English
'* If I am to become Badha, my hair will remain in the sky, on being thrown upwards ; but if I am not it will fall tio the ground ; " he threw it into the air, where it remained suspended, at the height of about sixteen miles from the earth, like the beautiful bird called a kdla hansa. To preserve it, Sekra brought a golden casket sixteen miles in size, and having placed the hair in it, he deposited it in the d^wa-ldka Tawutisd, in a ddgoba called Salumim-sieya, where it is worshipped by the d^was until this day. The brahma Qhatikara, who had been the friend of B6- dhisat, from the time of Eldsyapa Budha, during a whole Budhintara, brought the eight articles requisite for a recluse, being the fourth set found in the petals of tl^e lotus, at the beginning of the kalpa, and delivered them to Sidhai^ta, who, after putting on the robe threw his former garment into the sky, whence it was taken by }falia Brahma to the brahma-16ka, and deposited in a golden d^goba, 192 miles in size, After this, as he thought that som^ one might come from the city, ii^ order to persuade him to return, he went to tl\e mango garden called Anupiya, where he remained seven days without food, from an excess of joy ; and at the end of this period, early in the morning, he went on foot 480 miles, to the city of Bajagaha,t which he * The hair was then only two inches long ; and it arranged itself (on his bead), curling to the right hand ; and during the rest of his life his hair remained of the same length. His beard also was pnoportionate, nor had he occasion to shave any naore. — ^Tumour. t This place is still known by the name of Bajagriha, and is situated about sixteen miles south of the city of Bahar. It was abandoned by Asdka, and when yisited by Fa Hian was entirely desolate and uninhabited, though A few Budhistical remains could be traced. The surrounding country is ooTered with a great variety of ruins. It is a celebrated place of Hindu pilgrimage, and is also honoured by the Jains, who every year resort thither in great numbers, and have built temples on the five hUls by which the valley is surrounded. In 1811 there was a Hindu hermit here who had seated himself in the open gallery of a thatched hut, where he sat all day in the 166 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. entered by the eastern gate, and went from honse to honse in regular order with the alms-bowl. At this season there was celebrated in the citj a nekata festival, called ^sala-keli, which commenced on the seventh day of the moon ; and as all the citizens had left their usual employment to see the sports, not fewer than sixteen kelas of people gathered around him to gaze upon his beauty. Some said that the regent of the moon, from fear of the asur Rahu had come down to the earth ; others said that it could not be the regent of the moon, but that the d6wa Ananga had come to see their festival ; but others said that it could not be Ananga, as his body was half burnt by Maha Iswara, and upon this recluse they could see no marks of fire. It was then argued that he was Sekra ; but others replied, " How you talk ? How could it be Sekra? Where are his thousand eyes? Where are his elephant, his discus, and his throne? It must certainly be Maha Brahma, who has come to see if the brahman ascetics are diligent in the study of the four vedas." Others again main- tained that it was neither the one nor the other of these beings, but a holy personage who had come to bless the world. The citizens informed the king, Bimsara,* that a mysterious being was seen ; but whether he were a yakd, a d6wa, a brahma, or Vishnu, they were unable to tell. The king went to look at him from one of the towers of the palace, but he said to his courtiers, ^* 1 cannot decide whether it be a d6wa or not ; but let some one follow him when he leaves the city, and watch him ; if he be a demon (one not a man) he will vanish ; if he be a d6wa, he will ascend into the sky ; if a naga, he will descend into the earth ; if a garunda, he will fly away like a bird ; but if a man, he will eat posture in whioli Budha is represented, without motion or speech, but well besmeared with oow-dung. — Hamilton's Gazetteer. The Pujawalija says of this city, " It is called Eajagaha because it was founded by a king, and eyeiy house in it resembled a palace. It is surrounded by mountains. In the time of the Budhas it is like one vast round in which the priests can go from house to house to reoeiye alms. At the birth of a Budha or a chakrawartti it is a city ; but at other times it is a forest, inhabited by r^has and yak£s." * It is said in the first yolume of the Duly&, in Tibetan, that the king of Anga, whose capital was Champi, conquered the king of Magadha, whose capital was Bajagaha, preyious to the birth of Sdkya (GhStama). When yimba8a)*a (Bimsara) grew up, he inyaded Anga, and caused the king to be slain ; after which he resided at Champa, until the death of his father, and then returned to Bajagaha. — Csoma KdrSsi. VII. LEGENDS OF GKJtAMA BUDHA. 167 the food he has received, in some convenient place." When the prince had received as much food as was sufficient, he retired from the citj to the rock P4ndhawa, and under the shade of a tree began to eat the contents of his alms-bowl. Previous to this time he had always been accustomed to the most delicate fare , but even the sight of what he had now to eat was enough to turn his stomach, as he had never seen or touched such food before ; but he reflected that it was necessary he should endure many hardships if he wished to become Budha, and that he must conform in all things to the precepts. Thus he spake unto himself, ^' Sidhirtta ! thy body is not of polished gold ; it is composed of many elements and members ; this food, entering into the house of my body, will be received into the mortar of my mouth, where it will be pounded by the pestle of my teeth, sifted by the winnow of my tongue, and mixed with the liquid of my saliva, after which it will descend into the vessel of my abdomen, and pass into the oven of my stomach, there to be again mixed with the water of my gastric juice, and reduced by the fire of my digestive faculty ; the fan of my wind will blow this fire ; in sixty hours (a day) this food will turn to excrement, and be expelled. This food is therefore clean and pure in com- parison with that into which it will be converted. Sidhartta ! thy body is composed of the foYir elements, and this food is the same ; therefore, let element be joined to element." By these meditations he overcame his antipathy to the food, and swallowed it. The messengers informed the king that the recluse had eaten the food; whereupon Bimsara went to the rock, and enquired what was his name and family, when he discovered that in former years he was his own friend. On learning the dignity of the prince's character he expostulated with him and said, *' What is this that you are doing ? Ko prince of your exalted race was ever before a mendicant. There are connected with Bajagaha 80,000 inferior towns, and 18 kelas of people; the countries of Angu and Magadha are 4,800 miles in ext-ent, and bring me in a countless revenue. The city was once the residence of a Chakrawartti ; and ev6n now there are the five grades of nobles ; therefore, come, and divide the kingdom with me." Bat the prince replied, ** In seven days I shall reject the Chakra- warttiship ; so that if I were to take the half of your kingdom, it will be like throwing away the magical jewel, chintd-miLnikya, 168 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. for a common stone. I want not an earthly kingdom ; I seek to become Budha,*' The king tried in many ways to overcome his objections ; but as he could not prevail, he received from him a promise that when he began to promulgate his doctrines, his first discourse should be delivered in Bajagaha. The king then returned to the city. 3. Qotattha as an Ascetic, preparatory to the reception of the Bvdhaship, When going away from the rock, Bidhartta fell in with two ascetics, Alara and Uddaka ; but as from the dhyana he exercised in their company he was not able to attain the Budhaship, and ajs he reflected that he must endure many things to prove the firm- ness of his resolution to dewas and men, he went to the Umwela forest,* where he remained in a place adapted to the exercises of meditation.