Dabbhapuppha Jātaka
JātakaA birth story about a jackal who, asked to arbitrate a dispute between two otters over a fish they caught together, gives each the head and tail while keeping the choice middle portion for himself, told in reference to the monk Upananda’s similarly self-serving arbitration between two elders.
There was once a jackal called Māyāvī. His wife had a longing to eat fresh fish, and while he was searching for it he saw two otters, Anutīracārī and Gambhīracārī, disputing as to the division of a red fish which they had caught between them. They appealed to Māyāvī to arbitrate, and he gave one the head, the other the tail, while he kept the middle portion for himself!
The story was related in reference to Upananda, who is identified with the jackal. Two old monks had received as a gift two coarse cloaks and one fine blanket, and they appealed to him to divide the gifts. He gave them each a cloak and kept the blanket for himself. J.iii.332 ff; the story is quoted at DhA.iii.139 ff.
All entries named Dabbhapuppha Jātaka
Found an error in the dictionary?