C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
How Plausible
By Vishnu Sharma (Pilpay) (c. 1000 B.C.?)
T
“Well then, if it must be so, go your way, sir,” said the squire; and he escorted the ascetic to the outskirts before he left him. After going a little way, the ascetic thought that it would be a good thing to cajole the squire; so putting a straw in his matted hair, back he turned again. “What brings you back?” asked the squire. “A straw from your roof, sir, had stuck in my hair; and as we hermits may not take anything which is not bestowed upon us, I have brought it back to you.” “Throw it down, sir, and go your way,” said the squire, who thought to himself, “Why, he won’t take so much as a straw which does not belong to him! What a sensitive nature!” Highly delighted with the ascetic, the squire bade him farewell.
Now at that time it chanced that the Future Buddha, who was on his way to the border district for trading purposes, had halted for the night at that village. Hearing what the ascetic said, the suspicion was aroused in his mind that the rascally ascetic must have robbed the squire of something; and he asked the latter whether he had deposited anything in the ascetic’s care.
“Yes: a hundred pieces of gold.”
“Well, just go and see if it’s all safe.”
Away went the squire to the hermitage, and looked, and found his money gone. Running back to the Future Buddha, he cried, “It’s not there.” “The thief is none other than that long-haired rascal of an ascetic,” said the Future Buddha: “let us pursue and catch him.” So away they hastened in hot pursuit. When they caught the rascal, they kicked and cuffed him till he discovered to them where he had hidden the money. When he procured the gold, the Future Buddha, looking at it, scornfully remarked to the ascetic, “So a hundred pieces of gold didn’t trouble your conscience so much as that straw!” And he rebuked him in this stanza:—
When the Future Buddha had rebuked the fellow in this wise, he added: “And now take care, you hypocrite, that you don’t play such a trick again.”
When his life ended, the Future Buddha passed away, to fare thereafter according to his deserts.