,,the ,,light ,,of ,,asia ,by ,sir ,edwin ,arnold ,this volume is dutifully inscribed to the ,sovereign1 ,grand ,master1 and ,companions of ,the ,most ,exalted ,order of the ,star of ,india by ,the ,author4 ,book ,the ,first ,the ,scripture of the ,saviour of the ,world1 ,lord ,buddha--,prince ,siddartha styled on earth ,in ,earth and ,heavens and ,hells ,incomparable1 ,all-honoured1 ,wisest1 ,best1 most ,pitiful2 ,the ,teacher of ,nirvana and the ,law4 ,then came he to be born again for men4 ,below the highest sphere four ,regents sit ,who rule our world1 and under them are zones ,nearer1 but high1 where saintliest spirits dead ,wait thrice ten thousand years1 then live again2 ,and on ,lord ,buddha1 waiting in that sky1 ,came for our sakes the five sure signs of birth ,so that the ,devas knew the signs1 and said ,buddha will go again to help the ,world4 ,yea6 spake ,he1 now ,i go to help the ,world4 ,this last of many times2 for birth and death ,end hence for me and those who learn my ,law4 ,i will go down among the ,sakyas1 ,under the southward snows of ,himalay1 ,where pious people live and a just ,king4 ,that night the wife of ,king ,suddhodana1 ,maya the ,queen1 asleep beside her ,lord1 ,dreamed a strange dream2 dreamed that a star from heaven-- ,splendid1 six-rayed1 in colour rosy-pearl1 ,whereof the token was an ,elephant ,six-tusked and whiter than ,vahuka's milk-- ,shot through the void and1 shining into her1 ,entered her womb upon the right4 ,awaked1 ,bliss beyond mortal mother's filled her breast1 ,and over half the earth a lovely light ,forewent the morn4 ,the strong hills shook2 the waves ,sank lulled2 all flowers that blow by day came forth ,as 't were high noon2 down to the farthest hells ,passed the ,queen's joy1 as when warm sunshine thrills ,wood-glooms to gold1 and into all the deeps ,a tender whisper pierced4 ,oh ye1 it said1 ,the dead that are to live1 the live who die1 ,uprise1 and hear1 and hope6 ,buddha is come6 ,whereat in ,limbos numberless much peace ,spread1 and the world's heart throbbed1 and a wind blew ,with unknown freshness over lands and seas4 ,and when the morning dawned1 and this was told1 ,the grey dream-readers said ,the dream is good6 ,the ,crab is in conjunction with the ,sun2 ,the ,queen shall bear a boy1 a holy child ,of wondrous wisdom1 profiting all flesh1 ,who shall deliver men from ignorance1 ,or rule the world1 if he will deign to rule4 ,in this wise was the holy ,buddha born4 ,queen ,maya stood at noon1 her days fulfilled1 ,under a ,palsa in the ,palace-grounds1 ,a stately trunk1 straight as a temple-shaft1 ,with crown of glossy leaves and fragrant blooms2 ,and1 knowing the time some--for all things knew-- ,the conscious tree bent down its boughs to make ,a bower above ,queen ,maya's majesty1 ,and ,earth put forth a thousand sudden flowers ,to spread a couch1 while1 ready for the bath1 ,the rock hard by gave out a limpid stream ,of crystal flow4 ,so brought she forth her child ,pangless--he having on his perfect form ,the marks1 thirty and two1 of blessed birth2 ,of which the great news to the ,palace came4 ,but when they brought the painted palanquin ,to fetch him home1 the bearers of the poles ,were the four ,regents of the ,earth1 come down ,from ,mount ,sumeru--they who write men's deeds ,on brazen plates--the ,angel of the ,east1 ,whose hosts are clad in silver robes1 and bear ,targets of pearl3 the ,angel of the ,south1 ,whose horsemen1 the ,kumbhandas1 ride blue steeds1 ,with sapphire shields3 the ,angel of the ,west1 ,by ,nagas followed1 riding steeds blood-red1 ,with coral shields3 the ,angel of the ,north1 ,environed by his ,yakshas1 all in gold1 ,on yellow horses1 bearing shields of gold4 ,these1 with their pomp invisible1 came down ,and took the poles1 in caste and outward garb ,like bearers1 yet most mighty gods2 and gods ,walked free with men that day1 though men knew not ,for ,heaven was filled with gladness for ,earth's sake1 ,knowing ,lord ,buddha thus was come again4 ,but ,king ,suddhodana wist not of this2 ,the portents troubled1 till his dream-readers ,augured a ,prince of earthly dominance1 ,a ,chakravartin1 such as rise to rule ,once in each thousand years2 seven gifts he has ,the ,chakra-ratna1 disc divine2 the gem2 ,the horse1 the ,aswa-ratna1 that proud steed ,which tramps the clouds2 a snow-white elephant1 ,the ,hasti-ratna1 born to bear his ,king2 ,the crafty ,minister1 the ,general ,unconquered1 and the wife of peerless grace1 ,the ,istri-ratna1 lovelier than the ,dawn4 ,for which gifts looking with this wondrous boy1 ,the ,king gave order that his town should keep ,high festival2 therefore the ways were swept1 ,rose-odours sprinkled in the street1 the trees ,were hung with lamps and flags1 while merry crowds ,gaped on the sword-players and posturers1 ,the jugglers1 charmers1 swingers1 rope-walkers1 ,the nautch-girls in their spangled skirts and bells ,that chime light laughter round their restless feet2 ,the masquers wrapped in skins of bear and deer4 ,the tiger-tamers1 wrestlers1 quail-fighters1 ,beaters of drum and twanglers of the wire1 ,who made the people happy by command4 ,moreover from afar came merchant-men1 ,bringing1 on tidings of this birth1 rich gifts ,in golden trays2 goat-shawls1 and nard and jade1 ,turkises1 evening-sky tint1 woven webs-- ,so fine twelve folds hide not a modest face-- ,waist-cloths sewn thick with pearls1 and sandalwood2 ,homage from tribute cities2 so they called ,their ,prince ,svarthasiddh1 ,all-,prospering1 ,briefer1 ,siddartha4 ',mongst the strangers came ,a grey-haired saint1 ,asita1 one whose ears1 ,long closed to earthly things1 caught heavenly sounds1 ,and heard at prayer beneath his peepul-tree ,the ,devas singing songs at ,buddha's birth4 ,wondrous in lore he was by age and fasts2 ,him1 drawing nigh1 seeming so reverend1 ,the ,king saluted1 and ,queen ,maya made ,to lay her babe before such holy feet2 ,but when he saw the ,prince the old man cried ,ah1 ,queen1 not so6 and thereupon he touched ,eight times the dust1 laid his waste visage there1 ,saying1 ,o ,babe6 ,i worship6 ,thou art ,he6 ,i see the rosy light1 the foot-sole marks1 ,the soft curled tendril of the ,swastika1 ,the sacred primal signs thirty and two1 ,the eighty lesser tokens4 ,thou art ,buddh1 ,and thou wilt preach the ,law and save all flesh ,who learn the ,law1 though ,i shall never hear1 ,dying too soon1 who lately longed to die2 ,howbeit ,i have seen ,thee4 ,know1 ,o ,king6 ,this is that ,blossom on our human tree ,which opens once in many myriad years-- ,but opened1 fills the world with ,wisdom's scent ,and ,love's dropped honey2 from thy royal root ,a ,heavenly ,lotus springs3 ,ah1 happy ,house6 ,yet not all-happy1 for a sword must pierce ,thy bowels for this boy--whilst thou1 sweet ,queen6 ,dear to all gods and men for this great birth1 ,henceforth art grown too sacred for more woe1 ,and life is woe1 therefore in seven days ,painless thou shalt attain the close of pain4 ,which fell3 for on the seventh evening ,queen ,maya smiling slept1 and waked no more1 ,passing content to ,trayastrinshas-,heaven1 ,where countless ,devas worship her and wait ,attendant on that radiant ,motherhead4 ,but for the ,babe they found a foster-nurse1 ,princess ,mahaprajapati--her breast ,nourished with noble milk the lips of ,him ,whose lips comfort the ,worlds4 ,when th' eighth year passed ,the careful ,king bethought to teach his son ,all that a ,prince should learn1 for still he shunned ,the too vast presage of those miracles1 ,the glories and the sufferings of a ,buddh4 ,so1 in full council of his ,ministers1 ,who is the wisest man1 great sirs1 he asked1 ,to teach my ,prince that which a ,prince should know8 ,whereto gave answer each with instant voice ,king6 ,viswamitra is the wisest one1 ,the farthest-seen in ,scriptures1 and the best ,in learning1 and the manual arts1 and all4 ,thus ,viswamitra came and heard commands2 ,and1 on a day found fortunate1 the ,prince ,took up his slate of ox-red sandal-wood1 ,all-beautified by gems around the rim1 ,and sprinkled smooth with dust of emery1 ,these took he1 and his writing-stick1 and stood ,with eyes bent down before the ,sage1 who said1 ,child1 write this ,scripture1 speaking slow the verse ',gayatri' named1 which only ,high-born hear3-- ,om1 tatsaviturvarenyam ,bhargo devasya dhimahi ,dhiyo yo na prachodayat4 ,acharya1 ,i write1 meekly replied ,the ,prince1 and quickly on the dust he drew-- ,not in one script1 but many characters ,the sacred verse2 ,nagri and ,dakshin1 ,ni1 ,mangal1 ,parusha1 ,yava1 ,tirthi1 ,uk1 ,darad1 ,sikhyani1 ,mana1 ,madhyachar1 ,the pictured writings and the speech of signs1 ,tokens of cave-men and the sea-peoples1 ,of those who worship snakes beneath the earth1 ,and those who flame adore and the sun's orb1 ,the ,magians and the dwellers on the mounds2 ,of all the nations all strange scripts he traced ,one after other with his writing-stick4 ,reading the master's verse in every tongue2 ,and ,viswamitra said1 ,it is enough1 ,let us to numbers4 ,after me repeat ,your numeration till we reach the ,lakh1 ,one1 two1 three1 four1 to ten1 and then by tens ,to hundreds1 thousands4 ,after him the child ,named digits1 decads1 centuries2 nor paused1 ,the round ,lakh reached1 but softly murmured on ,then comes the koti1 nahut1 ninnahut1 ,khamba1 viskhamba1 abab1 attata1 ,to kumuds1 gundhikas1 and utpalas1 ,by pundarikas unto padumas1 ,which last is how you count the utmost grains ,of ,hastagiri ground to finest dust2 ,but beyond that a numeration is1 ,the ,katha1 used to count the stars of night2 ,the ,koti-,katha1 for the ocean drops2 ,ingga1 the calculus of circulars2 ,sarvanikchepa1 by the which you deal ,with all the sands of ,gunga1 till we come ,to ,antah-,kalpas1 where the unit is ,the sands of ten crore ,gungas4 ,if one seeks ,more comprehensive scale1 th' arithmic mounts ,by the ,asankya1 which is the tale ,of all the drops that in ten thousand years ,would fall on all the worlds by daily rain2 ,thence unto ,maha ,kalpas1 by the which ,the ,gods compute their future and their past4 ',tis good1 the ,sage rejoined1 ,most noble ,prince1 ,if these thou know'st1 needs it that ,i should teach ,the mensuration of the lineal8 ,humbly the boy replied1 ,acharya6 ,be pleased to hear me4 ,paramanus ten ,a parasukshma make2 ten of those build ,the trasarene1 and seven trasarenes ,one mote's-length floating in the beam1 seven motes ,the whisker-point of mouse1 and ten of these ,one likhya2 likhyas ten a yuka1 ten ,yukas a heart of barley1 which is held ,seven times a wasp-waist2 so unto the grain ,of mung and mustard and the barley-corn1 ,whereof ten give the finger joint1 twelve joints ,the span1 wherefrom we reach the cubit1 staff1 ,bow-length1 lance-length2 while twenty lengths of lance ,mete what is named a 'breath1' which is to say ,such space as man may stride with lungs once filled1 ,whereof a gow is forty1 four times that ,a yojana2 and1 ,master6 if it please1 ,i shall recite how many sun-motes lie ,from end to end within a yojana4 ,thereat1 with instant skill1 the little ,prince ,pronounced the total of the atoms true4 ,but ,viswamitra heard it on his face ,prostrate before the boy2 ,for thou1 he cried1 ,art ,teacher of thy teachers--thou1 not ,i1 ,art ,guru4 ,oh1 ,i worship thee1 sweet ,prince6 ,that comest to my school only to show ,thou knowest all without the books1 and know'st ,fair reverence besides4 ,which reverence ,lord ,buddha kept to all his schoolmasters1 ,albeit beyond their learning taught2 in speech ,right gentle1 yet so wise2 princely of mien1 ,yet softly-mannered2 modest1 deferent1 ,and tender-hearted1 though of fearless blood2 ,no bolder horseman in the youthful band ,e'er rode in gay chase of the shy gazelles2 ,no keener driver of the chariot ,in mimic contest scoured the ,palace-courts2 ,yet in mid-play the boy would ofttimes pause1 ,letting the deer pass free2 would ofttimes yield ,his half-won race because the labouring steeds ,fetched painful breath2 or if his princely mates ,saddened to lose1 or if some wistful dream ,swept o'er his thoughts4 ,and ever with the years ,waxed this compassionateness of our ,lord1 ,even as a great tree grows from two soft leaves ,to spread its shade afar2 but hardly yet ,knew the young child of sorrow1 pain1 or tears1 ,save as strange names for things not felt by kings1 ,nor ever to be felt4 ,but it befell ,in the ,royal garden on a day of spring1 ,a flock of wild swans passed1 voyaging north ,to their nest-places on ,himala's breast4 ,calling in love-notes down their snowy line ,the bright birds flew1 by fond love piloted2 ,and ,devadatta1 cousin of the ,prince1 ,pointed his bow1 and loosed a wilful shaft ,which found the wide wing of the foremost swan ,broad-spread to glide upon the free blue road1 ,so that it fell1 the bitter arrow fixed1 ,bright scarlet blood-gouts staining the pure plumes4 ,which seeing1 ,prince ,siddartha took the bird ,tenderly up1 rested it in his lap ,sitting with knees crossed1 as ,lord ,buddha sits ,and1 soothing with a touch the wild thing's fright1 ,composed its ruffled vans1 calmed its quick heart1 ,caressed it into peace with light kind palms ,as soft as plantain-leaves an hour unrolled2 ,and while the left hand held1 the right hand drew ,the cruel steel forth from the wound and laid ,cool leaves and healing honey on the smart4 ,yet all so little knew the boy of pain ,that curiously into his wrist he pressed ,the arrow's barb1 and winced to feel it sting1 ,and turned with tears to soothe his bird again4 ,then some one came who said1 ,my ,prince hath shot ,a swan1 which fell among the roses here1 ,he bids me pray you send it4 ,will you send8 ,nay1 quoth ,siddartha1 if the bird were dead ,to send it to the slayer might be well1 ,but the swan lives2 my cousin hath but killed ,the god-like speed which throbbed in this white wing4 ,and ,devadatta answered1 ,the wild thing1 ,living or dead1 is his who fetched it down2 ',t was no man's in the clouds1 but fall'n 't is mine1 ,give me my prize1 fair ,cousin4 ,then our ,lord ,laid the swan's neck beside his own smooth cheek ,and gravely spake1 ,say no6 the bird is mine1 ,the first of myriad things which shall be mine ,by right of mercy and love's lordliness4 ,for now ,i know1 by what within me stirs1 ,that ,i shall teach compassion unto men ,and be a speechless world's interpreter1 ,abating this accursed flood of woe1 ,not man's alone2 but1 if the ,prince disputes1 ,let him submit this matter to the wise ,and we will wait their word4 ,so was it done2 ,in full divan the business had debate1 ,and many thought this thing and many that1 ,till there arose an unknown priest who said1 ,if life be aught1 the saviour of a life ,owns more the living thing than he can own ,who sought to slay--the slayer spoils and wastes1 ,the cherisher sustains1 give him the bird3 ,which judgment all found just2 but when the ,king ,sought out the sage for honour1 he was gone2 ,and some one saw a hooded snake glide forth1-- ,the gods come ofttimes thus6 ,so our ,lord ,buddh ,began his works of mercy4 ,yet not more ,knew he as yet of grief than that one bird's1 ,which1 being healed1 went joyous to its kind4 ,but on another day the ,king said1 ,come1 ,sweet son6 and see the pleasaunce of the spring1 ,and how the fruitful earth is wooed to yield ,its riches to the reaper2 how my realm-- ,which shall be thine when the pile flames for me-- ,feeds all its mouths and keeps the ,king's chest filled4 ,fair is the season with new leaves1 bright blooms1 ,green grass1 and cries of plough-time4 ,so they rode ,into a lane of wells and gardens1 where1 ,all up and down the rich red loam1 the steers ,strained their strong shoulders in the creaking yoke ,dragging the ploughs2 the fat soil rose and rolled ,in smooth dark waves back from the plough2 who drove ,planted both feet upon the leaping share ,to make the furrow deep2 among the palms ,the tinkle of the rippling water rang1 ,and where it ran the glad earth 'broidered it ,with balsams and the spears of lemon-grass4 ,elsewhere were sowers who went forth to sow2 ,and all the jungle laughed with nesting-songs1 ,and all the thickets rustled with small life ,of lizard1 bee1 beetle1 and creeping things ,pleased at the spring-time4 ,in the mango-sprays ,the sun-birds flashed2 alone at his green forge ,toiled the loud coppersmith2 bee-eaters hawked ,chasing the purple butterflies2 beneath1 ,striped squirrels raced1 the mynas perked and picked1 ,the nine brown sisters chattered in the thorn1 ,the pied fish-tiger hung above the pool1 ,the egrets stalked among the buffaloes1 ,the kites sailed circles in the golden air2 ,about the painted temple peacocks flew1 ,the blue doves cooed from every well1 far off ,the village drums beat for some marriage-feast2 ,all things spoke peace and plenty1 and the ,prince ,saw and rejoiced4 ,but1 looking deep1 he saw ,the thorns which grow upon this rose of life ,how the sweat peasant sweated for his wage1 ,toiling for leave to live2 and how he urged ,the great-eyed oxen through the flaming hours1 ,goading their velvet flanks3 then marked he1 too1 ,how lizard fed on ant1 and snake on him1 ,and kite on both2 and how the fish-hawk robbed ,the fish-tiger of that which it had seized2 ,the shrike chasing the bulbul1 which did chase ,the jewelled butterflies2 till everywhere ,each slew a slayer and in turn was slain1 ,life living upon death4 ,so the fair show ,veiled one vast1 savage1 grim conspiracy ,of mutual murder1 from the worm to man1 ,who himself kills his fellow2 seeing which-- ,the hungry ploughman and his labouring kine1 ,their dewlaps blistered with the bitter yoke1 ,the rage to live which makes all living strife-- ,the ,prince ,siddartha sighed4 ,in this1 he said1 ,that happy earth they brought me forth to see8 ,how salt with sweat the peasant's bread6 how hard ,the oxen's service6 in the brake how fierce ,the war of weak and strong6 i' th' air what plots6 ,no refuge e'en in water4 ,go aside ,a space1 and let me muse on what ye show4 ,so saying1 the good ,lord ,buddha seated him ,under a jambu-tree1 with ankles crossed-- ,as holy statues sit--and first began ,to meditate this deep disease of life1 ,what its far source and whence its remedy4 ,so vast a pity filled him1 such wide love ,for living things1 such passion to heal pain1 ,that by their stress his princely spirit passed ,to ecstasy1 and1 purged from mortal taint ,of sense and self1 the boy attained thereat ,dhyana1 first step of the path4 ,there flew ,high overhead that hour five holy ones1 ,whose free wings faltered as they passed the tree4 ,what power superior draws us from our flight8 ,they asked1 for spirits feel all force divine1 ,and know the sacred presence of the pure4 ,then1 looking downward1 they beheld the ,buddh ,crowned with a rose-hued aureole1 intent ,on thoughts to save2 while from the grove a voice ,cried1 ,rishis6 this is ,he shall help the world1 ,descend and worship4 ,so the ,bright ,ones came ,and sang a song of praise1 folding their wings1 ,then journeyed on1 taking good news to ,gods4 ,but certain from the ,king seeking the ,prince ,found him still musing1 though the noon was past1 ,and the sun hastened to the western hills ,yet1 while all shadows moved1 the jambu-tree's ,stayed in one quarter1 overspreading him1 ,lest the sloped rays should strike that sacred head2 ,and he who saw this sight heard a voice say1 ,amid the blossoms of the rose-apple1 ,let be the ,king's son6 till the shadow goes ,forth from his heart my shadow will not shift4 ,book ,the ,second ,now1 when our ,lord was come to eighteen years1 ,the ,king commanded that there should be built ,three stately houses1 one of hewn square beams ,with cedar lining1 warm for winter days2 ,one of veined marbles1 cool for summer heat2 ,and one of burned bricks1 with blue tiles bedecked1 ,pleasant at seed-time1 when the champaks bud-- ,subha1 ,suramma1 ,ramma1 were their names4 ,delicious gardens round about them bloomed1 ,streams wandered wild and musky thickets stretched1 ,with many a bright pavilion and fair lawn ,in midst of which ,siddartha strayed at will1 ,some new delight provided every hour2 ,and happy hours he knew1 for life was rich1 ,with youthful blood at quickest2 yet still came ,the shadows of his meditation back1 ,as the lake's silver dulls with driving clouds4 ,which the ,king marking1 called his ,ministers3 ,bethink ye1 sirs ,i how the old ,rishi spake1 ,he said1 and what my dream-readers foretold4 ,this boy1 more dear to me than mine heart's blood1 ,shall be of universal dominance1 ,trampling the neck of all his enemies1 ,a ,king of kings--and this is in my heart2-- ,or he shall tread the sad and lowly path ,of self-denial and of pious pains1 ,gaining who knows what good1 when all is lost ,worth keeping2 and to this his wistful eyes ,do still incline amid my palaces4 ,but ye are sage1 and ye will counsel me2 ,how may his feet be turned to that proud road ,where they should walk1 and all fair signs come true ,which gave him ,earth to rule1 if he would rule8 ,the eldest answered1 ,maharaja6 love ,will cure these thin distempers2 weave the spell ,of woman's wiles about his idle heart4 ,what knows this noble boy of beauty yet1 ,eyes that make heaven forgot1 and lips of balm8 ,find him soft wives and pretty playfellows2 ,the thoughts ye cannot stay with brazen chains ,a girl's hair lightly binds4 ,and all thought good1 ,but the ,king answered1 if we seek him wives1 ,love chooseth ofttimes with another eye2 ,and if we bid range ,beauty's garden round1 ,to pluck what blossom pleases1 he will smile ,and sweetly shun the joy he knows not of4 ,then said another1 ,roams the barasingh ,until the fated arrow flies2 for him1 ,as for less lordly spirits1 some one charms1 ,some face will seem a ,paradise1 some form ,fairer than pale ,dawn when she wakes the world4 ,this do1 my ,king6 ,command a festival ,where the realm's maids shall be competitors ,in youth and grace1 and sports that ,sakyas use4 ,let the ,prince give the prizes to the fair1 ,and1 when the lovely victors pass his seat1 ,there shall be those who mark if one or two ,change the fixed sadness of his tender cheek2 ,so we may choose for ,love with ,love's own eyes1 ,and cheat his ,highness into happiness4 ,this thing seemed good2 wherefore upon a day ,the criers bade the young and beautiful ,pass to the palace1 for 't was in command ,to hold a court of pleasure1 and the ,prince ,would give the prizes1 something rich for all1 ,the richest for the fairest judged4 ,so flocked ,kapilavastu's maidens to the gate1 ,each with her dark hair newly smoothed and bound1 ,eyelashes lustred with the soorma-stick1 ,fresh-bathed and scented2 all in shawls and cloths ,of gayest2 slender hands and feet new-stained ,with crimson1 and the tilka-spots stamped bright4 ,fair show it was of all those ,indian girls ,slow-pacing past the throne with large black eyes ,fixed on the ground1 for when they saw the ,prince ,more than the awe of ,majesty made beat ,their fluttering hearts1 he sate so passionless1 ,gentle1 but so beyond them4 ,each maid took ,with down-dropped lids her gift1 afraid to gaze2 ,and if the people hailed some lovelier one ,beyond her rivals worthy royal smiles1 ,she stood like a scared antelope to touch ,the gracious hand1 then fled to join her mates ,trembling at favour1 so divine he seemed1 ,so high and saint-like and above her world4 ,thus filed they1 one bright maid after another1 ,the city's flowers1 and all this beauteous march ,was ending and the prizes spent1 when last ,came young ,yasodhara1 and they that stood ,nearest ,siddartha saw the princely boy ,start1 as the radiant girl approached4 ,a form ,of heavenly mould2 a gait like ,parvati's2 the ,eyes like a hind's in love-time1 face so fair ,words cannot paint its spell2 and she alone ,gazed full-folding her palms across her breasts ,on the boy's gaze1 her stately neck unbent4 ,is there a gift for me8 she asked1 and smiled4 ,the gifts are gone1 the ,prince replied1 yet take ,this for amends1 dear sister1 of whose grace ,our happy city boasts2 therewith he loosed ,the emerald necklet from his throat1 and clasped ,its green beads round her dark and silk-soft waist2 ,and their eyes mixed1 and from the look sprang love4 ,long after--when enlightenment was full-- ,lord ,buddha--being prayed why thus his heart ,took fire at first glance of the ,sakya girl1 ,answered1 ,we were not strangers1 as to us ,and all it seemed2 in ages long gone by ,a hunter's son1 playing with forest girls ,by ,yamun's spring1 where ,nandadevi stands1 ,sate umpire while they raced beneath the firs ,like hares at eve that run their playful rings2 ,one with flower-stars crowned he1 one with long plumes ,plucked from eyed pheasant and the junglecock1 ,one with fir-apples2 but who ran the last ,came first for him1 and unto her the boy ,gave a tame fawn and his heart's love beside4 ,and in the wood they lived many glad years1 ,and in the wood they undivided died4 ,lo6 as hid seed shoots after rainless years1 ,so good