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Having heard that, the Brahmin, giving great gifts to the Sangha of monks according to the rule stated by him, and protecting morality, lived for a long time, and in the latter part, having passed away from there, was reborn in the world of the gods. 14. Thus, even the poor, content with wealth, Do not abandon the lineage of giving; Therefore, O good sirs, while there is something to be given, Do not be negligent in giving. The story of the Moriya Brahmin, the sixth. 37. In the story of the son, this is the sequential narrative: It is said that at one time about sixty monks dwelling on the island of Lanka, wishing to worship the Great Jaya Bodhi tree, having consulted together, embarked on a ship at Mahatittha and, having reached Jambudipa, disembarked at Tamalitti port and gradually p They arrived at the city of Pāṭaliputta. Then, while those monks were wandering for alms in that city, they saw a poor man. He, delighted, thinking, "I have seen the sons of the Buddha after a long time," called his wife and said, "My dear, I wish to give alms to these venerable ones. Because we did not make merit in the past, we are now born poor. If we do not plant seeds in these fields of merit, we will be just like this again," and asked, "What is there in our house to give?" Hearing that, she said, "Master, I do not see anything in the house to give to the venerable ones. However, I can kill my son and give alms." Hearing her words, he said, "My dear, what alms can we give by killing our son?" Hearing that, she said, "Master, do you not know? When our son is dead, relatives, friends, and companions who are well-acquainted will come to our house, bringing some gifts. We will give alms with those gifts." When she had spoken, the lay follower said, "Good, do so," and placed the burden on the mother. She, unable to bear to kill her son, said, "Thus it is." 1. "A son obtained with difficulty, speaking sweetly, 'Mother, mother!' With dark blue eyes and beautiful eyebrows, who would want to part with him?" 2. "Even while being killed by his mother, he cries only for his mother. I cannot bear to kill him; my heart trembles." And thus saying, "Master, I cannot kill my son. You kill him," she sent the son to his father. Then he, also unable to kill him, said thus. For it was said: 3. "Sons are called 'sons' because they protect their father from suffering. Sons are always a source of happiness, heirs to their father's suffering." 4. "Therefore, my dear, I cannot separate this child, like me, with sweet speech, from life." 5. "A son-killer obtains disgrace and ill-repute, and willingly experiences the deed of taking life." And thus saying, he sent him back, saying, "You yourself kill your son." When he had spoken thus, the mother, with a mind tormented by the desire to kill, Seeking a way to kill him, they said, "We cannot kill him. Behind our house is a large anthill, In it lives a Nāga king. We will send the boy there, He will bite and kill him." Thinking, "This is the way," They called the boy, Adorned him with bracelets and bangles, Placed a ball in his hand, And sent him, saying, "Dear, go to the anthill behind the house and play." Then the boy went, Playing with the ball, He dropped the ball into the anthill hole. Then, thinking, "I will take the ball," He put his hand into the anthill opening. Then the serpent, angered, Making a hissing sound, Raised its head from the hole, Making a large hood, And stood looking, Like a noose slipped from the boy's hand. Then the boy, knowing nothing, Firmly grasped the serpent's neck. Then, by the power of his parents' faith, The Nāga king dropped an eight-faceted, Wish-fulfilling jewel-necklace Into the boy's hand. The boy's parents, standing at the door, Watching his actions, Seeing the jewel-necklace, Quickly went, Lifted up their son, And took the jewel-necklace from his hand. Then they placed the jewel-necklace On a pure seat, Made offerings, And exclaimed, "Give us this and that!" Then, by the power of the jewel-necklace, They had a large pavilion built at the house entrance, Decorated the pavilion with canopies, Prepared seats for the monks, Seated about sixty monks, And gave a great alms-giving. Then the townspeople, Hearing of the jewel-necklace's power, Gathered together. Then, in their midst, They proclaimed the gaining of the jewel-necklace By the power of their own faith, And, "We will give this for alms-giving!" Establishing it in one place, By that power, Giving alms and keeping precepts as long as they lived, At the end of their lives, They were reborn in the deva world. 6. Having cut off affection even for relatives, They give alms here. Just so; Who indeed, though rich, would not give, Remembering that giving bears fruit? The Seventh Story: About Sons. 38. This sequential story concerns the three brothers who sold honey. It is said that in the past, in Bārāṇasī, three brothers, working together, sold honey and supported their wives and children. Of them, one would go to the border regions and buy honey from the inhabitants of the Malaya mountains. Another would bring the honey that had been bought to the city. The third would sit in Bārāṇasī and sell the honey that had been brought. At that time, on Mount Gandhamādana, a Paccekabuddha was afflicted with a skin disease. Then another Paccekabuddha, knowing that he would recover with honey, while still on Mount Gandhamādana, put on his robe, went through the air, descended at the city gate, and stood looking around, wondering where he could obtain honey. At that time, a maidservant, earning her living by working in another family, was going to the bathing place to fetch water with a pot. Stepping aside from the road, she placed the pot down, paid homage, and stood to one side. Then the Paccekabuddha asked her, "Sister, where can honey be obtained for those who go about for alms?" Hearing his words, she stood at the place indicating the honey shop, stretched out her hand, and showed him, saying, "Venerable sir, that is the honey shop." Thinking, "If this Paccekabuddha does not obtain honey from the shop, I will give my garment and give him honey," she stood there looking around. Then the Paccekabuddha, wandering in due order, arrived at the honey shop. Then the householder, seeing him, took the bowl from his hand, placed it on a stand, took the honey pot, and as he was pouring it into the bowl, he suddenly overturned it. Then the honey, filling the bowl as it flowed, again spilled onto the ground. Seeing that, the joyful merchant made this wish: Thus it was said in the Great Chronicle. 1. There, the merchant, delighted, From his mouth, extolling the Buddha's bowl, Gave a bowlful of honey. 2. Full, overflowing, And spilled upon the earth, Seeing the honey, pleased, He then made this wish. 3. In Jambudīpa, sole sovereignty, May it be mine through this gift; Authority in the sky for a league, And on the earth for a league. Having spoken thus, he gave the bowl, and the Paccekabuddha, having received the bowl, stood right there. 4. May your wish, your desire, Be quickly fulfilled; May all your heart's intentions be fulfilled, Like the moon on the fifteenth day. 5. May your wish, your desire, Be completely fulfilled; May all your heart's intentions be fulfilled, Like the radiance of a jewel. Having spoken, increasing the blessing, he departed. Then, a maidservant standing along the way, going towards the Paccekabuddha, asked, "Did you receive honey, Venerable Sir?" When he said, "It was received, sister," she asked, "What did he say when he gave it?" The Paccekabuddha told everything. Hearing that, "Wait a moment, Venerable Sir, for the sake of compassion for your servant," she quickly went home, washed her own garment, a worn-out rag, brought it, made it into a filter, and gave it to the Paccekabuddha, saying, "When that giver of honey reigns as sole sovereign in all Jambudīpa, may I be his chief queen," making her wish, she spoke thus. 6. When that honey-giver, Venerable Sir, Becomes a king on earth; Then may I be, Venerable Sir, His beloved chief queen. 7. Of beautiful form and sweet voice, Of good fame, virtuous, lovely; May I be his beloved, Pleasing and granting desires always. Then the Paccekabuddha, saying "May it be so" to her as well, increasing the blessing, went by air to Gandhamādana. Then, later, those three, having come together, asking "Where is that honey pot?" he, having spoken of the deed done by himself, said, "If you approve of the offering in that bowl, it is good. If not..." "Take this honey cake from my hand," he said, but they replied, "We have no need of honey." When asked, "What kind of gift is this?" he, hearing it, said, "These Paccekabuddhas are named, they live in Gandhamādana, wearing robes, they wander for alms from family to family, they are peaceful, virtuous." Then the elder said, "Brahmins and outcastes also wear robes and wander. I think this must be an outcaste." The middle one, angered, said, "Throw your Paccekabuddha into the ocean!" Then, hearing their talk, the honey-giver, "Do not speak harshly to the noble ones, the mighty, the powerful Paccekabuddhas! Are you not afraid of the suffering of hell?" and in many ways, he restrained them and proclaimed their virtues. Hearing that, both of them, with pleased minds, approved, saying, "Good!" Later, having died, wandering among gods and humans, experiencing great wealth here and there, after two hundred years from the Parinibbāna of our Teacher, they were reborn in their respective places of attainment. Therefore it was said: 8. Asoka was the honey-giver, Sandhi, Mittādevī was the maidservant; The outcaste-speaker was Nigrodha, Tissa was the one who spoke against others. Among them, the outcaste-speaker, the elder merchant, was reborn as the son of Sumanakumāra, the eldest son of King Bindusāra. This is the connected story of that.