le influence against you
At Bimbisara's court. It dawns on me
That he, Visakha, is the cause of it.
I saw him whisper with a courtier, then
He spoke in secret with a general,
And with the King too he was closeted.
The hypocrite has thrown away his mask,
And since he spoke out boldly, I know now
That he has been intriguing all the time.

_S._ He thinks I hate my son, but I do not.
I'm only angry, I am disappointed,
Because he did not heed my dearest wish.
I love him still and I invited him
To visit his old home and me, his father.
I sent Udayin with a kindly greeting.
Oh, I'd forgive him all, and e'en his flight,
Had only he not turned a mendicant.
It hurts my pride to see a Sakya prince,
And mine own son, go round from house to house
With bowl in hand to beg his daily food.

_RAHULA comes in excited._

_R._ Grandfather, here is your rose, and grandma, here is yours. And
oh! did you hear the news?

_Y._ What is it, boy? Why are you so excited?

_P._ Who told you any news?

_R._ The guards at the gate. They say that my father has come. All the
people rush out of their houses and greet him with clasped hands.
They strew flowers on the road and hail him as the Buddha!

_Y._ [_rises_] Why, is it possible?

_Wants to retire._

_S._ Stay here. Kala Udayin comes.

_KALA enter and kneels._

_K._ I bow in humble reverence before the King. And my respectful
salutations to all the members of the royal house [_turning to GOPA_]
and to you.

_S._ Bring you good news, Udayin?

_K._ Your noble son, my King, is coming.

_S._ Where did you find him?

_K._ At the Jetavana at Savatthi.

_S._ What kind of a place is that?

_K._ It is the most wonderful pleasure park I ever saw. O King, your
garden here is a paltry affair in comparison with the Jetavana.

_S._ There he lives in luxury?

_K._ Oh no Sir. Not at all. He could live in luxury, if he wanted to,
but he leads a simple life, as simple as the humblest servant in your
home, and when he wanders through the country after the rainy season
he lives like any mendicant friar. He overtook me on my way, and when
he came hither to Kapilavatthu, his home, he did as usual. Last night
he slept in the forest, and this morning he went from house to house
with bowl in hand, begging his food, and he spoke a blessing wherever
people greeted him kindly, or gave him to eat.

_S._ Oh my son, my son! Why didst thou not go straight to the palace
where thy fathe