A King finds his friend through a song

Once upon a time, the Magadha king reigned in
Rajagaha. The Bodhisatta was born to his chief queen
and on his naming-day they called him prince Arindama.
On the very day of his birth a son was also born to the
royal chaplain, and to him they gave the name of young
Sonaka. The two lads grew up together and when they
were of age they were exceedingly handsome, in appear-
ance not to be distinguished one from another, and they
went to Takkasila and, after being trained in all sciences,
they left that place with the intention of learning the
practical uses of arts and local observances, and gradually
in the course of their wanderings found their way to
Benares. There they took up their abode in the royal
park and next day entered the city. That very day
certain men being minded to make an offering of food
to brahmins provided some rice-porridge and arranged
seats, and on seeing these youths approach they brought
them into the house and made them sit upon the seats
they had prepared. On the seat allotted to the Bodhisatta
a white cloth was spread, on that assigned to Sonaka a red
woollen rug. On seeing this omen Sonaka at once under-
stood that this day his dear friend Arindama would become
king in Benares, and that he would offer him the post of
commander-in-chief. After they had finished their meal
they returned together to the park. Now it was the
seventh day since the king of Benares had died and the
royal house was without an heir. So the councillors and
the rest after washing themselves, head and all, assembled
together and saying, " Thou art to go to the house of the
man that is worthy to be king," they started the festal car.
On leaving the city it gradually approached the park and
stopping at the park gate it stood there, ready for anyone
to mount upon it. The Bodhisatta lay, with his outer
robe wrapped about his head, on the royal slab of stone,
while the lad Sonaka sat near him. On hearing the sound
of musical instruments Sonaka thought, " Here comes the
festal car for Arindama. To-day he will be made king and
he will offer me the post of commander. But verily I have
no desire for rule : when he is gone away, I will leave the
world and become an ascetic," and he stood on one side in
concealment. The chaplain on entering the park saw the
Great Being lying there and ordered his trumpets to be
sounded. The Great Being woke up and after turning
over and lying for a while he rose up and sat cross-
legged on the stone seat. Then the chaplain clasping his
arms in a suppliant attitude cried, "The kingdom, Sire,
comes to you." "Why, is there no heir to the throne?"
"Even so, Sire." "Then it is well," he said. So they
sprinkled him to be king then and there. And mounting
him on the car they brought him with a vast escort into
the city. After a rightwise procession round the city he
ascended to his palace and in the greatness of his glory he
forgot all about young Sonaka. But when the king was
gone, Sonaka returned and sat on the stone seat, and so
it was that a withered leaf of a sal tree fell from its stalk
in front of him, and on seeing it he cried, "Even as this
leaf, so will my body fall into decay," and acquiring super-
natural insight by reflecting on the impermanence of all
things he attained to the state of a pacceka buddha, and
at this very instant his characteristic as a layman vanished,
and the marks of an ascetic became visible, and making
the solemn utterance, "There is no more re-birth for
me," he set out for the cave of Nandamula. And the
Great Being after the lapse of forty years remembered

Sonaka and said, " Where in the world can Sonaka be ? "
And time after time calling him to mind he found no one
to tell him saying, " I have heard of him or I have seen
him." And sitting cross-legged on a royal throne upon a
magnificent dais, surrounded by a company of minstrels
and mime dancers, in the enjoyment of his glory, he said,
" Whosoever shall hear from someone that Sonaka dwells
in such and such a place and shall repeat it to me, to him
I promise a hundred pieces of money, but whosoever shall
see him with his own eyes and shall tell me, to him I
promise a thousand pieces of money," and giving expres-
sion to this inspired utterance, in the form of a song, he
repeated the first stanza :

A thousand crowns for one that sees my friend and playmate dear,
A hundred lo! I give if one of Souaka should hear.

