Ja 254 Kuṇḍakakucchisindhavajātaka
The Story about Rice Powder and the Sindh Horse
In the present one poor old woman has the chance to invite Ven. Sāriputta for a meal, and the rich folk of the city send along riches so she has enough to offer. The Buddha tells how in the past a woman had raised a foal with all love and kindness, and how he became the finest horse in the king’s collection.
1. Bhutvā tiṇaparighāsaṁ, bhutvā ācāmakuṇḍakaṁ,
Having eaten grass as food, and eaten the scum of rice powder,
Etaṁ te bhojanaṁ āsi, kasmā dāni na bhuñjasī ti?
This was your food (previously), why do you not eat (the same) now?
Tattha,
In this connection, having eaten grass as food,
tvaṁ pubbe mahallikāya dinnaṁ tesaṁ tesaṁ khāditāvasesaṁ,
previously having been given the remainder of these to eat by the old woman,
vighāsatiṇasaṅkhātaṁ parighāsaṁ bhuñjitvā, vaḍḍhito.
having eaten what is reckoned as scraps of grass as food, you (still) prospered.
Bhutvā ācāmakuṇḍakan-ti, ettha ācāmo vuccati odanāvasesaṁ.
(Having) eaten the scum of broken rice, here scum is what is said to be the leftovers of rice.
Kuṇḍakan-ti kuṇḍakam-eva.
Rice powder means rice powder. I can’t see the point of this definition, it just says a = a.
Etañ-ca bhuñjitvā, vaḍḍhitosī, ti dīpeti.
Having eaten this, you prospered, this is the explanation.
Etaṁ te ti etaṁ tava pubbe bhojanaṁ āsi.
This was your (food) means previously this was your food.
Kasmā dāni na bhuñjasī ti?
Why do you not eat (the same) now?
Mayā pi te tam-eva dinnaṁ, tvaṁ taṁ kasmā idāni na bhuñjasī ti.
This was given to you by me, why to you not eat it now?
2. Yattha posaṁ na jānanti jātiyā vinayena vā,
Where they do not know about a person’s birth or his discipline,
Bahu tattha, Mahābrahme, api ācāmakuṇḍakaṁ.
Many are there, Mahābrahmā, also the scum of rice powder.
3. Tvañ-ca khomaṁ pajānāsi, yādisāyaṁ hayuttamo,
But you must know me, I am the supreme horse of whatever kind,
Jānanto jānam-āgamma, na te bhakkhāmi kuṇḍakan-ti.
Knowing and coming to know (this), I will not eat your rice powder.
Tattha,
In this connection, where means in that place where.
Posan-ti sattaṁ.
Person means a being.
Jātiyā vinayena vā ti,
Birth or his discipline,
“Jātisampanno vā eso, na vā, ācārayutto vā, na vā” ti evaṁ na jānanti.
they do not know this: “He is endowed with birth, or not so, he is devoted to (good) conduct, or not so.”
Mahābrahme ti, garukālapanena ālapanto āha.
Mahābrahmā, he said this addressing him with a respectful word.
Yādisāyan-ti yādiso ayaṁ, attānaṁ sandhāya vadati.
Of whatever kind means this is of whatever kind, he said this referring to himself.
Jānanto jānam-āgammā ti,
Knowing and coming to know (this),
ahaṁ attano balaṁ jānanto,
knowing my own strength,
jānantam-eva taṁ āgamma paṭicca,
because of coming to know about this,
tava santike kuṇḍakaṁ kiṁ bhuñjissāmi?
why would I eat rice powder in your presence?
Na hi tvaṁ kuṇḍakaṁ bhojāpetukāmatāya,
Desiring to make me eat your rice powder, you did not,
cha sahassāni datvā, maṁ gaṇhī ti.
having given six thousand, take me.