Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 06: The Three Woes"

Latest revision as of 18:23, 31 December 2013

The palace which the king had given to the prince
was resplendent with all the luxuries of India;
for the king was anxious to see his son happy. [1]

All sorrowful sights, all misery,
and all knowledge of misery were kept away from Siddhattha,
for the king desired that no troubles should come nigh him;
he should not know that there was evil in the world. [2]

But as the chained elephant longs for the wilds of the jungles,
so the prince was eager to see the world,
and he asked his father, the king,
for permission to do so. [3]

And Suddhodana ordered a jewel-fronted chariot with four stately horses to be held ready,
and commanded the roads to be adorned where his son would pass. [4]

The houses of the city were decorated with curtains and banners,
and spectators arranged themselves on either side,
eagerly gazing at the heir to the throne.
Thus Siddhattha rode with Channa, his charioteer,
through the streets of the city,
and into a country watered by rivulets and covered with pleasant trees. [5]

There by the wayside they met an old man with bent frame,
wrinkled face and sorrowful brow, and the prince asked the charioteer:
"Who is this?
His head is white,
his eyes are bleared,
and his body is withered.
He can barely support himself on his staff." [6]

The charioteer, much embarrassed, hardly dared speak the truth.
He said: "These are the symptoms of old age.
This same man was once a suckling child,
and as a youth full of sportive life;
but now, as years have passed away,
his beauty is gone and the strength of his life is wasted." [7]

Siddhattha was greatly affected by the words of the charioteer,
and he sighed because of the pain of old age.
"What joy or pleasure can men take," he thought to himself,
"when they know they must soon wither and pine away!" [8]

And lo! while they were passing on,
a sick man appeared on the way-side, gasping for breath,
his body disfigured, convulsed and groaning with pain. [9]

The prince asked his charioteer:
"What kind of man is this?"
And the charioteer replied and said: "This man is sick.
The four elements of his body are confused and out of order.
We are all subject to such conditions:
the poor and the rich, the ignorant and the wise,
all creatures that have bodies, are liable to the same calamity." [10]

And Siddhattha was still more moved.
All pleasures appeared stale to him,
and he loathed the joys of life. [11]

The charioteer sped the horses on to escape the dreary sight,
when suddenly they were stopped in their fiery course. [12]

Four persons passed by, carrying a corpse;
and the prince, shuddering at the sight of a lifeless body,
asked the charioteer: "What is this they carry?
There are streamers and flower garlands;
but the men that follow are overwhelmed with grief!" [13]

The charioteer replied:
"This is a dead man:
his body is stark;
his life is gone;
his thoughts are still;
his family and the friends who loved him
now carry the corpse to the grave." [14]

And the prince was full of awe and terror:
"Is this the only dead man," he asked,
"or does the world contain other instances?" [15]

With a heavy heart the charioteer replied:
"All over the world it is the same.
He who begins life must end it.
There is no escape from death." [16]

With bated breath and stammering accents the prince exclaimed:
"O worldly men! How fatal is your delusion!
Inevitable your body will crumble to dust,
yet carelessly, unheedingly, ye live on." [17]

The charioteer observing the deep impression
these sad sights had made on the prince,
turned his horses and drove back to the city. [18]

When they passes by the palaces of the nobility,
Kisa Gotami, a young princess and niece of the king,
saw Siddhattha in his manliness and beauty, and,
observing the thoughtfulness of his countenance, said:
"Happy the father that begot thee,
happy the mother that nursed thee,
happy the wife that calls husband this lord so glorious." [19]

The prince hearing this greeting, said:
"Happy are they that have found deliverance.
Longing for peace of mind,
I shall seek the bliss of Nirvana." [20]

Then asked Kisa Gotami: "How is Nirvana attained?"
The prince paused,
and to him whose mind was estranged from wrong the answer came:
"When the fire of lust is gone out, then Nirvana is gained;
when the fires of hatred and delusion are gone out, then Nirvana is gained;
when the troubles of mind, arising from blind credulity,
and all other evils have ceased, then Nirvana is gained!"
Siddhattha handed her his precious pearl necklace
as a reward for the instruction she had given him,
and having returned home looked with disdain
upon the treasures of his palace. [21]

