The Jataka Tales

Stories of the Buddha's Former Births

 Jataka (Buddhist Birth Stories - Jataka
Tales), the story of the previous birth of 
Buddha is the oldest, most complete, and
most important collection of folklore which
contains a record of the everyday life, and
ever
ev ery
yda
dayy th
thou
ough
ghts
ts of ththee pe
peop
ople
le.. (Th
Thee
Commentarial Introduction entitled Nidana
Katha - The Story of the linage, Translated
from Pali text by Prof. V. Fausboll).
The Jatakas so constituted were carried to
Ceylon in the Pali language, when
Budd
Bu ddhi
hism
sm wawass fi
firs
rstt in
intr
trod
oduc
uced
ed ininto
to ththat
at
island (a date that is not quite certain, but
may be taken provisionally as about 250
B.C.); and the whole tales were translated
into
into th
the
e SiSing
ngha
hale
lese
se lalang
ngua
uage
ge.. Ma
Mahi hind
nda,
a,
the son of Asoka (in some text he is called
on as the brother of Asoka), is believed to
have
ha ve co
coll
llec
ecte
tedd 55
5500 Ja
Jata
taka
ka st
stor
orie
iess in PaPali
li
(th
thee twenty-t -tw
wo Nipitaks) which were
comp
co mpos
osed
ed by ththee ti
time
me of ththee co
couunc
ncil
il of 
Patn
tna
a (held in about 250 BC BC)). A Ja Jata
takka
Book is also found in the Anguttara Nikdya
and in the Saddharma Pundarika.
The memoirs of Fah-hian (Faxian 399-414
AD, th
the
e famous Chinese traveler er)) who

1
 visite
visited
d Ab
Abha
haya
yagi
giri
ri in Sr
Srii La
Lank
nka
a (4
(412
12 AD
AD))
and recorded 500 representations of 
Bodhisattva in successive births.
The Jataka Atthavannand (547 tales)
belong to the third or fourth century BC is
retold into its present form in Ceylon in
the fifth century AD in the Pali text is
edited by Prof. Fausboll of Copenhagen in
1877-96. This Pali Text is the oldest
collection of the Jataka Tales, it has been
translated into English language by
Edward Cowell (Cambridge 1895-1907).
The 547 Jatakas do not include the
Mahago
Mah agovin
vinda
da Jat
Jataka
aka,, wh
which
ich is men
mention
tioned
ed
in several early texts such as Nidana-
katha and the Jatakakatha. Similarly some
stories are repeated with the same name
or with another, thus, the number of 
 Jataka stories could also be more or a little
less.
In all Jatakas from India, Sri Lanka, Tibet,
Chiina, Ja
Ch Jap
pan, Vietn
tna
am, In
Inddon
one
esia, th
the
e
story of the rescue of five hundred
merchants from the captive of Rakshasi by
White Flying Hor ors
se, as the divine Lord
Avalok
okiite
tes
swara, is mentioned and th the
e
story ends with the only member, the
leader able to get back home safely

2
leavin
leav ingg be
behi
hind
nd al
alll ot
othe
herr me
membmber
ers
s un
unde
derr
the captive of the Raksh
Rakshasi,
asi, but nothing is
mentioned about the Leader of the
Legandary Caravan.
The story of the flying white horse is
illustrated
illustrated on the bas-reliefs
bas-reliefs of the temple
of Boro-Boedoer in Java (Leemans, Borro-
Boudour, page 389, Leide, 1874) and on
one side of a pillar in a Buddhist railing at
Matthura, is a flying hor
Ma ors
se with pe peo
ople
clinging to it (Anderson, Catalogue of the
Indian Museum, page 189) from The
Goblin City (Valahassa Jataka by Francis &
Thomas page 189). The story of the horse
Balaha was immortalized in stone at the
Ang
ngkkor mo
monu
nume
mennt of NeNeak
ak Pe
Pean
an du
durrin
ing
g
the 12th century CE. (See Khmer
Mythology by Vittorio Roveda, p. 65)
One painting from Ajanta cave shows the
pastimes of Prince Simhala’s journey to Sri
Lank
La nka.
a. He is sh
ship
ipwr
wrec
ecke
ked
d al
alon
ong
g wi
with
th hi
his
s
men on an island on which ogresses
appear as beautiful women, but who eat
their victims. The prince escapes on a
flying horse, ththeen later returns to th the
e
isla
islan
nd anand
d co
con
nqu
quer
ers
s it and es
esta
tabl
blis
ish
hed
Bud
Bu ddh
dhiism. (Be
Behhl, Be
Bennoy K: The Ajanta
Caves). Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang

