The Dragon Bhūridatta’s Conduct

“Then again when I wasBhūridatta, a dragon of great psychic power,*The text does not specify what kind of creature he was, thus relying on the fuller details of Ja 543.together with Virūpakkha the Great KingI went to a heavenly realm.

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, bhūridatto mahiddhiko; Virūpakkhena mahāraññā, devalokamagañchahaṁ.

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, Bhūridatta, a dragon of great psychic power,*The text does not specify what kind of creature he was, thus relying on the fuller details of Ja 543.bhūridatto mahiddhiko; together with Virūpakkha the Great KingVirūpakkhena mahāraññā, I went to a heavenly realm.devalokamagañchahaṁ.

There I saw godswholly given over to pleasure.For the sake of going to that heaven,I undertook the observance of ethics.

Tattha passitvāhaṁ deve, ekantaṁ sukhasamappite; Taṁ saggagamanatthāya, sīlabbataṁ samādiyiṁ.

There I saw godsTattha passitvāhaṁ deve, wholly given over to pleasure.ekantaṁ sukhasamappite; For the sake of going to that heaven,Taṁ saggagamanatthāya, I undertook the observance of ethics.sīlabbataṁ samādiyiṁ.

After tending to my physical needs,and eating enough to get by,I resolved on the four factors,and lay down atop a termite mound, thinking:

Sarīrakiccaṁ katvāna, bhutvā yāpanamattakaṁ; Caturo aṅge adhiṭṭhāya, semi vammikamuddhani.

After tending to my physical needs,Sarīrakiccaṁ katvāna, and eating enough to get by,bhutvā yāpanamattakaṁ; I resolved on the four factors,Caturo aṅge adhiṭṭhāya, and lay down atop a termite mound, thinking:semi vammikamuddhani.

‘My outer skin and inner, flesh,sinews and bones:whoever has use for these,they are already given, please take them.’

‘Chaviyā cammena maṁsena, Nahāruaṭṭhikehi vā; Yassa etena karaṇīyaṁ, Dinnaṁyeva harātu so’.

‘My outer skin and inner, flesh,‘Chaviyā cammena maṁsena, sinews and bones:Nahāruaṭṭhikehi vā; whoever has use for these,Yassa etena karaṇīyaṁ, they are already given, please take them.’Dinnaṁyeva harātu so’.

While lying there the ingrateĀlampāyana grabbed me.He threw me in a basketand made me perform in places all over.*The text conflates a divine nāga with a cobra in a way we don’t really find in the suttas.

Saṁsito akataññunā, ālampāyano mamaggahi; *ālampāyano → ālambaṇo (bj); ālambano (si); ālambāno (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli2); ālampāno (pts-vp-pli1)Peḷāya pakkhipitvāna, kīḷeti maṁ tahiṁ tahiṁ.

While lying there the ingrateSaṁsito akataññunā, Ālampāyana grabbed me.ālampāyano mamaggahi; *ālampāyano → ālambaṇo (bj); ālambano (si); ālambāno (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli2); ālampāno (pts-vp-pli1)He threw me in a basketPeḷāya pakkhipitvāna, and made me perform in places all over.*The text conflates a divine nāga with a cobra in a way we don’t really find in the suttas.kīḷeti maṁ tahiṁ tahiṁ.

Though thrown in a basketand crushed by his hands,I did not get upset with Ālampāyana,for fear of breaking my ethics.

Peḷāya pakkhipantepi, sammaddantepi pāṇinā; Ālampāyane na kuppāmi, *Ālampāyane → ālambaṇe (bj); ālambane (si); ālambāne (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli2); ālampāne (pts-vp-pli1)sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mama.

Though thrown in a basketPeḷāya pakkhipantepi, and crushed by his hands,sammaddantepi pāṇinā; I did not get upset with Ālampāyana,Ālampāyane na kuppāmi, *Ālampāyane → ālambaṇe (bj); ālambane (si); ālambāne (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli2); ālampāne (pts-vp-pli1)for fear of breaking my ethics.sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mama.

To give up my own lifewas as light as a blade of grass.To transgress my ethical principleswas like overturning the earth.

Sakajīvitapariccāgo, tiṇato lahuko mama; Sīlavītikkamo mayhaṁ, pathavīuppatanaṁ viya.

To give up my own lifeSakajīvitapariccāgo, was as light as a blade of grass.tiṇato lahuko mama; To transgress my ethical principlesSīlavītikkamo mayhaṁ, was like overturning the earth.pathavīuppatanaṁ viya.

In a hundred successive livesI would give up my own life.I would not even violate my ethicsfor the sake of the four continents.

Nirantaraṁ jātisataṁ, cajeyyaṁ mama jīvitaṁ; Neva sīlaṁ pabhindeyyaṁ, catuddīpāna hetupi.

In a hundred successive livesNirantaraṁ jātisataṁ, I would give up my own life.cajeyyaṁ mama jīvitaṁ; I would not even violate my ethicsNeva sīlaṁ pabhindeyyaṁ, for the sake of the four continents.catuddīpāna hetupi.

For the sake of protecting ethics,and fulfilling my perfection of ethics,I did not let my mind change,even when thrown in a basket.”

Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya, Sīlapāramipūriyā; Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ, Pakkhipantampi peḷake”ti.

For the sake of protecting ethics,Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya, and fulfilling my perfection of ethics,Sīlapāramipūriyā; I did not let my mind change,Na karomi citte aññathattaṁ, even when thrown in a basket.”Pakkhipantampi peḷake”ti.