Campeyya-Jataka– The Serpent King – No 5O6

“Who is it like,” etc. - This story the Master told while dwelling in Jetavana, about the fast-day vows. The Master said,”It is well done, lay Brethren, that ye have taken upon you the fast-day vows. Wise men of old likewise even renounced the glory of being a Serpent King, and lived under these vows.”Then at their request he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time, when Anga was king in the kingdoms of Anga, and Magadha king in Magadha betwixt the realms of Anga and Magadha was a river Campa, where was a place where serpents dwelt, and here a serpent king Campeyya held sway.

Sometimes King Magadha took the Anga country, sometimes King Anga took Magadha. One day King Magadha, having fought a battle with Anga aud got the worse, mounted his charger and took to flight, pursued by Anga's warriors. When he came to the Campa river, it was in flood. But he said, '' Better death drowned in this river than death at the hands of my enemies!'' Then man and hourse plunged in the stream.

Now the serpent king Campeyya had built him under the water a jewelled pavillion; and there at this moment in the midst of his court he was carousing deep. But the king and his horse plunged into the river just in front of the Serpent King. The serpent, beholding this magnificent monarch, conceived a liking for him. Rising from his seat, he made the king sit down upon his own throne, bidding him fear nought, and asked why he came plunging into the water. The king told him all as it was.
Then said the serpent, ”Fear nothing, O great king! I will make you master of both kingdom's.” Thus he consoled him, and for seven days he showed him high honour. On the seventh day he with King Magadha left the serpent palace. Then by the Serpent King's power, King Magadha got possession of King Anga, and slew him, and ruled over the two realms together. From that time there was firm affiance between him and the Serpent King. Year by year he caused a jewelled pavilion to be built on the bank of the river Campa, and offered tribute to the Serpent King at great cost: the Serpent King would come forth with a large retinue from his palace to receive the tribute, and all the people beheld the glory of the Serpent King.

At that time the Bodhisatta was one of a poor family, and he used to go down with the king's people to the riverside. There seeing the Serpent King's glory, he became covetous of it; and in this desire he died, and seven days after the death of the serpent king Campeyya the Bodhisatta, having given alms and lived a virtuous life, came into being in his palace on his royal couch: his body was like a great festoon of jessamine. When he saw it, he was filled with remorse. ”As a consequence of my good deeds,” quoth he, ”I have power laid up in the six chief worlds of sense, as corn is laid up in a granary. But see, here am I born in this reptile shape; what care I for life!'' And so he had thoughts of putting an end to himself. But a young female serpent, named Sumana seeing him, gave the lead to the rest, ”This must be Sakka, mighty in power, born here to us!'' Then they all came and made offering to him, with all manner of musical instruments in their hands. That serpent's palace of his became as it were the palace of Sakka, the thought of death left him: he put off his serpent shape, and sat on the couch in magnificence of dress and adornment. From that time great was his glory, and he ruled over the serpents. Another time again he repented, thinking, ”What care I for this reptile shape? I will live under the fasting vows, and from this place I will shake myself free, amongst men I will go, and learn the Truths, and I will make an end of pain.” But afterwards he still remained in that same palace, fulfilling the fasting vows, and when the young female serpents came about him all gaily adorned, lie generally violated his rule of virtue. After that he went forth from the palace into the park, but they followed him thither, and his vow was broken as before. Then he thought: ”I must leave this palace, and go into the world of men, and there must I live under the fasting vows.” So then on the fast- days he went forth from the palace, and lay on the top of an antheap by the high road, not far from a frontier village. Said he, ”Those who desire my skin or any part of me, let them take it; or if any would have me a dancing snake, let them make me so.” Thus did he yield his body as a gift, and contracting his hood he lay there observing the fast-day vows.

