The Jātaka, vol. III (nos. 301-438)

Man with her thousand wiles doth vainly coi)e, In vain he trusts that his defence is sure ; Like precipices down to Hell that slope. Poor careless souls she doth to doom allure. The man that shuns the path of womankind Lives happily and from all .soiTow free; He his true bliss in solitude will find. Afar fn)m woman and her treachery. [531] "With these words the demon fell at the feet of the Great Being, and praised him, saying, " Holy Sir, through you my life was saved. Owing to that wicked woman T was nearly killed by the magician." Then the Bodhisatta expounded the Law to him, saying, " Do no harm to her : 316 The Jataka. Book IX. keep the commandments," and established him in the live moral priecepts. The Asura said, "Though I guarded her in my belly, I could not keep her safe. Who else will keep her?" So he let her go, and returned straight to his forest home. The Master, his lesson ended, proclaimed the Truths, and identified the Birth: — At the conclusion of the Truths the worldly-minded Brother attained fruition of the First Path : — " In those days the ascetic with supernatural powers (if sight was myself."

[532] " Why thus does Ptltiiaahsa," etc. — This was a story told by the Master while at Jetavana concerning the subjugation of the .senses. For at one time there were many Brethren who kept no guard over the avenues of the senses. The Master said to the elder Ananda, " I must admonish these Brethren," and owing to their want of self-restraint he called together the assembly of the Bi'ethren, and seated in the middle of a richly-adorned couch he thus addressed them : "Brethren, it is not right that a Brother under the influence of personal beauty should set his aftections on mental or pliysical attributes, for should he die at such a moment, he is re-born in hell and the like evil states; therefore set not your aftections on material forms and the like. A Brother ought not to feed his mind on mental and physical attributes. They who do so even in this present condition of things are utterly ruined. Therefore it is good. Brethren, that the eye t)f the senses should be touched with a red-hot iron pin." And here he gave other details, adding, " There is a time for you to regard beauty, and a time to disregard it : at the time of regarding it, regard it not imder the influence of what is agi'eeable, but of what is disagreeable. Thus will ye not fall away from your proper sphere. What then is this sphere of yours ''. Even the four earnest meditations, the holy eight-fold path, the nine transcendent conditions. If ye walk in this your proper domain, Mara will not find an entrance, but if ye are subject to passion and regard things under the influence of personal beauty, like the jackal Putimansa, ye will fall away from your true sphere," and with these words he related a story of the past.

Once upon a time in the reign of Brahmadatta, king of Benares, many hundreds of wild goats dwelt in a mountain-cave in a wooded district on 1 See R. Morris, Folk-Lore Journal, iii. 71. the slopes of the Himalayas. Not far from their place of abode a jackal named Putimansa with his wife VeuT lived in a cave. One day as he was rancin- about with his wife, he spied those goats and thought, " I must fincf so'me means to eat the flesh of these goats," and by some device he killed a single goat. Both he and his wife 1)y feeding on goat's flesh waxed strong and gross of body. Gradually the goats diminished m number [533] Amongst them was a wise she-goat named Melamata. The jackal though skilful in devices could not kill her, and taking counsel with his wife he said, " My dear, all the goats have died out. \\ e must devise how to eat this she-goat. Now here is my plan. You are to go by yourself, and become friendly with her, and when confidence has sprung up between you, I will lie down and pretend to be dead. Then you are to draw nigh to the goat and say, 'My dear, my husband is dead and I am desolate; except you I have no friend: come, let us weep and lament, and bury his body.' And with these words come and bring her with you.

Then I will spring up and kill her by a bite in the neck." She readily agreed and after making friends with the goat, when confidence was established, she addressed her in the words suggested by her husband. The -oat replied, " Mv dear, all my kinsfolk have been eaten by your husband. I am afraid ; I cannot come." " Do not be afraid ; what harni can the dead do you 1 " " Your husband is cruelly -minded ; I am afraid." But afterwards being repeatedly importuned the goat thought, "He certainly must be dead," and consented to go with her. But on her way there she thought, "Who knows what will happen?" and being suspicious she made the she-jackal go in front, keeping a sharp lookout for the jackal. He heard the sound of their steps and thought, " Here comes the goat," and put up his head and rolling his eyes looked about him. The goat on seein- him do this said, "This wicked wretch wants to take me in and kill me : he lies there making a pretence of being dead," and she turned about and fled. When the she-jackal asked why she ran away, the goat gave the reason and spoke the first stanza :

