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172
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
IV, 1, 37.
ordinary occurrence, and distinct from the eight usual ones, not reckoned among those eight causes.'
37. Now have you heard, O king, in the history of our faith of any act of devotion being done so as to receive its recompense even in this present life, the fame of which has reached up to the gods ?'
Yes, Lord, I have heard of such. There are seven cases of such actions.'
Who were the people who did those things ?'
Sumana the garland maker, and Eka-sâtaka the brahman, and Punna the hired servant, and Mallika the queen, and the queen known as the mother of Gopala, and Suppiyâ the devoted woman, and Punnâ the slave-girl. It was these seven who did acts of devotion which bare fruit even in this life, and the fame of which reached even to the gods.'
"And have you heard of others, O king, who, even in their human body, mounted up to the blessed abode of the great Thirty-three?' “Yes, I have heard, too, of them.'
And who were they?'
Guttila the musician, and Sadhina the king, and king Nimi, and king Mandhâta-these four. Long ago was it done, this glorious deed and difficult.'
But have you ever heard, O king, of the earth shaking, either now or in the past, and either once or twice or thrice, when a gift had been given ?'
No, Sir, that I have not heard of.'
And I too, O king—though I have received the traditions, and been devoted to study, and to hearing the law, and to learning by heart, and to the acquirements of discipleship, and though I have been ready to learn, and to ask and to answer questions, and to sit at the feet of teachers—I too have never heard
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