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Vessantaracariya

Vessantara’s Conduct

“Yā me ahosi janikā,
“She who was my mother,

phussatī nāma khattiyā;
the aristocrat lady named Phussatī,

Sā atītāsu jātīsu,
was Sakka’s beloved queen

sakkassa mahesī piyā.
in past lives.

Tassā āyukkhayaṁ ñatvā,
Knowing that she was at the end of life,

devindo etadabravi;
the Lord of Gods said this:

‘Dadāmi te dasa vare,
‘I grant you ten favors,

varabhadde yadicchasi’.
my dear, whatever favor you wish.’

Evaṁ vuttā ca sā devī,
When he said this the queen

sakkaṁ punidamabravi;
replied to Sakka:

‘Kiṁ nu me aparādhatthi,
‘In what way am I deficient?

kiṁ nu dessā ahaṁ tava;
How am I displeasing to you?

Rammā cāvesi maṁ ṭhānā,
You send me from this lovely place,

vātova dharaṇīruhaṁ’.
like the wind a feeble tree.’

Evaṁ vutto ca so sakko,
When she said this Sakka

puna tassidamabravi;
replied to her:

‘Na ceva te kataṁ pāpaṁ,
‘You have done nothing wrong,

na ca me tvaṁsi appiyā.
nor are you not beloved to me.

Ettakaṁyeva te āyu,
But you life lasts only so long,

cavanakālo bhavissati;
your time of death will come.

Paṭiggaṇha mayā dinne,
Accept the ten supreme favors

vare dasa varuttame’.
I offer to you.’

Sakkena sā dinnavarā,
She accepted the offerings of Sakka,

tuṭṭhahaṭṭhā pamoditā;
full of joy and happiness.

Mamaṁ abbhantaraṁ katvā,
Having conceived me,

phussatī dasa vare varī.
Phussatī was blessed with the ten favors.

Tato cutā sā phussatī,
Then Phussatī, having passed from there,

khattiye upapajjatha;
was reborn as an aristocrat

Jetuttaramhi nagare,
in the city of Jetuttara,

sañjayena samāgami.
where she married Sañjaya.

Yadāhaṁ phussatiyā kucchiṁ,
Once I was conceived in the womb

okkanto piyamātuyā;
of my dear mother Phussatī,

Mama tejena me mātā,
because of my power,

sadā dānaratā ahu.
my mother always delighted in giving.

Adhane āture jiṇṇe,
She gave to the destitute, the ailing and aging,

yācake addhike jane;
to beggars, travelers, and folk,

Samaṇe brāhmaṇe khīṇe,
to ascetics and brahmins, and the dispossessed,

deti dānaṁ akiñcane.
and to those who had nothing.

Dasa māse dhārayitvāna,
Having carried me for ten months,

karonte puraṁ padakkhiṇaṁ;
she was proceeding around the city

Vessānaṁ vīthiyā majjhe,
when Phussatī gave birth to me

janesi phussatī mamaṁ.
in the middle of the peasant’s street.

Na mayhaṁ mattikaṁ nāmaṁ,
My name was not from my mother’s side,

napi pettikasambhavaṁ;
nor from my father’s.

Jātettha vessavīthiyā,
I was born there in the peasant’s street,

tasmā vessantaro ahu.
and that’s why I’m called Vessantara.

Yadāhaṁ dārako homi,
When I was a boy

jātiyā aṭṭhavassiko;
of only eight years old,

Tadā nisajja pāsāde,
sitting in the stilt longhouse,

dānaṁ dātuṁ vicintayiṁ.
I thought of giving gifts.

‘Hadayaṁ dadeyyaṁ cakkhuṁ,
‘I would give my heart and my eyes,

maṁsampi rudhirampi ca;
my flesh and blood too.’

Dadeyyaṁ kāyaṁ sāvetvā,
I announced that I would give my body,

yadi koci yācaye mamaṁ’.
if anyone asked me.

