The Jātaka, vol. IV (nos. 439-510)

To explain this, the Master said a stanza :— “Then he with cruel greedy eye, deeming these words were true, Took heart, and with his fangs all bare leaped on the tusked crew.” Well, the Tiger went back and stood there awhile on the hill. The Boars told Carpenter’s Boar that he was come again. ‘“‘ Fear not,” said he, comforting them, and then took his stand upon the ridge between the two pits. The Tiger with all speed sprang towards the Boar, but the Boar rolled tail over snout in the first hole. The Tiger could not check his onset, and fell all of a heap into the pit shaped like to a winnowing fan. Up jumped the Boar in a trice, buried his tusks in the Tiger’s thigh, pierced him to the heart, devoured the flesh, bit at him, bundled him over into the further pit, crying, ‘There, take the varlet!” [349] They who came first got one chance apiece of nozzling a mouthful, those who came later went about asking, “‘ How does tiger’s-meat taste?” 1 The same stanza occurs in ii. 407 (trans. p. 277). 2 The text is uncertain. Doubtless it means the host is a match for the tiger.

220 The Jataka. Book XIV. Carpenter’s Boar came out of the pit, and, looking round upon the others, said, ‘‘ Well, don’t you like it?” But they answered, ‘My lord, you have done for the Tiger, and that’s one; but there is another left worse than ten tigers.” ‘*Who is that, pray?” ‘A sham ascetic, who eats the meat which the Tiger brings him from time to time.” “Come along then, and we will catch him.” So they quickly sprang off together. Now the sham ascetic was watching the road, and expecting the Tiger to come every minute. And what should he see coming but the Boars! “They have killed the Tiger, methinks, and now they are come to kill me!” Away he ran, and climbed up a wild fig-tree. “He has climbed a tree!” said the Boars to their leader. ‘‘ What tree?” “A fig-tree.” ‘All right, we shall have him directly.” He made the young Boars grub away the earth from its roots, and the sows bring each as much water as their mouths would hold, till there the tree stood upright bare down to the roots. Then he sent the others out of the way, and, going down on his knees, struck at the roots with his tusk: clean through the root he cut, as with an axe, down came the tree, but the man never got as far as the ground: he was torn to pieces and eaten on the way. Observing this marvel, the tree-spirit recited a stanza :—

“United friends, like forest trees—it is a pleasant sight: The Boars united, at one charge the Tiger killed outright.” And the Master recited another stanza, how that both of them were destroyed :— “The brahmin and the tiger both thus did the Boars destroy, And roared a loud and echoing roar in their exceeding joy.” [350] Again the Boar asked, “And have you another foe?” ‘No, my lord,” they replied. Then they proposed to sprinkle him for their King. Water was fetched. Espying the shell which the sham ascetic used for his drinking, which was a precious conch with the spiral turned right-wise’, they filled it with water, and consecrated Carpenter’s Boar there on the root of the fig-tree, there the water of consecration was poured upon him. A young sow they made his consort. Hence arose the custom which still prevails, that in consecrating a king they seat him upon a chair of fig-wood, and sprinkle him from a conch with spirals that run to the right, 1 A rarity, much prized, and used for consecration of a king. This also the Master explained by reciting the last stanza :— “The Boars beneath the wild fig-tree the holy water poured, Upon the Carpenter, and cried, Thou art our King and Lord!”

When he had ended this discourse, the Master said, “No, Brethren, this is not the first time that Dhanuggaha-tissa has shown himself clever in strategy, but he was the same before.” With these words, he identified the Birth: “At that time Devadatta was the sham ascetic, Dhanuggaha-tissa Carpenter’s Boar, and I myself was the tree-sprite.” :

“Merchants from many,” etc. ‘his story the Master told while dwelling at Jetavana, about some traders who lived in Savatthi. These, we hear, when going away on business bent, came with gifts to the Master, sheltering themselves in the Refuges and the Virtues. “Sir,” they said, “if we return safe and sound, we will kiss your feet.” With five hundred cartloads of merchandise they set out, and came soon to a wild forest, where they could see no road. Astray, waterless and sans food, they traversed the forest until, seeing a. huge banyan tree which was haunted by dragons, they unyoked the carts and sat down beneath it. Looking upon its leaves, they saw them all glossy as though wet with water, and the branches seemed to be full of water, which made them think thus: “It appears as though water were running through this tree. What if we cut a branch of it facing the east? we shall find something to “drink.” [351] On this one climbed up the tree and cut off a branch: out gushed a stream of water thick as a palm-trunk, and in this they washed, of this they drank. Next they cut a branch on the southern side: out from it came all manner of choice food, and they ate of it. They then cut a branch on the west side of the tree: out sprang women fair and beauteously adorned, with whom they took their pleasure.

Lastly, they cut one of the northern branches: from it fell the seven things of price, and they took them and filled the five hundred carts, and returned to Savatthi. There they caused the treasure to be carefully guarded. Bearing in their hands garlands and perfumes and the like, they repaired to Jetavana and saluted the Master and paid worship to him, and then sat on one side. That day they listened to the preaching of the Law; and the next, they brought a munificent present, and renounced the merit of the whole, saying, “The merit of this gift, Sir, we renounce in favour of a tree-deity who gave us the whole treasure.” The meal finished, the Master asked them, “ What tree-deity do you give this merit to?” The merchants told the Tathagata the manner how they had received the treasure by a banyan tree. Said the Master, “This treasure you have received for your moderation, and because you have not given yourselves into the power of desire; but in former days men were immoderate, and were in the power of desire, and thereby they lost treasure and life both.” Then at their request he told them a story of the past.

299, The Jataka. Book XIV. Once upon a time hard by' Benares was this same wild forest and this same banyan tree. The merchants strayed from the way and saw the banyan tree. The Master, in his perfect wisdom, explained the matter in these verses :— “Merchants from many a kingdom came, and all together met, Chose them a chief, and straight set out a treasure for to get. “To this parched forest, poor in food, their way the travellers made, And spied a mighty banyan tree with cool and pleasant shade. “There underneath that shady tree those merchants all did sit, And reasoned thus, with folly clothed and poverty of wit: “¢Full moist the tree is, and it seems as water there did flow: One of the branches let us cut which to the eastwards grow.’ “The branch was cut; then pure and clear the trickling waters flow: The merchants washed, the merchants drank till they had drunk enow. “Again in poverty of wit, with folly clothed, they say, ‘One of the branches on the south come let us cut away.’ [352]“This branch being cut, both rice and meat out in a stream it brings, Thick porridge, ginger, lentil soup and many other things. “The merchants ate, the merchants drank, they took their fill of it, Then said again, with folly clothed, in poverty of wit:

“<Come, fellow-merchants, let us cut a western branch away.’ Out came a bevy of fair girls all pranked in brave array. ‘‘And O the robes of many hues, jewels and rings in plenty! Each merchant had a pretty maid, each of the five and twenty. “These all together stood around beneath the leafy shade: These and the merchants in the midst, much merriment they made. “Again in poverty of wit, with folly clothed, they say, ‘One of the branches on the north come let us cut away.’ “But when the northern branch was cut, out came a stream of gold, Silver in handfuls, precious rugs, and jewels manifold ; “And robes of fine Benares cloth, and blankets thick and thin. The merchants then to roll them up in bundles did begin. “ Again they said in witlessness and folly, as before : ‘Come let us cut it by the root, and then we may get more.’ “‘O then uprose their chief, and said, with a respectful bow, ‘What mischief does the banyan do, good sirs? God bless you now! “«The eastern branch gave water-streams, the southern gave us food, The western gave us pretty maids, the northern all things good: What mischief does the banyan do, good sirs? God bless you now!

“<The tree that gives you pleasant shade, to sit or lie at need, You should not tear its branches down, a cruel wanton deed.’ “But they were many, he was one whose voice forbade them do ’t: They struck the whetted axes in to fell it by the root.” ' Reading nissdya, as Fausb¢ll suggests, [353] Then the Serpent King, who saw them draw near to the root that they might fell the tree, thought to himself: “TI gave these fellows water to drink when they were thirsty, then I gave them food divine, then beds to lie on and maidens to attend them, then treasures to fill five hundred waggons, and now they say, Let us cut down the tree from the root! Greedy they are beyond bounds, and except the chief of the caravan they shall all die.” Then he mustered an army: “So many armed in mail stand forth, so many archers, so many with sword and shield.” To explain this the Master repeated a stanza : “Then five and twenty mail-clad snakes stood forth and took the field, Three hundred bowmen, and six thousand armed with sword and shield.” [354] The following stanza is said by the Serpent King:

“Strike down the men, and bind them fast, spare not the life of one, Burn them to cinders save the chief, and then your task is done.” And sodid the serpents. Then they loaded the rugs from the northern branch and all the rest of it upon the five hundred waggons, and conveyed the waggons and the chief of the caravan to Benares, and put up the goods in his house, and taking leave of him returned to their own place of abode. When the Master had seen this, he repeated two stanzas of admonition: “So let the wise. his own good see, and let him never go A slave to greed, that he disarm the purpose of his foe. “So let him, seeing this evil thing, pain rooted in desire, Shake off desire and fetters, and to holy life aspire.” Having ended this discourse, he said, “Thus, Brethren, in days of yore merchants possessed with greed came to dire destruction, therefore you must not give place to greed.” Then having declared the Truths (now at the conclusion of the Truths those merchants became established in the fruit of the First Path)—he identified the Birth: “At that time Sariputta was the King of the Serpents, and I was the caravan chief.”

[355] “A wonder in the world,” etc.—This story the Master told while dwelling in Jetavana, about lay Brethren who took on the fast-day vows. On that occasion the Master said: “Lay Brethren, wise men of old, by virtue of their keeping the fast-day vows, went in the body to heaven, and there dwelt for a long time.” Then at their request, he told a story of the past. 224 The Jataka. Book XIV. Once upon a time, there was a King Sadhina in Mithila, who reigned in righteousness. At the four city gates, and in the midst of it, and at his own palace door he caused to be made six alms-halls, and with his almsgiving made a great stir through all India. Daily six hundred thousand pieces were spent in alms: he kept the Five Virtues, he observed the fast-day vows; and they of the city also, following his admonitions, gave alms and did good, and as they died, came to life at once in the city of the gods. The princes of heaven, sitting in full conclave in Sakka’s justice hall, praised Sadhina’s virtuous life and goodness. The report of him made all the other gods desirous to see him. Sakka, king of the gods, perceiving their mind, asked, “ Do you wish’to see King Sadhina?t” They replied, yes they did. Then he commanded Matali, “Go to my palace Vejayanta, yoke my chariot, and bring Sadhina hither.” He obeyed the command and yoked the chariot, and went to the kingdom of Videha.

It was then the day of full moon. At the time when people had partaken of their evening meal, and were sitting by their doors at their ease, Matali drove his chariot side by side with the moon’s disk. All the people called out, “See, two moons are in the sky!” But when they saw the chariot pass by the moon, and come towards them, then they cried, “’Tis no moon, but a chariot; a son of the gods, it would seem, For whom is he bringing this divine car, with his team of thorobreds, creatures of the imagination? Will it not be for our king? Yes, our king is a righteous and good king!” In their delight they joined hands with reverence, and standing repeated the first stanza : “ A wonder in the world was seen, that made the hair uprise: For great Videha’s king is sent a chariot from the skies !” [356] Matali brought the car close, and then whilst the people worshipt with flowers and perfumes, he drove it thrice round the city right-wise. Then he proceeded to the king’s door, and there stayed the chariot, and stood still before the western window, making a sign that he should ascend. Now that day the king himself had inspected his alms-halls, and had given directions how they were to distribute; which done, he took on him the fast-day vows, and thus spent the day. Just then he was seated on a gorgeous dais, facing the eastern window, with his courtiers all around, discoursing to them on right and justice. At that moment MAtali invited him to enter the chariot, and having done this went away with him.

