And Ānanda replied: "I ask not for caste but for water;" and the Mātanga girl's heart leaped joyfully and she gave Ānanda to drink. 3 Ānanda thanked her and went away; but she followed him at a distance. 4 Having heard that Ānanda was a disciple of Gotama Sakyamuni, the girl repaired to the Blessed One and cried: "O Lord help me, and let me live in the place where Ānanda thy disciple dwells, so that I may see him and minister unto him, for I love Ānanda." 5 And the Blessed One understood the emotions of her heart and he said: "Pakati, thy heart is full of love, but thou understandest not thine own sentiments. It is not Ānanda that thou lovest, but his kindness. Accept, then, the kindness thou hast seen him practise unto thee, and in the humility of thy station practise it unto others. 6 "Verily there is great merit in the generosity of a king when he is land to a slave; but there is a greater merit in the slave when he ignores the wrongs which he suffers and cherishes kindness and good-will to all mankind. He will cease to hate his oppressors, and even when powerless to resist their usurpation will with compassion pity their arrogance and supercilious demeanor. 7 "Blessed art thou, Pakati, for though thou art a Mātanga thou wilt be a model for noblemen and noblewomen. Thou art of low caste, but Brahmans may learn a lesson from thee. Swerve not from the path of justice and righteousness and thou wilt outshine the royal glory of: queens on the throne." 8 LXXVII. THE PEACEMAKER. It is reported that two kingdoms were on the verge of war for the possession of a certain embankment which was disputed by them. 1 And the Buddha seeing the kings and their armies ready to fight, requested them to tell him the cause of their quarrels. Having heard the complaints on both sides, he said: 2 "I understand that the embankment has value for some of your people; has it any intrinsic value aside from its service to your men?" 3 "It has no intrinsic value whatever," was the reply. The Tathāgata continued: "Now when you go to battle is it not sure that many of your men will be slain and that you yourselves, O kings, are liable to lose your lives?" 4 And they said: "Verily, it is sure that many will be slain and our own lives be jeopardized." 5 "The blood of men, however," said Buddha, "has it less intrinsic value than a mound of earth?" 6 "No," the kings said, "the lives of men and above all the lives of kings, are priceless." 7