19. Partridge, Monkey, and Elephant.
Reverence your elders.
Vinaya ii. 161-162.
On a certain occasion the Exalted One admonished a company of monks to show proper respect for their elders. Said he:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One admonished a company of monks to show proper respect for their elders. Said he:
Informer times, monks, on a slope of Himavat, grew a huge banyan tree. Near it lived three friends: a partridge and a monkey and an elephant. They lived without respect or deference for each other, having no common life. Now, monks, to these friends occurred the following thought: “If only we knew which one of us was the oldest, we would respect, reverence, venerate, and honor him, and we would abide steadfast in his admonitions.”
Accordingly, monks, the partridge and the monkey asked the elephant: “How far back, sir, can you remember?” “Sirs, when I was a youngster, I used to walk over this banyan tree, keeping it between my thighs; the little tips of the shoots would just touch my belly. As far back as that, sirs, can I remember.”
Next, monks, the partridge and the elephant asked the monkey: “How far back, sir, can youremember?” “Sirs, when I was a youngster, I used to sit on the ground and eat the little tips of the shoots of this banyan tree. As far back as that, sirs, can I remember.”
Finally, monks, the monkey and the elephant asked the partridge: “How far back, sir, can you remember?” “In yonder open space, sirs, grew a huge banyan tree. I ate one of its fruits and dropped the seed in this place. From that sprang this banyan tree. At that time also, sirs, I was the oldest.”
Thereupon, monks, the monkey and the elephant said this to the partridge: “You, sir, are our elder. You will we respect, reverence, venerate, and honor, and in your admonitions will we abide steadfast.”
Accordingly, monks, the partridge prevailed upon the monkey and the elephant to take upon themselves the Five Precepts, and himself also took upon himself the Five Precepts and walked therein. They lived in respect and deference for each other, and had a common life. After death, upon dissolution of the body, they were reborn in a place of bliss, in a heavenly world. This, monks, was called the Holy Life of the Partridge.
Men versed in the Law who honor the agedHave praise even in this lifeAnd in the next life are in bliss.
Men versed in the Law who honor the agedHave praise even in this lifeAnd in the next life are in bliss.
Men versed in the Law who honor the aged
Have praise even in this life
And in the next life are in bliss.
Jātaka 37: i. 217-220.
On a certain occasion the Teacher admonished a company of monks to show proper respect for their elders. Said he: “In former times, monks, even animals reflected: ‘But it is not becoming in us that we should live without respect or deference for each other, having no common life. Let us find out which one of us is the oldest, and to him let us offer respectful greetings and the other marks of courtesy.’ And when, after diligent inquiry, they knew, ‘He is our elder,’ to him did they offer respectful greetings and the other marks of courtesy. And having so done, they departed, fulfilling the Path to Heaven.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:
On a certain occasion the Teacher admonished a company of monks to show proper respect for their elders. Said he: “In former times, monks, even animals reflected: ‘But it is not becoming in us that we should live without respect or deference for each other, having no common life. Let us find out which one of us is the oldest, and to him let us offer respectful greetings and the other marks of courtesy.’ And when, after diligent inquiry, they knew, ‘He is our elder,’ to him did they offer respectful greetings and the other marks of courtesy. And having so done, they departed, fulfilling the Path to Heaven.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:
In times past, on a slope of Himavat, near a certain huge banyan tree, lived three friends: a partridge, a monkey, an elephant. They were without respect or deference for each other, having no common life. And to them occurred the following thought: “It is not proper for us to live thus. Suppose we were to live hereafter offering respectful greetings and the other marks of courtesy to that one of us who is the oldest!” “But which one of us is the oldest?” they considered. “This is the way!” said the three animals one day as they sat at the foot of the banyan tree.
So the partridge and the monkey asked the elephant: “Master elephant, since how long have you known this banyan tree?” He said: “Friends, whenI was a young elephant, I used to go with this banyan sapling between my thighs. Moreover, when I stood with the tree between my thighs, the tips of its branches used to rub against my belly. Thus I have known this tree from the time it was a sapling.”
Next the other two animals, in the same way as before, asked the monkey. He said: “Friends, when I was a young monkey, I used to sit on the earth, extend my neck, and eat the tips of the shoots of this banyan tree. Thus I have known it since it was very small.”
Finally the other two animals, in the same way as before, asked the partridge. He said: “Friends, in former times, in such-and-such a place, grew a huge banyan tree. I ate its fruits and dropped its seed in this place. From that sprang this tree. Thus I know this tree from the time when it had not yet sprouted. Therefore I am older than you.” Thus spoke the partridge.
Thereupon the monkey and the elephant said to the wise partridge: “Master, you are older than we. Henceforth to you will we offer respect, reverence, veneration, salutation, and honor; to you will we offer respectful greeting, rising on meeting, homage with joined hands, and proper courtesy; in your admonitions will we abide steadfast. From this timeforth, therefore, be good enough to give us admonition and needed instruction.”
From that time forth the partridge gave them admonition, established them in the Precepts, and himself also took upon himself the Precepts. And those three animals, established in the Precepts, showed respect and deference for each other, and had a common life. When their life was come to an end, they attained the goal of a heavenly world. The taking upon themselves by these three animals of the Precepts was called the Holy Life of the Partridge.
“For, monks, those animals lived in respect and deference for each other. Why is it that you, who have retired from the world under a Doctrine and Discipline so well taught, do not live in respect and deference for each other?”When the Teacher had thus related this parable, he assumed the prerogative of One Supremely Enlightened and uttered the following stanza:Men versed in the Law who honor the agedHave praise even in this lifeAnd in the next life are in bliss.When the Teacher had thus extolled the practice of honoring the oldest, he joined the connection and identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the elephant was one of my disciples, the monkey was another, but the wise partridge was I myself.”
“For, monks, those animals lived in respect and deference for each other. Why is it that you, who have retired from the world under a Doctrine and Discipline so well taught, do not live in respect and deference for each other?”
When the Teacher had thus related this parable, he assumed the prerogative of One Supremely Enlightened and uttered the following stanza:
Men versed in the Law who honor the agedHave praise even in this lifeAnd in the next life are in bliss.
Men versed in the Law who honor the agedHave praise even in this lifeAnd in the next life are in bliss.
Men versed in the Law who honor the aged
Have praise even in this life
And in the next life are in bliss.
When the Teacher had thus extolled the practice of honoring the oldest, he joined the connection and identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the elephant was one of my disciples, the monkey was another, but the wise partridge was I myself.”