Tribes in Ancient India c73.69

c73.69

In the Pāli Buddhist literature also we find references to Bhoja. In the *Saṃyutta Nikāya*⁴ there is a mention of a Ṛṣi named Rohitassa Bhojaputta, i.e. one belonging to the Bhoja family or tribe. One of the Jātaka stories⁵ tells that the Bodhisattva was born once as a Nāga king named Saṅkhapāla. He always used to give in charities and observe the religious precepts. On a certain sabbath day, while observing the precepts, he resolved to give away his own body in charity, and he became an iguana. Sixteen Bhojaputtas saw this iguana, made it weak by beating it, and carrying it off when they were seen by a merchant of Mithilā who caused Saṅkhapāla to be released.