253. The Bodhisatta And Virtue
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta ruled in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a brahmin’s son. He came of age, and received his education at Takkasila; then on returning he became a famous teacher.
Now there was a Brahmin who had four daughters. These four were wooed by four persons. The Brahmin could not decide to whom to give them. He thought, “I will enquire of the teacher and I shall give them accordigly.” So he came to the teacher and asked:
252. The Bodhisatta And Unfinished Roof
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his councilor in things temporal and spiritual. The king was set on the way of the evil courses, ruled his kingdom unrighteously and collected wealth by oppressing the people. The Bodhisatta wishing to admonish him goes about looking for a parable. Now the king’s bed-chamber was unfinished and the roof was not complete upon it; the rafters supported a peak but were only just set in position.
251. The Bodhisatta And Tree-Spirit
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a Brahmin family. When he grew up he learned all the arts at Takkasila, and then returning lived as a householder. After a time he left his house and became an ascetic; soon he reached the Faculty of Meditation, and living in the Himalaya quarter in the standing and walking attitudes only, he walked all night without sleeping. A spirit who lived in a tree at the end of his walk was pleased with him and spoke putting a question to him from a hole in the trunk:–
250. The Bodhisatta And The Yakkha
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as the son of his chief queen. And when he was of age, he was instructed in all the arts and on the death of his father was established in his kingdom and governed it righteously.
At that time men were devoted to the worship of the gods and made religious offerings to them by slaughter of many goats, rams and the like, the Bodhisatta proclaimed by beat of drum, “No living creature is to be put to death.”
