Ja 174 Dūbhiyamakkaṭajātaka
The Story about the Treacherous Monkey
In the present Devadatta’s lack of gratitude is notorious amongst the monks. The Buddha tells a story about a previous life in which he helped a thirsty monkey, only for the monkey to make his droppings fall on the head of his benefactor.
1. Adamha te vāri pahūtarūpaṁ,
I have given you plenty of water,
Ghammābhitattassa pipāsitassa.
When you were scorched by heat, and were thirsty.
So dāni pitvāna kiriṅkarosi,
Now, having drunk, you are chattering away,
Asaṅgamo pāpajanena seyyo ti.
It’s best to be detached from bad people.
Tattha,
In this connection, now, having drunk, you are chattering away,
so idāni tvaṁ, mayā dinnapānīyaṁ pivitvā,
now you, having drunk the water that was given by me,
mukhamakkaṭikaṁ karonto: “Kiri kirī” ti, saddaṁ karosi.
making a monkey-face, made the sound: “Kiri, kiri.”
Asaṅgamo pāpajanena seyyo ti,
It’s best to be detached from bad people,
pāpajanena saddhiṁ saṅgamo na seyyo, asaṅgamo va seyyo ti.
it is best not to be attached to bad people, it is best to be detached.
2. Ko te suto vā diṭṭho vā sīlavā nāma makkaṭo?
Whoever heard or saw what is known as a virtuous monkey?
Idāni kho taṁ ohacchaṁ, esā asmāka’ dhammatā ti.
Now I have defecated on you, this is our normal custom.
Tatrāyaṁ saṅkhepattho:
In this connection, this is the meaning in brief:
Bho brāhmaṇa,
Dear brahmin,
“Makkaṭo kataguṇajānanako ācārasampanno sīlavā nāma atthī” ti,
“There surely is a monkey, who knows what is meritorious, is endowed with manners, and is virtuous,”
kahaṁ tayā suto vā diṭṭho vā?
when was this heard or seen by you?
Idāni kho ahaṁ taṁ ohacchaṁ vaccaṁ te sīse katvā, pakkamissāmi,
Now, after defecating faeces on your head, I will depart,
asmākañ-hi makkaṭānaṁ nāma esā dhammatā, ayaṁ jātisabhāvo,
this is what is known as our monkey customs, this is our nature by birth,
yad-idaṁ upakārakassa sīse vaccaṁ kātabban-ti.
namely, that we should drop faeces on the head of our helper.