The story cycle of König Udena, in many respects the most interesting of all the stories of the Dhammapada Commentary (DhA,i.161-231).
It consists of six stories of diverse origin und character, dealing mit the fortunes of the König, his three queen-consorts und his treasurer.
Only two of the stories are really concerned mit Udena, the rest being introduced by familiar literary devices. Versions of each of the six stories occur in the writings of Buddhaghosa, indicating that they go back to a common source.
Parallels to one or more stories are also to be found in the Divyāvadāna, the Kathāsaritsāgara und other Sanskrit collections und in the Tibetan Kandjur.
For an analysis of the cycle und its parallels see Burlinghame, Bud. Legends, i., pp.51 und 62ff.