English
By that gift of life, he was reborn in the world of the gods, surrounded by thousands of divine nymphs in a great golden mansion, enjoying divine bliss. Then Somadatta the Brahmin thought, "This one saved me from impending death!" and having given alms for his sake, he shared the merit. Immediately, he had even greater divine power and divine glory. Then that Soma, looking at his own divine glory, saw the gift of his life to his friend. Having seen this, abandoning his own form, in the guise of a young man, he approached Somadatta the Brahmin, exchanged greetings, revealed his rebirth in the world of the gods, and taking him by his power to the world of the gods, said, "Enjoy wealth as you please!" Having given him divine glory for seven days, on the seventh day, he led him and established him in his own house. There, indeed, the divine bliss experienced, Makes human prosperity repulsive. Then, remembering that divine bliss, He became thin, weak, pale and wan. Then one day, the divine being, looking at him, Seeing him so afflicted, thinking, "A human cannot experience divine bliss," Gave him a wish-fulfilling gem, A giver of desired prosperity. And his wife, by his power, He made beautiful, famous, radiant, Surpassing the beauty of human women. Afterwards, that couple, Having directly seen the glory of divine bliss, Giving alms, keeping precepts, Were reborn in the presence of their friend, the divine being. 4. By the gentle, the mind is delighted, by the benefactor, Even life is given, thinking thus, Do not be a betrayer of a friend, O people, Be always praised by the virtuous. The tenth story is about one who gave up his life for a friend. The second chapter is Nandiyarāja. The chapter on the Deceived by a Yakkha 21. In the story of the Deceived by a Yakkha, this is the introductory tale: After the Blessed One had passed away, in the kingdom of the Kosala king, there was a village named Tuṇḍagāma. There lived a man named Buddhadāsa, who, "as long as I live, I go to the Buddha for refuge. The Buddha is my refuge, protection, shelter, and ultimate resort," thus, for the duration of his life, he lived going to the Buddha for refuge. At that time, a villager wandering here and there, arrived at that Tuṇḍagāma and took up residence in his house. Now, a yakkha had possessed and was tormenting that villager. When he entered that village, the yakkha, unable to enter the house of Buddhadāsa because of the power of the virtues of the follower, released him and stayed outside the village for a week, watching for his departure. Then that villager, having stayed there for seven days, on the seventh day, wanting to go to his own country, left the village. Then the yakkha, seeing him leaving in that way, seized him. Then he, for so long, "Where have you been?" he asked. "Sir, seven days have passed for me living here for your sake," said the Yakkha. Then he said, "What do you need from me? What shall I give you?" The Yakkha replied, "Sir, I am afflicted by hunger; I need food." He said, "If that is so, why don't you seize me while I am living inside the house?" The Yakkha replied, "Sir, there is a lay follower in that house who has gone to the Buddha for refuge. Unable to enter the house because of his moral virtue, I stood outside." The villager, not knowing what refuge was, asked, "How did he take refuge?" The Yakkha said, "He took refuge by saying, 'I go to the Buddha for refuge.'" Hearing that, the villager thought, "Now I will deceive this one." So he said, "Well then, Yakkha, I too will go to the Buddha for refuge." As soon as he said this, the Yakkha, making a great noise, fled, scattering in fear. Thus, refuge in the Perfectly Enlightened One is for the sake of warding off fear and misfortune in this world, and it leads to heaven and liberation in the next. Thus: 1. This word "Buddha," Is a bringer of fear to non-humans; To beings devoted to the Buddha, It always brings joy. 2. For the destruction of all misfortunes, A visible divine medicine; A divine mantra, greatly powerful, A great charm, greatly wondrous. 3. Therefore, that fierce Yakkha, Seeing him established in refuge; Terrified and stricken with fear, With hair standing on end, and trembling. 4. Seeing him fleeing, running, Like darkness at the rising of the sun, Like silk-cotton scattered, Torn apart by a fierce wind. 5. Whatever suffering from kings, thieves, enemies, Yakkhas, ghosts, or misfortunes; For the blameless person, The Triple Refuge should be taken. Then the villager, seeing the great qualities and great benefits in taking refuge, went to the Buddha with reverence and love, "For as long as I live, I go to the Buddha for refuge." By the power of that taking of refuge, at the end of his life, he was reborn in the world of the gods, as if awakened from sleep. 6. Having seen thus one gone for refuge, They depart, even the Yakkhas, with great fear; Therefore, protect virtue and refuge, Abandon evil, embrace the path to bliss. The story of the deceived Yakkha, the first. 