19.
The Book of the Sixties
529.
The Soṇaka Birth Story (1)
1.
Who will tell me of Soṇaka, my companion who played in the dust?"
2.
"Having heard, give me a hundred, a thousand to one who has seen Soṇaka;
I will tell you of Soṇaka, my companion who played in the dust."
3.
Where did he see Soṇaka? Tell me this when asked."
4.
Straight-trunked great sal trees, with blue radiance, delightful.
5.
At their root, Soṇaka meditates without clinging;
While beings in the world are burning, he is quenched.
6.
Having had a level road made, he went to where Soṇaka was.
7.
He saw Soṇaka seated, quenched while others are burning."
8.
Without mother, without father, he meditates at the root of a tree."
9.
"A king is not wretched, touching the Teaching with the body.
10.
That king is wretched, evil, heading for evil.'"
11.
Is your sleeping place comfortable, having arrived here, Soṇaka?"
12.
They do not store in granaries, nor in jars, nor in baskets;
Seeking what is prepared by others, by that the virtuous sustain themselves.
13.
Blameless almsfood is to be eaten, and no one obstructs.
14.
Quenched almsfood is to be eaten, and no one obstructs.
15.
For the liberated one wandering in the realm, in whom attachment is not found.
16.
When the city was burning, nothing of his was burnt.
17.
When the realm was being plundered, nothing of his was taken away.
18.
Along a path guarded by thieves, and whatever other highwaymen;
Taking bowl and robe, one of good conduct goes in safety.
19.
Whatever direction he departs to, he goes without longing."
20.
But I am greedy for sensual pleasures, what shall I do, Soṇaka?
21.
Then by what means may we obtain both worlds?"
22.
Men, having done evil deeds, are reborn in an unfortunate realm.
23.
Having attained unification of mind, they do not go to an unfortunate realm.
24.
By means of a simile some wise ones here understand the meaning.
25.
A crow thought, lacking wisdom, mindless.
26.
There by night, there by day, right there the mind delights.
27.
Seeing the sacred forests, the bird did not fly away.
28.
Plunged into the ocean, where there is no passage for birds.
29.
Not behind, not in front, not to the north, nor to the south.
30.
And right there he fell, just like a weakling.
31.
Forcibly devoured him, trembling, with broken wings.
32.
If greedy they will not vomit them out, the wise know them as having the wisdom of a crow.
33.
And you will be known by that, whether you will do it or not.
34.
Beyond that one should not speak, like a slave in the presence of a master."
35.
In the sky, in the atmosphere, having instructed the noble."
36.
I shall hand over the kingdom, I am not desirous of kingship.
37.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
38.
Consecrate him in the kingdom, he will be our king."
39.
I will consecrate him in the kingdom, he will be your king."
40.
Having seen him, the king addressed his delightful only son.
41.
Proceed to them, child, I hand over the kingdom to you.
42.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
43.
Mātaṅgas with golden trappings, clothed in golden adornments.
44.
Proceed to them, child, I hand over the kingdom to you.
45.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
46.
Thoroughbreds by birth, Sindh horses with swift conveyance.
47.
Proceed to them, child, I hand over the kingdom to you.
48.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
49.
With panther skins and also tiger skins, adorned with all ornaments.
50.
Proceed to them, child, I hand over the kingdom to you.
51.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
52.
Proceed to them, son, I hand over the kingdom to you.
53.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
54.
With variegated clothes and ornaments, adorned with jewelled earrings;
Proceed to them, son, I hand over the kingdom to you.
55.
May I, imprudent like a crow, not fall under the control of sensual pleasures."
56.
Without you, dear father, I do not endeavour even to live.
57.
Roaming in mountain fastnesses, on even and uneven ground.
58.
I will be easy to support for you, I will not be difficult to support for you."
59.
A medium of exchange there might seize, the merchants would meet with disaster.
60.
Bring this boy to the mansion that increases delight.
61.
They will delight him there, and with them he will delight.
62.
Having seen him, the maidens addressed Dīghāvu, the increaser of the kingdom.
63.
Who are you, or whose son are you? How may we know you?"
64.
I am the son of the King of Kāsi, Dīghāvu, the increaser of the realm;
Support me, may you be blessed, I shall become your husband."
65.
'Where has the king arrived, where has the king gone from here?'"
66.
Free from thorns, free from thickets, he has entered upon the great path.
67.
Thorny and dense, by which they go to an unfortunate realm."
68.
Instruct us, great king, you are the lord of us all."
The Soṇaka Birth Story is first.
530.
The Saṃkicca Birth Story (2)
69.
Then he announced to him, towards whom you were compassionate.
70.
