Asadisa Jātaka

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was the King of Benares, the Bodhisatta was conceived as the son of the Queen Consort. The baby was safely delivered, and on his naming day they gave him the name of Asadisa-Kumāra, or “Prince Peerless.” About the time that he was able to walk, the Queen conceived once again someone who was also to be a wise being. This baby was also safely delivered, and on the naming day they called the baby Brahmadatta-Kumāra, or “Prince Heaven-sent.”

When Prince Peerless was 16 years old, he went to Takkasilā University for his education. There at the feet of a world-famous teacher he learned the Three Vedas and the Eighteen Accomplishments (also called the 18 vidhyasthanams). In the science of archery he was peerless. And when his education was complete, he returned to Benares.

When the King was on his deathbed he commanded that Prince Peerless should succeed him and that Prince Brahmadatta would then be the heir apparent. When he died, the kingship was offered to Prince Peerless, who refused, saying that he did not want it. So they coronated Brahmadatta as King by sprinkling him with water. Peerless cared nothing for glory or power. He wanted nothing.

While the younger brother ruled, Peerless lived in royal splendor. But the slaves slandered him to his brother. “Prince Peerless wants to be the King!” they said. King Brahmadatta believed them and allowed himself to be deceived. He sent some of his men to take Prince Peerless prisoner.

One of Prince Peerless’ attendants told him what was about to happen. He was angry with his brother, and he decided to go away to another country. When he arrived there, he sent word to the King that an archer was coming. “What wages does he ask?” the King asked. “100,000 gold coins a year,” was the reply.

“Good,” said the King. “let him enter.”

Prince Peerless went into the King’s presence and stood waiting. “Are you the archer?” asked the King.

“Yes, Sire.”

“Very well, I take you into my service.” After that Prince Peerless remained in the service of this King. But the old archers were annoyed at how much money was given to him. “It is too much,” they grumbled.

One day it so happened that the King went out into his park. There, at the foot of a mango tree was a screen that had been put up in front of a stone throne. There he lay down on a magnificent couch. He happened to look up, and there - right at the treetop - he saw a cluster of mango fruit. “It is too high to climb up for,” he thought. So he summoned his archers. He asked them whether they could cut off the cluster of fruit with an arrow and bring it down for him. “Oh,” they said, “that will be easy. But your majesty has seen our skill often enough. The newcomer is so much better paid than we. Perhaps you might make him cut down the fruit.”

Then the King sent for Prince Peerless and asked him if he could do it. “Oh yes, your Majesty, if I may choose my shooting spot.”

“What place do you want?”

“The place where your couch is.” The King had the couch removed and gave up his place.

Prince Peerless did not carry his bow in his hand. He carried it hidden underneath his clothing. So he needed a screen to shield him while he removed it. The King ordered a screen to be brought, and our archer went in.

He removed the white cloth which he wore on top. Then he fastened his waist band and put on a red waistcloth. From his hidden bag he took out a sword which was in pieces. He assembled it and sheathed it on his left side. Next he put on a chain mail made of gold, fastened his bow-case over his back, and took out his great rams-horn bow. It, too, was made in several pieces which he assembled. He fixed the bowstring, red as coral. He put a turban upon his head, and twirling an arrow in his fingers, he threw open the screen and came out.

He looked like a serpent prince just emerging from the ground. He went to the spot he had chosen, notched the arrow to the bowstring, and then put this question to the King. “Your Majesty,” he said, “should I bring this fruit down with an upward shot or by dropping the arrow on top of it?”

“My son,” the King said, “I have often seen a mark brought down by the upward shot, but I have never seen one taken by dropping an arrow on top. Make the arrow drop on top of it.”

“Your Majesty,” the archer said, “this arrow will fly very high. It will fly up to the heaven of the Four Great Kings, and then it will return. You must please be patient until it returns.”

The King promised. Then the archer said, “Your Majesty, when I shoot this arrow, on the way up it will pierce the mango stalk exactly in the middle. When it comes down, it will not swerve so much as the width of a hair. It will hit the same spot on the way down and bring the cluster down with it.”

Then he shot the arrow. As the arrow went up it pierced the exact center of the mango stalk. When the archer knew that his arrow had reached the place of the Four Great Kings, he fired another arrow with greater speed than the first. This struck the feather of the first arrow, turning it back down toward the earth. The second arrow went all the way to the heaven of the Thirty-three Gods. There the deities caught it and kept it.

The sound of the falling arrow as it split the air was like the sound of a thunderbolt. “What is that noise?” they all asked.

“That is the arrow falling,” our archer replied. The bystanders were all frightened to death. They were afraid that the arrow would fall on them. But Prince Peerless comforted them. “Do not be afraid,” he said. “I will make sure that it does not fall on the earth.”

Down the arrow came, not off target by the width of a hair. It neatly cut through the stalk of the mango cluster. The archer caught the arrow in one hand and the fruit in the other. “We have never seen anything like that before!” the onlookers cried.

How they praised the great man! How they cheered and clapped and snapped their fingers, thousands of handkerchiefs waving in the air! In their joy and delight the courtiers gave presents to Prince Peerless amounting to 10 million gold coins. And the King, too, showered gifts and honors upon him like rain.

While the Bodhisatta was receiving such glory and honor at the hands of the King, seven kings, who knew that Prince Peerless was missing from Benares, set siege to the city and summoned its King to fight or yield. The King Brahmadatta was frightened out of his mind. “Where is my brother?” he asked.

“He is in the service of a neighboring King,” was the reply.

“If my dear brother does not come,” he said, “I am a dead man. Go, fall at his feet in my name, make peace with him, bring him here!”

His messengers went and did as they were told. Prince Peerless took leave of his master and returned to Benares. He comforted his brother and told him to fear nothing. Then wrote a message and wrapped it around the arrow. It said, “I, Prince Peerless, have returned. I mean to kill you all with one arrow which I will shoot at you. Let those who want to live make their escape.”

This he shot the arrow so that it fell in the middle of a golden dish from which the seven kings were eating. When they read the message they all ran away, half-dead with fear.

Thus did our Prince put seven kings to flight without shedding even so much blood as a fly might drink. Then he looked at his younger brother, he renounced and forsook the world, cultivated the Faculties (1) faith/confidence, 2) energy, 3) mindfulness, 4) concentration/samadhi and 5) wisdom/insight) and the Attainments (jhānas), and at his life’s end was reborn in Brahma’s heaven.