55 chapters
14 hour read
Selected Chapters
55 chapters
INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
In olden days, when the life of man was of unlimited duration, lived King Utposhadha. On the crown of his head grew a very soft tumour, somewhat resembling a cushion of cotton or wool, without doing him any harm. When it had become quite ripe and had broken, there came forth from it a boy, shapely and handsome and gracious, perfect in every limb and joint, with a skin the colour of gold, a head like a canopy, long arms, a broad forehead, interlacing eyebrows, and a body provided with the thirty-
32 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
TIBETAN TALES. I. KING MĀNDHĀTAR.1
TIBETAN TALES. I. KING MĀNDHĀTAR.1
The king said, “Can they be Rishis who are so pitiless towards living creatures? Go to them, sirs, and tell them in my name that they shall not remain in my realm.” The ministers executed his commands. The Rishis reflected that the king had power over the four quarters of the world, and they determined to betake themselves to the slopes of Sumeru. So they went away and settled there. As King Māndhātar’s subjects were thinkers, scanners, and testers, and as in the course of thinking, scanning, an
42 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
II. KUŚA JĀTAKA.1
II. KUŚA JĀTAKA.1
The queen washed the kuśa box and drank the water, whereupon she also became pregnant. After eight or nine months had passed by, all the wives gave birth to sons. The son to whom the chief wife gave birth possessed the eighteen signs of uncomeliness, a face like that of a lion, and an extremely strong body. His birth-feast was celebrated in great style, and the name of Kuśa was conferred upon him. When the king looked upon his other sons he rejoiced, but Kuśa’s ugliness excited his wrath. It cam
23 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
III. ĀDARŚAMUKHA.1
III. ĀDARŚAMUKHA.1
Daṇḍin tried to run away. As he sprang down from a wall, he fell on a weaver who was at his work below, in consequence of which the weaver died. The weaver’s wife laid hands upon Daṇḍin and demanded that he, as he had killed her husband, should restore him to her. “Where am I to get your husband from for you?” he said. “Come, let us go to King Ādarśamukha,” she replied; “he will settle our business for us.” So they went their way. About half-way they came to a deep river, which a carpenter was f
20 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
IV. THE CLEVER THIEF.1
IV. THE CLEVER THIEF.1
When the youth had brought the hare, and the weaver saw that it only had three legs, he said, “Nephew, where is the fourth leg gone?” “Uncle, it is true that hares have four legs, but if the fourth leg is not there, it cannot have gone anywhere.” The weaver thought, “Although I have long been a [ 39 ] thief, yet this lad is a still greater thief.” And he went with the youth and the three-legged hare into a drinking-house and called for liquor. When they had both drunk, the weaver said, “Nephew,
2 hour read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
V. SUDHANA AVADĀNA.1
V. SUDHANA AVADĀNA.1
“Your majesty, as he can be conjured hither by men who are versed in charms and spells, let them perform the deed.” Thereupon the king fastened a golden basket to the end of a standard, and ordered proclamation to be made throughout the whole kingdom that he would give that golden basket to any one who could conjure the Nāga Janmachitra out of North Panchāla into South Panchāla, and would also heap upon him a profusion of great honours. After a time a serpent-charmer appeared before the minister
2 hour read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
VI. PRINCE JĪVAKA AS THE KING OF PHYSICIANS.1
VI. PRINCE JĪVAKA AS THE KING OF PHYSICIANS.1
At that time there were three districts in Vaiśālī. In the first district were 7000 houses 3 with golden towers, in the middle district were 14,000 houses with silver towers, and in the last district were 21,000 houses with copper towers. In these lived the upper, the middle, and the lower classes, according to their position. The people of Vaiśālī had made a law that a daughter born in the first district could marry only in the first district, not in the second or third; that one born in the mi
2 hour read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
VII. VIŚĀKHĀ.1
VII. VIŚĀKHĀ.1
“I am Balamitra’s daughter.” “O maiden, be not angry if I ask you a few questions.” [ 112 ] She smiled at first, and then said, “O uncle, why should I be angry? Please to ask them.” “While these girls, as they went, were all running, skipping, rolling, turning round, singing, and doing other undignified things, you wended your way slowly, decorously, and in a seemly manner, reaching the park together with them.” Viśākhā replied, “All girls are a merchandise which their parents vend. If in leapin
25 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
VIII. MAHAUSHADHA AND VIŚĀKHĀ.1
VIII. MAHAUSHADHA AND VIŚĀKHĀ.1
