THE MARRIAGE-FEAST IN JAMBUNADA

  THERE was a man in Jambunada who was to be married the next day, and

he thought, "Would that the Buddha, the Blessed One, might be

present at the wedding." And the Blessed One passed by his house and

met him, and when he read the silent wish in the heart of the

bridegroom, he consented to enter. When the When the Holy One appeared

with the retinue of his many bhikkhus, the host, whose means were

limited, received them as best he could, saying: "Eat, my Lord, and

all thy congregation, according to your desire."

  While the holy men ate, the meats and drinks remained

undiminished, and the host thought to himself: "How wondrous is

this! I should have had plenty for all my relatives and friends. Would

that I had invited them all. all." When this thought was in the host's

mind, all his relatives and friends entered the house; and although

the hall in the house was small there was room in it for all of

them. They sat down at the table and ate, and there was more than

enough for all of them. The Blessed One was pleased to see so many

guests full of good cheer and he quickened them and gladdened them

with words of truth, proclaiming the bliss of righteousness:

  "The greatest happiness which a mortal man can imagine is the bond

of marriage that ties together two loving hearts. But there is a

greater happiness still: it is the embrace of truth. Death will

separate husband and wife, but death will never affect him who has

espoused the truth. Therefore be married unto the truth and live

with the truth in holy wedlock. The husband who loves his wife and

desires for a union that shall be everlasting must be faithful to

her so as to be like truth itself, and she will rely upon him and

revere him and minister unto him. And the wife who loves her husband

and desires a union that shall be everlasting must be faithful to

him so as to be like truth itself; and he will place his trust in her,

he will provide for her. Verily, I say unto you, their children will

become like their parents and will bear witness to their happiness.

Let no man be single, let every one be wedded in holy love to the

truth. And when Mara, the destroyer, comes to separate the visible

forms of your being, you will continue to live in the truth, and

will partake of the life everlasting, for the truth is immortal."

  There was no one among the guests but was strengthened in his,

spiritual life, and recognized the sweetness of a life of

righteousness; and they took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the

Sangha.