The Jātaka, vol. III (nos. 301-438)

"He might give" etc. — This story was told by the Master, while residing at Jetavana, with regard to a certain landowner. According to the story he went to a village with his wife to get in a debt, and seizing a cart in satisfaction for what was due to him he deposited it with a certain family, intending to fetch it later on. While on the road to Savatthi, they came in sight of a mountain. The wife asked him, " Suppose this mountain were to become all gold, would you give me some of it ? " " Who are you ? " he replied, " I would not give you a jot." "Alas!" she cried, "he is a hard-hearted man. Though the mountain should become pure gold, he would not give me an atom." And she was highly displeased. When they drew nigh to Jetavana, feeling thirsty, they went into the monastery, and had some water to drink. [67] At daybreak the Master seeing in them a capacity for Salvation, sat in a cell of his Perfumed Chamber, looking out for their arrival, and emitted the six-coloured rays of Buddhahood. And after they had quenched their thirst, they came to the Master and respectfully saluting him sat down. The Master, after the usual kindly greetings, asked them where they had been. " We have been. Reverend Sir, to call in a debt." " Lay Sister," he said, " I hope your husband is anxious for your good and ready to do you a kindness." " Reverend Sir," she replied, " I am very affectionate to him, but he has no love for me.

To-day when I asked him, on catching sight of a mountain, 'Supposing it were all pure gold, would you give me some?' he answered, 'Who are you ? I would not give you a jot.' So hard-hearted is he." " Lay Sister," said the Master, " he talks like this. But whenever he calls to mind your virtues he is ready to give you lordship over all." " Tell us about it, your Reverence," they cried, and at their request he related this legend of the past.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his minister, rendering him all due service. One day the king saw his son, who acted as his viceroy, coming to pay his respects to him. He thought to himself, "This fellow may do me wrong, if he gets an opportunity." So he sent for him and said, "As long as I live, you cannot dwell in this city. Live somewhere else, and at my death bear rule in the kingdom." He agreed to these conditions, and bidding his father farewell he started from Benares with his chief wife. On coming to a frontier village, he built himself a hut of leaves in a wood, and stayed there, supporting life on wild roots and fruit. By and bye the king died. The young viceroy, from his observation of the stars, knew of his father's death, and as he journeyed to Benares, a mountain came into sight. His wife said to him, "Supposing, Sir, yonder mountain were turned into pure gold, would you give me some of it 1 " " Who are you 1 " he cried, " I would not give you an atom." She thought: "Through my love for him I entered this forest, not having the heart to desert him, and he speaks to me thus. [68] He is very hard-hearted, and if he becomes king, what good will he do me 1 " And she was sore at heart.

On reaching Benares he was established on the throne and raised her to the dignity of chief queen. He merely gave her titular rank, but beyond this he paid her no respect or honour, and did not even recognize her existence. Thought the Bodhisatta, " This queen was helpmeet to the king, not counting the pain, and dwelt with him in the wilderness. But he, taking no count of this, goes about, taking his pleasure with other women. But I will bring it about that she shall receive lordship over 46 The Jdtaka. Book IV. all." And with this thought he went one day and saluting her said, " Lady, we do not receive from you so much as a lump of rice. Why are you so hard-hearted, and why do you thus neglect us 1 " " Friend," she replied, "if I myself were to receive aught, I would give it you, but if I get nothing, what am I to give ? What, pray, is the king likely to give me ? On the road here, when asked, * If yonder mountain were all pure gold, would you give me anything? ' he answered, ' Who are you 1 I would give you nothing.'" "Well, could you repeat all this before the king?" he said. "Why should I not, friend?" she answered. "Then when I stand in the king's presence," he said, " I will ask and you shall repeat it." " Agreed, friend," she said.

So the Bodhisatta, when he stood and paid his respects to the king, asked the queen, saying, " Are we not, lady, to receive aught at your hands?" "Sir," she answered, "when I get anything, I will give you something. But, pray, what is the king likely to give me now? When we were coming from the forest, and a mountain came into sight, I asked him, ' If yonder mountain were all pure gold, would you give me some of it ? ' 'Who are you ? ' he said, 'I will give you nothing.' And in these words he refused what it was easy to give." [69] To illustrate this, she repeated the first stanza :

He might give at little cost What he would not miss, if lost. Golden mountains I bestow; He to all I ask says "No." The king on hearing this uttei'ed the second stanza : When you can, say "Yes, I will," When you cannot, promise nil. Broken promises are lies; Liars all wise men despise. The queen, when she heard this, raising her joined hands in respectful salutation, repeated the third stanza : Standing fast in righteousness. Thee, O prince, we humbly bless. Fortune may all else destroy; Truth is still thy only joy. [70] The Bodhisatta, after hearing the queen sing the praises of the king, set forth her virtues and repeated the fourth stanza : Known to fame as peerless wife, Sharing weal and woe of life, Equal she to either fate, Fit with even kings to mate. The Bodhisatta in these words sang the praises of the queen, saying, "This lady, your majesty, in the time of your adversity, lived with you and shared your sorrows in the forest. You ought to do her honour." The king, at his words, called to mind the queen's virtues and said, " Wise Sir, at your words I am reminded of the queen's virtues," and so saying he gave all power into her hand. Moreover he bestowed great power upon the Bodhisatta. "For it was by you," he said, "I was reminded of the queen's virtues."

The Master, having ended his lesson, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth: — At the conclusion of the Truths, the husband and wife attained to fruition of the First Path : — "At that time this landowner was the king of Benares, this lay sister was the queen, and I myself was the wise councillor."

[71] ^^ Monkey, in feet" etc. — This was a story told by the Master while dwelling at Jetavana, about a young disciple who burnt down the hut of leaves of the elder Mahakassapa. The incident that led to the story originated in Rajagaha. At that time, they say, the elder was living in a cell in the forest near Rajagaha. Two young novices ministered to his wants. The one of them was serviceable to the elder, the other was ill- behaved. Whatever was done by his comrade, he makes as if it were done by himself For instance, when the other lad had placed water to rinse the mouth, he goes to the elder and saluting him, says, "Sir, the water is ready. Please to rinse yoiu- mouth." And when his companion had risen betimes and swept out the elder's cell, as soon as the elder appears, he knocks things about hither and thither, and makes as if the whole cell had been swept out by himself. The dutiful disciple thought, " This ill-behaved fellow claims whatever I do just as if he had done it himself. I will expose his cunning behaviour." So when the young rogue had returned from the village and was sleeping after his meal, he heated water for the bath, and hid it in a back room, and then put merely a small quantity of water in the boiler. The other lad on waking went and saw the steam rising up and thought, " No doubt our friend has heated the water and put it in the bath-room." So going to the elder he said, "Sir, the water is in the bath-room.

Please, take your bath." The elder went with him to take a bath, and finding no water in the bath-room asked where the water was. The lad went hastily to the heating chamber and let down a ladle into the empty boiler. The ladle struck against the bottom of the empty vessel, and gave forth a rattling sound. (Thenceforth the boy was known by the name of "RattleLadle.") At this moment the other lad fetched the water from the back room, and said, " Sir, please take your bath." The elder had his bath, [72] and being now aware of Rattle- Ladle's misconduct, when the boy came in the evening to wait upon him, he reproached him and said, " When one that is under religious vows

48 The Jdtaka. Booh IV. has done a thing himself, then only has he the right to say, 'I did that.' Otherwise it is a deliberate lie. Henceforth be not guilty of conduct like this." The boy was wroth with the elder, and next day refused to go into the town with him to beg for alms. But the other youth accompanied the elder. And Rattle-Ladle went to see a family of the elder's retainers. When they inquired where the elder was, he answered that he remained at home ill. They asked what he ought to have. He said, " Give me so and so," and took it and went to a place that he fancied, and ate it and returned to the hermitage. Next day the elder visited that family and sat down with them. The people said, " You are not well, are you ? Yesterday, they say, you stopped at home in your cell. We sent you some food by the hand of such and such a lad. Did your Reverence partake of it '? " The elder held his peace, and when he had finished his meal, returned to the monastery. In the evening when the boy came to wait upon him, the elder addressed him thus : " You went begging, Sir, in such and such a family, and in such and such a village. And you begged, saying, 'The elder must have so and so to eat.' And then, they say, you ate it yourself Such begging is highly improper. See that you are not guilty of such misconduct again."

So the boy for ever so long nursed a grudge against the elder, thinking, "Yesterday merely on account of a little water he picked a quarrel with me. And now being indignant because of my having eaten a handful of rice in the house of his retainers, he quarrels with me again. I will find out the right way to deal with him." And next day, when the elder had gone into the city for alms, he took a hammer and broke all the vessels used for food, and setting fire to the hut of leaves, took to his heels. While still alive he became a preta in the world of men, and withered away till he died and was born again in the Great Hell of Avici. And the fame of his evil deed spread abroad amongst the people. So one day some Brethi-en came from Rajagaha to Savatthi, and after putting away their bowls and robes in the Common Room they went and saluting the Master sat down. The Master conversed pleasantly with them and asked whence they had come. " From Rajagaha, Sir." " Who is the teacher that preaches there ? " he said. " The Great Kassapa, Sir." " Is Kassapa quite well, Brethren 1" he asked. "Yes, Reverend Sir, the elder is well. But a youthful member of the fraternity was so angry on account of a reproof he gave him, that he set fire to the elder's hut of leaves, and made off." [73] The Master, on hearing this, said, " Brethren, solitude is better for Kassapa than keeping company with a fool like this." And so saying he repeated a stanza in the Dhammapada :

To travel with the vulgar herd refuse, And fellowship with foolish folk eschew; Thy peer or better for a comrade choose Or else in solitude thy way pursue. Moreover he again addressed the Brethren and said, " Not now only, Brethren, did this youth destroy the hut and feel wroth with one that reproved him. In former times too he was wroth." And he then told them a legend of the past. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young sihgila bird. And when he grew to be a big bird, he settled in the Himalaya country and built him a nest to his fancy, that was proof against the rain. Then a certain monkey in the rainy season, when the rain fell without intermission, sat near the Bodhisatta, his teeth chattering by reason of the severe cold. The Bodhisatta, seeing him thus distressed, fell to talking with him, and uttered the first stanza : Monkey, in feet and hands and face So like the human form, Why buildest thou no dwelling-place, To hide thee from the storm? The monkey, on hearing this, replied with a second stanza : In feet and hands and face, O bird.

