Just as the ox grows old
so this man of little learning:
his fleshiness increases,
his wisdom doesn’t grow.
Explanation: The person who has scarcely heard the Teaching grows in physique, like a fattened bull. Although his body grows, his self understanding does not.
The Story of Venerable Kaludayi (Verse 152)
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Kaludayi, a monk with little intelligence.
The story goes that Venerable Kaludayi used to go to a house where people were having a holiday and recite stanzas appropriate to a funeral, such as, “They stand outside the walls”. Likewise he would go to a house where a funeral was in progress, and instead of saying the appropriate words, “They stand outside the walls,” he would recite such holiday stanzas as, “Alms-giving and piety” Or else he would recite the Jewel Sutta, containing such stanzas as, “Whatever riches exist, either in this world or in the next.”
In fact, no matter where he went, even though he set out with the intention of saying one thing, he would invariably say something entirely different. Monks who heard him talk reported the matter to the Buddha, saying, “Venerable, what is the use of Kaludayi’s going either to places where festivities are in progress or to places where funerals are in progress? Where the right thing should be said, he always says the wrong thing.” The Buddha replied, “Monks, this is not the first time he has so spoken; in a previous existence also he always said the wrong thing instead of the right thing.” So saying, he told the following story.
In times long gone by, there was a brahmin named Aggi-datta who lived in Benares. The brahmin had a son named Somadatta Kumara who waited upon the king, and Somadatta was the king’s darling and delight. One day one of his two oxen died. Thereupon the brahmin said to his son, “Dear Somadatta, ask the king for a single ox and fetch him back to me”. Somadatta thought to himself, “If I make such a request of the king, he will think that I am using my connection with him.” So he said to his father, “Dear father, you go yourself and ask the king.” “Very well, dear son, take me with you.” Then he taught his father the following Stanza:
I had two oxen, mighty king, with which I plowed my field; But one of the two is dead; pray give me another, Warrior-prince. But when he went to the king he said this: I had two oxen, mighty king, with which I plowed my field; But one of the two is dead; pray take my other, Warrior-prince.
At that time the stupid brahmin was Kaludayi.