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roared in triumph; horses, asses, and elephants joined in the acclaim ; lions sent forth the thunder of their voices ; instruments of music spontaneously uttered sounds ; the d6was put on their most splendid ornaments ; in all countries lamps were lighted of themselves ; the winds were loaded with perfumes ; clouds arose though it was not the season of rain, and the whole of the 10,000 sakwalas were watered at one time ; the earth opened, and foun- tains of water sprung up in various places; the flight of the birds was arrested as they passed though the air ; the stream of the rivers was stopped, as if to look atBddhisat; the waves of the sea became placid, and its water sweet; the whole surface of the ocean was covered with flowers ; the buds upon the land and the water became fully expanded ; every creeper and tree was covered with flowers, from the root to the top ; the rocks abounded with the seven species of water lilies ; even beams of dry wood put forth lotus flowers, so that the earth resembled one extensive garden ; the sky was covered as with a floral canopy, and flowers were showered from the heaveos; the 10,000 sakwalas were all thus covered alike : and great favours were everywhere received. During the whole period of gestation, the d6was of the four quarters remained near the person of Mahamiiya; and the 40,000 d6was from the 10,000 other sakwalas also remained on guard, with swords in their hands ; some round the palace, whilst others guarded the city, or Jambudwipa, or the sakwala. The mother and the child were equally free from disease. The body of the queen was transparent, and the child could be distinctly seen, like a priest seated upon a throne in the act of saying bana, or like a golden image enclosed in a vase of crystal ; so that it could be known how much he grew every succeeding day. The VII. LEGENDS OF GiiTAMA BUDHA. 147 wonder of the queen was excited by tkese circumstances ; and for the better preserration of her infant she moved about with care, like one who carries a vessel full of oil that he is afraid to spill ; she did not eat any hot, bitter, or highly- seasoned^food, nor did she eat to repletion ; she did not lie upon her face, nor upon her left side ; she used no exercise, nor did she use violent exer- tion ; but kept herself calm and still. At the conclusion of the ten months, Mahamiiya informed the king that she wished to pay a visit to her parents ; upon hearing which he commanded that the whole of the road between E^apila- wasta and K61i should be made level, strewed with clean sand, and have trees planted on each side, with water vessels at regular intervals. A litter of gold was brought, in which soft -cushions were put, and it was carried by a thousand nobles in the richest dresses. The queen bathed in pure water, and put on robes of inestimable value, with all kinds of ornaments adorning her person, so that she appeared like a being from the d6wa-16ka. When she entered the litter, and her journey commenced, she was accompanied, by thousands of elephants, chariots like a cloud, banners, and music. Between the two cities there was a garden of sal trees, called Lumbini,* to which the inhabitants of both cities were accustomed to resort for recreation. At this time the trees were entirely covered with flowers ; many swarms of bees sported among the blossoms, and culled their sweets ; and there were birds of pleasant voice and beautiful plumage. Like an embassage coming to greet a king, grateful perfumes came from the garden at the approach of the queen. As she felt disposed to remain a little time in the garden, and enjoy the sight of its beauties, it was prepared in a proper manner for her reception. Attended by thousands of her maids, she entered, and passing on, admired the different objects that she saw, until she came to a sal tree, when she put forth her hand to lay hold of one of its branches ; but it bent towards her of its own accord, and as she held it, the birth of B6dhi6at commenced. The nobles then placed a curtain around her, and retired to a little distance. This being done, the dewas of the 10,000 sakwalas came to the same place as a guard. Without any pain whatever,t and entirely free * This garden is said by Fa Hian to be situated about 50 li from Kapila* on the eastern side. It is called by the Chinese Lun ming, Loung mi ni, and Lan pi ni. t My authority says, " without so much pain as would be produced by L 2 148 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. from all that is unclean, 66dhisat was born. The face of the queen was tnrned towards the east, and the child was received by Maha Brahma in a golden net,* who, on presenting him to his mother, said, '' Elejoice, for the son yon have broaght forth will be the sapport of the world !" Though the infant was perfectly free &om every impurity, yet to render him and his mother still further clean, two streams of water were sent by the d6was, like pUlars of silver, which) after performing that which was required immediately disappeared. The guardian dewas of the four quarters received the child from the hands of Maha Brahma, on the skin of a spotted tiger, extremely precious ;^ and from the d^was he was received by the nobles, who wrapped him in folds of the finest and softest cloth ; but at once Bddhisat descended from their hands to the ground, and on the spot first touched by his feet there arose a lotus. ^ Ho then looked towards the east, and in an instant beheld the whole of the limitless sakwalas in that direction ; and all the d^was and men in the same direction, presenting flowers and other offerings, exclaimed, " Thou art the greatest of beings ; there is here no one like thee ; no one greater than thee; thou art supreme !" Thus he looked towards the four points, and the four half- points, as Well as above and below ; and as he beheld the sakwalas in all these ten directions, the dewas and men acknowledged his supremacy ; and he saw that there was no one greater than himself. Then the Maha Brahmas of the 10,000 sakwalas brought umbrellas 12 miles high, to be held over the bite of a bug ; " but in this part of the hLstory there are many expres- sions that cannot be inserted in the text. * The Mahomedans haye a tradition that Abraliam was receiyed at his birth bj the angel Ghibriel, who immediately wrapped him in a white robe. + The skins of animals were greatly prized by the ancients, and were con- sidered as the attributes of many of the imaginary beings in their mythology. On certain occasions the high-pri6st of the Egyptians w6re a leopard's skin. X It was fabled of Apollo, who was also bom whilst his mother was leaning against a tree, that immediately after his birth, he sprung up and asked for a lyre and a bow, and proclaimed that henceforth " he would declare unto men the will of Zeus." On the day that Hermes was bom, he inyented the lyre, stringing the seven chords upon the shell of a tortoise ; escaping from his cradle, he w<>nt also to Pieiria, and carried off some of the oxen of Apollo. It is stated in the ancient Jewish traditions, that the mother of Moses was dehyered without pain, and that when she looked at her beautiful child in sorrow, from the fear of the dangers that awaited him, he arose and said, " Fear nothing, my mother ; the God of Abraham is with us ; " and it is further stated, that at his birth a light appeared that shone oyer the whole world. But in more modem times, eyen tnese wonders haye been exceeded, as it is said of St. Benedict that he sung psalms before he was bom. vn. LEGENDS OF g6tama budha. 149 his head as a canopj ; the Sekras brought conches 120 cubits long, the blast of which rolls on without ceasing daring four months and a half ; the Panchasikas brought harps 12 miles long ; and the rest of the d^was presented golden caskets, chdmaras, tiaras, frontlets, perfumes, red sandalwood and other gifts. When Bddhisat looked towards the north, he proceeded seven steps in that direction, a lotus rising up at every step ; after which he exclaimed, " 1 am the most exalted in the world ; 1 am chief in the world ; I am the most excellent in the world ; hereafter there is to me no other birth !" It was at the utterance of these words, which were spoken as with the voice of a fearless lion, and rolled to the highest of the brahma-16kas, that the brahmas and dewas assembled to do homage to the new-bom prince.