batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l8171-l8299
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l8171-l8299
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
passage_locator:
label: GLORY BE TO THE BLESSED, THE HOLY, THE ALL-WISE ONE. / BOOK I. / END OF THE
STORY ON HOLDING TO THE TRUTH. / END OF THE STORY OF THE SANDY ROAD.; lines 8171-8299
start: '8171'
end: '8299'
translation: Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'The passage closes one Jātaka frame by describing the Teacher’s discourse
on the Four Truths, a monk’s attainment of Nirvāna, and the identification of
the foolish dealer as Devadatta and the wise dealer as the Teacher. It then begins
the Cullaka-Seṭṭhi Jātaka, recounting the birth background of Roadling the Younger:
a wealthy daughter and a slave flee Rājagaha, have two sons born on the road,
return to Rājagaha, leave the children with the maternal grandparents, and the
elder son later hears the Buddha, renounces the world, is ordained, and attains
Arahatship.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The Teacher gives a discourse leading up to Arahatship and dwells on the Four
Truths.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: A monk who had given up in despondency is established in Nirvāna at the end
of the discourse.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The Teacher identifies the foolish dealer of the previous story as Devadatta
and the wise dealer as himself.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The new discourse is set at Jīvaka’s Mango-grove near Rājagaha and concerns
the Elder named Roadling the Younger.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: A wealthy daughter in Rājagaha forms an intimacy with a slave and the pair
privately leave for an unknown place because they fear discovery.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The woman becomes pregnant, starts toward her parental home, and gives birth
to a son on the road.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: A second child is also born on the road; the firstborn is called Great Roadling
and the second Little Roadling.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The children ask about relatives after hearing other children speak of uncles
and grandparents.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The parents return with the children to Rājagaha, where the maternal grandparents
refuse to see the parents, send them money, and accept the children into the household.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Great Roadling goes with his grandfather to hear the Buddha preach and turns
his mind toward renunciation.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: Great Roadling asks to enter the Order, receives his grandfather’s consent,
and is taken to the Teacher.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: A monk ordains Great Roadling after repeating a meditation formula on the
perishable nature of the human body.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: Great Roadling learns scripture, reaches the required age, enters full membership,
applies himself to earnest thought, and attains Arahatship.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:14
text: After attaining Arahatship, Great Roadling considers whether he can procure
the same bliss for Little Roadling.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The Teacher / Buddha
description: The Teacher who discourses on the Four Truths, makes the Jātaka connection,
and later receives Great Roadling for ordination.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Despondent monk
description: A monk who had given up in despondency and is established in Nirvāna
after the Teacher’s discourse.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Devadatta / foolish dealer
description: Identified by the Teacher as the foolish dealer in the previous Jātaka
story.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Wise dealer / former identity of the Teacher
description: Identified by the Teacher as himself in the previous Jātaka story.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Wealthy daughter of Rājagaha
description: A daughter of a wealthy house who leaves with a slave, gives birth
to two sons, and later brings them to Rājagaha.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Slave husband
description: The man with whom the wealthy daughter flees and who becomes father
of the two road-born children.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Great Roadling
description: The firstborn son, born on the road, later raised in his grandfather’s
house, ordained, and attaining Arahatship.
role_refs:
- role:9
- role:10
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Little Roadling / Roadling the Younger
description: The second son, born on the road, raised with his elder brother in
the grandfather’s house, and the subject of the discourse.
role_refs:
- role:9
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Maternal grandparents / rich grandfather
description: The parents of the wealthy daughter; they refuse to see the parents
but accept the children, and the grandfather later supports Great Roadling’s ordination.
role_refs:
- role:13
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Ordaining monk
description: A monk called by the Teacher to ordain Great Roadling and teach a meditation
formula.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: spiritual teacher
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He discourses on the Four Truths and receives Great Roadling into the path
of ordination.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:10
- id: role:2
label: Jātaka narrator linking past and present identities
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: He makes the connection and identifies prior-story figures with present figures.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: attainer of Nirvāna
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The passage says the despondent monk is established in the highest Fruit,
Nirvāna.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: past foolish dealer
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Teacher identifies the foolish dealer as Devadatta.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: past wise dealer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Teacher identifies the wise dealer as himself.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: fugitive couple
assigned_to:
- fig:5
- fig:6
basis: They privately leave Rājagaha to avoid discovery of their wrongdoing.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: mother of road-born children
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: She gives birth to two sons on the road.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: father of road-born children
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: He is the husband involved in the births and movements of the family.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:9
label: road-born child
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:8
basis: Both boys are born on the road and named accordingly.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:10
label: renunciant novice and monk
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: He asks to enter the Order, is ordained, and later reaches full membership.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:11
label: Arahat
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The passage says he attains the state of an Arahat.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:12
label: younger brother and intended beneficiary
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Great Roadling considers whether he can procure the same bliss for Little
Roadling.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:13
label: kin guardians
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: They accept the children into the grandfather’s house while refusing to see
