潜然离家不果

公年十七已被困习外道三年矣。心中怅甚。常思出家为僧。一日乘叔外出不觉之际。潜逃往南岳。古刹中剃度出家。岂料于迂回歧途中。遭叔父使人所截回。私愿未果劝送归家。

宣化偈曰：
脱俗离尘效希达。孰意崎岖径路狭。
更无宝骥天王助。终被截回仍归家。

Attempting to leave home secretly, he was unsuccessful

When the Master was seventeen years old, he had already undergone the hardships of practicing Taoism for three years and was indeed disappointed. He constantly thought about leaving the home-life and joining the Buddhist Sangha. One day he took advantage of his uncle's absence to furtively flee to Nan Yo. His intent was to shave his head in an ancient temple and officially leave the home-life. Little did he know that on a winding mountain path he would encounter envoys sent by his uncle to intercept him and escort him back. His aspiration was not realized and he was reproved and brought back home.

The verse says:
Renouncing the vulgar and leaving the dust, he strived to be like Siddartha.
Who would have guessed that the rugged mountain had a path steep and narrow!
Moreover, he lacked the Precious Thoroughbred and the aid of the Heavenly King,
So in the end he was overtaken and went back home again.