Vaṭṭaka-Jātaka3

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 394

VATTAKA-JATAKA

"Oil and butter," etc.--The Master told this while living in Jetavana monastery, concerning a greedy Brother(Monk). Finding that he was greedy the Master said to him, "This is not the first time you are greedy: once before through greed in Benares you were not satisfied with dead bodies of elephants, oxen, horses and men; and in hopes of getting better food you went to the forest;" and so he told an old tale.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisattva was born as a quail and lived in the forest on rude grass and seeds. At the time there was in Benares a greedy crow who, not content with dead bodies of elephants and other animals, went to the forest in hopes of better food: eating wild fruits there he saw the Bodhisattva and thinking "This quail is very fat: I fancy he eats sweet food, I will ask him of his food and eating it become fat myself," he perched on a branch above the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva, without being asked, gave him greeting and spoke the first stanza:-

Oil and butter are your food, uncle; rich your food, I think: Tell me then what is the reason of your leanness, master crow.

Hearing his words the crow spoke three stanzas:-

I dwell in midst of many rivals, my heart goes pit-a-pat In terror as I seek my food: how can a crow be fat?

Crows spend their lives in fear, their wits for mischief ever keen; The bits they pick are not enough; good quail, that's why I'm lean.

Rude grass and seeds are all your food: there's little richness there: Then tell me why you're fat, good quail, on such a scanty food.

The Bodhisattva hearing him spoke these stanzas, explaining the reason of his fatness:-

I have content and easy mind, short distances to go, I live on anything I get, and so I'm fat, good crow.

Content of mind, and happiness with little care of heart, A standard easily attained: that life's the better part.

After the lesson, the Master explained the truths, and identified the Birth:-At the end of the Truths the Brother(Monk) was established in the fruition of the First Path(Trance): "At that time the crow was the greedy Brother, the quail was myself."