398 Sutana Jātaka (JTA 147) Sutana and the Royal Regalia Ashin Sarana:
Zwezarni Htun’s drawing In ancient Baranasi, King Brahmadatta, an avid hunter, sought to catch a deer. After a fierce chase, the king finally captured the deer but was exhausted. While resting under a tree, he was confronted by the fearsome god Makhadeva, who desired to devour him. To escape this fate, the king offered the deer as a sacrifice and promised to send rice daily to appease Makhadeva. Eventually, the king ran out of prisoners to sacrifice, prompting his advisor to offer a reward of 1,000 coins for anyone brave enough to venture into the forest with a bowl of rice. Sutana, a man working to support his family, accepted the challenge and received royal items from the king. Unafraid, Sutana cleverly avoided Makhadeva’s threat by not touching the grass and using the royal umbrella’s shade. Realizing Sutana’s wit, Makhadeva let him go. Sutana, however, persuaded Makhadeva to follow him to the city gate for more rice. In the end, it is revealed that Sutana was the Buddha in this tale.Kids’ drawing
