| J.505 |
Somanassa Jaataka |
Once, when Renu was king of Uttarapa~ncala, an ascetic, Maharakkhita visited him
with 500 others from the Himalayas. The king entertained them and confided his worry
about having no sons. Some time later, when the ascetics were returning, Maharakkhita
saw that the king would have a son and told his companions so. One of the ascetics,
a cheat, hoping to get gain thereby, feigned illness, and, returning to the palace,
told the king that a son would be born to his queen Sudhamma. The king showed him
great honour and he came to be called Dibbacakkhuka. In due course the bodhisatva
was born as the king’s son and was named Somanassa. When the boy was seven years
old, the king had to leave home to quell a border rising and Somanassa was left in
charge of the cheating ascetic. The boy soon discovered his real nature and paid
him no honour. As soon as the king returned, Dibbacakku complained to him that the
boy had ill-treated him. Somanassa was ordered to be executed, but he exposed the
cheat’s knavery and men, sent to search his hut, found bundles of money in it. Disgusted
with life at court, Somanassa obtained the king’s leave and became an ascetic in
the Himalayas. The cheat was stoned to death by the people. The story was related
in reference to Devadatta’s attempt to kill the Buddha. He is identified with Dibbacakku,
Sariputta with Maharakkhita and Somanassa’s mother with Mahamaya. |
61/162 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.iv.445ff. |
hypocrisy |