The Bodhisatta, the clever king of the monkeys
"ááááźáŹááŤá¸ááášáąáᏠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áąááşáŹáášááášá¸"
In past times, there was a thick forest on a certain spot. And in the lake there dwelt a water-ogre who used to devour everyone who went down into the water. In those days the Bodhisatta had come to life as the king of the monkeys, and was as big as the fawn of a deer ; he lived in that forest at the head of a troop of no less than eighty thousand monkeys whom he shielded from harm.
áąáá˝á¸áĄááŤá áąáááá ášááŻááźááš áąááŹáĄáŻáášáá ášáĄáŻáášáá˝ááá˛áˇáá áááŻáąááŹáĄáŻáášáá˝á áąáááášáá˛ááźááš áąáááŽáá°á¸áá ášáąááŹááš áá˝ááá˛áˇááášá áá°áááš áąááá˛ááášá¸ááŹááá˝áş áááąááŤáááŻáášá¸ááᯠá áŹá¸áąááŹáášáąááˇáá˝ááá áááŻáĄááşááášá ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áąááşáŹáášááášá¸áááááŻá áąááŹáášáá˝ááąááá˛áˇááášá áąááşáŹáášááášá¸áááš áááášáąááŤáášáá ášáąááŹáášá áĄááźáášáĄá áŹá¸áááŹáááášá áááŻáášáááśáŹážááŽá¸ááŹá¸áá ááášá¸áááš áĄáąááŹáášáąá áá˝á ášáąááŹáášá¸áąááşáŹášáá˝ááąáᏠáąááşáŹáášáĄáŻáášá áŻá áĄážááŽá¸áĄáá˛áĄáťáá áš áááŻáąááşáŹáášáĄáąááŤáášá¸ááᯠáĄáá˛ááŹáášáá˝ áĄááŹáĄááźáášáąáá¸áᏠáááŻáąááŹáá˛ááźááš áąááááŻáášáá˛áˇááášá
Thus one day he did counsel his subjects;â''My friends, in this forest there are trees that are poisonous and lakes that are haunted by ogres. Mind to ask me first before you either eat any fruit which you have not eaten before, or drink of any water where you have not drunk before." "Certainly," said they readily.
á¤áááŻááąáááŹááášá¸ áá ášáąááááźááš áąááşáŹáášááášá¸á ááá áĽáá ášááášááᯠáĄážááśáťááłá "áááášáąááźáááŻá ááŽáąááŹášáá˛áá˝áŹ áĄá ááášáá˝ááá˛áˇ áĄááášáąááźáá˝áááášá ááŽáá°á¸áąááź ááášá¸á áŹá¸áá˛áˇ áąáááášáąááźáá˝áááášá áá áŹá¸áá°á¸áá˛áˇáá ášááŽá¸ááᯠá áŹá¸ááášá ááąááŹáášáá°á¸áá˛áˇáąáááŹá áąáááᯠáąááŹáášááášáááŻáááš áá˝áźáášáášáŻáášááᯠáąáá¸áááŻá ááááááŤ"á áąááşáŹáášáąááźá "ááŻáášáá˛áˇááŤ" áᯠááááŻáášá¸áááź áťááášáąáťááŹážáááášá
One day they came to a spot they had never visited before. As they were searching for water to drink after their day's wanderings, they came on this lake. But they did not drink ; on the contrary they sat down watching for the coming of the Bodhisatta.
áá ášáąáá ááááš ááášá¸áááŻáááąááŹáášáá°á¸áąáᏠáąáááŹáááŻá áąááŹáášááŹáá˛áˇážááá áá ášáąáááŻááš áá˝áášáˇááášááźáŹá¸ááŹáťááŽá¸áąááŹááš áąááŹáášáąááá˝áŹáąááźááášá¸ áááŻáąáááášáááŻá áąááŹáášááŹáá˛áˇááášá ááášá¸áááŻááááš áąáááąááŹáášážááᲠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áĄááŹááᯠáąá áŹáášáˇáąáááášá¸ áááŻáášáąááá˛áˇážáááášá
When he came up, he said, " Well, my friends, why don't you drink ?
" We waited for you to come."
" Quite right, my friends," said the Bodhisatta. Then he made a circuit of the lake, and scrutinized the footprints round, with the result that he found that all the footsteps led down into the water and none came up again.
