Ja 149 The Story about One Leaf
(Ekapaṇṇajātaka)
In the present one cruel prince is cured of his wickedness by the teaching of the Buddha, who then tells a similar story of the past whereby he cured one prince of his bad ways with a simile of a bitter leaf (full story).
1. Ekapaṇṇo ayaṁ rukkho, na bhūmyā caturaṅgulo,
Phalena visakappena, mahāyaṁ kiṁ bhavissatī ti?
This tree has but one leaf, it is not four inches above the ground, it has fruit filled up with poison, what will it be when it is grown?
In this connection, one leaf means on both sides there is but one leaf.
It is not four inches above the ground means it has developed a mere Or, perhaps, a measure of four inches... four inches above the ground.
It has fruit means it is fruity.
Filled up with poison DPD: kappa 6. adj, from kappati. equipped with; endowed with; full of. means it is like a deadly poison. Though it is very small it is endowed with such a bitter leaf, this is the meaning.
What will it be when it is grown? But when it has become grown up and is large, then what will it be, it will certainly be a killer of mankind, having torn it up and crushed it, I have abandoned it, this is what is said.