Peacock Egg A Parable Of Mahavira

SR No.: 269571
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: W B Bolle
Publisher: W B Bolle
Total Pages: 10
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 2 MB

Page 4

THE CLEVER ADULTERESS AND THE HUNGRY MONK
covering them with her own feathers which she spread over them (pakkha-väenam). Now in the city of Campā there lived two sons of caravan leaders, Jinadatta-putta and Sāgaradatta-putta. Bom on the same day, they grew up and played in the sand box together, married at the same time, were attached to and trailed after each other, [97 b) living in compliance with each other's wishes, fulfilling each other's heart's desires and performing all duties that came up in each other's houses. [98a] Then, one day, these caravan leaders' sons met, encountered each other and sat together, and entered upon the following conversation: "Dear friend (devānu-ppiya), whatever pleasant or unpleasant (thing), leaving home to become a monk or travelling abroad, may fall to our share, that we must experience together.”? With these words they promised each other co-operation and continued to go about their own business. [98a 5] In the city of Campā there lived at that time a courtesan Devadatta' by name, rich, proud, famous, owning spacious and vast palaces, dwellings, chariots and draught animals, possessing much wealth, gold and silver, lending out money on interest and making investments, and offering food and drink liberally, skillful in the sixty-four arts, 1° provided with the sixty-four good qualities of a courtesan," flirting in twenty-nine ways, a excelling in the twenty-one sexual qualities, "able to serve a man in thirty-two ways, "2 having awakened from sleep the nine senses of her body 3 (i.e. a woman in her prime of youth), conversant with the eighteen vernaculars, elegantly dressed in her boudoir (?), of proper gait, mode of laughing, 4 speech, behaviour, sporting, conversation; with perfectly fitting manners,"S holding high the banner (of conceit)," taking a thousand as a fee," (a woman) whom a sunshade and various chowries had been granted (by the king) and who moved about in a litter. 18 She exercised and held sovereign power," preeminence, mastery, ownership, strength and military command over many thousands of courtesans and was enjoying various pleasures under the great din20 of repeated? dancing, singing, instrumental music, strings, 22 beating of time, clapping the hands, tùya-music, and the sounds of big (i.e., deep)23 and clear drums. Then, one day, these sons of caravan leaders came together after having had breakfast24 and lunch together at the proper time;26 they had purified themselves, were perfectly clean and were sitting at their ease; they began the following conversation: “Dear friend, it would be very good to have much food, drink, sweets and seasonings prepared tomorrow, when the night lets daybreak appear and the morning, pale then, fully opens the soft (? komala) blue and pink lotus flowers, when the sun shining intensely red like the Jonesia aśoka or the open Butea