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

Swallow, you false cheat, swallow now !
Bitter the hour at hand for you ! l

1 Even like the simile of the gamester, Prince, methinks is what you say. Renounce, Prince, this evil set of opinions, renounce them, I say ! Let them not be long a source of bale and sorrow to you ! '

28. ' Even though Master Kassapa says this, I still cannot bring myself to renounce this evil set of opinions. King Pasenadi the Kosalan knows me, and so do foreign

1 This story is also in the Jataka Book, I, 380. The modus operandi of the cheat is rendered obscure by our ignorance of the game played. Liiders in his ' Wurfelspiel der alten Inder ' has shown that the dice were seeds of a tree called the Vibhitaka, and that the usual game was probably to throw a number of seeds on a board, having previously fixed on a certain number. The seeds fell some upright, some on their sides. Only the upright ones counted. If they were less than the agreed number it was a draw ; if equal the thrower won and threw again ; if more he lost, and lost the throw. An extra seed was called the kali, 'the unlucky die.' This the cheat seems to have managed to pick up, and swallow.

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kings, as holding to the creed and the opinion that there is neither another world, nor rebirth other than of parents, nor fruit or result of deeds well or ill-done. If I, Master Kassapa, renounce these opinions, people will say : " How silly is Prince Payasi, how unintelligent, how bad is his grasp of things ! ' In wrath thereat will I keep to it. In guile will I keep to it. In self-respect will I keep to it.'

29. 'Well then, Prince, I will give you a simile, for it is by way of a simile that some intelligent men discern the meaning of what is said. Once upon a time, Prince, a certain country-side migrated. And one man said to his crony : — " Let's go friend, to that country-side ; perhaps we may come upon some treasure." " Good, friend," assented the other. And they came to where, in that country-side, there was a certain village street. [350] There they saw a heap of hemp thrown away. Then one said to the other : " Here's a heap of hemp: do you make some into a bundle, I'll do the same and we'll carry it away." The other consented, and they did so.

' Bearing this burden they went on to another village street. There they saw a heap of hempen thread thrown away, and one said to the other : — " This heap of hempen thread thrown away is just the thing we want hemp for. Well then, friend, you throw away your load of hemp, I'll throw away mine, and we'll take away each a load of hempen thread." " I've brought this load of hemp a long way, friend, and it's well tied up — that's enough for me ; you choose for yourself." So the former changed his load for one of hempen thread.

1 Then they came to another village street. There they saw a heap of hempen cloths. And the one said to the other : — " This heap of hempen cloths is just the thing we want hemp for, or hempen thread for. Well then, friend, do you throw away your load of hemp, I'll throw away my load of hempen thread, and we'll each take a load of hempen cloth." " I've brought this load of hemp a long way, friend, and it's in. b b

37° PAYASI SUTTANTA. D. ii. 350.

well tied up — that's enough for me ; you choose for yourself." So the former changed his load for one of hempen cloth.