Ja 141 The Story about the Iguana
(Godhajātaka)
In the present a monk ordained under the Buddha is easily persuaded to partake of Devadatta’s good food, rather than go on almsround. He is brought to the Buddha who tells a story about an iguana who made friends with a chameleon, to his own and his friends’ destruction (full story).
1. Na pāpajanasaṁsevī accantaṁ sukham-edhati,
Godhā kulaṁ kakaṇṭā va kaliṁ pāpeti attānan-ti.
Associating with the wicked doesn’t bring endless happiness, like the chameleons In the story there is just one chameleon who brings about the disaster, but in the verse kakaṇṭā is plural. who brought the iguana clan disaster.
In this connection, this is a summary of the meaning: associating with a wicked person endless happiness, happiness without end, what is known as uninterrupted happiness, is not brought, is not found, is not received.
In what way? Like the chameleons who brought the iguana clan. Like with what the chameleons did, the iguana family did not receive happiness, thus through associating with a wicked person he did not receive happiness.
But through associating endlessly with wicked people they brought themselves to disaster, disaster is said to be destruction, associating endlessly with the wicked, both themselves, and others living with them, were brought to destruction.
But in the text: “They should receive their fruit,” is written. That expression is not found in the commentary, and the meaning is not suitable. I do not understand this reference, as the text of the verse of Ja 141 (without commentary) in Cst reads the same as here; and the parallel (Ja 397 Kukkujātakaṁ), does not have this reading either. Therefore just as it is spoken, so it should be understood.