Pv 18King Kaṇha

– STORIES OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS

– THE UBBARĪ CHAPTER

2.6

BJT 207"Kaṇha, arise! Why do you lie there? What benefit is there for you in dreaming? And Kesava, your own younger brother, your heart and your right eye — he has been seized by gusts of wind, and he mutters about a hare."

BJT 208Having heard those words of that Rohiṇeyya, Kesava arose in haste, afflicted by sorrow on account of his younger brother.

BJT 209"Is it that you, like a madman, wander throughout this entire Dvāravatī, babbling: 'A hare, a hare.' What kind of hare do you desire?

BJT 210I will have a hare made for you — shall it be made of gold, of maṇi-gem, of ruby, of silver, or of precious coral?

BJT 211There are also other small hares in the forest, living their lives within the forest; we can catch them and bring them here. What kind of hare do you desire?"

BJT 212"I do not desire those hares, those hares that dwell upon the earth; I desire the hare from the moon. Kesava, bring it to me."

BJT 213"Kinsman, it is clear that you will abandon this sweet life. You long for what cannot be longed for — you desire the hare from the moon."

BJT 214"Kaṇha, if you know it to be so, then you should counsel others accordingly; why, even now, do you grieve over a son who died long ago?

BJT 215Those things which cannot be attained by human beings or even by non-human beings — 'May the son who was born to me not die' — for what reason should what cannot be attained become attained?

BJT 216Kaṇha, you cannot bring back with spells, with medicines from roots, with potions, or with wealth the one who has passed away, for whom you grieve.

BJT 217Those who possess great wealth, great riches — even the Khattiyas who rule over kingdoms, who are abundantly endowed with wealth and grain — even those persons are not free from old age and death.

BJT 218Khattiyas, Brahmins, merchants, servants, the lowly, the refuse-collectors — these and others come into being through birth; even those persons are not free from old age and death.

BJT 219Those who recite spells, the Vedas in their six divisions, composed by Brahmā — these and others come into being through birth; even those persons are not free from old age and death.

BJT 220Or even the seers, the ascetics, who have attained peace, whose selves have been restrained — even those ascetics relinquish the body in time.

BJT 221Even the Arahants whose selves have been cultivated, whose duties have been accomplished, who are free from all taints — even they cast off this body through the cessation of good and evil."

BJT 222"Truly, while I was being burned as if a flame were being fed with clarified butter, he has been able to extinguish all my distress as if pouring water upon it.

BJT 223When I was overcome by grief, whoever drove away my sorrow over my son — he has truly drawn out the arrow of grief that had been lodged in my heart.

BJT 224I, with the arrow drawn out, in a cool state, have been calmed. Brother, having listened to you, I neither grieve nor weep."

BJT 225Thus do those of wisdom conduct themselves — they are ones of compassion; they help others cross over sorrow, as Ghaṭa did for his elder brother.

BJT 226Whoever has such companions, such attendants, accompanied by wise counsel, as Ghaṭa did for his elder brother."

The Story of the Hungry Ghost of Kaṇha is the sixth.