--- title: Opening, part 11 — The grateful elephant · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 11, «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: When the little hare said this, the lion went to the foot of the Vilva tree, looked at the spot beneath the cocoanut leaf where the little hare --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/11/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/) / Opening, part 11 # Opening, part 11 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/11/) **2** In times past, when Brahmadatta ruled at Benāres, the Future Buddha was reborn in a Brahman household of great wealth.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") When he was old enough to walk and could run hither and thither, another being of merit also received a new existence as his brother.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") When both brothers reached manhood, their mother and father died.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") In agitation of heart over their death, both brothers adopted the life of ascetics, and building leaf-huts on the bank of the Ganges, took up their residence there.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") The older brother’s hut was up the Ganges; the younger brother’s hut was down the Ganges.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") Now one day a dragon-king named Jewel-neck came forth from the World of Dragons, walked along the bank of the Ganges disguised as a Brahman youth, came to the hermitage of the younger ascetic, bowed, and sat down on one side.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") The dragon-king and the younger ascetic greeted each other in a cordial manner, and became fast friends and inseparable companions.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Every day Jewel-neck would come to the hermitage of the younger ascetic and sit down and talk and converse with him.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") When it was time for him to go, out of affection for the ascetic he would lay aside his human form, encircle the ascetic with his coils, and embrace him, holding his huge hood over his head.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") Having remained in this position for a time, and having dispelled his affection, he would unwind his body, bow to the ascetic, and go back again to his own abode.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") The ascetic, for fear of him, became lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, his body strewn with veins.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") One day he went to visit his brother.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") The latter asked him: “Why are you lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, your body strewn with veins?”[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") He told him the facts.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") The older ascetic asked: “But do you or do you not wish that dragon never to come back again?”[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") The younger ascetic said: “I do not.”[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") “But when that dragon-king comes to your hermitage, what ornament does he wear?”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") “A jewel.”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well then, when that dragon-king comes to your hermitage, before he has a chance to sit down, ask, saying: ‘Give me the jewel.’[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") If you do so, that dragon-king will depart without so much as encircling you with his coils.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") On the next day you must stand at the door of your hermitage and ask him just as he approaches.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") On the third day you must stand on the bank of the Ganges and ask him just as he comes out of the water.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") If you do so, he will not come back to your hermitage.”[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") with his coils.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") “Very well,” assented the ascetic, and went to his own leaf-hut.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") On the next day the dragon-king came and stopped at the hermitage.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") The moment he stopped, the ascetic asked: “Give me this jewel you wear.”[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") Without so much as sitting down, the dragon-king fled.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") On the second day the ascetic, standing at the door of the hermitage, said to the dragon-king just as he approached: “Yesterday you would not give me the jewel; to-day I must have it.”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") Without so much as entering the hermitage, the dragon-king fled.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") On the third day the ascetic said to the dragon-king just as he came out of the water: “This is the third day I have asked; give me this jewel now.”[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") The dragon-king, still remaining in the water, refused the ascetic, reciting these two stanzas:[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") My food and drink, abundant, choice, I get by the power of this jewel.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") This I will not give you,--you ask too much; Nor will I even come back again to your hermitage.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") Like a lad with sand-washed sword in hand, You frighten me, asking for the stone.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") This I will not give you,--you ask too much; Nor will I even come back again to your hermitage.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, that dragon-king plunged into the water, went back to his own World of Dragons, and never came back again.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") And that ascetic, because he saw no more that dragon-king so fair to see, became more than ever lean, dried-up, pale, yellow as ever was yellow, his body strewn with veins.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") Now the older ascetic, thinking, “I will find out how my younger brother is getting on,” went to visit him.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") Seeing that he was suffering more than ever from jaundice, he said: “How comes it that you are suffering more than ever from jaundice?”[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") “Because I see no more that dragon so fair to see.”[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") “This ascetic cannot get along without the dragon-king,” concluded the older ascetic, and recited the third stanza:[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") One should not beg or seek to get what is dear to another.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") Odious does one become by asking overmuch.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Brahman asked the dragon for the jewel, Never again did the dragon let himself be seen.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Having thus addressed him, the older ascetic comforted him, saying: “Henceforth grieve not;” and went back again to his own hermitage.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the Teacher: “Thus, monks, even to dragons, though the World of Dragons wherein they dwell is filled to overflowing with the Seven Jewels, begging is offensive.[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") How much more so must it be to human beings!”[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") And having completed this parable, he identified the personages in the Birth-story as follows: “At that time the younger brother was my favorite disciple, but the older brother was I myself.”[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") \_18.[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") Snake-Charm.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") \_A blessing upon all living beings\![147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") \_A. Canonical version.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") Vinaya ii.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") 109-110.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") Now at that time a certain monk was bitten by a snake and died.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") They reported that fact to the Exalted One.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") Assuredly, monks, that monk had not suffused the four royal families of snakes with friendly thoughts.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") For, monks, if that monk had suffused the four royal families of snakes with friendly thoughts, in that case, monks, that monk would not have been bitten by a snake and died.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") What are the four royal families of snakes?[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") The Virūpakkhas are a royal family of snakes.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") The Erāpathas are a royal family of snakes.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") The Chabyāputtas are a royal family of snakes.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") The Black Gotamakas are a royal family of snakes.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") Assuredly, monks, that monk had not suffused the four royal families of snakes with friendly thoughts.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") For, monks, if that monk had suffused the four royal families of snakes with friendly thoughts, in that case, monks, that monk would not have been bitten by a snake and died.[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") I permit you, monks, to suffuse these four royal families of snakes with friendly thoughts; for self-preservation, for self-defense, to effect Protection of Self.[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") And this, monks, may be effected in the following way:[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") There is friendship ’twixt me and Virūpakkha snakes, There is friendship ’twixt me and Erāpatha snakes, There is friendship ’twixt me and Chabyāputta snakes, There is friendship ’twixt me and Black Gotamaka snakes.[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") There is friendship ’twixt me and living beings without feet, There is friendship ’twixt me and living beings with two feet, There is friendship ’twixt me and living beings with four feet, There is friendship ’twixt me and living beings with many feet.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") Let no living being without feet injure me\![166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") Let no living being with two feet injure me\![167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") Let no living being with four feet injure me\![168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") Let no living being with many feet injure me\![169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/11/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/11/) - next →: [Opening, part 12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/12/) - ↑ back to [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/)