Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

' So they divided that caravan into two equal portions. Then one of the leaders collected large quantities of straw, wood and water, and started [his carts]. On the second or third march the leader saw a swarthy red-eyed man coming from the opposite direction, armed with a quiver, wearing a lotus wreath, his garments and hair wet, and driving a chariot drawn by asses, its wheel splashed with mud. When he saw this man he said : — " Whence come you, Sir ? ';

1 " From such and such a district "

' " Whither go you ? "

' " To such and such a district."

' " Has there, Sir, been any great fall of rain recently in the jungle ? "

1 " Yes indeed, Sir, there has been a great rain in the jungle just in front, the roads are well watered, there is much grass and wood and water. [344] Throw away the grass and wood and water, Sir, you have already got ; with light-laden carts you will go quite quickly ; do not tire your teams."

' Then the leader told his carters what the man had said, and bade them throw away their provender and wood, that the caravan might travel more quickly.

' " So be it, sir," the carters replied, and did so. But at their first camp they saw no grass or wood or water, nor at the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh camp. So they all met with ruin and disaster. And then that fiend, the yakkha, devoured all the men and the cattle in that caravan, leaving only the bones behind.

' When the second caravan leader knew that the other caravan had got well on its way, he took in large supplies of grass and wood and water and set out. And he too met a swarthy red-eyed man, [345] and exchanged with him the same remarks, and was also bidden to throw away his provender.

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1 Then that leader said to his carters : " This man, sirs, says that there has recently been much rain in the jungle, that the roads are watered, and there is plenty of grass and wood and water. And he advises us to throw away our provender, so that, with lightened carts we may travel quicker and not weary our teams. But this man, 6irs, is not a friend of ours, nor a kinsman, nor of our blood. Why should we act as if we trusted him ? Our stock of provender is not to be thrown away ; let the caravan proceed with the goods we brought ; let us not part with what we have."

1 " So be it, sir,*'* agreed the carters, and went on with the stock they had loaded. And at seven successive camping places they saw no grass or wood or water ; [346] but they saw the other caravan that had come to grief. And they saw the skeletons of the men and cattle devoured by that yakkha fiend.

1 Then the caravan leader said to the carters : " That caravan, my masters, met with ruin and disaster, through having that silly caravan leader for its guide. Well then, let us leave here such of our wares as are of little value, and take from that caravan such wares as are of great value. " So be it, master," replied the carters, and made the transfer, and passed safely through the jungle, through having this wise caravan leader for their guide.1

1 Even so you, Prince, silly and unintelligent, will meet with ruin and disaster in that you seek so senselessly after another world, even like that former caravan leader. They who fancy that they can believe whatever they hear, will meet with ruin and disaster, even like those carters. Renounce, Prince, this evil set of opinions ; renounce them, I say ! Let them not involve you long in bale and sorrow ! '

24. ' Even though Master Kassapa says this, I still

1 This story has been turned into a Jataka by identifying the hero as the Buddha in a previous birth, and has been made the first story in the collection afterwards put together as the Jataka Book. It is one of twelve stories in that book found in the older texts. See 'Buddhist India,' p. 195.

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