Though close to man allied, Wisdom, chief boon on him conferred. To me has been denied. The Bodhisatta, on hearing this, repeated yet two more couplets : He that inconstancy betrays, a light and fickle mind. Unstable proved in' all his ways, no happiness may find. [74] Monkey, in virtue to excel, do thou thy utmost strive. And safe from wintry blast to dwell, go, hut of leaves contrive. Thought the monkey, " This creature, through dwelling in a place that is sheltered from the rain, despises me. I will not suffer him to rest quietly in this nest." Accordingly, in his eagerness to catch the Bodhisatta, he made a spring upon him. But the Bodhisatta flew up into the air, and winged his way elsewhere. And the monkey, after smashing up and destroying his nest, betook himself off. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth : — " At that time the youth that fired the hut was the monkey, and I myself was the singila bird."

'^From the spot where" eic— This story was told by the Master, when he dwelt at Jetavana, about some heretics. These heretics, they say, in various places near Jetavana, made their l^eds on thorns, suffered the five-fold forms of fire penance, and practised false asceticism of many different kinds. Now a number of the Brethren, after going their rounds for alms in Savatthi, on their way back to Jetavana saw these heretics undergoing their pretended austerities, and came and asked the Master, [75] " Is there, Sir, any virtue in these heterodox priests in taking upon them these practices ? " The Master said, " There is no 1 See Tihetan Tales, xxii. p. 296, "The Flight of the Beasts." R. Morris, Folk-Lore Journal, Vol. iii. 121. 50 The Jataha. Book IV. virtue, Brethren, nor any special merit in it. When it is examined and tested, it is hke a path over a dunghill, or like the noise the hare heard." " We do not know. Sir, what that noise was. Tell us. Holy Sir.'' So at their request he told them an old-world legend. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young lion. And when fully grown he lived in a wood. At this time there was near the Western Ocean a grove of palms mixed with vilva trees. A certain hare lived here beneath a palm sapling, at the foot of a vilva tree.

One day this hare after feeding came and lay down beneath the young palm tree. And the thought struck him: "If this earth should be destroyed, what would become of me *? " And at this very moment a ripe vilva fruit fell on a palm leaf. At the sound of it, the hare thought : " This solid earth is collapsing," and starting up he fled, without so much as looking behind him. Another hare saw him scampering oflf, as if frightened to death, and asked the cause of his panic flight. " Pray, don't ask me," he said. The other hare cried, " Pray, Sir, what is it 1, " and kept running after him. Then the hare stopped a moment and without looking back said, " The earth here is breaking up." And at this the second hare ran after the other. And so first one and then another hare caught sight of him running, and joined in the chase till one hundred thousand hares all took to flight together. They were seen by a deer, a boar, an elk, a buffalo, a wild ox, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a lion and an elephant. And when they asked what it meant and were told that the earth was breaking up, they too took to flight. [76] So by degrees this host of animals extended to the length of a full league.

When the Bodhisatta saw this headlong flight of the animals, and heard the cause of it was that the earth was coming to an end, he thought : "The earth is nowhere coming to an end. Surely it must be some sound which was misunderstood by them. And if I don't make a great effort, they will all perish. I will .save their lives." So with the speed of a lion he got before them to the foot of a mountain, and lion-like roared three times. They were teri'ibly frightened at the lion, and stopping in their flight stood all huddled together. The lion went in amongst them and asked why they were running away. " The earth is collapsing," they answered. " Who saw it collapsing ? " he said. " The elephants know all about it," they replied. He asked the elephants. " We don't know," they said, " the lions know." But the lions said, "We don't know, the tigers know." The tigers said, "The rhinoceroses know." The rhinoceroses said, "The wild oxen know." The wild oxen, "the buffaloes." The buffaloes, "the elks." The elks, "the boars." The boars, "the deer." The deer said, "We don't know, the hares know." When the hares were questioned, they pointed to one particular hare and said, "This one told us."

So the Bodhisatta asked, " Is it true. Sir, that the earth is breaking up ? " " Yes, Sir, I saw it," said the hare. "Where," he asked, "were you living, when you saw if?" "Near the ocean, Sir, in a grove of palms mixed with vilva trees. For as I was lying beneath the shade of a palm sapling at the foot of a vilva tree, methought, ' If this earth should break up, where shall I goV And at that very moment I heard the sound of the breaking up of the earth and I fled." Thought the lion : " A ripe vilva fruit evidently must have fallen on a palm leaf and made a ' thud,' and this hare jumped to the conclusion that the earth was coming to an end, and ran away. [77] I will find out the exact truth about it." So he reassured the herd of animals, and said, " I will take the hare and go and find out exactly whether the earth is coming to an end or not, in the place pointed out by him. Until I return, do you stay here." Then placing the hare on his back, he sprang forward with the speed of a lion, and putting the hare down in the palm grove, he said " Come, show us the place you meant."

"I dare not, my lord," said the hare. " Come, don't be afraid," said the lion. The hare, not venturing to go near the vilva tree, stood afar off and cried, "Yonder, Sir, is the place of dreadful sound," and so saying, he repeated the first stanza : From the spot where I did dwell Issued forth a fearful ' thud ; ' What it was I could not tell. Nor what caused it understood. After hearing what the hare said, the lion went to the foot of the vilva tree, and saw the spot where the hare had been lying beneath the shade of the palm tree, and the ripe vilva fruit that fell on the palm leaf, and having carefully ascertained that the earth had not broken up, he placed the hare on his back and with the speed of a lion soon came again to the herd of beasts. Then he told them the whole story, and said, " Don't be afraid." And having thus reassured the herd of beasts, he let them go. Verily, if it had not been for the Bodhisatta at that time, all the beasts would have rushed into the sea and perished. It was all owing to the Bodhisatta that they escaped death.

Alarmed at sound of fallen fruit A hare once ran away. The other beasts all followed suit Moved by that hare's dismay. 52 The Jdtaka. Book IV. They hastened not to view the scene, But lent a wilUng ear To idle gossip, and were clean Distraught with foolish fear. [78] They who to Wisdom's calm delight And Virtue's heights attain. Though ill example should invite, Such panic fear disdain. These three stanzas were inspired by Perfect Wisdom. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth : " At that time I myself was the lion."

" Such is the quality/" etc. — This story was told by the Master, while dwelling in the Aggalava shrine near Alavi, concerning the regulations to be observed in the building of cells ^ The introductory story has been already set forth in the Manikantha Birth 2, but on this occasion the Master said, " Is it true, Brethren, that you live here by your importunity in asking and begging for alms ? " And when they answered " Yes," he reproved them and said, " Wise men of old, when offered their choice by the king, though they were longing to ask for a pair of single-soled shoes, through fear of doing violence to their sensitive and scrupulous nature, did not venture to say a word in the presence of the people, but spoke in private." And so saying he told them an old-world legend. [79] Once upon a time in the Kampillaka kingdom, when a Paiicala king was reigning in a North Paiicala city, the Bodhisatta was born into a brahmin family, in a certain market town. And when he was grown up, he acquired a knowledge of the arts at Takkasila. Afterwards taking orders as an ascetic and dwelling in the Himalaya country, he lived for a long time by what he could glean — feeding on wild fruits and roots.

^ See Suttavibhahga vi. 1. 2 No. 253, Vol. ii. And wandering into the haunts of men foi- the purpose of procuring salt and vinegar, he came to a city of North Paiicala and took up his abode in the king's garden. Next day he went into the city to beg alms, and came to the king's gate. The king was so pleased with his deportment and behaviour that he seated him on the dais and fed him with food worthy of a king. And he bound him by a solemn promise and assigned him a lodging in the garden. He lived constantly in the king's house, and at the end of the rainy season, being anxious to return to the Himalayas, he thought, " If I go upon this journey, I must get a pair of single-soled shoes' and a parasol of leaves. I will beg them of the king." One day he came to the garden, and finding the king sitting there, he saluted him and resolved he would ask him for the shoes and parasol. But his second thought was, " A man who begs of another, saying, ' Give me so and so,' is apt to weep. And the other man also when he refuses, saying, 'I have it not,' in his turn weeps." And that the people might not see either him or the king weeping, he thought, "We will both weep quietly in some secret place." So he said, " Great King, I am anxious to speak with you in private." The royal attendants on hearing this departed.

Thought the Bodhisatta, "If the king should refuse my i)rayer, our friendship will be at an end. So I will not ask a boon of him." That day, not venturing to mention the subject, he said, " Go now. Great King, I will see about this matter by and bye." Another day on the king's coming to the garden, saying, as before, first this and then that, he could not frame his request. And so twelve years elapsed.

Then the king thought, [80] "This priest said, 'I wish to speak in private,' and when the courtiers are departed, he has not the courage to speak. And while he is longing to do so, twelve years have elapsed. After living a religious life so long, I suspect, he is regretting the world. He is eager to enjoy pleasures and is longing for sovereignty. But beingunable to frame the word ' kingdom,' he keeps silent. To-day now I will offer him whatever he desires, from my kingdom downwai'ds." So he went to the garden and sitting down saluted him. The Bodhisatta asked to speak to him in private, and when the courtiers had departed, he could not utter a word. The king said, " For twelve years you have asked to speak to me in private, and when you have bad the opportunity, you have not been able to say a word. I ofier you everything, beginning with my kingdom. Do not be afraid, but ask for whatever you please." " Great King," he said, " will you give me what I want 1 " 1 See Mahdvagga, v. 1. 28. Shoes with more than a single lining were not to be worn by the Brethren, except when they had been cast off by others.

54 The Jdtaka. Book IV. '* Yes, Reverend Sir, I will." "Great King, when I go on my journey, I must have a pair of singlesoled shoes and a parasol of leaves." "Have you not been able, Sir, for twelve years to ask for such a trifle as this 1 " " That is so, Great King." " Why, Sir, did you act thus ? " "Great King, the man who says 'Give me so and so,' sheds tears, and the one who refuses and says ' I have it not,' in his turn weeps. If, when I begged, you should have refused me, I feared the people might see us mingling our tears. This is why I asked for a secret interview." Then from the beginning he repeated three stanzas : Such is the quality of prayer, O king, 'Twill a rich gift oi- a refusal bring. Who beg, Pancala lord, to weep are fain. They who refuse are apt to weep again. Lest people see us shed the idle tear, My prayer I whisper in thy secret ear. [81] The king, being charmed with this mark of respect on the part of the Bodhisatta, granted him the boon and spoke the fourth stanza :

Brahmin, I oft'er thee a thousand kine, Ked kine, and eke the leader of the herd ; Hearing but now these generous words of thine, I too in turn to generous deed am stirred. But the Bodhisatta said, " I do not, Sii*e, desire material pleasures. Give me that only which I ask for." And he took a pair of single-soled shoes and the parasol of leaves, and exhorted the king to be zealous in religion and to keep the moral law and observe fast days. And though the king begged him to stay, he went off to the Himalayas, where he developed all the Faculties and Attainments, and was destined to birth in the Brahma-world. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth: "At that time Ananda was the king, and I myself was the ascetic."

