The Introduction to the Story of the Cuckoo or: The Buddha goes to War
An English translation of this Jātaka story which describes the Buddha’s teachings about resource shortage and war (from Kuṇālajātakavaṇṇanā, Jā 536).
An English translation of this Jātaka story which describes the Buddha’s teachings about resource shortage and war (from Kuṇālajātakavaṇṇanā, Jā 536).
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Introduction</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> S<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cuckoo</strong> - 3<br />
<strong>the</strong>y see <strong>the</strong> <strong>Buddha</strong> <strong>the</strong>y give up <strong>the</strong> fight; and after he has instructed<br />
<strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>y are even m<strong>or</strong>e convinced and <strong>of</strong>fer <strong>the</strong>ir sons up <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Sangha.<br />
It wouldn’t be hard <strong>to</strong> substitute ‘oil’ f<strong>or</strong> ‘water’, and ‘nations’ f<strong>or</strong><br />
‘clans’ and we would have a turned an old tale in<strong>to</strong> a modern drama.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main m<strong>or</strong>als <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>ry, and one that cuts deep, is that<br />
water is never w<strong>or</strong>th m<strong>or</strong>e than blood; and n<strong>or</strong> is oil, <strong>of</strong> course, a<br />
lesson that would be well-learned if it were applied <strong>to</strong>day.<br />
Ānandajoti Bhikkhu<br />
August 2010
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