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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(AUGUST, 1878.
he had set up an altar made of precious materials, where to bathe the statue of Buddha.
Fourteen or fifteen li to the north-east of this place he made also a travelling palace. It was then the second month of the spring season. From the first day he had delicious viands presented to the Sha-men (śramaņa s) and Po-lo-men (Brahmans). On the twenty-first day, from the travelling palace to the great Kia-lan (convent), ho caused tents to be placed on both sides of the road, which shone bright with the richest ornaments. Musicians who stayed there constantly made concerts of harmony in turns. The king sent out from his travelling palace a golden statue, hollow inside and in alto-rilievo, about three feet high. It was carried on a huge elephant covered with a bousing of great value.
Ning Alar. Suaditya), in the character of Tishi (Indra), carried a precious parasol and went on the left of the image. King Kew-mo-lo (Kumâra), in the character of Fan (Brahma), took a white fly-flap in his hand and went on the right. Each of these had for escort body of five hundred elephants covered with armour. Before and behind the image of Buddha were a hundred great elephants. They carried musicians who beat the drum and filled the air with sounds of harmony. King Kiai-ji (Šiladitya) scattered at every step fine pearls, precious stones of every sort, and flowers of goid and silver, in honour of the three precious things. Forthwith he stood on the altar, made of precious materials, and bathed the image with perfumed water. The king took it himself upon his shoulders and carried it to the top of the western tower. Then, to do it honour, he offered tens, hundreds, thousands of vest ments of silk decked with all sorts of precious stones. At that time there were only twenty Śramaņas who followed the statue; the kings of different countries acted as an escort.
When they had done eating, the king re-assem. bled in a conference) the men of different studies (the monks and the Brahmans), who discussed the most abstract expressions and handled the most recondite principles. Towards evening the king returned to his travelling house. Daily the statue was thus conducted and accompanied in great pomp as at first. But when the last day of the assembly had come, all at once the great tower took fire, and the double-storeyed pavilion which rose over the gate of the convent became a prey to the flames. The king then said: "I have spent the wealth of my kingdom in alms. After
the example of our ancient kings I have built this convent, and have desired to distinguish myself by meritorious acts; but my weak virtue has found no support. At the sight of such calamities, and so sad omens, why should I care to live P"
Then he burnt perfumes, addressed humble prayers to Buddha, and pronounced these words :"Thanks to the good deeds of my previous life, I have become king of the five Indies. I desire by the power of my virtue to extinguish this terrible fire. If this vow be without effect, may I die at this instant!"
At these words he threw himself before the gate; the fire was extinguished as if it had been at once smothered, and the smoke disappeared. The kings, witnesses of this marvel, felt redoubled fear and respect; but he, without change of countenance, and in the same tone of voice as before, questioned the kings in these terms:
"This fire suddenly has reduced to ashes the work which I had succeeded in making. What do you think of this event P"
The kings prostrated themselves at his feet, and answered him with tears in their eyes. “We hoped," said they, " that the sacred monument you had finished would last to future ages. Who would have imagined that on the first day it would be reduced to ashes ? Add to this that the Brahmans might rejoice at it in secret, and are congratulating one another."
The king said to them: "By what has happened one may see the truth of Buddha's word. Brahmans and men of other studies obstinately hold that all is eternal. But our great master (the Buddha) has shown us the impermanency (of all). As for me, I have completed my alms and have fulfilled the wish of my heart. In seeing this fire quenched, I recognize anew the truth of the words of Ju-lai. Here has been great happiness, and there is no cause to yield to tears."
Having finished these words, he followed the kings and ascended by the east side to the top of the great Stúpa. Having reached the summit, he looked around, then he descended the steps. But all at once a strange man ran to meet him with a dagger in his hand. The king, closely pressed, retreated some steps and remounted the stair, then descending he seized the man to give him over to the magistrates.
At this moment the magistrates, filled with fear and dismay, did not delay to run to his sid. All the kings demanded that the man should be killed. But king Kiai-ji (SilAditya), without showing in his
1. The Chinese has here Chi-ch'ang-kien, upholding the idea of the eternity (of men and things).' The Dic. tionary San-thsang-fa-su (lib. vii. fol. 7) thus explains this expression : "Chang-kien signifies, for example, that our body is born again after death; since it continues to die
and to be renewed without interruption." In this passage, the king undoubtedly alludes to works made by man, namely, to the tower and pavilion which the fire had destroyed.
