ecaying corpse, and of a dignified hermit.

36. Q. _Did he alone see these?_

A. No, his attendant, Channa, also saw them.

37. Q. _Why should these sights, so familiar to everybody, have
caused him to go to the jungle?_

A. We often see such sights: he had not seen them, so they made a deep
impression on his mind.

38. Q. _Why had he not also seen them?_

A. The Br[=a]hmana astrologers had foretold at his birth that he would
one day resign his kingdom and, become a BUDDHA. The King, his father,
not wishing to lose an heir to his kingdom, had carefully prevented his
seeing any sights that might suggest to him human misery and death. No
one was allowed even to speak of such things to the Prince. He was
almost like a prisoner in his lovely palaces and flower gardens. They
were surrounded by high walls, and inside everything was made as
beautiful as possible, so that he might not wish to go and see the
sorrow and distress that are in the world.

39. Q. _Was he so kind-hearted that the King feared he might really
wish to leave everything for the world's sake?_

A. Yes; he seems to have felt for all beings so strong a pity and love
as that.

40. Q. _And how did he expect to learn the cause of sorrow in the
jungle?_

A. By removing far away from all that could prevent his thinking
deeply of the causes of sorrow and the nature of man.

41. Q. _How did he escape from the palace?_

A. One night, when all were asleep, he arose, took a last look at his
sleeping wife and infant son; called Channa, mounted his favourite
white horse Kanthaka, and rode to the palace gate. The _Devas_ had
thrown a deep sleep upon the King's guard who watched the gate, so that
they could not hear the noise of the horse's hoofs.

42. Q. _But the gate was locked, was it not?_

A. Yes; but the _Devas_ caused it to open without the slightest noise,
and he rode away into the darkness.

43. Q. _Whither did he go?_

A. To the river Anom[=a], a long way from Kapilav[=a]stu.

44. Q. _What did he then do?_

A. He sprang from his horse, cut off his beautiful hair with his
sword, put on the yellow dress of an ascetic, and giving his ornaments
and horse to Channa, ordered him to take them back to his father, the
King.

45. Q. _What then?_

A. He went afoot towards R[=a]jagrha, the capital city of King
Bimbis[=a]ra, of Magadha.

46. Q. _Who visited him there?_

A. The King with his whole Court.[3]