him a seat just on the river bank. On the seat prepared for the Buddha, he sat, like the sun fresh risen pouring forth his rays. Then the Brethren asked him when it was that Elder Bhaddaji had lived in that palace. The Master answered, "In the days of king Great Panada," and went on to tell them an old-world tale.

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Once upon a time, a certain Suruci was king of Mithila, which is a town in the kingdom of Videha. He had a son, named Suruci likewise, and he again had a son, the Great Panada. They obtained possession of that mansion. They obtained it by a deed done in a former existence. A father and son made a hut of leaves with canes and branches of the fig-tree, as a dwelling for a Paccekabuddha.

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The rest of the story will be told in the Suruci Birth, Book XIV.

[334] The Master, having finished telling this story, in his perfect wisdom uttered these stanzas here following:--

"'Twas king Panada who this palace had,
A thousand bowshots high, in breadth sixteen.
A thousand bowshots high, in banners clad;
An hundred storeys, all of emerald green.

"Six thousand men of music to and fro
In seven companies did dance withal:
As Bhaddaji has said, 'twas even so:
I, Sakka, was your slave, at beck and call."

[335] At that moment the unconverted people became resolved of their doubt.

When the Master had ended this discourse, he identified the Birth:--"Bhaddaji was the Great Panada, and I was Sakka."

Footnotes

^229:1 Cp. Divyavadana, <page 57>.

^230:1 For an explanation of this phrase, annam vyakaroti, see Mahavagga r. v. 19 with the translators' note (S. B. E., Vinaya Texts ii. p. 10).

^231:1 No. 489.

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