Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c31.2295

v2.c31.2295

Mahāsupina Jātaka (No. 77).—Pasenadi, king of Kosala, had, one night, sixteen bad dreams, and his brahmins, on being consulted, said that they presaged harm either to his kingdom, his life, or his wealth, and prescribed all manner of sacrifices in order to avert the danger.¹ Mallikā, the king's wife, heard of this and suggested that the Buddha should be consulted. The king followed her advice, and the Buddha explained the dreams. The first dream was of wild bulls entering the royal courtyard to fight but retiring after roaring and bellowing. This, said the Buddha, meant that, in future, when wicked kings rule, rain-clouds will gather, but there will be no rain. The second dream was of trees and shrubs sprouting from the earth which flowered and bore fruit when only about one span high. This foretold a time when men would be short-lived owing to their lusts. In the third dream cows sucked calves which were hardly a day old. This showed that, in the future, the young would refuse respect to the old. The fourth dream was of sturdy draught oxen standing by, while young steers tried to draw loads. This signified a time when the administration of affairs will be entrusted to the young and inexperienced, while the wise and old stand by. The fifth dream was of a horse which ate from two mouths, one on either side of its body, which foretold a time when the king's justices will take bribes from contending parties and give themselves to corruption. The sixth dream was of people holding a very valuable golden bowl and asking a jackal to stale therein. This shows that, in the future, kings will exalt the low-born and noble maidens will be mated with upstarts. The seventh dream was of a man holding a rope which he trailed at his feet, while a she-jackal kept on eating it. This foretold a time when women will lose their sense of modesty and behave badly. In the eighth dream was a big pitcher at the palace gates filled with water and surrounded by empty ones. This foretold a time when kings will be poor and set the whole country working for them, the people being left in extreme poverty. The ninth dream