ART. XIV.-A Jātaka-Tale from the Tibetan. WENZEL, PH.D. By H. IN the History of Tibet called Rgyal-rabs-gsal-vai-me-lon (The mirror illustrating the lineage of the kings') we find, as sixth chapter, the tale translated here, which corresponds to the Valāhassa Jātaka (Fausböll, ii. 127 ff., also in E. Müller's Pali Grammar, p. 128 ff.). As will be seen, the tale appears here in a richer, and quasi-dramatic, garb, with the addition of some characteristic traits, as e.g. the marvellous food that makes men forget their bygone troubles (cp. Odyssey, ix. 94 f.), etc., etc. The Rgyal-rabs itself is a work of the 17th century a.D. It begins with the evolution of the universe (in chapter 1, cp. Rockhill, Life of the Buddha, p. 1 ff.), gives, in ch. 2, a short survey of the Lord's life, and, in ch. 3 and 4, of the beginnings of Buddhism, relates, in ch. 5, the merits of Avalokiteçvara in spreading the Law in Tibet, and goes then, ch. 6, on to our tale. Follows the origin of the Tibetan race from an ape and a rākshasī (ch. 7), the beginning of the royal line (ch. 8), finally, the chief contents and purpose of the book, life and doings of King Sronbtsan sgam-po (ch. 9-17), whereon the book closes with a sort of appendix containing the further history of the country to the time of the writer. The work has been partially known for a long time by the extracts from the Mongolian translation thereof, called Bodhimör, given in the notes to I. J. Schmidt's edition of the Mongolian historian Ssanang Ssetzen. For my copy of the work I had the use of two blockprints, one belonging formerly to Mr. Jäschke, now in the British Museum; the other of the University Library of St. Petersburg, 25181 (569), for which latter I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Saleman. The first is pretty correct, the other gives a few different readings, and has a peculiar, not to say faulty, spelling. Sixth chapter, (relating) how (Avalokiteçvara), by transforming himself into the horse king, worked the good of living beings. When the noble Avalokiteçvara had (thus) in many ways profited living beings, he assumed, in order to give an example of how to choose virtue and to reject sin (according to the Sutra Za-ma-tog), the form of the horse king Bhalaha 1 to work (further) for the good of the living beings. At this time many merchants from the South of India, whose merits were but small, had departed to the outer ocean to search for jewels. With the many implements each one wanted they had gone on board a large vessel, (but) after the expiration of seven days they were brought into danger by an unwelcome wind, thus:2 "At midday a dark cloud like a dense fog obscures the light of the sun and spreads darkness (everywhere); a fearful red wind seems to shake the foundations of the earth, (so that) the mighty trees of the forest fall. The waves of the sea spring like lions, and the breakers lash sky and earth. The merchants take hold of each other, and calling (loud) on the names of their relatives, they cry; howling in terrified lamentation, they weep, helpless and exhausted, bloody tears, nevertheless the vessel goes to wreck." Then the merchants take firm hold of some beam of the wrecked ship, and, driven in one direction by an unwelcome wind, they were carried to the island of Singhala (sic!), which was (a dwelling-place) of Rakshasīs. There the merchants, calling each other by name, came on shore (lit. the dry, ris. land). When the Rakshasīs became aware of this, they changed themselves into young and exceedingly pretty women, and, 8 1 sic in Divyavadana his name is spelt Bālāha, p. 120, 4 ff.; there it is a metamorphosis of Maitreya (122, 29). 2 Verses; cp. Rom. Leg. p. 333 (see appendix). 3 Perhaps 'of the hull.' laden with much food and drink, they came before the merchants and greeted them, 'Are you tired? Have you suffered pain?' Having beguiled them by these greetings, they filled them with food and drink. The merchants, not knowing that they were Rakshasis, but only seeing in them exceedingly pretty women, were very glad, and conversed with them. Then the Rakshasis said with one voice: "You merchants must not go into the upper part of the valley." Each of the women led a merchant away into her house, where they became man and wife, and sported together. Then a voice was heard (from the sky): "The merchants suffering from (the consequences of) evil deeds of (former) kalpas, have, carried by a contrary wind, run into the hand of those who have power to kill them, like a snared animal into a game-net, and have no means of salvation. Infatuated by the thought of marrying them they mistake the Rakshasis for goddesses, and, filled with the delusive food, they forget former pains like a dream, and their soul is contented." From this the great captain understood that this was the island of the Rakshasis, and, lamenting despondingly, he thought: "Now they are happy, but what will the end be like?" and was very unhappy. Then reflecting: "What may signify their prohibition to go into the