To explain this, the Master repeated the following stanzas : “The god most mighty, Matali, the charioteer, did bring A summons to Vedeha, who in Mithila was king. No. 494. - * 229 “*O mighty monarch, noble king, mount in this car with me: Indra would see thee, and the gods, the glorious Thirty-three, And now they sit in conclave all, bethinking them of thee.’ “Then King Sadhina turned his face, and mounted in the car: _ Which with its thousand steeds-then bore him to the gods afar. “The gods beheld the king arrive: and then, their guest to greet Cried, ‘Welcome mighty monarch, whom we are so glad to meet! O King! beside the king of gods we pray you take a seat.’ “And Sakka welcomed Vedeha, the king of Mithila town, Ay, Vasava! offered him all joys, and prayed him to sit down. “¢Amid the rulers of the world O welcome to our land: Dwell with the gods, O king! who have all wishes at command, Enjoy immortal pleasures, where the Three-and-thirty stand’.” [357] Sakka king of the gods gave him the half of the city of the gods, ten thousand leagues in extent, and of twenty-five millions of nymphs, and of the palace Vejayanta. And there he dwelt for seven hundred years by man’s reckoning, enjoying felicity. But then his merit was exhausted in that character in heaven; dissatisfaction arose in him, and so he spoke to Sakka in these words, repeating a stanza:

“T joyed, when erst to heaven I came, In dances, song and music clear: Now I no longer feel the same. Is my life done, does death draw near, Or is it folly, king, that I must fear?” Then Sakka said to him: “Thy life’s not done, and death is far, Nor art thou foolish, mighty one : But thy good deeds exhausted are And now thy merit is all done. “Still here abide, O mighty king, by my divine command ; Enjoy immortal pleasures, where the Three-and-thirty stand?” [358] But the Great Being refused, and said to him: “As when a chariot, or when goods are given on demand, So is it to enjoy a bliss given by another’s hand. “T care not blessings to receive given by another’s hand, My goods are mine and mine alone when on my deeds I stand. “Tl go and do much good to men, give alms throughout the land, Will follow virtue, exercise control and self-command : He that so acts is happy, and fears no remorse at hand.” On hearing this, Sakka then gave orders to Matali: ‘‘Go now, convey King Sadhina to Mithila, and set him down in his own park.” He did so. The king walked to and fro in his park; the park-keeper espied

1 Another name of Indra. ; 2 The scholiast explains: ‘‘I will give you the half of my merit, so remain here by my power.” 096 = The Jataka. Book XIV. him, and, after asking him who he was, went to King Narada with the news. When he learnt of the king’s‘arrival, he sent on the keeper with these words: ‘You go on before, and prepare two seats, one for him and one for me.” He did so, Then the king asked him, “ For whom do you prepare these two seats?” He replied, “One for you, and one for our king. Then the king said, “ What other being shall sit down in my presence?” He sat upon one seat, and put his feet on the other. King Narada came up, and having saluted his feet, sat down on one side: now it is said he was the seventh in direct descent from the king, and at that time the age of man was fivescore years. So long was the time which the Great Being had spent, by the might of his goodness. He took Narada by the hands,-and, going up and down in the pleasaunce, recited three stanzas :

“ Here are the lands, the conduit round through which the waters go, The green grass clothing it about, the rivulets that flow, [359] “The lovely lakes, that listen when the ruddy geese give call, Where lotus white and lotus blue and trees like coral! grow, —But those who loved this place with me, O say, where are they all?” “These are the acres, this the place, The pleasaunce and the fields are here: But seeing no familiar face, To me it seems a desert drear.” Hereupon Narada said to him: ‘ My lord, since you departed to the world of the gods seven hundred years have gone by; I am the seventh in line from you, your attendants have all gone down into the jaws of death. But this is your own rightful realm, and I beg you receive it.” The king answered, “My dear Narada, I came not here to be king, but to do good I came hither, and good I will do.” He then said as. follows: “Celestial mansions I have seen, shining in every: place, The Thirty-three archangels, and their monarch, face to face. “Joys more thanyhuman I have felt, a heavenly home was mine, With all that heart could wish, among the Thirty-three divine.

“This I have seen, and to do deeds of virtue I came down: And I will live a holy life: I want no royal crown. [360] “The Path that never leads to woe, the Path the Buddhas show, Upon that Path I enter now by which the holy go.” So spake the Great Being, by his omniscience compressing all into these stanzas. Then Narada again said to him, ‘Take the rule of the kingdom upon you;” and he replied, “ My dear son, I want no kingdom ; but for seven days I wish to distribute again the alms given during these seven hundred years.” Narada was willing, and doing as he was requested, prepared a vast largess for distribution. For seven days the king gave alms; and on the seventh day he died, and was born in the heaven of the Thirty-three. When the Master had ended this discourse, he said, “Such is the performance of the holy-day vows which it is duty to keep,” and declared the Truths: (now at the conclusion of the Truths, some of the lay Brethren entered on the fruition of the First Path, and some of the Second:) and he identified the Birth: “At that time Ananda was King Narada, Anuruddha was Sakka, and I myself was the King Sadhina.”

“The righteous king,” etc.—This story the Master told while dwelling in Jetavana, about a gift incomparable. This has been explained in the Sucira? Birth of the Eighth Book. We learn that the king, while making this distribution of gifts, examined five hundred Brethren with the Master their chief, and gave to the most holy saints among them. Then they sat talking in the Hall of Truth, and telling of his goodness thus: “Brother, the king, in giving the incomparable gift, gave it in a case of much merit.” The Master, entering, would know what they talked of sitting there: and they told him. Said he: “’Tis no wonder, Brethren, [361] that the King of Kosala, being the follower of such as I am, gives with discrimination. Wise men of old, ere yet the Buddha had arisen, even they gave with discrimination.” With these words, he told them a story of the past. Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Kuru and the city called Indapatta, was reigning a king Koravya, of the stock of Yuddhitthila. His adviser in things temporal and spiritual was a minister named Vidhira. The king, with his great almsgiving, set all India in a commotion; but amongst all those who received and enjoyed these gifts, not one there was who kept so much as the Five Virtues: all were wicked to a man, and the king’s giving brought him no satisfaction. The king thought, “Great is the fruit of discriminate giving ;” and, being desirous to give unto the virtuous, he determined to take counsel with the wise Vidhira. When, therefore, Vidhiira came to wait on him, the king bade him be seated, and put the question to him.

1 See Fick, Sociale Gliederung, p. 140. - 2 No such title appears. The incomparable gift is referred to in No. 424, Aditta jataka, but the reader is referred to Mahagovinda Sutta. 228 The Jataka. Book XIV. Explaining this, the Master recited half the first stanza. All the rest are question and answer of the king and Vidhtra. “The righteous King Yudhitthila once asked Vidhtra wiset: ‘Vidhura, seek me brahmins good, in whom much wisdom lies: “«Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So I would give, my friend, that I may reap a crop of good.’ “©Tis hard to find such holy men, such brahmins, wise and good, Who keep them spotless from all lust, that they may eat your food. “¢Of brahmins, O most mighty king, ten several kinds are there: Listen, while I distinguish them, and all these kinds declare. “¢Some carry sacks upon their backs, root-filled and fastened tight ; They gather healing herbs, they bathe, and magic spells recite. “These are physician-like, O king, and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright?’’ [362] Quoth King Koravya: “«These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhtra, find me other men who shall be wise and good,

“Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “«Some carry bells and go before, and as they go they ring, A chariot they can drive with skill, and messages can bring: “These are like servants, mighty king, and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” “<These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhtra, find me other men who shall be wise and good, “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “With waterpot and crooked staff some run to meet the king, Through all the towns and villages, and as they follow, sing— ‘In wood or town we never budge, until a gift you bring’! “Like tax-men these importunate, and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” Quoth King Koravya: ““These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhiira, find me other men who shall be wise and good,

“Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “Some with long nails and hairy limbs, foul teeth, and matted hair, Covered with dust and dirt-begrimed as beggar-men they fare: “*Hewers of wood, O mighty king! and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright 2?’ 1 This line occurs in iii, 401 (p. 202 of the translation). [363] Quoth King Koravya: “These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhtira, find me other men who shall be wise and good, “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “<“Myrobolan and vilva fruit, rose-apple, mangoes ripe}, The labuj-fruit and planks of wood, tooth-brush and smoking-pipe, “Sugar-cane baskets, honey sweet, and ointment too, O king, All these they make their traffick in, and many another thing. “These are like merchants, O great king, and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” “<These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhiira, find me other men who shall be wise and good,

“Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “«Some follow trade and husbandry, keep flocks of goats in fold, They give and take in marriage, and their daughters sell for gold. “Like Vessa and Ambattha*® these; and brahmins they too hight: Such Brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” “«These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhira, find me other men who shall be wise and good, “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ [364] “*Some chaplains fortunes tell, or geld and mark a beast for pay: With proffered food the village folk invite them oft to stay. There kine and bullocks, swine and goats are slaughtered many a day. “Like butchers base are these, O king, and brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” “<These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhtra, find me other men who shall be wise and good,

“Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “Some brahmins, armed with sword and shield, with battle-axe in hand, Ready to guide a caravan before the merchants stand. “Like herdmen these, or bandits bold, yet brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” 1 The fruits and trees named are: myrobolan (terminalia chebula), emblic myrobolan (emblica officinalis), mango, rose-apple (Hugenia jambu), beleric myrobolan, artocarpus lacucha, vilva (aegle marmelos), rajayatana wood (? Buchanania latifolia). . Brahmins were forbidden to sell fruits or healing herbs, honey and ointment, not to say other things. 2 T.e. arrange a marriage in which the man pays them a price. 3 A mixt caste, sprung from a brahmin father and a Vai¢ya woman. 230 The Jataka. Book XIV. “¢These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood : Vidhtra, find me other men who shall be wise and good, “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ ““Some build them huts and lay them traps in any woodland place, Catch fish and tortoises, the hare, wild-cat and lizard chase.

“Hunters are these, O mighty king, and brahmins they too hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” “These have no right to such. a name: lost is their brahminhood : Vidhira, find me other men who shall be wise and good, [365] “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food - So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.’ “¢ Others for love of gold lie down beneath the royal bed, At soma-sacrifice: the kings bathing above their head}. “These are like barbers? O great king, but brahmins too they hight: Such brahmins shall we seek for, now you know this kind aright ?’” Quoth King Koravya: “These have no right to such a name: lost is their brahminhood: Vidhtra, find me other men who shall be wise and good, “Men free from deeds of evil lust, that they may eat my food: So would I give, that I myself may reap a crop of good.” [367] Thus having described those who are brahmins in name only, he went on to describe the brahmins in the highest sense in the following two stanzas :

“But there are brahmins, too, my lord, men very wise and good, Free from the deeds of evil lust, to eat your offered food. “One only meal of rice they eat: strong drink they never touch: And now you know this kind aright, say shall we look for such ?” When the king heard his words, he asked “‘ Where, friend Vidhira, where dwell these brahmins, worthy of the best things?” “In the further Himalaya, O king, in a cave of Mount Nanda.” “Then, wise sir, bring me those brahmins hither, by your power.” Then in great joy the king recited this stanza : “Vidhtra, bring those brahmins here, so holy and so wise, Invite them, O Vidhira, here, let no delay arise!” 1 After a soma offering, the custom was for a king to bathe on a gorgeous couch. A brahmin lay beneath, and the holy water, washing off the king’s sins, washed them . on to the brahmin, who received the bed and all its ornaments as recompense for playing scapegoat. Fick, Sociale Gliederung, p. 148, note, quoting Oldenberg, Religion des Veda, pp. 407 ff. The Great Being agreed to do as he was requested, adding this: “Now, O king! send the drum beating about the city, to proclaim that the city must be gloriously adorned, and all the people of it must give alms, and undertake the holy-day vows, and pledge themselves to virtue; and you with all your court must take the holy-day vows upon you.” Himself at early dawn, having taken his meal, and taken the holy-day vows, at eventide he sent for a basket of the colour of jasmine, and together with the monarch made a salutation with the full prostration', [368] and he called to memory the virtues of the Pacceka Buddhas, uttering these words :

‘‘ Let the five hundred Pacceka Buddhas who dwell in Northern Himalaya, in the cave of Mount Nanda, to-morrow partake of our food!” he cast eight handfuls of flowers into the air. At once these flowers fell upon the five hundred Pacceka Buddhas, in the place where they dwelt. They pondered, and understood the fact, and accepted the invitation, saying, “ Reverend Sirs, we are invited by the wise Vidhira, and no mean creature is he: he has the seed of a Buddha within him, and in this very cycle a Buddha he will be. Let us show him favour.” The Great Being understood that they would comply, by token that the flowers did not return. Then he said, “O great king! to-morrow the Pacceka Buddhas will come; do them honour and worship.” Next day the king did them great honour, preparing precious seats for them upon a great dais. The Pacceka Buddhas, . in Lake Anotatta, having waited for the time when their bodily needs were seen to, travelled through the air and descended in the royal courtyard. The king and the Bodhisatta, faith in their hearts, received the bowls from their hands, and caused them to come up on the terrace, seated them, gave them the gift-water’ into their hands, and served them with food hard and soft most delightful.

