No. 15. KHARĀDIYĀ JĀTAKA. The Deer who would not learn.

“Though a deer be most swift, O Kharādiyā.”—This the Master told when at Jetavana, concerning a certain foul-mouthed monk. For that monk, we are told, was abusive, and would take no admonition.

Now the Master asked him, “Is it true what they say, O mendicant! that you are abusive, and will take no admonition?”

“It is true, O Blessed One!” said he.

The Master said, “Formerly also, by your surliness and your refusing to accept the admonition of the wise, you were caught in a snare and came to destruction.” And he told a story.

Once upon a time, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, the Bodisat became a stag, and lived in the forest, with a herd for his retinue.

Now his sister-roe (Kharādiyā) pointed out to him her son, and gave him in charge to him, saying, “Brother! this is your nephew. Teach him the devices of the deer.”

And he said to his nephew, “Come at such and such a time to learn.”

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At the appointed time he did not go. And one day as he was wandering about, disregarding seven admonitions given on as many days, and not learning the devices of the deer, he was caught in a snare.

Then his mother went to her brother, and asked, “How now, brother! was your nephew instructed in the devices of the deer?”

“Think no more of that incorrigible fellow!” said the Bodisat. “Your son did not learn the devices of the deer.”

And then, to explain his own unwillingness to have anything further to do with him, he uttered this stanza:

“Though a deer be most swift,291 O Kharādiyā! And have antlers rising point o’er point, If he transgress the seventh time, I would not try to teach him more!”

But the hunter killed that wilful deer caught in the snare, and, taking his flesh, departed.

The Master having finished this discourse, in illustration of what he had said (“Formerly also, by your surliness and your refusing to accept the admonition of the wise, you were caught in a snare, and came to destruction”), made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka: “The nephew deer of that time was the abusive monk, the sister was Uppala-vaṇṇā, but the admonishing deer was I myself.”

END OF THE STORY OF THE DEER WHO WOULD NOT LEARN.

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