Buddhist Fables

  1. The Story of Ruru Deer
  2. The Story of Two Swans
  3. The Hare on The Moon
  4. The Story of Chaddanta Elephant
  5. The Story of Great Monkey
  6. The Story of The Two Deer
  7. The Story of a Buffalo
  8. Silava Elephant
  9. The Wise Monkey
  10. The Story of the Golden Swan
  11. The Story of The Great Ape
  12. The Mighty Fish
  13. Story of the Monkey King
  14. Lion and Jackal
  15. Somdatta
  16. The Story of the Crows
  17. The Monkey Brothers
  18. The Story of Nigrodha Deer
  19. Kalbahu
  20. Nandivisala
  21. Coronation of Owl
  22. The Feast of the Dead
  23. The Heart of the Monkey
  24. The Story of a Rooster
  25. The Story of a Tigeress
  26. The Pigeon and The Crow
  27. The Story of Romaka Pigeon
  28. The Story of Khardiya Deer
  29. The Thankless Monkey
  30. Can A Fool Ever Act Good!
  31. The Story of a Tortoise
  32. Jackal –The Arbitrator
  33. The Story of a Snake Charmer
  34. The Leather Garment
  35. The Giant Crab
  36. Mahilaimukha Elephant
  37. The Story of Vinilaka

Buddhist Classics

  1. The Sacrifice of Vessantara
  2. The Wisdom of Vidhura Pandita
  3. Chullabodhi – The Conqueror of Anger
  4. The Story of Kushinagar
  5. The Virtue of Forbearance
  6. Matanga – The World’s First Crusader of Untouchability
  7. The Temptation of Isisanga
  8. The Flight of Sakka
  9. Mahajanaka’s Renunciation
  10. The Wine-Jar
  11. The Sacrifice of Sivi
  12. The Box of the Monster
  13. The Lotus Stalk
  14. Kandari – The Handsome Prince
  15. Ghat: The Virtuous King
  16. Supparaka – The Ancient Mariner
  17. Sankhapala: The Naga King
  18. Champeyya
  19. The Baveru Island
  20. The Great Gambler
  21. The Story of The Dumb Prince
  22. The Naive House-Holder
  23. The Jewelled Serpent
  24. The Mango-Thief
  25. The Foot-Print Reader
  26. The Story of Sutasoma
  27. The Story of Sudasa
  28. The Little Bowman
  29. The Envoy of Belly
  30. Story of a Drummer
  31. The King, Who Knew The Language Of Animals
  32. The Happy Man
  33. Sama: The Good Son

Life and Legends of Buddha

  1. Gotama Buddha
  2. Birth Story of Gotama
  3. Maha Maya’s Dream
  4. Sage Asita’s Visit
  5. The Four Sights
  6. Story of Renunciation
  7. The Buddha’s Victory over Mara
  8. The Personality of the Buddha
  9. Nalgiri Elephant
  10. Story of Kumara Kassapa
  11. Dhamma-Chakka-Pavattana-Katha
  12. The Buddha’s Teaching of Abhidhamma
  13. Buddha's Visit to Rahula Mata
  14. The Savatthi Miracles
  15. The Flying Buddha
  16. Story of Parinibbana
  17. Suddhodana
  18. Sujata
  19. Sariputta
  20. Moggallana
  21. Story of Mara
  22. Bimbisara
  23. Nanda
  24. Janapada Kalyani Nanda
  25. The Spiritual Journey of Janapada Kalyani
  26. Phussa Buddha
  27. Vipassi Buddha
  28. Sikhi Buddha
  29. Vessabhu Buddha
  30. Kakusandha Buddha
  31. Konagamana Buddha
  32. Kassapa Buddha
  33. Metteya

The Illustrated Jataka & Other Stories of the Buddha by C. B. Varma Introduction | Glossary | Bibliography

058 – The Story of The Dumb Prince

Chanda Devi, the wife of the king of Kashi had no son. This filled her life with misery. Sakka, the king of the devas, when saw her grief he decided to help her because she was a virtuous lady. So, he persuaded the Bodhisatta, who was then born in the realm of the Tavatimsa to prepare for his descent in her womb for the sake of her happiness.

The Bodhisatta then entered the womb of the queen. When born, there was a heavy rain-fall in the city. As he was born wet he was called Temiya.

When Temiya was one month old and was lying in his father’s lap, he overheard the father’s harsh sentence meant for some bandits. This made him remember one of his births when he was the king of Varanasi and reigned there for twenty years for which he suffered for twenty thousand years in the Ussada Niraya (a kind of hell). So, he loathed the idea of being a king for the second time. As he was conversant with the deities of the higher world he received the advice from one of them to pretend to be dumb and inactive to avoid the inheritence of the kingdom. He took the advice and accordingly pretended to be dumb and inactive for sixteen years.


Mugapakkha-Jataka
BabyTemiya in the king’s lap

Owing to his pretence he was declared unfit as a prince or a future king and was eventually handed over to the royal charioteer Sunanda to be taken to the cemetery to be clubbed to death and buried there.

When Sunanda was digging the grave to dispose off the dead body, Temiya stealthily sneaked behind him and confided his resolve to him. Impressed, Sunanda then wanted to be an ascetic like him. But Temiya asked him first to inform his whereabouts to the king and his mother; and then become an ascetic. The king, queen and others then soon arrived there. Temiya gave them a sermon to praise the ideals of asceticism. All the people, including the king and the queen, were highly impressed by his sermon and became ascetics. Soon, the fame of Temiya spread all over the place, which made the citizens of the three kingdoms adjacent to Varanasi his followers.


Temiya standing behind Sunanda in the cemetery, who is digging the grave.
Ascetic Temiya giving discourse to the people.

(Temiya’s parents are identified with Suddhodana and Mahamaya; and Sariputta as Sunanda)

Mugapakkha (also called Temiya Jataka) Jataka Pali No.538; cf. Temiyachariya, Chariyapitaka iii.6; Buddhavamsa Atthakatha 51.