"Venerable sir, where does Master Isidatta come from?"

"Bạch Thượng tọa, Tôn đức (Ayyo) Isidattà từ đâu đến?"

"I come from Avanti, householder."

"Này Gia chủ, tôi từ Avanti đến."

"There is, venerable sir, a clansman from Avanti named Isidatta, an unseen friend of mine, who has gone forth. Have you ever seen him?"

"Bạch Thượng tọa, tại Avanti, có một thiện nam tử tên Isidattà, một người bạn xa cách của chúng tôi, đã xuất gia tu hành?"

"Yes, householder."

"Thưa phải, này Gia chủ."

"Where is he living now, venerable sir?"

"Bạch Thượng tọa, hiện nay Tôn giả ấy ở đâu?"

When this was said, the Venerable Isidatta was silent.

Khi được nói vậy, Tôn giả Isidattà im lặng.

"Are you my Isidatta?"

"Yes, householder."

"Thưa phải, này Gia chủ."

"Then may Master Isidatta delight in the charming Wild Mango Grove at Macchikasanda. I will be responsible for your robes, almsfood, lodgings, & medicinal requisites."

"Vậy bạch Thượng tọa, Tôn đức Isidattà hãy thỏa thích ở tại Macchikàsanda. Khả ái là rừng Ambàtaka! Con sẽ hết sức cố gắng để cúng dường Tôn đức Isidattà với các vật dụng như y, đồ ăn khất thực, sàng tọa, dược phẩm trị bệnh."

"That is admirably said, householder."

"Thật là lời nói chí thiện, này Gia chủ."

Then Citta the householder — having delighted & rejoiced in the Venerable Isidatta's words — with his own hand served & satisfied the senior monks with choice staple & non-staple foods. When the senior monks had finished eating and had removed their hands from their bowls, they got up from their seats and left.

Rồi Gia chủ Citta hoan hỷ, tín thọ lời nói của Tôn giả Isidattà, tự tay làm thỏa mãn, tự tay cúng dường các Tỷ-kheo trưởng lão với các món ăn thượng hạng loại cứng và loại mềm. Rồi các Tỷ-kheo trưởng lão, sau khi ăn xong, rời tay khỏi bát, từ chỗ ngồi đứng dậy và ra đi.

Then the most senior monk said to the Venerable Isidatta: "It was excellent, friend Isidatta, the way that question inspired you to answer. It didn't inspire an answer in me at all. Whenever a similar question comes up again, may it inspire you to answer as you did just now."

Rồi Tôn giả Thera nói với Tôn giả Isidattà: -" Lành thay, này Hiền giả Isidattà, câu hỏi này đã được Hiền giả trả lời. Câu hỏi này không được ta trả lời. Này Hiền giả Isidattà, trong dịp khác, nếu câu hỏi tương tự khởi lên, Hiền giả hãy trả lời như vậy."

Then Ven. Isidatta — having set his lodging in order and taking his bowl & robes — left Macchikasanda. And in leaving Macchikasanda, he was gone for good and never returned.

— SN 41.3

Rồi Tôn giả Isidatta dọn dẹp sàng tọa, cầm y bát, đi ra khỏi Macchikàasanda, và như vậy từ biệt Macchikàsanda không còn trở lui lại nữa.

— SN 41.3

999

§ 2.12.
When dwelling on views
as "supreme,"
a person makes them
the utmost thing
in the world,
&, from that, calls
all others inferior
and so he's not free
from disputes.
When he sees his advantage
in what's seen, heard, sensed,
or in precepts & practices,
seizing it there
he sees all else
as inferior.

That, too, say the skilled,
is a binding knot: that
in dependence on which
you regard another
as inferior.
So a monk shouldn't be dependent
on what's seen, heard, or sensed,
or on precepts & practices;
nor should he conjure a view in the world
in connection with knowledge
or precepts & practices;
shouldn't take himself
to be "equal";
shouldn't think himself
inferior or superlative.
— Sn 4.5

999

§ 2.13.
Whoever construes
'equal,'
'superior,' or
'inferior,'
by that he'd dispute;
whereas to one unaffected
by these three,
'equal,'
'superior,'
do not occur.

