405 “I shall extol going forth
with the example of the seer,
the course of inquiry that led to
his choice to go forth.

406 ‘This life at home is cramped,
a realm of dirt.’
‘The life of one gone forth is like an open space.’
Seeing this, he went forth.

407 Having gone forth, he shunned
bad deeds of body.
And leaving verbal misconduct behind,
he purified his livelihood.

408 The Buddha went to Rājagaha,
the Mountainfold of the Magadhans.
He betook himself for alms,
replete with excellent marks.

409Bimbisāra saw him
while standing atop his longhouse.
Noticing that he was endowed with marks,
he said the following:

410 ‘Pay heed, sirs, to this one,
handsome, majestic, radiant;
accomplished in deportment,
he looks just a plough’s length in front.

411 Eyes downcast, mindful,
unlike one from a low family.
Let the king’s messengers run out,
and find where the mendicant will go.’

412 The messengers sent out
followed right behind, thinking
‘Where will the mendicant go?
Where shall he find a place to stay?’

413 Wandering indiscriminately for alms,
sense doors guarded and well restrained,
his bowl was quickly filled,
aware and mindful.

414 Having wandered for alms,
the sage left the city.
He betook himself to Mount Paṇḍava,
thinking, ‘Here is the place I shall stay.’

415 Seeing that he had arrived at a place to stay,
the messengers withdrew nearby,
but one of them returned
to inform the king.

416 ‘Great king, the mendicant
is on the east flank of Mount Paṇḍava.
There he sits, like a tiger or a bull,
like a lion in a mountain cave.’

417 Hearing the messenger’s report,
the aristocrat set out
hurriedly in his fine chariot
towards Mount Paṇḍava.

418 He went as far as vehicles could go,
then dismounted from his chariot,
approached on foot,
and reaching him, drew near.

419 Seated, the king greeted him
and made polite conversation.
When the courtesies were over,
he said the following:

420You are indeed quite young,
a youth, a man in life’s first phase,
you have the good looks of a man
of high-born warrior-noble stock,

421 in glory at the army’s head,
surrounded by a troop of elephants.
I offer you pleasures—enjoy them!
But please tell me your lineage by birth.’

422 ‘Up north lies a nation, great king,
on the slope of the Himalayas,
full of wealth and strength,
ruled by a native in the land of the Kosalans.

423 They are of the Solar clan,
their lineage is the Sakyans.
I have gone forth from that family—
I do not yearn for sensual pleasure.

424 Seeing the danger in sensual pleasures,
seeing renunciation as sanctuary,
I shall go on to strive;
that is where my mind delights.’”

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.