KACCHAPA-JĀTAKA - The Turtle That Talked Too Much There was a monk named Kokālika who reviled two chief disciples, accusing them of having evil wishes. When the monks were talking about Kokālika, the Buddha came and asked them what they were talking about. On being told, he related the Kacchapa Jātaka to show that not only in this life, but in a previous life too, Kokālika had come to destruction due to not controlling his tongue. Once in the time Brahmadatta was king of Benares, and the Bodhisatta, being born to one of the kings court, grew up, and became the kings adviser in all things human and divine. But this king was very talkative; and when he talked there was no chance for any other to get in a word. The Bodhisatta, wishing to put a stop to his excessive talking, kept watching for an opportunity. Now there dwelt a Turtle in a certain pond in the region of Himalaya. Two young wild Geese, searching for food, struck up an acquaintance with him; and by and by they grew close friends together. One day these two said to him: Friend Turtle, we have a lovely home in Himalaya, on a plateau of Mount Cittakūta, in a cave of gold! Will you come with us? Why, said he, how can I get there? Oh, we will take you, if only you can keep your mouth shut, and say not a word to anybody. Yes, I can do that, says he; take me along! So they made the Turtle hold a stick between his teeth; and themselves taking hold of the two ends, they sprang up into the air. The village children saw this, and exclaimed--There are two geese carrying a turtle by a stick! By this time the geese flying swiftly had arrived at the space above the palace of the king, at Benares. The Turtle wanted to cry out--Well, and if my friends do carry me, what is that to you, you caitiffs?--and he let go the stick from between his teeth, and falling into the open courtyard he split in two. What an uproar there was! A turtle has fallen in the courtyard, and broken in two! they cried. The king, with the Bodhisatta, and all his court, came up to the place, and seeing the turtle asked the Bodhisatta a question. Wise Sir, what made this creature fall? Nows my time! thought the Bodhisatta For a long while I have been wishing to admonish the king, and I have gone about seeking my opportunity. No doubt the truth is this: the turtle and the geese became friendly; the geese must have meant to carry him to Himalaya, and so made him hold a stick between his teeth, and then lifted him into the air; then he must have heard some remark, and wanted to reply; and not being able to keep his mouth shut he must have let himself go; and so he must have fallen from the sky and thus come by his death. So thought he; and addressed the king: O king, they that have too much tongue, that set no limit to their speaking, ever come to such misfortune as this; and he uttered the following verses:-- The Turtle needs to speak aloud, Although between his teeth A stick he bit: yet, spite of it, He spoke--and fell beneath. And now, O mighty master, mark it well. See thou speak wisely, see thou speak in season. To death the Tortoise fell: He talked too much: that was the reason. He is speaking of me! the king thought to himself; and asked the Bodhisatta if it was so. Be it you, O great king, or be it another, replied the Bodhisatta, whosoever talks beyond measure comes by some misery of this kind. And thenceforward the king abstained from talking much, and became a man of few words. The discourse ended, the Buddha identified the Birth:--Kokālika was the turtle then, the two famous Elders were the two wild geese, Ānanda was the king, and I was his wise adviser.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 05:36:09 +0000
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