| J.314 |
Lohakumbhii Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once an ascetic of great power. The king of Benares heard the
four sounds ëduí, ësaí, ënaí and ësoí uttered by four kings who were denizens of
hell and was filled with fear. When he consulted his chaplain, he suggested a four-fold
sacrifice. To avert needless loss of life, the bodhisatva went to the royal park,
and there with the help of the chaplainís chief disciple (who also did not favour
the sacrifice) explained the meaning of the sounds he had heard and had the sacrificial
animals released. The chaplainís disciple is identified with Sariputta. The Jataka
was told in reference to Pasenadi, who one night heard four syllables uttered by
four inhabitants of hell. These had once been nobles of Savatthi guilty of adultery.
After death they were born in four iron cauldrons. After 60,000 years they had gradually
come to the top of these cauldrons and had uttered these syllables in their attempt
to proclaim their misery. The king, very frightened, consulted his priests, who ordered
a sacrifice. However, Mallika intervened and sent the king to see the Buddha, who
explained the matter and allayed the kingís fears. |
58/465 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iii.043ff., DhA.ii.005ff, PvA.279ff. |
hell |