Sabhāvaṁ cintayantassa,
Reflecting on my state of mind,

akampitamasaṇṭhitaṁ;
so undisturbed and steadfast,

Akampi tattha pathavī,
the earth quaked there,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Anvaddhamāse pannarase,
Every fortnight, the fifteenth,

puṇṇamāse uposathe;
and the sabbath when the moon was full,

Paccayaṁ nāgamāruyha,
I mounted the tusker Paccaya

dānaṁ dātuṁ upāgamiṁ.
and went to give gifts.

Kaliṅgaraṭṭhavisayā,
From the country of Kaliṅga,

brāhmaṇā upagañchu maṁ;
the brahmins came to me,

Ayācuṁ maṁ hatthināgaṁ,
requesting the royal elephant,

dhaññaṁ maṅgalasammataṁ.
that was lucky and deemed as auspicious.

‘Avuṭṭhiko janapado,
‘Our nation is suffering from drought,

dubbhikkho chātako mahā;
food is scarce and famine abounds,

Dadāhi pavaraṁ nāgaṁ,
please give the noble elephant

sabbasetaṁ gajuttamaṁ’.
the all-white supreme elephant.’

Dadāmi na vikampāmi,
‘I give without hesitation

yaṁ maṁ yācanti brāhmaṇā;
what you ask of me, brahmins.

Santaṁ nappatigūhāmi,
I do not hide what I have,

dāne me ramate mano.
for my heart is happy to give.

Na me yācakamanuppatte,
When supplicants come to me

paṭikkhepo anucchavo;
it is unbefitting to refuse.

Mā me bhijji samādānaṁ,
Let not my vow be broken,

dassāmi vipulaṁ gajaṁ.
I shall give the mighty elephant.’

Nāgaṁ gahetvā soṇḍāya,
Taking the elephant by the trunk,

bhiṅgāre ratanāmaye;
and a bejewelled ceremonial vessel,

Jalaṁ hatthe ākiritvā,
I sprinkled water on the hand,

brāhmaṇānaṁ adaṁ gajaṁ.
and gave the elephant to the brahmins.

Punāparaṁ dadantassa,
Then again when I was giving

sabbasetaṁ gajuttamaṁ;
the all-white supreme elephant,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
the earth quaked again,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Tassa nāgassa dānena,
At the gift of the tusker,

sivayo kuddhā samāgatā;
angry townsfolk gathered

Pabbājesuṁ sakā raṭṭhā,
and banished me from my kingdom, saying:

‘vaṅkaṁ gacchatu pabbataṁ’.
‘Go to Crooked Mountain.’

Tesaṁ nicchubhamānānaṁ,
While they were ejecting me,

akampitamasaṇṭhitaṁ;
I was undisturbed and steadfast,

Mahādānaṁ pavattetuṁ,
I asked one favor:

ekaṁ varamayācisaṁ.
to perform a great offering.

Yācitā sivayo sabbe,
When I asked, all the townsfolk

ekaṁ varamadaṁsu me;
granted me that one favor.

Sāvayitvā kaṇṇabheriṁ,
Sounding the drums,

mahādānaṁ dadāmahaṁ.
I gave a great offering.

Athettha vattatī saddo,
And as the sound went forth,

tumulo bheravo mahā;
there was a great tumult and upset.

Dānenimaṁ nīharanti,
They drove me out because of giving,

puna dānaṁ dadātayaṁ.
but I just gave again.

Hatthiṁ asse rathe datvā,
Elephants, horses, chariots,

dāsiṁ dāsaṁ gavaṁ dhanaṁ;
male and female slaves, cattle, and riches:

Mahādānaṁ daditvāna,
after giving this great gift

nagarā nikkhamiṁ tadā.
I then left the city.

Nikkhamitvāna nagarā,
After leaving the city,

nivattitvā vilokite;
I turned back to look,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
at which the earth quaked,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Catuvāhiṁ rathaṁ datvā,
Having given away my four-horse chariot,

ṭhatvā cātummahāpathe;
I was standing at the crossroads

Ekākiyo adutiyo,
alone with no partner,

maddideviṁ idamabraviṁ.
and I said to Queen Maddi:

‘Tvaṁ maddi kaṇhaṁ gaṇhāhi,
‘Maddi, you take Kaṇhā,

lahukā esā kaniṭṭhikā;
for she, as the younger sister, is the lighter.