Then a nautch girl, catching it up, as it were, from his
very mouth, sang the words, and then another and another
took it up till the whole harem, thinking it was a favourite
air of the king's, all sang it. And gradually both towns-
people and country-folk sang the same song and the king
too constantly sang it. At the end of fifty years the king
had many sons and daughters, and the eldest son was
called prince Dighavu. At this time the pacceka buddha
Sonaka thought, "King Arindaina is anxious to see me.
I will go and explain to him the misery of desires and the
blessing of Renunciation, and will shew him the way to
become an ascetic. And by his supernatural power he
conveyed himself thither and took a seat in the park. At
that moment a boy seven years old, wearing his hair in
five knots, was sent there by his mother, and as he was
gathering sticks in the park garden he sang over ami over
again this song. Sonaka called the boy to him and asked
him saying, "Why, my lad, do you always sing the same
song and never sing anything else? Do you not know
any other song?" "I know others, holy Sir, but this is
our king's favourite song, and so I constantly sing it."
" Has any one been found to sing a refrain to this song ? "
"No, Sir." "I will teach you one and then you can go
and sing the refrain before the king." " Yes, Sir." So he
taught him the refrain " The thousand give " and the rest
of it, and when the boy had mastered it, he sent him off,
saying, " Go, my lad, and sing this refrain before the king
and he will grant you great power. What have you to do
with gathering sticks? Be off with you as quick as you
can." " Very well," said the boy, and having mastered the
refrain and saluted Sonaka he said, "Holy Sir, until I
bring the king, do you remain here." With these words
he went off as fast as he could to his mother and said to
her, " Dear mother, give me a bath and dress me in my
best clothes: to-day will I free you from your poverty."
And when he had taken a bath and was smartly dressed,
he went to the door of the palace and said, "Porter, go
and tell the king and say, 'A certain lad has come and
even now stands at the door, prepared to sing a song with
you.' ' So the porter made haste and told the king. The
king summoned him to his presence and said, "Friend,
would you sing a song with me?" "Yes, Sire." "Then
sing it." "My lord, I will not sing it here, but have a
drum beaten through the city and bid the people assemble
together. I will sing before the people." The king ordered
this to be done, and, taking his seat in the middle of
a couch under a magnificent pavilion and assigning a
suitable seat to the boy, he said, "Now then sing your
song." " Sire," he said, " you sing first and then I will sing
a refrain to it." Then the king sang first, repeating this
stanza :

A thousand crowns for one that sees my friend and playmate dear,
A hundred lo! I give if one of Sonaka should hear.

(Then the Master, to make it clear that the boy with
his hair dressed in five knots sang a refrain to the song
begun by the king, in his state as perfect Buddha
repeated two lines:)

Then up and spake that little boy five tang-led locks he wore
" The thousand give to me who saw, who heard a hundred more :
I'll tell thee news of Sonaka, thy playfellow- of yore."

The verses that follow are to be taken in their obvious
connexion :

Pray in what country, realm, or town hast thou a-wandering been,
And where was Sonaka, my friend, I prithee tell me, seen?

Within this realm, in thine own park is many a big sal tree
With leaves dark green and stems so straight, a pleasant sight to

see ;

Their branches densely interlaced, cloud-like, to heaven they rise,

And at their foot lo! Sonaka in meditation lies,

Filled with the Arhat's holy calm, when human passion dies.

The king then started in full force and levelling the road
He made his way straight to the place of Sonaka's abode.

There wandering midst an ample grove within his pleasure ground,
All passionless, in saintly bliss, his friend at rest he found.

Without saluting him he sat on one side and, by reason
of his being himself given up to evil passion, he fancied he
was some poor wretch and addressed him in this stanza :

His parents dead, with shaven head, clad in monk's robe I see
A wretched Brother in a trance, stretched here beneath this tree.

On hearing this said Sonaka, " He is no wretched wight
Who in his every action, Sire, has aye attained to right.

Nay rather wretched those who right neglect and practise ill,
For evil doer evil doom is destined to fulfil."

Thus did he rebuke the Bodhisatta, and he pretending
not to know he was being rebuked, talking in a friendly
way with him, declared his name and family and spoke
this stanza:

As king of Kasi I am known, Ariudama niy name,

Since coming here, Sir, hast thon met with aught deserving blame ?

