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" Then the noble thought that the time for him to speak had come, and in a manner very different to the others, he descended from his seat, and reverently lifting up his hands towards the wihdra in which Budha was residing, he began to recount his virtues. After this he said to the king, '* Budha resides in my mango grove, with 1250 disciples ; he can soothe the spirit of a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand persons, were they even all afflicted in an equal degree. You 334 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. are at liberty to visit him, and put to him any question what- ever, with the certainty that it will be answered." The heart of the king became joyful as he listened to these words, and he resolved at once to go to the wihdra, accompanied by Jiwaka alone, for which purpose he commanded his elephant chariot to be prepared. He had horse and other chariots in great num- bers, but he preferred the elephant chariot upon this occasion, as being more respectful to Budha, and as making less noise. But the noble reflected that kings have many enemies, and tb&t it' any harm were to happen to Aj^Lsat, he alone would be blamed. He, therefore, recommended the king to take a guard ; and as it would not be right to trust even the usual guards, as it was night, he had 500 females dressed in male clothing, who accom- panied the king upon elephants, with weapons in their hands. Jiwaka knew that Budha only said bana to those who had merit to enter the paths ; and as he thought that if a great multitude accompanied the king, there might be some among them who possessed the merit of which the monarch was deficient, he oaused it to be proclaimed through the city that the king was about to visit Budha, and that any one was at liberty to join the procession. At the appointed time the concourse was great, and the scene magnificent. In addition to the females on elephants, there were 16,000 others on foot, and as many young maidens; then 60,000 nobles, 90,000 other chiefs, 10,000 brahmans singing joyful songs, and musicians, archers, and other warriors without number. The procession passed the thirty-two gates and the sixty-four posterns of the city by the light of thousands of torches, adorned with jewels. Between the outer wall and the Gijakdta rock was the garden of Jiwaka, and as it approached the wihara the music suddenly ceased to play. The king became alarmed ; and not knowing the cause why the noise in a moment ceased, he thought that he had been brought there to be slain ; but Jiwaka, suspecting his fears, told him not to be under apprehension, as he had guards on each side of him, and the lights of the wihdra already appeared in the distance. When a little nearer the sacred habitation, the king alighted from his elephant, and the moment his foot touched the ground, the rays of Budha, out of mercy, were extended to the place where he stood. At this the king again became alarmed, so that his body broke out into a profuse sweat, as he remembered VII. LEGENDS OF G<5TAMA BUDHA. 335 the many acts he had done in opposition to Budha. But on recoyering himself, he expressed to Jiwaka his admiration of the architecture of the wihara he had built, and of the manner in which its walks and tanks were laid out. The king had not seen Budha since his youth ; and though he could not mistake him when he saw him in the midst of his disciples, it was the manner of kings to appear ignorant, and he asked Jiwaka by what token he should recognize the teacher. The noble thought this was like asking where the earth was ; or like a man looking in the sky and asking where the sun or moon was ; or like a man at the foot of Maha M6ru asking where there was a moun- tain. Then said Jiwaka, making a profound obeisance to the sage, " O king, this is our all- wise Budha ;" and the king saw him seated near the centre pillar at the eastern end of the wihara. Not a single priest looked towards the king; they remained unmoved, like the lotus flowers upon the sur£BM>e of a lake on a calm day. With this he was greatly pleased, and as it is natural that when any one sees that with which he is delighted, he should wish to impart the same pleasure to his children, he thought that if his own son were to receive an equal honour it would be all that he could desire. Budha perceived his thoughts, and said to him, '* As the stream descends from an elevated place to the lower plain, so do your thoughts waiider from me towards your son." The monarch was by this means convinced that the knowledge of Budha was beyond limit, and reflected, '^ No one has sinned against the goodness of Budha so much as myself; I have murdered my father, the friend of Budha ; I have tried to murder Budha himself ; I have joined the wicked company of D^wadatta, his enemy ; and yet he speaks to me thns kindly." He then worshipped the sage, but did not worship the priests, as in that case he would have had to turn his back upon their chief. Budha now gave the king permission to ask any question he wished ; apon which he said, ^' Kings and nobles mount the elephant and subdue the horse ; they collect wealth, and have families; they are charitable, and acquire merit; thus they have the benefit of both this world and the next. But the priests have no families ; they go with the alms-bowl from door to door, and endure many hardships ; by this means they secnre a reward in the next world, but what benefit have they in this P" 336 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM, The sage perceived that it would be necessary for him to be cautions in the reply he gave, as there were many present who were followers of the tirttakas, and it would not be right to proclaim these things indiscriminately to all ; he, therefore, himself put a question to the king, and said, *' Have you ever put the same question to other teachers : if so, did you receive satisfaction from the answers they gave ?" The monarch replied, " When I made the same enquiry from Pdmnakasyapa he said that there is no reward in the next world either for virtue or crime ; but this is as if I should ask him where there is a mango, and he should reply. There is a dell in such a garden. I asked one thing, and his reply related to another. I received no satisfaction from him whatever, but was like a man trying to squeeze oil from sand, and therefore I have come to you." Budha : ** I will ask you another question. You have a slave ; he wishes to obtain merit ; he thinks thus — The king is a man ; so am I ; the king's wealth is like that of the dewas ; I have only a small pittance in comparison. I cannot give a thousandtli part of what he can, were I to give continually to my life's end. I will therefore become a priest. Now when such a one embraces the priesthood, and keeps the precepts, can you call him as aforetime, and bid him do the work of a servant ?" The king : " No ; I must worship him, and make to him ofEerings." Budha : Then there is one individual who is benefited, even in this life, by becoming a priest. But I will give you another instance. You have a hnsbandman ; but he wishes to gain the same respect as the king. He, therefore leaves his farm, and becomes a priest. Can you then, o king^ command him to take the plough, and prepare the ground?" The king: '*No; so far from this, I must worship him." Budha: *^ There is yet a greater reward even than this; the priest enters the paths and becomes a rahat ; than this there can be no greater privilege." This may be learnt at greater length in the Samdnyastitra, in the Dik-sangha. The king, on receiving this information, said that he had applied to others without advantage, but that the replies of Budha were like the lighting of a thousand lamps. "I was hitherto," he continued, *^ ignorant of the goodness of Budha ; I was like one bound ; I have now received a five-fold joy ; I will sooner lose my life than relinquish the protection of the dharmma ; I will VII. LEGENDS OF g6TAMA BUDHA. 337 submit to the catting off of my head rather than deny Bndha, or the Truth, or the Associated Priesthood. I will become an upAsaka." Then, in order that he might receive forgiveness for the murder of his father, he thrice worshipped Badha, after which he retired in a respectful manner, with his face towards the sage ; and on entering the city proclaimed to all the excel- lency of Budha.