Buddhacarita by Ven Asvaghosa - Ancient Buddhist Texts

Buddha-carita, or Life of Buddha - 111
14. “I know that thy resolve is fixed upon religion, and I am
convinced that this purpose of thine is unchanging; but I am consumed
with a flame of anguish like fire at thy flying to the woods at an
inopportune time.
15. “Come, thou who lovest duty, for the sake of what is my heart’s
desire, – abandon this purpose for the sake of duty; this huge swollen
stream of sorrow sweeps me away as a river’s torrent its bank.
16. “That effect which is wrought in the clouds, water, the dry grass,
and the mountains by the wind, the sun, the fire, and the thunderbolt,
– that same effect this grief produces in us by its tearing in pieces, its
drying up, its burning, and its cleaving.
17. “Enjoy therefore for a while the sovereignty of the earth, – thou
shalt go to the forest at the time provided by the śāstras, – do not
show disregard for thy unhappy kindred, – compassion for all
creatures is the true religion.
18. “Religion is not wrought out only in the forests, the salvation of
ascetics can be accomplished even in a city; thought and effort are the
true means; the forest and the badge are only a coward’s signs.
19. “Liberation has been attained even by householders, Indras among
men, who wore diadems, and carried strings of pearls suspended on
their shoulders, whose garlands were entangled with bracelets, and
who lay cradled in the lap of Fortune.