| J.472 |
Mahaapaduma Jaataka |
The Bodhisatva was once born as Mahapaduma, son of Brahmadatta, king of Benares.
When Paduma’s mother died, the king took another wife. On one occasion, the king
had to leave the city to quell a border rising, and thinking the dangers too great
to take the queen with him, he entrusted her to the care of Paduma. The campaign
was victorious. In the course of making arrangements for the celebration of his father’s
return, Paduma entered the queen’s appartments. She was struck by his amazing beauty
and fell in love with him, inviting him to lie with her. On his indignant refusal,
she feigned illness and, on the return of the king, falsely accused him of having
ill-treated her. The king gave orders, in spite of the protestations of the people,
that Paduma be thrown from the robber’s cliff. The deity of the mountain saved his
life and entrusted him to the care of the Naga king who took him into his abode,
where he stayed for one year. Paduma then went to the Himalayas and became an ascetic.
The king heard of this and went to offer him the kingdom, but it was refused by Paduma.
The king, convinced of the falsity of the charge brought against Paduma, caused the
queen to be flung from the Robber’s Cliff. The story was related in reference to
Ci~ncamanavika’s false accusations against the Buddha. Ci~nca was the wicked queen,
Devadatta the king, Sariputta the deity and Ananda the Naga. |
60/186 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iv.187ff. |
women, infidelity, justice |