A Collection of Buddhist Wisdom Verses - Ancient Buddhist Texts

9: Gratefulness
Jā 429 Mahāsukajātakaṁ
Faithfulness in Friendship
Sakka, to try the contentment of a parrot, dries up
the tree he lives on, all the other birds desert it
but the parrot stays on. Sakka, taking the form of
a goose, engaged in this dialogue.
160. “Dumo yadā hoti phalūpapanno
Bhuñjanti naṁ vihagā sampatantā.
Khīṇan-ti ñatvāna dumaṁ phalaccaye,
Disodisaṁ yanti tato vihaṅgamā.
“When a tree is possessed of fruit
Birds of the air will eat from it.
But when they know: It has perished,
That flock of birds will flee from there.
161. Cara cārikaṁ Lohitatuṇḍa mā mari,
Kiṁ tvaṁ suva sukkhadumamhi jhāyasi
Tad-iṅgha maṁ brūhi, Vasantasannibha,
Kasmā suva sukkhadumaṁ na riñcasi”
Depart from here, but do not die,
Why waste away in this old tree
Please tell this to me, O parrot,
Why not abandon this old tree”
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