105. The Buddha receives milk food from the merchants

At that time the herd of cows that belonged to the merchants Trapusa and Bhallika was at a neighboring market-place. At that moment the cows were giving instead of milk, cream of melted butter. The cowherds came to the merchants Trapusa and Bhallika with that cream of melted butter and told them thereof. At that time there was a brahman (;ikhar.~din, in his former life a kinsman of the merchants, reborn into the brahma-heaven. He took the form of a brahman and spoke to the merchants these verses: "Formerly ye made the vow: "May the Tathagata when he has attained the Wisdom, after eating of food offered by us, cause the wheel of the Law to revolve". Now is the vow fulfilled; the Tathagata hath attained the Wisdom. Offer him food; after eating thereof he will cause the wheel of the Law to revolve." After putting together the milk of a thousand cows without leaving anything over and taking from it the finest cream, full of respect they prepared a dish of food. The bowl made of precious stones that bore the name of the moon and held a hundred thousand pale's, was filled up to the brim with the food, after being cleaned, purified and made spotless. With honey and this bowl, they came to the foot of the tarayana, to the Master: "Accept and receive this food which we bring thee in devotion, and partake of it." (386: 3, 11,22).

Although the Buddha is supposed to be sitting in the same place, his throne has undergone important alterations and now has a very fine and richly-ornamented lowerpart. The tree as well for no apparent reason has been altered; instead of the ordinary foliage, there appears in the air a large lotus flower turned forwards and surrounded on both sides by flowers and flower branches. Small trees are placed on both sides of the throne, next to which on the right is a very dilapidated ornamental plant on a pedestal; left, the bowl decorated with flowers andgarlands and also on a pedestal, now knocked off. The gods sit on the right, one standing in front with a lotus in his hand; one of those seated holds a bowl of flowers, another an oblong covered dish. On the other side of the Buddha, who is in abhaya-mudra, are the merchants. The front one is standing, lifting up the dish ofmiLLfood with both hands; two others sit behind him. On both sides the relief is finished off with rocky scenery and trees with some animals, especially birds on the left. The same episode is found at Ajantal) and perhaps too in the Gandhara arts) where the two merchants stand one on each side of the Buddha, but the identification is not certain.