Ahaṁ jāliṁ gahessāmi,
I shall take Jāli,

garuko bhātiko hi so’.
for he, as the brother, is heavier.’

Padumaṁ puṇḍarīkaṁva,
Like a pink or white lotus,

maddī kaṇhājinaggahī;
Maddi picked up Kaṇhājinā.

Ahaṁ suvaṇṇabimbaṁva,
Like a golden statue,

jāliṁ khattiyamaggahiṁ.
I picked up Jāli, the aristocrat.

Abhijātā sukhumālā,
High-born and delicate,

khattiyā caturo janā;
four aristocrat folk

Visamaṁ samaṁ akkamantā,
traveled ground even and uneven,

vaṅkaṁ gacchāma pabbataṁ.
going to Crooked Mountain.

Ye keci manujā enti,
Whenever people would come along,

anumagge paṭippathe;
coming the other way along the road,

Maggante paṭipucchāma,
we asked them in the middle of the street,

‘kuhiṁ vaṅkantapabbato’.
‘Where is Crooked Mountain?’

Te tattha amhe passitvā,
Seeing us there,

karuṇaṁ giramudīrayuṁ;
they spoke to us kindly,

Dukkhante paṭivedenti,
‘It will be hard for you,’ they explained,

dūre vaṅkantapabbato.
‘for Crooked Mountain is far.’

Yadi passanti pavane,
If the children saw fruit

dārakā phaline dume;
on a tree in the forest,

Tesaṁ phalānaṁ hetumhi,
then for the sake of that fruit,

uparodanti dārakā.
the children cried.

Rodante dārake disvā,
Seeing the children cry,

ubbiddhā vipulā dumā;
the tall, massive trees

Sayamevoṇamitvāna,
bent down of their own accord,

upagacchanti dārake.
within reach of the children.

Idaṁ acchariyaṁ disvā,
Seeing this marvel,

abbhutaṁ lomahaṁsanaṁ;
so astonishing and hair-raising,

Sāhukāraṁ pavattesi,
Maddi, beautiful in every limb,

maddī sabbaṅgasobhanā.
exclaimed in celebration:

Accheraṁ vata lokasmiṁ,
‘Such a marvel in the world,

abbhutaṁ lomahaṁsanaṁ;
so astonishing and hair-raising,

Vessantarassa tejena,
due to the power of Vessantara,

sayamevoṇatā dumā.
the trees bent down of their own accord.’

Saṅkhipiṁsu pathaṁ yakkhā,
Native spirits, out of compassion,

anukampāya dārake;
shortened the path,

Nikkhantadivaseneva,
so that on the very day they set out,

cetaraṭṭhamupāgamuṁ.
they arrived at the kingdom of Ceta.

Saṭṭhirājasahassāni,
Sixty thousand kings

tadā vasanti mātule;
were living at Mātula then.

Sabbe pañjalikā hutvā,
All raised their joined palms,

rodamānā upāgamuṁ.
and approached, weeping.

Tattha vattetvā sallāpaṁ,
There they held conversation

cetehi cetaputtehi;
with the folks of Ceta and their children.

Te tato nikkhamitvāna,
Then, leaving that place,

vaṅkaṁ agamu pabbataṁ.
they arrived at Crooked Mountain.

Āmantayitvā devindo,
The Lord of Gods addressed

vissakammaṁ mahiddhikaṁ;
Vissakamma of great psychic power:

Assamaṁ sukataṁ rammaṁ,
‘Build a hermitage, well-made and delightful,

paṇṇasālaṁ sumāpaya.
with a hall of leaves.

Sakkassa vacanaṁ sutvā,
After hearing Sakka’s words,

vissakammo mahiddhiko;
Vissakamma of great psychic power

Assamaṁ sukataṁ rammaṁ,
built a hermitage, well-made and delightful,

paṇṇasālaṁ sumāpayi.
with a hall of leaves.

