ON MIRACLES. 



55 



requested of the first permission to stay one night in his 

 house set apart for 1 Fire-worship,' U'ruvela told him that 

 there was a huge Cobra in it, and that he feared Gotama 

 was not safe there* Unmindful of the danger pointed out* 

 Buddha took his lodgings there, when the Naga emitted 

 a venomous blast, and Buddha returned it by sending forth 

 a volume of smoke and fire, which completely tamed the 

 animal. On the following morning Gotama put the reptile 

 into his bowl, and with triumph exhibited it to his friend. 

 This was f Miracle No* 1 ; and it is similar to another per- 

 formed by Sagata,* which we shall here notice. 



Once upon a time Gotama, accompanied by his disci - 

 ple Sagata went to Bhaddhavatika, where he was advised 

 by some husbandmen not to enter Ambatittha, because 

 there was a formidable Cobra in the Temple ofaJatila. 

 Kegardless of the warning thus received, Sagata entered 

 the Fire-house of the Jatila, and tamed the Cobra very 

 nearly in the same manner indicated in Miracle No. 1. 

 When the fame of the priest, for working miracles spread 

 abroad, people flocked around him and gave him some 

 Kapatika. The wonder-working priest had not imbibed 

 many doses of this red liquor, before be became intoxi- 

 cated, and fell down at the gate of the city. Gotama 

 seized the opportunity to shew the utter prostration of 

 man's power by intoxicating drinks, and to remark, that 

 * the man, who fought with a formidable naga, could not 

 overcome, in that condition, a feeble and harmless water- 

 snake' ; thus clearly shewing that the power of alchohol 

 proved superior to what is called his iddhi. 



* Vinaya Pitaka, lib. ii. Cap. t, Section 6. 



