Ruru the Deer King’s ConductRurumigarājacariya

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, the king of deer named Ruru,sutattakanakasannibho; in appearance I was like burnished gold,Migarājā ruru nāma, focused on the highest ethics.paramasīlasamāhito.

There was a pleasant, delightful region,Ramme padese ramaṇīye, free of humans,vivitte amanussake; so I went there and stayedTattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ, on a lovely bank of the Ganges.gaṅgākūle manorame.

Then a man upstream,Atha upari gaṅgāya, harassed by creditors,dhanikehi paripīḷito; fell into the Ganges, thinking,Puriso gaṅgāya papati, ‘I live or I die!’‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.

Day and night in the GangesRattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya, he was swept along the stream,vuyhamāno mahodake; crying out pitifully,Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ, along the middle of the Ganges.majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.

When I heard the soundTassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna, of his pitiful crying,karuṇaṁ paridevato; I stood on the Ganges bankGaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna, and asked, ‘What man are you?’apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.

When asked he explainedSo me puṭṭho ca byākāsi, to me his own deed:attano karaṇaṁ tadā; ‘I was so scared of my creditors,‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito, I jumped in the great river!’pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.

Taking pity on him,Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ, surrendering my own life,cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ; I entered and dragged him outPavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa, in the darkness of the night.andhakāramhi rattiyā.

When I knew he had recovered,Assatthakālamaññāya, I said to him,tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ; ‘I ask of you one favor:‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi, tell no one about me.’mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.

But once he had returned to the city,Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi, for the sake of money he told when asked.pucchito dhanahetuko; Taking the king,Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna, he drew close to me.upagañchi mamantikaṁ.

All that I had doneYāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ, was related to the king.rañño ārocitaṁ mayā; When the king heard this,Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ, he fitted his arrow, thinking,usuṁ tassa pakappayi; ‘Right here I shall kill‘Idheva ghātayissāmi, this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’.

I protected him,Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto, substituting myself:nimminiṁ mama attanā; ‘Let him be, Great King.‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja, I shall carry out your pleasure.’kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.

I guarded my ethics,Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ, not my life.nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ; For then I was ethical,Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ, because it was solely for awakening.”bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.