Siddhattha had cut his waving hair and had exchanged his royal
robe for a mean dress of the color of the ground. Having sent
home Channa, the charioteer, together with the noble steed
Kanthaka, to king Suddhodana to bear him the message that the
prince had left the world, the Bodhisatta walked along on the
highroad with a beggar's bowl in his hand. 1
Yet the majesty of his mind was ill-concealed under the poverty
of his appearance. His erect gait betrayed his royal birth and
his eyes beamed with a fervid zeal for truth. The beauty of his
youth was transfigured by holiness and surrounded his head like a
halo. 2
All the people who saw this unusual sight gazed at him in wonder.
Those who were in haste arrested their steps and looked back; and
there was no one who did not pay him homage. 3
Having entered the city of Rājagaha, the prince went from house
to house silently waiting till the people offered him food.
Wherever the Blessed One came, the people gave him what they had;
they bowed before him in humility and were filled with gratitude
because he condescended to approach their homes. 4
Old and young people were moved and said: "This is a noble muni!
His approach is bliss. What a great joy for us!" 5
And king Bimbisāra, noticing the commotion in the city, inquired
the cause of it, and when he learned the news sent one of his
attendants to observe the stranger. 6
Having heard that the muni must be a Sakya and of noble family,
and that he had retired to the bank of a flowing river in the
woods to eat the food in his bowl, the king was moved in his
heart; he donned his royal robe, placed his golden crown upon his
head and went out in the company of aged and wise counselors to
meet his mysterious guest. 7
The king found the muni of the Sakya race seated under a tree.
Contemplating the composure of his face and the gentleness of his
deportment, Bimbisāra greeted him reverently and said: 8
"O samana, thy hands are fit to grasp the reins of an empire and
should not hold a beggar's bowl. I am sorry to see thee wasting
thy youth. Believing that thou art of royal descent, I invite
thee to join me in the government of my country and share my
royal power. Desire for power is becoming to the noble-minded,
and wealth should not be despised. To grow rich and lose
religion is not true gain. But he who possesses all three, power,
wealth, and religion, enjoying them in discretion and with
wisdom, him I call a great master." 9