Ja 271 The Story about Spoiling the Well
(Udapānadūsakajātaka)
In the present one jackal fouls the well he drinks from, and is driven off by the novices. The Buddha tells a story of how a similar event happened in a previous life and how he had admonished the jackal who avowed that his ancestors did ever behave this way.
1. Āraññikassa isino cirarattatapassino,
Kicchākataṁ udapānaṁ kathaṁ samma avāhayī ti?
For the seer in the wilds who lives austere for many nights, dear friend, why did you spoil this well which was made with difficulty?
This is the meaning: for the one living in the wilderness is in the wilds.
One who searches for virtue is a seer.
One who for many nights lives depending on asceticism is who lives austere for many nights.
Made with difficulty, the well which was made with difficulty and suffering.
Why, what was the purpose, dear friend jackal, for you to spoil it, drown it, corrupt it, with urine and excrement, or, having brought it to this place, spoil it with urine and excrement, destroying it?
2. Esa dhammo siṅgālānaṁ, yaṁ pitvā ohadāmase, The more usual form seems to be ūhadamāse, which normally means defecate, but here has to mean urinate.
Pitupitāmahaṁ dhammo, na taṁ ujjhātum-arahasī ti.
This is the nature of jackals, having drunk I must urinate, it is our fathers’ and grandfathers’ nature, you should not blame us.
In this connection, this is the nature means this is the character.
Having drunk I must urinate, dear friend, in whatever place we drink water, there we must urinate, pass water, this is our jackal nature, this is the explanation.
Our fathers’ and grandfathers’ means it is our fathers’ and grandfathers’ nature.
You should not blame us, this is our tradition, our way and our character, you should not blame us, it is not suitable to be angry here.
3. Yesaṁ vo ediso dhammo, adhammo pana kīdiso?
Mā vo dhammaṁ adhammaṁ vā, addasāma kudācanan-ti!
Those for whom such is natural, what would be unnatural? Don’t let me see your natural or unnatural any time!
In this connection, don’t let me see your, we did not see your being natural or unnatural at any time.