3
visited India in the seventh century A. D.
and stayed here for fifteen years (629-645
AD), did not mention about Ajanta cave. In
1819 British officers of the Madras Army
made a discovery of this magnificent site.
They named it Ajanta after the name of 
the nearest village. After a gap of twenty-
five years, James Fergusson presented a
paper at the Royal Asiatic Society of Great
Brit
Br itai
ain
n an
and
d Ir
Irel
elan
and
d in 18
1843
43,, hi
high
ghli
ligh
ghtin
ting
g
its importance in term of Buddhism. This is
the first scholarly study of the site which
drew
dr ew ththe
e gl
glob
obal
al at
atten
tenti
tion
on.. (J
(Jam
amkh
khededka
kar,
r,
Ajanta: Monumental Legacy)
The Valahassa Jataka Tales (Jataka Story:
the Flying White Horse)
The Pal
The Palii Ja
Jatak
takasas,, Di
Divy
vyav
avad
adan
anaa (h
(hea
eave
venl
nlyy
stories) an d the sixteenth-century
Sanskr
San skrit
it tex
textt Gun
Gunakd
akdran
randav
davyih
yiha
a nar
narrat
rates
es
the story of Avalokitesvara as The Flying
White Horse to help rescue the five
hundred merchants from the captivity of 
the
the Ra
Raks
ksasasii - ththe
e Va
Vala
laha
hass
ssa
a Ja
Jata
taka
ka.. Th
Thee
horse is represented as an incarnation of 
the Avalokiteswora in th the
e Ka
Kara
rand
ndav
avyu
yuha
ha
Sutra. The flying white hor orsse is called
Balaha in Jataka, the stories of Buddha’s
previous life. Simhsarthabahu is

4
mentioned as one of the previous lives of 
Buddha in the 16th chapter of  
Gunakarandavyaha. In one the Jataka
Stories the name of the leader of the
group of merchant is mentioned as
Simhala, who was the only member to get
back to the other shore. (The Jataka:
Stories of the Buddha's Former Births -The
Goblin City page 164/165, edited by E. B.
Cowell, vol. 1 - 3. published in 1895-1907).
The Aśvarāja sto
story rel
relates the
the adv
adventures
of a caravan of merchants shipwrecked on
an island of demo nesses and rescued by a
flying horse, the aśvarāja, the ‘king of 
horses’. The Simhala story continues this
narr
na rrat
ativ
ive
e to in
incl
clud
udee th
thee ch
chie
ieff me
merc
rcha
hant
nt,,
Simhala, being followed home by demons,
who tries to get him back before seducing
and eating the king. Simhala is crowned
king and invades the island.
“The Valahassa Jataka”
Some of the different sources related to
the legendary story of the Avalokiteswora
help rescue the gr grou
oupp of five hundred
merchants from the Cannibalistic demons
(man eating Rakshasis - the she-goblins).
1) Valahassa Jataka in the Japanese
Literature

5
 The Valahassa Jataka, as it is known in
Pali
Pa li,, was tr
tra
ans
nsm
mit
itte
ted
d acrcros
osss Asi
sia
a fr
from
om
India to Japan. A Japanese scroll painting
belonging to the 13th century illustrating
the Valahassa Jataka is in the collection of 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the tale
is known as Kann
Kannon-ky
on-kyo o (Kan
(Kannon
non Sutra) in
 Japanese literature. In the tale the name
of the island and the city of Cannibalistic
demons is mentioned as Ceylon. The name
of the country of the five hundred
merchant and the name of the leader are
not mentioned. In this tale the five
hun
undrdred
ed me
merrch
cha
ant arare
e ca
call
lled
ed on as th the
e
disciples of Sakyamuni and the white
flyi
flying
ng hohors
rse
e as BoBodh
dhis
isat
attv
tva.
a. (T
(The
he FlFlyi
ying
ng
White Horse: Transmission of the
Valāhassa Jātaka Imagery from India to
 Japan by Julia Meech-Pekarik, Published
by: Artibus Asiae Publishers Volume 43 n.
1-2 1981, page 111- 128)
2) The Valahassa Jataka – Indonesian
version
Once upon a time, there was on the
island of Lanka a goblin town called
Sirisavatthu, the home of she-goblins. We
find the story of a group of five hundred
shipwrecked traders being rescued by five

