The Lion that Sprang to Life

Panchtantra Stories

There were four friends in a city, three of whom were learned in all departments of sciences but lacked common sense. The fourth of the friends names Subuddhi however had ample of common sense but lacked knowledge in scriptures. One day, they decided that all their learnings were of no use, if it is not used to earn money. They then decided to seek the patronage of kings with the display of their knowledge. On the way, the eldest of them pointing out to the fourth man told the others, "Friends, this fellow is an unlettered fool. He has common sense and nothing else. I am not going to share my earnings with this fellow. Let him go home."  The second man also supported the eldest boy’s suggestion.  But the third boy said, "Friends, it is not proper to send him back. We played together and he is one of us. Let us share our gains with him because elders have said:  "He who has a narrow mind Thinks this is mine, this is his.To a large-hearted person The whole world is his family." In the end, the other two agreed with the third boy’s suggestion and let the common sense man accompany them. As they continued to travel they reached a forest where they saw a heap of bones. One of them told the rest, "Look, here is an opportunity to test our learning. Some animal is dead. Let us bring it to life using the knowledge we have acquired."  The first man said, "Okay, I will use my learning to assemble the bones into a skeleton." With the power of learning he ordered all the bones to come together and become a skeleton.  When the skeleton was ready, the second man commanded flesh and blood to fill the skeleton and skin to cover it.  When the third man was about to bring life to the body, Subuddhi, who had only common sense, warned him, "Look, this looks like the body of a lion. If it comes to life, he will kill all of us."  The man who was to put life into the body of the animal told Subuddhi, "You are a fool. Do you think I will lose this opportunity to test my learning."  Subuddhi then told him to wait so that he could climb up a tree for safety and went up a tree. When the first man gave him life, the lion came alive and killed all the three learned men.  Suvarnabuddhi continued, That’s why I have always said:  "Even if one is very learned If he is without common sense Becomes the butt of ridicule Like the learned in this story."  "What is that story? Please tell me," asked Chakradhara. Suvarnasiddhi began to tell the story.