Category Archives: INDIA
141. The Bodhisatta And Kaccani
Once upon a time Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares. A young man on his father’s death devoted himself to his mother and tended her. Every day his mother and his wife quarreled and he lost his peace of mind. One day, when his wife said she could not live with the old witch and he must decide which one of them should go, he took her word that his mother was in fault and said, “Mother! you are always raising strife in the house; so go and live in some other place, where you choose.” She obeyed, weeping, and going to a friend’s house, she worked for wages and with difficulty made a living. After she left, her daughter-in-law conceived a child, and went about saying to her husband and the neighbours that such a thing could never have happened as long as the old witch was in the house.
140. The Bodhisatta And His Wife
Once upon a time, when king Brahmadatta reigned over Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as his son. They named him as Prince Paduma, the Lotus Prince. After him came six younger brothers. One after another these seven came of age and married and settled down, living as the king’s companions.
One day the king saw these seven brothers with their followers. He conceived the suspicion that they meant to kill him, and seize his kingdom. So he sent for them, and told: “My sons! you may not live in this town. So go elsewhere, and when I die you shall return and take the kingdom which belongs to our family.”
139. The Bodhisatta And His Ungrateful Wife
Once upon a time, in the reign of Brahmadatta, king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in Kasi as a householder’s son and coming of age he married and settled down. Now his wife was a wicked woman, and she intrigued with the village headman. The Bodhisatta came to understand this, and thought how to put her to test.
At that time all the grain had been carried away during the floods; and afterwards there was a famine. But it was the time when the corn had just sprouted, and all the villagers came together, and sought help of their headman, saying, “Two months from now, when we have harvested the grain, we will pay you in kind” so they got an old ox from him, and ate it.
138. The Bodhisatta And His Teachings On Deeds
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a world-renowned teacher at Takkasila, and youths of the warrior and brahmin castes came from all over India, to be taught in the arts by him. The son of the king of Benares too, prince Brahmadatta, was taught the three Vedas by him. Now he was by nature harsh, cruel, and violent. The Bodhisatta, by his power of divination knowing his character, said, “My friend, you are harsh, cruel, and violent, and verily power that is attained by a man of violence is shortlived; when his power is gone from him, he is like a ship that is wrecked at sea. He never reaches haven.
