"King Virudhaka waited on the bank for a long time, but never saw him surface."
"Armored soldiers dove to the riverbed, forcibly cut the white hair tangled around the tree roots, and dragged Mahanama's body ashore."
"Looking at Mahanama's corpse, King Virudhaka felt pity stir in his heart."
"He issued a military order: 'Mahanama drowned himself to protect his clan. Such was the depth of his devotion. As sovereign, how could I let the slaughter grow worse over the resentment of years past?'"
"He ordered Mahanama buried with full honors. The army broke camp and withdrew, without pursuing the fleeing members of the Shakya clan."
"But by then, blood already flowed in rivers through Kapilavastu, and few had survived."
"Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana came before the Buddha holding his alms bowl. He said: 'Though I could not stop the army, I used my supernatural powers to gather five hundred members of the Shakya clan into my bowl. At least I have preserved your kin and bloodline.'"
"The Buddha lowered his eyes and asked him: 'Have you opened the bowl to look at the people inside?'"
"Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana shook his head and said: 'Not yet.'"
"The Buddha said: 'Open it and look.'"
"Mahamaudgalyayana lifted the lid."
Xuanzang lowered his eyes.
"Inside the bowl, there was no trace of a living person. Only a bowl filled to the brim with bloody water."
A deathly silence fell over the clifftop.
"Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana did not understand, nor did the other Bhikkhus. They earnestly asked the Buddha: 'Why could supernatural powers of such heaven-reaching might not protect these five hundred people? Why could an enlightened sage not even keep his own kin safe?'"
"The Buddha revealed to his disciples the causes and conditions of the past."
"Long, long ago, Rajagriha suffered a great drought."
"The deep pond