batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l9262-l9390
---
record_id: batch.motif.buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg-l9262-l9390
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md
passage_locator:
label: END OF THE STORY OF CHULLAKA THE TREASURER. / END OF THE STORY OF THE MEASURE
OF RICE. / END OF THE STORY ABOUT TRUE DIVINITY. / END OF THE STORY ON A HAPPY
LIFE.; lines 9262-9390
start: '9262'
end: '9390'
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: 'In the frame story, Devadatta causes a schism and leads mendicants away,
but Sāriputta is sent by the Master to instruct them and bring them back. The
Master then tells a former-birth story: the Bodisat is an old deer with two sons,
Beauty and Brownie, each entrusted with five hundred deer. During crop season,
the father instructs them to lead their herds to the mountains to avoid hunters’
traps and return after the harvest. Brownie travels carelessly at dangerous times
and loses his whole herd, while Beauty travels carefully at midnight and returns
with all five hundred. The Master identifies Beauty with Sāriputta and Brownie
with Devadatta.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Devadatta asks for the Five Rules, fails to obtain what he wants, makes a
schism in the Order, and leaves with mendicants to Gayā-sīsa.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The Master sends Sāriputta and other brethren to preach to the mendicants
who had followed Devadatta and bring them back.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The mendicants praise Sāriputta for returning with a large retinue, while
Devadatta is described as having no followers.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: In the former-birth story, the Bodisat is born as a deer and lives as head
of a herd of one thousand deer.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The Bodisat deer has two young ones named Lakkhaṇa, called Beauty, and Kāḷa,
called Brownie, and assigns five hundred deer to each son.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: At crop time, humans set pit-falls, stakes, stone traps, and snares to kill
deer that would eat crops.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The old Bodisat instructs his sons to lead their herds to the mountainous
part of the forest and return after the crops are cut.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Brownie leads his herd past village gates at dawn and evening twilight, and
many deer are killed by men in open places and ambush.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: Beauty avoids village gates, does not travel by day, dawn, or evening twilight,
travels at midnight, and reaches the forest without losing any deer.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: After four months, Brownie loses the remainder of his herd and arrives alone,
while Beauty returns to his parent with all five hundred deer.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: The Bodisat’s stanza contrasts Beauty returning with all his kindred and Brownie
deprived of all he had.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:12
text: The Master identifies Brownie with Devadatta, Beauty with Sāriputta, and the
father deer with himself.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: The Master / Blessed One
description: Teacher in the frame story who sends Sāriputta to recover the mendicants
and later explains the former birth.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Devadatta
description: Figure who makes a schism, leads mendicants away, and is later described
as deprived of followers.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:11
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Sāriputta
description: Chief disciple sent to preach to the mendicants and bring them back;
identified with Beauty in the former birth.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:11
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Mendicants who followed Devadatta
description: Mendicants who adopted Devadatta’s heresy, were instructed by Sāriputta,
and returned to the Bambu Grove.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: The Bodisat as father deer
description: An old deer who had led a herd of one thousand deer and gave five hundred
deer to each of his two sons.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:10
- ev:11
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Lakkhaṇa / Beauty
description: One son of the Bodisat deer; described as learned, clever, and resourceful;
returns with all five hundred deer.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Kāḷa / Brownie
description: One son of the Bodisat deer; described as dull; leads his herd at dangerous
times and eventually returns alone.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:11
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Human hunters or villagers
description: Men living along the deer route who know the deer’s movements, set
traps, lurk in ambush, and kill deer.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Deer herds / attendants
description: Groups of deer placed under Beauty and Brownie; one herd is preserved,
while the other is destroyed.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
roles:
- id: role:1
label: teacher and revealer of former-birth connection
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:5
basis: The Master explains the present event through a former-birth story and identifies
himself as the father deer.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:11
- id: role:2
label: schismatic leader deprived of followers
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Devadatta makes a schism and is contrasted with Sāriputta as having no followers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: restoring disciple with retinue
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Sāriputta is sent to instruct the mendicants and returns with them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: followers or dependents
assigned_to:
- fig:4
- fig:9
basis: The frame and former-birth story both feature groups whose fate depends on
their leader.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: role:5
label: aged father and adviser
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The old Bodisat assigns herds to his sons and warns them about crop-time
dangers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: wise protective leader
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Beauty is described as clever and resourceful, avoids danger, and returns
with all his deer.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:7
label: foolish destructive leader
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Brownie is described as dull, travels at unsafe times, and loses his herd.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:8
label: ambushers and killers of deer
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Men along the route set traps, wait in ambush, and kill many deer.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: mountain refuge
literal_form: mountainous part of the forest / mountain-side
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: sym:2
label: traps and snares
literal_form: pit-falls, stakes, stone traps, snares, and ambushes
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- id: sym:3
label: midnight travel
literal_form: travel at midnight instead of day, dawn, or evening twilight
associated_figures:
- fig:6
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:4
label: five hundred followers
literal_form: five hundred deer or disciples as a retinue
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: sym:5
label: deer herd as following
literal_form: herds of deer under the two sons
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Schism and recovery of mendicants
summary: Devadatta leads mendicants away after failing to obtain his request; the
Master sends Sāriputta to instruct them, and Sāriputta returns with them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Old deer divides the herd
summary: The Bodisat, born as an old deer leader, gives five hundred deer each to
his sons Beauty and Brownie.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Warning about crop-time danger
summary: The old deer warns that humans set traps during crop season and tells his
sons to take their herds to the mountains until after harvest.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Contrasting journeys to the forest
summary: Brownie travels at unsafe times near villages and loses many deer, while
Beauty chooses safer times and reaches the forest without loss.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Return and moral contrast
summary: After the harvest, Brownie returns alone, but Beauty returns to his parent
with all five hundred deer; the Bodisat recites a stanza contrasting their outcomes.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: scene:6
label: Identification of former births
summary: The Master connects the animal figures to the present frame, identifying
Brownie with Devadatta, Beauty with Sāriputta, and the father deer with himself.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: wise leadership preserves the following
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Beauty’s careful timing and avoidance of danger preserve all five hundred
deer, and Sāriputta likewise returns with a retinue.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The wording is moral and exemplary; the taxonomy label is broad.
