Abja

Also known as: Prince Abja · Family: Vārāṇasī · Role: prince and ascetic teacher · First appears: Chapter XIV

In Chapter XIV, at Vārāṇasī, Brahmavatī gave birth to Abja, the longed-for son of King Brahmadatta, and he was named for being born on the water. To avoid becoming king, Abja pretended to be crippled and dumb. When King Brahmadatta ordered him buried in a forest hole, Abja revealed that he could walk and speak, explaining that memories of torments in a former life made him reject kingship and ask to renounce the world.

King Brahmadatta permitted Abja to go to the forest with his young companions, the five hundred ministers’ sons, who had been his playfellows. There Abja, formerly called the Dumb Cripple, became known as the Dumb Teacher. After the death of The Rishi under whom Abja took the vows, Abja succeeded to the Rishi’s privileges and guided his disciples toward keeping only what was necessary.

Relationship record

Life events

• Brahmavatī gave birth to Abja, the longed-for son of King Brahmadatta.(Chapter XIV · 📍 Vārāṇasī)
  • With: King Brahmadatta Brahmavatī
  • “There she gave birth to a fine boy, who was endowed with recollection of his previous existence. As he was born on the water, the name of Abja (water-born) was given to him.”
• Abja pretended to be crippled and dumb to avoid being made king.(Chapter XIV)
  • “So he determined to evade the sovereignty by means of an artifice, and he pretended to be a cripple.”
• King Brahmadatta ordered that Abja be buried in a hole in the forest.(Chapter XIV · 📍 the forest)
  • With: King Brahmadatta
  • “Then said King Brahmadatta to the executioners, ‘I deliver unto you the prince, go, bury him in a hole in the forest.’”
• Abja revealed that he could speak and walk, and asked to renounce the world.(Chapter XIV · 📍 Vārāṇasī)
  • With: King Brahmadatta
  • “The prince entered the city on foot, and when he came to where the king was, he showed him reverence, and said in ślokas—”
• Abja explained that memories of his former life’s torments made him reject kingship and seek renunciation.(Chapter XIV)
  • With: King Brahmadatta
  • “Remembering those terrible pangs, I do not wish to reign again, and therefore I beseech you, O my father, to allow me to renounce the world.”
• King Brahmadatta permitted Abja to renounce the world and take his young companions to the forest.(Chapter XIV · 📍 the forest)
  • With: King Brahmadatta The five hundred ministers’ sons (Chapter 014)
  • “When the king heard these words of his son he embraced him with tearful eyes, and not only bade him behave according to his wish, but also allowed him to take all his young companions with him into the forest.”
• Abja, formerly called the Dumb Cripple, received the name of the Dumb Teacher.(Chapter XIV · 📍 the forest)
  • “There he who had hitherto been called the Dumb Cripple received the name of the Dumb Teacher.”
• After his Rishi died, Abja succeeded to the Rishi’s privileges.(Chapter XIV)
  • With: The Rishi under whom Abja took the vows (Chapter 014)
  • “On the death of the Rishi under whom he had taken the vows he succeeded to his privileges,”

Chapter XIV

• parent: King Brahmadatta “When Prince Abja heard of this, he thought that it was very unkind of his father to do him such an injury, and he determined to pretend he was dumb.”
• parent: Brahmavatī “There she gave birth to a fine boy, who was endowed with recollection of his previous existence.”
• friends with The five hundred ministers’ sons (Chapter 014) “As the five hundred ministers’ sons who were his playfellows, having all been born at the same time with him, were in the habit of running and jumping, King Brahmadatta reflected that his son, if he were not a cripple, would take part in those exercises.”
• mentor: The Rishi under whom Abja took the vows (Chapter 014) “On the death of the Rishi under whom he had taken the vows he succeeded to his privileges, and he was able to manage so that his disciples, who had too great a quantity of mats, clothes, and utensils, at last followed his example, and contented themselves with that only which was most necessary.”
• pupil: The five hundred ministers’ sons (Chapter 014) “When the king heard these words of his son he embraced him with tearful eyes, and not only bade him behave according to his wish, but also allowed him to take all his young companions with him into the forest. There he who had hitherto been called the Dumb Cripple received the name of the Dumb Teacher.”

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Extracted from the original text of Tibetan Tales, Derived from Indian Sources. Made with Rho MD.