Ja 41 The Story about the Unfortunate Monk Losaka
(Losakajātaka)
In the present Ven. Sāriputta comes across a poor boy and ordains him, but, as in his lay life, he is very unfortunate and can hardly get enough alms to eat, but yet he does become an Arahat. The Buddha tells a story of the past, during which a man had prevented an Arahat from receiving food. Everywhere he was born from there on he was unfortunate. In the present life Mittavindaka (Mittaka) grabbed ahold of a goat and was arrested (full story).
1. Yo atthakāmassa hitānukampino
Ovajjamāno na karoti sāsanaṁ,
Ajiyā pādam-olamba Mittako viya socatī ti.
He who does not take the advice of one who seeks his good, though taught by those concerned for his welfare, grieve like Mittaka holding onto the goat’s foot.
In this connection, one who seeks his good means one wishing for his development.
Those concerned for his welfare means for the one having concern for his welfare.
Taught means being taught with gentleness, with a mind seeking welfare.
Does not take the advice means does not follow instruction, Because of the context, this must be the meaning. cf. sāsanakara; adj, comp; following instructions; practising the teaching; complying with orders, lit. doing teaching; constr: sāsana + kara; dutiyā tappurisa (sāsanaṁ + kara); sk: śāsana + kara. being hard to speak to, one hard to advise.
Grieves like Mittaka, just as this Mittavindaka, having seized the goat’s leg, grieves, is troubled, so he constantly grieves.
With this verse the Bodhisatta taught the Dhamma.
So this elder during so much time, only received a bellyful during three lifetimes. Having become a Yakkha one day he received after-birth, and after becoming a dog, one day he received vomit, and on the day of his entry into Nibbāna by the power of the Captain of the Dhamma he was given the four sweet things. Thus because of making an obstacle of gains for another he had certainly a great fault, so it is to be understood.