Now one day when pleasant food of all sweet tastes was being taken in for the Bodisat at breakfast-time, a Pacceka Buddha, who had risen from a seven days’ trance, saw that the time had come for him to seek for food. And thinking he ought to go that day to the door of the Benāres Treasurer’s house, he washed his face with water from the Anotatta lake, and used a toothpick made from the betel-creeper, put on his lower robe as he stood on the table-land of Mount Manosilā, fastened on his girdle, robed himself, took a begging-bowl he created for the purpose, went through the sky, and stood at the door of the house just as the breakfast was being taken in to the Bodisat. As soon as the Bodisat saw him, he rose from his seat, and looked at a servant who was making the preparations. “What shall I do, Sir?” said he. “Bring the gentleman’s bowl,” said his master. That moment Māra the Wicked One was greatly agitated, and rose up, saying, “It is seven days since this Pacceka Buddha received food. If he gets none to-day, he will perish. I must destroy this fellow, and put a stop to the Treasurer’s gift.” And he went at once and caused a pit of live coals, eighty fathoms deep, to appear in the midst of the house. And it was full of charcoal of Acacia-wood; and appeared burning and flaming, like the great hell of Avīci. And after creating it, he himself remained in the sky. When the man, who was coming to fetch the bowl, saw this, he was exceeding terrified, and stopped still. “What are you stopping for, my good man?” asked the Bodisat. “There is a great pit of live coals burning and blazing in the very middle of the house, Sir!” said he. And as people came up one after another, they were each overcome with fear, and fled hastily away. Then thought the Bodisat, “Vasavatti Māra must be exerting himself with the hope of putting an obstacle in the way of my almsgiving. But I am not aware that I can be shaken by a hundred or even a thousand Māras. This day I will find out whether my power or Māra’s--whether my might or Māra’s--is the greater.” And he himself took the dish of rice just as it stood there ready, and went out, and stood on the edge of the pit of fire; and looking up to the sky, saw Māra, and said-- “Who are you?” “I am Māra,” was the reply. “Is it you who created this pit of fire?” “Certainly, I did it.” “And what for?” “Simply to put a stop to your almsgiving, and destroy the life of that Pacceka Buddha!” “And I’ll allow you to do neither the one nor the other. Let us see this day whether your power or mine is the greater!” And still standing on the edge of the pit of fire, he exclaimed-- “My Lord, the Pacceka Buddha! I will not turn back from this pit of coal, though I should fall into it headlong. Take now at my hands the food I have bestowed, even the whole of it.” And so saying, he uttered the stanza: