A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t1.50

v2.c19.s3.t1.50

Some of the Suttas, however, are neither dialogues nor sermons, but simply narratives. Thus No. 86 is a regular old Ākhyāna, telling, in prose and verse, the tale of the terrible robber Aṅgulimāla, who became a monk and rose to be an Arhat (a saint who has attained to Nirvāṇa even in this life)—a valuable piece of ancient Buddhist poetry. Another Sutta (No. 83) tells the legend (recurring in the Jātakas) of King Makhādeva who, at the appearance of the first grey hair, gives up the reigns of government, and becomes a monk. One of the most splendid passages of this kind is the Raṭṭhapāla-Sutta (No. 82). In beautiful old ballad-style, the following—I give only a short extract—is related: