Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

•( 6o )
SECTION VIII.
ON WORDS (CONYEESATION).
I. In former days, when To-kia-sha^ (Vaksha?) rSja was
entering the city of ESjagriha to beg his food from door to
door, in the city gate there was a cow, just delivered of its
calf, which had turned round and gored its master to death.
The cow having been sold to a passer-by, he put a rope
round its horns, and desired, to lead it onwards ; but the
cow, making an attack in the rear, killed this man also
then the son, in a rage, killed the animal, and cutting it
up, exposed it for sale in the market-place. Now a certain
person passing by, bought the head of the creature, and
carrying it away ^th him, as he sat down to rest, fastened
it on the bough of the tree 'neath which he reposed ; all
at once, the rope giving way, the head fell down, and the
horn, piercing the skull of the man underneath, killed him
also. Bimbis§,ra E§,ja, hearing of this stremge occurrence,
how that a cow killed three men in one day, came to
Buddha to inquire of him the antecedent causes of this
event, on which Buddha related the following history :-—
" In former days there were three merchants who, com-
ing to a certain city to transact business, took up their
abode in the house of a friendless old woman, and there
lodged. Being dissatisfied with their quarters, the three
men left the house without payment, and on the old woman
searching for them and finding them, they abused her
roundly, on which she uttered this vow :
' May I be born
in after years in such a condition as to kiU you. all three.'
* This may possibly refer to a "low-bom king " (PukkaSa) vide tupra, p. 49.
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