Jataka Tales 27: Abhinnha

Abhinnha Jataka While he was at Jetavana the Buddha told this story about a lay disciple and an aged monk.

According to tradition there were two friends who lived in Savatthi. One of them joined the Buddha's Order and used to go to his friend's house for alms, and together they would eat their food.

After the meal his friend would accompany him back to the monastery where they would engage in talk. At sunset he would return to the city. In return his friend, the monk, would follow him on his homeward journey up to the city gates before turning back.

The intimacy of the two friends became known to the monks who talked about it one day in the Dhamma Hall.

Abhinnha Jataka

1/5

When the Buddha entered the hall he asked them the subject of their discussion and they told him.Then the Buddha told them: "They are not only intimate friends now but they were intimate in bygone days, too." And so he told them this story.

Story of the past Once long ago when Brahmadatta was king in Benares, the Bodhisatta was his minister. In those days there was a dog that would go to the state elephant's stall to eat the fallen lumps of rice which fell as it ate.

Frequenting the place for the sake of food the dog became very friendly with the elephant.

Neither would eat nor could get on without the other. The elephant would also allow the dog to swing forwards and backwards on its trunk.

Abhinnha Jataka

2/5

One day a villager took the dog home.

Henceforth the elephant missing the dog would not eat, drink or take its bath. So the king received a report about this matter. He sent the Bodhisatta to find out more about it.

The Bodhisatta, seeing how sad the elephant was, thought to himself: "It is not ill; it must be for the sake of a very close friendship and the elephant is sad at the loss of its friend." So he asked the elephant keepers whether the elephant had become friends with anyone.

The Bodhisatta was informed: "Yes, my lord, it had a very warm friendship with a dog." "Where is the dog now?" "A man took it away with him."

"Do you know where he lives?" "No, my lord." So he went to tell the king that there was nothing physically wrong with the elephant. He added: "It is missing his friend, a dog, with whom he had formed an ardent friendship. It is missing his friend and I imagine this is the reason he refused to eat." Then he spoke this way:

Abhinnha Jataka

3/5

"Without his friend the dog, the elephant cannot take pleasure in food or anything else. They have became so close to each other."

"Well," what is to be done now sage," asked the king. "Let a drum be beaten and a proclamation be made. A man is reported to have taken the dog. Let it be said that in whose house the dog is found he shall receive such and such a penalty."

The king took this advice and had it done.

When the man heard of the proclamation he promptly let the dog go. Away it raced back to the elephant's stall. The elephant picked it up and put it on his head. Weeping and trumpeting it gently set the dog on the ground for the dog to eat its food first; then it took its own food.

The king said with admiration: "Even the minds of animals are known to him," and gave the Bodhisatta great honours.

Abhinnha Jataka

4/5

End of story of the past Thus the lesson ended it having shown that even in the past they were intimate friends. This done he discoursed on the Four Truths. Then he showed the connection. He identified the birth saying: The lay-disciple was the dog of those days, the aged brother was the elephant, and I, myself, was the wise minister."

Abhinnha Jataka

5/5