Sudhābhojana-Jātaka

Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Jataka >>Sudhābhojana-Jātaka

Source: Adapted from Archaic Translation by H.T. Francis
JATAKA No. 535

SUDHABHOJANA-JATAKA (*1)

"No hawker I," etc. This was a story told by the Master, while living at Jetavana monastery, concerning a liberally minded Brother(Monk). He was said to be a man of gentle birth, living at Shravasti city, who after hearing the righteous path preached by the Master was converted and adopted the religious(hermit) life. Being perfected in the moral virtues and provided with the dhuta rules (*2) and with a heart full of love for his fellow monks he thrice every day zealously served to the service of the Buddha, the righteous path, and the Assembly, and showed himself exemplary in conduct and devoted to charity. Fulfilling the obligations of kindly civility (*3), whatever he received, so long as there were any recipients, he would give away till he was himself without food. And his liberality and charitable nature were noised abroad in the Assembly of the Brethren(Monks). So one day the topic was started in the Hall of Truth, how that a certain Brother(Monk) was so liberally minded and devoted to charity that if he received only sufficient drink to fill the hollow of the hand, free from all greed, he would give it to his fellow monks--his will being even as that of a Bodhisattva. The Master by his divine sense of hearing caught what they were saying, and issuing on from his Perfumed Chamber came near and asked what was the nature of their discussion. And when they answered, "It was so and so," he said, "This Brother of old, Brethren, was far from liberal, no, so stingy that he would not give so much as a drop of oil on the tip of a blade of grass. So I converted and made him self-denying and by praising the fruits of charity I firmly established him in almsgiving; so that on receiving water just enough to fill the hollow of the hand he would say, "I will not drink a drop without giving some away," and he received a boon at my hands, and as a result of his almsgiving he became liberally minded and devoted to charity," and with these words he told a story of the past.

