Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/281

Rh But to return to our story. Jīvaka, the nobleman, brought to the Buddha the so-called water of presentation. The Teacher covered the vessel with his hand, and said, "Are there no monks in the monastery, Jīvaka?"

"Nay, my Lord, there are no monks there," said Great Roadling.

"But there are, Jīvaka," said the Master.

Jīvaka then sent a man, saying, "Do you go, then, and find out whether there are any monks or not at the monastery."

At that moment Little Roadling thought, "My brother says there are no monks here; I will show him there are." And he filled the Mango-grove with priests — a thousand monks, each unlike the other — some making robes, some repairing them, and some repeating the Scriptures.

The man, seeing all these monks at the monastery, went back, and told Jīvaka, " Sir, the whole Mango-grove is alive with monks."

It was with reference to this that it is said of him, that

"Roadling, multiplying himself a thousand fold. Sate in the pleasant Mango-grove till he was bidden to the feast."

Then the Teacher told the messenger to go again, and say, "The Teacher sends for him who is called Little Roadling."

So he went and said so. But from a thousand monks the answer came, "I am Little Roadling! I am Little Roadling!"

The man returned, and said, "Why, Sir, they all say they are called Little Roadling!"

"Then go and take by the hand the first who says 'I am Little Roadling,' and the rest will disappear."