The Story of Chunda

Chunda, the son of a humble blacksmith, presents to the Buddha a final offering: fifteen new followers to share in the teaching. Then a great debate occurs between Chunda and Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, over the ever-permanent and ever-present nature of the Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Hungry Spirits That Moggallana Encountered

Moggallana, a disciple of the Shakyamuni Buddha, has divine eyes that reveal to him earthbound spirits. The Shakyamuni Buddha tells the stories of these spirits to Mogallana.

Lakshmi and her Sister Alakshmi

There exist twin-sister goddesses of wealth and poverty who always travel together. A story told by the Buddha details their visit to a rich man and a poor man; then he discusses which of the men were truly wise.

Chullapantaka: Dumb yet an Honourable Monk

Chullapantaka become a monk, but has trouble memorizing monastic chants and hymns; thus he cannot advance to higher levels of Buddhism. The Shakyamuni Buddha shows him the path towards enlightenment through hard and honourable work, and Chullapantaka finds success.

The Man who Missed Being the First Disciple of the Buddha

A Buddhist nun tells the story of Upaka who, due to worldly attachments, was unwilling to become the first Disciple of the Buddha. He lives on, and finally returns to and becomes a disciple of the Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Shakya Clan: Massacred

Strife between the Shakya and Kosala clans arises. The Buddha attempts to stop a massacre from occuring, but is it possible?

These stories were taken from the japanese-language magazine Kangi-Sekai, an official Shinnyo-en publication and translated into english by Yasuo Saito. These translations are unofficial, so they may or may not correctly represent the meanings and intentions of the allegories.