70. The Bodhisatta – As A Vulture
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a vulture by name Aparannagijjha, and dwelt among a retinue of vultures in Gijjhapabbata (Vulture Mountain). His son, Migalopa by name, was exceedingly strong and mighty; he flew high above the reach of the other vultures. They told their king that his son flew very far.
69. The Bodhisatta – As A Vulture feeding Parents
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born of a vulture. When he grew up, his parents became old and dim of eye. He put in a vulture’s cave and fed them by bringing them flesh of cows and the like. At the time a hunter laid snares for vultures in the cemetery. One day the Bodhisatta seeking for flesh came to the cemetery and caught his foot in the snares. He did not think of himself, but remembered his old parents. “How will my parents live now? I think they will die, ignorant that I am caught, helpless and destitute, wasting away in that hill-cave.”
68. The Bodhisatta – As A Teacher
Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to be a teacher of world wide fame, with five hundred young brahmins studying under him.
One of these pupils was a young Brahmin from a foreign land, who fell in love with a woman and made her his wife. Though he continued to live on in Benares, he failed two or three times in his attendance on the master.
67. The Bodhisatta – As A Stone Cutter
Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a stone cutter. Growing up, he became expert in working stones. Now in the Kasi country there lived a very rich merchant who had amassed forty crores in gold. And when his wife died, so strong was her love of money that she was re-born a mouse and lived over the treasure.
