22. Monkey-Gardeners.

Misdirected effort spells failure.

Jātaka 46: i. 249-251.

Never, in the hands of one who knows not what is good.This parable was related by the Teacher in a certain little village in the country of the Kosalas with reference to one who spoiled a garden.The story goes that the Teacher, while journeying from place to place in the country of the Kosalas, arrived at a certain little village. There a certain householder invited the Teacher, provided seats in his garden, gave alms to the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, and said: “Reverend Sirs, walk about in this garden according to your pleasure.”The monks arose, and accompanied by the gardener, walked about the garden. Seeing a certain bare spot, they asked the gardener: “Disciple, everywhere else this garden has dense shade, but in this spot there is not so much as a tree or a shrub. What, pray, is the reason for this?” “Reverend Sirs, when this garden was planted, a certain village boy watered it. In this spot he pulled up the young trees by the roots, and according as the roots were large or small, watered them plentifully or sparingly. Those young trees withered and died. That’s how this spot comes to be so bare!”The monks approached the Teacher and reported that matter to him. Said the Teacher: “Not only in his present state of existence has that village boy spoiled a garden; in a previousstate of existence also he did naught but spoil a garden.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:

Never, in the hands of one who knows not what is good.This parable was related by the Teacher in a certain little village in the country of the Kosalas with reference to one who spoiled a garden.

The story goes that the Teacher, while journeying from place to place in the country of the Kosalas, arrived at a certain little village. There a certain householder invited the Teacher, provided seats in his garden, gave alms to the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, and said: “Reverend Sirs, walk about in this garden according to your pleasure.”

The monks arose, and accompanied by the gardener, walked about the garden. Seeing a certain bare spot, they asked the gardener: “Disciple, everywhere else this garden has dense shade, but in this spot there is not so much as a tree or a shrub. What, pray, is the reason for this?” “Reverend Sirs, when this garden was planted, a certain village boy watered it. In this spot he pulled up the young trees by the roots, and according as the roots were large or small, watered them plentifully or sparingly. Those young trees withered and died. That’s how this spot comes to be so bare!”

The monks approached the Teacher and reported that matter to him. Said the Teacher: “Not only in his present state of existence has that village boy spoiled a garden; in a previousstate of existence also he did naught but spoil a garden.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:

Intimes past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, a holiday was proclaimed. From the moment they heard the holiday drum, the residents of the entire city went about making holiday.

At that time many monkeys lived in the king’s garden. The gardener thought: “A holiday has been proclaimed in the city. I’ll tell these monkeys to water the garden, and then I’ll go make holiday.” Approaching the leader of the monkeys, he said: “Master monkey-leader, this garden is of great use even to you. Here you eat flowers and fruits and shoots. A holiday has been proclaimed in the city. I’m going to make holiday.” And he asked him the question: “Can you water the young trees in this garden until I come back?” “Yes, indeed, I’ll water them.” “Very well,” said the gardener; “be heedful.” So saying, he gave those monkeys water-skins and wooden water-pots to use in watering the trees, and departed. The monkeys took the water-skins and wooden water-pots and watered the young trees.

When you water the young trees, pull them up by the roots, every one.“When you water the young trees, pull them up by the roots, every one.”

“When you water the young trees, pull them up by the roots, every one.”

Now the leader of the monkeys said to the monkeys: “Master-monkeys, the water must not be wasted. When you water the young trees, pull them up by the roots, every one; look at the roots; waterplentifully the roots that strike deep, but sparingly the roots that do not strike deep; later on we shall have a hard time getting water.” “Very well,” said the monkeys, promising to do as he told them to. And they did so.

At that time a certain wise man saw those monkeys working away in the king’s garden, and said to them: “Master-monkeys, why are you pulling up by the roots every one of those young trees and watering them plentifully or sparingly according as the roots are large or small?” The monkeys replied: “That’s what the monkey who is our leader told us to do.” When the wise man heard that reply, he thought: “Alas! alas! Those that are fools, those that lack wisdom, say to themselves: ‘We’ll do good.’ But harm’s the only thing they do!” And he uttered the following stanza:

Never, in the hands of one who knows not what is good,Does a good undertaking turn out happily.A man who lacks intelligence spoils what is goodLike the monkey who worked in the garden.

Never, in the hands of one who knows not what is good,

Does a good undertaking turn out happily.

A man who lacks intelligence spoils what is good

Like the monkey who worked in the garden.

Thus, with this stanza, did that wise man censure the leader of the monkeys. Having so done, he departed from the garden with his followers.