While Bhagavant was dwelling in the region of Tushita, there lived in the city of Nyagrodhika a highly respectable Brahman named Nyagrodha, whose means were so great that he rivalled Vaiśravaṇa in wealth. He possessed sixteen slave villages, thirty agricultural villages, sixty vegetable-garden villages, nine hundred and ninety-nine pair of plough oxen, six hundred millions of gold pieces, and eighty golden earrings capable of vying with those of King Mahāpadma. He had married a wife of birth lik
29 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
IX. MAHĀKĀŚYAPA AND BHADRĀ.1
IX. MAHĀKĀŚYAPA AND BHADRĀ.1
Mahābrahma reflected that he really could not confer on any one a son or a daughter, but that, if he stated that he could not do so, then all the designations would be discredited which it was customary to apply to him, such as Brahma, Mahābrahma, the ruler, the worker, the bestower, and the spell-wielder. In case he should say that he would bestow a son or daughter, inasmuch as he had no power to do so, it would be requisite for him to take heed as to how he should accomplish that bestowing. Wi
42 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
X. UTPALAVARṆĀ.1
X. UTPALAVARṆĀ.1
When the caravan-leader came back she passed over the slight and asked him if he had recovered his goods. He replied that he had. Then she said, “O master, you have deceived me. Your goods have not been stolen. I have heard that you have brought with you a Gandhāra woman from Takshaśilā. Bring her here. For soon come to an end the means of him who resides in two places.” “O fair one,” he replied, “that is true, indeed; but have not you heard that in the house of a man who has two wives the soup
29 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XI. KṚIŚĀ GAUTAMĪ.1
XI. KṚIŚĀ GAUTAMĪ.1
So the servants made daily use of those utensils, and when the merchant had asked them whence they obtained them, and they had repeated to him the old woman’s words, a friendly feeling was excited within him, and he [ 219 ] said: “As she has shown you kindness, she shall be my mother.” They told the old woman that their master prized her kindness highly, and regarded her as his mother. Thereupon she said that it would be desirable for her to become acquainted with him, and she asked them to invi
27 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XII. SUŚROṆĪ.1
XII. SUŚROṆĪ.1
After that Āśuga got his living by lute-playing and singing. Five hundred merchants who were putting to sea took him on board with them as a musician. When he was playing on board ship one day he touched the top string at the request of the merchants, whereupon the ship began to bound in the air and capsized, whereby the whole of the merchants lost their lives. But Āśuga, who got hold of a plank, was driven by a storm to Kaśerudvīpa. There he took up his abode in a park where there were no other
24 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XIII. THE OVER-REACHED ACTOR.1
XIII. THE OVER-REACHED ACTOR.1
“Venerable sir, so far as I can remember, I have never seen, much less exiled, the two Nāgarājas Girika and Sundara.” “O great king, I will recall the fact to your memory.” Thereupon Bhagavant informed him that those two householders whom he had sent out of the country were precisely those two Nāgarājas, and recommended him, in order to obtain help for his land, to ask for their forgiveness. The king observed that he was not in a position to do this, as they had departed into the ocean. Then Bha
21 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XIV. THE DUMB CRIPPLE.1
XIV. THE DUMB CRIPPLE.1
When the king asked him why he had not spoken before, and why he had not used his legs, he replied— “Hearken unto me, O king! In a former life I reigned as a king for sixty years, and then for sixty thousand years I suffered incessant tortures in hell. Remembering those terrible pangs, I do not wish to reign again, and therefore I beseech you, O my father, to allow me to renounce the world.” The father replied, “But, my son, it is for the sake of supremacy that the Rishis undertake penance and o
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XV. ṚSHYAŚRINGA.1
XV. ṚSHYAŚRINGA.1
“I, who used not to allow power to the thunder of the cloud, must now, being fettered by love bonds, allow myself to be set at nought by a woman!” Thereupon he again devoted himself to ascetic exertion, and once more became possessed of the five kinds of insight. [ 257 ] 1 Kah-gyur, iv. fol. 136, 137. A Buddhistic version of the well-known narrative in the Mahābhārata, i. 9999, &c., and the Rāmāyana, i. 8, &c.—S. ↑ In long past times King Viśvāmitra reigned in the city of Viśvan
25 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XVI. VIŚVAṆTARA.1
XVI. VIŚVAṆTARA.1
Madrī replied, “O lord, so long as I am able, I will follow after you.” The Bodisat said, “If this be so, be mindful of your vow.” Then the Bodisat went to his father, paid him reverence with his head, and said, “O father, be pleased to forgive me my fault, the giving away of the elephant. As I am now going forth from the city into the forest, your treasury, O king, will not become empty.” The king, losing his breath from grief at the parting, said with tremulous voice, “O son, give up making pr