Those who went to and fro on the highway espying him, did him worship with scents and perfumes. And the dwellers in that frontier village, holding him to be a serpent king of great power, set up a pavilion over him, spread sand before it, did worship with perfumes and scented things. Now people began to crave sons by his aid, having faith in the Great Being and doing him worship. The Great Being kept there the fasting vows on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the half-moon, lying upon the antheap; and on the first day of the lunar half he would return to his palace; and as be thus fulfilled his vows, time went by.

One day his consort Sumana spoke to him thus:”My lord, you are wont to go among men to keep your fast-vows. The world of men is dangerous, full of fear. Suppose some danger should come upon you, tell me now by what sign I shall learn of it.”Then the Great Being led her to the side of a lucky pond, and said,”lf any one strike me or do me hurt, the water in this pond will become turbid. lf a roe bird carry me off the water will disappear. lf a snake-charmer seize me, the water will turn to the colour of blood.” These three signs explained to her, he went forth from his palace to keep the fast of the fourteenth day, went and lay down on the antheap illuminating the antheap with the sheen of his body. White was his body as a coil of pure silver, like a ball of red wool was his head: now in this Birth the Bodhisatta's body was thick as a plough-head, in the Bhuridda Birth thick as a thigh, in the Sankhapa Birth as big round as a trough-canoe with an outrigger.

In those days there was a young brahmin of Benares come to Takkasila to study at the feet of a world-renowned teacher, from whom he had learned the charm which commands all things of sense. Going home along that road, what should he see but the Great Being. ”This snake I will catch,” thinks he, and and I will travel through town and village and royal city, making him dance and amassing great profits.” Then he procured magical herbs, and repeating the magic charm he approached the snake. No sooner he heard the sound of this charm, than the Great Being felt his ears as it were peirced by burning splinters, his head was as though broken by the blow of a sword. ”What have we here!'' thought he; putting forth his head from the hood, he beheld the snake-charmer. Then he thought, ”My poison is powerful, and if I am angry and send forth the breath of my nostrils his body will be shattered and scattered like a fist- full of chaff; then my virtue will be broken. I will not look upon him.” Closing his eyes he drew his head within the hood. The brahmin snake- charmer ate a herb, repeated his charm spat upon him:by virtue of herb and charm, wherever the spittle touched him blains arose. Then the man seized him by the tail, dragged him, laid him out at full length: with a goat's-foot staff he squeezed him till he was weak, then catching tight hold on his head, crushed him hard. The Great Being opened his mouth wide ; the man dropt spittle in it, and by herb herb and charm broke his teeth; the month was full of blood. But the Great Being so feared lest he break his virtue, that he bore all this torment and never so much as opened an eye to glance at him. Then the man said, ”I'll weaken this royal snake!'' From tail to head he squeezed the snake's body as though he would crush his very bones to powder. Then he wrapt him in what they call the cloth-wrap, gave him what they call the rope-rubbing, caught him by the tail and gave him the cotton blow, as they call it.
The Great Being's body was all smeared with blood, and he was in great pain. Seeing that the serpent was now weak, the man made an osier basket in which he laid the snake. Then he carried him to the village, and made him perform to the crowd. Black or blue or what not, round figure and square figure, little or large - whatever the brahmin desires, that the Great Being will do, dancing, spreading his blood as if by hundreds or by thousands. The people were so pleased that they gave much money: in one day he would take a thousand rupees, and things worth another thousand. At the first the man had intended to let him go free when he should gain a thousand pieces of money ; but when he got it, he thought, ”In a small frontier village I have gained all this: from kings and courtiers how much wealth may I look to win!'' So he bought a cart and a pleasure-car, and in the cart loaded his goods, while he sat in the carriage. Thus with an attendant throng he traversed town and village, making the Great Being perform, and went on with the intent to show him off before King Uggasena in Benares ; and then he would let him go.

He used to kill frogs and give them to the royal snake. But the snake each time refused to eat, that none might be killed for his sake.
Then the man gave him honey and fried corn. But the Great Being refused to eat these also ; for he thought,”If I take food, I shall be in this basket till I die."