English
As the relic arrived, the Naga king Sumananaga caused the chariot wheels to sink to the hub in that place and made it unmovable. Seeing that, the king, filled with emotion, asked the elder. "Do not fear, great king, the relic has come to its destined place. It will be established in this place," he said. Hearing that, the king, thinking, "This will be the place for the relic's establishment," encamped his army right there, had the area cleared of thorny thickets all around, and had the ground leveled like a drumhead, making it exceedingly beautiful. He then summoned the commander of the army and instructed, "First, build a relic house for enshrining the relic, establish the relic chamber, and inform me." The king, inside the relic house, placed the relic casket in that relic chamber, arranged for external protection, and had a great ceremony of worship performed there. He had the relic house smeared with four kinds of perfumes. From that time on, that house became known as Gandhamula. Many gathered in that place. There, an elder named Mahinda performed the duties for visiting monks. The next day, the king went to the monastery and asked, "Do the venerable ones live comfortably?" He invited all the monks, seated them in the royal palace, respectfully offered rice gruel and food, and after listening to the blessing after the meal, while they were seated, the elder, advising, said, "Great king, it is not fitting to live negligently; life is not long-lasting. Have the relic establishment done without delay," and spoke this verse: "Since life is short, like a bubble; Therefore, a wise person should always do good." In this manner, after teaching the Dhamma, the three elders, Cūḷapiṇḍapātiyatissa Thera, Sagala Thera, and Mahinda Thera, each taking their respective entourages of monks, came for the protection of the relic. Of great fame, bringing benefit to others, Beneficial to good people, resolute. His faith unshakeable; Well surrounded by a great assembly, The king began the excellent stupa. Thus, in the Dhātuvamsa composed for the pleasing of noble beings, The chapter called Miscellaneous Is the fourth. 5. The Authority on the Deposition of Relics Then, having considered, it is fitting to take a portion of the land. While examining the land portion, he had eight auspicious bulls brought, bathed them with scented water, had golden sheaths fitted on their horns, had five fragrant finger-marks applied, had garlands tied around their necks, and bound them with iron ropes. Thus he thought: "If the forehead relic of the Blessed One, having been established in this place, will perform the work for the world and the Dispensation will last for five thousand years, may the bulls themselves, freeing themselves from the iron ropes, wander around the stupa site and lie down in the four directions." Having determined this, he commanded the men. They did accordingly. Then, at dawn, the king commanded those appointed to catch the bulls. Those men went and, not seeing the bulls, reported to the king, "We do not see them, O king." "Go, sirs, look for the place where the bulls have gone," he said. Searching, not seeing them at the place of tethering, following the footprints, wandering around the stupa construction site, seeing the bulls lying down in the four directions, even striking their tails and so on from the place where they lay, being unable to make them rise, they went and reported to the king: "O king, the bulls do not rise, having wandered around one place, they are lying down in the four directions." Hearing that, the king, surrounded by his army, himself went and, being unable to make the bulls rise, the king thus determined: "If in this place the relic should be established, may the bulls rise and go." In a moment, the bulls rose and fled. The king, seeing that marvel, with a pleased mind, again one day, in the manner described, had horses adorned, bound with iron ropes, and placed. Those horses also, like the bulls, went and lay down. The king went and Just so, having resolved, he made the horses rise. Another day, having adorned an elephant, he resolved just so. That one too, breaking the binding ropes, going in the last watch of the night, lay down at the place for making a shrine. At dawn, the king, having summoned the elephant keepers, said, "Bring the elephant." The elephant keepers, not seeing the elephant in the binding place, said, "We do not see the elephant in the binding place, O King." "Then, sirs, quickly investigate," when told, the elephant keepers, searching step by step, seeing the elephant lying down at the shrine place, came and announced it to the king. Having heard that, the king, acting in the manner described below, bringing the elephant in front, came. Thus, having investigated with three investigations, having understood the nature of the ground, going to the Elder, having paid homage, while attending on him, he announced it. At that time, the king