Mittāmitta-Jātaka2

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by W.H.D. Rouse
JATAKA No. 473

MITTAMITTA-JATAKA

"How should the wise," etc.--This story the Master told while living in Jetavana monastery, about an upright courtier of the king of Kosala.

This man, they say, was most useful to the king, and then the king gave him great honour. The other courtiers being unable to stomach him, accused him to the king of having done things to the king's hurt. The king made enquiry about him, and finding in him no fault, thought, "I see no fault in the man; how can I know whether he be my friend or enemy?" Then he thought, "No one, except the Tathagata(Buddha), will be able to decide this question; I will go and ask him." So after he had broken his fast he visited the Master, and said, "How can one tell, Sir, of any man, whether he be friend or enemy?" Then the Master replied, "Wise men of old, O king, have thought this problem, and have questioned the wise about it, and following their advice, have discovered the truth, and renouncing their enemies have paid attention to their friends." This said, at his request, he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisattva was a courtier who advised him on things spiritual and things worldly. At that time, the rest slandered a certain courtier who was upright. The king seeing no fault in him, asked the Great Being, "Now in what can one tell friend or enemy?" repeating the first stanza:

"How should the wise and sensible make efforts, how may discernment know, What deeds tell to eye or ear the man that is a enemy?"

Then the Great Being repeated these five stanzas to explain the marks of an enemy:

"He smiles not when you see him, no welcome will he show, He will not turn his eyes that way, and answers you with

"Your enemies he honours, he cares not for your friends, Those who would praise your worth, he stays, your slanderers commends.

"No secret tells he to you, your secret he betrays, Speaks never well of what you do, your wisdom will not praise.

"He joys not at your welfare, but at your evil fame: Should he receive some elegant, he thinks not of your name, Nor pities you, nor cries aloud-O, had my friend the same!

"These are the sixteen tokens by which a enemy you see These if a wise man sees or hears he knows his enemy ."

"How should the wise and sensible make efforts, what will discernment lend, What deeds tell to eye and ear the man that is a friend?"

The other, thus questioned in these lines, recited the remaining stanzas:

"The absent he remembers; returned, he will rejoice: Then in the height of his delight he greets you with his voice.

"Your enemies he never honours, he loves to serve your friends, Those who would slander you, he stays; who praise you, he commends.

"He tells his secrets to you, your secret never betrays, Speaks ever well of all you do, your wisdom loves to praise.

"He joys to hear your welfare, not in your evil fame: Should he receive some elegant, he straight thinks on your name, And pities you, and cries aloud-O had my friend the same!

"These are the sixteen tokens in friends established well, Which if a wise man sees or hears he can a true friend tell."

The king, delighted at the speech of the Great Being, gave him the highest honour.

The Master, having ended this discourse, said, "Thus, great king, this question arose in days of past, even as now, and wise men said their say; by these thirty two signs may friend or enemy be known." With those words, he identified the Birth: "At that time, Ananda was the king, and I myself was the wise courtier."