Part 17: Visit to Lāṭa

The Lord knew by clairvoyance: “Today much of my karma must be destroyed. I think that karma can not be destroyed at once without assistants. For a great circle of enemies is not to be conquered without soldiers. Assistants are hard to find while I wander in the Aryan country. Therefore, I shall wander now in non-Aryan countries.”

With these reflections the Blessed One entered Lāṭa which had inhabitants cruel by nature, like an ocean terrible with sea-monsters. Some men struck Śrī Vīra, calling him “bald-head some seized him, calling him “spy some bound him, calling him “thief”; some set dogs on the Master from curiosity; others did as they liked without fear; and others, women, derided them. The Lord was delighted with these attacks because of the destruction of karma, like a sick man with very strong medicine because of the cure of a disease.

Gośāla, following him, endured many pains from bonds and blows, like an elephant led from the forest. After he had destroyed karma there in various ways, the Lord went toward the Aryan country like one whose purpose is accomplished. Two robbers, who wished to enter Lāṭa, saw the Master as he was going in the vicinity of the village Pūrṇakalaśa. “He is a bad omen,” and they ran at the Lord with raised swords with the intent to kill, like ghosts with raised knives. Just then Vajrabhṛt, anxious at the thought, “How is the Master faring today,” saw by clairvoyance the Lord and the robbers wishing to kill him. Vajrin killed them with a thunderbolt powerful enough to destroy a mountain of diamond, like a lion killing gazelles with a paw strong enough to crush an elephant.