61. The Bodhisattva asks his father's permission to depart

Then this thought came to the Bodhisattva: "It would not become me and would shew ingratitude, were I to depart without informing king Quddhodana and without my father's consent". Thereupon in the soundless night he came out of the palace where he dwelt and entered the palace of king (uddhotlana. As soon as the Bodhisattva entered it, that whole palace was filled with radiance.

The king was startled and looking round he saw that lotus-eyed Pure Being; and he would have risen from his couch, but he could not. And he who had a perfect pure spirit, was full of respect towards his father, he came and stood before the king and spake: "Hinder me no more, and be not sorrowful thereat; for the hour of my departure, o king, is come. Therefore be content, o prince, thou and thy people and thy realm'' ....

And when he heard these words from the best of men, he endeavoured to turn him from his purpose and fought against his son's desire. (Yet in the end he spoke:) "It is thy desire to bring by redemption salvation to the world; let the aim thou hast set before thee, be achieved". Thereupon theBodhisattva returned to his palace and lay down on his couch. And no man had knowledge either of his going or return. (198: 1, 18; 200: 8).

The king and his son sit in a pendapa in the middle of the scene talking together, both leaning against large cushions, one on a seat, the other only on a dais. In Wilsen's time it scoms, the now worn-away halo was visible round the Bodhisattva's head and indeed it would not do to be without it just in the scene that describes the radiance he diffuses. On the right next to the pendapa is a door leading to the adjacent palace of the Bodhisattva; in the righthand corner is a guard with yaksa style of hair fast asleep. A few birds on and near the roof. To the left of the large pendapa there is a smaller one, under which the king's guard are sitting, partly armed with swords. This group too is asleep. The sculptor shows clearly that it is night and that the Bodl~isattva, as the text describes, is not seen by anyone. The design of this episode in the caves of Yun-kang is a little different!). Father and son are quite alone; (uddhodana sits on a raised couch, the Bodhisattva kneels beside him and makes a sembah, evidently just uttering his request.