🧚 Opening, part 5

The man took them and went and sold them.1 When the money they brought was gone, he went to the Future Buddha again and said: “Master, the money I got by selling you tusks turned out to be no more than enough to pay off my debts.2 Give me the rest of your tusks!”3 “Very well,” said the Future Buddha, consenting.4 And ordering all things precisely as before, he gave him the rest of his tusks.5

Those also did that man sell, and then came back again.6 “Master,” said he.7 “I cannot make a living.8 Give me the stumps of your tusks!”9 “Very well,” said the Future Buddha, and sat down precisely as before.10 That wicked man trod on the Great Being’s trunk,--that trunk which was like unto a rope of silver; climbed up on the Great Being’s temples,--those temples which were like unto the snow-clad peaks of Kelāsa, with his heel kicking the tips of the tusks and loosening the flesh; and having mounted the temples, with a sharp saw severed the stumps of the tusks, and went his way.11

But even as that wicked man receded from the vision of the Future Buddha, the solid earth, which extends for a distance of two hundred thousand leagues and four Inconceivables more, which is able to endure such mighty burdens as Sineru and Yugandhara, and all manner of foul-smelling and repulsive objects,--even the solid earth, as if unable to endure the wickedness he had piled upon it, burst asunder and yawned.12 Instantly from the Great Waveless Hell flames of fire shot forth, enveloped that man, that betrayer of friends, wrapping him, as it were, in a blanket proper for death and laid hold of him.13

When that wicked man thus entered the earth, the tree-spirit resident in that forest-grove thought: “An ungrateful man, a man who will betray his friends, cannot be satisfied, even if he be given the kingdom of a Universal Monarch.”14 And making the forest ring, proclaiming the Truth, the tree-spirit uttered the following stanza:15

To an ungrateful man Ever looking for an opening You may give the whole earth And yet not satisfy him.16

Thus did that tree-spirit, making the forest ring, proclaim the Truth.17 The Future Buddha, having remained on earth during the term of life allotted to him, passed away according to his deeds.18

Said the Teacher: “Monks, not only in his present state of existence has Devadatta proved ungrateful; in a previous state of existence also he was ungrateful just the same.”19 Having completed the parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the man who betrayed his friend was Devadatta, the tree-spirit was one of my disciples, but Good King Elephant was I myself.”20

_4.21 Quail, Crow, Fly, Frog, and Elephants.22

_The biter bit.23

Jātaka 357: iii.24 174-177.25

Hearing that the monks of Kosambi were quarreling, the Exalted One went to them and said: “Enough, monks!26 No quarreling!27 No brawling!28 No contending!29 No wrangling!”30 Then he said: “Monks, quarrels, brawls, contentions, wrangles,--all these are unprofitable.31 For because of a quarrel even a tiny quail brought about the destruction of a noble elephant.”32

In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn as an elephant.33 He grew up to be a fine big animal, acquired a retinue of eighty thousand elephants, and becoming the leader of a herd, made his home in the Himālaya region.34 At that time a tiny female quail laid her eggs in the elephants’ stamping-ground.35 When the eggs were hatched, the fledglings broke the shells and came out.36 Before their wings had grown and while they were yet unable to fly, the Great Being came to that spot with his retinue of eighty thousand elephants in search of food.37

When the tiny quail saw him, she thought: “This elephant-king will crush my fledglings and kill them.38 Well, I will ask of him righteous protection for the defense of my little ones.”39 So folding her wings and standing before him, she uttered the first stanza:40

I salute you, elephant of sixty years, Forest-ranger, glorious leader of a herd; With my wings I do you homage.41 I am weak: do not kill my little ones.42

Said the Great Being: “Do not worry, tiny quail; I will protect your little ones.”43 And he stood over the fledglings, and the eighty thousand elephants passed by.44 Then he addressed the tiny quail: “Behind us comes a single solitary elephant; he will not obey our command.45 If you ask him also when he comes, you may obtain safety for your little ones.”46 So saying, he went his way.47

The tiny quail went forth to meet the solitary elephant, did homage to him with her wings, and uttered the second stanza:48

I salute you, solitary elephant, Forest-ranger, pasturing on mountain and on hill; With my wings I do you homage.49 I am weak: do not kill my little ones.50

The solitary elephant, hearing her words, uttered the third stanza:51

I will kill your little ones, tiny quail.52 What can you do to me?53 You are a weakling.54 Even a hundred thousand like you Could I crush with my left foot.55

So saying, he pulverized her little ones with his foot, and went his way trumpeting.56 The tiny quail perched on the branch of a tree and thought: “Just now you go your way trumpeting.57 In only a few days you will see what I can do!58 You do not understand that the mind is stronger than the body.59 Ah, but I will make you understand!”60 And threatening him, she uttered the fourth stanza:61

For not alway does strength avail; For strength is the destruction of a fool.62 Elephant-king, I will do you harm, You who killed my little ones since I was weak.63

Thus spoke the tiny quail.64 For a few days she ministered to a crow.65 The crow was pleased and said: “What can I do for you?”66 Said the tiny quail: “Master, there is only one thing I want done.67 I expect you to peck out the eyes of that solitary elephant.”68 “Very well,” assented the crow.69 The tiny quail then ministered to a green fly.70 The fly also said, “What can I do for you?”71 Said the tiny quail: “When this crow has put out the eyes of the solitary elephant, I wish you would drop a nit on them.”72 “Very well,” assented the fly also.73 The tiny quail then ministered to a frog.74 Said the frog: “What can I do?”75 Said the tiny quail: “When this solitary elephant has gone blind and seeks water to drink, then please squat on the mountain-top and croak; and when he has climbed to the top of the mountain, then please hop down and croak at the bottom.76 This is all I expect of you.”77 The frog also, hearing her words, assented, saying, “Very well.”78

Now one day the crow pecked out both of the elephant’s eyes, and the fly let a nit drop on them.79 The elephant, eaten up by maggots, maddened with pain, overcome with thirst, wandered about seeking water to drink.80 At that moment the frog, squatting on the mountain-top, let out a croak.81 The elephant thought: “There must be water there;” and climbed the mountain.82 Then the frog hopped down, and squatting at the bottom, let out a croak.83 The elephant thought: “There must be water there.”84 And going to the brink of the precipice, he tumbled and fell to the foot of the mountain, and met destruction.85

When the tiny quail realized that he was dead, she cried out: “I have seen the back of my enemy!”86 And pleased and delighted, she strutted over his shoulders, and passed away according to her deeds.87