The Jatakas

by Sarah Shaw

  At that time the Bodhisatta fell away from a divine realm and took rebirth [74] in her womb. After ten (lunar) months she gave birth to a son with golden skin, and because of this they called him Suvannasama, Golden Sama. They both bathed the Bodhisatta, laid him to sleep in the leaf hut and went in search of various fruit. At that moment some kinnaras took the boy and had him washed in their caves. (Kinnara women from another mountain had been wet nurses for Parika.) 21 Going up to the top of the mountain, they decorated him with various kinds of flowers and made marks on him with yellow ointment, red arsenic and other such things. Then they took him back to the leaf hut and put him back to bed. Parika came back and gave the child her breast. In the course of time he grew, cared for by his parents, and when he had reached about the age of sixteen they used to leave him in the leaf hut sitting on his own and go out to collect various fruits and roots from the woodland. The Great Being was convinced that one day some accident would happen and used to watch the path that they had taken. Then, one day, as they were bringing back roots and fruits from the woodland in the evening, not far from the hermitage, a great storm cloud arose. They took shelter at the roots of a tree and stood on a termite mound. Inside it there was a poisonous snake. Water dripped from their bodies and, mixed with the smell of sweat, it entered into the snake’s nostrils. He was furious and attacked them with the breath from his nostrils. The two became blind and could not see one another. Wise Dukulaka said to Parika, ‘Parika, my eyes have gone. I cannot see you.’ She said the same to him. As they could not see the path they thought their life was over and wandered around, crying. ‘What did we do in the past for this to happen?’ they asked. Now, it is said that formerly they had been a doctor and his wife. 22 The doctor had treated a very wealthy patient for a disease of the eyes but he had not paid his fee to him. The doctor, enraged, had told his wife and asked her what they should do. She had also been angry and suggested, ‘There is no point in getting any fee from him. Give him a preparation, saying that it is his medicine and make him blind in one of his eyes.’ The doctor agreed and, following her suggestion, did just that. And through this action of a past life both eyes, for both of them, became blind.

  Now the Great Being thought, ‘On other days [75] my parents have come back by this time. Now I just do not know what has happened. I’ll go on the path.’ So he followed the path, making a noise. They recognized his voice and made an answering call. In their affection for their son they said, ‘Dear Sama, there is danger here! Do not come near!’ But he gave them a long pole to hold and told them to catch hold of it. They took hold of the end of it and went up to him. He asked them what it was that had destroyed their eyes. ‘Dear son! When the rain came we went to the roots of a tree and stood on a termite mound; this was the cause.’ When he heard this he realized, ‘There must have been a poisonous snake there. He must have released poisonous breath in anger.’As he looked at his parents he cried and also laughed. So then they asked him, ‘Why do you cry and laugh?’ ‘Dear parents, I cried because your eyes have been destroyed while you are still young. But I laughed because now I will care for you. So do not worry, I will look after you.’ So he led them back to the hermitage and tied ropes all over the place, at the spots where they spent the day, where they spent the night, the walkways to the leaf hut and the areas for excretion and the areas for urinating. And from that time he kept them in the hermitage and he gathered roots and fruit from the woodland. In the morning he used to sweep the dwelling, go to the Migasammata River, draw water and prepare their food. He used to get the water for washing and cleaning their teeth and gave them all kinds of sweet fruit. When they had rinsed their mouths he used to eat his own food. After he had eaten, he used to salute his parents and go into the forest in search of different fruits, surrounded by a troop of deer. When he had gathered fruit from the mountain with a retinue of kinnaras in tow, he went back in the evening. He took some water in a pot, heated it up and let them wash and bathe their feet in the hot water as they pleased. Then he bought a pot for burning charcoal and warmed their limbs. As they sat there he gave them various kinds of fruit and after all this he ate his own food and stored up what was left. In this way he looked after his mother and father.

