Monthly Archives: January 2014
192. The Bodhisatta And The Mango Tree
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born of a monkey’s womb. When he grew up and attained stature and stoutness, he was strong and vigorous, and lived in the Himalaya with a retinue of eighty thousand monkeys. Near the Ganges bank there was a mango tree, with branches and forks, having a deep shade and thick leaves, like a mountaintop. Its sweet fruits, of divine fragrance and flavor, were as large as water pots; from one branch the fruits fell on the ground, from one into the Ganges water, from two into the main trunk of the tree. The Bodhisatta, while eating the fruit with a troop of monkeys, thought, “Someday danger will come upon us owing to the fruit of this tree falling on the water”; and so, not to leave one fruit on the branch which grew over the water, he made them eat or throw down the flowers at their season from the time they were of the size of a chick-pea. But notwithstanding, one ripe fruit, unseen by the eighty thousand monkeys, hidden by and ant’s nest, fell into the river, and stuck in the net above the king of Benares, who was bathing for amusement with a net above him and another below.
191. The Bodhisatta And The Liquor
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was Treasurer of that city. A gang of tipplers, conspiring together, drank liquor, went to the court and met the King. The Treasurer did not want to drink at all, but nevertheless went with them, solely to expose them. Marking their proceedings and detecting their scheme, he was anxious to scare them away. So He represented that it would be a gross thing for him to drink spirits just before going to the king’s palace. He said,”All of you sit here till I’ve seen the king and am on my way back; then I’ll think about it.”
190. The Bodhisatta And The Limping Horse
Once upon a time, there was a king named Sama, the Black, reigning in Benares. In those days the Bodhisatta was one of a courtier’s family, and grew up to be the king’s temporal and spiritual adviser. Now the king had a royal horse named Pandava, and one Giridanta, a lame man was his trainer. The horse used to watch him as he tramped on and on in front, holding the halter; and knowing him to be his trainer, imitated him and limped too.
Somebody told the king how the horse was limping. The king sent surgeons. They examined the horse, but found him perfectly sound; and so accordingly made report. Then the king sent the Bodhisatta. The king said, “Go! Friend! and find out the reason.” He soon found out that the horse was lame because he went about with a lame trainer. So he told the king what it was. The Bodhisatta told, “It’s a case of bad company.”
The king asked, “Well! what’s to be done?”
The Bodhisatta replied, “Get a fit and proper groom, on whom you can depend, and the horse will be as good as ever.”
The king did so. The horse became as good as before. The king showed great honour to the Bodhisatta, being pleased that he knew even the ways of animals.
189. The Bodhisatta And The Life Of Ascetic
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was a Brahmin who lived in a town. His name was Vacchanakha. Coming to years, he took up the religious life, and lived for a long time amid the Himalayas.
He went to Benares to purchase salt and seasoning, and abode in the king’s grounds; next day he entered Benares.
