Bhūridattacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Hatthināgavagga

The Chapter on an Elephant

Sīlapāramī 2

The Perfection of Ethics (2nd)

Bhūridattacariya

The Dragon Bhūridatta’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,

“Then again when I was

bhūridatto mahiddhiko;

Bhūridatta, a dragon of great psychic power,

Virūpakkhena mahāraññā,

together with Virūpakkha the Great King

devalokamagañchahaṁ.

I went to a heavenly realm.

Tattha passitvāhaṁ deve,

There I saw gods

ekantaṁ sukhasamappite;

wholly given over to pleasure.

Taṁ saggagamanatthāya,

For the sake of going to that heaven,

sīlabbataṁ samādiyiṁ.

I undertook the observance of ethics.

Sarīrakiccaṁ katvāna,

After tending to my physical needs,

bhutvā yāpanamattakaṁ;

and eating enough to get by,

Caturo aṅge adhiṭṭhāya,

I resolved on the four factors,

semi vammikamuddhani.

and lay down atop a termite mound, thinking:

‘Chaviyā cammena maṁsena,

‘My outer skin and inner, flesh,

Nahāruaṭṭhikehi vā;

sinews and bones:

Yassa etena karaṇīyaṁ,

whoever has use for these,

Dinnaṁyeva harātu so’.

they are already given, please take them.’

Saṁsito akataññunā,

While lying there the ingrate

ālampāyano mamaggahi;

Ālampāyana grabbed me.

Peḷāya pakkhipitvāna,

He threw me in a basket

kīḷeti maṁ tahiṁ tahiṁ.

and made me perform in places all over.

Peḷāya pakkhipantepi,

Though thrown in a basket

sammaddantepi pāṇinā;

and crushed by his hands,

Ālampāyane na kuppāmi,

I did not get upset with Ālampāyana,

sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mama.

for fear of breaking my ethics.

Sakajīvitapariccāgo,

To give up my own life

tiṇato lahuko mama;

was as light as a blade of grass.

Sīlavītikkamo mayhaṁ,

To transgress my ethical principles

pathavīuppatanaṁ viya.

was like overturning the earth.

Nirantaraṁ jātisataṁ,

In a hundred successive lives

cajeyyaṁ mama jīvitaṁ;

I would give up my own life.

Neva sīlaṁ pabhindeyyaṁ,

I would not even violate my ethics

catuddīpāna hetupi.

for the sake of the four continents.

Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya,

For the sake of protecting ethics,

Sīlapāramipūriyā;

and fulfilling my perfection of ethics,

Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ,

I did not let my mind change,

Pakkhipantampi peḷake”ti.

even when thrown in a basket.”

Bhūridattacariyaṁ dutiyaṁ.