Friendship: Fool vs. Foe (Jataka)

Wisdom Quarterly; E.B. Cowell (ed.), The Jataka: Stories of the Buddha's Former Births (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1895), Book 1, No. 44. "Mosquito and Carpenter" (Makassa Jataka)

Vishvakarma or "Carpenter's Cave," Ajanta/Ellora Buddhist archeological site India, has a carved cathedral-shaped ceiling giving the impression of wooden beams (nozomiiqel/CC)

  

"Senseless friends" -- A rebirth story was recounted by the Buddha while on alms round in Magadha, about certain foolish villagers in a neighboring hamlet. Tradition has it that after traveling from the prosperous city of Sāvatthi to the kingdom of Magadha [where King Bimbisara reigned], the Buddha arrived at the village with its throngs of fools. 

(science.howstuffworks.com)

These foolish villagers met together one day debating, "Friends, when we are at work in the jungle, mosquitoes devour us, which hinders our work. Arming ourselves with bows, arrows, and other weapons, let us go to war with the mosquitoes and shoot or hack them all to death." 

Off they went to the jungle shouting, "Shoot down the mosquitoes!" But they shot and struck one another until they were in a sad state and returned only to sink on the ground in or within the village or at its entrance.

  

Surrounded by the Monastic Order, the Buddha entered the village on a quest for alms. The sensible inhabitants of the village as soon as they saw the Buddha set up a pavilion at the village entrance. And after bestowing the wandering ascetics headed by the Buddha with alms, they bowed respectfully and seated themselves. 

  

Observing wounded men lying around on this side and that, the Buddha asked the monastics, "These disabled men laying about, what happened to them?" 

"Venerable sir," they explained, "they went forth bent on war with the mosquitoes, only to shoot one another and so disable themselves."
 

The Buddha then said, "This is not the first time that these foolish people have dealt out blows to themselves instead of to the mosquitoes they meant to kill. In former times, too, there were those who set out to hit a mosquito only to hit a fellow-creature instead." So saying, at the villagers' request, he told this story of the past.

(Nh53/flickr.com)

  

JATAKA 

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisat gained his livelihood as a trader.

 

In those ancient days, in a frontier village in Kasi, there lived a number of carpenters. By chance one of them, a balding gray-haired man, was whittling away at some wood. His scalp glistened like a copper bowl as a mosquito settled on it and stung him like a dart.

 

The carpenter said to his beloved son who was sitting nearby: "Be a good boy, son. There's a mosquito stinging my head. Drive it away."

 

"Hold still, father," answered the son. "One blow will settle it."

 

Now at that very moment the Bodhisat arrived at the village to trade. And he was sitting in the carpenter's shop.

 

"Rid me of it!" cried the father.

 

"All right, father," answered the son, who was standing behind the old man raising a sharp axe intent on killing just the mosquito. He swung and cleft his father's head in two. The old man fell dead on the spot.

  

The Bodhisat, an eye-witness to this tragic event, thought to himself: "Better than having such a foolish 'friend' is having an enemy with sense, for even just the fear of human vengeance will deter from killing a person." Then he recited these lines: 
 

Senseless friends are worse than sensible foes;

Witness the son who sought the gadfly to slay,

But, poor fool, instead cleft his father's skull in two.

  

So saying the Bodhisat rose up and departed, later passing away to fare according to his karmic deserts. As for the carpenter, his body was cremated by his kinsfolk.

CONCLUSION

"Therefore, lay followers," said the Buddha, "in bygone times too there were those who, seeking to hit a mosquito, struck down a fellow-creature." This lesson ended, he pointed out the connection by identifying the rebirth: "In those days I myself was the wise and good trader who departed after repeating the stanza."

Part III. Friendship

Buddha at Sukhothai (Aidan McRae Thomson/flickr)

(Wisdom Quarterly translation, "A Brief Code of Buddhist Ethics," DN 31)
FALSE FRIENDS
..."These four, young householder, should be understood as Foes in the Guise of Friends:

1. one who borrows your possessions,
2. one who renders lip-service,
3. one who flatters,
4. one who encourages ruin.

[Why?] "In four ways, young householder, should one who borrows your possessions be understood to be a foe in the guise of a friend:

One borrows with no thought of returning,
appropriating everything.
One gives little wanting much in return.
What one must do one does out of fear.
One is always looking out for selfish ends.

"In four ways, young householder, should one who renders lip-service be understood to be an adversary disguised as a friend:

1. One speaks proudly of favors attempted in the past.
2. One makes friendly vows regarding the future.
3. One tries to gain favor with empty words.
4. One pleads inability when an opportunity to be of service actually arises.

"In four ways, young householder, should one who flatters be understood to be a foe masquerading as a friend: More on friendship

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The Story of Setaketu (Bodhisat)

"The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas" (Maha Buddhavamsa), Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw, edited and translated by U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwi; further intensive editing Wisdom Quarterly

Setaketu (Santusita) in Tusita world

The deva Setaketu, the future Buddha, enjoyed the supreme deva bliss in the [space] abode of Tusita for 4,000 years according to deva-time reckoning (which is equivalent to 576,000,000 years in the human world).

 

Then 1,000 human years before the end of his life-span in the Tusita world, divinities (brahmas) of the Pure Abodes (suddhavasa) proclaimed:

"Friends, 1,000 years from today there will appear in the human world an omniscient buddha!"
 

Because of this proclamation from the vault of the deva world, the uproar (buddha kolahala) announcing the appearance of a buddha, "An omniscient buddha will be appearing! An omniscient buddha will be appearing!" reverberated across the entire human world 1,000 years ahead of the event [Note 1].

The Devas' Request

On hearing the uproar announcing the advent of a buddha, the deva kings of the 10,000 world-systems -- such as the Four Great Sky Kings (near earth orbit rulers), Sakka, Suyama, Santusita (6th Heaven, Para-nimmita-vasavatti), Sunimmita, Vasavatti, and all Great-Brahmas congregated in a certain [galaxy or world-system] to hold a discussion on the Bodhisat (Bodhisattva) whose deva life-span had only seven days remaining, by human reckoning, and whose approaching end of life had become manifest through five predictive signs. 

 

Then they all approached the deva Setaketu with their hands joined in adoration and made this request:

 

"O deva Bodhisat [Buddha-to-be], you have completely fulfilled the Ten Perfections, not with the desire to gain the bliss of Sakka [Michael or Thor, Lord of Lords (of Tavatimsa) and King of Kings (in the Realm of the Four Great Kings], of Mara (in Brahma's Retinue or 7th Heaven), of Brahma (in the Maha Brahma deva loka), or of a Universal Monarch (on Earth). You have fulfilled these perfections aspiring for all-knowing buddhahood in order to acquire for yourself freedom from the three worlds (spheres) as well as to liberate the multitudes of humans, devas ["shining ones"], and brahmas ["creative divinities," supremos].
 
"O deva Bodhisat, this is the most propitious time for you to become an omniscient awakened teacher! This is truly the right moment to become an omniscient awakened teacher! Therefore, take conception in the womb of the human world. And after attaining the supreme enlightenment of a teacher, liberate humans, devas, and brahmas from the round of suffering/rebirth (samsara) by teaching the Dharma of deathlessness: nirvana."

The Five Great Investigations

The deva Bodhisat Setaketu did not hastily consent to the supplication of the devas and brahmas who had come together from the 10,000 world-systems. Instead, in line with the tradition of previous bodhisattas, he made five great investigations:

(1) Is it the appropriate time for the appearance of a buddha?

(2) Is there an appropriate world (dipa, island, continent, planet, light) for the appearance of a buddha?

(3) Is there an appropriate land for the appearance of a buddha?

(4) Is there an appropriate family into which to be reborn (in a final existence)?

(5) Is it the appropriate span of life of a bodhisatta's mother. More

NOTE: With reference to the name of the Buddha-to-be as a deva, it was Santusita according to the chapter on Ratanasankama, Buddhavamsa which in Pali reads: Yada'ham tusite kaye santusito nama'ham tada. Also in the commentary to the Buddhavamsa and Jinalankara Tika the same name is mentioned. But in the exposition of the Pubbenivasa-katha, Veranja-kanda of the Parajika commentary, and in the exposition of the Bhayabherava Sutra of the Mulapanasa commentary, his name is given as Setaketu ["White Banner"]. Moreover, successive authors of Burmese chronicles or Buddhavamsas such as the Tathagata-Udana Dipani, Malalankara Vatthu, Jinatthapakasani, etc., give Setaketu as the name of the deva. Therefore, it has been explained by various teachers that Santusita was a common name derived from Tusita -- the name of the celestial abode (space world) -- whereas Setaketu was the proper name that specifically refers to the deva who would become Prince Siddhartha the Buddha Gautama.

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"The Monkey's Heart" (Rebirth Tale)

Stories of the Buddha's Former Births (The Jataka) edited by E.B. Cowell (Cambridge University Press, 1895), Book 2, No. 20; more at Pitt.edu; updated by Wisdom Quarterly

Mr. Monkey (John Downer/materialismisanaddiction/facebook.com)

   

Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta [the "Buddha-to-be"] was reborn in the Himalayan foothills as a monkey. He grew strong and sturdy, with a healthy frame, living by a curve of the river Ganges in the forest.

  

Mr. Crocodile (Jon Sevcik/Naturephoto.cz)

Now at that time there was a crocodile dwelling in the Ganges. The crocodile's mate saw the great frame of the monkey, and she conceived a longing to eat his heart. So she said to her mate, "Sir, I desire to eat the heart of that great king of the monkeys!"

  

"Good wife," answered the crocodile, "I live in the water, and he lives on dry land. How can we catch him?"

  

"By hook or by crook," she replied, "he must be caught. If I don't get him, I shall die."

  

"All right," replied the crocodile, consoling her, "don't trouble yourself. I have a plan. I will give you his heart to eat."

  

Kind monkey kissing kitty (animalszooguru)

When the Bodhisatta was sitting on the bank of the Ganges, after taking a drink of water, the crocodile drew near and said to him, "Good monkey, why do you live on bad fruits in this old familiar place? On the other side of the Ganges there are many mango and labuja trees with fruit sweet as honey! Would it not be better to cross over and gain all kinds of wild fruit to eat?"

  

"Lord crocodile," the monkey answered, "the Ganges is deep and wide. How would I get across?"

  

"Well, if you want to go, I shall let you ride on my back, and I will carry you over."

   

The monkey trusted him and agreed. "Come here, then," beckoned the crocodile. "Up on my back with you!" Up the monkey climbed. But when the crocodile had swum a little way, he plunged the monkey under the water.

  

"Good friend, you are letting me sink!" cried the monkey. "What is that for?"

  

Nagas surround mammal in cage (wikipedia)

The crocodile roared, "You think I am carrying you out of pure good nature? Not a bit of it! My wife has a longing to eat your heart, and I intend to give it to her!"

   

"Friend," explained the monkey, "it is nice of you to tell me. But if our hearts were inside us, when we monkeys go swinging among the tree tops they would be all knocked to pieces!"

   

"Well, then, where do you keep it?" asked the crocodile.

  

The Bodhisatta pointed out a fig tree with clusters of ripe fruit standing close by. "See there," he said, "hanging on that fig tree? There are our hearts."

  

"If you will show me your heart," offered the crocodile, "then I won't kill you."

  

Monkey's kindness to pigeon (paleonym)

"Take me to the tree, and I will point it out to you."

  

The crocodile ferried him to the place. The monkey leaped off his back, and climbing up the fig tree sat high in it. "Oh, silly crocodile!" he yelled back. "You thought that there were creatures that kept their hearts in the treetops! You are silly, and now you are outwitted! You may keep your [karmic] fruit for yourself. Your body is great, but you have no sense!"

