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Kapirājacariya

The Monkey King’s Conduct

“Yadā ahaṁ kapi āsiṁ,
“When I was a monkey

nadīkūle darīsaye;
in a cleft on the riverbank,

Pīḷito susumārena,
harassed by a crocodile

gamanaṁ na labhāmahaṁ.
I could not get across.

Yamhokāse ahaṁ ṭhatvā,
Where I used to land

orā pāraṁ patāmahaṁ;
when jumping from the near shore to the far,

Tatthacchi sattu vadhako,
there crouched my deadly foe,

kumbhīlo luddadassano.
the baleful gharial.

So maṁ asaṁsi ‘ehī’ti,
Reassuring me, he said ‘Come!’

‘ahampemī’ti taṁ vatiṁ;
‘I am coming,’ I said to him.

Tassa matthakamakkamma,
Stepping on his head

parakūle patiṭṭhahiṁ.
I made it to the far bank.

Na tassa alikaṁ bhaṇitaṁ,
I spoke no lie to him,

yathā vācaṁ akāsahaṁ;
but acted according to my word.

Saccena me samo natthi,
There is no-one to equal my truthfulness:

esā me saccapāramī”ti.
this is my perfection of truth.”

Kapirājacariyaṁ sattamaṁ.