503

ART. XIV.—A Jataka-Tale from the Tibetan. By H.

WENZEL, P H . D .

IN the History of Tibet called Rgyal-rabs-gsal-vai-me-hh

(' The mirror illustrating the lineage of the kings') we
find, as sixth chapter, the tale translated here, which
corresponds to the Valahassa Jataka (Fausboll, ii. 127 ff.,
also in E. Miiller's Pali Grammar, p. 128 ff.). As will be
seen, the tale appears here in a richer, and quasi-dra-
matic, garb, with the addition of some characteristic traits,
as e.g. the marvellous food that makes men forget their
bygone troubles (cp. Odyssey, ix. 94 f.), etc., etc.
The Rgyal-rabs itself is a work of the 17th century A.D.
It begins with the evolution of the universe (in chapter 1,
cp. Rockhill, Life of the Buddha, p. 1 ff), gives, in ch. 2,
a short survey of the Lord's life, and, in ch. 3 and 4, of the
beginnings of Buddhism, relates, in ch. 5, the merits of
Avalokitecvara in spreading the Law in Tibet, and goes
then, ch. 6, on to our tale. Follows the origin of the
Tibetan race from an ape and a rakshasi (ch. 7), the begin-
ning of the royal line (ch. 8), finally, the chief contents
and purpose of the book, life and doings of King Sroh-
btsan sgam-po (ch. 9-17), whereon the book closes with a
sort of appendix containing the further history of the
country to the time of the writer.
The work has been partially known for a long time by
the extracts from the Mongolian translation thereof, called
Bodhimor, given in the notes to I. J. Schmidt's edition of
the Mongolian historian Ssanang Ssetzen. For my copy
of the work I had the use of two blockprints, one belong-
ing formerly to Mr. Jaschke, now in the British Museum;
the other of the University Library of St. Petersburg,

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 504 A JATAKA-TALE FROM THE TIBETAN.

25181 (569), for which latter I am indebted to the kindness

of Mr. Saleman. The first is pretty correct, the other gives
a few different readings, and has a peculiar, not to say
faulty, spelling.

Sixth chapter, (relating) how (Avalokitegvara), by transforming

himself into the horse king, worked the good of living beings.
When the noble Avalokitecvara had (thus) in many ways
profited living beings, he assumed, in order to give an
example of how to choose virtue and to reject sin (according
to the Sutra Za-ma-tog), the form of the horse king Bhalahay
to work (further) for the good of the living beings. At
this time many merchants from the South of India, whose
merits were but small, had departed to the outer ocean to
search for jewels. With the many implements each one
wanted they had gone on board a large vessel, (but) after
the expiration of seven days they were brought into danger
by an unwelcome wind, thus: 2 "At midday a dark cloud
like a dense fog obscures the light of the sun and spreads
darkness (everywhere); a fearful red wind seems to shake
the foundations of the earth, (so that) the mighty trees of
the forest fall. The waves of the sea spring like lions, and
the breakers lash sky and earth. The merchants take hold
of each other, and calling (loud) on the names of their
relatives, they cry; howling in terrified lamentation, they
weep, helpless and exhausted, bloody tears, nevertheless
the vessel goes to wreck." Then the merchants take firm
hold of some beam3 of the wrecked ship, and, driven in one
direction by an unwelcome wind, they were carried to the
island of Singhala (sic!), which was (a dwelling-place) of
Bakshasis. There the merchants, calling each other by
name, came on shore (lit. the dry, viz. land). When the
Bakshasis became aware of this, they changed them-
selves into young and exceedingly pretty women, and,
I
1
sic! in Divyavadana his name is spelt BaBha, p. 120, 4 ff.; there it is a |
metamorphosis of Maitreya (122, 29). j
2
Verses; cp. Rom. Leg:, p. 333 (see appendix). I
3
Perhaps ' of the hull.'

