95. Q. Which were the most famous of these buildings?

A. Jetavanarama; Veluvanarama; Pubbarama; Nigrodarama and Isipatanarama.

96. A. What kind of people were converted by him and his disciples?

A. People of all ranks, nations and castes; rajas and coolies, rich and poor, mighty and humble, the illiterate and the most learned. His doctrine was suited to all.

97. Q. Give some account of the decease of the Buddha?

A. In the forty-fifth season after his attaining Buddhahood, on the full-moon day of May, knowing that his end was near, he came at evening to Kusinagara, a place about one hundred and twenty miles from Benares. In the sala grove of the Mallas, the Uparvartana

of Kusinagara, between two sala trees, he had his bedding spread with the head towards the north according to the ancient custom. He lay upon it, and with his mind perfectly clear, gave his final instructions to his disciples and bade them farewell.

98. Q. Did he also make new converts in those last hours?

A. Yes, a very important one, a great Brahman pan.dit named Subhadra. He had also preached to the Mallya princes and their followers.

99. Q. At daybreak what happened?

A. He passed into the interior condition of Samadhi and thence into Nirvana.

100. Q. What were his last words to his disciples?

A. "Bhikkhus," he said, "I now impress it upon you, the parts and powers of man must be dissolved. Work out your salvation with diligence."

101. Q. What convincing proof have we that the Buddha, formerly Prince Siddhartha, was a historical personage?

A. His existence is apparently as clearly proved as that of any other character of ancient history.

102. Q. Name some of the proofs?

A. (1) The testimony of those who personally knew him.

(2.) The discovery of places and the remains of buildings mentioned in the narrative of his time.

(3) The rock-inscriptions, pillars and dagobas made in memory of him by sovereigns who were near enough to his time to be able to verify the story of his life.

(4) The unbroken existence of the Sangha which he founded, and their possession of the facts of his life transmitted from generation to generation from the beginning.

(5) The fact that in the very year of his death and at various times subsequently, conventions and councils of the Sangha were held, for the verification of the actual teachings of the Founder, and the handing down of those verified teachings from teacher to pupil, to the present day.

(3) After his cremation his relics were divided among eight kings and a stupa was erected over each portion. The portion given to King Ajatasatru, and by him covered with a stupa at Rajagriha, was taken, less