Ja 244 The Story about the Desireless One
(Vīticchajātaka)
In the present one wanderer travels through Jambudīpa arguing his case. When he meets the Buddha he is worsted. The Buddha tells a story of how a similar thing happened in a past life, and the rebuke he gave on that occasion.
1. Yaṁ passati na taṁ icchati,
Yañ-ca na passati taṁ kiricchati.
Maññāmi ciraṁ carissati,
Na hi taṁ lacchati yaṁ sa icchati.
What he sees he does not desire, but that which he does not see he desires, it seems. I think he will wander for a long time, but he will not find that which he desires.
2. Yaṁ labhati na tena tussati,
Yañ-ca pattheti laddhaṁ hīḷeti,
Icchā hi anantagocarā,
Vigaticchāna namo karomase ti.
What he has he isn’t satisfied by that, what he wishes for, received, he condemns, for his desires know no bounded limits, I must revere the one without desire.
In this connection, what he sees, what water and so on he sees, that Ganges he does not desire.
That which he does not see, what is free from water and so on, the Ganges he does not see, that, it seems, he desires.
I think he will wander for a long time, I think like this: this wanderer seeking out such a Ganges will wander for a long time. Just as the Ganges that is free from water and so on, so seeking for himself free from form and so on he will wander in transmigration for a long time.
But he will not find that, though wandering for a long time that which he desires, such as the Ganges or himself, he will not find.
What he has, what he has, water, or form and so on, he is not satisfied by that.
What he wishes for, received, he condemns, so not being satisfied with what is received, this and that excellence which he wished for, after receiving it, he condemns, belittles, saying: “What is this?”
For his desires know no bounded limits, after condemning what he received, from desiring one object after another, what is known as these desires, cravings, know no bounded limits.
I must revere the one without desire, therefore those Buddhas and so on, who are free from desires, to them we make our reverence.