Late at night, when midnight had passed, the gods and various celestial beings filled the sky and spoke to the prince in unison.
‘Everyone inside the castle and outside is fast asleep. If you wish to renounce the world, now is the time.’
Upon hearing this, the prince went to his servant Channa and said,
‘Place the saddle on the horse. Prepare for my departure.’
By the power of the celestial beings, everyone had fallen into a deep sleep. Only Chōnoku remained awake.
Through the power of the deities, everyone in the palace had fallen into a deep slumber, everyone except Channa, who remained awake.
Channa, trembling with fear and unable to speak, eventually managed to reply through tears:
“I wish to fulfill your wishes, my lord, but I cannot disobey the king’s commands. You speak of riding out on your horse, but it is not the hour for leisure riding, nor are you departing for battle. Why would you wish to leave in the dead of night? Where are you planning to go?”
The prince replied,
“I seek to liberate all sentient beings by extinguishing the afflictions of worldly desires. Do not act against this noble purpose.”
Channa wept like falling rain, repeatedly refusing the prince’s request. However, he finally gave in and prepared the horse.
The prince then addressed Channa and his beloved horse:
“No matter how deep one’s attachment, the time for separation will inevitably come. This is the transient nature of the world. My renunciation was destined by karmic causes from past lives?it is unavoidable.”
Channa said nothing, and the horse remained silent, without so much as a neigh.
At that moment, the prince’s body radiated a brilliant light, illuminating the surroundings beautifully.
“Many before me have become Buddhas. When they renounced the world, it was just the same as this.”
The heavenly beings lifted the horse’s four legs and carried Channa as they advanced. ?akra, the king of the gods, held a parasol above the prince, followed by a procession of other deities. The northern gate of the palace opened silently, without a sound.
Depiction of the Departure from the Castle (Gandhara, 2nd century, Indian Museum, Kolkata)
As the prince exited the gate, the celestial beings in the sky praised him greatly.
The prince made a solemn vow:
“I will not return to the palace until I have severed the bonds of birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, and suffering. I will not see my father again unless I attain enlightenment and turn the wheel of Dharma. Unless I can extinguish my attachment to love and affection, I will not see my foster mother Mahapajapati or my wife Yashodhara.”
By morning, he had traveled three yojanas (a distance equivalent to a king’s day’s journey). Gradually, even the heavenly beings disappeared from sight. The horse, moving as swiftly as Garuda, the golden-winged bird, advanced without rest. Channa remained faithfully by the prince’s side.
Golden-Winged Bird (Garuda, Chiang Mai, Thailand)
[Translation]
Siro Inuzuka
This text was created by using ChatGPT-4o to translate a modern Japanese translation into English, and then making some modifications. There may be errors in the English expressions. Please correct any mistakes.
[Explanation]
Shinichi Kusano / Siro Inuzuka
According to the Indian philosopher Dr. Hajime Nakamura,In India, umbrellas are used not to shield from rain, but to protect from the intense sunlight. Therefore, when nobles went out, there was always someone to hold an umbrella for them. In this case, Indra takes on that role.
[Cooperation]
Shinichi Kusano
●Japanese
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