Mahāsuka-Jātaka

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 429

MAHASUKA-JATAKA

"Wherever fruitful trees," etc.--This story the Master living at Jetavana monastery told concerning a certain Brother(Monk). The story goes that he lived in a forest near a border village in the Kosala country, and received instruction in forms of meditation from the Master. The people made him a living-place on a site where men continually passed to and fro, providing him with day and night quarters, and attentively served to him. In the very first month after he had entered upon the rainy season the village was burned down and the people had not so much as a seed left and were unable to supply his alms-bowl with tasty food; and though he was in a pleasant place of dwelling, he was so distressed for alms that he could not enter upon the Path or its Fruition. So when at the end of three months he went to visit the Master, after words of kindly greeting the Master hoped that though distressed for alms he had a pleasant place to live in. The Brother told him how matters stood. The Master on hearing that he had pleasant quarters said, "Brother, if this is so, an ascetic should lay aside greedy ways, and be content to eat whatever food he can get, and to fulfil all the duties of a monk. Sages of old when born into the world as animals, though they lived on the powdered dust of the decayed tree in which they had their dwelling, laid aside greedy desires and were contented to stay where they were, and fulfilled the righteous path of love. Why then do you abandon a pleasant living-place, because the food you receive is scanty and coarse?" And at his request the Master told a story of the past.

Once upon a time many swarms of parrots lived in the Himalaya country on the banks of the Ganges in a grove of fig-trees. A king of the parrots there, when the fruit of the tree in which he lived had come to an end, ate whatever was left, whether shoot or leaf or bark or rind, and drank of water from the Ganges, and being very happy and contented he kept where he was. Owing to his happy and contented state the dwelling of Sakka(Indra) was shaken. Sakka(Indra) set his insight on the cause saw the parrot, and to test his virtue, by his supernatural power he withered up the tree, which became a mere stump perforated with holes, and stood to be buffeted by every blast of wind, and from the holes dust came out. The parrot king ate this dust and drank the water of the Ganges, and going nowhere else sat perched on the top of the fig-stump, thinking nothing of wind and sun.

Sakka(Indra) noticed how very contented the parrot was, and said, "After hearing him speak of the virtue of friendship, I will come and give him his choice of a boon, and cause the fig-tree to bear divine fruit." So he took the form of a royal goose, and preceded by Suja in the shape of an Asura nymph, he went to the grove of fig-trees, and perching on the branch of a tree close by, he entered into conversation with the parrot and spoke the first stanza:

Wherever fruitful trees are many, A flock of hungry birds is found: But should the trees all withered be, Away at once the birds will flee.

And after these words, to drive the parrot from there, he spoke the second stanza:

Haste you, Sir Redbeak, to be gone; Why do you sit and dream alone? Come tell me, please, bird of spring, To this dead stump why do you cling?

Then the parrot said, "O goose, from a feeling of gratitude, I forsake not this tree," and he repeated two stanzas:

They who have been close friends from youth, Mindful of goodness and of truth, In life and death, in welfare and suffering The claims of friendship never give up.

I too would glad be kind and good To one that long my friend has stood; I wish to live, but have no heart From this old tree, though dead, to part.

Sakka(Indra) on hearing what he said was delighted, and praising him wished to offer him a choice, and uttered two stanzas:

I know your friendship and your grateful love, Virtues that wise men surely must approve.

I offer you whatever you will for choice; Parrot, what boon would most your heart rejoice?

On hearing this, the king parrot making his choice spoke the seventh stanza:

If you, O goose, what most I crave would give, Grant that the tree I love, again may live. Let it once more with its old vigour shoot, Gather fresh sweetness and bear good fruit.

Then Sakka(Indra), granting the boon, spoke the eighth stanza:

Lo! friend, a fruitful and right noble tree, Well fitted foryour living-place to be. Let it once more with its old vigour shoot, Gather fresh sweetness and bear good fruit.

With these words Sakka(Indra) left his present form, and manifesting the supernatural power of himself and Suja, he took up water from the Ganges in his hand and dashed it against the fig-tree stump. Straightway the tree rose up rich in branch, and stem, and with honey-sweet fruit, and stood a charming sight, like unto the bare Jewel-Mount. The parrot king on seeing it was highly pleased, and singing the praises of Sakka(Indra) he spoke the ninth stanza:

May Sakka(Indra) and all loved by Sakka(Indra) blessed be, As I to-day am blessed this good sight to see!

Sakka(Indra), after granting the parrot his choice, and causing the fig-tree to bear divine fruit, returned with Sujata to his own dwelling.

In illustration of this story these stanzas inspired by Perfect Wisdom were added at the close:

Soon as king parrot wisely made his choice, The tree once more put on its fruit again; Then Sakka(Indra) with his queen did fly fast To where in Nandana the gods(angels) rejoice.

The Master, his lesson ended, said, "Thus, Brother(Monk), sages of old though born in animal forms were free from desire of possession. Why then do you, after being ordained under so excellent an order(faith), follow greedy ways? So and dwell in the same place." And he gave him a form of meditation, and thus identified the Birth:-The Brother went back and by spiritual insight attained to Sainthood:-"At that time Sakka(Indra) was Anuruddha, and the parrot king was myself."