The Buddha Part 3

_YASODHARA is much moved._

While I was horror-struck, Channa pa.s.sed by Indifferent, for _he_ had seen such men.

Too well he knew the common fate of all; But I, the first time in my life, did learn That, _if_ we but live long enough, we all Shall be such miserable wretched dotards.

_Y._ Too sudden came this saddening truth to you.

_B._ Channa sped on his horses out of town, But there again! what an ungainly sight!

A man lay on the road-side, weak and helpless, With trembling frame and feverish cramps.

I shut mine eyes to so much racking pain, Still I could hear his groaning and his moaning.

"Oh, Channa," said I to the charioteer: "Why does this happen? How deserves this man The wretchedness of his great agonies?"

"How do I know?" said Channa, "for we all Are subject to distemper and disease.

Sometimes the best are stricken--and must die!"

"Must die?" cried I, "What does that word portend?"

For, you must know, I never heard of death.

My father had forbidden, at his court To speak to me of anything unpleasant.

"Yea, die!" said Channa, "Look around and see!"

Along the road a funeral procession Moved slowly, solemnly and mournfully And on the bier a corpse, stark, stiff and cold.

_Y._ Do not be troubled, death is still far off.

_B._ Oh do not feel secure, for the three evils Surround us constantly and everywhere, And even now death hovers o'er our house.

When I was born my mother went to heaven, Which means, she died when she gave life to me.

_Y._ My Lord don't think of evils that are past.

_B._ The world's impermanence is still the same, And all material things are conformations Subject to pain, decay and dissolution.

Yet unconcerned in blessed carelessness Man hunteth after pleasure. Transiency Has set its mark on life, and there is none Who can escape its curse. There is no mortal Who's always happy. Misery surprises The luckiest with unexpected terror.

Then, in addition, unseen powers breed Most heinous maladies and fever heat.

E'en if we were exceptions, thou must grant That finally we too will meet our doom.

The ghastly specter Death, the stern king Yama, Awaiteth all of us. Such is our fate!

_Y._ O put away these gloomy thoughts, and think Of life and love, and of thy lovely child.

_B._ Could we be truly happy while the world Is filled with misery? Mine eyes are opened; I see how death his gruesome revel holds.

He owns the world and sways its destinies.

One creature ruthlessly preys on the other, And man, the cleverest, preys on them all.

Nor is he free, for man preys upon man!

Nowhere is peace, and everywhere is war; Life's mighty problem must be solved at last.-- I have a mission to fulfil.

_Y._ And me Wouldst sacrifice for a philosophy, For the idea of an idle quest!

_B._ 'Tis not for me to ask whether my quest Be vain: for me 'tis to obey the call.

_Y._ [_with pa.s.sionate outburst_] Siddhattha, O my Lord, my husband, what wilt thou do? Dost thou forget the promise made me on our wedding day?

_B_. Yasodhara, a higher duty calls.

The time will come, and it is close at hand, When I shall wander into homelessness.

I'll leave this palace and its splendid gardens I'll leave the pleasures of this world behind To go in quest of Truth, of saving Truth.

_YASODHARA sinks on her knees before him and clasps his knees._

_Y._ And me, my Lord, thy quest will make a widow!

Oh, stay, and build thee here a happy home.

_B._ My dear Yasodhara, it cannot be.

_The Prince stands lost in thought. Rahula is restless.

YASODHARA rises and turns toward the child._

_Y_. He wakes again. I come, my babe, I come.

[The veil comes down again, and when it rises it shows the garden before the palace as in the first scene, but it is night and all is wrapped in darkness.]

FOURTH SCENE.

_King SUDDHODANA (S) and his minister VISAKHA (V) come out of the entrance._ _Later on Captain DEVALA (D) and soldiers._

_S._ Unfortunate, most unfortunate, that Udayin died. Siddhattha will miss the gardener and will ask for him.

_V._ The Prince loves flowers, and he knows them all by name; he loves trees and shrubs, and praises them for yielding fruit and grain for feeding us without the need of shedding blood.

_S._ Have the body removed so long as it is dark.

_V_. The moon is full to-day and must rise in a little while.

_S._ Double the guards at the gate. I am afraid my son will flee. It would be a disgrace on my house to have him become a mendicant. The kings of Kosala, of Magadha, and all the others look with envy on our st.u.r.dy people; they dislike our free inst.i.tutions and our warlike spirit. They would scoff at us if a Sakya prince had become a monk.

But if Siddhattha does flee, I swear by Lord Indra that I shall disown him; I will no longer recognize him as my son. I will disinherit him and make Rahula my heir apparent.

_VISAKHA looks at SUDDHODANA in amazement._

_S_. I am serious and I will do it. I swore an oath, and Issara will help me to keep it. Now go to the captain of the guards and do as I bid you.

_Exit. The Minister alone._

_V._ Oh! What a chance for me! Siddhattha will flee, if he be not prevented; he will be disinherited. Rahula is a babe, and it will take twenty years before he grows up to manhood.--[_He muses._] I may proceed on different lines, and one of them must certainly lead to success. I may marry the Princess and become the stepfather of the heir apparent, his guardian, the man who has him in his power--Hm! Hm!

I need not plan too far ahead. And if that plan did not work, the King of Magadha would make me raja of the Sakyas, if I would recognize him as my liege.

_The full moon rises and the scene becomes gradually brighter. VISAKHA knocks at the gate._

Who is on guard?

_Officer comes out._

_D._ I am, my Lord, 'tis Captain Devala.

_V._ 'Tis well. King Suddhodana requests you to double your guard to-night, for he has reasons. Further he wants you to remove the corpse of Udayin, the gardener who died to-day of an infectious disease. Be on your guard, for where a dead body lies there are ghosts--and [_in a half whisper_] when you see demons or G.o.ds, keep yourselves, you and your men, locked up in the guard house, and the spook will pa.s.s without harm.