20 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XII, 



of arrows) , sarasopdna (a ladder of arrows) , sarapokkharani (a 

 tank of arrows), sarapadumarn (lotus of arrows), saravassam 

 (a flight of arrows). He pierced a plank 8 fingers thick, an 

 iron-sheet one finger thick, a cart full of earth and sand, and 

 a hair from the distance of an Usabka l by the sign of an egg- 

 plant (vdtingana). In the Pancavudha Jataka* we find that 

 in the past when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares , Bodhi- 

 satta was born as his son and the Brahmins foretold that he 

 would be the best man in the Jambudlpa in using five kinds of 

 weapons. He went to a famous teacher at Taxila to learn arts. 

 When he finished learning arts he was given five kinds of wea- 

 pons by his teacher. From Taxila on his way to Benares he 

 met a Yakkha named Silesaloma. When Bodhisatta was 

 attacked by the Yakkha, he first of all shot 50 poisoned arrows 

 one after another. He then used sword and spear, and struck 

 with the club, with the right hand, with the left hand, with 

 the right leg, with the left leg, and at last with the head. 

 When the weapons proved to be of no effect, and when he was 

 caught by the Yakkha, he said that he had V ajirdvudha (a 

 weapon of knowledge) with him with which he would be able to 

 put an end to the life of the Yakkha. At last the Yakkha 



was defeated. 



In the Suslma Jataka, 3 the Bodhisatta was born in the 



. womb of the wife of a priest. At the 



Hatthisuttam. age of 16? he lost hig f at her. His father 



was a hatthimangalakarako. When the king wished to perform 

 Jiatthimangala ceremony, his ministers requested him to choose 

 a priest from among the elderly Brahmins. Upon this, the 

 widow of the priest became 3orry and her young son coming 

 to know of his mother's sorrow enquired as to where he would 

 be able to learn Hatthisuttam and three Vedas. His mother 



asked him to _ 



Yojanas. The young son went to Taxila in a day and learnt 

 Hatthisuttam in a day and he returned on the third day. 

 He took part in the ceremony on the fourth day. 



In the Campeyya Jataka * it is related that a young man 

 T1 . . . , of Benares learnt Alambanamantam (man- 



Alambanaraantara. . P , . t. % x m i * m 



tam for charming snakes) at Taxila. The 

 Bodhisatta was born as the Naga-king in the Cam pa River 

 between Anga and Magadha. He was very righteous. On a 

 full-moon day, he observed Dposatha (sabbath) coming on 

 shore out of water. The young Brahmin on his way home saw 

 the Naga-king and charmed him by his mantra, but he was 

 afterwards saved by his wife. 



l Usabha is a measure of distance = 20 yatthis.and I yatthi = 7 rata- 

 nas (Abhidhanappadlpika, pp. 196, 996). 



* Jataka, Vol. I, p. 273. 8 Ibid., Vol. II, p. 47. 



♦ Ibid.. Vol. IV, p. 456. 



