Reading Notes 13.1 Mahiravana Part A

Hey all!

This week I read Mahiravana: a Magician Outwitted part of the Amar Chitra Kathas

• Mahiravana, magician, king of the netherworld, son of Ravana (king of Lanka)
• Summoned by dad to help defeat Ram and his crew after the death of Indrajit and Kumbha
• Ravana's brother Vibhi spys on Lanka in form of bird and tells Ram of Mahi..Hanu builds fort
• Mahi plans to kidnap Rama and Laksh and sacrifice them to the goddess Durga
• Mahi disguises himself as King D to get into the fortress - fail 
• disguises himself as Bharata - fail
• disguises himself as Vibhi - success 
• Rama and Laskh taken before real Vibhi comes in
• Hanuman on a mission...just in time before Durga puja
• Hanu gets help from Ma Durga on how to save Rama and Laksh
• Puja begins and both say they don't know how to bow and ask Mahi to show them...Hanu attacks at that point
• Mahi defeated...Hanu leads the brothers back through the tunnel

Vibhishana as the bird

Week 12 Story: Oh, Where Did You Go Friend?

The world is filled with noise. You try to focus on what is important in life, but you can't help it and get lost in all the other things happening in the world. And you don't realize what you have lost until it is too late. My friends today I will tell you about a time when I had almost lost a close friend.

There was a horse [me] and newborn pup who lived on the same farm. The pup would come to visit me everyday ever since it was able to walk. Day after day the pup would come and play with me and soon we ate almost every meal together. We shared our stories of the day and sometimes were able to roam the fields together. We played together and sometimes were even taken on the same trips. Our farmer was a soft-hearted man with a lovely wife who made pies that made our mouths water. They cared and loved as if we were their children.

Humans are funny people. They tend to tell us all of their feeling and daily goings and give us hugs when they need a buddy. I can't say I don't love my people, because they pamper me with many new items. My humans say that I am their most prized possession and if I will the regional showcase we will be able to go to nationals. That apparently means more money for the farm. I overheard them say we were running low on funds and they'd have to soon sell off some of the other farm animals.

Nationals were around the corner and I was so caught up in trying to win. I paid no attention to my surroundings or the fact that I was ignoring my friend also. The day before I was scheduled to leave for nationals I searched high and low for pup, but could not find him anywhere on the farm. I asked the other farm animals if they saw him...everyone just said "no." I couldn't eat that night, we always had dinner together no matter what. That was one of the longest nights I had ever gone.

The next day on the long ride to the national showcase I heard my humans say that the extra money from the recent dog sale would be able to pay a bill or two. I could not believe what I was hearing pup was gone! GONE! SOLD!

Everything went wrong at nationals, I just could not focus my mind kept going back to pup. My humans say they're worried since I am not eating nor sleeping. I just want to see pup, I need to talk to him, see if he has eaten, and ask why he never said he was leaving. I hear from the stable boy that the humans are trying to figure out why I am so miserable. They continuously bring in people to try to solve the "mystery." One day after an old man had come to see me I heard the bark of pup. I could see him running across the field, oh I was so happy to see pup! We took baths, ate, played, and talked about everything. Night passed and dawn came too soon, but my best friend was with me and now nobody could separate us. Next year's national championship was were I won first place and pup was in the stands cheering for me!


Bibliography: The Faithful Friend from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.

Me and my best friend

Reading Notes 12.1 Jataka Tales, Part A

Part D of the Jatakas

Bibliography: Jataka Tales from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock

The Crow That Thought It Knew

• Brahma-datta reigned as king in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a marsh crow (Viraka)
• famine in Kasi, no food to feed the crows...they are flying away into the woods
• Savitthaka, who lived at Benares, took with him his lady crow and went to the place where Viraka lived, making his abode beside the same pool
• Viraka let Savitthaka serve him and gave him some of the fish he caught
• Savitthaka let his pride come in the way and said he would catch future fish on his own...Viraka warned that it wasn't for him, but still Savitthaka dove into the water and got caught in the weeds and could not breathe
• Lady crow returns to Benares after learning that her mate has perished

The Judas Tree

• Charioteer takes the 4 sons of the King to show them Judas Tree
• he showed them each separately, thus each had a different version
• "All four of you have seen the tree. Only when the charioteer showed you the tree, you did not ask him, 'What is the tree like at such a time?' or 'at such another time?' You made no distinctions, and that is the reason for your mistake."

