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B0102051410dasakanipāto (chapter ten)

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May the poison be destroyed, may Yaññadatta live! 63. Because I never rejoiced in giving, when I saw a guest at the time of dwelling; Nor did the learned ascetics and brahmins know my dislike. I gave even unwillingly. By this truth, may there be well-being! May the poison be destroyed, may Yaññadatta live! 64. O son, the highly potent serpent, which bit you, having risen from its hole; And today, in my dislike for it, and for your father, there is no difference; By this truth, may there be well-being! May the poison be destroyed, may Yaññadatta live! 65. The peaceful and self-controlled wander forth, except for the dark ones, there are no unwilling ones; Dīpāyana, why, feeling disgust, do you practice the holy life unwillingly? 66. Having gone forth with faith, then turning back, he is indeed a fool, like a dumb goat; Feeling disgust for this saying, I practice the holy life unwillingly; And the state praised by the wise and the good, e I become a doer of merit. 67. You satisfy ascetics, brahmins, and wayfarers, with alms of food and drink; This house of yours is like a well, filled with food and drink; Then, fearing what reproach, do you give this gift unwillingly? 68. My fathers and grandfathers, were faithful, generous givers; Following that family custom, may I not be the last of the family to stink; Fearing that reproach, I give this gift unwillingly. 69. A young girl, of immature wisdom, whom I brought from her family, O fair one; Nor did she know my displeasure, serving me without desire; Then by what means, O lady, did such a cohabitation come to be for me? 70. Far, distant, never here, is the name of succession in this family; Following that family custom, may I not be the last of the family to stink; Fearing that reproach, I serve you unwillingly. 71. Maṇḍabya, what I said, which should not be said, may it be forgiven for the sake of my son; There is nothing here or beyond like love for a son, may this Yaññadatta of ours live! The Sixth, the Kaṇhadīpāyana Jātaka. 445. The Nigrodha Jātaka (7) 72. I do not know this, who is this, or whose is he? As Sākha spoke, Nigrodha, what do you think? 73. Then with a noose around my neck, men dragged me out; Giving blows to my face, obeying Sākha's word. 74. Such a thing, by the foolish, the ungrateful, the treacherous; An ignoble deed was done by Sākha, your friend, O lord of men. 75. I do not know this, nor does anyone tell me; What you, friend, told me, by Sākha... A reason was made. 76. You are the provider of livelihood for my friends, and for both my branch (family) and me; You are the giver of supremacy to us, greatness among men; Through you, power has been obtained, in this, I have no doubt. 77. Just as a seed in fire burns and does not sprout; So a deed done for a bad person perishes and does not bear fruit. 78. But for a grateful person, virtuous, of noble conduct; Like seeds in a good field, a deed done for him does not perish. 79. This base, deceitful one, who thinks like a bad person; Let them strike the branch with spears, I do not wish for his life. 80. Forgive him, great king, lives are not easily brought back; Forgive the bad person, O god, I do not wish for his death. 81. One should serve only the Banyan tree, not dwell near the branch; Death under the Banyan is better, than life under the branch. The Nigrodha Jātaka, the seventh. 446. The Takkala Jātaka (8) 82. There are no takkala roots, nor alu roots, no biḷāli roots, nor kaḷamba roots, dear son; Alone in the forest, in the midst of the charnel ground, for what purpose, dear son, are you digging a pit? 83. Your grandfather, dear son, is very weak, afflicted by many diseases and suffering; Today I will bury him in the pit, for I do not approve of his life. 84. This evil thought you have conceived, you are doing a cruel, terrible deed; You too, dear father, will receive from me such a deed when old age comes upon you; Following that family custom, I too will bury you in a pit. 85. Speaking with harsh words, you insult me and speak, young man; Being my own son, you are unsympathetic to my welfare, my son. 86. I am not unsympathetic to your welfare, dear father, I am sympathetic to your welfare, dear father; And that evil deed you are doing, I am able to prevent you from it. 87. Whoever, mother or father, who are blameless He, the evil-doer, harms. At the breaking up of the body, after death, Without doubt, he goes to hell. 88. He who attends to his mother or father, His own kin, with food and drink; At the breaking up of the body, after death, Without doubt, he goes to a good destination. 89. You are not my son, one who wishes me ill, You are my son, one who wishes me well; And I, being told by my mother, Do such a cruel deed. 90. That wife of yours, of ignoble form, She is my mother, my own parent; You should drive her out of your own house, She would bring you other suffering too. 91. That wife of yours, of ignoble form, She is my mother, my own parent; Like a she-elephant with tusks, brought under control, May that evil-doer be reborn again! The Takkala Jātaka, the eighth. 