That worst of beings was exceedingly cruel and took
delight in injuring others. On the expiry of the period of his life he
obtained an undesirable end. In fact, stained by the evil acts of his
human life, he was reborn as a jackal. Remembering his former prosperity,
he became filled with grief and abstained from meat even when brought
before him by others. And he became compassionate unto all creatures, and
truthful in speech, and firm in the observance of austere vows. At the
appointed time he took food which consisted of fruit that had dropped
from the trees. That jackal dwelt in a vast crematorium and liked to
dwell there. And as it was his birth place, he never wished to change it
for a finer locality. Unable to endure the purity of his behaviour, the
other members of his species, endeavoured to make him alter his resolve
by addressing him in the following words fraught with humility: 'Though
residing in this terrible crematorium, thou desirest yet to live in such
purity of behaviour. Is not this a perversity of understanding on thy
part, since thou art by nature an cater of carrion? Be thou our like. All
of us will give thee food. Eat that which ought always to be thy food,
abandoning such purity of conduct. Hearing these words of theirs, the
jackal replied unto them, with rapt attention, in these sweet words
fraught with reason and inculcating harmlessness to all: 'My birth has
been low. It is conduct, however, that determines the race.[341] I desire
to behave in such a way that my fame may spread.
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