Monthly Archives: January 2014
120. The Bodhisatta And Charity
One upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares the Bodhisatta was born in a rich man’s family; and coming of age, he acquired a property, and at his father’s death received his father’s station as merchant.
One day, as he reviewed his wealth and thought “My wealth is here; but where are those who gathered it? I must disperse my wealth, and give alms.” So he built an almonry, and lived distributing much alms; and when his days were drawing to a close charging his son not to discontinue the practice of alms-giving he was born again as Sakka in the Heaven. And the son gave alms as his father, and with the like charge to his son was born as Canda, the Moon, among the gods. And his son became Suriya, the Sun, who begot another that became Matali the Charioteer and his son was born again as Pancasikha, one of the Gandhabbas, or celestial musicians. But the sixth of the line was without faith, hard-hearted, loveless, niggardly; and he demolished the almonry, burnt it, beat the beggars and sent them about their business; gave no one so much as an oil drop on the end of a blade of grass.
119. The Bodhisatta And Change Of Name
Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was a teacher of world wide fame at Takkasila and five hundred young Brahmins learn the Vedas from his lips. One of these young men was named Base. And from continually hearing his fellows say, “Go, Base” and “Come, Base,” he longed to get rid of his name and to take a good name. So he went to his master and asked that a new name of a respectable character might be given to him. The master said, “Go! my son, and travel through the land till you have found a name you fancy. Then come back and I will change your name.”
118. The Bodhisatta And Asanka
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a Brahmin family at a village of that country. When he grew up, he learned the arts at Takkasila, became an ascetic and reaching the Faculties and Attainments lived on roots and fruits in the Himalaya.
At that time a star fell from the Heaven and was conceived as a girl inside a lotus in a pool; and when the other lotuses grew old and fell, that one grew great and stood. The ascetic coming to bathe saw it and thought, “The other lotuses fall, but this one is grown great and stands; why is this?” So he opened the lotus and saw the girl. He took her to his hut and tended her as his daughter. Now the Bodhisatta had given the maiden the name Asanka. When she came to sixteen years, she was beautiful. Sakka came to see the Bodhisatta and gave a crystal palace with all facilities for her dwelling.
117. The Bodhisatta And A Lie
Once upon a time, there was a king named Apacara. He reigned over the kingdom of Ceti, in the city of Sotthivati. He was endowed with four supernatural faculties – he could walk aloft and pass through the air, he had four angels in each of the four quarters to defend him with drawn swords, he diffused the fragrance of the lotus from his mouth. His family priest was named Kapila. This brahmin’s younger brother, Korakalamba, had been taught along with the king by the same teacher and was the king’s playmate. When Apacara was prince, he promises to make Korakalamba his family priest when he became king. At his father’s death he became king, but he could not depose Kapila from the position of family priest. When Kapila came to wait on him, he showed him special forms of honor.
