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they lived there. Then a man living in Bārāṇasī, entering the forest, searching for water in the same way, reached that place, and seeing those three, with a trembling heart, tied a basket with vines, put it on a rope, lowered it, and lifted those three out. Then, delighted, they said to him, "Sir, you have given us life. Master, we have gained life through you. From now on, you are our friend, and we are your friends. You must come to our dwelling places." Among them, the young crow said, "Sir, in Bārāṇasī, at the southern gate, there is a great banyan tree. I live there. When you have such a need, come to me and make the sound 'suva'." Having established firm friendship, he departed. The snake also said, "Master, not far from that same banyan tree, there is a large anthill. I live there. When you have a need, come there and make the sound 'dīgha'." Having said so, he departed in the same way. The man also said, "In Bārāṇasī, in such-and-such street, in such-and-such house, I live. When you have a need of me..." Saying "come to me," he departed. Then, later, that helpful man, when his business arose, thinking, "I will go to my friend," according to the agreement, went and stood at the foot of the banyan tree. He made a sound like a parrot. Hearing that, the young parrot quickly came, exchanged greetings with him, and said, "Why have you come after so long? Tell me the reason for your arrival." He said, "Friend, unable to live, I have entrusted my children and wife to my relatives and have come to you." The young parrot said, "Good, friend, well done by you coming to me. You have given me life. I too should find a way for you to live. Until I return, rest here a little." Saying this, he departed, seeking a way to live. At that time, the king of Bārāṇasī, having left the city, entered a well-decorated garden, and having played with his retinue, at midday, seeing a beautiful lotus pond marked with five lotus symbols, desiring to bathe, he removed all his ornaments and entrusted them to the royal attendants and descended to bathe. Then the young parrot arrived at that place, hidden in a branch, seeing the negligence of the royal attendants, bit the king's pearl necklace, flew into the sky, and quickly came and gave it to his friend, saying, "Eat these berries carefully." Then he, taking it, thinking, "Where shall I return this?" thought, "I have a friend living in the inner city. I will leave it with him." Approaching him as agreed, seeing him, having made a friendly greeting, revealing the help done by the young parrot, said, "Keep this pearl necklace safe," and gave it. At that moment, the king, having bathed and been anointed, while putting on his ornaments, did not see the pearl necklace. Then the royal attendants, searching among the inner and outer retinue, not finding the pearl necklace, had a proclamation made in the city: "Whoever finds the pearl necklace, the king will give him great fame." Hearing that, that treacherous friend thought, "I am the one..." Thinking, "Why shouldn't I give the pearl necklace to the king and live happily? What's the use of this?" that ungrateful man, disregarding the help done for him, approached the king's men and told them that the pearl necklace was kept with him, "Sirs, a man left a pearl necklace with me." Such is association with an unprincipled person, thus: 1. Just as a neem tree, nurtured, With honey and milk, watered ten times; Does not become sweet, so it is, Kindness to the wicked is futile. 2. Even if a spurge tree is grown, Carrying water on the head; It does not become sweet, so it is, Kindness to the wicked is futile. 3. As a peacock, always, Nurtured with milk and water; Turns it into poison, so it is, Kindness to the base is. 4. Just as fire made by oneself, Surely does not give coolness; So kindness done to the base, Like fire, burns the body. 5. Therefore, having examined well, With intelligence, through signs; Friendship should be made by beings, For the unfriendly find no happiness. Then, at the words of that betrayer of a friend, the king's men, having seized the pearl necklace and the man with the goods, showed them to the king. Then the king, seeing the thief with the goods, angrily ordered, "Take this man and impale him on the life-stake at the south gate!" The king's men, carrying out his order, went. As the man was being led away, having remembered his snake friend and thinking, "Perhaps some safety might come from him," seeing the anthill according to the previously agreed signal, he cried out, "Greetings, long one!" That snake, emerging from the anthill, seeing him being led away like that, agitated and distressed, thinking, "Today, support for my friend is certainly fitting," having reassured him, abandoning his own form, and assuming another guise, approached the king's men and firmly said, "Do not kill this man for a moment!" and in a moment, going to the queen's