excellent, but it is still better to develop knowledge. When one rejects both, one is forever unconditioned.

27. “If it is right to let the body suffer, happiness would be wrong. If one is happy after the practice of what is right, the result that relies on what is right is wrong.

28. “Origination and extinction in one’s corporal practice all come from

the mind’s strength. If it is without a mind, this body is like a dead log. Therefore, subdue the mind! If the mind is subdued, the body is naturally right.

29. “If eating something pure brings merit, then birds and animals and poor persons, who usually eat fruits and herbs, should thus be meritorious.

30. “If one says that austerities are the cause of merit when a fine mind has come into existence, why are the happy practices not produced by a fine mind? If happiness is not produced by a fine mind, that which is fine is not the cause of suffering either.

31. “If heretics consider water to be a purification, the evil actions of the beings that enjoy dwelling in water should constantly be pure.

32. “The place where a seer with fine basic qualities dwells is held in esteem by the wider world, because a seer with qualities is living there. One should honor the qualities! One should not hold the place in esteem!”

33. Thus [the Bodhisattva] gave an extensive explanation of what was

right, and eventually came the sunset. He saw that some were making offer-

ings to fire. Some were using friction or blowing [to make] a fire. Some were

sprinkling ghee, and some were chanting incantations with raised voices.

34. It was like that all night and day. He observed those practices, but

as he did not see their real meaningfulness, he then wanted to reject them.

35. The brahmans then all came and invited him to stay. They had regard

for the Bodhisattva’s qualities and fondly and diligently urged him:

36. “You have come from a place of the wrong law to the forest of the

Right Law, yet you want to abandon it. So we urge you to stay!”

37. The elder brahmans had disheveled hair and wore garments of veg-

etation. As they followed behind the Bodhisattva, they beseeched him to pay

attention for a while.

38. When the Bodhisattva saw that the elder ones were pursuing him

and they were physically tired, he stopped underneath a tree, comforted them,

and sent them on their way back. The brahmans, young and old, surrounded

him, held their palms together, and beseeched him:

39. “You came here unexpectedly, and the grove was filled in a fine

way, but now you abandon us and go away. It will consequently become a

wilderness.

40. “Just as someone who loves life does not want to give up his body,

we are like that too. Please, stay for a while!

41. “The brahman seers here, royal seers and celestial seers, all rely on

this place. It is furthermore near the edge of the Snowy Mountains. No place

surpasses this to increase one’s asceticism.

42. “Many anchorites were reborn in heaven along this way. All

anchorites, seeking merit, have turned to the north from here. Having received

the Right Law, the wise do not go south.

43. “If you believe that we are lazy and not vigorous, and practice

unpleasant ways, and if you do not want to stay, we should all go away, but

you may stay here.

44. “These brahmans are always seeking for a companion in asceticism.

If you are excellent in asceticism, why would you abandon them?

45. “If you can stay here, they will serve you as Lord Śakra, and as the

gods serve Bṛhaspati.”

46. The Bodhisattva explained to the brahmans what he himself wished for in his heart. “By developing right application, I want only to extinguish all existence.

47. “Your intentions are upright, and in your practice of the Law you were tranquil and silent. You are kind to a visitor and I am really happy in my heart.

48. “Beautiful words may move one’s heart. They bathe all who hear them. Upon hearing your words, they increase my feeling of happiness with the Law.

49. “You have all turned to me, thinking that I am your good friend of the Law. But abandoning you now, I feel very sorry.

50. “Previously I disregarded my own relatives, and now I am separating from you. The suffering of uniting and separating—that suffering is equal and without any difference. It is not the case that my heart is not happy. And I do not see any other error either, but the fact is that

51. “In your asceticism you all seek only the happiness of rebirth in heaven. I seek to extinguish the three existences, rejecting [physical] form and contrary to the mind’s [normal tendencies].

52. “As for the Law you are practicing, you yourselves practice the actions of your former teachers. I will extinguish all accumulation in my