Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 86. Sīlavīmaṁsana-Jātaka
No. 86.
SĪLAVĪMAṀSANA-JĀTAKA.
"Naught can compare."--This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana,
about a brahmin who put to the test his reputation for goodness. This Brother,
who was maintained by ṭhe King of Kosala, had sought the Three Refuges; he kept
the Five Commandments, and was versed in the Three Vedas. "This is a good man,"
thought the King, and shewed him great honour. But that Brother thought to
himself, "The King shews honour to me beyond other brahmins, and has manifested
his great regard by making me his spiritual director. But is his favour due to
my goodness or only to my birth, lineage, family, country and accomplishments? I
must clear this up without delay." Accordingly, one day when he was leaving the
palace, he took unbidden a coin from a treasurer's counter, and went his way.
Such was the treasurer's veneration for the brahmin that he sat perfectly still
and said not a word. Next day the brahmin took two coins; but still the official
made no remonstrance. The third day the brahmin took a whole handful of coins.
"This is the third day," cried the treasurer, "that you have robbed his
Majesty;" and he shouted out three times,--"I have caught the thief who robs the
treasury." In rushed a crowd of people from every side, crying, "Ah, you've long
been posing as a model of goodness." And dealing him two or three blows, they
led him before the King. In great sorrow the King said to him, "What led you,
brahmin, to do, so wicked a thing?" And he gave orders, saying, "Off with him to
punishment." "I are no thief, sire," said the brahmin. "Then why did you take
money from the treasury?" "Because you shewed me such great honour, sire, and
because I made up my mind to find out whether that honour was paid to my birth
and the like or only to my goodness. That was my motive, and now I know for
certain (inasmuch as you order me off to punishment) that it was my goodness and
not my birth and other advantages, that won me your majesty's favour. Goodness I
know to be the chief and supreme good; I know too that to goodness [370] I can
p. 214
never attain in this life, whilst I remain a layman, living in the midst of
sinful pleasures. Wherefore, this very day I would fain go to the Master at
Jetavana and renounce the world for the Brotherhood. Grant me your leave, sire."
The King consenting, the brahmin set out for Jetavana. His friends and relations
in a body tried to turn him from his purpose, but, finding their efforts of no
avail, left him alone. He came to the Master and asked to be admitted to the
Brotherhood. After admission to the lower and higher orders, he won by
application spiritual insight and became an Arahat, whereon he drew near to the
Master, saying, "Sir, my joining the Order has borne the Supreme
Fruit,"--thereby signifying that he had won Arahatship. Hearing of this, the
Brethren, assembling in the Hall of Truth, spoke with one another of the virtues
of the King's chaplain who tested his own reputation for goodness and who,
leaving the King, had now risen to be an Arahat. Entering the Hall, the Master
asked what the Brethren were discussing, and they told him. "Not without a
precedent, Brethren," said he, "is the action of this brahmin in putting to the
test his reputation for goodness and in working out his salvation after
renouncing the world. The like was done by the wise and good of bygone days as
well." And so saying, he told this story of the past.
_____________________________
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his
chaplain,--a man given to charity and other good works, whose mind was set on
righteousness, always keeping unbroken the Five Commandments. And the King
honoured him beyond the other brahmins; and everything came to pass as above.
But, as the Bodhisatta was being brought in bonds before the King, he came where
some snake-charmers were exhibiting a snake, which they laid hold of by the tail
and the throat, and tied round their necks. Seeing this, the Bodhisatta begged
the men to desist, for the snake might bite them and cut their lives short.
"Brahmin," replied the snake-charmers, "this is a good and well-behaved cobra;
he's not wicked like you, who for your wickedness and misconduct are being
hauled off in custody."
Thought the Bodhisatta to himself, "Even cobras, if they do not bite or wound,
are called 'good.' How much more must this be the case with those who have come
to be human beings! Verily it is just this goodness which is the most excellent
thing in all the world, nor [371] does aught surpass it." Then he was brought
before the King. "What is this, my friends?" said the King. "Here's a thief who
has been robbing your majesty's treasury." "Away with him to execution." "Sire,"
said the brahmin, "I am no thief." "Then how came you to take the money?" Hereon
the Bodhisatta made answer precisely as above, ending as follows:--"This then is
why I have come to the conclusion that it is goodness which is the highest and
most excellent thing in all the world. But be that as it may, yet, seeing that
the cobra, when it does not bite or wound, must simply be called 'good' and
nothing more, for this reason too it is
p. 215
goodness alone which is the highest and most excellent of all things." Then in
praise of goodness he uttered this stanza:--
Naught can compare with Goodness;
all the world Can not its equal show. The cobra fell,
If men account it 'good,' is saved from death.
After preaching the truth to the King in this stanza, the Bodhisatta, abjuring
all Lusts, and renouncing the world for the hermit's life, repaired to the
Himalayas, where he attained to the five Knowledges and the eight Attainments,
earning for himself the sure hope of re-birth thereafter in the Brahma Realm.
_____________________________
His lesson ended, the Master identified the Birth by saying, "My disciples were
the King's following in those days, and I myself the King's chaplain."
[Note. Compare Nos. 290, 330, and 362; and see Feer's Études sur le Játaka.]
Next: No. 87. Maṁgala-Jātaka
No comments:
Post a Comment