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

34. And when he had thus spoken, Pukkusa, the young Mallian, addressed the Blessed One in these words : — ' Now I, lord, as to the faith that I had in A/ara Kalama, that I winnow away as in a mighty wind, and wash it away as in a swiftly running stream. Most excellent, lord, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent ! Just as if a man were to set up that which is thrown down, or were to reveal that which is hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness, so that those who have eyes can see external forms — just even so, lord, has the truth been made known to me, in many a figure, by the Exalted One. [133] And I, even I, betake myself, lord, to the Exalted One as my refuge, to the Truth, and to the Brotherhood. May the Exalted One accept me as a disciple, as a true believer, from this day forth, as long as life endures ! : '

35. Now Pukkusa, the young Mallian, addressed a certain man and said : — ' Fetch me, I pray you, my good man, a pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear/

' So be it, sir ! ' said that man, in assent, to Pukkusa, the young Mallian ; and he brought a pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear.

1 This is a stock phrase constituting the final answer of a hitherto unconverted man at the end of one of those argumentative dialogues bv which Gotama overcame opposition or expounded the truth. After a discussion of exalted themes it fits in very appropriately ; here and elsewhere it is incongruous and strained. See below, V, 50.

D. ii. T.13- THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 1 45

And the Mallian Pukkusa presented the pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear, to the Exalted One, saying : — ' Lord, this pair of robes of burnished cloth of gold is ready for wear. May the Exalted One show me favour and accept it at my hands ! '

1 In that case, Pukkusa, robe me in one, and Ananda in one.'

' Even so, lord ! ' said Pukkusa, in assent, to the Exalted One ; and in one he robed the Exalted One, and in one, Ananda.

-;6. Then the Exalted One instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened Pukkusa, the young Mallian, with religious discourse. And Pukkusa, the young Mallian, when he had been instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened by the Exalted One with religious discourse, arose from his seat, and bowed down before the Exalted One ; and keeping him on his right hand as he passed him, departed thence.

37. Now not long after the Mallian Pukkusa had gone, the venerable Ananda placed that pair of robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear, on the body of the Exalted One ; and when it was so placed on the body of the Exalted One it appeared to have lost its splendour a !

And the venerable Ananda said to the Exalted One: — ' How wonderful a thing is it, lord, and how marvellous, that the colour of the skin of the Exalted One should

1 To understand what is here represented to have happened one must understand the mode in which the Buddhist Wanderers wore their robes. There was no tailoring at all. The set of three robes was simply three lengths of cotton cloth about a yard wide. One piece, folded in half, was wrapped round the body. Another piece covered the limbs from the waist to the ankles. It was supported by a girdle and went three or four times round. The third piece was put on over this last, went twice round the legs, and then the rest of it was thrown over the left shoulder, and passed under the right arm across the body. See below, ch. V, § 19.

Pukkusa had placed the two lengths of cloth, shawl-wise, over the shoulders of the recipients. When he left them Ananda assisted the Buddha to put them on as Nos. 1 and 3 of a set of robes.

III. Lp. 133 be so clear, so exceeding bright ! For when I placed even this pair of robes of burnished cloth of gold and ready for wear on the body [134] of the Exalted One, lo ! it seemed as if it had lost its splendour ! '

' It is even so, Ananda. There are two occasions, Ananda, on which the colour of the skin of a Tathagata becomes clear and exceeding bright. What are the two ?

A