Vol. X, No. 7. J Spirit Belief in the Jataka Stories. 261 



[N S.] 



cleared, the grasses removed and the ground levelled. The 

 tree used to be surrounded by a fence and sand scattered 

 round the tree. Offerings of flowers, garlands, and sandal 

 pastes were made and flags hoisted. Lamps were placed near 

 the tree and food used to be offered. According to the Dum- 

 medha Jataka l men used to kill goats, lambs, pigs and cocks and 

 offer their flesh and blood to the gods. In the same story there 

 Tx .. is reference to human sacrifice before a 



Human sacrifice , j rr»u xr* i.u j. 



before tree-gods. tree-god. The King m the story promises 



to sacrifice a man if a certain desire of 

 his is fulfilled. In the Dhonasakha Jataka* and in the Maha- 

 sutasoma Jataka 3 we find the details of human sacrifice before 

 tree go Js. After killing the victim thev used to wash the 

 trunk of the tree with the blood flowing from the neck and 

 marks of five fingers used to be made with the blood. The 

 tree used to be surrounded by the entrails of the victim and 

 the five sweet parts from the victim's body used to be offered 

 to the tree-gods. Ths five sweet parts or " fleshes, 5 ' as I have 

 been told by a modern Tantrik. are those from the head, the 

 two sides, the breast and the neck respectively. In modern 

 times there is the practice of performing a homa with the five 

 sweet "fleshes," according to the tantrik rites, whenever the 

 victim offered to a god is not killed by a single stroke. Kings 

 used to have in their gardens Mangalarukkhas or auspicious 

 trees and worshipped them with offerings. 



Whenever a tree grows up a spirit comes and takes its 

 rp. . . . , , abode there. These spirits are in con- 



lneir fear of the des- , r r a.u j i. r ±u i 



truction of abodes. stant fear of the destruction of their 



abodes. In the Bhaddasala Jataka 4 * as 

 well as in the Kusanali Jataka, 5 we have accounts of the god's 

 discomfiture at the proposal of cutting down trees. In the 

 Hatthipala Jataka 6 a king's priest threatens a tree-god with 

 cutting down the tree for not giving a son to the kirn* in spite 

 of his getting annual offerings worth a thousand coins of the 

 realm The god in great difficulty goes from place to place 

 and at last succeeds in persuading Sakka to grant sons to the 

 king. In the Rukkhadhamma Jataka 7 we find thit the Bodhi- 

 sattva was born as a tree god. He warned his kinsmen not to 

 take their abodes in the trees growing near human habitations. 

 Some of his kinsmen took his advice, but others thought that 

 they would be gainers by taking their abodes near human 

 habitations. They would be worshipped and respected and 

 would receive offerings, and accordingly they took their 

 abodes near houses. One day there was a heavy storm and 



1 Jataka, Vol. I, p. 259. 2 Jataka, Vol. Ill, p. 159. 



s Jataka, Vol. V, p. 472. * Jataka, Vol. IV, p. 154. 



6 Jataka, Vol. I, p. 441. * Jataka, Vol. II, p. 474. 



7 Jataka, Vol. I, p. 327. 