29 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XVII. THE FULFILLED PROPHECY.1
XVII. THE FULFILLED PROPHECY.1
As the news of this passed from mouth to mouth, King Sūryanemi learnt that the Nāgas had received the youth into their dwelling-place. Thereupon he ordered his ministers to summon into his presence all the snake-charmers who lived in his realm. When they had done this, the king said to the snake-charmers, “Honoured sirs, go and question the Nāgas in such and such a Nāga residence.” In compliance with the king’s orders, the snake-charmers all betook themselves thither. Now a Yaksha named Pingala,
14 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XVIII. THE TWO BROTHERS.1
XVIII. THE TWO BROTHERS.1
After a time the ship arrived with a favourable wind at the Island of Jewels, and the steersman said: “Listen, O honourable merchants of Jambudvīpa! as ye have heard that the Island of Jewels is a mine of diamonds, lapis lazuli, turquoises, emeralds, and divers other precious stones, therefore have we come hither. Now then, take yourselves as many jewels as ye wish.” They searched for them with joy and desire, and they filled the ship full, as though with rice, pease, sesame, and the like. Now,
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XIX. THE PUNISHMENT OF AVARICE.1
XIX. THE PUNISHMENT OF AVARICE.1
1 Kah-gyur iii. f. 103. The end of this may be compared with Panchatantra , ii. 3. The beginning is a well-known theme. See Liebrecht on “ Die vergifteten Gefährten ” in Orient und Occident , i. 656.—S. ↑ In long past times, King Brahmadatta lived in Vārāṇasī. There also a Chaṇḍāla 2 lived, who was versed in spells and magic lore, and who, employing the Gāndhāra-Mantra, was wont to obtain by spells from the Gandhamādana mountain 3 such fruits and flowers as were not in season, and to present th
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XX. THE MAGICIAN’S PUPIL.1
XX. THE MAGICIAN’S PUPIL.1
When the Chaṇḍāla awoke of his own accord, and saw the youth, he asked who was there. The youth replied, “O teacher, it is I, the companion of your fortunes,” and he told him all that had occurred. The Chaṇḍāla was greatly delighted, and said, “O son, as I am exceedingly pleased, I will teach you the art of magic.” As Brahmans are of a conceited nature, the youth could not restrain himself, but must needs immediately make a trial of his magic art on the spot, and then depart. So he employed his
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXI. HOW A WOMAN REQUITES LOVE.1
XXI. HOW A WOMAN REQUITES LOVE.1
“Thou who hast eaten the flesh of my loins, who hast drunk my blood, and hast taken the cripple on thy back, wilt thou not now be blamed by thy husband? “After having, for the sake of wolf’s-milk, flung me down the precipice, after having taken the cripple on thy back, wilt thou not now be blamed by thy husband?” She stood still with drooping countenance and heart full of shame. When the ministers had asked the king about this matter, and he had given them a full account of all that had taken pl
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXII. THE FLIGHT OF THE BEASTS.1
XXII. THE FLIGHT OF THE BEASTS.1
A merchant had a wife with whom four of the city stipendiaries and their superior officer fell in love, and they all sent go-betweens to her. She listened to what they said, and appointed a time for a meeting. But when they asked where the meeting-place was to be, she directed them to a fig-tree which stood not far from the city, the head of which soared aloft towards the sky, the branches of which were widespread, and the foliage of which was thick. Up this tree they were to climb, and there to
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXIII. THE FIVE LOVERS.1
XXIII. THE FIVE LOVERS.1
The second said: “As the kuśa grass grows again after being mown, so may your nose grow again. Give lotuses to him who prays.” The third said: “As the Dūrvā grass 3 and the Vīraṇa 4 grow again even when cut down, so may your nose grow again. Give flowers to him who prays.” The fourth said: “As hair and beard, although shorn, yet grow again, so may your nose grow again. Give flowers to him who prays.” The fifth said: “The lotus-cravers have all talked nonsense to you. Whether you give lotuses, or
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXIV. THE VIRTUOUS ANIMALS.1
XXIV. THE VIRTUOUS ANIMALS.1
Not far from Vārāṇasī there was a grove in which there dwelt a Rishi, endowed with the five kinds of higher knowledge. He practised divination for the men who dwelt in Vārāṇasī and paid honour to him. To this Rishi the king betook himself, touching his feet and saying, “O great Rishi, as all the living beings in my realm belonging to the animal world, without doing one another any harm, live according to their knowledge and pleasure, and the deity sends rain at the right season, and the earth is
4 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXV. THE ICHNEUMON, THE MOUSE, AND THE SNAKE.1
