at the priest's victory over the någa, and making offerings to the relics, accompanied him (hither).

The nágas, who were in the deepest affliction at the removal of the relics, also presenting themselves, full of lamentation, to the théras (at Anuradhapura), wept. The priesthood, out of compassion to them, bestowed on them a trifling relic. They delighted thereat, departing (to the land of nágas), brought back treasures worthy of being presented as offerings.

Sakka, with his host of dévas, repaired to this spot, taking with him a gem-set throne and a golden casket; and arranged that throne in a superb golden hall, constructed by Vissakamma himself, on the spot where the théra was to emerge from the earth. Receiving the casket of relics from the hands of the said théra (as he emerged), and encasing it in the casket (prepared by himself), deposited it on that superb throne. Brahma was in attendance bearing his parasol; Santusita with his "cámara "; Suyama with his jewelled fan; and Sakka with his chank filled with consecrated water. The four great kings (of the Cátummahárájika heavens) stood there with drawn swords; and thirty-three supernaturally-gifted dévas bearing baskets of flowers. There stood thirty-two princesses making offerings of "páricchatta" flowers; and twenty-eight yakkha chiefs, with lighted torches, ranged themselves as a guard of protection, driving away the fierce yakkhas. There stood Pancasikha striking the harp; and Timbaru, with his stage arranged, dancing and singing; innumerable dévas singing melodious strains; and the nága rájá Mahákála rendering every mark of honour. The host of dévatás kept up their celestial music, poured forth their heavenly songs, and caused fragrant showers to descend.

The aforesaid théra Indagutta, in order that he might prevent the interference of Mára (Death), caused a metallic parasol to be produced which covered the whole "cakkavála." In the front of the relics, at five several places, all the priests kept up chants.

The delighted mahárájá Duṭṭha Gámaní repaired thither, and depositing the relics in the golden casket which he had brought in procession on the crown of his head, placed them on the throne; and having made offerings and bowed down in worship to the relics, there stationed himself, with clasped hands uplifted in adoration. Beholding these divine parasols and other paraphernalia, and heavenly fragrant (flowers and incense), and hearing all this celestial music, while at the same time Brahma and the dévas were invisible (to him), the monarch delighted and overcome by the wonders of these miracles dedicated his canopy of dominion to the relics, and invested them with the sovereignty of Lanká; exclaiming in the exuberance of his joy, "Thrice over do I dedicate my kingdom to the redeemer of the world, the divine teacher, the bearer of the triple canopy-the canopy of the heavenly host, the canopy of mortals, and the canopy of eternal emancipation"; and accordingly he dedicated the empire of Lanká three times successively to the relics.

The monarch attended by dévas and men, and bearing on his head the casket containing the relics, making presentations of offerings thereto, and surrounded by the priesthood, marched in procession round the thúpa; and then ascending it on the eastern side, he descended into the relic receptacle. Surrounding this supreme thúpa on all sides, stood ninety-six "kótis" of "arhat" priests with uplifted clasped hands. While the ruler of men, having descended to the relic receptacle, was in the act of deciding, "Let me deposit them on this invaluable splendid altar"; the relics, together with the casket

+ Dele.

"a few relics." * Add "and making offerings of 'páricchatta flowers.' *"bearing lighted torches." 91-87

5" lord."
R*

rising up from his head to the height of seven palmyra trees, remained poised in the air. The casket then opened spontaneously, and the relics disengaging themselves therefrom and assuming the form of Buddha, resplendent with his special attributes, according to the resolve made by the deity of felicitous advent while living, they worked a miracle of two opposite results, similar to the one performed by Buddha at the foot of the gaṇḍamba tree.

On witnessing this miracle, twelve kóṭis of dévas and men, impelled by the ardour of their devotion, attained the sanctification of "arhat." The rest who attained the other three stages of sanctification are innumerable.

These (relics) relinquishing the assumed personification of Buddha, reverted to the casket, and then the casket descended on the head of the rájá. This 'chief of victors (Duttha Gámaní), together with the théra Indagutta and the band of musicians and choristers, entering the relic receptacle, and moving in procession round the pre-eminent throne, deposited it on the golden altar. "Bathing his feet and hands with the fragrant water poured on them, and anointing them with the four aromatic unctions, the ruler of the land, the delight of the people, with the profoundest reverence opened the casket, and taking up the relics made this aspiration: "If it be destined that these relics should permanently repose anywhere, and if it be destined that these relics should remain enshrined (here), providing a refuge of salvation to the people; may they, assuming the form of the divine teacher when seated on the throne on which he attained 'parinibbána,' recline on the superb invaluable altar already prepared here." Having thus prayed, he deposited the relics on the supreme altar; and the relics assuming the desired form reposed themselves on that pre-eminent altar.

Thus the relics were enshrined on the fifteenth day of the bright half of the month "ásálhi," being the full moon, and under the constellation "uttarásálha." From the enshrining of the relics the great earth quaked, and in various ways divers miracles were performed. The devoted monarch dedicated his imperial canopy to the relics, and for seven days invested them with the sovereignty over the whole of Lanká; and while within the receptacle he made an offering of all the regal ornaments he had on his person. The band of musicians and choristers, the ministers of state, the people in attendance, and the dévatás did the same.

