The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c9.73

c9.73

mâlâ to a Pratyeka-Buddha; finally, the *Mahâvaṃsa* twice places it to the account of simple relics of the Blessed One, etc. (¹). We receive the impression that the *yamaka-prâtihârya* has become hackneyed in consequence of being classic. Moreover when, after having accomplished it, Buddha returns and seats himself in his place, he informs king Prasenajit in a moment of proud modesty that « this kind of magical power is common to all the disciples of the Tathâgata » (²). Hence it may be conceived that artists and worshippers were of one mind in no longer finding this banal wonder anything to characterize with sufficient clearness the great scene of Çrâvastî, and preferred the multiplication of the teaching images of the Master : for it is written that this last miracle is realizable only by the special power of the Buddha and the gods (³).