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BUDDHISM the world, and how by charitable works one gains the traditional heavenly rewards. "Now I, forsooth, O monks,” said the Blessed One, “became Sakhra (Indra), ruler of the gods, thirty-six times; many hundreds of times was I a king, a Universal Monarch (cakravartin), a lawful king, victorious in the four quarters, maintaining the security of my dominions, possessed of the seven jewels. Now what was the doctrine of that region and kingdom? This is what I thought of it, O monks: 'Of what deed of mine is this the fruit? Of what decd is it the result, whereby I now have become of such great prosperity and such great might? Truly it is the fruit of three deeds of minc, it is the result of three deeds of mine, whereby I am at this time of such great prosperity and of such great might, namely, the three decds of Charity (dlāna), of Self-command (dama), and of Self-control (saññama).
"To this effect spake the Blessed Onc, and hereupon said the following:
“'One should learn virtue which is of extensive goal,
And which hath the faculty of Happiness; And one should devote onself to Charity, To tranquil behavior and to thoughts of Friendship.
Having devoted himself to these three virtues, Which provide reason for happiness, A wise man gaineth the world of happinessA world all free from distress.'
"Exactly to that effect was it spoken by the Blessed One, so I have heard.” 46
King Asoka, during the first years of his reign, before his conversion to the faith, had conducted a campaign of military conquest against the powerful neighboring kingdom of Kalinga. One hundred thousand of the enemy were slain, fifty thousand
45 Iti-vuttaka 22. (Translated by Justin Henry Moore, op. cit., pp. 35-36.)
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