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Being devoured by dogs, vultures, and jackals, like a hellish carrion; 15. Moving with swarms of worms, blue in color, Blood flowing from the openings of wounds, Torn by flocks of birds, covered with flies, The wise one saw a lifeless, decaying body; 16. As he was about to convey the charioteer's words, Adorned with golden earrings, into his own ears, The Sakya king said, "I too am not beyond death, alas!" And like a lion, he left the chariot for the grove; 17. Again, with his retinue, he ascended the noble chariot, And after a few days, the supreme king, Resembling the abode of the god of love, from the excellent city of Kapilavatthu, That handsome one, adorned with five arrows, went to that pleasure grove; 18. Taking a bowl, the color of a jewel, Covering the opening with a cloth the color of jackfruit pulp, With unwavering eyes, created by the gods, The wise one saw an ascetic form, like the form of a Buddha; 19. Then, by the will of the gods, The charioteer, like a venerable monk, instructed him in meaning and Dharma, On the many virtues of an ascetic, Seeing the harm in the five desires, And the benefit of going to Tamavadi and a dwelling; 20. Able to deceive, speak deceptively, live by wrong livelihood, and delude, Like an earthen bowl fit for stealing another's belly, With hands like lotuses, he took it, urged by his perfections, And with clear understanding, having seen it, he generated faith; 21. Like a row of blossoming buds adorning a noble sala tree, With the splendor of a monk's robe in the forefront, Placing a burden on the eyes of the bees, the wise one Generated faith in the robe in his own mind; 22. The whirlpool of momentary death, a mass of disease, The terrible force of old age like a crocodile, The unfathomable ocean of existence, with birth as its limit, "Like this, may I cross over and be delivered," he understood; 23. "With the rising of the full moon of the monk's face, And the blossoming mind like a jasmine in a pleasure garden, Let the chariot be prepared to go to the park," That day the king spoke to the chariot driver; 24. Surrounded by rows of bending reeds, palms, and palmyra palms, Cool with the breeze from sandalwood trees and clear water, Descending into the park like Vasava into Nandana, The king spent the day happily playing; 25. In the sky covered by a row of autumn clouds, Where the fame of the thousand-rayed one was proclaimed, Adorning the white umbrella above his head, He adorned the bank of the pond with the marks on his feet; 26. With lotus-like faces, swan-like full breasts, Blue-lily eyes, and dark blue hair, Like a group of women intoxicated with honey and delighted, He descended into the pond with tinkling anklets; (Silesabandhanaṃ) 27. The pond, with its water drawn into the depths of the pot-like navels Of the excellent young women, became empty, But filled again with the meeting of firm breasts and hips, As if spreading joy, it became full of water; 28. For a moment, the king, with a stream of water from his lotus-like hand, Seized the play of casting nets, as if to reproach The fish-like eyes averted in fresh bashfulness Of the beautiful women, with Cupid as their banner; 29. With lotuses adorned with fresh drops of water, With rows of swans on firm breasts, with hair like blue algae, With shores crowded, with the roar of waves, like a lake was she, eager for sport there. With moon-like lovely faces, the king slowly removing the linen garments, with wave-hands, Eyes painted with beauty, revealing deep navels, like a row of lotus stalks, to the edge of the lotus pond was she. Fresh drops of water, adorning new lotuses, heavy breasts like swans, hair blue like algae, With shores crowded, with the roar of waves, like a lake was she, eager for sport there. With moon-like lovely faces, the king slowly removing, with wave-hands, Eyes painted with beauty, revealing deep navels, like a row of lotus stalks, to the edge of the lotus pond was she. Again, her breasts like water pots, cooled with sandalwood paste, of the women immersed, to the measure of their necks, That dark lotus pond, with eyes like lotus blossoms, became a swarm of bees, crowded with lotus groves. With the hum of intoxicated bees, with the soft sounds of waves, struck by the hands of attendants, like kettle drums, For Indirā dancing, on a lovely lotus seat, that water-born one conquered, a divine concert hall. Faces like the moon, in the sky like a pond, beautiful creeper-like arms, lovely as lightning streaks, A row of blue lotus forests, a row of dark clouds, playing with the peacock of the eye, she shone. A lotus flower in hand, thrown by royal swans, enjoyed by various bees, the time for Dharma passing, As if a courtesan, that lotus pond, that king enjoyed, and attained great joy. As the king, with his retinue, left the pond, whose shore was stirred, by