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The palace was besmeared with four perfumes. Four types of flowers with stalks were scattered. Khir was boiled in milk without water. The king invited (to dinner) 108 Brahmanas who were versed in the three Vedas. The Brahmaņas included eight scholars, named Rama, Dvaja, Laks maņa, Mantri, Kaunḍinya, Bhoja, Suyama and Sudatta, who were masters of the six Angas. It was these (eight) who chanted the mantras. It were these again who had earlier interpre ted the dreams. They (eight) were given seats inside the palace, served excellent food and duly honoured and then they were requested to give their considered views abut Bodhi-sattva:
"What about the future of this boy, learned Brāhmanas!
Of the eight Brahmanas, seven raised two fingers each and predicted either of the two futures for the boy:
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"With marks like these, if the boy sticks to the household, he will be a Cakravarti; but if he renounces, he will be a Buddha".
Then they tendered a complete accounts of the grandeurs of a Cakravarti. But the youngest Brahmin, who belonged to the Kaundinya line, raised only one finger to give a definite reading of the boy's future and firmly asserted:
"I do not see any chance of his remaining in the household. He will acquire profound knowledge and become a Buddha. Most deserving, and holding the final body, he excels any other person. Such a man cannot, by any chance, remain in the household. will surely become a Buddha.
He
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The king interrupted,
'Sir! What will be my son's immediate inducement(s) to renunciation"?
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"Four prior scenes".
- "What four scenes, pray?"
"An old man, a sick man, a corpse and a monk".
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The king at once issued a strict order as follows:
