Ja 73 Saccaṅkirajātaka
The Story about the Assertion of Truth

In the present Devadatta seeks to kill the Buddha, who tells a story of how he did the same in the past, when, as a wicked king, he had sought to pay back the Bodhisatta who had saved his life by having him killed. When the citizens found out, they killed the wicked king instead, and elected the Bodhisatta as the new king.

Tattha, {1.326} saccaṁ kir-evam-āhaṁsū ti
In this connection, this is the truth, it seems, that was said means

avitatham-eva kira evaṁ vadanti.
this truthful Lit: non-false. thing, it seems, was spoken.

Narā ekacciyā idhā ti idhekacce paṇḍitapurisā.
By some people in this place means by some wise people in this place.

Kaṭṭhaṁ niplavitaṁ seyyo ti,
(To save) a floating log is better,

nadiyā vuyhamānaṁ sukkhadāruṁ niplavitaṁ uttāretvā,
having saved a dried up log floating adrift on a river,

thale ṭhapitaṁ seyyo sundarataro.
and set it on dry land is better, more excellent.

Evañ-hi vadamānā te purisā saccaṁ kira vadanti.
Thus they say it seems those people are speaking the truth.

Kiṁkāraṇā?
What is the reason?

Tañ-hi yāgubhattādīnaṁ pacanatthāya,
It can be used for cooking conjee, rice and so on,

sītāturānaṁ visibbanatthāya,
it can be used for warming those suffering from the cold,

aññesam-pi ca parissayānaṁ haraṇatthāya, upakāraṁ hoti.
it can be used for carrying others who are in danger, this is helpful.

Na tvevekacciyo naro ti,
Not a certain person,

ekacco pana mittadubbhī akataññū pāpapuriso,
a certain bad person, who betrays his friends, who is ungrateful,

oghena vuyhamāno hatthena gahetvā, uttārito, na tveva seyyo.
having taken him by the hand as he drifts on the ocean, and pulled him out, that is not better.

Tathā hi ahaṁ imaṁ pāpapurisaṁ uttāretvā,
Therefore having saved a bad person,

imaṁ attano dukkhaṁ āharin-ti.
this brings one suffering.

last updated: July 2022