the waves following his steps, A soft, fragrant breeze, like the suppressed sighs, of the lotus pond bereft, of its lotus maidens, blew gently. The sun's reflection was overcome, by the sun setting on the mountain, then the sun, the sole sun of the solar race, stood on the stone slab. Then the lotus faces, of the lotus pond maidens, somewhat contracted, were like sorrowful and wretched ones. In the dark blue sky, a cloud garland of twilight, Then, When the Sakyan Lord was seated in triumph, Many Kappakas approached him, bringing cloths, With ornaments and unguents in their hands, to adorn the king; 38. But King Suddhodana, overcome by the power of the Dhamma, Immediately sent the king of the gods, Vissakamma by name, Saying, "Adorn that refuge of the three worlds With divine cloths and the like"; 39. Taking on human form, he approached and placed A wrapping of fine cloths on his head, And adorned him with ornaments of jewels and gold; That day, the king was like Sakka, the king of the gods; 40. Like the orb of the sun, dispelling the darkness, rising in the east, Like a row of budding evening clouds, Like a lotus bud on a stalk in a lake in the sky, He bound the sun's disc; 41. The king, his father, sent a message to him, Announcing the birth of his own son, He was delighted and happy at the sight of the letter, "A bond is born to me, a Rāhu is born"; 42. According to the words spoken by his father that day, Gathering all the meanings of the word in order, The grandfather, the king, considered, "He is born of my essence, therefore his name shall be Rāhula"; 43. His body, adorned with glory, praised by the lotus-like eyes Of the forest goddesses, ascending a fine vehicle, He descended into the city to visit his own palace, Through streets crowded with rows of pure eyes; 44. In a palace with open jeweled doors, near at hand, Was his aunt, the daughter who surpassed the goddesses, Drinking in the essence of his form with cupped hands and eyes, Kisā Gotamī, her thirst for love quenched; 45. "Whose is such a form that conquers the mind, Truly, that mother is at peace with her jewel of a son, That father is the lord of the world, at peace, cooled, And his beloved wife is also at peace," she said; 46. "When the defilements of the heart are extinguished, at peace, Like a sage, he is seen to be at peace, and I am at peace," Hearing these excellent words, she sang a verse, Divided into various meanings, she understood its meaning; 47. Ah I have made known the path to immortality. Remembering with deep reverence that path worth a hundred thousand, A radiant, beautiful, and charming burden of white rays, He entered his palace, surrounded by his retinue. 48. As if the excellent Bodhi tree were awakening, "In your mind, there is peace," like that single string, As if declaring the attainment of tranquility, On all sides, dense clouds were fastened in various hues. 49. Like an unequaled white umbrella and parasol, Adorned with strings of washed pearls, On his lion throne, like a king, Like the moon's orb, surrounded by stars on a mountain peak, shining greatly. 50. In the world covered by dense, dark night, Showing their dark, alluring beauty at that moment, Abundant with rays scattered by the moon, The capital was like newly renovated. 51. The darkness, thick as a burden of snow and hail, Revealed a line of darkness that had melted away, In open lotus groves and jasmine thickets, Bees, intoxicated with sweet honey, were heedless. 52. Having conquered the abode of the king of gods, intent on the Dhamma, In his own palace, where the light of jeweled lamps dispelled the darkness, On his golden lion throne, He soon sat, detached from the five sensual pleasures. 53. Immediately, women with musical instruments in hand, with dark cloud-like hair, With eyes like blue lotus petals, foreheads like crescent moons, With faces like blooming lotuses, hips heavy with girdles, With sparse ornaments on their breasts and beautiful thighs and shanks; 54. With cheeks like lotus buds, earrings dangling, With rows of teeth like unbroken jasmine garlands, With necks adorned with the weight of golden and jeweled necklaces, beautiful, Young women skilled in dancing and singing; 55. Like a deep, clear lake, with undisturbed sitting, With good minds, seated, with the door closed, Desiring to delight him, averse to sensual pleasures, Aspiring to Buddhahood, they descended to the stage. 56. With the striking of their feet on the jeweled earth, Producing the sound of golden anklets, Moving their fingers like playful young leaves, They danced continuously, like golden vines. 57. Causing the king's face to resemble a reflection, Being a battleground for the sharp arrows of eyes, Having conquered the sweet-sounding voice, a certain delightful woman, Shone forth, singing a song pleasing to the ear. 58. As if a host of conquered celestial women, with restless glances,