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3. The Chapter on Yudhañjaya 1. The Conduct of Yudhañjaya 1. When I, of immeasurable fame, Prince Yudhañjaya, Saw a dewdrop on a lotus leaf, Falling in the sun, I was greatly moved. 2. Making that very thing my guide, I intensified my spiritual urgency; Having bowed to my parents, I requested permission to go forth. 3. They begged me with joined palms, The townsfolk and the country folk: “Today, son, take up This prosperous, flourishing, great earth.” 4. While the king, the women of the harem, The townsfolk, and the country folk Lamented piteously, I renounced without attachment. 5. Renouncing the entire earth, the kingdom, My relatives, my retinue, my fame, I did not waver, Solely for the sake of awakening. 6. My parents were not hateful to me, Nor was great fame hateful to me; Omniscience was dear to me, Therefore, I renounced the kingdom. The first, the conduct of Yudhañjaya. 2. The Conduct of Somanassa 7. Again, when I was, In Indapattha, the best of cities, A desired, beloved son, Known as Somanassa. 8. Virtuous, endowed with good qualities, With noble wisdom, Respectful of elders, modest, And skilled in gatherings. 9. A deceitful ascetic Was a dependent of that king; He lived by planting A park and a flower garden. 10. When I saw that deceiver, Like a heap of husks without rice, Like a tree hollow within, Like a plantain tree without pith. 11. “He has no good qualities, He is far from recluseship; He has abandoned modesty and wholesome qualities, For the sake of his livelihood.” 12. The border was agitated, By hostile forest dwellers; Going to suppress them, My father instructed me. 13. “Do not be heedless, my son, Towards the ascetic with matted hair, of severe austerities; Grant him whatever he desires, For he is a giver of all wishes.” 14. Having gone to attend upon him, I spoke these words: “Are you well, householder? What shall be brought to you?” 15. By that, he became angry, That deceiver, full of pride; “I will have you killed today, Or banished from the country.” 16. Suppressing Having gone to the border, the king spoke to the deceiver: ‘Is it well with you, venerable sir? Has respect been shown to you?’ 17. The wicked prince told him how he was to be destroyed. Having heard his words, the king gave an order. 18. ‘Cut off his head right there, and make it into four pieces. Show it from street to street. Such is the fate of one who scorns ascetics.’ 19. Then the executioners went there, fierce, cruel, and merciless. They dragged me away, as I sat on my mother’s lap. 20. I said to them, as they bound me tightly: ‘Show me to the king quickly, I have royal duties.’ 21. They showed me to the king, that wicked one, a doer of evil. Seeing him, I made him understand, and brought him under my sway. 22. He then begged my pardon, and gave me the great kingdom. I, having torn through that darkness, went forth into homelessness. 23. The great kingdom was not hateful to me, nor were sensual pleasures hateful. Omniscience is dear to me, therefore I renounced the kingdom.” The second, The Conduct of Joy. 3. The Conduct of the Iron House 24. Again, when I was the son of the King of Kasi, I was raised in an iron house, and my name was Ayoghara. 25. “Life was obtained with difficulty, I was raised in oppression. ‘Today, my son, take possession of this entire earth.’ 26. Having bowed to the king, my own state, my own town, my own people, I raised my hands in anjali, and spoke these words: 27. ‘Whatever beings there are on earth, low, high, or middle, unprotected in their own homes, they grow up with their own relatives. 28. This is supreme in the world, my upbringing in oppression; raised in an iron house, where sun and moon had no light. 29. Full of putrid corpses, having escaped from my mother’s womb, then into more terrible suffering, again thrown into an iron house. 30. If, having experienced such extremely terrible suffering, I were to rule in kingdoms, I would be the worst of sinners. 31. I am weary in body, of kingship, I am without purpose; I will seek Nibbāna, where death will not crush me.’ 32. ‘‘Thus, having thought, while the great crowd was wailing; Like an elephant breaking its bonds, I entered the forest grove. 33. ‘‘My parents were not hateful to me, nor was great fame hateful to me; Omniscience was dear to me, therefore I renounced the kingdom.’’ The third, the Iron House practice. 4. The Lotus Stalk practice 34. ‘‘Again, when I was, in the excellent chief city of Kasi; A sister and seven brothers, were born in a prosperous family. 35. ‘‘I was the eldest of these, endowed with modesty and purity; Seeing existence as fearful, I delighted in renunciation. 36. ‘‘Sent by my parents, friends of one mind; Invited me with sensual pleasures, saying, ‘Maintain the family lineage.’ 37. ‘‘That word spoken by them, bringing happiness in the householder's life; That was harsh to me, like a heated ploughshare. 