[82] " The kindly beast" etc. — This story was told by the Master while living at Jetavana, about a mendicant priest who wore a leather jerkin^. Both his upper and under garment, it is said, were of leather. One day sallying out of the monastery, he went his rounds in Savatthi for alms, till he came to the fightingground of the rams. A ram on seeing him drew back, desiring to butt him. The mendicant thought, "He is doing this, as an act of respect for me," and himself did not draw back. The ram came on with a rush and striking him on the thigh felled him to the gromid. This case of imaginary salutation was blazed abroad in the Congregation of the Brethren. The matter was discussed by them in the Hall of Truth, as to how the leather-coated mendicant fancied he was being saluted and met with his death. The Master came and inquired the subject of their discussion and <jn being told what it was said, "Not now only. Brethren, but of old too this ascetic imagined he was being saluted and so came by his death," and he then related to them an old-world legend.

Once upon a time the Bodhisatta was born in a merchant family and plied his trade. At that time a certain religious mendicant, clad in a leather garment, in going his rounds for alms, came to the rams' fighting ground, and on seeing a ram falling back before him, he fancied it did this as a mark of respect, and did not himself retire. "In the whole world," he thought, "this ram alone recognises my merits," and raising his joined hands in respectful salutation he stood and repeated the first stanza : The kindly beast obeisance makes before The high-caste brahmin versed in holy lore. Good honest creature thou, Famous above all other beasts, I vow ! [83] At this moment a wise merchant sitting in his stores, to restrain the mendicant, uttered the second stanza : Brahmin, be not so rash this beast to trust, Else will he haste to lay thee in the dust, For this the ram falls back, To gain an impetus for his attack. While this wise merchant was still speaking, the ram came on at full speed, and striking the mendicant on the thigh, knocked him down. He 1 See R. Morris, Folk-Lore Journal, iii. 248. ^ Mahdvagga, viii. 28. 2.

56 TJie Jdtaka. Booh IV. was maddened with the pain and as he lay groaning, the Master, to explain the incident, gave utterance to the third stanza : With broken leg and bowl for alms upset, His damaged fortune he will sore regret. Let him not weep with outstretched arms in vain. Haste to the rescue, ere the priest is slain. Then the mendicant repeated the fourth stanza : Thus all that honour to the unworthy pay, Share the same fate that I have met to-day; Prone in the dust by butting ram laid low To foolish confidence my death I owe. [84] Thus lamenting he there and then came by his death. The Master, his lesson ended, thus identified the Birth: "The man in the leather coat of to-day was the same then as ncnv. And I myself was the wise merchant."

" One that plays" etc. — This story was told by the Master, while living at Jetavana, with regard to a certain cheating rogue. The introductory story has been already given in full. Bvit on this occasion they brought the Brother to the Master and exposed him, saying, "Holy Sir, this Brother is a cheat." The Master said, " Not now only, but formerly also he was a rogue." And then he told an old-world story. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a young lizard, and when he grew up and was lusty and strong, he dwelt in a forest. And a certain wicked ascetic built a hut of leaves, and took up his abode near him. The Bodhisatta, in ranging about for food, saw this hut of leaves and thought to himself, 1 Compare No. 277, vol. ii. "This hut must certainly Vjelong to some holy ascetic," and he went there and after saluting the holy man retiirned to his own place of abode. Now one day this false ascetic ate some savouiy food pi-epared in the house of one of his retainers, and asked what meat it was. On hearing that it was lizard-flesh, he became such a slave to his love of dainties that he thought, " I will kill this lizard that so constantly keeps coming to my hermitage and will cook him to my taste and eat him." So he took some ghee, curds, condiments and the like, and went with his club concealed under his yellow robe and sat perfectly still at the door of his hut, waiting for the Bodhisatta to come, as quiet as quiet could be.

[85] And when the Bodhisatta saw this depraved fellow he thought, " This wretch must have been eating the flesh of my kinsfolk. I will put it to the test." So he stood to leeward of him and getting a whifi" from his person he knew that he had been eating the flesh of a lizard, and without going near him he turned back and made ofi". And when the ascetic saw he was not coming, he threw his club at him. The club missed his body, but just reached the tip of his tail. The ascetic said, " Be ofi" with you, I have missed you." Said the Bodhisatta, "Yes, you have missed me, but you will not miss the fourfold States of SuS'ering." Than he ran ofi" and disappeared in an ant-hill which stood at the end of the cloister walk, and putting out his head at some other hole, he addressed the ascetic in these two stanzas : One that plays the ascetic role Should exhibit self-control. Thou didst hurl thy stick at me, False ascetic thou must be. Matted locks and robe of skin Serve to cloke some secret sin. Fool ! to cleanse for outward show, Leaving what is foul below.

The ascetic, on hearing this, replied in a third stanza : Prithee, lizard, hasten back. Oil and salt I do not lack : Pepper too I would suggest May to boiled rice add a zest. [86] The Bodhisatta, on hearing this, uttered the fourth stanza : I will hide me snug and warm Midst the anthill's myriad swarm. Cease of oil and salt to prate. Pepper I abominate. Moreover he threatened him and said, "Fie! false ascetic, if you continue to dwell here, I will have you seized as a thief by the people who 58 The Jdtaka. Book IV. live in my feeding ground, and given over to destruction. So make haste and be oflF." Then the false ascetic fled from that place. The Master, his lesson ended, identified the Birth: "At that time the rogue of a Brother was the false ascetic, but I myself was the royal lizard."

" He that from thievish act" etc. —This story was told by the Master while he was at Jetavana, about Devadatta, how that after causing a schism in the Order, as he was going away with his chief disciples, when the assembly broke \\\), a hot stream of blood gushed from his mouth. Then the Brethren discussed the matter in the Hall of Truth, and said that Devadatta by speaking falsely had created a schism, and afterwards fell sick and suffered great pain. The Master came and inquired what subject the Brethren were discussing as they sat in conclave, and on hearing what it was he said, " Not now only. Brethren, but of old too this fellow was a liar, and not now only, but of old also he suffered pain as the penalty of lying." And so saying he repeated this old-world legend. [87] Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a certain god in the heaven of the Thirty-three. Now at this time thei*e was a great festival at Benares. A crowd of Nagas and Garuda birds and terrestrial deities came and watched the festival. And four divine beings from the heaven of the Thirty-three, wearing a wreath made of heavenly kakkaru flowers, came to see the festival. And the city for the space of twelve leagues was filled with the fragrance of these flowers. Men moved about, wondering by whom these flowers were worn. The gods said, "They are watching us," and flying up from the royal court, by an act of supernatural power they stood poised in the air. The multitude gathered together, and the king with his vassal princes came and asked from what world of the gods they had come.

" We come from the heaven of the Thirty-three." "For what purpose are you come?" " What are these flowers 1 " " They are called the heavenly kakkaru flowers." " Sirs," they said, "in the world of the gods you may have other flowers to wear. Give these to us." The gods made answer, "These divine flowers are dt for those possessed of great powers : for the base, foolish, faithless and sinful beings in this world of men they are not titted. But whosoever amongst men ai-e endued with such and such virtues, for them they are suitable." And with these words the chief amongst these divine beings I'epeated the first stanza : — He that from thievish act refrains. His tongue from lying word restrains, And reaching dizzy heights of fame Still keeps his head — this flower may claim. [88] On hearing this the family })riest thought, " I own not one of these qualities, but by telling a lie I will get these flowers to wear, and thus the people will credit me with these virtues." Then he said, "I am endued with these qualities," and he had the flowers brought to him and he put them on, and then begged of the second god, who replied in a second stanza : —

He that should honest wealth pursue And riches gained by fraud eschew, In pleasure gross excess would shun, This heavenly flower has duly won. Said the priest, "I am endued with these virtues," and had the flowers brought to him and put them on, and then begged of the third god, who uttered the third stanza : — He that from purpose fixed ne'er swerves And his unchanging faith preserves, Choice food alone scorns to devour. May justly claim this heavenly flower. [89] Said the priest, " I am endued with these virtues," and had the flowers brought to him and he put them on, and then begged of the fourth god, who spoke the fourth stanza : — He that good men will ne'er attack When present, nor behind their back, And all he says, fulfils in deed. This flower may claim as his due meed. The priest said, " I am endued with these virtues," and he had the flowers brought to him and put them on. So these divine beings gave the four wreaths of flowers to the priest and returned to the world of gods. As soon as they were gone, the priest was seized with a violent pain in the head, as if it were being pounded by a sharp spike, or crushed by an

60 The Jdtaha. Booh IV. instrument of iron. Maddened with the pain he rolled up and down, and cried out with a loud voice. When men asked, "What means this?" he said, " I claimed these virtues when I had them not, and spoke falsely and so begged these flowers of the gods : take them from off my head." They would have removed them, but could not, for they were fastened as it were with an iron band. Then they raised him up and led him home. And as he lay there crying alovid, seven days passed. The king spake to his councillors and said, " This wicked brahmin will die. What are we to dol" "My lord," they answered, "let us again celebrate a festival. The sons of the gods will come back," [90] And the king held a festival, and the sons of the gods returned and filled all the city with the perfume of the flowers, and took their stand in the same place in the royal court. The people gathered together, and bringing that wicked brahmin they laid him down before the gods on his belly. He prayed the gods, saying, " My lords, spare ray life." They said, " These flowers ai-e not meet for a wicked and evil man. You thought in your heart to deceive us. You have received the reward of your false words."

After thus rebuking him in the presence of the people, they removed the wreath of flowers from his head and having admonished the people, they returned to their own place of abode. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth : " At that time Devadatta was the brahmin, of the divine beings Kassapa was one, Moggallana was another, Sariputta a third, and 1 myself was the chief one of all."