XXV. THE ICHNEUMON, THE MOUSE, AND THE SNAKE.1
In long past times King Brahmadatta came to the throne in Vārāṇasī. A man, who had gone with his axe and wood-basket into the forest to fetch wood, was frightened by a lion while looking for wood, and in running away fell into a pit. Into it fell likewise the lion which was intending to devour him. A mouse, which had been frightened by a snake, ran away from it, and a falcon pursued the mouse, in order to devour it. They all four fell into the pit, and they all entertained the evil design of put
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXVI. THE GRATEFUL ANIMALS AND THE UNGRATEFUL MAN.1
XXVI. THE GRATEFUL ANIMALS AND THE UNGRATEFUL MAN.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. ff. 212*, 213*. This story is very intimately connected with that contributed by me to Benfey’s Panchatantra i. 194. See also ii. 128.—S. ↑ In long past times the Bodisat, his accumulations 2 as yet incomplete, was born again among birds as a woodpecker, dwelling in a villageless solitude in a hill district, rich in mountain streams, fruits, and flowers. In the same district there lived a king of the beasts, a lion, which was in the habit of killing and devouring gazelles at its
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXVII. THE UNGRATEFUL LION.1
XXVII. THE UNGRATEFUL LION.1
1 Kah-gyur iv. f. 181. ↑ 2 Aniyatarâśi. See Childers on the word râsi . By this word may be represented the mass of the merits obtained by means of earlier deeds.—S. ↑ Long ago there lived a herd of elephants in a certain district. One of their number fell in love with a female elephant. But she was warmly attached to another young male elephant, to whom she said, “Should not we take to flight when he goes forth to the chase?” “Is there any means by which we may escape?” asked the young elepha
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXVIII. THE TRICKED ELEPHANT.1
XXVIII. THE TRICKED ELEPHANT.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 256. ↑ In long past times there lived a householder in a certain hill-village. His shepherd went afield to tend his flocks. As the shepherd returned to the village at sunset from tending them, an old ewe which lagged somewhat behind was seized by a wolf. “Aunt, aunt,” said the wolf, “is it well with you? Aunt, aunt, do you seem to find yourself comfortable all alone in the forest?” Moreover the wolf said, “Do you think, O sheep, whom I have addressed by the name of aunt, that
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXIX. THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP.1
XXIX. THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 287. ↑ In a certain hill district there lived a householder, to whom, after his marriage, a daughter was born. He was a tiller of the soil, and ploughed his corn-field himself. The orphan son of a householder, who was bringing a load of wood from the forest, happened to draw near to that corn-field one day. And he threw down the wood he was carrying, rested awhile, and then said, “O uncle, why do you plough yourself? You must certainly have village affairs to look after. Why,
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXX. OXEN AS WITNESSES.1
XXX. OXEN AS WITNESSES.1
After some time the youth said to the householder, “Uncle, fulfil what you have promised.” The householder said to his wife, “Good wife, make all the preparations for a wedding. I am going to give my daughter in marriage.” The wife said, “O lord, as our daughter has not been promised to any one, how can she be given in marriage?” He replied, “I shall give her in marriage.” “To whom?” “To this householder’s son.” The wife said, “Shall I give my daughter in marriage to this fortuneless one, forsoo
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXI. THE STUBBORN AND THE WILLING OXEN.1
XXXI. THE STUBBORN AND THE WILLING OXEN.1
1 Kah-gyur iv. ff. 248*, 249. ↑ When in long-past times the Bodisat, in consequence of his aggregation of merits remaining incomplete, had been born in a herd of horned cattle as a bull, he used to go out of the city in the evenings to a bean-field belonging to the king, and there take his food. But by day he lived in the city. There an ass joined him. It said one day, “O uncle, your flesh and your blood and your hide thrive, and yet I have never seen you change your abode.” The bull answered,
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXII. THE ASS AS A SINGER.1
XXXII. THE ASS AS A SINGER.1
“He who knows not how to keep his word, to him may easily happen some such thing as this; to wander to and fro, adorned with a club and destitute of ears.” The ass also gave utterance to a verse, “Keep silence thou with broken teeth, be silent then, O old bull; for three men are searching for thee with clubs in their hands.” [ 325 ] 1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 293. Cf. Panchatantra , v. 7, and Benfey’s remarks on the passage, i. 494.—S. ↑ In long-past times there lived in a certain forest a pregnant lio
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
A.