Of what would the brahman say 'true'
or 'false,'
disputing with whom:
he in whom 'equal,' 'unequal' are not.

Having abandoned home,
living free from society,
the sage
in villages
creates no intimacies.
Rid of sensual passions, free
from yearning,
he wouldn't engage with people
in quarrelsome debate.

Those things
aloof from which
he should go about in the world:
the great one
wouldn't take them up
& argue for them.

As the prickly lotus
is unsmeared by water & mud,
so the sage,
an exponent of peace,
without greed,
is unsmeared by sensuality &
the world.

An attainer-of-wisdom isn't measured
made proud
by views or
by what is thought,
for he isn't affected by them.
He wouldn't be led
by action, learning;
doesn't reach a conclusion
in any entrenchments.

For one dispassionate toward perception
there are no ties;
for one released by discernment,
no
delusions.
Those who grasp at perceptions & views
go about butting their heads
in the world.
— Sn 4.9

§ 2.13.

Bằng ta thắng hơn ta,
Hay thấp kém hơn ta,
Ai suy nghĩ như vậy,
Do vậy đấu tranh khởi,
Ai không bị dao động
Bởi ba vấn đề ấy,
Như vậy, đối vị ấy,
Không bằng, không thù thắng.

Sao Bà-la-môn ấy
Lại nói: "Ðây sự thật ",
Ðây chính là nói láo,
Ðể gây nên tranh luận,
Với ai không hề có,
Bằng nhau, không bằng nhau.

Do đâu nó có thể,
Mắc vào tranh luận được.
Ðoạn tận mọi nhà cửa,
Sống là kẻ không nhà,
Ẩn sĩ không thân thiết,
Với một ai ở làng,
Trống không các dục vọng,
Không xem trọng sự gì,
Không nói chuyện tranh luận,
Với một ai ở đời.

Vị ấy sống viễn ly,
Mọi sự việc ở đời,
Bậc Long tượng không chấp,
Và không nói đến họ.




Như hoa sen có gai,
Sanh ra ở trong nước,
Không bị nước và bùn,
Mắc dính và thấm ướt.

Như vậy bậc ẩn sĩ,
Nói an tịnh, không tham,
Không bị dục và đời,
Mắc dính và thấm ướt.

Bậc trí, không do kiến,
Cũng không do thọ tưởng,
Ði đến sự kiêu mạn,
Không có tham dự vào,
Không để cho hành động,
Cho truyền thống dắt dẫn,
Không để bị chi phối,
Trong trú xứ của ý.

Người không ưa thích tưởng,
Không có bị trói buộc,
Vị được tuệ giải thoát,
Không có sự si mê,
Và những ai chấp thủ,
Tư tưởng và tri kiến,
Người ấy sống xung đột,
Với mọi người ở đời.

— Sn 4.9

§ 2.14. Ven. Sariputta said, "Friends, just now as I was withdrawn in seclusion, this train of thought arose to my awareness: 'Is there anything in the world with whose change or alteration there would arise within me sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'There is nothing in the world with whose change or alteration there would arise within me sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair.'"

§ 2.14. Tôn giả Sàriputta nói: "Ở đây, này các Hiền giả, trong khi tôi độc trú tĩnh cư, tâm tưởng tư duy như sau được khởi lên: "Có cái gì trong đời, khi bị biến hoại, trạng huống đổi khác, có thể khởi lên nơi ta sầu, bi, khổ, ưu, não?". Rồi này các Hiền giả, tôi suy nghĩ: "Không có cái gì trong đời, khi bị biến hoại, trạng huống đổi khác, có thể khởi lên nơi ta, sầu bi khổ ưu não".

When this was said, Ven. Ananda said to Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta my friend, even if there were change & alteration in the Teacher would there arise within you no sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair?"

