A Collection of Buddhist Wisdom Verses - Ancient Buddhist Texts

5: Advantages
Jā 218 Kūṭavānijajātakaṁ
A Cheat is Cheated in Return
Someone stole some ploughshares and when
questioned said that mice had taken them away;
in return his accusor carried off the thief's son
and said a hawk had done it. This is the
Bodhisatta's comment and solution to the
problem.
83. Saṭhassa sāṭheyyam-idaṁ sucintitaṁ,
Paccoḍḍitaṁ paṭikūṭassa kūṭaṁ,
Phālaṁ ce adeyyuṁ mūsikā,
Kasmā kumāraṁ kulalā no bhareyyuṁ
This treachery is well devised, is well thought-out,
This fraudulence is but a snare laid in return,
If mice are able to carry off a ploughshare,
Why is it that a hawk can't carry off a boy
84. Kūṭassa hi santi kūṭakūṭā,
Bhavati cāpi nikatino nikatyā,
Dehi puttanaṭṭhaphālanaṭṭhassa phālaṁ,
Mā te puttam-ahāsi phālanaṭṭho.
There will be fraud upon fraud for the fraudulent,
There will be cheating in return for he who cheats,
The one who lost a child should give back the ploughshare,
The one who lost a ploughshare must give back the child.
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