  

Then to explain this idea he uttered the following stanzas:
 

Roseapple, jackfruit, mangoes, too, across the water there I see;

Enough of them, I want them not; my fig is good enough for me!

Great your scaly body, verily, but how small your serpent wit!

Now go your own way, crocodile, for I have had the best of it.

   

The crocodile, feeling as silly and miserable as if he had lost a thousand pieces of money, went back sorrowing to the place where he lived. More

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Lady Gaga barfs on stage (video) + Sutra

Amber Dorrian, Bela, Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; video courtesy of HowToGetMad

(thehollywoodgossip.com)

BARCELONA - Demonstrating the influence of little Justin Bieber to set trends, previously fashion-forward lipsyncher Lady Gaga vomited live on stage in Spain while performing "The Edge of Glory." 

  

She was on the edge of finishing up her 24 song set when, sometime during Song 23, a visceral constriction created a spontaneous rhythmic ejection of the contents of her stomach with what seems to be a pink (perhaps bloody) phlegm-like substance. Then it happened again and yet again. How long before Ashley Simpson jumps on the bandwagon?

I won't be outdone by that kid!

During his Believe Tour, The Beebs blamed it on junk food consumed with radio personalities before the show. Goodness knows what Lady Gag' will come up with. But she is being good humored about it. And the most amazing thing is, she kept dancing! Does that mean she's lip-syncing through her entire tour? Or is she trying to lose those extra 25 pounds she padded on eating junk food the old-fashioned way? Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a serious syndrome, much worse than BDSM cravings!

The professional dancer along side her was unfazed in his performance proving what many of the greats say: "The show must go on!" At least that was the underlying message in "Moulin Rouge" when Nicole Kidman did all that Indian dancing for Baz Luhrmann.

The translation on one of the videos reads, "During her concert in Barcelona on October 6, the new queen of pop, it seems, felt unwell and vomited on stage!" Gags simply tweeted, "SPAIN, you took the piss outta me. Thats some hard bodied pop stuff. I'll never forget tonight Barcelona. FOREVER."

The Real Thing
Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly translation; C.B. Varma (Baveru Jataka, Jt. 313, 339)

Buddha, Mandalay (gorbulas_sandybanks/flickr.com)

Once upon a time the merchants of Varanasi traveled to Baveru Island. They carried a crow with them. At that time there were no birds anywhere on the island. So most people had never seen one. When the crow was put on display, the people thronged to look with great curiosity.

Some remarked, “Look at its glossy color!” Others said, “Look at its silky fur! Still others marvelled, “Look at its pretty beak and jeweled eyes!” In this way many people praised the crow.

They approached the merchants and pleaded, “Sirs, you have others like this in your land. Sell us this one, and you find another.” They offered one piece of money for the bird. The merchants agreed to sell but demanded a higher price. Finally, they made a deal -- 100 pieces for the crow.

The islanders gleefully carried their new pet in a pompous procession throughout the island then placed it in a golden cage. The crow was treated to a variety of foods and desserts and lived happily in spite of being known for ten evil characteristics, enjoying all sorts of gain and praise.

A New Arrival

Merchants arrive with new bird (jathakakatha.org)

When the merchants next visited Baveru, they brought along a peacock. The peacock was trained to sing at a finger snap and dance at the clapping of hands. When it was put on display, it greatly amused the islanders with its singing and dancing.

The new peacock proved far more alluring than the old crow. Charmed, the people went to the merchants and eagerly expressed a desire to purchase it. They reasoned with the merchants: “Sirs, you have birds like this in your land. Sell us this one, and you find another in your land”

Royal peacock (geraldguild.com)

The merchants, wanting a better bargain, replied: “Sirs! We first brought a crow, and you took it from us. Now we bring a peacock, and you want to take that, too? Next time we will not bring any bird here.” The people insisted offering a higher and higher price. Finally, a deal was agreed on of 1,000 pieces of money.
 
The people placed the peacock in a cage made of seven jewels. They then treated it to all sorts of food, honey, fried snacks, and so on. The crow hardly got any attention at all. Nobody offered it anything.

One day seizing the opportunity it flew out of its cage with a shrill “Caw, caw!” and settled on a dunghill.

Before the crested peacock appeared

The crow enjoyed gain and was revered

Since to Baveru the honey-voiced peacock came

The crow was shorn of all its praise and fame.

So people to diverse priests due honor paid,
Till the Buddha the full light of truth displayed:
For when the sweet-sounding Buddha preached the law,
From heretics their gifts and praise people withdraw.

The Buddha concluded the Rebirth Tale (Jataka) with these stanzas and by pointing out that in the past the crow had been the Nigantha Nataputta (Mahavira, the founder of Jainism) and the Bodhisatta himself had been the peacock.

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The love of trees in Buddhism (video)

Ashley Wells, Seven, Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly edit of Wikipedia entry Bodhi tree

Massive Japanese Buddha  statue in Bodh Gaya, India (Gallery: thezensite.com)

   

Gandhara Buddha (buddhaskulptur.de)

Wayfaring Indian ascetics and Buddhist devotees meditate beneath sacred fig trees to this day.
  
They begin by doing parikrama (circumambulation) around the tree as a mark of reverence.

  

Usually seven walkabouts are done around the lush tree in the morning chanting "Vriksha Rajaya Namaha," which means "Salutation to the King of Trees."

  

Buddhist lore maintains that the historical Buddha Gautama attained enlightenment (bodhi) while meditating underneath the Bodhi tree, a Ficus religiosa or "sacred fig."

  

Idealized image of Siddhartha awakening under a tree

The ancestor of the original tree is in present day Bodh Gaya (Enlightenment Grove, the forested portion of the northern Indian city of Gaya where Siddhartha meditated until he became the Buddha or "Awakened One"), in Bihar (Vihara) state. 

  

The original Bodhi tree and the Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Great Enlightenment Tree) propagated from it are notable specimens of the Sacred Fig -- the oldest historically documented tree in the world. The known planting date of this offspring tree, in 288 BCE, actually makes it the oldest verified age for any flowering plant.^[Note]

  

In Theravada ("The Teaching of the Enlightened Elders") Buddhist Southeast Asia, the tree's massive trunk is often the site of Buddhist and animist shrines.

   

Not every Ficus religiosa can be called a "Bodhi tree." A Bodhi tree can trace its parent to another Bodhi tree, and the line goes back until the first Bodhi tree, which Siddhartha chose among many kinds of trees to gain enlightenment under.
  

   
Buddhist Prehistory 
Wisdom Quarterly
The love and significance of trees goes much farther than this. In the Buddhist history of previous buddhas, the Buddha lists their names, parents, chief disciples, and the kind of tree they gained bodhi ("enlightenment") under.
  
It is not limited to Ficus religiosa, the sacred fig, or the Buddha's own Bodhi tree.

Moreover, the Bo tree is not the only tree to have gained prominence by the Buddha's life in ancient India. He gained final nirvana under two Sal trees. And he meditated under a Banyan and other trees before choosing that one tree that, according to legend, had waited more than 30 years for him. It is said that at the birth of the Bodhisatta (in his final life born as Siddhartha), his wife Yasodhara and his tree, the Bo, were also born, such is their significance.

The amazing thing about trees, about biotic life interdependent with materiality on this planet, is that they go way back to the beginning of the current cycle. It is said that the "first trees" were in fact massive mushroom with network roots (mycelium) running into the Earth and connecting them. The forbidden fruit in Judeo-Christian lore also seems to refer to a mushroom rather than a viper's apples.

• The Everything Buddhism Book 
• Why do we love trees?
• Why we love trees (Tree Huggers Ball)
• Tree-dwelling tribe found in Indonesia 
• Civilization collapsed after cutting down trees 
• Tree-fairies (bhumi devas) in Buddhism
• CARTOON: The Bold and Wise tree
• The Spirit in the Banyan Tree

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