Class 12 Optional English Note || Summary of Brahmadatta and the Banyan Deer || Fiction || Short Story

Lesson: 1

Brahmadatta and the Banyan Deer (Buddhist Story)  

Characters:

Brahmadatta: the king of Benaras

The Banyan Deer (He is actually Lord Buddha.)

Themes: sacrifice, compassion, pity, generosity

'Brahmadatta and the Banyan Deer' is a Buddhist story. This story shows how king Brahmadatta feels compassion and pity towards deer and stops hunting animals. It is believed the Buddha once became the King of the Banyan Deer to give his own life to save that of another.

The Buddha who was born as a Banyan deer was grown and became the leader of the herd. He led his herd to the peaceful forest where they lived free from the danger. The new king who loved hunting came to power over the land. His people were not happy with the king as their fields were ruined and jobs suffered great losses. As a result, they decided to build a stockade in the forest so that they could trap the herd of deer to make the king hunt all he wanted.

The stockade was built and two herds of deer were trapped. One of the herds captured was the herd of the Banyan Deer. The king was happy to see the newly trapped herds. He ordered his men to spare the leaders of the herds. Every few days the king and his men would return to the stockade to kill the deer. The deer were either killed or wounded. The Banyan Deer met the leader of the other herd and proposed a solution for their sufferings. Two leaders agreed to send a deer from each of their herds on an alternate day on whom the lottery fell.

One day the lot fell on a pregnant doe. She asked her leader to spare her as she was pregnant. But the leader denied her plea. She went to the Banyan Deer for help. He promised to release her from the terms of the lottery until her fawn was born. She was overjoyed and grateful to his words. The Banyan Deer took the doe's place. The Banyan Deer went to the king calmly with great dignity. The courtiers sent a message to the king since the Banyan Deer was ready to sacrifice his life.

The king appeared there and both the kings looked at each other. The human king asked for a reason for his presence. The deer told the king about the pregnant doe, his rights and duties. He taught the human king a lesson that a king should care for at least of his subjects. As a teacher’s fee for the lesson, he freed the Banyan Deer as well as his herd. But the deer didn’t find this fair. He demanded freedom for all animals, birds and fish in his land. He was overwhelmed by the Banyan Deer’s nobility, a hard bargain and determination. The king proclaimed that all beings in his land would be recognized as his own subjects and would not be trapped, hunted, or killed.

The Banyan Deer thought the king and departed with his herd back into the forest. The king had a stone pillar to carve the figure of the deer encircled with the words: Homage to the Noble Banyan Deer, compassionate Teacher of Kings.