and evil1 pains and pleasures1 hates ,and loves1 and all dead deeds1 come forth again ,bearing bright leaves or dark1 sweet fruit or sour4 ,thus ,i was he and she ,yasodhara2 ,and while the wheel of birth and death turns round1 ,that which hath been must be between us two4 ,but they who watched the ,prince at prize-giving ,saw and heard all1 and told the careful ,king ,how sate ,sidddrtha heedless till there passed ,great ,suprabuddha's child1 ,yasodhara2 ,and how--at sudden sight of her--he changed1 ,and how she gazed on him and he on her1 ,and of the jewel-gift1 and what beside ,passed in their speaking glance4 ,the fond ,king smiled3 ,look6 we have found a lure2 take counsel now ,to fetch therewith our falcon from the clouds4 ,let messengers be sent to ask the maid ,in marriage for my son4 ,but it was law ,with ,sakyas1 when any asked a maid ,of noble house1 fair and desirable1 ,he must make good his skill in martial arts ,against all suitors who should challenge it2 ,nor might this custom break itself for kings4 ,therefore her father spake3 ,say to the ,king1 ,the child is sought by princes far and near2 ,if thy most gentle son can bend the bow1 ,sway sword1 and back a horse better than they1 ,best would he be in all and best to us ,but how shall this be1 with his cloistered ways8 ,then the ,king's heart was sore1 for now the ,prince ,begged sweet ,yasodhara for wife--in vain1 ,with ,devadatta foremost at the bow1 ,ardjuna master of all fiery steeds1 ,and ,nanda chief in sword-play2 but the ,prince ,laughed low and said1 ,these things1 too1 ,i have learned2 ,make proclamation that thy son will meet ,all comers at their chosen games4 ,i think ,i shall not lose my love for such as these4 ,so 't was given forth that on the seventh day ,the ,prince ,siddartha summoned whoso would ,to match with him in feats of manliness1 ,the victor's crown to be ,yasodhara4 ,therefore1 upon the seventh day1 there went ,the ,sakya lords and town and country round ,unto the maidan2 and the maid went too ,amid her kinsfolk1 carried as a bride1 ,with music1 and with litters gaily dight1 ,and gold-horned oxen1 flower-caparisoned4 ,whom ,devadatta claimed1 of royal line1 ,and ,nanda and ,ardjuna1 noble both1 ,the flower of all youths there1 till the ,prince came ,riding his white horse ,kantaka1 which neighed1 ,astonished at this great strange world without ,also ,siddartha gazed with wondering eyes ,on all those people born beneath the throne1 ,otherwise housed than kings1 otherwise fed1 ,and yet so like--perchance--in joys and griefs4 ,but when the ,prince saw sweet ,yasodhara1 ,brightly he smiled1 and drew his silken rein1 ,leaped to the earth from ,kantaka's broad back1 ,and cried1 ,he is not worthy of this pearl ,who is not worthiest2 let my rivals prove ,if ,i have dared too much in seeking her4 ,then ,nanda challenged for the arrow-test ,and set a brazen drum six gows away1 ,ardjuna six and ,devadatta eight2 ,but ,prince ,siddartha bade them set his drum ,ten gows from off the line1 until it seemed ,a cowry-shell for target4 ,then they loosed1 ,and ,nanda pierced his drum1 ,ardjuna his1 ,and ,devadatta drove a well-aimed shaft ,through both sides of his mark1 so that the crowd ,marvelled and cried2 and sweet ,yasodhara ,dropped the gold sari o'er her fearful eyes1 ,lest she should see her ,prince's arrow fail4 ,but he1 taking their bow of lacquered cane1 ,with sinews bound1 and strung with silver wire1 ,which none but stalwart arms could draw a span1 ,thrummed it--low laughing--drew the twisted string ,till the horns kissed1 and the thick belly snapped ,that is for play1 not love1 he said2 hath none ,a bow more fit for ,sakya lords to use8 ,and one said1 ,there is ,sinhahanu's bow1 ,kept in the temple since we know not when1 ,which none can string1 nor draw if it be strung4 ,fetch me1 he cried1 that weapon of a man6 ,they brought the ancient bow1 wrought of black steel1 ,laid with gold tendrils on its branching curves ,like bison-horns2 and twice ,siddartha tried ,its strength across his knee1 then spake ,shoot now ,with this1 my cousins6 but they could not bring ,the stubborn arms a hand's-breadth nigher use2 ,then the ,prince1 lightly leaning1 bent the bow1 ,slipped home the eye upon the notch1 and twanged ,sharply the cord1 which1 like an eagle's wing ,thrilling the air1 sang forth so clear and loud ,that feeble folk at home that day inquired ,what is this sound8 and people answered them1 ,it is the sound of ,sinhahanu's bow1 ,which the ,king's son has strung and goes to shoot2 ,then fitting fair a shaft1 he drew and loosed1 ,and the keen arrow clove the sky1 and drave ,right through that farthest drum1 nor stayed its flight1 ,but skimmed the plain beyond1 past reach of eye4 ,then ,devadatta challenged with the sword1 ,and clove a ,talas-tree six fingers thick2 ,ardjuna seven2 and ,nanda cut through nine2 ,but two such stems together grew1 and both ,siddartha's blade shred at one flashing stroke1 ,keen1 but so smooth that the straight trunks upstood1 ,and ,nanda cried1 ,his edge turned6 and the maid ,trembled anew seeing the trees erect1 ,until the ,devas of the air1 who watched1 ,blew light breaths from the south1 and both green crowns ,crashed in the sand1 clean-felled4 ,then brought they steeds1 ,high-mettled1 nobly-bred1 and three times scoured ,around the maidan1 but white ,kantaka ,left even the fleetest far behind--so swift1 ,that ere the foam fell from his mouth to earth ,twenty spear-lengths he flew2 but ,nanda said1 ,we too might win with such as ,kantaka2 ,bring an unbroken horse1 and let men see ,who best can back him4 ,so the syces brought ,a stallion dark as night1 led by three chains1 ,fierce-eyed1 with nostrils wide and tossing mane1 ,unshod1 unsaddled1 for no rider yet ,had crossed him4 ,three times each young ,sakya ,sprang to his mighty back1 but the hot steed ,furiously reared1 and flung them to the plain ,in dust and shame2 only ,ardjuna held ,his seat awhile1 and1 bidding loose the chains1 ,lashed the black flank1 and shook the bit1 and held ,the proud jaws fast with grasp of master-hand1 ,so that in storms of wrath and rage and fear ,the savage stallion circled once the plain ,half-tamed2 but sudden turned with naked teeth1 ,gripped by the foot ,ardjuna1 tore him down1 ,and would have slain him1 but the grooms ran in1 ,fettering the maddened beast4 ,then all men cried1 ,let not ,siddartha meddle with this ,bhut1 ,whose liver is a tempest1 and his blood ,red flame2 but the ,prince said1 ,let go the chains1 ,give me his forelock only1 which he held ,with quiet grasp1 and1 speaking some low word1 ,laid his right palm across the stallion's eyes1 ,and drew it gently down the angry face1 ,and all along the neck and panting flanks1 ,till men astonished saw the night-black horse ,sink his fierce crest and stand subdued and meek1 ,as though he knew our ,lord and worshipped him4 ,nor stirred he while ,siddartha mounted1 then ,went soberly to touch of knee and rein ,before all eyes1 so that the people said1 ,strive no more1 for ,siddartha is the best4 ,and all the suitors answered ,he is best6 ,and ,suprabuddha1 father of the maid1 ,said1 ,it was in our hearts to find thee best1 ,being dearest1 yet what magic taught thee more ,of manhood 'mid thy rose-bowers and thy dreams ,than war and chase and world's work bring to these8 ,but wear1 fair ,prince1 the treasure thou halt won4 ,then at a word the lovely ,indian girl ,rose from her place above the throng1 and took ,a crown of mogra-flowers and lightly drew ,the veil of black and gold across her brow1 ,proud pacing past the youths1 until she came ,to where ,siddartha stood in grace divine1 ,new lighted from the night-dark steed1 which bent ,its strong neck meekly underneath his arm4 ,before the ,prince lowly she bowed1 and bared ,her face celestial beaming with glad love2 ,then on his neck she hung the fragrant wreath1 ,and on his breast she laid her perfect head1 ,and stooped to touch his feet with proud glad eyes1 ,saying1 ,dear ,prince1 behold me1 who am thine6 ,and all the throng rejoiced1 seeing them pass ,hand fast in hand1 and heart beating with heart1 ,the veil of black and gold drawn close again4 ,long after--when enlightenment was come-- ,they prayed ,lord ,buddha touching all1 and why ,she wore this black and gold1 and stepped so proud4 ,and the ,world-honoured answered1 ,unto me ,this was unknown1 albeit it seemed half known2 ,for while the wheel of birth and death turns round1 ,past things and thoughts1 and buried lives come back4 ,i now remember1 myriad rains ago1 ,what time ,i roamed ,himala's hanging woods1 ,a tiger1 with my striped and hungry kind2 ,i1 who am ,buddh1 couched in the kusa grass ,gazing with green blinked eyes upon the herds ,which pastured near and nearer to their death ,round my day-lair2 or underneath the stars ,i roamed for prey1 savage1 insatiable1 ,sniffing the paths for track of man and deer4 ,amid the beasts that were my fellows then1 ,met in deep jungle or by reedy jheel1 ,a tigress1 comeliest of the forest1 set ,the males at war2 her hide was lit with gold1 ,black-broidered like the veil ,yasodhara ,wore for me2 hot the strife waged in that wood ,with tooth and claw1 while underneath a neem ,the fair beast watched us bleed1 thus fiercely wooed4 ,and ,i remember1 at the end she came ,snarling past this and that torn forest-lord ,which ,i had conquered1 and with fawning jaws ,licked my quick-heaving flank1 and with me went ,into the wild with proud steps1 amorously4 ,the wheel of birth and death turns low and high4 ,therefore the maid was given unto the ,prince ,a willing spoil2 and when the stars were good-- ,mesha1 the ,red ,ram1 being ,lord of heaven-- ,the marriage feast was kept1 as ,sakyas use1 ,the golden gadi set1 the carpet spread1 ,the wedding garlands hung1 the arm-threads tied1 ,the sweet cake broke1 the rice and attar thrown1 ,the two straws floated on the reddened milk1 ,which1 coming close1 betokened love till death2 ,the seven steps taken thrice around the fire1 ,the gifts bestowed on holy men1 the alms ,and temple offerings made1 the mantras sung1 ,the garments of the bride and bridegroom tied4 ,then the grey father spake3 ,worshipful ,prince1 ,she that was ours henceforth is only thine2 ,be good to her1 who hath her life in thee4 ,wherewith they brought home sweet ,yasodhara1 ,with songs and trumpets1 to the ,prince's arms1 ,and love was all in all4 ,yet not to love ,alone trusted the ,king2 love's prison-house ,stately and beautiful he bade them build1 ,so that in all the earth no marvel was ,like ,vishramvan1 the ,prince's pleasure-place4 ,midway in those wide palace-grounds there rose ,a verdant hill whose base ,rohini bathed1 ,murmuring adown from ,himalay's broad feet1 ,to bear its tribute into ,gunga's waves4 ,southward a growth of tamarind trees and sal1 ,thick set with pale sky-coloured ganthi flowers1 ,shut out the world1 save if the city's hum ,came on the wind no harsher than when bees ,hum out of sight in thickets4 ,northward soared ,the stainless ramps of huge ,hamala's wall1 ,ranged in white ranks against the blue-untrod ,infinite1 wonderful--whose uplands vast1 ,and lifted universe of crest and crag1 ,shoulder and shelf1 green slope and icy horn1 ,riven ravine1 and splintered precipice ,led climbing thought higher and higher1 until ,it seemed to stand in heaven and speak with gods4 ,beneath the snows dark forests spread1 sharp laced ,with leaping cataracts and veiled with clouds ,lower grew rose-oaks and the great fir groves ,where echoed pheasant's call and panther's cry ,clatter of wild sheep on the stones1 and scream ,of circling eagles3 under these the plain ,gleamed like a praying-carpet at the foot ,of those divinest altars4 ',fronting this ,the builders set the bright pavilion up1 ',fair-planted on the terraced hill1 with towers ,on either flank and pillared cloisters round4 ,its beams were carved with stories of old time-- ,radha and ,krishna and the sylvan girls-- ,sita and ,hanuman and ,draupadi2 ,and on the middle porch ,god ,ganesha1 ,with disc and hook--to bring wisdom and wealth-- ,propitious sate1 wreathing his sidelong trunk4 ,by winding ways of garden and of court ,the inner gate was reached1 of marble wrought1 ,white with pink veins2 the lintel lazuli1 ,the threshold alabaster1 and the doors ,sandalwood1 cut in pictured panelling2 ,whereby to lofty halls and shadowy bowers ,passed the delighted foot1 on stately stairs1 ,through latticed galleries1 'neath painted roofs ,and clustering columns1 where cool fountains--fringed ,with lotus and nelumbo--danced1 and fish ,gleamed through their crystal1 scarlet1 gold1 and blue4 ,great-eyed gazelles in sunny alcoves browsed ,the blown red roses2 birds of rainbow wing ,fluttered among the palms2 doves1 green and grey1 ,built their safe nests on gilded cornices2 ,over the shining pavements peacocks drew ,the splendours of their trains1 sedately watched ,by milk-white herons and the small house-owls4 ,the plum-necked parrots swung from fruit to fruit2 ,the yellow sunbirds whirred from bloom to bloom1 ,the timid lizards on the lattice basked ,fearless1 the squirrels ran to feed from hand1 ,for all was peace3 the shy black snake1 that gives ,fortune to households1 sunned his sleepy coils ,under the moon-flowers1 where the musk-deer played1 ,and brown-eyed monkeys chattered to the crows4 ,and all this house of love was peopled fair ,with sweet attendance1 so that in each part ,with lovely sights were gentle faces found1 ,soft speech and willing service1 each one glad ,to gladden1 pleased at pleasure1 proud to obey2 ,till life glided beguiled1 like a smooth stream ,banked by perpetual flowers1 ,yasodhara ,queen of the enchanting ,court4 ,but innermost1 ,beyond the richness of those hundred halls1 ,a secret chamber lurked1 where skill had spent ,all lovely fantasies to lull the mind4 ,the entrance of it was a cloistered square-- ,roofed by the sky1 and in the midst a tank-- ,of milky marble built1 and laid with slabs ,of milk-white marble2 bordered round the tank ,and on the steps1 and all along the frieze ,with tender inlaid work of agate-stones4 ,cool as to tread in summer-time on snows ,it was to loiter there2 the sunbeams dropped ,their gold1 and1 passing into porch and niche1 ,softened to shadows1 silvery1 pale1 and dim1 ,as if the very ,day paused and grew ,eve4 ,in love and silence at that bower's gate2 ,for there beyond the gate the chamber was1 ,beautiful1 sweet2 a wonder of the world6 ,soft light from perfumed lamps through windows fell ,of nakre and stained stars of lucent film ,on golden cloths outspread1 and silken beds1 ,and heavy splendour of the purdah's fringe1 ,lifted to take only the loveliest in4 ,here1 whether it was night or day none knew1 ,for always streamed that softened light1 more bright ,than sunrise1 but as tender as the eve's2 ,and always breathed sweet airs1 more joy-giving ,than morning's1 but as cool as midnight's breath2 ,and night and day lutes sighed1 and night and day ,delicious foods were spread1 and dewy fruits1 ,sherbets new chilled with snows of ,himalay1 ,and sweetmeats made of subtle daintiness1 ,with sweet tree-milk in its own ivory cup4 ,and night and day served there a chosen band ,of nautch girls1 cup-bearers1 and cymballers1 ,delicate1 dark-browed ministers of love1 ,who fanned the sleeping eyes of the happy ,prince1 ,and when he waked1 led back his thoughts to bliss ,with music whispering through the blooms1 and charm ,of amorous songs and dreamy dances1 linked ,by chime of ankle-bells and wave of arms ,and silver vina-strings2 while essences ,of musk and champak and the blue haze spread ,from burning spices soothed his soul again ,to drowse by sweet ,yasodhara2 and thus ,siddartha lived forgetting4 ,furthermore1 ,the ,king commanded that within those walls ,no mention should be made of death or age1 ,sorrow1 or pain1 or sickness4 ,if one drooped ,in the lovely ,court--her dark glance dim1 her feet ,faint in the dance--the guiltless criminal ,passed forth an exile from that ,paradise1 ,lest he should see and suffer at her woe4 ,bright-eyed intendants watched to execute ,sentence on such as spake of the harsh world ,without1 where aches and plagues were1 tears and fears1 ,and wail of mourners1 and grim fume of pyres4 ,t was treason if a thread of silver strayed ,in tress of singing-girl or nautch-dancer2 ,and every dawn the dying rose was plucked1 ,the dead leaves hid1 all evil sights removed ,for said the ,king1 ,if he shall pass his youth ,far from such things as move to wistfulness1 ,and brooding on the empty eggs of thought1 ,the shadow of this fate1 too vast for man1 ,may fade1 belike1 and ,i shall see him grow ,to that great stature of fair sovereignty ,when he shall rule all lands--if he will rule-- ,the ,king of kings and glory of his time4 ,wherefore1 around that pleasant prison house ,where love was gaoler and delights its bars1 ,but far removed from sight--the ,king bade build ,a massive wall1 and in the wall a gate ,with brazen folding-doors1 which but to roll ,back on their hinges asked a hundred arms2 ,also the noise of that prodigious gate ,opening was heard full half a yojana4 ,and inside this another gate he made1 ,and yet within another--through the three ,must one pass if he quit that pleasure-house4 ,three mighty gates there were1 bolted and barred1 ,and over each was set a faithful watch2 ,and the ,king's order said1 ,suffer no man ,to pass the gates1 though he should be the ,prince ,this on your lives--even though it be my son4 ,book ,the ,third ,in which calm home of happy life and love ,ligged our ,lord ,buddha1 knowing not of woe1 ,nor want1 nor pain1 nor plague1 nor age1 nor death1 ,save as when sleepers roam dim seas in dreams1 ,and land awearied on the shores of day1 ,bringing strange merchandise from that black voyage4 ,thus ofttimes when he lay with gentle head ,lulled on the dark breasts of ,yasodhara1 ,her fond hands fanning slow his sleeping lids1 ,he would start up and cry1 ,my world6 ,oh1 world6 ,i hear6 ,i know6 ,i come6 ,and she would ask1 ,what ails my ,lord8 with large eyes terrorstruck2 ,for at such times the pity in his look ,was awful1 and his visage like a god's4 ,then would he smile again to stay her tears1 ,and bid the vinas sound2 but once they set ,a stringed gourd on the sill1 there where the wind ,could linger o'er its notes and play at will-- ,wild music makes the wind on silver strings-- ,and those who lay around heard only that2 ,but ,prince ,siddartha heard the ,devas play1 ,and to his ears they sang such words as these3-- ,we are the voices of the wandering wind1 ,which moan for rest and rest can never find2 ,lo6 as the wind is so is mortal life1 ,a moan1 a sigh1 a sob1 a storm1 a strife4 ,wherefore and whence we are ye cannot know1 ,nor where life springs nor whither life doth go2 ,we are as ye are1 ghosts from the inane1 ,what pleasure have we of our changeful pain8 ,what pleasure hast thou of thy changeless bliss8 ,nay1 if love lasted1 there were joy in this2 ,but life's way is the wind's way1 all these things ,are but brief voices breathed on shifting strings4 ,o ,maya's son6 because we roam the earth ,moan we upon these strings2 we make no mirth1 ,so many woes we see in many lands1 ,so many streaming eyes and wringing hands4 ,yet mock we while we wail1 for1 could they know1 ,this life they cling to is but empty show2 ',twere all as well to bid a cloud to stand1 ,or hold a running river with the hand4 ,but thou that art to save1 thine hour is nigh6 ,the sad world waileth in its misery1 ,the blind world stumbleth on its round of pain2 ,rise1 ,maya's child6 wake6 slumber not again6 ,we are the voices of the wandering wind ,wander thou1 too1 ,o ,prince1 thy rest to find2 ,leave love for love of lovers1 for woe's sake ,quit state for sorrow1 and deliverance make4 ,so sigh we1 passing o'er the silver strings1 ,to thee who know'st not yet of earthly things2 ,so say we2 mocking1 as we pass away1 ,these lovely shadows wherewith thou dost play4 ,thereafter it befell he sate at eve ,amid his beauteous ,court1 holding the hand ,of sweet ,yasodhara1 and some maid told-- ,with breaks of music when her rich voice dropped-- ,an ancient tale to speed the hour of dusk1 ,of love1 and of a magic horse1 and lands ,wonderful1 distant1 where pale peoples dwelled ,and where the sun at night sank into seas4 ,then spake he1 sighing1 ,chitra brings me back4 ,the wind's song in the strings with that fair tale4 ,give her1 ,yasodhara1 thy pearl for thanks4 ,but thou1 my pearl6 is there so wide a world8 ,is there a land which sees the great sun roll ,into the waves1 and are there hearts like ours1 ,countless1 unknown1 not happy--it may be-- ,whom we might succour if we knew of them8 ,ofttimes ,i marvel1 as the ,lord of day ,treads from the east his kingly road of gold1 ,who first on the world's edge hath hailed his beam1 ,the children of the morning2 oftentimes1 ,even in thine arms and on thy breasts1 bright wife1 ,sore have ,i panted1 at the sun's decline1 ,to pass with him into that crimson west ,and see the peoples of the evening4 ,there must be many we should love--how else8 ,now have ,i in this hour an ache1 at last1 ,thy soft lips cannot kiss away3 oh1 girl6 ,o ,chitra6 you that know of fairyland6 ,where tether they that swift steed of the tale8 ,my palace for one day upon his back1 ,to ride and ride and see the spread of the earth6 ,nay1 if ,i had yon callow vulture's plumes-- ,the carrion heir of wider realms than mine-- ,how would ,i stretch for topmost ,himalay1 ,light where the rose-gleam lingers on those snows1 ,and strain my gaze with searching what is round6 ,why have ,i never seen and never sought8 ,tell me what lies beyond our brazen gates4 ,then one replied1 ,the city first1 fair ,prince6 ,the temples1 and the gardens1 and the groves1 ,and then the fields1 and afterwards fresh fields1 ,with nullahs1 maidans1 jungle1 koss on koss2 ,and next ,king ,bimbasara's realm1 and then ,the vast flat world1 with crores on crores of folk4 ,good1 said ,siddartha1 let the word be sent ,that ,channa yoke my chariot--at noon ,tomorrow ,i shall ride and see beyond4 ,whereof they told the ,king3 ,our ,lord1 thy son1 ,wills that his chariot be yoked at noon1 ,that he may ride abroad and see mankind4 ,yea6 spake the careful ,king1 'tis time he see6 ,but let the criers go about and bid ,my city deck itself1 so there be met ,no noisome sight2 and let none blind or maimed1 ,none that is sick or stricken deep in years1 ,no leper1 and no feeble folk come forth4 ,therefore the stones were swept1 and up and down ,the water-carriers sprinkled all the streets ,from spirting skins1 the housewives scattered fresh ,red powder on their thresholds1 strung new wreaths1 ,and trimmed the tulsi-bush before their doors4 ,the paintings on the walls were heightened up ,with liberal brush1 the trees set thick with flags1 ,the idols gilded2 in the four-went ways ,suryadeva and the great gods shone ',mid shrines of leaves2 so that the city seemed ,a capital of some enchanted land4 ,also the criers passed1 with drum and gong1 ,proclaiming loudly1 ,ho6 all citizens1 ,the ,king commands that there be seen today ,no evil sight3 let no one blind or maimed1 ,none that is sick or stricken deep in years1 ,no leper1 and no feeble folk go forth4 ,let none1 too1 burn his dead nor bring them out ,till nightfall4 ,thus ,suddhodana commands4 ,so all was comely and the houses trim ,throughout ,kapilavastu1 while the ,prince ,came forth in painted car1 which two steers drew1 ,snow-white1 with swinging dewlaps and huge humps ,wrinkled against the carved and lacquered yoke4 ,goodly it was to mark the people's joy ,greeting their ,prince2 and glad4 ,siddartha waxed ,at sight of all those liege and friendly folk ,bright-clad and laughing as if life were good4 ,fair is the world1 he said1 it likes me well6 ,and light and kind these men that are not kings1 ,and sweet my sisters here1 who toil and tend2 ,what have ,i done for these to make them thus8 ,why1 if ,i love them1 should those children know8 ,i pray take up yon pretty ,sakya boy ,who flung us flowers1 and let him ride with me4 ,how good it is to reign in realms like this6 ,how simple pleasure is1 if these be pleased ,because ,i come abroad6 ,how many things ,i need not if such little households hold ,enough to make our city full of smiles6 ,drive1 ,channa6 through the gates1 and let me see ,more of this gracious world ,i have not known4 ,so passed they through the gates1 a joyous crowd ,thronging about the wheels1 whereof some ran ,before the oxen1 throwing wreaths1 some stroked ,their silken flanks1 some brought them rice and cakes1 ,all crying1 ,jai6 jai6 for our noble ,prince6 ,thus all the path was kept with gladsome looks ,and filled with fair sights--for the ,king's word was ,that such should be--when midway in the road1 ,slow tottering from the hovel where he hid1 ,crept forth a wretch in rags1 haggard and foul1 ,an old1 old man1 whose shrivelled skin1 suntanned1 ,clung like a beast's hide to his fleshless bones4 ,bent was his back with load of many days1 ,his eyepits red with rust of ancient tears1 ,his dim orbs blear with rheum1 his toothless jaws ,wagging with palsy and the fright to see ,so many and such joy4 ,one skinny hand ,clutched a worn staff to prop his quavering limbs1 ,and one was pressed upon the ridge of ribs ,whence came in gasps the heavy painful breath4 ,alms6 moaned he1 give1 good people6 for ,i die ,tomorrow or the next day6 then the cough ,choked him1 but still he stretched his palm1 and stood ,blinking1 and groaning 'mid his spasms1 ,alms6 ,then those around had wrenched his feeble feet ,aside1 and thrust him from the road again1 ,saying1 ,the ,prince6 dost see8 get to thy lair6 ,but that ,siddartha cried1 ,let be6 let be6 ,channa6 what thing is this who seems a man1 ,yet surely only seems1 being so bowed1 ,so miserable1 so horrible1 so sad8 ,are men born sometimes thus8 ,what meaneth he ,moaning 'tomorrow or next day ,i die8' ,finds he no food that so his bones jut forth8 ,what woe hath happened to this piteous one8 ,then answer made the charioteer1 ,sweet ,prince6 ,this is no other than an aged man4 ,some fourscore years ago his back was straight1 ,his eye bright1 and his body goodly3 now ,the thievish years have sucked his sap away1 ,pillaged his strength and filched his will and wit2 ,his lamp has lost its oil1 the wick burns black2 ,what life he keeps is one poor lingering spark ,which flickers for the finish3 such is age2 ,why should your ,highness heed8 ,then spake the ,prince ,but shall this come to others1 or to all1 ,or is it rare that one should be as he8 ,most noble1 answered ,channa1 even as he1 ,will all these grow if they shall live so long4 ,but1 quoth the ,prince1 if ,i shall live as long ,shall ,i be thus2 and if ,yasodhara ,live fourscore years1 is this old age for her1 ,jalini1 little ,hasta1 ,gautami1 ,and ,gunga1 and the others8 ,yea1 great ,sir6 ,the charioteer replied4 ,then spake the ,prince ,turn back1 and drive me to my house again6 ,i have seen that ,i did not think to see4 ,which pondering1 to his beauteous ,court returned ,wistful ,siddartha1 sad of mien and mood2 ,nor tasted he the white cakes nor the fruits ,spread for the evening feast1 nor once looked up ,while the best palace-dancers strove to charm ,nor spake--save one sad thing--when wofully ,yasodhara sank to his feet and wept1 ,sighing1 ,hath not my ,lord comfort in me8 ,ah1 ,sweet6 he said1 such comfort that my soul ,aches1 thinking it must end1 for it will end1 ,and we shall both grow old1 ,yasodhara6 ,loveless1 unlovely1 weak1 and old1 and bowed4 ,nay1 though we locked up love and life with lips ,so close that night and day our breaths grew one ,time would thrust in between to filch away ,my passion and thy grace1 as black ,night steals ,the rose-gleams from you peak1 which fade to grey ,and are not seen to fade4 ,this have ,i found1 ,and all my heart is darkened with its dread1 ,and all my heart is fixed to think how ,love ,might save its sweetness from the slayer1 ,time1 ,who makes men old4 ,so through that night he sate ,sleepless1 uncomforted4 ,and all that night ,the ,king ,suddhodana dreamed troublous dreams4 ,the first fear of his vision was a flag ,broad1 glorious1 glistening with a golden sun1 ,the mark of ,indra2 but a strong wind blew1 ,rending its folds divine1 and dashing it ,into the dust2 whereat a concourse came ,of shadowy ,ones1 who took the spoiled silk up ,and bore it eastward from the city gates4 ,the second fear was ten huge elephants1 ,with silver tusks and feet that shook the earth1 ,trampling the southern road in mighty march2 ,and he who sate upon the foremost beast ,was the ,king's son--the others followed him4 ,the third fear of the vision was a car1 ,shining with blinding light1 which four steeds drew1 ,snorting white smoke and champing fiery foam2 ,and in the car the ,prince ,siddhartha sate4 ,the fourth fear was a wheel which turned and turned1 ,with nave of burning gold and jewelled spokes1 ,and strange things written on the binding tire1 ,which seemed both fire and music as it whirled4 ,the fifth fear was a mighty drum1 set down ,midway between the city and the hills1 ,on which the ,prince beat with an iron mace1 ,so that the sound pealed like a thunderstorm1 ,rolling around the sky and far away4 ,the sixth fear was a tower1 which rose and rose ,high o'er the city till its stately head ,shone crowned with clouds1 and on the top the ,prince ,stood1 scattering from both hands1 this way and that1 ,gems of most lovely light1 as if it rained ,jacynths and rubies2 and the whole world came1 ,striving to seize those treasures as they fell ,towards the four quarters4 ,but the seventh fear was ,a noise of wailing1 and behold six men ,who wept and gnashed their teeth1 and laid their palms ,upon their mouths1 walking disconsolate4 ,these seven fears made the vision of his sleep1 ,but none of all his wisest dream-readers ,could tell their meaning4 ,then the ,king was wroth1 ,saying1 ,there cometh evil to my house1 ,and none of ye have wit to help me know ,what the great gods portend sending me this4 ,so in the city men went sorrowful ,because the ,king had dreamed seven signs of fear ,which none could read2 but to the gate there came ,an aged man1 in robe of deer-skin clad1 ,by guise a hermit1 known to none2 he cried1 ,bring me before the ,king1 for ,i can read ,the vision of his sleep2 who1 when he heard ,the sevenfold mysteries of the midnight dream1 ,bowed reverent and said3 ,o ,maharaj6 ,i hail this favoured ,house1 whence shall arise ,a wider-reaching splendour than the sun's6 ,lo6 all these seven fears are seven joys1 ,whereof the first1 where thou didst see a flag-- ,broad1 glorious1 gilt with ,indra's badge--cast down ,and carried out1 did signify the end ,of old faiths and beginning of the new1 ,for there is change with gods not less than men1 ,and as the days pass kalpas pass at length4 ,the ten great elephants that shook the earth ,the ten great gifts of wisdom signify1 ,in strength whereof the ,prince shall quit his state ,and shake the world with passage of the ,truth4 ,the four flame-breathing horses of the car ,are those four fearless virtues which shall bring ,thy son from doubt and gloom to gladsome light2 ,the wheel that turned with nave of burning gold ,was that most precious ,wheel of perfect ,law ,which he shall turn in sight of all the world4 ,the mighty drum whereon the ,prince did beat1 ,till the sound filled all lands1 doth signify ,the thunder of the preaching of the ,word ,which he shall preach2 the tower that grew to heaven ,the growing of the ,gospel of this ,buddh ,sets forth2 and those rare jewels scattered thence ,the untold treasures are of that good ,law ,to gods and men dear and desirable4 ,such is the interpretation of the tower2 ,but for those six men weeping with shut mouths1 ,they are the six chief teachers whom thy son ,shall1 with bright truth and speech unanswerable1 ,convince of foolishness4 ,o ,king6 rejoice2 ,the fortune of my ,lord the ,prince is more ,than kingdoms1 and his hermit-rags will be ,beyond fine cloths of gold4 ,this was thy dream6 ,and in seven nights and days these things shall fall4 ,so spake the holy man1 and lowly made ,the eight prostrations1 touching thrice the ground2 ,then turned and passed2 but when the ,king bade send ,a rich gift after him1 the messengers ,brought word1 ,we came to where he entered in ,at ,chandra's temple1 but within was none ,save a grey owl which fluttered from the shrine4 ,the gods come sometimes thus4 ,but the sad ,king ,marvelled1 and gave command that new delights ,be compassed to enthrall ,siddartha's heart ,amid those dancers of his pleasure-house1 ,also he set at all the brazen doors ,a doubled guard4 ,yet who shall shut out ,fate8 ,for once again the spirit of the ,prince ,was moved to see this world beyond his gates1 ,this life of man1 so pleasant if its waves ,ran not to waste and woful finishing ,in ,time's dry sands4 ,i pray you let me view ,our city as it is1 such was his prayer ,to ,king ,suddhodana4 ,your ,majesty ,in tender heed hath warned the folk before ,to put away ill things and common sights1 ,and make their faces glad to gladden me1 ,and all the causeways gay2 yet have ,i learned ,this is not daily life1 and if ,i stand ,nearest1 my father1 to the realm and thee1 ,fain would ,i know the people and the streets1 ,their simple usual ways1 and workday deeds1 ,and lives which those men live who are not kings4 ,give me good leave1 dear ,lord1 to pass unknown ,beyond my happy gardens2 ,i shall come ,the more contented to their peace again1 ,or wiser1 father1 if not well content4 ,therefore1 ,i pray thee1 let me go at will ,tomorrow1 with my servants1 through the streets4 ,and the ,king said1 among his ,ministers ,belike this second flight may mend the first4 ,note how the falcon starts at every sight ,new from his hood1 but what a quiet eye ,cometh of freedom2 let my son see all1 ,and bid them bring me tidings of his mind4 ,thus on the morrow1 when the noon was come1 ,the ,prince and ,channa passed beyond the gates1 ,which opened to the signet of the ,king1 ,yet knew not they who rolled the great doors back ,it was the ,king's son in that merchant's robe1 ,and in the clerkly dress his charioteer4 ,forth fared they by the common way afoot1 ,mingling with all the ,sakya citizens1 ,seeing the glad and sad things of the town3 ,the painted streets alive with hum of noon1 ,the traders cross-legged 'mid their spice and grain1 ,the buyers with their money in the cloth1 ,the war of words to cheapen this or that1 ,the shout to clear the road1 the huge stone wheels1 ,the strong slow oxen and their rustling loads1 ,the singing bearers with the palanquins1 ,the broad-necked hamals sweating in the sun1 ,the housewives bearing water from the well ,with balanced chatties1 and athwart their hips ,the black-eyed babes2 the fly-swarmed sweetmeat shops1 ,the weaver at his loom1 the cotton-bow ,twangling1 the millstones grinding meal1 the dogs ,prowling for orts1 the skilful armourer ,with tong and hammer linking shirts of mail1 ,the blacksmith with a mattock and a spear ,reddening together in his coals1 the school ,where round their ,guru1 in a grave half-moon1 ,the ,sakya children sang the mantra through1 ,and learned the greater and the lesser gods2 ,the dyers stretching waistcloths in the sun ,wet from the vats--orange1 and rose1 and green2 ,the soldiers clanking past with swords and shields1 ,the camel-drivers rocking on the humps1 ,the ,brahman proud1 the martial ,kshatriya1 ,the humble toiling ,sudra2 here a throng ,gathered to watch some chattering snake-tamer ,wind round his wrist the living jewellery ,of asp and nag1 or charm the hooded death ,to angry dance with drone of beaded gourd2 ,there a long line of drums and horns1 which went1 ,with steeds gay painted and silk canopies1 ,to bring the young bride home2 and here a wife ,stealing with cakes and garlands to the god ,to pray her husband's safe return from trade1 ,or beg a boy next birth2 hard by the booths ,where the sweat potters beat the noisy brass ,for lamps and lotas2 thence1 by temple walls ,and gateways1 to the river and the bridge ,under the city walls4 ,these had they passed ,when from the roadside moaned a mournful voice1 ,help1 masters6 lift me to my feet2 oh1 help6 ,or ,i shall die before ,i reach my house6 ,a stricken wretch it was1 whose quivering frame1 ,caught by some deadly plague1 lay in the dust ,writhing1 with fiery purple blotches specked2 ,the chill sweat beaded on his brow1 his mouth ,was dragged awry with twichings of sore pain1 ,the wild eyes swam with inward agony4 ,gasping1 he clutched the grass to rise1 and rose ,half-way1 then sank1 with quaking feeble limbs ,and scream of terror1 crying1 ,ah1 the pain6 ,good people1 help6 whereon ,siddartha ran1 ,lifted the woful man with tender hands1 ,with sweet looks laid the sick head on his knee1 ,and while his soft touch comforted the wretch1 ,asked3 ,brother1 what is ill with thee8 what harm ,hath fallen8 wherefore canst thou not arise8 ,why is it1 ,channa1 that he pants and moans1 ,and gasps to speak and sighs so pitiful8 ,then spake the charioteer3 ,great ,prince6 this man ,is smitten with some pest2 his elements ,are all confounded2 in his veins the blood1 ,which ran a wholesome river1 leaps and boils ,a fiery flood2 his heart1 which kept good time1 ,beats like an ill-played drum-skin1 quick and slow2 ,his sinews slacken like a bow-string slipped2 ,the strength is gone from ham1 and loin1 and neck1 ,and all the grace and joy of manhood fled2 ,this is a sick man with the fit upon him4 ,see how be plucks and plucks to seize his grief1 ,and rolls his bloodshot orbs and grinds his teeth1 ,and draws his breath as if 'twere choking smoke4 ,lo6 now he would be dead1 but shall not die ,until the plague hath had its work in him1 ,killing the nerves which die before the life2 ,then1 when his strings have cracked with agony ,and all his bones are empty of the sense ,to ache1 the plague will quit and light elsewhere4 ,oh1 sir6 it is not good to hold him so6 ,the harm may pass1 and strike thee1 even thee4 ,but spake the ,prince1 still comforting the man1 ,and are there others1 are there many thus8 ,or might it be to me as now with him8 ,great ,lord6 answered the charioteer1 this comes ,in many forms to all men2 griefs and wounds1 ,sickness and tetters1 palsies1 leprosies1 ,hot fevers1 watery wastings1 issues1 blains ,befall all flesh and enter everywhere4 ,come such ills unobserved8 the ,prince inquired4 ,and ,channa said3 ,like the sly snake they come ,that stings unseen2 like the striped murderer1 ,who waits to spring from the ,karunda bush1 ,hiding beside the jungle path2 or like ,the lightning1 striking these and sparing those1 ,as chance may send4 ,then all men live in fear8 ,so live they1 ,prince6 ,and none can say1 ,i sleep ,happy and whole tonight1 and so shall wake'8 ,none say it4 ,and the end of many aches1 ,which come unseen1 and will come when they come1 ,is this1 a broken body and sad mind1 ,and so old age8 ,yea1 if men last as long4 ,but if they cannot bear their agonies1 ,or if they will not bear1 and seek a term2 ,or if they bear1 and be1 as this man is1 ,too weak except for groans1 and so still live1 ,and growing old1 grow older1 then what end8 ,they die1 ,prince4 ,die8 ,yea1 at the last comes death1 ,in whatsoever way1 whatever hour4 ,some few grow old1 most suffer and fall sick1 ,but all must die--behold1 where comes the ,dead6 ,then did ,siddartha raise his eyes1 and see ,fast pacing towards the river brink a band ,of wailing people1 foremost one who swung ,an earthen bowl with lighted coals1 behind ,the kinsmen shorn1 with mourning marks1 ungirt1 ,crying aloud1 ,o ,rama1 ,rama1 hear6 ,call upon ,rama1 brothers2 next the bier1 ,knit of four poles with bamboos interlaced1 ,whereon lay1 stark and stiff1 feet foremost1 lean1 ,chapfallen1 sightless1 hollow-flanked1 a-grin1 ,sprinkled with red and yellow dust--the ,dead1 ,whom at the four-went ways they turned head first1 ,and crying ,rama1 ,rama6 carried on ,to where a pile was reared beside the stream2 ,thereon they laid him1 building fuel up-- ,good sleep hath one that slumbers on that bed6 ,he shall not wake for cold albeit he lies ,naked to all the airs--for soon they set ,the red flame to the corners four1 which crept1 ,and licked1 and flickered1 finding out his flesh ,and feeding on it with swift hissing tongues1 ,and crackle of parched skin1 and snap of joint2 ,till the fat smoke thinned and the ashes sank ,scarlet and grey1 with here and there a bone ,white midst the grey--the total of the man4 ,then spake the ,prince1 ,is this the end which comes ,to all who live8 ,this is the end that comes ,to all1 quoth ,channa2 he upon the pyre-- ,whose remnants are so petty that the crows ,caw hungrily1 then quit the fruitless feast-- ,ate1 drank1 laughed1 loved1 and lived1 and liked life well4 ,then came--who knows8--some gust of junglewind1 ,a stumble on the path1 a taint in the tank1 ,a snake's nip1 half a span of angry steel1 ,a chill1 a fishbone1 or a falling tile1 ,and life was over and the man is dead4 ,no appetites1 no pleasures1 and no pains ,hath such2 the kiss upon his lips is nought1 ,the fire-scorch nought2 he smelleth not his flesh ,a-roast1 nor yet the sandal and the spice ,they burn2 the taste is emptied from his mouth1 ,the hearing of his ears is clogged1 the sight ,is blinded in his eyes2 those whom he loved ,wail desolate1 for even that must go1 ,the body1 which was lamp unto the life1 ,or worms will have a horrid feast of it4 ,here is the common destiny of flesh4 ,the high and low1 the good and bad1 must die1 ,and then1 't is taught1 begin anew and live ,somewhere1 somehow1--who knows8--and so again ,the pangs1 the parting1 and the lighted pile-- ,such is man's round4 ,but lo6 ,siddartha turned ,eyes gleaming with divine tears to the sky1 ,eyes lit with heavenly pity to the earth2 ,from sky to earth he looked1 from earth to sky1 ,as if his spirit sought in lonely flight ,some far-off vision1 linking this and that1 ,lost1 past1 but searchable1 but seen1 but known4 ,then cried he1 while his lifted countenance ,glowed with the burning passion of a love ,unspeakable1 the ardour of a hope ,boundless1 insatiate3 ,oh6 suffering world1 ,oh6 known and unknown of my common flesh1 ,caught in this common net of death and woe1 ,and life which binds to both6 ,i see1 ,i feel ,the vastness of the agony of earth1 ,the vainness of its joys1 the mockery ,of all its best1 the anguish of its worst2 ,since pleasures end in pain1 and youth in age1 ,and love in loss1 and life in hateful death1 ,and death in unknown lives1 which will but yoke ,men to their wheel again to whirl the round ,of false delights and woes that are not false4 ,me too this lure hath cheated1 so it seemed ,lovely to live1 and life a sunlit stream ,for ever flowing in a changeless peace2 ,whereas the foolish ripple of the flood ,dances so lightly down by bloom and lawn ,only to pour its crystal quicklier ,into the foul salt sea4 ,the veil is rent ,which blinded me6 ,i am as all these men ,who cry upon their gods and are not heard ,or are not heeded--yet there must be aid6 ,for them and me and all there must be help6 ,perchance the gods have need of help themselves ,being so feeble that when sad lips cry ,they cannot save6 ,i would not let one cry ,whom ,i could save6 ,how can it be that ,brahm ,would make a world and keep it miserable1 ,since1 if all-powerful1 he leaves it so1 ,he is not good1 and if not powerful1 ,he is not ,god8--,channa6 lead home again6 ,it is enough ,i mine eyes have seen enough6 ,which when the ,king heard1 at the gates he set ,a triple guard1 and bade no man should pass ,by day or night1 issuing or entering in1 ,until the days were numbered of that dream4 ,book ,the ,fourth ,but when the days were numbered1 then befell ,the parting of our ,lord--which was to be-- ,whereby came wailing in the ,golden ,home1 ,woe to the ,king and sorrow o'er the land1 ,but for all flesh deliverance1 and that ,law ,which whoso hears1 the same shall make him free4 ,softly the ,indian night sinks on the plains ,at full moon in the month of ,chaitra ,shud1 ,when mangoes redden and the asoka buds ,sweeten the breeze1 and ,rama's birthday comes1 ,and all the fields are glad and all the towns4 ,softly that night fell over ,vishramvan1 ,fragrant with blooms and jewelled thick with stars1 ,and cool with mountain airs sighing adown ,from snow-flats on ,himala high-outspread2 ,for the moon swung above the eastern peaks1 ,climbing the spangled vault1 and lighting clear ,robini's ripples and the hills and plains1 ,and all the sleeping land1 and near at hand ,silvering those roof-tops of the pleasure-house1 ,where nothing stirred nor sign of watching was1 ,save at the outer gates1 whose warders cried ,mudra1 the watchword1 and the countersign ,angana1 and the watch-drums beat a round2 ,whereat the earth lay still1 except for call ,of prowling jackals1 and the ceaseless trill ,of crickets on the garden grounds4 ,within-- ,where the moon glittered through the laceworked stone1 ,lighting the walls of pearl-shell and the floors ,paved with veined marble--softly fell her beams ,on such rare company of ,indian girls1 ,it seemed some chamber sweet in ,paradise ,where ,devis rested4 ,all the chosen ones ,of ,prince ,siddartha's pleasure-home were there1 ,the brightest and most faithful of the ,court1 ,each form so lovely in the peace of sleep1 ,that you had said ,this is the pearl of all6 ,save that beside her or beyond her lay ,fairer and fairer1 till the pleasured gaze ,roamed o'er that feast of beauty as it roams ,from gem to gem in some great goldsmith-work1 ,caught by each colour till the next is seen4 ,with careless grace they lay1 their soft brown limbs ,part hidden1 part revealed2 their glossy hair ,bound back with gold or flowers1 or flowing loose ,in black waves down the shapely nape and neck4 ,lulled into pleasant dreams by happy toils1 ,they slept1 no wearier than jewelled birds ,which sing and love all day1 then under wing ,fold head till morn bids sing and love again4 ,lamps of chased silver swinging from the roof ,in silver chains1 and fed with perfumed oils1 ,made with the moonbeams tender lights and shades1 ,whereby were seen the perfect lines of grace1 ,the bosom's placid heave1 the soft stained palms ,drooping or clasped1 the faces fair and dark1 ,the great arched brows1 the parted lips1 the teeth ,like pearls a merchant picks to make a string1 ,the satin-lidded eyes1 with lashes dropped ,sweeping the delicate cheeks1 the rounded wrists ,the smooth small feet with bells and bangles decked1 ,tinkling low music where some sleeper moved1 ,breaking her smiling dream of some new dance ,praised by the ,prince1 some magic ring to find1 ,some fairy love-gift4 ,here one lay full-length1 ,her vina by her cheek1 and in its strings ,the little fingers still all interlaced ,as when the last notes of her light song played ,those radiant eyes to sleep and sealed her own4 ,another slumbered folding in her arms ,a desert-antelope1 its slender head ,buried with back-sloped horns between her breasts ,soft nestling2 it was eating--when both drowsed-- ,red roses1 and her loosening hand still held ,a rose half-mumbled1 while a rose-leaf curled ,between the deer's lips4 ,here two friends had dozed ,together1 wearing mogra-buds1 which bound ,their sister-sweetness in a starry chain1 ,linking them limb to limb and heart to heart1 ,one pillowed on the blossoms1 one on her4 ,another1 ere she slept1 was stringing stones ,to make a necklet--agate1 onyx1 sard1 ,coral1 and moonstone--round her wrist it gleamed ,a coil of splendid colour1 while she held1 ,unthreaded yet1 the bead to close it up ,green turkis1 carved with golden gods and scripts4 ,lulled by the cadence of the garden stream1 ,thus lay they on the clustered carpets1 each ,a girlish rose with shut leaves1 waiting dawn ,to open and make daylight beautiful4 ,this was the antechamber of the ,prince2 ,but at the purdah's fringe the sweetest slept-- ,gunga and ,gotami--chief ministers ,in that still house of love4 ,the purdah hung1 ,crimson and blue1 with broidered threads of gold1 ,across a portal carved in sandal-wood1 ,whence by three steps the way was to the bower ,of inmost splendour1 and the marriage-couch ,set on a dais soft with silver cloths1 ,where the foot fell as though it trod on piles ,of neem-blooms4 ,all the walls1 were plates of pearl1 ,cut shapely from the shells of ,lanka's wave2 ,and o'er the alabaster roof there ran ,rich inlayings of lotus and of bird1 ,wrought in skilled work of lazulite and jade1 ,jacynth and jasper2 woven round the dome1 ,and down the sides1 and all about the frames ,wherein were set the fretted lattices1 ,through which there breathed1 with moonlight and cool airs1 ,scents from the shell-flowers and the jasmine sprays2 ,not bringing thither grace or tenderness ,sweeter than shed from those fair presences ,within the place--the beauteous ,sakya ,prince1 ,and hers1 the stately1 bright ,yasodhara4 ,half risen from her soft nest at his side1 ,the chuddah fallen to her waist1 her brow ,laid in both palms1 the lovely ,princess leaned ,with heaving bosom and fast falling tears4 ,thrice with her lips she touched ,siddartha's hand1 ,and at the third kiss moaned3 ,awake1 my ,lord6 ,give me the comfort of thy speech6 ,then he-- ,what is with thee1 ,o my life8 but still ,she moaned anew before the words would come2 ,then spake3 ',alas1 my ,prince6 ,i sank to sleep ,most happy1 for the babe ,i bear of thee ,quickened this eve1 and at my heart there beat ,that double pulse of life and joy and love ,whose happy music lulled me1 but--aho6-- ,in slumber ,i beheld three sights of dread1 ,with thought whereof my heart is throbbing yet4 ,i saw a white bull with wide branching horns1 ,a lord of pastures1 pacing through the streets1 ,bearing upon his front a gem which shone ,as if some star had dropped to glitter there1 ,or like the kantha-stone the great ,snake keeps ,to make bright daylight underneath the earth4 ,slow through the streets toward the gates he paced1 ,and none could stay him1 though there came a voice ,from ,indra's temple1 ',if ye stay him not1 ,the glory of the city goeth forth4 ,yet none could stay him4 ,then ,i wept aloud1 ,and locked my arms about his neck1 and strove1 ,and bade them bar the gates2 but that ox-king ,bellowed1 and1 lightly tossing free his crest1 ,broke from my clasp1 and bursting through the bars1 ,trampled the warders down and passed away4 ,the next strange dream was this3 ,four ,presences ,splendid with shining eyes1 so beautiful ,they seemed the ,regents of the ,earth who dwell ,on ,mount ,sumeru1 lighting from the sky ,with retinue of countless heavenly ones1 ,swift swept unto our city1 where ,i saw ,the golden flag of ,indra on the gate ,flutter and fall2 and lo6 there rose instead ,a glorious banner1 all the folds whereof ,rippled with flashing fire of rubies sewn ,thick on the silver threads1 the rays wherefrom ,set forth new words and weighty sentences ,whose message made all living creatures glad2 ,and from the east the wind of sunrise blew ,with tender waft1 opening those jewelled scrolls ,so that all flesh might read2 and wondrous blooms ,plucked in what clime ,i know not-fell in showers1 ,coloured as none are coloured in our groves4 ,then spake the ,prince3 ,all this1 my ,lotus-flower6 ,was good to see4 ,ay1 ,lord1 the ,princess said1 ,save that it ended with a voice of fear ,crying1 ,the time is nigh6 the time is nigh6' ,thereat the third dream came2 for when ,i sought ,thy side1 sweet ,lord6 ah1 on our bed there lay ,an unpressed pillow and an empty robe-- ,nothing of thee but those6---nothing of thee1 ,who art my life and light1 my king1 my world6 ,and sleeping still ,i rose1 and sleeping saw ,thy belt of pearls1 tied here below my breasts1 ,change to a stinging snake2 my ankle-rings ,fall off1 my golden bangles part and fall2 ,the jasmines in my hair wither to dust2 ,while this our bridal-couch sank to the ground1 ,and something rent the crimson purdah down2 ,then far away ,i heard the white bull low1 ,and far away the embroidered banner flap1 ,and once again that cry1 ',the time is come6' ,but with that cry--which shakes my spirit still-- ,i woke6 ,o ,prince6 what may such visions mean ,except ,i die1 or--worse than any death-- ,thou shouldst forsake me or be taken8 ,sweet ,as the last smile of sunset was the look ,siddartha bent upon his weeping wife4 ,comfort thee1 dear6 he said1 if comfort lives ,in changeless love2 for though thy dreams may be ,shadows of things to come1 and though the gods ,are shaken in their seats1 and though the world ,stands nigh1 perchance1 to know some way of help1 ,yet1 whatsoever fall to thee and me1 ,be sure ,i loved and love ,yasodhara4 ,thou knowest how ,i muse these many moons1 ,seeking to save the sad earth ,i have seen2 ,and when the time comes1 that which will be will4 ,but if my soul yearns sore for souls unknown1 ,and if ,i grieve for griefs which are not mine1 ,judge how my high-winged thoughts must hover here ,o'er all these lives that share and sweeten mine ,so dear6 and thine the dearest1 gentlest1 best1 ,and nearest4 ,ah1 thou mother of my babe6 ,whose body mixed with mine for this fair hope1 ,when most my spirit wanders1 ranging round ,the lands and seas--as full of ruth for men ,as the far-flying dove is full of ruth ,for her twin nestlings--ever it has come ,home with glad wing and passionate plumes to thee1 ,who art the sweetness of my kind best seen1 ,the utmost of their good1 the tenderest ,of all their tenderness1 mine most of all4 ,therefore1 whatever after this betide1 ,bethink thee of that lordly bull which lowed1 ,that jewelled banner in thy dreams which waved ,its folds departing1 and of this be sure1 ,always ,i loved and always love thee well1 ,and what ,i sought for all sought most for thee4 ,but thou1 take comfort2 and1 if sorrow falls1 ,take comfort still in deeming there may be ,a way of peace on earth by woes of ours2 ,and have with this embrace what faithful love ,can think of thanks or frame for benison-- ,too little1 seeing love's strong self is weak-- ,yet kiss me on the mouth1 and drink these words ,from heart to heart therewith1 that thou mayst know-- ,what others will not--that ,i loved thee most ,because ,i loved so well all living souls4 ,now1 ,princess6 rest1 for ,i will rise and watch4 ,then in her tears she slept1 but sleeping sighed-- ,as if that vision passed again--,the time6 ,the time is come6 ,whereat ,siddartha turned1 ,and1 lo6 the moon shone by the ,crab6 the stars ,in that same silver order long foretold ,stood ranged to say3 ,this is the night6--choose thou ,the way of greatness or the way of good ,to reign a ,king of kings1 or wander lone1 ,crownless and homeless1 that the world be helped4 ,moreover1 with the whispers of the gloom ,came to his ears again that warning song1 ,as when the ,devas spoke upon the wind3 ,and surely gods were round about the place ,watching our ,lord1 who watched the shining stars4 ,i will depart1 he spake2 the hour is come6 ,thy tender lips1 dear sleeper1 summon me ,to that which saves the earth but sunders us2 ,and in the silence of yon sky ,i read ,my fated message flashing4 ,unto this ,came ,i1 and unto this all nights and days ,have led me2 for ,i will not have that crown ,which may be mine3 ,i lay aside those realms ,which wait the gleaming of my naked sword ,my chariot shall not roll with bloody wheels ,from victory to victory1 till earth ,wears the red record of my name4 ,i choose ,to tread its paths with patient1 stainless feet1 ,making its dust my bed1 its loneliest wastes ,my dwelling1 and its meanest things my mates3 ,clad in no prouder garb than outcasts wear1 ,fed with no meats save what the charitable ,give of their will1 sheltered by no more pomp ,than the dim cave lends or the jungle-bush1 ,this will ,i do because the woful cry ,of life and all flesh living cometh up ,into my ears1 and all my soul is full ,of pity for the sickness of this world2 ,which ,i will heal1 if healing may be found ,by uttermost renouncing and strong strife4 ,for which of all the great and lesser gods ,have power or pity8 ,who hath seen them--who8 ,what have they wrought to help their worshippers8 ,how hath it steaded man to pray1 and pay ,tithes of the corn and oil1 to chant the charms1 ,to slay the shrieking sacrifice1 to rear ,the stately fane1 to feed the priests1 and call ,on ,vishnu1 ,shiva1 ,surya1 who save ,none--not the worthiest--from the griefs that teach ,those litanies of flattery and fear ,ascending day by day1 like wasted smoke8 ,hath any of my brothers 'scaped thereby ,the aches of life1 the stings of love and loss1 ,the fiery fever and the ague-shake1 ,the slow1 dull sinking into withered age1 ,the horrible dark death--and what beyond ,waits--till the whirling wheel comes up again1 ,and new lives bring new sorrows to be borne1 ,new generations for the new desires ,which have their end in the old mockeries8 ,hath any of my tender sisters found ,fruit of the fast or harvest of the hymn1 ,or bought one pang the less at bearing-time ,for white curds offered and trim tulsi-leaves8 ,nay2 it may be some of the gods are good ,and evil some1 but all in action weak2 ,both pitiful and pitiless1 and both ,as men are--bound upon this wheel of change1 ,knowing the former and the after lives4 ,for so our scriptures truly seem to teach1 ,that--once1 and wheresoe'er1 and whence begun-- ,life runs its rounds of living1 climbing up ,from mote1 and gnat1 and worm1 reptile1 and fish1 ,bird and shagged beast1 man1 demon1 ,deva1 ,god1 ,to clod and mote again2 so are we kin ,to all that is2 and thus1 if one might save ,man from his curse1 the whole wide world should share ,the lightened horror of this ignorance ,whose shadow is chill fear1 and cruelty ,its bitter pastime4 ,yea1 if one might save6 ,and means must be6 ,there must be refuge6 ,men ,perished in winter-winds till one smote fire ,from flint-stones coldly hiding what they held1 ,the red spark treasured from the kindling sun4 ,they gorged on flesh like wolves1 till one sowed corn1 ,which grew a weed1 yet makes the life of man2 ,they mowed and babbled till some tongue struck speech1 ,and patient fingers framed the lettered sound4 ,what good gift have my brothers but it came ,from search and strife and loving sacrifice8 ,if one1 then1 being great and fortunate1 ,rich1 dowered with health and ease1 from birth designed ,to rule--if he would rule--a ,king of kings2 ,if one1 not tired with life's long day1 but glad ,i' the freshness of its morning1 one not cloyed ,with love's delicious feasts1 but hungry still2 ,if one not worn and wrinkled1 sadly sage1 ,but joyous in the glory and the grace ,that mix with evils here1 and free to choose ,earth's loveliest at his will3 one even as ,i1 ,who ache not1 lack not1 grieve not1 save with griefs ,which are not mine1 except as ,i am man2-- ,if such a one1 having so much to give1 ,gave all1 laying it down for love of men4 ,and thenceforth spent himself to search for truth1 ,wringing the secret of deliverance forth1 ,whether it lurk in hells or hide in heavens1 ,or hover1 unrevealed1 nigh unto all3 ,surely at last1 far off1 sometime1 somewhere1 ,the veil would lift for his deep-searching eyes1 ,the road would open for his painful feet1 ,that should be won for which he lost the world1 ,and ,death might find him conqueror of death4 ,this will ,i do1 who have a realm to lose1 ,because ,i love my realm1 because my heart ,beats with each throb of all the hearts that ache1 ,known and unknown1 these that are mine and those ,which shall be mine1 a thousand million more ,saved by this sacrifice ,i offer now4 ,oh1 summoning stars6 ,oh1 mournful earth ,for thee and thine ,i lay aside my youth1 ,my throne1 my joys1 my golden days1 my nights1 ,my happy palace--and thine arms1 sweet ,queen6 ,harder to put aside than all the rest6 ,yet thee1 too1 ,i shall save1 saving this earth2 ,and that which stirs within thy tender womb1 ,my child1 the hidden blossom of our loves1 ,whom if ,i wait to bless my mind will fail4 ,wife6 child6 father6 and people6 ye must share ,a little while the anguish of this hour ,that light may break and all flesh learn the ,law4 ,now am ,i fixed1 and now ,i will depart1 ,never to come again till what ,i seek ,be found--if fervent search and strife avail4 ,so with his brow he touched her feet1 and bent ,the farewell of fond eyes1 unutterable1 ,upon her sleeping face1 still wet with tears2 ,and thrice around the bed in reverence1 ,as though it were an altar1 softly stepped ,with clasped hands laid upon his beating heart1 ,for never1 spake he1 lie ,i there again6 ,and thrice he made to go1 but thrice came back1 ,so strong her beauty was1 so large his love ,then1 o'er his head drawing his cloth1 he turned ,and raised the purdah's edge4 ,there drooped1 close-hushed1 ,in such sealed sleep as water-lilies know1 ,the lovely garden of his ,indian girls2 ,those twin dark-petalled lotus-buds of all-- ,gunga and ,gotami--on either side1 ,and those1 their silk-leaved sisterhood1 beyond4 ,pleasant ye are to me1 sweet friends6 he said1 ,and dear to leave2 yet if ,i leave ye not ,what else will come to all of us save eld ,without assuage and death without avail8 ,lo6 as ye lie asleep so must ye lie ,a-dead2 and when the rose dies where are gone ,its scent and splendour8 when the lamp is drained ,whither is fled the flame8 ,press heavy1 ,night6 ,upon their down-dropped lids and seal their lips1 ,that no tear stay me and no faithful voice4 ,for all the brighter that these made my life1 ,the bitterer it is that they and ,i1 ,and all1 should live as trees do--so much spring1 ,such and such rains and frosts1 such wintertimes1 ,and then dead leaves1 with maybe spring again1 ,or axe-stroke at the root4 ,this will not ,i1 ,whose life here was a god's6--this would not ,i1 ,though all my days were godlike1 while men moan ,under their darkness4 ,therefore farewell1 friends6 ,while life is good to give1 ,i give1 and go ,to seek deliverance and that unknown ,light6 ,then1 lightly treading where those sleepers lay1 ,into the night ,siddartha passed3 its eyes1 ,the watchful stars1 looked love on him3 its breath1 ,the wandering wind1 kissed his robe's fluttered fringe2 ,the garden-blossoms1 folded for the dawn1 ,opened their velvet hearts to waft him scents ,from pink and purple censers3 o'er the land1 ,from ,himalay unto the ,indian ,sea1 ,a tremor spread1 as if earth's soul beneath ,stirred with an unknown hope2 and holy books-- ,which tell the story of our ,lord--say1 too1 ,that rich celestial musics thrilled the air ,from hosts on hosts of shining ones1 who thronged ,eastward and westward1 making bright the night ,northward and southward1 making glad the ground4 ,also those four dread ,regents of the ,earth1 ,descending at the doorway1 two by two1-- ,with their bright legions of ,invisibles ,in arms of sapphire1 silver1 gold1 and pearl-- ,watched with joined hands the ,indian ,prince1 who stood1 ,his tearful eyes raised to the stars1 and lips ,close-set with purpose of prodigious love4 ,then strode he forth into the gloom and cried1 ,channa1 awake6 and bring out ,kantaka6 ,what would my ,lord8 the charioteer replied-- ,slow-rising from his place beside the gate ,to ride at night when all the ways are dark8 ,speak low1 ,siddartha said1 and bring my horse1 ,for now the hour is come when ,i should quit ,this golden prison where my heart lives caged ,to find the truth2 which henceforth ,i will seek1 ,for all men's sake1 until the truth be found4 ,alas6 dear ,prince1 answered the charioteer1 ,spake then for nought those wise and holy men ,who cast the stars and bade us wait the time ,when ,king ,suddhodana's great son should rule ,realms upon realms1 and be a ,lord of lords8 ,wilt thou ride hence and let the rich world slip ,out of thy grasp1 to hold a beggar's bowl8 ,wilt thou go forth into the friendless waste ,that hast this ,paradise of pleasures here8 ,the ,prince made answer3 ,unto this ,i came1 ,and not for thrones3 the kingdom that ,i crave ,is more than many realms1 and all things pass ,to change and death4 ,bring me forth ,kantaka6 ,most honored1 spake again the charioteer1 ,bethink thee of their woe whose bliss thou art-- ,how shalt thou help them1 first undoing them8 ,siddartha answered3 ,friend1 that love is false ,which clings to love for selfish sweets of love2 ,but ,i1 who love these more than joys of mine-- ,yea1 more than joy of theirs--depart to save ,them and all flesh1 if utmost love avail4 ,go1 bring me ,kantaka6 ,then ,channa said1 ,master1 ,i go6 and forthwith1 mournfully1 ,unto the stall he passed1 and from the rack ,took down the silver bit and bridle-chains1 ,breast-cord and curb1 and knitted fast the straps1 ,and linked the hooks1 and led out ,kantaka ,whom tethering to the ring1 he combed and dressed1 ,stroking the snowy coat to silken gloss2 ,next on the steed he laid the numdah square1 ,fitted the saddle-cloth across1 and set ,the saddle fair1 drew tight the jewelled girths1 ,buckled the breech-bands and the martingale1 ,and made fall both the stirrups of worked gold4 ,then over all he cast a golden net1 ,with tassels of seed-pearl and silken strings1 ,and led the great horse to the palace door1 ,where stood the ,prince2 but when he saw his ,lord1 ,right glad he waxed and joyously he neighed1 ,spreading his scarlet nostrils2 and the books ,write1 ,surely all had heard ,kantaka's neigh1 ,and that strong trampling of his iron heels1 ,save that the ,devas laid their unseen wings ,over their ears and kept the sleepers deaf4 ,fondly ,siddartha drew the proud head down1 ,patted the shining neck1 and said1 ,be still1 ,white ,kantaka6 be still1 and bear me now ,the farthest journey ever rider rode2 ,for this night take ,i horse to find the truth1 ,and where my quest will end yet know ,i not1 ,save that it shall not end until ,i find4 ,therefore tonight1 good steed1 be fierce and bold6 ,let nothing stay thee1 though a thousand blades ,deny the road6 let neither wall nor moat ,forbid our flight6 ,look6 if ,i touch thy flank ,and cry1 ,on1 ,kantaka6 ,i let whirlwinds lag ,behind thy course6 ,be fire and air1 my horse6 ,to stead thy ,lord1 so shalt thou share with him ,the greatness of this deed which helps the world2 ,for therefore ride ,i1 not for men alone1 ,but for all things which1 speechless1 share our pain ,and have no hope1 nor wit to ask for hope4 ,now1 therefore1 bear thy master valorously6 ,then to the saddle lightly leaping1 he ,touched the arched crest1 and ,kantaka sprang forth ,with armed hoofs sparkling on the stones and ring ,of champing bit2 but none did hear that sound1 ,for that the ,suddha ,devas1 gathering near1 ,plucked the red mohra-flowers and strewed them thick ,under his tread1 while hands invisible ,muffled the ringing bit and bridle chains4 ,moreover1 it is written when they came ,upon the pavement near the inner gates1 ,the ,yakshas of the air laid magic cloths ,under the stallion's feet1 so that he went ,softly and still4 ,but when they reached the gate ,of tripled brass--which hardly fivescore men ,served to unbar and open--lo6 the doors ,rolled back all silently1 though one might hear ,in daytime two koss off the thunderous roar ,of those grim hinges and unwieldy plates4 ,also the middle and the outer gates ,unfolded each their monstrous portals thus ,in silence as ,siddartha and his steed ,drew near2 while underneath their shadow lay4 ,silent as dead men1 all those chosen guards-- ,the lance and sword let fall1 the shields unbraced1 ,captains and soldiers--for there came a wind1 ,drowsier than blows o'er ,malwa's fields of sleep ,before the ,prince's path1 which1 being breathed1 ,lulled every sense aswoon3 and so he passed ,free from the palace4 ,when the morning star ,stood half a spear's length from the eastern rim1 ,and o'er the earth the breath of morning sighed ,rippling ,anoma's wave1 the border-stream1 ,then drew he rein1 and leaped to earth and kissed ,white ,kantaka betwixt the ears1 and spake ,full sweet to ,channa3 ,this which thou hast done ,shall bring thee good and bring all creatures good4 ,be sure ,i love thee always for thy love4 ,lead back my horse and take my crest-pearl here1 ,my princely robes1 which henceforth stead me not1 ,my jewelled sword-belt and my sword1 and these ,the long locks by its bright edge severed thus ,from off my brows4 ,give the ,king all1 and say ,siddartha prays forget him till he come ,ten times a prince1 with royal wisdom won ,from lonely searchings and the strife for light2 ,where1 if ,i conquer1 lo6 all earth is mine-- ,mine by chief service6--tell him--mine by love6 ,since there is hope for man only in man1 ,and none hath sought for this as ,i will seek1 ,who cast away my world to save my world4 ,book the ,fifth ,round ,rajagriha five fair hills arose1 ,guarding ,king ,bimbasara's sylvan town2 ,baibhara1 green with lemon-grass and palms2 ,bipulla1 at whose foot thin ,sarsuti ,steals with warm ripple2 shadowy ,tapovan1 ,whose steaming pools mirror black rocks1 which ooze ,sovereign earth-butter from their rugged roofs2 ,south-east the vulture-peak ,sailagiri2 ,and eastward ,ratnagiri1 hill of gems4 ,a winding track1 paven with footworn slabs1 ,leads thee by safflower fields and bamboo tufts ,under dark mangoes and the jujube-trees1 ,past milk-white veins of rock and jasper crags1 ,low cliff and flats of jungle-flowers1 to where ,the shoulder of that mountain1 sloping west1 ,o'erhangs a cave with wild figs canopied4 ,lo6 thou who comest thither1 bare thy feet ,and bow thy head6 for all this spacious earth ,hath not a spot more dear and hallowed4 ,here ,lord ,buddha sate the scorching summers through1 ,the driving rains1 the chilly dawns and eves2 ,wearing for all men's sakes the yellow robe1 ,eating in beggar's guise the scanty meal ,chance-gathered from the charitable2 at night ,crouched on the grass1 homeless1 alone2 while yelped ,the sleepless jackals round his cave1 or coughs ,of famished tiger from the thicket broke4 ,by day and night here dwelt the ,world-honoured1 ,subduing that fair body born for bliss ,with fast and frequent watch and search intense ,of silent meditation1 so prolonged ,that ofttimes while he mused--as motionless ,as the fixed rock his seat--the squirrel leaped ,upon his knee1 the timid quail led forth ,her brood between his feet1 and blue doves pecked ,the rice-grains from the bowl beside his hand4 ,thus would he muse from noontide--when the land ,shimmered with heat1 and walls and temples danced ,in the reeking air--till sunset1 noting not ,the blazing globe roll down1 nor evening glide1 ,purple and swift1 across the softened fields2 ,nor the still coming of the stars1 nor throb ,of drum-skins in the busy town1 nor screech ,of owl and night jar2 wholly wrapt from self ,in keen unraveling of the threads of thought ,and steadfast pacing of life's labyrinths4 ,thus would he sit till midnight hushed the world1 ,save where the beasts of darkness in the brake ,crept and cried out1 as fear and hatred cry1 ,as lust and avarice and anger creep ,in the black jungles of man's ignorance4 ,then slept he for what space the fleet moon asks ,to swim a tenth part of her cloudy sea2 ,but rose ere the false-dawn1 and stood again ,wistful on some dark platform of his hill1 ,watching the sleeping earth with ardent eyes ,and thoughts embracing all its living things1 ,while o'er the waving fields that murmur moved ,which is the kiss of ,morn waking the lands1 ,and in the east that miracle of ,day ,gathered and grew3 at first a dusk so dim ,night seems still unaware of whispered dawn1 ,but soon--before the jungle-cock crows twice-- ,a white verge clear1 a widening1 brightening white1 ,high as the herald-star1 which fades in floods ,of silver1 warming into pale gold1 caught ,by topmost clouds1 and flaming on their rims ,to fervent golden glow1 flushed from the brink ,with saffron1 scarlet1 crimson1 amethyst2 ,whereat the sky burns splendid to the blue1 ,and1 robed in raiment of glad light1 the ,song ,of ,life and ,glory cometh6 ,then our ,lord1 ,after the manner of a ,rishi1 hailed ,the rising orb1 and went--ablutions made-- ,down by the winding path unto the town2 ,and in the fashion of a ,rishi passed ,from street to street1 with begging-bowl in hand1 ,gathering the little pittance of his needs4 ,soon was it filled1 for all the townsmen cried1 ,take of our store1 great sir6 and ,take of ours6 ,marking his godlike face and eyes enwrapt2 ,and mothers1 when they saw our ,lord go by1 ,would bid their children fall to kiss his feet1 ,and lift his robe's hem to their brows1 or run ,to fill his jar1 and fetch him milk and cakes4 ,and ofttimes as he paced1 gentle and slow1 ,radiant with heavenly pity1 lost in care ,for those he knew not1 save as fellow lives1 ,the dark surprised eyes of some ,indian maid ,would dwell in sudden love and worship deep ,on that majestic form1 as if she saw ,her dreams of tenderest thought made true1 and grace ,fairer than mortal fire her breast4 ,but he ,passed onward with the bowl and yellow robe1 ,by mild speech paying all those gifts of hearts1 ,wending his way back to the solitudes ,to sit upon his hill with holy men1 ,and hear and ask of wisdom and its roads4 ,midway on ,ratnagiri's groves of calm1 ,beyond the city1 but below the caves1 ,lodged such as hold the body foe to soul1 ,and flesh a beast which men must chain and tame ,with bitter pains1 till sense of pain is killed1 ,and tortured nerves vex torturer no more-- ,yogis and ,brahmacharis1 ,bhikshus1 all-- ,a gaunt and mournful band1 dwelling apart4 ,some day and night had stood with lifted arms1 ,till--drained of blood and withered by disease ,their slowly-wasting joints and stiffened limbs ,jutted from sapless shoulders like dead forks from forest trunks4 ,others had clenched their hands ,so long and with so fierce a fortitude1 ,the claw-like nails grew through the festered palm4 ,some walked on sandals spiked2 some with sharp flints ,gashed breast and brow and thigh1 scarred these with fire1 ,threaded their flesh with jungle thorns and spits1 ,besmeared with mud and ashes1 crouching foul ,in rags of dead men wrapped about their loins4 ,certain there were inhabited the spots ,where death pyres smouldered1 cowering defiled ,with corpses for their company1 and kites ,screaming around them o'er the funeral-spoils2 ,certain who cried five hundred times a day ,the names of ,shiva1 wound with darting snakes ,about their sun-tanned necks and hollow flanks1 ,one palsied foot drawn up against the ham4 ,so gathered they1 a grievous company2 ,crowns blistered by the blazing heat1 eyes bleared1 ,sinews and muscles shrivelled1 visages ,haggard and wan as slain men's1 five days dead2 ,here crouched one in the dust who noon by noon ,meted a thousand grains of millet out1 ,ate it with famished patience1 seed by