No. 8.—- 3 853=] BUDDHISM.— CHAR1YA PITAKA, 



li 



My mother Pusati, the daughter of a king, was in a previous 

 birth the queen of Sakra. 



He, the king of the gods, seeing that the term of her life had 

 ended, said : " I will give you ten gifts. What ten gifts, my 

 friend, do you desire ? " 



The goddess hearing these words, replied to Sakra : " What 

 fault have I been guilty of ? Have I become displeasing to 

 you ? Why do you drive me from my lovely residence, as with 

 an earth-shaking wind ?" 



When she had thus spoken, Sakra replied : " You have been 

 guilty of no crime, neither are you displeasing to me. 



" It is only this, the term of your existence here draws to a 

 close. Accept therefore the ten excellent gifts I offer you." 



Pusati then accepted with joyfulness the ten gifts, including 

 me, presented by Sakra. 



Pusati, ceasing to exist there, was born of a regal family, 

 and became united to king Sanjaya, of the city of Jetuttaram. 



When I was conceived in the womb of my beloved mother, 

 by my glory she became constantly attached to almsgiving. 



Freely she gave to the poor, to the sick, to the old, to 

 mendicants, to travellers, to men and women, to Sam anas, to 

 Brahmins, to those of subdued passions. 



Pusati, having carried me in her womb ten months, passing 

 through the city, brought me forth in the midst of the Wessa 

 street. 



I did not receive the name either of my father or my mother, 

 but having been born in the Wessa street, I was called 

 Wessantara. 



When I was a child eight years of age, I sat in my palace and 

 thought of giving alms. 



I thought, ' Should any one request from me my heart, my 

 eyes, my flesh, my blood, or my body, I will give them to him.' 



W 7 hen I had formed this firm resolution, the solid earth, mount 

 M6ru, and the trees of the forest were shaken. 



