Читать книгу 108 Buddhist Parables and Stories - Olga Gutsol - Страница 8

The night after his trip to the city, the prince could not fall asleep. Siddhattha went out into the garden, sat down beneath the great jambu tree and gave himself to thought. Pondering on life and death and the evils of decay, he became free from confusion and saw all the misery and sorrow of the world, the pains of pleasure, and the inevitable certainty of death that hovers over every being. A deep compassion seized his heart.

While the prince was concentrating on the problem of evil, he saw a lofty figure endowed with majesty, calm and dignified. “Who are you?” asked the prince.

The vision responded, “I am a hermit. Troubled at the thought of old age, disease, and death I have left my home to seek the path of salvation. All things hasten to decay; only the truth is forever. Everything changes, and there is no permanency. I long for the happiness that does not decay; the treasure that will never perish; the life that knows of no beginning and no end. Therefore, I have retired to live in solitude and I devoted myself to the search of truth.”

Siddhattha asked, “Can peace be gained in this world of unrest? I am struck with the emptiness of pleasure and have become disgusted with lust. All oppresses me, and existence itself seems intolerable.”

The hermit replied, “Where heat is, there is also a possibility of cold; creatures subject to pain possess the faculty of pleasure; the origin of evil indicates that good can be developed. For these things are correlatives. Thus where there is much suffering, there will be much bliss. A man who has fallen into a heap of filth ought to seek the great pond of water covered with lotuses. If the lake is not sought, it is not the fault of the lake. Even so when there is a blessed road leading the man held fast by wrong to the liberation, if the road is not walked upon, it is not the fault of the road, but of the person.”

A thrill of joy passed through Siddhattha’s heart, and he exclaimed, “Now is the time to seek the truth; now is the time to sever all ties that would prevent me from attaining liberation; now is the time to wander into homelessness to find the path of deliverance.”

The celestial messenger heard the resolution of Siddhattha with approval. “Now, indeed,” he added, “is the time to seek the truth. Go, Siddhattha, and accomplish your purpose. For you are the Buddha; you are destined to enlighten the world. Persevere in your quest for the truth and you shall find what you seek. Pursue your aim diligently, struggle earnestly and you shall conquer.”

Having thus spoken, the vision vanished, and Siddhattha’s heart was filled with peace. He said to himself, “I have awakened to the truth and I am resolved to accomplish my purpose.”

The prince returned to the bedroom of his wife to take a last farewell glance at those whom he dearly loved. There Siddhattha stood gazing at his beautiful wife and his beloved son, and his heart grieved. The pain of parting overcame him powerfully. Although his mind was determined that nothing, be it good or evil, could shake his resolution, the tears flowed from his eyes.

Eventually Siddhattha exited the palace and thus renounced power and worldly pleasures, gave up his kingdom, severed all ties, and went into homelessness. He rode out into the silent night, accompanied only by his faithful charioteer Channa.