After the meal, he invited them for the next day, and so on for seven days following, presenting them with many gifts, and on the seventh day he gave them all the requisites. ‘Then they gave him thanks, and passing through the air returned to the same place, and the requisites also went with them. The Master, after finishing this discourse, said : “No wonder, Brethren, that the king of Kosala being my follower, has given me the gift incomparable, for wise men of old when as yet there was no Buddha, did the same.” Then he identified the Birth: “At that time Ananda was the king, and the wise Vidhara was I myself.” 1 Lit. prostration of ‘the five rests,’ so as to touch the ground with forehead bcth elbows, waist, knees, and feet. 2 Water poured into the right-hand in ratifying some promise made or gift bestowed. 232 The Jataka. Book XIV. [369] “JZ saw one sitting,” etc.—This story the Master told, whilst dwelling in Jetavana, about a certain landowner. He was a true and faithful believer, and showed honour continually to the Tathagata and the Order. One day these thoughts came to him. “I show honour constantly to the Buddha, that precious jewel, and the Order, that precious jewel, by bestowing upon them delicate food and soft raiment.» Now I should like to do honour to that precious jewel the Law: but how is one to show honour to that?” So he took plenty of perfumed garlands and such like things, and proceeded to Jetavana, and greeting the Master, asked him this question: “ My desire is, Sir, to show honour to the jewel of the Law: how is a man to set about it?” The Master replied, “If your desire is to honour the jewel of the Law, then

show honour to Ananda, the Treasurer of the Law.” “It is well,” he said, and promised to do so. He invited the Elder to visit him, and brought him next day to his house in great pomp and splendour; he placed the Elder upon a magnificent. seat, and worshipt him with perfumed garlands and so forth, gave him choice food of many kinds, presented cloth of great price sufficient for the three robes. Thought the Elder, ‘‘This honour is done to the jewel of the Law ; it befits not me, but it befits the chief Commander of the Faith.” So the food placed in the bowl, and the cloths, he took to the monastery, and gave it to Elder Sariputta. He thought likewise, “This honour is done to the jewel of the Law; it befits simply and solely the Supreme Buddha, lord of the Law,” and he gave it to the Dasabala. The Master, seeing no one above himself, partook of the food, accepted the cloth for robes. And the Brethren chatted about it in the Hall of Truth: “Brethren, so and so the landowner, meaning to show honour to the Law, made a gift to Elder Ananda, Treasurer of the Law; he thought himself unworthy of it, and gave it to the Commander of the Faith; and he, thinking himself not worthy, to the Tathagata. But the Tathagata, seeing no one above himself, knew that he was worthy of it as Lord of the Law, and ate of the food, and took that cloth for robes.

Thus the gift of food has found its master, by going to him whose right it was.” The Master entering, asked them what they talked of as they sat there. They told him. “Brethren,” said he, “this is not the first time that food given has fallen to the lot of the worthy by successive steps; so it did long ago, before the Buddha’s day.” With these words, he told them a story of the past.

[370] Once upon a time Brahmadatta ruled righteously in Benares, having renounced the ways of sin, and he kept the Ten Royal Virtues. This being so, his court of justice became so to say empty. The king, by way of searching out his own faults, questioned every one, beginning with those who dwelt about him; but not in the women’s apartments, nor in the city, nor in the near villages, could he find any one who had a fault to tell of him', Then he made up his mind to try the country 1 Compare vol. ii. no. 151, p. 1. folk. So handing over the government to his courtiers, and taking the chaplain with him, he traversed the kingdom of Kasi in disguise ; yet he found no one with a fault to tell of him. At last he came to a village on the frontier, and sat down in a hall without the gate. At that time, a landowner of that village, a rich man worth eighty crores, in going down with a great following to the bathing place, saw the king seated in the hall, with his dainty body and skin of a golden colour. He took a fancy to him, and entering the hall, said, “Stay here awhile.” Then he went to his house, and had got ready all manner of dainty food, and returned with his grand retinue carrying vessels of food. At the same time, an ascetic from Himalaya came in and sat down there, a man who had the Five Transcendent Faculties.

And a Pacceka Buddha also, from a cave on Mount Nanda, came and sat there. The landowner gave the king water to wash his hands, and prepared a dish of food with all manner of fine sauces and condiments, and set before the king. He received it and gave it to the brahmin chaplain. The chaplain took it and gave to the ascetic. The ascetic walked up to the Pacceka Buddha, in his left hand holding the vessel of food, and in his right the waterpot, first offered the water of gift’, and then placed the food in the bowl. He proceeded to eat, without inviting any to share, or asking leave. When the meal was done, the landowner thought: “I gave this food to the king, and he to his chaplain and the chaplain to the ascetic, and the ascetic to the Pacceka Buddha; the Pacceka Buddha has eaten it without leave asked. What means this manner of giving? [371] Why did the last eat without with your Jeave or by your leave? I will ask them one by one.” Then he approached each in turn, and saluting them, asked his question, while they made answer :

“T saw one worthy of a throne, who from a kingdom came To deserts bare from palaces, most delicate of frame. “On him in kindness I bestowed picked paddy-grains to eat, A mess of rice all cooked so nice such aS men pour on meat. “You took the food, and gave it to the brahmin, eating none: With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?” “My teacher, pastor, zealous he for duties great and small, I ought to give the food to him, for he deserves it all.” “ Brahmin, whom even kings respect, say why did you not eat? The mess of rice, all cooked so nice, which men pour over meat. “You knew not the gift’s scope, but to the sage you past it on: With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?” 1 See p. 231, note 2. 2 Gotama is here only the clan-name of the brahmin, vaddham is the right reading, 234 The Jataka. Book XIV. “T keep a wife and family, in houses too I dwell, I rule the passions of a king, my own indulge as well. “Unto a wise ascetic man long dwelling in the wood, Old, practised in religious lore, I ought to give the food.”

“ Now the thin sage I ask, whose skin shows all the veins beneath, With nails grown long, and shaggy hair, and dirty head and teeth: “ Have you no care for life, O lonely dweller in the wood? How is this monk a better man to whom you gave the food?” “ Wild bulbs and radishes I dig, catmint and herbs seek I, Wild rice, black mustard shake or pick, and spread them out to dry, “ Jujubes, herbs, honey, lotus-threads, myrobolan, scraps of meat, This is my wealth, and these I take and make them fit to eat. [372] “I cook, he cooks not: I have wealth, he nothing: ’m bound tight To worldly things, but he is free: the food is his by right.” “T ask the Brother, sitting there, with cravings all subdued ; —This mess of rice, all cooked and nice, which men pour on their food, “You took it, and with appetite eat it, and share with none; With all due deference I ask, what is it you have done?” “T cook not, nor I cause to cook, destroy nor have destroyed ; He knew that I possess no wealth, all sins I do avoid.

“The pot he carried in his right, and in his left the food, Gave me the broth men pour on meat, the mess of rice so good; “They have possessions, they have wealth, to give their duty is: Who asks a giver to partake, he is a foe, y-wis.” [373] On hearing these words, the landowner in high delight repeated the last two stanzas : “Tt was a happy chance for me to-day that brought the king: I never knew before how gifts abundant fruit would bring. “ Kings in their kingdoms, brahmins in their work, are full of greed, Sages in picking fruits and roots: Brethren from sin are freed.” The Pacceka Buddha having discoursed to him, then departed to his own place, and the ascetic likewise. And the king, after remaining a few days with him, went away to Benares, [374] When the Master had ended this discourse, he said: “It is not the first time, Brethren, that food went to him who deserved it, for the same thing has happened before.” Then he identified the Birth: “At that time the landowner who did honour to the Law was the landowner in the story, Ananda was the king, Sariputta the chaplain, and I myself was the ascetic who lived in Himalaya.”

_ [875] “ Whence comest thou,” etc.—This story the Master told while dwelling in Jetavana, about the hereditary king Udena. At that time, the reverend Pindola-bharadvaja passing from Jetavana through the air, used generally to pass the-heat of the day in king Udena’s park at Kosambi. The Elder, we are told, had in a former existence been king, and for a long time had enjoyed glory in that very park with his retinue. By virtue of the good then by him performed, he used to sit there in the heat of the day, enjoying the bliss of Attainment which was its fruit. One day he was in that place, and sitting under a sal-tree in full flower, when Udena came into the park with a large number of followers. For seven days he had been drinking deep, and he wished to take his pleasure in the park. He lay down on the royal seat in the arms of one of his women, and being foxed soon fell asleep. Then the women who sat singing around threw down their instruments of music, and wandered about the pleasance gathering flowers and fruit. By and by they saw the Elder, and came up, and saluting him sat down. The Elder sat where he was and discoursed to them. The other woman by shifting her arms awoke the king, who said, “Where are those drabs gone?” She replied, “‘They are sitting in a ring round an ascetic.” The king grew angry, and went to the Elder, abusing and reviling :

“Out on it, ll have the fellow devoured by red ants!” So in rage he caused a basket full of red ants to be broken over the Elder’s body. But the Elder rose up in the air, and admonished the king ; then to Jetavana he went, and alighted at the gateway of the Perfumed Chamber. ‘Whence have you come?” asked the Tathagata: and he told him the fact. “Bharadvaja,” quoth he, “this is not the first time Udena has done despite to a religious man, but he did the same before.” Then at the Elder’s request, he told a story of the past.

[376] Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Great Being was born outside the city, as a Candala’s son, and they gave him the name of Matanga, the Elephant’. Afterwards he attained wisdom, and his fame was blown abroad as the Wise Matanga. Now at that time one Dittha-mangalika’, daughter of a Benares merchant, every month or 1 Also a name of a man of the Candala caste, which was the lowest. 2 Lit. ‘one who has seen good omens.’ 236 The Jataka. Book XV. two used to come and disport her in the park with a crowd of companions. One day, the Great Being had gone to town on some business, and as he was entering the gate met Ditthamangalika. He stept aside, and stood quite still. From behind her*curtain Dittha-mangalika spied him, and asked, “ Who is that?” ‘A Oandala, my lady.” “Bah,” says she, “I have seen something that brings bad luck,” and washing her eyes with scented water she turned back. The people with her cried out, ‘Ah, vile outcast, you have lost us free food and liquor to-day!” In rage they pummelled Matanga the wise with hands and feet, and made him senseless, and went away. After a while he recovered consciousness, and thought, “The crowd around Dittha-mangalika beat me for no reason, an innocent man. I will not budge till I get her, not a moment before.” With this resolve, he went and lay down at the door of her father’s house.

When they asked him why he lay there, his reply was, “ All I want is Dittha-mangalika.” One day passed, then a second, a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. The resolve of the Buddhas is immovable; therefore on the seventh day they brought out the girl and gave her to him, Then she said, “ Rise up, master, and let us go to your house.” But he said, ‘‘ Lady, I have been well pummelled by your people, I am weak, take me up on your back and carry me.” So she did, and in full view of the citizens went forth from the city to the Candala settlement.

There for a few days the Great Being kept her, without transgressing in any way the rules of caste. Then he thought, “ Only by renouncing the world, and in no other way, shall I be able to show this lady the highest honour and give her the best gifts.” [377] So he said to her, ‘Lady, if I fetch nothing out of the forest, we cannot live. I will go into the forest ; wait till I return, but do not worry.” He laid injunctions upon the household not to neglect her, and went into the forest, and embraced. the life of a religious ascetic, with all diligence; so that in seven days he developed the Eight Attainments and the Five Supernatural Faculties. Then he thought, “ Now I shall be able to protect Dittha-mangalika.” By his supernatural powér he went back, and alighted at the gate of the Candala village, whence he proceeded to the door of Dittha-mangalika’s house. She, when she heard of his return, came out, and began to weep, saying, ‘‘Why have you deserted me, master, and become an ascetic?” He said, ‘Never mind, lady, now I will make you more glorious than your former glory. Will you be able to say in the midst of the people just this ; ‘My husband is not Matanga, but the Great Brahma?’” ‘“ Yes, master, I can say it.” ‘Very well, when they ask you where is your husband, you must reply, He is gone to Brahma’s heaven. If they ask, when he will come back, you must say, In seven days he will come, breaking the moon’s disk when she is at the full.” With these words, he went away to Himalaya.