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was king of Benares there lived a wealthy householder possessed of eighty crores(x10 million) and the king conferred on him the office of Treasurer. Being thus honoured by the king and highly esteemed by citizens and country folk alike, he was one day living upon his worldly prosperity, and he thought, "This glory was not won by me by slothfulness and sinful acts in a former existence but was attained by accomplishing deeds of virtue; it makes me to make my salvation (nirvana) sure in the future." So he looked for the king's presence and addressed him thus, "In my house, sire, is treasure amounting to eighty crores(x10 million): accept it from me." And when the king said, "I have no need of your riches; I have abundant wealth: from now on take and do whatever you like with it," he said, "Can I, sire, give my money in charity?" The king said, "Do as you please": and he had six alms-halls built, one at each of the four city gates, one in the heart of the city and one at the door of his living-house, and by a daily expenditure of six hundred thousand pieces of money he set on foot almsgiving on a grand scale, and so long as he lived he provided alms and instructed his sons, saying, "See that you do not break away from this tradition of mine, of giving alms," and at the close of his life he was reborn as Sakka(Indra). His son, in like manner giving alms, was reborn as Chanda, Chanda's son as Suriya, Suriya's son as Matali, Matali's son as Pancasikha. Now Pancasikha's son, the sixth in descent, was the Treasurer named Maccharikosiya (the Millionaire Miser)) and he still owned eighty crores(x10 million). But he thought, "My forefathers were fools. They threw away the wealth that was so intensely scraped together, but I will guard my treasure. I will not give a penny to a soul." And he demolished and burned down the alms-hall and became a confirmed miser. So the beggars assembled at his gate and stretching on their arms cried with a loud voice "O Lord High Treasurer, do not away with, the tradition of your forefathers, but give alms." On hearing this the people blamed him, saying, "Maccharikosiya has done away with the tradition of his family." Being ashamed he set a watch to prevent the beggars from standing at his gate, and being thus left utterly destitute they never again set eyes upon his door. From then on he continued to roll money together (*4), but he neither enjoyed it himself nor shared it with his wife and children. He lived on rice with its red powder, served with sour porridge, and wore coarse garments, being merely the filaments of roots and stalks of berries, shading his head with a umbrella of leaves, and he rode upon a crazy old chariot, yoked to worn-out oxen. Thus all this wicked fellow's money was as it were a cocoa-nut found by a dog (*5). Now one day when he was going to wait upon the king he thought he would take the sub-treasurer (*6) with him, and at the moment when he reached his house he found the sub-treasurer seated in the midst of his wife and children, and eating some rice porridge prepared with powdered sugar to sweeten it (*7) and cooked with fresh ghee (clarified butter). On seeing Maccharikosiya he rose from his seat and said, "Come and sit on this couch, Lord High Treasurer, and have some rice porridge with me." When he saw the rice porridge, his mouth watered and he longed to eat it, but the thought occurred to him, "If I should take some porridge, when the sub-treasurer comes to my house I shall have to make him some return of hospitality and in this way my money will be wasted. I will not eat it." Then on being pressed again and again he refused, saying, "I have already dined; I am satisfied." But while the sub-treasurer was enjoying his food, he sat looking on with his mouth watering, and when the meal was ended he went with him to the palace. On returning home he was overwhelmed with a craving for rice porridge, but thought, "If I should say I wanted to eat rice porridge, a lot of people would also want to eat it and a quantity of husked rice and the like would be wasted. I will not say a word to a creature." So night and day he passed his time thinking of nothing but porridge, but from fear of spending his money he told no one and kept his craving to himself. But being unable to bear with it he gradually grew paler and paler, and so through fear of wasting his substance he spoke of his craving to no one, and in due course of time becoming very weak he lay down, hugging his bed. Then his wife came to see him and stroking his back with her hand she inquired, "Is my lord ill?" "Ill yourself!" he cried, "I am quite well." "My lord, you have grown pale. Have you anything on your mind? Is the king displeased or have you been treated with disrespect by your children? Or have you conceived a craving for something?" "Yes, I have a craving." "Tell me what it is, my lord." "Can you keep a secret?" "Yes, I will be silent about any cravings that should be kept secret." But even so, through fear of wasting his substance he had not the courage to tell her, but being repeatedly pressed by her he said, "My dear, one day I saw the sub-treasurer eating rice porridge prepared with ghee (clarified butter), honey, and powdered sugar, and from that day I have had a craving to eat the same kind of porridge." "Poor wretch, are you so badly off? I will cook porridge enough for all the inhabitants of Benares." Then he felt just as if he had been struck on the head with a stick. Being angry with her he said, "I am well aware that you are very rich. If it comes from your family, you may cook and give rice porridge to the whole city." "Well then I will make and cook enough for the dwellers in a single street." "What have you to do with them? Let them eat what belongs to them." "Then I will make enough for seven households taken at random here and there." "What are they to you?" "Then I will cook it for the attendants in this house." "What are they to you?" "Well, then, I will cook for our family only." "What are they to you?" "Then I will cook, my lord, for you and me." "And please tell, who are you? It is not allowable in your case." "I will cook it for you only, my lord." "Please do not cook it for me: if you cook it in the house, a lot of people will look for it. But just give me a measure of husked rice, a quarter of milk, a pound (*8) of sugar, a pot of honey and a cooking vessel, and going into the forest I will there cook and eat my porridge." She did so, and asking a slave take it all he ordered him to go and stand in such and such a place. Then sending the slave forward, all alone he made himself a veil and in this disguise he went there and by the river side at the foot of a shrub he had an oven made and firewood and water brought to him and he said to the slave, "Go and stand in the road and, if you see anyone, make a sign to me, and when I call you come back to me." Sending off the slave he made a fire and cooked his porridge. At that moment Sakka(Indra), king of heaven, contemplating the splendid city of the gods(angels), ten thousand leagues( x 4.23 km) in extent, and the golden street sixty leagues( x 4.23 km) long, and Vejayanta (*9) reared a thousand leagues( x 4.23 km) high, and Sudhamma (*10) compassing five hundred leagues( x 4.23 km), and his throne of yellow marble, sixty leagues( x 4.23 km) in extent, and his white umbrella with its golden wreath, five leagues( x 4.23 km) in circumference, and his own person accompanied with a glorious assemble of twenty-five millions of heavenly nymphs--contemplating, I say, all this glory of his he thought, "What can I have done to have attained to such honour as this?" And he saw in his mind's eye the almsgiving he had established when he was Lord High Treasurer at Benares, and then he thought, "Where are my descendants born?" and considering the matter he said, "My son Chanda was born in an angel-form, and his son was Suriya." And noticing the birth of all of them, "What," he cried, "has been the fate of the son of Pancasikha?" And with insight he saw that the tradition of the race had been done away with, and the thought occurred to him, "This wicked fellow being miserly neither enjoys his wealth himself nor gives anything to others: the tradition of the race has been destroyed by him. When he dies he will be reborn in hell. By teaching him and by re-establishing my tradition I will show him how to be reborn in the city of the gods(angels)." So he summoned Chanda and the rest and saying, "Come, we will visit the habitations of men: the tradition of our family has been abolished by Maccharikosiya, the alms-halls have been burned down and he neither enjoys wealth himself nor gives anything to others, but now being desirous of eating porridge and thinking, "If it is cooked in the house, the porridge will have to be given to someone else as well," he has gone into the forest and is cooking it all alone. We will go and convert him and teach him the fruits of almsgiving. If however he were asked by all of us at once to give us some food, he would fall dead on the spot. I will go first and when I have asked him for porridge and have taken my seat, then do you come, one after another, disguised as brahmins, and beg of him." So saying he himself in the likeness of a brahmin approached him and cried, "Ho! which is the road to Benares?" Then Maccharikosiya said, "Have you lost your wits? Do you not even know the way to Benares? Why are you coming this way? Go away from here." Sakka(Indra), pretending not to hear what he said, came close up to him, asking him what he said. Then he bawled, "I say, you deaf old brahmin, why are you coming this way? Go over there." Then Sakka(Indra) said, "Why do you bawl so loud? Here I see smoke and a fire, and rice porridge is cooking. It must be some occasion for entertaining brahmins. I too when the brahmins are being fed will take somewhat. Why are you driving me away (*11)?" "There is no entertainment of brahmins here. Be off with you." "Then why are you so angry? When you eat your meal, I will take a little." He said, "I will not give you even a single lump of boiled rice. This scanty food is only just enough to keep me alive, and even this was got by begging. You go and look for your food elsewhere"--and this he said in reference to the fact of his having asked his wife for the rice--and he spoke this stanza:

