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

' " The nature of all things near and dear to us, O King, is such that we must leave them, divide ourselves from them, separate ourselves from them. Pass not away, O King, with longing in thy heart. Sad is the death of him who longs, unworthy is the death of him who longs. Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand cities, the chief of which is the royal city of Kusavati. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand palaces, the chief of which is the Palace of Righteousness. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand chambers, the chief of which is the chamber of the

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Great Complex. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand divans, of gold, and silver, and ivory, and sandalwood, spread with long-haired rugs, and cloths embroidered with flowers, and magnificent antelope skins, covered with lofty canopies, and provided at both ends with purple cushions. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand state elephants, with trappings of gold, and gilded flags, and golden coverings of network, — of which the king of elephants, called 'the Changes of the Moon,' is the chief. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand state horses, with trappings of gold, and gilded flags, and golden coverings of network, — [195] of which 'Thunder-cloud,' the king of horses, is the chief. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand chariots, with coverings of the skins of lions, and of tigers, and of panthers, — of which the chariot called ' the Flag of Victory ' is the chief. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand gems, of which the Wondrous Gem is the chief. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand wives, of whom the Queen of Glory is the chief. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand
yeomen, of whom the Wonderful Steward is the chief.
Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand
nobles, of whom the Wonderful Adviser is the chief.
Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

' " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand
cows, with jute trappings, and horns tipped with bronze.
Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

■ " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousandp. 229 myriads of garments, of delicate textures, of flax, and cotton, and silk, and wool. Cast away desire for these, long not after life.

1 " Thine, O King, are these four and eighty thousand dishes, in which, in the evening and in the morning, rice is served. Cast away desire for these, long not after life." '

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13. 'Then immediately, Ananda, the Great King of Glory died. Just, Ananda, as when a yeoman has eaten a hearty meal he becomes all drowsy, just so were the feelings he experienced, Ananda, as death came upon the Great King of Glory.

[196] ' When the Great King of Glory, Ananda, had died, he came to life again in the happy world of Brahma.

' For eight and forty thousand years, Ananda, the Great King of Glory lived the happy life of a prince, for eight and forty thousand years he was viceroy and heir-apparent, for eight and forty thousand years he ruled the kingdom, and for eight and forty thousand years he lived, as a layman, the noble life in the Palace of Righteousness. And then, when full of noble thoughts he died, he entered, after the dissolution of the body, the world of Brahma V

14. ' Now it may be, Ananda, that you may think " The Great King of Glory of that time was another person." But, Ananda, you should not view the matter thus. I at that time was the Great King of Glory.

' Mine at that time were the four and eighty thousand cities, of which the chief was the royal city of Kusavati.

' Mine were the four and eighty thousand palaces, of which the chief was the Palace of Righteousness.