No. 32.
NACCA JĀTAKA.
The Dancing Peacock.
"Pleasant is your cry." — This the Master told when at Jetavana, about the luxurious monk. The occasion is as above in the Story on True Divinity.[1]
The Teacher asked him, "Is this true, O monk, what they say, that you are luxurious?"
"It is true, Lord," said he.
"How is it you have become luxurious?" began the Teacher.
But without waiting to hear more, he flew into a rage, tore off his robe and his lower garment, and calling out, "Then I'll go about in this way!" stood there naked before the Teacher!
The bystanders exclaimed, "Shame! shame!" and he ran off, and returned to the lower state (of a layman).
When the monks were assembled in the Lecture Hall, they began talking of his misconduct. "To think that one should behave so in the very presence of the Master!" The Teacher then came up, and asked them what they were talking about, as they sat there together.
"Lord! we were talking of the misconduct of that monk, who, in your presence, and in the midst of the disciples, stood there as naked as a village child, without
- ↑ See above, p. 178.
