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22. The Great Section 538. The Mūgapakkha Jātaka (1) 1. “Do not reveal your wisdom, be as a fool to all beings; Let all people despise you, thus will your purpose be fulfilled.” 2. “I will do that word of yours, which you tell me, goddess; You wish me well, mother, you wish me good, goddess.” 3. “Why are you digging a pit, charioteer, as if in a hurry? Tell me, friend, when asked, what will you do with the pit?” 4. “The king’s son, mute and crippled, was born senseless; I have been commanded by the king, to bury his son in the forest.” 5. “I am not deaf, nor mute, nor crippled, nor lame; The charioteer would commit an unrighteous act, if you were to bury me in the forest.” 6. “See my thighs and arms, and hear my speech; The charioteer would commit an unrighteous act, if you were to bury me in the forest.” 7. “Are you a deity or a gandhabba, or Sakka, the giver of cities? Who are you, and whose son, how are we to know you?” 8. “I am not a deity, nor a gandhabba, nor Sakka, the giver of cities; I am the son of the king of Kasi, whom you are burying in the pit. 9. “I am the son of that king, whom you serve; The charioteer would commit an unrighteous act, if you were to bury me in the forest. 10. “Under the shade of which tree, one might sit or lie down; One should not break its branches, for betraying a friend is evil. 11. “As the tree, so is the king, as the branches, so am I; As the person seeking shade, so are you, charioteer; The charioteer would commit an unrighteous act, if you were to bury me in the forest. 12. “He becomes one with abundant food, when he returns to his own…” )] from home; Many live off him, who does not betray his friends. 13. Whichever country he goes to, villages, capital cities; Everywhere he is honored, who does not betray his friends. 14. Thieves do not overcome him, Khattiyas do not despise him; He overcomes all enemies, who does not betray his friends. 15. Unharmed he goes home, welcomed in the assembly; He is supreme among his relatives, who does not betray his friends. 16. Having honored, he is honored, he is respected, having respect; He is endowed with fame and glory, who does not betray his friends. 17. One who honors receives honor, one who bows receives a bow in return; He attains fame and glory, who does not betray his friends. 18. Like fire he blazes, like a deity he shines; He is not abandoned by fortune, who does not betray his friends. 19. His cows give birth, what is sown in the field grows; He enjoys the fruit of what is sown, who does not betray his friends. 20. A man fallen from a cliff, or from a mountain, or from a tree; Having fallen, he finds support, who does not betray his friends. 21. Like a banyan tree with spreading roots, which the wind cannot overcome; Enemies do not overcome him, who does not betray his friends. 22. Come, I will take you back, prince, to your own home; Rule the kingdom, good sir, what will you do in the forest? 23. Enough for me with that kingdom, or with relatives or wealth; If I were to obtain a kingdom, by unrighteous conduct, charioteer. 24. Let me obtain a full bowl, prince, having gone from here; My father and mother would give it to me, prince, when you have gone. 25. The royal women and the princes, the merchants and the brahmins; They too would gladly give it, prince, when you have gone. 26. Elephant riders, army officers, charioteers, foot soldiers He did; They too, delighted, would give, Prince, when you have gone. 27. Many country folk, rich in grain, And townspeople assembled; They would give me gifts, Prince, when you have gone. 28. By father and mother I am abandoned, By kingdom and by town; And by all the princes, I have no home of my own. 29. Permitted by my mother, Abandoned by my great father; Alone in the forest I have gone forth, I do not desire sensual pleasures. 30. Even for those not hurrying, The hope of fruit is fulfilled; My holy life is ripe, Know this, charioteer. 31. Even for those not hurrying, The true goal ripens; My holy life is ripe, I have gone forth, fearless. 32. Being thus eloquent, And clear in speech; Why to father and mother, Did you not speak then? 33. I am not wingless, without support, Nor deaf, without hearing; I am not mute, without a tongue, Do not consider me mute. 34. I remember a former birth, Where I ruled a kingdom; Having ruled there, I fell into a terrible hell. 35. For twenty years, I ruled that kingdom; For eighty thousand years, I burned in hell. 36. Fearing that kingdom, Lest they anoint me to kingship; Therefore, to father and mother, I did not speak then. 37. Seating me on his lap, My father instructs me in matters of state; "Kill one, bind one, One for the axe and acid; One impale on a stake," Thus he instructs. 38. Having heard those harsh words, Uttered by him; Though not mute, with the appearance of a mute, Though not wingless, like one with wings... dead; In my own urine and feces, I was submerged. 