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290
THE QUESTIONS OF KING MILINDA.
IV, 4, 37.
was a king, by name Nigrodha. So in that case too they were both on a par 1.'
37. 'And again, when Devadatta became a brahman, by name Khandahåla, then the Bodisat was a prince, by name Kanda. So in that case that Khandahåla was the superior ??
38. 'And again, when Devadatta became a king, by name Brahmadatta, then the Bodisat was his son, the prince called Maha Paduma. In that case the king had his son cast down seven times, from the precipice from which robbers were thrown down. - And inasmuch as fathers are superior to and above their sons, in that case too it was Devadatta was the superior S.'
39. 'And again, when Devadatta became a king, by name Maha Patåpa, then the Bodisat was his son, Prince Dhamma-pala; and that king had the hands and feet and head of his son cut off. So in that case too Devadatta was the superior
40. 'And now again, in this life, they were in the Sakya clan, and the Bodisat became a Buddha, all wise, the leader of the world, and Devadatta having left the world to join the Order founded by Him who is above the god of gods, and having attained to the powers of Iddhi, was filled with lust to become himself the Buddha. Come now, most venerable Nagasena! Is not all that I have said true, and just, and accurate ?'
1 The Nigrodha Gâtaka (No. 445, Fausboll, vol. iv, pp. 37 and foll.).
? I cannot trace this story among the published Gatakas.
* This is the Maha Paduma Gâtaka (No. 472, Fausböll, vol. iv, pp. 187-195). It was a case of Joseph and Potiphar's wife.
• This tragical story is No. 358 in the Gâtaka collection (Fausböll, vol. iii, pp. 177-182).
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