44. 'Why use many words? For this reason the wise firmly believe that in Mercy the whole of Righteousness is contained. What virtue, indeed, cherished by the pious does there exist which is not the consequence of Mercy? Having this in mind, be intent on ever fortifying thy mercy to all people, holding them like thy son, like thyself; and winning by thy pious conduct the hearts of thy people, mayst thou glorify thy royalty!'
Then the king praised these words of the ruru-deer, and with his townsmen and landsmen became intent on acting up to the Law of Righteousness. And he granted security to all quadrupeds and birds.
In this manner, then, for the virtuous no suffering exists but that of others. It is this they cannot bear, not their own suffering. [This story is also to be told when discoursing on compassion, and may be adduced when treating of the high-mindedness of the virtuous, also when censuring the mischievous.]
XXVII. The Story of the Great Monkey.
(Cp. the Pâli Gâtaka, No. 407, Fausb. III, 370-375.)
Those who follow the behaviour of the virtuous win over even the hearts of their enemies. This will be taught as follows.
In the heart of the Himavat there is a blessed region, whose soil is covered with many kinds of herbs of different efficacious properties, and abounds in hundreds of forest-trees with their great variety and manifold arrangement of boughs, twigs, flowers, and fruits. It is irrigated by mountain-currents whose water possesses the limpidity of crystals, and resounds with the music of manifold crowds of birds. In that forest the Bodhisattva lived, it is said, a chief of a troop of monkeys. But even in that state—in consequence of his constant practice of charity and compassion—jealousy, selfishness, and cruelty, as if they were at war with him because he attended on their enemies (the virtues), would not enter his mind. There he had his residence on a large banian tree, which by its height, standing out superior against the sky like the top of a mountain, might pass for the lord of that forest, and by the thickness of its branches beset with dark foliage, resembled a mass of clouds. Those branches were somewhat curved, being loaded with excellent fruits of a size surpassing that of palmyra-nuts, and distinguished by an exceedingly sweet flavour and a lovely colour and smell.
1. The virtuous, even when they are in the state of animals, have still some remainder of good fortune[188] which tends to the happiness of their friends, for whose sake they employ it, in the same manner as the remainder of the wealth of people abroad may serve the wants of their friends.
Now one branch of that tree hung over a river which passed by that place[189]. Now the Bodhisattva, far-sighted as he was, had instructed his flock of monkeys in this manner: 'Unless ye prevent this banian-branch from having fruit, none of you will ever be able to eat any fruit from the other branches[190].' Now it once happened that the monkeys overlooked one young and for this reason not very big fruit, hidden as it was in the cavity of some leaf crooked by ants. So that fruit grew on, and in time developed its fine colour, smell, flavour, and softness; when it had ripened and its stalk became loose, it dropped into the river. Being carried down the stream, it stuck at last in the net-work of a fence (let down in the river by the orders) of a certain king, who, with his harem, was sporting at that time in the water of that river.