No hawker I to buy or vend, No stores are mine to give or lend: This alms of rice it was hard to gain, It is scarce enough to serve us two.

On hearing this Sakka(Indra) said, "I too with honey-sweet voice will repeat a stanza for you; listen to me," and though he tried to stop him, saying, "I do not want to hear your stanza," Sakka(Indra) repeated a couple of stanzas:

From little one should little give, from moderate means also, From much give much: of giving nothing no question can arise.

This then I tell you, Kosiya, give alms of that is yours: Eat not alone, no bliss is his that by himself shall dine, By charity you may ascend the noble path divine.

On hearing his words he said, "This is a gracious saying of yours, brahmin; when the porridge is cooked, you shall receive a little. Please, take a seat." Sakka(Indra) sat down on one side. When he was seated, Chanda in like manner came near and starting a conversation in the same way, though Maccharikosiya kept trying to stop him, he spoke a couple of stanzas:

Vain is your sacrifice and vain the craving of your heart, should you eat food and grudge to give your guest some little part.

This then I tell you, Kosiya, give alms of that is yours, etc.

On hearing his words, the miser very reluctantly said, "Well, sit down, and you shall have a little porridge." So he went and sat down near Sakka(Indra). Then Suriya in like manner came near and starting a conversation in the same way, though the miser tried to stop him, he spoke a couple of stanzas:

Real your sacrifice nor vain the craving of your heart, should you not eatyour food alone, but giveyour guest a part.

This then I tell you, Kosiya, etc.

On hearing his words the miser with great reluctance said, "Well, sit down, and you shall have a little." So Suriya went and sat by Chanda. Then Matali in like manner came near and starting a conversation, though the miser tried to stop him, spoke these stanzas:

Who offers gifts to lake or flood of Gaya's stream that laves Or Timbaru or Dona shrine with rapid-flowing waves, In this regard gains fruit of sacrifice and craving of his heart, If with a guest he shares his food nor sits and eats apart.

This then I tell you, Kosiya, etc.

On hearing his words also, overwhelmed as it were with a mountain peak, he reluctantly said, "Well, sit down, and you shall have a little." Matali came and sat by Suriya. Then Pancasikha in like manner came near and starting a conversation, though the miser tried to stop him, spoke a couple of stanzas:

Like fish that swallows greedily hook fastened to a line Is he who with a guest at hand all by himself shall dine.

This then I tell you, Kosiya, etc.

Maccharikosiya on hearing this, with a painful effort and groaning aloud, said, "Well, sit down, and you shall have a little." So Pancasikha went and sat by Matali. And when these five brahmins had just taken their seats, the porridge was cooked. Then Kosiya taking it from the oven told the brahmins to bring their leaves. Remaining seated as they were they stretched on their hands and brought leaves of a creeper from the Himalayas. Kosiya on seeing them said, "I cannot give you any porridge in these large leaves of yours: get some leaves of the acacia (Babool) and similar trees." They gathered such leaves and each one was as big as a warrior's shield. So he helped all of them to some porridge with a spoon. By the time he had helped the last of all, there was still plenty left in the pot. After serving the five brahmins he himself sat down, holding the pot. At that moment Pancasikha rose up and putting off his natural form was changed into a dog and came and stood in front of them and urinated. Each of the brahmins covered up his porridge with a leaf. A drop of the dog's urine fell on the back of Kosiya's hand. The brahmins fetched water in their jars and mixing it with the porridge pretended to eat it. Kosiya said, "Give me too some water and after washing my hand I will take some food." "Fetch water for yourself," they said, "and wash your hand." "I gave you porridge; give me a little water." "We do not make a business of exchanging alms (*12)." "Well then guard this cooking pot and, after I have washed my hand, I will come back," and he descended to the river side. At that moment the dog filled the pot with urine. Kosiya on seeing him urinate, took a big stick and came near, threatening him. The dog was now transformed into a spirited blood horse and, as it pursued him, it assumed various colours. Now it was black, now white, now gold-coloured, now spotted. At one time high, at another time low of stature. Thus in many different appearances it pursued Maccharikosiya, who frightened with the fear of death came near to the brahmins, while they flew up and stood fixed in the air. On seeing their supernatural power he said:

