was 



Vol. VI, No. 2.] Buddhist Legends of Asoka. 59 



[N.S.] 



boxes in eight cat's-eye stupas, these stupas in eight boxes of 

 crystal, these boxes in eight stupas of crystal. Above them all 



a crystal Caitya of the same size as the Caitya in the 

 Thuparama. Above it he had made a house of all kinds of 

 jewels, above that was one of gold, above that again one of 

 silver, above that one of copper. Having scattered there the 

 dust of all kinds of jewels and having strewn thousands of 

 flowers that grow on land and flowers that grow in the water, 

 he caused to be made (figures of) the five hundred and fifty 

 births, the eighty great Elders, the great king Suddliodana, 

 Queen Maya, and the seven Connate Ones '—all these of gold. 

 He had set up five hundred brimming jars of gold and five 

 hundred of silver and five hundred banners; five hundred 

 lamps of gold and five hundred of silver he had made and filled 

 them with fragrant oil and set in them wicks of fine cloth. 

 Then the reverend Mahakassapa willed : * Let not the garlands 

 wither, let not the perfumes be destroyed, and let not the 

 lamps be extinguished.' He then caused letters to be engraved 

 on a plate of gold : « In the future a prince called Piyadasa 

 shall raise the roval umbrella and become Asoka, the king of 

 righteousness. He shall cause these relics to be dispersed far 

 and wide.' The king having performed adoration with all his 

 ornaments first of all went out shutting the door. Having 

 closed the copper door, he fastened a key-ring to the string for 

 closing the door » and in that very place set a great magic jewel, 

 on which he had engraved : ' In the future let a poor king 

 come and take this jewel and pay honour to the relics, bakka. 

 the king of the gods, summoned Vissakamma, and saying : 

 ' Sir, Ajatasattu has made a receptacle for the relu , set up a 

 guard here,' sent him off. When he arrived, he fi 1 1 ed up a 

 valasnaghata-machine (a revolving platform). Having set up 

 his machine which caused wooden figures with cnstai-i>nght 

 words in their hands to revolve in the relic-chamber with a 

 speed like that of the wind,* he fastened it with just one pin. 

 and, having made a stone enclosure round about like tne 

 Gin akavasatha « (or < like a tiled dwelling '), closed 1 with one 

 pin. Having thrown about sand and made the ground even he 

 set above it I stone stupa. After the rehc-receptacle .had be 

 constructed, the elder entered into complete Nibb&na, aft 1 



1 See for these, J.A.S.B., vol. iv, No. 3, 1908. 



* Avinehanarajjuyarn kuncikamuddikanj [ bwdhi* SeeJ na a 

 Texts (S.B.E.) III, 106. "'Fastened it with a rope and seaiea 



knot." (Fleet.) 



3 Manikkhandham. , _ ,„+ om 



* Vatasadisena vegena anupam ayantam yantam. 



(Fleet), t f. M.P.S. II, 5,6 : « tatra sudam Bhagava N ad.ke 

 t vasathe Cy. itthakaniaye avasathe. 