6
 hundre
hund red
d sh
she-g
e-gob
obli
lins
ns didisg
sgui
uise
sed
d as pr pret
etty
ty
nice looking young ladies. The chief of the
traders got noticed the ladies as man
eater goblins so he did request all member
to flee from the city (Ceylon). Two
hundred fifty members followed the chief 
and they were being helped by the white
fly
lyin
ing
g hor
orse
se to cr
cros
oss
s th
the
e ocecean
an.. Th
This
is is
how the Jataka story ends with the rescue
help made to the group of merchants by
the flying white horse Balaha as one of the
Buddha’s previous life. The same story is
repeated by E J Thomas in his book Jataka
Tales (No. 196, The Goblin City page 164-
166
16 6 pu
publ
blis
ishe
hedd by CaCamb
mbriridg
dgee Un
Univiver
ersi
sity
ty
Press in 1916 and in The Illustrated Jataka
& Other Stories of the Buddha, Valahassa
 Jataka-196 by C.B. Varma)
3) The Valahassa Jataka - Tibetan
version
In ththee hi
hist
stor
ory
y of Ti
Tibe
bett ca
call
lled
ed Rg
Rgya
yal-
l-
rabs-gsal-vai-me-lon (The mirror
illustrating the lineage of the kings)
Valahassa Jataka is mentioned in the sixth
chapter. This was composed in the early
17th century with the narrative
desc
de scrrip
ipti
tion
on of th
the
e an
anim
imis
isti
tic
c li
life
fe in Ti
Tibe
bett
from an ape and a rakshasi and the

7
description of the linage of the ruling king
ending Sronbtsan-sgam-po and the further
history of the country to the time of the
writer. (A Jataka -Tale from the Tibetan by
H. Wenzel - pp. 503 -511; published in
1888). Singhala is mentioned as the name
of the island and the groups of five
hundred merchants from India were being
rescued from the Rakshasis by Lord
Avalokiteswora in the form of flying horse
Balaha.
4) Valahassa Jatakaya
(The birth story of the Flying Horse)
from Pali (Ceylon)
Ceylon is believed to have been popular
since long for the
Iro
Iron and coppe perr depososiits, so th thee name
Tamb
Ta mbap apan
anni
ni is gi
give
ven
n to th this
is is
isla
land
nd.. Th
Thisis
island is also known by the name
Ratn
Ra tnad
adwe
weepepaa as it wawass alalso
so po
popupula
larr fo
forr
the precious gems found here. The
Sans
Sa nskr
krit
it wo
word
rd Si
Sinh
nhal
ala
a has a me mean anin
ingg of 
“BARK”, Cassia bark (‘cinnamomum
cassia’), which is also used as a substitute
forr ci
fo cinn
nnamamon
on (c
(cin
inna
namo
momumum m veverurum
m al also
so
call
ca lled
ed ‘c‘cin
inna
namo
momu
mum m zezeyl
ylan
anic
ica’
a’)) wh
whicich
h is
natitiv
ve to Sri Lanka. It is believed th thaat
merchants from West Indian coast sail in

8
small and bi
sma big
g boaoats
ts to ththis
is is
isla
lan
nd sin
incce
time
time imimmo
morrta
tall in se
sear
arch
ch of ththee pr
prec
ecio
ious
us
stone (Gems), Copper, Iron and Cinnamon.
It is also believed that the first king Vijaya
arrived here on a boat after Buddha’s
parinirvana on 543 BC. In 1952 a large and
well-made dugout boat was found in
Kela
Ke lani
nimu
mull
lla,
a, Ke
Kelalani
niya
ya be
belolong
ngin
ing
g to 38380-
0-
480 BC and is kept in the Colombo
Museum. (That has been radio carbon
dated to 2300BP ± 100, which is 380 – 480
BC Sunday Times, Sri Lanka 2010 ------------
).
The story of rescue of five hundred
merchant by the divine lord
Avalokiteswara is mentioned in Pali
Literature in Ceylon.

