8.
The Book of the Eights
417.
The Kaccānī Birth Story (1)
Flour, sesame seeds, you wash rice grains, rice with sesame will be - for what reason?
The Teaching has died, for that today I will make an offering in the midst of the cemetery."
The thousand-eyed one of incomparable power, the excellent Teaching never dies.
4.
Those who are now evil, those same ones are now happy."
5.
She is now the lord of the whole family, but I am cast away, alone.
She who having killed you gave birth to a son, together with the son I will reduce to ashes.
I and my son and daughter-in-law and grandson, being joyful, may we dwell at home."
You and your son and daughter-in-law and grandson, being joyful, may you dwell at home."
Both son and grandson attended on them, supported by the lord of the gods.
The Kaccānī Birth Story is first.
418.
The Eight Sounds Birth Story (2)
The residence of the crane king, my paternal dwelling;
Today we sustain ourselves on frogs, we do not abandon our abode.
Who will make my young ones, my nest, and me safe?
With food exhausted, great king, the woodworm does not delight in the core.
Shall delight myself, dwelling in the branches of trees.
I shall drink the finest waters, going before the herd to the cattle pen.
The fierce hunter Bharata brought me, the Bāhika - may there be good fortune for you.
She, with smooth and soft words, "May your foot not stumble on the stone."
This is the last, the final lying in a womb, my wandering in the round of rebirths for rebirth is eliminated.
The Eight Sounds Birth Story is second.
419.
The Sulasā Birth Story (3)
Take it all, venerable one, and announce me as a slave.
And I do not directly know wealth brought by having killed."
And I do not directly know another more dear than you."
For now there is no more meeting of me and you.
A woman too may be wise, discerning here and there.
A woman too may be wise, quickly discerning what is beneficial.
Just as with a fully drawn bow a deer, Sulasā killed the enemy.
He, of slow wit, is destroyed, like a thief in a mountain cave.
Is freed from the confinement of enemies, just as Sulasā was from the flour-man."
The Sulasā Birth Story is third.
420.
The Sumaṅgala Birth Story (4)
Without reason, unbefitting of oneself, one would arouse great sufferings for another.
Then having considered by oneself "this is the meaning here," one should impose a fitting punishment upon him.
Whoever becomes the rod-bearing lord here, he, guarded by praise, does not fall from glory.
Connected with blame, they give up life, and even freed from here, they go to an unfortunate realm.
They, established in peace, meekness, and concentration, such ones go to both worlds.
Prohibiting the populace of such a kind, I decree punishment with compassion wisely.
Without wrath, with a mind constantly serene, free from trouble, may you protect for a hundred years.
Happy, without oppression, rule the earth, and liberated from here, go to a good destination.
He would extinguish the agitated multitude, as a great cloud extinguishes the earth with water.
The Sumaṅgala Birth Story is fourth.
421.
The Gaṅgamālā Birth Story (5)
Then you sing your duties, the sunshine does not torment you.
Then you sing your duties, the sunshine does not torment you.
For purposes are various, O king, they torment, not the sunshine.
I will not think of you, thus, Sensual Pleasure, you will not exist.
Alas, the prattle of fools, one who is watchful should avoid them.
It is indeed a well-gained gain for the young man, who went forth having abandoned sensual lust."
Through austerity having overcome, O Gaṅgamāla, you addressed Brahmadatta by name.
He who is honoured by all people, him we pay homage to, together with the king and ministers.
For he has crossed the ocean, having crossed which they live free from sorrow.
The Gaṅgamālā Birth Story is fifth.
422.
The Shrine Birth Story (6)
Therefore one should not destroy the principle, lest you, the principle destroyed, be destroyed.
And his mouth smells foul, and he falls from his own state;
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, remain on the ground, O shrine.
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, enter the ground, O shrine.
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, enter further into the shrine.
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, enter further into the shrine.
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, enter further into the shrine.
Whoever, knowing, when asked a question, would explain it otherwise.
If you speak falsely, O king, enter further into the shrine.
Entered the earth, having reached his time, with diminished self.
One should speak with an uncorrupted mind, a word connected with truth.
The Shrine Birth Story is sixth.
423.
The Faculty Birth Story (7)
He, having abandoned both worlds, withers away even while living.
You, having dried up happiness, have attained suffering, expect the excellent happiness.
He, the wise one, attains the happiness at the end of difficulty, the exertion.
And not having disregarded what has been done, you deserve to fall away from the teaching.
Not laughing at gains, untroubled at loss of welfare.
There is nothing worse than this, whoever comes under the control of the faculties.
Work and true knowledge, skill, marriage, morality and gentleness;
And having abandoned these in glory, I was reborn through my own actions.
Departed from the noble teaching, just as a ghost, so am I.
Thus I do not attain happiness, like one standing amidst flames.
The Faculty Birth Story is seventh.
424.
The Blazing Birth Story (8)
That is for one's benefit, not what is burnt there.
One should take out by giving, what is given is well removed.
Having passed beyond Yama's Vetaraṇī river, that mortal attains divine states.
If one with faith gives even a little, by that very deed he becomes happy in the hereafter.
Gifts given to them are of great fruit, like seeds sown in a good field.
They praise the timid, not the hero there, for the peaceful do not do evil out of fear.
By the middling, to divinity, and by the highest, one becomes pure.
For in the past, and even earlier, the good, those with wisdom, attained Nibbāna itself.
The Blazing Birth Story is eighth.
425.
The Impossibility Birth Story (9)
If the rose-apple tree were to give palmyra fruit, then surely it might be so.
A winter covering, then surely it might be so.
Firm and unshakeable, then surely it might be so.
For the purpose of ascending to heaven, then surely it might be so.
And would bring down Rāhu, then surely it might be so.
Would make their dwelling on embers, then surely it might be so.
Skilled in dancing and singing, then surely it might be so.
Would desire each other's fortune, then surely it might be so.
For warding off the rain, then surely it might be so.
Were to take in its beak and go, then surely it might be so.
A boy could take and carry away, then surely it might be so.
The Impossibility Birth Story is ninth.
426.
The Panther Birth Story (10)
Your mother spoke of your happiness, we indeed desire your happiness.
Today, by your uncle's word, do you think you should be released?
Your tail is behind you, how then could I have trodden upon it?
So far extends my tail, how then could you have avoided it?
Of the long tail of the wicked one, I have come through the sky.
The herd of deer fled, my prey was destroyed by you.
Crushed her throat, there is no well-spoken word for the wicked.
One should apply effort towards the wicked, and he does not delight in the virtuous.
The Panther Birth Story is tenth.
The Book of Eights is concluded.
Its summary:
Then Charcoal, Shrine, Devila, then Blazing, Ganges, Ten Goats.