--- title: Opening, part 15 — The grateful elephant · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 15, «The grateful elephant» by Eugene Watson Burlingame: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Thereupon the merchant, rising from his seat, saluted and applauded the Exalted One. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/15/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 15 # Opening, part 15 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/15/) **2** As for the Future Buddha, he waited for a month and a half from the day when the foolish caravan-leader set out, and then set out from the city with five hundred carts.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") In due course he reached the mouth of the wilderness.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") There he had the water-chatties filled, putting in an abundant supply of water.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, sending a drum around the camp, he assembled his men and spoke as follows: “Without first obtaining my permission, you must not use so much as a dribble of water.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") In the wilderness there are poison-trees: any leaf or flower or fruit which you have not previously eaten, you must not eat without first obtaining my permission.”[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") Having thus admonished his men, he struck into the wilderness with his five hundred carts.[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") When he reached the middle of the wilderness, that ogre showed himself in the path of the Future Buddha in precisely the same way as before.[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Future Buddha saw him, he knew: “In this wilderness is no water; that is what is called a waterless wilderness.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Moreover this fellow is fearless, red-eyed, casts no shadow.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") Without a doubt this fellow caused the foolish caravan-leader who went first to throw away all his water, and having thus brought weariness upon him and his company, devoured them.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") But, unless I am mistaken, he does not know how wise and resourceful I am.”[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") Accordingly the Future Buddha said to the ogre: “You go your way.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") We are traders.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") Unless we see water farther on, we shall not throw away the water we have brought.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") But wherever we do see water, there we shall throw away the water we have brought, and having thus lightened our carts, shall continue our journey.”[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") The ogre went a little way, and when he was out of sight, went back again to his own city of ogres.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") Now when the ogre had gone, the men asked the Future Buddha: “Noble sir, these men said: ‘Do you see that dark green streak of woods?[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Beyond that point it rains all the time.’[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") And the men who said it approached garlanded with garlands of water-lilies both blue and white, carrying clusters of lotus-flowers both red and white, chewing the fibrous stalks of water-lilies, heads wet, garments wet, with drops of water streaming from them.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") Let us throw away the water and go quickly with lightened carts.”[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") The Future Buddha, hearing their words, caused the carts to halt, assembled all of his men, and asked: “Has any one of you heard that there is either a lake or a pool in this wilderness?”[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") “Noble sir, we have not so heard.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") This is what is called a waterless wilderness.”[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") “Just now some men said: ‘Beyond that dark green streak of woods it is raining.’[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") Now how far does a rain-wind blow?”[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") “A matter of a league, noble sir.”[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") “But has a rain-wind touched the body of even a single one of you?”[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") “It has not, noble sir.”[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") “How far off is a cloud-head visible?”[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") “A matter of a league, noble sir.”[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") “But has any one of you seen even a single cloud-head?”[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") “We have not, noble sir.”[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") “How far off is lightning visible?”[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") “Four or five leagues, noble sir.”[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") “But has any one of you seen a flash of lightning?”[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") “We have not, noble sir.”[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") “How far off can the sound of a cloud be heard?”[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") “A matter of one or two leagues, noble sir.”[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") “But has any one of you heard the sound of a cloud?”[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") “We have not, noble sir.”[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") “Those are not human beings; those are ogres.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") They must have come with the thought in their minds: ‘We will make these men throw away their water, weaken them, and devour them.’[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") The foolish caravan-leader who went first was not resourceful.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") Undoubtedly he must have thrown away the water at their behest, grown weary, and been devoured; the five hundred carts must stand as full as ever.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") To-day we shall see them.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") Do not throw away even so much as a dribble of water, but drive ahead as fast as ever you can.”[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") With these words he bade them drive forward.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Proceeding, he saw the five hundred carts as full as ever, and the bones of the men’s hands and all their other bones scattered in all directions.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") He had the carts unharnessed and a stockade built by drawing them into a contracted circle.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") He had both men and oxen given their supper betimes, and the oxen lie down in the centre of the circle formed by the men.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") He himself, assisted by the leaders of the force, kept watch during the three watches of the night, sword in hand, and allowed the dawn to rise upon him standing there.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") On the following day, very early in the morning, he had his men do all their chores, feed the oxen, discard the weak carts, substitute strong ones, throw away goods of little value, substitute those of great value.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") And going to the place where he would be, he sold his goods for twice or thrice the price, and together with his entire company went back again to his own city.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Teacher had related this parable, he said: “Thus, householder, in times past those who grasped with the grasp of speculation came to a sorry end, but those who grasped Absolute Truth escaped from the hands of demons, went in safety to the place where they would be, and went back again to their own place.”[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") And having thus joined the two parts of this Parable of Absolute Truth, he, the Supremely Enlightened, uttered the following stanza:[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") Some adhered to Absolute Truth, sophists to less than this.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") Knowing this, a wise man should lay hold on Absolute Truth.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") Said the Teacher in conclusion: “At that time the wise caravan-leader was I myself.”[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") \_25.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") Boar and Lion.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Eat me, O lion\![131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") Adapted from C. H. Tawney, Ocean of the Streams of Story (Kathāsaritsāgara), Chapter 72.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") In times past there dwelt in a cave in the Vindhya mountains a wise boar, who was none other than the Buddha in a previous state of existence, and with him his friend a monkey.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") He was compassionate towards all living beings.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") One day there came to his cave a lion and a lioness and their cub.[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") And the lion said to his mate: “Since the rains have hindered the movements of all living beings, we shall of a certainty perish for lack of some animal to eat.”[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") And the lioness said: “Of a certainty one or another of us is destined to die of hunger.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore do you and the cub eat me, for thus you will save your lives\![138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") Are you not my lord and master?[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") Can you not get another mate like me?[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore do you and the cub eat me, for thus you will save your lives!”[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/15/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/15/) - next →: [Opening, part 16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/16/) - ↑ back to [The grateful elephant](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg74064/)