Sankhapala-jataka, Saṅkhapālajātaka, Sankhapalajataka, Saṃkhapālajātaka, Samkhapala-jataka, Samkhapalajataka: 1 definition

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Sankhapala-jataka means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

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In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Sankhapala-jataka in Theravada glossary
Source: Pali Kanon: Pali Proper Names

The Bodhisatta born as Duyyodhana, son of the king of Rajagaha. When he came of age his father handed over the kingdom to him, became an ascetic, and lived in the royal park. There Duyyodhana frequently visited him; finding this inconvenient, the ascetic went to Mahimsakarattha and lived in a hut on a bend of the Kannapenna River, which flows from the Sankhapala Lake near Mount Candaka. There he was visited by the Naga king Sankhapala, to whom he preached the Dhamma. Later, Duyyodhana discovered the whereabouts of the ascetic and visited him. There he saw the Naga king, and, impressed by his great magnificence, desired to visit the Naga world. On his return to the capital, Duyyodhana engaged in works of merit, and was born after death in the Naga world and became its king under the name of Sankhapala. In course of time, he grew weary of his magnificence, and, leaving the Naga world, lived near the Kannapenna, on an ant hill, keeping the holy fast. As he lay there, sixteen men, roaming in the forest, saw him and seized him. They drove stakes into his body, and made holes in the stakes and fastened ropes to them in order to drag him along. But Sankhapala showed no resentment. A landowner of Mithila, called Alara, saw him being ill treated and had him released. Thereupon, Sankhapala invited Alara to the Naga world, and Alara lived there for one year. He later became an ascetic, and, in due course, visited Benares, where he told the king the story of his visit to the Naga world. After the rains he returned to the Himalaya.

The story was told to some laymen who kept the fast.

The Bodhisattas father is identified with Maha Kassapa, the king of Benares with Ananda, and Alara with Sariputta. J.v.161 71. See also Alara.

The story is given in the Cariyapitaka (ii.10; see also J.i.45; MA.ii.617; BuA.50) to illustrate Sila paramita.

context information

Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

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