Monthly Archives: January 2014
88. The Bodhisatta – As Prince Five Weapons
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as prince, once more. On the day when he was to be named, the parents enquired as to their child’s destiny from eight hundred Brahmins.These clever soothsaying Brahmins foretold that, coming to the throne at the king’s death, the child should be a mighty king endowed with every virtue; famed and renowned for his exploits with five weapons, he should stand peerless in all Jambudipa. And because of this prophecy of the Brahmins, the parents named their son Prince Five Weapons.
87. The Bodhisatta – As Prince Dighavu
The Bodhisatta was born as Prince of Kosala. King of Benares invaded Kosala and killed the king and queen. Now prince Dighavu, having found the king of Benares in the forest, seized him by his top-knot and said, “Now will I cut into fourteen pieces the murderer who slew my father and mother.” And at the very moment when he drew his sword, he recalled the advise given him by his parents and he thought, “Though I should sacrifice my own life, I will not trample under foot their counsel. I will content myself with frightening him.”
86. The Bodhisatta – As Monkey Chief
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in Benars, the Bodhisatta was born in the womb of a monkey, and lived in the king’s garden with a retinue of five hundred monkeys. Devadatta was also born in the womb of a monkey, and lived there also with a retinue of five hundred monkeys. Then one day when the king’s family priest had gone to the garden, bathed and adorned himself. One tricky monkey going ahead of him sat above the gateway arch of the garden and let excrement fall on the priest’s head as he went out.
85. The Bodhisatta – As King Of Gandhara
Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was the king’s son of the Gandhara kingdom; at his father’s death he became king and ruled with righteousness. In the Central Region, in the kingdom of Videha a king named Videha was ruling at the time. These two kings had never seen each other, but they were friends and had great trust the one in the other. At that time men are long–lived; their life was for thirty thousand years. Then once, on the fast day of the full moon, the king of Gandhara had taken the vow of the commands, and on the dais in the middle of a royal throne prepared for him, looking through an open window on the eastern quarter, he sat giving to his ministers a discourse on the substance of the law. At that moment Rahu was covering the moon’s orb which was full and spreading over the sky. The moon’s light vanished. The ministers, not seeing the moon’s brightness, told the king that the moon was seized by Rahu.
