religion flourishes, and yet, now, you wish to go away; we beg you, then, on this account, to stay.”  All the old Brahmakarins, with their twisted hair and bark clothes, came following after Bodhisattva, asking him as a god to stay a little while.  Bodhisattva seeing these aged ones following him, their bodies worn with macerations, stood still and rested beneath a tree; and soothing them, urged them to return.  Then all the Brahmakarins, young and old, surrounding him, made their request with joined hands:  “You who have so unexpectedly arrived here, amid these garden glades so full of attraction, why now are you leaving them and going away, to seek perfection in the wilderness?  As a man loving long life, is unwilling to let go his body, so we are even thus; would that you would stop awhile.  This is a spot where Brahmans and Rishis have ever dwelt, royal Rishis and heavenly Rishis, these all have dwelt within these woods.  The places on the borders of the snowy mountains, where men of high birth undergo their penance, those places are not to be compared to this.  All the body of learned masters from this place have reached heaven; all the learned Rishis who have sought religious merit, have from this place and northwards found it; those who have attained a knowledge of the true law, and gained divine wisdom come not from southwards; if you indeed see us remiss and not earnest enough, practising rules not pure, and on that account are not pleased to stay, then we are the ones that ought to go; you can still remain and dwell here; all these different Brahmakarins ever desire to find companions in their penances.  And you, because you are conspicuous for your religious earnestness, should not so quickly cast away their society:  if you can remain here, they will honor you as god Sakra, yea! as the Devas pay worship to Brihaspati.”

Then Bodhisattva answered the Brahmakarins and told them what his desires were:  “I am seeking for a true method of escape, I desire solely to destroy all mundane influences; but you, with strong hearts, practise your rules as ascetics, and pay respectful attention to such visitors as may come.  My heart indeed is moved with affection towards you, for pleasant conversation is agreeable to all, those who listen are affected thereby; and so hearing your words, my mind is strengthened in religious feeling; you indeed have all paid me much respect, in agreement with the courtesy of your religious profession; but now I am constrained to depart, my heart grieves thereat exceedingly:  first of all, having left my own kindred, and now about to be separated from you.  The pain of separation from associates, this pain is as great as the other; it is impossible for my mind not to grieve, as it is not to see others’ faults.  But you, by suffering pain, desire earnestly to obtain the joys of birth in heaven; whilst I desire to escape from the three worlds, and therefore I give up what my reason tells me must be rejected.  The law which you practise, you inherit from the deeds of former teachers, but I, desiring to destroy all combination, seek a law which admits of no such accident.  And, therefore, I cannot in this grove delay for a longer while in fruitless discussions.”