Jataka - Buddha's Former Birth - Pt 2

The Sama Jataka -Sama is shot by an arrow in his side by King Piliyakka.

Care for the elderly

The future Buddha was born as a youg man named Sama, who cared lovingly for his forest-dwelling ascetic parent, who were aged and blind. One day, while fetching water from a pool, Sama was accidentally shot and killed by the arrow of a king who was out hunting in the forest. However, Sama's merit was so great that he came back to life, and even his parent's eyesight was restored.

The Sama Jataka

The Grateful Parrot

The future Buddha was born as Mahasuka, a parrot who lived in a fig tree whose fruit fed him all year long. The God Saka decided to test him., and caused the tree to wither away. The parrot perched on the stump, unperturbed. Saka asked the parrot why he did not fly away. The parrot replied that he could not desert an old friend who had given him so much. On hearing these words, Saka offered him a boon. The parrot asked for his tree to live again, and it sprang back to life.

The Mahasuka Jataka

The Four Friends Jataka

A story in a Buddhist sutra tells of four animal friends. One day they decided to work out who was the eldest and thus the wisest. To determine their ages, they recalled their first memories of a nearby tree. The elephant remembered it as tall as himself, the monkey as a small tree, and the hare as a sapling. However, the bird remembered it as a seed, which he planted himself. In accordance with this, the animals set themselves in order, with the wisest highest, to show respect and harmony. The future Buddha was the bird and the other animals were attendants and disciples.

Jataka - Buddha's Former Birth - Pt 1

The Quiet Serpent
The future Buddha was born as Bhuridatta, a serpent divinity. He was captured and forced to perform for public entertainment. Despite these and other ignominies and torments of captivity, Bhuridatta remained free of anger, and ultimately regained his freedom.
The Bhuridatta Jataka

The Patient Prince
The Buddha-to-be was born as Prince Candakumara, whose nobility and patience were so great that an official at his father's court grew to hate him. Finally, the official convinced the king to offer his son as sacrifice. The prince faced his death calmly, but at the last moment he was saved by his mother, the queen. her prayers were answered by the god Indra, who interrupted the ceremony.
The Candakumara Jataka

Lifting the Chariot
When he was just a month old, the future Buddha, Prince Temiya, realized that as a ruler he would have to punish his subjects, and so he decided to remain silent and unmoving to avoid hurting other living beings. For 16 years he was tormented by trials to break his resolve. Finally, he was condemned to death. In the chariot that was taking him to his execution, Temiya finally moved: he got out of the chariot and raised it above his head with one hand, in a single action demonstrating his power and merit.
The Temiya JatakaTemiya confirms his strenght by lifting a chariot.