The Treasurer having strong belief in the triple Gems and Mara the Wicked
"ááááŹááśáŻá¸ááŤá¸áĄáąáá ááśáŻážááášáááśáŤááášááášáąáᏠáá°ážááźáášáá˝áášáˇ ááŻáášááŹáąáᏠááŹáášáááš"
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life in the family of the Lord High Treasurer of Benares, and was brought up in the lap of all luxury like a royal prince. By the time he was come to years of discretion, being barely sixteen years old, he had made himself perfect in all accomplishments. At his father's death he filled the office of Lord High Treasurer, and built six almonries, one at each of the four gates of the city, one in the centre of the city, and one at the gate of his own mansion.
áąáá˝á¸áĄááŤá ááŹááŹáááŽáťááášááźááš áťáááźááášááášá¸ážááŽá¸ á ááŻá¸á áśá áĽáš ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš ááŹááŹáááŽáá°áąáá¸ááşááłá¸ááźáášá áąááźá¸ááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ ááášá¸ááźáášá¸áá˝ ááášá¸ááŽááášá¸ááŹá¸áá ášááŤá¸áá˛áˇáááŻá áááášááşááş ážááŽá¸áťááášá¸ááŹáá˛áˇáá ááášáˇáąáťááŹáášáá˝á ášáĄááźáášáá˝áŹáááš áĄáááĄááááźáŹáá˝áášáˇ áťááášáˇá áśáŻáťááŽá¸ áĄááášááášáá˝ áá°á¸áá˝áźáášáá˛áˇááášá ááááš ááźáášááźáášáąááŹáĄá፠áá°áąáá¸áĄáááŻáášáĄááŹááᯠááśáá°áá˛áˇáťááŽá¸á áťáááłááĄááášá ááśááŤá¸áąáá¸áąááŤáášááźááš áááášáá ášááŻá áŽáá˝áášáˇ áťáááłááĄááášááźáášáá ášááŻá áá°áááŻáášá áśáĄááášááźáášáá ášáᯠá áŻáąááŤáášá¸ áááášáąáťááŹáášáᯠáąááŹáášááŻáášáąáááášá
Very bountiful was he , and he kept the commandments, and observed the fest-day duties.
Now one day at breakfast-time when dainty fare of exquisite taste and variety was being brought in for the Bodhisatta, a Pacceka Buddha passed through the air and arrived at the gate of the mansion just as the Bodhisatta's breakfast was taken in.
áááášáąáťááŹáášááŻá áĄááźááš ááášááášáąááŹáąáᏠáĄáá˝á´ážááŽá¸áąáá¸áťááŽá¸ ááŽááąááŹáášááášááášá áĽááŻáášááŽááášá¸áąá áŹáášáˇááśáŻá¸ááášá áá ášáąáá ááśááášá Ꮰá áŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ááášáˇáĄááşááášá ááášááŹáąáťááŹáášáťááŽá¸ áąááŹáášá¸ááźáášáąáᏠáĄá áŹá¸áĄáąááŹáášáĄá áśáŻáĄááášááᯠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áĄááźááš áá°áąááŹáášááŹá áĽáš ááąá áĽáááŻááśáá ášááŤá¸ áąááŹáášá¸ááášáá˝ ážááźááŹáťááŽá¸ ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áĄááźááš ááśááášá áŹáá°áąááŹáášááŹáᏠáĄááášááśááŤá¸áá ááźáášá¸ááášááŹááášá
As soon as the Bodhisatta became aware of his presence there, he rose at once from his seat and looked at the attendant, indicating that a service was required.
"What am I to do, my lord?''
"Bring his reverence's bowl," said the Bodhisatta.
At that very instant Mara the Wicked rose up in a state of great excitement, saying, "It is seven days since the Pacceka Buddha had given food up; if he gets none today, he will perish. I will destroy him and stop the Treasurer too from giving."
ááąá
áĽáááŻááś ážááźáąááŹáášáąáááášááᯠáááá˝ááąáᏠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áąáááŹáá˝ ááşáášááşáášá¸ááťááŽá¸ áąáááşáŹáá
áĽáąááŹáášááźáášáąáá¸áááš áĄáááášáĄáąááŹáášáťááᏠáĄáąáá˝áźááśáá
ášáąááŹáášááᯠážááášáˇáááŻáášáá
"áá˝áźáášáąááŹášááşááłá¸ ááŹááşáŹá¸ áąááŹáášááźáášáąáá¸áááᲠáĄáá˝ááš"á
áĄáá˝áášáťááášá ááááášááᯠáá°ááŹáá˛áˇááŤ" áᯠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á áąá
áááŻáášá¸áááŻáášááášá
áááŻáĄáááŻáášááźááš ááŻáášááŹáąáᏠááŹáášááášáááš áĄááźááš áááášáááášáťááŹáťááŹáá˝áášáˇ áááŹáťááŽá¸ "ááŽáąáááᏠááąá
áĽáááŻááś áĄá
áŹá¸áá
áŹá¸áá˛áąááᏠááŻáá˝á
ášááášáťááášáˇáá˛áˇáąáááá˛á ááŽáąáááá˝ áá
áŹá¸ááááš áááááááşáŹáášáťááłáááášá áá°ááááŻááášá¸ ááşáášá
áŽá¸áąáĄáŹáášááŻáášááášá áá°áąáá¸áá˛á áĄáá˝á´ááźá˛áááŻááášá¸ ááášááášááąáĄáŹáášááŻáášáááš" áᯠážááśáłá¸ááŤá¸áá
And that very instant he went and created a pit of red-hot embers, eighty cubits deep, filled with all ablaze and aflame like the great hell of Avici among the mansion and Pacceka. When he had created this pit, Mara himself took his stand in mid-air. When the man who was on his way to fetch the bowl became aware of this, he was terrified and started back.
" What makes you start back, my man" asked the Bodhisatta.
"My lord," was the answer, "there's a great pit of red-hot embers blazing and flaming in the middle of the house."
And as man after man got to the spot, they all were panic-stricken, and ran away as fast as their legs would carry them.
áá°áááš ááşáášááşáášá¸ ááźáášááźáŹá¸áᏠá
áśáĄááášáá˝áášáˇ ááąá
áĽáááŻááśáĄážááŹá¸ááźááš áá˛áá˛áąááŹááš áá°áťááášá¸áťááŽá¸ áĄááŽá
áááá˛ážááŽá¸áá˛áááŻá ááŽáąááŹááš ááŽá¸áá˝áşáśááşáŹá¸áá˝áášáˇ áťááášáˇáąááąáᏠáĄáąááŹáášáá˝á
ášáááš ááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ážááŽá¸áá
ášáᯠááášááášá¸áááŻáášááášá ááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ážááŽá¸ ááášááášá¸áťááŽá¸áąááŹááš áąááŹáášá¸ááášááźááš ááášáąááá ááááášáá°áąááŹáášááášáˇáá° áąááŹáášááŹáąááŹáĄá፠á¤áĄááşáášá¸ááŹááᯠáááá˝áááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áąážááŹáášáąážááŹáášááášáááášááťááášáˇ áťááášáá˝áášáˇááźáŹá¸áá
"áááŻáášáˇáá° ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ áťááášáá˝áášáˇááŹááŹáá˛" áᯠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á áąáá¸áťááášá¸áááŻáášáá
"áĄáá˝ááš áĄááášáĄááášáá˝áŹ ááŽáąááŹááš ááŽá¸áá˝áşáśááşáŹá¸ áąááŹáášáąááŹáášáąááá˛áˇ áá˛áá˛áąááŹááš áá°áťááášá¸áąáᏠááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ážááŽá¸ áťáá
ášáąáááąáááŤáááš" áᯠáąáťáážááŹá¸áá
áá
ášáąááŹáášáťááŽá¸ áá
ášáąááŹááš áááŻáąáááŹáááŻá ááźáŹá¸ážááášáˇáᏠáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ áááášáááášááşáŹááşáŹáťáá
ášáťááŽá¸ áťááášáááŻáášááá˝áş áĄáťááášáąáĄáŹááš ááźáášáąáťáá¸ážáááášá
Thought the Bodhisatta to himself, "Mara must have been exerting himself today to stop me from alms-giving. I have yet to learn, however, that I am to be shaken by a hundred, or by a thousand, Maras. We will see this day whose strength is the stronger, whose might is the mightier, mine or Mara's." So taking in his own hand the bowl which stood ready, he passed out from the house, and, standing on the brink of the fiery pit, looked up to the heavens.