  Now at that time a king called Piliyakkha ruled in Varanasi. He conceived a great desire for venison and left the kingdom in the care of his mother. He entered the Himalayan region armed with five kinds of weapons, killed deer and ate their flesh. 23 [76] He came to the Migasammata River and in due course reached the fording place where Sama used to draw water. He noticed deer tracks and made a hide with branches the colour of jewels. Taking his bow he notched a poisonous arrow and lay hidden. The Great Being came back from gathering fruits in the evening, stored them in the hermitage and saluted his parents. ‘I’ll get some water for washing and come back.’ He took a water jug and singled two deer out from the herd that surrounded him. He set the water jug on their backs, led them with his hand and went down to the fording place at the river.

  The king in his hide saw him and thought, ‘In all the time that I have been travelling I have never seen a human here before. Is he a god? Is he a naga? If I approach him to ask he will fly up in the air if he is a god and sink into the ground if he is a naga. But I’m not always going to be staying in the Himalayas. I’ll go back to Varanasi and there my ministers will ask me, “So, great king, while you were visiting the Himalayas did you see anything extraordinary, that no one has ever seen before?” And I’ll say, “Well, yes, I did see a strange being.” And they’ll ask me what it was, and if I say I don’t know, they’ll look down their noses at me. So I’ll shoot him with an arrow to disable him and then ask him.’ The deer crossed first at that point and drank some water. The Bodhisatta, like a great elder who had thoroughly grasped his rules, went down to the water sedately, delighting in complete tranquillity. He came out again, put on his bark garment and draped the antelope hide over one shoulder. He lifted the water jug, filled it with water and set it upon his left shoulder.

  At that moment the king decided it was time to shoot and released an arrow dipped in poison. He wounded the Great Being on his right side and the arrow went out of the left side. Seeing that he had been struck the herd of deer fled in terror. Wise Golden Sama, even though he was wounded, did not upset the water jar in any way, re-established his mindfulness and emerged slowly. 24 He dug up some sand, heaped it up in one direction and placed his head in the direction of his parents’ dwelling. [77] He lay down, like a golden image on a silver plate in the sand, and set up mindfulness. ‘In this Himalayan region I do not have an enemy. Nor am I an enemy to anyone else.’ As he said this he vomited blood from his mouth. Without seeing the king, he spoke this verse:

  1. ‘Who has struck me with an arrow, a careless water carrier? 25 What warrior, brahmin or businessman lay in wait to wound me?’ When he had said this, he spoke another verse to show the unsuitability of his body as food.

  2. ‘My flesh can’t be used as food; there is no value in my skin. So what advantage did you think there would be in wounding me?’ Saying the second verse, he asked him his name and such things.

  3. ‘Who are you and whose son? How do I know you? Tell me, sir, now I have asked: Say why you lay in wait to wound me.’ The king heard this and thought, ‘Even though my poisonous arrow has wounded this man he does not blame or reproach me. He converses with a kind voice as if soothing my heart. I’ll go near him.’ He went up and stood by him.

  4. ‘I am the king of Kasi, I am known as Piliyakkha. I left my kingdom through desire and I wander, searching for deer here.

  5. I am skilled in archery, strong in the bow and famous. An elephant would not escape me if he came in my arrow’s range!’

  [78] Praising his own strength in this way he asked him his family name and said,

  6.‘And whose son are you? How may I know you? Make known your own and your father’s name.’

  When he heard this the Great Being thought, ‘If I said that I were a
god, a naga, a kinnara or something like that, or that I was a warrior, or something like that, he would believe it. But it is better to tell the truth.’ So he said:

  7. I am a hunter’s son, my friend, called Sama. Relatives called me this when I was alive, but today I have come to this and lie here.

  8. I am wounded, with a broad poisoned arrow, like a deer. See, king, I lie here, drenched in my own blood.

  9. My skin is pierced through. See where the arrow has gone; I vomit out blood. Afflicted, I ask you, why did you lie in wait to wound me?

  10. A leopard is killed for its hide, an elephant for its tusks, So what advantage did you think there would be in wounding me?’

