542 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



five hundred strong, and set out to capture Bandhula. Mahali warned 

 them that Bandhula would slay them all, but the princes paid no at- 

 tention to his warning. Bandhula waited until the file of chariots was 

 so straight that but one chariot-front appeared to view ; and then, 

 stringing his mighty bow, he let an arrow fly. The arrow passed 

 through the body of every one of the five hundred men. Not realizing 

 what had happened, they continued the pursuit ; but Bandhula imme- 

 diately stopped his chariot and cried out, " You are all dead men ; I 

 will not fight with the dead." " Do we look like dead men 1 " 

 " Loosen your girdles." They did so, and the instant they did so, five 

 hundred dead men lay on the ground. (351-3) 



Bandhula returned to Savatthi with Mallika. Sixteen times Mallika 

 bore twin sons to Bandhula, and all of them became mighty men. 

 Bandhula by his upright conduct incurred the hostility of the unjust 

 judges, who went to the king and falsely accused him of designs on 

 the throne. Thereupon the king ordered Bandhula and his sons to 

 proceed to the frontier and put down an insurrection, and at the same 

 time suborned men to lie in wait for them on their return, kill them, 

 and bring back their heads. Bandhula and his sons quickly put the 

 marauders to flight, and were murdered on their return. News of 

 the murder was brought to Mallika on the morning of the day on 

 which she had invited the Chief Disciples to be her guests. As she 

 was entertaining the monks, one of the servants dropped a dish and 

 broke it. Sariputta said to her, " Heed it not." Mallika drew from 

 the folds of her dress the letter she had received that morning, and 

 replied, " If I heed not the murder of my husband and two and thirty 

 sons, I am not likely to heed the breaking of a mere dish." After the 

 departure of the monks Mallika addressed her sons' wives, assuring 

 them that their husbands, having lived blameless lives, had obtained 

 only the fruit of deeds in previous existences, and urged them to 

 cherish no bitter feelings against the king. The king soon learned 

 that the charges brought against Bandhula were false ; whereupon he 

 made amends to Mallika, and at her request permitted her to return 

 to her family, and to send back her sons' wives to theirs. (353-5 



King Pasenadi appointed to the post of Commander-in-chief a 

 nephew of Bandhula, Dlghakarayana by name. Dlghakarayana did 

 not forget that Pasenadi had caused his uncle to be murdered, and 

 waited for a chance to get even. Now at that time the Teacher was 

 residing in a village near-by ; and Pasenadi, being greatly troubled in 

 spirit, set out with a small body-guard to pay him a visit. As Pas- 

 enadi was about to enter the Perfumed Chamber, he handed the royal 

 insignia to Dlghakarayana, who immediately hurried back to Savatthi 



