Mahāsīlavajātaka
“Toil on, my brother.”—This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana, about a Brother who had given up all earnest effort. Being asked by the Master whether the report was true that he was a backslider, the Brother said it was true. “How can you, Brother,” said the Master, “grow cold in so saving a faith? Even when the wise and good of bygone days had lost their kingdom, yet so undaunted was their resolution that in the end they won back their sovereignty.” And so saying, he told this story of the past.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1PTS 1.267“Āsīsetheva puriso,A man should have hope,11.2na nibbindeyya paṇḍito;the astute should not be disillusioned.1.3Passāmi vohaṁ attānaṁ,Now I truly see myself—1.4yathā icchiṁ tathā ahū”ti.as I wished, so I became.2
2.1Mahāsīlavajātakaṁ paṭhamaṁ.
A good king deposed by a violent foe is subjected to brutal torture, but neither slips from his virtue nor loses hope. Persevering, he eventually regains the crown.
Āsīsetha is reflexive third singular optative.
Ahūti is ahu + (i)ti, where ahu is reflexive first singular aorist.