  The king heard what he said. He did not say how things really were, but spoke a lie:

  11. A deer was nearby and had come in arrow range. When it saw you, Sama, it fled; no anger for you entered me.

  [79] And then the Great Being said, ‘What are you saying, great king? In this region of the Himalayas no deer is frightened of me.’ And he said this:

  12. As long as I can remember, as long as I have had knowledge, No deer has been scared of me, or footed animal in the forest.

  13. As long as I have been wearing a bark dress, as long as I have been in my youth, No deer has been scared of me, or footed animal in the forest.

  14. O king, timid kinnaras in the Gandhamadana mountains: We meet, in the mountains and in the woods, and are friendly to one another. For what reason would a deer have fear for me?’

  When he heard this the king thought, ‘I have wounded this innocent man and I have told a lie. I’ll come clean.’ He said,

  15.‘Sama, no deer saw you: I spoke a lie to you about this. Overcome with violence and desire, I shot an arrow at you.’

  [80] When he had said this, he thought, ‘Sama here will not die alone in this forest. There must be some relatives: I’ll ask him’. And he said this,

  16.‘Where have you come from? Who did you leave behind, when you came to the Migasammata River as a water carrier?’

  [80] Sama heard this and felt a great pang as blood poured out of his mouth.

  17. ‘My parents are blind, I look after them in the wild woods, For them I came to the Migasammata River.’ When he had spoken he started to weep for his parents,

  18. ‘Their life is just an ember: blind, they’ll die through lack of water, I suppose.

  19. This [wound] is not too painful for me: this is to be expected for a man. But that I won’t see my mother, that is more painful than this.

  20. This [wound] is not too painful for me: this is to be expected for a man. But that I won’t see my father, that is more painful than this.

  21. My mother will cry throughout the night, wretched, In the middle of the night and at the end; like a river she will dry up.

  22. My father will cry throughout the night, wretched, In the middle of the night and at the end; like a river he will dry up.

  23. When they want their feet rubbing to get up and wander around. They’ll cry out, ‘Sama’ and roam in the wild woods.

  24. It is this second arrow that pierces my heart; That I shall not see them, blind, and that I will not be alive.’

  [81] The king listened to his lament and thought, ‘This man, remaining holy in the teaching up to the end, supports his parents. He grieves for his misfortune on their account. This is the excellent man I have harmed. How can I comfort him? What use will a kingdom be when I am in hell? I’ll look after his parents in the way he has done. His death will be deathless.’ Making this resolution he spoke,

  25. ‘Do not grieve to excess, Sama, the one who is beautiful to look at. I will be an attendant to your parents in the wild woods.

  26. I am skilled in archery, strong in the bow and famous. I will be an attendant to your parents in the wild woods.

  27. Searching for deer’s leftovers, various roots and fruits from the woodland, I will be an attendant to your parents in the wild woods.

  28. Which is the wood, Sama, where your parents are? I’ll look after them there, just as you have done.’

  Then the Great Being said, ‘Well done, great king; you look after them.’ Saying this he showed the path,

  29.‘This is the single track, king, where my head is pointing, Go from here; their dwelling is about half a mile away. 26 There are my parents; go and look after them.’

  Indicating the way [82] to him, he felt such a powerful affection to his parents, that he experienced great pain. He offered the king an anjali and asked him again, saying

  30. ‘I pay homage to you, king of Kasi, I pay homage to you, the luck of the Kasis. 27 My parents are blind; please would you support them.

  31. I offer an anjali to you, king of Kasi, Convey the greetings to my parents that I have given to you.’

  The king agreed and the Great Being, having sent his greetings to his parents, lapsed into unconsciousness.

  Then the Teacher said this:

  32.‘Saying this, the youth Sama, beautiful to look at, fainted through the power of the poison and became unconscious.’

