The Fish King’s ConductMaccharājacariya

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, a fish king in a great lake,maccharājā mahāsare; in the heat of the sunUṇhe sūriyasantāpe, the water in the lake evaporated.sare udaka khīyatha.

Then crows and vultures,Tato kākā ca gijjhā ca, herons, hawks, and falcons,kaṅkā kulalasenakā; perched near the fishBhakkhayanti divārattiṁ, and devoured them day and night.macche upanisīdiya.

There I had the following thought,Evaṁ cintesahaṁ tattha, being harassed with my relatives:saha ñātīhi pīḷito; ‘By what means‘Kena nu kho upāyena, can I free my relatives from this suffering?’ñātī dukkhā pamocaye’.

Considering the value of the Dhamma,Vicintayitvā dhammatthaṁ, I saw the truth as a support.saccaṁ addasa passayaṁ; Standing in the truth,Sacce ṭhatvā pamocesiṁ, I freed my relatives from that holocaust.ñātīnaṁ taṁ atikkhayaṁ.

Recollecting the true Dhamma,Anussaritvā sataṁ dhammaṁ, considered the ultimate goal,paramatthaṁ vicintayaṁ; I made a declaration of truthAkāsiṁ saccakiriyaṁ, that would last eternally in the world.yaṁ loke dhuvasassataṁ.

‘So long as I can recall myself,‘Yato sarāmi attānaṁ, since I became aware,yato pattosmi viññutaṁ; I do not recall deliberatelyNābhijānāmi sañcicca, harming even a single living creature.ekapāṇampi hiṁsitaṁ.

By this declaration of truth,Etena saccavajjena, may Pajjuna rain down!pajjunno abhivassatu; Thunder forth, Pajjuna!Abhitthanaya pajjunna, Disperse the trove of the crow!nidhiṁ kākassa nāsaya; Subject the crow to sorrow,Kākaṁ sokāya randhehi, and free the fish from sorrow!’macche sokā pamocaya’.

As this excellent truth was declared,Saha kate saccavare, Pajjuna thundered forth.pajjunno abhigajjiya; In an instant the rain poured down,Thalaṁ ninnañca pūrento, soaking the uplands and valleys.khaṇena abhivassatha.

Having made such supreme effortEvarūpaṁ saccavaraṁ, for this excellent truth,katvā vīriyamuttamaṁ; I made the great cloud pour down,Vassāpesiṁ mahāmeghaṁ, relying on the force of the power of truth.saccatejabalassito; There is no one to equal my truthfulness:Saccena me samo natthi, this is my perfection of truth.”esā me saccapāramī”ti.