Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

( 114 )
SECTION XXIII.
EEST AND EEPOSE (SUKHAVAGGO).
I. In days of old about 300 lis to tlie Soutli of ESjagrilia
there was a village of some 500 or so mountain peasants,
whose hearts were estranged from religion, and beyond
the usual means of conversion, and yet were not indif-
ferent to the hope of final salvation. On this the Worldhonoured
One, transforming himself into the appearance
of a Shaman, went to the village to beg his food, and
having gathered sufficient, he left the village and took
his seat beneath a neighbouring tree. Whilst thus sitting
he entered on a condition of Sam§,dhi called that of Nir-
v§,na, and so continued for seven days, without moving,
and (apparently) without breathing. The m^n of the
village seeing him thus, and believing life to be extinct,
said among themselves,' "This Shaman is evidently dead
we will collect wood for a funeral pyre, and bum his
body." Having done so, they set fire to the wood. After
it had gone out Buddha arose from its embers, and mani-
festing his glorious body in various miraculous ways, he
returned to the shade of the tree where he was before, and
again seated himself in perfect composure. The villagers,
seeing this wonderful occurrence, one and all came near
and paid hitn reverential homage, and said, " We indeed
are but poor mountain people, and did not know that you
were a god, and therefore prepared the pyre to burn your
body on. We confess our fault, and pray forgiveness, and
supplicate that no misfortune may befall us in conse-
quence, whether disease, or famine, or drought." On this
;