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Sumangala Jātaka (No. 420)
The Bodhisatta was once king
of Benares and had a park keeper called Sumangala (10).
A Pacceka Buddha came from
Nandamūlapabbhāra and took up his abode in the park. The king, seeing him as he
went begging, invited him to the palace, fed him, and urged him to continue to
stay in the park. The Pacceka Buddha agreed to do so, and the king told
Sumangala to look after him. One day the Pacceka Buddha went away to a village,
and, after an absence of some days, returned in the evening. Putting away his
bowl and robe, he sat on a stone seat. Sumangala, looking in the park for some
meat in order to feed some relations who had suddenly arrived, saw the Pacceka
Buddha, and, taking him for a deer, shot him. The Pacceka Buddha revealed his
identity and made Sumangala pull out the arrow. Sumangala was full of remorse,
but the Pacceka Buddha died. Feeling sure that the king would never forgive him,
Sumangala fled with his wife and children. After a year he asked a friend, a
minister at court, to discover how the king felt towards him. The man uttered
his praises in the king's presence, but the king remained silent. This was
repeated every year, and in the third year, knowing that the king now bore him
no ill will, he returned to the king, who, after hearing from him how the
accident had happened, forgave him. When asked why he had remained silent, the
king replied that it was wrong for a king to act hastily in his anger.
Sumangala is identified with Ananda. The story was related
in connection with the admonition of a king. J. iii.439-44

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