[.o34] Why thus does Pfitimaiisa stare ? His look niisliketh me: Of such a friend one should liewarc. And far away should flee. With these words she turned about and made straight for her own abode. And the she-jackal failing to stop her was enraged with her, and went to her husband and sat down lamenting. Then the jackal rebuking her spoke the second stanza : Ven'i, my wife, seems dull of wit, To boast of friends that she has made ; Left in the lurch she can but sit And grieve, by Mela's art lietrayed. 318 The JataJca. Book /A On hearing thix l\w Hhe-jackal 8|)uku the thinl stan/a ; Vou too, my loni, were hftitUv wise, And, foolish creature, niised your liea<l, SUiriiij^ alK)ut with oj>eii eyes. Though feigning tu be dead. At fitting tiinON they that are wise Know when to ojr* or close their eyes. Who liM>k at the wr<jng nioiuent, will, Kike i'fitiinansii, suffer ill. This >t;iii/.;i wa-^ iiis|iii(Ml by Perfect Witidum. [535] But the she-jackal comforted PutimatiHa and .said, " My lord, do not vex yourself, I will find a way to bring her here iigjiin, and when she conieB, 1)0 on your giuird and catch lier." Tiicn she sought the goat ami said, "My friend, your coming j)rove<l of service to us; for as soon r.s you appeared, my lord recovered consciousneH-H, and he is now alive. Come and have friendly speech with him." and so saying she spoke the fifth stanza :

Oiir former friendship, g«Mit, once more revive, Ami come with wcll-filicd Ih)w1 to us, I pniy, .Mv loiil 1 t<«)k for dcjul is still alive, AVith kindly greeting visit him to-day. The goat thought, "This wicked wretch wants to take me in. 1 must not act like an open foe ; I will find means to deceive her," and she .spoke the sixth stanza : Our former friendship to revive, A well-tilled Im)w1 I glmlly give : With a big o.scort I shall come ; To feast us well, go hasten home. Then the she-jackal intpiired al>out hei- followei*s, and spoke the seventh stanza : What kind of e.scoit will you bring, That I am bid to feast you well '. The names of all rememljering To us, I pray you, truly tell. The goat spoke the eighth stanza and SJiid : Hounds' grey and tiin, four-eyed one t<H), Witli .Tanibnk form my escort tnie : Uo hurry home, and quick prepare For all abundance of go<xl fare. ' Maliya and Pingiya probably refer to the colour of the dogs ; Caturaksha is one of Yania's dogs in the Rigveda ; .lambuka is a spirit in the train of Skanda.

[536] "Each of these," she addeil, "is accoininuiied by five hundred dogs: so I shall appear with a guard of two thousand dogs. If they should not find food, they will kill and eat you and your mate." On hearing this the she-jackal was so frightened that she thought, " I have had quite enough of her coming to us ; I will find means to stop hoi- from coming," and she spoke the ninth stanza : Don't leave ynnr hou.se, or else I fear Your go(Kls will all soon disappear : I'll take your greeting to my lord ; Don't stir: nay, not another word I With these words she ran in great haste, as for her life, an<l taking lier lord with her, Hod away. And they never durst come hack to that spot. The Master hei-e ended his lesson and iilentitietl tlie liirtli : " In tlio.sc day.s I was the divinity that dwelt there in an old foreat ti-ee."

"7% hunnles* of spring," etc.-T\ns story the Miuster, while dwelling at Vulture Peak, told i-ontennng the going abo\it of Devadatta to slay lum. It Wius at this time that they sUiited a discus.sion in the Hall of Trutli, savnig, "Alas! Sirs, how .shaujele.ss and l>a.se wa-s DevadatUi. .loining himself to Ajat<u«\ttii, he formed a plot to kill the excellent and supreme Buddlia, hy the suborning of archei-s, the hurling of a rock, and the letting loose of Nalagn-i." 'IMie Miuster came ami incpiired of the Uretliren what they were discussuig ni their ;ussemblv, and on l>eing told what it wa.H s.iid, [r),37l " Not only now, but formerly too, Devadatta went alM)ut to kill me, but now lie camiot so much as frighten me," and he related an old-world legend. Once upon a time in the reign of Brahmadatta, king of Benares, a world-renowned professor at Benares gave instiiiction in science to five hundred young bi-ahmins. One day he thought, "So long as I dwell here, See 11. Morris, Folk-Lore Journal, iii. 74. 320 The Jataka. Book IX. 1 iiH^et with liindmiicf'K to the reli^uus litV, and my piipilH mv not porft'ttfd ill tlu'ir studirH. I will n'tirt> into u fort-st lioiiu> ow th«« h1o|>c8 of the IliiiiHhiyas iiiid carry on my tracliin;^' tlu'if." He told Iuh pupilH, anil, l.iddiiij,' tlniii Wriiif? sesame, huHked rice, oil, garments and such like, \w went into the forest and huildiii;^ ii liiit of leaves tmik up \\\h abode close l)y the highway.

