DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45392#0398
Buddha & the Gospel of Buddhism
and entering the stream he saved his life and brought him
to the shore. At the same time the ruru-deer prayed the
man to say nothing of his adventure, for he feared the
cruelty of men. The queen of that country, however,
happened at that time to dream of just such a deer;
and the king offered a reward for the capture of such a
creature. The man whose life had been saved, being
poor, was tempted by the offer of a fertile village and
ten beautiful women, and revealed to the king the secret
of the beautiful deer. The king is about to let fly his
arrow, when the deer asks him to stay his hand, and to
tell who has revealed the secret of his forest home.
When the wretched man is pointed out, the deer exclaims:
‘ Fie upon him! It is verily a true word, that ‘ better it
is to take a log from the water than to save an ungrateful
man from drowning.’ Thus it is that he requites the
exertions undertaken on his behalf! ”
The king inquires why the deer speaks so bitterly, and
the Bodhisattva (for such, of course, is the deer) replies :
“No desire to pass censure moved me to these words, O
king, but knowing his blameworthy deed, I spoke sharp
words to hinder him from doing such a deed again. For
who would willingly use harsh speech to those who have
done a sinful deed, strewing salt, as it were, upon the
wound of their fault ? But even to his beloved son a
physician must apply such medicine as his sickness
requires. He who has put me in this danger, O best of.
men, it is whom I rescued from the current, being moved
by pity. Verily, intercourse with evil company does not
lead to happiness.”
Then the king would have slain the man; but the Bodhi-
sattva pleads for his life, and that he may receive the
promised reward. Then the Bodhisattva preaches the
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and entering the stream he saved his life and brought him
to the shore. At the same time the ruru-deer prayed the
man to say nothing of his adventure, for he feared the
cruelty of men. The queen of that country, however,
happened at that time to dream of just such a deer;
and the king offered a reward for the capture of such a
creature. The man whose life had been saved, being
poor, was tempted by the offer of a fertile village and
ten beautiful women, and revealed to the king the secret
of the beautiful deer. The king is about to let fly his
arrow, when the deer asks him to stay his hand, and to
tell who has revealed the secret of his forest home.
When the wretched man is pointed out, the deer exclaims:
‘ Fie upon him! It is verily a true word, that ‘ better it
is to take a log from the water than to save an ungrateful
man from drowning.’ Thus it is that he requites the
exertions undertaken on his behalf! ”
The king inquires why the deer speaks so bitterly, and
the Bodhisattva (for such, of course, is the deer) replies :
“No desire to pass censure moved me to these words, O
king, but knowing his blameworthy deed, I spoke sharp
words to hinder him from doing such a deed again. For
who would willingly use harsh speech to those who have
done a sinful deed, strewing salt, as it were, upon the
wound of their fault ? But even to his beloved son a
physician must apply such medicine as his sickness
requires. He who has put me in this danger, O best of.
men, it is whom I rescued from the current, being moved
by pity. Verily, intercourse with evil company does not
lead to happiness.”
Then the king would have slain the man; but the Bodhi-
sattva pleads for his life, and that he may receive the
promised reward. Then the Bodhisattva preaches the
312