..續本文上一頁next to any of us. That is why we are so unhappy."

　　"Don”t worry," said Ananda cheerfully, as he went to find the king.

　　Taking the seat which the king prepared for him, Ananda asked if it was true that his majesty had lost his jewel.

　　"Quite true, venerable sir," said the king. "I have had everyone in the palace searched and questioned, but I can find no trace of the gem."

　　"There is a way to find it, sire," Ananda said, "without upsetting people unnecessarily."

　　"What way is that, venerable sir

　　"

　　"By wisp-giving, sire."

　　"Wisp-giving

　　" asked the king. "What do you mean

　　"

　　"Call everyone you suspect," Ananda instructed, "and give him or her a wisp of straw. Say to each of them, ”Take this and put it in a certain place before daybreak tomorrow.” The person who took the jewel will be afraid of getting caught and will give the gem back with the straw. If it is not returned on the first day, the same thing must be done for one or two more days. You will undoubtedly get your jewel back." With these words, the elder departed.

　　Following Ananda”s advice, the king distributed straw and designated the place where it was to be returned. Even though he did this for three days, the jewel was not recovered. On the third day the elder came again and asked whether the jewel had been returned.

　　"No, venerable sir," replied the king, "it has not."

　　"In that case, sire," Ananda said, "have a large waterpot filled with water and placed in a secluded corner of your courtyard. Put a screen around it, and give orders that all who frequent the palace, both men and women, are to take off their outer garments and, one by one, to step behind the screen and wash their hands." Again the king did exactly as Ananda had suggested.

　　"Ananda has seriously taken charge of the matter," thought the thief. "He is not going to stop until the jewel is found. The time has come to give it up." He concealed the jewel in his underclothes, went behind the screen, and dropped it in the water. After everyone had finished, the pot was emptied, and the jewel was found.

　　"Because of the Elder Ananda," exclaimed the king joyfully, "I have gotten my jewel back!"

　　"Because of the Elder Ananda," exclaimed all the residents of the palace, "we have been saved from a lot of trouble!"

　　The story of how his wisdom had returned the jewel spread throughout the city and reached Jetavana Monastery.

　　A few days later, while the bhikkhus were talking together in the Hall of Truth, one of them said, "The great wisdom of the Elder Ananda led to recovering the lost jewel and restoring calm to the palace." While all of them were singing the praises of Ananda, the Buddha entered and asked the subject of their conversation.

　　"Monks," he said after they had told him, "this is not the first time that stolen gems have been found, nor is Ananda the only one who has brought about such a discovery. In bygone days, too, the wise and good discovered stolen valuables and saved a lot of people from trouble." Then he proceeded to tell this story of the past.

　　Long, long ago, when Brahmadatta was reigning in Baranasi, the Bodhisatta completed his education and became one of the king”s ministers. One day the king went with a large retinue to his pleasure garden. After walking about the woods for a while, he decided to enjoy himself in the water and sent for his harem. The women removed their jewels and outer garments, laid them in boxes for their attendants to look after, and joined the king in the royal tank.

　　As the queen was taking off her jewels and ornaments, a female monkey that was hiding in the branches of a nearby tree watched her intently. The monkey conceived a longing to wear the queen”s pearl necklace and waited for a chance to snatch it. At first the queen”s attendant stayed alert, looking all aro…

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