| J.073 |
Sacca"nkira Jaataka |
The king of Benares had a son called Dutthakumara who was hated by everyone. One
day, when he was bathing in the river, a storm came on. He ordered his servants to
take him into the middle of the river and bathe him there. The servants thereupon
flung him into the water and reported to the king that he had been washed away. As
he was swept downstream he caught hold of a log upon which a snake, a rat and a parrot
had also taken refuge from the storm. The bodhisatva, who was an ascetic living on
the bank of the river, rescued Duttha and his companions and looked after them. When
they bade him farewell, the snake said he had forty crores hidden in a certain spot
and the ascetic had only to ask for these and they were his. The rat had thirty crores
also at the asceticís disposal. The parrot promised the ascetic wagonloads of rice.
Duttha promised him the four requisites, but bore the ascetic unspoken resentment
for having tended to the other animals before him, after the flood. When Duttha became
king, the ascetic wished to test the faith of his former guests. He went to the snake
who readily offered his treasure. The rat and the parrot did likewise, but Duttha,
riding in procession and seeing him from afar gave orders that the ascetic be beaten
and put to death. On his way to the place of execution, the ascetic kept on repeating
ëthey knew the world who framed this proverb true: a log pays better refuge than
some men.í When asked the meaning of the words, he related the whole story. The enraged
citizens, seized Duttha, put him to death and made the ascetic king. Later he brought
the snake, the rat and the parrot to the palace and looked after them. The story
was told in reference to Devadattaís attempts to kill the Buddha. Devadatta is identified
with Duttha, the snake with Sariputta, the rat with Moggallana and the parrot with
Ananda. |
56/189 |
Jaataka |
Khuddhaka |
J.i.322ff. |
ingratitude |