Ajjhogāhetvā pavanaṁ,
Having plunged into the forest,

appasaddaṁ nirākulaṁ;
quiet and undisturbed,

Caturo janā mayaṁ tattha,
we four people

vasāma pabbatantare.
lived there in the mountains.

Ahañca maddidevī ca,
Myself and Queen Maddī,

jālī kaṇhājinā cubho;
with both Jāli and Kaṇhājinā,

Aññamaññaṁ sokanudā,
dispelling each other’s sorrow

vasāma assame tadā.
lived then in that hermitage.

Dārake anurakkhanto,
While caring for the children,

asuñño homi assame;
I was not idle in the hermitage.

Maddī phalaṁ āharitvā,
Maddī gathered fruit,

poseti sā tayo jane.
and fed three people.

Pavane vasamānassa,
While I was living in the forest,

addhiko maṁ upāgami;
a traveler came to me

Āyāci puttake mayhaṁ,
and asked for my children,

jāliṁ kaṇhājinaṁ cubho.
both Jāli and Kaṇhājinā.

Yācakaṁ upagataṁ disvā,
When I saw the supplicant approaching,

hāso me upapajjatha;
I felt so full of joy.

Ubho putte gahetvāna,
Taking both my children,

adāsiṁ brāhmaṇe tadā.
I gave them to the brahmin then.

Sake putte cajantassa,
When I gave away my own children,

jūjake brāhmaṇe yadā;
to the brahmin Jūjaka,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
the earth quaked again,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Punadeva sakko oruyha,
And then Sakka descended

hutvā brāhmaṇasannibho;
in the guise of a brahmin.

Āyāci maṁ maddideviṁ,
He asked me for Queen Maddī,

sīlavantiṁ patibbataṁ.
virtuous, and devoted.

Maddiṁ hatthe gahetvāna,
Taking Maddī by the hand,

udakañjali pūriya;
filling clasped hands with water,

Pasannamanasaṅkappo,
with a confident heart,

tassa maddiṁ adāsahaṁ.
I gave Maddī to him.

Maddiyā dīyamānāya,
As Maddī was being given,

gagane devā pamoditā;
gods applauded in the sky,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
and the earth quaked again,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Jāliṁ kaṇhājinaṁ dhītaṁ,
Jāli and Kaṇhājinā my daughter,

maddideviṁ patibbataṁ;
and Queen Maddī my devoted wife:

Cajamāno na cintesiṁ,
I gave them up without a second thought,

bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā.
because it was solely for awakening.

Na me dessā ubho puttā,
I had no dislike of my children,

maddidevī na dessiyā;
nor for Queen Maddī.

Sabbaññutaṁ piyaṁ mayhaṁ,
But because omniscience is precious to me,

tasmā piye adāsahaṁ.
I gave my loved ones away.

Punāparaṁ brahāraññe,
Later on in the mighty forest,

mātāpitusamāgame;
we were reunited by my mother and father.

Karuṇaṁ paridevante,
Crying pitifully,

sallapante sukhaṁ dukhaṁ.
they spoke of my happiness and sadness.

Hirottappena garunā,
With deep conscience and prudence,

ubhinnaṁ upasaṅkami;
I approached them,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
at which the earth quaked,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Punāparaṁ brahāraññā,
Later on in the mighty forest,

nikkhamitvā sañātibhi;
having left the forest with my family,

Pavisāmi puraṁ rammaṁ,
I entered the delightful city

jetuttaraṁ puruttamaṁ.
Jetuttara, the capital city.

Ratanāni satta vassiṁsu,
The seven gems rained down,

mahāmegho pavassatha;
pouring from a mighty cloud,

Tadāpi pathavī kampi,
and the earth quaked again,

sineruvanavaṭaṁsakā.
and Mount Sineru, wreathed in forests.

Acetanāyaṁ pathavī,
Even this insentient earth,

aviññāya sukhaṁ dukhaṁ;
with no knowledge of happiness or sadness,

Sāpi dānabalā mayhaṁ,
quaked seven times

sattakkhattuṁ pakampathā”ti.
at the power of my giving.”

Vessantaracariyaṁ navamaṁ.