5) A Ja
Jata
taka
ka-T
-Tal
ale
e (D
(Duk
ukan
anip
ipat
ata:
a: No
No.. 19
196)
6) -
Translated from the Pali Literature
In the Valáhassa Játaka (No.196) the
isla
island
nd TaTamb
mban
anni
nidí
dípa
pa an
andd Si
Sirí
rísa
sava
vatth
tthu
u is
men
me nti
tion
oned
ed as a Ya Yak
kkh
kha
a ci
city
ty pepeop
ople
led
d by
 Yakkhinís who used to eat human flesh.
Avalokitesw
Aval okiteswara,
ara, the divin
divinee lord is believ
believed
ed
to get rescue the group of five hundred
merchant in th the
e form of a white flying
horse. (The Jataka, Vol. II: Book II,

9
 transl
tran slat
ate
ed fr
from
om PaPali
li.. by W.
W.H.
H.D.
D. Ro
Rouuse
se,,
1895, No. 196 Valahassa Jataka Page- 90-
92).
92 ). Sa
Same
me st
stor
ory
y is me
mentntio
ione
ned
d in Ja
Jata
taka
ka::
The Illustrated Jataka & Other Stories of 
the Buddha by C.B. Varma and A Jataka-
Tale from the Tibetan by H. Wenzel (The
 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of 
Great Britain and Ireland pp. 503--511)
6) Goblin City (The Flying White Horse)
In the Jataka: Stories of the Buddha's
Former Births, Ceylon is mentioned as the
Goblin City and the leader of the group of 
merrcha
me hannt is menenti
tion
oned
ed as Si
Simh
mhal
ala
a who
was the only member able to get back to
the other shore (The Jataka: Stories of the
Budd
Bu ddhha'
a's
s Fo
Forrme
merr Bi
Birrth
ths
s ed
edit
ited
ed by E. B.
Cowell, volumes 1 - 3. First published in
1895-1907 under the title - THE Goblin City
page 164/166)
7) Jataka Story from Ajanta Cave
Cave 17 has the largest number of 
paintings and murals than any of the other
caves. The mural paintings in Cave no. 17
of Ajanta Cave mention the story of 
Bhalaha horse as a form of Avalokiteswara
helping the group of merchants from the
Rakshisis. Among the finest are a vast
panel
pan el dep
depict
icting
ing Sim
Simhal
hala’s
a’s shi
shipwr
pwreck
eck and

10
encounter with a man-eating ogress
(“Simhala Avadana”). (The Cave Temples
of In
Indi
dia
a by Ja
Jame
mess Fe
Ferrgu
gus
sso
son
n an
and
d Ja
Jame
mess
Burgess 1895, and Ajanta and Ellora: Cave
Temples of Ancient India Pushpesh Pant).
The Ajanta caves are dated from the
beginning of the Christian era, or earlier
to the seventh century.
8) Hiouen Tsang’s version of Simhala
Avadana
It relates a story of the colonization of 
this country - which is called
“Ratnadweepa”, as it is in Hiouen Tsang’s
version - by “Sinhala”, the son of Simha, a
Merchant Prince who comes with 500
merc
me rcha
hant
nts
s in se
sear
arch
ch of gegemsms.. He cocome
mess
here, and meets a group of beautiful
women who live in an iron city called
Sirisavatthu. They are, in fact,
cann
cannibibal
alis
isti
tic
c Ya
Yakk
kkhi
hini
nis
s whwho o ca
cann ch
chan
ange
ge
their form, and they prey on shipwrecked
sail
sailor
orss an
andd me
merrch
chan
ants
ts.. Si
Sinh
nhal
ala’
a’ss sh
ship
ip is
wrecked and he is saved by the Yakkhinis
who present themselves as the widows of 
other merchants who have sailed on
trading missions many years ago and are
“pre
“p resu
sume
med d de
dead
ad”.
”. Si
Simh
mhalalaa be
beli
liev
eves
es th
the
e
story and ‘marries’ the chief Yakkhini, but

11
finds out who they are and manages to
escape with two hundred and fifty of his
men who believe him, with the help of a
magical flying horse. His ‘wife’ follows him
to hi
his
s kiking
ngdo
dom
m anand
d pr
pres
esen
ents
ts he
hers
rsel
elf,
f, as
the woman wronged by his son, to Simha’s
father. He believes her and gives her
shel
sh elte
terr. Fo
Forr hi
his
s pai
ain
ns, sh
shee de
devvou
ourrs him
and
an d hi
hiss wh
whol
ole
e hou
ouse
seho
hold
ld th
that
at ni
nigh
ghtt an
and d
retu
return
rnss to RaRatn
tnad
adwe
weepepa,
a, wh
wher
eree sh
shee ki
kills
lls
and eats the 250 men who had not heeded
Simha’s call. Simhala succeeds his father
as king and invades Ratnadweepa by sea,
bringing an army complete with war
elephants, by ship.
9) Simhalasarthabahu Avadana
Professor Todd Lewis of the college of 
Holy
Ho ly Cr
Cros
oss
s in Ma
Massssa
ach
chuuse
sett
ttss, US
USA A alslso
o
publ
pu blis
ishe
hed
d a pa
pape
perr on th
the
e lo
loca
cali
liza
zati
tion
on of 
Simhalasartha bahu Avadana did mention
Simhasarthabahu as the leader of the five
hundred merchants in Newar-Tibetan
Trade and the Domestication of  
Simhalasārthabāhu Avadāna. (Chicago
 Journal- History of Religion volume 33
no.2, November 1993 page 135-160)
In Simhala Avadana it is mentioned about
the birth of a son named Simhala to a

