Mittavinda Jaataka (J.104)

Academic Sutta Name Notes PSA Plae Vagga Nikaya PTS Keywords

J.104 Mittavinda Jaataka Mittavindaka was the son of a rich merchant of Benares in the days of Kassapa Buddha. His parents were sotapannas, but he himself was an unbeliever. When his father died, Mittavindaka stopped all almsgiving. his mother bribed him to keep the Eight Precepts on a full-moon day by promising him 1,000. He kept his promise, keeping the Precepts but refusing to eat until given the money. Later he wished to go on a trading voyage, and when his mother tried to restrain him, he knocked her down. In mid-ocean the ship refused to move and when lots were cast, the lot fell three times with Mittavindaka. He was therefore fastened to a raft and cast adrift. The raft was washed up on an island inhabited by four female spirits who passed seven days in bliss and seven days in woe as the result of their karma. He lived with them for the seven days of bliss and when they departed to do their penance, he left them and came to several islands, each one inhabited by more women and more prosperous than the last. He then came to the ussada hell which appeared to him as the most beautiful city. There he saw a man propping his head on a wheel as sharp as a razor. To Mittavindaka, the wheel appeared as a lotus and he insisted on taking it from the man. No sooner had he taken the wheel on his head than he started to suffer the torments of hell. At that time, the bodhisatva who had been born as a deva, saw Mittavindaka and was asked the reasons for his torture. The Bodhisatva told him that is was because of the his greed and his wickedness to his mother. The Jataka probably derives its name from the fact that ussadaniraya, where Mittavindaka was destined to suffer, looked like a city with four gates, surrounded by a wall. For the introductory story see the Gijjha Jataka (J.427). See also Mittavinda Jaataka (J.082), Mittavinda Jaataka (J.369) and Catudvaara Jaataka (J.439). 56/399 Jaataka Khuddhaka J.i.413ff. stubbornness

Academic	Sutta Name	Notes	PSA Plae	Vagga	Nikaya	PTS	Keywords
J.104	Mittavinda Jaataka	Mittavindaka was the son of a rich merchant of Benares in the days of Kassapa Buddha. His parents were sotapannas, but he himself was an unbeliever. When his father died, Mittavindaka stopped all almsgiving. his mother bribed him to keep the Eight Precepts on a full-moon day by promising him 1,000. He kept his promise, keeping the Precepts but refusing to eat until given the money. Later he wished to go on a trading voyage, and when his mother tried to restrain him, he knocked her down. In mid-ocean the ship refused to move and when lots were cast, the lot fell three times with Mittavindaka. He was therefore fastened to a raft and cast adrift. The raft was washed up on an island inhabited by four female spirits who passed seven days in bliss and seven days in woe as the result of their karma. He lived with them for the seven days of bliss and when they departed to do their penance, he left them and came to several islands, each one inhabited by more women and more prosperous than the last. He then came to the ussada hell which appeared to him as the most beautiful city. There he saw a man propping his head on a wheel as sharp as a razor. To Mittavindaka, the wheel appeared as a lotus and he insisted on taking it from the man. No sooner had he taken the wheel on his head than he started to suffer the torments of hell. At that time, the bodhisatva who had been born as a deva, saw Mittavindaka and was asked the reasons for his torture. The Bodhisatva told him that is was because of the his greed and his wickedness to his mother. The Jataka probably derives its name from the fact that ussadaniraya, where Mittavindaka was destined to suffer, looked like a city with four gates, surrounded by a wall. For the introductory story see the Gijjha Jataka (J.427). See also Mittavinda Jaataka (J.082), Mittavinda Jaataka (J.369) and Catudvaara Jaataka (J.439).	56/399	Jaataka	Khuddhaka	J.i.413ff.	stubbornness

Previous Page | Contents | Next Page

Last modified on: Sunday, 2 January 2000.