Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 27. Abhiṇha-Jātaka
No. 27.
ABHIṆHA-JĀTAKA.
"No morsel can he eat."--This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana,
about a lay-disciple and an aged Elder. [189]
Tradition says that there were in Sāvatthi two friends, of whom one joined the
Brotherhood but used to go every day to the other's house, where his friend used
to give him an alms of food and make a meal himself, and then accompany him back
to the Monastery, where he sat talking all the livelong day till the sun went
down, when he went back to town. And his friend the Brother used to escort him
on his homeward way, going as far as the city-gates before turning back.
The intimacy of these two became known among the Brethren, who were sitting one
day in the Hall of Truth, talking about the intimacy which existed between the
pair, when the Master, entering the Hall, asked what was the subject of their
talk; and the Brethren told him.
"Not only now, Brethren, are these two intimate with one another," said the
Master; "they were intimate in bygone days as well." And, so saying, he told
this story of the past.
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Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became
his minister. In those days there was a dog which used to go to the stall of the
elephant of state, and eat the gobbets of rice which fell where the elephant
fed. Haunting the place for the food's sake,
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the dog grew very friendly with the elephant, and at last would never eat except
with him. And neither could get on without the other. The dog used to disport
himself by swinging backwards and forwards on the elephant's trunk. Now one day
a villager bought the dog of the mahout and took the dog home with him.
Thenceforward the elephant, missing the dog, refused either to eat or drink or
take his bath; and the king was told of it. His majesty despatched the
Bodhisatta to find out why the elephant behaved like this. Proceeding to the
elephant-house, the Bodhisatta, seeing how sad the elephant was, said to
himself, "He has got no bodily ailment; he must have formed an ardent
friendship, and is sorrowing at the loss of his friend." So he asked whether the
elephant had become friends with anyone.
"Yes, my lord," was the answer; "there's a very warm friendship between him and
a dog." "Where is that dog now?" "A man took it off." "Do you happen to know
where that man lives?" "No, my lord." The Bodhisatta went to the king and said,
"There is nothing the matter with the elephant, sire; but he was very friendly
with a dog, [190] and it is missing his friend which has made him refuse to eat,
I imagine." And so saying, he repeated this stanza:
No morsel can he eat, no rice or grass;
And in the bath he takes no pleasure now.
Methinks, the dog had so familiar grown,
That elephant and dog were closest friends.
"Well," said the king on hearing this; "what is to be done now, sage?" "Let
proclamation be made by beat of drum, your majesty, to the effect that a man is
reported to have carried off a dog of which the elephant of state was fond, and
that the man in whose house that dog shall be found, shall pay such and such a
penalty." The king acted on this advice; and the man, when he came to hear of
it, promptly let the dog loose. Away ran the dog at once, and made his way to
the elephant. The elephant took the dog up in his trunk, and placed it on his
head, and wept and cried, and, again setting the dog on the ground, saw the dog
eat first and then took his own food.
"Even the minds of animals are known to him," said the king, and he loaded the
Bodhisatta with honours.
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Thus the Master ended his lesson to show that the two were intimate in bygone
days as well as at that date. This done, he unfolded the Four Truths. (This
unfolding of the Four Truths forms part of all the other Jātakas; but we shall
only mention it where it is expressly mentioned that it was blessed unto fruit.)
Then he shewed the connexion, and identified the Birth by saying, "The
lay-disciple was the dog of those days, the aged Elder was the elephant, and I
myself the wise minister." [191]
Next: No. 28. Nandivisāla-Jātaka
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