22. This sequential story concerns a person with wrong views: It is said that when the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, there lived a brahmin devotee with wrong views, and in the same place, one with right views. Both of them had two sons. Playing together, they grew up. Later, while playing marbles, the son of the one with right views, saying "Homage to the Buddha," would win every day when throwing the marble. The son of the one with wrong views, saying "Homage to Brahmā," would lose. Then, the son of the one with wrong views, seeing the boy with right views always winning, asked, "Friend, you always win, what do you say when you throw the marble?" He replied, "Friend, I say 'Homage to the Buddha' when I throw." From then on, he too, saying "Homage to the Buddha," would throw, and then they were mostly equal in the game. Later, the son of the one with wrong views, going to the forest with his father to collect wood, returned with the wood in a cart. Near the city gate, he unyoked the cart and released the oxen to graze on the grass. While the oxen were grazing, they entered the city along with other cattle. Then, his father, looking for the oxen, sent his son back to watch the cart and entered the city. As evening fell, the people closed the city gate, and the boy, lying under the wood cart outside the city, fell asleep. Then, that night, two Yakkhas, one with right views and one with wrong views, searching for prey, saw the boy lying under the cart. Among them, the one with wrong views said, "I will eat him." The other said, "Do not do that, he is one who says 'Homage to the Buddha.'" Saying, "I will eat him anyway," even though the other forbade him three times, he went to the boy. He seized him by the feet and dragged him. At that moment, the boy, due to past familiarity, said, "Namo Buddhāya." Hearing that, the Yaksha, filled with fear and with his hair standing on end, released his hand and stepped back. Oh, wonderful is the power of the Buddha, amazing! Even when one's own self is not yet under threat, the mere utterance of "Namo Buddhāya" due to familiarity prevents fear, trembling, or harm. How much more so for one who, having brought himself under threat, goes to the Buddha for refuge for life! Thus it was said: 1. Just as the peacock's cry is a terror to snakes, So the word "Buddha" is a terror to non-humans. 2. Just as evil vanishes with the muttering of a mantra, So with the word "Buddha," the goblins flee. 3. Just as wax melts from afar at the sight of fire, So do ghosts and spirits flee from afar at the sight of one who has gone for refuge. 4. The excellent word "Buddha," these two amazing syllables, Are a strong, impenetrable wall for the destruction of all troubles. 5. It is a seven-jeweled palace, a diamond cave, It is a boat, an island, a shield, beautiful. 6. It shines on the head as a jeweled crown, A beautiful mark on the forehead, camphor for the two eyes. 7. Earrings in the earlobes, a beautiful golden necklace on the neck, A single strand, a star necklace, adorn the shoulders. 8. Armlets on the upper arms, bracelets on the wrists, Rings on the fingers, and a sword, auspiciously regarded. 9. A golden parasol, a turban, a bow with arrows, It is all adornment, it destroys all evil. 10. Therefore, a wise person, Having gone for refuge to the Teacher, the eye of the world, Should contemplate his qualities, which invite one to "come and see." 11. The word "Namo" first, then the utterance "Buddhāya," Was spoken by the boy Supanta, son of a follower of wrong views. 12. Having heard it spoken, the goblins, delighting in human corpses, Do not harm. Oh, Buddha, how great is the essence of your qualities! Then, one with right view... A yaksha said this to a yaksha with wrong views, "What you have done is improper. You have struck at the virtues of the Buddha, you must pay the penalty." When asked, "How should I pay?", he said, "Give food to the hungry." Then he agreed, saying, "While I am gone, you stay here," and bringing delicious food grown in a golden bowl for King Bimbisāra, he fed the child, resembling the father, and wrote on the bowl the words spoken by the child about the Buddha and his own efforts, thinking, "Let this be shown to the king," and they left. Then, at dawn, when the king was about to eat, the royal servants, not seeing the bowl there, searched the city and saw the child and the bowl in a cart, and taking them with the bowl, they showed them to the king. The king, seeing the letters on the bowl, had them read and, pleased with his virtues, bestowed upon him the position of treasurer with great honor. 13. The name of the Jina in a dream, Fear does not arise from uttering it; Therefore, constantly remember the Sage, Remembering his virtues, attain refuge. The second story of the one with wrong views. 23. In the story of the footstool, this is the sequential account: