| J.276 |
Kurudhamma Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once born as the son of Dhana~njaya, king of the Kurus, and after
his father’s death, reigned in Indapatta. He observed the ‘kurudhamma’ (i.e. the
Five Precepts) as did the queen-mother, the queen consort, the viceroy, the chaplain,
the king’s driver, his charioteer, the treasurer, the keeper of the royal granaries,
the palace porter and the courtesan of the city. The country thus became very prosperous
and the people happy. In the kingdom of Kalinga, there was drought and consequent
scarcity of food. The Kalinga king, on the advice of his ministers, sent brahmins
to beg the Bodhisatva the loan of his auspicious state elephant, who was reported
to bring rain. The elephant was lent willingly, but no rain fell. It was thereupon
realized that the prosperity of the Kurus was due to their Precepts and messengers
were dispatched to find out what the Precepts were. From the king down to the courtesan,
all had rigourously kept the Precepts, but each had unwittingly done something which
they considered to blemish their Precepts. Each person’s report of his transgressions
only served to underline the scrupulousness with which they had kept their Precepts.
The Kalinga king practised the Precepts and rain fell in his country. The story was
told in reference to a monk who had killed a wild goose. Two monks had bathed in
the River Aciravadi and while standing on the bank to dry, they saw two geese appear.
The monks made a bet as to which should hit the goose in the eye, and one of them
threw a stone which pierced one eye and came out of the other. The monk was reported
to the Buddha. See also Salittaka
Jataka (J.107). |
58/188 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.ii.365ff., DhA.iv.086ff. |
Five Precepts |