Ja 215 The Story about the (Talkative) Turtle (2s)

In the present Kokālika blames the two chief disciples, and because of what he says, falls into hell. The Buddha explains that it was ever so in the past, and tells a story of a turtle who was being carried to the Himālayas, but opened his mouth, lost his grip and fell to his death.

⏑⏑−⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦−⏑−−¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
1. Avadhī vata attānaṁ kacchapo byāharaṁ giraṁ,
The turtle by letting out an utterance surely killed himself,

−⏑−−¦−,−−−¦¦−−⏑⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka mavipulā
Suggahītasmiṁ kaṭṭhasmiṁ, vācāya sakiyāvadhi.
While having a good grip on a stick, by speaking he killed himself.

−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
2. Etam-pi disvā naraviriyaseṭṭha,
Having seen this, chief of vigorous men,

−−⏑−¦−,⏑⏑−¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
Vācaṁ pamuñce kusalaṁ nātivelaṁ.
Speak a word that is wholesome and concise. Lit: not excessive.

−⏑⏑⏑¦⏑−−−¦¦−⏑−⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
Passasi bahubhāṇena, kacchapaṁ byasanaṁ gatan-ti.
You see, by talking much too much, the turtle came to disaster.

Tattha, {2.177} avadhī vatā ti ghātesi vata.
In this connection, surely killed means surely slaughtered.

Byāharan-ti byāharanto.
Letting out means letting out. Clarifying the verb is to be taken as present particple. Both of these forms, however, are very rare.

mukhena suṭṭhu ḍaṁsitvā gahite daṇḍake.
biting strongly with the mouth and gripping on the stick.

atimukharatāya akāle vācaṁ nicchārento,
being very talkative, and uttering a word at the wrong time,

daṭṭhaṭṭhānaṁ vissajjetvā,
having let go of the place where he bites,

tāya sakāya vācāya attānaṁ avadhi ghātesi.
by his own words he killed, slaughtered himself.

Evam-esa jīvitakkhayaṁ patto, na aññathā ti.
Like this he reached the destruction of his life, not in any other way.

Etam-pi disvā ti etam-pi kāraṇaṁ disvā.
Having seen this means having seen this cause.

Naravīriyaseṭṭhā ti naresu vīriyena seṭṭha uttamaviriya rājavara.
Chief of vigorous men means the chief, the one with supreme vigor, the noble king amongst vigorous men.

Vācaṁ pamuñce kusalaṁ nātivelan-ti,
Speak a word that is wholesome and concise,

saccādipaṭisaṁyuttaṁ kusalam-eva,
a wholesome (word) connected with truth and so on,

paṇḍito puriso muñceyya nicchāreyya,
a wise person should speak, should utter,

na ativelaṁ, atikkantakālaṁ apariyantavācaṁ na bhāseyya.
he should not speak excessively, exceeding the right time, without limits.

Passasī ti nanu paccakkhato passasi.
You see means surely you see through witnessing.

Bahubhāṇenā ti bahubhaṇanena.
By talking much too much means by talking much too much. It appears -bhāṇena is written m.c.

Kacchapaṁ byasanaṁ gatan-ti etaṁ kacchapaṁ jīvitakkhayaṁ pattan-ti.
The turtle came to disaster means this turtle reached the destruction of his life.