_The Grateful Elephant_
_By the same author_:
BUDDHIST PARABLES. Translated from the original Pāli. One volume.
xxix + 348 pages. With photogravure of a Bodhisattva head from
Gandhāra, from original in the Pennsylvania Museum. Octavo. Cloth.
Yale University Press, 1922. $5.00.
BUDDHIST LEGENDS. Translated from the original Pāli text of the
Dhammapada Commentary. Three volumes. Harvard Oriental Series, 28,
29, 30. 1114 pages. Octavo. Cloth. Harvard University Press, 1921.
$15.00 a set.
[Illustration: _Then the elephant with his trunk caressed the Future
Buddha and lifted him up._]
_The Grateful Elephant_
_And Other Stories Translated from the Pāli_
_By Eugene Watson Burlingame_
_with Illustrations by Dorothy Lathrop_
[Illustration]
_New Haven, Yale University Press_
_London, Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press_
_Mcmxxiii_
_Copyright 1923 by Yale University Press._
_Printed in the United States of America._
_To my nephew Westcott_
This _book contains twenty-six stories selected from the author’s
larger work_ Buddhist Parables, _Yale University Press, 1922. The
translation is a close, idiomatic rendering of the original Pāli text.
In a few cases, words and phrases have been softened, and sentences
have been omitted. In Story 1, two whole paragraphs which interrupt the
progress of the story have been omitted. The author has not, however,
“written down” any of the stories in order to remove such difficulties
as the original translation may present to the child._
_Note on Pronunciation of Pāli Names._
The quantity of vowels is marked throughout. Short _a_ is pronounced
like _u_ in _but_, long _ā_ like _a_ in _father_, long _ī_ like _ee_ in
_see_, long _ū_ like _oo_ in _too_, short _i_ and short _u_ differing
from the corresponding long vowels not in sound but in length. The _u_
in _Buddha_, for example, is short. Simple consonants are pronounced as
in English, except that _c_ is pronounced like _ch_ in _church_, _g_
as in _get_, and _j_ as in _judge_. Combinations like _th_ and _dh_
should be pronounced as in _hothouse_ and _madhouse_. Names containing
underdotted letters have been eliminated. A syllable is said to be long
if it contains either a long vowel, or a short vowel followed by two
consonants (except a consonant followed by _h_). Words of three or more
syllables are accented on the second syllable from the last, provided
the next to the last syllable is short, as _Gótama_, _Mállika_. If
the next to the last syllable is long, it receives the accent, as
_Brahmadátta_, _Nibbāna_.
_Contents._
PAGE
Note on pronunciation of Pāli names viii
List of illustrations xiii
Introduction xv
Note on the illustrations xxix
1. The grateful elephant Jā. 156: ii. 17 1
_Where there’s a will, there’s a way_
2. Grateful animals and ungrateful man Jā. 73: i. 322 9
_Driftwood is worth more than some men_
3. Elephant and ungrateful forester Jā. 72: i. 319 19
_The whole earth will not satisfy an ungrateful
man_
4. Quail, crow, fly, frog, and elephants Jā. 357: iii. 174 26
_The biter bit_
5. Quails and fowler Jā. 33: i. 208 30
_In union there is strength_
6. Brahmadatta and the prince Vin. i. 342 33
_Love your enemies_
7. Antelope, woodpecker, tortoise, and hunter Jā. 206: ii. 152 48
_In union there is strength_
8. Brahmadatta and Mallika Jā. 151: ii. 1 52
_Overcome evil with good_
9. A Buddhist Tar-baby Jā. 55: i. 272 58
_Keep the Precepts_
10. Vedabbha and the thieves Jā. 48: i. 252 64
_Cupidity is the root of ruin_
11. The anger-eating ogre S. i. 237 72
_Refrain from anger_
12. The patient woman M. 21: i. 125 75
_Patient is as patient does_
13. Blind men and elephant Udāna, 66 79
_Avoid vain wrangling_
14. King and boar 83
_Evil communications corrupt good manners_
Part 1. Gem, hatchet, drum, and bowl Jā. 186: ii. 101
Part 2. Corrupt fruit from a good tree Jā. 186: ii. 104
15. A Buddhist Henny-Penny Jā. 322: iii. 74 92
_Much ado about nothing_
16. The birds (cf. 17) Vin. iii. 147 97
_Nobody loves a beggar_
17. Dragon Jewel-neck 99
_Nobody loves a beggar_
A. Canonical version Vin. iii. 145
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 253: ii. 283
18. Snake-charm 107
_A blessing upon all living beings!_
A. Canonical version Vin. ii. 109
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 203: ii. 144
19. Partridge, monkey, and elephant 114
_Reverence your elders_
A. Canonical version Vin. ii. 161
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 37: i. 217
20. The hawk 119
_Walk not in forbidden ground_
A. Canonical version S. v. 146
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 168: ii. 58
21. How not to hit an insect 124
_Better an enemy with sense than a friend without it_
A. Boy and mosquito Jā. 44: i. 246
B. Girl and fly Jā. 45: i. 248
22. Monkey-gardeners 129
_Misdirected effort spells failure_
A. One-stanza version Jā. 46: i. 249
B. Three-stanza version Jā. 268: ii. 345
23. Two dicers 135
_Take care!_
A. Canonical version D. ii. 348
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 91: i. 379
24. Two caravan-leaders 138
_Be prudent!_
A. Canonical version D. ii. 342
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 1: i. 95
25. Boar and lion Kathāsaritsāgara, 72 154
_Eat me, O lion!_
26. Fairy-prince and griffin Kathāsaritsāgara, 22 and 90 157
_Eat me, O griffin!_
Glossary 169
_List of Illustrations._
_Story_ _Facing_
1. The grateful elephant _Title-page_
_Then the elephant with his trunk caressed the
Future Buddha and lifted him up_
2. Grateful animals and ungrateful man 12
_Thus did those four persons travel together,
swept along by the river_
3. Elephant and ungrateful forester 22
_The man actually cut off his two principal tusks!_
7. Antelope, woodpecker, tortoise, and hunter 50
_At that moment the tortoise had chewed all of the
strips except just one strap_
9. A Buddhist Tar-baby 60
_Then he hit him with a spear_
11. The anger-eating ogre 72
“_Here, Sire, a certain ogre, ill-favored, dwarfish,
sits in your seat_”
14. King and boar 86
_He bit the gem, and by its magical power rose
into the air_
15. A Buddhist Henny-Penny 96
_So taking the little hare on his back, he sprang
forward with the speed of a lion_
17. Dragon Jewel-neck 104
_Every day Jewel-neck the dragon-king would
encircle him with his coils_
22. Monkey-gardeners 130
“_When you water the young trees, pull them up
by the roots, every one_”
_Introduction._
These stories are said to have been related by Gotama Buddha for the
purpose of conveying to his hearers moral and religious lessons and the
lessons of common sense.
