Tibetan tales (derived from Indian sources)
by W. R. S. Ralston | 1906 | 134,175 words
This page related the story of “the flight of the beasts” from those tibetan tales (derived from Indian sources) found in the Kah-gyur (Kangyur or Kanjur). This represents part of the sacred Tibetan canon of Buddhist literature. Many of such stories correspond to similar legends found in the West, or even those found in Polynesia.
Chapter 22 - The flight of the Beasts
[Source: Kah-gyur, vii. 194.]
At a long distant period there stood on the shore of a lake a vilva[1] forest. In this forest dwelt six hares.[2] Now a vilva tree in that forest fell into the lake, thereby producing a great noise. When the six hares heard this noise, they began, as they had but small bodies, to run away full of fear.
The jackals saw them running, and asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The hares replied, “There was a great noise.”
Thereupon the jackals also took to flight. When the monkeys saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The jackals replied, “There was a great noise.”
Thereupon the monkeys also took to flight. When the gazelles saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The monkeys replied, “There was a great noise.”
Thereupon the gazelles also took to flight. When the boars saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The gazelles replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the boars also took to flight. When the buffaloes saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The boars replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the buffaloes also took to flight. When the rhinoceroses saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The buffaloes replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the rhinoceroses also took to flight. When the elephants saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The rhinoceroses replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the elephants also took to flight. When the bears saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The elephants replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the bears also took to flight. When the hyaenas saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The bears replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the hyaenas also took to flight. When the panthers saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The hyaenas replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the panthers also took to flight. When the tigers saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The panthers replied, “There was a noise.”
Thereupon the tigers also took to flight. When the lions saw them running they asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?”
The tigers replied, “There was a loud noise.”
Thereupon the lions also took to flight. At the foot of the mountain there dwelt a maned lion, which likewise seemed to wear a diadem. When it saw the lions running it asked, “O honoured ones, wherefore do ye all run, although each of you is strong in claws and strong in teeth?”
The lions replied, “There was a loud noise.”
“O honoured ones, whence did the noise come?” it asked.
“We do not know,” they replied.
Then said that lion, “O honoured ones, do not run. Inquiry must be made as to where the noise came from.”
It asked the tigers, “Who told you about it?”
The tigers replied, “The panthers.”
It asked the panthers, “Who was it told you?”
The panthers replied, “The hyaenas.”
It asked the hyaenas, “Who was it told you?”
The hyaenas replied, “The bears.”
It asked the bears, “Who was it told you?”
The bears replied, “The elephants.”
It asked the elephants, “Who was it told you?”
The elephants replied, “The rhinoceroses.”
It asked the rhinoceroses, “Who was it told you?”
The rhinoceroses replied, “The buffaloes.”
It asked the buffaloes, “Who was it told you?”
The buffaloes replied, “The boars.”
It asked the boars, “Who was it told you?”
The boars replied, “The gazelles.”
It asked the gazelles, “Who was it told you?”
The gazelles replied, “The monkeys.”
It asked the monkeys, “Who was it told you?”
The monkeys replied, “The jackals.”
It asked the jackals, “Who was it told you?”
The jackals replied, “The hares.”
It asked the hares, “Who was it told you?”
The hares replied, “We saw the terrible thing with our own eyes. Come, we will show you whence the noise came.”
So they guided the lion, and showed it the vilva forest, saying, “That is where the noise came from.”
Inasmuch as the noise was caused by the fall of a vilva tree out of that forest into the lake, the lion said: “O honoured ones, be not afraid, for that was only an empty sound.”
Consequently they were all tranquillised. And a deity uttered this verse: “Let not men believe in words. They ought to see everything for themselves. Observe how, through the fall of a vilva, the forest lost its beasts.”
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Vilva, “the tree Aegle Marmelos (commonly called Bel).”