38. ‘‘They, then, lifting me up, asked my wish; ‘What do you wish for, friend, if you do not enjoy sensual pleasures?’ 39. ‘‘To them, I spoke thus, desiring welfare for those who wished me well; ‘I do not wish for the householder's state, I delight in renunciation.’ 40. ‘‘They, hearing my words, told my father and mother; My parents spoke thus, ‘Let us all go forth, sirs.’ 41. ‘‘Both my parents, and my sister and seven brothers; Having abandoned immeasurable wealth, we entered the great forest.’’ The fourth, the Lotus Stalk practice. 5. The Soṇa Paṇḍita practice 42. ‘‘Again, when I was, in the city of Brahmavaḍḍhana; There, in a noble and excellent family, I was born as a great sage. 43. ‘‘Even then, seeing the world, blinded and covered with darkness; My mind recoiled from existence, as if struck by a goad. 44. ‘‘Seeing various evils, I thought thus then; ‘When shall I leave home, and enter the forest?’ 45. ‘‘Even then, my relatives invited me, with sensual enjoyments; To them too, I declared my wish, ‘Do not invite me with these...’ 46. “My younger brother, Nanda by name, was wise; He, too, following my teaching, Approved of going forth. 47. “I, Soṇa, and Nanda, And both my parents; Then, abandoning enjoyments, We entered the great forest.” The fifth, the conduct of Soṇapaṇḍita. 6. The Conduct of Temiya 48. “Again, when I was born, The son of the King of Kāsi; By the name of Mūgapakkha, They called me Temiya. 49. “Among sixteen thousand women, There was no male at that time; After the passing of days and nights, I alone was born. 50. “A son obtained with difficulty, beloved, Well-born, radiant; Holding a white parasol, My father nurtured me in his bed. 51. “Sleeping in the excellent bed, When I awoke then; I saw a white parasol, By which I had gone to hell. 52. “As soon as I saw the parasol, A terrible fear arose in me; I came to a decision, ‘How shall I escape this?’ 53. “My former blood relative, A deity wishing my welfare; Seeing me distressed, She advised me in three ways. 54. “‘Do not reveal your wisdom, Be as a fool to all beings; Let all people despise you, Thus will your welfare be.’ 55. “Thus addressed by her, I spoke this word; ‘I will do that word for you, Which you speak, O deity; You are my mother, wishing my welfare, You are a deity, wishing my welfare.’ 56. “Hearing her word, I found land as if in the ocean; Joyful and agitated in mind, I resolved upon three qualities. 57. “I became mute, deaf, Lame, deprived of movement; Having resolved upon these qualities, I lived for sixteen years. 58. “Then, pressing my hands and feet, My tongue and ears; Seeing my completeness, They reviled me as ‘unlucky.’ 59. “Then all the people of the country, The general and the chief priest; All being of one mind, Approved of my abandonment. 60. “I, hearing their decision, Joyful and agitated in mind; For the sake of which Having practiced asceticism, may that purpose of mine be fulfilled. 61. Having bathed and anointed me, having wrapped me in royal robes; Having sprinkled me with the parasol, they made a circumambulation of the city. 62. Having held (the kingship) for seven days, when the sun's orb had risen; Having taken me out in a chariot, the charioteer went to the forest. 63. Having placed the chariot in one spot, having released the harnessed horse; The charioteer digs a pit, to bury me in the earth. 64. The resolution that was resolved, though threatened with various reasons; I did not break that resolution, for the sake of enlightenment itself. 65. My mother and father were not hateful to me, nor was my self hateful; Omniscience was dear to me, therefore I made that vow. 66. Having resolved on these factors, I lived for sixteen years; There is none equal to me in resolution, this is my perfection of resolution. The sixth (story) of Temiya. 7. The Story of the Monkey King 67. When I was a monkey, on a river bank, in a cave; Pressed by a crocodile, I could not get away. 68. In the place where I stood, (to leap) from this side to the other side; There was an enemy, a killer, a crocodile of fierce appearance. 69. He invited me, saying 'Come!'; I said to him, 'I will go!'; Having stepped on his head, I landed on the other bank. 70. No falsehood was spoken to him, as I had made my word; There is none equal to me in truth, this is my perfection of truth. The seventh (story) of the Monkey King. 8. The Story of the Truthful Ascetic 71. Again, when I was, an ascetic named Saccasavhaya; I protected the world with truth, I made the people harmonious. The eighth (story) of the Truthful Ascetic. 9. The Story of the Quail Chick 72. Again, when I was, a quail chick in Magadha; With unformed wings, young, a piece of flesh in the nest. 73. Having brought (food) with her beak, my mother nourished me; I lived by her touch, I had no bodily strength. 74. In the summer season of the year, a forest fire... burning, it blazes; The fire, the black-pathed one, comes towards us. 75.