You noble brahmins, standing in mid air, Why does this hound of yours thus strangely wear A thousand varied forms, though one he be, And tell me truly, brahmins, who are you?

On hearing this, Sakka(Indra), the king of heaven, said:

Chanda and Suriya lo! both are here, And Matali the heavenly charioteer, I Sakka(Indra) am, chief god(angel) of Thirty-Three, And Pancasikha there is chasing you.

And celebrating Pancasikha's fame Sakka(Indra) spoke this stanza:

With tabour, drum, and tambourine they wake him from his sleep, And as he wakes, glad music makes his heart with joy to leap.

On hearing his words Kosiya asked, "By what acts do men attain to heavenly glory such as this'?" "They that do not practise charity, evil doers and misers reach not the angel-world, but are reborn in hell." And by way of showing this Sakka(Indra) said:

Whoever are miserly ungenerous born, Or priests and holy brahmins contempt, Their earthly frame now laid aside, In hell, dissolved by death, abide.

And speaking the following stanza, to show how those that are devoted in righteousness attain to the angel-world, he said:

Devoted in right who heaven would win Give alms and keep themselves from sin, And, with their body laid aside By death's decay, in heaven abide.

After these words Sakka(Indra) said, "Kosiya, we have not come to you for the sake of the porridge, but from a feeling of pity and compassion for you are we come," and to make it clear to him he said:

You, though to us in former births akin, A miser are, a man of anger and sin; It is for your sake we have come down to earth, To stop you from sin's doom--in hell rebirth.

Hearing this Kosiya thought, "They tell me they are my well-wishers; picking me out of hell they would gladly establish me in heaven." And being highly pleased he said:

In that you thus me, you doubtless seek my good, I too will follow your advice, so far as understood.

From now on I'll cease from stingy ways, from sinful deed abstain, Give alms of all, nor even a cup, unshared (*13), of water drain.

Thus ever giving, Sakka(Indra), soon my wealth will diminished be, Then will I take holy orders(asceticism), and lusts of every kind (*14) will flee.

Sakka(Indra) after converting Maccharikosiya taught him the fruits of alms-giving and made him self-denying, and when by preaching the law he had established him in the five moral virtues, together with his attendant gods(angels) he returned to the angel-city. Maccharikosiya too went into the city of Benares and having asked the king's permission he asked them to take and fill all the vessels they could lay hands on with his treasure and gave it to the beggars. And now he started from the Himavat(Himalayas) upon the right-hand side and on a spot between the Ganges and a natural lake he built a hut of leaves and becoming an ascetic he lived on roots and wild berries.

There he lived a long time till he reached old age. At that time Sakka(Indra) had four daughters, Hope, Faith, Glory, and Honour, who taking with them many a heavenly scented garland came to lake Anotatta, to frolic themselves in the water, and after amusing themselves there seated themselves on mount Manosila. Just at that moment Narada, a brahmin ascetic, went to the palace of the Thirty-Three to rest during the heat of the day and constructed a living-place for the day in the shades of Cittakuta in the Nanda grove. And holding in his hand the flower of the coral tree, to serve as a sunshade, he went to Golden Cave, the place where he lived on the top of Manosila. The nymphs on seeing this flower in his hand begged it from him.

The Master, to make the matter clear, said:

In Gandhamadana's lordly height, These nymphs, great Sakka(Indra)'s care, delight; To them a saint of world-wide fame With big branch in hand there came.

This branch with flowers so pure and sweet Is deemed for gods and angels suitable for it: No demon, none of mortal birth Can claim this flower of priceless worth.

Then Faith, Hope, Glory, Honour, those Four maids with skins like gold, arose, And, exceptional amidst all nymphs confessed, The brahmin Narada addressed,

"Give us, O sage, this coral flower, If still to give is inyour power, As Sakka(Indra)'s self we'll honour you, And you in all things blessed shall be."

