| J.501 |
Roha.namiga Jaataka |
The bodhisatva was once born as Rohanta, a golden stag and king of over 80,000 deer.
He had a brother Cittamiga and a sister Sutanaa. One day, Khemaa, wife of the king
of Benares, dreamed that a golden deer preached to her and begged the king to make
the dream come true. The king offered great rewards and a hunter who was aware of
Rohanta’s existence undertook to bring him to court. He set a trap in a ford where
the deer drank and Rohanta was caught in it. When Rohanta gave the alarm, all the
deer fled except Cittamiga and Sutanaa. They told the hunter that they would die
with their brother rather than leave him and the hunter, touched by their devotion
released Rohanta. When Rohanta discovered why he had been caught, he offered to go
to Benares, but was dissuaded by the hunter owing to the risks there. Rohanta then
taught the Dhamma to the hunter and sent him back with a golden hair from his body.
The hunter related the story to the king and queen and preached the Dhamma to them.
Rejecting the rewards he offered them, the hunter then became an ascetic in the Himalayas.
The Jataka is related in reference to Ananda’s attempt to throw himself before the
elephant Dhanapaala who was sent to kill the Buddha. Ananda is identified with Cittamiga,
Channa with the hunter, Sariputta with the king and Uppalava.n.na with Sutanaa. Some
of the verses of this Jataka are also found in the Tesaku.na
Jataka (J.521). |
61/086 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iv.413ff. |
loyalty |