Academic Sutta Name Notes PSA Plae Vagga Nikaya PTS Keywords
J.534 Mahaaha.msa Jaataka Khema, wife of King Samyama, king of Benares had a dream after which she longed to see a golden goose preach the Dhamma from the royal throne. When the king learned her desire, he had a pond dug to the north of the city in the hope of enticing golden geese to come there. He appointed a fowler called Khemaka to look after the pond. The plan succeeded and five different types of geese came, including the golden paka-geese. The bodhisatva was once born as Dhatarattha, king of 90,000 golden geese living in Cittakuta. Against his better judgement, King Dhatarattha was persuaded to feed on the pond near Benares. 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, but learning the reason why they had been caught, asked that both of them be taken before the king. Dhatarattha preached moral law to the king and queen 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 Cullaha.msa Jaataka (J.533) and Ha.msa Jaataka (J.502). 62/374 Jaataka Khuddhaka J.v.354ff. loyalty


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Last modified on: Sunday, 2 January 2000.