seed1 ,and so starved on2 there one who bruised his pulse ,with bitter leaves lest palate should be pleased2 ,and next1 a miserable saint self-maimed1 ,eyeless and tongueless1 sexless1 crippled1 deaf2 ,the body by the mind being thus stripped ,for glory of much suffering1 and the bliss ,which they shall win--say holy books--whose woe ,shames gods that send us woe1 and makes men gods ,stronger to suffer than hell is to harm4 ,whom sadly eyeing spake our ,lord to one1 ,chief of the woe-begones3 ,much-suffering sir ,these many moons ,i dwell upon the hill-- ,who am a seeker of the ,truth--and see ,my brothers here1 and thee1 so piteously ,self-anguished2 wherefore add ye ills to life ,which is so evil8 ,answer made the sage ',t is written if a man shall mortify ,his flesh1 till pain be grown the life he lives ,and death voluptuous rest1 such woes shall purge ,sin's dross away1 and the soul1 purified1 ,soar from the furnace of its sorrow1 winged ,for glorious spheres and splendour past all thought4 ,yon cloud which floats in heaven1 the ,prince replied1 ,wreathed like gold cloth around your ,indra's throne1 ,rose thither from the tempest-driven sea2 ,but it must fall again in tearful drops1 ,trickling through rough and painful water-ways ,by cleft and nullah and the muddy flood1 ,to ,gunga and the sea1 wherefrom it sprang4 ,know'st thou1 my brother1 if it be not thus1 ,after their many pains1 with saints in bliss8 ,since that which rises falls1 and that which buys ,is spent2 and if ye buy heaven with your blood ,in hell's hard market1 when the bargain's through ,the toil begins again6 ,it may begin1 ,the hermit moaned4 ,alas6 we know not this1 ,nor surely anything2 yet after night ,day comes1 and after turmoil peace1 and we ,hate this accursed flesh which clogs the soul ,that fain would rise2 so1 for the sake of soul1 ,we stake brief agonies in game with ,gods ,to gain the larger joys4 ,yet if they last ,a myriad years1 he said1 they fade at length1 ,those joys2 or if not1 is there then some life ,below1 above1 beyond1 so unlike life it will not change8 ,speak6 do your ,gods endure ,for ever1 brothers8 ,nay1 the ,yogis said1 ,only great ,brahm endures3 the ,gods but live4 ,then spake ,lord ,buddha3 ,will ye1 being wise1 ,as ye seem holy and strong-hearted ones1 ,throw these sore dice1 which are your groans and moans1 ,for gains which may be dreams1 and must have end8 ,will ye1 for love of soul1 so loathe your flesh1 ,so scourge and maim it1 that it shall not serve ,to bear the spirit on1 searching for home1 ,but founder on the track before nightfall1 ,like willing steed o'er-spurred8 ,will ye1 sad sirs1 ,dismantle and dismember this fair house1 ,where we have come to dwell by painful pasts2 ,whose windows give us light--the little light ,whereby we gaze abroad to know if dawn ,will break1 and whither winds the better road8 ,then cried they1 ,we have chosen this for road ,and tread it1 ,rajaputra1 till the close-- ,though all its stones were fire--in trust of death4 ,speak1 if thou know'st a way more excellent2 ,if not1 peace go with thee6 ,onward he passed1 ,exceeding sorrowful1 seeing how men ,fear so to die they are afraid to fear1 ,lust so to live they dare not love their life1 ,but plague it with fierce penances1 belike ,to please the ,gods who grudge pleasure to man2 ,belike to balk hell by self-kindled hells2 ,belike in holy madness1 hoping soul ,may break the better through their wasted flesh4 ,oh1 flowerets of the field6 ,siddartha said1 ,who turn your tender faces to the sun-- ,glad of the light1 and grateful with sweet breath ,of fragrance and these robes of reverence donned ,silver and gold and purple--none of ye ,miss perfect living1 none of ye despoil ,your happy beauty4 ,o1 ye palms1 which rise ,eager to pierce the sky and drink the wind ,blown from ,malaya and the cool blue seas1 ,what secret know ye that ye grow content1 ,from time of tender shoot to time of fruit1 ,murmuring such sun-songs from your feathered crowns8 ,ye1 too1 who dwell so merry in the trees-- ,quick-darting parrots1 bee-birds1 bulbuls1 doves-- ,none of ye hate your life1 none of ye deem ,to strain to better by foregoing needs6 ,but man1 who slays ye--being lord--is wise1 ,and wisdom1 nursed on blood1 cometh thus forth ,in self-tormentings6 ,while the ,master spake ,blew down the mount the dust of pattering feet1 ,white goats and black sheep winding slow their way1 ,with many a lingering nibble at the tufts1 ,and wanderings from the path1 where water gleamed ,or wild figs hung4 ,but always as they strayed ,the herdsman cried1 or slung his sling1 and kept ,the silly crowd still moving to the plain4 ,a ewe with couplets in the flock there was4 ,some hurt had lamed one lamb1 which toiled behind ,bleeding1 while in the front its fellow skipped1 ,and the vexed dam hither and thither ran1 ,fearful to lose this little one or that2 ,which when our ,lord did mark1 full tenderly ,he took the limping lamb upon his neck1 ,saying3 ,poor woolly mother1 be at peace6 ,whither thou goest ,i will bear thy care2 ',t were all as good to ease one beast of grief ,as sit and watch the sorrows of the world ,in yonder caverns with the priests who pray4 ,but1 spake he to the herdsmen1 wherefore1 friends1 ,drive ye the flocks adown under high noon1 ,since 't is at evening that men fold their sheep8 ,and answer gave the peasants3 ,we are sent ,to fetch a sacrifice of goats five score1 ,and five score sheep1 the which our ,lord the ,king ,slayeth this night in worship of his gods4 ,then said the ,master1 ,i will also go4 ,so paced he patiently1 bearing the lamb ,beside the herdsmen in the dust and sun1 ,the wistful ewe low-bleating at his feet4 ,whom1 when they came unto the river-side1 ,a woman--dove-eyed1 young1 with tearful face ,and lifted hands--saluted1 bending low ,lord6 thou art he1 she said1 who yesterday ,had pity on me in the fig-grove here1 ,where ,i live lone and reared my child2 but he ,straying amid the blossoms found a snake1 ,which twined about his wrist1 while he did laugh ,and tease the quick forked tongue and opened mouth ,of that cold playmate4 ,but1 alas6 ere long ,he turned so pale and still1 ,i could not think ,why he should cease to play1 and let my breast ,fall from his lips4 ,and one said1 ',he is sick ,of poison'2 and another1 ',he will die4' ,but ,i1 who could not lose my precious boy1 ,prayed of them physic1 which might bring the light ,back to his eyes2 it was so very small ,that kiss-mark of the serpent1 and ,i think ,it could not hate him1 gracious as he was1 ,nor hurt him in his sport4 ,and some one said1 ',there is a holy man upon the hill ,lo6 now he passeth in the yellow robe ,ask of the ,rishi if there be a cure ,for that which ails thy son4' ,whereon ,i came ,trembling to thee1 whose brow is like a god's1 ,and wept and drew the face cloth from my babe1 ,praying thee tell what simples might be good4 ,and thou1 great sir1 did'st spurn me not1 but gaze ,with gentle eyes and touch with patient hand2 ,then draw the face cloth back1 saying to me1 ',yea1 little sister1 there is that might heal ,thee first1 and him1 if thou couldst fetch the thing2 ,for they who seek physicians bring to them ,what is ordained4 ,therefore1 ,i pray thee1 find ,black mustard-seed1 a tola2 only mark ,thou take it not from any hand or house ,where father1 mother1 child1 or slave hath died2 ,it shall be well if thou canst find such seed4' ,thus didst thou speak1 my ,lord6 ,the ,master smiled ,exceeding tenderly4 ,yea1 ,i spake thus1 ,dear ,kisagotami6 ,but didst thou find ,the seed8 ,i went1 ,lord1 clasping to my breast ,the babe1 grown colder1 asking at each hut-- ,here in the jungle and towards the town-- ',i pray you1 give me mustard1 of your grace1 ,a tola-black'2 and each who had it gave1 ,for all the poor are piteous to the poor2 ,but when ,i asked1 ',in my friend's household here ,hath any peradventure ever died ,husband or wife1 or child1 or slave8' they said3 ',o sister6 what is this you ask8 the dead ,are very many1 and the living few6' ,so with sad thanks ,i gave the mustard back1 ,and prayed of others2 but the others said1 ,here is the seed1 but we have lost our slave4' ',here is the seed1 but our good man is dead6' ',here is some seed1 but he that sowed it died ,between the rain-time and the harvesting6' ,ah1 sir6 ,i could not find a single house ,where there was mustard-seed and none had died6 ,therefore ,i left my child--who would not suck ,nor smile--beneath the wild vines by the stream1 ,to seek thy face and kiss thy feet1 and pray ,where ,i might find this seed and find no death1 ,if now1 indeed1 my baby be not dead1 ,as ,i do fear1 and as they said to me4 ,my sister6 thou hast found1 the ,master said1 ,searching for what none finds--that bitter balm ,i had to give thee4 ,he thou lovest slept ,dead on thy bosom yesterday3 today ,thou know'st the whole wide world weeps with thy woe ,the grief which all hearts share grows less for one4 ,lo6 ,i would pour my blood if it could stay ,thy tears and win the secret of that curse ,which makes sweet love our anguish1 and which drives ,o'er flowers and pastures to the sacrifice ,as these dumb beasts are driven--men their lords4 ,i seek that secret3 bury thou thy child6 ,so entered they the city side by side1 ,the herdsmen and the ,prince1 what time the sun ,gilded slow ,sona's distant stream1 and threw ,long shadows down the street and through the gate ,where the ,king's men kept watch4 ,but when they saw ,our ,lord bearing the lamb1 the guards stood back1 ,the market-people drew their wains aside1 ,in the bazaar buyers and sellers stayed ,the war of tongues to gaze on that mild face2 ,the smith1 with lifted hammer in his hand1 ,forgot to strike2 the weaver left his web1 ,the scribe his scroll1 the money-changer lost ,his count of cowries2 from the unwatched rice ,shiva's white bull fed free2 the wasted milk ,ran o'er the lota while the milkers watched ,the passage of our ,lord moving so meek1 ,with yet so beautiful a majesty4 ,but most the women gathering in the doors ,asked3 ,who is this that brings the sacrifice1 ,so graceful and peace-giving as he goes8 ,what is his caste8 whence hath he eyes so sweet8 ,can he be ,sakra or the ,devaraj8 ,and others said1 ,it is the holy man ,who dwelleth with the ,rishis on the hill4 ,but the ,lord paced1 in meditation lost1 ,thinking1 ,alas6 for all my sheep which have ,no shepherd2 wandering in the night with none ,to guide them2 bleating blindly towards the knife ,of ,death1 as these dumb beasts which are their kin4 ,then some one told the ,king1 ,there cometh here ,a holy hermit1 bringing down the flock ,which thou didst bid to crown the sacrifice4 ,the ,king stood in his hall of offering4 ,on either hand1 the white-robed ,brahmans ranged ,muttered their mantras1 feeding still the fire ,which roared upon the midmost altar4 ,there ,from scented woods flickered bright tongues of flame1 ,hissing and curling as they licked the gifts ,of ghee and spices and the soma juice1 ,the joy of ,iudra4 ,round about the pile ,a slow1 thick1 scarlet streamlet smoked and ran1 ,sucked by the sand1 but ever rolling down1 ,the blood of bleating victims4 ,one such lay1 ,a spotted goat1 long-horned1 its head bound back ,with munja grass2 at its stretched throat the knife ,pressed by a priest1 who murmured3 ,this1 dread gods1 ,of many yajnas cometh as the crown ,from ,bimbasara3 take ye joy to see ,the spirted blood1 and pleasure in the scent ,of rich flesh roasting 'mid the fragrant flames2 ,let the ,king's sins be laid upon this goat1 ,and let the fire consume them burning it1 ,for now ,i strike4 ,but ,buddha softly said1 ,let him not strike1 great ,king6 and therewith loosed ,the victim's bonds1 none staying him1 so great ,his presence was4 ,then1 craving leave1 he spake ,of life1 which all can take but none can give1 ,life1 which all creatures love and strive to keep1 ,wonderful1 dear and pleasant unto each1 ,even to the meanest2 yea1 a boon to all ,where pity is1 for pity makes the world ,soft to the weak and noble for the strong4 ,unto the dumb lips of his flock he lent ,sad pleading words1 showing how man1 who prays ,for mercy to the gods1 is merciless1 ,being as god to those2 albeit all life ,is linked and kin1 and what we slay have given ,meek tribute of the milk and wool1 and set ,fast trust upon the hands which murder them4 ,also he spake of what the holy books ,do surely teach1 how that at death some sink ,to bird and beast1 and these rise up to man ,in wanderings of the spark which grows purged flame4 ,so were the sacrifice new sin1 if so ,the fated passage of a soul be stayed4 ,nor1 spake he1 shall one wash his spirit clean ,by blood2 nor gladden gods1 being good1 with blood2 ,nor bribe them1 being evil2 nay1 nor lay ,upon the brow of innocent bound beasts ,one hair's weight of that answer all must give ,for all things done amiss or wrongfully1 ,alone1 each for himself1 reckoning with that ,the fixed arithmic of the universe1 ,which meteth good for good and ill for ill1 ,measure for measure1 unto deeds1 words1 thoughts2 ,watchful1 aware1 implacable1 unmoved2 ,making all futures fruits of all the pasts4 ,thus spake he1 breathing words so piteous ,with such high lordliness of ruth and right1 ,the priests drew back their garments o'er the hands ,crimsoned with slaughter1 and the ,king came near1 ,standing with clasped palms reverencing ,buddh2 ,while still our ,lord went on1 teaching how fair ,this earth were if all living things be linked ,in friendliness1 and common use of foods ,bloodless and pure2 the golden grain1 bright fruits1 ,sweet herbs which grow for all1 the waters wan1 ,sufficient drinks and meats4 ,which when these heard1 ,the might of gentleness so conquered them1 ,the priests themselves scattered their altar-flames ,and flung away the steel of sacrifice2 ,and through the land next day passed a decree ,proclaimed by criers1 and in this wise graved ,on rock and column3 ,thus the ,king's will is3 ,there hath been slaughter for the sacrifice1 ,and slaying for the meat1 but henceforth none ,shall spill the blood of life nor taste of flesh1 ,seeing that knowledge grows1 and life is one1 ,and mercy cometh to the merciful4 ,so ran the edict1 and from those days forth ,sweet peace hath spread between all living kind1 ,man and the beasts which serve him1 and the birds1 ,on all those banks of ,gunga where our ,lord ,taught with his saintly pity and soft speech4 ,for aye so piteous was the ,master's heart ,to all that breathe this breath of fleeting life1 ,yoked in one fellowship of joys and pains1 ,that it is written in the holy books ,how1 in an ancient age--when ,buddha wore ,a ,brahman's form1 dwelling upon the rock ,named ,munda1 by the village of ,dalidd-- ,drought withered all the land3 the young rice died ,ere it could hide a quail2 in forest glades ,a fierce sun sucked the pools2 grasses and herbs ,sickened1 and all the woodland creatures fled ,scattering for sustenance4 ,at such a time1 ,between the hot walls of a nullah1 stretched ,on naked stones1 our ,lord spied1 as he passed1 ,a starving tigress4 ,hunger in her orbs ,glared with green flame2 her dry tongue lolled a span ,beyond the gasping jaws and shrivelled jowl2 ,her painted hide hung wrinkled on her ribs1 ,as when between the rafters sinks a thatch ,rotten with rains2 and at the poor lean dugs ,two cubs1 whining with famine1 tugged and sucked1 ,mumbling those milkless teats which rendered nought1 ,while she1 their gaunt dam1 licked full motherly ,the clamorous twins1 yielding her flank to them ,with moaning throat1 and love stronger than want1 ,softening the first of that wild cry wherewith ,she laid her famished muzzle to the sand ,and roared a savage thunder-peal of woe4 ,seeing which bitter strait1 and heeding nought ,save the immense compassion of a ,buddh1 ,our ,lord bethought1 ,there is no other way ,to help this murdress of the woods but one4 ,by sunset these will die1 having no meat3 ,there is no living heart will pity her1 ,bloody with ravin1 lean for lack of blood4 ,lo6 if ,i feed her1 who shall lose but ,i1 ,and how can love lose doing of its kind ,even to the uttermost8 ,so saying1 ,buddh ,silently laid aside sandals and staff1 ,his sacred thread1 turban1 and cloth1 and came ,forth from behind the milk-bush on the sand1 ,saying1 ,ho6 mother1 here is meat for thee6 ,whereat the perishing beast yelped hoarse and shrill1 ,sprang from her cubs1 and1 hurling to the earth ,that willing victim1 had her feast of him ,with all the crooked daggers of her claws ,rending his flesh1 and all her yellow fangs ,bathed in his blood3 the great cat's burning breath ,mixed with the last sigh of such fearless love4 ,thus large the ,master's heart was long ago1 ,not only now1 when with his gracious ruth ,he bade cease cruel worship of the gods4 ,and much ,king ,bimbasara prayed our ,lord-- ,learning his royal birth and holy search-- ,to tarry in that city1 saying oft ,thy princely state may not abide such fasts2 ,thy hands were made for sceptres1 not for alms4 ,sojourn with me1 who have no son to rule1 ,and teach my kingdom wisdom1 till ,i die1 ,lodged in my palace with a beauteous bride4 ,but ever spake ,siddartha1 of set mind ,these things ,i had1 most noble ,king1 and left1 ,seeking the ,truth2 which still ,i seek1 and shall2 ,not to be stayed though ,sakra's palace ope'd ,its doors of pearl and ,devis wooed me in4 ,i go to build the ,kingdom of the ,law1 journeying to ,gaya and the forest shades1 ,where1 as ,i think1 the light will come to me2 ,for nowise here among the ,rishis comes ,that light1 nor from the ,shasters1 nor from fasts ,borne till the body faints1 starved by the soul4 ,yet there is light to reach and truth to win2 ,and surely1 ,o true ,friend1 if ,i attain ,i will return and quit thy love4 ,thereat ,thrice round the ,prince ,king ,bimbasara paced1 ,reverently bending to the ,master's feet1 ,and bade him speed4 ,so passed our ,lord away ,towards ,uravilva1 not yet comforted1 ,and wan of face1 and weak with six years' quest4 ,but they upon the hill and in the grove-- ,alara1 ,udra1 and the ascetics five-- ,had stayed him1 saying all was written clear ,in holy ,shasters1 and that none might win ,higher than ,sruti and than ,smriti--nay1 ,not the chief saints6--for how should mortal man ,be wiser than the ,jnana-,kand1 which tells ,how ,brahm is bodiless and actionless1 ,passionless1 calm1 unqualified1 unchanged1 ,pure life1 pure thought1 pure joy8 ,or how should man ,its better than the ,karmma-,kand1 which shows ,how he may strip passion and action off1 ,break from the bond of self1 and so1 unsphered1 ,be ,god1 and melt into the vast divine1 ,flying from false to true1 from wars of sense ,to peace eternal1 where the silence lives8 ,but the prince heard them1 not yet comforted4 ,book ,the ,sixth ,thou who wouldst see where dawned the light at last1 ,north-westwards from the ,thousand ,gardens go ,by ,gunga's valley till thy steps be set ,on the green hills where those twin streamlets spring ,nilajan and ,mohana2 follow them1 ,winding beneath broad-leaved mahua-trees1 ',mid thickets of the sansar and the bir1 ,till on the plain the shining sisters meet ,in ,phalgu's bed1 flowing by rocky banks ,to ,gaya and the red ,barabar hills4 ,hard by that river spreads a thorny waste1 ,uruwelaya named in ancient days1 ,with sandhills broken2 on its verge a wood ,waves sea-green plumes and tassels 'thwart the sky1 ,with undergrowth wherethrough a still flood steals1 ,dappled with lotus-blossoms1 blue and white1 ,and peopled with quick fish and tortoises4 ,near it the village of ,senani reared ,its roofs of grass1 nestled amid the palms1 ,peaceful with simple folk and pastoral toils4 ,there in the sylvan solitudes once more ,lord ,buddha lived1 musing the woes of men1 ,the ways of fate1 the doctrines of the books1 ,the lessons of the creatures of the brake1 ,the secrets of the silence whence all come1 ,the secrets of the gloom whereto all go1 ,the life which lies between1 like that arch flung ,from cloud to cloud across the sky1 which hath ,mists for its masonry and vapoury piers1 ,melting to void again which was so fair ,with sapphire hues1 garnet1 and chrysoprase4 ,moon after moon our ,lord sate in the wood1 ,so meditating these that he forgot ,ofttimes the hour of food1 rising from thoughts ,prolonged beyond the sunrise and the noon ,to see his bowl unfilled1 and eat perforce ,of wild fruit fallen from the boughs o'erhead1 ,shaken to earth by chattering ape or plucked ,by purple parokeet4 ,therefore his grace ,faded2 his body1 worn by stress of soul1 ,lost day by day the marks1 thirty and two1 ,which testify the ,buddha4 ,scarce that leaf1 ,fluttering so dry and withered to his feet ,from off the sal-branch1 bore less likeliness ,of spring's soft greenery than he of him ,who was the princely flower of all his land4 ,and once at such a time the o'erwrought ,prince ,fell to the earth in deadly swoon1 all spent1 ,even as one slain1 who hath no longer breath ,nor any stir of blood2 so wan he was1 ,so motionless4 ,but there came by that way ,a shepherd-boy1 who saw ,siddartha lie ,with lids fast-closed1 and lines of nameless pain ,fixed on his lips--the fiery noonday sun ,beating upon his head--who1 plucking boughs ,from wild rose-apple trees1 knitted them thick ,into a bower to shade the sacred face4 ,also he poured upon the ,master's lips ,drops of warm milk1 pressed from his she-goat's bag1 ,lest1 being of low caste1 he do wrong to one ,so high and holy seeming4 ,but the books ,tell how the jambu-branches1 planted thus1 ,shot with quick life in wealth of leaf and flower ,and glowing fruitage interlaced and close1 ,so that the bower grew like a tent of silk ,pitched for a king at hunting1 decked with studs ,of silver-work and bosses of red gold4 ,and the boy worshipped1 deeming him some ,god2 ,but our ,lord1 gaining breath1 arose and asked ,milk in the shepherd's lots4 ,ah1 my ,lord1 ,i cannot give thee1 quoth the lad2 thou seest ,i am a ,sudra1 and my touch defiles6 ,then the ,world-honoured spake3 ,pity and need ,make all flesh kin4 ,there is no caste in blood1 ,which runneth of one hue1 nor caste in tears1 ,which trickle salt with all2 neither comes man ,to birth with tilka-mark stamped on the brow1 ,nor sacred thread on neck4 ,who doth right deeds ,is twice-born1 and who doeth ill deeds vile4 ,give me to drink1 my brother2 when ,i come ,unto my quest it shall be good for thee4 ,thereat the peasant's heart was glad1 and gave4 ,and on another day there passed that road ,a band of tinselled1 girls1 the nautch-dancers ,of ,indra's temple in the town1 with those ,who made their music--one that beat a drum ,set round with peacock-feathers1 one that blew ,the piping bansuli1 and one that twitched ,a three-string sitar4 ,lightly tripped they down ,from ledge to ledge and through the chequered paths ,to some gay festival1 the silver bells ,chiming soft peals about the small brown feet1 ,armlets and wrist-rings tattling answer shrill2 ,while he that bore the sitar thrummed and twanged ,his threads of brass1 and she beside him sang-- ,fair goes the dancing when the sitar's tuned2 ,tune us the sitar neither low nor high1 ,and we will dance away the hearts of men4 ,the string o'erstretched breaks1 and the music flies1 ,the string o'erslack is dumb1 and music dies2 ,tune us the sitar neither low nor high4 ,so sang the nautch-girl to the pipe and wires1 ,fluttering like some vain1 painted butterfly ,from glade to glade along the forest path1 ,nor dreamed her light words echoed on the ear ,of him1 that holy man1 who sate so rapt ,under the fig-tree by the path4 ,but ,buddh ,lifted his great brow as the wantons passed1 ,and spake3 ',the foolish ofttimes teach the wise2 ,i strain too much this string of life1 belike1 ,meaning to make such music as shall save4 ,mine eyes are dim now that they see the truth1 ,my strength is waned now that my need is most2 ,would that ,i had such help as man must have1 ,for ,i shall die1 whose life was all men's hope4' ,now1 by that river dwelt a landholder ,pious and rich1 master of many herds1 ,a goodly chief1 the friend of all the poor2 ,and from his house the village drew its name-- ,senani4 ,pleasant and in peace he lived1 ,having for wife ,sujata1 loveliest ,of all the dark-eyed daughters of the plain2 ,gentle and true1 simple and kind was she1 ,noble of mien1 with gracious speech to all ,and gladsome looks--a pearl of womanhood-- ,passing calm years of household happiness ,beside her lord in that still ,indian home1 ,save that no male child blessed their wedded love4 ,wherefore with many prayers she had besought ,lukshmi1 and many nights at full-moon gone ,round the great ,lingam1 nine times nine1 with gifts ,of rice and jasmine wreaths and sandal oil1 ,praying a boy2 also ,sujata vowed-- ,if this should be--an offering of food ,unto the ,wood-,god1 plenteous1 delicate1 ,set in a bowl of gold under his tree1 ,such as the lips of ,devs may taste and take4 ,and this had been3 for there was born to