Ja 216 The Birth Story about the (Lamenting) Fish (2s)

In the present one monk is wavering because of having thoughts of his former wife. The Buddha tells a story of a fish who was caught, but whose lament over what his wife might think of him saved him from being roasted.

The Bodhisatta = the family priest (purohita),
the dissatisfied monk = the fish (maccha),
his former wife = the fish’s wife (macchī).

Present Source: Ja 102 Paṇṇika,
Quoted at: Ja 216 Maccha.

Keywords: Attachment, Lamentation, Animals, Fish.

“ ’Tis not the fire.” [2.125] This story the Teacher told during a stay in Jetavana, about one who hankered after a former wife. The Teacher asked this monk, “Is it true, monk, what I hear, that you are lovesick?” “Yes, sir.” “For whom?” “For my late wife.” Then the Teacher said to him, “This wife, monk, has been a mischief to you. Long ago by her means you came near being spitted and roasted for food, but wise men saved your life.” Then he told a tale of the past.

In the past, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta was his family priest. Some fishermen drew out a fish [Some of the elements of this story have been lost, making it hardly understandable for the moral it puports to illustrate. The story is told better in Ja 34 Macchajātaka, in the first book.] which had got caught in their net, and cast it upon hot sand, saying: “We will cook it in the embers, and eat.” So they sharpened a spit. And the fish fell weeping over his mate, and said these two verses:

In this connection, it is not this fire that burns me, it is not this fire that burns me, nor causes burning, nor grieves me, this is the meaning.

Nor the spit means this spit that is well fashioned does not harm Tapati has the meanings of both harm and burn. me, nor does it cause grief to arise in me.

But my lady thinking of me, but my lady thinking of me: “He has gone to another lady to find joy in the five strands of sensual pleasure,” that very thing burns me, grieves me.

The fire of lust it is that burns me, but he who has this fire of lust, that is what burns me, sets me on fire.

My heart it does torment, my heart is joined together with lust and that torments, wearies, vexes me.

Fisherman, Jālino means one having a net, and indicates in this context a fisherman, the more usual word is kevaṭṭa. he calls on the fisherman. Because he has a net, fisherman is said.

Master, free me, free me lord, he begs. The compound is muñcatha + ayira, which is itself a variant form of the more familiar ariya.

There is no pleasure in being killed, being established in pleasure, led by pleasure, a being is not killed anywhere. He laments: it is not suitable to kill any of your kind.

Or, kāme is a causal word, in the locative case, by following after the lady because of pleasure he laments: nowhere is he killed by you and your kind.

At that moment the Bodhisatta approached the river bank; and hearing the fish’s lament, he went up to the fishermen and made them set the fish at liberty.