Ja 159 The Story about the Peacock
(Morajātaka)
In the present one monk falls away from the spiritual life after seeing a woman in fine dress. The Buddha tells a story of how a golden peacock who had kept the precepts and protected himself for seven generations also fell when he heard a peahen’s voice.
1. Udetayaṁ cakkhumā ekarājā,
Harissavaṇṇo pathavippabhāso,
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi harissavaṇṇaṁ pathavippabhāsaṁ, It seems we have something like dittography, or accidental repetition, here and below. It is now considered part of the text, although the metre shows it is extraneous.
Tayājja guttā, viharemu divasan-ti.
That one who gives vision, the sole king, rises up, he is golden coloured, he enlightens the earth, therefore I revere the golden coloured one, who enlightens the earth, guarded by you today, we will live out the day.
In this connection, rises up means ascends from the eastern part of the world system.
That one who gives vision, after destroying the darkness of those living in the whole universe, by causing the acquisition of vision, through that he gives vision to them, through that vision, he is one who gives vision.
The sole king, amongst those who light up the whole universe, in the sense of being eminent and the best, he is the sole king.
He is golden coloured, the colour similar to gold, golden coloured, this is the meaning.
He enlightens the earth means he throws light on the earth.
Therefore I revere, therefore I revere, worship, such a reverend one.
Guarded by you today, we will live out the day, having been guarded, protected by you today, we can live happily this day dwelling in the four postures.
2. Ye brāhmaṇā vedagū sabbadhamme
Te me namo, te ca maṁ pālayantu!
Namatthu Buddhānaṁ! Namatthu Bodhiyā!
Namo vimuttānaṁ! Namo vimuttiyā!
Imaṁ so parittaṁ katvā moro carati esanā ti.
I revere those brahmins who have understanding of all things, may they keep watch over me! You must revere the Buddhas! Revere Awakening! Reverence to the free! Reverence to freedom!” After making this safeguard the peacock dwells seeking his welfare.
In this connection, those brahmins means those purified brahmins who have abandoned evil.
Who have understanding means having crossed to the far shore of understanding Veda has two meanings: the Vedas (the sacred oral traditions of the brahmins), or understanding, knowing, realisation. In a Buddhist context the latter meaning is preferable. they have understanding, having crossed to the far shore through understanding they have understanding. The comment shows two different ways of understanding the compound: the first definition shows veda as being genitive (of understanding), the second as being instrumental (through understanding). Understanding all constructed and unconstructed things in this place, having seen them clearly, they cross over, they have understanding.
This is also said: All things. I.e. instead of reading sabbe saṅkhatāsaṅkhatadhamme there is another reading sabbadhamme. All things such as the constituents, spheres, elements, because of having its own characteristics, or similar characteristics, his own knowledge, understanding, having seen clearly, they cross over, having crushed the head of the three Māras, I think here Cūḷaniddesa (506) must be relevant: kammābhisankhāravasena paṭisandhiko khandhamāro, dhātumāro, āyatanamāro; rebirth linking because of volitional deeds, māra as the constituents, māra as the elements, māra as the sense spheres. having roared in the ten-thousand world system, having attained Complete Awakening in the grounds of the wisdom tree, or overcoming transmigration, this is the meaning.
I revere those, please receive this my reverence to them.
May they keep watch over me, so through my revering the Fortunate Ones may they watch over, guard and protect me.
You must revere the Buddhas! Revere Awakening! Reverence to the free! Reverence to freedom!
This is my reverence to all the Buddhas who have passed away in the past, and to their Awakening, which is reckoned as knowledge of the four paths and four fruits, and so to those who are free with the freedom of the fruit of Arahatta.
To those who have freedom through substituting bad for good, freedom through suppressing defilements, freedom through cutting off defilements, freedom through the subsidence of the defilements, freedom through escaping from the defilements, freedom in these five ways, and to their freedom, I make this my reverence.
After making this safeguard the peacock dwells seeking his welfare, this pair of lines the Teacher spoke, after becoming fully awakened.
This is the meaning: monastics, the peacock, after making this safeguard, this protection, dwells seeking his own welfare in various ways, with flowers and fruits and so on in his feeding grounds.
3. Apetayaṁ cakkhumā ekarājā,
Harissavaṇṇo pathavippabhāso,
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi harissavaṇṇaṁ pathavippabhāsaṁ,
Tayājja guttā viharemu rattiṁ.
That one who gives vision, the sole king, descends down, he is golden coloured, he enlightens the earth, therefore I revere the golden coloured one, who enlightens the earth, guarded by you today, we will live out the night.
4. Ye brāhmaṇā vedagū sabbadhamme,
Te me namo te ca maṁ pālayantu,
Namatthu Buddhānaṁ! Namatthu Bodhiyā!
Namo vimuttānaṁ! Namo vimuttiyā!
Imaṁ so parittaṁ katvā moro vāsam-akappayī ti.
I revere those brahmins who have understanding of all things - may they keep watch over me! You must revere the Buddhas! Revere Awakening! Reverence to the free! Reverence to freedom!” After making this safeguard the peacock made his residence.
In this connection, descends down means it lowers, goes to its home.
After making this safeguard the peacock made his residence, after becoming Fully Awakened, he said this.
This is the meaning: monastics, the peacock after making this safeguard, this protection, in his own dwelling place made his residence, for him through the power of the safeguard by night and by day he never had fear, nor horripilation.