Page:Buddhist Birth Stories, or, Jātaka Tales.djvu/345

Rh from such destruction of life," he in a sweet voice taught them, uttering this stanza:

"If people would but understand That this would cause a birth in woe, The living would not slay the living; For he who taketh life shall surely grieve!"

Thus the Great Being preached to them the Truth, terrifying them with the fear of hell. And when the people had heard his discourse, they trembled with the fear of death, and left off taking life. And the Bodisat, preaching to the people, and establishing them in the Precepts, passed away according to his deeds. The people, too, attending upon the exhortations of the Bodisat, gave gifts, and did other good deeds, and so filled the city of the gods.

The Teacher having finished this discourse, made the connexion, and summed up the Jātaka: "I at that time was the Genius of the tree."

END OF THE STORY ON FOOD OFFERED TO THE DEAD.