Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/263

 No. 2.

VAṆṆUPATHA JĀTAKA.

The Sandy Road.

"The Determined Ones," etc. — This discourse was uttered by the Blessed One while at Sāvatthi. About what? About a mendicant who had no perseverance.

For whilst the Successor of the Prophets, we are told, was staying at Sāvatthi, a young man of good family dwelling there went to Jetavana, and heard a discourse from the Teacher. And with converted heart he saw the evil result of lusts, and entered the Order. When he had passed the five years of noviciate, he learnt two summaries of doctrine, and applied himself to the practice of meditation. And receiving from the Teacher a suitable subject as a starting-point for thought, he retired to a forest. There he proceeded to pass the rainy season; but after three months of constant endeavour, he was unable to obtain even the least hint or presentiment of the attainment of insight. Then it occurred to him, "The