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Budha had perceived that the tirttaka would come at that time ; and on returning from the city with the alms-bowl, he did not retire as usual, but commanded the priests to prepare a seat in the adjacent forest, to which place he repaired ; and Sacha, on his arrival, was directed to the same spot. When the citizens heard that he had gone to hold a disputation with Budha accompanied by 500 of the princes, they flocked in great numbers to the forest, that they might be present at the contest. The princes did reverence to the sage, when Sacha requested per- mission to ask a question; and Budha informed him that he might propose any question whatever, according to his own will. The same extensive permission was given on other occasions to the yak4 Alawaka, to Aj^at, to Sekra, and to others ; nor is this to be wondered at, as even in former births, previous to his reception of the Budhaship, his wisdom had enabled him to give 266 A MANUAL OP BUDHISM. the same liberty to his opponents. The question proposed by Sacha was the same that he had previously asked from Assaji ; and Budha gave him the same reply, lest the doctrines of the teacher and the disciple should appear to be different. There are some persons whom none bat a supreme Budha can convince of their error ; and Sacha was of this description. Afler they had contended some time,* Sacha confessed that the declaration of Budha was right ; when the sage declared to him, " As the man who goes to the forest with his axe, and cutting down a plantain-tree, examines it from top to root, but finds in it no hard wood ; so I have found no profit in this conversation of yours, no worth in your argument. The woodpecker thinks that with his bill he can penetrate the ebony as easily as he has entered trees that are soft or decayed, but he only breaks his bill for his pains ; so you, who have contended with others and been victor, thought that in the same way you could overcome the Tatdgata, but you are foiled in the attempt, and your effort has been vain." The perspiration now fell from the tirttaka's body so copiously that his robe was saturated with it ; and the princes thought, " This is the man who was so often angry with us on account of our dulness, when we were under his instruc- tion ; but now he receives the punishment that he was once ac- customed to inflict upon others." The tirttaka perceived their thoughts, and resolving to put the best face he could upon the matter, said to Budha, '' How niany reasons are there why the priesthood is embraced by your disciples P" The sage replied, '* There are eleven reasons why my disciples reject the thought that this is mine, or that I am, and despise the corporeal elements. Whether that which is spoken of be in past, present, or future time, whether great or small, whether illustrious or mean, whether it be that which is called their own or that which * The argument is given in a subsequent part of this work under the head Fanchaskhanda. Had it been inserted here, it would not have been under- stood without several notes. t The stem of the plantain tree is composed of cellular tisfiue, and is entirely destitute of all woody substance. It has often occurred to me that from its peculiar structure and the rapidity of its growth, it must be admirablr adapted to answer the purpose of the student of Tegetable physiology. It has been supposed by Gesenius (Heb. Lex. art. n^MH)* that it was with the leaves of the plantain-tree our first parents endeavoured to hide their nakedness ; but no leaf could be less adapted to the purpose, as it tears with a slight touch, and when on the tree is frequently riven into shreds by the wind. Vn. LEGENDS OF GCiXAMA BUDHA. 267 is said to belong to another, no one can say respecting it, this is mine." Again Sacha confessed that though he had despised Budha, he was now overcome ; he was like a man exposed to an elephant or to a naya, or to an extensive fire ; but it was not from a sense of danger 'that he thns felt. At the conclusion of this interview, Sacha invited Budha to partake of a repast at his dwelling on the following day, and the sage gave his consent in the usual manner. Of this he in- formed the princes, and told them that the 500 measures of rice they provided for him daily must on the following morning be offered to Budha. The next day, when all was prepared, Budha went to his dwelling, and Sacha presented to him the food with his own hand, saying, '^ May those who have provided this offering receive its reward ;'* but the great teacher told him that the reward would be his own, as the princes presented the food to him, and he presented it to the Tat^tgata. Still Sacha could not forbear the reflection that he had once been accounted as a learned man, and was honoured by all, but now he was despised. He, therefore, went once more to the wih&ra privately, and thought that if he was again overcome, he would sincerely embrace the doctrines of Budha. At this moment Budha was in the outer part of the wihdra, and as the approach of the tdrttaka was seen by Ananda, he requested him to await his arrival. Again Budha propounded to him the dharmma, but ho neither entered the paths nor became a priest. Then why did Budha teach him ? Because he foresaw that 246 years after he attained nirwana, Sacha would be bom in Ceylon, of a noble family, not far from the Kinihiri wihdra, where he would embrace the priesthood and become the rahat Kalubudharakhita. It was to this priest that the monarch of Ceylon presented the whole of the island, 100 yojanas in extent, when he heard him saying bana at the foot of a timbiri tree, near the wih&ra of Sflsgiri. (AmdwcUvra,) 24. TJie two Mecrhcmts of Sundjparanta, There were two brothers resident in the country called Sun&- paranta, merchants, who went to trade with 500 wagons ; some- times the elder brother accompanying the goods, and at other times the yoanger. On a certain occasion the elder brother, Punna, went to Sewet, and formed his encampment near the 268 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. Jet^wana wiMra. When lie saw the cifcizens taking offering to Bndlia, lie enquired where they were going, and they said that they were going to hear the bana of Bndha. The mention of the name of Badha caused his bones to start within his flesh from joy ; and he went with his attendants to the wihilra, where, after hearing bana, he resolved upon entering the priest- hood. Previous to his return he went to Budha, and informed him that he was about to become a priest in his own country, requesting some religions advices previous to his departure; and Budha said, ''The people of Sunaparanta are exceedingly violent ; if they oppose you and revile you, what will you do ?" Merchant : " I will make no reply.'* Budha : " If they strike you ?" Merchant : ** I will not strike in return." Budha : " If they try to take your life ?" Merchant : *• There are some priests who from various causes are tired of life, and they seek opportunities whereby their lives may be taken ; but this course I shall avoid." For these answers he received the approbation of Budha. For some time Punna resided near his younger brother, at his own request ; after which he went to reside at Mudngiri, but as it was near the sea, he was disturbed by the waves ; and leaving this place he went to Mailigiri, but as there were many of the birds called minors that made a noise both at night and by day, he went to Muluardma, which was also near his brother. Here he became a rahat. One day 300 of his former assistants were in great danger during a voyage ; but he saw their situation, and saved them, enabling them to return home with a cargo of red sandal- wood. When they made an offering to Punua of part of the wood, he told them to build therewith a residence for Budha ; and when it was completed he went through the air and invited Budha to visit the residence that they had prepared. On receiving the invitation, Budha said to Auanda,* ** To-morrow it is my intention to visit Sundparanta; inform 600 priests, save one, that they will have to accompany me." This information was imparted to the priests by laha.t The * In a legend previously inserted (p. 57), it is said that this circumstance occurred in the eighth year after he had attained the Budhaship, on his third visit to Ceylon ; hut at this time Ananda had not become his attendant.