#four sights

Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia, during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.

Founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, founded Buddhism, one of the world's major religions, based on his teachings about overcoming suffering and achieving enlightenment.

Born as a Prince: He was born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) as a prince of the Shakya clan around the 5th to 6th century BCE, shielded from the hardships of the world.

The Four Sights: At age 29, he left his palace and encountered "The Four Sights"—an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a wandering ascetic—which inspired him to seek answers to life's suffering.

Attained Enlightenment: After years of ascetic practices, he meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and achieved enlightenment, becoming "the Buddha," or "the Awakened One.

The Quest for Buddhism (33)

Four sights – The four outings [So far]

Sight 1 - East Gate [The Old Man]

On this journey he first saw an old man, revealing to Prince Siddhartha (later Buddha) the consequences of aging. When the prince asked about this person, Chandaka replied that aging was something that happened to all beings alike. The following is a conversation between the two from the Digha Nikaya scripture:

“What is the matter with this man, my friend? His hair is different from others, his body is different from others.” - "Your Highness, he is an old man."

“What is an old man, exactly?” - “An old man, Your Highness, is a man who cannot live much longer.”

“O Thou, is it then inevitable that I should also grow old?” - “Your Highness, you and we all cannot avoid ageing and growing old.”

Knowing this, the prince instructed Chandaka to stop his outing and return to the castle.

Sight 2 - West Gate [Sick]

The 2nd sight was of a sick person suffering from a disease. Once again, the prince was surprised at the sight, and Chandaka explained that all beings are subject to disease and pain. This further troubled the mind of the prince:

“What is the matter with this man, my friend? His eyes are different from the others, his hair is different from the others.” - "Your Highness, he is a sick man."

"What is a sick man, exactly?" - "A sick man, Your Highness, is one who does not know whether he will recover from his illness."

"O Thou, am I, then, also a man who becomes sick, and cannot I avoid sickness?" - "Your Highness, you and I, we are all likely to become sick, and we cannot avoid sickness."

Knowing this, the prince instructed Chandaka to stop his outing and return to the castle.

Sight 3 - South Gate [Dead]

The 3rd sight was of a dead body. As before, Chandaka explained to the prince that death is an inevitable fate that befalls everyone:

'What is this multitude of people, my friend? What is this dyed cloth basket?" - “Your Highness, these are dead men.”

"What exactly is a dead person?”- "Your Highness, a dead man means that his mother, father and kin and blood relatives cannot see him and he cannot see them." - “O Thou, then, am I also one who dies, one who cannot avoid death?Shall I also be unable to see his Majesty, the Queen, and my kinsmen and blood relatives?” - 'Your Highness, you, we, and I, too, are mortals who die, and death is inevitable. You too will not be able to see His Majesty, the Queen and your kin and blood relatives.'

Knowing this, the prince instructed Chandaka to stop his outing and return to the castle. After seeing these 3 sights, Siddhartha was troubled in his mind and sorrowful about the sufferings that have to be endured in life.

Sight 4, North Gate [Ordained]

After seeing these 3 negative sights, Siddhartha came upon the 4th sight, an ascetic who had devoted himself to finding the cause of human suffering. This sight gave him hope that he too might be released from the sufferings arising from being repeatedly reborn, and he resolved to follow the ascetic's example:

"O Friend, what is the matter with this man? His head is different from others, his clothing is different from others." - "Your Highness, he is an ordained man."

The prince approached the ordained person and asked him this:

"What exactly is an ordained person?" - "Your Highness, an ordained person is one who practices good Dharma, good satsang, good deeds, good filial piety, good ahimsa, and good compassion for life."

Siddhartha heard this and decided to be ordained:

“My friend, I therefore ask you to turn the car back to the inner palace. Then I will now shave my hair and beard, put on my robes and leave my home for ordination."

