| J.137 |
Babbu Jaataka |
There was once a rich merchant of Kasi who amassed forty crores of gold. His wife
died and, because of her love of money, was reborn as a mouse guarding the money.
In due course the rest of the family died and the village was deserted. The bodhisatva
was a stone-cutter, working in a quarry near the mouseís residence. She, liking him,
brought him a coin one day, suggesting that with a part of it he could buy her some
meat. The bodhisatva agreed and this continued for some time. One day the mouse was
caught by a cat, but she obtained her release by promising the cat some of her food.
She was later caught by three more cats and was released on the same terms. The mouse
thus had only one fifth of her food and grew very thin. The bodhisatva noticed this,
and when told the reason, put her inside a crystal box and suggested that when the
cats came she should refuse to have anything to do with them. The first cat arrived,
and on being reviled by the mouse, jumped on the crystal box and was crushed to death.
The same fate overtook the other cats. The mouse thus became free, and in gratitude
to the Bodhisatva, showed him all the treasure. The story was told in reference to
Kana who lost her husband owing to four monks. The monks were the cats and Kana the
mouse. |
56/541 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.i.477ff. |
blackmail |