BURLINGAME. — BUDDHAGHOSAS DHAMMAPADA COMMENTARY. 529 



directed her to choose a husband. At that moment Sakka, disguised 

 as an aged Asura, sat down in the outer fringe of the assembly. The 

 maiden immediately threw the wreath of flowers over his head and 

 chose him for her husband. He took her by the hand, shouted out, 

 " I am Sakka," and flew up into the air. The Asuras cried out, " We 

 have been fooled by old Sakka," and started up in pursuit. (278-9) 



Sakka's charioteer, Matali, brought up the chariot Victory, and Sakka, 

 after assisting Wellborn to mount, set out for the city of the gods. 

 When they reached the Forest of the Silk-cotton Trees, the fledglings 

 of the Garula birds, fearing that they were going to be crushed to 

 death, shrieked aloud ; whereupon Sakka said to his charioteer, " Let 

 not these creatures perish on my account ; turn back the chariot." 

 At this the Asuras concluded that reinforcements must have come up, 

 and abandoned the pursuit. Sakka bore Wellborn to the city of the 

 gods and made her chief among twenty-five millions of celestial 

 nymphs. Thereafter, when the Asuras made preparations to attack 

 Sakka, the latter placed at the gates of his city images of Indra bear- 

 ing the thunderbolt. When the Asuras saw the images, they invariably 

 concluded that Sakka was no longer there, and departed. (279-280) 



The Teacher extolled Magha's earnestness, and pronounced Stanza 

 3< I, at the conclusion of which Mahali was established in the Fruit of 

 Conversion, and many others were established in the Three Fruits. 

 (230-281) 



Book II. Story 8. A Certain Monk. 



ILLUSTRATING STANZA 11=31. • 



A certain monk had the Teacher instruct him in the ascetic practices 

 which lead to Arahatship, and retired to the forest to meditate. In 

 spite of his best efforts, he was unable to attain Arahatship ; therefore 

 he decided to return to the Teacher and ask him to assign him a 

 specific subject of meditation. On the way he caught sight of a forest 

 fire ; whereupon he hastily climbed a bare mountain, and as he watched 

 the fire, concentrated his mind on the following thought : "As this 

 fire goes its way consuming all obstacles both great and small, so also 

 ought I to go, consuming all obstacles both great and small with the 

 fire of knowledge of the Noble Path." (281-2) 



As the Teacher sat in his Perfumed Chamber, he became aware of 

 what the monk was doing, and sent forth an apparition of himself, 

 which went to the monk and pronounced Stanza 31. At the conclu- 

 sion of the Stanza, the monk attained Arahatship. (282-3) 



vol. xlv. — 34 



