24. Two Caravan-Leaders.
Be prudent!
Dīgha ii. 342-346.
Inolden times a great caravan of a thousand carts went from the eastern country to the western country. Wherever it went, very quickly were consumed grass, sticks, water, and pot-herbs. Now over that caravan were two caravan-leaders, one over five hundred carts, one over five hundred carts. And to these caravan-leaders occurred the following thought: “This is a great caravan of a thousand carts. Wherever we go, very quickly are consumed grass, sticks, water, and pot-herbs. Suppose we were to divide this caravan into two caravans of five hundred carts each!” They divided that caravan into two caravans, one of five hundred carts, one of five hundred carts. One caravan-leader only loaded his carts with abundant grass and sticks and water, and started his caravan forward.
Now when he had proceeded a journey of two or three days, that caravan-leader saw coming in the opposite direction in a chariot drawn by asses, ablack man with bloodshot eyes, with ungirt quiver, wearing a garland of lilies, his garments wet, the hair of his head wet, the wheels of his chariot smeared with mud. Seeing, he said this: “Whence, sir, do you come?” “From such-and-such a country.” “Whither do you intend to go?” “To such-and-such a country.” “Evidently, sir, farther on in the wilderness a heavy rain has been in progress.” “Yes, indeed, sir. Farther on in the wilderness a heavy rain has been in progress. The roads are drenched with water; abundant are grass and sticks and water. Throw away, sir, the old grass, sticks, and water; with lightly burdened carts go ever so quickly; do not overburden the conveyances.”
Now that caravan-leader told his drivers what that man had said, and gave orders as follows: “Throw away the old grass, sticks, and water; with lightly burdened carts start the caravan forward.” “Yes, sir,” said those drivers to that caravan-leader. And in obedience to his command they threw away the old grass, sticks, and water, and with lightly burdened carts started the caravan forward. Neither in the first stage of the journey, nor in the second, nor in the third, nor in the fourth, nor in the fifth, nor in the sixth, nor in the seventh, did they see grass or sticks or water; they all met destruction and death. And all that were in that caravan, whethermen or beasts, did that ogre, that demon, devour, leaving only the bare bones.
When the second caravan-leader knew, “It is now a long time since that caravan started out,” he loaded his carts with abundant grass and sticks and water, and started his caravan forward. Now when he had proceeded a journey of two or three days, this caravan-leader saw coming in the opposite direction in a chariot drawn by asses, a black man with bloodshot eyes, with ungirt quiver, wearing a garland of lilies, his garments wet, the hair of his head wet, the wheels of his chariot smeared with mud. Seeing, he said this: “Whence, sir, do you come?” “From such-and-such a country.” “Whither do you intend to go?” “To such-and-such a country.” “Evidently, sir, farther on in the wilderness a heavy rain has been in progress.” “Yes, indeed, sir. Farther on in the wilderness a heavy rain has been in progress. The roads are drenched with water; abundant are grass and sticks and water. Throw away, sir, the old grass, sticks, and water; with lightly burdened carts go ever so quickly; do not overburden the conveyances.”
Now that caravan-leader told his drivers what that man had said, adding: “This man surely is no friend of ours, no kinsman or blood-relative. How can we trust him on our journey? On no accountmust the old grass, sticks, and water, be thrown away. Start the caravan forward, leaving the things just as they are. I will not permit you to throw away the old.” “Yes, sir,” said those drivers to that caravan-leader. And in obedience to his command they started the caravan forward, leaving the things just as they were. Neither in the first stage of the journey, nor in the second, nor in the third, nor in the fourth, nor in the fifth, nor in the sixth, nor in the seventh, did they see grass or sticks or water; but they saw that caravan in destruction and ruin. And of those that were in that caravan, whether men or beasts, they saw only the bare bones, for they had been eaten by that ogre, by that demon.
Thereupon that caravan-leader addressed his drivers: “This caravan here met destruction and ruin solely through the folly of that foolish caravan-leader who acted as its guide. Now then, throw away those wares in our own caravan which are of little worth, and take those wares in this other caravan which are of great worth.” “Yes, sir,” said those drivers to that caravan-leader. And in obedience to his command they threw away all those wares in their own caravan which were of little worth, and took those wares in that other caravan which were of great worth. And they passed in safety throughthat wilderness solely through the wisdom of that wise caravan-leader who acted as their guide.
