Jataka Vol. I: Book I.--Ekanipāta: No. 16. Tipallattha-Miga-Jātaka
No. 16.
TIPALLATTHA-MIGA-JĀTAKA.
"In all three postures."--This story was told by the Master while dwelling do
the Badarika Monastery in Kosambī, about the Elder Rāhula whose heart was set on
observing the rules of the Brotherhood.
Once when the Master was dwelling in the Aggāḷava Temple hard by the town of
Āḷavi, many female lay-disciples and Sisters used to flock thither to hear the
Truth preached. The preaching was in the daytime, but as time
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wore on, the women did not attend, and there were only Brethren and men
disciples present. Then the preaching took place in the evening; and at the
close the Elder Brethren retired each to his own chamber. But the younger ones
with the lay-disciples lay down to rest in the Service-hall. When they fell
asleep, loud was the snoring and snorting and gnashing of teeth as they lay.
[161] After a short slumber some got up, and reported to the Blessed One the
impropriety which they had witnessed. Said he, "If a Brother sleeps in the
company of Novices, it is a Pācittiya offence (requiring confession and
absolution)." And after delivering this precept he went away to Kosambī.
Thereon the Brethren said to the Reverend Rāhula, "Sir, the Blessed One has laid
down this precept, and now you will please find quarters of your own." Now,
before this, the Brethren, out of respect for the father and because of the
anxious desire of the son to observe the rules of the Brotherhood, had welcomed
the youth as if the place were his;--they had fitted up a little bed for him,
and had given him a cloth to make a pillow with. But on the day of our story
they would not even give him house-room, so fearful were they of transgressing.
The excellent Rāhula went neither to the Buddha as being his father, nor to
Sāriputta, Captain of the Faith, as being his preceptor, nor to the Great
Moggallāna as being his teacher, nor to the Elder Ānanda as being his uncle; but
betook himself to the Buddha's jakes and took up his abode there as though in a
heavenly mansion. Now in a Buddha's jakes the door is always closely shut: the
levelled floor is of perfumed earth; flowers and garlands are festooned round
the walls; and all night long a lamp burns there. But it was not this splendour
which prompted Rāhula to take up his residence here. Nay, it was simply because
the Brethren had told him to find quarters for himself, and because he
reverenced instruction and yearned to observe the rules of the Order. Indeed,
from time to time the Brethren, to test him, when they saw him coming from quite
a distance, used to throw down a hand-broom or a little dust-sweepings, and then
ask who had thrown it down, after Rāhula had come in. "Well, Rāhula came that
way," would be the remark, but never did the future Elder say he knew nothing
about it. On the contrary, he used to remove the litter and humbly ask pardon of
the Brother, nor go away till he was assured that he was pardoned;--so anxious
was he to observe the rules. And it was solely this anxiety which made him take
up his dwelling in the jakes.
Now, though day had not yet dawned, the Master halted at the door of the jakes
and coughed 'Ahem.' 'Ahem,' responded the Reverend Rāhula. "Who is there?" said
the Buddha. "It is I, Rāhula," was the reply; and out came the young man and
bowed low. "Why have you been sleeping here, Rāhula?" "Because I had nowhere to
go to. Up till now, sir, the Brethren have been very kind to me; but such is
their present fear of erring [162] that they won't give me shelter any more.
Consequently, I took up my abode here, because I thought it a spot where I
should not come into contact with anybody else."
Then thought the Master to himself, "If they treat even Rāhula like this, what
will they not do to other youths whom they admit to the Order?" And his heart
was moved within him for the Truth. So, at an early hour he had the Brethren
assembled, and questioned the Captain of the Faith thus, "I suppose you at all
events, Sāriputta, know where Rāhula is now quartered? '
"No, sir, I do not."
"Sāriputta, Rāhula was living this day in the jakes. Sāriputta, if you treat
Rāhula like this, what will not be your treatment of other youths whom you admit
to the Order? Such treatment will not retain those who join us. In future, keep
your Novices in your own quarters for a day or two, and only on the third day
let them lodge out, taking care to acquaint yourself with their lodging." With
this rider, the Master laid down the precept.
Gathering together in the Hall of Truth, the Brethren spoke of the goodness of
Rāhula. "See, sirs, how anxious was Rāhula to observe the rules. When told to
find his own lodging, he did not say, 'I am the son of the Buddha; what have you
to do with quarters? You turn out!' No; not a single Brother did he oust, but
quartered himself in the jakes."
p. 49
As they were talking thus, the Master came to the Hall and took his seat on his
throne of state, saying, "What is the subject of your talk, Brethren?" "Sir,"
was the reply, "we were talking of the anxiety of Rāhula to keep the rules,
nothing else."
Then said the Master, "This anxiety Rāhula has shewn not only now, but also in
the past, when he had been born an animal." And so saying, he told this story of
the past.
_____________________________
Once on a time a certain king of Magadha was reigning in Rājagaha; and in those
days the Bodhisatta, having been born a stag, was living in the forest at the
head of a herd of deer. Now his sister brought her son to him, saying, "Brother,
teach your nephew here the ruses of deer." "Certainly," said the Bodhisatta; "go
away now, my boy, and come back at such and such a time to be taught."
Punctually at the time his uncle mentioned, the young stag was there and.
received instruction in the ruses of deer.
One day as he was ranging the woods he was caught in a snare and uttered the
plaintive cry of a captive. Away fled the herd and told the mother of her son's
capture. She came to her brother and asked him whether his nephew had been
taught the ruses of deer. "Fear not; [163] your son is not at fault," said the
Bodhisatta. "He has learnt thoroughly deer's ruses, and will come back
straightway to your great rejoicing." And so saying, he repeated this stanza:--
In all three postures--on his back or sides
Your son is versed; he's trained to use eight hoofs 1,
And save at midnight never slakes his thirst;
As he lies couched on earth, he lifeless seems,
And only with his under-nostril breathes.
Six tricks 2 my nephew knows to cheat his foes.
[164] Thus did the Bodhisatta console his sister by shewing her how thoroughly
her son had mastered the ruses of deer. Meantime the young stag on being caught
in the snare did not struggle, but lay down at full length 3 on his side, with
his legs stretched out taut and rigid. He pawed up the ground round his hoofs so
as to shower the grass and earth about; relieved nature; let his head fall;
lolled out his tongue; beslavered his body all over; swelled himself out by
drawing in the wind; turned up his eyes; breathed only with the lower nostril,
holding his breath with the upper one; and made himself generally so rigid and
so stiff as to look like a corpse. Even the blue-bottles swarmed round him; and
here and there crows settled.
p. 50
The hunter came up and smacked the stag on the belly with his hand, remarking,
"He must have been caught early this morning; he's going bad already." So
saying, the man loosed the stag from his bonds, saying to himself, "I'll cut him
up here where he lies, and take the flesh home with me." But as the man
guilelessly set to work to gather sticks and leaves (to make a fire with), the
young stag rose to his feet, shook himself, stretched out his neck, and, like a
little cloud scudding before a mighty wind, sped swiftly back to his mother.
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After repeating what he had said as to Rāhula's having shewn no less anxiety in
time past to keep rules than in the present, the Master made the connexion and
identified the Birth by saying, "Rāhula was the young stag of those days,
Uppala-vaṇṇā his mother, and I the stag his uncle."
[Note. According to Feer (J. As. 1876, p. 516) this Jātaka is also called
Sikhākāmā in the Bigandet MS. The substance of the Introductory Story occurs in
the Vinaya, Vol. IV. page 16.]
Footnotes
49:1 This the commentator explains as having two hoofs on each foot, referring
to the cloven hoof of the deer.
49:2 I.e. the three mentioned in line 1, and the three mentioned in lines 2, 3,
and 5, respectively.
49:3 See infra p. 62, l. 10.
Next: No. 17. Māluta-Jātaka
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