The story of the goat which laughs and weeps
"áááŻáąáᏠááášáąáᏠáááášááąáá¸áĄáąážááŹáášá¸ ááŹáášáááłáł"
Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, there was a brahmin, who was versed in the Three Vedas and world-famed as a teacher. He had a goat to offer a Feast for the Dead. He said to his pupils, "My sons, take this goat down to the river and bathe it; then hang a garland round its neck, give it a pottle of grain to eat, groom it a bit, and bring it back."
ááŹááŹáááŽáťááášááźááš áťáááźááášááášá¸ážááŽá¸á ááŻá¸á áĽášáĄááşááášá áąáááášááśáŻá¸ááśáŻááᯠááášáąáťááŹáášáá˝áźáášá¸ááşáášáťááŽá¸ ááááŹááŤáąááŹááĄáááŹážááŽá¸áĄáťáá áš áąááşáŹášážááŹá¸áąáᏠááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸áá ášáĽáŽá¸áá˝ááá˛áˇááášá ááášá¸ááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸ááźááš áąááá°áááŻááááŻááášáá˝áášá¸á ááşáášá¸ááąááŹááźá˛ááźááš áá˝á´ááŤáášá¸áááš áááášáá ášáąááŹáášáá˝ááá áá°á áááášáˇááşáŹá¸ááᯠ"ááŹá¸áááŻá ááŽáááášááᯠáťáá ášáááášááźá˛ááźáŹá¸áťááŽá¸ áąáááşááłá¸áąáá¸ááŤá áťááŽá¸áá˝áşááš ááášááášá¸áá˝áŹ ááášá¸ááśáŻá¸ááźá˛áąáá¸ááŤá ááşáśáłáá˝á ášááźáŹááŹá¸ áąáá˝áźá¸áťááŽá¸ áżááŽá¸áááášá¸ áťááášááášáᏠáťááášááźá˛ááŹááŤ" áᯠáá˝áŹážááŹá¸áááŻáášáá
" Very good," said they, and they took the goat, down to the river where they bathed and groomed the creature and set it on the bank. The goat, becoming conscious of the deeds of its past lives, was overjoyed at the thought that on this very day it would be freed from all its misery, and laughed aloud from the heart. Then at the thought that the brahmin by slaying it would bear the misery which it had borne, the goat felt a great compassion for the brahmin, and wept with a loud voice.
áááášáˇááşáŹá¸á "áąááŹáášá¸ááŤáťááŽ" áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻá áááášáááŻááźá˛ááŹáá˛áˇáá áááá á§áŹáášááşáŹá¸ááᯠáąáááşááłá¸ áżááŽá¸áááášá¸ áťááášááášáᏠáťáá ášáááášáááŻá ááášá¸ááŹáťááŽá¸ áťáá ášááášá¸ááźááš ááşáášááŹá¸áááŻáášááášá áááášáááš áĄáááášááááşáŹá¸ááźááš áťááłáá˛áˇáąáᏠááśááşáŹá¸ááᯠáťááášááášáááááᏠááąáááááš ááášááášá¸áá˛áĄáąááŤáášá¸áá˝ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášáąááŹáˇááášáᯠáąááźá¸áąááŹáá˝áşááš áĄááźáášááĄááźááš ááášá¸ááŹááŽáááťáá ášáᏠáĄá°ááááášááášá¸áááááš áĄááśááşáášááşááš ááášáąááŹáąááá ááŽáąááŹááš áá°áááᯠááášáťááášáťááášá¸á áĄáťáá ášáááš ááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸ ááśá áŹá¸áááášáᯠá áĽášá¸á áŹá¸áťááŽá¸ ááŻáá°áŹážááŽá¸áĄáąáá áĄááźááš áááŻááŹááášáᏠáĄááśááşáášááşááš áááŻáąáá˝áźá¸áťááášáá
"Friend goat," said the young brahmins, "your voice has been loud both in laughter and in weeping ; what made you laugh and what made you weep ?
" Ask me your question before your master."
