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Rurumigarājacariya

Ruru the Deer King’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,
“Then again when I was

sutattakanakasannibho;
the king of deer named Ruru,

Migarājā ruru nāma,
in appearance I was like burnished gold,

paramasīlasamāhito.
focused on the highest ethics.

Ramme padese ramaṇīye,
There was a pleasant, delightful region,

vivitte amanussake;
free of humans,

Tattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ,
so I went there and stayed

gaṅgākūle manorame.
on a lovely bank of the Ganges.

Atha upari gaṅgāya,
Then a man upstream,

dhanikehi paripīḷito;
harassed by creditors,

Puriso gaṅgāya papati,
fell into the Ganges, thinking,

‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.
‘I live or I die!’

Rattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya,
Day and night in the Ganges

vuyhamāno mahodake;
he was swept along the stream,

Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ,
crying out pitifully,

majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.
along the middle of the Ganges.

Tassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna,
When I heard the sound

karuṇaṁ paridevato;
of his pitiful crying,

Gaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna,
I stood on the Ganges bank

apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.
and asked, ‘What man are you?’

So me puṭṭho ca byākāsi,
When asked he explained

attano karaṇaṁ tadā;
to me his own deed:

‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito,
‘I was so scared of my creditors,

pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.
I jumped in the great river!’

Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ,
Taking pity on him,

cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ;
surrendering my own life,

Pavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa,
I entered and dragged him out

andhakāramhi rattiyā.
in the darkness of the night.

Assatthakālamaññāya,
When I knew he had recovered,

tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ;
I said to him,

‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi,
‘I ask of you one favor:

mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.
tell no-one about me.’

Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi,
But once he had returned to the city,

pucchito dhanahetuko;
for the sake of money he told when asked.

Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna,
Taking the king,

upagañchi mamantikaṁ.
he drew close to me.

Yāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ,
All that I had done

rañño ārocitaṁ mayā;
was related to the king.

Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ,
When the king heard this,

usuṁ tassa pakappayi;
he fitted his arrow, thinking,

‘Idheva ghātayissāmi,
‘Right here I shall kill

mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’.
this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’

Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto,
I protected him,

nimminiṁ mama attanā;
substituting myself:

‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja,
‘Let him be, great king.

kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.
I shall carry out your pleasure.’

Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ,
I guarded my ethics,

nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ;
not my life.

Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ,
For then I was ethical,

bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.
because it was solely for awakening.”

Rurumigarājacariyaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.