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" THE PUNISHMENT OF CUPIDITY THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MALLARD I ILLUSTRATING THE PUNISHMENT OF CUPIDITY And it came to pass that the Buddha (to be) was born a Brahmin, and growing up was married to a bride of his own rank, who bore him three daughters. After his death he was born again as a Golden Mallard, and he determined to give his golden feathers one at a time to enable his wife and daughters to live in comfort. So away he flew to where they dwelt, and alighted on the central beam of the roof. Seeing the Bodisat, the wife and girls asked where he had come from, and he told them that he was their father who had died and been born a Golden Mallard, and that he had come to bring them help. " You shall have my golden feathers, one by one," he said. 117 118 THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MALLARD He gave them one and departed. From time to time he returned to give them another feather, and they became quite wealthy. But one day the mother said : " There's no trusting animals, my children. Who's to say your father might not go away one of these days and never return ? Let us use our time, and pluck him clean the next time lie comes, so as to make sure of all his feathers." Thinking this would pain him, the daughters refused. The mother in her greed plucked the Mallard herself, and as she plucked them against his wish, they ceased to be golden and became like a crane's feathers. His wings grew again, but they were plain white ; he flew away to his own abode and never came back. Origin of the " Goose that laid the Golden Eggs.1' Pali word for golden goose is Hansa — whence Gans, goose. THE POWER OF SORROW TO ENLARGE SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING THE BUDDHA AS PHYSICIAN OR COMFORTER : ILLUSTRATING THE POWER OF SORROW TO ENLARGE SYMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING Kisagotami is the name of a young girl, whose marriage with the only son of a wealthy man was brought about in true fairy-tale fashion. She had one child, but when the beautiful boy could run alone, it died. The young girl in her love for it carried the dead child clasped to her bosom, and went from house to house of her pitying friends asking them to give her medicine for it. But a Buddhist mendicant, thinking, " She does not understand," said to her : " My good girl, I myself have no such medicine as you ask for, but I think I know of one who has." " Oh, tell me who that is !" said Kisagotami. " The Buddha can give you medicine : go to him," was the answer. She went to Gautama, and doing homage 121 122 THE BUDDHA AS COMFORTER to him, said : " Lord and Master, do you know any medicine that will be good for my child ? " " Yes, I know of some," said the Teacher. Now it was the custom for patients or their friends to provide the herbs which the doctors required, so she asked what herbs he would want. " I want some mustard-seed," he said ; and when the poor girl eagerly promised to bring some of so common a drug, he added : " You must get it from some house where no son, or husband, or parent, or slave has died." "Very good," she said, and went to ask for it, still carrying her dead child with her. The people said : " Here is mustard-seed, take it." But when she asked, " In my friend's house has any son died, or a husband, or a parent, or slave ? " they answered : " Lady ! what is this that thou sayest ; the living are few, but the dead are many." Then she went to other houses, but one said : " I have lost a son " ; another, " We have lost our parents " ; another, " I have lost my slave." At last, not being able to find a single house where no one had died, her mind began to clear, and, summoning up resolution, she left the dead body of her child in a forest, THE POWER OF SORROW 123 and returning to the Buddha paid him homage. He said to her : " Have you the mustard- seed ? " " My Lord," she replied, " I have not ; the people tell me that the living are few, but the dead are many." Then he talked to her on that essential part of his system — the impermanency of all things, till her doubts were cleared away, and, accepting her lot, she became a disciple and entered the first Path. The following lines, ascribed to some of her Sisters in the Order and given in the Psalms (translated by Mrs Rhys Davids), would apply to Kisagotami : — " Lo ! from my heart the hidden shaft is gone, The shaft that nestled there hath he removed ; And that consuming grief for my dear child, Which poisoned all the life of me, is dead. To-day my heart is healed, my yearning stayed, Perfected the deliverance wrought in me.11 GENERAL NOTE All the Stories, except the last, which refers to the Historical Buddha, are told of the Buddha (To Be), or the Bodhisatta. I have been earful to indicate this in the titles to the several Stories, but have not thought it necessary to explain the title in the course of each Story. Nos. %, 3, J/,, 5, 6, 9, 10, l.'i, 15, 16, 17 have been used by kind permission of the Cambridge Press ; 7, 8, 11, l.J, 13, 18 by hind permission of Dr Rhys Davids. NOTES ON THE STORIES 125 NOTES ON THE STORIES 1. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS LION This is the only story I have completely re-adapted for quite small children, and I have found it among the most popular. I often tell it in connection with Hans C. Andersen's story of the " Scandal in the Poultry Yard," of which the subject is practically the same : the first being simple and direct, the second veiled in crentle satire. 126 NOTES ON THE STORIES 2. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS ONE OF THE GODS In this story, if it is considered injudicious to tell children of the hypocrisy of the teacher and the priest, the title of the man could be left out. For my part, and from experience as a teacher, I have always found it wise to admit and condemn the same faults in teachers and preachers as in the laity, but to point out to the children that those same faults are the more reprehensible because of the profession which is degraded by such people as the false priest. NOTES ON THE STORIES 127 3. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS HARE In this story it may be necessary to make a few words of comment on the point of view of the Buddha which might not be quite intelligible to the child. The fact, that though he was ready to sacrifice his own body he had a care for the tiny insects which might perish with him, has much significance in the story scheme. It shows not only the letter of the law but the spirit of the love which prompted him to act. 128 NOTES ON THE STORIES 4. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS OSPREY This story should be told as dramatically as possible, because it is full of action and will hold the children quite breathless. The little touch of the lion object- ing at first to be roused at an unreasonable hour is delightfully human, and the fact that when he realises the necessity he is readv to help, is worthy of his high position among the animals. NOTES ON THE STORIES 129 5. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS KING This story may seem at first to be above the plane of the child. I should not commend it for very young children, who would be inclined to dwell on the physical suffering, but older children (whether in years or under- standing) will be able to appreciate the beauty of the sacrifice and the exceeding greatness of the reward. 130 NOTES ON THE STORIES 6. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS PARROT The dramatic interest of this story appeals to all ages. I have found quite young children enthralled by the adventures of the parrot. I take exception to the lack of poetic justice in the kinsfolk sharing the parrot's reward — but it was necessary to the Buddha's happiness, and if children should raise the question, I should explain it on that ground. NOTES ON THE STORIES 131 7. THE BUDDHA (TO BE) AS MERCHANT For encouraging a spirit of enterprise, and courage under difficulties, this is an admirable story. I think both boys and girls will apply it (unconsciously) in their everyday undertakings, but this will depend largely on the manner in which it is told : it must appeal to the imagination through the dramatic presentation. 182 NOTES ON THE STORIES 8.