🧚 Opening, part 7

Thereupon Brahmadatta king of Kāsi exclaimed: “O how wonderful, O how marvelous, that this Prince Dīghāvu should understand in its fulness a matter which his father expressed so briefly!”1 And he restored to him the army and vehicles and territory and treasuries and storehouses of his fathers, and gave him his daughter in marriage.2

“For, monks, of these kings who took the rod, who took the sword, such is said to have been the patience and gentleness.3 How much more, monks, should you, who have retired from the world under a Doctrine and Discipline so well taught, let your light so shine in this world as to be known of men as patient and gentle.”4 And for the third time the Exalted One said this to those monks: “Enough, monks!5 No quarreling!6 No brawling!7 No contending!8 No wrangling!”9

_7.10 Antelope, Woodpecker, Tortoise, and Hunter.11

_In union there is strength.12

Jātaka 206: ii.13 152-155.14

On a certain occasion the Teacher related the following story:15

In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was an antelope and made his home in a certain thicket in a forest, not far from a certain lake.16 Not far from that same lake, on the tip of a certain tree, perched a woodpecker.17 Moreover in the lake a tortoise made his home.18 Thus did those three live together as friends, kindly affectionate one towards another.19

Now a certain hunter, on his way through the forest, seeing the tracks of the Future Buddha at the place where the animals went to drink, set a trap, resembling an iron foot-chain, only made of leathern strips, and went his way.20 In the very first watch of the night the Future Buddha, coming to drink of the water, became entangled in the trap and cried the cry of a captured animal.21

When he made that sound, from the tip of the tree came the woodpecker and out of the water came the tortoise.22 And they took counsel together, saying: “What’s to be done now?”23 Then said the woodpecker, addressing the tortoise: “Master, you have teeth; you saw this trap in two.24 I’ll go and manage things in such a way that that hunter sha’n’t come near.25 Thus, if the two of us do our very best, our friend will save his life.”26 And explaining this matter, he uttered the first stanza:27

Come, tortoise! use your teeth, and cut the leathern trap!28 I’ll manage things in such a way the hunter shall not come!29

The tortoise began to chew the strips of leather.30 The woodpecker went to the village where the hunter lived.31 At the first signs of dawn, the hunter took his knife and started to leave the house.32 The bird, observing that he was leaving the house, shrieked, flapped his wings, and struck him in the face just as he was coming out of the front door.33 Thought the hunter: “I have been struck by a bird of evil omen.”34 So he went back, lay down for a little while, and then got up again and took his knife.35

The bird knew: “This fellow first came out of the front door.36 This time he will come out of the back door.”37 So he went and perched back of the house.38 As for the hunter, he thought: “When I went out of the front door, I saw a bird of evil omen.39 This time I will go out of the back door.”40 So he went out of the back door.41 Again the bird shrieked, flew at him, and struck him in the face.42 The hunter, struck once again by that bird of evil omen, made up his mind: “That bird will not permit me to go out.”43 So he went back, lay down until the dawn came up, and when it was dawn, took his knife and went out.44 The bird went quickly and told the Future Buddha: “The hunter is coming!”45

At that moment the tortoise had chewed all of the strips except just one strap.46 But his teeth had got to the point where they were ready to drop, and his jaws were smeared with blood.47 The Future Buddha saw the hunter, knife in hand, coming on with lightning-speed.48 Rending that strap, he entered the wood.49 The bird perched on the tip of the tree.50 But the tortoise was so weak that he continued to lie right there.51 The hunter threw the tortoise into a sack and hung the sack on some stump or other.52

strips except just one strap.53

The Future Buddha came back, looked about, and perceived that the tortoise had been taken captive.54 “I will grant my friend the boon of life!” he resolved.55 So feigning weakness, he showed himself to the hunter.56 “That antelope must be very weak,” thought the hunter: “I will kill him.”57 And knife in hand, he started after him.58 The Future Buddha, keeping not too far away and not too near, led him on and entered the forest.59 When he thought he had gone far enough, he disguised his tracks, went by another path with the speed of the wind, lifted the sack on his horn, flung it on the ground, broke it open, and let out the tortoise.60 As for the woodpecker, he came down from the tree.61

The Future Buddha, admonishing his two friends, said: “I, through you, have obtained my life.62 You have done for me what a friend should do for a friend.63 At any moment the hunter may come and catch you.64 Therefore, Master woodpecker, do you take your fledglings and go elsewhere; and do you, Master tortoise, enter the water.”65 They did so.66

The Teacher, as Supreme Buddha, uttered the second stanza:67

The tortoise entered the water, The antelope entered the wood, The woodpecker from that dangerous path Took his fledglings far away.68

When the hunter returned to that spot and saw nothing at all, he took the tattered sack and went to his own house in deep dejection.69 As for those three friends, they lived all their lives long with never a break in their friendly relations, and then passed away according to their deeds.70

_8.71 Brahmadatta and Mallika.72

_Overcome evil with good.73

Jātaka 151: ii.74 1-5.75

On a certain occasion king Pasenadi Kosala, after deciding litigations in the Hall of Justice, came hastily to pay his respects to the Teacher.76 Said the Teacher: “Great king, to decide litigations righteously and justly is a good thing.77 It is the Path to Heaven.78 But this is no remarkable thing, that you, receiving admonition from an Omniscient Buddha like me, should decide litigations righteously and justly.79 This alone is remarkable, that kings of old, listening to the words of men who were wise but not omniscient, decided litigations righteously and justly, avoided the Four Evil Courses, kept inviolate the Ten Royal Virtues, ruled justly, and departed fulfilling the Path to Heaven.”80 Then, in response to a request of the king, he related the following Story of the Past:81

In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha received a new existence as the child of his chief consort.82 On his name-day he was given the name Prince Brahmadatta.83 In due time he grew up.84 When he was sixteen years old, he went to Takkasilā, acquired proficiency in all the arts and crafts, and on the death of his father, became established in the kingdom.85

He ruled righteously and justly.86 He avoided the Four Evil Courses in rendering judgments.87 Since he himself ruled so righteously, the ministers of justice also transacted their affairs with an eye to righteousness alone.88 Since the ministers of justice transacted their affairs righteously, there were no men who brought dishonest litigations.89 For lack of them, hubbub over litigations in the king’s courtyard ceased.90 Every day ministers of justice took their seats in the place of litigation, but seeing no one come for litigation, departed.91 The place of litigation became abandoned.92