| J.423 |
Indriya Jaataka |
Once, an ascetic named Narada, younger brother of Kaladevala, became a disciple of
the bodhisatva Jotipala (also called Sarabhanga in the story), and lived in the mountainous
country of Ara~njara. Near Naradaís hermitage was a river, on the banks of which
courtesans used to sit tempting men. Narada saw one of these courtesans, and enamoured
of her, forsook his meditations and pined away for lack of food. Kaladevala, being
aware of this, tried to wean him from his desires. Narada, however, in the end, it
was only the words of the bodhisatva that could persuade him to give up his passion.
The story is told in reference to a backsliding monk. He went about for alms with
his teachers and instructors but, being their junior, he received very little attention.
Dissatisfied with his food and treatment, he sought his wife of former days. She
provided him with every comfort and gradually tempted him with the desire to become
a householder again. When the monkís fellows discovered his wish, they took him to
the Buddha who preached to him the Jataka, showing that in his past life too, he
had been sorely tempted by the same woman. Narada was identified with the backsliding
monk and the courtesan with the wife of his lay-days. The Buddha is stated, on this
occasion, also to have preached the Kandina
Jataka (J.013), the Radha
Jataka (J.145), the Ruhaka
Jataka (J.191), the Kanavera
Jataka (J.318), the Aasa"nkha
Jataka (J.380) and the Alambusaa
Jataka (J.523). See also Sarabha"nga
Jataka (J.522). |
59/552 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iii.461ff. |
women, temptation, passion |