batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l8926-l9051
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l8926-l9051
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
passage_locator:
label: END OF THE STORY ON HOLDING TO THE TRUTH. / END OF THE STORY OF THE SANDY
ROAD. / END OF THE STORY OF CHULLAKA THE TREASURER. / END OF THE STORY OF THE
MEASURE OF RICE.; lines 8926-9051
start: '8926'
end: '9051'
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: A water-sprite or ogre seizes the Bodisat's brothers at a pond after they
fail to answer what is divine. The Bodisat recognizes the danger, avoids entering
the water, and teaches that divine nature belongs to those pure in heart and good
in word and deed. The ogre tests him over which brother to release, accepts his
explanation, returns both brothers, is converted from evil conduct, and later
accompanies the Bodisat back to Benares, where the Bodisat becomes king. The frame
identifies the figures with the Buddha, disciples, and a monk.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A being in the water carries a questioned person down into the water and confines
him in a cave.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Moon Prince is sent after the first delay, answers that the far-spreading
sky is divine, and is also seized and put in the same place.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The Bodisat sees footprints leading down into the water and concludes that
the pond is haunted by a water-sprite.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The Bodisat remains outside the water with a sword girded on and a bow in
his hand.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The demon takes the form of a woodman and invites the Bodisat to bathe, drink,
eat lotus stalks, pick flowers, and continue his journey.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The demon says he has been granted all who go down into the pond except those
who know what beings are divine.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Before teaching, the water-sprite bathes the Bodisat, provides food and water,
adorns him, anoints him, and spreads a couch for him in an arbour.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The Bodisat states in verse that the pure in heart, those who fear sin, and
the good and kindly in word and deed are divine beings in the world.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: The water-sprite is moved by the teaching and offers to return one brother.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: The Bodisat requests the younger brother and explains that the younger came
to the forest because of succession danger, so his death by an ogre would not
be believed.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: The water-sprite praises the Bodisat and returns both brothers.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: The Bodisat admonishes the ogre about evil deeds, evil rebirth, and the need
to put away evil and do good.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:13
text: After conversion, the ogre lives under the Bodisat's protection.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:14
text: The Bodisat sees by the conjunction of the stars that his father is dead,
returns to Benares, becomes king, appoints his brothers to offices, provides for
the water-sprite, and rules righteously.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: obs:15
text: In the frame, the Teacher teaches the Four Truths, a monk enters the First
Stage of the Path, and the Jātaka figures are identified with later Buddhist figures.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Bodisat / Prince Mahiŋsāsa / elder brother
description: The elder brother who recognizes the haunted pond, teaches divine nature,
secures the brothers' release, converts the ogre, returns to Benares, and becomes
king; later identified as the Buddha himself.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
- ev:12
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: water-sprite / demon / ogre
description: A pond-dwelling being who seizes those entering the water, takes the
form of a woodman, asks about divine nature, returns the brothers after instruction,
and is converted.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:5
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:12
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Sun Prince
description: One of the Bodisat's brothers; later made commander-in-chief and identified
with Ānanda.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- ev:12
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Moon Prince
description: The brother sent after the first delay; he answers the demon's question,
is seized, later returned, made heir-apparent, and identified with Sāriputta.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:9
- ev:11
- ev:12
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: father of the princes
description: The father whose death is read from the conjunction of the stars and
whose earlier refusal to grant the kingdom led to the brothers' forest exile.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: mother of the younger boy
description: The mother who had begged the kingdom from the father for the younger
boy.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Teacher / Buddha
description: The frame narrator who finishes the discourse, teaches the Four Truths,
and identifies the Jātaka figures.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: luxurious monk
description: The monk in the frame who enters the First Stage of the Path and is
identified as the former water-sprite.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Ānanda
description: Identified in the frame as the former Sun Prince.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Sāriputta
description: Identified in the frame as the former Moon Prince.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
roles:
- id: role:1
label: wise teacher of divine nature
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Bodisat seats the water-sprite at his feet and teaches what divine nature
is.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:2
label: captor at haunted pond
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The water-sprite seizes those who go down into the pond and confines them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: captured brother
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: The brothers are seized by the water-sprite and later returned.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:9
- id: role:4
label: returning king
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: After learning of his father's death, the Bodisat returns to Benares and
takes the kingdom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:5
label: shape-changing deceiver
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The demon takes the form of a woodman to invite the Bodisat into the lake.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: frame teacher
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The Teacher finishes the discourse, teaches the Four Truths, and sums up
the Jātaka.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: role:7
label: converted dangerous being
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The Bodisat converts the ogre from evil conduct, and the ogre thereafter
lives under his protection.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:8
label: Jātaka former birth of the Buddha
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The frame identifies Prince Mahiŋsāsa as the Buddha himself in a former birth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
- id: role:9
label: heir-apparent
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The Bodisat makes Moon Prince his heir-apparent.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:10
label: commander-in-chief
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Bodisat makes Sun Prince his commander-in-chief.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:11
label: deceased royal father
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The Bodisat learns by the stars that his father is dead.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:12
label: monk instructed by the discourse
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: After the discourse and the Four Truths, the monk enters the First Stage
of the Path.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: haunted pond or lake
literal_form: pond, lake, and water into which victims go down
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: cave confinement
literal_form: cave under or by the water where captives are put fast
