Sutta Piṭaka
Sasapaṇḍitacariya
Sasapaṇḍitacariya
“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, Sasako pavanacārako; Tiṇapaṇṇasākaphalabhakkho, Paraheṭhanavivajjito.
The Wise Hare’s Conduct
“Then again when I was a hare who roamed the forest, eating grass, leaves, vegetables, and fruit, refraining from harming others,
Makkaṭo ca siṅgālo ca, suttapoto cahaṁ tadā; Vasāma ekasāmantā, sāyaṁ pāto ca dissare.
a monkey, a jackal, a young otter and I lived in the same neighborhood and were seen together morning and evening.
Ahaṁ te anusāsāmi, kiriye kalyāṇapāpake; ‘Pāpāni parivajjetha, kalyāṇe abhinivissatha’.
I advised them regarding good and bad deeds: ‘Shun bad deeds, and cling to the good.’
Uposathamhi divase, candaṁ disvāna pūritaṁ; Etesaṁ tattha ācikkhiṁ, ‘divaso ajjuposatho.
Seeing the full moon on the sabbath day, I pointed it out to them, saying, ‘Today is the sabbath.
Dānāni paṭiyādetha, dakkhiṇeyyassa dātave; Datvā dānaṁ dakkhiṇeyye, upavassathuposathaṁ’.
Prepare gifts for one worthy of offerings. Having given to one worthy of offerings, observe the sabbath day.’
Te me sādhūti vatvāna, yathāsatti yathābalaṁ; Dānāni paṭiyādetvā, dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesisuṁ.
Saying ‘good!’ to me, they prepared gifts according to their capacity and means, and sought out one worthy of offerings.
Ahaṁ nisajja cintesiṁ, dānaṁ dakkhiṇanucchavaṁ; ‘Yadihaṁ labhe dakkhiṇeyyaṁ, kiṁ me dānaṁ bhavissati.
As I was sitting I thought about what sort of gift would suit one worthy of offerings: ‘If I were to find a worthy recipient, what gift would i give?
Na me atthi tilā muggā, māsā vā taṇḍulā ghataṁ; Ahaṁ tiṇena yāpemi, na sakkā tiṇa dātave.
I have no sesame or mung beans, no beans or rice or ghee. I feed only on grass, but that’s not something I can give.
Yadi koci eti dakkhiṇeyyo, Bhikkhāya mama santike; Dajjāhaṁ sakamattānaṁ, Na so tuccho gamissati’.
If someone worthy of gifts comes, seeking alms near me, I shall give my own self: they shall not leave empty-handed.’
Mama saṅkappamaññāya, sakko brāhmaṇavaṇṇinā; Āsayaṁ me upāgacchi, dānavīmaṁsanāya me.
Knowing my thoughts, Sakka in the guise of a brahmin approached my lair in order to test my giving.
Tamahaṁ disvāna santuṭṭho, idaṁ vacanamabraviṁ; ‘Sādhu khosi anuppatto, ghāsahetu mamantike.
Seeing him I was elated, and said the following. ‘It is so good that you have come to me looking for food.
Adinnapubbaṁ dānavaraṁ, ajja dassāmi te ahaṁ; Tuvaṁ sīlaguṇūpeto, ayuttaṁ te paraheṭhanaṁ.
Today I shall give to you a fine gift never before given. You are furnished with virtue, unattached to harming others.
Ehi aggiṁ padīpehi, nānākaṭṭhe samānaya; Ahaṁ pacissamattānaṁ, pakkaṁ tvaṁ bhakkhayissasi’.
Come, light a fire, having gathered different sticks. I shall cook myself, you shall eat me roasted.’
‘Sādhū’ti so haṭṭhamano, nānākaṭṭhe samānayi; Mahantaṁ akāsi citakaṁ, katvā aṅgāragabbhakaṁ.
‘Good!’ he said happily, and gathered different sticks. Building a great pyre, he placed an ember in the recess.
Aggiṁ tattha padīpesi, yathā so khippaṁ mahā bhave; Phoṭetvā rajagate gatte, ekamantaṁ upāvisiṁ.
He lit such a fire there that would quickly grow big. Shaking my dusty limbs, I withdrew to one side.
Yadā mahākaṭṭhapuñjo, āditto dhamadhamāyati; Taduppatitvā papatiṁ, majjhe jālasikhantare.
When the great pile of sticks was burning and blazing, I leapt up and fell on it, in the midst of the fiery flames.
Yathā sītodakaṁ nāma, Paviṭṭhaṁ yassa kassaci; Sameti darathapariḷāhaṁ, Assādaṁ deti pīti ca.
Like diving into cool water, allaying distress and fever, bringing satisfaction and joy.
Tatheva jalitaṁ aggiṁ, paviṭṭhassa mamaṁ tadā; Sabbaṁ sameti darathaṁ, yathā sītodakaṁ viya.
That’s how it was when I entered the burning flame. It allayed distress and fever, just like cool water.
Chaviṁ cammaṁ maṁsaṁ nhāruṁ, Aṭṭhiṁ hadayabandhanaṁ; Kevalaṁ sakalaṁ kāyaṁ, Brāhmaṇassa adāsahan”ti.
Outer skin and inner, flesh and sinews, bones, and heart with cords: my whole entire body I gave to the brahmin.”