Jātaka 1: i. 95-106.
One day a wealthy merchant, accompanied by five hundred disciples of heretical teachers, went to Jetavana monastery, saluted the Exalted One, presented offerings, and sat down. Likewise did those disciples of heretical teachers salute the Teacher and sit down, close beside the merchant. And they gazed at the countenance of the Teacher, resplendent with the glory of the full moon; at his form, a form like that of Great Brahmā, adorned with the greater and lesser marks of beauty, encircled with a radiance a fathom deep; at the solid rays of a Buddha which issued from his body, forming, as it were, garland after garland and pair after pair.And to them the Teacher, as it were a young lion roaring the lion’s roar on a table-land in the Himālaya mountains, as it were a cloud thundering in the rainy season, as it were bringing down the Heavenly Ganges, as it were weaving a rope of jewels, with a voice like that of Great Brahmā, endowed with the Eight Excellences, captivating the ear, delighting the heart, preached a pleasing discourse on the Doctrine, diversified in divers ways.The heretics, after listening to the discourse of the Teacher, believed in their hearts, and rising from their seats, burst asunder the refuge of the heretical teachers and sought refuge in the Buddha. From that time on they regularly accompanied the merchant to the monastery with offerings, listened to the Doctrine, gave alms, kept the Precepts, observed Fast-day. Now the Exalted One departed from Sāvatthi and went backagain to Rājagaha. When the Teacher departed, the heretics burst that refuge asunder, sought refuge once more in the heretical teachers, lapsed once more into their former position.When the Exalted One returned to Sāvatthi and learned what had happened, he said to those backsliders: “Laymen, in former times also men mistook for a refuge what was no refuge at all, grasped with the grasp of reason, with the grasp of contradiction, and in a wilderness haunted by demons came to a sorry end, becoming the food of ogres. But men who laid hold of Truth absolute, certain, consistent, obtained safety in that very wilderness.” Having so said, he became silent.Thereupon the merchant, rising from his seat, saluted and applauded the Exalted One. And joining his hands and pressing them to his head in token of reverent salutation, he spoke as follows: “Reverend Sir, it is clear to us that these laymen just now burst asunder the Supreme Refuge and chose instead speculation. But the fact that in former times, in a wilderness haunted by demons, men who chose speculation were destroyed, while men who chose Absolute Truth were saved,—that fact is hidden from us and clear to you alone. It were indeed well were the Exalted One, as it were making the full moon rise in the heavens, to make this fact clear to us.”Then the Exalted One aroused the attention of the merchant by saying: “I, O householder, fulfilled the Ten Perfections during a period of time which cannot be measured, and penetrated Omniscience, for the sole purpose of rending asunder the doubt of the world. Lend ear and listen as attentively as though you were filling a golden tube with lion-marrow.” Thereupon, as it were cleaving the Vault of the Snow and releasing the full moon, he revealed circumstances hidden by rebirth:
One day a wealthy merchant, accompanied by five hundred disciples of heretical teachers, went to Jetavana monastery, saluted the Exalted One, presented offerings, and sat down. Likewise did those disciples of heretical teachers salute the Teacher and sit down, close beside the merchant. And they gazed at the countenance of the Teacher, resplendent with the glory of the full moon; at his form, a form like that of Great Brahmā, adorned with the greater and lesser marks of beauty, encircled with a radiance a fathom deep; at the solid rays of a Buddha which issued from his body, forming, as it were, garland after garland and pair after pair.
And to them the Teacher, as it were a young lion roaring the lion’s roar on a table-land in the Himālaya mountains, as it were a cloud thundering in the rainy season, as it were bringing down the Heavenly Ganges, as it were weaving a rope of jewels, with a voice like that of Great Brahmā, endowed with the Eight Excellences, captivating the ear, delighting the heart, preached a pleasing discourse on the Doctrine, diversified in divers ways.
The heretics, after listening to the discourse of the Teacher, believed in their hearts, and rising from their seats, burst asunder the refuge of the heretical teachers and sought refuge in the Buddha. From that time on they regularly accompanied the merchant to the monastery with offerings, listened to the Doctrine, gave alms, kept the Precepts, observed Fast-day. Now the Exalted One departed from Sāvatthi and went backagain to Rājagaha. When the Teacher departed, the heretics burst that refuge asunder, sought refuge once more in the heretical teachers, lapsed once more into their former position.
When the Exalted One returned to Sāvatthi and learned what had happened, he said to those backsliders: “Laymen, in former times also men mistook for a refuge what was no refuge at all, grasped with the grasp of reason, with the grasp of contradiction, and in a wilderness haunted by demons came to a sorry end, becoming the food of ogres. But men who laid hold of Truth absolute, certain, consistent, obtained safety in that very wilderness.” Having so said, he became silent.
Thereupon the merchant, rising from his seat, saluted and applauded the Exalted One. And joining his hands and pressing them to his head in token of reverent salutation, he spoke as follows: “Reverend Sir, it is clear to us that these laymen just now burst asunder the Supreme Refuge and chose instead speculation. But the fact that in former times, in a wilderness haunted by demons, men who chose speculation were destroyed, while men who chose Absolute Truth were saved,—that fact is hidden from us and clear to you alone. It were indeed well were the Exalted One, as it were making the full moon rise in the heavens, to make this fact clear to us.”
Then the Exalted One aroused the attention of the merchant by saying: “I, O householder, fulfilled the Ten Perfections during a period of time which cannot be measured, and penetrated Omniscience, for the sole purpose of rending asunder the doubt of the world. Lend ear and listen as attentively as though you were filling a golden tube with lion-marrow.” Thereupon, as it were cleaving the Vault of the Snow and releasing the full moon, he revealed circumstances hidden by rebirth:
In times past, in the kingdom of Kāsi, in the city of Benāres, there was a king named Brahmadatta.At that time the Future Buddha was reborn in the household of a caravan-leader. In the course of time he grew to manhood, and went about trading with five hundred carts. Sometimes he went from east to west, sometimes from west to east. In the same city of Benāres there was another caravan-leader besides, a foolish, short-sighted, resourceless fellow.
At that time the Future Buddha took a valuable lot of goods from Benāres, filled five hundred carts, made preparations for the journey, and was all ready to start. Likewise that foolish caravan-leader also filled five hundred carts, made preparations for the journey, and was all ready to start.
The Future Buddha thought: “If this foolish caravan-leader goes at the same time I go, and a thousand carts travel along the road together, even the road will not be big enough. It will be difficult for the men to find firewood and water, and difficult for the oxen to find grass. Either he or I should go first.” So he had the man summoned, told him the situation, and said: “It is out of the question for both of us to go at the same time. Will you go first, or follow after?”
Thought the foolish caravan-leader: “There are many advantages in my going first. There will not be a single rut in the road over which I travel; my oxen will eat grass which has not been touched; mymen will have leaves for curry which have not been touched; the water will be clear; I can sell my goods at whatever price I choose to set.” So he said: “I, sir, will go first.”
As for the Future Buddha, he saw many advantages in going second, for the following considerations presented themselves to his mind: “Those who go first will make smooth the rough spots on the road; I shall go by the same road they have gone; the oxen that go first will eat the old tough grass, and my oxen will eat the fresh grass which will have sprung up in the meantime; wherever they pluck leaves, fresh leaves for curry will have sprung up and will be at the disposal of my men; in places where there is no water, they will dig wells and obtain a supply, and we shall drink water from wells dug by others. Moreover, price-fixing is like depriving men of life! If I go second, I can sell my goods for whatever price they have fixed.” Accordingly, seeing all these advantages in going second, he said: “You, sir, go first.” “Very well, sir,” said the foolish caravan-leader. So harnessing his carts, he set out, and in due course passing beyond the habitations of men, he reached the mouth of the wilderness.
(Wildernesses are of five kinds: robber-wildernesses, beast-wildernesses, waterless wildernesses,demon-wildernesses, famine-wildernesses. Where the road is infested with robbers, it is called a robber-wilderness. Where the road is infested with lions and other beasts of prey, it is called a beast-wilderness. Where there is no water for bathing or drinking, it is called a waterless wilderness. If it is infested with demons, it is called a demon-wilderness. If it lacks roots and hard food and soft food, it is called a famine-wilderness. Of these five kinds of wildernesses, this wilderness was both a waterless wilderness and a demon-wilderness.)