When Narada their prayer had heard, He straight a mighty quarrel stirred: "I need it not; whom you allow To be your queen shall claim the bough."

The four nymphs on hearing what he said spoke this stanza:

O Narada, supreme are you, On whom you will give the boon : Whom you shall with such gift give, Amongst us shall be counted best.

Narada, on hearing their words, addressing them said:

Fair one (*15), such advice is not right; What brahmin dispute would dare excite? Take to the lord of fairies your quest, If you would know who's worst or best.

Then the Master spoke this stanza:

With pride of beauty mad and rage Excited by the cunning sage,

To Sakka(Indra), lord of fairies, they go, Who amongst them all is best to know.

As they stood asking this question,

These nymphs so earnest in their quest Sakka(Indra) with due respect addressed, You all in beauty equal are, Who thus would mar your peace with dispute ?"

Being thus addressed by him they said:

Narada, world-traversing, a sage of might, Truth-piercing, devoted ever in the right, Thus spoke to us on Gandhamadana's height; "To Sakka(Indra), lord of spirits, straightway go, If who is first or last you gladly would know."

Hearing this Sakka(Indra) thought, "If I shall say that one of these four daughters of mine is virtuous beyond the others, the rest will be angry. This is a case impossible for me to decide; I will send them to Kosiya, the ascetic in the Himalayas: he shall decide the question for them.". So he said, "I cannot decide your case. In the Himalayas is an ascetic called Kosiya: to him I will send a cup of my ambrosia (drink of gods). He eats nothing without sharing it with another, and in giving he shows discrimination by giving it to the virtuous. Whichsoever of you shall receive food at his hand, she must be the best amongst you." And so saying he repeated this stanza:

The sage that dwells in the vast wood Will not unshared touch any food; Kosiya with judgment gifts confers, To whom he gives, first place is hers.

So he summoned Matali and sent him to the ascetic, and in sending him he repeated the following stanza:

On Himavat(Himalayas) slopes where Ganges glides Towards the south a saint resides: ambrosia (drink of gods), Matali, take to the saint, For food and drink he's growing faint.

Then the Master said:

At the god(angel)'s behest went Matali, On a chariot with a thousand horses rode he; Unseen he soon by the hermitage stood And offered the sage ambrosial (divine) food.

Kosiya took it and even as he stood spoke a couple of stanzas:

A flame of sacrifice while I did raise (*16), The sun that drives away all gloom to praise, Sakka(Indra) supreme over spirit-world that stands-- Who else?--ambrosia (drink of gods) placed within my hands.

White like a pearl was it, beyond compare, Fragrant and pure, and marvellously fair, Never before seen by these eyes of mine; What god(angel) puts in my hands this food divine?

Then Matali said:

I come, O mighty sage, by Sakka(Indra) sent, In haste to bring you heavenly nutriment: This best of food, I request, eat without all fear, You do see here Matali, heaven's charioteer.

By eating this twelve evil things are killed, Thirst, hunger, discontent, fatigue, and pain, Cold, heat, rage, enmity, dispute, slander, sloth-- This heavenly essence eat you, nothing unwillingly.

Hearing this Kosiya, to make it clear that he had taken a vow upon him, spoke this stanza:

It was wrong to eat alone I thought, so took a vow one day To touch no food, unless I gave some part of it away. To eat alone is never approved by men of noble mind, Whosoever with others does not share no happiness may find.

And when Matali questioned him, saying, "Holy sir, what did you discover was wrong in eating without giving a portion to others that you took this vow upon you?" he answered:

All who commit adultery or womenkind do kill, Who holy men curse and Insult or friendly souls betray, And misers, worst of all--that I may never be ranked with such, Not even a drop of water I unshared will ever touch.

On men and women both alike my gifts shall ever flow, Sages will praise all such as shall give their goods in alms ; All that are generous in this world and ungenerous ways avoid, Approved by all, will ever be esteemed good men and true.

On hearing this Matali stood before him in a visible form. At that moment these four heavenly nymphs stood at the four points of the compass. Glory at the east, Hope at the south, Faith at the west, Honour at the north.

The Master; to clear up the matter, said:

Four nymphs with golden forms so bright, Hope, Glory, Faith, and Honour named, At Sakka(Indra)'s asking earthward sent, To Kosiya's cell their footsteps bent.

The maids with forms that glowed like flame To each of earth's four quarters came; before Matali (now a god(angel) ) The sage overjoyed one thus addressed,

"Who are you, nymph, like morning star, illuminating Eastern skies afar?

Your form in robe (*17) of gold dressed Tell meyour name, O heavenly maid."