Now Dittha-mangalika said what she had been told here and there in Benares, amidst a great crowd. The people believed, saying, “Ah, he is Great Brahma, and therefore does not visit Dittha-mangalika, but thus and thus it will be.” On the night of full moon, at the time when the moon stands still in mid-course, the Bodhisatta assumed the appearance of Brahma, and amidst a blaze of light which filled all the kingdom of Kasi, and the city of Benares twelve leagues in extent, broke through the moon and came down: thrice he made circuit above the city of Benares, and received the worship of the great crowd with perfumed garlands and such like, and then turned his face towards the Candala village. The devotees of Brahma gathered together, and went to the Candala village. They covered Dittha-mangalika’s house with white cloths, swept the ground with four manner of sweet smelling things, scattered flowers, [378] burnt incense, spread an awning, prepared a splendid seat, lit a lamp of scented oil, laid at the door sand white and smooth as a silver plate, scattered flowers, put up banners. Before the house thus decorated the Great Being came down, and entered, and sat a little while on the seat. At that time Dittha-mangalika was in her monthly terms. His’ thumb touched her navel, and she conceived. Then the Great Being said to her, “ Lady, you are with child, and you shall bring forth a son;

you and your son shall receive the highest honour and tribute; the water that washes your feet shall be used by kings for the ceremonial sprinkling throughout all India, the water you bathe in shall be an elixir of immortality, those who sprinkle it on their heads shall be set free from all disease and shall not know ill luck, they who lay the head on your feet and salute you shall give a thousand pieces of money, they who stand within your hearing and salute you shall give a hundred, they who stand in your sight and salute you shall give one rupee each. Be vigilant!” With this admonition, in view of the crowd, he rose up and re-entered the moon.

The devotees of Brahma collected, and stood there through the whole night; in the morning they caused her to enter a golden palanquin, and taking it upon their heads, bore her into the city. A great concourse came to her, crying aloud, “The wife of Great Brahma!” and did worship with scented garlands and other such things; those who were allowed to lay the head on her feet and salute her gave a purse of a thousand pieces, those who might salute her within hearing gave a hundred, those who might salute her standing within her sight gave one rupee each. Thus they included in their progress the whole city of Benares, twelve leagues in extent, and received a sum of eighteen crores. Having thus made the circuit of that city, they brought her to the centre of it, and there built a great pavilion, and set curtains about it, 238 The Jataka. Book XV. and caused her to dwell there amidst much glory and prosperity. Before the pavilion, they began to build seven great entrance gates, and a palace with seven storeys: much new merit was set to their account. In that same pavilion, Dittha-mangalika brought forth a son. On his name-day, [379] the brahmins gathered together, and named him Mandavya-kumara, the Prince of the Pavilion, because he was born there. In ten months the palace was finished: from that time she? dwelt in it, highly honoured. And Prince Mandavya grew up amid great, magnificence. When he was seven or eight years old, the best teachers in the length and breadth of India gathered together, and they taught him the three Vedas. From the age of sixteen he provided food for the brahmins, and sixteen thousand brahmins were fed continually ; at the fourth embattled gateway the alms were distributed to the brahmins.

Now on one great day of festival they prepared a quantity of rice porridge, and sixteen thousand brahmins sat by the fourth embattled gateway and partook of this food, accompanied with fresh ghee of a golden yellow, a decoction of honey and lump sugar ; and the prince himself, brilliantly adorned with jewels, with golden slippers upon his feet, and a staff of fine gold in his hand, was walking about and giving directions, “ Ghee here, honey here.” At that time, the wise Matanga seated in his hermitage in the Himalayas, turned his thoughts to see what news there was of Dittha-mangalika’s son. Perceiving that he was going in the wrong way, he thought, ‘To-day I will go, and convert the young man, and I will teach him how to give so that the gift shall bring much fruit.” He went through the air to Lake Anotatta, and there washed his mouth, and so forth; standing in the district of Manosila*, he donned the pair of coloured garments, girt his girdle about him, put on the ragged robe, took his earthen bowl, and went through the air to the fourth gateway, where he alighted just by the alms-hall, and stood on one side. Mandavya, looking this way and that, espied him. ‘‘ Where do you come from,” cried he, ‘you ascetic, you misbegotten outcast, a goblin and no man?” ‘and he repeated the first stanza :

[380] “Whence comest thou, in filthy garments drest, A creature vile and goblin-like, 1 vow, A robe of refuse-rags across thy breast, Unworthy of a gift—say, who art thou ?” The Great Being listened, then with gentle heart addressed him in the words of the second stanza : “The food, O noble sir! is ready set, The people taste, and eat, and drink of it: You know we live on what we chance to get; Rise! let the low-caste churl enjoy a bit.” 1 Adding sd, with one MS. * Part of the Himalaya region, Then Mandavya recited the third stanza: “For brahmins, for my blessing, by my hand This food is got, the gift of faithful heart. Away! what boots it in my sight to stand ? ’Tis not for such as thou: vile wretch, depart!” [381] Thereupon the Great Being repeated a stanza : “They sow the seed on high ground and on low, Hoping for fruit, and on the marshy plain: In such a faith as this thy gifts bestow; Worthy recipients so thou shalt obtain.” Then Mandavya repeated a stanza : “T know the lands wherein I mean to sow, The proper places in this world for seed, Brahmins highborn, that holy scriptures know: These are good ground and fertile fields indeed

Then the Great Being repeated two stanzas : “The pride of birth, o’erweening self-conceit, Drunkenness, hatred, ignorance, and greed,— Those in whose hearts these vices find their seat,— They all are bad and barren fields for seed. “The pride of birth o’erweening, self-conceit, Drunkenness, hatred, ignorance, and greed,— [382] Those in whose hearts these vices find no seat, They all are good and fertile fields for seed.” These words the Great Being repeated again and again; but the other grew angry, and cried—‘The fellow prates overmuch. Where are my porters gone, that they do not cast out the churl?” Then he repeated a stanza : “Ho Bhandakucchi, Upajjhaya ho! And where is Upajotiya, I say? Punish the fellow, kill the fellow, go— And by the throat hale the vile churl away !”! The men hearing his call, came up at a run, and saluting him, asked, ‘What are we to do, my lord?” ‘Did you ever see this base outcast?” “No, Sire, we did not know he had come in at all: some juggler he is doubtless, or cunning rogue.”—‘‘ Well, why do you stand there ?”—‘‘ What are we to do, my lord?”—‘‘ Why, strike the fellow’s mouth, break his jaw, tear his back with rods and cudgels, punish him, take the wretch by the throat, knock him down, away with him out of this place!” But the Great Being, ere they could come at him, rose up in the air, and there poised, repeated a stanza :

[383] ‘“ Revile a sage! to swallow blazing fire as much avails, ; Or bite hard iron, or dig down a mountain with your nails. 1 The last two lines occur on p. 205 (above, p. 128). 240 The Jataka. Book XV. Having uttered these words, the Great Being rose high in the air, while the youth and the brahmins gazed at the sight. Explaining this, the Master recited a stanza : “So spake the sage Matanga, champion of truth and right, Then in the air he rose aloft before the brahmins’ sight.” He turned his face to the eastwards, and coming down in a certain street, with intent that his footsteps might be visible, he begged alms near the eastern gate; then, having collected a quantity of mixt victuals, he sat him down in a certain hall and began to eat. But the deities of the city came up, finding it intolerable that this king should so speak as to annoy their sage. So the eldest goblin among them seized hold of Mandavya by the neck, and twisted it, and the others seized the other brahmins and twisted their necks. But through pity for the Bodhisatta, they did not kill Mandavya: “he is his son,” they said, and only tormented him. Mandavya’s head was twisted so that it looked backwards over his shoulders; hands and feet were stiff and stark; his eyes were turned up, as though he were a dead man: there he lay stark. The other brahmins turned round and round, drabbling spittle at the mouth. People went and told Dittha-mangalika, “Something has happened to your son, my lady!” She made all haste thither, and seeing him cried, “Oh, what is this!” and recited a stanza:

“ Over the shoulder twisted stands his head; See how he stretches out a helpless arm! White are his eyes as though he were quite dead: O who is it has wrought my son this harm?” [384] Then the bystanders repeated a stanza, telling her about it : “A hermit came, in filthy garments drest, A creature vile and goblin-like to see, With robe of refuse-rags across his breast: The man who treated thus thy son, is he.” On hearing this, she thought: “No other has the power, the wise Matanga without doubt it must be! But one who is stedfast, and full of goodwill to all creatures, will never go away and leave all these folk to torment. Now in what direction can he have gone?” which question she put in the following stanza : “In what direction went the wise one hence ? O noble youths, pray answer me this thing! Come let us make atonement for the offence, Our son to life again that we may bring.” The young men answered her in this manner: “That wise one, up into the air rose he, Like moon in mid-career the fifteenth day: The sage, truth-consecrated, fair to see, Towards the east moreover bent his way.”

This answer given, she said, “I will seek my husband!” and bidding take with her pitchers of gold and cups of gold, surrounded with a company of waiting women, she went and found the place where his footsteps had touched the ground; these she followed, until she came to him sitting upon a seat, and eating his meal. [385] Approaching she saluted him, and stood still. On seeing her he placed some boiled rice in his bowl. Dittha-mangalika poured water for him from a golden pitcher ; he at once washed his hands and rinsed out his mouth. Then she said, “Who has done this cruel thing to my son?” repeating this stanza : “Over the shoulder twisted stands his head; See how he stretches out a helpless arm! White are his eyes, as though he were quite dead: O who is it has wrought my son this harm?” The stanzas which follow are said by the two alternately : “Goblins there are, whose might and power is great, Who follow sages, beautiful to see: They saw thy son ill-minded, passionate, And they have treated thus thy son for thee.” “Then it is goblins who this thing have done: Do not be wroth, O holy man, with me! O Brother! full of love towards my son Hither for refuge to thy feet I flee!”

“Then let me tell thee that my mind doth hide Nor then nor now a thought of enmity: Thy son, through fancied knowledge, drunk with pride, Knows not the meaning of the Vedas three.” “Q Brother! verily a man may find All in a trice his senses quite gone blind. Forgive me my one error, O wise sage! They who are wise are never fierce in rage1.” [386] The Great Being, thus pacified by her, replied, “ Well, I will give you the elixir of immortal life, to make the goblins depart” ; and he recited this stanza : “This fragment of my leavings take with thee, Let the poor fool Mandavya eat a piece: Thy son shall be made whole, restored to thee, And so the goblins shall their prey release.” 1 These two lines occur above, p. 313 (p. 197 of this volume). 242 The Jdtaka. Book XV. When she heard the words of the Great Being, she held out a golden bowl, saying, “ Give me the elixir of immortality, my lord!” The Great Being dropt in it some of his rice gruel, and said, “ First put the half of this into your son’s mouth} the rest mix with water in a vessel, and put it in the mouths of the other brahmins: they shall all be made whole.” Then he arose and departed to Himalaya. She carried off the pitcher upon her head, crying, “I have the elixir of immortality !” Arrived at the house, she first put some of it in her son’s mouth.

