Sayings Of The Buddha

Page 168

King Mahāsudassana

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there, lady! Do not come in.” Then he addressed one of his men: “Come, sir, bring out the golden couch from the Room of the Great Array and make it ready in the grove of completely golden palms.” “Yes, lord,” replied the man to the king. And he brought out the golden couch from the Room of the Great Array and made it ready in the grove of completely golden palms. Then the king lay down on his right side like a lion with one foot resting on the other, mindful and fully aware. ‘Then Queen Subhaddā thought, “How serene King Mahāsudassana’s senses are! How pure and clear the colour of his skin!* Surely it can’t be that the king is dying!” ‘Then she said to the king: “Lord, you have 84,000 cities, the chief of which is the royal city of Kusāvatī. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 palaces, the chief of which is the Palace of Truth. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 chambers, the chief of which is the Room of the Great Array. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 couches of gold, silver, ivory, and ebony, spread with blankets and cloths, with antelope covers, canopies, and red pillows at each end. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 elephants, decorated with gold, with golden banners and with drapes embroidered with golden thread, the chief of which is the king of elephants, Changes of the Moon. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 horses, decorated with gold, with golden banners and with drapes embroidered with golden thread, the chief of which is the king of horses, Thundercloud. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 chariots with coverings of lion-skin, tiger-skin, leopard-skin, and pale cloth, decorated with gold, with golden banners and with drapes embroidered with golden thread, the chief of which is the chariot Flag of Victory. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 gems, the chief of which is the gemtreasure. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 wives, the chief of whom is the woman-treasure. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 stewards, the chief of whom is the steward-treasure. Arouse your desire for them! Awaken your longing for life! You have 84,000 loyal princes, the chief of whom is the adviser-treasure. Arouse your

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