"I ask not for caste, but for water!" said Ananda. His condescension won the heart of the girl Matanga.
It happened that she had a mother cunning in love philtres and weird arts, and when this woman heard how much her daughter was in love, she threw her magic spells round the disciple and brought him to her cave. Helpless, he prayed to Buddha, who forthwith appeared and cast out the wicked demons.
But the girl Matanga was still in wretched plight. At last she determined to repair to Buddha himself and appeal to him.
The Great Physician, reading the poor girl's thought questioned her gently:—
"Supposing that you marry my disciple, can you follow him everywhere?"
"Everywhere!" said the girl.
"Could you wear his clothes, sleep under the same roof?" said Buddha, alluding to the nakedness and beggary of the "houseless one."
By slow degrees the girl began to take in his meaning, and at last she took refuge in the Three Great Jewels.
A common objection to Buddhism is that it fails to proclaim the fatherhood of God.