Khi được nói vậy, Tôn giả Ananda nói với Tôn giả Sàriputta: "Bậc Đạo Sư, này Hiền giả Sàriputta, khi bị biến hoại, trạng huống đổi khác, có thể khởi lên nơi Hiền giả sầu, bi, khổ, ưu, não?"

"Even if there were change & alteration in the Teacher, my friend, there would arise within me no sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. Still, I would have this thought: 'What a great being, of great might, of great prowess, has disappeared! For if the Blessed One were to remain for a long time, that would be for the benefit of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of sympathy for the world; for the welfare, benefit, & happiness of human & divine beings.'"

"Bậc Đạo Sư, này Hiền giả Ananda, khi bị biến hoại, trạng thái đổi khác, không có thể khởi lên nơi ta sầu bi khổ ưu não. Nhưng ta có thể suy nghĩ: "Mong rằng bậc Đại Thế Lực, bậc Đạo Sư có đại thần thông, có đại uy lực chớ có biến diệt! Nếu bậc Thế Tôn ấy an trú lâu dài, thời như vậy thật là hạnh phúc cho quần sanh, thật là an lạc cho quần sanh, vì lòng từ mẫn cho đời, vì lợi ích, vì hạnh phúc, vì an lạc cho chư Thiên và loài Người".

"Surely," [said Ven. Ananda,] "it's because Ven. Sariputta's I-making & mine-making and obsessions with conceit have long been well uprooted that even if there were change & alteration in the Teacher, there would arise within him no sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair."

— SN 21.2

"Như vậy đối với Tôn giả Sàriputta, ngã kiến, ngã sở kiến, ngã mạn, tùy miên được khéo đoạn trừ đã lâu ngày. Do vậy, đối với Tôn giả Sàriputta, dầu cho bậc Đạo Sư có biến hoại, trạng huống có đổi khác, cũng không khởi lên sầu, bi, khổ, ưu, não."

— SN 21.2

§ 2.15. Then Ven. Anuruddha went to where Ven. Sariputta was staying and, on arrival, greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sariputta: By means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human, I see the thousand-fold cosmos. My persistence is aroused & unsluggish. My mindfulness is established & unshaken. My body is calm & unaroused. My mind is concentrated into singleness. And yet my mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance.

999

Sariputta: My friend, when the thought occurs to you, 'By means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human, I see the thousand-fold cosmos,' that is related to your conceit. When the thought occurs to you, 'My persistence is aroused & unsluggish. My mindfulness is established & unshaken. My body is calm & unperturbed. My mind is concentrated into singleness,' that is related to your restlessness. When the thought occurs to you, 'And yet my mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance,' that is related to your anxiety. It would be well if — abandoning these three qualities, not attending to these three qualities — you directed your mind to the Deathless property.'

999

So after that, Ven. Anuruddha — abandoning those three qualities, not attending to those three qualities — directed his mind to the Deathless property. Dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute, he in no long time reached & remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in the here & now. He knew: 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.' And thus Ven. Anuruddha became another one of the arahants.

— AN 3.128

999

§ 2.16. " Này các Tỷ-kheo, thế nào là vô minh? Này các Tỷ-kheo, không rõ biết Khổ, không rõ biết Khổ tập, không rõ biết Khổ diệt, không rõ biết Con đường đưa đến Khổ diệt. Này các Tỷ-kheo, đây gọi là vô minh."

— SN 12.2

§ 2.17. "Just as if there were a pool of water in a mountain glen — clear, limpid, and unsullied — where a man with good eyesight standing on the bank could see shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting, and it would occur to him, 'This pool of water is clear, limpid, and unsullied. Here are these shells, gravel, and pebbles, and also these shoals of fish swimming about and resting.' In the same way — with his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability — the monk directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. He discerns, as it has come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are mental fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the fermentation of sensuality, the fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.' This, too, great king, is a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, more excellent than the previous ones and more sublime. And as for another visible fruit of the contemplative life, higher and more sublime than this, there is none."