upper valley ?" the captain started in the night when his own wife had fallen asleep, and reaching the upper end of the valley he heard, within an iron house without doors, laments and complaining. Reflecting what it might be, he listened and knew by the language that they were merchants from India. So he climbed up the trunk of a tree standing near and asked, "Who is in there?" The men within answered: "Within here are we merchants who have lost our way." On the question: "How long have you been shut up here ?" they answered: "Like you, our ship being driven by a contrary wind, we arrived here, and led on 1 Rom. Leg. 334, "south of the city." 2 2 Rom. Leg. p. 335 has an iron city.' by these women, not recognizing that they were Rākshasīs, we became man and wife. While we thus played together, you came to this island and we were put into this iron house without doors; now we are to be eaten up one by one. You, taking to heart our misery and the fear of death, fly now at once, for now there is a possibility of flying; when (once) you are confined in this iron house, there is neither flight nor means of salvation." The captain saying again: "In truth there is no means of escape," they said, "There is a means of escape. We also thought we must fly, but, clinging to lust, we were taken (again); you (now) cling to nothing and nobody and fly. And the means to fly is this: if you cross from here a small pass there is on the north side in an expanse of golden sand a turkois (gju) well, whose rim is surrounded by a vaiḍūrya1 meadow. On the evening of the fifteenth (day of the month) the horse-king Bha-la-ha, on whose croup a hundred men have room, very beautiful, accompanying (or perhaps merely: like) a moon-beam, will come there. After having drunk from the turkois well, having eaten from the vaiḍūrya meadow, having rolled three times in the golden sand, and having shaken himself once, he says, sending forth his horse-voice like a human voice: 'O Indian merchants, whoever has come to (this) rakshasī-island, all get on my back, I will bring you to your country.'4 When this marvellous horse speaks thus, mount him, and, not clinging to whatever enjoyments or sons (you have here), but close your eyes, and flee." The captain thought, 'Thus (we) must act,' and went back. When he came to the bed of his wife, the rākshasī, she knew it, and spoke these words:5 "Perverted merchant, you will destroy your own life; if you direct your thoughts to aught else (than me), you will perish; where have you been to, lord of merchants ?" The merchant lied, "I went mutram utsrashṭum." Thereon the captain 1 In Tibetan transliteration mostly spelt negligently vai-du-rya. 2 Rom. Leg. p. 336; Divyav. 120, 3. 3 Rom. Leg. having partaken of the pure food. Cp. Divyav. 120, 5. Rom. Leg. p. 337. In Rom. Leg. 338 he finds all the Rakshasis asleep. assembled the young merchants, told them exactly what had happened, and all unanimously agreed to fly. Then, on the evening of the fifteenth day, they gave a narcotic to the rakshasīs, and when they had fallen asleep, the captain led forth the young merchants, and, having crossed the small pass, they reached on (its) north side, the golden sand, before the turkois well, near the vaiḍūrya meadow (the place where) the horse-king Ba-la-ha would appear. And after a short while came the horse-king from the sky on a moonbeam, with the light of the rainbow. When now this excellent horse had drunk from the turkois well, had eaten from the vaiḍurya meadow, had rolled three times on the golden sand, and had given himself a shake, he said in a human voice: "Merchants! let all whosoever is shut up in the rakshasi-island, mount on my back; not clinging to the love of the rakshasis, of (your) little children, or of any enjoyment whatever. Close (your) eyes,1 I will bring you to your own country." Thereon the captain said: "Thou leader, excellent magic horse, we merchants had started together to the islands of the ocean to fetch jewels, but, because our merits failed, our great ship was wrecked on the ocean, by a contrary wind we were driven to the rakshasi-island. There we entered the houses of the evildoing rakshasīs, who wanted to kill us. Now there is for us no other means of escape, we implore the help of the merciful horse-lord." Having spoken thus, the captain mounted on the horse's neck and took hold of his ear, the young merchants mounted on his back. Saying: "(Now) do not desire the rakshasī houses, their sons, and whatever enjoyment (you have had there), do not even think of it, but, till we have reached the end of the sea, close your eyes," the horse-lord carried (them) along the sky. When the rākshasīs perceived this, they came forth (from their houses) leading their children, and spoke thus: "Can you (indeed) 1 See Divyav. 120, 21; also Don Quixote, Part II. ch. 41. 2 2 Jäschke would translate, 'leapt into the ear,' but I do not know how to justify this. Is it meant as a precaution against hearing the rakshasis' allurements? Compare Odyssey, xii. 178 f. |