1.1“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,“Then again when I was1.2sutattakanakasannibho;the king of deer named Ruru,1.3Migarājā ruru nāma,in appearance I was like burnished gold,1.4paramasīlasamāhito.focused on the highest ethics.

2.1Ramme padese ramaṇīye,There was a pleasant, delightful region,2.2vivitte amanussake;free of humans,2.3Tattha vāsaṁ upagañchiṁ,so I went there and stayed2.4gaṅgākūle manorame.on a lovely bank of the Ganges.

3.1Atha upari gaṅgāya,Then a man upstream,3.2dhanikehi paripīḷito;harassed by creditors,3.3Puriso gaṅgāya papati,fell into the Ganges, thinking,3.4‘jīvāmi vā marāmi vā’.‘I live or I die!’

4.1Rattindivaṁ so gaṅgāya,Day and night in the Ganges4.2vuyhamāno mahodake;he was swept along the stream,4.3Ravanto karuṇaṁ ravaṁ,crying out pitifully,4.4majjhe gaṅgāya gacchati.along the middle of the Ganges.

5.1Tassāhaṁ saddaṁ sutvāna,When I heard the sound5.2karuṇaṁ paridevato;of his pitiful crying,5.3Gaṅgāya tīre ṭhatvāna,I stood on the Ganges bank5.4apucchiṁ ‘kosi tvaṁ naro’.and asked, ‘What man are you?’

6.1So me puṭṭho ca byākāsi,When asked he explained6.2attano karaṇaṁ tadā;to me his own deed:6.3‘Dhanikehi bhīto tasito,‘I was so scared of my creditors,6.4pakkhandohaṁ mahānadiṁ’.I jumped in the great river!’

7.1Tassa katvāna kāruññaṁ,Taking pity on him,7.2cajitvā mama jīvitaṁ;surrendering my own life,7.3Pavisitvā nīhariṁ tassa,I entered and dragged him out7.4andhakāramhi rattiyā.in the darkness of the night.

8.1Assatthakālamaññāya,When I knew he had recovered,8.2tassāhaṁ idamabraviṁ;I said to him,8.3‘Ekaṁ taṁ varaṁ yācāmi,‘I ask of you one favor:8.4mā maṁ kassaci pāvada’.tell no one about me.’

9.1Nagaraṁ gantvāna ācikkhi,But once he had returned to the city,9.2pucchito dhanahetuko;for the sake of money he told when asked.9.3Rājānaṁ so gahetvāna,Taking the king,9.4upagañchi mamantikaṁ.he drew close to me.

10.1Yāvatā karaṇaṁ sabbaṁ,All that I had done10.2rañño ārocitaṁ mayā;was related to the king.10.3Rājā sutvāna vacanaṁ,When the king heard this,10.4usuṁ tassa pakappayi;he fitted his arrow, thinking,10.5‘Idheva ghātayissāmi,‘Right here I shall kill10.6mittadubbhiṁ anāriyaṁ’.this ignoble betrayer of a friend.’

11.1Tamahaṁ anurakkhanto,I protected him,11.2nimminiṁ mama attanā;substituting myself:11.3‘Tiṭṭhateso mahārāja,‘Let him be, Great King.11.4kāmakāro bhavāmi te’.I shall carry out your pleasure.’

12.1Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ,I guarded my ethics,12.2nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ;not my life.12.3Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ,For then I was ethical,12.4bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.because it was solely for awakening.”

13.1Rurumigarājacariyaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.