Meanwhile he continued the strictest persecution of the followers of the faith.
[Arab. 17-27. Gr. 18-28. Heb. iv. v. Name of Prince in Georg. Iodasap, in Arab. Bûdâsaf. K. considers latter only accidentally identical with Arabic title of Buddha.]
IV.
Meanwhile the Prince grows up and begins to feel the loneliness of his position. He asks his teachers, and learns the secret of his imprisonment. Thereupon he begs his father to grant him greater freedom : but when he goes out he meets a blind man, and a leper, and an old man, and a corpse, and learns from these the common fate of man. Who shall give him consolation for the fate that awaits him? he asks, and is told that only the hermits of the true faith can allay the fear of death. These have been driven from the country.
[Arab. 27-34. Gr. 28-35. Heb. vi. Name of the Teacher not given in Gr. or Arab., but Zandani in Georg. (Cf. Chandaka, Buddha's Charioteer.) Arab, alone adds a Buddhistic trait, as follows: '"An astrologer declares that the boy will forsake the world, unless he is made to shed blood. The lad is put to sacrifice a sheep, but instead, wounds himself in his left hand, and faints." (Cf. the Buddhistic Ahinsa.) For the meetings, cf. Carus, Gospel of Buddha, § vi., and supra, pp. xliv.-v.]