Being in a hurry, go out, quickly see the great sage.
71.
Surrounded by friends and ministers, the bull among charioteers went.
72.
The hair-fan, the turban, the sword, the umbrella, and the sandals;
73.
Approached Saṃkicca seated on the side of the park.
74.
Having concluded that talk, he sat down to one side.
75.
Thereupon he proceeded to ask about evil deeds.
76.
Seated on the side of the park, honoured by the community of sages.
77.
The Teaching has been transgressed by me, tell me this when asked.
78.
Seated on the side of the park, 'Great king, listen to me.
79.
If one would do according to his word, no thorn would pierce him on the path.
80.
If one would do according to his word, he would not go to an unfortunate realm.
81.
What is not the Teaching leads to hell, the Teaching causes one to reach a good destination.
82.
To what destination they go after death, in hell, hear from me.
83.
Then another, Mahāvīci, and Tāpana and Patāpana.
84.
Filled with cruel deeds, each with sixteen adjuncts.
85.
And causing horripilation, fearsome, terrifying, painful.
86.
Surrounded by an iron wall, covered over with iron.
87.
All around for a hundred yojanas, they stand pervaded always.
88.
Those who transgress against the sages, the restrained austere ascetics.
89.
For incalculable years, men who are criminals.
90.
From hell they do not attain, the door, those seeking to escape.
91.
They run to the north too, then they run to the south;
For whatever door they go to, that very one is shut.
92.
Having raised their arms, they cry out, having reached suffering not trifling.
93.
One should not approach those of good dispositions, the restrained austere ascetics.
94.
The thousand-armed was destroyed, having insulted the sage Gotama.
95.
Like a palm tree cut from the root, that king went to ruin.
96.
Together with his retinue was destroyed, the Majjha forest then came to be.
97.
Having struck each other with pestles, they arrived at Yama's realm.
98.
Entered the earth, the Cetiya king, with diminished self, having reached his time.
99.
One should speak with an uncorrupted mind, a word connected with truth.
100.
Accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, he will go to hell below.
101.
Without offspring, without heirs, they become like palm stumps.
102.
He suffers in the Kāḷasutta hell, for a long time.
103.
Having tormented the countryside, after death he suffers in the Tormenting hell.
104.
Overcome by a mass of flames, he feels painful feeling.
105.
The limbs of the fire-eater, with hairs and nails.
106.
Overwhelmed by suffering, he roars, like an elephant pricked by a goad.
107.
He suffers in the Kāḷasutta hell, for a long time.
108.
Having made him blind, feeding on urine and excrement, they plunge such a man into lye.
109.
Having taken them to force open, bound with ropes, the demons enter the opened mouth.
110.
Having assembled, they eat the trembling one, having divided the tongue, scraps of food with blood.
111.
For this is their delight, while the others are suffering, they dwell in such a hell;
Whoever in the world here are slayers of their fathers.
112.
He undergoes intense suffering, having reached the fruit of his own actions.
113.
With iron spikes, they oppress again and again.
114.
Like molten copper, red-hot, they make the matricide drink.
115.
Resembling pus and blood, having plunged into the lake one remains.
116.
Having broken through the skin, greedy for flesh and blood.
117.
The putrid corpse blows its stench, all around for a hundred yojanas.
118.
Such suffering, Brahmadatta, a matricide obtains.
119.
The women who cause abortions fall into the difficult Vetaraṇī river.
120.
Hang down on both sides, over the difficult Vetaraṇī river.
121.
Ablaze with fire, risen upward for a yojana.
122.
Women who are adulterous, and men who go to others' wives.
123.
They lie with pierced limbs, they stay awake for long, always.
124.
Copper cauldron they are cast, heated, with fire and water alike.
125.
Experience their own action, wrong-doing by themselves in the past.
126.
Or mother-in-law or father-in-law, or even the elder brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
127.
She sees in herself a tongue a fathom long, full of worms;
She is unable to make herself understood, after death she suffers in the Tormenting hell.
128.
Thieves, cattle-butchers, hunters, those who speak blame as praise.
129.
Being struck, they fall headlong into the caustic river.
130.
Then the vomit of those of wretched state, they always consume from others.
131.
They eat the trembling wrongdoer.
132.
The wicked, covered with defilement, they are goers to the minor hells.
133.
See the fruit of what was well practised, the gods with Indra, including the Brahmā realm.
134.
So practise the Teaching, O king, that when well practised, you would not regret it afterwards."
The Saṃkicca Birth Story is second.
The Sixty Section is concluded.
Its summary:
The excellent one named Jātaka, the one named Soṇaka-Arindama;
Likewise Vuttaratha, Usabha, Kicca and Vara.