CHAPTER XXIII.
RAMA, AND ITS TOPE.
East from Buddha's birthplace, and at a distance of five yojanas, there is a kingdom called Rama.( 1) The king of this country, having obtained one portion of the relics of Buddha's body,( 2) returned with it and built over it a tope, named the Rama tope.

By the side of it there was a pool, and in the pool a dragon, which constantly kept watch over (the tope), and presented offerings to it day and night.
When king Asoka came forth into the world, he wished to destroy the eight topes (over the relics), and to build (instead of them) 84,000 topes.( 3) After he had thrown down the seven (others), he wished next to destroy this tope.

But then the dragon showed itself, took the king into its palace;( 4) and when he had seen all the things provided for offerings, it said to him, "If you are able with your offerings to exceed these, you can destroy the tope, and take it all away.

I will not contend with you." The king, however, knew that such appliances for offerings were not to be had anywhere in the world, and thereupon returned (without carrying out his purpose).
(Afterwards), the ground all about became overgrown with vegetation, and there was nobody to sprinkle and sweep (about the tope); but a herd of elephants came regularly, which brought water with their trunks to water the ground, and various kinds of flowers and incense, which they presented at the tope.

(Once) there came from one of the kingdoms a devotee( 5) to worship at the tope.