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áąááŹáášááŹáąááŹáĄá፠áá°á "áąáĄáŹáš áááášáąááźáááŻááááášá¸ ááŹáťáá
ášáááŻá áąáááąááŹáášážáááŹáá˛" áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻáá
"áá˝áźáášáąááŹášáááŻá ááášááşáŹá¸áĄááŹááᯠáąá
áŹáášáˇáąáážáááŹááŤ"
"áąá
áŹáášáˇáąááᏠáááášáá˝áášááŹáąááŤáˇ áááášáąááźáááŻá" áᯠááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášááąáťááŹáááŻáťááŽá¸ áąáááášááᯠááášáąáá˝áşáŹáášáťááŽá¸ ááášááášááášáá˝ áąáťáááŹááşáŹá¸ááᯠáąá
áˇáąá
áˇá
áášá
ááš ážááášáˇááá
á
ášáąáá¸áááŻáášááášá á
á
ášáąáá¸ááşáášáĄá áąááá˛ááášá¸ááźáŹá¸áąáᏠáąáťáááŹááşáŹá¸ááŹáá˝ááťááŽá¸ áťááášááášááŹáąáᏠáąáťáááŹááşáŹá¸ááá˝ááąážááŹáášá¸ áąááźááááŻáášáááášá
"Without doubt," thought he to himself, "this is the haunt of an ogre." So he said to his followers, "You are quite right, my friends, in not drinking of this water ; for the lake is haunted by an ogre."
"á፠ááŽáá°á¸ áááłáááá°ááášá¸á áŹá¸ááŹá¸ááŹáá˛á ááśáááťáá ášá ááŹááᯠááááŻáá°á¸" áᯠáá ášáááŻáášááášá¸áąááźá¸áąááŹáᏠáąááŹáášáááŻáášááşáŹá¸ááᯠ"ááášáááŻá áąáááąááŹáášáᲠáąá áŹáášáˇáąááᏠááśáŻá¸á áá˝áášááźáŹá¸áááš áááášáąááźáááŻáá ááŽáąáááášá ááŽáá°á¸ááášá¸á áŹá¸áááš" áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻáášááášá
When the water-ogre realised that they were not entering his domain, he assumed the shape of a horrible monster with a blue belly, a white face, and bright- red hands and feet ; in this shape he came out from the water, and said, "Why are you seated here"? Go down into the lake and drink."
áąáááŽáá°á¸áááš ááášá¸á áááŻáášá¸ááášáá˛áááŻá áąááşáŹáášááşáŹá¸ááášáááŹáąážááŹáášá¸ áááá˝áááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ ááášá¸áááŻáášáťááŹáťáᏠááşáášáá˝áŹáťáá´áťáá´ áąáťááááš ááŽáá˛áá˛áá˝áášáˇ áąážááŹáášááášááźáášáᏠááŽáá°á¸áĄááźááš ááášááášá¸áááŻáášáá áááŻáĄááźáášáťááášáˇ áąááá˛áááźáášááŹáťááŽá¸ "ááášáááŻá ááŹáťáá ášáááŻá ááŽáá˝áŹáááŻáášáąáážáááŹáá˛á áąáááášáá˛ááášá¸áťááŽá¸ áąááąááŹáášážáááŤáĄáśáŻá¸" áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻáá
But the Bodhisatta said to him, "Are not you the ogre of this water '? "
"Yes, I am," was the answer.
"Do you take as your prey all those who go down into this water?"
"Yes, I do; from small birds upwards, I never let anything go which comes down into my water. I will eat the lot of you too."
" But we shall not let you eat us."
" Just drink the water."
" Yes, we will diink the water, and yet not fall into your power."
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á "ááášáᏠáąáááŽáá°á¸áááŻáášááŹá¸" áᯠáąáá¸áááŻáášáá
"ááŻáášááŤáááš" áᯠááŽáá°á áąáťááááŻáá
"ááŽáąááᲠááášá¸áá˛áˇáááąááŤáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ááᯠááášáˇáá˛á ááŹá¸áąááŹáášáĄáťáá
áš ááášá¸áá°áááŹá¸"á
"ááŻáášááášá áá˝áášáąááŹáášáąáá¸áąááźáá
áťááŽá¸ áąááá˛ááášá¸ááŹááá˝áş ááášáááŻáááąááŤáááŻáá˝ áĄááźáášááąáá¸áá°á¸á ááášáˇáááŻá áĄááşáŹá¸ážááŽá¸áááŻááášá¸ ááŤá
áŹá¸áááš"á
"ááŤáááŻá ááášá¸á
áŹá¸ááŹááᯠáááśáá°á¸"á
"áąááąááŹáˇ áąááŹáášážáááŤ"á
"áąááąááŹáášááášá ááŤáąáááášáˇ ááášáˇáá˛á ááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áĄáťáá
ášáąááŹáˇ áĄáąááŹáášáááśáá°á¸"á
"How do you propose to drink the water, then?"
"Ah, you think we shall have to go down into the water to drink ; whereas we shall not enter the water at all, but the whole eighty thousand of us will take a cane each and drink therewith from your lake as easily as we could through the hollow stalk of a lotus.
And so you will not be able to eat us."