12
 wea
ealt
lthy
hy me
merrcha
han
nt Si
Simh
mhak
aka,
a, du
durrin
ing
g ththe
e
period of king Simhakesari from
Simhakalpa. Simhala was selected as the
leader of the group of five hundred
merchants who were on a sea-voyage. The
abode of rakshas is mentioned as
Tamradvipa and Simhala was able to
escape from the island on a magic white
hor
ors
se living behind all other members
under the captive of the Rakshasis.
In Popupullar Bu
Budddhist Texts from Ne Neppal:
Narratives and Rituals in a Newar
Merchant Community (Columbia
University: Ph.D. Dissertation, 1984), Todd
Lewis mentioned the name of the leader of 
the group of the merchant leading to
Lhasa as Simhala Sartha Bahu, son of the
Merrch
Me chan
antt Si
Simh
mhal
alas
asar
arth
thaa Ba
Baha
ha frfrom
om th the
e
town of Simhakalpa in Jambudvipa.
Professor Todd Lewis in his article
published in the Journal of Religion
mention about a stupa in Lhasa known as
Sims
Simshahart
rtha
haba
bahu
hu Ch
Chor
orten
ten an
and
d a sh
shri
rine
ne in
 Jokhang dedicated to his wife' that newar
traders honour as the form of Jatika Ajima
(Newar-Tibetan Trade and the
Domestication of Simhalasarthabahu
Avadan - source History of Religions,

13
Vol.33 No. 2, page 150, published by the
University of Chicago Press 1993).
The adventure of the Merchant Simhala is
also mentioned by Professor Siegfried
Lienhard with a description of a long scroll
Painting 11.44 meter long and 0.55 meter
wide with 80 frames each with the
legend / story of Simshartha Bahu (Text in
Nepali Script & the language Newari) from
the
th e col
olle
lec
cti
tion
on of MuMuse
seu
um of InIndi
dian
an Ar
Art,
t,
Berli
Ber lin.
n. Pr
Prof
ofes
esso
sorr Si
Sieg
egfr
frie
ied
d Li
Lien
enha
hard
rd al
also
so
did mention about this Scroll painting in
his paper “A Nepalese painted Scroll
Illustrating the Simhalavadan” (Nepalica 4
Sankt 49-53 Editors Prof. N. Gulschow & A.
Micheals - Sankt. Augustine Wissen-
schaflaverlage VGH, p 51-53). Published in
the Heritage of Kathmandu Valley, -
proceedings of an International.
Conference in Lubec June 1985).
Simhal
Simh ala
a (S
(Sim
imha
hala
la Sa
Sart
rtha
ha Ba
Baha
ha)) wa
was
s th
thee
name of the legendary founder and first
king of the island. (Buddhism in Tibet by
Schlagintweit Emil Leipzig, London 1863).

The Sanskrit version of the Simhala story

is mentioned in the Gunakdrandavyuh as
found in Y.Iwamoto, Bukkyo Setsuwa

14
Kenkyu Josetsu (Kyoto: Hozokan, 1967 pp.
247-94, A.K. Ramanujan, "Who Needs
Folklore? The Relevance of Oral Traditions
to South Asian Studies, “South Asia
Occa
Occasi
sion
onal
al Pa
Pape
perrs (U
(Uni
nive
vers
rsit
ity
y of Ha
Hawa
waii
ii
Vol.1, 1990).