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- cave
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: woodman form
literal_form: the demon's assumed form of a woodman
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: lotus plants and flowers
literal_form: edible stalks of lotus plants and flowers by the lake
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: hospitality adornments
literal_form: bath, food, water, flowers, perfumes, and couch in an arbour
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:6
label: teaching verse on divine nature
literal_form: spoken verse defining divine beings by purity, fear of sin, goodness,
and kind words and deeds
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:7
label: conjunction of the stars
literal_form: stellar conjunction by which the Bodisat knows his father is dead
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: sym:8
label: kingdom of Benares
literal_form: the kingdom taken by the Bodisat after returning to Benares
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Water-sprite captures the brothers
summary: The demon questions those who come to the water about divine nature and
confines them in a cave when their answers fail.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Bodisat recognizes the haunted pond
summary: The Bodisat notices footprints leading into the water, infers a water-sprite
is present, remains armed outside the water, and identifies the disguised woodman
as the captor.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:3
label: Hospitality before instruction
summary: After the Bodisat offers to explain divine beings, the water-sprite prepares
him through bathing, food, adornment, perfumes, and a couch in an arbour.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Teaching divine nature
summary: The Bodisat teaches that divine nature belongs to the pure, sin-fearing,
good, and kindly; the water-sprite is moved by the teaching.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Test over which brother to release
summary: The water-sprite offers to return one brother, questions the Bodisat's
choice of the younger, accepts his explanation, and returns both brothers.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:6
label: Conversion of the ogre
summary: The Bodisat explains the ogre's condition as the result of former evil
deeds, warns against evil rebirth, and persuades him to abandon evil and do good.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: scene:7
label: Return to Benares and righteous rule
summary: After seeing by the stars that his father is dead, the Bodisat returns
with the water-sprite, becomes king, appoints his brothers, provides for the water-sprite,
and rules righteously.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: scene:8
label: Jātaka frame conclusion
summary: The Teacher teaches the Four Truths, the monk gains the First Stage of
the Path, and the past-life identities are assigned.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: wisdom answer releases captives
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The water-sprite preys on those who cannot identify divine beings, but the
Bodisat's correct moral teaching moves him and leads to the brothers' release.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the answer as moral doctrine rather than a formal riddle
contest.
- id: motif:2
label: shape-shifting water demon lures traveler
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
- trickster_boundary
basis: The demon takes the form of a woodman and tries to entice the Bodisat into
the lake with bathing, drinking, lotus food, and flowers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The available taxonomy has no exact water-ogre or lure-at-pond motif;
trickster_boundary is broad.
- id: motif:3
label: dangerous being converted by moral instruction
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The Bodisat instructs the ogre on evil deeds, rebirth in evil states, and
doing good, and the ogre is converted.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: This is extracted as a passage-level moral-conversion pattern, not as
a separate named taxonomy item.
- id: motif:4
label: return from forest exile to righteous kingship
taxonomy_refs:
- return
- royal_legitimacy
basis: The brothers' forest exile is explained; after the father's death, the Bodisat
returns to Benares, assumes the kingdom, appoints his brothers, and rules righteously.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:11
confidence: medium
cautions: The excerpt gives only the end of the exile narrative, so the full departure-return
arc is only partly present.
- id: motif:5
label: past-life identification in Jātaka frame
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The conclusion identifies the water-sprite, Sun Prince, Moon Prince, and
elder brother with figures in the Buddha's present teaching situation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:12
confidence: high
cautions: No exact available taxonomy reference is provided for the Jātaka identification
formula.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 8926-8928
quote_or_summary: A speaker says the victim does not know what is divine, carries
him down into the water, and confines him in a cave.
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: summary
locator: lines 8930-8939
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat sends the Moon Prince; the demon asks the same question,
rejects the answer that the sky is divine, and places him with the other captive.
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:3
type: summary
locator: lines 8941-8946
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat sees both boys' footprints entering the water, infers
the pond is haunted by a water-sprite, and stands armed without entering.
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: lines 8948-8958
quote_or_summary: The demon assumes a woodman's form and invites the Bodisat to
enter the lake, bathe, drink, eat lotus stalks, and pick flowers; the Bodisat
recognizes him as the captor.
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: lines 8960-8976
quote_or_summary: The demon says he has been granted those who go into the pond,
except those who know what beings are divine; the Bodisat offers to tell him.
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: lines 8978-8984
quote_or_summary: The water-sprite bathes the Bodisat, gives him food and water,
adorns and anoints him, and prepares a couch in an arbour before the teaching.
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: quote
locator: lines 8986-8993
quote_or_summary: '"The pure in heart who fear to sin, / The good, kindly in word
and deed-- / These are the beings in the world, / Whose nature should be called
divine."'
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:8
type: summary
locator: lines 8995-9018
quote_or_summary: The moved water-sprite offers one brother; the Bodisat asks for
the younger and explains that the younger's political danger caused the forest
exile, so his loss would bring blame and disbelief.
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: lines 9020-9024
quote_or_summary: The water-sprite says the Bodisat both knows and acts according
to divine nature, then brings out both brothers and gives them back.
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: lines 9026-9035
quote_or_summary: The Bodisat explains that the ogre's birth and flesh-eating arise
from past evil deeds, warns that continued sin prevents escape from evil rebirths,
urges him to do good, and converts him.
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: lines 9035-9044
quote_or_summary: The converted ogre protects the Bodisat; the Bodisat reads his
father's death in the stars, returns to Benares, becomes king, appoints Moon Prince
and Sun Prince, provides for the water-sprite, and rules righteously.
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:12
type: summary
locator: lines 9046-9051
quote_or_summary: The Teacher teaches the Four Truths; the monk enters the First
Stage of the Path; the water-sprite is identified as the luxurious monk, Sun Prince
as Ānanda, Moon Prince as Sāriputta, and Prince Mahiŋsāsa as the Buddha himself.
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: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is supported by the supplied passage. Motif labels are
candidate analytic groupings using only available broad taxonomy references. No
external comparison claims were made.
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 numbering or motif indices were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l8926-l9051
passage_sha256=fab1a92d8c1fe7d5065a6f969b1bd9123f7421e46c28c8034a2de84163629a95