Monthly Archives: January 2014
180. The Bodhisatta And The Grey Hair
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was conceived in the womb of his priest’s wife. On the day of his birth, the king also had a son born. On the naming day they called the Great Being Susima-Kumara, and the king’s son Brahmadatta-Kumara. The king, seeing the two were born on the same day, had the Bodhisatta given to the nurse and brought up together with his own son. They both grew up fair, like sons of gods: they both learned all sciences at Takkasila and came home again. The prince became viceroy, eating, drinking, and living along with the Bodhisatta; at his father’s death he became king, appointed the Bodhisatta as his priest.
179.The Bodhisatta And The Greedy Crow
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, a greedy Crow was not content with the food and corpses of animals in Benares. Thinking that plenty of food is available in forest, he went to the forest; but neither was he satisfied with the wild fruits that he found there, and proceeded to the Ganges. As he passed along the bank of the Ganges, seeing a pair of Ruddy Geese, he thought, “here, birds are very beautiful; I suppose they find plenty of meat to eat on this Ganges bank. I will question them, and if I too can eat their food doubtless I shall have a fine colour like them.”
178. The Bodhisatta And The Golden Bar
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a farmer in a village. One day he was ploughing in a field where once stood a village.
In bygone days, if a wealthy merchant is dead, he will be buried in this field with a huge bar of gold, as thick round as a man’s thigh, and four whole cubits in length. The Bodhisatta’s plough struck the golden piece. Taking it to be a spreading root of a tree, he dug it out; but discovering its real nature, he cleaned the dirt off the gold. After the day’s work, at sunset, carrying the golden block he started home. He could not lift it alone. He wanted to take some rest.
177. The Bodhisatta And The Goblin
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta came into the world as a brahmin’s son of the kingdom of Kasi; and his father was a lawyer. When the lad was sixteen years old, his father gave him a fine jewel into his custody, and they both traveled through town, village after village, until they came to Benares. There they had meal cooked in the gatekeeper’s house; he asked where there any lodging to sleep and take rest? The people told him that there was a building outside the city, but that it was haunted; but however he might lodge there if he liked. The lad said to his father, “Have no fear of any goblin, father! I will subdue him, and bring him to your feet.” So he persuaded his father, and they went to the place together. The father lay down upon a bench, and his son sat beside him, chafing his feet.