River-Fish and the Monkey

• Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in the family of a landed proprietor
• younger brother is a thief wanted to keep the money for himself so made a box similar to the one his brother had put the money into and filled is with gravel thinking he wold trick his brother...
• brother fed left overs to river fishes pleasing the river goddess
• she would return the favor and she did that by having a fish swallow the money containing box thrown overboard by the younger brother
• younger brother thought it had been the gravel containing box that was thrown over and so his heart shriveled when he discovered that what he brought home was the gravel box
• fishermen catch the fish, market price is 1000 + 7 annas, for the Bodhisatta on 7 annas
• The Bodhisatta understands the message..goddess says do not give to younger brother, but he still send 500 pieces to his brother

The Dreamer in the Wood

• Sakka comes to woods to test Buddha's will
• Divine being asked to be free of three things: malice, hatred and greed
• Sakka tells him to ask for another boon
• Buddha, "Grant that in the woods where I live alone, no disease may mar my peace, or break my ecstasy."
• boon granted

The Rice Measure

• King was covetous
• wanted a new valuer thinking he would be soon drained of his riches if the current practice continued
• peasant appointed as new valuer
• valued 500 horses as a measure of rice
• bribed by the horse man and now appraised all of Benares as a measure of rice
• laughed at by the people of the court and Bodisat appointed as valuer

The Poisonous Trees

• Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a merchant
• mangoes resembled poisonous trees
• some who had previously journeyed through had died, on this caravan trip leader prevents some from eating and some who have ate he reverses the effects via emetic and 4 fruits

The Well-Trained Elephant

• King Magadha was ruling in Rajagaha in Magadha, the Bodhisatta was born an elephant
• made state elephant because of his beauty
• was white all over
• elephant passed all the tests that the king had wanted to try.. stand on three legs, two fore, two hind, and fly
• all passes the mahout treated elephant like son
• he divided his kingdom into three portions, and made over one to the Bodhisatta, one to the mahout, and one he kept himself

The Wise Physician

• Kisagotami married only son of a wealthy man 
• a son who died when he was able to run alone
• goes house to house for a potential medicine - no luck
• The Teacher tells he to get him  mustard seeds from a place where no son, husband, parent, or slave has died
• she discovers many have died, few are alive
• she became a disciple and entered the first Path

The White Elephant

Reading Notes 11.1 Jataka Tales, Part A

Part C of the Jatakas

Bibliography: Jataka Tales from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.

 The Merchant Who Overcame All Obstacles

• Buddha born in merchant fam
• sand was so hot during the day no man could walk on it to traverse the desert
• thus at night they traveled and during the day they set up an awning 
• one time a merchant had thought that they would cross the remaining desert in a day...had all supplies that were used during the camp out thrown away
• Merchant leading carts fell asleep because he was tired and at day break they were back where they had started but their supplies they had thrown out weren't
• oxen steered back around instead of going forward
• saw a patch of grass and dug and discovered water spring 
• when sun set they put a flag and finished the journey to the market 
• sold their merchandise, Bodisat lived a good life and passed away 

The Elephant That Was Honored In Old Age

• Buddha = PM for King
• once there was a she-elephant who rendered great strength and capabilities...fought battles and won also pulled many carts and was able to travel 100 leagues in a day 
• once she grew old her honors were all stripped away from her
• she roamed the forest and ate grass unprotected
• one day chief Potter had not enough oxen to yoke to the carts, thus King says to strap the she-elephant...
• elephant comes to PM to get help in trying to plead her case to the king
• PM does and says to the King why insult her once you've stripped her of her honors...she-elephant restored to her former glory..king realizes mistake

The Faithful Friend

• Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, the Bodisat became his Minister
• elephant and dog became really good friends
• once a peasant came and bought the dog...elephant grieved at the loss would not eat, drink, or bathe
• King confused sent the pandit to find out what was wrong...discovery was the loss of the dog
• dog is back and both are happy

