Repeating, "The Perfections are the sacrifice of limbs, the Lesser Perfections are the sacrifice of property, the Unlimited Perfections are the sacrifice of life," he mastered them as the Perfections, the Lesser Perfections and the Unlimited Perfections, — like one who converts two kindred oils into one,[1] or like one who, using Mount Meru for his churning-rod, churns the great Cakkavāla ocean. And as he grasped again and again the ten Perfections, by the power of his piety this earth, four nahutas and eight hundred thousand leagues in breadth, like a bundle of reeds trodden by an elephant, or a sugar-mill in motion, uttering a mighty roar, trembled, shook and quaked, and spun round like a potter's wheel or the wheel of an oil-mill. Therefore it is said,
175. These are all the conditions in the world that bring Buddhaship to perfection: Beyond these are no others, therein do thou stand fast.
176. While he grasped these conditions natural and intrinsic,[2] By the power of his piety the earth of ten thousand worlds quaked.
177. The earth sways and thunders like a sugar-mill at work, Like the wheel of an oil-mill so shakes the earth.
And while the earth was trembling the people of Ramma, unable to endure it, like great Sāl-trees overthrown by the wind that blows at the end of a cycle, fell swooning here and there, while waterpots and other vessels, revolving like a jar on a potter's wheel, struck against each other and were dashed and ground to pieces. The multitudes in fear and trembling approaching the Teacher said, "Tell us. Blessed one, is this turmoil caused by dragons, or is it caused by either demons, or ogres, or by celestial beings? — for this we know not, but truly this whole multitude is grievously afflicted. Pray does
2 Vijesinha writes to me, "Natural and intrinsic virtues. The Sinhalese gloss says: paramārthavū rasasahitavū lakshaṇa-æti nohot svabhāvalakshaṇa hā sarvadharmasādhāranalakshaṇa-æti. In the latter case it would mean, having the quality of conformity with all laws."