So with the goat they came to their master and told him of the matter. After hearing their story, the master asked the goat why it laughed and why it wept.
"áĄáąááźáááášá ááášáˇáá˛á ááášáąááŹááśáąáᏠáááŻáąáá˝áźá¸ááśá፠ááşáášáąááŹáášáá˝ááŤááŹá¸á ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇááášáťááŽá¸ ááŹáąážááŹáášáˇ áááŻááŹáá˛" áᯠááŻáá°áŹá¸ááášááşáŹá¸á áąáá¸áťááášá¸ážááá
"ááášáˇáąáá¸ááźáášá¸ááᯠááášáááŻááááŹáá˛á áąáá˝ááąááŹáášáá˝ áąáá¸ááŤ"
áááŻáąážááŹáášáˇ áááášáááŻááźá˛áťááŽá¸ áá°áááŻááááŹááś áťááášááŹáᏠáťáá
ášá
áĽášááᯠáąáťááŹáťáážááá ááášá¸áááŻáá áąáťááŹáťáááşáášááᯠážááŹá¸áťááŽá¸áąááŹááš áááŹááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸áááš ááášááťááášá¸á áááŻááťááášá¸áĄáąážááŹáášá¸ áááášááᯠáąáá¸ážááášáˇáąááá
Hereupon the animal, recalling its past deeds by its power of remembering its former existences, spoke thus to the brahmin : â" In times past, brahmin, I, like you, was a brahmin versed in the mystic texts of the Vedas, and I, to offer a Feast for the Dead, killed a goat for my offering. All through killing that single goat, I have had my head cut off four hundred and ninety nine times all but left one. This is my five hundredth and last birth and I laughed aloud when I thought that this very day I should be freed from my misery.
áááŻááąážááŹáášáˇ áááášáááąááŤáááš áááááťáá ášáá˛áˇáá°á¸áąáᏠáąáá˝á¸ááááᯠáťááášááášáĄáá˝áášááąááŹááŹááš (ááŹááááááŹááš) áťááášáˇ ááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸ááᯠá¤áááŻááąáťááŹáťááá "áá˝áźááŻášáááš áąáá˝á¸ááá ááášáˇáááŻáᲠááášááášáąáᏠáąááááşáášá¸á áŹááşáŹá¸ááᯠááášáąáťááŹáášáá˝áźáášá¸ááşáášáá° ááŻáá°áŹá¸áá ášáĽáŽá¸áťáá ášáá˛áˇááášá áąááá°áááŻááááŻááášáá˝áášá¸á ááşáášá¸ááąááŹááźá˛ááźááš áá˝á´ááŤáášá¸áááš áááášáá ášáąááŹáášááᯠááášáťááášáá˛áˇááášá áááášáá ášáąááŹáášááᯠááášáá˛áˇááŹáá˝áášáˇ áąáá¸ááŹáááŻá¸ááášáˇáááŻá¸ááááśáŻá¸ áąááŤáášá¸áťááášááášáᏠááśáá˛áˇáááášá áąááŹáášááśáŻá¸áá ášáá ááşáášáąáááŹáťáá ášááášá ááŤáááš ááááŤá¸ááŹáąáťááŹáášáťáá ášáťááŽá¸ áąááŹáášááśáŻá¸ áąááźá¸ááźáŹá¸áťááášá¸áťáá ášááášá ááášá¸áá˛ááŻááĄááąá ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááášáˇ áąááŹáášááśáŻá¸áąáááááŻááąááźá¸áááťááŽá¸ ááášááŹááŤá
On the other hand, I wept when I thought how, whilst I, who for killing a goat had been doomed to lose my head five hundred times, was today being freed from my misery, you, as a penalty for killing me, would be doomed to lose your head, like me, five hundred times. Thus it was out of compassion for you that I wept."