The Legendary Story of the Lhasa

Caravan
A copy of wall hanging (Poubha,
Wilampau, Thangka painting, Scroll
painting) narrating the story of the
legendary caravan to Lhasa is being
displayed in the main courtyard of 
Bhagwan Bahal during the festival of the
holy month Gunlaa, the ninth months
acco
ac corrdi
din
ng to th the
e Ne
Nepa
pali
li Lu
Luna
narr Ca Cale
lennda
darr
narrates the legendary story of the Lhasa
Voya
Vo yage
ge,, be
beining
g le
lead
aded
ed by SiSimh
mhal alaa Sa
Sart
rtha
ha
Baha
Ba ha.. Si
Simhmha a Sa
Sart
rtha
ha Ba
Baha
ha is bebeliliev
eved
ed to
have established Bhagwan Bahal and the
enti
en tire
re da
dailily
y ri
ritu
tual
als
s an
andd ac
acti
tivi
viti
ties
es du
duri
ring
ng
the
the fesesti
tiv
val araree be
bein
ing
g conontr
trol
olle
led
d by th the
e
Pradhan family from Thamel, who believe
themselves as the descendents of Simhala
Sartha Baha.
According to the legend (a non-historical
or unverified story), a group of five

15
hundred you ounng businessmen left for a
carrava
ca van
n to Lh Lhas
asa.a. The grgrou
oup p di
did
d sesele
lect
ct
Simhala, a merchant with rich knowledge,
as their leader. Being selected as the
leader of the group of merchant he got the
new name Simhala Sarthabaha.
(Sa
Sarrth
thab
abah
aha a me
meananin
ingg th
the
e lelead
ader
er of th the
e
grou
gr oup p of mer erch
chanant)
t) Wh
Whil
ile
e crososssin
ingg ththe
e
Rive
Ri verr Bh
Bhra
ramp
mpututrra, th
they
ey en
encocoun
unte
tere
redd an
accident and were being rescued by five
hundred young and exceptionally beautiful
ladies. All members of the caravan were
busy doing business and enjoying with the
young ladies as their wife, so they did not
thought of returning back home.
Simhsarthabahu used to worship the
family God Avalokiteshvara (Karunamaya)
daily. One day Simha Sartha Ba Bah ha was
given the divine sight of Lord
Ava
vallok
okit
ites
eshv
hvar
ara(
a(Ka
Karrunam
amay
aya)
a) whilile
e in
meditation and worship. In the dream Lord
Ava
vallok
okit
ites
eshv
hvar
ara
a totold
ld him ththat
at th
theyey arare
e
being under the captive of the she-devils
(the man eater) and told him to leave the
city as soon as possible as it is a
bewitched island. He was instructed to go
to the northern side of the city to check a
big compound surrounded by tall walls like
a well, where they used to throw the

16
human
huma n sk
skelelet
eton
onss afafte
terr ea
eati
ting
ng th thee fl
fles
esh.
h.
Avalokiteshvara also did promise to help
them cross the river as a flying white
horse. He went there and was able to
climb a tree, and saw lots of human
skeletons behind the tall wall, where they
were forbidden to visit. He got convinced
himself about the dream after visiting the
nor
ortthern side of th thee city. He made th thee
plan to get an escape from the evil eyes of 
the damsels whom they mistakenly
thou
th ough
ghtt of ththei
eirr bebelo
lovved wiv ive
es. He was
able to get convinced his friends about the
instruction of the divine Lord and made a
plan to live the bewitched land.
They left their home in the middle of the
nigh
nightt whwhen
en ththei
eirr wi
wive
vess we
were
re fafast
st as
asleleep
ep
and came close to the River. Simhal
Sart
Sa rtha
haba
bahu
hu di didd woworsrshi
hip
p th
thee di
divi
vine
ne Lo
Lord
rd
and
an d a flylyin
ing
g whwhit ite
e hororse
se appppeear
ared
ed.. The
horse instructed all them to get a ride and
warned them not to look behind while
cros
cr ossi
sing
ng th
thee ririve
verr anandd enench
chanantt th
the
e hoholy
ly
Triratna Mantra. While they were crossing
the river, all ladies woke up and could not
find the youn
young g merch
merchantsants sleeping next to
them
th em.. Th
They
ey ststar
arte
tedd flflyi
ying
ng ov
overer th
thee ri
rive
verr
and
an d lalami
mina
nati
tin
ng an and d reqeque
uessti
tinng ththem
em to
return back home. Hearing the kind

