• Godha Jātaka (No.138, 141, 325, 333)

1. Godha Jātaka (No.138). The Bodhisatta was once born as a lizard and paid homage to a good ascetic living near the ant-hill where he dwelt. The good ascetic left and was replaced by a wicked one, to whom the Bodhisatta paid like homage. One day, the villagers brought a dish of lizard's flesh to the ascetic. Being attracted by its flavour, he planned to kill the Bodhisatta, that he might have more of the flesh. But the Bodhisatta discovered his intention just in time, and, making good his escape, denounced the hypocrite.

The story was told in reference to a wicked monk. J. i.480f.

2. Godha Jātaka (No.141). The Bodhisatta was born once as an iguana, leader of many others. His son became intimate with a young chameleon, whom he used to clip and embrace. The Bodhisatta warned his son against this unnatural intimacy, but, finding his advice of no avail, and knowing that danger would come to them through the chameleon, he prepared a way of escape, should the need arise. The chameleon, growing tired of the friendship with the iguana, showed a trapper the home of the iguanas. The trapper made a fire round the hole and killed many of the iguanas as they tried to escape, but the Bodhisatta reached safety through the hole he had provided.

The story was told about a treacherous monk, identified with the young iguana (J.i.487f). For details see the Mahilāmukha Jātaka.

3. Godha Jātaka (No.325). The story of the past is very similar to No.1 above, except that there is only mention of one ascetic and he is a hypocrite. The young lizard threatened to expose the ascetic's hypocrisy and compelled him to leave the hermitage. The story was related in reference to a monk who was a cheat and a rogue (J.iii.84f).

Cf. the Kuhakabrāhmana Vatthu (DhA.iv.154f.).

4. Godha Jātaka (No.333). A prince and his wife, returning after a long journey, were greatly distressed by hunger, and some hunters, seeing them, gave them a roasted lizard. The wife carried it in her hand, hanging it from a creeper. Arriving at a lake, they sat down at the foot of a tree, and while his wife was away fetching water the prince ate the whole lizard. When his wife came back, he told her that the lizard had run away, leaving only the tail in his hand. Later, the prince became king, but his wife, though appointed queen consort, received no real honour. The Bodhisatta, who was the king's minister, wishing to see justice done to the queen, contrived that the king should be reminded of his ingratitude by allusion being made to the incident of the roast lizard. The king thereupon realised his neglect of his dutiful wife, and conferred on her supreme power.

The story was told in reference to a couple who had been given a roast lizard, when returning from a journey undertaken to collect debts. The husband ate the whole lizard when his wife was away. She said nothing and drank some water to appease her hunger, but when they visited the Buddha, and be asked her if her husband were good and affectionate, she replied in the negative. The Buddha then told her the story of the past. J. iii.106f.; cf. Succaja Jātaka.