Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 35. Vaṭṭaka-Jātaka
No. 35.
VAṬṬAKA-JĀTAKA.
"With, wings that fly not."--This story was told by the Master, whilst on an
alms-pilgrimage through Magadha, about the going-out of a jungle fire. Once the
Master, whilst on an alms-pilgrimage through Magadha, went on his morning round
for alms through a certain hamlet in that country; on his return, after his
meal, he went out again followed by the company of the Brethren. Just then a
great fire broke out. There were numbers of Brethren both in front of the Master
and behind him. On came the fire, spreading far and wide, till all was one sheet
of smoke and flame. Hereupon, some unconverted Brethren were seized with the
fear of death. "Let us make a counter fire," they cried; "and then the big fire
will not sweep over the ground we have fired." And, with this view, they set
about kindling a fire with their tinder-sticks.
But others said, "What is this you do, Brethren? You are like such as mark not
the moon in mid-heaven, or the sun's orb rising with myriad rays from the east,
or the sea on whose shores they stand, or Mount Sineru towering before their
very eyes,--when, as you journey along in the company of him who is peerless
among devas and men alike, you give not a thought to the All-Enlightened Buddha,
but cry out, 'Let us make a fire!' You know not the might of a Buddha! Come, let
us go to the Master." Then, gathering together from front and rear alike, the
Brethren in a body flocked round the Lord of Wisdom. At a certain spot the
Master halted, with this mighty assembly of the Brethren surrounding him. On
rolled the flames, roaring as though to devour them. But when they approached
the spot where the Buddha had taken his stand, they came no nearer than sixteen
lengths, but there and then went out,--even as a torch plunged into water. It
had no power to spread over a space thirty-two lengths in diameter.
p. 89
The Brethren burst into praises of the Master, saying, "Oh! how great are the
virtues of a Buddha! For, even this fire, though lacking sense, could not sweep
over the spot where a Buddha stood, but went out like a torch in water. Oh! how
marvellous are the powers of a Buddha!"
[213] Hearing their words, the Master said, "It is no present power of mine,
Brethren, that makes this fire go out on reaching this spot of ground. It is the
power of a former 'Act of Truth' of mine. For in this spot no fire will burn
throughout the whole of this æon, the miracle being one which endures for an æon
1."
Then the Elder Ānanda folded a robe into four and spread it for the Master to
sit on. The Master took his seat. Bowing to the Buddha as he sat cross-legged
there, the Brethren too seated themselves around him. Then they asked him,
saying, "Only the present is known to us, sir; the past is hidden from us. Make
it known to us." And, at their request, he told this story of the past.
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Once upon a time in this selfsame spot in Magadha, it was as a quail that the
Bodhisatta came to life once more. Breaking his way out of the shell of the egg
in which he was born, he became a young quail, about as big as a large ball 2.
And his parents kept him lying in the nest, while they fed him with food which
they brought in their beaks. In himself, he had not the strength either to
spread his wings and fly through the air, or to lift his feet and walk upon the
ground. Year after year that spot was always ravaged by a jungle-fire; and it
was just at this time that the flames swept down on it with a mighty roaring.
The flocks of birds, darting from their several nests, were seized with the fear
of death, and flew shrieking away. The father and mother of the Bodhisatta were
as frightened as the others and flew away, forsaking the Bodhisatta. Lying there
in the nest, the Bodhisatta stretched forth his neck, and seeing the flames
spreading towards him, he thought to himself, "Had I the power to put forth my
wings and fly, I would wing my way hence to safety; or, if I could move my legs
and walk, I could escape elsewhere afoot. Moreover, my parents, seized with the
fear of death, are fled away to save themselves, leaving me here quite alone in
the world. I am without protector or helper. What, then, shall I do this day?"
Then this thought came to him:--"In this world there exists what is termed the
Efficacy of Goodness, and what is termed the Efficacy of Truth. There are those
who, through their having realised the Perfections in past ages, have attained
beneath the Bo-tree to be All-Enlightened; who, having won Release by goodness,
tranquillity and wisdom, possess also discernment of the knowledge of such
Release; [214] who are filled with truth, compassion, mercy, and patience; whose
love embraces all creatures alike; whom men call omniscient Buddhas. There is an
efficacy in the attributes they have won. And I too grasp one truth; I hold and
believe in a single
p. 90
principle in Nature. Therefore, it behoves me to call to mind the Buddhas of the
past, and the Efficacy they have won, and to lay hold of the true belief that is
in me touching the principle of Nature; and by an Act of Truth to make the
flames go back, to the saving both of myself and of the rest of the birds."
Therefore it has been said:--
There's saving grace in Goodness in this world;
There's truth, compassion, purity of life.
Thereby, I'll work a matchless Act of Truth.
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Remembering Faith's might, and taking thought
On those who triumphed in the days gone by,
Strong in the truth, an Act of Truth I wrought.
Accordingly, the Bodhisatta, calling to mind the efficacy of the Buddhas long
since past away, performed an Act of Truth in the name of the true faith that
was in him, repeating this stanza:--
With wings that fly not, feet that walk not yet,
Forsaken by my parents, here I lie!
Wherefore I conjure thee, dread Lord of Fire,
Primæval Jātaveda, turn! go back!
Even as he performed his Act of Truth, Jātaveda went back a space of sixteen
lengths; and in going back the flames did not pass away to the forest devouring
everything in their path. No; they went out there and then, like a torch plunged
in water. Therefore it has been said:--
[215] I wrought my Act of Truth, and therewithal
The sheet of blazing fire left sixteen lengths
Unscathed,--like flames by water met and quenched.
And as that spot escaped being wasted by fire throughout a whole æon, the
miracle is called an 'æon-miracle.' When his life closed, the Bodhisatta, who
had performed this Act of Truth, passed away to fare according to his deserts.
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"Thus, Brethren," said the Master, "it is not my present power but the efficacy
of an Act of Truth performed by me when a young quail, that has made the flames
pass over this spot iii the jungle." His lesson ended, he preached the Truths,
at the close whereof some won the First, some the Second, some the Third Path,
while others again became Arahats. Also, the Master shewed the connexion and
identified the Birth by saying, "My present parents were the parents of those
days, and I myself the king of the quails."
[Note. The story and the verses occur in the Cariyā-Piṭaka, p. 98. See reference
to this story under Jātaka No. 20, supra.
For the archaic title of Jātaveda here given to Fire, compare Jātaka, No. 75, as
to a similar use of the archaic name Pajjunna.]
Footnotes
89:1 See above, page 56.
89:2 See Morris, Journal P. T. S. 1884, p. 90.
Next: No. 36. Sakuṇa-Jātaka
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