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á "ááŹáášááášáᏠááŤáˇáĄáá˝á´ááᯠááŽáąáá ááášááášáááźáŹá¸áąáĄáŹááš áĄáŹá¸ááŻáášááááłá¸ááášá¸áąáááŹáťáá ášáááášá ááŹáášááášáąááŤáášá¸ áĄáᏠáĄáąááŹáášá ááŤáˇááᯠááŻáášáááášáąáĄáŹááš ááŻáášááŹááᯠáąááźáážááśáłááááŻáášááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ ááŹáášááášáá˛á á፠ááášáá°ááá˛á áĄá áźáášá¸á ááŹááźáášááášá ááášáá°ááá˛á ááźáášáĄáŹá¸á áááŻáťááŽá¸ áĄáŹá¸ážááŽá¸ááášáááŻáᏠááŽááąáá áááąá ááááš" áᯠá áĽášá¸á áŹá¸áááŻáášáá áááŻááąááŹááš áĄááášáˇáá˝ááąááąáᏠááźáášá¸ááŻááśááᯠáááŻáášáááŻáášáá°áąááŹáášáťááŽá¸ áĄááášáá˝ ááźáášááŹáá áá˛áá˛áąááŹáášáąááąáᏠááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ áááášááášá¸áĄá áźáášá¸ááźááš ááášáááŻáášáťááŽá¸ áąááŹáášá¸ááášááᯠáąááŹáˇážááášáˇáááŻáášááášá
Seeing Mara, he said, " Who are you" "I am Mara," was the answer.
"Did you create this pit of red-hot embers ? "
" Yes, I did."
"Why? "
"To stop you from alms-giving and to destroy the life of that Pacceka Buddha."
"I will not permit you either to stop me from my alms-giving or to destroy the life of the Pacceka Buddha. I am going to see today whether your strength or mine is the greater."
ááŹáášááášááᯠáťááášáąááźááᏠ"áááš ááášáá°áá˛" áᯠáąáá¸áááŻáášáá
"ááŤáᏠááŹáášááášáá˛" áᯠáťááášáąáťááá
"áᎠáá˛áá˛ááŽáťááŽá¸ áá°áąááŹáášáąááá˛áˇ ááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ááᯠáááš ááášááášá¸ááŹááŹá¸"á
"ááŻáášáááš á፠ááášááášá¸ááŹ"á
"ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ ááášááášá¸ááŹáá˛"á
"ááášáˇ áĄáá˝á´ ááášááźáŹá¸áąáĄáŹáášáá˛á ááąá
áĽáááŻááśáá˛á áĄááášááᯠááşáášááŽá¸áá
ášáááŻá ááášááŽá¸ááŹ"á
"ááŤáˇ áĄáá˝á´ ááášááźáŹá¸áąáĄáŹáášááŻáášááŹáá˛á ááąá
áĽáááŻááśáá˛á áĄááášááᯠááşáášááŽá¸áᏠá፠ááášáááśáá°á¸á
ááášáˇ áĄá
áźáášá¸á ááŹáááŹá¸ ááŤáˇáĄá
áźáášá¸á ááŹáááŹá¸áááŻáᏠááŽáąáá áąááźáááááš"á
And still standing on the brink of that fiery pit, he cried, " Reverend Pacceka Buddha, even though I be in act to fall headlong into this pit of red-hot embers, I will not turn back. Only vouchsafe to take the food I bring."
áá˛áá˛áąááŹáášáąááąáᏠááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ áááášááášá¸áĄá áźáášá¸ááźááš ááášáá˝áşááš "áĄáá˝ááš ááąá áĽáááŻááśááŻááŹá¸ áááášáˇáąááŹášáááš áá˛áá˛ááŽáťááŽá¸ áá°áąááŹáášáąááá˛áˇ á¤ááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸áá˛áááŻá áąá áŹáášáááŻá¸ áááŻá¸áąáá˝áşáŹášááşááášáˇáááŻáášáąáĄáŹááš áąááŹáášáťááášááŻáášáááš áááŻáášááŤá áááášáˇáąááŹáš áąááŹáášáá°ááŹáąáᏠááźáášá¸áááŻáᏠáá˝á´ááŤáášá¸ááźáášáˇ áąáá¸áááŹá¸áąááŹášáá°ááŤ" áᯠáąáá˝áşáŹáášááášáááŻáášááášá
With these words the Bodhisatta, grasping the bowl of food, strode on with undaunted resolution right onto the surface of the pit of fire. But even as he did so, there rose up to the surfuce through all the eighty cubits of the pit's depth a large and peerless lotus-flower, which received the feet of the Bodhisatta! And from it there came a measure of pollen which fell on the head of the Great Being, so that his whole body was as it were sprinkled from head to foot with dust of gold !
