| J.533 |
Cullaha.msa Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once born as Dhatarattha, king of 90,000 golden geese living in
Cittakuta. one day some of his flock came upon Lake Manusiya near the haunts of men,
and finding it a rich feeding ground, persuaded the bodhisatva, much against his
will to go there with them. However, immediately he landed, he was caught in a fowler’s
snare and could not escape. He waited until the flock had finished feeding, then
gave an alarm cry at which all the geese fled except for his commander in chief,
Sumukha. When the fowler came, Sumukha offered to give his life for his king, and
thereby softened the fowler’s heart. The latter set Dhatarattha free and tended his
wounds. Because of the fowler’s great charity, the king of the geese recovered. When
the fowler suggested that the geese should fly home, the two geese insisted that
they should be taken to Sakula, the king of the land, that they might obtain a suitable
reward for the fowler. When the king heard the story, he bestowed a the revenues
of a village on the fowler (yielding 100,000 annually), a chariot and a large store
of gold. Dhatarattha preached moral law to the king and after being paid great honour,
returned to Cittakuta. The Jataka was related in reference to Ananda’s attempt to
offer his life in order to save the Buddha from being killed by the elephant Nalagiri.
Channa is identified with the fowler, Sariputta with the king and Ananda with Sumukha.
See also Mahaha.msa
Jaataka (J.534) and Ha.msa
Jaataka (J.502). |
62/324 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.v.333ff., Dh.A.i.119ff. |
loyalty |