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1, 5.
LEAVING THE CITY.
51
of separation. And now the prince's heart was filled with joy, as he suddenly heard those words 'separation and association.' 354
'These are joyful sounds to me,' he said, 'they assure me that my vow shall be accomplished.' Then deeply pondering the joy of 'snapped relationship,' the idea of Nirvana, deepened and widened in him', 355
His body as a peak of the Golden Mount, his shoulder like the elephant's, his voice like the springthunder, his deep-blue eye like that of the king of oxen, 356
His mind full of religious thoughts (aims), his face bright as the full moon, his step like that of the lion king, thus he entered his palace, 357
Even as the son of Lord Sakra (or, Sakra-putra) his mind reverential, his person dignified, he went straight to his father's presence, and with head inclined, enquired, “Is the king well ?' 358
Then he explained his dread of age, disease, and death, and sought respectfully permission to become a hermit. For all things in the world' (he said), 'though now united, tend to separa- 1 tion;' 359
Therefore he prayed to leave the world; desiring to find 'true deliverance.' His royal father hearing the words leave the world,' was forth with seized with great heart-trembling, 360
Even as the strong wild elephant shakes with his weight the boughs of some young sapling; going forward, seizing the prince's hands, with falling tears, he spake as follows: 361
1 Literally, 'deeply widened the mind of Nirvana (Ni-pan).
E 2
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