Kāraṇḍiya-Jātaka

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 356

KARANDIYA-JATAKA

"Why in forest," etc.--This was a story told by the Master while living at Jetavana monastery, concerning the Captain of the Faith (Sariputra). That Elder Monk, they say, when wicked folk came to him, such as hunters, fishermen and the like, laid down the moral law to them, and any others that he might see from time to time, saying, "Receive you the righteous path." Through respect for the Elder Monk, they could not disobey his words and accepted the righteous path, but failed to keep it, and still followed each after his own business. The Elder Monk took advice with his fellow-monks and said, "Sirs, these men receive the righteous path from me, but keep it not." They answered, "Holy Sir, you preach the righteous path to them against their wishes, and as they dare not disobey what you tell them, they accept it. From now on lay not down the righteous path to such as these." The Elder Monk was offended. On hearing of the incident they started a discussion in the Hall of Truth, how that the Elder Monk Sariputra preached the righteous path to any that he happened to see. The Master came and inquired what was the topic that the Brethren(Monks) were debating in their assembly, and on hearing what it was, he said, "Not now only, Brethren, but formerly also he preached the righteous path to any men he might chance to see, even though they did not ask for it." And with this he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisattva was born and grew up in a brahmin household, and became the chief pupil of a world-famed teacher at Taxila. At that time this teacher preached the moral law to any one that he might see, fishermen and the like, even if they did not want it, repeatedly asking them receive the righteous path. But though they received it, they kept it not. The teacher spoke of it to his disciples. His disciples said, "Holy Sir, you preach to them against their wishes, and therefore they break the law. From now on preach only to those who wish to hear you, and not to those who do not wish." The teacher was filled with regret, but even so he still laid down the law to all whom he happened to see.

Now one day some people came from a certain village and invited the teacher to eat the cakes offered to brahmins. He summoned his disciple named Karandiya and said, "My dear son, I am not going, but you are to go there with these five hundred disciples, and receive the cakes, and bring the portion that falls to my share." So he sent him. The disciple went, and as he was returning, he noticed on the road a cave, and the thought struck him, "Our master lays down the righteous path, without being asked, to all that he sees. From now on I will cause him to preach only to those that wish to hear him." And while the other disciples were comfortably seated, he arose and picking up a huge stone, threw it into the cave, and again and again repeated the action. Then the disciples stood up and said, "Sir, what are you doing?" Karandiya said not a word. And they went in haste and told their master. The master. came and in conversing with Karandiya repeated the first stanza:-

Why in forest all alone Seizing often a mighty stone, did you hurl it with a will, Mountain cave as It was to fill?

On hearing his words, Karandiya to stir up his master uttered the second stanza:-

I would make this sea surrounded land Smooth as palm of human hand: Thus I level knoll and hill And with stones each hollow fill.

The brahmin, on hearing this, repeated the third stanza:-

Never a one of mortal birth Has the power to level earth. Scarce Karandiya can hope With a single cave to cope.

The disciple, on hearing this, spoke the fourth stanza:-

If a man of mortal birth Has no power to level earth, wrong believers may well refuse, Brahmin, to adopt your views.

On hearing this the teacher made an appropriate reply. For he now recognized that other men might differ from him, and thinking, "I will no longer act thus," he uttered the fifth stanza:-

Friend Karandiya, in short For my good you do advice: Earth can never levelled be, Neither can all men agree.

Thus did the teacher sing the praises of his disciple. And he, after he had thus addressed his teacher, took him home.

The Master, having ended this lesson, identified the Birth: "At that time Sariputra was the brahmin, and I myself was the disciple Karandiya."