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 A JATAKA-TALE FBOM THE TIBETAN. 505

laden with much food and drink, they came before the
merchants and greeted them, ' Are you tired ? Have
you suffered pain ? ' Having beguiled them by these
greetings, they filled them with food and drink. The
merchants, not knowing that they were Rakshasls, but
only seeing in them exceedingly pretty women, were
very glad, and conversed with them. Then the Rakshasls
said with one voice: " You merchants must not go into the
upper part of the valley."1 Each of the women led a
merchant away into her house, where they became man
and wife, and sported together.
Then a voice was heard (from the sky): " The merchants
suffering from (the consequences of) evil deeds of (former)
kalpas, have, carried by a contrary wind, run into the hand
of those who have power to kill them, like a snared animal
into a game-net, and have no means of salvation. In-
fatuated by the thought of marrying them they mistake
the Rakshasls for goddesses, and, filled with the delusive
food, they forget former pains like a dream, and their soul
is contented." From this the great captain understood that
this was the island of the Rakshasls, and, lamenting
despondingly, he thought: " Now they are happy, but what
will the end be like?" and was very unhappy. Then re-
flecting: "What may signify their prohibition to go into
the upper valley P" the captain started in the night when
his own wife had fallen asleep, and reaching the upper end
of the valley he heard, within an iron house2 without doors,
laments and complaining. Reflecting what it might be, he
listened and knew by the language that they were merchants
from India. So he climbed up the trunk of a tree 3 stand-
ing near and asked, " "Who is in there ? " The men within
answered: " Within here are we merchants who have lost
our way." On the question: "How long have you been
shut up here?" they answered: "Like you, our ship being
driven by a contrary wind, we arrived here, and led on
1
Rom. Leg. 334, " south of the city."
2
Bom. Leg. p. 335 has ' an iron city.'
3
Bom. Leg. the tree hoh-hwen (united joy).

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 506 A JATAKA-TALE FROM THE TIBETAN*

by these women, not recognizing that they were Rakshasls,

we became man and wife. While we thus played together,
you came to this island and we were put into this iron
house without doors; now we are to be eaten up one by
one. You, taking to heart our misery and the fear of
death, fly now at once, for now there is a possibility of
flying; when (once) you are confined in this iron house,
there is neither flight nor means of salvation." The captain
saying again: " In truth there is no means of escape," they
said, "There is a means of escape. We also thought we
must fly, but, clinging to lust, we were taken (again); you
(now) cling to nothing and nobody and fly. And the means
to fly is this: if you cross from here a small pass there is
on the north side in an expanse of golden sand a turkois
(gyu) well, whose rim is surrounded by a vaidurya1
meadow. On the evening of the fifteenth2 (day of the
month) the horse-king Bha-la-ha, on whose croup a hundred
men have room, very beautiful, accompanying (or perhaps
merely: like) a moon-beam, will come there. After having
drunk from the turkois well, having eaten from the vaidurya
meadow,3 having rolled three times in the golden sand, and
having shaken himself once, he says, sending forth his
horse-voice like a human voice: ' 0 Indian merchants,
whoever has come to (this) rakshasi-island, all get on my
back, I will bring you to your country.'4 When this
marvellous horse speaks thus, mount him, and, not clinging
to whatever enjoyments or sons (you have here), but close your
eyes, and flee." The captain thought, ' Thus (we) must act,'
and went back. When he came to the bed of his wife, the
rakshasl, she knew it, and spoke these words:5 "Perverted
merchant, you will destroy your own life; if you direct
your thoughts to aught else (than me), you will perish;
where have you been to, lord of merchants ?" The merchant
lied, " I went mutram utsrashtum." Thereon the captain
1
In Tibetan transliteration mostly spelt negligently vai-du-rya.
1
Rom. Leg. p. 336; Divyav. 120, 3.
3
Rom. Leg.: having partaken of the pure food.
1
Cp. Divyav. 120, 5. Rom. Leg. p. 387.
6
In Rom. Leg. 338 he finds all the Rakshasls asleep.