Gotama Buddha was born nearly twenty-five centuries ago in the city of
Kapila, in Northeast India. Kapila was the principal city of the Sakya
tribe, and his father was king of the tribe. _Gotama_ was his family
name. _Buddha_ means _Awakened_ or _Enlightened_, that is to say,
awakened or enlightened to the cause and the cure of human suffering.
The Buddhist Scriptures tell us that when Gotama was born, the angels
rejoiced and sang. An aged wise man inquired: “Why doth the company of
angels rejoice?” They replied: “He that shall become Buddha is born in
the village of the Sakyas for the welfare and happiness of mankind;
therefore are we joyful and exceeding glad.”
The wise man hastened to the king’s house, and said: “Where is the
child? I, too, wish to see him.” They showed him the child. When he saw
the child, he rejoiced and was exceeding glad. And he took him in his
arms, and said: “Without an equal is he! foremost among men!” Then,
because he was an old man, and knew that he was soon to die, he became
sorrowful and wept tears.
Said the Sakyas: “Will any harm come to the child?” “No,” replied the
wise man, “this child shall one day become Buddha; out of love and
pity for mankind he shall set in motion the Wheel of Religion; far and
wide shall his religion be spread. But as for me, I have not long to
live; before these things shall come to pass, death will be upon me.
Therefore am I stricken with woe, overwhelmed with sorrow, afflicted
with grief.”
Seven days after Gotama was born, his mother died, and he was brought
up by his aunt and step-mother. When he was nineteen years old, he
married his own cousin. For ten years he lived a life of ease, in
the enjoyment of all the comforts and luxuries which riches and high
position could give him. When he was twenty-nine years old, a change
came over him.
* * * * *
For many centuries, it has been a common belief in India that when a
human being dies, he is at once born again. If he has lived a good
life, he will be born again on earth as the child of a king or of a
rich man, or in one of the heavens as a god. If he has lived an evil
life, he will be born again as a ghost, or as an animal, or in some
place of torment.
According to this belief, every person has been born and has lived and
died so many times that it would be impossible to count the number.
Indeed, so far back into the past does this series of lives extend that
it is impossible even to imagine a beginning of the series. What is
more to the point, in each of these lives every person has endured much
suffering and misery.
Said the Buddha: “In weeping over the death of sons and daughters and
other dear ones, every person, in the course of his past lives, has
shed tears more abundant than all the water contained in the four great
oceans.”
And again: “The bones left by a single person in the course of his
past lives would form a pile so huge that were all the mountains to be
gathered up and piled in a heap, that heap of mountains would appear as
nothing beside it.”
And again: “The head of every person has been cut off so many times
in the course of his past lives, either as a human being or as an
animal, as to cause him to shed blood more abundant than all the water
contained in the four great oceans.”
Nothing more terrible than this can be imagined. Yet for many centuries
it has been a common belief in India. Wise men taught that there was
a way of escape, a way of salvation. If a person wished to avoid
repeated lives of suffering and misery, he must leave home and family
and friends, become a monk, and devote himself to fasting, bodily
torture, and meditation.
* * * * *
The Buddhist Scriptures tell us that when Gotama was twenty-nine years
old, he saw for the first time an Old Man, a Sick Man, a Dead Man, and
a Monk. The thought that in the course of his past lives he had endured
old age, sickness, and death, times without number, terrified him, and
he resolved to become a monk.
Leaving home and wife and son, he devoted himself for six years to
fasting, bodily torture, and meditation. Finally he became convinced
that fasting and bodily torture were not the way of salvation, and
abandoned the struggle. One night he had a wonderful experience. First
he saw the entire course of his past lives. Next he saw the fate after
death of all living beings. Finally he came to understand the cause of
human suffering and the cure for it.
Thus it was that he became Buddha, the Awakened, the Enlightened. He
saw that the cause of rebirth and suffering was craving for worldly
pleasures and life and riches. He saw that if this craving were
uprooted, rebirth and suffering would come to an end. He saw that this
craving could be uprooted by right belief, right living, and meditation.
* * * * *
For forty-five years the Buddha journeyed from place to place,
preaching and teaching. He founded an order of monks and nuns, and won
many converts. He lived to be eighty years old. Missionaries carried
his teachings from India to Ceylon and Burma and China and Tibet and
Japan. In a few hundred years the religion of the Buddha had spread
over the whole of Asia. Hundreds of millions of human beings have
accepted his teachings.
