Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c21.827

v1.c21.827

Tuṇḍila Jātaka (No. 388).—The Bodhisatta was once born as a pig and had a brother. They were adopted by an old woman of a village near Benares and were called Mahātuṇḍila and Cuḷḷatuṇḍila. The woman loved them like her own children and refused to sell them, but, one day, some lewd men made her drunk and she agreed to sell Cullaṭuṇḍila. When Cullaṭuṇḍila discovered this, he ran to his brother, but the latter preached to him how it was the fate of pigs to be slaughtered for their flesh; he should, therefore, meet his death bravely. All Benares heard the Bodhisatta’s preaching, and flocked to the spot. The king adopted the pigs as his sons and Mahāṭuṇḍila was appointed to the seat of judgment. On the king’s death, he wrote a book of law for the guidance of future generations.