________________
101
Tathagata. The mansion was in every way worthy of the Bodhisattva. It was a handsome palace, four-sided, fourcornered, with a pavilion on its top, of the height worthy of an infant six mouths old, (Sanmásajáta-dárakah.jo In the middle of the pavilion there was a bedstead fit for an infaut six months old. (Sanmásajáła-dáraka bhitti-phalakah). The house was so painted that the equal of it could not be found in the regions of the Devas, of the Máras, or of the Brahmiás. The Devas were struck with wonder at the sight of its shape and colour. Their eyes were quite dazzled. Brought to the side of the Tathagata, it looked exceedingly lustrous, radiant and effulgent. Glowing like a thing made by a skilful goldsmith, and devoid of every defect, the pavilion verily appeared at that time most splendid. Therein appeared the bedstead of Bodhisattva enjoyment, the like of which in make and colour nowhere in the regions of the Devas was to be seen, except in the three dimpled lines on the neck of the Bodhisattva. The cloth in which the Malálrahma (the great Brahmá), was arrayed appeared dim in the presence of the Bodhisattva's bedstead-it seemed very like a weather-beaten black blanket, (Táta-vrishtyávihatah krishna-kambalah).
CHAPTER VI.
Within the first pavilion there was another jewelled pavilion made of Uragasára sandal-wood, which was worth as much gold as would equal in bulk a thousand earths;--it was with such wood that the whole of the pavilion was veneered-snch was the second pavon. It stood firm but detached. Within it there was a third pavilion of the same kind. In that third pavilion, redolent with exquisite aroma, was the bedstead placed and arranged. Of that Uragasára sandal-wood the colour was like that of lapislazuli. The 'redolent pavilion again was covered on the outside with exquisite flowers, which sccuned as if the merit of the Bodhisattva's former good acts had been smeared on it.
Again that jewelled palace of Bodhisattva enjoyment, though hard and unbreakable as adamant, was nevertheless as soft to the touch as the down on the pod of the Abrus precatorius.15
