10. Vedabbha and the Thieves.
Cupidity is the root of ruin.
Jātaka 48: i. 252-256.
Whoever seeks advantage by wrong means.This was said by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a disobedient monk. For to this monk the Teacher said: “Monk, not only in your present state of existence are you disobedient, but in a previous state of existence also you were just as disobedient. And through this same habit of disobedience, because you disregarded the words of wise men, you were cleft in twain with a sharp sword and left lying on the road. And through your own fault, and yours alone, a thousand men met destruction.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:
Whoever seeks advantage by wrong means.This was said by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a disobedient monk. For to this monk the Teacher said: “Monk, not only in your present state of existence are you disobedient, but in a previous state of existence also you were just as disobedient. And through this same habit of disobedience, because you disregarded the words of wise men, you were cleft in twain with a sharp sword and left lying on the road. And through your own fault, and yours alone, a thousand men met destruction.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:
Intimes past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, there lived in a certain little village a certain Brahman who knew a charm called the Vedabbha charm. This charm, we are told, was beyond price, of great worth. When the moon was in conjunction with a certain constellation, the Brahman would look up at the sky and recite that charm, and straightway the Rain of the Seven Jewels would rain from the sky.
At that time the Future Buddha was learning the arts and crafts in the house of that Brahman. Now one day the Brahman, accompanied by the Future Buddha, departed from his own village and set outfor the kingdom of Cetiya on some business or other. Along the road, at a certain place in the forest, five hundred Despatcher-thieves were in the habit of committing outrages on travelers. They captured both the Future Buddha and Brahman Vedabbha.
(But why were these thieves calledDespatcher-thieves? We are told that whenever they captured two persons, they woulddespatchone of them to fetch ransom-money; therefore they were appropriately calledDespatcher-thieves. For example, if they captured father and son, they would say to the father: “Fetch us ransom-money first; then you may take your son and go.” Similarly, if they captured mother and daughter, they would despatch the mother; if they captured an older and a younger brother, they would despatch the older; if they captured teacher and pupil, they would despatch the pupil.)
So it was on this occasion. Having captured the Brahman Vedabbha, they despatched the Future Buddha. The Future Buddha bowed to his teacher and said: “I will return in the course of a day or two. Have no fear. However, do as I tell you. To-day will occur the conjunction of the moon which causes the Rain of Riches. Under no circumstances, because you cannot endure your misfortune, must you recite the charm and cause the Rainof Riches. If you do so, you will yourself come to ruin, and these five hundred thieves likewise.” Having thus admonished his teacher, he went for the ransom-money.
When the sun had set, the thieves bound the Brahman and laid him down. At that very moment, from the eastern quarter rose the disk of the full moon. The Brahman surveyed the constellations and reflected: “The conjunction of the moon which causes the Rain of Riches is at hand. Why should I endure misfortune? I will recite the charm, cause the Rain of Riches, give the riches to the thieves, and go where I please.”
Accordingly he addressed the thieves: “Well, thieves, for what purpose did you capture me?” “For ransom-money, noble sir.” “If you want ransom-money, quickly free me from my bonds, bathe my head, clothe me with new garments, perfume me with scents, deck me with flowers, and set me on my feet.” The thieves, hearing his words, did so. The Brahman, noting the conjunction of the moon, recited the charm and looked up at the sky. Straightway jewels fell from the sky.
The thieves gathered up that wealth, wrapped it in folds of their upper garments, and went their way. The Brahman followed close behind them. Now a second pack of five hundred thieves capturedthe first pack of thieves. “For what purpose did you capture us?” inquired the first. “For ransom-money,” replied the second. “If you want money, capture this Brahman. It was he who, by looking up at the sky, caused a Rain of Riches; he is the man who gave us this wealth.”
The second pack released the first, captured the Brahman, and said to him: “Give us wealth too.” Said the Brahman: “I would gladly give you wealth. But the conjunction of the moon which causes the Rain of Riches will not occur for a year yet. If you want money, have patience, and I will cause the Rain of Riches then.” At this the thieves became enraged and said: “Oh, you rascally Brahman! You caused a Rain of Riches for others but a moment ago, but you tell us to hold our patience for another year!” So saying, they cleft the Brahman in twain with a sharp sword and left him lying on the road.
