Alīnasattucariya

“Pañcālaraṭṭhe nagaravare, Kapilāyaṁ puruttame; Rājā jayaddiso nāma, Sīlaguṇamupāgato.

“In the kingdom of Pañcāla, in the eminent city, the capital named Kapilā, the king named Jayaddisa was furnished with virtuous qualities.

Tassa rañño ahaṁ putto, Sutadhammo susīlavā; Alīnasatto guṇavā, Anurakkhaparijano sadā.

I was that king’s son, well educated and virtuous; Alīnasattu of fine qualities, I always cared for the attendants.

Pitā me migavaṁ gantvā, porisādaṁ upāgami; So me pitumaggahesi, ‘bhakkhosi mama mā cali’.

My father had gone deer hunting when he came across a cannibal, who seized my father, saying, ‘You are my prey, don’t move!’

Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, bhīto tasitavedhito; Ūrukkhambho ahu tassa, disvāna porisādakaṁ.

When he heard these words, he was scared and trembled with fear, his thighs became stiff when he saw the cannibal.

Migavaṁ gahetvā muñcassu, katvā āgamanaṁ puna; Brāhmaṇassa dhanaṁ datvā, pitā āmantayī mamaṁ.

‘Let me go, take the deer meat!’ he said, ‘I promise to return.’ Having paid the brahmin, my father said to me:

‘Rajjaṁ putta paṭipajja, mā pamajji puraṁ idaṁ; Kataṁ me porisādena, mama āgamanaṁ puna’.

‘Son, rule the realm. Do not neglect this city. I promised the cannibal that I will return.’

Mātāpitū ca vanditvā, nimminitvāna attanā; Nikkhipitvā dhanuṁ khaggaṁ, porisādaṁ upāgamiṁ.

I bowed to my mother and father, and substituted myself. Tossing my bow and sword, I approached the cannibal.

Sasatthahatthūpagataṁ, kadāci so tasissati; Tena bhijjissati sīlaṁ, parittāsaṁ kate mayi.

Perhaps if I have weapons in hand that might make him afraid. And that would violate my ethics, were I to frighten him.

Sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mayhaṁ, tassa dessaṁ na byāhariṁ; Mettacitto hitavādī, idaṁ vacanamabraviṁ.

For fear of violating my ethics, I said nothing hateful to him. Lovingly and beneficially, I said the following.

‘Ujjālehi mahāaggiṁ, papatissāmi rukkhato; Tvaṁ pakkakālamaññāya, bhakkhaya maṁ pitāmaha’.

‘Kindle a great fire. I will drop into it from a tree. When you know I am cooked, eat me, Grandfather.’

Iti sīlavataṁ hetu, nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ; Pabbājesiṁ cahaṁ tassa, sadā pāṇātipātikan”ti.

And so for the sake of my ethical vows I did not protect my life. And I drove out forever his attacks on living creatures.”

Alīnasattucariyaṁ navamaṁ.