In the present Devadatta goes round praising his disciple and the disciple praises Devadatta in return, all to seek gains from the layfolk. The Buddha tells a story of a crow who, wanting some meat, praised a jackal, who praised her in return.

1. Usabhasseva te khandho, sīhasseva vijambhitaṁ,
Migarāja namo tyatthu, api kiñci labhāmase ti.

Your body is just like a bull’s, your stretching just like a lion’s, king of beasts, honour be to you, I must receive something from you.

2. Kulaputto va jānāti kulaputtaṁ pasaṁsituṁ,
Mayūragīvasaṅkāsa, ito pariyāhi vāyasā ti!

A good family son knows how to praise a good family son, one having a neck like a peacock’s, come down from there, O crow!

In this connection, come down from there means having descended from the castor oil tree, from there come to me, then come and eat meat, this is what is said.

3. Migānaṁ siṅgālo anto, pakkhīnaṁ pana vāyaso,
Eraṇḍo anto rukkhānaṁ, tayo antā samāgatā ti!

The jackal is the last of the creatures, the crow last of the birds, the castor oil tree is last of trees, three lasts gather together!

In this connection, last means low, inferior.

 

last updated: November 2022