The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature c9.45

c9.45

Other heroes and heroines of this type are also mentioned in Buddhist literature. Jñānavatī, daughter of King Jñānabala, gave her flesh and blood in order to provide medicine for a sick monk.125 King Puṇyabala sacrificed his eyes and limbs during many lives.126 King Surūpa gave his body, his queen and his son to be eaten up by a Yakṣa, whose form Indra had assumed in order to test the king.127 King Sarvandada gave refuge to a bird, which was pursued by a fowler. He offered to compensate the poor man by giving him an equivalent weight of his own flesh. But the bird became so heavy in the balance that the king had to sacrifice his whole body in order to keep his promise. He regained it by the usual method of saty-adhiṣṭhāna.128 Padmaka killed himself in order that he might be reborn as a rohita fish, whose flesh was needed as medicine for curing the sick.129 King Ṣrīsena gave away his wife and half of his own body.130 Maṇichūḍa fed a demon with his flesh and blood.131 King Maitribala converted some ogres to the true faith by giving them his flesh to eat.132