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Story of Bandhudatta
175
scurrilous about that ascetic (159). Having committed this detestable (nikācitam 17) deed, you died, and were reborn successively as goat, jackal, and whoreson, being now in your fourth birth. The Brahman (Yogātman) died of mouth disease 18 in all his existences, and was reborn into his same state. Therefore you still have a remnant of your karma to work off (151-156).
Story of Bandhudatta, continued
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The thief continued his history:19 Frightened by the Muni's exposition, he had resorted to asceticism under the instruction of a Guru. Out of regard for him the teacher had bestowed upon him the Sciences (vidyā) of going in the air, and of opening locks, with the proviso that these would prove ineffective, unless he preserved purity of life and avoided lies. But, in case he did lie from carelessness, he was to stand in water up to his navel, and, with his arms held upward, recite the vidyās 1008 times. The teacher then went to heaven, but the thief, dissolute person that he was, did everything otherwise. Next day some women in the forest inquired why he was an ascetic. He told them, because his wife had died; moreover he did not perform the expiation for this lie. Next, he performed theft by night,20 and was seized by guards, whereupon the Science of going in the air
17 See p. 230. 18 Symbolizing the slander from which he had suffered.
This feature of the thief's story, less well told, recurs in Samaraditya. samk sepa 4. 218 ff. The theme of Jåtaka 474 is likewise the power of lies to suspend the action of a profitable magic charm. See also Paksi Pakaranam xx, in the analysis by Hertel, Das Pañcatantra, p. 351; and Samarádityasamk sepa 6. 41 ff.
* By the aid of the lock-opening science or charm, verse 158.
