Sa"nkhapaala Jaataka (J.524)

Academic Sutta Name Notes PSA Plae Vagga Nikaya PTS Keywords

J.524 Sa"nkhapaala Jaataka The bodhisatva was once born as Duyyodhana, son of the king of Rajagaha. When he came of age, his father handed over the kingdom to him, became an ascetic and lived in the royal park. There Duyyodhana visited him frequently, and finding this inconvenient, the ascetic went to Mahimsakarattha and lived in a hut on the bend of the Kannapenna River. There he was visited by the naga-king Sankhapala to whom he preached the Dhamma. Later Duyyodhana discovered the whereabouts of the ascetic and visited him. There he saw the naga-king and impressed by his great magnificence, desired to visit the naga-world. On his return to the capital, Duyyodhana engaged in works of merit and was reborn in the naga-world, and became king under the name of Sankhapala. In the course of time he grew weary of his magnificence and made many attempts to observe religious vows, hoping in this way to gain release. He left the naga-world on uposatha days and came to the human world keeping the fast while lying on an anthill near the Kannapenna. There he was taken captive by sixteen men roaming in the forest. They pierced him with spears and tied ropes to him in order to drag him along. Sankhapala showed no resentment in case it spoiled the purity of his precepts. A landowner of Mithila called Alara saw his mistreatment and had him released. Thereupon Sankhapala invited Alara to the naga-world where he lived for one year. Later Alara became an ascetic and in due course visited Benares where he told the king the story of his visit to the Naga world. After the rains he returned to the Himalayas. The bodhisatva’s father is identified with Maha Kassapa, the king of Benares with Ananda and Alara with Sariputta. see also Campeyya Jataka (J.506). The story is given in the Cariyapitaka (Cyp.ii.10) to illustrate the perfection of self-discipline. 61/658 Jaataka Khuddhaka J.v.161ff. eight precepts

Academic	Sutta Name	Notes	PSA Plae	Vagga	Nikaya	PTS	Keywords
J.524	Sa"nkhapaala Jaataka	The bodhisatva was once born as Duyyodhana, son of the king of Rajagaha. When he came of age, his father handed over the kingdom to him, became an ascetic and lived in the royal park. There Duyyodhana visited him frequently, and finding this inconvenient, the ascetic went to Mahimsakarattha and lived in a hut on the bend of the Kannapenna River. There he was visited by the naga-king Sankhapala to whom he preached the Dhamma. Later Duyyodhana discovered the whereabouts of the ascetic and visited him. There he saw the naga-king and impressed by his great magnificence, desired to visit the naga-world. On his return to the capital, Duyyodhana engaged in works of merit and was reborn in the naga-world, and became king under the name of Sankhapala. In the course of time he grew weary of his magnificence and made many attempts to observe religious vows, hoping in this way to gain release. He left the naga-world on uposatha days and came to the human world keeping the fast while lying on an anthill near the Kannapenna. There he was taken captive by sixteen men roaming in the forest. They pierced him with spears and tied ropes to him in order to drag him along. Sankhapala showed no resentment in case it spoiled the purity of his precepts. A landowner of Mithila called Alara saw his mistreatment and had him released. Thereupon Sankhapala invited Alara to the naga-world where he lived for one year. Later Alara became an ascetic and in due course visited Benares where he told the king the story of his visit to the Naga world. After the rains he returned to the Himalayas. The bodhisatva’s father is identified with Maha Kassapa, the king of Benares with Ananda and Alara with Sariputta. see also Campeyya Jataka (J.506). The story is given in the Cariyapitaka (Cyp.ii.10) to illustrate the perfection of self-discipline.	61/658	Jaataka	Khuddhaka	J.v.161ff.	eight precepts

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Last modified on: Sunday, 2 January 2000.