her ,a beauteous boy1 now three months old1 who lay ,between ,sujata's breasts1 while she did pace ,with grateful footsteps to the ,wood-,god's shrine1 ,one arm clasping her crimson sari close ,to wrap the babe1 that jewel of her joys1 ,the other lifted high in comely curve ,to steady on her head the bowl and dish ,which held the dainty victuals for the ,god4 ,but ,radha1 sent before to sweep the ground ,and tie the scarlet threads around the tree1 ,came eager1 crying1 ,ah1 dear ,mistress6 look6 ,there is the ,wood-,god sitting in his place1 ,revealed1 with folded hands upon his knees4 ,see how the light shines round about his brow6 ,how mild and great he seems1 with heavenly eyes6 ,good fortune is it thus to meet the gods4 ,so1--thinking him divine1--,sujata drew ,tremblingly nigh1 and kissed the earth and said1 ,with sweet face bent3 ,would that the ,holy ,one ,inhabiting his grove1 ,giver of good1 ,merciful unto me his handmaiden1 ,vouchsafing now his presence1 might accept ,these our poor gifts of snowy curds1 fresh made1 ,with milk as white as new-carved ivory6 ,therewith into the golden bowl she poured ,the curds and milk1 and on the hands of ,buddh ,dropped attar from a crystal flask-distilled ,out of the hearts of roses2 and he ate1 ,speaking no word1 while the glad mother stood ,in reverence apart4 ,but of that meal ,so wondrous was the virtue that our ,lord ,felt strength and life return as though the nights ,of watching and the days of fast had passed ,in dream1 as though the spirit with the flesh ,shared that fine meat and plumed its wings anew1 ,like some delighted bird at sudden streams ,weary with flight o'er endless wastes of sand1 ,which laves the desert dust from neck and crest-- ,and more ,sujata worshipped1 seeing our ,lord ,grow fairer and his countenance more bright3 ,art thou indeed the ,god8 she lowly asked1 ,and hath my gift found favour8 ,but ,buddh said1 ,what is it thou dost bring me8 ,holy one6 ,answered ,sujata1 from our droves ,i took ,milk of a hundred mothers newly-calved1 ,and with that milk ,i fed fifty white cows1 ,and with their milk twenty-and-five1 and then ,with theirs twelve more1 and yet again with theirs ,the six noblest and best of all our herds1 ,that yield ,i boiled with sandal and fine spice ,in silver lotas1 adding rice1 well grown ,from chosen seed1 set in new-broken ground1 ,so picked that every grain was like a pearl4 ,this did ,i of true heart1 because ,i vowed1 ,under thy tree1 if ,i should bear a boy ,i would make offering for my joy1 and now ,i have my son and all my life is bliss6 ,softly our ,lord drew down the crimson fold1 ,and1 laying on the little head those hands ,which help the world1 he said3 ,long be thy bliss6 ,and lightly fall on him the load of life6 ,for thou hast holpen me who am no ,god1 ,but one thy ,brother2 heretofore a ,prince ,and now a wanderer1 seeking night and day ,these six hard years that light which somewhere shines ,to lighten all men's darkness1 if they knew6 ,and ,i shall find the light2 yea1 now it dawned ,glorious and helpful1 when my weak flesh failed ,which this pure food1 fair ,sister1 hath restored1 ,drawn manifold through lives to quicken life ,as life itself passes by many births ,to happier heights and purging off of sins4 ,yet dost thou truly find it sweet enough ,only to live8 ,can life and love suffice8 ,answered ,sujata3 ,worshipful6 my heart ,is little1 and a little rain will fill ,the lily's cup which hardly moists the field4 ,it is enough for me to feel life's sun ,shine in my lord's grace and my baby's smile1 ,making the loving summer of our home4 ,pleasant my days pass filled with household cares ,from sunrise when ,i wake to praise the gods1 ,and give forth grain1 and trim the tulsi-plant1 ,and set my handmaids to their tasks1 till noon ,when my lord lays his head upon my lap ,lulled by soft songs and wavings of the fan2 ,and so to supper-time at quiet eve1 ,when by his side ,i stand and serve the cakes4 ,then the stars light their silver lamps for sleep1 ,after the temple and the talk with friends4 ,how should ,i not be happy1 blest so much1 ,and bearing him this boy whose tiny hand ,shall lead his soul to ,swerga1 if it need8 ,for holy books teach when a man shall plant ,trees for the travelers' shade1 and dig a well ,for the folks' comfort1 and beget a son1 ,it shall be good for such after their death2 ,and what the books say1 that ,i humbly take1 ,being not wiser than those great of old ,who spake with gods1 and knew the hymns and charms1 ,and all the ways of virtue and of peace4 ,also ,i think that good must come of good ,and ill of evil--surely--unto all-- ,in every place and time--seeing sweet fruit ,groweth from wholesome roots1 and bitter things ,from poison-stocks2 yea1 seeing1 too1 how spite ,breeds hate1 and kindness friends1 and patience peace ,even while we live2 and when 't is willed we die ,shall there not be as good a ,then' as ,now'8 ,haply much better6 since one grain of rice ,shoots a green feather gemmed with fifty pearls1 ,and all the starry champak's white and gold ,lurks in those little1 naked1 grey spring-buds4 ,ah1 ,sir6 ,i know there might be woes to bear ,would lay fond ,patience with her face in dust2 ,if this my babe pass first ,i think my heart ,would break--almost ,i hope my heart would break6 ,that ,i might clasp him dead and wait my lord ,in whatsoever world holds faithful wives-- ,duteous1 attending till his hour should come4 ,but if ,death called ,senani1 ,i should mount ,the pile and lay that dear head in my lap1 ,my daily way1 rejoicing when the torch ,lit the quick flame and rolled the choking smoke4 ,for it is written if an ,indian wife ,die so1 her love shall give her husband's soul ,for every hair upon her head a crore ,of years in ,swerga4 ,therefore fear ,i not4 ,and therefore1 ,holy ,sir6 my life is glad1 ,nowise forgetting yet those other lives ,painful and poor1 wicked and miserable1 ,whereon the gods grant pity6 but for me1 ,what good ,i see humbly ,i seek to do1 ,and live obedient to the law1 in trust ,that what will come1 and must come1 shall come well4 ,then spake our ,lord3 ,thou teachest them who teach1 ,wiser than wisdom in thy simple lore4 ,be thou content to know not1 knowing thus ,thy way of right and duty3 grow1 thou flower ,with thy sweet kind in peaceful shade--the light ,of ,truth's high noon is not for tender leaves ,which must spread broad in other suns and lift ,in later lives a crowned head to the sky4 ,thou who hast worshipped me1 ,i worship thee6 ,excellent heart6 learned unknowingly1 ,as the dove is which flieth home by love4 ,in thee is seen why there is hope for man ,and where we hold the wheel of life at will4 ,peace go with thee1 and comfort all thy days6 ,as thou accomplishest1 may ,i achieve6 ,he whom thou thoughtest ,god bids thee wish this4 ,may'st thou achieve1 she said1 with earnest eyes ,bent on her babe1 who reached its tender hands ,to ,buddh--knowing1 belike1 as children know1 ,more than we deem1 and reverencing our ,lord2 ,but he arose--made strong with that pure meat-- ,and bent his footsteps where a great ,tree grew1 ,the ,bodhi-tree 7thenceforward in all years ,never to fade1 and ever to be kept ,in homage of the world71 beneath whose leaves ,it was ordained that ,truth should come to ,buddh ,which now the ,master knew2 wherefore he went ,with measured pace1 steadfast1 majestical1 ,unto the ,tree of ,wisdom4 ,oh1 ye ,worlds6 ,rejoice6 our ,lord wended unto the ,tree6 ,whom--as he passed into its ample shade1 ,cloistered with columned dropping stems1 and roofed ,with vaults of glistening green--the conscious earth ,worshipped with waving grass and sudden flush ,of flowers about his feet4 ,the forest-boughs ,bent down to shade him2 from the river sighed ,cool wafts of wind laden with lotus-scents ,breathed by the water-gods4 ,large wondering eyes ,of woodland creatures--panther1 boar1 and deer-- ,at peace that eve1 gazed on his face benign ,from cave and thicket4 ,from its cold cleft wound ,the mottled deadly snake1 dancing its hood ,in honour of our ,lord2 bright butterflies ,fluttered their vans1 azure and green and gold1 ,to be his fan-bearers2 the fierce kite dropped ,its prey and screamed2 the striped palm-squirrel raced ,from stem to stem to see2 the weaver-bird ,chirped from her swinging nest2 the lizard ran2 ,the koil sang her hymn2 the doves flocked round2 ,even the creeping things were 'ware and glad4 ,voices of earth and air joined in one song1 ,which unto ears that hear said3 ,lord and ,friend6 ,lover and ,saviour6 ,thou who hast subdued ,angers and prides1 desires and fears and doubts1 ,thou that for each and all hast given thyself1 ,pass to the ,tree6 ,the sad world blesseth thee ,who art the ,buddh that shall assuage her woes4 ,pass1 ,hailed and ,honoured6 strive thy last for us1 ,king and high ,conqueror6 thine hour is come2 ,this is the ,night the ages waited for6 ,then fell the night even as our ,master sate ,under that ,tree4 ,but he who is the ,prince ,of ,darkness1 ,mara--knowing this was ,buddh ,who should deliver men1 and now the hour ,when he should find the ,truth and save the worlds-- ,gave unto all his evil powers command4 ,wherefore there trooped from every deepest pit ,the fiends who war with ,wisdom and the ,light1 ,arati1 ,trishna1 ,raga1 and their crew ,of passions1 horrors1 ignorances1 lusts4 ,the brood of gloom and dread2 all hating ,buddh1 ,seeking to shake his mind2 nor knoweth one1 ,not even the wisest1 how those fiends of ,hell ,battled that night to keep the ,truth from ,buddh3 ,sometimes with terrors of the tempest1 blasts ,of demon-armies clouding all the wind1 ,with thunder1 and with blinding lightning flung ,in jagged javelins of purple wrath ,from splitting skies2 sometimes with wiles and words ,fair-sounding1 'mid hushed leaves and softened airs ,from shapes of witching beauty2 wanton songs1 ,whispers of love2 sometimes with royal allures ,of proffered rule2 sometimes with mocking doubts1 ,making truth vain4 ,but whether these befell ,without and visible1 or whether ,buddh ,strove with fell spirits in his inmost heart1 ,judge ye3--,i write what ancient books have writ4 ,the ten chief ,sins came--,mara's mighty ones1 ,angels of evil--,attavada first1 ,the ,sin of ,self1 who in the ,universe ,as in a mirror sees her fond face shown1 ,and crying ,i would have the world say ,i1 ,and all things perish so if she endure4 ,if thou be'st ,buddh1 she said1 let others grope ,lightless2 it is enough that thou art ,thou ,changelessly2 rise and take the bliss of gods ,who change not1 heed not1 strive not4 ,but ,buddh spake1 ,the right in thee is base1 the wrong a curse2 ,cheat such as love themselves4 ,then came wan ,doubt1 ,he that denies--the mocking ,sin--and this ,hissed in the ,master's ear3 ,all things are shows1 ,and vain the knowledge of their vanity2 ,thou dost but chase the shadow of thyself2 ,rise and go hence1 there is no better way ,than patient scorn1 nor any help for man1 ,nor any staying of his whirling wheel4 ,but quoth our ,lord1 ,thou hast no part with me1 ,false ,visikitcha1 subtlest of man's foes4 ,and third came she who gives dark creeds their power1 ,silabbat-paramasa1 sorceress1 ,draped fair in many lands as lowly ,faith1 ,but ever juggling souls with rites and prayers2 ,the keeper of those keys which lock up ,hells ,and open ,heavens4 ,wilt thou dare1 she said1 ,put by our sacred books1 dethrone our gods1 ,unpeople all the temples1 shaking down ,that law which feeds the priests and props the realms8 ,but ,buddha answered1 ,what thou bidd'st me keep ,is form which passes1 but the free ,truth stands2 ,get thee unto thy darkness4 ,next there drew ,gallantly nigh a braver ,tempter1 he1 ,kama1 the ,king of passions1 who hath sway ,over the gods themselves1 lord of all loves1 ,ruler of ,pleasure's realm4 ,laughing he came ,unto the ,tree1 bearing his bow of gold ,wreathed with red blooms1 and arrows of desire ,pointed with five-tongued delicate flame which stings ,the heart it smites sharper than poisoned barb4 ,and round him came into that lonely place ,bands of bright shapes with heavenly eyes and lips ,singing in lovely words the praise of ,love ,to music of invisible sweet chords1 ,so witching1 that it seemed the night stood still ,to hear them1 and the listening stars and moon1 ,paused in their orbits while these hymned to ,buddh ,of lost delights1 and how a mortal man ,findeth nought dearer in the three wide worlds ,than are the yielded loving fragrant breasts ,of ,beauty and the rosy breast-blossoms1 ,love's rubies2 nay1 and toucheth nought more high ,than is that dulcet harmony of form ,seen in the lines and charms of loveliness ,unspeakable1 yet speaking1 soul to soul1 ,owned by the bounding blood1 worshipped by will ,which leaps to seize it1 knowing this is best1 ,this the true heaven where mortals are like gods1 ,makers and ,masters1 this the gift of gifts ,ever renewed and worth a thousand woes4 ,for who hath grieved when soft arms shut him safe1 ,and all life melted to a happy sigh1 ,and all the world was given in one warm kiss8 ,so sang1 they with soft float of beckoning hands1 ,eyes lighted with love-flames1 alluring smiles2 ,in dainty dance their supple sides and limbs ,revealing and concealing like burst buds ,which tell their colour1 but hide yet their hearts4 ,never so matchless grace delighted eye ,as troop by troop these midnight-dancers swept ,nearer the ,tree1 each daintier than the last1 ,murmuring1 ,o great ,siddartha6 ,i am thine1 ,taste of my mouth and see if youth is sweet6 ,also1 when nothing moved our ,master's mind1 ,lo6 ,kama waved his magic bow1 and lo6 ,the band of dancers opened1 and a shape ,fairest and stateliest of the throng came forth ,wearing the guise of sweet ,yasodhara4 ,tender the passion of those dark eyes seemed ,brimming with tears2 yearning those outspread arms ,opened towards him2 musical that moan ,wherewith the beauteous shadow named his name1 ,sighing3 ,my ,prince6 ,i die for lack of thee6 ,what heaven hast thou found like that we knew ,by bright ,rohini in the ,pleasure-house1 ,where all these weary years ,i weep for thee8 ,return1 ,siddartha6 ah1 return6 ,but touch ,my lips again1 but let me to thy breast ,once1 and these fruitless dreams will end6 ,ah1 look6 ,am ,i not she thou lovedst8 ,but ,buddh said3 ,for that sweet sake of her thou playest thus ,fair and false ,shadow1 is thy playing vain2 ,i curse thee not who wear'st a form so dear1 ,yet as thou art1 so are all earthly shows4 ,melt to thy void again6 ,thereat a cry ,thrilled through the grove1 and all that comely rout ,faded with flickering wafts of flame1 and trail ,of vaporous ropes4 ,next under darkening skies ,and noise of rising storm came fiercer ,sins ,the rearmost of the ,ten1 ,patigha--,hate-- ,with serpents coiled about her waist1 which suck ,poisonous milk from both her hanging dugs1 ,and with her curses mix their angry hiss4 ,little wrought she upon that ,holy ,one ,who with his calm eyes dumbed her bitter lips ,and made her black snakes writhe to hide their fangs4 ,then followed ,ruparaga--,lust of days-- ,that sensual ,sin which out of greed for life ,forgets to live2 and next him ,lust of ,fame1 ,nobler ,aruparaga1 she whose spell ,beguiles the wise1 mother of daring deeds1 ,battles and toils4 ,and haughty ,mano came1 ,the ,fiend of ,pride2 and smooth ,self-,righteousness4 ,uddhachcha2 and--with many a hideous band ,of vile and formless things1 which crept and flapped ,toad-like and bat-like--,ignorance1 the ,dam ,of ,fear and ,wrong1 ,avidya1 hideous hag1 ,whose footsteps left the midnight darker1 while ,the rooted mountains shook1 the wild winds howled1 ,the broken clouds shed from their caverns streams ,of levin-lighted rain2 stars shot from heaven1 ,the solid earth shuddered as if one laid ,flame to her gaping wounds2 the torn black air ,was full of whistling wings1 of screams and yells1 ,of evil faces peering1 of vast fronts ,terrible and majestic1 ,lords of ,hell ,who from a thousand ,limbos led their troops ,to tempt the ,master4 ,but ,buddh heeded not1 ,sitting serene1 with perfect virtue walled ,as is a stronghold by its gates and ramps2 ,also the ,sacred ,tree--the ,bodhi-tree-- ,amid that tumult stirred not1 but each leaf ,glistened as still as when on moonlit eves ,no zephyr spills the glittering gems of dew2 ,for all this clamour raged outside the shade ,spread by those cloistered stems4 ,in the third watch1 ,the earth being still1 the hellish legions fled1 ,a soft air breathing from the sinking moon1 ,our ,lord attained samma-sambuddh2 he saw ,by light which shines beyond our mortal ken ,the line of all his lives in all the worlds1 ,far back and farther back and farthest yet1 ,five hundred lives and fifty4 ,even as one1 ,at rest upon a mountain-summit1 marks ,his path wind up by precipice and crag ,past thick-set woods shrunk to a patch2 through bogs ,glittering false-green2 down hollows where he toiled ,breathless2 on dizzy ridges where his feet ,had well-nigh slipped2 beyond the sunny lawns1 ,the cataract and the cavern and the pool1 ,backward to those dim flats wherefrom he sprang ,to reach the blue--thus ,buddha did behold ,life's upward steps long-linked1 from levels low ,where breath is base1 to higher slopes and higher ,whereon the ten great ,virtues wait to lead ,the climber skyward4 ,also1 ,buddha saw ,how new life reaps what the old life did sow2 ,how where its march breaks off its march begins2 ,holding the gain and answering for the loss2 ,and how in each life good begets more good1 ,evil fresh evil2 ,death but casting up ,debit or credit1 whereupon th' account ,in merits or demerits stamps itself ,by sure arithmic--where no tittle drops-- ,certain and just1 on some new-springing life2 ,wherein are packed and scored past thoughts and deeds1 ,strivings and triumphs1 memories and marks ,of lives foregone3 ,and in the middle watch1 ,our ,lord attained ,abhidjna--insight vast ,ranging beyond this sphere to spheres unnamed1 ,system on system1 countless worlds and suns ,moving in splendid measures1 band by band ,linked in division1 one yet separate1 ,the silver islands of a sapphire sea ,shoreless1 unfathomed1 undiminished1 stirred ,with waves which roll in restless tides of change4 ,he saw those ,lords of ,light who hold their worlds ,by bonds invisible1 how they themselves ,circle obedient round mightier orbs ,which serve profounder splendours1 star to star ,flashing the ceaseless radiance of life ,from centres ever shifting unto cirques ,knowing no uttermost4 ,these he beheld ,with unsealed vision1 and of all those worlds1 ,cycle on epicycle1 all their tale ,of ,kalpas1 ,mahakalpas--terms of time ,which no man grasps1 yea1 though he knew to count ,the drops in ,gunga from her springs to the sea1 ,measureless unto speech--whereby these wax ,and wane2 whereby each of this heavenly host ,fulfils its shining life and darkling dies4 ,sakwal by ,sakwal1 depths and heights be passed ,transported through the blue infinitudes1 ,marking--behind all modes1 above all spheres1 ,beyond the burning impulse of each orb-- ,that fixed decree at silent work which wills ,evolve the dark to light1 the dead to life1 ,to fulness void1 to form the yet unformed1 ,good unto better1 better unto best1 ,by wordless edict2 having none to bid1 ,none to forbid2 for this is past all gods ,immutable1 unspeakable1 supreme1 ,a ,power which builds1 unbuilds1 and builds again1 ,ruling all things accordant to the rule ,of virtue1 which is beauty1 truth1 and use4 ,so that all things do well which serve the ,power1 ,and ill which hinder2 nay1 the worm does well ,obedient to its kind2 the hawk does well ,which carries bleeding quarries to its young2 ,the dewdrop and the star shine sisterly1 ,globing together in the common work2 ,and man1 who lives to die1 dies to live well ,so if he guide his ways by blamelessness ,and earnest will to hinder not but help ,all things both great and small which suffer life4 ,these did our ,lord see in the middle watch4 ,but when the fourth watch came the secret came ,of ,sorrow1 which with evil mars the law1 ,as damp and dross hold back the goldsmith's fire4 ,then was the ,dukha-satya opened him ,first of the ,noble ,truths2 how ,sorrow is ,shadow to life1 moving where life doth move2 ,not to be laid aside until one lays ,living aside1 with all its changing states1 ,birth1 growth1 decay1 love1 hatred1 pleasure1 pain1 ,being and doing4 ,how that none strips off ,these sad delights and pleasant griefs who lacks ,knowledge to know them snares2 but he who knows ,avidya--,delusion--sets those snares1 ,loves life no longer but ensues escape4 ,the eyes of such a one are wide2 he sees ,delusion breeds ,sankhara1 ,tendency ,perverse3 ,tendency ,energy--,vidnnan-- ,whereby comes ,namarupa1 local form ,and name and bodiment1 bringing the man ,with senses naked to the sensible1 ,a helpless mirror of all shows which pass ,across his heart2 and so ,vendana grows-- ,sense-life --false in its gladness1 fell in sadness1 ,but sad or glad1 the ,mother of ,desire1 ,trishna1 that thirst which makes the living drink ,deeper and deeper of the false salt waves ,whereon they float--pleasures1 ambitions1 wealth1 ,praise1 fame1 or domination1 conquest1 love2 ,rich meats and robes1 and fair abodes1 and pride ,of ancient lines1 and lust of days1 and strife ,to live1 and sins that flow from strife1 some sweet1 ,some bitter4 ,thus ,life's thirst quenches itself ,with draughts which double thirst2 but who is wise ,tears from his soul this ,trishna1 feeds his sense ,no longer on false shows1 fills his firm mind ,to seek not1 strive not1 wrong not2 bearing meek ,all ills which flow from foregone wrongfulness1 ,and so constraining passions that they die ,famished2 till all the sum of ended life-- ,the ,karma--all that total of a soul ,which is the things it did1 the thoughts it had1 ,the ,self it wove--with woof of viewless time1 ,crossed on the warp invisible of acts-- ,the outcome of him on the ,universe1 ,grows pure and sinless2 either never more ,needing to find a body and a place1 ,or so informing what fresh frame it takes ,in new existence that the new toils prove ,lighter and lighter not to be at all1 ,thus finishing the ,path2 free from ,earth's cheats2 ,released from all the skandhas of the flesh2 ,broken from ties--from ,upandanas--saved ,from whirling on the wheel2 aroused and sane ,as is a man wakened from hateful dreams2 ,until--greater than ,kings1 than ,gods more glad6-- ,the aching craze to live ends1 and life glides-- ,lifeless--to nameless quiet1 nameless joy1 ,blessed ,,nirvana--sinless1 stirless rest ,that change which never changes6 ,lo6 the ,dawn ,sprang with ,buddh's ,victory6 lo6 in the ,east ,flamed the first fires of beauteous day1 poured forth ,through fleeting folds of ,night's black drapery4 ,high in the widening blue the herald-star ,faded to paler silver as there shot ,brighter and brighter bars of rosy gleam ,across the grey4 ,far off the shadowy hills ,saw the great ,sun1 before the world was 'ware1 ,and donned their crowns of crimson2 flower by flower ,felt the warm breath of ,morn and 'gan unfold ,their tender lids4 ,over the spangled grass ,swept the swift footsteps of the lovely ,light1 ,turning the tears of ,night to joyous gems1 ,decking the earth with radiance1 'broidering ,the sinking storm-clouds with a golden fringe2 ,gilding the feathers of the palms1 which waved ,glad salutation2 darting beams of gold ,into the glades2 touching with magic wand ,the stream to rippled ruby2 in the brake ,finding the mild eyes of the antelopes ,and saying1 ,it is day2 in nested sleep ,touching the small heads under many a wing ,and whispering1 ,children1 praise the light of day6 ,whereat there piped anthems of all the birds6 ,the koil's fluted song1 the bulbul's hymn1 ,the morning1 morning of the painted thrush1 ,the twitter of the sunbirds starting forth ,to find the honey ere the bees be out1 ,the grey crow's caw1 the parrot's scream1 the strokes ,of the green hammersmith1 the myna's chirp1 ,the never finished love-talk of the doves ,yea6 and so holy was the influence ,of that high ,dawn which came with victory ,that1 far and near1 in homes of men there spread ,an unknown peace4 ,the slayer hid his knife2 ,the robber laid his plunder back2 the shroff ,counted full tale of coins2 all evil hearts ,grew gentle1 kind hearts gentler1 as the balm ,of that divinest ,daybreak lightened ,earth4 ,kings at fierce war called truce2 the sick men leaped ,laughing from beds of pain2 the dying smiled ,as though they knew that happy ,morn was sprung ,from fountains farther than the utmost ,east2 ,and o'er the heart of sad ,yasodhara1 ,sitting forlorn at ,prince ,siddartha's bed1 ,came sudden bliss1 as if love should not fail ,nor such vast sorrow miss to end in joy4 ,so glad the ,world was--though it wist not why-- ,that over desolate wastes went swooning songs ,of mirth1 the voice of bodiless ,prets and ,bhuts ,foreseeing ,buddh2 and ,devas in the air ,cried1 ,it is finished1 