Anitthigandhakumāra draft

Anitthigandhakumāra 01. The Bodhisatta, born as the son of a king of Benares. He hated the sight of women until he was seduced by a dancing-girl. He was banished from home together with the girl, and they lived in a forest-hut, where the girl tempted an ascetic and robbed him of his mystic power. The Bodhisatta, realising this, gave up the woman, and himself became an ascetic. The story is told in the Cūḷa Palobhanajātaka (Ja 263). Ja.ii.329-31.

Anitthigandhakumāra 02. Similar to the above, the story being called the Mahā Palobhanajātaka. Ja 507 Ja.iv.469-73.

Anitthigandhakumāra 03. Another Anitthigandha, of Sāvatthī. He refused to marry unless a woman could be found rivalling in beauty an image which he had made. Envoys were sent out and, in Sāgala, they discovered a sixteen-year-old girl to answer to the desired qualifications. The marriage was arranged, but the girl, being very delicate, died on the way to the bridegroom’s house. On learning the news of her death he was sorely grieved and gave himself up to despair. The Buddha, seeing his capabilities, visited his home and preached to him. At the end of the sermon he became a Stream-Enterer.

The story in which this account is given is called Anitthigandhakumāravatthu. Dhp­a.iii.281-4. Compare with this the story of the Kusajātaka (Ja 531).

Anitthigandhakumāra 04. A Pacceka Buddha. He was the son of the King of Benares. In a previous birth he had been a monk for 20,000 years, during the dispensation of Kassapa Buddha. His story is very similar to that of No. 3 above, the wife chosen being the daughter of Maddava, King of Sāgala. When the princess died, on her way to be married, the prince gave himself up to contemplation and became a Pacceka Buddha (Snp-a.67ff.; Ap­a.i.126-7). A stanza attributed to him is included in the Khaggavisāṇasutta. Sn.p.6, v.36.