| J.491 |
Mahaamora Jaataka |
Long ago when Brahmadatta ruled Benares, the bodhisatva was born as a golden peacock
who was abandoned by his mother before hatching -- and was nominated king by the
other peacocks.Noticing his own beauty in the reflection of a pond, he realized the
risk of continuing to live near the haunts of men so he fled at night to the Himavanta
forest, finding safe cave as a home. Each morning the peacock would rise before dawn
and chant the Mora Paritta as the sun rose. One day the peacock was seen by a hunter's
son who reported his find to his father. Meanwhile Queen Khema of Benares, in her
morning sickness, drempt that she heard the preaching of a golden peacock and the
king, hearing the news, offered a reward for any golden peacock caught alive. Both
the queen and the hunter passed away before any golden peacock could be caught. Out
of vengeance, the king inscribed a golden plaque that anyone eating the flesh of
a golden peacock would gain immortality. Six generations of successive kings also
failed to hunt down the peacock. At the seventh generation, a hunter trained a peahen
to cry at the snap of his fingers and used her to bait a snare. The bodhisatva forgot
his spell and was caught in the trap losing the mindfulness which he had maintained
unbroken for the last 700 years. The hunter which had caught him had the potential
for paccekabuddhahood and on hearing the preaching of the peacock attained. Having
broken free of the fetters of the defilements, the paccekabuddha released the peacock
and simultaneously all the bonds that tied captive birds and animals everywhere were
miraculously broken. The hunter was spontaneously transformed in appearance to a
monk of eighty years in the monkhood. Holding his hands in respect to the peacock
he floated in the air and disappeared to Nandamuula.The story was told to a backsliding
monk who was upset by the sight of a woman magnificently attired. Ananda is identified
with the king of Benares. See similar Mora
Jaataka (J.159). |
60/453 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iv.332ff. |
immortality, sensual restraint, fetters |