The Second Treatise on the Perfections – 2815 

 

wealth, such as gems, gold and silver. I want only death, for both my eyes are 
gone now,” said the king. “King, you say you want death. Do you really desire to 
die? Or do you say so only because you are blind?” When the king answered he 
desired so because he was blind, Sakka said: “King, I am not able to make you 
see again. You can see only with the power of your truthfulness. Make a solemn 
declaration of truth.” The king then uttered: 

“I adore those many people who came to me for gifts, and I also adore 
those who actually asked for what they needed. By virtue of this truth, 
may my eyesight be restored to me.” 

No sooner had he said so than the first eye appeared in him. Then again, he 
made another declaration of truth: 

“When the blind Brahmin came to me for my eye, I gave him both of 
mine. In so doing, my heart was full of joy. By virtue of this truth, may 
the other eye be restored to me.” 

Accordingly, he regained his second eye. These two eyes were not the ones 
which were with him at his birth, neither were they divine eyes. In fact, they 
were the eyes which appeared by the power of his verbal perfection of 
truthfulness. This truth of King Sivi was also the truth told so that one’s wish 
may be fulfilled

 

as it was spoken to have the wish for the restoration of his 

eyesight fulfilled. 

The Birth Story about the Fish 

In the Birth Story about the Fish (

Maccha-jātaka

, Ja 34), the Bodhisatta, when 

reborn as a fish, made an asseveration because the water in the pond had dried 
up as a result of a draught, and the fish in it were eaten by crows. He declared 
solemnly: “Although I was born as a fish whose species survives by living upon 
one another, I have never eaten even a fish of the size of a rice-grain. By virtue 
of this truth, may there be a great 

[1639]

 thunderous downpour.” No sooner had 

he declared this than there occurred a heavy rain. 

The Birth Story about the Young Quail 

Again, in the Birth Story about the Young Quail (

Vaṭṭaka-jātaka

, Ja 35) the 

Bodhisatta was born into a quail family. When he was still unable to fly or walk, 
there broke out a great forest fire and both of his parents fled. Thinking: “In this