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may the word of the soothsaying brahmins not be true.’ Then, monks, King Bandhumā for Vipassī the prince even more so arranged the five strands of sensual pleasure, thinking: ‘May Prince Vipassī rule the kingdom, may Prince Vipassī not go forth from home to homelessness, may the words of the divining brahmins be false.’ There, monks, Prince Vipassī, endowed with and possessed of the five strands of sensual pleasure, enjoyed himself. Then, monks, Prince Vipassī, for many years… and so on… 47. Then, monks, Prince Vipassī, while going to the pleasure garden, saw a man afflicted, suffering, gravely ill, lying in his own urine and feces, being raised by some, being laid down by others. Having seen him, he addressed the charioteer: ‘What is this man, good charioteer? His eyes are not like others’, his voice is not like others’?’ ‘That, sire, is called a sick person.’ ‘What then, good charioteer, is a sick person?’ ‘That, sire, is called a sick person; it is possible that he may not recover from that affliction.’ ‘But, good charioteer, am I also subject to sickness, not beyond sickness?’ ‘You, sire, and we, all are subject to sickness, not beyond sickness.’ ‘Then, good charioteer, enough of the pleasure garden for today, turn back to the palace from here.’ ‘Yes, sire,’ monks, the charioteer, having assented to Prince Vipassī, turned back to the palace from there. There, monks, Prince Vipassī, having gone to the palace, was sorrowful, dejected, and pondered: ‘Fie upon birth, indeed, where, having been born, old age will appear, sickness will appear!’ 48. Then, monks, King Bandhumā, having summoned the charioteer, said this: ‘Did the prince, good charioteer, enjoy himself in the pleasure garden? Did the prince, good charioteer, feel satisfied in the pleasure garden?’ was he not delighted? ‘Indeed, lord, the prince was not delighted in the pleasure ground, indeed, lord, the prince was not pleased in the pleasure ground.’ ‘But what, good charioteer, did the prince see when going out to the pleasure ground?’ ‘Indeed, lord, when going out to the pleasure ground, the prince saw a man afflicted, suffering, gravely ill, lying in his own urine and feces, being raised by others, being laid down by others. Having seen him, he said to me – “What, good charioteer, has happened to this man? His eyes are not like those of others, his voice is not like that of others.” “That, lord, is called a sick person.” “But what, good charioteer, is a sick person?” “That, lord, is called a sick person; it is possible that he might recover from that affliction.” “But what, good charioteer, am I also subject to sickness, not beyond sickness?” “You, lord, and we all are subject to sickness, not beyond sickness.” “In that case, good charioteer, enough of the pleasure ground for today, return to the palace from here.” “Yes, lord,” I, lord, having assented to Prince Vipassī, returned to the palace from there. That prince, lord, having gone to the palace, was sorrowful, displeased, and pondered – “Fie upon birth, indeed, where, having been born, old age will appear, sickness will appear.”’ A Dead Person 49. ‘Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to King Bandhumā – “May Prince Vipassī not fail to rule the kingdom, may Prince Vipassī not go forth from home to homelessness, may the word of the soothsaying brahmins not be true.” Then, bhikkhus, King Bandhumā had the five strands of sensual pleasure provided for Prince Vipassī even more abundantly – “So that Prince Vipassī might rule the kingdom, so that Prince Vipassī might not go forth from home to homelessness, so that the word of the soothsaying brahmins might be false.”’ nti. There, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī was attended by the five sense pleasures, endowed with them, and served by them. Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, after many years… … 50. Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, going out to the pleasure garden, saw a great crowd of people gathered, and a display of cloths of various colors being made. Having seen this, he addressed the charioteer: “What is this, good charioteer, this great crowd of people gathered, and a display of cloths of various colors being made?” “That, lord, is one who has died.” “Then, good charioteer, drive the chariot to where that one who has died is.” “Yes, lord,” bhikkhus, the charioteer, having assented to Prince Vipassī, drove the chariot to where that one who had died was. Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī saw the dead person. Having seen this, he addressed the charioteer: “What, good charioteer, is this one who has died?” “That, lord, is one who has died. Now neither mother nor father nor other relatives will see him, nor will he see mother nor father nor other relatives.” “But, good charieteeer, am I also subject to death, not gone beyond death? Will neither the king nor the queen nor other relatives see me? Will I also not see the king nor the queen nor other relatives?” “You, lord, and we, all are subject to death, not gone beyond death. Neither the king nor the queen nor other relatives will see you, nor will you see the king nor the queen nor other relatives.” “Then, good charioteer, enough of the pleasure garden for today. From here, return to the palace.” “Yes, lord,” bhikkhus, the charioteer, having assented to Prince Vipassī, returned from there to the palace. There, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, having gone to the palace, was sorrowful, dejected, and pondered: “Fie upon birth, indeed, whereby Indeed, for one who is born, old age will appear, sickness will appear, death will appear. Then, monks, King Bandhumā having summoned the charioteer, said this: 'I hope, good charioteer, the prince enjoyed the pleasure ground? I hope, good charioteer, the prince was pleased in the pleasure ground?' 'Indeed not, sire, the prince did not enjoy the pleasure ground, indeed not, sire, the prince was not pleased in the pleasure ground.' 'What then, good charioteer, did the prince see while going to the pleasure ground?' 'Indeed, sire, the prince, while going to the pleasure ground, saw a large crowd gathered, and cloths of various colors being spread out. Having seen, he said to me: "What, good charioteer, is that large crowd gathered, and cloths of various colors being spread out?"' "That, sire, is called 'one who has passed away'." "In that case, good charioteer, drive the chariot to where that one who has passed away is." 'Yes, sire,' I, sire, having assented to Prince Vipassī, drove the chariot to where that one who had passed away was. Indeed, sire, the prince saw that one who had passed away, having seen, he said to me: "What, good charioteer, is this 'one who has passed away'?" "That, sire, is called 'one who has passed away'. Now neither mother nor father nor other relatives will see him, nor will he see mother or father nor other relatives." "What then, good charioteer, am I also subject to death, not having passed beyond death? Will neither king nor queen nor other relatives see me? Will I also not see king or queen nor other relatives?" "Both you, sire, and we are all subject to death, not having passed beyond death; neither king nor queen nor other relatives will see you, nor will you see king or queen nor other relatives." "In that case, good charioteer, enough of the pleasure ground for today." O charioteer, return to the inner palace from here.’ ‘Yes, lord,’ I, lord, having assented to Prince Vipassī, returned to the inner palace from there. That prince, lord, having gone to the inner palace, was sorrowful, dejected, and pondered: ‘Fie upon birth, indeed, sirs! For where there is birth, there old age will appear, sickness will appear, death will appear!’ Renunciation 52. Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to King Bandhumā: ‘May Prince Vipassī not fail to rule the kingdom, may Prince Vipassī not go forth from home to homelessness, may the word of the soothsaying brahmins not be true.’ Then, bhikkhus, King Bandhumā had the five strands of sensual pleasure provided for Prince Vipassī even more abundantly, ‘so that Prince Vipassī might rule the kingdom, so that Prince Vipassī might not go forth from home to homelessness, so that the word of the soothsaying brahmins might be false.’ There, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī was attended to, endowed with, and fully engaged with the five strands of sensual pleasure. Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, after the passing of many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, addressed the charioteer: ‘Harness, good charioteer, fine, fine carriages; let us go to the pleasure park to see the beautiful grounds.’ ‘Yes, lord,’ bhikkhus, the charioteer, having assented to Prince Vipassī, harnessed fine, fine carriages, and announced to Prince Vipassī: ‘Your fine, fine carriages are harnessed, lord; do now what you deem timely.’ Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, having mounted a fine, fine carriage, set out for the pleasure park with fine, fine carriages. 53. Then, bhikkhus, Prince Vipassī, while setting out for the pleasure park, saw a shaven-headed man, a renunciant, wearing a saffron robe. Having seen him, he addressed the charioteer: ‘But who is this, good charioteer—’ Look, a man, what is he like? His head is not like others, his clothes are not like others?" "That, sire, is called a recluse." "And what, good charioteer, is called a recluse?" "That, sire, is called a recluse: good conduct in Dhamma, good even conduct, good wholesome action, good meritorious action, good non-harming, good compassion for beings." "Indeed, good charioteer, that is called a recluse: good conduct in Dhamma, good even conduct, good wholesome action, good meritorious action, good non-harming, good compassion for beings. Therefore, good charioteer, where that recluse is, drive the chariot there." "Yes, sire," then, monks, the charioteer, having assented to Prince Vipassī, where that recluse was, drove the chariot there. Then, monks, Prince Vipassī said to that recluse – "And you, good sir, what are you like? Your head is not like others,