Page:Sacred Books of the Buddhists Vol 1.djvu/164

 observe favourable signs of the sea. The signs they saw, being new to them, made their sadness increase, and they grew perplexed by fear and dejection. But Supâraga, the Bodhisattva, comforted them, thus speaking: 'You must not wonder at the sea tossing about in a portentous state of commotion; are we not crossing the Great Ocean? There is no reasonable ground for Your Honours to indulge in affliction. Why so?

10, 11. 'It is not by dejection that mischief is warded off; therefore do not remain in low spirits. But it is by courage that those who are clever to do what is to be done surmount difficulties without difficulty. Well then, shake off that sadness and dejection, set rather to work, availing yourselves of the opportunity of working. The energy of a wise man, kindled by firmness of mind, is the hand by which success is grasped in any matter.

'Let each of you then be intent on performing his special duty.' And the merchants, in this way invigorated by the Great Being, longing for the sight of land and looking down into the sea, beheld beings who had the figure of men and looked as if they wore silver armour; they saw them diving up and down the water-surface. When they had well considered their figures and marks, they informed Supâraga of that phenomenon, expressing their amazement. 'Verily, here we meet in the great ocean with a phenomenon unheard of before. These, in truth, are

12. 'Some beings not unlike warriors of the Demons, wearing silver armour, with fierce looks and ugly noses that resemble a quadruped's hoof; it seems as if they are sporting in the ocean-water, incessantly shooting and diving up and down its surface.'

Supâraga said: 'These are no men nor demons, but fishes, to be sure. Do not be afraid of them. Still,

13. 'We are driven far off both seaports. This is the sea called Khuramâlin [= wearing hoof-garlands]. Therefore, you must try to turn back.'

But they could not veer on account of the vehemence of the high-running sea and of the strong wind, which