79. The gods honor the Bodhisattva

All those gods, naga's, yaksa's, gandharva's, asura's, garuda's, kinnara's and mahoraga's, who had witnessed the virtues of the Bodhisattva, stayed with him by day and night, showed him honor, and gave him service. There through the Bodhisattva while he underwent the six years of penance so difficult to endure, full twelve tenthousands of gods and men were brought to maturity by means of the three Vehicles. (257: 13).

Here too, the Bodhisattva sits on the left in his rocky niche, with foliage round him, and now once more upon his lotus-cushion. With the right hand he makes a gesture to the gods, sitting in a large company before him; they fill up the rest of the relief to the right. The background is again trees. The attitude of the gods at this moment is not that of paying honor; they evidently are listening to the Bodhisattva's lecture, that is to bring them to "maturity". The sculptor has not thought worth while to give us anything of the demi-gods the text speaks of.

The text continues with a passage not illustrated on the monument, where Mara, the Evil One, tries to tempt the Bodhisattva to forsake his life of penance. This suggestion is of course dismissed with scorn. Meanwhile the Bodhisattva begins to see the uselessness of his fasting and penance, and to look round for something to eat.