Ruru the Deer King’s Conduct

“Then again when I wasthe king of deer named Ruru,in appearance I was like burnished gold,focused on the highest ethics.

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, sutattakanakasannibho; Migarājā ruru nāma, paramasīlasamāhito.

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, the king of deer named Ruru,sutattakanakasannibho; in appearance I was like burnished gold,Migarājā ruru nāma, focused on the highest ethics.paramasīlasamāhito.

There was a pleasant, delightful region,free of humans,so I went there and stayedon a lovely bank of the Ganges.

Ramme padese ramaṇīye, vivitte amanussake; Tattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ, gaṅgākūle manorame.

There was a pleasant, delightful region,Ramme padese ramaṇīye, free of humans,vivitte amanussake; so I went there and stayedTattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ, on a lovely bank of the Ganges.gaṅgākūle manorame.

Then a man upstream,harassed by creditors,fell into the Ganges, thinking,‘I live or I die!’

Atha upari gaṅgāya, dhanikehi paripīḷito; Puriso gaṅgāya papati, ‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.

Then a man upstream,Atha upari gaṅgāya, harassed by creditors,dhanikehi paripīḷito; fell into the Ganges, thinking,Puriso gaṅgāya papati, ‘I live or I die!’‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.

Day and night in the Gangeshe was swept along the stream,crying out pitifully,along the middle of the Ganges.

Rattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya, vuyhamāno mahodake; Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ, majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.

Day and night in the GangesRattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya, he was swept along the stream,vuyhamāno mahodake; crying out pitifully,Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ, along the middle of the Ganges.majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.

When I heard the soundof his pitiful crying,I stood on the Ganges bankand asked, ‘What man are you?’

Tassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna, karuṇaṁ paridevato; Gaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna, apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.

When I heard the soundTassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna, of his pitiful crying,karuṇaṁ paridevato; I stood on the Ganges bankGaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna, and asked, ‘What man are you?’apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.

When asked he explainedto me his own deed:‘I was so scared of my creditors,I jumped in the great river!’

So me puṭṭho ca byākāsi, attano karaṇaṁ tadā; ‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito, pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.

When asked he explainedSo me puṭṭho ca byākāsi, to me his own deed:attano karaṇaṁ tadā; ‘I was so scared of my creditors,‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito, I jumped in the great river!’pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.

Taking pity on him,surrendering my own life,I entered and dragged him outin the darkness of the night.

Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ, cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ; Pavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa, andhakāramhi rattiyā.

Taking pity on him,Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ, surrendering my own life,cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ; I entered and dragged him outPavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa, in the darkness of the night.andhakāramhi rattiyā.

When I knew he had recovered,I said to him,‘I ask of you one favor:tell no-one about me.’

Assatthakālamaññāya, tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ; ‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi, mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.

When I knew he had recovered,Assatthakālamaññāya, I said to him,tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ; ‘I ask of you one favor:‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi, tell no-one about me.’mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.

But once he had returned to the city,for the sake of money he told when asked.Taking the king,he drew close to me.

Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi, pucchito dhanahetuko; Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna, upagañchi mamantikaṁ.

But once he had returned to the city,Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi, for the sake of money he told when asked.pucchito dhanahetuko; Taking the king,Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna, he drew close to me.upagañchi mamantikaṁ.

All that I had donewas related to the king.When the king heard this,he fitted his arrow, thinking,‘Right here I shall killthis ignoble betrayer of a friend.’

Yāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ, rañño ārocitaṁ mayā; Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ, usuṁ tassa pakappayi; ‘Idheva ghātayissāmi, mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’. *mittadubbhiṁ → mittadubhiṁ (si)

All that I had doneYāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ, was related to the king.rañño ārocitaṁ mayā; When the king heard this,Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ, he fitted his arrow, thinking,usuṁ tassa pakappayi; ‘Right here I shall kill‘Idheva ghātayissāmi, this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’. *mittadubbhiṁ → mittadubhiṁ (si)

I protected him,substituting myself:‘Let him be, great king.I shall carry out your pleasure.’

Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto, nimminiṁ mama attanā; ‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja, kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.

I protected him,Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto, substituting myself:nimminiṁ mama attanā; ‘Let him be, great king.‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja, I shall carry out your pleasure.’kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.

I guarded my ethics,not my life.For then I was ethical,because it was solely for awakening.”

Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ, nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ; Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ, bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.

I guarded my ethics,Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ, not my life.nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ; For then I was ethical,Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ, because it was solely for awakening.”bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.