"ááŤáááŻáááš ááášá áąáááᯠááášáááŻáąááŹáášáááš ážááśááźáášááá˛"á
"ááášá ááŤáááŻá áąááá˛ááášá¸ááŽá¸ áąááŹáášááášáááŻáááášááŹá¸ááášá ááŤáááŻáááąááŹáˇ ááśáŻá¸á áąááá˛áááášá¸áá°á¸á ážááŹáááŻá¸áĄáąááŤáášá¸ááąá áĄááźáášááá°áąááąááŹáášáááŻáááááᯠáááŻááĄáąááŹáášáá˝á
ášáąááŹáášá¸ááśáŻá¸ ážáááášááŤá¸áááŻááśáŻá¸áťááŽá¸ áĄá˛ááŤáá˛á ááášáˇáąáááášáá˛á áąáááᯠáąááŹáášááášá áĄá˛ááŤáááŻáááš áááš ááŤáááŻáááᯠáá
áŹá¸áááŻáášáąááŹáˇáá°á¸"á
So saying, the Bodhisatta had a cane brought to him. Then, calling to mind the Ten Perfections displayed by him, he recited them in a solemn asseveration', and blew down the cane. Straight way the cane became hollow throughout, without a single knot being left in all its length.
áááŻáááŻááąáťááŹáááŻáťááŽá¸ ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá ážáááášáá°ááŹáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáá ááŽáąááŹááš ááášá¸áťááášáˇááášá¸áá°á¸ááŹá¸áąáᏠááŤáááŽááášááŤá¸ááᯠá ááášáá˛áá˝ áąáĄáŹáášáˇáąááˇáááŻáášáťááŽá¸ áĄáąáá¸áĄááášáĄááááŹáášáťááłáᏠááźáášáááŻáá ááŽáąááŹááš ážáááášááᯠáááášáááŻáášáá ážáááášáááš áĄáá ášáá ášááŻáá˝áşááşáášáᲠáĄáá˝áášáá˝áááąááŹááš áąááŹáášáąáá˝áşáŹááš áĄáąááŤáášá¸áąááŤáášáťáá ášááźáŹá¸áąáááášá
In this fashion he had another and another brought and blew down them. Next the Bodhisatta made the tour of the lake, and vowed, saying, "Let all canes here become hollow throughout." And thenceforth every single cane that grew round that lake became hollow throughout.
á¤ááśáŻáĄáááŻáášá¸ áĄáťááŹá¸ážáááášááşáŹá¸áááŻááášá¸ áá ášááŻáťááŽá¸áá ášáᯠáá°áᏠáááášáąááá ááŽáąááŹááš ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áąáááášááᯠáá˝áášáˇááášáťááŽá¸ "ááŽáá˝áŹáá˝ááá˛áˇ ážáááášáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ áĄáąááŤáášá¸áąááŤáášáťáá ášááŤáąá " áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻááşááš áĄááááŹáášáťááłáááŻáášááášá áááŻáĄá፠áąáááášáá ášáááŻáášááźááš áąááŤáášáąááąáᏠážáááášáĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸áááš áĄáąááŤáášá¸ááşáŹá¸áťáá ášááźáŹá¸áá
After making this vow, the Bodhisatta seated himself with a cane in his hands. All the other eighty thousand monkeys too seated tliemselves round the lake, each with a cane in his hands. And at the same moment when the Bodhisatta sucked the water up through his cane, they all drank too in the same manner, as they sat on the bank.
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áĄááááŹáášáťááłáťááŽá¸áąááŹááš ážáááášáá
ášáąááşáŹáášá¸áááŻáááŻáášáᏠáąáááŹáá°áááŻáášáá áĄáťááŹá¸ áąááşáŹáášáá˝á
ášáąááŹáášá¸ááśáŻá¸áááášá¸ ááášáá˛ááźááš ážáááášááśáŻá¸ááşáŹá¸áááŻáášáᏠáąáááášááᯠááášáá˝áşááš áąáááŹáá°ážááá
ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸á ážáááášáá˝áášáˇ áąááąááŹáášááášáá˝áášáˇááťáááłáášáááš ááášáąááŹáášáąáááááŻáášáąááąáᏠááášá¸áááŻááĄáŹá¸ááśáŻá¸ááášá¸ áááŻááášá¸áĄáááŻáášá¸áááŻáášáťááŽá¸ áąááąááŹáášážááá
This was the way they drank, and not one of them could the water-ogre get ; so he went off in a rage to his own habitation. The Bodhisatta, too, with his following went back into the forest.
á¤ááášá¸áťááášáˇ áąááąááŹáášážááᏠááášá¸áááŻááĄáá˛áá˝ áąááşáŹáášáá
ášáąááŹáášáááŻáá˝áş áąáááŽáá°á¸á ááášá¸á
áŹá¸áááŻáášáťááášá¸ ááá˝ááąááŹáˇáąáá áááŻááąážááŹáášáˇ áąáááŽáá°á¸áááš áąááŤáá°ááŻáášááá˝áşááš áá°ááąáááŹáá° áťááášááźáŹá¸áąááŹáˇáá ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸ááášááášá¸ áąááŹáášáááŻáášáąááşáŹáášááşáŹá¸áá˝áášáˇáĄáá° áąááŹááźáášá¸áááŻá áťááášááŹáá˛áˇáąááŹáˇááášá