So far the legend; and it has a familiar sound as if echoes of two of our classical tales had been confused in India. No one would take it for sober history. It is probably only a famous and popular story retold of well-known characters. And when a learned scholar summarises it thus: "Udena eloped with her on an elephant, leaving behind him a bag full of gold in order to prevent a prosecution " ' we see how easily a very slight change in expression may, in retelling, have altered the very gist of the tale. But it is sufficient evidence that, when the tradition arose, King Pajjota of Avanti and King Udena of Kosambi were believed to have been contemporary rulers of adjoining kingdoms, and to have been connected by marriage and engaged in

war.

We hear a good deal else about this Udena, King of the Vacchas or Vamsas of Kosambi. Formerly, in a fit of drunken rage, at a picnic, because his women folk left him, when he was sleeping, to listen to a religious discourse by Pindola (a highly respected and famous member of the Buddhist Order), he had had Pindola tortured by having a nest of brown ants tied to him. Long afterwards the King professed himself an adherent of the Buddha's in consequence of a conversation he had with this same man Pindola, on the subject of self-restraint.' At another picnic the women's pavilion was burnt, with his Queen, Samavati, and many of her attendants. His father's name was Parantapa; and he had a son named Bodhi,

17. P. T. S., 1888, sub voce. * Jat. 4. 375

'S. 4. 110.

4 Ud. 7. 10 = Divy, 533.

after whom one of the Suttantas is named ' and concerning whom other details are given. But Udena survived the Buddha,' and we are not informed whether Bodhi did, or did not, succeed him on the throne.

Pasenadi, the King of Kosala, is described as a very different character. The whole of the Third Samyutta, consisting of twenty-five anecdotes, each with a moral bias, is devoted to him. And there are about an equal number of references to him in other parts of the literature. Educated at the celebrated seat of learning, Takkasilā, in the extreme northwest, he was placed, on his return, by his father, Mahā Kosala, upon the throne. As a sovereign he showed himself zealous in his administrative duties, and addicted to the companionship of the good." And he extended his favour, in full accord with the well-known Indian toleration, to the religious of all schools of thought alike. This liberality of thought and conduct was only strengthened when, early in the new movement, he proclaimed himself an adhe rent, in a special sense, of the Buddha's.' This was in consequence of a talk he had had with the Buddha himself. The King had asked him how he, being so young, as compared with other already well-known teachers, could claim an insight beyond theirs. The reply simply was that no "religieux" should be despised because of his youth. Who would show disrespect to a prince, or to a venomous serpent, or to

1 M. No. 85.

3 P. V. A. 141.

9 Vin. 2. 127, 4. 198, 199; Jāt. 3. 157.
4 Dhp. A. 211.
5 S. 1. 83.

6 D. 87; Ud. 2. 6; S. 1. 75.

7 S. 1. 70.

OF THE LAW.

[From the Bharahat Tope. Pl. xiii.]

9

a fire, merely because it was young? It was the nature of the doctrine, not the personal pecularities of the teacher, that was the test.

Sumana, the King's aunt, sister of his father, Mahā Kosala, was present at this conversation, and made up her mind to enter the Order, but delayed doing so in order to nurse an aged relative. The delay was long. But on the death of the old lady, Sumană, then old herself, did enter the Order, and became an Arahat, and is one of the Buddhist ladies whose poems are preserved in the Theri Gāthā. The aged relative was Pasenadi's grandmother; so that we have four generations of this family brought before us.'

A comparison between Digha 1. 87 and Divyāvadāna 620-where the same action is attributed in the older book to King Pasenadi and in the younger to King Agnidatta-makes it highly probable that Pasenadi (used as a designation for several kings) is in reality an official epithet, and that the King's real personal name was Agnidatta.

Among the subjects chosen for the bas-reliefs on the Bharahat tope, in the third century B.C., is one representing Pasenadi issuing forth on his chariot, drawn by four horses with their tails and manes elaborately plaited, and attended by three servants. Above him is figured the Wheel of the Law, the symbol of the new teaching of which the King of Kosala was so devoted a supporter.

It is stated that is was from the desire to associate himself by marriage with the Buddha's family that 1 Thag. A. 22; comp. S. 1. 97; Vin. 2. 169; Jāt. 4. 146.

Pasenadi asked for one of the daughters of the Sākiya chiefs as his wife. The Sākiyas discussed the proposition in their Mote Hall, and held it beneath the dignity of their clan. But they sent him a girl named Vasabha Khattiya, the daughter, by a slave girl, of one of their leading chiefs. By her Pasenadi had the son, Viḍūḍabha, mentioned above. And it was in consequence of the anger kindled in Viḍūdabha's heart at the discovery of the fraud that, having determined to wreak his vengeance on the Sākiyas, he, on coming to the throne, invaded their country, took their city, and put to death a great number of the members of the clan, without distinction of age or sex. The details of the story have not been found as yet in our oldest records.' But the main circumstance of the war against the clan is very early alluded to, and is no doubt a historical fact. It is said to have preceded only by a year or two the death of the Buddha himself.

The beginning of this story, on the other hand, seems very forced. Would a family of patricians in one of the Greek republics have considered a marriage of one of their daughters to a neighbouring tyrant beneath their dignity? And in the present case the tyrant in question was the acknowledged suzerain of the clan. The Sākiyas may have considered the royal family of Kosala of inferior birth. to themselves. There is mention, in several passages, of the pride of the Sākiyas.' But, even so,

'But see Dhp. A. 216, foll.; Jāt. 4. 145, foll.

Pabbajjā Sutta, verse 18 (S. N. 122).

3 For instance, D. 1. 90, 91; Vin. 2. 183; J. 1. 889, 4. 145.