________________ The Glory that was Vaisali 135 and Huviska found at Vaigali show that the Kusanas also ruled here (1-2 centuries A. D.). VAISALI AND BUDDHA The association of Buddha with Vaisali is yet another interesting chapter in the history of Vaigali. Vasali is mentioned in the Gilgit manuscripts as the scene of many sutras and very interesting light is shed on Licchavi life of tbe 6th Century B. C. According to these manuscripts the Buddha visits Vaigali and there are many stories of Vaisali narrated in them. The first is that of the marriage of Bimbisara with Cellana, who was the daughter of Simba, the Licchavi Senapati. The second story is that of Amrapali, the daughter of Mahanama. She was a courtesan loved by Bimbisara and she bore him a son, named Abhaya. The contact of Amrapali with Buddha has acquired importance in all Buddhist texts. At the age of 80, when Buddha was on his way to Kuginagara where he was to pass into parinirvana, he passed through the pleasant city of Vaisali and took his final leave of that city. An interesting thing happened to enhance the repute of that city. The princes and Rajas of the Licchavi family who had hoped to entertain him before his departure were forestalled by this most elegant courtesan of the capital, Amrapali. For she also, the pride of the town as she is described, had been eager to honour the Buddha before his departure and by presenting her invitation first she had snatched the privilege from the princes. The Buddha then departed from the city with Ananda. And when he paused for a moment to rest on one of the hills nearby, looking over the pleasant scenery with its many sanctuaries, holy tree and shrines (cait yas) he told Apanda-'colourful, rich, resplendent and attractive is India', and 'lovable, charming is the life of men'. चित्रं जंबूद्वीपं मनोरमं जीवितं मनुष्याणां He felt in harmony with life and the universe, having overcome both, in bidding adieu to both, somewhat in the spirit of Nietzsche ("one should leave life as Ulysses left Nausikaa; rather blessing than enamoured"). The third story revealed by the Gilgit manuscripts is that of Jivaka. Incidentally information is cast on Buddha desigoing a special dress Civara for the Buddhist monks when Bimbisara mistook an Ajivaka for a Buddhist Bhiksu. Buddha admonishing the Buddhist monks to keep their articles clean, his directions regarding seats, bedcovers, bandages for the wounded, segregation of leprous monks, what should be done if the property of the Sangha is misappropriated by a monk, are some of the matters also referred to in those manuscripts,
