Bhante & friends,

Ajaata,sattu is probably his nickname. The Jain texts refer to him as Kuu.nika or
Ko.nika (see Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, under Ajaatasattu).

Like many ancient Buddhist stories, much legend has enshrouded it. They are excellent
as stories (most with morals), and should be treated as such.

Some living teachers and scholars are in the midst of clearing the trees to see the
woods. The light of the Buddha is beginning to shine through more brightly for many
of us thanks to such efforts.

Sukhi

Piya

Bhante Sujato wrote:

> Dear Yifer and friends,
>
> Ajatasattu is indeed a fascinating figure, as full of suggestive
> ambiguities as his name. There is another Ajatasatru, King of
> Benares, who engages in a dialogue where he teaches a brahman the
> nature of Brahma in the Brihadarannyaka Upanishad. Some scholars
> have seen him as a garbled equivalent of the 'Buddhist' Ajatasattu,
> but i think it is more likely he was a different personage, who
> lived a couple of centuries before the Buddha, in the time of King
> Janaka, who is mentioned frequently in the Jatakas as well as
> Upanishads. This would suggest that the name Ajatasattu is a semi-
> title, as for example 'devanampiya'. In such a case it must
> mean 'one for whom no foe is born', ie unconquerable. It is a
> frequent irony in myth that just such an unbeatable champion finds a
> violent death (think of Achilles, Balder, etc.).
>
> For more details, see the translation of text and commentary of
> Samannaphala Sutta by Bhikkhu Bodhi. There is also much information
> in the Chinese and Tibetan sources, and Ajatasattu also rates a
> mention in Jaina scriptures.
>
> As usual, the information on Ajatasattu, who is closely bound with
> the Devadatta story, is scattered here and there throughout the
> Suttas and Vinaya. These few suggestive episodes are fleshed out in
> the commentaries.
>
> The public confession of his sins by Ajatasattu to the Buddha is a
> moving and unforgettable story. It reminds me of the even more
> public confession and apology by that other great King of Magadha,
> Asoka.
>
> in Dhamma
>
> Bhante Sujato
>
> --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Ong Yong Peng" <yongpeng.ong@...>
> wrote:
> > Dear Yifer and friends,
> >
> > I know very little about Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, as a small part
> of
> > the history of the early sangha, although both kings have provided
> > substantial support to the Buddha and his disciples.
> >
> > Because both men have played some significant roles, we will find
> > them mentioned in the Pali Tipitaka. I have no idea whether the
> > episode you mentioned is in Pali, and, if so, where.
> >
> > I know the Buddha accepted offerings from Ajatasattu, but I think
> it
> > was after he regretted of his killing.
> >
> > As for his name, ajatasattu means 'an enemy yet to be'. You can
> read
> > more about Ajatasattu here:
> > http://www.mettanet.org/pali-utils/Pali-Proper-Names/ajatasattu.htm
> >
> > Hopefully, this is of some help.
> >
> > metta,
> > Yong Peng.
> >
> >
> > --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, yifertw wrote:
> >
> > In Chinese Tipitaka, it said that Vedehiputta Ajaatasattu, the son
> > and successor of Magadha's King Bimbisaara, put his father into
> > prison and killed him thereafter.
> >
> > It said that Ajaata-sattu means unborn-enemy, he is named due to
> > fortune teller predict this to-be-born child will kill his father
> > when he grow up.
> >
> > My questions are:
> > 1. It is quite odd to name his own child the enemy unborn. Is
> > Ajaatasattu means that there is no born enemies, "unrivaled",
> > "unbeatable", or "unconquerable"?
> >
> > 2. Is the stroy of Ajaatasattu translated in Chinese having a
> > counterpart in Pali?
> >
> > 3. If Chinese story of Ajaatasattu is correct, why Buddha accepted
> > daana from a king who killed his father?
>
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