The monarch bestowing on the priesthood robes, cane sugar, buffalo butter, and other offerings, kept up throughout the night chants hymned by the priests. Next day this regardful monarch of the welfare of his people caused it to be proclaimed by beat of drums through the capital : "Let all my people during the ensuing seven days worship the relics."

The chief théra Indagutta, pre-eminently gifted with supernatural powers, formed this aspiration: "May the inhabitants of Lanká, who are desirous of worshipping the relics, instantly repairing hither, worship the relics; and in like manner return to their respective homes!" His prayer came to pass accordingly.

This indefatigable great monarch having kept up alms-offerings for seven days, without interruption, to the great body of priests, thus addressed them : "The task assigned to me within the relic receptacle has been accomplished: let the priesthood who are acquainted therewith proceed to close the receptacle." The priesthood allotted the task to the two sámanéras (Uttara and Sumaņa), who closed the relic receptacle with the stone brought by

5" relic receptacle, entered it and deposited the casket."

them. The sanctified ministers of religion moreover formed these aspirations: "May the flowers offered here never perish! May these aromatic drugs never deteriorate! May these lamps never be extinguished! May no injury, from any circumstance whatever, be sustained by these! May these cloudcoloured stones (of the receptacle) for ever continue joined, without showing an interstice!" All this came to pass accordingly.

This regardful sovereign then issued this order: "If the people at large are desirous of enshrining relics, let them do so." And the populace, according to their means, enshrined thousands of relics on the top of the shrine of the principal relics (before the masonry dome was closed).

Inclosing all these, the rájá completed (the dome of) the thúpa at this point (on the crown of the dome) he formed on the cétiya its square capital, (on which the spire was to be based).

Thus (like unto Duṭṭha Gámaní, some) truly pious men, for the purpose of individually earning for themselves the supreme of all rewards (nibbuti), accumulate acts of the purest piety; and again (also like unto Duṭṭha Gámaní, other) men endowed with the purest spirit of piety, born in every grade in society (from the khattiya and the brahma to the lowest class), on account of the spiritual welfare of the human race at large perform (similar acts of pious merit).

The thirty-first chapter in the Mahávansa, entitled "The Enshrining of the Relics," composed equally for the delight and affliction of righteous men.

CHAPTER XXXII.

WHEN the construction of the spire and the plastering of the cétiya alone remained to be completed, the rájá was afflicted with the disease which terminated his existence. Sending for his younger brother Tissa from Digha vápi, he said to him, "Perfect the work still left unfinished at the thúpa." As his brother was in the last stage of weakness (and as he was desirous of exhibiting the cétiya to him in its completed form) this prince caused a case, made of white cloths, to be sewed by seamsters, and enveloped the cétiya therewith. He also employed painters to paint the pannelled basement; and thereupon rows of filled vases, and ornaments radiating like the five fingers (were represented). He employed parasol-frame-weavers to form the frame of a temporary) spire, made of bamboos; and in the same manner with "kharapatta" he formed a (temporary) parapet round the pinnacle, representing thereon the sun and the moon; and having painted the same most beautifully with red stick lac and "kupkuma,” he made this announcement to the king: "The work which was to be performed at the thúpa is completed."

The ruler of the land repaired thither, carried extended on his " siviká "; and causing himself to be borne in the "siviká" round the cétiya, and having bowed down thereto in worship 3near its southern entrance,-extending himself on a carpet spread on the ground,' and turning on his right side, he gazed on this pre-eminent Maháthúpa ; and then turning on his left side, he fixed his eyes on the magnificent Lóhapásáda; and finding himself at the same time encircled by the priesthood, he was filled with joy. The number of priests who congregated on that occasion to inquire after the patient were ninety-six

1 Dele.

2" So do good men, pure in heart, themselves perform, and also cause others to perform, pure actions, which are the means of securing the highest of all blessings as well as of obtaining a multitude of followers of divers kinds."

• Omit.

4 Insert ". near its southern entrance."

"kótis." These ministers of religion, in their separate fraternities, hymned forth their prayers (for the royal patient's spiritual consolation).

The monarch noticing that the théra Théraputtâbhaya was not present on this occasion, thus meditated: "There was a great warrior, who had fought twenty-eight pitched battles by my side, undaunted, and without retreating a step but now that he is a théra, by the name of Théraputtâbhaya, though he sees me struggling with death, and on the eve of being vanquished, does not approach me." The said théra, who was resident at the Pañjali mountain, at the source of the river Karinda, cognizant of his meditation, attended by a retinue of five hundred sanctified disciples, and, by their supernatural power, travelling through the air, descended, and arranged themselves around the monarch.

The rájá, overjoyed at beholding him, and causing him to be seated immediately in front of him, thus addressed him: "In times past, supported by thee, (one of) my ten warriors, I engaged in war: now-single handed I have commenced my conflict with Death. It will not be permitted to me to overcome this mortal antagonist."