仏教の探求 (33)

四門出遊 (しもんしゅつゆう)〜四つの出遊（これまでのお話）

出遊1・東門 [老人]

シッダールタ王子（後のブッダ）はこの旅で、最初に老人に会い、老いがもたらすものを知ることとなった。王子がチャンダカに老人について尋ねたとき、老化はすべての存在に同様に起こるものであると答えた。以下、『長部大本経』による二人の会話：

「友なる御者よ、この者はどうしたのか？　彼の髪は他人とは異なる、彼の体も他人とは異なっている」-「殿下、彼は老人であるのです」

「老人とは、いったいどういう者であるのか？」-「殿下、老人とは、もはや長く生きることはできないという者です」

「御者よ、それならば私もまた、老いる者、老いを避けられないのだろうか」-「殿下、あなたも我々も、老いる者、老いを避けられないのです」

これを知った王子は、外出を中止し、城に戻るようチャンダカに指示した。

出遊2・西門 [病人]

二回目の旅では、病気に苦しむ人を目にした。シッダールタは再び、その光景に驚き、チャンダカはすべての存在が病気と痛みにさらされていると説明した。これはさらに王子の心を悩ませた：

「友なる御者よ、この者はどうしたのか？　彼の両目は他人とは異なる、彼の髪も他人とは異なっている」-「殿下、彼は病人であるのです」-「病人とは、いったいどういう者であるのか？」-「殿下、病人とは、病から回復するか分からないという者です」

「御者よ、それならば私もまた、病いにかかる者、病いを避けられないのだろうか」-「殿下、あなたも、私も、皆、病人になる可能性があり、病気を避けることはできません」

これを知った王子は、外出を中止し、城に戻るようチャンダカに指示した。

出遊3・南門 [死人]

三回目の旅では、死体を目にした。前回のようにチャンダカは、死は誰にでも降りかかる避けられない運命であるとシッダールタに説明した:

「友なる御者よ、この多くの人々の集まりは何だろう？　この染められた布かごは何だろうか？」-「殿下、この者たちは死人であるのです」

「死人とは、いったいどういう者であるのか？」-「殿下、死人とは、母・父・親族血族らが彼に会うことはできず、彼も母・父・親族血族らに会うことはできないということです」

「御者よ、それならば私もまた、死ぬ者、死を避けられないのだろうか。私もまた陛下・妃・親族血族に会えなくなるのだろうか」-「殿下、あなたも我々も、私もまた死ぬ者、死を避けられないのです。あなたもまた陛下・妃・親族血族に会えなくなるのです」

これを知った王子は、外出を中止し、城に戻るようチャンダカに指示した。

この3つの光景を見たシッダールタは、心の中で悩み、人生で耐えなければならない苦しみについて嘆いた。

出遊4・北門 [出家者]

これらの3つのネガティブな旅の後、シッダールタは4回目に、人間の苦しみの原因を見つけることに専念していた禁欲生活者を見た。この光景は、自らも繰り返し生まれ変わること（輪廻）から生じる苦しみから、解放されるかもしれないという希望を王子に抱かせた。そして王子は、禁欲生活者の例に従うことを決心した:

「友なる御者よ、この者はどうしたのか？　彼の頭は他人とは異なる、彼の衣類も他人とは異なっている」-「殿下、彼は出家者であるのです」

王子はその出家者に歩み寄り、このように尋ねた:

「出家者とは、いったいどういう者であるのか？」-「殿下、出家者とは、よき法を実践し、よき寂静を実践し、よき善行を実践し、よき孝徳を実践し、よきアヒンサーを実践し、よき生命への哀れみある者ということです」

王子はそれを聞き、出家を決意したのであった:

Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia, during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.

Founder of Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, founded Buddhism, one of the world's major religions, based on his teachings about overcoming suffering and achieving enlightenment.

Born as a Prince: He was born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal) as a prince of the Shakya clan around the 5th to 6th century BCE, shielded from the hardships of the world.

The Four Sights: At age 29, he left his palace and encountered "The Four Sights"—an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a wandering ascetic—which inspired him to seek answers to life's suffering.

Attained Enlightenment: After years of ascetic practices, he meditated under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya and achieved enlightenment, becoming "the Buddha," or "the Awakened One.

The Quest for Buddhism (32)

Four sights – the background [Part 1]

After the birth of his son, Siddhartha (Buddha), King Suddhodana called upon eight Brahmins to predict his son's future. While seven of them declared that the prince would either be a Buddha or a great king, the Brahmin Kaundinya was confident that he would renounce the world and become a Buddha.

