1004 Pali Buddhutical Annats. £Dec. 



Bhagawa then preaches to his host ; and having gratified, edified 

 and comforted him, he departs. He was soon after afflicted with a 

 severe attack of dysentery, the expected and predestined result of eating 

 pork, — which under this conviction he interdicted being given to any one 

 else. He then decides on hastening to Kusinara, the city in which he 

 is destined to realize his nibbdnan. On his journey, feeling faint, he 

 desires A'nando to prepare a seat for him off the main road, under the 

 shade of a tree ; and seated there he commands his disciple to bring 

 him some water to quench his thirst. A'nando entreats of him to pro- 

 ceed a little further up the Kukutthdna river, as at that spot " the 

 stream had been disturbed by the passage of five hundred carts." Bud* 

 dho however three times repeats his commands to A'nando to bring 

 him that water. He obeys at last, which leads to a miracle being 

 performed, whereby the muddy water is rendered perfectly clear. The 

 owner of these carts is one Pukkuso, a member of the Mullawo, royal 

 race, and an ascetic of the fraternity of Aldrahdldmo, who was then 

 on his road from Kusinara to Pdwd ; and he was following his train. 

 He hears of Buddho being in the neighbourhood, and waits on him ; 

 and a discussion ensues between them, of the relative merits of Ala ro- 

 kalamo and of Buddho, at the conclusion of which, Pukkuso bestows 

 two ( Singiwannawatthdni) cloths of golden hue, one on Bhagawa' and 

 the other on A'nando. The latter spreads his accepted offering also 

 on the person of Bhagawa, whose body " shines like a bright -flame 

 free from smoke or ashes." On the miracle being noticed by A'na ndo, 

 Buddho explains that such is always the case with a Tathagato on 

 the day he attains Buddhohood, and on that on which he realizes nib* 

 bdnan — and he adds : A'nando, in the last division of this night, at 

 Kusinara in the grove of sdla trees belonging to the Malla princes, 

 the parinibbdnm of Tathagato will be realized, (while reposing) 

 between two of those sala trees. Let us depart, A'nando, and repair to 

 the Kukutthd river. The venerable A'nando replied: Lord, be it so. 

 Thereupon Bhagawa, with a great concourse of bhikkhus repairs 

 to the Kukutthd river, and descending to the stream and having bathed 

 and drank there, and then landing on the opposite bank, he proceeds to 

 a mango grove (on the bank of the river). There he enjoins A'nando 

 to relieve Chundo, the goldsmith, from all apprehension of his death 

 having been occasioned by the repast he had provided for Buddho, 

 informing him of the rewards he had realized by that act of charity and 

 faith. 



