60 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [February, 1910. 



finishing his term of life. The king too departed this life, 

 and so did those (work) men." 



The Story of the Three Brothers, 



the Honey Merchants. 



Formerly there were three brothers in Benares who lived 

 harmoniously together. They maintained their family by 

 the honey-trade. One of them used to go to foreign coun- 

 tries and buy honey from the hands of the residents of the Ma- 

 laya country, the second despatched the honey to the town, 

 and the third sold it at Benares. At that time a Paccekabud- 

 dha (one who has attained the knowledge necessary to Nirva- 

 na), who lived on the Gandhamadana mountain, was suffering 

 from a wound. Another Paccekabuddha, perceiving him thus 

 indisposed, thought within himself that the wound was to be 

 cured only by means of honey. He accordingly put on his 

 robe on the Gandhamadana mountain and went through the 

 air. Having alighted at the gate of the town, he stayed there, 

 looking about him to find out whence the honey was to be 

 procured. 



Meanwhile a servant maid, who earned her bread by serv- 

 ing, was passing by, holding a jar in her hand in order to 

 fetch water from the river ; she made way for him, and having 

 placed her jar on the ground, saluted him, and stood aside. 

 The Paccekabuddha addressed her, ' Sister ! in which place is 

 the honey obtained by mendicants V She having heard what 

 he had to say, conducted him to the honey-market, and point- 

 ing with her hand, she said, 'Here, Sir, is the honey- market.' 

 While thus pointing, she was pondering within herself, ' In case 

 this Paccekabuddha does not get the honey, I shall supply him 

 with it even at the cost of the clothes I wear.' Thus medita- 

 ting, she stayed there awaiting his return. 



Now the Paccekabuddha proceeding in due course at 

 last reached the honey-market. A man of affluence (one of 

 the three brothers) on seeing him, took the bowl from his hands, 

 and having placed it on a stand, brought a jar of honey and in 

 pouring the contents into the bowl tilted up the jar quickly. 

 When the bowl was filled up to the brim, the honey began to 

 flow out on to the ground. On seeing it the merchant was 

 overjoyed and made the following request. It is said in the 

 Mahavamsa : — <c When the Paccekabuddha arrived there, that 

 pious merchant gave him a bowl full of honey, and seeing it 

 tilled up and the honey brimming over and falling to the ground, 



he full of faith then made the following prayer : — c Let me 

 alone enjoy the undisputed authority over Jambudlpa by the 

 virtue of this charity, and let my commands have their control 

 over the regions of the sky and those of the earth for a yojana 

 in both directions. 5 " Having thus spoken, he presented the 