The King Suddhodana, who was determined that his son should be a great king, confined the prince within the palace and surrounded him with earthly pleasures and luxury, thereby concealing the realities of life that might encourage him to renounce these pleasures and become an ascetic.

The King Suddhodana commanded his court to build three magnificent palaces for the prince. Each palace was designed to suit the change in weather all year round – one for the cold season, one for the hot season, and one for the rainy season. There was no need for Siddhartha to leave the palaces during those seasons. Prince Siddhartha was accommodated with all manner of luxurious food and clothing, silk and sandalwood from Varanasi, and the most skilled entertainment, singing and dancing from female musicians and concubines. Night and day a white parasol, held over the prince, protected him from heat, cold, dust, leaves or dew. As such, he was raised in the upmost indulgence and blissful ignorance.

As a prince, Siddhartha (later Buddha) lived a sheltered life of luxury and pleasure, but at the age of 29 he left the palace for the first time. He rode a chariot and had a charioteer Chandaka with him.

To be continued

仏教の探求 (32)

四門出遊 (しもんしゅつゆう)〜その背景 [その1]

息子のシッダールタ（後のブッダ）が生まれた後、シュッドーダナ王は8人のバラモンを呼んで、息子の将来を占わせた。そのうちの7人は、王子はブッダになるか偉大な王になると言ったが、バラモンのカウンディニヤだけは、王子が世を捨てブッダになると確信した。

息子を立派な王にすることを決意したシュッドーダナ王は、王子を宮殿に閉じ込め、この世の快楽と贅沢で囲み、快楽を捨てて修行するよう促す現実を隠した。

シュッドーダナ王は、王子のために3つの豪華な宮殿を建てるよう宮廷に命じた。それぞれの宮殿は、一年中変化する天候に合わせて、寒い季節用、暑い季節用、雨の季節用と設計されていた。シッダールタはその季節の間、宮殿を離れる必要がなかったのである。豪華な衣食住、バラナシ産の絹や白檀、女楽師や妾による歌や踊りなど、最高のもてなしが用意されていた。昼も夜も白い日傘をさして、暑さ寒さ、ほこり、葉っぱ、露から王子を守る。このように、王子は至上の贅沢と至福の無知の中で育てられた。

The Quest for Buddhism (30)

The family of Siddhartha (Buddha)

Kaludayi – a childhood friend, the advisor to the prince & later his disciple

Son of one of the king Suddhodana (Ref)’s ministers at Kapilavatthu; he was born on the same day as the Buddha and grew up as his playfellow. He had a strong vocabulary and was fond of art and pleasure.

He accompanied Prince Siddhartha (the Buddha before he was ordained) when he went out from the four gates (east, west, north, south and west) to see the four events and attain enlightenment (four sights).

The crown prince was later ordained and became Buddha. On the orders of King Shuddhodana, Kaludayi went to retrieve Buddha with Chandaka (the Prince's charioteer, when the Prince left the royal castle to be ordained). There he first became a disciple of the Buddha and was later allowed to return to the castle.

He was born in this life as a relative of the Buddha and later became ordained. Buddha regarded him as the first of his disciples to be trusted by his family.

He also accompanied the Buddha as his valet almsgiving and sat in the forest studying with him. At dusk, leaving his meditation, he came to the Buddha and said, "The Buddha has done many things for me. I used to feel uncomfortable because I was forbidden to eat or go out at non-time. However I respected and admired Buddha's dignity and great virtues, so I obeyed his orders and finally reached the path of happiness in body and mind.” The Buddha praised him and taught him the Dharma.

According to the Dhammapada, when he passed away at the Pubbārāma Migāra-mātupāsāda (one of the temples that existed during Buddha's reign) King Prasenajit came to pay him homage. The moon rose at that time, and the moonlight, the light of crown, the light of Buddha and the light of Kaludayi shone on a par with each other.

It is said that he was called “Udayi” because he was born on a day on which the citizens were full of joy and called “Kala” becauase of his slightly darker skin.

