Kapota-Jātaka2

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Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil
JATAKA No. 375

KAPOTA-JATAKA(*1)

"I feel quite well," etc.--This story the Master, while living at Jetavana monastery, told concerning a greedy Brother(Monk). This story of the greedy Brother has already been fully told in many ways. In this case the Master asked him if he were greedy and on his confessing that it was so, said, "Not now only, but formerly also, Brother, you were greedy, and through greed came by your death." And with this he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time in the reign of Brahmadatta, king of Benares, the Bodhisattva came to life as a young pigeon and lived in a wicker(woven) cage, in the kitchen of a rich merchant of Benares. Now a crow yearning after fish and flesh made friends with this pigeon, and lived in the same place. One day he caught sight of a lot of fish and meat and thought, "I'll have this to eat," and lay loudly groaning in the cage. And when the pigeon said, "Come, my friend, let us swiftly move out for our food," he refused to go, saying, "I am laid up with a fit of indigestion. Do you go." And when the pigeon was gone, he said, "My troublesome enemy is off.

I will now eat fish and meat to my heart's content." And so thinking, he repeated the first stanza:

I feel quite well and at my ease, Since Mr. Pigeon off is gone. My cravings I will now appease: Potherbs and meat should strengthen one.

So when the cook who was roasting the fish and meat came out of the kitchen, wiping away streams of sweat from his person, the crow hopped out of his basket and hid himself in a basin of spices. The basin gave on a "click" sound, and the cook came in haste, and seizing the crow pulled out his feathers. And grinding some moist ginger and white mustard he pounded it with a rotten date, and smeared him all over with it, and rubbing it on with a broken pottery he wounded the bird. Then he fastened the broken pottery on his neck with a string, and threw him back into the basket, and went off.

When the pigeon came back and saw him he said, "Who is this crane lying in my friend's basket? He is a hot-tempered fellow and will come and kill this stranger." And thus jesting, he spoke the second stanza:

"Child of the Clouds," (*2) with tufted crest, Why did you steal my poor friend's nest? Come here, Sir Crane. My friend the crow Has a hot temper, you must know.

The crow, on hearing this, uttered the third stanza:

Well may you laugh at such a sight, For I am in a sorry plight. The cook has picked and basted me With rotten dates and spicery.

The pigeon, still making sport of him, repeated the fourth stanza:

Bathed and anointed well, I think, You hastyour fill of food and drink. Your neck so bright with jewel sheen, Have you, friend, to Benares been?

Then the crow repeated the fifth stanza:

Let not my friend or bitterest rival On visit to Benares go. They picked me bare and as a jest Have tied a broken pottery on my breast.

The pigeon hearing this repeated the final stanza:

These evil habits to outgrow Is hard with such a nature, crow. Birds should be careful to avoid The food they see by man enjoyed.

After thus reprimanding him, the pigeon no longer lived there, but spread his wings and flew elsewhere. But the crow died then and there.

The Master here ended his lesson and revealed the Truths and identified the Birth:-At the conclusion of the Truths the greedy Brother(Monk) attained fruition of the Second Path(Trance):-"At that time the crow was the greedy Brother, the pigeon was myself."

Footnotes:

(1)Compare No. 42, No. 274

(2)Cranes are conceived at the sound of thunder-clouds.