BUDDHISM. 173 



Venerable Anando, What is this pounding noise ? Then the 

 Venerable Anando made known the matter to Bhagawa. Very 

 well, very well, O Anando, mankind will think that by you 

 virtuous men victory was gained over grain, meat, and rice. 



Then the Venerable Great Moggalano (1) came to the 

 place where Bhagawa was, and having arrived and reverently 

 saluted Bhagawa, sat down on one side, and the Venerable and 

 Great Moggalano who was seated on one side, said this to Bha- 

 gawa : — There is now a famine, O Lord, in Weranja, people 

 are distracted and reduced to skeletons, the crops have failed, 

 and it is by no means easy to gain a livelihood by gleaning 

 (begging). O Lord, underneath the surface of the Great Earth 

 there exists (something) comparable to small drops of honey, 

 and there being no bees, it will be good. Is it good, O Lord, 

 may I overturn the earth ? The Bhikkhus will then eat that 

 edible crust of the earth. There are creatures, O Moggalano, 

 in the earth. How will you treat them ? I will preserve the 

 creatures, O Lord (by making another world), and how many 

 creatures soever there may be in this world, I will collect and 

 place them there, and with one hand I will overturn the earth. 

 It is not proper, O Moggalano; do not wish to overturn the 

 world ; the creatures may experience discomfort. Very well, O 

 Lord, shall the whole company of Bhikkhus go to the north to 

 ask alms ? It is not proper, O Moggalano; do not wish that 

 all the company of Bhikkhus should go to the northern con- 

 tinent to collect alms. 



Afterwards this kind of thought and reasoning happened 

 to the Venerable Sariputtoo who was retired and in solitude : 

 — How is it that the Brahmachariya of such Buddho Bhagawas 



(1.) Moggallano. — One of the two Chief Priests of Buddha, who 

 attended him throughout his ministrations. 