A.
The bull asked, “O uncle, what then will be the course of events?” The jackal replied, “O nephew, the lion will come forth from his lair, and will stretch himself, and after he [ 327 ] has stretched himself he will yawn, and after he has yawned he will look round on all four sides, and after he has looked round on all four sides, he will roar three times, and when he has come to where you are, he will think, ‘This creature will kill me;’ be sure of that.” Afterwards the jackal betook himself wit
8 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
B.
B.
The jackal said, “As you will not listen to my well-meant words, you will come to ruin.” The lion said, “O uncle, what will be the course of events?” The jackal replied, “O nephew, the tiger will come forth from his lair, and will stretch himself, and after stretching he will yawn, and after yawning he will look round on all four sides, and after looking round on all four sides he will roar three times, and then come into your presence and think, ‘He will kill me.’ Be sure of this.” Afterwards t
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXIV. THE TWO OTTERS AND THE JACKAL.1
XXXIV. THE TWO OTTERS AND THE JACKAL.1
“O uncle, for fear of acting unrighteously.” [ 333 ] Then Mukhara said to himself, “As they both hesitate I will undertake the division.” After looking at a tortoise which regularly waited upon the two otters, he went to one of them and said, “O nephew, what have you done in this matter?” “O uncle, I dived into the water, and after diving into it, I frightened the fish, which were driven on land and killed by my companion here.” “O nephew, however little was to be got by going into the water, ye
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXV. THE JACKAL SAVES THE LION.1
XXXV. THE JACKAL SAVES THE LION.1
In times long past there was a very greedy jackal, which used to roam in the forest, and even in places uninhabited by men. At length he made his way into the house of a dyer, and fell into an indigo vat. After he had escaped he lay down to sleep on a neighbouring dunghill. Having tossed about thereon, so that his body became ever so unshapely, he jumped into the water. When he had come out, and had been exposed to the rays of the sun, he acquired the colour of cyanite. When the other jackals sa
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXVI. THE BLUE JACKAL.1
XXXVI. THE BLUE JACKAL.1
They replied, “In that case we will test him and see whether he is a jackal or not.” Now it is according to the nature of things that jackals, if they hear a jackal howl without howling themselves, lose their hair. So the jackal, when he heard the other jackals lift up their voices, said to himself, “If I utter no cry, my hair will certainly fall off. But if I get off the elephant and then begin to howl, he will kill me. So I will lift up my voice where I am.” So soon as, sitting on the elephant
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXVII. THE JACKAL HANGED BY THE OX.1
XXXVII. THE JACKAL HANGED BY THE OX.1
The jackal also uttered a verse in reply— “Not the dancing-master Jakara am I, nor one who is learning to dance. As Śakara has provided a ladder, I betake myself to Brahma’s world.” The ox rejoined likewise in verse— “Śakara has not provided a ladder; still less is there any question about going to Brahma’s world. As thou hast been laid in the fetters of contrivance, thou wilt never see thyself saved.” [ 341 ] 1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 293. ↑ An elephant came long ago to the Himalayas to drink water.
