3. Though a youth, he possessed the lovely placidity of mind proper to old age; though he was full of ardour, his natural disposition was inclined to forbearance; though learned, he was free from the conceit of knowledge; though mighty and illustrious, he was void of pride.
4. As the extent[78] of his virtue was conspicuous in all regions and his fame penetrated the three worlds, there was no room for the feeble and trifling reputations of others; it seemed as if they did not venture to show themselves.
5. He could not endure the proud prevalence of calamities and other causes of sufferings among mankind. It was against these foes that he waged war and fought in battle, shooting from his large bow of compassion numberless arrows which had the form of gifts of charity.
So he was wont to fill day after day the mendicants who happened to come to him with the utmost gladness by his bounties, given without difficulty, surpassing the objects asked for, and the more lovely, as they were bestowed with deference and kind words. But on the knotdays[79], as he was distinguished by his strict observance of the restrictions and the quiet of the sabbath, after bathing his head and putting on a white linen dress, he mounted his excellent, well-trained, swift, and vigorous elephant, who (by his colour and size) might be compared to a peak of the Snow-mountain, whose face was adorned with the tracks of the juice flowing in rutting-time, and on whose body auspicious marks were found. Sitting, then, on the back of that far-famed scent-elephant[80] and royal vehicle, he was in the habit of making the round of his alms-halls, which he had established in all parts of the town to be like refreshing wells for the mendicants. So going about, he experienced an excessive gladness.
6. No opulence, in truth, within doors procures to a charitable man such rejoicing, as it produces when transferred to the mendicants.
Now his very great practice of charity being proclaimed everywhere by the rejoiced mendicants, some neighbouring king who had heard of it, considering that it would be possible to deceive the young prince by means of his passion for almsgiving, directed some Brâhmans, his emissaries, to rob him of that excellent elephant. Accordingly one day, when Visvantara was inspecting his alms-halls, manifesting his gladness of mind by the enhanced beauty of his countenance, the said Brâhmans placed themselves in his way, uttering benedictions with their uplifted and outstretched right hands. He stopped his excellent elephant, and asked them respectfully the reason of their coming; they had but to express their want, he said. The Brâhmans spoke:
7, 8. 'Both the excellent qualities of this elephant of thine, who has so graceful a gait, and thy heroic love of charity make us like beggars. Present us with this (white) elephant, who is like a peak of the Kailâsa mountain, and thou wilt fill the world with astonishment.'
The Bodhisattva being thus addressed, was filled with sincere joy and entered upon this reflection: 'Truly, after a long time I now see mendicants requesting a grand boon. But, after all, what may be the want of such a lord of elephants to these Brâhmans? No doubt, this must be a miserable trick of some king, whose mind is troubled with covetousness, jealousy, and hatred.
9. 'Yet that prince, who, not minding either his reputation or the precepts of righteousness, is eager, as it were, to promote my good[81], must not be saddened by disappointment.'
Having thus considered, the Great-minded One alighted from the back of that excellent elephant and stood before them with uplifted golden pitcher; then he pronounced (the solemn formula) 'Accept.'