At daybreak on the following morning when Parā Taken arose with the perfected spirit of charity and love, his first thought was as to whom he should deliver from a state of punishment; on looking around him he beheld the Thuthe's son Maddhakundali, who he at once knew was about to become a Sotapan1; then he considered, "Has this dear lad perfect faith and love in me?" and finding that he had, and seeing that he was about to enjoy the happiness of the Nats in the Tāvatinsa region, he took with him the whole of his attendant priesthood and went into the Savatthi country. As soon as he reached the door of the house of the Thuthe Adinnapubbaka, he despatched his sacred appearance to the Thuthe's son,2 who directly he saw him, with his heart full of faith and love, raised his hands and paid him homage. Parā Taken then left, and the boy dying with his heart full of faith and love passed as it were from sleeping to waking, and found himself in a palace thirty yoganas in extent in the midst of the Tavatinsa Nat country.

After burning the body of his son, Adinnapubbaka used to go every day to the tomb weeping bitterly for his loss. When Maddhakundali from his palace in the Nat country saw his father weeping over his tomb, he

deceased and lamentations over his departure are uttered in turn by the different relatives, refreshments are handed round among the guests, and within twenty-four hours of the death the procession is formed, and the body taken to be either buried or burnt.

1 The first state of an Ariya or one who will attain Nibbāna at the close of his present life.

2 Para Taken here and in another of these stories is represented as having the power of sending out one or more appearances of himself.

formed the resolution of going to him, to reason with him, and bringing him to a better frame of mind rescue him from his errors. Accordingly, assuming the appearance he had borne among men he descended to earth, and throwing himself down near the tomb where his father was, began to weep with violence; on this, the Thuthe said, "Young man, why are you weeping?" "I am weeping," he replied, "because I want the sun and the moon to make a pair of wheels for my cart." "Young man," said the Thuthe, "you must be mad : who can make cart-wheels out of the sun and moon!" The son of the Nat rejoined, "You are weeping for a mortal whose transient life has passed away, but I weep for the sun and moon which I continually have before me." The Thuthe on hearing this began to recall to his mind the law of the righteous, and took comfort; then he said, "Are you a Katu Mahārāga Nat,' or are you the Sakka King?" The Nat's son replied, "I was Maddhakundali, the Thuthe's son. Because at the point of death my heart was filled with faith and love towards Parā Taken, I have become a Nat's son and live in the Tavatinsa country in a palace thirty yoganas in extent." When the Thuthe heard this, his heart was filled with joy, and he determined to go that very day and contemplate Para Taken. The Nat's son after bidding the Thuthe go and make an offering in token of homage to Parā Taken and keep steadily the five commandments, returned to the Nat country.

1 A Nat of the first stage of the world of Nats, of which there are six stages.

21. Kill not. 2. Steal not. 3. Commit not adultery. 4. Lie not. 5. Take nothing that intoxicates.

The Thuthe after contemplating with reverence Parā Taken asked him this question, "Can a man without performing any good works at all, by a pure and loving heart alone, obtain the happiness of the Nats?" Para Taken replied, "Why do you ask me this? Your son Maddhakundali told you that because he died with his heart full of love and faith towards me, he was now enjoying the happiness of the Nats."

"When was it," said the Thuthe, "that he told me this?"—"This very day at the tomb," replied Parā Taken.

Once again Para Taken related the story of Maddhakundali, and seeing that the mind of the Thuthe Adinnapubbaka (the boy's father) was still full of error, he commanded that Maddhakundali with his palace should descend to earth. Maddhakundali appeared in his palace, and descending from it made his obeisance to Parā Taken. Para Taken said to him, "Young Nat, by means of what offerings and other good works did you obtain the happiness of the Nats?" The Nat's son replied, "Without performing one good work, but from dying in faith and love to my Lord and master I obtained the happiness of the Nats." Then Para Taken said, "It is the heart of love and faith accompanying good actions which spreads as it were a beneficent shade from the world of men to the world of Nats." This divine utterance was like the stamp of a king's seal upon a royal edict.

When Para Taken had finished his discourse, 84,000 of the congregation were converted. Maddhakundali obtained the reward due to Sotapatti,1 and Adinnapub

One state or condition of an Ariya, of which there are altogether eight.

baka becoming a Sotapan,' and sedulous in the performance of his duties as such, spent large sums of money in the performance of good works.

END OF THE STORY OF MADDHAKUNDALI.

'One who has obtained the state of Sotapatti.

C

CHAPTER III.

THE STORY OF TISSA-THERA.

PARA TAKEN preached the Law as follows, in the Savatthi country, reciting as an illustration of it the story of Tissa-thera :—

Tissa-thera was the son of the younger sister of King Suddhodana, the father of Para Taken. At an advanced age he became a Rahan, and in consequence of living entirely upon the presents which Parā Taken sent him, he became very stout. He used to live in a Zayat' in the middle of a monastery, and wore a thingan2 of many folds. One day some pilgrim priests arrived at the Zayat on their road to contemplate Parā Taken; seeing Tissa-thera they thought he must be a priest of high rank, and coming before him prepared to offer him the respectful salutations due to his superior degree, but the Rahan took no notice of them. The young priests then said to him, "Lord and master, how many Lents have you passed ?" Tissa-thera replied, "I was old when I entered the

1 A building open on all sides or nearly so, employed for the accommodation of travellers, or for the laity to assemble to hear the priests preach.

2 A priest's garment, consisting of different folds of cloth of a bright yellow colour in three separate pieces.