Buddhacarita by Ven Asvaghosa - Ancient Buddhist Texts

Buddha-carita, or Life of Buddha - 18
56. He entered into the precincts of the king’s gynaeceum, which was
all astir with the joy arisen from the birth of the young prince, –
grave from his consciousness of power, his pre-eminence in
asceticism, and the weight of old age.
57. Then the king, having duly honoured the sage, who was seated in
his seat, with water for the feet and an arghya offering, invited him
(to speak) with all ceremonies of respect, as did Antideva in olden
time to Vaśiṣṭha:
58. ‘I am indeed fortunate, this my family is the object of high favour,
that thou shouldst have come to visit me; be pleased to command what
I should do, O benign one; I am thy disciple, be pleased to show thy
confidence in me.’
59. The sage, being thus invited by the king, filled with intense feeling
as was due, uttered his deep and solemn words, having his large eyes
opened wide with wonder:
60. ‘This is indeed worthy of thee, great-souled as thou art, fond of
guests, liberal and a lover of duty, – that thy mind should be thus kind
towards me, in full accordance with thy nature, family, wisdom, and
age.
61. ‘This is the true way in which those seer kings of old, rejecting
through duty all trivial riches, have ever flung them away as was
right, – being poor in outward substance but rich in ascetic endurance.