Buddhacarita by Ven Asvaghosa - Ancient Buddhist Texts

Buddha-carita, or Life of Buddha - 95
7. Then those two, – who were as it were silently forbidden by the sad
inhabitants who were wandering in that direction, their brightness
gone and their eyes dim with tears, – slowly entered the city which
seemed all bathed in gloom.
8. Having heard that they had returned with their limbs all relaxed,
coming back without the pride of the Śākya race, the men of the city
shed tears in the road, as when in old days the chariot of the son of
Daśaratha came back.
9. Full of wrath, the people followed Chaṁdaka in the road, crying
behind him with tears, ‘Where is the king’s son, the glory of his race
and kingdom he has been stolen away by thee.’
10. Then he said to those faithful ones, I have not left the king’s son;
but by him in the uninhabited forest I weeping and the dress of a
householder were abandoned together.’
11. Having heard these words of his those crowds adopted a most
difficult resolve; they did not wipe away the tears which fell from
their eyes, and they blamed their own (evil) hearts on account of the
consequences of their actions;
12. Then they said, ‘Let us go this very day into that forest, whither
he is gone, whose gait is like the king of elephants; without him we
have no wish to live, like the senses when the souls depart.