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N-15
on Uttara D. (pp. 1418 - 1445). He was king of Gāndhăra. The text explains the unusual name 'Naggai' as follows: Every fifth day the king used to go to the mountain to meet his beloved wife Kanakamālā and spend some days in her pleasant company and then return to his capital. Because the king used to go to the mountain at regular intervals, people gave him the name Naggai (... nage aiirāyā/ Tao kālena jamhā nage aii tamhā Naggai esa'tti paitthiyam loena rāno/). The verse indicating the cause or circumstance of the king's enlightenment is given at the end of the story. It runs as follows: Jo cūyarukkham sumanābhirāmam, samamjari pallava pupphacittam/ Riddhim ariddhim samupehiyānam, gamdhärarāyā vi samekkha dhammam// Once the king was going on a campaign. He saw a mango tree in blossom. He plucked one blossom. Following him the soldiers too plucked blossoms and consequently only the trunk of the tree remained. On his way back he enquired of his minister regarding the lovely mango-tree. He showed him that trunk and explained how the mango tree was reduced to its present state. Te king thought to himself : "So long as there is abundance, there is splendour and beauty ! But all prosperity, wealth and abundance are evanescent by nature.' With this thought he became enlightened. "Having seen the charming mango tree with leaves and blossoms (reduced to the miserable state of a trunk) and having reflected on prosperity and loss (of prosperity or calamity) the king of Gandhāra resorted to religion."
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