Catumaṭṭa-Jātaka

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by W.H.D. Rouse
JATAKA No. 187

CATUMATTA-JATAKA

"Sit and sing," etc.--This story the Master told while staying at Jetavana monastery, about an old Brother(Monk). Once, we are told, two of the chief disciples were sitting together, questioning and answering; when up came old Brother, and made a third. Taking a seat, he said, "I have a question too, Sirs, which I should like to ask you: and if you have any difficulty, you may put it to me." The Elders were disgusted; they rose up and left him. The congregation who listened to the discourse of the Elders, after the meeting broke up, came to the Master; he asked what brought them there untimely and they told him what had happened. He replied, "This is not the first time, Brethren(Monks), that Sariputra and Moggallyana have been disgusted with this man, and left him without a word; it was just the same in olden days." And he proceeded to tell a story of the past.

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisattva became a tree-fairy that lived in a forest. Two young Geese flew down from Mount Cittakuta and perched upon this tree. They flew about in search of food, returned there again, and after resting flew back to their mountain home. As time went on and on, the fairy struck up a friendship with them. Coming and going, they were great friends, and used to talk of righteousness to one another before they parted.

It happened one day as the birds sat on the treetop, talking with the Bodhisattva, that a Jackal, halting at the foot of the tree, addressed the young Geese in the words of the following stanza:

"Sit and sing upon the tree  If in private you would be.   Sit upon the ground, and sing   Verses to the beasts' own king!"

Filled with disgust, the young Geese took wing and flew back to Cittakuta. When they were gone, the Bodhisattva repeated the second stanza for the Jackal's benefit:-

"Fairwing here to fairwing sings,  God to god sweet talk brings;   Perfect beauty (*1), you must then   Back into your hole again!"

When the Master had ended this discourse, he identified the Birth:-"In those times the old man was the Jackal, Sariputra and Moggallyana the two young Geese, and I myself was the tree-fairy."

Footnotes:

(1)Lit. 'lovely in four points,' i.e. 'in form, in birth, in voice, in quality' sarcastically.