1. The Buddha as the head of gods (J.N0. 462)
Once, the Buddha, before this lifetime, was born as the head of gods. One day
while he was searching the world through his mind he understood the people
were in a state of corruption. They neglected to treat their teachers, parents,
and elders with respect and care. Corruption went from top to bottom in society.
All monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen were engaged in unwholesome deeds.
They cheated each other; were not honest, humble and simple. They killed beings,
stole, sexually abused their own relatives. They always told lies and
indulged in all sorts of intoxicants.
The head of gods decided to come to the human world from heaven and to frighten
the people into doing more and more good deeds. He asked his charioteer, Matalee,
to appear as a dog as big as a bull with big eyes and teeth as big bananas.
The head of gods himself was disguised as a hunter.
Now, both the hunter and the dog came to the city of the king. The dog started
to bark with a voice like thunder. Children and adults alike were afraid upon
hearing this unfamiliar sound. The people started to run here and there trying
to escape from this imminent danger. The dog did not bite but continued to bark
in his loud voice all over the city. When the king heard this, he quickly ordered the
doors of the castle to be closed.
But the dog and hunter were fierce and determined and jumping over the walls,
came into the palace. They went to the king where the dog barked again and again.
The king asked why this dog was barking like thunder. The hunter said that the
dog wanted to eat something but the food that was brought was not enough. Then
all the food in the palace was given, this did not satisfy the dog. Then all the
food in the city was given but this too was not enough. The dog was such, a great
bully with a very big mouth and long teeth, taking whatever it wanted. It is
really an unusual dog and continued to bark with his huge mouth showing his
banana-like teeth and thunderous voice more and more. When asked about this,
the hunter said that now the dog wants to eat all the monks, nuns, children
and adults who are doing the bad deeds; deeds such as, killing,
stealing, telling lies, and taking drugs.
The people upon hearing this began to tremble and shiver in fear. Some of them saying,
"Oh...my god, I will never do wrong again: while others said, Oh My Buddha!
I will never do wrong again." The hunter then appeared [again] as the head of
gods and advising the king and others said, "Support your parents and respect
your elders, do good and avoid all bad things, be righteous". Having said this,
he disappeared with his dog. This head of gods was the Buddha in that life.
Moral: Always support your parents and do more and more good deeds
The Four Travelers and the Bar of Gold
The Buddha as a carpenter