Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/171

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PERFECTIONS OF THE BODISAT.
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he, offering up his own life, acquired the Supreme Perfection called the Perfection of Almsgiving.

In like manner there is no limit to the existences — as, for instance, in the times when he was the snake king Sīlava, and the snake king Campeyya, the snake king Bhūridatta, the snake king Chaddanta, and the prince Alīnasattu, son of king Jayaddisa — in which he fulfilled the Perfection of Goodness. So, certainly, in the Saŋkhapāla Birth, according to the words,


260. Even when piercing me with stakes, and striking me with javelins, I was not angry with the sons of Bhoja, such is my Perfection of Goodness,


he, offering up himself, acquired the Supreme Perfection, called the Perfection of Goodness.

In like manner there is no limit to existences — as, for instance, in the times when he was the prince Somanassa, and the prince Hatthipāla, and the wise man Ayoghara — in which, forsaking his kingdom, he fulfilled the Perfection of Renunciation. So, certainly, in the Cūla-Sutasoma Birth, according to the words,


261. The kingdom, which was in my power, like spittle I rejected it. And, rejecting, cared not for it, such is my Perfection of Renunciation,

he, renouncing the kingdom for freedom from the ties of sin,[1] acquired the Supreme Perfection, called the Perfection of Renunciation.

In like manner, there is no limit to the existences — as,

  1. The Saŋgas, of which there are five — lust, hate, ignorance, pride, and false doctrine.