THE JATAKAMALA
Table of Contents:

The Tigress
The King of the Sibis
Small Portion of Gruel
Head of a Guild
The Invincible One
The Hare
The Sage Agastya
Maitribala
Prince Visvantara
The Sacrifice
Lord of the Devas
The Brahman
Unmadayanti
Suparaga
Lord of Fishes
The Quail's Young
The Story of the Jar
The Childless One
The Lotus Stalks
The Treasurer
Kuddabodhi
The Holy Swan
Mahabodhi
The Great Ape
Sarabha
The Ruru Deer
The Monkey Chief
Kshantivadin
The Brahmaloka Inhabitant
The Elephant
Sutasoma
Ayogriha
The Buffalo
The Woodpecker

Adapted from the 19th century translation by J. S Speyer

"Assisting the likes of us, distressed people, overcome with fear and sorrow and desponding, He, bearing the shape of an elephant, holds up, as it were, the sinking behavior of the pious. Where has He been taught this extraordinary propitiousness? At the feet of what teacher may He have sat in the forest? The popular saying: 'no beauty of figure pleases without virtues is exemplified in Him.'

If they may cause by it the happiness of others, even pain is highly esteemed by the righteous as if it were gain. This will be taught by the following.

Once the Bodhisattva, it is said, was a huge elephant. He had his residence in some forest suitable for elephants, which had for its ornament, so to speak, the young offshoots of its excellent trees, whose tops were conspicuous by their twigs, flowers, and fruits. Its bottom was hidden under manifold kinds cf shrubs and trees and grasses. It was beset with mountain-ridges and plateaus that made the effect, as if they were detained there by the charming beauty of the forest and would not long for another place. That wood was the abode of forest-animals, and contained a lake of abundant and deep water. It was far remote from the habitations of men, being surrounded on all sides by a large desert, where there was no tree, no shrub, no water.

There he lived a solitary elephant. Like an ascetic he stayed there, pleased with leaves of the trees, lotus-stalks and water, and with the virtues of contentment and tranquillity.

Now one time, when the Great Being was wandering near the border of that forest, it happened that he heard the noise of people coming from the side of the wilderness.

"What may this be?" he thought. "First of all, there is in this direction no road leading to any country. Nor is it likely that a hunting-party should have crossed a wilderness so large as this. Still less can there be any question of an attempt to catch my fellow-elephants on account of the heavy toil with which it would entail.

"Surely, these people are either astray--their guides having lost their way--or they have been banished as a consequence of their king's anger or due to their own misconduct. Such is the nature of the noise I hear that I can tell that it does not contain the strong tones of joy, cheerfulness, and merriment. It rather consists of low-spirited sounds, as if those people were weeping under the overwhelming power of a great grief. At all events, I will find out what is really happening."

Thus reflecting, the Great Being was impelled by his compassion to go forward in the direction from whence the noise of that multitude came. When he heard more distinctly those sad and piteous accents of lamentation which are unpleasant to the ears, the High-minded One--understanding that cries for help were being uttered by people in distress--ran with still greater swiftness, his mind being filled with the yearning of compassion.

After leaving the thicket, owing to the naked desert destitute of vegetation, he saw from afar that body of persons who cried out for assistance while keeping their eyes fixed in the direction of the forest. Numbering some seven hundred men, they were exhausted from hunger, thirst, and fatigue.

When those saw the arrival of the Great Being, who resembled a moving peak of a snow-covered mountain a condensed mass of white fog, or an autumn-cloud driven towards by a strong wind, they were frightened by the sight as they were utterly dejected and overcome with sorrow. In fear they thought: "Alas! Now we are certainly lost!" But despite their fear and although the peril seemed imminent, they could make no effort to run away for hunger, thirst, and fatigue had already sapped their energy.

Perceiving their anxiety, the Bodhisattva exclaimed: "Be not afraid! Be not afraid! You have nothing to fear from my part."

