134 



CEYLON BRANCH 



Bodisa^ reflecting, if my courage fail me, all these will perish, 

 walked about while the morning was yet cool, and seeing a 

 clump of grass, thought, this grass has grown in consequence 

 of water being beneath it. Taking hoes, they began to dig 

 in that place, and having excavated to the depth of sixty 

 cubits, the hoes struck on a slab of rock, upon which they all 

 gave up in despair. But Bodisat, being assured that water 

 was beneath the stone, descended into the well, and placing, 

 his ear to the rock distinctly heard the rushing of water. 

 Having ascended, he called his immediate attendant, and said 

 son ! if your courage fail, we shall all perish ! take this iron 

 crow-bar and endeavour to split the rock. When the courage, 

 pf all the others had failed, he, attending to the. directions of 

 Bodisat, and descending into the well, struck the rock, which 

 being broke by the blows, a stream of water flowed into the, 

 well to the height of a palm tree. They all drank and bathed, 

 watered the cattle, and at sun set, having erected a flagstaff 

 on the spot, they journeyed to their intended place, sold their 

 merchandise, and returned in peace to their own habitations. 

 Budha. then spo^e the following verse, 



The energetic man, digging in the sandy path, 

 In the place trodden by travellers, found water ; 

 Thus the sage, endued with persevering energy, 

 By diligence obtains mental tranquillity. 



He then said, if, priest, you formerly were persevering in, 

 your efforts to obtain a little water, why should you now, having 

 become a priest of the religion leading to final emancipation, 

 cease from exertion. Combining the two events, Budha declar- 

 ed that the priest was in that birth the personal attendant of 

 the merchant, and that he who was formerly the merchant was 

 then Budha. 



End of the Wannupat'ha Jataka. 