Hawk and the Osprey

• shores of a natural lake, a Hawk on the south shore, a She-Hawk on the west shore, on the north a Lion, the king of beasts, on the east the Osprey, the king of birds, in the middle a Tortoise on a small island.
• Hawk asked the She-Hawk to become his wife...she asked do you have any friends..he said no..she said go make some and he did with the others
• group of countrymen come about and hear the cry of the baby hawks...she-hawk sends mate to great osprey...osprey is getting tired near midnight putting out fire after fire
• tortoise is recruited and he drags the men into the water
• lion is asked to come and help he says not to worry to the hawk and men run away upon seeing the lion
• friendship between the unlikely was a savior for all their babies

Grandmother's Golden Dish

• Bodisat was a dealer in tin and brass ware = Seriva
• wealthy family reduced to abject poverty
• only grandma and granddaughter remained didn't know they had a plate made of gold since nobody had ate out of it in a long time and it was covered in a layer of dirt 
• avaricious hawker was selfish wanted to take the gold plate offered in exchange for the water pot with out having to give them the water pot so he threw it on the floor and walked out
• another seller, Seriva comes and says that the plate is worth 100,000 and told them he doesn't have nearly enough to give them in exchange
• so he gave them 1000 and they were happy and he left and went to the dock
• Hawk comes back only to discover that the family and discovered the truth and runs to the dock but the boat is already gone....his heart bursts from hatred and he dies

The Elephant That Spared Life

• Bodisat = nobleman's son
• "Magha the young Brahmin"
• stick to the five commandments
• nobody doing anything wrong
• a person who used to profit off of people's wrongdoings is angry goes to king saying there are people robbing the village
• king doesn't inquire he sentences them to be tramped by elephants..elephants won't comply
• King had confidence in them, and gave them all the property in the house of the slanderer, and made him their slave; and bestowed, too, the elephant upon them, and made them a grant of the village

How the Antelope Was Caught

• King of Benares had a gardener named Sanjaya
• antelope had a habit of frequenting the garden but fled upon seeing the gardener
• king gives gardener honey to lure him into the palace
• smear honey on patch of grass frequented by the antelope..lust bound
• antelope gains confidence in encounters with the gardener
• one day gardener smears a path all the way to palace..doors closed, antelope is frightened
• released into the forest by the king

The Pupil Who Taught His Teacher

• Buddha was re-born in a Brahmin family and was known as Dhamapala or Law Keeper
• goes to learn from teacher at Takasila
• Head teacher's son dies, he was young
• Head master to journey to Dhamapala household to learn the way of life to live a long life
• Head master tries to tell the Dhamapala household dad that his son is dead, doesn't believe it
• Headmaster asks why, father says they do not die young since 7 generations because:
• We walk in righteousness. We speak no ill. We flee from things that are evil. We take no heed of the foolish. We follow the counsel of the wise. We delight in giving gifts. We feed the hungry. We are faithful in our marriage vows. We are versed in sacred knowledge. Therefore, the young amongst us never die

The Man Who Told a Lie

• four divine beings made their appearance on the Earth to attend a festival of the Gods
• flowers to only be worn by men possessing certain qualities
• a false priest lied just so he would be believed and get the flowers
• confidence grew with the lies
• gods looked down on him and as soon as they left after bestowing him the flowers he was in pain
• he was being weighted down and poked by the flowers, confessed and begged the gods to remove the flowers
• rebuked him in the presence of the people, they removed the flowers from the head of the repentant man and returned to the abode of the Blest

Hawk and his friends

Reading Notes 10.1 Jataka Tales, Part B

Part B of the Jatakas:

Bibliography: Jataka Tales from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.


Bull That Demanded Fair Treatment

• Bodisat = bull, called Nandi Visala by the Brahmin who had brought him up
• Bodisat tells Brahmin to go bet on his strength
• a hundred carts (small wagons made for two bullocks) with sand and gravel and stones, ranged them all in a row, and tied them all firmly together, cross-bar to axle-tree
• Brahmin calls Bodisat a wretch...bet lost
• Bodisat tells Brahmin that the loss was his fault since he sat down and called him a wretch for no reason, tells Brahmin to go bet again
• Bodisat pulls all 100 with encouragement and support of Brahmin

