Chapter V:
Parables from Early Sources on
Divers Subjects
20. The Birds
Nobody loves a beggar.
Vinaya iii. 147-148.
[73] On a certain occasion the Exalted One reproved the monks for begging. Said he:
In olden times a certain monk dwelt on a slope of Himavat in a certain forest-grove. Not far from that forest-grove was a great marsh, a swamp. Now a large flock of birds sought food in that swamp in the daytime, returning to that forest-grove at eventide to roost. Now that monk, driven away by the noise of that flock of birds, approached me, and having approached, saluted me and sat down on one side. And as he sat on one side, I said this to that monk:
“I trust, monk, that you have suffered no discomfort. I trust that you have received sufficient sustenance. I trust that you have made your journey without fatigue. And, monk, whence have you come?”
“I have suffered no discomfort, Exalted One. I have received sufficient sustenance. I have made my journey without fatigue. Reverend Sir, on a slope of Himavat is a large forest-grove. And not far from that forest-grove is a great marsh, a swamp. Now a large flock of birds seek food in that swamp in the daytime, returning to that forest-grove at eventide to roost. Thence, Reverend Sir, do I come, driven away by the noise of that flock of birds.”
“But, monk, do you wish that flock of birds never to come back again?” “I wish that flock of birds never to come back again.”
“Well then, monk, go there, plunge into that forest-grove, and throughout the watches of the night cry out: ‘Let the pretty birds [74] hear me, as many as roost in this forest-grove! I want feathers! Let the pretty birds each give me a feather!’“
So that monk went there, plunged into that forest-grove, and throughout the watches of the night cried out: “Let the pretty birds hear me, as many as roost in this forest-grove! I want feathers! Let the pretty birds each give me a feather!”
Thereupon that flock of birds, reflecting, “The monk begs feathers, the monk wants feathers,” departed from that forest grove. When they departed, they departed indeed, and never came back again.
“For, monks, to living beings in the form of animals, begging is said to have been offensive, hinting is said to have been offensive. How much more so must it be to human beings!”
21. The Monkey
Walk not in forbidden ground.
Saṁyutta v. 148-149.
Thus have I heard: Once upon a time the Exalted One was in residence at Sāvatthi, at Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Grove. At that time the Exalted One addressed the monks: “Monks!” “Reverend Sir!” replied those monks to the Exalted One. The Exalted One said this:
Monks, there are regions of Himavat king of mountains that are rough and uneven, where neither monkeys go nor men. Monks, there are regions of Himavat king of mountains that are rough and uneven, where monkeys go but men do not. Monks, there are portions of Himavat king of mountains that are smooth and delightful, where monkeys go and also men.
There, monks, cruel men spread lime in the monkey-trails to torment the monkeys. There, monks, monkeys that are not foolish and greedy, seeing that lime, keep far away. But the monkey that is foolish and greedy, on approaching that lime, grasps it with the hand; there he sticks! “I will free my hand,” says he, and grasps with his other hand; there he sticks! “I will free both hands,” says he, and grasps with the foot; there he sticks! “I will free both hands and foot,” says he and grasps with the other foot; there he sticks! “I will free both hands and feet,” says he, and grasps with the snout; there he sticks!
Thus, monks, that monkey, smeared with lime five times, lies on his breast, having met with misfortune, having met with disaster, [75] the sport of the cruel man. Then, monks, the cruel man impales him, disposes of him on that very bed of coals prepared with sticks of wood, and goes wherever he pleases.
The Teacher, having proclaimed the Truths by the narration of this fable, identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the hawk was Devadatta, but the quail was I myself.”
22. Blind Men and Elephant
Avoid vain wrangling.
Udāna vi. 4:66-69.
Thus have I heard: Once upon a time the Exalted One was in residence at Sāvatthi, at Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Grove. Now at that time there entered Sāvatthi for alms a company of heretics, both monks and Brahmans, wandering ascetics, holding heretical views, patient of heresy, delighting in heresy, relying upon the reliance of heretical views. There were some monks and Brahmans who held this doctrine, who held this view: “The world is eternal. This view alone is truth; any other is folly.” But there were other monks and Brahmans who held this view: “The world is not eternal. This view alone is truth; any other is folly.” Some held that the world is finite, others that the world is infinite. Some held that the soul and the body are identical, others that the soul and the body are distinct. Some held that the Tathāgata exists after death, others that the Tathāgata does not exist after death. Some held that the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death, others that the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.
They quarreled and brawled and wrangled and struck one another with the daggers of their tongues, saying: “This is right, that is not right;” “This is not right, that is right.”
Now in the morning a company of monks put on their under garments, took bowl and robe, and entered Sāvatthi for alms. And when they had made their alms-pilgrimage in Sāvatthi, they returned from their pilgrimage. And when they had eaten their breakfast, they approached the Exalted One. And having approached, they saluted the Exalted One and sat down on one side. And sitting on one side, those monks reported the matter to the Exalted One.
