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The interpretation; Princes will be idle, they will learn no science, and therefore be afraid to promote respectable persons to office; thus the noble will become dependent upon the mean. VII. LEGENDS OF G&TXMX. BUDHA. 317 The 15th dream: Goats and deer chased tigers; canght, killed, and ate them. The interpretation : Princes will appoint mean persons to respectable situations, who will oppress the rich ; these will make complaints in the courts of law, but from thence they will be driven without redress, and their property will thus be lost. [One of the dreams is omitted.] As each dream was related, Bndha informed the king that he need not fear, as the fulfilment would not take place till a distant period. The sage further informed him that he had dreamed the same dreams in the Maha Supina birth. (Sadharm' moLratnoJedre.) 42. The Qiieen Prajdjpati becomes a Prtestessj and obtains Nirwdna. This queen was the daughter of Suprabudha, who reigned in the city of K61i. Her mother, Maha-yas6dhardd^wi, was the aunt of Singha-hanu, the father of Sudh6dana. On the day that the princess received her name, the diviners said that from the marks they saw upon her body, they could tell that if in after years she should have a son, he would be a chakrawartti, or if she should have a daughter, she would be the queen of a chakrawartti. It was on account of the good fortune that was to befall her she was called Prajapati, and as she belonged to the lineage of G6tama she was called Maha-Prajdpati-g6tama. On arriving at a proper age, she became, along with Maha- d^wi, the wife of Sudhddana ; and the two queens lived together hke two srikdntdwas in one lotus flower. Six days after giving birth to the prince Sidhartta, who afterwards became Budha, Maha-dewi died, and went to the dewa-ldka Tawutisd, when she became the d6wa Mdtru, and was the guardian d^wa of the palace of Sudhddana. On the next day Prajapati also had a son, Nanda, afterwards a priest, who was given over io the charge of nurses, whilst Prajipati attended to the prince Sidhartta as if he were her own son, and fed him from her breast. Thus she became the foster-mother of the illustrious prince, and afterwards entered the path sowdn on the same day as Sudhddana, which occurred on the first visit of Sidhartta to his native city after he became Budha. Between the cities of Kapila and Koli there was a river called 318 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. the Bdliini.* By the erection of an embankment, the in- liabitants of both cities were enabled to irrigate the lands npon which they cultivated their rice; bnt it happened that in consequence of a drought the water became insufficient for the fields of both the parties. The people of Kapila put in a claim of exclusiye right to the little water that flowed in the river ; but the people of K61i asserted a similar claim, and a feud commenced, which led to serious dissensions. At one time about a hundred persons were assembled on each side, and abuse was plentifully poured out. The people of K61i said that the people of Kimbulwat were like pigs and dogs, as they inter- married with their sisters; and they in return said that the people of K61i were descended from parents who were leprous, and who lived like bats in a hollow tree. This affair was related, with much exaggeration, to their respective kings. The S4kyas said that whatever might be the manner of their origin, they would prove that their swords were sharp ; and the princes of K61i were equally ready to shew the might of those who had come from the hollow tree. Both sides prepared for battle, and assembled their forces on the bank of the river. The princesses of the opposite parties, when they heard of these proceedings, went to the spot to entreat their relatives to desist from their intentions, but no regard was paid to their request. At this time Budha was in Sewet, and when looking around the world, as he was accustomed to do in the morning watch, he saw that a battle was about to take place, and then looked further to see if it were possible to prevent it by his personal interference ; when he perceived, that if he were to go to the place, and deliver a discourse, 500 princes would be induced to become priests. He therefore went, and remaining suspended in the air, caused a darkness to appear, so thick that the combatants were unable to see each other. The S4kyas, on seeing him, said that it would be wrong to fight in the presence of the jewel of their race, and threw down their weapons ; and the princes of K61i followed their example. Then Budha descended from the air, and sat on a throne on the bank of the river, where he received the homage of all the princes. The * The B<51iiiii, or Kobein, is said by Klaprotb to come from tbe mountains of Nepaul, and after uniting with the Mahanada to faU into the Bapty, near GorucKpur. VII. LEGENDS OF GOTAMA BUDHA. 319 teacher of the three worlds enquired why they had come to- gether ; was it to celebrate a river festival ? They replied that it was not for pastime, but for battle ; and when he asked what was the reason of their quarrel, the kings said that they did not exactly know ; they would enquire of the commander-in-chief ; but he, in turn, said that he must make enquiry of the sab-king ; and thus the enquiry went on, until it came to the husbandman, who related the whole affair. Budha, after hearing their relation, said, "What is the value of water?" **It is little," said the princes. "What of earth?" "It is inconsiderable." " What of kings ? " " It is unspeakable." " Then would you," said Budha, " destroy that which is of incomparable value for that which is worthless ? " After this he repeated three jdtakas and a sutra, by which he appeased the wrath of the combatants. The kings now reflected that by the interposition of Budha the shedding of much blood had been prevented ; that if the battle had taken place, none might have been left to tell their wives and children of what had occurred ; and that if Sidhiurtta had become a chakrawartti the princes would have become his personal attendants ; and they concluded that it was, therefore, right that they should still pay the same respect to him, as he was the supreme Budha. They accordingly directed that 250 princes from each of the two families should embrace the priest- hood, who after receiving ordination resided with Budha at the Maha-wana wih^ra, whence they occasiouaUy visited both the eities. But though they had become priests, it was not from their own choice, but from the wish of their parents ; and they became additionally dissatisfied when their wives sent to inform them how much pain had been caused by their separation. The dissatisfaction of the 500 princes was not hid from Budha, who, on a certain evening, asked them if they had seen the beautiful forest of Himilla ; and when they replied that they had not, he enquired if they were wishful to see it, but they said that they were not able to go because they did not possess the power of irdhi ; yet they were willing to visit it if any one who had the power would take them. Then Budha took them through the air, and showed them all the treasures of the forest. They saw two kokilas take a sprig in their mouths, each holding it by the end ; and the king of the kokilas alighting upon it, they flew through the air. Eight birds of a similar 320 A MANUAL OF BUDHISM. kind Tvent before, and the same number behind, above, and beloTV ; and eight more carried in their beaks the most delicions fruits. The 500 priests were surprised bj this sight, when Budha informed them that he was once the king of the kokilas in the same place, but at that time he had a retinue of 3500 birds, and not so small a nnmber as they then saw. He then related the Kun^a-j4taka, in 100 stanzas, during the recitl of which the priests entered the paths, and received the power of irdhi. Thej came by the power of Budha, but returned through the air by their own. After their arrival at the wihara, they were enabled to receive the rahatship, by which ail evil desire was removed from them, as far as earth from heaven. When their wives again sent to them messages to entice them to leave the^ profession, they said that all further interoonrse must now cease, as they had become rahats.