| J.416 |
Parantapa Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once born as the son of the king of Benares. He came to understand
the speech of animals and thus learned from a she-jackal who he had offended that
a hostile king with whom he would have to fight would march against the city. His
father bore him no love and sent him to fight this king when he arrived. All the
citizens followed the prince, however, so alarming the king, and causing the king
to flee to the forest with his queen, his chaplain and a servant, Parantapa -- all
living in a hut. When the king and chaplain were away collecting fruit, though with
child by the king, the queen sinned with Parantapa and instigated him to kill the
king while on his way to bathe in the river. The chaplain saw the deed but said nothing
and on his return feigned to have been blinded by a snakeís breath. The queen bore
a son, and when he was sixteen, the chaplain told him of what had happened and taught
him the use of a sword. Soon after, the boy killed Parantapa and returned with his
mother and the chaplain to Benares, where the bodhisatva made him viceroy. The story
was told in reference to Devadattaís attempts to kill the Buddha. Devadatta was identified
with the old king. |
59/440 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iii.415ff. |
disloyalty |