82. The Bodhisatta – As Atthisena
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a brahmin household in a certain village, and they called his name young Atthisena. When he grew up, he learned all the arts at Takkasila, and afterwards seeing the misery of desires he took the religious life, and reaching the higher Faculties and Attainments, he dwelt long in the Himalayas; then coming down among men to get salt and vinegar, he reached Benares, and after staying in a garden he came begging next day to the king’s court.
81. The Bodhisatta – As Asadisa Kumara
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was conceived as the son of the Queen. She delivered a male child and was named as Asadisa Kumara, Prince Peerless. About the time he was able to walk, the Queen conceived one who was also to be a wise being. She delivered another son and named him as Brahmadatta Kumara, or Prince Heaven sent.
80. The Bodhisatta – As Antelope
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as an antelope, and used to live on fruits in his haunts in the forest.
At one time he was subsisting on the fruit of a sepanni-tree. And there was a village hunter, whose method was to build a platform in trees at the foot of which he found the track of deer, and to watch aloft for their coming to eat the fruits of the trees. When the deer came, he brought them down with a Javelin, and sold the flesh for a living. This hunter one day marked the tracks of the Bodhisatta at the foot of the tree, and made himself a platform up in the tree branch.
79. The Bodhisatta – As An Iguana
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born an iguana. When he grew up he lived in a big burrow in the river bank with a following of many hundreds of other iguanas. Now the Bodhisatta had a son, a young iguana, who was in friendship with a chameleon, whom he used to clip and embrace. This intimacy being reported to the iguana king.