17
hearted voice of their wife (the she-devil)
alll me
al memb mbererss exexce
cept
pt Si
Simh
mhal ala
a Sa
Sart
rtha
haba
baha
ha
looked behind and were taken back to the
other side of the river.
Simhala Sartha Baha was the only person
who did not look behind, and did not
forget to enchant the Mantra of Triratna,
so was able to get back home leaving
behind all his friends under the captive of 
the wretched women. The chief devil
disg
di sgui
uise
sed
d as a yo youn
ungg anandd ex
exce
cept
ptio
iona
nall
lly
y
beau
be autif
tiful
ul lalady
dy fofoll
llow
oweded SiSimh
mhsasart
rtha
haba
bahu
hu
and came to the court with a baby on her
lap claiming herself to be the wife of 
Simhsa
Sim hsarth
rthaba
abahu.hu. Sim
Simhsa
hsarth
rthaba
abahu
hu did try
to convince the king about the she-devil
and denied to accept them as his wife and
son. The king then kept her in the palace
as he was attracted with the exceptional
beauty of the lady. In the middle of the
nigh
ni ghtt sh
shee cacall
lled
ed al
alll he
herr co
comp
mpananio
ions
ns an
andd
started killing the members of the Royal
family and the staff. Next day the palace
door did not open so Simhsarthabahu
enteterred ththee palace climbing th thrrough a
ladder. He was no more able to find
anybody but the human skeleton scattered
all over the palace court yard. As all Royal
family members along with the staff were

18
killed and eaten by the she devils, He
found the human skeletons scattered
around the palace and saw the she devils
slee
sleepi
ping
ng ararou
ound
nd th
the
e co
cour
urty
tyar
ard.
d. WiWith
th th
the
e
Devin sword he is believed to have killed
all the Dankinis except his wife who did
beg pardon for her life.
Simh
Si mhal
ala
a SaSart
rtha
ha Ba
Baha
ha wa
wass no
nomi
mina
nateted
d as
the leader of the community as all
members of the Royal family were killed
by the she-devil. This is how he got a new
name Garud literally meaning army chief 
and later on was able to become the king
and
an d ca
call
lled
ed Ga
Garu
rudj
djuj
uju.
u. (P
(Pra
radh
dhan
an,, Bh
Bhububan
an
Lal, 2047, Kathmandu Upatyeka ka Chirka
Mirka Page 72). Simhal Sarth Bahu
donated land and is believed to have
esta
es tabl
blis
ishe
hedd Th
Tham
amba
bahi
hi in hi
his
s ho
home
me towtown;
n;
with the wealth he earned from Lhasa (the
traders usually bring Gold from Tibet). He
was able to win victory over the bewitched
island and was also able to introduce
Buddhism there. Later on with his spiritual
power and intellectual knowledge, he
gained popularity as a form of Divine God
– Dipankara Garud Bhagwan. His wife also
is honored as a divine god Ajima, the
prot
pr otec
ecto
torr God
odde
des
ss (Ja
Jati
tik
ka Ajijim
ma)
a).. Af
Afte
terr
being pardoned from her life she is being

19
ordered to make a solemn vow to protect
the
th e en
enti
tire
re cocomm
mmununitity
y an
andd in re
retu
turn
rn shshe
e
also made a proposal to protect the
comm
co mmun unit
ity
y leleas
astt th
ther
eree be no op open
enin
ingg in
the roof top of the buildings. This is why
even today the Pradhans from the locality
do not have open rooftops in their houses.
She was then asked which portion of the
rice she wants to have- the first, middle or
the last. She spoke to have the first one
thinking herself as senior so this is how
she got the sticky water (Jati). This is how
even today the sticky water (Jati) is being
poured to the image of Jatika Ajima,
beffor
be oree rea
eachchin
ing
g ththe
e ricice
e bo
bow
wl to Gar aruud
Bha
Bh agwan. The main image of Bh Bhaagw
gwa an
Bahal which is known as Garujuju or Garud
Bhagwan, is believed to be the image of 
Simhalsarthbahu. Pradhan from Thambahi
do nonott vi
visi
sitt Lh
Lhas
asa a be
beca
caus
usee th
they
ey be
beli
liev
eve
e
them
th emsel
selve
vess as th thee de
descscen
enda
dant
nt of SiSimh
mhalal
sart
sa rthb
hbah
ahu u an
and d th
they
ey ar
aree sc
scar
ared
ed of bebein
ing
g
attacked by the she devils as revenge.
Simhala Avadana
The Story of the Horse-King and the
Merrch
Me chan
antt Si
Simh
mhal
ala
a in Bu
Budd
ddhi
hist
st Te
Text
xts,
s, by
Naomi Appleton.