The Goblin fled away; the king got up, and brushed off the dust, asking, “What is this, mother?”—“You know well enough what you have done; now see the miserable plight of your dolesmen!” When he looked at them, he was filled with remorse. [387] Then his mother said, ‘‘Mandavya, my dear son, you are a fool, and you do not know how to give so that the gift may bear fruit. Such as these are not fit for your bounty, but only such as are like the wise Matanga. Henceforward give nothing to evil men like these, but give to the virtuous.” Then she said :—

“Thou art a fool, Mandavya, small of wit, Not knowing when to do good deeds is fit: Thou givest to those whose sinfulness is great, To evildoers and intemperate. “Garments of skin, a mass of shaggy hair, Mouth like an ancient well with grass o’ergrown, And see what ragged clouts the creatures wear! But fools are saved not by such things alone. “ When passion, hate, and ignorance, afar from men are driven, Give to such calm and holy men: much fruit for this is given.” “Therefore from this time forward give not to wicked men like this ; but whoso in this world has reached the eight Attainments, righteous ascetics and brahmins who have gained the Five Transcendent Faculties, Pacceka Buddhas, to these give your gifts. Come my son, let me give these our servants the elixir of immortality, [388] and make them whole.” So saying, she had the leavings of the rice gruel taken, and put in a pitcher of water, and sprinkled over the mouths of the sixteen thousand brahmins. Hach one got up, and brushed off the dust. Then these brahmins, having been made to taste the leavings of a Candala, were put out of caste by the other brahmins. In shame they departed from Benares, and went to the kingdom of Mejjha, where they lived with the king of that country. But Mandavya remained where he was.

At that time there was a brahmin named Jatimanta, one of the religious, who lived hard by the city of Vettavati on the banks of the river of that name; and he was a man mightily proud of his birth. The Great Being went thither, resolved to humble the man’s pride; and he made his abode near him, but further up stream. One day, having nibbled at a tooth-stick', he let it fall into the river, resolving that it should get entangled in Jatimanta’s knot of hair. Accordingly, as he was washing in the water, the stick became entangled in his hair. “Curse the brute!” said he, when he saw it, “where has this come from, with a pest! I will enquire.” He proceeded up stream, and finding the Great Being, asked him, ‘What caste are you of?”—“I am a Candala.”—“ Did you drop a tooth-stick into the river?”—*“ Yes, I did.”—“ You brute! curse you, vile outcast, a murrain on you, don’t stay here, but go further down stream.” But even when he went to live down stream, the tooth-sticks he dropt floated against the current, and stuck in Jatimanta’s hair. ‘Curse you!” quoth he, “if you stay here, in seven days your head shall burst into seven pieces!” The Great Being thought, “If I allow myself to be angry with the man, I shall not be keeping my virtue; but I will find a way to break down his pride.” On the seventh day, he prevented the sunrise.

All the world was put out: they came to the ascetic Jatimanta, and asked, “Is it you, Sir, who prevent the sun from rising?” He said, “That is no doing of mine; but there is a Candala living by the riverside, and his doing it must be.” Then the people came to the Great Being, and asked him, “ Is it you, Sir, who keep the sun from rising?” [389] “Yes, friends,” said he. “ Why?” they asked. “The ascetic who is your favourite reviles me, an innocent man; when he comes and falls at my feet to ask for mercy, then I will let the sun go.” They went and dragged him along, and cast him down before the Great Being’s feet, and tried to appease him, saying, “Sir, ' pray let the sun go.” But he said, “I cannot let him go; if I do so, this man’s head will burst into seven pieces.” They said, “Then, Sir, what are we to do?” “Bring me a lump of clay.’’ They brought it. «“Now place it upon the head of this ascetic, and let the ascetic down into the water.” After making these arrangements, he let the sun rise. No sooner was the sun set free’, the lump of clay split in seven, and the ascetic plunged under the water. Having thus humbled him, the Great Being pondered: ‘‘ Where now are those sixteen thousand brahmins?” He perceived they were with the king of Mejjha, and resolved to humble them;

by his supernatural power he alighted in the neighbourhood of the city, and bowl in hand tramped the city seeking alms. When the brahmins descried him, they said, “ Let him stay here but a couple of days, and he will leave us without a refuge!” In all haste they went to the king, crying, ““O mighty king, here is a juggler and mountebank come; take him prisoner!” The king was ready enough. The Great Being, with his mess of mixt victuals, was sitting beside a wall, on a 1 The Indians use a fibrous stick for cleansing the teeth, 2 Taking pahata- as used for pahina- .

244 The Jataka. Book XV. bench, and eating. There, as he was busy partaking of the food, the king’s messengers found him, and striking him with a sword, killed him. After his death, he was born in the Brahma world. It is said that in this birth the Bodhisatta was a ! mongoose-tamer, and in this servile occupation was put to death. The deities were angry, and poured down upon the whole kingdom of Mejjha a torrent of hot ashes, and wiped it out from among kingdoms. Therefore it is said : “So the whole nation was destroyed of Mejjha, as they say, For glorious Matanga’s death, the kingdom swept away. [390] When the Master had ended this discourse, he said: “It is not now the first time that Udena has abused religious men, but he did the same before.’ Then he identified the Birth: “At that time, Udena was Mandavya, and I myself was the wise Matanga.”

“Every good deed,” ete.—This story the Master told while dwelling in Jetavana, about two fellow-priests of the reverend Maha-kassapa, who lived happily together. This pair, we are told, were most friendly, and had share for share in all things with the utmost fairness: even when they walked for alms, together they went out and together came in, nor could they endure to be apart. In the Hall of Truth sat the Brethren, praising their friendship, when the Master came in, and asked what they talked of as they sat there. They told him; and he replied, “Their friendship in one existence, Brethren, is nothing to wonder at; for wise men of old kept friendliness unbroken throughout three or four different existences.” So saying, he told them a story of the past. Once upon a time, in the realm of Avanti, and the city of Ujjeni, reigned a great king named King Avanti. At that time, a Candala village lay outside Ujjeni, and there the Great Being was born. Another person was born the son of his mother’s sister. The one of these two was named Citta, and the other Sambhita. These two when they grew up, having learnt what is called the art of sweeping in the Candala breed, thought one day they would go and show off this art at the city gate. So one of them showed off at the north gate, and one at the east. Now in this city were two women wise in the omens

' Taking konda- to be the same as kunda- , => wl si iat \ of sight, the one a merchant’s daughter and the other a chaplain’s. These went forth to make merry in the park, having ordered food to be brought hard and soft, garlands and perfumes; and it so happened that one went out by the northern gate and one the eastern. Seeing the two young Candalas showing their art, the girls asked “Who are these?” Candalas, they were informed. “This is an evil omen to see!” they said, [391] and after washing their eyes with perfumed water, they returned back. Then the multitude cried, “‘O vile outcasts, you have made us lose food and strong drink which would have cost us nothing!” They belaboured the two kinsmen, and did them much misery and mischief. When they recovered their senses, up they got and joined company, and told each the other what woe had befallen him, weeping and wailing, and wondering what to do now. “All this misery has come upon us,” they thought, because of our birth, We shall never be able to play the part of Candalas ; Jet us conceal our birth, and go to Takkasila in the disguise of young brahmins, and study there.” Having made this decision, they went thither, and followed their studies in the law under a far-famed master. A rumour was blown abroad over India, that two young Candalas were students, and had concealed their birth. The wise Citta was successful in his studies, but Sambhita not so.

One day a villager invited the teacher, intending to offer food to the brahmins. Now it happened that rain fell in the night, and flooded all the hollows in the road. Early in the morning the teacher summoned wise Citta, and said, “My lad, I cannot go, do you go with the young men, and pronounce a blessing, eat what you get for yourself and bring home what there is for me.” Accordingly he took the young brahmins, and went. While the young men bathed, and rinsed their mouths, the people prepared rice porridge, which they set ready for them, saying, “Let it cool.” Before it was cool, the young men came and sat down, The people gave them the water of offering, and set the bowls in front of them. Sambhita’s wits were somewhat muddled, and imagining it to be cool, took up a ball of the rice and put it in his mouth, but it burnt him like a red-hot ball of metal. In his pain he forgot his part altogether, and glancing at wise Citta, he said, in the Candala dialect, “ Hot, aint it?” [392] The other forgot himself too, and answered in their manner of speech, “Spit it out, spit it out.” At this the young men looked at each other, and said, “ What kind of language is this?” Wise Citta pronounced a blessing.

When the young men came home, they gathered in little knots and sat here and there discussing the words used. Finding that it was the dialect of the Candalas, they cried out on them, “O vile outcasts! you have been tricking us all this while, and pretending to be brahmins!” And they beat them both. One good man drove them out, saying, “ Away! the blot’s in 246 The Jataka. Book XV. the blood. Be off! Go somewhere and become ascetics.” The young brahmins told their teacher that these two were Candalas. The pair went out into the woods, and there took up the ascetic life, and after no long time died, and were born again as the young of a doe on the banks of the Nerafijara. From the time of their birth they always went about together. One day, when they had fed, a hunter espied them under a tree ruminating and cuddling together, very happy, head to head, nozzle to nozzle, horn to horn. He cast a javelin at them, and killed them both by one blow. After this they were born as the young of an osprey, on the bank of Nerbudda. There too, when they grew up, after feeding they would cuddle together, head to head and beak to beak. A bird snarer saw them, caught them together, and killed them both.

Next the wise Citta was born at Kosambi, as a chaplain’s son ; the wise Sambhiita was born as the son of the king of Uttarapaficala. From their name-days they could remember their former births. But Sambhita was not able to remember all without breaks, and all he could remember was the fourth or Candala birth; Citta however remembered all four in due order. When Citta was sixteen years old, he went away and became an ascetic in Himalaya, [393] and developed the Faculty of the religious ecstasy, and dwelt in the bliss of ecstatic trance. Wise Sambhita after his father’s death had the Umbrella spread over him, and on the very day of the umbrella ceremony, in the midst of a great concourse, made a ceremonial hymn, and uttered two stanzas in aspiration. When they heard this, the royal wives and the musicians all chanted them, saying, ‘Our king’s own coronation hymn!” and in course of time all the citizens sang it, as the hymn which their king loved. Wise Citta, in his dwelling place in Himalaya, wondered whether his brother Sambhita had assumed the Umbrella, or not. Perceiving that he had, he thought, ‘‘I shall never be able to instruct a young ruler; but when he is old, I will visit him, and persuade him to be an ascetic.” For fifty years he went not, and by that time the king was increased with sons and daughters; then by his supernatural power, he went, and alighted in the park, and sat down on the seat of ceremony like an image of gold.

Just then a lad was picking up sticks, and as he did so he sang that hymn. Wise Citta called him to approach ; he came up with an obeisance, and waited. Citta said to him, “Since early morning you have been singing that hymn; do you know no other ?”—‘“ Oh yes, sir, I know many more, but these are the verses the king loves, that is why I sing no others.”—‘‘Is there any one who can sing a refrain to the king’s hymn?”—“ No, Sir.”—“ Could you ?”—** Yes, if I am taught one.”—“ Well, when the king chants these two verses, you sing this by way of a third,” and he recited a hymn. ‘ Now,” said he, “‘go and sing this before the king, and the king will be pleased with

you, and make much of you for it.” The lad went to his mother quickly, and got himself drest up spick and span; then to the king’s door, and sent in word that a lad would sing him a refrain to his hymn. The king said, ‘Let him approach.” When the lad had come in, and saluted him, quoth the king, “They say you will sing me an answering refrain to my hymn?” [394] “Yes, my lord,” said he, “bring in the whole court to hear.” As soon as the court had assembled, the lad said, “Sing your hymn, my lord, and I will answer with mine.” The king repeated a pair of stanzas : “ Every good deed bears fruit or soon or late, No deed without result, and nothing vain: I see Sambhtta mighty grown and great, Thus do his virtues bear him fruit again. “Every good deed bears fruit or soon or late, No deed without result, and nothing vain. Who knows if Citta also may be great, And like myself, his heart have brought him gain?” At the end of this hymn, the lad chanted the third stanza: “ Every good deed bears fruit or soon or late, No deed without result, and nothing vain. Behold, my lord, see Citta at thy gate, And like thyself, his heart has brought him gain.”

