production of effects which may be imagined."

Emerging from the temple, we saw the Buddhist monastery (_Vihara_),
which is a series of halls and cells rising one above the other in
stories connected by flights of steps, all hewn in the face of the
hill at the side of the temple. We sat down on a fragment of rock near
a stream of water with which a spring in the hillside fills a little
pool at the entrance of the Vihara. "Tell me something of Gotama
Buddha," I said. "Recite some of his deliverances, O Bhima
Gandharva!--you who know everything."

"I will recite to you from the _Sutta Nipata_, which is supposed by
many pundits of Ceylon to contain several of the oldest examples of
the Pali language. It professes to give the conversation of Buddha,
who died five hundred and forty-three years before Christ lived on
earth; and these utterances are believed by scholars to have been
brought together at least more than two hundred years before the
Christian era. The _Mahamangala Sutta_, of the _Nipata Sutta_, says,
for example: 'Thus it was heard by me. At a certain time Bhagava
(Gotama Buddha) lived at Savatthi in Jetavana, in the garden of
Anathupindika. Then, the night being far advanced, a certain god,
endowed with a radiant color illuminating Jetavana completely, came to
where Bhagava was, [and] making obeisance to him, stood on one side.
And, standing on one side, the god addressed Bhagava in [these]
verses:

"1. Many gods and men, longing after what is good, have
considered many things as blessings. Tell us what is the
greatest blessing.

"2. Buddha said: Not serving fools, but serving the wise, and
honoring those worthy of being honored: this is the greatest
blessing.

"3. The living in a fit country, meritorious deeds done in a
former existence, the righteous establishment of one's self:
this is the greatest blessing.

"4. Extensive knowledge and science, well-regulated discipline
and well-spoken speech: this is the greatest blessing.

"5. The helping of father and mother, the cherishing of child
and wife, and the following of a lawful calling: this is the
greatest blessing.

"6. The giving alms, a religious life, aid rendered to
relatives, blameless acts: this is the greatest blessing.

"7. The abstaining from sins and the avoiding them, the
eschewing of intoxicating drink, diligence in good deeds: this
is the greatest blessing.