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 A JATAKA-TALE FEOM THE TIBETAN. 507

assembled the young merchants, told them exactly what had

happened, and all unanimously agreed to fly. Then, on the
evening of the fifteenth day, they gave a narcotic to the
rakshasis, and when they had fallen asleep, the captain
led forth the young merchants, and, having crossed the
small pass, they reached on (its) north side, the golden sand,
before the turkois well, near the vaidurya meadow (the place
where) the horse-king Ba-la-ha would appear. And after
a short while came the horse-king from the sky on a moon-
beam, with the light of the rainbow. When now this
excellent horse had drunk from the turkois well, had eaten
from the vaidurya meadow, had rolled three times on the
golden sand, and had given himself a shake, he said in a
human voice: " Merchants! let all whosoever is shut up
in the rakshasl-island, mount on my back; not clinging to
the love of the rakshasis, of (your) little children, or of
any enjoyment whatever. Close (your) eyes,1 I will bring
you to your own country." Thereon the captain said:
" Thou leader, excellent magic horse, we merchants had
started together to the islands of the ocean to fetch jewels,
but, because our merits failed, our great ship was wrecked
on the ocean, by a contrary wind we were driven to the
rakshasl-island. There we entered the houses of the evil-
doing rakshasis, who wanted to kill us. Now there is for
us no other means of escape, we implore the help of the
merciful horse-lord." Having spoken thus, the captain
mounted on the horse's neck and took hold of his ear,2 the
young merchants mounted on his back. Saying: " (Now)
do not desire the rakshasl houses, their sons, and whatever
enjoyment (you have had there), do not even think of it,
but, till we have reached the end of the sea, close your eyes,"
the horse-lord carried (them) along the sky. When the
rakshasis perceived this, they came forth (from their houses)
leading their children, and spoke thus: " Can you (indeed)
1
See Divyav. 120, 2 1 ; also Don Quixote, Part I I . ch. 41.
2
Jaschke would translate, 'leapt into the ear,' but I do not know how to
justify this. Is it meant as a precaution against hearing the rakshasis' allure-
ments ? Compare Odyssey, xii. 178 f.

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 508 A JATAKA-TALE FBOM THE TIBETAN.

forsake the high castles, forsake the harmonious community

of husband and wife, forsake the sons begotten from your
body, forsake (our) savoury food and drink, 0 ye bad,
shameless men! " Speaking thus, some (of them) lifted up
their children to the sky, some waved their garments.
When the young merchants heard this, they were as if hit
in their inmost hearts by an arrow, and thinking, ' (This) is
indeed very true/ they turned their eyes back, and, except
the captain, all, seized by desire, looked and fell. The
fallen (men) were seized by the rakshasis, who, throwing
off their former beautiful body, appeared in (true) rakshasi-
shape, with shaggy heads, carrying their breasts on the
shoulders, and showing their teeth (fangs); and began to
eat them up, without waiting a moment. When now the horse-
lord had come to the end of the sea, he said to the merchant,
" Look with your eyes and alight." When he now opened
his eyes and saw that none of the young merchants was on
the horse's back, he was deeply grieved, and saying: " 0
noble horse-king, where are my young merchants ?" he wept.
The noble horse, beating the earth with, his fore-foot and
shedding tears, said: " (Those) young merchants, being void
of your (high) merits, not remembering their own country
Jambudvlpa, but clinging to the island of the evil rakshasis,
perished; not remembering their parents and dear friends,
but clinging to the faces of the young rakshasis, they
perished ; not remembering their legitimate (lit. usefulx)
children, but clinging to the deceitful rakshasi-children,
they perished. Alas, you miserable beings! when these
slain pupils of the diamond-teacher have entered the abode
of the hell Avici, what could even a highly merciful priest
(blama) do (for them) ? If they, looking after their
children, are perverted (in mind) and carried away by a
contrary wind, what can their parents do, even with, great
affection ? 2 If, not listening to the word of useful doctrine,
the young merchants cast their eyes back and fall, what
can even the flying horse-king do ? 0 merchant, do not
1
This may possibly mean ' natural' as opposed to ' magical,'
2
This sentence seems confused.

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 A JATAKA-TALE FEOM THE TIBETAN. 509