"Fragrant odours" etc. — This story was told by the Master while i-esiding at Jetavana, of a certain Brother who regretted having taken orders. On this occasion the Master asked the Brother if it were true that he was discontented, and on his answering, " Yes, Holy Sir," he asked him the reason. The Brother replied, "By reason of sinful passion." The Master said, "Woman cannot be guarded. There is no keeping her safe. Sages of old placed a woman in mid ocean in a palace by the Simbali lake 2, but failed to preserve her honour." Then he told a story of the olden time. 1 Compare No. 360 infra. 2 On Mount Meru : the Garudas live round it. Once upoa a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as the son of the king by his queen- consort. And when he was grown up, at his father's death he bare rule. Kakati was his chief queen and as lovely as an Apsara. [91] The old form of the legend will be found set forth in full in the Kunala Births Here follows a brief summary of it. Now at this time a certain Garuda king came disguised as a man, and played at dice with the king of Benares. Falling in love with the chief queen Kakati, he carried her oft' with him to the dwelling place of the Garudas and lived happily with her.

The king missing her told his musician named Natakuvei'a to go in quest of her. He found the Garuda king lying on a bed of eraka grass in a certain lake, and just as the Garuda was on the point of leaving that spot, he seated himself in the midst of the royal bird's plumage", and was in this way conveyed to the dwelling place of the Garudas. There he enjoyed the lady's favours, and again seating himself on the bird's wing returned home. And when the time came for the Garuda to play at dice with the king, the minstrel took his lute and going up to the gaming board he stood before the king, and in the form of a song gave utterance to the first stanza : —

Fragrant odovu's round me playing Breath of fair Kakati's love, From her distant home conveying Thoughts my inmost soul to move. On hearing this the Garuda responded in a second stanza : — Sea and Kebuk stream defying Didst thou reach my island home ? Over seven oceans flying To the Simbal grove didst come? [92] Natakuvera, on hearing this, uttered the third stanza : — 'Twas through thee all space defying I was borne to Simbal grove. And o'er seas and rivers flying 'Twas through thee I found my love. Then the Garuda king replied in the fourth stanza : — Out upon the foolish blimder, What a booby I have been ! Lovers best were kept asunder, Lo! I've sei'\'ed as go-between. So the Garuda brought the queen and gave her back to the king of Benares, and came not there any more. - Compare Tibetan Tales, xri. p. 231, Susroni. 62 The Jataka. Book IV. The Master, his lesson ended, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth :— At the conclusion of the Truths the discontented Brother attained the fruition of the First Path : — " At that time the discontented Brother was Natakuvera, and I myself was the king."

" Why should I shed tears," etc. — This story was told by the Master while living at Jetavana, of a certain landowner who had lost his wife. On her death, they say, he neither washed himself nor took food, and neglected his farm duties. Overcome with grief he would wander about the cemetery lamenting, while his predestination to enter the First Path blazed forth like a halo about his head. The Master, early one morning, casting his eye upon the woi-ld and beholding him said, "Save me there is no one that can remove this man's sorrow and bestow upon him the power of entering the First Path. I will be his refuge." So when he had returned from his rounds and had eaten his meal, he took an attendant priest and went to the door of the landowner's house. [93] And he on hearing that the Master was coming went out to meet him, and with other marks of respect seated him in the prescribed seat and came and sitting on one side saluted him. The Master asked, " Wherefore, lay brother, are you silent 1 " " Reverend Sir," he replied, " I am grieving for her."

The Master said, " Lay brother, that which is breakable is broken, but when this happens, one ought not to grieve. Sages of old, when they lost a wife, knew this truth, and therefore sorrowed not." And then at his request the Master told an old-world tale. The old legend will be found set forth in the Cullabodhi Birth' in the Tenth Book. Here follows a short summary of it. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born into a brahmin family. And when he grew up, he studied all the arts at Takkasila and then i-eturned to his parents. In this Birth the Great Being became a holy young student. Then his parents told liim they woidd look out a wife for him. " I have no desire for a married life," said the Bodhisatta. "■ When you are dead, I will adopt the religious life of an ascetic." And being greatly importuned by them, he had a golden image" made, 2 For the incident of the golden image and the story generally compare Tibetan Tales, IX. p. 186. MaJidhds'yapa and Bhadrd, and said, ' If you can find me a maiden like unto this, I will take her to wife.' His parents sent forth some emissaries with a large escort, and bade them place the golden image in a covered carriage and go and search through the plains of India, till they found just such a young brahmin girl, when they were to give this golden image in exchange, and bring the girl back with them.

Now at this time a certain holy man passing from the Brahma world was born again in the form of a young girl in a town in the kingdom of Kasi, in the house of a brahmin worth eighty crores, and the name given her was Sammillabhasini. At the age of sixteen she was a fair and gracious maiden, like to an Apsara, endued with all the marks of female beauty. And since no thought of evil was ever suggested to her by the power of sinful passion, she was perfectly pure. [94] So the men took the golden image and wandered about till they reached this village. The inhabitants on seeing the image asked, "Why is Sammillabhasini, the daughter of such and such a brahmin, placed there 1 " The messengers on hearing this found the brahmin family, and chose Sammillabhasini for the prince's bride. She sent a message to her parents, saying, " When you are dead, I shall adopt the religious life ; I have no desire for the married state." They said, "What art thou thinking of, maiden?" And acce^oting the golden image they sent off their daughter with a great retinue. The marriage ceremony took place against the wishes of both the Bodhisatta and Sammillabhasini. Though sharing the same room and the same bed they did not regard one another with the eye of sinful passion, but dwelt together like two holy men or two female saints.

By and bye the father and mother of the Bodhisatta died. He performed their funeral rites and calling to him Sammillabhasini, said to her, " My dear, my family property amounts to eighty crores, and yours too is worth another eighty crores. Take all this and enter upon household life. I shall become an ascetic." "Sir," she answered, "if you become an ascetic, I will become one too. I cannot foi'sake you." " Come then," he said. So spending all their wealth in almsgiving and throwing up their worldly fortune as it were a lump of phlegm, they journeyed into the Himalaya country and both of them adopted the ascetic life. There after living for a long time on wild fruits and roots, they at length came down fi'om the Himalayas to procure salt and vinegar, and gradually found their way to Benares, and dwelt in the royal grounds. And while they were living there, this young and delicate female ascetic, from eating insipid rice of a mixed quality, was attacked by dysentery and not being able to get any healing remedies, she grew very weak. The Bodhisatta at the time for going his rounds to beg for alms, took hold of her and carried her to the gate of the city and there laid her on a bench in a certain hall, and himself went into the city for alms. He had scarce

64 The Jataka. Book IV. gone out when she expired. The people, beholding the great beauty of this female ascetic, [95] thronged about her, weeping and lamenting. The Bodhisatta after going his round of begging returned, and heai'ing of her death he said, " That which has the quality of dissolution is dissolved. All impermanent existences are of this kind." With these words he sat down on the bench whereon she lay and eating the mixture of food he rinsed out his mouth. The people that stood by gathered round him and said, " Reverend Sir, what was this female ascetic to you 1 " "When I was a layman," he replied, "she was my wife." " Holy Sir," they said, " while we weep and lament and cannot control our feelings, why do you not weep 1 " The Bodhisatta said, "While she was alive, she belonged to me in some sort. Nothing belongs to her that is gone to another world : she has passed into the power of others. Wherefore should I weep?" And teaching the people the Truth, he recited these stanzas : Why should I shed tears for thee. Fair Sammillabhasini ? Passed to death's majority ^ Thou art henceforth lost to me.

Wherefore should frail man lament What to him is only lent ? He too draws his mortal bi'eath Forfeit every hour to death. Be he standing, sitting still. Moving, resting, what he will. In the twinkling of an eye, In a moment death is nigh. Life I count a thing unstable. Loss of friends inevitable. Cherish all that are alive. Sorrow not shouldst thou survive. [97] Thus did the Great Being teach the Truth, illustrating by these four stanzas the impermanence of things. The people performed funeral rites over the female ascetic. And the Bodhisatta returned to the Himalayas, and entering on the higher knowledge arising from mystic meditation was destined to birth in the Brahma-world. The Master, having ended his lesson, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth : — At the conclusion of the Truths, the landowner attained to fruition of the Fii'st Path: — "At that time the mother of Rahula was Sammillabhasini, and I myself was the ascetic." ^ Compare the classical usage of ot TrXelovs, plures, for the dead.

" Once we enjoyed" etc. — This was a story told by the Master while dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, with regard to Devadatta's loss of gains and honour. For when Devadatta had unreasonably conceived a grudge against the Buddha and suborned a band of archers to slay him, his offence became known by the letting loose of the elephant Nalagiri ^. Then men took away his office and the rations provided for him, and the king ceased to regard him. And having lost his source of gains and honour, he went about living on what he begged in noble families. The Brethren started a discussion in the Hall of Truth, how that Devadatta thought to get gain and honour, but when he had got it he could not keep it. The Master came and inquired what was the subject the Brethren sat in conclave to discuss, and on being told what it was he said, " Not only now, Brethren, but formerly too, Devadatta was deprived of gains and honour." And he then told them an old-world legend. Once upon a time when Dhananjaya was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a parrot named Radha. He was a well-grown bird with perfectly-formed limbs. And his younger brother was called Potthapada. A certain fowler trapped these two birds and brought them as a present to the king of Benares. The king put the pair in a golden cage [98] and took care of them and gave them honey and parched corn to eat in a golden dish and sugar-water to drink.

Great attention was paid them, and they attained to the highest degree of profit and honour. Then a certain forester brought a big black monkey, called Kalabahu, as a present to the king, and fi*om the fact of his coming later than the parrots, he received still greater gain and I'espect, while that paid to the parrots fell ofi". The Bodhisatta through his possession of Buddha qualities said not a word, but his younger brother, from the absence of these qualities being unable to put up with the honour paid to the monkey, said, "Brother, formerly in this royal house men gave us savoury food, but now we get nothing, and they offer it all to the monkey Kalabahu. As we receive neither gain nor honour in this place from the king, what are we to do % Come, let us go and live in the forest." And as he talked with him, he uttered the first stanza :

Once we enjoyed of food abundant store, This monkey now has what was ours before. Come, Radha, let us to the forest hie ; Such scurvy treatment what can justify? 1 See vol. ii. p. 140, and p. 168. 66 The Jdtaka. Book IV. Radha, on hearing this, replied in the second stanza : Gain and loss and praise and blame, Pleasure, pain, dishonour, fame, All as transient states conceive — Why should Potthajjada grieve ? [99] On hearing this, Potthapada was unable to get rid of his grudge against the monkey and repeated the third stanza : Eadha, wisest bird alive. Sure thou knowest things to come, This vile creature who shall drive From the court to his old home ? Radha, on hearing this, uttered the fourth stanza : Oft will his puckered face and moving ears The royal children fill with foolish fears : Soon Kalabahu through some impish freak, Far far away his food will have to seek. In a very short time the monkey by shaking his ears and the like tricks before the young princes terrified them. In their alarm they made an outcry. The king asked what it meant, and hearing the cause, said, " Drive him away." So he had the monkey driven away, and the parrots wei'e restored to their former condition of gain and honour.

