75. KING PACETANA
108 Buddhist Parables
In the past there was a king named Pacetana. Once King Pacetana addressed a chariotmaker, “Friend, six months from now there will be a battle. Can you make me a new pair of wheels?” And chariotmaker agreed.
After six months less six days the chariotmaker had finished one wheel. King Pacetana then addressed the chariotmaker, “Six days from now there will be a battle. Is the new pair of wheels finished?”
The chariotmaker responded, “In the past six months less six days, O King, I have finished one wheel.”
King Pacetana asked, “But can you finish a second wheel for me in the next six days?”
The chariotmaker replied, “I can, O King.” Then, over the next six days, the chariotmaker finished the second wheel. He brought the new pair of wheels to King Pacetana and said, “This is the new pair of wheels that I have made.”
Then the king asked, “What is the difference between the wheel that took six months less six days to complete and the one that took six days to complete? I do not see any difference between them.”
Then the chariotmaker rolled the wheel that took six days to finish. It rolled as far as the impetus carried it, and then it wobbled and fell to the ground. But the wheel that took six months less six days to finish rolled as far as the impetus carried it and then stood still as if fixed on an axle.
The king asked, “Why is it in this way?”
The chariotmaker replied, “The wheel that took six days to finish has a rim that is crooked, faulty, and defective; spokes that are crooked, faulty, and defective; and a nave that is crooked, faulty, and defective. For this reason, it rolled as far as the impetus carried it and then it wobbled and fell to the ground. But the wheel that took six months less six days to finish has a rim without crookedness, faults, and defects; it has spokes without crookedness, faults, and defects; and it has a nave that is without crookedness, faults, and defects. For this reason, it roiled as far as the impetus carried it and then stood still as if fixed on an axle.”
In the same way, a monk who has not abandoned crookedness, faults, and defects of the body, speech, and mind falls from the Dharma just as the wheel that was finished in six days fell to the ground. And any monk who has abandoned crookedness, faults, and defects of the body, speech, and mind establishes in the Dharma just as the wheel that was finished in six months less six days remained standing.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
All parables in printed book format: 108 Buddhist Parables and Stories