Sivarāja in Serunagara, having taken many gifts, thinking, "I will see the king," having come, having paid homage, stood to one side. The king, having engaged in pleasant conversation with him, while sitting, the king Mahānāga in Loṇanagara also, having taken many gifts, thinking, "I will see the king," having come, having paid homage, sat to one side. He engaged in pleasant conversation with him; "In this place, I will establish the relic of the Ten-Powered One, you be my helpers," having taken them, "Go and venerate the relic," he made them venerate. At that moment, six-colored rays arose from the relic. The gods, making sounds of approval, scattered garlands from the sky. The kings, having attained joy, "In our Lanka, the forehead relic of the Ten-Powered One will be established in our kingdom. May this relic accomplish the work of a teacher for the great mass of people," having venerated, they went. When they had gone, the king, having summoned Giriabhaya, said, "Dear one, let us have bricks made without oppressing the people." "Do not worry, O King, I will have bricks made." "If so, there will be delay," he said. "We have gold and silver in abundance, ku When it was said, "How shall we obtain them?", Giriabhaya said this: "O King, the Teacher is of great merit, He will receive great offerings, honor, and respect. Without worrying, begin the work on the shrine," he said. Having heard his inconceivable words, he became delighted, listened to the Dhamma from the Elder, worshipped the relic, went to the city, ate his evening meal, lay down on his bed, and fell asleep. Awakening at dawn, he became sad thinking about the bricks. At that time, Sakka, the King of Gods, summoned Vissakamma, the divine son, saying: "Dear Vissakamma, King Kākavaṇṇatissa wishes to enshrine the forehead relic of our Teacher and build a great shrine, thinking about bricks. Go and make bricks in a suitable place," he said. Having heard that, Vissakamma, the divine son, made bricks in the field of a poor brahmin and went to the world of the gods. At that moment, the owner of the field, the poor brahmin, went early in the morning to look at his field, looking here and there, he saw a pile of bricks and thought: "Yesterday the king was saying, 'How shall I obtain bricks?' Truly, I have received a great gift!" Pleased, he took the divine bricks in a cart and went to see the king, standing at the palace gate, he sent word. Having him summoned, he asked, "Why have you come so early?" "O King, having seen a pile of bricks in my field, I brought the bricks early in the morning." He showed such bricks, suitable for the shrine. The king, delighted upon seeing them, gave much wealth to the brahmin. At that moment, another message was brought. "Four silver ships from Madanapaṭṭana harbor and four golden ships from Suvaṇṇabhūmi have arrived," Dhammapāla by name, the chief guard living at the harbor entrance, came and informed the king. The king, pleased, had the gold and silver brought. (Bricks, silver, and gold, all very valuable; Having brought all that, he began the work.) Near the Cetiya. By the Teacher's meritorious power, and the king's strength of merit, Whatever is thought and desired, is instantly accomplished. Then the king, going to Cūḷapiṇḍapātiyatissa Thera, said, "Venerable sir, I shall go to the brickfield." The Thera, hearing this, rejoiced, and with his retinue of five hundred monks, went to the brickfield. Then Mahāsāgala Thera and Mahinda Thera, with their retinues of monks, went to the brickfield. The king from Siva city also went to the brickfield. The Nāga king from Loṇa city also went to the brickfield. The king Giriabhaya from Somanagara also, surrounded by his army, went to the brickfield. Because of the gathering of those ascetics, Brahmins, and royal forces, that rock became known as Balavāhana. They all assembled at the brickfield. The Thera, looking at the pile of bricks, said to the king, "Great king, this pile of bricks is sufficient for all the work on the Cetiya." The king, pleased, surrounded by his army, himself first took a brick. Seeing this, the remaining kings, ministers, and the assembly, and all the monks, took bricks. The king thought, "At this time, lifting the burden and going will be troublesome." The Thera, knowing his thought, said, "Do not worry, great king, take the bricks and go. Afterwards, devas, nāgas, and others, standing continuously from the brickfield to the Cetiya site, will bring them." They brought them and made a pile at the Cetiya site. In that manner, until the completion of the Cetiya, devas, nāgas, supaṇṇas, and others, standing continuously, brought bricks and made piles in the four directions at the Cetiya construction site. Then the king, having all the bricklayers make piles, singled out a bricklayer named Jayasena among those bricklayers, and gave him two cloths worth a hundred thousand, a hundred thousand kahāpaṇas, and ornaments such as golden earrings.