Pāli Dictionary

Pārāvata Jātaka

Jātaka

Also known as Kāka Jātaka

A Jātaka about a greedy crow who, having ingratiated himself with a pet pigeon living in a merchant’s kitchen basket, was caught stealing food and punished, told with reference to a greedy monk.

v.l. Kāka Jātaka.– The Bodhisatta was once a pigeon and lived in a net basket in the kitchen of a Benares merchant. A greedy crow, becoming intimate with him, came to live there. The cook discovered the crow trying to steal some food, and, pulling out his feathers, sprinkled him with flour, hung a chowrie round his neck and flung him into the basket.

The story closely resembles those of the Kapota Jātaka and the Lola Jātaka (q.v.), and is related in reference to a greedy monk (J.iii.314-16; see also Cunningham: Bharhut Stūpa, xlv. Pl.7).

The Kapota Jātaka (J.i.241) makes reference to a Kāka Jātaka of the Navanipāta. There is no such story in the Ninth Book; perhaps it is a wrong reading for the Cakkavāka Jātaka (No.434), where the story is also related with reference to a greedy monk.

Ja 395

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