Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal: A Story of Royal REVENGE (sutra)

Crystal Quintero, Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly (Dighavu-Kumara Vatthu, Mahavagga X.2.3-20) based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans.) ATI via Vipassana Fellowship/ATI

Christianity, influenced by Sakka lore, turned their god into a heavenly king, a severe judge, a royal to be worshiped in churches shaped like king's throne or bailica (Debdamone/flickr)

The Story of Young Prince Dighavu

Who was the ruler Brahmadatta?

[The Buddha to the monastics and others gathered to hear him:] Meditators, once Brahmadatta was the king of Kasi (the capital of Varanasi, India), and he was rich and prosperous, with many possessions, troops, vehicles, many territories, fully-stocked armories and granaries.

At that time Dighiti was the king of Kosala, and he was poor, not prosperous, with few possessions, troops, vehicles, few territories, with poorly-stocked armories and granaries.

So King Brahmadatta of Kasi, raising a fourfold army, marched against King Dighiti of Kosala.

King Dighiti heard, "Brahmadatta, the king of Kasi, they say, has raised a fourfold army and is marching against me." Then the thought occurred to him, "King Brahmadatta is rich, prosperous...with fully-stocked armories and granaries, whereas I am poor...with poorly-stocked armories and granaries. I am not competent to stand against even one attack by him. Why not slip out of the city beforehand?"

So taking with him his chief consort, he slipped out of the city. Then King Brahmadatta, conquering and seizing the troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries of King Dighiti, lived in lordship over them.

If women could be kings then we would have peace?

Meanwhile, King Dighiti set out for Varanasi together with his consort and, traveling by stages, arrived there. There he lived with her on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house, disguised as a wanderer. Not long after, his consort became pregnant. She made a pregnancy-wish: she wanted to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, so as to drink the water used for washing the swords. She said to King Dighiti, "Your majesty, I am pregnant, and I have this pregnancy-wish...

He replied, "My queen, where is there for us -- having fallen on hard times -- a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground, and water used for washing the swords?"

"If I don't get this, your majesty, I will die!" she said.

Now at that time the Brahmin advisor to King Brahmadatta was a friend of King Dighiti. So King Dighiti went to him and said, "A lady friend of yours, old friend, is pregnant, and she has this pregnancy-wish...

"In that case, let me see her," the Brahmin advisor replied.

Then King Dighiti's consort went to King Brahmadatta's Brahmin advisor. And when he saw her coming from afar, he rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder and, with his hands raised in salutation to her, exclaimed three times:

Future Buddha, a royal noble (Dboo/flickr)

"Surely the [future] king of Kosala has come to your womb! Don't be worried, my queen. You will get to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn so as to drink the water used for the washing of swords."

Then he went to King Brahmadatta and said to him, "Your majesty, signs have appeared such that tomorrow at dawn a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, should stand on a parade ground and that the swords should be washed."

So King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I decree: Do as the Brahmin advisor says." So King Dighiti's chief consort got to see a fourfold army, armed and arrayed, standing on a parade ground at dawn, and she got to drink the water used for the washing of swords. Then, with the maturing of her baby in the womb, she gave birth to a son. They named the prince Dighavu ("Long-Life").

When Prince Dighavu reached the age of discretion, the thought occurred to King Dighiti, "This King Brahmadatta of Kasi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. If he finds out about us, he will have all three of us killed. I should send Prince Dighavu to live outside the city." So Prince Dighavu, having gone to live outside of the city, studied widely and learned of all the crafts.

Now at that time King Dighiti's barber had gone over to King Brahmadatta. He had seen King Dighiti, together with his consort, living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house disguised as a wanderer. And having seen them, he went to King Brahmadatta and said to him, "Your majesty, King Dighiti of Kosala, together with his consort, is living on the outskirts of Varanasi in a potter's house disguised as a wanderer."

King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say: Go fetch King Dighiti together with his consort!"

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" they went and brought King Dighiti together with his consort.

We will kill whomever you and your ministers say, King ~~Bush~~, ~~Obama~~, Brahmadatta!

"Change? Yes we can't," admits Obama.

Then King Brahmadatta ordered his people, "I say: Having bound King Dighiti and his consort with strong rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, shave them bald, and march them to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, cast them out of the south gate of the city and there, south of the city, cut them into four pieces, then bury them in holes placed in the four directions!"

