Basket of Conduct 19

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1. The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood
2. The Chapter on an Elephant
3. The Perfection of Ethics (9th)
4. Alīnasattu’s Conduct
5. “In the fine city of kingdom of Pañcāla,
6. in the capital city of Kapilā,
7. the king named Jayaddisa
8. was furnished with virtuous qualities.
9. I was that king’s son,
10. well educated and virtuous;
11. Alīnasattu of fine qualities,
12. I always cared for the attendants.
13. My father had gone deer hunting
14. when he came across a cannibal,
15. who seized my father, saying,
16. ‘You are my prey, don’t move!’
17. When he heard these words,
18. he was scared and trembled with fear,
19. his thighs became stiff
20. when he saw the cannibal.
21. ‘Let me go, take the deer meat!’ he said,
22. ‘I promise to return.’
23. Having paid the brahmin,
24. my father said to me:
25. ‘Son, rule the realm.
26. Do not neglect this city.
27. I promised the cannibal
28. that I will return.’
29. I bowed to my mother and father,
30. and substituted myself.
31. Tossing my bow and sword,
32. I approached the cannibal.
33. Perhaps if I have weapons in hand
34. that might make him afraid.
35. And that would violate my ethics,
36. were I to frighten him.
37. For fear of violating my ethics,
38. I said nothing hateful to him.
39. Lovingly and beneficially,
40. I said the following.
41. ‘Kindle a great fire.
42. I will drop into it from a tree.
43. When you know I am cooked,
44. eat me, Grandfather.’
45. And so for the sake of my ethical vows
46. I did not protect my life.
47. And I drove out forever
48. his attacks on living creatures.”