512 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



he will give you something to eat." When Ghosaka stopped at the 

 village treasurer's house, the treasurer's wife took a fancy to him, and 

 the daughter of the household fell madly in love with him. (It was 

 she that had been his wife in his former existence as Kotuhalaka, and 

 it was through the merit she acquired by bestowing alms on the Private 

 Buddha that she was reborn as the treasurer's daughter. No wonder 

 that her old passion for him returned !) When the treasurer's daugh- 

 ter discovered that Ghosaka was carrying his death-warrant, she 

 secretly removed it and substituted another letter of her own compo- 

 sition, which read as follows : " This is my son Ghosaka. Bestow 

 treasure upon him ; prepare for the festival of his marriage to the 

 daughter of the village treasurer ; build him a splendid palace ; and 

 provide him with a strong guard of soldiers. When you have so done, 

 send me word, saying, 'I have done this and that.'" When the 

 superintendent read the letter he immediately did as he was told. 

 (180-182) 



When the treasurer learned how miserably his last attempt had 

 failed, he cried out, " What I would do, that I do not ; what I would 

 not do, that I do," sickened, and was soon at the point of death. 

 Ghosaka and his bride visited him in his last moments. Just as the 

 treasurer was about to die, he lifted up his voice, intending to say, 

 " These my treasures shall never be Ghosaka's ; " but by a slip of the 

 tongue said instead, " These my treasures shall ever be Ghosaka's." 

 King Udena confirmed Ghosaka in his inheritance and made him the 

 principal treasurer of the city. When the treasurer Ghosaka learned 

 from his wife how narrow had been his escape from death, he resolved 

 to forsake the life of Heedlessness, and to live the life of Heedfulness, 

 and thereafter he dispensed a thousand pieces of money daily in alms 

 to the poor. (182-7) 



lc. Rise and Career of Samavatl. 



At this time the treasurer Ghosaka learned from some merchants 

 who had lately returned from BhaddavatI that there lived in that city 

 a merchant of great wealth and high standing, named Bhaddavatiya ; 

 and desiring to be friends with him, Ghosaka sent him a present. 

 Bhaddavatiya returned the compliment ; and thus, though they had 

 never seen each other, they became fast friends. A little later a pesti- 

 lence broke out in Bhaddavatiya's city ; and the treasurer, taking his 

 wife and daughter, set out for Kosambi, intending to ask Ghosaka to 

 help them. After a hard journey they reached Kosambi, and secured 

 lodgings in a hall near the city gate. Bhaddavatiya told his wife that 

 Ghosaka was accustomed to dispense a thousand pieces of money daily 



