| J.066 |
Mudulakkha.na Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once an ascetic named Mudulakkhana of great spiritual attainments,
living in the Himalayas. On one occasion he came to Benares, when the king, pleased
with his demenour, invited him to the palace and persuaded him to live in the royal
park. Sixteen years passed and the king, leaving the city to quell a border rising,
left his wife in the care of the ascetic. The next day, the ascetic visited the palace,
and having seen the queen, fell instantly in love with her, losing all his iddhi
powers. When the king returned, he found the ascetic disconsolate and on learning
the reason, agreed to give him the queen. Secretly, however, he asked the queen,
whose name was Mudulakkha.na, to think of some device by which she might save the
asceticís holiness. Together the ascetic and the queen left the palace and went to
a house given to them by the king which was generally used as a jakes. The queen
made the ascetic clean the house and fetch water and do a hundred other chores. The
ascetic then realized his folly and hastened back to the king, surrendering the queen.
The story was related to a young man of rich family from Savatthi, who became a monk
and practised meditation. One day, when going for alms, he saw a beautiful woman
and was seized with desire. He thereupon gave up his practices and was brought before
the Buddha, who told him this story, at the conclusion of which he became an arahant.
Ananda was the king and Uppalavanna the queen. |
56/146 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.i.302ff. |
passion, meditation, hindrance |