86. The Bodhisatta – As Monkey Chief
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in Benars, the Bodhisatta was born in the womb of a monkey, and lived in the king’s garden with a retinue of five hundred monkeys. Devadatta was also born in the womb of a monkey, and lived there also with a retinue of five hundred monkeys. Then one day when the king’s family priest had gone to the garden, bathed and adorned himself. One tricky monkey going ahead of him sat above the gateway arch of the garden and let excrement fall on the priest’s head as he went out.
85. The Bodhisatta – As King Of Gandhara
Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was the king’s son of the Gandhara kingdom; at his father’s death he became king and ruled with righteousness. In the Central Region, in the kingdom of Videha a king named Videha was ruling at the time. These two kings had never seen each other, but they were friends and had great trust the one in the other. At that time men are long–lived; their life was for thirty thousand years. Then once, on the fast day of the full moon, the king of Gandhara had taken the vow of the commands, and on the dais in the middle of a royal throne prepared for him, looking through an open window on the eastern quarter, he sat giving to his ministers a discourse on the substance of the law. At that moment Rahu was covering the moon’s orb which was full and spreading over the sky. The moon’s light vanished. The ministers, not seeing the moon’s brightness, told the king that the moon was seized by Rahu.
84. The Bodhisatta – As Elephant Trainer
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as an elephant trainer’s son. When he grew up, he was carefully taught all that pertains to the training of elephants. He was in the service of a king who was an enemy to the king of Benares. He trained this king’s royal elephant to perfection.
83. The Bodhisatta – As Dwarf Brahmin
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a Brahmin, somewhat of a crooked little dwarf. When he was grown up he studied under a teacher of world wide fame at Takkasila. There he learnt the Three Vedas and the Eighteen Branches of knowledge, and completed his education. And he became known as the sage Little Bowman.