[100] The Master here ended his lesson and identified the Birth : — "At that time Devadatta was Kalabahu, Ananda was Potthapada, and I myself was Eadha."

^'■Po^ver on earth,^' eic— This was a story told by the Master when at Jetavana, about a brahmin who was ever proving his virtue. Two similar stories have been told before^. In this case the Bodhisatta was the family priest of the king of Benares. 1 No. 86, Vol. i., and No. 290, Vol. ii, In testing his virtue he for three days took a coin from the royal treasurer's board. They informed against him as a thief, and when brouglit before the king, he said : Power on earth beyond compare. Virtue owns a wondrous charm : Putting on a virtuous air Deadly snakes avoid all harm. After thus praising virtue in the first stanza, he gained the king's consent and adopted the ascetic life. Now a hawk seized a piece of meat in a butcher's shop and darted up into the air. The other birds surrounded him and struck at him with feet, claws and beaks. Unable to bear the pain he dropped the piece of meat. Another bird seized it. It too in like manner being hard pressed let the meat fall. Then another bird pounced on it, and whosoever got the meat was pursued by the rest, and whosoever let it go was left in peace. The Bodhisatta on seeing this thought, "These desires of ours are like pieces of meat. To those that grasp at them is sorrow, and to those that let them go is peace." And he repeated the second stanza :

While the hawk had aught to eat. Birds of prey pecked at him sore, When perforce he dropped the meat. Then they pecked at him no more. [101] The ascetic going forth from the city, in the course of his journey came to a village, and at evening lay down in a certain man's house. Now a female slave there named Piugala made an assignation with a man, saying, "You ai'e to come at such and such an hour." After she had bathed the feet of her master and his family, when they had lain down, she sat on the thi'eshold, looking out for the coming of her lover, and passed the first and the middle watch, repeating to herself, " Now he will be coming," but at daybreak, losing hope, she said, "He will not come now," and lay down and fell asleep. The Bodhisatta seeing this happen said, "This woman sat ever so long in the hope that her lover would come, but now that she knows he will not come, in her despair, she slumbers peacefully." And with the thought that while hope in a sinful world brings sorrow, despair brings peace, he uttered the thii'd stanza :

The fruit of hope fulfilled is bliss ; How differs loss of hope from this ? Though dull despair her hope destroys, Lo ! Pingala calm sleep enjoys ^ Next day going forth from that village he entered into a forest, and beholding a hermit seated on the ground and indulging in meditation he ' Compare Sdnkhya Aphorisvis, iv. 11. Mahdbhdrata, xii, 6447. 68 The Jataha. Booh IV. thought, "Both in this world and in the next there is no happiness beyond the bliss of meditation." And he repeated the fourth stanza : In this world and in worlds to be Nought can surpass ecstatic joy: To holy calm a devotee, Himself unharmed, will none annoy. [102] Then he went into the forest and adopted the ascetic life of a Rishi and developed the higher knowledge born of meditation, and became destined to birth in the Brahma- World. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth : " At that time I myself was the family priest."

'■'■They that with speech inopportune,^^ etc. — This story was told by the Master at Jetavana about Kokalika. The introductory story is told in full in the Takkarika Birth i. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his valued minister. Now the king was very talkative. Thought the Bodhisatta, "I will put an end to his talkativeness," and went about looking for an apt illustration. So one day the king came to his garden and sat down on the royal slab of stone. Above his head was a mango tree and there in a crow's nest a black cuckoo had laid her e^g and gone off. The female crow watched over that cuckoo's egg. By and bye a young cuckoo came forth from it The crow thinking it was her own offspring took care of it, bringing food for it in her beak. The young bix"d while still unfledged uttered a cuckoo cry prematurely. The crow thought, "This young bird even now utters a strange note. [103] What will it do, when it is olderf And so she killed it by pecking it with her beak and threw it out of the nest, and it fell at the king's feet. The king asked the

1 No, 481, Compare No. 215, Vol, ii, Bodhisatta, "What is the meaning of this, my friend 1" Thought the Bodhisatta, " I am seeking for an illustration to teach the king a lesson, and now I have got one." So he said, "Garrulous folk. Great King, who talk too much out of season, meet with a fate like this. This young cuckoo, sire, being fostered by the crow, while yet unfledged, uttered a premature cry. So the crow knew it was not her offspring and killed it by pecking it with her beak and threw it out of the nest. All those that are too talkative out of season, be they men or beasts, suffer like trouble." And with these words he I'ecited these stanzas : They that with speech inopportune oft'end Like the young cuckoo meet untimely end. Nor deadly poison, nor sharp-whetted sword Is half so fatal as ill-spoken word. The sage his measured words discreetly guides, Nor rashly to his second self confides : Before he speaks will prudent counsel take, His foes to trap, as Garuda the snake. [104] The king, after hearing the religious teaching of the Bodhisatta, thenceforth became more measured in his words, and increasing the glory of the Bodhisatta ever gave him more and more.

The Master, having brought his lesson to an end, identified the Birth : "Kokalika in those days was the young cuckoo, and I myself was the wise minister."

" Wounding another^'' etc. — This story was told by the Master when he was at Jetavana, about the family priest of the king of Kosala, who, it is said, as he was driving in his chariot to a village on his estate came upon a caravan in a narrow road, and crying out once and again, "Out of the way with you," was so enraged at a cart not clearing out of his way that he threw his goad-stick at the driver of the first cart. The stick struck against the yoke of the chariot, and rebounding hit him on the forehead and raised a bump on his head. The priest turned back and went and told the king he had been wounded by some carters. The carters were summoned, and the judges examining into the case found the priest only was to blame. One day the matter was discussed in the Hall of Truth, [105] 70 The Jataka. Booh IV. how that the king's chaplain, who said he had been assaulted by some carters, on going to law was cast in his suit. When the Master came and inquired what the Brethren were sitting in council to discuss, on hearing what it was he said, "Not now only. Brethren, Init formerly also this fellow acted in precisely the same way." And he then told them a story of the olden time.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became his lord justice. The king's chaplain drives to a village where he was headman, and acts in exactly the same way as in the other tale, but in this version, when the king heard the priest's story, he summoned the carters and himself sat in judgment, and without examining into the matter he said, "You have beaten my priest and raised a bump on his forehead," and ordered all their property to be taken from them. Then said the Bodhisatta to him, "Sire, without even investigating the matter you oz'der them to be mulcted of all their goods, but some men after inflicting wounds on themselves declare that they have been wounded by another. Therefore it is wrong for one who bears rule to act thus without trying the case. He ought not to act till he has heard everything." And then he recited these verses : Wounding another, his own wound he shows, Himself the smiter, he complains of blows. Wise men, 0 king, of partial views beware. Hear both sides first, then judgment true declare. The idle sensual layman I detest. The false ascetic is a rogue confest. A bad king will a case unheard decide, Wrath in the sage can ne'er be justified. [106] The warrior prince a well-weighed verdict gives. Of righteous judge the fame for ever lives.

The king on hearing the words of the Bodhisatta judged righteously, and when the case was duly tried, the blame was found to rest with the bi'ahmin alone. The Master, his lesson ended, identified the Birth : "The Brahmin played the same part in both stories, and I myself was the wise minister in those days."

" Then ivert thou" etc. — This is a story told by the Master while at Jetavana, of a certain landowner. The introductory story has been told in full before 2. But in this case, as the husband and wife were returning home, after calling in a debt, in the course of their journey some hunters gave them a roasted lizard, bidding them both to eat of it. The man sent his wife to fetch water and ate up the whole lizard, and when she came back, he said, "My dear, the lizard has run away." "Well, my lord," she said, "what can one do with a roast lizard that runs away?" [107] She drank some water and afterwards at Jetavana when sitting in the presence of the Master, she was asked by him as follows: "Lay sister, is this man affectionate, loving and helpful to you?" She answered, "I am loving and affectionate to him, but he has no love for me." The Master said, "Well, suppose he does behave thus to you. Do not be grieved. When he recalls to mind your virtues, he will give supreme power to you alone." And at their request he related an old-world story.

This old story is just like the one given above, but in this case, as the husband and wife were on their way home, some hunters saw how distressed they were and gave them a roasted lizard and bade them share it between them. The royal lady tied it about with a creeper used as a string, and went on her way, carrying it in her hand. They came upon a lake, and leaving the high road sat down at the foot of a Bo-tree. The prince said, "Go, my dear, and fetch water from the lake in a lotus leaf, then we will eat this meat." She hung the lizard on a bough and went to fetch water. Her companion ate up all the lizard and then sat with averted face, holding the tip of the tail in his hand. When she returned with the water, he said, "My dear, the lizard came down from the bough and made for an ant-heap. I ran and seized it by the tip of its tail. The lizard broke in two and left in my hand the part I had seized and disappeared in the hole," "Well, my lord," she replied, "how can we deal with a roast lizard that runs away ? Come, let us be off."

And so drinking the water, they journey to Benares. The prince when he came to the throne gave her the titular rank of queen consort, but no honour or respect was paid to her. The Bodhisatta, desiring to win honour for her, standing in the king's presence asked her, "Lady, is it not the case that we receive nothing at your hands ^ Why do you neglect us % " 1 Compare No. 223, Vol. ii. 2 See No. 320, Vol. iii. 72 The Jdtaka. Booh IV. " Dear sir," she said, " I get nothing from the king. How then should I give a present to you 1 What is the king likely to give me now? When we were coming from the forest, he ate a roast lizard all by himself." [108] "Lady," he said, "the king would not act after this sort. Do not speak thus of him." Then the lady said to him, " Sir, this is not clear to you, but it is clear enough to the king and me," and she repeated the first stanza : — Then wert thou first known to me, When in forest-depths, 0 king, Roasted lizard broke its string And from Bo-tree branch got free. Though 'neath robe of bark, I ween, Sword and coat of mail were seen.

