Jataka Tales 7: Katthahari

Katthahari Jataka The Buddha told this story about Vasabha Khattiya, while He was in residence at Jetavana.

Tradition tells us that she was the daughter of Mahanama Sakka and a slave girl named Nagamunda.

Afterwards, she became a consort of Pasenadi, king of Kosala, and she had a son, Vidubbha, by him. King Kosala discovered that her mother was a slave girl and he reduced her rank and that of her son to a commoner‘s status. After that no one saw them outside the king’s palace.

When the Buddha heard this, He went with a retinue of monks early one morning to visit the king, who had great respect for the Buddha and had a seat prepared for Him. After the Buddha sat down, He asked: “O king, where is Vasabha Khattiya? “ Then the king told Him what had happened.

Katthahari Jataka

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The Buddha asked: “when she came here to whom did she come as wife?” “To me, sir,” replied the king.

Then the Buddha reminded him: “O king’s daughter; she is wedded to a king, and she bored the king a son. In what way is that son not entitled to the realm over which his father rules?

In bygone days, a king had a son from a causal relationship with a gatherer and he gave that son his realm.”

The king asked the Buddha to explain this and He made clear to the king what had been concealed by rebirth.

Story of the past In the far past, a king then ruling in Benares, had gone on a pleasure jaunt enjoying nature when he came across a young woman who was merrily singing as she picked up sticks for firewood in the grove.

Katthahari Jataka

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Stricken with infatuation at the sight, the king became intimate with her and the Bodhisatta was conceived by her. The woman, knowing she was heavy with child, told the king about it.

He gave her a signet ring and dismissed her with these words: “If it is a girl sell this ring to nurture her; if it is a boy send him to me with this ring.”

Eventually, the women gave birth to the Bodhisatta. When he could run about and play with other children, he heard another child say: “This fatherless fellow has hit me.” When he heard this, he ran home and asked his mother who was his father.

She said he was the son of the king of Benares.

He asked his mother for proof and she showed him the signet ring and told him what the king had said to her when they parted. Then the child said to her: “Mother, why don’t you take me to my father, mother?”

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Forced by the child’s insistence, she finally took him to the gate of the palace and requested that they be announced. Coming into the presence of the king she said to him: “This is your son, sire.”

The king knew well enough who she was and the truth she had spoken but shame before his court overcome him and he denied the relationship, even after the signet ring was produced to back up the claim.

Then the mother said: “If you are the father of this child, then let him remain in mid-air; otherwise may he fall to earth and be killed.” So saying she grabbed the child by the foot, swung him, and threw him into the air.

The Bodhisatta flew up and sat cross-legged in the air. Seated that way, the Bodhisatta spoke thus: “O king I am your son. Bring me up. You bring up others. You have a greater duty to bring up your own child.”

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Hearing the Bodhisatta’s words, the king stretched out his arms and said: “Come to me, my son. None but me shall rear and nurture you.” At the same time, a thousand arms were stretched out to catch the child but it was into the arms of the king, nowhere else, that he came down. And he seated himself on the king’s lap.

The king made him his viceroy and his mother a queen consort. At the death of the king, the Bodhisatta came to the throne as King Kattahavahana.

End of story of the past The Buddha, upon finishing the story, linked the two stories and said: “Queen Mahamaya was the gatherer in those days, King Suddhodana was the father, and I myself was King Kattahavahana.”

Culla Setthi Jataka

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