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXVIII. THE JACKAL IN THE ELEPHANT’S FOOTPRINTS.1
XXXVIII. THE JACKAL IN THE ELEPHANT’S FOOTPRINTS.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 222. ↑ 2 Of the Kāndakīllaka or Symplocos racemosa . See Böhtlingk-Roth.—S. ↑ In long-past times, King Brahmadatta came to the throne in Vārāṇasī, at a period when the land was blessed with riches, profusion, prosperity, and crops, and had a large population. Now there were two dogs, Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa by name, which used to gnaw the king’s horse-gear. Once when King Brahmadatta was going to take the field against the Liććhavis, he ordered his ministers to inspect the horse-
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XXXIX. THE GUILTY DOGS.1
XXXIX. THE GUILTY DOGS.1
The guards said, “It was the dogs of the land that did so.” The king said, “Honoured sirs, find out whether the horse-gear was devoured by Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa, or by other dogs.” The ministers assembled, and began to take counsel together, saying, “Honoured sirs, the king has ordered us to find out about the dogs. How shall we manage it?” Then some of them said, “There is only one way of finding out. What need is there to seek out others? The dogs must be given a hair-pellet and made to vomit.” W
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XL. THE HYPOCRITICAL CAT.1
XL. THE HYPOCRITICAL CAT.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. ff. 247, 248. ↑ In long-past times, when the Bodisat was in a state of indefinite merit-aggregation, he was the prince of a band of five hundred gazelles. Now a hunter had prepared a great many traps, nets, and springs, for the purpose of catching gazelles. As the gazelle prince carelessly enjoyed life, wandering about the forest with a troop of five hundred gazelles, he was caught in a net one day while heading the troop of gazelles. When the other gazelles saw him caught in th
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLI. THE GAZELLE AND THE HUNTER.1
XLI. THE GAZELLE AND THE HUNTER.1
“I will kill neither thee nor the gazelle prince. Thou shalt keep company with thy beloved spouse.” She answered, likewise in a verse— “As I, O hunter, take pleasure in my dear spouse, so mayst thou, O hunter, enjoy thyself with all that belongs to thee.” The hunter, whose astonishment became still greater, went away together with the gazelles, whom he left at liberty. [ 348 ] 1 Kah-gyur, iv. ff. 244*–245*. ↑ In long-past times there lived in a hill-place a troop of five hundred monkeys, which,
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLII. THE MONKEYS SAVED FROM DEATH.1
XLII. THE MONKEYS SAVED FROM DEATH.1
“O friend, why do you sit there thus absorbed in thought, leaning your cheek upon your hand?” The young monkey replied— “How could I not be absorbed in thought, since the whole troop of the men who live in the village have taken the field in order to put my relatives to death?” “Why do you not behave with courage?” “How can a captive behave with courage?” “I will set you free from your bonds.” So soon as the young monkey was set free, he set the village on fire. When it began to burn, and clamou
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLIII. INCREDULITY PUNISHED.1
XLIII. INCREDULITY PUNISHED.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. 246. ↑ In long-past times there lived in a certain country two monkey chiefs, each ruling over a band of five hundred monkeys. As one of them wandered about with his band he gradually came to a hill-village. A kimpāka tree grew there, the branches of which were bowed down to the ground by the fruit, so the monkeys said to the chief of their band: “O chief, as the tree is very rich in fruit, and the fruit weighs its branches down to the ground, let us after our fatigues enjoy the
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLIV. THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MONKEY CHIEFS.1
XLIV. THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MONKEY CHIEFS.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 247. ↑ In long-past times there lived a band of monkeys in a forest. As they rambled about they saw the reflection of the moon in a well, and the leader of the band said: “O friends, the moon has fallen into the well. The world is now without a moon. Ought not we to draw it out?” The monkeys said, “Good; we will draw it out.” So they began to hold counsel as to how they were to draw it out. Some of them said, “Do not you know? The monkeys must form a chain, and so draw the mo
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLV. THE MONKEYS AND THE MOON.1