á¤áááŻá áąáá˝áşáŹáášááŹá¸ááášá¸ ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš ááźáášá¸ááźáášááᯠááŻáášáááŻáášáá˝áşááš áááŻáášáťáá˛áąáᏠáááˇáááŹáášáťááášáˇ ááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸áąáááááŻá áááŹá¸ááᲠááášá¸áąááşáŹášáááŻáášáá áááŻáááŻá ááášá¸áąááşáŹášáááŻáášááášáˇ áá ášááşááášááášá¸áá˝áŹáááš áĄáąááŹáášáá˝á ášááášáááŹááá˝ááąáᏠááŽá¸ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸ ááşáášáá˝áŹáťááášááᯠááźáášá¸áąááŹáášá áĄááźáášážááŽá¸ááŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áá°á¸áťááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸ááźáášáąáᏠážááŹááźáášáˇážááŽá¸ áąáááąááŤáášááŹáᏠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á áąáťááąááŹáášáąáĄáŹáášáá˝ ááśááŹá¸áąáá¸áá ááąá áĽáááŻááśá áĽáŽá¸áąááŤáášá¸ááášáá˝ ááşááŹáąáᏠážááŹááášáááášáąáá¸ááşáŹá¸áááš ááąááášáťááášá áĽáŽá¸áąááŤáášá¸áá˝ áąáťááááŤá¸áááŻááš áááŻáášáááśáŹáá ášááŻááśáŻá¸ááᯠáąááááŻáášáááşáŹá¸áťááášáˇ ááşáášá¸ááášáąááááĄááŹá¸ ááźáášáąááááŹááášá
Standing right in the heart of the lotus, he poured the dainty food into the bowl of the Pacceka Buddha. And when the latter had taken the food and returned thanks, he flunk his bowl aloft into the heavens, and right in the sight of all the people he himself rose bodily into the air likewise, and passed away to the Himalayas again, seeming to tread a track formed of clouds fantastically shaped. And Mara, too, defeated and dejected, passed away back to his own abode.
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš ážááŹááźáášáˇáĄááášááźáášááášáá˝áşááš ááźáášáťááášáąáᏠá
áŹá¸ááźáášáááŻáááᯠááąá
áĽáááŻááśá ááááášáá˛áááŻá áąááŹáášá¸áá˝á´ááášá áĄáá˝áášáťááášáááš ááźáášá¸ááŻáášá¸áąáá¸áťááŽá¸áąááŹáĄá፠áĄááŻáąááŹáááŹáťááłáťááŽá¸ ááááášááᯠáąááŹáášá¸ááášáąáááŻáá˛áááŻá áá
ášááášáááŻáášááášá áááŻááąááŹááš áá°áĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸á ááşáášáąáá˝áŹáášáá˝áŹáááš áááśáŹáááŻáášááášááášá¸ áąááá˛áááŻá áĄááŹá¸áá° áťááášáˇááášááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áááááŻáášááşáŹá¸áá˝ áá°á¸áá°á¸áťááŹá¸áťááŹá¸ áťáá
ášáąáááąááąáᏠá
ážááááášá¸áĄáááŻáášá¸ áąáá˝áşáŹáášáá˝áášá¸ááźáŹá¸ááášáťááášáˇ áááááá˛áŹáąááŹáášáááŻá áťááášážááźááźáŹá¸áá˛áˇááášá
ááśáá¸áááášáˇáťááŽá¸ á
ááášáááşáášá¸áááŹáťáá
ášáąááąáᏠááŹáášááášááášááášá¸ ááášá¸á ááśáŻááááŹáášáááŻá áťááášááźáŹá¸áąááŹáˇáá
But the Bodhisatta, still standing in the lotus, preached the Truth to the people, extolling alms-giving and the commandments ; after which, girt round by the escorting multitude, he passed into his own mansion once more. And all his life long he shewed charity and did other good works, till in the end he passed away to fare according to his deserts.
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš ážááŹá¸ááźáášáˇáąááááźááš ááášááášáąááťááŽá¸ ááŤáááŽááĄáąážááŹáášá¸ ááşáŽá¸ááźáášá¸áąááŹáááŹáťááłáᏠáá°áĄááşáŹá¸ááᯠáááŹá¸áááźáąááŹážááŹá¸áá áááŻááąááŹááš áĄáąáá˝áźáĄááśáĄáąá
áŹáášáˇáĄáąáá˝áŹááš áĄáąáťááŹáášáĄááşáŹá¸ áťááśááśáᏠá
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