447. The Mahādhammapāla Jātaka (9) 92. What is your vow? What is your holy life? Of what well-practiced deed is this the fruit? Tell me, brahmin, this matter, Why do your young ones not die? 93. We practice Dhamma, we do not speak falsely, We avoid evil deeds; We avoid all ignoble conduct, Therefore, our young ones do not die. 94. We listen to the Dhamma of the bad and the good, But we do not approve of the Dhamma of the bad; Having abandoned the bad, we do not forsake the good, Therefore, our young ones do not die. 95. Before giving, we are cheerful, When giving, we are joyful; Even after giving, we do not repent afterwards, Therefore, our young ones do not die. 96. We satisfy ascetics, brahmins, travelers, Beggars, supplicants, the poor; With food and drink, Therefore, our young ones do not die. 97. We do not transgress against our wives, And our wives do not transgress against us; Apart from them, we lead a holy life, Therefore, our young ones do not die. 98. We all abstain from taking life, We avoid what is not given in the world; A We do not drink intoxicants, nor do we speak falsely, therefore, our young ones do not die. 99. Indeed, in these excellent ones are born, intelligent and greatly wise ones; They become very learned and skilled in the Vedas, therefore, our young ones do not die. 100. Mother and father, and sisters and brothers, and sons and wives, and all of us; We practice Dhamma for the sake of the other world, therefore, our young ones do not die. 101. Servants and maids, and dependents, attendants and workers, all of them; They practice Dhamma for the sake of the other world, therefore, our young ones do not die. 102. Dhamma indeed protects the one who practices Dhamma, Dhamma well-practiced brings happiness; This is the benefit of Dhamma well-practiced, the Dhamma-practitioner does not go to a bad destination. 103. Dhamma indeed protects the one who practices Dhamma, like a large umbrella in the rainy season; Protected by Dhamma is my Dhamma-protector, the prince is happy, whose bones are for another. The Ninth, the Mahadhammapāla Jātaka. 448. Kukkuṭajātaka (10) 104. One should not trust one who has done evil, one should not trust a liar; One should not trust one whose wisdom is for his own gain, even if very peaceful, one should not trust. 105. There are indeed some men, of the nature of a cow seeking water; They think they are friends, by word, but not by deed. 106. With dry hands clasped, enveloped in words; One should not sit with a human husk, in whom there is no gratitude. 107. Indeed, not with those whose minds are different, whether women or men; Having made various associations, one should not trust even such a one. 108. One who has abandoned ignoble deeds, and is a destroyer of all; Like a sharpened (weapon) concealed, one should not trust even such a one. 109. Some here, in the guise of friends, with friendliness, but without a mind (of true friendship); They approach with various means, one should not trust even such a one. 110. Whether for gain or wealth, y he sees the purpose. The fool does evil, and having killed it, he goes. 111. Many enemies, in the guise of friends, secretly serve. Abandon these vile men, like a rooster abandons a hawk. 112. And he who does not quickly discern an opportunity that has arisen, falls into the power of enemies, and afterwards repents. 113. And he who quickly perceives an opportunity that has arisen, is freed from the oppression of enemies, like a rooster from a hawk. 114. That kind of person, like a snare set in the forest, unrighteous, constantly destructive, a wise man should avoid from afar, just as a rooster avoids a bamboo grove. The Rooster Jātaka, the tenth. 449. The Polished Earring Jātaka (11) 115. Adorned with polished earrings, wearing garlands, anointed with yellow sandalwood, you cry with uplifted arms, what sorrow afflicts you in the middle of the forest? 116. A golden, shining chariot frame has appeared for me; I do not find its pair of wheels, by that sorrow I abandon life. 117. Whether golden, jeweled, iron, or silver; Tell me, good sir, I will make you a chariot, I will provide you with a pair of wheels. 118. Then the young man told him, the moon and sun, both are brothers here; My chariot is golden, it shines with that pair of wheels. 119. You are indeed a fool, young man, who desires the undesirable; I think you will die, for you will not obtain the moon and sun. 120. Coming and going are seen, the elements of color are seen in both directions; But a ghost is not seen, who then is more foolish among those who cry? 121. Indeed, you speak the truth, young man, Oh, alas, I am the most foolish of those who weep; Like a child crying for the moon, I long for the dead. 122.