#75. Udrāyaṇa

Ajanta Cave 1

The narrative was identified by Dieter Schlingloff (1987, 60).

The legend is from the life of the Buddha.—King Udrāyaṇa of Roruka received a painting, representing the Buddha, as a gift from his friend, Bimbisāra, the king of Rājagṛha. Udrāyaṇa was so impressed by this painting that he summoned a monk to preach the Buddhist doctrine to him and his advisers. One day, Udrāyaṇa observed the signs of death on his queen’s face, even as she danced. Seven days later, when the queen passed away, Udrāyaṇa was so distressed that he moved out of the city, bidden farewell by the beggars. He reached Rājagṛha, where Bimbisāra greeted him with great honour and took him to the Buddha who accepted him into the monastic order. Then, Udrāyaṇa’s evil son murdered him for the kingdom, which soon was ruined in a sandstorm.

—Source: Singh 2019, 21; cf. Schlingloff 2013, I, 430-432 .

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