Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

140 DHAMMAPADA.
with their adherents beneath, and the King and his court
between the two. The day having come, Kl^yapa and his
followers arrived first, and having ascended his throne, lo
an evil spirit, knowing the envy that burned in the heart
of the Brahman, caused a sudden storm to arise, which
blew down the seat which he occupied, and filled the
whole arena with dust and flying sand. But now Buddha
arrived, and having taken his place, the King came forward
and entreated him by his power to convert the
people to his doctrine, and confute the heretical views of
his opponent. On this the Lord ascended into the air,
and exhibited his glory in causing fire and water to pro-
ceed from his body ; and after various miraculous changes
in his appearance, he returned once more to his seat. Then
the Mgas and spirits of the air caused flowers and plear
sant perfumes to fall, whilst melodious chants were heard
in the sky, and the earth and heavens were shaken. Then
PurS,na KS,^yapa, knowing that he had no real claim to the
character of a supreme teacher, hung down his head in
shame, and dared not lift up his eyes. On this a diamond-
Litchavi (hero of Vai^Slt), raising his mace, from the head
of which proceeded sparks of fire, over K^^yapa, asked
him why he did not also display such wonderful changes
as those just witnessed ? Whereupon K§,lyapa and his
followers fled in every direction, and Buddha and his dis-
ciples returned to the Jetavana Yih§,ra, in ^r^vastl After
this KS,Syapa, having met an old female disciple, who ridi-
culed him for attempting to dispute with Buddha, he came
to the banks of the river, and told his disciples that he
was now going to ascend to the heaven of Brahm4, and if
after casting himself into the river he did not return, that
they might know he had ascended to that heaven. Ac-
cordingly he threw himself in, and not returning, his dis-
ciples concluded hei had gone to heaven ; and they also,
desiring to join him there, threw themselves one by one
into the river, and were lost— going to hell. Then Buddha
explained that the two great crimes of K&^yapa which led
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