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He, there- fore, went to him by night, and called him by name ; and when he arose and saw him, the brahman propounded to him twenty questions, and told him to go from place to place until he found some one to answer them ; and when he had found such a one, to acknowledge him as his teacher, and embrace his doctrines. In accordance with this advice he went to Pur&na Kisyapa, and the other tirttakas, but they were not able to answer his questions; and as he was thus disappointed, he thought it would be better to become a laic, and enjoy himself, without any further thought about these matters. Though some one afterwards praised G-6tama, he was at first unwilling to go to him, as he thought so young a teacher would be unable to assist him, when those of so much more experience had failed. But after a little further reflection, he was persuaded ; and going to the wihdra, he requested permission to propose the twenty questions. Budha replied, *' You have travelled 700 yojanas in order that you might receive an answer to these questions ; it is therefore right that your request should be granted." On hear- ing this, Sabhiya was greatly pleased, as no other teacher had received him with so much kindness. The answers given by Budha appear in the Sabhiya-sdtra. Without any delay Sabhiya embraced the doctrines of Budha, and after a trial of four months, which was the usual custom when the tirttakas requested ordination, he was admitted to the priesthood, and became a rahat in due time. (Amdwatura,) VII. LEGENDS OF g6TAMA BUDHA. 263 23. The History of Sacha. There were two tirttakas, tlie one a femule and the other a male, whose custom it was to go from place to place propoanding 500 questions,* both of whom arrived at the same time at Wisala, "where they held a disputation in the presence of the Lichawi princes ; and as they were both equally clever, the victory could be claimed by neither party. At the request of the princes, they took up their abode in the city, and after some time had a son, Sacha, and afterwards four daughters, Sacha, LaU, Patdchdra^ and Awdwataka. The parents had no dowry to give their girls ; bat they taught them the 500 questions. It was the custom of the tirttakas that if any laic overcame their daughters in argument, they were given to them as wives ; but if overcome by priests, they embraced the priesthood. When arrived at the proper age, the four daughters took jambu branches in their hands, and went from place to place to hold disputations. In the course of their travelsf they came to the city of Sewet, and as their manner was, they fixed their branches near the gate of the city, and made known that if any one was wishful to contend with them he might pluck the fruit. At this time Budha resided in the J^tdwana wihdra, and on the day when the four females arrived, it happened that Seriyut remained behind for a short time, when the others had gone with the alms-bowl, as he had to look after some priests that were sick. On arriving at the gate of the city, he saw the branches ; and when he asked the reason why they were put there, and was told, he requested the persons near to pluck the fruit ; and though at first they were afraid to obey his command, as they knew that they were not able to contend with the tirttakas, they took the fruit whe4 he told them they might go to the wihAra and present them there, by which they would find some one with the power that they themselves lacked. The females, on returning to * In former times it was common for very learned pundits to go from kingdom to kingdom, challenging each king to bring forth his pundits to hold disputations on the subjects contained in the shastras. Uduyuna, in this manner, obtained the victory over all the pundits in the world. He was also the great instrument in overcoming the Budhists, and in re-establishing the pmctioe of the Yedas. — Ward's Hindoos. fr^The SibyUae were prophetic women, probably of Asiatic origin, whose peculiar custom seems to have been to wander with their sacred l^ks from place to place." — Schmitz. 264 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. the gate, were told that the f mit had been taken bj command of Seriyut ; upon which they went as near to the wihara as was permitted to persons of their class, and told Serijnt that they had come to begin the disputation. The priest replied, that as they were females it was right that they should first propound tlieir questions to him, and when they were answered he would become the examiner. Each of them was acquainted with a thousand questions, half of which had been taught them by their father, and the other half by their mother ; but Seriyut answered the whole of the questions with as much ease as the nelum-beli creeper is cut with a sharp instrument. When their turn came to answer they were afraid, and declined any further contest ; but as they were now to become priestesses, and it was necessary that their minds should previously be subdued, Seriyut said to them, " What does one, or unity mean ? " None of the four could see beginning, middle, or end of this question, though they considered it well ; and when the priest pressed them for an answer, they said, " Sir, we do not understand it." Seriyut : " Then I have answered a thousand questions that you put to me; but you have not answered one. With whom is the victory ? " The females : " Venerable sir, you are the con- queror.*' Seriyut : " What will you now do ? " The females : '^ According to the direction of our parents, we must now become recluses." Seriyut : "I am not allowed to receive you to pro- fession ; but I will give you a memorandum to take to the place where females are admitted.'' In a little time they learnt what was necessary, and were admitted to profession. The tirttaka Sacha, who was more learned than his sisters, remained at Wisala, instructing the princes. Such was the extent of his learning, that he feared his body would burst from its expansion ; and to prevent this misfortune, he bound him- self with an iron girdle.* To aU he proclaimed, " There is no one so learned as myself ; " and great numbers followed him on this account. At that time there was also in Wis^U a priest called Assaji, who, when going early in the morning with his alms- bowl, was seen by the tirttaka. On seeing him, Sacha * This arises from th idea that the heart is the seat of the thoughts as well as of the affections. Elihii, the son of Barachel held sentiments in unison with those of Sacha. " I am full of words ; the spirit of my belly coustraineth me ; behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent ; it is ready to burst like new bottles." — Job xxxii. 18, 19. VII. LEGENDS OF GCiXAMA BUDHA. 265 thought it woidd be well to hold a dispatation with Badha, abont whom he had heard so much ; but that first he must learn from his disciples the nature of the doctrines he taught. He therefore asked Assaji by what means it was that Budha won over to his side those who embraced his doctrines, or by what means he subdued the minds of his followers. The priest con- sidered that he must not inform him at first of the pains they had to endure before they could enter the paths, or he would be discouraged, and perhaps say that if such were the case, he had rather be bom in hell. He, therefore, informed him of the impermanency of the panchaskhandas, the corporeal elements ; and told him that this was the great truth that the teacher of the three worlds continually impressed upon his disciples. When the tirttaka heard this declaration, he said, ^* Never before did I hear of such a doctrine ; I will go at once to Budha and convince him of the greatness of such an error." Before this he was afraid of disputing with Budha, as he was not aware of the character of his doctrines, but now he felt that his fears were removed ; and he requested, with much boasting of what he was about to accomplish, the Lichawi princes to accompany him. The princes replied, that neither yaldL, nor d^wa, nor brahma, nor man, was able to contend with the great teacher ; but 500 of them resolved to be present at the contest, and see the result. It was about noon when Sacha arrived at the wihdra. The priests had eaten their food, and were walking about.