[38] Bhikkhus, then, after the passing of many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, Prince Vipassī addressed his charioteer: "Friend charioteer, harness the finest carriages; we shall go to the pleasure-garden grounds to see the lovely scenery." "Very well, Your Majesty," bhikkhus, the charioteer replied to Prince Vipassī, and having harnessed the finest carriages, he informed Prince Vipassī: "Your Majesty, the finest carriages are harnessed; now do whatever you think it is time for."
Bhikkhus, then Prince Vipassī mounted a fine carriage and, together with the other fine carriages, drove out toward the pleasure-garden grounds. Bhikkhus, as Prince Vipassī was driving out toward the pleasure-garden grounds, he saw a man gone forth (pabbajita), shaven-headed, wearing the ochre robe. Having seen him, he addressed his charioteer: "Friend charioteer, what has this man done? For his head is not like that of other men, and his garments are not like those of other men."
"Your Majesty, that is one who is called 'gone forth.'"
"But friend charioteer, why is he called 'one gone forth'?"
"Your Majesty, he is called 'one gone forth' [because he holds]: good is the practice of the Dhamma, good is even conduct, good is wholesome conduct, good is the making of merit, good is harmlessness, good is compassion for living beings."
"Good indeed, friend charioteer, is he who is called 'one gone forth': good is the practice of the Dhamma, good is even conduct, good is wholesome conduct, good is the making of merit, good is harmlessness, good is compassion for living beings. In that case, friend charioteer, drive the chariot up to that one gone forth."
"Very well, Your Majesty," bhikkhus, the charioteer replied to Prince Vipassī, and drove the chariot up to that one gone forth.
Bhikkhus, then Prince Vipassī said this to that one gone forth: "Friend, what have you done? For your head is not like that of other men, and your garments are not like those of other men."
"Your Majesty, I am one who is called 'gone forth.'"
"But friend, why are you called 'one gone forth'?"
"Your Majesty, I am called 'one gone forth' [because]: good is the practice of the Dhamma, good is even conduct, good is wholesome conduct, good is the making of merit, good is harmlessness, good is compassion for living beings."
"Good indeed, friend, are you who are called 'one gone forth': good is the practice of the Dhamma, good is even conduct, good is wholesome conduct, good is the making of merit, good is harmlessness, good is compassion for living beings."
Bhikkhus, then Prince Vipassī addressed his charioteer: "In that case, friend charioteer, take the chariot and return from here to the inner palace. But I shall shave off my hair and beard right here, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness."
"Very well, Your Majesty," bhikkhus, the charioteer replied to Prince Vipassī, and taking the chariot, he returned from there to the inner palace. But Prince Vipassī, right there, shaved off his hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and went forth from the household life into homelessness.
Bhikkhus, a great crowd of people in the capital city of Bandhumatī, eighty-four thousand living souls, heard: "Prince Vipassī, it is said, has shaved off his hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and gone forth from the household life into homelessness." Having heard this, it occurred to them: "Surely that can be no inferior teaching and discipline (dhammavinaya), no inferior going forth, in which Prince Vipassī has shaved off his hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and gone forth from the household life into homelessness. If even Prince Vipassī will shave off his hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness, why then should not we?"
Bhikkhus, then that great crowd of people, eighty-four thousand living souls, shaved off their hair and beards, put on the ochre robes, and followed the Bodhisatta (bodhisatta) Vipassī, who had gone forth from the household life into homelessness, by going forth themselves. Surrounded by that assembly, bhikkhus, the Bodhisatta Vipassī wandered on tour among the villages, market towns, districts, and capital cities.
Bhikkhus, then, as the Bodhisatta Vipassī had gone into solitude and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: "It is not fitting that I should dwell thus crowded about. What if I were to dwell alone, withdrawn from the group?" Bhikkhus, then at a later time the Bodhisatta Vipassī dwelt alone, withdrawn from the group. Those eighty-four thousand gone forth went one way; the Bodhisatta Vipassī went another.
Bhikkhus, then, as the Bodhisatta Vipassī had gone to his dwelling, gone into solitude, and was in seclusion, this reflection arose in his mind: "Alas, this world has fallen into trouble: it is born, it ages, it dies, it passes away, and it is reborn; and yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering (dukkha), from aging and death. When indeed will an escape from this suffering, from aging and death, be discerned?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.