"I Glory am, man's honoured friend, The sinless soul prompt to defend: To claim this food, lo! here am I; With this my prayer, great sage, comply.

I bliss confer on whom I will And all his heart's desire fulfil; High priest, my name is Glory, know, give to me your heavenly food."

On hearing this Kosiya said:

Men may be skilful, virtuous, wise, Excel in all their wits devise, Yet without you they never succeed; In this I blameyour evil deed.

Another slothful, greedy, see, Low-born and ugly as may be: blessed byyour care and rich in addition He makes one nobly born his servant.

You then as false and dull, Glory, I recognise, Reckless in courting fools and laying low the wise; No claim have you in truth to seat or water-pot, Much less divine food. Go away, I like you not.

So did she straightway vanish from sight. Then holding talk with Hope he said:

Who are you, girl fair, with teeth so pure and white, With rings of polished gold and shining bracelets dressed, In robe of watered sheen and wearing onyour head A sprig like red flame by bunch of kusa fed?

Like a wild doe all but by hunter's arrow grazed, You lookst dull-eyed around as it was some creature dazed, O softly-glancing maid, what comrade have you here, That through lone forest glade you strayst without a fear?

Then she spoke this stanza:

No comrade have I here; from Sakka(Indra)'s heavenly home Masakkasara called, angelic-born I come: To claim divine food Hope now appears to you; O listen, noble sage, and grant this boon to me.

On hearing this Kosiya. said, "They tell me that whosoever pleases you, to him by accomplishing the fruition of hope you grant hope, and whosoever pleases you not, to him you grant it not. Success does not come to him through you in this case, but you bring about his destruction," and by way of example he said:

Merchants through hope seek treasure far and wide, And taking ship on ocean's waves ride: There sometimes do they sink to rise no more, Or else escaping their lost wealth deplore.

In hope their fields the farmers plough and till, Sow seeds and labour with their utmost skill; But should some plague, or drought afflict the soil No harvest will they reap for all their toil.

Ease-loving men, led on by hope, take heart And for their lord's sake play a manly part, Oppressed by enemies on every side they fall And fighting for their lord lose life and all.

Grain-stores and wealth renouncing for their family, Through hope aspiring heavenly bliss to win, Long time harsh penances they undergo, And by bad ways attain to state of suffering.

Deceiver of mankind,your suit is vain, Your idle craving for this boon restrain, No claim have you to seat or water-pot: Much less to heavenly food. Go away, I like you not.

She too on being rejected straightway vanished from sight. Then holding talk with Faith he spoke this stanza:

Famed nymph in blaze of glory dressed, Standing towards the ill-omened West, Your form in robe of gold dressed, Tell meyour name, distinguished maid.

Then she repeated a stanza:

My name is Faith, man's honoured friend, The sinless soul prompt to defend: To claim this food, lo! here am I; With this my prayer, great sage, comply.

Then Kosiya said, "Those mortals that in believing the words of first one and then another do this or that, do that which they should not do more often than that which they should do, and truly it is all done through you," and he repeated these stanzas:

Through faith at times men freely alms provide, Show self-control, restraint and abstinence: At times again through you from grace they fall, Slander and lie and cheat and steal in addition.

With wives, chaste, faithful, and of high degree, A man may vigilant and sensible be, May curb his passions well in such a case, Yet in some harlot his whole trust may place.

Through you, O Faith, adultery is everywhere, Forsaking (*18) good you lead'st a sinful life. No claim have you to seat or water-pot: Much less ambrosial(divine) food. Go away, I like you not.

She too straightway vanished from sight. But Kosiya holding talk with Honour, as she stood on the north side, repeated these two stanzas:

Like Dawn shining on the edge of hateful Night, So didyour beauty burst upon my sight; O heavenly nymph in form so passing fair, Tell meyour name and who you are please tell.

Like to a tender plant (*19) whose roots are fed On soil over which devouring flames have spread, Its wealth of scarlet leaves by summer breezes shed, Why do you look at me with bashful air, Gladly as it were to speak, yet standing silent there?

Then she uttered this stanza:

Honour am I, man's cherished friend, Who aid to righteous mortals lend; Lo here am I this food to claim, Yet scarcely dare my wish to frame; To woman suing counts as shame.

On hearing this the ascetic repeated two stanzas:

No need for you to beg and sue, Receive what isyour right and due: I grant the boon you dared not to crave, Accept the food you Gladly would have.

Oblige, nymph, all golden clad, I request, To feast within my cell this day: First honouring you with choice foods rare, I too this heavenly food would share.

Then follow some stanzas inspired by divine wisdom:

Thus Honour, glorious nymph, at his behest In Kosiya's home was welcomed as a guest: Fruits and perennial streams in that exceed, And crowding saints are in its premises found.

