(15) I take the name Sama from Beal’s revised version.  He says in a note that the Sama Jataka, as well as the Vessantara, is represented in the Sanchi sculptures.  But what the Sama Jataka was I do not yet know.  But adopting this name, the two Chinese characters in the text should be translated “the change into Sama.”  Remusat gives for them, “la transformation en eclair;” Beal, in his first version, “his appearance as a bright flash of light;” Giles, “as a flash of lightning.”  Julien’s Methode does not give the phonetic value in Sanskrit of {.}.

(16) In an analysis of the number of times and the different forms in which Sakyamuni had appeared in his Jataka births, given by Hardy (M.  B., p. 100), it is said that he had appeared six times as an elephant; ten times as a deer; and four times as a horse.

(17) Chaitya is a general term designating all places and objects of religious worship which have a reference to ancient Buddhas, and including therefore Stupas and temples as well as sacred relics, pictures, statues, &c.  It is defined as “a fane,” “a place for worship and presenting offerings.”  Eitel, p. 141.  The hill referred to is the sacred hill of Mihintale, about eight miles due east of the Bo tree;—­Davids’ Buddhism, pp. 230, 231.

   (18) Eitel says (p. 31):  “A famous ascetic, the founder of a school,
   which flourished in Ceylon, A.D. 400.”  But Fa-hien gives no intimation
   of Dharma-gupta’s founding a school.

CHAPTER XXXIX

CREMATION OF AN ARHAT.  SERMON OF A DEVOTEE.

South of the city seven le there is a vihara, called the Maha-vihara, where 3000 monks reside.  There had been among them a Sramana, of such lofty virtue, and so holy and pure in his observance of the disciplinary rules, that the people all surmised that he was an Arhat.  When he drew near his end, the king came to examine into the point; and having assembled the monks according to rule, asked whether the bhikshu had attained to the full degree of Wisdom.(1) They answered in the affirmative, saying that he was an Arhat.  The king accordingly, when he died, buried him after the fashion of an Arhat, as the regular rules prescribed.  Four of five le east from the vihara there was reared a great pile of firewood, which might be more than thirty cubits square, and the same in height.  Near the top were laid sandal, aloe, and other kinds of fragrant wood.

On the four sides (of the pile) they made steps by which to ascend it.  With clean white hair-cloth, almost like silk, they wrapped (the body) round and round.(2) They made a large carriage-frame, in form like our funeral car, but without the dragons and fishes.(3)