season arrived, the pair of geese set out for Lake Manasa. There they approached the king of the geese and while discussing the topic of geography, they praised the special virtues of the lake, saying:
“There is, Your Majesty, a king called Brahma·datta who rules in Varanasi to the south of Mount Himavat. He has made an offering of a huge and extraordinarily beautiful lake. Indescribable qualities furnish this delightful lake and it is for birds to enjoy at their own pleasure and will. Every day a proclamation of immunity is made in the area and birds take delight in the lake without fear or worry, as if it were their own home. Your Majesty should go there after the rains have passed.”
When they heard this, all the geese became eager to see the lake. The Bodhi·sattva then looked at his general Sumukha with an intent expression of inquiry: “What are your views on this?” he asked. Whereupon Sumukha bowed before the Bodhi·sattva and gave the following reply:
“My view is that Your Majesty should not go. Why? Because they are simply enticements—attractive forms set up as baits—and we lack none of such things here. The hearts of men are usually false whenever they display tender compassion. Fabricated courtesies and honeyed words conceal a vicious depravity. Consider this, master:
22.40 [19] 22.43 22.44
22.40
Animals and birds usually
express their hearts through cries.
Humans alone are skilled
in expressing the opposite.
Their speech is of course pleasant,
coherent and unable to be faulted.
But do merchants not also invest
in the hope of acquiring profit?
You should therefore never place
your trust in them, Your Majesty.
For dangerous and injudicious actions
can never be good, even to acquire a goal.
But if it really is necessary to go there, we should simply go and enjoy the lake’s riches. We should not wander there for long, nor incline our minds to staying there. That is my view.”
The flock of geese entreated the Bodhi·sattva again and again to go to the Varanasi lake, their curiosity to see it growing ever stronger. And so, when autumn arrived and the sky was adorned by a bright moon and stars, the Bodhi·sattva complied with their request and set off for the lake, surrounded by the flock of geese with Sumukha at the front, like the moon attended by a mass of autumn clouds.
22.45
As soon as they saw the beauty of the lake,
they were filled with joy mixed with wonder.
Landing radiantly, their splendid forms
rivaled the waters on which they floated.
22.47 22.48 22.49 22.50 22.50
The lake surpassed Manasa
in its various fine abodes.
The geese’s minds became so attached to it,
they no longer lent a thought to Mind Lake.
On hearing the proclamation of immunity and seeing the ease with which flocks of birds enjoyed the lake, their hearts became gladdened by the glory of the place and they felt utter bliss there, as if enjoying a trip in a park.
Now the men in charge of the lake informed the king that the geese had arrived, saying:
“Divine lord, two fine geese have arrived at Your Majesty’s lake, bearing exactly the same features and appearance as the geese we have heard about. Their wings glisten with the purity of gold. Their glorious beaks and feet blaze brightly like molten gold. Their bodies are well-formed and larger than ordinary. Surrounded by several hundreds and thousands of geese, it is as if they have arrived to illuminate the waters.”
22.50
The king then sought out a fowler who was widely renowned for his fowling skills and eagerly ordered him to capture the geese. The fowler consented and, after duly ascertaining the feeding ground and nesting area of the birds, he laid down various strong and concealed snares.
The geese had become so trusting that they had lost all fear of danger. And so it was that, one day, when the geese were roaming around, elated with joy, the king of the geese caught his foot in one of the traps.
22.52 [24] 22.53 22.53 22.53 22.53 22.53
Subtle confidence-inspiring strategies
make people forget to fear danger.
So trust only brings disaster,
causing heedlessness and imprudence.
To stop any other geese from suffering the same misfor tune, the Bodhi·sattva uttered a special cry to announce that the lake was dangerous. The geese were distraught that their king had been snared and, paying no heed to one another, they flew into the sky, uttering shrill and hysterical shrieks out of fear, like soldiers when their leader has been killed. But Sumukha, the general of the geese, did not move from the king’s side.
Hearts bound by love do not
consider losing their own life.
For the misery of a friend’s suffering
pains them more than losing their life.
The Bodhi·sattva responded to this by saying to Sumukha:
22.55
“Go! Go, Sumukha!
