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Dhātuvaṃsa -(Relics History)

English

and sandalwood powder. Taking the flowers, the novices descended from the deva-world, entered the Himalayas, and in the shade of the golden and jeweled mountain, not sitting down, after spending the day, at night... Seeking the wealth of gems, they saw four gems. One was an indigo sapphire, one a yellow-red-rayed gem, one a cat's eye gem, one a ruby gem. Taking the four gems and divine flowers, they gave them to the Elder. The Elder? "Great King, these novices, having taken pāricchattaka, koviḷāra, and other flowers, as well as sandalwood powder and the four gems, have arrived," he announced to the king. Hearing that, the king, filled with joy, having bowed to the novices with the fivefold prostration, taking the gems brought by them, giving them to the minister named Mahānanda, and going to the cetiya courtyard with the Elder and a large retinue, taking the relic in a jeweled casket, placing the relic on his head, having a white parasol made above, circumambulating the cetiya three times, standing at the east gate? "May this forehead relic of the Ten-Powered One become like a hair-whorl on the forehead of the Buddha image made by us," he resolved. At the very moment he thought this, the relic, rising from the casket, standing in the sky to the height of seven tāla trees, emitted six-colored rays. Those rays, like molten gold being poured from a crucible, like a stream of golden essence issuing from the sky, enveloped the entire island of Lanka in a network of rays. At that time, a miracle like the Twin Miracle occurred. Having seen the unprecedented miracle of the greatly compassionate Blessed One, the great multitude were as if they had seen the physical form of the Tathāgata. The unprecedented miracle of the Teacher, the great multitude, having seen, became filled with joy, attained faith in the Conqueror. They offered incense and garlands, each their own adornments; all bowed their heads to the cetiya, such an excellent one. In that assembly, a learned man, praising the Conqueror, said thus? Even of the extinguished Buddha, such is the glory; what must have been the prosperity of the World-Protector when alive? All this power is by the merit of the great Sage; may he do Having done merit, desiring that supreme enlightenment. At that time, adorned with various jewels and diverse ornaments, magnificent, with raised flags and banners, filled with various kinds of flowers, taking various offerings, people assumed a festive appearance. There was a clamor of various musical instruments. At that moment, the deities caused a rain of flowers to fall. Nāgas, endowed with great power, made offerings. Thus, all the gods, nāgas, and humans gave approval, applauded, cracked their fingers, and the elephants roared their elephant-cry. The horses neighed with joy, and the vast, dense earth trembled as far as the water's edge. Lightning flashed in the directions. In the entire island of Lanka, great mountains such as Sumanakūṭa were filled with clusters of flowers. All the reservoirs were covered with five kinds of lotuses, deities were among humans, and yakshas, nāgas, supaṇṇas, and others were among humans. An immeasurable number of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen were present. With great approval and a great roar, the entire island of Lanka was like the sea struck by a fierce wind, a single sound, a single roar. Amidst the great assembly of people, pleasing with this offering, the relic, showing a miracle, descended from the sky and stood on the forehead of the Buddha image, shining as if surpassing the full moon. The king, taking the hair relic from the hand of the minister named Mahānanda, gave it to Vihāradevī, saying, "You should place these hair relics on the head of the Ten-Powered One, which has not been seen." Taking the hair relics, she made a resolution, "May these hair relics remain right here." At that moment, the hair relics rose from the casket into the sky, emitting blue rays resembling a peacock's neck, descended from the sky, and stood on the head, on the top of the Buddha image. Then the king, together with the elder, entered the relic chamber, having scattered a layer of fragrant flowers such as divine sandalwood powder, pāricchattaka, and koviḷāra. He placed four jeweled stones, resplendent with rising light. The relic chamber, overwhelmed by their radiance, shone exceedingly. All the dancing women, removing their own ornaments, worshipped them in the relic chamber itself. Then the king, having enshrined the relics, placed his head at the feet of the Buddha image, and lying down, lamented thus: "These relics, inherited through my lineage of fathers and grandfathers, from this day forward, separation has begun. I have now brought you from the delightful Rohana country, where you have resided for so long, and established you in this place," he said, "like a great lamp blazing on the summit of Mount Meru, you remain here. Now we will