Khuddaka Nikaya - Jataka - Ekanipata - Samkhadhamana Jataka

Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 60. Saṁkhadhamana-Jātaka



p. 147
No. 60.
SAṀKHADHAMANA-JĀTAKA.
"Go not too far."--This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana, about
another self-willed person.
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Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to
life as a conch-blower, and went up to Benares with his father to a public
festival. There he earned a great deal of money by his conch-blowing, and
started for home again. On his way through a forest which was infested by
robbers, he warned his father not to keep on blowing his conch; but the old man
thought he knew better how to keep the robbers off, and blew away hard without a
moment's pause. Accordingly, just as in the preceding story, the robbers
returned and plundered the pair. And, as above, the Bodhisatta repeated this
stanza:
Go not too far, but learn excess to shun;
For over-blowing lost what blowing won.
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His lesson ended, the Master shewed the connexion and identified the Birth by
saying, "This self-willed Brother was the father of those days, and I myself his
son."



Next: No. 61. Asātamanta-Jātaka