Part 33 (1/2)

Then the Teacher said to him: ”Is it true that thou hast given up trying?” 5

”It is true, O Blessed One!” was the reply. 6

The Master said: ”This present life of thine is a time of grace.

If thou fail now to reach the happy state thou wilt have to suffer remorse in future existences. How is it, brother, that thou hast proved so irresolute? Why, in former states of existence thou wert full of determination. By thy energy alone the men and bullocks of five hundred wagons obtained water in the sandy desert, and were saved. How is it that thou now givest up?” 7

By these few words that brother was re-established in his resolution. But the others besought the Blessed One, saying: ”Lord! Tell us how this was.” 8

”Listen, then, O mendicants!” said the Blessed One; and having thus excited their attention, he made manifest a thing concealed by change of birth. 9

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Kasi, the Bodhisatta was born in a merchant's family; and when he grew up, he went about trafficking with five hundred carts. 10

One day he arrived at a sandy desert many leagues across. The sand in that desert was so fine that when taken in the closed fist it could not be kept in the hand. After the sun had risen it became as hot as a ma.s.s of burning embers, so that no man could walk on it. Those, therefore, who had to travel over it took wood, and water, and oil, and rice in their carts, and traveled during the night. And at daybreak they formed an encampment and spread an awning over it, and, taking their meals early, they pa.s.sed the day lying in the shade. At sunset they supped, and when the ground had become cool they yoked their oxen and went on. The traveling was like a voyage over the sea: a desert-pilot had to be chosen, and he brought the caravan safe to the other side by his knowledge of the stars. 11

Thus the merchant of our story traversed the desert. And when he had pa.s.sed over fifty-nine leagues he thought, ”Now, in one more night we shall get out of the sand,” and after supper he directed the wagons to be yoked, and so set out. The pilot had cus.h.i.+ons arranged on the foremost cart and lay down, looking at the stars and directing the men where to drive. But worn out by want of rest during the long march, he fell asleep, and did not perceive that the oxen had turned round and taken the same road by which they had come. 12

The oxen went on the whole night through. Towards dawn the pilot woke up, and, observing the stars, called out: ”Stop the wagons, stop the wagons!” The day broke just as they stopped and were drawing up the carts in a line. Then the men cried out: ”Why this is the very encampment we left yesterday! We have but little wood left and our water is all gone! We are lost!” And unyoking the oxen and spreading the canopy over their heads, they lay down in despondency, each one under his wagon. But the Bodhisatta said to himself, ”If I lose heart, all these will perish,” and walked about while the morning was yet cool. On seeing a tuft of kusa-gra.s.s, he thought: ”This could have grown only by soaking up some water which must be beneath it.” 13

And he made them bring a spade and dig in that spot. And they dug sixty cubits deep. And when they had got thus far, the spade of the diggers struck on a rock; and as soon as it struck, they all gave up in despair. But the Bodhisatta thought, ”There must be water under that rock,” and descending into the well he got upon the stone, and stooping down applied his ear to it and tested the sound of it. He heard the sound of water gurgling beneath, and when he got out he called his page. ”My lad, if thou givest up now, we shall all be lost. Do not lose heart. Take this iron hammer, and go down into the pit, and give the rock a good blow.” 14

The lad obeyed, and though they all stood by in despair, he went down full of determination and struck at the stone. The rock split in two and fell below, so that it no longer blocked the stream, and water rose till its depth from the bottom to the brim of the well was equal to the height of a palm-tree. And they all drank of the water, and bathed in it. Then they cooked rice and ate it, and fed their oxen with it. And when the sun set, they put a flag in the well, and went to the place appointed. There they sold their merchandise at a good profit and returned to their home, and when they died they pa.s.sed away according to their deeds. And the Bodhisatta gave gifts and did other virtuous acts, and he also pa.s.sed away according to his deeds. 15

After the Teacher had told the story he formed the connection by saying in conclusion, ”The caravanleader was the Bodhisatta, the future Buddha; the page who at that time despaired not, but broke the stone, and gave water to the mult.i.tude, was this brother without perseverance; and the other men were attendants on the Buddha.” 16

LXXIV.

THE SOWER.

Bharadvaja, a wealthy Brahman farmer, was celebrating his harvest-thanksgiving when the Blessed One came with his alms-bowl, begging for food. 1

Some of the people paid him reverence, but the Brahman was angry and said: ”O samana, it would be more fitting for thee to go to work than to beg. I plough and sow, and having ploughed and sown, I eat. If thou didst likewise, thou, too, wouldst have something to eat.” 2

The Tathagata answered him and said: ”O Brahman, I, too, plough and sow, and having ploughed and sown, I eat.” 3

”Dost thou profess to be a husbandman?” replied the Brahman.

”Where, then, are thy bullocks? Where is the seed and the plough?” 4

The Blessed One said: ”Faith is the seed I sow: good works are the rain that fertilizes it; wisdom and modesty are the plough; my mind is the guiding-rein; I lay hold of the handle of the law; earnestness is the goad I use, and exertion is my draught-ox.

This ploughing is ploughed to destroy the weeds of illusion. The harvest it yields is the immortal fruit of Nirvana, and thus all sorrow ends.” 5