In at least two respects, the teachings of the Buddha were quite
remarkable. In the first place, he insisted on the virtue of
moderation. He urged upon his hearers to avoid the two extremes
of a life devoted to fasting and self-torture, and a life of
self-indulgence. In the second place, he taught that a man must love
his neighbor as himself, returning good for evil and love for hatred.
But this was not all. He taught men to love all living creatures
without respect of kind or person. He taught men not to injure or
kill any living creature, whether a human being or an animal, even in
self-defense. All war, according to the teaching of the Buddha, is
unholy.
In the course of time it came to be believed that Gotama had become
Buddha as the fruit of good deeds performed in countless previous
states of existence, especially deeds of generosity. At any time, had
he so desired, he might have uprooted craving for worldly pleasures and
life and riches by meditation, and thus have escaped the sufferings of
repeated states of existence. But this he deemed an unworthy course.
Out of pity and compassion and friendliness for living creatures, he
preferred to be reborn again and again, to suffer and to die again and
again, in order that, by the accumulated merit of good works, he might
himself become enlightened and thus be able to enlighten others.
In comparison with the career of the Future Buddha, devoted to the
performance of good works, unselfish, generous to the point of
sacrificing his own body and blood,--the career of the monk, isolated
from the world, selfish, seeking by meditation to uproot craving
for worldly pleasures and life and riches, seemed low and mean. The
disciple began to imitate his Master. Thus began the Higher Career or
Vehicle of Mahāyāna or Catholic Buddhism, as distinguished from the
Lower Career or Vehicle of the more primitive Hīnayāna Buddhism of the
Pāli texts. Thus did the quest of Buddhahood supplant the quest of
Nibbāna. This development took place long before the beginning of the
Christian era.
* * * * *
Gotama Buddha made frequent use of similes, allegories, parables,
fables, and other stories, to illustrate his teachings. His example
was imitated by his followers, and in the course of time hundreds and
hundreds of stories were attributed to him on general principles. Most
of these stories were, in their original form, nothing but simple
folk-tales, many of them of great antiquity. Parallels and variants
are found in the Mahābhārata, the Panchatantra, Bidpai’s Fables, the
Hitopadesha, the Kathāsaritsāgara, and other fiction-collections,
especially those of the Jains.
Of the twenty-six stories contained in this book, of eight of which two
versions are given, eleven stories or versions of stories (6, 11, 12,
13, 16, 17 _a_, 18 _a_, 19 _a_, 20 _a_, 23 _a_, 24 _a_) are taken from
the oldest canonical texts of the Buddhist Sacred Scriptures. Of these
eleven stories, the first nine are said to have been related by Gotama
himself, the last two being attributed to the Buddhist sage Kumāra
Kassapa. It is highly probable that the tradition embodied in the texts
regarding these eleven stories is correct. We may therefore feel quite
certain that such remarkable parables as _Brahmadatta and the prince_
(6), _Blind men and elephant_ (13), and _The birds_ (16) were actually
related by Gotama himself, in substantially the same form as that in
which we now have them. It is not at all unlikely that such a parable
as _Brahmadatta and Mallika_ (8) was also related by Gotama, but of
this we cannot be certain.
The approximate date of these old canonical texts is now well
established. Numerous references to the Buddhist Scriptures in the
Bhābrā edict of Asoka, about 250 B.C., and in the canonical work
_Kathāvatthu_, of about the same date, amply justify the statement
that the texts from which these eleven stories are taken are, in
their present form, at least three or four centuries anterior to the
Christian era. It may interest the reader to know that these texts,
originating in North India in the lifetime of Gotama, were handed down
by oral tradition for many generations, were reduced to canonical form
within a century or two of the death of Gotama, were carried to Ceylon
in the third century B.C., were written down for the first time in the
first century B.C., and were copied and recopied on palm-leaves by
successive generations of scribes until comparatively recent times.
The rest of the stories (except 25 and 26) are taken from the _Book of
the Buddha’s Previous Existences_ or _Jātaka Book_. This remarkable
work, which also originated in North India, relates in mixed prose
and verse the experiences of the Future Buddha in each of 550 states
of existence previous to his rebirth as Gotama. The received text of
this work represents a recension made in Ceylon early in the fifth
century A.D., but much of the material is demonstrably many centuries
older. For example, the stanzas rank as canonical Scripture, older
versions of some of the stories occur in the canonical texts, and
many of the stories (including 4 and 7 and 22) are illustrated by
Bharahat sculptures of the third century B.C. Stories 25 and 26 are
also _Jātaka_ tales, adapted from C. H. Tawney’s translation of the
_Kathāsaritsāgara_.
* * * * *
For the most part, the _Jātaka_ stories purport to relate incidents in
Gotama’s previous states of existence as a human being. For example,
as Prince Noble-heart (1), he triumphs over his enemies and succeeds
to the throne of his father through the kindly offices of a grateful
elephant. As a Brahman’s son (2), he befriends in turn a pampered
prince, a snake, a rat, and a parrot, with the result that he is basely
betrayed by the prince, but treated with profound gratitude by the
three animals.
As King Brahmadatta (8), he overcomes anger with kindness, evil with
good, the stingy with gifts, and the liar with truth. As Prince
Five-weapons (9), he overcomes the giant ogre Sticky-hair with the
Weapon of Knowledge. As a Brahman’s son (17 _b_), he frees his younger
brother from the power of Jewel-neck, the dragon-king. As a Brahman’s
son (18 _b_), he teaches friendliness for all living beings. As a
caravan-leader (24 _b_), he protects his companions from a troop of
man-eating ogres. As Jīmūta-vāhana, prince of the fairies (26), he
offers the sacrifice of his body and blood for the welfare of all
living beings.
Several of the stories purport to relate incidents in Gotama’s previous
states of existence as an animal. For example, as a generous elephant
(3), he gives his tusks to an ungrateful forester who has betrayed
him. As a merciful elephant (4), he spares the life of a tiny quail.
As a wise quail (5), he avoids the snares of a fowler. As a brave lion
(15), he averts the destruction of a host of frightened animals. As a
wise partridge (19 _b_), he serves as the preceptor of a monkey and an
elephant. As a wise quail (20 _b_), he outwits a hawk. As a wise boar
(25), he offers the sacrifice of his body and blood.
* * * * *
How did the Future Buddha come to be identified with the hero of each
of these stories? The stories themselves give us the answer. For
example, in the story of _Brahmadatta and the prince_ (6), we read
that a high-minded prince generously forgave the murderer of his father
and mother, returning good for evil and love for hatred. In this, the
oldest form of the story, the Future Buddha is not even mentioned. But
in a later form of the story, _Jātaka_ 371, we are expressly told that
the generous prince was none other than the Future Buddha.
Stories 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, and 24 illustrate the same process in a
very striking way. Of each of these stories we have two versions, an
earlier version from a canonical source, and a later version from an
uncanonical source. It will be observed that in the older versions
the Future Buddha is not mentioned at all. But in the later versions
he is identified in turn with a wise ascetic (17 _b_, 18 _b_), a wise
partridge (19 _b_), a wise quail (20 _b_), an honest dicer (23 _b_),
and a wise caravan-leader (24 _b_).
Originally a simple folk-tale, each of these stories has been converted
into a birth-story by the simple literary device of identifying the
highest and noblest character in the story with the Future Buddha.
This, of course, was a comparatively easy matter, for the Future
Buddha, in his previous states of existence, was believed to have
exhibited the qualities of wisdom, courage, and generosity, and there
are few of the stories in which at least one of the characters does not
exhibit one or another of these qualities.
The attempt to introduce the Future Buddha into the stories is not
always carried out in a way to satisfy or convince the reader.
Thus, as an honest dicer (23 _b_), he violates Buddhist teaching by
administering deadly poison to his companion, a dishonest dicer. The
latter must not, of course, be allowed to die. The honest dicer is
therefore made to administer an emetic to his companion and to admonish
him. As a wise quail (20 _b_), he again violates Buddhist teaching
by saving his own life at the expense of his enemy’s life. Here the
inconsistency is allowed to stand, and the story is used to illustrate
the folly of walking in forbidden ground.
In the case of some of the stories, the figure of the Future Buddha is,
so to speak, lugged in by the heels. For example, little or nothing is
gained by identifying the antelope caught in a trap (7) with the Future
Buddha. As a Brahman’s pupil (10), and as a king’s counsellor (14), the
Future Buddha offers only a word of advice. As a trader (21), and as
a wise man (22), he is merely a spectator, and contents himself with
remarking on the folly of misdirected effort. It is quite clear that in
the case of these stories also we are dealing with simple folk-tales
which have undergone only slight modification.
* * * * *
Some of the stories have traveled all over the world. In the
thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries, many of them found
their way into the highways and byways of European literature. With
Story 1, _The grateful elephant_, compare the story of Androclus
and the lion, Aesop’s fable of the Lion and the Shepherd, and Gesta
Romanorum 104. With Story 2, _Grateful animals and ungrateful man_,
compare R. Schmidt, Panchatantra i. 9; C. H. Tawney, Kathāsaritsāgara
ii. 103; E. Chavannes, Cinq Cents Contes 25; A. Schiefner, Tibetan
Tales 26; Gesta Romanorum 119; and the following stories in Grimm,
Kinder- und Hausmärchen: 17 Die weisse Schlange, 60 Die zwei Brüder,
62 Die Bienenkönigin, 85 Die Goldkinder, 107 Die beiden Wanderer,
126 Ferenand getrü und Ferenand ungetrü, 191 Das Meerhäschen. For
additional parallels, see J. Bolte und G. Polivka, Anmerkungen zu den
Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm, Märchen 17, 62, 191.
With Story 3, _Elephant and ungrateful forester_, compare E. Chavannes,
Cinq Cents Contes 28. With Story 4, _Quail, crow, fly, frog, and
elephants_, compare R. Schmidt, Panchatantra i. 18. Variants of
Stories 5 and 7 form the frame-story of Panchatantra ii. With Story 5,
_Quails and fowler_, compare C. H. Tawney, Kathāsaritsāgara ii. 48;
J. Hertel, Tantrākhyāyika iii. 11; also Aesop’s fable of the Falconer
and the Birds. With Story 7, _Antelope, woodpecker, tortoise, and
hunter_, compare Mahābhārata xii. 138; C. H. Tawney, Kathāsaritsāgara
i. 296; also Aesop’s fable of the Lion and the Mouse. With Story 6,
_Brahmadatta and the prince_, compare E. Chavannes, Cinq Cents Contes
10; also Jātaka 371. With Story 8, _Brahmadatta and Mallika_, compare
Mahābhārata iii. 194.
With Story 9, _A Buddhist Tar-baby_, compare E. Chavannes, Cinq Cents
Contes 89 and 410; also the well-known story in Joel Chandler Harris,
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings. Story 10, _Vedabbha and the
thieves_, is the original of Chaucer’s Pardoner’s Tale; compare also A.
Schiefner, Tibetan Tales 19. With Story 13, _Blind men and elephant_,
compare E. Chavannes, Cinq Cents Contes 86. With Story 14, Part 1,
_Gem, hatchet, drum, and bowl_, compare Grimm, Kinder- und Hausmärchen:
36 Tischchen deck dich, Goldesel, und Knüppel aus dem Sack; 54 Der
Ranzen, das Hütlein, und das Hörnlein. For additional parallels, see
Bolte-Polivka.
With Story 15, _A Buddhist Henny-Penny_, compare A. Schiefner, Tibetan
Tales 22; also the well-known children’s story of the same name. With
Story 19, _Partridge, monkey, and elephant_, compare A. Schiefner,
Tibetan Tales 24. With Story 21, _How not to kill an insect_, compare
Aesop’s fable of the Bald Man and the Fly. For an interesting account
of the history of some of the stories, see W. A. Clouston, _Popular
Tales and Fictions_, as follows: Story 2: i. 223-241. Story 9: i.
133-154. Story 10: ii. 379-407. Story 14: i. 110-122. Story 15: i.
289-313. Story 21: i. 55-57.
_Note on the Illustrations._
Just fifty years ago Sir Alexander Cunningham discovered among the
ruins of a memorial mound or stūpa near the village of Bharahat, 120
miles southwest of Allahabad, a series of sculptures of the third
century B.C., illustrating the legendary life of the Buddha and stories
from the _Book of the Buddha’s Previous Existences_ or _Jātaka Book_.
Photographs of these sculptures, together with a detailed description
of each, will be found in the explorer’s monumental work _Stūpa of
Bharhut_.
It is from these Bharahat sculptures that the artist has taken most of
the materials for the illustrations to the present volume. From these
sculptures have been taken, not only three entire scenes, but animals,
costumes, trees, plants, fruits, flowers, and other objects. In the
case of two scenes, where the sculptured objects differ materially
from the objects described in the text, the artist has followed
the sculptures rather than the text. In the matter of details, the
illustrations are believed to be correct in every particular.
The design which appears on the cover, and again on the title-page,
_Elephant and children_, is taken from Cunningham, Plate xxxiii. 2,
_Elephant and monkeys_. The Bharahat sculpture represents an elephant
being driven along by a troop of monkeys. The artist has substituted
children for monkeys, but has preserved the spirit of the scene. It may
as well be said here as anywhere else that the saffron yellow of the
cover is the exact color of the robes of a Buddhist monk. The color is
therefore symbolic.
The frontispiece, illustrating Story 1, _The grateful elephant_,
represents the scene in the elephant-stable. A pure white elephant is
shown in the act of raising the young prince, the Future Buddha, to his
shoulders. On the right stands the queen, under a parasol held by an
attendant. On the left stand ministers of state, ladies-in-waiting,
and slaves. The open window, through which the blue sky is seen, forms
an effective panel for the portrait of the young prince. The saffron
yellow of the background is again symbolic.
The illustration to Story 2, _Grateful animals and ungrateful man_,
represents the pampered prince astride of a tree-trunk, accompanied by
his three companions, a snake, a rat, and a parrot, swept along by the
river amid storm and darkness.
The illustration to Story 3, _Elephant and forester_, shows the Future
Buddha, in the form of a pure white elephant, reclining like a cow,
and willingly permitting the ungrateful forester to cut off his two
tusks. Trees.--Left middle: Pātali-tree, Trumpet Flower, _Bignonia
Suaveolens_, the Bo-tree of the Buddha Vipassi. See Cunningham, Plates
xxiii. 3 and xxix. 1. Centre over elephant: Probably the Sāl-tree,
_Shorea Robusta_, the Bo-tree of the Buddha Vessabhu. The mother of
Gotama is said to have stood upright at his birth and to have supported
herself by a branch of a Sāl-tree. See Cunningham, Plate xxix. 2 and
5. Over elephant’s head: Fan-palm, _Borassus Flabelliformis_. See
Cunningham, Plate xxx. 4. Right middle: Probably a Sandalwood-tree,
Candana. See Cunningham, Plate lvii. Lower left: Magnolia. See
Cunningham, Plate xxv. 1 (above archer).
The illustration to Story 7, _Antelope, woodpecker, tortoise, and
hunter_, is taken from Cunningham, Plate xxvii. 9. As the hunter
approaches, the tortoise releases the antelope from the trap, and the
antelope springs to a place of safety. In drawing the trap, the artist
has followed the sculptured model, rather than the description in the
text. The tree in the background is the Sirīsa-tree, _Acacia Sirisa_,
more properly, _Albizzia Lebbek_, the Bo-tree of the Buddha Kakusandha.
See Cunningham, Plate xxix. 3.
The illustration to Story 9, _A Buddhist Tar-baby_, represents the
Future Buddha in the person of Prince Five-weapons casting a spear at
the giant ogre Sticky-hair. The drawing of the ogre follows closely
the description given in the text. The tree in the background is the
Fan-palm, represented in Cunningham, Plate xxx. 4. The trees to the
right and left are specimens of the Banyan-tree, the Nyagrodha, _Ficus
Indica_, the Bo-tree of the Buddha Kassapa. Note the down-growing
roots. See Cunningham, Plates xv. 3, xxvi. 6, xxx. 1 and 2.
The illustration to Story 11, _The anger-eating ogre_, represents
the ogre seated on the Yellowstone throne of Sakka (Indra), king of
the gods, in the heaven of the Thirty-three gods, thereby arousing
the indignation and anger of the gods, of whom two are shown in the
drawing. The tree in the background is probably the Sāl-tree. See note
on illustration to Story 3.