And so comforting them, he drew nigh, uplifted his trunk, revealing a tip that was broad and soft and with the dark-red color of copper. Moved by compassion he asked them: "Who are you, sirs, and how have you come to this state? Your pale faces betray the effect of dust and sun, meager you are and suffering from sorrow and dejection of mind. Who are you and by what cause have you come here?"

Upon hearing the elephant utter in a human voice words both indicative of a peaceful disposition as well as the desire to give succor, the men recovered their confidence and the whole assemble bowed to him. Then they spoke: "An outburst of the king's anger blew us away to this region from the very eyes of our kinsmen, who beheld that banishment with sorrow, 0 lord of elephants. Yet, forsooth, there must be still some remnant of our good luck and some favor of Fortune towards us that we have drawn your attention, who are better than even friends and kinsmen. By the auspicious sight of you we know that we have crossed over our calamity. Who, in truth, having seen even in his dreams such a being as you, would not be saved from distress?"

Then that eminent elephant spoke: "Well, how many are you, sirs?"

The men said: "At the outset we numbered one thousand men, 0 fair-figured being, but many of us, being unacquainted with adversity, have perished from hunger, thirst, and sorrow. And now, 0 lord of elephants, we number just seven hundred. Being about to sink down in the mouth of Death, look up to you as the embodied Comfort come to us to help."

By these words the Great Being, as he was in the habit of commiserating with the creatures, was moved to tears. "Alas! Alas! Oh! How averse to tenderness, how devoid of shame, how little anxious about the next world is the mind of that king! Oh! How his senses, caught up by his own royal splendor which is something as fickle as lightning, have become blind to his own good!

"Oh! He does not understand that Death is near, I suppose, nor has he been taught the unhappy end of wickedness! Alas! Oh! Those poor and helpless kings who, owing to the weakness of their judgment, are impatient of listening to words of counsel. And, verily, this cruelty towards living beings is performed on account of one single body, a perishable substratum of illnesses1! Alas! Fie upon ignorance!"

Now, as his eyes, which were full of pity and tenderness, swept over that people, the Bodhisattva arrived at the following thought: "Being tortured by hunger, thirst and fatigue, and having bodies that have become so weak, how may they overcome the deprivations of a wilderness extending many yojanas? Where with they find either water nor shade or obtain wholesome food? The forest of the elephants does not contain proper food for them, not even for one day, without much trouble. However, if they were to take their provisions from the flesh of my own limbs and fill my bowels instead of bags with water, they would be able to cross this desert, but not otherwise.

"Let me, therefore, on their behalf employ my own body, that abode of many hundreds of illnesses, so that it may be of service to this multitude of men overwhelmed by suffering. Like a raft it may carry them across their misery. Being born a man is the proper state for reaching happiness, either heavenly bliss or final extinction, and it is difficult to attain that state. May then this advantage not be dissolved to them!

"Furthermore, since they have arrived within the compass of my dominion, I may rightly may call them my guests. And as they are in distress and destitute of relations, I must show all the more pity. This vessel of man infirmities, this substratum of manifold toil, this assembly of evils, whose name is "body," will have at last have its proper employment by serving to relieve the suffering of others."

Then those men who suffered intensely from the pain of hunger, thirst, fatigue, and heat, after bowing to the Bodhisattva with folded hands and eyes wet with tears in the manner of supplicants, asked him for water by means of signs with their hands. Others spoke to him these piteous words: "To us who are destitute of kindred, you art a kinsman, you art our recourse and refuge. Deign to shelter us in such a way as you deem best, O Illustrious One!"

Still others who had more energy of mind asked him to show them some place where they could find water as well as the way out of that dreadful desert. "If there is here some pond or river with cold water, or perhaps some waterfall where a shady tree may be found here on a grass-plot, then tell us, 0 chief of elephants. And as you think it possible to get out of this desert, show us mercy and point out the proper direction. It is a good many days that we have been staying in this wilderness. For this reason, pray help us, 0 lord, to get across it."

Then the High-minded One, feeling his heart grow still more wet with pity from their requests, uplifted a trunk that was as big as the coils of a mighty serpent, showed them the mountain beyond which they could make their escape from the wilderness, and spoke: "Underneath this mountain there is a large lake adorned with white and red lotuses that contains pure water. Go, therefore, by that way. With the water of that lake you may quench your thirst, dispel your fatigue and escape the vexation of heat. Then, continuing your way, not far from that place you will meet with the corpse of an elephant that has fallen down off the mountain to the plateau below.

The flesh of that elephant's limbs you must take to serve as provisions on the journey. furthermore, provide yourselves with water by putting it in that dead elephants bowels instead of bags. Then go farther in the very same direction and thereby you will overcome the deprivations of this wilderness without enduring much hardship."

With such comforting language the High-minded One induced them to set out. But as for himself, he ran quickly by another way, ascended to the top of that mountain and prepared to give up his own body for the purpose of rescuing that body of people. Strengthening his determination, he partook of the following thought: "This performance does not tend to the attainment of a high state for myself. Neither the magnificence of a king of men--the possessor of the royal umbrella--nor Heaven with the singular flavor of its surpassing enjoyments, nor the bliss of Brahma's world, nor even the happiness of release shall I obtain from it. But if there be any merit of mine in thus striving to help men lost in the wilderness, may I become by it the Savior of the World on behalf of those creatures erring in the wilderness of Samsara!"

Having thus resolved and not minding because of his gladness the painful death he would suffer by crashing down that deep descent, the High-minded One gave up his body by precipitating his own fall down that steep mountain.

As he fell his body shone like an autumn-cloud, like the reverse disc of the moon as it sets behind the mountain, or like the mountain's snow-covered peak. Cast down by the violent swiftness of winds moved by the wings of Garuda and with the heavy noise of a whirlwind he fell to ground, shaking not only the earth and its mountains, but also the mind of the deceiver Mara, who is ever possessed by the infatuation of sovereignty. And during that great fall, he bent back both the forest-creepers and the forest-deities.

On that occasion the Celestials residing about that forest, no doubt were affected with the utmost astonishment. Due to the ecstasy of their gladness all the hairs on their bodies bristled and they swung their arms in the sky with fine fingers turned upwards. Over his body some of them spread a thick shower of sweet-scented flowers that were tinged with sandal-powder. Others covered him with garments wrought of unwoven celestial stuff and resplendent with golden decorations or with their own ornaments. Still others worshipped him with devoutly composed hymns.

They paid reverence to the fall with folded hands resembling opening lotus-buds, by the lowering of their beautiful head-diadems, or with prayers of veneration. Some fanned his body with an agreeable wind, such as arranges foam garlands on the waves of the ocean, perfumed with scents borrowed from the dust of flowers. Others held a canopy of dense clouds in the sky over his head. Some were prompted by devotion to make Heaven echo his praise with the sounds of the celestial drums. Furthermore, others enameled the trees with an untimely outburst of new twigs, flowers, and fruits. Then the sky assumed the lovely splendor of autumn; the sun's rays seemed to become longer, and the Ocean trembled and shook its wave-surface as from impatience to go and visit him out of gladness.

Meanwhile those men--following the way that the Bodhisattva had pointed out to them--reached that mountain lake. After refreshing themselves and recovering from heat, thirst, and fatigue, they journeyed onward as the High-minded One had instructed them.

Finally they saw at no great distance from that place the body of an elephant that had died not long before, which caused them to reflect as follows: "What a strong likeness this elephant has to that chief of elephants! Is he perhaps a brother to that mighty being, or some kinsman of his, or one of his sons? In fact, it is the self-same beautiful figure equaling a snow-peak that we behold in this body, even though it be crushed. It looks like a condensation of the luster of many groups of water lilies, like the concrete form of moonshine, or rather like His image, reflected in a mirror."

But some among them who had a keener judgment of the matter began to reflect thus: "As far as we see, this animal, whose surpassing beauty rivals the elephants of the world-quarters, is that very elephant, indeed, who has thrown himself from this plateau, in order that He might save us from distress who are without relations and friends."

