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CHAPTER TWO
on the Master giving it away. At the end of giving gifts for a year the initiation-ceremony was held by the sixtyfour Indras in a fitting manner for the Lord of the World. Anointed, with ornaments and divine garments put on, the Lord got into the palanquin Arthasiddhā for the accomplishment of his desire. The Lord went to the grove Sahasrāmra in the palanquin carried in front by mortals, in the rear by immortals. Then the Blessed One descended, abandoned ornaments, etc., and Väsava placed on his shoulders a devadūşya. In the evening of the twelfth day of the bright half of Māgha, (the moon being) in Abhici, after observing a fast of two days, the Lord tore out his hair in five handfuls. Sakra received the hair in the end of his upper garment, went instantly to throw it in the Ocean of Milk, and returned. Sakra restrained the noise of gods, asuras, and men, and the Master adopted good conduct, reciting the sāmāyika(-sútra).408 The Lord's fourth knowledge, called 'mind-reading,' came into existence. Then there was a moment of comfort even for the hellinhabitants. Abandoning their kingdoms like impurities of the body, one thousand kings took delusion-destroying mendicancy with the Master. After bowing to the Lord, Sakra and the other Indras with their retinues went to their respective abodes, like those abroad in the rainy season,
Fast-breaking (114-118) On the next day in Ayodhyā, the Master broke his fast with rice-pudding in the house of King Indradatta. A rain of treasure, a rain of flowers, a shower of perfumed rain, the sound of the drum in the sky, and a waving of garments were made by the gods. “Oh, the gift! Oh, the gift ! the beautiful gift!” was proclaimed aloud by gods, asuras, and men unrestrained in joy.
Then the Master went elsewhere and in the place of the Master's feet, Indradatta made a jeweled platform,
408 110. See I, n. 329.
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