Jataka Tales 29: Kanha

Kanha Jataka This story which was told by the Buddha at Jetavana. After the Buddha had shown the Twin Miracles and made a stay in Heaven he descended at the city of Sankassa on the day of the Great Pavarana festival, and accompanied by a large crowd following he went to Jetavana.

While gathered together in The Dhamma Hall (Hall of Sermon) the monks discussed the virtues of the Buddha. Thus they said: "Venerable Sir, incomparable is the Buddha.

None may bear the yoke of the Buddha. The Six, often claiming that they and only they would create miracles, yet not a single one worked.

Oh, how peerless is the Buddha."

When the Buddha entered the hall as usual he asked them what subject they were discussing.

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They informed him that it was none other than the virtues of the Enlightened One. "Monks, who shall now bear the yoke borne by me? Even in bygone days, when I was born an animal, I was unmatched." Then he told them this story from the past.

Story of the past Once in bygone days when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a bull. While still a young calf he was given to an old woman by his owners in lieu of payment of their debt. She reared him like her own child and fed him well.

Eventually he became known as "Granny's Blackie." He was as black as jet and used to roam about with the other cattle in the village.

Village urchins would often play with him, pulling his horns, ears, tail, dewlaps and even taking a ride on him.

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One day he thought about the old woman: "My mother is poor and had painfully reared me like her own child. Suppose I was to earn some money to ease her hard life?" And so as he roamed about he also looked out for a job.

It happened one day that a young merchant with a caravan of five hundred carts came to a stream. Its bottom was very rough and even yoking all the oxen to pull one cart could not get it across. The Bodhisatta and other village cattle were then at that ford. The young merchant who was shrewd looked over these cattle to see whether there was a thoroughbred bull that could help him.

Then he saw the Bodhisatta. He felt sure this was the leader his own oxen needed. So he asked his herdsmen who would own the Bodhisatta. "If I could yoke him with the others I would pay for his services." They, not caring about what they did, said: "Take him; he has no master here."

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When the young merchant slipped the cord through the Bodhisatta's nose and tried to lead him off he would not budge. Tradition says that he would not go till his pay was fixed.

Understanding this, the merchant spoke to him: "Master, if you would pull these five hundred carts across I will pay you two coins per cart, or a thousand coins in all."

Now no force was needed to get the Bodhisatta to come. He was soon harnessed to the first cart. Together with another bull, he pulled it across and did the same with all the other carts.

The dishonest merchant tied a bundle of coins round his neck but there were only five hundred.

The Bodhisatta knew it and thought: "This fellow is not paying according to the contract! I will not let him move on." Thereupon, he stood in the path of the first cart and none could pass him.

No matter how much they tried they could not get him to move aside.

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Thought the merchant: "I suppose he knows I've paid him short." So he bundled up a thousand coins and tied it round his neck. He said: "Here's your pay for pulling the carts across. This time the Bodhisatta gladly left the scene and went home with the money to his "mother".

The village children saw him but could not get near him and he arrived home safely. His appearance was another thing. He looked tired, and his eyes were bloodshot for he had pulled five hundred wagons across the stream.

The pious woman finding the money tied round his neck cried out: "Where did you get this money, my child?" Learning from the herdsmen what had happened she cried: "Have I any wish to live on your earnings, my child? Why did you go through with this great suffering?" So saying she washed him with warm water and massaged him all over with oil. Then she gave him a drink and set before him his food. Eventually she passed away.

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End of story of the past After the Buddha ended this lesson to show he was unmatched in the past too he spoke this way: "Under any condition the courageous do not fail."

Then he showed the connection and identified the birth. He said: "The old woman of those days was Uppalavanna, and I, myself, was "Granny's Blackie."

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