Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism . haKassapa was then journeying from Pava to Kusinara witha company of five hundred Brethren: and it was willed bythe gods that the pyre should not take fire until thevenerable Maha Kassapa together with these Brethrenhad saluted the feet of the Master. And when MahaKassapa came to the place of the funeral pyre, then hewalked thrice round about it and bowed in reverence tothe feet of the Exalted One, and so did the five hundredBrethren. And when this was ended, the funeral pyrecaught fire of itself. And what was burnt was the flesh and the fluids of thebody, a

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Buddha and the gospel of Buddhism . haKassapa was then journeying from Pava to Kusinara witha company of five hundred Brethren: and it was willed bythe gods that the pyre should not take fire until thevenerable Maha Kassapa together with these Brethrenhad saluted the feet of the Master. And when MahaKassapa came to the place of the funeral pyre, then hewalked thrice round about it and bowed in reverence tothe feet of the Exalted One, and so did the five hundredBrethren. And when this was ended, the funeral pyrecaught fire of itself. And what was burnt was the flesh and the fluids of thebody, and all the wrappings, and only the bones were leftbehind; and when the body was thus burnt, streams ofwater fell from the sky and rose up from the ground andextinguished the flames, and the Mallas also extinguishedthe fire with vessels of scented water. They laid thebones in state in the Council Hall of the Mallas, set roundwith a lattice-work of spears and a rampart of bows, and88 VI THE FINAL RELEASE Abanindro Nath Tagore Page 88. The Funeral Rites there for seven days they paid honour and reverence tothem with dancing and music and garlands and perfumes.Now these matters were reported to Ajatasattu, and tothe Licchavis of Vesali, and to the Sakyas of Kapi-lavatthu, and the Bulis of Alakappa, and the Koliyas ofRamagama, and to the Brahman of Vethadlpa; and allthese, with the Mallas of Kusinara, laid claim to theremains of the Exalted One, and wished to erect a moundabove them, and to celebrate a feast of honour. TheMallas, however, saying that the Exalted One had diedin their village, refused to part with the remains. Thena certain Brahman of the name of Dona reminded theassembled chieftains that the Buddha was wont to teachforbearance, and he recommended that the remains shouldbe divided into eight portions, and that a monumentshould be erected by each of those who laid claim, intheir several territories; and this was done accordingly.Dona himself erected a monument over the