Lakkhaṇamiga — Book of the Ones · Chapter Two (Sīlavagga) · Poem 1 of 10
Setting
No narrative scene in the canonical verse itself
Speaker
Unspecified in the canonical verse itself
Form
One stanza (six lines)
Length
Under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — one short contrast verse
Why this text
This verse opens the Sīlavagga (‘Ethics Chapter’) with a direct contrast between two named deer-kings, one prospering through virtuous, protective leadership and one brought low by carelessness — setting the ethical theme this whole second chapter of the collection develops.
Reading guide
Two deer-kings, two fates
The verse states its principle, then shows it: ‘the virtuous ones prosper, who live extending protection. See Lucky Spot coming, surrounded by their family circle; then see this Black Mark, bereft of family.’ Per Sujato's comment, the traditional story explains the contrast directly — the wise and prudent deer-king Lucky Spot kept his herd safe on their journey, while the foolish and careless Black Mark lost his whole herd.
Names that carry their own meaning
Sujato's comment notes that ‘lakkhaṇa’ (Lucky Spot) means ‘possessing beautiful or auspicious marks’, fitting the common spotted (Chital) deer, elegant and gregarious; ‘kāḷa’ (Black Mark) carries the opposite sense, ‘unlucky’. The two deer-kings' names themselves foreshadow their contrasting fates before the verse even describes them.
Key terms
sīlavataṁ attho — “the virtuous ones prosper” — the verse's opening principle.
paṭisanthāravuttinaṁ — “who live extending protection” — the specific virtue the verse credits for that prospering.
lakkhaṇa — “Lucky Spot” — per Sujato's comment, “possessing beautiful or auspicious marks”, fitting a spotted (Chital) deer.
kāḷa — “Black Mark” — the contrasting, “unlucky” name of the careless deer-king.
Lakkhaṇamigajātaka — the traditional title of this tale, opening the Sīlavagga.
The text
The text in full: a single six-line verse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1The virtuous ones prosper, who live extending protection. See Lucky Spot coming, surrounded by their family circle; then see this Black Mark, bereft of family.
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does the verse's opening line state as a general principle?
Correct: C. Illustrated immediately by the contrast between the two deer-kings that follows.
Question 2 of 10
What happened, per Sujato's comment on the commentarial story, to Lucky Spot's herd?
Correct: D. Contrasted directly with Black Mark's fate.
Question 3 of 10
What happened to Black Mark's herd?
Correct: A. The verse's direct contrast: 'this Black Mark, bereft of family'.
Question 4 of 10
What does Sujato's comment say about the meaning of the name 'lakkhaṇa'?
Correct: B. The name itself foreshadows the deer-king's fortunate fate.
Question 5 of 10
What does the name 'kāḷa' (Black Mark) mean, per the comment?
Correct: C. Contrasting directly with Lucky Spot's own auspicious name.
Question 6 of 10
What chapter does this poem open?
Correct: D. Setting the ethical theme this second chapter develops.
Question 7 of 10
How many deer-kings does the verse contrast?
Correct: A. Their contrasting fortunes illustrate the verse's opening principle.
Question 8 of 10
What is this poem's traditional title?
Correct: B. The eleventh poem overall, and the first of the Sīlavagga.
Question 9 of 10
What kind of deer does Sujato's comment suggest 'Lucky Spot' describes?
Correct: C. Grounding the verse's imagery in an identifiable real animal.
Question 10 of 10
Where does this poem sit in the collection's own chapter structure?
Correct: D. Opening this collection's second ten-poem chapter.