His wife welcomed him and entreated him to tell her the cause of his grief.
He said: "I see everywhere the impression of change;
therefore, my heart is heavy.
Men grow old, sicken, and die.
That is enough to take away the zest of life." [22]

The king, his father, hearing that the prince had become estranged from pleasure,
was greatly overcome with sorrow and like a sword it pierced his heart. [23]

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Source

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{DisplayImages|986|1195|1348|2115|1424|546|143|201|594|374|1151|1635|1513|1502|390|269|888}}
+{{DisplayImages|986|1195|1348|2115|1424|546|143|201|594|374|1151|1635|1513|1502}}
-The palace which the king had given to the prince<br/>
+The palace which the [[king]] had given to the {{Wiki|prince}}<br/>
-was resplendent with all the luxuries of India;<br/>
+was resplendent with all the luxuries of [[India]];<br/>
-for the king was anxious to see his son happy. [1]<br/>
+for the [[king]] was anxious to see his son [[happy]]. [1]<br/>
 <br/>
-All sorrowful sights, all misery,<br/>
+All [[sorrowful]] sights, all [[misery]],<br/>
-and all knowledge of misery were kept away from Siddhattha,<br/>
+and all [[knowledge]] of [[misery]] were kept away from [[Siddhattha]],<br/>
-for the king desired that no troubles should come nigh him;<br/>
+for the [[king]] [[desired]] that no troubles should come nigh him;<br/>
-he should not know that there was evil in the world. [2]<br/>
+he should not know that there was [[evil]] in the [[world]]. [2]<br/>
 <br/>
-But as the chained elephant longs for the wilds of the jungles,<br/>
+But as the chained [[elephant]] longs for the wilds of the jungles,<br/>
-so the prince was eager to see the world,<br/>
+so the {{Wiki|prince}} was eager to see the [[world]],<br/>
-and he asked his father, the king,<br/>
+and he asked his father, the [[king]],<br/>
 for permission to do so. [3]<br/>
 <br/>
-And Suddhodana ordered a jewel-fronted chariot with four stately horses to be held ready,<br/>
+And [[Suddhodana]] ordered a jewel-fronted chariot with four stately [[horses]] to be held ready,<br/>
 and commanded the roads to be adorned where his son would pass. [4]<br/>
 <br/>
 The houses of the city were decorated with curtains and banners,<br/>
 and spectators arranged themselves on either side,<br/>
-eagerly gazing at the heir to the throne.<br/>
+eagerly gazing at the heir to the [[throne]].<br/>
-Thus Siddhattha rode with Channa, his charioteer,<br/>
+Thus [[Siddhattha]] rode with [[Channa]], his charioteer,<br/>
 through the streets of the city,<br/>
-and into a country watered by rivulets and covered with pleasant trees. [5]<br/>
+and into a country watered by rivulets and covered with [[pleasant]] [[trees]]. [5]<br/>
 <br/>
 There by the wayside they met an old man with bent frame,<br/>
-wrinkled face and sorrowful brow, and the prince asked the charioteer:<br/>
+wrinkled face and [[sorrowful]] brow, and the {{Wiki|prince}} asked the charioteer:<br/>
 "Who is this?<br/>
 His head is white,<br/>
-his eyes are bleared,<br/>
+his [[eyes]] are bleared,<br/>
-and his body is withered.<br/>
+and his [[body]] is withered.<br/>
-He can barely support himself on his staff." [6]<br/>
+He can barely support himself on his [[staff]]." [6]<br/>
 <br/>
-The charioteer, much embarrassed, hardly dared speak the truth.<br/>
+The charioteer, much embarrassed, hardly dared speak the [[truth]].<br/>
-He said: "These are the symptoms of old age.<br/>
+He said: "These are the symptoms of [[old age]].<br/>
 This same man was once a suckling child,<br/>
-and as a youth full of sportive life;<br/>
+and as a youth full of sportive [[life]];<br/>
 but now, as years have passed away,<br/>
-his beauty is gone and the strength of his life is wasted." [7]<br/>
+his [[beauty]] is gone and the strength of his [[life]] is wasted." [7]<br/>
 <br/>
