Ja 260 The Story about (Belly’s) Messenger (3s)

In the present one monk is very greedy in all his doings, troubling the supporters with his excessive needs. The Buddha tells a story of man who, in order to eat at the king’s table, told him he had a message for him. Having eaten his fill he spoke on how greed is driven by the belly’s need, thereby pleasing the king.

−−−−¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑−⏑⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
1. Yassatthā dūram-āyanti, amittam-api yācituṁ,
For his benefit they go far, even to beg an enemy,

−−⏑−¦⏑−−−¦−−−⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
Tassūdarassahaṁ dūto, mā me kujjha rathesabha.
I am the envoy to his belly, don’t be angry, lord of cars.

−⏑⏑−¦⏑−−−¦¦⏑⏑−−¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
2. Yassa divā ca ratto ca vasam-āyanti māṇavā,
By day and by night they come under his (belly’s) control, young man,

−−⏑−¦⏑−−−¦¦−−−⏑¦⏑−⏑− Siloka pathyā
Tassūdarassahaṁ dūto, mā me kujjha rathesabhā ti.
I am the envoy to his belly, don’t be angry, lord of cars.

Tattha, {2.320} yassatthā dūram-āyantī ti,
In this connection, for his benefit they go far,

yassa atthāya ime sattā, taṇhāvasikā hutvā, dūram-pi gacchanti.
for his benefit these beings, being under the control of craving, go far.

Rathesabhā ti rathayodhajeṭṭhaka.
Lord of cars means the leader of the war cars.

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
3. Dadāmi te brāhmaṇa rohiṇīnaṁ,
O brahmin, to you I give these red cows,

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
Gavaṁ sahassaṁ saha puṅgavena,
A thousand (cows) together with their bull,

−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
Dūto hi dūtassa kathaṁ na dajjaṁ,
What will an envoy not give an envoy,

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−− Tuṭṭhubha
Mayam-pi tasseva bhavāma dūtā ti.
For we are surely an envoy to him.

Tattha, brāhmaṇā ti ālapanamattam-etaṁ.
In this connection, O brahmin, this is merely a vocative.

Rohiṇīnan-ti rattavaṇṇānaṁ.
Red means red coloured.

Saha puṅgavenā ti,
Together with their bull,

yūthapariṇāyakena upaddavarakkhakena usabhena saddhiṁ.
together with the leader of the herd, the bull who protects them from trouble.

Mayam-pī ti,
For we,

ahañ-ca avasesā ca, sabbe sattā, tasseva udarassa dūtā bhavāma,
I and the rest, all beings, am an envoy to his belly,

tasmā ahaṁ udaradūto samāno udaradūtassa tuyhaṁ,
therefore being a belly-envoy to your belly-envoy,

kasmā na dajjan-ti?
why would I not give?

Evañ-ca pana vatvā:
But having said that:

“Iminā vata purisena assutapubbaṁ kāraṇaṁ kathitan”-ti
“He spoke about a reason unheard before by that person,”

tuṭṭhacitto tassa mahantaṁ yasaṁ adāsi.
satisfied at heart (the king) gave him great fame.

last updated: November 2022