The Bull That Proved His Gratitude

• Bodisat = bull, raised by old woman
• known as "The old woman's Blackie"
• Bodisat wants to earn money so the "mom" doesn't have to work
• He pulls 500 carts, caravan people thought they could trick him, but he was smart and did not move out of their way until he was rewarded the promised amount
• went to mom and she was delighted, but also inquisitive as to why he would exhaust himself that his eyes were bloodshot
• the women bathed, fed, and comforted the bull
• at the end both passed away together

Horse That Held Out to the End

• Buddha = horse
• made THE HORSE = King's Destrier 
• King of Benares is threatened to either give up kingdom or to fight by 7 kings passing Benares
• Destrier was taken by the Knight to help in the capturing of the seven kings, each one was brought back and made prisoner.
• at 6th camp horse was wounded and the knight took off the armor of the horse to suit up another one
• horse was determined to not let his king down and told the knight to suit him back up
• 7th king captured and brought back
• Horse requests the king of Benares to bind the other kings by oath and let them return home instead of killing them
• the horse passed away after he had requested the king while his armor was being removed
• King returned the other kings to their respective homes and ruled with justice and righteousness until his death

The Monkey That Saved the Herd

• Buddha = King of Monkeys
• trees in this forest that are poisoned, and lakes that are haunted by ogres. Eat no fruit and drink no water of which you have not already tasted without consulting me
• water-ogre saw that they were not invading his domain he appeared in the form of a terrible monster with a blue belly, a white face, and bright red hands and feet
• Orge gets power via those who drink the lake water
• King tours the whole forest via hollowed cane
• monkeys drank via cane...ogre leaves in rage since he could not get the monkeys to fall under his control

The Mallard That Asked for Too Much

• Buddha = Brahmin 
• married, 3 daughters
• after death born again as Golden Mallard
• feathers = gold, goes back to give wife and daughters each a feather so that they may live in comfort
• soon they are wealthy and mom gets greedy 
• tried to convince the girls that who knows if and when their "dad" will come back so the best thing to do is to pluck him clean
• girls refuse...mom does against the Golden Mallard's wishes
• feathers turn to crane feather
• new feathers aren't gold they are white and he flies away never to come back

Golden Mallard

Week 10 Story: Oh Silly Hare

There once existed a nervous and ever dreadful hare, Demar, who got frightened at the slightest of sounds. He was born to strong and loving parents, who could not understand why in the world their child was always so afraid. When the parents, Delia and Somar were around Demar was a bit less easily rattled. One nice spring day Delia and Somar went to visit some relatives leaving Demar with a a family friends, the Lion. Demar loved Lion like an uncle and thought he was smart and strong. Lion took Demar to park nearby with many blooming trees.

While playing, Demar ran into a tree and caused a fruit to fall down. Demar could not see the fallen fruit and assumed the worst was happening, "the earth is collapsing!" Shouting over and over again that the earth was collapsing Demar ran as fast as he could. Lion tried to stop him, but the young one was just to fast for him. Demar ran past a few other hares in the parks and they started running as well when they heard what Demar was shouting. Soon the birds heard and told the deer who were grassing on the perennials. The wild boars saw the massive group of animals running all shouting that "the earth is collapsing" and started running also. Not much time later the tigers, lions, elephants, buffalos, monkeys, and camels had joined in and were shouting "the earth is collapsing" at the top of their lungs.

The Lion who was left behind at the park by Demar finally caught him and made him stop. Demar was so afraid that he was fighting his uncle to let him go so he could continue to run. At this point the Lion was utterly confused as to why Demar would think that the earth is collapsing. He had Demar explain what he had encountered to make him think that. Demar reiterated how he had ran into a tree trunk and heard a loud crack sound. With that Lion took Demar back to the park to get to the bottom of this mystery.

All the animals followed them and started to wonder why earth was still here and no gone. Demar lead the Lion to the tree and Lion walked the perimeter to discover a fallen coconuts in the back. In a low voice he called Demar over to the other side of the tree to show the fallen coconuts. Soon others started coming over to the tree when they heard Demar repeating "Oh no, what big mistake I have made!" Instead of laughing or getting mad at him the other animals understood that mistakes happen and left after saying "Next time just look before scaring yourself and assuming the worst." Realizing his mistake, Demar slowly became less easily frightened. Whenever Demar was frightened he thought back to his mistake before running off again.

