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Even a thou- sand or a hundred thousand men, would be unable to accomplish it, unless they were rishis." The squirrel replied, '^Most courageous of men ! if the men were all like you, it would be just as you say, as you have let the extent of your courage be known by the declaration ; but I have no time just now to spend with such imbeciles as you, so you may be gone as soon as you please." Then Sekra caused the young squirrels to be brought to the land, as he was struck with the indomitable courage of the parent. Thus was fulfilled the wirya-pdramitd. The whole of the ten virtues were fulfilled with equal ability. (Pujdwaliya ; SadharmmaroUnakdrS) . 2. The Sujdta Jdtaka, It came to pass that whilst Gdtama Budha resided in the wihAra called Jetawana, near the city of Sewet, he related the following Jdtaka, on account of an ascetic who had lost his father. In what way ? Budha having perceived that an ascetic who had lost his father endured great affliction in consequence, and knowing by what means he could point out the way of relief, took with him a large retinue of priests, and proceeded to the dwelling of the ascetic. Being honourably seated, he enquired, " Why are you thus sorrowful, ascetic ? " to which the bereaved son replied, " I am thus sorrowful on account of the death of my father." On hearing this, Budha said, " It is to no purpose to weep for the dead ; a word of advice is given to those who weep for the thing that is past and gone." In what manner ? That which follows is the relation. • The inhabitantB of Lavinium had a legend that the forest in which their city was afterwards built took fire of its own accord, when a fox tried to extinguish it bj dipping its tail in water. 110 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. In a former age, when BitLhrnadatta was king of Benares, Bddhisat was bom of a wealthy family, and was called Snjata. The gprandfather of Snjita sickened and died, at which his father was exceedingly sorrowful; indeed his sorrow was so great, that he removed the bones from their banal-place, and deposited them in a place covered with earth near his own house, whither he went thrice a day to weep. The sorrow almost overcame him ; he ate not, neither did he drink. B<5d- hisat thought within himself, that it was proper to attempt the assuaging of his father's g^ef ; and therefore, going to the spot where there was a dead buffalo, he put grass and water to its mouth and cried out, " Oh, buffalo, eat and drink ! " The people perceived his folly, and said, " What is this, Sujdta ? Can a dead buffalo eat grass or drink water ? " But without paying any attention to their interference, he still cried out, ''Oh, buffalo, eat and drink ! " The people concluded that he was out of his mind, and went to inform his father ; who, forgetting his parent from his affection for his son, went to the place where he was, and enquired the reason of his conduct. Sujdta replied, " There are the feet and the tail, and all the interior parts of the buffalo, entire ; if it be foolish in me to give grass and water to a buffalo, dead, but not decayed, why do you, &ther, weep for my grandfather, when there is no part of him whatever to be seen ? " The father then said, " True, my son, what you say is like the throwing of a vessel of water upon fire ; it has extinguished my sorrow ; *' and thus saying he returned many thanks to Sujata. This Sujata Jdtaka is finished. I, Budha, am the person who was then bom as the youth Suj£ta. 3. The Apanndka JdtaJca, In a former age, when Brahmadatta was a king of Benares, in the country called Kasi, G6tama Bddhisat was a merchant, who ti*aded to different places, with a train of 500 wagons. There was a time when he went from the east to the west, and from the west to the east. In the same city there was another merchant, unwise, foolish, unskilful in expedients. B($dhisat filled his 500 wagons with the most valuable goods, and was ready to take his departure. The other merchant was in a V. g<5tama bcJdhisat: his virtues, etc. Ill similar position. Bddhisat reflected thus : If this other mer- chant accompanies me, there will be a thousand wagons, for which the road will be insufficient; fuel and water will be wanted for the men, and grass for the oxen ; it will be better that one should precede the other." He then called the unwise merchant, and said to him, '' It will not be possible for us both to go together. What will you do ? Will you go the first, or shall I ? " The unwise merchant thought, " If I go first, I shall derive many advantages therefrom ; the road will be free from ruts ; the oxen that draw the wagon will have fresh grass to eat, and the men will have vegetables that have not previously been culled by any one else ; there will be excellent water ; I can put what price I choose upon my goods, and still sell them." So he said, " Friend, I will go first." But B6dhisat saw that there would be many advantages from going last ; and thus reflected : ** Those who go first will make the rough places in the road even ; the oxen will eat the coarse grass, whilst mine will crop that which is newly grown and tender ; my men will pluck the tender vegetables that will spring up in the place of the former ones ; those who go first will dig wells in places where there is no water, and we can drink therefrom ; it is like putting one's life in danger to fix a price upon goods, but if I go last, I can sell my wares at the price already fixed." So he said, "Friend, you may go first." The unwise merchant, saying, " It is all right. Friend," prepared his wagons, and com- menced his journey. But he soon came to a region uninhabited and wild. Then filling his water vessels, he entered the desert, sixty yojanas in extent. When they had come to the centre of the desert, a yaldL who dwelt there thought that if he could persuade them to throw away their water, they would become weak, and he could then devour them. In order to effect this purpose, lie caused a magnificent chariot to appear, drawn by two oxen, white, and in every respect beautiful, near which was a retinue of ten or twelve demons (literally, not men), armed with bows and other weapons. Seated in the chariot, he him- self appeared like a respectable man, adorned with flowers and garlands, his head and clothes all wet, and the wheels of his chariot covered with mud. His attendants, both before and behind, were adorned in a similar manner, with red and white lotus flowers in their hands, and were eating the roots of the 112 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. nelumbinm and other water plants, whilst drops of water and mud were sprinkled aroand. When the jski saw the merchant approaching, he caused his own chariot to go a little out of the way, and enquired about his welfare. The merchant also caused his carriage to leave the road, that the wagons might be able to pass on, and said to the yakd, " We have come from Benares ; but where have you come from, adorned with flowers, eating the roots of water plants, and your bodies streaming with water ? Have you had rain on the road, and met with ponds covered mth plants ? " The yaka replied, " What is it you say, Friend ? The verge of the green forest appears in the distance like a line ; from thence the whole forest abounds with water ; the rains are coustant ; the ripple plays upon the entire surface of the water-course ; and ponds, covered with lotus flowers and water plants, appear here and there. But where are you going in such order with your train of "wagons ? " The merchant said, " I am going to such a region." The yakd asked, " What have you in these wagons and in these ? " and was answered, " Such and such goods.** *' The last wagons,** said the yakd, '^ appear to come on very heavily ; with what goods are they laden ? " and when the merchant replied that they carried water, he said that he had done well to bring water thus far, but that thence- forward there would be no benefit in conveying it, as he would meet with abundance, so that it would be better to break his water vessels, and spill the water, by which means the wagons would be able to get on more easily. Then saying that he must not delay any longer, he went a little distance, and disappearing returned to his demon-city. The unwise merchant listened to the words of the yakA, and breaking his water vessels so that not a particle of water was left, he drove on.