Here flowering shrubs (*21) in a dense mass we see, The mango, pipal, bread-fruit, Judas-tree; Here sal and bright rose-apple decorate the glade, There fig and banyan cast their holy shade.

Here many a flower with fragrance scents the wind, Here peas and beans, panic and rice we find: Bananas everywhere rich clusters show, And bamboo reeds in thickest tangle grow.

On the north side, bordered by smooth and level bank, And fed by purest streams, see a sacred tank.

There happy fish (*22) in peace frolic themselves at will, And amidst abundant food enjoy to take their fill.

There happy birds in peace enjoy abundant fare, Swans, herons, Ospreys (fish hawk) too, peacocks with plumage rare, Cuckoos and pheasant birds with red geese are there.

Here do lions, tigers, boars resort their thirst to be satisfied. This bears, hyenas, wolves are accustomed their drinking-place to make.

The buffalo, rhinoceros and gayal too are here, With antelope, elk, herds of swine, and red and other deer, And cats with ears like to a hare's in numbers vast appear.

The mountain slopes are of bright color covered with flowers of varied shade And echo to the song of birds that haunt each forest glade.

Thus did the Lord Buddha sing the praises of Kosiya's hermitage. And now to show on the manner of the goddess Honour's entrance in that he said:

The fair one leaning on a branch, all clothed with foliage green, Like lightning front a thunder-cloud straight flashed upon the scene. For her was set a elegant couch (*23), rich drapings at its head, All made of fragrant kusa grass, with deer-skin overspread. And thus to Honour, heavenly nymph, the holy hermit spoke: "Foryour delight the couch is set; be pleased a seat to take."

The ascetic then pure water from the spring In freshly gathered leaves with haste did bring, And knowing what her inmost soul would crave The ambrosial(divine) food to her he gladly gave.

As in her hands the welcome gift she pressed, The nymph thus overjoyed the saint addressed: "Worship to me and victory you have given, Lo! now once more I'll seek my native heaven."

The maid intoxicate with pride of fame, With Kosiya's blessing, back to Indra came, "And see," she cried, "god(angel) of the thousand eyes, The ambrosia (drink of gods)'s here--to me award the prize."

Then Sakka(Indra) and his assemblage of angels paid Due honour to the exceptional heavenly maid, And as she sat on her new seat enthroned, Her presence gods(angels) and men adoring owned.

While thus honouring her this thought occurred to Sakka(Indra), "What can be the reason why Kosiya refusing it to the others gave the ambrosia (drink of gods) to this one alone?" To ascertain the reason of this he again sent Matali.

The Master, in making the matter clear, repeated this stanza:

So Sakka(Indra), lord of the Thirty-Three, Once more addressing Matali, Said, "Go and ask the saint to explain Why Honour should the ambrosia (drink of gods) gain."

In obedience to his word Matali, mounting the chariot called Vejayanta (*24), departed there.

The Master, to explain the matter, said:

So Matali then launched a chariot to voyage through the air, With fittings all to match itself, in splendour wonderful fair, Its pole of gold, gold well refined, and all its framework built With ornament elaborate and overlaid with gilt.

Peacocks in gold depicted were in numbers not a few, Horses and cows and elephants, tigers and panthers too, Here antelopes and deer are seen as if prepared for fight, Here wrought in precious stones are jays and other birds in flight.

To it they yoked a thousand royal horses of golden color, Each strong as youthful elephant, a splendid sight to view; Their breasts in golden network clad, with wreaths garlanded, With loosened trace (*25), at a mere word, swift as the wind they ran.

As Matali this lordly chariot ascended with a bound The firmament in all ten points re-echoed to the sound: And as he journeyed through the air, he made the world to quake, And sky and sea and earth with all its rocks and woods did shake.

Right soon he gained the hermitage and wishing to say Due reverence for the holy man he left one shoulder bare, And speaking to this brahmin sage, a wise and learned man, Well trained in holy tradition, it was thus that Matali began:

Hear now, O Kosiya, the words of Indra, heavenly king, As to what he is Gladly to learn, this message, lo! I bring, "While Hope and Faith and Glory's claims you will not recognise, I request, why should Honour at your hands alone receive the prize?"

On hearing his words the ascetic spoke this stanza:

Glory to me, O Matali, appears a partial vicious, While Faith, you charioteer of gods(angels), proves a shifty maid, Hope ever a deceiver loves its promise to betray, Honour alone is stablished firm in holy virtue's way.

And now in praise of her virtue he said:

Girls that still within their homes live, ever guarded well, Women now past their prime, and such as still with husbands dwell, In one and all should fleshly lust within their heart arise, At Honour's voice they check the thought and sinful passion dies.

