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JOURNAL, R.A.S, (CEYLON). [VOL. XIII. 



also — and this is a point to which it is important for me 

 to call attention — cast in a conventional form. They are 

 modelled according to the received patterns of Indian poetry, 

 with incidents which, from the Rdmdyana onwards, are 

 attached to the birth and youth of heroes. 



It is in this form that I prefer in the first instance to state 

 the fact which I will now state in another shape. 



The earlier part of the life of Parakrama bears a remark- 

 able likeness to the stories of the life of Gotama in its later 

 forms, as told, for instance, in the Lalita Vistara. His birth 

 was announced, to a father who had long been praying for a 

 son, by a glorious messenger from heaven. The accomplish- 

 ment of the prophecy was intimated by the appearance of a 

 beautiful white young elephant entering the chamber where 

 his mother lay. On his birth supernatural signs appeared, 

 and all nature was filled with joy. Sages, interpreting the 

 signs which accompanied his birth, and the marks which 

 were found upon his person, announced his future power. 

 He would be able, they said, to bring not only all Lanka, 

 but even all India under one dominion. But there was one 

 sad prophecy, as there was in the case of Gotama, amid all 

 these brilliant auspices. The father — not, as in Gotama's 

 case, the mother — was soon to die. The young prince was 

 brought up after the pattern of the Indian princes ; soon 

 mastered the Vedas and all the arts, and became accom- 

 plished in horsemanship, sword-play, and archery; and when 

 he had been removed after his father's death to his uncle's 

 court, lived there in great ease and pleasure, the object of 

 the king's unwearied care and love. But from this pleasant 

 home a noble resolution called him forth. He feared that 

 he might lose, amid those pleasures and comforts, the 

 aspiration which he felt kindled in him to raise his father's 

 house from its obscurity and make all Lanka one. In the 

 enthusiasm of this high purpose, he departed by stealth, at 

 night, alone ; and the very term is used of his " going forth," 

 which has been represented for English readers, in the case 

 of the Buddha, as " renunciation." 



