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When the Buddha had collected enough food for himself, he moved out by the same gate through which he had entered into the city, sat down in the shadow of a mountain named Pandava and began to eat. When he saw the coarse and tasteless food before him, he had from within himsdf a severe reaction as if his entire digestive system revolted. He had never seen such a bad food in his life. To get over this feeling of misery, he argued with his own self in part as follows:
'Harken thou myself! You were born in an affluent home where there was plenty of food. You were served with most delicious dishes prepared from threeyears old fragrant rice. But you came across a poor monk, in rags and you thought, if there would ever be an occasion in your life when you will beg your food like that. It is this though which induced you to renounce your home. Oh my Mind! Why then do you feel miserable now'?
Having argued like that with himself, he ate that abominable food without any reaction.
The king's men who watched him from a distance reported it to the king. Thereon, the king came personally to the Buddha. Being impressed by his simplicity, the king offered him riches; but The Buddha declined the offer saying,
"Oh King! I care neither for 'pleasures nor for riches. I have renounced my home in order to attain the great sambodhi."
The Buddha agreed and departed from that place. In the course of his wanderings, he came to Alār-kālām and
The king tried his utmost to induce the Buddha to accept his offer, but he failed. At last, the king made a humble request:
"Sir! May I beseech you that as soon as you attain the great sambodhi, you will first lay your feet on my kingdom".
