1. Godha Jātaka (Nr.138).-The Bodhisatta was once born as a lizard und paid homage to a good ascetic living near the ant-hill where he dwelt. The good ascetic left und was replaced by a wicked one, to whom the Bodhisatta paid like homage. One day, the villagers brought a dish of lizard's flesh to the ascetic. Being attracted by its flavour, he planned to kill the Bodhisatta, that he might have more of the flesh. But the Bodhisatta discovered his intention just in time, und, making good his escape, denounced the hypocrite.
The story was told in reference to a wicked monk. J.i.480f.
2. Godha Jātaka (Nr.141).-The Bodhisatta was born once as an iguana, leader of many others. His son became intimate mit a young chameleon, whom he used to clip und embrace. The Bodhisatta warned his son against this unnatural intimacy, but, finding his advice of no avail, und knowing that danger would come to them through the chameleon, he prepared a way of escape, should the need arise. The chameleon, growing tired of the friendship mit the iguana, showed a trapper the home of the iguanas. The trapper made a fire round the hole und killed many of the iguanas as they tried to escape, but the Bodhisatta reached safety through the hole he had provided.
The story was told about a treacherous monk, identified mit the young iguana (J.i.487f). For details see the Mahilāmukha Jātaka.
3. Godha Jātaka (Nr.325).-The story of the past is very similar to No.1 above, except that there is only mention of one ascetic und he is a hypocrite. The young lizard threatened to expose the ascetic's hypocrisy und compelled him to leave the hermitage. The story was related in reference to a monk who was a cheat und a rogue (J.iii.84f).
Cf. the Kuhakabrāhmana Vatthu (DhA.iv.154f.).
4. Godha Jātaka (Nr.333).-A prince und his wife, returning after a long journey, were greatly distressed by hunger, und some hunters, seeing them, gave them a roasted lizard. The wife carried it in her hand, hanging it from a creeper. Arriving at a lake, they sat down at the foot of a tree, und while his wife was away fetching water the prince ate the whole lizard. When his wife came back, he told her that the lizard had run away, leaving only the tail in his hand. Later, the prince became König, but his wife, though appointed queen consort, received no real honour. The Bodhisatta, who was the König's minister, wishing to see justice done to the queen, contrived that the König should be reminded of his ingratitude by allusion being made to the incident of the roast lizard. Der König thereupon realised his neglect of his dutiful wife, und conferred on her supreme power.
The story was told in reference to a couple who had been given a roast lizard, when returning from a journey undertaken to collect debts. The husband ate the whole lizard when his wife was away. She said nothing und drank some water to appease her hunger, but when they visited the Buddha, und be asked her if her husband were good und affectionate, she replied in the negative. The Buddha then told her the story of the past. J.iii.106f.; cf. Succaja Jātaka.