810 



Pali Buddhistical Annals. 



[Sept. 



■whole of them, said, ' He is neither the moon, the god of love, nor the thousand- 

 eyed deity, nor yet Brahma'. He is the wonderful personage, the supreme, and the 

 teacher of the world.' 



44 While the inhabitants of the town -were thus discussing the matter, the officers 

 of state, repairing to the raja Bimbisa'ro said : * Lord ! either a dtwa, a gan- 

 dhabbo, or el*e a raja ndga, or a yakkho, is wandering about our town, begging 

 alms.' The raja on hearing this, still remaining in the upper apartment of the 

 palace, but having obtained a sight of the great mortal, impressed with feelings of 

 •wonder previously unknown, thus instructed his officers: ' My men, retire, and 

 compose yourselves. Should he be an inhuman being (yakkho), on his departing 

 from the city, he will render himself invisible. Should he be a dewata, he will 

 depart through the air. Should he be a n4ga raja he will escape diving into the 

 earth ; and should he be a human being, he will partake of whatever alms he may 

 obtain.' 



" The great mortal, who exercised the most perfect self-possession and control 

 over his own senses (yet attracted the gaze of the multitude by the splendour of his 

 personal appearance), did not permit himself to look at any object mote distant from 

 him than the length of a yoke-pole. Having collected as much food as he could eat, 

 being the mixed scraps (which had been thrown into his alms-dish by many), departed 

 out of the gate by which he had entered the city ; and seating himself facing the 

 east, under the shadow cast by the Pandawo mountain, although disgusted at the 

 repast, repressing his disgust, he ate it*. 



V Immediately the persons sent by the raja returning, reported this circumstance* 

 On hearing this account from his messengers, the ruler of Magadha, the raja Bim- 

 BISARo, who despised the pursuit of frivolous objects, and aimed at results as sted- 

 fast as the mountains Mtru and Mandaro, impelled by the desire to see the Buddho 

 elect, which was produced by the account given of his pious bearing— departing from 

 the town and repairing to the Pandawo mountain, and there descending from his 

 conveyance and approaching the Buddho elect, with his permission seated himself 

 (near him) on the ground, which (intercourse) was as refreshing as the affections of 

 relations. Charmed with the deportment of the Buddho elect he offered to him the 

 provision of every luxury. " Maha raja (replied the elect), to me there is no longer 

 need either of the enjoyment of wealth, or the gratification of the passions : severed 

 from the domestic and lay ties, my aspirations are directed to the attainment of su- 

 preme omniscience.' The raja, after having, in various ways, renewed his entreaties 

 finding that he would not gain his assent, said, • Most assuredly thou wilt become 

 Buddho : my dominion should be visited the first by thee in thy Buddhohood,' and 

 returned to his capital. 



° Thereafter the Bodhisatto, in due course, pursuing his alms pilgrimages, became 

 acquainted with Alaraka 'lamo-j* and Uddakk aramo ; and acquired from them the 

 Samdpatti. Finding that the said Samdpatti was not the road that leads to Buddho- 

 hood, relinquishing the same, he resolved to devote himself to the padh&nan, and 

 repaired to UruweM. Finding that a delightful place, sojourning there he devoted 

 himself to the Mahdpad&nan. 



" Four persons, the sons of the brahmans who had been consulted (on the day that 

 a name was selected for the B6dhisatto), as well as Kondanno (the youngest of 



* This must have occurred in the forenoon, as no substantial food can be taken by 

 Buddhist priests after mid-day. 



f This interview is described in greater detail elsewhere, during which Bimbisa'- 

 rO ascertained the elect to be the son of Suddh6dano, the ally and friend of hie 

 own father Bha'tiyo, the late raja of Magadha. 



