The Bodhisatta born as the King of Benares. He was the son of Janasandha (also called Dasaratha), and because his face was resplendent with beauty like a well-polished golden mirror, he was called ādāsamukha. His father died when he was seven years old, and the courtiers tested the boy in various ways before crowning him king.

Reports of his wisdom soon spread abroad and once, when an old servant of his father's (Gāmani Canda) was being brought to the court to answer various charges, fourteen problems were entrusted to him by different inhabitants of the kingdom to be placed before the king for solution. The king solved them all and ruled righteously.

The story is given in the Gāmani Canda Jātaka. J.ii.297-310.


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