Ja 252 The Birth Story about the Fistful of Sesame Seeds (3s)

Ja 252 Tilamuṭṭhijātaka
The Birth Story about the Fistful of Sesame Seeds (3s)

“Now I bethink me.” This story the Teacher told in Jetavana, about a passionate man. We learn that there was a monk who was full of bitterness. No matter how little was said to him, he fell into a rage and spoke roughly; showing wrath, hatred, and mistrust.

In the Dhamma Hall the monks discussed the matter. “Friend, how angry and bitter is monk So-and-so! He goes snapping about for all the world like salt in the fire. Though he has adopted this peaceful dispensation, yet he cannot even restrain his anger.” The Teacher heard this and sent a monk to fetch the man in question. “Are you really as passionate as they say?” he asked. The man said he was. Then the Teacher added, “This is not the first time, monks, that this man has been passionate. He was just the same before,” and he told them a story.

In the past, Brahmadatta the king of Benares had a son named prince Brahmadatta. Now kings of former times, though there might be a famous teacher living in their own city, often used to send their sons to foreign countries afar off to complete their education, that by this means they might learn to quell their pride and highmindedness, and endure heat or cold, and be made acquainted with the ways of the world. So did this king. Calling his boy to him – now the lad was sixteen years old – he gave him one-soled sandals, a sunshade of leaves, and a thousand pieces of money, with these words: “My son, get you to Taxila, and study there.” {2.278}

The boy obeyed. He bade his parents farewell, and in due course arrived at Taxila. There he enquired for the teacher’s dwelling, and reached it at the time when the teacher had finished his lecture, and [2.194] was walking up and down at the door of the house. When the lad set eyes upon the teacher, he loosed his shoes, closed his sunshade, and with a respectful greeting stood still where he was. The teacher saw that he was weary, and welcomed the newcomer. The lad ate, and rested a little. Then he returned to the teacher, and stood respectfully by him.

“Well, have you brought a teacher’s fee? Or do you wish to attend on me in return for teaching you?”

“I have brought a fee with me,” and with this he laid at the teacher’s feet his purse of a thousand pieces.

The resident pupils attend on their teacher by day, and at night they learn of him: but they who bring a fee are treated like the eldest sons in his house, and thus they learn. And this teacher, like the rest, gave schooling to the prince on every light and lucky day. There are four nakkhattas called laku, ‘light’; there is another reading subhanakkhattena, ‘every fair day’. The meaning is by no means clear. [Subhanakkhatta means ‘an auspicious occasion’.] Thus the young prince was taught.

Now one day, he went to bathe along with his teacher. There was an old woman, who had prepared some white seeds, and strewed them out before her: there she sat, watching them. The youth looked upon these white seeds, and desired to eat; he picked up a handful, and ate them. “That fellow must be hungry,” thought she; but she said nothing, and sat silent.

Next day the same thing happened at the same time. Again the woman said nothing to him.

On the third day, he did it again; then the old dame cried out, saying: “The great Teacher is letting his pupils rob me!” and uplifting her arms she raised a lamentation.

“Teacher, I have been parching some seeds, and your pupil took a handful and ate them! This he has done today, he did it yesterday, and he did it the day before! Surely he will eat me out of house and home!”

“See here, then, mother,” said he; and he caused two lads to take the [2.195] young fellow by his two hands, and smote him thrice upon the back with a bamboo stick, bidding him take care not to do it again.

The prince was very angry with his teacher. With a bloodshot glare, he eyed him from his head to foot. The teacher observed how angry he was, and how he eyed him.

The youth applied himself to his work, and finished his courses. But the offence he hid away in his heart, and determined to murder his teacher. When the time came for him to go away, he said to him, “O my Teacher, when I receive the kingdom of Benares, I will send for you. Then come to me, I pray.” And so he exacted a promise most affectionately.

He returned to Benares, and visited his parents, and showed proof of what he had learned. Said the king, “I have lived to see my son again, and while I yet live, I will see the magnificence of his rule.” So he made his son king in his stead.

When the prince enjoyed the splendour of royalty, he remembered his grudge, and anger rose within him. “I will be the death of that fellow!” he thought, and sent off a messenger to fetch his teacher.

