1859.] History of the Shwe Dagon Fagodta at 'Rangoon. 475 



chants prayed to the Nat guardian of that place. The Nat assum- 

 ing a visible shape appeared before them and said to them, " The 

 illustrious Boodlia who, by the knowledge of the four great truths 

 has arrived to the nature of Phara, is now sitting at the foot of the 

 Linloon tree ; go now to that place and offer him some sweet bread 

 and honey ; you shall derive therefrom great merits for many days 

 and nights to come." The two brothers joyfully complying with the 

 Nat's request, prepared the sweet bread and honey, and hastened 

 in the direction that had been indicated to them. Having placed 

 themselves in a suitable position and prostrated before Boodha, they 

 said ; Most glorious Phra, please to accept these offerings ; great 

 merits, doubtless, will be our reward for many days to come. Boo- 

 dha had no patta to put those offerings in, for the one he had re- 

 ceived from the Brahma Gatigara had disappeared, when Thoodzata 

 made him her great offerings. Whilst he was thinking on what he 

 had to do, four Nats came and presented him each with one patta, 

 made of nila stone. Phra accepted the four pattas, not from 

 motives of covetousness, but to let each Nat have an equal share in 

 such meritorious work. He put the tour pattas one in the other, 

 and by the pow T er of his will, they on a sudden became but one 

 patta, so that each Nat lost nothing of the merit of his offerings. 

 Boodha received the offerings of the two merchants in that patta 

 and satisfied his appetite. The two brothers said to Boodha, " We 

 have on this day approached you, worshipped you and respectfully 

 listened to your instructions — please to consider us as your devoted 

 followers for the remainder of our life." They obtained the position 

 of Upa-tha-ka. - They continued addressing Boodha and said, " What 

 shall we henceforth worship ?" Boodlia, rubbing his hand over his 

 head gave them a few of his hairs that had adhered to his fingers, 

 bidding them to keep carefully those relics. The two brothers, 

 overjoyed at such a valuable present, most respectfully received it, 

 prostrated before Boodha and departed." 



In the history of the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, this interview of the 

 merchants' sous with Gautama, is expanded into a more particular 

 narrative, to connect it with the fortunes of Pegu. The young men 

 in reply to Gautama, state that they come from a far and obscure 

 couutry, and the Lord Gautama reveals to them that his predeces- 