residence, having bitten the queen with snake poison, and while she was unconscious from that poison, in human form, he said, "I know the antidote for poison." Having said this, he went to his friend immediately, and said, "Go to the king's kitchen in the morning, strike the queen's body with a pot of water, and make her unconscious." Then he departed. Then the king, seeking a poison doctor, heard that news, and ordered, "Bring the one who is liable for punishment," and said, "Make the queen unconscious." He made her unconscious in the manner told by the Nāga king. She became happy and healthy. The king, seeing that, pleased, made a great honor to him with gifts of fields, land, vehicles, and so on. Then he approached the king and revealed everything he had done. That was said by him. 6. "Once, O great king, I went to the forest for some work; A young parrot, had fallen into a large enclosure. 7. Then a sheep, a man, suffering, overcome by hunger, I lifted up with compassion; Those three then spoke to me. 8. 'You gave us life, you helped us; When a task arises for you, come to us.' 9. Thus spoken by them, I went to the parrot; By him I was helped, and also by the man. 10. Then, about to die, I saw the king of serpents; He gave me life, I obtained abundant wealth. 11. A good person should not be despised, even if small, O king; The parrot and the serpent, are established in the law of friendship. 12. This man is knowledgeable of reasons, of the same kind as us; A helper, yet he has become a vile man. 13. Gods get angry unexpectedly, and are pleased without cause; Morality is the cause for the immoral, for the ignorant fools. 14. Even among men, O great king, some are not trustworthy; Even animals can be, with honest minds, without deceit." Thus he told his story. The king, hearing that, pleased, ordered, "Build a large house for this man, and provide great maintenance." But he said, "Build my house between the banyan tree and the anthill," and having it built thus, living there, attending to the king, with those friends. Living together in harmony, until the end of their lives, and at the end of their days, they went according to their deeds. 15. More than falling from happiness, or losing wealth, friends are the greatest support, to their companions. For a friendless person, there is no growth, cultivate great wholesome deeds, with good friends. The third story is about three people. 4. This sequential story in the Buddheni's story: It is said that in Jambudīpa, formerly in the city of Pāṭaliputta, there was a wealthy merchant family with eighty-seven crores of buried treasure. That merchant had only one daughter, named Buddhenī. When she was seven years old, her parents passed away. All the property in that family belonged to her. She was beautiful, pleasing, endowed with supreme beauty, resembling a celestial nymph, and was beloved and agreeable. Faithful, devoted, and committed to the Triple Gem, she resided there. In that city, the chief minister, the commander-in-chief, the viceroy, and others, desiring her as their consort, sent messengers with gifts. Hearing this, she thought, "My parents died, leaving behind all their wealth. I should not do the same. What is the use of marrying? It only leads to the destruction of wealth. It is fitting that I should invest this wealth in the Buddha's dispensation." Thinking thus, she rejected them, saying, "I have no need of a husband." From then on, she initiated great almsgiving, satisfying ascetics and brahmins. Hence it is said: 1. Her house was like a place of drink, for the Jinas, knowers of the three worlds, who came from the four directions. Because of the desired gain of requisites, it was like a wish-fulfilling tree, of great power. 2. Adorned with garlands of flowers, rows of lamps were lit, and good discourses were given. Adorned with virtuous ascetics, seated on comfortable seats, her alms hall was a giver of boons. 3. With hands washed clean, and a pure mind, always respectful, protecting the five precepts, Buddhenī by name, compassionate, foremost in virtue, gave excellent great alms, worthy of praise. Then, later on, one... A horse-dealer, going to and fro for horse-trading, came and took up residence in her house. Then that merchant, seeing her, established daughterly affection, and became helpful to her with perfumes, garlands, clothes, ornaments, and so on. At the time of departure, he said, "Mother, take a horse you like from these horses." She, looking at the horses, saw a Sindh colt and said, "Give me this one." The merchant said, "Mother, this is a Sindh colt; be careful and take good care of it," and after handing it over, he departed. She, taking care of it, knowing its ability to travel in the sky, carefully tended to it, thinking thus, "I have found a companion for doing meritorious deeds." And the Great Bodhi Tree land of victory, where the Buddha, having vanquished the army of Mara, had never been visited by me before.