Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

Abandonment of the corruptible body

abandonment_of_the_corruptible_body

A motif of the Mystical Quest and Interior Journey family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


buddhist

  • Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1 TABLE VII. / THE BODISATS. / TABLE VIII. / THE DISTANT EPOCH.; lines 3235-3348 confidence: medium

    Sumedha argues that he must abandon the perishable body and enter the city of Nirvana, using similes of a corpse on the shoulders, filth on a dungheap, an unseaworthy ship, and robbers threatening jewels.

    The body is repeatedly compared to a corpse, filth, a leaking ship, and a robber-like danger, and Sumedha resolves to leave it without regret for Nirvana.

    read in the book