And confirming the king in the Five Commandments, and exhorting him thenceforward to be unweary (in well doing), he returned to the king his sceptre. And the king listened to his exhortation, and granted security to all living creatures; and commanded a constant supply of food, like the royal food, for all the dogs from the Bodisat downwards. And he remained firm in the teaching of the Bodisat, and did works of charity and other good deeds his life long, and after death was reborn in the world of the gods. Now the Exhortation of the Dog flourished for tens of thousands of years. But the Bodisat lived to a good old age and passed away according to his deeds. * * * * * When the Teacher had concluded this discourse, in illustration of his saying (“Not now only, O mendicants, did the Tathāgata act for the benefit of his relatives, formerly also he did so”), he made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka by saying, “He who was then the king was Ānanda, the others were the Buddha’s attendants, but the Dog was I myself.” END OF THE STORY OF THE DOG. No. 23. BHOJĀJĀNĪYA JĀTAKA. The Bhoja Thoroughbred. _“Though fallen on his side,” etc._--This the Teacher told when at Jetavana, concerning a monk who had lost heart in the struggle after holiness. For the Master then addressed the monk, and said, “Formerly, O mendicants, the wise were wont to exert themselves unremittingly, and did not give up when they received a check.” And he told a tale. * * * * * Long ago, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, the Bodisat was born into the family of a thoroughbred Bhoja horse, and became the state charger of the king of Benares. He fed out of a priceless golden dish on the most delicious fine old rice; and he stood in a fragrant perfumed stall, hung round with curtains embroidered with flowers, covered with a canopy painted with golden stars, decked with garlands of sweet-smelling flowers, and furnished with a lamp of fragrant oil that was never extinguished. Now there was no king who did not covet the kingdom of Benares. On one occasion seven kings surrounded the city, and sent a letter to the king of Benares, saying, “Either give us up the kingdom, or give us battle!” The king called a council of his ministers, and told them this, and asked them what was to be done. “You ought not yourself, O king, to go out to battle at once,” was the reply. “Send such and such a knight to give battle; and if he fails, we shall know what to do afterwards.” The king sent for him, and said, “Can you give battle, well beloved, to these seven kings?” “O king,” said he, “if I may have the thoroughbred Bhoja charger, I shall be able to fight, not only the seven kings, but the kings of all the continent of India.” “Take the Bhoja or any other charger you like, my trusty friend, and give them battle,” said the king.