In the present one monk finds a nice hermitage and succeeds in forcing the resident monk out of it and taking it over. The Buddha tells a story of a monkey who tempted another to leave his cave, and then took it over for himself.

1. Udumbarā cime pakkā, nigrodhā ca kapitthanā,
Ehi nikkhama bhuñjassu, kiṁ jighacchāya miyyasī ti?

These figs are ripe, the banyan and the wave-leafed fig, come on, let’s go, you should eat, why die from hunger?

In this connection, wave-leafed fig means white fig.

Come on, let’s go, these figs and so on are bending down under the weight of their fruit, having eaten them, I return satisfied, you go and eat them.

2. Evaṁ so suhito hoti yo vuḍḍham-apacāyati,
Yathāham-ajja suhito dumapakkāni māsito ti.

So he is satisfied who respects the elder, as I’m satisfied today, eating the tree’s fruit.

In this connection, eating the tree’s fruit, having chewed on the fruit of the fig tree and so on, eating, I am full, satisfied.

3. Yaṁ vanejo vanejassa vañceyya kapino kapi,
Daharo kapi saddheyya, na hi jiṇṇo jarākapī ti.

When woodman would deceive woodman, and monkey would deceive monkey, a young monkey might have faith, but not an old one in ageing monkey.

This is the meaning: when a monkey born in the wood would deceive another monkey born in the wood, would one similar to you, a young monkey, trust him, but one the same as me, an old, ageing monkey, a senior ape, would not have faith, even speaking many hundred times like you, he does not have trust. In the Himālaya district all sorts of fruits being wet, fall during the rains, again there is nothing for you in this place, begone!

 

last updated: November 2022