245. The Bodhisatta And The Usurper
The Bodhisatta became king in Benares. The wicked councilor called in the king of Kosala and got him to seize upon the kingdom of Kasi, and to throw the Bodhisatta into prison. The king of Benares developed ecstatic meditation and sat cross-legged in the air. A fierce heat sprang up in the body of the marauding king, and he went to the king of Benares and repeated the first stanza:
244. The Bodhisatta And The Ungrateful Prince
Once upon a time Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares. He had a son named Prince Wicked. He was Fierce and cruel, like a scotched snake; he spoke to nobody without abuse or blows. This prince was like grit in the eye to all folk both within and without the palace. He was considered a dreaded ogre.
One day, wishing to bathe in the river, he went with a large servants to the water side. And a great storm came, and utter darkness set in. He cried he to his servants: “Take me into mid stream, bathe me there, and then bring me back again.”
243. The Bodhisatta And The Two Deities
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta was a merchant, giving gifts, keeping the commands, and performing the fast day duties; and so his wife kept the five commands, and so also did his sons, his daughters and his servants and workpeople. So he was called the merchant Suciparivara (pure household). He thought, “If one of purer morals than I should come, it would not be proper to give him my couch to sit on or my bed to lie on, but to give him one pure and unused”; so he had an unused couch and bed prepared on one side in his presence-chamber.
242. The Bodhisatta And The Tree-Fairy
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into a merchant’s family and was named ‘Wise.’ When he grew up he entered into partnership with another merchant named ‘Wisest’ and traded with him. And these two took five hundred wagons of merchandise from Benares to the country districts, where they disposed of their wares, returning afterwards with the proceeds to the city. When the time for dividing came, Wisest said, “I must have a double share.” “Why so?” asked Wise.
