Hatthināgavagga

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Hatthināgavagga

The Chapter on an Elephant

Sīlapāramī 6

The Perfection of Ethics (6th)

Rurumigarājacariya

Ruru the Deer King’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,

“Then again when I was

sutattakanakasannibho;

the king of deer named Ruru,

Migarājā ruru nāma,

in appearance I was like burnished gold,

paramasīlasamāhito.

focused on the highest ethics.

Ramme padese ramaṇīye,

There was a pleasant, delightful region,

vivitte amanussake;

free of humans,

Tattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ,

so I went there and stayed

gaṅgākūle manorame.

on a lovely bank of the Ganges.

Atha upari gaṅgāya,

Then a man upstream,

dhanikehi paripīḷito;

harassed by creditors,

Puriso gaṅgāya papati,

fell into the Ganges, thinking,

‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.

‘I live or I die!’

Rattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya,

Day and night in the Ganges

vuyhamāno mahodake;

he was swept along the stream,

Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ,

crying out pitifully,

majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.

along the middle of the Ganges.

Tassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna,

When I heard the sound

karuṇaṁ paridevato;

of his pitiful crying,

Gaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna,

I stood on the Ganges bank

apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.

and asked, ‘What man are you?’

So me puṭṭho ca byākāsi,

When asked he explained

attano karaṇaṁ tadā;

to me his own deed:

‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito,

‘I was so scared of my creditors,

pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.

I jumped in the great river!’

Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ,

Taking pity on him,

cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ;

surrendering my own life,

Pavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa,

I entered and dragged him out

andhakāramhi rattiyā.

in the darkness of the night.

Assatthakālamaññāya,

When I knew he had recovered,

tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ;

I said to him,

‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi,

‘I ask of you one favor:

mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.

tell no-one about me.’

Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi,

But once he had returned to the city,

pucchito dhanahetuko;

for the sake of money he told when asked.

Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna,

Taking the king,

upagañchi mamantikaṁ.

he drew close to me.

Yāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ,

All that I had done

rañño ārocitaṁ mayā;

was related to the king.

Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ,

When the king heard this,

usuṁ tassa pakappayi;

he fitted his arrow, thinking,

‘Idheva ghātayissāmi,

‘Right here I shall kill

mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’.

this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’

Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto,

I protected him,

nimminiṁ mama attanā;

substituting myself:

‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja,

‘Let him be, great king.

kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.

I shall carry out your pleasure.’

Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ,

I guarded my ethics,

nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ;

not my life.

Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ,

For then I was ethical,

bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.

because it was solely for awakening.”

Rurumigarājacariyaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.