Ja 153 Sūkarajātaka
The Story about the Boar
In the present after Ven. Sāriputta has given a discourse, one old monk thinks to make himself look good by asking a nonsensical question. Instead, however, he is chased away and falls into a cesspit. The Buddha tells how in a previous life as a boar he had challenged a lion, and, later, realising his mistake, had covered himself in offal to ward off sure death.
1. “Catuppado ahaṁ samma, tvam-pi samma catuppado,
“I am four-footed, friend, you are four-footed, friend,
Ehi samma nivattassu, kiṁ nu bhīto palāyasī” ti?
Come, friend, turn back, why do you run away in fear?”
[There is no word commentary to this verse.]
2. “Asuci pūtilomosi, duggandho vāsi sūkara,
“Your coat is foul, unclean, you truly smell bad, boar,
Sace yujjhitukāmosi, jayaṁ samma dadāmi te” ti.
If you desire to fight, I give you victory, friend.”
Tattha,
Herein, (your) coat is foul means being plastered with excrement, your coat smells bad.
Duggandho vāsī ti aniṭṭhajegucchapaṭikūlagandho hutvā, vāyasi.
You truly smell bad means having become unpleasant, repulsive, disagreeable, you smell.
Jayaṁ, samma, dadāmi te ti.
I give you victory, friend.
“Tuyhaṁ jayaṁ demi, ahaṁ parājito, gaccha tvan”-ti vatvā,
Having said: “I give victory to you, I am defeated, you can go,”
sīho tato va nivattitvā,
the lion, turned back from there,
gocaraṁ gahetvā, sare pānīyaṁ pivitvā, pabbataguham-eva gato.
and after taking his food, and drinking from the lake, he went to the cave in the mountain.