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Sālikedāra Jātaka (No. 484)
Once, when King Magadha was reigning in
Rājagaha, the
Bodhisatta was a parrot and looked after his aged parents. When the fields of
the brahmin Kosiyagotta, of Sālindiya in Magadha, were ripe, the parrot went
there with his flock, and, having fed himself, took some corn for his parents.
The watchman of the fields reported this to Kosiyagotta, and, on his
instructions, a snare was set and the Bodhisatta caught. When he raised the
alarm, the other parrots fled. The Bodhisatta explained to Kosiyagotta why he
carried the corn away - to feed his parents, his young ones, and those
who were in need, thus, as it were, paying a debt, giving a loan, and setting up
a store of merit. The brahmin was very pleased, and gave permission to the
Bodhisatta to take the corn of all his thousand acres; but the Bodhisatta
accepted only eight (J. iv.276 82).
For the introductory story see the
Sāma Jātaka.
Channa, is
identified with the watchman and Ananda with Kosiyagotta.

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