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" the king's people [did so to] King Dighiti and his consort...

Then the thought occurred to Prince Dighavu, "It has been a long time since I saw my mother and father. What if I were to go see them?" He entered Varanasi and saw his mother and father bound with a strong rope, their arms pinned tightly against their backs, heads shaven bald, being marched to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads. He ran to them. But King Dighiti saw Prince Dighavu coming from afar and, seeing him, said:

"Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. [Compare with the "Do not look long; do not look short" advice given to Bahiya of the Barkcloth resulting in the fastest case of enlightenment. That is not the way to appease hatred.] For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance."

When he said this, the people said back: "This King Dighiti has gone crazy! He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance'?"

"I am not crazy, and I am not talking nonsense," the king insisted. "One who knows will understand." Then a second and third time he repeated: "Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance."

Again, the people said: "This King Dighiti has gone crazy! He's talking nonsense. Who is Dighavu? Why is he saying, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is settled only through non-vengeance'?"

"I am not crazy, and I am not talking nonsense," again the king insisted. One who knows will understand."

What's that mob doing to that bald couple?

Then the king's people, having marched King Dighiti together with his chief consort to a harsh-sounding drum from street to street, crossroads to crossroads, cast them out the south gate of the city and there, south of the city, cut them into four pieces and buried them in holes placed in the four directions. They stationed guards and left.

Then Prince Dighavu, having entered Varanasi, brought some liquor and got the guards to drink it. When they had fallen down drunk, he collected wood, made a pyre, raised the bodies of his mother and father onto the pyre, cremated them as appropriate for warrior-caste royalty, and then circumambulated it three times with his hands raised in salutation.

At that time, King Brahmadatta was sitting on the terrace of his palace. And he saw Prince Dighavu circumambulating the pyre three times with his hands raised in salutation. Seeing him, the thought occurred to him: "Doubtlessly this person is a relative or blood-kinsman of King Dighiti. Oh, how unfortunate for me! For there is no one who will tell me what this means!"

Then Prince Dighavu, having retreated into the wilderness and having cried and wept as much as he needed to, dried his tears and re-entered Varanasi. Going to an elephant stable next to the king's palace, he said to the chief elephant trainer: "Teacher, I want to learn this craft."

"In that case, young man, you may learn it."

Then, rising in the last watch of the night [the very early hours of the morning], Prince Dighavu sang in a sweet voice and played the lute in the elephant stable. King Brahmadatta, also rising in the last watch of the night, heard a sweet-voice singing along with delightful lute-playing coming from the elephant stable.

Ooh, beautiful elephants awake, ooh-ooh!

Hearing it, he asked his people, "I say: Who was that, rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?"

"Your majesty, a young man -- the student of such-and-such an elephant trainer, rising in the last watch of the night, was singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable."

"I say: Go fetch that young man."

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" they went and fetched Prince Dighavu.

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say: Was that you rising in the last watch of the night, singing in a sweet voice and playing a lute in the elephant stable?"

"Yes, your majesty."

"I say, then, my young man: Sing and play the lute."

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" seeking to win favor, Prince Dighavu sang with a sweet voice and played the lute.

Then King Brahmadatta said to him, "I say: You, my young man, are to stay and attend to me."

"As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu replied. Then he rose in the morning before King Brahmadatta, went to bed in the evening after him, did whatever the king ordered, always acting to please him, speaking very politely to him. It was not long before King Brahmadatta placed the prince close to him in a position of trust.

Then one day King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say, my young man, harness the chariot. I'm going hunting."

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu harnessed the chariot and said to King Brahmadatta, "Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty! Now is the time for you to do as you see fit."

Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dighavu drove it.

But he drove it in such a way that the king's entourage went one way and the chariot another.

After they had gone far, King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "I say, my young man, unharness the chariot. I'm tired. I'm going to lie down."

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu unharnessed the chariot and sat down cross-legged on the ground. Then King Brahmadatta lay down, placing his head on Prince Dighavu's lap. As he was tired, he quickly fell asleep.

Revenge is sweet, oh my little, little lamb

Then the thought occurred to Prince Dighavu: "This King Brahmadatta of Kasi has done us great harm. He has seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. And it was because of him that my mother and father were humiliated and murdered. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!"

He withdrew his sword from his scabbard. But then he thought, "My father told me, as he was about to die, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.' It would not be proper for me to transgress my father's words."

