Page:Sacred Books of the Buddhists Vol 1.djvu/276

 20. And in the midst of that wood, dark as clouds newly formed, he perceived a body shining with the lustre of a treasury of jewels, and saw that deer, dear by his illustrious properties. So does the fire of lightning appear out of the womb of the cloud.

21. Charmed by the beauty of his figure, the king, eagerly desirous of catching him, immediately curved his bow, made the arrow bite its string and went up to him that he might hit him.

But the Bodhisattva, on hearing the noise of people on every side, had thereby concluded that he must have been surrounded, to be sure. Afterwards perceiving the king coming up ready to shoot off his arrow at him, he understood there was no opportunity for running away. Then he uttered distinct articulate language, addressing the king in a human voice.

22, 23. 'Stop a moment, mighty prince, do not hit me, hero among men! Pray, first satisfy my curiosity, and tell me this. Who may have discovered my abode to thee, far as it is from the paths of men, saying that I, such a deer, dwell in this thicket ?'

The king, touched by this wonderful address in a human voice and taking still more interest in him, showed him that man with the point of his arrow. “This man,' he said, “has disclosed thy extremely marvellous person to us. But the Bodhisattva knowing again that man, spoke disapprovingly: 'Fie upon him!

24, 25. 'It is a true saying, in truth “better is it to take a log out of the water than to save an ungrateful person from it.” In this manner he returns that exertion made in his behalf! How is it that he did not see that he destroyed his own happiness, too, at the same time?'

Now the king, being curious to know what he might thus reproach, vividly said to the ruru-deer:

26, 27. 'On hearing thee censure somebody without catching the meaning of thy obscure words or knowing with respect of whom thou spokest them, my mind is