18 



f Bengal. [X S., XII, 



triyas, for it has been said there that two Candala youths 

 disguised as Brahmins were learning sciences from a teacher, 

 but were expelled when found out. Of the subjects taught, 

 the three Vedas and eighteen Vijjas are frequently mentioned. 

 The three Vedas are the Rigveda, Samaveda, and Yajurveda. 

 The Atharvaveda as the fourth Veda has been mentioned no- 

 where in the Pali Jatakas. In many places J pupils have been 

 described as learning sippas (Silpas) only, but the word sippa 

 appears to have been used in the comprehensive sense of 

 learning. 



In the Kosiya Jataka 2 it is stated that during the reign of 

 Brahmadatta, the King of Benares, Bodhisatta being born in a 

 Brahmin family studied the three Vedas and eighteen Vijjas 

 at Taxila ; became a renowned teacher at Benares and used to 

 teach the three Vedas and eighteen Vijjas to the Kshattriya 

 princes and the Brahmin boys. In the Dummedha Jataka 3 we 

 find that during the reign of Brahmadatta of Benares, the Bodhi- 

 satta was born in the womb of the chief queen of Brahmadatta 

 and was called Brahmadattakumaro. At the age of 16, he 

 went to Taxila and mastered the three Vedas and eighteen 

 Vijjas. There is a description in the Bhimasena Jataka 4 as to 

 how the Bodhisatta learnt the three Vedas and the eighteen 

 Vijjas from a renowned teacher at Taxila, and in many other 

 Jatakas 5 we find that the Bodhisatta became well versed in the 

 three Vedas and eighteen Vijjas at Taxila. 



In the Bhimasena Jataka 6 we find that the Bodhisatta 

 . , learnt archery at Taxila and afterwards 



became a famous archer. After learning 

 the three Vedas and the eighteen Vijjas at Taxila he went to a 

 weaver named Bhimasena who was so called because of his 

 gigantic appearance, and asked him to search for an ap- 

 pointment for himself as an archer, assuring him that the 

 Bodhisatta would actually do all his work for him. When 

 Bhimasena got the appointment as an archer to the King of 

 Benares, he was asked by the king to kill a tiger which was 

 devouring all his subjects. Bhimasena at once killed the tiger, 

 being guided by the Bodhisatta, and was rewarded. On another 

 occasion he killed a wild buffalo. He became proud of his 

 strength and valour and began to disregard the Bodhisatta. 

 Shortly afterwards, a foreign king attacked Benares. Bhima- 

 sena was sent on an elephant, but he was so frightened that 

 he was about to fall down from the back of the animal. The 



1 Ibid., Vol. VI, p. 347; Vol. I, pp. 400, 431, 447; Vol. V, pp. 177, 

 210. 



2 Ibid., Vol. I, p. 463. Ibid., Vol. I, p. 285. 

 + Ibid., Vol. I, p. 356. 



5 Ibid., Vol. I, pp. 505, 510; Vol. IV, p. 200; Vol.11, p. 87 ; Vol. 

 Ill, pp. 115, 122. 



6 Ibid., Vol. I, p. 356. 