áá ášááášáá˝áŹ áááášáá ášáąááŹáášááášáťááášá¸áąážááŹáášáˇ ááááŤá¸áᏠáąááŤáášá¸áťááášááŽá¸ áąááááášá¸ážááśáłáá˛áˇááá˛áˇ áá˝áźáášáŻáášá ááášá¸áá˛ááŻááĄáá˝ ááźáášáąáťááŹáášáąáááášáˇ ááášááąááŹáˇ áá˝áźááŻášáŻáášááᯠááášáťááášá¸áá˛á áťáá ášááášáĄáťáá áš áá˝áźáášáŻáášáááŻáᲠááááŤá¸ááŹáááŻáášáááŻááš áąááŤáášá¸áťááášááášááśáááášá ááŽáĄááźááš ááášáˇááᯠáááŹá¸áááŻá áááŻááŹááŤ"á
"Fear not, goat," said the brahmin " I will not kill you."
"What is this you say, brahmin" said the goat. " Whether you kill me or not, I cannot escape death today."
"Fear not, goat; I will go about with you to guard you."
"Weak is your protection, brahmin, and strong is the force of my evil-doing."
"áĄááášááááš ááąážááŹáášááŤáá˛áá á፠ááášáˇááᯠáááášáąááŹáˇáá°á¸" áᯠááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸á áąáťááŹáááŻáá
"ááášááᯠáąáťááŹáááŻáášááŹáᲠááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸á áĄááášá áá˝áźáášáŻáášááᯠááášááášáťáá
ášáąá
á áááášááášáťáá
ášáąá
áá˝áźáášáŻáášáᏠááŽááąáá áąááááášáˇáąáá¸á áááźáášáąáťááŹáášááŤ" áᯠáááášá áťááášáąáťááŹáá
"ááąážááŹáášááŤáá˛á áááášááášá á፠áąá
áŹáášáˇáąáá˝áŹáášáąáá¸áááŻá ááášáˇáá˛ááĄáá°áááŻáášááŤáááš"á
"ááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸ áááš áĄááŹáĄááźáášáąáá¸ááŹá áĄáŹá¸ááášá¸ááášá áá˝áźáášáŻáášáťááłááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áĄááŻáááŻáášáĄáá˝ááášá áĄáŹá¸ážááŽá¸áááš"á
Setting the goat at liberty, the brahmin said to his disciples, "Let us not allow anyone to kill this goat." The moment the goat was set free, it reached out its neck to browse on the leaves of a bush growing near the top of a rock. And that very instant a thunderbolt struck the rock, rending off a mass which hit the goat on the outstretched neck and tore off its head. And people came crowding round.
ááŻáá°áŹá¸ážááŽá¸áááš áááášááᯠááźáášááźáášááášáááš áááášáąáá¸áťááŽá¸ áááášáˇááşáŹá¸ááᯠ"ááŽáááášááᯠááášáá°áá˝ ááášááźáášáˇááťááł" áᯠáąáťááŹáááŻáąááá áááášáááš áááášáąáá¸áááŻáášááášáá˝áášáˇ áąááşáŹáášáťááŹáĄá áźáášá¸áĄááŽá¸ááźááš ááášáąááŤáášáąááąáᏠáťááśáłáá˝ áá ášááźáášááşáŹá¸ááᯠá áŹá¸áááš ááášááášá¸ááášáá áá˝áášá¸ááźá˛áááŻáášáá áááŻáĄáááŻáášáá˝áŹáááš áąááşáŹáášáťááŹááᯠáááŻá¸ážáááłá¸áá ášááşáááŻáášááášá áĄá ááášá ááášááźá˛ááźáŹá¸áąáᏠáąááşáŹáášá áźáášá¸áááš ááášáááášá¸áąááąáᏠáááášá ááášááášá¸ááᯠáááá˝áášáťááŽá¸ áĽáŽá¸áąááŤáášá¸ááᯠáťááášááźáášááźáŹá¸áąá áá˛áˇáá áĄááŽá¸ááŹá¸áááŻá áá°áĄááşáŹá¸á áŻááśáŻ áąááŹáášááŹáá˛áˇážáááášá
In those days the Bodhisatta had been born a Tree-Fairy in that selfsame spot. By his supernatural powers he now seated himself cross- legged in mid air while all the crowd looked on. Thinking to himself, 'If these creatures only knew the fruit of evil-doing, perhaps they would desist from killing,' in his sweet voice he taught them the Truth in this
stanza â :
áááŻáĄááşááášá ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áááŻáąáááŹá áá
ášááášáąá
áŹáášáˇáááš (ááŻááĄá
ááŻá¸) áťáá
ášáąááá
áá°áĄáŻáášážááŽá¸á ážááášáˇáááąáá
áĽáš ááášáááŻá¸áŁááśáááŤáášáťááášáˇ áąááá˛ááźááš ááášááášááźá˛ááąááźáááŻáášáąááá˛áˇááášá "áĄááášá ááąááŹáášá¸ááá áĄááşááłá¸ááášááᯠá¤áááąááŤááşáŹá¸ áááá˝áážááá˝áşááš ááášáťááášáťááášá¸áá˝ áąáá˝áŹáášááşáĽášáąááááášáˇáááš" áᯠáĄáąááźá¸áąááŤáášáᏠááŹááŹáąááŹáĄááśáťááášáˇ á¤áááŹá¸á
áŹááŻááášááᯠáąááŹážááŹá¸áá˛áˇááášá
If folk but knew the penalty would be
Birth unto sorrow, living things would cease
From taking life. Stern is the slayer's doom.
Thus did the Great Being preach the Truth.
áá°áąááźáááš áá°áąááźá¸á
ááŹáááąááŹáášáááášáˇ áĄáťáá
ášáááŻáááá˝áşááš
áááąááŤááşáŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ ááášáťááášáťááášá¸ááᯠáťááłážááąááŹáˇááášáááŻáášá
áá°ááĄááášááášáá°á ážáááźáŹáááŻá¸áááš áááŻá¸ááźáŹá¸áťááášá¸ááášáá˝áá
á¤áááŻá áťááášááŻááśáááš áá
áĽáŹáááźááᯠáąááŹážááŹá¸áąááŹášáá°áá˛áˇááášá
Scaring his hearers with the fear of hell, the people, hearing him, were so terrified at the fear of hell that they left off taking life. And the Bodhisatta after establishing the multitude in good deeds by preaching the Truth to them, passed away to fare according to his deserts.
The people, too, remained steadfast in the teaching of the Bodhisatta and spent their lives in charity and other good works, so that they thronged the City of the Devas.
ážááŹá¸ááŹáá°ááşáŹá¸áĄáŹá¸ ááá˛áá˝áášáˇá áášá áááášááášááąá ááášáˇáĄááźááš ááŻááĄá ááŻá¸á áĄááśááᯠážááŹá¸ááá°áąáᏠáá°ááşáŹá¸áááš áá°ááĄááášááášáťááŽá¸áąááŹááš áĄááŤáášááá˛ááşáąááŹáášááášááᯠáĄááźááš áąážááŹáášááźáśáááźáŹá¸ážááá ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áááš áá°áĄááşáŹá¸ááᯠáááŹá¸áááźáąááŹážááŹá¸áťááášá¸áťááášáˇ ááŻáááŻáášáąááŹáášá¸ááşáŹá¸ááá áąááźááąááşáŹášáąá áťááŽá¸áąááŹááš ááźáášááźáášáĄááá áĽáąááŹáášáᏠáááŻáášááášáąááŹáááááŻá áąááŹáášááźáŹá¸áá˛áˇáá áá°ááŹá¸ááşáŹá¸ááášááášá¸ ááŻááŹá¸áąááŹáášá¸áąááŹážááŹá¸áąáᏠáááŹá¸áááźáĄáááŻáášá¸ ááá˝ááášáááŻáášáááŻáášááŹáťááŽá¸ ááášááźáŹááŻááááąááŹáášáąážááŹáášá¸ ááŤáá áąáᏠááŻáááŻáášáąááŹáášá¸ááááşáŹá¸ááᯠáĄáŹá¸ááŻáášáᏠáąááááŻáášáá˛áˇážááąááŹáˇááášá