Beautiful in every way as the palace of Mount Kilas, such was the Getavana.  Then the noble friend of the orphans, surrounded by his attendants, who met him on the way, scattering flowers and burning incense, invited the lord to enter the Getavana.  In his hand he carried a golden dragon-pitcher, and bending low upon his knees he poured the flowing water as a sign of the gift of the Getavana Vihara for the use of the priesthood throughout the world.  The lord then received it, with the prayer that “overruling all evil influences it might give the kingdom permanent rest, and that the happiness of Anathapindada might flow out in countless streams.”  Then the king Prasenagit, hearing that the lord had come, with his royal equipage went to the Getavana to worship at the lord’s feet.  Having arrived and taken a seat on one side, with clasped hands he spake to Buddha thus:—­

“O that my unworthy and obscure kingdom should thus suddenly have met such fortune!  For how can misfortunes or frequent calamities possibly affect it, in the presence of so great a man?  And now that I have seen your sacred features, I may perhaps partake of the converting streams of your teaching.  A town although it is composed of many sections, yet both ignoble and holy persons may enter the surpassing stream; and so the wind which fans the perfumed grove causes the scents to unite and form one pleasant breeze; and as the birds which collect on Mount Sumeru are many, and the various shades that blend in shining gold, so an assembly may consist of persons of different capacities:  individually insignificant, but a glorious body.  The desert master by nourishing the Rishi, procured a birth as the three leg, or foot star; worldly profit is fleeting and perishable, religious profit is eternal and inexhaustible; a man though a king is full of trouble, a common man, who is holy, has everlasting rest.”

Buddha knowing the state of the king’s heart—­that he rejoiced in religion as Sakraraga—­considered the two obstacles that weighted him—­viz., too great love of money and of external pleasures, then seizing the opportunity, and knowing the tendencies of his heart, he began, for the king’s sake, to preach:  “Even those who, by evil karma, have been born in low degree, when they see a person of virtuous character, feel reverence for him; how much rather ought an independent king, who by his previous conditions of life has acquired much merit, when he encounters Buddha, to conceive even more reverence.  Nor is it difficult to understand, that a country should enjoy more rest and peace, by the presence of Buddha, than if he were not to dwell therein.  And now, as I briefly declare my law, let the Maharaga listen and weigh my words, and hold fast that which I deliver!  See now the end of my perfected merit, my life is done, there is for me no further body or spirit, but freedom from all ties of kith or kin!  The good or evil deeds we do from first to last follow us as shadows; most exalted then the deeds of the