-
Kassapamandiya Jātaka (No.312)
Once the Bodhisatta, on the death of his
mother, gave away all the wealth in the house and, together with his father and
younger brother, lived as an ascetic in the Himālaya. During the rains the three
came down to the haunts of men and at the end of the rainy season returned to
the hermitage. The Bodhisatta went on ahead to prepare the hermitage, leaving
the father and the younger brother to follow. The lad, finding the father's
progress very slow, tried to hurry him, much to the latter's annoyance. The two
quarrelled, and thus were so late that the Bodhisatta came to look for them. On
hearing what had happened, he told the father, who is called Kassapa, that the
old should have patience with the young.
The story was told in reference to a
nobleman of Sāvatthi, who became a monk and who, on his mother's death, was
joined by his father and younger brother. All three went to a village retreat to
fetch robes, and things happened as in the past. As a result, it was not till
the next day that they could pay their respects to the Buddha, who, hearing what
had occurred, related the Jātaka. J. iii.36-9.

|