Ja 254 The Story about Rice Powder and the Sindh Horse
(Kuṇḍakakucchisindhavajātaka)
In the present one poor old woman has the chance to invite Ven. Sāriputta for a meal, and the rich folk of the city send along riches so she has enough to offer. The Buddha tells how in the past a woman had raised a foal with all love and kindness, and how he became the finest horse in the king’s collection.
1. Bhutvā tiṇaparighāsaṁ, bhutvā ācāmakuṇḍakaṁ,
Etaṁ te bhojanaṁ āsi, kasmā dāni na bhuñjasī ti?
Having eaten grass as food, and eaten the scum of rice powder, this was your food previously, why do you not eat the same now?
In this connection, having eaten grass as food, previously having been given the remainder of these to eat by the old woman, having eaten what is reckoned as scraps of grass as food, you still prospered.
Having eaten the scum of broken rice, here scum is what is said to be the leftovers of rice.
Rice powder means rice powder. I can’t see the point of this definition, it just says a = a. Having eaten this, you prospered, this is the explanation.
This was your food means previously this was your food.
Why do you not eat the same now? This was given to you by me, why to you not eat it now?
2. Yattha posaṁ na jānanti jātiyā vinayena vā,
Bahu tattha, Mahābrahme, api ācāmakuṇḍakaṁ.
Where they do not know about a person’s birth or his discipline, many are there, Mahābrahmā, also the scum of rice powder.
3. Tvañ-ca khomaṁ pajānāsi, yādisāyaṁ hayuttamo,
Jānanto jānam-āgamma, na te bhakkhāmi kuṇḍakan-ti.
But you must know me, I am the supreme horse of whatever kind, knowing and coming to know this, I will not eat your rice powder.
In this connection, where means in that place where.
Person means a being.
Birth or his discipline, they do not know this: “He is endowed with birth, or not so, he is devoted to good conduct, or not so.”
Mahābrahmā, he said this addressing him with a respectful word.
Of whatever kind means this is of whatever kind, he said this referring to himself.
Knowing and coming to know this, knowing my own strength, because of coming to know about this, why would I eat rice powder in your presence? Desiring to make me eat your rice powder, you did not, having given six thousand, take me.