In the present while on walking tour the monks come to a certain village and notice that there is an area of barren land. Upon enquiry it turns out a village lad had dug up the trees to water the roots by size. The Buddha tells a story of a monkey in the past who ordered his troop to do the same, thereby ruining king Vissasena’s gardens.

1. “Yo ve sabbasam-etānaṁ ahuvā seṭṭhasammato,
Tassāyaṁ edisī paññā, kim-eva itarā pajā ti?”

“He who was esteemed as the best of all of them, such is his wisdom, why ask about other folk?”

In this connection, of all of them, of all these of similar birth.

Why ask about other folk? About those other, inferior folk, of what kind is their wisdom?

2. “Evam-eva tuvaṁ Brahme, anaññāya vinindasi,
Kathaṁ mūlaṁ adisvāna, rukkhaṁ jaññā patiṭṭhitan-ti.”

“Truly such are you, Brahmā, although unknowing, you reproach me, without having seen the root, how can we know which tree is grounded?”

In this connection, Brahmā, this is merely a vocative.

But here this is the meaning in brief: you, dear sir, without knowing what is a cause and what is not a cause, reproach us in such a way, saying, of the tree: “This is deeply grounded, or not so,” without digging up the root, how are we able to know? After digging it up, we sprinkle water according to the size of the root.

3. “Nāhaṁ tumhe vinindāmi ye caññe vānarā vane,
Vissaseno va gārayho, yassatthā rukkharopakā ti.”

“I do not reproach you or any other monkeys in the woods, Vissasena is blameworthy, and those whose aim is to grow trees.”

In this connection, Vissasena is blameworthy, the king of Benares, Vissasena, is here to be blamed.

Those who cultivate the trees, those, like you, and those whose aim is to grow trees.

 

last updated: November 2022