The urge of the prince <br />To go around more places, <br />The King understood well. <br />Perhaps, it was God’s will. <br /> <br />Next, the prince went out <br />From the South gate, <br />And found a sickly man <br />Groaning with severe pain. <br /> <br />He asked his charioteer, <br />“What made this man suffer? ” <br />Charioteer gave him the reason, <br />“He’s sick, suffering with pain.” <br /> <br />The prince asked him again <br />“Why he’s having pain? <br />How he fell into sickness? <br />Why he’s in distress? ” <br /> <br />The charioteer explained <br />“Any being, young or old, <br />Rich or poor, wise or fool, <br />Into sickness, one can fall.” <br /> <br />Siddhartha felt then <br />“If there’s room for this pain, <br />It ends in one’s suffering, <br />So, pleasure has no meaning.” <br /> <br />They returned to the palace. <br />His mind then became restless. <br />For the mentally disturbed prince, <br />It was another painful experience <br /> <br />From the West gate, <br />Once again, he set out <br />Not far away from the palace, <br />A crowd moved in slow pace. <br /> <br />Four men carried a corpse <br />O’er their shoulders. <br />The men behind cried <br />As they closely followed. <br /> <br />To the prince it was <br />A third experience. <br />The charioteer this time, <br />Briefly explained to him. <br /> <br />“There comes death <br />After every birth. <br />This is the truth <br />Of life and death.” <br /> <br />The prince said, “Then <br />The whole world is an illusion! <br />For what’s unseen, is real! <br />And what’s seen is unreal! ”<br /><br />Rajaram Ramachandran<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/buddha-09-sight-of-sick-and-dead/