— DN 2

§ 2.17. "Ví như tại dãy núi lớn có một hồ nước, thuần tịnh, trong sáng, không cấu nhiễm. Một người có mắt, đúng trên bờ sẽ thấy con hến, con sò, những hòn đá, hòn sạn, những đàn cá bơi qua lại hay dừng một chỗ. Vị ấy nghĩ “Đây là hồ nước thuần tịnh, trong sáng, không cấu nhiễm. Đây là những con hến. con sò, những hòn đá, hòn sạn, những đàn cá đang bơi qua lại hay đứng yên một chỗ.” Cũng vậy, với tâm định tĩnh, thuần tịnh, không cấu nhiễm, không phiền não, nhu nhuyến dễ sử dụng, vững chắc, bình thản như vậy. Tỷ kheo hướng tâm, dẫn tâm đến lậu tận trí. Vị ấy biết như thật “Đây là khổ”, biết như thật “ Đây là nguyên nhân của khổ”, biết như thật “Đây là khổ diệt”, biết như thật “Đây là con đường đưa đến khổ diệt”, biết như thật “Đây là những lậu hoặc”, biết như thật “Đây là nguyên nhân của lậu hoặc”, biết như thật “Đây là sự diệt trừ các lậu hoặc”, biết như thật “Đây là con đường đưa đến sự diết trừ các lậu hoặc”. Nhờ hiểu biết như vậy, nhờ nhận thức như vậy, tâm của vị ấy thóat khỏi dục lậu, thóat khỏi hữu lậu, thóat khỏi vô minh lậu. Đối với tự thân đã giải thóat, vị ấy biết Sanh đã tận, phạm hạnh đã thành, những việc cần làm đã làm, sau đời hiện tại, không còn đời sống nào khác nữa. Đó là quả thiết thực hiện tại của hạnh Sa môn, còn vi diệu thù thắng hơn những quả thiết thực hiện tại của hạnh Sa môn trước. Không có một quả thiết thực hiện tại của hạnh Sa môn nào vi diệu và thù thắng hơn quả thiết thực hiện tại của hạnh Sa môn này.

— DN 2

3. Shedding

999

§ 3.1.
[Jenta:]
I was
drunk with the intoxication
of my birth, wealth, & sovereignty.
Drunk with the intoxication
of my body's build, coloring, & form,
I wandered about,
regarding no one
as my equal or better,
foolish, arrogant, haughty,
my banner held high.
I — disrespectful, arrogant, proud —
bowed down to no one,
not even        mother,
father,
or those commonly held
in respect.

Then — seeing the ultimate leader,
supreme, foremost of charioteers,
like a blazing sun,
arrayed with a squadron of monks —
casting away pride & intoxication
through an awareness serene & clear,
I bowed down
my
head
to him, supreme
among all living beings.

Haughtiness & contempt
have been abandoned
— rooted out —
the conceit "I am" is extracted,
all forms of pride, destroyed.
— Thag 6.9

§ 3.1.

[Jenta:]

Ta say đắm tự kiêu,
Với sanh chủng, tài sản,
Kể cả với quyền lực,
Địa vị và dung sắc,
Ta sống kiêu mạn vậy.
Tham dắm và mê say.
Ta quá sức kiêu hãnh.
Xem không ai bằng ta,
Si mê, quá tự hào,
Kiêu căng và cống cao.
Mẹ cha và người khác,
Được cung kính tôn trọng,
Ta không lễ một ai,
Kiêu hãnh, không lễ phép.

Thấy lãnh đạo đệ nhất,
Tối ưu Điều Ngự Sư,
Như mặt trời sáng chói,
Cầm đầu chúng Tỷ-kheo.
Gạt bỏ mạn, kiêu hãnh,
Với tâm thật an lành,
Với đầu ta đảnh lễ,
Bậc tối thượng chúng sanh.