finished6 and the priests ,stood with the wondering people in the streets ,watching those golden splendours flood the sky ,and saying1 ,there hath happed some mighty thing4 ,also in ,ran and jungle grew that day ,friendship amongst the creatures3 spotted deer ,browsed fearless where the tigress fed her cubs1 ,and cheetahs lapped the pool beside the bucks2 ,under the eagle's rock the brown hares scoured ,while his fierce beak but preened an idle wing2 ,the snake sunned all his jewels in the beam ,with deadly fangs in sheath2 the shrike let pass ,the nestling finch2 the emerald halcyons ,sate dreaming while the fishes played beneath1 ,nor hawked the merops1 though the butterflies-- ,crimson and blue and amber-flitted thick ,around his perch2 the ,spirit of our ,lord ,lay potent upon man and bird and beast1 ,even while he mused under that ,bodhi-tree1 ,glorified with the ,conquest gained for all ,and lightened by a ,light greater than ,day's4 ,then he arose--radiant1 rejoicing1 strong-- ,beneath the ,tree1 and lifting high his voice ,spake this1 in hearing of all ,times and ,worlds3 ,anekajatisangsarang ,sandhawissang anibhisang ,gahakarakangawesanto ,dukkhajatipunappunang4 ,gahakarakadithosi2 ,punagehang nakahasi2 ,sabhatephasukhabhagga1 ,gahakutangwisang ,khitang2 ,wisangkharagatang chittang1 ,janhanangknayamajhaga4 ,many a ,house of ,life ,held me--,seeking ,ever ,him ,wrought ,these ,prisons of the ,senses1 ,sorrow-,fraught2 ,sore was ,my ,ceaseless ,strife6 ,but ,now1 ,thou ,builder of this ,tabernacle--,thou6 ,i ,know ,thee6 ,never ,shalt ,thou ,build ,again ,these ,walls of ,pain1 ,nor ,raise the ,roof-,tree of ,deceits1 ,nor ,lay ,fresh ,rafters on the ,clay3 ,broken ,thy ,house is1 and the ,ridge-,pole ,split6 ,delusion ,fashioned it6 ,safe ,pass ,i ,thence--,deliverance to ,obtain4 ,book ,the ,seventh ,sorrowful dwelt the ,king ,suddhodana ,all those long years among the ,sakya ,lords ,lacking the speech and presence of his ,son2 ,sorrowful sate the sweet ,yasodhara ,all those long years1 knowing no joy of life1 ,widowed of him her living ,liege and ,prince4 ,and ever1 on the news of some recluse ,seen far away by pasturing camel-men ,or traders threading devious paths for gain1 ,messengers from the ,king had gone and come ,bringing account of many a holy sage ,lonely and lost to home2 but nought of him ,the crown of white ,kapilavastu's line1 ,the glory of her monarch and his hope1 ,the heart's content of sweet ,yasodhara1 ,far-wandered now1 forgetful1 changed1 or dead4 ,but on a day in the ,wasanta-time1 ,when silver sprays swing on the mango-trees ,and all the earth is clad with garb of spring1 ,the ,princess sate by that bright garden-stream ,whose gliding glass1 bordered with lotus-cups1 ,mirrored so often in the bliss gone by ,their clinging hands and meeting lips4 ,her lids ,were wan with tears1 her tender cheeks had thinned2 ,her lips' delicious curves were drawn with grief ,the lustrous glory of her hair was hid-- ,close-bound as widows use2 no ornament ,she wore1 nor any jewel clasped the cloth-- ,coarse1 and of mourning-white--crossed on her breast4 ,slow moved and painfully those small fine feet ,which had the roe's gait and the rose-leaf's fall ,in old years at the loving voice of him4 ,her eyes1 those lamps of love1--which were as if ,sunlight should shine from out the deepest dark1 ,illumining ,night's peace with ,daytime's glow-- ,unlighted now1 and roving aimlessly1 ,scarce marked the clustering signs of coming ,spring ,so the silk lashes drooped over their orbs4 ,in one hand was a girdle thick with pearls1 ,siddartha's--treasured since that night he fled4 7,ah1 bitter ,night6 mother of weeping days6 ,when was fond ,love so pitiless to love ,save that this scorned to limit love by life87 ,the other led her little son1 a boy ,divinely fair1 the pledge ,siddartha left-- ,named ,rahula--now seven years old1 who tripped ,gladsome beside his mother1 light of heart ,to see the spring-blooms burgeon o'er the world4 ,so while they lingered by the lotus-pools ,and1 lightly laughing1 ,rahula flung rice ,to feed the blue and purple fish1 and she ,with sad eyes watched the swiftly-flying cranes1 ,sighing1 ,o creatures of the wandering wing1 ,if ye shall light where my dear ,lord is hid1 ,say that ,yasodhara lives nigh to death ,for one word of his mouth1 one touch of him4-- ,so1 as they played and sighed1 mother and child1 ,came some among the damsels of the ,court ,saying3 ,great ,princess6 there have entered in ,at the south gate merchants of ,hastinpur ,tripusha called and ,bhalluk1 men of worth1 ,long traveled from the loud sea's edge1 who bring ,marvellous lovely webs pictured with gold1 ,waved blades of gilded steel1 wrought bowls in brass1 ,cut ivories1 spice1 simples1 and unknown birds ,treasures of far-off peoples2 but they bring ,that which doth beggar these1 for ,he is seen6 ,thy ,lord1--our ,lord1--the hope of all the land ,siddartha6 they have seen him face to face ,yea1 and have worshipped him with knees and brows1 ,and offered offerings2 for he is become ,all which was shown1 a teacher of the wise1 ,world-honoured1 holy1 wonderful2 a ,buddh ,who doth deliver men and save all flesh ,by sweetest speech and pity vast as ,heaven ,and1 lo6 he journeyeth hither1 these do say4 ,then--while the glad blood bounded in her veins ,as ,gunga leaps when first the mountain snows ,melt at her springs--uprose ,yasodhara ,and clapped her palms1 and laughed1 with brimming tears ,beading her lashes4 ,oh6 call quick1 she cried1 ,these merchants to my purdah1 for mine ears ,thirst like parched throats to drink their blessed news4 ,go bring them in1--but if their tale be true1 ,say ,i will fill their girdles with much gold1 ,with gems that kings shall envy2 come ye too1 ,my girls1 for ye shall have guerdon of this ,if there be gifts to speak my grateful heart4 ,so went those merchants to the ,pleasure ,house1 ,full softly pacing through its golden ways ,with naked feet1 amid the peering maids1 ,much wondering at the glories of the ,court4 ,whom1 when they came without the purdah's folds1 ,a voice1 tender and eager1 filled and charmed ,with trembling music1 saying3 ,ye are come ,from far1 fair ,sirs6 and ye have seen my ,lord-- ,yea1 worshipped--for he is become a ,buddh1 ,world-honoured1 holy1 and delivers men1 ,and journeyeth hither4 ,speak6 for1 if this be1 ,friends are ye of my ,house1 welcome and dear4 ,then answer made ,tripusha3 ,we have seen ,that sacred ,master1 ,princess6 we have bowed ,before his feet2 for who was lost a ,prince ,is found a greater than the ,king of kings4 ,under the ,bodhi-tree by ,phalgu's bank ,that which shall save the world hath late been wrought ,by him--the ,friend of all1 the ,prince of all-- ,thine most1 ,high ,lady6 from whose tears men win ,the comfort of this ,word the ,master speaks4 ,lo6 he is well1 as one beyond all ills1 ,uplifted as a god from earthly woes1 ,shining with risen ,truth1 golden and clear4 ,moreover as he entereth town by town1 ,preaching those noble ways which lead to peace1 ,the hearts of men follow his path as leaves ,troop to wind or sheep draw after one ,who knows the pastures4 ,we ourselves have heard ,by ,gaya in the green ,tchirnika grove ,those wondrous lips and done them reverence4 ,he cometh hither ere the first rains fall4 ,thus spake he1 and ,yasodhara1 for joy1 ,scarce mastered breath to answer3 ,be it well ,now and at all times with ye1 worthy friends1 ,who bring good tidings2 but of this great thing ,wist ye how it befell8 ,then ,bhalluk told ,such as the people of the valleys knew ,of that dread night of conflict1 when the air ,darkened with fiendish shadows1 and the earth ,quaked1 and the waters swelled with ,mara's wrath4 ,also how gloriously that morning broke ,radiant with rising hopes for man1 and how ,the ,lord was found rejoicing 'neath his ,tree4 ,but many days the burden of release-- ,to be escaped beyond all storms of doubt1 ,safe on ,truth's shore--lay1 spake he1 on that heart ,a golden load2 for how shall men--,buddh mused-- ,who love their sins and cleave to cheats of sense1 ,and drink of error from a thousand springs-- ,having no mind to see1 nor strength to break ,the fleshly snare which binds them--how should such ,receive the ,twelve ,nidanas and the ,law ,redeeming all1 yet strange to profit by1 ,as the caged bird oft shuns its open door8 ,so had we missed the helpful victory ,if1 in this earth without a refuge1 ,buddh ,winning the way had deemed it all too hard ,for mortal feet1 and passed1 none following him4 ,yet pondered the compassion of our ,lord1 ,but in that hour there rang a voice as sharp ,as cry of travail1 so as if the earth ,moaned in birth-throe ,nasyami aham bhu ,nasyati loka6 ,surely ,i ,am ,lost1 ,i ,and ,my ,creatures3 then a pause1 and next ,a pleading sigh borne on the western wind1 ,sruyatam dharma1 ,bhagwat6 ,oh1 ,supreme ,let ,thy ,great ,law ,be ,uttered6 ,whereupon ,the ,master cast his vision forth on flesh1 ,saw who should hear and who must wait to hear1 ,as the keen ,sun gilding the lotus-lakes ,seeth which buds will open to his beams ,and which are not yet risen from their roots2 ,then spake1 divinely smiling1 ,yea1 ,i preach6 ,whoso will listen let him learn the ,law4 ,afterwards passed he1 said they1 by the hills ,unto ,benares1 where he taught the ,five1 ,showing how birth and death should be destroyed1 ,and how man hath no fate except past deeds1 ,no ,hell but what he makes1 no ,heaven too high ,for those to reach whose passions sleep subdued4 ,this was the fifteenth day of ,vaishya ,mid-afternoon and that night was full moon4 ,but1 of the ,rishis1 first ,kaundinya ,owned the ,four ,truths and entered on the ,paths2 ,and after him ,bhadraka1 ,asvajit1 ,bassav1 ,mahanama2 also there ,within the ,deer-park1 at the feet of ,buddh1 ,yasad the ,prince with nobles fifty-four ,hearing the blessed word our ,master spake ,worshipped and followed2 for there sprang up peace ,and knowledge of a new time come for men ,in all who heard1 as spring the flowers and grass ,when water sparkles through a sandy plain4 ,these sixty--said they--did our ,lord send forth1 ,made perfect in restraint and passion-free1 ,to teach the ,way2 but the ,world-honoured turned ,south from the ,deer-park and ,isipatan ,to ,yashti and ,king ,bimbasara's realm1 ,where many days he taught2 and after these ,king ,bimbasara and his folk believed1 ,learning the law of love and ordered life4 ,also he gave the ,master1 of free gift-- ,pouring forth water on the hands of ,buddh-- ,the ,bamboo-,garden1 named ,weluvana1 ,wherein are streams and caves and lovely glades2 ,and the ,king set a stone there1 carved with this3 ,ye dharma hetuppabhawa ,yesan hetun ,tathagato2 ,aha yesan cha yo nirodho ,ewan wadi ,maha samano4 ,what life's course and cause sustain ,these ,tathagato made plain2 ,what delivers from life's woe ,that our ,lord hath made us know4 ,and1 in that ,garden--said they--there was held ,a high ,assembly1 where the ,teacher spake ,wisdom and power1 winning all souls which heard1 ,so that nine hundred took the yellow robe-- ,such as the ,master wears1--and spread his ,law2 ,and this the gatha was wherewith he closed3 ,sabba papassa akaranan2 ,kusalassa upasampada2 ,sa chitta pariyodapanan2 ,etan ,budhanusasanan4 ,evil swells the debts to pay1 ,good delivers and acquits2 ,shun evil1 follow good2 hold sway ,over thyself4 ,this is the ,way4 ,whom1 when they ended1 speaking so of him1 ,with gifts1 and thanks which made the jewels dull1 ,the ,princess recompensed4 ,but by what road ,wendeth my ,lord8 she asked3 the merchants said1 ,yojans threescore stretch from the city-walls ,to ,rajagriha1 whence the easy path ,passeth by ,sona hither and the hills4 ,our oxen1 treading eight slow koss a day1 ,came in one moon4 ,then the ,king hearing word1 ,sent nobles of the ,court--well-mounted lords-- ,nine separate messengers1 each embassy ,bidden to say3 ,the ,king ,suddhodana-- ,nearer the pyre by seven long years of lack1 ,wherethrough he hath not ceased to seek for thee-- ,prays of his son to come unto his own1 ,the ,throne and people of this longing ,realm1 ,lest he shall die and see thy face no more4 ,also nine horsemen sent ,yasodhara ,bidden to say1 ,the ,princess of thy ,house-- ,rahula's mother--craves to see thy face ,as the night-blowing moon-flower's swelling heart ,pines for the moon1 as pale asoka-buds ,wait for a woman's foot3 if thou hast found ,more than was lost1 she prays her part in this1 ,rahula's part1 but most of all thyself4 ,so sped the ,sakya ,lords1 but it befell ,that each one1 with the message in his mouth1 ,entered the ,bamboo-,garden in that hour ,when ,buddha taught his ,law2 and--hearing--each ,forgot to speak1 lost thought of ,king and quest1 ,of the sad ,princess even2 only gazed ,eye-rapt upon the ,master2 only hung ,heart-caught upon the speech1 compassionate1 ,commanding1 perfect1 pure1 enlightening all1 ,poured from those sacred lips4 ,look6 like a bee ,winged for the hive1 who sees the mogras spread ,and scents their utter sweetness on the air1 ,if he be honey-filled1 it matters not2 ,if night be nigh1 or rain1 he will not heed2 ,needs must he light on those delicious blooms ,and drain their nectar2 so these messengers ,one with another1 hearing ,buddha's words1 ,let go the purpose of their speed1 and mixed1 ,heedless of all1 amid the ,master's train4 ,wherefore the ,king bade that ,udayi go-- ,chiefest in all the ,court1 and faithfullest1 ,siddartha's playmate in the happier days-- ,who1 as he drew anear the garden1 plucked ,blown tufts of tree-wool from the grove and sealed ,the entrance of his hearing2 thus he came ,safe through the lofty peril of the place ,and told the message of the ,king1 and hers4 ,then meekly bowed his head and spake our ,lord ,before the people3 ,surely ,i shall go6 ,it is my duty as it was my will2 ,let no man miss to render reverence ,to those who lend him life1 whereby come means ,to live and die no more1 but safe attain ,blissful ,nirvana1 if ye keep the ,law1 ,purging past wrongs and adding nought thereto1 ,complete in love and lovely charities4 ,let the ,king know and let the ,princess hear ,i take the way forthwith4 ,this told1 the folk ,of white ,kapilavastu and its fields ,made ready for the entrance of their ,prince4 ,at the south gate a bright pavilion rose ,with flower-wreathed pillars and the walls of silk ,wrought on their red and green with woven gold4 ,also the roads were laid with scented boughs ,of neem and mango1 and full mussuks shed ,sandal and jasmine on the dust1 and flags ,fluttered2 and on the day when he should come ,it was ordained how many elephants-- ,with silver howdahs and their tusks gold-tipped-- ,should wait beyond the ford1 and where the drums ,should boom ,siddartha cometh6 where the lords ,should light and worship1 and the dancing-girls ,where they should strew their flowers with dance and song ,so that the steed he rode might tramp knee-deep ,in rose and balsam1 and the ways be fair2 ,while the town rang with music and high joy4 ,this was ordained and all men's ears were pricked ,dawn after dawn to catch the first drum's beat ,announcing1 ,now he cometh6 ,but it fell ,eager to be before--,yasodhara ,rode in her litter to the city-walls ,where soared the bright pavilion4 ,all around ,a beauteous garden smiled--,nigrodha named-- ,shaded with bel-trees and the green-plumed dates1 ,new-trimmed and gay with winding walks and banks ,of fruits and flowers2 for the southern road ,skirted its lawns1 on this hand leaf and bloom1 ,on that the suburb-huts where base-borns dwelt ,outside the gates1 a patient folk and poor1 ,whose touch for ,kshatriya and priest of ,brahm ,were sore defilement4 ,yet those1 too1 were quick ,with expectation1 rising ere the dawn ,to peer along the road1 to climb the trees ,at far-off trumpet of some elephant1 ,or stir of temple-drum2 and when none came1 ,busied with lowly chores to please the ,prince2 ,sweeping their door-stones1 setting forth their flags1 ,stringing the fruited fig-leaves into chains1 ,new furbishing the ,lingam1 decking new ,yesterday's faded arc of boughs1 but aye ,questioning wayfarers if any noise ,be on the road of great ,siddartha4 ,these ,the ,princess marked with lovely languid eyes1 ,watching1 as they1 the southward plain and bent ,like them to listen if the passers gave ,news of the path4 ,so fell it she beheld ,one slow approaching with his head close shorn1 ,a yellow cloth over his shoulder cast1 ,girt as the hermits are1 and in his hand ,an earthen bowl1 shaped melonwise1 the which ,meekly at each hut-door he held a space1 ,taking the granted dole with gentle thanks ,and all as gently passing where none gave4 ,two followed him wearing the yellow robe1 ,but he who bore the bowl so lordly seemed1 ,so reverend1 and with such a passage moved1 ,with so commanding presence filled the air1 ,with such sweet eyes of holiness smote all1 ,that as they reached him alms the givers gazed ,awestruck upon his face1 and some bent down ,in worship1 and some ran to fetch fresh gifts1 ,grieved to be poor2 till slowly1 group by group1 ,children and men and women drew behind ,into his steps1 whispering with covered lips1 ,who is he8 who8 when looked a ,rishi thus8 ,but as he came with quiet footfall on ,nigh the pavilion1 lo6 the silken door ,lifted1 and1 all unveiled1 ,yasodhara ,stood in his path crying1 ,siddartha6 ,lord6 ,with wide eyes streaming and with close-clasped hands1 ,then sobbing fell upon his feet1 and lay4 ,afterwards1 when this weeping lady passed ,into the ,noble ,paths1 and one had prayed ,answer from ,buddha wherefore-being vowed ,quit of all mortal passion and the touch1 ,flower-soft and conquering1 of a woman's hands-- ,he suffered such embrace1 the ,master said ,the greater beareth with the lesser love ,so it may raise it unto easier heights4 ,take heed that no man1 being 'soaped from bonds1 ,vexeth bound souls with boasts of liberty4 ,free are ye rather that your freedom spread ,by patient winning and sweet wisdom's skill4 ,three eras of long toil bring ,bodhisats-- ,who will be guides and help this darkling world-- ,unto deliverance1 and the first is named ,of deep ',resolve1' the second of ',attempt1' ,the third of ',nomination4' ,lo6 ,i lived ,in era of ,resolve1 desiring good1 ,searching for wisdom1 but mine eyes were sealed4 ,count the grey seeds on yonder castor-clump-- ,so many rains it is since ,i was ,ram1 ,a merchant of the coast which looketh south ,to ,lanka and the hiding-place of pearls4 ,also in that far time ,yasodhara ,dwelt with me in our village by the sea1 ,tender as now1 and ,lukshmi was her name4 ,and ,i remember how ,i journeyed thence ,seeking our gain1 for poor the household was ,and lowly4 ,not the less with wistful tears ,she prayed me that ,i should not part1 nor tempt ,perils by land and water4 ',how could love ,leave what it loved8' she wailed2 yet1 venturing1 ,i ,passed to the ,straits1 and after storm and toil ,and deadly strife with creatures of the deep1 ,and woes beneath the midnight and the noon1 ,searching the wave ,i won therefrom a pearl ,moonlike and glorious1 such as kings might buy ,emptying their treasury4 ,then came ,i glad ,unto mine hills1 but over all that land ,famine spread sore2 ill was ,i stead to live ,in journey home1 and hardly reached my door-- ,aching for food--with that white wealth of the sea ,tied in my girdle4 ,yet no food was there2 ,and on the threshold she for whom ,i toiled-- ,more than myself--lay with her speechless lips ,nigh unto death for one small gift of grain4 ,then cried ,i1 ',if there be who hath of grain1 ,here is a kingdom's ransom for one life ,give ,lukshmi bread and take my moonlight pearl4' ,whereat one brought the last of all his hoard1 ,millet--three seers--and clutched the beauteous thing4 ,but ,lukshmi lived and sighed with gathered life1 ',lo6 thou didst love indeed6' ,i spent my pearl ,well in that life to comfort heart and mind ,else quite uncomforted2 but these pure pearls1 ,my last large gain1 won from a deeper wave-- ,the ,twelve ,nidanas and the ,law of ,good-- ,cannot be spent1 nor dimmed1 and most fulfil ,their perfect beauty being freeliest given4 ,for like as is to ,meru yonder hill ,heaped by the little ants1 and like as dew ,dropped in the footmark of a bounding roe ,unto the shoreless seas1 so was that gift ,unto my present giving2 and so love-- ,vaster in being free from toils of sense-- ,was wisest stooping to the weaker heart2 ,and so the feet of sweet ,yasodhara ,passed into peace and bliss1 being softly led4 ,but when the ,king heard how ,siddartha came ,shorn1 with the mendicant's sad-coloured cloth1 ,and stretching out a bowl to gather orts ,from base-borns' leavings1 wrathful sorrow drove ,love from his heart4 ,thrice on the ground he spat1 ,plucked at his silvered beard1 and strode straight forth ,lackeyed by trembling lords4 ,frowning he clomb ,upon his war-horse1 drove the spurs1 and dashed1 ,angered1 through wondering streets and lanes of folk4 ,scarce finding breath to say1 ,the ,king6 bow down6 ,ere the loud cavalcade had clattered by3 ,which--at the turning by the ,temple-wall ,where the south gate was seen--encountered full ,a mighty crowd2 to every edge of it ,poured fast more people1 till the roads were lost1 ,blotted by that huge company which thronged ,and grew1 close following him whose look serene ,met the old ,king's4 ,nor lived the father's wrath ,longer than while the gentle eyes of ,buddh ,lingered in worship on his troubled brows1 ,then downcast sank1 with his true knee1 to earth ,in proud humility4 ,so dear it seemed ,to see the ,prince1 to know him whole1 to mark ,that glory greater than of earthly state ,crowning his head1 that majesty which brought ,all men1 so awed and silent1 in his steps4 ,nathless the ,king broke forth3 ,ends it in this1 ,that great ,siddartha steals into his realm1 ,wrapped in a clout1 shorn1 sandalled1 craving food ,of low-borns1 he whose life was as a god's1 ,my son6 heir of this spacious power1 and heir ,of ,kings who did but clap their palms to have ,what earth could give or eager service bring8 ,thou should'st have come apparelled in thy rank1 ,with shining spears and tramp of horse and foot4 ,lo6 all my soldiers camped upon the road1 ,and all my city waited at the gates2 ,where hast thou sojourned through these evil years ,whilst thy crowned father mourned8 and she1 too1 there ,lived as the widows use1 foregoing joys2 ,never once hearing sound of song or string1 ,nor wearing once the festal robe1 till now ,when in her cloth of gold she welcomes home ,a beggar spouse in yellow remnants clad4 ,son6 why is this8 ,my father6 came reply1 ,it is the custom of my race4 ,thy race1 ,answered the ,king counteth a hundred thrones ,from ,maha ,sammat1 but no deed like this4 ,not of a mortal line1 the ,master said1 ,i spake1 but of descent invisible1 ,the ,buddhas who have been and who shall be3 ,of these am ,i1 and what they did ,i do1 ,and this which now befalls so fell before1 ,that at his gate a ,king in warrior-mail ,should meet his son1 a ,prince in hermit-weeds2 ,and that1 by love and self-control1 being more ,than mightiest ,kings in all their puissance1 ,the appointed ,helper of the ,worlds should bow-- ,as now do ,i--and with all lowly love ,proffer1 where it is owed for tender debts1 ,the first-fruits of the treasure he hath brought2 ,which now ,i proffer4 ,then the ,king amazed ,inquired ,what treasure8 and the ,teacher took ,meekly the royal palm1 and while they paced ,through worshipping streets--the ,princess and the ,king ,on either side--he told the things which make ,for peace and pureness1 those ,four noble ,truths ,which hold all wisdom as shores shut the seas1 ,those ,eight right ,rules whereby who will may walk-- ,monarch or slave--upon the perfect ,path ,that hath its ,stages ,four and ,precepts ,eight1 ,whereby whoso will live--mighty or mean ,wise or unlearned1 man1 woman1 young or old ,shall soon or late break from the wheels of life1 ,attaining blest ,nirvana4 ,so they came ,into the ,palace-porch1 ,suddhodana ,with brows unknit drinking the mighty words1 ,and in his own hand carrying ,buddha's bowl1 ,whilst a new light brightened the lovely eyes ,of sweet ,yasodhara and sunned her tears2 ,and that night entered they the ,way of ,peace4 ,book ,the ,eighth ,a broad mead spreads by swift ,kohana's bank ,at ,nagara2 five days shall bring a man ,in ox-wain thither from ,benares' shrines ,eastward and northward journeying4 ,the horns ,of white ,himala look upon the place1 ,which all the year is glad with blooms and girt ,by groves made green from that bright streamlet's wave4 ,soft are its slopes and cool its fragrant shades1 ,and holy all the spirit of the spot ,unto this time3 the breath of eve comes hushed ,over the tangled thickets1 and high heaps ,of carved red stones cloven by root and stem ,of creeping fig1 and clad with waving veil ,of leaf and grass4 ,the still snake glistens forth ,from crumbled work of lac and cedar-beams ,to coil his folds there on deep-graven slabs2 ,the lizard dwells and darts o'er painted floors ,where kings have paced2 the grey fox litters safe ,under the broken thrones2 only the peaks1 ,and stream1 and sloping lawns1 and gentle air ,abide unchanged4 ,all else1 like all fair shows ,of life1 are fled--for this is where it stood1 ,the city of ,suddhodana1 the hill ,whereon1 upon an eve of gold and blue ,at sinking sun ,lord ,buddha set himself ,to teach the ,law in hearing of his own4 ,lo6 ye shall read it in the ,sacred ,books ,how1 being met in that glad pleasaunce-place-- ,a garden in old days with hanging walks1 ,fountains1 and tanks1 and rose-banked terraces ,girdled by gay pavilions and the sweep ,of stately palace-fronts--the ,master sate ,eminent1 worshipped1 all the earnest throng ,catching the opening of his lips to learn ,that wisdom which hath made our ,asia mild2 ,whereto four hundred crores of living souls ,witness this day4 ,upon the ,king's right hand ,he sate1 and round were ranged the ,sakya ,lords ,ananda1 ,devadatta--all the ,court4 ,behind stood ,seriyut and ,mugallan1 chiefs ,of the calm brethren in the yellow garb1 ,a goodly company4 ,between his knees ,rahula smiled with wondering childish eyes ,bent on the awful face1 while at his feet ,sate sweet ,yasodhara1 her heartaches gone1 ,foreseeing that fair love which doth not feed ,on fleeting sense1 that life which knows no age1 ,that blessed last of deaths when ,death is dead1 ,his victory and hers4 ,wherefore she laid ,her hand upon his hands1 folding around ,her silver shoulder-cloth his yellow robe1 ,nearest in all the world to him whose words ,the ,three ,worlds waited for4 ,i cannot tell ,a small part of the splendid lore which broke ,from ,buddha's lips3 ,i am a late-come scribe ,who love the ,master and his love of men1 ,and tell this legend1 knowing he was wise1 ,but have not wit to speak beyond the books2 ,and time hath blurred their script and ancient sense1 ,which once was new and mighty1 moving all4 ,a little of that large discourse ,i know ,which ,buddha spake on the soft ,indian eve4 ,also ,i know it writ that they who heard ,were more--lakhs more--crores more--than could be seen1 ,for all the ,devas and the ,dead thronged there1 ,till ,heaven was emptied to the seventh zone ,and uttermost dark ,hells opened their bars2 ,also the daylight lingered past its time ,in rose-leaf radiance on the watching peaks1 ,so that it seemed night listened in the glens1 ,and noon upon the mountains2 yea6 they write1 ,the evening stood between them like some maid ,celestial1 love-struck1 rapt2 the smooth-rolled clouds ,her braided hair2 the studded stars the pearls ,and diamonds of her coronal2 the moon ,her forehead jewel1 and the deepening dark ,her woven garments4 ',t was her close-held breath ,which came in scented sighs across the lawns ,while our ,lord taught1 and1 while he taught1 who heard-- ,though he were stranger in the land1 or slave1 ,high caste or low1 come of the ,aryan blood1 ,or ,mlech or ,jungle-dweller--seemed to hear ,what tongue his fellows talked4 ,nay1 outside those ,who crowded by the river1 great and small1 ,the birds and beasts and creeping things--'t is writ-- ,had sense of ,buddha's vast embracing love ,and took the promise of his piteous speech2 ,so that their lives--prisoned in shape of ape1 ,tiger1 or deer1 shagged bear1 jackal1 or wolf1 ,foul-feeding kite1 pearled dove1 or peacock gemmed1 ,squat toad1 or speckled serpent1 lizard1 bat1 ,yea1 or of fish fanning the river waves-- ,touched meekly at the skirts of brotherhood ,with man who hath less innocence than these2 ,and in mute gladness knew their bondage broke ,whilst ,buddha spake these things before the ,king3 ,om1 ,amitaya6 measure not with words ,th' ,immeasurable2 nor sink the string of thought ,into the ,fathomless4 ,who asks doth err1 ,who answers1 errs4 ,say nought6 ,the ,books teach ,darkness was1 at first of all1 ,and ,brahm1 sole meditating in that ,night2 ,look not for ,brahm and the ,beginning there6 ,nor him1 nor any light ,shall any gazer see with mortal eyes1 ,or any searcher know by mortal mind1 ,veil after veil will lift--but there must be ,veil upon veil behind4 ,stars sweep and question not4 ,this is enough ,that life and death and joy and woe abide2 ,and cause and sequence1 and the course of time1 ,and ,being's ceaseless tide1 ,which1 ever-changing1 runs1 linked like a river ,by ripples following ripples1 fast or slow-- ,the same yet not the same--from far-off fountain ,to where its waters flow ,into the seas4 ,these1 steaming to the ,sun1 ,give the lost wavelets back in cloudy fleece ,to trickle down the hills1 and glide again2 ,having no pause or peace4 ,this is enough to know1 the phantasms are2 ,the ,heavens1 ,earths1 ,worlds1 and changes changing them ,a mighty whirling wheel of strife and stress ,which none can stay or stem4 ,pray not6 the ,darkness will not brighten6 ,ask ,nought from the ,silence1 for it cannot speak6 ,vex not your mournful minds with pious pains6 ,ah6 ,brothers1 ,sisters6 seek ,nought from the helpless gods by gift and hymn1 ,nor bribe with blood1 nor feed with fruit and cakes2 ,within yourselves deliverance must be sought2 ,each man his prison makes4 ,each hath such lordship as the loftiest ones2 ,nay1 for with ,powers above1 around1 below1 ,as with all flesh and whatsoever lives1 ,act maketh joy and woe4 ,what hath been bringeth what shall be1 and is1 ,worse--better--last for first and first for last2 ,the ,angels in the ,heavens of ,gladness reap ,fruits of a holy past4 ,the devils in the underworlds wear out ,deeds that were wicked in an age gone by4 ,nothing endures3 fair virtues waste with time1 ,foul sins grow purged thereby4 ,who toiled a slave may come anew a ,prince ,for gentle worthiness and merit won2 ,who ruled a ,king may wander earth in rags ,for things done and undone4 ,higher than ,indra's ye may lift your lot1 ,and sink it lower than the worm or gnat2 ,the end of many myriad lives is this1 ,the end of myriads that4 ,only1 while turns this wheel invisible1 ,no pause1 no peace1 no staying-place can be2 ,who mounts will fall1 who falls may mount2 the spokes ,go round unceasingly6 ,if ye lay bound upon the wheel of change1 ,and no way were of breaking from the chain1 ,the ,heart of boundless ,being is a curse1 ,the ,soul of ,things fell ,pain4 ,ye are not bound6 the ,soul of ,things is sweet1 ,the ,heart of ,being is celestial rest2 ,stronger than woe is will3 that which was ,good ,doth pass to ,better--,best4 ,i1 ,buddh1 who wept with all my brothers' tears1 ,whose heart was broken by a whole world's woe1 ,laugh and am glad1 for there is ,liberty ,ho6 ye who suffer6 know ,ye suffer from yourselves4 ,none else compels ,none other holds you that ye live and die1 ,and whirl upon the wheel1 and hug and kiss ,its spokes of agony1 ,its tire of tears1 its nave of nothingness4 ,behold1 ,i show you ,truth6 ,lower than hell1 ,higher than heaven1 outside the utmost stars1 ,farther than ,brahm doth dwell1 ,before beginning1 and without an end1 ,as space eternal and as surety sure1 ,is fixed a ,power divine which moves to good1 ,only its laws endure4 ,this is its touch upon the blossomed rose1 ,the fashion of its hand shaped lotus-leaves2 ,in dark soil and the silence of the seeds ,the robe of ,spring it weaves2 ,that is its painting on the glorious clouds1 ,and these its emeralds on the peacock's train2 ,it hath its stations in the stars2 ,its slaves in lightning1 wind1 and rain4 ,out of the dark it wrought the heart of man1 ,out of dull shells the pheasant's pencilled neck2 ,ever at toil1 it brings to loveliness ,all ancient wrath and wreck4 ,the grey eggs in the golden sun-bird's nest ,its treasures are1 the bees' six-sided cell ,its honey-pot2 the ant wots of its ways1 ,the white doves know them well4 ,it spreadeth forth for flight the eagle's wings ,what time she beareth home her prey2 it sends ,the she-wolf to her cubs2 for unloved things ,it findeth food and friends4 ,it is not marred nor stayed in any use1 ,all liketh it2 the sweet white milk it brings ,to mothers' breasts2 it brings the white drops1 too1 ,wherewith the young snake stings4 ,the ordered music of the marching orbs ,it makes in viewless canopy of sky2 ,in deep abyss of earth it hides up gold1 ,sards1 sapphires1 lazuli4 ,ever and ever bringing secrets forth1 ,it sitteth in the green of forest-glades ,nursing strange seedlings at the cedar's root1 ,devising leaves1 blooms1 blades4 ,it slayeth and it saveth1 nowise moved ,except unto the working out of doom2 ,its threads are ,love and ,life2 and ,death and ,pain ,the shuttles of its loom4 ,it maketh and unmaketh1 mending all2 ,what it hath wrought is better than hath been2 ,slow grows the splendid pattern that it plans ,its wistful hands between4 ,this is its work upon the things ye see1 ,the unseen things are more2 men's hearts and minds1 ,the thoughts of peoples and their ways and wills1 ,those1 too1 the great ,law binds4 ,unseen it helpeth ye with faithful hands1 ,unheard it speaketh stronger than the storm4 ,pity and ,love are man's because long stress ,moulded blind mass to form4 ,it will not be contemned of any one2 ,who thwarts it loses1 and who serves it gains2 ,the hidden good it pays with peace and bliss1 ,the hidden ill with pains4 ,it seeth everywhere and marketh all ,do right--it recompenseth6 do one wrong-- ,the equal retribution must be made1 ,though ,,dharma tarry long4 ,it knows not wrath nor pardon2 utter-true ,its measures mete1 its faultless balance weighs2 ,times are as nought1 tomorrow it will judge1 ,or after many days4 ,by this the slayer's knife did stab himself2 ,the unjust judge hath lost his own defender2 ,the false tongue dooms its lie2 the creeping thief ,and spoiler rob1 to render4 ,such is the ,law which moves to righteousness1 ,which none at last can turn aside or stay2 ,the heart of it is ,love1 the end of it ,is ,peace and ,consummation sweet4 ,obey6 ,the ,books say well1 my ,brothers6 each man's life ,the outcome of his former living is2 ,the bygone wrongs bring forth sorrows and woes ,the bygone right breeds bliss4 ,that which ye sow ye reap4 ,see yonder fields ,the sesamum was sesamum1 the corn ,was corn4 ,the ,silence and the ,darkness knew6 ,so is a man's fate born4 ,he cometh1 reaper of the things he sowed1 ,sesamum1 corn1 so much cast in past birth2 ,and so much weed and poison-stuff1 which mar ,him and the aching earth4 ,if he shall labour rightly1 rooting these1 ,and planting wholesome seedlings where they grew1 ,fruitful and fair and clean the ground shall be1 ,and rich the harvest due4 ,if he who liveth1 learning whence woe springs1 ,endureth patiently1 striving to pay ,his utmost debt for ancient evils done ,in ,love and ,truth alway2 ,if making none to lack1 he throughly purge ,the lie and lust of self forth from his blood2 ,suffering all meekly1 rendering for offence ,nothing but grace and good2 ,if he shall day by day dwell merciful1 ,holy and just and kind and true2 and rend ,desire from where it clings with bleeding roots1 ,till love of life have end3 ,he--dying--leaveth as the sum of him ,a life-count closed1 whose ills are dead and quit1 ,whose good is quick and mighty1 far and near1 ,so that fruits follow it4 ,no need hath such to live as ye name life2 ,that which began in him when he began ,is finished3 he hath wrought the purpose through ,of what did make him ,man4 ,never shall yearnings torture him1 nor sins ,stain him1 nor ache of earthly joys and woes ,invade his safe eternal peace2 nor deaths ,and lives recur4 ,he goes ,unto ,,nirvana6 ,he is one with life ,yet lives not4 ,he is blest1 ceasing to be4 ,,om1 ,,mani ,,padme1 ,,om6 the ,dewdrop slips ,into the shining sea6 ,this is the doctrine of the ,,karma4 ,learn6 ,only when all the dross of sin is quit1 ,only when life dies like a white flame spent ,death dies along with it4 ,say not ,i am1 ,i was1 or ,i shall be1 ,think not ye pass from house to house of flesh ,like travelers who remember and forget1 ,ill-lodged or well-lodged4 ,fresh ,issues upon the ,universe that sum ,which is the lattermost of lives4 ,it makes ,its habitation as the worm spins silk ,and dwells therein4 ,it takes ,function and substance as the snake's egg hatched ,takes scale and fang2 as feathered reedseeds fly ,o'er rock and loam and sand1 until they find ,their marsh and multiply4 ,also it issues forth to help or hurt4 ,when ,death the bitter murderer doth smite1 ,red roams the unpurged fragment of him1 driven ,on wings of plague and blight4 ,but when the mild and just die1 sweet airs breathe2 ,the world grows richer1 as if desert-stream ,should sink away to sparkle up again ,purer1 with broader gleam4 ,so merit won winneth the happier age ,which by demerit halteth short of end2 ,yet must this ,law of ,love reign ,king of all ,before the ,kalpas end4 ,what lets8--,brothers8 the ,darkness lets6 which breeds ,ignorance1 mazed whereby ye take these shows ,for true1 and thirst to have1 and1 having1 cling ,to lusts which work you woes4 ,ye that will tread the ,middle ,road1 whose course ,bright ,reason traces and soft ,quiet smoothes2 ,ye who will take the high ,nirvana-way1 ,list the ,four ,noble ,truths4 ,the ,first ,truth is of ,sorrow4 ,be not mocked6 ,life which ye prize is long-drawn agony3 ,only its pains abide2 its pleasures are ,as birds which light and fly1 ,ache of the birth1 ache of the helpless days1 ,ache of hot youth and ache of manhood's prime2 ,ache of the chill grey years and choking death1 ,these fill your piteous time4 ,sweet is fond ,love1 but funeral-flames must kiss ,the breasts which pillow and the lips which cling2 ,gallant is warlike ,might1 but vultures pick ,the joints of chief and ,king4 ,beauteous is ,earth1 but all its forest-broods ,plot mutual slaughter1 hungering to live2 ,of sapphire are the skies1 but when men cry ,famished1 no drops they give4 ,ask of the sick1 the mourners1 ask of him ,who tottereth on his staff1 lone and forlorn1 ,liketh thee life8--these say the babe is wise ,that weepeth1 being born4 ,the ,second ,truth is ,sorrow's ,cause4 ,what grief ,springs of itself and springs not of ,desire8 ,senses and things perceived mingle and light ,passion's quick spark of fire3 ,so flameth ,trishna1 lust and thirst of things4 ,eager ye cleave to shadows1 dote on dreams4 ,a false ,self in the midst ye plant1 and make ,a world around which seems2 ,blind to the height beyond1 deaf to the sound ,of sweet airs breathed from far past ,indra's sky2 ,dumb to the summons of the true life kept ,for him who false puts by4 ,so grow the strifes and lusts which make earth's war1 ,so grieve poor cheated hearts and flow salt tears2 ,so wag the passions1 envies1 angers1 hates2 ,so years chase blood-stained years ,with wild red feet4 ,so1 where the grain should grow1 ,spreads the biran-weed with its evil root ,and poisonous blossoms2 hardly good seeds find ,soil where to fall and shoot2 ,and drugged with poisonous drink the soul departs1 ,and fierce with thirst to drink ,karma returns2 ,sense-struck again the sodden self begins1 ,and new deceits it earns ,the ,third is ,sorrow's ,ceasing4 ,this is peace-- ,to conquer love of self and lust of life1 ,to tear deep-rooted passion from the breast1 ,to still the inward strife2 ,for love1 to clasp ,eternal ,beauty close2 ,for glory1 to be lord of self2 for pleasure1 ,to live beyond the gods2 for countless wealth1 ,to lay up lasting treasure ,of perfect service rendered1 duties done ,in charity1 soft speech1 and stainless days ,these riches shall not fade away in life1 ,nor any death dispraise4 ,then ,sorrow ends1 for ,life and ,death have ceased2 ,how should lamps flicker when their oil is spent8 ,the old sad count is clear1 the new is clean2 ,thus hath a man content4 ,the ,fourth ,truth is ,the ,way4 ,it openeth wide1 ,plain for all feet to tread1 easy and near1 ,the ,noble ,eightfold ,path2 it goeth straight ,to peace and refuge4 ,hear6 ,manifold tracks lead to yon sister-peaks ,around whose snows the gilded clouds are curled ,by steep or gentle slopes the climber comes ,where breaks that other world4 ,strong limbs may dare the rugged road which storms1 ,soaring and perilous1 the mountain's breast2 ,the weak must wind from slower ledge to ledge ,with many a place of rest4 ,so is the ,eightfold ,path which brings to peace2 ,by lower or by upper heights it goes4 ,the firm soul hastes1 the feeble tarries4 ,all ,will reach the sunlit snows4 ,the ,first good ,level is ,right ,doctrine4 ,walk ,in fear of ,dharma1 shunning all offence2 ,in heed of ,karma1 which doth make man's fate2 ,in lordship over sense4 ,the ,second is ,right ,purpose4 ,have good-will ,to all that lives1 letting unkindness die ,and greed and wrath2 so that your lives be made ,like soft airs passing by4 ,the ,third is ,right ,discourse4 ,govern the lips ,as they were palace-doors1 the ,king within2 ,tranquil and fair and courteous be all words ,which from that presence win4 ,the ,fourth is ,right ,behavior4 ,let each act ,assoil a fault or help a merit grow2 ,like threads of silver seen through crystal beads ,let love through good deeds show4 ,four higher roadways be4 ,only those feet ,may tread them which have done with earthly things-- ,right ,purity1 ,right ,thought1 ,right ,loneliness1 ,right ,rapture4 ,spread no wings ,for sunward flight1 thou soul with unplumed vans ,sweet is the lower air and safe1 and known ,the homely levels3 only strong ones leave ,the nest each makes his own4 ,dear is the love1 ,i know1 of ,wife and ,child2 ,pleasant the friends and pastimes of your years2 ,fruitful of good ,life's gentle charities2 ,false1 though firm-set1 its fears4 ,live--ye who must--such lives as live on these2 ,make golden stair-ways of your weakness2 rise ,by daily sojourn with those phantasies ,to lovelier verities4 ,so shall ye pass to clearer heights and find ,easier ascents and lighter loads of sins1 ,and larger will to burst the bonds of sense1 ,entering the ,path4 ,who wins ,to such commencement hath the ,first ,stage touched2 ,he knows the ,noble ,truths1 the ,eightfold ,road2 ,by few or many steps such shall attain ,,nirvana's blest abode4 ,who standeth at the ,second ,stage1 made free ,from doubts1 delusions1 and the inward strife1 ,lord of all lusts1 quit of the priests and books1 ,shall live but one more life4 ,yet onward lies the ,third ,stage3 purged and pure ,hath grown the stately spirit here1 hath risen ,to love all living things in perfect peace4 ,his life at end1 life's prison ,is broken4 ,nay1 there are who surely pass ,living and visible to utmost goal ,by ,fourth ,stage of the ,holy ones--the ,buddhs-- ,and they of stainless soul4 ,lo6 like fierce foes slain by some warrior1 ,ten sins along these ,stages lie in dust1 ,the ,love of ,self1 ,false ,faith1 and ,doubt are three1 ,two more1 ,hatred and ,lust4 ,who of these ,five is conqueror hath trod ,three stages out of ,four3 yet there abide ,the ,love of ,life on earth1 ,desire for ,heaven1 ,self-,praise1 ,error1 and ,pride4 ,as one who stands on yonder snowy horn ,having nought o'er him but the boundless blue1 ,so1 these sins being slain1 the man is come ,,nirvana's verge unto4 ,him the ,gods envy from their lower seats2 ,him the ,three ,worlds in ruin should not shake2 ,all life is lived for him1 all deaths are dead2 ,karma will no more make ,new houses4 ,seeking nothing1 he gains all2 ,foregoing self1 the ,universe grows ,i3 ,if any teach ,,nirvana is to cease1 ,say unto such they lie4 ,if any teach ,,nirvana is to live1 ,say unto such they err2 not knowing this1 ,nor what light shines beyond their broken lamps1 ,nor lifeless1 timeless bliss4 ,enter the ,path6 ,there is no grief like ,hate6 ,no pains like passions1 no deceit like sense6 ,enter the ,path6 far hath he gone whose foot ,treads down one fond offence4 ,enter the ,path6 ,there spring the healing streams ,quenching all thirst6 there bloom th' immortal flowers ,carpeting all the way with joy6 there throng1 ,swiftest and sweetest hours6 ,more is the treasure of the ,law than gems2 ,sweeter than comb its sweetness2 its delights ,delightful past compare4 ,thereby to live ,hear the ,five ,rules aright3-- ,kill not--for ,pity's sake--and lest ye slay ,the meanest thing upon its upward way4 ,give freely and receive1 but take from none ,by greed1 or force1 or fraud1 what is his own4 ,bear not false witness1 slander not1 nor lie2 ,truth is the speech of inward purity4 ,shun drugs and drinks which work the wit abuse2 ,clear minds1 clean bodies1 need no soma juice4 ,touch not thy neighbour's wife1 neither commit ,sins of the flesh unlawful and unfit4 ,these words the ,master spake of duties due ,to father1 mother1 children1 fellows1 friends2 ,teaching how such as may not swiftly break ,the clinging chains of sense--whose feet are weak ,to tread the higher road--should order so ,this life of flesh that all their hither days ,pass blameless in discharge of charities ,and first true footfalls in the ,eightfold ,path2 ,living pure1 reverent1 patient1 pitiful1 ,loving all things which live even as themselves2 ,because what falls for ill is fruit of ill ,wrought in the past1 and what falls well of good2 ,and that by howsomuch the householder ,purgeth himself of self and helps the world1 ,by so much happier comes he to next stage1 ,in so much bettered being4 ,this he spake1 ,as also long before1 when our ,lord walked ,by ,rajagriha in the ,bamboo-,grove ,for on a dawn he walked there and beheld ,the householder ,singala1 newly bathed1 ,bowing himself with bare head to the earth1 ,to ,heaven1 and all four quarters2 while he threw ,rice1 red and white1 from both hands4 ,wherefore thus ,bowest thou1 ,brother8 said the ,lord2 and he1 ,it is the way1 ,great ,sir6 our fathers taught ,at every dawn1 before the toil begins1 ,to hold off evil from the sky above ,and earth beneath1 and all the winds which blow4 ,then the ,world-honoured spake3 ,scatter not rice1 ,but offer loving thoughts and acts to all4 ,to parents as the ,east where rises light2 ,to teachers as the ,south whence rich gifts come2 ,to wife and children as the ,west where gleam ,colours of love and calm1 and all days end2 ,to friends and kinsmen and all men as ,north2 ,to humblest living things beneath1 to ,saints ,and ,angels and the blessed ,dead above ,so shall all evil be shut off1 and so ,the six main quarters will be safely kept4 ,but to his own1 them of the yellow robe ,they who1 as wakened eagles1 soar with scorn ,from life's low vale1 and wing towards the ,sun ,to these he taught the ,ten ,observances ,the ,dasa-,sil1 and how a mendicant ,must know the ,three ,doors and the ,triple ,thoughts2 ,the ,sixfold ,states of ,mind2 the ,fivefold ,powers2 ,the ,eight ,high ,gates of ,purity2 the ,modes ,of ,understanding2 ,iddhi2 ,upeksha2 ,the ,five ,great ,meditations1 which are food ,sweeter than ,amrit for the holy soul2 ,the ,jhana's and the ,three ,chief ,refuges4 ,also he taught his own how they should dwell2 ,how live1 free from the snares of love and wealth2 ,what eat and drink and carry--three plain cloths1 ,yellow1 of stitched stuff1 worn with shoulder bare ,a girdle1 almsbowl1 strainer4 ,thus he laid ,the great foundations of our ,sangha well1 ,that noble ,order of the ,yellow ,robe ,which to this day standeth to help the ,world4 ,so all that night he spake1 teaching the ,law ,and on no eyes fell sleep--for they who heard ,rejoiced with tireless joy4 ,also the ,king1 ,when this was finished1 rose upon his throne ,and with bared feet bowed low before his ,son ,kissing his hem2 and said1 ,take me1 ,o ,son6 ,lowest and least of all thy ,company4 ,and sweet ,yasodhara1 all happy now1-- ,cried ,give to ,rahula--thou ,blessed ,one6 ,the ,treasure of the ,kingdom of thy ,word ,for his inheritance4 ,thus passed these ,three ,into the ,path4 ------------ ,here endeth what ,i write ,who love the ,master for his love of us1 ,a little knowing1 little have ,i told ,touching the ,teacher and the ,ways of ,peace4 ,forty-five rains thereafter showed he those ,in many lands and many tongues and gave ,our ,asia light1 that still is beautiful1 ,conquering the world with spirit of strong grace ,all which is written in the holy ,books1 ,and where he passed and what proud ,emperors ,carved his sweet words upon the rocks and caves3 ,and how--in fulness of the times--it fell ,the ,buddha died1 the great ,tathagato1 ,even as a man 'mongst men1 fulfilling all ,and how a thousand thousand crores since then ,have trod the ,path which leads whither he went ,unto ,,nirvana where the ,silence lives4 ,ah6 ,blessed ,lord6 ,oh1 ,high ,deliverer6 ,forgive this feeble script1 which doth thee wrong4 ,measuring with little wit thy lofty love4 ,ah6 ,lover6 ,brother6 ,guide6 ,lamp of the law6 ,i take my refuge in they name and thee6 ,i take my refuge in they order6 ,,om6 ,the dew is on the lotus6--,rise1 ,great ,sun6 ,and lift my leaf and mix me with the wave4 ,om ,mani ,padme ,hum1 the sunrise comes6 ,the ,dewdrop ,slips ,into ,the ,shining ,sea6 ,the ,end