words, "May the paccekabuddhas who live in the north district of Himalaya receive our alms." The flowers went and fell on five hundred paccekabuddhas in the Nandamula cave. On reflection they understood that the king had invited them; so they called seven of their number and said, "Sirs, the king invites you; shew him favour." These paccekabuddhas came through the air and lighted at the king's gate. Seeing them the king saluted them with delight, made them come up into the palace, shewed them great honour and gave them gifts. After the meal he asked them for next day and so on until the fifth day, feeding them for six days: on the seventh day he made ready a gift with all the requisites, arranged beds and chairs inlaid with gold, and set before the seven paccekabuddhas sets of three robes and all other things used by holy men. The king and queen formally offered these things to them after their meal, and stood in respectful salutation. To express their thanks the Elder of the assembly spoke two stanzas:--

Whate'er a man can save from flames that burn his dwelling down,
Not what is left to be consumed, will still remain his own.

The world's on fire, decay and death are there the flame to feed;
Save what you can by charity, a gift is saved indeed.

[472] Thus expressing thanks the Elder admonished the king to be diligent in virtue: then lie flew up in the air, straight through the peaked roof of the palace and lighted in the Nandamula cave: along with him all the requisites that had been given him flew up and lighted in the cave: and the bodies of the king and queen became full of joy. After his departure, the other six also expressed thanks in a stanza each:--

He who gives to righteous men,
Strong in holy energy,
Crosses Yama's flood, and then
Gains a dwelling in the sky.

Like to war is charity:
Hosts may flee before a few:
Give a little piously:
Bliss hereafter is your due.

Prudent givers please the Lord,
Worthily they spend their toil.
Rich the fruit their gifts afford,
Like a seed in fertile soil.

They who never rudely speak,
Wrong to living things abjure:
Men may call them timid, weak:
For 'tis fear that keeps them pure.

Lower duties win for man, reborn on earth, a princely fate,
Middle duties win them heaven, highest win the Purest State.

Charity is blest indeed,
[473] Yet the Law gains higher meed:
Ages old and late attest,
Thus the wise have reached their Rest.

So they also went with the requisites given them.

[474] The seventh paccekabuddha in his thanks praised the eternal nirvana to the king, and admonishing him carefully went to his abode as has been said. The king and queen gave gifts all their lives and passed fully through the path to heaven.