English
Rama and other gods were various incarnations of Janardana in the world; If this is but a part of him, a dead man's bone, how can such power be? 206. Truly, it must be that a part of the body of a god who came to earth, And then went to heaven, was placed here for benefit; this saying must be true. 207. Having praised the abundant virtues of Narayana, the greatly powerful, Let me, immersing myself in this container, draw it out, having seen it. 208. Having made the faces of the great crowd like beautiful lotus flowers, "Take whatever you wish," said the king to the loud-mouthed Nigantha. 209. Those heretics, having praised it with skillful words and various forms, Sprinkled it with water, deceitful ones, yet the relic did not move from its place. 210. Disgusted then with those Niganthas, that lord of the earth, Seeking a way to remove the relic, had a drum paraded in his city. 211. Whoever, immersing himself in this container, draws out this relic, Having obtained great power from the king, will live happily. 212. Hearing that great sound of the drum, a son of a wealthy man, Subhadda, Desirous of merit, pleased with the Buddha's power, boldly entered the king's assembly in that city. 213. Having bowed to that chief king, with a heart pleasing to the assembly, In a language free from deceit, he praised the power of the All-Knowing One's virtues. 214. Having bought land for a great price, and built a beautiful Jetavana monastery, Having given it to the Buddha, he attended to him with the four requisites. 215. Anathapindika, the foremost of the wealthy, saw the Dhamma, my grandfather; O three-world lord, my Dhamma king, now you see the weight of my devotion. 216. Having spoken thus, with abundant wisdom, having made a single effort, The upper robe; Striking the earth with his right knee, with joined palms, he spoke. 217. The six-tusked elephant, pierced by a poisoned arrow, its body smeared with blood; Radiant with six-colored rays, having broken off its tusks, it gave them to the hunter. 218. Having become a hare, of pure virtue, delighting in inner giving to a twice-born; He who gave even his own body, falling into a heap of embers, to the hungry one. 219. He, King Sivi, foremost, insatiable in giving external things for enlightenment; Gave his radiant eyes to the aged, blind twice-born. 220. He, Khantivādī, even while King Kalābu was cutting off his hands and feet; His body covered in blood, endured, full of loving-kindness, like a giver of fame. 221. He, Dhammapāla, even when seven months old, born in the wicked womb of his father; While the wicked king had the axe-grinding done, did not corrupt his mind. 222. The branch-monkey, whom a dishonest man in the forest threw down a precipice; Even though his forehead was broken by a stone, he led that fool to the land of safety. 223. Even when a burning pit of embers, conjured by angry Māra, was shattered; Standing on a great lotus that sprang up, that noble one gave alms. 224. The deer, by whom a single fawn was recognized, to save a frightened doe from slaughter; Having placed his own head on the slaughtering block, he released other groups of living beings. 225. He, seven years old, playing with dust in the street, named Sambhava; Asked a hidden question in the guise of the All-Knowing, answered it quickly. 226. Having abandoned attachment even to his own life, binding a creeper to his belly; That monkey king released many thousands of branch-monkeys from slaughter. 227. Refreshing humans with the nectar of the Dhamma, he, a boar named Tuṇḍila; Having made himself like a seer, then composed a treatise on justice, he established his own Dhamma for a long time. 228. He, with sharp wisdom, named Vidhura, subdued the powerful, arrogant, pleasure-craving Pūṇṇaka-yakka; On the Kālāgiri mountain. 229. He, Kulāvasāyi, with unfledged wings, that wise one Even a young quail, With truth, extinguished a blazing forest fire, like a cloud with rain. 230. The king of fishes too, in a time of drought, seeing the fish gasping for water, With a truthful utterance, filled the land of Kosala with a great flood in a moment. 231. He gave away chariots and other things, with ornamented handles, causing the earth to tremble, And his sons, born alike; such was the giving of Vessantara. 232. Having become the Buddha, not seeking the pleasures of the visible Dhamma, but following compassion, Enduring all insults and the like, he did what was difficult, for the good of the world. 233. With his fourfold army rushing forth, exceedingly fearsome, He subdued the invincible, power-attained, Alavaka the Yaksha, who shook. 234. Sending forth flames of fire from his body, making the Brahma world ablaze, Breaking through the long-held view, the Sage subdued Brahma Vara. 235. The elephant Dhanapala, with goads sharp, temples flowing with donation, knocking down gate towers and platforms, Rushing along the road, he subdued, like the terrible End. 236. With hands and feet reddened with human blood, raising his sword, pursuing, With great compassion, hard to bear by others, he subdued Angulimala the thief. 