Year: 1877

He refused to take part in the games Of
his plnymatys and WIS never 50 happy
as when he could set alone lost in mcdi-
tation in the shadows of the forest, 1t
was there his father found him once
after having lost Aim, and in order to
prevent the young prince from becoming
n dreamer, determined that he should
Immediately be married. When the
subject was mentioned to the young
prince he demanded seven days to con.
slider it, at the end OF which time con-
vinced that not even marriage could dis
turb the calm Of his mind, he bale the
ministers look out for princess. He
was married TO the beautiful Gopa, and
the union was one of the happiest, but
the prince remained ms lie had been he.
fore, absorbed in meditation upon the
problems of life and death. Nothing is
stale he used to say, "nothng is real"
Life is like the spark produced by the
friction of wood--it is lighted and eX.
tingnished, We know not whence it came
or whittier it goes. 1t is like the sound
of a Tyre, and the wise man asks in vain
whence it came and whittier it goes.
There must be some supreme intelligence
where We could find rest. If attained
it l could bring light to man, if | were
free myself could deliver the world.'
The king pcrceiving the melancholy
mood OF the yonng man, did everything
in his power to divert him from hi
.speculations but all in VAN. Three OF
the most ordinary events that could hap
pen to any man, proved of the utmost
importance in the career of Liddharta.


One day he was driving through the
eastern gate of the city on his way to
one of his parks, he met on the road an
old man broken and Cecrepit. One
could see the veins and muscle over the
whole of his body, his teeth chattercl, ,
he was covered with wrinkles, bald, &C.,
and hardly able to utter, hollow, and
unmelodicus sounds. The prince en-
quired of his coachman, who the man
was and whether there WAS anything
peculiar III his family. that his body was
so bent and wasted and his walk so diff
cult. The coachman replied that it was
old Nge that afflicted the sufferer, that
it was not a family popularity but the
common lot of all living creatures.
"Thcn what have | to do with pleasure"
he cried, " if at last must come to this"
"Coachman turn my chariot Quicklyn
and he returned to the city without
going to the park.


Al another time driving through the
southern gate to his pleasure garden, he
found on the road n man suffering from
fever, without home, without friend,
hardly able 10 breathe, and frightened
at the prospect of death, Again the
coachman was questioned, and again the
chariot was turned about, the prince
saying where is the wise man, who hav-
ing seen what he is, can any longer think
of joy and pleasure A third time driv-
ing through the western gate, he saw
dead body on the road lying on bier
covered with cloth; the friends stand
ing about it, sobbing and crying, and
tearing their hair. The prince again
calling his coachman to witness the pain
fu scene exclaimed, 80 woe to youth
which must be destroyed in old age.
Woe to health which must be destroyed
by so many diseases. Woe to this life
where many remain so short time.
1t there were no old age, no disease, no
death, if these could be made captive
forevc." Then betraying for the first
time his intentions, the young prince
said, "Let us turn back, must think
how to accomplish deliverance. After
ward driving through the northern gate
lie saw a mendicant, Brahman monk
so to speak, and asked the coachman
who the man was. The Coachman, re-
piled that he was one, who had re
nounced all pleasures and all desires,
who without passion or envy walked
about asking aims, "This is well said
the prince. The life of devotee has
NIway been praised by the wise. 1t will
ho ms, ror,,oo aud +ho raE,oo ot othar