Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 26. Mahilāmukha-Jātaka
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No. 26.
MAHILĀMUKHA-JĀTAKA.
"Through hearing first."--This story was told by the Master while at the
Bamboo-grove, about Devadatta, who, having secured the adherence of Prince
Ajāta-sattu, had attained both gain and honour. Prince Ajāta-sattu had a
Monastery built for Devadatta at Gayā-sīsa, and every day brought to him [186]
five hundred kettles of perfumed three-year-old rice flavoured with all the
choicest flavourings. All this gain and honour brought Devadatta a great
following, with whom Devadatta lived on, without ever stirring out of his
Monastery.
At that time there were living in Rājagaha two friends, of whom one had taken
the vows under the Master, whilst the other had taken them under Devadatta. And
these continued to see one another, either casually or by visiting the
Monasteries. Now one day the disciple of Devadatta said to the other, "Sir, why
do you daily go round for alms with the sweat streaming off you? Devadatta sits
quietly at Gayā-sīsa and feeds on the best of fare, flavoured with all the
choicest flavourings. There's no way like his. Why breed misery for yourself?
Why should it not be a good thing for you to come the first thing in the morning
to the Monastery at Gayā-sīsa and there drink our rice-gruel with a relish after
it, try our eighteen kinds of solid victual, and enjoy our excellent soft food,
flavoured with all the choicest flavourings?"
Being pressed time after time to accept the invitation, the other began to want
to go, and thenceforth used to go to Gayā-sīsa and there eat and eat, not
forgetting however to return to the Bamboo-grove at the proper hour.
Nevertheless he could not keep it secret always; and in a little while it came
out that he used to hie off to Gayā-sīsa and there regale himself with the food
provided for Devadatta. Accordingly, his friends asked him, saying, "Is it true,
as they say, that you regale yourself on the food provided for Devadatta?" "Who
said that?" said he. "So-and-so said it." "It is true, sirs, that I go to
Gayā-sīsa and eat there. But it is not Devadatta who gives me food; others do
that." "Sir, Devadatta is the foe of the Buddhas; in his wickedness, he has
secured the adherence of Ajāta-sattu and by unrighteousness got gain and honour
for himself. Yet you who have taken the vows according to this faith which leads
to salvation, eat the food which Devadatta gets by unrighteousness. Come; let us
bring you before the Master." And, taking with them the Brother, they went to
the Hall of Truth.
When the Master became aware of their presence, he said, "Brethren, are you
bringing this Brother here against his will?" "Yes, sir; this Brother, after
taking the vows under you, eats the food which Devadatta gets by
unrighteousness." "Is it true, as they say, that you eat the food which
Devadatta gets by unrighteousness?" "It was not Devadatta, sir, that gave it me,
but others." "Raise no quibbles here, Brother," said the Master. "Devadatta is a
man of bad conduct and bad principle. Oh, how could you, who have taken the vows
here, eat Devadatta's food, whilst adhering to my doctrine? But you have always
been prone to being led away, and have followed in turn every one you meet."
And, so saying, he told this story of the past.
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Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, he Bodhisatta became
his minister. In those days the king had a state elephant [187], named
Damsel-face, who was virtuous and good, and never hurt anybody.
Now one day some burglars came close up to the elephant's stall by night and sat
down to discuss their plans in these words:--"This is the way to tunnel into a
house; this is the way to break in through the walls; before carrying off the
plunder, the tunnel or breach in the walls ought to be made as clear and open as
a road or a ford. In lifting the goods, you shouldn't stick at murder; for thus
there will be none able to resist. A burglar should get rid of all goodness and
virtue, and be quite pitiless, a man of cruelty and violence." After having
schooled one another in these counsels, the burglars took themselves off. The
next day too they came, and many other days besides, and held like converse
together, till the elephant came to the conclusion that they came expressly to
instruct him, and that he must turn pitiless, cruel, and violent. And such
indeed he became. No sooner did his mahout appear in the early morning than the
elephant took the man in his trunk and dashed him to death on the ground. And in
the same way he treated a second, and a third, and every person in turn who came
near him.
The news was brought to the king that Damsel-face had gone mad and was killing
everybody that he caught sight of. So the king sent the Bodhisatta, saying, "Go,
sage, and find out what has perverted him."
Away went the Bodhisatta, and soon satisfied himself that the elephant showed no
signs of bodily ailment. As he thought over the possible causes of the change,
he came to the conclusion that the elephant must have heard persons talking near
him, and have imagined that they were giving him a lesson, and that this was
what had perverted the animal. Accordingly, he asked the elephant-keepers
whether any persons had been talking together recently near the stall by night.
"Yes, my lord," was the answer; "some burglars came and talked." Then the
Bodhisatta went and told the king, saying, "There is nothing wrong, sire, with
the elephant bodily; he has been perverted by overhearing some burglars talk."
"Well, what is to be done now?" "Order good men, sages and brahmins, to sit in
his stall and to talk of goodness." "Do so, my friend," said the king. Then the
Bodhisatta set good men, sages and brahmins, in the stall [188], and bade them
talk of goodness. And they, taking their seats hard by the elephant, spoke as
follows, "Neither maltreat nor kill. The good should be long-suffering, loving,
and merciful." Hearing this the elephant thought they must mean this as a lesson
for him, and resolved thenceforth to become good. And good he became.
"Well, my friend," said the king to the Bodhisatta; "is he good now?" "Yes, your
majesty," said the Bodhisatta; "thanks to wise and
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(food men the elephant who was so perverted has become himself again." And so
saying, he repeated this stanza:
Through hearing first the burglars' wicked talk
Damsel-face ranged abroad to wound and kill;
Through hearing, later, wise men's lofty words
The noble elephant turned good once more.
Said the king, "He can read the mind even of an animal!" And he conferred great
honour on the Bodhisatta. After living to a good old age, he, with the
Bodhisatta, passed away to fare according to his deserts.
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Said the Master,--"In the past, too, you followed everyone you met, Brother;
hearing burglars talk, you followed what they said; and hearing the wise and
good talk, you followed what they said." His lesson ended, he shewed the
connexion, and identified the Birth, by saying, "The traitorous Brother was the
Damsel-face of those days, Ānanda the king, and I myself the minister."
Next: No. 27. Abhiṇha-Jātaka
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