The illustration to Story 14, _King and boar_, represents the boar
flying through the air by the magical power of the gem which he has
just bitten. The power of flying through the air is mentioned in the
oldest texts as one of the several varieties of magical power which may
be acquired by the Practice of Meditation.
The illustration to Story 15, _A Buddhist Henny-Penny_, shows the
Future Buddha, in the form of a lion, setting out with the little hare
on his back to discover the cause of the flight of the animals. The
artist has introduced representatives of the various animals mentioned
in the story, and a few monkeys for good measure. Trees.--Left:
Magnolia. See Cunningham, Plate xxv. 1 (above archer). Centre:
Jack-tree. See Cunningham, Plate xiv. 1 (extreme left), xli. 4, xlii.
8, and xliii. 1. Top: Udumbara-tree, _Ficus Glomerata_, the Bo-tree of
the Buddha Kanakamuni. See Cunningham, Plate xxix. 4. Right middle:
Sirīsa-tree, _Acacia Sirisa_, more properly, _Albizzia Lebbek_, the
Bo-tree of the Buddha Kakusandha. See Cunningham, Plate xiv. 3. In the
illustration to Story 7, the tree is represented in flower. Compare
Cunningham, Plate xxix. 3. Lower right: Rose-apple, Jambu-tree. See
Cunningham, Plate xliv. 8. India is frequently called the Land of the
Rose-apple.
The illustration to Story 17, _Dragon Jewel-neck_, represents the king
of the dragons encircling the ascetic with his coils. The ascetic is
seated at the door of his leaf-hut on the bank of the Ganges. The
tree in the background is the Sacred Fig-tree, the Pipphala, _Ficus
Religiosa_. It was under a tree of this species that Gotama sat on the
night of his Enlightenment. Accordingly, this tree has a symbolic value
for Buddhists corresponding to that which the Cross has for Christians,
and is frequently sculptured on the monuments. See Cunningham,
Plates xiii. 1, xxx. 3. The tree to the right of the hut may be a
Sandalwood-tree. See note on illustration to Story 3.
The illustration to Story 22, _Monkey-gardeners_, is taken from
Cunningham, Plate xlv. 5. The monkeys, in obedience to the instructions
of their leader, are pulling up the young fig-trees by the roots,
examining the roots, watering plentifully the trees with long roots,
but sparingly the trees with short roots, and planting them again. In
drawing the water-pots, the artist has followed the Bharahat sculpture
rather than the description given in the text.
_1. The Grateful Elephant._
_Where there’s a will, there’s a way._
Jātaka 156: ii. 17-23.
_Relying on Noble-heart._ This parable was related by the Teacher
while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain monk
who relaxed effort. Said the Teacher to him: “Of a truth, monk, did
you not, in a previous state of existence, by exerting yourself, get
and give to a young prince no bigger than a piece of meat, dominion
over the city of Benāres, a city twelve leagues in measure?” So
saying, he related the following Story of the Past:
In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, there was a
carpenters’ settlement not far from Benāres. In this settlement lived
five hundred carpenters. They would go up-stream in a boat, cut timber
for building materials for houses in the forest, and prepare houses
of one or more stories on the spot. Then, marking all of the timbers,
beginning with the pillars, they would carry them to the river-bank,
load them on a boat, return to the city with the current, and for a
price build for any particular person any particular kind of house he
desired to have built. Then they would go back to the forest and get
building materials once more. Thus they made their living.
One day, not far from the camp where they were fashioning timbers, a
certain elephant trod on an acacia splinter, and the splinter pierced
his foot. He suffered intense pain, and his foot became swollen and
festered. Maddened with pain, hearing the sound of those carpenters
fashioning timbers, thinking to himself, “With the help of these
carpenters I can get relief,” he went to them on three feet and lay
down not far off. The carpenters saw that his foot was swollen, and
on drawing closer, saw the splinter in his foot. So making incisions
all round the splinter with a sharp knife, they tied a cord to the
splinter, removed the splinter with a pull, let out the pus, washed the
wound with hot water, and by applying proper remedies, in no very long
time made the wound comfortable.
When the elephant was well, he thought: “I owe my life to these
carpenters; now I ought to do something for them.” From that time on
he helped the carpenters remove trees, rolled them over and held them
for the carpenters while they were fashioning them, brought them their
tools, and held the measuring-cord, taking it by the end and wrapping
his trunk about it. As for the carpenters, when it was time to eat,
each one of them gave the elephant a morsel of food; thus in all they
gave him five hundred morsels of food.
Now that elephant had a son, and he was pure white, a noble son of
a noble sire. So the following thought occurred to the elephant: “I
am now old. I ought therefore to give my son to these carpenters to
help them in their work, and myself go away.” Without saying a word
to the carpenters, he entered the forest, and leading his son to the
carpenters, said: “This young elephant is my son. You gave me my life;
I give you this elephant by way of paying the fee which I owe to my
physicians. Henceforth he will work for you.”
Then he admonished his son: “Henceforth you are to do whatever it was
my duty to do.” Having so said, he gave his son to the carpenters and
himself entered the forest. From that time on the young elephant obeyed
the commands of the carpenters, was patient of admonition, performed
all of the duties. They fed him also with five hundred morsels of food.
After doing his work, he would descend into the river and play, and
then come back. And the carpenters’ children used to take hold of him
by the trunk and play with him, both in the water and on dry land.
The elephant-trainers reported that incident to the king, remarking:
“That noble elephant should be sought out and brought to you, your
majesty.” The king made haste up the river with boats and rafts; with
rafts bound up-stream he reached the place of abode of the carpenters.