Author's Note: So I revamped this story to hold the original message of the story, but adding a few characters names and made a few events different. Overall the story's message was to think and look before you ask. That was the lesson that the Lion in the original story teaches the Hare in the end.

Bibliography: The Hare That Ran Away, Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock

The animals gathered around the tree

Reading Notes 10.1 Jataka Tales, Part A

Welcome back everyone!

For the next two weeks I am reading through the Jataka Tales from the Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie Shedlock.

The Hare That Ran Away:

• Buddha born as lion to help fellow animals
• Hare: nervous, dreadful of something bad happening
• Started running - "the earth is falling in" when she heard the rustling caused by a falling fruit 
• she tells her brother who tells another hare soon...
• deer -> sheep -> wild boar -> buffalo -> camel -> tiger -> elaphant
• Lion stops then and asked where the info came from...takes the hare to the original site and explains nothing is happening

The Monkey and the Crocodile:

• Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta, came to life at the foot of Himalaya as a Monkey
• lived by the River Ganges
• New crocodile fam in town..wife hungry for the monkey
• husband goes to the monkey and offers a ride across the river
• croc tells the monkey why his wife sent him
• Monkey is smart, tricks croc by telling him that monkey hearts are not inside instead hang on trees
• Croc goes back without the hear for his wife

The Spirit That Lived in a Tree:

• Buddha was re-born as a Tree-Spirit
• King of Benares says he will build a palace resting on only one column
• in the King's Park was a lordly Sal tree, straight and well grown, worshiped by village and town, and to this tree even the Royal Family also paid tribute, worship, and honor to be cut down
• King gets a visit from the Tree Spirit and is shown why the trees can't be cut down...King tells that they won't be cut

The Hare That Was Not Afraid to Die:

• Buddha was born a Hare and lived in a wood; on one side was the foot of a mountain, on another a river, on the third side a border village
• three friends: a Monkey, a Jackal, and an Otter
• Hare thought the friends important lessons in the evening
• One time Buddha (Hare) tells that tomorrow is a fast day and to give food from their own store if a beggar comes by
• Next day:
• Otter takes fisherman's fishes...called out but no response from owner
• Jackal takes milk curds and lizards
• Monkey takes mangoes
• Hare has nothing..lies in grass says he will give his own flesh
• Sakka, king of gods, disguises himself as Brahmin to test the Hare
• Hare passes Sakka's test for his virtue...fire was icy cold

The Parrot That Fed His Parents:

• Buddha was re-born in the shape of a Parrot
• father makes son the flock leader
• flock eats rice and leader takes some back in his beak
• farmer fears there will be no rice left despite all of his attempts to steer the parrots away from the rice fields they still end up eating their fill
• farmer goes to Brahmin to get advise
• trap the leader 
• Farmer sets trap..leader thinks if he cries out his kinsfolk will leave foodless
• his cries are ignored by the others and they fly away
• Brahmin questions and hears the story of the parrot 
• paying a debt, storing a treasure
• taking food for parents and chicks who cannot yet fly
• Brahmin moved by the story and the parent was granted full permission and even given a part of the land

The Man Who Worked to Give Alms:

• Buddha was born as a merchant named Vissaya (and being endowed with the Five Virtues)
• had alms halls built at the four city gates
• set on foot alms-giving and every day 600,000 men went forth to beg and the food of the beggar and the merchant was exactly the same
• Sakka, the King of the gods, grew suspicious
• he took away all the goods, money, worker from the Merchant and wife
• Merchant and wife discover that they don't have any money...cut grass to make money
• They aren't able to raise enough to feed people...Sakka sees their determination and restores the wealth

The King Who Saw the Truth:

• Wisdom Child that should in time become the Buddha was born a King
• King decreed to give anything that anyone would ask would get
• He enjoyed giving..his heart is filled by giving to others
• Sakka tests how much truth the King's words hold...
• Sakka comes as a blind Brahmin and requests the king for one of his eyes..
• people question the king and he says he shall not break his vow 
• surgeon does the procedure..few weeks later King's sight was restored to him and allowed him to see perfect and absolute Truth.

The Running Hare