1. Sankha Játaka (No. 442). The Bodhisatta was once born in Moliní nagara (Benares) as a very rich brahmin, named Sankha. He spent six thousand daily on almsgiving. He had a ship built, equipped and prepared to sail for Suvannabhúmi. A Pacceka, Buddha, seeing him with his divine eye, and foreseeing the danger in store for him, appeared before him on the way to the seaport. Sankha paid him all honour and presented him with his shoes and umbrella.
Sankha's ship sprang a leak on the seventh day. Taking with him one companion, he dived overboard and swam in the direction of Moliní. He swam thus for seven days, till Manimekhalá, seeing his plight, came to his rescue and offered him food. But this he refused, as he was keeping the fast. The goddess told him that his purity in worshipping the Pacceka Buddha had been the cause of her coming to his aid and offered him a boon. He chose to be sent back to Moliní. The goddess provided him with a ship full of treasure, and he returned safely to Moliní with his attendant.
The story was related by way of thanks to a pious layman of Sávatthi, who, having entertained the Buddha and his monks for seven days, presented shoes to the Buddha and to the members of his Order.
Ananda is identified with Sankha's attendant and Uppalavanná with Manimekhalá (J.iv.15 22). The story is also called the Sankhabráhmana Játaka. E.g., ibid., 120.
2. Sankha Játaka. The Bodhisatta, named Sankha, was once born as a brahmin in Takkasilá and had a son, Susíma. When Susíma was about sixteen, he took leave of his father and went to Benares to study the Vedas. His teacher, who was a friend of his father's, taught him all he knew, and then Susíma went to Isipatana, where lived some Pacceka. Buddhas. He entered the Order under them, attained arahantship, and died while yet young. Having heard no news of his son for some time, Sankha was alarmed and went to Benares in search of him. There, after enquiry, he heard of his son's death as a Pacceka Buddha, and was shown the shrine erected in his memory. Sankha weeded the grass round the shrine, sprinkled sand, watered it, scattered wild flowers round it, and raised aloft his robe as banner over it. He then planted his parasol over the top and departed.
The Buddha related the story to the monks at Rájagaha, after his return from Vesáli, to explain the unparalleled honours he had received during the journey. Because he had uprooted the grass round Susíma's shrine, a road of eight leagues was prepared for him to journey comfortably; because he had spread sand, his route was also so spread; because he had scattered flowers, his route was covered with flowers; because he had sprinkled water, there was a shower in Vesáli on his arrival; because he had raised a banner and set up a parasol, the whole cakkavála was gay with flags and parasols. DhA.iii.445f.; KhpA.198f. The story is not given in the Játakatthakatha.