When the Bodisat, lying there as he was, stretched forth his neck, and saw the conflagration spreading towards him, he thought: “If I had the power of stretching my wings and flying in the air, or of putting out my legs, and walking on the ground, I could get away to some other place. But I can’t! And my parents too, terrified with the fear of death, have left me all alone, and flown away to save themselves. No other help can I expect from others, and in myself I find no help. What in the world shall I do now!” But then it occurred to him, “In this world there is such a thing as the efficacy of virtue; there is such a thing as the efficacy of truth. There are men known as omniscient Buddhas, who become Buddhas when seated under the Bo-tree through having fulfilled the Great Virtues in the long ages of the past; who have gained salvation by the wisdom arising from good deeds and earnest thought, and have gained too the power of showing to others the knowledge of that salvation; who are full of truth, and compassion, and mercy, and longsuffering; and whose hearts reach out in equal love to all beings that have life. To me, too, the Truth is one, there seems to be but one eternal and true Faith. It behoves me, therefore--meditating on the Buddhas of the past and on the attributes that they have gained, and relying on the one true faith there is in me--to perform an Act of Truth; and thus to drive back the fire, and procure safety both for myself, and for the other birds.” Therefore it is said (in the Scriptures)-- “There’s power in virtue in the world-- In truth, and purity, and love! In that truth’s name I’ll now perform A mystic Act of Truth sublime. Then thinking on the power of the Faith, And on the Conquerors in ages past, Relying on the power of the Truth, I then performed the Miracle!” Then the Bodisat called to mind the attributes of the Buddhas who had long since passed away; and, making a solemn asseveration of the true faith existing in himself, he performed the Act of Truth, uttering the verse-- “Wings I have that will not fly, Feet I have that will not walk; My parents, too, are fled away! O All-embracing Fire--go back!”[331] Then before him and his Act of Truth the Element went back a space of sixteen rods; but in receding it did not return to consume the forest; it went out immediately it came to the spot, like a torch plunged into water. Therefore it is said-- “For me and for my Act of Truth The great and burning fire went out, Leaving a space of sixteen rods, As fire, with water mixed, goes out.” And as that spot has escaped being overwhelmed by fire through all this _kalpa_, this is said to be ‘a kalpa-enduring miracle.’ The Bodisat having thus performed the Act of Truth, passed away, at the end of his life, according to his deeds. * * * * *