Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v2.c36.4751

v2.c36.4751

1. Susīma Jātaka (No. 163).—Susīma was king of Benares, and the Bodhisatta was his chaplain’s son. The chaplain had been master of ceremonies in the king’s elephant-festival, and, as a result, had amassed great wealth. He died when his son was sixteen. Soon after, another elephant-festival came round, and other brahmins obtained the king’s consent to be in charge of the ceremonies on the plea that the chaplain’s son was too young. When but four days remained before the festival, the Bodhisatta found his mother weeping. She explained that for seven successive generations their family had managed the elephant-festival and that she felt the change deeply. The Bodhisatta discovered that a teacher expert in elephant-lore lived in Takkasilā, two thousand yojanas away. He comforted his mother and proceeded to Takkasilā, reaching it in a single day. There he paid his fee of one thousand pieces to the teacher and explained the urgency of his mission. In one night the teacher taught him the three Vedas and the elephant-lore, and the pupil could even excel his teacher in knowledge. The next morning he left early for Benares and reached it in one day.