Verses on Dhamma 6.7.p5

6.7.p5

Idaṃ babbujātakaṃ vitthārena kathetvā ‘‘tadā cattāro mahallakabhikkhū cattāro biḷārā ahesuṃ, mūsikā kāṇā, maṇikāro ahamevā’’ti jātakaṃ samodhānetvā ‘‘evaṃ, bhikkhave, atītepi kāṇā dummanā āvilacittā vikkhittacittā hutvā mama vacanena pasannaudakarahado viya vippasannacittā ahosī’’ti vatvā anusandhiṃ ghaṭetvā dhammaṃ desento imaṃ gāthamāha –

Having related the Jātaka in detail, the Teacher identified the characters as follows, “At that time the four aged Elders were the four cats, the mouse was Kāṇā, and the gem-cutter was I myself. Thus, monks, in times past also Kāṇā, whose heart was sad and whose mind was turbid, became through my words possessed of a mind limpid as a lake of still water.” And joining the connection, he instructed them in the Law by pronouncing the following Stanza,