The Loss of Friends
In a jungle there lived a lion by the name of Vajradaunstra.
A jackal and a wolf were his attendants.
One day an expectant female camel, who was in labour pains, was left behind by a caravan.
In the deep jungle, she fell a prey to the lion.
When he had torn off her womb, a little baby camel came out.
The lion and the other animals fed themselves on the female camel's flesh and were all very content.
But the lion spared the young camel and brought him home alive.
He said to him, 'Little camel, you have nothing to fear, either from me or from anyone else, so run about fearlessly in the jungle, just as you please.'
And so the four of them began to live together very happily.
They entertained one another by telling stories.
The baby camel began to grow up but he would never leave the lion even for a moment.
One day, the lion had a fight with a wild elephant.
The elephant wounded the lion so badly with his tusks that he was unable even to walk.
Exhausted with hunger, he said to the others, ' Go and look for some animal that I can kill, even in this condition, so that your hunger and mine can be satisfied.'
And so the jackal, the wolf and the camel wandered in the jungle until evening, but they could not find any animal at all.
So they returned empty handed.
The jackal began to think, 'If the lion would only kill the baby camel , then we could all feed on him for a couple of days.
But our master will not kill him, because he has given him the assurance that his life will be safe.
However, with the help of my wits, I shall influence the camel in such a way that he will offer himself, of his own accord, to the lion."
With his thought the jackal approached the camel and said to him, ' Oh you camel ! The Master is dying of hunger.
If he does die, we too shall be destroyed.
So I am going to tell you how you could be useful to him. Please listen carefully.\\'
'Do tell me,' said the baby camel 'and I shall attend to it quickly. And if I do anything for the master, according to our religion, I shall be rewarded a hundred-fold in my next life.'
'Then friend' said the jackal,'you should offer your body to the master to save his life, and for this sacrifice, the master will guarantee that you will be given a body, twice your present size in your next life.'
'Very Well then', replied the baby camel, 'I agree'.
Then all the animals went to the lion and said, 'Master! The sun has already gone down and we have still not been able to find any animal.
But if you will guarantee that this baby camel will have a body twice his present size in the next life, then he is prepared to offer himself to you as a holy sacrifice.'
'Indeed I do promise that I shall be so', replied the lion.
Hardly had he uttered these words than the wolf and the jackal fell upon the camel and tore up his body.
And that was the end of him.
Afterward the lion said to the jackal and the wolf 'Watch this carcass carefully.
I shall go to the river for a bath and worship the gods'.
Then the lion went off.
"When he had gone, the jackal thought to himself, 'How can I contrive to enjoy this carcass all to myself?'
He thought about it for a little while, then he hit upon a plan.
He said to the wolf, 'Ho! Wolf! You're hungry, aren't you? Until the master comes back, have a few mouthfuls of this camel's flesh.
I'll make up a story to tell him as an excuse, when he returns.'
But the wolf had hardly begun to eat, when the jackal shouted, 'Look out.! Here's the master coming back! Leave it alone! Get away from it'
The wolf immediately stopped eating.
When the lion arrived, he saw that someone had contaminated his food
He frowned and said angrily, 'Who has contaminated my food? Tell me his name and I shall kill him on the spot!'.
The wolf started looking at the jackal, as much as to say, 'Well, go on, say something to cool him down.'
But the jackal only smiled and said to the wolf, 'You contaminated the master's food even when I told you not to.
Now enjoy the fruit of what you have done.'
When the wolf heard this he was afraid for his life and took to his heels.
At this point, a heavily loaded caravan was coming along the same path.
The leading camel had a large bell round his neck.
When the lion heard the jingling sound in the distance, he said to the jackal, 'Go and see where this terrifying noise is coming from.
I've never heard it before.'
The jackal went a little way off, then returned and said, 'Master! Leave this place as quickly as you can, if you want to stay alive!'
'Friend', said the lion, 'why are you frightening me? Tell me, what is it?'
"Master", said the jackal, 'Yama the God of Dearh, is very angry with you, because you have killed a camel before the hour appointed for his death.
He has come personally and has brought with him, the father and grandfather of the camel, to have revenge on you, and the noise you hear, comes from the bell that he has tied round the leading camel's neck.'
"When the lion saw the caravan approaching, he left off eating the camel and ran for his life
After that, the jackal had the camel's flesh all to himself and it lasted him many, many days.
Damanaka continued, "That is why I told you that a wise man protects his interest even if it is to torment others and never shares his secrets with others as Chaturaka, the jackal did in the above story."
Sanjeevaka began pondering, "Why did I do like this. A vegetarian serving a meat eater! What shall I do and where shall I go? Perhaps, Pingalaka may spare me because he had given me assurance. Trouble may sometimes come to people who walk the path of ethical conduct. Every living being does good and sometimes bad deeds. He will reap the consequences in the next birth. So, we cannot escape what fate has in store for us."
With these thoughts on his mind Sanjeevaka went to see Pingalaka, the lion, and sat down without greeting him. The lion also was surprised at the bullock's arrogance and, believing what Damanaka had told him about Sanjeevaka, pounced on him tearing him with his claws. Sanjeevaka too began goring the lion with his horns.
Seeing that the jackal and the lion were determined to fight to the end, Karataka admonished Damanaka, "You fool! You have created a rift between the two friends. If the lord dies, how can you be a minister? How do you aspire to be a minister when you do not know the principles of diplomacy? War mongers like you can never reach their goals. You should not use force where there is still room for peace. One of the two is bound to die. Save the situation if you can. No, it is my folly to tell you what is good and what is bad. Elders have said that one should not preach to one who is not a disciple. You have the example of the bird Suchimukha."
"I am eager to know what it is," said Damanaka.
