56 



ON MIRACLES. 



Now, taking the legends to be substantially time, we 

 fail to perceive any miracle in the acts ascribed either to 

 the Master or his disciples. It is only invested with such 

 a character by the grandiloquent language used in the re- 

 lation of a simple act, characteristic of Eastern writers. 

 It was indeed very likely that the Cobra on seeing the 

 new-comer hissed ; and this induced the idea of a ' vene- 

 mous blast.' We know that ' fire' and 4 smoke' are some of 

 the agents employed in the east to catch Cobras ; and 

 there is no wonder, that being in * the Fire-house' of the 

 Jatila, Gotama soon kindled a heavy fire, and raised a 

 volume of smoke— all which so much oppressed the poor 

 creature that he tamely submitted to the 4 dominion' of 

 man. It will thus be seen that if we exclude the haze of 

 miracle and mystery with which a simple story is surround- 

 ed by the narrator, viz., that the volume of fire and smoke 

 issued spontaneously without material agency, and at the 

 will of Grotama,---we have no reason to regard this as a 

 miracle. Nor did U'ruvela Kassapa, it is stated, so re- 

 gard it ; and we shall proceed with. 



Miracle No. 2. In the course of the day following his 

 stay at the Fire-house, Gotama took his seat in a brush- 

 wood ; and four guardian gods of the world ministered 

 to him at night, and exhibited a most resplendent illumi- 

 nation. 



Miraxle No. 3. On the third day Indra excelled the 

 guardian gods in illuminating the same brushwood. 



Miracle No. 4. Sahampati Maha Brahma, on the 

 fourth day exhibited a light more resplendent, than any 

 that had been previously witnessed by the Jatila chief. 