So he put his sword back in its scabbard. A second time and a third time the [same] thought occurred to Prince Dighavu... But then he thought, "My father told me, as he was about to die, 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.' It would not be proper for me to transgress my father's words." So once again he put his sword back in its scabbard.

You want a peace president?

Then King Brahmadatta suddenly got up -- frightened, agitated, unnerved, and alarmed. Prince Dighavu said to him, "Your majesty, why have you gotten up suddenly -- frightened, agitated, unnerved, and alarmed?"

"I say, my young man, just now as I was dreaming, Prince Dighavu -- son of Dighiti, the former king of Kosala -- struck me down with a sword."

Then Prince Dighavu, grabbing King Brahmadatta by the head with his left hand, and drawing his sword from its scabbard with his right, said: "I, your majesty, am that very Prince Dighavu, son of Dighiti, king of Kosala! You have done us great harm! You have seized our troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries. And it was because of you that my mother and father were humiliated and murdered. Now is my chance to wreak vengeance!"

So King Brahmadatta, dropping his head down to Prince Dighavu's feet, said to him: "Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu! Grant me my life, my dear Dighavu!"

"Who am I that I would dare grant life to your majesty? It is your majesty who should grant life to me!"

"In that case, my dear Dighavu, you grant me my life and I will grant you your life."

Then King Brahmadatta and Prince Dighavu granted one another their lives and, taking one another by the hands, swore an oath to do one another no harm.

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu, "In that case, my dear Dighavu, harness the chariot. We will go on."

Responding, "As you say, your majesty!" Prince Dighavu harnessed the chariot and said to King Brahmadatta: "Your chariot is harnessed, your majesty. Now is the time for you to do as you see fit."

Then King Brahmadatta mounted the chariot, and Prince Dighavu drove it. And he drove it in such a way that it was not long before they met up with the king's entourage.

Then King Brahmadatta, having entered Varanasi, had his ministers and councilors convened and said to them: "I say: If you were to see Prince Dighavu, the son of Dighiti, the king of Kosala, what would you do to him?"

Different ministers said, "We would cut off his hands, your majesty!" "We would cut off his feet, your majesty!" "We would cut off his hands and feet, your majesty!" "We would cut off his ears, your majesty!" "We would cut off his nose, your majesty!" "We would cut off his ears and nose, your majesty!" "We would cut off his head, your majesty!"

The king then said to them: "This, I say, is Prince Dighavu, the son of Dighiti, the former king of Kosala. You are not allowed to do anything to him! It was by him that my life was granted to me, and it was by me that his life was granted to him."

Then King Brahmadatta said to Prince Dighavu: "What your father said to you as he was about to die -- 'Do not, my dear Dighavu, be far-sighted. Do not be near-sighted. For vengeance is not settled through vengeance. Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance' -- in reference to what did he say this?"

"What my father said to me as he was about to die -- 'Do not be far-sighted' -- was, 'Do not bear a grudge for a long time.' That is what he was saying to me as he was about to die.

"And what he said to me as he was about to die -- 'Do not be near-sighted' -- was, 'Do not be quick to break with a friend.' That is what he was saying to me as he was about to die.

"And what he said to me as he was about to die -- 'For vengeance is not settled through vengeance -- was, 'Vengeance is only settled through non-vengeance.'

"My mother and father were killed by your majesty. If I were to deprive your majesty of life, those who hope for your majesty's well-being would deprive me of my life. And those who hope for my well-being would deprive them of life. And in that way vengeance would not be settled by vengeance.

"But now I have been granted my life by your majesty, and your majesty has been granted life by me. And in this way vengeance has been settled by non-vengeance. That is what my father was saying to me as he was about to die."

But King of Heaven Jehovah says, Keep killing?

Then King Brahmadatta said, "It is amazing! It is astounding! How wise this Prince Dighavu is in that he can understand in detail the meaning of what his father said only in brief!" So he returned his father's troops, vehicles, lands, armories, and granaries, and gave him his daughter in marriage [to Prince Dighavu].

Such, meditators, is the forbearance and gentleness of royals who wield the scepter, who wield the sword. So now let your light shine forth so that you, who have gone forth in this well-taught Dharma and Discipline, will be their equal in forbearance and gentleness.

Things are not what they seem, then as now