Buddhist Birth Stories (Jātaka Tales) — SelectionsBuddhismLegend / Oral TraditionPaliShareBuddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 15T. W. Rhys Davids (1880) - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableT. W. Rhys Davids (1880)LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 1Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 2Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 3Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 4Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 5Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 6Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 9Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 10Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 11Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 12Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 13Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 14Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 15Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 16Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 18Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 19Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 20Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 21Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 22Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 23Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 24Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 25Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 26Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 27Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 28Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 29Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 30Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 31Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 32Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 33Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 34Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 35Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 36Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 37Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 38Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 39Buddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 40›Tale No. 15: The Deer who would not learn / Kharādiyā JātakaBuddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 15ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter“Though a deer be most swift, O Kharādiyā.”--This the Master told when at Jetavana, concerning a certain foul-mouthed monk. For that monk, we are told, was abusive, and would take no admonition. Now the Master asked him, “Is it true what they say, O mendicant! that you are abusive, and will take no admonition?” “It is true, O Blessed One!” said he. The Master said, “Formerly also, by your surliness and your refusing to accept the admonition of the wise, you were caught in a snare and came to destruction.” And he told a story. * * * * * Once upon a time, when Brahma-datta was reigning in Benares, the Bodisat became a stag, and lived in the forest, with a herd for his retinue. Now his sister-roe (Kharādiyā) pointed out to him her son, and gave him in charge to him, saying, “Brother! this is your nephew. Teach him the devices of the deer.” And he said to his nephew, “Come at such and such a time to learn.” At the appointed time he did not go. And one day as he was wandering about, disregarding seven admonitions given on as many days, and not learning the devices of the deer, he was caught in a snare. Then his mother went to her brother, and asked, “How now, brother! was your nephew instructed in the devices of the deer?” “Think no more of that incorrigible fellow!” said the Bodisat. “Your son did not learn the devices of the deer.” And then, to explain his own unwillingness to have anything further to do with him, he uttered this stanza: “Though a deer be most swift, O Kharādiyā! And have antlers rising point o’er point, If he transgress the seventh time, I would not try to teach him more!” But the hunter killed that wilful deer caught in the snare, and, taking his flesh, departed. * * * * * The Master having finished this discourse, in illustration of what he had said (“Formerly also, by your surliness and your refusing to accept the admonition of the wise, you were caught in a snare, and came to destruction”), made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka: “The nephew deer of that time was the abusive monk, the sister was Uppala-vaṇṇā, but the admonishing deer was I myself.” ‹Previous chapterBuddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 14Next chapterBuddhist Birth Stories, Vol. I 16›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain