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HIS BENEFACTORS
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Exalted One instructed her with religious discourse.
Then she addressed the Exalted One, and said: “ May the Exalted One do me the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at my house tomorrow ?”
And the Exalted One gave, by silence, his consent. Then when Ambrapali the courtesan saw that the Exalted One had consented, she rose from her seat and bowed down before him, and keeping him on her right hand as she passed him, she departed thence.
Now the Licchavis of Vesali heard that the Exalted One had arrived at Vesali, and was staying at Ambrapali’s grove. They too wanted to invite the Buddha to their place for a meal. And ordering a number of state carriages to be made ready, they each mounted one of them and went forth with their train from Vesali.
They and Ambrapali crossed on the way.
And Ambrapali drove up against the young Licchavis, axle to axle, wheel to wheel, and yoke to yoke, and the Licchavis said to Ambrapali the courtesan, “ How is it, Ambrapali, that thou drivest up against us thus ?”
“ My Lords, I have just invited the Exalted One and his brethren for their morrow’s meal,” said Ambrapali.
“Ambrapali, sell this honour to us for a hundred thousand,” said they.
“ My Lords, were you to offer all Vesali with its subject territory, I would not give it up.”
The Licchavis cast up their hands, exclaiming: “We are outdone by this mango girl. We are out-reached by this mango girl,” and they went on to Ambrapali’s grove.
Knowing that they were outdone they still thought of approaching the Blessed One in the hope that he might reconsider and give their invitation first preference. So they went on to Ambrapali’s grove.
When the Exalted One saw the Licchavis approaching in the distance, he addressed the brethren
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