Dhr. Seven, Eliza Darcey (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly, Jataka 469 ("Stories of the Buddha’s Former Rebirths"), Book 12, Francis via SuttaCentral.net; Sentinel Beast, "Dogs of War"
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| Sakka: I will look after the human world when a buddha's teaching begins to decline. |
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469. Maha Kanha Jataka
“A black, black hound” and so on -- this story was told by the Buddha while dwelling at Jetavana, about living for the benefit of the world.
One day, they say, the monastics were sitting in the Hall of Truth (Dharma Hall) talking. “Venerables,” one would say, “the Teacher, ever practicing friendship towards the multitudes of people, has given up an agreeable residence and lives just for the good of the world.
"Moreover, he has attained supreme wisdom yet of his own accord takes bowl and robe and goes on a journey of 18 or more leagues.
One day, they say, the monastics were sitting in the Hall of Truth (Dharma Hall) talking. “Venerables,” one would say, “the Teacher, ever practicing friendship towards the multitudes of people, has given up an agreeable residence and lives just for the good of the world.
"Moreover, he has attained supreme wisdom yet of his own accord takes bowl and robe and goes on a journey of 18 or more leagues.
- To the Five Ascetics he set a rolling the Wheel of the Dharma [the Teaching that leads to complete freedom from all rebirth and suffering];
- on the fifth day of the half-month he recited the "Discourse on the Impersonal Nature of All Things" (Anattalakkhana Sutra), and guided them to full enlightenment;
- he went to Uruvela and there, to the wandering ascetics with long matted hair, he displayed miracles -- three thousand and half a thousand -- and persuaded them to become [Buddhist] monastics practicing for enlightenment;
- at Gayasisa he recited the Fire Sermon and guided a thousand of those wandering ascetics to full enlightenment;
- to Maha Kassapa, when he had gone forward three miles to meet him, after three sutras he gave the higher ordination;
- all alone, after the noon-day meal, he went a journey of 45 leagues and then established in the fruit of the third path Pukkusa (a youth of very good birth);
- to meet Maha Kappina he went forward a space of 2,000 leagues and guided him to full enlightenment;
- alone in the afternoon he went on a journey of 30 leagues and established in full enlightenment that cruel and harsh man Angulimala [the serial killer and mass murderer];
- thirty leagues also he traversed and established the Ogre Alavaka in the fruit of the first path and saved the prince;
- in the Celestial Realm of the Thirty-Three he visited three months and taught full comprehension of the Dharma to 800 million devas;
- to [Baka] Brahma’s world he went and destroyed that [deva's] false views and guided 10,000 brahmas;
- every year he goes on pilgrimage in three districts and to such people as are capable of receiving, he gives the Three Guiding Gems, the Virtues, and the fruits of the different stages;
- he even acts for the good of naga reptilians and garuda avians and the like, in many ways.”
In such words they praised the goodness and worth of the One of the Ten Power’s life for the good of the world.
The Teacher came in and asked what they were talking about as they sat there. They answered him. “And no wonder, monastics,” he said. “One who now in perfected wisdom would live for the world’s good did so even in the past [when striving for supreme wisdom of buddhahood], in those days of suffering, lived for the good of the world.”
Story of a Past Life
The Teacher came in and asked what they were talking about as they sat there. They answered him. “And no wonder, monastics,” he said. “One who now in perfected wisdom would live for the world’s good did so even in the past [when striving for supreme wisdom of buddhahood], in those days of suffering, lived for the good of the world.”
Story of a Past Life
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| O, Kassapa Buddha, there goes the Dharma! |
It was a long time after the Buddha Kassapa had declared the Four Noble Truths and guided multitudes of people from bondage to final liberation and had helped awaken large numbers of those to realize nirvana that that the dispensation (the Dharma/Buddhism of that buddha) fell into decay.
The male monastics gained their livelihood in 21 unlawful ways (modes of wrong livelihood). They "associated" with the nuns, and sons and daughters were born to them.
Monks forsook the duties of the Male Monastic Order, and nuns forsook the duties of Female Monastic Order, lay men and women their duties [see the Sigalovada Sutra], Brahmins no longer performed the duties of Brahmins:
Humans for the most part followed the Ten Courses of Unwholesome Conduct, and as they died they filled the ranks of all the states of suffering.
Then Sakka King of the Devas [of that time], observing that no new devas came into being (were reborn in the celestial worlds), looked abroad upon the world, and perceived how humans were reborn into states of suffering, and that the dispensation of Kassapa Buddha had decayed.
“What shall I do now?” Sakka wondered. “Ah, I have it!” he thought: “I will scare and terrify humankind, and when I see that they are terrified, I will console them, I will declare the Dharma, I will restore the dispensation that has decayed, and I will make it last for another thousand years!”
"Big Blackie"
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| Maha Kanha, "Big Blackie," the sentinel beast |
He fastened him with a fivefold chain and put on him a red wreath led by a cord.