The young elephant, playing in the river, on hearing the sound of the
drum, went and stood by the carpenters. The carpenters went forth to
meet the king, and said: “Your majesty, if you have need of timber, why
did you yourself come? why shouldn’t you have sent men to get it?” “I
didn’t come for timber, I assure you, but I came for this elephant.”
“Take him and go, your majesty.”
The young elephant would not go. “What, pray, will you have done,
elephant?” “Have the carpenters paid for my keeping, your majesty.”
“Very well, I will,” said the king. He had a hundred thousand pieces
of money laid near each of the elephant’s four feet, near his trunk,
and near his tail. But for all that the elephant would not go. When,
however, pairs of cloths had been given to all of the carpenters, when
under-garments had been given to the carpenters’ wives, and when the
proper attentions had been paid to the children he had played with,
then the elephant turned around, and eyeing the carpenters and their
wives and their children as he went, accompanied the king.
The king took the elephant, went to the city, and caused both city
and elephant-stable to be adorned. He caused the elephant to make
rightwise circuit of the city and to be taken into the elephant-stable.
He adorned the elephant with all the adornments, sprinkled him, made
him his riding-animal, elevated him to the dignity of a friend, gave
him half his kingdom, and had him treated as himself. From the day when
the elephant arrived, the king obtained complete mastery over all the
Land of the Rose-apple.
As time thus went on, the Future Buddha received a new existence as the
child of the chief consort of that king. But before the child was born,
the king died. Now if the elephant had known that the king was dead,
it would have broken his heart then and there. So they said not a word
to the elephant about the king’s death, but waited on him just as if
nothing had happened.
But when the king of Kosala, who ruled over the country immediately
adjoining, heard that the king was dead, he reflected: “The kingdom,
they say, is empty;” and came with a large army and surrounded the
city. The citizens closed the gates of the city and sent the following
message to the king of Kosala: “The chief consort of our king is about
to give birth to a child. The soothsayers have told us: ‘Seven days
hence she will give birth to a son.’ If, on the seventh day, she gives
birth to a son, we will give battle,--not the kingdom. Wait that long.”
“Very well,” said the king in assent. On the seventh day the queen gave
birth to a son. On the day when he received his name, because, as they
said, “He is born extending a noble heart to the multitude,” they gave
him the name Noble-heart, Alīnacitta.
Now from the day he was born, the citizens fought with the king of
Kosala. But because they had no man to lead them in battle, the force,
large as it was, gave way little by little in the conflict. Ministers
reported this fact to the queen, saying: “We fear that if the force
continues thus to give way, we shall lose the battle. But the state
elephant, the king’s friend, does not know that the king is dead,
that his son is born, and that the king of Kosala has come to fight.”
And they asked her: “Shall we let him know?” “Yes,” said the queen,
assenting. She adorned the boy, laid him in a head-coil of fine cloth,
came down from the terrace, and accompanied by a retinue of ministers,
went to the elephant-stable, and laid the Future Buddha at the feet of
the elephant. Said she: “Master, your friend is dead. We didn’t tell
you because we were afraid it would break your heart. Here is the son
of your friend. The king of Kosala has come and has surrounded the city
and is fighting with your son. The force is giving way. Do you either
kill your son or get and give him the kingdom.”
Then the elephant with his trunk caressed the Future Buddha and lifted
him up and put him on his shoulders and cried and wept. Then he
lowered the Future Buddha and laid him in the arms of the queen, and
with the words, “I will capture the king of Kosala!” went out of the
elephant-stable. Then the ministers clad him with armor and adorned
him, and unlocking the city-gate, went out in his train.
As the elephant went out of the city, he trumpeted the Heron’s Call,
making the multitude tremble and quake, and frightening them away. He
broke down the stockade, seized the king of Kosala by the top-knot,
and carried him and laid him at the Future Buddha’s feet. And when men
rose to kill him, he would not let them, but set the king free with the
admonition: “Henceforth be careful; do not presume on the youth of the
prince.”
Thenceforth the Future Buddha had complete mastery over all the Land
of the Rose-apple. No other adversary dared to stand up against
him. When the Future Buddha was seven years old, he received the
ceremonial sprinkling and became known as King Noble-heart. He ruled
with righteousness, and when his life was come to an end, departed,
fulfilling the Path to Heaven.
When the Teacher had related this parable, he uttered, as Supreme
Buddha, the following stanza:
Relying on Noble-heart, a mighty host, delighted,
Captured Kosala alive, dissatisfied with his army.
_2. Grateful Animals and Ungrateful Man._
_Driftwood is worth more than some men._
Jātaka 78: i. 322-327.
_True is this saying of some men of the world._ This parable was
related by the Teacher while he was in residence at Bamboo Grove with
reference to Devadatta’s going about for the purpose of killing him.
For while the Congregation of Monks, sitting in the Hall of Truth,
were discussing Devadatta’s wickedness, saying, “Brethren, Devadatta
knows not the Teacher’s virtues, but is going about for the sole
purpose of killing him,” the Teacher drew near and asked: “Monks,
what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here
all gathered together?” “Such-and-such,” was the reply. “Monks,”
said the Teacher, “not only in his present state of existence has
Devadatta gone about for the purpose of killing me; in a previous
state of existence also he went about for the purpose of killing me
in the very same way.” Then, in response to a request of the monks,
he related the following Story of the Past:
_Prince Wicked._
In times past Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres. He had a son named Prince
Wicked, and Prince Wicked was as tough and hard as a beaten snake. He
never spoke to anybody without either reviling him or striking him.
The result was that both by indoor-folk and by outdoor-folk he was
disliked and detested as much as dust lodged in the eye or as a demon
come to eat.