Therefore that caravan-leader set many huge chatties in the carts and had them filled with water before he struck into the sixty-league wilderness. Now when he reached the middle of the wilderness, the ogre who lived in the wilderness, thinking, “I will make these men throw away the water they took,” created a car to delight the heart, drawn by pure white young oxen; and surrounded by ten or twelve demons bearing in their hands bow, quiver, shield, and weapon, decked with water-lilies both blue and white, head wet, garments wet, seated in that car like a very lord, the wheels of the car smeared with mud, came down that road from the opposite direction.
Both before him and behind him marched the demons who formed his retinue, heads wet, garmentswet, decked with garlands of water-lilies both blue and white, carrying in their hands clusters of lotus-flowers both red and white, chewing the fibrous stalks of water-lilies, streaming with drops of water and mud.
Now caravan-leaders, when the wind is ahead, to avoid the dust, ride in front, sitting in their cars, surrounded by their attendants. When it blows from behind, they ride behind in precisely the same way. But at this time the wind was ahead; therefore that caravan-leader rode in front.
When the ogre saw him approaching, he caused his own car to turn out of the road and greeted him in a friendly manner, saying: “Where are you going?” The caravan-leader also caused his own car to turn out of the road, allowing room for the carts to pass, and standing aside, said to that ogre: “We, sir, are just approaching from Benāres. But you are approaching decked with water-lilies both blue and white, with lotus-flowers both red and white in your hands, chewing the fibrous stalks of water-lilies, smeared with mud, with drops of water streaming from you. Is it raining along the road by which you came? Are the lakes completely covered with water-lilies both blue and white, and lotus-flowers both red and white?”
When the ogre heard his words, he said: “Friend,what’s this you’re saying? Do you see that dark green streak of woods? Beyond that point the entire forest is one mass of water; it rains all the time; the hollows are full of water; in this place and in that are lakes completely covered with lotus-flowers both red and white.” As the carts passed, one after another, he inquired: “Where are you going with these carts?” “To such-and-such a country.” “What are the goods you have in this cart,—and in that?” “Such-and-such.”
“The cart that approaches last moves as though it were excessively heavy; what goods have you in that?” “There is water in that.” “In bringing water thus far, of course, you have acted wisely. But beyond this point you have no occasion to carry water. Ahead of you water is abundant. Break the chatties to pieces, throw away the water, travel at ease.” And having so said, he added: “You continue your journey; we have some business that detains us.” The ogre went a little way, and when he was out of their sight, went back again to his own city of ogres.
Now that foolish caravan-leader, out of his own foolishness, took the advice of the ogre, broke the chatties to pieces, threw away all of the water, leaving not so much as a dribble, and caused the carts to move forward. Ahead there was not the slightest particle of water. For lack of water to drink themen grew weary. They traveled until sundown, and then unharnessed the carts, drew them up in a contracted circle, and tied the oxen to the wheels. There was neither water for the oxen nor gruel and boiled rice for the men. The weakened men lay down here and there and went to sleep. At midnight the ogres approached from the city of ogres, slew both oxen and men, every one, devoured their flesh, leaving only the bare bones, and having so done, departed. Thus, by reason of a single foolish caravan-leader, they all met destruction. The bones of their hands and all their other bones lay scattered about in the four directions and the four intermediate directions; five hundred carts stood as full as ever.
As for the Future Buddha, he waited for a month and a half from the day when the foolish caravan-leader set out, and then set out from the city with five hundred carts. In due course he reached the mouth of the wilderness. There he had the water-chatties filled, putting in an abundant supply of water. Then, sending a drum around the camp, he assembled his men and spoke as follows: “Without first obtaining my permission, you must not use so much as a dribble of water. In the wilderness there are poison-trees: any leaf or flower or fruit which you have not previously eaten, you must not eat without first obtaining my permission.” Havingthus admonished his men, he struck into the wilderness with his five hundred carts.
When he reached the middle of the wilderness, that ogre showed himself in the path of the Future Buddha in precisely the same way as before. When the Future Buddha saw him, he knew: “In this wilderness is no water; that is what is called a waterless wilderness. Moreover this fellow is fearless, red-eyed, casts no shadow. Without a doubt this fellow caused the foolish caravan-leader who went first to throw away all his water, and having thus brought weariness upon him and his company, devoured them. But, unless I am mistaken, he does not know how wise and resourceful I am.”