His pupils too each l.uilt a hut for himwlf. Their kinsfolk sent rice and the like, and the natives of the country saying, "A famous professor, tliey say. is living in such and such a place in the forest, and giving lessons in science," brought presents of rice, and the foresters also offered their gifts, while a certain man gave a milch cow and a calf, to supply them with milk. Now a lizard along with her two young ones came to dwell in the hut of the t<'acher, and a lion and a tiger ministered to him. A partridge too constantly resid(H) there, and from hearing their master teach sacr«'d ti'xts to his piipil.s, the partridge gut to know three Veda.s. And the young bnihmins became very friendly with the bird. By and bye befon^ the youths had attained t«i proficiency in the Hcieiic(>M, tlit'ir master died. Ilis pupils had his Inxly burnt, s<'t up a tope of .sand over his ashes, and with we«'ping and lamentation adorned it with all iiianntT of flowers. So the partndgo asked them why they w«'pt, "Our master," they repli<'<l, "has di«'d while our studies are still incomplete." "If tliis is .so, do not 1m> distressed : I will teach you science." "How do you know it?" "I used to listen to your master, while he was teaching you, and got up three Vedas by heart." "Then do you impart to us what you have learned by heart." [o.lH] The partridge said, "Well, listen," and he «'X|)oundcd knotty points to them, as easily as one lets down a stream from a mountain height.

The young brahmins were highly delighted and actpiiretl science from the learned partridge. And the bird stood in the place of the far-famed teacher, and gave lertures in .scienct'. The youths made him a golden cage ami fastening an awning over it, they servefl him with honey and parched grain in a golden di.sh and })resenting liiin with divei-s coloured flowers, they pai<l great honour to the bird. It was bla/ed abroad throughout all Inilia that a partridge in a forest was instructing five hundred young brahmins in sacred te.xts. At that time men proclaimed a high f«'8tival — it was like a gathering together of the people on a mountain top. The parents of the youths sent a message for their sons to come and see the festival. They told the partridge, and entrusting the learned bird and all the hermitage to the care of the lizard, they left for their several cities. At that moment an ill-conditioned' wicked a.scetic wandering about liither and thither came to this spot. The lizard on seeing him entered into friendly talk with him,

' The reading ia doubtfal. Another reading is iiilkilnniikn, "pitiless" ; Morris for nigiiatiko suggests iiiiiatithn, "naked ascetic". saying, *' In such and such a place you will hud rice, oil and such like ; boil some rice and enjoy youi-self," and so saying he went off in quest of his own food. Early in the morning the wretch boiled his rice, and killed and ate the two young lizards, making a dainty dish of them. At midday he killed and ate the learned partridge and the calf, and in the evening no sooner did he see the cow had come home than he killed her too and ate the tiesh. Then he lay down grunting at the foot of a tree and fell asleep. In the evening the lizard came liack and missing her young ones went about looking for them. A tree-sprite observing the lizard all of a tremble because she could not find her young ones, by an exercise of divine power stood in the hollow of the trunk of the tree and said, "Cea.se trem])ling, lizard : youi- young ones and the partridge and the calf and cow liave been killed by this wicked fellow. Give him a bite in the neck, and so bring about his death." Ami thus talking with the lizard the deity spoke the tirst sUvnza :

