1838.] Pdli Buddhistical Annals, 807 



ing a word, bring me a swift sindhawa steed.' He, replying ' sadhu Lord V and 

 taking the trappings of the horse, repaired to the stable ; and seeing there the 

 superb charger Kanthako, who was capable of overcoming all his foes, standing in 

 his delightful stall, under a canopy decorated with jessamine flowers, and lighted 

 up with lamps of fragrant oil, he said ' it is proper that he should be capari- 

 soned as a state charger, to be used to-day for the final deliverance of the prince ;' 

 and he caparisoned Kanthako. The said charger in the act of being accoutred knew 

 (what was to happen) ; and exulting in his master's approaching assumption of 

 priesthood, neighed loudly, as if he had said ' this caparisoning is unusually tight ; 

 not like the saddling of other occasions, for an excursion to the pleasure garden : 

 most assuredly, this very day the prince takes his great final departure.' That 

 neigh resounded through Kapilawatthu. The diwata however suppressing the sound 

 prevented its being heard by any one. 



" The Buddho elect, saying ' let me see my son once more,' and proceeding from 

 his own to the chamber of the mother of Ra'hulo, gently opened the door. At 

 that moment a silver lamp, lit with fragrant oil, was shedding its light on the in- 

 terior of the chamber ; and the mother of Ra'hulo was slumbering with her hand 

 resting on the head of her infant who was reposing under a superb canopy, on a 

 bedding formed of one ammanan of the common and the Arabian jessamine. The 

 elect, his foot still resting on the threshold, and intently gazing— thus meditated. 

 ' If I remove the hand of the princess, to take up my child (and embrace him), 

 she will be awakened ; and thus an impediment will be produced to my departure. 

 Let me then, after 1 have attained Buddhohood, return and see my son.' Descend- 

 ing from the upper apartment of the palace, and approaching his steed, he thus ad- 

 dressed him : ' Do thou, my cherished Kanthako, in one night translate me ; and, 

 as the consequence of that translation, achieving Buddhohood, I shall translate this 

 world together with those of the dciod.' Then springing aloft, he seated himself on 

 Kanthako. The said Kanthako, was eighteen cubits long from his neck— his height 

 was in proportion— well formed, swift and in good condition, and in color like a 

 bleeched shell. 



" The Buddho elect, who had mounted this charger, having desired Chhanno to 

 hang on by the tail, in the middle of the night approached the principal gate of the 

 town. At that time, the guards, whom the raja had stationed to prevent the escape 

 of the Buddho elect, were still watching, being in number one thousand to each door- 

 way in the gate. The elect, however, had the power of one hundred thousand 

 kotiyo of men, or the strength of a thousand kotiyo of elephants. There he thus 

 resolved. ' Should the gate not be opened, this very day, mounted on Kanthako, to- 

 gether with Chhanno clinging to his tail, holding the steed fast between my thighs, 

 and springing over the rampart eighteen cubits in height, let me quickly escape.' 

 Chhanno and Kanthako concurred in that resolution. 



" The tutelar diwatd, however opened the gate. 



** Instantly Ma'ro (death), the agent of sin, saying, 'let me stop the great mortal, 

 and rising aloft into the air, thus addressed him : ' Mahdwtro depart not : on the 

 seventh day from hence, the heavenly Chakkaratanan will most certainly come to 

 pass. Then thou shalt exercise sovereignty over the four great quarters (of the 

 earth), together with their two thousand isles : blessed ! wait.' The great mortal 

 asked, ' Who art thou ?' ' I am Wassawatto.' ' I am aware that both empire 

 and universal dominion are proffered to me : I am not however destined for royalty : 

 depart Ma'ro! approach not this. I shall become Buddho, making the ten thou- 

 sand realms of the universe quake, in acknowledgment of there being no one greater 

 than myself.' He thus spoke ; and Ma'ro vanished. 



M The great mortal in his twenty-ninth year, relinquishing the attractions of his 

 5 I 



