087 Mangala Jātaka (JTA 1.37) Omens in Cloth Ashin Sarana:
Valentina’s drawing In Rajagaha, a brahmin became very upset when the Buddha retrieved a piece of cloth, because he was sure that it was unlucky and cursed, but the Buddha pointed out the uselessness of his superstition and told a story of the past. He said was extremely foolish long, long ago like now, and he explained that in Rajagaha, the Bodhisatta was born as a brahmin, and after he grew up, he renounced as an ascetic. While he was walking, the King saw him and summoned him to offer him almsfood , and then urged him to remain in his pleasure garden. In Rajagaha, there was a rich man known as Dusalakkhana, who, as his name implied, was famous for reading omens in cloth, and he called for a clean suit of clothes and the servant brought them, but he was terrified to discover that they were sure to bring a curse to his house, so he told his son and asked him to carry it out with a stick. That is what the son did, but he encountered the ascetic, and so the ascetic asked him what he was doing with the clothes, which he replied that they were cursed. The ascetic said that he might as well then throw them out and give it to him because they will suit him just fine. The son told his father about this situation, so they visited the pleasure garden and the father told him that the clothes were cursed, and if he needed any clothes, they had robes for him, but the ascetic said that no wise man believes in such omens, and then he continued his practice of meditation and earned rebirth in the Brahma heavens.Yamona ‘s drawing The Buddha told this story about the superstitious Brahmin got upset because he thought a piece of cloth was cursed. Long ago, the Buddha to be ; Bodhistta was born as an ascetic and a rich Brahmin who was famous for reading omens in cloth lived close by. The Brahmin was very superstitious in that life as well. One day the Brahmin asked his son to thrown away the clothes because he believed whoever own that clothes will have bad luck . When the ascetic saw that , he took the clothes for himself and told the Brahmin firmly that there is no such thing . The Brahmin finally gave up his superstition .Kids’ drawing