the Mahârâja's comace to the king's comd cried with a loud guard ?" Then there a by name, who ans. rior (i. e. the harem), Mahârâja has given Brahmans, interpreRojana, went forth- prime minister, who med the eight Brahra and they together iddhôdana Râja add, "Last night the Eng it], what is the Majesty ought now to have a very spec for the child born of her will certainly be time arrive at perfect wisdom; his nam At this time, Suddhôdana Râja, having Brahmans, the interpreters of dreams, his ultation and joy not to be surpassed. He 1 and drinks of the most exquisite charact of the choicest flavour; and conferred eve ding them enjoy themselves as they list! of money and precious stones, and after tation, he distributed food, drink, clot cattle, horses, chariots, and every kind c of Kapilavastu, beyond the four gates, an sages and lanes of the city; giving to requisite or most desired; and all with prosperity of Bodhisatwa. Now, at this time, there was a certain roughly grounded in all the wisdom of th and who, by putting away the love of discarding the five desires), had arrived a possessed of the five miraculous qualities at will, to go to the thirty-three heavens, a the assemblies of the Devas. This Ris place in South India, called “ Tchapati," ganadî"; not far from there, was a shady th length" (dirghavardana?). Now, at this ti Rishi was living in this grove, practising supernatural wisdom of the Genii; whils adha said of him that he was a Rahat, and 66 Then, having acquired the knowledge h imparting the secret to others, when a cer afore-named, called "Narada," of tender 1 Naradatta, vide “Lalit. and night controlling his mind to fixed contemplation, and th boy, Narada, was sitting on one side by himself, behind his master employed in brushing away, and removing, all noxious creature from coming near the Rishi. This was just at the time whe Bodhisatwa descended from Tusita and entered into the right sid of his mother; on which occasion, there was a supernatural ligh spread every-where, and the earth quaked again. Asita perceiving these miraculous events (adbhuta dharma), was greatly awestricken, and the very hairs on his person stood erect; and he thought with himself, "what mean these miraculous portents ?" Thinking thus for a little time in silence, his thoughts perfectly fixed in firm composure, then suddenly his mind conceived unutterable joy, and he cried out and said, “A great saint, inconceivably holy, is to be born in the world; now Mahâpudgala Bôdhisatwa is descending from Tusita, and about to enter the right side of his mother, and receive birth (incarnation)." Having said this, he ceased. Then again there was a certain Deva called "Fleet-goer," who, with rapid flight, went down to all the hells, and cried out with a loud voice, "All ye wretched ones! understand now that Bôdhisatwa is incarnated; quickly, then, pray ye and vow with all your might, that ye may be born on earth." Then the wretched inmates, having heard this cry, as many of them as in ages gone by had acquired any merit, but for some consequent act of sin had been born in hell, these, I say, regarding one another, saw plainly their appearance changing, and their bodies becoming bright and beautiful; and so their minds received great joy; and when they heard the voices of Fleet-goer and all the angels singing on earth, they were delivered from hell; and such as had acquired previous merit were born on earth, in the immediate neighbourhood of Kapilavastu. Again, at the time of Buddha's conception, Sâkra Deva, and the four Maharajas, to wit, Dhritarashtra Râja, Virûdhaka Râja, ne occasion, sitting i st austerities, and day ntemplation, and the -lf, behind his master, all noxious creatures st at the time when red into the right side a supernatural light Lin. Asita perceiving ), was greatly awestood erect; and he iraculous portents?” is thoughts perfectly mind conceived unA great saint, inconMahâpudgala Bôdut to enter the right ion).” Having said "Fleet-goer," who, and cried out with a I now that Bôdhis1 vow with all your › wretched inmates, ages gone by had ct of sin had been other, saw plainly coming bright and y; and when they › singing on earth, acquired previous neighbourhood of <ra Deva, and the Virûdhaka Râja, illustrious person of Bôdhisatwa, and not [There are four chief occasions on which this quired, at the conception, the time of gesto arrival at supreme wisdom. There are also stances that distinguish the conception, ges hisatwa. He always remains on the right