Quá mạn, ty liệt mạn,
Từ bỏ, nhổ tận gốc,
Ngã mạn được chặt đứt,
Mọi loại mạn tận diệt.

— Thag 6.9

§ 3.2.
[Sister Vimala:]
Intoxicated with my complexion
figure, beauty, & fame;
haughty with youth,
I despised other women.
Adorning this body
embellished to delude foolish men,
I stood at the door to the brothel:
a hunter with snare laid out.
I showed off my ornaments,
and revealed many a private part.
I worked my manifold magic,
laughing out loud at the crowd.

Today, wrapped in a double cloak,
my head shaven,
having wandered for alms,
I sit at the foot of a tree
and attain the state of no-thought.
All ties — human & divine — have been cut.
Having cast off all effluents,
cooled am I,   unbound.
— Thig 5.2

§ 3.2.

[Sister Vimala:]

Say mê với giai cấp,
Với dung sắc tuổi xuân,
Với danh xưng, danh vọng,
Ta ỷ lại tuổi trẻ,
Ðối với những người khác,
Ta khinh bỉ khinh thường.
Thân này ta trang điểm,
Ta khêu gợi kẻ ngu,
Ta đứng trong khung cửa,
Tại cửa hàng buôn sắc,
Như thợ săn, ác độc,
Ðang gieo đặt bẫy mồi.
Ta khoa trương trang sức,
Phô bày nhiều chỗ kín,
Ðể châm biếm nhiều người,
Ta làm nhiều ảo thuật.

Hôm nay ta khất thực,
Ðầu trọc, đắc đại y,
Ta ngồi dưới gốc cây,
Ta chứng định không tầm.
Mọi khổ ách đoạn tận,
Cả cõi trời, cõi người,
Quăng bỏ mọi lậu hoặc,
Ta mát lạnh tịch tịnh.

— Thig 5.2

§ 3.3. Once, monks, in Varanasi, Brahmadatta was the king of Kasi — rich, prosperous, with many possessions, many troops, many vehicles, many territories, with fully-stocked armories & granaries. Dighiti was the king of Kosala — poor, not very prosperous, with few possessions, few troops, few vehicles, few territories, with poorly-stocked armories & granaries. So Brahmadatta the king of Kasi, raising a fourfold army, marched against Dighiti the king of Kosala. Dighiti the king of Kosala heard, "Brahmadatta the king of Kasi, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching against me." Then the thought occurred to him, "King Brahmadatta is rich, prosperous... with fully-stocked armories & granaries, whereas I am poor... with poorly-stocked armories & granaries. I am not competent to stand against even one attack by him. Why don't I slip out of the city beforehand?" So, taking his chief consort, he slipped out of the city beforehand. Then King Brahmadatta, conquering the troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries of King Dighiti, lived in lordship over them.

999

Meanwhile, King Dighiti had set out for Varanasi together with his consort and, traveling by stages, arrived there. There he lived with her on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house, disguised as a wanderer. Not long afterwards, she became pregnant. She had a pregnancy wish of this sort: she wanted to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords. She said to King Dighiti, "Your majesty, I am pregnant, and I have a pregnancy wish of this sort: I want to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords." He said, "My queen, where is there for us — fallen on hard times — a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground, and water used for washing the swords?"

999

"If I don't get this, your majesty, I will die."

999

Now at that time the brahman adviser to King Brahmadatta was a friend of King Dighiti. So King Dighiti went to him and, on arrival, said, "A lady friend of yours, old friend, is pregnant, and she has a pregnancy wish of this sort: she wants to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords."

999

"In that case, let me see her."

999

So King Dighiti's consort went to King Brahmadatta's brahman adviser. When he saw her coming from afar, he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder and, with his hands raised in salutation to her, exclaimed three times, "Surely the king of Kosala has come to your womb! Surely the king of Kosala has come to your womb! Don't be worried, my queen. You will get to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and to drink the water used for washing the swords."

