Dhammapada 2.1.p6

2.1.p6

Allakappatāpasassapi kho tato avidūre vasanaṭṭhānaṃ hoti. So pakatiyāva vassadivase sītabhayena phalāphalatthāya vanaṃ na pavisati, taṃ rukkhamūlaṃ gantvā sakuṇehi khāditamaṃsānaṃ aṭṭhiṃ āharitvā koṭṭetvā rasaṃ katvā pivati. Tasmā taṃ divasaṃ ‘‘aṭṭhiṃ āharissāmī’’ti tattha gantvā rukkhamūle aṭṭhiṃ pariyesento upari dārakasaddaṃ sutvā ullokento deviṃ disvā ‘‘kāsi tva’’nti vatvā ‘‘mānusitthimhī’’ti. ‘‘Kathaṃ āgatāsī’’ti? ‘‘Hatthiliṅgasakuṇenānītāmhī’’ti vutte ‘‘otarāhī’’ti āha. ‘‘Jātisambhedato bhāyāmi, ayyā’’ti. ‘‘Kāsi tva’’nti? ‘‘Khattiyāmhī’’ti. ‘‘Ahampi khattiyoyevā’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi khattiyamāyaṃ kathehī’’ti. So khattiyamāyaṃ kathesi. ‘‘Tena hi āruyha puttaṃ me otārehī’’ti. So ekena passena abhiruhanamaggaṃ katvā abhiruhitvā dārakaṃ gaṇhi. ‘‘Mā maṃ hatthena chupī’’ti ca vutte taṃ achupitvāva dārakaṃ otāresi. Devīpi otari. Atha naṃ assamapadaṃ netvā sīlabhedaṃ akatvāva anukampāya paṭijaggi, nimmakkhikamadhuṃ āharitvā sayaṃjātasāliṃ āharitvā yāguṃ pacitvā adāsi. Evaṃ tasmiṃ paṭijaggante sā aparabhāge cintesi – ‘‘ahaṃ neva āgatamaggaṃ jānāmi, na gamanamaggaṃ jānāmi, imināpi me saddhiṃ vissāsamattampi natthi. Sace panāyaṃ amhe pahāya katthaci gamissati, ubhopi idheva maraṇaṃ pāpuṇissāma, yaṃkiñci katvā imassa sīlaṃ bhinditvā yathā maṃ na muñcati, tathā taṃ kātuṃ vaṭṭatī’’ti. Atha naṃ dunnivatthaduppārutadassanena palobhetvā sīlavināsaṃ pāpesi. Tato paṭṭhāya dvepi samaggavāsaṃ vasiṃsu.

Not far from that tree was the place of residence of the ascetic Allakappa. Now on rainy days it was the custom of the ascetic not to go into the forest for fruits and berries, for fear of the cold. Instead he used to go to the foot of the tree and gather up the bones from which the birds had picked the flesh; then he would pound the bones, make broth of them, and drink the broth. On that very day, therefore, he went there to get bones. As he was picking up bones at the foot of the tree, he heard the voice of a child in the branches above.

Looking up, he saw the queen. “Who are you?” said he. “I am a woman.” “How did you get there?” “A monster bird brought me here.” “Come down,” said he. “Your honor, I am afraid to come down on account of difference of caste.” “Of what caste are you?” “Of the Warrior caste.” “I am also of the Warrior caste.” “Well then, give me the password of the Warrior caste.” He did so. “Well then, climb up and set down my boy.” Finding a way to climb the tree on one side, he climbed up and took the boy in his arms; obeying the queen’s behest not to touch her with his hand, he set the boy down; then the queen herself came down.

The ascetic conducted the queen along the path to his hermitage and cared for her tenderly without in any way violating his vow of chastity. He brought honey free from flies and gave it to her; he brought rice grown in his own field and prepared broth and gave it to her. Thus did he minister to her needs.

After a time she thought to herself, “For my part I know neither the way to come nor the way to go, nor can I repose absolute confidence even in this ascetic. Now if he were to leave us and go elsewhere, we should both perish right here. I must by some means seduce him to violate his vow of chastity, so that he will not abandon us. Accordingly she displayed herself before him with under and upper garments in disarray, and thus seduced him to violate his vow of chastity; thenceforth the two lived together.