The Gospel of Buddha Part 34

And the Buddha seeing the kings and their armies ready to fight, requested them to tell him the cause of their quarrels. Having heard the complaints on both sides, he said: 2

"I understand that the embankment has value for some of your people; has it any intrinsic value aside from its service to your men?" 3

"It has no intrinsic value whatever," was the reply. The Tathagata continued: "Now when you go to battle is it not sure that many of your men will be slain and that you yourselves, O kings, are liable to lose your lives?" 4

And they said: "Verily, it is sure that many will be slain and our own lives be jeopardized." 5

"The blood of men, however," said Buddha, "has it less intrinsic value than a mound of earth?" 6

"No," the kings said, "the lives of men and above all the lives of kings, are priceless." 7

Then the Tathagata concluded: "Are you going to stake that which is priceless against that which has no intrinsic value whatever?" 8

The wrath of the two monarchs abated, and they came to a peaceable agreement. 9

LXXVIII.

THE HUNGRY DOG.

There was a great king who oppressed his people and was hated by his subjects; yet when the Tathagata came into his kingdom, the lung desired much to see him. So he went to the place where the Blessed One stayed and asked: "O Sakyamuni, canst thou teach a lesson to the Icing that will divert his mind and benefit him at the same time?" 1

And the Blessed One said: "I shall tell thee the parable of the hungry dog: 2

"There was a wicked tyrant; and the G.o.d Indra, a.s.suming the shape of a hunter, came down upon earth with the demon Matali, the latter appearing as a dog of enormous size. Hunter and dog entered the palace, and the dog howled so wofully that the royal buildings shook by the sound to their very foundations. The tyrant had the awe-inspiring hunter brought before his throne and inquired after the cause of the terrible bark. The hunter said, "The dog is hungry," whereupon the frightened king ordered food for him. All the food prepared at the royal banquet disappeared rapidly in the dog's jaws, and still he howled with portentous significance. More food was sent for, and all the royal store-houses were emptied, but in vain. Then the tyrant grew desperate and asked: 'Will nothing satisfy the cravings of that woful beast?' 'Nothing,' replied the hunter, 'nothing except perhaps the flesh of all his enemies.' 'And who are his enemies?'

anxiously asked the tyrant. The hunter replied: 'The dog will howl as long as there are people hungry in the kingdom, and his enemies are those who practise injustice and oppress the poor.'

The oppressor of the people, remembering his evil deeds, was seized with remorse, and for the first time in his life he began to listen to the teachings of righteousness." 3

Having ended his story, the Blessed One addressed the king, who had turned pale, and said to him: 4

"The Tathagata can quicken the spiritual ears of the powerful, and when thou, great king, hearest the dog bark, think of the teachings of the Buddha, and thou mayst still learn to pacify the monster." 5

LXXIX.

THE DESPOT.

King Brahmadatta happened to see a beautiful woman, the wife of a Brahman merchant, and, conceiving a pa.s.sion for her ordered a precious jewel secretly to be dropped into the merchant's carriage. The jewel was missed, searched for, and found. The merchant was arrested on the charge of stealing, and the king pretended to listen with great attention to the defence, and with seeming regret ordered the merchant to be executed, while his wife was consigned to the royal harem. 1

Brahmadatta attended the execution in person, for such sights were wont to give him pleasure, but when the doomed man looked with deep compa.s.sion at his infamous judge, a flash of the Buddha's wisdom lit up the king's pa.s.sion-beclouded mind; and while the executioner raised the sword for the fatal stroke, Brahmadatta felt the effect in his own mind, and he imagined he saw himself on the block. "Hold, executioner!" shouted Brahmadatta, "it is the king whom thou slayest!" But it was too late! The executioner had done the b.l.o.o.d.y deed. 2

The king fell back in a swoon, and when he awoke a change had come over him. He had ceased to be the cruel despot and henceforth led a life of holiness and rect.i.tude. The people said that the character of the Brahman had been impressed into his mind. 3

O ye who commit murders and robberies! The veil of self-delusion covers your eyes. If ye could see things as they are, not as they appear, ye would no longer inflict injuries and pain on your own selves. Ye see not that ye will have to atone for your evil deeds, for what ye sow that will ye reap. 4

Lx.x.x.

VASAVADATTA.

There was a courtesan in Mathura named Vasavadatta. She happened to see Upagutta, one of Buddha's disciples, a tall and beautiful youth, and fell desperately in love with him. Vasavadatta sent an invitation to the young man, but he replied: "The time has not yet arrived when Upagutta will visit Vasavadatta." 1

The courtesan was astonished at the reply, and she sent again for him, saying: "Vasavadatta desires love, not gold, from Upagutta."

But Upagutta made the same enigmatic reply and did not come. 2

A few months later Vasavadatta had a love-intrigue with the chief of the artisans, and at that time a wealthy merchant came to Mathura, who fell in love with Vasavadatta. Seeing his wealth, and fearing the jealousy of her other lover, she contrived the death of the chief of the artisans, and concealed his body under a dunghill. 3

When the chief of the artisans had disappeared, his relatives and friends searched for him and found his body. Vasavadatta, however, was tried by a judge, and condemned to have her ears and nose, her hands and feet cut off, and flung into a graveyard. 4

Vasavadatta had been a pa.s.sionate girl, but kind to her servants, and one of her maids followed her, and out of love for her former mistress ministered unto her in her agonies, and chased away the crows. 5

Now the time had arrived when Upagutta decided to visit Vasavadatta. 6

When he came, the poor woman ordered her maid to collect and hide under a cloth her severed limbs; and he greeted her kindly, but she said with petulance: "Once this body was fragrant like the lotus, and I offered thee my love. In those days I was covered with pearls and fine muslin. Now I am mangled by the executioner and covered with filth and blood." 7

"Sister," said the young man, "it is not for my pleasure that I approach thee. It is to restore to thee a n.o.bler beauty than the charms which thou hast lost. 8

"I have seen with mine eyes the Tathagata walking upon earth and teaching men his wonderful doctrine. But thou wouldst not have listened to the words of righteousness while surrounded with temptations, while under the spell of pa.s.sion and yearning for worldly pleasures. Thou wouldst nor have listened to the teachings of the Tathagata, for thy heart was wayward, and thou didst set thy trust on the sham of thy transient charms. 9

"The charms of a lovely form are treacherous, and quickly lead into temptations, which have proved too strong for thee. But there is a beauty which will not fade, and if thou wilt but listen to the doctrine of our Lord, the Buddha, thou wilt find that peace which thou wouldst have found in the restless world of sinful pleasures." 10

Vasavadatta became calm and a spiritual happiness soothed the tortures of her bodily pain; for where there is much suffering there is also great bliss. 11

Having taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, she died in pious submission to the punishment of her crime. 12

Lx.x.xI.

THE MARRIAGE-FEAST IN JAMBUNADA.

There was a man in Jambunada who was to be married the next day, and he thought, "Would that the Buddha, the Blessed One, might be present at the wedding." 1

And the Blessed One pa.s.sed by his house and met him, and when he read the silent wish in the heart of the bridegroom, he consented to enter. 2

When the Holy One appeared with the retinue of his many bhikkhus, the host whose means were limited received them as best he could, saying: "Eat, my Lord, and all thy congregation, according to your desire." 3

While the holy men ate, the meats and drinks remained undiminished, and the host thought to himself: "How wondrous is this! I should have had plenty for all my relatives and friends. Would that I had invited them all." 4