Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c12.1549

v1.c12.1549

Kāraṇḍiya Jātaka (No. 356).—Once the Bodhisatta was a brahmin youth named Kāraṇḍiya, in Benares. He became the chief pupil of a world-famed teacher in Takkasilā, who was in the habit of preaching the moral law to whomever he met regardless of their fitness to receive it. One day Kāraṇḍiya was sent with his colleagues by his teacher to accept some cakes offered by the inhabitants of a village and to bring the teacher's share. On the way back Kāraṇḍiya saw a cave and started throwing stones into it. Told of this by the other boys, the teacher questioned Kāraṇḍiya, who replied that it was his ambition to make the whole world level. If his teacher thought he could make the whole world moral, why should he himself not make it level? The teacher understood and accepted the lesson.