The Great Departure

According to Buddhist tradition, 29-year-old Prince Siddhartha Gutthama left his royal palace, family, and privileged life to become a wandering ascetic in search of an end to suffering. The list covers vocabulary from Book V ("Flight") of The Buddha-carita of Aśvaghoṣa, translated by E. B. Cowell.

Read the full text here.
15 words 0 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. infatuate
    arouse unreasonable love or passion in
    He, the son of the Śākya king, even though thus tempted by the objects of sense which infatuate others, yielded not to pleasure and felt not delight, like a lion deeply pierced in his heart by a poisoned arrow.
  2. compassion
    a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
    And beholding the men as they were ploughing, their complexions spoiled by the dust, the sun’s rays, and the wind, and their cattle bewildered with the burden of drawing, the most noble one felt extreme compassion.
  3. contemplation
    a calm, lengthy, intent consideration
    Having attained to firmness of mind, and being forthwith set free from all sorrows such as the desire of worldly objects and the rest, he attained the first stage of contemplation, unaffected by sin, calm, and ‘argumentative.’
  4. indolence
    inactivity resulting from a dislike of work
    He did not rejoice, he did not feel remorse; he suffered no hesitation, indolence, nor sleep; he felt no drawing towards the qualities of desire; he hated not nor scorned another.
  5. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
    The king’s son asked him a question, — he said to him, ‘Tell me, who art thou?’ and the other replied, ‘Oh bull of men, I, being terrified at birth and death, have become an ascetic for the sake of liberation.
  6. profound
    coming from deep within one
    He whose voice was deep-sounding like a cloud heard this address and was filled with profound calm; and as he heard the word ‘blessed’ he fixed his mind on the attainment of Nirvāṇa.
  7. countenance
    the appearance conveyed by a person's face
    Then the prince whose form was like the peak of a golden mountain, — whose eye, voice, and arm resembled a bull, a cloud, and an elephant, — whose countenance and prowess were like the moon and a lion, — having a longing aroused for something imperishable, — went into his palace.
  8. prowess
    a superior skill learned by study and practice
    Then the prince whose form was like the peak of a golden mountain, — whose eye, voice, and arm resembled a bull, a cloud, and an elephant, — whose countenance and prowess were like the moon and a lion, — having a longing aroused for something imperishable, — went into his palace.
  9. mendicant
    a pauper who lives by begging
    Prostrating himself, with folded hands, he addressed him, ‘Grant me graciously thy permission, O lord of men, — I wish to become a wandering mendicant for the sake of liberation, since separation is appointed for me.’
  10. contingency
    a possible event or occurrence or result
    Having heard these words of the king, he made his reply in a voice soft like a sparrow’s: ‘If thou wilt be my surety, O king, against four contingencies, I will not betake myself to the forest.
  11. weal
    a contented state of being happy, healthy, and prosperous
    ‘Let not my life be subject to death, and let not disease impair this health of mine; let not old age attack my youth, and let not misfortune destroy my weal.’
  12. extravagant
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
    When his son uttered a speech so hard to be understood, the king of the Śākyas thus replied: ‘Abandon this idea bent upon departure; extravagant desires are only ridiculous.’
  13. inevitable
    incapable of being avoided or prevented
    ‘As separation is inevitable to the world, but not for Dharma, this separation is preferable; will not death sever me helplessly, my objects unattained and myself unsatisfied?’
  14. enrapture
    hold spellbound
    Bright like a golden mountain, and bewitching the hearts of the noble women, he enraptured their ears, limbs, eyes, and souls by his speech, touch, form, and qualities.
  15. dispel
    force to go away
    When the day was gone, then, shining with his form like the sun, he ascended the palace, as the rising sun ascends Mount Meru, desiring to dispel the darkness by his own splendour.
Created on Mon Aug 24 14:48:16 EDT 2026 (updated Mon Aug 24 15:19:05 EDT 2026)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.