3:1 The Going Forth

405[72] I will tell of the going forth,
how the One with Vision went forth,
how, while investigating,
he approved of the going forth. (1)

406“This home life is confinement,
a basis for dust;
the going forth is likeWith Be and Ce I read va, as against Ee ca. The gloss viya in Pj II supports va. an open space”:
having seen this, he went forth. (2)

407Having gone forth, he avoided
evil deeds with his body.
Having abandoned verbal misconduct,
he purified his livelihood. (3)

408The Buddha went to Rājagaha,
[the city] Giribbaja of the Magadhans.
Adorned with the excellent marks,
he walked for alms [in the city]. (4)

409While standing in his palace,
Bimbisāra caught sight of him.
Having seen him endowed with the marks,
he uttered this statement: (5)

410“Sirs, look at him,
handsome, stately, pure;
endowed with good conduct,
he looks a mere yoke’s length ahead. (6)

411“With downcast eyes, mindful,
it seems he is not from a low family.
Let the king’s messengers run out.
[Find out] where the bhikkhu will go.” (7)

412The messengers sent by the king
followed closely behind him,
[thinking:] “Where will the bhikkhu go?
Where is his dwelling place?” (8)

413Walking on alms without skipping houses,
his sense doors guarded, well restrained,
clearly comprehending, ever mindful,
he quickly filled up his bowl. (9) [73]

414Having walked on alms round,
the muni departed from the city.
He ascended Mount Paṇḍava:
“His dwelling place must be here!” (10)

415Having seen that he had entered his dwelling,
the messengers thenReading tato with Ce and Ee, as against Be tayo, “three (messengers).” approached;
but one messenger returned
and informed the king: (11)

416“Great king, this bhikkhu
lives on the eastern side of Paṇḍava.
He sits in a mountain cavern
like a tiger, a bull, or a lion.” (12)

417Having heard the messenger’s report,
the khattiya set out in a fine vehicle.
Hurriedly, he departed
in the direction of Paṇḍava Mountain. (13)

418Having gone along the ground for vehicles,
the khattiya descended from his vehicle;
having approached on foot,
he arrived and entered. (14)

419Having sat down, the king greeted him
and then made polite conversation.
When the courtesies were finished,
he then uttered this statement: (15)

420“You are young, a lad,
a youth in the prime of life,
endowed with beauty and stature,
like a well-born khattiya. (16)

421“I will give you wealth — enjoy it
while shining at the head of an army,
accompanied by a troop of bull elephants.
Being asked, tell me your birth.” (17)

422“There is, O king, a country straight ahead,
on the slope of the Himalayas,
abounding in wealth and energy,
[ruled] by one native to the Kosalans. (18) [74]

423“I am by clan an Ādicca,
by birth I am a Sakyan.
I have gone forth from that family, O king,
not longing for sensual pleasures. (19)

424“Having seen the danger in sensual pleasures,
having seen renunciation as security,
I will go for the purpose of striving:
it is here that my mind delights.” (20)

Pabbajjāsutta

405"Pabbajjaṁ kittayissāmi,
yathā pabbaji cakkhumā;
Yathā vīmaṁsamāno so,
pabbajjaṁ samarocayi.

406 Sambādhoyaṁ gharāvāso,
rajassāyatanaṁ iti;
Abbhokāsova pabbajjā,
iti disvāna pabbaji.

407 Pabbajitvāna kāyena,
pāpakammaṁ vivajjayi;
Vacīduccaritaṁ hitvā,
ājīvaṁ parisodhayi.

408 Agamā rājagahaṁ buddho,
magadhānaṁ giribbajaṁ;
Piṇḍāya abhihāresi,
ākiṇṇavaralakkhaṇo".

409 Tamaddasā bimbisāro,
pāsādasmiṁ patiṭṭhito;
Disvā lakkhaṇasampannaṁ,
imamatthaṁ abhāsatha.

410 "Imaṁ bhonto nisāmetha,
abhirūpo brahā suci;
Caraṇena ca sampanno,
yugamattañca pekkhati.

411 Okkhittacakkhu satimā,
nāyaṁ nīcakulāmiva;
Rājadūtābhidhāvantu,
kuhiṁ bhikkhu gamissati".

412 Te pesitā rājadūtā,
piṭṭhito anubandhisuṁ;
Kuhiṁ gamissati bhikkhu,
kattha vāso bhavissati.

413 Sapadānaṁ caramāno,
guttadvāro susaṁvuto;
Khippaṁ pattaṁ apūresi,
sampajāno paṭissato.

414 Piṇḍacāraṁ caritvāna,
Nikkhamma nagarā muni;
Paṇḍavaṁ abhihāresi,
Ettha vāso bhavissati.

415 Disvāna vāsūpagataṁ,
Tayo dūtā upāvisuṁ;
Tesu ekova āgantvā,
Rājino paṭivedayi.

416 "Esa bhikkhu mahārāja,
Paṇḍavassa puratthato;
Nisinno byagghusabhova,
Sīhova girigabbhare".

417 Sutvāna dūtavacanaṁ,
Bhaddayānena khattiyo;
Taramānarūpo niyyāsi,
Yena paṇḍavapabbato.

418 Sa yānabhūmiṁ yāyitvā,
Yānā oruyha khattiyo;
Pattiko upasaṅkamma,
Āsajja naṁ upāvisi.

419 Nisajja rājā sammodi,
Kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ tato;
Kathaṁ so vītisāretvā,
Imamatthaṁ abhāsatha.

420 "Yuvā ca daharo cāsi,
Paṭhamuppattiko susu;
Vaṇṇārohena sampanno,
Jātimā viya khattiyo.

421 Sobhayanto anīkaggaṁ,
Nāgasaṅghapurakkhato;
Dadāmi bhoge bhuñjassu,
Jātiṁ akkhāhi pucchito".

422 "Ujuṁ janapado rāja,
Himavantassa passato;
Dhanaviriyena sampanno,
Kosalesu niketino.

423 Ādiccā nāma gottena,
Sākiyā nāma jātiyā;
Tamhā kulā pabbajitomhi,
Na kāme abhipatthayaṁ.

424 Kāmesvādīnavaṁ disvā,
Nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;
Padhānāya gamissāmi,
Ettha me rañjatī mano"ti.

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Pabbajjāsuttaṁ paṭhamaṁ.