1838.] Pali Buddhistical Annah. 811 



the eight brahmans consulted) these five, having entered into the sacerdotal order, 

 in the course of their pilgrimage in search of alms, through villages, towns and 

 kingdoms, came to that place where the B6dhisatto was. For a period of six vears 

 these persons continued his personal attendants, sweeping his cell and performing 

 other menial offices, unto him who was devoted to the Mahdpaddnan ; and they con- 

 stantly indulged in this expectation. ' Now he will become Buddho ! Now he will 

 become Buddho!' 



"The Bodhisatto resolving, ' Let me submit myself to the ultimate extremity of 

 penance ;' brought himself to siibsist on a single grain of tUa (sesamum) or of rice, 

 and even passed his day entirely without nourishment. The dcicatd however pre- 

 served him by infusing (by their supernatural means) juices of food (gravy) into those 

 pores of the skin through which the hairs of the body grow. Thereafter from his 

 continued starvation, he reduced himself to the state of a perfect skeleton ; and his 

 person which had been of a golden hue turned black, and the thirty-two attributes of 

 manhood (peculiar to Buddha and Chakkawatti raja) disappeared. 



" The B6dhisatto having been brought to this last extremity by adherence to his 

 penance, deciding again, ' This is not the proper road to Buddhohood ;' and for the 

 purpose of procuring full supplies of food, he made alms pilgrimages through towns 

 and villages, and provided himself with provisions. 



" Thereupon his thirty-two special attributes of manhood were again restored, and 

 his person regained its golden hue ; and thence his (aforesaid) confraternity, com- 

 posed of the abovementioned five bhikkhus, saying to themselves : ' Although for 

 a period of six years, he has consigned himself to penance, and has fasted to attain 

 the state of omniscience, he is now making his pilgrimage through towns and vil- 

 lages begging alms offerings in his desire to provide himself amply with food. (By 

 such weakness) what can be effected? He has certainly made a great effort: from 

 it, what have we benefitted ?' and then forsaking the great mortal, they repaired to 

 the Isipatanan in Bdrdnasi. 



11 At Uruweli in the town Sendni at the house of the proprietor Kutimbiko of Se- 

 ndni, there was a maid named Siga'ta'. On the full moon day of the mouth We- 

 safcho, having partaken of a dish of rice prepared in sweet milk by her, who presented 

 to him with delight— taking up the golden dish (in which it was served) the Bodhi- 

 satto threw it from the bank of the Neranjard river, up the stream ; and thereby 

 awoke Ka'lo the ndga raja. The Bodhisatto having taken his noon-day rest in the 

 delightful deep green forest of sal trees, which is garnished with fragrant flowers, on 

 the bank of the Neranjara river, in the evening, he repaired to the foot of the Bodhi 

 tree by the path that had been decorated for him by the dewatd. 



" Dewatd, ndga,yakkhd and siddhd made offerings to him of celestial fragrant flowers 

 and odoriferous ointments. At that instant, a certain brahman grass-carrier named 

 Sotthiyo, who was carrying some (cusha) grass, — in his way, presented himself 

 before the great mortal; and recognizing who he was, bestowed eight bundles of 

 grass on him. The B6dhisatto accepting that grass, and three times walking round 

 the Assathd-bodhi, the monarch of trees and pride of the forest, which was as verdant 

 as the Anjanagiri mountain ; and, intercepting the rays of the sun, was as refresh- 

 ing as his own benevolence, and which attracted flocks of melodious birds — and was 

 embellished with branches which quivered under the gentle breeze as if dancing with 

 joy — stationed himself in the north-eastern side of the tree ; and sprinkled that grass 

 on the ground holding it by the ends. Instantly that grass was transformed into a 

 throne fourteen cubits in height — the blades appearing like ornamental lines drawn 

 by a painter, and as soon as the B6dhisatto seated himself on the grassy carpet, on 

 the throne fourteen cubits broad, young leaves from the tree, resembling coral rest- 

 ing on plates of gold, fell on him. 



