Rukkhadhammajātaka
“United, forest-like.”—This story was told by the Master while at Jetavana, about a quarrel concerning water which had brought woe upon his kinsfolk. Knowing of this, he passed through the air, sat cross-legged above the river Rohini, and emitted rays of darkness, startling his kinsfolk. Then descending from mid-air, he seated himself on the river-bank and told this story with reference to that quarrel. (Only a summary is given here; the full details will be related in the Kunala-jataka.) But on this occasion the Master addressed his kinsfolk, saying, “It is meet, sire, that kinsfolk should dwell together in concord and unity. For, when kinsfolk are at one, enemies find no opportunity. Not to speak of human beings, even sense-lacking trees ought to stand together. For in bygone days in the Himalayas a tempest struck a Sal-forest; yet, because the trees, shrubs, bushes, and creepers of that forest were interlaced one with another, the tempest could not overthrow even a single tree but passed harmlessly over their heads. But alone in a courtyard stood a mighty tree; and though it had many stems and branches, yet, because it was not united with other trees, the tempest uprooted it and laid it low. Wherefore, it is meet that you too should dwell together in concord and unity.” And so saying, at their request he told this story of the past.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1.1PTS 1.329“Sādhū sambahulā ñātī,It is well for the many relatives,11.2api rukkhā araññajā;the trees born in the forest.1.3Vāto vahati ekaṭṭhaṁ,The wind sweeps off one standing alone,1.4brahantampi vanappatin”ti.even the enormous lord of the forest.
2.1Rukkhadhammajātakaṁ catutthaṁ.
While the verse speaks only of trees, the story says that the deities who live in trees are advised to dwell only in those clustered together in the forest. Some deities, however, greedy for human offerings, set up home in trees worshiped as shrines by villages.