-Siddhattha was greatly affected by the words of the charioteer,<br/>
+[[Siddhattha]] was greatly affected by the words of the charioteer,<br/>
-and he sighed because of the pain of old age.<br/>
+and he sighed because of the [[pain]] of [[old age]].<br/>
-"What joy or pleasure can men take," he thought to himself,<br/>
+"What [[joy]] or [[pleasure]] can men take," he [[thought]] to himself,<br/>
 "when they know they must soon wither and pine away!" [8]<br/>
 <br/>
 And lo! while they were passing on,<br/>
-a sick man appeared on the way-side, gasping for breath,<br/>
+a sick man appeared on the way-side, gasping for [[breath]],<br/>
-his body disfigured, convulsed and groaning with pain. [9]<br/>
+his [[body]] disfigured, convulsed and groaning with [[pain]]. [9]<br/>
 <br/>
-The prince asked his charioteer:<br/>
+The {{Wiki|prince}} asked his charioteer:<br/>
 "What kind of man is this?"<br/>
 And the charioteer replied and said: "This man is sick.<br/>
-The four elements of his body are confused and out of order.<br/>
+The [[four elements]] of his [[body]] are confused and out of order.<br/>
-We are all subject to such conditions:<br/>
+We are all [[subject]] to such [[conditions]]:<br/>
-the poor and the rich, the ignorant and the wise,<br/>
+the poor and the rich, the [[ignorant]] and the [[wise]],<br/>
-all creatures that have bodies, are liable to the same calamity." [10]<br/>
+all creatures that have [[bodies]], are liable to the same calamity." [10]<br/>
 <br/>
-And Siddhattha was still more moved.<br/>
+And [[Siddhattha]] was still more moved.<br/>
-All pleasures appeared stale to him,<br/>
+All [[pleasures]] appeared stale to him,<br/>
-and he loathed the joys of life. [11]<br/>
+and he loathed the joys of [[life]]. [11]<br/>
 <br/>
-The charioteer sped the horses on to escape the dreary sight,<br/>
+The charioteer sped the [[horses]] on to escape the dreary [[sight]],<br/>
 when suddenly they were stopped in their fiery course. [12]<br/>
 <br/>
 Four persons passed by, carrying a corpse;<br/>
-and the prince, shuddering at the sight of a lifeless body,<br/>
+and the {{Wiki|prince}}, shuddering at the [[sight]] of a lifeless [[body]],<br/>
 asked the charioteer: "What is this they carry?<br/>
-There are streamers and flower garlands;<br/>
+There are streamers and [[flower]] garlands;<br/>
-but the men that follow are overwhelmed with grief!" [13]<br/>
+but the men that follow are overwhelmed with [[grief]]!" [13]<br/>
 <br/>
 The charioteer replied:<br/>
-"This is a dead man:<br/>
+"This is a [[dead]] man:<br/>
-his body is stark;<br/>
+his [[body]] is stark;<br/>
-his life is gone;<br/>
+his [[life]] is gone;<br/>
-his thoughts are still;<br/>
+his [[thoughts]] are still;<br/>
 his family and the friends who loved him<br/>
 now carry the corpse to the grave." [14]<br/>
 <br/>
-And the prince was full of awe and terror:<br/>
+And the {{Wiki|prince}} was full of awe and terror:<br/>
-"Is this the only dead man," he asked,<br/>
+"Is this the only [[dead]] man," he asked,<br/>
-"or does the world contain other instances?" [15]<br/>
+"or does the [[world]] contain other instances?" [15]<br/>
 <br/>
-With a heavy heart the charioteer replied:<br/>
+With a heavy [[heart]] the charioteer replied:<br/>
-"All over the world it is the same.<br/>
+"All over the [[world]] it is the same.<br/>
-He who begins life must end it.<br/>
+He who begins [[life]] must end it.<br/>
-There is no escape from death." [16]<br/>
+There is no escape from [[death]]." [16]<br/>
 <br/>
-With bated breath and stammering accents the prince exclaimed:<br/>
+With bated [[breath]] and stammering accents the {{Wiki|prince}} exclaimed:<br/>
-"O worldly men! How fatal is your delusion!<br/>
+"O [[worldly]] men! How fatal is your [[delusion]]!<br/>
-Inevitable your body will crumble to dust,<br/>
+Inevitable your [[body]] will crumble to dust,<br/>
 yet carelessly, unheedingly, ye live on." [17]<br/>
 <br/>
