Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/452

336 exerting himself with the hope of putting an obstacle in the way of my almsgiving. But I am not aware that I can be shaken by a hundred or even a thousand Māras. This day I will find out whether my power or Māra's — whether my might or Māra's — is the greater."

And he himself took the dish of rice just as it stood there ready, and went out, and stood on the edge of the pit of fire; and looking up to the sky, saw Māra, and said —

"Who are you?"

"I am Māra," was the reply.

"Is it you who created this pit of fire?"

"Certainly, I did it."

"And what for?"

"Simply to put a stop to your almsgiving, and destroy the life of that Pacceka Buddha!"

"And I'll allow you to do neither the one nor the other. Let us see this day whether your power or mine is the greater!" And still standing on the edge of the pit of fire, he exclaimed —

"My Lord, the Pacceka Buddha! I will not turn back from this pit of coal, though I should fall into it headlong. Take now at my hands the food I have bestowed, even the whole of it." And so saying, he uttered the stanza:

"Far rather will I fall into this hell Head downwards, and heels upwards, of my own Accord, than do a deed that is unworthy! Receive then, Master, at my hands, this alms!"

And as he so said, he held the dish of rice with a firm grasp, and walked right on into the fiery furnace!