Then the second pack pursued the first pack hotly, fought with; them, killed every man of them, and took the spoils. Again dividing into two packs, they fought with each other until one pack of two hundred and fifty had killed the other. Continuing in this wise, they killed each other off until there were only two men left. Thus those thousand men came to ruin. Now those two men, having gottenaway with the spoils by a ruse, hid the spoils in a thicket near a certain village. One sat guarding the spoils with sword in hand; the other, having procured rice, entered the village to have some porridge cooked.
“Cupidity is the root of ruin!”
The man sitting by the spoils reflected: “When this fellow returns, this wealth will have to be divided into two portions. Suppose I were to strike him with the sword and kill him the very moment he returns!” So girding on his sword, he sat watching for his companion to return.
His companion reflected: “That wealth will have to be divided into two portions. Suppose I were to put poison in the porridge, let that fellow eat it, cause his death, and get the spoils for myself alone!” So when the porridge was done, he ate some himself, put poison in the rest, and then took it and went to the thicket.
The moment the second thief took that porridge out and set it down, the first thief cleft him in twain with his sword and flung his remains away in a secluded spot. Then he ate that porridge and himself died on the spot. Thus, by reason of that wealth, every one of those men came to ruin.
As for the Future Buddha, he returned in the course of a day or two with the ransom-money. Notseeing his teacher where he had left him, but seeing the spoils scattered all about, he reflected: “It must be that my teacher disregarded my words and caused the Rain of Riches; it must be that all of those men have come to ruin.” And he continued his walk along the highway.
As he proceeded, he saw his teacher lying on the highway, cleft in twain. Thought he: “My teacher disregarded my words and is dead.” Then he gathered firewood, built a pyre, cremated his teacher, and honored him with forest-flowers.
As he proceeded, he saw farther on five hundred thieves who had met destruction; farther on yet, two hundred and fifty; and so on until finally he came upon two. Thought he: “These thousand thieves have come to ruin save only two. There must be two thieves besides. They also could never have restrained themselves. Where can they be?”
As he proceeded, he saw the footprints of the two thieves who had entered the thicket with the spoils. Proceeding farther, he saw first a heap of riches wrapped up in a bundle, and then one of the two thieves dead with a porridge-bowl overturned beside him. Then he knew all. “Such-and-such they must have done,” thought he. Then he reflected: “Where can that fellow be?” Making a search, he found hisbody also flung away in a secluded spot. Then he reflected:
“Our teacher, because he disregarded my words, through his own habit of disobedience, through his own fault, has come to ruin. Moreover through him a thousand men besides have perished. Alas! By employing wrong means, for no reason at all, seeking gain for themselves, these thieves, like our teacher, must all have come to a fearful end indeed!” And he recited the following stanza:
Whoever seeks advantage by wrong means, comes to grief.Thieves slew Vedabbha, and all met destruction.
Whoever seeks advantage by wrong means, comes to grief.Thieves slew Vedabbha, and all met destruction.
Whoever seeks advantage by wrong means, comes to grief.
Thieves slew Vedabbha, and all met destruction.
Thus, by the recitation of this stanza, did the Future Buddha preach the Doctrine. And the spirits of the forest made the forest ring with their applause. Then said the Future Buddha: “Just as our teacher, putting forth effort by wrong means, at the wrong time, caused the Rain of Riches, and thus himself met destruction and became the cause of others’ ruin, precisely so whoever else besides shall exert himself, seeking advantage for himself by wrong means, shall himself come to ruin and shall become the cause of others’ ruin.”
Employing right means, the Future Buddha removed that wealth to his own home, and during the remainder of the term of life allotted to him gavealms and performed the other works of merit. And when his life came to an end, he passed away, fulfilling the Path to Heaven.
Said the Teacher: “Monk, not only in your present state of existence are you disobedient, but in a previous state of existence also you were disobedient. And because of your habit of disobedience you came to a fearful end.” And having completed this parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the Brahman Vedabbha was the disobedient monk, but the pupil was I myself.”
Said the Teacher: “Monk, not only in your present state of existence are you disobedient, but in a previous state of existence also you were disobedient. And because of your habit of disobedience you came to a fearful end.” And having completed this parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the Brahman Vedabbha was the disobedient monk, but the pupil was I myself.”