Thus spake the queen, making known the king's offence in the midst of his courtiers. The Bodhisatta, on hearing her, said, " Lady, ever since the time when your husband ceased to love you, why do you go on living hei-e, making unpleasantness for both ? " and he repeated two stanzas : — To one that honours thee, due honour show With full requital of good service done : No kindness on illiberal folk bestow. Nor those affect that would thy presence shun. Forsake the wretch who has forsaken thee. And love not one who has for thee no love, E'en as a bird forsakes a barren tree. And seeks a home in some far distant grove. [109] The king, while the Bodhisatta was yet speaking, called to mind her virtues and said, " My dear, ever so long I observed not your virtues, but through the words of this wise man, I have observed them. Bear with my offence. This whole realm of mine I give to you alone." And hereupon he spoke the fourth stanza : Far as in his power may be. Gratitude a king should show : All my realm I grant to thee, Gifts, on whom thou wilt, bestow.

With these words the king conferred on the queen supreme power, and thinking, "It was by this man that I was reminded of her virtues," he gave great power to the wise man also. The Master, having brought his lesson to an end, identified the Birth :— At the conclusion of the Truths, both husband and wife attained fruition of the First Path : — " The husband and wife of the present story played the same part in the old tale. But I myself was the wise minister."

[110] " The bull through floods" etc. — This story was told by the Master when at Jetavaua concerning the admonition of a king. The introductory story will be found in full in the Tesakuna Birth i. But in this version of it the Master said, " Kings of old, Sire, hearkening to the words of the wise, bare rule justly and attained to the heavenly world." And at the request of the king he told a story of the olden times. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was i-eigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a brahmin family. And when he came of age, he was trained in all the arts, and adopting the ascetic life he developed all the Faculties and Attainments, and took up his abode in a pleasant quarter of the Himalayas, living on wild fruits and roots. At this time the king being anxious to find out his defects, went about inquiring if there was any one who would tell him his faults. And not finding any one to speak to his dispraise, either within doors or without, either within the city or outside it, he wandered about the country side in disguise, thinking, " How will it be in the country ? " And not meeting with any one there to speak to his dispraise, and hearing men speak only of his merits, he thought, " How will it be in the Himalaya region 1 " And he went into the forest and wandered about till he reached the hermitage of the Bodhisatta, where after saluting him, and addressing him in a friendly manner he took a seat on one side. At that moment the Bodhisatta was eating some ripe figs which he had brought from the wood. They were luscious and sweet, like powdered sugar. He addressed the king and said, "Your Excellency, pray eat this ripe fig and drink some water."

The king did so, and asked the Bodhisatta, " Why, Reverend Sir, is this ripe fig so exceedingly sweet 1 " "Your Excellency," he replied, "the king now exercises his rule with justice and equ.ity. That is why it is so sweet." [Ill] "In the reign of an unjust king, does it lose its sweetness, Sir?" "Yes, Your Excellency, in the time of unjust kings, oil, honey, molasses and the like, as well as wild roots and fruits, lose their sweetness and flavour, and not these only but the whole realm becomes bad and flavourless; but when the rulers are just, these things become sweet and full of flavour, and the whole realm recovers its tone and flavour." 1 No. 521, Vol. V. 74 The Jataha. Book IV. The king said, " It must be so, Reverend Sir," and without letting him know that he was the king, he saluted the Bodhisatta and returned to Benares. And thinking to pi'ove the words of the ascetic, he ruled unjiistly, saying to himself, " Now I shall know all about it," and after the lapse of a short time he went back and saluting the Bodhisatta, sat respectfully on one side. The Bodhisatta using exactly the same words, offered him a ripe fig, which proved to be bitter to his taste. Finding it to be bitter he spat it out, saying, " It is bitter, Sir."

Said the Bodhisatta, "Your Excellency, the king must be unjust, for when rulers are unjust, everything beginning with the wild fruits in the wood, lose all their sweetness and flavour." And hereupon he recited these stanzas : — The bull through floods a devious course will take. The herd of kine all straggling in his wake: So if a leader tortuous paths pursue. To base ends will he guide the vulgar crew. And the whole realm an age of license rue. But if the bull a course direct should steer. The herd of kine straight follow in his rear. So should their chief to righteous ways be true, The common folk injustice will eschew. And through the realm shall holy peace ensue. [112] The king after hearing the Bodhisatta's exposition of the Truth, let him know he was the king and said, " Holy Sir, formerly it was due to me alone that the figs were first sweet and then bitter, but now I will make them sweet again." Then he saluted the Bodhisatta and returned home, and ruling righteously restored everything to its original condition. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth : " At that time Ananda was the king, and I myself was the ascetic."

"■^ Jackal beware" etc. — This story was told by the Master while dwelling in the Bamboo Gi'ove, about the attempt of Devadatta to imitate the Buddha. The incident that gave rise to the story has been told in full before '. Here is a short summary of it. 1 See No. 204, Vol. ii. When the Master asked Saripiitta what Devadatta did when he saw him, the Elder replied, " Sir, in taking you off he put a fan in my hand and lay down, and then Kokalika struck him on the breast with his knee : and so in taking you off he got into trouble." The Master said, "This happened to Devadatta before," and being pressed by the Elder, he told an old-world legend. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as a young lion, and dwelt in a cave of the Himalayas, [113] and one day after killing a buffalo and eating of its flesh he took a draught of water and returned home. A jackal saw him, and being unable to escape lay down on his belly. The lion said, " What is the meaning of this, Mr Jackal 1 "

" Sir," he said, " I would be your servant." The lion said, " Well, come on then," and conducting him to the place where he dwelt, he day by day brought him meat and fed him. When the jackal had grown fat on the lion's broken meat, one day a feeling of pride sprang up in him, and he drew nigh to the lion, and said, " My lord, I am ever a hindrance to you. You constantly bring me meat and feed me. To-day do you remain here. I will go and slay an elephant, and after eating my fill will bring some meat to you." Said the lion, " Friend jackal, let not this seem good in your eyes. You are not sprung from a stock that feeds on the flesh of the elephants that it kills. I will kill an elephant and bring its flesh to yoxi. The elephant surely is big of body. Do not undertake what is contrary to your nature, but heai'ken to my words." And hereupon he spoke the first stanza: — His tusks are long. One of thy puny race Would scarcely dare So huge and strong A beast as this to face.

The jackal, though forbidden by the lion, issued forth from the cave and thrice uttered the cry of a jackal. And looking to the base of the mountain, he spied a black elephant moving below, and thinking to fall on his head he sprang up and turning over in the air fell at the elephant's feet. The elephant lifting up his fore foot planted it on the jackal's head and smashed his skull to pieces. [H-i] The jackal lay there groaning, and the elephant went off trumpeting. The Bodhisatta came and standing on the top of the precipice saw hoAv the jackal had met his death, and said, "Through his pride was this jackal slain," and uttered three stanzas: — A jackal once assumed the lion's pride. And elephant as eqiial foe defied. Prone on the earth, while groans his bosom rent, He learned the rash encounter to repent. 76 The Jdtaka. Book IV. Who thus should challenge one of peerless fame, Nor mark the vigour of his well-knit frame, Shares the sad fate that on the jackal came. But who the measure of his own power knows. And nice discretion in his language shows, True to his duty lives and triumphs o'er his foes.

[115] Thus did the Bodhisatta in these stanzas declare the duties proper to be done in this world. The Master, having ended his lesson, identified the Birth: "At that time Devadatta was the jackal, and I myself was the lion."

" Grass is still," etc. — This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana, of a certain rogue. The incident that suggested the story has been already related. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became his minister and temporal and spiritual adviser. The king of Benares went against the king of Kosala with a large army, and coming to Savatthi, after a battle entered the city and took the king prisoner. Now the king of Kosala had a son, prince Chatta by name. He made his escape in disguise, and went to Takkasila, where he acquired the three Vedas and the eighteen liberal arts. Then he left Takkasila, and while still studying the pi-actical uses of science he arrived at a certain border village. In a wood near this five hundred ascetics dwelt in huts of leaves. The prince approached them, and with the idea of learning somewhat of them, he became an ascetic, and so acquired whatsoever knowledge they had to impart. By and bye he became the leader of that band of disciples. One day he addressed his company of holy men and asked them, saying, " Sirs, why do you not go to the central region ? "

"Sir," they said, "in the central region are said to be living wise men. [116] They pose one with questions, call upon one to return thanks and to repeat a form of blessing, and reprove the incompetent. And therefore we are afraid to go thei'e." " Fear not," he said, " I will manage all this for you." "Then we will go," they said. And all of them taking their various requisites in due course reached Benares. Now the king of Benares, having got all the kingdom of Kosala into his possession, set up loyal officials as governors, and himself, having collected all their available treasure, returned with his spoil to Benares. And filling iron pots with it, he buried them in the royal garden, and then continued to live there. So these holy men spent the night in the king's garden, and on the morrow went into the city to beg alms, and came to the door of the palace. The king was so charmed with their deportment that he called them up and made them sit on the dais and gave them rice and cakes, and till it was their meal-time asked them such and such questions. Chatta won the king's heart by answering all his questions, and at the close of the meal he offered up various forms of thanksgiving. The king was still more pleased, and exacting a promise from them he made them all stay in his garden.

Now Chatta knew a spell for bringing to light buried treasure, and while dwelling there he thought, " Where can this fellow have put the money which belonged to my father 1 " So repeating the spell and looking about him he discovered that it was buried in the garden. And thinking that with this money he would recover his kingdom also, he addressed the ascetics and said, " Sirs, I am the son of the king of Ko.sala. When our kingdom was seized by the king of Benares, I escaped in disguise, and so far I have saved my life. But now I have got the property which belonged to my family. With this will I go and recover my kingdom. What will you do 1 " "We too will go with you," they replied. " Agreed," he said, and had some big leather sacks made, and at night digging a hole in the ground he pulled out the treasure-pots, [117] and putting the money into the sacks he had the pots filled with grass. Then he ordered the five hundred holy men and others as well to take the money, and fled to Savatthi. There he had all the king's officers seized, and recovering his kingdom he restored the walls, watch-towers and other works, and having thus made the city impregnable against tlie attack of any hostile king, he took up his abode there. It was told to the king of Benares, " The ascetics have carried off the treasure from your garden and ai"e fled." He went to the garden and opening the pots found only grass in them. And by reason of his lost treasure great sorrow fell upon him. Going to the city he wandered about murmuring, " Grass, gi'ass," and no one coiTld assuage his grief. Thought the Bodhisatta, "The king is in

78 The Jataha. Booh IV. great trouble. He wanders to and fro, idly chattering. Except myself, no one has the power to drive away his sorrow. I will free him from his trouble." So one day while seated quietly with him, when the king began to chatter, he repeated the first stanza : " Grass " is still thy constant cry ; Who did take thy grass away ? What thy need of it, or why Dost thou this word only say ? The king, on hearing what he said, replied in a second stanza : Chatta, holy man of fame. As it happened this way came: Him alone to blame I hold. Substituting grass for gold. [118] The Bodhisatta, on hearing this, uttered a third stanza : Canny folk their rule should make, " Little give and mickle take." What he took was all his own. What he left was grass alone. On hearing this the king uttered the fo\irth stanza : Virtue follows no such rules, These are morals fit for fools. Doubtful morals they must be. Learning too is vanity. While he thus blamed Chatta, the king by these words of the Bodhisatta was freed from his sorrow and ruled his kingdom righteously.

