1848.] Gleanings in Buddhism. 81 



emerged above the earth to see who wanted his assistance, but he had 

 hardly done so, when Supanna or Garuda pounced upon him, and was 

 bearing him off in his talons towards Simphali, when a young priest 

 clapped his hands so loudly that Supanna dropped Raja Naga, who 

 was much bruised by his fall to the earth. But the priests quickly 

 restored him with healing unguents ; and being angry that the honor of 

 having saved him belonged to a noviciate, they punished him by getting 

 Dhammasoka to send him in search of Utt'hakhut. 



" The young priest proceeded accordingly to the bank of the river 

 (Ganges) and invoked the ancient man to come forth. It was not long 

 before the sage appeared and displayed to the astonished youth a body 

 shrivelled like a blasted sapling, and bending under the load of centuries. 

 When the ancient learned that his aid was wanted, he took the sacred 

 vase under his arm and proceeded to the palace of Dhammasoka. Here 

 he found numbers of Arahans or Priests of the superior grade of merit 

 waiting to receive from the King their wonted daily bounty or alms. 

 These priests pointed out the sage to the King as an exceedingly holy 

 person. But although his majesty was surprised at his withered ap- 

 pearance, he paid him no particular attention then. He was desirous 

 however of putting to the test his reputed sanctity, and told his mahout 

 that when the sage should appear next morning, he should push the 

 war-elephant at him. Accordingly the mahout rushed next morning 

 with the elephant upon the sage Tapassa, who quite unconcernedly 

 turned his body a little so that the animal plunged his tusks into the 

 ground, one on each side of him. The Tapassa then turned round, and 

 patted the elephant thrice on the temples, when it was instantly changed 

 into a stone figure. The King could not fail now to credit the power 

 of the sage, and he therefore asked him to be his spiritual guide, also to 

 restore the elephant to its original state, and assist in establish- 

 ing the Chaittya. Utt'hakhut consented, and then drove off Garuda, 

 so that Raja Naga might also grace by his presence the consecration of 

 the new temple. 



" All these preliminaries having been duly arranged, a Chaittya was 

 built, consecrated and fortified, and a portion of the relics was buried 

 underneath." 



" Dhammasoka now wished to bestow the remaining relics upon the 

 Princes of other countries, who on being acquainted with his desire 



M 