- id: motif:2
label: foolish leadership destroys the following
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Brownie is described as dull, travels at dangerous times, loses his deer,
and is identified with Devadatta, who is without followers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: This is an inferred motif label from the passage’s contrast, not a named
motif in the text.
- id: motif:3
label: dangerous journey to refuge and return
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
- return
basis: The deer leaders are instructed to take their herds to the mountainous forest
during crop season and return after the crops are cut; one journey succeeds and
one fails.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents a practical animal migration rather than an explicitly
ritual or heroic departure-and-return pattern.
- id: motif:4
label: former-birth moral parallel
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Master explicitly states that the present contrast between Sāriputta
and Devadatta also occurred in a former birth and identifies the figures across
the two stories.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy family directly names the Jātaka former-birth frame.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: 'The passage itself sets the present monastic episode and the former-birth
deer story in parallel: Sāriputta corresponds to Beauty as the successful leader
with followers, and Devadatta corresponds to Brownie as the failed leader deprived
of followers.'
claim_level: same_function
target: internal comparison between the Devadatta/Sāriputta frame story and the
Beauty/Brownie former-birth story
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:9
- ev:10
- ev:11
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: This is an internal textual comparison made by the passage, not evidence
for historical contact or comparison with another tradition.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 9262-9390; opening frame
quote_or_summary: Devadatta asks for the Five Rules, does not receive them, makes
a schism in the Order, and goes with mendicants to Gayā-sīsa.
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 9262-9390; Sāriputta sent to recover mendicants
quote_or_summary: The Master tells Sāriputta that the mendicants’ minds are open
to conviction and sends him with brethren to preach, instruct them in the Fruits,
and bring 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:3
type: summary
locator: lines 9262-9390; return to Bambu Grove
quote_or_summary: Sāriputta returns with the mendicants; the mendicants praise him
as returning with five hundred disciples, while Devadatta is without followers.
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 9262-9390; beginning of former-birth story
quote_or_summary: Long ago at Rājagaha in Magadha, the Bodisat is born as a deer,
leads a herd of one thousand, and has two sons, Lakkhaṇa/Beauty and Kāḷa/Brownie,
each given five hundred deer.
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 9262-9390; crop-time danger
quote_or_summary: At crop time, men dig pit-falls, fix stakes, set stone traps,
and lay snares to kill deer that would eat the crops.
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 9262-9390; father deer’s instruction
quote_or_summary: The old Bodisat tells his sons to lead their herds to the mountainous
part of the forest during the growing crops and return when the crops are cut.
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: lines 9262-9390; Brownie’s outward journey
quote_or_summary: Brownie does not know proper travel times and leads his herd early
and late, at dawn and evening twilight, past village gates; men kill many deer,
and he returns to the forest with diminished numbers.
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: lines 9262-9390; Beauty’s outward journey
quote_or_summary: Beauty is described as learned, clever, and resourceful; he avoids
village gates, does not travel by day, dawn, or twilight, travels at midnight,
and reaches the forest without losing any animal.
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 9262-9390; return from mountain-side
quote_or_summary: After four months and after the crops are cut, Brownie loses the
rest of his herd and arrives alone, while Beauty comes to his parent with all
five hundred deer.
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: quote
locator: lines 9262-9390; Bodisat’s stanza
quote_or_summary: "“Look there at Beauty coming back with all his troop of kindred,
/ Then look at this poor Brownie, deprived of all he had!”"
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:11
type: summary
locator: lines 9262-9390; Jātaka identification
quote_or_summary: The Master says Brownie was Devadatta, Brownie’s attendants were
Devadatta’s attendants, Beauty was Sāriputta, Beauty’s attendants were the Buddha’s
followers, and the father was the Master 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: high
notes: Literal narrative elements are explicit. Motif labels are concise analytical
candidates and should be reviewed, especially taxonomy assignments to broad families
such as wisdom, departure, and return.
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: |-
Used only the supplied passage and metadata. No external taxonomy IDs or cross-tradition comparisons were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:buddhist-jataka-birth-stories-rhys-davids-gutenberg__l9262-l9390
passage_sha256=ebccd5fa24bbd4de2a3fb8c83e0bd95e24f1718c610990d76609ed9a8020179f