Where shafts and spears in battle's van are rushing fast and free, And in the defeat when comrades fall or turn them round and flee, At Honour's voice they check their flight even at the cost of life, (*26)And panic-stricken as they were once more renew the conflict.

Just as the shore will stop the rush of waves from the sea, So Honour too will often the course of wicked folk restrain. Then, Matali, to Indra quick return and make it clear, That saints throughout the whole wide world all Honour's name revere

On hearing this Matali repeated this stanza:

Who was it, Kosiya, that did suggest this view to you, Was it great Indra(king of angels), Brahma(ArchAngel), or Pajapati (*27) maybe?

This Honour, mighty sage, be sure, to Indra owes her birth, And in the angel-world she ranks foremost of all in worth.

While he was still speaking, at that very instant Kosiya became subject to re-birth. Then Matali said to him, "Kosiya,your aggregate of life (*28) is passing from you:your practice of charity (*29) is ended. What have you to do with the world of men? We will now go to the angel-world," and thinking to take him there he spoke this stanza:

Come now, O saint, and straightway mount the chariot so dear to me, And let me lead you to the heaven where reign the Thirty-Three. Indra is longing much for you, to Indra's self akin, To-day your way to fellowship with Indra you shall win.

While Matali was yet still speaking, Kosiya passing away came into existence in the ranks of the gods(angels) without the intervention of parents (*30) and mounting up took his stand upon the celestial chariot. Then Matali conducted him into the presence of Sakka(Indra). Sakka(Indra) on seeing him was glad at heart and gave him his own daughter Honour to wife, as his chief wife, and conferred on him a boundless power of governing.

On perceiving the state of things the Master said, "It is the merit of some glorious beings that is thus purified," and he repeated the final stanza:

It is thus the acts of holy men to happy issue lead, And always abides the fruit of meritorious deed. Whose saw the ambrosial(divine) food to Honour that was given, Straight passed away to fellowship with Indra, lord of heaven.

The Master here ended his discourse with these words, "Not now only, Brethren(Monks), but of old also I converted this miserly fellow who was a confirmed miser," and so saying he identified the Birth thus: "At that time Uppalavanna was the nymph Honour, a Brother(Monk) of lordly generosity was Kosiya, Anuruddha was Pancasikha, Ananda Matali, Kashyapa Suriya, Moggallyana Chanda, Sariputra Narada, and I myself was Sakka(Indra).

Footnotes:

(1)Compare No. 78, Illisa-Jataka.

(2)Jat. no. 483

(3)saraniya,Jat. no. 224

(4)samgharati, Jat. no.413, no. 36, and samghara, Jat. no. 222

(5)Evidently a proverb to denote a 'useless possession'.

(6)anusetthi here clearly denotes some official subordinate to the Lord High Treasurer.

(7)For Madhura we should perhaps read madhu, honey, which occurs as one of the ingredients of the porridge on the next page of the text.

(8)acchara must be a weight or measure of capacity. Can it be akin to acchera (Marathi) a half-sher?

(9)Sakka(Indra)'s palace.

(10)Sakka(Indra)'s hall of justice.

(11)nicchubhati Jat. no. 302

(12)Any arrangement for the exchange of alms was forbidden.

(13)For datva reading 'datva, i.e. adatva.

(14)yathodhika, each in its own place. see Jataka no. 381 and no. 437

(15)sugatte. Though addressing the four, Narada singles out one nymph.

(16)With udaggihutta compare udayudha, with uplifted weapon.

(17)velli, Jat. no. 402, and 405, is probably some part of dress. Compare samvelli, no. 306, explained by the scholar as kaccha. see Cullavagga, x. 16

(18)rinchati, Jataka no. 146

(19)ipomoea.

(21)Many trees and plants only known by botanical names have been omitted.

(22)The names of many fish.

(23)For koccha see Vinaya Texts

(24)Sakka(Indra)'s chariot. see. Jat. 202, no. 254, no. 355, no. 103. Elsewhere it is the name of Sakka(Indra)'s palace, as in no. 386

(25)asamgita, i.e. nissanga

(26)The scholar would take it thus: "And rallying round their rescued lord once more renew the conflict."

(27)The same three gods(angels) occur in Jat. 568. Pajapati here is clearly distinct from Brahma.

(28)Jataka 106

(29)With danadhamma compare deyyadhamma, the usual term in Buddhist inscriptions for a pious gift

(30)opapatika is a being who springs into existence without the intervention of parents and, as it were, uncaused and seeming to appear by chance, but really due to the karma of a being who has passed away elsewhere.