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

And the Licchavis of Vesali heard the news that the Exalted One had died at Kusinara. And the Licchavis of Vesali sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying: — 'The Exalted One was a Kshatriya and so are we [165]. We are worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will we put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will we celebrate a feast ! '

And the Sakiyas of Kapila-vatthu heard the news that the Exalted One had died at Kusinara. And the

1 There is something very quaint in the way in which the faithful Mallas are here represented as bringing coals to Newcastle. The 'storehouse of the waters' is in Pali udaka-sala, on which Buddhaghosa has two theories : first, that the Sala trees around shed down a miraculous rain from their trunks and branches and leaves ; and next, that the waters burst up from the earth and became as it were a diadem of crystal round the pyre. On the belief that water thus burst up miraculously through the earth, see ' Buddhist Birth Stories,' pp. 64, 67. If the reading be correct it is scarcely possible that sala can here have anything to do with Sala trees ; but the other interpretation is open to the objections that sala means an open hall rather than a storehouse, and that the belief in a ; storehouse of water ' has not, as yet, been found elsewhere.

p. 1

Sakiyas of Kapila-vatthu sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying :- — ' The Exalted One was the pride of our race. We are worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will we put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will we celebrate a feast ! '

And the Bulis of Allakappa heard the news that the Exalted One had died at Kusinara. And the Bulis of Allakappa sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying : — ' The Exalted One was a Kshatriya and so are we. We are worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will we put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will we celebrate a feast ! '

And the Koliyas of Ramagama heard the news that the Exalted One had died at Kusinara. And the Koliyas of Ramagama sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying: — 'The Exalted One was a Kshatriya and so are we. We are worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will we put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will we celebrate a feast ! '

And the brahmin of Ve///adipa heard the news that the Exalted One had died at Kusinara. And the brahmin of Ve^adipa sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying: — ' The Exalted One was a Kshatriya, and I am a brahmin. I am worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will I put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will I celebrate a feast ! '

And the Mallas of Pava heard the news that the
Exalted One had died at Kusinara.

Then the Mallas of Pava sent a messenger to the Mallas, saying : — ' The Exalted One was a Kshatriya and so are we. We are worthy to receive a portion of the relics of the Exalted One. Over the remains of the Exalted One will we put up a sacred cairn, and in their honour will we celebrate a feast! '

D. ii. t66. THE T.OOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 189

25. When they heard these things the Mallas of Kusinara spoke to the assembled crowds, saying: — [166] ' The Exalted One died in our village domain. We will not give away any part of the remains of the Exalted One ! '

When they had thus spoken, Do/^a the brahmin addressed the assembled crowds, and said : — ■

' Hear, gracious sirs, one single word from me.
Forbearance was our Buddha wont to teach.
Unseemly is it that over the division
Of the remains of him who was the best of beings
Strife should arise, and wounds, and war !
Let us all, sirs, with one accord unite
In friendly harmony to make eight portions.
Wide spread let cairns spring up in every land
That in the Light of the world mankind may trust ! '

' Do thou then, O brahmin, thyself divide the remains of the Exalted One equally into eight parts, with fair division V