25.2 The Story about the Goose-Killing Bhikkhu
Haṁsaghātakabhikkhuvatthu

“One who controls his hands,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain goose-killing bhikkhu. {4.87} [30.345]

It seems that two residents of Sāvatthī went forth, and were admitted to full membership in the Saṅgha, and becoming fast friends, usually went about together. One day they went to the river Aciravatī, and after bathing, stood on the bank basking themselves in the rays of the sun, engaged in pleasant conversation.

At that moment two geese came flying through the air. Thereupon one of the young bhikkhus, picking up a pebble, said: “I am going to hit one of these young geese in the eye.” – “You can’t do it,” said the other. “You just wait,” said the first: “I will hit the eye on this side of him, and then I will hit the eye on the other side of him.” – “You can’t do that, either,” said the second. “Well then, see for yourself,” said the first, and taking a second pebble, threw it after the goose. The goose, hearing the stone whiz through the air, turned his head and looked back. Then the second bhikkhu picked up a round stone and threw it in such a way that it hit the eye on the far side and came out of the eye on the near side. The goose gave a cry of pain, and tumbling through the air, fell at the feet of the two bhikkhus.

Some bhikkhus who stood near saw it and said to the bhikkhu who had killed the goose: “Friend, after going forth in the dispensation of the Buddha, you have done a most unbecoming thing in taking the life of a living creature.” And taking the two bhikkhus with them, they arraigned them before the Realised One. The Teacher asked the bhikkhu who had killed the goose: “Bhikkhu, is it true that you have taken the life of a living creature?” – “Yes, venerable Sir,” replied the bhikkhu, “it is true.”

The Teacher said: “Bhikkhu, how comes it that after going forth in such a dispensation as mine, which leads out, you have done such a thing as this? Wise men of old, before the Buddha appeared in the world, though they lived amid the cares of the household life, entertained scruples about matters of the most trifling character. {4.88} But you, although you went forth in the dispensation of the Buddha, have felt no scruples at all.” And in response to a request of the bhikkhus the Teacher related the following

2a. Story of the Past: The Birth Story about the Kuru Morality

In times long past, when Dhanañjaya ruled over the kingdom of Kuru in the city of Indapattana, the Bodhisatta received a new conception in the womb of his chief consort. When he reached years of discretion, he acquired the arts and crafts at Takkasilā, and [30.246] on his return home was appointed to the office of viceroy by his father. On the death of his father he succeeded to the throne. He kept inviolate the ten virtues of a king, and likewise practiced the Kuru morality. AJ: Kurudhamma. The Kuru morality are the five precepts, and these the Bodhisatta kept whole and undefiled. And even as the Bodhisatta practiced the Kuru morality, so also did his mother, his principal queen, his younger brother the viceroy, the Brahmin chaplain, the courtier who was his driver, his charioteer, his rich man, the minister who was the steward of his granaries, his gate-keeper, and the slave-girl who was his concubine: eleven persons in all.

At the same time Kaliṅga ruled over the kingdom of Kaliṅga in the city of Dantapura, and in his kingdom no rain had fallen for a long time. Now the Great Being had a state-elephant named Añjanasannibha (Like Collyrium), an animal of great merit, and the inhabitants of the kingdom of Kaliṅga, thinking that if this elephant were brought to their kingdom, rain would fall, went to their king and so informed him. Thereupon the king sent Brahmins to fetch this elephant. So the Brahmins went and asked the Great Being for the elephant. The Teacher, in order to make clear the reason for their request, said:{4.89}

Knowing your faith and your virtue,
ruler of the people, we did
exchange gold in Kaliṅga with
the collyrium-coloured one.

But even after the elephant had been brought to the kingdom of Kaliṅga, no rain fell. The king of Kaliṅga thought to himself: “The king of Kuru practices the Kuru morality, and it is for this reason that rain falls in his kingdom.” So Kaliṅga said to his Brahmins and courtiers: “Inscribe on a golden plate the Kuru morality which the king of Kuru practices, and bring the plate to me.” So saying, he sent them back to the king of Kuru.

So Kaliṅga’s courtiers and Brahmins went back and made their request. But from the king down, all the members of the royal household entertained scruples as to whether they had kept the precepts inviolate, and therefore refused them, saying: “We have not kept the precepts inviolate.” But the Brahmins and courtiers said: “By nothing which you have done, have you violated the precepts,” and asked them again and again. Finally they told them what the precepts were. When the Brahmins and courtiers returned with the golden plate, and Kaliṅga saw the Kuru morality inscribed thereon, he took upon himself [30.247] these same precepts and kept them faithfully. Immediately rain fell in his kingdom, and thereafter the kingdom was prosperous and plentifully supplied with food.

When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, the Teacher joined the connection:

Uppalavaṇṇā was the courtesan,
Puṇṇa the porter, and the driver was
Kaccāna; Kolita, the measurer;
the rich man, Sāriputta; he who drove
the chariot, Anuruddha; and the priest
was Kassapa the elder; he that was
the viceroy, now is Nandapaṇḍita;
Rāhula’s mother has the queen-consort,
the queen-mother was Māyā; and the king
was the Bodhisatta. Thus is it clear. {4.90}

Bhikkhu, thus did wise men of old, although their faults were the merest trifles, they had scruples concerning their observance of the precepts. But as for you, although you have gone forth in the dispensation of a Buddha like me, you have committed the grievous wrong of taking the life of a living creature. A bhikkhu ought always to control his hand and his feet and his tongue.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

362. Hatthasaṁyatŏ pādasaṁyato,
vācāya saṁyatŏ saṁyatuttamo,
ajjhattarato samāhito,
eko santusito: tam-āhu bhikkhuṁ.

One who controls his hands, controls his feet,
controls his speech, controls the mind supreme,
with delight, composure, solitary,
content: that one do they call a bhikkhu.

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.