[Change of scene, as rapid as before. The garden before the palace]
Channa (Ch.) enters with a horse.
Channa. My Prince, here is your steed!
Mara (M), a superhuman figure, gaudily dressed, hovering in the air, suddenly appears and addresses Siddhattha (B).
M. It is a shame to leave your wife and child.
B. [Addressing the vision in the air.]
Mara, thou here? thou wicked one, thou tempter!
K. Oh do not leave us Prince. Think of the wrong you do.
You wrong your royal father, you wrong your wife, you wrong your child.
B. What sayest thou? Thou sayest I do wrong?
The same rebuke is echoed in my heart;
It is so sweet, so loving, so alluring!
And shall I listen to its tender voice?
How pleasant would it be to stay at home,
And to enjoy my wife's love and my child's!
Is that my duty? Say, is that my duty?
K. Surely my Lord, your duties lie at home.
Siddhattha wavers as if in doubt. He stands pondering for a moment.
B. Who will instruct me where my duty lies?
M. I will instruct thee, I will guide thee right.
K. How can you doubt, my Prince? And can you not
Search for the truth here in this pleasant garden?
There're spots enough where you can think and ponder,
And meditate among the fragrant flowers.
B. Here I shall never reach my goal.
K.Stay here.
A kingdom is your sure inheritance,
While Buddahood is but a doubtful prize.
B. And shall the world wait for another Buddha?
So many millions clamor for the truth!
I hear the call and naught shall hold me back.
I see my duty and I will obey.
M. Wilt thou not stay, my noble Prince Siddhattha?
The wheel of empire turns, and thee I shall
Make king of kings to rule the whole broad earth.
Think of the good which thou wilt do as king!
And then as king of kings thy mighty power
Will spread the good religion o'er the world.
B. I know thee Mara, tempter, Evil One,
Prince of this world, I know thy voice, thy meaning.
The gifts thou offerest are transient treasures,
And thy dominion is mere vanity.
I go to found a kingdom in the realm
Of the immortal state which lasts for aye.
Thou hinderest and dost not help the truth.
K. Thou speakest to the empty air, my Prince,
For I see no one whom thou thus addressest.
Channa helps Siddhattha to mount, and while the gate opens leads the horse out of the gate, and Kala enters into the palace. Visakha is coming to the front.
V. He is gone. He has made room for me. The time will come when this kingdom will be mine.
Y. [from the balcony] Siddhattha! Siddhattha! Where are you? He is gone! He has departed into homelessness! [She faints.]
[Curtain]
