[144] 4. Naṅguṭṭhajātakavaṇṇanā

Bahumpetaṃ asabbhi jātavedāti idaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto ājīvakānaṃ micchātapaṃ ārabbha kathesi. Tadā kira ājīvakā jetavanapiṭṭhiyaṃ nānappakāraṃ micchātapaṃ caranti. Sambahulā bhikkhū tesaṃ ukkuṭikappadhānavaggulivatakaṇṭakāpassayapañcātapatapanādibhedaṃ micchātapaṃ disvā bhagavantaṃ pucchiṃsu ‘‘atthi nu kho, bhante, imaṃ micchātapaṃ nissāya kusalaṃ vā vuḍḍhi vā’’ti. Satthā ‘‘na, bhikkhave, evarūpaṃ micchātapaṃ nissāya kusalaṃ vā vuḍḍhi vā atthi, pubbe paṇḍitā ‘evarūpaṃ tapaṃ nissāya kusalaṃ vā vuḍḍhi vā bhavissatī’ti saññāya jātaggiṃ gahetvā araññaṃ pavisitvā aggijuhanādivasena kiñci vuḍḍhiṃ apassantā aggiṃ udakena nibbāpetvā kasiṇaparikammaṃ katvā abhiññā ca samāpattiyo ca nibbattetvā brahmalokaparāyaṇā ahesu’’nti vatvā atītaṃ āhari.

Atīte bārāṇasiyaṃ brahmadatte rajjaṃ kārente bodhisatto udiccabrāhmaṇakule nibbatti. Tassa jātadivase mātāpitaro jātaggiṃ gahetvā ṭhapesuṃ. Atha naṃ soḷasavassakāle etadavocuṃ ‘‘mayaṃ te, putta, jātadivase aggiṃ gaṇhimha. Sacesi agāraṃ ajjhāvasitukāmo, tayo vede uggaṇha. Atha brahmalokaṃ gantukāmo, aggiṃ gahetvā araññaṃ pavisitvā aggiṃ paricaranto mahābrahmānaṃ ārādhetvā brahmalokaparāyaṇo hohī’’ti. So ‘‘na mayhaṃ agārena attho’’ti aggiṃ gahetvā araññaṃ pavisitvā assamapadaṃ māpetvā aggiṃ paricaranto araññe vihāsi. So ekadivasaṃ paccantagāmake godakkhiṇaṃ labhitvā taṃ goṇaṃ assamapadaṃ netvā cintesi ‘‘aggibhagavantaṃ gomaṃsaṃ khādāpessāmī’’ti. Athassa etadahosi ‘‘idha loṇaṃ natthi, aggibhagavā aloṇaṃ khādituṃ na sakkhissati, gāmato loṇaṃ āharitvā aggibhagavantaṃ saloṇakaṃ khādāpessāmī’’ti. So taṃ tattheva bandhitvā loṇatthāya gāmakaṃ agamāsi. Tasmiṃ gate sambahulā luddakā taṃ ṭhānaṃ āgatā. Goṇaṃ disvā vadhitvā maṃsaṃ pacitvā khāditvā naṅguṭṭhañca jaṅghañca cammañca tattheva chaḍḍetvā avasesamaṃsaṃ ādāya agamaṃsu.

Brāhmaṇo āgantvā naṅguṭṭhādimattameva disvā cintesi ‘‘ayaṃ aggibhagavā attano santakampi rakkhituṃ na sakkoti, maṃ pana kadā rakkhissati. Iminā aggiparicaraṇena niratthakena bhavitabbaṃ, natthi itonidānaṃ kusalaṃ vā vuḍḍhi vā’’ti. So aggiparicariyāya vigatacchando ‘‘hambho aggibhagavā, tvaṃ attanopi santakaṃ rakkhituṃ asakkonto maṃ kadā rakkhissasi, maṃsaṃ natthi, ettakenapi tussāhī’’ti naṅguṭṭhādīni aggimhi pakkhipanto imaṃ gāthamāha –

144.

‘‘Bahumpetaṃ asabbhi jātaveda, yaṃ taṃ vāladhinābhipūjayāma;

Maṃsārahassa natthajja maṃsaṃ, naṅguṭṭhampi bhavaṃ paṭiggahātū’’ti.

Tattha bahumpetanti ettakampi bahuṃ. Asabbhīti asappurisa asādhujātika. Jātavedāti aggiṃ ālapati. Aggi hi jātamattova vediyati paññāyati pākaṭo hoti, tasmā ‘‘jātavedo’’ti vuccati. Yaṃ taṃ vāladhinābhipūjayāmāti yaṃ ajja mayaṃ attanopi santakaṃ rakkhituṃ asamatthaṃ bhagavantaṃ vāladhinā abhipūjayāma, etampi tava bahumevāti dasseti. Maṃsārahassāti maṃsaṃ arahassa tuyhaṃ natthi ajja maṃsaṃ. Naṅguṭṭhampi bhavaṃ paṭiggahātūti attano santakaṃ rakkhituṃ asakkonto bhavaṃ imaṃ sajaṅghacammaṃ naṅguṭṭhampi paṭiggaṇhātūti.

Evaṃ vatvā mahāsatto aggiṃ udakena nibbāpetvā isipabbajjaṃ pabbajitvā abhiññā ca samāpattiyo ca nibbattetvā brahmalokaparāyaṇo ahosi.

Satthā imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ āharitvā jātakaṃ samodhānesi – ‘‘nibbutaggitāpaso ahameva tena samayenā’’ti.

Naṅguṭṭhajātakavaṇṇanā catutthā.