Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/238

122 from sin — ten thousand from the upper classes in Magadha and Anga, and ten thousand from the upper classes in Kapila-vatthu — started from Rājagaha, and travelled a league a day; going slowly with the intention of reaching Kapila-vatthu, sixty leagues from Rājagaha, in two months.

And the Elder, thinking, "I will let the king know that the Blessed One has started," rose into the air and appeared in the king's house. The king was glad to see the Elder, made him sit down on a splendid couch, filled a bowl with the delicious food made ready for himself, and gave to him. Then the Elder rose up, and made as if he would go away.

"Sit down and eat," said the king.

"I will rejoin the Master, and eat then," said he.

"Where is the Master now?" asked the king.

"He has set out on his journey, attended by twenty thousand mendicants, to see you, O king!" said he.

The king, glad at heart, said, "Do you eat this; and until my son has arrived at this town, provide him with food from here."

The Elder agreed; and the king waited on him, and then had the bowl cleansed with perfumed chunam, and filled with the best of food, and placed it in the Elder's hand, saying, "Give it to the Buddha."

And the Elder, in the sight of all, threw the bowl into the air, and himself rising up into the sky, took the food again, and placed it in the hand of the Master.

The Master ate it. Every day the Elder brought him food in the same manner. So the Master himself was fed, even on the journey, from the king's table. The Elder, day by day, when he had finished his meal, told the king, "To-day the Blessed One has come so far, to-day so far." And by talking of the high character of the Buddha, he made all the king's family delighted with the Master, even before they saw him. On that account the Blessed