237. He, the Dhamma-king, having conquered the host of enemies, setting in motion the excellent Dhamma-wheel, Plunged the assembled company into the ocean, the treasure of the true Dhamma. 238. Of that true Dhamma, the excellent refuge, of the incomparable Tathagata, Of boundless knowledge, of confidence, this is the relic of the greatly compassionate one. 239. By this truth, may the relic of the Conqueror quickly rise into the sky, Shining like a streak of nectar, may it dispel the doubt of the great multitude. 240. At that moment, that tooth-relic of the Conqueror, rising into the sky, illuminating, All directions, like medicinal stars, pleased the people, free from doubt. 241. Then, descending from the courtyard of the sky, on the head of that noble merchant's son, Having settled, as if his body were sprinkled with nectar, it delighted him, filled with devotion. 242. Having given... Not a wonder, the Niganthas thus spoke to King Paṇḍu of noble fame; "The power of knowledge, this is the merchant's son's, not the element's, O King, this radiance." 243. Hearing their words, the king thus spoke to the merchant's son Subhadda; "So that these may believe, show another such miracle." 244. Then Subhadda, in a golden bowl filled with fragrant, cool water; Increased the relic of the best of sages, recollecting wondrous deeds. 245. It, like a royal swan, running about clockwise in the fragrant water; Emerging and submerging, caused a stream of joy in the people. 246. Then, making a pit in the middle of the street, casting the relic there; Filling it well with dust, he had it trampled by many elephants. 247. Breaking through the earth, it rose a wheel's size, shining with jeweled stamens; A radiant lotus with silver filaments, and a row of golden petals. 248. Having established the relic there in the lotus, with gentle breezes scattering pollen dust; As if illuminating the directions with light, the Buddha's relic was seen in a moment. 249. Mortals threw clothes and ornaments, and rained down a shower of flowers; With cries of joy and sounds of applause, they filled the city. 250. Those sectarians, "This is deception," thus informing the sovereign; With disgusting corpses, they threw the relic onto the moat's edge. 251. In that moment, covered with five kinds of lotuses, frequented by flocks of swans; Delightful with the sounds of honey-drunk bees, that pond was like Nandā. 252. Elephant kings roared like thunder, horses neighed; Mortals made cries of joy, and drums and other instruments sounded sweetly. 253. Mortals praised with songs of praise, even the modest danced; The intoxicated whirled clothes on their heads, and with uplifted minds, struck their arms. 254. With incense of black aloe origin, the sky was as if thickly covered; The city then it was just cloth. 255. Seeing that astonishing wonder, the delighted ministers, all together, Approached that wise king Paṇḍu, to employ him in the matter, they said: 256. Having seen such power and glory, of the best of sages, O king, If he doesn't even have faith, what use is his wisdom? 257. In qualities that inspire faith, O king, inspiring faith is the way of the good; All the groves of lilies bloom, of their own accord, when the moon rises. 258. By the words of those foolish ones, do not abandon the path to heaven, O king; Who, being not foolish, seeking the right path, would be led by a blind man? 259. Kings like Kappiṇa, Bimbisāra, Suddhodana, and others, full of glory, Having gone for refuge to that King of Dhamma, drank the nectar of Dhamma with respect. 260. Even the thousand-eyed lord of gods, with exhausted life, exhausted existence, Having approached the Buddha, the best of sages, having heard the pure Dhamma, Obtained life and saw the Dhamma. 261. You too, in that conqueror of the five Māras, that god beyond gods, the supreme King of Dhamma, For the quick attainment of heaven and liberation, quickly make your mind serene, O king. 262. Having heard their words, the king, scattered jewels on the Triple Gem, To the chief general, a man of worth, he spoke, delighted, in the midst of the assembly: 263. Not believing in the qualities of the Triple Gem, the cause of cutting off existence, For a long time walking the wrong path, I have been deceived, even in my own kingdom. 264. Through delusion, I fanned a firefly, heated by cold, a smoky flame; Thirsty, having abandoned the water of the ocean, I mistakenly drank mirage water. 265. Having abandoned immortality for a long time, to sustain life, I ate sharp poison; Having abandoned a garland of campaka flowers, I wore a burden of snakes on my neck. 266. Having gone quickly near the moat, having honored the Buddha's tooth relic,