Matarodana-Jātaka

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 317

MATARODANA-JATAKA

"Weep for the living," etc.--The Master while in residence at Jetavana monastery told this story of a certain landowner who lived at Shravasti city.

On the death of his brother, it is said, he was so overwhelmed with grief that he neither ate nor washed nor anointed himself, but in deep sorrow he used to go to the cemetery at daybreak to weep. The Master, early in the morning setting his eye upon the world and observing in that man a capacity for attaining to the fruition of the First Path(Trance), thought, "There is no one but myself that can, by telling him what happened long ago, relieve his grief and bring him to the fruition of the First Path(Trance). I must be his Refuge." So next day on returning in the afternoon from his round of alms-begging, he took a junior monk and went to his house. On hearing of the Master's arrival, the landowner ordered a seat to be prepared and asked him to enter, and saluting him he sat on one side. In answer to the Master, who asked him why he was grieving, he said he had been sorrowing ever since his brother's death. Said the Master, "All worldly existences are impermanent, and what is to be broken is broken. One should not make a trouble of this. Wise men of old, from knowing this, did not grieve, when their brother died." And at his request the Master told this legend of the past.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisattva was reborn in the family of a rich merchant, worth eighty crores(x10 million). When he was come of age, his parents died. And on their death a brother of the Bodhisattva managed the family estate. And the Bodhisattva lived in dependence on him. In due course of time the brother also died of a fatal disease. His relations, friends and companions came together, and throwing up their arms wept and mourned, and no one was able to control his feelings. But the Bodhisattva neither mourned nor wept. Men said, "See now, though his brother is dead, he does not so much as pull a wry face: he is a very hard-hearted fellow. I think he desired his brother's death, hoping to enjoy a double portion." Thus did they blame the Bodhisattva. His family too rebuked him, saying, "Though your brother is dead, you do not shed a tear." On hearing their words he said: "In your blind wrongdoing, not knowing the Eight Worldly Conditions, you weep and cry, "Alas! my brother is dead," but I too, and you also, will have to die. Why then do you not weep at the thought of your own death? All existing things are transient, and consequently no single substance is able to remain in its natural condition. Though you, blind fools, in your state of ignorance, from not knowing the Eight Worldly Conditions, weep and cry, why should I weep?" And so saying, he repeated these stanzas:-

Weep for the living rather than the dead! All creatures that a mortal form do take, Four-footed beast and bird and hooded snake, Yes men and angels all the same path walk.

Powerless to cope with fate, rejoiced to die, Midst sad vicissitude of bliss and pain, Why shedding idle tears should man complain, And plunged in sorrow for a brother sigh?

Men versed in fraud and in excess grown old, The untutored fool, even valiant men of might, If worldly-wise and ignorant of right, Wisdom itself as foolishness may hold.

Thus did the Bodhisattva teach these men the Truth, and delivered them all from their sorrow.

The Master, after he had ended his dhammic(of righteous path) exposition, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth:-At the conclusion of the Truths the landowner attained to fruition of the First Path(Trance): --"At that time the wise man who by his righteous exposition(of path) delivered people from their sorrow was I myself."