Читать книгу Garland of the Buddha's Past Lives (Volume 2) - Aryashura - Страница 59

22.1

Even when they are in trouble, the virtuous behave in ways that cannot be imitated by the bad, let alone when their situation is good.

Tradition has handed down the following story.

The Bodhi·sattva is said to have once lived as a royal goose named Dhrita·rashtra. Ruling over a huge flock of geese, numbering several hundreds and thousands, he lived in the large lake called Manasa, “Mind Lake.”

Dhrita·rashtra had a general called Sumukha. Expert in discerning right policy from wrong, Sumukha was vigilant over a wide area of land. Like an ornament on the forehead of his exemplary family, he was adorned by cleverness, skill and decency. His conduct was constant, pure and moral and he was able to endure fatigue and was never negligent. Brave, he was skilled in the ways of war and was devoted to his master. This general was the noble venerable Ananda at that time.*

22.5

The virtue of these two geese blazed all the more brightly because of the remarkable love they showed each other. Just as a teacher might train his other pupils with his chief disciple, or a father might train his other sons with his eldest son, so they duly guided the flock of geese in matters leading to their increased welfare in both this world and the next, filling the onlooking gods, nagas, yakshas, vidya·dharas, and ascetics with utter wonder.*

The two worked as one in upholding

the body of bliss for the flock of geese,

just as two wings work as one in upholding

the body of a bird as it flies in the sky.