“The heretics, O monks, the wandering ascetics, are blind, without eyes; know not good, know not evil; know not right, know not wrong. Knowing not good, knowing not evil, knowing not right, knowing not wrong, they quarrel and brawl and wrangle and strike one another with the daggers of their tongues, saying: ‘This is right, that is not right;’ ‘This is not right, that is right.’ ”
In olden times, in this very city of Sāvatthi, there was a certain king. And that king ordered a certain man: “Come, my man, assemble in one place all the men in Sāvatthi who are blind from [76] birth.” “Yes, your majesty,” said that man to that king. And when, in obedience to the king’s command, he had laid hands on all the men in Sāvatthi who were blind from birth, he approached that king. And having approached, he said this to that king: “Your majesty, the blind from birth in Sāvatthi are assembled for you.” “Very well! Now let the blind men feel of the elephant.” “Yes, your majesty,” said that man to that king. And in obedience to the king’s command he let the blind men feel of the elephant, saying: ‘This, blind men, is what an elephant is like.’“
Some of the blind men he let feel of the elephant’s head, saying: “This, O blind men, is what an elephant is like.” Some of the blind men he let feel of the elephant’s ears, saying: “This, O blind men, is what an elephant is like.” Some of the blind men he let feel of the elephant’s tusks, saying: “This, O blind men, is what an elephant is like.” Others he let feel of the trunk, saying the same. Others he let feel of the belly, others of the legs, others of the back, others of the member, others of the tail, saying to each and to all: “This, O blind men, is what an elephant is like.”
Now when that man had let the blind men feel of the elephant, he approached that king. And having approached, he said this to that king: “Your majesty, those blind men have felt of the elephant; do as you think fit.”
Then that king approached those blind men. And having approached, he said this to those blind men: “Blind men, have you felt of the elephant?” “Yes, your majesty, we have felt of the elephant.” “Tell me, blind men, what is an elephant like?”
The blind men who had felt of the elephant’s head, said: “Your majesty, an elephant is like a water-pot.” The blind men who had felt of the elephant’s ears, said: “Your majesty, an elephant is like a winnowing-basket.” The blind men who had felt of the elephant’s tusks, said: “Your majesty, an elephant is like a plow share.” Those who had felt of the trunk, said: “An elephant is like a plow-pole.” Those who had felt of the belly, said: “An elephant is like a granary.” Those who had felt of the legs, said: “An elephant is like pillars.” Those who had felt of the back, said: “An elephant is like a mortar.” Those who had felt of the member, said: “An elephant is like a pestle.” The blind men who had felt of the elephant’s tail, said: “Your majesty, an elephant is like a fan.”
And they fought among themselves with their fists, saying: [77]
“This is what an elephant is like, that is not what an elephant is like;” “This is not what an elephant is like, that is what an elephant is like.” And thereat that king was delighted.
“Precisely so, O monks, the heretics, the wandering ascetics, are blind, without eyes; know not good, know not evil; know not right, know not wrong. Knowing not good, knowing not evil, knowing not right, knowing not wrong, they quarrel and brawl and wrangle and strike one another with the daggers of their tongues, saying: ‘This is right, that is not right;’ ‘This is not right, that is right.’ ”
23. The Anger-Eating Ogre
Refrain from anger.
Saṁyutta i. 237-238.
Thus have I heard: Once upon a time the Exalted One was in residence at Sāvatthi, at Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Grove. At that time the Exalted One addressed the monks: “Monks!” “Reverend Sir!” said those monks to the Exalted One in reply. The Exalted One said this:
In former times, monks, a certain ogre, ill-favored, dwarfish, sat in the seat of Sakka king of gods. Thereat, monks, the gods of the Thirty-three became annoyed, offended, indignant: “O how wonderful, O how marvelous, that this ogre, ill-favored, dwarfish, should sit in the seat of Sakka king of gods!”
The more, monks, the gods of the Thirty-three became annoyed, offended, indignant, the more did that ogre become handsome and pleasing to look upon and gracious. Then, monks, the gods of the Thirty-three approached Sakka king of gods. And having approached, they said this to Sakka king of gods:
“Here, Sire, a certain ogre, ill-favored, dwarfish, sits in your seat. Thereat, Sire, the gods of the Thirty-three are annoyed, offended, indignant: ‘O how wonderful, O how marvelous, that this ogre, ill-favored, dwarfish, should sit in the seat of Sakka king of gods!’ The more, Sire, the gods of the Thirty-three become annoyed, offended, indignant, the more does that ogre become handsome and pleasing to look upon and gracious. For, Sire, of a surety he must be an anger-eating ogre!”
Thereupon, monks, Sakka king of gods approached that anger-eating ogre. And having approached, he adjusted his upper robe [78] so as to cover one shoulder only, touched his right kneepan to the ground, bent his joined hands in reverent salutation before that anger-eating ogre, and thrice proclaimed his name: “Sire, I am Sakka king of gods! Sire, I am Sakka king of gods! Sire, I am Sakka king of gods!”
The more, monks, Sakka king of gods proclaimed his name, the more did that ogre become ill-favored and dwarfish. And having become more ill-favored and dwarfish, he then and there disappeared.
Then, monks, Sakka king of gods sat down in his own seat, and appealing to the gods of the Thirty-three, uttered at that time the following stanzas:
I am not easily vexed in spirit,
I am not easily led into a turning,
I do not cherish anger long, be sure;
Anger has no abiding-place in me.
I speak no harsh words in anger,
I do not praise my own virtues,
I restrain myself,
Intent on my own good.