Sutasomacariya

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, sutasomo mahīpati; Gahito porisādena, brāhmaṇe saṅgaraṁ sariṁ.

“Then again when I was Sutasoma, Lord of the Earth, captured by a cannibal I remembered my promise to a brahmin.

Khattiyānaṁ ekasataṁ, āvuṇitvā karattale; Etesaṁ pamilāpetvā, yaññatthe upanayī mamaṁ.

A hundred aristocrat warriors he strung up by their hands. Having drained their blood, he brought me for sacrifice.

Apucchi maṁ porisādo, ‘kiṁ tvaṁ icchasi nissajaṁ; Yathāmati te kāhāmi, yadi me tvaṁ punehisi’.

The cannibal asked me, ‘What do you wish for—release? I shall act as you think, so long as you will return.’

Tassa paṭissuṇitvāna, paṇhe āgamanaṁ mama; Upagantvā puraṁ rammaṁ, rajjaṁ niyyādayiṁ tadā.

I promised him that I would return at dawn. I went to the delightful city and then renounced kingship.

Anussaritvā sataṁ dhammaṁ, pubbakaṁ jinasevitaṁ; Brāhmaṇassa dhanaṁ datvā, porisādaṁ upāgamiṁ.

Recollecting the true Dhamma, fostered by former Victors, I gave money to the brahmin, and returned to the cannibal.

Natthi me saṁsayo tattha, Ghātayissati vā na vā; Saccavācānurakkhanto, Jīvitaṁ cajitumupāgamiṁ; Saccena me samo natthi, Esā me saccapāramī”ti.

I had no doubt that he was going to kill me. Protecting my truthful speech, I went to give up my life. There is no one to equal my truthfulness: this is my perfection of truth.”

Sutasomacariyaṁ dvādasamaṁ.