“I shall never be able to appease him while he is young,” thought the teacher; so he did not come. But when the prince’s time of rule was half over, he thought he could appease him then; and he came, and stood at the king’s door, and sent to say that the teacher from Taxila had arrived. The king was glad, and caused the brahmin to be led in. Then his anger rose, and his eyes grew bloodshot. He beckoned to those about him. “Hah, the place which my teacher struck still hurts me today! He has come here with death written upon his forehead, {2.280} to die! Today his life must end!” and he repeated the first two verses:

In this connection, taking me by the arm, in these two lines the accusative is expected with beating and taking. Both the absolutive gahetvāna and the aorist anutāḷayi take the accusative maṁ, as their compliments.

For a handful of sesame is the reason he did beat me, battering me and having taken me by the arm he did batter me, this battering even today is in my mind, this is the meaning here.

Do you not take delight in life, one would think you did not take delight in your life.

Brahmin, that you come by here, why, brahmin, do you come here into my presence?

Having taken ahold of my arms means having taken ahold of my arms, having taken ahold of me by the arm, this is also the meaning.

Three times you did batter me, three times you battered me with a bamboo stick, and now today you will see the fruit, he is being threatened with death, this is what is said.

Thus he threatened him with death. As he heard, the teacher uttered the third verse:

In this connection, noble one, this is term for the good. But there are four kinds of noble: noble behaviour, noble appearance, noble signs, noble penetration. In this connection, whether he is a man or an animal, he who stands on noble behaviour has what is known as noble behaviour. This is also said: Ja 534 Mahāhaṁsajātaka vs. 18.

Bird, you who live nobly, I release your master, he who reveres almsfood, both can go where you will.

Endowed with good form, good posture, confidence, and good looks, he is known as one with noble appearance. This is also said: Ja 524 Saṅkhapālajātaka vs. 1.

You have the appearance of nobility, a confident look, I think the venerable has gone forth from a good family, how is it that you have abandoned all decorations and wealth, departing from the house, having gone forth with wisdom?

He is living after becoming like an ascetic but grasping at clothing, robes and outward signs, also unvirtuous, he is known as one with noble signs. Referring to which this was said: Snp 1.5 Cundasutta vs. 7.

Having dressed up like one true to his vows, a braggart, family-corrupter, vain, deceitful, unrestrained, and talkative, the path-corrupter’s living is disguised. Here it seems patirūpa, usually meaning suitable, fitting, is said for patirūpaka, meaning disguised, counterfeit.

But the Buddha and so on is known as one with noble penetration. Therefore this is said: In Vibh. Cst para 522 (PTS p. 260).

“They say Buddhas, Independent Buddhas and the Buddhas’ disciples are noble ones.”

Amongst these here noble behaviour is intended.

Ignoble means one who is unvirtuous, wicked.

Doing means doing the five kinds of unvirtuous deeds such as killing breathing beings, The other four are: taking what has not been given, sexual misconduct, false speech, taking liquor, wines, or intoxicants which cause heedlessness. or, the meaning of this verse is a person doing an unvirtuous, low, inferior deed driven by hatred and fear.

He who means nobles and so on, whoever.

With a stick means with whatever gives a blow.

Censors means he prevents them by giving a blow, and saying: “Do not do such a thing again.”

This is right instruction, not hatred, great king, when someone does what should not be done, after beating his sons and daughters, or pupils, he censors them with admonishments, advice, and instruction in the world, not with hatred.

So the wise do understand means in such a way the wise do know it.

“And so, great king, understand this yourself. Know that this is no just cause for anger. Indeed, if you had not been taught this lesson by me, you would have gone on taking cakes and sweets, fruit, and the like, until you became covetous through these acts of theft; then by degrees you would have been lured on to house-breaking, highway robbery, and murder about the villages; the end would have been, that you would have been taken red-handed and haled before the king for a public enemy and a robber; and you would have come in fear of public punishment, when the king should say, ‘Take this man, and punish him according to his crimes.’ Whence could have come all this prosperity which you now enjoy? Is it not through me that you have attained to such magnificence?”

Thus did his teacher talk over the king. {2.282} And the courtiers, who stood round, said when they heard his speech, “Of a truth, my lord, all your magnificence really belongs to your teacher!”

At once the king recognised the goodness of his teacher, and said to him, “All my power I give to you, my teacher! Receive the kingdom!” But the other refused, saying: “No, my lord king; I have no wish for the kingdom.”

And the king sent to Taxila for the teacher’s wife and family; he gave them great power, and made him the royal priest; he treated him like a father, and obeyed his admonitions; and after bestowing gifts and doing good deeds he became destined for paradise.