217. The Bodhisatta And The Queen’s Pearl-Haram
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta, having perfected his education, became one of the King’s ministers. One day the king with a large following went into forest for hunting and wanted to bathe. So he went down into the royal tank and sent for his queen. The women of the harem, removing the jewels from the queen along with upper robe and kept it in box, which was guarded by a woman of harem.
216. The Bodhisatta And The Queen
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his minister, rendering him all due service. One day the king saw his son, who acted as his viceroy, coming to pay his respects to him, he thought to himself, “This fellow may do me wrong, if he gets an opportunity.” So he said, “As long as I live, you cannot live in this city. Live somewhere else, and at my death come and rule the kingdom.” He agreed to these conditions, and bidding his father farewell he started from Benares with his chief wife. On coming to a village, he built himself a hut of leaves in a wood and stayed there, supporting life on wild roots and fruit. By and bye the king died. The young viceroy, from his observation of the stars, knew of his father’s death, and as he was traveling to Benares; on the way there was a mountain. His wife said to him, “Sir! Supposing if this mountain turns into pure gold, would you give me some of it?”
215. The Bodhisatta And The Queen Gentle Heart
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into a rich Brahmin family in the Kasi country. When he was grown up and had finished his education, he renounced all Lusts, and, forsaking the world for the hermit’s life, went to live in the solitudes of the Himalayas. There by due fulfillment of all preparatory forms of meditation, he won by abstract thought the Higher Knowledge and the ecstatic Attainments; and so lived his life in the bliss of mystic insight.
214. The Bodhisatta And The Quail
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young elephant. After growing up, he became the leader of the herd, with a following of eighty thousand elephants, and lived in the Himalayas. At that time quail laid her eggs in the feeding-ground of the elephants. When the eggs were ready to be hatched, the young birds broke the shells and came out. Before their wings had grown, and when they were still unable to fly, the Great Being with his eighty thousand elephant followers, came to this spot. On seeing them the quail thought, “This royal elephant will trample on my young ones and kill them. I will implore his righteous protection for the defense of my brood.”
