496 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY. 



with the proceeds ; otherwise he might give it to whomsoever he 

 wished. It turned out that there was an ample supply of food, and 

 the question arose what to do with the robe. The lay brother sub- 

 mitted the question to popular vote, with the result that as between 

 Sariputta and Devadatta there was a majority of four in favor of the 

 latter. But as soon as Devadatta put on the robe everybody remarked 

 that it was not at all becoming to him, and would have suited Sari- 

 putta much better. This incident was reported to the Teacher, who 

 replied that it was not the first time Devadatta had worn unbecoming 

 robes, and then told the following story of the past : (77-80) 



The Elephant Hunter and the Noble Elephant. Once upon a time, 

 when Brahmadatta reigned at Benares, there lived an elephant hunter 

 who made his living by killing elephants and selling their tusks. One 

 day he saw thousands of elephants go into a forest and fall on their 

 knees before some Private Buddhas. Concluding that it was the 

 yellow robe that inspired their reverence, he went to a pond where a 

 Private Buddha was bathing, stole his robes, and went and sat down 

 on the elephant path with spear in hand and upper robe drawn over 

 the head. The elephants, supposing that he was a Private Buddha, 

 made obeisance to him and went on their way. The last elephant to 

 come he killed with a thrust of his spear ; then, removing the tusks, 

 he buried the rest of the carcass, and departed. (80-81) 



A little while later, the Future Buddha was born as a young ele- 

 phant, and in the course of time he became the leader of the herd. 

 The hunter was still engaged in his nefarious business. The noble 

 creature, observing the diminution of his herd, and suspecting who 

 was at the bottom of it, sent the other elephants on ahead and brought 

 up the rear himself, walking with a long, slow stride. The hunter 

 threw his spear at him and darted behind a tree. The elephant re- 

 sisted the temptation to encircle man and tree with his trunk and 

 crush the offender, and contented himself with saying, " "Why did you 

 commit so grievous a sin ? You have put on robes suited to those 

 that are free from the Depravities, but unbecoming to you." (81-2) 



"At that time," said the Teacher, "Devadatta was the elephant 

 hunter, and I was the noble elephant. This is not the first time he 

 has worn unbecoming robes." Then he pronounced Stanzas 9-10, at 

 the conclusion of which many of his hearers were established in the 

 Fruits. (82-3) 