not leave. Forgive us, O Blessed One," lamenting, he fell within the relic chamber, and cried: "Alas, separation! This sorrow afflicts me, these relics!" So saying, lamenting, he lay in the relic chamber then. "I will die, I will not leave, forsaking this place. Rare is the sight of him for me wandering in saṃsāra!" Saying this, he lay lamenting. Then, among that Saṅgha of monks, a certain elder named Sahadeva, seeing the king lying in the relic chamber, weeping, and comprehending with his mind-penetrating knowledge, examining all around, that he had lain down, intending to die there, by his psychic power, creating a beloved form, he brought him out from the relic chamber. (By his psychic power, he, skilled and confident, with the six superknowledges, wise and discerning, immediately brought the king outside.) Then the arahants, placing the first-brought radiant stone above the relic chamber, like a canopy, resolved: "May the relic chamber become a solid cube, like a square platform, on all sides. May the scents in the relic chamber not dry up, may the flowers not wither, may the jewels not fade, may the objects of veneration not perish, may there be no opportunity or opening for adversaries or enemies." Then the king, having made great offerings to the relics, had a very beautiful square chamber built for the Mangala Cetiya. And he finished all the work to be done, both the brickwork like Mount Kelāsa, and the plasterwork from the sandy base upwards. He, like a white, stainless moonbeam, like a reflection of a water-bubble Mount Kelāsa, a parasol-bearer, firmly established, pleasing to good people, a crusher of other sects, a auspicious stupa, shone forth. He stood displaying himself, delighting the great multitude; An auspicious Kelāsa stupa, immovable, well-established. A maker of joy for good people, a crusher of sectarian views; A maker of faith, the best, a delighter of all people. A supreme shrine in the world, frequented by the great multitude; Adorned with flags and flowers, may it always be worthy of worship. Many people, gathering together, having come together from various lands; Worshipped that great stupa, always unwearied. Such a suitable dwelling, that place is hard to find; Ever mindful, always peaceful, without fail, much merit. The king, having wrapped the precious shrine with fine cotton cloth, and having established the great Bodhi tree named Sirivaḍḍhana, and having had a Bodhi-house built there, and having had a three-storied Uposatha-hall built, and having made night-lodgings and day-lodgings, etc., had all the work to be done in the monastery done. Having had so much done, thinking, "I will give the monastery as a gift of water," having given a great offering for seven days to eighty thousand monks with various kinds of curries and sauces, on the seventh day, having given cloths for the three robes to the great community of monks, having eaten the morning meal early in the morning, having gone to the Elder, having paid homage, standing to one side, he spoke thus? "Venerable sirs, I wish to give a donation to the great community of monks on the fourteenth day." Then that venerable one spoke thus; "It is good to give the donation on the Uposatha day near the full moon, under the Assāyujī constellation." Having heard the Elder's word, having paid homage to the Elder with the five prostrations, in Somanagara he spoke to his sister, the queen? "Sister, having enshrined the forehead relic of the Ten-Powered One, a palace befitting the auspicious great shrine, with decorated doors..." Having an attic-storied gate-tower, white cloths, and being crowded with various flags, and having the monastery built, I will give a donation,' thus I spoke to the venerable one. But that venerable one said, 'It is fitting to give on the Uposatha day of the approaching full moon.' O king, what did he say? He said just as I told him, 'Give the donation on the Uposatha day of the approaching full moon.' Hearing that speech, he became delighted, assented, saying, 'Good, noble lady,' and dwelling in Somanagara, as soon as the Uposatha of the approaching full moon arrived, knowing, 'Today is the Uposatha,' he summoned Giriabhaya and said, 'Dear son, tomorrow a donation must be given; you, having adorned the army, come with us tomorrow,' and he sent a letter to King Sivarāja in Serunagara and to Mahānāga, the king in Loṇanagara, saying, 'Tomorrow, having adorned your elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, etc., with golden ornaments, and having made them assume a festive appearance with us, come to the place where a donation is being given to the venerable Tissa Thera.' Those kings, having heard the message, adorned their elephants, horses, chariots, infantry, etc., according to their own means, applied fragrant five-finger marks, put on golden garlands, etc., and likewise adorned the great bulls, having golden armor released on their horns, and the ministers, householders, sons of Brahmins, goat-herds, hunchbacks, dwarfs, commanders, etc.