| J.014 |
Vaatamiga Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once born as Brahmadatta, king of Benares. He had a gardener named
Sa~njaya. A deer (vatamiga) used to visit the royal park and the king asked Sa~njaya
to catch it. Sa~njaya put honey on the grass where the animal fed and, in due course,
the animal came to eat out of his hand. He was thus able to entice it right into
the palace, whereupon he shut the gate trapping it inside. The king marvelled that
a deer, which was usually so shy that if it saw a man it would not visit the same
place for a week after, should allow itself to be caught by greed. The Jataka was
told in reference to Cullapindapatika-Tissa who was enticed back into the lay life
by a slave girl Sa~njaya is identified with the slave and the deer with the monk. |
55/250 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.i.156ff. |
greed |