Ja 28 The Story about the Bull Nandivisāla
(Nandivisālajātaka)
In the present the Group of Six make disparaging remarks about the monks. The Buddha reproves them and tells a story about a bull, who, spoken to harshly, lost his master a thousand, and spoken to kindly gained him two thousand, by pulling a hundred carts all by himself (full story).
1. Manuññam-eva bhāseyya, nāmanuññaṁ kudācanaṁ,
Manuññaṁ bhāsamānassa garuṁ bhāraṁ udaddhari,
Dhanañ-ca naṁ alabhesi tena cattamano ahū ti.
You should surely speak pleasantly, and speak nothing unpleasantly, for the one who spoke pleasantly he pulled a very heavy load, because of that he received wealth and satisfaction, it is said.
In this connection, you should surely speak pleasantly, with another, putting aside the four faults in speaking, you should speak sweet, pleasing, gentle, mild, loving words.
He pulled a very heavy load means the bull Nandivisāla, being spoken to unpleasantly, did not lift the load, and later being spoken to with the brahmin’s pleasing, loving words, lifted the heavy load, and after lifting and pulling it, he set it in motion, this is the meaning.