Jataka 19 Kharadiya

Kharadiya Jataka

Once on a time when Brahmadatta was in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born a deer and dwelt in the forest at the head of a head of deer. His sister brought her son to him, saying, “Brother, this is your nephew; teach him deer’s ruses.” And thus she placed her son under the Bodhisatta’s care. Said the latter to his nephew, “Come at such and such a time and I will give you a lesion but the nephew made no appearance at the time

Appointed. And as on that day so on seven days did he skip his lesion and fail to learn the ruses of deer and at last as he was roaming about he was caught in a gin His mother came and said to the bodhisatta brother was not your nephew taught deer`s ruses

Take no thought for the unteachable rascal, said the Bodhisatta,”your son faild to learn the ruses of deer ” And so saying, he repeated this stanza :

For when a deer has twice four hoofs to run

And branching antlers armed with countless tines,

And when by seven tricks he’s saved himself,

I teach him then, Kharadiya no more.

But the hunter killed the self-willed deer that was caught in the snare and departed with its flesh.