| J.509 |
Hatthipaala Jaataka |
Esukaarii, king of Benares had no sons. His chaplain, hearing that the deity of a
certain banyan tree had the power of giving sons, went to that tree and threatened
to cut it down unless Esukaarii had a son. The tree deity consulted Sakka who persuaded
four devas to be born as sons, not of Esukaarii but of the chaplain. On the day when
the chaplain came to cut down the tree, the deity told him of Sakka’s decision and
also warned him that the sons would not live the household life. In due course the
sons were born, the oldest being Hatthipaala. The four brothers resisted all attempts
to prevent them from becoming ascetics. Eventually the parents, the king and queen
and all the citizens of Benares became ascetics too, leaving the city empty. Hattipaala’s
company covered an area of thirty leagues -- they moved to live in the Himalayas
in a hermitage covering 36 leagues. Other kings coming to capture Benares, realized
their folly and also became ascetics under Hatthipala. The Jataka was related in
reference to the Buddha’s great renunciation. Suddhodana was Esukaarii, Mahamaya
his queen, Kassapa the chaplain, Bhadda Kapilani his wife, the Buddha was Hatthipala
and Anuruddha, Moggallana and Sariputta his brothers. |
61/239 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iv.473ff. |
renunciation |