221. The Bodhisatta and The Royal Horse
Once upon a time Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares. In those days the Bodhisatta used to be the king’s director in things temporal and spiritual.
At this time, one man washed his horse at the bathing place of the king’s Royal horse. And when the groom of Royal Horse was for leading it down in to the same water, the animal was so affronted that he would not go in. So the groom went off to the king and said, “Please your Majesty! your Royal Horse won’t take his bath.”
220. The Bodhisatta and The Royal Elephant
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became his minister. In those days the king had a Royal elephant, named Damsel-face, who was virtuous and good, and never hurt anybody.
Now one day, some burglars came close up to the elephant’s stall by night and sat down to discuss their plans:-“This is the way to tunnel into a house; this is the way to break in through the walls; before carrying off the plunder, the tunnel or breach in the walls ought to be made as clear and open as a road. you shouldn’t hesitate at murder; then there will be no one to resist. A burglar should get rid of all goodness and virtue, and be quite pitiless; must be a man of cruelty and violence.”
219. The Bodhisatta And The Robbers
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a Brahmin. Arriving at years of discretion, he became aware of the evils that spring from Lusts, and so forsook the world to live as a recluse in the country round the Himalayas. Need of salt and vinegar having led him to make a pilgrimage for alms through the countryside, he traveled in the course of his wandering with a merchant’s caravan. When the caravan halted at a certain spot in the forest, he paced to and fro at the foot of a tree, hard by the caravan, enjoying the bliss of insight.
218. The Bodhisatta And The Ram
Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was born in a merchant family and doing his trade. At that time a religious mendicant, clad in a leather garment, in going his rounds for alms, came to the rams’ fighting ground. On seeing a ram falling back before him, he thought that ram is paying respect to him. He thought, “In the whole world, this ram alone recognizes my merits,” and raising his joined hands in respectful salutation he stood and repeated the first stanza:
