🧚 Opening, part 13

_B. Uncanonical version.1

Jātaka 168: ii.2 58-60.3

_A hawk flying strong.4 _ This stanza was recited by the Teacher while in residence at Jetavana to explain his own meaning in the Parable of the Bird.5 For one day the Teacher addressed the monks: “Walk, monks, in lawful ground, in the region of the fathers.”6 Then he said: “You just stay where you belong.7 In former times even animals, because they left their own ancestral region and walked in forbidden ground, fell into the hands of their enemies, but through their own intelligence and resourcefulness escaped from the hands of their enemies.”8 So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:9

In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn as a quail, and made his home in a field of clods, turned up by the plow.10 One day he said to himself: “I will seek food in a foreign region.”11 So he left off seeking food in his own region and went to the edge of a wood.12 Now while he was picking up food there, a hawk saw him and attacked him with violence and caught him.13 As the hawk was carrying off the quail, the quail thus lamented: “I am indeed mighty unfortunate, I possess very little merit,--I who walked in forbidden ground, in a foreign region.14 If to-day I had walked in my own ground, in the region of my fathers, this hawk would certainly not have been equal to coming to a combat with me.”15

“But, quail, what is your feeding-ground?16 What is the region of your fathers?”17

“A field of clods, turned up by the plow.”18

Then the hawk, not exerting his strength, released him.19 “Go, quail!20 Even there you will not escape.”21 The quail went there, and mounting a big clod, stood and cried to the hawk: “Come now, hawk!”22

The hawk, exerting his strength, flapped both his wings and attacked the quail with violence.23 But when the quail knew: “This hawk is coming for me with a vengeance!” he turned and entered a crack in that very clod.24 The hawk, unable to check his speed, struck his breast against that very clod.25 Thus the hawk, with heart broken and eyes bulging out, met destruction.26

When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, he said: “Thus, monks, even animals, when they walk in forbidden ground, fall into the hands of their adversaries; but when they walk in their own ground, in the region of their fathers, they humble their adversaries.27 Therefore you also must not walk in forbidden ground, in a foreign region.28 If, monks, you walk in forbidden ground, in a foreign region, the Evil One will obtain entrance, the Evil One will obtain lodgment.29 If, monks, you walk in lawful ground, in the region of the fathers, the Evil One will not obtain entrance, the Evil One will not obtain lodgment.”30 Then, revealing his omniscience, he uttered the first stanza:31

A hawk flying strong, attacked with violence A quail standing in his feeding-ground, and thus met death.32

Now when the hawk had thus met his death, the quail came out and exclaimed: “I have seen the back of my enemy!”33 And standing on his heart and breathing forth a solemn utterance, the quail uttered the second stanza:34

Endowed with sense, delighting in my own feeding-ground, My enemy gone, I rejoice, intent on my own good.35

The Teacher, having proclaimed the Truths by the narration of this fable, identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the hawk was Devadatta, but the quail was I myself.”36

_21.37 How Not To Hit an Insect.38

_Better an enemy with sense than a friend without it.39

_A. Boy and mosquito.40

Jātaka 44: i. 246-248.41

_Better an enemy.42 _ This parable was related by the Teacher while he was journeying from place to place in the country of the Magadhas, in a certain little village, with reference to some foolish villagers.43

The story goes that once upon a time the Teacher went from Sāvatthi to the kingdom of Magadha, and journeying about from place to place in that kingdom, arrived at a certain little village.44 Now that village was inhabited for the most part by men who were utter fools.45 There one day those utter fools of men assembled and took counsel together, saying: “Folks, when we enter the forest and do our work, the mosquitoes eat us up, and because of this our work is interrupted.46 Let us, every one, take bows and weapons, go and fight with the mosquitoes, pierce and cut all the mosquitoes, and thus make way with them.”47 They went to the forest with the thought in their minds, “We’ll pierce the mosquitoes.”48 But they pierced and hit one another and came to grief, and on their return, lay down within the boundaries of the village, in the village-square, and at the village-gate.49

The Teacher, surrounded by the Congregation of Monks, entered that village for alms.50 The rest of the inhabitants, being wise men, seeing the Exalted One, erected a pavilion at the village-gate, gave abundant alms to the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, saluted the Teacher, and sat down.51 The Teacher, seeing wounded men lying here and there, asked those lay disciples: “Here are many men who are in a bad way.52 What have they done?”53 “Reverend Sir, these men started out with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll have a fight with the mosquitoes.’54 But they pierced one another and returned themselves the worse for wear.”55 Said the Teacher: “Not only in their present state of existence have utter fools of men, with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll hit mosquitoes,’ hit themselves; in a previous state of existence also they were the very men who, with the thought in their minds, ‘We’ll hit a mosquito,’ hit something very different.”56 Then, in response to a request of those men, he related the following Story of the Past:57

In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha made his living by trading.58 At that time, in the kingdom of Kāsi, in a certain frontier village, dwelt many carpenters.59 There a certain grey-haired carpenter was planing a tree.60 Now a mosquito settled on his head,--his head looked like the surface of a copper bowl!--and pierced his head with his stinger, just as though he were sticking him with a spear.61 Said he to his son who sat beside him: “Son, a mosquito is stinging me on the head,--it feels just as if he were sticking me with a spear!62 Shoo him away!”63 “Father, wait a moment!64 I’ll kill him with a single blow!”65

At that time the Future Buddha also, seeking wares for himself, having reached that village, was sitting in that carpenter’s hut.66 Well, that carpenter said to his son: “Shoo this mosquito off!”67 “I’ll shoo him off, father!” replied the son.68 Taking his stand immediately behind his father, the son, with the thought in his mind, “I’ll hit the mosquito!” raised aloft a big, sharp axe, and split the skull of his father in two.69 The carpenter died on the spot.70 The Future Buddha, seeing what the son had done, thought: “Even an enemy, if he be a wise man, is better; for an enemy, though it be from fear of human vengeance, will not kill.”71 And he uttered the following stanza:72

Better an enemy with sense Than a friend without it, For with the words, “I’ll kill a mosquito!”73 A son,--both deaf and dumb!-- Split his father’s skull!74