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[II. Progress of the Sàsana]

Yasassa Pabbajjà
12. Yasa's Going Forth

Tena kho pana samayena Bàràõasiyaü
Then at that time at Bàràõasã

Yaso nàma kulaputto seññhiputto sukhumàlo hoti.
there was a delicate young man of good family, Yasa by name, Called Yaèoda in Mahàvastu (see e.g. 3.405).⁰¹ a merchant's son.

Tassa tayo pàsàdà honti: eko hemantiko eko gimhiko eko vassiko.
There were three palaces for him: one for the winter time, one for the summer time, and one for the rainy season. This story of the palaces and the reason for Yasa leaving home seems to have been later applied to the Bodhisatta's own story.⁰²

So vassike pàsàde cattàro màse nippurisehi turiyehi paricàrayamàno,
During the four months in the rainy season palace, while a female Lit: non-male, nippurisa.⁰³ musical ensemble was entertaining him,

na heññhàpàsàdaü orohati.
he did not descend to the bottom of the palace.

Atha kho Yasassa kulaputtassa,
Then while the young man Yasa,

paÿcahi kàmaguõehi samappitassa samaïgibhåtassa paricàrayamànassa
possessed of and endowed with the five strands of sensual pleasure, was being entertained

pañikacceva niddà okkami parijanassa pi pacchà niddà okkami,
he fell asleep first, and his retinue fell asleep afterwards,

sabbarattiyo ca telappadãpo jhàyati.
and all night an oil-lamp burned.

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto pañikacceva pabujjhitvà,
Then the young man Yasa, after waking first,

addasa sakaü parijanaü supantaü, aÿÿissà kacche vãõaü,
saw his retinue sleeping, one with a lute in her armpit,

aÿÿissà kaõñhe mudiïgaü, aÿÿissà ure alambaraü,
another with a small drum on her neck, another with a drum on her chest,

aÿÿaü vikesikaü, aÿÿaü vikheëikaü, aÿÿà vippalapantiyo,
another with hair dishevelled, another dribbling, another muttering,

hatthappattaü susànaü maÿÿe.
(so that) it seemed as if there was a cemetery close at hand.

Disvànassa àdãnavo pàtur-ahosi nibbidàya cittaü saõñhàsi.
Having seen (this) the danger became clear to him, and his mind was established in world-weariness.

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto udànaü udànesi:
Then the young man Yasa uttered this exalted utterance:

ßUpaddutaü vata bho upassaññhaü vata bho.û ti
ßTribulation indeed, ruination indeed!û

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto suvaõõapàdukàyo àrohitvà,
Then the young man Yasa, after donning his golden slippers,

yena nivesanadvàraü tenupasaïkami.
went to the door of his dwelling.

Amanussà dvàraü vivariüsu:
Divine beings Lit: non-human beings.⁰⁴ opened the door (thinking):

ßMà Yasassa kulaputtassa koci antaràyam-akàsi
o ßLet there be no obstacle to the going-forth of the young man Yasa

agàrasmà anagàriyaü pabbajjàyà.û ti
from the home to the homeless life.û

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto yena nagaradvàraü tenupasaïkami.
Then the young man Yasa went to the city gate.

Amanussà dvàraü vivariüsu:
Divine beings opened the gate (thinking):

ßMà Yasassa kulaputtassa koci antaràyam-akàsi
o ßLet there be no obstacle to the going-forth of the young man Yasa

agàrasmà anagàriyaü pabbajjàyà.û ti
from the home to the homeless life.û

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto yena Isipatanaü Migadàyo tenupasaïkami.
Then the young man Yasa approached the Deer Park at Isipatana.

Tena kho pana samayena Bhagavà rattiyà paccåsasamayaü paccuññhàya
Then at that time, towards the time of dawn, after rising, the Gracious One

ajjhokàse caïkamati.
was walking in the open air.

Addasà kho Bhagavà Yasaü kulaputtaü dårato va àgacchantaü
The Gracious One saw the young man Yasa coming while still far away,

disvàna caïkamà orohitvà paÿÿatte àsane nisãdi.
and after seeing (him) and descending from the walkway, he sat down on the prepared seat.

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto Bhagavato avidåre udànaü udànesi:
Then the young man Yasa, not far from the Gracious One uttered this exalted utterance:

ßUpaddutaü vata bho upassaññhaü vata bhoû ti.
ßTribulation indeed, ruination indeed!û

Atha kho Bhagavà Yasaü kulaputtaü etad-avoca:
Then the Gracious One said this to the young man Yasa:

ßIdaü kho Yasa anupaddutaü idaü anupassaññhaü,
ßThis, Yasa, is not tribulation, this is not ruination,

ehi Yasa nisãda Dhammaü te desessàmã.û ti
come, Yasa, sit down and I will teach Dhamma to you.û

Atha kho Yaso kulaputto: `Idaü kira anupaddutaü idaü anupassaññhan,'-ti
Then the young man Yasa (thinking): `It seems this is not tribulation, this is not ruination',

haññho udaggo suvaõõapàdukàhi orohitvà, yena Bhagavà tenupasaïkami,
joyful, uplifted, after taking off his golden slippers, approached the Gracious One,

upasaïkamitvà Bhagavantaü abhivàdetvà, ekam-antaü nisãdi.
and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he sat down on one side.

Ekam-antaü nisinnassa kho Yasassa kulaputtassa
To the young man Yasa, sitting at one side,

Bhagavà anupubbikathaü kathesi,
the Gracious One spoke about the gradual teaching,

seyyathãdaü: dànakathaü sãlakathaü saggakathaü,
that is to say: talk about giving, talk about virtue, talk about heaven,

kàmànaü àdãnavaü okàraü saïkilesaü,
the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual desires,

nekkhamme ànisaüsaü pakàsesi.
and the advantages of renunciation, (these) he explained.

Yadà Bhagavà aÿÿàsi Yasaü kulaputtaü
When the Gracious One knew that the young man Yasa

kallacittaü muducittaü vinãvaraõacittaü udaggacittaü pasannacittaü,
had a ready mind, a pliable mind, an open mind, an uplifted mind, a confident mind,

atha yà Buddhànaü sàmukkaüsikà Dhammadesanà taü pakàsesi:
he explained to him the Dhamma teaching the Awakened Ones have discovered themselves:

Dukkhaü Samudayaü Nirodhaü Maggaü.
Suffering, Origination, Cessation, Path.

Seyyathà pi nàma suddhaü vatthaü apagatakàëakaü
Just as it is known that a clean cloth without a stain

sammad-eva rajanaü pañiggaõheyya,
will take the dye well,

evam-eva Yasassa kulaputtassa tasmiü yeva àsane,
just so to the young man Yasa on that very seat,

virajaü vãtamalaü Dhammacakkhuü udapàdi:
the dust-free, stainless Vision-of-the-Dhamma arose: Jà Nid says that he became a Stream-Enterer (Sotàpanna) that night and became a Worthy One (Arahanta) the next day. Th. 117 records Yasa's verse on this occasion: Suvilitto suvasano, sabbàbharaõabhåsito, tisso vijjà ajjhagamiü, kataü Buddhassa sàsanaü; well-perfumed, well-clothed, adorned with all (my) ornaments, I attained the three knowledges - I have followed the advice of the Buddha.⁰⁵