Ja 78 The Story about the Selfish Wealthy Man Illisa
(Illisajātaka)
In the present a miser is converted by Ven. Moggallāna and becomes a generous man. The Buddha tells how something similar happened in a past life when a renowned miser called Illisa was converted by Sakka, his former father, who had attained the position of King of the Devas by his generosity (full story).
1. Ubho khañjā, ubho kuṇī, ubho visamacakkhukā,
Ubhinnaṁ piḷakā jātā, nāhaṁ passāmi Illisan-ti.
Both are lame, both are handicapped, both of them have eyes that are crossed, warts have arisen on both, I do not see which is Illisa.
In this connection, both means both men.
Lame means having lame feet.
Handicapped means having lame hands.
Eyes that are crossed means having crossed eyeballs, squinting.
Warts means that located in the same place on the head of both of them warts have arisen having the same form.
I do not see means: I do not see out of these two which is called Illisa, out of these I do not know the true Illisa, was said.