| J.156 |
Aliinacitta Jaataka |
Elephant healed by forest carpenters is so grateful it serves them for the rest of
its life. Before death, it enlists the continuing service of its albino son. One
day the sonís dung falls in the water and is washed downstream. Its smell betrays
the nobility of that sun and the palace elephants all flee. The king of Benares learns
of the incident and buys the albino elephant from the carpenters. By the might of
the said elephant, the king becomes supreme ruler over India. Later the queen bears
a son, but the king dies before his birth. Benares is laid to siege by Kosalan troops
who delay their attack for seven days at the behest of astrologers. Benares agrees
to surrender unless the child is born a son. After seven days, a prince, Alinacitta,
is born. The baby is dressed and with the albino elephant goes to battle and is victorious,
the whole of Jampudavipa coming under his rule. This story and that of the Samvara
Jataka (J.462) is told in relation to a monk who has become faint-hearted. The
elephant of the Jataka was the faint-hearted monk; the father elephant was Sariputta.
This Jataka was also related concerning the gratitude in Sariputtaís training Radha
for a ladleful of rice in the past. |
57/034 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.ii.017ff., DhA.ii.106 |
gratitude |