The Jataka Tales, Volume 3

Edward Byles Cowell, H. T. Francis

• Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9783849622367
• Topic: Teologia e religione
• Subtopic: Filosofia orientale

This is the extended and annotated edition including* an extensive annotation of more than 10.000 words about the history and basics of Buddhism, written by Thomas William Rhys DavidsThe Jatakas refer to a voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births (jati) of the Buddha. These are the stories that tell about the previous lives of the Buddha, in both human and animal form. The future Buddha may appear in them as a king, an outcast, a god, an elephant-but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates. The Theravada Jatakas comprise 547 poems, arranged roughly by increasing number of verses. This book comprises poem 301 through 438. (courtesy of wikipedia.com)

MITTAVINDA-JATAKA.

"What was the evil," etc.--This story the Master whilst living at Jetavana told concerning an unruly Brother. The incident that led to the story will be found in the Mahamittavinda Birth.

Now this Mittavindaka, when cast into the sea, showed himself very covetous, and going on to still greater excess came to the place of torment inhabited by beings doomed to hell. And he made his way into the Ussada hell, taking it to be a city, and there he got a wheel as sharp as a razor fixed upon his head. Then the Bodhisatta in the shape of a god went on a mission to Ussada. On seeing him, Mittavindaka repeated the first stanza in the form of a question:--

What was the evil wrought by me,

Thus to provoke the curse of heaven,

That my poor head should ever be

With circling wheel of torture riven?

The Bodhisatta, on hearing this, uttered the second stanza:

Forsaking homes of joy and bliss,

That decked with pearls, with crystal this,

And halls of gold and silver sheen,

What brought thee to this gloomy scene?

Then Mittavindaka replied in a third stanza:

"Far fuller joys I there shall gain

Than any these poor worlds can show."

This was the thought that proved my bane

And brought me to this scene of woe.

The Bodhisatta then repeated the remaining stanzas:

From four to eight, to sixteen thence, and so

To thirty-two insatiate greed doth grow.

Thus on and on thou, greedy soul, wert led

Till doomed to wear this wheel upon thy head.

So all, pursuing covetous desire,

Insatiate still, yet more and more require:

The broadening path of appetite they tread,

And, like thee, bear this wheel upon their head.

But while Mittavindaka was still speaking, the wheel fell upon him and crushed him, so that he could say no more. But the divine being returned straight to his celestial abode.

The Master, his lesson ended, identified the Birth: "At that time the unruly Brother was Mittavindaka, and I myself was the divine being."

PALASA-JATAKA.

"The goose said to the Judas tree," etc.--This was a story told by the Master, whilst residing at Jetavana, concerning the rebuke of sin. The incident that led to the story will be set forth in the Panna Birth. But on this occasion the Master addressing the Brethren said, "Brothers, sin ought to be regarded with suspicion. Though it be as small as a banyan shoot, it may prove fatal. Sages of old too suspected whatever was open to suspicion." And with this he related a story of the past.

Once upon a time in the reign of Brahmadatta, king of Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a golden gosling, and when he came to be a full-grown goose, he lived in a golden cave, in the Cittakuta mountain in the Himalaya region, and used to go constantly and eat the wild paddy that grew on a natural lake. On the way by which he went to and fro was a big Judas tree. Both in going and returning, he would always stop and rest there. So a friendship sprang up between him and the divinity that dwelt in that tree. By and bye a certain fowl, after eating the ripe fruit of a banyan, came and perched on the Judas tree, and dropped its excrement into the fork of it. Thence there sprang up a young banyan, which grew to the height of four inches and was bright with red shoots and greenery. The royal goose, on seeing this, addressed the guardian deity of the tree and said, "My good friend, every tree on which a banyan shoot springs up is destroyed by its growth. Do not suffer this to grow, or it will destroy your place of abode. Go back at once, and root it up and throw it away. One ought to suspect that which justifies suspicion." And thus conversing with the tree-sprite the goose uttered the first stanza:

The goose said to the Judas tree,

"A banyan shoot is threatening thee:

What thou dost in thy bosom rear

Will rend thee limb from limb, I fear."

On hearing this the tree-god, not heeding his words, repeated the second stanza:

Well! let it grow, and should I be

A refuge to the banyan tree,

And tend it with a parent's love,

It will to me a blessing prove.

Then the goose uttered the third stanza:

It is a cursed shoot, I fear,

Thou dost within thy bosom rear.

I say goodbye and off I flee,

This growth alas! misliketh me.

With these words the royal goose spread out his wings and made straight for mount Cittakuta. Thenceforth he came not back any more. By and bye the banyan shoot grew up. This tree also had its guardian deity. And in its growth, it broke down the Judas tree, and with a branch the abode of the tree-god also fell. At this moment reflecting on the words of the royal goose, the tree-god thought, "The king of the geese foresaw this danger in the future and warned me of it, but I did not hearken unto his words." And thus lamenting, he uttered the fourth stanza:

A spectre grim like Meru's height

Has brought me to a fearful plight;

Scorning the words friend goosey said,

I now am overwhelmed with dread.

Thus did the banyan, as it grew up, break down all the Judas tree and reduce it to a mere stump, and the dwelling place of the tree-god wholly disappeared.

Wise men abhor the parasitic thing

That chokes the form to which it loves to cling.

The wise, suspecting danger from the weed,

Destroy the root before it comes to seed.

This was the fifth stanza, inspired by Perfect Wisdom.

The Master here, his lesson ended, revealed the Truths and identified the Birth:--At the conclusion of the Truths five hundred Brethren attained Sainthood:--"At that time I myself was the golden goose."

DIGHITIKOSALA-JATAKA.

"Thou art within my power," etc.--This story the Master, whilst dwelling at Jetavana, told concerning some quarrelsome folk from Kosambi. When they came to Jetavana, the Master addressed them at the time of their reconciliation and said, "Brethren, ye are my lawful sons in the faith, begotten by the words of my mouth. Children ought not to trample under foot the counsel given them by their father, but ye follow not my admonition. Sages of old, when the men who had slain their parents and seized upon their kingdom fell into their hands in the forest, did not put them to death, though they were confirmed rebels, but they s...

Table of contents

• BUDDHISM
• THE JATAKA – VOLUME 2
• BOOK IV. CATUKKANIPATA.
• BOOK V. PANCANIPATA
• BOOK VI.--CHANIPATA.
• BOOK VIII.--ATTHA-NIPATA.
• BOOK IX. NAVANIPATA.