-The charioteer observing the deep impression<br/>
+The charioteer observing the deep [[impression]]<br/>
-these sad sights had made on the prince,<br/>
+these [[sad]] sights had made on the {{Wiki|prince}},<br/>
-turned his horses and drove back to the city. [18]<br/>
+turned his [[horses]] and drove back to the city. [18]<br/>
 <br/>
-When they passes by the palaces of the nobility,<br/>
+When they passes by the {{Wiki|palaces}} of the [[nobility]],<br/>
-Kisa Gotami, a young princess and niece of the king,<br/>
+[[Kisa Gotami]], a young {{Wiki|princess}} and niece of the [[king]],<br/>
-saw Siddhattha in his manliness and beauty, and,<br/>
+saw [[Siddhattha]] in his manliness and [[beauty]], and,<br/>
 observing the thoughtfulness of his countenance, said:<br/>
-"Happy the father that begot thee,<br/>
+"[[Happy]] the father that begot thee,<br/>
-happy the mother that nursed thee,<br/>
+[[happy]] the mother that nursed thee,<br/>
-happy the wife that calls husband this lord so glorious." [19]<br/>
+[[happy]] the wife that calls husband this [[lord]] so glorious." [19]<br/>
 <br/>
-The prince hearing this greeting, said:<br/>
+The {{Wiki|prince}} hearing this greeting, said:<br/>
-"Happy are they that have found deliverance.<br/>
+"[[Happy]] are they that have found [[deliverance]].<br/>
-Longing for peace of mind,<br/>
+Longing for [[peace]] of [[mind]],<br/>
-I shall seek the bliss of Nirvana." [20]<br/>
+I shall seek the [[bliss]] of [[Nirvana]]." [20]<br/>
 <br/>
-Then asked Kisa Gotami: "How is Nirvana attained?"<br/>
+Then asked [[Kisa Gotami]]: "How is [[Nirvana]] attained?"<br/>
-The prince paused,<br/>
+The {{Wiki|prince}} paused,<br/>
-and to him whose mind was estranged from wrong the answer came:<br/>
+and to him whose [[mind]] was estranged from wrong the answer came:<br/>
-"When the fire of lust is gone out, then Nirvana is gained;<br/>
+"When the [[fire]] of [[lust]] is gone out, then [[Nirvana]] is gained;<br/>
-when the fires of hatred and delusion are gone out, then Nirvana is gained;<br/>
+when the fires of [[hatred]] and [[delusion]] are gone out, then [[Nirvana]] is gained;<br/>
-when the troubles of mind, arising from blind credulity,<br/>
+when the troubles of [[mind]], [[arising]] from blind credulity,<br/>
-and all other evils have ceased, then Nirvana is gained!"<br/>
+and all other [[evils]] have ceased, then [[Nirvana]] is gained!"<br/>
-Siddhattha handed her his precious pearl necklace<br/>
+[[Siddhattha]] handed her his [[precious]] {{Wiki|pearl}} necklace<br/>
 as a reward for the instruction she had given him,<br/>
 and having returned home looked with disdain<br/>
-upon the treasures of his palace. [21]<br/>
+upon the [[treasures]] of his palace. [21]<br/>
 <br/>
-His wife welcomed him and entreated him to tell her the cause of his grief.<br/>
+His wife welcomed him and entreated him to tell her the [[cause]] of his [[grief]].<br/>
-He said: "I see everywhere the impression of change;<br/>
+He said: "I see everywhere the [[impression]] of change;<br/>
-therefore, my heart is heavy.<br/>
+therefore, my [[heart]] is heavy.<br/>
-Men grow old, sicken, and die.<br/>
+Men grow old, sicken, and [[die]].<br/>
-That is enough to take away the zest of life." [22]<br/>
+That is enough to take away the zest of [[life]]." [22]<br/>
 <br/>
-The king, his father, hearing that the prince had become estranged from pleasure,<br/>
+The [[king]], his father, hearing that the {{Wiki|prince}} had become estranged from [[pleasure]],<br/>
-was greatly overcome with sorrow and like a sword it pierced his heart. [23]<br/>
+was greatly overcome with [[sorrow]] and like a sword it pierced his [[heart]]. [23]<br/>
 {{The Gospel of Buddha}}

Difference between revisions of "The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 06: The Three Woes"

Latest revision as of 18:23, 31 December 2013

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