Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/237

Rh Buddha at Isipatana; and when it was over went to Uruvela and stayed there three months and overcame the three brothers, ascetics. And on the full-moon day of the month of January, he went to Rājagaha with a retinue of a thousand mendicants, and there he dwelt two months. Thus five months had elapsed since he left Benāres, the cold season was past, and seven or eight days since the arrival of Udāyin, the Elder.

And on the full-moon day of March Udāyin thought, "The cold season is past; the spring has come; men raise their crops and set out on their journeys; the earth is covered with fresh grass; the woods are full of flowers; the roads are fit to walk on; now is the time for the Sage to show favour to his family." And going to the Blessed One, he praised travelling in about sixty stanzas, that the Sage might revisit his native town.

289. Red are the trees with blossoms bright. They give no shade to him who seeks for fruit; Brilliant they seem as glowing fires. The very season's full, O Great One, of delights.

290. 'Tis not too hot; 'tis not too cold; There's plenty now of all good things; The earth is clad with verdure green, Fit is the time, O mighty Sage!

Then the Master said to him, "But why, Udāyin, do you sing the pleasures of travelling with so sweet a voice?"

"My lord!" was the reply, "your father is anxious to see you once more; will you not show favour to your relations?"

"'Tis well said, Udāyin! I will do so. Tell the Order that they shall fulfil the duty laid on all its members of journeying from place to place."

Kāḷa Udāyin accordingly told the brethren. And the Blessed One, attended by twenty thousand mendicants free