I will not contend with you." The king,
however, knew that such appliances for offerings were not to be had
anywhere in the world, and thereupon returned without carrying out his
purpose.
Afterwards, the ground all about became overgrown with vegetation, and
there was nobody to sprinkle and sweep about the tope; but a herd of
elephants came regularly, which brought water with their trunks to water
the ground, and various kinds of flowers and incense, which they
presented at the tope. Once there came from one of the kingdoms a
devotee to worship at the tope. When he encountered the elephants he was
greatly alarmed, and screened himself among the trees; but when he saw
them go through with the offerings in the most proper manner, the
thought filled him with great sadness--that there should be no monastery
here, the inmates of which might serve the tope, but the elephants have
to do the watering and sweeping. Forthwith he gave up the great
prohibitions by which he was bound, and resumed the status of a
Sramanera. With his own hands he cleared away the grass and trees, put
the place in good order, and made it pure and clean. By the power of his
exhortations, he prevailed on the king of the country to form a
residence for monks; and when that was done, he became head of the
monastery. At the present day there are monks residing in it.
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