999

Then he went to King Brahmadatta and, on arrival, said to him, "Your majesty, signs have appeared such that tomorrow at dawn a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, should stand on a parade ground and that the swords should be washed."

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So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say, then: Do as the brahman adviser says." Thus King Dighiti's chief consort got to see a fourfold army, armed & arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and got to drink the water used for washing the swords. Then, with the maturing of the fetus, she gave birth to a son, whom they named Dighavu (LongLife). Not long afterwards, Prince Dighavu reached the age of discretion. The thought occurred to King Dighiti, "This King Brahmadatta of Kasi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, & granaries. If he finds out about us, he will have all three of us killed. Why don't I send Prince Dighavu to live outside of the city?" So Prince Dighavu, having gone to live outside of the city, learned all the crafts.

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Now at that time King Dighiti's barber had gone over to King Brahmadatta. He saw King Dighiti, together with his consort, living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house, disguised as a wanderer. On seeing them, he went to King Brahmadatta and, on arrival, said to him, "Your majesty, King Dighiti of Kosala, together with his consort, is living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house, disguised as a wanderer."

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So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say, then: go fetch King Dighiti together with his consort."

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Responding, "As you say, your majesty," they went and fetched King Dighiti together with his consort.

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Then King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say, then: having bound King Dighiti & his consort with a stout rope with their arms pinned tightly against their backs, and having shaved them bald, march them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, evict them out the south gate of the city and there, to the south of the city, cut them into four pieces and bury them in holes placed in the four directions."

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Responding, "As you say, your majesty," the king's people bound King Dighiti & his consort with a stout rope, pinning their arms tightly against their backs, shaved them bald, and marched them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads.

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Then the thought occurred to Prince Dighavu, "It's been a long time since I saw my mother & father. What if I were to go see them?" So he entered Varanasi and saw his mother & father bound with a stout rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, their heads shaven bald, being marched to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads. So he went to them. King Dighiti saw Prince Dighavu coming from afar, and on seeing him, said, "Don't, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Don't be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance."

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When this was said, the people said to him, "This King Dighiti has gone crazy. He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Don't, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Don't be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance'?"

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"I'm not crazy or talking nonsense. He who knows will understand." Then a second time... a third time he said, "Don't, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Don't be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance."

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A third time, the people said to him, "This King Dighiti has gone crazy. He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Don't, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Don't be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled through non-vengeance'?"

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"I'm not crazy or talking nonsense. He who knows will understand."

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Then the king's people, having marched King Dighiti together with his chief consort to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, evicted them out the south gate of the city and there, to the south of the city, cut them into four pieces, buried them in holes placed in the four directions, stationed guards, and left.

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Then Prince Dighavu, having entered Varanasi, brought out some liquor and got the guards to drink it. When they had fallen down drunk, he collected sticks, made a pyre, raised the bodies of his mother & father onto the pyre, set fire to it, and then circumambulated it three times with his hands raised in salutation.

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Now at that time, King Brahmadatta had gone up to the terrace on top of his palace. He saw Prince Dighavu circumambulating the pyre three times with his hands raised in salutation, and on seeing him, the thought occurred to him, "Doubtlessly this person is a relative or blood-kinsman of King Dighiti. Ah, how unfortunate for me, for there is no one who will tell me what this means!"

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Then Prince Dighavu, having gone into the wilderness and having cried & wept as much as he needed to, dried his tears and entered Varanasi. Going to an elephant stable next to the king's palace, he said to the chief elephant trainer, "Teacher, I want to learn this craft."

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"In that case, young man, you may learn it."

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Then, rising in the last watch of the night, Prince Dighavu sang in a sweet voice and played the lute in the elephant stable. King Brahmadatta, also rising in the last watch of the night, heard the sweet-voiced singing & lute-playing in the elephant stable. On hearing it, he asked his people, "I say: Who was that, rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?"

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"Your majesty, a young man — the student of such-and-such an elephant trainer, rising in the last watch of the night, was singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable."

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