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Vaṭṭapotakacariya

The Baby Quail’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,
“Then again when I was

magadhe vaṭṭapotako;
a baby quail in Magadha,

Ajātapakkho taruṇo,
I was young, with wings unsprouted,

maṁsapesi kulāvake.
just a scrap of meat in the nest.

Mukhatuṇḍakenāharitvā,
With food she brought in her beak

mātā posayatī mamaṁ;
my mother nurtured me.

Tassā phassena jīvāmi,
I survived through her touch,

natthi me kāyikaṁ balaṁ.
for I had no physical strength.

Saṁvacchare gimhasamaye,
One year, in the hot season,

davaḍāho padippati;
the forest caught fire.

Upagacchati amhākaṁ,
It came towards us,

pāvako kaṇhavattanī.
a conflagration with a blackened trail.

Dhamadhamāiti evaṁ,
The fire roared and rumbled

saddāyanto mahāsikhī;
with great crests of flame,

Anupubbena jhāpento,
gradually burning

aggi mamamupāgami.
closer to me.

Aggivegabhayātītā,
Alarmed and terrified at the fierce fire,

tasitā mātāpitā mama;
my mother and father

Kulāvake maṁ chaḍḍetvā,
abandoned me in the nest,

attānaṁ parimocayuṁ.
saving themselves.

Pāde pakkhe pajahāmi,
I beat my feet and wings,

natthi me kāyikaṁ balaṁ;
but I had no physical strength.

Sohaṁ agatiko tattha,
When unable to leave,

evaṁ cintesahaṁ tadā.
I thought this there:

‘Yesāhaṁ upadhāveyyaṁ,
‘Those to whom I ought to run,

bhīto tasitavedhito;
scared and trembling with fear,

Te maṁ ohāya pakkantā,
have escaped, leaving me behind.

kathaṁ me ajja kātave.
How should I act today?

Atthi loke sīlaguṇo,
There is the quality of virtue in the world,

saccaṁ soceyyanuddayā;
truth, purity, and mercy.

Tena saccena kāhāmi,
By this truth I will make

saccakiriyamuttamaṁ.
a supreme declaration of truth.’

Āvejjetvā dhammabalaṁ,
Inspired by the power of Dhamma,

saritvā pubbake jine;
recollecting the former Victors,

Saccabalamavassāya,
relying on the power of truth,

saccakiriyamakāsahaṁ.
I made a declaration of truth.

Santi pakkhā apatanā,
‘I have wings that do not fly!

santi pādā avañcanā;
I have feet that do not walk!

Mātāpitā ca nikkhantā,
Mother and father have fled!

jātaveda paṭikkama’.
Jātaveda the fire: go back!’

Sahasacce kate mayhaṁ,
As I declared this truth

Mahāpajjalito sikhī;
the great crested flames

Vajjesi soḷasakarīsāni,
withdrew sixteen leagues,

Udakaṁ patvā yathā sikhī;
as if they had come to water.

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

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

Vaṭṭapotakacariyaṁ navamaṁ.