XLV. THE MONKEYS AND THE MOON.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 249. Cf. A. Weber in the “ Monatsberichten der K. Akademie der Wiss. zu Berlin, ” 1860, p. 69, and “ Indische Streifen ,” i. 246 (Berlin, 1868).—S. ↑ In long-past times lived the flamingo-king, Rāshṭrapāla. The birds which dwelt in the different countries, having heard that his daughter was going to choose herself a husband, assembled themselves together, each hoping that he would be her spouse. When she had looked at the peacock, she said, “He shall be my husband.” Thereupon
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLVI. THE PEACOCK AS BRIDEGROOM.1
XLVI. THE PEACOCK AS BRIDEGROOM.1
1 Kah-gyur, iii. f. 90. ↑ It happened long ago, that a crow uttered agreeable sounds in the presence of a woman, whose husband had undertaken a long journey. The woman said, “Ho there, O crow! if my husband returns home safe and sound, I will give you a golden cap.” After a time her husband returned home safe and sound, when the crow appeared before her with an eye to the golden cap, and uttered agreeable sounds. She gave it a golden cap. The crow put it on, and fled hither and thither. But on
54 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLVII. THE CROW WITH THE GOLDEN CAP.1
XLVII. THE CROW WITH THE GOLDEN CAP.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 221. ↑ In long-past times the men of Rājagṛiha and their king determined, on account of some occurrence or other, to establish two cemeteries, and to bury men in one of them and women in the other. It happened once that a hermaphrodite died and could find room neither in the one cemetery nor in the other. In a certain locality in Rājagṛiha there was a park full of roots, fruits, splendid flowers, and various singing-birds. There a Rishi dwelt with shaven head, who fed upon ro
3 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLVIII. THE REVENGEFUL CROW.1
XLVIII. THE REVENGEFUL CROW.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. f. 231. ↑ In long-past time there lived on the sea-coast two pheasants, named Dharmika and Adharmika, whose bodies were united in their growth. Once while Adharmika was asleep, Dharmika kept awake, and saw an amṛita fruit driven ashore by the waters. He took it out and considered whether he should wake the other or eat the fruit by himself. Reflecting that if he ate it, the body they shared in common would be nourished thereby, he did not wake the other. When the other awoke of
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
XLIX. THE UNITED PHEASANTS.1
XLIX. THE UNITED PHEASANTS.1
1 Kah-gyur, iv. ff. 232, 233; and Cf. Benfey’s Panchatantra , i., iii., ii., 360.—S . ↑ 2 This is a variant of the fourteenth story of the fifth book of the Panchatantra , in which figures a bird named Bharanda, having one body but two beaks. The first beak devours an ambrosia-like fruit, which it refuses to share with its companion. The aggrieved beak, out of spite, eats a poisonous fruit and the bird dies. With this may be compared the following passage, quoted from the Muṇḍaka Upanishad by
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
1. The Ivory Carver and the Painter.2
1. The Ivory Carver and the Painter.2
In olden times there was a painter in Madhyadeśa, who travelled on business to the Yavana land, and took up his abode there in the house of a mechanician. In order to wait upon the wearied traveller, the mechanician sent an artificial maiden whom he had framed. 4 She washed his feet, and then stood still. He called to her to draw near. But she made no reply. As he was of the opinion that the mechanic had no doubt sent her to him for his enjoyment, he seized her by the hand and tried to draw her
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
2. The Mechanician and the Painter.3
2. The Mechanician and the Painter.3
In olden times a dispute arose between two painters in a hill-place, each of the two affirming that he was superior in art to the other. They went before the king, and fell at his feet. Then each of them explained how he was a better artist than the other. As the king could not settle their dispute, he pointed to the entrance hall, and [ 363 ] ordered each of them to paint one of its walls. When their work was finished, he would be in a position to decide which of them was the better artist. The
1 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
3. THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO ARTISTS.5
3. THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO ARTISTS.5
1 In S. Beal’s “Romantic Legend of Śākya Buddha,” pp. 93–96, it is related how the son of a man of quality in Vārāṇasī, in order to obtain the hand of a blacksmith’s daughter, applied himself to making fine needles, and made such progress in the art that he included, among the needles which he showed to the smith, one which could float on the surface of water. This tale occurs in a somewhat different shape in the Mākandikāvadāna in the Divyāvadāna, p. 239 of the St. Petersburg MS. A Brahman’s so
10 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
Corrections
Corrections
The following corrections have been applied to the text:...
2 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter