Ja 25 The Story about the Ford
(Titthajātaka)
In the present Ven. Sāriputta has a co-resident monk whom he has difficulty teaching, so he takes him to the Buddha, who, understanding the monk’s disposition, gives him a suitable subject, so that he easily attains. The Buddha then tells a story of a horse who wouldn’t allow himself to be washed. The Bodhisatta realised that the horse needed both clean water and variety, and he had him washed elsewhere (full story).
1. Aññamaññehi titthehi assaṁ pāyehi, sārathi,
Accāsanassa puriso, pāyāsassa pi tappatī ti.
In different places let the horse drink, driver, for one sitting too long, e’en milk-rice is torment.
In this connection, in different means in one place or another.
Let ... drink, this is an abbreviated teaching, let bathe and let drink is the meaning.
For one sitting too long, this is a genitive in the instrumental sense, by sitting too much, through a surfeit of sitting, is the meaning.
E’en milk-rice is torment, even sweet milk-rice prepared with ghee is a torment, a dissatisfaction, a satiation, a glut, and he experiences no desire to eat. Therefore constantly bathing this horse in this fording place will not be adequate, let him bathe in other places.