No. 24. ĀJAÑÑA JĀTAKA. The Thoroughbred War Horse.

“At every time, in every place.”—This also the Master told, while at Jetavana, about that monk who lost heart.305 But when he had addressed the monk with the words, “The wise in former times, O monk, continued their exertion, even though in the struggle they received a blow,” he told this tale.

Long ago, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, seven kings, as before, surrounded the city. Then a warrior who fought from a chariot harnessed two Sindh horses, who were brothers, to his chariot, issued from the city, broke through six lines and took six kings prisoners.

At that moment the eldest of the horses received a wound. The charioteer drove on till he came to the king’s gate, took the elder horse out, loosened his harness, made him lie down on his side, and began to harness another horse.

250

When the Bodisat saw this, he thought as before, sent for the charioteer, and lying as he was, uttered this stanza:

“At every time, in every place, Whate’er may chance, whate’er mischance, The thoroughbred’s still full of fire! ’Tis a hack horse who then gives in!”

The charioteer helped the Bodisat up, harnessed him, broke through the seventh line, and bringing the seventh king with him, drove up to the king’s gate and took out the horse.

The Bodisat, lying there on his side, exhorted the king as before, and then breathed his last. The king performed funeral rites over his body, did honour to the charioteer, ruled his kingdom with righteousness, and passed away according to his deeds.

When the Teacher had finished the discourse, he proclaimed the Truths, and summed up the Jātaka (that monk having obtained Arahatship after the Truths) by saying, “The king of that time was Ānanda, the horse the Supreme Buddha.”

END OF THE STORY OF THE THOROUGHBRED.

251