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'None of these four should, by any chance, be allowed to come near the prince. I am not interested in his becoming a Buddha. I wish to see him as overlord of four great isles surrounded by 2000 smaller islands, seated at the head of a vast assembly hall as much as 36 yojanas in circumference, and freely flying through the unobstructed firmament.'
At the order of the king, check-posts were set up all around the city at a gap of three korsas from one another. The guards were asked, on pa in of severe punishement, not to allow anyone of these four inside the city.
On that day, at the place where ceremonies were performed, 80, 000 kins men and relatives declared.
'No matter whether the prince becomes a Buddha or a Cakravarti. we shall offer him one son each. If he becomes a Buddha, he will be surrounded by 80,000 Ksatriya monks; and if he becomes a Cakravarti will be surrounded by 80,000 Ksatriya warriors'.
A Miracle - To take care of the Bodhi-sattva, the king empolyed five very exquisitely beautiful and blemish-free maids. In a vast family, the Bodhi-sattva was growing in grace and majesty. It was the occasion of the farm festival in the city. On this occasion, people decorated the city very beautifully so that it acquired the look of a heavenly vimāna. All the king's valets, slaves, etc., put on new clothes, scented themselves, wore wreaths and a sembled at the palace. The king himself possessed a vast farm which needed a thousand ploughs to cultivate, He had eight hundred less one (799) silver ploughs bedecked with gold and jewels. The horns of the bulls as also their whips and bridles were similarly decked with gold. The king came to the farm in the company of the prince and the entire retinue. In the farm, there was a berry tree which was vast and shady. A bed was spread for the prince beneath the tree, A canopy was hung above it with the help of golden threads, Then it was enclosed on all sides and guards were placed outside the enclosure.
Thereafter, the king, in the company of his ministers, went out to plough. The king held a golden plough, the