[f»3U] Tliy }iarmle.s.s offspring he did ciit, Tli'Migh thou didst rice in plenty give; Thy teeth make in his Hesh to meet, Nor let the wretch e.sciipe alive. Then the lizard repeated two stanzas : Filth doth his gree<ly soul, like nurse's garb, besmear, Hi.s i»ersoii all is proof ugainst my fangs, I fciir. Flaw.s by the brt.se iiigratc are everywhere espied, Not by the gift of worlds can he be satisHeil. The lizard .so siiying thought, "Tiiis fellow will wake up anrl eat me," and to save her own lift- slie 6e<l. Now the lion and the tiger were on very friendly terms with the partridge. Sometimes they used to comfand see the partridge, and sonu'times the partridge went and taught the Ljiw to them. To-day the lion .said to the tiger, " It is a long time since we saw the partridge ; it must Ik; seven or eiglit day.s : go and bring back news of him." The tiger readily a.s.sented, and he arrived at the [)Iace the very moment tliat the lizjird had run away, and found the vile wretch sleeping. In his matted locks were to be seen some feathers of the partridge, [r)40] and close by api>eared the bones of tin; cow and calf. King tiger seeing all this and mis.sing the partridge from his golden cage thought, " These creatures must have been killed by tliis wicked fellow," and he roused him by a kick. At the sight of the tiger the man was terribly frightened. Then the tiger asked, " Did you kill and eat these creatures?" "I neither killed nor ate them," "Vile wretch, if you did not kill them, tell me who else would? And if you do not tell me, you are a dead man I" Frightened for his life ho said, " Y<'S, sir, I did kill and eat the young lizards and the cow and the calf, l>ut T did not kill the J. III. 121

322 The Jatalca. Book IX partridge." And though he protested liiuch, the tiger did not believe him but asked, "Whence did you come here'?" "My lord, I hawked about merchant's wares tor a living in the Kalinga country, and after trying <»ne thing and another T have come here." lUit when the man had told him everything that lu' had done, tlie tiger sjiid, " You wicked felhiw, it you did not kill tin; partridge, who else could have done sol Come, I shall bring you before the lion, the king of beasts." So the tiger went off, driving the man before him. When the lion saw the tigrr bringing the man with him, putting it in the form of a question he spoke the fmn-th stanza : Why thus in haste, Subfihii', art thou lifn>, And wiiy witli thte dot-.s tliis ginnl youth Hpi>ear / What iieril lor urgency is here, I pr.iy / l^uiek, tell me truly ami without delay. [f)! 1 ] Ou hearing this tlm tiger spok(! the tifth stanza: The partridge, Sire, our very worthy frienil, I doubt, to-day ha.s come to a luid end: Tliis fellow's anteeeilent.s make me fejir Wo may ill news of our gixnl partridge hear.

'riieii the lion .spoke tin- sixth stanza : What may the fellow's antecedent.s Ik", And what the sins that he confe.s.Hotl to thee, To m.ike thet' doubt that some misfortimc may Have fallen on the le:irne<l bird to-day ] Then in answer to him king tiger repeated the remaining ver.ses : As pedl.ir thro' Kalinga land |{oui;h ro.uls he travelled, stalf in hand ; With aerol>at.s l.e ha.s been found, .\nd harniles.s l)oast in toils ha.s boniid ; With dieers tiMi has often playe«i, And snares for little birds has l.iid ; In erowds with cudgcl-stieks Iuls fought. And gain by mea.suring corn has .sought : l-'.il.se to his vow.s, in midnight fray Woiin(I(>d, he wiished the bloinl away : His hands he burned thro' being bold To snatch at food too hot to hold. [542] Such Wius the life I hcaiii he led, Such are the sins upon his he.ul, And since we know the cow is dead. And feathers miilst his locks appear, I greatly for friend partridge fear. The lion asked the man, " Did you kill the h'arned jtartridge?" "Yes, my lord, I did." The lion on hearing him speak the truth, was anxious to ' Subahu (strong-arm) is the uaiue of the tiger. Compare no. 3(J1 supra, p. 127.

let liim go, Ijut king tiger said, "The villain deserves to die," and then and there rent him with his teeth. Then he dug a pit and threw the body into it. [5-1:3] The young brahmins when they returned home, not finding the partridge, with weeping and lamentation left the place. The Miuster ciideil his lesson sjiying, "Thus, Brethren, did Dcvadatta, of old too go about to kill nie," and he identified the Birth : " At that time the ascetic was Uevadatta, the liz^ird Kisagotanii, the tiger Mtiggallana, the lion Sariputtjx, the world-renowned teacher Kas-sapa, and the learned partridge was myself."