One day, desiring to sport in the water, he went to the river-bank with
a large retinue. At that moment a great cloud arose. The directions
became dark. He said to his slaves and servants: “Come, fellows! take
me and conduct me to mid-stream and bathe me and bring me back.” They
led him there and took counsel together, saying: “What can the king
do to us! Let’s kill this wicked fellow right here!” So saying, they
plunged him into the water, made their way out of the water again, and
stood on the bank.
As the courtiers returned to the king, they reflected: “In case we
are asked, ‘Where is the prince?’ we will say, ‘We have not seen the
prince; it must be that upon seeing a cloud arise he plunged into the
water and went on ahead of us.’” The king asked: “Where is my son?” “We
do not know, your majesty. A cloud arose. We returned, supposing: ‘He
must have gone on ahead of us.’” The king caused the gates to be flung
open, went to the river-bank, and caused them to search here and there.
“Search!” said he. Nobody saw the prince.
As a matter of fact, in the darkness caused by the cloud, while the god
was raining, the prince, swept along by the river, seeing a certain
tree-trunk, clambered on it, and sitting astride of it, traveled along,
terrified with the fear of death, lamenting.
_Snake, rat, parrot, and man._
Now at that time a resident of Benāres, a certain treasurer, who had
buried forty crores of wealth by the river-bank, by reason of his
craving for that wealth, had been reborn on top of that wealth as a
snake. Yet another had buried thirty crores of wealth in that very
spot, and by reason of his craving for that wealth, had been reborn on
the spot as a rat. The water entered their place of abode. They went
out by the very path by which the water came in, cleft the stream, and
went until they reached the tree-trunk bestridden by the royal prince.
Thereupon one climbed up on one end, the other on the other, and both
lay down right there on top of the tree-trunk.
Moreover, on the bank of that very river there was a certain
silk-cotton tree, and in it lived a certain young parrot. That tree
also, its roots washed by the water, fell on top of the river. The
young parrot, unable to make headway by flying while the god was
raining, went and perched on one side of that very tree-trunk. Thus did
those four persons travel together, swept along by the river.
_The Future Buddha befriends animals and man._
Now at that time the Future Buddha was reborn in the kingdom of Kāsi in
the household of a Brahman of high station. When he reached manhood,
he retired from the world and adopted the life of an ascetic, and
building a leaf-hut at a certain bend in the river, took up his abode
there. At midnight, as he was walking up and down, he heard the sound
of the profound lamentation of that royal prince. Thought he: “It is
not fitting that that man should die in sight of an ascetic like me,
endowed with friendliness and compassion. I will pull him out of the
water and grant him the boon of life.” He calmed the man’s fears with
the words, “Fear not! fear not!” Then, cleaving the stream of water,
he went and laid hold of that tree-trunk by one end, and pulled it.
Powerful as an elephant, endowed with mighty strength, with a single
pull he reached the bank, and lifting the prince in his arms, set him
ashore.
[Illustration: _Thus did those four persons travel together, swept
along by the river._]
Seeing the snake, the rat, and the parrot, he picked them up also,
carried them to his hermitage, and lighted a fire. “The animals are
weaker,” thought he. So first he warmed the bodies of the animals;
then afterwards he warmed the body of the royal prince and made him
well too. When he brought food also, he first gave it to those same
animals, and afterwards offered fruits and other edibles to the prince.
Thought the royal prince: “This false ascetic does not take it into his
reckoning that I am a royal prince, but does honor to animals.” And he
conceived a grudge against the Future Buddha.
A few days after that, when all four had recovered their strength and
vigor and the river-freshet had ceased, the snake bowed to the ascetic
and said: “Reverend Sir, it is a great service you have done me. Now
I am no pauper. In such-and-such a place I have buried forty crores
of gold. If you have need of money, I can give you all that money.
Come to that place and call me out, saying: ‘Longfellow!’” So saying,
he departed. Likewise also the rat addressed the ascetic: “Stand in
such-and-such a place and call me out, saying: ‘Rat!’” So saying, he
departed.
But when the parrot bowed to the ascetic, he said: “Reverend Sir, I
have no money; but if you have need of ruddy rice,--such-and-such is my
place of abode,--go there and call me out, saying: ‘Parrot!’ I’ll tell
my kinsfolk, have them fetch ruddy rice by the cart-load, and give it
to you. That’s what I can do!” So saying, he departed.
But that other, the man, because it was his custom to betray his
friends, said not so much as a word according to custom. Thought he:
“If you come to me, I’ll kill you!” But he said: “Reverend Sir, when I
am established in my kingdom, be good enough to come and see me; I’ll
furnish you with the Four Requisites.” So saying, he departed. And in
no very long time after he had gone, he was established in his kingdom.
_Gratefulness of animals._
Thought the Future Buddha: “I’ll just put them to the test!” First he
went to the snake, and standing not far off, called him out, saying,
“Longfellow!” At the mere word the snake came out, bowed to the Future
Buddha, and said: “Reverend Sir, in this place are forty crores of
gold; carry them all out and take them with you!” Said the Future
Buddha: “Let be as it is; if occasion arises, I’ll think about it.” So
saying, he let the snake go back.
Then he went to the rat and made a noise. The rat also behaved just as
had the snake. The Future Buddha let him also go back. Then he went
to the parrot and called him out, saying: “Parrot!” The parrot also,
at the mere word, came down from the top of the tree, and bowing to
the Future Buddha, asked: “Tell me, Reverend Sir, shall I speak to my
kinsfolk and have them fetch you self-sown rice from the region of
Himavat?” Said the Future Buddha: “If I have need, I’ll think about
it.” So saying, he let the parrot also go back.
_Ungratefulness of man._