The Gâtakamâlâ; Or, Garland of Birth-StoriesAryasura
Religion
The Gâtakamâlâ; Or, Garland of Birth-Stories
Aryasura
Gautama Buddha -- Pre-existence
7, 8. 'I am a man, illustrious being. Having lost my way and roaming in
the forest, I came into this distress, while seeking to get fruits from
this tree. Befallen by this heavy calamity, while away from my friends
and kindred, I beseech thee, protector of troops of monkeys, be also my
protector.'
These words succeeded in stirring the boundless pity of the Great Being.
9. A person in distress, without friends or family to help him,
imploring help with anxious looks and folded hands, would rouse
compassion in the heart even of his enemies; to the compassionate he is
a great attraction.
Then the Bodhisattva, pitying him, comforted him with kind words, such
as he could hardly expect in that time.
10. 'Be not afflicted, thinking thou hast lost thy strength by the fall
into this precipice or that thou hast no relations to help thee. What
those would do for thee, I will do it all. Do not fear.'
And after these comforting words the Great Being provided the man with
tindukas and other fruits. Then with the object of rescuing him, he went
away to some other place, and exercised himself in climbing having on
his back a stone of a man's weight. Having learnt the measure of his
strength and convinced himself that he was able to bring up the man out
of the waterfall, he descended to the bottom of it, and moved by
compassion, said these words to the man:
11. 'Come, climb upon my back and cling fast to me, while I shall bring
out both thee and the usefulness of my body.
12. 'For the pious pronounce this to be the usefulness of the body,
otherwise a worthless thing, that it may be employed by the wise as an
instrument for benefiting our neighbour.'
The other agreed, and after reverentially bowing to the ape, mounted on
his back.
13. So with that man on his back, stooping under the pain of the
exceeding heaviness of his burden, yet, owing to the intensity of his
goodness, with unshaken firmness of mind, he succeeded in rescuing him,
though with great difficulty.
14. And having delivered him, he enjoyed the highest gladness, but was
so exhausted, that he walked with an unstable and tottering step, and
chose some cloud-black slab of stone to lie upon, that he might take his
rest.
Pure-hearted as he was and being his benefactor, the Bodhisattva did not
suspect danger from the part of that man, and trustingly said to him:
15, 16. 'This part of the forest being easily accessible, is exposed to
the free course of ferocious animals. Therefore, that nobody may kill me
and his own future happiness by a sudden attack, while I am taking my
rest from fatigue, thou must carefully look out in all directions and
keep guard over me and thyself. My body is utterly tired, and I want to
sleep a little while.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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