Accordingly the Future Buddha said to the ogre: “You go your way. We are traders. Unless we see water farther on, we shall not throw away the water we have brought. But wherever we do see water, there we shall throw away the water we have brought, and having thus lightened our carts, shall continue our journey.” The ogre went a little way, and when he was out of sight, went back again to his own city of ogres.
Now when the ogre had gone, the men asked the Future Buddha: “Noble sir, these men said: ‘Do you see that dark green streak of woods? Beyond that point it rains all the time.’ And the men whosaid it approached garlanded with garlands of water-lilies both blue and white, carrying clusters of lotus-flowers both red and white, chewing the fibrous stalks of water-lilies, heads wet, garments wet, with drops of water streaming from them. Let us throw away the water and go quickly with lightened carts.”
The Future Buddha, hearing their words, caused the carts to halt, assembled all of his men, and asked: “Has any one of you heard that there is either a lake or a pool in this wilderness?” “Noble sir, we have not so heard. This is what is called a waterless wilderness.” “Just now some men said: ‘Beyond that dark green streak of woods it is raining.’ Now how far does a rain-wind blow?” “A matter of a league, noble sir.” “But has a rain-wind touched the body of even a single one of you?” “It has not, noble sir.” “How far off is a cloud-head visible?” “A matter of a league, noble sir.” “But has any one of you seen even a single cloud-head?” “We have not, noble sir.” “How far off is lightning visible?” “Four or five leagues, noble sir.” “But has any one of you seen a flash of lightning?” “We have not, noble sir.” “How far off can the sound of a cloud be heard?” “A matter of one or two leagues, noble sir.” “But has any one of you heard the sound of a cloud?” “We have not, noble sir.”
“Those are not human beings; those are ogres. They must have come with the thought in their minds: ‘We will make these men throw away their water, weaken them, and devour them.’ The foolish caravan-leader who went first was not resourceful. Undoubtedly he must have thrown away the water at their behest, grown weary, and been devoured; the five hundred carts must stand as full as ever. To-day we shall see them. Do not throw away even so much as a dribble of water, but drive ahead as fast as ever you can.” With these words he bade them drive forward.
Proceeding, he saw the five hundred carts as full as ever, and the bones of the men’s hands and all their other bones scattered in all directions. He had the carts unharnessed and a stockade built by drawing them into a contracted circle. He had both men and oxen given their supper betimes, and the oxen lie down in the centre of the circle formed by the men. He himself, assisted by the leaders of the force, kept watch during the three watches of the night, sword in hand, and allowed the dawn to rise upon him standing there.
On the following day, very early in the morning, he had his men do all their chores, feed the oxen, discard the weak carts, substitute strong ones, throw away goods of little value, substitute those of greatvalue. And going to the place where he would be, he sold his goods for twice or thrice the price, and together with his entire company went back again to his own city.
When the Teacher had related this parable, he said: “Thus, householder, in times past those who grasped with the grasp of speculation came to a sorry end, but those who grasped Absolute Truth escaped from the hands of demons, went in safety to the place where they would be, and went back again to their own place.” And having thus joined the two parts of this Parable of Absolute Truth, he, the Supremely Enlightened, uttered the following stanza:Some adhered to Absolute Truth, sophists to less than this.Knowing this, a wise man should lay hold on Absolute Truth.Said the Teacher in conclusion: “At that time the wise caravan-leader was I myself.”
When the Teacher had related this parable, he said: “Thus, householder, in times past those who grasped with the grasp of speculation came to a sorry end, but those who grasped Absolute Truth escaped from the hands of demons, went in safety to the place where they would be, and went back again to their own place.” And having thus joined the two parts of this Parable of Absolute Truth, he, the Supremely Enlightened, uttered the following stanza:
Some adhered to Absolute Truth, sophists to less than this.Knowing this, a wise man should lay hold on Absolute Truth.
Some adhered to Absolute Truth, sophists to less than this.Knowing this, a wise man should lay hold on Absolute Truth.
Some adhered to Absolute Truth, sophists to less than this.
Knowing this, a wise man should lay hold on Absolute Truth.
Said the Teacher in conclusion: “At that time the wise caravan-leader was I myself.”