Dighanikaya 31.242_2

31.242_2

Pubbe kira aññataro rājā tattha uyyānakīḷanatthaṃ āgato surāmadena matto divā niddaṃ okkami. Parijanopissa ‘‘sutto rājā’’ti pupphaphalādīhi palobhiyamāno ito cito ca pakkāmi. Atha surāgandhena aññatarasmā susirarukkhā kaṇhasappo nikkhamitvā rañño abhimukho āgacchati, taṃ disvā rukkhadevatā ‘‘rañño jīvitaṃ dammī’’ti kāḷakavesena āgantvā kaṇṇamūle saddamakāsi. Rājā paṭibujjhi. Kaṇhasappo nivatto. So taṃ disvā ‘‘imāya kāḷakāya mama jīvitaṃ dinna’’nti kāḷakānaṃ tattha nivāpaṃ paṭṭhapesi, abhayaghosañca ghosāpesi. Tasmā taṃ tato pabhuti ‘‘kalandakanivāpo’’ti saṅkhyaṃ gataṃ. Kalandakāti hi kāḷakānaṃ etaṃ nāmaṃ.

Formerly, it is said, a certain king came there to sport in the park, and intoxicated with the frenzy of liquor, fell asleep during the day. His attendants, thinking, “The king is asleep,” enticed by flowers, fruits, and the like, wandered off here and there. Then, attracted by the smell of liquor, a black snake emerged from a hollow tree and was approaching towards the king. Seeing it, a tree deity, thinking, “I will save the king's life,” came in the guise of a squirrel and made a sound near his ear. The king awoke. The black snake turned back. Having seen it, the king thought, “My life was saved by this squirrel,” and he established regular food for the squirrels there and proclaimed a proclamation of safety. Therefore, from that time onward, it came to be known as “the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.” For kalandaka is a name for squirrels.