  Until now he had spoken as if speaking on one out breath. Now, through the power of the poison, his speech, dependent on the continuity of his underlying consciousness, heart and bodily form, was distressed and cut short. 28 He closed his mouth, shut his eyes, and his hands and feet became stiff. His entire body was wet with blood. The king exclaimed, ‘Just now he was talking with me; why has he held the in and out breaths? They have stopped; his body has become stiff; now Sama has gone.’ Unable to control his grief, he put both hands on his head and made a loud lament.

  Then the Teacher spoke:

  33. ‘This king grieved with intense wretchedness; “I am going to get old and die! I did not know this before but now I do.

  34. Seeing Sama, who replied to me when afflicted with poison, dead, I know there is no return from death.

  35. [83] Today, at his death, he did not utter any reproach to me. And now I will go to hell; there is no doubt about this in me.

  36. For a long time they will speak in villages of the evil done then as a stain; and they will speak of the one who brought the stain. Who can speak to me in the forest, where there are no men?

  37. In villages people come together and remind each other of crimes; Who will remind me in the forest, where there are no men?’

  Now, at that time a goddess, named Bahusodari, lived in the Gandhamadana Mountains. She had been the Bodhisatta’s mother seven lifetimes before this one. She always turned her mind with great affection towards her son. But on that day, while enjoying her heavenly good fortune, she did not turn her mind to him: actually people said that she had gone to a gathering of shining gods. At the moment he lapsed into unconsciousness however, she wondered how things were going with her son, and did see him. ‘King Piliyakkha has wounded my son with a poisoned arrow! He lies on a sandbank on the shore of the Migasammata River while the king makes a loud lament. If I do not go, my son Golden Sama will perish. The king’s heart will break and Sama’s parents will be without food, will not get any water and will die of thirst. If I go, though, the king will take a jug of water and go to Sama’s parents. They’ll hear what he says, and [84] he’ll lead them to their son. Then they and I will make a declaration of truth. This will dispel the poison and, in this way, my son will regain his life, his parents will regain their sight and the king will hear a dhamma talk from Sama. He’ll make a great act of generosity and become bound for a heavenly rebirth. So I’ll go there.’ She went to the shore of the Migasammata River and, standing in the sky, unseen, she spoke to the king.

  The Teacher explained the matter:

  38. ‘The goddess, invisible, above the Gandhamadana Mountains out of compassion for the king, spoke these words.

  39. “The offence that you have committed, great king, is a serious crime. For with a single arrow you have killed three: the unhating parents and their son.

  40. Go, and I’ll train you so that there might be a happy destiny for you. Lo
ok after the blind ones in the wood, as is right, A happy destiny might, I think, then come your way.’

  He heard the goddess’s words and took confidence. ‘It is said that if I look after the parents I’ll go to heaven. What is a kingdom to me? I’ll look after them.’ He made a strong resolve and, giving vent to a great outpouring of grief, allayed his sorrow. Thinking that Sama must be dead he honoured the body with various flowers, sprinkled it with water and walked around it three times. He paid homage at the four points, took the jar which had been blessed by him and, with a heavy heart, turned his face to the south.

  The Teacher explained the matter:

  41.‘After an outpouring of grief the king, filled with misery, took the water pot and went towards the south.’

  [85] The king, by nature a man of great stamina, took the water jug and entered the hermitage as if breaking into it. He reached the door of wise Dukulaka’s hut. The wise man, sitting inside, heard the sound of his footstep. ‘This is not the sound of Sama’s step: whose is it?’ Asking, he spoke a double verse:

  42. ‘Is this the footstep of a human coming? It is not the sound of Sama; who are you, sir?

  43. Sama walks softly, he places his feet softly; It is not the sound of Sama; who are you, sir?’

  When he heard this the king reflected, ‘If I do not reveal to them my royal status and tell that that I have killed their son, they will be angry and speak bitterly to me. I will become angry with them and I might harm them. This would not be skilful for me. No one is unafraid when they hear the word “king so I’ll reveal my royal status.’ He set the water jug down in the stand for it and waited at the door of the leaf hut.