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The firewood consumed in a single day amounted to 500 loads, which caused it to bo deficient when all other things were in profusion ; but Dhananjara, when informed of the circumstance, gave an order that the old * It is nid that Moeris gave the entire revenue of the lake knosm bj his mm^ to his queen for her personal expenses in dress and perfumes. 230 A MANUAL OF BUDUISM. stables of the elepliaiits and horses should be polled down, and the wood taken for fuel. This only lasted a fortnight, after which he gave from the stores coarse cloth, then gradually cloth of a finer kind, and last of all sandal wood, as no fuel conld otherwise be procured at that time, it being the i-ainy season.* At the conclnsion of the fonr months the oinaments were bronght by the jewellers. On the day of the marriage the whole body of the bride was covered with ornaments. On her head was an ornament in the form of a beantifal peacock, with fea- thers made of precious stones, the neck being composed of one single emerald ; and the image was so constructed that when the wind blew it nttered sounds, so that those at a distance thought it was alive. She also possessed the ornament for the waist called mekhaJi ; and the valne of the whole was nine kdtis of masurans.t Dhananjara presented his daughter with 500 wagons laden with gold ; and as many laden with silver and with all kinds of requisites and treasures ; of each 500 ; and 500 in which were comely maidens. When the train left the city it extended twelve miles. The gates of the places where the other cattle, 120,000 in number, were confined, were also thrown open, when the whole herd of animals, of their own accord, through the merit of the bride, ran ahead of those attached to the vehicles, and remained in this position, extending twelve miles fiirther. Previous to her departure, Dhananjara gave his daughter a number of advices, in figurative language, such as that she should never give fire from her house to another, nor receive fire into her house. This was overheard by Migdra, who wondered what it could all mean. Next morning, in the presence of the royal guests, he appointed eight persons in whom he conld confide, to accompany her as guardians, and presented her with the set of ornaments worth nine kelas and a lac. He also proclaimed to all his retainers, that whoever * Vijaya Eaghara Nayadu, king of Tanjore, daily fed 12,000 brahmans. In a rainy time he was advised to cease doing bo ; but when an entire want of fuel was stated to exist, he ordered every wooden material about his house to be taken down, or pulled to pieces in order to supply fuel. In three days this supply was exhausted : he then directed all the vestments in the pidace to be dipped in oil, and made use of for fueL — Eev. W. Taylor, Joum. As. Soc. June, 1838. t Ornaments of the description now worn by Wis^kh^ have only been possessed by two other females, one the wife of Bandhula, and the other. Sujati,, who presented the offering of food to the prinee Sidhartta, immedialely previous to his becoming Budha, VII. LEGENDS OP G(}TAMA BUDHA. 231 wished to accompany her might go, and those who preferred to staj might remain ; but thej all said that thej wonld accompany the bride. The merchant then went with the king part of the way, after which he returned home. Migira who was a sceptic, was the last person in the procession, and when he saw all the people before him, he was angry at their coming, as the whole wonld haye to be provided for ; and he would have driven them back, but was prevented. When they approached the city, Migara thought that if the bride entered it in a covered Utter, all the people would say it was because her ornaments were of inferior value, or because she was not beautiful ; he therefore requested her to enter an open chariot, that she might be seen of all. On their arrival at the house of Migara, the king and his nobles sent many costly presents to Wis4kh4, in return for the attention that had been shewn to them by her father during four months ; but she said she had no need of these things, and what she received from one she sent to another, according to their age and circumstances, and thus secured the friendship of all. Migara was at this time a follower of the tirttaka Nighanta. One day he invited Wisdkhd to go with him to worship ; and she, well pleased, put on her most splendid ornaments for the purpose ; but when she saw that the persons she was to worship were naked tirttakas, she was ashamed, and asked her father-in-law why he had brought her to such a place.* The tirttakas overheard what she said, and addressed Migdra thus : '* This is an unhappy follower of GK5tama ; why did you choose such a person to be the wife of your son ; it will be better to send her away at once, as if she remains she will undoubtedly be the destruction of your house ;'* but her father-in-law apologised for her, and said that she waa young. On a certain occasion, when Migara was in the mansion, a rahat came to the door with his alms-bowl ; bat WisakhiL told him to pass on, as the master of that house ate purama (one meaning of which is, filth). This was overheard by Migdra, who resolved at once to send her away. But she said that she * A similar story is referred to by Csoma Kdrdsi ; but the heroine of the Tibetan tale is called Sumagadha ; and seyeral of the incidents here related are, on another occasion, spoken of in connection with a girl from Champa, called Sa-ga-ma. 232 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. was not a slave to go here and there at the bidding of another ; her father had sent with her eight respectable persons to protect her, and thej mnst be called. When they came, Migara said that she had spoken disrespectfully of him ; but she declared that she had only said that he was eating purama, meaning that he was suffering the consequences of deeds done in former births. At another time she went ont of the house at night with a light, which was observed by her father-in-law, and he asked her why she had done it ; when she informed him that a valuable mare had foaled, and she went to see what was going on in the stable. " But/* said he, ** did not your father tell you that you were not to give a light from the house to another?" She replied, '^ Yes ; but my father was not talking about the light of a lamp, but about tittle-tattle and scandal, which I am neither to tell nor hear." In the same way she explained to him the nature of the other advices she had received, by which he was satisfied. In the presence of her eight guardians she then asked him if he had any other fault to find with her ; and when he confessed that he had none, she said that she was now ready to take her departure, if he would summon her attendants for the purpose ; but he now urged her to remain. She therefore said to him, " You are a sceptic ; I am a believer in Budha and the gems ; if I remain I must have permission to go and hear bana, and give alms." This was granted. Soon afterwards she invited Budha and his priests to partake of an offering of food at her house. When the tirttakas heard of it, they became alarmed, and thought that if Migdra saw Budha, they themselves would only appear to hun like apes ; they therefore tried to persuade him not to be present, but he refused to listen to them, as he said that Wisakhd would only give him advice that was good. They then said that it would be a great sin for him to look at Budha, and that therefore if he was determined to go and hear bana, be must put a bandage over his eyes. The lord of the world knew all that was taking place, and as he saw that lie had the necessary merit, he resolved to catch him that day as in a net. Migira accompanied his daughter-in-law, his eyes being covered ; but when he heard the discourse of Budha, he was so charmed that he tore away the bandage, and beheld the beauties of the sage. Upon this he said to Wisakha, that henceforth she should be to him as a mother ; and approaching Budha, he declared that he vn. LEGENDS OF gkJtama budha. 233 wonld tmst in bim alone, and that this was the field in which ho would sow his fortj kotis of treasnres.