[N.S.1 



] Buddhist Legends of Asoka. 61 



as 



bowl to the Paccekabuddha, which he accepted, and standing 

 in that self-same spot he said : — «« Let this charity quickly ful- 

 fil all your wishes, just as the fifteenth day of the month fulfils 

 the moon, or as a magical jewel does the wishes of its posses- 

 sor." Having thus blessed him, he departed. 



The maid-servant of the jar. who was waiting in the way, 

 seeing him return, proceeded to welcome him and asked, ' Sir, 

 did you get the honey V * Yes, sister.' • What did the merchant 

 say at the time he presented the bowl to you ? ' The Pacceka- 

 buddha related to her all that had passed. Having heard it. 

 she requested him, ' Be so good, Sir, 



for the sake of your humble servant, ' and she went quickly 

 home. There she took a piece of cloth, her own garment, 

 and having washed and folded it, she presented it to him, saying, 

 ' Whenever, Sir, the honey-supplier should happen to be the 

 king of the whole of Jambudlpa, I should like to become his 

 chief queen,' and making a prayer she spoke as follows : ' When 

 he, reverend Sir, who gave thee the honey, becomes king over 

 the earth, may I then, Sir, become his beloved queen; of fair 

 form, voice, and fame, devoted to him, and beautiful may I 

 be, and dear and pleasing and adorable to him always.' The 

 Paccekabuddha having poured his blessings upon her also, say- 

 ing, 'So be it ' , took his aerial way to the Gandhamadana 

 mountain. 



Thereafter those three brothers met together, and when 

 investigating the honey enquired, ' Where is that jar of honey ?' 

 gave an explanation by narrating what he had done, and 

 i concluded, ' If vou want to take advantage of this charity, 



He 



much 



They said, ' The honey is nothing to us, but to what kind of a 

 person did you give it ? ' On hearing this the other said , ' These 

 Paccekabuddhas are people who live in seclusion on the Gan- 

 dhamadana mountain and wear yellow robes. They live by 

 begging from family to family. They are pious and observe 

 the Slla precepts.' ' The Caridalas in the guise of Brfihmans,' 

 said the eldest, ' go about wearing such yellow robes. I 

 think he must be one of them.' The second brother also got 

 angry, and said, ' I shall throw your Paccekabuddha to the 

 other side of the sea.' The honey-supplier, having heard their 

 talk, warned them, ' Do not be so harsh unto the reverend 

 Paccekabuddhas, who possess great influence and power. Do 

 not you fear the sufferings of hell ?' He tried thus to warn 

 them and convince them of their power. Both the brothers 

 were satisfied by the reasoning and agreed to what he had done. 

 Afterwards when they died they transmigrated in the deva- 

 worlds and in the world of men, and having enjoyed great 

 fortune in their various existences at last were again born two 

 hundred years after the death of Buddha in the place that each 

 one had attained. It is thus related :— " The merchant who 