39. "Troublesome and short, and that is bound with suffering; Relying on such a life, with whom would one make enmity? 40. "Through not gaining wisdom, and not seeing the Dhamma; Relying on such a life, with whom would one make enmity? 41. "Even for those not hurrying, the desire for fruit is fulfilled; My holy life is ripe, know this, charioteer. 42. "Even for those not hurrying, the right goal ripens; My holy life is ripe, I have gone forth, fearless." 43. "I too will go forth, O prince, with you; Call me forth, good sir, the going forth pleases me." 44. "Having returned the chariot, come, charioteer, free from debt; For the going forth of one free from debt, this is praised by sages." 45. "Just as I did your word, may there be good for you; So too you should do my word, being entreated. 46. "Stay here for now, until I bring the king; Perhaps your father, seeing you, would be pleased and happy." 47. "I will do that word of yours, which you tell me, charioteer; I too wish to see my father, who has come here." 48. "Come, friend, turn back, tell my relatives of my well-being; To my mother and father, tell them my homage." 49. Taking his feet, and circling him clockwise; The charioteer mounted the chariot, and approached the royal gate. 50. "The mother, seeing the empty chariot, and the charioteer arriving alone; With eyes full of tears, weeping, she looked at him. 51. "Here comes that charioteer, having slain my son; Surely my son is slain, the enhancer of the earth. 52. "Surely enemies rejoice, surely foes are pleased; Seeing the charioteer arrived, having slain my son. 53. "The mother, seeing the empty chariot, and the charioteer arriving alone; With eyes full of tears, weeping, she questioned him. Is he mute? Is he crippled? Why did he wail then? When struck upon the ground, Tell me that, charioteer. How with hands and feet, did the mute-cripple avoid? When struck upon the ground, Tell me that, as I ask. I will tell you, lady, if you grant me safety; What I heard or saw, concerning the prince. I grant you safety, friend, Speak fearlessly, charioteer; What you heard or saw, concerning the prince. He is not mute, he is not crippled, and he is eloquent; Indeed, he is afraid of kingship, he made many pretenses. He remembers his former birth, where he ruled a kingdom; Having ruled there, he fell into a terrible hell. For twenty years, he ruled there; For eighty thousand years, he burned in hell. He is afraid of that kingship, lest they anoint him king; Therefore, to his father and mother, he did not speak then. Endowed with limbs and minor limbs, tall and well-built; Eloquent and wise, he stands on the path to heaven. If you wish to see, your son, the prince; Come, I will lead you, where Temiya resides. Harness horses to chariots, fasten the girths of elephants; Let conches and drums sound, let single-headed drums play. Let war-drums sound, let pleasant-sounding kettledrums play; Let townspeople follow me, as I go, the bringer of news of the son. And royal women, and princes, and merchants, and brahmins; Quickly harness vehicles, as I go, the bringer of news of the son. Elephant-riders, Soldiers, charioteers, foot-soldiers; Quickly harness the vehicles, the announcer of the son is going. 68. “People from the country have gathered, citizens have gathered; Quickly harness the vehicles, the announcer of the son is going.” 69. “The charioteer with the harnessed horses, swift Sindhu steeds; Approached the royal gate, ‘These horses, O King, are harnessed.’” 70. “The fat ones lose speed, the thin ones lose strength; Rejecting the thin and the fat, well-matched horses are harnessed.” 71. Then the king, in haste, having mounted the harnessed chariot; Addressed the women’s quarters, “All of you, follow me.” 72. With yak-tail whisks, turbans, swords, and white parasols; Mounted on the royal chariot, adorned with gold. 73. Then that king set forth, with the charioteer in front; Quickly he arrived, where Temiya was dwelling. 74. And seeing him approaching, shining as if with splendor; Surrounded by a retinue of warriors, Temiya spoke thus. 75. “Is all well, father? Are you free from illness, father? And are all the royal maidens, my mothers, well?” 76. “All is well with me, son, and I am free from illness, son; And all the royal maidens, your mothers, are well.” 77. “Are you not a drinker, father? Is liquor unpleasant to you? Does your mind delight in truth, in Dhamma, and in giving?” 78. “I am not a drinker, son, and liquor is unpleasant to me; And my mind delights in truth, in Dhamma, and in giving.” 79. “Is your equipment healthy? Does your vehicle carry well? Are there no diseases for you, afflicting your body?” 80. “My equipment is healthy, and my vehicle carries well; And there are no diseases for me, afflicting my body.” Are your borders prosperous, And your middle parts thick?