Lives of Alcyone

more deeply at the fount of His wisdom, and partaking in the private
teaching which He gave only to His monks. He formed a close but
reverential friendship for an older monk named Dharmajyoti, who
was very kind to him, and helped him much along the road to perfect
peace. This monk Dharmjyoti is known to us as Uranus; he was later
Aryasanga, and is now the Master Djwal-kul. The name selected by
Alcyone upon assuming the yellow robe was Maitribaladasa, which
means “ the servant of the power of kindness” ; and the Lord said
to him: “ You have chosen well; that name is prophetic.”
For Maitreya is the name of the Bodhisattva who succeeded
the Lord Buddha in His office—the Christ who is to come; so the
name may also be rendered “ the servant of the power of
Maitrey” . Followinng thus in the train of the Lord Buddha. Alcyone
naturally bore part in many interesting and historical scenes; for
example, he was present when, in the year 580, Chatta Manavaka
(Selene) was called up by the Lord and taught the beautiful verses
immortalised for us in the sacred books. Whenever the great
Master’ s travels took Him to Rajgriha, Mizar invariably came to
welcome Alcyone, and the affection between the cousins grew ever
stronger as the years rolled on. Alcyone died in 559 at the age of
seventy one, sixteen years before the death of the Lord Buddha in
543. The latter part of his life was passed in unalloyed peace and
happiness.
A year after Alcyone’ s death came the great King Mars to
hear the preaching of the Lord. With him he brought his son
Herakles, who listened to the Lord and followed Him thenceforth,
and after His death became one of His great missionaries, carrying
His Law into Burma and the East. Herakles in his turn had many