"Three of his most famous disciples--Sariputra, Katyayana, and Maudgalyayana joined him during his stay in Magadha, where he enjoyed for many years the friendship of the king. The king was afterwards assassinated by his son Ajatasatru, and then we hear of Buddha as settled for a time at Sravasti, north of the Ganges. Most of Buddha's lectures were delivered at Sravasti, the capital of Kosala, and the King of Kosala himself, Prasenagit, became a convert to his doctrine. After an absence of twelve years, we are told that Buddha visited his father at Kapilavastu, on which occasion he performed several miracles, and converted all the Sakyas to his faith. His own wife became one of his followers, and, with his aunt, offer the first instance of female Buddhist devotees in India.

"We have fuller particulars again of the last days of Buddha's life. He had attained the good age of threescore years and ten, and had been on a visit to Rajagriha, where the king, Ajatasatru, the former enemy of Buddha and the assassin of his own father, had joined the congregation, after making a public confession of his crimes. On his return he was followed by a large number of disciples, and when on the point of crossing the Ganges, he stood on a square stone, and, turning his eyes back towards Rajagriha, he said, full of emotion, 'This is the last time that I shall see that city.' He likewise visited

[paragraph continues] Vaisali, and, after taking leave . of it, he had nearly reached the city of Kusinagara, when his vital strength began to fail. He halted in a forest, and, while sitting under a Sal tree, he gave up the ghost, or, as a Buddhist would say, entered into Nirvana."

The following verses by Dr. Muir [**] are a translation of part of the "Lalita-Vistara," from which the quotations given above were made:--

"On Himalaya's lonely steep
There lived of old an holy sage,
Of shrivelled form, and bent with age,
Inured to meditation deep.

"He--when great Buddha had been born,
The glory of the Sakya race,
Endowed with every holy grace,
To save the suffering world forlorn--

"Beheld strange portents, signs which taught
The wise that that auspicious time
Had witnessed some event sublime,
With universal blessing fraught.

"The sky with joyful gods was thronged:
He heard their voice with glad acclaim
Resounding loudly Buddha's name,
While echoes clear their shouts prolonged.

"The cause exploring, far and wide
The sage's vision ranged; with awe,
Within a cradle laid, he saw
Far off the babe, the Sakyas' pride.

"With longing seized this child to view
At hand, and clasp, and homage pay,
Athwart the sky he took his way
By magic art, and swan-like flew;