91. Q. _What effect did the taking up of the religious life by his
sons, Siddhartha and Ananda, his nephew, Devadatta, his son's
wife, Yasudhara, and his grandson, Rahula, have upon the old King
Suddhodana?_

A. It grieved him much and he complained to the Buddha, who then made
it a rule of the Order that no person should thenceforth be ordained
without the consent of his parents if alive.

92. Q. _Tell me about the fate of Devadatta?_

A. He was a man of great intelligence and rapidly advanced in the
knowledge of the Dharma, but being also extremely ambitious, he came to
envy and hate the Buddha, and at last plotted to kill him. He also
influenced Ajatashatru, son of King Bimbisara, to murder his
noble father, and to become his--Devadatta's--disciple.

93. Q. _Did he do any injury to the Buddha?_

A. Not the least, but the evil he plotted against him recoiled upon
himself, and he met with an awful death.

94. Q. _For how many years was the Buddha engaged in teaching?_

A. Forty-five years, during which time he preached a great many
discourses. His custom and that of his disciples was to travel and
preach during the eight dry months, but during the season of Way--the
rains--he and they would stop in the pansulas and viharas which
had been built for them by various kings and other wealthy converts.

95. Q. _Which were the most famous of these buildings?_

A. Jetavanarama; Veluvanarama; Pubbarama;
Nigrodharama and Isipatanarama.

96. Q. _What kind of people were converted by him and his disciples?_

A. People of all ranks, nations and castes; rajas and coolies, rich
and poor, mighty and humble, the illiterate and the most learned. His
doctrine was suited to all.

97. Q. _Give some account of the decease of the Buddha?_

A. In the forty-fifth season after his attaining Buddhahood, on the
full-moon day of May, knowing that his end was near, he came at evening
to Kusinagara, a place about one hundred and twenty miles from
Benares. In the sala grove of the Mallas, the Uparvartana of
Kusinagara, between two sala trees, he had his bedding spread
with the head towards the north according to the ancient custom. He
lay upon it, and with his mind perfectly clear, gave his final
instructions to his disciples and bade them farewell.

98. Q. _Did he also make new converts in those last tours?_

A. Yes, a very important one, a great Brahmana pandit named
Subhadra. He had also preached