Mahakapi Jataka facts for kids
The Mahakapi Jataka is a famous Jataka tale. These are stories about the Buddha's past lives. In this story, the Buddha was a Bodhisattva, meaning he was on his way to becoming a Buddha. He was born as a wise king of monkeys.
Contents
The Story of the Monkey King
The story tells us that the Bodhisattva was born as a monkey. He ruled over 80,000 other monkeys. They lived near the Ganges River and ate fruit from a huge mango tree.
The King's Attack
King Brahmadatta of Benares wanted the mangoes for himself. He surrounded the tree with his soldiers. His plan was to kill all the monkeys.
The Monkey King's Sacrifice
But the Bodhisattva, the monkey king, had a clever idea. He used his own body to form a bridge over the river. This allowed all his monkey tribe to escape safely. They crossed over him to the other side.
The King's Change of Heart
Devadatta, the Buddha's jealous cousin, was also a monkey in this life. He saw a chance to hurt the Bodhisattva. He jumped on the Bodhisattva's back, which broke his heart.
King Brahmadatta saw the monkey king's brave act. He felt bad about trying to kill the monkeys. He took great care of the Bodhisattva as he was dying. After the monkey king passed away, the human king gave him a royal funeral.
The Story in Art
This inspiring story has been shown in ancient Indian art. You can see it in carvings at places like Bharhut and Sanchi.
Bharhut Temple Carvings
At Bharhut, the story shows the Buddha as a monkey king. He bravely offers his body as a bridge. This helps his fellow monkeys escape from the human king. The river is shown with fish designs. Below, impressed humans hold a blanket to catch him when he falls. At the very bottom, the monkey king, now recovered, teaches the human king.
Sanchi Stupa Reliefs
At Sanchi (Stupa No. 1, Western Gateway), the Ganges River flows down the carving. On the left, at the top, is the big mango tree. Two monkeys are holding onto it. The monkey king is stretched across the river. He reaches from the mango tree to the other bank. Other monkeys have already escaped over his body to the rocks and jungle.
In the lower part of the carving, King Brahmadatta is on horseback. His soldiers are with him. One soldier aims an arrow at the Bodhisattva. Higher up, the king is shown again. He sits under the mango tree. He is talking to the dying Bodhisattva. The story says the monkey king gave the human king good advice about being a ruler.