In the Buddhist scriptures, however, there are many people with similar names to Kaludayi, who are either the same person or different from each other.

仏教の探求 (30)

お釈迦さまの家族

迦留陀夷（かるだい、梵: カールダーイー)〜幼馴染み、太子の相談役、そして後の弟子

カピラヴァストゥのシュッドーダナ王 (ブッダの実父：参照)の大臣の息子で、ブッダと同じ日に生まれ、彼の遊び相手として育った。彼は語彙力に長け、芸術、享楽を好んでいたという。

彼は、シッダールタ太子 (出家前のブッダ)が東西南北の四門から出遊して四つの出来事を見て悟りを得たとき (四門出遊 ・しもんしゅつゆう)に同行していた。

その後、太子は出家し成道して、ブッダとなった。シュッドーダナ王の命令で、カールダーイーは、車匿 (しゃのく、梵: チャンダカ、太子が出家するために王城を離れたときの御者）と共にブッダを迎えに行った。そこで初めてブッダの弟子となり、後に城に戻ることが許された。

カールダーイーは今生にブッダの親類として生まれ、後に出家した。ブッダは彼を弟子の中で最も家族に信頼される第一人者としていた。

また、ブッダの托鉢 (たくはつ)に近侍として付き添い、一緒に森に座って学んだ。夕暮れ時、禅定(瞑想)から離れ、ブッダのもとにやってきた彼は「世尊は私にいろいろなことをしてくれました。以前は、非時に食や外出を禁じられ、不快に思ったこともありましたが、私は世尊の威厳と偉大な徳を敬い、尊敬していたので、その命令に従い、ついに身も心も幸福の道に到達したのです」と言った。ブッダは彼を褒め称え、法を説かれた。

ダンマパダによると、彼は鹿子母講堂（ろくしもこうどう、ブッダ在世にあった寺院の一つ）にて入寂したとき、波斯匿王 (はしのく・おう、梵: プラセーナジット)が彼を詣でんとして来ると、その時に月が昇り、その月光と王の光と、ブッダの光とカールダーイーの光が相競って輝いたとされる。

市民が喜ぶ日に生まれたので「ウダーイー」と呼ばれ、少し肌の色が濃いので「カーラ」と呼ばれたという。

The Quest for Buddhism (31)

Four sights – Part 1

The four sights are four events described in the legendary account of Gautama Buddha's life which led to his realisation of the impermanence and the ultimate dissatisfaction of conditioned existence.

Legend has it that Buddha, when he was Prince Siddhartha at the age of 29, went out to the suburbs through the four gates of the royal castle (east, west, north, south and south), accompanied by his charioteer, Chandaka, and at the East Gate, seeing an old man clinging to a walking stick, realised that "if there is life, there is old age"; went to the West Gate, and seeing a sick man, realised that "if there is life, there is sickness"; went to the South Gate, and seeing a dead man, realised that "if there is life, there is death"; and at the North Gate, met the virtuous sramana. As witnessing the suffering of life, he opened his eyes to the truth that everything in this world is suffering (Dukkha), and made up his mind to ordinate.

The dukkha (suffering, incapable of satisfying, painful) is an innate characteristic of existence in the realm of samsara.

仏教の探求 (31)

四門出遊 (しもんしゅつゆう)・その1

四門出遊 (しもんしゅつゆう)とは、ゴータマ・ブッダの生涯を描いた伝説の中で、条件付きの存在の無常と究極の不満に気づくきっかけとなった4つの出来事のこと。

伝説によると、ブッダが29歳のシッダールタ太子の時、御者の車匿 (しゃのく、梵: チャンダカ)を伴い、王城の東西南北の四つの門から郊外に出掛けた。東門を出て杖にすがる老人を見て「生あれば老あるを悟り」、西門を出て病人に会い「生あれば病あるを知り」、南門を出て死人に会い「生あれば死ある」を知り、北門を出て高徳の沙門(しゃもん)に会い、人生の苦しみを目のあたりにした彼は、苦諦 (くたい、迷いのこの世は一切が苦 (梵:ドゥッカ)であるという真実のこと)に対する目を開き、出家修行の決意をした。