Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

' Four and eighty thousand state horses, with trappings of gold, and gilded flags, and golden coverings of network, — of which " Thunder-cloud," the king of horses, was the chief:

' Four and eighty thousand chariots, with coverings of the skins of lions, and of tigers, and of panthers, —

1 These are the four Appamanflas or infinite feelings, also called (e.g. below, § 13) the four Brahma-viharas or Sublime Conditions. They are here very appropriately represented to follow immediately after the state of feeling described in the Raptures ; but they ought to be the constant companions of a good Buddhist.

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of which the chariot called " the Flag of Victory " was the chief:

' Four and eighty thousand gems, of which the
Wondrous Gem was the chief:

' Four and eighty thousand wives, of whom Subhadda, the Queen of Glory1, was the chief: [188]

' Four and eighty thousand yeomen, of whom the
Wonderful Steward was the chief :

' Four and eighty thousand nobles, of whom the
Wonderful Adviser was the chief:

1 Four and eighty thousand cows, with jute trappings, and horns tipped with bronze :

1 Four and eighty thousand myriads of garments, of delicate textures, of flax, and cotton, and silk, and wool :

1 Four and eighty thousand dishes, in which, in the evening and in the morning rice was served V

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6. ' Now at that time, Ananda, the four and eighty thousand state elephants used to come every evening and every morning to be of service to the Great King of Glory.

1 And this thought occurred to the Great King of
Glory : —

1 These eighty-four thousand elephants come every evening and every morning to be of service to me. Suppose, now, I were to let the elephants come in alternate forty-two thousands, once each, every alternate hundred years ! "

1 Then, Ananda, the Great King of Glory said to the
Great Adviser : —

' " O, my friend, the Great Adviser ! these eightyfour thousand elephants come every evening and every morning to be of service to me. Now, let the elephants

1 Subhadda Devi. Subhadda, 'glorious, magnificent/ is a not uncommon name both for men and women in Buddhist and post- Buddhistic Hindu literature.

2 Most of the trappings and cloths here mentioned are the same as
those referred to in the Moralities translated above, Vol. I, pp. n, 12.
The whole paragraph is four times repeated below.

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come, O my friend, the Great Adviser, in alternate fortytwo thousands, [189] once each, every alternate hundred years !

' " Even so, lord ! " said the Wonderful Adviser, in assent, to the Great King of Glory.

' From that time forth, Ananda, the elephants came in alternate forty-two thousands, once each, every alternate hundred years.'

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7. ' Now, Ananda, after the lapse of many years, of many hundred years, of many thousand years, there occurred to the Queen of Glory this thought : —

' " 'Tis long since I have beheld the Great King of Glory. Suppose, now, I were to go and visit the Great King of Glory."

' Then, Ananda, the Queen of Glory said to the women of. the harem : —

' " Arise now, dress your hair, and clothe yourselves in fresh raiment. 'Tis long since we have beheld the Great King of Glory. Let us go and visit the Great King of Glory ! "

' " Even so, lady ! " said the women of the harem, Ananda, in assent, to the Queen of Glory. And they dressed their hair, and clad themselves in fresh raiment, and came near to the Queen of Glory.

' Then, Ananda, the Queen of Glory said to the
Great Adviser : —

' " Arrange, O Great Adviser, the fourfold army in array. 'Tis long since I have beheld the Great King of Glory. I am about to go to visit the Great King of Glory."

' " Even so, O Oueen ! " said the Great Adviser, Ananda, in assent, to the Queen of Glory. And he set the fourfold army in array, and had the fact announced to the Queen of Glory in the words : —

' " The fourfold army, O Queen, is set for thee in array. Do now whatever seemeth to thee fit."

8. [190] ' Then, Ananda, the Queen of Glory, with the fourfold army, repaired, with the women of the harem, to the Palace of Righteousness. And when shep. 223 had arrived there she mounted up into the Palace of Righteousness, and went on to the chamber of the Great Complex. And when she had reached it, she stopped and leant against the side of the door.

' When, Ananda, the Great King of Glory heard the noise he thought : —

1 " What, now, may this noise, as of a great multitude of people, mean ? "