Ja 236 Bakajātaka
The Birth Story about the (Deceitful) Heron (2s)
In the present one deceitful monk is brought to the Buddha, who tells a story of how a heron had stood in the water trying to fool the fish into believing he was no threat to them, only to be discovered by the king of the fish.
The Bodhisatta = the king of the fish (maccharājā),
the monk = the deceitful heron (baka).
Keywords: Deceit, Treachery, Animals, Birds.
“See that twice-born bird.” This story the Teacher told while staying in Jetavana, about a deceitful person. When he was brought before the Teacher, the Teacher said: “Monks, he was a deceitful person of old just as he is now,” and told the following story.
In the past, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta became a fish in a certain pond in the Himālayas region, and a great shoal went with him. Now a crane desired to eat the fish. So in a place near the pond he drooped his head, and spread out his wings, and looked vacantly, vacantly at the fish, waiting till they were off their guard. “A crane’s sleep” is an Indian proverb for trickery. At the same moment the Bodhisatta with his shoal came to that place in search of food. And the shoal of fish on seeing the crane uttered the first verse:
1. Bhaddako vatayaṁ pakkhī, dijo kumudasannibho,
Vūpasantehi pakkhehi, mandamando va jhāyatī ti.
That excellent bird, twice-born, resembling a white water-lily, with its wings both settled and calm, he meditates like a great fool.
In this connection, he meditates like a great fool, becoming like a great fool, Following CPD: abalabala, mfn. (accord. to Ct. abala + abala, āmreḍita- cpd.), foolish, silly. like some who are unknowing, he meditates alone.
Then the Bodhisatta looked, and uttered the second verse:
2. Nāssa sīlaṁ vijānātha, anaññāya pasaṁsatha,
Amhe dijo na pāleti, tena pakkhī na phandatī ti.
You do not understand his character, unknowing, you praise him, this twice-born bird doesn’t guard us, because of this the bird does not move.
In this connection, this twice-born bird doesn’t guard us, this twice-born bird does not guard us, does not watch over us, he considers: “When will I make a mouthful out of these?”
Because of this the bird does not move, because of this the bird does not move, does not shake.
Thereupon the fish splashed in the water and drove the crane away.
When this discourse was ended, the Teacher identified the Jātaka, “This deceitful person was the crane, and I was the chief of the shoal of fish.”