Cp 13

Campeyyanāgacariya

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, campeyyako mahiddhiko; Tadāpi dhammiko āsiṁ, sīlabbatasamappito.

The Dragon Campeyyaka’s Conduct

“Then again when I was Campeyyaka, a dragon of great psychic power, I was just, furnished with precepts and vows.

Tadāpi maṁ dhammacāriṁ, upavutthaṁ uposathaṁ; Ahituṇḍiko gahetvāna, rājadvāramhi kīḷati.

Then the snake-charmer who caught me lived righteously, observing the Sabbath, and he made me perform at the royal gate.

Yaṁ yaṁ so vaṇṇaṁ cintayi, nīlaṁva pītalohitaṁ; Tassa cittānuvattanto, homi cintitasannibho.

Whatever color he thought of— blue, yellow, or red— I conformed to his wish, taking the appearance of his thought.

Thalaṁ kareyyamudakaṁ, udakampi thalaṁ kare; Yadihaṁ tassa pakuppeyyaṁ, khaṇena chārikaṁ kare.

I could turn dry land to water, and water to dry land. If I were upset with him I could reduce him to ash in an instant.

Yadi cittavasī hessaṁ, parihāyissāmi sīlato; Sīlena parihīnassa, uttamattho na sijjhati.

If I was under the sway of my thoughts, I would have fallen from my ethics. But one who has fallen from their ethics does not succeed at the highest goal.

Kāmaṁ bhijjatuyaṁ kāyo, idheva vikirīyatu; Neva sīlaṁ pabhindeyyaṁ, vikirante bhusaṁ viyā”ti.

Gladly, let this body be broken! Let it be scattered in this very place! Not even for that would I break my ethics, if it were being scattered like hay.”