Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)
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The translator’s English as printed (T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
11. [174] ' Now when the wondrous Wheel, Ananda, had gone forth conquering and to conquer over the whole earth to its very ocean boundary, it returned back again to the royal city of Kusavati and remained fixed on the open terrace in front of the entrance to the inner apartments of the Great King of Glory, as
1 Yathabhuttambhunjatha. Buddhaghosa has no comment on this. I suppose it means, ' Observe the rules current among you regarding clean and unclean meate.' If so, the Great King of Glory disregards the teaching of the Amagandha Sutta (translated in my ' Buddhism/ p. 131).
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a glorious adornment to the inner apartments of the Great Kingof Glory.
' Such, Ananda, was the wondrous Wheel which appeared to the Great King of Glory.'
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1 2. ' Now further, Ananda, there appeared to the Great King of Glory the Elephant Treasure J, all white, seven-fold firm 2, wonderful in power, flying through the sky — the Elephant-King, whose name was " The Changes of the Moon 3."
' When he beheld it the Great King of Glory was pleased at heart at the thought : —
' " Auspicious were it to ride upon the Elephant, if only it would submit to be controlled ! "
1 Then, Ananda, the wondrous Elephant — like a fine elephant of noble blood long since well trained — submitted to control.
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' And long ago, Ananda, when the Great King of Glory, to test that wondrous Elephant, had mounted on to it early in the morning, it passed over along the broad earth to its very ocean boundary, and then returned again, in time for the morning meal, to the royal city of Kusavati 4.
' Such, Ananda, was the wondrous Elephant that appeared to the Great King of Glory.
1 3. * Now further, Ananda, there appeared to the Great King of Glory the Horse Treasure \ all white
3 Hatthi-ratana.
2 Satta-ppatittho, that is, perhaps, in regard to its four legs, two tusks, and trunk. The expression is curious, and Buddhaghosa has n.o note upon it. It is quite possible that it merely signifies ' exceeding firm,' the number seven being used without any hard and fast interpretation.
1 Uposatho. In the Lalita Vistara its name is 'Wisdom' (Bodhi). Uposatha is the name for the sacred day of the moon's changes — first, and more especially the full-moon day ; next, the newmoon day ; and lastly, the days equidistant between these two. It was, dierefore, a weekly sacred day, and, as Childers says, may often be well rendered ' Sabbath.'
4 Compare on this and § 29 my • Buddhist Birth Stories/ p. 85, where a similar phrase is used of Kanthaka.
' Assa-ratanam.
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with a crow-black head, and a dark mane, wonderful in power, flying through the sky — the Charger-King, whose name was " Thunder-cloud V
' When he beheld it, the Great King of Glory was pleased at heart at the thought : — v " Auspicious were it to ride upon that Horse if only it would submit to be controlled ! "
[175] ' Then, Ananda, the wondrous Horse — like a fine horse of the best blood long since well trained — submitted to control.
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' When long ago, Ananda, the Great King of Glory, to test that wondrous Horse, mounted on to it early in the morning, it passed over along the broad earth to its very ocean boundary and then returned again, in time for the morning meal, to the royal city of Kusavati.
' Such, Ananda, was the wondrous Horse that appeared to the Great King of Glory.
14. 'Now further, Ananda, there appeared to the Great King of Glory the Gem-Treasure z. That Gem was the Ve/uriya, bright, of the finest species, with eight facets, excellently wrought, clear, transparent, perfect in every way.
' The splendour, Ananda, of that wondrous Gem spread round about a league on every side.
' When, long ago, Ananda, the Great King of Glory, to test that wondrous Gem, set all his fourfold army in array and raised aloft the Gem upon his standard top, he was able to march out in the gloom and darkness of the niVht.
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1 And then too, Ananda, all the dwellers in the villages round about, set about their daily work, thinking : — " The daylight hath appeared."