Buddhist Parables

Translated from the original Pāli by

Eugene Watson Burlingame
Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Lecturer on Pāli (1917-1918) at Yale University

Originally copyright, 1922
Yale University Press (New Haven)
Now Public Domain

originally proof-read by
Donny Hacker

finally proof-read and prepared for digital publication by
Ānandajoti Bhikkhu
(March, 2016)

 

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Html Table of Contents

Introductory Materials
Chapter I:
1. The Grateful Elephant
2. Grateful Animals and Ungrateful Man
3. Elephant and Ungrateful Forester
Chapter II:
4. Quail, Crow, Fly, Frog, and Elephants
5. Quails and Fowler
6. Brahmadatta, Dīghīti, and Dīghāvu
7. Dīghāvu and the King of Benāres
Chapter III:
8. Two Caravan-Leaders
9. Vedabbha and the Thieves
10. A Buddhist Tar-Baby
11. Two Dicers
12. Brahmadatta and Mallika
13. King Dadhivāhana
14. Antelope, Woodpecker, Tortoise, and Hunter
15. A Buddhist Henny-Penny
Chapter IV:
16. Partridge, Monkey, and Elephant
17. The Hawk
18. Snake-Charm
19. Dragon Jewel-Neck
Chapter V:
20. The Birds
21. The Monkey
22. Blind Men and Elephant
23. The Anger-Eating Ogre
Chapter VI:
24. Mistress Vedehikā
25. Monkey and Dyer
26. How not to Hit an Insect
27. Monkey-Gardeners
28. Boar and Lion
29. Beetle and Elephant
Chapter VII:
30. Kisā Gotamī
31. Paṭācārā
32. The Heavenly Messengers
33. Upasāḷhakā
34. Ubbirī
35. Visākhā’s Sorrow
Chapter VIII:
36. The Condemned Criminal
37. The Man in the Dung-Pit
38. Time in Heaven
39. The Blind Man
40. The Woman with Child
41. We Cannot see the Soul during Life
42. Heat Makes Things Light
43. Villagers and Trumpet
44. The Search for Fire
45. Two Caravan-Leaders
46. Dung for Fodder
47. Two Dicers
48. Giving up Better for Worse
Chapter IX:
49. Ghosaka
50. Little Wayman
51. Nanda the Elder
52. Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā
53. Visākhā’s Marriage
54. King Kappina and Queen Anojā
55. Khemā
56. Nandā
Chapter X:
57. The Sower
58. The Buddha and Ānanda
59. The Buddha and Vakkali
60. The Buddha and the Sick Man
61. The Snake
62. Walking on the Water
63. The Beginningless Round of Existences
64. The Relays
65. The Great Ocean
66. The Buddha and the Herdsman Dhaniya
67. The Axe in the Mouth
Chapter XI:
68. Chariot
69. Embryo and Child
70. Lamp and Flame
71. Milk and Butter
72. Theft of Mangoes
73. Fire in a Field
74. Lamp under a Thatch
75. Girl and Woman
76. Milk and Curds
77. Germ and Egg
78. Seed and Fruit
79. Egg and Hen
80. Circle
81. Timbers and House
82. Seeds and Plants
83. Clay and Vessels
84. Lyre and Sound
85. Fire-Drill and Fire
86. Burning-Glass and Fire
87. Mirror and Reflection
88. Six Doors of the Senses
89. Men in Palace
90. Man outside of Gateway
91. Man in Trough of Honey
92. Embryo of Reptiles and Birds
93. Embryo of Beasts of Prey
94. Human Embryo
95. Bliss of Sovereignty
96. Bliss of Knowledge
97. Unlike Anything Else is the Great Ocean
98. Unlike anything else are the Gods without Form
99. One quality of the Lotus
100. Two Qualities of Water
101. Three qualities of Medicine
102. Four qualities of the Great Ocean
103. Five qualities of Food
104. Ten qualities of Space
105. Three qualities of the Wishing-Jewel
106. Three qualities of Red-Sandalwood
107. Three qualities of the Cream of Ghee
108. Five qualities of a Mountain-Peak
109. Escape from a Bon-Fire
110. Escape from a Heap of Corpses
111. Escape from Peril
112. Escape from Mud
113. Red-Hot Iron Ball
114. Bon-Fire
115. Traveler who has lost his Way
116. Fields and Crops
117. Fire-Sticks and Fire
118. Seven Jewels of a King
119. The Builder of a City is known by his City
120. So is the Buddha known by his City of Righteousness
121. Flower-Shop of the Buddha
122. Perfume-Shop of the Buddha
123. Fruit-Shop of the Buddha
124. Buyer and Seller of Mangoes
125. Medicine-Shop of the Buddha
126. Herb-Shop of the Buddha
127. Ambrosia-Shop of the Buddha
128. Jewel-Shop of the Buddha
129. Jewel of Morality
130. Jewel of Concentration
131. Jewel of Wisdom
132. Jewel of Deliverance
133. Jewel of Insight through Knowledge of Deliverance
134. Jewel of the Analytical Powers
135. Jewel of the Prerequisites of Enlightenment
136. General Shop of the Buddha
137-162 Twenty-six similes
Chapter XII:
163. Payment of a Debt
164. Recovery from a Sickness
165. Release from Prison
166. Emancipation from Slavery
167. Return from a Journey
168. Ball of Lather
169. Pool of Water
170. Lotus-Flowers
171. Clean Garment
172. Threaded Gem
173. Reed, Sword, Snake
174. Potter, Ivory-Carver, Goldsmith
175. Sounds of Drums
176. Reflection in a Mirror
177. Recollection of a Journey
178. Mansion at Cross-Roads
179. Pool of Water
Chapter XIII:
180. Māra, The Wicked Herdsman
181. Herd of Cows
182. Herd of Cows
183. Herd of Deer
184. The Buddha, the Good Herdsman II
Chapter XIV:
185. Skeleton
186. Piece of Meat
187. Torch of Grass
188. Pit of Red-Hot Coals
189. Dream
190. Borrowed Goods
191. Fruit of Tree
192. Creeper and Tree
Chapter XV:
193. Poisoned Calabash
194. Poisoned Cup
195. Foul-Tasting Medicine
196. Curds and Honey and Ghee and Jaggery
197. Even as the Sun, so shines Righteousness
198-203. Five Future States
198. Pit of Red-Hot Coals
199. Dung-Pit
200. Tree with Scanty Shade
201. Tree with Ample Shade
202. Palace
203. Lotus-Pond
Chapter XVI:
204. On the Perfecting of the Perfections
205. On the Attainment of Enlightenment
206. Abatement of Plagues at Vesāli
207. The King who took upon himself the Sins and Sufferings of his People
208. Boar and Lion
209. Fairy-Prince and Griffin
210. Jeweler, Monk, and Goose
211. Rūpāvatī
212. King Shibi and the Bird
213. King Sivi and the Blind Beggar
214. Subhā of Jīvaka’s Mango Grove
215. The Prince-Ascetic
216. Prince Kunāla
217. St. Brigid of Kildare
218. St. Lucy of Syracuse
219. St. Lucy of Alexandria
220. King (Richard of England) and Nun