On hearing this the king repeated the fourth stanza: “Then art thou Citta, or the tale didst hear From him, or did some other make thee know ? Thy hymn is very sweet: I have no fear; A village and a bounty! I bestow.” [395] Then the lad repeated the fifth stanza : “T am not Citta, but I heard the thing. It was a sage laid on me this command— Go and recite an answer to the king, And be rewarded by his grateful hand.” Hearing this, the king thought, “It must be my brother Citta; now I’ll go and see him”; then he laid his bidding upon his men in the words of these two stanzas : “Come, yoke the royal chariots, so finely wrought and made: Gird up with girths the elephants, in necklets bright arrayed. “ Beat drums for joy, and let the conchs be blown, Prepare the swiftest chariots I own: For to that hermitage I will away, _ To see the sage that sits within, this day.” So he spoke; then mounting his fine chariot, he went swiftly to the park gate, There he checked his chariot, and approached wise Citta with 1 Lit. a hundred (pieces of money): or (with the scholiast) ‘A hundred villages I do bestow.’

248 The Jataka. Book XV. an obeisance, and sat down on one side; greatly pleased, he recited the eighth stanza : “A precious hymn it was I sang so sweet While thronging Yuultitudes around me pressed ; For now this holy sage I come to greet And all is joy and gladness in my breast.” [396] Happy from the instant he saw wise Citta, he gave all necessary directions, bidding prepare a seat for his brother, and repeated the ninth stanza : “Accept a seat, and for your feet fresh water: it is right To offer gifts of food to guests: accept, as we invite.” After this sweet invitation, the king repeated another stanza, offering him the half of his kingdom : “Tet them make glad the place where thou shalt dwell, Let throngs of waiting women wait on thee; O let me show thee that I love thee well, And let us both kings here together be.” When he had heard these words, wise Citta discoursed to him in six stanzas : “Seeing the fruit of evil deeds, O king, Seeing what profit deeds of goodness bring, I fain would exercise stern self-control, Sons, wealth, and cattle cannot charm my soul.

“Ten decades has this mortal life, which each to each succeed : This limit reached, man withers fast like to a broken reed. “Then what is pleasure, what is love, wealth-hunting what to me? What sons and daughters? know, O king, from fetters I am free. “For this is true, I know it well—death will not pass me by: And what is love, or what is wealth, when you must come to die? [397] “The lowest race that go upon two feet Are the Candalas, meanest men on earth, When all our deeds were ripe, as guerdon meet We both as young Candalas had our birth. “Candalas in Avanti land, deer by Neraiijara, Ospreys by the Nerbudda, now brahmin and Khattiya.” [398] Having thus made clear his mean births in time past, here also in this birth he declared the impermanency of things created, and recited four stanzas to arouse an effort : “Life is but short, and death the end must be: The aged have no hiding where to flee. Then, O Pajicala, what I bid thee, do: All deeds which grow to misery, eschew. “Life is but short, and death the end must be: The aged have no hiding where to flee. Then, O Paicala, what I bid thee, do: All deeds whose fruit is misery, eschew.

“Life is but short, and death the end must be: The aged have no hiding where to flee. Then, O Paiicala, what I bid thee, do: All deeds that are with passion stained, eschew. “Life is but short, and death the end must be: Old age will sap our strength, we cannot flee. . Then, O Paticaila, what I bid thee, do: All deeds that lead to lowest hell, eschew.” ° [399] The king rejoiced as the Great Being spoke and repeated three stanzas : “True is that word, O Brother! which you say, You like a holy saint your words dictate: But my desires are hard to cast away, By such as I am; they are very great. “ As elephants deep sunken in the mire Cannot climb out, although they see the land: So, sunken in the slough of strong desire Upon the Brethren’s Path I cannot stand. “As father or as mother would their son Admonish, good and happy how to grow: Admonish me how happiness is won, And tell me by which way I ought to go.” Then the Great Being said to him: “O lord of men! thou canst not cast away These passions which are common to mankind: Let not thy people unjust taxes pay, Equal and righteous ruling let them find.

“Send messengers to north, south, east, and west The brahmins and ascetics to invite: Provide them food and drink, a place to rest, Clothes, and all else that may be requisite. [400] “Give thou the food and drink which satisfies Sages and holy brahmins, full of faith: Who gives and rules as well as in him lies Will go to heaven all blameless after death. “But if, surrounded by thy womankind Thou feel thy passion and desire too strong, This verse of poetry then bear in mind And sing it in the midst of all the throng: “No roof to shelter from the sky, amid the dogs he lay, His mother nursed him as she walked: but he’s a king to-day.” Such was the Great Being’s advice. Then he said, “I have given you my counsel. And now do you become an ascetic or not, as you think fit; but I will follow up the result of my own deeds.” ‘Then he rose up in the air, and shook off the dust of his feet over him, and departed to Himalaya. [401] And the king saw it, and was greatly moved; and relinquishing his kingdom to his eldest son, he called out his army, and set his face in the direction of Himalaya. When the Great Being heard of his coming, he

- 250 The Jataka. Book XV. went with his attendant sages and received him, and ordained him to the holy life, and taught him the means of*inducing mystic ecstasy. He developed the Faculty of mystical meditation. Thus these two together became destined for Brahma’sworld. When the Master had ended his discourse, he said: “Thus, Brethren, wise men of old continued firm friends through the course of three or four existences.” Then he identified the Birth: “At that time Ananda was the wise Sambhita, and I myself was the wise Citta.”

“Tf there be any human,’ etc.—This story the Master told while dwelling at Jetavana, about the gift incomparable. The circumstances have been fully told in Book VIII. under the Sovira Birth”. But here the king, on the seventh day, gave all the requisites and asked for thanks; but the Master went away without thanking him. After breakfast the king went to the monastery, and said, “Why did you return no thanks, Sir?” The Master said, “The people were unpurified, your majesty.” He went on to declare the Law, reciting the stanza that begins ‘‘To heaven the avaricious shall not go*.” The king, pleased at heart, did reverence to the Tathagata by presenting an outer robe of the Sivi country, worth a thousand pieces of money; then he returned to the city. Next day they were talking of it in the Hall of Truth: “Sirs, the king of Kosala gave the gift incomparable: and, not content with that, when the Dasabala had discoursed to him, the king gave him a Sivi garment worth a thousand pieces! How insatiate the king is in giving, sure enough!” The Master came in, and asked what they talked of as they sat there: they told him. He said, “ Brothers, things external are acceptable, true: but wise men of old, who gave gifts till all India rang again with the fame of it, each day distributing as much as six hundred thousand pieces, were unsatisfied with external gifts; and, remembering the proverb, Give what you prize and love will arise, they even pulled out their eyes and gave to those that asked.” With these words, he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time, when the mighty King Sivi reigned in the city of Aritthapura in the kingdom of Sivi, the Great Being was born as his son. They called his name Prince Sivi. When he grew up, he went 1 See Avaddna Qataka, iv. 4 (34), and the note on p. 127 of Feer’s translation (Musée Guimet): Jataka Mala no. 2, Qibi Jataka: Cariyd-pitaka no. 8, Siviraja-C. Milinda-paiha, iv. i. 42 (p. 179 of the translation). 2 This is the Aditta jataka, No. 424 (iii. 280 of this translation). to Takkasila and studied there; [402] then returning, he proved his knowledge to his father the king, and by him was made viceroy. At his father’s death he became king himself, and, forsaking the ways of evil, he kept the Ten Royal Virtues and ruled in righteousness. He caused six alms-halls to be builded, at the four gates, in the midst of the city, and at his own door. He was munificent in distributing each day six hundred thousand pieces of money. On the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days he never missed visiting the alms-halls to see the distribution made. Once on the day of the full moon, the state umbrella had been uplifted early in the morning, and he sat on the royal throne thinking over the gifts he had given. Thought he to himself, “Of all outside things there is nothing I have not given; but this kind of giving does not content me.

I want to give something which is a part of myself. Well, this day when I go to the alms-hall, I vow that if any one ask not something outside me, but name what is part of myself,—if he should mention my very heart, I will cut open my breast with a spear, and as though I were drawing up a water-lily, stalk and all, from a calm lake, I will pull forth my heart dripping with blood-clots and give it him: if he should name the flesh of my body, I will cut the flesh off my body and give it, as though I were graving with a graving tool: let him name my blood, I will give him my blood, dropping it in his mouth or filling a bowl with it: or again, if one say, I can’t get my household work done, come and do me a slave’s part at home, then I will leave my royal dress and stand without, proclaiming myself a slave, and slave’s work I will do: should any men demand my eyes, I will tear out my eyes and give them, as one might take out the pith of a palm-tree.” Thus he thought within him :

“Tf there be any human gift that I have never made, Be it my eyes, [ll give it now, all firm and unafraid.” Then he bathed himself with sixteen pitchers of perfumed water, and adorned him in all his magnificence, and after a meal of choice food he mounted upon an elephant richly caparisoned [403] and went to the alms-hall. Sakka, perceiving his resolution, thought, ‘‘ King Sivi has determined to give his eyes to any chance comer who may ask. Will you be able to do it, or no?” He determined to try him; and, in the form of a brahmin old and blind, he posted himself on a high place, and when the king came to his alms-hall he stretched out his hand and stood crying, ‘ Long live the king!” Then the king drove his elephant towards him, and said, ‘‘What do you say, brahmin?” Sakka said to him, “O great king! in all the inhabited world there is no spot where the fame of 252 The Jataka. Book XV. your munificent heart has not sounded. I am blind, and you have two eyes.” Then he repeated the first stanza, asking for an eye: “To ask an eye the old man comes from far, for I have none:

O give me one of yours, 1 pray, then we shall each have one.” When the Great Being heard this, thought he, “Why that is just what I was thinking in my palace before I came! What a fine chance! My heart’s desire will be fulfilled to-day ; I shall give a gift which no man ever gave yet.” And he recited the second stanza: “Who taught thee hitherward to wend thy way, O mendicant, and for an eye to pray ? The chiefest portion of a man is this, And hard for men to part with, so they say.” (The succeeding stanzas are to be read two and two, as may easily be seen.) “ Sujampati among the gods, the same Here among men called Maghava by name, [404] He taught me hitherward to wend my way, Begging, and for an eye to urge my claim. “'Tis the all-chiefest gift for which I pray! Give me an eye! O do not say me nay! Give me an eye, that chiefest gift of gifts, So hard for men to part with, as they say!” “The wish that brought thee hitherward, the wish that did arise Within thee, be that wish fulfilled. Here, brahmin, take my eyes.

“One eye thou didst request of me: behold, I give thee two! Go with good sight, in all the people’s view; So be thy wish fulfilled and now come true.” So much the king said. But, thinking it not mcet that he should root out his eyes and bestow them there and then, he brought the brahmin indoors with him, and sitting on the royal throne, sent for a surgeon named Sivaka. ‘Take out my eye,” he then said. Now all the city rang with the news, that the king wished to tear out his eyes and give, them toa brahmin. Then the commander-in-chief, and all the other officials, and those beloved of the king, gathered together from city and harem, and recited three stanzas, that they might turn the king from his purpose : “O do not give thine eye, my lord; desert us not, O king! Give money, pearls and coral give, and many a precious thing: “Give thorobreds caparisoned, forth be the chariots rolled, O king, drive up the elephants all fine with cloth of gold: [405] “These give, O king! that we may all preserve thee safe and sound, Thy faithful people, with our cars and chariots ranged around.”

1 Vanibbako in line 3 seems to be written by dittography. Some genitive would be looked for, and Fausbfll’s vanibbino may be right; the form occurs in iii. 312. 4 (Pali). Hereupon the king recited three stanzas: “The soul which, having sworn to give, is then unfaithful found, Puts his own neck within a snare low hidden on the ground. “The soul which, having sworn to give, is then unfaithful found, More sinful is than sin, and he to Yama’s house! is bound. “Unasked give nothing; neither give the thing he asketh not, This therefore which the brahmin asks, I give it on the spot.” Then the courtiers asked, ‘‘ What do you desire in giving your eyes?” repeating a stanza : “Life, beauty, joy, or strength—what is the prize, O king, which motive for your deed supplies ? Why should the king of Sivi-land supreme For the next world’s sake thus give up his eyes ?” [406] The king answered them in a stanza: “Tn giving thus, not glory is my goal, Not sons, not wealth, or kingdoms to control: This is the good old way of holy men; Of giving gifts enamoured is my soul.”2 To the Great Being’s words the courtiers answered nothing; so the Great Being addressed Sivaka the surgeon in a stanza: “A friend and comrade, Sivaka, art thou: Do as I bid thee—thou hast skill enow— Take? out my eyes, for this is my desire, And in the beggar’s hands bestow them now.”