sic movement; such movement, from right to l and anxiety to the mother. But Bodhisatu whether the mother rise, or sit, or sleep; thi bhuta dharma). So also nothing impure tak gestation, or at the birth, of a Bodhisatwa; th So also the mother of a Bodhisatwa suffer sensible of great delight during the period consents to no nuptial intercourse. She p purity. She suffers no extremities of heat or fectly when he enters the womb; there is n Arbuda (from stage to stage of development). either man or woman, flee from the face of the All diseased persons are cured by the touch queen Mâya, or, if they cannot secure an opp then a shrub, or a leaf, or a blade of grass her right hand, given or sent to the sick pe the disease. Such are the wonderful circu the gestation and birth of Bôdhisatwa.] The Birth beneath the AT this time, the holy mother Mâya, hav months since her conception of Bôdhisatwɛ approaching. Then the father of the queer my daughter will be short lived, I have thought it right to ask y to permit my daughter Mâya to come back to me and rest in house; and I have prepared for her reception the Lumbini g den, and every proper amusement. Let not the king be d pleased at this request, for immediately the confinement is ov I will send my daughter back to her home with you." Then Suddhôdana Râja, having heard the words of the messe gers of Supra Buddha, immediately issued orders to have all t road between Kapilavastu and Dewadaho [vide “Lalit. Vist.,” 413, M.B., 136] made level, and freed from all weeds, pebble filth, and obstacles of all kinds; and to have the ground swep and sprinkled with scented water, and all kinds of flowers to b scattered along it; and he ordered, moreover, the queen Mâya, t be ornamented with every kind of precious stone, and her perso decorated with the choicest flowers and unguents; and thus ac companied by music, dancing women and guards, and with specia attendants going before to announce her approach, she set fort on her journey. So it was the queen Mâya, mounted on a whit elephant, pursued her way, the Devas having caused a perfectly beautiful gem-adorned covering to appear on the elephant's back for her to sit upon. And so, thus seated, she arrived at last at her father's house in the city of Devadaho; and as she approached, surrounded by the vast retinue of warriors, elephants, horses, and chariots provided by Suddhôdana Râja, then forth from Devadaho came Supra Buddha and all his ministers and nobles to meet and welcome her approach.1 At length, in the second month of spring, on the eighth day, the constellation Kwei being now in conjunction, the king, accompanied by his daughter Mâya, went forth towards the garden Lumbini, anxious to see the beauties of the 1 The text here proceeds to explain that the Lumbini garden was so called after the name of the wife of the chief minister of Supra Buddha. child, and already he words of the messen. d orders to have all the [vide "Lalit. Vist.," p. rom all weeds, pebbles, have the ground swept kinds of flowers to be er, the queen Mâya, to stone, and her person nguents; and thus achards, and with special pproach, she set forth , mounted on a white ng caused a perfectly n the elephant's back she arrived at last at nd as she approached, lephants, horses, and forth from Devadaho d nobles to meet and ond month of spring, eing now in conjuncMâya, went forth tothe beauties of the he Lumbini garden he chief minister of perfectly strait from top to bottom, and i perfect regularity, its leaves variegate peacock's head, soft as Kalinda cloth, t most exquisite odour. Delighted at the s to admire it, and gradually approached tree; then that tree, by the mysterious p down its branches, and, forthwith, the q took hold of one; just as in the air, the tinted rainbow stretching athwart heave of that curving branch of the Palasa tree expanse. Thus, standing on the ground, as we have described, with clasped ha the heavenly women who surrounded th thus: "The queen now brings forth Able to deliver both Devas And men from every kind of Let not the queen be distress We are here to support her! At this time, Bôdhisatwa perceiving his thus with the branch in her hand, then w from his seat and was born. Bodhisatwa being thus delivered from ther, a marvellous light spread around, and and men, Mâra, Brahma, Shamans, and B miraculous light said amongst themselve wonderful portent." [Now this miraculous Buddha's future conquest over the powers of was Bodhisatwa born. Now at the time of Bôdhisatwa's birth, |
