because he attended on their enemies (the virtues), would not enter his mind. There he had his residence on a large banian tree, which by its height, standing out superior against the sky like the top of a mountain, might pass for the lord of that forest, and by the thickness of its branches beset with dark foliage, resembled a mass of clouds. Those branches were somewhat curved, being loaded with excellent fruits of a size surpassing that of palmyra-nuts, and distinguished by an exceedingly sweet flavour and a lovely colour and smell.
1. The virtuous, even when they are in the state of animals, have still some remainder of good fortune[1] which tends to the happiness of their friends, for whose sake they employ it, in the same manner as the remainder of the wealth of people abroad may serve the wants of their friends.
Now one branch of that tree hung over a river which passed by that place[2]. Now the Bodhisattva, far-sighted as he was, had instructed his flock of monkeys in this manner : Unless ye prevent this banian-branch from having fruit, none of you will ever be able to eat any fruit from the other branches[3].' Now it once happened that the monkeys overlooked one young and for this reason not very big fruit, hidden as it was in the cavity of some leaf crooked by ants. So that fruit grew on, and in time developed its fine colour, smell, flavour, and softness; when it had ripened and its stalk became loose, it dropped into the river. Being carried down the stream, it stuck at last
- ↑ In other words it is said that though their store of merit, producing good fortune, must have been exhausted according to their being born beasts, yet there is left some remainder, the effect of which may assuage them in that low state. Cp. Story XXXIII, stanza 2.
- ↑ In the Pâli redaction that river is the Ganges and the king Brahmadatta of Benares.
- ↑ Considering the abruptness of the narration, it seems there is something wanting in the text. In the Pâli redaction it is told that the Bodhisattiva, having warned the monkeys that a fruit of that tree would fall in the water and bring them mischief, causes them to destroy all germs of fruit on that branch in blossom-time.
