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Theravāda — Pali Canon · Khuddaka Nikāya — The Minor Collection
Cp 15The Conduct of the Buffalo King
Pāli / Sanskrit:Mahiṁsarājacariya
📖238 words · ~1 min read
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Full translation (English)
– The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood
The Chapter on an Elephant The Perfection of Ethics (5th)
The Buffalo King’s Conduct
“Then again when I wasa buffalo who roamed the forest,large in body and strong,big and scary to see.In a cave, a craggy hillside,at a tree root or a waterhole,there’d be somewhere for buffalos,in one place or another.Wandering the mighty forest,I saw a fine spot.Having gone there,I stood and lay to rest.Then a monkey came along,wicked, ignoble, and nimble.On my shoulder, forehead, and eyebrows,he peed and pooed.Not just that day, but a second,a third, and a fourth;he soiled me all the time,he was harrying me.Seeing me being harried,a spirit said to me:‘Kill that vile, wicked thingwith your horns and hooves.’When he spoke, I saidthis to that spirit:‘Why would you smear mewith a wicked, ignoble carcass?If I were upset with himI would degrade myself,violating my ethics,and being criticized by sensible people.Better to die from puritythan live in shame.How could I, for the sake of life,harm another?’Thinking of me, this onewill do the same to others,and for that they will kill him.Then I shall be free.Forgiving disrespectfrom the low, middle and high,the wise one gainstheir heart’s desire.”
Translation source: Bhikkhu Indacanda (SuttaCentral)License: VI © Bhikkhu Indacanda (qua SuttaCentral) · EN CC0-1.0 (Bhikkhu Sujato)
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