Sakka put on a pair of yellow garments and bound his hair behind his head and donned a red wreath. Taking a huge bow fitted with bowstring the color of coral and twirling in his fingers a javelin tipped with adamant, he assumed the aspect of a forester and descended at a spot one league [one hour's walk] away from the city.
“This world is doomed to destruction! Doomed to destruction! Doomed to destruction!” he called out three times with a loud voice that terrified the people. And when he reached and entered the city, he repeated that terrible cry.
The people seeing the hound were frightened and ran into the city and told the ruler what had happened.
Sakka in disguise
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| Sakka (St. Michael in Catholicism), King of the Devas |
The people in terror ran away into houses and locked the doors. Big Blackie gave chase to every human he saw and scared them and finally entered the ruler’s palace.
The people, who in their fright had taken refuge in the courtyard, ran into the palace and shut the door. And as for the ruler, he with the ladies of his household went up onto the terrace.
Big Blackie raised his forepaws and putting them in through the window roared a great roar. The sound of this roaring reached from [the lowest] realm to the highest realm: the whole world-system was one great roar.
The three great roars that were the loudest ever heard in "India" [Bharat or Jambudvipa] are these: the cry of King Punnaka in the Punnaka Jataka, the cry of the naga King Sudassana in the Bhuridatta Jataka, and this roar in the Maha Kanha Jataka [lit., the "Great-Black Birth Tale"], or the story of "Big Blackie." The people were terrified, filled with horror, and not a person could say a word to Sakka.
The ruler steeled his nerve and, approaching the window, cried out to Sakka: “Ho, huntsman! Why did your hound roar?”
Sakka answered, “The hound is hungry.”
“Well,” said the ruler, “I will order some food to be given to him.” He ordered his food and the food of all the household to be given to him. The hound seemed to make one mouthful of the whole thing then roared again.
Again the ruler asked and Sakka answered, “My hound is still hungry!” The ruler then had all the food of his elephants, horses, and so forth brought and given to Big Blackie. He also finished this off in one bite. Then the king had all the food in the city given to him.
Big Blackie swallowed all of this in like manner and roared again. The ruler said, “This is no hound. Beyond all doubt this is a goblin. I'll ask him where he has come from.” Terrified with fear he asked his question with this stanza:
“A black, black hound, with five cords bound, with fangs all white of hue,
Majestic, awful—mighty one, what makes he here with you?”
On hearing this Sakka uttered this stanza in return:
“Not to hunt game the Black Hound came, but he shall be of use
To punish humans, Usinara, when I shall let him loose.”
Then the ruler said, “What, huntsman, will the hound devour the flesh of all men, or of your enemies only?”
“Only my enemies, great king.”
“And who are your enemies?”
“Those, O king, who love unrighteousness and walk doing harm.”
“Describe them to us,” he asked. And Sakka, the King of the Devas, described them in these stanzas:
“When the false monks, bowls in hand, in one robe clad, shall choose
Tonsured the plough to follow, then the Black Hound I will loose.
“When nuns of the Order shall in single robe be found,
Tonsured, yet walking in the world, I will let loose the Hound.
“What time wandering ascetics, usurers, protruding the upper lip,
Foul-toothed and filthy-haired shall be -- the Black Hound I’ll let slip.
“When Brahmins, skilled in sacred texts and holy rites, shall use
Their skill to sacrifice for pelf, the Black Hound shall go loose.
“Whoso, parents now grown old, their youth now come to an end,
Would not maintain, although one might, against that person the Hound I’ll send.
“Who to parents now grown old, their youth now come to an end,
Cries, 'Fools are ye!' against such the Black Hound I'll send.
“When men go after others’ wives, of teacher, or of friend,
Sister of father, uncle’s wife, the Black Hound will I send.
“When shield on shoulder, sword in hand, full-armed as highway men
They take the road to kill and rob, I’ll loose the Black Hound then.
“When widows’ sons, with skin groomed white, in skill all useless found,
Strong-armed, shall quarrel and shall fight, then I will loose the Hound.
“When humans with hearts of evil full, false and deceitful men,
Walk in and out the world about, I’ll loose the Black Hound then.”
But as all the multitude was struck with terror, he held the hound by its leash and seemed, as it were, to tie him to that spot. Then taking off the disguise of a hunter, by his psychic power he rose and poised himself midair, all blazing as it appeared, and said:
“O great king, I am Sakka, King of the Devas! Seeing that the world was about to be destroyed, I came here. Now, indeed, humans as they die are filling the states of suffering because their deeds are unwholesome, and the celestial world has grown empty.
From here on in I will know how to deal with those who do harm, but be vigilant.” Then having in four stanzas, which were well worth remembering, declared the Dharma, he established the people in the virtues of generosity, strengthened the waning power of the dispensation so that it lasted for another thousand years, and with Matali returned to his own realm.
When the Teacher had ended this discourse, he added: “Therefore, monastics, in former times as now I have lived for the good of the world.”
Then [the Buddha] identified that rebirth: “At that time Ananda was Matali, and I was Sakka.” Source
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