| J.078 |
Illiisa Jaatakaa |
There was once a lame, hunch-backed millionnaire with a squint by the name of Illisa.
He was an infidel and a miser, never giving away any of his wealth or enjoying it
himself. Seven generations of his ancestors had been generous, but Illisa burned
down the alms house and drove the poor away from his house. Once, at the sight of
a yokel drinking, with a piece of dried fish as a relish, Illisa was sorely tempted
to drink himself. For a long time he fought the temptation, but he eventually gave
in to himself and sent a slave with a single penny to the tavern, ordering him to
hide the bottle of spirits in a riverside thicket where Illisa could go to drink
unseen. Meanwhile, Illisaís late father, who had been reborn as Sakka, realizing
his son had become a miser, came down to earth to wean him from his folly. Sakka
assumed the identicle form of Illisa, and entering the kingís palace, offered the
king all Illisaís wealth. The king refused the offer, so Sakka went to Illisaís house
and ordered all Illisaís property to be distributed to the poor. When Illisa discovers
that there is a second Illisa who has ordered the distribution of his wealth, he
swoons. Sakka reveals himself and informs Illisa that the wealth is really his and
not Illisaís, the latter not having earned it. He urges Illisa to do good and practise
generosity, or he would die, smitten by Indraís thunderbolt. Illisa taking heed of
the warning, becomes a virtuous man. The story is related in reference to the conversation
by Moggallana of the banker of Maccharikosiya of Sakkhara. Illisa of the past is
identified with Maccharikosiya. The story is given as an example of iddhi by means
of which Moggallana made a little thing increase manyfold. |
56/242 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.i.345ff. |
miracle, stinginess |