Sasapaṇḍitacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Akittivagga

The Chapter With Akitti

Dānapāramī 10

The Perfection of Giving (10th)

Sasapaṇḍitacariya

The Wise Hare’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,

“Then again when I was

Sasako pavanacārako;

a hare who roamed the forest,

Tiṇapaṇṇasākaphalabhakkho,

eating grass, leaves, vegetables, and fruit,

Paraheṭhanavivajjito.

refraining from harming others,

Makkaṭo ca siṅgālo ca,

a monkey, a jackal,

suttapoto cahaṁ tadā;

a young otter and I

Vasāma ekasāmantā,

lived in the same neighborhood

sāyaṁ pāto ca dissare.

and were seen together morning and evening.

Ahaṁ te anusāsāmi,

I advised them

kiriye kalyāṇapāpake;

regarding good and bad deeds:

‘Pāpāni parivajjetha,

‘Shun bad deeds,

kalyāṇe abhinivissatha’.

and cling to the good.’

Uposathamhi divase,

Seeing the full moon

candaṁ disvāna pūritaṁ;

on the sabbath day,

Etesaṁ tattha ācikkhiṁ,

I pointed it out to them, saying,

‘divaso ajjuposatho.

‘Today is the sabbath.

Dānāni paṭiyādetha,

Prepare gifts

dakkhiṇeyyassa dātave;

for one worthy of offerings.

Datvā dānaṁ dakkhiṇeyye,

Having given to one worthy of offerings,

upavassathuposathaṁ’.

observe the sabbath day.’

Te me sādhūti vatvāna,

Saying ‘good!’ to me,

yathāsatti yathābalaṁ;

they prepared gifts

Dānāni paṭiyādetvā,

according to their capacity and means,

dakkhiṇeyyaṁ gavesisuṁ.

and sought out one worthy of offerings.

Ahaṁ nisajja cintesiṁ,

As I was sitting I thought about

dānaṁ dakkhiṇanucchavaṁ;

what sort of gift would suit one worthy of offerings:

‘Yadihaṁ labhe dakkhiṇeyyaṁ,

‘If I were to find a worthy recipient,

kiṁ me dānaṁ bhavissati.

what gift would i give?

Na me atthi tilā muggā,

I have no sesame or mung beans,

māsā vā taṇḍulā ghataṁ;

no beans or rice or ghee.

Ahaṁ tiṇena yāpemi,

I feed only on grass,

na sakkā tiṇa dātave.

but that’s not something I can give.

Yadi koci eti dakkhiṇeyyo,

If someone worthy of gifts comes,

Bhikkhāya mama santike;

seeking alms near me,

Dajjāhaṁ sakamattānaṁ,

I shall give my own self:

Na so tuccho gamissati’.

they shall not leave empty-handed.’

Mama saṅkappamaññāya,

Knowing my thoughts,

sakko brāhmaṇavaṇṇinā;

Sakka in the guise of a brahmin

Āsayaṁ me upāgacchi,

approached my lair

dānavīmaṁsanāya me.

in order to test my giving.

Tamahaṁ disvāna santuṭṭho,

Seeing him I was elated,

idaṁ vacanamabraviṁ;

and said the following.

‘Sādhu khosi anuppatto,

‘It is so good that you have come

ghāsahetu mamantike.

to me looking for food.

Adinnapubbaṁ dānavaraṁ,

Today I shall give to you

ajja dassāmi te ahaṁ;

a fine gift never before given.

Tuvaṁ sīlaguṇūpeto,

You are furnished with virtue,

ayuttaṁ te paraheṭhanaṁ.

unattached to harming others.

Ehi aggiṁ padīpehi,

Come, light a fire,

nānākaṭṭhe samānaya;

having gathered different sticks.

Ahaṁ pacissamattānaṁ,

I shall cook myself,

pakkaṁ tvaṁ bhakkhayissasi’.

you shall eat me roasted.’

‘Sādhū’ti so haṭṭhamano,

‘Good!’ he said happily,

nānākaṭṭhe samānayi;

and gathered different sticks.

Mahantaṁ akāsi citakaṁ,

Building a great pyre,

katvā aṅgāragabbhakaṁ.

he placed an ember in the recess.

Aggiṁ tattha padīpesi,

He lit such a fire there

yathā so khippaṁ mahā bhave;

that would quickly grow big.

Phoṭetvā rajagate gatte,

Shaking my dusty limbs,

ekamantaṁ upāvisiṁ.

I withdrew to one side.

Yadā mahākaṭṭhapuñjo,

When the great pile of sticks

āditto dhamadhamāyati;

was burning and blazing,

Taduppatitvā papatiṁ,

I leapt up and fell on it,

majjhe jālasikhantare.

in the midst of the fiery flames.

Yathā sītodakaṁ nāma,

Like diving

Paviṭṭhaṁ yassa kassaci;

into cool water,

Sameti darathapariḷāhaṁ,

allaying distress and fever,

Assādaṁ deti pīti ca.

bringing satisfaction and joy.

Tatheva jalitaṁ aggiṁ,

That’s how it was

paviṭṭhassa mamaṁ tadā;

when I entered the burning flame.

Sabbaṁ sameti darathaṁ,

It allayed distress and fever,

yathā sītodakaṁ viya.

just like cool water.

Chaviṁ cammaṁ maṁsaṁ nhāruṁ,

Outer skin and inner, flesh and sinews,

Aṭṭhiṁ hadayabandhanaṁ;

bones, and heart with cords:

Kevalaṁ sakalaṁ kāyaṁ,

my whole entire body

Brāhmaṇassa adāsahan”ti.

I gave to the brahmin.”

Sasapaṇḍitacariyaṁ dasamaṁ.

Akittivaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Akittibrāhmaṇo saṅkho,

kururājā dhanañcayo;

Mahāsudassano rājā,

mahāgovindabrāhmaṇo.

Nimi candakumāro ca,

sivi vessantaro saso;

Ahameva tadā āsiṁ,

yo te dānavare adā.

Ete dānaparikkhārā,

ete dānassa pāramī;

Jīvitaṁ yācake datvā,

imaṁ pārami pūrayiṁ.

Bhikkhāya upagataṁ disvā,

sakattānaṁ pariccajiṁ;

Dānena me samo natthi,

esā me dānapāramīti.

Dānapāraminiddeso niṭṭhito.