Said the Teacher: “Not only in his present state of existence has that village boy spoiled a garden; in a previous state of existence also he did naught but spoil a garden.” Having relatedthis parable, he joined the connection and identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the leader of the monkeys was the village boy who spoiled a garden, but the wise man was I myself.”

Jātaka 268: ii. 345-347.

If the monkey considered the best of the crowd.This parable was related by the Teacher in the South Mountain region with reference to a certain gardener’s son.The story goes that the Teacher, after keeping residence for the period of the rains, departed from Jetavana and journeyed from place to place in the South Mountain region. Now a certain lay disciple invited the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, provided seats in his garden, delighted them with rice-gruel and hard food, and said: “Noble sirs, if you desire to take a walk about the garden, go with this gardener.” And he gave orders to the gardener: “Pray give the noble monks fruits and other such-like edibles.”As the monks walked about, they saw a certain cleared space, and asked: “This space is cleared, without growing trees; what, pray, is the reason for this?” Then the gardener told them: “The story goes that a certain gardener’s son once watered the saplings. ‘I’ll water them plentifully or sparingly according as the roots are large or small,’ thought he. So he pulled them up by the roots and watered them plentifully or sparingly according as the roots were large or small. That’s how this space comes to be cleared!”The monks went to the Teacher and reported that matter to him. Said the Teacher: “Not only in his present state of existence has that youth spoiled a garden; in a previous stateof existence also he did naught but spoil a garden.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:

If the monkey considered the best of the crowd.This parable was related by the Teacher in the South Mountain region with reference to a certain gardener’s son.

The story goes that the Teacher, after keeping residence for the period of the rains, departed from Jetavana and journeyed from place to place in the South Mountain region. Now a certain lay disciple invited the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, provided seats in his garden, delighted them with rice-gruel and hard food, and said: “Noble sirs, if you desire to take a walk about the garden, go with this gardener.” And he gave orders to the gardener: “Pray give the noble monks fruits and other such-like edibles.”

As the monks walked about, they saw a certain cleared space, and asked: “This space is cleared, without growing trees; what, pray, is the reason for this?” Then the gardener told them: “The story goes that a certain gardener’s son once watered the saplings. ‘I’ll water them plentifully or sparingly according as the roots are large or small,’ thought he. So he pulled them up by the roots and watered them plentifully or sparingly according as the roots were large or small. That’s how this space comes to be cleared!”

The monks went to the Teacher and reported that matter to him. Said the Teacher: “Not only in his present state of existence has that youth spoiled a garden; in a previous stateof existence also he did naught but spoil a garden.” So saying, he related the following Story of the Past:

In times past, when Vissasena ruled at Benāres, a holiday was proclaimed. Thought the gardener: “I’ll go make holiday;” and said to the monkeys who lived in the garden: “This garden is of great use to you. I’m going to make holiday for seven days. You must water the saplings on the seventh day.” “Very well,” said they, consenting. He gave them little water-skins and departed.

The monkeys did as they were told and watered the saplings. Now the leader of the monkeys said to the monkeys: “Wait a moment! Water is at all times hard to get; it must not be wasted. What you must do is to pull up the saplings by the roots, note the length of the roots, water plentifully the saplings that have long roots, but sparingly those that have short roots.” “Very well,” said the monkeys, and went about watering the saplings, some of them pulling the saplings up by the roots and others planting them again.

At that time the Future Buddha was the son of a certain notable in Benāres. Having occasion, for some purpose or other, to go to the garden, he saw those monkeys working away, and asked them: “Who told you to do this?” “The monkey who is our leader.” “Well! if this is the wisdom of your leader,what must yours be like!” And explaining the matter, he uttered the first stanza:

If the monkey considered the best of the crowdHas wisdom like this,Then what in the world must the others be like?

If the monkey considered the best of the crowd

Has wisdom like this,

Then what in the world must the others be like?

Hearing this remark, the monkeys uttered the second stanza:

Brahman, you don’t know what you are talking aboutWhen you blame us like this;For how, unless we see the roots,Can we know whether the tree stands firm?

Brahman, you don’t know what you are talking about

When you blame us like this;

For how, unless we see the roots,

Can we know whether the tree stands firm?

Hearing their reply, the Future Buddha uttered the third stanza:

It isn’t you I blame,—not I,—Nor the other monkeys in the wood;Vissasena alone is the one to blame,Who asked you to tend his trees for him.

It isn’t you I blame,—not I,—

Nor the other monkeys in the wood;

Vissasena alone is the one to blame,

Who asked you to tend his trees for him.

When the Teacher had related this parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the leader of the monkeys was the youth who spoiled the garden, but the wise man was I myself.”

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