Then the pacceka bucldha said, "Not merely while
dwelling here but nowhere else have I met with any
discomfort," and he began to tell in verse the blessings
of the monk :

'Mougst blessings of poor homeless monk I ever count it one,

In store-room jar or granary he has hoarded none,

But only craves what others leave and lives content thereon.

The next of all his blessings this is one deserving praise,

He free from blame enjoys his food and no one him gainsays.

Third blessing of the monk I hold is this, that all his days
He eats his food, desires extinct, and no one him gainsays.

The fourth of all his blessings is that wheresoe'er he goes,

He wanders free throughout the realm and no Attachment knows.

Fifth blessing this that should the town, wherever he may be,
Perish in flames, he suffers not, for nought to burn has he.

The sixth of all the blessings he may reckon to his lot,
That if the realm should be despoiled, he suffers not a jot.

The seventh of the blessings that to poverty he owes,

Though robbers should his path beset, and many dangerous foes,

With bowl and robe the holy man ever in safety goes.

Last blessing this that wheresoe'er our wanderer may fare,
Homeless and poor, he journeys on without regret or care.

Thus did the pacceka buddha Sonaka tell of the eight
blessings of the monk, and even beyond this he could
have told of a hundred, nav a thousand immeasurable
blessings, but the king being given up to sensual desires
cut short his speech, saying, " I have no need of monkish
blessings," and to make it clear how devoted he was to
evil passions he said :

Thy many blessings thou mayst praise but what am I to do
Who worldly pleasures, Sonaka, so greedily pursue?

Dear are all human joys to me and heavenly joys as well,
But how to gain both worlds at once, to me, I prithee, tell.

Then the pacceka buddha answered him :

Who greedily on pleasure bent their worldly lusts would sate,
Work wickedness awhile, to be re-born in woeful state.

But they who leave desire behind through life all fearless go,
And reaching concentration pure are ne'er re-born to woe.

Here tell I thee a parable; Arindama, give heed,

Some that are wise through parable my meaning best may read.

See! borne along on Ganges' flooded tide a carcase vast,
A foolish crow thought to himself as it was floating past,

"Oh what a carriage I have found and goodly store of food,
Here will I stay both night and day, enjoying blissful mood."

So eats he flesh of elephant and drinks from Granges' stream,
And budging not sees grove and shrine pass by him in a dream.
Thus heedless and on carrion vile so all intent was he,
The Ganges swept him headlong to the perils of the sea.

But when with food exhausted he, poor bird, essayed a flight,
Nor east nor west nor south nor north was any land in sight.

Far out at sea, so weak was he, long ere he reached the shore,
Midst countless perils of the deep he fell to rise no more.
For crocodiles and monster fish, where our poor flutterer lay,
Came ravening all around and quick devoured their quivering prey.
So thou and all that greedily pleasures of sense pursue
Are deemed as wise as was this crow, till ye all lusts eschew.

My parable proclaims the Truth. To it, king,' give heed,
Thy fame for good or ill will grow according to thy deed.

Thus by means of this parable did he admonish the
king and, in order to fix it firmly in his mind, he repeated
this stanza :

In pity once, nay even twice, utter the warning word,
But keep not on repeating it, like slave before his lord.

Thus in his wisdom infinite did Sonaka the seer

Instruct the king, and then in space straightway did disappear.

And the Bodhisatta stood gazing on him as he passed
through the air, so long as he remained within the range
of his vision, but when he had passed out of sight, he was
greatly agitated and thought, "This brahmin, low-born 1
fellow that he is, after scattering the dust from his feet
upon my head, though I am sprung from an unbroken
line of nobles, has disappeared in the sky : I must to-day
renounce the world and become a religious. So in his
desire to join the religious and give up his kingdom he
repeated a couple of stanzas:

Where are my charioteers, despatched a worthy king to find?
I would not longer reign ; henceforth my crown I have resigned.