The Master here ended his lesson and identified the Birth: "At that time the knavish Brother was the great Chatta, and I myself was the wise minister."

"Alas! we offered thee," etc. — This story the Master told while living at Jetavana, about a certain Brother. He came, it was said, from the country to Jetavana, and, after putting away his bowl and robe, he saluted the Master and inquired of the young novices, saying, "Sirs, who look after the stranger Brethren that come to Savatthi ?" [119] " The Treasurer Anathapindika," they said, "and the great and holy lay sister Visakha look after the order of the Brethren, and stand in the place of father and mother to them." " Very good," he said, and next day quite early, before a single brother had entered the house, he came to Anathapindika's door. From his having come at an unseasonable hour there was no one to attend to him. Without getting anything there he went off to the door of Visakha's house. There also from having come too early, he got nothing. After wandering hither and thither he came back, and finding the rice-gruel was all finished, he went off. Again he wandered about hither and thither, and on his return, finding the rice all finished, he went back to the monastery, and said, " The brethren here speak of these two families as faithful believers, but both of them really are without f^iith and unbelievers." Thus did he go about abusing these families. So one day they started a discussion in the Hall of Truth, how that a certain Brother from the country came to the door of certain households too early, and failing to obtain alms went about reviling those families.

When the Master came and inquired what was the topic the Brethren were sitting to discuss, on hearing what it was, he called the Brother and asked him if it were true. When the Brother said, " Yes, your Eeverence, it is true," the Master asked, " Why are you angry. Brother ? Of old, before Buddha arose upon the world, even ascetics when they visited a household and received no alms, showed no anger." And with tliis he told a story of the olden days.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born in a brahmin family, and when he was of age he studied all the ai-ts at Takkasila, and subsequently adopted the religious life of an ascetic. After sojourning a long time in the Himalayas he went to Benares to procure salt and vinegar, and, taking up his abode in a garden, on the next day he entered the city for alms. There was at this time a merchant at Benares, who was a faithful believer. The Bodhisatta asked which was a believing household, and on hearing of the merchant's family, he went to the door of his house. At that moment the merchant had gone to pay his respects to the king, and neither did any of his people happen to see him. So he turned back and came away. Then the merchant who was returning from the palace saw him, [120] and saluting him took his alms-bowl and led him to his house. There he offered him a seat and comforted him with the washing and anointing of his feet, and with rice, cakes and other food, and in the course of his meal he asked him one thing and another, and after he had finished eating, he saluted him and sitting respectfully on one side, he said, " Reverend Sir, strangers who have come to our doors, whether beggars or holy priests or brahmins, have never before gone away without receiving marks of honour and respect, but to-day owing to your not being seen by our retainers, you have gone away without being offered a seat, or water to drink, and without having your feet washed, or rice and gruel given you to eat. This is our fault. You must forgive us in this." And with these words he uttered the first stanza :

Alas ! we offered thee no seat. No water brought, nor anything to eat: We here confess our sinfulness. And pardon humbly. Holy Sir, entreat. 80 TJie Jataha. Book IV. The Bodhisatta on hearing this repeated the second stanza : Nought have I to condone, No anger do I feel, The thought just once I own Across my rnind did steal, " Habits of people here Are just a trifle queer." The merchant hearing this responded in two more stanzas : The custom of our family — 'twas so Received by us from ages long ago — Is to provide the stranger with a seat, Supply his needs, bring water for his feet And every guest as kinsman dear to treat. [121] And the Bodhisatta, after sojourning there a few days, and teaching the merchant of Benares his duty, went straight back to the Himalayas, where he developed all the Faculties and Attainments. The Master, having ended his lesson, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth : — At the conclusion of the Truths the Brother attained fruition of the First Path : — "At that time Ananda was the merchant of Benares, and I myself was the ascetic."

" With sense so nice," etc. — This story was told by the Master while living in the Bamboo Grove, of prince Ajatasattii. At the time of his conception there arose in his mother, the daughter of the king of Kosala, a chronic longing to drink blood from the right knee of king Bimbisarai (her husband). Being questioned by her attendant ladies, she told them how it was with her. The king too hearing of it called his astrologers and said, "The queen is possessed of such and such a longing. What will be the issue of it V The astrologers said, "The child conceived in the womb of the queen will kill you and seize your kingdom." "If my son," said the king, "should kill me and seize my kingdom, what is the harm of it ? " And then he had his right knee opened with a sword and letting the blood fall into a golden dish gave it to the queen to drink. She thought, " If the son that is born of me should kill his father, what care I for him ? " and endeavoured to bring about a miscarriage. [122] The king hearing of it called her to him and said, "Sly dear, it is said, my son will slay me and seize my kingdom.

1 Compare Tibetan Tales vi. Prince Jivaka. But I am uot exempt from old age and death : suffer me to behold the face of my child. Henceforth act not after this manner." But she still went to the garden and acted as before. The king on hearing of it forbade her visits to the garden, and when she had gone her full time she gave birth to a son. On his naming-day, because he had been his father's enemy, while still unborn, they called him prince Ajatasattu. As he grew up with his princely surroundings, one day the Master accompanied by five hundred Brethren came to the king's palace and sat down. The assembly of the Brethren with Buddha at their head was entertained by the king with choice food, both hard and soft. And after saluting the Master the king sat down to listen to the law. At this moment they dressed up the young prince and brought him to the king. The king welcomed the child with a strong show of affection and placed him on his lap, and fondling the boy with the natural love of a father for his child, he did not listen to the law. The Master observing his inattention said, " Great king, formerly kings when suspicious of their sons had them kept in a secret place, and gave orders that at their death they were to be brought forth and set upon the throne." And at the request of the king he told him a legend of the olden time.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta was a far-famed teacher at Takkasila and trained many young princes and sons of brahmins in the arts. Now the son of the king of Benares, when he was sixteen years old, came to him and after he had acquired the three Vedas and all the liberal arts and was perfect in them, he took leave of his master. The teacher regarding him by his gift of prognostication thought, "There is danger coming to this man through his son. By my magic power I will deliver him from it." And composing four stanzas he gave them to the young prince and spoke as follows : " My son, after you are seated on the throne, when your son is sixteen years old, utter the first stanza while eating your rice ; repeat the second stanza at the time of the great levee ; the third, as you are ascending to the palace roof, standing at the head of the stairs, and the fourth, [123] when entering the royal chamber, as you stand on the threshold." The prince readily assented to this and saluting his teacher went away. And after acting as viceroy, on his father's death he ascended the throne. His son, when he was sixteen years of age, on the king's going forth to take his pleasure in the garden, observing his father's majesty and power was filled with a desire to kill him and seize upon his kingdom, and spoke to his attendants about it.

They said, " True, Sir, what is the good of obtaining power, when one is old 1 You must by some means or other kill the king and possess yourself of his kingdom." The pi'ince said, " I will kill him by putting poison in his food." So he took some poison and sat down to eat his evening meal with his father. The king, when the rice was just served in the bowl, spoke the first stanza :

With sense so nice, the husks from rice Rats keen are to discriminate : They cared not much the husks to touch, But grain by grain the rice they ate. 82 The Jataha. Booh IV. " I am discovered," thought the prince, and not daring to administer the poison in the bowl of rice, he rose up and bowing to the king went away. He told the story to his attendants and said, "To-day I am found out. How now shall I kill him?" From this day forth they lay concealed in the garden, and consulting together in whispers said, "There is still one expedient. When it is time to attend the great levee, gird on your sword, and taking your stand amongst the councillors, when you see the king off his guard, you must strike him a blow with your sword and kill him." Thus they arranged it. The prince readily agreed, and at the time of the great levee, he girt on his sword [124] and moving about from place to place looked out for an opportunity to strike the king. At this moment the king uttered the second stanza : The secret counsel taken in the wood

By me is understood : The village plot soft whispered in the ear That too I hear. Thought the prince, " My father knows that I am his enemy," and ran away and told his attendants. After the lapse of seven or eight days they said, " Prince, your father is ignorant of your feeling towards him. You only fancy this in your own mind. Put him to death." So one day he took his sword and stood at the top of the stairs in the royal closet. The king standing at the head of the staircase spoke the third stanza : A monkey once did cruel measures take His tender offspring impotent to make. Thought the prince, " My father wants to seize me," and in his terror he fled away and told his attendants he had been threatened by his father. After the lapse of a fortnight they said, "Prince, if the king knew this, he would not have put up with it so long a time. Your imagination suggests this to you. [125] Put him to death." So one day he took his sword and entering the royal chamber on the upper floor of the palace he lay down beneath the couch, intending to slay the king, as soon as he came. At the close of the evening meal, the king sent his retinue away, wishing to lie down, and entering the royal chamber, as he stood on the threshold, he uttered the fourth stanza :

Thy cautious creeping ways Like one-eyed goat in mustard field that strays, And who thoii art that ku-kest here below, This too I know. Thought the prince, "My father has found me out. Now he will put me to death." And seized with fear he came out from beneath the couch, and throwing down his sword at the king's feet and saying, " Pardon me, my lord," he lay grovelling before him. The king said, "You thought, no one knows what I am about." And after rebuking him he ordered him to be bound in chains and put into the prison house, and set a guard over him. Then the king meditated on the virtues of the Bodhisatta. And by and bye he died. When they had celebrated his funeral rites, they took the young prince out of prison and set him on the throne. The Master here ended his lesson and said, "Thus, Sire, kings of old susisected in cases in which suspicion was justified," and related this incident, [126] but the king gave no heed to his words. The Master thus identified the Birth : " At that time the far-famed teacher at Takkasila was I myself."

