Overall Teaching

The king, dreaming that the prince will leave, secured the palace more. The Bodhisattva declared that he will leave the palace to see the pleasure parks. Despite the king ordering that they be freed of all disagreeable sights, the Bodhisattva’s power made the gods manifest sights of old age, sickness, death, and a monk to bring forth the procedure whereby he would renounce his household life. Gopā had a dream which the prince interprets as a good omen for her. The types of dreams that a Bodhisattva has upon leaving home are presented.

Summary

1.     While the Bodhisattva was being encouraged the king dreamt that he had left the palace and ordained. The chamberlain informed him that he was still with the consorts.

2.     The king, thinking that the prince would leave soon, decided that the prince must remain with the maidens and addicted to their pleasures, never to leave.

3.     For this purpose, the king built a palace for the hot, rainy, and cold seasons, each suitable for its seasons and each guarded by hundreds of guardsmen so the prince could not leave unnoticed.

a. In particular, they guarded the Gate of Auspiciousness, which was foretold to be that which he would exit by.

4.     When the prince announced his wish to visit the parks, the king decided that he must be surrounded by women so that he will be amorously delighted and not wish to leave.

5.     The king announced that the subjects must prepare the pleasure groves for the prince and remove sight of anything disagreeable, and put anything pleasing in public, for the prince will go into the parks in seven days.

6.     After seven days the parks were well adorned and the army divisions lined the route.

7.     After the Bodhisattva exited through the eastern gate, through the Bodhisattva’s power the gods of the pure realms (śuddhāvāsa) emanated an old man, skinny and feeble, with grey hair and a hunch, using a cane and shaking.

a.     The Bodhisattva asked the charioteer who this was, despite knowing the answer.

b.    The charioteer said that this was an old man, despised by his relatives and abandoned like a piece of wood in the forest.

c.     The Bodhisattva asked if that was an affliction specific to him or to anyone.

d.    The charioteer said that old age overcomes all beings, regardless of gender, class, or caste.

e.     The Bodhisattva reflected that it is sad that childish beings do not see old age, and asked how he could enjoy himself in games if this is so.

f.      Thereupon the Bodhisattva returned to the palace.

8.     Later, the Bodhisattva decided to set out by the southern gate with a parade, and this time saw a diseased man suffering in his own excrement, with no one to help him, and breathing difficultly.

a.     The Bodhisattva noted to the charioteer what he saw.

b.    The charioteer said that this man is seriously ill and on the brink of death.

c.     The Bodhisattva reflected that health is like a play in a dream, and wondered who could have a positive view of playful games in the face of such disease.

d.    They thereupon returned to the palace again.

9.     The Bodhisattva exited through the west gate and then saw a dead man on a stretcher on the road surrounded by relatives lamenting.

a.     The Bodhisattva knowing what it was again asked the charioteer what it was.

b.    The charioteer said that this man must proceed to the next world and never see his relatives again, having died.

c.     The Bodhisattva reflected that old age, sickness, and death, are so sad. But even without them, the five aggregates would still give rise to suffering, let alone along with old age sickness and death.

d.    The Bodhisattva returned to the city while reflecting on liberation.

10.  After the Bodhisattva exited through the northern gate, and they saw a mendicant with graceful demeanor, wearing saffron robes and with a begging bowl.

a.     The Bodhisattva asked who this peaceful man could be.

b.    The charioteer said he is a ‘monk’ who has abandoned sensuality and lives, free from attachment and anger, upon alms.

c.     The Bodhisattva reflected that monks are praised by the wise and that their life is beneficial to self and do other, resulting in the nectar of immortality.

d.    The chariot again returned to the city.

11.  The King heard about this and dug trenches and had armed cavalry stationed outside the palace gates. He also had the courtesans apply all their skill in pleasure and games in order to keep the bodhisattva enthralled.

12.  In verse form it is stated:

a.     The palace has been fortified.

b.    Śākyas are afraid that if Sarvārthasiddha leaves then the Śākya line will break.

c.     Women were told to watch over him and use trickery to keep him from leaving.

d.    Birds in the city do not make sounds: an omen that the prince will leave.

e.     Lotuses are withering and trees do not blossom, and instruments break.

f.      Everyone in the city stops playing and becomes brooding and depressed.

g.     Gopā dreams that the world is shaken, trees lose leaves and are uprooted, and the sun, moon and stars fall, while her ornaments break. Her bed and parasol handle break and she ends up on the floor, while her ornaments disappear and her husband’s lie scattered on the bed.

h.    She awakens and asked the Bodhisattva what will happen worriedly. He replies that nothing bad is in store for her, and her dreams only occur to one with good merit:

i.      The earth shaking indicates that she is held as worthy of worship by gods. 

ii. Dreaming of trees uprooted indicates cutting off the web of afflictions.

iii. Dreaming of the celestial bodies falling means she will be worthy of offerings from the world. 

iv. Dreaming that her ornaments are broken indicates that she will obtain a male birth soon.

v.        Dreaming that her bed is broken indicates that she shall cross four rivers and her parasol breaking means she will see the Bodhisattva as the only parasol bearer in the world.

vi.      Dreaming that her jewels will disappear and her husbands’ stay on the bed indicates that she will see him adorned with signs and receiving praise of the world.

vii.     Dreaming that her necklace breaks indicates that she will cut her web of affliction.

i.      The Bodhisattva reveals that these were all good omens and that she will not have misfortune but will soon have happiness and fortune.

j.      Those with merit will see signs in their dreams when they depart from home.

k.     They dream that the whole world is a bed and mount Meru is their pillow, and a light shining forth clears away darkness of the world, and a parasol emerging from the ground covers the universe. The light disperses suffering.

l.      Dreaming about beings suffering, but themselves being unmarred by it, they dream about building a boat to liberate beings, freeing them from suffering.

m.   Dreaming about beings with illness, he dreams that he is a medicine and cures beings of their diseases.

n.    Sitting on a lion throne on Mount Meru, surrounded by students and gods venerating him, he is victorious in battle being cheered by immortals in the sky.

13.  These are some dreams the Bodhisattva had in his dreams. Gods and humans who heard of it declared that he will soon become lord of gods and humans.