weep, but hear me: ' The joy and sorrow of this life is
like the illusion of a dream, like a cataract, like a lightning-
cloud in the sky, therefore do not desire the joy of the orb
(samsara).'" Thus the horse-lord explained the doctrine
of the four truths, and carried the chief merchant, when
he had dried his tears, to a place whence he (could) see his
own house. There this horse-lord went off in the sky like
a dissolving rainbow. When now the chief merchant came
to his house, his parents and relatives all assembled, and
embracing him they wept; then they saluted him. After-
wards the parents and relatives of the young merchants
came forth, and shouting, " Where is my father ? Where
is my elder brother ? Where is my uncle P Where is my
grandson?" they wept. Then the chief merchant assembled
the parents and relatives of the young merchants, and told
them explicitly how they first had entered the sea, how
the pernicious red wind had wrecked their ship; how they
had been carried by a contrary wind to the rakshasi island,
had married them, and begotten children; how they had
then found out that they were rakshasis, and had sought
means of escape; how the men of the iron house had taught
them this means; how the young merchants had not listened
to the admonitions of the horse-king and fell and so forth.
Then he instructed them in the true faith, that, as (all)
things within the orb were changeable, they must believe
in the fruits born from deeds (karman). Whosoever, clinging
to this life, commits sin, will, like the young merchants, who,
looking back, fell, err about within the orb, without finding
an opportunity of saving himself from the rebirth into evil
states (durgati). But those who, not clinging to this life,
have received the true law in their minds, will, like the
chief merchant, after having obtained the happiness of
heaven and salvation, become a buddha.

Our version of the story is nearly identical with that

forming ch. 49 of the " Romantic Legend of the Life of
Buddha," translated by Beal, p. 332 ff., and some significant
points have been noted above. It is also mentioned by
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 510 A JATAKA-TALE FROM THE TIBETAN.

Hiuen Thsang in the Si-yu-ki, transl. Beal, ii. 240 ff. That
the Rakshasis (the Yakkhinls of the Pali) are the same as
the Sirens of Homer, has been pointed out by Mr. Axon and
Mr. Morris (Ind. Ant. x. 291), the first giving also a parallel
from Malay mythology.
It is quite clear, I think, from our version, that by the
airy horse the moon is understood (candupama kira buddha,
Dh. 244). He comes on, or with, a moonbeam on the 15th
day of the month. It becomes more evident still by the
version in the Rom. Leg., where, besides, he bears the signifi-
cant name of Kecin 'hairy,' which as early as in the Rig
Veda is an epithet of flames and heavenly bodies (S. Pet.
Diet.). But, again, it is an epithet of Vishnu, who rides on
the Garuda, as is known from the Pancatantra, Book I. tale
5. For all these divine magic animals are of the same race.
Besides those noticed in Benfey's remarks on the tale, Pane.
vol. i. 159 ff., the wooden bird is found in a tale of the
Transilvanian Gipsies, see ZDMG. xlii. 117 ff., and again in
the second tale of the Siddhi Kiir (ed. Jiilg), p. 63 of the
translation, where the son of gods Quklaketu descends on it
to the princess; qukla ' bright,' is, with or without pak&ha,
the light half of the month, and also an epithet of Yishnu.
He afterwards appears himself in the shape of a bird, a lark
(ibid. p. 64), and, having been hurt maliciously, agrees with
the princess to visit her on the 15th of every month (p. 65).
Yishnu, of course, is the sun, but the difference of origin
of those magic animals, from sun and moon respectively, is
obliterated in these later tales.
In the Buddhist tale, naturally, the divine horse is a birth
of the Lord (as in the Jataka and in the Rom. Leg.), or of
Maitreya (as in the Divyavadana); while to the Tibetan
he is an incarnation of the country's patron saint, Ava-
lokitecvara.
But I cannot go farther here into this absorbing question
of the divine bird or horse, which lies at the very root of
comparative mythology, as already shadowed forth in A.
Kuhn's "Herabkunft des Feuers." I would only call atten-
tion, in conclusion, to the latest shape the divine horse has
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 A JATAKA-TALE FEOM THE TIBETAN. 511

taken in the West, in Andersen's "Flying Trunk"; for I

think we can discern something of the same moral tendency
in both this and the Tibetan tale—the flight from Samsara!

NOTE.—To valdha, of which Balaha is only a wrong Sans-

kritisation, cp. Divyav. 127, 17. 19, vatavalahaka devaputrdh
and varshaval. dev. ' the angels of the wind-clouds and of
the rain-clouds,' and Jat. I. 330, vassavalahakadevaraja.
Muhja-kega (Jat. II. 129, 9, cf. also the wonderful horse
Munjakesi of king Udena, Dh. 160) 'having hair like reed,'
i.e.' having beams,' is also an epithet of Vishnu. The ' black-
headed ' of the Jataka points most likely to a cloud—so we
would have the moon emerging from the black clouds.

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