1 637- J Examination of the Pali Buddkistical Annals. 735 



At that instant, the raja receiving the report that the theYo was coming, repair- 

 ing to the bank of the river, descended into the stream, till the water gradually 

 rising, reached his knees ; and approaching the thero, presented to the disem- 

 barking the>o his right arm. The the>o laid hold of his right arm. The sabred 

 guards observing this, at once coming to this decision " let us decapitate him," drew 

 their swords out of the scabbard. For what reason did they do this ? Because such 

 was the established practice in regard to royal personages. Should any person seize 

 the arm of a raja, his head is brought down with a sword. The raja perceiving this 

 (movement) by the shadow only (which fell by him) exclaimed " on account of an 

 offence committed in a former instance, towards the priesthood, I am already 

 deprived of peace of mind : offend not the thlro also." 

 Why did the theVo seize the raja by the arm ? 



As he had been sent for by the raVja for the purpose of solving a (panhan) 

 question, on that account, regarding him in the light of a disciple of his, he laid 

 hands on him*. 



The monarch establishing the th£ro in his own pleasure garden, and encircling 

 it on the outside with three rows of guards (gave the order) " Watch over his 

 safety." He then having bathed and anointed the feet of the thero, seated him- 

 self near him ; and for the purpose of satisfying himself on this point. " Is the 

 theVo competent, dispelling my doubts and settling the controversy that has 

 arisen, to save the religion ?" thus addressed him : " Lord ! I am desirous of 

 seeing a miracle performed." " Maharaja ! what description of miracle art thou 

 desirous of witnessing?" " Lord ! an earthquake." " Is it, Maharaja! the 

 whole earth that thou desirest to see quake, or only a portion thereof?" " Of 

 these, lord ! which is the most miraculous ?" " Why, Mahdraja ! in a metal dish 

 filled with water, which would be the most miraculous, to make the whole or half 

 the water, quake ?" " Lord 1 the half." " In the same manner, Maharaja ! it is 

 most difficult to make only a portion of the earth quake." " Such being the 

 case, lord 1 I will witness the quaking of a portion only of the earth." " For 

 that purpose, Maharaja 1 within a line of demarkation, in circumference one 

 yojano, on the eastern side, let a chariot be placed, with one of its 4< wheels 

 resting within the line. On the southern side, let a horse stand, with two of his 

 legs resting within the line : on the western side, let a man stand with one foot 

 resting within the line : on the northern side, let a vessel filled with water be 

 placed, the half of it projecting beyond the line of demarkation." 

 The raja caused arrangements to be made accordingly. 



The the'ro having been absorbed in the fourth jhdnan, in which, is compre- 

 hended the half of the alhinnd, rising therefrom, vouchsafed thus to resolve : 

 " Let a quaking of the earth, extending over an yojana in space, be visible to the 

 raja." On the eastern side, the wheel of the chariot resting within the line 

 only, shook ; the other did not shake. In the same manner, in the southern and 

 the western sides, the feet of the horse, and the foot of the man, together 



* It is not possible, in a literal translation, to convey implied significations. 

 The dedication of a youth to be brought up a disciple in the priesthood is con- 

 sidered an offering. The circumstance of the raja in this instance seeking 

 religious instruction, as a disciple would, is considered to place him also in the 

 light of an offering ; and hence the grasping his arm, is the acceptance of an 

 offering. 