But Sivaka said, “Bethink you, my lord! to give one’s eyes is no light thing.” —“‘Sivaka, I have considered; [407] don’t delay, nor talk too much in my presence.” Then he thought, “It is not fitting that a skilful surgeon like me should pierce a king’s eyes with the lancet,” so he pounded a number of simples, rubbed a blue lotus with the powder, and brushed it over the right eye: round rolled the eye, and there was great pain. ‘‘ Reflect, my king, I can make it all right.”—“‘Go on, friend, no delay, please.” Again he rubbed in the powder, and brushed it over the eye: the eye started from the socket, the pain was worse than before. “Reflect, my king, I can still restore it.”—“ Be quick with the job!” A third time he smeared a sharper powder, and applied it: by the drug’s power round went the eye, out it came from the socket, and hung dangling at the end of the tendon. “Reflect, my king, I can yet restore it again.” —“Be quick.” The pain was extreme, blood was trickling, the king’s 1 The scholiast explains this to mean Hell. 2 The scholiast adds: ‘The supreme Buddha, while explaining the Cariyd-pitaka to Sariputta, Captain of the Faith, to make clear the saying that omniscience was dearer even than both eyes,’ quoted two lines from the Cariyd-pitaka, p. 78, 16—17, beginning na me dessd...

3 Reading laddha tvam as two words. 254 The Jataka. Book XV. garments were stained with the blood. The king’s women and the courtiers fell at his feet, crying, “My lord, do not sacrifice your eyes!” loudly they wept and wailed. The king endured the pain, and said, “ My friend, be quick.” ‘“ Very well, my lord,” said the physician ; and with his left hand grasping the eyeball took a knife in his right, and severing the tendon, laid the eye in the Great Being’s hand’. He, gazing with his left eye at the right and enduring the pain, said, ‘‘ Brahmin, come here.” When the brahmin came near, he went on—“The eye of omniscience is dearer than this eye a hundred fold, aye a thousand fold: there you have my reason for this action,” and he gave it to the brahmin, who raised it and placed it in his own eye socket. There it remained fixt by his power like a blue lotus in bloom. When the Great Being with his left eye saw that eye in his head, he cried—“ Ah, how good is this my gift of an eye!” [408] and thrilled straightway with the joy that had arisen within him, he gave the other eye also. Sakka placed this also in the place of his own eye, and departed from the king’s palace, and then from the city, with the gaze of the multitude upon him, and went away to the world of gods.

The Master, explaining this, repeated a stanza and a half: “So Sivi spurred on Sivaka, and he fulfilled his mind. He drew the king’s eyes out, and to the brahmin these consigned: And now the brahmin had the eyes, and now the king was blind.” In a short while the king’s eyes began to grow; as they grew, and before they reached the top of the holes, a lump of flesh rose up inside like a ball of wool, filling the cavity ; they were like a doll’s eyes, but the pain ceased. The Great Being remained in the palace a few days. Then he thought, ‘‘What has a blind man to do with ruling? I will hand over my kingdom to the courtiers, and go into my park, and become an ascetic, and live as a holy man.” He summoned his courtiers, and told them what he intended to do. ‘‘One man,” said he, “shall be with me, to wash my face, and so forth, and to do all that is proper, and you must fasten a cord to guide me to the retiring places.” Then calling for his charioteer, he bade him prepare the chariot. But the courtiers would not allow him to go in the chariot; they brought him out in a golden litter, and set him down by the lake side, and then, guarding him all around, returned. The king sat in the litter thinking of his gift.

At that moment Sakka’s throue became hot; and he pondering perceived the reason. ‘I will offer the king a boon,” thought he, ‘“‘and make his eye well again.” So to that place he came; and not far off from the Great Being, he walked up and down, up and down. 1 This scene appears to be represented on the Stupa of Bharhut: see Cunningham, Plate xuvirr. 2. To explain this the Master recited these stanzas : “A few days past; the eyes began to heal, and sound to appear: The fostering king of Sivi then sent for his charioteer. [409] ‘‘ Prepare the chariot, charioteer; to me then make it known: I go to park and wood and lake with lilies overgrown.’ “He sat him in a litter by the waterside, and here Sujampati, the king of gods, great Sakka, did appear.” “Who is that?” cried the Great Being, when he heard the sound of the footsteps. Sakka repeated a stanza : “Sakka, the king of gods, am I; to visit thee I came: Choose thou a boon, O royal sage! whate’er thy wish may name.” The king replied with another stanza : “Wealth, strength, and treasure without end, these I have left behind:

O Sakka, death and nothing more I want: for I am blind.” Then Sakka said, ‘“ Do you ask death, King Sivi, because you wish to die, or because you are blind?”—“ Because I am blind, my lord.”—‘‘ The gift is not everything in itself, your majesty, it is given with an eye to the future. Yet there is a motive relating to this visible world. Now you were asked for one eye, and gave two; make an Act of Truth about it.” Then he began a stanza: “Q warrior, lord of biped kind, declare the thing that’s true: If you the truth declare, your eye shall be restored to you.” On hearing this, the Great Being replied, “If you wish to give me an eye, Sakka, do not try any other means, but let my eye be restored asa consequence of my gift.” Sakka said, ‘Though they call me Sakka, king of the gods, your majesty, yet I cannot give an eye to any one else; but by the fruit of the gift by thee given, and by nothing else, your eye shall be restored to you.” Then the other repeated a stanza, maintaining that his gift was well given :

[410] “ Whatever sort, whatever kind of suitor shall draw near, Whoever comes to ask of me, he to my heart is dear: If these my solemn words be true, now let my eye appear!” Even as he uttered the words, one of his eyes grew up in the socket. Then he repeated a couple of stanzas to restore the other : “ A brahmin came to visit me, one of my eyes to crave: Unto that brahmin mendicant the pair of them I gave. “A greater joy and more delight that action did afford. If these my solemn words be true, be the other eye restored !” On the instant appeared his second eye. But these eyes of his were neither natural nor divine. An eye given by Sakka as the brahmin, cannot be natural, we know; on the other hand, a divine eye cannot be produced in anything that is injured. [411] But these eyes are called the 256 The Jataka. Book XV. eyes of Truth Absolute and Perfect. At the time when they came into existence, the whole royal retinue by Sakka’s power was assembled ; and Sakka standing in the midst of the throng, uttered praise in a couple of stanzas ; Z

“O fostering King of Sivi land, these holy hymns of thine Have gained for thee as bounty free this pair of eyes divine. “Through rock and wall, o’er hill and dale, whatever bar may be, A hundred leagues on every side those eyes of thine shall see.” Having uttered these stanzas, poised in the air before the multitude, with a last counsel to the Great Being that he should be vigilant, Sakka returned to the world of gods. And the Great Being, surrounded by his retinue, went back in great pomp to the city, and entered the palace called Candaka, the Peacock’s Eye. The news that he had got his eyes again spread abroad all through the Kingdom of Sivi. All the people gathered together to see him, with gifts in their hands. ‘Now all this multitude is come together,” thought the Great Being, ‘‘I shall praise my gift that I gave.” He caused a great pavilion to be put up at the palace gate, where he seated himself upon the royal throne, with the white umbrella spread above him. Then the drum was sent beating about the city, to collect all the trade guilds’. Then he said, “‘O people of Sivi! now you have beheld these divine eyes, never eat food without giving something away!” and he repeated four stanzas, declaring the Law:

“ Who, if he’s asked to give, would answer no, Although it be his best and choicest prize ? People of Sivi thronged in concourse, ho ! Come hither, see the gift of God, my eyes! [412] Through rock and wall, o’er hill and dale, whatever bar may be, A hundred leagues on every side these eyes of mine can see. “Self-sacrifice in all men mortal living, Of all things is most fine: I sacrificed a mortal eye; and giving, Received an eye divine. “See, people! see, give ere ye eat, let others have a share. This done with your best will and care, Blameless to heaven you shall repair.” In these four verses he declared the Law; and after that, every fortnight, on the holy day, even every fifteenth day, he declared the Law in these same verses without cessation to a great gathering of people. Hearing which, the people gave alms and did good deeds, and went to swell the hosts of heaven. When the Master had ended this discourse, he said, “Thus Brethren, wise men of old gave to any chance comer, who was not content with outside gifts, even their own eyes, taken out of their head.” Then he identified the Birth: “At that time Ananda was Sivaka the physician, Anaruddha was Sakka, the Buddha's followers were the people, and I myself was King Sivi.”

* This should strictly be -seniyo: perhaps all the officers or soldiers, compare ii, 12, 8, 52. 21.

“Of wisdom full,” etc.—This Problem of Sirimanda will be given at large in the Maha-ummagga!,

[413] “In fear of death,” ete.—This story the Master told while dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, about the reverend Ananda, who made renunciation of his lite. This renunciation will be described in Book XXI., under the Culla-hamsa Birth?, the Subduing of Dhanapala. When this reverend man had renounced his life for the Master’s sake, they gossiped about it in the Hall of Truth: “Sirs, the reverend Ananda, having attained to the detailed knowledge of the course of religious training, renounced his life for the Dasabala.” The Master came in, asking what they spoke of as they sat there. They told him. Said he, ‘Brothers, this is not the first time he has laid down his life for my sake; he has done it before.” Then he told them a story of the past. Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, his chief consort’s name was Khema. At that time the Bodhisatta was born in the Himalaya region, as a stag: golden-hued he was and beautiful, and his younger brother, named Citta-miga, or Dapple Deer, was also of the colour of gold, and so also his younger sister Sutana. Now the Great Being’s name was Rohanta, and he was king of the deer. Traversing two ranges of the mountains, in the third he lived beside a lake called Lake Rohanta, and surrounded by a herd of eighty thousand deer, He used to support his parents, who were old and blind.

Now a hunter,.who lived in a village of hunters near Benares, came to the Himalayas, and saw the Great Being. He returned to his 1 No. 546, vol. vi. 329 (Pali). 2 No. 533, vol. v. 333 (Pali). 258 The Jataka. Book XV. village, and on his death-bed told his son, “My boy, in such a part of our hunting-ground there is a golden deer; if the king should ask, you may tell him of it.” One day Queen Khema, in the dawning, saw a dream, and this was the manner of that dream. A gold-coloured stag sat on a golden seat, and he discoursed to the queen on the Law with a honey-sweet voice, like the sound of a golden bell tinkling. She listened with great delight to this discoursing, but before the discourse was ended the deer rose and went away; and she awoke, crying out—‘“‘Catch me the stag!” The attendants, hearing her cry, burst out a-laughing. ‘Here’s the house shut close, door and window; not even a breath of air can get in, and at such a time my lady calls out to catch her the stag!” [414] By this time she understood that it was a dream. But she said to herself, “If I say, it is a dream, the king will make no account of it; but if I say, it is my woman’s craving, he will attend to it with all care. I will hear the discourse of the golden stag!” Then she lay down as though sick.

The king came in: ‘‘What is wrong with my queen?” said he. ‘Oh, my lord, only my natural craving.”—“ What do you wish?”—‘“T wish to hear the discourse of a righteous golden stag.”—“ Why, my lady, what you crave does not exist: there is no such thing as a golden stag.” She said, ‘If I don’t get it, die I must on the spot.” She turned her back on the king, and lay still. “If there is one, it shall be caught,” said the king. Then he questioned his courtiers and brahmins, just as in the Peacock Birth', whether there were such things as golden deer, Finding that there were, he summoned the huntsmen, and asked, “ Which of you has seen or heard of such a creature?” The son of the hunter we spoke of told the story as he heard it. ‘My man,” said the king, “when you bring me this deer I will reward you richly ; go and bring it here.” He gave the money for his expenses, and dismissed him. The man said, “ Never fear: if I cannot bring the stag I will bring his skin; if I can’t get that I will bring his hair.” Then the man returned home, and gave the king’s money to his family. Then he went out and saw the royal stag. ‘ Where shall I lay my snare,’ he mused, ‘‘so as to catch him?” He saw his chance at the drinking-place. He twisted a stout cord of leather thongs, and set it with a pole at the place where the Great Being went down to drink water.

