| J.421 |
Ga"ngamaala Jaataka |
Once the bodhisatva entered service under Suciparivara of Benares, in whose household
everyone kept the fast on uposatha days. The Bodhisatva, not knowing this, went to
work as usual on the uposatha day, but, on discovering that no-one else was working,
and the reason for their abstention, he refused to take any food and as a result
of his fasting, died in the night. He was reborn as son of the king of Benares, and
later became king under the name of Udaya. On meeting Addhamasaka, Udaya shared the
kingdom with him, but one day Addhamasaka, discovering that he harboured a desire
to kill Udaya, renounced his kingdom and became an ascetic. When Udaya heard of this,
he uttered a stanza referring to his own past life, but no-one could understand the
meaning of it. The queen, anxious to learn the meaning, told the kingís barber Gangamala
how he might win the kingís favour, and when the king offered him a boon, Gangamala
chose to have the stanza explained to him. When he learnt how Udaya had won a kingdom
as a result of keeping Eight Precepts for only half a day, Gangamala also renounced
the world, and having developed asceticism, became a paccekabuddha. Later he visited
King Udaya and preached to him and his retinue, addressing the king by name. The
queen-mother took offence at this and abused Gangamala, but the king begged him to
forgive her. Gangamala returned to Gandhamadana, though urged by Udaya to stay in
the royal park. Ananda was Addhamasaka, and Rahulamata the queen. The story was related
by the Buddha to some lay-followers to encourage them in their observance of the
Eight Precepts. |
59/510 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iii.444ff. |
Eight Precepts |