Nando; Suklôdana had two sons, Nandaka and Batrika; Am dana had two sons, Aniruddha and Mahânama; the sister of S dhôdana, called Amritachittra, had one son called Tishya.] At this time Mahâprajâpati, the royal prince's foster-mot) spake thus to the King—“As your Majesty commands, my c over the child shall be most constant." Thus she sedulou attended him without intermission, as the sun tends on the m during the first portion of each month, till the moon arrives at fulness. So the child gradually waxed and increased in streng as the shoot of the Nyagrôdha tree gradually increases in si well-planted in the earth, till itself becomes a great tree, thus the child day by day increase, and lacked nothing, as the Gât says "The five kinds of grain, and wealth and jewels, Both made and not made. These things were all self supplied in abundance. Always to abound in most nutritious milk, So that even supposing it were not sufficient (naturally), Thus the King and his empire enjoyed complete peace and pro perity. Neither plague nor famine or other evil came nigh t people, and in every place the love of religion (the Law) increas and flourished as in the old times, when truth and justice we universally prevalent. The Presentation of Gifts. § 2. Now at this time Suddhôdana Râja, at the period when th Asterism Chin (the last of the twenty-eight constellations) wa passing, and the asterism Koh (a and in Virgo) coming on sons, viz., Siddhartha and ndaka and Batrika; Amritôahânama; the sister of Sudne son called Tishya.] royal prince's foster-mother, Majesty commands, my care nt." Thus she sedulously s the sun tends on the moon , till the moon arrives at its d and increased in strength; gradually increases in size, comes a great tree, thus did ked nothing, as the Gâtha made other ornaments similar to the abo them brought them to Suddhôdana Râja "Sadhu! Great Râja! would that your M during seven days and seven nights to the Royal Prince with these costly deco made; and so not cause us to have labo Suddhôdana Râja, on the morning (of the j Kwei (Pushya), accompanied by the cl [Father of the Bikshu Udayi1] and five hu all chanting the strain, "This is indeed a the child to the garden Vimalayûha, from regarded as a sacred place. Within this garden were assembled c people, men and women, young and old, of the infant child. Moreover, as they wen they ordered chariots full of every sort Royal Prince, and the charioteer to cry ou one who wants these things may now b Again they ordered every kind of music before him, whilst countless women, with upon their person, occupied the tops of the the windows and the open vestibules, holdin desirous to behold the Royal Prince, and t his person. Moreover, there were crowds of the road accompanying the procession w: and with brushes to clear the road from i the Sakyas joined round Suddhôdana Râja procession. Then Mahâprajapati, with the in the precious chariot, and proceeded to th 1 Vide "Manual of Buddhism," p. 199. is so frequently spoken of in this work, is th of Turnour (R.A,S.B., 1838, p. 801); but he with Láludayi (i.e., Udáyi, the simpleton) of (Fausböll, "Five Jâtakas," p. 31). brightness was not seen, and they all appeared dark and b even as a drop of ink, utterly lustreless-just as if we were to pare the brightness of the priceless gold, called Jambunada, that of ashes-so all the gems on his person were lost as the g worm's spark in the light of day. Then those men, seeing this wonderful miracle (ardbhûtadhar began to recite the following words: "How strange! how r how strange! how seldom seen!"-whilst all for joy, and many smiles, waved their garments, and clapped their hands delight. Now within this garden there was a certain Guardian S called Vimala, who, on this occasion, mounted into space without being seen began to chant these lays; "Though this great and wide earth With all its cities, towns and hamlets, Were all composed of Jambunada gold; Yet one ray of glory from a pore of Buddha's body, So full of splendour is it, Would eclipse all that gold, and make it appear as a drop of inl In comparison with the fullness of true religious merit The brightness of gems is as nothing. A man possessed of the distinctive signs, The result of superior excellence, Needs not the adornment of precious stones." Having uttered these words, the Spirit immediately caused numerable flowers to descend from space, and rest upon the pers of the child, after which he returned to his own abode. prince was eight years of age, summoned all b officers of state, and addressed them as follow isters! I am now in a state of uncertainty a man, and most deeply versed in the expo Shasters whom I may appoint to instruct the Then the various ministers replied to the K hârâja! know that Visvamitra is the most with all the Shasters, and in every respect t come teacher of the prince, in all and ever erudition." Then Suddhôdana despatched messengers t to him thus-“Will you, oh, learned Sir! the Prince Royal in the various branches of p usual manual accomplishments ?" Then Visvamitra replied-"I am ready to mands." Then the king was glad at heart, a by divination a fortunate day, when a propit in the ascendant, and summoned all the old to perform such ceremonies as were necessary then, surrounded by five hundred of the Sâk less others, male and female, he sent the you of Learning. Then Visvamitra, beholding of the prince's bearing, unable to control h seat, and instantly fell prostrate at the feet o him. Afterwards, rising up, he looked tow quarters, and reddened with shame. Whilst abashed at his conduct, there came from the tain Deva called Suddhavara,1 accompanie Devas, appointed to watch over the young appearing to the sight of any, he chanted thi "Whatever arts there are in the wor Whatever Sûtras and Shasters 1 [Sing-mian. The "Lalit. Vist." gives prince every sort of flower, and returned to his abode. And now Suddhôdana Râja, having bestowed gifts on the I mans and having delivered the young prince into the care o nurses and of Visvamitra, returned to his Palace. 66 Meanwhile, the royal prince first entering on his course of st taking some most excellent slabs of sandal-wood, known as G shachandana1, to use as writing boards, adorned with the cho jewels, and the outside (or, the back) sprinkled with the delicious perfume; taking these, he came and stood before V mitra Acharya, and spake thus: 'My Master! (Acharya). what writing will you instruct me? shall it be in the writin the Brahma Devas (or, of Brahma Deva), or the Kia-lu-sih (Kharôsti) language [this word signifies "the lips of an ass"], ¶ the writing used by Pushkara Rishi [this signifies the L flower"] or the Akara writing [this signifies member-divisions ( Angara ?)], or the Mangala language [this word signifies "luck or the Yava language [this word " yava" has no recognised si fication], or the language called Ni [this signifies the languag the great Tsin country, i.e., China], or the writing called An [this word signifies "fingers"], or the writing known as that of Yananikas [this word signifies chariot riders"], or the writ called Sakava [this word signifies a "cow" or "heifer"], or writing called Pravani [this means "leaf of a tree"], or writing called Parusha [this signifies a bad word"], or the 1 guage of the Davida country (for Dravida ?) [this means "Sov ern India"], or the language of the Pitachas [this word me "to raise a corpse"], or the language of the Dakshinavatas [ means to turn to the right"], or the language of the Tirthi [ means "naked men"], or the language of Uka (for "ugra' [this word signifies "bright" or "solemn" glare], or the Sanl 66 66 1 Ox-head sandal-wood, so called from its colour-a fiery red; is a question worth considering, whether Alexander's horse, Bu phalus, was not so named from its color, and not from its sha as Arrian seems to think. |