The théra replied: “Mahárájá, ruler of men, compose thyself. Without subduing the dominion of the foe, Sin, the power of the foe, Death, is invincible. For by our divine teacher it has been announced, that all that is launched into this transitory world will most assuredly perish; the whole creation, therefore, is perishable. This principle of dissolution (continued Théraputtâbhaya) uninfluenced by the impulses of shame or fear, exerts its power even over Buddha. From hence impress thyself with the conviction, that created things are subject to dissolution, afflicted with griefs, and destitute of immortality. In thy existence immediately preceding the present one (in the character of the sámanéra priest, resident at the Tissâráma vihára) 1imbued with the purest of piety while on the eve of transmigration to the ‘Déraloka' world, relinquishing that heavenly beatitude, and repairing thither, thou didst perform manifold acts of piety in various ways. By thy having reduced this realm under one sovereignty, and restored the glorification of the faith, 'a great service has been rendered. Lord! call to thy recollection the many acts of piety performed from that period to the present day, and consolation will be inevitably derived by thee."

566

The rájá on hearing this exhortation of the théra, received the greatest relief; and thus addressed him: 5 Thou supportest me then even in my struggle with Death." The consoled (monarch) instantly causing to be brought the "puññapotthakan" (register of deeds of piety), commanded his secretary to read (its contents), who accordingly read aloud the said record: "One hundred, minus one, viháras have been constructed by the Mahárájá. The Maricavaṭṭi vihára cost nineteen kótis; the pre-eminent Lóhapásáda was built for thirty kótis; in the construction of Maháthúpa twenty invaluable treasures were expended; the rest of the works at the Maháthúpa, executed by this truly wise personage, cost a thousand kóțis." "O Mah árájá (continued the secretary), during the prevalence in the Koṭṭhaka division of a famine, to such an extent that the inhabitants lived on the young sprouts of trees, and (therefore) called the 'aggakkháyika' famine, two invaluable earornaments were given away, in the fervour of thy devotion, in order that thou

1 "thy ambition to do good was truly great; for when the world of the gods was then even nigh unto thee (and thou couldst have been born therein) thou didst renounce."

mightest become the eminent donor of a mess made of 'kangu seed, which had already commenced to get sown, to five eminent théras, who had overcome the dominion of sin." On (the secretary) proceeding to read "On the defeat at the battle fought at Cúlanganiya, in his flight, the call of refection being set up, disregardful of himself, to a sanctified minister who approached travelling through the air, the repast contained in his golden dish was given,”—the monarch interrupting him (proceeded to narrate his acts after his accession) : "The festivals of seven days at the great (Maricavaṭṭi) vihára; in like manner3 the festival at the (Lóha) pásáda ; as also 3the festival of seven days at the Maháthúpa ; in like manner at the enshrining of the relics, to the priesthood of both sexes, who had come from the four quarters of the globe, a sumptuous alms-offering had been kept up, without the slightest omission, by me in great profusion. I have celebrated the great 'vesákha' festival four and twenty times. I have bestowed, on three separate occasions, on the whole priesthood in the island the three garments (which constitute the sacerdotal robes). On five several occasions I have conferred, with the most gratified feelings, on the national church, the sovereignty over this land, for a term of seven days in each instance. I have constantly celebrated, in offerings to the deity of felicitous advent, in twelve different places, an illumination of seven thousand lamps, lit with clarified butter and white wicks. I have daily maintained at eighteen different places (hospitals) provided with suitable diet, and medicines prepared by medical practitioners for the infirm. I have bestowed at four and forty places rice prepared with sugar and honey; and at the same number of places rice prepared with butter; at the same number of places confectionery dressed in clarified butter; at the same places, ordinary rice, constantly. I have provided monthly 'all the viháras in Lanká with lamp oil, for the eight upósatha' days in each month. Having learnt that the office of expounding the scriptures was an act of greater merit than the bestowal of offerings, I will to-morrow,' I exclaimed, 'in the midst of the priesthood, ascend the pulpit on the ground floor of the Lóhapásáda, and expound the 'mangala' discourse of Buddha to the priesthood'; but when I had taken my place, from reverential deference to the ministers of religion, I found myself incapable of uttering. From that period, I have caused the preaching of religious discourses to be kept up in the viháras in various parts of Lapká, supporting the ministers of religion who were gifted with the power of preaching. I have caused to be provided for each priest endowed with the gift of preaching, clarified butter, sugar, and honey, a 'náli' of each; I have provided a piece of liquorice of the breadth of the four fingers of the hand; I have provided also two cloths for each. But all these offerings having been conferred in the days of my prosperity, do not afford me any mental relief. The two offerings made by me, disregardful of my own fate, when I was 'a pious character afflicted in adversity, are those which alone administer comfort to my mind."

The aforesaid Abhayathéra, hearing this declaration of the rájá, explained from various passages (of the "tepitaka") the causes which led to the monarch being especially comforted by the recollection of those two offerings; (and thus proceeded): "The chief théra Máliyadéva, one of the five priests who had accepted the kangu mess, dividing the same among five hundred of the fraternity resident at the mountain Sumana, himself also partook of it.

kangu and acidulated sauce." Kangu is a sort of millet, panick seed, which, when boiled, makes an excellent meal.