20
Once upon a time a wealthy merchant
named Simhaka used to live in the capital
city
city of Si Simh
mhakakal
alpa
pa rululed
ed by Ki Kin
ng SiSimh
mha a
Kesari. When his wife gave birth to a
beauti tifful son, he named him Simhala.
After finishing his education, he asked his
father for permission to go away on a sea-
voyage. Simhaka was afraid of losing his
beloved son and was not willing to send
him for the voyage. Simhala left
Simhakalpa in the company of five
hun
undr
dred
ed me merrch
chan
ants
ts.. Th
They
ey al
alll to
took
ok wit ith
h
them abundant merchandise. After visiting
many places th the
ey were able to sale all
thei
th eirr go
good
odss an
andd ma
madede huguge
e prprof
ofit
its
s. On
their way back home they reached a place
called Tamradvipa pa.. This place was th thee
abode of rakshasis. On seeing the
merchants, all the rakshasis took beautiful
female forms and entertained the
merchants. Each rakshasi took one of his
friends home, fed them, made love to
them and they lived as husband and wife.
When all his friends were thus drugged to
sleep, the rakshasis devoured them. The
rakshasi entrusted with the task of 
devouring Simhala fled when he took out
his sword. Simhala then escaped from the
island on a magic white horse.

21
 From Tamradvipa, Simhala came to
 Jambudvipa. The rakshasi in the form of a
very
ve ry be
beau
auti
tifu
full yo
youn
ungg la
lady
dy fofoll
llow
owed
ed hi him.
m.
She met a merchant from Madhya Desa.
She promptly fell at his feet and said I am
the
th e da
daug
ught
hter
er of th thee ki
king
ng of Ta Tamr
mrad advi
vipa
pa
and was married to Simhala. While
crossing the ocean the ship encountered
an accident. He left me as he thought me
to be inauspicious. The merchant was
impressed by her story and promised to
help her. He blamed Simhala for not
accepting the innocent girl. Simhala then
told
to ld him th
tha at shshe
e was a rak aksh
sha asi
si.. Fr
From
om
 Jambudvipa Simhala returned to
Simh
Simhakakal
alpa
pa,, ththe e rak
aksh
shas
asii fo
foll
llow
owed
ed him
there also. She came to the house of 
Simhala with a very handsome child,
greatly resembling Simhala. She told
Simhala's father the same old story. When
Simhala came back home, his parents
requested him to forgive his wife. Simhala
then revealed the true nature of the
innocent young girl. After being denied by
Simhala, the rakshasi went to the palace
claming her as the wife of Simhala and the
child as his son. The king of Simhakalpa,
Simh
Simhakakes
esar
arii or
orde
dere
red
d Si
Simh
mhalala
a to ac acce
cept
pt
her as his wife. Simhala told the king who

22
she was and requested him to expel her.
But the king was attracted by her beauty
and kept her in the palace. During diner
the rakshasi mixed sleeping doses
ever
ev eryo
yone
ne in
incl
clud
udin
ing
g th
the e ki
king
ng fe
felt
lt as
asle
leep
ep..
She
Sh e th
then
en in
invi
vite
ted
d he
herr rak
aksh
shas
asii fr
frie
iend
nds s to
come and join in the feast. She told them
that they should stop claim over Simhala
instead of giving them one; she was giving
them so may. The rakshasis entered the
palace and started killing the king and his
family. In the morning people saw
vulture’s rooming around the place.
Simhala entered the palace
climbing through a adder. Then he
searched the entire palace but could not
find none of the royal family members as
all were killed by the rakshasi. The
ministers and the people decided to offer
the crown to Simhala. The crown was then
offered to Simhala who accepted it on the
condition that the people would obey him
without question. On assuming the throne,
he rai
aise
sed
d a po
pow wer
erfu
full ar
army
my anandd ininv
vad
aded
ed
Tamradvipa. When king Simhala with his
army marched upon Tamradvipa, the
rakshasis surrendered to him and agreed
to leave the island. The island was then

23
colonized by Simhala and was called
Simhaladvipa after him.

A garland of Gold to you the Listener

A garland of flowers to you the story
teller
Now may these stories go to the
heaven?
And when it is time to retell them
Comeback immediately again!

The traditional way of the closing of the

Story telling.

Books related to Jataka Stories

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24
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10) Jataka (six volumes)
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13) 365 Jataka Tales & other Stories

25