To-morrow one may die, who knows ? I'll be ordained to-day,
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.

On hearing him thus abdicate his throne his councillors
said:

Thou hast a son, Dlghfivu named, a goodly prince is he,

By sprinkling raise him to the throne, for he our king shall be.

Then, beginning with the stanza spoken by the king,
the verses in due order are to be understood in their
obvious connexion :

Then quickly bring Dighavu here, a goodly prince is he,

By sprinkling raise him to the throne, for he your king shall be.

When they had brought Dighavu there, their nursing king to be,
His sire addressed his darling boy an only son was he.

Full sixty thousand villages I once did claim as mine,

Take them, my son, to thee henceforth my kingdom I resign.

To-morrow one may die, who knows ? I'll be ordained to-day ;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.

Lo! sixty thousand elephants with splendour all bedight,
With girths of gold, caparisoned with trappings golden-bright,

Each ridden by his own mahout, with spiked hook in hand,
Take them, my son, I give them thee as ruler of the land.

To-morrow one may die, who knows ? I'll be ordained to-day ;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.
Lo! sixty thousand horses here, bedecked in bright array
Sindh horses, all of noble breed and fleet of foot are they-
Each ridden by a henchman bold, with sword and bow in hand,
Take them, niy son, I give them thee as ruler of the land.
To-morrow one may die, who knows? I'll be ordained to-day;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.
Lo! sixty thousand cars all yoked, with banners flying free,
With tiger skin and panther hide, a gorgeous sight to see,
Each driven by mailed charioteers, all armed with bow in hand,
Take them, my son, I give them thee, as ruler of the land.
To-morrow one may die, who knows? I'll be ordained to-day;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.
Lo! sixty thousand kine so red, with bulls on every hand,
Take them, my son, I give them thee as ruler of the land.

To-morrow one may die, who knows? I'll be ordained to-day;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.

Here twice eight thousand maidens fair in goodly vesture stand,
With many a jewelled bracelet decked and rings upon each hand,
Take them, my son, I give them thee, as ruler of the land.
To-morrow one may die, who knows? I'll be ordained to-day;
Lest, like the foolish crow, I fall 'neath passion's baneful sway.
z They say to me, "Thy mother dear, alas! poor boy, is dead,"

1 cannot live without thee too. All joy from life is fled.

As close behind old elephant a young one oft is found
Moving through mountain-pass or wood, o'er rough or level ground,
So bowl in hand I'll follow thee, wherever thou niayst lead,
Nor shalt thou find me burdensome or difficult to feed.

As oft some ship of merchants seeking gain at any cost

Is swallowed by a whirlpool 3 and both ship and crew are lost.
So lest I find a stumbling-block in this unlucky boy,
Instal him in my palace there all pleasures to enjoy

With maids whose hands caressing him with gleaming gold are
bright,
Like Sakka midst his nymphs divine, he'll ever take delight.

Then brought they prince Dighavu to the palace, home of joy,
And seeing him these maidens fair addressed the royal boy.

" Art thon a god, or bard divine, or Sakka known to fame,
Dispensing alms in every town? We fain would learn thy name."

No god am I, nor bard divine, nor Sakka known to fame,
But heir to king of Kasi, prince Dighavu is my name.
So cherish me and happy be: each one as wife I claim.

Then thus unto Dighavu, their liege lord, these maidens said;
"Where has the king a refuge gained, and whither is he fled?"

The king escaped from miry ways is safe upon dry ground,
From thorns and jungle free at last the high road he has found.

But I am set upon a path that leads to woeful state,
Through thorns and jungle on I press to reach an awful fate.

Welcome to us, as lion is to cubs in mountain lair,

Bear sway henceforth, our sovereign lord, the true and rightful heir.

And having so spoken they all sounded their musical
instruments and all manner of song' and dance took place,
and so great was his glory that the prince intoxicated by
it forgot all about his father, but exercising his rule with
justice he fared according to his deeds. But the Bodhi-
satta developed the supernatural faculty resulting from
Meditation and passed away to the Brahma world.