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VIMALANĀTHACARITRA
97
day of the bright half of Māgha (the moon being) in his birth-constellation, observing a two-day fast, the Lord became a mendicant together with a thousand kings.
On the next day, Lord Vimala broke his fast with ricepudding in the house of King Jaya in the city Dhānyakața. The gods made the five divine things—rain of treasure, et cetera, and King Jaya made a jeweled platform where the Master had stood. Then the Supreme Lord set out from that place to wander elsewhere in mines, cities, et cetera, as an ordinary ascetic.
Narrative of Bhadra, Svayambhū, and Meraka (69–173)
Previous birth of Bhadra (69-73) Now in this Jambūdvīpa in the East Videhas in the city Anandakarī, there was a king, Nandisumitra. Though possessing eyes, he was endowed with sight by discernment; though possessing a large army, he always had a sword as companion. Disgusted with existence from birth, knowing that everything is transient, he supported the ancestral kingdom to preserve the succession.
One day, he abandoned the kingdom already abandoned in mind and became a mendicant under Acārya Suyrata. Observing many private vows, practicing penance hard to perform, he fasted, died, and became a god in Anuttara.
Previous birth of Svayambhū (74–84) In this same Jambūdvīpa in the city Śrāvasti, the ornament of Bharata, there was a king Dhanamitra. A king, named Bali, who had come as a guest because of friendship with King Dhanamitra, lived in the same city. One day King Dhanamitra, the strength of his intellect undiminished, played akşadyūta with Bali with gama and cara.139 They engaged in killing and checking each other's · 188 76. Two moves in some game played with dice and men, prob. ably similar to backgammon. See JAOS 66, pp. 260–262.
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