The Buddhist Cosmos by Punnadhammo Mahathero - Jataka 273 (NSFW?)
I’ve just been reading an excellent ebook: “A comprehensive survey of the early Buddhist worldview; according to Theravada and Sarvastivada sources by Punnadhammo mahathero of Arrow river forest hermitage, Canada ” called ‘The Buddhist Cosmos’
I’m not half way through yet but I felt I needed to share this story I’ve just encountered, it took my by surprise and made me laugh quite hard.
This story is a Jataka Tale (273) apparently not translated into English in the PTS
Here is the story as rendered in ‘The Buddhist Cosmos’
Long ago, when Brahmadatta was King of Bārāṇasi, the Bodhisatta was born as a brahmin who renounced sense pleasures to live as a hermit by the banks of the Gaṅgā in the Himavā. One day while he was sitting in the doorway of his hut, a bold and wicked monkey (makkaṭa) came up and tried to put its penis in his ear. The Bodhisatta prevented him from doing this, and retained his equanimity. Sometime later, it happened that a tortoise came up out of the Gaṅgā River and lay sleeping on the bank with its mouth open. The naughty monkey (lola-vānara) seeing this stuck its penis into the tortoise’s mouth. Waking up, the tortoise snapped its jaws shut like someone closing the lid of a chest, which was very painful for the monkey.
Unable to bear the pain, the monkey wondered, “Who can free me from this suffering? Who can I go to for help? Only the ascetic can free me, it is proper that I go and see him.” Carrying the tortoise in his hands, the monkey went to see the Bodhisatta who spoke to him in verse:
What, is that your alms-bowl? You have quite a handful, brahmin. Where did you go for alms? What lay followers did you approach?
The monkey replied, also in verse:
I am a foolish monkey (kapi) I have touched that which should not be touched. If you would be so good as to free me, I will go away to the mountains
The Bodhisatta then addressed the tortoise:
Tortoises are of the Kassapa clan, Monkeys (makkaṭa) are Koṇḍañña clansmen. Kassapa, release Kondañña, You are committing sexual misconduct.
The tortoise was pleased with the words of the Bodhisatta and released the monkey’s penis. Being freed, the monkey bowed to the Bodhisatta and ran away without looking back
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