Next day, the Great Being with the eighty thousand deer during his search for food came thither to drink water at the usual ford. Just as he was going down, he was caught in the noose. Then he thought, “If I cry out the cry of capture’, all my troop will flee in 1 Mora-jataka ; No. 129, Vol. ii. p. 53. Correct vol. ii. 153 (trans. p. 109) and iii. 184 (p. 122), where it is translated (with Childers) ‘loud and long,’ ‘a succession of cries.’ terror without drinking.” [415] Although he was. fast at the end of the pole, he stood pretending to drink, as if he were free. When the eighty thousand deer had drunk, and now stood clear of the water, he thrice jerked at the noose, to break it if possible. The first time he cut his skin, the second time cut into his flesh, and the third time he strained a tendon, so that the snare touched the bone. Then, unable to break it, he uttered the cry of capture: all the herd of deer fled terrified in three troops. Citta-miga could not see the Great Being in any of the three troops: “This danger,” thought he, “which has come upon us, has fallen on my brother.” Then returning, he saw him there fast caught. The Great Being caught sight of him, and cried, “Don’t stand there, brother, there is danger here!” Then, urging him to flee, he repeated the first stanza :

“In fear of death, O Cittaka, those herds of creatures flee: Go thou with them, and linger not, for they shall live with thee.” The three stanzas which follow are said by the two alternately : “No, no, Rohanta, [ll not go; my heart has drawn me near; I’m ready to lay down my life, I will not leave thee here.” “Then blind, with none to care for them, our parents! both must die: O go, and let them live with thee: O do not linger nigh!” “No, no, Rohanta, Tl not go; my heart has drawn me near; Tm ready to lay down my life, I will not leave thee here.” [416] He took his stand, supporting the Bodhisatta on the right side, and cheering him. Sutana also, the young doe, ran about among the deer, but could not find her brothers anywhere. ‘This danger,” she thought, “must have fallen upon my brothers.” She turned back and came to them ; and the Great Being, as he saw her come, repeated the fifth stanza : “Go, timid doe, and run away; an iron snare holds me: Go with the rest, and linger not, and they shall live with thee.”

The three next stanzas are said alternately as before : “No, no, Rohanta, Pll not go; my heart has drawn me near; I’m ready to lay down my life, I will not leave thee here.” “Then blind, with none to care for them, our parents both must die: O go, and let them live with thee: O do not linger nigh!” “No, no, Rohanta, I’ll not go; my heart has drawn me near; I'll lose my life, but never leave thee snared and captured here.” Thus she also refused to obey; and stood by his left side consoling him. Now the huntsman saw the deer scampering off, and heard the cry of capture. “It must be the king of the herd is caught!” he said ; and, tightening his girdle, he grasped the spear to give him the death, 1 The word ‘parents’ is supplied by the scholiast: it is ‘those’ in the text. 260 The Jataka. Book XV. and ran quickly up. The Great Being repeated the ninth stanza as he saw him coming: “The furious hunter, arms.in hand, see him approaching near! And he will slay us here to-day with, arrow or with spear.” [417] Citta did not flee, though he saw the man. But Sutana, not being strong enough to stand still, ran a little way for fear of death. Then with the thought—“ Where shall I flee if I desert my two brothers?” she returned again, renouncing her own life’, with death on her brow, and stood by the left side of her brother.

To explain this, the Master recited the tenth stanza : “The tender doe in panic fear a little way did fly, Then did a thing most hard to do, for she returned to die.” When the hunter came up, he saw these three creatures standing together. A pitiful thought arose in his heart, as he guessed they were brothers and sister born of one womb, “Only the king of the herd,” thought he, ‘is caught in the snare; the other two are bound with the ties of honour. What kin can they be to him?” which question he asked thus : “What are these deer that wait upon the prisoner, though free, Nor for the sake of very life will leave him here, and flee?” Then the Bodhisatta answered : “My brother and my sister these, of one same mother born: Nor for the sake of very life will leave me here forlorn.” These words made his heart more exceedingly soft. Citta, that royal stag, perceiving that his heart grew soft, said, “Friend hunter, do not imagine that this creature is a deer and no more. He is king of fourscore thousand deer, one of virtuous life, tenderhearted to all creatures, of great wisdom ; he supports his sire and dam, now blind and old. If you slay a righteous being like this, in slaying him you slay dam and sire, my sister and me, all five; but if you grant my brother his life, you bestow life on the five of us.” [418] Then he repeated a stanza :

“Grown blind, with none to care for them, they both will perish so: O grant thou life to all the five, and let my brother go!” When the hunter heard this pious discourse, he was glad at heart. “Fear not, my lord,” said he, and repeated the next stanza: “So be it: see I now set free the parent-fostering deer: His parents when they find him safe shall make a merry cheer.” ‘ i.e, accepting death as her fate (written on the forehead). As he said this, he thought: “ What do I want with the king and his honours? If I hurt this royal deer, either the earth will gape and swallow me up, or a thunderbolt will fall and strike me. I will let him go.” So approaching the Great Being, he pulled down the pole, and cut the leather thong; then he embraced the deer, and laid him close to the water, tenderly and gently loosed him out of the noose, joined the ends of the tendon, and the lips of the flesh-wound, and the edges of the skin, washed off the blood with water, pitifully chafed him again and again. By the ' power of his love and the Great Being’s perfection all grew whole again, sinews, flesh, and skin: hide and hair covered the foot: no one could have guessed where he had been wounded. The Great Being stood there, full of happiness. Citta looked on him and rejoiced, and rendered thanks to the hunter in this stanza :

“Hunter, be happy now, and may thy kindred happy be, As I am happy to behold the mighty stag set free.” Now the Great Being thought, “Is it of his own doing this hunter snared me, or at the bidding of another?” and he asked the cause of his capture. “The huntsman said: “ My lord, I have nothing to do with you; but the king’s consort, Khema, desires to hear you discourse of righteous- ness ; therefore I snared you at the king’s bidding.”—“ That being so, my good friend, you did a bold thing to set me free. [419] Come, bring me to the king, and I will discourse before the queen.”—‘“‘ Indeed, my lord, kings are cruel. Who knows what may come of it? I don’t care for any honour the king might show me: go where you will.” But again the Great Being thought it was a bold thing to set him free; he must give him a chance of winning the promised honour. So he said, “ Friend, chafe my back with your hand.” He did so; his hand became covered with golden hairs. ‘‘ What shall I do with these hairs, my lord?”—‘‘Take them, my friend, show them to the king and queen, tell them here are hairs from that golden stag; take my place, and discourse to them in the words of these verses I shall repeat: when she hears you, that will alone be sufficient to satisfy her craving.” “ Recite the Law, O king!” said the man ;

and the other taught him ten stanzas of the holy life, and described the Five Virtues, and dismissed him with a warning to be vigilant. The hunter treated the Great Being as one would treat a teacher: thrice he walked round him right-wise, did the four obeisances, and wrapping the hairs in a lotus leaf went away. The three animals accompanied him for a little way, then after feeding and drinking, returned to their parents.

Father and mother questioned him: ‘‘ Rohanta, my son, we heard you were caught, and how came you free?” They put the question in a stanza : “ How didst thou win thy liberty when life was nearly done: How did the hunter set thee free from treacherous trap, my son?” 262 The Jataka. Book XV. In answer to which the Bodhisatta repeated three stanzas : “Cittaka won me liberty with words that charmed the ear, That touched the heart, that pierced the heart, words uttered sweet and clear. “ Sutana won me liberty with words that charmed the ear, That touched the heart, that pierced the heart, words uttered sweet and clear. [420] “The hunter gave me liberty, these charming words to hear, f That touched the heart, that pierced the heart, words uttered sweet and clear. His parents expressed their gratitude, saying : “He with his wife and family, O happy may they be, As we are happy to behold Rohanta now set free!” Now the huntsman came out of the wood, and went to the king; then saluting him stood on one side. * The king when he saw him said: “Come tell me, hunter: dost thou say, ‘See the deer’s hide I bring’: Or hast thou no deer’s hide to show because of any thing?”

The hunter replied : “Into my hands the creature came, into my privy snare, And was fast caught: but others, free, attended on him there. “Then pity made my flesh to creep, a pity strange and new. If I should slay this deer (thought I) then I shall perish too.” “ What were these deer, O hunter, what their nature and their ways, What colour theirs, what quality, to merit such high praise?” The king put this question several times over, as one much astonished. The hunter replied in this stanza: [421] With silvery horns and graceful shape, with hide and fell most bright, Red slot, and shining brilliant eyes all lovely to the sight.” As he repeated this stanza, the huntsman placed in the king’s hand those golden hairs of the Great Being, and in another verse summed up the description of the character of these deer : “‘Such is their nature and their ways, my lord, and such these deer: They used to find their parents food: I could not fetch them here.” In these words he-described the qualities of the Great Being, and of the stag Citta, and of Sutana the doe; adding this, “The royal stag, O king, showed me his hairs, commanding me to take his place, and to declare the Law before the queen in ten stanzas of a holy life.” [422] Then sitting upon a golden throne, he declared the Law in those stanzas.

1 The Burmese recension reads: Then the king seated him on his royal throne inlaid with seven kinds of jewels; and sitting himself with his queen on a lowly seat, placed to one side, with a reverential obeisance, he begged him to speak. The hunter spoke thus, declaring the Law; “Unto thy parents, warrior king, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. “To wife and child, O warrior king, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. The queen’s craving was satisfied. The king was pleased, and repeated these stanzas, as he rewarded the huntsman with great honour: “A jewelled earring give I thee, a hundred drachms of gold, A lovely throne like flower of flax, with cushions laid fourfold}, “Two wives of equal rank and worth, a bull and kine five score, My benefactor! and I'll rule with justice evermore. “Trade, farming, gleaning®, usury, whate’er thy calling be, See that thou sin not, but by these support thy family.” [423] When he heard these words of the king’s, he answered, “No house or home for me; grant me, my lord, to become an ascetic.” The king’s consent given, he handed over the king’s rich gifts to his wife and family, and went away to Himalaya, where he embraced the ascetic life, and cultivated the Eight Attainments, and became destined for Brahma’s world. And the king clave to the Great One’s teaching, and went to swell the hosts of heaven. The teaching endured for a thousand years.

_ This discourse ended, the Master said, “‘Thus, Brethren, long ago as now Ananda renounced life for my sake.” Then he identified the Birth: “At that time, Channa was the huntsman, and Sariputta the king, a sister was Queen Khema; some of the king’s family were the father and mother, Uppalavanna was Sutana, Ananda was Citta, the Sakiya clan were the eighty thousand deer, and I was myself the royal stag Rohanta.” “To friends and courtiers, warrior king, do righteously ; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. “In war and travel, warrior king, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. “In town and village, warrior king, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. “In every land and realm, O king, do righteously; and so By following a vighteous life to heaven the king shall go. “To brahmins and ascetics all, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. “To beasts and birds, O warrior king, do righteously; and so By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go.

“Do righteously, O warrior king; from this all blessings flow: By following a righteous life to heaven the king shall go. ‘‘ With watchful vigilance, O king, on paths of goodness go: The brahmins, Indra, and the gods have won their godhead so, ‘These are the maxims told of old: and following wisdom’s ways The goddess of all happiness herself to heaven did raise.” In this manner did the huntsman declare the Law, as the Great Being had shown him, with a Buddha’s skill, as though he were bringing down to earth the heavenly Ganges. The crowd with a thousand voices cried approval. The queen’s longing was satisfied when she heard the discourse. 1 catussado is so explained by the scholiast. On p. 309. 26 (=p. 195 note 2 above) he paraphrases it as ‘rich in four different things’ there specified. The word ussado is derived by Childers from Skt. uwtsad and rendered ‘protuberance.’ It also may mean ‘sprinkled’ or ‘covered’ (Skt. wtsddita), iii. 512. 10, iv. 60. 6. 2 The MS, wiichdcariydya gives a syllable too many, and should perhaps be wichacariyd, then the sentence is anacoluthice. 264 The Jataka. Book XV. “There go the birds,” etc.—This story the Master told while dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, about Elder Ananda’s renunciation of life. Then also the Brethren were talking in the Hall of Truth about the Elder’s good qualities, when the Master came in and asked them what they sat talking of there. He said, “This is not the first time, Brethren, that Ananda has renounced his life for my sake, but he did the same before.” And then he told them a story of the past.