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Bhaddasāla Jātaka (No.465)
Brahmadatta, king of Benares, wishing to have a
palace built on one column, sent his carpenters to find a suitable tree. They
found many such in the forest, but no road by which to transport them. At last
they discovered a lordly sāla tree in the king's park and made preparations to
cut it down. The deity of the tree (Bhaddasāla 2),
who was the Bodhisatta, was greatly distressed at the prospect of the
destruction of his children. He, therefore, visited the king by night and begged
him not to have the tree cut down. When the king refused this request,
Bhaddasāla asked that the tree should be cut down in pieces, so that in its fall
it might not damage its kindred round about. This feeling of Bhaddasāla for his
kinsmen touched the king, and he desisted from his purpose of destroying the
tree.
The story was related in reference to the Buddha's interference with
Vidūdabha when he wished to destroy the
Sākyans.
Ananda is identified with the king (J.iv.153-7).
On this occasion was preached also the
Kukkura Jātaka (No.22), the Kāka
Jātaka (No.140), and the Mahākapi
Jātaka (No.407).

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