the parents.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:14
label: supporter of ordination
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The grandfather grants Great Roadling’s request to enter the Order and takes
him to the Teacher.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:15
label: ordination agent
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The Teacher calls him to ordain Great Roadling and repeat the meditation
formula.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: road
literal_form: The road on which both sons are born and from which their names are
derived.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:2
label: Jīvaka’s Mango-grove
literal_form: A mango-grove near Rājagaha where the Blessed One utters the discourse.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: Four Truths
literal_form: The doctrinal teaching on which the Teacher dwells in the discourse.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:4
label: meditation on the perishable body
literal_form: A formula of meditation on the perishable nature of the human body
repeated at ordination.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Closing discourse and Jātaka identification
summary: The Teacher teaches the Four Truths, the despondent monk attains Nirvāna,
and the Teacher identifies the foolish dealer as Devadatta and the wise dealer
as himself.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Secret departure from Rājagaha
summary: A wealthy daughter and a slave leave Rājagaha privately because they fear
discovery of their relationship.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Births on the road and naming
summary: The woman gives birth to two sons during journeys on the road; the boys
receive names derived from their road births.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Return to Rājagaha and transfer of children
summary: The children ask about relatives, the parents bring them to Rājagaha, and
the maternal grandparents reject the parents but take in the children.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Great Roadling’s renunciation and attainment
summary: Great Roadling hears the Buddha, desires renunciation, receives consent,
is ordained with a meditation formula, studies, becomes a full monk, and attains
Arahatship.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:6
label: Concern for Little Roadling
summary: After his own attainment, Great Roadling considers whether he can obtain
the same bliss for Little Roadling.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: teaching leading to liberation
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The Teacher’s discourse on the Four Truths leads to a monk’s establishment
in Nirvāna, and later Great Roadling’s repeated hearing of the Truth leads toward
renunciation and attainment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the motif doctrinally rather than through an elaborate
symbolic narrative.
- id: motif:2
label: renunciation and initiation into the religious order
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
basis: Great Roadling requests entry into the Order, receives permission, is ordained
as a novice, and later becomes a full member.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The initiation is monastic ordination, not an ordeal-based initiation
episode.
- id: motif:3
label: departure from home under social pressure
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: The wealthy daughter and slave secretly leave Rājagaha to avoid discovery,
and later Great Roadling turns toward renunciation of the world.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: 'The two departures have different functions: one is social flight, the
other religious renunciation.'
- id: motif:4
label: return to kin and transfer of children
taxonomy_refs:
- return
basis: The parents return to Rājagaha so the children can know their relatives;
the grandparents refuse the parents but accept the children.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a family-resolution sequence and may not be a mythic return motif
without broader context.
- id: motif:5
label: past-life identity linkage
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Teacher explicitly connects the prior story’s figures to present figures
by identifying the foolish dealer as Devadatta and the wise dealer as himself.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This is a Jātaka narrative-frame pattern; no external comparison is supplied
in the passage.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The passage explicitly uses a Jātaka-style linkage in which characters from
a past story are identified with present figures.
claim_level: same_function
target: Jātaka past-life identity frame
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The excerpt provides one explicit linkage only; broader corpus recurrence
is not demonstrated from the supplied passage alone.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 8171-8175
quote_or_summary: The Teacher discourses toward Arahatship, dwells on the Four Truths,
and the despondent monk is established in Nirvāna.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: 8176-8179
quote_or_summary: "“The then foolish dealer was Devadatta, but the wise dealer was
I myself.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 8185-8192
quote_or_summary: The Cullaka-Seṭṭhi Jātaka begins; the Blessed One speaks at Jīvaka’s
Mango-grove near Rājagaha concerning the Elder Roadling the Younger.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 8193-8200
quote_or_summary: A wealthy daughter in Rājagaha forms an intimacy with a slave
and the two leave secretly for another country because they fear discovery.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 8201-8224
quote_or_summary: After becoming pregnant, the woman decides to return home; her
husband follows, and she gives birth to a son halfway on the road.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 8225-8230
quote_or_summary: Because the first child is born on the road he is called Roadling;
a second child is also born on the road, so the firstborn is called Great Roadling
and the second Little Roadling.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 8231-8243
quote_or_summary: The child asks his mother about relatives after hearing other
children speak of uncles and grandparents; she says they have a rich grandfather
and many relations at Rājagaha.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 8244-8262
quote_or_summary: The parents take the children to Rājagaha and stay at a public
resting-place; the grandparents send money for the parents to leave but allow
the children to be sent to them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 8263-8278
quote_or_summary: Great Roadling grows up in his grandfather’s house, goes with
him to hear the Buddha preach, turns toward renunciation, asks to enter the Order,
and receives his grandfather’s support.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: 8279-8296
quote_or_summary: The Teacher has a monk ordain Great Roadling, the monk teaches
meditation on the body’s perishability, and Great Roadling later learns scripture,
becomes a full member, and attains Arahatship.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: 8296-8299
quote_or_summary: While enjoying the delight of wise and holy life, Great Roadling
considers whether he can procure the same bliss for Little Roadling.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Literal narrative details are clear in the supplied passage. Motif assignment
is conservative and limited to available taxonomy references and explicit Jātaka-frame
linkage.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used; no external Jātaka context was added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l8171-l8299
passage_sha256=e66bd371a2af5ace3c29068c36e7bad2cd8af8657c446cd383aa561eaadd2a16