And having understood so, they said: "That noise we heard, as of a whirlwind, as of an earthquake, was caused by His great fall, to be sure. This body, in truth, must be His for it has the same yellowish-white hue of a lotus-root and is covered with hairs white as moonbeams and adorned with fine spots. These are the same tortoise-like feet with white nails. And this is the same backbone, which is gracefully curved in the guise of a bow. Furthermore, this is the same face long and full, embellished by the furrows of his wind-perfuming juice and this is the same head, tall, auspicious, never touched by a driver"s goad, standing on a strong neck. Here are the same couple of tusks of a honey-color. Being covered with the red dust of the mountain-slope they boastingly bear the token of his glory. And this is not that very same trunk with long, finger-like tip that he pointed to show us this way?

"Oh! This is, in truth, an event of surpassing strangeness! Ah! So great a friendship has He shown to us, without first inquiring into our family, our conduct and faith, to us broken by misfortunes and never heard of by Him before! How great must His goodness be for His friends and relations! In every way veneration be to Him, that Illustrious One!

"Assisting the likes of us, distressed people, overcome with fear and sorrow and desponding, He, bearing the shape of an elephant, holds up, as it were, the sinking behavior of the pious. Where has He been taught this extraordinary propitiousness? At the feet of what teacher may He have sat in the forest? The popular saying: 'no beauty of figure pleases without virtues is exemplified in Him.'

"Oh! How He has manifested by the splendid loftiness of His nature the auspiciousness to be expected of his auspicious figure! Verily, even in His dead body. His self-satisfaction appears in His complexion shining like the Siwu-mountain, as though it laughed with joy! Who, therefore, will allow himself to feed on the body of this exceedingly virtuous being, who, surpassing by his goodness affectionate relations and friends, was thus inclined to help us, thus ready to sacrifice even his own life for our benefit? No, it becomes us rather to pay him our debt of gratitude by the cremation of his body with the proper rites and worship."

Thus considering, they were inclined to indulge in mourning, as if a family-disaster had befallen them; their eyes grew dim with tears and they lamented in a faltering voice. But some of them who had a stronger frame of mind, perceiving their attitude and understanding the difference of the cases, spoke to them: "Verily, by doing so this excellent elephant would be neither worshipped nor gratified. For aught we know, it is by the accomplishment of his design that we ought to honor him.

"For it was with the object of rescuing us, that he, a stranger to us, yea, not even knowing us, abandoned in this manner his body dear to him, to his guests, still dearer to him. "For this reason it is proper to fulfill his design. Otherwise, would not the exertion of that being be made fruitless? He has offered affectionately his whole property, indeed, to entertain his guests. Who, then, would render his hospitality fruitless by not accepting it?

"We are therefore bound to honor him by accepting it like the word of a teacher, whereby we will secure also our own welfare. After surmounting our adversity, it will be the fit time to worship him either conjointly or severally, and to perform for this excellent elephant the whole of the funeral rites due to a deceased kinsman."

Accordingly those men, keeping in mind that that chief of elephants had taken his determination with the object of rescuing them from the wilderness, obeyed the Bodhisattva's words. They took their provisions from the body of the Great Being, and filled his bowels with water, using them as water-bags. Then following the direction he had pointed out to them, they safely crossed that wilderness.

In this manner the righteous highly esteem even pain, as if it were gain, if they may cause by it the happiness of others. So is to be said when praising the righteous. Likewise, when discoursing on the Tathagata or on the subject of listening with attention. to the preaching of the Law. When treating of how to acquire an auspicious nature, this is to be said: "In this manner an auspicious nature obtained by exercise of virtues comes back in new existences."

This story may also be told, when demonstrating the virtue consisting in habitual charity. "So the habit of abandoning material objects makes it easy to give up even self-love." And on the words spoken by the Lord at the time of His Complete Nirvana, when He was attended with celestial flowers and celestial music: "Something like this, in truth, is not the right manner, Ananda, to gratify the Tathagata," This story may also serve as the comment, by taking it for example: "In this manner worship consists in fulfilling the design of the person honored, not in offerings of perfumes, garlands, and the like."

copyright 2002-2010 borobudur.tv. All Rights Reserved.