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Once the Bodhisatta was a teacher in
Takkasilā, and the heir to the throne of Benares was his student. Foreseeing
danger to the prince from his son, he taught the prince four stanzas to be
repeated when his son should be sixteen years old, at the evening meal, at the
time of the great levee, while ascending the palace roof, and in the royal
chamber respectively. The prince in due course became king, and, as had been
foreseen by his teacher, he was conspired against by his son, but saved his life
by repeating the stanzas. The son was cast into prison, and set free only after
the king's death.
The story was related in reference to
Bimbisāra's great love for Ajātasattu, though soothsayers had predicted that the
latter would kill his father (J.iii.121ff).

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