"Before the c?'ested peacock," etc. — This story was told by the Master when at Jetavana, of certain heretics who lost their former gains and glory. For the heretics who before the Birth of Buddha received gain and honour, lost the same at his Birth, becoming like fireflies at sunrise. Their fixte was discussed in the Hall of Truth. When the Master came and inquired what was the topic the Brethren were discussing in their assembly, on being told what it was, he said, " Brethren, not now only, but formerly too, before the appearance of those endowed with virtue, such as were without virtue attained to the highest gain and glory, but when those who were endowed with virtue appeared, such as were devoid of it lost their gain and glory." And with this he told a legend of bygone days. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young peacock. And when he was fully grown, he was exceedingly beautiful and lived in a forest. At that time some merchants came to the kingdom of Baveru, bringing on board ship with them a foreign crow. At this time, it is said, there were no birds in Baveru. The natives who from time to time came and saw this bird perched on the top of the mast, said, " Mark the colour of this bird's skin. Look at its beaked mouth at the end of its throat, and its eyes like jewel-balls." Thus singing the praises of this crow they said to these merchants, "Sirs, give us this bird. We have need of it, and you can get another in your own country."

" Then take it," they said, " at a price." The Jataka. Book IV. " Give it us foi' a single piece of money," they said. "We will not sell it for that," said the merchants. [127] Gradually increasing their offer the people said, "Give it us for a hundred pieces of money." "It is very useful," they replied, "to us, but let there be friendship between us and you." And they sold it for one hundred pieces. The natives took it and put it in a golden cage and fed it with various kinds of fish and meat and wild fruits. In a place where no other birds existed, a crow endowed with ten evil qualities attained the highest gain and glory. The next time these merchants came to the kingdom of Baveru, they brought a royal peacock which they had trained to scream at the snapping of the fingers and to dance at the clapping of the hands. When a crowd had gathered together, the bird stood in the fore part of the vessel, and flapping its wings uttered a sweet sound and danced. The people that saw it were highly delighted and said, " This king of birds is very beautiful and well-trained. Give it to us."

The merchants said, "We first brought a crow. You took that. Now we have brought this royal peacock and you beg for this too. It will be impossible to come and even mention the name of any bird in your country." "Be content, Sirs," they said, "give this bird to us and get another in your own land." And raising the price offered they at last bought it for a thousand pieces. Then they put it in a cage ornamented with the seven jewels and fed it on fish, flesh and wild fruits, as well as with honey, fried corn, sugarwater and the like. Thus did the royal peacock receive the highest gain and glory. From the day of his coming, the gain and honour paid to the crow fell off". And no one wanted even to look at it. The crow no longer getting food either hard or soft, with a cry of " Caw, caw," went and settled on a dunghill. The Master, making the connexion between the two stories, in his Perfect Wisdom repeated tliese stanzas : [128] Before the crested peacock had appeared, Crows were with gifts of fruit and meat revered : The sweet-voiced peacock to Baveru came.

The crow at once was stripped of gifts and fame. So man to divers priests due honour paid, Till Buddha the full light of Truth displayed : But when the sweet-voiced Buddha preached the law, From heretics their gifts and praise all men withdraw. After uttering these four stanzas, he thus identified the Birth : " At that time the Jain Nathaputta was the crow, and I myself was the royal peacock."

"Of old, Visayha" etc.— This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana of Ankthapindika. The incident that gave rise to the stoi-y has been already told in full in the Khadiraiigilra Birth 2. On this occasion the Master addressing Anathapindika said, " Wise men of old, my lay brother, gave alms, rejecting the counsel of Sakka, king of heaven, when he stood in mid-air and tried to prevent them, saying, "Give not alms." And at his request the Master told a story of the past. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became a great merchant, named Visayha, worth eighty crores. [129] And being endowed with the Five Virtues, he was liberal and fond of almsgiving. He had alms-halls built at the four city gates, in the heart of the city, and at the door of his own house. At these six points he set on foot almsgiving, and every day six hundred thousand men went forth to beg, and the food of the Bodhisatta and that of the beggars was exactly the same. And as he thus stirred up the people of all India by his gifts, the abode of Sakka was shaken by tlie extraordinary efficacy of his charity, and the yellow marble throne of the king of heaven showed signs of heat. Sakka exclaimed, " Who, I wonder, would make me fall from my seat in heaven]" And looking about him he espied the great merchant and thought to himself, "This Visayha gives alms and by scattering his gifts everywhere is stirring up all India.

By means of his almsgiving, methinks, he will dethrone me and himself become Sakka. I will destroy his wealth and make him a poor man, and so bring it about that he shall no longer give alms." So Sakka caused his oil, honey, molasses, and the like, even all his treasure of grain to vanish, as well as his slaves and work people. Those who were deprived of his gifts came and said, " My lord, the almshall has disappeared. We do not find anything in the various places set up by you." " Take money hence," he said. " Do not cut off the giving of alms." And calling his wife, he bade her keep up her charity. She searched the whole house, and not finding a single piece of money, she said, "My lord, except the clothes we wear, I see nothing. The whole house is empty." Opening the seven jewel treasuries they found nothing, and save the merchant and his wife no one else was seen, neither slaves

1 See Jdtakamfdd, no. 5, " The Story of Avishahya." •^ No. 40, Vol. i. 86 The Jdtaka. Book IV. nor hirelings. The Bodhisatta again addressing his wife said, " My dear, we cannot possibly cut off our charities. Search the whole house till you find something." At that moment a certain grass-mower threw down his sickle and pole and the rope for binding the grass in the doorway, and ran away. The merchant's wife found them and said, "My lord, this is all I see," [130] and brought and gave them to him. Said the Bodhisatta, " My dear, all these years I have never mown grass before, but to-day I will mow grass and take and sell it, and by this means dispense the fitting alms." So through fear of having to cut off his charities, he took the sickle and the pole and the rope, and going forth from the city came to a place of much grass, and mowing it tied it up in two bundles, saying, " One shall belong to us, and with the other I will give alms." And hanging the grass on the pole he took it and went and sold it at the city gate, and receiving two small coins he gave half the money to the beggars. Now there were many beggars, and as they repeatedly cried out, " Give to us also," he gave the other half of the money also, and passed the day with his wife fasting.

In this way six days passed, and on the seventh day, while he was gathering the grass, as he was naturally delicate and had been fasting for seven days, no sooner did the heat of the sun strike upon his forehead, than his eyes began to swim in his head, and he became unconscious and fell down, scattering the grass. Sakka was moving about, observing what Visayha did. And at that instant the god came, and standing in the air uttered the first stanza :

Of old, Visayha, thou didst alms bestow And to almsgiving loss of wealth dost owe. Henceforth show self-restraint, refuse to give. And thou midst lasting joys for aye shalt live. [131] The Bodhisatta on hearing his words asked, "Who art thou?" "I am Sakka," he said. The Bodhisatta replied, "Sakka himself by giving alms and taking upon him the moral duties, and keeping fast days and fulfilling the seven vows attained the office of Sakka. But now thou forbiddest the almsgiving that brought about thy own greatness. Truly thou art guilty of an unworthy deed." And so saying, he repeated three It is not right, men say, that deed of shame Should stain the honour of a noble name. O thou that dost a thousand eyes possess Guard us from this, e'en in our sore distress. Let not our wealth in faithless wise be spent On our own pleasure or aggrandisement. But as of old our stores with increase bless. By that same road a former chariot went A second may well go. So will we give As long as we have wherewithal to live. Nor at the worst each generous thought repress. [132] Sakka being unable to stop him from his purpose asked him why he gave alms. "Desii'ing," he said, "neither Sakkahood nor Brahmaship, but seeking omniscience do I give." Sakka in token of his delight on hearing these words patted him on the back with his hands. At the very instant the Bodhisatta enjoyed this favour, his whole frame was filled with joy. By the supernatural power of Sakka all manner of pi'osperity was restored to him. " Great merchant," said Sakka, "henceforth do thou every day give alms, distributing twelve hundred thousand portions." And creating countless wealth in his house, Sakka took leave of him and returned straight to his own place of abode.

The Master, having ended his lesson, thus identified the Birth: "At that time the mother of Rahula was the merchant's wife, and I myself was Visayha."

The story of this Birth will be set forth in full in the Kunala Birth ^.

[13.3] ^'Ifave I from boater" etc. — This story was told by the Master, when dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, concerning the going about of Devadatta to kill the Buddha. The incident that led to the story has been already given in detail. 1 No. 523, Vol. V. 2 See no. 208, Vol. ii. 88 The Jataka. Book IV. Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young monkey in the Himalaya region. And when fully grown he lived on the banks of the Ganges. Now a certain female crocodile in the Ganges conceived a longing for the flesh of the Bodhisatta's heart, and told it to her husband. He thought, " I will kill the Bodhisatta by plunging him in the water and will take his heart's flesh and give it to my wife." So he said to the Bodhisatta, "Come, my friend, we will go and eat wild fruits on a certain island." " How shall 1 get there 1 " he said. " I will put you on my back and bring you there," answered the crocodile. Innocent of the crocodile's purpose he jumped on his back and sat there. The crocodile after swimming a little way began to dive. Then the monkey said, " Why, Sir, do you plunge me into the water 1 "

" I am going to kill you," said the crocodile, " and give your heart's flesh to my wife." "Foolish fellow," said he, "do you suppose my heart is inside me?" " Then where have you put it 1 " " Do you not see it hanging there on yonder tig-tree ? " " I see it," said the crocodile. " But will you give it me ? " " Yes, I will," said the monkey. Then the crocodile — so foolish was he — took him and swam to the foot of the fig-tree on the river bank. The Bodhisatta springing from the crocodile's back perched on the fig-tree and repeated these stanzas : Have I from water, fish, to dry land passed Only to fall into thy power at last ? Of bread fruit and rose apples I am sick, And rather figs than yonder mangoes pick. He that to great occasion fails to rise 'Neath foeman's feet in sorrow prostrate lies : [134] One prompt a crisis in his fate to know Needs never dread oppression from his foe. Thus did the Bodhisatta in these four stanzas tell how to succeed in worldly afiairs, and forthwith disappeared in the thicket of trees.

The Master, having brought his lesson to an end, identified the Birth : " At that time Devadatta was the crocodile, and I myself was the monkey."